She wonders if she's dead and ended up in some version of hell. Looming out of the shadows, towering above they laugh at her, all teeth and crimson eyes. Sharp blades slicing at her, blood following them, flowing outwards from long cuts. Her throat was scorched from the screams that had spilled out, her eyes burned.
Waverly was supposed to be here by now.
She's back in that room, hand's bound behind her, the coppery taste in her mouth, body covered in blood and full of horrendous pain. Her mind fracturing as she remembers clear instances of a conceivably false past - Waverly in her chair, the smell of her hair as they watched the snow fall, enchanting kisses, feeling safe in Waverly's arms. Hysterical devastation ruptures through her.
She starts laughing with them then, a broken hollow laugh, at the cruel joke of thinking that she had been free, that Waverly had returned her feelings.
Feels her neck being grabbed by the scarier of the two demons, yanking it upwards, her body following. He was the one who stood in the shadows if he was there at all, ordering the other one around on occasion, usually with suggestions on how to torture her. Glowing eyes stare into hers, breath sweet as it crashes over her face.
"Nicole just tell me where she is and this can all stop, you can wake up, I won't hurt Wynonna," he promises creepily dragging rough fingers across her cheek.
Something sounded off.
She's struggling, feeling the swell of panic rising but she has nowhere to go. Hauling in deep wracking breaths, she's choking on the blood, her heart thudding, threatening to break through her already inflamed ribcage.
It's all wrong.
"If you don't, we'll find both of them," as he's sinking in his nails, putting tremendous pressure on her jaw, so much so that it felt like it was about to implode.
"We'll bring them here and do much worse than we've done to you," leering at her.
"No, no, no..." in a voice that's cracking, her eyes closing as she's falling apart. Hears her name again but it's not the same, it sounds like...
Her eyes fly open to see the monster in front of her but then he's gone, transformed into Waverly whose hand is on her cheek imitating the demon. She jolts upwards, nearly smashing into her, before scrambling back until she hits a solid surface.
Terror had invaded every pore, it clung to her insides, ripping at her defenses, scraping into her very soul. She felt out of her mind, her whole body was shaking, inhaling deep shuddery breaths.
Waverly's speaking but her voice is muffled by a ringing in her ears, just like back in the academy when someone had fired a gun in close proximity to her.
She's delirious, one foot still firmly planted in a different reality, not sure which is the true world. Needing to know Waverly is real she moves forward grabbing onto Waverly's knee to see if she's fake, a figment of her imagination. She can't tell, and tries to delve deeper, digging in with her fingers before she is snatching her hand back, eyes wide in shock.
"It's okay Nicole you didn't hurt me," Waverly's voice now audible, coming at her too loud, too fast and Nicole flinches. She feels nauseous at the expression on Waverly's face, retreating further inwards.
"It was a nightmare, you're safe now," her voice more muted, equivalent to the one she used with her when she found her in that prison, soft and soothing.
Blinking away the last of the fog, she looks down in the dim light at her own hands for confirmation. Searching for the invisible restraints that she could still feel tightly cutting into her skin. Checks for non-existent blood under her fingernails, her breathing still constricted, tears starting to run away from her eyes.
Waverly's at her side now, murmuring compassionate and caring words in her ear. She places a tentative hand on her back and when Nicole doesn't shy away, she begins to rub her gently in a circular motion, grounding her.
"You're at home baby, you're safe. I won't let anyone hurt you." The fear is abating at her words, fleeing further when Waverly's hand tenderly lowers Nicole's suspended passive pair from where she had inspected them.
It's too much for her, this jagged contrast between the sleeping and waking world. The Pandora's box that had lay dormant in her mind had been wrenched opened, and everything - the fear, the guilt, the shame, the hopelessness, the anger, the sorrow - had been let out.
Her lip quivering as she utters, "I'm broken," in a crushed voice.
Nicole crumbles into Waverly erupting into anguished gulping sobs, tears streaming and body heaving. Warms arms secure her as affectionate lips kiss her head.
"No you're strong. You'll be ok. I promise," holding her close, encasing her in a protective Waverly fortress until the sobs subside.
* * *
She hears keys turning, then the front door closing and she's lifting her head when a, "Don't you dare move Nicole Haught!" hurtles through from her hall.
It's only been a couple of days, but the domestic bliss that had settled over them was becoming as familiar as brushing her hair in the morning. She listens to the thump of bags hitting the counter in the kitchen, and waits for Waverly to come in. It's not long before Waverly's placing a quick kiss on her lips and saying, "I'm just going on put the dinner on, you stay right there." She was in a similar position to the one Waverly had left her in earlier that afternoon - lying lengthways under a heap of blankets, cushions layered between her and the arm of the couch. Needing something to occupy her that didn't involve much movement, she had been watching old films and had just switched on an episode of Game of Thrones.
A symphony of noises from the kitchen reaches her ears. One thing Waverly is not, this Nicole can attest to, is a quiet cook. Presses opened and closed, kitchen utensils knocked against each other, pots and pans clattering in a crescendo before eventually decreasing into a quieter melody of sizzling and stirring. It's a couple more minutes before Waverly arrives back, shifting the blankets and climbing over Nicole until she's fully under, Nicole's arms obligingly opening to let the smaller woman snuggle into her. Waverly turns to look at her seriously.
"I'll have to check on that food in about fifteen minutes."
"Guess we'll have to figure out how to pass the time," trying to carry on the solemn tone, voice becoming husky at the seductive glint in Waverly's eyes.
Mouths meet, melding into one another. Waverly runs her tongue along Nicole's bottom lip and she opens her mouth allowing her access, faintly moaning her approval.
Things are getting really heated when Nicole feels a niggle in her ribs and a stiff discomfort in her sternum, tell-tale signs of incoming pain. She knows that if she lets it get out of hand Waverly will not be impressed.
After indulging a little longer, she taps on Waverly's collarbone thrice and then pulls back. Smouldering brown orbs meet her own and Waverly instantly lifts her weight off her asking if she's okay.
She nods, concentrating on slowing down her breathing to a normal rhythm, but keeping her eyes locked on Waverly's. Her attention is getting diverted by Waverly's fingers tracing patterns along her jaw bone and by Waverly's skin touching hers. Because she now lies beside her, her bare midriff is delicately pressing against Nicole's exposed side, where her t-shirt had risen up.
"This is just getting frustrating," voicing her thoughts on the situation when she's sure she's dodged the worst of it.
"I know but I don't mind taking it slow."
"I should be the one saying that to you," pushing out her lip in what she knows is an endearing pout. Surprising her, Waverly nips at the jutted out lip, tugging gently, making her gasp and Waverly has a pleased smirk on her face when she says, " This is plenty enough for me for now, we have lots of time later to do other stuff." A slight tinge of pink has entered her cheeks.
"It's enough for me just to be with you, you make me happy." She draws her fingers down her neck, teasingly hooking a finger over the curved neckline of her t-shirt towing it and Nicole towards her.
"But when you're ready, I'll be ready too." ending her speech in a passionate kiss which is ultimately interrupted by the oven timer.
