If I Dont Leave Now
: : Summary : : After all they went through, did Rick and Evelyn really wait until the wedding night before they fell into each others arms? As well Rick gets an insight into Evelyn's nightmares.
Rick awoke to shouting and fearful cries. His senses shocked into awareness by Evelyn fighting to break away from him. He still had hold of her in his arms where she had fallen asleep and now she was hitting at him, struggling and pleading to be set free.
"Evie! Evie!" he touched her face but it only made her more frantic. "EVELYN!"
"NO! PLEASE...STOP" she was begging to be set free, thrashing at the air with her fists, though they mostly connected to Ricks chest and shoulders "LET ME GO!" she shouted and Rick caught her wrist before she swiped the side of his face.
"Evelyn? C'mon Honey, open your eyes!" she was surprisingly strong and he needed to curb his own strength so as not to hurt her as tried to keep her arms close to her body.
She bagan to shake herself from side to side and brought her legs and feet into play as she began to kick while trying to scramble away from whatever hadinvaded her sleep. She struggled for breath as tears crept from her tightly squeezed eyes. Rick rolled her onto her back and held her down by the shoulders, it was the only way to protect her from her own wild thrashing...and himself for that matter. "Come on now, wake up!" he started to shake her, but she wasn't responding. She was sweating and crying with real terror. Himself now fearful at not being able to rouse her, Rick shouted "EVELYN!"
Then she stopped, completely still. Rick looked at her, waiting for her to open hereyes...waiting for her to do something...he called her name softly "Evie?"
He noticed her hands tembling, then in only a whisper she begged "Oh please...please don't". Rick grabbed her by the shoulders and none too gently forced her to sit up. The abrupt movement made her open her eyes and she began to scream.
"Evie, it's me! Look at me!" she stared at him, unrecognizing, tears falling down her cheeks. "It's me, Rick.....Honey...can you see me?"
Slowly she realized. "Rick?" She started to breathe properly again as silent tears fell down her cheeks. She sat in stunned silence while Rick peered into her eyes making sure she was fully awake. Satisfied, he pulled her to him and she reached her arms about him asthe tears engulfed her. When she had talked of nightmares, he hadn't imagined this! He wondered just how much more of this emotional turmoil she would be able to stand.
"Sshh, it's alright." he whispered holding her to his chest "...whatever it was, it's gone now." He laid her down next to him, far more gently than he sat her up, and let her cry. She clung to him. Rick rubbed her shoulders and put kisses in her hair. Through everything she'd survived recently, he had never seen her as afraid as what he had just witnessed. If all her nightmares have been this bad it was testament to her that she was still sane.
Her tears began to abate and she moved a little in his embrace, he lifted her chin to look at her "Feeling any better?"
She offered an abashed smile "Yes and no...at least I'm awake now, so that's something" The battle with her phantoms had returned the pain to her ankle and she soon reached down the bed trying to release the bandage, hoping to ease the discomfort.
Rick stopped her. "Hang on, I'll fix it for you." He moved the blankets back and began unwrapping the bandage. Embarrassment overpowered her and she hastily reached about for something to cover her naked form. She looked at Rick, wishing she had his surety.
"It was him, wasn't it?" he asked looking back at her, a little surprised to see she was wearing his shirt.
"Had you back on that stone slab again, yeah?"
Evelyn nodded, her arms wrapped firmly about herself "He comes back every night." she was still shaking. "Sometimes you and Jonathan don't make it in time." she stopped to force herself from crying again.
He listened, gently rubbing her leg for reassurance. "Did I get there tonight?"
She shook her head, holding back tears "No...tonight he was going to kill me...except..."
"Except I woke you up."
"Yes, you did" she smiled through tears "Thank you."
"I was saving myself as well, you know. You were throwing some pretty mean punches there." She laughed self consciously. Looking at him she was beginning to understand just how much she loved this man.
"Better?" he'd loosened the bandage and elevated her leg. She nodded. He slid up the bed to sit next to her "It's just a bad dream, Evie. He can't get you anymore." He took her close to him again, pressing her head to his shoulder "You're safe from him now. It's over."
"Yes, perhaps." her eyes met his "But all that talk about death only being the beginning...I try not to let it play on my mind but sometimes I just can't stop it...what with very effective ancient
curses and his mummified army at the ready..."
"Were they in the dream too?"
"One time they were." she quivered as she spoke "He seems so clear in my dreams. Maybe he can ..." her voice trailed off.
"Evie, he was just pissed off that he lost, that's all. Dreams are the only way he can get at you now, and that's all they are...dreams." He tried to sound reassuring but she didn't appear to be buying it. "Look...this is the first time you've had someone to wake you and drag you out of it, right?" she nodded. "Well, it'll get a little easier each time. You'll feel safer when you wake up and the dreams won't be as frightening, I promise." He made her look at him "Trust me! I'll be here!"
"You will?" she sounded surprised.
"What? You think you're gonna make me go back and sleep alone!?" he shook his head at her "Uh uh. You just need to get serious about picking a date, girl."
"To get married?"
"No, to organise getting a price on that booty so we can split it and I can finally leave this hell hole."
For a moment she was stunned, unsure of what he'd just said. He looked at her, and a hint of a smile crossed his face and she smacked him on the chest...hard! "Ouch! Oohh, you're nasty." he laughed at her but rubbed the sore spot just the same. "So go on, pick a day to marry me."
"Never!" she scolded him
"What about tomorrow?"
"No!"
"You'd better hurry, or people will start talking about your loose morals." he was enjoying the game.
"Loose morals!"
"You know, wayward girl keeping soldier company long into the early hours..."
"They'd never imagine that!"
You're joking! In this town? You'd have to be dead before they lost interest, especially in a pretty Librarian."
'Well you'll just have to leave, right now." her playful anger not withstanding.
"I'm staying in this bed." he moved to kiss her and ran his fingers up and down her thigh "I like the company here."
"Oh you do!"
"Uh huh" he was kissing her neck and she was giving in to him.
"And why is that?" she leaned her head so he could kiss behind her ear.
"You're sweet...soft" he lulled in her ear and nibbled her lobe "And you look incredibly gorgeous in
my shirt."
She giggled and turned to look at him "Anyone who saw us now would think I was already your wife."
"You are." taking that deep, hushed tone again, she was putty in his hands. "It's official once you start wearing my clothes." He ran his finger down her bare skin peeking through the open shirt. "This is very sexy."
"Tomorrow then."
"Tomorrow what?" he'd forgotton the conversation.
"You can marry me tomorrow." she was whispering now and he was beginning to move over her.
"Maybe....we.... should wait.....a week" he said between kisses placed softly on her neck and shoulders "I need a wife who can walk by herself." he teased and put his mouth over hers before she could chide him.
END of ' If I Dont LEave Now '
Click to go onto Part 2 of Trilogy ' Black Mail '
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