Collision

Im here

Chris POV

I wait for dani to come out of the shower, i know she isn't okay, I know her well enough to know that she won't be okay for a while.
"Chris?"
"Yeah?"
I turn and see Scott standing there, he is barley holding it together. I walk over to him and hug him close. He wraps his arms around me and buries his head. I hear him sniffling quietly.
"She's okay Scott"
"I know I just......god it could have been so much worse"
"I know. Hey" I lift his head "let's keep our heads straight yeah for her"
"Yeah" he wipes his tears and walks away into the living room.

I hear a creak from the stairs and I know dani is making her way down. I see her walk into the kitchen and she stands near the counter.
"Hey"
"Hey. Shower help?"
"Yeah it did thank you"
I nod "your welcome. You hungry?"
She shakes her head "not really"
"Ok. How about another tea?"
"Yes please"
I go ahead and make her a cup of tea and take ir over to her, as I place it down I place my hand on her back and she flinches away.

"Dani?"
"Sorry. That......I have.......he....."
"Can I see?"
She nods and lowers her robe enough for me to see a hug black bruise on the middle of her back.
"Jesus. Dani...."
"Im okay"
"I think you should get checked out"
She shakes her head "no Chris. The paramedic said I was okay"
"She also said to go to a hospital...."
"No she didn't. She said I could if I wanted too. I don't want too"

I could tell she was getting pretty upset, so I stop I don't want her to upset her more.
"Okay. Just be careful"
"I will"
She stands slowly and walks over to me, she wraps her arms around my waist and leans her head on my chest.
"Thank you. For everything" I hear her voice break at the end of her sentence and I hold her close, as close as I can without hurting her.
"It's okay dani, I'm here. Im always here"
She cries into my chest and I know she needs this, she needs to let it out before it consumes her. We just stand there, I hold her until she feels like she can breath again.

A few hours later

Dani went to bed after her break down and I'm sat up in my bed thinking about the whole night. How I could have stopped this? How I could have helped her before he lay his hands on her? Which is stupid because I know there was nothing I could do but I just feel like it's my responsibility to protect her. Especially with Gracie gone. As I'm sat thinking, I hear screaming and shouting. I rush out of bed and into Dani's  room I see her tossing and turning obviously having a nightmare.

I walk over and carefully try to wake her, I don't want to startle her more but she needs to wake up.
"Dani. Dani come on you have to wake up please " I gently shake her and continue to call her name. After what feels like forever she shoot's up, gasping for air and crying so hard.
"Hey" I reach out to touch her but she flinches.
"Dani it's me"
She looks up at me through her tears and she shakes her head "I'm so sorry" she cries out and I wrap my arms around her.

She curls up into a ball on my lap and holds me tight. I try my best to calm her to let her know that she is safe and that no one will ever hurt her ever again. After some time she finally calms, her breathing evens out and I know she if finally asleep. She is holding me so tight I know I can't leave, so I scoot down and get as comfy as possible, slowly drifting of to sleep with Dani wrapped around me and me holding her close.