Time Beyond A Dream

Chapter 23-Wasteland Kiss

Catherine woke up, the fire was gone. The feeling of burning is gone as well. "Oh my God, what on earth happens back there?" She asked herself while making herself comfortable in her bed. A moment passed, she took all her winter clothes and trot towards the bathroom.

When soon she heard a knock on her door. She knew it was Sean, and right now she doesn't want to see him. That kiss changed something inside her, the kiss they shared altered something in the Cold Mountain as well. She knew something was wrong. 

Something wicked lurking inside her was attempting to get out. The only way to get her mind off of Sean was not to see him at all.

"Catherine, are you okay? What happened back there?" Sean asked her with keys in his hands, continued with his intense starring with difficulty but completely pointless efforts to test himself."I'm fine Sean, I need to think alone, please let's talk later. I need to be alone right now. "She responded in a soft exhausted voice."Okay, hmm... are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" He stopped for a moment to examine her if she was physically alright then he glanced at her longingly, eyes full of concerns and needs. 

He encircled around one more time to the topic of their kiss, with whom--it could not be said too many times--he had nothing to say either."Yes, I'm sure." She didn't look into his eyes for long. 

Something in there was certainly obvious but she was anxious to think more about it. She wasn't prepared for any emotional interim yet."Okay then, I'll go to the hospital, Nasir and his team were there, luckily they were rescued on time. I'll talk to you later okay?" He added while shutting the door on his way out. If she desires space then he'll give it to her, right now his team needs him.

She hardly took in a single word of what Sean said to her. But she gathered that it was something along the lines of him with his team. Meanwhile, Sean turned back exhausted, he could not bring himself to tell Catherine that he'd already had a plan for something, they ate their dinner without communicating with each other, then they agreed to go to the Land of Nod and search for Nathan.

--

On their way back to the clearing, Sean happened to have seen an enormous and awful looking bird, ancient and frightening. It was staring at them with intense gazed, he recognizes something evil in its eyes. 

Something out of ordinary, something sinister, something scary. They stopped for a moment to check the position of the sun, they wouldn't reach any settled area ahead before dark, so they decided they might as well make a camp. Still moving, the clearing seems sufficient enough. So they stopped. The ground was packed tightly as though someone had camped there before, not long ago but recently.

The clearing was perhaps enough for them, big enough for them to rest and lay comfortably for a night but not so wide to draw unwanted attention."What happened back there at the hospital? you didn't tell me what happens to Mr. Nasir and his team?" Catherine unexpectedly asked Sean, she doesn't want to discuss that kiss, not yet or never.

 She was in her thought when Sean answered her."They were alright though, they took Nathan with them and they got out on time before the explosion." He retorted her back while still staring at her, and wishing that he can hold her. Perish her worries and doubts."What happens exactly? who set the building on fire?" She asked and sighed in frustration.

Sean couldn't tell her the facts yet, she doesn't wish for her to be furious with herself so he lied."It was the maintenance guys, some short circuit, you don't have to trouble yourself about it Cath."Sean mumbled in a whisper. 

The truth was, it was her, as per Nasir, hence the fire in her hands were huge enough to damage the Nodders Device, it appears like she can't control her fire yet when she was fast asleep.

It's like it has its mind, however, Nasir and his team were charred but thank the gods, they have an emergency setup in case such a thing may arise. The unfortunate part is that the Nodders Device was damaged beyond repair, electric circuits, and all of the computers connected were damaged as well. 

Nasir's assumption was, in fact, astonishing but Sean knew that nothing is unusual nowadays, his travel to the Land of Nod tells otherwise.

Nasir's impressions, were possibly the fire inside her doesn't want the nanotech placed into her, that's why it fought its way out and generated a fire unbeknownst to Catherine. Luckily, they have another Nodders Device in Sean's office. Nasir advises him not to tell Catherine about their plans on moving them together to Sean's office while they were fast asleep.

 Hence the device could track them here in the Land of Nod, he hopes Catherine won't be furious with him for not asking her for permission and for not telling her the truth, it's for her own sake he reckoned, he'll do everything to keep her away from any harm.

"Sean, Do you think we can find Nathan here? This place is giving me an unsettled dark emotion and gloaming thoughts." She asked while laying on her back, gazing at the stars above. "I can feel it creeping inside me." She added.

Sean's felt the same but did not voice it."I hope he's here cath, by the way, is there any way to talk to Miah,? perhaps she knew something, she was with him in the Dark Forest before we left remember?" He said, taking a small glimpse everywhere but not her." That is a good idea, let me check my pouch if the cloverleaf were still here," she answered back while searching her pocket for the cloverleaf.

She could converse to Miah anytime soon with it and the coins, together in her hands she clamors for her fire. Focusing, she let her mind bare from any doubts and negativity, she calls out her fire, summons it to her hands through the coin and to the clover as Miah abruptly materializes in front of them."Oh thank the gods, both of you were alright," Miah announced while she hugged Catherine. 

Her eyes were full of questions but she dare not voice it out as she noticed something out of ordinary between the two of them."Miah there you are, I'm so sorry, we didn't comprehend what happens back there at the Dark Forest, one minute we were just napping, and the next we were back in our bed," Catherine said."It's okay, that's what I guess as well, I know you won't leave without saying goodbye" Where is Nathan?" Sean interrupted.

"Wait, Nathan wasn't with you? I believed he's with you?" Miah answered. Confused.

"No! He was in a coma there, in our world, but here in the Land of Nod, we don't know where he is. We thought he was with you."Oh No! That is not good... Where the hell is he? if he isn't with you then something happens to him" Miah retorted back worried and her face indicated a sad mournful look. Then she added, "Ohm for heaven's sake. I hope he is alright. Anyway, why are you guys here in the wasteland? this place is not a good place to start with some connection-related to a matter of the heart.

"Well, Catherine could read the prophecy coins now and we sought the clue and it indicates us here." Ohh. Great. I supposed you wouldn't bother to read it." Miah said while observing her current emotional distress.

She dreaded if why would she looks so troublesome."So you're here to look for Nathan right?" Yes! we can't just live him here, if the coin points us here, then we don't have any choice though this place gives us a chill." It was not okay to think otherwise, hence the idea of Nathan alone in this wasteland gives her a shiver particularly if he was on the verge of panic; it would be terrible if Nathan was not clumsy and incapable of saving himself, but she wishes that this place couldn't and wouldn't corrupt his mind.

"I wish I can stay here any longer and help you, but this place is weakening me, The Fae's aren't supposed to step on this land, it was f*******n since ancient times.

"Why?" Catherine asked the huskiness of her voice startled her as he took a glance at Sean. Scraping a smile while staring at her intensely. His eyes tell her something. 

She hopes she was wrong."Well, for the fact that she resides here," Miah replied in a sluggish voice, the tension in her eyes sent out a little quaver on both of them. Undoubtedly she is not denying the existence of darkness."Who?" Sean asked. Catherine noticed that there was something shifty in his voice. She looks at him intensely. 

Trying to check his eyes. Catherine noticed something and she didn't like it in his eyes. Something tells her that Sean was almost out of control in his thoughts, something lurking and something gloaming. Suddenly, Catherine went to his side and kiss him without any warning. She crashed her lips onto him with a powerful force, sending surprise waves throughout his entire body. He gasped and frozen in shock for a moment before his lips began to move against her hungrily, as his fingers wrapped around the back of her neck and gripped her soft hair, making her moan at the gesture. 

Their breathing became heavier as his tongue licked the bottom lip before he forced her mouth to open impatiently.

"I did not see that coming, Go on, don't mind me, just pretend that I didn't exist." Miah's stunned face was entirely obvious, her surprised awe was barely humorous, as she stared at the couple's and suddenly stop on whatever they're doing and stared at each other eyes and yearning for each other touch. She let out a frustrated growl before stepping out and turning her back on them."Okay, you two can finish whatever you're doing," Miah said with a little chuckle in her voice. 

The two were smitten with each other and yet they feigned to hate one another. Jeez, they couldn't even conceal it from her, Miah thought how cute of them to believe that their chemistry ceases to exist.

"Whoa!" Catherine pace a little away from him, uncomfortable and embarrassed as she glances into Sean's eyes, the murky shadow in his eyes was now gone but something else emerged. 

Something bestows her a blushed.

The realization settles in Sean's consciousness at that time as it did to her, and his eyes gradually left her and trailed down to her lips. She licked her lips out of habit before Sean's eyes met hers. Catherine's chest began to rise and fall promptly as the thought of lips pressed against her own, flashed through her mind, and her eyes came around to meet his. 

She pulled away abruptly, her eyes wide with shock." I.-..I" She stuttered in her unsettled state, looking at him with wide eyes as her mind replayed the kiss.

"Oh my God." She murmured to herself, running a hand through her hair as the reality of the circumstance unfolds into the reasonable side of her brain.

"Catherine..." Sean trailed off, making her shocked eyes look back up at him.." That-" Never happened...I mean, I'd kiss you because of your eyes...I mean..." She asserted as firmly as she could, taking him by surprise." I saw a dark shadow in your eyes, and I didn't mean it to happen," she added, uneasy and uncommon fear in her eyes was now obvious.

"What?" He asked, frowning. Disturbed. He did not expect her to say that."It was a mistake okay?.. No... Wait. I apologize for behaving so inappropriately. "She said in the flattest voice she could muster up, trying to hide the unstable and delighted aftermath that still tingled throughout her entire body.

"Catherine, what did you saw in my eyes?" Sean began again, glaring at her now, obviously outraged by her words."Are you guys done? or are you even decent enough for me to turn around? I'm still here you know!" Miah loud wail from the distance, the smile in her voice was clear as the daylight.

"Yes! I mean... Yes, Miah....we're...we're decent" Catherine added, obviously wanted to stay away from Sean as she moves back quickly to her seating position. Miah giggled. "Are you sure?"

"Dammit Miah..." Catherine replied and was annoyed.

"What?... Do you expect me to keep an eye on you devouring Sean's lips as your life depends on it? Jesus! Cath, you are something else." Suppressing her giggle.

"I have my reason okay?" 

"Oh yeah!? my virgin eyes! oh no! my virgin eyes!" Miah was dramatically covering her eyes, while Catherine was scrutinizing her with a dagger in her eyes, and Sean was fascinated by her reaction.

"I saw something in his eyes okay? a shadow and it frightened me." Catherine explained.

"Wow! you are scary when you got scared, seriously? devouring him with your lips? I'm going to pretend that I didn't even hear your moan...oh no! my pure virgin ears...." She feigned to cover her ears while suppressing a laugh.

"Miah shut up, will you! I did what's reasonable to take off his mind away from darkness. Okay!?"Catherine added with an irritated look she could summon. 

She was beyond ashamed now, looking at Sean's smiling face."Well, at least you did what you did, but next time can you at least give me some warning!?" Miah responded still cackling."I swear if you won't stop giggling, I swear I'm going to fry you, right here right now!" Catherine said with eyes full of embarrassment. 

When suddenly the freezing air gashed against her face and bare legs like a sharp blade, and she wrapped her arms around herself to protect herself from the brutal winds as she looked out into Sean's eyes. 

She just kissed Sean David Walton. And to think, that was the most embarrassing encounter she'd ever experience in her life, it was here instinct though, she reasons out to herself, still not over with the fact that Sean was staring at her with a look of yearning and something else she can't for the love of God decipher.

"Are you done talking to your self Cath? shall we proceed?" Miah asked, with sincerity in her voice. 

The laughter was gone as her vision was blurring slightly. She knew the future is set as the past. She should not like staying here any longer, she should go, God willing, have the satisfaction of watching them fight for what needs to be done.

"My great-great-grandmother said that Vnee Medea, the dark sorceress own this land, this place is pure evil, all your negative emotion and thoughts nourishes her so you guys need to stay focus and never hate each other, my guess is, she took Nathan, 

I hope I'm not mistaken but I think she is the third coin keeper." She holds herself in disgust for a short while, this place is giving her dark thoughts and sweep her peace of mind.

"You need to be very careful Catherine, make sure to look for her heart. I think she has the coin concealed inside her." Miah said turning towards her. And Sean was an intelligent and decent man, he can see many holes in this situation but he is paralyzed by choices.

Faith, they all need it.

"Who is she?" Sean asked. While Miah was slowly draining and her eyes wavering she then proceeded to tell them the ancient stories about the first Mark and Vnee Medea's love story, betrayal, and vengeance. Vnee Medea killing her great great great grandmother Michelle and the King of Fae.

But unexpectedly she halted and look around, the concern in her eyes was apparent from their view, as silent followed as they heard the howling of some creatures, so threatening and dark, while Miah unexpectedly vanished."What the hell." He trailed off Catherine stops suddenly. 

She grabbed Sean's wrist before he could finish his sentence, and pulled him to the other side behind the rock with a force she didn't even know she had in her. The sound of something sniffling and heaving drown out, almost everything else, but she becomes aware of some low, strange growl. A sinister wail? No that would be like a cry. An out of the world cry full of pain, and much more complicated cries in the wrong places.

 It must be a trick, maybe their imagination? Catherine guessed.

"What the hell was that?" he asked with his frantic eyes distinct from miles away. Catherine opened her mouth to tell him but he cut her off "Are you trying to do what I have in mind right now?" He asked, his smile narrowing his eyes at her slightly amused expression.

"Shut up Sean, and listen carefully."

"Are you sure you don't want to continue what happen earlier?"

"Dammit Sean, not now! it is not the time for a joke, shut up and listen!" Catherine whispered.

"I heard something, it is weird!" she added. Something wasn't right, she can feel it.

Far, far away she could sense someone, someone walking tromping through the barren woods.

Not good, she guessed. If that creature or someone had any tracking talent at all and wanted to find them, they definitely could. they had already lit a fire, and if she doused it, that someone would only be able to find them more easily by pursuing the smoke and its source. 

They promptly gathered their staff into their arms and climbed up into an obliging rock as quiet as they could. There, they would wait, they would wie creature or that someone to pass by, or better to not even take notice of their campfire. 

Catherine wishes Miah was okay, she doesn't want her to drain herself and harm herself in any way, they hide behind the rock when suddenly Nathan materialized in front of them. Glaring and his looks give them a chill.