Phoebe started awake as a piercing scream echoed thorugh the darkness. Another followed close behind and she bolted upright as she realised that it came from the woman next to her.
"Sibella!" she cried. But to her surprise, the blonde did not respond, and Phoebe soon noticed that her eyes were shut. She was not awake.
"No! Stop, no!" Sibella shouted. Phoebe shook her slightly, trying to wake her, but Sibella fought against her hands, desperatly hitting them away.
"Sibella," the brunette brushed a hand against the other woman's cheek. "Sibella!" she called, and at last the blonde's eyes flew open. There was a momentary silence, and then she began to cry, pushing herself up against the headboard and pulling her knees tightly to her chest. Phoebe placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, but quickly drew it back as the blonde started violently, flinching away from the contact.
"Dearest?" Phoebe spoke softly. "What's frightened you so?"
"Lionel," sobbed Sibella. "He was drunk and he... he decided t-to... he wanted..." but she trailed off, curling farther and farther into herself with every word.
"Did he hurt you? In the dream?" questioned Phoebe. Sibella nodded, letting out a slight whine and dissolving into tears again. "Oh, my darling," the brunette whispered. "He's not here, he can't hurt you, I promise. We're at Highhurst, we're perfectly safe, you're not with him. It wasn't real."
"But it... I-I could feel him... he was grabbing at m-my... and he... and it h-hurt... and... and..." Sibella spoke in broken phrases, gasping out words as her body shook with sobs.
"Shush, shush, you don't have to talk about it." Phoebe looked at her mournfully, hating that she was still plagued with nightmares about her husband, even now that he was deceased. "What can I do?" she asked.
"Hold me. Please. Just hold me," Sibella begged. Phoebe opened her arms to her and Sibella fell into them, weeping against her shoulder. Phoebe rocked her gently from side to side, whispering sweet nothings and pressing kisses into her hair. She kept the blonde wrapped tightly in her arms, determined to convince her that she was safe.