A/N: Well, this is a new story that I'm considering working on. If there's interest I may continue. If not, I may take it down. So, please, if you'd like to read more of this story, leave comments.

As always, all comments — good or bad — are welcome

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She was running in the dark, her heart pounding so loud in her chest that it drown out the sound of her feet on the pavement. As she ran she reached out to squeeze her companion's hand and that was when she realized that it wasn't there.

Her sense of panic increased and she started turning around in all directions, but everything was dark and she couldn't see anything. The sense of panic within her was rising. Where was he? He had to be here somewhere? When had she lost him?

"ALEC!"

Waking up with a start from the nightmare she sat up in the dirty blankets that were now tangled around her limbs even as she felt the straw poking through the worn fabric of the mattress scratching at her. It had only been a dream, but her heart was still hammering in her chest as she looked around the small room.

Her brother wasn't there.

Swinging her thin legs over the side of the mattress she ignored the coldness of the stone floor as she reached for the threadbare shawl that had fallen from the foot of their bed to the floor.

Where was he? Was he all right?

Huddling into the shawl that was no more than a rag, she tried to warm herself, though she knew it was useless. She was always cold. It was why Alec still snuck into her bed at night despite the fact that her grandmother told them they were getting too old for such things. He would try his best to keep her warm and being next to each other offered them a sense of comfort that neither found anywhere else.

Sniffling a bit, she rubbed her nose on the back of her sleeve and stifled the cough that was threatening to rise up out of her lungs. It was like there was always a deep rattle down in the depths of her chest that never went away and cold mornings made them even worse. But, once she started coughing, it was like she couldn't stop and that wouldn't be good considering that she'd noticed droplets of blood in her phlegm recently.

There was no need for Alec to see that. It would just worry him more.

Leaving the small room that was barely big enough to hold the mattress she slept in, she peeked into the main room of the small hovel afraid to see her grandmother, but apparently the old woman was still in bed since there was no sign of a fire in the hearth. Sighing in relief and holding back another cough, she crossed the cold floor in her bare feet and went out back to collect some firewood.

It was even chillier outside than it was inside and she shivered in her excuse of a dress as she picked up a few logs from where they rest just outside the door. Curling her thin frame around the bundle of wood she held she made her way back indoors. It was going to be a horrible winter.

Looking around before she closed the door against the wind, she wondered again where Alec had gone. He usually let her know when he was leaving, even if it was only for a short time. Ignoring the sense of panic that had stayed with her from her dream, she squatted next to the hearth and tried to start up the fire again.

After a few tries, the moss she'd used as kindling finally caught a spark and she stoked the flames till there was a cheery fire burning in front of her. The warmth felt good against her skin so she stayed there a moment before she moved to look inside the small basket on the table to see if there was anything to eat.

She was surprised to find a small bit of bread inside and wondered how her grandmother had failed to hide that from them. Reaching in she snatched the bread out, all the while her eyes locked on her grandmother's door, as if she expected the old harpy to jump out at any moment and snatch it away. But, before the small piece of bread even reached her lips she remembered Alec. He would be hungry, too.

Looking at the bread in her grubby hand her stomach grumbled, as if begging her to eat, but she ignored her own hunger and looking to her grandmother's door, she tucked the piece of bread away in her pocket, saving it for Alec whenever he came home.