A soft music sounds from a dimly lit kitchen in a generic apartment building, the music a genre unheard by radio stations...a genre which represents everyday life. The music starts off with the gentle flowing of water into a metallic sink, the impact of the water creating a soft-impact sound which cannot be duplicated by other objects or combinations. Following this warm introduction comes the clattering of dishes under the water, as skilled hands softly run a sponge across left-over food stuck to the surface of one of the glass plates. A few scrubs and the dish is clean, or atleast clean enough to be transfered from sink to dishwasher, where machine makes the burden of man easier once again.

Soon thereafter, the chorus of freely flowing water down the faucet begins, accompanied by the soft vocals of the dishes as they make their way carefully into the open-doored dishwasher. The door shuts just as the water slows to a trickle, and is replaced by the soft sigh of an angelic figure towering over the countertop which houses the sink and stops alongside the dishwasher. Her long brown hair falls just past her shoulderblades, and as she turns her attention to the dishwasher dial her eyes soften and her lips curve into a slight smile. The song grows silent as the gentle ticking of the dial sounds when she turns it, before picking up once more as the dishwasher kicks on and begins its work on that which is housed within it.

She takes hold of a nearby towel and gently wipes the moisture off her hands, before placing the towel back to its former resting place and tilting her head towards an open door, a door which leads to a room in which she sleeps every night, dreaming dreams of better times.

Her name is Suki Minamoto.

Another sigh escapes her lips as memories invade her mind, pushing aside short-term thoughts and allowing themselves to be displayed beneath her closed eyelids, bringing forth scenes that take her back to when the problems began in the middle of a world which seemed so perfect for her.

Life has a funny way of changing things around on people...and the person involved in her own change would know it best. For the past several months this particular person had been going through stressful times, though no-where near as stressful as the times he'd went through during his late teenaged years. However, this stress was directly linked to something from his childhood, a dream in which he'd had ever since then. It was also linked to a playful promise made to a girl he'd loved long ago, whom died the night the promise was made in a car accident that had left both in a coma, only to have him make it out alive.

Sometimes, Suki Minamoto thought the love he held for that girl back then never quite went away. If this were indeed the case, however, she would understand why...and be able to accept it.

All he'd ever wanted to be was a hero...all he'd ever wanted to do was get the people to love him, to be able to give something to them and maybe even bring something new into their lives. For the longest time he'd felt he was doing just that, until one night brought upon thoughts of the people betraying him. Soon, the hero entered a bout of self-doubt and sadness--a sadness which was soon turned to anger and a thirst for vengeance on those who'd shattered the child's dream.

All thanks to one night which, at the time, seemed happy to the both of them...Suki Minamoto's life had changed alongside of a man whom she cared for deeply. It was an incident which had plagued the both of them to this very day and, in Suki's eyes, was far from changing still.

For the place in which the incident had spawned was closed...the Hardcore Wrestling Federation was no more. A place which was considered home for the man she loved was no longer in business, and now that anger and vengeance has been replaced with a profound guilt over everything which had occured.

For Dominic Pericolo...it felt as though the world around him had began to crumble.

The obnoxious voice of a used car salesman cut through Suki Minamoto's thoughts with a blade oddly shaped in the form of a Jaguar XXL, on sale for only $2,500 monthly for a year, the price brought down due to their special Summer Clearance Sale. Her eyes snapped open as she heard another voice sound from the room--Dominic's. It was his annoyed mutterings towards the used car salesman, as he abruptley cut the salesman off in mid-sentence by changing the channel to the next one over, replacing the advertisement with a sports report on the current world of football.

Much like the movements of a machine, Suki's legs slowly stretch and begin a slow move towards the room. Soon, her stride takes the more 'human-esque' form of a tired stagger, straying away from the robotic form they'd held before. Passing through the doorframe, Suki reaches her hand over to gently flick her finger across the ON-OFF switch, the lights in the apartment shutting off and leaving everything in darkness, the only source of light coming from the television in the room.

Dominic moves his head softly in her direction, giving her a small smile which she returns with one of her own, followed by a yawn that gently floats through the room and in Dominic's general direction. The seconds following this action capture the struggle to withhold a yawn of his own, only to fail miserably. A giggle escapes Suki's lips as she moves towards the bed and takes hold of the covers, pulling them back and slipping under them alongside of Dominic. Dominic rolls over and draws Suki close to him, hugging her gently and sighing.

"Don't worry...I'll know where to go soon enough, Suki. We won't have to stay here for much longer...just because the HWF is gone, doesn't--"

"It's not that, Dominic."

This brief exchange of conversation between the two is halted quickly, as Suki stares deeply into Dominic's eyes and sadly lowers her gaze from them, speaking in a hushed voice which seems to come naturally to her during the late hours of the night.

"I..I like spending more time with you. I don't care whether or not we have the money coming in from wrestling so long as we're still able to live comfortably together. The HWF paid you well enough, and you were smart to keep all of the money saved and only rent this apartment long enough for you to look for a new offer from another federation. You still have things you want to accomplish...you're not ready to settle down and retire, I understand Dominic. I understand, okay?"

A silence ensues as she brings her gaze back up to meet his eyes where they were before, only to notice that his head is now turned away, his gaze staring blankly at the sheets beneath them. Moments pass without words before Dominic finally musters up the will to reply, and his reply comes short, but sweet.

"...okay."

On the inside, Suki is slightly relieved...and on the outside it shows through with a soft smile that Dominic lifts his head back up to see, causing him to smile once again as well. She leans forward and places a soft kiss on his lips, staring into his eyes as she tiredly whispers to him.

"Goodnight, Dominic...sweet dreams."

"Goodnight, Suki. You too, I love you."

"Love you too..."

The silence soon returns, and Suki Minamoto soon finds herself in her own peaceful dreamworld. Her world is that of past memories, her world is that of better times. Dominic Pericolo's world, however, is much different...and he soon will find himself confronting something he'd never thought he'd have to. However, after all of the events that have led up to now, and after all of the trials Dominic has put himself through, it's about time that it finally happened.

Second chances don't come all too often; Dominic Pericolo is one to know this, and if he truly wishes to accomplish his boyhood dream...it's high time for him to reach out and touch faith.