He couldn't sleep again. He lay and tossed and turned in the bed. It was so dark, and he didn't want to admit it, but the darkness scared him. In the dark the thoughts came and would not leave him alone. Thoughts and memories that he would rather leave in the past: how they gnawed at him.

He did the only thing he could think of: he picked up his phone and called Linda's number. After a few rings she answered, dazed and sleepy-voiced.

"Stefan? What's up?"

"Can you come round?"

"Why? What's wrong?"

"I just need you. Please?"

"Okay." It was an irritated sigh, but at least she'd agreed to come.

Stefan got up and turned the lights on. He dithered over whether to make coffee or warm some milk. In the end he did neither. He sat on the couch with a glass of whisky, waiting for Linda.

The soft knock at the door made his heart jump. He let her in and she followed him into the living room.

"What's this about, Stefan?" she asked perching on the edge of the couch, looking at him intently. He knew had her worried now.

"I couldn't sleep. I needed someone to talk to."

"If you needed someone to talk to, why didn't you call the station? The night-shift guys would talk to you for hours; any excuse not to have to do anything."

"I needed you." Stefan looked into her eyes. "I been trying to sleep, but I can't. It's so dark and quiet round here that it actually scares me. It's stupid, but I don't want to be alone. There's too much going on in my head."

He put his head in his hands. There it was. She would probably think he was being completely pathetic.

"I know how that feels," Linda admitted. "You have all these thoughts about bad things that have happened, and they won't leave you alone, right?"

Stefan nodded silently, choking back some tears that were inconveniently trying to escape.

"A lot of stuff happened to me when I was younger. I wish it would go away, but it won't." He stifled a sob.

Linda moved over to him and drew him into a hug, which he returned gratefully. He knew she understood, and knew that he needed her more than ever.

"Can you stay here tonight?" he asked.

She nodded. "Okay."

They curled up together on the couch, not saying very much, because not much needed to be said. At that moment they were everything to each other, and when Stefan finally felt sleep overtaking him he almost smiled. This is what it felt like to be safe at last.