Welcome to my one-shot book! I've decided to put all of my whump and hurt/comfort fics into one place. Requests are more than welcome. Thank you.

Chapter 1: insomnia

summary: Jacob's nightmares keep getting worse and worse to the point where he's too scared to fall asleep. The others start to catch on when Jacob begins to get dark circles and fatigued.


It's dark. Darker than any cave or any windowless room that Jacob has ever ventured. The only thing that he can see is his arms, legs, and the wooden chair beneath him. It's very echoey there. Suddenly, footsteps are heard and they're getting closer and closer. He feels rope but cannot see it. He moves, it gets tighter. Every squirm takes away a breath and then it's impossible to move an inch. He screams but no one comes. Maybe they don't want to? Maybe they left him? Maybe they just can't hear- yeah, that's it...they just can't hear him...

That was his first dream that set off the chain of awful nightmares yet to come. He wakes up alone. It's 4 am and he's cold and dehydrated. Jacob removed the blankets and tiptoes out, trying not to wake Hugh (who he shares a room with). Once in the kitchen he finally releases a sigh of relief as he pours himself a cool glass of water. Jacob usually has worse nightmares that make him react less than this. So why is he so worked up about this dream?

Jacob fell asleep around 5, waking up at 7:30 along with everyone else in the house. He went the whole day without a single yawn. It was an almost perfect day: Jake took the others for a walk on the beach, brought everyone McDonald's to try for the very first time, had a movie night, and Emma cuddled with him on the couch. It was an average day but it was still perfect. Any day with no hollows or wights was perfect in his book. It was perfect until the night time where nightmares were a perfect brewing time for Jacob.

He was alone in a forest. He spun his head around for any sign of his friends. "Emma?" he called. "Anybody?" But it was nothing but silence and the wind. His chest tightened, too afraid to move. It was almost like his feet were glued to the dirt. He winced, feeling that all too familiar sickly feeling in his gut. A hollow was nearby. Jacob frantically looked around in search of it but it was out of sight. Hopefully, it was far away and more tameable, but Jacob could feel it's closeness and it's savage mind like it was only an inch away. "okay, where are you." Jacob whispered underneath his breath. All it took was one look to his right and not a moment later Jacob was flattened to the ground. The hollow crushed Jacob's chest as he tried to control the deadly creature. He tried and tried but nothing happened. Not a word of Hollow came out. Jacob lifted his arms up but the hollow was much bigger and stronger. It was no use. Jacob laid there defenseless and unmatched. He knew he was gonna die so he simply just gave up. He let go and let the Hollow do its thing. Jacob closed his eyes as he let his body fade away into eternal darkness...

It was 2 am when Jacob woke up. This time he was burning hot with a fever from the nightmare. The boy wasn't scared but he was just mad at himself for giving up that easily. Because come one, Jacob Portman does not give up that easily. He didn't bother leaving his bed so he closed his eyes once more and fell into a deep sleep of a whole two hours of sleep!

We woke up a little after 4 and couldn't fall back asleep so he decided to go for a walk. He did this every day for a week. A week filled with utterly petrifying nightmares. Each one was worse than the last. Countless dreams of him being alone and dying or having to watch his friends dying alone without him. He felt like he was in a glass box with one hole just to barely keep him alive just to suffer. Suffering wasn't even close to describing how he felt. There were nights that he just wanted to die because the horrors that he faced were way too much. Most nights he laid in bed silently crying because he lived in a house with ten others (not counting his parents because they're on vacation) and he did not want to be a burden to them. The nightmares were becoming too much to the point where Jacob would force himself awake until his tiredness would surpass and the nightmares would soon emerge. Maybe he could see Emma but he didn't. What if she didn't understand? What if she didn't want to help? What if- Jacob was frustrated about how he let himself feel this way. He just wanted to breathe, to be okay, to sleep, to be saved...

Jacob's face was pale and his eyes were puffy with dark circles forming under them. His torso started to look skinnier- well, skinnier than normal. He appeared almost dead or at least whatever stage Enoch was at. It took almost two weeks for anyone to notice. First, it was Claire which would seem like a surprise but then again she is super observant.

"Jacob, why do you look so awfully frail?" Claire asked one morning right after breakfast.

"Claire Densmore!" Miss Peregrine gasped. "we do not make such comments."

"But Miss P-"

"No buts, Claire." Miss Peregrine said, cutting off the girl.

All eyes were now on Jacob. Everyone observed the boy, making him uncomfortable.

"Jacob, you do look a little ill, " Horace said, "are you okay?"

"Guys don't worry about me, " Jacob huffed, "really I'm fine."

"You know, " Millard said, " I've noticed something off about you for a few days now. You're looking paler, thinner, more tired... Jacob, you are obviously not fine."

Miss Peregrine watched, not even budding a word. Jacob glanced at her a few times in hope that she would stop this unwanted conversation. Emma then walked over to Jacob and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Jacob, please tell us what's wrong." She whispered, "or at least tell me."

Jacob knew he couldn't do this to Emma so he finally gave in.

"I just haven't been sleeping these past few weeks." He muttered.

"Because of nightmares?" She asked.

She soon knew the answer by Jacob's now watering eyes. He couldn't speak, too afraid that if he did he'd break down in front of everyone but it was too late. Tears streamed down his cheeks and he soon found himself in Emma's embrace choking on sobs. Everyone in the room went silent. They never have seen Jacob so broken and vulnerable. They all viewed him as a brave and strong leader just like Abe was. It was heartbreaking to see him like this. Why did it take this long for someone to bring it up?

"Jacob, if you ever encounter another nightmare don't be afraid to knock on my door." Brownyn pipped in after Jacob's sobs calmed down.

"Yeah, it's okay Jacob. You're our family now and that means we take care of each other." Millard said.

Jacob looked up with watery eyes and gave a small smile. Jacob didn't know what all of those dreams meant and now he knew. He never really felt apart of this family because he never really felt like he belonged anywhere until now and it didn't feel real. He couldn't believe that someone actually genuinely cared for him. That's why the endless feeling of loneliness was there. He finally found a home where he was loved.

"Thank you." He croaked out as more tears filled his eyes but they weren't tears of sadness but of happiness. He now had a big smile on his face.

"Ugh, can all of this sappiness just stop already? I think I might actually barf." Enoch scoffed.

Enoch let out a high pitch squeal as he received a pinch from Olive.

"How about you go to bed and we'll talk once you wake up, okay?" Emma said while taking Jacob to his bed. He felt his heart sink from the small but lingering feeling of the anxiety of falling asleep. He got under the covers while Emma tucked him in. She kissed his forehead right before turning off the lights.

"Emma, wait, " Jacob said right before Emma turned the knob. "I- I'm scared..."

She turned around and sat at the edge of the boy's bed.

"Jacob, I'll be here when you wake up and so will everyone else in the house. We all care and love you, Jacob. We will always be there for you."

Jacob could think of a million arguments to keep himself from sleeping but his mind was way too tired from not sleeping in three days to even speak a word. His eyes fluttered shut and for the first time in weeks, it was peaceful. He dreamed about all the good times back in Wales in the loop. The walks on the coast and the small peaceful moments he spent with the gang leading up till this moment. He finally felt a sense of relief and it felt nice when he woke up to no pounding heart or sweat dripping off of his forehead. Finally, he could be live again. Finally, he could feel again and it was all love.

Thank you for reading! Please request. Love you!