Dreaming is an act of pure imagination, attesting in all men a creative power, which, if it were available in waking, would make every man a Dante or a Shakespeare.

CH 21

Nikolas rolled over in bed and picked up the ringing phone on his nightstand. “Hello.” He said rather roughly into the phone. “Nikolas is everything all right?” Stefan asked. “I’m fine uncle, what do you need?” He asked. “I was calling to see if you have proposed to Sarah yet.” He answered. Nikolas felt nauseous again. “Stefan you said that I have three weeks to decide, it’s only been three days. Why are you pressuring me?” Nik asked. “Because Nikolas three weeks is just a formality. I don’t understand why you need three weeks to decide. You either propose to Sarah or you don’t. Why is the choice so hard?” Stefan was becoming angry. “Because I’m not sure if I love her!” Nik shouted. “Love? And how do you know what love is? And that you’re not in it with Sarah?” Stefan asked. “I..I don’t know.” Nik said deflated. “I’ll call you in a few days to see if you have made a choice. If not then I’m going to have to start looking into an arrangement for you.” Stefan said. Nikolas just numbly nodded his head and hung up the phone. Feeling slightly dizzy, he stood up to wash his face when he felt something touch his foot. He bent down to pick up the book that he had been hiding underneath his bed. It was the one he had written all his dreams down in. Nikolas got back up on the bed and began to read through the stories, of love and romance and lose.

Gia stood up and began to pace again. It had been her routine; she would sit down for a few minutes, and then stand up and pace for a while. “Gia come on baby your making me nervous.” Florence sighed. Gia frowned and plopped down again. “I need coffee.” She stated. “To make you even more edgy?” Flo made a face. Gia looked away, suddenly remembering one reason why she lived away from her family. Her mothers constant nagging made her feel smothered, like she couldn’t breathe, and it made her even more nervous. Gia looked up to see Allen walking up to them. She smiled at him, partly just relieved to have a new face to focus on. “I’m going in to check on him right now. I’ll be back out here soon and I’ll let you know what’s going on.” He said. Gia and Florence both nodded. Flo grabbed for her daughters hand and Gia squeezed her mother’s hand in efforts to feel more support, forgetting her agitation towards her only moments ago. A short while later Allen came out to talk to them. “Well he’s doing extremely well. I would guess that he would be waking up within the next few hours but it’s hard to tell. It’s safe to go in and visit him more often now. When he wakes up we will move him to a privet room, but for now he’s staying where he is. Someone will page me as soon as he wakes up and at that point I’ll come down again to check him and we’ll go from there.” Allen said. Gia lunged forward and hugged him tightly. “Thank you so much.” She said. Allen patted her back a little before letting her go. “I never knew that Taggert had a sister. Now that I’ve met you there’s no doubt in my mind that you two have a special connection, you’re so much a like, both so strong. I’m looking forward to seeing you two interact together.” Allen smiled as he said this. Gia smiled back at him. “Thank you Allen, you have been so kind to us.” Florence said. He nodded his head and turned and left. Florence turned to Gia, and Gia breathed a huge sigh of relief, and they instantly came together in a loving embrace.

Nikolas was reading the pages of the small black book; as if it were a novel that he couldn’t put down. Tears rolled down his cheeks at some of the more intimate parts. His eyebrows knitted slightly as he came to the dream that he had with the little girl in it, something felt pulling him back to that page. Something occurred to him as he read; this was the one place where he felt the strongest connection to Gia. Not on the beach or in a ballroom, it was here, in this huge building. In his heart he knew, this was where he would find her. He lay back and closed his eyes, desperately trying to remember details of the dream. The little girl, she took his hand, and he trusted her completely as she began to lead him to Gia. They walked through the parking lot that was empty, and up to a huge building. He tried to picture it in his mind, and it was working. He remembered looking up at it, and not being scared to go inside, even though he didn’t know what was inside at the time. The little angel pulled him towards it with urgency, but he caught a quick glance at the sign in the front of the building. His heart skipped a beat, he had looked up, and he remembered seeing it now. What did it say? His eyes were open now and moving rapidly as he thought hard. Homes something homes of something, homes of hope? He sat up quickly. That was it! Homes Of Hope. That’s where he would find Gia. He got up quickly and picked up the phone, he had to find this place, for this is where he would find the woman he loves; this is where he would find Gia.

“I don’t know what I should say. But I’m convinced that if I talk long enough, you’ll have to open your eyes and answer me sooner or later.” Gia smiled down at her brother. After waiting for her mother to have a turn talking to him, Gia was eager to go back in and see him. But now, she wasn’t sure what to say to him. “I can tell you about my life? Because it’s just oh so thrilling.” She laughed and covered her mouth, slightly shocked at the sound of it. She sighed. “You should meet the kids that I work with Marcus. They are so smart and funny, and they all love me. God I’ve never felt so accepted for who I am as I do when I’m with them. If they only knew how imperfect I really am.” Gia let out a strained laugh. She was crying now, wiping her tears away as quickly as she could. “There’s one though, her name is Jordyn, I think she knows me better than anyone. She knew when I was hurting and in need of a friend. I’ve always been able to tell her everything. And she’s four years old Marcus! It’s so weird. But it’s like she already knows, about the hurt, I think because she’s been there before.” Gia stopped, and sniffled lightly. “Then there’s Nikolas.” His name was voiced out loud for the first time in so long. The sound of it made her heart flutter. “It’s so stupid. I don’t even know him. I’ve only dreamt about him, but I love him.” Gia half expected her brother to wake up and start laughing at her. But he didn’t. She sighed. “I need you Marcus. More now than I think I ever have. I need my big brother.” She cried. Gia looked at his face closely, willing his eyes to open up. She shook her head sadly. It wasn’t working. Then she saw it, the slight movement of his face, his eyelashes threatened to flutter. “Marcus?” She said taking his hand. Her heart jumped when his eyes opened, they were staring blankly for a while. But they soon began to blink open and closed. He rolled his head to the side and his eyes landed on her face. Gia’s heart was pounding as he looked at her for a long time. His eyes were blank still, like he couldn’t see her face. His mouth opened and he strained to speak. “Gia?” he said groggily. Fresh tears welled up in her eyes as she nodded her head. “I’m right here Marcus.” She said. Taggert smiled at her softly. “I’ve missed you baby.” He mumbled. Gia was overjoyed to be talking to her brother. “Oh I’ve missed you too Marcus, and I love you so much!” She cried, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Nikolas sat on his plane, it seemed silly because Brooklyn was only an hour flight, but he felt he had to get there as quickly as he could. He had searched Port Charles first with no luck. Then he searched outside of the town he lived in. He finally located a Homes Of Hearts in Brooklyn New York. He made quick arrangements and he was on his way there. “I’m coming Gia.” He sighed as he leaned his head back in his seat.