Posted by Ensign Dradvia (Medical Officer) in One Step at a Time

Posted by Civilian Sisnil Zoi (Intelligence Consultant) in One Step at a Time

(snip)

Sisnsil lost the connection and wasn’t able to maintain his presence in the dream. Instead, he rushed across the hall in nothing but boxer underwear and overrode her door. Kneeling by her bed, he shook her shoulder. “Dee. Dee!”

~ Zoi

She screamed, thrashing against nonexistent restraints. She was screaming his name in her dream, but only desperate cries issued from her throat. The touch, the sound of his voice, her name startled her awake. She gasped, crying out, she moved across the bed, backing into a corner. She couldn’t breathe, and the sobs made it worse.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“Dee, look at me.” At least she was awake now. She just needed to try to calm down. He waited patiently. “Dee, it’s okay.”

~ Zoi

Wild, unfocused eyes lifted to his and then darted around the room. Stuck in the mix of memory and horror, she didn’t recognize where she was right away. The wheezing of her breath was harshly loud in the quiet room. Dradvia’s eyes landed back on him. A thread of fear pulsated through her; fear that he would disappear again like in her nightmare.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“I’m not going anywhere,” Sisnil said gently. “Come on, Dee. It’s okay.”

~ Zoi

Her fingers twitched like she was going to reach for him, but her dream played so vividly in her mind. The more she reached for him the further away he got. Maybe, if she stayed still he wouldn’t disappear again. His name came out a frightened whimper. The s just a breath of air caught on a sob, “Hish…nil.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil reached forward and took her hand. “It’s okay. I’m here, Dee. I promise.” He smiled. “Take your time.”

~ Zoi

Her hand latched on like a vice, her nails digging into the back of his hand. Dradvia tried to breathe slowly but it seemed impossible to make her lungs work. Then she was suddenly moving. She curled onto his lap, her face hidden against his chest, sobs shaking her body, but at least she was taking deeper breaths now. Don’t let go, don’t let him take me.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil hugged her tight. “It’s okay. I’m not letting go. I’m not going anywhere.” He said softly, rubbing her back gently with his free hand. Her nails dug in so hard they drew blood, but he didn’t react. He just let her hold on however she needed to.

~ Zoi

She curled tighter into him, like she could hide inside him. She tucked both arms between them, so his hand that was holding hers was tucked in between them as well. She couldn’t let go, afraid she would be taken away from him again.

It took awhile for the adrenaline to fade from her. She was exhausted after, but still she cried quietly, holding on desperately.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil just held her, breathing quietly with her. “I love you, Dee.”

~ Zoi

Dradvia burrowed closer to him. She couldn’t say it back. She felt it, he could tell, but she was afraid if she spoke it would shatter everything. If she said ‘I love you’ Lokhar would take her away again.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“He’s not here. He’ll never be here.” Sisnil said gently. “And if, somehow he does, I’m gonna get you Dee. I always do. I always will.”

~ Zoi

Her whole body shuddered and fresh tears started. They made his skin damp. She knew Sisnil was right. Lokhar was dead. The officers who rescued her told her so. She saw him shot, and one of them said he was dead. Still she was afraid the Syndicate would find her, but paralyzing terror filled her that somehow, some way, Lokhar would find her again, even in death. “It felt so real.” Her voice was heavily muffled, but she couldn’t move her head, she couldn’t look up. She wanted to stay there and hide.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“I know,” he said gently. “But it wasn’t. And I’m here now.”

~ Zoi

She nodded, the movement making her nuzzle in closer. She was quiet, seemed to finally be calming when she realized her nightmares had woken him up. Her heart cracked. Sisnil could feel it like it was his own. She should tell him to leave, she should get away from him to stop him from hearing it. He didn’t like it and didn’t want to know. He said so. Dradvia was too weak and too selfish to give up the safety of his arms, and that shattered her a little more.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil hadn’t just felt it like it was his, he’d seen it. Walked it. He wasn’t sure he should tell her that. “It’s okay, Dee. I love you. I’d do this every single night for you.”

~ Zoi

She swallowed hard, trying to find a way to have the strength to move away from him, but she couldn’t. “But you don’t want to, you said so.” She was a horrible person. She was torturing him, but she didn’t know how to stop it. “How can you love me? I’m horrible.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“Dee, I didn’t want to spoil a good night talking about it. This is different.” He looked at her and shook his head. “You’re not. You’re perfect.”

~ Zoi