Summary: Striker has recurring nightmares about overlords he dealt with in the past and Jake and Jane do their best to help him sleep.
Comforting Striker
One night, Striker tossed, turned, and wept as he was having nightmares about overlords he feared such as Bathory and Stella. He especially couldn't forget Stella yelling at him over his failure to kill her husband for his infidelity.
Suddenly, Jane woke up with concern to see her husband in such a miserable state. Unable to take it any longer, she shook him awake.
"Clayton!" she spoke gently and Striker awoke to see his worried wife.
"Jane?"
A little impling peered through the door to see his parents.
"Mom? Dad?" It was their son, Jake. Out of concern, he joined them in their bed.
"Kiddo, go back to bed, I'm fine," Striker lied.
"But you were tossing and turning and crying in your sleep," Jane corrected, "Do you want to talk about it?"
As always, her gentle voice soothed him.
Jake put his hand on his dad's shoulder. "Dad, it's okay, you can tell us. We won't judge."
Striker sighed knowing if he wanted to sleep for the rest of the night, he needed to tell them what bothered him.
"I... I remembered when Bathory... all the times that she..." Striker felt a shiver down his spine. "And Stolas' wife... she taunted me over my failure to kill him. I didn't know that Stolas had a child when I took the job, if I had..." He and Jane told Jake what Bathory had done to him and that Jane helped her husband escape.
"Dad, do you feel better?"
Striker ruffled Jake's hair, which was a stress reliever for him. "Yeah, but I'm afraid to go back to sleep because they might come back and haunt me."
This gave Jane an idea. "Oh, I know just what might help."
"And what might that be?" Striker eyed his wife curiously.
"You'll find out." Jane grinned and winked at her husband. She and Jake started to sing "Not While I'm Around" from Sweeney Todd.
Jake:
Nothing's gonna harm you,
Not while I'm around.
Nothing's gonna harm you.
No sir, not while I'm around.
Demons are prowling everywhere
Nowadays.
I'll send them howling.
I don't care,
I got ways.
"Very good, Jake," Jane praised and Striker smiled at his son, who sang, yet Jake continued singing.
No one's gonna hurt you.
No one's gonna dare.
Others can desert you.
Not to worry, whistle, I'll be there.
Demons will charm you with a smile
For a while,
But in time,
Nothing can harm you,
Not while I'm around.
In the middle of the song, Striker yawned and started to close his eyes.
"Alright, son," Jane said, "Let's skip the part where it says, Not to worry, not to worry, I may not be smart, but I ain't dumb."
"Why, Mom?" Jake asked.
"It's too peppy and we want your father to get a good night's sleep, don't we? Tell you what: Let's stick with the smooth talk in the lyrics to help him sleep." Then, she decided to sing along with Jake, as she stroked her husband's hair soothingly.
Nothing's gonna harm you,
Not while I'm around.
Nothing's gonna harm you, darlin',
Not while I'm around.
Later, seeing that Striker was asleep, Jane and Jake decided that was enough singing. They stopped to admire him snoring, smiling, and his tail shaking as it rattled in his sleep and they tucked him in. Striker sighed with content as they'd done so.
"Mom?" Jake asked, turning to his mom.
"Yes, honey?" Jane said.
"Can I sleep with you and Dad? I think he could use the extra company."
"Of course, you can."
The little impling slid himself under the covers and soon, the trio were asleep.
AN: Bathory sexually abused Striker. She belongs to LadyAnaconda. Their relationship reminded me of Angel Dust and Valentino in the "Addict" music video of Hazbin Hotel. Like Cherri Bomb, Jane helped Striker recover.
