I looked down at my wrists and took a deep breath. I felt Jake gently squeeze my shoulder. When I looked up, he gave me a reassuring smile. I smiled weakly in return and looked back at the guys. They all had suspicious looks on their faces. I took another deep breath and began.

"My entire life I've had really bad nightmares. But something happened and they've gotten worse. To the point where I've been waking up screaming and crying. Some have been so bad that I've......" I paused, looking down again. "I almost cut myself again." I heard Jake gasp, as well as who I believe were Jinxx and CC. I looked up and smiled slightly. "Don't worry, I stopped myself." Jake squeezed my shoulder and told me he'd continue from there.

"Last night, Naomi told me about her nightmares and I offered to stay with her, just in case." He said, slowly pulling me closer. "She fell asleep in my arms, then woke up screaming and crying like she said. I calmed her down and we listened to music until she fell back asleep." Ashley started to smirk, but Jake shot him a death glare.

"So is that what you were smiling at this morning?" CC asked Jake. I looked up at him with a questioning look, but a slight smile. He started blushing and gave a slight nod. "I knew something happened between you two! I could see it on your faces!" Ashley said, jumping up and pointing at us. I started blushing, and I think Jake did too judging by their smirks. Finally, Andy asked the question I've been dreading.

"Naomi, if it's ok, could you tell us what exactly happened that made your nightmares worse?" Jake lifted my chin so I was looking up at him. "You don't have to tell us if you're not ready." He whispered. I saw the guys smirk out of the corner of my eye. I shook my head and replied with "No I think it's time I let it out." God, how do I even begin to explain this? I just took yet another deep breath and began.

"When I was little, I had a brother. He practically raised me since my parents were always working or drinking. But he had major anger issues that got worse as I got older. He would scream and throw things and sometimes even hit me." I felt Jake tense up when I said this. "Finally, when I was 17, me and my parents got into a major arquement over him. They wanted to send him away to a mental instituition. No matter what he did to me, I still loved him and didn't want to send him away. He walked in right in the middle and got angry. Our parents tried to explain they were trying to do what was best for him, but he completely flipped out." At this point I felt tears rolling down my cheeks as I remember what happened next. "He.....he ran to the kitchen and got a knife and........" I felt Jake wipe the tears off my face, but they kept coming. "He stabbed both my parents, right in front of me. I tried to stop him, I was screaming and crying. Then he turned on me." I felt Jake tense up again, and could tell the others did too. "I ran out. I ran faster than I've ever run before. He was chasing after me with the knife, screaming at me. I tripped on a rock and he caught up to me. He held me down and told me it was all my fault. But he wanted me to go as painlessly possible. To this day I still don't understand why. So he just slit both my wrists. By this time, our neighbors had called the cops and before I blacked out I felt myself being lifted onto an ambulance. I woke up a month later. My brother went to a mental institution, but he kept sending me letters, saying it was all my fault. Finally, I earned enough money to move to San Diego. I changed everything, including my name. But I grew depressed. The scars were a permanent reminder of what he did to me and my parents. I wanted to cover them up. I wanted to drown them and get rid of the emptiness I felt. So one day, I did it. I took a blade to my wrist. And for once since that day, I felt free of the pain I felt inside. For years, I cut. Every couple of months I would try to stop, but I would relapse after only 2 months. Trying to get rid of the scars he left me. Then I woke up and actually looked at my arms. I was disgusted by what I saw. I decided then and there I was going to stop. Do whatever I had to, but I would stop. That was two years ago. But a couple days ago I was watching the news when I saw he had escaped."

At this, everyone ran to me and hugged me. I felt tears roll onto my shoulders and arms, and soon I was crying too. After a while, they got off me and tried comforting me. "If he even tries to come near you I'm beating his face in." Andy said, Ashley and CC nodding in agreement. "If you ever need someone to talk to, we're here. We'll protect you from that monster of a brother." Jinxx said smiling and patting my shoulder. "Thanks you guys so much, it means a lot." I said smiling. Then I realized Jake's arms were still wrapped around me and he hadn't spoken.

I looked up at him. He still had tears rolling down his cheeks, and he was looking down at my wrists. I reached up and wiped away his tears. He looked at me. Then he whispered "You're safe now. I'll protect you. He wont get to you, I promise." I smiled and thanked him. Then the others said goodnight and left us. Jake gave me an oversized t-shirt and some shorts to sleep in, and when I was done changing I crawled into bed next to him. He wrapped his arms around me and whispered three words into my ear.

"You're safe now."

Notes

Sorry I didn't update yesterday, I felt like crap :(
But anyways, hoped you liked the chapter! It took a while to write, but I hope you liked it :)
Remember to leave comments telling me what you thought :)
Thanks for reading <3