5. Lean On Me

*Thanku for being patient lol I've finished one exam and I have another one in three days. Hope this is okay for you guys and thanku so much for all the comments on chapter 4!*

She woke up in such a state of shock that it took her a minute or so to remember where she even was. Her whole body was drenched with sweat once again as the nightmare slipped away with each waking minute. They'd been living with the Harlan family for almost three weeks now and she'd experienced the same horrific nightmare every time she slept. Breathing heavily she brought her hand up to her forehead and swept the blonde straggles of hair away from her glistening skin. Drake was nowhere to be seen. His side of the bed was crinkled but he was no longer laying there, which she found strange because he never left whilst she was sleeping. Not in recent times anyway. She glanced around the room slowly, the silence burrowing into her as she blinked. Her head was telling her not to be so needy and just go back to sleep but she desperately wanted him by her side. It comforted her more than anything else could at the moment. Huffing at herself and how silly she was being she threw the sheets back roughly and made her way up out of the basement.

It must have been growing close to midnight but the TV was still buzzing in the lounge room. It was the only source of light to guide her. Before she even reached the doorway she could hear Drake and Harlan talking. Her feet ceased movement for a second. They were in deep conversation and it'd be rude to interrupt. Wouldn't it? She was a grown woman, she didn't need someone to lay and hold her hand as she slept. Shaking her head dismissively she turned to walk away but his voice halted her.

"Nic?" Their conversation had paused momentarily and she didn't answer in hope that he hadn't heard her thoughts or movement. But he had and his next sentence confirmed that.

"Nicki, I know you're out there." It was something about the way he spoke when he was smiling. It was always obvious. "C'mere." He threw his hand out to the side and she could see it resting over the arm of the chair. That was the only invitation she needed. Holding her own hands shyly she crept into the room. Surprisingly Kristin was in there too, they were all up watching a movie by the looks of it.

"I didn't know where you were." She pushed her hair behind her ear and smiled shyly, displaying her dimples as he pulled her gently into his lap.

"Sorry." He kissed her temple. "You seemed okay when I left, I thought you'd be alright."

"I am and I was." She tried to convince him as she nodded. "I just woke up and you weren't there that's all."

"Is that why you feel all clammy?" His brow raised as he spoke.

He knew she'd had another nightmare. Not because he'd heard her thoughts but by the way she carried herself. Almost like a lost little girl. He hated that this was having such an impact on her.

"I was just hot and I wanna shower again before I go to sleep." She rubbed the stubble on his chin gently and moved to lay on him. Kristin and Harlan were oblivious to their whispered conversation as they spoke to one another on the opposite couch.

"Well, you're wearing like three layers of clothing. Maybe that's why?" He smiled and made her return the gesture weakly.

"Shut up. That bed is really lumpy, I need the extra cushioning."

"It's better than a floor though, right?"

"Hell yeah, you can say that again." She raised her brows thinking about all the long sleepless nights she spent trying to get comfortable on their hard floors. A lumpy bed beat that any day of the week.

"How's my little man doin'?" He placed his hand over the endless amount of layers covering her bump.

"He's fine." Looking up at him sweetly she smiled before placing her hand over his. "He was keeping me awake earlier."

"Oh? So you're keeping Mommy up now, is that what it is?"

She laughed quietly and yawned before talking. "Yeah, he was moving around like crazy."

"Really? That can happen this early?" His face showed the visible intrigue.

"Well I'm over halfway through the pregnancy, Aubrey." She folded her lips gently. "And Kristin said because of my size I'd be able to feel the movement more."

He nodded in understanding. "It doesn't bother you though, does it?"

"No, I like it." She blinked slowly, feeling the fatigue creeping up on her tired body. "It's kinda reassuring. It let's me know he's okay." His face saddened a little before he fixed it without her noticing.

"Wow. Three more months and he'll be here with us, can you believe that?"

"I know." She went silent as she thought about it. "And we might find out he's actually a girl."

"Never. I know he's a boy." He kissed the top of her head again.

"Aubrey, you're not gonna be disappointed if she's a girl are you?" Her little face looked so worried as she turned her head to peer up at him.

"If we're blessed with a boy or a girl, either way I'mma love him or her more than anything. Stop worrying so much."

"I was just making sure. I'ont want you to have your heart set on a boy and have him turn out to be a girl."

"I could never be disappointed." Squeezing her body to him gently he felt her relax against him even more.

Soon enough the room fell back into a comfortable silence as the television continued to flicker and light up the room. Nicki was beginning to feel more and more comfortable in the house, at first she felt like a burden but she'd been trying her best to help Kristin out as much as possible considering her weak state. Drake had been giving Harlan a hand now again too. It was their way of trying to repay them.

"We're gonna head up to bed now, could you just make sure everythin's locked up before you go back downstairs?"

"Yeah, sure." He smiled and nodded. "See you in the morning."

The couple stood up and left the room after everyone said goodnight, giving Nicki and Drake more freedom to speak about other things. Rotating her head slightly she looked up and studied he side of his face. There was something bothering him, she could tell. He'd been acting strange for the last couple of weeks now but she'd paid it no mind and decided to keep it to herself. She was fearful of crossing a boundary with him.

In his position, he could feel her staring up at him as she lay still. The light from the TV being reflected in her ice blue eyes. There was not even a slight indication as to what she was thinking. He had no idea. Over the past few weeks her mind had been completely unreadable and her thoughts inaudible to him. Almost as if there was a hazy cloud blocking him from her inner most private notions. It was starting to worry him.

"Aubrey?"

He glanced down at the sound of his name. "What's up?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He smiled as convincingly as he could. "C'mon, we should go shower now before everyone's asleep." Nudging her gently he helped her to stand before aiding her up the stairs. She still hadn't gained an adequate amount of weight in Kristin's eyes but she was a less lethargic than she had been and that was progress in Drake's opinion.

"You washing your hair?" He asked as he pulled some towels off of the rack.

"No." Shaking her head she began undressing slowly and took a seat on the lid of the toilet before Drake moved over to assist her. It was times like these when she felt like a complete invalid. A hinderance. He removed her clothes and helped her to stand again prior to starting the shower.

As soon as they were behind the glass doors of the shower, she let the warm water ease the muscles on her back and shoulders. This pregnancy was taxing on her body in more ways than one. Standing still under the beating water she shut her eyes and enjoyed the feeling. Drake grabbed the body wash from the hanging basket and put some in his hand before giving it to her over his shoulder. She did the same and started slowly massaging the suds into the skin on her bump. There was something about this shower time moment that was different though. He was stood with his back to her as she tried to figure out what was going on in his head. He was an expert at hiding what needed to be hidden.

His mind remained troubled whilst he lathered up arms and chest with the body wash. His head was completely out of the moment but he was soon brought back to reality when he felt her small hands on his back as she began rubbing the soapy substance over his skin. Soon following were her soft lips as she kissed him multiple times in various places. He wasn't quite sure where this was leading but before he could even come up with any scenarios she rested the side of her head on his back, wrapping her arms gently around his torso and inching closer to until her bump was pressed firmly against the base of his spine. She wished he'd open up to her sometimes. She hated having to search his mind for herself, it felt invasive and there was an extreme lack of trust whenever that happened. Although they were always an affectionate couple, he figured she was only initiating contact right now because she wanted to know what he was feeling. Physical contact strengthened the ability to access another's thoughts.

"Nicki."

"Please, talk to me Aubrey."

"I already told you, babe. I'm fine." He turned around, still in her hold. "Let me wash your back so we can go to bed and you can get some more sleep."

She didn't protest in fear of making him bottle up even more. Instead she did as he asked and reluctantly turned her back to him. She hated for him to see the state she'd been permanently left in. It wasn't just a reminder for her but for him too. She managed to relax a little when he began washing her, letting his fingers trace over the marks of another Vampire. The anger he felt whenever he saw the scars was beyond any anger he'd ever felt before. How anyone could inflict so much pain on another person was a mystery to him. Especially someone who claimed to love the individual they'd harmed.

They stayed quiet, rinsing one another under the water before they headed back downstairs in their towels. Thankfully the house was heated almost twenty-four seven. Just how Nicki liked it, even more so since her body was unable to keep her naturally warm. Another Vampire trait emphasised in fiction. Not all of them were cold. Just some.

"Throw me that shirt would you?" She wrinkled her brow and watched him pick his t-shirt up before taking it over to her.

"This one?"

"Yeah, thanks." She dropped the towel, standing stark naked as she pulled his old shirt over her head. "And can you pass me-"

Before she could ask she felt a pair of panties being thrown at her as he grinned from the end of the bed.

"Thank you." Smirking sweetly she stepped into them and pulled them up before climbing into the bed. She was going to get to the bottom of his weird behaviour. It'd be her mission from this moment onward.

"You comfy?" Seeing her nod and pull the covers up around herself, he stood and knocked the lights off before climbing in with her. The instant he was secured under the sheets she shuffled close to him and moved up towards the headboard some more. They lay in silence for a while, her hands smoothing over the soft curls on his head whilst they listened to the sounds of traffic that could be heard clearly.

"Why won't you let me in?"

"What?" He stared up at her with a fake look of confusion. He knew exactly what she meant and she was going tease it out of him. She wanted to be there for him like he was there for her. Reversing the roles so that she was now the crutch and he was leaning on her.

"You're blocking me out. You don't want me to know something." She kept running her nails cautiously through the curls on his head, pulling him closer to her. "Tell me."

At that moment he was ready to let it spill, the security of her embrace as his head remained cushioned by her chest was a feeling he'd been longing for. "I'm just worried is all."

"About us? The baby?" She continued to trace her fingers of his scalp and the side of his face. "What, Aubrey?"

"Just all of this. How it's gonna pan out, y'know?" He covered his dishonesty well. Pushing the real issue to the back of his mind. "But that's nothin' you should be worryin' about, okay?" He wrapped his arm around her and squeezed gently. "I'll figure somethin' out, I promise."

"You don't have to deal with this on your own, Aubrey."

"I'm not layin' anymore stress on you, Nic. You heard what Kristin said. We gotta focus on gettin' you back to full health, ready for when this little one gets here." He rubbed her stomach soothingly. "You come first in all of this." He kissed the skin between her breasts, it was only accessible because of how large his shirt was on her diminishing frame.

"I don't know what I did to deserve you." Moving her face down a little, she kissed his head affectionately. The curls tickling her chin as she pulled away. "I love you." He uttered the words back immediately, they were muffled by the skin of her chest but she heard them loud and clear.

They remained in the same position for a while until the chilly air began to bite at the skin on her arms whilst she slept. Unconsciously seeking the warmth of his body and the bed sheets she moved away and settled her back to his torso and pulled the covers up around herself. His arm automatically took its place over her side. Finally he could think properly without having to shield his worries from her. He wasn't even completely sure if it was something that he even needed to worry about but the things he'd heard about this particular worry of his were making him uneasy.  The endless thoughts circulating his head led back to one guilty feeling. He'd let her down. He was supposed to be taking care of her and protecting her but so far he'd managed to do neither. He'd failed her and their unborn child.

"You have never let me down." Her dry voice startled him as she moved her hand up to hold his. "You have to stop thinking like that, 'Brey." She turned to face him once again. The exhaustion present in her face. "None of this is your fault, nobody could have predicted this was gonna happen. Stop blaming yourself."

At the sight of her filling up he dismissed his own troubles and pulled her to him. "It's fucked up." After pressing his lips to her head he sighed loudly. "Go to sleep, we'll talk in the morning."

He didn't have to tell her twice. She was still physically, mentally and emotionally worn out. Thus she was asleep again within minutes. Her state of health, combined with this newfound inability for her thoughts to be heard, only pointed to one possible answer for him. The clouded mind was something he knew to occur only in those who were fading away.

Those who were dying.

...

*Oh my God. Guys. I'm sorry, I don't even know what's wrong with me right now lol I struggled so much again with this chapter and it seems reeeeaaaally boring :( I apologise. BUT my next post should be an improvement because uni will be finished and I won't have any upcoming exams :D Anywho, I hope this was at least bearable!! And once again, if there are any like, diehard Vampire fans reading this I am the writer so I get to make all this stuff up :3 Lol so sorry if their traits don't depict what you imagine to be a true vampire*

4. Building Bridges

The silence partnered with his shocked gaze was beginning to make her feel uneasy.

"Aubrey, stop it." Avoiding eye contact she shyly pulled her towel back around herself and looked down at her feet. His mind was unreadable to her at that point which made her feel even more self-conscious. She had no idea what he was thinking.

"Nicki, why didn't you tell me?" He edged closer to her and pulled the towel away gently. Needless to say she covered herself with her hands the moment she became visible to him again.

"And say what?" Her voice quivered as she spoke.

"That you were hurtin'. You were hungry."

"You already had too much on your mind, I didn't wanna lay another problem on you."

"I would have dropped everythin' to help you, Nic." He removed her hands from shielding her body and studied her frail figure. This definitely wasn't the body of a healthy pregnant female and they both knew it. "Next time somethin' like this is goin' on I want you to promise me that you'll tell me straight away, okay?"

She nodded tearfully. "I promise." She felt him embrace her securely, the first time in months that their bodies had been in contact. His skin against hers. As soon as he felt her exhale against his chest her kissed her head and pulled away to do the same to her lips.

"I'll help you into the tub and then I'mma go see if they have anythin' to put on these." He gently grazed his fingers over the sores on her hips and elbows. "They're not even healin', how long've they been there?"

She shrugged. "Since we been sleepin' on the floor, I guess."

The guilt he felt was immense as he looked over her dishevelled body. Ever since he found out she was pregnant he was too afraid to leave her home alone with all the raids going on. Eventually he quit his job and selling their belongings was how they managed to keep money in order to pay rent. The last piece of furniture they had was the bed and after selling that they had no choice but to sleep on a blanket. It felt uncomfortable even for him to lay on, so he could only imagine how much it hurt for her. In the end he refused to lay on it and folded it over to double the cushioning for her. She protested greatly but he wouldn't take no for an answer. Strictly speaking, he didn't even need to lay on it. He didn't sleep.

He kept to his word and aided her into the tub before heading downstairs once he was re-clothed. The moment his feet hit the steps he could hear another voice in the kitchen. Two others in fact.

"Oh, there you are." He smiled and set the young boy in his arms down. "I was just coming down to ask y'all what you wanted for dinner tonight, it'd be nice if you joined us. Kristin came home early, picked Jackson up on the way."

"Oh, thank you." He inched into the kitchen some more. "Whatever's on the menu for you guys will suit us just fine."

"Great, then I can make a start." He rubbed his hands together eagerly before looking down at the boy. "Ain't you gonna say hello?" They all guessed the answer to that when he shyly hid behind his Father's legs after Drake smiled at him. "Now he's pretendin' to be all shy." He shook his head and laughed. "Anyhow, was there somethin' you needed?"

"Yeah, you got any anti-septic fluid or wipes or somethin'?" He wrinkled his face up hopefully and buried his hands in his pockets. At the mentioning of something medicine-related, Kristin brought her head up from sewing a pair of tiny pants.

"Anti-septic? What do yo need that for?"

"Just a few cuts, it's nothin' really." He tried to downplay the situation.

"Is it for you?" Kristin asked as she stood.

"Actually, no. It's for Nicki." 

Harlan switched his gaze between his wife and Drake before deciding to make a suggestion. "Is it serious? You know, Kristin's a nurse. If you want her to take a look I'm sure she won't mind."

The moment those words left his lips she gave him the dirtiest look he'd ever seen, immediately making him feel like a hassle.

"No, really it's fine. I'ont think Nic would wanna cause a fuss anyway."

Kristin huffed angrily at her husband before opening the kitchen cabinet filled with medicine and a first aid kit. "No, I'll do it."

"Well, I don't wanna impose and obviously it's gon' be a huge issue for you so the anti-septic will be fine. Thank you." His cold words washed over her, making her feel small.

"I'm sorry." She shook her head. "I honestly don't mind, it's just been a long day is all." Her sincere words didn't go unnoticed as he just stared for a while before smiling back at her gratefully.

She followed him up the stairs and to the bathroom before he stopped her at the door.

"I'll just make sure she's okay with this first."

"And what if she's not?"

"I'll make sure she is."

He disappeared into the bathroom and was met with her attempting to climb of the tub before he rushed over to help her.

"Whattya doin'? I said wait 'til I get back."

"I know but sittin' like that was hurtin' my back." She secured the towel around her dripping body. "Did you get the anti-septic stuff?"

"Yeah, but Kristin's a nurse and she said she'd take a look at you. Check you over and stuff."

"No, I'ont wanna be any trouble."

"Nicki. Think about our baby." He placed his hand on her bump. "You don't wanna make sure he's okay?"

"He's fine."

"Just 'cause you can hear his heartbeat don't mean he's okay, Nic."

There was silence as she stared up at him before moving her gaze down to her bump. She knew he was right. "Okay, but help me put my underwear on first."

He complied with her wishes and let her sit on the lid of the toilet before letting Kristin in. She wasn't fully prepared for what her eyes with greeted with. She felt her mouth instantly gape as she clutched at the first aid kit.

"I'ont really know for sure but I think they're from layin' on the hard floor." He moved over to stand by Nicki's side as Kristin crouched down, still looking over the painful looking wounds.

"I'd say that's what they'd be from." Moving her focus from Drake to Nicki she tried to make eye contact but Nicki held her gaze anywhere away from Kristin's view. She looked scared and ashamed.

"Usually they'd heal pretty fast but they're not shiftin'." 

"Yeah, they don't look too great do they?" She cooed sympathetically before setting the kit down and opening it. "Do you mind?"

Nicki simply shook her head no and looked up at Drake nervously. He'd completely forgotten that she could read Kristin's thoughts.

"Aubrey, she thinks something's wrong."

"What?"

"Kristin."

Completely unaware of their undetectable conversation, Kristin proceeded to dab at the weeping wounds as gently as she could. Nicki still kept flinching away every few seconds, indicating just how painful they really were. Her whole opinion of these two strangers was changing at a rapid pace.

"So aside from the obvious, is everythin' okay with her?"

"Yeah, she's goin' to be alright. For a start, having a nice bed to sleep in will do her the world of good."

"She's lying."

He shook his head at her fretful mind, catching Kristin's attention. "I'm sorry, did you say somethin'?"

"No, but I do know that there's somethin' wrong and you ain't tellin' us."

She didn't speak and only carried on wiping at the tender skin on Nicki's hip bone before moving to her elbows. "Look, I might be speakin' out of turn here, but Nicki's very underweight for a pregnant woman. I mean, it's not very healthy for the mother or baby, especially the further along you get." She finished up cleaning the wounds and stood. "How far along are you?" She was looking at Nicki but Drake's voice answered her question.

"We don't really know, we think maybe around five months." He shrugged and handed Nicki a towel before watching her quickly bury herself in it. 

"See, I don't know nearly enough about Vampires or Vampire anatomy but I do know that she needs to get stronger before her due date arrives. She'll need all the strength she can get." Folding her lips she stepped back and crossed her arms. "Was that all you wanted me to look at?" Once again Nicki remained silent as Drake jumped in to answer the question.

"Yeah, I think that's it." He looked back at Nicki. "You got any on your back or anywhere else?"

She nodded her head yes and tightened the towel around herself. "But I'ont want her to do it though."

Acknowledging her mental request he looked back at Kristin's intrugued face. She'd been watching them the whole time. There's was something strangely fascinating about the way they interacted.

"I can handle the rest, we'll let'chu get back to what you were doin'." He smiled and rubbed Nicki's back. "Thanks for checking her over."

"It's no problem, I'll leave you both to it." She spoke suspiciously before setting the kit down and heading out of the bathroom. She wanted to be safe and check her elsewhere but didn't want to overstep the mark and seem pushy. Surely if they wanted help they'd ask for it. Feeling confident in her thoughts she made her way back downstairs to help Harlan with dinner.



The day had gone by quick and after showering and bathing, Nicki and Drake were back in the basement. He knew there was something on her mind, but it was clouded. He couldn't tell what she was thinking.

"Y'know, Harlan asked us to go eat upstairs with them tonight? You feelin' up to it?"

"I guess. As long as they don't mind."

"Good. And I'm sure they won't." He kissed the back of her head. She was sat in between his legs on the bed, still wrapped in only her towel. "You want me to put this cream on now?"

"Yeah, I wanna get dressed." She answered him whilst shrugging out of the towel. He knew why she didn't want Kristin touching her back but he always tried his best not to draw attention to it. The silvery lines still marked her skin. Etched in permanently as horrific reminders. The only thing he was glad of was the fact that they were on her back, the part of her body she had difficulty viewing. Otherwise he feared she'd always be reminded of those memories.

"Are they really sore?"

"Well, my back ain't too bad 'cause I don't lay on it much but it still hurts."

He frowned sympathetically as he rubbed the cream into her skin cautiously, making sure it covered every wound. "They'll be gone in no time." Screwing the lid back on he tossed the tube to the side and wrapped his arms around her, resting his hands gently on her bump. "We're gon' be okay, Nic."

"I hope you're right." Laying her head back she lay her hands over his, encouraging them to continue massaging her abdomen the way he was. It was strangely comforting to her.


***

"I'm just sayin' they're a little odd is all." Kristin spoke in a hushed whisper as she chopped the carrots. She'd just been explaining to her husband the weird behaviour she witnessed in the bathroom.

"Well, they prolly think we're pretty strange too. They might know as much about humans as we do about Vampires." He laughed as he sat Jackson at the table.

"Yeah, but she hardly even spoke." Pausing momentarily she frowned harshly. "Actually, she didn't even speak at all. Not one word."

"So she's a lil' shy. Do you blame her?"

"Do you think she's a mute?" Her question was serious but it still managed to make her husband laugh. "I don't find anythin' funny, Dave."

"I heard her talk last night. She's definitely not a mute." He made his way over to where she was preparing food and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "Stop worryin' about it. They'll settle in soon."

"You didn't see how bad it was though." She sighed. "I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if the foetus was still."

He pulled away from her slowly. "Wow, it was really that bad?"

"Well, she's definitely not in the best condition but I don't know, it could be different for them."

"How'd they take it when you told'm that?" He took a seat next to his son, once again managing to escape the responsibility of making dinner without her noticing.

"Oh God, are you insane? I didn't tell them about the baby." She shook her head. "I explained about her health though. If she doesn't improve before her due date I honestly don't think she stands a chance survivin' labor."

"You can help her though, right?"

"I can try but I just get this weird vibe from her, y'know? I don't think she likes me too much."

"And you wonder why?" He raised his brow as he stared at her back. "You were pretty stand-offish last night."

"I know." She exhaled miserably. "I didn't mean to seem so horrible, it's just the fact that you know how I feel about Vampires yet you still brought them back here."

"I'm sorry. I owed him big time and I wasn't about to turn them away, they had nowhere else to go."

"Yeah I figured. He said they'd been sleepin' on the floor." She moved the chopping board aside and began washing her hands. "That's what all her sores are from. They look like pressure wounds." Not hearing a reply from him she turned to face him only to be met with his smug smirk. "What?"

"You're startin' to like them aren't you?"

"No, Dave. My feelin's towards them are exactly the same as before. They're cold, merciless killers."

"So why'd you go outta your way to find that book for Nicki last night?" She didn't answer. "And just now, you've spent all this time talkin' about them and you was upstairs helpin' them."

"Alright." She silenced him. "Alright, so maybe I'm warmin' to them, it doesn't mean I'm a lover of Vampires now. I just...I feel bad for them, okay?"

"So now you know how I felt."

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yes, now I know how you felt." Turning around to face him she smiled little. "I'm sorry I was actin' so harshly towards you. Do you forgive me?"

"Oh, I don't know. I'll have to think about it." He tried to remain serious but the moment she threw a carrot at him he started laughing. "Yes, yes I forgive you! Stop wastin' my food dammit."

"I hope we're not interruptin' anythin'?" Drake smiled as the walked through the door frame. A little family banter was something they were both in desperate need of right now.

"No of course not, we're just preparin' dinner." He smiled and stood up.

"Oh, word? We're just preparin' dinner? I'ont see you doin' anythin'." She shook her head and smiled at Nicki, only receiving a small shy one in return but it was a start. She knew she had to build bridges with her, especially if they were staying for a while.

"Sorry, Kristin's preparin' dinner." He corrected himself and suddenly remembered. "Oh, before I forget, I found that old map you was askin' about a while ago. It's out in the garage, you wanna come take a look?"

"Sure, that'd be great." He let go of Nicki's hand and looked at her warmly. "You'll be okay, I'll be two minutes. Go talk to Kristin, you guys might even get along. You never know." 

She didn't even get chance to sy anything back before he left the room after Harlan. The kitchen was thrown into an uncomfortable silence. Only the bubbling pans were disturbing the quietness.

"Oh, I should probably introduce you." She set the tea towel down and moved over to the table. "Nicki, this is our son, Jackson. You gon' say hello?" Looking down at him she laughed when he just smiled. "He's not normally this shy, you'll soon find that out for yourself though."

Once again the silence consumed the room. Obviously not for Nicki though. She could hear every thought running through Kristin's mind. It made her feel bad in the end. She was trying so hard to think of something to say so Nicki made it a little easier for her.

"This is a really nice place you have."

"Oh." She blinked, half shocked she'd even spoken to her. "Thank you, we've had it for a while now. Only place Jackson has ever called home actually." Suddenly noticing she was still standing she pulled a chair out. "Please, sit down. I'm about to serve dinner."

"Thank you." Taking a seat next to Jackson, she couldn't help but smile at his cheeky face. He was really cute.

"I hope y'all like steak. It's Dave's favorite so you're bound to be eatin' it an awful lot whilst you're stayin' with us." Like before, there was only silence. "Look, before we go any further I just wanna say sorry for the way I behaved yesterday. I never meant to make you feel this uncomfortable and had I known how rough things have been for you both I would taken that into consideration."

"It's okay, I understand." She smiled up at her.

"Oh my God. She hates me." She let her mind fill up with uncertain negative thoughts as Nicki responded without thinking.

"I don't hate you."

"Excuse me?" She turned around quickly. "Did you just..." There was a long pause. "Can you hear what I'm thinking?" Her face was written with pure amazement.

"I'm sorry." She shifted nervously. "I can't help it or ignore it and I honestly don't mean to. I hope you don't think I'm invading your privacy or anything?"

"No...I'm just..." She stopped again and moved to sit down quickly. "I'm just fascinated. So, you can really tell what I'm thinking right now?"

"Every thought."

"Tell me." She smiled after seeing Nicki smile for the first time. Her dimples were adorable.

"You want Harlan to bring up a spare chair from the garage."

"Oh my God. You're good." Her eyes widened dramatically. "See, I never knew that about you guys." She stalled momentarily. "In fact, I know next to nothing about Vampires. My opinion is based on memories and experiences."

"Maybe we were brought here for a reason?" She shrugged sweetly. "But technically speaking, not all of us can do that."

"So, Drake? He can't read minds?"

"No he can. Just other Vampires."

"Does he have some special gift too?" Her innocently naive question made Nicki smile.

"I guess he has pretty good hearing, but then again, anyone with ears that size would."

"You better not be talkin' 'bout my ears." He laughed as he re-entered the room. Seeing her smile was easing his troubled mind beyond words could even describe. Sitting down next to her, he grabbed her hand under the table and squeezed it gently.

"Of course not. We have better things to be discussing than the size of your anatomical parts."

"Word?"

"Oh my God. Aubrey please, shut up." She shook her head discreetly whilst trying not to laugh. Things were finally starting to look up.


Or so she thought.


...

* Hope this was alright, I think it might be like Tinker Life and only be a short fic. Maybe two or three more chapters but I hope it was okay for whoever reads this :) Like I said before, I've never really written something as fictional as this :/ but I was just trying something new. ALSO there is more drama coming as the cliffhanger ending to this would indicate lol but there will be a flashback explaining the scars on her back too.*

3. Safe

*Thanks for the comments, I hope this is okay :) It drags on a bit, so I'll apologise now lol*

Nicki and Drake were still for a moment, Kristin's words only just registering with their ears.

"Kristin-"

"No, Dave!" She cut her husband off immediately and got to her feet. "There is no way in Hell they're stayin' here. I hope you didn't unpack. Excuse me." She pushed between them all and marched through the hallway and up the stairs, slamming her door behind her. The silence rang out in their ears.

"Drake, I'm so-"

"It's fine, Harlan. It's nothin' you coulda helped." He nodded with his lips folded as Nicki grasped at his hand reassuringly. She looked so scared and it was stabbing at his heart with such a force, he had no idea what to do.

"Aubrey, what are we gonna do now?" Her soft voice entered his mind as she initiated a private conversation.

"We'll think of somethin', don't worry." He squeezed her hand and decided to open his mouth and remove the awkward silence that Harlan had been suspended in. "I guess, we'll go pack our things up and get outta your hair." He forced a disappointed smile and led Nicki out of the room behind him. But Harlan wasn't about to let Kristin rule the roost like this. Last time he checked, he had a say in what happened in this household too.

"Don't unpack anythin' yet. I'mma go talk to her but I can't make no promises, you understand?"

"It's okay. She obviously doesn't want us here, we understand that." Harlan was shocked that Nicki had opened her mouth to answer him, he hadn't heard her talk properly until now. He would have guessed she was a mute or something.

"It's our house. I have a say in what goes too lil' lady." He smiled and watched them share a look before heading back downstairs as he prepared to face his angry wife.

Reaching the end of the stairs, Drake turned to see Nicki sat in tears on the edge of the bed.

"Please don't cry, Nic." He sighed and crouched before her. "I hate seein' you like this."

"I'm so scared, Aubrey. Where are we supposed to go?" She wiped her eyes with one hand as he held her other.

"I'm not gon' let anythin' happen to you, either of you. Okay?"

"You can't keep that promise though."

"Not if you don't trust me." He paused, studying her distraught and teary face. "You trust me, don't you?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"Good, then we'll be fine." He stood and kissed her head on the way up. "I'ont want you to worry 'bout anythin'. It's not good for you, or the baby."

"I know." She let her hands glide over her bump and rest gently on it. "I just wish things were different."

"Yeah, me too." He looked down, feeling bad. "I'mma start gettin' our stuff together, you wanna get some more sleep?"

"I think I might have to." She edged back and settled in the centre of the bed before laying down. He knew within seconds she'd be sleeping and he was right. The next time he turned around she was out like a spark. He smiled down at her before covering her up and continuing to collect all their stuff that he'd stupidly unpacked.

Upstairs the tension was rising and Harlan had just about had enough.

"Did you see her face, Kristin? She's pregnant for God's sakes and you're really about to have them thrown out on the street?"

"I am not havin' a pair of Vampires under my roof, Dave." She breathed out slowly and let her eyes connect with his. "They had better be gone by the time I get downstairs."

Thinking quickly he decided to take a different approach to this situation. He shrugged nonchalantly and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I said they can stay."

"And I'm tellin' you they are not staying here." Her nostrils flared as she spoke authoritatively.

"Well, you better go and tell them then." Not looking at her expression he started removing his watch and shoes, preparing for bed as she sat in shock.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Kris. You want them gone, then you go tell them to leave." He disappeared back into the ensuite bathroom and heard her huffing before stomping her way out of the bedroom and down the stairs. He just hoped this idea would work.


As he gathered up their toiletries in the small bathroom they had, he could hear her whimpering in her sleep. He'd grown kind of accustomed to it now, having lay by her side all night and every night as she slept. But seeing her having to experience it every time she snoozed was beginning to take its toll on him. God only knows what it was doing to her. Quickly dropping the bag by the door frame he moved over to where she lay and tried to wake her up without shocking her. Every inch of her body was was dripping with sweat, her forehead decorated by her blond locks as they stuck to her clammy skin.

"Nic? Baby, wake up." He shook her gently. "Nicki." Sweeping the hair from her face he continued to say her name, hoping to bring her out of the nightmare. "Onika." He jumped slightly when she finally awoke with a gasp, her heart was beating fast as she tried to recover. "You're okay, c'mere." Her small body shook against him as he embraced her. "You were just dreamin'."

"But it feels so real every time." She cried into his chest.

"It was the same one again?" He heard her shudder before answering.

"It's always the same one."

His heart dropped, the same dream still haunting her. "It's just a dream, Nic. I promise you that ain't gon' happen."

"But I can't lose you, Aubrey. I don't know what I'd do if that happened. If I lose you, I lose everything." She sniffled, finally calming a little in his arms.

"I'm not goin' anywhere." He held her more firmly in attempt to re-ensure some sort of security. It worked. As soon as he tightened his hold on her he felt her breathing slow down gradually as her eyes grew heavier.

Stood in the stair doorway, Kristin had witnessed everything. She knew deep down that these people didn't have a bad bone in their bodies but her memories of Vampires were too painful to cover up. Having an internal fight with her heart and mind, she rolled her eyes angrily at herself and knocked lightly on the half open door.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure." He shifted slightly, Nicki still sleeping in his embrace. "I'm still tryna pack everythin' up, I just have-"

"It's fine." She cut him off, this time more sincerely.

"I'll get on with it as soon as she's calmed down. Then we'll be gone."

"No, I mean it's fine." She crossed her arms and sighed. "You can stay."

His face showed the evident confusion as he gently let Nicki out of his grasp, making his way over to where she stood. "You really mean that?"

"Yeah. But just until you've figured out what you're gonna do and where you're gonna go." She made sure to let him know she was still maintaining her feelings about this situation. "Stay as long as you need though."

He clasped his hands togther gratefully. "Thank you so much." The largest weight was lifted from his shoulders as she nodded in acknowledgement. She quickly changed the subject after seeing Nicki jolt a little in her sleep.

"Does that happen often?" She tilted her head in the direction of the bed, causing Drake to turn and look too. "The nightmares, I mean?"

"Every time she sleeps." He rubbed his head feeling helpless. "I don't know what else to do for her."

The worry and sadness in his voice pulled at yet another one of her heart strings. She could tell how much they loved one another. It was a kind of love she'd never seen before and that was the only thing  working in their favour. Had she not witnessed that scene moments ago she wouldn't have thought twice about barging straight in here and telling them to leave. But her heart was too kind.

"I'm sorry about how icy I came off earlier. It's just somethin' I feel extremely strongly about." She made eye contact, his eyes were enticing. "But I have my reasons though."

"Can I ask what those reasons are?"

She was still for a second. Her mind flashing through the terrible images stored in her memory, never to be forgotten.

"I lost my sister a couple years ago." She paused. "She was on her way over here when she was attacked and killed-"

"By a Vampire." He knowingly finished her sentence off, his voice sounded grim. "I'm so sorry to hear that." Noticing the grief was still very much present he touched her arm gently. She was nodding profusely, trying to prevent the tears from falling.

"Ever since then, I've had no tolerence for your kind."

"I understand that, but what made you change your mind about us?"

"I haven't changed my mind." She affirmed. "But I can see how kind you are. That, and you saved my son's life. I'm forever indebted to you for that. Thank you."

"Anyone in my position woulda done the same." He tried to shyly brush off his bravery. But she wasn't going to let him have the last word. Something he'd already learned about her strong personality.

"No, they wouldn't. If it wasn't for you, my son would be dead. I can only return the favour." She smiled weakly and took a step back. "Anyway, it's late so I'm gonna letchu get settled."

"Thanks, we'll see you in the mornin'." He half smiled and watched her leave before sitting quickly on the side of the bed. The relief he was feeling was unmatched.


As soon as she made it back to her room she opened the door to find Harlan sat upright, readin. He'd obviously been waiting.

"I hate you."

"What I do now?" He smirked when her back was turned. He knew she wouldn't be able to carry through with it. She was a softy at heart.

"You set that up, you knew I wouldn't be able to do it."

"Well, you seemed pretty serious. For a minute there I didn't think you had a heart."

"I swear to you, Dave." Looking him in the eye as she climbed under the covers she pointed at him sternly. "If they put one toe outta line, they're gone. And if I think at any point my family is in danger, I will show no hesitation in calling the police."

"They're good people, Kristin."

"Well, let's just hope your judgement skills are on point." Trying to stay angry at him she snatched the quilt over herself and lay on her side, facing away from him. His little plan was a success. "And you can wipe that stupid grin off of your face right now, before I do it for you."

"Night, Kristin."

***

The next morning felt like a breath of fresh air for Drake. His mind finally felt more at ease knowing that they had somewhere safe to stay for as long as they needed. After dealing with his morning rituals he headed up the stairs, careful not to wake Nicki. Harlan was the only one home, sat at the table as he scoffed a cooked breakfast.

"Nobody's gon' steal it, Harlan." He laughed a little before sitting down.

"I'm starved, I ain't think Kris was gonna cook me anythin' after last night." Continuing to eat he looked up a Drake.

"I can't thank you enough for everythin' you've done for us."

"I thought we already talked 'bout this. I owed you, now we're even. Let's leave it at that." He finished up his breakfast and lay the cutlery on the plate. "Coffee?"

"Thanks." Remaining seated he waited patiently for Harlan to sit down again with two cups of coffee.

"I didn't know you guys could drink and stuff."

Drake couldn't help but laugh. "You watch too many movies. Of course we drink."

"Blood?"

"Well, it's a main energy source. Yeah."

"Word? So y'all actually drink blood?" His face was a picture right now.

"Not human blood, don't worry."

"Good, you was beginnin' to scare me there." He chuckled nervously and sipped his drink. "Nicki's not comin' up?"

"Nah, she's sleepin'. I'ont wanna wake her, she's so exhausted."

"Maybe havin' somewhere solid to stay'll help her stop stressin'. Ease up the nightmares a bit." He nodded matter of factly as Drake's face frowned a little.

"Kristin told you 'bout her nightmares?"

"Yeah, she discreetly left this out this mornin'." Standing up he moved over to the counter and picked up a small book. "After Kris lost her sister, she had the worst time tryna sleep 'cause of the dreams she'd have. This helped the most outta anythin' we tried."

"Thanks." Drake took the book from his hands and studied the front intently as he read. Then something else entered his mind. "Wait, you said Kristin left this out?"

"Yeah." He smirked. "Not as mean as she makes out, huh? She must've searched high and low for that thing, last time I seen it was up in the loft a few months ago."

"Yeah, she told me what happened to her sister. I can't imagine how hard that musta been for her."

"It was tough on everyone but Kristin hit rock bottom. She was pregnant at the time, almost lost Jackson."

"But everythin's okay now, right?"

"Yeah, I mean we all miss her but we're okay. And Jackson's fine, he was just arrived a lil' early."

"Where is Jackson?" He suddenly realised he hadn't even seen the boy yet.

"I gotta go pick him up from my Mom's in about an hour, so prepare yourself to be bombarded with questions from a five year old." He laughed and finished the last of what was in his cup.

"We're cool with that, but thanks for the warnin'." Mimicking his laugh Drake stood up slowly. "I'mma go check on Nic. Is it alright if we use your bathroom later?"

"Make yourself at home, there's no lock on the door though. Jackson kept gettin' locked in."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

After clearing both of their cups away he made his way back downstairs to see Nicki. This time she was awake.

"Morning, sleepyhead." He climbed on to the bed next to her and kissed her head as she stretched and yawned. "You sleep okay?"

"I guess. Well, better than usual anyway." Quickly sitting up she squinted at the clock on her nightstand. "Shit, Drake. When are supposed to leave?"

"Whenever we want to."

"What?" She turned to face him slowly. Her eyes still looked tired as she tried to read his facial expression and tone of voice.

"Last night after you fell asleep Kristin came down to talk to us. She said we could stay."

"Please tell me you're not jokin' around?"

"All truth, babe."

"Oh my God." She sighed loudly with relief. "Why'd she change her mind?"

"I don't really know. But I'm not gonna question it. So, we'll be fine here 'til we decide what to do next." He kissed her head again and smiled when he felt her relax into his side. "You wanna go take a shower?"

"I've been desperate to shower for the longest time." She laughed lazily into his shirt. "Do they have a bath?"

"I'ont know, we have a toilet and sink in here but we have to use their bathroom to shower and stuff."

"Will they mind?" She glanced up at him.

"Harlan already gave me the all clear." He smiled. "He gave me this too." Holding the book up he let her take it from him.

"What is it?"

"I bunch of things we can do to stop you havin' that nightmare."

"Aubrey, you told them?" She looked upset.

"No, you was havin' one when Kristin came down last night. She went and found the book for you."

"So she's not as horrible as she makes out then?"

He laughed. "No, just a lil' scarred."

"Scarred?" Her face contorted curiously as she stared up at him.

"Her sister was killed by a Vampire."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Kinda makes sense now, right?"

"Mhm, that's horrible."

There was a long silence as they both thought about the last couple of days. Now they were finally able to eat, sleep and shower in a safe place.

"Anyway, let's go get cleaned up. We stink."

Hearing her laugh for the first time in ages made him smile. He just hoped this would take away some of the stress and angst she was feeling, there was no way that could be any good for her or the baby.

***

"There's no lock?" She stood staring at the closed door as Drake filled the tub.

"No, Harlan said Jackson kept lockin' himself in. It'll be fine."

"What if someone walks in on us?"

"Then I guess they'll see us in all glory." He laughed as she deadened her face.

"I'ont know what you're braggin' about, sir."

"Don't lie, Onika." Her small smirk made him smile. "You love it when I'm naked."

"Shut up, Aubrey." She laughed and shook her head, leaning against the sink weakly. "Is it ready yet?"

"Nearly, you want bubbles?"

"I don't care, as long as I can sit and scrub this layer of grime off of me."

"A'ight." He turned the tap off. "It's ready then. "He pulled his underwear down and stepped out of them. "I'mma rinse off in the shower first, lemme help you in now." Moving closer he watched her shrug out of the towel she'd wrapped herself in. He hadn't even prepared himself for what he was about to see. The reality of how they were living only just hit him when he saw her neglected body. The pressure wounds clearly visible along with her frail and slightly bony frame.

...