“If you’re uncomfortable with it, then I don’t want—” He coughed and cleared his throat.

“No, no. You’re just going to end up in here anyway. Might as well start out in here, I guess.”

Laurie felt her temperature rise exponentially. The thought of Dante sleeping in her room stirred something in her. She was suddenly hyper-aware of her surroundings. She ran a dull fingernail along the spine of the book in her hand. She could feel the heat of his gaze on her, warming her skin. Laurie could even hear the soft hiss of the wind as it blew past her window.

“If you have any objections, I don’t want to—”

“No, it’s fine. It’s completely fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’m sure.”

Laurie laughed nervously. Dante let out the breath he was holding. They looked at each other for a minute, and then they both looked away.

“I’ll lay out my sleeping bag.”

“Do you have anything more comfortable to sleep on?”

“No. I’ll be fine. I’ve slept on the ground in this and it was just fine.”

He gave a half smile and she got the feeling he was lying.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’ll sleep better on the floor, knowing you’re okay, then in my bed worrying.”

Laurie smiled a little. He did care deeply about the people he protected. She wished it was more than that, but she knew it wasn’t.

“I’m sorry you have to go to all this trouble.”

“No. Don’t worry about it. No reason to be sorry. What position would you like me in?”

Laurie stared at him for a minute, wide-eyed. Dante froze.

“I mean…um. I mean, on the floor.” He waved the sleeping bag at the floor. “Is there anywhere specific on the floor you’d like me to sleep?”

“Oh, oh.” Laurie giggled a little and Dante let out a nervous chuckle. “No, it doesn’t matter.”

“Okay. Sorry. I guess this is a little awkward.” He gave her a bashful smile.

“Yeah, just a little.”

“It’s much easier when you’re calling out for me in the middle of the night.”

Laurie looked up at him again, putting her hand over her mouth.

Dante winced. Then he cringed, his brow furrowing in embarrassment as he turned scarlet.

“I hope no one is listening to this conversation.” Laurie started laughing uncontrollably.

“Oh God. I’m sorry! Jesus! I’m such…ugh.” Dante closed his eyes and threw his head back, jamming his hand through his hair.

Laurie’s laughter got to him, and he started laughing too. They laughed for a few minutes, standing in the center of her room. Laurie held her waist, almost doubled over.

Dante still held his sleeping bag in one hand, wiping tears from his eyes with the other. Laughing felt so good right now.

“Maybe we should just go to bed.” Laurie sat down on her bed.

“Right.”

Laurie slipped between her sheets, throwing her covers over her.

Dante spread out his sleeping bag in the corner opposite her, against the wall. When he was finished, he turned off the light.

“Good night.” Laurie tossed her hair over her pillow.

“Good night.”

Both of them lay awake for a while, not moving. The sound of their breathing seemed to echo in the room. They stared at the ceiling, until Laurie rolled onto her side to look at him.

“Dante?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think they’ll find Kaimi soon?”

“I’m sure they will—”

“I mean for real, not just to make me feel better.”

Dante paused. He rolled over on his side, facing her. Much of him was in shadow, but enough light filtered in from the window so Laurie could make out his face and the clean lines of his jaw.

“There are a lot of places he can hide on the islands, Laurie. He has many friends, people willing to hide him. But they will find him. He can’t hide forever.”

Laurie nodded. She rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling again. Dante rolled onto his back as well, listening to the faint sounds emanating from the TV downstairs. Max and Cheyn hated silence during their watch. He and Laurie listened until sleep took them both.

***

Dante

Dante woke up hearing a low moaning sound.

“No, please.” Laurie tossed on the bed.

Dante rolled over. He watched through half-veiled eyes. He didn’t want to wake her up unless he had to, and he hoped she would pull out of it.

“Please, don’t. I promise I’ll testify. I promise, just don’t make me leave, Mr. James.” Laurie clutched at the sheets.

Dante’s blood started to boil. He had never hated a victim’s family before, but this was a good time to start. He opened his eyes. The moonlight streamed through the blinds, falling on Laurie’s bed in rectangles.

Her hands knotted and twisted in the sheets. She had already kicked her blanket off, and it sat in clumps and waves at the foot of her bed.

He watched Laurie’s face contort in pain, as she rolled to face him.

“No! No! Please! He’ll kill me!”

Dante got out of his sleeping bag. He couldn’t listen to her like that. He sat down beside her on the bed, and leaned over to whisper in her ear.

“Laurie, no one’s going to hurt you. Evan James can’t make you leave. I’ll keep you safe.”

She whimpered a little. He took her face in his hands, stroking her flushed cheeks with his thumbs. She sniffled, but quieted. He didn’t think she woke up at all. He waited a little while, and her breathing returned to normal. He brushed the hair back from her face. Then he untangled her hands from the sheet. They were relaxed and limp as he placed them on her stomach. He gave her a last look, filled with a mixture of longing and concern, as he stroked her arm. Then he went back to his sleeping bag, yawned, and fell asleep.

Another hour passed and Dante woke up abruptly to Laurie begging and pleading, clutching at her sheets again.

“No! No! Dante! Please! Don’t!”

Then she let out a piercing wail. He was up and at her side.

“Laurie, wake up. Wake up!” He shook her. Laurie woke up with a gasp. Then she grasped his arms and began to sob.

“Hey, hey. Don’t cry.” He smoothed back her hair. “It’s okay. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

He sat down on the bed, leaning against the wall. He pulled her onto his chest. He rubbed her back, held her tight, and murmured words to calm her. Nothing he said worked. Wave after wave of tears descended from her eyes, and she gasped and sputtered with them. She clung to him, her hands digging into his shoulders almost to the point of pain. He’d seen her cry before, but not like this.

“Laurie, what’s wrong? Talk to me. What happened?”

“I…dreamed you were shot. You were dying.” She started sobbing again.

He gathered her closer, and rocked her.

“I’m okay, Laurie. I’m fine. Take a deep breath.”

She gulped in air; she was crying so hard. She wasn’t listening to him. He took her face in his hands and pressed his forehead to hers.

“Take a deep breath, Laurie. That’s it. Good. Another. Good.”

He held her face close to his for a little while as he coached her through a few calming breaths. He wiped away her tears. Her crying slowed. Without thinking, he kissed her forehead. Then he tucked her head under his chin.

“This one really scared you, didn’t it?” He stroked her hair.

“Yes.”

He pressed another kiss to the top of her head, and tightened his embrace. It touched him that his death would be so upsetting to her. They hardly knew each other, but God, his shirt was half soaked in her tears from just dreaming about it. He ran his hands over her hair and down her back. She lay awake in his arms, her fingers tracing patterns over his chest. He put his hand over hers.

“Try to go back to sleep. I’ll stay with you.”

“I don’t think I want to.”

Dante smiled, holding Laurie, her hand cradled by his. Dante had every intention of getting up and going back to his own bed. But he never made it there.

In the morning, he woke up late. He found himself sleeping with Laurie on his chest. He had somehow moved into a prone position with her. His arms draped protectively over her torso. She seemed at peace, her jaw relaxed, her brow smooth.