She sensed rather than heard his presence. The darkness suddenly seemed a little less harsh and condemning, the storm outside, not as ferocious. His heart tightened as he saw her huddled up, like a scared animal, so vulnerable and frail, compared to the raging storm outside.

Her bed dipped slightly as he lowered himself carefully onto her bed. He prised open the suffocatingly furled blanket around her petite frame, and gathered her shivering form into his warm, steady arms. The warmth of heat and love enveloped her, stilling her trembling limbs, chasing the fear back to where it belonged: under the bed. His sweet scent wreathed her in familiarity and security as he held her close to him, lean arms gently encircling her. He reached to pat her matted hair back into place, her head with firm, caressing brushed as he held her close to him.

Pulling her closer into his protective embrace, he rocked her gently, lulling her into a dreamy stupor, suddenly broken by deafening thunder and a bolt of lightning that illuminated the room. Whimpering anew, she shrank further into his embrace, tears falling again. Yet he didn’t seem annoyed at her weakness and fear, instead planting a reassuring kiss on her forehead and murmuring soothingly into her ear.

Outside, the storm slowly abated, its fury spent, as she drifted towards arms of promising sleep, the constant beat of his heart strengthening hers. His words flowed through her soul, comforting and loving, mending her raw nerves.

In her mind’s eye, on the brink of sleep, he entered her vision, stunning and ethereal, healing the rifts in her heart, the unicorn who walked into her life, healing her wounds and teaching her to love again. She took his outreached hand and stepped into the glorious light, bathing them with its glimmering warmth, just as her eyes fluttered shut and she drifted off to sleep under his watchful gaze, hands entwined with his, the healed and the healer.

In their dreams, they frolicked like happy puppies in bright meanders of sunshine, contentment and joy of being together surrounding them in its wonderful aura. Their Neverland, where they would never grow old, but remain as a happy young couple, the storm and unhappiness a shadow in their past.