Band-Aid on a Gunshot Wound: Chapter 2:

Nightmare:

"I want you to go. Now." I say in a panicked voice. He could tell I was scared, he could tell I was upset. He could tell that I felt like shit for letting him down so badly. I take my chances and my stride quickens as I approach the door. My urgency to get him out forced me forwards, his anger frightened me, heightened my desperation.

I struggle to find the latch, my hand shaking, before I feel a force compress me. A pair of arms grab me, tightening around the flesh underneath my cream blouse. I'm turned to face him, his breath hot on my face, my tears freezing on my cheeks. His eyes were wide, penetrating, evil. I try and push him off but he grasps me again, shoving me up against the harsh wood of the door. Fight him. Too weak. He moves in. I reject it. He's clawing at my thigh, his lips are rough against mine. Tearing at my tights, ripping open my blouse. Stop. Stop. I'm telling him to stop. He won't stop. Stop. "Stop. Stop."

"Hey, hey." I hear a voice, arms grasping mine.

"Get off me!" I yell. "No!"

"Carla!" Nick panics and my eyes fly open. "It's ok. It's ok."

"No." I pant, my heart racing, my breath ragged. My palms were sweating as I attempt to grip the bed sheets, moving backwards as best as I could.

"Calm down." He soothes. "It's ok, I'm here."

"He's here." I gulp back tears.

"He's not." He tells me. "Carla, he's dead. He's gone."

I connect my eyes with his as he processes my fear. I begin to calm as I hear his words. He was dead. He couldn't hurt me, not again.

"It was a nightmare." He reassures me, keeping his distance so as to not scare me. "It's all in the past."

"I'm sorry..." I finally manage to muster, my chest rising and falling consecutively. "I'm so sorry... Oh my God." I clasp a shaking hand over my mouth, trying to steady it. He hesitates before reaching out a hand slowly and stroking my hair, his touch makes me shiver slightly and he retracts. I study him for a few seconds before slowly moving closer, approaching him with caution as if I was a wild animal. He holds out his arms invitingly and I feel comfortable once they encase me. I could tell he was being delicate with me, as if I was a fragile object.

"It's over." He whispers, kissing my head before taking the liberty of running his fingers through it again. The soft motions calm me and I manage to close my eyes for a few seconds as my breathing returns to normal. I focus on his touch, his steady heartbeat, his secure arms. "You're safe now I promise."

"...Why is this happening?" I murmur, my voice broken and worn. "This hasn't happened for ages."

"I don't know sweetheart." He tells me, continuing to stroke my hair. "I'm sure it's just a one off, after yesterday."

"...I'm so scared." I finally say, my voice shaky.

"I know but you don't need to be." He sighs, slowly running his thumb up and down my forearm and at the sound of his voice I begin to fall back to sleep. "I'm here. I promise you, I'll always be here."


"You're going into work?" Nick asks as I leave the bedroom, done up in all black and minimal make-up.

"Well why shouldn't I?" I ask, not aware it sounded so harsh until it escaped my lips. "...I'm fine, seriously."

"Are you sure?" He questions, knowing not to try and negotiate with me.

"Yeah." I tell him, picking my bag up before going over to kiss him lightly. "Bye then."

"Uh... Have you eaten?" He's careful not to grab my wrist in an attempt to stop me.

"No..." I sigh, knowing there was no use lying to him. He was good at finding holes in my stories.

"Right well I'm making you something." He tells me.

"Nick, I'm fine." I stress. "I'm gonna be late otherwise."

"I'm not letting you go on an empty stomach." He argues.

"I'll get something from Roy's." I give in.

"Ok well in that case I'm coming with you." He grabs his keys and I raise my eyebrows at him.

"I don't need a babysitter Nicholas." I remind him. "Or your pity."

"Nope." He shakes his head. "But you do need to eat, so come on. You don't want to be late do you?"

He ushers me out of the flat before linking his hand with mine, shutting the door behind us.


"Late." Aidan scolds as I enter the factory office, placing my bag down on my desk.

"Yeah well don't blame me, blame Nick." I sigh, sitting down in my chair.

"Oh... Too much information." He flashes me a cheeky grin.

"Not like that." I glare at him.

"Ok..." He holds his hands up. "Someone got out of the wrong side of bed this morning."

"Uh... You don't know the half..." I put my head in my hands exasperatedly. "So what's going on this morning?"

"Kate and Kirk have got to get this order shipped by lunch." Aidan informs me, checking his clipboard. "So I've put Sally in charge of checking that's going smoothly."

"Lucky them." I sigh.

"And the machinists are working on this Saunders order." He points through the window to where they were gossiping away.

"Yeah well it doesn't look like much work is going on." I mutter, rising to pull the door open. "Ey!" I shout, storming over as my heels clack on the cold floor. "This order needs to be done by Friday, what's all the gossiping about?"

"Sorry Mrs Connor." Beth pipes up. "It's just Craig's got this-"

"I don't care Beth." I snap. "Unless what Craig has 'got' is two hundred pairs of flaming knickers, then I'm not interested. Now get back to work please." I begin to walk away. "Honestly, if I paid you to yak and drink tea, you'd be quids in."

"That told them." Aidan says as I enter the office again.

"Yeah well they need to be kept under control." I inform him. "They're good little workers but once they get their gobs going, there's no stopping them."

"Yes I have met them, remember?" Aidan reminds me and I turn my computer on, trying to focus on work.


"You're entitled to a lunch break surely." Nick opens the door to the office and I look up.

"Yeah." I nod. "And I will."

"It's twenty to three." He indicates to the clock. "I didn't see you in the Bistro as I usually do."

"Hello to you too by the way." I force a smile, trying to make an effort, aware that Aidan was eyeing us up from the corner.

"Hello." He smiles, bending down to kiss me before sitting on the edge of my desk. He pulls a plastic box out of his pocket and hands it to me.

"What's this?" I frown, opening it up and finding three mini chicken wraps.

"Lunch." He tells me, placing the coffee he was holding down on my desk along with a flapjack wrapped in cling film. "I figured if you weren't gonna come to me, I'd bring it to you."

"What a gentleman." Aidan finally pipes up.

"Thanks." I say appreciatively, despite the fact I wasn't overly hungry. I pull one out and bite into it, the flavour filling my bland mouth. "How's work?"

"Busy." He replies.

"Well then I feel bad for stealing you." I say.

"Mm..." He nods, his eyes narrowing. "Was that a hint?"

"No." I shake my head. "But if you don't get back you'll get sacked."

"It's my restaurant." He points out.

"Well then you'll sack yourself." I retaliate.

"Well then I'll just come and be the new male model for this place." He kisses me on the nose and I giggle slightly.

"You'd be good at that." I grin and Aidan lets out a slight groan.

"Ugh... Please." He laughs. "Enough mental images."

"Hmm... Yeah ok on that note, I'll get off." Nick kisses me one last time before leaving.

"Relationship goals." Aidan jokes after a short silence and I throw a pen at him in annoyance.


I sigh as I enter the flat, throwing my keys down on the sideboard.

"You'll never believe the afternoon I've had." I call out, taking my jacket off and going to put it on the sofa before I notice Carla, sleeping soundly, legs curled up beneath her. I smile slightly at how peaceful she looks, clearly having fallen asleep when she got in. I gently move a lock of hair that has fallen over her face and curl it round her ear.

I go over to pick the blanket up that rested on the arm chair and shake it out before laying it over her body. I ensure that it is tucked round her feet and arms so that she isn't cold before kissing her on the forehead. "Goodnight beautiful." I whisper and turn the light out.