2 comments/ 17336 views/ 1 favorites Sweet Dreams Ch. 01 By: Jenna_In_Dreamland Author's note: This story is for my MaeDeMae. No matter how far apart we are, or how much time elapses between phone calls, I will always be your JennaLove. This story is my property, please do not alter it, copy it, or post it. The wind was cold, icy, stabbing, pain. The darkness exploded into shards of light. A scream split the silence, and then… sweet oblivion. A voice reached across the miles to comfort her through the inky black. The voice whispered her name softly, calling her back from the void. A light shone, and in that light stood a woman. Short and curvy, long dark hair falling over bright shining eyes. The pain receded. She wasn't alone. The light took the form of a dragon, enveloping the woman. Phoenix rose from the ashes that had been her life, and began to build anew. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` Phoenix sat staring at the blank page in front of her, willing the answers to appear. No such luck! She slowly began to write, swimming out of the haze that her mind had been floating in. She was pretty much guaranteed an A in the class. No worries… only Phoenix was worried. It had been a long six months, dragging herself out of a spiritual and emotional hole. A hole that had been created when her world had suddenly fallen apart around her ears with a resounding crash. She had been isolated, forced by circumstance to move to a new state. Living in a place where she just didn't fit in. The clock ticked away as she bullshitted her way through the essay. "Another perfect paper!" she thought sourly as 3:45 hit and she was given her freedom. School was a joke; this podunk community college held no challenges. It was cheap and the credits would transfer, but boredom descended like a pack of rabid donkeys. The phrase brought back memories of the past, memories of laughter and warmth. Phoenix pushed the memories aside, no need to dwell upon the past. It was better this way. There were no more emotions, no more icy wind stealing her breath, and no more pain. Just an aching emptiness and the memories that haunted her with every step. Memories that kept resurfacing on the drive home, distracting her from the snow choked roads. Memories that filled her eyes with tears. By the time Phoenix reached her apartment the snow had piled up to a good six inches at least. She was greeted at the door by a very joyful canine, and an indignant cat. RD was barking, wagging his tail, and doing his best to cover her in slobber. Looking into the kitchen, she discovered the source of Oberon's indignation. An empty cat dish, and an overturned water bowl. After refilling both dishes, she turned to RD with a stern look on her face. "No more of this Mr., one of these days Oberon is going to take his revenge." The cross-eyed tan and black mutt just thumped his tail against the tile; completely sure that she didn't mean it. The no longer indignant black cat sat down to wash himself with a little help from the water bowl, completely ignoring the apartment's other occupants. Phoenix pushed the blinking button on her phone, and was immediately assaulted by the voice of her mother. "Phoenix Anne Riley, I don't know what you mean when you say that you can't make it for Christmas. It's only an hour drive and classes end next week. The entire family is coming, your cousins are flying out from California, and everyone wants to see you. I expect you here at two o'clock. We drew names, and you got your Grandmother. Gifts are to be in the twenty-dollar range. Bring a vegetable that goes well with ham, I suggest green beans, and would it kill you to give your poor mother a call every so often to let her know that you are alive?" "Great!" groaned Phoenix, "another happy Riley family gathering." Just then another voice came out of the phone. Recognizing Glenn's voice, Phoenix stopped to listen. "Hey Phoenix, you fox. Know how you were looking for a game to join? Well a friend of mine just started a Cyberpunk game. I'm not playing in it because I have class on Thursday nights, but I know how much you love Cyberpunk so I gave him your number. Hope you don't mind. Have fun, and Happy Solstice if I don't talk to you before then." The third message was from Glenn's buddy Dillon. "Ummm hi, Phoenix, this is Dillon. Glenn gave me your number. He said that you were looking to join a gaming group. I started running Cyberpunk a couple of weeks ago, and there is room for a couple more players. Call me if you are interested and we can go over character ideas. My number is (303) 555-5756." The machine gave a resounding beep, and the flashing light went out. Phoenix picked up the cordless phone with a sigh and dialed Dillon's number. "What the hell," she thought, "I haven't gamed in months. This might just perk things up a bit." Two rings later the phone was answered by a sleepy sounding Dillon. "Hello… Oh, Phoenix, sorry I was taking a nap. No don't worry about it. I needed to wake up and make dinner anyhow. I'm making angel-hair pasta with lemon butter and shrimp. Listen, I know this might sound a little odd, but if you want to come and join me we could whip up a character." Just then Phoenix heard an insistent meowing in the background. "Sari ads her invitation as well!" Despite herself, Phoenix found herself accepting the dinner invitation. Turning to Oberon Phoenix asked, "Well, do I pass inspection?" She was answered by a meow and a paw on her knee. "No, I don't have any idea what I am doing. Don't look at me like that. Weren't you telling me earlier that I should get out more? Lady save me, I am talking to my cat!" Oberon just purred in response, flipping over on the carpet as Phoenix ran long nailed fingers through her shoulder length red hair and looked in the mirror. A pair of black MacGirl pants and a long sleeved black mesh top over a black tank accentuated her five foot ten frame in all the right places. Her fiery hair hung loose around her shoulders, and her lightly made up blue eyes blinked back at her from behind black rimmed glasses. "Well kitty, it isn't getting any better than this." Phoenix grabbed her keys, and jogged out to the car. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` Forty-five minutes later Phoenix arrived in an old Victorian neighborhood, and parked her car in front of house #312. The door was opened, and Phoenix felt her jaw drop. "He's gorgeous!" she thought. What the hell was Glenn up to? She allowed her eyes to roam over Dillon's six-foot frame. She started with his Converse All Stars and moved up along his jean clad legs to the impressive bulge in his pants. She moved upward from there to his nicely toned upper body clad in a T-shirt, and then to his face. Gorgeous smile, messily spiked hair, piercing blue eyes what more could a girl want? She walked into his house and instantly loved it. The walls were covered with an interesting collage of artwork, and the furnishings were tasteful. Phoenix detected a feminine touch. Was there a girlfriend somewhere in this equation? A fiancé? A wife? No, no wife… no ring. As they sat down to dinner, Phoenix began to wonder about her sanity. Here she was barely saying a word, acting like a frightened schoolgirl. "Snap out of it!" she thought to herself "He's just a guy." Noticing a bass propped up against the wall she asked, "Do you play?" Not the most intelligent question… but it was a start. He grinned and replied, "I play bass for a band… I also play several other instruments. The paintings are mine, and so are some of the photographs. What can I say…? I dabble." "If you call that dabbling I would like to see what you consider serious artwork. You paint, you cook, you're in a band… where is the catch?" Phoenix said jokingly. "I have no fashion sense, my bedroom is always messy, and I like British comedy." "Your clothes look fine to me, I am betting that my room is a bigger mess, and I can live with the British comedy. So… how do you know Glenn?" "He and I used to game together back when I used to GM vampire. He's a decent guy. Took me out an got me nice and drunk after my last breakup." "Was it all that bloody?" "The game or the breakup?" "The breakup… if you don't want to talk about it I'll understand." "It was like someone set off a grenade in my living room…Debbie, the singer in my band, came in and helped me redecorate afterwards. Almost everything was broken. Basically Karen, my ex, decided that I wouldn't notice her disappearing a couple of times a week to go see her boss… in a private setting. When I called her on it she blew up, threw a bunch of things at me, and left. I came home from work the next day and all of her things were gone, which was fine with me. Who the hell wants to stay in a relationship after that? That was three months ago, and everyone has been encouraging me to go out more. I have a feeling that introducing us was Glenn's attempt at matchmaking." "Is that why you invited me to dinner?" "The invitation was impulsive, I figured that if you wanted to come over I had time to cook something… and if you didn't there are plenty of TV dinners in the freezer. Honestly I need the company. Most of my friends live a decent drive away and I haven't really been dating much." "Well, I will try to be good company. The food is amazing, almost as good as my cooking." Phoenix winked, "So, what type of characters are the other players playing?" "We currently have a netrunner, a techie, a rockergirl, and a fixer." "No solos? Well that tells me exactly what I want to be. I normally play solos anyhow… what type of adventure are you running." "Basically, the mission is being funded by a high level fixer. He specifically recruited certain people to be his own private dirty work squad. I was considering making a PC solo. I don't normally play player characters when I am the game master, but the group needs some muscle. If you can provide that, great! I won't have to work double." "How about the daughter of another prominent fixer. Make her a solo, and give her high handgun stats and smartlinked guns. Make her attractive, intelligent, and athletic equally but with low tech and an average luck." "That sounds about right. Let me grab a character sheet." As they fleshed out the character they found themselves sitting closer to each other and talking in lowered voices. The setting somehow seemed to get more intimate as the night wore on, and when they were finally done putting the finishing touches on Viper (the character) it was around three in the morning. Phoenix stretched and yawned; it was going to be past her bedtime by the time she got home. Dillon walked her to the door slowly, as if hesitant for her to leave, and when they got to the door he turned her to face him. "I had a great time," he said with downcast eyes. "You know, it's pretty late. You don't have to go home if you don't want to. You could stay here." Seeing her eyes widen he amended, "I could sleep on the couch. I'm not asking for… well… I was just saying that you are welcome to stay." He blushed. Phoenix thought about it for a second and slipped off her shoes. "I would love to stay here tonight, and you don't have to sleep on the couch. It would be nice not to sleep alone for once." What the hell was she saying? What happened to keeping her distance? Phoenix pushed those thoughts aside and lightly traced his jaw with her finger before leaning in to kiss him. The kiss started slow and gentle, then their tongues met and a fire began to grow inside of Phoenix. Wondering again what she had gotten herself into, Phoenix broke the kiss and looked into Dillon's smiling eyes. "I'm not offering sex," She stated. "What I am offering is affection, and a damn good massage." "I can control myself," Dillon laughed. "I am not, however, so sure that he can." He looked down pointedly at his crotch, and following his eyes Phoenix saw that the impressive bulge had turned into an even more impressive bulge. Leading him by the hand into his messy as promised bedroom she grinned. "Well he will just have to learn some control." She slid his shirt over his head, caressing his toned stomach and chest, and tossed the shirt to the floor. Gently nibbling on his neck she began undoing his pants. He kicked off his shoes and his jeans and stood in front of her completely naked. A naughty grin adorned his face as he explained. "I don't like underwear, boxers don't give any support and briefs are too tight. I hope you don't mind me sleeping naked." Phoenix playfully slapped his ass, and then lifted her arms so that he could pull both of her tops over her head. He gasped as her naked breasts came into view. "I don't wear underwear either," She said playfully. "Think you can handle it?" He just stared as she slid her pants off without unbuttoning them and kicked them across the floor. Taking her hand he led her over to the bed and crawled under the covers, pulling her so that she lay against him with her head on his chest. "I think I can handle it," he whispered in her ear, "if you can." His breath on her ear sent chills down her spine and she moaned. "How about that massage?" "Maybe later, right now I just want to hold you." His hand ran up and down her back. "Is this okay?" "Mmmm yes," she breathed, "that's more than okay." They lay together, cuddled close, until they both drifted off to sleep. Their bodies pressed tightly together in the warm cocoon of blankets. Phoenix's last thought before she drifted off was about how nice it felt to be close to someone again. Dillon's last thought was that he would have to call Glenn and thank him in the morning. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` Phoenix awoke to the sound of her cell phone ringing; she groggily dragged herself out of bed and found it in her pants pocket. Looking at the caller ID she saw that it was Glenn. He sounded rather chipper for eight a.m. and Phoenix wondered of he had gone to bed early to be able to wake her up with a phone call and hear all of the details. "Where the hell are you, I tried calling your house three times. Did you unplug your phone?" Grinning like a Cheshire cat she crawled back into bed beside Dillon who was now awake. "Who is it?" he mouthed. She pulled the phone away from her ear and showed him the caller ID. He smiled and cuddled up close to her. "Are you listening? Earth to Phoenix!" Glenn practically yelled. "Yeah, I'm listening," Phoenix replied. "The reason I didn't answer the home phone is that I am not at home." She heard a gasp from Glenn and then, "You're at Dillon's! I can't believe it. He isn't that kind of guy. Phoenix ran her fingers through Dillon's hair as she listened to Glenn's avowal of disbelief, causing Dillon to moan softly (but not softly enough). "What the hell are you two doing? I hear moaning." Glenn stated suspiciously. Phoenix giggled despite herself. "Relax, we're just naked in bed together." "What!" yelled Glenn so loudly that Dillon heard it. Dillon grabbed the phone from Phoenix and rolled his eyes. "Hey, Glenn, I really have to thank you man. I just had an amazing night." "You didn't! She's like a little sister to me Dillon. She isn't that kind of girl. I don't know what went on between you two but you had better be treating her with respect." "Calm down Glenn, we didn't do anything but kiss. It got late and she decided to stay over. We spent the whole night cuddling, and since I don't own pajamas and she didn't bring any we cuddled naked." "Spoilsport!" mouthed Phoenix. "Then what do you mean by an amazing night?" "I mean exactly that, we had an amazing night. We had a lot of fun creating her character, and I haven't slept this well in months. Plus she has great taste in artwork." Dillon winked at Phoenix. "Give the phone back to Phoenix, I want to warn her about you." Dillon handed the phone back to Phoenix with a grin and an eye roll. "Yes?" she said returning Dillon's grin. "Phoenix, this isn't like you. Are you sure nothing happened? If he did anything I'll…" Phoenix sighed in exasperation. "Glenn, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. As for this not being like me, that says something doesn't it. I'm glad that you care about me, but lay off of it." "So you like him?" Glenn asked in a much different tone. "Yeah, I really do," Phoenix replied. "Now, if you are done giving us the third degree, I would like to get back to sleep." "Oh, all right cranky!" Glenn laughed. "Go back to sleep… austa!" Phoenix heard a click and then promptly shut off her phone. She cuddled back up to Dillon, letting him spoon her. "What did he have to say?" Dillon gently kissed her shoulder. "He's glad that I like you," Phoenix replied stifling a yawn. Dillon smiled and pulled her closer. "Go back to sleep kitten, I set the alarm for noon." "Hmmm, don't bother. I don't really need to go to class today. I have A's all across the board." She snuggled back into him, pressing her body as close to his as possible and within minutes she was sleeping. Dillon unplugged the alarm and nuzzled into her neck. "G'night kitten," he whispered. "Sweet dreams." And held in his arms her dreams were sweet, unhaunted by the past. Sweet Dreams Ch. 01 Chapter 1: Paris I fell asleep that night in my own bed, but awoke in the wee hours somewhere else, a world away. A five-star hotel, in some exotic city, perhaps New York, Munich, Hong Kong? No, it was Paris, a city I know well. The French doors were ajar revealing through the gossamer draperies a balcony, and beyond it La Tour Eiffel, lit golden in the night. At bedside I note the telltale signs of luxury -- an empty bottle of Veuve Cliquot, a tin of beluga caviar, a basket of fresh strawberries. How have I come here? I had no travel plans, no airline tickets, no reservations?!? Ah of course, that's it, another of my dreams, as always so vivid it's transported me, my spirit, even my very senses it seems... Well at least it's a nice dream! I stretch languidly on the bed -- astoundingly large for a European hotel, it seems to stretch beyond the walls of my enormous suite. But not so large that she can avoid my touch. I don't even realize she's there until my fingertips brush lightly across the back of her neck as I stretch. My God, Nicole's here with me! Now I know this is going to be more than just a NICE dream. I hardly know her, but so far adore everything I know. At last I've found someone who "gets" me, who feels me, and who feels right to me. I cannot wait to see where this will lead us... I move closer to her, so that I can feel the gentle rhythm of her breathing. She's sleeping peacefully, on her side with her back facing me. I snuggle closer, "spooning" her gorgeous little figure with my own. My right arm wraps around her, my hand falling naturally on her perfect round breast, as her perfume fills my senses. She is so sweet, in every sense of the word, I cannot help but start to nuzzle the back of her neck. This evokes a stir, as she begins to waken. Her arms grasp mine, and we simply embrace that way for awhile. She moves closer to me, her hips pressing into my own, further stirring my loins already roused by her presence. She starts to grind against me, as if we were still on the dance floor. Vague recollections of past rhythms we shared evoke the most erotic memories. I do know where this leads -- we've been here before, but each time is different, each time more urgent than the last. She fits me like nobody else ever has, and I her. She instantly wheels around and is facing me, pressing me over onto my back, climbing on top of me. How can someone so small be so powerful? I have no defense against her onslaught, and submit willingly. I will pleasure her, my love, in every way I can muster. Our mouths meet and entwine, our tongues grappling for supremacy in a never-ending duel. Neither of us speaks, we only feel each other and from that know all we need to know. She is breathing harder now as her hips start to move over me. I'm so hard I feel like I'll burst as she starts to slip and slide her warm moistness on top of me. She's teasing, as she loves to do, because she knows it drives me wild. But she is not the only one with power in this relationship. She is my equal, my match, my mate, just as I am hers. I remind her by reversing our positions in a flash. Now she lies on her back, submissive with her arms pinned above her head. Now I will do the teasing. My mouth moves down, along her slender neck to her breast. My hands knead her flesh as my tongue tortures her nipples, already engorged, like diamonds hard enough to cut glass. She gives a little squeal of delight as I move back and forth from one breast to the other. My hands meanwhile have their own evil plans for her, and as they grip and knead her buttocks I can feel her heat rising. She's starting to writhe now, and I know I could probably bring her to ecstasy without even touching her sex. But I won't - this is time for building, not tearing down, and I'll keep the pressure on until she cannot hold back any longer. Gently my hand slips around her hips to find her womanhood, pressing soft but firm against her mons. Her hips now gyrate, as she begs silently for release. Only an occasional moan or sigh escapes her lips; otherwise she remains silent not wishing to upset the spell. Finally I grant her wish and touch her warm, moist lips, so gently that I can tell it's simply excruciating for her. She whimpers, and I grant her a bit more pleasure, a bit more pressure, a bit more probing, still holding back from what she truly desires. "Oh God, David, please, you know what I need..." Indeed I do. I move myself still lower, so that now her gorgeous thighs are on either side of my face. She promptly obliges, wrapping her beautiful legs around my neck so tight that I won't hear her screams later. "Yes, God, yes please Baby, kiss me there..." I devour her completely. There is nothing left but her quivering shell after the screams and cries die down. I am within her, all around her, my lips and tongue inflicting pleasure to the brink of pain. She cries alligator tears as her third orgasm wracks her body. "Please Honey, I can't stand any more, please let me breath..." Gently I rise to meet her lips and we kiss for the longest time. I know she can taste her own essence in my mouth; she does not seem to mind. Or to care. Or even to notice anything beyond our togetherness. This is the most intimate feeling I've ever shared with a woman, and the most exquisite woman with whom to share it. Slowly she comes down from the heights, and immediately begins working my body. She knows what I need just as surely as I know her. My manhood is huge now, purple, bulging, straining with my need to be inside her. As she strokes it she whispers to me, so quietly I cannot even discern her words, but simply feel their effect. Soothing and exciting at once, she knows just how to stir me. The teasing is done, now it is our time to be one. She climbs atop me again, but this time there is purpose in her movements. No game here, but serious business. As I enter her I know the most excruciating pleasure ever felt by man. She is perfect for me, so warm, so wet, so tight. As I said, we fit each other perfectly, in every way. We begin to move together, a rhythm as ancient as humanity joining us. Deeper and deeper she takes me until I feel as if my entire body will be consumed by her sex. I don't care, for where else could I possibly wish to be? "Oh Baby...oh my love...my God you are so perfect for me..." My mind whirls and I struggle vainly to express myself. The room wheels, the earth turns, the stars spin overhead, and time ceases its march as she works me into the depths of her womb. Civilizations rise and fall, continents drift, stars are born and die and I can see it all at once. This cannot possibly be called sex, for it is much, much more. We are expressing all that we are to each other. At last we cannot hold back the tide any longer. As I explode inside her she screams out her orgasm. We collapse together, unable to speak; not needing to speak. I'm not sure I ever really knew what love was before, but I surely know now. Likewise, I'm not sure she knows yet that she owns me, but she surely does. As we fall asleep again in each other's arms, I know I will awake at home in California. I know too that Nicole is far away, and will not be there next to me in the morning. I don't mind, for I believe she is feeling the same things I am, and know we will be together again soon. In the meantime, I have my dreams... Sweet Dreams Ch. 01 Nina tossed aside the blanket and flopped onto the bed. The sheets were less than crisp. She flipped her pillow, hoping for a few seconds of cool cotton, but no. It wasn't happening. The day had been the hottest of the year, with temperatures over 100 degrees for most of the day, and it hadn't cooled off much. Even with air conditioning the house was stuffy. Robbie, her boyfriend, was out of town. While she missed him, it was actually a bit of a relief in one respect. She didn't have to share the bed. She could stretch out and create as much surface area for the fan to cool as possible. In one important way though, Robbie's prolonged absence was uncomfortable, to say the least. She hadn't had sex in weeks. She let her hands wander for a bit, brushing fingertips over her nether lips and her body responded. She shuddered as an almost electric sensation tingled its way through her body. Then, she became aware of the sheet sticking to the small of her back, and the dewy sheen of sweat on her breasts and stomach and suddenly, it was too hot and she was too uncomfortable. The pleasure soured into frustration and she turned onto her stomach, burying her face in the pillow, and strangely wanting to cry. Sleep didn't come easily, but eventually it did. She drifted off into a surprisingly deep sleep for most of the night and became vaguely aware of waking up and thinking that it was close to sunrise. She then promptly fell into the most intense dream she could recall. * Nina wasn't in her bed anymore. The familiar pale green bedding and whitewashed walls morphed into a shadowy sea of deep blues and grays. She lay on her side facing a wall; she was alone in the bed. She sat up, catching a glimpse of herself reflected in the glass of a framed photo on the wall. Her auburn hair fell in dark, messy waves almost to her waist, and her green eyes looked gray. The dragon tattoo wrapped its serpentine way from left hip across her back to under the right breast. A woman almost exactly the same size as Nina came through a door. Ana. She was of medium height and build. She was a bit softer than Nina, and had rounded, smooth curves, where Nina's were more muscular. Ana's straight black hair was cut at an angle, falling to her collar bones in the front and partially exposing her neck in the back. A streak in the front was dyed a purplish shade. Her eyes were nearly black and tilted up a bit at the outer corners. Ana moved like a cat, her body swaying smoothly and easily from side to side with each light step. She had the appearance of walking slowly, but that was just an illusion. She crossed the room and stood at the side of the bed. A mischievous smile tugged at the corners of her lips, giving her the look of a pixy. Nina reached out, long fingers slipping around Ana's full hip and tugging her onto the bed. Ana edged on hands and knees the short distance to the far side of the bed. She bent down and brushed her lips against Nina's cheek, then her lips. Ana's top lip was slightly larger than her bottom one and they were well formed but not full. The contrasting feel against her own intrigued Nina, whose were full and pouty. They fit together like puzzle pieces. She relished the sensation and drew Ana's top one lightly into her mouth, her tongue sliding along the edge. She felt Ana part her lips to accept Nina's tongue. Nina obliged, and felt heat forming low in her body and beginning to radiate through the rest of her. Ana leaned harder into the kiss and lifted a hand from the mattress, angling her body toward Nina's, and brushed the lightest touch of fingertips from Nina's neck to the soft spot low on her stomach. Nina felt her nipples harden and she arched her back, hoping to attract more attention to the area, but too caught up in the kiss to do much else. She slid an arm around Ana's waist and pulled Ana on top of her. Ana adjusted accordingly, and began to straddle Nina's hips, but put a knee between Nina's thighs, just barely not touching her pussy. Nina wrapped both arms around Ana and drew her closer. Their breasts touched, and Nina could feel Ana's nipples graze against her own and then press into the softer flesh, as her own did the same. Both women gave a little gasp in response, and Ana pulled away from the kiss. Nina drug her nails lightly across Ana's back and sides and massaged her breasts. Ana moaned, and when Nina rolled her nipples between thumb and forefinger, spasmed briefly but it was enough that Nina felt a brush of Ana's pussy against her hip. Nina ground herself into Ana, until she could feel her wetness sliding on Ana's thigh. Ana shifted her weight, moving her knee forward for continual contact. Nina raised her leg to rub against Ana, but the angle wasn't great. With one hand still playing with Ana's nipple, Nina let the other wander. It was a bit of a reach, but she got it between Ana's legs and brushed her fingers over Ana's lips. She was surprised by how much of a turn on it was when a finger dipped in and discovered that Ana was dripping wet. Ana gasped and buried her face into Nina's shoulder, biting down lightly. Nina took the opportunity to explore a little, excited by the feel of another woman's pussy. She stroked the lips, until Ana was nearly panting, and then drove her middle finger hard and fast deep into Ana, and pumped a few times. Nina wasn't in a hurry, and wanted to make Ana wait too, so she entirely avoided the most sensitive areas. Ana began kissing her way down Nina's jaw, to her neck, and lower, lingering on the dip above the collar bone. Her lips drew on Nina's skin, just lightly enough to not leave a mark, but hard enough to radiate pleasure all the way to Nina's toes. She sighed as the tip of Ana's tongue trailed down the center of her chest and stomach. At the belly button, Ana began to nibble lower. Nina's body ached with unreleased energy. Ana worked her way lower and just as her tongue reached the very top of Nina's cleft, and began to slip into wetness, Nina's world dissolved. * The soft, cool wash of blues and grays was gone and so was the soft, passionate woman who had been lying on top of her. Nina found herself once again in a dark, stuffy bedroom, sweating and tangled in the corner of the leaf-patterned blanket. Her pillows were strewn in the floor, and somehow, the mattress was slightly askew. She must have been thrashing far more than the activities of her dream had required. Oh, the dream. Nina was suddenly pulled back into recollection and she was shocked. A sex dream! Unusual in itself. But, a sex dream involving a woman. She couldn't even imagine. She had never had sex with a woman. She'd never even kissed a woman. In the past she'd appreciated the attractiveness of some women, and she certainly appreciated the feminine look and feel of her own body, but she'd never seriously considered a "lesbian" encounter. Robbie would be thrilled if she suddenly took up bisexual habits. He'd been trying to talk her into a threesome for what seemed like ages. Thus far, she'd passed it off without a second thought. However, at the moment, the girl in the dream, Ana, was the only thing on her mind. Well, that and the fact that she was dripping wet and couldn't recall ever being hornier in her life. She was still short of breath. Nina wanted to think about the meaning of the dream, but the more she thought about it, about Ana, about her softness and the beautiful blue-gray room, the more she couldn't deny her body. She wasn't shy about pleasing herself and if she tried to swallow this much desire, she'd be a miserable bitch for a week. She kicked the blanket off her legs and let the fan begin to cool her skin. Under the mattress were a handgun and a vibrator. Her fingertips grazed the pistol, and groped around for a frustrating moment, then finally found the toy. It was pink leopard print. Not that it mattered, but Nina preferred her sex toy to not look anything like a real penis. The dildos that were flesh colored, or not, but that were shaped realistically and had veins and whatnot, were far too creepy for Nina to enjoy. She liked things to look like what they were. A vibrator wasn't a penis and it didn't need to look like a penis. It could be smooth, hard, leopard print plastic and do the trick just fine. Not to mention, the creepy looking ones didn't feel any better, in her opinion. She took the toy and turned it on. It buzzed at full power and she was pleased that she had splurged on lithium batteries. Suddenly, she couldn't wait any more, and she wiped her hand over her lady parts, to remove some of the excessive slickness. She was the kind of girl that typically only played with the clit when she was going solo, and if it was too slick, it was hard to keep the toy in place. Using the fingers of her left hand she spread herself wide and closed her eyes and let the toy get to work. She placed the rounded tip near her clit, and adjusted it a few times, searching for the sweet spot. She found it quickly, probably because she could have come to orgasm by touching almost anything to almost any part of herself. The pleasure was intense, and the familiar warm buzzing began to flow from her groin throughout the rest of her. She particularly enjoyed when the current ran up the back of her neck to her scalp. It drew a low moan from her throat and her mouth felt dry. She tried to slow things down a little, and switched to lightly stroking herself with just her fingertips. Her efforts weren't terribly successful. Just as she was about to take a tiny break, the orgasm rolled over her, warm and sweet and complex. Her mind was flooded with images of honeysuckle, the vines intertwined and densely wrapped, the beautiful and delicate blooms, and their distinctive sweet summer perfume. She wrapped herself up with the warmth and beauty of the imagery, and explored the new world that sensuality had placed in her head. It proved elusive and began to fade to the more realistic warm and foliage themed room around her. She could still smell just a hint of honeysuckle, and though there was some outside her house, the window was closed and she'd never noticed being able to smell it in the house. As reality became more firmly grounded in and around Nina, she began to cool down. The fan was doing its job, and somehow, with the cool air, came cooler thoughts. Within moments, her newly relaxed body drifted to sleep saving her intrigue over her female phantom lover for another time. Sweet Dreams Ch. 02 Note: CH, this is one third you... one third will... and one third imagination. To my readers, thank you for sticking with me. Part three will follow shortly. As always this story is not to be reproduced without my permission. Phoenix stood in front of the mirror, and tried to regain her composure. She took stock of the situation as she gazed at her reflection. "Okay, no big deal. You are in a strange mans bathroom, wrapped in his bathrobe." She began to towel dry her hair. " Nothing to worry about, you were dirty and he has a shower." She wrapped the towel around her damp hair and opened the door. Dillon was nowhere to be found. Dillon grinned as he heard the shower start in the bathroom. He slipped quietly out of bed and pulled on a pair of jeans, a shirt, and some shoes. Grabbing his car keys, he slipped out the door without alerting her and headed towards the local coffee shop. As he stepped up to the counter Debbie greeted him with a smile. "The usual?" she asked him as she grabbed a cup from under the register. "Not quite, I need it to go. One of the usual, and one... hold on a second." Dillon pulled out his cell phone and dialed Glenn. "Hey, what type of coffee does Phoenix drink?" Glenn laughed, "She doesn't, she drinks chai, cold with whole milk and whipped cream. What are you up to?" "Thanks, I'll fill you in later." Dillon hung up the phone and smiled. "One usual and one cold chai, whole milk and whipped cream." Debbie gave him a suspicious look as she started his order. "Are you seeing someone? If you are you should have told me." "Met her last night," he said as he handed her the money with a shit-eating grin. "I'll see you at nine for practice!" He bolted out the door before she could say anything else, leaving Debbie with a slightly bemused look on her face. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` When she couldn't find Dillon, Phoenix had curled up on the couch to wait. Her instincts told her that he would be back soon. He wasn't the type of guy who would just skip out like that. She almost jumped out of her skin when Dillon came waltzing in through the kitchen. He must have come in the back she realized. He had a cup in each hand, and he sat one of them down on the table beside her. "Sorry I wasn't here when you got out," He whispered a bit sheepishly. "I thought you might like something to drink." Phoenix grinned, as she tasted the chai. "How did you know?" the aroma calmed her nerves and made her smile even wider. "Lucky guess. I have a proposition for you. I have band practice in an hour, would you like to stay and watch?" He looked at her expectantly with the most adorable puppy dog eyes she had ever seen. "I would love to stay and watch, but I had better get dressed." Phoenix replied as she headed to the bedroom. Dillon groaned theatrically. "I thought you would say that, but I was hoping you wouldn't notice." ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` The band had been amazing, and aside from the billions of questions she had fielded it had been a pretty relaxing evening. Phoenix gently scratched Oberon's tummy as she contemplated the past two days. Nothing seemed real yet. Her eyes wandered over to the small wooden box resting on her bookcase. "Not yet," she whispered softly to a loudly purring Oberon, "Soon, but not yet." There were secrets in that box, secrets that she would have to face if she were ever going to truly let Dillon in. Memories locked safely away from daylight. Phoenix closed her eyes and surrendered to sleep. The dreams began to form out of the darkness. Voices penetrated the peace of slumber. "It's your fault. No one will ever love you. Don't touch me. You know you like it." The words repeated themselves over and over again as the wind cut into her skin. "What did you expect? Did you think it was real? Why would anyone want you? I'll never see her again. You aren't enough. You are worthless... Stupid... You are only good for one thing." Tears ran down Phoenix's cheeks as she fought against the voices. She sat up. Her eyes wide open, tears falling down her face, her scream still echoing in the room. Her voice trembled as she glared into the darkness. "I'm not worthless, and I am going to prove it." Her hand moved slowly to the box, she sat it down on the bed beside her and stared at it. She couldn't open it, couldn't face it. She put it back on the shelf and made her way to the bathroom. The steamy water scented with lavender soothed her body, but her mind was miles away in another bathroom, in another apartment, in another state. Her mind flashed back to eight months ago. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` She stood in the shower, dripping wet and freezing, looking down in disbelief. Justin lay there sweaty, breathing hard, his eyes on her and his hands on Erin. She looked at Erin's face and saw a satisfied smile. This couldn't be happening. Completely numb she somehow managed to dry herself off and exit the bathroom. A few minutes later Erin came out. "See you later sweetness," she whispered as her lips gently brushed Phoenix's cheek. Erin smiled one last time and exited the apartment. Phoenix couldn't breathe, she couldn't speak, and she was frozen. Was that bitch wearing her favorite T-shirt? Phoenix grabbed a pair of jeans and a tank top and pulled them on as Justin walked into the room. He looked at her as if he were waiting for something. "C'mon babe it's no big deal. Just a little fun between friends." She slipped into her flip-flops and ran as fast as she could away from the apartment. She couldn't let him see her cry. Flash back to six and a half months ago. She tried to scream, tried to move, but she couldn't. She was paralyzed as his hands ran over her breasts, his eyes raping her, telling her what he was about to do. She fought it; struggled against the haze that was beginning to take over her brain. She lashed out, but she was too weak. It was another fifteen excruciating minutes before she could move. Her fist collided with his jaw and she heard a sickening crack. She grabbed her shorts off of the pavement and ran she ran until she collapsed on the beach. She was found there the next morning. The homeless man woke her gently. He held her head as she threw up into the sand and walked her back to her apartment complex. Justin wrinkled his nose as when he saw her. "Where the hell have you been?" When she told him he laughed. "That's what you fucking get for going out without me." Erin walked out of the bedroom and cooed in sympathy. "Poor little sweetness, let me help you get cleaned up." Flash back to six months ago. The phone was ringing. "Hello," whispered Phoenix, afraid of hearing Justin's voice. "Ms. Riley," the no nonsense voice on the other line made Phoenix breathe a sigh of relief. "This is officer McCord, I'm afraid that you are needed at County Hospital immediately." The fear got Phoenix there in fifteen minutes. When she got there it was to see Danny's family in the emergency waiting area. "What's happened," she asked Danny's sister Kate? "Where is Danny?" Her stomach clenched up in knots as she read the look in Kate's eyes. She fell into a chair as a doctor approached. "Are you Phoenix," the doctor asked kindly? "He's asking for you." Phoenix looked up into the eyes of Danny's mother, and as she nodded Phoenix stood to follow the doctor. "He doesn't have much time. He insisted on seeing you." The doctor led her to a room and pushed the door open. "I'll wait here." Danny was pale; he gave a slight smile as she rushed to his side. "Shhh love, there isn't time for any of that," he whispered as she opened her mouth. "I love you, I could never say it. You were always there. My best friend, and so much more. I wanted you to know, I'll love you with my last breath." Phoenix leaned down and kissed him, not the kind of kiss she usually gave him. It was a real kiss, filled with love, passion, sorrow, and pain. She gently brushed her hand against the side of his face as his mother entered the room behind her. "To the moon and back." She breathed. "To the moon and back he echoed, as death descends like a pack of rabid donkeys." His smile was somehow broken as she ran from the room. Phoenix heard the whispers as she waited to hear the worst. "A car accident...drunk driver...he was only twenty." She waited and trembled, but the tears wouldn't come. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` Phoenix snapped back to the present, her bath water was cold and the sun was peaking above the mountains. She quickly dried herself off and walked into her bedroom. The box was sitting there, mocking her. It was time. Sweet Dreams Ch. 02 Chapter 2 -- San Francisco I was not very happy about the demand my client had placed on me. When I agreed to the contract, it was with the understanding that I would have the flexibility to work remotely and would not have to spend that much time in the city. But after a month, the scenario changed, and the client demanded I be physically present in their offices at least four days a week. Too lucrative a deal to walk away from, and too long a commute to tolerate, too expensive and impersonal to stay in a hotel, and too financially alluring with the housing down-turn to contemplate renting, I caved in and started seeking a condo in the city to purchase. Of course, this was just another of my vivid dreams, and while the circumstances might be entirely different, the same theme would play out once again. San Francisco is a magnificent city, but the parking situation is positively damnable. Everyone knows it's insane but nothing ever gets done about it. This day it had tortured me as I moved through the city from property to property, seeking something that would be pleasant enough for me as a temporary home, and also a sound financial investment. Each place I stopped, I had to circle and search for a place to park, like a vulture waiting for its prey to finally expire. This made me late, so that by the time I arrived at my last stop it was a full hour after the open house was due to have ended. What the hell, I was there and might as well at least get a feel for the building. The doorman called upstairs and learned that the agent was still on the premises and willing to let me see the place, so I was admitted. When I arrived on the 28th floor of the high rise, I was surprised to hear the sounds of an argument in the hallway. Rounding the corner it became clear -- the homeowner had arrived and was none too happy that the unit had still not sold. "Listen, I'm not paying you to explain all the reasons why it isn't selling, I'm paying you to sell it!" He was a big guy, and the pretty realtor was visibly intimidated by him. "I understand Mr. Singh, and I assure you we are taking all possible measures to make it happen for you." "You had better be, Nicole. I return to Bangalore in one week and I need this place sold! If you cannot do it then I will find another realtor who can!" With that he stormed off, leaving the poor realtor distraught, and worse in a very weak negotiating position. No matter what you're selling, it never helps for the prospective buyer to be aware how desperate you are. "Mr. Walsh, I'm Nicole Randall, the listing agent. So sorry you had to witness that little exchange. I'm afraid my client is becoming impatient with the slow market." Despite her distress, or maybe because of it, I found her absolutely stunning. She had quickly thrown off the high stress of the confrontation and now turned on me a charm that is rare, even among realtors. Dark blonde hair framing a lovely round face, golden-brown eyes, deep red lips and the most perfect smile I think I've ever seen. How that guy could be yelling at such an exquisite creature eluded me. I was so struck it took me a moment to regain my composure, and in that time she gazed straight through my eyes into the very heart of me. "Oh, uh, hi Nicole, nice to meet you. And don't worry about the little scene with your client, I completely understand. I know how tough clients can be -- you can't live with 'em and you can't kill 'em." She managed a small chuckle at my weak attempt at humor, and it was clear that something was going on. We had just met but were obviously affecting each other already. "Won't you come in and look around?" "Well, I don't want to keep you, but if you can spare me a few minutes I'd love to see the place." "My time is yours, Mr. Walsh. Trust me when I say I have nothing more important than this to do tonight." "Well thanks for staying late. And please call me David..." I followed her into the condo and began looking through the place. Mr. Singh was obviously a minimalist when it came to home furnishings -- to say it was sparse would be generous. But he spared no expense when it came to the bed -- enormous, even bigger than a CA king. "My gosh I've never seen a bed that big!" I exclaimed. "Yes, it certainly stands out given how few other furnishings are here, doesn't it? I think it was custom made." I glanced at Nicole and could seer her beginning to blush. "It's been quite a topic of speculation among the staff in my office..." she trailed off. I finished looking over the unit, and found it very attractive. Of course the company may have had some influence over that. I told Nicole how much I liked the place. "Do you have a buyer's agent, David?" she responded. "No actually, I was hoping we could skip that and all benefit financially, if you're okay with that approach." "Oh believe me, I am okay with any way you want to do it. As you heard a little while ago, my butt's on the line for this sale. In fact, if I don't sell this place this weekend, there's a good chance I'll be fired." "Wow, that's a lot of pressure, Nicole." "Tell me about it. Things are so slow right now that agents are dropping like flies. And I really can't afford to lose my job -- I have a daughter to support." "You poor thing," I sympathized as we headed back toward the front door of the unit. "So listen, David, you've already told me you like the place, and I've laid it on the line with you too. I'm just gonna be completely frank here. I want to know what I have to do to get an offer from you tonight, and I'm not taking no for an answer. I need you to buy this place and I am willing to do anything -- I mean anything -- to make it happen." To emphasize her point she placed herself directly in front of the door with one hand on her hip and the other on the wall, blocking my exit. Standing there defiant, determined, and definitely the most alluring thing I've ever seen, she announced "I'm gonna convince you to buy this place if it takes me all night!" I approached her and reached out to touch her face. "Nicole, sweetheart, you can probably get anything you want from me. If you ask me nicely..." At that she launched herself at me, locking her lips on mine and digging in my mouth for my tongue. My hands were all over her, her face, her waist, her gorgeous round ass, her thighs. Her suit jacket fell open and I noticed she had already removed her bra! That clever little strumpet must've snuck into the bathroom while I was somewhere else in the condo, already planning her seductive assault. I went wild, running my hands over her perfect round breasts covered only by the silk of her blouse. "Oh God, David, I haven't been fucked in months! Please take me now Baby, I promise I'll do anything want, any way you want, as many times as you want!" "Good lord, Nicole, how could I possibly refuse you anything?!?" We grappled with each other's clothing, leaving a trail of garments into the master bedroom, where we both remembered that enormous bed. After she ripped my shirt off, I picked her up and she wrapped her magnificent legs around my waist, revealing to me that she was wearing stockings, not pantyhose, and that she'd also removed her panties! Her warmth and wetness smeared my tummy as I carried her over to the bed. I threw her down roughly and grabbed her ankles. "You need it bad huh?" "Yeah Baby, please fuck me hard!" "And you'll do whatever I want?" "Oh God yes, I'm your slave, honey. I'm your slut. I'm your hot little fuck doll and I'll take it anyway you wanna give it!" I pulled her blouse open and mauled her fabulous breasts with my mouth, while my fingers found her hot, wet slit. "Oh God yes, yeah Baby, make me cum, make me cum Honey!" I wasn't even inside her yet and she was already wailing. How could a woman with so much beauty and passion ever want for sex in a city like this? "I'm gonna make you cum quickly, Nicole so you'll calm down, then I'm gonna fuck you in every way imaginable. I'm gonna fuck your mouth, I'm gonna fuck your hot, wet cunt, and then I'm gonna fuck your tight little ass, Baby! I'm gonna cum in every hole -- you're gonna hit the Trifecta tonite Sweetheart!" The nastier I got with her, the wilder she became until she was positively thrashing beneath me on the bed. I had two fingers inside her when I slid down to place my tongue on her clitoris. She shot straight into orbit, writhing and screaming out three orgasms with hardly any break in between. "OMG OMG OMG, David, you're my stud, my hero, my master. Baby you own me now..." she gasped. It took a few minutes for her to catch her breath, but when she did she came at me hard and fast. "So you're gonna fuck my mouth, are you? Lemme tell you something mister, I'm the boss now and I'm gonna suck you dry!" She was on me in a flash, as my long, hard cock disappeared into her mouth. Her lips and tongue worked the head of my cock as her hand slid up and down the shaft. Occasionally she would take me all the way in to the back of her throat, making little gagging noises. Once or twice her teeth scraped over the sensitive flesh of my cock but she quickly discerned that it hurt me and focused her attention on the bulbous head, lavishing it with affection from her tongue. Clearly this could not go on for long, as my moans became louder and more insistent. "Yeah Baby, OMG I've never seen anything so fucking beautiful. That gorgeous mouth of yours is wrapped around my cock. My God I'm getting blown by an angel...Baby I'm gonna cum in your mouth...I'm gonna cum now honey, I wanna see you swallow it Baby, I wanna watch you swallow every drop..." And she did... We collapsed together for a few minutes, but it was clear that she was not planning on being patient with me. She had told me she needed to be fucked, and she fully intended to get what she needed. Beyond cleaning my cock with her mouth, she started tracing little circles around my scrotum with her tongue, each time moving deeper. Soon she was encroaching on my rectum, and the feeling was exquisite. It took only a few minutes for me to get hard again. "Ah I see someone's been taking their penis pills!" she said with a wicked grin. "Oh no, Honey, this is 100% natural David..." We both knew what was next and wasted no time. I lay on my back in the center of the enormous bed, which was by now totally disheveled. Nicole climbed on top and began kissing me sensuously. "I know I said I want to be fucked, but maybe we could actually make love?" I held her close and kissed her deeply. I've never known a woman as beautiful as her, much less had such a woman give herself to me. The experience was more than I ever imagined. I took her breast in my mouth as she started to slide her warm wet cunt back and forth along the underside of my cock. We both moaned at the same instant, the sensations taking us over. I was whispering and cooing in her ear when she slid her warm wet pussy down over my shaft. I buried myself deep inside her and her muscles gripped and squeezed me, trying to milk my cock. We moaned and sighed into each others mouths as we kissed deeply, at last beginning to rock back and forth in the timeless rhythm of love. I lifted her hips above me and pulled my cock almost completely out of her, then let her sink back down onto me again, eliciting a squeal of delight. "Oh yeah Baby that's so good, do me like that some more," she begged. Over and over again I thrust my cock into her then withdrew, building up the pressure within both of us. We were headed for an earth-shattering climax and I only hoped we hit it together. After ten minutes of steady rhythm, she began to whine and moan a little louder. I was losing it too, and began talking to her in French. "Oh Cherie, tu es si belle, si masse, si parfait, toute une ange, ma Chere...je vais jouir Nicole...oh God, Baby, oh shit I'm cumming inside you!" As I flooded her womb with my seed, she exploded in yet another orgasm. We rocked and rolled, wailed and moaned for another good five minutes before we came down. Completely exhausted, we collapsed together and actually fell asleep for a bit. Later I awoke alone in the bed, with a furious need to piss. I emerged from the bathroom to find Nicole was dressed again already. Sitting at the bare table in the dining room, she had her briefcase open and papers splayed across the tabletop. "Now then, Mr. Walsh what price were you thinking of offering for the unit?" she asked with a devilish smile. "What, all business now?" "We have to, Baby, Singh will be back soon, and we have to be out of here." "But I think we have unfinished business in the bedroom, as I recall." "You better believe we do, mister, but we're gonna take that up back at my place as soon as we're done with these papers. One signature is all I need, then we can head home to complete our little Trifecta of love." "Whatever you say, Honey, I know better than to argue with you." "Good, you just hang on to that attitude, and you and I may go far together Darling." She kissed me deeply once again, before turning back to the task at hand. By the time we left and headed back to her place, we had signed the purchase offer, cleaned up our mess, and left everything in pristine order for her demanding client. Back at her place, Nicole fulfilled the remaining terms of our "contract", for what turned out to be the first of many times... Sweet Dreams Ch. 03 To my readers: I haven't had the time or the energy to write lately. It seems that my inspiration has dried up. I hope that soon I will be able to get back into the swing of things, but for now please forgive the long pauses between submissions. Phoenix sat on her bed, surrounded by the broken shards of her past. The room was eerily silent; the air thick with expectation as the wind blew a haunting tune through the trees in the yard. Her fingers ran gently over dried rose petals, and sparkling jewelry. Tears clouded her eyes as she looked at old ticket stubs and concert bracelets. Sobs filled the air, breaking the spell of silence. It was only after the sobs had quieted, and Phoenix realized that she held something in her clinched fist that the walls began to crumble. Memories flooded across her consciousness like warm sunlight, and slowly the pain began to subside. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` The stars had been bright that night, the moon hiding coyly behind a cloud, denying them that pathway of light across the water. The ocean was calm, the waves barely tickling their feet as they sat in the sand. He wiped a tear from her cheek as she turned towards him. "Tell me sunshine, if it hurts so badly why do you stay?" His voice soothed the pain. "I don't know Danny, I keep telling myself that I'm stronger than this." Phoenix absently toyed with a lock of hair that had escaped from her ponytail as she spoke. "I just don't know. I keep trying to convince myself that he doesn't mean it, and that it won't happen again. I've gotten to the point where I don't trust myself to make a decision." Danny gently tapped her nose, and when she looked up he spoke. "Leave him sunshine, he doesn't deserve your love." He took her hand in his own and slipped something onto her finger. "You are always so strong for me, let me be strong for you... just this once. Walk away from him, those eyes weren't meant to cry." Phoenix looked down at the ring that he had placed on her hand. It was small, a mood ring. She sucked in a deep breath, he always knew just what to say damn him. There was a smile in her eyes when she looked up. "Think Kate would mind sharing a room for a while?" He dragged her into a hug, and she could smell the soft scent of his soap. "You're the best friend ever Danny, the brother I never had." She was looking up at the sky, but she thought she caught a glimpse of a frown. When she looked into his face he was smiling, and she didn't stop to notice that the smile did not extend to his eyes. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` Dillon grabbed the phone on the first ring, and answered it after a quick glance at the caller ID. "Glenn, what's up?" "Dillon, have you heard from Phoenix? Her cell phone is off, and her home line is busy." Dillon shook his head as he answered. "I haven't heard from her all day. Do you think something's wrong?" Glenn chewed on his bottom lip for a moment before responding, "I'm going to go over there... I'll call you the moment I get there." He hung up the phone before Dillon could answer. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` "What a fool I was," Phoenix whispered as the tears fell, "I never saw it... not until it was too late." She opened her fist to reveal a small ring in her palm. "To the moon and back Danny," she whispered, "I know you would understand." The ring slipped into place on her finger. She stared into her reflection in the mirror. "I forgive you," and then more forcefully, "I forgive you!" Phoenix wiped her tears on a pillowcase as a voice echoed inside of her head "Those eyes weren't meant to cry." It was time to let go of the past, and embrace the future. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` An insistent knocking dragged Phoenix out of her nostalgic reverie. Judging by the tail wagging that accompanied RD's barks; the visitor was someone familiar. Phoenix didn't feel like company, but it didn't look like she had a choice. Whoever was knocking wasn't just going to go away. She heaved herself up off of the bed, and went to go see what the commotion was about. Glenn was standing on her doorstep, and looking as if he meant business. With a sigh and an eye roll Phoenix ushered him into the living room. "What is it?" she asked with a frown. "What precisely couldn't wait?" Glenn, now looking a bit sheepish, waved his phone in the air. "A busy signal, all day long... and your cell is off. What are you trying to do, scare me to death!" Phoenix plopped down onto a chair, and stuck out her tongue. "I didn't want any interruptions... there was something I had to take care of. Before you ask, I don't want to talk about it. You worry too much!" Glenn sat across from her and gave her a searching look. She looked as if she had been crying. "I won't ask any prying questions then, but could you at least call Dillon? He's worried about you." Phoenix sighed heavily. "I'll call him, it's time I gave him the whole story." "And what exactly is the whole story?" Glenn asked. "A Shakespearean tragedy," she whispered as she reached for the phone. Sweet Dreams Ch. 04 Phoenix sat in Dillon's living room, hugging her knees to her chest, as she told the story of her past. It wasn't a pretty story, there wasn't a happy ending, and her voice was filled with pain. She kept her control while she explained about Justin, about the emotional abuse, about the rape. Held her tears at bay as she told them about all of the scars that no one would ever see. Her voice broke as she talked about Danny. Tears streamed down her face as she repeated their last conversation. After she had finished she began to sob, her entire body shaking with emotion. Dillon crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her as Glenn looked on with tears in his eyes. "Shhh Kitten," Dillon whispered into her ear, "It isn't your fault. It was never your fault." Phoenix's eyes lifted to his as she shook in his arms. "I know that," she whispered. "Some part of me always knew, but I'll never forgive myself for what I did to Danny." Dillon put his fingers against her lips to quiet her. "He loved you Kitten. Don't ruin your memories of him with guilt. He wouldn't want that, he would want you to be happy." His hand moved to brush away her tears, and he smiled. "He was right you know...those eyes weren't meant to cry." Hearing Dillon echo Danny's words from that beautiful night, Phoenix looked down to the mood ring on her hand and began to twist it on her finger. She heard Danny's voice once again, smelled the ocean breeze, saw that smile that didn't reach his eyes. "It hurts," she breathed as she lay her head against Dillon's shoulder. "Why does it have to hurt so much?" Dillon ran his fingers through her hair and sat with her until she had cried herself to sleep. Then he carried her into his room and tucked her into bed. When he returned to the living room Glenn was pacing, his eyes bright with unshed tears. "Shit! Dillon," Glenn ran his hand through his hair, "I never knew it was this bad." Dillon shook his head and motioned for Glenn to sit down. "I don't know what to do Glenn. I... I...." Dillon looked at the floor. "You what?" Glenn said softly. He waited for Dillon to look up, and when he did the truth was there in his eyes. "I think I'm falling in love with her." Dillon sighed, "I just want to make it right, make it all go away, take away her pain. How do I do that Glenn? I can't stand seeing her cry. She's in so much pain, and I feel helpless." "Just be there Dillon," Glenn said as he got up and headed for the door. "Stay with her, don't let her wake up alone." The door closed behind Glenn, and Dillon walked into the bedroom. Phoenix looked so innocent in sleep, so sweet. He climbed into the bed beside her fully clothed and pulled her into his arms. She snuggled close to him in her sleep, so fragile... so trusting. He swore to himself that he would never hurt her, and in that moment he knew. He wasn't falling in love with her. He was already there. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` Phoenix finished her last final, and nearly ran to get to her car. It had been two days since she had woken up in Dillon's arms, her eyes gritty from crying, rocked by pain. She knew what she had to do. She had to go back, she had to face the past. Until she did that she couldn't move forward. Walking into her kitchen, Phoenix threw her keys onto the counter as she reached for the phone. It was time to face her demons. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` Dillon gently brushed his fingers through Phoenix's hair as they sat in their seats, waiting to exit the airplane and walk back into Phoenix's past. He had insisted on going with her, not wanting her to have to deal with everything on her own. She had argued but in the end he won. Phoenix's heartbeat sped up as the minutes ticked past. As they collected their carry on luggage and walked out into the airport her eyes began to tear up. This was home. No matter how far she ran, how hard she tried to block out the memories, a part of her soul belonged to the California sunshine. Phoenix wiped the tears from her eyes as Dillon hailed a cab. The trip to the hotel was short. Phoenix dropped her bags and walked out onto the patio. Her eyes gazed out over the ocean, as she twisted the mood ring around her finger. The water glistened, beckoning to her, the faint sound of the waves washing over her. The knot inside of her stomach loosened as she listened to the waves. She breathed in the salty air and closed her eyes. The wind whispered to her in a familiar voice, Danny's voice, "Welcome home sunshine." Sweet Dreams Ch. 05 Phoenix left Dillon in the rental car as she walked slowly along the path through the center of the cemetery. Her breathing became heavy as she approached the headstone. Her chest tightened as panic flooded through her. This was it. This would make it real. Phoenix dropped to her knees beside the grave, her eyes unfocussed. Slowly, with deep breaths, she came back to reality. Her eyes focused on the headstone, and she choked back a sob. There, beneath the dates… "To the moon and back Sunshine." She sat there staring, trembling, until she heard footsteps approach behind her. A familiar voice came to her from a few feet away. "That was his last request, right before he died…" the voice trembled, filled with pain, "he made mom promise." Phoenix stood, and when she turned she was looking into Kate's tear filled eyes. She made a small choked sound, and threw herself into Kate's arms. "Why?" she whimpered, "Why did we have to lose him?" Kate held her close as they both cried. When they had calmed down some Kate led Phoenix to a small bench encircling a nearby tree and waited. "How did you know I was here?" Phoenix finally whispered. Kate smiled sadly. "Your mother called me. She was worried about you. I don't think she knows what to say to you anymore." Phoenix shook her head. "She never knew what to say to me Kate. This has just made it more obvious to both of us. I… I'm sorry I ran. Sorry I couldn't face it. I feel so selfish, I should have been her for you…" Kate hugged Phoenix closer. "It's okay, I know how much it hurt. You did what you had to do. I'm just glad you came back." Kate pulled away slightly and gave Phoenix a curious look. "Why did you choose now to come back? It's been months… we were worried about you." Phoenix dried her eyes as a small smile came over her face. She pulled Kate to her feet and started walking back towards the parking lot. "There's someone I want you to meet," she whispered as they approached the car. The door opened and Dillon got out, walking towards them. Kate shot Phoenix another curious glance, and then held out her hand as introductions were made. Dillon smiled, and the sun came out from behind the clouds. It was going to be okay. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` Dillon smiled as Phoenix shifted in her sleep, he reached down and tucked her hair behind her ear. It had been one hell of a long day, and Dillon was pretty sure that Phoenix wasn't going to be waking up any time soon. He quietly left the room and returned to the living room where Kate was waiting for him. "Is she all right?" whispered Kate, almost as if she were afraid of breaking the silence. Dillon nodded and plopped down on the couch. "I don't know what to say. I ... she told me some of it.... before. It's just hard to take in." Kate patted his hand and smiled. "I'm going to go make dinner, you go ahead and take all the time you need to think things over." As Kate left the room, Dillon leaned back and rubbed his temples. Thoughts were swirling around in his mind, picking up speed like a tornado. He didn't know how to take everything in. A few short hours ago he had been secure, he had known where he stood. Now he wasn't sure. When they had arrived at Kate's house Phoenix had seemed calm, almost relieved. Then she and Kate had started going through old photos, bringing out old memories. When Kate had brought out the box of things that had been willed to Phoenix, Phoenix had broken down. The box had been mostly filled with books and journals, but at the bottom of the box had been a photo album. The photo album was filled with pictures of Phoenix, and under each picture was a caption. The pictures started at age eight, and continued to a few months before the accident. Phoenix had curled up into a ball and refused to let anyone touch her. She had finally cried herself to sleep, and now Dillon was at a loss as to what to do. He knew that Phoenix needed to be here, needed to heal. The problem was that he didn't know if Phoenix had any room in her life for him, and he didn't know if she ever would. Dillon shook his head and whispered, "I feel like such a selfish bastard." He walked into the kitchen to find Kate chopping greens for a salad. He held his hand up when she started to speak. "I'm going to go and get Phoenix's things and bring them back here, I think she needs to be here with you." Kate nodded and Dillon headed out the door to the car. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` Phoenix woke up alone, as she looked around she recognized the room. She was at Kate's ... in Danny's old room. She wrapped her arms around Danny's pillow and breathed in the faded scent that still clung to the sheets. "Don't worry Danny, I'm not going to cry anymore. I know you wouldn't want that." Phoenix choked back a sob as she spoke into the pillow. "I miss you so much, I wish I hadn't been so stupid. We could have been happy Danny, and I just didn't see it. How could I have been so stupid?" The curtains fluttered as a breeze came in through the window and brushed across her face. Phoenix pulled herself out of bed and laid the pillow back down after gently kissing it. She looked around the room and saw her suitcase laying next to the dresser. She bypassed the suitcase and went strait to the dresser, pulling out one of Danny's t-shirts and a pair of his running shorts to change into. When she had changed she made her way downstairs to talk to Kate and Dillon. When Phoenix got downstairs Kate was curled up on the couch watching television but Dillon was nowhere to be found. She gave Kate a questioning look and Kate shook her head. "Where is he?" Phoenix whispered. Kate opened up her arms and Phoenix went to her, curling up next to her on the couch. "He thought you might need time alone here." Kate said as she smoothed back Phoenix's hair. "He's going to stay at the hotel for a few days. He said if you wanted to talk he would be there." Phoenix blinked back tears and tried for a smile. "I don't even know what I would say to him, I'm so confused right now... I just don't know anything anymore." Kate took Phoenix's hands in hers and smiled. "He knows that, and he's giving you time. Just relax for tonight, we can try to sort through things tomorrow." Phoenix nodded and settled back down into the couch to watch television. There's nothing like television to empty your mind. Soon Phoenix was smiling and laughing along with Kate at the movie. Kate looked down at Phoenix and smiled... things really were going to be okay. Sweet Dreams Ch. 06 Dillon paced back and forth in the hotel room, stopping every so often to run his hand through his hair and stare at the phone. He knew that Phoenix needed time, but how long could he wait. It had already been two days and still no word. He was getting cabin fever from spending so much time in the damn hotel room. Just as he marched up to the phone to call and see what was going on he heard a light tapping at the hotel room door. For a moment he stood still. When he looked through the peephole he could see Phoenix standing there shuffling her feet. His heart gave a lurch in his chest as he unlocked the bolt and opened the door. At a loss for words he just stared at her as she stood there studying her shoes. "I'm sorry," Phoenix whispered as she looked up. "I ... I shouldn't have left you waiting for two days... I just...This is hard." Her eyes glossed over with tears as she stepped towards him. "I know this isn't fair to you, you shouldn't have to deal with this. I... I was thinking that maybe I should spend some more time here... with Kate. I can't make you responsible for my problems, and I can't ask you to wait forever so... I'm sorry." The last words were almost whispered as she turned to go. Dillon stood in shock as he watched Phoenix walk down the hallway towards the elevator. He wanted to run after her, he wanted to say something. He was frozen. As the elevator doors closed behind her he fell to his knees. This wasn't supposed to happen. How could she just walk away? He managed to get himself to the bed before he broke down and cried. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` The moment the elevator doors closed Phoenix began to sob. She didn't know if she could deal with this. It was too hard... but it was the right thing to do. She couldn't expect Dillon to just sit and wait around for her. She had already asked too much of him. As her breathing slowed, Phoenix wiped the tears from her eyes and squared her shoulders. She couldn't just lie around and cry all day. Danny wouldn't want that. She had to find a way to heal. On her way back to Kate's she saw a restaurant that had once been one of her favorite hang outs. On impulse she pulled the car into the parking lot and got it. It was time to face life head on, and this was as good a start as any. It felt good to be somewhere she had often gone to eat with Danny. All of the waitresses had changed but the atmosphere was the same. Phoenix slid into the corner booth that she and Danny had always shard and ran her finger back and forth over the picture of the both of them standing outside of the restaurant that was trapped beneath the glass top of the table. That was one of the reasons she and Danny had loved this place... you remembered it and it remembered you. She smiled as she ordered a large chocolate shake and chili fries... Danny's favorites. Phoenix pulled out her cell phone to call Kate and let her know that she was alright. She grinned at the cheesy music playing in the background as Kate answered the phone. Before she could speak a voice from the past made her breath catch, she went numb. Phoenix would know that honey smooth voice anywhere. "Long time no see... been hiding from me?" Phoenix closed her eyes and whispered into the phone, "I will be home soon Kate, I'm just grabbing something to eat." As she pushed the end button she turned to see Justin standing behind her. "Funny," she said with as much malice as she could put into her voice, "I come here to remember and run into the one thing that I want to forget." "Now is that any way to talk to the love of your life?" Justin slid into the seat across from Phoenix and smiled at her. "So... how about a fuck for old times sake?" Phoenix dropped a twenty on the table and stood. "Sure honey, why don't you just go fuck yourself you egotistical bastard." Holding back the tears she swore she would never let him see she stormed out of the restaurant and dug around in her pocket for her car keys. Just as she felt the keys under her fingers a hand clamped around her arm and jerked her backwards. She opened her mouth to scream but another hand came up and pressed tightly against her lips. She didn't even have time to struggle before pain exploded in her head and the world went black. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` Dillon could hear a ringing sound from far off... the ringing began to get louder as he came out of his tear induced slumber. He groggily reached over and grabbed the hotel phone. "Hello," he croaked only to be met with the sound of sobbing. He sat up strait in bed, instantly awake. "She's... I can't find her Dillon," Kate sobbed into the phone. "She stopped to get something to eat and she has been gone for six hours. I went looking for her and I found the car, but the waitress said she left hours ago. I .... I don't know what to do." Dillon reached for his room card and the keys to the rental car. It didn't matter that he was hurting, it didn't matter that she had walked out. Phoenix was in trouble. "Where are you?" he asked Kate. "I'll be right there, just wait for me and I promise I'll help you find her." He was out the door in seconds, breaking several traffic laws as he followed Kate's directions to the restaurant. His breathing was quick and panicked. How could this have happened? Where would she have gone? She was pretty upset when she had left the hotel. He should have gone after her damn it... this was his fault... If he had only said something. The thoughts circled round and round inside of his head and by the time he parked in front of the restaurant next to a still crying Kate his mind was screaming at him to do something, to fix it, to take it back. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` When Phoenix came to the pain in her head was almost unbearable. She groaned, and realized that her mouth had been taped shut. Her hands were handcuffed over her head and she was lying on a bed. The room was dark and she was pretty sure that she was alone, but for how long? How had this happened. She searched through her memories... she had stopped to eat dinner and then... everything got foggy after that. Where was she? What the hell had happened? She couldn't move, couldn't speak, so she did the only thing she could do... she cried. She cried for Danny, she cried for her family and her friends, and she cried for Dillon. Dillon who would probably never know what happened to her. Dillon who would leave, thinking that she didn't care. Dillon who she had walked away from. She heard footsteps enter the room, and a voice from the past whispered softly "You know it isn't nice to call people names, I think I'm going to have to punish you to teach you a lesson. It's for your own good you know... If you had learned your lesson before I wouldn't have to do this now." Fear took hold of Phoenix, she couldn't think, couldn't breathe. The moment she heard that voice the memories hit her. She tried to scream, thrashing and struggling to break free. She felt the needle go into her arm, and she blacked out once again. Justin stood over her still form and made a tsk tsk sound. Poor little Phoenix, wouldn't she ever learn. She was his. She had no cause to run from him. He had thought that with Danny out of the picture she would behave the way she was supposed to. Danny had always been causing trouble between them... giving Phoenix ideas. But no, instead of coming back to him she had disappeared. She had left him, and now she was going to pay. Sweet Dreams Ch. 07 Sorry about the wait guys! As always this is my story so don't post it, change it etc. without my permission. Feedback is always welcome! Jenna * Memories were floating through Phoenix's head like sand through an hourglass. She knew that she had to fight, had to wake up. It was dark, everything was black, and then there was a voice. Phoenix heard it but she couldn't make out the words, she tried to concentrate. The picture forming in front of her suddenly snapped into focus. It was Danny, sitting on a bench beneath the apple tree in his back yard. She remembered that day, the first time she had run to him crying about Justin. His voice reached out to her. "You are strong Sunshine, stronger than you know." The scene faded out and another replaced it, her nineteenth birthday party. Danny had held her hand the whole night, making her feel safe. "Fight it, you can't just let the world walk all over you. You have to fight, because if you don't then they win." Another flashback, this time sitting on Danny's bed as they shared their dreams, and their fears. "It doesn't matter what it is that you believe in, you just have to believe. You have to know deep inside of yourself that in the end everything is going to be all right, that no matter what happens you are going to survive." As that scene slowly faded away it was replaced by the image of Dillon smiling down at her as she woke up in his arms. She began to struggle harder, pushing back against the darkness that threatened to swallow her. Danny was gone, she couldn't have him back, but she wasn't about to lose Dillon too. Not like this, she wasn't going to let Justin win. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` Kate was shaking, Phoenix had been missing for over eight hours. The wait staff seemed to remember her getting into an argument before she left, and from the description Kate knew who she had been arguing with. Damn Justin! It was just like him to show up and make an already difficult situation worse. Dillon put his hand on Kate's shoulder as the Police officer looked over their report. "Well," said Kate in a small voice, "what happens next?" The police officer shook his head. "Well she's an adult and she's been missing for less than twenty four hours. There isn't really much that we can..." Dillon cut him off. "She's in trouble. She just disappeared, left her car. Minutes before she disappeared she was seen arguing with her abusive ex boyfriend. This isn't just a missing person's case this is a fucking kidnaping! I can't believe you people!" The officer held up his hand. "Sir, we have every intention of investigating but we can't just go and make an arrest without any real evidence. You just have to trust us now and let us do our job." Kate stood and pulled Dillon up with her. "If we are through here... we have some phone calls to make." The officer nodded and Kate dragged Dillon out of the police station. Dillon opened his mouth to ask her what the hell she was doing but she stopped him. "They aren't going to find her in time. We need to get to work. I know some people who might have some information. I'm going to make some calls, and then we are going on a manhunt." Dillon nodded and waited while Kate pulled out her phone. He was getting tired of just sitting there, he had to do something. He only hoped that Kate would learn something that would help them find Phoenix. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` Phoenix opened her eyes and tried to look around. There was a little more light in the room and she could see that she was obviously in a partially finished basement. The windows were high on the wall and looked as if they had not been designed to open. She scanned the room, and finding no sign of Justin began to see what she could do about getting free. It was still a struggle to remain conscious, and for a moment she wondered what Justin had given her. It didn't matter, all that mattered right now was getting the hell out of there. She spotted her clothes laying on a chair near the bed, and only then realized that she was practically naked. Her eyes began to tear up but she fought it. She had to escape, there would be time to cry later. She shifted on the bed and every muscle in her body protested. Pain exploded in her head and she whimpered, glad that the makeshift gag had muffled the sound. There wasn't time to wait for the pain to go away, she had to do this now. She shifted further and managed to swing her legs out and partially off of the bed. Now, if she could just reach her jeans with her feet. She stretched her body to the limit, her eyes watering as her shoulders protested and the handcuffs bit into her wrists. She managed to grasp her jeans between her feet and lift them over her, she had to be careful and make sure to drop them near her hands. There wouldn't be a second chance. She swung her legs back and forth a few times and then leg go of the jeans with her feet. They fell right into her hands and she stopped to take a breath and send a thank you to her mother for insisting that she take yoga. Her fingers managed to find and dig through her pockets and she smiled beneath the gag as she felt her cell phone. Justin never was the brightest crayon in the box. She dialed 911 by touch and prayed that the call would go through, when she heard the operator's voice on the line her body went limp. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` Justin sat at the kitchen table, slamming back his fourth beer. What was he going to do now. He had her but he couldn't keep her here. Sooner or later someone was going to come looking for her. He had to find somewhere else to keep her, somewhere safe. He popped the top off of another beer, it wasn't supposed to be this way. Why did she have to run away. She was his. His DAMN IT! Why couldn't she see that. He had thought at first that if he couldn't have her then nobody would, but he couldn't do that. He couldn't kill her. He loved her. Why did she make him hurt her. He didn't want to hurt her, but he didn't have a choice. She was always like that, doing things to make him hurt her. Why couldn't she just do what she was supposed to do. He had always thought that it was Danny that made her that way. Danny was gone, and she was still fighting him. Why did she have to fight him... it wasn't fair. He always got what he wanted, and sooner or later she would just have to give in. ~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~` Phoenix heard noises from upstairs and she knew that she had to hide what she had done. The operator was still talking when she slipped the phone back into the pocket of her jeans and scooted around in the bed until she could grab them again with her feet. She had just dropped the jeans back onto the chair when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs on the other side of the room. She closed her eyes and for the first time in a long time she began to pray in earnest. "I don't know if anyone can hear me, but please... if there is anybody out there... help me. I can't do this on my own." She felt a slight breeze cross her face and smelled a hint of sand and salt. It was going to be alright. Somehow she was going to get out of this mess... Danny had heard her, and he had answered. The footsteps stopped and she felt a weight settle onto the bed. "Please, oh please," she thought, "don't let him touch me."