Jet Black Heart\\M.C.

+2+

+Mikey+

He watches her as she sleeps, a terror having left her in a whimpering fit that awoke him. He moved to her quickly to soothe her before she fell into deep sleep again, but his mind is robbed of rest as he replays that day.

Her screaming his name and yelling for help through the speaker on his phone always attacking his mind. The pain and emptiness he felt when he cried on those dreaded steps as he contemplated if she was dead; beat to death at the hands of her own father. He wanted to go with her, he demanded it, but she said no and got terribly hurt for it.

His hand rubs over hers on his chest, now cast free, but his eyes well regardless. How is he supposed to take care of her when he is on the other side of the country? What if she has a nightmare? Tears run from his eyes and into his new red hair as he stares at the ceiling, anxiety and worry robbing him of his joy to follow his dream. And it's just unfair.

He looks at her one more time before he rolls to his side to face her. He swallows as he accepts what is and also reminds himself that she is the strongest person he has ever met, and he has to have faith in her tenacity. She doesn't even stir when he places a peck on her cheek and then settles deep into his pillow to rest.

++++

Mikey awakes to Hannah gently rolling into him with a contented moan, the room still very dim from the sun barely risen. She stretches before she sinks back into sleep, but not before she pulls his arm around her waist. He smiles before he snuggles her back, resting his face into her neck. She hums again and they both fall back asleep.

When Mikey's eyes do flutter open, the room is bright and Hannah is still cradled to his chest. His eyes focus on the clock, seeing its almost ten in the morning so he kisses her cheek. She hums and snuggles her face into the pillow while pressing her back more firmly into his back, making him giggle. He kisses her cheek again while rubbing his warm hand over her arm and she scoots to her back, looking at him.

"Good morning," he smiles at her and she scoffs, but smiles, rolling into his chest.

"Good morning," she mumbles into his chest before leaning up to kiss his jaw, "we need to go to the store. We need groceries."

"Did we budget for this trip?" Mikey asks trying to remember what he saw in the accounts when he checked a couple days ago as she rolls him to  his back and slides on top of him.

"Yep," she boops his nose before kissing his still healing tattoo on his tricep and then resting her ear over his heart. She sighs, hugging him, "I love the sound of your heart."

He chuckles and holds her to him, cherishing the ability to, before he is gone on and off for over a month, knowing he is going to miss her terribly. Her scent wafts up into his nose and he reminds himself to think of her as the strong, resilient person she was when they met. But its hard to ignore her fractured bravery as of late. He can't overlook her fragile mind, crumbling after the freedom when so much abuse and trauma befell her.

She is free physically. But mentally, he fears she is more trapped than ever.

++++

"No, no, no," Mikey shakes his head as he pulls out of the apartment complex parking lot, "I don't want to listen to One Direction anymore."

"I can't help it," she giggles, starting her 1D playlist.

"We listened to them all morning," Mikey grumbles, settling into his seat and reaching over to place his hand on her leg.

"And for the next forty minutes, it's still morning," She teases, grabbing his hand.