Laying in bed that night, the old lion tossed and turned, not able to sleep even a wink.

He eventually landed on his back in the bed and only stretched his arms from side to side, looking up at the white arched ceiling above his big lion head.

It had sparkles on it that looked like stars in the night, and suddenly, in that moment, a memory hit hard.

~x~

"What are you doing, Ruby?" he had laughed as he came into the bedroom and saw his wife dotting paint of sparkling gold to the roof. She chuckled herself, climbing down from the ladder and looking at him with warm endeared eyes.

"I'm making our room more magical... more special."

"But why do we need that? We're so special already with each other."

She hummed a small laugh and shook her head as she climbed the ladder again, paintbrush in her hand and she continued with a soft gleam, "I just want to be able to see the stars as we lay in bed at night."

"Then we'll get a glass roof," He laughed back, teasing her in a sense, and walked over to the ladder, climbing up the other side and meeting her in the middle, "So we can see the moon too."

She looked into his eyes, and he into hers.

~x~

The memory jotted out of him instantly that second as he opened his eyes again and looked at the painted sparkling stars that had remained over all these years.

Stars... a star...

Like her...

Ash.

He gave a weak yawn and a heavy sigh, getting up that night and coming down the stairs to his living room.

He turned on the gas fireplace and sat on his large old armchair, watching the red and yellow flames whip against the air gently, the heat not affecting him at all.

At least, not from the inside.

It was still dark outside, must've been at least three or four in the morning. His veined sleepy blue eyes only kept staring ahead at the flames.

"What are you doing up?"

He tensed a little, almost feeling his own cheeks burn by the sudden sound of that familiar beautiful voice.

"I, um..." He grunted awkwardly, turning his chair around by its small wheels and seeing Ash standing there in her pajamas. He finally calmed himself down a bit and added, "Couldn't sleep."

"Of course," Ash went on, her voice kind but playful as she sat on the chair opposite him, "You are naturally nocturnal? Are you not?"

He smirked at her and gave a soft nod of his head.

"Yeah,"

She smiled back too and looked at the fire that whipped around the fireplace.

She didn't want to say the words, but looking at this exhausted sad old lion, she had to tell him what she saw.

"You need to get away from this place, Clay,"

He froze up the second she said this, and he glared at her, hurt.

"I just-" She went on quickly, afraid but being brave. She really did care for him, "I think being here by yourself is just not doing you any good."

He only stared right through her, a small growl forming in his throat.

"You're on her chair, Ash."

Ash perked up quickly the moment he said those words and glanced her eyes down at the big armrests and knew instinctively, who's chair she was on.

"Sorry, sorry..." She said quickly, jumping off the seat and standing awkwardly to the side, "Sorry..."

He watched her silently and gave a pained shrug as he continued, "You didn't know..." He smiled at her gently again and carried on saying, "But Ruby is gone..."

He stayed quiet for a second as he could picture his late wife in his mind so vividly that second.

And she's little more than a ghost now.

He stared into nothing as he thought this sad thought.

I'm sitting next to a ghost who I can't even see.

"Calloway?"

He looked back up the second Ash said his name so worried, but caring.

"Why did you come back here?" He finally asked her and she froze up on the spot at this question, "Surely your loved ones want you to spend Christmas with them?"

But I do love you... she thought deep in her subconscious mind. She felt deep in her fluttering heart.

She had to make up a lie and fast. She didn't want to leave him. She didn't even want to leave, herself.

"Like I said." She finally began, gulping nervously and heading to the kitchen, "No one should be alone at this time of year."

Calloway only gave a small humorous grunt when he heard her turn on the kettle for more hot tea, "If you keep making us tea all night, we'll be pissing constantly and will never sleep."

"Cal!" Ash only laughed at his funny statement. She couldn't stop but laugh as she poured the hot water into two cups, "Tea is good for the soul."

"I thought chicken soup was?" He remarked and she giggled to herself as she came back and handed him a mug of boiling tea, "Wonderful..." he uttered.

"And no honey," She concluded to him, "Just the way you like it."

"You getting to know me too well, Ash." He continued, sipping the hot beverage and gulping down the soothing liquid, as it eased his soul, "Too well..."

She wanted to tell him that before she knew him she was one of the head organizers of his internet fan page that was simply titled, Clay Calloway! The most incredible Rock Star that has ever lived!

But she didn't want to appear obsessed or a crazy dedicated fan girl.

She actually knew him now. The person he really was. The amazingly deep and sensitive lion.

Why was he so incredible, yet he couldn't even see it himself?

"Heh heh," She laughed awkwardly, holding her tea mug in both hands, "Yeah... too well..."

He looked into her eyes then, and only smirked as he said, "You're hiding something from me."

"Nope," She replied nervously and he just laughed.

"Will you tell me one day?"

"Yep," She said, feeling a small blush skim her furry cheeks, "One day, of course."

He rolled his eyes, seeming to catch some of her cringe that was hidden in her voice. He still had to remember one thing.

He was her idol... but to him, she was the real hero.

Ash continued to sip her drink before she finally felt like she couldn't hold it in anymore.

"When I was younger,"

He regained his attention on her and looked into her blue quaky eyes.

"I was your biggest fan..."

"Still am." He said back gently, half joking and she rigidly nodded her head.

"And I... helped start up a fan website for you... just for fun."

"Yeah. Fun." He laughed softly and she felt her cheeks burning.

"But it was all artificial," She went on, sad at this fact as her eyes gazed on at nothing, the memories coming back. She slowly gulped again and looked him straight in the eyes, "I didn't really know you then... just the image, not the lion-"

"The broken lion..."

"Exactly, wait-" She caught her words, quickly steering off in an opposite direction, "No, you're not broken."

He remained silent as he stared at her, his lips slowly lowering into a sad frown.

"Don't lie to yourself, kid," He finally told her and finished his tea, placing it on the coffee table and getting back to his feet, "I'm as broken as they get."

Not to me, ran through her mind so quickly, and she stood up to stop him, not to me! NOT TO ME!

"Calloway..." She said, almost saying his name in a dire beg. He didn't turn to look at her, he was just at the open door, about to go back to his room, "You're amazing, that's what you are. And whatever is broken... it can be put back together."

"You don't understand one thing, though, Ash." He replied, switching off the low light and leaving her with his final parting wisdom, "When you lose the one you love most, it scars you in a way that never heals."

He walked away uttering, mostly to himself, but she could still hear him.

"Instead, you hope to go numb from the pain... because, if you can't feel good, that also means you can't feel bad."

"We love you, Clay," She said with soft sad words, "I love-"

"A figment..." He replied and began walking upstairs, "Not the real Calloway."

She watched him go, and she slowly closed her eyes tightly, turning around and walking across the living room, just looking at the photos on the wall.

Ruby... Ash wished she had known her... how incredible this lioness must've been to have such a devastating effect on the one who loved her.

Ruby... how Ash would've never known Calloway if she had never passed.

It felt like a selfish feeling just then... knowing the way she felt in her heart for the old hurting lion. This feeling was deeper than what she had once felt for her ex-boyfriend.

More sincere than just a crush... but more deep than feelings would allow.

She loved him almost more than a friend... a mentor, a legend.

Calloway lay on his back again, just looking at the stars and he gave a stern nod of his heavy head, making a promise to himself at that moment.

"I'll bring you the stars this Christmas, Ruby..." He smiled sadly, tears gaining in his eyes.

"And I'll bring you the moon, too."