With a suddenness that feels like it didn't come soon enough- Aurelia was awake.
The Ashen haired woman was frozen in bed for several minutes as she struggled to calm herself, to struggle to return to reality. Copper coloured eyes scan over the room, taking in the familiarity of her surroundings as she attempts to ground herself. Finally, Aurelia focuses in on a sound- the even breathing of the man next to her, and Aurelia is able to breathe again.
She is safe.
She is in William Riker’s quarters; and the man himself was in bed with her. The warmth of his body and the weight of his arm which was draped across her waist was very much real.
Everything Aurelia had seen was a nightmare…
Aurelia was used to having Nightmares, for her it was an occupational hazard. Yet the visions that Aurelia’s mind would conjure for her viewing pleasure as she slept were always unwelcoming and disturbing. Quietly, Aurelia pushes herself up in bed so she is sitting, feeling the arm draped across her move. Aurelia tenses up and she chances a glance down to the still sleeping man who was lying next to her.
Aurelia lets out a sigh of pure relief that she had not woken him up. If anything Aurelia was not entirely sure what to do with herself since was now awake; Aurelia couldn’t go back to sleep at least not so soon after the nightmare. Her thoughts were still too heavy to even dare attempt to sleep again.
While Aurelia was lost in thought, She lightly brushes her fingers across the hair that had fallen into Will’s face, she gently sweeps it back into place. He does not even react to aurelia’s movements, he just nuzzles his face closer into aurelia’s hip. All aurelia can feel is a faint smile creeping onto her face as she wonders how Will manages to sleep so peacefully.
Aurelia couldn’t bring herself to ruin that for him, to wake him up just because her sleep was distrupted. It was totally unfair. Aurelia let out a very soft sigh as she gently took the arm that Will had across her waist, carefully moving it out of the way and she quietly snuck out of bed. Being as careful as possible so she didn’t wake him up, Aurelia covered him over with the duvet and she tiptoed away.
Aurelia finds the PADD She had left behind on the counter before she took a place on the couch. Aurelia hoped getting ahead of the mountain of reports she had would help distract her and after a few short minutes it worked; Aurelia slipped into a light sleep and the PADD Slipped from her hands and onto her lap.
It was little over two hours after Aurelia had fled that Will started to wake. A sharp chill had crept into bed in Aurelia’s absence and it caused him to stir. His reflexes kicked in and he reached for the place in the bed that Aurelia had been, the intent was to bring Aurelia closer and steal her warmth. When he doesn’t find Aurelia, he truly starts to wake.
“Aurelia?” In a voice gruff from sleep, Will calls for Aurelia. Even in his hazy mind he was sure that Aurelia had spent the night, that she had been right next to him when he fell asleep. He feels around for a moment more before pushing himself up in bed. He squints as he looks around the dark room, still looking for aurelia since no answer came.
“Aurelia?” Will calls as he stumbles out of bed; the commander nearly tripping over his own feet but his voice was clearer, the pitch of his voice slightly raised from his confusion. Quickly, he makes his way across the room, heading for the main living area, he steadies himself with a single hand on the door frame.
“Aurelia…” He breathes out a sigh of relief when he sees her in the room. The soft blue glow which emanated from the PADD Illuminated her sleeping features as it lay in her lap. There Aurelia was, lying on his couch asleep.
Will was utterly bewildered- what he saw did not make any sense. Aurelia was asleep in his quarters but not in his bed. If Aurelia hadn’t intended to stay, he knew that she would have told him so. There is nothing she could have done to get herself cast down to the couch- certainly not when she had her own quarters to go to.
Without any thought Will approaches Aurelia, he very much intends to wake her. He reaches out with a gentle hand to coax her awake.
“Hey-”
The moment will’s hand landed on Aurelia's shoulder she flinched awake, letting out a gasp as she did so. Aurelia blinks up at the man leaning over her, for a moment aurelia was so confused at why he was looking so concerned. Will reaches to take the PADD from Aurelia and places it on the table.
“Aurelia, what the hell are you doing out here?” Will’s voice isn’t harsh despite the curse he threw in.
“I-I couldn’t sleep.” Aurelia answers; it was not a complete lie. She tries to hold his gaze, to convince him that it wasn't anything more. Yet with the way his brilliant blue eyes searched her Copper colored eyes, she finds that she has to look away.
Aurelia truly feels terrible now- she probably looks it too. Aurelia thought she could just play her absence off as waking up early. But here, in the middle of the night, she found herself dealing with the very thing she tried to avoid.
Will knows, he knows before Aurelia looks away. Will is no stranger to dreams turned sour, but more importantly Will knows Aurelia so well. He doesn’t see the need to argue with the young woman, he just nods to himself before taking a seat next to her.
Will wraps one arm around Aurelia's shoulder, bringing her against him. His thumb caresses the skin of her arm there as she curls into him. Seeking his comfort Aurelia leans her head on the top of his shoulder. Silence stretches between Aurelia and Will for several minutes before will speaks.
“I have them too, you know.” His voice is soft, there is not an ounce of accusation in his tone. Aurelia knew what Will meant: being as polite as he could while calling her bluff.
“I don’t doubt it.” the words are forced out in a scoff. Aurelia really didn’t doubt that even Commander Riker suffers from his own brand of mental turmoil. Aurelia is sure they are worse than hers
“Then you know there isn't anything to be ashamed of aurelia. No one makes it out of space unscathed.” Aurelia just finds herself nodding her head at Will’s words as she gathers herself to speak.
“I haven’t had a nightmare while I was with you before… I wasn’t sure what to do.” Aurelia confesses and Will’s heart almost shatters at her confession. He hated that he couldn’t keep the nightmares at bay- and aurelia had not felt comfortable telling him about it.
“Wake me.”
Aurelia pulls away, her face openly displays uncertainty despite him. His tone was so certain, it almost sounded like a command. Will can see that Aurelia was about to argue and is quick to reaffirm what he said.
“I do not care if it is in the middle of the night at the end of a rough week you can come to me.” Will’s hand fell away from aurelia’s shoulder when aurelia had moved away, but it quickly found its place at the small of her back.
“Besides, if you are going to sleep in my quarters. I’d much prefer it if you were in my bed than on my couch.” Will smiles when he hears the small hum of Aurelia’s laughter. He takes a chance and he leans down to place a soft kiss on Aurelia's forehead.
“I meant it when I said I love you.” Aurelia spoke softly as Will pulled back; catching how his gaze softened at her words.
“I certainly hope so– Now come on, let's get back to bed.”