Hello!

I wish I could explain the exact reason I wrote this. The idea just occurred. Is that an explanation? Guess we'll never find out. Sad day, my Laytonesque pals.

Clive will probably seem a little OOC in this story; I apologize to the very core, but there is a reason for said OOCness. (Don't look now, it'll ruin it! Read it first!) Anyways, thanks for reading and Layton on! :)

I couldn't let myself fall into the darkness. That's what I told myself. As the hours grew thin, the light in the dank cave got darker, as to be expected. Not that it was lovely or anything. I found the partial dismissal of the lighting to be annoying after a while. My hands are bound together with small, but tight, rope and I find it hard to move them around. As much as I hate to admit it, I'd rather be going through an etiquette lecture with Luke right now, then being suspended up in the air, dangling over the edge of some stairs in what seemed to be a bottomless cave. There was no way I was going to admit that of course, granted I get free.

I don't know my exact reasoning for being placed in such a situation, but I suspected it had something to do with Flora. She was several staircases below me, watching as I struggled in mid-air to get free. She was free herself, I could tell. She would've been dangling above or below me if she wasn't. I had no idea how I was even being suspended. Why in the hell was I here? And something about Flora being free was unnerving to me. What was happening to her? Why were we both involved in whatever was going on?

Flora was shouting to me, but I couldn't hear her words. She was too far away. I could sense a strain in her voice as she kept shouting. Was she crying? How long had she been yelling, trying to get communication across to me? Was she okay? I could barely see her, but her dull orange dress and the ruby red ribbon she tied her hair back with was coming to an almost clear view. Crisp, even. As if I was being lowered. Was I?

"Clive!" Flora's shill cry was as clear as day that time. So I was being lowered. That explained one out of the hundreds of questions that filled my mind. "Clive! You're okay!" Flora said. This time, her voice was shaky. She was a few inches from the railing protecting an immediate death if she were to fall.

"Sort of," I muttered back, gesturing with my head to my hands. "Why am I here? Why are you here? What exactly is going on?"

Flora didn't answer me. She stepped back from the railing, her hands behind her back. She was biting her lip, something I'd only seen her do in situations where she was beyond nervous. Something was going on; I needed to find out what.

Flick. A large candle was suddenly lighted.

"Hello, Clive." This time, the voice wasn't from Flora. It was a much deeper voice and almost sounded like Hershel. I knew this to be false, though. Despite the things I did, Hershel would never do this to me. Or his daughter.

"That's kind of creepy, how you know my name. And I don't even know yours. What a true shame. And this is how you start off parties? You don't even introduce yourself? How rude. Unless you expect me to call you Mister?" Even I should've known that is not how you start off talking to someone who was trying to possibly kill you. Maybe if I would've given Luke's formal etiquette tape a listen or two, it would've told me. Lesson number one: When someone is about to kill you, sarcasm is the last place you should go. You shouldn't even think about it. I could imagine the tape after that just burning up into a million pieces and Luke trying to ground me for a month, until the professor would step in and kindly explain to Luke that he can't do such a thing.

The man with the deep voice chuckled. His voice was scratchy, and his chuckle made it even worse. It was wince worthy, and I wasn't one to wince. When he stepped up to the railing, all I could see was him holding Flora, and that his attire was mostly purple. It all made sense to me now why Flora didn't answer my question.

"What do you plan on doing with her?" I ask.

Another chuckle as a response.

"What do you plan on doing with her, Mister?" I repeated. Was this really happening? Had I stooped to such a low level? This man doesn't even know the things I was once capable of, and now I'm bowing down to his orders? Hell no.

"Now, now Clive. Be nice. Surely you haven't forgotten who I've got here?" He forces Flora towards the rail. She looks at me, helplessly, tears running down her face. She mouths something to me that I quite can't make out. What if it was important? I'd have her tell me later.

My lips form a mute line. "Don't." Flora widens her eyes in surprise at me. The aggressiveness must have gotten the better of me. More power to me, right? Literally.

"Someone's possessive of people."

"I can say the same for you," Shut up, Clive. Just shut up. You're not making this any better for yourself. You're going to get Flora hurt. Think about the candle or something. It's pretty big. Maybe come up with a puzzle about it? A battle of wits for old-times sake. How many droplets of water do you think it would take to put out that flame if it was at the beginning of it's lighting period? Okay, so, a battle of wits should probably be the last thing on my mind right now. Those days were over. They had been for a while now. And it was hardly even a battle; I blame it on the situation I'd been tossed in.

"You seem awfully calm."

"Can I know your name, please? It just isn't fair that we can't talk on a first name basis." Sometimes I wish I had a button that could shut me up whenever something wretched and foul was about to come out of my mouth. Even that blasted fake advice wasn't helping!

The man doesn't do anything to Flora this time and I let out a sigh of relief. "You can call me Don Paolo," he says, "or Paolo. Whichever you prefer."

"Paolo."

"Good, good. Now, should I call you Clive or Dove?"

At this point, Paolo could call me anything he wanted. He could call me Clive London Killer Dove for all I cared. Whatever helped get both Flora and I out of this. My arms are starting to get really sore; I wouldn't want them to fall off, of course.

"Whatever you prefer."

"Dove. No first name basis anymore." He grins evilly at me, as if it should hurt my feelings to the core. This guy seriously has no idea who he's dealing with. But he's got me suspending in a cave helplessly, so I guess he's actually doing a pretty good job.

Now it came down to the serious part. "Why am I here? Why is Flora here?"

Paolo shrugged his shoulders, "Layton," he sneered, "was nowhere in sight. I had to take out my anger on someone." He tightens his grip around Flora. "What's better than taking away his precious daughter and his favorite ex-criminal?"

"A lot of things, actually. Like the smell of Christmas trees and cake. And fresh strawberries on your pancakes in the morning. And hot coffee."

Craaack. Paolo pulls a lever, and whatever's suspending me, is lowering me farther into the cave. Well, that was the wrong answer. It stops after a twenty seconds and I'm faced with a vague view of Flora and Paolo.

"Stop! I've had enough of your pestering, Don Paolo!"

This came from Flora, who's voice was even shakier than before. Tears were still taking a merry stroll down the clear complexion of her face. This Don Paolo was definitely going to pay now. No one makes Flora cry, unless it's happy tears.

"That's cute, Clora, really."

Flora did her best to get out of Paolo's grip. "My name," she hissed, "is FLORA."

I've never seen Flora like this, and I was taking a pretty wild guess that Paolo never had either, because he was so taken aback that he actually let go of her. She grinned widely, raising a fist victoriously in the air.

"Flora, you're safe! Knock him out while you still can! And then pull that lever to let me up there!"

For some odd reason, Paolo stayed unmoving, his eyes wide in fear. Was Flora's unexpected reaction that much of a shock? I get that she's usually quiet and this is very unlike her, but Flora is full of surprises. You wouldn't be able to believe how many times she almost burnt down the flat in attempt to make a few scones for Hershel. If you're wanting an exact number, it's fifteen. We eventually started to befriend the fire department after the sixth time.

"I don't know if I can, Clive!" Flora's voice was full of worry and it could easily be sensed.

What could I do to make her believe? It wasn't as if everything was going to be alright with a snap. Not for me, anyways. My hands were a little tied up at the moment. "Why don't you think that you can?" My voice echoed throughout the cave. "He seems pretty still to me right now." Paolo hadn't blinked for five minutes; it was starting to freak me out. It was as if he was frozen or something. "You can do it! I believe in you!"

Flora stayed silent for a moment, "Do you really think so?"

"Yes!"

"O-Okay...but only because I–" Between punching the frozen Paolo square in the jaw and pulling the lever, her words were drowned out. I could hear the sound of Paolo hitting the floor and I couldn't help but grin; Flora was really full of surprises, tonight. And I was starting to like them more and more.

I started to float upwards towards the ceiling of the cave. Flora pulls the lever once more so it stops just as she sees me. The distance between us is a mere ten or twelve feet, and I'm not really sure how to get over to her.

"Kick," Flora says to me. "I'll grab on to your legs. Don't worry, you'll be fine."

"Shouldn't I be saying that to you?"

Flora shoots me a toothy grin, "Look at yourself," she says with a giggle. "I think you're in more trouble than I am! Now kick!"

I chose to not question her any further, seeing as this whole new ordering schtick didn't seem to be going away. "Alright, alright. Give me a second, will you? My whole body is in agonizing pain, you know. I really feel like this rope is going to give out at any moment."

Another surprising giggle, "Sorry."

I start to move my bound hands, thinking it would make me swing a little bit. Then, with the little energy I had left, I start to swing my dangling legs. It takes four tries, but finally Flora catches my feet and pulls me towards her. I gathered whatever had me held up in the air was something portable and electronic since it moved with me.

"Be careful," Flora warns, "the cave floor is wet."

The first thing I noticed when landing properly on the cave floor was that Flora's clear face wasn't clear anymore. "Is that a bruise? Did Paolo touch you?"

Flora suddenly blushes, touching the sides of her face. "I...I don't think so. I did fall, though. It's probably just some dirt. Honestly, Clive, stop worrying about me and worry about yourself for once; your hands are still tied up!" The falling statement was looking to be truthful as I took a double take of Flora. Dirt was all over her dress, and it looked as if it was caked in her hair.

Flora's words were frantic and almost gibberish, as if she couldn't talk any faster if she tried. What was up with her? That had me thinking for quite a bit, but the thoughts dissipated into thin air when she stood on her tiptoes to reach my hands. She cupped my bound hands in her own and tried to push them down to help untie the mess. The attempt was futile, which led her to blush more. Paolo must've been an expert knot tier in Boy Scout camp.

"S-Sorry, I just thought if I..." she trailed off.

"Must be a heavy device," I say to her. "Just in case, though," I mutter, trying to bring my hands down. Unexpectedly, my hands drop just above my chest. Flora threw me a glance. "Maybe not?" I say with a shrug. Well, I tried to shrug anyways.

Flora shakes her head and then gives me a warm smile. "Let me help you untie that."

I nodded, "I'll try and help you if I can."

"Only if it won't hurt you," Flora replies, returning the nod. She cups my hands again, her face turning the lovely shade of crimson it had before. "Sorry if this is awkward, I can't really help it."

"Not at all."

"G-Good." Flora tightens her grip and starts to work on the huge knot left by Paolo. "I was really scared for you, Clive." she says quietly after a while. Four out of what seemed like a hundred tiny ropes were unraveled around my hands. A partial weight had been lifted off, and it felt great.

"I was scared for you, too." A sudden thought struck me. I wasn't able to make what she'd mouthed to me earlier. Or hear what she said after knocking out Paolo and pulling the lever. Perhaps the two were connected somehow? "Hey, Flora."

Flora stops her work and looks up at me for a second. My heart literally skipped a beat. Her lips were parted ever so carefully and the dirt in hair was almost shimmering. In that moment she looked beautiful. "What is it, Clive?" She continues at unraveling the tiny ropes.

I couldn't stop staring. My mouth couldn't form words. My hands were getting sweaty and it wasn't because they had been tied up for so long.

"Clive?" Flora asks.

"S-Sorry! I was, uh...Well...earlier. You mouthed something to me."

Flora stops the rope work again. "I did," she squeaks. There's that squeakiness I knew and loved.

"I didn't quite catch it. Also, after you punched out Paolo, which I must say was quite impressive, you said something I couldn't hear very well. Were they connected by any means?"

Flora nods her head meekly. "They were," More squeaks and a curious biting of her lower lip. She was beyond nervous.

"Do I get to know what it was?" If Flora bit her lip any harder it was going to start bleeding.

Flora returned to her work on the ropes, not looking me in the eyes. She closes her eyes and lets out a big sigh. "Do you really want to know what it was?"

Something was definitely up. She must've said something really important. "Well...Kind of, yeah. Sounded important."

For a third time, Flora stops her work on the ropes. She doesn't let go of my hands, but holds them tighter. "I wish you would've just heard me before." She mutters. Flora opens her eyes and looks straight into mine. "Clive, I lo–" and then she freezes. Not just because she was nervous. She was literally frozen to the spot where she stood. Her mouth was still open, her hands still wrapped around my entangled ones.

"Clive, wake up. You've been sleeping for five hours! You said you were just taking a cat nap!"

What was going on? Who was that? It sounded exactly like–

"The professor said you needed to be ready in twenty minutes! Luke can only hold down his hunger for so long and you know it! You've got to get up!"

Everything went dark, and all of a sudden I could feel my shoulders being shaken about in every which way. And for some odd reason, my hands felt like they weren't tied anymore...like everything was fine. And then I opened my eyes.

"Now you're awake!" Flora grinned at me. "You need to get up! Or were you ignoring me?"

I was in my bed. I instantly moved my hands around. They felt fine. There were no assumed rope marks or blood; anything of the sort. I held them closely to my face. What the heck happened? Was that all a dream?

"What are you...doing, Clive? Is everything alright?"

"I...I had a dream."

Flora sat on the edge of the bed, taking one of the hands I had in front of my face and setting it down at my side. "What about?"

"You and I were in a cave. I was suspending from something...and you were being held captive by Don Paolo."

Flora raises her eyebrows at me as if I had gone crazy. "Don Paolo?" she mutters thoughtfully, "Why him of all people? That's a little crazy!"

I had been pondering this myself since I realized I wasn't in this dream fall anymore. Then I remembered an annoying little child yesterday trying to scare me with stories of a man with an atrocious mustache who seemed to like playing dress up quite a bit.

"Luke...This is all his fault."

"Huh? Luke?"

"He was telling me stories about the adventures you had and how Paolo was always in some sort of disguise." It was all becoming clear, now. Luke told me, in very vivid detail I might add, the adventure of how Flora was kidnapped by Paolo and then locked in a barn. I unwillingly sat myself up in the bed, stretching my arms and yawning. The little runt was going to pay for this.

Flora was suppressing a giggle, I could tell. "Laugh all you want," I say with a smirk, "But you told me something interesting things in my dream. And saved my life. You should be proud of the dream you, Flora."

"Dream...me?" Flora asked, pointing to herself. It was obvious now that she was getting flustered. "And...w-what exactly did I say?"

Someone wasn't laughing anymore.

"You were scared for me."

Flora blushed a shade of crimson. "Well, if you were hurt, yeah! There wouldn't be a doubt that I would be scared!" She began to twiddle her thumbs awkwardly, purposefully avoiding my gaze.

I took a hold of her hands. "I was scared for you, too."

"Well, I'd hope so," Flora muttered.

"I love you."

Flora jumped from the bed. "W-What? I didn't hear that very well."

I smirked, "You were going to say that to me in my dream as well...but then you froze."

Flora's voice was full of what seemed like sadness."O-Oh..."

"I thought you didn't hear what I said?"

"I-I did after a few seconds..." Flora managed to sputter.

"You sound disappointed."

Flora's cheeks flared. "H-Huh!? What do you mean? I'm fine!"

"No you're not."

"Yes I am, Clive! Now get up! Everyone wants you in the living room!" She looks ready to storm out of the room and I knew I had to stop her.

Before she can go any further, I grab her by the hands again and force her to sit next to me on my bed.

"What are you–" Flora started to say. My lips crushed against hers, making her unable to finish her sentence. I grin into her lips when I don't see her pushing away.

Finally, she breaks the kiss. "What was that?" she says breathlessly. Her face is glowing and her hands scramble to cover her blood red cheeks.

"A kiss," I say with a bit of sarcastic tone. "Because it's obvious that you weren't fine. Oh, and guess what?" I can tell that Flora is doing her best to suppress a huge grin.

"W-What? Flora stammers.

"I love you, too," I say with a wink.

Flora's jaw drops. "I-I never said that." She looks to the door, and then back to me.

"You sort of did. In a way."

She flicks my shoulder. "Whatever."

I grin. "Well, I supposed I should get dressed now. And you should probably go. Unless you want to see a show?" Another wink. Flora's face is growing redder as the moments go on.

"Definitely not!" she mumbles, shooting me a look.

"Fine, fine. I'll see you when I get dressed, okay?" I say softly.

Flora nods at me, getting up from the bed. She walks slowly towards the door, turning the knob slightly before turning around and facing me once more. "Clive?" she asks.

"Yes?" What was she going to say? The possibilities were endless.

She clears her throat and gives me one of those world changing smiles of hers. "I love you." She blushes and then flashes out of the room, shutting the door behind herself with a loud thud. I could hear her giggle to herself, and I can't help but smile.

"I knew it, Flora Reinhold!" I yell after her.

"Get dressed!" I heard Luke shout angrily from the living room.

What? A dream? That's why Clive was acting all OOC. Or was he? Hmm. Choices, choices. The answer is up to you.

Finishing this actually took me a while...I kept changing things, and then I was unsatisfied. But in the end, I really like it. This is also one of my longest one-shots so far. So, yahoo, I guess. And stuff pertaining all that...stuff.

I love writing sarcastic Clive. He can be pretty freaking funny when he wants to be. Sarcastic Clive is best Clive. ;) Once again, thanks for reading, guys!