I should note that the following was written between 2:00am and 5:00am during a plague of insomnia…so I might be taking it down later after I get around to reading it with a clear mind. It took so long to write because, in my sleep deprived state, I kept getting distracted…plus I was watching Kooza while watching that…and it was pretty distracting…I regret nothing.

A/N: I don't own Kooza…damn

OpheliaPOV

The trapeze artist strutted off through the curtains. For a moment, all was silent. Then a voice rang out from a hole in the stage.

"CATCH ME, CATCH MEEEEE!" I jumped slightly and heard a deep laugh behind me. I looked up at Trickster. He smiled at me before pushing me gently toward the side entrance to the balcony. Just as the night before I found myself softly following this mystical man up the stairs to the balcony. I leaned slightly over the railing and looked down at the stage. A dog and some police were chasing after a man who kept laughing and jumping down openings in the floor. I felt a soft laugh escape my throat as I watched their antics…and one again felt the soft and yet piercing gaze of the Trickster, always watching. I turned my back to the railing and, after examining my shoes for a moment, slowly raised my head to meet his steady gaze. His mouth was curved into a kind smile. I felt myself smiling back softly.

"Why am I here?" Okay where did that question come from? That wasn't exactly what I wanted to start with, but I guess my mouth has decided to shun my brain today. He regarded me for what seemed like an eternity. He always looked at me like he was looking right through me. I think that's what scared me the most about him…the fact that he could see all of my secrets. I had spent so long hiding who I was that I just didn't think I could handle letting someone in. I snapped out of it when he started to speak.

"Why do you think you're here?" Answering a question with a question…how frustrating.

"Does it matter what I think?"

"You're opinion always matters." He seemed to generally want to know, and that confused the hell out of me.

"Why should it?" I turned back toward the empty stage and looked out into the darkness. "It doesn't change the truth…so why should it matter?"

"Because you matter." I laughed slightly…surely he must be lying…but why?

"I do?" I felt him gently take my left hand with his right. He pulled me slowly to him. I found myself unable to break his gaze as he forced me to gently turn back to him.

"You don't think so?" I felt a stray tear fall down my cheek. I felt a sudden hatred for this man that could make me feel so alive and yet at the same time so vulnerable. He tilted his head to one side before reaching out and gently wiping it away. I swallowed thickly, but that didn't stop my voice from shaking as I tried to hold back more tears as they formed behind my eyes.

"Wh…why am I h-here?" The compassionate pity and sense of knowing within his eyes made my heart wrench in my chest. I finally managed to break his gaze and look down. "Why bring me here…why me?" He reached out and tilted my chin to look up at him.

"Because…you need it." He continued to caress my cheek as he spoke. "You're here because your heart has been broken, and you cannot fix it on your own." He gaze seemed almost hypnotic when combined with his deep voice. "You're here because I want to help you." For a moment, I snapped back to reality. I ran around him and down the stairs. I looked behind me, and was both relieved and disappointed to see no one following me. I needed time alone to gather my thoughts. I thought that I could handle my emotions, but I couldn't. I needed time to get my feelings back under control…time to build up an emotional wall to this world…and him. I ran through the closest side exit and found myself in a moonlit garden. I walked into and was content that it was deserted. I walked down one of the stone paths, deeper into the maze of flowers.

...

A/N: I actually wasn't going to write this, that is to say it wasn't part of the plan but it came to me when I was watching the sort of interlude between the trapeze artist and the unicycle acts…and it just sort of wrote itself then…it took a rather serious turn but I guess that's okay. Hope you enjoyed it…I'm going to bed now…oh who am I kidding I'm going to go watch some more Kooza.

Don't forget to review! :D