She woke with a start and blinked as her eyes struggled to focus in the darkness. Instinctively, she reached for him but his side of the bed was empty and cool to the touch. She turned her head and glanced towards the bathroom door but the light was off and the door open. With a sigh, she got up and crept quietly out of the room.

She stepped soundlessly into the living room. He was standing with his back towards her, staring out the window. He was clad only in his boxer briefs, leaning with one arm pressed against the window, seemingly lost in thought. She crossed the room quickly and slipped her arms around his waist.

"Hey," she said softly as she rested her cheek against his bare back.

"I'm sorry if I woke you," Ressler murmured as he covered her hands with his free one.

"You didn't," Liz replied, "but I noticed you were gone when I woke up. You ok?"

She felt him catch his breath and after a long pause, he cleared his throat. "Yeah, just a bad dream." He straightened up and turned and lightly stroked her cheek with his thumb as he gave her a faint smile. "I'm fine now."

Liz could tell from the way his smile didn't reach his eyes that he was far from fine. He looked haunted. "Come back to bed," she implored as she linked her fingers through his.

Ressler didn't protest as she led him back into their bedroom. As soon as they lay down, Liz curled against him and eased her head into the crook of his shoulder. Ressler wrapped his arm around her and began to stroke her back lightly. Liz gently fingered the scar on his chest.

Finally, Liz broke the silence. "Tell me about the nightmare."

Ressler swallowed hard. He knew by now it was just a dream but it was so damn realistic, as if he was living his life in some terrible alternative universe. He felt ridiculous that he couldn't seem to shake it. But at the same time, he felt uncomfortable discussing it.

Liz could sense his resistance and she propped herself up on one elbow and scanned his face anxiously. "Please?"

Ressler licked his lips. "It was the same one," he replied tightly. Liz caught the grimace that flashed across his face.

"But…?" Liz tightened her arm around him.

"But worse," he admitted reluctantly.

"Tell me," she whispered.

The first time he'd had the dream was after he was shot in the lung. The doctors had sedated him and put him on a ventilator after surgery. In the dream, he was unaware of all that. Instead, he was running, struggling to breathe after escaping the hospital to try to save Liz. Every step sent waves of pain through his chest and it was getting harder and harder to keep moving. As he finally approached Red's restaurant he saw her. She had a gun pointed at Reddington and they were talking. But before he could do anything, a gunshot rang out and suddenly Liz was crumpled on the ground in an ever-expanding pool of blood. By the time he reached her, she was gone and so was Reddington, rushed off by Dembe. He'd commandeered a car, gone off in pursuit of Reddington and landed himself back in the hospital with even worse injuries. From there, his subconscious had taken him on a dark journey of addiction and pain that seemed to last for years. Through it all, the soul-crushing grief of losing Liz was ever-present.

By the time they removed the ventilator and he regained consciousness, that dark world had become his reality. He'd opened his eyes and struggled to swallow as his throat burned. Through the haze, Cooper's face had appeared. But then, to his great shock, another face. Hers.He'd firmly believed in that moment that he was dead until she took his hand and squeezed it.

"Ressler, thank God. I was so worried."

"I'll give you two a minute," Cooper grinned as he stepped outside to confer with the doctor.

Ressler's eyes filled with tears as he stared in amazement at Liz.

"Hey, you're ok. You're gonna be fine," she reassured, misunderstanding the reason for his emotional response.

Still unable to speak, he'd taken her hand and pressed it against his lips.

"This time, I was at your grave," Ressler said, his voice cracking slightly. "It was so damn real. And then I woke up and I…."

Liz placed her finger lightly on his lips. "And when you woke up, I was right here beside you. You should have woken me," she chided gently.

"I know," Ressler closed his eyes.

"Promise me, next time you'll wake me. You don't need to go through this alone," Liz continued as she stroked his hair.

"I keep hoping there won't be a next time," Ressler sighed. It had been six months and yet he was still dogged by the same nightmare on a regular basis despite the fact that he and Liz had moved in together and were sharing a bed.

"I know. Me too. Come here." Liz eased onto her back and pulled him until he was laying on top of her. She linked her hands behind his head and drew him closer until his lips touched hers.

"Let me help you forget," she whispered as she kissed him deeply.