Luke tapped his foot impatiently, still no word from his father.

One more term and a bit of lying and perhaps he could join the war. Gain some ground and find out where his family had all gone off to.

Ilios barley wrote, Peter was Missing somewhere on the front and Mary was much too stubborn and bitter to write more than two words once a week.

He decided to think of more agreeable subjects. His eye was soon drawn to a young woman in the corner. She had an air of refined and well-brought society and yet her clothes were that of a mediocre status.

Status didn't seem to matter anymore though. Not with the war on.

He approached them and bowed.

"I'm sorry," Luke laughed awkwardly, "Have we met?"

The woman smiled and held her husband's hand, "Oh, we are of no importance to anyone, we keep each other's company and make do. But nothing could compare to the dancing."

"Ma'am if I may be so very bold..." Luke stammered, "Might I ask the young lady who has just left your party...might I ask her name?"

The woman blushed and laughed. "Luke Destler you shock me."

He frowned and looked at her intently, trying to place where he had seen her before. These last three years had done quite a number on his memory.

"It's of no matter," She said with a laugh as she stretched out her hand to the young girl. "This is my daughter, Elizabeth."

"It was my pleasure to meet you." He mumbled, too preoccupied to recognize his friends.

He considered his response more than cordial, that had been the most words he had ever said in years.

He gave a small nod and carried on his way, attempting to arrange an introduction with the prettiest girl in the room.

"We never did catch his name," Fred mumbled.

Anabel laughed heartily, "My dear haven't you the faintest who that young man was?!"

Fred could not think of a single thing. "Well don't tease, say who he was."

"My dear," she said softly"That was no other than Luke Destler himself!"

"No!" Fred laughed, "Not that handsome thing."

Anabel gave a laugh she watched Luke make his way to Elizabeth and introduce himself.

She watched as realization set in and Luke flashed her a smile that told her he now recollected everything.

"Where's he gone?!"

"He's just talking to Elizabeth dearest." Anabel chuckled.

"Oh," Fred said.

Slowly his face changed, "...Oh."

----------

"Checkmate," Wade said rising from his chair and heading back to his room.

"That's not fair!" Erik shouted, "You cheated!"

"He didn't Papa," Winnie smiled softly putting a hand on his shoulder.

Erik stood red-faced in defeat. "Where di he learn to do that?"

"From you," Winnie laughed, "We get everything from you."

"Not your beauty," Erik sighed, "That's all your Mothers."

"I don't believe that,"Winnie said after a moment's hesitation.

Erik looked at her in doubt.

"Really!" Winnie expressed earnestly, "I mean it Father."

"I don't deserve you, Winnie," Erik sighed hugging his daughter.

"You're right," Winnie laughed kissing his cheek and letting go of his hand as she headed for her room. "You deserve better."

----------

"It's David," Ilios whimpered to her Mother as Christine held her tightly. "I know it is. Read it I can't bear to."

Christine took the small telegram with a trembling hand and cut it open.

"Ilios," She whispered, "Darling-"

"I knew it." Ilios sobbed, "He's dead. He's gone."

"No," Christine said slowly, "He's engaged Ilios."

"Engaged?!" Ilios said weakly, "When?"

"As of last month, he wrote to tell you, he just couldn't bring himself to-Ilios, i'm so sorry."

"It's fine," Ilios shrugged, her voice breaking ever so slightly, "It's been two years. I didn't expect him to remember."

"Ilios-"

"I'm fine. Really." Her eyes met her Mothers happily and she ran her finger across the crumbling paint of the window sill

She gave a small tearful laugh, "Do you still have my dance shoes?"

"Yes," Christine nodded, "Why?"

"May I have them?"

---------

Ilios took the shoes gingerly in her hands, running her fingers along every seam, trying to remember the old familiar feelings and memories she had so long been adorned in.

Tenderly, she placed her delicate fingers on the ribbons, lacing them tightly to her ankles as she fitted her ankle perfectly into the soul.

Hesitantly, she put one foot forward, rising to her full height.

She closed her eyes and returned to the first position, proceeding to extend her arm to her left, bringing it into her side swiftly as the winds grazed through the window and gently blew her frizzed tied back hair.

"One, two-" She murmured as a smile spread across her face. "One, Two Three."

In her mind she looked up to that beloved box, seeing herself on that battered stage she had loved. There he was, young and arrogant, clapping madly in her favor as the world spun in a blur of colors around her.

As she went to releve, she felt the floor slip from under her, and the dream, the wonderful feeling of security came crashing down.

She fell to the floor in the corner of her room, crying softly and bringing her arms around her knees.

After a moment, after fixing her shoes, feeling rather silly and rising again, she bit her lip as she came to a new realization.

"I don't miss David," She thought guiltily to herself. "Why don't I feel upset? I should. I know I should. I feel rotten and used but not upset."

She frowned as she sat down on her bed, staring at the floor.

How was it that all she could think of...

was Peter?

----------

Clara shut her car door and fixed her hair, smiling faintly in the rearview mirror.

She put a gentle hand on her driver's shoulder, holding it with an urgency that she felt would prevent him from disappearing from her grasp ever again.

"I'm so happy Eli." She whispered with a content sigh.

As the wind whipped at her face and Eli sped along the country road, he slowly turned and gave her a soft affectionate smile.

A smile she would cherish for the rest of her life.

--------

Erik looked around the study.

He closed his eyes and imagined the now empty lake house where children and friends had once come and gone, lived and left.

Where a son had grown, because son was all he had to be. Until the storm came, and the son was gone.

A small boy, so scared left in his place.

And older son broke by loss, haunted by regret. Past all fixing.

From every doorway to every bench or chair, where many a young boy had waited full of hope and returned broken but wiser.

Or hadn't returned at all.

With a sad but wise smile, he blew out the last of the candles lighting the room.

"Are you coming, Erik?" Christine asked sweetly with a whisper from the bedroom. "It's late."

"Yes," He replied extinguishing the last of the lights.

Perhaps the smoke lingered hours, perhaps only minutes.

But it lingered all the same.

"Goodnight." He sighed to the dark and empty room, "For the story never ends. Dawn shall rise overall all."

And so it would, and so it did, and so it had.

And so it will for as long as the melody plays in the minds of every hopeful believer.

For every child, that hears the music in the night.

-THE END-

((Note: I have decided to post a sequel!! But on my other profile for fanfiction @CantoloupeSoda   ))