A scream tore its way out of as she bolted up in bed, dark brown eyes wide and glazed over in absolute fear, hands tightly the sheets, and legs twisted around the covers.

“Damn it.”

Her body felt cold to her and she shivered but she wasn’t sure if it was because she physically felt cold or if it was because of the nightmare that she just had. Sooyoung had been trying to get the vision out of her head but it seemed like every effort was futile for there she was, desperately trying to escape the remnants of her bad dream. It’s like her mind enjoyed torturing her, replaying what she’d seen over and over again even as she tried to distract herself to push it at the recesses of her mind.

A quick glance to the clock on her bedside table. 1:15 am.

Too damn early. Too damn late.

Hurriedly, a hand shot out and flicked the lamp open, the darkness soon being somewhat replaced by light. A shaky sigh escaped her parted lips as she ran a hand through her messy dark hair before burying tear-stained her face in her hands in frustration and exhaustion. She knew she should do her best to go back to sleep and–

Doorbell.

It took a moment before it registered in her consciousness that it was her apartment’s doorbell that echoed throughout the night and she straightened up almost immediately, waiting to see if it would ring again. It did. She knew for a fact that whoever it was wasn’t Yunho or Yoona because they both had duplicates of her apartment keys. And whoever it was wanted her to know that he or she was out there because the person wouldn’t have rung the doorbell if it weren’t the case, right? But life and her instructors had taught her well and she got up from her bed, reaching a hand out yet again to grab her .45 caliber gun from the drawer of her bedside table.

Deciding that it was best that she didn’t turn on any more lights, Sooyoung padded out of her bedroom and into the main receiving area of her apartment, she kept a firm grip on her gun as she went, her footsteps making absolutely no sound. Idly, she wondered why she never bothered to get a door with a peep hole but figured it was too late to lament on that. Holding the gun steady and ready to point and shoot, she took in a deep breath, reaching out her free hand to unlock her door and grip the knob.

“1… 2…”

3

In one swift and fluid motion, she yanked the door open and raised the gun.

Changmin arched an eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded above his chest. “Is there a particular reason why you want to shoot me?”

Her expelled breath came out in a huff and she rolled her eyes. “What in the world are you doing here at one in morning, Shim Changmin?”

“Well, I suddenly had a craving for milk and cookies and I know you do really chewy chocolate chip ones and–” His attempt at lightening the mood fell short when he noticed her already bloodshot eyes and tear-stained face. “Bad dream?”

“Unfortunately.” Sooyoung sighed. “Min, why are you here?”

“I just know you well.”

He really didn’t need to say more than that to convey what he needed and wanted to say. He’d already expected that the vision would once again rear its ugly head. He’d noticed that she’d been doing all she could to handle her visions the best way she could, trying not to rely too much on the other members of the team except to catch her whenever she fell. Personally, he’d never mind helping her whenever she needed it. After all, more than the mental drain her visions caused, the emotional effects were probably more difficult to handle with. And as far as he was concerned, no one should have to handle something like that on his or her own.

“Aren’t you going to let me in?”

“Oh, right.” She stepped aside to allow him entrance, closing the door behind him once he was fully inside. “Can I get you something? Water, coffee, tea, whatever?”

“I’ll have whatever you’re having.” Changmin replied easily.

The brunette arched an eyebrow at that but said nothing, merely leading the way further into her apartment, flickering the lights on as she went. The two parted ways when she entered her kitchen and he made a beeline for the nearest sofa, his gaze soon finding two framed photographs sitting tall on her coffee table. He’d recognized the first as one from their lone overseas case in Okinawa, particularly that costume party their client had talked them into attending. A fond smile crossed his face as he regarded his teammates in their costumes, from his and his brother’s Fred and George Weasley ensemble to Jessica’s Arabian princess outfit, grimacing at Heechul’s cherry blossom-themed Lolita costume.

That was one sight he’d be happy not to see again.

Flicking his glance to the other picture, his grimace turned into an expression that was both a look of sentimentality and sadness, his dark eyes misting slightly as his gaze traced the features of the two smiling parents in the photo with their arms wrapped snuggly around their little girl.

Changmin turned his attention elsewhere when Sooyoung entered the room, an appreciative grin crossing his face when she settled two ice cold bottles of beer on the table before plopping down on the sofa next to him. “So, now what?” She asked.

“What do you mean?” Changmin asked in return.

“What are we going to do now that we’re both awake.” Her eyes rolled.

His shoulders lifted up in a shrug. “Honestly, I didn’t really have a plan when I left the house earlier so…”

“Figures.” A delicate eyebrow rose high. “Does Kyuhyun know you’re here?”

“He’ll figure it out eventually.”

Sooyoung shot him a skeptical look at that but didn’t comment, opting instead to reach out and nurse her bottle of beer. Neither of the two said much in the moments that followed, content to sip their beer and relax. True as it may that drinking beer in her living room at nearly two in the morning wasn’t quite how they expected their late night – or early morning – to be like but it was what it was.

“Do you think he’s dead?”

Changmin didn’t have to ask to know that she was referring to the she saw in her vision, a man who could possibly be already dead thanks to the s