My leg was throbbing intensely, but I could not tend to it; all I could do was lay there. I forced my eyes to open and they blurred momentarily before focusing on the dirt. I was lying on the dirt facing a wall... made of dirt and rocks? I tried to roll over to see what where I was but it was too painful. I took a deep breath, trying not to panic, is this another dream? I don't want to dream anymore. Anything but that dream! The memory of that horrific beach plagued my mind and tears began to slowly fall from my cheeks.

"Stop pacing, you're driving me crazy!," a shrill voice broke my train of thought.

"What else do I do, huh? Just sit there like you, like we have no problems at all!?," A deep luscious voice replied sharply.

"Don't act like your the only one freaking out! Okay? We all out worried!," The woman defended herself.

Something moved on my left, I didn't even realize anything was there. I shut my eyes quickly, fearing who these voices were and what horrors that could bring to me. I felt the heat of it's body next to mine; it was now standing over me. It then rolled me over so I was laying on my back, my leg cried out but I remained motionless. I could feel it looking at me, staring at my face. I felt so exposed but I didn't dare more to cover myself.

"She's been crying again," a third voice spoke from right above me, sounding so sad and lonely.

"I don't understand," The deep voice said," I just... I don't understand," The pacing footsteps stopped.

I felt it kneel down next to me, so close to my face I wanted to shriek! "Violet," it spoke sounding so wounded and hurt,"Violet, can you hear me?"

The sound of his voice was calming and loving; I wanted so desperately to open my eyes and look at the mysterious figure. But what if it's a trap? Another nightmare? I can't do it again! I just can't!

"Violet, please," it begged me, it's voice cracked with emotion," Please, wake up. Please!," I could ear the intensity in his voice, his passion. " I can't keep living like this: unknowing. Please, wake up! Violet, please!"

Maybe this is real life? Maybe this is the real world? How can I be sure... it could be just an illusion. I don't want this to not be real, I want to wake up!, I thought desperately, on the point of shaking. I WANT TO WAKE UP! The warmth of the body next to me shifted as he changed his postion

"She'll wake up soon," I heard the woman whisper," Any day now."

I'm waking up now! Carefully I opened my eyes, slowly at first, to see the ceiling above me. It was made out of rocks and dirt, like the walls were and the floor. I glanced to the right and saw the wall that I had first seen when waking; to the left I saw the shadows of movement. None of them saw me move, and the body next to mine was all fur, I saw no face.

I opened my mouth barely and tried to talk, but only a whimper escaped my lips. It was so silent, I doubted they would hear it. The body next to me shifted again, but did not notice my attempts to speak.

"chance," I managed to speak, my throat was dry and my voice low. I sounded like an old Sanshrew who desperately needed a glass of water.

The warmth of the body next to me was gone in a flash, now it was standing over me. A fluffy orange face, with large green eyes was suddenly all I could see. His eyes were so hopeful and happy, just to see me. CHANCE! My heart pounded in my chest and I let out another whimper of joy.

"Violet," he whispered to me, like I was his most precious possession. His voice lingered in the air and then I knew that this was real. He was real. I was final awake from that dreaded dream. "Violet, your awake," he said breathlessly.

"Chance," was all I croaked back a him

His eyes watered with joy and he laughed at my attempt to talk to him," Violet."

"Get off her so she can breathe," Theresa scolded him.

He obliged, and helped me to sit up but never left my side. He stood next to me protectively while the rest flocked over.

"Oh Violet," Theresa teared up," Oh Violet. I'm so happy to see you. But don't worry about anything, not a thing," her voice took a serious note. " Everything okay now. Everything's okay."

"Shh, stop that," Jack hushed her," Hey there Vi," he turned to me," I'm happy to see those eyes looking at me again," he smiled.

I smiled back at him," Jack. Jack, your here."

"Of course, where else would I go?"

The beach! I thought with horror and cringed with the awful memory.

"Good to see you're alive, Bluey," Singe winked at me.

"Thank you, Singe," I smiled at him.

"You must be starving!,"Theresa exclaimed running to her bag and coming back with a pawful of berries. "Here, eat them. You'll need some strength."

I didn't realize how hungry I really was until I saw the sweet tender berries. I scarfed them down in a flash, licking my lips from the delicious taste they left in my mouth.

"Soo.. how long have I been out?," I asked cleaning my paws. Theresa looked over her shoulder and Jack cleared his throat while Singe scratched his head. "What? What is it?," I looked to them but they avoided my gaze. Lastly, I turned to Chance, "Chance?"

"Oh...well," he cleared his throat,"Well, only about twoweeksorso," he whispered quickly, turning to look at the wall," Wow, those Digletts did a great job, this tunnel is-,"

"TWO WEEKS!? I"VE BEEN ASLEEP FOR TWO WEEKS!," I shrieked. " I COULD HAVE BEEN DEAD!"

Everyone flinched at my outburst but Jack was quick to reassure me," No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, we checked you everyday at least twice. You were breathing and we always found a pulse, we made sure that you were strong and stable or else we would have rushed you to the nearest hospital, trust me. Everyday Chance was begging us to take you to the ER, but I told him by the time we got there you would be awake, and look," he smiled his heart stopping grin," I was right."

I was just so in shock by the news, Two weeks..

"But you're awake now!," Theresa cheered happily," and we can get on with it!"f

"On with what?"

"Oh.. well, the journey," she stated simply.

Oh god! We've been on this mountain for two weeks! "So..," my voice squeaked," you're saying that... we've been on this same mountain for two weeks," I breathed slowly, so to not throw up.

Theresa snorted," As if! Like Jack would let us stay there for that long. All the boys have been taking turns carrying you, we've actually made good time. You can see the end of the mountain range at the end of this tunnel."

"Really? You carried me?," I turned to all three boys.

"Uhmm... Yeah," Jack said like I was incoherent," It's not like you weigh as much as this one does," he nodded over to Singe," carrying you was easy."

"Hey mate, I'm no heavy bloke," Singe said offended.

"If you were light, we would have carried you too when you blacked out," Jack chuckled.

Singe crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall, looking down either sad or embarrassed.

"I-I just can't believe you carried me," I said in awe.

"Well it wasn't all easy," Chance said. "You thrashed sometimes and screamed, but mostly you just cried."

"I cried?"

"Yeah, a lot," Theresa said quietly. "Why were you crying, Violet?"

All eight eyes turned to me with sympathy and understanding, hungry for the truth only I could provide them. I can't tell them about it! It's too awful and too painful. They are not the people in my dream, they are better. They would never do that. They are family.

"I don't know," I said slowly, trying my hardest to sound confused.

"Oh... well, sometimes I sleep walk, mate," Singe said, comforting me," it's the same basic thing."

I smiled at him and then Jack ordered us all to et some rest because he wanted to reach the end of the peaks by tomorrow. I curled up to chance, he wrapped himself around me, making me feel safe and warm.

"Goodnight, Chance," I sighed happily, breathing in his intoxicating smell.

"Wow.." he whispered.

"What?"

"It's just been awhile since you've said that."

My heart throbbed slightly for the angst I had caused all my pack. I felt horrible about the worry I had put within them, how they must have been so concerned for me while I had dreamt of them abandoning me!

"I love you," he whispered into my fur.

"I love you, too," I said nuzzling into him.