A/N: Well, this one’s going to be a song chapter. The song is ‘Crush’ by David Archuleta. So, the song obviously does not belong to me. Enjoy!

Chapter 14

Sweet Nightmares

Kat tussled and turned in her sheets. Strangely, she couldn’t get comfortable. The air was hot and unbearable. Her silk nightgown felt constricting. Her throat was all choked up. Sweat poured out from her forehead and underarms. Shadow had really emotionally scarred her. Stretch may have nursed her wounds but he could never cure her trauma of being held hostage by a psychopath. Finally, she simply flung her sheets onto the floor. She thrust her head back onto her pillow which to her, felt rock solid. She seriously needed to get some sleep. But, she simply couldn’t. The day’s events were swimming through her mind. The kidnapping…the torture….the valiant rescue….Stretch’s compassionate nursing….Stretch being so loving…..Stretch being so nice. Ok, she had to stop this stupid obsession with Stretch.

He’s never going to fall for you. So, stop kidding yourself. The epiphany hurt like a knife to her artery. But it was the truth. Stretch would never love her. Not in the way she wanted him to. He would never arrive on a beautiful white stallion and ride her off into the magnificent sunset. He wouldn’t be Romeo and rescue her as Juliet from eternal loneliness. But she could still dream. There was absolutely no real problem with indulging in a few fantasies. So lying back down on her soft pillow, she allowed herself to dream about Stretch. She could outline every tiny detail of him.

The deep, radiant violet eyes.

The proud, hawk-like nose.

The high, chiseled cheekbones.

The self-confident, bad boy smirk.

The tall, lanky yet strong physique.

The large, gentle hands.

And of course the little dimples in his cheeks and chin.

Kat drowsed in blissful slumber.

In Kat’s Dream…

I found myself in a pristine green meadow. Lilacs and clover bloomed everywhere. What a lovely scene, I thought happily to myself. I am surprised and unduly embarrassed at my choice of clothing. I am wearing a silk nightgown with lace trimming on the thin straps and hem. There’s pearl detailing on my chest and a bow in my hair. I am somehow filled with a peace I have never known. A horse neighs in the distance.

And that’s when he arrives. A handsome, noble farmhand on McFadden ranch.

He’s absolutely gorgeous. His luscious chocolate hair is parted in the centre in two heavy bangs that fall into his eyes. His skin is a manly golden tan. His cheekbones are sky-scraping. His nose is proud and very sharp. His smile melts my heart when it is directed at me. His tall, thin yet muscled body is accommodated to hard work and weight-lifting. His hands…so gentle. Not a callous in sight on those beautiful hands. His sense of style is admirable. He is wearing a white cotton fitted shirt with a couple of buttons unfastened at the top. It reveals a chiseled chest with a slight powdering of coarse chest hair. His black skinny jeans cling to him in all the right places. His hard won cowboy boots and rope necklace complete the rugged, manly look. But what really bowled me over were his eyes.

They were incredibly electrifying. They were radiant; I found myself caught in their tender traps. The twin violets on his face envelope me in their petals. They stroke me gently and I am in complete bliss. I approach him shyly. He smile widens. He hands me a beautiful red rose which I accept with gratitude and flushed cheeks. Soon, he removes a guitar from a case at my feet and begins strumming it. I could barely wait to be serenaded. His magical voice is soon heard by my fortunate ears.

‘Crush’

I hung up the phone tonight
Something happened for the first time
Deep inside
It was a rush
What a rush
'Cause the possibility
That you would ever feel the same way
About me
It's just too much
Just too much

Why do I keep running from the truth
All I ever think about is you
You got me hypnotized
So mesmerized
And I've just got to know

[chorus:]
Do you ever think
When you're all alone
All that we could be?
Where this thing could go?
Am I crazy or falling in love?
Is it really just another crush?
Do you catch a breath
when I look at you?
Are you holding back
like the way I do?
'Cause I'm trying, trying to walk away
But I know this crush ain't going
Away
Going away

Has it ever crossed your mind
When we're hanging,
Spending time, girl, are we just friends
Is there more
Is there more
See it's a chance we've gotta take
'Cause I believe that we can make this
Into something that'll last
Last forever
Forever

[chorus]

Why do I keep running from the truth
(Why do I keep running)
All I ever think about is you
(All I ever think about)
You got me hypnotized
(Hypnotized)
So mesmerized
(mesmerized)
And I've just got to know

[chorus]

Going away
Going away

His spell worked; I am vastly charmed. He sweeps me up into his arms and whispers lovingly into my ear. “Kitty Kat, you’re so beautiful. I…love you so much.” I can’t believe he actually said it! I am ecstatic. I am so happy. My heart is singing with joy. He bends down to kiss me. I accept gleefully and willingly. His mouth is pure heaven. His lips soft, dry yet irresistibly kissable. His warm tongue caresses against mine. Nothing would give such joy compared to this. Nothing. His hands gently slipped around my waist. His warm, masculine body pressed tightly to mine. It may be considered a sin to be pleasured so greatly, so perfectly. But, I was not at all regretful. Alas, all good things must come to an end.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” A snarky, venomous voice muttered. Bile rose up into my throat, creating a sour taste in my mouth. I cringed inwardly. My knees weakened. No, not him. Never him. Please. But it was. Shadow McFadden. He was the exact replica of his brother. But, he wore black-rimmed glasses, had the menacing green eyes of a viper and his smirk was more of carnage that carnality. I hated, loathed, despised and detested that man. He who stole the virtue of Stretch’s old girlfriend. He who killed his beloved younger brother. And he who will do the same to me as he had done to Angela. I stood rock still, paralyzed. Stretch, however, approached Shadow with a stone-withering glare.

“What do you want, bastard?” He had let his tongue off of its leash now. Shadow darted a glance at me while licking his lips hungrily. I snorted with disgust.

“Isn’t it obvious?” He answered back nonchalantly. Stretch was boiling. With that he got right up into Shadow’s face and breathed dangerously. “Well, you ain’t going to get what you want, asshole.” With that he took my arm and led me away from the scheming fiend that is Shadow. Little did we know that Shadow extracted a shiny pistol from his jeans pocket.

“Oh, but I always get what I want.” I heard him mutter in that sinister voice. And then, eardrum-shattering gunfire. Stretch staggered back and forth. A piercing scream erupted from my lips. A bullet-sized hole was created in his back. Blood leaked out of the deep wound. I was devastated. Stretch soon fell to his knees and finally his face hit the gritty plain. I turned around and cussed Shadow’s name to the bowels of Hell. And all he did was laugh maniacally and victoriously. What kind of brother was he? He grasped my hand and looked me dead in the eye.

“Your mine now, bitch. And you shall always be.” And that’s when I shrieked. No, Stretch couldn’t die on me.

He just couldn’t. That’s when Shadow shook me violently.

“Wake up!” He shouted. “Wake up, Kit Kat. Are you okay?”

End Dream…

Kat woke up with a start. She soon discovered that it was Stretch shaking her awake. He had heard her shouting his name fearfully. Kat immediately launched herself into his arms. “Oh, Stretch. I don’t want Shadow to hurt you because of me.” Stretch was touched by her compassion. He embraced as lovingly as a compassionate person could.

“Don’t worry, Kitty Kat. He could never hurt me. Never.” Unbeknownst to the hugging couple, Shadow was roving mad in his bedroom, plotting the assassination of Whipstaff and its inhabitants. He was bellowing directives into his glasses cum microphone.

“The straw that broke the camel’s back was his rescue of Kat, Hunts. It’s about time we bring out the big guns and take him down a peg or two. Soon, Kat shall be my Queen and I will rule Whipstaff with an iron fist!” Yet again, Shadow ended his delusional ranting with a loud, maniacal laugh.

Things were going from bad to worse.

A/N: Next chapter will probably take awhile. However, hope you review this one.