Chasing Dreams

Title: Chasing Dreams

Author: Cat Chester

Rating: T

Paring: Annie/Mitchell George/Nina

Disclaimer: Obviously not mine because if they were, I'd have had the sense to lock the cast into a 5 year contract! ;)

Spoilers: Up to season 3 Episode 8

Summary: Mitchell vividly remembers George staking him, so he's more than a little shocked to wake up back in Bristol.

Chapter One

"Mitchell! Mitchell!" Annie called as she furiously shook his shoulders.

"Annie?" George came upstairs, drawn by her repeated cries.

"It's Mitchell," she said, still shaking him. "He's having some kind of nightmare and I can't wake him up."

"How long has this been going on?" he asked as he came into the room to stand next to Annie.

"I only popped home about five minutes ago and I heard him crying and saying something about wanting to be punished."

"Well, no disrespect, Annie, but maybe it's not a nightmare but a sex dream. Maybe he doesn't want to wake up."

"I don't think so. After that he thrashed for a while and now he's quiet but he still won't wake up. This isn't normal, George."

Unable to find another explanation, George was forced to agree with Annie's bleak assessment.

"I'll get some water," he said.

"What?" Annie asked his retreating back. He didn't reply so she turned back to Mitchell and continued to shake his shoulders. "Come on, Mitchell, wake up!"

A few moments later, George returned with a glass of water.

"I don't think he's dehydrated," Annie snapped.

George ignored her and emptied the glass over Mitchell's face. There was still no reaction.

"Should we call Nina?" George asked.

"Not unless her nursing training now covers unusual vampire sleeping patterns," Annie replied, growing despondent. She walked around the bed and lay down on the empty side, facing Mitchell.

"You don't have to stay, I'll look after him," she said.

George looked out into the hall then back to Mitchell, as if debating whether to stay or go.

"I'll call you if there's any change," Annie added.

"It's just that I promised Nina we'd-"

"It's fine. It doesn't take two people to watch him sleep. Anyway, it's probably nothing to worry about, just some vampire thing we don't understand."

George nodded and left. He didn't need to remind her that he and Nina were having a rough time, the tension was ever present in his face.

Annie propped her head up on her hand and watched Mitchell. He mumbled a few more times but she couldn't be sure of what he said.

It was actually quite nice to be able to study him, he really was very pretty, but it didn't really do to stare at your room mate as though he were an animated statue of David. Not while they were awake anyway. Under normal circumstances, doing it while they were sleeping was just as bad, maybe even creepier.

Suddenly Mitchell gasped and sat up, clutching at his chest. Annie shrieked with surprise and popped off the bed, reappearing beside it.

"Mitchell? Oh my god, you scared me."