Chapter 34

                                    

                                          
Ariana laid awake in bed, yet again like she'd done all through the nights from their time at the hospital. It was better than falling asleep and waking up with her dad's blood on her hands every single time and still, it never failed to frighten her. For almost a week she'd avoided sleeping at night and tried to get naps during the day and it was slowly starting to catch up with her.
                          
Ariana turned to look at the other side of the bed to find Jace peacefully sleeping. He'd been so caring for the past couple of days and it made her uncomfortable. She sighed inaudibly and reached for her phone on the side table to check the time. 
                          
It was a few minutes to four.
                          
She sat up and dragged her legs out of bed then reached for the crutch and used it to support herself as she got out of bed; it was a struggle. She tucked the crutch under her left arm and made her way as quietly as she could out of the room. She closed the door and went down the hall and down the stairs, gently and slowly because it was her first time without Jace butting in and sweeping her off her feet before she could make it further. She was out of breath when she reached the bottom of the stairs.
                          
Heading to the kitchen to get a drink before she went to her spot, she stopped to sit on one of the sofas in the living room but landed on the carpeted floor instead. She sighed, exhausted both physically and mentally, she reached for a cushion and placed it on the carpet then laid down placing her head on it and closed her eyes. She fell asleep almost immediately.
                          
In his room, Jace woke up to his phone ringing and reached for it, he looked at the screen with sleepy eyes and stopped the unscheduled 7 O'clock alarm which was for the days he was supposed to go to work, he'd forgotten to turn it off.
                          
He placed his phone back on the side table and was about to go back to sleep when he turned to check on Ariana. He was wide awake when he noticed her side of the bed was empty and sat up abruptly. He got out of the bed and made his way to the restroom and rapped on the door.
                          
"Ariana?!" He called then tapped again before he pushed the door open to an empty washroom.
                          
He sighed and went out of the room to check her room, then the kitchen. He glanced at her favourite spot but didn't see her, then he turned around to head out of the kitchen and check the gym when he caught sight of a figure lying on the floor near the sofa.
                          
He sighed in relief knowing it was her and quietly padded towards her lying figure and knelt down beside her. She looked perfect and so ordinary while she slept, less on edge and relaxed. She looked like a woman of everyman's dreams. But wide awake, she was even more perfect, she was fire and the woman of his dreams.
                          
Jace reached out to graze softly on the cuts on her face and the moment his thumb touched her cheek she jerked awake.
                          
"Dad!" She called, looking down at her hands she began rubbing them on her clothes. Her face was in a deep frown.
                          
"Ariana?" Jace frowned, wondering what was happening.
                          
Ariana froze then slowly looked up at him, her frown disappeared and her face became void of emotion, she looked around the room before she looked back at her hands, sighing.
                          
What was that?
                          
"I'm sorry." She said breathlessly,
                          
What?!
                          
"I fell asleep."
                          
Silence.
                          
"Are you okay?" He asked knowing quite well what she'd say.
                          
"Yes," she said just as expected, "What time is it?"
                          
"A little after 7." He couldn't take his eyes off her and knew very well she was avoiding his gaze.
                          
"Don't we have to start training?" She asked as she tried to sit up
                          
"We do," He said, "I was looking everywhere for you."
                          
Ariana leaned back into the bottom of the sofa and looked at him then.
 "I'm sorry," She said again, "I couldn't sleep."
                          
"For how long?" He asked with a frown,
                          
"Uhm," She said, "I was able to sleep for a few hours, so that's something."
                          
"Which ended in a nightmare," He said, "How long, Ariana?"
                          
"Just a few days."
                          
Silence.
                          
"Since the accident?"
                          
She sighed and Jace clenched his jaw and looked away. Furious.
                          
"Why didn't you say anything?"
                          
"I have been sleeping." She defended.
                          
"You mean the 2-3 hours' sleep you get during the day?" He asked, "And that was just after we were moved to the same room, did you sleep before that?"
                          
"I can't sleep at night."
                          
"We already established that fact but why didn't you say something?" He asked, "The doctor would have prescribed you something for that."
                          
"No!" She said, "I don't mean I have trouble sleeping. I mean I don't want to sleep."
                          
What?
Now he was confused.
                          
"Why?"
                          
She was silent for a moment then she looked at him and he was stunned when she threw her arms around me and buried her face in the crook of my neck as she snuggled closer.
                          
"I can't...I just can't," She whispered.
                          
Jace slowly wrapped his hands tightly around her slender frame as she breathed in.
 "It's alright. I'm here." He said, "I'm not going anywhere."
                          
He knew she had demons, most people did, especially if you've seen the other side of the world a lot of people are fortunate not to see, the frontlines. Asides from that, everyone also goes through something personal, frontlines or not, but this he knew had something to do with her dad. He'd ask Jack about it but that would be going behind her back and he didn't want to do that to her. It was her life and she'd tell him if she wanted to.
                          
All he knew was that she had to deal with it sooner or later because she just couldn't keep surviving on just a few hours of sleep.
                          
"We should start training."
                          
Jace smiled sadly. She was so strong it hurt to see her hurting.
 "Of course," He said, "Let me help you up."
                          
"No!" She pulled away, "You shouldn't carry me anymore."
                          
"Why not?" He dragged.
                          
"We're starting to train today. Learning to get back on my feet is one of the things we should focus on," She said, "So no more carrying."
                          
Jace smirked as he leaned closer to her,
 "After you're back on your feet, I'd carry you anywhere I want to."
                          
"We'll see about that."
                          
Always up for a challenge.
                          
"Oh, we'll see." He got up and left her.
                          
Ariana was always fuelling him up getting him all hot and bothered. He doubted she even knew she was doing it.
                          
Damn you, Ariana.
                          
When I have you, I would never let go.