Chapter 14: Dreams & Forgiveness

A peaceful, dreamless sleep alluded both Strider brothers that night. Both of them, tossed restlessly in their sleep.

"D-Dave", "Bro", both quietly spoke as their minds drifted into oblivion.

Dirk remembers this place all too well. It's the place that has been in his dreams from for going on two months now. He always felt so alone in his dreams, except this time. He felt, a presence with him.

"Hello? Anybody out there?", he calls out.

Like Dirk, Dave also remembers this place all too well. It's a place that he has run too for the past now going 7 weeks. A place he has been running to for sanctuary, to escape his cruel reality. All the times he came here, he felt alone. But for some reason, this time he felt different. He felt someone else.

"Hello? Anybody out there?", he hears a faint voice off in the distant. It sounded so, so familiar. Could in be?

"Bro?"

"DAVE?"

'It is! It is!', for first time in six weeks, a true genuine smile was plastered on Dave's face. Not a fake smile, but a joy filled smile. Without a second thought, the two rush towards the other's voice.

"BRO! Bro it's me!", Dave hollers all the way.

"DAVE! I'm here Dave. I'm here!"

The voices get closer and closer and soon two figures emerge from the fog.

"Dave!" "Bro!", the two voices stop when both figures are just feet from each other.

There they were. Two brothers who hadn't seen nor spoken too in 6 weeks, standing next to each other, face to face.

"D-Dave." "Bro."

Within a split second, the two ran towards each other, and embraced in a huge warm hug. Dirk picked Dave up and swirled him around before collapsing to his knees in just sheer joy.

"Oh my God! Dave! I was so worried! I thought I would never see you again!", Dirk cried as he held his baby brother in his arms, and smothered his head in kisses. "Bro! I was so scared! I'm so sorry! I thought I was never gonna see you again! I thought I was gonna die here!" "You listen to me!", Dirk looked at his brother straight in the eyes, "Don't you EVER think that this is your fault! Understand? If anyone's, it's mine. If I had been a better brother. If I hadn't been away so much.", "You done the best you could Bro. I'm sorry, I didn't appreciate you.", "No, I'm sorry Dave! If I had been there for you, you wouldn't be in this situation. I'm so sorry I abandoned you! And I'm so sorry about that stupid argument! Please forgive me!" "No Bro, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone anywhere without telling you." "You had a right to! I wasn't there for you! I'll never forgive myself for that Dave!" Dave looked up at Dirk, "Well, I won't forgive you if you don't first forgive yourself!" Damn that kid liked to play hard ball. "Okay Dave, I forgive myself.", Dirk buried his face in Dave's hair. "And I forgive you!"

Dirk and Dave both began to feel themselves slip from each other's arms. "Dave, please wait!", Dirk grasped onto his brother tighter, "Please, tell me where you are." "I don't know, we just got here. Somewhere near a port, in a big house.", Dave struggles to hold on. "I'll find you Dave, I promise! I'm coming for you!"

The two brothers slip from each other's arms, and slip back into reality.

"DAVE!", "BRO!"

The two brothers both sat up in their beds. Both sweating and panting.

'Whoa, could've it all just been a dream? It felt so real!', both brothers thought at the exact same time.

Dave looked down at his arms, and saw still red hand prints; like he had been held tightly. "It was real. Bro..."