A/N: Sorry about the long wait, I really hoped to have had this story posted shortly after I finished my Creepalien story, but there's been a lot going on and something always seemed to interfere. Unfortunately, I feel like that's going to be happening a lot, so please bear with me! And, of course, the first chapter has to be short, sorry about that as well!

~Ali Wenstern

Amber shuffled forward, stumbling in the dark, searching for someone that should be there. Her 24 year old son, Thomas, was waiting at the end of the alley with a flashlight to try and help his mother by providing a minimal amount of light.

"Mom?" Thomas called out to his mother, "Let's just go, you can barely see anything back there!"

"No, please, just a little longer," Amber said, "She'll be here, I know it!"

"She was just a story, Mom, just a story you used to tell us."

"No, no, that's not true!" Amber said.

Thomas sighed and walked into the alley after his mother. The flashlight shone on her and Amber cowered away from the bright light. Her hair had grayed early and was matted to her head, containing thousands of knots from lack of brushing. Her eyes had sunken into her head and black rings circled her eyes.

"Mom," Thomas said, taking his mother's arm, "You need to get back now. The doctors said you were only allowed out for an hour."

"But she's here, I can sense it!"

"Come on, Mom, the hospital is expecting you," Thomas said.

Amber went limp at that point and Thomas supported her back to the car outside the alley. He helped her into the passenger side of the car where she rested her head on the back headrest and sighed, closing her eyes. Thomas then ran around the front of the car to climb into the driver's side of the car. As the car started up and pulled away from the curb, a section of the darkness shifted, and a pair of dark blue eyes appeared.

"There you go, Ms. Amber," the white clad nurse said, helping Amber onto the hospital bed. Amber was muttering fervently to herself, her eyes glazed over.

"How's she been doing?" Thomas asked once the nurse had stepped out into the hallway.

"She's doing much better, but she still cries out at night. It's either Ali's name or Sophie's," the nurse said.

Thomas sighed. "Thank you very much," he said, "Just make sure she gets some sleep."

"Yes, sir," the nurse said.

Thomas then turned down the large hallway and walked out of the Sister's Care of the Mentally Ill.

Later that night, after quieting Amber with sleeping pills, the night nurse moved quietly to Amber's bedroom window and opened it as silently as she could. Amber stirred slightly in her sleep as the nurse crossed the room again and shut the door silently behind her, but her eyes remained closed. The curtains stirred slightly in the breeze before settling back as Amber's even breathing raised her sheets up and down in a rhythmic pattern. Suddenly, Amber's eyes flew open as the wind picked up and blew the curtains high into the air.

"You look awful," a voice said as the curtains settled back into place.

Amber looked toward the window and saw the barely visible outline behind the curtains. "Ali!"

As the wind blew the curtains up, Ali was revealed. She looked exactly the same as when Amber had said good-bye to her what seemed like so many years ago. However, she was alone; Timothy was nowhere to be seen. Ali moved away from the window as the curtains settled down again and made her way over to Amber's bed.

"Ali!" Amber said again, happily.

"You've changed in these past years," Ali said, "You're desire for me to be real has driven you to insanity."

"I didn't forget about you!" Amber said. She craned her neck to look behind Ali. "Where's Timothy?"

"Timothy doesn't exist anymore," Ali said, "She has become Tilda."

"Tilda?" Amber asked.

"Timothy, from the moment I met him, as been resisting the process of turning into a Queen, but, at long last, as finally lost the battle."

"A Queen? Timothy is a Queen?"

"Yes, she now lays eggs and I find her hosts. She has children of her own now."

Amber's hand shot out and grabbed the front of Ali's shirt, pulling the girl close. "Children, children… Ali! You have to help Sophie."

Ali's eyes narrowed. "Your daughter," she said.

"You have to help her; she's strayed too far and I am afraid of what will happen to her," Amber said.

"She's entered her first year of college at the local University," Ali said, "I'm, frankly, surprised; she lasted longer than you did. But that doesn't mean she's doing much better now."

"Please, she needs help," Amber said, "Don't let her lead the same life I did."

"I've been watching her for some time now, since she started making bad decisions, but I'll pay more attention for you."

Amber nodded slowly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Amber released Ali and she pulled away slightly. "And I am sorry about this next part," she said.

She placed her hand on Amber's forehead and closed her eyes. A tingling sensation gently brushed against her consciousness as Tilda's presence filled her mind. Tilda's conscious trailed down Ali's arm and through her fingertips, entering Amber's mind. Amber's eyes widened and rolled into her head as she slumped against her pillows. Ali waited a second longer before pulling away.

"I appreciate you remembering me," Ali said, "But it causes me too much pain to see you in a state like this. I'd rather have you forget about me and be healthy, then remember me and be ill."

Come, my dear, Tilda said gently, There is nothing more for you to do.

Ali sighed and moved to the window. She glanced back one more time at Amber, sleeping peacefully, before climbing out of the window and swinging down to the ground.