In My Dreams It's Me And You

Nathalie's POV

Even though it was raining when I left I didn’t bother to take anything to shield me from it, but I couldn’t say that I cared too much. Every single year since my parents had died I came to visit them in the cemetery where they had been buried, bringing a bouquet of lilies to place within the waiting stone angel’s arms. I had the twin angels commissioned to stand over their graves so that I could feel that I was talking to someone while I was there, with them actually designed to resemble my parents’ true features.

I sat on the ground in front of the two gravestones uncaring for the wet mud that waited for me there, ignoring the cold sensation that ran up my leg as the wet earth touched my skin. A sad smile tugged at my lips as I curled my fingers around the pendant, remembering the times I last had with them. I couldn’t say how much time passed as the cold worked its way through my body, soon freezing me to the point where I couldn’t feel anything even if I touched it.

“You will catch a chill if you stay out here like this.”

I could tell without looking back that it was Alex who had spoken, seeing through the corner of my eye that he was dressed in a black tuxedo with a white lily poking out of the pocket. A black umbrella sheltered him from the torrent of rain that fell upon me, his head shaking in disapproval.

“Nice to see you too, Alex,” I replied, not turning to acknowledge him. My hand tightened around the pendant as he crouched down beside me, turning my face away as he tried to make me look at him.

“After all this time, you still cannot bear to look at me?” He said softly, the sadness he spoke through forcing my hand to tighten ever more. I couldn’t find the words to reply, not knowing whether I was shaking my head because of his question or because of the cold. “Maybe next year then.”

Alex stepped forward to the two angels and glanced at each one, murmuring my parents’ names before removing the flower from his pocket, tucking it into the stone counterpart within my father’s suit. Much like I always placed a bouquet within my mother’s open arms he placed a lily within my father’s pocket.

“I’m sorry Alex,” I mumbled to his back, battling my frozen limbs as I staggered to my feet. Even though he was looking away from me I couldn’t bring myself to look from the ground to him, it just hurt too much.

He turned back, the rain momentarily stopped as he held the umbrella over both of us. “I know, Nat. I understand I remind you of him- if I could I would try and change that. I’ll just have to wait for that charming smile of yours.”

Alex didn’t seem to care that I was completely drenched as he wrapped one of his arms around my shoulders and pressed me close to him, not even flinching as my cold body began to steal his warmth. We just stood there gazing at the two angels before he decided to speak, a hint of curiosity hiding behind his words. “I hear you have found yourself someone.”

I laughed lightly at the fact he knew. He always seemed to know everything about me, despite this being the only time we ever had direct contact. “I’m guessing your spy for a sister told you?”

“Well, I have to get my information somewhere,” he chuckled, a few raindrops making it past the umbrella to drip on my head as the hand holding it shook. “Do you like him?”

I paused before answering, unable to stop the smile that appeared, a smile I knew Alex saw. “Yes, I do.”

“Do you love him?”

“I…” I hesitated then, not really knowing what to say. We weren’t even technically together yet.

Did I love Brian?

“I think so.”

“You only think you do?” Alex asked surprised, his words making me flush in embarrassment. “Tell me, does he look after you?”

“Yes,” I answered automatically.

“If you needed help, would he be the first to offer you it?”

“Yes,” I answered again, my smile growing.

“Now, if he left you one day without saying why, would it break your heart?”

This question caught me out, since it was one I wasn’t prepared for. I guessed about him asking the others, and I didn’t need to think about it. However Alex didn’t give me enough time to decide on a reply since he gave me one instead, answering his own question from before.

“You see? By not saying anything, you have just said that it would, and a broken heart is a reminder of a person you loved. I hope he makes you happy, Nat,” he said as he gave me a light squeeze, directing his next words up to the twin statues. “Hear that Rachel? Seems like your daughter has fallen in love.” He turned slightly to face the other, speaking freely to the stone individual. “Don’t you worry Michael; I’ll look out for Nathalie. They’ll have me to answer to if they hurt her.”

Alex then pulled me close to him and embraced his arms around me, kissing me lightly on the head before pulling away. He pressed a cell into my hand before walking away, stopping briefly just to speak one last thing. “Just remember that whenever you need me, you just have to call.”

As he melted away into the distance I glanced down at the cell in my hand, feeling the soft smile on my lips as I looked at it. Every year he brought me a new cell since every time I visit at this time it rained, and considering I just set my cell aside in the open they tend to break around this time as well.

The screen lit up as a message came through, already finding that Alex had already programmed his number into it.

I’ll be around if you need me.
Love Alex

--

“I know Chloe said to leave her alone today but she still hasn’t come back!” Brian moaned as he paced around kitchen for what must have been nearing the hundredth time.

Zacky was the only one who faithfully remained with him after Matt, Jimmy and Johnny got a bit annoyed with his antics and migrated to the living room, while Chloe just followed to make sure the others didn’t do anything stupid. Luckily she had beer on her side, so the task didn’t require too much effort.

Zacky sighed. “Come on, Bri. You’re being ridiculous. She said she will be back, so you’ll just have to trust her.”

He slumped into the seat beside Zacky, his head falling into his hands. Brian didn’t stay that way for long as just then someone knocked on the front door, and since he knew that Nathalie didn’t pick up her key he instantly ran out of the kitchen to answer it. However the person he wanted to be on the other side wasn’t there. Instead a grinning pizza delivery man greeted him, handing him the three large boxes in his arms before walking off again.

“Who was that?” Matt called from the front room, poking his head out into the hallway just as he was closing the door.

“Pizza guy.”

Brian walked into the front room to find Zacky sitting with Chloe and the others, dumping the boxes on the table and then himself upon the floor. The others exchanged looks as he stared mindlessly at the television, not even seeming to really notice what was actually going on there.

After the show had finished and Brian still remained in the same state Zacky nudged Chloe with a worried look, hoping that she would at least say something to comfort him. However she held a worry of her own when she realised the late hour, her concerns voiced instead of reassurance.

“Nathalie shouldn’t be out this late,” Chloe murmured, her gaze fixated upon the shadows stretching across the sky. “Usually she comes home before sundown.”

“Maybe she is just on her way,” Matt suggested with a shrug, not really knowing what would be the best thing to say. He looked over at Chloe as she shook her head, biting her lip out of worry. “Maybe-“

“I’m going after her,” Brian suddenly said as he got to his feet, walking over to where Matt was sitting and holding out his hand expectantly. “Give me your keys.”

He shook his head. “Don’t have them. When Nat asked me to bring the others round she said to get a cab.”

“A cab?” Chloe echoed, obviously thinking about why she would ask him to do that. Then it clicked. “Wait right here.”

Everyone remained in the front room with a confused expression as Chloe leapt off Zacky’s lap and ran upstairs, the sounds of things being thrown about on the floor sounding through the ceiling. Eventually however she came back down and held out a pair of keys triumphantly in her hand.

“I forgot, Nat was going to give you this,” she said as she tossed the keys over to Matt. He picked them up as if he didn’t know what they were, not really understanding the point of being given a set of keys. “She felt bad since she ruined your last car and that you had to drive the insurance one so she got you another.”

“Felt bad about- wait, what?” Matt turned to Chloe with wide eyes, his gaze darting between the keys and her. “She got me a car?”

“I don’t know what it is though. I think it was a Porsche, but don’t take my word for it,” she replied shrugging, obviously not one for cars. “I can’t remember. We got some extras added in as well-“ She paused momentarily as Brian glared at her, quickly deciding to re-word what she was going to say. “But that’s for later. It should be outside if I know Nat.”

Brian grabbed his jacket from the chair and with one look back at the others had them reaching for their own and quickly following him outside. He didn’t give them time to appreciate the car as he jumped in the front with Matt slipping into the driver’s seat, the engine roaring into life and propelling the car at clearly unlawful speeds down the road.

Don’t do anything stupid, Nat.
I’ll be there soon.