Safe while you sleep

This is just a bit a fluff that I needed to write :) hope you like.

I don't own any characters they all belong to whoever made them blah, blah, blah... let's get on with the story already!

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It was a warm summer night and Vector the crocodile was enjoying a lovely dream about Vanilla the rabbit. He smiled as he dreamt about strolling along a moonlit beach, watching as the silver light danced across Vanillas golden fur, her warm caring smile looking at him with loving and longing.

Suddenly an ear splitting screamed erupted through the quiet house causing Vector to launch himself out of his bed on the cold hard floor.

His dreams of Vanilla forgotten he quickly grabs the nearest thing that could but used as a weapon.

Once he had torn his lamp out of the plug socket, leaving a great big hole and exposed wires, he practically ran straight through his bedroom door towards the source of the scream.

The landing was completely black and Vector, who was still recovering from the near heart attack, was tripping over his own feet as he sprinted to Charmy's room.

He stopped suddenly as he neared the door, he could just make out the outline of a shadowy figure. The unknown intruder was standing right in front of Charmy's bedroom door and to Vectors horror he was holding a knife.

Without thinking he launched himself at the intruder and clubbed him across the back of the head. The figure when crashing through Charmy's door and landed hard on the messy floor.

Vector could hear quiet sobbing coming from inside the room and carefully creped closer for a better look. Inside the bedroom a wide-eyed Charmy was crying into his bed sheet and an unconscious form lay unmoving near the door.

"It's alright Charmy, I got im. He won't dare try ta hurt ya now" Vector said in a reassuring tone but Charmy continued to cry.

"V-vector I-I-I had a really b-bad dream... and... I t-think you j-just k-k-killed Espio" Charmy cried even harder now.

"What?" quickly Vector searched for the light switch on the wall, the sudden light was blinding at first but as his eyes adjusted he found it his horror that he had indeed just clubbed Espio instead of burglar.

"Oh crap! Espio! For god sake please be alive" He knelt down beside the fallen chameleon and roughly shook his shoulder.

Espio's eyes flickered open and he groaned loudly.

"Oh thank god for that" Vector sighed and tried to help the ninja back to his feet.

"w-what... happened? What... hit... me?" Espio said weakly as he tried to find his balance.

"Sorry Espio, I thought ya were a burglar or somethin." Vector looked closely at the chameleon and noticed something smeared across his chest.

"What's that?"

Espio was still feeling very dizzy and confused but managed to wipe away some of the substance and get a better look.

"Its banana... must have... picked it up... instead of my... kunai knife."

Espio had obviously landed on the banana when he fell through the door, it would also explain why Vector thought he saw a knife plus the remains of the squashed banana were all over the floor.

Vector helped the chameleon towards Charmy's bed where he threw himself down to try and regain his senses while Vector tried to comfort the distressed Charmy.

"Are ya all right Charmy?" He asked quietly as he scooped the bee into a comforting hug.

Charmy was still crying as he spoke "I had a horrible dream... t-there was this guy and... he was t-trying to k-kill me" Charmy broke down in fresh tears and buried his head into Vectors chest.

Vector hated to see him like this and hugged the young bee tightly.

"Don't worry Charmy it was only a dream, nothin can hurt ya here"

"I-it seemed so real"

"Shush now, we're here with ya and nothing bad is gonna happen"

"Yeah charmy, no one would dare... harm you... not while we're here" Espio added from behind Vector. He was staring to get the most painful headache and was in desperate need of some aspirin.

"I think I need to lie down for a bit... are you going to... be okay Charmy?"

"I think so; will you stay with me Vector?" Charmy asked quietly.

"Course I will"

"Okay then I'll see you two in the morning" with that Espio slowly got back to his feet and stumbled across the room and through what remained of the door.

"That's two new doors and a new plug socket I need ta buy" Vector turned his gaze to the bee still cradled in his arms.

Charmy had stopped crying now and looked up at Vector with tear stained eyes.

"I'm sorry for scaring you and making you clobber Espio" he said softly

"Don't worry about it; I'm just glad ya safe and Espio should be fine. He always did have a thick skull"

Charmy laughed quietly and tried to suppress a yawn. This did not escape Vector's keen eyes.

"Ya should go back ta sleep Charmy"

Charmy's eye's widened in fear.

"Don't worry Charmy I'll stay here and keep an eye on ya"

Charmy reluctantly returned to his bed and tried to fall asleep. Vector settled himself on a chair beside the bed and started to tell Charmy a story. An hour later the young detective had drifted off to sleep again with Vector keeping a close watch. Eventually sleep claimed him and he too drifted off to sleep.

Charmy awoke to find Vector slumped in his chair fast asleep, Charmy was happy that Vector had kept his promise to watch over him.

He shuddered as he remembered the nightmare. He had been flying through a lush forest full of wild flowers and tall trees when suddenly the tree started to die and the sky turned black. A man dress in black from head to toe appeared out of the darkness holding a large sword. He had started to run towards him with the deadly weapon held high ready to strike him down. It was then that he woke up screaming.

Charmy quickly woke the sleeping crocodile and they both when downstairs for some much needed breakfast.

Espio was already awake and cooking bacon and eggs, Charmy could see a large black bruise across the back of his head.

"Are ya alright Espio?" Vector asked. He felt very guilty for attacking Espio and the large bruise he could see made him feel worse.

Espio didn't look at the duo; he needed to keep an eye on the food.

"I'm fine; I've just got a headache"

"I'm really sorry Esp, if I had known it was you I would have never ever hit ya"

"It's okay Vector, I'm fine" Espio said calmly as he began to plate up the food.

"How do you feel Charmy?" the chameleon asked as he placed the food on the small kitchen table.

"Okay I think I'm still a bit scared" Charmy replied. He was not looking forward to going to sleep tonight.

"Don't be Charmy dreams can't hurt ya" Vector said between mouthfuls.

Charmy wasn't convinced but decided to worry about it later.

After breakfast Charmy and Vector settled themselves in front of the telly to enjoy a movie. Espio had gone out and told them he'd be back later on tonight.

The day slowly passed by without much to do. Vector had spent a few hours watching TV with Charmy before going to do some work in his office. The weather was lovely but Charmy's dream kept him from going outside to play in the nearby forest. So he spent hours plating with his toys, help Vector with paperwork and generally trying to keep busy.

By the time eight o'clock came round it was time for Charmy to go to bed.

"Please Vector don't make me go" Charmy pleaded

"Charmy you'll be fine"

"No I won't!"

"Yes you will"

"Fine but before I go I need to get something" Charmy quickly ran into the kitchen and returned moments later carrying a large kitchen knife.

"CHARMY PUT THAT BACK NOW!" Vector screamed at the young bee.

"It's for protection"

Vector snatched the knife from the six year olds hand before saying "haven't I told ya never ta play with knifes?"

It was at that moment that Espio walked through the door to see a terrified Charmy standing before a very annoyed looking Vector who was holding a knife.

"Am I interrupting something?" Espio asked nervously.

"He won't go ta bed; he even tried ta take a knife for protection" Vector waved the knife as he talked and nearly sent it flying across the room.

"Vector, don't wave that knife about like that, put it away" Espio turned to look at Charmy.

"Don't worry Charmy I have something that might help you sleep"

"Really, what is it?" Charmy asked curiously.

"Come up stairs and I'll show you"

Charmy followed Espio up stairs and into his bedroom. Charmy's room was a mess but that's the way he like it. Espio took a seat on the chair Vector had slept on the previous night and started to look through a bag Charmy didn't realise he had.

Charmy sat one his bed and watch with interest as Espio removed a large circular object from the bag and handed it to him.

Charmy examined the object carefully; it was a perfect circle and had a web like pattern made of twine in the middle, soft downy feather hung from strips of yellow coloured clothe and many small black bead were spread evenly throughout the web.

"Oooooo a giant fly swatter" Charmy said in wonder.

Espio rolled his eyes and laughed "No Charmy it's a dream catcher"

"Oh a dream catcher... what's a dream catcher?"

"dream catchers are used as a charm to protect sleeping children from nightmares. Only good dreams are allowed to filter through and the Bad dreams stay in the net, where they would disappearing with the light of day the Good dreams would then pass through and slide down the feathers to the sleeper."

Charmy started back at the dream catcher in his hands.

"really, it traps bad dreams?" Charmy asked in amazment.

"yep, its like a spider web, all the bad dreams are caught in the net and all the good ones pass thought. I had one when i was your age and it worked very well."

"really? And it stopped you having nightmares?"

"yes, you hang them above your bed so they protect you while you sleep."

"cool, can you put it up for me?"

"sure just let me go and gets a hammer and some nails"

Espio left the room and returned a few mintues later with a small hammer and a long nail. Charmy watched as Espio carfully postioned the nail a few feet above charmy's pillow and began to hammer it into the dry wall.

Once Espio was satified Charmy handed him the dream catcher and watched as he hung it onto the nail.

"there, all done" Espio stepped bach to admire his handy work.

"Now you shouldn't have anymore nightmares"

Charmy gave Espio a quick hug before bouncing happily on his bed.

"thank you so much Espio, it looks great"

Espio smiled and headed towards the door.

"now go to sleep charmy and remember that you are safe while you sleep, the dream catcher will protect you."

"okay good night Espio" Charmy said while getting himself comfortable under the covers.

"good night Charmy" Espio said as he flicked the light of and closed the door.

Charmy looked up at his new dream catcher and smiled happily knowing that no bad dreams could possible get him now. With one last look at the charm he closed his eyes and slept peacefully for the rest of the night, the dream catcher protecting him while he sleeped.

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This is only a one shot so i hoped you liked it. I got the idea for this from my own dream catcher which hangs above my bed, i don't have nightmares (i'm am 20 now after all) i just really like them plus it's purple so i couldn't resist. XD

Please review if you like it. Flames stay away.