This leads directly on from my fic Never Did Run Smooth. It starts with a brief summary of the events of that story but if you haven't read it and prefer not to be spoiled, I'd recommend you go read that first~

Fandom: Bill (Gabrian)

Day 28 prompt: Nightmares

The play was closing tomorrow, and everyone was beginning to relax. Everyone apart from Ian.

The last few months had certainly been quite eventful. Bill had taken Ian in after finding him living on the streets, only for Gabriel to learn that he had impersonated an executioner and killed his former master, the Earl of Croydon. He was eventually caught and imprisoned, but was rescued by Gabriel just in the nick of time. She was injured in the process, and Bill postponed the opening of his first play to allow her to recover. And of course, in the midst of everything, Ian and Gabriel had fallen in love.

For some time now, Ian's mind had been preoccupied with taking care of Gabriel, and then with work once she was able to perform, but very soon, he would have nothing to do beyond his usual daily chores. And for some reason, that gave him a bad feeling. He ignored it at first, but when he lay his head down to sleep on that last night, the nightmares began, and they didn't seem to stop for days. Even after the play had closed.

The earl appeared to him most nights, his severed head tucked under his arm, and Ian would stumble backwards in a desperate bid to get away from him. He searched for a gap in the walls surrounding him to no avail, and the earl came closer and closer, shouting at him as he had done in life, accusing him, blaming him. Why had he done it? The earl would have died anyway, he didn't need to take it upon himself to kill him. If he hadn't been so selfish, none of this would have happened. He wouldn't have intruded on Bill and his family. He'd never have been arrested. Gabriel wouldn't be hurt. Why did he have to be so selfish?

On some nights, he found himself in the middle of the market, and everywhere he turned, the wanted posters plastered every wall. Far more than he remembered there being. Dozens. Hundreds, even. And no matter where he looked, people were whispering to one another, pointing at him, watching him with suspicious, mistrusting eyes.

But worst of all was when he dreamt of the Tower – of the prison. Of Gabriel. Of how she came to save him. Of the damage he did by daring to love her. He had forgotten his cloak after confessing his love and in doing so, was recognised and captured. He was unable to resist kissing her, and wasted time that could have been spent escaping. She told him they needed to run, and he didn't listen.

That's how she had gotten hurt. They didn't escape in time. The guard caught up to them. She fought to protect him. And in his dream, Ian lost her. He dragged her outside. He search for a pulse.

He found no heartbeat. He felt no breath. She was dead. She was dead because of him. All because of him...

– THANKTIVAL –

It wasn't long before the others started to pick up on the fact that something was wrong. Ian seemed more nervous than usual lately – more skittish and more clumsy. There were bags under his eyes and he swayed on his feet slightly.

"Ian?" Bill stopped him one day and he blinked in confusion and shook his head before actually looking at him, "Are you alright? Have you been sleeping?"

Ian awkwardly laughed him off, "It's nothing to worry about, Bill."

"Are you sure? If you need a break, or some time off, you can just let me know. We won't have much to do in the theatre for now, and I could help Anne. Or Gabriel could do it."

"No. I can work, it's fine."

"I really think you should take a day or two to rest."

"I'll sleep tonight, and I'll be right back to work in the morning," Ian insisted.

Bill wasn't surprised when he turned out to be wrong; Ian was just as exhausted the next day. He pulled Gabriel aside.

"Could you talk to him? This is getting concerning, and he's more likely to listen to you."

"Of course."

That night before bed, Gabriel knocked on Ian's door at the very end of the hallway. He let her in without a word, though she suspected that was only because he was too tired to question her.

"Ian, my darling," she said, reaching out to caress his cheek and wincing inwardly when he closed his eyes and leaned into her hand. He looked like he could fall asleep right there and then, but he wasn't going to let himself, "What is going on? Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I am sleeping. I promise."

"Not enough. Please, I only want to help."

Ian sighed and once again leaned into her hand, gently kissing her palm as he closed his eyes. After a few seconds, he opened them again but didn't look at her, "I've been having nightmares. About... being arrested and... everything else..."

Gabriel's other hand ran comfortingly through his hair, "My poor, sweet darling... Tell me what you dream about."

It took him a moment or two to work up the nerve to speak, but he eventually did, "The earl, carrying his head. And the posters in the square. But mostly, being locked in that cell. And..." he hesitated.

"Yes...?"

"... I keep dreaming about... if you had died that day..." he couldn't meet her eyes, and as he went on, his voice grew thick with tears, "If the guard had killed you. If I couldn't save you..."

"Mi amor," Gabriel muttered softly, wiping away a tear and taking his face in both hands, "I am here. I am alive and well, and I have you to thank for that."

But Ian just dropped his head to her shoulder, shaking as he began to cry, "But I'll still see you dead if I fall asleep..."

"Look at me," she said and he did, "Come share my bed tonight. Let me watch over you."

"I-I couldn't," Ian shook his head, suddenly flustered.

"I don't want you to be alone when you are suffering like this. Come with me."

She took his hand and, with minimal resistance now, led Ian back to her own bedroom. She pulled him under the covers with her and held him close, letting him get comfortable. They wrapped their arms around each other and Gabriel pressed a series of kisses to his temple, and whispered soothing words to him until he fell asleep.

It was the first peaceful night he'd had in a while. And he never slept alone again after that.