I woke with a start, the sharp breath of a panic attack gripping my chest. My heart raced, pounding in my ears as the world around me blurred into nothingness. It was like I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t escape the nightmare that still clung to me.

A voice—soft, steady—pulled me from the spiraling chaos. "Hey, hey, it’s okay."

I blinked, disoriented, and saw Benny sitting at my side. He was close, but not too close, his hand hovering just above mine. He was always like that—near enough to offer comfort, but never pushing.

"Benny," I gasped, my voice shaky as the weight of my fear began to settle in. He was calm, steady in a way I never was when everything felt like it was falling apart.

"I’ve got you," he murmured, reaching for my hand now, his grip warm and grounding. "You’re safe, okay? Just breathe with me."

I nodded, squeezing his hand as I focused on his voice—on him. Slowly, my breathing began to even out, and the haze of the nightmare started to lift. Benny didn’t rush me, didn’t try to make everything better. He just stayed, his presence enough to ground me.

"You’re okay, I promise," he said again, his voice barely above a whisper.