delicate • s.r. {completed}

• chapter three •

~spencer's pov~

I woke up to the sound of someone crying. I was so disoriented that I thought I was still dreaming, but I finally realized what was going on.

Y/N was crying.

She didn't know I had woken up yet, so I shifted slowly to see her. She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, holding her head in her hands. If I couldn't hear her sniffles and muffled sobs, I would've assumed she just couldn't sleep.

I carefully pulled myself out of bed, tiptoeing across the room to her bed. She still didn't know I was awake.

I reached out to touch her shoulder, but I stopped myself. Her shoulders started shaking, and her cries were no longer audible. Her hands were twitching, pressing into her cheeks. She's having a PTSD nightmare.

I reached out again, lightly brushing my fingers over her shoulder. She flinched immediately, her hands flying off her face as she looked up at me. Her eyes were crazy, full of repressed pain and sadness. I don't know her very well, but seeing her like this broke me.

I pulled her up so she was standing, drawing her into me and hugging her tightly. After a few seconds her breaths slowed down, her muscles relaxing and her heart rate slowing.

"Studies show that hugging someone tightly when they feel anxious triggers oxytocin and dopamine to release, causing the person receiving the hug to calm down."

I chuckled. She was talking facts to me. How cute.

I shifted, dropping my arms to her waist as she wrapped hers around my shoulders. I held her there for a few minutes, feeling her body starting to revert back to the state of sleep.

I carefully pulled myself off of her, gently setting her back down on the bed. She curled up into a ball, hugging a pillow like a child.

I crouched down and stroked her hair for a second. "Do you need anything?" She shook her head.

"I've had PTSD nightmares before, so just let me know, okay?" She nodded in response.

I walked back over to my bed and climbed back into my covers, glancing over at her to make sure she was okay. A lock of hair had fallen over her face, shifting with every breath she took. She was okay, for now.

It's mind boggling that someone who seems so put together is suffering so much. I guess it takes one to know one, right?

I relaxed against my mattress, letting sleep take me once more.

~your pov~

You woke up the next morning just as your alarm went off. 6:30. Time to start the day. Fuck.

You rolled over, pressing the off button on your phone as you sighed. Spencer had seen your broken side last night. Just fucking great.

You sat up, just now realizing how unbelievably achey you were. Every muscle in your body was sore, which is what happens after you have a nightmare. You were used to it by now.

You got up and went into the bathroom, splashing cold water on your face to snap yourself out of it. Come on, Lieutenant. Toughen up.

You heard Spencer climb out of bed, his footsteps light against the carpet. He appeared in the doorway, and you could feel his eyes staring at you.

"You okay?" His voice was full of concern. You nodded.

"Can you... not mention that I'm having nightmares? To anyone?" I finally looked up at him.

He nodded.

I looked back down, pressing my fingers into my eye sockets.

"I get them, too."