Breanna's POV
"Breanna." She heard a voice call out, but she couldn't respond, his voice sounded very distant to her, like he was calling her from more than a mile away.
Her whole body was on fire, from inside out, she wanted to run, shout, scream, she wanted cold water. But for some reason, she didn't have control over her own self.
Her hands and legs felt heavy - too heavy to move, then he called her name again, this time it echoed, turning to pleas and cries from a thousand voices. It was too much, she continued to shake her head, crying, trying to shout 'stop' but her mouth refused to make any sound.
"Breanna….."
"Breanna?!." She felt a soft touch on her shoulder, like a light caress, but as soon as he did, and like strong lightning, strength came to her.
Like he released what held her down, she shot up from the bed with a start and started screaming in a shrill voice that was loud enough to wake the neighbors, kicking and punching every which way.
She was having a nightmare, the worst nightmare of her life. Reality and her nightmare blended together in front of her.
It was some apocalyptic remake of what happened in the club. She was being chased by every thing, by headless and faceless zombie like bodies.
She could hear Jack's voice, calling out to her to save him, from the multitude of people that were dying or rather that died that night.
Then she heard the evil crackle of the man that pulled the trigger, reverberating from every angle in the open dark sky.
"Hey, Breanna!." She heard him shout to restrict her, but she kept kicking, trying to stand up or run away, screaming.
She had always had nightmares, since she was little, it wasn't always as bad, but they came in series.
Something always triggered it. Back then it was her father's beatings. Every time she watched him beat up Jack, she prepared herself not to sleep, because if she did. She'd have to relive it again, and again, for the eight hours of the night.
"No!." She shouted as the man's voice continued to repeat itself. His promise to kill her too. Reality began to push its way in, but her surroundings were unfamiliar, strange walls, furniture and doors, window blinds.
Her first instinct was to run, bolt away, but someone was stopping her, she couldn't bring herself to look at the owner of the large arms that was holding her down. She feared what she could see, her worst nightmare become reality.
She wasn't even sure what was real anymore, the dream felt so real.
"Breanna, its me...hey hey, look at me."
She knew that voice, but her mind was too much in a distort to trace its origin, her breathing labored she tried to fight him off her, as hard as she could, but he was stronger.
"Don't...h-hurt…me." She shrieked, like a plea mixed with a threat.
"Breanna, look at me, its me." His deep soothing voice called out to her again, turning so she could see, her hair was disheveled, everywhere on her face, slicked with sweat, she was panting.
Her eyes couldn't focus, she was still shaking, her heat was beating a thousand times per second.
"Its Maxwell." She felt the bed dip beside her, she knew he had climbed in. He held her close and tight, so she couldn't move, she tried to resist, but his hold tightened, craning his head over her, her face in his chest.
She shook uncontrollably in his arms. After a while, she pushed back a little and peered up from under her thick lashes, and the bird nest on her head, she sniffed as recognition flashed in her eyes.
"Profes-ssor?." She cried out. He released one arm and cleared her face, glistening with sweat, the room was mostly dark, except the little rays of light from the moon that came in through the blinds. Her lips quivered as her breathing began to regulate.
Her heart stopped its erratic beatings.
"Yeah?." He answered, smoothening down her hair, his hand ran through her silky wet curls detangling.
She sighed, his hands felt like magic, melting away her fears. He was probably a masseuse in another life.
"Is it r-real…..you?." She hiccuped, unable to stop herself from crying. He nodded with a pained expression in his eyes, it wasn't pity, it was something else she couldn't figure out.
She tried to speak again, but her hiccups didn't let her, her lips quivering, cheeks stained with tears. She looked around again, her surroundings finally setting in, she was in his house, he had brought her here from the hospital after she refused to return to the hospital.
Shoulders shaking, she tried to sit up again, she didn't want him to see her like this, pathetic and broken, it would only reinforce his notion that she needed therapy, and she did.
"Hey, calm down, calm down." He cooed, still holding unto her. She tried to speak, but her words betrayed her.
Cheeks flushed and ears pale, she shivered in his arms, sobbing loudly like a child whose candy was stolen - lips quivering, snot dripping from her nostrils. She fisted his shirt, holding on steadfastly for dear life.
"Its okay...…its okay…..shhhh, calm down okay, you're fine." He repeated as she cried into his chest. "You're fine, it was just a bad dream, its okay." Patting her softly on the back, till her shaking slowed down and her sobs quieted.
Through all kicking and pushing, she must have pulled a stitch, because her side started bleeding out again, it began to throb, holding back a wince as he tightened his hold on her.
A crease formed between his eyebrows when he noticed the bleed, he reached to one of the bed drawers and pulled out a small first aid kit, she was sure he had them all over his house unlike her.
"Hold still." He ordered and loosened the bandage, his calloused hand grazing gently and ever so softly on her skin, sending a million sparks through her body, like a burst of freshness. Breanna had never in a million years imagined his touch to be this gentle and soft a direct contrast to the big bad persona he had going on.
"Its not that bad, I don't think we need to go back to the hospital." He said out, examining the wound like it was a microbe under a microscope, then he proceeded to change the soiled bandage.
"Can you go back to sleep?." He asked when he was done, she started to shake her head but stopped abruptly. It was a little after four in the morning, he had an afternoon class to lecture the next day, it was unreasonable to keep him up. She nodded, giving him a weak yes. He arched an eyebrow at her, holding down his smirk.
"Are you sure?." He asked.
"Yes." She affirmed, more to herself than him.
He climbed off the bed slowly, while she shifted to lie back down, he helped her with the pillows and comforter, hovering.
His face was uncomfortably close, any slight movement from her and their lips would touch, the crazy thing was that she slightly wanted it to. She needed something to take her mind of what just happened and the adrenaline in her system. Her eyes darted up and they locked gaze.
She could see the battle in his eyes as his gaze fell on her lips, he lingered a second too long and she actually thought he would do something, but then a soft whimper behind them, followed by the silent creek of the door, stopped him.
She looked away shamefully, blinking rapidly. Not sure what suddenly came over her. Maybe it was all the adrenaline. It had been a very long day.
But she had never denied that he was an attractive man. The entire Charleston University knew it. Who was she to disagree?.
Maybe she wasn't so immune to his charms as she thought after all.
He looked over his shoulder and glared at the beast behind him.
Bear let out another whimper, his dark eyes shinning. "Awn...come here." She cooed, patting her lap, with a big smile on her face, as if she was not just near death a minute ago.
"No!, Bear stay!." Professor Maxwell declared, firmly.
She pouted with a small frown. "Why?....he just wants a belly rub."
"No, he is not allowed in here." He turned to the dog and pointed at the door. "Back to your bed." He instructed, but the dog barked at him and ignored his instruction, she giggled. Before Professor Caines could react, Bear was already on her lap. Breanna laughed loudly.
"I can't believe you Bear, after all I've done for you?."
Bear barked again, before going to lick Anna's face and he lifted his hands in surrender. "Careful with your side." He told her.
"Its fine, he's perfectly harmless." She cooed again.
"Just be careful." He said slowly, he was tired, she could tell. She felt bad for ruining his sleep, she had been nothing but a burden.
"You can go back to bed, I'll be fine." She offered, with a weak smile, but he was quick to shake his head, he pulled a chair close to the bed, sitting.
"I'll wait till you fall asleep." He said, Bear barked again. "We'll stay." He rephrased.
Breanna felt her heart dance.