Beautiful Dreamer

Disclaimer: Nightwing and Tempest belong to DC (and each other, obviously). The song was written by Stephen Foster. Thanks go to 'rith for her 'Sea and Sky' series, which kinda inspired this fic.

Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me,

Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee.

His head rests on my chest, and he sleeps. Exhausted by his day shift at the BPD, his nightly patrol as Nightwing, and then our frenzied lovemaking. Spent from passion, he curls up against me, soft black hair tickling my chin.

Sounds of the ruse world heard in the day,

Lulled by the moonlight have all passed away.

Silence reigns in our dark apartment. It reminds me of home, of Atlantis, of the quiet places under the waves. Bludhaven is so different, yet I still enjoy it. Maybe it is the difference, there is a saying here that 'a change is a good as a rest', or maybe it is because of him.

Beautiful dreamer, queen of my song,

List while I woo thee with soft melody.

He, my wonderful lover, is so perfect that I cannot take my eyes off him. They follow the sweeping lines of his face, the delicate eyebrows, thickly lashed eyes, fine nose and sensuous mouth. His body, warm against mine, is that of an athlete and an acrobat, so different from that of his mentor. He is boneless, completely relaxed in my arms.

Gone are the cares of life's busy throng,

Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me,

Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me.

Gone is the slight furrow between his brows, which seems, these days, to be almost permanent when he is awake. He takes too much on himself, pushes himself too hard. He should more readily accept that he is not his mentor, as I am not mine.

Beautiful dreamer, out on the sea,

Mermaids are chanting the wild Lorelei,

My thoughts drift, as if on a current, back to Atlantis, and to my friends there. They do not understand my love for this bird that I hold close. They cannot comprehend the feeling of joining, where the sea meets the sky.

Over the streamlet vapours are borne,

Waiting to fade at the bright coming morn.

He is a creature of light and happiness, shadowed by the possessiveness and fanaticism of his mentor. I love his joy, as much as I resent the effect of the Bat's dark outlook on life. He would take my love away from me, if he could.

Beautiful dreamer, beam on my heart

E'en as the morn on the streamlet and sea,

He is mine, and I am his. We belong to each other, and I am sure that we will stay that way. I know that he is no longer afraid that I will leave him, as others have done. I hearts beat to the same rhythm, a gentle, perpetual song. We, together, are happy.

Then will all clouds of sorrow depart,

Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me,

He stirs from his sleep, and my arms pull him closer. I watch him slowly waking, his whole figure as perfect as any carved Greek god. His eyes flutter open and gaze into mine, and I am lost in the deep blue depths. He slides sinuously up my body, and kisses me. I love him, my Richard, who can soar high above the darkness.

Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me.