Disclaimer: Oh please. If I owned Maximum Ride, Fang and Max would already be married, living back in the E house in Colorado, with 1.5 kids.
AN: Guys, review please! I've had, like, only one to three reviews in my previous Max Ride one-shots. I wanna know if I'm good, way good, or just plain bad!
Tearful Dreams
Ari knew he was dreaming.
The pain from the operation was far away, shoved to the back of his subconscious.
And best of all, shewas there.
Ari felt tears welling up in his eyes as he ran into her arms. She embraced him, one hand gently stroking his back, the other on his hair. He rested his chin on her shoulder, breathing in the warm, familiar scent.
"I miss you so much," he whispered, the tears trickling down his face.
She pulled back slightly, cupping one cheek in her hand. She tenderly smoothed her thumb over his cheek, wiping away a tear. "Oh my love," she said softly, "I miss you too."
"I wish you were still here," Ari said quietly. Was it possible to feel this way? He was so happy to see her, and yet, so sad at the same time.
She enveloped him once more in a hug. "Not a day goes by when I don't wish with all my heart that you and I were not apart, my dear boy," she replied sadly. "But we cannot change the unchangeable, no matter how hard we wish."
"Take me with you," Ari begged, the tears streaming down his face. "Please, I don't want to go back."
A single tear escaped from her eye, snaking a path down the smooth, porcelain surface of her cheek. "I can't. It isn't your time. Not yet."
"But I don't want to stay," Ari sobbed. "It's so hard…"
She tightened her hold on him, soothingly stroking his hair. "I am so sorry, my darling. I'm sorry that I can't save you." She gently pressed a kiss to his forehead.
"I don't want to be alone anymore."
"You never will," she said softly. "Remember, no matter what happens, I will always be with you in here." She gently touched his chest, right where his heart thumped inside. "Forever."
"I love you, Mommy," Ari whispered.
She kissed his forehead again, then gave him another hug. "I love you too, Ari, my son."