Hey, I'm bored right now, so here's another one-shot! (boredom can come in handy, can't it?)

REVIEWER THANK-YOUS

Elizabeth: Yep… Blu's an anime fan XD And thank you for nit-picking. I felt Blu's version seemed too sugar-coated, and edited it to sound more tragic (also threw in an Odile ref for ya). And thank you for the list of other fairytales- ones I completely forgot about! D8

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They were called 'waking-nightmares' for a reason.

Jimmy sat on the roof of the front porch, which was conveniently located outside his new bedroom window. It had been two weeks since he moved in with Silver… and since then the nightmares had plagued his mind…

He was back in Pent Towers, chained against the wall, seeing his ghostly-friend, Lilly, being strangled by that lizard-monster, Ace, while the gorgon Meds stabbed Silver several times. "No… NO! Get away from them!" Jimmy cried, trying to break free of his chains… realizing his voice sounded like a child's… and the villains looked bigger.

"Aw, what's the matter, boy?" Ace sneered… but rather than having a hiss-like accent, his voice sounded familiar. "Don't want me to KILL her, again?"

Again?

"J-Jimmy…" Lilly gasped, but her voice sounded like an adult's… and her face suddenly resembled his mother's.

"What the…?" Jimmy gasped. As he took a second glance, the whole scene began to shift- he was no longer in a jail cell, but in the middle of the woods. He was no longer chained back, but felt that he couldn't move.

Meds and Ace's faces changed… the Gorgon now looked like a man wearing all black and carrying hunting-gear, from knives to guns, and the lizard-creature now looked like a man with brown hair and a bushy mustache… having the all-too familiar face of Rupert Kahn, Jimmy's step-father.

He screamed when the two men came forth with their knives-

And then he awoke. The images from the terrible dream remained in his mind, and he couldn't rest…

And there was only one person who could help him out.

…If he accepted their help, that is.

Silver watched Jimmy sit on the roof, then shook his head and walked back inside. Something's up with that kid… and it's not just because he's on the roof. he thought.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Jimmy went back inside hours later as the sun began to set. He ate dinner without saying a word, and went to bed early- which both Silver and Radio found strange. "Something's up with James." Radio said, trying to keep from lapping at her drink (she was trying to get used to being human again, due to being a cat for so long). "He spent the whole day on the roof, lost in thought, and he hasn't said a word all day."

Silver rubbed his chin. "Then I guess it's time someone got one out of him," he said, then walked up to Jimmy's room, finding the door was open and the teen was lying face-down in bed. "Hey, Jimbo, any reason why you're giving everyone the silent-treatment?"

"I'm just tired…" Jimmy said, though his voice was muffled by the pillow, so it came out more like, "I'mph jush tire…"

"Ah, I see… stay up late last night, or woke up too early?"

He shrugged, sitting up. "I just couldn't sleep."

"What's keeping you from it? Dogs barking, neighbors playing loud music… Radio yowling on the fence?"

"I heard that!" Radio snapped from downstairs.

"Nah, it's none of that," Jimmy replied, keeping back a chuckle from Silver's joke.

"Then, what is it? Still getting used to sleeping in a warm bed?" Silver asked, and the boy shook his head. "…Have a nightmare or two, lately?"

Jimmy figured Silver would get to that, sooner or later. A bond had grown between them, and he felt he could tell him anything… but the rebel within him refused to do so. Don't even think about going soft… remember the last time you trusted someone too much? He ruined your life! he told himself.

…But Silver was different. At first glance, Jimmy refused to trust the ex-werewolf when they shared a jail-cell in Pent Towers, but by the time they broke out, something between them changed. He had saved Jimmy's life a number of times, and nearly lost his life doing so, and in return the boy had broke the werewolf's curse, changing him back into human. Once they were free from their troubles, Silver had invited Jimmy into his home with open arms, along with Radio. The rebel never trusted anyone more than his friend.

But the past kept replaying in his mind, about the father he never met and the step-dad who robbed him blind and left his mother to die when she grew ill, leaving Jimmy to fend for himself on the streets. Ever since he was seven, he could never bring it upon himself to trust anyone, no matter how close he was to them.

"Jim?" Silver asked, noticing the young teen had fallen quiet.

Jimmy shook his head. "I-It was just a dumb nightmare, nothing big." he finally replied, keeping his cool… despite how real the dream had seemed.

It would take more than that to convince Silver, though. "Alright then," the man said, feigning satisfaction. "Just wanted to make sure nothing was bothering you." he began walking out of the room. "I mean, you're old enough to handle nightmares."

The rebel waited until he was gone, then sighed and fell back on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Of COURSE you can handle nightmares, nimrod. he told himself. It takes more than a stupid dream to mess with your head. Yet every time he shut his eyes, even in a mere blink, the images appeared before him. He shook his head and turned on the TV in his room, deciding to get his mind off the haunting dream.

He chucked the remote at the power-button on the television when A Nightmare on Elm Street came on.

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Radio knew better than to confront Jimmy when he was in a mood, and decided to get some fresh air. It was getting dark out, but she didn't mind- still having a few cat-like qualities, she enjoyed being out at a nocturnal hour. Though, when visiting Danny and Rudy, she knew she would have to make sure her friends were still up, so not to disturb them or cause Rudy's parents alarm.

As she walked, she couldn't help but feel concern for her rebellious friend. She had sensed something was wrong with him, and yet was too shy to ask him about it.

Finally, she decided to turn around and head back to the house. I don't care if he snaps at me, she thought. Something is wrong, and I can't just walk away…

She paused when she saw Silver in the doorway, waiting for her. "Skipping your late-night stroll, kitten?" Silver asked her. He always called her "kitten", namely just to annoy her.

"Only until after I have a talk with Jimmy," Radio replied, keeping herself from snapping at Silver for the "kitten" name.

Silver raised his hand. "I know… I'm going to have a talk with him, too. Why don't you continue your walk? You can talk to him in the morning, after he's gotten a good night's sleep."

Radio sighed bitterly, but obeyed. She walked until she was in Danny and Rudy's area, seeing that their house-lights were off and the boys were no doubt asleep. I'm not even sure Jimmy will be able to sleep, from the way he's been acting. she thought.

That thought was enough to make her cut her walk short and head back to the house to check on her friend.

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It was quiet, and Jimmy's thoughts raced once again, harsh memories of his past intermingling with his nightmares… his mother screaming… Lilly being strangled… Rupert slapping his mother… Ace injecting venom into Silver… Meds making his mother freeze with his hypnotic gaze… Lilly growing ill (how it was possible for a ghost to get sick, no one knew)… Ace biting his mother… Rupert shooting Silver… Two Ruperts stabbing both his mother and Silver while Meds stared Lilly down and Ace pulled a pedophilic act… Jimmy being beaten by the cops, left in the dark to die…

*thud*

He rolled out of bed from thrashing so much. Breathing heavily, he ran out of his room and down the hall. He needed fresh air… he needed a drink… he needed SOMETHING to clear his head!

*Wham!*

"Oof!" he grunted, falling backwards onto the floor.

"Whoa, Jimbo, where's the fire?" Silver asked after the boy ran into him.

"Sorry, I just gotta… I need to go." With that, he ran down the stairs.

Silver, of course, followed him. Either he's got diarrhea, or something's messing with his mind. he thought. He found Jimmy sitting in the living room, the rebel staring at the TV as a soda-commercial came on. "Alright, kid, no more games. Tell me what's wrong,"

Jimmy sneered. "Nothing's wrong, I just can't sleep."

"Yeah, right, and I'm still half-wolf." Silver sat down next to him. "Something's eating you, Jimmy, and I'd like to know what."

A scowl came next. "I told you, nothing's wrong. Now, leave me alone, you dumbass."

Silver scowled in return. It wasn't the first time Jimmy had cussed and called him names, and he'd have a few nasty retorts himself, but right now he wanted that to end. He gripped his shoulder, glaring at him eye-to-eye. "Now, listen to me, James Krook. We're not in prison anymore, or on the run, so you can cut this rebellious shit out. If there's something bothering you- if there's a problem, or something you want to get off your mind- you don't have to act like a little punk-ass and keep it to yourself. I didn't just let you come to live with me because you needed a place to stay- I did it because I want to help you have a better life. Now, spill it!"

Jimmy glowered deeper, turning away.

"Jim… Don't turn your back on me-"

"Why? Because YOU want to be the first to turn your back?" the rebel scoffed.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Never mind. Just… forget it." Jimmy got up to leave, but Silver pulled him back down. "Hey-!"

"Tell me what's wrong!"

"I can't!"

"Why?"

"I just can't!"

"That's not an answer!"

"I… I just can't trust you!" Jimmy jerked away, using too much strength and falling to the floor, landing on his hands and knees.

Silver stared at him, shocked. "Why?"

"I just… can't." Jimmy remained on the floor, hanging his head low. "Every time someone wants to help me, they only end up making my life worse. I'm tired of going through the same shit all the frickin' time… and I don't want to go through it with you."

Silver knelt down in front of him, resting a hand on his back. "James, listen to me… I promised your mother long ago that I'd help take care of you, and I don't plan on going back on my word. I'm going to see to it that you're life gets better, and that all the shit you went through in the past will remain in the past." he lifted his chin, so they could make eye-contact. "I'm not like the other douche-bags you had to deal with, Jimmy. I'm not going to abandon you, I'm not going to hurt you… I'm going to protect you. …I love you, kid."

Jimmy sighed, smirking. "Geez, Silver, have you been watching those damn Disney flicks, again?"

Silver chuckled, patting him on the back. "C'mon, boy. Go to bed. I don't want everyone to think I'm raising you to be an insomniac."

Jimmy rolled his eyes, heading for the stairs. He paused a bit, thinking about everything Silver said to him… thinking about how he had been by his side through their nightmarish journey… remembering how much he cared about him. What was I thinking? he thought, scolding himself for earlier.

He continued up the stairs, climbing into bed, still thinking about what Silver had said.

After what seemed like an hour, he heard footsteps walk in, and felt someone drape a blanket over him. "Thanks…" he whispered silently. "For everything."

"You're… welcome." Radio's voice replied.

Jimmy mentally kicked himself.

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A/N: I was feeling fluffy, so… yeah.

REVIEW! …No flames though, k?