Farraway Mist ?A Wattpad featured story?

Chapter 30: Bad Dreams And Hilarity

"Auntie Scout?" Scout was jolted out of a peaceful sleep by a soft voice, and huge eyes staring at her in the near darkness.

"Oh my god, Gracie, what's wrong?" Scout reached for her niece, whose face was barely two inches from her own. It had to be close to three or four in the morning. They'd stayed up until midnight, watching the ball drop in Times Square on TV, and toasting with champagne. George had given Scout one of the best, most romantic kisses of her life, right in the living room, in front of her entire family, smiling at her before and after, murmuring, "This is going to be the best year of our lives, Scout Lawson, I know it."

They had toppled into bed shortly after, drifting into a deep sleep, and now, here was Grace, hair in a long braid, in her Laura Ingalls night gown, standing next to their bed.

"I had a nightmare," Grace confessed in a whisper. "It was about you and the baby in your tummy." And even though she was whispering, Scout could hear the terror in her niece's voice. "Someone was laughing and trying to hurt it, and the laughing was so scary!" Scout could see that Grace was shaking. "And there were bells ringing somewhere, and it was awful!"

Bells?

Scout put this out of her mind and tried to just focus on Grace. "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry," she said sympathetically. "You want to sleep with me for a little while?" This was something Grace used to do often, and it probably hadn't occurred to her that George was now in her bed.

Grace nodded, braid twitching. Then she looked over Scout's shoulder and saw George. "I forgot about George," she admitted. "Maybe I should go?"

"He won't mind," Scout said truthfully. "Not if you don't?"

Grace shook her head and carefully climbed over Scout, snuggling into her aunt's body. George woke up and lifted his head.

"Hello?" he said softly. "What's going on? Is that Grace? You all right, love?" He patted her shoulder.

"I had a nightmare, is it okay if I sleep with you guys for a little while?" she asked.

"Of course, sweetheart, of course," he reassured her.

"Thank you," she said, laying her head down.

The three of them were fast asleep within a minute, and Grace had never felt safer.

The next morning Scout was awakened by her sister Susan's voice, calling Grace's name down the upstairs hall. Scout quickly clambered out of bed and opened her door, sticking her head out and motioning to Susan.

She gestured toward the bed, where George and Grace were still sleeping. George had his arm around Grace, and they were tucked together like two spoons in a drawer. Jess and Bandit had, of course, jumped on the bed in the cold night, and were all squashed up against them.

"What happened?" Susan asked. "How did she end up in here?"

"Nightmare," Scout replied.

"Right," her mother replied, eyebrows raised. "I suppose getting to sleep in the same bed with George Wilder had nothing whatsoever to do with it?"

"You know, I don't think so," Scout responded thoughtfully. "I honestly don't think she even remembered George was here. She just had a bad dream about me and the baby or something, and came to sleep with me like she used to, remember? That's all, I really think that's all.

"Anyway, I just heard you calling her, and I wanted you to know she's fine," Scout reassured her sister. "She can sleep a little longer, right?"

"Yes, we aren't doing anything today," Susan said.