Content warning for suggested smut and lemons.
*Mal's POV*
As I watched Ben take deep breaths in to steady his breathing I couldn't help but note how frequent his nightmares were getting. I wished that I could take it all away from him; I hated that I couldn't do anything more than hold him, kiss him and kiss his tears away. Yes this might be enough in some regards but I couldn't help but wish that I could do more to help him through this - just like I had done with his physical injuries.
"Benny come here" I muttered; and I watched as he quickly looked over to me with fear and concern still showing fear in his eyes. He slowly nodded at me before he rolled onto his right hand side; I opened my arms to him as I rolled onto my left hand side before he snuggled his face against my bare chest.
"What happened this time?" I questioned as I began to run the fingers of my right hand through his hair.
"Three nightmares" he panted slightly. "Well-" he added as his breathing began to return back to normal. "I would class two of them as flashbacks, the last one I hope never happens" he added hopefully before he pressed a kiss against my chest.
"Tell me about them?" I asked and I felt him freeze in my arms. "I can't help you until you tell me," I told him which caused him to slowly look up at me. "Husband" I smiled down at him and I watched as he meekly smiled at me.
"Ok" he nodded. "The first and second dream was actually something that happened to me-" he admitted. "Something that I haven't told you" he confessed further.
"Right?" I said slowly. I didn't know what Ben had been dreaming about; but by the way he was currently acting part of me knew that I probably wasn't going to like it. "What was the first dream?" I enquired, and I watched as he sighed.
"I woke up in bed-" he began. "I started to look around the castle, until my parents found me," he added.
"Ok?" I stated. "What happened next," I prompted him as I continued to run my fingers through his hair in a bid to reassure him - even if only slightly.
"They told me that you had broken up with me the week before" he admitted sadly; before he snuggled back into my chest.
"Oh" I muttered. "Right" I nodded to myself as I took in what he had just told me. If I was being honest I didn't really know what to think about this; I guessed due to the mental anguish that Ben had just gone through was unearthing other mental trauma. "That actually happened?" I questioned as I pulled one brow up at him.
"Yes" I heard him answer as his arms tightened around me before he looked up at me. "Sorry" he apologised.
"Hey!" I exclaimed as I pulled my hand from his hair and cupped the left hand side of his face. "You have nothing to be sorry about" I dismissed. "I'm sorry that I put you through that" I apologised.
"Mally" He sighed as he cupped the right hand side of my face with his left hand. "That's not your fault" he continued as he stroked my cheek with his thumb. "It got too much for you" he finished as he gazed into my eyes.
"Thank you" I muttered. "I just hate the fact that that happened to you" I pouted at him. I felt the urge to be closer to him so I pushed my face closer to his and I pressed a prolonged kiss against his forehead; when I pulled away I watched as his face lit up as our gazes locked again, which made my stomach flutter at this. "Do you want to stop talking about this?" I offered; I knew that going through these nightmares had been hard for Ben as it is - and I didn't want to make it any harder for him.
"No," he answered. "Why?" he asked in confusion.
"I don't want to hurt you," I told him.
"You're not hurting me," he replied. "I actually think talking about it might help" he smiled up at me.
"Ok" I nodded. "Well when you are ready" I smiled back at him.
"Thank you," he answered. "Well the second dream was also something happened-" he started to admit and I decided to stay quiet to give him the time that he needed to continue. "Well I was out on a night out with Chad and Az-" he said after us lying in quiet for a few moments. "And I see you on the dance floor, dancing with someone" he continued, and I noted that something changed in his eyes which told me that this had been something that really hurt him.
"I see," I noted.
"Yeah" he replied. "I go looking for you-" he continued; and I watched as he started to stare into space as he obviously was reliving his nightmare in the forefront of his mind. "And it takes me a while to find you" he added and I could tell by the look on his face he was struggling with the next part of his nightmare. "And when I do I find you making out with him" he finally said before pursing his lips together.
"Oh Benny" I cooed as I took in his second nightmare. In all honesty I could remember a couple of night outs where this could have happened; but now knowing that Ben was there made me feel awkward about this situation. He saw me trying to attempt to move on from him; and I hated myself for it. "Come here" I advised as I tightened my arms around him, which made us cuddle tightly together. "You said this was also a flashback?" I asked out loud.
"Yes" I heard him answer. "This happened," he confirmed.
"Oh" I muttered as I pulled away and looked down at him. "You never said" I added.
"I know," he sighed. "I haven't really felt the need to bring it up until now" he stated, which caused me to nod at this.
"That must have been hard for you to see," I noted.
"It was," he confirmed. "I stormed out of the club and went home" he confessed and he bit down onto his bottom look; and by the look on his face I knew not to push him any further on this.
"What about the third dream?" I asked, trying to move the conversation on.
"Trying to change the subject?" he teased meekly.
"Well it looks like it is something that is difficult for you; I don't want to make it any harder for you" I told him.
"That is not necessary" he dismissed.
"I know" I said as I snuggled into the top of his head. "I love you" I purred before pressing a kiss against the top of his head.
"I love you too" he answered as he pulled away before pressing a brief but very loving kiss against my lips. "Anyway-" he started. "My third dream" he added. "Was me waking up" he said. "I hear you scream" he gulped. "And when I walk outside I see Bobby dragging you down the corridor, you looked heavily pregnant" he explained before pursing his lips together again.
"Ben that is never going to happen" I told him, hoping that this would reassure him. Hopefully Bobby and the others were going to be found guilty; in my eyes there was no way they couldn't be - given the amount of evidence against them. But there was no way that I could settle properly until the trial was completely over; so everyone involved could live with the outcome. "As soon as the trial is over this is all over" I reminded him. "We will be safe. I promise" I vowed.
"I know" he meekly smiled. "Because I will make sure of it," he promised.
"I know you will" I smiled lovingly at my husband. "My Beastie King" I sang, and I couldn't stop a knot of lust starting to form in my stomach when Ben started purring at me. It would appear that Ben must have felt the same way about me because before I could say or do anything Ben quickly crushed his lips against mine and we started to make out. It doesn't take long for things to heat up; and I knew exactly where it was heading - but I didn't mind. I loved having sex with Ben; and I knew that I always would. However before I fully gave myself over to my husband I made a promise to myself; I was going to try and make this easier for Ben - no matter what it took.
