(This occurred Wednesday night mostly. With bits from last night. Was too tired/busy to get it written sooner. @ikara-esho and @jonahsage for mentions.)

It had been nearly a week since she had last gotten a full night’s sleep. Her mind was just so overburdened. Yet she kept pushing her body every night as hard as she could before exhausted sleep claimed her. Regardless of the worried looks Daisy would give her every night she entered the training room an called on her fairy companion.

Every night she fell asleep in that training room. Though only two of those nights did she wake up an find herself still asleep there. The house was safe. Or at least safer then her own home. An the training room provided an outlet for the pain and mental agony.

How she was still standing… Still functioning… It was hard to say exactly. She was only a shadow of her normal self. Yet she could still preform the duties expected of her.

Another night curled up asleep sitting against the far wall of the training room. Eyes too heavy to resist. Body too fatigued to continue practicing spells. She allowed another round of exhausted sleep claim her. Hoping for a dreamless rest.

The dreams were nightmares. However they had evolved. No longer did she see the sneering faces of Imperials moments before claiming her life. Now she saw the faces of the two from the Brume attack. The bodies of those she cared about laying unmoving on the cold hard ground as snow drifted from the sky. A bitter cold seeping into her bones as she hugged herself. Looking up she would find Nate approaching. No not Nate. It wore his face but that sneer was anything but Nate. In the distance was the cold face of an older Ishgardian man. Ordering her death. Behind her the long drop of the witchdrop. She would wake screaming and panicked after being pushed over that edge by the ghost that looked like her dear friend.

For a time she would sit there and cry. At least until she either fell back to sleep or got up an found something to keep her busy. Anything to keep her distracted from the nightmare. Yet there was something different about this night.

There was the soft sounds of another person in the room. The sounds of a man. A blade whistling through the air with speed. Destiney’s eyes drifted open half way. Her body felt heavier then normal. A blanket had been draped over her where she had fallen asleep. Weary eyes looked up through that half mask to see who was in the room with her.

She recognized him almost immediately despite his back being to her. Despite the fresh looking injuries that could only be a day or two old as he practiced shirtless. Sweat dampening his skin and hair as he moved fluidly with his sword. His movements precise and clearly practiced for years.

Her eyes widened slightly as she looked off to his left a bit. Surely she was hallucinating with as exhausted as she was. There stood another familiar form. One she had not seen for years. Not since his death. His eyes however were watching the moving form of her cousin as he practiced. Still clad in that flamboyant bard gear from the day he died. It was as if he knew eyes were upon him though. Pale green eyes found hers. A smirk tugging at the edges of his lips. Lips moving yet she couldn’t hear him. The smirk quickly changing to a frown. The vision of him slipping away from her like sand between her fingers.

Her eyes grew heavy again just as Lance stopped his motions with the sword. His face turned towards her. She could have sworn she heard him say her name as sleep claimed her again. Barely aware of her cousin coming over to pick her up off the floor, cradled in his arms like a child.

Lance’s hands reaching for her mask roused her for a few moments. She was in her bed of her room at the company house. She felt his hand brush over her head soothingly.

“Go back to sleep.” Lance spoke softly. Destiney reached up to grab his hand as she stared up at him with tired eyes.

“Stay with me? Just for a little?” Destiney pleaded softly. Her heart longed for Leon. The comfort his presence used to bring. Seeing him for just a few moments… Lance was not Leon. Yet he was still family. He had been there for her when she had needed someone to save her. Right now she needed her family. Both that of blood and those she had chosen to make her family.

“I’ll stay. Go to sleep.” Lance said as he sat down on the edge of the bed, still holding her hand. Destiney nodded an closed her eyes, knowing Lance was still there. Knowing she was safe. She allowed herself to drift off to sleep again. Thinking of Leon and his pale green eyes.

*~*

Lance had been gone when she had woken. She had gone about her day as she had been for this entire week. Keeping busy. Practicing. Eating at times. Barely stopping.

She had encountered Ikara when she had gone out of the training room to get something to eat. They had spoken for a bit and the younger mage had offered to give her a night of dreamless restful sleep. Others had come by as well. An then Nate came home… No not Nate. The monster that wore Nate like a second skin.

Destiney fled the room at a hurried walk. The mission the night before still left her hurting. Watching Nate behave the way he was. Watching him shamelessly behave like he was around Chloe. She knew Chloe was acting but it still hurt. She was jealous. Did not want to admit it though. It was hard to hold back. Hard to keep from ruining the careful planning to try an set Nate free of whatever was possessing him. She had had to leave the room.

She had never been more glad then that night for a dreamless sleep. To know Ikara said Leon was there with her. Watching over her. Her smile was tired but glad to know he was annoyed with her for the lack of sleep she had been getting. Typical Leon. He had never really coddled her. It was always gentle careful pushing.

She left that spell claim her tired mind and body easily. For the first time in nearly a week she slept peacefully. A slight smile still on her lips. The ghostly form of Leon sitting where Lance had been the night before. Watching over her like a guardian angel.