It is nearly 3:00 AM when Carter is awoken to the sound of frantic and terrified screaming.

It’s a horrible thing to hear, especially in a situation like this.

And because he is so sure that someone is being painfully and brutally murdered - he runs without thinking - his body moving on instinct, though he had just been deep in his own sleep mere moments ago.

The screaming is coming from Aria’s room.

It’s horrified and pained - but it hasn’t stopped.

In his sleepy state, Carter wonders just how much longer she can scream for.

He pounds on her door, but there is no answer.

She just screams endlessly, as if trapped in...some… sort of…

And then it hits him.

Aria isn’t being murdered.

...Does this happen often? He would’ve never pegged her the type. She’s always so carefree and spirited… not to mention… annoying.

But what is there for Carter to do…? There is nothing for Carter to do. He can’t get into her room, and could he even wake her from something like this?

So he slumps down in front of her door, back pressed against it, and waits it out.

He wonders if no one else can hear her screaming. Or if anyone even cares to check to what could be an inevitable death.

He supposes it’s because their rooms are on the end… almost isolated from the rest of them.

The screaming stops within ten minutes, but Carter doesn’t move. Rather, he can’t. His limbs are so heavy with the oppressing feeling left in the air, that he stays there until the sun starts to shine in through the windows - back still pressed against Aria’s door in a sleepless, paralyzed state.

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He isn’t sure what he thinks of during that time. It’s all a delirious blur.

He can hear Aria stirring in her room, hears her as she rolls over on the bed, hears her as she wakes from the spell that had ahold of her.

Without thinking, he knocks.

Aria’s voice is muffled, but she makes a noise of surprise - probably because it’s so early, and cautiously he hears her footsteps approaching the door.

“...Carter? The hell are you doing up so early?”

She seems more confused than irritated. Carter’s able to see past her into her room now, and the place is trashed. Pillows laying about, the covers in a heap… even the mattress is slightly askew.

“...You were screaming last night.”

He’s too tired to be anything but blunt. Aria’s face changes ever-so-slightly and she laughs.

“And you came to check on me. Aww, you big sap.”

“Do you get them often?”

Aria freezes slightly, eyes softening from exhaustion.

“...Wanna come in? Promise I won’t kill you.”

“Alright.” Carter’s too tired to tell her not to make those kinds of jokes.

Aria’s room is reminiscent of a hotel room. Not even a nice hotel room - a motel you might find down South. Aren’t their rooms customized to their specificities? Why isn’t Aria’s more suited to… well. Storm chasing?

Aria plops down onto the center of the bed, sitting cross-legged. She doesn’t say anything for a while. Carter stands awkwardly in the entrance of the room, unsure of what to say.

“...Mmmmmhhh, this is soooo annoying.” Aria groans, shaking her head violently. “Bwuh, I’ll just be blunt ‘cuz that’s the best way to express something, I guess.” She’s quiet for a moment, but soon speaks again. “I can’t remember ‘em in the morning, but I get night terrors a lot.”

“...Even before…. this?”

“...I watched my dad die.”

Carter supposes she’s saying things so plainly because she’s trying to be blunt, but when has Aria ever had any tact…?

“I get night terrors from that.” She pauses. “That’s really it.”

“...I’m sorry.” Carter decides, somewhat grateful she doesn’t push on.

“You don’t need to be.” She continues on. “Dunno if this is me being sentimental because of the situation we’re in, or ‘cuz of the fact you caught me just as I’m waking up, but…” Aria sighs. “Thanks for checking in on me.”

“It’s no problem.”

“I’m not used to talking about this stuff, so I’d prefer if… this was kept between us, alright?”

“Right.”

Nothing more is said, because nothing more needs to be said. The two stare at different unfocused points in the distance before people start to stir.

Carter takes his leave, with one more glance to Aria, who looks deep in thought.