Bring It On

Chapter 15

Anna-Lee's POV

It took me just past Thanksgiving to heal physically and stop jumping at the smallest of things. Mentally, I was struggling. Big time. Reaper refuses to leave me alone, especially after the first time I woke up from a night mare. It had me so terrified, I ended up puking the first time. The incident shook me to the core and I was so jumpy and tense. Around Reaper though I was able to relax and feel peace. I haven't gone to the compound in a while. Nor have I left the house. While Reaper was here, he learned about me being unable to take baths or go swimming without having a near panic attack. He had suggested a bath to get me to relax but I had shot it down in a heart beat. I didn't tell him why exactly I didn't but simply telling him that it was a trigger. He accepted that and didn't push it. To me that was the greatest thing about him. I don't have to give explanations as to why I do things or can't do something and he completely accepts it. He has a level of understanding that I never realized I needed until I met him.

I was the same way with him.

Today he decided I needed to get out of the house. He came into my room and woke me up with some coffee and a breakfast burrito.

"I hope you don't mind, but I made plans for us," he said to me as I took my first drink of coffee. I raised an eyebrow at him as I took a bite of my burrito. "Just gonna go somewhere, just the two of us for the weekend," he said to me.

That sounded nice.

I ate and drank my coffee before he told me what I would need to pack. When left, he didn't tell me where we were going but the snacks and cooler with sodas told me it would be a drive.

Reaper's POV

I decided we needed a get away because it was clear she needed it. I didn't know how to help get her to relax besides your normal self care things that women like to do like baths with candles and shit, but she can't handle things like that. So I was thinking a trip away, to maybe try and heal will help. Not slap a sex, weed, and alcohol band aid on it. The sex would be happening though. But it's not a cure. I'm not looking to cure her but I do want to help.

Getting away to a quiet place is what helped me become somewhat of a person again so maybe it'll help her.

I took her to my cabin that was hidden and only Viper knew the location too. Ranger did too after I informed him we were coming here but he swore not to tell a soul.

She was the only person I've ever brought here.

She looked at it wide eyed when we pulled up. "This is my place," I told her. "I bought it after I was healed after I was tortured." I didn't look at her as I spoke, but at the cabin. I felt her eyes on me though. "I wanted to get away. To find a sense of peace so I could find myself. After what happened, I didn't know who I was anymore. Sometimes I question myself. I come here when sex, weed, and alcohol aren't enough." I looked at her then. "No more band-aids baby. For both of us." If I was gonna make her start down this path, then I can't be a hypocrite. I gotta stop using a damn band-aid and get better. 

I held out my hand to her, "Together?" She seemed to be hesitating at first before putting her hand in mine, "Together." 

I brought her hand to my lips and kissed her knuckles. 

We then took our stuff inside. The cabin had floor to ceiling windows that faced the forest, and deck where a hot tub sat. A stone fireplace in the corner with a dark wood mantle. An open concept layout where the kitchen and living room were one large room. The black metal spiral staircase lead to the bedroom where we unpacked our clothes. I had come up here yesterday to stock the kitchen and ensure everything else we'd need was here so we weren't going to have a single reason to leave this weekend. 

I hung up my cut and hat. I was just me this weekend, not a biker. We went downstairs and started cooking us something to eat. "So how do you hope we try fixing ourselves," she asked me as she diced the onions. "Whatever you feel will work for you. I am going to try finally opening up and talking. I want that to be you, because I know, that no matter what I tell you, you won't look at me with fucking pity," I told her. She nodded, "Never will I look at you with pity." 

After we ate dinner I was doing the dishes when she came into the kitchen and sat on the counter. "I have an idea," she said to me. I raised an eyebrow, "Really?" "When I was off in the looney bin, they did their jobs at the bare minimum, not really wanting to help because they wanted to keep the money flowing. At least the doctors I got stuck with. Others did help the other patients. They kept wanting me to talk and if I did, I got told that's good. And that's it. No other encouragement or reward system. This shit is hard. I figured a way to encourage us though would be a reward system of sorts. We're about to open ourselves to our rawest points and feel vulnerable. I feel this might help. Any time one of us confesses something or talks, we roll a die, and the reward is what ever the die lands on." 

She then showed me the sex dice she probably found on my dresser. It was one of the things I bought for us to do while here. She took out a pink die that had acts for her on it and a red die that would have acts for me. I thought about what she said and nodded. "Be prepared to be exhausted," I said with a chuckle. She smiled softly, "Oh I am." 

Let the confession game begin.