A/N: Hooray for the return of the computer….I had ch 8 all typed up before I got my net taken away from me (darn chemistry) so this will be the a/n where I beat myself up for being stupid and pathetically ask for forgiveness. Here it goes….Rhonda! Shame on you! No dessert for a week! Well, now that I've taken my beating and accepted my punishment ( I like dessert) I ask for forgiveness and continue with the story.

Disclaimer: sadly in my absence I have not found the means to acquire GH.

Ch. 9 Restless Sleep

She was in darkness. It was impossible to see where, if anywhere, she was. All she knew was the darkness. All around there was nothing; emptiness. It shook her to her core. She tried to scream out but no sound escaped.

'What's going on?' the voice in her head seemed to be the only sound to be heard. She could not remember ever being so shaken. Out of nowhere, another sound came from the shadows, as it did a faint light appeared also.

"Courtney?"

It was his, she knew he would find her. She attempted to call out to him but as before, nothing happened. As he continued to call her name the light grew and in seconds he was in front of her. Bathed in light, he looked like an angel; especially when his mouth formed a heart melting smile. The fact that he did it so rarely made the times when he did that much better.

"There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you."

'Say something! Come on.' she thought angrily at herself.

Instead she reached her hand out to touch his sculpted face. Her fingertips brushed against the warmth of his cheek when he reached up and grabbed her hand.

"Where's your ring?" he asked looking at her hand. " You don't want to marry me?"

Her mouth fell open at the thought. How could she not want to marry him?

"Answer me!" he shouted, his features grew angrier at her silence. "Fine. If that's the way you want it to be, fine."

He released her hand and turned his back on her. She reached out again, tears falling, but it was too late. As quickly as he'd come, he was gone and she was left in the shadows again.

'No. No. No.' she shouted in her mind. 'Come back!'

"Jason!" she finally found her voice and it came out in an ear splitting scream.

Courtney woke up calling his name. Her body was shaking and his face stayed frozen in her mind. He was so hurt and angry. She ran her quivering hand through her hair and took deep breaths in an effort to settle her nerves. After bringing her hand back down she stared at its bareness and wondered how it was possible to feel completely naked without something she'd barely had a day. It's not like they had been engaged all that long. Well, maybe not officially, but she'd known in her heart for the longest time that she didn't want to be with anyone else for the rest of her life.

It was not just the ring, she missed her family. During an escape attempt earlier that day, she had caught a glimpse of some of the other people there. A man with red hair immediately made her think of her favorite red head. She missed him so much. Or did she?

'Of course I do!' she spat at herself for letting the thought cross her mind. 'It's real. It's all real.'

As convinced as she was that her life was not a lie, Courtney was still afraid. Afraid because she could almost feel herself slipping. Farther away, and she couldn't get a grip. But she refused to let that happen, and racked her brain looking for something to hold on to.

He searched everywhere but could not find anyone he was looking for. Could not find anyone at all, actually. Everywhere Jason went was empty. Like the city had become completely abandoned. It was definitely more than a little weird.

"Hello?" he called out, receiving no response. "Where is everyone?"

He entered Kelly's and was less then happy when he found that it too was empty.

"Enough! What's going on?" he shouted angrily. To his shock a voice did answer, causing the young man to all but jump out of his skin.

"Jason." it said.

It sounded close by but at the same time far away if that made any sense. So he put his mind to finding its source. Listening carefully, he waited until it came again. Calling his name this time he answered.

"Courtney, is that you?" hope evident in his voice.

"Jason. I need you." it came from outside.

"I'm coming."

To his surprise he stepped out of an isolated area and onto the overcrowded walk in front of the diner. It was as if the whole town had been hiding just to come out now when he came out. He allowed himself to wonder for a moment where everyone had come from but quickly dismissed it. He had somewhere he needed to be.

"Where are you?" he shouted, barely hearing his own voice over the crowd. He heard an incoherent response that he was unable to make out. "Where are you?"

By now he was screaming as loud as possible, and took off running like a mad man through the mass of people. Bumping and barging his way through until he was a good enough distance from the noisy mob. His breathing became the slightest bit heavier and he waited to see if he would hear again.

"Help!" his heart sank hearing the single word in such an unsettling tone.

"Courtney!" he screamed, and didn't hear any sort of reply. "I'll find you!"

Jason began running as fast as he could in any and every direction. He even headed back to Kelly's with the assumption that someone had to know something. No one acknowledged his presence; just went about as if he wasn't there. The world around his was spinning and every noise sounded multiplied hundreds of times. Finally he put his hands over his ears, closed his eyes and hollered at the world.

"Stop!"

His eyes opened and he sat up in bed.

A/N: hmm.. gotta love those dreams. huh? well you don't have to.......if you want feel free.