Timeless ~Outlander~

A Kiss in the Dark

I was falling. Falling once more into an endless abyss, a descent into the unknown that gripped me with a visceral terror. The sensation of falling, of plummeting into the inky void, was suffocating.

But this time, my descent into the nightmare was abruptly interrupted. I felt a gentle shaking, a touch so tender it felt like a lifeline back to reality. My eyes snapped open, and I gasped for breath, my heart racing from the remnants of the dream that still clung to my senses.

In the dimly lit room, I saw a figure kneeling beside me, their face partially illuminated by the faint glow of the moonlight seeping through the window. It was Jamie.

He held a single finger to his lips, his expression a mixture of concern and caution. "Shhh," he whispered, his voice barely audible, as if we were sharing a secret.

I swallowed hard, trying to quell the residual fear from the nightmare. Jamie's presence, his touch, offered a grounding reality amidst the chaos of my dreams. With a trembling nod, I acknowledged his silent request for silence.

"What... what are you doing here?" I managed to whisper, my voice still shaky.

Jamie's eyes held a depth of understanding, as though he could fathom the turmoil within me. "I heard ye cryin' out in yer sleep," he explained, his Scottish brogue soothing. "I thought I should come and check on ye."

The memory of my nightmares, the harrowing visions that had plagued my nights since joining this expedition, resurfaced in my mind. It was a vulnerability I had not shared with anyone, and the fact that Jamie had witnessed it left me feeling exposed.

"I'm fine," I assured him, my voice slightly stronger now. "It's just... a bad dream."

Jamie's gaze remained fixed on mine, his concern unwavering. "I ken what it's like," he said softly, as though sharing a piece of his own past. "Nightmares can be a relentless enemy."

Jamie gestured for me to follow him, and I quietly slipped out of the room, closing the door behind me with the utmost care. We found ourselves in the dimly lit corridor, and he motioned for me to join him on the stairs.

Jamie leaned in slightly, his voice a hushed whisper. "If we're going to talk, we should do it without riskin' wakin' Claire up," he advised, his eyes locking onto mine with a depth of intensity that sent shivers down my spine.

I nodded in agreement, grateful for his consideration. "You're right," I whispered back, my voice barely audible. "I don't want to disturb her."

With the soft glow of the moonlight casting shadows on his face, Jamie's attractiveness caught me off guard. I sat there, taking in his features.

"What was it?" he asked, his gaze unwavering. "The nightmare, I mean."

The memories of the nightmare were still fresh, and recounting them felt like reliving a horror I had desperately tried to forget. But something about Jamie's presence made me want to share, to let go of the burden that had been haunting me.

"It's always the same," I began, my voice trembling slightly. "I'm falling into this endless darkness, and there's this overwhelming sense of dread, like I'm being pulled into something... something terrible."

Jamie listened intently, his expression a mix of empathy and understanding. "And ye cannae wake up until it's over?"

I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat. "Yes, exactly. It's as if I'm trapped in that moment of terror until it finally releases me."

I took a deep breath, feeling a strange comfort in sharing my thoughts with Jamie. "You know, I haven't had that dream as often lately," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper.