Faramir lay awake, remembering everything. He remembered his brother's face, the way it felt to be held in the warm embrace of someone who loves you. He remembered the coldness of his friends' dead bodies. The slippery wetness of their blood. The stinging of tears in his war-hardened eyes as he stared, feeling useless, helpless, and powerless.

In his bed, he took a deep breath and rolled over, rubbing his face and closing his eyes. Very slowly, with thoughts racing through his brain, he drifted into a sleep full of nightmares.

~

Faramir stood on the battlefield again, clad in nothing but his riding clothes and a thin cloak. In front of him stood his friends, smiling and laughing. It was an odd sight for a battlefield, but thoughts of confusion were pushed out of Faramir's head when he saw Eowyn. Clothes in a simple brown and tan dress, her blonde hair spilling and rippling down her back, she looked beautiful. Her quiet smile lit up her entire face and her bright eyes beckoned him nearer. Faramir grinned.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, and arrow flew straight into his chest. He stared for a moment in schooled silence before the pain came. Then Faramir's collapsed, yelling, "Help me! Please someone, help!" Blood spurted from his chest. But his friends kept on laughing and smiling, grinning like nothing was wrong. "Eowyn!" he cried.

She had turned away from him, and when she whipped back at the sound of his voice, he almost screamed. Her beautiful blue eyes had been replaced by emotionless, void, black holes, and places of her face were turning the color of dead flesh.

"No," she hissed in a voice that sounded like someone had dragged daggers down the back of her throat.

"Faramir!" a desperate voice called from somewhere to his left. But he was on the ground and couldn't move, was losing consciousness. "Faramir!"

~

Faramir jolted awake, sweating and shaking like always when he had nightmares. This one was new, though. The shaking was more violent and his eyes were wilder. It took him a moment to realize that someone was touching him. A hand held his cheek, and another rested on his chest.

"Faramir!"

Eowyn. Concern was etched into her face.

"Eowyn," he began in a broken voice, trying to get his thoughts under control. This is Eowyn, my wife. She has beautiful blue eyes. Her porcelain skin is soft and warm to the touch. I love her. She loves me.

"Faramir, did you have another nightmare?" she asked quietly, stroking a few strands of his sweaty brown hair away from his forehead. He squeezed his eyes shut.

"It was awful, Eowyn," he said after a moment of silence. "It was absolutely awful. Friends were there with me on a battlefield, and they were all laughing. You were there too. But I was shot. And no one helped me. And you ... you looked like a horror created by Sauron himself. Your features were distorted, your face was rotting flesh, your eyes were soulless chasms..." He shuddered. "You didn't help me."

To his surprise, Faramir noticed that Eowyn had tears in her eyes when he glanced up.

"Eowyn? Is something wrong? Are you hurt?"

She turned head and wiped away the wetness, laughs shakily. "No ... Well, actually, yes. You see Faramir, our dreams are our subconscious. This means that subconsciously, you are afraid. You are afraid that everyone you love will betray you. And that hurts me. I thought I made it clear that I would be here for you forever, no matter what. You don't have to worry."

"But I can't help it, Eowyn! I feel that at any point, I could lose your love, just like I lost the love of my father at an early age. Once he discovered I was useless, I was also suddenly disposable. Worthless."

"Faramir..." Eowyn grabbed his hand. "You are not worthless. To me, you are worth more than life itself. I would do anything for you. My love is as deep as the ocean and as constant as the waves. I love you." She leaned in and kissed him passionately, and he felt a strand of her blonde hair tickle the side of his face. Faramir squeezed her tightly. They parted from the kiss, and he tried to smile.

Everything is going to be fine.

Somebody loves you.

"I love you too," he said softly, bringing a grin to her gentle face, illuminating her eyes. Eowyn bent forward and wrapped her arms around his chest. Again, he his arms enveloped her, and they sat in that embrace for what felt like eternity.

"Just remember," she began after a long period of silence, "I will always be here."