Lifesaver »» l.p {AU} (Discontinued)

Nightmares

**Chapter 31**

-Liam-

I stared up at my ceiling, wishing my mind would shut up for two seconds, long enough for me to go to sleep. I had been tossing and turning for hours, thinking about Julina and Brynn, hoping that they were both okay. I'm sure Julina is okay. When I left her there with Harry, she seemed a little confused about everything that had just happened, but she was definitely okay. Brynn on the other hand, was not okay with the situation and I think she is still having a really tough time getting over it.

I know for a fact that she isn't okay. The way she looked at him, the way she ran away from him, it all gave it away. What really pissed me off was that I don't think Julina even believed her. Brynn showed her the true side of Harry through the pain and tears in her eyes and I don't think she believed one bit of it.

On the way home she wouldn't talk to me, hell she wouldn't even look at me. I tried to talk to her about it, trying to ease her mind and body of any pain that she was feeling, but I don't think I did a good job at helping her. The more I talked about it, the more tears came rolling down her cheek. It killed me to see her like that, so I just stopped talking to give her a rest.

When we pulled into the driveway, she bolted out of the car, not even bothering to grab her things out of my car. She went straight inside and by the time I ran in after her, she had already gone into her room and locked the door. I was tempted to go in a talk to her again, but I decided against it. She didn't need me to continue to remind her about it.

She missed dinner, and mum was asking me questions like, "Where is your sister?" and "Why is she not coming to dinner?" I just told my mum that it was one of those days, and she just nodded, understanding what I had meant by that. My mum and I ate dinner together by ourselves, having the usual dinner conversations. After dinner I helped my mum clean up by washing the dishes and putting away the leftovers. Now here I am, growing annoyed with the fact that I can't sleep.

I slowly closed my eyes with a deep sigh, trying to relax my mind as the ear piercing silence took over my small room. Through the silence, I heard the slight sound of my doorknob, followed by the soft creek of my door opening, "Liam?" a light whisper called from my doorway.

I opened my eyes and sat up in bed, turning on the lamp next to me on the nightstand, "Brynn? Are you alright?" I asked, worry clear in my voice.

She looked away from me, directing her eyes to the floor. She looked as if she had been crying as she shook her head, "I can't sleep." she muttered as she slowly folded her arms tightly over her chest.

I nodded slowly, listening to the sadness fill her voice, "I can't either."

The silence fell over us as she took a few steps into my room, "Well, I don't think it's that I can't sleep," she muttered. "I think I'm just afraid to sleep. I'm afraid of seeing his face in my dreams. I'm afraid my dreams will replay what he did to me over and over again. I'm afraid of going through all that again." she admitted softly, her voice growing hoarse. My heart crumbled to pieces as I listened to her. She broke my heart.

I shouldn't have brought her to school. How could I have been so selfish? I risked everything, and for what? For Julina to just not believe me once again? For Brynn to suffer all over again? Bringing her with me wasn't worth all of this. If I had known he was going to show up, I would've never brought her in the first place.

"Brynn, you don't have to go through it," I said softly, but she cut me off.

Tears and running make-up went traveled down her face, "How could you say that, Liam? I go through it over and over again every single day! And now that I've actually come into contact with him again, I can't stop thinking about it! It's like I'm back to when it first happened. I don't want to do this anymore, Liam!" she said, loud enough to yell at me, but quiet enough to not wake up our mum. She took a deep breath then looked at me, "Am I crazy?" she asked.

I looked at her and my heart continued to break. I saw and felt every emotion radiating off her body, and it killed me to feel all that. I patted the bed next to me, indicating for her to come and sit down next to me. She hesitated, but slowly walked over to me, sitting down gently beside me, "I love you Brynn. So much." I whispered, staring at her.

She nodded, looking at the floor, "I love you, Liam."

"You're not crazy," I said, holding her hand in mine tightly, "You compare yourself to the people around you when they haven't been through half the things you have gone through. The way you react to your situation is a normal way to feel about it." I said, honestly. I wasn't about to sugar coat any of this for her. She needed to hear the facts and the truth.

I saw the tears running down her face in the light of my lamp. She wiped her shirtsleeve over her cheeks and under her nose," How would you know?" she asked, almost as if she didn't believe me.

I shrugged, "It's simple. I just know everything," I said, joking with her, hoping to lift her current mood, but she didn't find it too humorous.

I sighed, "Look Brynn, the things you have been through in your life are very... traumatic and I think the way you handle them is normal." I said.

She looked at me confused, "Traumatic? You do think I'm crazy!" she yelled, getting off my bed with tears falling down her cheeks again.

"No, no Brynn! I don't think that!" I said, standing up from my bed as well.

"Yes you do! You just admitted it to me!" she yelled again, spinning on her heels to leave my room.

"No Brynn, wait!" I said, walking after her. I grabbed her hand and spun her around to face me. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly.

"Let me go, Liam!" she said, hitting me hard in the chest.

"No Brynn. If I let you go, you're going to hurt yourself and I'm not going to let you start that up again." I said, holding her tighter as she did everything in her willpower to get away from me.

She eventually stopped pushing against me. I could hear her anger turn to pain and sadness as she cried in my arms. She buried her face in her hands and just cried against my chest.

"Do you want to sleep in my room tonight?" I asked softly.

She looked up at me, her eyes red and puffy, "Liam, we both won't fit on your bed." she said bluntly.

I rolled my eyes and smiled at her, "You can have my bed. I'll take the floor."

I saw, for the first time since this morning, her smile. A small smile appeared on her face as her eyes widened slightly, "You would do that for me?" she asked.

I nodded, "If it meant you would get some sleep and feel safe, then yes of course." I said and she gave me a true smile.

"Thank you, Liam. You really are the world's best big brother." she said, wrapping her arms around me to hug me back.

"Alright, go get your blankets and pillows and whatever else you have to make yourself comfortable." I said and she nodded, leaving to go grab her things.

I pulled my pillows and blankets off my bed and arranged them on the floor to make a comfortable enough bed. I got myself comfortable underneath the covers when Brynn walked back in my room.

She came back in with a whole pile of pillows and blankets. I laughed at her, "Why do you need so many blankets and pillows?" I asked.

"Oh, I only need these two," she said, pulling out her pillow and blanket, "The rest of these are for you to sleep with so that you're more comfortable." she said, tossing the rest of the pile to me.

I smiled, "Thanks! These will make my bed a lot more comfy." I said. I stood up from my bed to add the new addition of blankets and pillows to my bed. When I was finished, I settled myself back down into my now very comfortable bed.

"Are you all set?" Brynn asked from above.

"Yeah." I said and she turned off the lamp.

"Goodnight Liam, I love you." Brynn said and turned over in the bed.

"Night Brynnie. I love you too." I said.

Now I might actually get some sleep knowing that Brynn is safe and happy.