Prologue

"You're the fear, I don't care
'Cause I've never been so high
Follow me through the dark
Let me take you past our satellites
You can see the world you brought to life, to life"

Ana POV

It is dark, and my heart is pounding. It must be cold outside, because I can see my breath clouding in front of my face, as I pull and push air through my burning lungs. Why am I running? I can't seem to feel the cold and I don't know if it's because my skin is numb or if I am just too scared.

He is chasing me. I am running through the woods around what seems to be my parent's estate, trying not to trip over tree roots and fallen branches. I don't understand why he is chasing me again. He was supposed to be dead. I am supposed to be safe from my childhood tormentor, and yet, here I am. Running for my life.

"Little Bird…" His voice is like a snake as it wraps around me. He is too close. I can't be caught again. I don't want to go through that torture again. I shudder and feel tears running down my cheeks. The pain of the memories of what Nathan had done to me when he locked me up in his basement are too real. My heart is burning in my chest with anger and shame. Why can't I escape his grip?

Just then I feel fingers wrap around my arm. This is it. I can't help what is going to happen to me now that he has me in his clutches again. I don't fight anymore. I can't. I am nothing but a little bird caught in his net. I do what I never let myself do when he first had me, I break down and I cry.

This is how the nights end.

Christian POV

Quiet sobbing pulls me from my dreams. It is dawn and warm sunlight is streaming through the small crack in the drapes that never seems to close properly. I blink a few times and roll over to find my wife clutching her pillow, with tears streaking down her face. Oh Ana…

In the month that we have been married, I've learned that it is not uncommon for my fiery wife to let all of her walls come crashing down when she sleeps. There's no fucking doubt in my mind that she is having a nightmare about my awful dirt bag of a father. I feel vomit begin to raise in my throat. I wish I could erase Anastasia's memory. I wish I could take her pain away.

Instead, I do the only thing I can. I reach for her and gently pull her into my arms. She resists at first, but I bring her back to me with soft words of my undying love. I whisper in her ear, "Don't worry baby. It's me. I'm here. I love you so, so much. I will never let you go. I'll never let anyone hurt you ever again." Before I even begin to register the situation, we are clutching at each other, sobbing.

After a few minutes, I can't help myself. I take her face gently in my hands and kiss her tears away. She tastes like sadness and despair and all I want to do is take away her pain.

"Is it okay if I kiss you now?" I always look into her eyes when I ask this question, I want her permission. I want to be her safe place.

Her answering soft spoken whisper is like a cold glass of water on a warm summer day, "Yes…"

I make love to my wife slowly. Softly. I pour everything I have into every kiss, every touch, and every whisper of love. This is the only way I know how to help her, and it works. Until the sun goes down and her demons come back for her in her dreams. The only place that I can't protect her.

This is how our days begin.

Author's Note:

Let me know what you think! :)