part 19 : A dream between worlds

The room was quiet, the moonlight casting

silver shadows across Fiona's bed as she

slept. And then, like mist creeping over still

waters, the dream came.

She stood barefoot in a field of lavender-

endless and glowing under a night sky filled

with stars that pulsed like heartbeats. The

air smelled like childhood, like peace, like

beginnings.

In the distance, two tall figures stood back

to back.

One was damein his eyes like firelight,

burning with questions he didn't know how

to ask. His hands were clenched at his

sides, as if aching to reach out

The other was dominic cold and

unreadable as ever, but with the faintest

crack in his armor. His gaze flicked toward

Fiona, full of regret, full of the things he

never said.

Between them, a path forked in two. One

side led to a cottage by the sea, warm with

laughter. The other led into a forest of

shadows and stars--wild, untamed,

unknown.

Fiona stood at the center, unable to move.

But then a voice spoke behind her-soft

male, familiar.

"You don't have to choose anyone but

yourself," said Adam, stepping out of the

dream fog. But this time, his face

shimmered and shifted-he was Adam, but

he was also no one. Just her mind

whispering back what she knew deep down.

She turned again and found herself alone

now-no Damein no Dominic no Adam.

Just the lavender and the stars and a

glowing orb floating before her chest.

Just the lavender and the stars and a

glowing orb floating before her chest.

Her own heart.

It pulsed once, then twice, then burst into a

thousand petals that danced into the sky

And Fiona whispered in her sleep, "I want to

be free."

She stirred under the covers, the dream

fading as dawn began to creep through her

window. The world outside was still waiting

But inside her, something small had shifted.