☄Darkness in the Way of My Dreams (1x1)

[тнε.τяαgιϲ.нεяσιηε~]

Victoria lifted her board and leaned it against the tree. She ran up the ladder to the get the wax for her board. It took a while to find but she managed to get it. She ran down the steps and scrubbed he bottom of her board with wax. It was almost dark and she could hear people leaving the beach slowly.

A couple hours later, it was completely dark and the beach was almost empty. "I'm going to quickly change so go get your board." Tori ran to her house and sneaked through the back and up to her room. She changed into some bikini, which she's never worn for a long time. It was awfully small and embarrassing but she wasnt that worried about it, plus it was only Aer. Tori wore shorts and a tank over her bikini. She then ran back down the stairs and went back to the tree house. She picked up her board and went towards the beach. She sar down and started a camp fire as she waited for Aertoreturn. Her board sits beside her as she begins to have second thoughts about surfing.

[Cloudsong]

Watching her wax her board, Aer remembered how she used to do it every day before going out into the waves. He remembered her excitement when she woke up every morning, to go out into the water and have some fun. Those feelings seemed to have disappeared from her, and he felt delighted that perhaps they were returning. As she suggested that he go and get her board, he nodded, quickly turning and directing his quick pace towards his own house.

When he reached his small house, which was quite close to Toris', he found it empty. His parents had left the day before to go to Japan on a business trip, leaving him alone. The solitude didn't bother him, and he quickly slammed the door behind him, running up the steps to his bedroom, where he changed into his bathing suit and a short-sleeved t-shirt. With slight hesitation he pulled his board out from behind his door, admiring it. It was a very nice one; jet-black with an electric-blue strip going down the center. Pushing all thoughts about prom out of his mind, he tucked it under his arm, climbing down the steps and closing the door to his house behind him.

He found Victoria down on the beach. She was looking very nervous, and he noticed that she had started a fire while he was gone. Sitting down beside her, he put his board into the sand, leaning up against it. "You nervous?" he asked, smiling slightly.

[тнε.τяαgιϲ.нεяσιηε~]

Tori heard footsteps and at first she jumped in fear but then she sighed in relief seeing it was Aer. He sat beside her as she rested her head on his shoulder and nodded to his question.

"Yes, I'm quite nervous, but somewhat excited at the same time...." her eyes fell on the ocean waves as she noticed that it was quite a nice current tonight. She took a deep breath and stood up, picking up the board atthe same time.

"The waves are beautiful, we should go in before they die down." her board was under her arm while she stares out into the ocean. Her blonde hair blew back with the wind as she closed her eyes and took the salty air in. Then she dropped her board as she took off her shorts and then her tank top, revealing her White bikini with blue dots. Victoria stood there for a moment. Tryin to soak in the memories and the nervousness she's feeling. She was hesitant and scared. "I can't do this...." she cried. Then she dropped her board and ran over to Aer and hugged him tightly, scared.

[Cloudsong]

Aer felt his heart rate quicken as she ran back to him, hugging him tightly. He felt sorry that she couldn't go back into the water like she always had been able to before the accident... It was unnatural to imagine Tori being afraid of the ocean, even after so many years had gone by. He hugged her back, holding her close for as long as he dared; he didn't want her to get suspicious for his true feelings. "It's all right," he soothed, gently moving the sea of hair that was covering her face. "Come on... we'll go in together. Without boards at first." He just wanted her to go in; that would be a huge step forward. Then he took off his shirt, so that he was in his bathing suit, and took her hand. "Come on," he said brightly, pulling her towards the water. He felt glad that there was no one else around; he didn't like being watched when they were together. If Aaron had been here now, he would be insulting him and taunting them for being together... And he would be flirting with Victoria. The thought wasn't a pleasant one. "It's not so bad... You'll see." He felt the cold water seep up between his toes, and he glanced back at her to see if she was still coming. As if to make her feel more confident, he added; "The water feels nice." It was cool, and the hair was still hot and moist.

[тнε.τяαgιϲ.нεяσιηε~]

Tori smiled as he comforted her. She was nervous, but she felt safe beside Aer. As he brings her into the shore, Tori slowly slipped her hand away from Aer as he entered the ocean. Tears began to fall down her cheek as she ran away from the ocean with her face in her hands.

[Cloudsong]

Aer glanced over at her as she ran off, hands over her face. Though he couldn't see or hear her, he knew that she was crying. Out of either frustration or fear, he wasn't sure. He was patient, however; he knew that this moment would be hard for her. Always had. She had experienced pain and sorrow that he never had, and it would be hard to overcome that. Though he had hoped that she would just come in with him, he had always known it would take much convincing. Patiently he turned towards her again, holding out his hand for her to take it. "We'll just go in up to our knees," he suggested. "Then you can come out if you don't feel comfortable." He wanted to make this easier for her in any way that he could.

[тнε.τяαgιϲ.нεяσιηε~]

Tori was frustrated and disappointed in herself. She hated how much pain the ocean brings to her. The feeling of the water pushing and pulling triggers emotions that she can't handle. Her heart was beating fast and loud. She stopped running when her feet felt the warm sand. She slowly released her hand from her face and wipes her face. She turned around and saw Aer. His hand was reaching out for her as he suggested a good idea. Tori nodded lightly. It wouldn't be a bad idea, but it made her feel nervous and unease. But knowing that Aer would be there to protect her, a hint of courage grew in her heart.

While Aer was on her hand, she began to think of all those times he's been there for her. It made her smile a little as it suddenly disappeared because he could have seen her random smile. She couldn't ask for a better best friend in the world. He's always been there, taking care of her, protecting her, and making her feel safe and warm. Then she realized something....she's slowly falling for Aer. Tori's eyes widen a bit, she shook her head, blushing a little as she took his hand.

Her cheeks were a light shade of red as his warm hand held her shaking, cold ones. Slowly, they made their way towards the ocean as Tori trailed behind him, still holding his hand. As they moved deeper into the ocean, she could feel the bed of it. The seaweed and shells were rough, yet they tickled her feet. She released her hand from his as she smiled and moved deeper into the ocean. The excitement just took over her. Next thing she knows, she was deep in the water. She smiled widely as she dove into the water. Swimming to the bottom as she saw fishes and other underwater creatures. Her hand trailed the sand on the floor.

A few moments later, her air was running out. She needed to rise up to the surface. Slowly, she began to swim up, but something pulled her down. She looked down and it was the seaweeds. Her leg was tangled around it. She began to panic as her lungs searched for air. She tries to kick the seaweed off, but it was caught too tightly. Her struggling body began to give up. She needed some air, but she couldn't. Her lips slowly parts, about to take a deep breath of the water.

[Cloudsong]

Not noticing the faint coloring in Tori's cheeks, Aer glanced down at her cold hand, which was shaking. He knew how hard this had to be for her; she was so scared of the water... For a moment, he wondered if he was doing the right thing by asking her to come out into the ocean. What if something happens? He forced himself to swallow his sudden fear, though he found himself wondering what he would do if anything ever happened to her. That could never happen; she was needed to him. His guilt, however, disappeared as he saw the look of excitement that dawned on Victoria's face as she rediscovered her passion. Before he knew it, she had let go of his hand, and had swam further in, diving down. For a moment he just watched the spot where she had disappeared to, then he began to make his way over to her. It was getting dark, and he didn't want to lose sight of her.

But she didn't come up. "Victoria?" he called out, panic beginning to seep through him. No reply. Without thinking it through, Aer took in a deep breath of air, and dove down into the water. The salty water stung his eyes as he looked around, trying to catch sight of her. He had to resurface again, going down as quickly as he had come up. And then he saw her; feet entangled in the seaweed. She wasn't moving.

He felt panic as he swam as fast as he could towards her. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small pocket-knife, and began to cut the stems with his shaking hands. His knife slipped as he pulled it through it, and he accidently made a long cut along his hand. Wincing, he finally cut her free, and pulled her up to the surface. She would need air. What if it was too late? It couldn't be.

[тнε.τяαgιϲ.нεяσιηε~]

While tori was struggling to find a way to get air, she saw a faint figure swimming towards her. But by the time it reached her, she lost her consciousness. Everything was a blur to her. She could feel her body being lifted up to the surface and onto the beach sand. Even though she could feel what's going on, she still couldn't breath. It was like she was half dead and half alive. Slowly, she could feel herself loosing grip of life.

A numbing sensation filled from her toes, traveling up her body. She wanted to breath, but something was stopping her. She figured it was water, but she didn't know how to remove it. Then she managed to twitch her fingers, hoping that who ever saved her will notice that she's still alive. All she could think about is dying. Her memories began to run Through her mind like a montage. Fear took over her as tears flowed down her closed eyes and down on the sand she laid down on.

[Cloudsong]

As they surfaced, Aer gasped for air, reaching up hastily to push the hair out of his eyes. Taking care to keep Tori's head above the water, he began to pull her towards the shore. The current was slightly hard to go against, but he was strong, despite his appearance and people who called him quite frequently a 'whimp'. When they reached the shore, he pulled her onto the sand, still feeling frightened that she had not yet awoken. He was gasping for breath too, and his hair was wet; sand clung to a few strands. There was something blocking her throat. Water, he thought grimly. Silently he lay his hand on her chest, and tried to pump any water that was stuck out. Some water came out of her mouth, but she still seemed out of it.

He froze. Would he have to give her mouth-to-mouth...?