You Think You Know Me

Astraphobia

Beck woke suddenly from his sleep as a quick flash of light lit up his entire trailer for a second before being cast back into darkness. A few moments later the booming thunder hit and rattled the structure ever so slightly. A quick run of his hand over the cold sheets next to him told him everything he needed to know as he stood and pulled the blanket off with him, taking a few steps around the couch and towards the bathroom.

A sliver of light shone from underneath the closed door and he didn't need to test the handle to know it would be locked tightly, though this didn't stop him from confirming his suspicion. Sighing softly when the door did, in fact, refuse to budge, he raised his hand to knock gently against the wood, careful not to startle the girl on the other side.

"Jade?" He called out, a softness to his voice that only ever came through for her, "Jade, can you let me in?"

The girl in question, sat curled into herself on the other side of the door. Her knees pulled tightly to her chest and her arms wrapped securely around herself as she tried and failed to get her breathing under control. As another loud crash of thunder rolled over the earth, Jade forced her scream down, only a pathetic whine escaping her lips as her nails dug deeper into the flesh of her arms, the skin already broken from a few minutes into the storm's beginning, which was nearly an hour ago. Her whole body shook in fear, memories assaulting her mind from behind her closed eyelids.

The slam of the front door causing the walls of her bedroom to shake.

Her father's pounding footsteps on the staircase, always growing closer.

The echoing bang of her door hitting the wall as he threw it open to reach her.

"Jade, baby," Beck tried again, sinking down to sit with his back against the door, "I'm right here. Can you unlock the door? I promise it's just me."

When he heard no movement from the bathroom, he realized he may have to pick the lock. He had gotten a set of tools specifically for moments like these, they were sitting in the bottom of the third kitchen drawer on the left, but he also knew that if Jade heard the sounds of the clicking pins as he worked to open the door, it would only send her further into her spiraling panic.

Just as he stood, deciding that it had been too long and picking the lock would be his only option to reach her, he heard a small click and the door opened a few inches behind him. 

"Beck?" Jade whimpered, hiding most of her body behind the door as she peeked out at him from the small opening she'd created. 

"It's just me," he confirmed, before asking again, "Jade? Can you let me in?"

The door opened just enough for him to slide his body through before Beck was wrapping the blanket around Jade's shoulders and gathering her into his arms, holding her tightly to his chest so his strong heartbeat could calm her down. He kept on hand around her waist and the other laced through her dark hair to hold her to him. He kissed the side of her head every few moments as her shaking slowly subsided.

The storm still rumbled angrily outside and the rolling thunder and quick flashes of lightning still made her tremble but knowing she was safe with Beck and not stuck with her father calmed the majority of Jade's anxiety. She allowed Beck to guide her out of the bathroom and back into bed, the rest of the blankets covering them both as he cradled her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice thick.

"Don't be." Beck soothed, "You can't control it. I'm sorry I didn't wake up sooner."

Instead of replying, Jade nuzzled further into his warmth. As she was dozing off, she had one request, "Say you love me."

He wasn't going to make her beg, "I love you."

"Thank you."

He knew she was referring to a lot more than just his compliance with her wish. He placed another kiss to her head and pulled her even closer, "Always."