Are We Going Somewhere? No? Okay...

Brad scooted up behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her flush against his chest. For weeks now, Brad had been “guarding” her, especially after the particular nightmare that caused her to get tangled in covers, laying by her side every night. If she permitted it.

“Is this okay?” Ruby nodded, grasping his arm in her much smaller hand. Brad cozied himself up behind her, resting his chin on top of her head before nuzzling her hair.

She turned around after a few minutes, feeling restless. Brad, still awake, played with her hair and kissing the crown of her head every once and awhile as he waited for her to get comfortable. Ruby snuggled her face into his chest hoping to get comfortable enough to sleep. To no avail.

“Uncomfortable?”

“Yeah, I’m restless.” Adjusting himself, Brad pulled her over his chest, laying her on her belly. Something easy to do since her brace had been removed just a few days prior, so long as she promised to not run or attempt any vigorous exercising.

“Is this better?”

“Yeah, thanks.” Letting her hand curl up on his chest, she rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

They had kept their distance, at first, while in the bed. Ruby would occasionally not permit him to lay beside her and never would she allow them to particularly touch. Of course, this excluded the times where Brad would wake her from her nightmares, magically knowing when they were happening. Over the weeks, he had become surprisingly tuned to her patterns, knowing immediately if something were to go amiss.

Brad had snuck closer and closer each night until their backs had been touching. She wasn’t particularly happy about it, stiffening when he neared too close, but as the nights passed with the sporadic night snuggles after nightmares, Ruby openly accepted his comforting strength.

“Sleep tight.” Ruby hummed back at him but otherwise stayed silent, sleep taking its hold.

During the night she’d shake and sometimes toss and turn if the nightmare had been particularly bad, waking Brad up in the process. He’d grab her quickly, holding her close and whispering sweet, comforting things in her ear, but unlike the first time, he didn’t get beaten on. Well, not as much anyway.

Usually, she’d wake with a gasp and after a few minutes of steadying her breathing, she’d lean back into him, falling asleep. She barely remembered waking to begin with. Tonight, she stayed still in his arms, breathing evenly and low, a rare treat.

Brad leaned back relaxing as she slept.

One night, about a week ago, she had woken up around three o’clock in the morning. Brad had slept in his room that night, per her request, and Meers was on guard duty until seven. She had come out of her room in a rush, quite surprised to find Meers standing just by her door.

“You’re here?” He frowned, not quite sure where else he’d be.

“Of course. Is something wrong?” Ruby didn’t answer but shut her door only to reopen it. She repeated the process a few times, actually coming to scare him. “Ruby…?” He followed her down to the ground level before reversing his direction and following back up where she opened and closed her door a final time.

Then, she moved on to the next door, opening it and closing it. The next door she repeated.

She continued, checking each door on either side before she reached Rex’s room, the third commander. He had moved into the house a few years ago, just in case either Luke or Brad needed him and often, he was in charge of guard shifts and patrols when Luke and Brad were both busy with the trackers or the company.

“Wow, okay. Uh… Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong? We can’t just go opening up people’s doors...” At the commotion, Rex came to the door, peeking out to see them. It must have satisfied her because she moved on down the line.

“Is she okay?” Rex stepped, watching her odd behavior with a small terror.

“I have no idea-” He rushed forward, recognizing the door as Luke’s and if he had to guess, Lindsey was most likely in there too. “Okay, Ruby, stop.”

“I need to check. They all have to open.” She reached for the knob, but before she touches it, the door swung open.

A tired Lindsey stepped out, shocked to see the group outside their door. Luke came to stand behind her and followed her out as Ruby, once more satisfied, moved onto the next three doors before Brad’s.

Also being woken by the commotion, he stepped out of his room, completing her goal.

“What’s going on?”

“She says she has to check to see if all the doors open or not.” Rex crossed his arms, a bit irritated being up this earlier, but his eyes followed her as she rechecked her room before heading down the stairs, her actions actually frightening him. “Is she okay? She doesn’t seem okay…”

He had picked up the slack Luke and Brad left behind in dealing with the cult. They had met only once prior, but it was brief and no introductions were offered. But, he knew who she was.

“Ruby, you’re not dreaming.” Brad chased after her, catching up to her on the second floor. The group followed her down into the kitchen where she stepped out onto the deck. Again, Brad reiterated the fact she wasn’t dreaming.

“I could pinch you if you’d like.” Lindsey received some peeved glares at her suggestion, Luke going as far as to roll his eyes before kissing her cheek. “Just a thought, guys.”

“I don’t know that.”

“You told me that the house was always empty.” Brad stayed just inside, watching as she simply stood on his deck, listening.

“No, not always. Just most of the time.” Her correction sent another whirlwind of questions through his mind. “No lullaby… no creature…” Her next words were low, not meant to be spoken aloud, but they heard her.

Luke had opened his mouth to question her, but Rex clamped a hand over his mouth. Perhaps, she’d say more subconsciously.

She didn’t but continued to stay rooted in place. Listening. Searching.

“Ruby,” Brad stepped out, feeling the chill rise goosebumps on his skin. “You’re not dreaming. Come back inside.” He grabbed her elbow in a light hold, guiding her back inside and back to her room where she returned to bed without issue.

The next morning, when questioned, she only vaguely remembered being out on the deck and checking some of the doors, but nothing else.

When morning came, Brad threw an arm over his eyes to block out the light. He could feel her body pressed against his side, her hand gently splayed across his chest. Her breathing, still low and even, tickled his neck, causing goosebumps to rise up on his skin.

Below them, he could hear people getting breakfast and passing by the door in the hallway. There were some, already outside, switching with the patrolling wolves or playing in the snow.

Ruby slept through the sounds, probably unable to hear most of it, unlike his unlucky self. She continued to sleep, hiding away from the sun by keeping her back to it. Her curtains had been left open, something she insisted on. An easy way for her to escape if he had to guess.

Though, Lilac had mentioned that she didn’t want to leave or something like that. The girl had tripped over her own words before shutting up and leaving the room.

Smith filled in for her, explaining the exchange between Lilac and Ruby the night of the Christmas party. Lilac had only mentioned how Ruby didn’t want to leave, but he knew nothing more of the conversation.

“Morning,” he greeted her as she stirred in his arms. She peeked up at him before hiding her face once more. “Oh come on, at least give me a smile.” Brad could feel her smile against his shirt but otherwise, didn’t move. “I guess that counts…”

Finally, she gave him one peeved eye, “good morning.” Brad laughed at the look she gave.

“Want some breakfast?” She nodded before detaching herself from him. He laid on the bed watching as she gathered her clothes before heading to the bathroom.

Brad smiled as she shut the bathroom door and locked it. She never walked out of her room with her PJs on.

He listened as she showered and blow dried her hair, his eyes trained intensely on the door as a wave of heat passed through him. It was hard to not imagine all the things happening in the room right in front of him. Brad kept trying to gulp down the lump that had formed in his dry throat and held his breath. He quickly sat up as she came out, throwing her clothes in a chair nearby.

Ruby had pulled back her hair with a black clip, leaving it partially damp. She grabbed some socks and pulled on the boots Lindsey had given her at Christmas. She wore skinny jeans and one of the shirts the doctor had given her, the one with two wolves and a heart around it.

“Ready?”

“You don’t want to change?” Brad looked down at himself, not seeing what was wrong with his clothes.

“No, I’m okay.”

“Oh.” Ruby nodded before walking out the door, leaving him to follow behind her.

“Do you think it's not neat or something?” Brad jogged up to her side, matching her pace.

“Ms. Lucy always said it was.” Ruby shrugged before looking over at him. “I don’t see anything wrong with it but she didn’t like it when I wore my PJs outside of my room. Unless I needed something in the middle of the night. I was just making sure you didn’t want to change or shower beforehand.”

“Whose Ms. Lucy?” They descended down the stairs, passing a few who bowed their heads in greeting.

“Oh, one of the people I had been fostered with.”

“You were in foster care? For how long?” Ruby tugged on her sleeves, her lips forming a straight line.

“Since I was seven…”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Did you like any of them?”

“A few.” Their conversation stopped as they entered the dining area where a dozen already sat eating the buffet that had been set up. Upon seeing the couple, people shuffled around, making space for the two on the long benches that sat around the very large table.

“They didn’t have to move…” Ruby tugged on her sleeves once more, getting more uncomfortable at the situation.

“Of course we did, come on in.” One of the men closest to them waved them on in. The others quickly agreed, greeting them both and those by the newly vacated seats patted the bench for them to come sit.

“Go on. I’ll get us both a plate.” Brad pushed her forward to take her seat as he headed to the temporary tables laid out with food.

Ruby sat down next to a young girl with pigtails, who sat next to her dad.

“You're very pretty.” She looked up from her plate to smile at Ruby, licking her lips afterward of maple syrup.

“Why thank you. I like your pigtails.” Ruby gently bounced one in her hand making the little girl giggle.

“Thank you!” Then she quickly turned to her father and tugged on his sleeve, despite the fact his attention had already been on the exchange. “Daddy! Daddy! She said she liked my pigtails!” She whispered to him not so quietly.

It made Ruby smile as well as those who sat around them. Brad joined her soon after, handing her a plate and a glass of milk.

He bantered with some of the other wolves, some had just gotten back from their nightly shift. Others just woke up, eating before heading into work. Brad owned a transportation company either by private plane, semi-trucks, or shipping via boats.

Those who didn’t work shifts patrolling worked in the pack business and even then, some used the days they had off to earn some extra money or help around the community.

Ruby sat quietly, listening to their conversations bounce around as some left and others joined in. Eventually, the father led his little girl out, heading to school.

She sneakily scooted his finished plate and glass away from him, stacking it with hers, before heading back to the kitchen. A few were already there, looking like junior high kids.

When they noticed her carrying in some plates, one of the young boys grabbed it from her, thanking her as he cleared off the unfinished food and stuck it in the soapy dishwater.

Leaving them to work, Ruby skittered around the downstairs by herself. She looked through the windows to see a few people working out in the gym, studying in the library or playing games on the multiple TVs set up to work as one.

The living room where she had received her gifts back in December stood empty. It had a comfy couch but only one television and unlike the large gaming room, it had one console and was much smaller.

Getting an afghan from the closet nearby, Ruby turned on the tv and flipped the channels around. She landed on a reality tv show but became quickly uninterested as they began to fight stupidly.

Looking into the movie shelves nearby, Ruby picked a few movies before randomly choosing one to play. It looked like a horror movie from the front cover but Ruby hit play despite the creepy, dark, main menu music.

Ruby set up a few pillows so she could lay her head down, before she slipped off her boots, leaving them under the coffee table. Stretching a little, she boredly blinked as the opening credits rolled through the pictures of a forest and of a small, poor looking town.

Brad creaked open the door, looking around before his eyes landed on her stretched out form. Without saying a word, he lifted her feet and sat down, placing them on his lap. Whether on purpose or not, he gently rubbed the soles of her feet and watched the movie with her.

It wasn’t too terrifying, but more like morally, mind-bending. Most definitely a psychological thriller.

Ruby reached over once it had finished, reading “The Tall Man” off the cover. Brad grabbed the stack she left on the coffee table, looking through her selection.

“What about some classic Italian Job?” Ruby reached over to see the cover, noticing Mark Wahlberg on it.

Grinning she nodded, before laying back down. Brad popped it in and joined her on the couch. He continued to rub her feet, stretching his legs out onto the coffee table.

After a few more movies, all of different genres, Luke came in, waving Brad over. He left her alone to pick another. They disappeared out of the room and out of earshot from her.

She placed another movie into the tray and waited for his return. When Brad did come back, he had a plate of pizza and soda in his hand.

“Here, have some lunch. I’ll be back later this evening. You want someone with you or…” He laid the items down on the coffee table in front of her.

“I’ll be fine. I’ll just watch movies anyway.” Ruby smiled at him, opening the soda for a sip.

“Alright, if you need me, just get one of the pack to come get me. I’ll be by your side lickety-split. Promise.” Brad kissed her nose playfully, before leaving.

“Be careful.” He stopped by the door frame, only looking back at her with the corner of his eye.

Ruby couldn’t see the softening of his face or the way he smiled at her words. He simply left, closing the door behind him.

She returned to the movie.