Is It A Dream?

Better And Better

Linda squinted her eyes to see in the darkness, "Danny?"
He moaned, "Linda?"
The lights glared into their eyes, making them squint until their eyes adjusted.
Linda raised her eyebrows, seeing Danny handcuffed to a chain link fence. "Danny?"
"Don't worry, I have gotten out of much worse situations than this." He looked around, as if the room held the answer. His eyebrows were raised in surprise when he saw someone familiar. "Salazar? I killed you, like, ten years ago!"
Linda watched Salazar saunter, looking from her to Danny. He knocked Danny out, "hey! That's assault!"
"No, that was self defense... for him. He's not gonna like... although..." Salazar looked at Linda, evil dancing in his eyes.
Some time later, Danny opened his eyes, thinking he heard Linda screaming. As soon as he had opened his eyes, he wished he hadn't. He was witnessing his wife being raped; he watch the tears fall from her eyes by the bucketloads. "Hey! You can't do that! She's mine!"
Linda watched Salazar stand up and walk to a table. He held a gun, and her eyes went wide. She yelled at him to stop, but no words came out. She heard a pop, a scream, and an evil laugh. She yelled out, "no!!" Her voice reverberating like she was in a cave....
Linda jolted awake in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat. "Danny!"
The detective snorted and sat up quickly, "what? What?!"
Linda shook her head, "nothing. It's okay."
"Did you have a nightmare?" He settled back into the covers, draping his arm over her.
"Yeah, but I'm-" she grasped his wrist, noticing how heavy it felt. She slid her hand to his, then beyond, and grabbed the object. "Your gun? Why?"
"I thought I heard something."
"When?"
"Few hours ago... you must've been in deep sleep, because you didn't move a muscle."
"Was it anything?"
"Probably the neighbors... but you know I don't like taking chances with you guys."
"But it's in your right hand."
"And I can shoot with that hand... just not accurately. Besides, it'd be faster to switch hands than to find it in the drawer in the dark."
Linda nodded and shifted, laying her ear over Danny's heart. "I wish this would all end."
"Me, too, baby. Me, too."
**********
Three months had passed with some significant changes for Danny and Linda. She felt a lot better, and because she felt good, she got her appetite back. She ate almost as much as Danny, bringing her to a healthy weight once again. Not quite the ideal weight, but she was close. She also started exercising with Danny, who taught her every self defense move he knew.
One day, in early April, they were standing face to face, going over self-defense. Linda stood with her arms crossed, listening to the maneuver. "Huh? Why can't I just hit him were it smarts? Or use SING?"
"From Miss Congeniality?" Danny smirked, "those work, but what happens if you can't do those?"
"Uh, I scream? Really, really loud?"
Danny smiled, "you're having too much fun, aren't you?"
She shrugged, "I'm glad I'm better."
Danny smiled, "me, too. And I promise, in June or July, we'll renew our vows."
"How 'bout on our actual anniversary? That'd be fun and way more romantic."
"Hey, I'm doing this for you, so whatever you want, I'll do."
"Anything?" She smiled sexily, a familiar gleam in her eyes.
"Now?" The detective was smirking, knowing the answer.
"Well, Danny, whaddaya expect to happen when you keep touching and maneuvering and pressing against me!"
Danny pulled Linda to him, kissing her slowly. She wasn't perfect yet, but she was doing so much better, and for that, Danny was so very grateful.