[she pauses, considering that offer, and then shakes her head] Nah, not like time is passing anywhere for me. We'll see what 'appens. [her tone is casual, but her expression has darkened. unless by some miracle being in his reality frees her from the nightmare, she knows she won't be sleeping for that long anyway; she's tried. an alarm just seems superfluous]
[but she keeps those thoughts to herself and gets into his bed. with what she hopes is a reassuring smile, she says:] Go ahead and get started. [and she reaches to pull the covers up over her, turning away from him as a sign that he doesn't need to worry about her further]
[and it doesn't take her long to fall asleep. that part isn't the problem--she's badly overtired, and her body is craving rest. so rest she does--for a while at least. but then the new problem the Plane has arranged sets in, and the same nightmare starts once again. outwardly, she begins to toss in her sleep, making faint noises of discomfort. inwardly, a horror story is beginning to play out. she sees a man bending over an autopsy table, his hair long and dark] Who...
[she tosses in her sleep as he turns toward her--and smiles. and she gives a gasp that happens both in the nightmare and outside. because his mouth is full of teeth that are long and needle-like, and his eyes glow a golden yellow. and then she feels herself pitch backward, and suddenly her airway seems to close up] No...!
[that word of desperation is the last she murmurs aloud. she feels like she's drowning now--but there's no water. it's like being plunged back to that day in the library when she had no memories and the air just kept...disappearing. and while her real self is still breathing, that breathing does become shallower and more panicked, her heart rate jumping. in the nightmare, as she struggles for air that isn't there, she can see tattered white wings all around her, their feathers falling. and occasionally the wings allow her to see between them, where there's a layer of surrounding mirrors, and she catches glimpses of a face. tonight, it's York's face. no helmet--his actual face]
[and then the nightmare is over and she wakes, sitting bolt upright in alarm, gasping for the air she couldn't get in the dream]
no subject
[but she keeps those thoughts to herself and gets into his bed. with what she hopes is a reassuring smile, she says:] Go ahead and get started. [and she reaches to pull the covers up over her, turning away from him as a sign that he doesn't need to worry about her further]
[and it doesn't take her long to fall asleep. that part isn't the problem--she's badly overtired, and her body is craving rest. so rest she does--for a while at least. but then the new problem the Plane has arranged sets in, and the same nightmare starts once again. outwardly, she begins to toss in her sleep, making faint noises of discomfort. inwardly, a horror story is beginning to play out. she sees a man bending over an autopsy table, his hair long and dark] Who...
[she tosses in her sleep as he turns toward her--and smiles. and she gives a gasp that happens both in the nightmare and outside. because his mouth is full of teeth that are long and needle-like, and his eyes glow a golden yellow. and then she feels herself pitch backward, and suddenly her airway seems to close up] No...!
[that word of desperation is the last she murmurs aloud. she feels like she's drowning now--but there's no water. it's like being plunged back to that day in the library when she had no memories and the air just kept...disappearing. and while her real self is still breathing, that breathing does become shallower and more panicked, her heart rate jumping. in the nightmare, as she struggles for air that isn't there, she can see tattered white wings all around her, their feathers falling. and occasionally the wings allow her to see between them, where there's a layer of surrounding mirrors, and she catches glimpses of a face. tonight, it's York's face. no helmet--his actual face]
[and then the nightmare is over and she wakes, sitting bolt upright in alarm, gasping for the air she couldn't get in the dream]