I was lying in bed alone, just dozing off after a long day, which wasn't unusual. James had a tendency to go out and party after work. He was a womaniser and I knew he had a habit of sleeping around, but I was so infatuated with him that I ignored his imperfections and never said anything. I even thought I was happy.

It felt like I had only been asleep for minutes when James rough hand grabbed hold of my shoulder, fingers digging into my skin hard enough I knew it would leave bruises. "Where is he?" he bellowed

All I could manage as a response in my sleep dazed state was "huh?"

"Don't play dumb Felicity! I can smell him in here! I'm not stupid! Now answer me bitch! Or do I need to call you whore instead?" His eyes had turned to stone; old and calculating. I knew this wouldn't be good, but considering his hand was still on my shoulder I couldn't go anywhere.

After a couple of moments passed where I still didn't answer, he flung me off the bed and hard into the wall beside it. I had barely made it to my feet before he was in front of me, slamming his fist into my stomach and wrapping a hand around my throat. His grip tightened as he asked me again where the man he thought I had slept with was. I couldn't breathe and knew I was on the verge of losing consciousness before he let go and threw me to the floor. He gave me all of 5 seconds to try and get some air into my lungs before he started kicking me in the stomach.

I was in hell. I didn't know how much longer I could live like this, but I also didn't know how to walk away or what reaction he would have if I did. By this point the tears that had been building behind my eyes were falling freely and everything around me was a blur. My throat ached and I still couldn't seem to get enough air into my lungs. James seemed to enjoy this. He stood over me, watching, while I tried to crawl away from him, continuing to beat me as I went.

It took me a moment to realise what was happening – I was being shaken awake by my shoulder, someone yelling my name at me, trying to get me to wake up and focus. Once I realised they had a grip on my shoulder, my panic rose. I flew off the bed and curled into myself in the far corner of the room, trying to get my breathing back under control. I was sure if I could breathe again I would be able to work out where I was and what was going on.

The person that had hold of my shoulder earlier was climbing off the bed and heading toward me. I still couldn't think straight so I did the only thing I could think of – I screamed, long and loud.

The second my scream started, he backed off, hands up in a surrendering gesture.

"Easy, Kitty. No one is trying to hurt you. You are safe here."

He had barely finished speaking when the bedroom door flew open and in charged yet another man, muscular, heavily tattooed and familiar looking. They both were, I was just having a hard time working out why at the moment.

"What the fuck did you do to Andy?" The newcomer bellowed before turning to walk toward me. I let out a whimper before folding in further on myself. It was a reflex.

"I didn't do anything Raven." The emphasis put on Raven showed just how angry Marc seemed. Marc! Yes, that's his name! Ok, panic is slowing. This is good! "She was thrashing around in her sleep. I left her for a while, thinking she was just a restless sleeper, but next thing I know she stopped breathing. I started shaking her shoulder to wake her and next thing she is in the corner looking like that!"

"Then why was she screaming?" Raven countered.

"I don't know. She started when I climbed off the bed and started toward her. What do we do?"

"Andy?" Raven was talking to me now, well trying to, but I was still not focussing properly. The memory was so raw and felt so real. I had been an idiot not realising those videos would have that affect on me. It's why I didn't watch them, ever.

"Kitty?" Marc tried.

"Alexandria!" Raven said louder, thickening his Russian accent in attempt to capture my attention. When he saw he had it, he continued, "Can you tell us what happened?"

I shook my head. I knew my voice wasn't going to work yet and I wasn't ready to force it.

"Ok. Can we come closer, maybe sit you on the bed so you can be more comfy?"

Again, I shook my head. I wasn't ready for that. He looked disappointed and went to step back.

"Want us to leave?" He sounded deflated, like he didn't really want to go, but wasn't sure what to do.

I was quicker to shake my head this time. I didn't want them going anywhere; I just needed time to process before I could talk to them about what had happened. I knew they would need answers.

"Can we sit?" He asked. I nodded.

Raven sat quickly, choosing to stay on the far side of the room, using the wall to prop himself up. Marc disappeared quickly out of the room. He came back in with a glass of water. He walked slowly toward me, careful to hold eye contact and not move too quickly, to hand me the glass. I took it, not breaking eye contact and waited for him to join Raven on the other side of the room before I took a sip.

It took a few more minutes for my breathing to even out and finally realise where I was and what had happened. Standing, I moved to beside the bed, placing the now empty glass on the bedside table and grabbing a pillow before sitting myself back in my corner. Marc and Raven were still watching my every move.

"Sorry." I mumbled. I knew I needed to tell them what had happened, but finding the words was proving difficult.

"Want to tell us what happened? You scared the crap outta me, and nearly set the professional Russian on me." Marc said, a hint of amusement in his tone. Raven was still watching us both cautiously, I guess in case he felt he needed to step in.

"That's the reason I usually sleep on a couch. You didn't make it through all of the videos earlier, just the ones from the main living areas of the apartment. A lot of the time, it started in the bedroom, usually after I was asleep. James would come home drunk and angry, and he would find any reason he could to use me as his personal punching bag. I was dreaming – well more of a nightmare really. Is it still classed as a nightmare when what your subconscious is showing you are memories? Anyway, it was the night after Luke had broken into my apartment to install new cameras, thanks to Phil. I didn't realise anything was out of the ordinary, but Jason could smell the lingering scent of Luke's aftershave and it set him off. He grabbed me by the shoulder much the same was as you, Marc, to wake me up before he..." I broke off. I couldn't go into the details; it was too difficult.

"So that's why you argued until we let you sleep on the couch on Friday night. Why didn't you argue last night?"

"I was too exhausted. I thought that being as exhausted as I was the dreams would stay away. They usually do, but I am guessing the videos stirred up some unresolved feelings."

It took all of about 5 seconds for Raven to stand, cross the room and take the pillow from me. He had been silent for the entire conversation with Marc and it was a little unnerving. After tossing the pillow back onto the bed he scooped me up and carried me into the bathroom, where he put down the toilet lid and sat me while he ran a bath. He dug through the cupboards until he found what he was after and added some lavender oil and Epsom salts to the tub before he finally spoke.

"You are too tense and after how hard you worked yourself yesterday – yes, we all saw the footage, you need to relax. The hot bath should help with the muscle aches that I am sure you would be feeling if it weren't for the adrenaline pumping through your body after that dream and Marc waking you up like that. I will bring in some fresh pyjamas for you and then when you are done, we can talk about getting you back into a bed. Sleeping on a couch isn't good for you."

There was no room for argument and the bath looked and smelt so inviting, that the second he exited the room to get me some clothes, I stripped down and hopped in, releasing a gentle moan as I lowered myself to be completely immersed in the water.

"That's a noise of appreciation if I ever heard one" Raven smirked as he walked back into the bathroom." I will leave these here and be in the lounge room when you are done."

An hour later, when the water had finally gone cold enough that I could not bare sitting in it any longer, I hopped out, dried, dressed in what I assumed to be Raven's clothes, and true to his word, found him sitting on the lounge. Marc had left to help with an emergency another team was having so Raven and I sat on the lounge talking for a while before I finally fell back to sleep.

Waking up the next morning I realised that I was no longer on the lounge, nor was I in Marc's room. It only took looking at the bed space behind me to work out that I was in Raven's room. I managed to slide off the end of the bed and head out of the room without disturbing Raven. Given he looked like he had just gotten home when my little outburst happened last night, I figured he could use the sleep.

Finding Marc in the kitchen, with the coffee already brewing, I couldn't help but smile.

"Tell me you at least have a croissant to go with that coffee?" I asked, startling Marc, who had apparently been so lost in thought he didn't even realise I was in the same room as him. He studied me intently, looking for signs of last night's distress.

"Marc, I am fine. I don't handle sharing a bed, or physical contact while I am sleeping well. The videos triggered memories, that's all. Stop worrying so much. Though maybe next time, try an alarm or throwing water on my face to wake me up." I chuckled.

Before he had a chance to respond, Corey was entering the apartment.

"Got the delivery Andy!" Corey chirped as he came in. For someone that had planned on being up most of the night, he was unusually perky.

Grabbing the brown paper bag from the delivery, I opened it and pulled out the two phones. One had a case on it, so I knew straight away that Victor had is activated as the main. Switching on the phone, I was instantly alerted to a new message coming in.

Victor: Sorry about Jasmine, she can be a bit over the top when there is a big event coming up. I will make sure you are all outfitted for Saturday night.

Andy: Looking forward to it.

"So I assume that I am essentially in protective custody until we can find who is after me?" I asked whoever was around and listening.

"That is correct. Why?" Axel's voice floated to me from further in the apartment.

"One of my clients needs me. So, we are all getting jazzed up and heading to a performance on Saturday night! Suits are all taken care of. We have the week to work out a full plan of action and cover for you all being there, but I already have ideas. No, you aren't going to talk me out of it, so hop on board or hop off entirely."