For a long time now, I've been dreaming. Dreaming of my future, dreaming of my past, dreaming of my present. Whenever a dream began, it always started with me waking up in a field. The field was never consistent across every dream. Sometimes it would be a field of white lilies that stretched out as far as the eye could see. Sometimes it would be a field of red wild roses that decorated the land with its beauty.

However, there was always one thing that stayed consistent. One person would be there to greet me each and every time I found myself there.

You.

You, who added a layer of harmony to the life of my melody. When you were around, it was as if I was listening to a voice from the past, joining in with mine.

I dreamt once of the time when I was a little girl, when you would hold me in your arms and smile at me everyday. I loved it whenever you were around. To help my father with his work, to stroll the Halidom just because you were bored. Even during the times you were busy, you always came to see me. You made time to check up on me and be a part of my life. Father would invite you over from your lonely little house on the shore of a lake just to watch over me. I would spend my whole day playing games with you, pretending to be a family with you, and making gifts for you.

At times, I knew I was a nuisance.

I hated to think that I was bothering you. I hated to think that you would rather spend your time alone reading your books like you always did instead of spending time with me. But whenever I started to think like that, you would immediately pick me up in your arms and hug me tightly, as if you had somehow known what I was thinking. At times like that, you would tell me how blessed Chrom was to have a daughter like me. How blessed Ylisse was to have a princess who would guide them with love and care. How blessed you were to have such a wonderful and loving niece to look after.

Then suddenly, you changed and became Grima, and I wouldn't even know until I traveled to the past.

But the moment right before you became Grima, I was there with you. With your last bit of humanity, you handed me the Falchion, kissed my forehead, and told me that I needed to become strong to save the world. And just before you disappeared, you told me you loved me and that you were so proud of me.

Why… Why did you have to become Grima? Why did you have to be born with such a horrible fate? I wanted you to watch over me as I grew up. I wanted to make you feel like you were truly a part of my family, not just some friend who my father knew. I wanted you to be happy and proud of who I would become.

Even now, I still do. I pray that in my ruined future you had been set free when Grima returned to the past to claim this world. And I pray that you rest easy now, knowing that this world is peaceful.

At the end of that dream, I wake up in another field, and you're there to greet me again. But now, it was no longer the same "you," the "you" who I adored as a child.

It was now "you," the one who stole my heart. The one who told me that I had a place in the family I didn't deserve. The one who told me that they would never stop fighting for me. The one who told me that they would always be there for me.

I dreamt once of arriving at a strange world. There, I was locked in battle with a masked man who fought unlike any other foe I've fought before. Then, when I was near my end, you came and saved me like you always did. And together, we joined a world of fighting. Yet, the fighting never felt wrong. It always felt right. It always felt fun. We'd fight against many other people, heroes and villains in their own rights. We'd fight against the graceful Hero-King, the powerful Radiant Hero, and a mystical Hero of Fates. Sometimes we would fight against each other. But at the end of the day, you and I would laugh together while you asked if I was okay. I met people with different lives, different morals, different ideas. Still, though, it wouldn't have been the same without you.

I'm not sure why we met like this. It was strange, to be sure. Despite that, it made me happy.

At the end of that dream, I wake up in another field, and you're there to greet me again.

I had more dreams about the two of us arriving in different worlds. We would be embroiled in many different wars. One took place in the kingdoms of Ylissean fairytale, where we fought alongside that Hero of Fates. One took us to a strange world that was governed by steam-powered mechanisms. One took us to a world of twisted journeys, where we met both the Hero-King and Hero of Fates once again, but this time we also became acquainted with their friends. There was one where I went on a journey that transcended all of time and space alongside my father. We met many warriors who all came from different worlds. You weren't there yourself. But I could feel you there. Guiding my sword. Guiding my heart.

At the end of all those dreams, I wake up in another field, and you're there to greet me again. For a long time I continued to dream… both the good and the bad.

You were in every nightmare. But you were always in pain. In one of them, you were crying over the deaths of our friends. It made me feel hurt. Over and over, you would blame yourself for their deaths. "I could have done better. I could have saved them. If only I weren't so incompetent, so useless." My chest would tighten with every word you spoke. What hurt the most was that I would never say anything to make you feel better. Plenty of emotions ran through the recesses of my heart when that happens. Many times my yearnings to hold you, to comfort you, to console you would cross my mind. I could have done something. I could have said something.

But I couldn't say anything. I was too afraid that you would think I couldn't understand, or that you'd tell me I was being a nuisance.

At the end of the dream, you would sacrifice yourself to save me. In my arms you laid dying, telling yourself that you managed to do something right. And I would break down into tears as your light faded away from my life. Knowing that you would be gone from my world. Knowing that I could no longer spend time with you. It crushed my heart.

I dreamt of seeing you cry over my careless actions. In that dream, my body would be in tatters. It would be impossible for me to continue on as a soldier. And you would cry, and cry, and cry. Apologizing to me. Telling me that it was your fault.

I hated it.

I hated myself for making you cry. It was the one thing I tried so hard to never do when I was a child. Even more so now. I don't want to see you cry. And I don't want to be the reason you cry.

You mean so much to me. There were so many things I wanted to say when I saw you again. But I was frightened, fearful of the idea that you weren't the same man who I loved to see everyday. Scared that you were truly the one to kill my father, and bring the world to ruination again.

Out of everything I hate, I hate myself the most for thinking of you in such a horrible way.

At the end of those nightmares, I wake up in another field, and you're there to greet me again. I would run into your arms and cry.

I'm sorry, Robin.

I'm sorry I never once hugged you again as tightly as I did as a child. I'm sorry I never told you how amazing you are to me like I used to. I'm sorry I never spent days and days by your side like I used to. Everyday I saw you since I came to the past, my heart would flutter once again knowing that you were alive and right there. My feelings for you never changed. They never will.

In my dearest memory, I see you reaching out to me. Do you remember those times?

In your dearest memory, do you remember loving me? Did you ever love me?

Even if you didn't, it's okay. Because I'm the fool. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry I couldn't find the courage to tell you "I love you." To tell you, "You're my world."

To tell you, "I'm happiest when I'm with you."

To tell you, "You're the very person who keeps me going."

To tell you, "I want to start a family with you."

"I don't want you to be alone anymore."

"I want to be with you until the end of time."

"I love you."

I love you. I love you.

If I knew that my journey to save the future would mean you were to lose yours, maybe I wouldn't have gone back. But I had to. For my father, for my friends, for everyone in the world. I had to sacrifice the life of one to save the lives of millions.

I hate myself for sacrificing your life. For allowing you to sacrifice your life.

The thought of Grima disappearing forever tempted me so much that I fell into the clutches of my greed. I should have allowed father to slay Grima. Gods, I should have picked up his Falchion and done it myself. But I didn't. It wasn't a matter of whether or not I could. I absolutely could have done it. But I didn't. I let you kill yourself so that the world would be free of the Fell Dragon.

The worst nightmare I have is being forced to experience your death over, and over, and over again. Each time I try to do something different. What if I tried to kill Grima myself? What if I forced father to push forward and kill him? What if everyone just ignored your orders, and all charged at Grima?

No matter the method, the outcome would always be the same. It would be an image seared into my mind.

"For once, I'm glad you and I are the same. Now I can give my life to protect those I care for…"

I would see you turn to my father with tears in your eyes as you fade away. Then, you turn to me, and with your most sincere smile you would say:

"May we meet again in a better life."

At the end of that nightmare, I wake up in another field.

But you weren't there to greet me.

…

…

…

"Miss? Why are you crying?"

A tiny, bubbly, adorable girl runs up to me. She wore a dress as white as the snow, and carried in her hands a basket of flowers. Her hair flowed in the gentle breeze, like a curtain of blue velvet swaying in the wind.

"Don't cry, miss! Whatever is making you sad will be okay eventually!"

She picks out a flower crown from her basket and reaches out to me. "Lower your head."

I do what she says, and she places the crown on my head. "I, Princess Lucina, heir to the Exalted blood that safeguards Ylisse, hereby declare that your sadness will go away!"

I smile. Even in my own dreams, it seems I still try to keep myself happy. I take off the crown and look at it. "Wow," I say to her, "it's quite expertly crafted. You must have worked hard on this, lady Exalt."

Lucina shakes her head and blushes. "Actually, someone else made it. He's a wonderful man, always playing with me and always spending time with me."

"Really?" I gently laugh. "What's he like?"

"Oh, Uncle Robin is the greatest person to ever live! He comes to visit our Halidom from time to time just to see me. A-And, and! He gets along so well with my father and mother, and everyone at the castle! And then there's big sister Morgan. She's his daughter, and she's super, super cool and sweet and kind! They're my heroes!"

Robin… with Morgan as his daughter? I don't remember such a thing when I was young. I remember lying about it before when Robin tried to make me kill him.

I must be hopelessly desiring for such a world. But…

"Oh no," the young girl panics, "Oh no, don't cry! Are you still sad?"

Lucina rubs the tears from my eyes. "No, lady Exalt, I'm not sad. I'm happy! I'm so happy. He's okay. The idea that he could truly live his life… it just makes me so, so happy…"

I wish I was there with him.

"Do you love him, miss?"

Lucina looks up at me. I nod. Her face beams in happiness. "Then I'm sure he'll be happy to know you do!"

"I'm not so sure…" I softly whisper, "Will he still love me even after everything I did to cause him pain?"

I think back to the day I brandished my blade at him. To the day where he was drowning so heavily in his sadness that he welcomed my sword with open arms. My vision once again blurs away as tears well up.

"Of course he will! Uncle Robin will accept your love, so long as you share his dreams."

"And what if I can't?" I choke out through tears. "What if I'm not worthy of his ideals? What if…"

I look up to her. "Robin… What if I drag him down with me?"

Lucina wraps her arms around me and hugs me tightly.

"Well, I think… If you aren't worthy, you should keep trying until you are! And if you both fall down… Um, that's what lovers are for, right?"

She smiles with all her might. "It's only fair that you get to tell him your feelings! I'm sure uncle Robin is waiting for you just so you can say it to him!"

My heart is overcome with warmth. This fuzzy feeling… It feels so pleasant.

I pat her head. "Thank you, my lady Exalt. But right now, I can't see him. I'm in a deep slumber, and I may never wake up."

"Hmm… That's a problem," she says to herself. After a moment of thought, she claps her hands together and laughs. "I know what to do!"

Lucina grabs my hands, held it in between hers, and closes her eyes. "I am Princess Lucina, heir to the Exalted blood that safeguards Ylisse. With the power of Naga's chosen flowing through my blood, I implore unto you…"

She opens her eyes. I could see the Brand glow softly in her left eye. It felt as if it was resonating with mine.

"Awaken to the life you deserve to live! And live not for your family, not for your loved ones, but for yourself!"

With her final decree, she releases her grip on my hands, then runs off in the distance. Lucina turns to me and waved goodbye as a ray of light envelops her. She disappears from the field, leaving a stream of petals in her wake. I close my eyes and laid my head down once again.

The kind of dreams I have no longer matter. Where I wake up after them no longer matters.

All that mattered… No, all that I hope for is that you'll greet me when I wake up once again.

I opened my eyes, bright sunshine resting atop me. Like many times before, yet... something was not quite the same.

I was on a bed. Not a field. A bed.

Am I dreaming still?

I open the window to my left. A calm evening sun greeted me, unlike before, when its rays were harsh with cruelty. Birds cheerfully chirp as they fly by, and I could hear the busy sounds of people clamoring about. And through the bright rays that shimmered off the surface of an oasis, I could see a desert stretching out as far as the eye could see.

Everything seemed so peaceful, like nothing else I've ever seen before. It all felt reminiscent of the beautiful Ylisse I once lived in, except this was someplace completely different.

Hah, to think I could imagine such a wonderful place. A lovely desert sounds a little too improbable for me. Although, had Plegia gone on a different path, perhaps this would be the result. Is my nostalgia now playing tricks on me? Yes, surely this is nothing more than a-

"Mmph… No, Grima… Mire tomes are a disgrace… Ah, Morgan, don't copy him…"

Wait… is that…?

Robin?!

I turn to my right and see his hand held onto mine, our fingers tenderly interwoven between us. He had fallen asleep on the side of the bed while keeping his grip on my hand. My heart tightened.

So this is… another dream? It had to be. If it isn't, I don't know what I'd…

"Ah, Lucina…"

…!

My heart beats faster as his fingers gently brush against mine. A small, yet sweet smile unfurls from his lips.

"Welcome… home…" he whispers.

… Were I to spend an eternity dreaming, only seeing you through the false lens of my own desires, I would accept it. I would be able to see you, I would be able to feel you, and even though I know that those dreams are nothing but lies, I would still accept it. I sacrificed myself knowing just that, and I did it without hesitation, yet...

I was desperate for you.

Now, after all these years, after all those dreams…

You're here. I'm here.

I position myself closer to him, and lay my head down next to his. With all the emotion built up within me, with all the feeling I could possibly muster up, I whisper to him.

"I love you."

Thank you all for your support. Without it, I would never have finished this story.

With this fic, I wished to answer a few questions that came to my mind after playing Awakening for the first time.

-What happened to the continents after Grima's death?

-How different would the world have been had I chosen to put Grima to sleep?

I tried my best to write down an entertaining story that would answer these questions in my own imaginative way. At the same time, I also wanted to explore how someone can come to terms with their own inner demons without needing the satisfaction of the acknowledgement from others.

But in the end, I wanted to write a story that would make you feel happy.

Whether or not you sacrificed yourself to rid the world of Grima, whether or not you had Chrom put the Fell Dragon into a long slumber, know this:

This story was meant for you. And I hope it made you happy.