Hero?

49

The next morning Ana wakes actually feeling rested. She lets a natural smile slide into place and stretches. She's missed this place. 

Her hand hits a warm body and her smile becomes less natural and more shocky. She turns and finds Damon still next to her. There have been times when Damon falls asleep holding her, but he always would wake before her and go about his business.

"Ana," Damon's voice is a mixture of shock and happiness. For his part he's pleased that it wasn't all a dream. He hasn't slept this well in some time. Waking up next to Ana tells him why he did this time. "I apologize, after you fell asleep I was going to leave but I must have fallen asleep as well."

Ana's face takes on a look of confusion. "There is no need to apologize for that. All you did was hold me after my nightmare. I should have shut the door so you could rest last night, it is I that owes you the apology for interrupting your sleep."

"That was the first decent sleep I've had since you've left. Are you going to be leaving immediately after the inspections?" Damon has forgotten the traitor in the cells.

"Nope. I have a traitor to deal with and I need time with Shawn. Jacob tells me he's been worried about my safety." He's told her that they've all worried about her safety, but Shawn more than most of the others. "I may need to stay an extra night, depending on how long Jerome takes to die. I've never done this punishment and only have vague descriptions in the histories where I read about it, so I don't know how long it will take to kill him."

"Well you are most certainly welcome to stay here for as long as you like. Have you decided what you are going to do to Spider's widow?" Damon asks standing up and stretching he holds back a yawn as he does so.

"Oh, I don't know. The men in Spider's group have no respect towards her so I could just let her go. She's too broken to go to the authorities."

Damon thinks about this, "Perhaps, but she's too broken to be on her own as well. She has no home now, no way to earn food or shelter. Letting her go would be worse than killing her would at this point."

Ana nods, she understands what he's saying. Just then Gemma knocks on the door and opens it bringing in Ana's breakfast. She keeps her face well schooled to hide her satisfaction at finding Damon in there with Ana.

Ana takes on a look of wonder and then smirks in satisfaction. Damon not sure whether or not that look is good distrusts it completely. He waits only for Gemma to leave once more before he says anything. "What?"

"I have an answer to my problem. I'll offer Shandee a job as my personal maid." Ana says and happily gets out of bed with that announcement. 

Damon is confused, "Shandee? who is that?"

"The widow of the late Spider, may he rot in hell forever." Ana says going over to the tray and looking it over. All her favorites were there, she smiles even as the tears come. "They remembered."

Damon comes over to her and pulls her back against him as he hugs her. "Of course they do. Gemma has been heart broken and has really hated having to deal with Jenny."

Ana turns to face Damon, "You didn't make Gemma, Jenny's personal maid did you?" Her voice sick with disgust.

Damon snorts in derision. "No, the only one to ever have a personal maid was you. No, all the maids had to put up with her, but since you left Gemma didn't have any assigned duties and ended up having to deal with Jenny more often than not."

"She deserves a reward then, Damon. I don't know what she did to be punished by having to take care of that bint."

Before Damon could say anything they could hear his phone going off in the other room. Damon sighs, "No rest for the wicked. It's probably Calum wanting to know when to bring the slaves over. I had the tents set up last night so you can have them evaluated whenever you wish."