((Summary: After a horrific night and witnessing the death of Gabriel, Lexi's exhaustion finally catches up with her. Her sleep is haunted by the nightmarish memories; a painful reality in which there is no escape. She finds comfort in Raph's loyalty, but an unexpected call pours salt into open wounds...))
Continuation from: The Waiting Game
Though sleep had proven itself almost impossible, the exhaustion finally pulled Lexi under. She found comfort in Raph's embrace, but not even that was enough to chase away the nightmares. She relived the horrible night in her head. Saw it all in vibrant detail. She was right there. So close. So close to saving him, but the Mikko stalled her just long enough for Spike to deliver the fatal wound. A blood-curling scream worked its way out of Lexi's hoarse throat as she quickly sat up, her eyes frantically darting around the room. Searching for any sign that it had all been just a horrible nightmare. Her trembling hands pulled her knees against her chest as she tried to steady herself, tears forcing their way between her tightly closed eyelids.'It's just a dream.. it's not real...he's not gone..' She tried to convince herself, but as she willed her eyes to open,she was met with the horrible reminders. The blood that still coated her skin met her blood-shot gaze. And once again, her body trembled with suffocating sobs.
*Raphael made sure she was asleep before he allowed his eyes to close but not long after that Lexi's screams woke him. His eyes flew open as his startled gaze saw her huddled form sitting on the bed. The room was dark besides from the lights of the city coming through the window. He sat up and placed an arm around her and was certain that this was the start of many sleepless nights. Her words hurt him deeply, he felt responseible for her watching him die and wished that he would have stoped her from going all together. Guilt was definatly setting in now. He wasn't sure what to say this was not something he had trained for and was still trying to get to know her better before all this happened which made this more difficult. He held her against his plastron trying to keep her from trembling.*
Lexi melted against his chest, struggling to get herself under control. She hated this, feeling so out of control of herself. She had always been the strong one, but ever since her return back to New York, life seemed determined to break her. The rape had nearly broken her. But watching a loved one die, to be there and so close to saving him, no pain could compare to that. She wished she could burn the memory from her mind. She had been foolish to return to the city. This was the very thing she had ran from, and yet fate held such cruel timing. Lexi was quiet for a long moment, only the sounds of her muffled sobs filled the dimly lit room. Raph was silent, but he spoke volumes through his gestures. He vaguely reminded her of Ezekiel in that instant. Strong and caring, but words often failed him. She struggled hard to compose herself. To speak, despite the fire in her throat and lungs. The crushing weight on her heart. "I'm..so sorry, Raph." She whispered as she looked up at him through tear-filled eyes, apologetic. "You..shouldn't have to deal with this."
*He stayed close to her with his head resting on hers.* "Its alright babe, sorry ya have ta go through this shit." *He whispered back to her. He had become very attached to her since there first meeting and their relationship just sort of happened. Their 'one night stand' two months ago had created an invisible loving bond, that he had never voiced to her before.*
Lexi remained resting against hischest, unable to find her voice again. She could make out the sound ofhis heart beating against his plastron. A comforting, lulling sound.The sound of life. Something to focus on, as she was surrounded by death. In this moment, she was reminded of her growing feelings for him. And that was frightening. She had never wanted to become close to another living being again. But she had already surrendered to him, even if she couldn't realize it just yet. She felt it. After a moment,she finally found her voice, speaking through a quiet whisper. "Thank you. For not leaving."
*He took a deep breath enjoying the closeness between them at themoment. It had seemed to long since they had been this close though he wished it were under better circumstances. He had done well to push back any lustful thoughts to the back of his mind, considering how she was barely dressed. Right now she needed him and his loyalty to her kept him there.* "I ain't goin' anywhere.."
Lexi held to his words, though she had heard them before. From Ezekiel. A small frown pulled at her lips as she once again found herself comparing Raph to him. "I hope you won't." She breathed quietly, more to herself. She wanted to believe in him. Needed to. He was her only comfort. Her rock. The only one with the strength to see her through this. It was a heavy burden to carry. A lesser man would run. She managed a small glance at her clock, sighing inwardly at the time. It was early morning, but she had no will to start this painful day. But sleep was out of the question. Still, she knew Raph must be exhausted."You sleepy?"
*He didn't say anything to her comment but instead gave her shoulder a light squeeze. He was still tired and after glancing at the clock he couldn't believe just how late..or early it was.*"Naw.." *He lied holding back a yawn he was used to staying up late but not so used to getting straight out of bed.*
Lexi gently pushed him back to lay on the bed, then snuggled close to him. She had no desire to move just yet, and was content to stay here, with him. She nearly jumped when her cell phone began to ring, and she cast a tired look in the night-stand's direction. She wanted to ignore it, but slowly reached for the phone, and answered weakly. "Hello?"
"It's Mikko I need you to come to the vets office by my house. See if you can calm Jigs down." Mikko paused for a moment. "And don't get any funny ideas. I signed the papers already." Though her eyes widen at the mention of payment. crap. "The dog's mine. So don't come down here thinking you can just take him. got it. He's my dog now."
Raphael allowed her to push him back and he layed there on his side. He closed his eyes for a moment but the loud ringing caught him off guard. He groaned as Lexi sat up to answer it and he wondered who would be calling her at this hour.
Lexi was caught off guard by the voice on the other end. Anger quickly filled her, but she was taken aback by Mikko's words. She had Jigs? He was alive? She felt a small tinge of hope in that instant, and Mikko quickly scuffed it from her with her claim. It took her a moment to catch her breath. "You... killed him. He needed you and you held us back." She managed through quiet sobs. "You're cruel. You're heartless to call here, trying to trick me into thinking you have the last piece of him."
"What the hell are you talking about. the dog is right here. I'm just saying that you can't keep him. Get a hold of yourself woman!" Mikko snapped. "You coming or not? look want proof?" She quickly used her cell's camera and took a picture of the dog then sent it to her. "There. I sent you a picture."
Lexi didn't want to believe it. It was less painful to think that Jigs had accompanied Gabriel in death, rather than being in the care of the girl that had killed his master. The girl that feared him. But the picture was proof. She wanted to block it out. Why the hell did Mikko have to call? She wasn't strong enough for this right now. To have that last shred of hope taken from her, dangled in front of her by the girl who'd taken everything from her. But the picture was proof. And as much as she wanted to turn away, to refuse to go down there in order to be hurt again. This was Jigs. He was no doubt scared and in the possession of a person that didn't love or understand him. "I'm on my way." With that, she closed the phone and looked at Raph. "I have to go. Mikko has Jigs." Of course, she wouldn't mind his company and support, but knew how dangerous public settings could be for him. And she was sure to cause a scene.
Continuation from: The Waiting Game
Though sleep had proven itself almost impossible, the exhaustion finally pulled Lexi under. She found comfort in Raph's embrace, but not even that was enough to chase away the nightmares. She relived the horrible night in her head. Saw it all in vibrant detail. She was right there. So close. So close to saving him, but the Mikko stalled her just long enough for Spike to deliver the fatal wound. A blood-curling scream worked its way out of Lexi's hoarse throat as she quickly sat up, her eyes frantically darting around the room. Searching for any sign that it had all been just a horrible nightmare. Her trembling hands pulled her knees against her chest as she tried to steady herself, tears forcing their way between her tightly closed eyelids.'It's just a dream.. it's not real...he's not gone..' She tried to convince herself, but as she willed her eyes to open,she was met with the horrible reminders. The blood that still coated her skin met her blood-shot gaze. And once again, her body trembled with suffocating sobs.
*Raphael made sure she was asleep before he allowed his eyes to close but not long after that Lexi's screams woke him. His eyes flew open as his startled gaze saw her huddled form sitting on the bed. The room was dark besides from the lights of the city coming through the window. He sat up and placed an arm around her and was certain that this was the start of many sleepless nights. Her words hurt him deeply, he felt responseible for her watching him die and wished that he would have stoped her from going all together. Guilt was definatly setting in now. He wasn't sure what to say this was not something he had trained for and was still trying to get to know her better before all this happened which made this more difficult. He held her against his plastron trying to keep her from trembling.*
Lexi melted against his chest, struggling to get herself under control. She hated this, feeling so out of control of herself. She had always been the strong one, but ever since her return back to New York, life seemed determined to break her. The rape had nearly broken her. But watching a loved one die, to be there and so close to saving him, no pain could compare to that. She wished she could burn the memory from her mind. She had been foolish to return to the city. This was the very thing she had ran from, and yet fate held such cruel timing. Lexi was quiet for a long moment, only the sounds of her muffled sobs filled the dimly lit room. Raph was silent, but he spoke volumes through his gestures. He vaguely reminded her of Ezekiel in that instant. Strong and caring, but words often failed him. She struggled hard to compose herself. To speak, despite the fire in her throat and lungs. The crushing weight on her heart. "I'm..so sorry, Raph." She whispered as she looked up at him through tear-filled eyes, apologetic. "You..shouldn't have to deal with this."
*He stayed close to her with his head resting on hers.* "Its alright babe, sorry ya have ta go through this shit." *He whispered back to her. He had become very attached to her since there first meeting and their relationship just sort of happened. Their 'one night stand' two months ago had created an invisible loving bond, that he had never voiced to her before.*
Lexi remained resting against hischest, unable to find her voice again. She could make out the sound ofhis heart beating against his plastron. A comforting, lulling sound.The sound of life. Something to focus on, as she was surrounded by death. In this moment, she was reminded of her growing feelings for him. And that was frightening. She had never wanted to become close to another living being again. But she had already surrendered to him, even if she couldn't realize it just yet. She felt it. After a moment,she finally found her voice, speaking through a quiet whisper. "Thank you. For not leaving."
*He took a deep breath enjoying the closeness between them at themoment. It had seemed to long since they had been this close though he wished it were under better circumstances. He had done well to push back any lustful thoughts to the back of his mind, considering how she was barely dressed. Right now she needed him and his loyalty to her kept him there.* "I ain't goin' anywhere.."
Lexi held to his words, though she had heard them before. From Ezekiel. A small frown pulled at her lips as she once again found herself comparing Raph to him. "I hope you won't." She breathed quietly, more to herself. She wanted to believe in him. Needed to. He was her only comfort. Her rock. The only one with the strength to see her through this. It was a heavy burden to carry. A lesser man would run. She managed a small glance at her clock, sighing inwardly at the time. It was early morning, but she had no will to start this painful day. But sleep was out of the question. Still, she knew Raph must be exhausted."You sleepy?"
*He didn't say anything to her comment but instead gave her shoulder a light squeeze. He was still tired and after glancing at the clock he couldn't believe just how late..or early it was.*"Naw.." *He lied holding back a yawn he was used to staying up late but not so used to getting straight out of bed.*
Lexi gently pushed him back to lay on the bed, then snuggled close to him. She had no desire to move just yet, and was content to stay here, with him. She nearly jumped when her cell phone began to ring, and she cast a tired look in the night-stand's direction. She wanted to ignore it, but slowly reached for the phone, and answered weakly. "Hello?"
"It's Mikko I need you to come to the vets office by my house. See if you can calm Jigs down." Mikko paused for a moment. "And don't get any funny ideas. I signed the papers already." Though her eyes widen at the mention of payment. crap. "The dog's mine. So don't come down here thinking you can just take him. got it. He's my dog now."
Raphael allowed her to push him back and he layed there on his side. He closed his eyes for a moment but the loud ringing caught him off guard. He groaned as Lexi sat up to answer it and he wondered who would be calling her at this hour.
Lexi was caught off guard by the voice on the other end. Anger quickly filled her, but she was taken aback by Mikko's words. She had Jigs? He was alive? She felt a small tinge of hope in that instant, and Mikko quickly scuffed it from her with her claim. It took her a moment to catch her breath. "You... killed him. He needed you and you held us back." She managed through quiet sobs. "You're cruel. You're heartless to call here, trying to trick me into thinking you have the last piece of him."
"What the hell are you talking about. the dog is right here. I'm just saying that you can't keep him. Get a hold of yourself woman!" Mikko snapped. "You coming or not? look want proof?" She quickly used her cell's camera and took a picture of the dog then sent it to her. "There. I sent you a picture."
Lexi didn't want to believe it. It was less painful to think that Jigs had accompanied Gabriel in death, rather than being in the care of the girl that had killed his master. The girl that feared him. But the picture was proof. She wanted to block it out. Why the hell did Mikko have to call? She wasn't strong enough for this right now. To have that last shred of hope taken from her, dangled in front of her by the girl who'd taken everything from her. But the picture was proof. And as much as she wanted to turn away, to refuse to go down there in order to be hurt again. This was Jigs. He was no doubt scared and in the possession of a person that didn't love or understand him. "I'm on my way." With that, she closed the phone and looked at Raph. "I have to go. Mikko has Jigs." Of course, she wouldn't mind his company and support, but knew how dangerous public settings could be for him. And she was sure to cause a scene.