What You Need (Lauren/You)

Chpt. 5: Northern Downpour

Lauren POV

I couldn't sleep that night, not after what happened to Y/N. If he was willing to hurt her, he certainly wouldn't hesitate to hurt me.

By now, my eyes had adjusted to the darkness. I looked over into Y/N's room. She was laying on her mattress, facing away from me. I couldn't tell if she was awake or not.

"Y/N?" I whispered softly. I didn't get a response. I tried again only this time louder, "Y/N?"

I received a grunt in return. I heard some shuffling on her side of the room before she spoke up.

"What's wrong, Lauren?" She asked. Her voice was low and raspy from just waking up. "You should be asleep." She added, tiredly.

I felt bad for waking her up. It must be heard for her to get to sleep at all in here. But at the same time, I didn't. It was selfish, but she would be able to comfort me.

"I-I can't sleep." I said softly. "I'm sc-ared." My voice cracked towards the end. I cursed myself for being such a crybaby.

"There's no reason for you to be scared," She said.

It was probably the most unbelievable thing she could've possibly said at the moment. I could think of a million reasons why I should be freaking the fuck out right now. The main one being: I'm locked in a psychopath's basement right now... But really, there's no reason to be scared, note the sarcasm.

I was about to yell at her. I was about to unleash hell on her. That may be a little over the top, but I really haven't gotten the chance to get angry at anything yet. She was the easiest person to be mad at right now. I was about to correct her, and tell her just how many things I could be afraid of right now. Until she spoke again.

"I'll protect you."

"How are you gonna do that? There's a wall of iron bars separating us." I explained. "How are you going to protect me if you can't get to me?" I didn't realize my voice was raising until I heard her hush me.

"Lauren, lower your voice. You need to calm down or--"

"Or what?! Why the hell are you so calm in here?!" I was basically shouting at the poor girl now. I was rambling on and on.

"Lauren, please calm down." I heard her plead between my words.

I didn't even know what I was saying anymore. Words just flew out of my mouth. It was like I had no control over anything I was saying.

"Laur... Lauren, you're gonna be okay." She whispered softly.

My rambling turned into sobbing. God, why did I have to be such a crybaby. She let me cry for a little bit, until I calmed down. I buried my head in my hands. Tears were still streaming down my face, but I was silent now. I tried to get my shaky breathing back to normal, but it was no use. I would just have to let it pass.

"Lauren," Y/N said softly. "Lauren, look at me."

I looked up at her. She was leaning against the bars, looking back at me with a face full of concern.

"Pick your head up, princess. Your tiara is falling." She sent me a small, sad smile.

"Princesses aren't locked up in basements." I said, trying to wipe my eyes.

"Tell that to rapunzel." She countered.

I began to cry into my knees again. This time I wasn't full-on sobbing, but it was enough to worry, Y/N.

"If all our life is but a dream
Fantastic posing greed
Then we should feed our jewelry to the sea
For diamonds do appear to be
Just like broken glass to me"

She began to sing. It was very considerate of her to remember how to calm me down.

"And then she said she can't believe
Genius only comes along
In storms of fabled foreign tongues
Tripping eyes, and flooded lungs
Northern downpour sends its love"

Her voice was just as soft and soothing as always. She wasn't off key, she wasn't pitchy. Her voice was perfect in every sense the word.

"Hey moon, please forget to fall down
Hey moon, don't you go down

Sugarcane in the easy mornin'
Weathervanes my one and lonely

The ink is running toward the page
It's chasin' off the days
Look back at both feet
And that winding knee
I missed your skin when you were east
You clicked your heels and wished for me"

I did my best to dry my eyes, then looked up at her. She wasn't looking back at me, she had her eyes closed.

"Through playful lips made of yarn
That fragile Capricorn
Unraveled words like moths upon old scarves
I know the world's a broken bone
But melt your headaches, call it home

Hey moon, please forget to fall down
Hey moon, don't you go down

Sugarcane in the easy mornin'
Weathervanes my one and lonely

Sugarcane in the easy mornin'
Weathervanes my one and lonely

Sugarcane in the easy mornin'
Weathervanes my one and lonely"

She had already managed to calm me down. She probably wouldn't be able to put me to sleep with this song, but she calmed me down.

"Sugarcane (hey moon) in
(Hey moon) the easy mornin'
Weathervanes (hey moon) my
(Hey moon) one and lonely

Sugarcane (hey moon) in (hey moon)
The easy (hey moon) mornin'
Weathervanes (hey moon) my (hey moon)
One (hey moon) and lonely

Sugarcane (hey moon) in (hey moon)
The easy (hey moon) mornin'
Weathervanes (hey moon) my (hey moon)
One (hey moon) and lonely

Hey moon, please forget to fall down
Hey moon, don't you go down
You are at the top of my lungs
Drawn to the ones who never yawn

Hey moon, please forget to fall down
Hey moon, don't you go down
You are at the top of my lungs
Drawn to the ones who never yawn"

She finished the song with a tired smile on her face.

"Laur," She spoke, "Go to sleep. I won't let anything happen to you."

I nodded once and laid back down on my bed.

"Goodnight, Y/N." I said softly.

"Goodnight, Lauren. Sweet dreams." She said tiredly.

It took a while for me to fall asleep, but I got there.