Where on Earth am I?

It was a garden. Everywhere he looked, he could see flowers or trees. Neo didn't know much about gardening, but he could tell that this place was well looked after. It also seemed to be very hot, if the haze in the air was anything to go by. But if that was so, why couldn't he feel the heat? He could hear everything just fine, the buzz of summer insects, the hiss of a sprinkler...It was like he was there, but at the same time, not there.

Is this a dream?

That's right.

Neo looked around sharply, to see who had answered him, but he could see no-one. No-one except a man sitting on the grass a few metres away. He had collar-length blonde hair, and wore a grey t-shirt and blue denim shorts. He was also barefoot. He was leaning over a flower, and so Neo couldn't see him properly, until the man sat up with a smile, wiping sweat from his forehead.

Neo froze.

That man...he's me. But he can't be...

Looking down at himself, Neo saw he was still wearing the Alliance issue T-shirt and black uniform trousers he had been wearing when he fell asleep. So that man wasn't him, just looked like him. After all, this man looked happy, almost carefree, and Neo couldn't remember ever feeling like that. Plus, the man's hair was too short, and he wore a gold ring on his left hand, a wedding ring.

All the same, I feel oddly jealous of this man. Hey, wait...

The man leaned back and brushed the golden hair from his face, and Neo gasped. The forked scar across the man's face was clearly visible, and the other scars on his arms and legs became clearer now also.

This man doesn't just look like me...he is me. But how? I don't understand...

His other self, after letting the sun beat down on his face for a little while, leaned over again and went back to planting flowers. He even began to whistle a little tune while he worked. Neo couldn't help smiling a little.

This other me seems very happy. I just wonder how I could be like this. Is this another reality or something?

No, this is your reality..

As Neo watched, he could see two little girls, one older than the other, sneak up behind his other self. Neo tried to call out, to warn him, but no words would come out. The girls tip-toed up, and pushed what looked like an ice cube down the back of the other Neo's T-shirt. The man yelled, flailing about, trying to get the offending object out of his clothes, which just made the girls giggle.

I wonder who these children are...

Neo continued to watch as his other self finally managed to get the ice-cube from down his back. Then he picked up the two girls, one under each arm, and raced with them over to the sprinkler. The children squealed with laughter as the cold water hit them, and they squirmed around, trying to break free.

"Stop it, Papa, stop it!" yelled the older girl, laughing.

Neo was amazed. Papa? These children, they're mine? I'm their father?

That's right.

But how...who's their mother?

At the end of the garden, Neo could just make out a brunette woman in a pink dress calling something. He couldn't hear her words or see her clearly, but his other self put down the two girls and they all walked to where the woman waited. Neo tried to follow, but his legs wouldn't move, however much he wanted them to.

You can't. Because you don't exist here yet.

What does that mean?

This is your future, what will come to pass. I let you see this, but you won't remember any of it.

The future? You mean, I'll be this person one day, and have this life?

The garden and the people in it began to fade from sight, becoming dimmer and dimmer, the light seeming to leave it...

The next thing he knew, Neo was looking at the grey ceiling of his cabin aboard the Girty Lue. Stretching out, he smiled to himself. He felt oddly happy, but he had no idea why.

I must have had a good dream...

She saw a beautiful garden, filled with every type of plant she could imagine. Murrue smiled in happiness as she looked around her. I always wanted a garden like this...

"Hey, slow down with that glass! You'll hurt yourself!"

The voice came from an open doorway just to Murrue's right, and seconds later, a little girl rushed out with a drink in her hand. Murrue gasped. The little girl looked to be about nine years old, and looked like a miniature version of herself.

"Don't worry, Mama, I'll be fine!"

A woman walked out of the doorway, carrying another little girl in her arms.

That woman...she's me!

Yes, she is, came a voice from the air.

The other Murrue looked older, and her hair was longer. As she put the other girl down, Murrue the observer could see that her other self was pregnant, and wore two golden rings on her left hand.

I'm married? And these are my children?

"Okay now, go tell your papa the drinks are ready!"

The two girls raced off into the garden, leaving the older Murrue alone. She smiled and pressed her hand to her stomach, as a breeze chased through the garden and blew through her hair. The observer Murrue was very jealous.

She has everything. A nice house, a garden, children, a husband...hey wait, who's she married to?

The other Murrue wandered over to a table, where the older girl had set her drink down, then chuckled.

"She took an ice cube with her...he's not going to be very happy..."

A few minutes later, a yell shattered the peace of the garden, and the other Murrue giggled. "I knew it.."

As for the observer Murrue, the yell had echoed through her memories and made her gasp.

I know that voice...

More yelling came from the garden, but this time it was from the two children, along with a laugh that was so familiar, it brought tears to Murrue's eyes.

Now I know who she's married to. That littlest girl, she had golden hair. And both girls had blue eyes...

This other me..she's married to Mwu.

Tears began to trickle down her face. This is another reality, isn't it? What could have happened if he hadn't..hadn't..

No, this is what will happen. This is your future, ten years from now.

It can't be. Mwu's dead, I saw him die..right in front of me!

Did you? Did you actually see him die?

The air in the garden shimmered, and through the haze, Murrue could see a male figure approaching her other self, accompanied by the two girls. The figure was tall, blonde, and strongly built. She couldn't see his face, but she knew who it was. Her heart began to ache, and the tears came harder.

Mwu! Oh, Mwu!

Murrue tried to move towards him, to call out, but her feet wouldn't obey her commands, and no sound came out when she opened her mouth.

Please, I want to see him, to talk to him! I have so much I want to tell him!

You can't. Remember, I said that this was the future. You don't exist here yet. I let you see this to show you that there is happiness waiting for you. But you won't remember any of this when you wake up.

Why? If I remembered...Mwu's alive! I could try and find him!

I'm sorry...

Murrue screamed in silence, praying that he would somehow be able to hear her, as the garden faded from sight and vanished.

Mwu!

"Captain Ramius! Captain Ramius, are you all right?"

Her marigold eyes snapped open, and she saw the concerned face of Andrew Bartfeld.

"What? What happened?" Her throat was raw from screaming, but she didn't remember how, or why.

"You were crying in your sleep, shouting out for Mwu. I guess even now you still have nightmares about it"

Murrue touched her fingers to her face, feeling the tears on her cheeks.

"I was dreaming about him? I don't remember it. But..I..." She started crying again, not knowing why she felt so miserable. It felt like she had discovered something wonderful, then had it ripped away from her.

But for the life of her, she couldn't remember what it was. All she could do was cry for the lost memory.

------------------------------------------------------

( Angst! Drama! Lol, sorry, I don't know where this idea came from.

As for the 'voice' in bold, well, it could be anyone. Any of us, in fact, wanting to show Murrue-san and Neo-san that they will be happy one day.

Sorry if it's weird. Please read and review! )