The Vampire's Apprentice

Quite a list, and had she not been too tired to try, she might have attempted another question on the subject. But then, she did really want to ask....

Or, maybe she didn't. Did she? It was getting harder to focus. Kitty rubbed the heel of her hand into her temple.

"You might have to run that list by me again sometime." She told him. "I don't think I can remember it well enough- very well- at all." Kitty corrected herself twice. "Not right now."
 
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"You are strangely tired for how early in the evening it is," Clancy commented. "Perhaps you should go to bed. Be gentle with yourself tomorrow."
 
Kitty nodded, then sighed, looking distantly in the direction of the stairs. There was a long moment of silence in delayed reaction until she finally stood and went up them. She almost forgot to put on some pajamas before crawling under her heavy comforter, then trying not to fall asleep with nightmares.
 
Sam licked Kitty's hand before settling down, his head on his rope.

Clancy looked after Kitty, a faint frown of worry on his brow. What was wrong with her?
 
Not three hours later, there was a muffled, "No, no, no, no, AH-" followed promptly by KERTHUNK as Kitty landed in a tangled mess of blanket on the carpeted floor. Despite all her struggles, she couldn't figure out how to remove herself from the suffocating fabric that was slowly strangling her. Perhaps she was still in her nightmares, and there was no escaping; they had come for her, finally to end her miserable life. Her frantic breaths hardly helped, depleting the oxygen within the cocoon and replacing it swiftly with warm carbon dioxide.
 
Sam barked, standing over Kitty protectively and trying to figure out what was going on. He tried to dig her out but only made things worse.

Clancy came in from working on his computer. "What on earth? Kitty?" He gently pushed Sam aside and knelt. Quickly and skillfully, he unwrapped her from her blankets and pulled her out of her self-made cocoon. "Kitty, easy," he soothed, half hugging her as he helped her out.
 
It took a moment before she stopped fighting his hands, instead clinging tightly to the vampire as though he were the very last sliver of her hope, terrorized far beyond doing anything else. Shaky and irregular breaths snatched between quiet sobs; the fresh air felt like ice in her lungs; frigid against her face, negated only by salty the tears she failed to brush away.
 
Clancy guided Kitty to him, holding her gently to his chest. "Easy, Kitty, easy," he soothed, holding her securely. "I've got you. It's okay." He rubbed her back with one hand, the other supporting her.
Sam was not being helpful as he pushed close. He sat on Clancy's foot and leaned into Kitty.
 
It seemed an eternity before her sense returned to her and she calmed herself—even longer before she felt safe enough to release him and pull away. Not that she wanted to let go. Kitty would have been content to remain forever. There were very few times in her life any person had dared care for her, and to have found another one, it seemed like treasure.
 
Clancy kept one hand on Kitty's shoulder. He leaned down enough to look her in the eyes. "Are you alright?" he asked softly.
 
"Hmm," Clancy said doubtfully. He stroked her shoulder with surprising tenderness. "You do not look alright, and that was a mighty thump you took. Shall we get you back into bed?"
 
"Yeah."

She was afraid to go back to sleep, knowing the dreams could return, but she wasn't able to find a reason to refuse when he asked. Maybe she'd be alright this time.
 
"Alright, then, up we go!" He lifted her off the floor like a child and set her down in the large bed. Then he picked up the blankets and pulled them up around her, tucking her in warmly.
Sam whined until Clancy gave in and gave him a pat. Satisfied Kitty was now safe, the dog plopped himself back down and chewed on his rope.
"Perhaps a large bone would be good for the dog," Clancy commented as he moved to the other side of the bed. He sat on the edge facing Kitty. "He likes to chew, and that rope shall not last long."
 
"I doubt I'll remember that..." Kitty stifled a yawn, then blinked a few times in effort to focus on Clancy's moonlit self. "I can try."
 
"I will leave you a note." He shifted to sit in a reclining position, far more comfortable than awkwardly trying to remain straight. "How do you feel?"
 
She gave up on focusing after a minute and left his image a blur. "I'm fine.... Just tired. Really, really tired." A slight pause. "I haven't slept in... forever."
 
"I know that...." Kitty mumbled quietly. Her eyes were closed now. "I hate being reminded of it every night."
She hadn't told him; he and his words were a part of her dreams. She hoped he would never ask.
 
Clancy hesitated. Then he reached out and laid a hand on her arm. He hummed a gentle tune, trying to remember the words.
 
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