Slowly opening my eyes lids, I saw myself in the water's depth. I got used to this type of dream every time I sleep, but it felt different. Instead of the day, it was the night this time. There was darkness everywhere except for the moonlight illuminating a little area.

I couldn't move any part of my body as I float in the water feeling numb like a lifeless body. I couldn't even breathe-

Phoenix...

I heard a voice, and something moved in front of my vision. Gazing up, I saw a body swimming towards me. He looked agonized as he reached me and darted his concerned gaze over my face.

Finlay...

I wanted to reach for him, but I couldn't feel a muscle in my body. He put his hands on either side of my face and caressed my cheeks with his thumbs. My cheeks tingled at that, and he put his forehead over mine.

I'm sorry...

I didn't know who said it because my sanity went blank when he smashed his soft lips firmly on mine.

The next thing I know I was standing in an apartment. Everything around me was blurry as I strolled into the living room. It was clean, unlike mine, and had blue-painted walls. There were a lot of portraits on the walls and shelves. One painting of a firebird caught my eye as I walked from the living room into the bedroom.

I halted at the door frame when I saw a guy sitting on the bed playing with a baby who looked only a few months old. The baby was giggling as the guy made silly faces. Then they paused, and both turned their heads toward me.

"Mama..." The blue-eyed newborn squeezed his hands, calling me towards him.

"Hey! I was teaching him to say dada." The guy pouted and then grinned at me. "Looks like he loves mommy more."

The boy looked exactly like his father, except for his red hair. Something inside me tugged, and I was about to take a step but was stopped by the guy.

"What are you doing here, Phoenix?" He said, and the baby went still. "It's not your time."

What?

"You need to get up." the man whispered, hugging the baby. "Get up Amber."

He chanted that and each time his words felt louder. Someone patted my cheek, and I put a hand on it.

"GET UP AMBER!"

My eyes snapped open and I inhale a long sharp breath then began coughing water out of my lungs.

"Bloody hell, ye scared meh." Someone said as he helped me sit on the grass.

My coughs slowed down and took deep breaths to calm myself. My body was shaking from the cold and the right side of my face felt numb.

"Ere." I felt someone place a jacket over my shoulders. Glancing up, I saw Neil looking at me, concerned. "It'z awright we got them."

That's when everything struck my brain like lightning.

Hoodie guy... Angus... Gun...

Blair and me... Lake... Drowning...

Dream... Finlay... Baby...

Gulping, I looked around to see I was under a tree in the fields of the castle. I heard a woman screaming and twisted my head towards the voice to see some police officers dragging Blair to the van in which Angus was already sitting.

"What the..." I mumbled, leaning my back against the tree.

"Isla told us ye ran away fae the festival an' Blair followed ye. Ah thought of comin' after ye, but when they were announcing the results..."

He explained that Mr. Butler called him and told him everything. Neil then contacted the police and when they reached here, they saw Blair and me fighting on the boat.

"... Ye fell in the water an' we caught Blair, but we couldn't find ye anywhere." He sighed and darted his eyes to my face. "An' then ah saw ye swimmin' towardz the fields an' ye passed out."

Swim... Me?

I don't know how to swim, then how the f**k I got here...

Finlay.

I remembered the dream when he kissed me. He must have gotten inside my body and helped me get out of the water.

"Finlay..." I panicked after remembering his condition. "Where is he-"

"Calm down." Neil put his hands on my shoulders. "The ambulance took him to the hospital an' everyone iz widh him." That relieved me a little.

But what about his soul?

"I need to go to the dungeon," I murmured and got up, but my legs wobbled. Before I could fall on my face, Neil caught me.

"There iz naw one there, Amber."

"Finlay..." I said, but my eyes fluttered close and I felt weak. "I need to go..."

"Finlay iz goin' to be awright." I heard his soothing voice before I spaced out.

• • • • •

"How is she?" I heard a very familiar voice.

"She had a few stitches on 'er head, but otherwise, she iz fine. We gae 'er painkillers she will wake up at any time." There was a pause for a second. "It'z a miracle she dinnae get a concussion after being hit in the head so many times."

"She must have a hard head. Anyway, thank you, doctor."

A door shut, then there was silence except for the beeping sounds of the machines. Thinking I was alone, I opened my eyes and saw a white ceiling.

"Morning." My body flinched at the voice and I peeked to see Fergus standing on the edge of the hospital bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Like A truck hit me," I mumbled and tried to sit.

"Let me help you." He stepped towards the side and assisted me to sit.

Leaning my back on the pillow, I licked my chapped lips and avoided eye contact with him. I glanced at the time and saw it was around nine in the morning.

"Water?" He extended the glass and took it, thanking him.

"How is Finlay?"

"He woke up." My head turned towards him in a whiplash.

"He's awake!" My voice came out shrill. It took me a minute to process it. The machine began to beep faster and that's when I realized it was because my heartbeat sped up.

OH MY GOD! HE'S FINALLY AWAKE!

"Last night when we got him to the hospital, his condition was critical. The doctors tried to take out the poison and said it was a twenty percent chance that he'll survive but... A blessing occurred, and he survived." He explained, taking a seat next to my bed. "Then he woke this morning screaming..." His face scrunched in confusion. "Phoenix."

I didn't know why, but my face heated at that and I ducked my head, taking a sip of water.

"He was freaking out so the doctors have put him under observation till he calms down."

"I'm glad he woke up," My body relaxed and I sunk deep into my pillow.

"I know who you are, Amber." He said, getting straight to the point. "But what I don't get is why you were investigating my son's case when it didn't concern you."

"Your son saved my life," I answered, looking dead into his eyes. "Twice actually..." I thought back to last night when he help me out of the water. "I was just returning the favor."

"You came all the way to Scotland and pretended to be his fiancée."

"I needed a decoy." I gave him a sheepish smile. "What happened to Blair and Angus?"

"They are arrested and kept in jail till they process the case." He leaned his back on the chair. "Your recording came in handy."

"Good to know."

"I actually have a confusion." He tilted his head. "We heard the whole recording and before Blair and Angus came, you were talking... To yourself?" He said, unsure.

"I was hit in the head. What else did you expect from me?" I lamely said, running a hand over the bandage wrapped around my head. I couldn't tell him I was talking to his son's soul.

He hummed, not fully trusting my words, but said nothing and got up. "I'll let everyone know you woke up. They've been worried for you."

"Do they... know about me..."

"No." He shook his head and was about to walk out, but I stopped him.

"What happened between you and Aurora?"

"Sometimes inner peace is more important than love."

• • • • •

A/N

Finlay woke up peeps! 😁

Do you think he's going to remember everything? 👀

I wasn't planning to do a double update but since I finished writing it I was like...
Why wait 😆

And... Since we are near ending if you guys have any confusion let me know I tried to cover every mystery but still if I have overlooked something let me know and I will clear it up in the coming chapters if I already haven't.

Till then enjoy! 💃