He was down in the kitchen making himself a hot milk when he heard her screaming. Hearing it he was instantly back three years ago. Normally it was Laura who couldn´t sleep due to his snoring although it got better as did his insomnia since they were together.
But tonight she had slept restlessly and tossed around a lot. Running up the stairs now he cursed himself for not recognizing it earlier, it was only one week to Halloween and all the feelings he had back then hearing her screaming when they got out of the car at Homewood Park were the same he felt now hearing her.
He dashed into the bedroom and tried to wake her up not too abruptly. "Hey, love, everything´s fine. You´re okay, it´s just a bad dream. You´re safe Laura, I´m here. It´s Robbie." He stopped her tossing and took her in his arms. "It´s okay, you´re fine, love! Come wake up, it´s just a bad dream."
He got through to her and clinging to him Laura woke up looking confused at Robbie. "This is not right, it was James!" she said in an odd not really awake voice. And then she only asked: "Why?"
That was the one question that still stood between them, what they had never talked about: Why had he sent James in to get her out of this hole and to be with her in the most frightening moments of her life?
He felt that she was sweating and freezing at the same time and also her pillow and duvet were damp so he hugged her nearer and then said in his most soothing voice:" I will tell you, love. But what about a quick shower and some fresh pjs first? You will feel better then." Nodding Laura got up slowly and into the bathroom.
The shower felt heavenly as also knowing that it had only been a dream she felt the dirt from the hole all over her again. Standing there under the hot stream of the shower she relaxed a bit. It hadn´t been that severe since she was at a psychiatrist directly after it happened. There had been two or three nightmares over the years but all in all she had coped really well with it. But tonight it had just hit her hard.
Getting out of the shower she saw that Robbie not only had brought her her favourite towel but also one of his flannel shirts instead of her pyjama. It was one of the shirts she sometimes nicked to sleep in especially when he wasn´t there.
When she entered the bedroom again, Robbie had changed the bedclothes and came just back in with a tray.
"Now that's timing. What do you want, pet? Tea, water, milk or something stronger? He asked putting the tray down at the nightstand.
Getting into the freshly made bed Laura took a tea, took a sip and then cradled herself up at Robbie and just asked again: "Why?"
Robbie embraced her nearer and put the duvet over both of them before he answered:
"Fear, I guess! When James and I arrived and got out of the car we heard you screaming. It was such a frightful sound and a lot of fearful images came to my mind what they had done to you. Then there was guilt thinking that if I had trusted you more it would not have happened.
So when we reached you and the twins I couldn´t stand to see what happened to you. If you were hurt too badly to…..you know. I also was in panic that when you were hurt that I wasn´t able to help you. James was cooler and more help than my torn up self in that moment.
That´s why I went after the twins and let James rescue you. And then when I knew that you would be okay I suddenly felt shame. Not for not coming after you but for having such deep feelings for you. It felt like a betrayal to Val. Feeling something so deep for someone else. I guess that was the first moment that I realized I had feelings for you that weren´t just for a good friend.
Then when we met after the funeral and you seemed quite okay again. It seemed that you had forgiven me and we were on our normal friendly terms again, I was relieved and went on as before."
Robbie took her closer and kissed her hair. "I hope you can forgive me again, love." Feeling safe in his arms now Laura smiled up to him: "Don´t worry, I guess I understand it. It is somehow what I thought the reason was. I was also just happy to be on normal terms with you again. Luckily it was not that difficult to forgive you for not trusting me. I don´t know how I would have reacted in a situation like that."
Laura sat up and took her tea again. Feeling the warm liquid going down was wonderful. It also felt wonderful having this caring man by her side now. She was also happy that he had been totally honest to her as he was happy that he could tell her everything now knowing she would understand it. After drinking their teas in companionable silence Laura cuddled up against Robbie again and feeling his arms coming around her she was fast asleep in minutes knowing she was safe now.
Feeling her steady breath on his chest Robbie also went to sleep smiling and feeling happy that he had been able to help Laura getting over the nightmare and also to get this story that had still been standing between them out of the way now.
A/N:As I am still struggling with the end of my Lyn-story I watched some old episodes again to get back into a Lewis feeling and somehow I had to write this little one shot down first before it got lost in my brain. It came to my mind after watching "Falling Darkness" again and as always I asked myself why Robbie didn´t go into the hole to rescue Laura.