Get yer popcorn and soda, folks, for thar be a long chapter yonder way!

(Hiei's POV by me and Kurama's POV by MyImpossibleLove)

Previously:

I wipe my eyes again and pull the blanket off my head, looking at my wrist in the light coming through the window from the same streetlamp. The marks are gone... Was I hallucinating...?

I turn on my side and glance around the room. I feel like someone's watching me...

I swallow again and feel my eyelids starting to get heavy.

After a few moments of suspiciously scanning the room with my eyes, I finally give in to exhaustion and close them, falling asleep within seconds.

((Jessica's POV))

Taking a deep breath, I decide she should have fallen asleep at this point. Closing my eyes, I try to focus as hard as I can on entering her dream. After a few moments, her dream starts to take shape in my mind.

...It's working! Now... Where is she...?

Looking around the darkness, I see her standing with her back towards me. Walking toward her, I call out her name. "Julia!"

I look up from staring at the little red rose in my hands and turn around tiredly towards a familiar voice.

"Jessica...?" My voice is somewhat hoarse.

I haven't dreamt about her in almost a year...

A sad smile forms on my face as I approach her, stopping in front of her. "Yes... It's me..."

Reaching out, I pet her hair comfortingly. After a second, I take a deep breath. "Julia...You have to listen closely to me and remember what I'm about to tell you, okay...?"

I reach my hands out toward her, offering her my rose. "What is it...?" I look at her curiously.

I let out a small giggle and take the small red rose from her gently. Petting the velvet petals delicately with my fingertips, I look back into her eyes, "I am a ghost, and I've been watching over you since I died..."

I let out a sad sigh, "I know it's hard... But you need to be strong for me, okay...?"

Reaching out, I take her hand and give a soft squeeze before smiling a bit, "I've met Hiei... And Kurama is here, too. I convinced Kurama to come here to speak with you..."

I look down at the black nothingness of a floor and sigh sadly. "The last time you said that... I woke up and there was no one there... like usual..."

I gently pull my hand away from hers and sit down, pulling my knees to my chest and hiding my face in them.

"I want to sleep forever..." I look up at her through teary eyes. I do nothing but cry now...

"You never came... No matter how much I prayed to God, or sent you letters... You'd never visit me in my dreams... I've been so lonely, and I want to die..." I close my eyes and hide my face again.

The tears in her eyes cause a painful tightness in my chest. "I'm sorry... I promise you... I'm here..."

Knealing down beside her, I wipe the tears from her eyes gently, "Please believe me... I've been here for you. I just couldn't contact you before... And I've been reading your letters."

Letting out a heavy sigh, I feel tears starting to form behind my eyes. "Kurama really is here... But you need to get some way for us to contact you. Maybe a oujia board or something would work..."

I pause for a moment, thinking. "...Maybe Kurama could enter your dreams as well. I'm not sure..."

I look over at her, probably with a hopeless expression."Fine..." I wipe my eyes again.

"I... I never leave the house, unless it's to visit you... But I guess I'll get a ouija board..." I look down, feeling silly.

This is probably just my own mind talking to me again... But I'll do anything to try to contact her...

"But... Kurama isn't real... And he'll never love me... He's just an anime character... I've accepted those facts..." I stand up and blink upwards, where a sky should be. I concentrate a bit, and have millions of stars and a large, full moon appear above the both of us. I give myself a small smile.

The only good thing about lucid dreaming...

I let out a small huff, "He is real... I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't caught Hiei following me..."

Looking up, I gaze out at the millions of stars, smiling a bit. "...You know what...?"

Looking back down at her, I give her a cute wink. "I'll prove it to you. I'll get Kurama to enter your dream. Wait here for me... I won't be long."

Leaning over her I give her a kiss on her forehead, before smiling back at her and disappearing from her dream.

Blinking open my eyes, I glance around a bit, disoriented. When my eyes fall on Kurama, I grip his shoudlers, mostly to steady myself but also to get his attention. "Kurama... Enter her dream please..."

I felt so tired; like I had been running for miles.

He looks back at me in surprise, "...What?"

Narrowing my eyes at him I feel a bit frustrated. Why do I have to explain myself to him when I feel so freaking drained?

"She doesn't believe me that you're real... Please go into her dream and talk to her...!" I exclaimed, feeling like the room's spinning.

Kurama blinks at me for a moment but nods after taking a deep breath. "Alright..."

He moves closer to her and closes his eyes, appearing to try to focus. Swallowing dryly, I shakily back away and collapse onto the floor. Leaning my back against the wall, I feel so incredibly weak. My eyes fall on Hiei, my vison fading in and out.

Hiei walks over to me, kneeling beside me. "It can be quite draining... You should wait a few days before you try that again."

I raise a brow at him, curiously. "...What...? How do you know...?"

He furrows his brows at me and gives a short sigh. "Because I had to do the same when I entered your dreams,"

Blinking at him in surprise, I stay silent for a moment before finally speaking. "...You were... Entering my dreams? ...But why...?"

Does that mean... The few times I dreamt of him. That was really him...?

((Hiei's POV))

I blink at her, and decide to take a seat next to her. I suppose I should tell her...

"Out of curiousity, I've been following you since just before you died... Entering your dreams was part of that. I wanted to know if humans know when their ends are coming..."

It isn't a complete lie...

Blinking at him dully, I get the feeling he isn't telling the complete truth. "...Really? Then the dreams I had of you... They were really you?"

I pause for a moment and narrow my eyes at him suspiciously, "Wait a minute...You were breaking the rules. Why would you break the rules just because you were curious...? Especially when there's so many humans in your own dimension that you could do the same with without breaking any rules..."

...What's he hiding...?

I glance down at the floor. "Yes, it was really me,"

I lean back against the wall, shoving my hands into my pockets habitually.

"I find you different than most humans... Much more interesting." I lean my head against the wall as well.

Staring at him for a moment, I start to get butterflies from how close he is to me. Scoffing slightly, I look down at my lap, "I'm nothing special; trust me... But, if that was really you..."

I look back at him curiously, "...Well, I embraced you in one of them... I held your hand, too, and you never put up a fuss about it..."

I feel my face flush a bit, remembering the dream where I embraced him.

Not only did I embrace him... But I also nuzzled and kissed his neck...

I sigh again, feeling my face flush in the tiniest bit, but I don't say anything back.

Which is probably a bad idea... But how am I supposed to admit that I... enjoyed it?

I raise my right knee and prop my arm on it.

I eye him and let out a long, heavy sigh when I realize he isn't going to say anything back. "Alright, you don't have to say anything. You don't need to..."

Looking away from him I fold my arms across my chest sadly. "I already know that you didn't like it..."

I close my eyes to try to hide the tears forming behind my eyes.

That's why he rarely ever entered my dreams... And why he never spoke to me...

I didn't know why I felt so sad suddenly... Maybe having the energy drained out of me made me more emotional. I let out another heavy sigh and opened my eyes to stare down at the rug under Julia's bed.

I sigh again for what feels like the hundredth time tonight when I pick up on her sudden change in mood. "If I didn't like it... I wouldn't have let you, would I?"

I keep my gaze turned away from her, slightly wondering what her reaction is going to be.

I freeze briefly after hearing his words and think them over for a moment. Looking back at him, I eye him nervously, "...So... You liked it, then...?"

I know I have to be blushing now, but I try to ignore it.

I decide to slowly turn my head to look at her, and attempt to not show any signs of anxiety. I try not to snap at her, but it's a nervous habit. "Isn't that what I just said?"

Almost instantly taken aback but him snapping at me, I can only stare at him. I start to tear up a bit, and quickly look away from him before letting myself float backwards through the wall.

...Well... I'm glad, but at the same time he didn't have to snap at me...

Giving Julia one last look, I let out a sigh and float off into the sky.

...I hope Julia will feel a little bit better now...

-Meanwhile-

I lie on my back, looking to the fake sky that I've created. I close my eyes and add in the chirping of a few crickets, but open them back up when I feel someone nearby. I sit up slightly, and widen my eyes a bit at who it is.

What's he doing here...? Was that really Jessica...?

((Kurama's POV))

After spotting her, I began to walk toward her, shoving my hands in my pockets. "So, then... You are Julia?"

I nod slightly and look down, not saying anything.

He must think I'm pathetic... I didn't want to have to meet him this way...

I decide to sit beside her and look up at the stars. "...Your friend seems to really care about you. She sought me out to comfort you..."

I swallow and blush a little from his close proximity. "Yeah... That sounds like her..."

I sigh softly and look down again at the black floor. "I'm sorry you have to do this... I'm pathetic... I just want to die and get it over with..."

I glance over at her and shake my head sadly. "Don't apologize. After I saw you in your kitchen tonight..."

I pause for a moment, letting out a troubled sigh. "...Well... It made me want to help you. Please... Don't try to hurt yourself anymore."

I rest a hand gently on her shoulder to comfort her. "I'm here for you now...Now you can talk to me about anything."

I rest a hand on top of his, getting butterflies from his touch even through my depression. "You don't have to help me... I'm just some sad girl you don't even know. You probably have much better things to do..."

I look back up to my false sky and see a shooting star pass by at the blink of an eye.

Do wishes still come true if they're only in your dreams...? Probably not...

"I'm not worth your time..."

Someone as perfect as him shouldn't have to deal with a wreck like me...

I watch her sadly, and shake my head. "I want to help you. Please don't talk poorly of yourself, I can see that you are a very kind girl. Someone who cares very much for her friend."

Giving her a gentle smile, I squeeze her shoulder a bit. "I admire that about you very much."

I blush a little bit more, but suddenly feel like crying again.

"I just... want her back..." My voice cracks, but I go on.

"I want her to be alive again... I miss her so much, and I've been nothing but miserable since she passed away... I can't even remember the last time I took good care of myself..."

I stare at her, my chest tightening with each word she speaks. "...I know... It's hard losing someone you care so much for..."

...Why is her pain affecting me so much...?

I look up at him, frowning with tears in my eyes.

"'It's hard'... No, it's the most difficult thing I've ever dealt with in my life... And whenever I have dreams like these, when I wake up and realize she's still not here it feels like my heart is being stomped on, only for it to happen again the next night... I can't escape from the pain, no matter what I do... Maybe if I died, we'd be able to see each other again..."

And just like that, I'm crying before I even realize it. I lower my face into my knees again, sobbing softly into them like I do every day now.

"What if I wake up again tomorrow... and this is all just something fake my mind made up like usual...?"

I watch her sadly, and let out a deep sigh, "She is really here, and so am I... If you died, it would break your friend's heart. She wants you to live your life happily..."

After a moment, her tears become too painful for me and I gently lift her face to look back at me. Wiping away her tears gently with my thumb, I give her a reassuring smile. "The reason she's still here is because she cares about you..."

I move my eyes to look in the emerald ones of my idol slash huge crush, with a glint of hope shining into my heart.

"I know she does... It's just so painful... I feel like such an ingrate..."

I stop for a moment, then lean, almost fall into him, burying my face into his chest and sniffling from my previous sobbing.

He's so perfect... If I can't see him while I'm awake, at least he'll come into my dreams... But I want more...

I feel my heart start to quicken in pace as she leans into me. I couldn't help but notice how perfectly she fits into my arms as I subconsciously wrap my arms around her.

"...You are not an ingrate..." I say softly to her, before gently rubbing her back comfortingly.

I squeeze my eyes shut and grip his shirt tightly, trying to ignore the annoying butterflies flittering around in my stomach.

"I have to re-learn how to be happy... I've completely forgotten how. And... Maybe I'll start taking care of myself..."

Even though I don't want to...

I pull back and look down at my lap bashfully. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have done that..."

I look up once again at my beautiful sky, and gaze at the large moon.

"Why can I create anything in my dreams, except the people I want to see...?"

I focus a bit and add clouds and rain, but we don't get wet. I lie back on the bare floor, deciding to add grass. I close my eyes and try to relax to the sound of the crickets and water trickling out of the dark space above me.

Giving her a gentle smile, I shake my head, "It's alright... I don't mind, really..."

And I really don't. I had never really... hugged or comforted a female before. It was new to me, but somehow with her I don't mind.

I look up at the sky and watch the rain fall for a few moments before closing my eyes and listening as well. This dream of hers is incredibly relaxing.

I open my eyes halfway to look at the beautiful person beside me, feeling my heart come to life for the first time in years.

I had almost forgotten what it feels like to love someone... I'm not sure if I like it...

I see him relaxing, and for the first time in what seems like forever, I actually make a small smile. It feels so strange and foriegn.

I think I do... But would he ever love me?

I shyly inch closer and put my hand on his, a light shade of pink on my pale, sickly face.

I want to stay like this forever. This is why my dreams are better than reality...

I feel her hand touch mine and instantly get a strange sensation that I have never felt before in my stomach. Looking back down at her, I take in her faint smile and can't help but smile a bit in return.

"You should smile more often... It suits you..." I said to her gently, that feeling in my stomach still lingering.

I smile a little bit more at him, feeling a small bit of happiness that comes so rarely to me now.

"I used to smile all the time... When things were better..."

I turn my head to look back up at the stars, deciding to add some planets as well. I give Mars a small smile, and decide to create a few fireflies.

That reminds me of that song...

I close my eyes and clear my throat a bit, starting to sing the song without realizing it.

"You would not believe your eyes, if ten million fireflies lit up the world as I fell asleep... 'Cause they'd fill the open air, and leave tear drops everywhere; You'd think me rude but I would just stand and stare..."

I blink open my eyes at the realization that I'm actually singing. It's been a while, but I decide to continue on.

"I'd like to make myself believe... That planet Earth turns slowly... It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep, 'cause everything is never as it seems..."

I smile a little more, feeling a little happier; especially because I'm next to what I feel like is my soulmate.

"'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs, from ten thousand lightning bugs, as they tried to teach me how to dance... A foxtrot above my head, a sock hop beneath my bed, the disco ball is just hanging by a thread..."

My voice trails off at the last world, and I look down at a firefly that lands on my raised knee. I almost never saw them when I was younger, living in Georgia... It was like a miracle when I caught one flickering in the bushes at night.

I watch her silently as she starts to sing and feel the feeling in my stomach start to swell up even more. Her voice was so beautiful and calming that without realizing it I had started to slowly close my eyes.

It wasn't until after she had stopped that I opened them once again to look at her. My eyes fell on the firefly that had landed on her knee. A light chuckle finds it's way past my lips. "You have a lovely voice...The fireflies seem to really like it as well..."

I look to Kurama again and smile softly, blushing a bit more at his compliment. I let out a tiny giggle and reach my hand down, letting the firefly crawl onto it.

"They just know I'm singing about them..."

...He makes me so happy... Why can't I stay like this forever?

As I gaze at the tiny lightning bug, I let out a sigh. "Why can't I just stay like this forever...?"

It wasn't really a question; more like a complaint.

I've never had a dream this long with him... Never been able to touch him or talk to him... Maybe... He really exists...?

I furrow my brows, more in sadness than in frustration. I don't want to give myself false hope... But I do look forward to sleeping again... Maybe he'll visit a second time...

Watching her for a few more moments I decide to try to start a conversation. "So have you decided on how you are going to speak to me...? In the waking world, I mean..."

I actually look forward to speaking to her again. She makes me feel comfortable...

...Perhaps I'll stay longer than I originally planned to...

I turn my head to gaze at him once again. I could look at him for hours; he's so beautiful...

"I don't know yet... I'm still not sure if you're even real... But Jessica suggested I buy a ouija board... Do you think that might work? ...Do you know a way I could talk to you...?"

This dream feels so real... It can't be all just my imagination... And I've heard about people talking to their loved ones in their dreams...

The shard of hope that sits in my heart increases with every lingering thought.

Maybe my dreams will come true... That I can finally be with Kurama... He's the only person I've ever really wanted. But... I want Jessica to come back too... She's the best friend I've ever had, and God had to take her away...

I suddenly frown a bit and the firefly that was resting on my hand floats away. Maybe I should stay hopeful... Maybe she's really watching over me...

Maybe, maybe maybe. So many "maybe"s. I don't like it... I want definite answers.

Tomorrow I'll try my hardest to contact them...

I nod back at her gently, "It's worth a try. I, personally, have never used anything of that sort before..."

I take a long breath and give her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry though. I will do whatever I can to make sure you are happy again..."

Gazing into her eyes, I feel that sensation in my stomach pick up again.

I lift my frown into a small smile again, feeling warm and fluttery in my stomach all the way up to my heart.

"Thank you... Just you being here next to me makes me feel better than I have in a really long time..."

He really wants to help me... Maybe then he'll really come back when I sleep again...

I lean up and cross my legs Indian-style. "How do I know you're real...?"

Seeing her smile gave me a fluttering feeling in my chest. Why is that...?

Knowing she was happier makes me feel incredibly relieved. I watch her adjust her sitting position and give a light chuckle. "Ah...well, how could I prove it?"

I shrug my shoulders a small bit and push some hair behind my left ear. "I'm not sure... Could you somehow give me a sign when I wake up...?"

Anything... I'll accept anything... I just need to know he's really real... I want to have a reason to live again...

I watch her for a moment, in thought, before nodding. "Alright...I have an idea. It should be quite obvious, if it works..."

I give her a warm smile and raise my hand to rest it gently on top of her head. "I will prove it to you, Julia..."

I return his warm smile, feeling my heart pound like crazy at his touch. I look at him, trying to hide my feelings towards him.

"Thank you... I... would actually have a reason to live again..."

I nod gently, keeping the warm smile on my face as I gaze back into her eyes. "...I can leave now to prepare for it, if you like. But if you want me to stay... I can."

I lift my arm to gently grasp his warm, soft hand, trying to calm the frenzied butterflies that are still gathered in the pit of my stomach.

"I'd like you to stay... But I think I want you to prepare it, whatever it is... But..." I keep my eyes focused on his deep green ones, trying not to get lost in them.

"Will you promise me that you'll come back tomorrow night...?"

That sensation returns in the pit of my stomach; even stronger this time when I feel her hand grasp mine. Looking into her eyes, I smile warmly and nod gently. "Alright."

I feel a strange tightness in my chest at hearing her request, "...I promise."

...I...look forward to seeing her again. Very much so...

I smile widely at his promise, feeling like my heart might explode at any moment. I shyly lean forward, gently wrapping my arms around him in a hug.

"Thank you..."

I subconsiously wrap an arm around her, to gently rub her back. The fluttering in my chest picks up a bit as I nod my head. "...It's my pleasure..."

After a moment I reluctantly pull away from her and smile. "I'll see you tomorrow night, then..."

I gaze back at her briefly for one more moment before focusing on leaving her dream. Blinking open my eyes, I feel a little disoriented. Gazing down at her sleeping form in her bed, I smile a bit.

Waiting for a few moments, my vision returns to normal and I stand up.

I hope this works...

I close my eyes and reach into my hair, pulling out a deep red rose. Twirling it in my fingertips, I focus my energy and thousands of petals fall all around her room, even landing on her sleeping form.

"...This should convince her..."