Protected By All, Protecter Of One

Part 8 - Protecting A Family

My eyes shot open and I quickly sat up. My breathing is rapid and uneven. I rubbed my eyes. I got out of my bed and stumbled into the bathroom where I splashed my face with water. I went back to my room. I picked up my phone with shaky hands and called the only person I could thing of.

"Hello?" His voice is rough and hoarse, meaning he just woke up. I felt bad for waking him, but so relieved to hear his voice. Besides, his voice sounds sexy.

"Hey..." I whispered.

"Hey, what's up? It's four in the morning."

"I know and I'm sorry, but I just needed to talk to someone." Or just to make sure you're okay. "Did I wake you up?"

"Yeah, but it's no big deal. What do you want to talk about?" I heard him shifting around.

"I don't care." My voice is low and soft. If one were to listen close enough, you'd be able to hear the nervousness and worry and fear in my voice. "Anything will do."

"Raine, why are you up?" I bit my lip.

"I... I had a bad dream." I answered honestly.

"Tell me about it."

"I can't. Just thinking about it is bad enough." I expected Cash to be mad at me for waking him up because of a dream I refuse to speak about, but he shot my expeditions out the window. Instead, he sounds patient and understanding.

"Do you want me to come over?"

"No." Yes! My inner voice screamed. "I'll just see you in a see hours." I sat down on my bed. I heard Cash shift a bit more.

"Where are you right now?"

"My bedroom. Why?" I asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"I just wanted to make sure that you're not about to freeze your ass off again." A light chuckle left my lips. Cash's voice alone is relaxing me. I lied back on my bed, keeping my phone pressed to my ear. "Raine?"

"Hmm?"

"If I come over and hold you, will you tell me about your dream?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Do you need to know?"

"Because I want to know what has you so scared." I took a deep breath, calming my slowly rising anger.

"Okay. Fine. I'll open my window." I hung up after that. I walked over to my window. I unlocked it then pushed it open. I waited there, letting the cold air enter. Cash showed up five minutes later. He quickly climbed into my bedroom. The moment his feet hit the ground, he'd pulled me into a hug. I closed my eyes.

"Talk to me, Raine." Cash whispered. He shut my window to keep out the cold. I sighed heavily, accepting that I can't avoid this.

"There's not much to it. I watched you die. That's what terrified me so much." I admitted. Cash held me against his body. I blinked back my tears, a soft sob leaving my lips. Cash pulled back and took off his sweatshirt. I stared at him from under my eyelashes and through my tears with confusion as he did so. He then grabbed my hand. He brought my hand up to his face then slipped it into his shirt. "Cash, what're-"

"Shh." Cash shushed me. "Just listen and feel." I stared up into Cash's eyes.

"I don't get it." I said a minute later. He groaned in frustration. He pushed my hands away then grabbed my head, pressing my ear to his chest. He securely held me against him.

"Just listen, Raine." I closed my eyes. I can feel the faint sound of his heart beating in his chest. I hugged his stomach tightly, not wanting to let go. "See? I'm alive. I'm okay. I-" The sound of glass shattering filled our ears. I leapt away from Cash, stumbled to the end of my bed. Through my tears, I couldn't see. There's a loud, shrilling sound ringing in the air, didorienting my head. Not to mention the headache I already have from crying. My fingers wrapped around the handle of the baseball bat. I slowly picked it up then rested it on my shoulder. I secured my hands around the end, ready to swing. "Do you have any other weapons?" Cash hissed.