The Four Brothers ~ Completed

Capítulo Doze: Os Pesadelos

Gemma's POV:

I didn't have any intent on screwing up. But I needed to sleep and with what George did to me it was basically impossible to believe that I wouldn't have nightmares. I just never thought my screaming would wake up Zion.

Rewind.

No one was outside my room when I finally got out of the shower. I didn't want to talk to anyone, so I stayed in my room all day. Books were the only things I needed to keep myself entertained, and I had plenty of them. I was set.

Night fell, and so did my eyelids.

I dreamt of my eighth birthday. George had told me that it was going to be my best birthday ever. I had only hoped that it meant I wouldn't get a beating or have creepy men get way too close.

No such luck. One pot of boiling water down my back and I spent my eighth birthday writhing in pain.

I woke up, writhing and screaming and sobbing and begging for all the pain to stop. Zion was holding my flailing arms in his hands, his eyes wide with fear and surprise.

"Gemma." Was all Zion said as he sat down next to me. My sobbing must have caught him off guard because he didn't move for the first few seconds of my hysterical crying. He then started to run his hands through my hair, shushing me calmly.

"Did I wake you up?" I sniffled when my crying was somewhat under control. Tears were still leaking from my eyes, but I wasn't sobbing anymore.

"No. I was working and I heard you screaming." He said. It was only then did I notice that he was in sweatpants and an old tee-shirt.

His hands were shaking.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your work." I muttered, wiping at my cheeks roughly. Zion shushed me again, moving my hands aside to wipe the tears himself but much more gently. I leaned forward, my forehead pressing against his chest.

His breathing stuttered for a minute, but then he started breathing normally.

"It's alright. It wasn't anything important. Do you wanna talk about it?" Zion asked, his hands still running over my hair. I shook my head, forgetting for a minute where I was and who I was talking to.

"It was just another nightmare." I whispered, angry at myself for being stupid enough to fall asleep. Sleeping was an open invitation for the Devil to enter my dreams and hurt me over and over again. As if the first twelve years of my life weren't enough.

"Another nightmare?" Zion asked, his hands pausing momentarily. I nodded, not even realizing that Zion was showing rare concern.

"I have them all the time." I mumbled, a yawn breaking up my words. Zion didn't say anything for a while.

"I'm sorry." He finally muttered. I figured it was because he didn't know what else to say. I wanted to thank him for being kind to me, but I didn't want to ruin the moment. I was enjoying having someone around who wasn't trying to hurt me or question me.

"It's alright. I've had so many that I'm used to them." I yawned again. I could feel myself start to doze off right there, leaning against Zion's chest. Talk about mortifying.

He leaned me back and laid me down on the pillow, then pulled the blanket up to my chin. I turned onto my side and let out a content sigh. I felt something warm press against my forehead but then it was gone.

"Boa noite, minha jóia. Rezo para que você sonhe com nada além do que o faz feliz. (Goodnight, my Gem. I pray you dream of nothing but what makes you happy.)" Zion whispered before getting off my bed.

My door creaked as he left. I was fast asleep by the time he got back to his room.

I woke up, only hours later, screaming along with the shrieks in my ears. My door was flung open, Zion rushing to my bedside. He instantly took me into his arms, shushing me and the person who followed him in.

"Is she alright?" Damian asked worriedly. I only sobbed harder. The shrieks of pain were, no doubt, the only memories I had of my parents. The nightmare before that... George's belt had become his best friend overnight.

It was better than the wrench, at least.

"Shh, amada (Sweetheart), it's alright." Zion whispered into my hair. I was nestled into the crook of his neck, not that I was complaining. His hands were running through my hair in a frantic rush to calm me down.

My chest heaved with crippling sobs.

"It's not alright!" I sobbed. There was a storm of footsteps.

"What's going on?" Tobias asked, sounding both stern and worried. It was interesting how that dynamic worked.

"She had another nightmare. Keep your voice down or you'll scare her even more." Zion snapped, pushing my head even further into his neck. I could feel his pulse, and for some reason the steady thudding calmed me down.

"What were you dreaming about?" Damian asked, sounding like he was standing right behind Zion. I shuddered, not wanting to think about it.

"It's alright, meu amor (My love), you're safe. The other two are going to leave." Zion said loudly. The other two must have gotten the very obvious hint and the door creaked as they left. I curled even further into Zion, my whole body somehow fitting into his lap.

He didn't seem to mind. He rocked me back and forth, seemingly not bothered by my weight. My sobs quieted and my sniffling started up again.

"Did I interrupt your work again?" I asked with a barely there chuckle. I could tell Zion was grinning, just based off his tone of voice as he answered.

"Nah. I was fixing some coffee." He whispered in a laughing tone. I smiled a bit, somewhat cheered up by his teasing tone.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I asked, yawning towards the end of my question. Zion stopped rocking for a minute, before starting back up.

"You're my sister." He answered, sounding sure. I tiredly snorted as he set me back down. I curled into a ball on my left side while he pulled the blanket up to my chin. Again.

"Then why don't you ever act like I'm your sister?"