Every Step of the Way

Chapter Twenty-Two

{Wow. On chapter twenty-two already. I still don't understand where this story is going or where I want it to go, but still... also, if you have a device that you can get apps on- get Disney Crossy Road ASAP. And then play it. Because the Weekend Challenge for this weekend is "Tangled"- for "Big Nose" and "Shorty." I know what I'm doing with my weekend while I'm unable to update this- how about you?}

~-~

Rain was falling on the windows and rooves of all the buildings throughout Corona.

Varian was busy pouring sand into one of his (now patented) elemental compressors, working hard to make Cassandrium.

But his mind never strayed from the namesake of the element he had singlehandedly invented.

Cass, yet again curled up and asleep in her chair, he decided, was the best person ever. He still didn't know what he had done to deserve her, to deserve even knowing her, but he must've done something...

She looked so peaceful, wrapped up in the fire blanket to fight off the slight chill that once again pierced through the lab, smiling softly even as she slept.

He had learned, a few days ago, that she tended to talk in her sleep. Normally, it would annoy the heck out of Varian, but, much like everything else, he made an exception for her.

Plus, it was kind of cute. It was a whole lot better than snoring, that's for sure.

He had even made a habit of writing everything she said in her sleep, marking the exact time and date.

He knew that it would totally annoy her if she found out what he was doing, but it always gave him something to look forward to and entertain him while she slept and he was done working.

So, as soon as Cassandra opened her mouth, Varian made a mad dash for his quill and notebook, preparing to write this down, too. He marked the time and date and waited for only a second before she started speaking.

"Vince?!" she asked, incredulous.

This wasn't like her normal sleep-chatter, that's for sure, and it took Varian by such surprise that he dropped everything he was holding.

"What in the world are you doing, Vince?!" she continued, frowning deeply, "no, there's no way..."

Varian walked over to Cass and gently shook her shoulders to wake her up.

When she was one hundred percent awake, she frowned at him.

"Why did you wake me up?"

"Cass, you were having a nightmare."

It all came flooding back and, if it was even possible, Cass turned even more pale than usual.

"I- I was."

"Wanna tell me about it?" he asked gently, taking a seat beside her.

"It- it was nothing. Nothing at all."

But Varian knew that she was lying.

He wouldn't press, but he had a hunch...

Cassandra shrugged the blanket back over her before curling up again. "Need anything else while I'm up?"

"No. Nothing at all."

"Okay," she said, closing her eyes and falling asleep again.

~-~

{Have a great weekend, everybody! I hope you enjoyed this chapter- it actually had much more plot to it than the previous two or three chapters combined! I think that you guys can figure out who Cass was dreaming of, but I've got some plot twists up my sleeve still. Anyways, make sure to play Disney Crossy Road this weekend! Also- if you watch the episode of "Tangled: the Series" that's airing this weekend, no spoilers! I don't have Disney Channel so I have to watch it online later, after I'm done with Crossy Road! And then chapter twenty-three will be up. You don't know how happy I am to see that you guys enjoy this story and that I actually got farther in this story than any others, getting to the hyphenated chapters... first draft of this story ended at thirty chapters, but I know that it won't be the case for this version... I hope you guys will stick with it until the end!}