He could see her. There, right there. Right in front of him, an arms length away. He just needed to stretch a little further. His fingertips strained, but it was so close, so horrifyingly close. A blue light leaked slowly from behind her until it became a flood, it burned. His shirt tore and melted under its intensity, his flesh was stripped away, his body screamed. He could feel tears being pulled from the back of his eyes, his blood boiled at the surface of his skin until it bubbled and burst through his veins. As he rotted and stewed his knees buckled under the heat and like a child he peered up at her. She smiled and the light was gone. He was left alone in the darkness with sore skin. Skin that wasn't his, that didn't fit. It was twisted and tight like a canvas with markings and lumps that didn't belong. Scars. Blood. Ash. It was hurting him, making him angry, making him cry. He scratched and clawed at himself, desperate gashes across his body, he had to get it off. The harder he tried the tighter it got. It started choking him, like a thin cord coiled, cutting, around his throat. They're all gone she whispered. In the empty black he panicked, the blackness caved in on itself, collapsed and crumbled. He fell endlessly.
Gabriel did not awake with a start, or a gasp or even a shout. He opened his eyes and stared at the wall. He was sick of seeing her, dream after dream. Smiling, blinding, burning. Alive.
He could see her. There, right there. Right in front of him, an arms length away. He just needed to stretch a little further. So he did, he pulled her towards him and buried his face in her hair. She exhaled slowly and tugged at the covers. He could feel the steady rise and fall of her body, her skin warmed as it contacted his, her body curled as he hugged her tighter. A soft murmur escaped from under her golden mane. He brushed his cheek against her neck as he kissed her shoulder. The murmur increased in volume.
"What?"
"I said Shoes" she hissed. He smiled as he lay his head slightly above hers and kicked off his shoes over the side of the bed. She rolled awkwardly into his chest and rested her head on his neck, placing a possessive arm across him. As his eyes closed for the first time he could see her again, smiling. The warm light leaked out from behind and formed a puddle at her feet. Like a spring it filled the space between them and washed his skin clean. Their fingers touched, entwined and the pool rose, engulfing them in liquid light.