BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

I bolt right out of bed, sweating bullets. I'm breathing too hard for it to be healthy. It had been that dream again. The one where I almost took the plunge. Literally. I had been beaten and broken so many times, it still brings nightmares. It brought me back to my early years, when my life had been hell. I had almost jumped. I still don't know why I didn't.

The heavy arm around my waist meant I had did the right thing. "Go back to sleep, Jack" he mumbled, before his arm pulled me back down to him. Encircling me with his arms and pulling me to his chest, I felt the warmth and safety of his body. I felt protected and loved. Something I haven't felt in years. He knew that and wanted to prove he'd always be here to prevent that from happening ever again.

Kisses along my neck and hands all around my body woke me from my wonderful dream.

I turned over to look into the green eyes of the man who woke me. I smiled sleepily "hey".

"Hey to yourself. Sleep well?"

Yawning I replied " Very well thanks to you'

He gave me a chaste kiss before pulling me to him. "You had the dream again" it was a statement not a question. "You can't leave me like that." I try to explain to him I would never do that to him. But he beat me to it.

"I know you wouldn't. But, at some point you'd been about to. I'm just reminding you, Jack. I wouldn't let you do it. And even if you did, I'd just follow you."

I gasped at the confession, before burrowing into his warm body. I would never do it. Especially if it meant Nathan would follow me. I could never leave him. But now, more than ever, I'd ensure he knew that.

There's a contest for seventeen magazine, I'm entering it and I used a few pieces from it. If you want it directly I will send it to you, just ask. It includes the actual 'dream'.

~ikki~