I don't usually like to include notes here, but I thought I should mention that this chapter does contain mention of miscarriage and child loss. I don't think it's too graphic, but I know the subject can be painful, so I wanted to give fair warning nonetheless. I also want to thank @mbg6246 for her invaluable help in putting this chapter together. But on a greater scale, thank you all so much, your support and enthusiasm really mean so much. Without further ado...
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Stevie woke slowly, lids heavy as her eyes fluttered open. Her head hurt like hell, and her mouth felt so dry she could barely swallow. The bed was so rough and unforgiving almost like...the floor, she was sleeping on the floor—on an oriental rug that, despite its softness, had the sensitive skin of her nipples chafing because, evidently, she was also nude.
Apparently, she'd given in a little earlier than anticipated: she'd slept with Lindsey last night without remembering a moment of it. It wouldn't be the first time she'd woken up with no memory of the night before, but it was a bit disappointing—the remains of a love nest in front of the fireplace suggested it'd been quite a nice time. She rolled onto her back, her groaning interrupted as she dissolved into a coughing fit.
"Drink some."
She looked up so quickly her neck twinged, jolted by his unexpected presence. He was sitting on the ottoman, fully dressed, just staring at her. She took the water glass from his outstretched hand, tilting it to her lips slowly, though some water still dribbled on her chin. She couldn't describe the heavy exhaustion pervading her body. That French wine must be laced with something; this was the worst hangover she'd ever had. Trying to lighten the strange mood that had settle over the room, she began to speak.
"You got some aspirin too?" She asked with a raspy voice and a wry smile. His expression didn't change.
"You think this is funny?" He asked rhetorically. She knew better than to answer. Something had clearly crawled up his ass, and she wasn't in the mood to deal with it right now.
"Lindsey, whatever you're about to start, can we not do it right now-"
"Are you insane? What the hell were you doing out there in the middle of the night-"
"What? Will you just-" she replied, still slightly dazed.
"You could have died! Do you understand that?"
Her eyes were suddenly glued to the frosted edges of the windowpane.
The snow.
"My fucking insomnia is all that kept you from an early grave-"
The dream and then the snow.
"Do you know how selfish that was?"
Running and falling and drowning.
"What that would have done to your parents, to your brother? We'd have to unearth your body from the ice and what, tell them you must have-" His arms were gesturing, whipping through the air but his lips were moving faster.
