Good Intentions

12

He was still screaming as if the dream continued into reality.

"Leo? Leo! Hey, what's wrong?" Nick called from his desk.

Leo sat up quickly on the day bed and pressed a hand to his chest, feeling his heartbeat threatening to jump out of his ribcage. Beads of sweat were rolling down his forehead and plastered onto his skin. He was shaking harder than a leaf.

"I'm fine. Just had a nightmare," Leo tried to explain calmly.

"No, you're not," Nick said and rose up from his chair. He made his way towards Leo and sat next to him. He rubbed his shoulders and back and placed a light kiss on his jaw. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Why would I tell you?" Leo snapped.

"It might make you feel better. I won't judge you or anything, mon beau."

"It was scary," Leo said and rubbed at his eyes. They were moist. He must've been crying and didn't notice. He tried to look away but it was already too late. Nick grabbed his chin and stared into his eyes.

"Well, it's over now. You don't have to be scared anymore," he said as he lightly dabbed at Leo's eyes with his thumb. "You can tell me anything, you know."

Leo still had a lack of trust, but it wasn't like anything he'll say will matter when he planned to escape anyways. And besides, it wasn't like Nick knew anyone that Leo had connections to. He was never sociable. He just didn't want anything to think that he was an irresponsible brother.

"My sister, I dreamt about my sister."

"What's her name?" Nick asked gently.

"Her name was Niko," he answered. "She was killed by a gang a while ago. I found her in the fridge with a red stamp on her cheek. I still dream about it a lot."

"Oh, Leo."

Leo wiped vigorously at his face, but the tears were overwhelming now. "I'm slowly moving past it but I still feel like it was my fault. If I got home on time I probably would've been able to save her. But I decided to work overtime that night. I called the police right away but they didn't do much about it. They didn't want to get too involved with the gang who had done it to her. I don't even know why- we hadn't done anything illegal or wrong or anything the gang would come after us for."

Nick's eyes widened before they relaxed again. "It's not your fault, you didn't know it was going to happen."

"But I could've saved her."

"Leo, many things happen but that doesn't mean you're responsible for all of them. The violent actions of somebody else are something you can't control. I'm sure you were a good brother and that she loved you very much."

"I'm so tired of dreaming of her. I'm constantly reliving that moment," Leo said with a big sigh.

"What can I do to make you feel better?"

"Nothing. It'll go away on its own," Leo said and gave him a dismissive wave of the hand. "It always does."

"But I want to help you. It upsets me seeing you so torn apart," Nick told him and started to rub his back reassuringly.

Leo didn't want to tell him any more information that might him more vulnerable, but he was tired of having to keep telling Nick that he was okay. He was persistent.

"It sounds kind of embarrassing, but I can't walk alone at night anymore. It reminds me too much of... what happened."

"I'll always be with you. I won't let you walk alone at night and I'll walk with you if need be." Nick cupped Leo's face in his hands and stared deep into his eyes. "You don't have to be alone again."