Normality
Squeaking. That's what this was, she realized somewhere at the back of her mind, in that half aware place she wouldn't remember later on. Squeaking of some sort. She ignored it, her brain unwilling to process it fully. Go back to sleep. "Ugh, come on" a hoarse voice mumbled.
Nope, this wasn't happening. She was definitely awake. Drowsy, but awake. She opened her eyes. Too much light. Too much lead in her limbs, a dizzy fog around her. And the damn squeaking. "Brian?"
He startled and turned around in his crouched position, wiping his forehead with his sleeve. "Shit, sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up. Wanted to let you sleep in. Sorry."
Too many words. "What are you do-" The end to her blissful unawareness came rapidly. Her badge on the stove. The feeling of the hot keys on her skin. Lewis shouting. Her public humiliation. Brian's face when he saw Lewis. It's over. I am safe now. Until he gets out. But he's been locked away. I didn't cry in court. I didn't really. I did good. They hated me. It was my fault. It wasn't, it's his, I'm an idiot for blaming myself! I'm weak. I lost it. They'll take it all away, everything. The woman hanging. Her feet, kicking.
"Liv? Hey?" He was by her side in an instant. It still freaked her out how that happened sometimes, how she lost entire moments, slipping in and out of reality. Brian was usually pretty good about giving her space, about not overdoing it or getting all worked up, about not creeping up on her. "It's all right. It's over now." He spoke to her quietly before lightly touching her hand. The same as always. Empty words, but the ritual was somewhat reassuring.
She consciously slowed down her breathing, steadying herself, and took his hand.
"How did you sleep?"
"All right." To her surprise, this was somewhat true. She had been so exhausted after everything, unable to talk, shower, eat or do anything. Anything at all besides fall into bed. She could barely remember getting home last night, and nothing since then. She had no recollection aside from a vague memory of Brian's voice talking soothingly as she screamed out once. Which was nothing, compared to the nights they had been having again these past few weeks, as the trial dragged out, disturbing their fragile peace.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." She smiled wanly. "What were you doing in the bathroom?"
"Trying to fix the sink. Not much success so far." A trickle of sweat was running down his neck, right into his grey sweatshirt.
She raised her eyebrows. "Now? That tap has been dripping on and off for the past month."
He shrugged. "Just needed to do find something to do, I guess."
She felt a small pang of guilt. "You okay?" The previous day had to have been tough for him as well, yet all the focus had been on her. No, don't think about yesterday. Not now.
"Yeah." There was an awkward pause. It was too soon to talk about it.
"I'll help you fix that tap."
He groaned. "Please, no more right now. How about I fix us some breakfast instead?"
"That sounds-" Her eyes fell on the alarm clock. 13:06. "It's one p.m.?! How long have I been asleep for? What day is it, even?"
He couldn't help but give a short laugh at that. "No worries, it's only been like 17 hours."
"You could have woken me up." How could she still feel so groggy after all that sleep? Her head was heavy, and her back ached.
"You seemed to need it. And we got nowhere to be today. Take it easy. I'll go make some breakfast."
"Thanks. And then we'll start on that tap again." You had to begin somewhere.