Deer In The Headlights

Alex's p.o.v

I held Jack tightly, defiantly deciding on never letting him go. All of a sudden he's became fearful and sad. I had no idea what was going on, and I was determined to find out.

"Jack, what's wrong?" I asked for at least the third time. He was a crying, shaking mess below me. I hugged him tighter, but not too tight. I heard a small whimper from Jack.

"I heard...I-I heard the monster." Jack panicked. Monster? I looked plainly at the wall in front of us. Monster? What was he on about? I need to find out.

"Jack, what monster?" I asked carefully. He placed his head further into my shoulder, sobbing. He was shaking really bad now, and I think I should really get him to him room.

"Look, lets get you to your room." I sadly smiled, letting go of the warm, sad hug. My shoulder felt wet and I guess Jack was crying bad. Jack looked down as he grabbed his crutches tighter. I sighed softly at the sad state of the broken boy beside me. He has told me nearly all of his past in four weeks, and I can't help but notice the bond between us. I help Jack with one of his crutches, seeing as he has a broken arm and I need to support it to make it easier for him. Once I helped him and we started walking back, my mind was drowned with thoughts. The bond was pretty big. I told him some of my past: my family. I just really wanted to know what made him shake in fear. Was it me? Was it because I kissed him? Oh my god, I'm terrible! I shouldn't of done that. He probably got really freaked out. Though, he kissed me back...twice.

When we reached Jack's room, I opened the door for him. He sniffed, still looking down at the floor, and walked through the door. I heard him mumble a little 'Thank you.' I nodded sweetly and helped Jack onto his bed. He made a whimpering noise telling me I moved one of his injuries.

"Sorry." I apologized, moving him more. Once he was on the bed, he turned his head away from me. I frowned slightly. Is he tired?

"Jack?" I called quietly and warmly.

"Mmhm." He said shortly. He didn't even make the 'mmhm' to sound like he wanted me to go on. It was just a small, short mumble.

"I'm sorry." I apologized, looking down at the floor. I felt like I wasn't even wanted here anymore. I determined to get up and leave, but Jack slowly turned his head and looked at me.

"Why?" He said shortly, starring at me plainly. I starred back, looking at his features. His cheeks were red and filled with nasty tear stains. His eyes were puffy and the brown colour really shined, but the shine of sadness. I shifted on my chair a little.

"I uh-" I started, and startled when I heard Jack's raspy voice appear.

"Alex, you didn't do anything wrong." He cut in, still starring at me in the eyes. I dropped my eyes and looked down a little at my guitar.

"Then-Then why are you crying?" I asked, looking up so our eyes reached. I heard him sigh quietly under his breath.

"It's 'cause- It's 'cause the coach," He ducked his head. The coach? What coach? Oh, the one behind us. It was a coach the held new students to look around because they choose to work as doctors and nurses. What's so bad about it?

"It scared me. I-I thought it was going to drive through the bushes we were sat in front of. I'm sorry." This is quite serious. Most people after road incidents get over the fact they got hit, and try to be more careful. But Jack, Jack might be scared of buses- of sort, forever. I saw Jack crying in front of me. Of course I'm not gonna break that news to him, but maybe his parents. I got up and hugged Jack. He slowly shifted so he was in sitting position. He wrapped his arms around my back from under my arms carefully. I hugged tighter into the hug, feeling Jack doing the same.

"It's okay, Jack. Shh." I cooed, rubbing his back a little. He was sniffing quite a lot now, and I remembered. I let go of the hug and walked out the room, leaving Jack there sobbing.

I returned to Jack's room with a warm hot chocolate and some tissues. As I looked up to Jack after placing the stuff on the coffee table beside me, I could see he was shaking. Bad. His hands were shaking as he sat there, looking down, hands between legs. His legs were shaking too, parted slightly. Oh no, he's not is he? When I heard short breathes from the boy, I realised it in fact ... he was. I quickly, but carefully, walked over to Jack and lifted his head up. A tear ran down the edge of his huge-but-well-suited nose. He closed his eyes, breathing shortly. As a doctor, I know what to do. I'll try and help him.

"Breathe, Jack. Come on." I said quietly. I heard him shorten his breathes more. This wasn't good. I panicked myself, fearing I was making it worse. Come on, Alex. Think.

"Breathe. Shhh. In, out, in, out." I instructed calmly. I breathed normally, but louder as Jack was trying to do the same. I quickly got onto the bed, beside Jack (the bed was quite big and Jack was skinny) and hopped my legs onto it too. I sat down so my back was against the pillows. Jack noticed and did the same, still obviously finding it hard to breathe.

"Jack listen to me," I whispered near his ear. "I know you can do this. Just follow my actions." I ordered quietly. I waited for Jack to look at me blankly. As he did, I sat up really straight and breathed in. He hesitated, but did as I was. I breathed back out, loudly for Jack to hear. He did the same, but quieter. Good, if we carry on this way it should hopefully be over soon. These actions carried on for ten minutes until he finally calmed down. Unexpectedly, Jack rested his head on my shoulder. I was sat up, but legs in laying position.

"Thank you, Lex." He whispered gently, smuggling into my shoulder. I heard a little yawn from Jack, before he placed his arm around my over shoulder from the front. I looked down to Jack to see his mouth parted and breathing back to normal. His eyes were completely shut. I guess he must of been tired. I blushed a bit as Jack mumbled against more shoulder. I laid back against the pillow, and Jack was spread out all over my chest. I sighed slightly, remembering how inappropriate this was. I wasn't even meant to be in the same bed as a patient. Let alone that he's seventeen and eighteen in a couple of months. I'm 22. Yeah, I know that's way too young age to work. Well it's not. I was just smart enough in school and they let me here because my grades and I could work properly. But this wasn't aloud. They might of thought I pushed him into cuddling with me. Wait...is that even an offense? I guess not. So I drifted off to the sounds of Jack's very quiet snoring. Sure, I'm gonna get told off for falling asleep in work, but this won't be my work any longer.

I awoke to something punching my ribs. What the hel- 'punch' I bolted my eyes open from a little bit of pain that was caused by someone punching me, but really really gently. The next thing I knew was something sharp dig into my shoulder. I bit my lip in pain. As I looked to where the sharp pain was from. I blinked my eyes as I saw Jack with his teeth pierced in my shoulder. I moved my hand and tried to detach his teeth from my shoulder, but he punched my rib with his un casted arm. I winced a little, because that punch was quite hard and painful. I need to wake him up.

"Jack." I whispered loudly, cupping his cheeks and trying to pull his head up. No response.

"Jack. Jack wake up." I said a little loudly. I pulled his face up, forcefully. Man, this kid has some strength.

"Jack!" I yelped in pain as he punched and bit harder at the same time. This time, he woke up. His eyes fluttered open, completely oblivious to where his teeth were. I closed my eyes and took a sharp breath because man, my shoulder hurts.

"J-Jack, you're biting me." I breathed out. I opened my eyes to look at Jack looking down. He was wide-eyed looking at what he was doing. Within a split second, he released his teeth from my shoulder. I winced as more pain kicked in from the loss of his teeth. I moved my free hand and started rubbing the sharp pain and I was certain it was going to bleed. I rubbed small circles in my shoulder and I could make out Jack moving far to the side of me. I stopped instantly as I saw Jack looked down at his flat legs on the bed. I could see tears pricking his eyes as he just stared, blank expression. I removed my hand from my shoulder and sighed as I put it to my side. Jack just sniffed and kept starring. When I noticed I was still in Jack's bed, I got up and stood at the side of his bed, uncomfortably. What the hell just happened? When I heard sobs coming from Jack, I instantly was walking over to the other side of the bed and kneeled down. I looked up from where I was kneeled, trying to look for his face under his messy hair that flopped in his face. He looked scared in my opinion. What ever made Jack bite me in his sleep must of been bad. I shuffle uncomfortably. All that could be heard was Jack's light sobs every once in a while. I just starred at his messy black and blonde hair, taking interest in how the blonde mixes in with the black. It takes a couple of sniffs later and Jack finally speaks.

"I-I'm sorry, Alex." He sniffed, pinching the fabric of his cast a bit more. He just looked so sad and scared and it honestly made my heart feel...weird.

"Hey look, it's okay." I warmly said, standing up fully and reaching over to hug Jack. Jack jumped slightly at the contact and that made my heart melt the slightest. He used his free hand to hug me back. The hugs were a little bit awkward because of Jack's broken arm, but it didn't matter. At least I was lucky to get hug. I sighed quietly, pulling away from the broken boy and stood there. I thought for a moment and then spoke.

"Jack...what happened?" I asked worried. He looked twice as uncomfortable then what he was when I asked that. He bit his lip and looked down at his lap.

"It-It was a nightmare." He quietly said. I blinked a couple of times. I slowly kneeled closer to him. I was near his cheek and I could notice a tear slip down it. He was about to remove it before I did. Once he felt my thumb remove his tear, he sighed.

"I-I don't know why I keep having them. They're scaring me, Alex." He sniffed quietly.

"I know, Jack." I obviously didn't know what was going through Jack's head. But it seems as though these nightmares most probably won't be fading away anytime soon. Do I tell him that? I have no idea what to do. We could try medication, or therapy. Therapy is probably the best one for him.

"Jack?" I asked for his attention. He 'hmm'ed in response, and so I continued.

"I remember when your mum was here the first time you arrived. She was saying something about you going to...therapy." I said remembering the new patient on the bed, looking tired and hurt. I remember thinking 'there's something different about him' from the first look. I guess I was right.

"Y-yeah?" Jack didn't sound so bright on the idea of therapy.

"I was wondering if you was ever going to go because these nightmares are getting worse, Jack." I said, trying to sound as calm about it as possible. I saw him nod in approval.

"Y-Yeah. I was thinking about going, but not for my nightmares." He said confusion riddled his quiet voice. I frowned, unsure of his answer. I best tell him.

"Jack, uh, you might have to go for the nightmares. I mean, you just punched and bit my shoulder," I chuckled, even though it wasn't that funny.

"I know, I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me." Jack said. He said it like he was some kind of monster; which he isn't. I let it slip by though.

"And well, I'm sorry to tell you this,but they might not fade away so easily without some kind of support." I sadly said. Jack turned to me, sadness in his eyes.

"I-I know."

"Jaaack, wake up. You fell asleep again. Jack!" I tried waking Jack up. After the talk about therapy, Jack said he wanted to go back to sleep. I was a little bit worried at first, because of how easily the nightmares can come back. But he convinced me he'll be okay. I went out to the office to check his information paper; stuff to keep me busy. Now I'm back trying to wake him up because we only have four hours until he has to leave. I just wanted it to be the best four hours because I might not ever be able to see him ever again.

"Jack!" I laughed, tapping his not-broken arm. He groaned and fidgeted before slowly opening his eyes.

"Morning." He mumbled, voice sounding weird. To me, it was kind of cute.

"Afternoon." I smiled. His eyes opened in shock, mouth opening a little.

"After-Afternoon? But I thought..." He blinked, sitting up and looking around the room.

"Yeah, you kind of fell back to sleep." I chuckled.

"M'sorry." He sleepily said. I sighed and smiled. But that faded away when I remember why I awoke him.

"Hey, umm, wanna go for a walk? Or maybe talk?" I asked. I just wanted to make the four hours last. He looked at me confused, but he nodded.

"Okay."

Notes

SSorry it's rubbish and boring. I don't know what I feel about this story. I feel like it's rubbish and going no where. But meh. What do you guys think? I hope you enjoyed it.