"Ugh…"

Derek rubbed his eyes. He awoke in his small apartment in Boston.

Derek was a security guard, up until he got fired for allowing the person he was supposed to be guarding to get killed. Up until about two minutes ago, he was sleeping soundly, and dreaming of a life in the past in Rome. Even there, he was still a complete idiot.

Derek got up, got dressed, and brushed his teeth. His normal routine. He even almost put on his security guard outfit, but remembered he got fired. Derek poured a bowl of cereal for himself, but was annoyed to find there was no milk. Instead, he poured orange juice into the bowl.

It was disgusting.

After nearly throwing up, Derek threw on his coat, and went outside. It was snowing, but only lightly. Now that he was unemployed, he had no idea what to do. He had been a security guard for almost the entire year that he had been out of college, which, may not seem like a long time, but he had gotten used to it.

After wandering the streets for a while, Derek sat down on a bench in Park Square. Maybe he could get a job at Starbucks…

Derek did a double-take. He thought he saw the girl that was in his dream, Gaia. When he looked back, sure as could be, she was standing next to a statue of George Washington, in a white jacket. Derek got up, and walked towards her, not sure what to do.

"Uh… hello?" He managed to say. The girl turned around.

"Hey. Do I know you?"

"I don't think so, but I think I've seen you before. This may sound creepy, but you were in my dreams."

There was no response for a few seconds, but then she said, "You think?"

"Yeah… I'll just… leave you alone forever now." Derek turned around, but just as he began to step away, he heard:

"Wait. I think I saw you too, and you may be able to help with something."