His Hope [Zayn][Completed]

Chapter 3-Run and Hide

He woke, feeling thirsty.

Zayn turns on the hallway light heading to the kitchen. Emptying the glass of water in his hands, he hears a crash and a long echoing scream that makes his heart drop from his chest. 

His head whips sharply in the direction. Carelessly, the glass in his hands slips and crashes to his feet. 

Then a cry.  An agonizing, long suffering cry coming from down the hall from the second bedroom. 

A mere second passed before he realized it was Hope.

And she was calling out his name. 

Zayn spurts into action, leaping effortlessly around the glass and runs in full speed coming to a halt at Hope's door.  Reaching quickly to twist the knob he practically kicked open the door.  It crashed loudly against the wall.  He stepped over the threshold, his legs slightly crouched in preparation to fight an intruder. 

His breaths were heavy, his chest heaving with effort.

"Hope!"  He yelled. 

Zayn's hand slammed against the light switch with force. The entire room flooded with light.

The bed was empty, the covers stretched over the other side of the bed, out of sight.

The lamp, on the side table beside the bed, was knocked down and broken. 

Where was she?

It looked like there was a fight.

Zayn listened intently, and heard a low groan coming from the other side of the bed.  The side obstructed from his view.  Rushing over to the bed, he found Hope on the floor, twisting and turning, tangled in the sheets. 

"No!"  She cried again, curling into a ball and crying. "Stop!"

Zayn's heart pounded painfully in his chest as he crouched down beside her. 

She is no danger.  It was only a nightmare.

"Hope?  Hope, wake up."

He touched her shoulder gently and shook her.

She screamed, the loudest any woman Zayn had ever heard and jerked away from his touch.

His eardrums rang.

She thrashed on her back, to her side, curled up in a ball, tears coating her face. 

"Hope."  He said more softly, his hands hovering over her, not wanting to touch her and cause her more pain. 

Zayn had no clue what to do. 

"Wake up." He tried again. 

She woke up with a frightened, startled jolt. 

Holding up his hands in surrender to show her he meant no harm, Hope stared at him with her tear streaked, big eyes, huge with fear.  Her chest was heaving with the turbulence of her emotions. 

"Its me Zayn, Hope.  I won't hurt you.  You were having a nightmare."  He explained. 

"Zayn?"  She asked.  Her eyes were clouded with confusion as if she searched his face.  She was visibly shaking, but when he made a move to help her up, she went rigid and tried backing away.  "No!"

"Its only a nightmare."  He explained again. 

It appeared as though her cognitive function was sluggish as it took her a few moments to recognize who he was and what happened.  Slowly, as not to frighten her, he pulled back slightly. 

"Zayn. . .?"

Without waiting for an invitation, Hope flung herself into his arms.

"Zayn."  She sobbed.  "P-please don't leave m-me.  Please don't let t-them get me.  Please."