I love you.

Calandra's mind screamed the words, wishing she could tell him plainly in a way that he would understand. But his fingers continued to move over hers and he remained silent. Sniffling again, she wiped her face on the sleeve of her sweatshirt, the wind biting into her damp cheeks. His hand dropped hers and his arm wound around her shoulders and from the kangaroo pocket of her sweatshirt she heard Ariella grumbling. Calandra knew why. Her time was almost up. She had checked her watch just before Justin had appeared and had started to cry when she realized she had only ten minutes left. The futility of it all had made her want to fling herself off the roof.

But she had continued to sit, sucking hard on her cigarette. She felt the hand tracing her fingers move to rest over her chest and released a shuddering breath. Certain he could hear the pounding of her heart, she shivered when she felt his fingers moving until the position of his hand matched hers.

"I love you, too."

His lips brushed over her forehead and he whispered her name but she remained still.

What about her? What about those things you told everyone about her being The One? If you're so crazy about her, how can you love me?

"Because I just realized that you're The One." Justin whispered.

She jumped slightly at his words, the blood rushing in her ears as her entire body went weak. Rearing back, she stared at him and saw her surprise mirrored in his eyes. She swallowed the lump in her throat and paid no attention to the racing of her heart, which resembled a million pounding drums. Realizing that she had said the words aloud she raised a hand to her lips.

"You--I--Did you just talk? Or did I imagine..." Justin's voice trailed into nothingness as he stared at her. She felt his heart leap in his chest and nodded. "But how?"

"You said you love me." It was a simple, almost moronic statement, but she had no idea how else to answer his question. It was the truth. And her heart soared as his words tumbled in her mind and she realized that it was all true. Though they had known each other for a short while, she was certain that the roads of their lives had been intertwined by destiny. The flower she had plucked from Fate's hand long ago had finally uncurled its petals to reveal his heart. Him. The other half of her soul.

"Yeah... But how did--What--I don't get it. You sound just like her." His eyes widened and he grabbed her shoulders, staring into her eyes. "You're her, aren't you? The one that I thought didn't really exist."

She nodded, still so used to not being able to speak that motions came first. Hands framing his face, she nodded again. "If I could have, I would have told you. But--"

Her sentence ended abruptly when a crack of thunder sounded. The building beneath them seemed to tremble from the force and Ariella wriggled out of Calandra's sweatshirt pocket.

"Ah, shit." Ariella's words were a hiss as she turned first one way and then the other. "Shit, shit, shit!"

"What?" Justin asked.

"You know that woman you left in your bed?" Ariella floated on the wind, her voice loud enough to be heard over the rumbling thunder. "That woman that had you wrapped around her finger until you came to your senses?"

Calandra shivered with trepidation, tucking her head against Justin's chest when she felt the first warm drops of rain. She heard him mutter a yes towards Ariella.

"Well, Sweetcheeks, she ain't a woman. She ain't even human." Ariella came towards them again, small eyes wide. "I've got to go."

"Where?" Calandra asked, lifting her head to stare at her friend in bewilderment. "Where are you going?"

"To get help!" The words were flung over Ariella's shoulder before she disappeared in the slashing rain.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Calandra sighed as Justin pulled her to her feet. Taking the bottle, she took a hearty swig of the whiskey to fortify her spirit.

"Calandra. What's going on?" Justin spoke the words carefully and it occurred to her that they were standing on the roof in a storm. She watched the rain form rivulets down his cheeks, dripping from his nose and chin.

She was saved from answering when the door to the stairs crashed open. Turning when she saw Justin's jaw drop, she bit her lip when she saw the Dream Weaver. He stepped forward, long strides bringing him towards them and she didn't fight when Justin shuffled her back so she stood behind him.

"I can tell you everything, Mr. Timberlake."

***

Justin kept one arm behind him, holding onto Calandra so she wouldn't slip away. Staring at the skeletal figure that seemed to walk between the raindrops, he felt nothing but utter confusion.

Calandra is her. Cat's not real. This guy is apparently Cat. Calandra can talk.

His thoughts were a jumbled mess and he didn't even attempt to make sense of them. The only thing he could be certain of was that he loved the woman standing behind him. The knowledge had been so blinding and overwhelming he had barely been able to form the words but as soon as he had his world had changed. He had felt his heart overflow and the world had seemed to tip beneath him.

Now he realized the world tipping was due to the guy in front of him. The guy who was so thin it was remarkable the wind didn't blow him over. The guy who was glaring at him as though he had just stolen his wife. The guy who was twirling a cane like some reject from Broadway.

"Explain," Justin requested evenly, not liking the way Calandra trembled when the guy chuckled. "Who are you?"

"I have many names. Some are unable to be pronounced vocally. Some are so long it would take me hours to say them all." Miraculously, he was still dry and his lips spread into a manic grin over yellow teeth. "But now I am known as Dream Weaver."

Lightning flashed in the sky and Justin was diverted by a dark cloud descending over them. The lightning flashed again and he saw the iridescent wings of Ariella at the front of the cloud. He blinked and more fairies came into focus. A veritable swarm, they swooped down, staying just out of reach. Justin could hear their voices floating in the air like whispers but couldn't make out the strange words they were chanting. He looked to Dream Weaver again and realized that only he and Calandra were aware of fairies.

Justin would have never thought he'd be glad to see a bunch of fairies.

"Now, according to our deal, my dear, you had thirty-one days to snare the heart of one Justin Timberlake." Fingers that looked like skin stretched over bone snapped and the sound was like thunder. Justin was bewildered and astounded when a piece of paper appeared in the man's hand. Dark eyes peered over the printed words and his grin widened. "And according to this, those thirty-one days were up just a few moments ago." He snapped again and the paper disappeared. "You now belong to me."

"No." Calandra's voice was teary but Justin didn't dare turn to look at her. Words swirled in his brain and he struggled to understand what was happening. What had happened that had brought him to this moment?

"You mean she made a deal with you to get me to fall in love with her?" His question was weak but it was the best Justin could do. He swiped the rain from his face and saw Ariella perching on Dream Weaver's shoulder. Dozens more fairies were around him, occasionally obscuring his face from Justin's view.

"I merely arranged circumstances so she would be in your presence." Long fingers made an impatient gesture, the cane tapping against the roof. "Come along, Calandra. I need you."

"But..." Justin faltered, looking around helplessly. "She did snare my heart."

"The time was up before you said the words. A pity. You two do make a sickeningly adorable couple." Dream Weaver waved an arm and the clouds swirled, descending them in near-darkness.

The wind picked up speed, howling against Justin's ears and he was transfixed, staring at the clouds as they shifted into a swirling vortex. Lightning flashed from within, streaking out in random places and he clutched Calandra tighter to him. He turned to face her finally, hands slipping over her soaked clothing as he struggled to get a good grip on her. Finally tangling his fingers in her wet hair he shook his head when she looked up to him pleadingly. "I can't let you go. I can't, Calandra. Not now, when I know how much I need you." The vortex loomed closer, sucking the breath from his lungs. He felt her drawing away from him even though she clutched at his arms. Her fingers were curled tightly in the sleeves of his sweater and he shook his head again, certain he felt his heart ripping into shreds at the thought of her leaving him forever. "No! There has to be a way to fight this!"

"There is." Ariella was there, whispering in his ear. Tiny fingers grasped at his hair and her voice rose. "Do you trust us?" When he didn't answer she shook her arms furiously, straining against the pull of the vortex. "Justin! Do you trust us?"

He nodded, impulsively dragging Calandra close for a swift kiss. He hated the nagging idea that this would be their last kiss. Hot tears mixed with the cold rain and he felt her muffled sob vibrate against his lips. "I love you," he whispered, memorizing the taste and feel of her lips when he felt a force pulling their bodies apart.

His lost his grip on her and he fell to the roof, not feeling the burn of the gravel as his face slammed down into it. He spit the dirt from his mouth and watched the fairies cluster protectively around Calandra, drawing her away and obscuring her from his view. Just as he thought they were going to beat this and that in a moment it would all be over, he felt something pulling at his legs. Invisible hands were like a vice, starting at his feet and moving up his body. His fingers clawed at the roof when he saw the vortex looming closer and the shards of rock tore at his skin but he realized nothing would save him. His attempts to hold on were futile and he was pulled from the roof as though by a great vacuum.

The clouds closed around him and his world went black.

***

"What the hell was that?" Calandra demanded, panic in her voice as she watched Justin disappear in the dark clouds. She shook off the tiny beings that had taken her away from him and stared at the last place she had seen him, horrified to see that the cloud had already dissipated. He was gone. Without a trace, she realized as she looked around the roof. The bottle they had shared for a brief moment was gone. The tracks his hands had made in the thin layer of gravel had been swept away.

Dream Weaver remained where he had been all along. He seemed confused over the change in events and stood idly. One hand rested over his mouth as his eyes flickered, obviously trying to make sense of what had happened. Calandra felt nothing but rage towards him. He was the one who had brought all the horror. He was the one who had taken Justin away.

"The Elders say you must defeat your demons, Calandra." Ariella's voice was soft, tender with emotion and her expression was sad when Calandra looked to her. "It's the only way. Justin had to go so you could do this on your own. Him doing it for you would never have broken the Weaver's spell."

"I can't defeat a demon." Calandra could barely whisper the words, sagging forward in utter defeat. There was no way she could be expected to fight a being that could control the winds and the rain. It was impossible. Completely impossible. And she only had herself to blame. If she had never answered that ad, if she had never agreed to the Dream Weaver's ludicrous plan, none of this would have happened. Justin would be here. He would be alright. And she... Well, she would still be at home longing for the impossible but at least everything wouldn't be in turmoil.

"You have to." Ariella swooped down to sit in the palm of Calandra's hand. "You have to and you will. We'll help as much as we can but you have to do this, Calandra."

"I can't!" Calandra cried, trembling. "He's much more powerful than I am."

Ariella sighed impatiently, one foot tapping against Calandra's finger. "Do you love Justin or not?"

"Yes I love him! I love him more than I ever thought I would." Calandra frowned at the question. Of everyone she knew, she would have thought Ariella knew that better than anyone else.

"Then do you mind kicking this bastard's ass so Justin can come back and you can get that happily ever after you've been waiting for?" Ariella requested. Her lips turned into a smile when Calandra stared at her. "There's a gold pocket watch in his waistcoat. That's the key."

With that, the fairy flew away. Calandra stared at her hand for a long moment before looking to her demon. He still looked confused. She struggled to her feet and took several deep breaths, hoping to stave off the weakness that threatened to overcome her. She had to get Justin back. Even if he decided he no longer wanted her after all this was over, she had to get him back. Stepping forward, she heard the fluttering of a thousand wings as the fairies fell in behind her. Knowing that she at least had their support gave her a glimmer of hope and just a sliver of strength.

"You sonofabitch." She hissed towards Dream Weaver, gaining his attention just as she reached him. She kept her gaze on his face, repulsed by the sneer on his face.

"Well played, my dear." He swept the hat off of his head, revealing a shock of pure white hair that was plastered to his scalp. "I never would have thought you'd get him to take your place. Very well played." He bowed low and she saw the gold chain of his pocket watch peeking from the pocket of his waistcoat. "You managed to wriggle out of your ordeal quite nicely."

He straightened and placed his hat on this head, tapping it lightly with the tip of his cane. Calandra seized the chance and reached forward, snatching at the chain. She gasped when the watch dangled from her fingers and backed away as his eyes turned black. He pursued her, one step from his long legs covering the same space as two of hers. She felt the ledge around the perimeter of the roof against her knees and wavered, glancing back to gauge the distance between her and the ground. Just looking at it made her dizzy.

"Now what are you going to do?" His voice was a hiss. The tip of his cane gleamed as he tapped it against the roof. "Surely you won't throw yourself over the edge, my dear. And I would retrieve my watch long before it reached the ground."

"Would you?" Calandra asked softly, holding her hand out past the edge of the roof. He started forward, panic evident on his face and she loosened her grip. The watch slid from her hand and she gave a small gasp as it swung on its chain like a pendulum. She pulled it back into her palm, flicking open the cover and glancing to the crystal that covered the face. It glowed in the low light and the hands moved in odd formations around words that were unrecognizable. "It doesn't even work." She sighed, shaking the watch gently before slamming the cover closed. He lurched forward again and she saw Ariella and the other fairies swoop forward. He seemed to hover for a moment a the ledge, arms waving madly before a swift breeze sent him careening.

Calandra heard his high-pitched scream fade as he plummeted down but she didn't watch. She flinched when she heard the echo of his body landing on the pavement. Laying the watch on the roof, she popped open the cover once more, heart pounding when she heard his roars from the ground. Ariella urged her to hurry and as the clouds that had begun to fade returned with a vengeance Calandra slammed the heel of her shoe against the watch.

She felt it shatter. She felt the thin gold crunch as she twisted her heel, grinding it against the roof. When she pulled her foot away she saw the fragments. She saw the glow fading, the gold case curling and twisting. Backing away she continued to look at it until it resembled the twisted edges of burnt paper and fluttered away in the breeze.

Then, finally, she allowed herself to break down.