Nate left in his own car that I didn't even know he had brought, speeding toward my best friend. Despite that fact that I would much rather be the one to comfort her, Nate is probably my second choice.

"You okay now?" Riley asked, standing behind me in the doorway as I watched the car go. I didn't answer. Just watched the darkening road and thought about how my life had gotten so bad that I couldn't even be with my best friend when she needed me.

A single tear strolled down my cheek as I thought about her sobbing. Every single time she'd cried since we'd met, I'd been there and vice versa. It tore me apart that I now couldn't keep my promise as a best friend to be by her side always. And all because William Chase is a money-thirsty murderer who will not stop until he has destroyed and ended my life.

Riley's arms encircled my waist just like earlier, but this time they were softer and were to comfort me. I couldn't help but lean into him as he hugged me from behind. I'm almost certain this is against Hudson's bodyguard rules but I didn't care, I let Riley hold me as I cried, half wishing he hadn't seen me this weak and half wishing he'd never let go.

We stood like that, in the doorway, as the dim light faded to darkness. Neither of us moved and neither of us spoke. But I think the silence and the warmth of Riley's embrace is what brought me back from the brink of insanity, I was so close to falling off the edge, I had been since the night I saw my parents murdered. So far I had been treating it like a time-out, choosing to ignore the repercussions of the last few months and what the actions of others would mean for my future. I didn't think about my parents unless absolutely necessary; I pretended Riley wasn't here to protect me from a murderer; and I pushed the nightmares to the furthest crevice of my mind at all times. It was much easier that way. It meant a lot less pain and a lot less worry but it was also a lie. I had been living a complete lie.

The realisation hit me like a missile and my body tumbled from Riley's arms and to the floor. Sobs racked my entire being and I could feel nothing but devastation. Everything I had pushed down; all the grief, the terror and the anger came tumbling to the surface and I could barely breathe. I was being drowned in my emotions and I had no life-jacket to safe me.

I could hear Riley calling my name and feel him shaking my shoulders but I had gone numb. Nothing mattered anymore. My parents were gone, I would soon be gone. It didn't matter. I must have been muttering that sentence because Riley is telling me that I do matter. But he's wrong, so very wrong, His shouting makes me realise another emotion I've been pushing down and ignoring to the best of my ability. Love. I am in love with Riley freaking Martin. How dumb is that? He doesn't love me, never could. Another thing that doesn't matter.

I shut my eyes and wanted them to never be open again. It was too much. I can't handle any of it. Please don't make me, I beg myself but it's too late. That edge of Insanity I was speaking of earlier, I've crossed it. And there's no going back.

-

"It's like she has only just realised her parents are gone. She completely broke down. How do I fix it? Tell me how to help her, Hudson." I almost yelled into the phone, frantic for a way to get my smiling, beautiful Sabine back. It physically hurt me to see her in so much pain.

"Some things can't be fixed, Martin. The girl's life has been destroyed and her coping mechanism was to ignore it; pretend nothing was wrong. But that only works for so long. All you can do Riley, is let her heal slowly and on her own. There's nothing else to be done." His voice was so slow and reasonable. It annoyed the absolute crap out of me. He didn't have the answer I was looking for.

Without saying goodbye, I hung up on him and threw the phone at a wall causing it to smash into a hundred million pieces. Probably not necessary, but it sure made me feel better.

I looked over to the lounge, where I had placed Sabine after she fell asleep, or passed out; I'm not quite sure which. Her breathing was slow and steady; very different from how it had been earlier. I was a fool to think she had been taking her parents' murder so well.

Leaning down, I pressed a small kiss on forehead and lifted her from the couch. She would be more comfortable in her bed. It was still odd to see her do helpless when normally she was extremely headstrong and independent.

Feeling her cling to me, and hearing her whimpers made me want to protect her, not because it was my job, but because she meant a lot more to me than she should.

Walking up the stairs with her in my arms, I took care not to fall before entering the room and placing her down on the bed. Despite the very persistent voice in my head screaming at me not to lay down with her, I did. In a way I was very glad Nate was gone; if he had caught me lying next to and staring at Sabine while she slept, he'd have a field day and I'd never hear the end of it.

The sun was completely gone and I turned on a small night light so she wouldn't wake but I could see her. Through all the excitement, time had passed quickly and it was now 3am. Maybe Sabbie really had simply fallen asleep, God I hope so.

Before I even realised what I was doing, I reached out a stroked a thin strand of her dark hair. It was smooth and long, almost the opposite of mine. I shouldn't be doing this. If Hudson found out I'd be his dogs next chew toy.

Despite my inner-protests, I didn't stop. I should have, especially when Sabine began to stir.

"Riley?" She asked, voice raw from both sleep and crying. Her eyes were still closed and I was torn between wanting to see them and wanting her to go back to sleep.

"It's me," I whispered to her, hoping not to force a fast wakening. She began to stretch and damn it if it wasn't the cutest thing ever.

"Is it morning?" A yawn escaped her.

"Not yet, go back to sleep." My hand hadn't stopped stroking her hair and she hasn't halted it.

She groaned and shook her head, "I don't wanna." I couldn't help but laugh at that.

"You'll be tired," I warned.

"No I wont," she was like a child who wanted more play-time. "I promise."

She was adorable. Even as her smile dropped, along with her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Riley. I didn't mean to... It's just... I didn't think..." she's struggling to think of words to fill her unnecessary apology.

"It's okay, baby girl. You don't need to be sorry." My hand is still stroking her gorgeous hair. I shouldn't be doing this. I need to stop.

Her hazel eyes look up at me again and speak the words she doesn't need to: Thank you.

She sits up a little straighter and her expression turns mischievous.

"You know," she said, "I'm really not tired. Maybe you should tell me a bedtime story to get me sleepy again."

I chuckled a little louder then was probably necessary but I can't help being glad that the Sabine I know is back.

"I'm the youngest, remember? I never had a chance to perfect the art of story-telling."

"Surely there's something you can tell me," her eyes showed mischief covered with a fake pleading.

I thought about it for a second before remembering a interesting saga from a couple years back.

"okay, but I warn you, it does involve dragons and very bad guys."

She laughed at me and snuggled closer, ready to listen.

"It was a few years ago and I had my first one-on-one protection assignment after the academy. I had to take care of a seven-year-old boy named Raj. He was so absorbed in his dragon books and action figures that he barely even noticed he was in WPP."

"Why did he need protecting?" She asked, suddenly worried for little Raj.

"His birth parents had decided they wanted him back after adopting him out at birth. They were ex-cons and in no position to raise a child. But they were willing to do anything, or kill anyone, in order to get him back."

"Oh no," he face had gone pale.

I chuckled and stoked her cheekbone, "It's okay. This story has a happy ending."

"Raj and I were put into a penthouse in the outskirts of Sydney while Hudson and his team hunted down the boy's birth parents. I thought the place was amazing, especially considering I had just gotten out of Uni and barely had any money to afford anything, but Raj didn't even look up.

One day, I asked if I could play dragon's with him and the look of pure joy on his face is one of the best things I've ever seen. He explained the whole world of the book series he was obsessed with, 'Dragon Tails' to me, Took him 2 hours, mind you. Anyway, it actually wasn't half bad. It was set in the 1800's about a 9-year-old boy named Kylar. He was playing on the edge of a cliff one day and the rocks slipped beneath him, just when he was about to hit the ocean, a water dragon caught him. Then it goes on about the friendship between Kylar and the dragon, which he names Dipper. It actually didn't sound too bad for a book written for kids in Year 4. Anyway, we sat there for two whole days, acting out scenarios and scenes from the books with his action figures, of which he owned all of them. That little kid was great."

She smiled at me, and I couldn't tell whether it was with humour or something else.

"Was he okay? I mean, at the end of the protection program?"

"Yeah, he was okay. The psycho's found us and I earned this..." She gave me a quizzical look as I sat up and lifted the edge of my shirt, revealing the long scar from the very painful knife wound.

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed, looking almost horrified. "They stabbed you?"

"Yeah, but we caught them and they're now sitting in a dodgy prison eating cow testicals so... it was worth it." Her laugh is as obnoxious as it is glorious.

"Have you gone to see Raj since?"

"Yes, I visit him every now and then. Apparently they made the books into movies so last time I was forced to sit still until I had seen every single one of them."

"That's adorable."

"Yeah," I reply. I'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing.

We sit in silence for a moment and I'm almost sure she has fallen back asleep until she speaks again.

"Do you have any other scars?"

"A couple..."

I'm not quite sure how long exactly it takes me to talk her through all the scars I have. From the one I received when I had to climb a barbed wire fence to chase down a high-class thief, to the one along my shoulder after getting into a car accident with a drive-by shooter. I even explain the scar obtained when I wasn't looking cutting carrots and ended up almost cutting my finger straight off instead.

She shows me the scars she got from playing some high-school knife game, and the burn scar she got from falling into a friend's bonfire at a party.

Then she discovers my tattoos. Two in total. One on the outside of my pelvis, a badge of honour and the dove on my left shoulder – for mum.

Eventually we sink down until the covers, the moon sinking in the sky – preparing for the sun's arrival. She yawns and leans into my chest. I don't protest. I should, but I don't.

"Did you get enough bed-time stories, Sabbie?"

"Plenty, thank you," she giggles before drifting into a nightmare-less sleep.