dream8

Touching a Dream

As they approached the site of the Council meeting, Harry realized he recognized the place. It was a big farmhouse quite a ways out of town, miles away from its nearest neighbor. It was where they had sat in judgment of him five years ago.

He pulled into the driveway and was surprised to see only one other car. Most of the Council tended to be notoriously punctual. Where was everybody? What was going on?

"Bob, there's something weird here. Only one other car."

Bob ghosted out of the skull, forming himself awkwardly sitting in the passenger seat. "Some of them might use less ... conventional modes of transportation. Perhaps you're reading too much into this? You are a bit tense."

Harry looked at Bob. The ghost was back in the garb he'd worn since Justin's time, the elegant suit complete with vest. It couldn't conceal Bob's own distress. His face was lined with worry. His eyes, so often sparkling with mirth or mischief, were shaded and subdued.

Bob suddenly looked up, right into Harry's eyes. "Harry ... no matter what happens in there, please remember that I have loved you for a very, very long time ..."

His words hit Harry right in the heart. All those years wasted. Because he'd been too blind to see the love that was right in front of him. "I promise you, Bob. One of these days I'll be able to say that to you too."

They both heartily wished that it would be true. Bob reached out one ghostly hand to caress Harry's cheek, then without another word dissolved into mist and returned to the skull.

Harry swallowed hard, somehow keeping his emotions in check. When he had settled himself, he reached into the backpack and gently withdrew the skull. Bob's eyes glowed red. Gently cradling the skull in his hands, Harry carried it openly into the farmhouse.

Inside, somehow it didn't look much like a farmhouse. It was one room, huge, cavernous. At the far end sat Ancient Mai in what looked like a throne carved out of jade in the form of a dragon. She wore a classic Japanese silk dress, mandarin collar, brightly colored with lots of embroidery. Beside and behind her Harry saw three or four other forms, hidden under heavy robes. He couldn't make out any faces.

In front of her just to one side, Morgan stood, his sword at the ready. They were judge and jury, he the executioner. A pedestal stood front and center. Morgan pointed to it as Harry approached. When he got there, Harry gently set down the skull on the pedestal.

He knew that he was not on trial here ... he should move to the side. But instead he chose not to move, to stand beside Bob. Mai glared at him, but he just glared back. After a few moments, she nodded.

Mai stood and spoke in a commanding voice. "Hrothbert of Bainbridge, I Summon you."

Bob's mist floated out of the skull and coalesced into his familiar figure. He bowed. "Ancient Mai, I am at your service."

Mai gave them both her best "I'm in charge and I�m pissed off" look. It cowed most people. But not these two. They both stood firm and met her eyes. Fear, yes. But something else as well. Something she couldn't quite place. Some quiet strength they were both drawing on.

She focused on the ghost. "Resurrecting a dead person requires the sacrifice of another of the living. Death by black magic is among the worst of our crimes. And yet *you*, Hrothbert of Bainbridge, have done this not once, but twice. Has five hundred years of punishment not taught you anything?"

Bob stood his ground. "It has taught me much, Ancient one. Including the fact that some people, once dead, truly ought to stay dead. I never had any intention of resurrecting Justin Morningway permanently. If I had brought him back to life, where is he? And where is the body of the 'sacrificial lamb?' Yes, I began the ritual. But I never gave him full restoration. I needed to get rid of his simulacrum so he could not attempt this again in the future."

"So you admit you raised him just so you could have the pleasure of killing him again?" Mai asked archly.

Harry was starting to get angry at the way she twisted everything. He knew she knew exactly what had happened that night. His hand crept into his pocket where the red crystal was hidden. In the presence of its 'owner' it pulsed slightly. He pulled it out and began flipping it slowly through his fingers.

Bob frowned angrily. "Pleasure? Hardly. More like a painfully distasteful duty. I was the only one who could stop him."

"You have a high opinion of yourself, ghost!" Mai spat at him. "The only one?" Her bark of a laugh was disdainful.

"I was the only one ... present ..." Bob offered, glancing at Harry's hands, then looking back and meeting Mai's eyes.

The Ancient One saw the challenge there, and suddenly noticed that Dresden was holding something. A crystal, red and glowing, pulsing with life ... with her own heartbeat. She showed no reaction, but she got the message.

Bob spoke again. "The only one dead is Morningway, Well, and myself. And we were both dead to start with. What harm have I supposedly done, Mai? And as you can see, I have not escaped my imprisonment. Like Morningway, I had a brief flirtation with life then once again lost it. Only to return to my curse. Is that not sufficient punishment for whatever wrong I may have done in an effort to do right?"

Mai considered. The ghost offered her a way out without exposing her involvement. How had Dresden gotten her energy signature into that crystal? At the moment it didn't matter; he had it. And the ghost had actually prevented a major crisis which would have come if Morningway had truly returned. She had so hoped to take these two out as well. Dresden was an annoyance now, but she feared what he would become if he ever got a taste of the true power he was capable of wielding. But perhaps he was as he'd always insisted, his father's son. These past five years, with the Bainbridge Ghost at his command, he could have accomplished much. But still he chose to keep that small business of his, helping the mundane world.

And then there was the ghost himself. The simulacrum of a man who stood before her looked as he always had, but there was something different about him. He had always been polite and respectful, but there had always been a certain cockiness about him. She had hoped his loyalty was to Dresden rather than Justin, but she had to admit that she had not expected the ghost to so easily give up his newfound life for the boy.

// Love. He loves Dresden. // The picture suddenly snapped into place. That quiet strength they both seemed to draw on. // And it's mutual. // This could be very good, or very bad. It had been love which drove Hrothbert of Bainbridge to the darkness in the first place. But that had been a very possessive, self centered love. Had the ghost truly learned self-sacrifice? It certainly appeared so.

Mai made her decision, and hoped she wouldn't live to regret it. "I suppose it is punishment enough, Ghost of Bainbridge, for a crime which may not actually exist." She turned to the shadowy robed figures behind her. "Unless any object, this Council session is adjourned, all charges dropped." Her tone and expression made it clear that there had better not be any objection.

Harry and Bob stood there, almost unable to believe the verdict. But both knew the danger was not yet past them. There was only a moment's hesitation before the robed figures walked off in different directions, vanishing into the night. Mai then turned toward Harry, her hand outstretched.

Harry handed her the crystal. As soon as she touched it, the red glow pulsed, pouring the energy back into its source. When it was done, she handed the empty crystal back to Harry.

"Neat trick." She doubted Dresden had come up with this on his own. She turned to Bob. "Yours?"

Bob nodded in reply. "Jeremy Morningway and I worked it out quite a long time ago. In fact, thinking about it this week, I realized that this is how Justin covered up the murder of his sister. And maybe even old Jeremy himself."

At the mention of the Morningways, Mai frowned. "That whole lot has always been trouble. Dancing on the edge of the darkness." She sighed. "Twice now the two of you have done what this council could not condone no matter how we wished it would be done."

Harry's pent-up frustration finally broke free. "Thanks to you manipulating us, Mai. Sending your lapdog Morgan to me with the skull talisman, making sure Bob would have to choose between my life and Justin's."

Morgan bristled at being called a lapdog. He was already angry at the verdict, or lack thereof. But one glance from Mai kept him in his place.

The Ancient One shrugged. "Power is a game, Dresden. I was simply taking out some insurance."

Harry shook his head. "When are you people gonna get the message that I'm not interested in your power games? My name is Dresden, not Morningway. I never knew my mother. I gave away all the family money. The only reason I haven't sold the estate is that it's too much trouble to try to de-magic it."

"Morningway trained you as a sorcerer."

"Bob trained me, not him."

Mai turned to the ghost. "Yes, he did, didn't he. And yet you are no more teacher and student, are you? You have become something more. You gave your newfound life for him ..."

Bob wondered what game she was playing now. He realized he was far more nervous now than before. But he decided to stand his ground. "Yes I did. Willingly. I would do it again."

Mai considered a moment. How far would the ghost go? "Hrothbert of Bainbridge. You have learned self-sacrifice, and have done much to assist this Council, even though we dare not acknowledge it. I cannot return you to human life as Morningway did. However I can free you from this curse. Your soul would be free to transition to the other side. Your centuries of punishment would be ended. What say you?"

Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. Mai would actually free Bob from the curse? It was the best possible thing she could offer him. And yet Harry's heart cringed, because it would mean Bob would be gone from him in this life. And he personally wasn't really sure about what came after.

Bob turned to Harry and saw the gamut of emotions fly over his face. He could be free, truly free. But not alive. And worst of all, not with Harry. His decision really only took a moment.

"I thank you, Ancient Mai, but I cannot accept."

"Bob, no!" Harry cried out, trying to stop him from throwing away his freedom.

Mai just smiled; she had suspected this would be the outcome. "Twice now, Bainbridge, you have chosen for love, not reason. Some would call you a fool. Five hundred years from now when your lover," she glanced significantly at Harry, "is dead and gone, you will regret this. I know better than most just how long eternity can be."

Bob nodded, accepting her judgment and her appraisal of their relationship. "Perhaps I shall, Ancient One. But 'where there is life there is hope.' "

Mai nodded. If the ghost had accepted, she would have been rid of him, and his influence on the Morningways. But now she was confident that the two of them would not become a threat to her Council. Dresden really didn't want the power. But just to make sure, she decided to throw them a bone. They would be occupied by one magical quest � to give the Ghost of Bainbridge physical form. It would keep them busy, too busy to be a problem to her.

"Go, then. And do not use black magic in your attempts to make him human, Dresden. I WILL NOT tolerate it."

"Yes, ma'am!" Harry managed to stammer out. // How did she know? // He didn't have time to worry about it now, though. Bob gave the Ancient One a final bow before misting back into his skull. Harry gently picked it up and made as graceful an exit as he could with his hands shaking, past a glowering Morgan.

After what felt like an eternity, he made it back to his car, and sat there hugging the skull to his chest. All the pent up emotions of the past few hours surged over him; the fear, anger, worry, love. All of it choked in the back of his throat and he couldn't breathe.

After about 30 seconds, Bob realized this wasn't going to pass quickly, so he ghosted out to form beside Harry.

"Easy, my love, easy. It's over now. Everything's going to be all right. We got out alive, Harry. Do you know how lucky we are? We're alive and we're together. That's all that matters now."

Bob's rich, soothing voice comforted Harry, even if he wasn't quite focusing on the words. He took a few calming breaths, and loosened his deathgrip hold on the skull so that his touch became a caress.

Bob smiled, his eyes closing. "I can feel that, Harry."

"Oh, geez ... was I hurting you?" Harry suddenly realized just how tightly he'd been clinging to the fragile bone.

When Bob's eyes opened, even in the dark Harry could see the glint in them. "Not so much hurting, Harry ... perhaps just a tad uncomfortable."

"Sorry about that," Harry apologized, continuing to caress the skull. On impulse, he lifted it up and placed a gentle kiss on the forehead.

"Much better," the ghost sighed. "Think you're up to driving us home now? You must be exhausted."

Harry just nodded and reached for the backpack. Bob was 'sitting' on it, so to get out of the way, he reverted to mist and re-entered the skull. Harry very carefully placed the skull in the sack and settled it on the passenger seat.

They had been far enough out in the sticks that by the time he pulled into his parking space behind the building, Harry was wide awake again. It had been either that, or pull over to the side of the road and catch 20 winks. So he'd forced himself awake.

Like last night, it felt too late for the harsh glare of electric lights, so instead Harry sent a pulse of energy out to light the candles. He carefully replaced Bob's skull on his desk, letting his touch become a caress. As if that had been a signal, Bob emerged from the skull.

"Harry?" he asked quietly, not sure what to expect. He'd spent the long, quiet ride home thinking about their interview with Mai. But Harry had been so tired ...

Harry sighed and sat down on the couch, rubbing his face with his hands. "I'm awake. Had to wake up to keep from crashing the damned car."

"Ah." Bob came over and 'sat' beside him.

"Damn, Bob, we really did make it, didn't we? The energy signature worked."

"So it would seem, Harry. Although I'm not really sure exactly what happened."

"What do you mean?"

"The rest of the council never showed their faces. I'm not entirely sure they were even there. Was this Mai's plan all along � to 'thank' us for doing her dirty work?"

Harry shook his head. "I really don't care, Bob. I meant what I said to her. I'm not interested in their power games."

Bob smiled affectionately. "I know that, Harry. And I think now Mai knows it too."

Harry sighed and looked at Bob, finally asking the question burning in his heart. "Why did you do it, Bob? Why did you refuse her 'pardon?' Hell, why did she offer it in the first place?"

Bob considered. "I think it was a win-win situation for her, Harry. Not to overstate my own importance, but without me, the Morningway wizards would not have been so powerful. She saw a chance to take me out of the 'game.' And the only reason I'd refuse would prove to her that something other than power was the most important thing in my world now. Effectively neutralizing me from the game. She knows now we'll be focused on finding a way to make me human again."

Harry stared at him. "Bob, she forbid us from trying ..."

Much to Harry's surprise, Bob laughed. "Harry, dear, you really must pay more attention to details. What Mai said was that we were forbidden to use black magic in the attempt. Which we wouldn't use in any event. Harry, she was GIVING us permission to try. Encouraging us. To keep us occupied and out of her 'game.' "

"She said that? Ancient Mai gave us permission? Christ, I do need to get some sleep. My brain is mush."

Bob passed his ghostly hand over Harry's face. "Then go rest, my love. I will spend the night thinking about how we can approach this without the use of black magic."

Harry nodded. "Bob? Stay with me till I'm asleep?"

"Of course. Tonight and every night, Harry, as long as you want me there."

With a mighty sigh, Harry hauled himself up out of the sofa and trudged up the stairs to his bedroom. By the time he'd traded his jeans for pajama pants, Bob was settled on his bed, blue silk pajamas and all. Harry slipped between the sheets and snuggled up to the pillow taking up space for Bob's body, thinking maybe he ought to buy a blue satin pillowcase to enhance the illusion.

But his mind, which he'd had to jump-start earlier just to get home in one piece, now didn't want to slow down.

"Bob?" he asked softly into the darkness.

"Yes, Harry," came the equally soft reply.

"You still didn't answer my question. Why didn't you take her offer? You had freedom ... "

Bob was quiet for a good while. Harry was starting to think he wasn't going to answer, when the ghost finally spoke.

"Harry, I won't lie to you. There are aspects of my 'half-life' that are pure torture. Like not being able to truly hold you in my arms right now. A week ago I would have probably said 'yes.' But now ... " He reached out a ghostly hand to caress Harry's face. "Now I have something to live for again. I could not leave you now, Harry.

"You know, it's funny. I've been thinking about something Mai said � about my choices based on love rather than reason. She's right, but it amazes me how different it feels this time. My love for Winnifred was strong, powerful, possessive. We both had power, and we rode it together. I think I knew even than that there was a self-destructive component to it. And when it ended, I exploded. This ... my love for you feels so different. So ... gentle. Maybe because I've had to love you from a distance ... "

Bob fell silent for a moment, absorbed by just looking into Harry's expressive face. So full of love and trust. Right now, he could see Harry struggling with the decision he'd made in the space of a heartbeat.

"Do you miss her, Bob?"

Bob smiled softly. "Not any more, Harry. Oh, for centuries I did. But they say time heals all wounds. And I've had plenty of that. And especially since I fell in love with you, Winnifred has become just a bittersweet memory."

"And what about after me, Bob? Wizards can live a long time, but not forever. Like Mai said, eternity is an awfully long time."

Bob could see the real concern in Harry's dark eyes. Harry's selflessness, the way he always put others first, was one of the things Bob found most endearing about him.

"Harry, my love, that's a long time from now. Perhaps by then you'll have had a son or daughter, and I'll help the Dresden wizards stay out of the council's politics for the next several generations." Bob smiled at that thought; Harry just looked a bit terrified.

"Or better yet, perhaps you and I will find a way to end this on our terms. If anybody can do it, Harry, we can. Together."

Their eyes met then, and Harry saw a depth of love there that he'd never hoped to see during his life. A love that would choose a century or so with him over eternity. A love that would protect his children when he was gone, not because it was his job, but because it was his choice.

And then Bob was with him, inside him, enveloping him in that love. Harry closed his eyes and hugged Bob tightly. Together, they would find a way. // Together, // he echoed softly.

Safe in Bob's arms, all the tension of the day finally drained away, and his brain finally surrendered to oblivion.

Once 'evicted' by Harry's subconscious, Bob re-formed standing beside the bed back in his new 'daytime' wear. He wasn't sure how long he stood there watching Harry sleep, but eventually the thought that someday he might be able to lie beside Harry and hold him for real won out, and he headed down to the lab to start researching.

continue to "With Friends Like These" Chapter 1

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Chapter 8