New Reality: A Dream x George Fanfic

Chapter 13: Falling

A/N: Another TW for this chapter: lots of blood, gore, death, angst... you get the idea hehe

"DREAM!"

George rushed forward to catch his friend as he fell. "Dream. Dream!" Dream's eyelids fluttered, his skin was deathly pale, and a trail of blood dribbled out of his mouth. He didn't seem to be fully aware of his surroundings, either, as his eyes were unfocused and dazed-looking. Panicking, George laid him on the ground as gently as he could and looked for a wound.

It wasn't hard to find. Gushing dark blood, soaking the fabric of Dream's sweatshirt, the stab was deep and ragged. George sucked in a breath as he looked at it. "No, no no no... Dream, just stay with me, it's going to be okay..." Oh my god. He pressed his hands to the wound, trying unsuccessfully to stop the bleeding as he listened to Dream's shallow breathing. If he was being honest with himself, which he wasn't, he'd know that Dream had very little chance of survival. "You're gonna be fine," he said, more to reassure himself than Dream. "You'll be fine."

-----

Dream gazed up at the shadowy ceiling through half-lidded eyes. To him, the rocky ground felt as soft as a pillow, and he felt as though he was floating an inch above the ground. He heard George's voice as though it was coming from very far away. He felt thirsty, and tired, and out of breath, and somewhat delirious as he struggled to focus on George's voice.

"Dream! Dream, can you hear me? Say something!" George's face appeared blurry and indistinct above him, but Dream could tell that it was lined with terror.

"Mm sorry," he spoke with slurred words, tasting his own blood on his lips. "Sorry I left... Was being stupid..."

"Dream, no, it's not your fault. I'm sorry I said those things. I didn't mean them; I was just upset. Just please, please stay with me!"

"It's okay, Georgie. You're... so cute." George's face was framed by a halo of light from the lava pool, and to Dream he looked like a god. A god which had fallen to the Earth and changed his life forever, and Dream didn't regret one second of it. "I looooove you, Geoorgieee." Dream suddenly began giggling and found he couldn't stop, until he was out of breath and the buzzing in his ears drowned out almost everything else. He felt his heart thump ever faster as it struggled to supply blood to his oxygen-starved brain, and his breathing quickened in response.

"Dream, please! Please, don't die on me!" George's tone had a panicked note to it which registered dimly with Dream, and suddenly he found himself beginning to panic as well.

He was going to die. He was actually going to die trapped inside a stupid video game, with no hope of saving himself or his friend. No one would even know what had happened to him. This is all my fault... Tears stung his eyes as his vision dimmed. I don't want to die. Dark shadows crept from the corners of his vision and danced in front of him, obscuring George's face.

"I can't see anything..."

"Oh no. Dream, no."

"It's dark..."

"I'm here. I- I'm here with you, Dream."

"I'm dead." He spoke with a strange detachedness, as though he was talking about someone else, and he felt his mind begin to drift away from his body.

"I'm here, Dream."

It was some small comfort to Dream, knowing that he would at least die in the arms of his best friend.

"Dream!" George's voice echoed within the walls of Dream's head. "Dream, please..." His voice cracked. "I love you."

He... He loves me?

Wonder filled Dream's head, pushing out the panic and pain and everything else. He was going to die... He was going to die, but George loved him. And that was all that mattered.

He loves me!

Dream's eyes drifted shut, a contented smile on his face, and the outside world dissolved into total darkness.

-----

Tears of grief filled George's eyes as he looked helplessly down at Dream and reality finally hit him. He was dying, and there was nothing George could do to save him.

A sob escaped his throat and he buried his head against Dream's chest, not caring about the blood now staining his face. "Dream..." He found himself repeating over and over between sobs. "No... Dream..." He held his friend, and after a while felt his breathing slow, and listened to his heartbeat finally come to a halt.

"D-Dream, n-no..." George clutched the fabric of Dream's hoodie, pulling him nearer, cradling his head in his arms as though with enough love George could somehow bring him back.

As he shook with sobs and rocked back and forth, still holding Dream, something rattled in his backpack. He paid no attention to it at first, but then something made him stop and consider the sound. George's eyes widened as he remembered what it was. The regen potion! With hands slick with Dream's blood, he fumbled for the potion and uncorked it. Please let this work, he silently begged. Please, please, oh my god, this has to work. He shakily held the bottle to Dream's bloody lips and tipped the contents into them.

For a second, nothing happened. George held his breath as his heart sank. Please...

Several more seconds passed. Still, nothing.

George let out his breath slowly, feeling the last of his hope die. Fresh tears fell down his face and he shook with silent sobs. He curled up on the ground beside Dream's still body, willing death to take him too.

Then all at once, a choking gasp. George's head snapped up and he cautiously leaned over his friend. "D-Dream?"

Dream's eyes fluttered open for a second before closing again. But he was breathing, shakily at first, and as George watched the color returned to his skin and his breaths steadied.

He's alive! Relief flooded through George, making him almost light-headed with giddiness. He's alive!