Catch Me if You Can (18+) (FINISHED)

35 - Panic Attack

Ace
Present

Aspen scrambled away from me like I was the monster under her bed, and anger simmered through me at this reaction, making my jaw lock.

"Enough with the fucking games," I hissed. "Get up. Let's go."

She kept scurrying away like a terrified puppy and came up short to a wall.

"Now you're suddenly afraid of me?" I questioned, stepping to her as she pressed herself to the plaster, tears glimmering in her eyes. "Huh? What the fuck is wrong with you?"

I got on the bed and reached out to catch her arm, but she cried out and shielded her head with her arms, curling up against the wall at my action.

I pulled back then, shock rattling through me.

She started crying silently, covering her head and face with her hands as I remained frozen in place.

My heart stopped for a moment, and I gazed down at her, something cold washing through me.

"Aspen..." I whispered, brows drawing together. "Aspen, I'm not going to hit you."

She still cried into her knees, shivers racking her body.

"Hey..." I said, reaching for her.

She let out a sob and scrambled further away from me. "No!"

I stopped, an uneasiness coiling inside me at the look in her eyes.

It was like she wasn't seeing me... She was seeing someone else—someone she was terrified of.

She was scared... I've never hit her before and she thought I was going to... she was mad before, I admit, but this? I've never seen her like this.

Something must've happened when I was gone.

"I'm not going to hurt you," I promised her, getting a little closer as she pressed herself further to the wall. "You need to calm down before you hurt yourself, Asp. Come here. I'll help, okay?"

She just watched me, shaking.

"Come here," I whispered, grabbing her arm gently.

The action made her scream, and she fought my grip as I tried to get her to me, pulling her closer as she kicked and cried.

"NO!" she screamed. "NO! NO!"

I pulled her to me despite her shoving against my chest and her attempts to scurry away.

"Aspen!" I yelled out in panic as she fought me. "Aspen!"

She screeched in a high pitch, making me wince as I tried to get her closer, but she was wiggling and shoving and kicking.

It was like she thought I was going to murder her.

"MILES!" I yelled, trying to hold her still. "FUCK, MILES! HELP! I NEED HELP!"

All the sudden, he ran into the room, eyes widening as he took in the situation. "What the fuck?"

"I need help!" I yelled, growling as she shoved her foot into my gut. "She's going to hurt herself if I don't stop this!"

She shoved her heel into my chest, making me choke and cough as the impact burst through me, but I managed to keep a hold. "Shit!" I yelled when she did it again.

Miles came up to the bed. "KYLO! EVERYONE! GET THE FUCK IN HERE!"

The room flooded with people, and Aspen kept fighting me as she screamed, trying to break free but I managed to hold her while Miles caught one of her legs and Kylo the other, Alexis—who came with us—and Nick grabbed both of her wrists.

They all growled and yelled when she fought their hold, and I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to figure out how to calm her down.

"I can't hold her for long!" Nick yelled.

"Aspen," Alexis murmured as she kept a better grip than him. "Aspen, calm down, Honey. You're safe."

She kept arching her back and pulling on their grips—clearly not getting exhausted—and ice swelled inside me like my entire body froze over.

What happened? How do I calm her down?

I climbed on the bed, using a tactic that I knew she liked while everyone held onto her.

"Aspen," I whispered, afraid of putting a hand on her, "Aspen, shhh... Shhh... It's me. It's Ace, remember?"

"Let me go!" she cried. "LET ME GO! LET ME GO!"

Going against my fears, I pulled her into an embrace, holding myself to her as she continued fighting helplessly.

When I noticed she calmed slightly, I pulled her further to my chest, twining my fingers in her hair as I held her tightly.

"Shhh..." I murmured as she fought. "Shhh... It's okay. You're okay. You're going to be fine. Everything's okay. You're safe. Shhh...."

Her movements faltered as I brushed my fingers through her hair, holding her to me gently as I rubbed her back, and her arms, and her sides, hoping to calm her with the gestures.

After a moment, she melted into me, stopping the fights and turned her face into my neck, letting herself drown in my warmth.

"Okay..." I whispered to everyone, "ease up."

They slowly let her go, testing to see if she would run, but she didn't.

She was acting on pure adrenaline, not rationalizing, so it was highly unlikely that she would pretend to ease and then run.

After they let her go, they all started gasping, holding their arms due to her struggles and them tensing their muscles to hold her in place.

"Shhhh..." I soothed despite my body also aching. "You're okay. Shhh...."

She curled up against me, giving into my comfort.

Miles and Nick dropped the the floor, and everyone else did, too, catching their breath as I calmed her down.

"There we go..." I whispered to her, rubbing her back as she snuggled up with me.

"Jesus fuck, does she fight," Kylo grunted, panting.

As the entire room calmed down, and the gasping as well as her crying eased, I found myself holding her closer, knowing she was on the verge of falling asleep.

"I've got you, Angel," I told her. "I've got you."