There was something about Julia's voice, for Donny. Something about it that could fix everything, at least for a little while. Her voice was so perfect and clear that it was able to cut through the noise in Donny's head, and make everything go away, just as long as he could listen to her voice.

He'd always known there was something special about her voice, from the moment he first heard her sing Pie Jesu in church, but he hadn't realized how special it was to him, how much he needed it, and her, in his life, for a while after that.

It was a few months after the contest in New York, and Donny and Julia had scheduled another all-night writing session in his apartment to try and write another song for a gig they had coming up. They were taking what was meant to be a ten minute break, and Julia had gone to put on a pot of coffee. Donny sat on the couch to wait for her.

He hadn't thought he was all that tired. He hadn't meant to fall asleep.

But apparently he did, because, next thing he knew, he was back there in the trench again with Michael. The rain blurring his vision. He and Michael both fishing around for the grenade. Donny's scream, "Get out!" The explosion. The smoke. Then nothing.

"Donny?"

There was her voice. His eyes snapped open, and he could feel the rawness of his throat that told him that his screams hadn't been kept in his unconsciousness. He faintly registered that fact that Julia was staring at him from the piano, looking at him in concern, but he wasn't there yet. He was still in that trench, and the only thing he could see was Michael's blood.

"Donny? Hey, look at me."

He felt her hand gently resting on top of his, and suddenly he was back, and he could see her. She was kneeling on the ground in front of him.

"Julia."

His mind was racing, but about something different now. This was the first time he'd had a nightmare in front of Julia. He'd probably been asleep for maybe five minutes, and he had a nightmare. God, he was never going to sleep again after this.

"Are you with me?"

She was still here. Right. He closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath. He didn't want to have to look at her - he tried not to let anyone know the extent of his nightmares - but he knew that he needed her. And he knew she'd understand that he doesn't want to talk, he just wants to listen. He needs to hear her voice.

He nodded and squeezed her hands tightly, sliding down off the couch to join her on the floor. He looked at her.

"Sing something for me?"

There was a pause.

"What do you...?"

"Please. I just... I need it. I need you."

Donny felt vulnerable, and to him, that was the worst feeling on the planet, but he couldn't help it. Julia nodded, and he allowed her to pull him close to her. She began to sing, a song that they both knew, that they both loved.

"Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high..."

Donny wasn't going to sleep again, not for a long time. But this was all he needed. Just sitting with Julia, letting her voice and her presence slowly help him relax. She was all he needed.