The Enforcer

Tie and Dye

Zia's POV

I tossed around for a good ten minutes before abandoning all attempts at sleeping. Everytime I shut my eyes I thought of that dark alley. The attack. I needed to get some counselling if the nightmares got worse. Next to me, April seemed sound asleep.

To press charges? No? Yes?

Downstairs, I heard the door close and figured that they'd gone to sleep as well. I wondered why we got Sienna's room? Maybe Cole liked the guest bedroom? I had to thank all of them for doing so much to keep the both of us safe.

My mind was a whirl. It was so confusing, all this information made me anxious. I couldn't tell why I was in the center of it, or why they were investigating Mayor Pritt.

But I could only blindly trust all of them. After all, Cole and April had saved me on two separate occasions. And Sienna had been a fool, trying to come save me alone. I couldn't question that kind of loyalty, and nor was I the suspicious type. I was grateful for them, and my life.

But why would someone attack me in the middle of a walk? What had I done? Why would Pritt's men supposedly be after me?

I thought about my dad, and his visit. He'd made Charles back off so easily. I knew that he and Pritt had history. I'd seen a picture of them together, from a long time ago. He kept it in a box along with a few other things.

I remember my sister asking about the picture - but my father just dismissed the conversation as if it was nothing. Did Charles kidnap me for a reason beyond getting to Sienna? How would I ever get any answers?

"Are you not able to sleep?" April's voice startled me and I flinched. "Oh. I'm sorry. I can just feel you moving about." She said more softly and I was a little embarrassed.

"I'm sorry! I will try to stay still." I promised but she just turned to her side to face me. I worried about her injury if she was going to move about so much.

"The stitches are fine." April assured me as if she'd read my mind and my eyes went back to her face instead of her abdomen. "If you say so." I offered weakly. She could handle an entire attack and be so normal, while here I was trying to act normal every single second.

"What's wrong?" She asked me and I hesitated. I didn't even know where to begin. I didn't want to bother getting into it. "Nothing really. Please don't let me keep you up." I tried, a little flustered with keeping her awake. I could always just watch something downstairs, maybe fall asleep to a boring movie.

"Ah, you're a polite one." April observed and I stayed quiet. Why was I so awkward with most people?

"I just don't want to trouble you." I said quietly and I heard her chuckle.

"Can you not sleep? Are you thinking about pressing charges?" I raised an eyebrow and she sat up, rolling her eyes, "I could hear you yell about the article from all the way down." She told me and I was red again.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was that loud." I said again and April smiled. "That's fine. It was exciting. You should let your emotions guide you more." She told me and I wondered if she meant it.

She was so poised herself. Like a soldier. Maybe that was because she was one.

"How do you get sleep?" I blurted out finally and April looked at me quizzically. "What do you-OH."

"You can't sleep because you're having nightmares?"

"Yes." I admitted. She looked like she knew what was going on. So I guess I wasn't that alone.

"You're safe here, you know that right?"

"Consciously, yes. I know that." I admitted and she nodded.