Work Text:
Shaw wakes up breath labored, chest rising and falling frantically, beads of sweat coating her forehead and dripping from her neck. She’s been back from Samaritan for a week now and every night a new demon haunts her sleep. She’s in one of Finch’s safe houses in New York. She didn’t want to leave the city but she didn’t want to stay at the subway either so this was the alternative. And she didn’t want anyone babying her or around her 24/7. They all respected her decision, though Root was the most hesitant but instead of voicing her discomfort she simply gave an okay.
So they all took Shaw to the safe house and got her settled. They bought her food, clothes and all the essentials and they left Bear with her. Her first night in the house she quickly got settled in. She had steak and Bear and Root stayed and watched football with her for an extra 2 hours after the boys had left. And then when Root left she took a warm shower and went to find Bear already sleeping in her bed. A small smile graced her lips as she crawled in next to him and he shifted to rest his head on her pillow right next to hers. Apparently he missed her as much as she missed him. And so the night went good until she woke up in the same state she was currently in. Different night, different dream. And every other night she could push them out of her mind until she fell asleep again out of pure exhaustion. But tonight, tonight was different.
Shaw looked hazardously around the room and next to her was Bear staring at her with his head tilted and a whine escaping him as he moved to lick her arms in a way of comfort. But that didn’t derail her she quickly shot up on the edge of the bed to reach her phone. A new one Finch had given her to only contact the team. She quickly saw the number she was looking for, especially since it was the most dialed number and she dialed it again.
“Hello?” came Root’s sleepy voice through the line and Shaw let out a breath of air she didn’t know she was holding. The line stayed quiet for a while until Root spoke again.
“Hello?” Root sat up straight in her bed and looked at the caller I.D before continuing
“Shaw? What’s wrong?” Root didn’t receive an answer but she could hear the unsteady breathing coming from Shaw through the line.
Shaw didn’t know what to say. Actually she wasn’t planning on saying anything at all she was just making sure Root was alive and that her dream had really only been that, just a dream. Shaw abruptly ended the call and put the phone back on the nightstand. She then moved to get up out of bed with Bear following suit.
***
Root started to feel the panic creeping up her spine and the fear in her bones. She was wondering why was Shaw calling at this hour and why she hadn’t said anything. She was already on the move getting on her boots and coat when her phone buzzed. It was a text from Shaw
‘Hey sorry, I’m fine just a mistake’, the text said
Root felt relief knowing that Shaw wasn’t seriously injured if she sent her a text but she was making her way over there even if she got the text, she was already dressed anyways.
***
Shaw was in the kitchen grabbing a beer when she decided to let Root know that she was alright. Probably wouldn’t be fair to let her worry like that, so she got her phone and sent the text.
After that she put the phone down and made her way to the back patio with a beer and Bear. She thought the fresh air would do her some good. It most definitely helped all the other nights. There was a big sofa lounge chair on the patio that her and Bear would sit on, under a big comforter. It had an alright view too, you could see some of the bigger buildings of the city and you could also see some trees.
Shaw was halfway through her beer when she heard footsteps padding up behind her. She wasn’t worried because if it was an unfamiliar intruder Bear would have warned her and rushed at them already.
Root set her gun down on one of the side tables on the patio before addressing Shaw
“Hey Sam” she said standing to the side of the lounge chair so she was in Shaw’s field of vision.
“Hey” mumbled Shaw as she turned her head to look at the hacker. Root could see the bags under Shaw’s eyes and the dark circles. She could also see a faint red in her face and neck.
“Bad night?” she asked moving to sit on the edge of the lounge chair facing Shaw.
“You could call it that” she mumbled taking a swig of her beer looking back onto the horizon.
Root studied Shaw’s face in the dim light cascading from the house and the moon.
“You know...” she started “you can always call me, no matter what the time, wherever the place, for whatever reason right” she stated more than asked.
“Yeah, I know” said Shaw as she kept her stare forward and not on the hacker.
“Did I die?” Root asked all of a sudden and Shaw quickly snapped her head in Root’s direction. “In your dream or nightmare ,I should say, did I die?” she continued.
Shaw merely nodded her head shifting her gaze back to the scenery before her.
“Every night, different dream” Shaw grunted bringing her beer bottle back to her mouth once more
Root knew the feeling all too well. From the time of Hanna, to her mother, to the machine and to Shaw. Some nights she wouldn’t have any and some nights, evil would grace her with all four.
“Tired?” inquired Root lightly.
“Very” stated Shaw.
Root moved to get under the covers positioning herself same as Shaw. Shaw shifted to make space for her, also causing Bear to shift. Not that there wasn’t enough space just that Shaw and Bear were sprawled out taking it all up. Root chucked off her boots and shrugged off her coat letting it drop the the ground.
Shaw looked at her questionably, especially when she took her drink away and carefully placed it on the floor.
Root simply brought her arm around Shaw shifting closer to her gathering their body heat in the chilled night. Shaw looked up at Root with a slight confusion tugging at her brows. Root simply ran her thumb through the creases in Shaw’s forehead and placed a kiss there instead. Root pulled back and slipped further down into the chair with Shaw, pulling the covers up higher over them.
“Sleep sweetie” Root whispered, “I’m not going anywhere”.
Shaw looked up at Root and saw the small smile of adoration on Root’s face and softly brought her hand up to poke Root in the nose. Root merely smiled and took Shaw’s hand in her intertwining their fingers.
Shaw obediently took Root’s orders and moved further into her. She closed her eyes inhaling the scent of Root and could hear her heartbeat from where her head was resting on Root’s chest. Shaw normally didn’t do cuddling but after 9 months without the perky psycho and the restless nights she had been having she really couldn’t bring herself to care that much.
Shaw found herself dosing off in a matter of minutes, being enveloped from the warmth coming off of Root who was hold her firmly and also Bear being pressed against her back snoring quietly.
She didn’t try to fight the sleep that was luring her in because they all had demons, but she knew she wasn’t going to have to fight them alone.