"What keeps you up Sis," her brother asked sitting on the edge of her bed.
"Oh, nothing," she mumbled.
"Sure. You know you can tell me anything," he grabbed her hand.
"You wouldn't understand Chris," she looked over at her brother.
"Oh and why not, I've only known you 20 years but you're right I wouldn't understand Candice," he stood up.
"I'm sorry Cry," her brother sent her a sympathetic glance.
"Sweet dreams Sis," her brother shut the door lightly.
"It's all about the dreams," she whispered crawling back under her warm covers. "All about the dreams."

She flipped on the TV and stopped on MTV just as the news was starting. "And in other news last night a plane traveling from Sweden to Orlando, carrying Backstreet Boys, crashed. This is a very sad day in the music industry. This morning everyone mourns the death of one of the most loved groups in the world. I'm Kurt Loder and you're watching MTV news." She turned off the TV and shut her eyes; the tears started to well up.
"This isn't real," she mumbled standing up.
"Hey Candi, I just," she turned around to see Pat.
"Oh Pat I miss you so much," she ran toward him.

She sat up quickly in her bed, her mind raced. "Ohmigod," she cried as tears streamed down her cheeks. She reached for her phone and dialed a familiar number.
"Hello," he answered groggily.
"Oh hey, sorry to wake you but."
"Who is this?"
"It's Candice, I'm really sorry but are you guys ok?"
"Huh? Candice it's four in the morning what do you want?"
"Look Nick I'm sorry are you guys ok," she repeated as more tears flowed down her cheeks.
"What's wrong? Why are you upset? We're fine, what's wrong?"
"The dreams Nick," she whispered. "Nick every night I dream about him, sometimes he's alive again and sometimes they are memories from stuff we've done, we're always happy though," she cried into the phone. "I had a dream you were dead, all five of you!"
"Calm down. Whoa slower, now breathe. They are just dreams ok?"
"Nick," she whispered. "I don't wanna sleep anymore."
"You don't have to," he smiled yawning. "How bout I sing you a song?"
"Sure, that'll be great. How about I can love you like that by All-4-One?"
"Ok sure I can do that," Nick cleared his throat. "Eww..morning breath yuck, good thing you're not here." Candice smiled wiping her tears away. "Ok now remember I just got up and I may sound like shit but here goes nothin'."

Nick stopped singing when he heard her rhythmic breaths. "G'night Trouble, sweet dreams and I hope you find your prince," he whispered hanging up his phone.

She woke up chipper that afternoon. "Hey Momma," she smiled cheerfully kissing her mother on the cheek.
"Hey Baby Doll, you're happy today," her mother smiled.
"Mom, how bout some lunch I'm starving," Candice smiled sitting down at the barstool.

"Pat," she cried. "I miss you so much!"
"I miss you so much too Candi Girl, I love you so much." He appeared on the sofa next to her dressed in all white.
"I love you, too."
"Promise something Candice," he took her hand.
"Anything," she gazed into his now gray eyes and pale face, even as a ghost he was still handsome--to her at least.
"Promise me you'll love again," he whispered so close to her face she could almost feel his breathe again.
"Pat," he started to disappear.
"You'll love again and to put your mind at rest what Nick said is true. I did get you a wedding ring and I was gonna give it to you next year. I also called you after I slipped the ring into your pocket and I know I am dead," tears filled her eyes. "You will love again and I'm fine with you dating. Stay close to Nick even though he's pretty far away you'll stay friends for a long time. It wasn't your fault and I did find my ring..it was in your car."
"I love you," she mumbled as he faded away a little more.
"I love you with all my heart I always have. Ever since the day you started high school, the first time I saw you I knew I loved you. Remember that day Freshmen?" The tears now flowed down Candice's face steadily as she nodded yes. "I still do, my friends and I saw you. You were so beautiful, I remember your smile. I watched you get out of your brothers car. I threw the football toward you just so I had a reason to say hello," Candice smiled a little. "I have to go now I love you I always have and always will. But move on and live your life."
"No don't," Candice cried.
"Good bye."

Candice woke up from the dream and smiled looking around her room. He's happy now, she thought. Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks as she gazed out her open window at the sun raising.

"Good bye is so final Patrick," she laughed.
"Well, Freshmen, you're right," he smiled. "Now hand me my football I need to go practice." She grinned and handed him his ball; he grinned back.
"Later Freshmen."
"Later Patrick."

"Hey Candi," he entered her dark room. "I found this on your desk," he pulled the yellow envelope from behind his back and grinned. She turned around and glared at him.
"Why the hell were you snooping through my desk," she hissed standing up.
"Why didn't you tell me," his voice was full of concern and his grin was gone. He made his way over to her bed and sat next to her; she stood up. "What are you talking about," she slowly walked over to her stereo and played with the albums that laid on top of it.
"You know damn well what I'm talking bout, how long have you known?" He stood up and made his way over to her. She couldn't face him, tears began to fill her eyes.
"I dunno," she whispered as the tears poured down her face. "I dunno." He spun her around and pulled her body close to his and held her tight.
"Well, have you told anyone?"
"No," she whispered sobbing.
"Well, tell me," he pulled away from her and sat back down on her unmade bed. "I love you," he mumbled looking away. This only caused more tears to fill her eyes and flood her face. "No, don't ..please, don't say that J," she pleaded sitting next to him.
"But I do," he took her hand.
"James, I'm," she didn't know if she could say it but forced the words out. "Pregnant," she whispered wrapping her arms around him and sobbing even more.