Dreaming the Day Away.

Charlotte walked into the common room and for once was glad that there was no-one else in there, it would just be her and Arsen sighing happily she walked over to the empty sofa sat by the roaring fire and Charlotte curled up there yawning a little as she did so.

"Have you ever noticed? It's always empty in here..."

Charlotte mused as she waited for Arsen to take a seat she hoped next to her so that she could hold him as she slept but if not in the chair opposite her so she could see him.

Arsen followed Char into the common room glad when they were finally there the stair were tiring when you felt like this. He followed her over to the fire and sat down beside her.

"They must know i'm always here." He smiled weakly resting his head on top of hers. "I'm not good when i'm tired i tend to bite." He smiled taking a playful bite towards her nose.

Charlotte giggled playfully and she rested her head on Arsen's chest when he sat down next to her, she loved lying with him he was just so comfortable or maybe it was because she herself felt comfortable around him. Either way Charlotte reached up and placed a small kiss on Arsen's cheek.

"Go to sleep then Dark, I'll be here for you if you need me."

Charlotte grinned, reaching her hands up to Arsen's hair and twirling it around her finger.

Arsen closed his eyes and nested his head on tops of Char's making himself comfy. He smiled finding her hand to lace his fingers through hers. "Thanks." He thought for a second before he realised he was missing someone.

"Oh wait Kraken." He said sitting up straight to see his protector slithering over to his feet. "Oh never mind he's here." He smiled bending down to pick him up and place him on his lap. "Now where was we? Ar yes night Char of should i say afternoon." He smiled settling down next to Char ending up in the same position as before.

"I will always be here and so will Kraken apparently." He smiled his eyes still closed.

Charlotte smiled lightly and let her head fall back onto Arsen's chest as she let her tiredness over come her and for once as she fell asleep she wasn't plagued by nightmares and flashes of the past she was ever thinking of Arsen lying next to her and the safety that he provided.

"Goodnight Dark...I love you..."

Charlotte muttered tiredly, before her eyes closed and she fell into a nice deep sleep.

He smiled and sighed happily before replying. "Ti amo troppo." He repeated her words back in his own language. He glanced down once at Kraken to see him curled up in his lap then he fell into a deep relaxing sleep.

Charlotte yawned a little and sat up, she had completely forgotten that she was curled up in Arsen's arms and she clasped a hand to her mouth, she didn't want to wake him up. Gently Charlotte lay back down on him and snuggled her head into his chest listening to the gentle thudding of his heart within his chest. Charlotte moved her finger around his tummy in small circles just relaxing back into him.

Arsen frowned in his sleep, he was getting closer and closer to the man stood before him, he had no idea who he was but the more he tried to run from him the closer he got.

He was now stood face to face with the hooded figure, bodies were spread around their feet. He glanced down and spotted everyone he cared for with a bullet in their head. Hades, Rich and Char. A tear slowly escaped his eye as he turned to look back at the man the barrel of a gun pointed right at his face. Seconds later the trigger was pulled and he found himself awake. He sat bolt up right, his breathing heavy as he rested his head in his hands. Movement behind him had him jumping from the set his hands flaming up.

"Oh god i'm so sorry." He cried noticing he had very nearly burnt Char.

Charlotte didn't know that Arsen was going to move so she flew from her place on his chest with a thwack to the floor, a feeling of heat flushing by her leg as she did so. She squeaked as her face hit the floor and Charlotte sat up rubbing her red face, she looked at her leg and that was red too, and stinging.

"Dark...why did you do that?"

Charlotte looked up at him, her eyes full of confusion and brimming with tears, did he not like her any more...did he not want her to sit with him?

He moved closer and knelt down just in front of her tears threatening to spill over his eyes. "I'm sorry i didn't... i forgot..." He tried to explain wiping away an escaped tear. He took a deep breath, he would not break down in front of Char, he just wouldn't she needed him to be strong and protect her not cry in front of her.

He took both her hands and gently sent a warm shock into her healing any where she was hurt. "I'm sorry, i... i can't explain okay i never meant to hurt you. You know that right?"

Charlotte looked at Arsen intently, she smiled, now she saw why, he had a nightmare, she wiped away the tear that fell from his eye and kissed his cheek lightly. Charlotte wrapped her arms around him and smiled softly muttering lightly into his ear;

"Hush Dark, I know, I know."

Charlotte placed a gentle kiss on his lip as well and gently played with his hair.

"If you need to tell me something, or have a good vent, please do so..."

He smiled weakly looking down all he could see when he looked at her was the dead Char with a bullet in her head. He could never let that happen, he shook his head holding her hand to his face.

"I can't sleep Char and the fires getting stronger as i weaken. Soon i wont be able to stop it and i'm afraid i'll hurt you." Just like in my dream he thought. He wrapped his arms around and cried into her shoulder too weak now to hold it in.

"Sorry." Was all he said as he let the tears of the past few weeks roll down his face.

Charlotte was a little shocked as she felt Arsen cry on her shoulder, she placed her hands lovingly around him and held him close to her, Charlotte although sad that he was crying in the first place was honoured that he felt comfortable enough to do it around her.

"Dark, I can take care of myself, you wont hurt me. I was only upset because I thought you didn't want me around anymore. I love you...you know that."

Charlotte placed another soft kiss on his lips.

"It was only a dream Dark, only a dream. Don't apologize, please, I'm happy you can talk to me about it."

"You don't understand you were... you were..." He sobbed but couldn't bring himself to say it. "... and Hades and Rich." He shook his head as if trying to shake the images out his mind but they wouldn't budge. A fresh batch of tears poured out his eyes.

"It won't be me, when im angry all i see is fire, it's all i think about. It's all around me when... if... it takes over i will be pure fire. I wont be me anymore i will be lost to this world forever." He cried. pulling her back to look at her face trying to get her to understand.

"Fire is not forgiving all it cares about is power and energy and it doesn't care who it takes out in the process. I actually WANTED to hurt you then." He said looking down away from her trusting eyes. "You can't trust me Char, if my eyes are orange run okay. No matter what, i'm not myself then. I can't protect you then." He sighed looking up to her eyes again.

"Promise me? Please just say you'll run."

Charlotte looked at Arsen she was getting torn up here, she hated seeing him like that partly because she had never actually seen him like that before, whatever dream he had obviously was not good in more ways than one. Charlotte brought her arms around him and held Arsen close, she felt more tears spring from his eyes and she gently cupped his cheek in her hand.

"Hush Dark...it was only a dream, I'm fine see?"

She gestured to herself smiling, but it faltered immediately, it was like her whole self jarred.

"You...wanted to hurt me?"

Charlotte asked, her voice crackling.

"No, Dark, I wont run, I wont leave you even if you want to hurt me like you do now I'll stay because I love you."

He shook his head it was so much more than a dream he was sure of it. He always lost the ones he cared about, first his uncle Aspen then his whole family. Why did everyone leave him?

He leaned his face into her hand and closed his eyes. "Yeah you are for now. I don't know what i'd do if i lost you. You were the first to actually care about me. The first person I actually cared for." He lifted his head and kissed the palm of her hand.

He shook his head. "I wasn't in control, it wasn't me i could never hurt you. Please tell me you know that." He cried looking at her through his tears. "I can't hurt you i NEED you to run at the first sign of orange in my eyes. I would never forgive myself if i hurt you."

Charlotte sighed and gently ran her hands through Arsen's hair, she loved him, she would never run from him so by word she shouldn't promise that she would, but it hurt her to see Arsen so het up about it so she proposed a compromise;

"How about, if I think there is nothing I can do to help you, I run?"

She offered, placing small tender kisses down Arsen's face clearing away all of the new tears that had fallen there, Charlotte smiled gently and moved her thumb across his face.

Getting an idea Charlotte moved to the back of Arsen, placed her hands on his shoulders and softly dug her thumbs in giving him a massage.

"The same with you Dark, through you I have been learning to give people a chance, even if some of them are idiots."

He smiled. "Deal. I don't know what i could have done if Hades hadn't been in founders square to put me out. You would have been next." He said shaking his head in disgust. "I really need to get some control on this thing. It will be the death of me i swear." He smirked but the sadness still resided in his eyes.

"I really do love you, you know that?" He smiled leaning his forehead against hers his eyes closed. He sat up straight as she moved, wondering where she was going. He sighed and relaxed into her hands as she began to massage his back. "Mind if i lay down? I don't think i can hold myself up much longer." He sighed laying down on the sofa in front of the fire.

"I really don't have the energy to know who to trust right now. I need to see Professor Cobalt will you come with me please?" He asked needing energy but he daren't use the fire to get some, not in this state.

"I know Dark...I know."

Charlotte grinned as he told her that he loved her, it made her feel all tingly inside when he did so, it was strange to hear anyone say that to her but when Arsen said it, Charlotte couldn't stop herself smiling. When he lay down on the sofa Charlotte rested her head on his tummy looking up at him from where she lay.

"Professor Smith? Yes, I'll come and see him with you."

Secretly Charlotte was happy that she was going to see Cobalt, what could be better than having her two favourite people in the same room? Sure she might get teased a little but it would be worth it.

"You could always borrow some of mine...if you wanted to. Just a little bit. Not a lot...I don't like feeling useless." She bowed her head

He smiled weakly, gently placing his hand on her arm so he could get up, slowly. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the sofa so he was facing the fire. He hoped Cobalt would help him, they were on the same side but if he was like most assassins he wouldn't care who he hurt, but he had covered his eyes when he shot that muggle in the head. He shrugged to himself then rolled onto his feet so he was standing.

He slowly shook his head. "No i don't know if the fire will just eat it, i wont take your energy again it was stupid of me to do it the first time. I'll be fine promise." He smiled weakly holding out his hand for her to take. "I just need a dreamless sleep that's all. I haven't been getting enough sleep lately. Professor Romain said to go to Professor Blake but Professor Smith is the potions master so it makes more sense to go to him right?"

Charlotte nodded a little and she sighed, it did make sense for them to go to the potions master about a potion but she still felt more comfortable going to see Professor Blake about everything, maybe that was because she wasn't a little wary of Professor Blake, they got on really well together.

"Yeah, that does make sense."

She grinned a little and helped Arsen up, she slid her arm underneath his own and supported him, luckily potions was located in the dungeons just a few minutes away from their common room. She didn't think she could carry Arsen up any stairs.

"You've only just been to sleep, people will think you have a problem."

Charlotte giggled and poked Arsen's cheek lightly.

He smiled weakly wrapping his arm around her shoulder letting a little of his weight rest on her. "Right Professor Smith it is." He said slowly walking forwards.

Arsen gasped in mock shock. "Maybe there is something wrong with me, i can't seriously be normal." He smiled sticking his tongue out at her. "I've been having restless sleep, im sleeping but im not resting. I feel like dropping dead." He moaned opening the common room door as they reached it.