Outside Work We... •[TNN One-shots]•

Nightmares •|| MARJOREECE ||•

Prompt: Marjorie and Reece's child coming to sleep with them after having a bad dream.

The house was quiet, save for the occasional creak of old floorboards and the soft hum of the heater kicking on in the middle of the night. Marjorie and Reece were cocooned under their warm duvet, the faint moonlight filtering through the curtains casting silver streaks across their bedroom.

Marjorie stirred first, her sleep lightly broken by the sound of small, hesitant footsteps padding down the hallway. She didn't even have to open her eyes to know who it was. She nudged Reece gently with her elbow, a smirk tugging at her lips even as sleep still lingered.

"Your Olive is coming," she whispered.

Reece grumbled, his voice thick with grogginess. "My Olive? I think you mean your Livvy," he teased, though a smile spread across his face as he stretched and sat up slightly.

Before either of them could say more, the door creaked open, and Olivia's small frame appeared in the doorway, clutching a stuffed bunny with one arm and rubbing her eyes with the other. Her curls were a wild mess, and her lip trembled slightly.

"Daddy?" she whispered. "Mommy?"

"What's wrong, Ollie?" Marjorie asked softly, already reaching out an arm to invite her over.

Olivia hesitated, her big, round eyes glistening in the dim light. "I had a bad dream..." she murmured, her voice wavering.

Reece swung his legs out of bed and crouched down to her level, his hands resting gently on her tiny shoulders. "Come here, Olive. Tell me about it," he said warmly, his tone as soothing as a lullaby.

Olivia took a shaky breath, clutching her bunny tighter. "There... there were these big, scary shadows... and they tried to take Bun-Bun away. I told them no, but they didn't listen. They were so mean, Daddy!"

Marjorie's heart ached as she watched their daughter's small body shake with the memory of the dream. She leaned over, pulling back the covers to make room for her. "Why don't you come snuggle with us, Livvy? Bun-Bun, too. We'll keep the shadows away together."

Olivia's face brightened slightly at the suggestion, and she let Reece scoop her up into his arms. "You'll keep me safe, right?" she asked, her voice muffled against his chest.

"Always, Olive," Reece promised as he carried her to the bed.

Marjorie tucked the duvet around Olivia as she nestled between them, her bunny cradled protectively in her arms. Reece smoothed her hair back, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"You know," he began, his voice light, "shadows are just scared of families like ours. We're way too strong for them."

"Really?" Olivia asked, her small hand clutching Marjorie's tightly.

"Really," Marjorie chimed in. "Especially when we have a brave girl like you to protect us from nightmares."

Olivia giggled softly, the tension in her small frame finally melting away. As she drifted off to sleep, sandwiched between her parents, the only shadows in the room were the gentle ones cast by the moonlight.

And for the rest of the night, no bad dreams dared to find their way into Olivia's safe haven.