Chapter 3

3.


She ran through the darkness, a long drawn out scream echoing through her. The very hounds of hell were after her, she could feel them nipping at her heels. The razors of their teeth teaching her yet again what cost she paid for dishonesty. She ran until her lungs cried for breath, only to find the mist wrapping around her like steel as the mirrors moved in, each mirror holding a face that held only disappointment, and even as she twisted and turned to escape the sadness followed, aided by the teeth that nipped at her dishonest soul.

"I’m sorry! I'm so sorry, but they all lie, they want only the face.. the body! I have to protect myself!"

Laughter welled up, scorching her skin as the mist turned red and the howls of the hounds echoed around her. She couldn't stop the screams as she turned to run, only to find the darkness, the fear, the sorrow, and even the pain.

"Stop! Please STOP! I won’t lie again!"

She twisted upwards, her chest heaving as unseeing eyes looked towards the horizon. There were no hounds, no teeth, no mocking mist, but the sadness wouldn't leave. He'd only wanted to know her, and she threw up that facade, and lied. She'd been cruel and she knew this dream would return. With a soft sigh she whispered another I'm sorry to the night, her body still as she listened to the crashing of the waves.

Another sleepless night. Richie sighed as he walked the length of the beach turning to stroll past the row of high rise hotels. He looked at each one wondering. Was she there?

Bailey, the beautiful elusive woman he'd been searching for. He been searching for days now. He'd had no dreams. He snorted at himself for the self induced lie. That ain't exactly true Sambora. You've dreamed every night,it just ain't the haunting dreams like before. These were his own wet dreams he tortured himself with, a reaction of his overactive mind. A mind that was making it impossible for him to sleep.

"Stop! Please STOP!" The cry was gut wrenching in its whispered intensity. A voice full of anguish and pain that spoke of hurt deeper than anyone should have. He stopped in his tracks. His mind must be playing tricks on him. He could swear that the voice belonged to Bailey, the woman who had eluded him. He shook his head and turned towards the sound only to see a high fence separating a patio from the public beach.

He moved towards the wall, his hands going up to pull himself up to peek over the wall. He saw nothing at first. The dark hiding whoever was whimpering. As his eyes adjusted he saw her. She'd sat up staring blindly through him before laying down once more.

Lowering himself he checked for a gate and moved to it, stepping through to move towards the woman who was still moving restlessly in a hammock. He stepped over and stood near the hammock she was sleeping in,his eyes taking in how beautiful she was even in sleep. The sliding glass door to her room was wide open and he heard the soft sound of television noise echoing through.

Well no wonder he couldn't find her, she wasn't staying where he'd thought. tricky woman! His eyes found a bench not far from the hammock and he sat there quietly watching her, wondering if he should just leave or wake her.

She turned over, the mist swelling again, her eyes widening as the howls started again. She whirled to see the shadow of a body in the distance. It wouldn't approach, nor move away, but no matter how she tried she couldn't get closer.

It was him, she just knew it, that man on the beach, the one she'd lied to. Not her normal dream man, but this new one, and he hurt. she could feel the pain almost as if it were her own. She tried to call out to him only to have the mist eat her words. "I’m so sorry!"

"What ya sorry for darlin'" He answered her. At first thinking she was awake, but as he leaned in closer he noticed she was talking in her sleep.

She shivered as the mist wrapped around her, so clammy in its intensity. “I shouldn’t have lied, I'm sorry."

"Yeah lying’s bad, so is hiding,'" he spoke softly as he watched her. He almost felt guilty letting her stew in her own dream locked mind, but then he remembered his search of the last few days,the sleepless nights that dreams of her had brought his way. Won’t hurt to let her stew a bit more. He settled himself on the bench, his eyes ever vigilant as she tossed and turned.

She twitched, trying to move, to get free of the mist, her heart beginning to race, "Have to protect myself, have to, not your fault, not your fault. I'm so sorry!" She felt the tears well up as she fought against the mist, wanting so desperately to get to the man hidden within its murkiness, so she could really apologize.

Protect herself from who? Him? Why? She didn't even seem to know him. His expression registered confusion. "You can't protect yourself, I'll always find you," he chuckled lightly thinking how ironic it was that he'd chosen this way to walk tonight.

She spasmed as the teeth found her, nibbling at her heels until she jerked to get free. "Nooo from everyone! Make it STOP! Go way, I'm SORRY!"

He frowned when she jerked his hand reaching out to soothingly brush over her face. "Hey .... wake up now I was just kidding!"

She sobbed softly, her body bolting upwards, lured by the warmth that intruded on the mist. Her eyes opened to the view of a man looming over her, a very familiar man. "I’m so sorry!"

"Hey Bailey!" He reached out, resting his hand on her shoulder; "Chill darlin' it's ok it was just a dream." He watched her face looking for signs of clarity.

Her arms wrapped around him as she pulled herself up, intent on finding the warmth that teased at her senses, the strength that whispered off of him. "Just a dream."

He moved back just an inch but not fast enough. "Yeah, just a dre...." Her lithe arms snaked around his neck and the weight of her body pulled him. He lost his balance and went over landing perfectly on top of her " ommph!" his eyes cut upward hoping the force of his fall wouldn't make the hammock come tumbling down and them with it.

She gasped slightly at the weight on top of her, her eyes flying open only to see the very one who had caused the dream in the first place. She pushed at him slightly, her heart thundering as she started to shiver. "YOU! How'd you get here?"

He adjusted his weight a bit to make sure he wasn't hurting her and peered down into pools as blues as the near ocean. "I... I dunno" He shrugged "Just walked" he answered honestly. It was true he didn't know if it was some wild twist of fate that brought him here to this place at this specific time or just dumb luck.

"You walked." she stated it matter of factly, her gaze intent on his brown eyes. "You just happened to walk straight into my backyard." She shook her head as she studied him. How had he found her? She'd deliberately ran the other way from where she lived that day.

She pushed the racing thoughts away and sighed. "Well either or, now that you've found me, I'm sorry."

"yeah.. you said that... about 5 times now." he gazed down at her, amusement flickering over his face when he noticed she'd not made one move away from him. Her arms were still laced delicately around his neck. " ya know it's funny how you just happened to be staying where I was walking."