Nightmare
What does it feel like to know that all your friends are gone?
No, it’s fine. It’s fine. Leslie knew it was fine.
You’re totally alone- and without your friends, you’re nothing.
I’m Leslie Knope!
Even Ben is gone. He knew you were worthless.
It was strange. Leslie could feel the pressure pushing down on her like someone was stepping on her chest and crushing it. She was dreaming- she hoped so anyway. Staring into the abyss and feeling the utter hopelessness leaking out. She was totally alone.
Where was Ron when she needed him? Oh god, even Ron wasn’t here. The darkness was swallowing her up.
You are totally alone- and without your friends, you’re nothing.
***
Leslie gasped awake. She took some deep breaths, both of them catching in her throat. Before she could make another move, however, she felt Ben leap up beside her. He quickly helped her sit up, and even just the touch of his hands on her body made her feel ten times better.
“Deep breaths,” he instructed. “Did you have a nightmare?”
“Yeah,” Leslie replied. “Ugh it was awful.”
Ben hummed beside her, and for a while all they did was wait for Leslie to calm down. When she did, she brought her hand up to her face. She had been crying. He noticed too, and slowly wiped her tears, pausing occasionally to give her kisses. She felt her heartrate slowing. He was such a calming presence when he wanted to be.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Ben murmured.
“Not yet,” Leslie replied. “Can we just… lie for a minute?”
“Of course,” Ben replied instantly, and he wrapped his arms around her in a protective embrace. She sighed softly.
***
It was strange. Usually dreams faded within minutes of waking up, but this one stuck in her mind. It was especially strange since the dream didn’t even make sense- it was an intense feeling rather than a sequence of events, and Leslie hated that she couldn’t systematically work through it.
In her eyes, any problem could be solved. But it was a lot harder when it wasn’t at all clear what she was looking at.
“Your thoughts are loud,” Ben said softly. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m just… confused,” she said slowly. “The dream didn’t even make sense, I just… I felt so alone.”
“You’re not alone,” he said. “Not ever.”
“I know,” Leslie said, and she believed it. Even if the dream had seemed real, she really wasn’t alone. She was one of the least lonely people on the planet.
“Good, I’m glad,” Ben said quietly, kissing her again. “Do you think you’ll be able to go back to sleep?”
With his arms around her? Definitely. “Yes.”
And so they fell back to sleep. Together.