The deep brown hues of her eyes glittered with the threat of tears that needed to spill. Her cheeks were pink with frustration at the inability to release them and she was at her wits end. Rubbing her aching palms she tried to get the phantom pain to release itself, but she knew better, it wasn't anything physical, but mental - emotional really. Pain rose in her chest, mixed with that horrible chest squeezing need to release her tears, fears, anger, frustration, happiness, every single emotion that swirled inside of her. It had been an achingly long few months. Days had passed by with such ups and downs that her mental and emotional state was at its most fragile state. Glass couldn't compare to the fragility, it was more like spun sugar.
Hours passed as she sat in bed, hugging her knees to her chest, the crying just at the brink within her grasp but no matter what she said to herself, thought about, or did, she couldn't cry. The dam was refusing to break and it just taunted her by letting just two tears fall. She screamed with frustration, over and over into the pillow until she felt exhausted. It wasn't what she needed, but it was a release to tide her over. Lying down, she drifted off to sleep, arms clasped around the pillow tightly.
Hours passed that she slept, not hearing her Master's car pull into the driveway, or the clicking of the keys in the door, and she did not hear him calling out to her. Worried footsteps clattered down the hallway, door after door being open and shut as he sought her out until he finally found her, in their bed, curled up in such a small ball, tightly hugging that pillow and unconscious. With a creasing frown to his forehead he approached her, reaching a hand out to rub along her back. It was damp with sweat, maybe from nightmares or being too hot but he just simple wrapped his arms under her, lifting her up and shifted till she was asleep in his arms. Pressing adoring kisses to her temple, he inhaled the sweet scent of green apples in her hair from that shampoo she rarely used. It was a switch from strawberries and he was pleasantly surprised, but he knew what that meant. She never switched shampoo's. Never changed the fresh and sweet strawberry scent from her body unless she was collapsing.
Anguish filled his belly at the thought his little girl, his pet, his girl was hurting and so deeply. It had taken her so much courage to try to explain to him so many nights ago about her need for what some called "maintenance scenes." A scene that would push her past her limits, and help break the damn inside. Whether she needed to scream, cry, laugh - it would help her get there. He squeezed her tightly in his arms, nesting his face against her neck and with a tender tone he spoke to her. "Kitten, wake up. Master is home."
Fingers brushed the onyx coloured strands of her hair away from her porcelain skin, and softly she began to stir. Instead of the bubbly, happy little girl he knew and loved, the one who as soon as she saw her Master would light up like a Christmas Tree, she was lethargic, barely aware and not herself. Instead of warmth in her eyes, it was nothing but pain and distance. Even her voice when she spoke those words usually filled with such love sounded dull and broken, "Welcome home Master."