Barbara Dunkelman x Reader

Nightmares

-Your Dream Pov-

Margaret hits you again, and you fall onto the street. Your head splits open a little bit, and blood begins to drip slowly. She sneers at you, before giving one final kick which sends you crashing into the middle of the road. With that, she walks off, leaving you there in the rain. You try to rise to your feet, but can't, falling down each time onto already bruised ribs. Tears well in your eyes at the hopelessness you feel, and the very real possibility she'll come back to continue the beating like she has so many times before. However, this time your vision slowly starts to fade away, and the last thing you see is a car heading your way. 

When you come to, you see Margaret holding your hand on the couch. She smiles at you, even though her hands are caked in blood, your blood. " Are you okay sweety," she asks in a sickeningly sweet voice, and it makes your stomach churn. You don't answer, and she begins to squeeze down on your hand, and you feel bones start to crack. " Answer me sweetheart," she says coldly. 

" Why do you do this to me," you ask, in a voice barely above a whisper. Anything more, and it would give out on you. Already, the tears are starting to form in your eyes, and sting as they travel down the cuts on your cheeks. " Did I do something wrong to you?" 

" I do this because I love you," she says, like this is the most obvious thing in the world. " And, because I know you could be doing better as a boyfriend, so I hit you to make you realize this. But, I do this because I care."

" This isn't love," you manage to mutter, before wilting under her glare. This makes her begin to choke you out, and you feel her fingers dig into your neck. Your airflow begins to be cut off, and you feel yourself fading. Your mind displays an image of Barbara reaching out for your hand, and you say the only thing you can think. " Help me Barbara."

If it's even possible, Margaret gets angrier when you call for Barbara, and begins to double her efforts. " Barbara this, Barbara that," she sneers. " You're even dumber than you look if you think she cares about you. Face it, the only reason you're with me is because she's with Aaron. This is happening to you because she doesn't love you."

Your airflow stops, and you black out again. When you come to this time, you find yourself in a small black box. Instantly, you know this a coffin. You know the dimensions of these perfectly, research done at the times you considered taking your life to end the beatings. However, with the thought of Barbara on your mind, you don't want to do this time, and you start beating on the walls of the coffin, until the flesh and muscle decay from your hand, leaving only a skeletal hand. You scream when you see this, until the rest of your body undergoes the same transformation, before breaking into dust in your coffin. 

-Barbara pov-

My heart breaks a little bit when I return to the bedroom, and see (y/n) whimper and shake. Even after all these years, it's clear that he's still scared of her deep down. His body is still covered in scars that will likely never fade, inflicted both by her, and himself from periods of depression. I make my way over to him, and pull him into a hug. He continues to shake and whimper, and I pull him even tighter. " Shhh," I tell him, even though it does nothing. " I'm right here. It's me, Barbara. I'm here for you (y/n), right here. I'm not going anywhere, so it's okay."

I feel him wake up, and then pull me into his chest, trying desperately to hold on. He mutters to me not to leave, and I kiss his forehead. " I promise you I'm not going to leave." I feel him relax a little bit at this, and then he apologizes for still having nightmares about it. " I don't care how long it's been (y/n). We could be 80, and I would still hold you each and every time you had one of these nightmares. I will always be here for you."

His breathing begins to slow. " I wanna go back to sleep," he mutters. " But, I'm too scared. Will you sing to be Barbara?" I nod at his request, and then take a deep breath. Even if I'm not a natural born singer, it comforts him, which is all I want to do right now. 

Lying in my bed, I hear the clock tick and think of you

Caught up in circles, confusion is nothing new

Flashback, warm nights almost left behind

Suitcases of memories, time after...

Sometimes you picture me, I'm walking too far ahead

You're calling to me, I can't hear what you've said

Then you say, "Go slow", I fall behind

The second hand unwinds

If you're lost, you can look and you will find me

Time after time

If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting

Time after time

If you're lost, you can look and you will find me

Time after time

If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting

Time after time

After my picture fades and darkness has turned to gray

Watching through windows, you're wondering if I'm OK

Secrets stolen from deep inside

The drum beats out of time

If you're lost, you can look and you will find me

Time after time

If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting

Time after time

You said, "Go slow", I fall behind

The second hand unwinds

If you're lost, you can look and you will find me

Time after time

If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting

Time after time

If you're lost, you can look and you will find me

Time after time

If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting

Time after time

Time after time

Time after time

Time after time

Time after time

Time after time

Time after time

Time after

Time after

When I finish the song, I feel him fall asleep, after begging me to stay with him. I kiss him on the forehead, and then give him a kiss on the forehead. " I promise I'll be right here when you wake up. I love you."

( let me know what you thought. I'm not a horror writer, so I don't know how the nightmare turned out. Also, let me know what you thought about song choice)