Regina: Well, it seems that you can't keep a writer chained to a specific number of stories. I am no exception. And now thanks to the new Amyro website I am building, that is pretty much one of the only things I have been thinking about. Yep, I am building an Amyro website, after discovering that there seems to be only one Amyro website out there - yet. Maybe I can start a trend, and have lots of Amyro websites everywhere. And there also only seems to be one site for Amara, too. That's absolutely shocking! There are a couple of Pyro websites, but a distinct lack of Amara and/or Amyro websites around. So that's why I'm building my own. I haven't put it up on the Internet yet, but give me a week or two and it should be up. The site itself is called 'Burning Souls', and it's a Yahoo! Geocities one. The ID is 'burningsoulsshrine' in case you're interested. I think I'll have the basis of the site up by the time I write the next bit of this story, but I want to see how this one goes first. So please review, as it makes me happy, and once my site is up, please go check it out!

Oh, and to disclaim: I do not own X-Men: Evolution, the characters of Magma and Pyro, nor do I own anything else, like Yahoo! Geocities.

And if you like Amyro, and as of now not read my other Amyro fic, please do - it's called 'Trial by Fire'.

In The Dreaming

Chapter One: With Sleep Comes Dreams

Her dress is red, the same colour as the hundreds of rose petals scattered on the ground beneath their feet.

The many candles that are scattered around them in perfect formation light the area in which they are dancing, their flickering light changing from red to gold, highlighting the joy and love in the faces of the couple that is dancing, and mirroring the stars that sit high in the sky.

She can feel his heart beating in his chest, as he holds her close, almost as if he is afraid to let her go.

And his eyes are shadowed as he looks down into hers, and says, "You're late for school."

She almost stumbles with surprise, disturbing the rhythm of their dance. "What?"

"You're late for school," he repeats, before he lets go of her hand, and walks away, and disappears into the shadows.

Amara opened her eyes to find Tabitha shaking her roughly. "Wake up, sleepy," she said, still shaking her, "you're late for school."

"Huh?" Amara rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "What did you say?"

"I said, you're late for school."

X X X

The reality of this hit Amara full force, and she leapt out of bed. She ran around the room, getting ready at top speed.

Tabitha watched this, the amusement she was feeling showing clearly on her face. "Didn't your alarm go off or something?"

Amara looked at her clock. "Looks like it did."

"Then why are you late?"

Amara continued on her quest to get ready. "I guess I was dreaming."

"That's the third time this week," commented Tabitha.

"That I've been dreaming?" asked Amara. "How do you know that?"

Tabitha shook her head. "Not dreaming. Sleeping in. I had to shake you to wake you up today. What's up, girl?"

Amara yawned, then said, "Just tired, I guess."

Tabitha looked at her squarely. "What time did you go to bed last night?"

Amara yawned again, louder this time. "Eight. Why?"

"You just seem so tired, as if you've been up all night."

Amara finally stopped racing around her room. "Well, you're wrong. As soon as I get into bed, I'm out like a light, and don't wake up until the next morning."

"Sorry. Didn't mean to upset you, princess."

"That wasn't funny." Amara emphasised her point with yet another yawn, the loudest one so far. "Don't even do it again."

Tabitha, grinning, replied with, "I promise. Scout's honour." She held her hand up in the familiar sign. "Come on," she added, grabbing her school bag, which she had left slung on the back of a chair. "We're gonna be late for school!"

The girls ran out of the room together, Amara rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

X X X

Her dress is white this time.

The setting sun paints the ocean with beautiful reds and golds, and it does the same to the sand.

The sand feels warm beneath her bare feet, as they walk hand in hand along its length.

They are alone, and that is just the way she likes it.

Especially when he bends his head to. . .

X X X

"Amara Aquilla! Wake up!"

Amara's eyes snapped open. "Huh?" She lifted her head to see that she was in English class, and all the students were staring at her, as well as the teacher. She was less than pleased.

"It's nice to see you're paying attention, Miss Aquilla. I hope I wasn't interrupting your rest. I'm sure Mr Shakespeare doesn't mind, either."

The class tittered with laughter. The teacher glared at them. "All right, you lot, that's enough." She turned back to Amara. "This seems to be becoming a habit. I heard that you fell asleep yesterday in Mr Johnson's class, as well."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry isn't good enough, Miss Aquilla." The teacher's voice was cold. "I'm afraid I am going to have to send you to the principal."

If Amara was not completely awake before, the mention of the name would have done it perfectly. "Principal Kelly?"

"I'm afraid so. Go now, Miss Aquilla. And don't fall asleep on the way."

Amara picked up her bag and headed off, the laughter of her classmates echoing behind her.

X X X

"She sent you to Kelly?" Kitty asked that evening.

Amara nodded, but said nothing.

Kurt winced. "Sorry. No one deserves that."

"Except maybe Duncan Matthews," interrupted Tabitha. Heads nodded around the room, until Amara yawned - again.

"Why have you been falling asleep?" asked Scott, reminded of the original discussion by the yawn.

Amara shrugged her shoulders. "Don't know."

"It could be a sign of illness," suggested Hank, coming into the room. "What other symptoms have you been experiencing?"

Tabitha eyed him suspiciously. "Since when have you been a doctor?"

Hank grinned, showing pointed fangs. "I might surprise you."

"Nothing else has been happening," replied Amara, in response to Hank's question.

"Nothing?"

"Well. . ." Amara trailed off, embarrassed.

"What?" prodded Jean, who was sitting next to Scott.

"I've been having these really strange dreams. Really vivid ones," Amara added.

"Hm." Hank stroked his chin, thinking.

"Why do people do that when they're thinking?" whispered Bobby to Kurt. Kurt shrugged his shoulders. Hank ignored this.

"How vivid?" he asked finally.

"They seem realer than all this," Amara said simply, gesturing to the room and everything in it. "The dreams are beautiful: full of colour, and sound. . . everything. And when I wake up. . . it's all dark, and boring. I just want to go back to sleep as soon as I wake up."

"Interesting," commented Hank. "What else do you remember about these dreams?"

"What else?" asked Amara, surprised, although it should have been obvious that a question like that would be asked. "Nothing," she replied. The hint of red in her cheeks suggested otherwise.

"All right, Amara," Hank said, after a moments pause. "I'm afraid we cannot do more for you, except to tell you to try and get more sleep."

Amara looked up at the clock on the wall behind Hank. "Well, it's half past seven now, so I guess I might go to bed now." Getting up from her chair, she bade her friends goodnight. "'Night, guys. See you in the morning."

She yawned again, before heading off to her room, where the darkness of sleep overtook her the moment she closed her eyes.

X X X

He is there, waiting for her, as he always is, waiting for her to fall asleep, so they can be together.

"My love," he whispers to her as he enfolds her into his arms.

Eventually he lets go, and she can look up into his face, so alight with love and happiness.

She smiles when she saw the sun begin to set, the colours it sends out over the land shining across his face, making it even more handsome than before. And painting his hair the colour of the fire that drew them together.

After some time he kisses her, and it drives all thoughts out of her mind, save one.

And that was him.

Finally she gets the chance to breath, and she whispers the name of her secret love, so softly that only he can hear it.

"John."