It is Erik's shifting in his sleep that wakes her. She noticed his restlessness in the evening, in the tension of his shoulders and the tapping of his fingers, but it had settled by the time they were preparing for bed, and she paid no more mind to it as he kissed her and took her in his arms.
Now she is very definitely out of his arms, and he is curled into a ball, his body trembling. It is not a nightmare, not quite. Those are different but it is enough that she feels a check of worry in her heart and she reaches over, and draws him to her.
He whimpers, slightly, his jaw tight as she wraps her arms around him, his fingers creeping across the sheets to find her, snagging in the buttons of her nightdress. With one hand she takes those fingers, and brings them to her lips, and kisses them. "I'm here, Erik," she whispers, "I'm here."
His eyelids flutter, but don't open, and she shifts closer to him, careful not to hurt him. He is delicate on nights like this, endlessly delicate, and it is her duty to protect him, and keep him safe from the monsters that haunt his mind, those others that would harm him if they were given the chance.
"I'm here," she breathes, her lips against the shell of his ear. "You're safe. I'm here, and I'm not leaving, I promise." It is a promise she has made a hundred nights, and time has not diminished its truth. So help her but there is nothing that could make her leave him, nothing that would let her leave him to this pain and suffering, and even as she speaks the words she can feel him settling, the tension bleeding from his body as he sinks in against her.
"Christine," he murmurs, voice thick with sleep. "Christine."
"Sssshhhh, darling. I'm here. Just rest."
He nods against her, not quite awake, and sighs, and she knows he will have no memory of this in the morning, and she knows that that is best. Tonight exists for itself, and she will protect him, and tomorrow is a whole new day.
A/N: Originally posted to Tumblr for an Anon who requested something inspired by the song 'July' from BOY. I thought it fit well here, so it's now an additional fourth chapter!