He was 18 again. Standing at the altar again. It was this dream again. A dream that he hadn't seen for about 10 years now.

He looked down at his clothes: he was wearing that same suit, those same shoes. He looked over at his brothers, wearing their appearances of the age 18, then he looked at his wife, who was wearing that same smile.

Why was he seeing this dream again?

She was seeing it too. She hadn't told anyone before, but she'd had this same dream too when she was 18 - but perhaps just 3 or 4 times (not as many times as her husband now). But when her father was defeated, she forgot about this dream completely. This dream was just a memory of the past. But now it was back.

She was walking towards the man she loved, age 18 again, slowly approaching him  in her long and white wedding dress. She was smiling when she met his eyes, but simultaneously, they both frowned. They knew something was wrong.

As if on cue, their surroundings began to disappear and the people around them began to dissolve into the air. Horror spread across both of their faces and their hearts pounded. Xiao Yu turned around, expecting to see his brothers disappear, but unlike the previous version of this dream, Da Dong and Ya Se remained there, sharing the same look of horror. In a flash of light, the four were wearing their Zhong Ji Yi Ban uniforms, the uniforms they hadn't worn in ten years - the uniforms that were just evidence of the past. Those same dark blue blazers, that same white and grey striped skirt, those same fresh faces from their youth - it was all the same as they relived a past.

The lips of Da Dong and Ya Se moved but no sounds left their mouths and they were stuck in their positions. Xiao Yu tried to say something but like his brothers, no words managed to escape his lips. The room was silent despite the chaos around them.

"Little Fish!"

Her cry ripped through the air as she stretched out a hand towards him. Instantly, he his heel only to see the ground around his beloved Yu Yan, give way and open up that same abyss of darkness he feared.

"Yu Yan!" He yelled with all the air in his lungs as he lunged forwards, trying to reach her hand - but it was useless - Yu Yan fell into the abyss within seconds.

His heart knocked at his ribcage as he stared at the abyss, wide-eyed. He blinked several times as a lump rose in this throat before he cried out again, "Yu Yan!"

Immediately, Xiao Yu shout out of bed. He stared at the darkness of their room, breathing heavily as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. His heart continued to pound rapidly, but he was feeling much better now as he was free from this dream. He inhaled deeply before casting his eyes on their baby of 1 year sleeping in her cot beside their bed and he smiled. He didn't wake her. Slowly, he then turned his head to his left where Yu Yan slept beside him. A sigh of relief escaped his lips, knowing that she was safe.

He leaned forwards and planted a soft kiss on her forhead, before jerking away when she shifted violently in her sleep. Surprised, he watched as she tossed and turned in her sleep with pain etched into her face for she was still trapped in her nightmare.

It was dark. The light was fading faster than it formed and she was scared. She continued to fall and fall, screaming out for Ding Xiao Yu. This dream just wasn't letting her wake up. She had tried to use her yi neng but nothing would work. She was caged by this darkness that she feared - the darkness that she thought she had escaped when she regained her sight. She just wanted to see the light again: her family, her friends, Ding Xiao Yu and her precious Ding Yu Er - but this darkness was overwhelming her and swallowing her. Fear was running through all her veins and she couldn't hold back her tears.

Tears streamed down her cheeks and her lips quivered. Her voice faltered and she could only choke out for him, "XIAO YU!" Her voice came out louder than what she was actually able to produce.

Xiao Yu gently shushed Yu Yan as he her head while she murmured in her sleep. A pang of pain stabbed his heart as he watched Yu Yan cheeks become stained in tears.

"X-Xiao Y-Yu...Xia-Xiao Yu..." she whimpered as she continued to toss in her sleep.

"Yu Yan... I'm here," he mumbled gently, clutching her hand tightly.

"Xiao Yu!" Yu Yan shrieked, finally escaping the darkness of her dream. She shot out of bed and sat up, with tears still leaking out of her eyes. "Little Fish..." she finally whispered, breathing heavily.

Xiao Yu squeezed her hand tightly, letting her know that he was there. He leaned over her and their bedside lamp. The lamp cast a dim glow onto the objects around it, lighting up the room with a soft haze.

He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her. "It was just a dream Yu Yan," he said warmly, "I'm here..."
Yu Yan gulped as she stared at darkness, despite the lit up room. She blinked continuously, wanting to see the light but she saw nothing. Suddenly, her breath hitched in as she realised what was happening.

Apprension washed over her and her body began to shake and Xiao Yu noticed this. Before he could get a response, Yu Yan broke down into sobs and she began to cry hysterically. "L-Little Fish... I-I c-can't...see anym-more..." she stammered as she cried out in fear. Her cries woke up Yu Er from her sleep, causing the young infant to start crying too and kick her legs against the cot. Xiao Yu felt his blood run cold and his blood drain away from his face when he heard what she said.

His arms tightened around her as she cried into his chest, half screaming and half sobbing through broken gasps. What's going on? he thought, worriedly as he whispered comforting words into his wife's ears to calm and soothe her.

Why had Yu Yan suddenly lost her sight? Was it that dream they both shared or was it something else? Xiao Yu had to admit that he was scared too, just as much as she was. He knew Yu Yan was a strong person but he also knew that her biggest fear was returning to the darkness that had taken over her childhood. He was scared too. He didn't want to lose her. He needed her and so did Yu Er. The cats needed her too. Da Yu, Black Fish and Striped Fish. They all needed her and he was scared that he would lose her to the darkness like in his dream.

After half an hour, Yu Yan had calmed down and had fallen asleep on his lap. This gave him the chance to put Yu Er back to sleep on his chest. That night was the most stressful night he'd had since Yu Er was born. After Yu Er had drifted off, so did her father. Xiao Yu fell asleep with the two most important girls in his life at either side of him, under the protection of his arms.

He hoped everything would be okay.