Regina: Well, I managed to do it, even though I've been ill with a cold, and been falling asleep at the most inopportune moments (hey, maybe that means Aaron Stanford will be showing up at my place sometime soon. I wish!), but I managed to write the next chapter for In The Dreaming. I also came up with an idea for another story. It's about Freddy. . . and his cat. Okay, I think the blurb would go something like this: "There's something not quite right about Freddy's pet cat. Something all too. . . mutant." But that will be saved for another day.
On another note, the basis for my Amyro shrine, Burning Souls, has been completed. It has bios, a few links, plus a few fanfics. The image gallery is still being constructed, but that's about it really. Oh, and I would like to have fan works be contributed. I know there must be a few Amyro shippers who would like to submit links to fanfics. And I know I need help with the old fanart department, as I can't draw for peanuts. Or, as I am fond of saying, "I can't draw for peanuts, I can't even draw peanuts!" But a few days ago, someone at SOOP (the Spasticated Order of People) was kind enough to draw me a peanut. But that was dismissed when the idea that SOOP create its own original Manga. Again, I was of little help to the drawing department. I did offer to help them write it, though.
Anywho, please go visit my site. I know there are a few of you who said that would (Amara Allerdyce, I'm looking at you here! Same, A.P.R!), and it would make me happy if you would. It's If you forget it, you can always find it in my bio on Fanfiction.net.
But on with the story. Oh, and I don't own anything mentioned in this story or the introduction. That includes Aaron Stanford. Darn it.
In The Dreaming
Chapter Two: Promises
The next day was no different for Amara. She woke up late again, having been dragged from her dream, only to find that she was even more tired than when she had gone to sleep. It was as if she had spent the entire night dancing, much like a fairy tale she half remembered.
But life had to go on. She was awake now, and that meant she had to face reality, not the dream world she had been visiting every time she closed her eyes.
"Hey, Amara," asked Scott from the front seat of his car, having offered her and Tabitha a lift to school. "You awake back there?"
Tabitha made a few fake snoring noises, while Amara replied, "No." She turned her head back to the direction she had been looking blankly at, remembering last night's dream, before Scott had interrupted her thoughts.
"All right, then," Scott said, pulling up in front of Bayville High. "Everybody out." He turned back to face Amara. "Try and stay awake today, Amara."
"That shouldn't be too hard," Tabitha answered instead of Amara. "We're not catching a lift with someone as boring and straight-laced as you for the rest of the day." Amara giggled.
Scott looked insulted. "Hey!"
Amara shrugged her shoulders, before picking up her backpack. "Sorry," she said, before turning and following Tabitha into the school building.
X X X
"Amara," whispers a voice.
"I'm here," Amara whispers back. "Where are you? I can't see you?"
"You don't need to see me, my love," the voice whispers back, and with a shiver she recognises it as John's. "I am here, wherever you are."
"But I want to see you!" Amara replies.
"Patience, my love. Soon we will be together."
"Together." How lovely that word sounds to Amara as she repeats it.
"Together," agrees John's voice. "Forever."
X X X
"You fell asleep again, didn't you?"
"What makes you say that?"
"The drool on your chin," replied Tabitha smugly. Automatically Amara reached to wipe it off. "Seriously, though," continued Tabitha, and her voice did take on a serious tone, "what's up with all this sleeping. It's not normal. Even for people like us."
"You're telling me," replied Amara. "But I don't know what is doing it. It's as if the more I sleep, the more tired I get."
"Now that's just weird," commented Tabitha.
"You can say that again,' Amara mumbled.
"Now that's just weird."
"You're not helping, Tabitha."
"Sorry. Hey!" Tabitha was just struck by an idea. "Maybe you should talk to the Professor about it!"
Amara shot Tabitha a look. "Good idea," she said sarcastically. "And maybe I'll find my soul mate next week."
Tabitha shrugged her shoulders. "You never know. He could be right around the corner." She looked around, making fun of the idea.
"In your dreams," Amara said sarcastically.
"Or in yours," Tabitha's voice was more serious than that of her friend's.
X X X
"You know that I love you."
"Then why can't we be together?" Amara's voice is almost demanding.
"Soon!" he replies instantly, his voice filled with longing. "Soon. But not right now."
"I hate this."
He reaches out, and places a hand under her chin, lifting her eyes to meet his. "I know, love. It's killing me, too. But this is how it has to be."
"I know," she whispers sadly. "I just wish -"
He cuts her off there. "Trust me," he whispers. "We'll be together soon. I promise."
X X X
"Stupid alarm clock," muttered Amara, covering her head with a pillow as she groaned. She didn't want to get up. Not just yet anyway.
She wanted to go back to sleep. She had had another one of those strange dreams. The one where she was with this man she did not know, but had a feeling she ought to.
"Maybe it's part of a bigger picture," she groaned, finally throwing back the covers to get out of bed. "Or maybe it's just my head playing tricks on me."
Like a zombie, Amara got dressed, and ready for school. Everything seemed to be a bit blurry around the edges, like she had not got enough sleep, and was blinking way too often.
But that was the thing. Amara knew that she had had enough sleep. She had gone out like a light at 8:30, and had woken up at 7:15. That was - Amara struggled to do the calculations (was she really that tired? she wondered) - ten hours and forty-five minutes.
That was far more than the usual eight hours.
And Amara had been sleeping at least that same amount every night.
That was not even counting the times when she had fallen asleep during the day.
What was wrong with her?
X X X
"Hey, Tabitha," Amara said sleepily as she walked into class.
"Think you can stay awake today?" Tabitha replied with a grin.
Amara shrugged her shoulders.
"Don't blame you," said Tabitha. "This class can be a snore-fest, even when you aren't tired."
Again Amara only shrugged her shoulders. Talking used up precious energy that could be used for staying awake.
Instead she sat down, and, for the first time in ages, did not even feel the slightest need to fall asleep.
X X X
"Well, she did it," Tabitha said proudly, when she and Amara had met up with the other students from the Xavier Institute at lunch. "Managed a whole class without nodding off."
"You must be getting better, then," said Jean. "That's good."
"How can you be sure that she was ill?" retorted Tabitha, as if it were her that Jean had insulted, if she had indeed done so to Amara.
"It's okay, Tabitha," said Amara. "Everything's going to be fine. You'll see."
Just then, a wave of tiredness filled Amara's body, and darkness swept over her vision.
She lost the ability to stand up straight, and began to crumble.
"Amara? Amara!"
She could not hear them, as she was asleep before she hit the ground.
X X X
But in her dreams, she never does hit the ground, as she is caught by the loving arms of John, who has been waiting for her.
"See, my love?" he asks, as she looks up, lost, into his eyes. "I promised that we would be together, and I have made it happen. And we shall be together. Forever."
Amara only smiles, before he leans down and kisses her.