She felt more than she saw.
She saw children running and laughing. She saw them dancing in the fields and throwing the autumn leaves at each other. She saw the smiles on their faces and the sparkles in their eyes. And when she turned, she saw him. She saw his confident smirk and his usual goatee. She saw him smiling at her, with opening his arms to receive her.
But what she felt threatened to overwhelm her. She felt peace just as much as she felt the strong emotions surging through her heart. She felt the happiness that emanated from the children, and she felt her own love for him ripping through her chest. But she also felt calm, collected, content. There was no such thing as the Red Room anymore, no such thing as hurt or betrayal or lies. Just happiness and tranquillity. She lunged forward into his arms, closing her eyes in anticipation of the impact with his chest.
But when she opened her eyes, she saw the branches of the tree blocking the light from the day sky. She was no longer charging forward, but on her back, with the grass tickling her ears. She blinked a few times, readjusting to reality. So that had been a dream then?
“Morning Sleeping Beauty.”
She turned her head, looking up to him, sitting there in his armour of red and gold, smiling at her with the same smile in her dream.
“You finally woke up, then,” he chuckled at her lack of response. “Good dream?”
She silently sat up, before turning and smiling at him. “The best,” she whispered.
“Good,” he replied, suddenly grim. “ ‘cuz break time’s over. It’s time to move.”
She nodded and they both got up. Their mission quickly returned to her mind and the dream fell into the back of her mind, ready to pop up when she could afford to be distracted.
Somewhere, over the rainbows, skies are blue. And the dreams that you dare to dream, really do come true.