Richelle Mead owns the VA and Bloodlines series.

This one's sort of sad, so if it's a downer for you just know, I am currently working on a highly requested sequel chapter to... well, let's just say it's one of these One Shots. It's a secret ;)

Review and let me know what you think!

I was standing in Clarence's living room.

I never thought I'd be so happy to see his antique furniture and creepy dark wood hallways. But the dream was a nice respite from the horror movie I was currently living.

"You're here," a relieved voice said from behind me, causing me to spin around so fast I nearly fell over.

"Adrian?"

And there he was, standing by the French doors leading into Clarence's billiard room, looking perfect. Well, actually he looked tired, and upset, and sort of like he wanted to cry, but still... Perfect.

"It worked," he was saying in this choked voice that I'd never heard from him before. "It didn't work the other times. What changed? Why can I contact you now?" He shook his head and stepped toward me. "You know what? Never mind."

He pulled me into a hug, burying his face in my hair and stifling a sob against my neck. I could feel him shaking against me. Shaking me with his silent tears. I realized I was crying too and closed my eyes against his shoulder.

"This is a spirit dream?" I asked cautiously. At one time, not too long ago, I would have been strongly opposed to Adrian using his magic to communicate with me, but now I was almost afraid to hope. To hope that this really was him squeezing me tightly to his chest and not some figment of my imagination or a trick the Alchemists were using to exploit my emotions.

Adrian finally collected himself enough to pull away from me but he didn't let me go. "Yeah," he said on a shaky breath. His beautiful green eyes looked red and puffy. I could only imagine what I must have looked like. "I've been trying, everyday, for weeks since you... left. This is the first time it's worked. Do you know why? Because I certainly don't."

I shook my head. I didn't know what had changed, but I was glad it did. I'd prayed every night that Adrian would meet me in my dreams. He knew how I felt about spirit, but I knew that wouldn't stop him from contacting me. Not in this case. When he hadn't come I knew something must be stopping him. I knew in my heart that he was out there, in the real world, looking for me every chance he got. He wouldn't just sit back and let the Alchemists have me. But I wasn't sure what could have been wrong. "They could have been giving me something, in my food maybe. Sleeping pills?" I finally answered.

Adrian reached up and smoothed my hair down, resting his forehead to mine. "It could have been. Any drugs block spirit, or magic, but you know that." His free hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer. "I missed you so much, Sage. I've been looking for you. You don't happen to know where you are, do you?"

"I'm not sure," I sighed. "I know I'm in Re-education, but as far as location..." I thought for a few moments and then gave him an address in Virginia. "I don't know for sure I'm there. But it's the underground bunker where they were holding Keith when I saw him."

"You saw Keith?" he asked, surprised, and then shook his head. "Doesn't matter. I'll look into the address. And before you even say anything, Sage, we won't make a move until we have proof that that's where you're being held. Don't want the Alchemists catching wind of our escape plan."

I smiled up at him, tears forming in my eyes. He was looking for me. "We?" I asked, mostly to distract myself from the overwhelming emotions assaulting me. "Who's we?"

He smiled back and tugged me closer. "Let's get more comfortable, huh?"

Suddenly we weren't at Clarence's anymore, but in Adrian's apartment. In his bedroom. He pulled me down onto his silk sheets and laid down. I didn't even care how creepy it was to blink and be in a new location. The idea of lying down with him and letting him hold me was too inviting. I snuggled into his chest and breathed in the intoxicating scent of his cologne. Somehow he even smelled like it in the dream. Or maybe it was just my memory playing tricks on me.

"We've all been looking for you," he said once we were comfortably wrapped around each other in his large bed. "Me and Rose, mostly. Dimitri, too. The others help out in whatever ways they can. Jill wishes she could do more, but she's still in Palm Springs."

The irony of that didn't escape me. Here I was, being held somewhere against my will by the Alchemists as they did horrible things to me to make me realize how evil vampires were. And those very vampires they were trying to "save me" from were out there right now, trying desperately to rescue me from the Alchemists.

"And where are you?" I asked him, leaning up to look at him. His beautiful green eyes crinkled a little with a smile.

"I went back to Court. For a little while anyway." He stroked my hair again, looking at me like he was trying to memorize every plane and contour of my face. "Rose and Dimitri took up my plight. Lissa was able to get some leads for us to look into. Abe's actually been the biggest help, so far. He's like a master spy, or he's got master spies working for him. But then again Jackie's location spell hasn't come through yet."

"Mrs. Terwilliger?" I asked. I wasn't sure why the idea of her helping Adrian startled me so much. Maybe because she was my history teacher and her being so wrapped up in my personal life was just a little unsettling. But I was still grateful for her help. Then I realized what Adrian had said. "Wait. Abe's helping? Abe Mazur?"

Adrian smiled at me again. "Do you know a different Abe?" he teased.

"No," I admitted. "But why would he care? The only reason Abe ever helps anyone is if..."

I trailed off, horrified. "Adrian, what did you do? What did he make you promise?"

"Nothing," he whispered soothingly, but I could tell it wasn't nothing. "Mostly he's helping because of Rose. She's been really worried about you."

His change of subject was noted, but I went with it. For now.

"Well, you can tell her I'm fine. I'm strong. I can get through this."

Adrian gave me a proud look, but there was a deep sadness set into the curve of his lips, the green of his eyes. He looked worn and tired, like someone who'd been beaten down by life until they couldn't take it anymore. "My brave girl," he murmured. "I'm coming to get you. Just hold onto hope."

"You don't look like you have much hope these days." I said softly.

He kissed my forehead. "I have a lot more than I did before I fell asleep, that's for sure."

"I love you," I whispered, pulling his lips to mine.

We kissed, softly at first and then we lost ourselves in it. It was hard to keep my head when I was kissing Adrian, I'd always thought so. But after not having seen him in weeks, I could barely control myself. I flipped him onto his back, pushing him into the pillows. I wasn't usually the aggressive one in these situations. Usually when I did take control it was at Adrian's urging, but this was all me.

I straddled his waist, leaning down to press my lips to his neck and chest. Anywhere I could. He'd been wearing a shirt before we'd started kissing, but it had gone away at some point leaving his chest bare for me. My hands trailed down, my nails leaving faint scratch marks as they went. Adrian's responding groans spurred me on. When my fingers hit the button on his jeans he pulled my hands away and flipped me over, pinning me to the mattress.

"Not tonight," he murmured against my lips. "Maybe next time, but for tonight just let me worship you."

And then he did.

###

By the time we were finished an annoying buzzing sound, the kind you get when your ears ring, was going off in my head. At first I thought it was just the blood still pumping hard past my ears from all of Adrian's worship. But then he sighed, sounding annoyed, and I realized he could hear it too.

"Damn," Adrian muttered, pulling me close against him and wrapping his arms around me. "That's my alarm."

"Your alarm?" I asked, still feeling slightly dazed.

"Yeah," he nodded against my shoulder, giving it a kiss. "I set it before I went to sleep. I wanted to make sure I woke up as early as possible. I set it to go off low at first and gradually build higher, so I can hear it, but it won't wake me for another few minutes. That way I have some advance warning about when the dream's going to end."

"So we're going to wake up soon," I said sadly.

"Yeah," Adrian replied, kissing my cheek.

In that case...

"I don't like the idea of you working with Abe," I said quickly, hoping the end wasn't coming too soon.

Adrian sighed. "I know, but he didn't ask me for anything I wasn't willing to pay. I'd do anything for you."

I shook my head. "That's the problem." Abe would most certainly take advantage of Adrian's desperation.

Adrian ignored my comment and leaned forward to give me a kiss. "I love you. I'll visit you tomorrow. If I can't get through I'll keep trying. I'll keep trying until I'm with you again. In real life."

I stroked my fingertips across his sculpted cheekbones. "I know. I'll miss you."

The alarm was louder now. It was creating a pounding in my head that I wished would go away so that my last seconds with Adrian wouldn't have to be unpleasant.

"I'll find you, Sage," he whispered just as the dream faded.

I woke up in my bed, dripping in sweat. And tears, I realized. I was crying. I looked around the dark room, or cell if we were being honest, making sure I was alone before falling back to the mattress and escaping to the world of sleep once more.

His final words, I'll find you, Sage, playing on repeat in my head as I drifted off.