Zev braces his injuried hand on the wall, forcing himself up. It hurts, but he doesn't notice until after he's standing.

He thinks 'Chelle may have a point.

From the raised eyebrow, she noticed that, but she doesn't comment.

Nova stays close, not willing to let go of Zev's hand as they shuffle back to the bed.

'Chelle pulls the covers back, and gestures for them both to get in. "Want me to stay?" she asks them.

Zev tries a smile. "Lan won't miss you?"

"Lan sleeps like the dead and I gave him a pillow to hug instead. He'd understand anyway."

"I don't want to-" Disturb you more than I have. Take you from what you would usually be doing. Force you to care about me.

"I don't want to keep you here when Lan so clearly needs something to cuddle."

"-Lan has something to cuddle, and I want to be here if you want me to be." Stops. "I shouldn't be pushing, if you're trying to save my feelings because you don't want me here, don't worry, I can go?"

"Zev-" Nova isn't sure what he's trying to get across - trying to get Zev to let himself have something he so clearly wants? Maybe that.

He wants someone here in case his dreams become reality. In case someone needs to sink the knife in his pocket into his neck.

He doesn't know how to communicate this without upsetting Nova. He doesn't want anything to make Nova sad. He hates himself that he wasn't quiet enough.

(He is enough, Zev is enough, Zev's everything, everything, everything, if Nova could only show him that...)

"I'm staying," 'Chelle decides. "I'd just disturb Lan now."

She slides into the bed, and opens her arms to Zev and Nova. "I'm also a really good snuggler."

Zev turns to face Nova, cradling his face with his broken hand, even though it feels like a betrayal.

"You're enough. You're more than enough. You are everything," he says quietly.

He leans into the touch. "You- so're- you are." He knows it's not very clear, but it's the clearest he can manage.

"You are too."

He gets into the bed between Nova and 'Chelle. 

Nova curls against Zev immediately.

'Chelle tucks the blankets around them, and snuggles up to Zev's other side, starts humming lullabies again.

Zev curls up between them both, trying to be comforted as much as possible. He slows down his breathing, trying to trick himself into sleeping. 

It doesn't come, but at least he seems at rest.

'Chelle doesn't seem to sleep either, humming softly for the next few hours.

The doorbell going has Nova startling to full consciousness.

Zev had managed to get into an almost meditative state (though he did have one hand on his knife the whole time), but startles with Nova.

"It's okay, it's probably Steve. The man Aaren wants us to talk to," he tries to reassure Nova.

He leans into Zev, nodding tiredly.

"Yeah, I'm gonna go say hi, you guys can take your time if you want."

"You can go back to sleep. I'm here (whatever that means), I'm not going anywhere (is that actually a good thing?)."

To 'Chelle: "I'll...uh. I'll see how we go." He gives her arm a grateful squeeze.

She presses a kiss to his cheek, slides off the bed, and pads downstairs, they can hear excited voices, and her greeting people.