Little Montgomery: A Station 19 Story

Chapter Four: Stitches

Hartley's POV:

When I wake up I realize I'm at Travis' house. I check my phone and it's about 6:30, so I get up and go to the kitchen where I find Emmett making coffee.

Emmett: Morning.

Hartley: Good morning!

Emmett: How did you sleep?

I get a little nervous because I had a nightmare last night and sometimes when I have nightmares I talk in my sleep. I hope they didn't hear anything.

Hartley: Good. Comfy bed.

Emmett: Hartley, I heard what sounded like crying last night. Is something wrong?

Hartley: Is Travis asleep?

Emmett: Yeah, he doesn't get up until 7.

Hartley: Good. I had a nightmare last night. It happens a lot. I'm really sorry if I woke you up.

Emmett: You didn't. I was awake anyways. Do you mind telling me what the nightmare was about? It might make you feel better.

Hartley: Sometimes at night when I feel alone I get these flashbacks in my dreams of this one foster home. The mom was really sick mentally, and she did some weird things and said some weird things that kinda freaked me out. One time she locked me in my room and turned the oven on with her medication inside. The neighbors called the fire department. I couldn't reach the door to unlock it.

Emmett: How old were you?

Hartley: Four.

Emmett: You said the nightmares are like flashbacks? How do you mean?

Hartley: Like, they feel more realistic than a dream. It's almost like I'm back in that house, I can feel everything around me like I'm 4 years old again.

Emmett: Have you ever been evaluated for PTSD?

Hartley: No, I don't really go to therapists. I just kinda deal with it on my own.

Emmett: You don't have to anymore. I'm here for you, whenever you need. Day or night, just call and I'll be there. Travis too.

Hartley: Thanks Emmett.

Emmett: No problem, sweetie. Now come on, let's order starbucks before Travis wakes up because I'm pretty sure I burned the coffee.

Hartley(laughing): How do you burn coffee?

Emmett(laughing): I don't even know at this point.

Hartley: Aren't you a firefighter? Shouldn't you know how to not burn things by now?

Emmett: You know what.

Hartley: What?

Before I can get another word out Emmett has me over his shoulder, both of us laughing as he runs through the house. We eventually come to him and Travis' room and he throws me on the bed on top of Travis, waking him up and scaring him. Emmett and I laugh at how freaked out he gets.

Travis: Holy muffins!

Hartley(laughing): I swear you're an 80 year old man! Holy muffins! Ha!

Emmett: Oh she's mocking both of us now, Trav!

Hartley: You guys make it so easy!

Emmett and Travis exchange a look and then Emmett jumps on the bed next to us and they both start tickling me. I try to get away but I'm laughing so hard I can't move.

Hartley(laughing hysterically): Ahh no stop please please stop haha I can't take it anymore!

Travis: Say I'm not an old man!