It was the same nightmare, the very same forest she'd run through hundreds of times before. Some of the details had changed- her usual pursuer now wore Tristan's face, and this time she'd been woken up long before the real nightmare had begun. Usually she'd feel the bones in her ribcage being crushed like twigs, unable to get enough air in her lungs to even scream. She puzzled over how she'd managed to wake up when she did, remembering only blinding light.

Emily took a deep breath and stepped back from the sink in James' bathroom. Her eyes were still rimmed with red from crying, but she'd at least been able to wash away the streaks of mascara and tears.

She wondered what she could possibly do to help now, fleetingly pondering if she could try going back into the dream world somehow. The ghost of fear began to rise inside her at the thought; she'd been awake for nearly 30 hours, but she knew that even if she tried she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep any time soon.

When she finally felt a bit more together, she returned to James' room to find Abigail holding a steaming cup of tea.

Abigail: "I thought you might need this. Do you take milk or sugar?"
Emily: "Neither, thank you."

Emily took the cup from Abigail with trembling hands. As she sat down, her gaze fell on her friends still in the dream world and she felt the bitter sting of guilt.

Emily: "How much longer do you think it'll take them to get James back?"
Abigail: "It's impossible to say. It could take hours."

The two sat in silence together for a few minutes, the only sound the soft breathing of the others and the occasional clink of china against china. Eventually, Abigail sighed heavily and turned to Emily.

Abigail: "You let him win, you know."

Emily was confused, trying to work out what Abigail could be talking about. Her mind raced- hadn't she said James was being held in the dream world by a woman? Was there someone else she hadn't mentioned? She felt sick inside.

Emily: "I'm sorry, I'm really tired and confused- I let who win?"
Abigail: "You've lost- even if you never see him again he's beaten you."

Emily turned her attention to the tea in the cup in front of her, avoiding looking at the old woman sitting next to her.

Emily: "I left him."
Abigail: "You left defeated, child. And now you sleep with a viper."
Emily: "With all due respect, Mrs. Green, I don't think this is any of your business."

The silence returned. Emily felt as though her head were filled with helium and floating somewhere above her body. The lights seemed to be getting dimmer, and she was almost certain something just to the left of her was humming. As her vision began to blur at the edges, she looked to Abigail, startled.

Emily: "What-?"
Abigail: "Much better than your usual poison, baby doll."

As her eyes fluttered closed, Abigail stood up and retrieved a blanket from the pile Emily had brought in earlier. She wrapped it tightly around Emily's shoulders, then stood up stiffly.

Abigail: "No more dreams for you tonight, little one. You need your rest- your battle's only just starting. I only wish I knew for sure you'd make it."

The clock in the hallway began to strike 12.