The night is cold. The sky is wet. Darkness enfolds everything. I shouldn't be scared, because you're with me, but still the raging storm outside haunts me.

I hear the rain pelting against the glass in the windows, like a hail of tiny stones and streaks of lightening divide the inky night. I've always been scared of storms, ever since I was a kid. I used to run around the house, screaming because I was so scared. Even now, anxiety clutches at my brain and panic attacks wash over me, one after the other. It used to go on all night as nobody could do anything to calm me down. Except for you.

Another crash of thunder is released from the heavens and the white lightening streaks into our pitch-black bedroom. I gasp for a second and tense up. I can feel a tightness starting to build up in my chest and my breathing starts to get shallow and my heart begins to thump erratically. I'm wheezing away and struggle to gulp more air into my constricted lungs. I realise now that smoking doesn't help things like this and I curse myself for starting that foul habit. I start to cough, my lungs trying to expel the carbon dioxide in them but it just makes everything ten times worse. Suddenly, I feel the bed move as you sit up, awakening from your sleep. I guess I must have woken you up. Pulling me close to you, you start to rub my back, in an attempt to ease this assault, gently whispering "it's going to be alright" at the same time. Immediately my wheezing slows down and I start to take deep breaths, refilling my lungs. Slowly my breathing regulates and I'm okay again. The lightening outside lights up your face for a second and I find reassurance in the depths of your brown eyes. We stare at each other for a few seconds and seeing the disquiet on my face, you pull me into a comforting hug. I bury my face into your shoulder and breathe softly, listening to your calming murmurings and feeling your tender hands stroke my hair while the storm outside thunders on.

I don't know how you do it. You always manage to make the storms bearable in the dark cold nights of winter. You deal so well with it, even though I wake you up in the middle of the night. You never moan, you never complain, you just make it go away. Oh God, I'm so lucky to have you. This stupid phobia has driven so many other lovers away but it's made you and I so close, especially as during the storms, I sometimes can't sleep and so we just end up talking until sunrise. How could such a silly thing as weather create such a strong bond?

"Are you alright now?"

Your questions echoes in the shadows, with the tempest still running in the background. I don't really know. I don't want to sleep again - I don't think I could but I don't want to keep you up all night. I break out of the hug and stare at you again. It's both a comfort and a guilty pang to see the concern in your eyes.

"I... I'm not sure."

"Well, do you want me to stay up with you?"

I contemplate for a few seconds, not sure of what to say.

"Please," I finally answer. "I don't want to be alone tonight."

We get back under the duvet and you pull me close to you, so you'll know if I have another attack. The storm is still rolling around in the bitter night and therefore makes it unpredictable. I don't know if I'll fall victim to it again. The feeling of your body next to mine is a warm comfort. I know you won't fall asleep until hours after I do, just to make sure I'm okay. Reassuring thoughts start to run through my head because I'm not alone tonight and now never will be. Because it's just then that I realise that you must really love me for you to be doing all this. There's no other reason for it. You've said it loads of times before but it's times like these that make me see. You truly love me. Just as I love you. And that's the most comforting thought of all.

Subconsciously, I stretch out, my hand hitting the headboard of our bed. I'm half asleep by now and I'm just about to doze off but I'm awake enough to feel your hand covering mine and our fingers interlock. I roll over to you to see you smiling down at me. You know I'm going to be alright.

"Don't worry," you whisper. "I'll be with you every step of the way."

Smiling, I roll back over and fall into a blissful sleep knowing that, with you at my side, I can climb mountains.