Locked After Midnight

Chapter 3

Dream felt a hand on his shoulder and he was turned around.

* Hey, calm down, you're just having a panic attack.

It was Cross...

He sat Dream back down in the bed and grabbed the inhaler on the bedside table, helping Dream take a few puffs. A few minutes passed and he calmed down.

* Feeling any better?

Dream nodded slowly.

* Th..thank you...y-you didn't have to help.

* I didn't do it for you, I did it because I don't need Boss dying on us right now. I'm here to take you back to your cell.

* Please don't t-take me back there! Please...

Dream begged Cross, he couldn't survive another day without going insane.

Cross put his finger to mouth and Dream went silent. He put Dream back to bed and signalled for him to close his eyes. Nightmare entered the room, drink a cup of coffee.

* Well?

* He woke up barely breathing and passed out again, I think he thought I was here to attack him.

* Ugh, such a baby. Fine. Keep him here until he's fully conscious, he's probably doing this to hold time. Keep your eye on him very closely, even if it means sleeping in the same room to make sure he doesn't escape.

Nightmare walked off, pissed. Dream opened his eyes and to see Cross, closing the door behind Nightmare. A few days passed before Nightmare forced Cross to take Dream back to the cell. He had guessed Nightmare had given Cross a lot of work to do since he never really saw him after that.

But Dream always asked himself, what happened to Ink?

Ink laid on the beanbag, drawing. It had been two weeks, yet he was still recovering. He was on the brink of death when Error found him...lifeless on the ground. You see, Error and Ink had been in a relationship for the longest time now, but swore to tell nobody. Error wasn't necessarily part of the bad Sanses but didn't mind partnering with them if they needed him. After all, he didn't want to be anybody's little puppet. Error came through a portal with Chinese takeaway.

* Hey Squid, come eat.

Ink smiled and went to sit down by Error, digging into food.

* How have you been feeling?

* A lot less dizzy, finally. But I've been meaning to visit Blue and Dream...

* Now?

* Yes please. 🥺

Error held Ink's hand and teleported to Blue's timeline. They knocked on the door and waited. Soon enough, Blue opened the door.

He looked...lifeless.

* Blue...are you okay..??

Blue looked at Ink before bursting into tears. Error and Ink went in and sat Blue down; Error went to make hot chocolate for all of them.

* Tell me what happened..

Ink gave Blue a big hug.

* My b-brother...he...he died. The Bad Sanses killed him...I tried calling Dream but he ignored all my calls...

* I'm so sorry for your loss Blue...

Error came back in and gave us all hot chocolate.

* Is there anyone you can stay with if we need to go?

Error asked, sitting down on the other sofa.

* My friend Amelia said she'd move in for a bit starting from tomorrow...

* That's good then. We'll stay until she gets here. :)

Blue looked at Ink with concern.

* You look so pale..d-did you recover from the infection..?

* Still recovering, but I'm getting better everyday. Error has been helping me out ever since-

Ink paused.

* Ever since what...??

* Ever since Dream disappeared..-

It all clicked to them.
Where was Dream?

An hour before midnight...

Nightmare approached the cell as he heard Dream talking..

To himself.

He watched Dream, it was as if he was having a conversation, but nobody was there.

* Ahem.

Dream quickly shut up and turned to Nightmare.

* Who were you talking to.

* N-Nobody!

* Don't lie.

* There's nobody else in here, br-

Nightmare didn't let Dream finish, and grabbed him through the cell bars with a tentacle and crashed him into the wall.

* I am NOT YOUR FUCKING BROTHER.

He threw Dream onto the floor. The negativity increased way higher than it ever had.

* YOU'RE A HORRIBLE PERSON DREAM, YOU DON'T DESERVE A HAPPY ENDING.

* Night-

He unlocked the cell and grabbed Dream, and dragged him along the floor. They went outside to the big, deep river.

* Beg for mercy.

* W-What are you-

* 5.

Nightmare began to count down. The only thing was that...Dream didn't care if he drowned, he wanted the suffering to ease off once and for all.

* 4.

He knew if he drowned, Nightmare would feel it too.

* 3.

He would be making Nightmare suffer.

* 2.

Again.

* 1-

* WAIT! D-Don't do it, h-have mercy...for yourself! I don't care if I die, I've already made you suffer enough so please d-don't do th-this!

Dream began to cry, Nightmare joyfully consuming all the negativity, which was a lot...more than he expected. He threw Dream to the ground and walked off. It was cold and it was raining heavily. He stayed on the ground, shivering...it was better than the cell anyway. An hour passed before somebody found him.

Cross.

* Lets go inside, c'mon.

Dream was half awake. It was passed midnight and he was terrified to sleep. Cross took him back to the cell and gave him a phone.

* Don't show anyone this.

Cross left, locking the cell door and dungeons behind him. Dream quickly turned on the phone and called Blue's number.

No reply.

He tried Ink's.

[ * ..Hello? ]

* I-Ink?! Ink it's me, Dream-

[ * Where the hell are you?!?! ]

* Keep your voice down..Nightmare has me...I don't have much time before I don't have enough positivity to keep timelines in this multiverse happy.

[ * We'll come and save you, I promise. ]

* N..No. You need to recover and Blue has been through enough. I need you to find a girl called Ellie, she can take my place until I can get out safely.

[ * But Dream- ]

* Who gave you that phone.

Dream froze as he heard Nightmare's voice behind him. He was too scared to turn around. The phone hung up.