Nicolas' nightmare kept growing darker and darker. He sat in his chair and just stared into the fire, occasionally looking out the window to see a cold, frozen wasteland. He got up and paced about, cursing the world, seemingly waiting for someone to come across him just so he could curse them and run them off. A tornado of anger growing inside of him as he looked aimlessly out of the window.<br/><br/>He awoke with a snap from his twisted "dreaming" when he heard the cries of the child. He slowly smirked, drawing his lips into a rather large smile he had never worn before.<span style="font-style: italic">It <span style="font-weight: bold">is</span> a cute kid...</span>He heard the rustling of the mother soothing the child, the crying coming to a halt. He rolled over and became comfortable again.<span style="font-style: italic">She's definitely not from around these parts... She'll have to deal until I can get her back on her way...</span>His anger had completely left his mind. No more was he cursing this stranger that had come to his door and broken his peace.<span style="font-style: italic">She's a very beautiful young woman... Like someone out of a movie... Even in the few I've seen... I doubt she'd have any interest in raggedy ol' me though... Nic, what are you even doing? You can't think like that. No attachments. She's only staying here until I can help her get back on track. However.... It is... <span style="font-weight: bold">Nice...</span> Having another person around...</span><br/><br/>He let out a yawn as he slowly drifted into the dream realm again, only to see the start of his nightmarish experience again. Yet, this time, there was a difference... The smokey darkness seemed to almost lift as, in his dream, he was sitting in his chair, patting Coal atop her large head, the dog licking his hand in appreciation with her sloppy, spongy wet tongue. She turned and put her large paws in his lap, putting her face in front of his and bathing him in slobber. He chuckled as he looked out the window to see an almost spring-like image... The mountains bathed in golden sunlight and the snow lifted... A picture like something out of a post card...<br/><br/>He just lay and dreamed for the first time in years, a smile slowly stretching across his resting face as he nestled his head in the pillow...