Waking Up from Nightmares

[Rayvinn]

Rayvinn awakened in a darkened room in the Outback, trying to climb out of the terrifying nightmare that had left her drenched in perspiration and sitting straight up in the bed. It took her several moments to overcome that unrelenting mental haziness that gripped her mind, but it finally started to clear and the trembling elf looked around.

The darkness mattered very little as far as her sight was concerned, she could see nearly as well now as she could with full light. It only took a couple of moments for her to realize she was in Apple’s room again, apparently the redhead had carried her upstairs after she had passed out. This was starting to seem like a common occurrence...passing out wherever she happened to be. Not the safest thing she had done, but not the stupidest either. At least she had people like Apple, Reap, and Kruger to try to help take care of her when she apparently couldn’t take care of herself.

Apple. Thinking of the other woman caused Raye to look down to the bed at the sleeping form nestled against her. Raye trailed fingers along Apple’s cheek then down her jaw. She hadn’t intended to awaken the redhead from her slumber but was a little relieved when the other woman’s lashes fluttered several times and she opened her eyes. A leg clad in pink flannel slid lightly up the elf’s leg as Apple shifted her body.

”Rayvinn? What’s wrong? Lay down.”

Apple’s voice, husky with sleep, was a lullaby for the elf and she slid back down next to her. A light shudder swept through Raye’s thin frame so she snuggled beneath the blankets, closer to the other woman, until only her face was exposed to the coolness of the room.

”Just had a bad dream. I’m better now.”

“Mmmkay. Wake me back up if you need to.”

“Alright...hey, Andrea?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks...”

“For what, Raye? Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Just for being you and yeah, I’m okay now.”

Rayvinn smiled softly in the dark as Apple slid an arm over her waist and immediately fell back to sleep.

Sleep was elusive for Raye, but she didn’t want to awaken Apple again so she just lay there entwined with her, listening to the soft rhythmic breathing that was interspersed with the occasional snore. Rayvinn had nothing but time and a mind full of thoughts bouncing about. She pushed aside thoughts of what had awakened her in such a state of panic and concentrated on what soothed her more than anything else.

The elf wasn’t sure how define the relationship between herself and Apple. It wasn’t physical like people assumed. Though, when Apple touched her, it sent butterflies into wild flight in her stomach. They didn’t really talk about how they thought or felt about one another but Raye knew she felt a slight emptiness anytime the redhead wasn’t with her. Even if it was just for a few hours, she missed her. Then there were moments like they had just shared, when all of the comfort the tormented elf needed was contained in a few words and a touch from Apple. There was no definition to them but Raye wouldn’t trade what they experienced with one another for something more easily defined.

Laying so still and listening to the softly slumbering woman next to her had finally caused Rayvinn to relax enough that she could fall back to sleep. No nightmares awakened her for the remainder of the night. She was safe.