To Protect

Epilogue - George.

-GEORGE POV-

I don't know what happened to me. I knew what was coming and I spent days preparing myself for it. The only difference was that it was at my hands and not Technoblade's. Still, I should've been prepared for it right?

Everything told me no.

Every single day it got harder for me to function without him. Sapnap brought me breakfast, dinner and tea but I couldn't bring myself to eat. He occasionally sat on the bed with me, holding me while I cried. I don't know why I did that but it didn't happen often as I was generally just numb. The days I didn't cry he told me about what everyone was doing and getting on with, how Ghostbur was taking care of Tommy and Tubbo during the nights while everyone slept, how Technoblade had become a huge part of our big family, how they think they have found the area deep within the nether that Schlatt resides. I wish I could find the energy to respond to him or even look at him but it's not there.

The first few months I slept a lot but then I started getting nightmares, ironic really isn't it? Nightmares about Nightmare.

I'm stood in front of the mirror, the ghost of a man I call myself staring back at me.

I'm pulling at the dark bags under my eyes and tugging at the tufts of greasy knotted hair.

I'm sighing and leaning over the sink, holding in my tears.

I'm looking back up at the mirror.

There he is.

Bright emerald eyes glistening behind me.

His arm snakes around my neck as he leaves loving and comforting kisses along my jaw.

I'm relaxing my shoulders of all the tension.

I'm leaning into his soft touch.

His grip on my neck tightens.

His eyes glow a deep red.

"Do you miss him George?" His voice grumbles into my ear. "He misses you; Let Nightmare in and you can be with him again."

I'm closing my eyes.

I'm dying.

Then that's it, I wake up. When it first started happening Sapnap and Bad took shifts sleeping in the community house, one of them would run down and grasp onto me as I screamed out into the dark. My whole-body trembling and sweat soaking the sheets. They'd stroke my hair and ask me what was happening. I wish I could've brought myself to tell them the contents of my nightmares but I felt stupid so I kept it to myself. Deciding not to utter a word to anyone about anything. Those nightmares made me too scared to sleep again so I held off, usually lasting days upon days before exhaustion took over. Then the nightmare would happen again and I'd repeat the process. I lost track of time but soon after that I started to see him in the covered corners of Dreams room, holding up a finger to his lips as to silence me, eyes flashing with amusement. 

Dream's room was supposed to be my safe space.

He was coming for me and I couldn't bring myself to run or hide or ask for help.

Tommy came to visit me, all time was completely lost at this point. He shyly sat on the end of the bed as my eyes fixated on the wall in front of me. He said my name a few times, cautiously, and I could hear him but I refused to respond. He placed his hand on top of mine and slightly squeezed to reassure me.

"I know George. I know." Was all he said as we sat there for a few hours in utter silence. Tommy not releasing my hand. I wanted to cry out to him and ask him why this was happening but I held it all back. I wasn't going to do this in front of him of all people. "He will be here soon, I promise. Hold on a little longer." He seemed to glance up at the top of the stairs as if watching someone. I just caught it. A slight green flicker, leaning down, but I didn't think anything of it. Too numb to believe. Tommy left.

One of the nights my body forced me to go to sleep I had the nightmare, I woke up less startled than usual, feeling slightly irritated at being awoken. The room was silent and the air was humid.

"Oh Georgeeee."

The voice in the shadows made me freeze up, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand. He had never spoken to me unless I was asleep but I was very much awake. I pinched myself over and over begging myself to be asleep and for it to go away. The red eyes were getting closer as I scrambled out of the bed towards the opposite corner, my lungs filled as I let out a cry. My chest heaving as the screams of terror and sobs came flowing out. I closed my eyes tightly and curled up as small as I could, pushing myself further and further into the corner. I heard the thud of footsteps around me getting closer.

He's here, he's here to take me.

"George!!" Sapnap's voice called out as a pair of warm arms clasped around me, pulling me in close.

"I see him all the time Sap..." I whispered, gulping as I spoke.

"See who?" He asked me, his finger lifting up my head to face him. His eyes filled with worry and dread as they scanned across my expression.

"Nightmare." The name made me shudder. "He's everywhere. He's here to get me." He shushed me quickly.

"He's gone George, he can't hurt you. Come on why don't you take a 5-minute nap." He pulled me up and took me to the bed, tucking the cover in. I closed my eyes feeling somewhat calm for the first time in ages, my weight sinking into the sheets. I heard him walking away, pausing to look back at me before heading up the ladder.

"Maybe I will take 5 minutes." I closed my eyes, ready for exhaustion to take over my body once again.

The only time I ever see him, is when he's behind me in the mirror.

Even from a distance I can hear him. Try to listen but his whispers make my ears hurt.

And on our dates, it's never daytime. When he gets playful with a steak knife.

I need a break, maybe I'll take five.

Shake it up and medicate, maybe I'll take five.