She was awake the moment he gasped, her hands holding firm to him, anchoring him to the moment.

'Shh, it's all right. I'm right here.'

She's stiff from having dozed while sitting up, but none of the complaints of her body matter compared to the sheen of sweat on his brow and the hammering of his heart under her palm. She keeps her voice pitched low, trying to calm him.

'You're having flashbacks. But it's okay, you're safe.'