Ukime looked, truly, the image of tiredness as she sat on the end of her bed, dressed in shorts and a cami. The reason she looked like this was she had done so much to keep her mind occupied. She woke at four, cleaned the house before going to school, where she kicked ass at gym, and pushed her brains to the limit with her curriculum. After that, she dashed across town to work, where she volunteered extra hours until nine. After that, she came home and did two hours worth of home work, which delivered her to her bedroom, where, even exhausted, she could not find peace. All this, just for him, she thought.

One more day that I've survived
Another night alone
Pay no mind I'm doing fine
I'm breathing on my own

I'm here
And I'm on the mend
I'm here
And I'm on the mend my friend

She finally, was able to rest, and placed her white head on her pillow, closing her mismatched eyes. Dreamless sleep came to her easily. But, he also came to her. His name was on her lips, whispered with no sound as in her mind, she looked into his eyes. Those deep, pained eyes which seemed to brighten, if only slightly, when she was around.

" Ukime," came a hurt voice. She tried to pass it off as a dream, but, it sounded so…real.

Wake me when the hour arrives
Wake me with my name
See you somewhere down the line
We're tethered once again

I'm here
And I'm on the mend
I'm here
And I'm on the mend my friend

" It's the dream," she found herself repeating like a mantra. She closed her eyes tightly to keep them from looking at the window. It gripped her heart, his voice. She couldn't breathe, it hurt so badly. Her trembling fingers found the chain around her neck as she sat up, and she passed the crescent moon on the end to go the second charm. A garnet stone on a white gold band. He gave it to her.

I'm here
And I'm on the mend
I'm here
And I'm on the mend my friend

Was it you?
Sat alone
Here we go.

" Ukime. I'm here."

" Please, go away. Stop playing this trick on me, on my heart," she pleaded, and two crystalline tears squeezed past her eye lids. She gripped the ring so tight her knuckles turned ashen, and she feared she would break the chain.

" It's no joke, Ukime. I'm home."

But she couldn't accept it. It was no reality of hers, just a hallucination. It's just a dream, she thought desperately. It's just a dream.

Close and stay a while
To take me where you go
Single file we walk the mile
Who's wandering back home

I'm here
And I'm on the mend
I'm here
And I'm on the mend my friend

I'm here
And I'm on the mend
I'm here
And I'm on the mend my friend

The sound of her window opening made Ukime release the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, and raised one eyelid.

" Please, let it be you," she trembled, blinking back her tears so she could try and see properly. " Please."

She was met with no reply, but fully opened her oddly colored eyes when a warm hand was placed gently on her cheek. Words failed her tongue, and she flew into his arms, sobbing fully now.

" Shh, shh, my kyoujin," he whispered soothingly, rubbing her back in small, circular motions. She let out a short laugh at the name, and her chin was raised up. She stared into the beautiful eyes, the ones that lit up when she was around, the ones that had haunted her dreams, and was brought into a warm, heartfelt kiss.

Was it you?
Sat alone
Here we go
Here we go
Here we go
Here we go

The next morning, she awoke without the internal warmth he brought her, and was brought into full panic. She snapped up in her nest of black blankets, and relaxed, letting out a breath when she spotted him, sitting in her window nook, staring at the sky.

" I'm glad you're home," she said softly, and though she could not see it, a small smile tugged at the edges of his lips as she spoke. " I'm glad you're home."

Here we go.