Me Plus You

Welcome Back Kidd

Authors notes:

A Chapter exploring the after-effects of Stella's kidnapping

Her need to get back on truck.

And the questions about Kelly's past that still need answering and how this draws them even closer.....

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The scream tore through the darkness, the noise jarring him awake. Kelly reached for the lamp on the nightstand. Beside him Stella's body was shaking, the sheets tangled around her legs.

"Hey... Stella....... babe?" He reached out a gentle hand towards her face.

Stella gasped and pulled away, her arms crossing over in front of herself as if shielding herself from an attack. Kelly's throat constricted. It tore at him to see the fear in her eyes.

"Hey... it's o.k...... it's o.k." He soothed.

Very slowly the disorientated glaze stared to clear as focus returned and awareness of where she was and of him. Her breathing was rapid, a fine sheen of perspiration covering her shoulders and chest.

Kelly held out a hand to her, allowing her to decide whether she wanted to take it and slowly she did, letting him draw her into his arms, her head resting on his chest.

"Another nightmare huh." He kissed the top of her head, pulling the sheets over them.

"I'm sorry I woke you." She mumbled.

"Shhh... Stop apologizing.......same dream?"

Kelly felt her nod in his arms and he sighed helplessly. She had had the bad dreams a few times when she had stayed at the loft. Each time it had been the same terrorized screams that had woken him sending chills down his spine so god only knew how it felt for her.

"Do you think that maybe some sleeping meds might help?" Kelly carried on stroking her, his fingers drawing circles on her arm.

"No... I really dont want to take meds." She pulled away from him a little to look up at him. " It wouldn't be good for work with the hours we do and I really want to get back on truck asap."

Kelly nodded, he understood her reasoning. Being sidelined to office duties wasn't much fun.

"What about seeing Dr. Charles? You said he wanted you to go for some more sessions?"

"I don't know...I wanted to give myself a chance after I left Med." Stella was chewing her lip. "I guess it wouldn't hurt?"

"With the trial at some point ... maybe that would be a good thing. Give him a call tomorrow?"

"Yeah..... yeah.... you're right." She hesitated before going on. She appeared a little unsure about something. "Could you not tell the Chief about the nightmares... ? I know it's wrong for me to ask that of you but I just don't want to be sidelined any longer. "

Kelly paused for a second. The CFD medical team had cleared her so after a couple of shifts in the office she was expecting to go back on truck. To be honest he wasn't worried about her being on truck.

"I won't say anything.....as long as they don't get worse. And if your sleep doesn't suffer long-term. I don't want you to compromise your safety with a lack of sleep. Is that fair?"

"Thank you." Stella gave him a little smile of gratitude and sank back into his arms.

Kelly sighed thinking to himself, he was being hypocritical because having her in his bed was not very conducive to either of them getting much sleep either!