A Romance Of The Mind

David felt lost without Sydney. She did too. Their relationship had always been one in which they could function, Safe in the corners of their mind.

Until now.

Prologue

The first time they actually touched was thanks to Cary's treatment. For David it was a device, for Sydney it took a bit longer to develop an antidote. Could it be called that?

They could always go back to the White Room. They'd hide in David's room. Sat next to each other but never touched. Not physically anyway.

David had called it a romance of the mind. And for a long time, it really was.

That was until Cary managed for Sydney to be close to David, to anyone for the first time in her life.

"Syd?"

"I'm not sure about this." She'd told him. "What if this doesn't work... what if…"

"There are a lot of if's for a lot of things." David said. He had been assuming most of them since knowing the truth about who he was. "Like what if the Shadow King hadn't tried to get to me? Or what if I'd never met you?" He smiled softly. "We promised we'd at least try, right?" Sydney nodded.

"I just…" her lip quibbled. "I just don't want to lose us. What we have."

Cary instantly gazed at Kerry. "Babe…" David sighed.

"Trust me." He answered back. "Please Syd."

She didn't to be told twice. Ever since meeting David she'd been able to see him succeed in regards of his abilities. He'd gone from disbelief to finally finding himself and being able to control them.

Sydney wanted that too and according to Cary, this was meant to work. Not enough to strip her off her abilities just enough for her to experience life at its fullest without pain.

"Are you ready?" Cary asked. Sydney glanced at David. His smile was reassuring. Just like everything else was about him was to her.

"I'm here baby." He told her sweetly. He leaned his head, inches from hers.

They still couldn't touch.

Not yet.

Sydney took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Memories of her and David in the White Room flooded her mind.

"I'm here, I'm real."

Who teaches us to be normal when we're one of a kind? Just promise me, if you get lost, we get lost together.

"Mommy! Mommy help me!" The cry of a desperate child filled the room. Steps were instantly heard on the other side of the door, cries became whimpers as the boy spotted his mother.

"Luke baby, what is it?" She asked softly. She touched his arm reassuringly. "Bad dream again?" He nodded.

"Come here." She scooted into bed and held him close, his clothes were damp. "Want to tell me about it?" The little boy waved his head.

"Can I go sleep in your bed?" She bit her lip. They couldn't keep going like this but she knew it wasn't the child's fault. "Baby…"

"What's going on here?" A voice said from the door. Matching blue eyes met for a moment. "Everything okay?"

"Someone's having nightmares again."

"I'm sorry." Luke lowered his head embarrassed.

"Hey." His father moved to the bed, shared a glanced with his mother and knelt in front of him. He was a bit warm. He closed his eyes. "Never apologize for that buddy, alright? Mommy and I will never let anything bad happen to you."

"Promise?"

Sydney?" Cary asked. "Are you okay?"

"Did it work?" She asked. She had to brush off the feeling in her chest. Her and David with a…

"We're about to find out." Sydney moved to look at David as he knelt in front of her. Oh he was just so sweet. She really didn't deserve him.

"Slowly at first, okay?" He said. She swallowed hard. "If it's too much Syd..."

"I'll tell you." She smiled. He moved his hand to touch hers. Gloves long forgotten.

Sydney closed her eyes once more. And then she felt it. Him.

The warmth of his touch. It wasn't an illusion.

"How do you feel?" Cary asked.

She felt tears stain her cheeks. "David.."

"I know baby." David held her tighter. "Can I try something?" He blinked a couple times, not wanting to push her.

"What?"

"Is it going to be something disgusting? Kerry asked rolling her eyes. David glared at her.

"Go ahead." Sydney told him. Not wanting to let go of his hand. He leaned his lips to her hand and kissed it.

Oh, it was the sweetest feeling, a feeling as beautiful as the one she'd felt when they'd' been together for the first time.

"I am still not sure how long the effects last." Cary told them. "And I also don't want you to push your body more than you need to," He shared a glance with David. "Let's take it slow."

That night she laid next to David, in their bed like any other night. A cushion between them. She was looking at him as he slept. She wanted to reach for him, only her hands were naked and she wasn't sure just how effective Cary's drug was. "What are you thinking about?" David asked softly.

"Arent you suppoused to know?" She arched an eyebrow.

"Not if I don't want to."

"You seem to want to." She replied. He chuckled.

"Funny, okay, but I'd rather you told me."

Sydney bit her lip. "Remember you said we could actually live happily ever after?" David nodded. "What if we actually could."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you want children?" There, she'd said it. And his face didn't register what she'd said, not right away.

"Do you?"

"With you, I do." She said without thinking. "I want everything, all of it with you babe, you know that, I love you more than anything."

"You had a vision didn't you?" She raised her head. "You saw something."

"How do you…"

"Because I've had them too." David confessed. "I fantasize about what it would be to be a normal human being." He smiled grimly. "Pathetic, huh?"

"Hey, don't say that. Not to me." She scolded him. She wanted to kiss him. Her body was begging her for some contact. "David…"

"What?"

"I want to try again." It wasn't a question. He looked puzzled for a moment. They hadn't done anything beyond making out and holding hands but he didn't want to push it.

"Please babe, you've been patient, for such a long time, and I just…"

"Syd, I don't think we should. You heard what Cary said."

"I don't care." She said quickly, "Please, I can take it."

David debated with himself for a moment. He moved his hand to the nightstand were a bag rested. Cary had made enough of the drug for a few tries but they had just tested it hours before.

"Are you sure?"

"We promised we'd try, didn't we?" She heard her say, he nodded and sat up straight on the bed, taking the small bottle with blue liquid and a syringe.

"I love you."

"I love you Syd."

If being together with David in the White Room had been mind blowing for Sydney, it really didn't compare to the real thing. The moment she felt him being one with her, inside her. Everything she'd known changed forever.

"Syd?" She hadn't realized she'd been crying. "Do you want me to stop?" He looked genuinely worried.

"No. Don't you dare stop. I just…I've never thought I'd be with you beyond, you know our minds and it scares me."

She had to be honest. She had never lied to him. She couldn't.

"I would never hurt you Sydney." He told her. She felt him kiss her hand and then lowered his face to her lips. She granted him access, tasting his own tears.

She didn't like to feel this helpless, not ever but as she kissed him, she did not want to lose the feeling of being close to him.

She needed it.

David felt a warm body next to him, curled up in a ball, stains of dry tears the only evidence of the nightmare that had been the night before. Next to he small body was Sydney. She was just as peacefully sleeping. He didn't dare to wake them.

"Babe?"

"Did I wake you?" He turned to face her.

"No, the baby…he or she thinks my bladder is there for its own amusement." David smiled.

"I'm sorry."

"You should be. It's your fault." She smiled.

"No, no baby. I seem to remember you were there too." He gazed at her playfully.

She turned serious. "David, what are we going to do about the nightmares? He can't keep going like this." David started at the little boy between them.

"I'll work with him." He told her. "It's a process Syd. He'll learn to control it in time. "

"How much time?"

"Don't go mama bear on me baby. Soon, I promise."

"I just, I hate too see him looking so scared, he reminds me of…"

"Me? Yeah, my abilities could be pretty scary. He could be."

They felt the little boy stir between them.

"Good morning sleepyhead." Sydney brushed the blonde curls away from his face.

"Hi." Luke stared at them. "Can we have breakfast?"

"Of course, are you feeling better?" He nodded.

"Lets go then." Sydney kissed his forehead. "It's daddy's turn to make us something." David made a face which caused Luke to giggle.

"Pancakes?" He asked.

"With cherry?"

"Is there any other way?" He got out of bed following Sydney's lead, grabbing the little boy by the waist as he went. Only to lift him on his shoulders as he giggled.

"Babe?" Sydney asked. David opened his eyes to stare at her. "Are you okay?" His eyes were blank. "David?"

"Syd, do you know that thing you said about having kids?" She frowned.

"Yeah?"

"Lets think about that."