Who I am Part 2 (Parrlyn)

{Chapter 3: Breakdown}

Anne had made it through the day with minimal pain in her knee. Thanks to Jane checking up on her every 10 minutes. She didn't need to worry. She already knew she wouldn't be able to get comfortable in her own bed so said she would sleep on the sofa. And of course Catherine said she would stay with her

Anne's PoV: My knee wasn't hurting as much as it was when I woke up. I thought it would be getting better. Yes I know it can't magically heal over the course of a single day. But at least the knee support was helping it in some way. And the crutches meant it didn't have to walk on it.

Aragon: Right I'm going to bed.
Kitty: me too. I'm tired
Anna: I'll follow you up.

Aragon and kitty said goodnight to the other girls and walked upstairs.

Anne: You guys feel free to keep talking but I'm gonna try and go to sleep. If I want to get to my physio tomorrow. I need to get up early.
Jane: We won't be long. I'll be heading up soon too
Catherine: If you need me at all tonight I'll be right here

Jane had dug out an old air bed from the loft so Anne had the whole sofa to herself so she didn't hit her knee on anything. So Catherine was on the air bed

Anne: Thanks. I'll wake you if I need you. Night guys.
Anna: Night babe
Anne: Oh Cathrine can you make sure I'm awake by 7:30 tomorrow? I need to make sure I can ring my physio at 8. And you know me. I don't wake up quickly
Catherine: Course I can. And I'm almost certain Jane will be awake too. Am I right?
Jane: You bet

Anne said goodnight and carefully lay down under the blanket while the other 3 queens sat on the floor.
They stayed quiet for about 10 minutes whilst they waited for Anne to drift off. They all sat on their phones.
Until Anne seemed to be asleep. So they whispered to each other

Jane: Right. I'm gonna get to bed
Anna: Me too
Catherine: Ok. But first. Have either of you noticed something strange going on with Anne? She seems to be really off. Like she was last year. At that really dark time with her. When we first got together
Jane: She has seemed different. I hope she isn't slipping back into that dark time.
Anna: Me too. We all love Anne so much
Catherine: Yesterday when we got up. She went into the bathroom and as I knocked on the door and asked for my hairbrush, She didn't reply. So I poked my head round the door and she had her sleeve of her left arm rolled back and was looking at her scars.
Jane: Oh god. You don't think she was going to- you know.
Anna: Do it again?
Catherine: No. she wouldn't. Anne is stronger than that. And we all know that.
Jane: Yeah. It's almost been a year since that dark time. She might of been remembering it.
Catherine: It kills me to see her like this. I want her to be happy. I hate seeing her sad. She's the one who means so much to me. My perfect girlfriend.
Jane: We all love her. But you have a special relationship with Anne. Even before you two got together. She trusted you so much. Probably more than anyone else.
Anna: I agree
Catherine: She did trust me a lot. Yeah. She did. And I'm so glad she did. Because if I didn't find her that one day. And notice what she did. I might not have my girlfriend.

Catherine's voice shakes at the last sentence. Jane knows how much Anne means to her. How happy she makes her. And how destroyed she was when Anne was in hospital. Cathrine hadn't told Anne or any of the queens this. But there was one night where Anne had fallen asleep on Catherine's bed. And Catherine had come into the bedroom to see her lying there. This was the day before she ended up in hospital. And as Catherine sat on the edge of the bed and stroked Anne's hair back, she had felt a lump in her throat forming. She chocked back a sob that was stuck in her throat and went straight to Janes room. Jane was sleeping. But the second Catherine had opened the door. She had sat up and asked if Catherine was ok. And that did it. She sobbed into janes arms and felt so beat down. And Jane had held her. And supported her. And when Catherine had returned to her bedroom to a still sleeping Anne. She lay down beside her after covering her with a blanket. And stayed with her.
Anne meant the world to Catherine. And Jane knew it

Jane: Hey. But you do. And she's lying in front of you right now. Sure she has a bit of a dodgy knee. But we are all gonna help her through that. Kitty and Anna's anniversary is in 2 days. And yours is in 4 days. And we are gonna have a huge celebration for both of them.
Anna: You know it.

Catherine smiles and wipes the tear that fell from her eye and she remembered the night that Jane had helped her so much

Anna: Right I need to get up to bed.
Jane: Me too. Don't worry. Ill make sure you two are awake tomorrow.

Anna stands up and walks out after saying goodnight.
Before Jane leaves, Catherine says to her

Catherine: Jane. Thank you for that night last year. When I broke down over Anne. Because of how worried I was about her. And you helped me so much.

Jane knew exactly what Catherine was talking about.

Jane: Don't mention it. I'm always here.

She smiles as she leaves the room and switches the light off.
Catherine settles down and pulls the blanket over her.
But Anne, who has been awake the entire time. Lies and thinks about what that night could have been. Why did Catherine break down? Over her? This thought plays on her mind until she finally drifts off to sleep. Long after Catherine.