This is the sappiest story I have ever written. The title might have given it away, I don't know...Anyways, this story gets the Corny Paperback Romance Novel seal of approval. Emotional story about the confession of Max's feelings. What can I say, I'm just a hopeless romantic at heart... Soulmates Max woke up in a cold sweat. His entire body felt like lead, and wearily lifted his arm to check the time. It was almost four in the morning. He let out a heavy sigh and dragged himself downstairs. After downing two glasses of water, he plopped down on the couch and thought of the dream he just had. The bizarre thing was that he hadnt woken from a bad dream; it was quite the contrary, actually. Completely similar to the hundreds of others he had been having for the past couple of months. Max began stroking his chin, and drowned in a flood of thought. "All I can think about from the minute I get up to when my head hits my pillow is 99. Hell, I even dream about her. I just can't get her out of my head. I want her, and I need her, but I just can't bring myself to tell her. Why? Longing for her, day after day after day, it's torture. If she loves me, which I'm pretty sure she does, then why can't I just tell her and end all my sorrow?" Max groaned and dropped his face into his hands. "Because there's always the possibility that she doesnt love me, that's why. And if she doesn't..." The thought deeply perturbed Max. "I can't even imagine life without her. She is my life-- she's my very soul, the thing that keeps me going, what I live for...and what I'd die for. That dream -- dear God, that dream -- just telling me how happy I'd be to spend my life with her." Max paused on the thought. Marriage...at first he shrank away from the idea, but the more he thought about it, the more he wanted it. He wasn't in denial anymore -- 99 was the only woman for him. After she went to San Jirman... The very thought disgusted him, yet brought him face to face with reality. Someone up there was giving him a second chance, and he sure as hell wasnt going to blow it...again. A look of desperation and determination crossed his face. He leaned over, picked up the phone, and started dialing 99's number. "Hello?" She groggily mumbled into the receiver. "99? It's Max. Did I wake you?" "Uh...no...no you didnt." 99 noticed his voice was shaky, so she didnt say anything harsh. "You sound worried. Is anything the matter?" "As a matter of fact, yes, there is. 99, can you come over? "What is it? Are you ok? Are you in danger?" "No, I just had a bad dream I need to tell you about. Well, it was a good dream, but it made me think bad thoughts." 99 didnt know how to respond to the last part. "Bad thoughts? Just how good of a dream was it, Max?" "Not like that, 99. You know what I mean. Please, can you come over? Please, 99, I need you...here...well, I mean, I...I'll explain later. Please?" "Sure, Max. I'll be there in a few minutes." "Oh, wow. Thank you, 99. Trust me, you won't regret this, and neither will I...at least, I hope not. Well, see you soon!" "Goodbye Max." 99 was totally confused. This was strange, even for Max. A bad dream was one thing...but a good dream that made him think bad thoughts? She had no idea what to expect, but figured she'd find out soon. She got dressed as quickly as she could and headed for Max's apartment. ~~~~~~~~~ Max was nervously pacing back and forth. He'd gone this far...why stop now? Every few minutes he'd look out the peephole to see if 99 had arrived yet. After what seemed an eternity, she finally showed up. Before she even had the chance to knock, he threw open the door...scaring her half to death. "Hi, 99. Thanks for coming." The startled 99 managed to regain her composure. "Umm...hello, Max. So, what's this dream you had?" "Huh?" "The dream you just had...remember?" "Oh, uh, yes. 99, I think you'd better sit down." "...Ok, Max." 99 was confused before, but words couldnt describe how she felt now. What could he possibly want to tell her? "Uh, 99, this is, well, this is, you know, my dream...ok. I, well, I, the dream, and the tower, and the moon, and then the cold sweat and --" "Whoa! Slow down, Max!" He looked like a nervous wreck. 99 couldn't think why the normally confident Max would be acting like this. Well, she could, but she didnt want to get her hopes up, to have them come crashing back down. Still, however much her logical side told her not to assume things, her heart was telling her otherwise. This could be what she's waited so long to hear...but she put it out of mind. She was, after all, here for him, not herself. "Max, sit next to me." She patted the couch cushion beside her. "Just relax and start from the beginning, ok?" He reluctantly sat down, but kept his eyes straight in front of him. "Ok...I might as well just tell you. I've gotten this far, right? No turning back." A sigh escaped his lips. "No turning back." He quietly repeated to himself. "Well, 99 to be completely honest, this dream was about...well, it was about..." "Go on, Max." She put a consoling hand on his shoulder. "Go on, I'm listening." Her touch made every hair on his body stand on end. He gulped hard, and tried to continue, maintaining his forward glance. "Well...it was about us." He finished quietly as he looked at her, only to turn away quickly. He was afraid to see her reaction. However, he wouldnt have to be -- if he had looked long enough, he would have seen the smile beginning to spread across her lips. "Well, I've been having these dreams, for quite a while now...as long as I've..." His throat tightened. "As long as I've...I..." He got the "I" part down, but couldnt get the "love" and the "you" to follow it. He decided to try a different approach. "Well, these dreams, well in them, you and I..." He made the fatal mistake of looking her in the face again. Her beautiful, sincere gaze locked with his. She spoke, as if telling him that everything would be all right, yet said nothing at all. Mesmerized, he found himself blurting out his dream. 99 noticed the lovelorn look in his face, and took full advantage by taking his hand into hers and lightly caressed it. "Yes, Max?" "We were in Paris, we were up in the Eiffel Tower." A wistful expression took his face. "We were getting married, and all our friends were there...we made love underneath the Parisian moon..." 99 by now was wearing the same wistful expression, but the moment ended abruptly as Max tore away and turned his back to her. His soft-spoken tone was replaced with one of anger and remorse. "But that was just a dream...just a dream...just a crazy dream..." He felt his eyes well up with hot tears. "Oh, Max...that was beautiful." She put his arms around him, and placed her head on his shoulder. "Max...is there something you'd like to get off your chest?" She felt small spasms come from his body, and his arms frantically wiping away the tears. "Well...I...yes...but I...oh God, I dont know 99!" 99's soul ached for him. His emotional pain surged through her body as if it were her own. She completely understood, for she had often felt the same way. But seeing Max sobbing in front of her...the normally confident man, breaking down, becoming so vulnerable... He was opening up to her, baring his soul. 99 fought hard to suppress her tears. Turning around and taking her hand again, he attempted to speak in between the sobs. "99...the only thing I can tell you is the truth. The truth is that I can't go on like this. The truth is...well, the truth is that I love you, and without you, I'd be miserable till my dying day. I...I...love you, God knows how much I love you, and how much I need you..." The tears began falling from his eyes like rain. "Honestly, 99, without you...oh God...without you I'd die...I just...Oh, 99, dont cry..." 99 couldnt stand to see him this way. She crumpled in his arms and broke into tears. "Oh Max..." She feverishly kissed him. "Oh Max, I feel the same way about you...and...and..." He lifted her chin, kissed her cheek, and wiped away the tears. She could see the relief and sheer joy exude from his eyes. They held each other tight, and began sobbing harder. But this was different. Tears of utter ecstasy flowed from their eyes as never before. They shed their fears and insecurities through the tears, and opened their souls to the pure and innocent love they knew they'd share forever. From that moment, the longing and the pain were forever gone. Their two lonely souls had now become one... The End