Author's Note: Hello again. It has been far too long since I've been on FF and even longer since I've actually written anything. For those wondering if I will ever update Distorted Perception, yes is my answer. When? Sometime soon. I am officially not going to say next week or any time at all because I psyche myself out and then you're all left waiting and wondering so...the fourth chapter will be out soon. For those of you who have never read DP, well, you know, you could give it a go and tell me what you think. You don't HAVE to but it would be super cool :D

Right, now this story is so completely different from anything I have ever done, written or thought of and if I'm totally honest- it's exciting for me to go out of my comfort zone and introduce this story to you all. I have to say though it couldn't have been possible without the help of you know who you are. You've been a huge help and great friend and words can never really express that.

To all of those who have met someone that's made you feel unsafe in your own skin, well, you'll understand this...

Disclaimer: Rated M for gory, evil stuff

(Oh and the little lines that pop up mean a change in scene in case I lose any of you)

While You Sleep

Chapter 1

She could not remember what time it was, that was a mistake she was careful not to make. It was important to recall-her survival depended on it. She held her head in her hands, one foot tapping against the cold cement; the noise drowned out in the music blaring from the speakers. She rubbed her temples, her hair damp, swaying as she rocked back and forth. She never liked the quiet. It made her uncomfortable and edgy. So she filled the silence with music. She could do with conversation, some sort of connection to the people around her but no one was ever interested in her. She was always the loner, the outcast...the freak. No one ever wanted her and no one ever would. The only person she felt like she had shared something with lay unconscious several feet away. Even covered in dirt, her face bruised and bloody, she thought the girl looked beautiful. Her features were relaxed, a stark contrast to the reality of the situation. The girl had her wrists chained to a water pipe that stuck out in a corner of the room after she tried to escape...twice.

In a way it was fitting. She wanted to keep her, from the moment she laid eyes on her, the way the sunlight bounced off her dark locks, her brown eyes reflecting a peace and tranquility that she craved. Those eyes that pulled her and locked her in. She wanted those eyes on her. She still remembered the way her heart fluttered when they made eye contact across the room. The girl had smiled warmly at her and she, like a coward, looked away and walked out, but not before hearing one of her mates call out her name- Rachel. It was then she knew she had to have her at all costs. She wanted Rachel to look at her that way again. She needed to make Rachel hers.

It took several weeks before she picked up the courage to speak to her. It didn't help that Rachel was constantly surrounded by her snotty friends. But one fortunate day, she went to the uni library, walking without really paying attention to her surroundings. She opened the double doors, turned to the left where the "study" area was, a section of the library where there were just enough tables and chairs for a few students seeking peace and quiet from the noise common area. At first she didn't see her sitting in the alcove against the far wall. She only noticed her once she sat down and settled in, finding those dark eyes looking on in amusement.

She froze, not really knowing what to do or say. She had never been the subject of scrutiny before, but there she sat, the girl she had watched from afar, looking back at her, a glint of something in her eye and she couldn't look away. She was drawn and as awkward as she must have looked, she didn't dare move or break the stare. If this was the only moment she would get with her then she would take it, as fleeting as the moment turned out to be.

She cleared her throat and stood from where she sat, smiling softly at the jaw dropped girl. She had seen her around campus and if she wasn't mistaken, she had courses with the reclusive girl before her.

"Hi," she said softly, hoping to engage in conversation with her.

The small word seemed to snap her out of the daze she was in and she looked up at the expectant look on the other girls face. She cleared her throat and licked her suddenly dry lips. Stay calm, just stay calm.

"Hey." She inwardly cringed at how stupid that came out.

The other girl merely chuckled and placed her arms behind her back, still holding the book she was reading diligently only minutes before.

"Is that how you greet all the girls?" she said with a smirk on her lips, lips that she watched closely and knew the shape of like the back of her hand.

"Only the pretty ones." She felt herself blush after she said that but it was time to be bold. If she didn't make a move on her now, she never would.

"Pretty? What makes you think I'm pretty?"

She looked up quickly then, shocked that the other girl said such a thing. Did she not know how perfect she was? How the way her body swayed when she walked made her heart beat frantically? Was she not aware of how both boys and girls alike at their university flocked around her like moths? She noticed a smirk on those full lips she craved so much.

"You're joking, aren't you?" she asked hesitantly, afraid of offending her and losing her chance.

Rachel chuckled softly and then sighed. "There's more to a person then just their external appearance." She walked past her, their shoulders brushing against each other when she stopped suddenly and turned around.

"You're in my economics course...right?"

"Um the one with Professor Snape?"

She made Rachel laugh with the nickname she had for the instructor. Truth was, their instructor bore an uncanny resemblance to the Harry Potter character, or at least the actor who portrayed the character.

"Do you have a nickname for everyone or only a select few?"

She shrugged and walked closer to Rachel, the fear and nervousness she once felt disappeared, replaced by something else. Something she hadn't felt in a while.

"Would you like to know yours?"

The brunette appeared stunned by her boldness but nodded nonetheless.

"Bella durmiente," she whispered staring straight into those brown eyes she loved so much.

Rachel looked perplexed but smiled politely. "What does that mean?"

She paused for a moment before leaning in, smelling the sweet scent of lavender and citrus in her hair, her skin so pale and soft she couldn't help but lick her lips wanting to taste her. She didn't realize how long she had lingered, lost in the scent, her eyes closed she didn't notice when Rachel stepped away looking at her strangely. There were no further words said. The brunette walked away as if she were the plague. She decided then and there, that Rachel was hers and she would do anything to make that happen.

The sound of her prisoner stirring from her slumber snapped her form her reverie. She smiled softly, she always got what she wanted. Her eyes roamed around the girls half naked body, a blanket placed underneath her to keep her warm against the cold cement. It was when Rachel tried to move her arms that the handcuffs clanked against the pipe it was attached to, did she notice they were being held in place. Her wrists were raw from how tight she had snapped them on. It was the first time she used handcuffs, she hadn't meant to hurt her.

"Hey," she said nervously from across the room. "Now I know what you're thinking...I know how bad this looks but I promise, I'm only trying to help you. I love you Rachel, I always have.

She was met with absolute silence, then again, there was duct tape covering her mouth eliminating the possibility of someone hearing her shout. Not that it was likely. She had purposely rented the last floor on the far side of an old warehouse built on the outskirts of the city, away from prying eyes. No one would be here. She made sure of it.

She stood up not sure what to do, staring at frightened brown eyes. It wasn't supposed to have happened this way. Yes she wanted Rachel, she loved her- but not like this. Or maybe this is what it came down to. Maybe this is what it was supposed to be like; the only way Rachel could understand that they were meant to be together. Something clicked inside of her then- it was as if she had been a wandering ship afloat on tempestuous seas before the sunlight streamed through dark clouds. She hurried over to Rachel, muffled cries and tears falling down her cheeks. She shook her head, holding her hands up, kneeling in front of her. She couldn't stand to see her like this- she didn't want to cause her pain. She wanted to make her laugh. She wanted Rachel to be happy...with her.

"Shhh..." she whispered soothingly, trying to calm the distraught girl in front of her, her hands aimed towards running her fingers through her dark locks, only to be kicked away. It wasn't a strong enough kick to physically harm her but it hurt to know Rachel intended on inflicting pain.

"Is that how this is going to be Rachel?" she shrieked angrily causing the other girl to cower. She sat next to the brunette, taking deep breaths. "I'm sorry."

She looked to her left hoping to meet Rachel's view so she could see her sincerity but Rachel wouldn't look at her. She had to say something, anything to get her attention. She reached in her pocket and took out the scalpel she acquired from the medical lab at the university. It still surprised her how lax security was, any crazy person could get in. She shook her head and turned towards Rachel, who upon seeing the sharp instrument had started to shake her head profusely, fresh tears streaming down her face.

"I don't want to hurt you baby. I promise. I just want to talk to you."

She reached across slowly so as to not alarm her, "I'm going to remove the tape okay? You have to promise not to scream Rachel...okay? I'm not going to hurt you-I could never hurt you babe. Please, trust me."

She waited until the other girl nodded, it was almost imperceptible but it was the reassurance she needed to make her more comfortable considering the circumstances. She moved forward since Rachel couldn't, her hand caressing her cheek momentarily, before peeling the corner, ripping it quickly causing her to yelp loudly.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please don't be mad." She hadn't realized the tape was stuck onto her skin. The tape left her skin raw, bright red. She felt sick with herself for causing her pain.

"Fuck..I'm so sorry. I'll make it better I promise."

She was shaking. This wasn't going the way she planned. She had to focus but it was hard to control her frustration. She blinked and took more deep breaths. She could sense the fear coming off in waves from the brunette. She broke down then and cried.

"I'm so sorry," she said in between gasps for breath. "It wasn't supposed to be this way. I swear." She looked around the area wildly. "I wanted to take you out, proper. Ask you to go on a date with me. I wanted our first date to be at that Italian restaurant- the one with the tiramisu you love so much? I was gonna take you there on a candlelit dinner, just the two of us."

She wiped the tears from her face. "Do you have any idea what it's like to love someone SO much? To want that person more than anything you've ever wanted before? To dream of them at night and wake up thinking of that person?"

She stood suddenly, running across to the other side where she had put a box the night before with some of Rachel's personal belongings. She grabbed the soft white blanket, the one with her scent and rushed back to her.

"Are you cold?" She asked concerned. "Here."

She draped the blanket over her, her hand resting on the girl's thigh. She laughed out of nowhere, pressing her side against Rachel's.

"That's what you are to me. From the moment we first spoke-"

"That was a mistake."

She was shocked by the harshness in her voice.

"No baby- no, don't say that." She licked her lips, her mouth dry. "I know it's hard to admit your feelings at first. Believe me I do-"

"I feel nothing for you."

She stared at her in shock. It was the most she had heard her speak in days. Maybe she needs to see. Yeah. Maybe she's just scared my intentions aren't right. Just make her see. Once she sees she'll know. She will see, just be patient.

"You don't mean that. It's just scary to-"

"You're the only thing that's scaring me! You tied me up in a dingy room-what the fuck is wrong with you? This isn't love."

"I've waited for you," she interrupted bellowing. "I know what love is! It's when you're willing to put someone else's needs before your own. They become your priority. You're not happy unless they are."

"I'm not happy," she punctuated by banging her fists against the pole, the action making her wince, before bursting into tears.

"Babe, are you okay?"

"Stop calling me that!" she yelled, crying loudly. "Let me go. Why won't you just let me go?"

She slowly realized she was losing Rachel, she would never see what she could be for her. All she wanted was to love her, to be loved, to have something special. She grabbed the scalpel, gripping it tightly.

"I'm a prisoner just like you. This hell hole," she gestured frantically, "you helped create it. Don't fuckin' blame me. It's your fault!"

She saw the scared puzzled look on her face and she stood up pacing. She rubbed her temples as she felt an all too familiar tightening in her chest. She took a moment to compose herself. She couldn't be weak. Not now. Rachel needed her. She needed to stare into those beautiful eyes and feel at peace again.

"Rachel just-"

"Let me go please..."

"Baby just-"

"I won't tell anyone."

"Please don't-"

"I want to go home..."

"Can't you see..?"

"Let me go!" she shrieked desperately.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" she rushed forward, slamming her against the wall. She could feel the other girl shaking, the crying had started again. This wasn't going to end well. She could feel it already.

"You don't fucking get it do you?" she snarled. "You're so self absorbed, so fucking blind to what's right in front of you. YOU approached ME first. You played your little games. YOU taunted me. I know you wanted me."

She raised her hand making a point to show off the scalpel, letting her know who was in charge. "You had your fun. You've teased me. I'm right here baby." She pressed her forehead against Rachel's. "It's okay. We don't have to play games any more. We can be together."

"Please don't do this," the other girl pleaded. "I won't tell anyone. You can let me go."

"NO!" she yelled furiously. "Let you go? No, not happening. I'm not gonna...baby, I can make you happy give me a chance."

There was a silence while both girls stared at each other, one pleading, the other calculating.

"Okay," she conceded quietly.

She couldn't believe her ears. "Really?"

The other girl merely nodded, agreeing. "Can you take the handcuffs off? My wrists hurt."

She couldn't contain herself as she wrapped her arms around the brunette. "Yeah of course. I'm sorry baby, can you see now why I had to do it?"

She was excited, ecstatic. She reached behind her and grabbed the small key, smiling at her while she uncuffed her, throwing the rusty metal across the room. She barely had time to register the blow Rachel delivered to her face, a well aimed elbow to her nose. She felt the bone snap and howled in agony falling to the floor. She thrashed her arm around hoping to strike back before she escaped. She didn't hit her but as Rachel tried to escape she ended up falling on top of her and she held on despite the slaps and punches aimed to cause more injury, she held on, flipping them both over as she wrapped her hands around the brunettes neck.

"You stupid whore!"

She squeezed her hands tighter around Rachel's throat, but she was still able to let out an ear piercing scream. It made her nervous, anxious… it made her panic. She felt uneasy. She felt herself lose control over her own body as a tremble turned into a shake. Her chest tightened and caused her pain, she couldn't breathe. She was useless and that was one thing she never wanted to be. It implied weakness and she couldn't be weak. Her eyes searched around frantically, looking for the scalpel that had dislodged itself from her tight grip when Rachel had directed a blow right to her face. It had to be here somewhere. It couldn't have gotten far. She turned her had to the left and caught the shiny metal object reflect in the light. She felt relief flood over her as she made eye contact with the small instrument and felt her chest loosen. Her lungs no longer felt as if they were being squeezed by an invisible hand. Her heart rate slowed back downl. She no longer felt that she was losing control of herself but the screams coming from the one she loved still made her feel extremely edgy. She knew what would cure her of these ugly feelings. She needed to silence that scream.

She lunged to the side, one hand still wrapped tightly around Rachel's throat as she reached out to snatch the scalpel. Once it was back in her hands, she could have sworn it felt as if someone had just injected her with some sort of drug. A drug that took away the pain, the hurt, the worry, the anxiety; it made her feel in control, there was no denying that and now all she had to do was eliminate the very thing that made her feel as though she had lost herself but the screams ceased. Was she winning Rachel back? Did Rachel understand her and realise that she belonged to her? She stared down into Rachel's wide and frightened eyes as she told her that everything was going to be alright. She released her grip slightly from around Rachel's throat as she leaned down and hovered over her, close enough for the blood that was streaming out of her nose to drip onto Rachel's chin.

"Tell me you love me." She whispered gently.

Rachel just stared back at her unable to speak. She whispered it again, more forcefully this time.

"I…"

Rachel couldn't finish the sentence and this angered her. She witnessed tears well up in her eyes and stream out fluently down the sides of her face. She couldn't handle the sound that was coming from Rachel. It was like a wounded animal, terrified. All those feelings, the anxiety was starting to rise inside of her again. She knew if she didn't silence her this time, she wouldn't be able to control it. She raised her hand up and in one swift movement, she plunged the scalpel into Rachel's neck twisting the instrument in her throat. It stopped the noise she was making but then replaced by a scream as Rachel cried out in agony followed by the sound of gargling as the blood filled her throat and forced its way down into her lungs.

The brunette coughed involuntarily as she tried to breathe, spraying blood all over her face and chest. Rachel screamed again or tried to but with the scalpel still inside her oesophagus and a final twist to the right it effectively severed her vocal cords silencing the gorgeous brunette in front of her. With Rachel laying beneath her, she watched as she slowly drowned in her own blood. She tilted her head to the side to allow some of the blood to escape, running her fingers softly through her hair to comfort the woman. It was far too soon to watch Rachel's life slip away. She needed to do one more thing. One more thing that would make Rachel forever hers. She tilted Rachel's head back up so she could stare into those magnificent brown eyes. The same brown eyes that drew her in the moment she took one look into them. The same eyes that told her that she was the one.

"Babe, I need you to look at me…"

Rachel exhausted and having no fight left did as she was told. She felt her life slowly slipping away. Pain, she no longer felt. Her body was in shock and she was numb. She knew her life would be over in minutes, possibly seconds. As her eyelids grew heavy and she succumbed to the exhaustion she felt, the last thing she heard as she slipped into the darkness was…

"I want to be in those beautiful brown orbs… forever."

She lifted the scalpel and pulled the eyelid back gently, almost affectionately. The end of the blade was carefully slipped under the lid and moved around the eye in a 360 degree motion. It cut through the muscle easily and as she pulled the eye out slightly she had one more thing she needed to do to ensure that she would be in those eyes until the day she died. She severed the optic nerve and as she held the eyeball in the palm of her hand, all the love she felt for Rachel was felt in every inch of her body. She crawled over to where she left her bag, a small jar of of saline closed tightly. Unscrewing the lid, she dropped the eyeball in it, watching it bob for a moment before it slipped to the bottom. Crawling back to Rachel's lifeless body she resumed worked on the other. Now Rachel knew: she would forever and always be the apple of her eye.

"Oi!"

The sharp yell snapped Naomi from her reverie. She fixed her steely glare on the perpetrator, her mate and driver of the rickety van, James Cook, or Cookie as he called himself. With a cheeky smirk in place, he wiggled his eyebrows and puffed his chest.

"Thinking of me were ya?"

She grinned slightly before leaning over to punch his forearm. Hard.

"Ow! Fuckin' hell you have bony fingers."

She sat back in her seat, her head lolling against the head rest, silence filling the van except for the sound of her belongings sliding across the back. She had grown used to the silence. It didn't bother her anymore. A month of silence from a girlfriend that could barely speak to her. Naomi didn't blame her, she knew she had fucked up. She had gone back on her promise to Emily. A promise she made to be faithful, to only have eyes for her. A promise that she broke when she cheated on her. What could ever have possessed her to have done that, she will never know. She couldn't blame it on the drugs Cook had given her that night, on any amount of alcohol because the fact was it wasn't Emily she kissed or touched. There was no excuse and now she had to live with the regret and shame of her actions; something that was slowly eating away at her.

"Hey," she felt a warm hand on her thigh squeezing encouragingly. "Penny for ya thoughts?"

Naomi turned her head, tears in her eyes, she held on to Cook's hand, gripping it tightly, unable to contain it all in anymore, she cried. She cried for hurting Emily like she did. She cried for destroying what they had. She had always loved her, had always wanted her and now she had nothing. Emily couldn't forgive her, she didn't know how to fix it and the distance between the two had grown to the point where they couldn't manage more than one word answers. She could see the sadness in her eyes. Those brown eyes that were always warm and inviting.

So when the silence grew and they spent more time avoiding each other than being with one another, that's when Naomi knew she had to leave. She had to go away before she ruined Emily and made her bitter. She was poison. She never deserved her love, even if she thought she could be enough for her.

She felt the old van lurch over the hill before swerving to the side of the road, gravel crunching underneath the weight of the vehicle as it came to a halt. A pair of strong arms enveloping her in a warm embrace, She placed her forehead in the crook of his neck, the smell of cheap cologne, cigarettes and sweat invading her senses. She cried harder missing the scent of Emily's hair when she woke up in the morning with her arm draped over her side. She missed her more than she could ever have imagined.

"There, there girl. Uncle Cook's here now."

He rubbed small circles on her back, kissed her temple, trying to soothe her as best he could. He had seen it coming. The girl at the club had practically stalked Naomi all night. He should have never left her on her own. He knew she didn't think things through when she was angry...and drunk. In a way, he felt like it was his fault. If he hadn't left for a quick shag, he would have made sure Naomi didn't leave to the toilets, Emily wouldn't have walked into the club looking for her girlfriend and seen what she saw. He knew ultimately it was Naomi's choice, she couldn't be babysat every hour of the day but he could have been a better friend. Which is why when Naomi suggested moving out, even though he knew it wasn't right, he helped her load the boxes into his Uncle Keith's van and drove her where she asked him to.

"I've ruined your shirt," Naomi said once she calmed down. Her face was red, her eyes puffy but Cook couldn't help but think she would burst into tears again.

He looked at his polo and couldn't tell the difference. He had grabbed the first thing he could find and threw it on when Naomi called him. He looked back up at her grinning pointing to the other mysterious stain. "Nah babe, spots match each 'ova now."

Naomi laughed at his response. She knew what he was trying to do, make her feel less lost because that's how you feel when you've lost someone you love. There is an emptiness inside, a cold feeling that takes over because it hurts to feel anything else.

"I fucked up," she said quietly, staring at the faded vinyl. "I fucked up bad."

Cook nodded not sure what else to say. He saw when Emily ran out of the toilets, the devastation, the hurt etched on her face. Then Naomi followed scared, screaming for Emily to wait...

"I don't know what to do," she continued, her gaze on the view outside. She looked like she was going to break down again. He put his hands on her shoulders smiling gently.

"You're gonna go to this uni and blow all of 'em frat boys and girls' minds. You're a smart girl Naomikins. You're gonna be alright, I promise ya."

Naomi smiled before embracing Cook again, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You're a lot nicer than people think, aren't you Cook?"

He smiled and pinched her side laughing when she shrieked, smacking his shoulder. "Fuck you."

"Fuck you right back."

"Was that all?"

Cook set down the pair of boxes he brought up from the van, kicking it to the side, his face red from the exertion. "Yeah that was all of it. You sure you can afford this place Naomi?"

She smiled pulling a jumper over her head. "I already have a job lined up and I'm paying what any other student would be paying Cook."

He looked at her seriously and then around the flat. It was an old hotel remade into cheap apartments. With its' high ceilings and arched doorways, the place had a gothic feel to it. He didn't like having Naomi live all on her own. He wasn't that far away if she needed something but it still made him uneasy. Naomi could sense her friend's hesitation and smiled encouragingly at him.

"How's this, once I get settled in, maybe a semester or so, I'll post an ad for a room-mate. There's a spare bedroom and there's plenty of space...alright?"

He looked at her, clicking his tongue. "You want some stranger in here? You know how many psychos are out that don't ya? Nah, that won't do blondie."

"Okay, a classmate, someone I've spoken to and hung out with and I'll make sure they pass the Cookie monster test of approval, how's that?"

He shook his head still not comfortable with the idea. "Cook, I have no one else. Emily was supposed to be here with me but..." she said, staring at the floor, crossing her arms in front of her.

He put his hands in his pocket, sighing. "I meet 'em first, yeah? And no blokes in 'ere."

Naomi smiled and placed her hand over her heart. "You have my word."

He nodded, moving forward to kiss her cheek. "I've gotta go but promise me you'll call me if ya need anythin'?"

She nodded and hugged him once more. "Thank you. I don't know what I would've done without you."

Making sure she was okay, he turned around and left leaving Naomi behind watching him pull out of the car park, five stories up. She stared out of the window at the view before her. The apartments were owned by the university but were on the outskirts of the city. It was quiet and she could hear the faint echo of voices of other students in the building. Sighing, she turned around and stared at the space around her, thinking about how quickly life changes. She felt her phone buzz in her pocket and fished it out, unlocking the screen to read a text message.

Cook: Ems called. Not happy.

She walked over to her bed, throwing herself on it, her mobile still in her hand. Her thumbs hovered over the screen, unsure of what to type. She mulled over several responses before sending one that left no room for conversation.

Me: Neither am I.

Turning on to her side she placed her cell phone on the night stand and closed her eyes, letting sleep take over.

As always, your thoughts and opinions are most appreciated...in review format preferably :)