A/N: Hey guys! Aren't you impressed that it's been less than a week and I've already got a new update out? No? Well, enjoy chapter 10 anyway!

Chapter 10: The Nightmares at Bay

"Sleep," Michael said, pressing a kiss to the top of Sara's head, as she lay in his arms in their bed.

"I will," Sara said. "Don't worry too much about me. You need your rest too. I'll be okay," she said, turning slightly in his arms so she could caress his cheek. "You must be exhausted."

"Yeah, well you have to be tired too. You worked two days straight, and I know you didn't get any sleep last night either."

"Don't even try to deny it," Michael said as Sara opened her mouth to object. "You may be able to hide the dark circles and puffy, red eyes with makeup and eye drops, but I know you Sara Tancredi, and I know when you haven't slept."

Sara closed her mouth. She couldn't help but smile. Sometimes she forgot how lucky she is to have found the man of her dreams; the one person who truly knows her better than anyone else on the planet.

"So sleep," Michael said, kissing the top of her head once more.

"I can't," Sara said in a small voice.

Michael turned to look her in the eyes with a furrowed brow.

"Every time I close my eyes, he's there. He's there and he's waiting for me; waiting for me to let my guard down for even just a second, so he can come in and hurt our family," Sara said with a quiver in her voice.

Michael could feel his heart split in two at his wife's heartbreaking confession. He knew this was hitting her hard, but he had no idea the depth it was going.

"I promise you," Michael started, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice, "that I will never let anything happen to your or our boys. I promise that I will protect you guys with everything that I have, and I will kill the bastard with my own bare hands before I let him get to you. Okay?"

"Okay," Sara conceded.

"Promise me you'll get some rest tonight," Michael said sternly.

"I promise that I'll try," Sara said. "Now, you, get some rest. Don't stay up all night checking to see if I'm asleep."

"I make no promises," Michael said teasingly.

"Hey," Sara said in response. "That's not fair. I made you a promise, now you have to make me one in return."

"I thought I already promised you forever. What more do you want from me?" he said with a mock hurt tone.

"Very funny," Sara said dryly. "Good night. I love you."

"I love you. And remember, if you're afraid to sleep, I'm right here," he said bringing their entwined hands to his chest. "I'm not going anywhere. And I'm here to keep the nightmares at bay."

Sara smiled at her husband once more before closing her eyes to drift off to sleep.

Well she tried. She really tried hard. But for the life of her, Sara could not shut her brain off for two minutes to fall asleep. So there she laid. Awake. Staring at the blinking red numbers as they stared back at her, mocking her yet again. She was growing to truly despise this alarm clock.

It was almost six in the morning, but since it was a Sunday, she knew that she had at least two more hours of staring blankly at the alarm clock before anyone could give her an excuse to get out of bed. She knew she could try to get up, but the chances of not waking Michael were slim to none. Her husband was nothing if not observant.

So, playing it safe, Sara decided to stay in bed until her husband or children woke up. She knew she needed sleep, but she just couldn't get her mind to shut up.

"Mama, are you okay?" Sara heard her five-year-old son ask from across the kitchen table at breakfast, breaking her from her trance.

"Yeah, baby. I'm fine," Sara said with a reassuring smile. "Do you want some more toast? Your daddy and brother should be down here soon, and then I'll be ready to take you guys to the park. So, why don't you finish up your breakfast, and then go put your shoes on."

"You got it, Mama!" Mikey said, taking one final bite of toast before heading to his room to get shoes.

"Morning, Daddy," she heard him say from down the hall.

"Mama!" Jake cried, teetering across the kitchen to where she was sitting. Sara pulled her youngest son up on to her lap and kissed the top of her head, before bringing her cheek to rest against the top of it.

Michael followed closely behind with Emily in his arms. He looked at Sara from across the kitchen and could immediately tell that something wasn't quite right. He let it go though, not wanting Jake to notice something was off, but made a mental note to bring it up when the boys weren't around.

"Hey, buddy," Michael called over, capturing the attention of his youngest son after he finished his breakfast. "Why don't you go get your shoes on and see if you can find out where your brother is?"

"K," Jake said, turning to kiss his mom's cheek before sliding off of her lap and making his way over to the stairs.

"Be extra careful on the stairs, baby," Sara called to him as he ran off.

"What's up?" Michael asked, setting Emily in her pack-and-play.

"Huh?" Sara said, snapping out of whatever trance she was in. "Oh, nothing," she replied with a smile, clearing the table from the boys' breakfast and kissing Michael's cheek on the way to the kitchen sink.

Sara busied herself with washing the dishes, refusing to meet the stone-cold stare that she knew Michael was giving her.

"How much sleep did you get last night?" Michael asked.

Sara, still looking down at the dishes and refusing to meet her husband's eyes, replied with a simple, "Hmm…I'm not quite sure."

"You don't think that I know you better than that? That I can't see right through this act that you're trying to keep up? You didn't sleep at all, did you?" he asked.

Sara continued to do the dishes.

Michael crossed the kitchen counter to reach into the sink and still her hands.

"Did you?" he asked again, forcing her to meet his gaze.

"I tried, I really did," she said guiltily.

"Babe," Michael started, "you're going to make yourself sick."

Sara looked down at the floor.

"Maybe you should go see someone," Michael said quietly.

Sara's head snapped up at the suggestion.

"You mean like a shrink?"

"I mean like someone you can talk to," Michael said, taking her place washing the dishes.

"Can I not talk to you?"

"Of course you can, Sara," he said turning to cup her face in his hands. "I'm just worried that I can't help you," he added, searching her eyes for emotion.

Sara closed her eyes and leaned into his hands.

"I know. And I'm sorry if I'm scaring you. But I'm okay. Really. I promise," Sara assured him.

As if on cue, they heard voices filling the staircase, signaling that her boys were on their way downstairs and ready for the park.

"Who's ready for the park?" Sara asked her boys once they came in the kitchen. She reached down to pick up a smiling Emily and settled her on her hip.

"Me!" said Mikey, shooting his hand in the air.

Jake mimicked his actions.

Sara laughed at her boys. Even though her world may be crumbling in every other way, she had the best kids in the world.

"Well let's get going then!" Sara exclaimed.

Once the boys and Emily were safely strapped in their car seats, Sara turned to open the driver door.

Michael stopped her.

"Be safe, okay? Call me if you need anything," Michael told her, concern etched through his features. She hated that she was the cause of her husband's angst.

"I promise," Sara said leaning in to kiss him.

"I love you," she said softly.

"You too. Tell Lila, Eduardo, and Maricruz I say hi," he replied, opening her door and closing it once she was inside.

Sara gave him one final smile before putting the car in reverse, and pulling out of the driveway.

A/N: Well there you have it! Things will be picking up soon if you just hang in there with me, I promise! Leave me a review if you're still out there reading (so far I only have one confirmed reader, but one is better than none so thank you to the guest reader who is leaving me reviews!) I will hopefully have chapter 11 out in no time! I look forward to hearing from you guys! XOXO