I saw myself through a black mist. It was as if I was standing at the foot of my own bed watching myself sleep. Everything was as it should have been. The only thing really out of place was that I felt as if I was a part of this black mist and I felt a strong sense of hate emanating from it. Someone else's hate. All of a sudden, I was turning from myself on the bed and went through my bedroom wall and into the hall. I felt like I was gliding instead of walking. All of a sudden I was hovering over Steve's sleeping form and this foreign sense of hate seemed to grow. I saw a black and gnarled hand reach out and grab Steve's throat. His eyes flew open and he began to struggle and make choking sounds. He grabbed at the hand, but it wasn't loosening its grip. His eyes slowly began to flutter shut…
"NOOO!" I yelled, scrambling up out of bed. I started for the door, but it burst open just as I reached it and arms seized me. I screamed. "LET ME GO!"
"Felina, it's Steve!" I calmed down just a hair. I reached over and switched on the light and turned to look at Steve, but screamed at what I saw. Instead of Steve was the black shadow from all of my nightmares. It came closer. I couldn't move.
"You will be mine."
"OW!" I woke up to find that I was kicking and punching at something. "Felina, it's me!" I sat up and saw Steve holding his arms out in front of him in defense.
"What happened?" I asked groggily. Steve rubbed his jaw.
"I tried to kiss you awake and you screamed and knocked me in the face!" he complained.
"I did?" I said, amazed. I looked over at the clock and saw it was 10:30. My head was throbbing.
"It was one of those nightmares again, wasn't it?" said Steve softly. I thought back to what had happened to Steve in my nightmare and tears welled up in my eyes. He saw this and got in bed with me, taking me into his arms.
"It always causes harm…whatever's in my dreams…and this time it wanted to kill you." The tears I had been trying to hold in started pouring down my face. Steve hugged me tighter and kissed my temple.
"I'm here, baby, don't worry," he said. I felt silly crying about a stupid dream, especially in front of Steve. I wiped at my tears and leaned my head on his shoulder. It was silent for a few moments as I tried to calm down.
"So it's 'baby' now, eh?" I said, glancing sideways at Steve with a smirk. His face reddened. I tried to laugh, but the aching in my head protested. I groaned and slowly eased myself down so that I was lying down. Steve propped himself up on his elbow facing me. "I think I have a hangover." His face broke out into a smile of amusement and I pouted.
"Five glasses of wine. Impressive," he teased. I stuck my bottom lip out further and attempted to whimper pathetically. "Need an aspirin?"
"Be a dear and get it from the medicine cabinet for me?" The bed moved slightly as Steve got up and headed to the bathroom.
I was fast asleep by the time he got back.
I woke up much later with a clearer head. I looked at the clock and saw that it was almost two in the afternoon. I yawned and trudged out of my room, heading towards the kitchen to get something to eat. I stopped and frowned when I heard the television going in the living room. I didn't remember leaving it on last night. I walked over and saw Steve sprawled out on the sofa digging into a bag of chips.
"Make yourself at home, why don't ya!" I said. Steve jumped a little and then turned to me, his hand buried in the chip bag.
"Hey, Sleepin' Beauty!" I plopped down beside him and grabbed a handful of chips, then snuggled up beside him. On the TV was a rerun of Friends.
"Is nothing on, then?" I asked. Steve sighed and shook his head.
"It was either this or Golden Girls." I burst out laughing.
"Let's switch it to Golden Girls! I've seen this Friends episode a dozen times already," I said, trying to keep a straight face. Steve put an arm around my shoulders.
"Felina," he said. "You know I'd do anything for you in a heartbeat…" I looked at him, and he looked at me in a way that nearly made me swoon. He brought his other hand over to caress my chin gently with his fingers, tilting my head up closer to his. He leaned closer, a breath away from kissing me. "…but there's no way in hell I'm gonna watch Golden Girls." His lips tickled as they brushed against mine. I shivered at how his tone had gotten deeper with his last comment. He placed a quick kiss on my lips and then turned back to the TV, digging into the chips again. I sat back, slightly breathless and thunderstruck. Steve snorted at a silly comment that Phoebe had made, oblivious to the fact that he had pretty much seduced me a moment earlier.
Growling in frustration, I took the chip bag and remote out of his hands and tossed them off to the side. Steve looked alarmed and was about to speak, but my lips came crashing down on his and he seemed to relax after that. He pulled me onto his lap. I was soon blissfully unaware of the canned laughter coming from the TV and the fact that I was still wearing my party dress, and if it hadn't been wrinkled enough before, it sure was now.
It was about three weeks into the New Year that TAPS headed out on more cases. We were doing another residential case, this time in Montgomery, Alabama. Afterwards, we were going back to the Bell Witch Cave and hopefully doing an investigation. Jason, Grant, Kris, and Tango flew while Steve and I drove. We kept contact through the walkie-talkies, which was basically our only form of entertainment besides the radio. We had to leave a day early and spent the night again in Roanoke, Virginia.
"Hey, check out 97.5, they're playing 'Sweet Home Alabama!" I said over the walkie-talkie. We were just driving into Birmingham.
"Sweet," replied Steve. I then proceeded to serenade him via walkie-talkie.
When we got to Montgomery, Grant called and said that the plane had landed and that they were ready to be picked up.
"We're stuck in traffic in Huntsville!" I said as we were pulling up to the airport.
"For real?" said Grant in disbelief.
"Yeah, it's like bumper to bumper because there was a freak accident up ahead."
"That really, really sucks," Grant sighed in frustration. I heard him relay the news to Jason, who started cursing. I parked the van alongside the curb behind Steve and then got out, listening to Grant and Jason debating their next move. I got into the tech van with Steve, grinning.
"They're on the phone?" he mouthed, and I nodded. I put my finger over the mouthpiece.
"They think we're stuck in traffic in Huntsville." Steve laughed and gave me a high-five.
"So are you guys in baggage claim?" I asked. Grant didn't answer, but I heard shuffling and then the voice of Jason.
"How's the traffic like now at your end?" he asked, sounding completely pissed off.
"At a stand still. Nothing's been moving for a couple of minutes. And if there is, it's just creeping forward a few inches."
"Dammit! We said we'd be there at 4:30, but without the vans and equipment, we're useless!" Jay practically yelled. I yanked the phone away from my ear and eyed it warily. Then I gave it to Steve, who gave me a bewildered look.
"What do I do?" he mouthed, looking nervous. I motioned for him to talk. "Uh…hello?" I put my ear by the other side of the phone to hear.
"What the--Steve?" asked Jason, sounding dumbfounded.
"Yep."
"Where--aren't you driving the tech van?"
"Not at the moment," said Steve, starting to grin.
"Steve…" said Jason suspiciously.
"Are you still getting your luggage?" I said into the phone. There was a long pause.
"Okay, you guys better tell me what the hell happened, NOW!" I nearly fell over laughing.
"Once you guys get your luggage, come outside. We're waiting on you," said Steve. We exchanged amused looks and then heard a distinct click as Jason hung up the phone. "Uh-oh. We're screwed." Thankfully, as the others exited the airport, they all had smiles on their faces.
"Good job you guys," chuckled Jason through the window at us. I tossed him the keys to the other van and we waited for the others to pile in with their luggage before we took off with Jay in the lead.
And for the third time today, the radio started to play "Sweet Home Alabama."