"Wake Up." (Septiplier) (Part 2 of "I Miss the Real You")

Nightmares

Mark's POV:

I rolled over in the bed and wiped my eyes. Jack kicked me again.

"Jesus Jack." I groaned.

He didn't respond but kicked me again. I sat up and looked at him. His eyes were closed. Was he even awake? I shook his shoulder, careful not to touch his stitches. It had only been a couple days since he got home from the hospital. He'd been taking painkillers more and more lately. We took the bandages off before bed. He kicked me again.

"Jack?" I whispered. "Jack wake up."

His eyes fluttered open and he wiped his face. He sat up and sniffed. I placed a hand on his back and rubbed it.

"You okay?"

He leaned his head in his hand. "I just had a nightmare."

I gently pulled him closer. "It was just a dream, babe. What happened?"

He shivered and sniffed again. "It was real. It..."

His voice trailed off and his hand slowly ran down his leg. He massaged around his stitches.

"Oh..." I pulled him into my lap. His head leaned back in the crook of my neck. I ran my finger around his shoulder. "Do you want to put the bandages back on?"

He shook his head. "No I'm fine." His hand covered mine and we moved together. "I should be used to it by now."

I pushed him up and looked at him. "This has happened before?"

He avoided eye contact. "Only a couple times."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to worry you." His voice was small.

I pulled him into a gentle hug. I kissed his forehead and ran my thumb over the bandaid on his cheek. "Don't be scared to, Jack. I'm here."

He straddled me and laid his head back down. He sniffed again. I rubbed his back with one hand and held the back of his head with the other. I rocked back and forth as he started crying. I held him closer.

"I'll take you back to Doctor Chavez in the morning. Do you need more painkillers?"

He picked up his head and stared at me. The moon reflected in his eyes. "No, it's not pain it's just..." He looked away.

"Jack. Tell me." I said in a soft voice.

"I'm scared."

My eyes watered as I pulled him back in. I started humming. "It'll be okay. I'll be here. Go back to sleep."

Jack took a deep breath and hung his arm over my shoulder. I ran my fingers around the stitches on his shoulder and he winced.

"Sorry. You sure you don't need painkillers right now?"

He shrugged. "Sure." He muttered in a sleepy voice.

I wiggled out from underneath him and shuffled into the bathroom. I glanced at him when I turned on the light. He was hunched over with his back to me, waiting for me to come back. I grabbed two pills and a cup of water.

I held it out for him to grab. "Here."

He took it and shoved the pills into his mouth. He shook his head and drank the water. I pat his shoulder.

"I'm gonna go get some milk. I'll be b-"

He shot out of the bed and held onto my shoulder. "Let me come with you. Please?"

I knit my eyebrows before realising why he wanted to go. He was afraid of being by himself in the house. I nodded and wrapped an arm under his and behind his back to keep him balanced. He limped along with me to the kitchen. I grabbed some milk from the fridge and poured it in two glasses. I handed one to him. He took a sip and set it down on the counter. He rubbed his chest and ran his finger over the stitches.

I set my cup down and pulled him into a hug. He tensed but wrapped his arms around me too.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I hate seeing you in pain."

He buried his head into my chest. "It's fine. It's not your fault, Mark."

"I want my baby to be okay." I rested my chin on his head.

"I can say the same to you." He whispered.

I helped him back up to the room and I sat him down. "You okay?"

He nodded and I sat next to him. He went back to straddling me. He sobbed quietly as I rocked back and forth again. I hushed him. "You need sleep, babe."

"I don't want to." His arms sat at my sides.

"I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

He made a noise that sounded like an approval. I rubbed his back and slowed my rocking. After a couple minutes, he started snoring. A smile creeped onto my face as I lay him down. I laid him on his right shoulder so he'd be comfortable. Since the night he got taken, he wouldn't sleep on the left side of the bed. It was too close to the door. I gladly took his place. I laid down in front of him and pulled him closer. I ran my thumb over his shoulder, next to the stitches. I kissed his forehead and closed my eyes to sleep.