She was sinking quickly. Her arms and legs wriggled uselessly in the chains that were wrapped tightly around them. She whimpered, watching a few precious bubbles of air escape her lips. She wanted to scream, but knew the end would only come faster. On the other hand, what was the use? Wasn't her demise inevitable? She had been dumb enough to come here on her own, thinking she could defeat an assassin. She deserved to die. And it looked like she would. She had no more air and her heartbeat was filling up her ears. It was even louder with her acute sense of hearing. Her resolve broke and her mouth opened, the stale, murky water filling it. She had no choice but to accept her fate. The chains stopped their clanging, as she was no longer fighting them. And then she hit the bottom softly, her dead eyes open.

Chloe King sat up in her bed, realizing her face was wet with her tears. In the dream no one had come to save her. She almost wished as if Jasmine hadn't. They expected so much of her, to save an entire race in fact, when she couldn't even save herself. She let the tears come, and let them continue running until she felt them bead up and fall off her face. She wiped the remnants of them with her hands, but soon after the waterworks started up again. She didn't even bother to wipe them this time. She turned over, hugging her blanket to her damp chin. She watched the clock for a minute, watched the red numbers turn from 10:09 to 10:10. She could make another wish. Her last one had come true. She could wish for so many things, for this to be over, that she could be with whoever she wanted, but... if she woke up and nothing was different, she would be too disappointed. She wished someone would be here when she woke up... that's what she really wanted. Someone to hold her for a little while, as if they were keeping her from falling apart. She sighed and closed her eyes.

A few moments later she felt something lightly touching her face. She looked up to see Alek beside her, holding a tissue in his hand. She closed her eyes again so he could finish drying her face. She almost imagined him as a figment of her imagination, and gazed up at him with a blank expression. It wasn't until he spoke, in that perfect British accent she knew her mind couldn't make up that she realized he was really here.

" Are you alright?" He asked her gently.

She nodded. And she truly was alright at the moment, feeling safe with him so close to her.

" Would you like me to stay?"

She blinked, the answer in her eyes. She took a deep breath, noticing her heart was fluttering. Suddenly she longed to feel him, his body heat enveloping her, his arms wrapped around her. The feeling was so strong she almost reached out to touch his hand. To anyone else this might have been a chance to take advantage of, but Chloe could feel the invisible barrier between them was still there, and neither of them was ready to break it down just yet. For now their relationship was still out of reach. She looked at him for a long moment, taking in how he looked with his head on her pillow, staring back at her. She closed her eyes once more, the image burned into her mind. The only one lately that she didn't want to forget.

As she faded off to sleep once more, Alek watched her. He watched her side rise and fall with each tiny breath, her eyes moving underneath their lids in a peaceful dream. She was truly beautiful, and that longing Chloe felt before was inside of him too, maybe even stronger. He too felt the long standing barrier between them, and knew that in time it would come down. Finally he let his exhaustion over the last few sleepless nights overcome him. He let his eyelids droop, knowing that Chloe would be as safe as could be with him right by her side. He would be here when she woke up. He would be here whenever she needed someone, and one day she might realize that the someone she needed was him.