Hello fellow readers!

Here it is, the 7th chapter. A bit delayed again, I know. I'm so sorry.

I had written this one much bigger but my lovely beta reader advised me to cut it and make two chapters instead of one. We don't want you to get bored, this is all for your benefit reader.

The good thing is… I will publish the 8th chapter way sooner than expected. Because it's already done.

Okay, hope you enjoy this, obviously. I appreciate if you review, like I always do. Thanks everyone who saved to favourites, followed and reviewed the previous chapter. I'm expecting more feedback from you, come on you smart and beautiful people!

Thanks to my brilliant beta reader, NotMarge. I adore you!

I've got nothing else to add, for now, so… go on then…

Chapter 7

I rolled my eyes and shook my mind out of my inner monologue.

"I've noticed. What I want to know is why? What's wrong, Cat?" I inquired with a soft voice.

I leaned forward and tried to soothe her by passing a hand through her hair. She loves it when people do that.

Alex used to do that. He always sensed when she felt sad or troubled and he knew exactly how to make her relax. He would sit on the corner of the couch and she would lay down next to him and rest her head in his lap. His hand would softly caress her hair and sooner or later, Cat would fall asleep.

Their relationship was incredibly intense in a very common way. They were familiar with each other's habits more than anyone I've ever met, and most of all, they were respectful with their intimacy. Kate had lost her virginity with him, but he had to work himself out in order to deserve that.

She was crazy for late night parties. When we met I never expected her to be the person she is. I thought she was one of those BBB girls. The ones that have no aspirations in their life except for boys, booze and calling each other bitches all the time.

I hate myself for being this critical toward other people's life choices. It's none of my business, I know. I don't openly criticize them, if that's more acceptable. I just cannot help it in my thoughts. Even though that makes me feel terrible too.

Kate is nothing like that anyway.

She is a bit hyperactive and insane when she drinks anything, even water. Okay, she's always like that. Like she always says, crazy is her middle name. I grew addicted to her energy after some time of knowing her. She has all the qualities that I lack. Power and assertiveness. Cat was the most self-reliant person that I knew. At least until Alex dumped her.

She is such a kind human being under her aggressive attitude. Always trying to help whenever she can. Those who do not know her well may see her as a futile person, but she has a lot of amazing objectives in her life. Including becoming the diplomat that will bring full peace to the World.

Yep, a tiny bit impossible, but try telling her that.

"I cannot sleep," she mumbled against the couch's leather surface.

"Why?" I asked quietly.

"I just can't. I even tried taking those pills we took last year but it's not working like before," she added weakly.

"You should've told me this before, Cat. For how long have you been unable to sleep?" I whined with frustration.

If she was having insomnia because of Alex, we could deal with it. I would tell her the truth to end her misery once and for all. Maybe she could forgive me. I only tried to protect her, that's all I did. She's my mate, I couldn't simply tell her 'hey, your boy is selling drugs and he rather break up with you than tell you the truth'.

Of course not. For me there had always only been one choice. Convince him to tell her or forget it all and leave them be.

"A couple of nights," she said shyly after a while.

"No, no. You look like hell, Cat. How long? Tell me the truth," I inquired firmly.

Kate sighed and turned around to stare at the ceiling. I withdrew my hand from her hair but before I could put it in my lap, Cat caught it and squeezed it once as she answered.

"Almost two weeks," she looked directly at me with two dead eyes.

I had never seen such apathy in her.

I've known her almost all my life. She has always been a cheery person. She was optimistic even when her grandmother passed away. They had the best relationship ever. When she died, Cat was still a reckless young lady. However, while everyone else kept on crying and getting depressed, Kate wore her smile the best she could and tried to soothe her family's pain.

I could bet my soul that she only allowed herself to mourn and cry when she stood alone at night in her bedroom.

I know her pretty well to know how she feels most of the time without feeling the need to ask her. I know as well that last year was the worst nightmare she and I both had and we would give everything to stop it from happening again.

If she cannot sleep because of that, then I'm not sure what I can do to help her. I cannot even help myself on that matter.

"Is it Alex?" I asked subtly.

Cat blinked twice and a frown formed between her eyebrows. Her blank expression alone made my stomach hurt. So Alex was not the reason why she couldn't sleep. It was something else.

Unfortunately, I thought I knew the real reason.

"Why would it be because of Alex?" Kate questioned with a surprised tone.

I moved awkwardly on the couch and looked at our embraced hands as I answered.

"Well, your relationship was very strong. I can see you do not seem to be over him and I thought that . . . maybe he had been talking to you?" I muttered the last words and pressed my lips tight shut.

Kate laughed bitterly and let go of my hand with a sigh as she turned and laid sideways facing me.

"No, it's not because of him, Alma," she said with a haunted voice.

Still she didn't denied they had been talking. What if he decided to tell her? God, do not get me wrong. I'm all for him telling her the truth if he doesn't talk about the fact that I knew everything and kept my mouth shut.

I moved in order to stay closer to her and put my elbow on the couch and supported my head in it to lean forward.

"What is it then?" I whispered faintly.

Kate raised her head slightly to look at me and supported herself on her elbow. Her eyes twitched nervously as she spoke, her voice barely audible.

"It's those noises again! They come during the night, when I close my eyes! I really try to sleep, Alma! But then . . . I feel something passing near the bed. After that I hear them! I do hear the noises, Alma, just like last year! It's not right, whatever it is, you know, you felt it too! It's just not right," she told me with a bitter harshness.

My breath caught in my throat as I heard Kate whimper. She was terrified. It was almost palpable between us, like threads lingering in the air. Threads of a fear so great that maybe could choke the bravest man on Earth.

"It's not like last year Kate. That is all over. It's not going to happen again," I said with a soft and delicate tone. It appeared as if I was talking to a child.

Perhaps that's what we are when we live with such fear. Naked to the world, with every little insecurity visible for anyone to see. Incapable of escaping our own nightmares, imprisoned and limited by the night time. Most of all, we are chained to our irrational side. Always listening to it and putting aside every single bit of rationality that may survive our madness.

"No, Alma, I know it isn't. It's all back. It's stronger too. Sometimes I can see glimpses of it at night, unclear forms around me. For brief seconds only, but it's a lot more than what we experienced last year. Alma, it's frightening! What if . . . maybe we are insane after all?" She whispered.

Her voice was so full of hope that a knot formed in my stomach.

What if she's right?

I've thought about this before, obviously. This one thought never left my mind, because it meant that everything I saw wasn't really there. That it was my mind being silly, just that. No monsters, no darkness out there to harm me. This one thought that made my life perfect and horrifying at the same time.

My heart clenched at Kate's words. I didn't know what to think, or what to do. If there was one thing that I was sure of, it was that this madness could not come back, not now. Final exams at the door and all types of preparations to care about, we must stick to our sanity.

I lost nearly a whole year of my life because of this craziness and it was the worst experience I ever had. If I lose my mind again, I'm afraid there won't be a way back this time. Damn, I am certainly not going to a sanatorium. Seven hells, I'd rather die than going to that sort of place. Besides, my family would rejoice if I ended up labelled as loony. After all that happened, it would be like justifying the way they acted.

"It's alright. Kate, listen to me. You listen closely and mark my words . . . We are fine! You and me, we are perfectly fine, okay? You've been through a lot lately and you're nervous about the exams. You lost an important person as well, remember? Alex made you stronger sometimes, didn't he? You know what? You do not need anyone to make you strong! You are the strongest person I've ever met! Right now, you're simply tired. That's all, okay? There is nothing for you to worry about. It's just anxiety, alright?" I stated firmly.

Cat blinked a few times and some minutes passed until a fragile smile began to form on her pink lips. She rose and sat on the couch with a different spark in her eyes. Then she gave me a single vigorous nod with an unexpected grit. The familiar courage that I loved about her was back in strength. Or so I hoped.

"We're fine," she added before getting up.

"Yep, we are absolutely fine!" I exclaimed when I jumped to my feet and stood beside her.

Kate grabbed my hand and pulled me toward our bluish bedroom doors.

This was exactly what kept us going. The stupid ability we had to convince ourselves that everything was completely alright, when in fact, it was all falling apart around us. We always said that no matter what, even throughout an apocalypse, we'd be the ones sitting at home doing our daily routine while everyone else would be killing each other off for food or whatever.

"Okay, go fetch your bag and I'll fetch mine. Shopping has been delayed far too long," she demanded with a maternal tone.

I shook my head in disbelief.

How can this girl be the same girl with whom I talked minutes ago? The girl who was hopelessly mourning her sane mind, where was she now?

I squeezed Kate's hand once more before letting go and walked to my door.

That was it, the moment she required to put herself together. To improve her little theatre and fake a strong conviction that it was all alright. To show other people that her lack of sleeping was truly due to anxiety and in no time she would be in shape again. I gave her the idea. It's all my fault.

By denying her the assurance she needed, I made her feel guilty about opening up. Now she's so afraid that she won't talk to anyone else about this. But what could I do? There was no good alternative. We cannot go back to that last year. We just can't.

I feel like the most terrible person ever. I know Kate needs me, I know that well enough to be sure that I made the right choice. I am protecting her because if people had the slightest suspicion that we were sort of hallucinating, they would lock us up. We would never see the daylight ever again. All I did was to protect us. This is what Kate needs, even if she doesn't quite know it yet.

Or maybe I am just convincing myself that I did the right choice to sooth my guilt. Perhaps I am a bad person after all.

"Cat," I called her before she entered her bedroom.

Kate turned and eyed me with curiosity. Her green eyes sparkling at me, probably holding back the tears that she had yet to cry.

Was I really doing the right thing?

"Yes?" Kate questioned with a calm voice.

I could see her trembling smile was getting harder to hold. It was my fault that she was in this state, all my fault. Since the very beginning. How could I have let this go so far? I should've left when I found the truth.

Now it's too late to whine about the past anyway. I must think about the future. If I want to see her smile genuinely again, I need to keep her safe. There is no other way. She can take it. She will be alright. I know she will. We both will.

"Don't forget the shopping list," I mumbled while I pushed my bedroom door opened and rushed myself inside.

I heard a faint 'okay' from Kate before I closed the door.

Was she expecting me to tell her it was normal of her to be seeing and hearing those things? Could she be disappointed with me for not showing signs of understanding?

I would not blame her, because I do blame myself. We expect that our friends won't fail to be with us in moments of trouble. Right now, I'm failing her. I'm failing her while she didn't fail me when I needed her.

That was different though, because we didn't know what we were dealing with and now we know. Or at least, I know. So I will pretend that it isn't real. I will create a façade so genuine that Kate might believe it.

Who knows? Perhaps that will weaken them. I remember when I tried to move on from last year's incident, I did all I could to forget about it and it actually worked.

Eventually.

Okay, obviously, it's never permanent, not really. There are those nights when we cannot control our minds, we wander off and end up thinking about our worst fears. But mine vanished with time and I was relieved to sleep normally once more.

Kate must truly believe that there are no monsters. I will make sure of that. She is my mate after all, I will always have her back and she will never be alone, no matter what. She trusts me and I have already failed her once. I'm not doing that again. If I made her see the monsters in the first place, I can make her forget about them.

I walked to my bed and made myself sit for a bit as I grabbed my notebook.

Maybe I can write a little while I wait for Kate to dry her tears in silence. I hate this situation. If I could change this I would. If there was any other way to do this, if we could tell other people what is happening and guarantee we don't pass as two loonies, we would open our mouths and let it all out. However, that is not the case. There isn't another way. As much as it's killing me to see Kate close herself off to the world, to me . . . there's nothing I can do. I guess.

I sighed and picked up my pen from my nightstand.

"Where was I then?" I mumbled distractedly to the paper.

Aaaaand it's another ending! But not for long, I'll update really soon this time. I promise. Really.

See you in the next chapter!

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*wink wink* Catch you later, time boy/girl.

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