My muse has been screaming at me again, and here is one result of that. As much as I loved the angst in 4x17, I am still angry about how they handled the ending, so this is one little fix, although this is not strictly canon divergent since this isn't right after the rescue. Still, a bit of angst and TLC.

Thanks again to my beta for your corrections and suggestions.

Disclamer: Still just a fan having fun. All rights belong to MG & Co.

Boxed In

Jane could hear the boards above her creaking ominously. The board she had broken off had weakened the structure of the box, the soil above pressing down on the lid. She found it increasingly hard to breathe. She stared at the dead phone in her hand, the desperation crushing her. The triangulation had failed, she would die here, alone. Tears ran down her cheeks as she sobbed, her voice an agonized wail. "Kurt…Kurt!". The last thing she was conscious of was the crack of the wood as the cover of the box caved in under the weight of the soil.

She woke up to her own terrified shout. She sat up, her eyes darting around the room. She gasped for air, feeling like her lungs were about to burst.

A moment later, Kurt's arms snaked around her and he pulled her against him. "Jane."

She was still gasping for breath, her heart pounding against her ribcage.

"Shh…breathe," he whispered into her ear and nuzzled her neck, his stubble scratchy against it. "A nightmare?" He asked softly.

Jane could only nod, not trusting her voice.

Kurt ran his hand through her hair slowly, the gesture helping her to calm her breathing.

"Lie down," he urged, while gently guiding her back onto the pillows and lying down next to her.

It had been a little over a day since Kurt had rescued her, and the nightmares were already plaguing her. Another experience in the long list of things that would haunt her, probably forever. The weight in her mind was crushing. In addition to the things she had done as Remi, she was now haunted by the more recent events. She had barely survived one of her worst fears, being buried alive.

Kurt ran his hand up and down her arm slowly. "Try to go back to sleep."

She closed her eyes, but after a few seconds she opened them again, the oppressive sensation inside her squeezing her heart. So, she just lay there as the minutes ticked by, staring at the emptiness, occasionally shifting position. She hoped that she would find a position where the pressure didn't feel so overwhelming.

"Can't sleep?" Came Kurt's concerned voice from the darkness, as he reached for his bedside table to switch on the lamp. Its mellow light bathed the room in a soft glow.

She shook her head, curling up on herself and facing away from Kurt. She was ashamed. "I…I'm afraid to close my eyes," she admitted quietly.

"Come here," he spoke softly and gently turned her on her back again so that her head was resting on his arm. "Jane, what you went through was absolutely terrifying. No one should go through that."

She felt like she had a massive stone on her chest, making it hard to breathe. Her tone was pained and quiet, when she finally spoke. "When I close my eyes, I feel the walls of the box around me again; I smell the stale air, the odor of the ground." Her voice trembled. "I can feel the air running out, and I'm all alone. The phone is there but the battery is dead."

Kurt let out a pained sound. The sheets rustled as he turned to his side so that he could see her better.

He didn't say anything for a long while, silently brushing her cheek.

Jane drew in a shuddering breath, trying to swallow her sadness, but she felt the warm tears trickle down her cheek. Moments later, she felt his thumb, tenderly wiping them away. "It's over now. You're safe."

She closed her eyes again, but the moment she did, she felt the cold. The bone-chilling cold that had gripped her, slowly numbing her feet and her hands. She shivered.

Kurt's thumb traced patterns on her shoulder and he squeezed her closer to him. "Shh. It's okay."

"Kurt..," her voice broke. She needed him.

"I'm right here, my love." She felt his fingers caressing her forehead. His touch was light, easing the anxiety that had her in its clutches.

Jane shook her head, almost violently and opened her eyes. "I…I can't do this. It feels like I'm back in the box, the darkness closing in on me." A tear escaped, running down the side of her face before landing on Kurt's arm.

He sighed sadly. "Jane…" He pressed his face into her hair, his tone warm and loving as he murmured. "You have to try. Your body needs rest. Please."

She felt him kiss her head. "Close your eyes. Focus on my touch," he cajoled, continuing to run his fingers soothingly along her brow.

She did as he asked, trying to concentrate on his tender caresses. Still, a whimper escaped her and she turned her head towards him, but kept her eyes closed.

Kurt pulled her close so that she was now almost nestled against his chest. "Shhh. Everything's okay."

Jane buried her face into the crook of his neck, breathing in his scent. Her heart was still racing, her breathing shallow. She didn't see the box in her mind's eye, but she felt it.

When she flinched at the memory of hearing the ring of the phone in her prison, a pained sob escaped. The fear she had felt reared its ugly head, and she was almost hyperventilating before Kurt's whispered reassurances broke through, his proximity and voice anchoring her to where she was: home. Gradually, her heart rate slowed, the tiredness starting to win.

"Go to sleep," he murmured, his lips ghosting over her temple. "You're home. You're safe here in my arms, and I won't let anything happen to you." He tightened his grip around her, emphasizing his point.

"Sweet dreams, baby." Those were the last words her tired brain registered before the need for sleep and rest finally won.