A Note from Me: Here's the second chapter of the story. I know my "chapters" are short, but I'm going to try my best to put more detail into further chapters. Anyway, in this chapter, there'll be an almost kiss and lotsa love in the air! =D Thanks again for reading and also the reviews. Love ya! - LonelySin

2 - More Than Just Comfort

(Sanctuary: Brennan's Room – Same Time)

***

His eyes popped open, "Shalimar!" He threw the covers back and ran to Shalimar's room, finding her twisting and turning on her bed.

"Stop it! Get off of me!" She started to cry hysterically while twisting and turning. He rushed over to her bed and shook her several times, but gently.

"Hey, Shalimar! Wake up!" He whispered. Suddenly, she forced her eyes open and bolted up on the bed, trying to catch her breath. Tears started to fall down her cheeks when she saw Brennan, in only his boxers, sitting next to her on the bed with a concerned look in his eyes.

"Its okay, Shalimar," He coaxed. "I'm here. It was probably just a nightmare. Don't cry." She looked at him and continued to cry anyway, while covering her face with both of her hands. Brennan's heart shattered into a million pieces to see Shalimar so scared. He'd never seen her like this. He never even knew that fear existed in her.

He took her arm and gently pulled her to him and held her. He pulled back just a little to study her. Her clothes were torn, revealing places that she wouldn't normally show. Sweat covered her whole body and tears took over her eyes and cheeks. She was stilled crying, looking away to avoid eye contact with Brennan. He lifted her chin to make her look at him and slipped a strand of her hair behind her ear to get a perfect view of her face. She's so beautiful, he said to himself. Before he knew it, he started to lean in to kiss her, but she turned away and was shaking.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Shalimar," he apologized. Deep down inside, his heart felt like it was being stabbed by fifty knives again and again and again. I guess she doesn't feel the same way about me, he thought.

"No, it's not that, Brennan," Shalimar was shaking all over. "In my dream… Ashlocke went into my dream and… He tried to rape me…" She started to cry again, burying her face into her hands.

"WHAT?!?" shouted a furious Brennan. His mind was on fire. It wasn't just because he couldn't be the first to touch Shalimar, but it was also because he tried to hurt her and make her do something she didn't want to do. "I'm going to go to the Strand right now and kill that guy!"

"No, Brennan!" Shalimar said to stop him.

"How can you expect me not to after you just told me what he did to you?! I'm not going to just let that bastard get away with that!"

"Please don't! I don't want anything to happen to you! Please…just don't…" He looked at her. Tears started streaming down her face as she held onto him, trying to stop him.

"Why, Shalimar?  Why?" Brennan was frustrated. He wanted to kill Ashlocke and destroy Shalimar's fear. He wanted to rip Ashlocke's head off and use it as a punching bag.

Because I love you, Brennan, Shalimar said to herself. Why can't you see that I love you?

They sat there, looking at each other in silence. "Shalimar, you should get some rest," Brennan said, finding an excuse to break the silence.

"Brennan, please don't make me go back into that nightmare," Shalimar protested, but Brennan cut her off.

"Shalimar, you're bound to fall asleep sometime," and with that, he tucked her in and kissed her on the forehead. "And besides, I'll be right here and wait till you fall asleep."

"Promise?" she relaxed a bit. Knowing that he was going to be there made her feel safe.

"Promise," he replied and kissed her forehead once more.

When Brennan was sure that Shalimar was asleep, he kissed her cheek, "Shalimar, I love you and I'm not going to let Ashlocke get away with what he did." In a moment, he was out of the Sanctuary, heading for Ashlocke. "Gabriel, you bastard, you're going to pay for hurting Shalimar."