Dreaming of Demons (Dream x oc)

[23] So Many Reasons

I propped my elbow on the shiny rim of the sink to rest my cheek in my palm and close my eyes. The quiet moment barely lasted a second as the communicator in my back pocket erupted with sound.

I jumped, causing my knee to ram into the back of Dream's head and startle him awake in a much more painful way than I had.

I gasped. "I'm so sorry!"

The static of the communicator finally formed into Sam's voice. "Taryn." He demanded, clearly expecting a reply.

Dream had pushed himself off the floor and to his feet, pressing his fingers to the back of his head to most likely soothe the pain there. "It's okay." His brows furrowed as he patted his still-damp but clean hair. "You already finished?"

"Yeah." I replied briefly, distracted with trying to get the communication device out of my pocket before Sam tried to call me again. As soon as I did, I pressed the button to speak. "I'm here, Sam."

The device crackled immediately after. "How long are you gonna take in there?" irritation sprinkled his words.

My mouth twitched as annoyance sparked up in me. "I don't know, maybe you should have taken that into consideration when you let Quackity in with an axe."

I glanced over at Dream to see him lifting an overturned notebook from the ground to flip through the little amount of pages it had left—which wasn't much.

After a prolonged silence, Sam spoke again. "Maybe I did consider it as I sat here waiting, and I believe it shouldn't have taken this long."

"Sam—"

"I'm pulling you back, Taryn."

I sighed, looking back up at Dream to give him an apologetic look. "Sorry."

I had no time to see any reaction from him as the familiar sense of teleportation squeezed me. The next time I blinked, I was on the other side of the thick wall of lava that separated Dream from the rest of the world. I stepped away from the stasis chamber and Sam folded his arms, carrying an expression of disapproval. Such a look on his features could really only be found within the prison, or even near it for that matter.

"Due to the fact you never called me while you were in there, I'm assuming Dream is alive?"

"Yes, he's alive. I'm sure you're excastic to hear that." I started heading down the steep stairs that would lead me to the exit of the prison.

Sam followed behind me, and I could practically hear the curiosity buzzing off him. "Did he say anything useful? Anything about the revival book perhaps? He seems to talk more to you..."

Maybe because I'm not trying to kill him. That sounds like a great idea, y'know talking things out?"

I had to stop near a closed door to wait for Sam to open it with his keycard. But he didn't seem at all interested in doing that, instead stepping in front of me with his gaze pinned to mine. "What did he tell you, Taryn?"

I wanted to scoff, but I only narrowed my eyes. I had already tried telling Sam what was wrong with Dream, but he had only brushed away my words as the cause of manipulation. Now, I knew that everything I had suspected was true, yet I couldn't see Sam having a change of heart.

"You wouldn't believe anything I would say." I replied sharply.

Sam only scowled at me, rooted to his spot. I stepped closer to the door, gesturing to the card scanner with an exasperated swing of my hand. "Where's your keycard?"

He didn't make any attempt to show that he heard me. "Try me." He challenged.

He wasn't about to let the topic drop.