Logan never really saw Chloe Cartwright's appeal.

It wasn't that Chloe was unattractive, exactly. She was — he begrudgingly admitted — actually pretty cute, if you were into that sort of thing. Little dark plaits. Ski-slope nose. Rosy cheeks from blushing too much, or too much tequila. Sometimes both.

But Chloe was also short. And clumsy. And she had a tendency to blurt out whatever came to her mind, usually at inappropriate times.

No; Logan had never seen the appeal.

But now, he got it.

She was standing by the terrace doors, a white towel draped over one arm. Her dark hair was loose over her shoulders, and she was dressed in a tiny red bikini that left very little to the imagination.

Logan whole-heartedly approved.

"You ready to go, Winters?" she called.

"Oh, yes," Logan said, smirking. "I most definitely am."

"Hang on!" Jack lurched forward. "You forgot your towel." He pressed it into Logan's hand, hissing into his ear. "Touch her and I kill you."

Logan's smile widened. Oh, dear. Didn't Jack know by now that only made it more tempting?

"I make no promises," he murmured.

Jack went white. "I swear to god, if you—"

Chloe yanked open the door. "You sure you don't want to join us?"

"Oh, no," Logan said airily. "I'm sure they have plenty of work stuff to catch up on." He smirked at his brother. "Don't you, Logan?"

Jack looked positively murderous. Kate rolled her eyes. She was propped up on the sofa, a pair of red reading glasses perched on her nose. A book lay open on her lap. Logan peeked at the cover, and then did a double take. Ropes. Ripped bodices. Heaving bosoms.

Christ.

What sort of book was Kate reading? Fifty Shades of Grey for pirates?

Kate caught him looking and winked.

"You two go on," she said. "We'll see you after."

Logan trailed Chloe outside. The village below was plunged into darkness, illuminated only by yellow windows that twinkled like stars. Snowflakes whirled in the floodlights, guiding any brave night skiers back to safety. Chloe stepped gingerly into the hot tub.

"I'm happy it's just us," she said, flicking on the jets. "I feel like I haven't seen you properly in ages."

"I saw you last week."

"Exactly," she sighed. "It's been a lifetime."

Logan winced as he settled into the hot water. Christ. How often did Chloe and Jack hang out? They might as well move in together. Save some money on transit fees.

"How was skiing?" he asked.

Chloe grinned. "Logan was atrocious."

"He was?"

"Terrible," she confirmed. "It's a miracle he didn't break anything, actually."

Logan groaned. Well, there went his reputation; he could never show his face in the Alps again. Au revoir, France.

"How was Kate?" she asked.

Logan paused. Chloe was picking at her nail polish, her eyes downcast. But there was something odd in her voice.

Casual. That was it.

She was trying too hard to be casual.

"We had fun," Logan said, shrugging.

That was true, actually; Kate taught him how to play canasta, and then they munched on M&Ms while watching "Beauty and the Beast" on her laptop. Logan sang along with all of Gaston's songs. Kate threw a handful of chocolates at his face. It was — all in all — a pretty damn good afternoon.

Chloe cleared her throat. "That's great."

She didn't look as if it was great. Quite the opposite, in fact.

"Do you like her?" Chloe asked.

"Sure."

"No, I mean like-like her, idiot."

Logan smirked. "What are we, six?"

Chloe splashed him, and Logan grinned, shielding his face.

"I don't know," he said truthfully. "Kate's different than anyone I've met before. She makes me think. Challenges me." He tipped his head back. "Sometimes, I can't decide if she's good at calling me on my shit, or if she just scares me shitless. Does that make sense?"

His frozen breath congealed in cotton candy clouds. Across the hot tub, Chloe was staring at the shadowed mountains, her face paler than the moon.

"She'd be lucky to have you," she murmured. "You know that, right?"

"You think?"

"Of course I do, idiot." Chloe cracked a smile. "Don't go fishing for compliments, though. I'm not about to inflate your ego."

Logan leaned back, kicking his feet up on a seat. This was enjoyable, actually, he realized with some surprise. Talking like this. He couldn't remember having a female friend before. Well, not one that he wasn't shagging, anyways.

It was...

Nice.

Yes. That was the word for it.

"Chloe?"

She half-turned. Logan smiled.

"You're pretty cool, you know," he said, and then paused. "And you're also pretty damn sexy in that bikini."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, sod off, Winters."

But Chloe looked pleased as she splashed him.

Chloe woke up covered in sweat.

A half-scream died in her throat, and she sat up, gasping for air. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. She could feel her legs shaking, and she drew them into her chest, willing her pulse to slow. The darkness was a cloth over her mouth.

Fragments of half-remembered nightmares flitted through her mind.

Shattering glass. Screaming. The stench of booze.

Chloe hadn't had one of those dreams in years. Not since her parents divorced, anyways. She rested her chin on her knees.

Stupid. She was being stupid.

She was a grown woman now, for fuck's sake. She wasn't some scared twelve-year-old girl, sitting at the top of the staircase.

She flopped back on the bed. Next to her, Kate was snoring merrily away, a bit of drool on her cheek. Lucky bitch. Chloe carefully tiptoed closer, picking up the book on her nightstand. She had to squint through the darkness to make out the title.

The Pirate and the Prostitute.

Chloe smirked. Kate, you saucy minx.

Alas, not even the sexy Prostitute and her captive Pirate (who was actually a prince, because of course he was) could lull Chloe back to sleep. She swung her legs off the bed, nibbling on her lower lip.

She shouldn't.

And yet.

She glanced in the direction of the boys' room. Jack had always been the one to calm her down as a kid when the nightmares set in. Tea, biscuits, three-act puppet shows — he had always found a way to get her to fall asleep again.

Would one more time really be so bad?

Oh, sod it. She'd just do it.

Chloe pulled on a jumper and then padded down the corridor. She pushed open the door. Light peeped into the room, illuminating two twin beds. Identical blond heads peeked from out of the covers. Chloe tiptoed to the closest one, letting out a breath. Oh, thank god. Both eyebrows were still in tact. Definitely Jack, then.

"Jack," she hissed.

He didn't stir, and Chloe frowned. Weird. He was a light sleeper, usually.

"Jack." She shook his arm. "Jack, wake up."

He awoke with a start, thrashing in the sheets. Chloe had to jump back to avoid colliding with his head. Jack blinked, glaring at her reproachfully.

"Chloe?" he demanded. "What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

"I had a nightmare."

"So?"

She flinched. "Oh. Well, I thought..." God, she was an idiot. "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come." She rubbed her arms. "I just wanted someone to talk to."

"Then why didn't you wake...?" Jack blinked several times, as if clearing the fog from his brain. "Oh. Wait. Shit."

"What?"

"I..." Jack trailed off, swallowing hard. "I've just remembered that I need to wake Logan up." He sprung from the bed. "To show him a chipped tooth."

"Now?"

"Yes, now," Jack said irritably. "It's a medical emergency."

"But it's 3 a.m."

"Well, it could get worse. I grind my teeth."

Chloe stared at him. "So?"

"Just lie down," Jack demanded, vaulting over to Logan's bed with surprising grace. "I'll be back in a second."

"What the bloody hell is going on?" Jack demanded.

He rubbed at his eyes. Logan had frog-marched him into their toilet, although why on earth his brother had roused him in the middle of the night to stare at the loo together, he had no idea. Jack stifled a yawn. Maybe he was dreaming. If so, this was a really weird dream. Freud would definitely have a few thoughts.

Logan snapped his fingers.

"Jack," he hissed. "Pay attention!"

"Mmmm."

"I mean it." He shook him. "This is an emergency."

"What is?"

"Chloe had a nightmare."

"What?" Jack stiffened. "But she hasn't had one of those in years. Is she okay? Did she—?" He broke off, frowning. "Hang on. Why would she wake you?"

"Because she thinks I'm you, idiot."

Oh. Right.

Jack groaned, resting his forehead on the cool glass of the mirror. Dang it. "We're going to have to tell her, Logan. Right now."

"What? No!"

"Well, I'm not sending her away."

"She's a big girl," Logan said, crossing his arms. "She can handle a bad dream by herself."

Jack gave him a withering look. "I know she can. I'm saying that I don't want her to. That's what friends do, Logan — they look out for one another."

He arched an eyebrow. "Friends, huh?"

"Oh, shut-up," Jack muttered.

"Look, why don't we just trade back for the night?"

"Hello?" Jack pointed at his face. "Did you forget about this?"

Logan winced. Jack didn't blame him; the dim lighting probably made his shaved eyebrow and yellowing bruise look like a scene straight out of The Shining.

"It's dark," Logan said dismissively. "She won't be able to see."

"Really?"

Jack couldn't keep the hope out of his voice. Chloe. He would get to be with Chloe for a whole night, as himself. He hadn't realized how much he was desperately wishing for it until just now. Logan nodded jerkily.

"Just for tonight, mind," he warned, and Jack rolled his eyes.

"Yes, sir."

Logan plodded back into the room, claiming the empty bed. Jack stumbled towards the bed by the door. Chloe was already curled up, a pillow hugged to her chest.

"How's your tooth?" she whispered.

Jack blinked. "My what?"

"Your tooth," she repeated. "The one you chipped?"

Jack closed his eyes. He was going to kill Logan. Kill him.

"Fine," he grunted. "Scoot over."

Chloe shifted to make room, and Jack flopped down beside her. He hesitated. What was the protocol here? They hadn't shared a bed since they were kids. At least, not when they were both sober and awake.

Fortunately, Chloe made the decision for him.

She pressed her face into his chest, burying her head under his chin. Jack reached out automatically, cradling her body. He could feel the hard ridge of her spine. She was so small, he realized with surprise. She filled so much of the room with her chatter that he always forgot how fragile she actually was.

"Jack?" she whispered.

"Yes?"

"Thank-you." Chloe shifted, and he shivered as her warm breath brushed his collarbone. "You're the best thing in the world, you know that?"

No, Jack thought, his throat tight. Because you're in it.

"Can I stay?" she murmured.

Jack kissed the top of her head. "Always."

He fell asleep to the sound of her even breathing.