A/N: hey, I actually got a chapter up this weekend! wah, go me! I feel so accomplished with myself XD. But then, we didn't have many rehearsals this week, so that didn't drain me into not wanting to write anything. But this coming week will be busy, so I'm still not sure when I'll update next. (no, this isn't the last chapter) Well, that and the fact I have no clue where this story is going after this chapter. -dies- yes, kill me now, really. I have a few ideas, but I'm not entirely sure on anything yet.

Oh! And thanks once again again for the lovelrly reviews!

Discalimer: see chapter one.

Though We Walk Through the Valley

Chapter 12 - "Not a Dream"

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Nervousness broke out inside of Victor like he had never felt before. Not even when he had told Victoria how he felt about her. But then again, the first time he had ever even spoken to a woman near his age was when he met her. So for this, he didn't have much experience to prepare himself, and he wasn't even entirely sure how to go about telling Emily the truth.

So he figured he would start with the beginning.

"Emily, after that night at the chapel, I… things just started to seem so… gray. I don't know if that makes any sense…" He allowed himself the tiniest of smiles. Emily just nodded.

Victor glanced downward for a moment before continuing.

"After knowing what it was like to have no worry at all, or propriety, or money, or if you're getting along with the right people… after I knew such a place like this existed, once it was gone, everything around me just became so lifeless.

"In the beginning, Victoria and I were happy." At these words, Emily visibly flinched. Victor wanted to say something, but for some reason, decided against it. So he continued.

"But as time went one, every day became longer, almost to the point where I was getting through each day minute by minute. And as time went on… Victoria and I spent less time together, we eventually even stopped speaking to one another…"

Victor hung his head just then as he realized the error in his words.

"No," he whispered. "I was the one who did those things. I was the one who stopped speaking to her, stopped nearly all contact between us. As memories of the night at the chapel, memories of you, and this place kept coming more and more often, the more I avoided those concerned eyes of hers. I would leave the house for hours at a time, walking around town as many as twenty times, as long as it would keep me away from that house that we shared."

Emily frowned. She never would have guessed that he had been just as miserable as she had. She let him go that night to make his happier… what in the world happened?

Victor looked back up to her.

"Constantly, Emily. Constantly, I would have dreams that took me back to that night. Every time I would see a butterfly, I yearned to reach out and touch it, think it would somehow turn back the time to that day I spent here with you. It would be like this all of the time, and as the days passed by, the more I could barely stand t be in that house. Not out of hatred of dislike, but out of guilt and shame."

Emily felt close to crying again. All this time, the only thing that had kept her going was the thoughts of Victor's happiness. The thought of him living out a wonderful life was the only thing that kept her from lying in bed all day, staring up at a blank ceiling. And yet… the entire time, he had been doing just as horribly as she had.

"Victor, I –,"

Victor's finger on her lips hushed her.

He shook his head at her, a desperate look in his eyes. "I want to get this out before I become frightened enough not too," he told her quietly.

She hesitated for a moment, but when Victor removed his finger, she made a tiny movement with her head that he took to be a nod.

He took another deep breath. "Emily… I made a horrible mistake that night, and it was beginning to realize that that I became ashamed of myself. It was because of that that I avoided Victoria, that I spent many a sleepless night absolutely hating myself…" Victor paused for a moment, and looked so intently into her eyes that it almost frightened her.

"It was because I realized my mistake that I came down here. To find you and tell you."

Emily would've held her breathe if it was possible. She looked on at him, urging him to continue, though not daring to think of what he might be trying to say.

"You let me go so I could marry the one that I truly loved, Emily. And I… that's not what I did."

A long paused, and then, "I love you, Emily."

She gasped, and her wide eyes immediately began to well over with tears, causing her vision to blur. She felt numb all over, completely unable to move, strangely reminding her of the dream she had. All she could for what felt like forever was gape hopelessly at the man before her. Thinking was even out of her reach.

After she still hadn't said anything, Victor began to feel uneasy once again. He had been so frightened while he had been talking, he could hardly pay attention to anything. Though from somewhere inside of him, a large weight had just been lifted, and he couldn't help but feel relieved. He was scared now that Emily might be upset at what he confessed to her, but in the least bit, he was glad that he had told her.

Emily continued to stare, though some of her senses were starting to come back to her.

This was the true reason he had come back? The reason for his behavior in the bar, and just how different he had been acting around her. It was because he…

She couldn't even let the word pass through her mind. It was so… bizarre, she knew she wanted this. She had wanted to hear those three words come from Victor's mouth far more than she had ever wanted anything. The longing from deep within her had kept her awake and plagued her for weeks. And even now, she couldn't help but wonder…

"How do I know this isn't a dream, Victor?" she asked so quietly, she almost wondered if any sound had even left her.

She had to ask because she had to be sure. Through those weeks after leaving Victor, she scarcely went to sleep. Not because of grief or stress, or even nightmares. No… she didn't sleep purely out of fear for those "happily-ever-after" dreams that managed to make their way into her mind. And they were far more painful than the nightmares, because at least she could wake up from those and breathe a sigh of relief that they weren't real. But when you wake up from a dream come true, it's like having all you've ever wanted taken away from you. Forever reminded that it could never be yours.

For a long moment, Victor just looked at her. He hadn't anticipated this question, so he didn't think of a good answer for it. Though he was very well asking himself the same thing. But then he realized something.

"It's not a dream," he whispered.

She was quiet for a moment before answering, "How do you know?"

He smiled, and then daringly took a step closer to her.

"Because in my dreams, things never went this far."

And with that, Victor placed a single finger underneath her chin and gently tilted her head upward toward his. Then hesitantly, and with that shyness that still existed within him, he slowly closed the gap between them. And with his heart pounding painfully in his chest, he lightly brushed his lips over Emily's, just barely making contact, so as to make sure it was all right with her.

When she didn't pull away as she had at the pub, Victor couldn't remember a time when he had felt happier.

Only second later, Emily suddenly returned the kiss with so much enthusiasm, it almost knocked him over backwards. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and brought herself so close to him, Victor felt himself begin to blush, whilst smiling into the kiss for her movement startling him so much. He moved one hand across her mid back, and the other to the back of her head, where Victor took it upon himself to deepen this kiss.

For a moment, he nearly laughed at how different he acted about these types of things, compared to how he used to be. Back when he was that shy young man spending nearly all of his time in his room, never even had properly looked upon a young woman. He never thought of attraction, nor did he ever guess he'd find himself in the middle of it. Sure, it had crossed his mind when he had been told he was going to marry, but back then he had desperately tried not to think about it. But then came the day when he met Emily… and now he would never go back to the way things were before.

At some point, the two of them had broken apart, for Victor was now looking into Emily's large eyes, rather than the starry patterns of red and purple of the inside of his eyelids. Her eyes were brimming with tears for the umpteenth time that night, but she still had a lovely smile upon her features. Victor suddenly realized that it was identical to the expression she wore on the night they were almost married, as she had poured him the wine that would have killed him.

A tear eventually fell from her eye, and Victor raised a hand to wipe it away, though even once it was gone, he didn't pull his hand back. He gently caressed her cheek with his thumb, and all the while, the two of them felt so at ease.

Emily's eyes fluttered shut at one point as she leaned into Victor's touch. Letting out the smallest of sighs, she knew she was in a dream.

The only dream she would never have to wake up from…

… Her dream come true.