Note: Hang in with me here. This chapter is another with some nightmares so it may feel a bit tedious but I have a method to my madness… or uh… Julie's madness as it may be and I'm getting there slowly. Plus, I love protective Tim and he doesn't like Julie having these nightmares and wants to protect her.

Chapter 7:

A few hours later, Pizza and Salad were on the dinner table and Eric went to wake up Tim.

Tim seemed disoriented and confused when he came in and sat down.

"Tim hunny, are you feeling okay?" Tami asked.

Tim hesitated. "Um… Yes ma'am. I just still feel tired. I slept basically all day. I'm not sure what's going on. Maybe the meds."

"It's probably just your body healing." Eric said.

"Jules, did you rest any today?" Tami asked.

"Yep. A little this morning and then a short nap after lunch."

"Good."

Eric filled everyone in on how they would be splitting practice time with the Laribee students and Tim frowned.

Tim hated missing practice and come Friday he was actually going to be missing a game. He didn't know if he was expected to even go. It would be a home game so he knew he wouldn't be traveling but he was still unsure of what he wanted or what coach would want or the team. He hadn't spoken to anyone except the Taylor's so he didn't even know what people knew.

"Coach?"

"Yeah son?"

"Does the team know I'm hurt?"

Eric frowned. "Yes. I told them at practice today. I'd bet you'll have some visitors after school tomorrow."

Tim blushed. " okay… um… What about the game?"

"What about it Tim? Tami said she told you that you won't be playing."

"Yes sir. I know that. I just… Um...Do you want me to go? Does the team want me there? I just... What am I supposed to do?"

Eric puffed out a breath.

"Tim… you're supposed to heal and get better. I don't have any expectations of you other than that right now. When you're cleared, you play. Sound good?"

Tim wanted to say no. He wanted to say he'd practice tomorrow and be fine but instead he just nodded. He knew the concern was his ribs. And he knew it was valid. If he played with already bruised ribs and he took a hit the wrong way they could actually break and cause him lasting damage.

After dinner everyone kind of split up. Tami went to take a bubble bath with a bottle of wine. Eric took Gracie into their room for some playtime. Julie plopped on the couch with a new book. And Tim went back to Julie's bed, He had taken his night pain med and antibiotic and decided to try out the muscle relaxer since his shoulders and lower back muscles were full of tension. He was asleep before everyone.

A little after 10 Julie was still reading and her mother came out to chat.

"Hey hun, you alright?" She asked sitting at Julie's feet.

"Yep. Just reading a little before bed."

"Okay… were things okay today?"

"You mean with Tim? Yeah… like he said, he slept most of the day. I fixed some sandwiches for lunch. He took a shower and I helped him with his bandages and then we both had naps. He just seems run down."

Tami nodded. "Yeah… he's recovering. That's why the doctor gave him three days off and then he'll have the weekend as well and if he needs more time we will figure that out."

"Right. I guess he'll let y'all know if he needs anything."

"Okay hun. Well get some sleep. I love you." She kissed Julie's forehead.

"I love you too mom. Night."

Julie finished the chapter she was on and then put the book on the coffee table, shut off all the lights and covered up.

25 minutes later and she'd already had a nightmare. In this nightmare she was alone when the tornado hit so she was just frozen in the checkout lane and she was sucked out the windows and up into the tornado. Maybe not quite realistic but frightening all the same. She sat up and calmed her breathing by counting down from 100. She could tell from the lack of sounds that everyone was now asleep. After her heart stopped racing, she decided she could just read some more and then try again when she was sleepier.

Four hours later she finished her book. Damn. That was a great book. I'm going to have to let Lois borrow it, I think she would love the hunky cowboy. Julie looked at the clock and was startled that it was already 3 AM.

Oh man… I'm gonna be wrecked if I don't get some sleep.

She shut off the light and cuddled into the couch.

Not even 30 minutes later Julie woke everyone up screaming, except Gracie. Somehow Gracie slept on. A miracle really.

Tami got to her first followed by Tim and Eric brought up the rear holding a bat.

Julie was still asleep but thrashing around crying and screaming. LOUD screaming. She was sweaty too.

Tami was nervous to wake her. She got down next to her and touched her shoulder.

Julie screamed louder.

Tami shook her awake.

Julie blinked and looked at everyone.

"What's wrong?" Julie asked nervously. She could feel the tears on her face as she asked it.

She looked at Tim and he looked concerned. She looked at her dad who held a bat. She then looked at her mother who was about 4 inches from her face looking into her eyes.

"Julie baby… you were screaming."

She sat up a little and pulled the blanket up. She could feel that she was sweating but she didn't need them to know.

"I was?" Julie asked.

Three heads nodded.

"Loudly. Jules, I thought someone was murdering you or something." Tim added and Julie noticed Eric flexed his hands on the bat.

Tami followed her daughter's gaze.

"Eric, put the bat away and check on Gracie Belle please then go back to sleep."

He did.

"Tim hun, go on back to bed."

Tim frowned and looked at Julie then slowly walked away. He wanted to comfort her.

"I'm sorry I woke everyone up." Julie said to her mother.

"It's okay Julie. Tell me about the nightmare."

Julie thought about it but could only remember a little and what she remembered scared the shit out of her.

"I don't remember all of it. It was about the Tornado again. Mom, why won't they go away? I don't want to have them anymore."

Tami could see the tears in Julie's eyes.

She thought about Julie's sleeping patterns over the years. She'd had nightmares here and there as a small child but they were usually prompted from scary movies that Eric let her watch before she was old enough to "toughen her up." This was something they hadn't experienced. She knew her baby was 15 and a sophomore in high school but right at this moment she looked like she was about five years old and expected her mama to make everything better.

Tami sat on the couch and pulled Julie into her side.

"I'm not sure Jules."

"Is something wrong with me?"

"No baby. Nothing is wrong with you. You experienced something scary. You just have to remind yourself that it is okay to be scared but to know you are safe. If it continues we need to find a way to help you not have them." Tami was thinking meds or a therapist. Maybe her child had PTSD.

"I don't feel unsafe or anything mom. I just keep having the dreams. I know its not real. And I wake up and I know I'm fine. Everything is fine… ugh… I had another one earlier when I first went to sleep about 11 but I woke up from that one and just decided to stay up and read… I actually read the whole book…"

"Didn't you just start it?"

"Yes. I finished at about 3."

"So you hadn't even been asleep 30 minutes. Julie… that's… you need to sleep hun."

"I know. I just… I'm not sure what the problem is. I slept fine yesterday." She left out the fact that she slept with Tim. Hmm… Tim. She thought.

"Well hun… is it the dark?"

Julie rolled her eyes.

"Mom, I'm not afraid of the dark."

"Well it's something."

"I'm not sure… look I'll just try again. You have to sleep and I do too so I guess I just keep trying and the dreams will stop at some point right?"

"Yes." Tami immediately said. She hoped at least.

"Okay… then go to bed. And please tell dad I'm sorry for waking him up. Although, I'm glad to know if someone was murdering me he thought to bring a weapon unlike you and Tim." She smiled.

Tami scoffed. "Well I knew he had the bat, I was just coming to you. And Tim… well hun I think sometimes he thinks he is a weapon all on his own."

Julie giggled. That could be true! She thought.

"I love you Julie. Try to get some sleep."

"Love you too mom."

Julie tried again but after only a few minutes failed. She was tired of feeling the hot air and hearing the siren in her head and the feeling of Tim's blood on her hand.

This time she got up and slipped into her room and slid under the covers and cuddled right into Tim.

He woke up when cold hands touched him… then the cold feet.

"Jules?"

She giggled. "No one else better be in my bed with us." She said.

He laughed.

"Are you okay?" He asked rolling carefully to his right side.

"Honestly? No. But I think I know what helped me sleep yesterday." She tucked her head onto his arm and kissed his cheek.

"Oh yeah… what?"

"You." She whispered falling asleep.

"Well damn." He said and sighed.

Now that she was here he was awake with his thoughts.

I like having her here like this. Her dad is going to murder me. I'm glad she is sleeping at least. I guess I make her feel safe. That's what she said before. Coach is going to murder me. Mmmm she smells like vanilla. Why is she having nightmares about the damn Tornado? I'm not. And she didn't even get hurt. Coach is going to murder me with that freakin bat if he finds us like this. But I really like her all snuggled up to me. Aww damn. I think she's gonna get me in some shit.

Tim looked at the clock and saw it was a little before 4. He carefully reached over Julie to grab the clock.

"Mmmm" She said happily as Tim had his whole body over her grabbing the clock.

He shook his head but smiled. He set the alarm for 5:30 and prayed Gracie Belle wouldn't wake up early.

Then he wrapped Julie in his arms, kissed her head and tried to pretend he wasn't worried about someone finding them.

At 5:30 he quickly shut off the alarm and got up and checked the living room. No one was up yet, thankfully. So he just picked Julie up, slow and careful of his back, and carried her to the couch. He covered her up and sat by her feet. He turned on the morning news but really just watched her. He didn't want her to have any more nightmares. Tim was still tired and he laid his head back and drifted to sleep with his hand under the blanket on her ankle.

Next chapter should have some Tulie kissin. :)