Blood pooled on the floor around me, the same scene every single time. I held Blythe in my arms and watched the life drain from her. There was nothing I could do but watch in horror as she took her last breath. The red around us grew until it was the only thing that filled my vision. 

Red. 

The floor around me was a pool of it. My hands and arms were covered. My breathing became shaky at the sight. 

“Please,” I begged. 

I was trapped in my own horrible nightmare. I couldn’t escape the mistakes of my past. 

Red continued to grow. 

The little girl I saved stood close behind me, her tiny hand on my shoulder. 

“Go find help,” I instructed her, just as I had every single time I lived this nightmare. 

The moment she sprinted off, I called out, hoping anyone would find us before it was too late. In my heart, I knew she was beyond help, but I continued to scream. 

Arms pulled me into someone’s grasp. I fought against it until I heard her voice.

“Stone,” Len said frantically. “Stone, wake up! It’s a dream. Wake up.”

The desperation in her words snapped me out of it. I sat up and opened my eyes, finding her watching me. Her brows furrowed, her hands shaking on my shoulders. She pulled them back quickly.

I caught a glance at the clock hanging on the wall—10:00pm, which meant I hadn’t been asleep long. We’d spent the rest of the day looking over the case details until our eyes were heavy with sleep.

“I’m sorry. I heard you yelling. I thought something was wrong…” She slid back from the couch, ready to return to her room.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” I apologized.

“What were you dreaming of ?” she asked gently.

I took a deep breath. She already knew everything, the whole story. What harm would telling her this do?

“I have nightmares about Blythe and everything that happened,” I admitted.

She didn’t look shocked, nor did her features slip into judgment. Instead, I found understanding.

“I have them too,” she said softly. “About my attack.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, knowing the pain and horror of the nightmares that plagued me nightly.

She shook her head. “You shouldn’t be alone down here,” she said, her brows bunching. “Being alone is the worst part. I’ve spent three years plagued by the nightmares, trust me. Just come up to bed with me. It’s yours anyway,” Len finished quietly.

I hesitated, knowing that if I took this, everything would change. I’d be giving in to every emotion I was ignoring, the entire reason I’d allowed her to help me with this case in the first place. Something I’d never experienced before her.

“Okay,” I said gently.

A smile spread across her face, and she stood, heading for the stairs.