…She couldn't walk…couldn't breathe…couldn't think as she collapsed under the pressure of them all. Those voices…those disembodied voices, calling out to her in cries of terror, pleas for help.

I can't! I'm so sorry, but can't! she thought as she covered her ears with her hands, welcoming the partial silence, but cursing it as her mind's ears took over for her. The spirits crowded closer, stroking her hair her face, her arms, All so unbelievably sad, so heartbreakingly sad. Sobs wracked through her body as she gasped in air, trying to calm herself and put back up her walls around her mind.

She tried to focus, she really did, but they kept tugging at her, pleading for her help which she just couldn't give when overwhelmed like this.

Go away! Leave me alone! I can't take this! She thought desperately, as her head snapped up looking for a window to jump out of, a knife to end it, but of course there was none. There was only flat ground. Her head dropped once more. The spirits had paused at her outcry, but came back with redoubled efforts. "STOP IT!" she screamed at them all. She thought surely this is it, surely this is where it all ends and they all kill me, or I go crazy with this!

But she didn't feel crazy. She instead felt a pair of big, strong, sure arms go around her crumpled form, picking her up and holding her close to him.

"Chloe? Chloe!" she heard the voice, but the others were stronger, crowding, interrupting each other, a huge chaotic jumble in her head! The tears continued to flow.

"Chloe, open your eyes!" she obeyed this familiar and very concerned voice, but all she saw were faces. Faces…Faces…FACES! So many, so many dead, all faces, all voices, attacking! Too much! She thought as they suffocated her.

"Chloe! Come on, don't do this. Look at me, focus, you have to make them go. You can do it Clo! Come on!" that voice, the one she knew almost better than her own, began to slowly make the faces and voices go away with its hushed murmurs and promises, whispers so gruff and deep, yet loving as those big hands stroked her face, pushing her hair back, wiping away tears.

"D-d-derek?" Chloe asked as the last of the whispers of the dead went away, replaced by his voice."

"Thank goodness! Chloe, I thought you were being killed or something, I mean, I had NO idea what to do or how to protect you and…" she stopped him by placing a very weak, shaky finger to cover his lips as her eyes focused on his worried expression.

"It's okay Derek. I did it…Stupid mistake, testing taking off my talisman, but I did it. We did it." She smiled at him, before closing her eyes wearily.

"Shh, it's okay Clo…you can sleep. You're safe now." He said to her as she curled up in his arms and into his warm lap, feeling safe and comforted.

"I know…" she said as she smiled into his chest.

A/N: REVIEW! So I just had sudden inspiration for this, and needed some change from my usual style(aka, fluff central!) so I did this, changed my author name, and my profile pic. What'dya think?