Title: All The Stars

Summary: A series of unrelated drabbles and ficlets based on the Lunar Chronicles.

Disclaimer: I am not Marissa Meyer and make no profit from any of what I am posting.

10. Cresswell: Nightmares

A girl sits on a patch of grass in an orange dress with butterfly wings. Her head is tilted towards the ground so that golden locks fall over her face. She doesn't look up as she hums to herself, her body swaying with the music.

Thorne feels his mouth go dry as the realisation hits him. It's Cress.

He takes a step towards her and as though noticing his presence, Cress looks up. Her blue eyes grow wide but she doesn't smile. Her free hand slides against the grass and for a moment it looks as though she's trying to get away from him

Thorne frowns. He doesn't take another step towards her. Part of him hopes it's a trick, that this is a Lunar sitting opposite him, not his Cress. That they're trying to play tricks on him again. He shakes his head. Cress isn't scared of him. She can't* be.*

"Cress?" he whispers.

She looks away, her hand leaving her stomach as she tries to drag herself away from him. It takes a moment for Thorne to see the blood and a moment longer for him to realise why she's scared.

He did this, Thorne thinks, closing his eyes and clenching his hands at his sides. This is his fault. Her pain, her suffering. He's to blame for it.

"Captain."

Thorne's gaze snaps up, his frustration instantly replaced with worry. "Cress?" He's walking towards her again. He has to tell her that he didn't mean to hurt her. That he won't hurt her again. He kneels down in front of her, an explanation ready."Cress-"

She raises her hand and her finger hovers inches away from his lips. Thorne falls silent.

Cress gives him a small, sad smile and leans forward so that her forehead is against his elbow. "Goodbye, Captain," she whispers and Thorne feels her go limp against him.

Carswell Thorne's eyes fly open, a whisper of denial still on his tongue when Thorne realises he's on the Rampion. He takes a shaky breath, running a hand through his hair. Water, Thorne thinks, dragging himself out of bed. He needs water.

Only his feet lead him to Cress' room.

He doesn't hesitate before opening the door and peering in. She's just visible, her chest rising and falling in her state of slumber. He can make out the way her short golden hair falls over her face and her fingers curl around the comforter.

She looks calm and happy and alive.

She was in pain today, though, Thorne recalls. Cress had winced with every step she'd taken and had spent most of her day standing as though sitting hurt. She'd tried to hide it with smiles and laughter, but Thorne had noticed. He always did. Especially because it brought a stream of memories, reminding Thorne of what he had done to her.

He presses his palms against the wall, willing her to feel better. Wishing more than anything that his actions won't affect her for life. He's still lingering at her door, not wanting to leave, when her voice hits him.

"Captain?"

She sits up slowly, rubbing her eyes with the balls of her palms as she stumbles to his side, pulling the door open wider.

"Do you need something?"

Thorne shakes his head, then steps forward, wrapping his arms around her and burying his head in Cress' hair. She's alive, he chants in his head, not noticing her discomfort until Cress stiffens underneath him. At once he's stepped away.

"I'm sorry. I-I was just -"

Cress frowns, then steps forward, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her head against his chest. Thorne counts till five before she speaks again.

"I love you. No matter what."

Thorne smiles, closing his eyes. The guilt doesn't seep away at once, but he doesn't want it to. He needs the guilt to remind him of what he did, of what others can be made to do if he doesn't succeed. It feels good, however, knowing that Cress is at his side. Through thick and thin.

Requested by BookLuver28 who asked for a Thorne has a nightmare about stabbing Cress.

I know you asked for her to comfort him and I didn't really describe that but I feel like Thorne wouldn't want her to tell him 'it's okay' because he needs to accept it first. Just as Cress knows that she can't convince him it wasn't his fault but she can remind him that she still loves him and that she always will.

I honestly don't know if that made any sense...

Also hoping to make a series of nightmares and ships... Probably not for Kaider (though I'm currently working on something for them!) but I have one done for Jacinter and will get round to doing another one for Wolflet so look forward to that!

Please keep requesting stuff, it's challenging sometimes but I love writing ficlets that YOU want!

And, as always, thank you for reading this... It really means the world to me :-)

PS if anyone is interested in betaing these PLEASE let me know either down in the reviews or via DM!