This oneshot has been rattling around in my head for a few weeks, here it is, it's based off the song Demons by Imagine Dragons.
Anna woke with a start, the nightmare throwing her unceremoniously from sleep. Her breath came out in spurts, her heart was pounding in her ears and the desire to hide nearly overwhelming. She had to hide, but there wasn't a place to. She lay back on the bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. She could feel the cold seeping in, the blanket over her did little to keep the cold out. She shivered and tried to warm up. John lay next to her, but for all the distance he could have been back in prison. Only she was the one in prison. It had been nearly a year since the concert and she still had her bad days. "Anna?"
She should have known that John would wake, he could read her like a book, even when he was asleep. It didn't surprise her that he'd woken as well.
"I'm here." Anna whispered, comforting herself.
John rolled over to face her, "You're shivering."
"I had another nightmare." She hated speaking the words, hated that she still had them.
"Would you like me to hold you?" Anna hesitated, whenever John held her after a nightmare, she talked. She unloaded onto him, the beast inside came out. He deserved better then that, he deserved better then her demons. He had enough to deal with, with memories of the war and both prison sentences.
"I-" She felt like she let him down, being so weak. He deserved someone who was strong. "What are your dreams, John?"
In the silence she could tell that he was surprised at the change in subject. Her hand found his, she knew that when she had a nightmare he needed to feel her touch, to make sure he wasn't losing her again, like he had directly after the concert. "I dream of us in a hotel," She could feel John's thumb running across her knuckles. He had a habit of doing that, she liked it, and even after the nightmare it made her smile. "We spend our days working together, and some days we have the chance to go away for the day, because we have great workers who don't need us to breathe down their necks to get the work done around the hotel."
"Yes?"
"We have children, a boy and a girl."
Anna's giggle surprised her, "And I bet the boy looks like you," she began to get into the dream.
"And Elizabeth looks like you." John told her.
"And what's our son's name?"
"Nathan John." Even in the dark she could tell John was blushing.
The hand that wasn't hold John's connected with his chest. "What else?"
"We're happy, but busy." John spoke slowly. He moved and his lips connected with her forehead. She pulled back, her hands still connected to him but so she wasn't pressed against him. This nightmare had been bad, she would protect him from her demons. "We talk long into the night, we're tired the next day but it's worth it." John let go of Anna's hand and lightly touched her cheek. "What was your nightmare about, my darling?"
Anna shook her head. "Nothing different then usual." she said, determined that she'd only tell him that.
"Tell me."
The simple plea brought tears to her eyes, "You don't want to get to close to my nightmares John." Anna said.
"Tell me."
There it was again, the simple plea, his voice was strained, as if he was trying to keep back tears.
"It's dark there, these..." she trailed off, "these demons are dark and they make..."
John pulled her to him. "Nothing you say could ever drive me away" There was silence for a moment, "Tell me." Anna shook as she told John about her most recently nightmare. It came out slowly but when it was all out, John held her to him, one of his hands running over her back, wide and warm.
"I don't like telling you about my nightmares."
"Why?"
"You deserve better then someone who is weak."
"You are not weak."
"You look at me, with such love and happiness." Anna said quietly. "I don't want that light to leave your eyes."
"That will never change, when I look at you, I am happy. You have brought such joy and light into my life, That will never change."
"Even when I wake you up with a nightmare?"
"Even when you wake me up with a nightmare." John comforted her. "I know that if I hadn't met you I would have gone back to the drink by now."
Anna shook her head, "no you wouldn't have."
"Yes I would have." John countered, he stroked Anna's hair. "You have saved me, Anna. More then once."
"John..."
"And even if you hadn't I would wake when you had a nightmare and comfort you. I love you Anna Bates, more than anything in the world." Anna pressed herself close to her husband and a few tears leaked out. There is nothing you can do, nothing you can say, no demons you can tell me about that will drive me away." One of his hands ran up and down her back. Anna gripped him and tried to relax.
"I just want to sleep." Her voice sounded tiny and he barely heard her but he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
"Sleep, my darling, I'll keep you safe."
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