Author: Katie

Summary: Here we go: WW/Sandman crossover. Donna takes a walk at night and meets Delirium

Spoilers: Can't think of any for WW but for Sandman, umm, Brief Lives, The Kindly Ones

Archive: I would be soooo happy

Feedback: Yes please!

Notes: okay, for people who don't follow Sandman, Delirium is one of the Endless. She was once Delight, but she changed, and no one knows why. Her siblings are Destiny, Death, Dream, Desire, Despair and Destruction. Her brother, Destruction, left his realm and when she and Dream found him he decided not to come back, but he gave Del a dog named Barnabas. In the Kindly Ones she lost the dog. (Is that all right?)
 

 
A Delirious Walk

I find myself walking down my street like I do every night. If Josh knew I took a walk every night he'd go ballistic. He says I live in a dangerous neighborrhood. Maybe if he'd give me a raise...

Of course my mind, as always, wanders to the source of my problems. Josh. He's the reason I go on this pity party of a walk every night. He can be so mean and arrogant. But he can also be so sweet and caring. Like when I told him I had really been in a car accident. I hate myself for loving him.

That's right. I've finally admitted it. I love him. And I don't know what to do about it.  I sigh and sit on the steps in front of my apartment. I'm there for a minute, maybe two, until I hear a voice that makes me look up.

"HeLlO."

Standing a few yards in front of me is a girl of maybe sixteen. Her fishnet stockings are torn and ragged. She's wearing a yellow skirt and a torn bright red shirt under her very large, very torn leather jacket. Her hair is a variety of colors and her lips are cherry red. Maybe Josh was right about my neighborhood.

"Hi," I say cautiously.

"ARe yOU oKay?" the girl asks. "YoU loOK kINdA saD."

She speaks a bit strangely. It's kind of cute. She doesn't seem as menacing as she did a few seconds ago. "I'm okay, I'm just a little down."

"ME ToO," says the girl. "i CAn't FiND mY DoggIE. HAVe You sEEn a DogGIE? HE's BlACk and BRoWn aT The SamE TiMe and Very vERy Smart."

"No, I'm sorry." It is now that I notice she is a holding a string that has a fish attached. "What's that?"

"oH. ThiS is THe BoGhaL RanTipOLE. It's HElPing mE Find mY doGGie. AnD My NaME's DEL. It'S NOt my WhOLe NAmE THOUgh."

"I'm Donna."

Del's face brightens. "WHat A PreTTy namE! I WisH my Name WAS That PRETty!" Her face suddenly falls a bit. "WHy ArE yOu AlL sAdLY?"

For some bizarre reason I feel compelled to open up to this girl. "It's nothing really. I'm just... in love."

Del clasps her hands together and puts the to the side of her head with a dreamy expression on her face. "LovE Is So GrEat. My BRoTHer WaS IN LoVE OncE."

"Yeah, well it's not so great when the guy you love doesn't love you back."

Her eyes become very sad. I notice that one is vein blue and the other is green with moving silver flecks. Thinking I'm seeing things, I blink. Nope, still moving. "He DOesN't LOVe You?" Del asks sadly.

I shake my head. "I CouLd TaLK to my SiSTer. SHe CouLd Make Him LOVe YoU."

"I don't think so. I don't want him to be forced to love me."

"OkAy." We're quiet while Del has an expression on her face like she's thinking really hard. All of a sudden she breaks out into a huge grin. "YoU knOw WhaT I Do WheN I'M SAd? I PlAy WitH FishIEs!" She sticks out her index finger and dozens of small colorful fish spill forward. They also come out of her ears. I stare at Del with my mouth agape. She's giggling hysterically. When the flow of fish stop they float around her head.

"Um... yeah, I don't think that'll work. My roommate has cats."

"oH." Del snaps her fingers and the fish disappear. "i MiSS mY BRoThER," she says after awhile. "HE LeFT So FoReVeR LonG Ago. BuT ME and DreaM FouNded Him aNd HE Didn't come BACk, But gave me BARNabAs. That'S WHY I HaVe to FInD My DOGGie. And NoW DrEaM iS In TrOUblE."

I try to think of a way to comfort this poor child, who's on the verge of tears. "You seem like a happy enough person," I say.

This sends her into a fit of giggles. "I'M NoT a PeRsOn!" She stops giggling, thinking again. "HaVe yOu TolD HIm?"

"What?"

"HavE YoU TolD ThE MisTER You'Re In LOve With THaT YoU'Re In LovE WiTH HiM?" Del starts dancing in circles, bubbles coming out of her heels.

"No."

Del bursts into another fit of laughter. "ThEn HoW dO YOu KnOW He DoEsn'T LOvE You?"

"I guess I don't."

"WeLL, You ShOuLd TeLl Him. ThE WoRst ThingY ThaT CouLD HaPPeN is thAt he'LL say no. And He'd probably be LyiNg anYWay. And EVen if He iSn'T, YoU sHould Not GeT sAd. ThaT's HoW SomE PeoPle enD Up BeInG WiTh Me."

I can't think of anything to say to that, so I just stare at her.

"I kNoW Lot's oF Things. PeOple DoN'T ThiNk I Do bUt I ReaLLY DO."

I nod and stand. "Thanks Del."

"Oh, HeY, If YoU SeE A DoggIE That'S BlAcK aNd BrOwN aT ThE SamE TiMe and SaYs SmArT ThInGuMmIEs, WiLL YoU LeT Me Know?"

"Sure." I'm about to go inside when she calls my name.

"DoNnA." I turn. "I sHoUlD giVe YoU a PrEsEnt."

I smile. She's a sweet kid. "That's okay. You don't need to. You've already given me more than enough."

"i CoUlD giVe YoU a WOrd tHaT mEans Red anD GrEEn aT ThE SaMe TiMe."

I tell her again that I don't need anything.

"I Know," she says. "AnYTimE You NeeD a FavOR sAy My NAmE anD I'lL FinD yOU."

I give in. I smile and nod. "ByE-Bye!" she says and heads off down the street. I wave good bye. Half way down the street she dissolves into dozens of fish. I shake my head. I must be losing it. Maybe I just imagined the whole meeting.

I walk back into my apartment. That kid really helped me a lot. Sure, most of the things she said and did completely defied the laws of physics, but it was still helpful. Tomarrow I guess I'll tell Josh how I really feel.

I put my keys on the table, then, as I look around my apartment, I notice that some of the things in it are red and green at the same time.

FIN

Wow. That might be the single most horrible expirience in my life. please send feedback. I live for it.