A/N – There's something…not quite right with this chap, and it seems kinda rushed, I think it's because I wrote half of it at home and the other half in college so it didn't flow right…sorry x

Thank you all for so many kind reviews! x

Runemeister – Thanks, now I've had a good long thinks about what can happen and have reached a decision x

Shadow of Neph -:) x

Dila Zirk – Yes, col stresses me out and I'm sorry it took so long to write this x

Black Shadow – Hmmm maybe I'll stick some Nightmare POV, in, after all I am the writer in this story I am God (is promptly struck down by thunder and lightening) x

Link luvr – (huggles LinkLuvr) I'm sorry I took so long, please forgive and I'm getting to the mushiness and if people think I get there too soon, the title is 'Love's Labours' mwah ha ha ha, (watches Nightmare and Lyra cower as Varyssa wrings her hands maniacally) x

Atha – Thank u and don't worry he won't be on his own for long ;) x

Chapter 4 – Candlelit Dinners

Time passed like this for a while. Lyra would take food up the mountain, once, twice sometimes three times a week for Nightmare. Sometimes she would have great difficulty taking the food up there, she was taking so much her mother was beginning to wonder where it was going, and with no answer coming from any of her children, she actually considered whether the food was being stolen or not.

If Lyra couldn't take food up, she would go up anyway, if only to see Nightmare. She enjoyed going up and talking with him, though he still refused to tell her anything about himself, she was still none the wiser about why he had made his home within the mountain cavern, or why his arm seemed to be so disfigured. Despite the secrecy, Lyra still took great pleasure in his company, though it was becoming harder and harder to disguise it from her family.

Lance was becoming increasingly suspicious about her journeys, sometimes she would catch him watching her as she went off into the fields toward the mountain, but she would just wander leisurely in a circle until she was satisfied he was gone. She knew that as she got older, he was more and more eager for them to become an item, and she knew her mother was more than favourable for her to marry Lance as soon as possible. Lyra didn't know why, she wouldn't marry him for security, if anything he would be the one who needed the money, after all he was the one who worked for her family.

"I was beginning to think you weren't coming," Nightmare said, almost relieved when Lyra slipped into the cave one day, a couple of months from their first meeting. Lyra looked up and smiled as she stepped in,

"I almost didn't," she groaned, taking her seat beside the fire and removing her satchel. Nightmare smirked and sat beside her as he usually did. He waited patiently for her to empty the contents of the bag out, watching her with some amusement as she arranged each individual item so it was just right. When she had finished she leaned back and smiled. She had brought a full dinner and a bottle of wine with a loaf of bread for when she had left.

Nightmare looked down at the food in disbelief. He was used to her bringing him the odd scraps but never a full dinner.

"How did you…"

"I cooked it," Lyra smiled, triumphantly. Nightmare smiled at her. "I promise it's not poisoned or anything," she smirked watching Nightmare lean in to try some.

He smiled at her after swallowing, the taste clearly impressive. She sighed, almost in relief that he had enjoyed it.

"I thought your mother was beginning to wonder where all the food was going?"

Lyra shifted her weight, "She is…so I went out and bought this for you anyway." Nightmare dropped the fork and looked up at her,

"You shouldn't have," he assured her, "You really shouldn't spend your money on me." He looked down on the food, as if he had gone off it, suddenly. Lyra smiled mischievously, and went into her bag again,

"I thought you'd say that, so I went and made myself some as well." Nightmare watched as she pulled out an identical meal, just a smaller portion. He couldn't help but smile at her as she placed her plate beside his.

"There," she murmured. Then she swivelled around to sit opposite him, "Now all we need are some candles and some flowers," she laughed. Nightmare smirked, but looked like he was thinking of something at the same time.

"You alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he said, looking back at her, a faint smile on his lips, "I'm fine."

Lyra rolled over in the warmth of her bed, her eyes flickering open as she did so. It was still dark, the moon shone through her open window, casting a white glow everywhere. Rolling onto her back she looked up at the ceiling, wondering what it was that had woken her.

She listened to the night for a moment, before accepting that she had just woken up. She rolled into her pillow, it had been three days since she had last gone up to the mountain, she had surprised herself by realising how long it seemed to her. It had been three days, but to her it could have been weeks.

Pushing herself up, she leaned out of the window, just to look up at the mountain. What she saw made her fall back in surprise. Nightmare was standing outside her window, looking up at it.

"Nightmare!" she hissed, "What are you doing here?"

"I've got a surprise for you," he called in a whisper, knowing better than to wake her family,

"What?" she cried, incredulously.

"I've got a present for you, up in the cave, come on," he smiled, holding a hand out to her. Lyra held back, nervously. "Lyra, quick, before your mother sees me. Please?" he asked, almost pleadingly. She looked down at him for a while, she was still coming to terms with the fact the man she had been thinking about had appeared before her window.

'Get a grip, Lyra,' the voice in her head grumbled. She looked back at Nightmare. His blonde hair was reflecting the moonlight and the stars sparkled in his eyes as he looked at her, imploring her to come out. 'Get out, already,' the voice shouted. Lyra smiled back at him, "Alright."

Leaping from the bed, Lyra doubted she had ever dressed so quickly in her life. Ready, she hesitated before looking back at the door, trying to figure out whether she would be able to escape through the front door without anyone hearing. It was late, and her family were no doubt asleep, but she would still have trouble moving around without anyone waking, especially when if they were to hear the front door shut.

Turning back to face Nightmare, she was struck by the gleam in his eyes, he was looking at her with encouragement and hope, his blue eyes flashed with excitement in the moonlight. With a deep sigh, Lyra pushed herself onto the window ledge and opened the window as far as it could possibly open.

Nightmare watched her with a smile and he moved beneath the window and held his arms up to help her through. She squeezed through with less difficulty than she expected, but she had pushed herself through headfirst resulting in a small fall to the ground, with nothing to hold onto to steady herself. Luckily Nightmare caught her as she fell, before she could make even the smallest scream. They both looked at each other with bated breath, before they both laughed softly and Nightmare helped Lyra to stand and steady herself.

Nightmare took her hand in his, but before they could move the window above them slammed shut, the bang resonating through the silent house and the surrounding field. The two flattened themselves against the wall. Lyra looked over at Nightmare to see him looking up at the window, both of them expecting Lyra's mother to appear at any moment and catch them.

Time passed slowly.

For what seemed like an eternity Lyra and Nightmare remained, backs flat against the wall, waiting. Lyra feared her heart was beating so loud and furiously that her mother may hear that over the initial bang of the window and find them anyway.

Eventually they had been waiting a long time and nothing had happened. No one had come to her room to find Lyra's bed oddly empty and no one had come to the window to look down and find Lyra and the strange man who had come to fetch her. They both breathed a sigh of relief, before Nightmare took her hand once more and led her, somewhat hastily across the field and up into the mountain.

"Why are we doing this?" Lyra panted as Nightmare pulled her up the mountain, desperately trying to keep up with his quickened pace.

"You'll see," Nightmare called back, smiling to himself. Lyra sighed, slightly irritated but nevertheless curious as to why he was taking her up to his retreat so late at night, or so early in the morning even.

Eventually they reached the cave. Nightmare paused at the entrance and finally turned to Lyra who was by now, completely out of breath.

"Are you alright?" he asked, smiling softly as he pulled her closer to the entrance. She tied her best to look annoyed but he knew her well enough to see through to and eventually her false frown broke and her smile crossed her face as he slipped through the gap, still leading her in.

She followed, now retuning his smile as she wondered what awaited her within the cave and why he was acting the way he was. Her questions were answered when she stepped inside the cave and felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight.

The fire was lit, but the cave was so much brighter with lit dozens of candles scattered around the cave. A meal, similar to the one she had prepared the few days before lay spread out, this time on a cloth on the floor with flowers between the plates.

"You said you wanted flowers and candles," Nightmare smiled, taking her hand again. Lyra could only manage a breath of 'oh' as she smiled back at him and threw her arms around the blonde,

"It's beautiful," she whispered, then breaking apart she admired the candles and the food, "but how did you do it?" she asked, curiously. Nightmare winked,

"I went into town," he said. Her smile grew wider and now he grinned because he knew she was proud of him for finally leaving the cave. She allowed herself to be led to the almost table and sat opposite him, indulging in the meal, which she had to admit was nicer than hers had been. They ended the evening, by retreating to one of the walls, watching the candles and the fire burning, sitting beside each other.

"So," Nightmare said, looking down on her, subtly putting one arm around her, "was it worth coming down to find you at stupid times in the morning?"

Lyra smiled up at him and kissed his cheek, "Definitely."

TBC