(Char's POV)
I suddenly feel Mia start to stir in my arms in the middle of the night, waking me up. She rolls in my arms restlessly, her head rested against my chest and her eyes still shut. I rub her back gently, trying to calm her down and get her back to sleep. Mia's usually a light sleeper so I think nothing of it and just keep rubbing her back and playing with her hair, hoping she just drifts off again. It's when she starts shuddering and moving even more that I realise she's having nightmares again. "Mia," I whisper gently stroking her face. "Amelia. Mimi? Are you ok angel?"
She opens her eyes slowly, her face both frightened and confused so I pull her closer to my chest to remind her that I'm near. I trace her spine with my thumb, planting kisses onto her forehead as her eyes open completely. "I'm sorry to wake you I just wanted to make sure you were ok," I whisper. "Is everything alright?" She nods her head, swiftly shaking it straight away. I cradle her head in my hands. "Nightmares again?" "Mmm," she nods sleepily. "Thanks for waking me up, I thought..." a few tears start to run down her red cheeks from her swollen tired eyes that looked like they hadn't had a wink of sleep. "I thought I was going to be trapped there forever."
I rock her gently, tracing my fingers across her face gently. Skimming down her forehead, down the bridge of her nose, across her cheeks and along her lips which I kiss softly. "Nothing can hurt you Mimi, I'm right here." I hold her wrist and brush her fingers against my palm. "See you can feel me right? You're safe at home, the twins are all tucked in sleeping and I'm here with you. There's nothing to be afraid of, not here and not now." Her palm starts to relax in mine so she's holding my hand, squeezing it to the pulse of her heartbeat. "I'm sorry," she whispers through her cries. "Baby," I whisper giving her forehead kiss. "Come here already, let me hug you."
I sit back on the bed, patting my lap as Mia sits on my lap, her arms wrapped around mine and her face buried into my neck. I rub her back as I hear muffled cries falling onto my neck. She melts into my arms, her body stiffened. "It's alright baby," I whisper kissing her forehead. "Do you want to try and go back to sleep? You look you haven't slept a wink." "I've not," she admits. "Ever since we went to bed I've not been able to sleep properly, all these nightmares come into my head and I... I don't know how to stop them. I mean what time is it? It must be nearly morning?" I flip my phone around to check the time. "It's 4:30am." "The twins will be up soon then," she yawns. "They're alright right now aren't they?"
"Of course they are," I tell her. I peer over at their cots, seeing an adorable sleeping Cece in one cot clutching her panda teddy and Fraya in the other, fast asleep cuddling her favourite duck. "They're sound asleep look." I sit Mia up so she can look over the cots, a small smile appearing on her face as she does. "We've got gorgeous babies," she whispers wiping the tears from her face. She lies herself back down on my chest, this time closing her eyes and breathing lightly. "Are you going to sleep?" I mumble kissing the top of her head before starting to play with her hair. "Goodnight sweetheart." I smile as she lies on my chest. Quiet. Still. Not a single noise or sudden movement coming from her. I close my eyes too, letting myself drift back to sleep.
At around 6am, we both wake up to the twins sweetly babbling to themselves. "Mamma! Mamma!" Fraya babbles. "Mamma ducky!" She proudly holds her duck up in the air like she does every morning. "That's right," I giggle picking her up onto my lap. "You've got your ducky!" She makes happy little noises as she cuddles the duck close to her chest. Mia sits up and picks Cece out of her cot and on her lap, she's still a little sleepy but she's trying hard to engage with her still. "Hey panda," she smiles giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Tub!" Cece yells clapping her hands. "Mamma Tubbies!" "You want Tellytubbies?" Mia repeats. Fraya's little eyes light up at the words and starts clapping along with her sister excitedly.
I quickly get up and grab the laptop, setting it up on the end of the bed. I pat my lap, letting Mia rest back onto me, her head against my chest as I comb her hair with one hand and press pause with the other. The twins snuggle in next to us, Fraya happily lying still and Cece already crawling across us like climbing frames. "Cece stay still bubba," Mia says stroking her back as she climbs on top of her. "Come on little miss energy, stay still next to Mumma, good girl." "Duck duck!" Fraya yells as soon as Lala comes up on the screen. "Duck duck!" She giggles and claps her hands ecstatically. "That's Lala Fray," I say. "She is yellow like a duck though isn't she?" "Lello!" Fraya repeats slowly. "Le-llo. Lello ducky!"
I snuggle one arm around her, watching the TV while keeping one eye on Cece and Mia. I smile as I notice Mia getting heavier in my arms and her eyes slowly closing as she starts to drift off properly. I pop Cece next to Fraya so I can keep them both under one of my arms while I rub Mia's back with the other. I give all three of them a forehead kiss each, watching the Tellytubbies far too intently for a grown woman. "Panda!" Cece babbles, pointing to her panda teddy across the bed. I lean over and hand it to her as she cuddles it close to her chest. "Panda!" Fraya babbles knocking her duck against Cece's panda. "Panda and Ducky play!" Cece giggles, both of them lightly hitting their toys against each other and laughing softly.
They make their toys copy the moves of the Tellytubbies on the screen as I sit back and watch. I check over on Mia, who is still fast asleep, humming to herself peacefully in her sleep. "Mamma?" Cece babbles hitting Mia lightly on the cheek. I move her hand away gently. "Gentle hands darling, Mamma's sleeping can Mummy do anything for you." Cece just smiles cutely and cuddles into me, placing her tiny hand against my cheek. "Mummy," she whispers happily. She reaches her other hand out for her sister. "Fray fray." "Yes that's Fray Fray," I smile. "Do you love your sister." "Wuv Fray Fray," she babbles stroking her sister's face gently. "Cece wuv Fray Fray." "Wuv oo," Fray says back giving Cece a small kiss on the cheek which she misses slightly for her nose.
