Nightmares ➳ Connor McDonough/ Before You Exit Fanfic { edited }

Seventeen

Gwen's POV

"I'm tired, but I don't want to fall asleep," I said in barely a whisper as Connor combed his fingers through my hair, our bodies all tangled up.

"If you're really that tired, then you should just go to sleep."

"I'm not tired at all I'm wide awake," I said, which was followed by a loud yawn that only made him chuckle. "Besides, who said I was tired anyway?"

"You did, silly," he replied. "Now, come on. I'll sing you a lullaby."

I moved closer to him until my back was to his chest and he wrapped his arms around me. Instantly making me feel warm and safe.

"Any songs in mind?" he asked and I nodded before rubbing my eyes.

"Well, what is it?"

"Can you sing that song you sang to me the other day. I really like it," I whispered. 

It's not like I needed a lullaby anymore. I was about ready to just fall asleep, but I wanted to hear Connor's voice so badly so I tried my best to stay awake.

"Okay, Mayday Parade it is!" he said and I couldn't really see him, but I know he was smiling as he continued to run his fingers through my burgundy hair, which made it harder for me to stay awake because his touch was just so soothing to me.

He started singing the lyrics of one of my new favorite songs and the whistles of the wind mixed with his beautiful voice was just pure perfection.

I wasn't even able to make it through the first line of the song before I finally let my eyelids close and I fell asleep.

Don't disturb this love of mine.

~

I woke up the next morning and the memories of last night just came flooding back, making me smile wider with each passing second.

This old, blue, pick up truck and this old, empty field in the middle of nowhere have become my new favorite place. 

"Good morning, Gwen," Connor whispered from beside me. It was obvious in his voice that he hadn't gotten any sleep last night and for some reason, I felt guilty because I felt like it was my fault, that I was responsible for him not being able to fall asleep.

"You didn't sleep at all, did you?" I asked and he buried his face into the crook of my neck and I felt him nod.

"I'm sorry," I apologized.

"Why are you sorry? It's not your fault at all."

"I know but I feel like it is," I said.

"Well, it's not. I know that I'm a mess but none of it is your fault. I was broken, but you fixed me. I was lost, but you found me. I was mostly alone, but now I have you to keep me company. If anything, I have to thank you. We've only been dating for like three weeks, but guess what, I love you and to be honest that feeling is becoming stronger every time I look at you and it frightens me, but it's true. I love you and I will do everything in my power to make that feeling mutual," he said, completely out of breath once he was done, and I could feel myself on the verge of tears. Happy tears. "It's fine if you don't want to say it right now but It's true that I -- " he started saying but I cut him off by grabbing his face and pressing my lips against his.

"Trust me, Connor," I said when I pulled away. "The feeling is mutual."

He smiled and we both sat up to give each other a hug. I was sitting on his lap and he was rocking us back and forth as his strong arms wrapped around my waist, giving me a different kind of warmth.

"I think we should go," he said, and his next sentence completely shocked me, making me raise my eyebrows at him. "I promised Braiden would get his pick up truck back by noon."

"This is Braiden's truck?"

"Uh, yeah. I went to his house a few days ago and practically begged him to let me borrow it, so I could give you the best date ever," he replied, blushing slightly at having to admit such a thing.

"You're literally the sweetest."

"I know. Now come one, I don't want Braiden to kill me."

We tidied up all the pillows and blankets, so that none of them would fall out of the pick up truck while we were driving.

I got into the passenger's seat and Connor got into the driver's seat before turning on the engine and we started driving out of the field.

"I'm really happy. I told you to be nicer to Braiden and try and be friends and here you are driving his truck that he let you borrow," I said, beaming like a proud mom.

"We aren't friends. We're just close acquaintances."

"Same thing."

"So, how was our date?" he asked, changing the subject, and I smiled.

"It was amazing. Thank you for everything."

"Anything for you," he said and gave me a quick kiss on the forehead before returning his focus to the dirt road that we had used to go here, not that I was able to see it last night though.

"How did you find out about this place?" I asked, suddenly realizing that Connor had taken me to some deserted field that probably no one has ever heard about except for him.

"My dad took my mom here on their first date and I remember him telling me that when I find the one, I should take her here and I believe that you're the one, so, yeah," he replied and I blushed. I could hear a little bit of sorrow in his voice as he talked about his parents, so I took his hand and gave it a light squeeze.

"How about your dad? How did he find this place?"

"McDonough family secret," he said and I let out a soft giggle. "But to be honest I don't really know either."

I twisted my body a bit, so that now I was facing back, and I noticed that the dirt road had been replaced by a concrete one and the beautiful silence was now gone as car horns filled my ears.

The field was getting smaller and smaller behind us and I was truly going to miss it and the memories that Connor and I had just made there.

"Can we come back here one day?" I asked Connor, who simply smiled at my question.

"Yes," he replied, looking into the rearview mirror, catching his last glimpse of the field before he turned a corner and it vanished completely. "Someday."