Another Dream.
[[Hey guys I just wanted to write some fluff since well… Things have been really heavy lately… When I finished I figured… hey why not share with ya’ll xD]]
“Where are we going?” Lilo gripped Jane’s hand tighter Jane smiled down at the dark haired child.
“I don’t know.” She laughed melodically, she was dressed in a pink summer dress and her brown hair was tied loosely in a bun.
“Ask Dimitri.” Jane laughed and spotted Dimitri up further down the road with Cody running out even further ahead of the man.
“It’s a surprise dammit! Stop asking!” Dimitri called playfully from over his shoulder and in one swift motion caught up with the blonde boy and lifted him on to his shoulders. He slowed to allow for Jane and Lilo to catch up.
It was truly the perfect summer’s day. The sun made the world glow in a cheery hue of warmth and the rays glinted off the full green trees. In the trees bluebirds sang cheerful melodies and in the very distance jaunty orchestrated music could be heard.
As the group moved further down the street children on bikes passed, bells dinging, lovers walked by two by two…
“Honestly I don’t understand what sort of surprise involves my walking out in such a crowded place.” Jane said with slight discomfort, she was still getting used to living with other people, after living in seclusion for years with Cody and then being trapped… it was hard for her to be around people in general.
“I want to help you with that.” Dimitri replied mysteriously, and as they continued down the street the music grew louder and the distinct smells of hot dogs and popcorn filled the summer air.
Finally Jane spotted it, a huge wheel in the distance and she knew. With a smile she remembered it had been a fleeting thought, a mindless sentence once they had been free. She had seen a poster, an old one laying on the side of the road and said to Dimitri ‘A carnival. You know… I’ve never been to one, neither has Cody.’ She shrugged and the pair continued on their way.
But Dimitri had remembered that and here they were now. Jane couldn’t deny the anxiety she felt in the pit of her stomach but the fear was ebbed by the smell of cotton candy and the sounds of laughter and carousel music.
Cody was bouncing on Dimitri’s shoulder with excitement, he obviously couldn’t contain himself and Jane smiled at her son, she felt Lilo grip her hand tighter. Out of the corner of her eye she looked down at the girl. Lilo was a practical child, she got excited, but in her own way, and now Jane could tell with the twinkle in her dark eyes and the smile playing around her lips… Lilo was quite happy.
---
“Try this.” Dimitri offered up a corn dog to the discriminating blue eyes seated next to him.
“Looks disgusting.” Jane replied with a sniff, and glanced to Lilo and Cody who where happily munching cotton candy and a hot dog respectively.
“It’s not… Believe me.” Dimitri wagged his eyebrows and took a bite of his own, he stretched his hand out further to Jane and she grudgingly took the… thing that he was trying to get her to eat.
“It’s just a corn dog.” He mumbled with his mouth full, and Jane gave raised an eyebrow gave him ‘the look’ and took a bite.
She chewed, swallowed, and laughed. He was right: it was delicious.
---
The midway was almost overwhelming – almost, all the men in colourful hats attempting to get you to spend ‘just a dollar’ on their games… But Jane was slowly beginning to enjoy the ebb and flow of the energy of life here.
She closed her eyes and let it sink in, then the small hand in hers stopped abruptly. Jane stopped too and looked down, Lilo was staring, mesmerized at a large stuffed…. Unicorn? No no. Jane shook her head and realized that Lilo was pointing at the giant stuffed alligator, the child was eccentric but Jane smiled at Lilo’s speechlessness.
Quietly Lilo said, “I need it.”
Dimitri came up from behind the two, “I’ll win it Lilo.” He said with a smile and handed a dollar over the man at the booth. Jane couldn’t help but think there was a hungry look in the man’s eyes – it was then she knew that only a dollar would not just be spent.
The point of the game was to throw a baseball into a target and knock over a stack of glass milk bottles. It was deceptively easy and twenty dollars later Dimitri was still at it, just as he was about to throw another ball Jane sighed.
“Oh for heavens sake!” She grabbed the ball from his hand in mid throw curled her hand back and threw it at the target as hard as she could. With a satisfying crash the bottles fell over.
“Now if you don’t mind we’ll take that alligator and be on our way.” Jane said matter- of –factly. Speechless the man pulled it off the peg and handed it to Jane who handed it to the eager hands of Lilo who hugged the creature with a small squeal of joy.
Dimitri was still staring at the target.
“Come along now.” Jane linked her arm with his and pulled him away.
“I was going to get it that time…. Really. You stole a winning ball from me.”
Jane just laughed.
---
A perfect day, eight rides on the Ferris wheel, countless rotations on the merry-go-round…
And at ten o’ clock Dimitri took Jane’s hand and brought her once more to the ferris wheel. Cody and Lilo sat on a bench right at the base both with candy apples, stuffed animals, painted faces, and various other prizes. The two wanted to fall asleep, but the promise of fireworks and the desire not to ride the Ferris wheel again kept them awake and their eyes on the sky.
Just as the first few fireworks began Jane and Dimitri’s basket stopped right at the top. Jane rested her head lightly on his shoulder, their first real touch of affection all day.
She shivered and wordlessly Dimitri slipped off his jacket and slid it around her small shoulders.
“I slipped the operator a twenty, we might be up here a while.” Dimitri said with a grin and kissed her head.
Jane shook her head and smiled up at him.
“Thank you… for everything today Dimitri, it was beyond… beyond words.” She entwined her fingers with his.
Then the fireworks began.
Jane gasped at the sound and their beauty.
“Oh look at them! Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?” Jane turned to him, breathless.
With a pause Dimitri gazed at the explosions sparkling in her eyes, “Once.” He replied quietly.
“I… I need to ask you something.” He seemed nervous, Jane wondered what was wrong as he fumbled in his pocket. Another explosion went off with ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from the crowd.
Another ‘BOOM’, Dimitri’s lips opening, his hands brushing her hair from her eyes, ‘Jane I….’
‘BOOM’
---
Jane woke with a start. Another dream. She opened her mouth to curse, but the words remained frozen in her throat.
‘These bloody dreams.’ She moaned inwardly. They just made her desire what she couldn’t have freedom and… Dimitri.
