Triplets (George Weasley)

Pt. 7

Trudging up to bed after a long day of shopping, I fall asleep faster than I thought I would, thoughts of my late mother bouncing around my head. Unfortunately, though, that is not what I dream about. It is a different dream that causes me to wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, a dream I haven't had since my uncle left my life so many years ago. I thought I'd moved past it, thought I had pushed it out of my mind, but it's back. I can't fall back asleep, I barely want to close my eyes at all, the old wounds reopened and fresh once more.
    Carefully, I sneak past Ginny and my new kitten, Phoenix, and out of our shared room, to the only place (and people) I know will make me feel safe right now.
    Opening their bedroom door, I see their sleeping figures and almost turn back, but forgotten sleep haunts my mind and I don't want to lay awake through the night alone the way I used to. I know what that's like, and I don't want to do it again.
    Surveying the two occupied beds, not knowing to whom I should go, something draws me to George, and I allow it.
    "George," I nudge the sleeping boy.
    "Mrphh," he hums, eyes closed.
    Then, they flutter open, recognizing my voice.
    "Audrey, what-," he begins.
    "Shh!" I hush him, not wanting to wake the other boy unless I have to.
    "Please, can I just sleep here tonight? I swear, I'll explain in the morning," I ask him.
    The boy just stares at me a moment, then he nods slowly.
    "Sure," he whispers, moving over in the narrow bed.
    I climb in, careful to take up as little room as possible, and pull the blankets up to my chin. George arranges himself so that we fit in the bed nicely, his arm around my middle.
    "Are you sure you're alright?" he whispers sleepily, his breath warm against the back of my neck.
    "No, but I'll be okay," I whisper back.
    There's silence for a moment, and George grabs my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before falling asleep once more.
    I listen to the gentle sounds of George's breathing, letting it lull me back to sleep. I feel safe and comfortable, and I know that with George beside me, the nightmare won't be coming again. Not tonight.

    "Uhh, guys?" I hear a familiar voice as I wake to someone tapping my shoulder.
    "Nghh," I moan and bury my face in a pillow.
    "Rey, this is weirding me out. Please wake up so you can explain why you're in my brother's bed," the voice pleads with me.
    I gasp and open my eyes suddenly, remembering last night.
    George is still fast asleep beside me, his arm around my waist. I'm tangled in his sheets, my bare legs exposed. In hindsight, I could have changed pajamas before coming in here, but oh well. They've seen me in my short shorts and tank top before, it's not like it would have made that big of a difference.
    Carefully, I wiggle out of George's warm embrace and the many layers of blankets before sitting on the bed and facing Fred.
    "I had a night terror. I couldn't be alone anymore, so I came in and asked George if I could sleep in his bed for the night. That's all," I sigh.
    "Oh. Well, okay. You want to tell me what it was about?" Fred asks.
    "No, but I promised George I would tell him anyway, so I might as well tell you also. Should I wake George now, or...?" I ask George's twin, glancing down at George's face, made soft with sleep.
    "Yeah, you might as well," Fred shrugs, obviously just eager to hear about my dream.
    "Georgie? George, it's time to wake up," I shake the boy.
    Slowly, he wakes, his eyes glazed with sleep and his fiery hair mussed.
    "Rey?" he asks sleepily.
    "Yeah, George. It's me. It's time to wake up," I sigh.
    The twin rubs the sleep out of his eyes and sits up.
    "You going to tell me what had you so scared last night now?" he asks.
    "Yeah. It's kind of a long story," I confess, rubbing the back of my neck nervously.
    "So, after my mom died, my uncle, Raymond, stayed with me and my dad for several years. You know, my dad was distressed. He had no idea how to take care of me on his own and had just lost the love of his life. Uncle Raymond was Dad's older brother, and Dad loved and looked up to Raymond more than anything. He was Dad's only family left aside from me, and I couldn't talk yet. Anyways, Raymond had a really bad temper, and whenever Dad wasn't home he used to... you know... hit me. It was really bad for a while. Bruises all up and down my body, just barely able to be hidden with long sleeves and pants. I never wanted to tell Dad because I knew Raymond meant a lot to him, and I thought he would blame me for taking away the only family he had. Anyways, Raymond left after a couple years. Met a girl and said he was going to start a life of his own. He hasn't visited since. Dad's talked to him, though, and apparently he's become a very successful businessman. However, for the next several years I suffered from horrible night terrors, and, not wanting to tell Dad, I would just suffer through them every night. I swear, it nearly killed me. Thank God, eventually they stopped, and I stopped thinking about him. Tried to forget. I don't know why the night terrors came back last night, but I knew I couldn't just stay in that room all alone. I'm sorry," I confess, unable to look at the twins, focusing my attention on my chipped mint green toe nail polish.
    That's when I feel a set of arms wrap around my front.
    A second pair wraps around me from behind.
    "I'm sorry," Fred whispers into my hair, planting a kiss on top of my head.
    "You never have to worry about your uncle again. We're never going to let anything happen to you," George whispers, rubbing between my shoulder blades.
    Pulling away, Fred growls, "I have half a mind to kill that filthy Muggle."
    "Me too," George agrees.
    "It means the world to me, but you know you can't do that," I remind them.
    "No, but what we can do is comfort you if that ever happens again," Fred tells me sternly,
    "My bed is always open," George winks, grinning goofily.
    I shove him playfully.
    "Why did you pick George over me?" Fred asks, looking more than a little hurt.
    I run through a list of reasonable excuses, knowing I don't have one and not wanting to hurt Fred's feelings.
    "You were tossing and turning. I had a feeling sleeping in your bed would not be very fun," I reply reluctantly, knowing very well this is a lie and unsure it will work. I'm not sure why I chose George's bed, but I think if I have night terrors again, I'm fairly certain I'd choose George as well. I need an excuse that allows that.
    "Yeah, that's true. I'm a bit of a kicker. That's fair," Fred sighs.
    Yes! It worked! Lucky guess.
    "Alright, well, let's just try and go enjoy one of our last days of summer," I grin at the two boys.
    "Get dressed and I'll meet you downstairs in five," I command them, walking out of the door and shutting it behind me, ready to forget about the dream and enjoy the day to come.