Clalec: Single Life (Book 4)

Chapter 2 - Nightmares

Alec POV

"Mommy you're it!" Tom shouted as he ran around, Clary chasing after him

"Nope, it's Flo now!" She shouted, tagging our daughter

"Hey!" Flo said in protest, scrunching her face up. I laughed as Tom and Clary tried to run from Flo

"Daddy why is mommy covered in blood?" I heard Tom's voice

"What?" I answered, confused

"Alec" Clary whispered looking down at her dress, the white fabric now soaking up more blood. She blinked and ran over to her trying to catch her before she fell

"NO!" I screamed. Everything went black and I suddenly sat up in bed again

The sheets were wrapped around my body, suffocating me and I quickly tore myself free of them, scrambling out of bed

I rubbed my eye and took a breath, realising I had, had the same dream for 4 nights in a row now. Every time it was the same. All of us in the park together, playing, before blood started appearing and I ran to catch Clary

I checked the time.

4:00am.

There was a good chance I wouldn't get to sleep again so I went to the kitchen to make myself a drink

"Maddy" I jumped, not expecting to see anyone awake at this time "why are you up?"

"Couldn't sleep" she whispered, nursing a cup of tea. I could see her scrolling through her phone. I went over taking a closer look. She was scrolling through all the pictures of her and Clary

"Wanna talk?"

"Not really" she replied, not looking up from her phone "you?"

"No" I responded. I made myself a cup of tea before pulling up a chair next to Maddy and watching the photos slide by on her screen

"You had that dream again didn't you?" She said quietly, her voice a faint whisper

"Yeah" I ran my hands through my hair and picked up my mug

Suddenly Maddy stopped scrolling and opened up the notes app on her phone, before directing the screen at me

"It's a number for a therapist" she explained after seeing my confused face. "Apparently he's helped a lot of people with grief. He's highly recommended"

"Thought I was supposed to be taking care of you, not the other way around" I replied

"Well for now it's switched" she shrugged. She sat back in her chair, tea in one hand and phone in the other, before continuing to scroll through photos again

"I'm scared" she suddenly said

"About what? Going back to college?"

"About you" she admitted. Her voice wobbling. She never took her eyes off her phone, but I gently took it out of her hands and out it on the table

"I'm fine"

"That's literally what everyone says when they're not fine" she forcefully hit the table with her mug

"Hey" I pulled her into my arms and kissed her forehead before she buried her head in my neck "I will be okay. I just need some time. And so do you"

"But what if you have a breakdown and I'm not here to sort you out? And someone has to pick up the kids from school? Or needs to make dinner. Or tidy up? Or help with..."

"Stop" I said firmly, pulling away from her. Her eyes were filled with tears but I knew she was refusing to let herself cry

"Just stop. Okay?"