Morgan laid her bed staring at the ceiling fan above her as Natalie came into her room. It has been two weeks since their trip to Italy, land of long days and magical nights. Crawling on the ground Natalie snuck under her bed and waited beside the hidden stuff animals for Morgan to try to sleep. It had been awhile since she had played a good prank on her little sister. Sofia was treat to a surprise on her pillow, a handsome frog for her company the breeze slipped through the window causing the purple sheer draped to fly. Instantly Morgan sat up in her bed staring at the window. She could smell fresh rain and grass seep swirl around her from outside. Slowly she got up pushing the floral covers behind her and walked barefoot on the cold hardwood floor. Her hair danced around her as she peered out of the window. There was drizzle accompany by a low laying fog on the ground. The whole street looks to be a river of swirling mist. Crickets hummed their evening lullaby as she gripped the window leaning out. Natalie saw her chance as Morgan leaned out the window. Crawling out of the bed she was stopped by a familiar face. That horrible smile.

His jesting face turned into the most evil stare of blackened hatred she has ever felt. Teeth now bared as a lion would if threaten except she wouldn't be as afraid of a lion as she was with him. She froze, her face stuck in the shadows but the horror was clear as crystal. losing all control of her body falling limp on the floor causing a thud. Morgan jumped hit her head on the raised window.

“Ouch” she instantly rose her hands to her head massaging the knot now raising. nox slid toward her holding her from behind, Her warm head resting below his chest. He smoothed the auburn threads coaxing the spot where she had hit her head as she dropped her arms to her sides. All this time she was silent, wrapping her hands around his free arm holding her close to him. She looked up at him and smiled, turning around to hug him.

“ Thank you, I feel better. Why did you take so long to find me?” Without answering he picked her up and carried her to a chair facing a mirror. Gently placing in the chair he sat across from her on the bed.

“ I was i guess busy, you can understand that cant you?.” She looked at him with curiosity tilting her head to the left hands folded neatly in her lap. He leaned back into the bed letting his weight absorb into the springs. The bed was soft and littered with stuff animals such as lions, butterflies, and horses. He pulled one out from under him examining how it was stitched together. He looked up to see her in the mirror braiding her hair.

“ Do you believe in me Morgan? Did you really think i would come back?” he was wondering this the moment she calmly reacted to him behind her. Through the mirror she nodded, losing one portion of the braid. Nox glided over to her grasping the fallen piece. He returned it to her delicate hand after feeling the wavy texture.

“Dreams come true, and I thought you were a dream but you are real. Do you want to learn how to braid hair?” Knox looked at her confused. He didn't have hair so he really didn't care to know but because she asked he did. Watching her take thin pieces of hair he followed her fingers weave the hair together in an elegant knot. He started to do the other side as she watched his movements in the mirror. Right over left his fingers twisted the braid until it went past her shoulder identical to its sister. She giggled in the mirror holding her braids against her ears getting the earring stuck in one. Morgan got it loose when she heard footsteps coming to her room.

“ Nox, you have to hide, some...” before she could even finish he no longer stood behind her but was no where to be found. She looked all around her, under chairs and bedside tables but he was nowhere to be. Quickly she ran to her bed sliding her feet into the covers as the door cracked open.

“Morgan , you asleep yet?” Her father’s voice hummed. She rolled over to face him but heard the whispers in her head. Don’t tell him about us.

“ I was just about to sleep. Can’t you sleep?” Her father came in and sat on the bed beside her, taking the same stuff animal Nox did, cradling it between hands. At this moment she rolled over and pretended to be sleeping. Her father looked down at her and kissed her forehead gently. Without another sound he left the room closing the door behind him.

“ You can wake up now, he’s gone.” Nox sat in the same position of her father looking over her as she propped up to face him. She looked over at him expecting to see him smile; his eyes jesting gold but this time he looked confused.

“ Whose that?”

“My father, he is cool at times but sometimes he works too often. sofia i think is his favotite, she is always trying to make him happy.” He looked down to the floor, the swirling patterns of maple colored hardwood

“you are my favorite. the only girl who doesnt lay limp on the floor when she see my face.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips against her forehead. Morgan pulled back and laughed covering her mouth with her hands.

“ That how you say goodnight, you kiss someone's forehead at least I think.” He smirked and placed the stuff animal under the covers beside her. His muscular legs daped over the side of the bed, as he lay on top of her legs small underneath his body. Together they looked at the ceiling fan slowly spin as mist drew into the room in spirals. The fine mist lay in her hair gently coating it with moist dew droplets. He looked towards her face to see if she was asleep and noticed the veil of dew in her hair as she dozed soundlessly in to her own dreamland.

“ Hello my angels, my child, sleeping are we? Not when the cicadas are still humming. No, that's no time to sleep.” He pushed himself up inching his way closer to her. Tiny freckles made her look so young.

“ So real, day is merely a time, not a boundary for you is it sweet Morgan?” He pulled her hair gently as she turned in her sleep tucking it behind her ear. Sweet features turned haunting as he thought.

“ And real will I become no longer a dream in the minds of others. With your help my dear, my Morgan, you will help my dream to come true.” He learned to kiss her forehead but instead of a kiss of love he kissed it with a promise, a curse.

“ No one will come in the way of our dreams, but as you said I am your dream.” He walked toward the window leaving her all alone. Turning to face the room glancing at every detail of walls and furniture. To the curve in the mirror to the reflection of her face, the curve beneath the floral duvet covers.

“ So I guess that promise will have to be for me. No one will get in my way; you got your wish but now its time for me to be real.” With those last few whispers he vanished into the air.