The whip snapped and her eyes flew open. She looked around the cell and saw that she was still alone. Her body was bruised beyond belief and she could barely breath. Another whip snapped and she winced as it hit the victim's back. She held her hands up to her ears, trying to block out the reality.

The door opened and some light hit the ground near her feet just before the victim was thrown into the cell. She waited for the men to leave and lock the door. When everything was dark again, she forced herself to move to the body. Her eyes looked at the torn and bleeding back and her stomach tightened. She took a deep breath and ran her hand through his blood covered hair, hoping to stir him from his sanctuary.

His eyes popped open and he jerked to move away from her. The pain stopped him and he looked at her. She saw the pain etched all over his face even as he fought to hide it. A gash became visible on the side of his head and she saw crimson blood trickle down onto his torn shirt.

She looked at her black and blue hands and said, "Adam."

He looked directly at her and said, "Soon, Sheila. Soon."

The lightning lit the room and the nightmare ended. She jerked herself awake and quickly sat up trying to remember where she was. When everything clicked, she looked at her hands and saw the prints. Each nightmare left a mark on her. Something came from down the hall and her eyes drifted to the door.

Her feet quietly crossed the room and she stepped into the dark hall. The carpet kept her bare feet warm as she moved down the hall. Another sound stopped her outside one of the rooms and she slowly opened the door. When she stepped inside, she closed the door and then she looked at the bed. Her eyes widened as she took in everything.

He was lying in the middle of the bed with blood coming out of the side of his head and a knife rested in his left hand. Quickly and cautiously she pulled the knife from his hand. Then she went into the side bathroom and got a cloth damp with warm water. She walked back to the bed and sat down next to him while hoping he'd waken. When he jerked and twisted away from her, she took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair.

Then she whispered, "Adam, wake up. It's just a bad dream."

Immediately he was awake and he was out of reach as he stood with the knife back in his hand pointing at her. She looked at him and watched him slowly lower the knife. When he placed it on the sidetable, he sat back down on the bed and she applied the cloth to the headwound.

He looked away and she said, "You don't have to explain. I have them all the time."

His eyes remained hidden and he said, "You don't need to tend to me like I'm a child."

Her hand stopped and she asked, "Is that what you think I'm doing?"

She got the full effect of his dark eyes and heard, "I've been fine on my own. I don't need looked after."

She sighed and said, "Adam, I'm not treating you like a kid. With these nightmares, we are injured. I'm only helping you."

He growled and she laughed, "Besides, you were the one that treated me like the child all the time."

He grunted and said, "Hn. You remember way too much of our past."

She laid the cloth in her lap and said, "Finished. Now, do I have to stay in here to make sure you don't pull a knife out again?"

His eyes met hers completely and she laughed at the look. He quickly stood and jerked her onto her feet. Though his grip was like iron, she saw the blackness in his eyes. Her laughing ceased and she heard her pulse racing.

PGS