Just a Dream

Writers: Bree, Devin
Date Posted: 31st August 2006
Series: Saving Each Other

Characters: Talryne, N'vanik
Description: N'vanik and Talryne are both are having bad dreams.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 13, day 17 of Turn 3

Talryne

N'vanik

Everything was confusion. There was screaming, and flashing images--things
he couldn't grasp or make sense of. And then there was pain, searing pain.
He bolted upright, a hand going to his cheek to find not the wound he had
expected, but a scar, long healed. Looking around, he found himself in
darkness and realized he was in bed. A dream, then. Another nightmare.

A sound beside him caused him to turn his head, and he saw Talryne's barely
visible form moving fitfully. He wasn't the only one having bad dreams
tonight. Reaching a hand out, he shook her. "Talryne!" he whispered, "Wake up!"

Talryne started awake with a harsh cry that turned into a moan of pain as
her mind reached out and found nothing. Emptiness opened up inside her,
hollow and cold where Ysanth had been. For the first time since she'd woken
up in the infirmary, she could feel the hot sting of tears in her eyes, even
as she fought against it. She couldn't cry. She couldn't cry because then it
would be real, and Ysanth would be gone, and she would _never_ stop
crying...

"It was just a dream," N'vanik said, not knowing what else to say. It was
what he told himself time after time.

"No it's not," she replied in a broken voice. "I keep hoping it is, but it's
not. It's not, and I can't wake up!"

Hardly thinking, he pulled her into his arms. He'd held her so many times
since she'd come to him, it was almost natural. "I'm sorry, Talryne. I wish
I could fix it." **But some things can't be fixed. Like you . . . like me.**

The noise started somewhere deep in her chest--heaving, violent sobs that
she couldn't stop. The cheek she pressed against his chest was slick with
tears, and her hands clutched at his arms as if he was the only thing
keeping her from falling apart.

He'd told himself he wouldn't cry in front of anyone ever again, not after
bawling all over Trae. But as Talryne sobbed, N'vanik felt tears sliding
down his cheeks. He held her tight as her body shook and her tears wet his
chest. "I'm here, Talryne. I'm here," he murmured, wishing more than anything that he could take her pain away.

She cried for what seemed like forever. By the time the sobs slowed, she had
cried herself into a state of exhaustion. Face puffy and throat raw, she
sniffled against N'vanik's chest as the tears continued silently. Slowly,
the hands that had dug into his arms relaxed, and her fingers traced the
cuts left behind by her nails lightly. "I'm sorry," she whispered finally.

"I told you to stop saying that," he said gently, his voice wavering. From
his couch, Loseth crooned softly.

"I know." Her voice was hoarse from crying, but she sounded a little
steadier. "I am, though. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's okay. Doesn't bother me." N'vanik rubbed her back, feeling the tension
in it start to ease.

After a moment she let out a shuddering sigh and pulled back a little, her
eyes widening when she realized that she hadn't been the only one crying.
She reached out to brush her thumb along his cheek hesitantly, wiping away
the tears. "I think I need to wash my face," she said quietly.

Her touch set off several panic alarms in his head, but he kept himself calm. "I think we both do," he said just as quietly.

Talryne's eyes fell to his chest, and she managed a weak smile. "You might
need a bath. I think I cried all over you."

N'vanik chuckled. "I think you should join me. The warm water would do you
some good."

"It might," she agreed, leaning back against him and letting her eyes drift
shut. The crying might have brought momentary peace in its wake, but she
felt drained and exhausted.

"Or we could just go back to sleep."

"Sleep sounds nice."

"Then we'll sleep." N'vanik moved slowly, taking her with him until they
were both laying under the covers again. Holding her close, he closed his
eyes. He hoped the bad dreams were over, at least for tonight.

Last updated on the September 2nd 2006

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Just a Dream