When Kate woke up in a cold sweat, a silent scream on her lips, she could have wept.
She hated these dreams more than anything.
But more than that, she knew she now had to go and admit to Rick that she was a weak little girl who had scary dreams.
She hated that side of her, hated that he had to see it, but she knew she couldn't lie to him. She could never look him in the eye and tell him she hadn't had a nightmare that night.
She also knew, deep in the depths of her heart, a place she very rarely listened to anymore, that what she really wanted, more than anything, was to be held. To be rocked back to sleep in the arms of someone who cared about her. For them to whisper sweet nothings in her ear and give her empty promises that everything was going to be okay. In truth, she wanted her mother, but she needed him.
With that thought on her mind, and tears on her cheeks, she untangled herself from her bed sheets and made her way down the stairs.
She hesitated in the doorway, not entirely sure how to go about this.
How do you wake a man you barely know and tell him you had a bad dream and need a cuddle?
She was just about to give up and go back to bed when he rolled onto his back and lifted the covers on the left side of the bed. She smiled slightly and took the invitation, walking further into the room and slipping into the covers.
"Hey." He murmured his voice soft and heavy with sleep.
"Hi." She whispered thickly. She was laid right on the edge of the bed, as far away from him as possible, not sure of the stipulations and boundaries this offer came with.
"Wanna talk about it?" He asked softly. She shrugged.
"Maybe later? Not sure I can right now." Rick nodded.
"That's okay." He smiled at her warmly. "I don't bite you know, if you wanna come closer?" She turned to him with watery eyes.
"Can I?" She choked. Rick smiled so softly it broke her heart.
"Of course you can." He extended his arm and wrapped it around her back as she flung herself into his embrace.
Her hand curled in his shirt above his heart as she wept into his chest. Rick gently kissed the top of her head, leaving his lips there as he breathed her in.
"It's okay, Kate." He murmured, holding her as close as he could, stroking long, slow lines up and down her spine. "I'm here Sweetheart; it's all going to be okay." He kissed her hair again and wrapped the hand on his chest in his spare one, cradling her fist in his palm. "You're safe Kate. You're safe here. I've got you." She shuddered as sobs ripped through her. "Oh Kate, it's alright Angel, it's all alright. Let it out. I've got you."
Slowly, several minutes after she'd curled into him, her tears started to fade, her sobs replaced by errant hiccups.
"You okay?" He asked softly. She nodded against him.
"Uh huh." Rick pressed another kiss to her head before drawing back slightly. She held on tighter without meaning to.
"Hey, it's okay, I'm not going anywhere." He assured her softly before moving to his side so they were face to face. Her eyes sparkled emerald in the subtle moon light, the emotion making them that bit brighter. He smiled gently. "What happened, Kate?" He asked in a concerned whisper, gently stroking the side on her face with the back of his fingers.
"I couldn't see anything." She started slowly, timidly, as is she was afraid to say too much. "I heard her screaming, crying out for me." He didn't need to ask to whom she was referring. "Then the scene changed. It, it was..." she tailed off as tears built in her eyes again.
"Hey, you're safe." Rick told her gently. "I've got you, you're here, and you're safe. No one's going to hurt you, Kate. I promise." She closed her eyes for a moment before meeting his again.
"It was you." She whispered, staring at his chin so she didn't have to look him in the eye. "You were lying there Rick, alone and scared and d-dying, and I couldn't move. I couldn't save you." She forced out. Rick drew her into his chest, wrapping both his arms around her back and curling his calf around both of hers, holding her as close as he could.
"I'm here Kate. I'm right here." He murmured. She nodded into his chest.
"I know, but I was so scared, Rick. I thought, I thought I'd lost you." He shook his head, resting his chin on the top of her head, tucking her face into his neck.
"Never. Oh, Kate never." He soothed.
He felt her tears dampen his skin but didn't move, knowing she needed this right now. Just to be held, to be assured she wasn't alone, that he would never leave her. His heart broke and melted simultaneously when she'd said she'd dreamt about him.
Obviously it hurt, that she had had a dream where he had died, that she had been in so much pain, been so afraid, but that fact she clearly cared for him so much that she put his leaving in the same ballpark as her mother's, made his heart swell just a little. He knew she cared, that much was obvious, but he had no idea the depth of that care until now.
"Are you going to tell me off if I apologise for waking you and blubbing all over you?" She asked softly, a tiny hint of humour in her voice. He chuckled and felt her smile.
"Yes." He answered simply.
"But you know I mean it?" Rick nodded.
"I do." Her smile grew a little and she pressed a kiss to his throat.
"Thank you Rick." He shook his head and dropped a kiss to her hair.
"Always." He pulled back just a little and kissed her forehead before settling back on his back, drawing her close into his chest and falling asleep, but only once he was sure her breathing had evened out too.
