Writing Camp + Alina

Chapter IV

03:00 AM

I have been awake for about an hour or so running on four hours of sleep and caffeine but that’s just how I work. It’s unhealthy but I’m used to this routine. I work out the details of another case cross checking all details and pack them to pass it off to my partner at the New York City department. He's my best friend and the only person I trust, Andrea. He's been helping me since I started working for the ISC six years ago. He looks after the field work of many cases for me. He protected me from a stalker who I didn't know was behind me ready to kidnap me. Andrea came at the right moment and alerted me so I took my stalker down. The psycho was begging to be released by the time I was done with him. The same reason why I practice to fight while talking to myself. Since then our friendship just started and we have each other no matter what happens. While I protect Joseph Andrea is taking over for me.

I look at the time as I wrap everything up to go workout for a bit then eat breakfast by five. I hear some screaming around me. Joseph. My instinct takes over and I grab my gun rushing into his bedroom searching for the enemy only to find Joseph screaming in his sleep. I walk closer to him and start rubbing his back whispering soothing words to him. I know normal people would start hyperventilating trying to wake up the person who has a nightmare but I think helping them calm down in their sleep and then waking them up is better. As he relaxed slowly I run my fingers through his hair calling out his name.

"Joseph wake up please" I whisper as I gently shake him.

"What? Oh.... what are you doing in my room Miss. Devereaux? Is there something wrong? Tell me" he kept throwing questions at me so I hushed him.

"Sshhh I'm here for you. You were having a bad dream so I came to wake you up" I whispered as understanding filled his head.

"Thank you I.. I have been having nightmares from quite some time now" he said and I just sat there running my fingers through his hair listening to him. I shouldn't be doing this but I don't know why I am.

"My father was a bad man he tortured my mom a lot. He harmed her multiple times and let other men to harm her too in exchange of money. My mom had to look after my brother and I so she tried her hardest to run away from there but that beast found her every single time torturing her a lot more than the previous time. My brother was older than me he decided to protect me when my mother passed away from the pain and loss of blood. He took place of my mother and became my father's new toy to play with. He protected me from him and when he turned eighteen he ran away with me to New York. He worked a lot and payed for me to study and eat. He died five years ago and I'm all alone now. I keep wondering what if my father wasn't a monster what would be of my family. My mother would be alive and happy and my brother wouldn't loose his childhood looking after his baby brother"

I stayed quiet as he spoke and when he finished

"You are a strong man Joseph and your family they define the word. Family is everything and comes above everything. I'm so proud of you three as you kept sacrificing to protect each other. And I'm sure your mom and brother are proud of the empire you built. Thinking of the past will do nothing but inflict pain in your heart. Just keep going forward as our past can't be changed but our future we design it" I smiled at him and saw how a small smile lit up his face with my words like this was the first time someone has ever said this to him.

"Get some sleep now okay you have a very busy schedule from what your secretary informed me" I told him and walked out of the room to hear him whispering "thank you for being here with me Alina"

"Always Joseph, always"