Waking up in a cold sweat was no longer unusual for Laelia. When it happened in her friends' home, it was slightly alarming. She couldn't escape no matter how she tried. She sat up, pushing her sweat soaked hair away from her face. Her head dropped with defeat seeing the clock only read three in the morning.

"Laelia?" Jana's soft voice rang from the doorway. Laelia gazed up at her friend with a sad smile. "Are you alright? You were screaming in your sleep." Jana sat down next to her on the bed.

"Is she okay?" Amelia entered the room in a panic as well.

Laelia finally spoke with a hoarse voice, "I'm awake. I'm fine."

"Honey, you were shouting." Amelia crawled into the bed beside her, ready to give Laelia the comfort she needed. "What were you dreaming about?" Amelia gently rubbed her back, hoping to coax the nightmare from her.

"He tried." Laelia broke down crying. Amelia and Jana looked at each other with sadness. "He tried to save me, but he couldn't." Jana wrapped her in a tight, protective hug. "I can still hear him screaming and crying. It won't turn off in my head."

Amelia hushed her softly, "It's just a dream, sweetie."

"No." Laelia shook her head. "It was like I was really there. I could see the terror in his eyes. I could feel his screams in my body."

"Laelia, you were screaming too." Jana informed her once more. Laelia didn't have a response. She couldn't control the tears anymore. She'd been holding in the overwhelming emotions for weeks. "It's okay. It's alright. You're safe." Jana held her tighter, hoping to calm her friend.

"I think I'm going to sleep in here with her. She shouldn't be alone if they're getting this bad." Amelia whispered to Jana.

"I'll stay too." Jana murmured. She released Laelia, allowing her to lie down again. Jana and Amelia quickly snuggled into the bed on either side of her. "Now, do you want to tell us what the dream was about?"

Laelia inhaled deeply, "We were running through a field, playing like teenagers would almost, running around and be silly. He was so sweet and loving. Then the sky turned dark somehow, it was like the heavens were opening up. I could hear someone yelling my name from far away." Amelia rested her arm over Laelia's waist, wanting to ground her.

"Keep going." Jana urged her.

"The yelling got closer. He was trying to get me away, hide me from the person yelling. I couldn't run fast enough to get away. He tried to pick me up, but I kept falling down the hillside. I just wasn't stable enough." Laelia explained. "Someone grabbed my arm, dragging me down the hillside. They grabbed him too, bringing him along. We were in trouble, like big trouble." Laelia could feel herself choking up again. Amelia stroked her arm with her thumb, easing her slightly. "The next thing I saw was the edge of the cliff again, out a window. I could hear him yelling in the distance. He sounded awful. I rushed to the window to see where he was. He was outside, yelling up to me. He looked as awful as he sounded."

"Laelia, what happened?" Jana asked quietly when Laelia inhaled deeply.

"Someone caught him outside. I was brought into another room. He was there with a scared look. I was terrified. I could feel my heart racing. I don't know what happened but then I heard him screaming, like he'd had limbs ripped off." Laelia left out the pieces of the dream she didn't want them to know. There was more to the story of the dream, she just couldn't bring herself to share. "And then I woke up."

"I'm so sorry, honey. That sounds awful." Amelia kissed her temple.

"Its the worst it's ever been." Laelia confessed.

Amelia smiled weakly, "At least it's just a dream."

"Actually," Jana spoke up. "I think it might be something else." Amelia and Laelia gazed at her with confusion. "Do you remember when we first talked about this? I said that dreams can be something more?"

"The past lives thing?" Laelia questioned.

Jana nodded, "Yeah." The room became dead silent. "What if you're remembering something that happened in a previous lifetime you've had?"

"That's an awful thought." Amelia mumbled, obviously upset with the idea.

"It would explain why it feels so real and why it won't stop." Jana explained with a soft tone. She didn't want to upset her friend even more.

"But why would it be happening now?" Amelia was frustrated with the suggestion.

"I don't know." Jana shrugged. "The universe must want her to know something. It might be important." Amelia shook her head with mild outrage.

"Let's try to relax and go to sleep." Amelia whispered to Laelia. "Jay and I will be right here. There's no reason to be afraid, okay?" Laelia nodded hearing the soothing words.

    Amelia and Jana had been asleep for a while. Laelia hadn't a clue of the time. She couldn't bring herself to go back to sleep. She couldn't hear his screams of pain again, though the sound was still reverberating through her body. She prayed that the whole situation in her dreams wasn't a past life. No one in the world needed to be subjected to the trauma of their previous lives over and over. The more she thought about it, the more she couldn't help but think Jana was right. There was no explanation that fit so well.

    Laelia slithered out of the bed, not waking either of her friends. She needed to get some fresh air. Fill her mind with something other that the dream that scared her, that scarred her in a sense. She just needed something to take her mind off of it.

    She went to the small balcony off the living room. She leaned on the railing, staring out over the mostly quiet city block. She could hear the rush of traffic a few miles away. She could smell the bakery up the street beginning their baking. She guessed it was after four because of it. She looked into the kitchen, to the clock just barely visible to her. It was just after four. The bakery opened at five. She decided to get dressed and make her way over. She would let Jana and Amelia wake to the wonderfully delicious pastries. Laelia felt it was the least she could do for them considering the safe haven they tried to offer her.

    Laelia roamed the street, waiting for the bakery to open. She knew if Amelia, Jana, or Michael knew she was wandering alone, they would be upset with her. Jana and Amelia were already more than concerned about her well-being.

"It's really not safe for you to be out here alone at this hour." The familiar voice  caused a smile to appear on her face once again. She turned with a shy smile. "I'm serious. Some real weirdos come out at night."

"So what does that say about the both of us, then?" She let her smart-aleck grin shin as she gazed up at him.

"I'm serious, Laelia." His tone was that of concern.

Her smile softened, "Well, then it's a good thing I ran into you first then, isn't it?" He sighed and stepped closer to her. "I know it's not a good idea."

"Then why are you out?" He inquired softly.

"Well," She let her smile drop completely. "I had a nightmare. A really bad one. I couldn't sleep. I needed to get my mind off of it."

"Ah." He smoothed his hand over her head gently, giving her a kind of comfort she'd not felt in weeks. "I'm sorry." He murmured. "Would you like to tell me about it? See if it helps?" Without hesitation, she nodded. "Come on then, we'll walk, you talk." He offered her his arm with a reassuring smile. She placed her hand on his arm, allowing him to lead her away.

    "Tell me about this dream. Why does it have you roaming the streets before dawn?" He inquired lowly.

"You want all the details or the cliff notes version?" She inquired with a dry chuckle.

"Any version of it you want to share." He answered.

"Okay." She inhaled deeply before beginning. "Have you ever had those dreams where you know you've been there before or you know exactly where you are but you can't give it a name?" He nodded. "I've been having those kinds of dreams. The ones that I know all of the characters, the settings, the feelings, but I just can't place them in my life."

"Sounds frustrating."

"It is. Especially when I'm seeing something bad happen to the person in my dream that I seem to love the most. It's like, I am there, apart of ever single moment, living it as it happens, but I have no free will, I cannot change the course of events. No matter how hard I try or how much I want it to be different, I'm stuck watching a loop of tragedy."

"What happened?" He was more than curious to hear the events. She inhaled deeply once again, telling the story of her nightmare. She watched his face change in ways that made her concerned about the inner-workings of her own brain. "That sounds terrifying." He spoke with a slightly elevated voice.

"The worst part is feeling so happy, so much love, and freedom then having every single ounce of it ripped away. Seeing the life, and happiness drain out of a person that was the source. And when I wake up, all of the emotions are still there, it's like I've been feeling all of it my whole life without really knowing it." She explained in the best way she knew how.

"I'm sorry." He murmured, turning to face her. He cupped her cheek with a gentle hand, caressing the single tear off her skin with his thumb.

"You feel like he does. Like in my dream." She blurted as the wave of comfort washed over her once more. He hushed her, but it failed. "You remind me of him in a lot of ways."

"How is that?" He inquired, curiosity taking over once more.

"Mostly your eyes, it's all I can really remember of him. And how I feel safe, even though I don't really know you." Laelia informed him. "I mean, realistically, you could be a serial killer for all I know, luring me in with charm."

He chuckled, "But I don't scare you."

"No. Not even a little." She giggled at his amused expression. "Even with all of the tattoos, the way you dress, and how I only seem to see you when I'm alone."

"Good. I don't want you to be afraid of me."

"So you can kill me faster?" Laelia teased.

He shook his head, "No, I don't want to kill you, Laelia." She beamed up at him. "I do want to get you back home and into bed though."

"I have a boyfriend." Laelia's playful smile appeared.

"Not what I mean." He grunted. "It's time for you to go to sleep."

"I want to go to the bakery to get sweets for my friends." She pouted.

He sighed heavily, "Let's make it quick. I'm sure you want to return before they notice you were ever gone."

    "Thank you for keeping me company." Laelia grinned up at him with her box of pastries in hand. "I don't think I would've been as relaxed without you."

"Happy to help, Laelia." He smiled down at her. "Now, off to bed with you."

"Will I see you again soon?" She inquired. She genuinely wanted to see him again. He brought her a sense of peace.

"Maybe. It's in the hands of the fates." He replied lowly.

"Is you telling me your name in the hands of the fates as well?" She pressed as she had the previous afternoon.

"I'm sure you can figure it out. Smart girl like you." He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Good night, Laelia."

"Goodnight." She murmured before he pushed her toward the front door of Jana and Amelia's building. She watched for just a moment as he walked up the street. She disliked the feeling. It was like every bad emotion from her dreams rushed back into her body. Laelia glanced toward the elevator, knowing she had to return to bed for a few hours. When looking back to where she'd last seen the mysterious man, who captivated her in ways totally new, he was gone. She sighed and made her way back to the elevators. He was right. It was best she returned before anyone knew she'd left.