Summary: This is centered on Kevin's thoughts and decisions after seeing Ivy. Multi-chaptered.
Story Rating: PG-13 just to be safe.
Disclaimer: I do not own "The Village" nor the characters associated with it. The story is, however, mine and can not be reproduced without my permission. I would like to have Lucius though, so if possible, please give him to me -
Chapter Title: Just a Dream

A/N: Well, I'm giving another full-length story a chance. Kevin intrigued me as a character and Shyamalan made this story perfect for fanfics. Forgive me if this is oddly spaced, has changed some things so I'm not sure how it will turn out. Please review! Constructive criticism is always welcomed.

Chapter 1: Just a Dream
Breathlessly, Kevin Lupinski sat bolt up from his bed again. Another nightmare had interrupted his sleep. The window to his apartment over looking the city streets of Pennsylvania was open, letting in the night breeze. Still, despite the fall weather, he was drenched in sweat. Throwing was remained of covers off of him, he rose and walked to his window, opening it all the way so that he could lean on the sill and stick his head out. It was same street he had lived on since his parents had died, occasional dog barks from distant homes and car engines breaking the golden silence.
The simple thought of his parents made him blink several times to remember that they were no longer with him and never would be. When he heard news of the car accident, he had been working at the sanctuary. The Boss had called him over the walkie-talkie and told him to come back to the station and he did. There he found his eighteen year old self face to face with a police officer. He should have known something had happened, but he hadn't. And that didn't help him accept the accident. Soon after the funeral he used his ranger wages to rent an apartment. And there he was now, another nightmare waking him at three in the morning.

It was the same nightmare that had woken him since a month ago, but before it only occurred once every two weeks; now it occurred nightly. Every night it was nearly the same. He'd be walking in the sanctuary, and he'd see her at the end of a secluded path. She'd always be there, her unfocused eyes looking at him—no, in his direction. She was always there. Ivy. Then, he'd always start running towards her, but the more he ran, the farther away she became. But recently, the more he ran, the clearer Ivy's face became. In that sense, it was a dream. A very happy dream as he knew he yearned deep within him to see Ivy again. But never being able to reach her made the reoccurring dream a nightmare.

It wasn't so strange that Ivy was in his dreams or nightmare. She had appeared out of no where and left just as quickly. She lived in the woods where no one was allowed to enter and where planes were not allowed to fly over. What was strange is that the woods looked so familiar and so solid. He had never been inside them; it was the only rule set out before him by the Boss. Do not go into the woods. Do not let anyone else into the woods. Like he had told him the day Ivy had appeared; it was an easy gig.
Kevin sighed and partially closed the window before returning to his bed. The meaning of the dream had raised questions in his head. All his thoughts were unspoken, of course. He couldn't tell anyone about Ivy, not that he had many people to tell, and much less would he be able to tell his Boss. He had never told him about Ivy.

Since he still had the same route, he always slowed down in the place she had first appeared. It was almost as if he expected her to fall over the wall again. Maybe he just wanted her to.
The pocket watch she had given him lay on his bed side table. He had taken it to a shop and had been told he could fetch quiet a bit of money for it, but he hadn't been able to part with it. It was his only link to Ivy. It was the only thing that made her real. She was solid. He had helped her up the ladder, he had touched her. He was as real as he was.
He replayed the day often in his head. When he had returned, Ivy had been sitting against the wall, her hands wrapped around her knees in a protective position. She was mouthing some sort of song. When she heard the car, she had stood up. He still didn't know how she knew it was him; he guessed that she had simply assumed. He had set up the ladder for her and helped her up it. When she got to the last step, ready to climb back down on the other side, she turned to him.
"Thank you, Kevin, for being so kind. I will never forget you," Ivy had said, a soft smile on her lips. And then she was gone. He heard her land on the other side, and then after that there was no sound of motion for a minute or two. After those minutes he heard her take a few steps and then break into a run. He wished that she had said something else to him.
No one ever figured out who had taken or misplaced the medicine. Everything became as normal as it could become. No one questioned him anymore and his boss had forgotten about the day. Kevin had tried to find out more about the sanctuary, but all information was kept secret and he couldn't ask questions without being questioned.

As his thoughts drifted to the actual sanctuary, he wondered why he had not been told more. All he had been told is that it was a protected by the state and that it was their job to make sure no one disturbed the woods. It was quite mysterious but he had never questioned it until Ivy had appeared. What were they protecting? What was inside the woods he spent eight hours a day patrolling? Why were the woods so important? He had a lot of questions and he felt that they could all be answered by Ivy. If only she had lingered longer, if only she had been more willing to talk to him. She held answers.
Kevin sighed again as he turned over in his bed, covering himself with a few sheets. Ivy had the answer about the woods. He wanted the answers. As he closed his eyes his sleepy mind made his decision. He has to find Ivy.