The Beating of Our Hearts Is the Only Sound

Chapter 11: Nightmares and Remains

"Klaus."

     The voice echoed in Klaus' ears     

                                                                     It was familiar, too familiar.

"Dave?"

                           No

         He shouldn't be here

"Klaus."

                                       It was louder now

                                                                                    Klaus saw him

"Dave– Dave, no, Dave!"

     Klaus' eyes opened suddenly. He sat up, breathing heavily and trying to wipe the nightmare from his eyes.

     "Sounded like a good dream," Dave mumbled, his voice sleepy.

     When Klaus didn't say anything, he sat up on his elbow and reached out, touching Klaus' arm gently. Klaus flinched away.

     "Don't!"

     "I'm– I'm sorry." Dave pulled his arm away. He only looked half-awake, but was still clearly worried. "Are you–"

     "It was just a nightmare. I'm fine."

     Klaus stood up and rubbed his eyes some more. He was shaking a little, and he tried to pace back and forth until it went away. Nightmares were normal, he knew how to deal with them, usually. But he hadn't had one so clear or specific since Ben died.

     He couldn't see the future. Right? There was no way he actually was hearing Dave's ghost. So it was just a normal-person-nightmare. It had to be.

     The room was too dark. He walked over to twinkle lights draped over the walls and plugged them in. The room was slightly brighter now, filled with the soft light. That was half the reason he had put them up in the first place; when he had nightmares, or just when the voices were too loud, he couldn't stand to sit in the dark. And these lights weren't bright enough to be seen from the hallway.

     Dave watched from the bed, squinting in the new light. He didn't say anything else, but even Klaus could feel the tension coming from him. He wanted to help.

     "Klaus–"

     "I said I'm fine." Klaus turned to look at Dave.

     The other man looked confused. "I didn't..." He trailed off, looking at Klaus.

     "Klaus."

     Klaus turned slowly, and jumped back when he finally saw the figure standing in the doorway.

     "Jesus," he said, blinking a few times.

     "What?"

     Klaus walked towards the shadow of a person. It looked so much like Dave, he sounded like Dave. Except the ghost was shorter, stockier, and he held himself differently. This was who was in his dream. It wasn't Dave, it was...

     "Dave?" Klaus called softly.

     "What is it? What's wrong?"

     "Did your brother look a hell of a lot like you?"

     Dave hesitated before answering, and Klaus heard the floorboards creak slightly as he stood up and walked over. "I– I guess. Why?"

     Klaus didn't answer, but he watched the ghost's face as Dave settled at Klaus' side. The figure became a little clearer, and a smile spread across its face.

     "Keep him safe," said the ghost, not taking his eyes off of Dave. "Promise me."

     "Wait," Klaus muttered, hoping he was awake enough to do this.

     Dave tentatively touched Klaus' arm. "What's going on? Klaus?"

     He ignored him, trying to focus on the ghost's energy. He couldn't quite hold onto it, but he had to do this.

     "Dave," said the ghost.

     Dave looked around, clearly hearing something. "Is that–"

     "Dave. It's me."

     "Oh my god," muttered Dave, his arm dropping. "Henry?"

     "I can't stay," said the older brother, his voice echoing slightly. "But I wanted to say goodbye."

     "Don't– no, wait. You can stay, okay? Klaus can–"

     Henry shook his head. "You don't need me. You need to be able to move on, and you can't do that with me here."

     "Please," Dave whispered, seemingly frozen in place. "I don't want to lose you again."

     Something flashed across Henry's face. "Dave. Dave. I don't want to leave you, really. And I'm so sorry for leaving, leaving you with her, before–"

     "It wasn't your fault. You didn't have a choice then! You have a choice now. Don't go."

     "I have to. I'm only here because I needed to see that you were okay. I can't stay after." He paused. Then he smiled. "I'm glad you found someone. He seems better than those idiotic girls mom tried to throw at us."

     Dave's face looked panicked. "I– He's–"

     Still got stuck with an idiot, Klaus thought to himself.

     "It's okay, Dave. I love you." Henry reached out, grabbing Dave's shoulder for a moment, testing whether he could touch him or not, before pulling him into a hug. "But I have to go," he whispered as Dave hugged him back.

     Dave didn't say anything else this time. He stood there in Henry's arms as he faded away, until even Klaus couldn't see him anymore.

     "Hey, Dave, I didn't... shit, I'm sorry."

     Still silent, the other man simply sank down until he was sitting on the floor, knees up to his face. Klaus had never seen him so vulnerable, so upset.

     "Dave?"

     Klaus knelt down next to him, reaching out but hesitating. Dave's shoulders were shaking, tears falling down his face.

     "Thank you." He breathed the words more than he said them. "Thank you."

     After another moment, Klaus wrapped his arms around Dave and held him close against his chest. He could feel the other man shaking, and he wasn't sure what else he could do. So he sat there in the dim light and held him and held him and held him.