Trained One ✓

Chapter 20

That night, I was lying in Travis' bed with him sleeping beside me. We were both on our sides facing each other and I had my hand linked in his, resting on the mattress between the two of us. I don't know if it was adrenaline from earlier or not but I couldn't sleep. I ran my thumb over his gently, careful not to wake him.

When we had gotten home, I filled everyone in on what that happened that day - from the meeting that morning, everything Scully said, and then what happened later with Dylan. After, Finn, Ben, and Travis went into Cameron's room to talk and they shut the door. I don't know why they had to go all the way over there to talk because it wasn't like I was going back to my old job anymore to possibly tell on them but I didn't press it. Finn and Travis left the house shortly after, not saying a word to anyone. I had asked Ben where they went because all I wanted to do was hug Travis but Ben said they had to go sort some stuff out. It didn't reassure me any because Finn and Travis anywhere together, alone, sounded like a recipe for trouble but I figured I was gone for three years - what did I know? So I went to bed eventually, trying to get my mind off things.

It wasn't until late into the night that Travis came back smelling of smoke. Once he knew I was still awake, he flicked the light on in the room and half of his body looked charred, but it was just covered in ashy soot. He left to shower, came back, and collapsed on the bed.

He held my hand immediately and with how tired he looked and the warmth drifting up my arm, I figured that was good enough. I smiled and kept any questions about what destruction he seemed to be suddenly causing to myself.

At least an hour passed by. I looked over his face which looked peaceful in the dark. I tried to focus on that, skimming over every bit of him that I could see to distract myself and maybe I would tire myself out until I fell asleep. My eyes wandered from the tip of his messy hair to his eyes, the few freckles coating his cheeks, and I was just following down his jawline, about to head up to his lips. I was tempted to reach out and trail my finger along his jawline, a five o'clock shadow of stubble showing on it, but I didn't want to startle him awake.

I was pulled out of my daze when he squeezed my hand so hard I nearly yelped.

At first, I thought he was awake and caught me staring but when my eyes snapped to his, I saw that his were clasped shut. His breathing started to get faster and I worried he was having another nightmare.

I reached my other hand out to tap his shoulder but right before I did, he took a deep gulp of air in. Again, I thought he'd woken up and didn't want to disturb him by poking him for no reason. However, he stilled and didn't let the breath back out, just holding it in his chest. I furrowed my eyebrows and grabbed onto his shoulder.

"Travis," I whispered, pushing lightly with my hand.

He didn't stir which only worried me more because I knew he hadn't taken a breath since earlier. I shook his shoulder harder.

It must have worked because Travis turned over onto his back and let go of my hand. He sat up and immediately started having an intense coughing fit. He was trying to catch his breath while doing so and the coughing wasn't helping at all. After a few seconds, he stopped and just took very deep, almost labored breaths and his hands reached up to cradle his throat. With his hands still in place, he fell backwards down to his pillow, his eyes darting around the room for a few seconds before landing on me.

His breathing was the only thing that could be heard and his eyes didn't look away from my own questioning ones.

"A bad dream?" I asked even though I already knew the answer.

He nodded.

"Are you okay?"

He paused for a second but then nodded yes again.