Law and Order: SVU Imagines and Preferences

They have a nightmare

Rafael Barba:
You wake up to Rafael thrashing beside you, his brow furrowed and his breath coming in ragged gasps. "No... por favor, no!" he mutters, his voice choked with desperation. You reach out, placing a gentle hand on his chest, trying to soothe him. "Rafa, wake up. It's just a dream," you whisper, voice soft and steady. His eyes fly open, disoriented, before they settle on you, and he lets out a shaky breath, pulling you close. "I... I thought I lost you," he admits, voice breaking. You stroke his cheek, feeling the tension in his jaw. "I'm right here, Rafael. I'm not going anywhere." He shakes his head, as if trying to rid himself of the images haunting him. "It was so real. I could see you—hurt—because of me." His words hang heavy in the air, and you press a kiss to his forehead, trying to ground him. "We're safe, Rafa. You don't have to carry that guilt here," you reassure him, but he pulls you tighter. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. Everything I see every day—this job... it makes me terrified that something will happen to you because of it." You hold him, your fingers running through his hair as you softly murmur, "Then hold onto me now. I'm not going anywhere."

Sonny Carisi:
Sonny jerks awake, a soft whimper escaping his lips as he tries to catch his breath, his eyes wide and filled with panic. "Hey, hey, Sonny, it's okay," you whisper, rubbing circles into his back as he sits up, running a hand through his hair, clearly still shaken. "It was just a dream." He shakes his head, his voice a low rumble. "It wasn't just a dream, it was... I couldn't save you. I tried and..." He trails off, burying his face in his hands. You pull him close, letting him rest his head on your shoulder, feeling the tremor in his body as you hold him. "You don't have to save me, Sonny. I'm right here," you say, voice soft but firm. He lets out a shaky breath, pulling away slightly to look at you, his eyes still clouded with fear. "I just—seeing all the awful things we see, all the people we can't help—it makes me scared. Scared that one day it's gonna be you." His vulnerability pulls at your heart, and you cup his face gently, wiping away a stray tear with your thumb. "But it's not. I'm right here, and we're okay. You don't have to carry that weight alone." He leans into your touch, nodding, but you can see the lingering worry in his eyes. "I'm sorry, I just... I love you so much, I can't stand the thought of losing you," he murmurs. You kiss his forehead softly. "You're not losing me, Sonny. I promise."

Olivia Benson:
Olivia wakes up with a start, sitting up in bed and clutching the sheets tightly in her fists, her breath coming in sharp gasps. You sit up beside her, gently placing a hand on her back. "Liv, what's wrong?" you ask softly. She doesn't answer right away, staring into the darkness with wide eyes, clearly still trapped in the nightmare. "It was Noah," she finally whispers, her voice trembling. "I couldn't find him, no matter how hard I tried... and then you—" She cuts off, shaking her head as if trying to shake the images away. You pull her into your arms, feeling her tense body relax slightly as she melts into your embrace. "Liv, we're both here. Noah's safe, I'm safe. You don't have to go through this alone," you murmur. She lets out a shaky breath, resting her head against your chest. "I know," she says softly. "But every time I close my eyes, I see everything that could go wrong. Everything I could lose." You hold her tighter, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "You're doing everything you can. You're the strongest person I know, Liv. But it's okay to lean on me too." She stays quiet for a moment, and you feel her hand grip yours tightly. "Thank you," she whispers. "I don't know what I'd do without you." You smile softly in the darkness. "Good thing you don't have to find out."

Amanda Rollins:
Amanda jolts awake, a gasp escaping her lips as she stares wide-eyed at the ceiling, her body rigid with tension. You immediately reach over, placing a hand on her arm. "Amanda, what is it? You okay?" you ask softly, worry lacing your voice. She blinks a few times before turning to look at you, her face pale and her eyes haunted. "It was Jesse," she whispers. "I... I couldn't protect her. And then you—you were gone too, and I was alone, and..." Her voice cracks, and she trails off, covering her face with her hands. You sit up, gently pulling her into your arms, feeling her body tremble against yours. "Hey, hey, it was just a dream," you whisper, rubbing her back soothingly. "I'm right here, and Jesse's safe in her room." Amanda shakes her head, her voice muffled against your chest. "I see so much bad every day. I can't help but think that it's going to catch up to us—to her, to you." Her vulnerability tugs at your heart, and you press a kiss to the top of her head. "It's not, Amanda. You're the fiercest, most protective person I know, and nothing's going to happen to us," you reassure her, holding her close. She sniffles, wiping at her eyes before looking up at you. "I know you're right, but... it's hard to turn off sometimes." You smile softly, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "I know. But you don't have to handle it all on your own. I've got you." She gives you a small, grateful smile and leans into your touch. "I love you," she whispers. "I love you too, Amanda."

Elliot Stabler:
Elliot thrashes beside you, his face contorted in anguish as he mutters something you can't quite make out. You wake up to his distress and gently shake his shoulder, whispering, "Elliot, wake up. It's just a dream." His eyes shoot open, wild and unfocused, sweat dampening his brow. He bolts upright, breathing heavily, like he's just run a marathon. "They were all gone... I couldn't save anyone," he mutters, rubbing his face with both hands. You sit up beside him, pulling him close, running a soothing hand over his tense back. "It's okay, Elliot. You're here, I'm here. You're safe." He leans into you, his body still trembling slightly. "It felt so real," he admits in a broken whisper. "I'm failing... everywhere. At work, at home." You hold him tighter, pressing a soft kiss to his temple. "You're not failing, and you're not alone in this. We'll get through it together. I've got you."

John Munch:
John wakes up with a start, his usual calm demeanor shattered as he sits bolt upright in bed. You stir at the sudden movement, turning over to see his wide eyes staring into the dark. "John?" you whisper, reaching out to touch his arm. He flinches but quickly realizes it's you, his shoulders slumping in relief. "I thought... I thought something happened to you," he murmurs, his voice low and strained. You sit up, concern lacing your voice. "It was just a nightmare, John. I'm right here." He shakes his head, the weight of whatever he dreamt clinging to him. "It was so real... it felt like I lost you." You take his hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "I'm not going anywhere, okay? I promise." He gives a small, humorless laugh, rubbing his eyes. "I've seen too much, you know? Sometimes it all just... piles up." You press a gentle kiss to his shoulder. "You're not facing it alone. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."

Fin Tutuola:
Fin jerks awake, a sharp breath escaping his lips as he reaches instinctively for his gun—only to realize he's not on the job. You wake up too, your eyes adjusting to the dim light in the room as you place a hand on his chest. "Fin, baby, what's wrong?" you ask softly. His muscles are tense under your palm, his breathing erratic as he rubs his face. "Nightmare," he grunts, clearly shaken. "Thought I got caught up in a crossfire. Lost everyone." You sit up, gently stroking his arm. "But it didn't happen, Fin. You're here, and so am I." He exhales slowly, leaning back against the headboard. "I know," he mutters, his voice rough. "Just felt so real. Guess the job messes with your head, even in sleep." You snuggle closer, resting your head on his shoulder. "You're safe with me. You always will be." He wraps an arm around you, his body finally starting to relax. "I know. That's why I can handle this... with you."

Nick Amaro:
Nick's body jerks beside you, a soft groan escaping his lips as he murmurs incoherently in his sleep. You reach out and touch his arm gently, waking him from whatever nightmare is tormenting him. His eyes snap open, his chest rising and falling rapidly as if he's just run for miles. "Nick, you're okay," you say softly, cupping his face in your hands. He exhales shakily, his eyes still glazed with the remnants of the nightmare. "I thought... I thought something happened to Zara," he whispers, his voice cracking with emotion. "I couldn't protect her." You pull him closer, pressing his head to your chest as you stroke his hair. "It was just a dream, Nick. She's safe, you're safe. We're all okay." He wraps his arms around you tightly, like he's afraid to let go. "I know, but it felt so real... like I couldn't breathe." You kiss the top of his head, holding him close. "I'm here. You don't have to carry it all alone."