>There was a piercing scream throughout the Castle.
>Loud, merciless, echoing throughout the long hallways, reflected and amplified by the cold crystal walls.
>All Starlight could think of was that she was relieved to finally be awake again, sitting up, staring into the darkness of her room.
>The sweat began to run cold on her body, reminding her
>these nightmares had been happening more and more frequently, and with each passing week had become more and more vivid.
>There were clearly still parts of herself that couldn't reconcile her past actions, how she had been driven to cause immeasurable suffering to so many in pursuit of her own selfish gratification
>It was like the souls of all the ponies she had enslaved had reached into her dreams to taunt her, to remind her that she could never escape the darkness that blotted her past.
>"Starlight?"
>There was a tinge of both urgency and empathy in Spike's voice.
>"What's wrong?"
>Starlight had turned to face him as he stood in the doorway, a feeling of misplaced comfort washing over her.
"Nothing."
>Spike began walking, sheepishly, towards her bed.
>"It sure didn't sound like nothing."
"Well... I'm fine, really. It's just... I had a bad dream."
>"You made it sound like we were being attacked."
>Starlight looked down into her sheets shamefully, almost apologetically, having fully recovered from the rush of fear, realising that she didn't only wake up Spike but probably give him one heck of a fright too.
>"That bad, huh?"
"I'm really sorry I woke you Spike. But seriously, I'm fine now."
>The dragon stopped at the side of the bed.
>"You don't have to worry about me. You should be worried about yourself. That must have been one seriously bad dream."
"It was."
>...
>"Do you... want to talk about it?"
>...
"Maybe tomorrow, right now I think we should both get some sleep."
>Spike placed his claws on the side of the bed, pulling himself ever so slightly closer.



>He could see that Starlight was troubled, deeply troubled, and that simply didn't sit well with him.
>"waiting till tomorrow won't make the problem go away now."
"...I know."
>Spike looked at her quizzically, trying to suss out why she was closing herself off.
>"Well. I'm not going to force you into anything. But I really don't want to see you like this. If there's something that's bothering you, something on your mind, then you can talk to me about it. Friends don't let friends suffer in silence. I'm more than happy to give up my beauty sleep to help out a friend. There's always time for that later."
>Spike, helpful to a fault.
>Probably the most of all Starlight's friends.
"Thank you, Spike. I... I'll be fine. Really."
>Spike released his grip on the side of the mattress, lowering himself, looking just a little disappointed that Starlight didn't think she deserved his help.
>"Just remember, I'll be here for you, no matter what you need or when you need me."
>Spike turned to leave, trotting with a bit more vigour now that he was fully awake. In a few steps he'd be gone, disappearing into the hallway, and Starlight would be alone in the dark.
>Alone as ever.
>Alone.
...
"Spike?"
>The dragon stopped and turned around in the doorway, looking at Starlight, the same eagerness to help ever present
"Would you- Would you mind... staying... with me tonight?"