Jane couldn't sleep. She was tired but couldn't seem to sleep. Nightmares of life with Henry plagued her constantly and she felt like she had to maintain a strong carefree attitude. She was the mom friend. Which was why she was up at 2 am making brownies. She puts the tin in the oven and yawns, turning around and getting a shock when she sees Elizabeth standing in the doorway.
"Jane? Why are you making brownies at two in the morning?"
"Can't sleep. What are you doing up?" She asks and Elizabeth shrugs.
"Same as you. Also I usually come down at this time for a glass of water" she says, getting the water and leaning against the kitchen counter.
"So you said you can't sleep. Are you okay? I've noticed you've been pretty tired these past few days" Elizabeth continues, sipping the water and tilting her head. Jane knew that look. It was the look Elizabeth got when she was doing anything to do with analysis.
"I'm alright. Just having a lil trouble is all. Don't worry" Jane says and Elizabeth takes another sip of water.
"Are you sure? You can talk to me y'know. You've been there for everyone and I know I speak for everyone when I say we are all here for you just as much as you are for us" she says and Jane smiles a little.
"It's just nightmares I guess. About your father" she says and Elizabeth nods.
"Have you told anyone else?"
"Nope. This is the first time I've talked about it really" Jane says and Elizabeth smiles a little, walking to her side and hugging her.
"Let it all out Jane" and so they spend the next 20 minutes sitting at the kitchen table with Elizabeth helping Jane through talking about her nightmares and her worries. That kid was definitely 100% Anne. The timer dings for the brownies and Jane gets them out while Elizabeth gets more water.
"Jane? Lizzie? What are you two doing up?" Kitty asks from the doorway. Her voice was thick with tears.
"Can't sleep. Wanna join us? The floor is surprisingly comfortable" Elizabeth says, patting the spot beside her and smiling.
"Another nightmare huh?" She asks and Kitty nods, letting her head fall onto Elizabeth's shoulder.
An hour earlier- this gets kinda dark just so y'all know. I'll say when it's over
"Such skilled hands you have dear" Katherine was 13. She was minding her own business, practicing the lute in her bedroom when Manox came up behind her and clasped her shoulders.
"T..thank you?" It came out as more of a question than a response. But when the man who had been acting so inappropriately towards her was just mere inches from her, clasping her with a vice like grip, how could she not be scared? She didn't even understand what this was. She was a child! She wanted to scream for someone to remove Manox from her room. But almost as if reading her mind, one hand clasps her face, covering her mouth so she couldn't speak. All that comes out is a muffled cry of fear as he drags her across the room, closing the door.
"Let's put those hands to some good use shall we?" As she's tossed onto the bed, she feels it open up and swallow her whole, dropping her into an abyss. She falls to the ground, this time in her step grandmas home. She was 16 now.
"Come on. Let's get you up" a mans voice says. Cold, rough hands clutch her elbows as she's lifted to her feet and she comes face to face with Francis. The second antagonist in her life story. She tries to wriggle free, to move on and continue with the work set out for her as his assistant but his grip tightens.
"No. Let us leave that for tomorrow. Come along child. Let us wind down for the day" he growls, pulling her upstairs to her room. Once again, like clockwork, she's thrown onto her bed and falls through to the next setting. Henry. She was still just a child herself. Younger than Mary, not much older than Elizabeth. She was 17. Memories fly by like scenery out a train window. Meeting Edward and Elizabeth. Her and Elizabeth seeing each other more as friends than as step parent and child. The scenery finally stops on Culpeper. His actions. The wrongdoings. The rumours spreading. Her pleading for Henry to spare her. And then...death. The ghosts of the four men swirl around her as she's brought back, jeering at her, tugging at her.
Okay that's the end of it.
Kitty wakes with a strangled cry that she muffles with her hands. It felt too real. She looks at the clock and sighs. 2:27 am. She slips out of bed, taking care not to wake Anna and tiptoes downstairs to find Jane and Elizabeth sitting on the kitchen floor talking.
Current time
Kitty lets out a breath as she finishes explaining the nightmare and straightens up to look at Jane and Elizabeth. They both looked shocked.
"Looks like I'm not the only one up at this godforsaken hour" Cathy says, joining them on the floor and ruffling Elizabeth's hair.
"What has you up?" Jane asks and Cathy smiles.
"Insomnia is a bitch. What about the rest of you?"
"Nightmare" Jane and Kitty say simultaneously.
"I don't even know at this point" Elizabeth says. "I can't sleep. I wake up too early. Even when I get a proper sleep I don't feel rested!"
***
"Welcome to insomnia Lizzie. It may be linked to your anxiety" Cathy yawns.
"Ah crap" Elizabeth groans, flopping onto the floor dramatically.
"Yeah. Appropriate reaction" Cathy says, stroking her hair and smiling.
"Hey. Can I talk to you about something?" She whispers and Elizabeth nods, sitting up.
"I need Kitty for this too" she says and Jane smiles.
"I'll put on some tea and cut up the brownies for when you're done" she says and Cathy smiles, dragging Elizabeth and Kitty to the sitting room.
"I want to propose to Anne"
YOU ARE READING
Reunited
FanfictionThat's right. I'm six trash. This is what I'm dedicating myself to now. So in this it's Mary aged 17, Elizabeth aged 15, Edward aged 13 and Parr's daughter Mary aka Mae aged 11 and they're alive. Reincarnated like their moms but with no idea what's...
