Dream Within a Dream, a Hole Within a Whole

Author's note：Hey, it's been a long time.　Anyway, this is the newly-edited version of an old fic once titled Into the West, after that wonderful song from Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. The story used to include the lyrics, but with the requirements of FFN having changed, I simply edited them out and re-titled the story to something I consider appropriate. This story is best read while listening to the lyrics mentioned above as the stanzas (if you don't mind me referring to the paragraphs as such) were constructed with the lyrics in mind.

Please enjoy. Guess who the speaker is and win a cookie! (Not really).

You lay your head in my lap. I can see now how already spent you are; tired of fighting, dreaming and doing. Your eyes cry out the deepest of pain, and the darkest of sorrow. Even now, after the fact that we are now old with emotion if not age it's self, I feel your heart beat and I wait for your pulse to slow. You aren't crying, but I know that you want to. You might as well be.

You moan in your slumber and I know that your dreams are dark with death and dripping with blood. My tears are silent testaments to my love for you, knowing your pain; you can not share what you feel with me and my tears shimmer on your forehead like crystallized glass, your scar, shaped with lightning, now red with anger and pain.

Your demons haunt you, those you have killed and those who have died for you. You seem so innocent now, away from the pain of battlefield; in your sleep, your face carries no trace of any pain, and you seem but barely twenty. My heart breaks for you, and I continue to cry, my tears covering your face in a flood of salted water.

But still you lay in my arms, safe for moment, beyond the hurts of reality, dreaming your bloody dreams; I cannot protect you from those. You moan again and I hush you, hoping you will not awaken for I would have to leave you here alone.

I dream that you will live past this, though I know you will not, that you might one day have a family of your own, a family to go to in need and in sorrow. I know that instead you will join the other side, lost to the living forever. Only a memory that will fade to nothingness in time, soon to be just a name on a page, not even worth learning of.

You stop moaning, and your dreams become peaceful. A sweet smile plays upon your face; I am reminded of the baby that I once knew. I feel the relief of one who loves you more than life it's self. I can see the toll that life has taken on you. By rights, you should be playing sports and learning new jokes; not jumping desperately, trying to survive in this world for just one more day.

You sigh and I realize that you have not much longer to live, you have been lucky so far, but soon Lady Luck will leave you grasping at straws; begging for a normal life. Time no longer has meaning for you, dear child; you await the day you will die with cynical humor.

I must leave you now, and I cry at the thought, dripping liquid diamonds upon your face, tears of love and of sorrow that you will join the dead when you so deserve to live. The white light in my eyes is calling me away, but I will hold you again one day.

I hold you still, asleep you may be, but you're losing ground. I am always there when your green eyes cloud over in pain and in rage, and I cannot stop you anymore. You cry out, the first true sound of distress and then you are quiet again. I wonder at your deep strength, for I would not have made it as far.

You sigh deeply at the peace with all around you, my work here is done, but I cannot help but shed tears at leaving you here alone and afraid of your future. My tears pour down on you, bathing your face once more. This shall be my last visit to you for soon you shall be beyond this mortal plane and out of my reach. I pray a secret prayer that you might yet live, child of my heart, you deserve more than what you have been cursed with. I leave you now, in your childish slumber, fit to rise one more day.

Finis