Three - The Day She Had a Nightmare

His hands wrapped tightly around Mae's neck, only getting tighter the more she struggled. "I'm s-s-sorry," she wheezed out, tears streaming down her face.

"Did you really think that you could leave me? That I'd actually let you escape? Has history taught you nothing?" He gave an angry snarl that twisted up his once beautiful face.

How could someone so loving and so gentle turn into such a monster because of one tragedy?

Mae sobbed even more, screaming, scratching, kicking, anything she could think of. She just had to get away from him one more time. "T-travis, p-please..."

"Don't fucking say my name!" He ground out harshly.

Ceasing all her struggles, Mae tried to conserve her energy, just placing her hands over his that were still tightly wrapped around her neck. "I'm s-sorry, ple-ease, just let go of me. I w-won't..." Mae's head was spinning, she needed oxygen and she needed it fast. "Won't... r-run... again..." she gasped out slowly as spots filled her vision and her eyes started closing.

"That's what you said last time, too, and look where we are!" He roared, spit flying from his mouth as he let go of her neck and grabbed her by her shoulders, rattling her body violently. "They didn't get to beg or plead, they didn't get any mercy! So you don't get it either, Mae. I'll keep you and I'll make you suffer for as long as I possibly can."

Shoving her to the ground, Travis forced his body on top of Mae's prone form, ripping off her clothes, one item at a time. Shaking her head vehemently, Mae started begging, pleading. "Please, don't do it. Travis, no, don't. Stop it, please stop...Travis!" She quickly started kicking and screaming again, begging him not to do what she knew he wanted to.

Travis drew back his hand and smacked her hard in the face. "Shut up, Mae, you know what I'll do if you fight me."

Freezing up and immediately stopping her struggles, Mae stopped fighting. Rather this than the alternative. With that in mind, Mae turned her head to the side, closing her eyes as she tried to escape this living hell. She knew this would happen if he found her, it always did. Crying and sobbing as quietly as she could, she resigned herself to her fate.

When he was done, he got off of her and kicked her in the stomach. After everything he'd done so far, one would think that, in his head, he hadn't damaged her enough. Gasping for air, she folded in two, clutching her stomach.

That's when Mae had been woken up by her new saviour. "Mae? Mae, wake up, baby girl. Mae. Mae!"

Coming to, Mae saw a figure standing a few steps away from her. She bolted upright and almost screamed bloody murder, thinking it was actually Travis, but she stopped herself when a soothing voice spoke up. A voice that most certainly did not belong to Travis.

"Relax, Mae, you're at Johnston's Psychiatric Hospital. My name is Ted Michaels, I am a nurse here. I was doing my rounds and I heard sobbing, so I came in to check up on you."

Tears streaming down her face, Mae slowly nodded her head and pulled her knees to her chest. Letting out a strangled sob, she buried her face between her knees, squeezing her eyes closed. "I'm s-sorry," she hiccuped as she spoke.

Puzzled, Ted spoke up. "What on earth for?"

"For making a noise, it won't happen again." She spoke robotically, as if the words had been drilled into her.

His voice stern with disapproval, Ted spoke up. "You're not there anymore, Mae. You don't apologize, and you most certainly don't apologize for this."

Keeping quiet, Mae just hugged her legs closer to herself as tears continued to fall, trying to fight the panic attack that was coming on fast.

Noticing this, Ted moved closer to her and slowly knelt down before her. Gently laying his hand over hers, he said, "Look at me, Mae." Slowly looking up, Mae bit her lip to hold back another sob. "Deep breaths, baby girl, focus on me. Breathe in and out, in and out. You are safe here, okay? He won't get to you."

Mae didn't know how he was doing it, but she felt herself calming down and her breathing evened out. The panic attack had completely stopped. She'd never been calmed so fast in her life, how did he do that?

Probably looking just as confused as she suddenly felt, Mae opened her mouth to speak, but was stopped. "My secret, baby girl. Don't ask, because I won't tell, not yet, at least." Ted smiled with a wink, making Mae close her mouth and gave him a surprised look.

"Don't look so surprised, you're pretty easy to read. Do you want me to stay a while or do you want to try to get some rest in?" He asked, not prodding, but offering his assistance if she wanted it.

"Don't you have things to do?"

Smiling, he answered her, "Not right now, no, I've done everything I had to for the night."

Mulling it over, Mae finally decided. "Can you stay for a bit then, please? I don't want to be alone right now, especially not in the dark."

"Well I can fix both of those problems, baby girl." Moving away from her, Mae heard him moving around for a bit before the light in her room switched on. She shielded her eyes from the sudden brightness, blinking a few times as she waited for her eyes to adjust.

When she looked up she was astounded at the mountain of a man that stood before her. Ted was, in fact, a giant, dark-skinned male nurse. Not giant as in fat, more like he was a massive body-builder-looking guy with a soft smile that really said the opposite thing compared to what his body did. Putting that aside though, she could tell that he was in his mid-thirties, and he had definitely aged well, if Mae was being completely honest with herself.

I was crying like a baby in front of him?

Mae grimaced, this was just her luck. "I know I'm supposed to thank you for helping me right now, but all you've succeeded in doing is showing me that I'm being a complete and utter mess in front of a really good looking nurse."

Letting out a bellowing laugh, Ted sat down next to her and shrugged. "You're not being a mess, you're just dealing with some things, I get that."

"I won't deny that, but you are seeing all of this," Mae motions at her face which is definitely red and blotchy from crying. "And that's not fair, not when you look like that." Mae motions towards everything that is him.

Laughing at the girl's silly antics, Ted asks, "What if I told you I still think you look beautiful, despite everything?"

Giving him a sceptical look, Mae replies. "I don't know, you could just be saying that to get me to shut up,"

"There's no satisfying you, is there?" Ted sighed in amused disbelief.

"Nope," Mae pops the 'p' with a small giggle. "I'm only kidding though. While I really am upset about being this weak in front of someone - exposing my demons, if you will - I'm actually just trying to make the situation easier for myself by use of some light banter."

Smiling to himself, Ted shakes his head in silent disbelief. "You're stronger than you look, you know."

"I don't know if I feel complimented or insulted by that," Mae notes.

Laughing out loud, Ted asks, "Why would you feel insulted? Everyone looks weak in comparison to me."

Pausing, Mae gives a half shrug and tilts her head to the side. "Fair point. I'll take it as a compliment then, thanks, Teddy Bear!"

"'Teddy Bear'?" Ted muses aloud.

"Yeah, you remind me of a giant teddy bear. Plus, your name is Ted, so-o-o-o," Mae drags out the 'o' in 'so', trying to prove that her logic makes perfect sense.

"I'll allow it, since I'm so fond of you already," Ted smiles a dazzling smile that has Mae smiling back without even thinking twice.

Checking the time on his wrist watch, Ted sighs and turns to Mae, but before he can say anything she stops him. "Duty calls, I know, don't worry though, I'm okay now. Thanks for everything, I'm not sure how things would've turned out had you not come to my rescue at the exact moment when you did."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Yeah, I always am," with a quick pause, Mae thinks carefully about her next words. "Would it be too much to ask for a hug? You can say no, of course, I don't know if there's a rule against that or not, it's just that I feel like I need a hug right now. Again, you can definitely say no, I know there's a thing such as personal space and..."

Mae is cut off when a set of strong arms wrap around her and she's pulled into a strong chest. A very strong chest that happens to be vibrating with laughter. "Silly child," she heard Ted mutter under his breath as he hugged her. Relaxing her tensed up muscles, Mae leaned into him and hugged him back.

"Thank you," she whispered hoarsely before slowly letting go of the man who stood before her.

"Anytime, baby girl, now try to get some shut eye. I'll be by later on in the morning to take you to your bi-weekly appointment with Dr. Valentine."

Nodding her head, Mae said, "Bye, Teddy, see you later."

"Sweet dreams," were the last words she heard before the door was closed behind Ted. He'd left the light on for her, which she was grateful for.

Settling down into her bed, Mae yawned and stretched, wiggling herself into a comfy position. Before long, her eyes drifted shut and she fell into a dreamless sleep. It had been a very long time since she'd had a nightmare free sleep, and Mae was more than grateful for the few hours that she got.