How to Fix the Broken

Chapter 48: A Trade

Dream jolted from his nap in pure terror. Panic filled him and he couldn't form thoughts. He crawled off of something, crashing to the floor. He felt a hand on his arm as he curled up, muffled voices shouting at each other.

Help!

A voice cried in his mind and suddenly it was gone. Just, disappeared.

He blinked as light blared in his eye sockets. He was breathing heavily as he sat up.

Confusion followed with thoughts came rushing back.

"What the hell!" He shouted in confusion. He's never been able to feel that amount of panic before, where did it come from?

He kept blinking at the ground in confusion as the muffled voices became clear.

"Dream!? Answer me! Please!" Lust had his hands on the guardian's shoulders.

"I'm okay." He whispered. He leaned into his boyfriend.

Where had that come from? It had been so sudden. So strong. He replayed the feelings in his had.

Panic, Terror, Despair, Desperation, and a single word; Help.

He suddenly knew where it came from. Or, matter of factly, who.

Nightmare.

Where was not a problem either. Sure, it had no specific location, but that could mean one of two locations. Anti void, or the doodle sphere. Error had already confirmed that they weren't in the anti void but then again both Blue and Error said that Ink wasn't in the Doodle sphere either.

But he would have noticed their emotions, or at least Nightmare's if they had been in the anti void. Not to mention the fact that Ink hated the plank white space.

He stood up, grabbing Blues hand and jumping into the just made portal.

"Dream!?" Blue cried in surprise.

"We are going to find him and we are going to find him now." Dream growled.

"D-dream?" Blue stuttered as the guardian dragged Blue through the empty void. Ripped shreds of paper gently fluttered around them as they walked.

He didn't respond as they came upon the house.

Ink jumped up as he felt a portal in the doodle sphere.

He opened a small portal, showing him who was there.

Dream.

He instantly grabbed the filled vial, knowing full well Fate was watching him again. As Fate watched him more and more, he started to realize a feeling that crept over his body as they set their eyes on him. He jumped up and released the vail he had on the house. This would let Dream within his reach but Nightmare within Dreams reach as well.

He couldn't care less if they managed to get Nightmare free. He didn't even want the guardian. He didn't want to do any of this.

He growled as he looked in the mirror. The same mirror Dream had looked in all those years ago. He had watched as his husband placed a mask over his face. Smiling wide, bright starry eyes, a warm expression. While forcefully ignoring the pain in his cracked skull.

He punched it, shattering the glass and continuing to walk towards the living room.

He heard the front door open as he quietly sneaked under the trap door.

He unlocked the cage and broke of the chain.

"Don't speak." He hissed at Nightmare. The king surprisingly hadn't moved from his position with his legs and feet up against the wall and his back and head in the floor.

He didn't even move when the chain was broken.

Ink didn't care what he did, as long as he did what he was told, at least.

He rolled the vial in his hand rhythmically as the seconds past. He held Broomie out to one side loosely as his foot tapped.

He jumped as he heard the trap door pop open.

"You think he's down here?" Blue asked.

"Well you said it yourself, it's different looking from how it was this afternoon." Dream said back.

Ink could hear a small whimper from Blue, "I just... Ink..."

"I know Blue..." Dream whispered back.

Ink jumped as a voice cried from behind him.

"Dream!"

Dream froze. He knew that voice. He ignored the confusion on Blues face and bolted down into the cellar.

"Let him go Ink!" Dream cried. He thought he was prepared to see what he thought he was going to see. He most definitely was not.

Ink. After 4 years. Standing before him.

Behind him, was a small skeleton, smaller than Ink even.

"Dream! ...Blue..." he trailed into a whisper when Blue built the courage to follow Dream and face Ink.

Blue looked carefully at the small unclothed skeleton. "Nightmare..." he whispered. It didn't make sense in his mind but it also did. When he accidentally almost uncorrupted Nightmare, his normally hidden eye light had burned a beautiful shade of lavender purple. The same shade he saw now.

"Blue!" He automatically said in relief. He suddenly cried out as Ink bashed him on the head with oversized paintbrush. He looked up at Ink with a growl and for some reason only just then realized that the chain was broken. "Oh, hey..." he muttered to himself before looking at Ink with a cocky smirk.

"Oh wouldn't get too cocky if I were you." Ink purred, shaking the vial.

Blue shivered at the noise as it brought up memories.

"Let Nightmare go." Dream demanded as Blue summoned his hammer.

"How about a trade?" Ink said calmly, not fazed by the giant hammer that Blue easily hefted over his shoulder.

Dream hesitated as his bow appeared in his hands. "What kind of trade?"

"You for him." Ink said.

"No." Both Nightmare and Blue said simultaneously.

Dream looked like he was actually considering it.

"Dream no!" Nightmare cried.

"But Blu-"

"But nothing Dream!" Nightmare cried. "Look at me! He was able to uncorrupt me! Which means he knows how to use corruption magic. I'll be fine!"

"Y-yeah, Dream! Don't trade yourself for him..." Blue tried to back up Nightmare.

Dream turned to him and took his hands in his own. "But they need their father more than their uncle." He whispered quietly in Blue's ear cavity.

"But-!" Blue tried to protest.

"No. Blue. You need him right now."

"And we need a guardian of positivity."

"... I'm sorry Blue." Dream whispered.

Love Conquers All

Right?

1036 words