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The feeling of something tugging at Jet’s sleeve starts to pull him out of what was shaping up to be a pretty damn good sleep. Someone better be dead or throwing up or there better be fucking aliens attacking the diner if it’s important enough to wake Jet up at - he glances at the clock - three in the fucking morning. Being a heavy sleeper comes with its perks, but it also means that nobody can wake him up when they actually need him, and he’s got pretty strict rules on who can wake him up and why. The tugging doesn't stop, so Jet just groans and tries to pull his arm back underneath the covers, but the tugging gets stronger and there’s a tiny whimper and a broken voice that comes with it this time.
“Mama?” Another sniffle. “Y’gotta wake up, Mama, I need you.”
Jet forces his eyes open, blinking hard to make everything come into focus as he fumbles around for the lamp. It paints the room in a pale, yellow light, and Jet can finally see The Girl’s face, his gut clenching at the way the light reflects off her tears. He sits upright and holds his hands outstretched for her, and she immediately takes one his hands with both of hers without second thought, fiddling with his fingers. It’s all quiet for a long while aside from occasional sniffles and shuddery breaths and the sound of Kobra’s soft snores on the other side of the bed until Jet breaks the silence.
“What’s goin’ on, kiddo?” The Girl shrugs and sniffles again, and Jet’s heart just fucking shatters as he finally realises. He pulls her in close to him, one arm wrapped securely around her back and his other hand on the back of her head, holding her nice and close to his chest. She lets out this choked little sob as he murmurs, “Oh, lovebug, it’s alright. Mama’s gotcha, you’re safe here with me, m’kay?”
She nods slightly and presses her little damp cheek into his t-shirt that smells like car grease and Kobra and cigarettes - not the most comforting smell for the kid, he’ll admit. He pulls away for just a few seconds just to shift backwards on the bed, leaning up against the wall and sitting The Girl in his lap so he can rock her gently. Without making eye contact or even looking up anywhere near Jet’s face, she whispers, “Had a bad dream, Mama.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry, sweetie. It wasn’t real, though, y’know? You’re safe with Mom.”
She makes a pitiful, pained little sound, and Jet squeezes her a little tighter.
“Y’want Dad, too?” Jet asks, though he’s already nudging Kobra with his knee. The Girl makes the affirmative humming sound that Jet already knew she was going to make as Kobra begins to stir. His hair is messed up from sleeping and his shirt is all rucked up so Jet can see his scars and oh, Destroya, Jet thinks he’s just so damn beautiful. “We got a little kiddo that might need your help here, Kobes.”
The Girl gently kicks at Kobra’s shoulder as she giggles through her hiccups just the slightest bit - Jet’s heart fills with something warm and bright at the sound - while she’s still clutching Jet’s fingers in her little hands, “C’mon, Dad! S’time to wake up!”
“Hey, motorbaby,” Kobra grins at her as he sits up and runs a hand through his hair, presses a quick kiss to Jet’s cheek and then quickly turns his attention to The Girl who's sobs have finally simmered down into soft sniffles and little whimpers. She turns towards him with tears in her eyes and he frowns back at her, carefully taking her face in calloused palms and brushing away stray tears with his thumbs. “So, what’s gotcha all frazzled, huh?”
When there’s no answer, he leans forwards and wraps his arms securely around her, tracing little patterns up and down her spine as she tucks her face into his neck. Jet strokes her hair and hums a familiar tune, something they’d all heard on the radio at least a thousand times before. The Girl starts to hum along between shaky breaths and tiny hiccups. It’s her favorite Mad Gear and Missile Kid song, and it happens to be the one they’d used as the soundtrack to yesterday’s mission. She’d come on the supply run yesterday, tagging along in the centre of the backseat with her little arms stretched out across the back of the seats either side of her, her feet up on the back of Kobra’s seat. She’d sang along loudly to the song, even with all the swear words, because she’s only allowed to say them when Mom isn’t around. Ghoul had made a remark about her potty mouth, and she giggled seemingly endlessly until she ran out of breath and managed to squeak out something about Ghoul’s being worse. (“To be fair, man, she’s not wrong,” Kobra had said with a grin aimed at The Girl in the rearview mirror.)
“Bad dreams again?” Kobra whispers, and she nods very slightly, so small that he wouldn't have noticed if her face wasn’t smushed up against him. “Why don't you sleep in here with Mom and Dad tonight, hm? Me ‘nd Mama will keep you safe from the monsters.”
Both Jet and The Girl wordlessly agree, and Kobra feels a little surge of pride in his idea. Jet scoops The Girl back up into his arms as Kobra lays down, and then he sets her back down and she snuggles up against Kobra’s stomach, her breathing starting to even out to match the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. He wraps an arm around her and she reaches for Jet as he settles in, too. Jet kisses her forehead as she wraps her little hands around his arm and sighs this deep, long sigh that sounds like a giant weight has been lifted from her chest. Kobra fumbles for Jet’s hand and brings it to his lips, kissing his knuckles and the pads of his fingers, and then dropping their hands back down, fingers still intertwined. He kisses the back of The Girl’s hair, too, even though she’s already fallen asleep and won't even know he’s praying to the Phoenix Witch that the nightmares will leave her alone for just one night.
“G’night, motorbaby. Love you loads.”
Jet reaches behind him and flicks the switch on the lamp, letting the bedroom fall into darkness once more.
“Sweet dreams, kiddo.”
And so The Girl sleeps peacefully through the night and well into late hours of the morning, clinging to Jet and Kobra like her own lifeline.