A/N: I do not own Ice Age. I only own my OC's.

Colby's POV:

It has been only a year since our freedom was secured. A year since Whisper and Shade adopted us. Almost a year since Whisper had her four little ones (our half-siblings). We have been living happily with our new parents. I mean, I still miss mom. I'll never stop missing her. At least I know she'd be happy to see that we are safe and thriving in our home above the ice.

I have been helping my new mother and father with the kits ever since they were born. They are cute little bundles of fur. I love them so much. I see myself in them. I see a light shining brightly in them that I never knew existed before. I hope that I may someday have kits of my own. I am only eleven, though. There's plenty of time for that.

What I haven't been telling anyone, though, is that my mind has been haunted recently. A particular event that I haven't thought about in years, one that scarred me for life. I tried to block it from my mind. For years, I succeeded. However, truth is never buried forever. Sooner or later, that truth returns to the surface. I just wish I could have one full night of sleep without the memories coming back. Tonight, the dreams return with a vengeance…

I am back in the tunnels where I was born, back with my birth family. It is the time that father was away for a week. I'm having an old friend over. Her name is Sara. She and her twin brother, Max, are over. The only ones to know of my friends are my mom and my siblings. This is before Kay was born. I was five. The reason only mom and my siblings knew of my friends is because of dad. There's no telling what dad would do to them.

I'm playing with Sara and Max in my room. We're having all sorts of fun until, suddenly, dad bursts in. "Wot are ya doin'?! I didn't say ya could 'ave friends!" Dad snarls at me.

"Dad, please!" I whimper.

"Shut up! Now, it's time ta remedy this situation!" Dad growls. He grabs both Sara and Max and hits them over their heads. I cry out for dad to stop. Instead of replying, he shoves me into the wall. He then leaves, dragging Sara and Max behind him. I remember how dad returned a moment later. When I ask about my friends, father smirks at me. That dad is when I received the worst beating that I have ever known. That day is when my friends were lost…forever…

I jerk upright with a shriek. I'm breathing heavily, sweat covering my entire body. I'm shaking, fear glistening in my eyes. After a while, I manage to calm my breathing down. I suddenly start to feel nauseous. I don't know why, but I just don't feel so good. I wrap an arm around my stomach. My breathing becomes ragged. My stomach gives a sudden lurch. I turn over the side of my nest and begin vomiting. I cough on the vomit, pain rippling through my stomach. After a while, I stop vomiting.

I climb out of my nest, making sure not to step in the vomit. I stumble over to mom and dad's room. I open the door, seeing them asleep on their nest. I stumble over to mom's side. I shake her. "Mom! Mom, wake up!" I cry.

She cracks her eyes open. She sits up and looks at me. "Colby, what's wrong?" She asks.

"I…I don't feel so good and…and I…I threw up…" I whimper, an arm still wrapped tightly around my stomach.

Mom's eyes widen. She takes me into my arms, stroking my back and soothing my whimpers. "Hush, Colby. It'll be alright. I'll find something to help stop the pain in your stomach," mom whispers into my ear.

"I…I'm sorry I threw up…I didn't mean to…" I apologize.

"Hey, I know you didn't. You did nothing wrong. Now, let's get you back to bed, alright?" Mom asks. I just nod my head. Mom wakes dad up and has him clean the vomit up and search for some medicine. Mom picks me up and carries me to my room. She places me back on my nest.

I look up at her through fevered eyes. "Mom, I…I'm scared…" I whimper.

Mom strokes my forehead. "I know you are. It's alright to admit when you're afraid. I'm proud of you that you admitted it. Just rest. Shade will be back soon with some medicine," mom tries to comfort me.

"No! I don't want medicine!" I argue.

"The medicine will help your stomach stop hurting. You want the pain to stop, don't you?" Mom asks.

I nod my head. "Okay…" I sigh, closing my eyes a little. No, I'm not asleep. I'm just resting my eyes…

I wake a few minutes later to mom's voice. I open my eyes. Mom is pouring a spoonful of nasty-smelling liquid. She puts it to my lips. I grimace, before opening my mouth just enough for the spoon to fit. I gag a little at the nasty taste. Even still, I manage to swallow it. "Gross!" I stick my toungue out for emphasis.

"I know, but you needed it to get better. Now, go to sleep. Things will be better in the morning," mom smiles at me. I yawn loudly, letting my eyes slide shut. I am asleep in seconds. Of course, the dreams never leave me alone…

This time, I am still in my room with Sara and Max. Everything happens as before. The only difference is that, when dad comes by, he doesn't drag them away. Instead, he grabs a long, serrated knife, and approaches them. I scream, telling him to stop. He pays me no heed as he stabs my friends over and over again. I am forced to watch as the blood of my friends coats the room…

I wake abruptly with a cry. Again, I am shaking from my vivid dream. I breathe roughly, trying to calm myself down. It is only when I am calm that I notice that my nest is soaking wet. I sniff the air, smelling no sweat on myself. My nose does catch another scent, however. The smell of urine. The nightmare made me wet my nest. I feel my cheeks flame with the realization.

I look around. Mom isn't there. I get up off my nest, careful because of my fevered dizziness. I stumble out of my room. I see mom and dad asleep on the couch together. I go up to mom and shake her. "Mom, wake up!" I whisper.

Mom opens her eyes and looks at me. "What's wrong?" She asks. I know she can't see the urine because of the darkness. Dad is now also awake and waiting for my response.

"I…uh…mom, I…I had a nightmare and…and I…I wet my nest…" I whimper, rubbing my right arm and looking down.

"Colby, look at me." Mom puts her paw under my chin, forcing my eyes to meet hers. "You did nothing wrong. It was only an accident. Accidents happen to everybody," mom tries to calm me.

"But mom, I…I'm eleven! I shouldn't be wetting the nest!" I argue.

"Listen, I was a nest-wetter until I was twelve years old. Does that make me a baby? No. Now listen, Colby, you are no baby. You're sick and you had a nightmare. That kind of combination is what causes nest-wetting. It's normal. Now, why don't we get you cleaned up, alright?" Mom suggests.

I nod my head. Mom takes my paw and leads me towards the hot springs. She helps me clean away all evidence of my accident before we return to the cave. "Now, why don't you go back to sleep?" Mom suggests.

I flinch. "I…I'm scared…um…can I sleep with you tonight?" I ask hesitantly.

Mom smiles. "Of course you can," she answers. We head over to her and dad's nest and climb inside it. Mom strokes my forehead. "Good night, Colby," both mom and dad speak.

"Good night, mom. Good night, dad," I reply. I nuzzle into mom's fur, my eyes closed. It isn't long before I fall into my most peaceful sleep in days.

The next morning, I wake still in mom and dad's nest. I look around. Neither mom, nor dad, are around. I also have some very bad news. No, I didn't wet the nest again. The bad news is that I'm very close. I feel like I'm bursting. I slowly get up out of the nest, mindful of the dizziness. I take a few wobbling steps towards the door. I pause when I feel myself leak a little. I put both paws down there in an effort to hold it. More sneaks past. I start stumbling forward faster, trying so hard not to wet myself. My struggles are in vain. My bladder suddenly loses control. I fall to my knees as the urine begins gushing out. It isn't long before I am sitting in a puddle of my own urine. Tears start pouring down my cheeks from the embarrassment.

I stumble to my paws and hesitantly make my way to the door. I crack it open a bit. I see mom and dad over by the table, talking. "Mom…" I whisper.

She turns and looks at where my head is peaking out of the doorway. "What is it, Colby?" She asks.

"I…mom, I…I had an accident…" I whimper, looking down.

Mom's eyes widen. She comes over to where I'm standing and opens the door more. I step back a bit out of reflex. Mom can obviously see the urine all over me. "Oh, Colby, it's alright," mom smiles while taking me into her arms. She doesn't seem to care that my fur is soaked with urine. She's holding me anyway.

I whimper, letting tears stream down my cheeks. I look up at mom. "Is…is it really alright? I…I mean…I…I had an accident…in your room…I…I didn't mean to…I…I tried to hold it…I really did…I just…I couldn't hold it…" I cry.

Mom swipes my tears away. "Yes, it's alright. I know you tried. I know. Can you show me where you had the accident?" Mom asks.

I nod my head. I lead her over to the puddle of urine. I look up at mom. "I…I'm sorry…" I whimper.

"Hey, it's okay. I'll get you cleaned up. Then, I'll clean the floor. This is nothing to be ashamed of. Now, come on. Let's get you cleaned up," mom soothes me. She takes me over to the hot spring and helps me clean the urine off of myself. She then takes me back to her and dad's room. "Now, get back in the nest. I'll clean the floor," mom smiles at me.

I nod my head. I climb into the nest and curl up under the covers. I watch mom clean the floor up. She then returns to my side. "Listen, get to sleep. I'll bring a bucket in case you have to go again and can't make it outside," mom strokes my forehead. I slowly nod my head. I let my eyes slide shut. I am asleep in seconds. I wake only one very brief time. That is when both mom and dad slip into the nest. I fall back to sleep right away. As I sleep, I experience another memory dream. This one is a whole lot worse…

I see Sara and Max again. This time, I see them with their mouths taped shut. Ropes are binding their wrists and ankles together. Father is standing near them, a knife in his paws. I scream out at him to stop as begins stabbing my friends to death. He turns to me. I scream louder as I find myself the new victim…

I wake abruptly with a cry. My eyes are wide and I'm breathing raggedly. Mom and dad both wake at the sound of my cry. Dad is the first to speak, though not with something I'd like to hear. "Hey, why's the nest all wet?" Dad asks groggily.

"I don't…" Mom trails off at the sight of the tears in my eyes. It's obvious to both of them that I'm the one who wet the nest.

I look down at the wet spot on the blanket. "I…I'm sorry…" I whimper.

"Colby, it's okay. Can you tell me what made you wet the nest? Was it a nightmare?" Mom asks.

I nod my head. "I…before, when I was five, I had two friends. They were Sara and her twin brother Max. We'd play a lot whenever father wasn't around. Then, when we were playing once, father came home. He got angry that I was playing with friends without his permission. He dragged Sara and Max away. When he came back, he never told me what he did to them. Instead, he beat me half to death. He'd never kill me, though. He always wanted me to suffer. Even now, I miss my friends. They were the first friends I have ever had," I explain, tears rolling down my cheeks. I sniffle and whimper. Mom and dad grab me into their arms and hold me as I cry.

After a few minutes, I stop crying. I wipe the tears from my eyes. I look up at my foster parents. "Thank you. Um…I'm sorry I wet the nest…" I whisper.

"Oh, it's alright. Now, let's get you cleaned up. Shade, can you take care of the nest?" Mom asks.

Dad nods his head while shooting a comforting smile my way. Mom helps me back over to the hot spring and helps me clean the urine off of myself. She then brings me back to the now clean nest. "Get back to sleep. If you want, we can talk about your friends more tomorrow," mom offers.

"Okay," I smile. I curl up on the nest in the middle. Mom and dad lay down on each side of me. Mom strokes my back. Her touch lulls me to sleep.