dark eyes shadowed but kind. "Jeremy," she said gently, "you don't have to apologize for this."

"Yes, I do," he said quickly, his voice firm but not sharp. "Not just to Bonnie. To you. This—everything that's happening—it's not your mess. You shouldn't have to deal with it. With me."

Ana's expression didn't waver, but her eyes softened. She shifted closer, her movements unhurried as she settled beside him, her knees drawn up slightly. For a moment, she didn't say anything, her gaze tracing his features with a quiet intensity that made his chest tighten.

"I don't think you get it," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "You don't owe me an apology. If anything..." she paused, her fingers brushing absently against the edge of his blanket. "I should be apologizing to you."

Jeremy blinked, caught off guard. "Why?"

Her smile was small, tinged with something wistful. "Because you didn't ask for me, either," she said simply. "I just showed up and turned your life upside down." She hesitated, her gaze dropping briefly before meeting his again. "I've been here for so long that Sometimes I forget you didn't get a choice."

Jeremy stared at her, his chest tightening as something unspoken hung between them, fragile unyielding. "I wouldn't take it back," he said quietly, the words falling from his lips before he could stop them.

Ana's eyes flickered, something unreadable passing through her expression. Her smile softened, the teasing edge gone entirely. "You say that now," she murmured, her tone almost too light. "But you might feel differently when things get worse."

"They always get worse," Jeremy replied with a faint smirk, though there was no humor in his voice. He shifted, leaning forward slightly, his gaze steady on hers. "But you've made it easier, Ana. Even when I don't know what the hell I'm doing, you're there. So, no, I don't regard it. Not for a second."

Ana looked away, her lips curving into a faint smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "You've got a way with words, Gilbert," she said softly, her tone lighter now, though her expression remained thoughtful. "Dangerous skill."

Jeremy huffed a quiet laugh, the tension between them easing just slightly. The silence that followed wasn't uncomfortable. It stretched between them like a fragile thread, holding the weight of something neither was ready to name.

Jeremy's gaze drifted to the ceiling. "You think Bonnie's gonna find a way to figure this out?" He asked after a moment, his voice almost absent.

"She always does," Ana replied, her tone carrying a quiet certainty that made him believe it, too.

He nodded, letting the words settle over him. As the quiet hum filled the room again, Jeremy couldn't help but glance at her.

"Goodnight, Ana," he said quietly, his voice laced with warmth.

Her smile returned, small but sincere. "Goodnight, Jeremy."

When he blinked again, she was gone, her presence lingering like the faintest echo of a dream.

authors note.

i decided to break jeremy and bonnie up just because i didn't want to do a cheating storyline between them because i really hated that he did that to her in the show. also, just to clarify, jeremy can't see anna or vicki. i'm saying that he's - not really over them - but he's come to terms with their deaths so they aren't really on the forefront of his mind.

let me know what you guys thought about this, if you need clarifying on anything, and don't forget to vote and comment 🩷✌️

^^^ i had to do this one because elijah and bex look too fine in it