Hi guys, I know this is much shorter but I was very aware that I haven't updated in a few days and wanted to give you something to chew on :) Hope you like it; hopefully there'll be more very soon!

x x x x

Cath's POV

For the third night in a row I am awoken to the pitiful sound of whimpering.

With a heavy sigh I roll off the bed, landing with a soft thud beside her.

"Sara?" I whine, nudging her gently in the shoulder. When she continues to cry despite my efforts I drop my hands to my sides tiredly, resigning myself to another night of this heartbreaking noise. I flip her covers back and shuffle in, looping my arms tightly around her middle as I contort myself into a comfortable position.

She struggles at first, as always, but eventually her breathing slows and her body relaxes against my own. I pull her closer, tucking her head under my chin.

I don't know what's suddenly sparked her night terrors. For the first couple of weeks she was fine and all of a sudden she began having bad dreams. They don't happen every night and some are worse than others, but they always end the same. Me, in her bed, for the duration of the night.

She never wakes up, just whimpers and shuffles helplessly against her invisible attackers. Occasionally she will mumble something, but I never manage to work out what it is she's trying to say.

I feel her release a breath against my neck and she wriggles in my arms for a moment before settling contentedly against my chest. I can feel my own heartbeat resounding through her slender frame as I grip her tightly.

Needless to say, it is not the most comfortable of beds to try and sleep two people in, but we make it work. We don't really have a choice, it is the only way either of us can get any rest.

I yawn, flexing my feet before curling my legs up protectively around her until she is cocooned in my embrace.

Like always, in the morning I will try to wake up first and move back to my own bed before she realises what has happened. On a few occasions she has beaten me to it, or I've woken her up trying to sneak out from under the covers. She just blinks at me in confusion for a few seconds before mumbling an awkward apology and clambering out of bed in what I can only assume to be a feeble attempt to put more distance between us.

I have tried to tease some information from her regarding the matter but she always clams up or changes the subject; until in the end I drop the questions and settle for comforting her when the inevitable happens again.

I understand that she's embarrassed about it; I just wish I knew what it is that is haunting her subconscious every night.

"I wish you would talk to me." I whisper sleepily, pressing a kiss into her hair before falling back into a pit of oblivion; perchance, not to dream.

X x x

Sara's POV

I realise what has happened before I even open my eyes. I know from the feel of her arms tightly wound around my waist and the soft breath blowing flyaway wisps of my hair across the pillow.

There are only two reasons I wake up in the same bed as Catherine, the first of which has only happened a small handful of times - not including last night, which can only mean that I had another nightmare.

Inwardly, I groan, scrunching my eyes tightly shut.

I never remember my dreams, but I always know what they are about and it wouldn't surprise me if Catherine hasn't figured it out, too.

She has made valiant efforts to talk to me about it but that is an area of my life that I would rather leave outside these cold stone walls.

In truth, I'm surprised that she is still making an effort with me. Most people get fed up of trying to help the third or fourth time I lash out in my sleep as they attempt to wake me; but apparently this woman is more persistent than I initially gave her credit for.

Not that that should really surprise me, I suppose. She is by far the most resilient person I have ever met. A part of me really wants to trust her with my secrets, but trust is not something that has ever come easy to me. I think a part of her understands that; and despite her blunt nature, it is clear that she has a few skeletons of her own.

The more time I spend with her – and let's face it, time is all we have in here – the more my curiosity is peaked. She's an intriguing enigma of a woman; fierce and frightened all at the same time.

And despite all of my well-honed instincts telling me not to get too close, I find myself wondering more and more how much my own secrets are worth, if they might get me closer to finding out what she is so scared of.