And here we are again at an end...

Thanks for sticking with me so far and cheering me on with your reviews, it's so much fun to see your reactions!

Don't worry, the next stories are already in the making. But in the outside world life has caught up with me since university began again this month, so it might be some time until I can post again.

Until then, here's another little something.

Epilogue

Blood.

There was so much blood.

He was choking. Drowning.

… No...

Something was strangling him.

Someone.

The blood was just in his head.

His vision was tinted red by the lack of oxygen.

He struggled against the grip. His fingers found a hold. He slipped.

There was a loud crack.

A gunshot?

An explosion?

He was falling...

Brandt woke up with a start. Before he knew what was going on, he was sitting upright. He felt hot, yet his fingers were trembling. The next moment he was cold, but still sweating. Just a nightmare, he thought and took several deep breaths to calm down. For a moment he felt confused until he realized he was in his own bed, in his own flat.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he marveled about the fact that it had taken less than a week for him to not be freaked out anymore by not being alone here. But the fingers softly massaging his neck through short strands of sweaty wet hair felt good, relaxing. "You alright?" Elaine asked quietly.

"Yeah," Will sighed and leaned back against her hand. "Just a dream."

He pulled the blanket back up. The trembling had stopped but he still felt cold. He was about to lie down again when something made him stop in a half sitting position. He sniffed. "Is that coffee?"

"I couldn't sleep either," Elaine replied apologetically. Only now he noticed she was sitting cross-legged on the other half of the bed, a sweater pulled over the t-shirt she had slept in. "Want some?"

Will glanced at the clock on his bedside table and decided that sleep probably was wishful thinking for this night anyway. "Sure," he replied and fought his way out of the tangled sheets. While Elaine disappeared into the kitchen, he put on a sweater jacket before meeting her in the living room.

Two steaming cups were waiting on the couch table, hers clearly denoted by the splash of milk. The TV screen showed a naked Arnold Schwarzenegger, his demand for clothes, boots and a motorcycle captioned underneath. He was weirdly touched by the fact she had turned it on silent to not wake him up.

"You went on without me?" he asked with mock hurt and made himself comfortable.

Elaine shook her head. "I fell asleep last night," she admitted and snuggled up onto his shoulder as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"I did, too," Will chuckled. He reached for the remote to start the movie over and turn on the sound. Every nightmare, he thought, should end like this.