The Seven Swords of Diya: An Indiana Jones Fan Fiction - Part 2

Chapter 244: Flashback: Jones Ranch, Wyoming, 1947

Flashback:

Jones Ranch

Wyoming

1947

Indy shuddered, grabbing Marion and throwing her out of the way.

"Indy! Stop it!"

He took a wracking breath sitting up in their bed. His eyes scanned the room for the horrific memories. They'd been all too real.

He looked at Marion shocked and terrified... she was on his side of the bed, which meant, it hadn't been a dream... he'd physically picked her up and thrown her... panic cracked his voice. "Did I hurt you?!"

"No," her answer was soft and beautiful. "You... picked me up and threw me. Whatever it was, you protected me..."

"I'm sorry." He swallowed still stunned. "Are you sure I didn't hurt you?"

Marion sat up, putting her hands on Indy's chest. "You wouldn't hurt me."

"I would if I mistook you for someone else... while... I was..." He looked around.

Marion took his jaw and drew his face back to her. "Are you comfortable?"

"No. The covers are soaked with sweat. This shouldn't be happening - I'm not supposed to -"

His eyes were darting around the room searching for the horrors that haunted him. His hands gripped their mattress. She slipped her other hand over his. Their wedding bands clinked. "Are you safe?" She asked softly.

Indy stared at her. "I..." his jaw trembled.

Marion kissed him softly. She pried his hand from the mattress and slipped it under her nightgown. "Do you want to...?"

"Marion - I can't." He pulled his hand away, turned his back to her, swung out of bed and put his feet on the cold floor. His elbows rested on his knees as he struggled to bring himself back to the moment. Here. America. Wyoming. Home. 1947. Not... not there.... "Anywhere but there...."

Marion stared at Indy's scarred back, stunned at her husband's rejection. She fought tears and sat up, leaning on his shoulder. "What's on your mind?" Her voice broke as a thousand terrors went through her head. She loved this man too much.

"I... I can't tell you, Marion. I'm sorry. I can't tell you." He put his head against her shoulder as she crawled forward to sit next to him. "It's too horrible."

"Indy," Marion whispered. "Why can't you look at me?"

He raised his head, tears in his eyes. "Marion... I... can't... tell... you...." He swallowed as he watched the fear in her eyes grow. "I love you. It's not another woman. It's not that I don't want you. You're beautiful and you keep getting more beautiful. I would love a third child with you. It's just... things keep coming back. Things I can't tell you about."

"It's Nanking, isn't it?" Marion asked softly. "The war crimes investigation?"

He nodded, finding a pair of trousers. "I've got to check on the girls."

"Then a coffee cup downstairs?" Marion asked, pleading and hope in her eyes.

Indy gave another nod, too stunned to find any emotion or words other than fear and the images he didn't want to see. "I'm sorry, Marion."

"You don't have to be sorry," she swung out of bed and shrugged on his old smoking jacket robe. "I'll make you the coffee. You check on the girls."

"Thanks, Marion."