|| -Ungodly Hours - ||

The briefest moment
shared with you -
The longest
on my mind
- Lang Leav

A coffee maker hummed to itself. Rich golden liquid swirling within it as it brewed. A tap was running as a woman in an overlarge checked shirt washed a porcelain mug - printed letters across it reading 'Butterfly'. Her hair was messy, pilled on the top of her head and secured with a neon pink pencil. She had purple rimmed reading glasses perched on the tip of her shapely nose and the sleeves of her shirt folded up to suit her task. The coffee machine beeped in the end and the woman sat down with a mug full of steaming unsweetened coffee. She sighed at the digital clock displaying a mocking two fifteen in the morning and sipped slowly, massaging her temple. From across the room a pair of olive eyes glared at her.

Oh so she imagined. The painting that hung on the opposite wall framed with fine dark wood carried a face of a man - long dark hair pulled back to reveal his sharp features. His eyes olive and sparkling, there was a tilt to his mouth; a ghost of a smile that had not completely formed. Only a hint of his dark clothes, embroidered in gold visible and the bold signature crawling in the corner read 'Vanya Moirai.'

At two fifteen in the morning after another night of tossing and turning as her subconscious battled with her rogue imagination Theon Drayce - the charming lead of her best selling comic - did not look all that charming to Vanya. She sat her mug down and pressed her lips together, returning the glare she imagined on Theon's face. In her dreams he always looked much older than the original sixteen years old in her sketches. And somehow more sinister and tormented. The painting that hung on the wall was the only one that depicted him as the man she had nightmares about. The man Theon had grown up into.

Warming her palms against the coffee mug, Vanya walked to stand in front of the offending piece of art, her glasses properly in place as she critically examined the portrait. Her imagination was doing overtime now. She concluded with another sigh. She could picture him to the last detail. The painting was right - but not accurate. His cheekbones were softer, jaw more pronounced. There should be a dimple on his left cheek and a fainting white scar above his eyebrow. There should be more creases on his forehead. His eyes should crinkle at that half smile and his lower lip should be fuller than the upper. There should be tattoo - back ink curling up the side of his throat - a Phoenix rising in flight. Then he would look like the real thing.

Vanya frowned at her own thought. Real thing? As if there could ever be a man who looked like that! She huffed, it took her months to perfect that face - borrowing features from all the good looking men to walk the earth and then adding her own little imperfections to make it probable. Adding years to the adolescent face she created was a simple artist trick - even her dreams no matter how ultra detailed they were cannot make Theon Drayce real.

He was called something else in her dream. She rubbed her temples once more. The details were slipping away. But she remembered the other characters. The old master and the irksome guardian uncle. Only, they were also called other names and the guardian had totally lost his place.

"He had it coming," Vanya informed the painting with an eye roll. "Took you long enough to finally grow up. Jeez - I could smell the old badger burning." She turned around and walked away a few paces before hurrying back to stare at the portrait. "But - what is this about gates of time falling? You can't do that can you? They are impenetrable - that's what keeps the story going!" She smacked her forehead and muttered to herself. "What kind of a screwed up sequel did you conjure? I want a part two - not after - matter!"

Shaking her head and mumbling darkly at her own imagination. Vanya snatched up her mobile and dialed her assistant cum 2 am friend.

"For the last time - it's blue not dark green! I'm not going to get swayed just because I'm sleepy," greeted the voice at the other end reminding her of the cover art argument she had slept on.

"Ah it's not that -" she said absentmindedly. Scratching her head and picking out the pencil sticking from it. Vanya stared at the neon pink monster in horror for a full minute before tossing it away and returning to her call. "I was wondering what would happen if the gates of time where - umm - breached?"

Hanna groaned. Vanya imagined her smacking her head against the keyboard instantly waking up her computer.

"That would mean Theon can chase the girl through time right? And that the war is over? Why on earth would you imagine something of the sort - it would cut the length of the story in two thirds!"

"Umm I don't know I had this weird dream where he had done it." Vanya said slowly, and hurried along. "But it's not like he can find her - the 'caim' is still in place!" She snuggled in her sofa and closed her eyes. "He would have to break it - the enchantment. So they are basically seven steps away from each other."

"Anya..." Hanna called out in her nickname. Something that would only meant she was worried. "Are you still having those weird dreams?" she hurried on when there was no reply. "That would be a story fitting the last volume. The endgame. We are not even nearly there yet!"

"You know - I still don't understand this truck load of chapters concept."

"It pays your bills so shut up."

"Your boss would like it..." Vanya pointed out helpfully.

"Is that how you are going to play it? By bringing your fiance into the picture?" Hanna asked darkly. "No luck there baby, he is more excited about the launch of next installment than you are."

"Of cause, he is in love with Theon not me. I'm just the pretty third wheel." Vanya agreed moodily before changing the track. "And he is not my fiance - the idiot did not propose yet."

"Anyway, there was an email for you at the old address today. From some Shayli K. Rings a bell?" Hanna asked, in the background Vanya could hear her typing away at her keys.

"Yes - old mate from the orphanage days. Forward it - I'll see what it says."

Their conversation ended with a few parting jabs and Hanna wishing her luck to come up with a decent plot line soon. Vanya sighed for the third time and stretched, before pulling her tablet closer to check the email.

She scanned the mail quickly and blinked even faster. Her eyes were staring to fill up with tears. Dialing up a number again, she spoke in a choked voice.

"Could you make arrangements for me to go back - immediately? Yes, tomorrow night would be fine. Thanks, I'll get back later."

Tossing her mobile away, she leaned against the headrest and closed her eyes, letting a few escaped tears trickle down her cheeks. The tablet cradled against her body, the email still open and flashing.

**

Hiya!

So the schedule is finally like this - two times a week Wed and Fri. Let's see if I can keep it up once college resumes though.

What you read is chapter one, entirely dedicated to our leading lady. The picture above (forgive me those who already know ;-)) is Korean Actor Lee Min Ho, my inspiration for the new version.

Give me some views as you read through the parts carefully, some votes if you like it so far and of cause comments if you wanna light up my day!

Thanks for reading! See Ya next Friday!