Never Again.

Chapter Fifteen

I had woken up all throughout the night in pain and each time I had forgotten I had escaped. Waking up in pain brought it right back to me. Twice I had woken up Lily, and I'm pretty sure Kat too, because I had been screaming at Charlie. I used to yell at him whenever I woke up in too much pain to bear so that he would knock me out. At least that way I would get to rest a couple days.

I wrapped a blanket around my shoulders and walked to the balcony. It was cold outside, and I woke up right away. 'Beautiful.' The sun rising over the horizon was still one of the most beautiful things. I loved waking up seeing it. I would sit there mesmerized by the sight. I leaned back in the balcony door to glance at the clock on the stove, letting me know I had two hours before the diner opened. I laid down on the chair and before I knew it I had drifted off.

I woke up to voices in the kitchen.

"I think she likes it here." I was pretty sure that was Lily.

"I hope so. I love having her around. She's like the sister I always wanted. Except better, because she's real."

"Yeah. You've been happier since she's been here."

"I hope she stays."

"Me too."

'Maybe I will.' I thought. At first I was wondering when I should leave, but recently I've been wondering if I should leave. Logically, I should because I'm still only a three days walk away from Charlie. If even, I had been in pretty bad shape walking those three days, I could probably do it in half the time now. But if I thought about what I really wanted, it was to wake up every morning like this. To see the sunrise and know that the two other people here loved me and I loved them like family.

Family.

I still didn't know if I wanted to find them. I know I did, but I didn't want to impede on their lives. They've probably moved on. Heck, they probably wouldn't want me back. 'You know that's not true. You just don't want to have to go through all of it.' I knew that was why, but I always came up with excuses. 'Maybe if someone came with me...' But I didn't want to drag Lily or Kat away for that long.

I sighed, got up and was shocked at how stiff my hip was. 'Don't think about the pain, and it won't be there,' I reminded myself. 'Pain is mind over matter.' I walked to the kitchen.

"Oh! I thought you were in your room Dani, did we wake you?"

"No. I was watching the sun come up on the balcony and must have dozed off."

"That's good. At least you got a couple hours of sleep then."

"Yeah. Sorry for waking you last night. I didn't think it would happen again after I went back to sleep after the first time."

"It's okay Dani. I've dealt with nightmares before."

"Really?"

"Yeah. After Kat's parents' accident she would wake up screaming. It was usually the same one, but I knew what to do, and what to say. And hers ended after a couple months. Once she was used to being here and the sounds at night and stuff. She was only seven, I didn't mind."

"I didn't know that."

"Yeah. It doesn't bother her either you know. After your first one she thanked me for helping her. I don't even think she remembered that she used to have them until you woke up terrified."

"Oh."

"Don't feel bad. Lets have some breakfast."

"Actually, I was going to go for a walk, since Kat was opening, if that's alright."

"Of course. But you better eat when you get back, I don't think you eat enough Dani."

"Okay. I'll have something."