The Spaces In-Between

Daytime Nightmares, Night Time Dreams

Y/N was happy as she jumped on her trampoline in the backyard.  Every night for the last three months, when she would go to sleep she got to play with her new best friend, Kakashi.  He was so much fun that when her parents would tell her it was time for bed, she would race down the hallway and jump into bed, eager to meet up with him.

They had gone on many adventures together so far.  He taught her how to climb a tree and then showed her the coolest thing ever.  He could just walk right up it and hang upside down, the soles of his feet somehow sticking to the branch as he waved his hands at her.  He had tried to show her how to do it but she had not quite got it figured out yet.

They had gone up into the mountains another time and had explored a cave.  She had gotten a little scared and had grabbed the back of his shirt as they inched their way through the maze.  He had laughed but didn't make fun of her for being scared.  He then tried to make her safe by pulling out his sword as they walked around in the darkness.

There had been more adventures than that but a lot of the time they stayed by the river.  Sometimes swimming, sometimes just watching the clouds.  One time he had even laid his head in her lap beneath a tree and read a book!

"Why did you bring a book?" Y/N had asked.

"I like to read," had been Kakashi's answer.

"Nerd," she teased.

Kakashi had given her one of his narrowed eyes smiles before turning back to the book.  She in turn played with his hair while watching the clouds pass by.  It had been a rather peaceful day.  That had been last night.  She wondered as she jumped high on the trampoline what kind of adventure they would have tonight.

"Y/N get your ass in here now!" Her father suddenly yelled from the back door.

She stopped bouncing and looked at him.  He had that mean look about him and she quickly tried to think of what she might have done to get in trouble.  She quickly got off the trampoline and ran up to the house, even though she was shaking inside.  She knew better than to keep him waiting.  As soon as she crossed the doorway he hit her across the back of the head and she stumbled forward, cracking her head on the island countertop as she fell down.  She couldn't stop the tears that were falling from the pain and the sudden hit.

He yanked her back up by the arm roughly, hurting her arm in the process before dragging her to the refrigerator and opening it up.  "Did you do that?"

Y/N stared in confusion at the glass of milk she had put in the fridge earlier when she couldn't finish it at lunch.  "Y-yes?" she did not understand why he was so angry about the milk.  She was going to finish it later, she just couldn't at the time.

He grabbed her hair painfully and grabbed the glass of milk.  "Don't pour what you won't finish!" he yelled at her before shoving the glass against her lips and almost gagging her as he poured it unrelenting down her throat.  When she was unable to swallow fast enough he threw the glass across the room and then started slapping her back and forth with enough force to jar her.

"Henry, no!" She heard her mother scream and felt her mother trying to stop him.

Y/N cried as he pulled out a some of her hair as he abruptly let her go to punch his wife hard enough to knock her back into the counter.  Y/N ran as fast as her legs would take her as a scuffle broke out in the kitchen.  She went to her favorite corner in the closet and hid under her blanket.  Her face hurt but not as much as her head did.  A long period of time went by before she heard her door open slowly.  She held her breath, scared to death that it was her Daddy.  When the closet opened, she almost cried when she saw it was her Mama.