"I love you. Never forget that, okay?"
This is a two-parter, so this first prompt will be followed by part 2/second prompt, which I will post in a moment
- - -
She dreams of dark. Nightmare is too kind a word for what Waverly sees when she closes her eyes at night.
She dreams of a life where Jolene conquered. A non-life, really. Shackled to the ground in some gruesome place. Jolene parading by with Nicole on her arm.
She dreams of Champ, and the absence of Nicole. What may have been, had Nicole Haught never moved to the Ghost River Triangle. Everything is muted. Colors seem to fade more every day. And when Champ kisses her, it tastes like lies.
But more than anything else, she dreams of Nicole.
She gasps and lightning cracks. A railish figure holds Nicole by the neck, grasped tight. Nicole struggles. Waverly tries to reach, but she’s stuck, can’t move…
“Waverly,” the ragged creature hisses. His voice is familiar now. She recognizes… He’s been here before. Visited her life too often.
“Nicole!” Waverly reaches for her love again, but He pulls back.
“She’s mine, now, Waverly,” His voice crawls like a serpent down Waverly’s spine.
“No, no, please! I’ll do anything, anything!” Waverly shouts and thunder booms and she starts to sink into nothingness.
“Waverly…” Nicole’s voice is hoarse, quiet, as the hand that grips her neck cinches tighter. “Waverly… I love you, s-so much,” she’s gasping for air and Waverly’s tears fall. “Never forget that, p-please…”
The nothing overwhelms, envelopes her completely. Nicole is gone. He’s gone. Waverly is…
Somewhere.
Where…
“Waverly?”
Somewhere.
“Waverly, baby wake up,” a worried voice.
Eyes open. Red. Nicole.
“Wave, baby, you were shouting.” Nicole’s hand strokes Waverly’s face so softly. Like maybe she’ll break. Waverly thinks she just might, but with Nicole’s steady touch, the fear of shattering starts to dissipate, slowly.
There aren’t any words. Not yet. Waverly wraps her arms around Nicole’s neck and pulls her close, down, so she can bury her nose in Nicole’s hair. It smells like lavender and vanilla, soft from a recent shower. The feeling of safety that always comes with being in Nicole’s arms, in her bed, starts to return.
part 2
