Nightmare
Chapter 1: A Re-Occurring Dream or an Omen?
She looked over to the clock on the bedside table. 3:04 the red digits glowed back at her, almost taunting her. The night was frosty and ominous, just perfect for the mood she was in. She could hear the soft sounds of a song playing on her bedside clock radio and the pitter-patter of the rain outside beating down on the windowpane right beside her bed.
~ Out of sight, out of mind
Out of time to decide
Do we run? should I hide
For the rest of my life
Can we fly? do we stay?
We could lose we could fail
And the more minutes take
To make planer, or mistakes~
She closed her eyes and willed herself to go to sleep, but sleep was one thing that didn't come easily.
She let herself sink down under the covers and curl up into a ball, cover tightly wrapped around her.
Finally she slowly drifted off, the dreams that plagued her, returning once again.
~ 30 minutes, the blink of the night
30 minutes to alter our life's
30 minutes to make up my mind
30 minutes to finally decide~
It happened in the blink of an eye, the dark man fired once, twice, three, four times into Matt's chest and stomach. He then collapsed to the floor, blood rapidly blossoming out across his white shirt.
She ripped her Glock from its holster, it felt as though it was made of lead, the dark man swung the gun around on her and pulled the trigger.
~ 30 minutes to whisper your name
30 minutes to shelter the blame
30 minutes of bliss, 30 lies
30 minutes to finally decide ~
She awoke with a start, sweat pouring down her face as she replayed the dream in her mind. She looked over at the clock radio on her nightstand, 6:56am, time to get up.
She threw the covers off herself and made her way out into the kitchen and made herself some toast and a cup of coffee, dished out some food into Jerry's dish, but he was no where to be found, so she made her way to the shower and showered then got ready for work.
Jerry decided to grace her with his presence 10 minutes after she got out of the shower and changed into a black suit.
"Morning Jerry," she said, stroking his silky fur.
"Mrow," was the reply she got before Jerry jumped down off her bed and made his way out into the kitchen where his breakfast was.
She checked her hair in the mirror before she grabbed her purse and car keys. She wasn't sure why, but after she picked her keys up, the unsettling feeling from the night before came across her again. She reached the door and the feeling hadn't wavered. She closed and locked the door behind her, she couldn't shake the ominous feeling that something was going to happen today.
--- ---
She drove into the car park underneath the police building and pulled into the park with her name on it, Det. J. Mapplethorpe, and got out of the car and made her way to the elevator, the doors were just starting to close as she ducked into the lift just before the doors closed.
"Morning Jen," Matt Ryan said when his partner pressed the 4th floor button.
"Hey, how are ya?" She responded, looking at Matt, the ominous feeling returning stronger than what it was when she left home.
"You don't look so good, are you ok?" he replied looking at her, she looked really pale.
Looking away from him, she quickly exited the elevator when the doors opened and made her way to her desk, avoiding Matt the whole time from the elevator to her desk.
She sat down, and started her laptop, busying herself with paperwork, trying to get her mind off everything.
--- ---
At 5:30pm, everyone was starting to knock off. Slowly the office emptied, all but Jennifer moved from her desk.
~In my hands
A legacy of memories
I can hear you say my name
I can almost see your smile
Feel the warmth of your embrace
But there is nothing but silence now
Around the one I loved~
"Come on Jen, lets go out and get a drink," Matt asked, after everyone had left the office.
"Na, I'm just gonna head home." She said, looking up at him, but not able to look him in the eyes.
"Jen, what's wrong?" Matt said pulling a chair up beside her sitting down.
"Nothings wrong, Matt, there's nothing wrong." She said looking away from him.
Matt placed a finger under her chin and turned her head towards him. "Jen I can see that there's something bothering you."
"I've been having... these dreams." She admitted, looking down at her hands that were intertwined in her lap.
Matt looked at her, and took her hands in his own, "It's ok Jen, you can tell me about them."
~See the sadness in your eyes
You are not alone in life
Although you might think that you are~
She looked up, here eyes meeting his own, he could see the sadness and fear in them.
"I've been having dreams about… being shot." She looked down, a lone tear falling down her cheek.
"Hey I think we all have those types of dreams, hell I've even had dreams about being shot." Matt said, hoping this would cheer her up.
"No, that's not the whole of it…" she said, a sob escaping her lips. "You get killed, and I can't do anything to stop it, I'm always too late by the time I get my gun out, because I get shot aswell." She sobbed, Matt gathered up in his arms comforting her in her time of need.
"Shhh Jen, it's ok, I won't leave you, sweetheart, I promise I won't." He said, resting his chin on her head, rubbing circles on her back.
~I feel so lost when you are not at my side
But there is nothing but silence now
Around the one I loved~
--- ---
The ride home was quiet, Jennifer's gaze never wavering from outside. The rain slowly fell outside, cascading down over the car. In the background the radio played softly.
~I hope you're doing fine out there without me
'Cause I'm not doing so good without you
The things I thought you'd never know about me
Were the things I guess you always understood
So how could I have been so blind for all these years?
Guess I only see the truth through all this fear,
And living without you…~
Jennifer quietly sat and listed to the lyrics of the song, tears started to form in her eyes as she listened, realizing how much she loved Matt and where her life was heading.
~And everything I have in this world
And all that I'll ever be
It could all fall down around me.
Just as long as I have you,
Right here by me.
I can't take another day without you
'Cause baby, I could never make it on my own
I've been waiting so long, just to hold you
And to be back in your arms where I belong~
She thought back to what happened in the squad room a while ago.
Matt gathered her up in his arms, she breathed Matt's cologne into her lungs, Ralph Lauren Polo Black, and rested her head on his chest as her tears continued to fall.
"Shhh Jen, it's ok, I won't leave you, sweetheart, I promise I won't." He said, resting his chin on her head, rubbing circles on her back.
"Come on, lets get out of here." Matt said, wrapping his over coat around her petite frame when she got up.
~Sorry I can't always find the words to say
But everything I've ever known gets swept away
Inside of your love…
And everything I have in this world
And all that I'll ever be
It could all fall down around me.
Just as long as I have you,
Right here by me~
They slowly made their way towards the elevator, and down towards the basement where her car was parked. With care, Matt put his hand into Jennifer's suit coat pocket and retrieved her keys.
"I'll take you home Jen." Matt said when they approached Jennifer's blue Subaru Impreza.
Matt went around to the passengers door and opened it for her before closing it after she had gotten in, then getting in behind the wheel and starting the car and driving out of the basement car park out onto the main road.
~As the days grow long I see
That time is standing still for me
When you're not here
Sorry I can't always find the words to say
Everything I've ever known gets swept away
Inside of your love~
Matt's driving fills her with a sense of security. She's sitting in the passenger seat, covered in his warm coat.
She looks out her window again into the dark, she can see the rain falling down all around them, caught between the car headlights and the road ahead. Matt steers them safely onwards, into the night, towards her home.
Jennifer looks at him, staring out into the dark road ahead, his features calm, assured and composed.
~And everything I have in this world
And all that I'll ever be
It could all fall down around me.
Just as long as I have you,
Right here by me.
And everything I have in this world
And all that I'll ever be
It could all fall down around me.
Just as long as I have you,
Right here by me~
