When dreams die

Summary: "If dreams die, Life is a broken-winged bird, That cannot fly."

The quote is from Dreams, Langston Hughes. Why am I using a poetry quote as a summary? Because this story is an entry for the Poetry Quotes Boot Camp. (that and I'm obsessed with writing more stories for this pairing)

Everytime someone shook her shoulder, called her name, dumped a bucket of ice cold water over her sleeping form, she was shocked to open her eyes and not meet his.

To be in a world where he no longer existed. To have reality shatter around her and be forced to pick up the pieces each time. Quietly so the others wouldn't notice. Forcing a smile on her face, stopping herself from glaring when they mentioned their victory over the war. Trying to forget how much she wished they hadn't won.

How the only thought that ever passed her mind always left his name on the tip of her tongue so she had to swallow it down before she could even breath as to not accidentally say it outloud.

It was only in her dreams that she could call to him, lay entwined in his arms once again, look up into his eyes that sparkled when he laughed.

How they did when he was alive that is, he wasn't any longer.

Not by her standards anyways. A body without a soul wasn't human anymore afterall. It wasn't him. The body in the cell lacked the same qualities she had found so endearing. Even the ones she used to find irritating, like when he licked his lower lip out of habit. Seeing that in her dreams just made her miss it, every aspect about him.

There was nothing to do about it now though. He had been taken from her without anyone else knowing about it so she would just close her eyes and dream of him.

Disappearing into her room for hours to do nothing but sleep, clinging to a last memory that flickered in the corner of her mind behind the dust.

After awhile, even that seemed to go away, her precious dreams vanishing beneath her feet so suddenly. Not even aware of the people around her anymore, currently standing at her bedside, room number seventy seven in Saint Mugo's Hospital.

"When?" Is the only question they ever ask the nurse, waiting for the young girl to rise from her comatose state.