Don't Leave

Chapter 17

Nick's POV

She sat there silently staring at the ground. She had been silent ever since I had found her. Through a lot of persuasion and possibly an exchange of threats to the hospital the doctor released her. Now here Amanda was sitting on my couch once again.
"You want to talk?" I finally broke the silence.
She glanced up at me then simply said
"There's nothing to say."
"Barba said Jeff took the plea deal. He's going away for a long time." I sat beside her.
"I need to get dressed" she stood up.
She was still in the clothes given in the psych ward. All of her old clothes had been destroyed by Jeff or put in evidence so she didn't have anything to get dressed into. She must've of realized this.
"I guess I'll just take a shower."
"I can Liv, I'm sure she'll lend you some pajamas."
She ignored me and proceeded to the bathroom. I text Liv and told to come over. Not just for clothes, but in all honesty I needed someone to talk to.

"She's in the shower" I explained as I let Liv in.
"Nick if this is getting to be too much for you.." I cut her off.
"No, that's not it at all. I just don't know what to do. She's not talking or eating."
"She needs some time to come around."
"I don't think it's going to be that easy Liv. There's something bothering her. I know there is."
The water from the shower stopped running so we stopped talking.
"I'll go give her some clean clothes" Liv got up and walked to the bathroom and returned a short time later.
"You should get back to Noah. Thank you again for stopping over." I showed her out the door.
"Just call me if you need anything, Nick."
"I will" she left and I shut the door.
I turned around and saw Amanda was out of the bathroom dressed in clean clothes.
"You hungry?"
I knew her answer would be no but I decided to give it a try.
"Alright well we can just watch TV I guess."
And so we did. Pretty soon she was laying down with her head in my lap.

Amanda's POV

It had been a long time since I've felt at ease. I've felt scared for such a long time I almost forgot what it felt like to not be. That was until now. The TV played in the background, but I don't really know was on. All I know is for once I didn't feel scared. For once my mind went blank. All that I could focus on was Nick running his fingers through my hair. So gentle and calming. Nothing like I'd grown costume to. I let myself close my eyes and drift off into a peaceful sleep. A sleep that started out so good, but of course all good things come to an end.

Nick's POV

Somewhere between 1 and 2 in the morning Amanda's nightmares starting kicking in. She began moving slightly then started talking. She went on to start pleading for her life.
"Amanda, it's just a dream." I shook her and she bolted upright.
She looked around and than began crying. I wrapped her in a blanket and pulled her close to me.
"Shhh it was just a dream." I rubbed her back.
"No it wasn't" She started crying harder.
She pulled herself out of my grip.
"It wasn't just a dream." She tried wiping away her tears.
"There has to be a reason all this is happening to me! What did I do?!"
"Look at me. You didn't do anything wrong." I tried reasoning with her to no avail.
"He just kept hitting. I don't know why. He just wouldn't stop hurting me." She wasn't really talking to me, she was just talking.
She started sobbing again.
"I told him to stop. He didn't."
She looked up at me with pleading eyes.
"Why wouldn't he stop?"
I couldn't stand seeing her like this. Hearing the fear and confusion in her voice. I just pulled in for a hug. I couldn't help but cry. I held her tight thinking, hoping she'd feel safe again. I felt her begin shaking. I pulled the blanket over her and held her even tighter.
"Why would he let them do that to me? Why did he stop loving me?" She just kept asking.
"Why wouldn't he just kill me?"
I remained calm on the outside. Meanwhile all I could think about was killing that jackass. Finding everyone who had ever laid a hand on her and tearing them down the way they did to her. I'm going to. Even if it costs me my job.