Two hours I have been waiting in the room with Ryder not too far away from me. All the grey metal, heavily riveted shields are still down over all the ways in and out of the rooms. Whatever is happening outside is scaring me even though I don't know what it is. If I have to be protected for this length of time what's outside must be more dangerous then what I first thought. Ryder was sliding closer to me every now and then and the two cushion distance we had between as before is now less than a foot. The warmth radiates off him as he leans against the back of the lounge his head resting against the back as he faces towards me, his legs crossed and rested on the coffee table. His muscles look larger with his arms crossed over his chest the way he has and I found myself staring at him. He fell asleep after half an hour and the gap was minimised between us. The level of how calm he looks surprises me. His face is relaxed and not tense in the slightest way. I smile at him lifting my hand to run it along the bottom side of his jaw. He takes in a small sigh at my slight touch. The small stubble from beneath his jaw tickles against my fingers. "Why do you make me feel the way I do?" I whisper moving up to run my fingers through the back of his hair. He shifts slightly in his sleep, his head leaning into the touch of my hand. I stop when he does so, even though I like the feeling of him reacting to my touch. I slide away from him a bit, pulling my hand back to pick up the book that I had pulled off the shelf before the attack on the castle had started. Four chapters in and I have only had minor problems with words and the ones that I had had a problem with I had bookmarked and was going to ask Ellie about the next time I saw her, because I was too embarrassed to ask Ryder about it. He would never react the way I think he would though. He isn't like that but it's a side of me that I don't want to show him. After slowly flicking through the next chapter, I feel myself relaxing enough to fall asleep. My sleep has never been as disturbed and restless as what it was last night and it's beginning to catch up with me. It couldn't have been that it was just a new place to sleep, that I was used to. It just felt as if something was missing and without it there was no way I could sleep properly. The book falls down near my feet as I lean into the back of the lounge. It's as soft as the bed is and it doesn't take me long to get comfortable. As I stop and let my mind relax I can hear the soft breathes coming from Ryder and that sound alone is enough to lull me into the peaceful sleep that I need. *** I'm startled awake with a hand shaking my shoulder lightly. When I open my eyes Ryder is knelt down in front of me. Looking down I see that I'm in the bed and that all the curtains and windows have been opened letting the warm sun conquer the room. Ryder's arms move to my back to help me when I try to push myself up. His eyes move to mid-section when I let out a hiss of pain at the torn skin that's been held together with stiches. My stomach is only hidden by the material of a thin t-shirt. He knows exactly where the cut is though and it's where his eyes sit, as if he can feel it himself. "Are you hurting?" His voice is quiet but it doesn't disguise the worry that I can hear. My breathing is laboured and I try to even it out before I answer. "A little, but its ok." Ryder gives me a small nod as he straightens out and sits down on the bed near my knees after the warmth of his hands are removed from my back. I push back the fluffy blanket that's been placed on top of me. Ryder see's that I'm trying to stand and moves his hands back to help me up, quickly dismissing the fact that I am not in fact fine. Once I'm on my feet Ryder's hands stay on me, to make sure I'm steady. One is on my hip with a finger hooked through the belt loop of my jeans and the other holding my wrist his fingers pointed down to tickle against the palm of my hand just above the bandage protecting the shallow cuts. "Lottie," he's even more worried now. He has right to be though, I didn't feel this way when I feel asleep. His hands are the only thing holding me up right now and as much as I want him to, I hope he doesn't actually let go of me. He tightens his grip a little and steps in closer to me. The hand wrapped around my wrist releases and moves to grip the hem of my shirt on the left side below were the stiches holding my cut together are. His fingers slide beneath the material of my shirt, brushing over the skin above the band of my jeans. I gasp wrapping my hand around his wrist stopping the electric shocks of his touch from advancing any further up over my stomach. "Can I?" He goes to lift my shirt slightly without waiting for an answer. My hand moves with his as it slowly slides up my stomach, taking my shirt with him. "No." I reply, not stopping his hand with my own. His hand stops on its own accord though, not lower on my stomach or moving up higher towards my stiches or chest. "Lottie, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to look at the cut and make sure it isn't infected." He takes a half a step forward, his hand massaging at the bottom of my ribs, trying to reassure me. "Ryder, please don't." my body is starting to shiver beneath his hands. He sighs and lowers his hand back down so his fingers again move at the top of my jeans, the material of my shirt dropping back down. I'm still shaking and Ryder removes the hand from my hip now that I can stand by myself. Ryder gulps and takes his other hand off me, taking the electric shocks with him. He steps around me to the bedside table and takes my hand again when I falter on my feet again. I see that he's gone to pick up the book that I was reading and now he's helping me out to one of the seats on the balcony to the left of the bed.