Disclaimer: I do not own CSI: New York. If I did, Jess would still be around.
Series: 'Kindred Spirits'.
Spoilers: None – but this is set in Chapter Five of my other fic, Kindred Spirits.

Nightmares

It was dark … too dark … Desperately, she gasped for air, pounding on the wood above her, screaming for help as her air began to run out.

"Jess … Jess! Jess! You've got to wake up, sweetheart; it's just a nightmare."

Jess's eyes flew open with a gasp and she sat bolt upright, pain shooting through her stomach.

"Careful, Jess."

Arms wrapped around her and she stiffened, before her mind finally caught up with her body and she realised that she wasn't in her own grave, but in bed, safe but in pain. She returned his embrace tightly and closed her eyes as a few tears escaped them, hating feeling this vulnerable.

Don kissed her forehead softly. "You alright?"

"Yes …" Jess sucked in a breath and her hand moved to her abdomen. "Ow …"

"Lay back, babe." Don told her, loosening his hold and easing her back down. He rested a hand on her scar and massaged the area gently, working out the knots that had gathered at her sudden movement. "Better?"

Jess nodded, catching his hand as it drew back. "Thanks."

This was the third night since she'd come around and the third nightmare she'd had. But it was the first time he had woken up as well.

For reasons he had yet to explain and she didn't understand, Don had insisted on sleeping on the couch, which may have made sense if she was still just his partner, but she had been sharing his bed for the last year. She was sure his heightened sense of chivalry had something to do with not causing her any extra pain – even before they were dating and they'd crashed in the same bed, he had automatically 'snuggled' up to her, although he would strenuously deny this later – but she wanted him there with her.

"Stay." Jess whispered.

Don bent to kiss her briefly. "I don't want to hurt you." He murmured, proving her wrong.

"You won't." Jess protested weakly. "I need you to hold me, Don; I need to know I'm not dead."

Despite his best efforts to hide it, she saw the shudder that ran through him and tightened her grip on his hand.

"It's not holding you I'm worried about, Jess." Don whispered. "It's waking up."

"Waking …?" Jess suddenly caught sight of the time and realised that she had woken later than she had the previous nights and finally understood why it was only tonight that Don had come to her side. "Nightmares."

Even in the dim light, she could see the slightly embarrassed expression on his face. "It's not right, Jess. You nearly died. I should be able to help you, but I can't, because I can't close my eyes without seeing you in that diner …" His voice choked to a halt and she reached out to touch his face, starting slightly when she felt the wetness of tears on his skin.

"Then maybe you need to be here as well." Jess suggested in a low voice.

"You were the one that was shot." Don stated shakily. "You're the one that's hurt. But …"

"What?" Jess prompted when he stopped. "Don, talk to me."

"It felt like I'd died with you." Don said finally. "My life … it just wasn't worth anything anymore. The idea of living without you was …" He broke off again and pressed a kiss to her hair, one stifled sob disappearing into her skin.

Jess reached up, curling a hand round the back of his neck, stopping him from pulling away again. "I'm here, Don. And I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. Please. Just stay with me."

At first, she thought he wasn't going to. Then the mattress shifted and he slipped under the sheets to lie next to her. Carefully, she moved onto her good side, feeling him pull her closer automatically, his hand coming to rest on the scar on her stomach.

Jess knew that she had really had an easy ride through her injury; the majority of the healing had taken place while she was in the coma and the doctor who had removed her stitches had recommended that she see a physical therapist but that he thought she'd be fine in that respect.

Walking, once her legs had become accustomed to bearing her weight again, had proved easier than she'd thought, but she still got a twinge of pain every time she moved suddenly or bent down to get something, so she had made an appointment with the therapist anyway, even if just to keep Danny company.

It was the psychological fall-out that was starting to worry her; she hadn't had one yet. Aside from the nightmares and a new appreciation for the fragility of life, the incident didn't seem to have affected her.

But Jess had seen what had happened to Don after the bombing; it took him weeks, but he had finally crashed in the middle of the precinct. She still couldn't quite understand how she'd managed to get him into the locker rooms without anyone noticing.

And she had come much closer to meeting her maker than Don had – something she had previously thought impossible – so the thought of how hard she was going to fall scared her a little.

Right now, however, that possibility stayed right at the back of her mind, despite the awful nightmare she had just had. She buried her face into Don's shirt and breathed deeply, taking in the scent that was a combination of chocolate, coffee, peppermint and something else that was so uniquely Don that it seemed to envelope her like a blanket, in a silent cocoon of protection.

"Don …" Jess frowned lightly, something suddenly occurring to her. "Lindsay commented that she took your guns off you. Why?"

Don ran a hand through his hair. "It was a dark time, Jess. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, I drank myself into oblivion … I think she was worried I'd do something stupid. I was worried I'd do something stupid."

Jess fisted her hand in his shirt, causing him to tighten his hold a little. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"I'm just relieved you're okay." Don whispered. "It was like I said – I couldn't live without you."

"I love you." Jess murmured into his neck, kissing the skin there as she did.

"I love you too, Jess." Don kissed her forehead again. "So much. I'm never letting you go again."

"Fine with me." Jess smiled. "Unless you mean literally, because that could cause some practicality issues."

Don chuckled lightly, but they didn't discuss the matter any further, knowing that there would be plenty of time for that tomorrow. Now, they slipped into a peaceful sleep, knowing that no more nightmares would visit tonight, each soothed by their lover's steady breathing, reassuring them that they were alive and safe in each other's arms.

AN: I do still have a poll on my profile about what other episodes I should throw into my series, so take a look; it'll only be a few seconds. I know this is a short one, but I'm just trying to stir up my inspiration for Post-Pay Up as I believe it should have been, so please review and tell me what you think.