"Fucking hell get her up!" A voice hissed harshly by my head and sharp fingernails dug into my arm and hauled me upward. My eyes shot open but before I could scream an hand clamped over my mouth. I was pulled out of my bed and half fell, but the girl's grip kept me upright. It took me a second to realize that one of my roommates was the one manhandling me, a girl named Keesha. My other roommate, Mega, wrinkled her nose and said sharply, "Ugh, she pissed herself again. How the fuck are we supposed to sleep if the little bitch keeps screamin' her head off in the middle of the night like a fucking baby."

So that's what it was. I'd had another nightmare and I'd woken them up. Keesha took the hand from my mouth and gave me a shake. "Oi! Little freak, you can't stay in our room if you keep doing this!"

I looked back toward my bed and saw the leg of my Manikin peeking out from under my pillow. I reached to grab him. Keesha's grip on my arm tightened and with her other hand she wrenched my face back and upward to look at her. "Franky. You hearing me?"

Keeping my voice low I said, "I'm really sorry. But I don't think you get to decide where I sleep? I have to sleep somewhere.."

Megan punched me in the side and I flinched. "Don't mean that after lights out we can't kick you out. So fucking inconsiderate, we need sleep!"

"I-… I don't mean to wake you up. Don't you think I'd rather not?" I said, surprising even myself. Just a few weeks ago I wouldn't have said a word, but since meeting Dean I'd started to speak more. Sometimes when I shouldn't have.

Suddenly Megan strode over to my bed and picked up my Manikin. "H-hey. Please… give him here?" I said quietly, trying to seem submissive. You have the control. I can see that now. Don't hurt him.

Megan held him by his leg. "What the fuck is it with you and this creepy thing?" I didn't say a word. Giving me a disgusted look she went to the door and opened it, then threw him as hard as she could at the hallway wall. Keesha let go of me and I stumbled free desperately, running after my Manikin. I knelt and scooped him up, then turned just in time to have the door slammed in my face. The lock slid into place.

I closed my eyes and clutched my Manikin to my chest. I was standing alone in a dark hallway, the back of my nightgown damp. It was humiliating.

I stayed there for a while, trying to hope that they'd open up and let me back in. But I couldn't even pretend to think that they would.

First I went to the fosters' bedroom door. I tried the knob but it was locked. So I went to the bathroom.

Locking the door I stripped off my clothes and piled them into the sink, running water onto them and washing them with soap. I cleaned myself up and considered wrapping a towel around myself since I couldn't very well put my wet nightgown and panties on, but my eyes instead found the foster mum's soft fleece robe resting on a hook. Only hesitating for a second I put it on. It dragged on the floor. She was a good foot and a half taller than me. I liked the feel of the fleece against my bare skin. Leaving my clothes draped on the hanger I'd taken the robe from to dry, I curled up in the bathtub and cocooned myself in the robe. I left the light on, hoping that maybe this could chase any nightmares away.

I fell asleep. A few hours or a few minutes may have passed, but next thing I knew I was woken up by a loud banging and a familiar voice keening, "Who's in there? I gotta pee!"

I got out of the tub and shuffled to the door. I opened it and sleepily rubbed at my eyes. "Dean?"

Dean removed his hands from where they were baled up at his crotch and said in astonishment, "Franks..? I was standin' out here for like, ten minutes, what are you doin' in there?"

"I-uh…"

Dean frowned. "… are you sleeping in there?" He asked suddenly. His eyes were serious and focused. Dean is and has always been smarter and more perceptive than he ever lets on.

I shrugged, avoiding his gaze.

Dean tilted his head and sighed. "You don't talk about things that bug you never, do ya?"

I looked him in the eyes and said tiredly, "No, not really. It doesn't do anything. Or makes things worse. So I don't see the point in talking about stuff that I don't even want to talk about when it won't do anything good Dean."

Dean pondered this for a moment, then nodded. "I can see what you mean Franks. I'm sorry it's like that."

"Me too."

"Can I get in to pee? Will you wait out here for me?"

Not really anywhere else I can go. I gave a quick nod.

Dean moved passed me and closed the door. I curled up in the hallway, resting my hose on my knees and wrapping my arms around my legs. Quickly Dean came back out. I gave him a stern look without saying a word, and he chucked and retreated back into the washroom to wash his hands. When I was satisfied he came back out and reached down a hand to help me up. I started to head back into the bathroom.

"Whoa, whoa, no way Lion. You ain't sleepin' in there."

"I'm locked out of my room."

"Fucking bitches. Why?"

I woke them up cuz I was yelling in my sleep."

"Nightmares again?"

"Nightmares as always."

"How come you have those so much anyway?"

"… this is one of those things Dean. That I don't talk about."

"Well, OK. But you're not sleeping on the toilet-"

"In the bathtub."

"You're aren't sleeping in the bathroom."

"I'm not sleeping in my room either apparently."

"Then come have my bed."

I froze, confused. Was Dean offering me… "Dean, I'm not kicking you out of your own bed."

"Fine, then we can share."

Immediately I took a step back. "No."

"Huh?"

"No. I don't want to sleep in your bed with you in it too."

"Why? Do I smell?"

"It's not that Dean."

Dean's eyes narrowed in concern. "…oh. Is something- are you- Franky I'm eight. I still think girls as a whole are icky. My balls haven't dropped and you're a sibling, not a girl."

"OK."

"You don't trust me."

"I don't trust anyone."

"Neither do I. No one but you."

"And you want my trust in return. Like paying you back."

"I've never given you a reason not to trust me."

"And that means I should just give it? Should this apply to everyone who's never given me a reason not to trust them?"

"No… but I'm your brother."

It was the first time he'd used the word. Dean smiled at me and put a hand on my head, ruffling my hair. "You're my sister Franky, yeah?"

"We're not permanent Dean. We can't be. We don't get to chose anything. Everything can be taken from us, you know that."

"I'll make sure we are. Permanent."

"How? You can't."

"Just leave it to me."

And for some reason I believed he could do it.

My turn.

"Fine. I'll share your bed with you. If you try anything dickhead, I'll set you on fire."

"That's the strangest threat I've ever heard Franks."

"Better fucking believe it."

"I do. You're a crazy little bitch."

"Too fucking right."

Dean grinned and took my hand. "Come on little fire bug. Bedtime."

We went back to the boys' room. Dean's bed was the bottom half of a bunk bed pushed against a wall. He gestured towards it, then asked, "You in first or me?" He knew to ask, that it was actually an important question for me. In first, trapped between a wall and Dean? In second, able to get out whenever I wanted but reachable by anyone else?

So the real question was if I trusted Dean or if I trusted all the other people in the house.

I went into the bed first. Dean scooted in after. I wrapped my hands around my Manikin and kicked the fleece robe past my ankles and around my feet to make sure it didn't ride up as I squirmed in my sleep. Dean put his head on the pillow next to mine, then after a pause moved so that our foreheads were almost touching. He put a hand over mine, yawned and closed his eyes.

I watched him fall asleep almost instantly, completely content. I laughed under my breath affectionately. It took me a little longer to fall asleep but I eventually did. I was safe with Dean.