Getting back to "Normal" | Rhekker

Chapter 72- Late nights

Connor woke to something moving next to him, the sleeve of his T-shirt damped. Connor pressed his eyes closed before opening them again, turning his head.
"Ava" he put a hand on her shoulder, tears slipping down her face as she tightened her grip on the blanket around them.
"Ava, wake up!" he sat up, shaking her shoulders.
Ava twitched on the bed, never waking.
"Ava!"
Her eyes shot wide open, her breathes coming in gasps.
Her hands collided with his shoulders, trying to push him back.
"It's me, it's okey" he put a hand on her arm, pulling her up.
"Breath for me Ava, breath" he wrapped his arm around her, rubbing the space between her shoulders. Ava continued to sob, her breath slowly returning to normal as she collapsed back into Connors arms.

"Are you okey?" He asked quietly after a moment.
Ava nodded her head against his chest, wiping a cold sweat from her forehead.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Connor smoothed out her hair.
Ava took serval deep breaths before beginning. "I was - I was in the truck, I was trying to get out but the door just kept on getting further and further away. And the walls were getting closer and I just-" Ava shook her head, wiping her cheeks, "I couldn't breath"
Connor pressed his eye closed before opening them again, "You're safe here, you're safe" he rubbed her arm. Ava closed her eyes again, focusing on Connors odd phrase and consistent movements.

"I'm going to go shower" Ava said, sitting up. Her t-shirt was stuck to her back with a cold sweat that she was almost certain was on the pillow as well.
Connor nodded and Ava slipped off the bed, taking a set of her own loose pjs from her draw before going to the bathroom. Ava tried her hair up into a high bun, her eye catching on her blue splint.
Connor must have put it back on after I fell asleep

She pulled it off, setting it on the counter next to the sink. Ava got under the lukewarm water,  washing the salt taste from her skin. She took some deep breathes breathing in the vanilla rather then the metallic smell that haunted her. Ava stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her frame. She washed her face, trying to shock herself back to the present. She dried off, taking the time to study her healing bruises and marks before pulling her pyjamas on.

Ava stepped back into the bedroom to find it empty. The bed had been stripped and the sheets changed, the pillows piled high like they hadn't been slept on. Ava flicked her head up as Connor stepped back into the room.
"I thought you'd like a thinner blanket" he held up a thin beige summer blanket.
"Thanks" she smiled.
"You know I was too warm anyway" he shrugged, nodding his head he sat on the bed, placing a hand on the empty space next to him.
Ava shook her head, knowing he was only saying that to make her feel better. Ava settled down next to Connor and he lay the blanket over the two of them.
Connor reached back and flicked off his bedside light.
"Goodnight" Ava whispered into the darkness.
"Goodnight, sleep tight"

*

The night consisted of Connor's rhythmic "Shh, Shh, Shh, Shh,," as three more nightmares followed. Begging for her breathing to steady off as he held her clammy hand, after spending the best part of twenty five minutes trying to wake Ava.

Ava sat between his legs, hunched over holding her chest as Connor rubbed her back.
"I'm sorry" she breathe, taking in a gasp of air.
"Don't apologise. This isn't your fault" he gently coxed her back against his chest.
"I don't want to try sleep again" Ava said, her voice hoarse from crying. Head falling weakly against his chest.
Good, was all Connor could think, recalling how violently he'd had to shake her, desperately crying for her to wake up.
Connor just placed his head on top of hers and exhaled, counting her breathes under his hand.

Connor glanced to his clock on his night stand, 6.13am.
"We'd normally be up for work by now, do you want to cut this night short and get breakfast?"
As if on cue Ava's stomach gave a low growl.
"I'll take that as a yes" he brought his lips to her temple before Ava sat up from his arms. Ava make her way back into the bathroom and Connor showered in the main bathroom before starting on a breakfast for them.