These Nightmares

[sevenpuddings]

Story Title: These Nightmares

Type of story: long fic

Main Characters: Ric/Cassie

BTTB rating: A

Genre: Angst

Does story include spoilers: No

Any warnings: V/D SC L

Summary: This AU story focuses on Ric and Cassie, childhood friends, who are sent to live in Summer Bay with Flynn and Sally Saunders. Here, they will face uncertinites and fears that they never knew existed, face fears that have hunated them for their entire lives, and learn lessons that only life - and its harshness - can teach.

Welcome to These Nightmares - A joint Fan Fiction created by Skykat and sevenpuddings.

Rated A for future situations - but I hope that won't scare you off - I hope everyone enjoys the beginning, as its only a taste of what we have in store for them.

Also, both Skykat and I would love to thank I Love Music for helping us with the prologue! Your skill is amazing!

-

These Nightmares

Prologue

Ric could hear the whispers of the Eldonites praying to their gods. Although their homes were still smouldering under the thick green smoke of another attack, their religion forbade them to do others harm. Only the one they knew as Traveller could save them now. The Destroyer sneered, convinced no one could stop him. Facing the man in front of him, Ric stretched out his left arm and opened his palm wide.

“Justice. Peace. Harmony.” He recited the universal law of the galaxies as the transporter was activated.

The Destroyer crumbled into nothingness under the harsh beam of light. Banished forever to the one of the prison ships orbiting space. The Eldonites came out of hiding, running up to Ric, hugging him, kissing him, calling him their hero. Screaming.

One lone voice screaming…

Ric jolted awake. It took him a minute or two to realise it had all been a dream. A good dream. The thought made him smile. The dream had come from that night’s episode of Time Traveller Cop, his favourite TV show. He watched it every week, snuggled in the arm-chair, whistling the theme tune - under his breath because it was still hard to get out of the habit of being wary in case he got another bashing. Even though things like bashings couldn’t happen anymore. Not here. There was so much that was good about here.

He looked round at the quiet, familiar walls, lit now by moonlight creeping in through the slats in the window blinds. He listened to the usual train-rumbling snores of Nicky, the kid who slept in the room’s other bed and debated whether or not to throw the first of the pillows yet.

He’d found a whole heap of them, stuffed in a bag in the linen cupboard, and had managed to hide six of them under his bed before Mrs Slater realised she’d left the door unlocked. Ric grinned. He’d no doubt be in for a rollicking tomorrow if he was rumbled, but a rollicking would be the worst it got. There were rules here - Ric understood how there had to be rules about brushing your teeth and stuff - but there was something else. Kind of like the people in charge here took a step back and let them be kids.

Like the time he and Nicky got carried away playing a game of footie and breathlessly followed the ball when it was accidentally booted indoors, where, thanks to their reckless kicking, it bounced against furniture and paintwork. It was only when Mr Slater appeared that they suddenly realised the game had spilled over. Nicky had frozen and Ric had automatically clenched his fists, expecting blows. But all they’d got was a warning.

He thought about the dream again. He’d been having nothing but good dreams recently, since he moved here, to this house. To the safety and security.

Before then, his dreams had been nightmares. His whole life had been a nightmare. Pillows then weren’t for kids’ games. They were for putting over your head to shut out the terror or to protect yourself from the fists. Ric shuddered, reminding himself his old life was over now. It could never come back. Never, never, never. And that was when he heard it again.

That scream.

Pulling back the covers, he stepped onto the soft, plush carpet and quietly crept across the room, pulling open the door, being careful not to wake Nicky. You see, you grew up fast when you had to. You were ten years older than your mates the same age as you when you heard a scream with the same aching terror you once knew so well.

The screaming had stopped, replaced by moans, cries. They were coming from the new girl’s room. Gingerly he crept across the corridor and pushed open her door.

He could see her body tossing and turning in the bed, her arms violently lashing out. She was crying in her sleep, fighting something invisible. Ric increased his pace until he was kneeling at her bedside.

“Hey, hey, wake up,” he urged, shaking her gently. She opened her eyes and, to his horror, screamed, recoiling from him.

Cold moonlight shone on her frightened face. “Don’t let him get me!” She whispered, her small, dark eyes wide with fear.

“It’s okay, nobody’s going to get you, you’re safe now. I’ll protect you...” Ric’s words ran into each other in his anxiety to reassure.

Nobody should have to scream like that. Nobody should have to be so...There wasn’t a word for it. It was more than scared. It was more than lonely. Maybe when he grew up, he’d know all the right words, but right now all he knew was it scalded his heart.

He had been in foster homes most of his life, he had met some seriously messed up kids but he had never seen anybody as terrified as this girl was now. His desire to protect her overwhelmed him and he took her hand. She flinched instantly.

“I’m sorry.” She turned to look at him curiously, her tears easing slightly, “I just…he…” her sobs increased again, racking her small, frail frame.

“He won’t hurt you now. I won’t let him,” Ric promised, sounding far older than his tender years in his desire to protect the small girl. She nodded and this time when he reached for her hand, she didn’t recoil and he squeezed her hand gently, reassuring her that he meant it.

Footsteps could be heard on the stairs and the door burst open, the light shot in, blinding him momentarily.

“Cassie are you okay?” Mrs Slater asked in concern.

“Ric! What are you doing here?” Mr Slater demanded, his voice cold and hard. Ric felt his anger boil up from his stomach and his cheeks flushed angrily as he opened his mouth to argue.

“I... I had a..." Cassie's voice wavered as she shrank back in fear, "a nightmare. Ric saved me. I’m sorry I woke you.” Her words drifted away into a whisper, her hand still in Ric’s, her thin, tiny body still shaking.

“That’s okay, Cassie, love. Are you okay now?” Mrs Slater asked gently. Cassie nodded.

“Thanks to Ric.” Her timid voice became a little stronger.

“That’s good. I think Ric should go back to bed now though, he has school in the morning.” Mrs Slater smiled kindly. “And so do you, Cassie.”

“I’m glad you’re okay, Cassie,” Ric told her, standing up.

Cassie nodded again. Calmer. But fear in her eyes. Silent tears shining there, afraid to fall. Watching for some hidden terror, haunted by scenes playing out in her mind, too painful to relate.

Mr Slater led Ric back to his own room, his own bed and Ric climbed in the covers, forgetting all about kids’ games and the six pillows waiting to be thrown at Nicky. He slipped into its comforting warmth, pulled the duvet up under his chin and shut his eyes. But the second he did he saw her terrified face. The memory of her screams echoed through his body till he shuddered and shook.

There was a time when he too had felt that scared, when he too had cowered under the bedclothes, trying to ignore the screams, the terror, the bashing. Of a time when the terror had been his, when the bashing had been aimed at him, the screams had come from his own mouth.

A soft tread could be heard in the room, the ominous creak of a floorboard and Ric froze. He was here! He was coming for him!

“Ric?” A timid whisper filtered through the night.

Ric sighed with relief. He was not going to get him. He was in prison and Ric was living with the Slaters where nothing... no one could hurt him. He peered out from under the covers and saw her slight, small figure silhouetted against the moonlight.

“Ric, can I sleep with you? I...I don’t want to be by myself,” she pleaded.

His first instinct was to say no, this was his bed and he didn’t want to share. But then he remembered that expression on her face. He remembered her screams. His promise.

“Mmm, okay,” he replied, pulling back the covers as, shivering, she crawled in beside him. He put is arms around her because it seemed the natural thing to do and within minutes they were both fast asleep.

-

The next morning there was murder. The Slaters were not at all pleased to find seven year old Cassie in bed with eight year old Ric but Ric could take their shouting, he could take their threats but Cassie was his friend and what was wrong with them sharing a bed?

Cassie too was standing firm, threatening to run away and despite the Slater’s threats, that very night she climbed into his bed and every night since.

That night a bond had been formed between those two lost foster children. After their childhood terrors they had reached out to each other and became firm friends. They did everything together.

Cassie, as daring and adventurous as Ric, had joined in with all his boyish games and she had been a calming influence on him. The only person who could stop that anger he felt inside him from boiling over, just as she had that night.

He was her protector. He stood up to bullies who dared to pick on her, he took beatings and later gave beatings. Anything to keep her safe. He mopped up her tears and watched Disney Princess to cheer her up whenever she was sad. And every night she climbed into his bed, just as she had that night.

They had only been with the Slater’s a few months when Docs Care came. Mrs Slater was having a baby and she didn’t want other kids in the house anymore. Ric and Cassie were to go to another foster home, separately.

Kicking, screams, arguments, tears, nothing had swayed the faceless ones and the two had been split up.

But it failed to stop them.

Within days they had found where the other lived and every night Cassie had run away and climbed through Ric’s window, into his bed.

Docs learnt their lesson and when the time came to move on the two were moved on together. A further three foster homes and they were still together, still strong.

Still best friends.

-

[-Tess-]

This is awesome Jess. Glad to see that you've got another awesome fic going! Can't wait for the next chapter

[aejdude]

Fantastic start Jess, Kat and I love Music. It was so gripping already, the high level of description made sure nothing was left out so that it managed to capture everyone's feelings very nicely. I love how Cassie dared to go into Ric's bed even though she knew that the Slaters would not be happy about it. And i love that where ever both of them were, even though they were both at separate foster homes Cassie managed to find Ric. I loved that at the start Cassie didn't feel comfortable with Ric, and then shortly afterwards she did because that is what everyone is like with new people, when you meet a stranger or talk to one you don't feel hundred percent comfortable but once you get to know them more you begin to feel more comfortable.

I can't wait for more, you best update soon!

I love that you two are working together, it just makes the fic doubly good!

[swfc]

That was absolutely brilliant. One fic by 2 great authors. The prologue was beautifully written. I can't wait for more.

[lynhay]

This is a great fan fic. Can't wait to read more

[Jackieleanne]

That was brilliant I loved it perfectly writen you all captured the emotion of the story you are telling really well. I loved how close they are and how they bonded and how we got to see what had happened to both of them and how they where feeling about the Slaters as foster parents. I loved it can't wait to read more.

[Skykat]

Thanks to everyone for their lovely comments. Jess is going to be away for a week or so but I do have the next chapter already written and I'll post it up in a few days.

I just wanted to add a thank you to Furry Logic (Anna) for giving me some great advice on how to write children and as Jess said, to ILM for her help with the prologue. Thanks so much guys, really appreciated.

Jess and I are having fun writing this at the moment so it's nice to know that people want it to continue.

More will be up soon.

[kase]

Wow. That was brilliant! Like said, a story by two fantastic writers. I'm already loving it. I've already said that Jess writes Ric and Cassie like I haven't read before in the Summer Series, and I'm so excited that you are doing one concentrating on them. That was magnificently written, heartwrenching, descriptive, a great start. And great job to ILM for it too.

I could feel the connection between the two the moment he woke her up. It just leaped out at you. I love the overall tone of the piece, the seriousness of their situations.

You see, you grew up fast when you had to. You were ten years older than your mates the same age as you when you heard a scream with the same aching terror you once knew so well. That was so heartbreaking. It was more effective learning that they were 7 and 8. Ric seems so old, no one that young should experience what he has.

And I love Cassie as the younger, helpless one: Cassie nodded again. Calmer. But fear in her eyes. Silent tears shining there, afraid to fall. With Ric as her protector.

And this line made me giggle: He mopped up her tears and watched Disney Princess to cheer her up whenever she was sad.

Looking forward to your update Kat And I hope you have a great time Jess (unless you are already gone). Great job guys.

[I love music]

Like I said when you first PM’d me, I needed to add/change very little of this, as it was already really, really good.

You managed to capture Ric and Cassie’s shared sense of loneliness at their harrowing memories with very evocative imagery:

He could see her body tossing and turning in the bed, her arms violently lashing out

“Don’t let him get me!” She whispered, her small, dark eyes wide with fear.

He had been in foster homes most of his life, he had met some seriously messed up kids but he had never seen anybody as terrified as this girl was now.

And I could really picture Cassie as a small, frightened kid when she came looking for Ric and asked this question:

“Ric, can I sleep with you? I...I don’t want to be by myself,” she pleaded.

As you know, I’d only read this up to when Cassie first climbs into Ric’s bed, but the next part is every bit as good.

He mopped up her tears and watched Disney Princess to cheer her up whenever she was sad.

That was so heartwarming! I loved the solidarity, that they were determined not to be separated. Very powerful writing!

Well done, Kat, Jess and Anna. Fantastic beginning.

[Gypsy & Will Fan]

This is brilliant Jess and Kat. So heartwarming but so sad as well. I have a feeling I'm going to love this!