ix, and shall we rest.

     It had been three months when the three; Nicolò, Yusuf, and Lina decided to finally take a breather from fighting. Don't get them wrong they love what they're doing but they're not indestructible. And, quite frankly Lina was sick of getting shot.

They had visited Malta, and well, let's just say they had some fun. After Malta they went to Germany because they had a safe house that was more updated there leading to now.

Yusuf's chest was rising slowly as he sleep soundly. Lina's head rested on his chest as she stirred in her sleep. Nicolò, who had waken up minutes before was sat up against the wall on the left side of the bed admiring the two.

A cat laid behind Lina peacefully sleeping. Lina had insisted they get a cat, and proceeded to name it Dog.

     Lina let a grunt as she flinched. Nicolò's eyebrows furrowed, alarmed. She breathed in sharply she tightened her grip on Yusuf's side. Yusuf stirred but didn't wake, still knocked out from their strenuous activities from the night before.

The cat meowed awake and jumped off the bed annoyed at being awoke.

     She flinched heavily, a loud intake of breath as she squeezed her eyes closed. Nicolò didn't want to touch her, he knew she knew he was watching as she tried to even out her breathing.

     She buried her head into Yusuf's chest trying to familiarize herself and where she was. She calmed down as Nicolò tucked a hair behind her ear staring into her eyes.

     She let out a tired sigh, closing her eyes and leaning into his hand. The nightmares are back, she thought. "Would you like some tea?" Nicolò questioned. He knew her routine.

     Get her some tea, reassure her, and try to get her to go back to sleep. She nodded, her body feeling drained as she rested her forehead on Yusuf's chest. She though the nightmare had gone away, but the man in her deadly dreams has come back.

     Minutes later she sat up throwing on a shirt and pressed a kiss to Yusuf's forehead. She walked into the kitchen to find Nicolò stirring the tea. She walked behind him wrapping her arms around around his body.

     "Come stai angelo mio," Nicolò asked, rubbing her hand. She snuggled her head into his back the soft shirt making it even better.

     "Sto bene non ti preoccupare," she tried to reassure, but Nicolò knew she wasn't fine.

     The man, Eroso, the one in her dreams was another tormented soul in Lina's book. The man had kidnapped her for a whole 40 years attacking her physically and mentally. Lina would jump at every loud slam for a while after that.

     She couldn't blame the man seeing as he was very mentally ill, he couldn't even tell his right from his left. How she even got caught was very stupid, but on the man's part, very smart.

     She could remember Yusuf finding her. He took her into this great big hug, almost trying to shield her away from all the bad that had just happened.

     40 years plus of trauma was bound to do something to someone with an already pile of trauma, it's a disaster in short.

     Nicolò turned around in her arms gently rubbing her neck and head as they stared at each others eyes.

He let out a quiet sigh before he spoke, "I can't say I understand how you feel, but you know I'm always here for you, ok?"

She nodded burying her face into his chest, he held her tight as he rubbed her back.

He gently swiped the hair out of her face as he whispered, "Why don't you drink some tea and go back to bed, Yusuf and I will be right there."

She nodded picking up the tea and taking a sip. Only Nicolò could make the best tea. She made her way into the 'bedroom' Nicolò trailing after her.

     Walking in she saw Yusuf sitting up, his eyes trailing to the tea in her hand. He originally looked confused that they were gone. He looked concerned as he spoke, "Was it the same one?"

     Lina nodded wiping at her eyes before climbing into the bed. Yusuf brought her into his arms hugging her tightly as Nicolò climbed behind her.

     "He was there, the same scene. He had the knife and kept carving his name into me. And when it kept healing he got even more mad. He started stabbing me repeatedly, until I died."

     Nicolò looked down. He felt responsible for her dying, he felt horrible that she had to go through what she did. But of course there was no way to undo that.

     Lina finished the tea before placing it on the stand next to Nicolò. "Why don't we go back to bed?" It was about 3 in the morning and they were still tired from the night before. Yusuf laid down as he took Lina and Nicolò into his arms.

     She closed her eyes praying to whatever god that existed for no more nightmares. And, thankfully she didn't get any more.

     It was about 12 a.m. when they woke up to a bang. They all jumped up the two men whipping out guns and Lina whipping out her throwing knife.

Looking out she saw Nile eating a Twinkie sitting on a counter and Andy treating herself to leftover Chili. Lina rolled her eyes putting the knife down.

"Finally your all awake. We've been waiting for like an hour," Nile groaned finishing her Twinkie.

The three shared a look before going back towards the side tables and putting the gun away.

They entered the small kitchenette the 'house' had before sitting on one of the chairs around the table.

"What are you two here, I mean of course your welcome but we weren't expecting you for another month," Nicolò asked as Andy ate spoonfuls of the Chili.

"Yeah, about that break," she began, "Copley's found a new mission for us, we need your help."

Yusuf let out a scoff, "I can't believe we're actually letting him help us," and out of everyone, especially Lina, Yusuf was the worst with excepting Copley's help.

Andy sucked in a sharp breath before responding, "Well you better get used to it, I don't like it as much as you do."

Lina put her head in her hand dreading what they would have to do.

"A man, around 40, killed 27 people in a shoot out. Police can't find him so we're going under cover."

Lina groaned, there goes their vacation. "So are you with me?" Lina looked up and nodded. Looking at the people in front of her she smiled. This, this is family. And she'd do anything to protect it.

IX, AND SHALL WE REST.
unedited.
words: 1160

AN | and it's finished! I hope y'all enjoyed this!!
should I make a part two when the sequel comes out?

next is the character profile and then it's officially done!