Reaching Your Dreams

This is my first fic. Well I've written a few, just never posted/published any of them. It's a song fic. Inspired by Morning Morgan Town by Joni Mitchel. After Alek discovers her secret. The POV changes so Il put a … every time it changes. The song is very beautiful! You should listen to it! Oh and I know my fic isn't very well written, but please review, criticism wanted and welcome!

Disclaimer: Characters, song, nothing belongs to me. Though I wish I was the one to create a character as BAMF as Deryn Sharp. I bow down to Mr. Westerfeld, and his ability to create awesome characters.

Deryn was quietly humming a little tune while taking Tazza on his morning walk. He needed a lot of exercise, or so the lady boffin said. His serene highness walked by and heard her humming this little ditty and asked what it was.

"Deryn, what is that you're humming?" I haven't heard anything like it before.

"Of course you haven't it's a folk song, and I bet all you've ever had your ears listen to was that stuffy classical yackum."

alek ignored this comment because of his overwhelming curiosity about this folk music.

Would you kindly just tell me the title of the song?

"Fine. It's called Morning Morgan Town."

"Could you sing it for me?"

"Uhhh, well umm I-I," Deryn sputtered.

"Please, I won't make fun of you voice."

Truthfully, she knew her voice wasn't rubbish. In fact, she had a wonderful and beautiful singing voice. It was the talk of the town whenever they were holding festivals. Children, women, everyone would jabber on about what she would be singing. And when she would start for fun on the streets, people nearby would gather 'round, stopping what they were doing just to listen to her sing.

But barking spiders, to even think about singing this song in front of Alek was wracking her nerves. She was afraid about what she might happen to her if she did.

"Do you absolutely have to hear it?"

"Yes!"

"Fine, let's go to my room. I'm not bloody singing in front of the barking crew!"

…

As Deryn led Alek to her room he wondered, was she really that bad of a singer to be afraid to sing in public, or was she just shy? But he knows deryn better to know that she's scared of anything, or shy! She was too bold of a person to be shy. Perhaps it was because of her feelings…. towards…. Alek shakes his head, as if trying to shake the thought out of his brain into the air.

He heard a snort from deryn. "What are you laughing at!" He asks.

"Well when you shake your head like that it reminds me of a sniffer trying to dry off after a bath!"

"Hmmph, I do not enjoy being compared to your godless abominations."

"Aye your princeliness, I understand. But it doesn't mean that I'll ever stop." Deryn smirks.

Alek rolled his eyes attempting to look annoyed, but failed miserably. He had too big of a grin on his face to actually look upset.

They stepped into the middy's room and closed the door. They stood, and looked around aimlessly, as if trying to spot the source of awkwardness. Finally, Alek broke the silence and said,

"So, are you going to start now?"

"Start what?" Deryn asked with a feigned innocence.

"Singing!" Replied Alek anxiously, for some reason, unknown to him, he really wanted to hear this song. But, he also knows that he should be in the engine pod with Hoffman, helping to fix the pistons that had blown yesterday.

"Please start." Pleaded alek.

And so, quietly she did start, singing so softly he was scared to even move, as he might not be able to hear her through the rustle of clothing. Her voice was beautiful. Clear, light and whimsical, like the voice of a mermaid. No, more perfect than that. An angel.

When morning comes to Morgantown
The merchants roll their awnings down
The milk trucks make their morning rounds
In morning Morgantown

Deryn started to sing a little louder. With crisper consonants and vowels.

We'll rise up early, with the sun
To ride the bus while everyone is yawning
And the day is young
In morning Morgantown

Now she was truly into the song. Closing her eyes, and swaying to the waves of music she herself was creating. Alek could plainly see how happy she was, with that content, peaceful smile on her face. Alek found himself smiling as well, delighted to see a happiness he thought he would never see in her.

Morning Morgantown
Buy your dreams a dollar down
Morning any town you name
Morning's just the same

The song ended, and alek was sad to hear it fade into breathing.

"You have a wonderful voice, better than any of the royal Hapsburg singers." Deryn smiled, clearly pleased with his compliment.

Proudly she said, "Aye, your bloody right about that! I got invited to perform for the royal family, barking Queen Elizabeth herself! She said I had the voice of an angel."

"I agree. You looked like one too." Alek said, more to himself than aloud. Then a silence spread throughout the room that coated both their throats. A silence that felt impossible to break.

…

Abruptly, deryn's eyes began to water and she began to feel tears sliding down sliding down her face. Sobs threatened to wrack her body.

"What's wrong Deryn?" She could see worry and concern in his eyes.

"It's-it's, just-I-well," sobs interrupted her.

"It's okay, calm down. "He said, as he took her hand into his own. She held on to it tight.

She took a few deep breathes, and felt the sobs subside. And so she began her story, on why in bloody hell she started crying.