𝕎𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕎𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕄𝕖 - Ⓓ Ⓝ Ⓕ

~19~

WARNING: This chapter contains graphic descriptions of surgery and mentions of a panic attack. Please do not read if these themes may upset you. Stay safe!

Dream watched as the doctor injected a sedative into George's IV, and heard George weakly count to six until his voice faded out.

He smiled down at George, knowing he could still see him, and smiled, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "I'll be there when you wake up, George. Don't be afraid to fall asleep." George's eyes closed, his hand going completely limp in Dream's, and Dream gave his a gentle squeeze before letting go, knowing it was time to step away and let the doctors continue with the procedure.

A nurse escorted Dream out of the room and he heard a curtain close behind him, and then a door as he stepped out into the hallway. A red light was glowing from above the dark grey double doors, indicating that there was a procedure taking place, but Dream's eyes trailed to another door a few meters away, which had the words 'Observation Room' printed across the door in bold letters.

Dream looked up and down the hallway, checking if anyone was watching before approaching the door once he was sure the coast was clear. He placed his hand on the door and hesitated before pushing it open, hoping the room wasn't occupied. He was met with a short staircase, and quickly climbed them, leading him into a small, dim lightened room. There was a window across one wall, and when he looked down, he saw five bustling surgeons moving about a surgery room, but most importantly, George.

Oh, Dream thought, looking around the room once again before looking back down at George. This was a student observation room to study procedures.

Dream turned on his ankle and made his way to leave, knowing what he was about to witness, but he saw a doctor take George's oxygen mask off, and rushed back to the window, worried about what they were doing. There were seats behind Dream, but he decided to sit on the floor right in front of the window, wanting to be as close to George as possible.

A surgeon placed white tape over George's eyes, keeping them closed, and then watched as they placed a long tube into George's mouth, slowly forcing it down his throat. Dream winced as he watched the oxygen tube slip into place, and then saw them taping it to George's face, making sure that it stayed in place.

All the surgeons took a step away from George for a moment, consulting and going over what they were doing as a group before they stepped forward again. One of them lifted George's hospital gown so that his whole abdomen was visible, and rolled a blue curtain over George's chest so that the surgeons wouldn't see George's face during the procedure. A woman was sitting behind George's head, her job being to make sure George was okay throughout the process while the surgeons did their job. The curtain stopped Dream from being able to see George's face, and Dream felt himself internally sigh. He didn't know why, but he preferred to not see George while watching his procedure – something about it just made him feel off.

A surgeon felt around George's cyst, and outlined it to the others, using a special marker to mark the area accordingly after sanitizing George's skin. Dream hadn't prepared himself when a surgeon pulled out a scalpel, and pressed it to George's skin, slicing a horizontal laceration into his abdomen that quickly spilled red. Dream covered his mouth with his shaking hand, feeling nausea swell in his stomach and throat as he watched bright blood seep from the cut, spilling across George's pale, spotless skin.

The surgeon pulled the laceration open, stretching George's skin, and Dream forced himself to look away, closing his eyes shut. Oh God, Dream was traumatized. Why had he come up here? Why had he stayed? He wasn't even supposed to be here and would probably be arrested if he was caught, but Dream couldn't find it in himself to move, glued to the floor and breathing heavily, trying to stop himself from having a full-blown panic attack.