Note: Pre-Fast 1; Jesse is 18
Jesse shot up in bed, breathing heavily. He was covered in sweat ad his heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest. He got out of bed and peeked around the curtain that lead to Leon's side of the basement. The older man was still sound asleep.
Jesse crept quietly up the stairs, intent on getting some water and watching TV until the fell asleep again. He was surprised to see a figure already sitting at the kitchen table.
"Dom?" Jesse said softly and Dom lifted his head, looking equally surprised.
"Jess? What are you doing up?" Dom asked.
Jesse shrugged.
"Just… couldn't sleep," he said.
Dom stared at him for a moment before gesturing the boy forward.
"Sit down," he instructed.
Jesse sat as Dom got up and got him some water.
"You want to tell me why you're really up?" Dom asked gently.
Jesse bit his lip, bouncing his leg anxiously as he picked at his nails.
"I had a nightmare," he finally said, hisf ace burning in embarrassment.
"Do you want to tell me about it?" Dom offered.
"It was about my dad," Jesse shrugged, "Sort of the same old thing."
Dom grimaced. He knew all about Jesse's dad and the hell he had put the teenager through. He gently laid his hand on Jesse's shoulder.
"He won't come near you again Jess," Dom told him, "He has no clue where you are, and even if he did find out, he'd have to get through all of us before he ever got to look at you."
"I know," Jesse replied, "And I know it's stupid to be scared-"
"It's not stupid," Dom interrupted, "Your fear isn't stupid. You just have to remember that you're stronger than your fear. And you have to remember that all of us, together, your family, are stronger than your fears."
Jesse nodded, wiping away a tear that leaked from his eye.
"Thanks Dom," he said softly.
"Anytime Jess," Dom squeezed his shoulder comfortingly.
They both turned when they heard footsteps on the stairs and Leon came into view.
"Hey dog," he said, rubbing sleep from his eyes, "What's going on?"
"Nothing, just getting a drink," Jesse stood, taking his glass of water with him.
"Thanks Dom," he said before heading back downstairs.
"He okay?" Leon asked Dom.
"Bad dream," Dom told him, "He's okay now though."
Leon nodded, looking thoughtful.
"Hey, thanks man," Leon said, "He really trusts you, and after everything he's been through… it's not easy for him. He feels safe here… thank you."
"We're family man, it's what we do," Dom clapped Leon on the back before both men headed back to bed.
Leon peeked around the curtain.
"You okay now?" he asked and Jesse nodded.
"Yeah, I'm good," he said, "Dom helped."
"Good, glad to hear it," Leon said, "Night dog."
"Night."
Leon returned to his bed and Jesse stared up at the ceiling. Thoughts of his father clouded his mind, but he pushed them aside with thoughts of his chosen family. With these thoughts in mind, and Leon's snores reverberating to his left, Jesse fell back to sleep.
We know so little about the characters before the movies and I love fics that explore that, especially ones about Leon and Jesse
Thanks for reading!
