The train is rocking weirdly and I'm not sure if it is physically possible that it makes those movements. The horde of people running through its cars doesn't seem to mind. Seeing how ecstatic they are, they might as well be causing it. They're laughing and screaming at the top of their lungs. I am oblivious to their reasons. Someone slams into me and I lose balance. There's a part of a second that I use to instinctively turn sideways so that my upper right arm receives the blow, and I don't end up kissing the wall towards which I was headed. Yet, I'm not spared of collisions because someone else slams into me. The woman doesn't seem to mind and she laughs even louder when she moves slightly away from me. When I lay my eyes on her it's clear. I would never mistake those golden locks.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

She's still incredibly close to me and shows no signs of intending to change the position.

"Hey." she returns as an answer. "Funny how of all people I run into you."

"Wh-" I start again. Maybe she didn't hear me ask.

"I like you."

I'm taken aback and multiple questions wrestle in my head for the prize of which one gets to get out first. But all words vanish in thin air as she leans in. Part of me thinks it's because of the train rocking wildly, but one peak into her eyes reveals a mischievous look. She wets her lips quickly and moves even closer. I catch myself licking my lips too. There's an explosion in my chest as she glues hers to mine and during that moment I wish I live off IV for the rest of my life and never have to ingest anything, so her taste remains forever on my lips.

It's over too soon. She licks her lips again and there are traces of a petite smirk appearing on her face.

As the smile becomes obvious, her silhouette shrinks. She's floating away from me. The crowd takes her in and her figure blends with the hundreds of faceless bodies around, never dropping her gaze. I scream after her, but to no avail. I can no longer see her.

My next instinct is to run. Pushing men, women and children alike on the sides, violently and relentlessly, as I dive through them in search of her. Eventually, the crowd becomes thinner and the walls lose their color. I yell. The sound echoes back, the windows become concrete and bars, the carpet turns to tiles and the seats and booths in the trains are now bunk-beds. My head starts spinning and I lose control of my body. Where am I? It's a hospital. No. It's a prison. I nearly collapse on the cold white tiles when I realize it's a bit of both. It's a mental asylum. I see her standing hear one of the beds and I approach her carefully.

"Hey..." I say and reach out for her arm to have her turn towards me. Her smile is gone. "What's wrong, beautiful?"

It is then that I feel feather-light. It seems like I'm about to faint, too, but I don't. A sharp pain everywhere on my body makes me close my eyes. When they flash open again, I'm flying. I can't see myself, but I see a figure right below me. She's wearing a long white gown with blue stripes and her dark hair is hiding her face. Her arms jolt forward, and she frantically grabs the bed on both sides from the other woman.

The captive's shriek slices through the room and she pulls her hands up to her face.

"Leave me alone! You're insane! INSANE!"

"But, you started this!" the darkhaired girl cries in confusion. Her hands start shaking.

"Let me go! LET ME GO!"

She listens. She lets go of the bed and the other girl is no longer enclosed. The arms drop on her sides, and she starts sinking lower until her body finally hits the floor with a loud thud. The girl with the golden hair screams again and again, the voice increasing its pitch and volume. Soon the noise is too loud in my ears and my head is pounding.

I can't help it. I yell.

"MAURA!"

My eyes flash open to reveal my apartment to me. There's a shadow above and soon I realize it's her. She's towering over me. I've passed out on the couch. The flickering of the screen tells me the TV is on but muted.

"Jane, are you okay?" she sounds worried and curious.

"Umm yeah, just a nightmare."

"You wanna tell me about it?"

My head stats burning at simply imagining the scenario where I do.

"Nah, it's.. I'm fine!"

"Let's talk about something else then."

I'm surprised at the urgency in her voice. It's not her usual tone, but a notably more solemn one. It alarms me.

"What happened?"

"What happened with Grace?"

If I were standing up I'd probably jump back from shock or trip or lose balance. However, no I'm lying on the bed with nowhere to go and she's still standing over me with unreadable expression on her face. What on Earth brought this about? Did she read any emails. No, that's not Maura at all. She couldn't have.

"Mau- What are you talking about?"

"Was she only a friend?"

Tachycardia, arrhythmia, cardiac abnormality, something is definitely going wrong in my chest.

"Yes!"

"Are you sure?"

"YES!"

"But she could have been more." It's not a question.

"Was Mona?"

She ignores my question as if it was never voiced.

"You would have changed things, but you didn't get the chance, did you Jane?"

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Or maybe you didn't... have the guts."

"Maura wh-"

"Is that what it's like with me?"

"Maura no! Wait!"

"Are you a coward Jane?"

"MAURA!"

This time I jump up and I'm no longer on the couch but in my bed, wrapped in sweat soaked sheets and panting loudly. I can barely see in the faint light coming from the street, but it's enough to ensure I'm alone.

My breathing rhythm doesn't listen to the way I'm trying to set it.

So, that was also part of the nightmare?

What if I'm still in one.

My arm automatically reaches out to the other one, pinching the flesh. It stings. It feels real. I rise up to test my motor functions. The light is not enough for me not to trip on a t-shirt discarded on the floor, and land sideways on my bed. But it's a good thing. If I was dreaming and the pinch didn't wake me, the kick I got out of nearly falling would have. So this is real.

I recall her words.

Are you a coward, Jane?

I pull my feet up on the bed, my knees bend and my arms automatically wrap around them. As if magically summoned, my eyes begin shedding tears on their own while I'm pathetically rocking back and forth and hugging myself.

In the end, who else would?

A/N: I promise I'll make Jane make a move, just not immediately/right now. There's something masochistically beautiful about the burn.

So, feel free to put up requests, I'll do my best to fit them in.

And, as always, please review and tell me what you think :)

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