Locked After Midnight

Chapter 11

Dream tried to heal Shattered but as long as he was in the midst of his brother, he couldn't. He had to wait until the Bad Sanses were on the opposite side of the castle to heal him. He cried in relief when Shattered started to wake up.

* I-I'm so sorry! I d-didn't mean to, please forgive me!

( * Dream... )

* I hurt you Sh-Shattered, I d-don't deserve your sympathy. I should've k-known better! I c-could've tried harder!

( * Dream, I'm fine that you've healed me. You were being controlled, you can't blame yourself. )

Dream hugged Shattered tightly, apologising once more.

( * I hate hugs. )

* We should f-find a way out..

( * With your broken leg, yeaaaah I don't think so. )

* I'll be fine!

( * Give me your soul. )

Dream looked at Shattered, confused.

His soul?

* ...what do you need my soul for?

* Just trust me, I have a plan that might work but I need to be in control of the soul.

* I've known you for a while Shattered, but I'm just not comfortable doing that..

Dream was able to slightly heal his leg, he'd just have to ignore the pain for now.

( * Welp, I can't force ya. Let's go. )

All they had to do was escape a gigantic, monstrous castle....

( * Do you really think they'd let us just go? )

* Theoretically, no. B-But you never know!

Shattered paused.

( * Dream you're wheezing. )

* Let's just focus on getting out...then we can focus on that.

( * Tell me if it gets any worse then we can take a break, okay? )

Dream nodded and they continued walking around. Eventually they reached the grand front doors and Shattered looked back at Dream.

( * Dream, I can tell you're really struggling to breathe.. )

* Let's just...get out...okay?

( * Dream let's take a break, didn't Nightmare have an inhaler in the castle? We can find one of them to help. )

* I'm f-fine...-

Dream sat down on the floor.

( * I can get Cross, you just wait here. )

Dream nodded and laid on the floor, hoping it would help a little. As much as he was suffering right now, he always wondered how he could have asthma even though he technically had no lungs. He closed his eyes to focus more on his breathing.

He felt numb and hopeless.
Is this what his life had become?

He opened his and screamed in shock as Nightmare towered over him. His soul beat doubled and his breathing became shorter and more uneven. Dream could barely talk.

* You really thought you could escape? Even Shattered didn't want to deal with you anymore.

Dream tried to stand up, but he was getting weaker and weaker.

A tentacle picked him up around the neck.

Shit.

* C-..c...

He was too tired to keep on fighting.

* I didn't hear you, Dream~

* s...f..forgive..m-m...

Dream went silent and his eyes closed.

* I'm not playing your dumb games Dream.

The tentacle tightened, but Dream had no reaction.

( * Hurry up I don't know if- HEY! )

Shattered and Cross ran up to the twins, Nightmare dropping Dream to the floor.

( * Fuck- WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO? )

* Excuse m-

( * HE WAS HAVING AN ASTHMA ATTACK-! )

Shattered grabbed Cross and went to Dream.

( * HELP HIM! )

* Shattered I can't- I-

* Don't help him.

Shattered glared over at Nightmare.

( * If he dies, so do you. )

* Not anymore~

Shattered was confused, Dream had told him about the soul link.

* Let him die, see if I care.

Nightmare walked off and Cross stood in between them.

( * Give me the inhaler. )

* Shattered I can't disobey N-

( * Give me the FUCKING inhaler before I break your neck into pieces. )

Cross threw the inhaler so him and whispered underneath his breath that he was sorry and ran off after Nightmare. Shattered opened Dreams mouth and gave him a few puffs of his inhaler.

( * Dream, wake up, seriously. )

Dream didn't respond.

He tried again, shaking Dream.

( * Dream, wake the fuck up, I...I'm not playing around here! )

Nothing.

Shattered opened the grand doors and dragged Dream outside where the negative aura was much less. He was able to use his magic and open a portal into Dream's room. He placed Dream on the bed and opened his bedside drawer and grabbed the spacer. He put it into Dream's mouth and did multiple puffs.

( * Dream, please, you need to wake up! )

Dream gasped suddenly and coughed, his eyes still closed. Shattered didn't let it rattle him and continued to give Dream some puffs of his inhaler.

( * You're okay Dream, you're okay. )

Dream opened his eyes. He didn't look all that sad...more angry.

( * Hey, hey calm down. )

* Sh-Should've..l-let me go...

( * I'm not letting you go, Dream. Everyone else wants to but I will not. I'm a part of you the same way you're a part of me. )

Dream was still wheezing but he sounded more like a balloon deflating than anything else. He wanted his brother back...he refused to let go...but he couldn't find that hope in his heart anymore.

He couldn't find any hope anywhere.