*Chris' POV*
Audra always took longer to fall asleep when she was worried. I could tell by the way her breathing stayed uneven, the faint twitch in her hand resting on my chest. Every creak of the house, every car passing down the street, made her body tense before she forced herself still again. I held her close anyway, pretending I was calm, waiting.
It felt cruel, counting her breaths, waiting for them to even out, but I needed her asleep before I could do what I had to do.
It must have been close to two in the morning when her body finally softened against mine. A small sigh left her lips, her hand sliding down to the mattress, her breathing steady now. She was exhausted, and she deserved at least a few hours of rest without me dragging her deeper into this mess.
