Darkness. Darkness so cold and all consuming it was dragging you under even as you fought against it. Your body didn’t feel like it was yours anymore, it was like the darkness had wrapped its shadows around you and was trapping you with it.

Your lungs burned, there wasn’t enough air and the more you struggled, the harder it was to breathe. You thought you were screaming, it felt like you were, but you couldn’t hear it.

Steel bands wrapped around your arms, shaking you and holding you close. Someone was yelling your name, telling you it was okay, to open your eyes. They sounded so far away. And then the shadows started to fade, replaced by a face. Rafe your eyes snapped open.

You sat up in the hotel bed, gasping for air. As your eyes adjusted to the darkness, you noticed that Rafe’s bed was empty. You realized the steel bands you’d felt in your dream, were his hands. He was looking at you with concern. He sat on your bed, his arms wrapped around you.

“Are you okay? You were thrashing and you started screaming” his eyes search your body as if he’s looking for any signs of harm.

“Nightmare,” you gasp out “I have nightmares. Bet you’re glad you got stuck sharing a room with me”

This was awkward. Rafe was the last person you wanted to know about your nightmares. Thrown together by your friends, you’d spent the better part of the road trip at each other’s throats. To say you didn’t like each other, was an understatement. When the two of you had been forced to share a hotel room, you hadn’t seen the night ending like this.

He was still holding you in his arms, his one hand was now tangled in your hair stroking it softly, soothingly. And the way he was looking down at you, it almost seemed like he cared. And you couldn’t bring yourself to move away from the comfort of his arms.