I was listening to Imagine Dragons earlier and this chapter came to me while the song "Bleeding Out" was playing. So here you go, a little Annie meltdown in the night.

I hope you guys enjoy!

Disclaimer: Not my property, though I wish it were.

~~~NIGHT VISIONS~~~

The night was calm and still, yet Annie could not find sleep. No matter how hard she tried, how long she closed her eyes, there was no escaping to Morpheus' realm.

She was haunted. She was scarred. And though she felt as though she were a rag that had been wrung out one too many times, she could not sleep—her mind would not allow it.

Eyal slept next to her unaware of the turmoil inside her at that very moment, a reminder that she was not alone even if she felt as though she were drowning in the middle of a desolate ocean. Most nights his presence brought her comfort, grounded her in the here and now with the touch of his skin, the sound of his voice, the smell of his cologne.

But not tonight. No, Pandora's Box was threatening to burst open and Annie was powerless to stop it.

As silently as possible Annie made her way to the en-suite, navigating the darkness like a thief in the night. Easing the door closed, she turned toward the mirror to take a good, long, hard look at herself. Mirrors were supposed to reveal your secrets, so perhaps a midnight encounter with her demons would bring sleep.

In the dim glow of the nightlight, the first thing Annie noticed was the shadows. So many shadows. They were inescapable now—an integral part of her existence since she went dark. The shadows kept her alive, concealed her identity. They also hid her wounds, her emotions, her pain.

So much pain.

And the scars. Constant reminders of her mistakes, her failings. The simple rose night-gown did little to hide the scars that littered her body: her arms, legs, and most importantly her chest. She would carry the scars from where Lena shot her to the grave, a constant reminder of the day she made one of the most profound mistakes of her life—the mistake that cost Simon his life.

Just thinking about Simon crippled her with pain. Annie slid down the wall to the cool tile floor and just stared ahead, unseeing.

Why? Why did he have to die? Her relationship with him had been the catalyst for everything, but she could not blame him for her life going to hell; if she were to blame him she would have to blame herself for falling in love in the first place.

Annie briefly ghosted her fingers over the tattoo on her back. Her left shoulder to be exact. An exact replica of the constellation Simon had tattooed on his. She had found a place in D.C. that did amazing work and had it done as a reminder of the light he had brought to her life.

But that light was gone. Annie Walker was dead and there was no going back. She existed in the dark and that was the way it had to stay—it just had to—but then why did the very idea hurt her to her core?

"Oh, Neshama," came the voice of Eyal in the darkness, bringing her out of her reverie; concern and understanding poured from his being as he crouched down in front of her, wiping her tears from her eyes.

When had she started crying?

He lifted her off the cold floor and brought her back to bed, holding her close as if to shield her from the very demons that threatened to devour her. But the tears kept coming, silent tracks staining her cheeks and pillow.

"I've got you, Annie, I've got you."

Poor Annie looks like she needs a hug and some serious Eyal loving.

Thanks for reading, and I'd love to hear what y'all think.

-angstar54