Amy's POV
You ever have a dream where you so desperately want to run but you're stuck to the spot? As if you're on a treadmill, knees up to your fucking tits, panting like an exhausted camel and sweating like a pig, but you still aren't moving forward? Yup, you guessed it, that's me right now. I was in the room again, stuck in front of the door that had me locked me inside for days, it was open this time though and my eyes were glued to the hallway beyond, to freedom. To no more pain. To Ted…
"You're mine!"
Nope. Not this. Not again. This isn't real. It couldn't be. I refuse to believe it but I also refuse to stay in this fucking dungeon as well. So, I kept on running on the stupid spot, tears running down my face as I screamed for my torturer to stay away but obviously, the absolute arse that he is, just kept on trudging toward me. As if we were playing that game 'What's the time Mr Wolf' - every time I turned around he was one step closer. His eyes darker and darker.
"You'll never be free from me..."
God his voice was so sinister, my skin shivered as goosebumps raised on my arms, my eyes continuing to glance behind me to see his tall dark figure looming over me, black blood pouring from his lips like tar, his hands about to strike... getting closer and closer…
"Amy!"
I felt hands on me, shaking me gently awake as my eyes burst open, the last trail of my scream leaving my lips as my cheeks felt wet from the crying that carried over from the dreaming realm.
"It's alright sweetheart, I've got you."
Ted scooted closer to me on the bed, his strong arm sliding underneath my quivering frame to pull me into a tight embrace. I'd been staying with him since... You know, and every time I closed my fucking eyes I was immediately brought back to that hell hole. My prick of an ex took a lot from me over the years and now he's taking my sleep too? Not okay. That was one of my favorite things.
"Im sorry..." I whispered, my head on his chest. My ear against his heart as I listened to it steadily beat, the sound grounding me, bringing me back down to reality. Bringing me back down to him.
"What are you sorry for?" He asked, genuinely confused.
"It's four am... This is the third night in a row I've woken you up." I sighed, irritated with myself.
"That is true." He paused, his hand rubbing up and down my back slowly. "You don't need to apologize for that though."
This man is everything perfect about this world and I often doubt that I'm good enough for him. He should be with someone who isn't broken, who can give them everything he deserves and more. I'd pull a star down from the sky if he asked. Before the incident with Chris he made me feel love again, he made me feel what is was to BE loved. Words cannot express the gratitude I have for Ted. He's my savior. Without him I'm pretty sure I'd be in the fucking loony bin.
"I'm pretty sure I do." I paused, rolling onto my stomach so my chin was on his chest. My eyes peering at him in the dimly lit room. Yes. I've been sleeping with a nightlight because without it? Well I'm sure you have a good enough imagination to know exactly why. "You need to rest, maybe I should sleep on the couch for a few days?"
"Hush up. You aren't goin' nowhere." He lifted his hand to brush my untamed hair off my face, his hand lingering on my cheek as his thumb wiped the tears away. "And anyway, I'll still hear your banshee screams from in here so you may as well do it directly into my ear."
Ted grinned widely and I let out a laugh, his goofy face bringing that warmth back to my frightened soul.
"You sir, find yourself far to funny."
"Ma'am, I'm hilarious."
His face switched to deadly serious and i pursed my lips, nodding slowly.
"What is it you southerners say?" I paused again, sitting up. "Oh honey, bless your heart." I put on my best Ted accent and he raised his eyebrows, his mustache twitching as he tried to contain a laugh.
"What?" I grinned, tapping his chest. "It's just like being a home right?"
"Oh, it's uncanny." He responded with another smile. Ah his smile, I could look at it all day.
"I knew it."
He leaned forward and planted a kiss on my lips, so softly and delicate that it was like being brushed with a feather.
"You should come to work with me today." Ted said as he stopped kissing me.
"Coach…"
"I think it'll be great for you to get out this stuffy house and see the team. They've really missed having you around. Nobody else slaps back quite like you do."
I mean, he ain't lying. The boys probably haven't been shown up in a while. I know Roy and Jamie would be glad to see me. I hadn't seen them since they came to my rescue and I've had texts from some of the others guys, they'd check in on me and send me stupid gifs every now and then.
"I guess so…" I whispered. "Not sure if the broken ribs are going to hurt worse or the crap insults that will come out their mouths."
"That's my girl." He leaned forward again, kissing me a little more passionately this time, being incredibly careful not to push or pull me in a certain way. His mustache tickling my upper lip. It wasn't an unpleasant sensation and I'd never ask him to shave. After all, he looked damn sexy with that bad boy on his face and if anybody could rock a mustache, it was Ted.
"You should definitely shower though. You smell like a dead possum on a hot summer day."
My jaw dropped. "Rude."
"Sweetheart…"
I wasn't that bad surely? I lifted my arm and tilted my head toward my pit, taking a deep sniff before my nose scrunched up.
"I've never smelt a dead possum but I think you're pretty close with that observation."
"Oh, I know."
Cheeky sod. I laughed as he pinched his nose playfully, making that sound that isn't a word but it's the sound people make when something smells really, really bad. He may as well start wafting his hand at me to bat the stink away. Little dramatic if you ask me but whatever.
"Will you help me wash my hair…?"
I hadn't been able to properly wash it since I got rescued as lifting my arms that high above my head for longer than a few seconds was pure agony. Thankfully the pain meds they sent me home with took the edge off enough for me to function at a maybe, hmm, sixty percent capacity?
"I'd be honored." Ted smiled at me in that, it's going to be okay way and honestly with him by my side, I truly think it will be. "Come on now, with the mass of hair on your head, it's gonna take at least a few hours to wash it."
"Has anyone ever told you, that you have a way with words?" I asked, knowing the answer.
"Every day."
He pulled the duvet off of us and stepped up out of bed, extending his hand out to me before pulling me to my feet, leading me slowly to the bathroom to begin the start of our day.
