Six months had passed since Kim's death and funeral, and Delilah was regaining her old self. She had requested that her university move her internship from the hospital where Morian worked to another. She couldn't bear the guilt of mourning Kim and her desire for Morian at the same time. She craved solace but didn't want to find it in Morian's arms or in his bed.
She hadn't slept well since Kim died. She resolved that today would be the day she sought medical attention for her insomnia. It was affecting her academic performance.
A pharmacist near her apartment recommended a medication, which she purchased and took.
She was teleported to the realm of dreams that night while sleeping.
She opened her eyes, she was in the cottage, she got up, and Ciaran was seated near the fire.
"Ciaran?"
"He got up and turned to her."
"It's been a long time, my love; how come you remember me so quickly this time?" His face was beaming with joy.
"Yes, my eternal love, I remember you."
They were overjoyed to be reunited; it had been a long time since he had been able to summon her spirit to the dream realm.
"Come sit down and tell me everything that's happened in your life."
She sat down and told Ciaran everything that no one understood in her waking life. She felt alone in her life, but in the dream, she felt safe in this cozy little cottage with Ciaran. She knew he understood her, that he loved her without judgment because their love was not bound by something as flimsy as flesh and all that it entailed.
"I'm sorry for your loss, no matter how many lives we live and how many Deaths we experience, losing a loved one is never easy. I'm happy you found someone who loves you as much as Kim Dae-Jung did even though it was short-lived."
"Thank you" replied Delilah with tears in her eyes.
Ciaran was an angel; he wasn't jealous or angry about her relationship in the waking world with Kim Dae-Jung. All he cared about was her happiness, even while imprisoned and dead he still managed to love her in a way that eclipsed all reasoning.
She was soon overcome with guilt.
"I want you to stop Ciaran." She whispered with a heaviness in her voice.
"Why? What's wrong with my love?"
"You have been imprisoned for eons, while I have lived, loved and somehow you still manage to support me and love me even though I am the reason for your suffering. So please stop."
Ciaran got up, "You want me to stop what?"
"Stop loving me, just stop, I have brought you nothing but misery."
"None of this is your fault Mortala, and don't do that, don't push me away out of guilt. I could never stop loving you. If this guilt you feel makes you want to cut ties with me then I understand, but I don't think I could ever stop loving you. This is all I have ever known, you are my eternal love Mortala, don't abandon our love."
"I don't deserve you." with tears in her eyes she met his gaze.
Ciaran reached for her hand in a shocking twist of fate, he felt her, and she felt him. Their eyes widened in disbelief.
They immediately held each other desperately and kissed passionately, it had been centuries since they had touched or felt each other.
"How is this possible?" asked Delilah with tears in her eyes. "I can feel your touch."
"I have no idea, perhaps the king of dreams has granted us this gift," Ciaran replied, his heart bursting with joy.
She drew him into another kiss, not caring about making sense of this anomaly. All she knew was that they had been given a gift, which she was not going to waste because she didn't know how long it would last. He carried her to the wooden bed and gently placed her on it. They kept kissing, and intoxicated with longing, they ripped each other's clothes off. They made love, and the intensity of their love became another entity in the room. Nothing in the world could express their feelings in words.
They lay breathless in each other's arms, naked; "After centuries, to be able to hold you is the greatest gift in all of existence," Ciaran said with the biggest smile.
Delilah began to weep; "my only wish is that our meetings aren't relegated only to the dream realm, my greatest wish is to see you in flesh once more Ciaran. To be able to live again with you."
"Hush now my love, let's not invite sad thoughts into this moment. Let's enjoy this gift fate has granted us." He kissed her forehead. She brushed his curly hair away from his face to get a better picture of his face.
He smiled at her warmly.
"I just want this moment to never end but for now I'll settle for a mental picture of your face even though when I wake up, I will not remember."