(Char's POV)
I wake up in the middle of the night hearing what sounds like crying. Still half asleep, I sit up slowly and peer over the cots to see if the babies had woken up but they were both fast asleep. I look over at Mia to see her turned around breathing heavily and shaking, looking it she was crying. I hate seeing her so upset like this. "Baby," I whisper faintly. "Mia... are you alright?" No response. I put my hand on her back slowly, which makes her twitch, making me realise this was something more serious. "Amelia... darling," I mumble gently, cautiously placing my hand back on her back and stroking it letting her register that I'm here. "What's the matter?" "I.... I..." she mumbles faintly, her words eaten up by her tears. "I... I don't know... I'm just I'm..."
"You're panicking," I tell her softly. I can feel her body shaking beneath my hand, her breathing quick and shallow. I wrap my arms around her gently, feeling her collapse into me, her heart racing against my chest as her tears run down my shoulders. I just hold her still for a few moments, letting her know I'm here, and that she's safe. "I'm right here sweetheart," I tell her. "You're safe, I've got you and I won't let you fall." "I'm s... sorry," she mutters breathlessly into my shoulder. "Baby no," I whisper rubbing her back with my hand. "Don't you dare say sorry for feeling... you have nothing to apologise for...I'm here as long as you need me....I'm your wife and I love you."
I can feel her body start to calm down a little,her breathing still very shallow and her heart still racing. "Ok," I mutter softly. "What's 5 things you can see?" "Y... you," she responds quietly. "T... the cots...the bed...the walls... and... the door?" "Perfect, now what's 4 things you can feel?" I ask. "Ummm.... Y... your hand on m.. my back?" She mutters, taking fast shallow breaths. "M... my hair, your breathing and.... your arms around me?" "You're doing really well baby," I reassure her. "What's 3 things you can hear?" "Y... your voice," she sniffs. "The cars outside and... t.. the clock?" Her breathing starts to become more steady and I can feel her heart rate slowing down more as she relaxes into my arms. "Ok what's 2 things you can smell?" I ask.
"Ummm... your shampoo?" She responds softly. "And... your left over perfume?" "Do you feel better my sweetheart?" I ask holding her even tighter. "A little," she mumbles. "I... I'm sorry I woke you it's just..." "Amelia," I interrupt. "What did I tell you about apologising for feeling?" "N.. not to do it?" She recalls. "Exactly," I whisper. "So no apologising ok? You woke up in a panic and you needed me I don't care if you wake me up, I don't mind if I have to go without a wink of sleep if it means supporting you." "Why are you being so good to me right now I didn't do anything to deserve it," she sobs into my shoulder. "Because you're my wifey and I love you," I tell her. "And there's nothing you can do to change those things."
"I... I had a nightmare," she sniffs. "A really bad nightmare... y... you and the girls you... you were in trouble and... I couldn't do anything about it and I felt helpless and I..." her words disintegrate into floods of tears which fall onto my shoulder as I hold her closer. I feel her body shaking against me as her tears stream down her face. I squeeze her a little, holding her even closer to my chest as she reciprocates by squeezing me back. "I love you," I whisper softly in her ear. "And I'm safe and so are the girls. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere." "I love you," she mumbles under her breath.
She moves her head away from my shoulder slightly, looking up at me with tired, terrified eyes which are red from tears. The life looks as if it's been flushed from her skin and her body still shivers with every frightening image from her dream that comes into her mind. The truth is, Mia's face reads like a book and it always has so I can see every last atom of fear and distress which glints in her eyes. "You look shattered love," I whisper gently stroking her jawline with my thumb to put her at some kind of ease. "Do you want to go back to sleep on me?" "I... I don't want to close my eyes," she stammers nervously. "I don't want to see that nightmare again it... it was awful... I'm absolutely exhausted but I can't close my eyes or bring myself to relax at the moment I just can't."
Her eyes fill with tears again and I catch her body as she buries her face back into my shoulder and cries onto it while my hand rubs her back gently. I hold her tightly, letting her tears escape until her eyes are run dry. "Look Amelia," I whisper as her cries become short sniffles. "Come round this side of me and be the little spoon tonight." I pat the empty space on the bed next to me before she comes round so her back is facing my front. I wrap my arms around her in a warm hug, feeling her entire body relax and her breathing slowing down. "The nightmares won't get to you because I'm right here ok?" I whisper kissing the top of her head gently. "Ok," she mumbles with a small catch in the back of her throat. "I'll stay awake until you've fall asleep," I tell her stroking my fingers through her soft hair.
"Anything else you need?" "A... a glass of water?" She mumbles under her breath. "If... if that's ok?" "I'll get it for you now sweetheart," I say starting to get out of bed. Before I leave the room, I rummage through a draw of loads of stuff Mia had given me over the years. Eventually I finally dig out her old night light from when she was a kid that she gave me to keep while she was away so I wasn't frightened at night. It's small and in the shape of a moon. I wipe the dust off it and turn the switch on, hoping it still has batteries, and a warm yellow glow illuminates from it."Here," I whisper putting it next to her side of the bed. "I know what you're like in the dark on your own so I thought this might help." "Y.. you kept it?" She whispers sounding surprised.
"Of course I did," I smile. "It's important to you so it's important to me. I'll get you some water, you keep the night light on." I peer over both of the cots quickly. "And see? The babies are both fast asleep, everyone's safe there's nothing to worry about." I give her a soft kiss on the forehead before creeping out the room slowly and to the kitchen to get Mia her water. I tiptoe down the staircase, switching the kitchen light on which makes me blink from the sudden light, and fill up 2 glasses of water from the tap. I quickly chug mine, the refreshing taste of 2am water soothing my throat, and carry the other glass back up to Mia turning the kitchen light off on my way out.
"Hey gorgeous," I whisper coming back into the room with the water. "I've got your water." "Thanks baby," she croaks taking the water out my hand and sipping it slowly. I get back into bed next to her, cradling her face in my hand and kissing her cheek softly. "Is that better?" I ask. "Yes thanks," she nods. "I.. I think I can try and go back to sleep now maybe?" I quickly check her pulse on her neck, seeing it had gone down back to normal since she woke up. "Ok do you want this night light on still?" "If that's ok," she mutters putting the water back down. "Can I have another goodnight kiss please?" I smile softly and hold the side of her face towards mine before kissing her lips softly, feeling her lips melt into the kiss. "Goodnight sweetheart," I whisper as we release. I tuck the duvet back over her as she rests her head back on the pillow and I wrap my arms around her, holding her extra close to my chest so she knows she's safe.
I keep my eyes open, planting soft kisses on the top of her head as my fingers comb through her hair. Her eyelids flutter as she closes her eyes, a small relaxed smile slowly appearing across her face. "Sweet dreams," I whisper in her ear as her breathing slows down and I feel her belly rise underneath my arms. I watch with a smile as she finally drifts off and all of her worries escape from her mind. She starts to rustle in the duvet, her arm breaking free from the hug and flopping on top of the duvet, her hand stretched out towards me. She knocks her hand against the duvet a few times before I realise what she wants. I place my hand in hers slowly, our fingers intertwining as she squeezes it softly. I keep hold of her hand as she lies perfectly still, her eyes shut and that cute little sleepy smile painted across her face. I place one more kiss on the top of her head as I shut my eyes slowly, my thumb making lazy circles on the back of her hand as we both finally fall back asleep.
