He runs as fast as fast as he can but he's no match for her. Her voice is there in his ears.

"I've told you-- stay away from mi familia!"

Even with his natural speed, Imelda catches up to him. She grabs his arm and pulls him backwards.

"Imelda, stop!" he yells as he turns to face her. "You know me. Why are you always mad at me?"

"Like you don't know why," Imelda says with a piercing glare. "You promised you'd never leave, and you do. You went with Ernesto when you knew you had a familia to take care of."

"I tried to come home, Imelda. Why don't you believe me?"

Imelda rolls her eyes and points at him. "Because you said you and Ernesto's trip would only be for two months, yet when you wrote letters to me, you'd tell me you extended it."

"Imelda--"

"No. I don't want to hear it. I've had enough of your stupid excuses."

"Just let me explain!" he yells, and that's when she tears after him again. He runs faster and faster, but she gains on him anyway.

"Stay away! I won't tell you again!"

No matter how fast he runs, she catches up.Then she grabs ahold of him again--

"No!"

This time he can't hold it in. Héctor sits up fast and yells despite trying to supress it. Tears fill his eyes as he gets out of bed and paces in the darkness.

Héctor can still feel Imelda's rage, all her anger aimed at him for something that wasn't all his fault. He can still her her voice in his mind. She didn't even let him talk sometimes before she started shouting and chasing him.

She is still mad at me.

Why doesn't she just end his fear and tell him straight?

Héctor feels a hand on his shoulder suddenly, and he jumps and whips around.

Imelda is staring at him. Her expression is clear, even in the dark. Concerned, and something else. Firmness, maybe.

Héctor turns to face her.

She sighs. "Héctor, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Héctor snaps, regretting it when Imelda looks at him in an angrier way.

She takes her hand off his shoulder and crosses her arms. "It's not nothing, mi amor. You think I haven't noticed you acting like this?"

Héctor sighs and hangs his head. You want me to leave. Just say it.

Imelda squeezes his hand, and he freezes up. She looks at him again.

"You're not fooling me anymore," she says. "This has happened for the past three days. Maybe longer."

Say it already, Héctor thinks bitterly.

Imelda shakes her head. "This can't keep happening. I hate seeing you like this."

Because you hate me.

Imelda gives him a look, as if she can read his thoughts. "I won't judge you. You can tell me what's wrong. I know you too well to be fooled by you."Héctor stares at her, saying nothing. He can still see the dream in his mind, her anger, her fierce hold on his arm.

Imelda keeps looking at him as she speaks. "Just tell me," she says. "You know you can trust me."

"No I can't." Héctor blurts it out almost as soon as she stops speaking.

Imelda widens her eyes.

Héctor keeps talking, bitterness in his words. "Just say it, okay? You want me out of your life. You're still mad at me. Just tell me you want me to go away."

"Why would you think I want that?" Imelda's eyes stay widened, and hurt shows in them as she asks her question.

Héctor turns away. He's shaking.

"Because that's all you used to want," he says. "You aren't one to let go of things. You used tell me never to speak to you again. You even chased me sometimes."

The waiting tears in his eyes spill over as he remembers those moments. Not able to hold it in any longer, he cries.

"I know you're still mad," he chokes out. "Why didn't you just tell me?" He lets more tears fall as he looks at her again.

Imelda sighs. "Because I've moved past it," she tells him. "Maybe I used to want you gone. But not now. I made mistakes back then, refusing to let you explain yourself."

She steps close to him and wraps her arms around him. "I don't want you to leave, Héctor. I love you."

No.

Héctor backs out of her embrace and moves toward the door. He opens it and stiffly walks out.

"Héctor. Come back."

He opens the front door and runs, Imelda's voice filling his mind again.