Stay

When all the legionnaires had finally left, Brainiac Five entered Nightwing's room. He was disappointed to find her fast asleep. He went over to the chair he usually inhabited. He sat down and watched her sleep with such an infinite look of tenderness.

She was lying on her stomach with her head cradled on her arms. Her dark, ginger hair falling softly over her face…her face, with her button nose and full lips, slightly parted, the thick, dark eyelashes, sleeping so peacefully she looked like a child. A wave of protectiveness swept over him and he was surprised at the ferocity he felt towards anyone who tried to harm her.

He loved her, he really did, but he was so scared he'd lose control…that he'd harm her. What if I can't control myself? Brainiac thought I'd never be able to forgive myself if I harmed her. Yet, I can't keep going the way I am. It was evident in the way her and Colossal Boy looked at each other, if I don't act soon…I'll lose her, possibly forever! He despaired when suddenly there was a whimper from the bed he turned swiftly and saw Nightwing's tear-stained face and then she let out a scream so filled with pain and despair that it sent chills down Brainiac.

"No, no please stop" she whimpered in her sleep and Brainiac rushed to her side. She was crying in fear and pain and trying to get away from a terror only she could see. He didn't know what to do. He could only put his arm around her and hold her.

She began screaming as more feathers were pulled from already raw and bloody areas. This was her first round of torture. Throat aching and wings throbbing she knew had to get away and this was a chance, before they strapped her down. She fought them until her strength was utterly spent. There were too many and she was already weak from hunger and exhaustion, they overpowered her and strapped her down.

Her mind was buzzing, trying to tell her something, but instinct was running her basic drives now. She couldn't get loose; the straps holding her down were suffocating her, she couldn't move. All she could do was scream in pain as they began removing feathers. She was trying to squirm out of the restraints but they were too tight and yet, the rational part of her thought, the pressure, it doesn't hurt it's almost…gentle.

Suddenly she's being shaken awake gently. "Nightwing, Nightwing, you're not there anymore. It's over. Shhh, you're okay" she jolted awake and looked around in fear heart pounding. She was drenched in sweat and shivering from both terror and cold, her heart was pounding and there was someone on the bed next to her gently holding her.

She looked up into a pair of worried magenta eyes and felt a wave of relief wash over her. She clung to Brainiac like a drowning person would cling to a life preserver and began sobbing "oh, Brainy" she shuddered "it was horrible, it was like I was there again, being tortured" she clung to him harder.

"I…I was scared," she confessed, looking down at the blankets, fiddling with them. "I didn't want to die; not there, not so completely alone." Her voice kept getting quieter; she felt like curling into herself. He simply put his arms around her and pulled her onto his lap. Gently holding her, he stroked her hair.

An hour passed and they hadn't moved. Nightwing began to grow sleepy but was scared if she slept she'd go back there in her dreams. She fought off a yawn but Brainiac noticed. "Go to sleep" he gently whispered stroking her hair. She looked at him and confessed "I'm scared. I don't want to go back there ever even in my dreams" she yawned again.

Brainiac looked at her "I'll stay with you" he said gently. "Will you?" Nightwing asked, hope in her large violet eyes "I will" he lay down pulling her with him. She snuggled into him and her eyelids began to get heavy, the rhythm of his heartbeat comforting her and lulling her to sleep.

Half asleep she whispered "I love you Brainiac Five and no matter what happens I always will" and as she drifted off to sleep a gentle breath whispered across her ear "I love you too…I always have…"