Nightmares

Summary: Josslyn has nightmares about her mother's time in Ferncliff.

A/N: Based off a prompt by blueeyedmentalist... who asked if I could write a fic about Josslyn having nightmares about her mother in Ferncliff.

Josslyn bolted up right in her bed with a loud scream, hands clenched tightly into the blankets. She panted heavily with a hand over her heart and tears streamed down her cheeks as wild eyes glanced around her bedroom. She felt herself calm as she realized where she was and that it had been just a nightmare. The same nightmare she'd been having for months now, ever since her mother had been sentenced to Ferncliff. It had stopped for awhile once her mother had gotten out of that hellhole and they'd talked, but it had started up again just after Halloween, after Mary Pat's head had surfaced in the barrel of apples at The Floating Rib. Her mother had immediately been a suspect and Josslyn had immediately begun to worry about them throwing her mother back in Ferncliff.

She stood up on shaky legs to head to the bathroom and splash her face with water. She had just walked back into her room when her bedroom door swung open and her mother immediately hurried over.

"Josslyn? What's wrong? I heard you screaming." Carly said as she embraced her daughter. She ran her hands through her daughter's tangled hair and took in her tear streamed face from the light of the moon streaming through the windows.

Josslyn licked her lips and averted her eyes. As much as part of her wanted to tell her mother about her dream, the other side felt guilty. It wasn't her who had experienced the hell that was Ferncliff. It was her mother. And she'd helped put her mother in there by trusting Nelle so implicitly. "I just had a bad dream. I probably shouldn't have watched a scary movie before bed." She tried to lie casually with a shrug.

Carly sighed at her daughter's lie and hugged her closer. "Must've been some horror movie to freak you out." She uttered. She knew her daughter well and confronting her about this lie would just make her close up. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

The blonde nodded. "Of course, mom. Don't worry about it, though. It was just a dream. I'm sure I'll be fine, now." She reassured.

Carly smiled at her daughter. "Well, how about you lie back down and I'll stay with you until you fall back asleep?" She watched the girl lay back against her pillows and gently covered her up with her comforter. She stroked the girl's cheek as her eyes drifted shut and wondered how to get her daughter to talk to her.

Carly watched her daughter with a frown as the girl bound down the stairs. It was if she'd never had a nightmare, the way she was behaving. Like she just wanted to forget about it and had all but erased the night before from her mind. Looking closer though, Carly could clearly see the shadows under her daughter's eyes.

Her hands cupped her coffee cup as she stood. "Do you want to go out today?" She asked. "I figured we could do some Christmas shopping."

Josslyn jumped slightly at the sound of her mother's voice. She hadn't noticed her sitting there. She turned around after she had pasted on a smile, glass of orange juice in her hand. "Sure." She chirped. "That sounds fun." She turned on her heel to hurry upstairs and get ready.

Josslyn and Carly walked through the mall, arms already holding a few bags. They had visited the Christmas shop that had opened up in the mall and had gotten a few things there, then had went to a few other stores.

"You know, I'm getting hungry. Why don't we get out of here and go to the new sushi restaurant?" Carly asked with a smile.

Josslyn grinned and nodded at that and followed her mother out to the car.

After a short drive, they had arrived at the sushi place and had already been seated, gotten their drinks, and ordered their food when Carly decided to broach the subject about her daughter's nightmares.

"You remember what I said last night, right? That you could tell me anything?" Carly asked, she reached out a hand to squeeze her daughter's reassuringly. "Whatever it is, I won't judge you."

Josslyn stared down at their hands. "I shouldn't even be having nightmares about that place." She muttered in frustration. "I've never been there and I didn't experience it like you did."

Carly felt her heart jump to her throat in realization. "You've been dreaming about me in Ferncliff, haven't you?"

Her daughter lifted her head, tears welled in her blue eyes as she nodded. "I have for months now. They stopped for awhile, once you came back. But they started up again after Halloween."

Carly closed her eyes at that. "When they found Mary Pat's body"

Josslyn nodded in confirmation and let out a sob. "I was worried that they'd try and put you back in that hellhole. I know you didn't kill that woman, as much as you hated her. But I was afraid that the detectives wouldn't see that. Or they'd throw you in jail because they can't get to Sonny."

Her mother quickly got up to move to the other side of the table. Her arms immediately wrap comfortingly around her daughter who basically collapsed into the embrace, muffling sobs into her shoulder. "Oh honey, why didn't you tell me before?" She asked as she pulls away slightly to wipe the tears from her daughter's eyes.

"Because it's my fault you were even in there to begin with!" The girl bursts out emotionally. "I know you tell me that it wasn't, but I still hate myself for believing Nelle and for not talking to you before you were sent there. For not trying to find a way to sneak in there to see you! God mom, I let you believe I hated you and believed the worst of you when that couldn't be farther from the truth."

"Hey, look at me. I will say this as many times as I have to. That wasn't your fault." Carly began firmly, hands on her daughter's face, making her look at her. "Nelle was a manipulative bitch who played on the trust you felt for her because she was your donor. And as for not coming to see me, I get it. You were scared and angry. And it probably didn't help when people were telling you how much like me you were."

"But being like you isn't a bad thing." Josslyn answered.

Her mother laughed, tears falling from her own eyes. "It might not be. But then? In that moment? It's understandable why you'd think it was. Listen, Josslyn. I'm not a perfect person. But you and your brothers are honestly the best parts of me. I could never be mad at you for how you're feeling. And you know what? We are going to have fights through the years, but that doesn't mean we don't love each other. And that doesn't mean you should feel uncomfortable telling me about whatever you're going through. You understand me?"

The girl in question nodded her head. She cleared her throat and smiled slightly as their food was brought to them. Before their attention was turned fully on their meals, she reached out to give her mother's wrist a squeeze. "Thanks mom." She whispered gently.