Dreams Of Red

Chapter 10: The First Time

"Why are you here alone?"

She breathe a sigh of relief... smiling happily she turned around.

"Did I fall asleep on the beach?"

Richard laughed heartily and hugged Maine tightly.

"No, my Love. I am here. See? We could hug and touch."

True enough, they never touch during their dream "dates", they only chat about unimportant stuff like her events of the day because they never knew when he would fade from energy depleation. Richard wanted them to save important stuff when they meet physically.

Maine hugged him back, it was nice touching him like this, this is their first time to hug! So she savored it and tucked the memory to her heart.

After a while she remembered to ask,
"Why are you here? Not that I'm complaining, mind you, but why and how?"

Releasing her from the hug, Richard draped his left arm around Maine's shoulders.

"Let's walk... are you cold? No?" As Maine shook her head, "first, why am I here? Because I miss you and wanted to touch you and talk to you in person. Not just in dreams, and dreams are too draining for me. How? I walked, well, I drove this afternoon to a place near here and walked to your place. I was expecting I'd have to climb your bedroom window but I felt your presence here at the beach."

Maine shook her head and sighed, why do he always answer her questions with stuff that leads to more questions. "I meant why are you here? Is it beacause you lived near here? Or work near here? Do you have a job?" At his amused look, she sighed, "too many questions?"

Richard nodded. "I am willing to answer your questions but you've got to get home, its getting late. Here, let me..." He picked her up in his arms, suddenly there was a strong breeze. Then he placed her on her feet. Maine was surprised to see them in her bedroom.

"How did you do that? You can teleport?"

He smiled, "for short distances. Long distance teleporting drains too much energy, but a few meters wont hurt. Now lets get you tucked into bed."

"But I will fall asleep if I lie down." She protested and an idea occured to her... "could you... um, could you... stay beside me?"

"Just cuddling!" Maine added when she saw him grin widely.

"Ok, ok... cuddling while I answer your questions."

She lay down and Richard followed suit, covering both of them with blankets. He opened his arms and she gladly went into them, placing her head on his chest.

"Answers." She prompted as she settled in.

"Let's see... I live neither here or there. I have a crystal chamber on which I usually stay so I could recharge my energy and monitor my... let's say missions. But for appearance, I have a pad in Pasig City. I'll take you there sometimes and I have a "regular" job as a freelance artist."

"You said you were a doctor!" She looked at him accusingly, playfully hitting him on the chest.

"I said I could be if you want me to be, I never said I was. Anyway Dreamwalkers could heal. Nothing too major, we are not gods. When its a major ailment all we could to do is help that person be happy till the end."

"By helping them to be happy means...?"

"Ah, by giving them good dreams and easing some of their pains."

Maine bit her lip, a confused expression crossed her face. And Richard noticed it.

"My Love, have I said something wrong?"

Maine shook her head, reluctant to say what her fears were.

"Can't you read minds? I'm sure you do..."

Richard smiled and gently tilted her face so that she could look at him.

"I could but I only read them if I had to, I respect the privacy of thoughts. Now will you tell me?"

Maine broke eye contact with Richard and sat up, twisting the blankets with her hands.

Richard sat up too and placed her face between his palms, looking directly in her confused eyes, his own full of gentleness.

"Tell me..."

" Am I...j-just o-one of your m-missions?"  She stuttered, afraid to hear his answer to that...

"No. You were not a mission given by the elders. It was you who cried out to me..."

"Me? How?"

"I believe it was the day you saw... Kyle..." Richard answered reluctantly. He abhored the fact that he reminded Maine again that awful day, but she has to know how he found her.

"I sensed a deep pain near my vicinity that day. It was a cry for anguish from a very pure soul and a kind heart who could not and did not take revenge to the person who hurt her so much. It was something I couldn't ignore. It is as if I also felt her pain and we are of one heart. I followed my senses and they led me to you. You look lost and about to colapse so I... I gleaned your address from your mind. I picked you up and we teleported to your mom's house."

"You left me there?" Maine asked trying to remember the time before entering her house that fateful day but couldn't.

"I had no choice, I was being summoned by the elders that time, but I visisted you later that night...In your dream. That was the time I knew I really couldn't leave you. I am drawn to you like magnet to steel. It is as if you are a part of me, that if I leave you my heart would be torn apart. I felt that you are the half of me, the half of my whole..."

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