Look for the Light (Joel Miller fanfic)

Your Hand In Mine

You slowly started waking up from a deep sleep. The nightmares disappeared when you were tucked against Joel. You were warm and secure. Except when you woke up Joel wasn't next to you anymore. There was just a cold, vacant outline of him against the sheets. You took your hand and brushed it across the wrinkled material where his outline lay, wishing he was still in the bed with you. The way it felt when he had you pulled into his arms sent shivers down your spine. It was like falling asleep with a heated blanket tucked snuggly around you. He felt...safe. Which was something you still needed to wrap your head around.

You sighed as you pushed yourself to a sitting position, groaning as pain shot through your arm. Joel was at your side in a minute, leaving you a cup of water on the nightstand.

"Hey, you're awake. You were out all day," he said as he stood over you with a concerned look on his face, wrinkles appearing across his forehead as his eyebrows rose.

"I was out all day?" you asked questionably as your head turned towards the glass window. It was getting dark out, the sun starting to set in the distance as snow whipped across the sky. You turned back to Joel, and he nodded.

"Are you feeling okay? I can make you some dinner. You must be starving. When was the last time you ate?" he asked with concern in his voice.

You took a couple of seconds to think. "The morning before I left the cabin.." you said cautiously as you lowered your eyes.

You looked back up, and Joel was grimacing his face, looking like he wanted to hit something. "I'm fixing you something to eat right now then," he said as he grabbed the glass of water and handed it to you. "Drink. You're dehydrated." It was more of a demand. He wasn't happy about something, so you didn't argue.

You gulped down the water quickly. Every drop on your tongue tasting like the most refreshing stream you ever drank from. You didn't realize how thirsty you actually were. The cup of water quenching your thirst for the moment.

"Do you want some hot tea?" he asked from across the room.

You nodded your head at the offer. "Yeah, that'd be nice. Thanks. I think I'm gonna go take a bath first though," you said as you went to stand up with shaking legs. Your legs were weaker than you thought they were. When you went to stand, your knees caved and you almost fell to the ground. Joel was there in a second catching you before you fell on your knees. Strong arms picked you back up, and then you were standing on level ground.

His arms grasped your elbows as he looked down into your eyes. His eyes were honey colored as concern lathered through them. "You alright?" he asked as he continued helping you stand.

"I think so. I just tripped over my own feet. I think I can manage," you said as you brushed off the pain that ran through your left arm. Joel didn't buy it. Not one bit.

"Just sit back down. I'll get the bath water ready for you. I don't need you injuring something else," he said as he sat you back on the edge of the bed. You wanted to argue and say he didn't need to worry about it, but you talked yourself out of it. Knowing where an argument would lead.

"Alright," you said with a sigh. He took one more glance back at you and then went into the bathroom. You heard the light switch being flicked on and the bath water spring to life as it loudly crashed out of the pipes into the tub. You just sat there waiting for the water to be ready. You wanted to get the sweat and dried blood off so bad from the day before. Your skin crawled as memories of the lodge came into play in your mind. You were suddenly pulled away from the dark thoughts as Joel came back in the room and came over to you.

"Alright. It's ready. Can you stand without me?" he asked as he held his hand out in case you needed him.

You pushed yourself off the bed, carefully testing your legs out as you stood up straight. Your head felt a little light, but the longer you stood the clearer your head felt. You walked a few steps, your feet aching with every step you took. You bit your lip so you wouldn't show the pain you felt. You didn't need Joel worrying about you. You needed to push through the pain. "I'm okay," you said as Joel walked behind you, grabbing up your backpack from the floor and throwing it in the bathroom.