Logan

13. Numb Me

"We need to get this cleaned up..." Logan sighed as I avoided responding to his words, moving around the side of the car and holding the door open for me before climbing into the driver's seat.

The drive back to his place was completely silent, save for the occasional quiet noise that I couldn't stop myself from making. I was trying to stay calm, to hold in the looming panic attack...
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"You don't think I need stitches?" Logan clenched his jaw as I gently moved his hand under the warm water in his small bathroom, and I shook my head at him, holding back a smile as best I could "It really hurts..." He was clenching his jaw, and even swore under his breath when I dried his hand off with a clean towel.

"It'll be fine if I just wrap it and you're careful for a couple days..." I rummaged around in the first aid kit, grabbing the antibiotic and a roll of gauze "You don't care if I stay here tonight? I'm just..." Logan moved his uninjured hand up my arm, finally bringing it to rest against my cheek and turning me to look at him. I wanted to hide my discomfort at the whole situation that had unfolded at the theater, I really did, but that proved to be impossible around him...

"You're scared..." I finished wrapping his hand, tucking the end of the gauze in and moving to pull away from him, but his bandaged hand then moved around my waist, holding me against him. I nodded, and his body was so warm, and so comforting "He's never going to hurt you again." Logan's fingers traced over the bruise on my arm, and I bit my lip to stop myself from reacting "Do you need anything for this? An ice pack maybe?"

I didn't say anything, only shook my head before moving so I was resting against his chest, listening to his heartbeat as he held so tightly to me. It was taking every ounce of self control to not completely break down, but I didn't want to ruin what had happened earlier today... and yeah, my arm hurt like hell. But I didn't care.
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We eventually ended up in his bedroom, the blankets still a mess from what we'd done, and I couldn't help the shy smile that ghosted over my face when he dropped his jacket on the floor, quickly followed by his shirt and he motioned for me to climb in the bed next to him after he'd changed into a pair of pajama pants.

It didn't take long for me to become tired, Logan's body pressed against my back, his scruffy chin nuzzled into the crease of my neck, and I prayed that I wouldn't have a nightmare as my eyes slowly closed and I drifted off to sleep...
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"Jacob please..." I slowly crawled away from him, my vision already blurring around the edges "I'm sorry..." I knew my pleas were useless, but yet, I still tried.

He lifted me up by grabbing a handful of my hair, and then he violently shoved me backwards. I seemed to fall in slow motion, my back landing against the sharp brick edge of the fireplace in his living room...

I jolt awake, and I'm shaking so violently that I'm amazed I didn't disturb Logan. My breaths are shaky, and shallow, and only moments later I'm gasping for air, my hands gripping the edge of the blanket as tears roll down my cheeks and begin to stain the fabric of the pillow underneath my head.

I know it would be a simple thing to alert Logan, to wake him up and let him help me through this, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it...

I flinched as the images from the nightmare sprinted through my mind again, my back seizing up in pain and I couldn't help the quiet yelp that escaped my lips.

Logan stirred in his sleep, his eyes slowly opening and it was only a few seconds before what's happening registers, and he immediately sits up against his headboard, pulling me with him and cradling me in his lap, his fingers softly moving through my hair as I completely come undone "I'm right here. It's alright..." His words are soft, caring, but they do little to calm my nerves and my entire body continues to tremble against him.

"I... I can't stop... I can't stop shaking. I'm sorry..." I barely manage to speak, my breath catching in my throat when his grip tightens, and his heart is pounding in my ear. It's so loud, so nervous and quick, that I'm now worried about him "I'm so sorry Logan..."

"You don't have to be sorry for anything." He leaned down, softly pressing his lips against my forehead, and almost immediately my ragged breaths begin to calm down "I'm here for you..." Logan shifts how he's holding me so we're both laying down, my head still resting against his bare chest and I eventually manage to look up at him, lifting myself up just enough to be able to wipe my eyes "Are you alright?"

I don't answer him, at least not at first, I instead lay my head back down and his still bandaged hand rubs calming circles on my back for a few minutes "I love you..." Maybe it was my exhausted mind, but as soon as the words leave my lips my heartbeat finally slows, the stress of the nightmare completely melting away and I drift off to sleep as Logan holds tightly to me.
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*Logan's POV*

I can smell coffee brewing as I slowly and carefully get out of bed. I hold in my yawn until I'm halfway down the stairs, scratching my chin as I hear someone moving about the kitchen...

Natalie had been sleeping so soundly that I didn't dare wake her after how upset she'd been last night, so I vowed to at least bring her up a cup of coffee when I made my way back up to my room.

"Logan... you're uh... you're not wearing a shirt?"

"Shut up..." Scarlet... I had completely forgotten about her coming back this week. To be fair, I'd be more than a little preoccupied with Natalie.

"What happened to your hand?" She moved around the edge of the counter to get a closer look, and I quickly shoved my bandaged hand behind my back, moving the opposite direction and then grabbing two travel mugs out of the cupboard "Fine... you can tell me later." Scarlet sighed, flipping her hair over her shoulders and studying me intently as I rubbed my tired eyes, eyes that had seen both the most beautiful, and the most broken parts of Natalie over the last 24 hours. I move to fidget with the rings on my hand, completely forgetting that the bandage is there, that my rings are upstairs on my dresser.

"It's a really long story Scarlet..." I let myself trail off, finally pouring myself some coffee and taking a timid sip, and Scarlet doesn't push the issue any further, just sighs in disappointment as she heads upstairs to her room.