A New Judgment

Chapter 15: Where Dom Gets in His Feelings and They Reconnect

Nessa is woken up, what feels like minutes later, by gentle hands rubbing up and down her arm. She groans and snuggles into the chest of the person she is facing. She can tell by the feeling and smell that she is still facing Dominik who wraps his arms around her and pulls her closer again. "Good morning Mi Vida. Are you ok?" He groans, his voice thick with sleep but wanting to make sure she is ok. She nods against his chest making him hold her tighter.

"Did something happen last night?" Damian asks, his voice equally as deep as the morning before, tinged with concern. Nessa feels the bed move as she assumes Damian moves into a sitting position.

"Do you want me to tell them Princesa? Or do you want to keep that between us for now?" Dominik whispers into her ear, but only Rhea is able to hear.

Nessa sighs and does her best to remain calm, not wanting to seem weak again. "Go ahead Dom." Nessa answers, still firm against Dom's chest, Rhea tracing shapes up and down her arm.

"She had a nightmare about her ex, more of a memory, and couldn't sleep. She needed to feel safe." Dom keeps it short and sweet knowing Nessa doesn't want more details to be said. If she did she would tell them.

"Do we know who he is?" Damian asks, anger rising and coloring his tone. Finn sits up as well and grabs Damian's hand squeezing it.

Nessa feels Dom sigh, annoyance radiating off his body and she knows why. "No, she won't tell me, she never did and I have not and will not push it." He announces to the group the promise in his words. He may be annoyed but respects that it is what Nessa still needs.

Damian begins to grumble, "Cuando descubra quién es, lo mataré."

(When I find out who he is I'll kill him).

"Let's not do that Babe, you don't need to catch a case and be released from the company." Finn tries to reason with Damian and squeezes his hand again, laying his head on his shoulder.

"Please don't." Comes Nessa's voice stronger than expected. She sits up and pops her neck, Rhea and Dom doing the same, an uncomfortable silence between them. Nessa sighs and continues, "Even if you do figure out who it is, I would like it very much if you did nothing. I don't want to lose any of you for catching a case no matter how justified. That and I don't want to see that no matter what he did to me..." She begs.

"I won't actively seek out Mariposa, but if I run into him I might not be able to control myself. I am sorry," Damian warns while simultaneously apologizing and Nessa scoffs and climbs over Dominik to get out of the bed.

"I don't understand why you men immediately go to violence to deal with your emotions. I asked you to not, I set a boundary and you tell me you will violate it." She crosses her arms and takes a few steps back from the bed to get some distance especially as Damian got out of the bed looking at Nessa, eyes wide the realization settling in his stomach he messed up.

"Nessa..." He calls her name instead of her pet name to show he is remorseful and takes a step towards her only for her to step back, putting more distance between them. Dominik jumps out of the bed and stands between them.

Nessa glances around the room to see the look of fear on everyone's faces and she sighs, "I am not changing my mind, Just please don't do anything like that. You asked me to voice what I need. That is what I need." She stares down Damian who takes a step back, not wanting to make things worse. Rhea glances between Nessa and Damian wondering why she is so adamant about keeping the secret and not reacting. Rhea's eyes widen and she takes a sharp breath that is missed by everyone but Finn who has a similar look of realization on his face.

"I promise, I won't do anything to him if I ever come across him, Nessa, I'm sorry I let my emotions get the best of me again when it comes to you it is no excuse." Damian promises by holding his hands up in surrender.