haunted || l.h.

42

Paisley's POV*

  It's been a few months and I'm already so much better, at least physically. My wrist was fine, my rib was pretty much healed, and my leg was only a week or so away from being completely healed.

I've been home for a month or so. Luke's been coddling me since I woke up in the hospital. I didn't mind it for the most part because I have been very attached to him and afraid of him leaving me alone. But sometimes he babied me a lot more than I was used to from him and it got a bit too much.

"What do you want for dinner my love?" Luke called out from the kitchen.

"It doesn't matter, whatever you want to make." I said and laid down so my head was resting on the arm of the couch.

"I'll make whatever you want babe." He said and walked from the kitchen towards me on the couch.

"I don't know what I want." I said and looked up to see him looking down at me.

"Breakfast for dinner?" He asked and moved my hair out of my face.

"Sure." I said after thinking about it for a few seconds.

"Alright, it'll be ready soon." He said and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on my forehead.

"Do you want help?" I asked and turned my head so I could look at him as he walked back in the kitchen.

"No you relax I got it." He said while I heard the clanging of pans and whatnot in the kitchen.

"Okay if you say so." I said and went back to watching tv.

///

"P." Luke said which snapped me out of my little trance.

"Hm? Oh thank you." I said and took the plate of food he had made me while I sat up a bit on the couch.

"You okay? You've been spacing out a lot recently." He said with a bit of concern in his voice and on his face.

"Yeah I'm okay." I said and began eating my pancakes. I caught the unconvinced look he gave me which made me sigh and put my fork down.

"I just get scared sometimes." I said and looked up at him.

"You don't have to be scared anymore Pais." He said gently.

"I do though. Last time I got too comfortable he found a way to get me again." I said with a soft sigh and looked down at my plate of pancakes.

"He's gone P, he can't take you from me again. I promise you that you're safe now, and I know I promised you that before but I know that you are now. He's in jail now and he can't get out. You're safe my love, you don't have to be scared anymore." He said and reached over to hold my hand and looked into my eyes.

"What if he gets out?" I asked worriedly and moved my fork around in a pool of syrup that was on my face.

"He won't. They've got him locked up in there forever." He said and gently squeezed my fingers and ran his thumb over my knuckles.

"People break out of jail all the time." I said quietly and kept my gaze on the plate that was in my lap.

"He won't I promise. Me and you are gonna go somewhere far away from here so that you're always safe. He won't know where you are even if he gets out. We'll be safe and we'll be happy." He said and moved our plates out of the way so he could pull me onto his lap.

"You don't have to stay and take care of me." I said and rested my head on his shoulder. As much as I wanted him to stay I knew it was probably unrealistic. I was a handful with more issues that even I can deal with. Even if he said that he would, I'm sure he wouldn't. He'll probably get sick of me eventually.

"I know I don't, but I love you P. I'm staying because I want to and because I need you. I love you more than anything and I'll take care of you until the end of time." He said and held his arms tightly around me and ran his fingers through my hair.

"I love you, but I'm too much for you." I said and played with the necklace that was hung around his neck and rested on his chest.

"No you're not Paisley. You're enough, you're not too much. Maybe you were for other people but that just means that they can't handle how amazing you truly are. I'm not leaving, and I want you to know that and believe me when I tell you that. I love you sweet P, I love you more than life itself." He said and placed his lip on my forehead.

I looked up at him to see him already looking at me. He gave me a long and sweet kiss, making sure to put so much love into it. When we pulled away I tightly wrapped my arms around his shoulders and buried my head in the crook of his neck. He hugged me back just as tight, except was very careful not to hurt my ribs that were practically fully healed.

"I love you." I whispered and tangled my fingers in his hair.

"I love you more my love." He whispered back and placed a long kiss on the side of my head.

"I don't want to be scared anymore." I whispered and stared off into space.

"We'll make it so you aren't scared anymore, it'll just take time." He said and softly rubbed my back.

"How?" I asked and looked up at him.

"I don't know yet, but we'll take it one day at a time. Give me your dishes and sill get us some blankets and pillows so we can watch our show." He quickly pecked my nose and went to put our dishes in the sink. He came back a few minutes later with tons of blankets and pillows from the closet next to the laundry room.

  He helped me get comfortable on the couch and then laid down with me. I pulled him down so he was laying between my legs with his back to my chest and his head resting in the crook of my neck.

"Am I hurting you?" He asked nervously and turned his head up at me.

"No I'm okay." I said and ran my fingers through his hair after he had rested his head back where it was.

  While we watched our show Luke would keep playing with my free hand that wasn't playing with his soft hair. He ended up turning on his side and wrapping his arms around me. I stared at him in awe. It was unbelievable that he was real, and he was mine.

  He is so unbelievably beautiful in every single way. His inner beauty really shines through to his outer beauty, at least for me.

  I think he caught me staring at him. He looked up at me with a small smile and quickly kissed me.

"You're staring P." He giggled and kept his baby blue eyes on me.

"I know." I moved his hair out of his face and kept my hand on his cheek.

"Thank you Luke." I said after a long silence.

"For what?" He asked in confusion.

"For choosing me and loving me." He smiled so wide at me and placed his lips on mine for a nice long passionate kiss. Sparks flew, like they always did, and that familiar feelings of butterflies in my stomach appeared once again.

"Well thank you for choosing me and loving me too." He said with a grateful smile and kissed me again.

  I pulled him back down so he was laying on me and held him close. I stroked his hair and rubbed his back like I always did, sometimes kissing his forehead in the process.

  He was focused on the show that was playing on the screen, but I was focused on him. I was grateful for him everyday, and I want him to now just how grateful I am for however long he sticks around.