Moonlight, Starshine
Summary: One thousand words aren't enough to describe the world of love between the two of them. OneShot.
Warning: -
Set: Story-unrelated
Disclaimer: Standards apply.
For Snowlia, in good and bad times. And for nakimia, who really makes me smile.
Darkness. Contorted faces, screaming figures.
Fear, overwhelming fear.
"Sarah?"
Light trough the crack in the door. One lamp. A soft glow. Softer shadows, softer darkness. A table laden with books. Pens. A Pentagram. Two unlit candles.
Chaos.
Protection.
"What is it, little one? Can't you sleep?"
"No."
"Those dreams again?"
Tears.
"Come here."
Warm arms, soft skin. A familiar scent.
Pale blue eyes, brown, short hair.
"You too, yes."
Hands that don't hesitate to touch a manifested shadow.
Sarah equals warmth equals security equals love.
"Hey, Alex. Can you see the moon? Isn't it beautiful tonight?"
"Why is it only half?"
A musical laugh.
"Do you know what the moon is made of?"
"No."
"It's made of cheese. And every night, a family of mice comes to eat a little bit more of it…"
Grey eyes, wide with wonder.
"Really?"
"Hm-hm."
"What happens when they have eaten it all?"
"They come down to earth and visit the children who cannot sleep. They tell them stories and sing songs. They visit the lonely ones and the sad ones and ease their pain. They do this for a few weeks, and all that time, the cheese grows again. And when they have done their job, they return to the sky and feast on the new cheese, exhausted and happy."
"Who makes the cheese grow again?"
"Every child they help becomes happy again. And the children's happiness forms into a piece of heavenly cheese for the good mice."
Silence. Warm lamp-light. The soft ticking of the clock.
"Sarah?"
"Yes?"
"Do the mice visit me, too?"
"Who knows? Maybe…"
A gentle kiss.
Moonlight. Starshine.
Falling asleep in Sarah's arms.
Crackling fire. Scented air.
Cookies on the table. Hot chocolate. A tiny Christmas tree.
"Alex!"
"What?"
"Stop eating the cookies and give me a hand!"
Mind-reading abilities.
"I'm not eating the cookies!"
"Okay then, stop eating the cookie dough. Quick, take this…"
"What's that?"
"It's a goose, don't you see it!"
Laughter.
"What are we doing with a goose?"
Indignation.
"Well, it's a Christmas Goose, of course!"
Hands on hips.
"Sarah… I don't think it ought to be alive."
Surprise.
"It shouldn't?"
"Sarah, it's supposed to be a meal. Christmas Goose, you know…"
"Oh."
Blushing.
Hair-rustling, foot-stepping.
More laughter.
"Sarah, you're terrible."
"Stop laughing!"
A suspicious smell.
"Does it smell burnt?"
"Oh my God! The cookies in the oven! Quick, Alex!"
Silence. Staring. More laughing.
"I messed that one up, didn't I?"
"You are a mess, Sarah. It's a wonder the house hasn't burned down yet."
"You cheeky little witch…"
Slamming doors, running feet. Panting breath. A broken flower vase. A tickling attack on the floor of the living-room.
"Mercy!"
"I'm not stopping until you confess to me being the best big sister in the entire world!"
"Sarah…"
"Say it!"
"Sarah… The goose is eating the cookies."
Silent night. Holy night.
Spending Christmas with each other.
Warm sun. Blue sky. Hot summer, hot heads.
"SARAH!"
No answer.
"SARAH! I know you're awake!"
Silence.
"Sarah! Don't try to hide, I know you're there!"
The bathroom-door opening. A deafening roar.
"There you are!"
"Alex! What's the matter?"
Paper, crushed in a children's fist. Blazing eyes. Dark anger.
"You enrolled me in another school!"
Defense.
"Well, you're twelve years old, you have to go to school…"
"Did you forget what happened the last time? How can you even consider making me go back to such a place?"
"It's not the same school, Alex, there are other teachers and students and you'll be able to start again. It will be like nothing ever happened, and…"
"The hell it will be!"
Explosion.
"I'm not going there! You can't make me!"
"Young lady, I can…"
"I'll rather kill myself than going there!"
Shocked silence. Grey eyes, wide with terror. Immediate regret, stubborn belief.
"Sarah, you know what will happen! I'm not going to let that happen again! I'd rather stay alone for the rest of my life! I don't know why you stay, you're in danger as well! You'd better leave me alone!"
More silence.
Then:
"You don't mean that, Alex."
"Try me! Just leave!"
A sigh. Eyes that have seen much more than is appropriate for their age. A warm embrace, a hand that washes away tears gently.
"I'll never leave you, Alex. Okay. If you feel about it that way you don't have to go to school. We'll continue with the home-schooling until further knowledge."
"'Kay."
Embraces, ice cream and water fights.
Watching the stars from the attic together, lying on the cool floor.
Loneliness.
An empty table. A sterile kitchen.
A plate full of food in front of an empty chair.
Silence, suddenly heavy to breathe. The threatening ticking of the grandfathers' clock. The wind outside, the creaking of wood, the bark of the neighbor's dog.
A picture frame sports a broken glass.
Nightmares return.
Not a promise. A thin voice.
Only a shadow listens.
"I'll bring her back."
Fear, insecurity.
Seeing the world fall apart in an empty house.
Words aren't enough to describe the world of love between the two of them.
Repetition.
Déja Vu.
A dark room, a dark hallway.
Shadows lurk behind the curtains.
A light in the living-room. The sound of a person breathing.
An empty table. No books, no candles. No pens, no paper, no pentagram.
Short, red and blond hair. An aged face.
A different world and yet the same person.
Asleep on the sofa.
Labored breathing and nervous tossing. Sweat on a forehead. A grimace of concentration. Clenched teeth. Clenched fists.
Back and still gone.
But alive.
A blanket. An arm as a pillow, a shoulder as an anchor.
Warmth grows.
Silence envelops.
Nightmares flee.
A panicky voice.
"Alex?"
"I'm here, Sarah."
Two arms, holding her as tight as possible.
"Stay here."
"You too."
Soft silence. A movement of a hand, a whispered word. The lamp extinguishes. The cloudy sky breaks open.
Two sisters fall asleep.
Moonlight, Starshine.
We beg you: watch over them.