A/N: I'm getting so many interested readers, but no feedback. Not too big a deal, but I will be grateful if I get a review or two. This is kind of revealing where in the world this story takes place in Teen Titans land, but it will not get touched upon too heavily in this, at least as far as I'm aware. If there is a sequel, there will be a lot of blatant revealing there. Enjoy everybody!

4- Lights

The fireplace had come with their house, according to Vivio, and was rarely used. Yet before her eyes, the embers crackled, warm, a warmth that she loved. Rae had always liked warmth and heat and sunlight. She couldn't say why, but she did.

She did have to admit, though, watching the snowfall was beautiful.

Her large violet eyes lingered around the room. They had let her stay in this large living room, instead of go to a guest room. No questions were asked; nothing was commanded of her. It was… strange. She expected orders, solid foundations, thingsto do.

They didn't seem to expect anything of her.

It was confusing.

"Psst! Rae-chan!"

Vivio was crawling on the floor, grinning up from underneath a quilt wrapped like a robe. Anyone else could look imposing… but Vivio just looked silly. The girl made her way onto the other side of the sofa, crawling up to sit on the left arm of the sofa. "Hi!"

Rae-why was it suddenly so easy to think of herself like that?- nodded. "Aren't you… supposed to be sleeping?"

Vivio grinned. "I was, but then I woke up, and I figured you were lonely down here. So I thought I would sleep down here with you for a while, or you'd come up to my room." Rae blinked and Vivio hurried to add. "We could stay down here, though! Nanoha-mama rarely uses the fireplace because it's cleaner if we don't. Cleaner for the air."

Even when she whispered, Vivio was a very bright, bright person. It was strange but not quite as much as when she gave her a hug. Hugs were a little weird. Hugs in general weren't expected at home.

In the dream, they were, just not from you.

She shook her head. That was a dream. This was real. It was real because she wasn't particularly good at imagining normal things. Rae could dream about heroics and unusual people and things that were different. She knew this was real because magic was normal.

Even in the dream, everyone was unique. And that was silly.

"Neh, Rae-chan!" Vivio popped very close to her face and in a moment of confusion, she wondered when the girl had gotten there. "Do you know any fairy tales?"

Rae blinked. (It was better to think of herself in this name while she still could, in case someone was looking for her.) "The woman who taught me said learning fairy tales was pointless because they were lies." And violent. Azar preached non-violence.

Vivio shook her head. "Mama read me some once. They were nice." She flopped down, landing straight in Rae's lap. The purple girl almost yelped. Really, why was Vivio so touchy? "Did you not want me to do that?"

"It… It… surprised me." Raven rubbed her eyes. This wasn't like her. She was supposed to be quiet, out-of-the-way, not being touched. She guessed Vivio broke rules a lot then. Vivio moved, probably to sit up, but Rae placed a tiny hand back. "No… um, don't-" She looked for a word, the right words, but none arrived. Vivio merely grinned and did as asked, whatever it was she was actually trying to ask.

For a while, they were both silent, Rae looking at the crackling flames out of the corner of her eyes and Vivio toying with the plush rabbit she had brought down with her.

Then Vivio spoke. "Do you want to be someone else, Rae-chan?"

Rae blinked. "Like who?"

She earned a shrug. "I dunno. A different you, one who's an adult and strong and stuff." Rae wanted to answer that with a yes,but… she didn't know. What did she want? "I do," Vivio added. "I...was weak before, and I cried a lot. I still cry a lot sometimes. But…" She clenched a small fist. "I want to get stronger and stronger, so my mamas don't have to save me all the time. Maybe…" The girl laughed. "Maybe I could save my mamas for once! That would be so cool!"

"Miss Nanoha… and Miss Fate… they're strong?"

Vivio nodded. "The strongest… right now." She winked. "You and me could beat them someday, though."

Rae shook her head reflexively. "I'm not supposed to fight like that."

Vivio frowned. "Why not?"

Rae wondered if Vivio would understand it, when she couldn't. "Because I will hurt people. I will get angry and scared and hurt people."

You already have, haven't you?

It was cold in there for some reason.

Vivio made a small noise and shook her head. "Whoever told you that was wrong. They had to be."

"How?" The prophecy would hurt people, she, the portal, would hurt people. It was a fact.

Vivio planted her bunny into Rae's hands. "You're in this new place and it's all scary and you aren't hurting me right now, are you?"

"I…" She planted two fingers to her head and took a deep breath. That made sense… but it didn't make sense.

Vivio giggled. "We should be sleeping instead of confusing."

"Ye...Yes…"

She wasn't sure when she fell asleep, but when Rae woke, the sky was bright and she and Vivio were covered in a quilt, one child on top of the other.

Maybe this was a dream too.