Boyd woke suddenly, his body tense and covered in sweat. He thought the vivid images flashing through his mind were what had woke him but as his surroundings come into focus he found himself being hit, small hands hitting him, a body beside him thrashing about uncontrollably.
"Frankie." He called out sharply, trying to get a hold of her as she moved about erratically beside him.
She was sobbing in her sleep, tears streaming down her face as she fought against whatever was plaguing her in her nightmare.
"Frankie, it's okay, wake up, you're safe." His voice a little firmer and louder this time.
He managed to catch hold of both her arms, her movements slowing but her body still trying to escape his grasp.
"Frankie, wake up." He all but yelled, using his grip on her arms to shake her a little.
Frankie woke with a strangled yell, her body tense as she fought against her nightmare. She jerked upwards, dragging her body away from whatever or whoever was holding her. She landed on the floor with a thud, whatever was holding her letting go. She wiped her eyes to clear the tears, blinking rapidly to take in her surroundings. She was in Boyd's office, on the floor, the couch at her back, her clothes stuck to her with sweat.
"Frankie, you okay?" Boyd's voice making her look sharply to her right.
"Boyd, I was," her voice coming out hoarse as she felt his hand resting on her shoulder.
"Come here." Squeezing her shoulder before letting go and patting the seat beside him.
Frankie went to stand up, her legs shaking a little as she managed to get them under her enough to slide back onto the couch. Frankie sat back, looking around the small office.
"Where's Grace and Spencer?" Turning to look at Boyd as she swept her hair out her face and back behind her ear.
"Gone home, you fell asleep and I didn't want to wake you." Reaching out to take her hand in his.
"Maybe we should do the same, go home I mean." Letting her head fall back to the couch and closing her eyes again.
"Sounds like a good idea. I'll drive." His sense of duty, his need to protect kicking in as he stood up slowly.
Frankie wearly followed, her body protesting at the fact it had to move. Boyd took her coat and draped it over her shoulders, neither even attempting to actually get it on. Boyd did pick his up from the floor where it had landed when Frankie woke up and put it on. Frankie seemed to be swaying where she stood, her centre of gravity off due to fatigue. Boyd stepped up beside and pulled her giddy body against his side, his arm going under her coat so he didn't pull it off. They walked through the building and out to the car park like that, Frankie using Boyd as a human pillow to both rest against and keep her upright.
Frankie slept the full car journey home, Boyd seeing her fall asleep as soon as she was seated. It took him what felt like ages to wake her, get her out the car and then into the house. Frankie seemed to be moving on autopilot, kicking her shoes off and stripping her clothes off as she made her way to the bedroom. Boyd followed her mesmerised, seeing her finally climb into bed wearing just her knickers. He just shook his head and left her, returning downstairs to lock up. When he was as equally undressed as Frankie he climbed into bed beside her, her body seeming to sense his presence and move toward him. He turned on his side as she snuggled up to his chest, his arms wrapping protectively around her as she slept.
His nightmares were full of images, images that were real, images his subconscious made up to hurt him more. Mel hitting the car, her broke body on the road in a pool of blood. Mel's body replaced with Frankies, Frankie's lifeless eyes the ones staring back at him. He woke up panting, his breathing fast and ragged. He turned to reach for Frankie but the bed was empty and cold. His panic level rocketed, his mind still whirling from his nightmare. He tossed the covers aside and got out of bed, going into each and every room upstairs looking for Frankie. When she wasn't there he was terrified, terrified his nightmare had been real, that it was indeed Frankie who was dead. He practically ran down the stairs, checking ever room until only the kitchen was left.
The kitchen was dark, no signs of anyone being there. He closed his eyes and reached for the light, flicking it on as his mind prayed when he opened them again he would see Frankie. He heard a sharp intake of breath when the light went on, knowing it wasn't his he opened his eyes and quickly glanced around. Frankie was stood at the sink looking out the window, her face turned away from him. She spun around blinking against the bright light, slowly focusing on Boyd. He looked as terrified as she felt.
"Boyd, what's wrong?" Her own nightmare being swept aside as she saw the look of total panic on his face.
Boyd didn't say anything, just moved across the kitchen and gathered Frankie in his arms, crushing her to his chest. It took Frankie a couple of seconds to respond, slipping her arms up Boyds back as she hugged him. She could feel his laboured breathing, his breath coming out hot and fast against her neck as he buried his face in her shoulder. He was shaking, his body trembling as she held him. Whatever was wrong with him had shaken him badly.
"Boyd." Her hand going up to stroke through his sweat-drenched hair.
When she said his name he only held her tighter as if she was going to disappear if he let her go.
"What's wrong? I can't help if you don't let me in." Turning her head to kiss his temple as she spoke.
"I thought, " finally moving just enough so he could see her face. "I dreamt, Christ Frankie, it was you instead of Mel. It was you lying on the, and all the blood, I thought," Nothing he was saying making much sense as he couldn't finish his sentence.
Frankie took a few seconds to play over in her head what he had just said, stringing the words together as she saw the panic starting to fade from his eyes. His nightmare had been about Mel, about her death, but had somehow morphed into being about her, her being the only killed. Now she understood, no wonder he had grabbed onto her as he had, his nightmare had placed her dead at his feet. She managed to slide her hands up to his face, resting them on his cheeks as she looked into his eyes.
"It's okay, it was just a nightmare. I'm here, you're here, we're both safe and sound." Pushing up on her toes so she could kiss him.
Boyd responded to Frankie kiss eagerly, one of his hands tangling in her hair as he moulded his mouth to hers. He didn't want to let go, wanted to hold her, kiss her, keep her safe at all times. They broke apart when the need to breath became an issue, Boyd leaning down so their foreheads resting against one another.
"Let's go back to bed." Frankie's words ghosting over his face causing goosebumps.
Boyd just nodded his head slightly, moving just enough so he was at Frankie's side with his arm still around her waist. He switched the kitchen light off as they made their way through the dark house to the bedroom, stopping only long enough for Frankie to switch the bathroom light on. Boyd saw her switch the light on and thought nothing of it until they were both tucked up in bed.
"Frankie, what were you doing in the kitchen in the dark?" Only then registering that she was in the kitchen.
"Nothing, just go to sleep." Attempting to put him off and stop him from pushing the matter.
"Frankie." His tone a clear warning that he wanted an answer.
"A had a nightmare, and it was dark when I woke up." Hoping he would get the message and not push her anymore.
"You should have woke me, I'm always here when you need me. Maybe if we wake each other up when it gets bad the nightmares might not seem so real." His recent nightmare still clinging to him as he spooned himself around Frankie protectively.
Frankie didn't reply, just placed her own hands on top of his where they rested on her shoulder and stomach. They knew each other's secrets, the things that haunted them both when sleeping and awake. As each day passed, they added more to the list of demons to plague them. Neither could escape, but as Boyd had said, if they shared the horror maybe it wouldn't be so bad when it struck. Frankie closed her eyes, breathing in deeply. The day ahead was going to be long and painful for them both, but together maybe just maybe they would get through it.