cowboy

21

Rip woke up to Lacey screaming and thrashing in the bed beside him, he sat up quickly and pulled her into his arms holding her tightly as she thrashed around from her nightmare. She scratch his arms but he didn't care because he knew she didn't mean to, to her she was kidnapped again protecting Tate .

"Tate! Tate!" She screams breaking Rips heart as he listens to her fear filled screams.

"Wake up, wake up baby." Rip says gently as he squeezed her tighter and shakes her slightly. "Wake up Lacey!" Rip says louder which seemed to do the trick. Lacey opened her eyes, she was breathing hard and tears were streaming down her face as she looked around.

"You're safe." Rip whispers hugging her as she lets out a sob.

"Where's Tate?" She cries and Rip shushes her holding her tighter. This was an every night occurrence since she has gotten home from the hospital, the trauma specialist said that nightmares will be a reoccurrence for a while. It was always the same, they would go to sleep and then Lacey would started screaming for Tate in her sleep sometime in the night. Rip was worried about her, he suggested therapy but that was a mistake of it's own.

"Where's Tate Rip?" She sobs.

"At the main house, he's safe. He's with Kayce." Rip whispers and Lacey cries nodding her head. They have been staying in Rips cabin since they got back, Lacey didn't want to wake anyone at the main house up with her screams, she felt bad enough for keeping Rip awake at night.

"I want them to stop." Lacey cries and Rip let's out a sigh kissing her forehead gently holding her tighter.

"They will darlin'." Rip whispers to her as she cries. He felt so useless, all he wanted to do was take her pain and make her better but he couldn't, all he could do was hold her as she cried. A knock on the door makes Rip frown and he wanted to ignore it but the person knocked again.

"Stay here." Rip whispers to Lacey as she sniffles and nods her head. He gets up and pulls on a pair of jeans before walking out of the room and to the front door of the cabin, he grabs his rifle before opening the door pointing the rifle at Kayce who put his hands up quickly.

"Watch it Rip." Kayce says quietly.

Rip sighs and puts the rifle down looking at Kayce annoyed.

"It's three in the fucking morning." Rip says annoyed.

"Tate won't go to sleep again, not without Lacey." Kayce sighs and Rip nods his head.

"I'll get her." Rip says closing the door and walking back to the bedroom. Lacey was sitting up hugging her knees tightly. She looks up at him and he gives her a soft smile, he goes to the closet pulling out a long sleeved shirt for himself and then grabs one for Lacey since she only wore sweatpants and a sports bra to bed tonight.

"Tate?" Lacey asks tiredly and Rip nods his head. Lacey stands up and grabs the shirt from Rip pulling it over her body. Rip grabs her hand and the two of them put on their shoes Rip unlocks his truck. They get in and Rip drives to the main house, Lacey's chest felt heavy as Rip put the truck in park.

"You don't have to, not if you don't want to." Rip explains looking at her.

"Yes I do." Lacey whispers getting out of the truck Rip following behind her. They walk into the main house heading Tate scream for Lacey making her close her eyes and take a breath. They walk to his room and Rip rests a hand on her lower back trying to keep her calm.

Lacey's eyes watered when she saw Monica trying to calm down Tate but he kept shoving her away crying.

"I want aunt Lacey!" He cries loudly.

Lacey walked into his room saying his name gently making him stop screaming. He gets up from his bed running to her and hugging her tightly crying against her stomach. Lacey hugs him back glancing at Monica who had tears in her eyes watching the two of them. Kayce and Rip took in the doorway watching them and Rip frowned slightly.

"We can't keep doing this." He whispers to Kayce and Kayce nods his head agreeing with Rip.

Lacey pushed Tate gently to his bed and tucked him in. Tate stared at Lacey as she gave him a gentle smile resting a hand on his cheek.

"The bad guys are gone, they're in hell now. They can't hurt you." Lacey whispers to Tate.

"What if a new bad guy comes? And take me away again?" Tate asks scared.

"Then your daddy will keep you safe, your mama too. Even Rip will scare them away." Lacey whispers. Monica, Rip, and Kayce watch Lacey calm Tate down all with sad looks on their face as they did. Kayce held Monica close to him while Rip leaned against the door frame watching his girlfriend.

"What about you? Will you keep me safe again?" Tate asks and Lacey could hear his screams haunting her brain and she could almost feel the kicks and hits she was given.

"Yeah, yeah I'll keep you safe." Lacey whispers quietly. Tate nods his head and closes his eyes as Lacey grabs his hand giving it a gentle squeeze. She waited until Tates breath was even before she stood up and walked out of the room squeezing past the three.

She felt her chest tighten and she walked outside trying to take deep breaths but all she could hear were Tates screams, she could feel the cuts of glass hitting her skin and she could hear her own screams. Lacey cries quietly placing her hands over her ears trying to get it all to stop, but it wasn't stopping it was like she was stuck in a continuous nightmare.

She felt someone wrap their arm around her making her let out a ear piercing scream and the arm left her waist quickly.

"Lacey it's me! It's me!" Rip yells taking her hands away from her ears as she cries harder. She looked at Rip seeing him looking at her worried and she shook her head letting out a sob. Rip sighs and pulls her into his arms hugging her tightly, he kissing the top of her head and looked to the porch where Kayce was standing watching worried.

"Come on, let's get you to bed." Rip whispers nudging her back towards the main house, he was to tired to drive back to the cabin so he figured they would finish the night out in Lacey's old bedroom.

"I'll wake you up for breakfast." Kayce says as Rip and Lacey walk past him. Rip nods his head and they walk inside to Lacey's room. He laid down holding Lacey close to him and she fell asleep instantly.

"It's gonna get better." He whispers, he didn't know whether to himself to Lacey.