Authors note: Hello All! I am not dead! Anyway, this is a prequel to me hopefully being much more active writing since school is over. Since none of the three chapters I have are finished quite yet I'm putting this out there to whet your appetites. Anyway, this is what I originally wrote for after Yume saw Ichika on T.V. But as much as I liked it, it didn't work at all with the story as I eventually envisioned it so I had to trash it. So reminder NON-CANON! Anyway, hope you enjoy and I'll hopefully have more for my real stuff up soon.

Not able to listen anymore, Yume turned off the TV and went to her room, hoping that sleep would banish her waking nightmares. But her thoughts kept her up for hours, thoughts of Ichika and what would happen to him. Eventually her fretting ended and she fell into a restless sleep. She saw dreams, so many dreams, all of them more horrific than the last. But then it changed.

Yume was sitting on the ground, hands around her legs rocking back and forth. She had been here before, she knew if she looked up there would be Ichika. But if she looked up, she knew something horrible would happen. He would die, be turned into ash, get stabbed a million times, or blown into pieces. Or it could be worse, the worst thing for her. All the others just meant she would die, but at least she wouldn't suffer. The worst dream was where he just looked at her, eyes flat, and turned away, leaving her alone forever.

So she didn't look up, not yet. She knew the longer she waited the worse it would be, but she just couldn't raise her head, not yet. Then something happened that she had never experienced. She heard taps, taps like walking. What was this? Her dreams were always silent except for her sobs. Tap tap tap, the noise stopped in front of her, but she wouldn't look up. It had to be something horrible, something so evil that she couldn't stand it.

Then there was a voice, one she could almost recognize. "Hey," it said, trying to get her attention. But she wouldn't look up; it was just a trick, a trick to hurt her more. Shaking her head, she rocked faster, wishing that it would end, so that she could finally sleep. But then something else happened.

There was a touch. It was a light one, just fingertips on her cheek. But it was warm, so warm and loving. She froze, not wanting to lose the warmth the fingertips provided. Then they pushed her head up, softly but insistent. So she raised her head, but she still didn't open her eyes, not believing what she desperately wished to be true.

Then the voice came again. "Hey," it said, "open your eyes."

Yume shook her head, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes, "No," she said, "I can't."

"Why not?" asked the voice, its tone kind and worried.

"Because," she said, her voice strangled.

"Because why?" it asked again.

"Because if I do something horrible will happen," she said.

"Why will something horrible happen?"

"Because that's what always happens."

"I see," said the voice, its tone inflective, "But what if this time is different?"

"It can't be," she said, fear in her voice, "Because if it's different…"

"What happens if it's different?"

"I might be happy…" she said.

"Why is that bad?"

"Because it won't be real," she said, tears coming out, "It will be fake and then I'll have to go back to being sad. So it's easier to not be happy."

"What if it was real happiness?"

Yume just shook her head at that, "I haven't had real happiness for seven years."

"Why?"

"Because my beloved is gone," she answered.

"Have you not tried to find another?"

"I could never. He is the only one I wish for. Being without him is like missing my heart."

"What if he has changed?"

"I don't care."

"What if he doesn't love you?"

"I still love him."

"What if he has forgotten you?"

"He-he hasn't," her voice quavering at that, "He promised, he promised me forever, so I will wait forever."

The voice was quiet at that, though the presence didn't leave and the fingers were still on her chin.

"I'm sorry," the voice finally said; regret clear in its tone.

"It's not your…" she began, but then the fingertips moved to her mouth.

"Yes it is," said the voice, getting closer, "and I'm sorry, Yume."

Her eyes almost flicked open, but then there was something warm and moist on her lips. Something she hadn't felt in a long time filled her and then escaped as pale pink wings formed behind her. It was only after the lips had withdrawn and the wings had faded that her eyes managed to slowly open, open and see the face of her love.

"I'm sorry Yume," said Ichika, his dark brown eyes staring into hers, "I'm sorry I asked those questions and had to leave you alone."

"Ichika-sama," she said, her voice full of tears as her shaking hand reached up to touch him, "I thought…"

Ichika gently took her hand and moved it to his cheek so she could touch him. "You thought what?" he said, "You thought that I forgot you?"

Yume didn't speak; she just jerkily nodded her head as tears rolled down her face.

"Silly Yume-nee," Ichika said, his voice pitched high, "I never forgot you."

Yume lost it then, throwing herself forward and wrapping her arms around Ichika's neck, causing him to fall on his butt as she bawled onto his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Ichika-sama," she said as she sobbed, "It was so hard, you were gone and I was all alone, but I could survive that. Then they showed you on the TV and said you would be with all those girls and I…"

"Shh," he said, as he wrapped her in his arms, patting her head gently, "It's my fault Yume, you didn't do anything wrong."

"Bu-but," she stammered, trying to form words through her emotions.

"Shh," Ichika said again, "It's ok Yume, I understand. I was a little kid, gone for seven years. Anybody would think that." A pause, "I should be asking for your forgiveness, I thought you might have forgotten me and found another. So I asked you all those horrible questions. But I was wrong, so very wrong. Can you forgive me?"

Yume just nodded into his shoulder, sobs slowing as he held her tight, his warmth and affection flowing into her. Eventually she stopped, but Ichika just held her, letting her soak in his presence. But just as the saying goes, all good things have to end and eventually he moved his arms and pushed her back.

"I'm sorry Yume," he said, wiping the last of the moisture from her face, "But something is telling me I have to go soon."

"I, I understand," she said, disappointment on her face even as she hated herself for wanting more.

"I'll come for you, just like I promised ok?" Ichika looked into her eyes as he said that.

"When?" she asked, her voice a sad whisper, "It's been so long already."

"I've got three years of school left," he said gently, "Then I'll be done and I'll come find you, ok?"

Three years, thought Yume, three years was a long time, but not as long as she had already waited. She could do that; she could hang on for three more years.

"Ok," she said with a small but sad smile on her face, "I'll wait for you Ichika-sama; I'll wait for you, forever and ever, right?"

"Yes Yume," he said with a matching smile on his face, "Forever and ever."

With that Ichika leaned over and gave her another light kiss, filling her with warmth once more. Then the feeling of his lips and her wings disappeared, leaving Yume drifting into a deep, comforting sleep.

Alright, that's it! Review's are always nice. Also, this one is not a story so don't expect lots of updates cause the stuff I decide to save yet not use is rare. See you soon!