Title and Author : 'I'm not sleeping' - Becky (title is from a song by the Counting Crows).
Disclaimer : Sadly, I own nothing. No-one. Nada.
Spoilers : Absolutely none, partly because there is no classified shipper in this one.
Summary : Last fanfiction from me - um, a house full of insomniacs!
Feedback : Any would be greatly appreciated - either with the review monster cleverly concealed under the 'go submit a review' button, or email me (address in profile) - with 'fanfiction' in the subject line. Any comments will always be appreciated!
In the meantime, I've been writing a fair bit of original fiction - and poetry - over at fictionpress. Take a look, if you so wish (which I do very much doubt) - My username is 'Becky27' - any reviews that appear there, will also be greatly appreciated!
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She snuggles into the sofa, wrapping a fleecy blanket around her legs, her arms, her torso. She stops to listen. Silence is all that she can hear, a silence that is overpowering, yet comforting. Silence in her house-their house.
She casts her memory back slightly, to the days when this would happen. To the days when she would be alone in the front room of her apartment, sitting on the sofa in the early hours of the morning, unable to sleep. The difference? The difference, she reminds herself, is that there's no bottle by her side. The difference is that she's not alone in her apartment. The difference is-
"Hey."
She turns her head, peering over the edge of the sofa, and looking at him standing in the doorway, barely dressed. He rubs a hand across his weary eyes, and smiles at her sheepishly. She smiles back at him as he soon joins her on the couch, folding her legs into his lap.
No words are spoken for moments before she realises his state.
"You'll freeze."
She offers him the blanket, folding it across him, and then snuggling against his bare chest. He mutters something about surviving and she smiles again.
"Why can't you sleep?"
She feels his fingers streaming through her hair, and closes her eyes sleepily, trying to remember what sleep is.
"I don't know. Just couldn't, I guess."
He nods, now running a thumb across her arm.
"Why couldn't you sleep?"
He thinks for a moment.
"I missed you."
She smiles knowingly, as he continues with his concerned questions.
"What were you thinking about when I came in?"
She sighs.
"About how I used to do this...when I was dr-"
"Mommy?"
Both heads turn to the doorway again, a small girl clad in pink pyjamma's, and rubbing her eye sleepily.
"Lorrie?"
"I can't sleep mommy."
She nods, gesturing for the child to come over as she moves over, making room for her to snuggle up against her father. She does this gratefully, as he wraps a strong arm around her and kisses her head. She watches him do this and smiles, taking the teddy from the little girl's arm, and holding onto her hand.
"You have a bad dream?"
"Uhuh."
"It's ok. Mommy's here. Daddy's here. And-"
"Daddy?"
Three heads turn back to the doorway, now to a small boy clad in blue and white pyjamma's, holding onto the doorframe with strength.
"Matt?"
"I can't sleep daddy."
"Neither can your sister. Come here."
The boy pads over to the couch, climbs under the blanket, and curls up into the embrace of his awaiting mother. She kisses his head.
"Did you have a bad dream, too?"
"Yeah."
"It's ok, too. We're all here. I think I'll have to ask Daddy to stop reading you guys bedtime stories..."
She looks pointedly at him, across the two children that are laying in between them, clinging to them.
He smiles, stating to her matter-of-factly, that the stories aren't scary, "right guys?". He receives no reply, and smiles as he hears the even breathing of their sleeping children, mouthing an ' I love you' to their mother before he settles down against them.
"We're a house full of insomniacs."
He smiles in his sleep, knowing her predictable comment. Because this isn't the first time it's happened - it's been the same for the past three weeks.
--
Author's Notes - Well, I think that's pretty much it from me on the fanfiction front. No more - and I can hear those sighs of relief and those 'oh wow, we don't have to read anymore of this rubbish!'. Umm. Yeah, so that's pretty much it. Just to say thankyou to anyone who has reviewed anything of mine - or read, for that matter - and uh, also in advance for this one! Subtle, eh? Any reviews would still be appreciated because although I've decided to no longer write fanfiction - unless I'm struck with more writer's block - I'll still be reading. Huge thankyou's to everyone! And may everyone have a fantastic new year!