No…stop...get off me...stop...I need to get home…

Andy woke up to the bed shaking. At first she thought it was another earthquake since they seemed to be getting them more frequently, but it wasn't. She rolled over to see her boyfriend tossing and turning, obviously having a terrible dream.

Get your hands off of me...please...I just want to go home...don't hurt me

His skin was cold and clammy. Sweat was accumulating on his forehead.

"Robert," Andy called out in a half whisper, not wanting to startle him. She sat up and placed a hand on his upper arm and began to shake him gently

"Robert, wake up. It's just a dream, wake up," she said a little louder this time, shaking him a little more aggressively

"Robert, you need t-," she started but was cut off when she felt as though the wind was knocked out of her lungs. All her previous thoughts were replaced with thoughts of pain when Robert shot up, gripping tightly onto her arms slamming her down into the bed. His grip on her upper arms only tightened as she called out to him.

"Robert, it's me. It's Andy,"

"Robert, stop you're hurting me. Stop, please, Robert," she pleaded, her eyes beginning to well with tears. Calling out to him one more time, he snapped out of it. A look of confusion covers his face, followed by one of realization when he sees his girlfriend in tears laying under him. He immediately lets go of her and sits back on his heels.

"Andy I-," he went to apologize but before he could she jumped out of bed, grabbed onto her phone, and locked herself in the bathroom.

Robert sits on the bed for a while, before climbing out and going to the bathroom door. He goes to knock but decides against it leaving the bedroom to go sleep on the couch.

Andy slid down the door of the bathroom, tears streaming down her face. She knew it wasn't his fault, but it didn't change how traumatizing it was. Unlocking her phone she dials Travis's number.

"Andy, what the hell it's 2 in the morning," Travis answered groggily, evidence that he was deep in sleep.

"T-Travis," Andy choked out, her silent tears turning into vocal sobs. This caught his attention. All sleep left his being as he popped up sitting on the edge of his bed.

"What is it Andy, what happened?" he asked, fear of the worst creeping into his voice

"It's Robert. It happened again," she forced out despite the knot that had formed in her throat. She felt ashamed that she had to call her best friend to tell him about what was happening to her at home

"Andy what the hell, this is the fourth time this week. Do you want me to come over? I can stay with you. Or I can pick you up and bring you back here. You know Micheal loves you, I'm sure he wouldn't mind." Travis started to whisper when he saw his husband shift in the bed behind him.

"No, it's okay you don't have to come over. I'm okay now. I just needed a breather. Sorry for waking you up. I'll see you at work, bye Trav," She said, hanging up quickly. She ran her hands through her hair as she got off the floor. She leaned against the bathroom sink inspecting herself in the mirror. She let out a long, heavy sigh. She slowly unlocked the door, cracking it open to see if Robert was still in the bedroom. Letting out a sigh of relief she exited the bathroom and climbed back into bed. It wasn't that she was scared of him, well she kinda was because for the fast four nights he has gripped onto her arms. What if one night he grips onto her neck, what then? She forced herself to stop thinking about it. Her arms were definitely going to be bruised in the morning. She would have to wear her long sleeve crew neck...again. Normally it wouldn't bother her, but it was sure to raise suspicions when it was 75 degrees outside and she was in a long sleeve shirt. Eventually she willed her mind to sleep.

Meanwhile Robert laid on the couch, rubbing his forehead. He never remembers what happens. All he ever remembers is waking up above Andy with his hands gripped tightly around her upper arms. He hated this, he hated that he didn't just come back home normal.

The sun rose, shining its blinding light into both of their eyes. Usually Andy would go get breakfast and then get dressed for work, but she was dreading going downstairs in the mornings, like she had been for the past four mornings. She gets undressed inspecting her arms before getting in the shower. She saw two large black and blue hand prints on her upper arms covering the ones that had just begun to heal, it made her tear up. She took her shower and got her clothes out. She thought about putting on a short sleeve shirt and just covering the bruises up with make but, but she couldn't be bothered. She would just have to be hot all day. She slowly made her way downstairs where Robert had two smoothies and two travel cups of coffee ready to go.

"Look Andy I-" he started when he saw her at the bottom of the stairs

"Mmmm, this is really good. What did you put in this one?" she asked quickly changing the subject from the events of last night to the smoothie in her hand

"Strawberries, mangoes, peaches, and pineapple. But Andy I nee-," she cut him off again

"Are you coming to the station today to talk to Captain Bishop?"

"Yes I am. And can you just let me finish, please?" he asked

"Robert, it's fine. I don't want to talk about it. Just go get ready, I don't want to be late." she said, taking another sip of her smoothie.

They drove to the station in silence, except for the light music from the radio playing in the background. Andy pulls into her parking spot in the back of the station and turns off the car. She shifts in her seat and turns to her boyfriend. "I know I said I don't want to talk about it, but Robert, you have PTSD and even if I'm not ready to talk about what happened last night or the night before, you need to tell Bishop about it because it can be dangerous," she says

He takes her small hand into his, lifting it to his mouth, planting a soft kiss on her knuckles. "I'll tell her I promise," he said with a smile. Andy cups his cheeks in her hand and places a chaste kiss on his lips.

Walking into the fire station hand-in-hand was something Robert could get used to. Andy wished him "good luck", gave him a kiss on the cheek and ran up the stairs to the locker room to get ready.

Taking a deep breath Robert faces the door to the captain's office. He dusts off the invisible dust and wrinkles from his outfit, wanting to give a good first impression. Two knocks on the door was all it took for Maya to let him in for their meeting.

"Robert Sullivan, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. Andy talked about you a good bit while you were away." Maya said stretching out over her desk to shake his hand

"It's a pleasure to meet you too. Andy also talks about you alot. She talks about the whole team and how they are her family. I only hope I can become a member of this family too," Robert replied, in full interview mode.

"Well, take a seat and lets get started,"

The two sat in their respective seats and went on as if this were a regular interview. Maya gave him the run down of the station, and how things operated. She also managed to give him a tour of the bottom half of the station before they made their way back to her office for the final steps.

"Just sign these papers and you will be ready to go meet the rest of the team." Robert quickly took out a pen and filled in some information and signed the papers. Bishop gave him his uniform and allowed him to change quickly in her bunk while she put everything else in order.

Once they were both done she stood from her desk and escorted him out the office and up the stairs. "This will be your locker, we will get your name tag for it shortly. You will be on desk duty until you take your fitness test a little later. Before you meet the team are there any questions or concerns that you have?"

Robert stood there for a minute. This is the time where he is supposed to tell her that he hasn't been sleeping well enough, to perform effectively. This is the time where he should tell his boss that there is a slight chance that he has PTSD. He opens his mouth to speak, but his pride gets the better of him. "No, ma'am. We are all good."

"Lets, go get you introduced then,"