Oneshots - Kayce Dutton

You need to talk to someone.

Request – The reader asks Kayce to go see a therapist after he's having nightmares (could be from Tate's kidnapping or PTSD from being in the Navy) and almost hurts the reader one night. Maybe the reader could go with him?

Author's Note – I'm not an expert in this field...but I tried to be respectful of it.

Something kicked you.

More like someone, as you opened your eyes. It was dark, must be the middle of the night still as you leaned onto your back and looked over at Kayce. His head was twisting every few seconds and you could hear him mumbling.

Frowning, you slowly sat up. Kayce had been having nightmares like clockwork for the past few weeks. They seemed to be worse when his days were more stressful than normal. But every night around two in the morning he would start. Sometimes he'd wake you up with his talking or movement.

"Kayce," You whispered, rubbing your face.

Two nights ago, you tried to shake him away and he had pushed you out of the bed. He didn't remember it, nor did you tell him, but it gave you a nasty bruise on your hip bone.

"Where is he..." Kayce mumbled. "Gotta...find...him..."

You took a deep breath and faced him more.

"Kayce...baby?" You tried again. "I need you to wake up."

"Don't hurt him..." Kayce twisted on the bed.

You glanced around before leaning over him, taking a chance. You placed your hand on his chest and it was like someone had punched him.

Kayce cried out, grabbing you and slamming you back against the headboard. Your head snapped back, and you felt a searing pain go down your neck. Kayce's grip on your arms was deadening.

"Let him go!" Kayce screamed at you.

But then you saw his eyes clear up and immediately his grip on you loosened enough to eventually he snatched his hands away.

"Y/N..." Kayce breathed out, his chest heaving.

You were staring at him, afraid to move after what just happened. When Kayce reached out you flinched and closed your eyes for a second on reflex. Your hands came up to hold your chest, feeling your heart almost beat out of it.

"Baby..." Kayce swallowed. "Baby I-I'm so...I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," You breathed in and out, still not touching him.

"Are you hurt?" Kayce asked, "D-Did I hurt you?"

"It's fine," You pulled your knees up. "You didn't know."

Kayce ran his hand over his head, he was still breathing hard.

"It was so real..." He looked back at you with tears in his eyes. "They h-had him again...Tate...and this time I didn't..."

You frowned at Kayce as he started to cry in front of you. Slowly you lowered your knees and dropped your hands from where they had been pressed against your chest.

"Kace...?" You asked softly.

Kayce looked at you with tear stains down his cheeks.

"Kayce I think you need to talk to someone," You felt your voice shake. "Someone who could maybe help you with these...nightmares."

"I just need sleep," Kayce tried to argue.

"No baby," You shook your head. "You're not...this isn't okay."

Kayce looked defeated and your heart broke.

"I don't know where to start," He admitted.

"I'll help you," You took a breath and reached out your hand to rest against his arm. "We can go together."

Three days later

You sat in Kayce's truck, waiting for him to finish his first appointment. You had found a specialist who worked with veterans in Billings. You and Kayce took the afternoon to head over there, and you promised to be there when he was done.

It was only supposed to be forty-five minutes, but they were getting close to an hour now. That could be either good or bad in your mind. The door to the clinic opened up and Kayce walked out.

He was dressed casually today, in jeans, a gray hoodie, and his tan vest as he walked with his hands in his pockets and head down, covered by a ball cap. You sat up in the passenger seat as Kayce opened the driver's door and got in.

"Hey..." You said softly as he looked over at you.

His eyes were red, but they didn't seem lost to you as he would sometimes get when things got too heavy.

"Well?" You had promised him if he didn't want to tell you anything, he didn't have to.

But he did have to tell you if he would go back or not.

"I um..." His voice was rough and scratchy. "He said I have PTSD."

You nodded your head, trying not to seem like that's what you had been expecting to make sure Kayce didn't feel like some science experiment.

"He wants me to come once a week for a while," Kayce looked over at the clinic he just came out of. "Told me a few breathing exercises to try before I fall asleep to see if that might help my nightmares."

"Okay," You reached over and held his arm. "That doesn't sound too difficult of a task to at least try out and see?"

"Yeah," Kayce glanced down before looking back at you. "I'm sorry I'm...like this."

"Kayce," You scooted closer. "This isn't you...this is a product of your environment for the past few years. There is a difference and hopefully, this therapist can help you enough to where you can at least feel calm inside your own head. Even if it's just so you can get some sleep."

Kayce nodded but didn't say anything.

"But don't apologize for something you didn't cause," You gave him a small smile. "Or you at least don't ever have to apologize to me for it, okay?"

"Okay," Kayce nodded but you didn't fully believe this would be the last time he would apologize to you.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" You asked.

"He asked me if I had anyone," Kayce said. "I told him a little about you."

"Alright," You smiled. "Hopefully you didn't tell him my secret love of gravy with my steak."

That cracked a smile on Kayce's lips.

"He said it was good I had someone I loved," Kayce looked at you. "It's harder to do this alone."

"Well, that's one thing you're not," You reached over and pulled Kayce closer to you by his vest. "You're not alone...I'm right here."

Kayce nodded, offering you a small, but genuine smile.

"I love you," You looked into his brown eyes.

"Love you," Kayce whispered back.