A/N: Slipshod and ilovemclife, thanks so much for your reviews! The show goes on…

Chapter Three: The Offer

Sophie froze. Willing herself not to shake, she gestured out into the shop.

"Of course, sir. Just choose which one you would…"

Jaden grasped her wrist in a grip of iron, lowering her hand.

"You know very well that's not what I meant. I want to buy one of your dreams, my dear."

Sophie stood up so fast that her chair clattered to the floor. Slowly, she backed away from the man in black.

"No."

"I assure you, I will pay very handsomely."

He took a step towards her. The look in his eyes said that he would not accept refusal, but Sophie didn't care. Very carefully she enunciated,

"I will never sell any of my dreams. Never. Now, please leave, sir. You're not welcome in this shop."

He arched a brow, looking faintly surprised at her audacity.

"I ask for so little. What are a few dreams to you?"

Sophie closed her eyes, trying to shove the memories back into their proper place. It was more of a struggle than it should have been. Abruptly, she came to a decision.

"Come with me."

Sophie grabbed his wrist and dragged the stranger unceremoniously into the back room of the shop, past the shelves of ledgers and piles of books. She stopped in front of a locked wooden chest and murmured the password: the lock clicked open.

Knowing that she must appear to be mad, Sophie carefully rifled through the stack of paper in the chest. When she drew one out and turned, Jaden braced himself as if he expected her to fly at him. Instead, Sophie strode past him and laid the paper flat down on a table. She felt herself trembling.

"Do you see this, sir? This is what happens to people who sell their dreams. They go mad. They rage and scream and spend their days staring at nothing, and they forget their own family and their own name, and when you beg—

Sophie dug her nails into her palms, aware that she sounded hysterical. Almost to herself, she murmured,

"When you beg for them to come back they don't listen. Because when you sell a dream, you sell the chance to ever have it come true. You'll never buy a pretty dress or fall in love. After awhile, there's no reason to hope for anything. Eventually you die."

Sophie shrugged helplessly and reached for the picture, keeping her own eyes carefully averted. She felt a light touch at her back; so light that she half thought she had imagined it. Without turning, Sophie flinched away.

"Who was she?"

Sophie stood very still.

"She was my mother."

For the first time in years, Sophie forced herself to look. Her mother had been drawn in her favorite chair, with the blue silk flowers. Her wasted hands were curled into claws in her lap, her long hair hanging heavy and tangled over her shoulder. With an effort of will, Sophie turned away.

"This was painted a month before she died. Do you understand now?"

The stranger was silent, an unfathomable look in his grey-green eyes. Finally, after a stretching silence, he gave a sharp nod.

"Yes. I see why my offer is…unwelcome. I will bid you good day then, Sophie."

Jaden walked with her to the front of the shop and stopped by the heavy wooden door. Abruptly, he reached a gloved hand into his jacket and produced an embossed card.

"You may reconsider. And I am—sorry, if I caused you any distress."

Sophie snatched her hand away and Jaden let the card flutter to the floor at her feet. He shrugged, a faintly mocking look in his eye, and gave her a short bow.

With a flutter of his cloak, he slipped through the door and away. When he was out of sight, Sophie walked unsteadily back to the little table and sank down on the chair. Then she put her face into her hands and shook.