The one thing I love about Ana, is how still she is when she sleeps. She picks one position and stays in it for the majority of the night before turning to get comfy again after being in one position. I watch my girl sleep on my shoulder, her hands gripping fistfuls of my shirt while her face wears a contented smile.
I stroke her hair, humming a piano tune to soothe her. I could watch her sleep all day and night but unfortunately I also need sleep and I haven't slept properly in two days. I feel my eyes drooping and I begrudgingly fall asleep.
I don't know how long I've been asleep when I'm jolted awake by quiet whimpers coming from Ana. I look at her face that was morphed into a smile but now it's morphed into a mask of pain. Oh no, nightmares. Dr. Bailey warned us that Ana would have nightmares. "Ana, wake up, baby." I gently shake her to wake her up but her eyes remain scrunched up in pain. I groan before kissing her lips hoping that will wake her up, the way she wakes me up in the morning. After several minutes of kissing her sweet lips, Ana finally stirs awake. Her ocean blue eyes flutter open and zero on my gray ones. She sits up and wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me as close to her as she can. I don't like to think about what this particular nightmare was about but the entire family has an idea of what they'll be from now on. I run her back to calm her down and to let her know that I'm here. I hate that she can't reply to me with that collar around her throat.
Ana yawns like a cat causing me to chuckle. "Back to sleep for you, Miss Steele." I say, tucking her into my side protectively.
"Sleep, baby, no one can hurt you now." I whisper, kissing her hair that smells of vanilla, thanks to Mia.
I hear Ana's whimpers echo through my brain.
"The nightmares begin." I whisper to myself, dreading more nightmares on Ana's behalf. I'm almost certain that she'll loose a lot of sleep over these, but I'll be there to help her sleep after every one of them for as long as they take.
"I love you, Ana."