together we will be unbroken

(Ashley pov)

Laci is what I like to call a violent sleeper. It’s not that she’s thrashing around or anything, it’s just that she is never still. Right now she is literally horizontal, with her feet dangling off the bed, and her head on my stomach. At least we’re not on the bus. I always have to pull her away from the edge of the bunk, because somehow she gets on the other side of me, and decides to lay on the edge. We should have kept that guardrail on her bunk.

She really scared me tonight. Andy told me that she was screaming when he found her, and all I could think of was when she had night terrors. Those are absolutely horrifying to wake up to. I never know what’s going on, and she’s one of the bravest people I know, so you know they have to be bad.

She moves again, and is now laying across my stomach. Her feet are on the bed, but this time it’s her head that’s off. I don’t think that’s a good thing. I pull her back into my chest, and she snuggles into the spot under my chin. It’s like she was made to fit there. I kiss her head, and rub her back. I feel all of the tension in her body leave when I get to that soft spot on her lower back. I don’t know why that happens, but it’s adorable. “Mom…” She mumbles. Oh no, please don’t turn into a nightmare. “It happened again.” She pauses. “It hurts so bad, but Ronnie, and Andy, and Ashley were there, and they helped me through it.” Listening to her breaks my heart. I wish she could actually talk to her mother. “I wish you were here mommy.” she sniffs a little.

“Shh…” I kiss her forehead.
“I love you too…” Her little body starts to shake.

“It’s okay Lace.” I don’t think I’m being much help. She takes a deep breath, and curls into my chest. “Shh…” I keep rubbing her back, and she continues to cry.

“It was just a dream.” She sobs. A lump forms in my throat, and tears start to form, but I hold them back. “Ashley, please don’t leave me too.”

“Woah, hey, who said I was going anywhere?” I ask.

She sits up, and looks at the sheets. “It’s just, I’ve already lost a lot of people that I love, and I don’t want to lose you too, because.” She cries a little more. I sit up, and pull her to me. “That will be when I finally break.”

“Oh Laci…” I hold her tight, and kiss her forehead. It’s really warm. “I’m not going anywhere, you don’t have to worry about me. I know you’ve been through hell and back, but I will never, ever put you through that.” She cries into my shoulder, and I rub her back under her shirt. She is really hot, to the touch. “Laci Hun, you’re burning up again, I’m going to call Ronnie okay?” She nods, and I dial Ronnie’s number.

“Hey man…” He yawns. “What’s up?”

“Laci’s temperature is going up again, and I don’t know what to do.” I tell him. Laci has stopped crying, but she’s shaking.

“I’ll be right there.” I hear footsteps, and a door being opened and closed. “Is it really bad?”

“She feels a lot warmer than she normally does, but I don’t know how bad it is.” Her body starts to go slack.

“Shit.” He mutters. “Just keep her awake until I get there okay, I won’t be long.”


“Rose, Rose wake up.” I say gently. She moans in response. “I’m sorry, but you can’t sleep yet.”

“I don’t wanna…” She grumbles.

“I know, I know, but you have to.” I tell her.

“Why?” She whines.

“Because you have to be awake for when Ronnie gets here.” As if on cue, there is a knock at the door. I go to get out of bed, and Laci wraps her arms around my waist.

“Furnace don’t leave..”

“Are you calling me that because I’m so hot?” I joke, and pick her up. She nods in the crook of my neck as I open the door. Ronnie is standing there with a bag in his hand, and a worried look on his face.

“How’re you doing Tum?” He asks, and closes the door.

“I’m cold…” She mumbles.

“Does anything hurt?”

“Everything.” This makes me sad.

“How bad?”

“Three…” She mutters.

“Okay, so it’s just an ache?” Laci nods in response. “Okay, I’m going to have to check your temp again.”

Her head pops up. “No!”

“Sorry, but I have too. Ashley, can you bring her into the bathroom?”

“Yeah sure.” I walk into the bathroom, turn on the light, and set her on the counter.

“Are we going to be difficult?” Ronnie asks her. He’s got a thermometer lined up in front of her tightly closed mouth. She glares at him, and slowly opens her mouth. He places the instrument in her mouth, and she closes it, glaring at him the whole time.

“What’s with you and thermometers?” I ask.

She looks at Ronnie, and he sighs. “What you want me to tell him?” She nods. “Alright, well when Lace was little, her Grandmother would pretty much choke her with thermometers when she was sick.”

“Oh.” Is all I can say.

“Open.” She complies. “105. Damn it. I’ve gotta give you more shots Tum.”

“I know…” She hangs her head. I tilt her chin up, and kiss her lightly.

“Ready?” Ronnie asks. “One, two, three.” At three he puts the needle into her thigh, and presses the orange button at the end. She flinches a little, but not much. I’ve come to learn that Laci is great at masking what she’s actually feeling. “You okay?” He’s got the needle out of her leg, and is now softly rubbing her cheek with his thumb.

“I wanna go to sleep.” She chokes. Tears are in her eyes.

“I know Tum, I know.” He pulls her to him, and he rubs her back, like an older brother comforting his little sister. “Do you remember which meds you took today?”

“I can’t take nyquil if that’s what you mean.” She tells him. He nods, and pats her back. I feel like I’m dropping in on something i shouldn’t, even though she’s my girlfriend. I really hate seeing her cry, it kills me. Every time she does, I imagine all of the nights she’s spent alone, crying to herself. “I wanna go home…” She cries.

“You are home, your home is just a little unstable right now. Once this passes, you’ll be fine.” He tells her gently. Ronnie looks at me, “Her definition of home, is when everything is fine, and peaceful.”

“That makes sense.” I nod. I want to help her, but I don’t know how, and this is a Ronnie-Tum moment.” I wish I could take away her pain.”

“So do I.” Ronnie says solemnly. Oh that was out loud? ”Here, Tummy we have to take your temperature again. Here.” He hands me the thermometer. I take it, and hold it in front of her mouth. She jerks back at first, but then opens her mouth. “Now how come you make it easy for him?” Ronnie asks. Laci shrugs, and smiles a little. “Is it because you love him more than me?! Huh? Am I no longer good enough?!?” Ronnie dramatically falls back onto the counter with his hand draped over his forehead. Laci is giggling her beautiful, sweet giggle. “Tummy you just impaled me in my bleeding heart!” Laci is beaming, and full out belly laughing, and the thermometer falls out of her mouth. “Wow Tum, now you’re throwing shit around?” Ronnie snaps.

“Oh shut up!” She chortles.

“Wow, you’re so rude.” He picks up the fallen thermometer, washes it off, and puts it back in her mouth. “Way to fuck up the reading Tum.” She sticks her tongue out at him. She’s so cute. “Hey, keep that in there.” He pushes her tongue back in her mouth, “Save that shit for Ashley.” She looks at the floor, and her face turns pink.

“You’re looking a little… Rosie.” I smile. Her head snaps up, and she smiles. Really smiles, her eyes are sparkling, and her face is pink. I walk over to her, and kiss her forehead, and cheeks. “Here let’s see how hot you are.” I wink, and take out the thermometer. “100, that’s way to low.” I say flirtatiously.

“Oh stop.” She attempts to push me away, but she is way too weak, I can feel it. I grab her hand, and put it to my chest. She looks up at me with her beautiful, emerald eyes. I can see how sick she really is in them. Her eyes never lie. I place a gentle kiss on her lips.


“Hey none of that whole I’m here!” Ronnie covers his eyes in mock disgust. Laci gives me a devilish look. I know exactly what she’s thinking. I grin back at her, and she closes the gap between us. She puts her tongue in my mouth, and I play along. This is actually a huge turn on. “Gah! Break it up!” Ronnie exclaims. She plops back onto the counter, and smirks at me, it’s not going to her eyes though. “Alright, well Tum, you need another shot, so Purdy Porn, move.” I back, up, and let Ronnie stand next to Laci. He gives her another shot, and kisses her forehead.

We joke around for a while longer, and Laci’s temperature goes down to where it needs to be. The whole time, I could see her dwindling. Ronnie leaves, and I carry Laci to bed. I lay her down, and kiss her soft lips. “Sweet dreams my love.”

Notes

Surprise! I found some creativity! Thanks for reading, voting, commenting, subscribing, and all that jazz. I love you guys so much, I could never do this without all of your support.