***I DON'T OWN THESE CHARACTERS****

Maria sat curled up on the couch as they watched a movie. She rested her head against the side of the couch. Sean sat beside her on the other side of the three seater. Danny sat in the recliner. Jack had retreated into his room just after supper. It was a kid's movie and they had all seen it before, but it was exactly what they need to recover from their rough weekend. Danny toyed with the beer bottle in his hand, he had finished it long ago but he hadn't gotten another one. He would be lying to himself if this wasn't what he wanted his life to become. Maria in his house, like she belonged there. In his heart he knew that is where he wanted her to be but it might not be where she wants to be. He cursed himself. What was he thinking? What did he want? He sighed and rubbed his temples.

"Dad you okay?" Sean questioned.

"Yeah" Danny answered quickly, "just a little tired."

He stayed quiet for the rest of the movie. Sean was already half-way up the stairs when Danny realized that Maria was fast asleep on the couch. Her eyes were closed peacefully and her damp hair was ruffled around her face. It would be a shame to wake her. He carefully put one arm under her neck and the other under her knees. She was light and it wasn't too hard to carry her up to her room. He set her on the bed and tucked the blanket around her. He walked to his room leaving her sleeping behind him. He turned the water on and got into the shower. He let the water drum dully on his back. Just a little while ago he never thought he could love again. Linda was his wife. She had been taken from him. How could he learn to love after that. He still loved Linda. He didn't think he could just stop but he was confused. He loved Linda, he would never deny that, but he felt like his love for her was changing. Instead of the passionate love he felt for his wife it was turning into loving her memory, as if it was a great moment you never forget and always love but the love was different. He sighed and got out of the shower. He changed into his pajamas and got into bed. His head hit the pillow heavily. He closed his eyes, she was safe, and Angelo was dead. Hopefully now he could get some much needed sleep.

He threw her up against the wall.

"Why are you such a bitch." He spat.

She couldn't fight back, she felt her muscles seize up at every attempt to defend herself.

"You aren't even worth living." He cried. She froze when she saw he lifted a gun and pointed it at her.

"No Angelo. Please." She pleaded.

"Now you say my name. Now you beg." He laughed. "It's too late."

She braced herself and said one last prayer hoping the gates of Heaven would open for her.

"Maria!" Danny said sharply shaking her awake. Maria's eyes shot open and she hit Danny hard in the chest knocking the air out of his lungs.

Maria was breathing hard and she was all sweaty.

She looked around, she was in her room at Danny's, not in the basement.

Then she saw Danny on the floor beside her bed trying to catch his breath.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." She sputtered and then she started crying. When he had first woken her up from the nightmare she had thought he was Angelo. Danny rose his feet and carefully placed one hand on her shoulder trying not to startle her.

"Nightmare?" He questioned.

She nodded vigorously unable to stop crying. She buried her face into her arms that she had rested on her legs. He couldn't stand to see her this broken, being careful not to scare her he pulled her into a tight embrace and let her cry on his shoulder. She clung to him. The dream had been so real-too real. She couldn't let go of him she was scared if she did he would leave her. Danny held her close as she cried her heart out.

Sean awoke to a scream from the room down the hall. He heard his Dad's door swing open and his feet hurrying down the hall. Sean rose to his feet and quietly opened his door. He saw Maria's door open and light streaming out into the dark hall. He heard his Dad calling Maria's name trying to wake her up from her nightmare. Sean crept to see what was going on in the room. He saw his father leaning over the bed shaking Maria slightly. He saw her stir and then sit up straight and hit his Dad hard in his chest. Sean gasped. Maria just hit his dad.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." She exclaimed, terror in her eyes. Then tears started falling from her eyes and soon she was sobbing in her bed. Sean watch his father start to comfort her. Sean felt like he was watching a private moment. He turned to go back to his room when he almost ran into Jack.

"We should go back to bed." Sean said. "They need to be alone."

"I thought you said they weren't together." Jack whispered.

"They aren't." Sean returned matching Jack's soft tone.

Jack scoffed slightly.

"There is something there." Jack stated.

Sean shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm going back to bed." he replied walking back to his room and closing the door.

Jack stayed just a little longer. He wanted made a mental note to talk to his Dad tomorrow. He didn't know exactly what they would talk about, but he knew they needed to talk about him dating again.

I hope you guys liked that chapter. I was dealing with writers block so I had trouble writing.

Love Eliza