Dear Mister Sandman

Chapter 41

"Nathaniel!" Charlotte's voice reached his ears. Somewhere in the distance, Morpheus could spot her. She called out for him again.

Her face was closer now, urging Morpheus to keep walking. Everything was black, yet he felt a certain light inside of him, leading his way towards Charlotte.

"Nathaniel?" She was so close, Morpheus felt her touch on his cheek and actually stirred in his slumber. He was waking up now and it relieved Charlotte. She didn't know what she would do if he didn't wake up. Watching Nathaniel flutter his eyes open, momentarily reminding her that he was indeed not an angel, but a human -well half human- being. His lips were still pouting, but were starting to move as well.

"Char-" His eyes focused now as he said the first part of her name, making Charlotte smile down at him softly.
"Hi." She said, gently stroking Morpheus' cheek.

Once his eyes opened completely, Morpheus blinked again. And again.
"Are you okay?" Charlotte asked.
"Y-yes." He whispered, shaking his head and sitting up from his laying position on a comfortable mattress.
"Where are we?" They weren't in their hotel room, that was for sure.

"At Nyx', Phobetor's and Phantasos' dungeon. They've been keeping me here for a while. It's actually okay when Phantasos makes it. But I don't think he's here." Charlotte sighed, looking around, her eyes roaming the cold stone walls and the red iron bars she'd faced the first time she woke up in this room. 

She wondered and hoped Phantasos was okay. She even wished Phobetor was fine too. She and Morpheus slept through everything that had happened the past hours.

"They cannot keep us. Who do they think they are? They made a mistake taking you from me. I will-"
"Nathaniel, it's okay. I think they aren't so much the enemies anymore." She slowly said, following Morpheus to the bars. He gripped them, but upon hearing her words, Morpheus turned towards her, momentarily forgetting about his plan of revenge.

"What do you mean?" He asked, realizing Charlie had something on her mind. And that she was trying to tell him something. By the looks of it, it had to be something big. She was an open book, but he feared what was coming next.
"We should sit down. Phantasos thankfully left us the bed. Please sit." She guided a still confused Morpheus to said object and settled down next to him.

"Hypnos hasn't been telling the truth. Phobetor says there is no way we will ever find the senate." She started.
"And why would you listen to him? He kidnapped you and-"
"I know, Nathaniel, but he-"
"Stop! Stop trying to make him seem like the good guy here. He abducted you, yet you trust him?" He stood up again, anger clear in his tone of voice.

Neither of them knew, but some things have changed while the two laid together, embracing one another. Feelings were much more intense now, naturally making Morpheus more stressed now than ever.

"Nathaniel." Charlie sighed, her heart in an uncomfortable twist after hearing him yell at her like that.
"I know this doesn't make sense to you, but will you listen to me, please? I don't know exactly what's happening and why no one is here, but it has to do with Hypnos. He's not just your father, Nathaniel." She watched his shoulders straighten up.

"I know it's hard, but-"
"You know, huh? You know how it feels when some stranger suddenly calls you brother and tells you that everything you've ever known has been a lie? That memories of your mother come back every night and now you're not even sure your father had told you the truth about erasing your memory? So maybe he hasn't even told the truth about not killing my mother." He glared at Charlie now.
"Well, not that-"
"Then don't even try to calm me right now." He snapped, shutting her up quickly.

But as soon as he saw the look on Charlotte's face, Morpheus knew she wasn't the enemy. And he also knew he had to listen. But he couldn't yet. He already felt lost and he was afraid how he felt after hearing the truth. So if making Charlotte sad was the only way to prevent her from telling him her discovered secrets of his family, then so be it. He could not take it all now.