Secret Deception (Jonathan Black's Love Story)

Chapter 23: Home

Six weeks later Jonathan and I had returned to Virginia and we're laying in our bed.
"Cam's hating this long distance thing with Kay." He mentioned cuddling up to me.
"He doesn't have to stay here with us." I sighed leaning back against him.
"You know he worries about you."
"He doesn't trust you to keep me safe?" I teased.
"He just thinks it's better for us to stay together."
I sighed again.
"He's probably right. It won't be much longer until they realize that map is a fake."
"So..." Jonathan batted his eyelashes at me sitting up on his elbow.
"I know we need a few positions filled at Quantico. I have to check which units need people and I'll give Kay a call to see which, if any she's interested in." I said touching his chest.
"It'll be good for them to be able to work together again." He smiled.
"The Deception Unit is still in the trial stage. I'll have to do some work with it before I can sign off on it."
"I know but this is good for us. Cameron, Dina, Jordan, Gunther and I are excited to be able to put our skills to use to actually help people." He smiled at me wistfully.
"I know, baby. I've been working on the plans most of the day. We'll have to give each of you training that you honestly don't need and give you a physical and mental evaluation."
"That seems extensive, since it's your agency."
"Yeah but I still have the government to answer to, especially when trying to implement a new unit."
He sighed again.
"It just seems like it'll take time. What should we do in the meantime?"
"I'm back in the office in the morning. That's when I'll call Kay and set up some training courses. Jonny. You can do whatever you want. You've always been amazing at photography or you could explore the astronomy. Anything you want."
"What about getting married?"
"You wanna get married, right now?"
"Soon, yeah. I certainly didn't plan on just being your fiance for even the three years it's been."
"We'll plan it out. We have to set a date. Make the official announcement. I want a real wedding, Jonny. I don't want a courthouse wedding."
"Neither do I. I want to celebrate our relationship and our love the right way."
He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. I pulled him closer, gripping his hair in my hand.
"I don't want to hurt you." He breathed against my skin.
"You won't hurt me. Trust me baby."
His lips moved against my neck as he pressed me gently into the mattress. His fingertips traveled down my sides before gripping the hem of my deep red nightgown. I let him help me sit up so he could pull it over my head.
I was shocked awake by a low yell from the man laying next to me. Jonathan was in the throes of another nightmare. I knew this would be a regular thing; prison was not good for his mental health.
"Jonny. Jonathan." I said his name quietly but firmly.
"Jonathan. You're home. You're safe." I shook his arm gently trying to rouse him from his sleep.
His face was twisted in pain and fear. He told me a lot about what happened in prison but I knew it wasn't everything. He always did his best to protect me from his pain.
Sleeping with him last night I found scars he didn't have when he went in. It tore me apart to see his constant pain.
"Jonny. Baby. It's me. Wake up." I shook his arm a little harder.
He shot upright. I placed my hand on his back. One of his newer scars under my hand.
"What did you dream, my love?" I whispered sitting up next to him.
"Nothing good." He tried to joke burying his face in his hands.
"Figured that one out all by myself. Certified genius, remember." I quipped back pressing my forehead into his shoulder.
I managed to sit up on my knees and pulled him toward me so I could hold him.
"I'm here for you, Jonny. No matter what happened to you. No matter what you had to do. It's not your fault. Please know that. I'm always here for you. I'm not going anywhere." I reassured him as I stroked his hair.
I felt his shaky breath against my chest.
"I don't know if I'd even know how to tell you the things I've seen; the things that happened. That first year they broke me in ways I didn't know could be possible." He pressed his face against me.
"I'm so sorry, Jonny. I should have been there and I wasn't. I was so scared, Jonny. I was scared to see what they did to you knowing I couldn't help you."
I held him close.
"Jonathan. You are the strongest person I know. Prison didn't break you. You have me and Cameron and the rest of the team and we are all here, supporting you. Lean on us, my love."