Paul Atreides

Dearly Beloved

Little Aduna yawned as she rolled over in bed, Paul's eyes watched lovingly as she snuggled down into the sheets. She had her mother's eyes, your eyes, the ones he hadn't seen in a long time.

'Daddy?' She looked innocently into Paul's eyes.

'Yes, my love?'

'What was Mommy like?' Aduna asked.

Paul smiled at the question. It had been years since he'd seen you, since he'd seen your smile, your eyes, felt your touch. 

'She was an angel.' Paul smiled sadly. 'She... she always knew how to make someone happy, even if they were having the worst day ever.'

'Did she laugh?' Aduna's eyes were slowly shutting.

'Yes, it was the most beautiful sound to be heard. Anybody who heard her laugh couldn't help but smile.' 

'Did she make you smile, Daddy?'

'She did. She could make me smile like nobody else.' Paul remembered how addicting your joy was, how it felt like warm honey inside him when you smiled at him.

'Could she make me smile?' Aduna asked.

'You would giggle for hours when your Mommy held you, everything she did, you found funny.' Paul booped her on the nose, making his daughter giggle.

'Daddy?' She looked at Paul with wide eyes.

'Yes, sweetie?' 

'Why did Mommy leave us?' She asked.

This his Paul like a train hitting a brick wall. It stung him to think about this, about why you left.

'She had to, she was doing what was right.' Paul kissed Aduna on the forehead. 'Now, get some sleep. You need it for tomorrow.'

'Goodnight, Daddy.' She sighed and snuggled deeper into her lush bed sheets.

'Goodnight, my angel.' Paul whispered. He got off her bed and closed the door behind him slowly as he left. Paul leaned his back to the wall and stared at the picture in front of him.

In it, you sat on a tree swing, your beautiful lacy ballgown wedding dress sat perfectly around you as your face lit up with laughter. It was your pre-wedding photo shoot, and Paul had accidentally walked in. He screamed and covered his eyes, pretending that it would've ruined his day. He was joking of course, he loved that dress on you.  

'You can look, Paul.' Your sugary sweet voice had said. Paul slowly opened his eyes, amazed at the sight of his one true love in the most stunning dress he'd seen. His eyes had welled up with tears at the sight.

The next photo along was you and him hugging next to the swing, his arms wrapped around you and your face in the crook of his neck. The moment was captured in the golden sun, making your crisp white dress look like it was made from pure gold. 

'I miss you.' Paul whispered to the photos. He stood up and walked to his bathroom. He changed and brushed his teeth. As he stared at himself in the mirror, toothpaste foaming on the sides of his mouth, he had a sense of Deja Vu.

Before Aduna was born, only a year into your marriage, the both of you had stood in that very bathroom, him wearing the exact same pyjamas, and you in a pair of his that you'd stolen back when you were dating. 

'Hey,' you said randomly, Paul looked at you before you kept going, 'wanna have a baby?'

'What?' He laughed.

'Do you want to have a baby?' You repeated.

'Now?' 

'I mean, yeah. Why not? We've wanted one for a while now, and we've had a lot of practice.' You had said.

Paul knew in that moment, even though you were married for a  little over a year now, that you were going to stick by him. 

As Paul got into bed, he looked over to your side, which had been empty for three years now.

'Why did you have to go?' He spoke into the darkness. 'We needed you, I needed you.'

He could almost year your voice, you would say something like, 'You know what I had to do, I know what I had to do. I did it for you, for us. For Aduna. Our sweet little Angel can lay in her bed, unafraid because of what I did. You needed me, now you don't. You're strong, Paul, you can make it through this.'

His heart listened to the words his mind had made up for you. He knew that your sacrifice was all for him and Aduna, but he wanted to believe that it could've been prevented.

'I love you, so much, my love.' Paul said to the nothing that lay before him. He closed his eyes and lay down in bed.

As a ghost, you watched your true love sleep. You lingered over him. Your pale, translucent figures brushed through his hair, making him shiver in his sleep. You withdrew your hand and clutched it close to your body.

You had died for his safety, for Aduna's safety, but it was hard to live on as a ghost, watching your husband and child live their lives. They would never know that your spirit guided them, every decision they made.

'I love you too, my darling.' You whispered to him. 'I love you too.'

~~~

I hope you guys enjoyed! Feel free to tell me what you think, suggest a one-shot idea and follow for more like this! <3