I can't believe myself. I actually can't. I didn't go to Aphmau after the whole.. "Nicole" deal. She needs me. She needs someone. And I left, because I'm a coward. Because I couldn't face her, I can't stand to see her so upset and scared. It was the middle of the night, but I was going to go to her anyway...

       I walk up the path to her purple house. I slowly and quietly open the door. Her dogs woke up, but didn't do anything after realizing it was me. I scratch each one's ear, then walk up the steps carefully. Aph's door was cracked open. I poke my head in. Aphmau was asleep, but there were tear stains trailing down her face and her cheeks were red and blotchy. I felt like someone just stabbed me.

      "Aph?" I whisper. She didn't wake up. I decide I will just get into bed with her anyway. I listened to her breathing as I fall asleep. Why didn't I come to comfort her? This is much worse than seeing her while she's crying and making her feel better...

       I woke up suddenly. I had woken from an awful nightmare, where there were O'khasis guards storming the village.. Reeking chaos. Flames everywhere, panic... I shudder. Aphmau was still asleep. I kissed her forehead, and she squirmed a little bit. Then she fully woke up and blushed a scarlet. "When did you come in?" She asked. "Later than you fell asleep." I replied smiling. She poked me, and I giggle like a school girl. "What was that for?" I asked laughing. "For not coming in earlier!" She laughed. "Are you ticklish or something?" She asked grinning. "Pshh, no, I'm a guard!" I replied.

     "Then, I'm sure this won't bother you!" She said poking my stomach, I tried not to laugh. "Ah, see? But, Lady Aphmau, are you ticklish?" I said. "Haha, don't be silly Head Guard Garroth! I'm a lord, am I not?" She replied, playing along. "Then, I'm sure that you don't mind this!" I said, tickling her sides. She squirmed away and laughed. I grin. "So you aren't ticklish, eh?" I joke. Tickling her even more. She started laughing even harder. "Maybe!" She answered between laughs.

       We continued this until it was a full-on tickle fight. It was really fun, even though I finally cracked and nearly passed out from laughter. Now, me and Aphmau were lying on the bed, out of breath, look up at the bed's canopy. "You know what I feel like right now?" She asked, breaking the silence. "No, I don't. What do you feel like right now?" I replied. We both continued looking up. She sighed. "I feel like we have just escaped reality. " She said. She finally turned her head and looked at me. I returned the movement. "Yeah. I like it. We should do it more often.."  I sighed. "Yeah. Do you know what else?" She said. "No. What else?" I replied again. "I'm really glad that you told me you loved me." She said, looking back up. "Me to."

        "Aph?" I said later. "Yeah?" She replied. "I really... really..." I faded off. "Really what?" She asked. "I really want to kiss you right now." I said. "Okay." She replied. Then she rolled over, on top of me. (Luckily she doesn't weigh much.) She pressed her warm lips against mine. I wrapped my arms around her. I could tell that we were both blushing furiously, but we didn't care. We continued to kiss, only stopping once in a while for air.

         Then, the single most awful thing happened. Okay, not as bad as war. Or Zane. Or reality. Though, it came close. Malachi walked in. Aphmau scrambled of me, and Malachi stood there in pure shock. "Malachi! W-what are you doing in here..?" Aphmau said, pretending as if nothing happened. "U-uh I-I was just going t-to... never mind!" He said rushing away. "Wow. Uh... that was..." I started. "Weird.." Aphmau said, continuing my sentence. "Precisely."