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The night was beautiful.
Through Gwen's window, she could see the streetlights near her home. She could see the sky, inky black with a shimmering moon.
The darkness of the sky was sprinkled with tiny white stars. Of all the things that could catch her attention though, Gwen stared at the two brightest stars.
They were near each other, and if she stared hard enough they looked as if they were dancing around each other. She wondered if they were from some sort of constellation when her door burst open.
"Oh shit, crap, sorry Gwen." Finney mumbled, staring at where the door hit the wall. Even though he hadn't even chipped the paint, he still touched the wall as if trying to comfort its injury.
"It's ok. What'd you come in here for?" She asked, since it was weird for her brother to barge in her room like he had. He looked up from that spot on the wall.
"I could see your light was on, and, well, um, I didn't know if, um, you needed help sleeping or something. Since it's late and stuff." Finney muttered, voice slowly becoming less sure of the words coming out.
Gwen smiled at his considerations. He was doing so much better from three years ago, after the basement. Hell, she knew he was doing better than a few months ago.
"I'm alright. Thank you though, that's really nice of you." She smiled at him, starting to settle in her bed to sleep. He nodded lowly, turning off her light for her.
"Good night Gwennie."
"Good night Finn." She closed her eyes, and heard her door click shut. It wasn't long before she was in a dream.
"You know, I really do like the sky. Especially the night sky."
Gwen opened her eyes to find herself in a park. She recognized it, it was the one Finney used to play baseball at.
"It is pretty great."
Gwen whipped her head around so quickly she thought it would snap. She recognized that voice, she shouldn't be hearing it though.
Because Robin was dead.
But, there he was. Him and Finney, laying on their backs staring at the sky.
Finney was younger. His hair was lighter and his smile was easier. He was wearing an old shirt she recognized, a black one with a small NASA insignia. He looked so much smaller than what she sees now.
Robin lay pressed right beside him, holding his hand. He wore one of his usual bandanas and sleeveless shirts. Whenever he looked over at Finney, he had this look...the look that Ernesto gives her.
Gwen wonders if this is a memory of Finney's or if her own mind is making it up. She sits beside Finney, just staring at them.
"Do you ever wonder if there's anything really out there?" Finney suddenly speaks, still staring at the starry sky. Robin visibly thinks before shrugging. Gwen doesn't remember him being that expressive.
Then again, she doesn't really remember him at all.
"Even if there was, I don't really care. I'm here with you. That's what matters to me." Robin says it casually, but Gwen can tell it's filled with love. Finney giggles, even though Gwen can see the blush on his face.
"What are you laughing about, Finn?" Robin turns on his side as Finney turns his head away to hide more giggles.
"You can be so cheesy."
"You like cheesy, mi amor." Robin reaches his arm to turn Finney's head back over. They stare at each other adoringly, Robin seemingly right.
As they start to lean in, the scene suddenly fades. Gwen wonders if she's waking up now, but as she blinks she realizes she's somewhere new.
No, wait. She's not somewhere new.
She's in the basement now.
Gwen suppresses the urge to gag, as she looks around. This must've been how the boys had seen it, when they were trapped. The thought makes her sick again.
It was grimy and black streaks were everywhere. No graffiti like it was now. There was a hallway to her left, and the door was right behind her. On the right was a small window far up, too far up to reach. The black phone was near the mattress, which was in the center.
And on the mattress was Finney.
And...Robin.
But his skin wasn't that golden tan she remembers. It was pale, almost gray. The blood that covered him was almost glowing. He was dirtier than she ever remembered him being, his hair greasier than he ever let it.
He sat close to Finney, who was sleeping on the mattress. She walked closer to him to get a better look at him, and Robin's head snapped to to where she was, eyes glaring.
Gwen immediately froze, wondering if he could somehow see her despite this being a dream, or maybe even a memory of some sort.
Despite having some sort of physic telling that she was there, Robin ultimately couldn't see her and slowly looked back to the sleeping Finney.
Gwen decided to just stand and watch after that, wondering if anything would even happen while Finney was sleeping. Though after a few seconds, Robin lowered his head to Finney's head.
"You'll get out of here Finney, mi amor. You'll do it, I know it." Robin's hair had slid to cover his face, but Gwen could still tell he was crying.
She wondered if ghosts could even cry for a moment before watching Robin's head dip a little lower and the scene changed again.
She knows that Robin kissed Finney's forehead, even if Finney would never know it happened.
She blinks once, and suddenly she's back in her room. She wonders if she was finally awake this time, and slowly creeps out of her room.
Daylight shines through the kitchen window, and she hoods her eyes with her arm. Suddenly the front door slams shut and Gwen can hear two voices approaching the hallway.
She can make out Finney's voice, the deep gravelly one from now. The second voice kinda sounds like Ernesto but off. She can't quite place it.
As she stands at her doorway, Finney is shoved into the hallway, and he laughs. The second person finally comes into view, and its...
Robin.
This Robin looks like Ernesto, but if his hair were longer and if he didn't have glasses, and if he dressed in sleeveless t-shirts and bandanas.
The way he would probably look if he had the chance to grow up.
"You're such an asshole." Finney pouts, arms crossing over his chest, a motion unlike him. Something he would never do now, but maybe if Robin were still around...
"You love me." Robin stands in front of her door as if she weren't there, blowing a raspberry at Finney. Finney laughs again, something Gwen feels like she never hears.
Finney pushes himself off the wall, coming over to wrap himself in Robin's arms. He sighs tiredly, the way he sighs now but when he opens his eyes, she can see the love in them.
Robin stares back the same way.
"I do love you." Finney's smile widens, and Robin smiles back with a wide grin of his own. They lean in again, and this time, Gwen wishes it wouldn't go away.
Gwen's eyes open, and she sees the empty hallway. She looks around, but Finney isn't there.
And neither was Robin.
She sighs, going back in her room to change out of her pajamas so she could have breakfast and take her mind off of that dream.
Once she enters the kitchen, she finds Finney eating breakfast.
The Finney from now, who doesn't laugh easily. The Finney who would always be tortured by what happened in the basement. The Finney who would never kiss Robin again.
"Hey Gwen." She sees Finney smiling at her, curiosity in his eyes. She wonders if she should tell him about her dream, ask him the questions floating in her head.
Do you wish Robin were still here?
Do you still think about him?
Do you still miss him?
Do you still love him?
"I had a dream," Gwen says, glancing down before looking back at Finney's face. Looking into his eyes, she realizes she can answer her questions.
"A nice dream," Finney smiles wider, glad to hear his sister had a good night.
They still love each other.