All Night

Strange how the world seemed so quiet at night.

5 a.m. She stared at the clock for a long moment, watching the time tick away, breathing in rhythm with the second hand. Why was she still awake?

She snorted softly to herself, turning the page of her text book with a will that was not her own. Might as well ask why the sun was sunny...it would make as much sense...probably be a lot easier to answer too. That very same sun would be rising in a half hour; she didn't really care to greet it, but the way things were going, she didn't have much of a choice. A test is a test. And she could hardly afford to fail, now, could she?

No she could not. If she failed this test, she would fail the next, and the next...and eventually the whole class would go down the tubes. Failing a class was generally a bad thing. Especially when one was at this level of study.

With a sigh she concurred to this logic and continued to stare at the page. The words were blurring. She blinked, refocused, then had to blink again. God, she was tired....

A black-gloved hand reached over her shoulder and very gently removed the pen from her grasp, laying it carefully down on her desk. Then, just as carefully, it closed her book. All without a sound. She stared at the hand, too sleepy to be surprised. Not that there was much to be surprised about; she had fallen asleep at her desk before. And with the way her mind worked, was it any wonder that she would dream about him?

"Guess this means I should go to bed, huh?" She murmured.

The hand settled lightly on her shoulder, "It does, at that."

She closed her eyes, absorbing the sound and the feeling of that voice. Rich, flawless, whisper-soft...really just as beautiful as ever. "Why did you choose to come tonight?"

"I didn't." Now his hands were on both shoulders, guiding her to her feet. Fingers brushed her temples, removing the combs from her hair and smoothing it down gently. "I never choose, child. I go where I am needed, you knew that."

"And you thought I had a need?"

He chuckled softly. "Don't you?"

When had her lamp died? The room was starting to fade. "Do you always...answer a question with...a question?"

He caught her before she even realized she was falling. "Only when the question is the answer."

That wasn't quite fair. She couldn't handle riddles right now, wasn't that obvious? She thought about telling him this, but it was far more easier to let him lift her into his arms. And while she was there, what was wrong with snuggling a bit? She smiled faintly, nestling her face against the crisp linen of his dress shirt. It was only a dream, after all.

Only a dream. Sorrow filtered through into her conciousness, coloring it a pale, wistful blue. That was the problem with dreams; they had to end when she woke up. The thought was incomparably sad, sad enough to bring tears to her eyes. She didn't want it to end.

There was movement, and the coolness of sheets against her skin as he laid her down on the bed. Then his fingers on her cheek, tracing the tears. "Why are you crying?"

"Because this isn't real," she whispered. "You aren't really here, no matter how much I wish you were. When I open my eyes, you'll be gone, and I'll be alone again..."

He laughed again. "You think so? Then open your eyes and see."

She shook her head.

"Child." His hand touched her chin, lifting it. "Open your eyes."

His voice was compelling, irresistable...commanding. She opened her eyes a slit...then opened them a bit more...then gazed in silent wonder at the masked face that hovered above her.

The corner of his mouth twitched into a half smile. "Good morning,"

Her lips moved silently, then she whispered his name, afraid he would disappear. He didn't. "Erik? But how..."

"Shhh....some things have to be believed in to be seen, you know. You believe."

"So you're here...."

He took her hand and brushed it against his mask. "Quite." The smile vanished. "But only for tonight. Only now."

"When will you..."

"Soon." He paused for a moment, thinking. Coming to a decision, he settled onto the bed next to her, gathering her into his embrace. "I'll hold you as long as I can."

"As long as you can...." She cuddled up to him, sighing. "That's long enough for me."

They did not speak again. The dawn rose slowly in the room; the first birds began to chrip outside the window, but in the room there was only silence.

Strange how quiet the world was in the morning.