(We begin in a dark room, lit with the softest lamps. Valerie enters. She wears a long, gauzy yellow gown. A silouhette plays and sings "Lady's Baby" on one end of the room.)

Valerie: (Softly, to herself) That's one of the loveliest songs I've ever heard. (Goes to the piano) H...hello?

Pianist: (Stands; It is obviously a young man, but his face is shadowy in the dim light) My love, my Valerie. You've come. We must break the spell.

Valerie: What spell? I don't understand.

(He comes further into the light, but his face remains a shadow, indistinct...though his gentle voice is quite familiar.)

Pianist: We’re both under a spell. I can only see you this way, in your dreams. (As he comes further out, we see he's dressed in a fine brown-and-orange suit, his long dark gold hair tied back with a brown velvet ribbon. He puts his hand out to her) Take my hand, Valerie. Save me. Save both of us. She'll hurt me if you don't. (More urgent) She'll take my soul.

Valerie: But, how...why...

Pianist: Please, come to me, my love. I'd never hurt you. (Softly) I love you, Valerie.

Valerie: I...believe you. (Smiles) I don't know how, but I know you wouldn’t harm me or anything. You're gentle and kind. Who did this to us, and why?

Pianist: She wants my soul. (Gets closer to her) Please, Valerie, you must help me!

Valerie: I....(she is about to touch the young man's hand when the door to the room blows open in a blast of air. All of the lamps go out at once, leaving

only a thin sliver of moonlight that falls on the person who enters next, a tall, elegant, white-faced woman dressed all in black.)

Pianist: (Steps back, gasping) No! It’s her! (Near tears) Please, Valerie, you must help me!

Valerie: (To the woman) Wh...what do you want? Who are you?

Woman: I want his soul. >:)

Pianist: (Puts his hand on his chest; frightened) NO! PLEASE!

Valerie: Don't hurt him!

Woman: *moves closer* His soul is mine.

Valerie: No! Why do you want his soul? Who are you? Who is he?

Pianist: (Looks sadly at her) I'm your soulmate, Valerie. The one who loves you.

Valerie: (Frowns) But...Ronnie...

Woman: You want Ronnie. >:)

Valerie: (She's in total confusion; the young man's face is filled with pain) I...I...want...

Pianist: Please, don't listen to her!

Woman: Ronnie.

Valerie: Yes...

Woman: Yes.

Pianist: NO! NO! VALERIE!

Woman: Ignore him.

(Valerie looks back and forth between the two as the woman backs the pianist into a corner.)

Valerie: I...I...Ronnie’s my fiancee, but this young man...he's so gentle...his music...

Pianist: (His eyes are despairing) Valerie...

Woman: (Glides over to the young man) Let me have your soul.

Pianist: No, never!

Valerie: Why do you want his soul?

Woman: Such an innocent soul is hard to find. >:)

Pianist: She...she wants my innocence...she took the others, and now she’s after me. (The woman backs him into the wall) No! Please! (Wails) Valerie! Valerie!

Valerie: Stop! Don't hurt him!

Woman: I want your soul...

(Valerie runs between them)

Valerie: I won't let you have him!

*The woman hisses.*

Pianist: (Smiling) Thank you, Valerie!

(Valerie is about to turn to him when the woman lifts a hand over her. She stops suddenly.)

Woman: *smirks and draws the young man close to her* I still want your soul...and I will do ANYTHING to get it! >:)

(The pianist whimpers, looking from Valerie to the woman in terror and despair.)

*The woman raises her hands, claws protruding from her

fingertips.* >:)

(Valerie's eyes widen; the young man screams.)

Pianist: NO! NO! VALERIE, HELP ME!

(Tears run from Valerie's eyes, and we fade from her watching the woman lean her claws into the chest of the shadowy youth and into a sun-dappled room in the Cartwright Mansion. Valerie stands in a long, elaborate Victorian wedding gown trimmed with white and yellow roses and ribbons and ruffles and bows. Various maids and seamstresses surround her. Lauren, still a kitten, bats a bit of leftover ribbon around in one corner. Valerie's eyes are closed, but they snap open in horror as Shelia, dressed in a crisp off-white suit, enters the room.)

Shelia: Well, my dear?

Valerie: (Gasps) No, don't do it! Leave him alone! Don't...(looks around the maids cluster about her)...where am I? (Valerie takes one look at Shelia and screams) Don't do it, you witch! Don't hurt him!

Maid 1: You must have been daydreaming, Miss Valerie!

Shelia: *quirks an eyebrow* Not exactly the welcome I'd been expecting.

*Lauren looks up briefly, then goes back to her ribbon.* ;)

Valerie: (Shudders) It was more like a day-MARE.

Seamstress: (Looks up from fussing with the rosettes on Valerie's bosum) Why, you're all pale, Miss Valerie! Whatever's the matter?

Valerie: (Gulps) It was terrible, Jessie. A young man was about to have his soul torn out of his chest by an evil woman!

Jessie: (Gasps) Land sakes!

Shelia: It must be your nerves, dear. Too much stress. A nice honeymoon will take care of that. ;)

Valerie: It was the same young man who was turned into a puppy in my dream a few nights ago. (Frowns) I know him. Maybe even loved him once. (Frowns) And the blonde woman from the other night. I never saw her before, but I knew her voice. She was so beautiful, with long silvery blonde hair and eyes as blue as a robin's egg. She wanted me to help that young man, but I didn't know how.

Maid 2: (Makes a face) Have you been reading gothic mysteries before bedtime?

Valerie: (Sighs and shakes her head) Maybe it IS just too much stress. (Frowns) I thought I love Ronnie, but that poor young man in my dreams was the sweetest, kindest person I'd ever seen.

Seamstress 2: (As she works on the train) What did he look like?

Valerie: I don't know. I never got a good look at his face, really. I know he had dark gold hair, almost brown, and a strong, masculine body. He always wore a brown and orange Victorian-style suit.

(Lauren starts playing with Valerie's train. She laughs and sweeps the kitten into her arms.)

Valerie: I really shouldn’t worry about dreams. After all, I'm going to be marrying a wonderful man.

(Valerie cuddles Lauren.)

*Lauren purrs.* :)

Shelia: Okay, ladies, it's almost time for the ceremony. Valerie looks wonderful. *ushers them out* Thank you. *closes the door after them*

Valerie: (Frowns, putting Lauren down on a chair) Is there something you want, Miss Saunders? We're going to be starting the ceremony in an hour.

Shelia: Now, this young man in your dream, you said you've seen him before. Where might you remember him from?

Valerie: I don't know. Maybe the Music Society. He played some of the most beautiful piano music I ever heard.

Shelia: *nods* And this blonde woman with blue eyes...

*sneers* What role does she play in that?

Valerie: She encourages me to help him. When he was a puppy, she told me I was the one who could set him free, make him human again.

Shelia: Hm. Interesting. Have you seen her before?

Valerie: (Frowns) Not...seen...her, but I've heard her voice somewhere....

Shelia: *eyes narrow; mutters* I think I know where.

*normal* And the other woman. You screamed something awful when I came in the room. ;) >:)

Valerie: (Narrows her eyes) She was a terrible creature, beautiful, but evil. She was going to rip the young man's soul out of his body, apparently because it was innocent! And in my other dream, she transformed him into a puppy and made him her pet. :p

Shelia: Also interesting. Anything else...odd...about your dreams?

Valerie: That young man...he called me his soulmate. (Sighs wistfully) He was so gentle, and he spoke so sweetly. It almost broke my heart when that (spits) witch went to take his soul!

Shelia: *slight smirk* I'm sorry you had such dreams before a happy day. ;)

Valerie: I wish I could remember who that young man was...

(Shelia reaches for her head and rubs her temples as

Ronnie enters.)

Shelia: Dear, you must stop trying to use that brain of yours. ;) :P >:)

Ronnie: What's going on? Valerie, darling, are you all right?

Shelia: *gives her temples one last rub, then folds her arms* She's just fine now. ;)

Valerie: Yes...fine...

Ronnie: (Kisses Valerie’s hand) I'll leave you and your little pet to yourselves before the wedding. (He and Shelia leave. He locks the door behind him) Shelia, what's going on?

Shelia: She was coming out of it again. She had another dream. *makes a face* Seems as though my sister won't let her go so easily. :P

Ronnie: Your sister?

Shelia: Long story.

Ronnie: (As they start for the back of the house, to the garden) You've never mentioned a sister before.

Shelia: I usually wish to forget her. X-(

Ronnie: Not your favorite relation?

Shelia: Definitely not.

Ronnie: Can't you stop those dreams? If she remembers Tork...

Shelia: I've been trying. My sister has powers equal to mine. Perhaps I could...visit her. ;) >:)

Ronnie: (Opens a long French door) You ought to do that. I'm sure she'd be happy to see you. (Smirks) Let's go to my wedding. ;)

Shelia: *smirks* I'm sure she would. ;)