the baby project | harry styles

Chapter 22 - Nightmares

Cheryl's POV

I walked through the pitch black forest with my heart racing. I realized that there was nothing I could do, but wait until morning where the sun glimpsed the earth on the horizon. Darkness surrounded me every where I turned, and I was scared for my life. Harrison was looking for me, and I was starting to hear things. I thought I heard Harry's voice telling me that he was coming to help me, but perhaps it was all a hallucination. Harrison had kidnapped me and drugged me, and when I woke up, I had time to free myself, but now I had no idea where I was.

Suddenly, I heard leaves crunching from footsteps nearby. I jolted in the direction that I thought they were coming from and immediately fled away from them. I ran as fast as I could for my life in the darkness that seemed infinite, panting for breath as I heard my heartbeat in my ears. What if Harrison was looking for me?

The footsteps grew closer, and louder—thudding and stomping as I dashed in the brisk air. I had been stripped of my jacket recently, and I was almost certain that I was going to freeze to death. It was better than being under Harrison's touch. I just wish Harry was here to hold me.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I started panting more and more heavily than before, gasping for oxygen. All of a sudden, I tripped on something and fell to my knees. I skinned my elbow as I landed and felt something grab me. It was a hand--Harrison's hand. And then I blacked out.

Harry's POV

I was asleep just as always during the night next to Cheryl, but I heard something strange. I let my eyes rip open from my sleep to see what it was, and I glanced around in concern. The noise was whimpering, and it grew from beside me. I soon found out that it was coming from Cheryl.

I moved closer toward her and shook her body, trying to wake her up, "Cheryl!" Suddenly, she flew up crying, breathing heavily. She was having a nightmare.

"Harry!" She screamed in terror as I comforted her with a concerned look.

"I'm right here Cheryl. It's okay." I said as she rested her head in the crook of my neck and started sobbing. "You're safe with me Cheryl. It's okay." I stroked her hair as she just kept on crying and sniffling. It broke my heart just the way as it always did.

She was starting to have nightmares more and more lately, and we had no idea why. We'd figured that it was just the enhanced mood swings, but sometimes it just didn't seem like a good enough explanation. "Harry," Cheryl croaked out, "It's getting worse."

I remained silent, thinking. I didn't know what to tell her. What was I supposed to tell her anyway? I just felt so guilty for this—I really hoped that this was just a phase.

I gently and soothingly rocked her back and forth for a while, her breathing returning back to normal. She was calmed down, but we still didn't say anything for a while. But I guess she decided to break the silence, "Can we watch television for a while?" She gazed up into my eyes with her red ones.

I nodded, "Of course." I allowed her question as if I were her authority figure. I knew there probably wasn't anything on, but if she could find something I'd be happy to watch it with her—as long as I could stay awake that is.

I watched her grab the remote from the end table on her side and click the tele on. She started channel surfing with a sigh as she re-rested her head in the crook of my neck. I couldn't help it; I had to kiss her. She seemed like she needed it anyway—and I needed it.

I leaned in slowly as she realized what I was leading on to and she smiled slightly, going in as well. I saw sparks and fireworks just the way I always did whenever we kissed, and it felt nice. It felt like I was home.

"I love you Cheryl," I smiled down at her with lust and passion, entwining my fingers with hers. She beamed and pecked my lips again.

"I love you too Harry," She replied and started channel surfing again. I swallowed hard, trying to think of another way to be more romantic. I liked to be romantic—and I was very good at it.

"It'll get better love. This will all get better." I whispered into her ear, watching her skin develop chill bumps slowly. I fidgeted with her hands as if I were playing with them and she smiled again.

"It always gets better with you baby." Cheryl planted a warm kiss into my cheek as I felt her become more relaxed on my body. Her warmth surrounded me and I started becoming more and more drowsy by the seconds. I just felt so warm and fuzzy inside—she made me feel like that. It was a great feeling, and I didn't want to ruin it.

I knew I had chosen right when I picked her to be my wife. She was caring, thoughtful, and beautiful; most importantly: she loved me for who I really was. Not for my money or for my looks. She genuinely loved me with her heart. And I genuinely loved her with my heart.

"Harry?" Cheryl asked me with her eyes gazing up into mine.

I yawned, "Mmm-hmm?" I nodded in her direction, waiting for her to say what she wanted.

"You can go back to sleep if you want."

I chuckled lowly and shook my head, "No. I'll be fine. As long as you're awake, I'm awake." I said like a gentleman. I didn't want to be rude and say that I was going back to bed. If I was going to be there for her throughout this whole thing, then I'd better do just that. It was half my fault—all of this pregnancy stuff. I should've never gotten her involved in this, but it was too late now, and I didn't really regret one second of it. Sure we've hit some major bumps in this journey, but I just knew that it was going to get better, and if it didn't it just meant more bumps to hit. After all, there are reasons for everything that happens in your life. It doesn't happen for nothing.

Though these nightmares she was experiencing is a great example of everything happening for a specific reason. I just hope that her actual nightmares weren't preparing her for something about to happen in reality.

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A/N: Hey beauts! This chapter was kinda dumb but y'know. One of those filler chapters. But thanks for reading and I hope you all enjoyed. If you did please leave a comment and vote. Your support means everything to me. Thank you so much. I love you all. x