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Hyperthermia

Knee deep snow, deep, hidden, icy crevasses at almost every step, Neptune-like winds, blizzards that came out of nowhere, temperatures of absolute zero, this was what it's like in ArcticTale.

Nightmare had no choice but to come here, his brother wouldn't dare come anywhere near somewhere this dangerous.

However, he was susceptible to the elements, that was dangerous, he knew it for a fact. Howling winds chilled his very bones. Half-frozen, tired, bloody Nightmare kept on going.

Another day's worth of traversing would help him in his escape but, he would have to stay the night somewhere. Everything went black. Snow started to cover him like a freezing cold blanket.

Two others were traveling that day as well. Error, and Cross. These two were escaping as well, but, they were both escaping different things. Cross was escaping his AU and the one who betrayed him. Error was escaping someone who's hunting him down. Error tripped on a lump of snow and fell. It reveals Nightmare's body.

"Ah!" He yelped. Cross giggled a little and helped him up. Error shook the snow and ice off of his jacket. "Cross, I think we've found something." He said, pointing down to the limp body of the half snow-covered Nightmare.

Cross traced his finger down Nightmare's jaw and felt his forehead before picking him up bridal-style. "He's got severe hyperthermia, he needs medical attention, not to mention, he has dried -or frozen- blood all over him. Who knows what he's been through." Cross stated.

"Oh, poor guy! Well, we're close to Icedin Town, let's go there and see what they can do, if they can't do anything, we'll just take him to Sci." Error suggested.

Cross nodded. "We'd better get moving, it's almost sundown, but you hardly can't tell because of this blizzard." The winds were howling in way that made them sound like they were singing.

Error took Cross' supplies for Cross' arms were occupied with carrying Nightmare. He felt Nightmare shift into a more comfortable position for the both of them.

He glanced down at him with assuring eyes. "Whoever you are, you will be alright. I promise you that." Nightmare seemed to hear him in his coma-like state, giving Cross a very weak and sickly nod.

~—————————Later...—————————~

They arrived an hour later and Nightmare was immediately rushed into the O.R.

One hour passed....

Two more hours passed....

Thirty minutes passed.....

The operation light went off and they took him out of the O.R. Cross and Error took no time to go see him. Nightmare looked so calm and so peaceful. Cross couldn't help but pet his skull, a light purr came from Nightmare.

Error leaned against the wall, arms crossed. He propped himself up and stood next to Cross. "Do you think he'll make it?" Error asked in a curious and slightly worried tone.

"I know he will." Cross said assuringly.

They waited for about four hours. A shifting movement and sound coming from the patient indicated that he's starting to stir.

"Wh......where am I?" His voice sounded out of breath.

"You're in the hospital." Cross answered.

Nightmare looked at Cross and then Error, confused. "Um.. I'm sorry but, who are you?" He asked sternly but also very weakly.

"Oh, right! I'm Cross. That's Error, we rescued you from dying." Cross announced. Error just lifted his fingers from his arm that read 'Hey.' all over it.

"Thanks........ the name's......*w h e e z e * Nightmare. So, you saved...... me from dying? That's very..... kind of you." His tone was airy and he still looked tired.

Cross looked really really relieved. "The doctor said you're able to go home whenever you're ready."

Nightmare looked pretty upset. "I'm afraid..... there's no home...... for me to go.... back to." It was hard for him to croak out those words.

Error looked confused. "What do you mean 'There's no home to go back to?'"

"I hate my AU. And I was chased out of it. I'm on the run. This is why I came here. He would never dare come near such a place like this!" The purple midget stated.

"Who's 'he?'" Cross asked.

"My brother, Dream."

"Oh. Well, um, since you don't have a place to go? Why don't you stay with us? It'll be fun! And, you can tell us more about you and your brother." Error offered.

Cross' red eye and white eye lit up. "That's a great idea!"

"I'd like that. I'd like that very much."