The Story Of Us

9. Hope

Tim heard the scream, and his eyes snapped open. Within seconds, he was clamoring off the couch and running up the stairs to find Lucy in bed thrashing and crying. He blew out a breath when he realized she was having a nightmare, so he climbed into the bed and drew her into his arms. "Lucy, baby, you're having a nightmare. Lucy, you're safe now. Wake up."

She whimpered as tears continued to fall from her eyes. All she could see was the darkness of the inside of the oil drum and feel the ache of her wrists, her ankle, and her side.

"You're safe. You're okay, baby," he whispered into her ear and squeezed her tighter.

Lucy gasped as her eyes flew open to find an unfamiliar wall and then looked down to see arms and legs wrapped around her. She fought against the stranger and rolled out of the bed. Then, she stood up quickly with her hands tightened into fists, ready to throw a punch.

Her eyes looked haunted, she was shaking, but still seemed to be ready to fight if necessary.

Tim kept his hands out as a gesture of peace and rose up onto his knees as he sat up on the bed. "Lucy, you just had a bad dream, but you're okay. You're safe."

She thought she shouldn't believe him, but she wanted to. Her instincts said to believe him, but Lucy remembered that her instincts steered her in the wrong direction when it came to Caleb.

"I know you don't know me or where you are, but I swear you're safe. I can prove it to you. Look behind you."

"So you can attack me?"

"Okay," he replied in understanding and slowly moved to the edge of the bed and carefully stood up. He walked all the way around her with his hands still up in the air and moved next to her nightstand. "Do you see that file folder on your nightstand that says 'Lucy! Read me!'?"

Her eyes flickered from him to the folder and nodded once she confirmed the label.

"Just read it. I'll stay right here. I won't move. Just read it, okay?" His voice a quiet plea.

She lunged for the folder and scanned the contents, her gaze moving between the man and the words on the page. The words washed over her- both the typed and written by her own hand, and then she took in the cozy room with the man she loves standing in front of her, and finally, Lucy felt safe. "Just a bad dream," she finally said. But, Tim's eyes betrayed him. The look on his face told her that it wasn't a bad dream. It was real. Lucy didn't want to believe it. Her memory issues were just playing with her mind, right? But, she could check. She could confirm that her brain was playing a sick trick on her. With a shaky hand, Lucy lifted her shirt...

To find letters and numbers tattooed over her rib cage.

Proof.

Unequivocal proof that what she just vividly dreamed about had actually happened to her.

"No," she choked out and saw Tim just barely nod, his own eyes wet.

She dropped to her knees and let out a sob, but she couldn't bear to keep her eyes shut for more than a few seconds before she was back in the barrel losing oxygen.

Tim met her on the ground and gathered her into his arms to gently rock her back and forth. "I'm so sorry, Luce. I'm so so sorry," he apologized over and over again, his voice sounding strained in his own ears. Every second she cried, he felt his heart crack just a little bit more.

"I almost..." she choked on the words, unable to finish the thought.

"But you didn't, babe. You're alive. You're here."

"I'm alive," she repeated before looking into his eyes. Really looking. Her mouth dropped open when she remembered something else. "You were there."

"Yeah, I was," he replied.