Forever

Chapter 19

*Hello :) scenes in italics are flashbacks.*

Bright fluorescent lights shone overhead, and the sound of a monitor beeping filled the air of the small hospital room. It was a constant reminder for Dream that although George wasn't fully here, he was still alive.

It had been one week since George had taken the bullet for Sapnap, one week of Dream sitting by his bedside and praying that he'd wake up soon.

In that one week, Dream felt like he had barely slept. He was constantly plagued by memories of that night, and he couldn't seem to shake them no matter how desperately he wanted to.

Dream felt George's hands on his face, and he looked over just as George leaned forward to kiss him. He pulled back, and an almost apologetic look took over his features as he quietly murmured, "I love you, Dream. I love you so much."

The words didn't bring the comfort they usually did, only confusion and worry as Dream searched for an explanation hidden somewhere in George's features.

"Why now? Why are you saying this now?" he wanted to ask, but George's hands were already falling away, and he was pushing himself up before Dream could even register what he was doing.

Realization dawned on him, green eyes locked on the gun in Eret's hand, and Dream's heart started pounding in his chest as he made a desperate reach for George. But he wasn't fast enough this time, and fabric slipped through his fingers as George lunged forward towards Sapnap.

Eret pulled the trigger, George's body collided with Sapnap, the bullet tore through the fabric covering George's back, and Dream's heart all but stopped beating in his chest.

Now, every time Dream closed his eyes, all he saw was George lying in an ever growing puddle of his own blood. Dream had been right there, and still, he hadn't done enough to stop it from happening.

Since that night, George had undergone two major surgeries to fix the internal damage the bullet had caused. He had then been placed in a medically induced coma to give his body time to recover from the shock and trauma, and he had yet to wake up.

Ironically, Sapnap had been placed in a room only two doors down from George's room. But unlike George, he had only been there for one night. He walked out the following morning bandaged, bruised, but alive thanks to George's sacrifice.

George and Sapnap fell to the floor in a confusing mess of limbs, and for a sickening moment, Dream wondered if the bullet had hit both of them. With eyes locked on them, Dream was moving forward, heart pounding in his ears as he finally saw movement. But as he dropped down beside them, he saw that Sapnap was the only one moving.

George was still, eyes closed even as Sapnap shook him by the shoulders, voice already unsteady with worry as he spoke, "George? George, come on. Open your eyes."

Sapnap's pleads fell on deaf ears, and Dream's heart sank when no response came in the familiar lilt he had grown to love so dearly. His eyes grazed over the blood-drenched fabric that clung to George's back, and his breathing grew uneven as Sapnap shook George's shoulders again only to receive nothing in return.

In a split second, Sapnap's tear-soaked face was alight with pure anger, and he gently rolled George over and into Dream's arms. George's weight fell into him, and Dream looked down at skin that was already growing pale as Sapnap pushed himself up.

"What are you doing?" the words pushed past Dream's lips quickly as his eye's darted up towards Sapnap.

Sapnap didn't respond, and panic took hold again as Dream watched him rush towards Eret. But with George's near lifeless body in his arms, Dream was helpless to do anything other than watch, eyes wide as he realized he was about to lose both George and Sapnap in a matter of seconds.