Michael woke the next morning with a warm feeling. He rolled over, still half in his dream. Next to him, he saw a halo of red hair on the second pillow. "Good morning, Alice," he whispered. She smiled as he wrapped one curly strand of hair around his finger. The coil tried to burst from his hand in the way that very curly hair always did. "I missed you. I'm so glad you came to visit."

Her bell-like laughter rung out. "I missed you too." The pink painted nails she wore when he last saw her trailed along his cheek. Alice then leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the same spot. "I'm sorry, but I can't stay for long. Promise you'll wait for me?"

"Of course, always." No matter what, he'd never love another. If Alice asked him to, he'd never move from this spot in his life. "Won't you stay for breakfast though? Just let me get changed." When Michael returned from the bathroom though, Alice was already gone, the bed covers on the left side as perfectly in order as if she never laid there. Sadness hit him, but he let the feeling pass over. She did say she couldn't stay, but Alice would be back. So he just made a bowl of cereal and dressed for a warm afternoon. He headed for the door, intending to spend the day at the part like he and Alice used to.