Child of Dreams
Am I that strong, To carry on, I might change your life, I might save my world
Could you save me? And all of your weight, And all you dream, Falls on me, it falls on me
And your beautiful sky, And the light you bring, Falls on me, it falls on me
Falls on me by Fuel
Chapter 7
Darkness was once more his friend. He floated there, hiding, praying. Even in this place or because of it his thoughts turned over and over what T’Pol had told him. But how could his precious children not exist? He remembered then, had held them, comforted them. They were more real to him than anything other than T’Pol. He would show her, once they returned to the planet. He would introduce her to his children and she would see they were real. She would remember them, and her connection to him.
As he thought of this a sense of peace filled him and his breath seemed to flow easier. The darkness surrounded him, shifting and changing, filling with stars and color, streaks of coral and rose. He simply watched it, marveling at the beauty forming before him, accepting it for the miracle it was. He didn’t question its existence as he did his own. And as the ground formed under him, becoming the cliffs by the temple, he stared out over the water and watched the sun come up. This was where he wanted to be. Here, at Hahnala, with the children. He knew it was dream and yet he desperately wanted to capture it for his reality. What would his choice be if he had to make it? T’Pol or the children? He really hoped there was no need for that choice, and yet, the T’Pol he had met was not quite what he remembered in his mind. But then, there wasn’t much he did remember, and his certainties were no longer certain. For a man without memories had to trust in those around him, and so far, T’Pol was the only one telling him anything, and the truths she spoke, were not necessarily ones he wanted to hear.
If you ever need someone you can trust. Strange... Despite all of this he still felt he could trust her, could trust what he felt for her. His eyes closed and he pictured her face clearly. It looked younger somehow, vulnerable. Heavy jackets protected them from the wind whipping around them. She held a gun in her hand, and her face was troubled, filled with emotion that frightened him with its intensity, its very existence.
“Why did you want me here?”
“Because I trust you.”
“Then trust me...”
The image shifted behind his eyes and that same face stared back at him, the vulnerability was still there, but more control. The emotion made her uncomfortable, but she dealt with it. “If you ever need someone you can trust...”
“I won’t forget.”
His eyes opened and he took in the sun, bright, clear, warm. Trust, love, family... all these things were important to him, things he remembered but didn’t quite remember. It was too much and made his head ache. He turned from the cliffs and faced the temple, starting at the sight of his children before him. Meyah held Henry on her hip. Luna and Gabriel held hands. All looked at him with solemn faces. He took a step toward them, then another, but no matter how many steps he took, he came no closer. Tears spilled down Meyah’s cheeks, betrayal in her eyes.
He reached out a hand, desperate to touch, but unable to. “I know this is just a dream, but I want you to know I won’t leave you.”
Meyah rested her head against Henry’s, as Gabriel spoke. “You already have, Bah-ba.”
Archer shook his head. “No, I was taken from you. I am coming back.”
The children shimmered like ghosts in his field of vision, passing through him, as they moved to look out over the horizon he had just turned from. Luna glanced back at him, her eyes infinately sad. “Are you? I hope so.” She glanced back at the water and tightened her hand around Gabriel’s. “You have to find us Bah-ba, before all is lost.” With that, she and Gabriel stepped off the ledge of the cliff.
Archer gasped in horror, his hands grabbing out to catch them as they fell. His breath stopped as he fell right through Meyah and Henry. His fingers clenched in the grass as Meyah also stepped closer to the edge. “Find us Bah-ba.” And then she too was falling over the edge, Henry held securely against her.