Don't Forget To Remember Me

Don't Go

Laura woke up again to sounds of Carmilla having a nightmare.  This one was the worst, with Carmilla screaming, crying, and flailing.  The yellow pillow had been knocked off the bed, lying abandoned on the floor.  Laura knew, from experience, that if she tried to calm a flailing Carmilla from the bedside, it would be at the wrong angle and inviting a black eye.

So she decided to crawl into the bed, and took both of the vampire’s wrists in her hands.  She planted a light kiss on Carmilla’s forehead.  “Shh, Carm, it’s okay,” she whispered.  Carmilla whimpered but seemed to stop moving her arms as violently.  “You’re fine, Carm, shh.”

Carmilla slowly opened her eyes and looked at Laura, who let go of her wrists.

“Laura?”  Her voice sounded so small.

One night, months ago Carmilla had given vague descriptions of some of her nightmares.  They were mostly about being locked in the coffin, or about the night she was murdered, or about how she had watched from afar as her family died off, one by one.

“I’m here,” Laura said softly, letting go of her wrists.  “You’re safe.”

Carmilla wiped the tears from her eyes and sniffled.  “Thank you,” she murmured.

Laura smiled back and started to get off the bed.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to get the yellow pillow, and then I’m going to let you sleep,” she replied, starting to rise from the bed again.

Carmilla grabbed her arm.  “Wait.”

Laura looked at her expectantly.

“The pillow,” Carmilla began, letting go of Laura’s arm.  “It’s not the pillow that calms me down.  It-It just reminds me of you.”  She shrugged.  “It smells like your shampoo and soap and it’s kind of the same size as you…”

“Hey!”

Laura chuckled.

“I-I just… can you just hold me?”  She swallowed hard.  “Please?”  Laura looked down into those pleading, warm eyes, and for a moment she could’ve sworn her old Carmilla was back.

“Of course,” Laura said.  She propped herself up on a couple of pillows, then wrapped one arm around Carmila’s shoulders, and draped the other across her waist.  “Is this okay?” she asked softly.

Carmilla nodded and nuzzled her head into Laura’s shoulder, the remnants of sniffles slowly going away.

 ---

When Laura was sure the vampire had fallen asleep, and gently removed herself from the bed.  She started to walk out of the room when a floorboard creaked.

“Wha––” she heard from behind her.  “Laura?  Why are you leaving?”

Laura turned around as if she had been caught stealing from the cookie jar.  “Well, I just figured you’d calmed down enough to sleep, so I was going to go back to the couch…”

“Oh.”  Carmilla sat there, her eyebrows furrowed as she considered her next word carefully.  “Don’t.”

“‘Don’t,’ what?”

“Don’t go.” Carmilla took a deep breath.  “Sleep in here with me.”  She patted the spot next to her on the bed.

Laura grinned.  “Are you sure?”

Carmilla nodded.

Laura bounced back to the bed and hopped onto it, squealing.

Carmilla rolled her eyes, but smiled.  “Goodnight, you weird marshmallow.”

Laura assumed her previous position of holding Carmilla.  “Goodnight, Carm.”