Chapter 23- The land of dreams

If your dreams don't scare you they aren't big enough -unknown

The same feeling I had in my nightmares was present. Nothing was different, it was dark and scary and on my back were wings. It was so soft as I imagined it would be. The white contrasting perfectly with my skin. Taking in a breath I jumped and hoped I could fly, I landed back on my ass- painfully.

Rather unfortunate

As I stood up and surveyed the area, I noticed two things. One I was in my backyard of my childhood home, two I wasn't alone. On the front porch, on the rocking chair, where my mum used to rock Ben, Mery and I every night someone was swinging their feet- it was a kid. The closer I got to him the more I realized that kid was Ben also the more I noticed that my wings were gone, disappeared into the shadows in backyard.

Ben looked up at me his warm eyes brown eyes staring into mine. He was Ben but he wasn't, he was Ben from years ago. Then Ben that I had my fondest memories with. The Ben that hadn't abandoned me.

He hopped on the chair and walked to me, his tiny hands reaching for mine, I obliged as he led me inside. The house was warm, the fireplace was lit the orange embers serving as a source of heat for the house. The house seemed bigger on the inside, the warm undertones or reds and brown covered the house. The familiar scent of jasmine encompassed the house; it was comforting.

God I missed this

Ben led me to the dining room and sat me down.

"Quinnie, are you hungry?" he asked his voice a little pitchy and more childlike from when I remembered. I just nodded and he walked into the kitchen and came out with a steaming plate of spaghetti with a fork.

I couldn't say no to this.

"Did dad make it?" I asked my voice not sounding like mine.

"No, dad can't cook. Mum made it she's in the kitchen, she said when you're done you should do the dishes." he replied taking a seat beside me his tiny hands covering my own.

Not waiting for any prompt I ran to the kitchen. Mum was actually there, standing over the stove her long brown hair tied with a green hair tie. Her back was turned to me, as I was walking to her, I noticed I wasn't me anymore. I was a kid again my fat fingers and chubby cheeks evidence of this alongside my ever present runny nose.

"Baby, you need to eat, we'll have a bath when you're done. Go eat." My mother said disapprovingly looking at me but there was some amusement in her eyes. I nodded and walked back to the table and sat down. Scared that if I disobey, she might disappear.

Dinner was over in seconds, I practically inhaled my dinner waiting for my mum to come back in and she did.

Damn I missed her cooking

Moments went by and she gave me a bath and helped me wear my unicorn pj's. My tiny toes swinging on the bar stool as she brushed it back and plaited it into a French braid and put on a tiny bonnet on my head.

"Ma, I missed you." I whispered as she carried me to my bed.

"I never left darling.", she smiled tucking me in

"The princess doesn't want to kiss the King goodnight, the poor King is heartbroken." My dad called from the door frame and walked towards me. The stress lines I remember him having were gone, his hair higher and less grey than I remembered.

"Daddy." I shrieked and wrapped my hand around his neck and pulled him closer to my chest.

"Hey angel, get some sleep I'll talk to you when you wake up." He mumbled into my hair.

I nodded and dozed off. My memories of my life outside the dreamscape gone by the time the sun rose. I had forgotten everything and everyone.

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"Nathan it's dead.", Xena said panting as she shoved some of the loose strands from her ponytail into her hair.

"You think?" Mery said holding the dogs head. Her eyes were muderous especially with the blood that filled the room and covered most of her.

"Nathan!" I called out to him, but he was holding Quinn's hand. He didn't move her, Xena knew it wasn't a good idea to move, the position would be more uncomfortable to Ben when he woke up. Quinn was curled into a ball with her moon mark on Ben's sun mark. Her hair was stuck on her face glistened with sweat, but there was a wistful smile on her face.

"How did you know the scar was on her leg Nathan?" Xena asked to take his attention off her for a second, as she gauged his reaction. Waiting for something to put her off, making sure he wasn't unstable.

"I watch her a lot if that's creepy." Nathan replied avoiding Xena's eyes and moving his nose away from Mery's general direction. Resulting in him looking at the wall behind the bed, he gripped Quinn's hand tighter as he made a side comment. "Mery you stink."

Mery rolled her red eyes sarcastically making the edges of Nathan's and Xena's lips curl up slightly, although neither of them were looking at her. Just then Albert rushed into the room, his frail body looking comedically unfit.

"What happened here?" He asked inspecting his pocket watch, his eyes enlarging as he took the whole scene in. Gulping as he realized what had occurred in a span of an hour. "Alright I'm going to call Swellius." he left the room still rattled about this 'dilemma' slightly gagging as he left; the stench obviously aggravated his ancient sinuses .

"The most important issue is waking Quinn the help up." Nathan said his amber eyes have lost it's shine. He was vaguely aware of the injuries he had attained from the fight, he's main concerned laid curled up in a ball not moving. The others felt his distress and just nodded as a response.