The Sea's Daughter

Chapter 8: Nightmares

Emma sighed as she padded towards the pool. It had been a long day and she really need to clear her head. After what she had said to Scott, she needed a good long swim.

After stretching, she dived into the water. Emma relished the feeling of the water flowing over her skin as she swam towards the bottom of the pool. 

To her, the pool was a little shallow, but Emma's feet were hurting too much for the long walk to the shore. Beggars couldn't be choosers and water was water, no matter how deep it was.

Emma turned off the pool lights, so it was pitch black. Only the moon shown into the cool water to light her way.

(Alan's POV)

"You can't do anything right," Scott said, slapping Alan.

Alan twitched in his sleep. He was having a nightmare. He had been having them since as long as he could remember.

"Wimp," dream Virgil said.

Dream Gordon just laughed at Alan. He wanted to fight back, yell at them, tell them they were wrong.

"You're the reason that our mom died. You caused her death," John said and pushed Alan.

Alan fell out of the bed and onto the floor, waking himself up. He laid on the floor, listening to his heart pound.

He glanced at the clock. Midnight. Too early to wake anyone up. Waking his brothers up now would be a very bad idea.

Alan stood up and pulled on his swim suit. He had two ways of coping with the nightmares, one was to go talk to one of his older bothers about the dreams, the second was to go swimming.  

(Emma's POV)

Emma surfaced as she heard soft footsteps come towards the pool.

"Emma!" Alan gasped, jumping slightly.

As Emma pulled herself out of the pool, Alan sat down on a near by lounge chair.

"What brings you out here?" Emma asked, sitting down next to him.

Alan told her about his dream. Towards the end, he started sobbing.

"Come here," Emma said wrapping her arms the youngest Tracy's shaking shoulders.

"They hated me," Alan sobbed as tears fell onto Emma's shoulder.

At camp, Emma would often patrol around the cabins at night. Almost all the campers had nightmares, and do to the fact she was such a light sleeper, Emma would comfort campers. She was used to the feeling of tears on her skin.

"Hey, they don't hate you," Emma said gently, rubbing his back in calming circles.

"They said they did, that it was my fault that mom died," Alan hiccupped looking into Emma's sea green eyes with his sky blue ones.

"Hey if they hated you, they wouldn't worry so much when you were out on missions," Emma said putting her hands on his shoulders.

"No they don't."

"Oh yes they do. Scott bites his nails when you're in space." At that Alan perked up.  

"Really?" He asked. 

"Yep. The last time, he about tore a nail off. Virgil asked for updates every two minutes, and I'm pretty sure John has grey hair from worrying about you." Emma said smirking. 

Alan started chuckling and before too long the both were shaking with laughter. 

"We best get to bed," Emma said after awhile, looking at her beat up old dive watch to check the time.