Isabella and A.J. were watching Jonathan and Nicole playing cards and Nick was watching all four of them, not saying a word. Nicole was beating Jonathan but he was in denial and Nick was getting bored.
"How do I take Cassandra into someone else's dreams?" Nick finally spoke up.
"Huh?" Isabella asked looking up.
"I said, how do I take Cassandra into someone else's dreams?"
"Whose?" A.J. asked.
"I can't tell you."
"Why not?"
"Because I just can't. Now, how do I do it?"
"Well," Isabella started, "it's just like-"
"Isabella!" A.J. interrupted. "Don't-"
"Why not?" Isabella yelled. "What the hell has been wrong with you lately?"
"I just don't think that he should-"
"Oh, you think-"
"Shut up!" Nick yelled. Isabella and A.J. looked up at Nick. "I'm running out of time!" They looked at each other. A.J. finally rolled his eyes and nodded his head.
"It's just like going into her dreams," Isabella explained. "You just have to concentrate...and why do you need Cassandra anyway?"
"Because I'm going to kill two birds with one stone."
"What are you talking about?"
I need to know how Cassie feels and the only true way that she will speak the truth is in her dreams. "Just trust me. I need someone to trust me. You'll see in the morning."
"I thought Cassie wanted you out of her life?"
"Can you please trust me?"
"Yeah, I think I can do that. But only for a while."
He smiled. "Thank you." Nick didn't even glance at A.J. before leaving.
Emalia walked down the sidewalk and found that she was walking passed her house. She saw two people standing in the driveway hugging. At first she thought that is was Kevin and some girl, but as she got closer she saw that it was Nick and Cassandra. "Guys!" she yelled and ran up to them.
"Hey Emalia," Cassandra said. "How are you?"
Emalia was a little confused. "I'm fine, and I see that you two are, also. How is this possible?"
Nick wrapped his arms tighter around Cassandra and said, "What are you talking about? My baby and I have always been together." They both smiled.
"Yeah," Cassandra agreed. "We were made for each other."
Emalia shook her head.
"Let's go for a walk," Cassandra suggested.
The three of them started down the road. Emalia was behind Nick and Cassandra who were hand in hand. All of a sudden, Nick and Cassandra began to slow down but Emalia kept walking past them and screamed at what she saw.
"Oh dear," Cassandra said. "Honey, should we do something?"
"No," Nick replied. "All we can do is watch."
Emalia ran to Kevin whose body was covered in blood. "Oh my God! What happened?"
"I-I was shot," Kevin replied.
She lifted his body into her arms and looked back at Nick and Cassandra. "Nick! Cassie! Help me! Damn it!"
"Emalia," Cassandra said, "someday you're going to know how much you need him. That time may be now. I'm sorry I told." With that, Nick and Cassandra turned and began walking away.
"Damn you! Bastards, come back!" But Nick and Cassandra continued to walk. Emalia turned back to Kevin. "Oh God, what happened?"
"What does it look like happened?"
"Oh," she said and softly laughed. "God, I'm so sorry! This is all my fault! I-I didn't think that you felt the same about me anymore. You were comparing us to Nick and Cassie and I-I got a little jealous."
"You should know my love for you by now. Wait..." He reached into his pocket and pulled out her engagement ring. He slowly slipped it on her finger. "Here. Keep this and know that I do love you and no one else."
Emalia could feel Kevin growing weaker by the second. She pulled him tighter and watched his eyes close and his body sighed. "No..." she whimpered. "Oh God, I'm sorry."
Nick opened his eyes and was looking down at Emalia. She was still asleep but she had tears streaming down her face. He shook his head clear. "Man, that was tiring. Now, for Kevin."
Kevin walked down the sidewalk and found that he was walking past his house. He saw two people standing in the driveway hugging. At first he thought that it was Emalia with Everett but as he got closer he saw that it was Nick and Cassandra. "Guys!" he yelled and ran up to them.
Here we go again, Nick thought.
"Hey Kevin," Cassandra said. "How are you?"
Kevin was a little confused. "I'm fine, and I see that you two are, also. How is this possible?"
Nick wrapped his arms tighter around Cassandra and said, "What are you talking about? My baby and I have always been together." They both smiled.
"Yeah," Cassandra agreed. "We were made for each other."
Kevin shook his head.
"Let's go for a walk," Cassandra suggested.
The three of them started down the road. Kevin was behind Nick and Cassandra who were hand in hand. All of a sudden, Nick and Cassandra began to slow down but Kevin kept walking past them and looked wide eyed at what he saw.
"Oh dear," Cassandra said. "Honey, should we do something?"
"No," Nick replied. "All we can do is watch."
Kevin ran to Emalia whose body was covered in blood. "Oh my God! What happened?"
"I-I was shot," Emalia replied.
He lifted her body into his arms and looked back at Nick and Cassandra who were just staring at them. "Nick! Cassie! Help me! Damn it!"
"Kevin," Cassandra said, "she's sorry. Someday you'll realize just how sorry she is. That time may be now. I'm sorry I told you." With that, Nick and Cassandra turned and began walking away.
"Damn you! Bastards, come back!" But Nick and Cassandra continued to walk. Kevin turned back to Emalia. "Oh God, what happened?"
"What does it look like happened?"
"Oh," he said and softly laughed. "God, I'm sorry! I love you so much! I shouldn't have compared us to Nick and Cassandra."
"No, it's my fault. E-Everett. I-I can't believe that I would do that to you."
Kevin reached into his pocket and pulled out Emalia's engagement ring. He slowly slipped the ring on her finger.
"I have to go now," she said.
"Well at least everyone in heaven will know you're mine."
She smiled. "You got it." Emalia's eyes slowly closed and her body dropped.
Nick opened his eyes and looked down at Kevin. He, too, was asleep and he also had tears running down his face. Nick smiled. "I think it worked. I wonder if Cassandra remembers." He walked out of Kevin's room and over to Cassandra's room. He knew that he shouldn't and that she didn't want him to, but he needed to see if she were okay with what just happened. He walked into the room and sat down on the bed next to hers. She had one single tear rolling down her face. "She couldn't possibly be upset over Emalia-"
"Nick..." she whispered.
"Great. I knew it was a bad idea to bring her into this. But it was the only way. I'm so tired. This better have worked."
The next morning, Cassandra, Kevin, and Emalia all woke up at the same time. Emalia jumped out of bed, Cassandra stood up slowly and Kevin just laid in his bed. Emalia ran down the stairs and searched for Kevin. She heard someone coming down the stairs and turned to see Cassandra.
"Cassandra!"
"Emalia!" she mocked.
"Oh, you were right."
"I was? I mean, of course I was!" She paused. "About what?"
"About Kevin and Everett and everything. I shouldn't have done it and I realize how much he means to me."
"Really? Whoa. I guess then that you should go talk to him."
"You're right. Thank you." With that, Emalia ran out of the house and in search of Kevin.
"That was strange," Cassandra mumbled to herself.
Kevin heard a knock at his door. "Come in," he said.
"Kevin, can we talk...for a minute?" Emalia asked.
"Sure." Kevin moved over in his bed and let Emalia sit down.
"I've realized how foolish I've been and how much you mean to me and how much I love you and how much you loved me."
"Why the sudden change of heart?"
"I'd rather not say." I can't tell him it was a dream. "I guess with a little help from some good friends."
"Well, I've also realized how much I still love you and how ready I am to still marry you."
"Really?"
"Yeah, but it's going to take some time."
"Oh, why did you change your mind?"
"Actually, I'd rather not say, either." I can't tell her it was because of a silly dream. "I guess you could say that a couple of good friends helped me, too."
"Kevin-"
"Wait, hold that thought." Kevin stood up and walked over to one of his drawers. He pulled out a gold chain and clenched it in his fist and brought it back to the bed. When he held up the chain, Emalia saw that her engagement ring was dangling from it. He took the ring from it and placed it on her finger. "I hope you'll still marry me."
"If you'll still have me."
"Always," he said. They both smiled and he kissed her passionately.
"Wonderful," Nick said watching. "Now, what am I going to do about Cassandra?"
Nicole, Jonathan, Cassandra and Kevin sat in Jonathan's kitchen eating lunch.
"Cassandra?" Nicole said. "Can I apologize to you?"
Cassandra looked up. "What are you talking about? For what?"
"Some things have been running through my mind. One in particular. I wanted to say that I was sorry for Adrian-James' death."