"You sleep," he counters, using the verbal jousting skills he's honed from arguing with his eight year old niece.

He knows what Cougar is like. If he gives him any opportunity, his sneaky friend will slip out of the house and spend the night skulking around the perimeter of the town, stewing in his own guilt and self-recrimination. He's not going to let him do that.

So he launches into one of his bedtime stories for Beth, in the original German, weaving a complicated fairy tale in a low, soothing voice as he continues to sweep his thumb against the hard edge of Cougar's ribs. He's hoping the fact that Cougar doesn't speak German will make it easier for him to lull him to sleep, that he won't focus too much on the actual story but will instead let Jake's voice soothe him until he relaxes enough to sleep.