The fundamental problem of Dreaming

Awaken

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With the other Hargreaves children arriving so sudden, Pogo didn't have time to check on the sleeping one that hid downstairs in a special room.
But with them busy now, he though he'd better use this time to make sure everything was okay.

As he walked into the dark room, he was shocked to see the red blinking light on the machine. The beeping sound across from him warned him that something was wrong.

The computers that were hooked up to the red headed girl were static and no longer recoding any dreams.

"Miss Juniper." Pogo said out loud. He looked to the Machine, only to now realize that it was empty. 
Confused, the chimpanzee looked around the room. A sad smile etched his face when he saw a small bundle of red in the corner. The body moves back and forth as she mumbles to herself, or tried to. Her words came out scattered and in bits for having not talked in years.

"Miss Juniper." Pogo said again.
This time slowly walking up to the scared girl. She kept her head down as he got closer and closer to the girl, pondering to himself if he should've brought down Grace with him.

"Number Zero." He tried. 
She looked up. Her long red hair fell on her face as she stared at the Butler with fear.

"P—Pogo?" She whispered

Pogo nodded and held out his hand. She slowly took it and with some struggle, she was able to stand up and walk on her two legs.

"Come on dear, let's get you something to eat. You must be hungry."

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It was like she was learning all over again. Being in that Machine forced her to stay dormant and she even stopped growing. The girl sat with her mother as she got her some porridge and she took a sip out of her bendy straw and let the refreshing water slid easily down her throat.

It didn't take long for Juniper to learn to get her voice back. Only about a few days of being awake was she talking in full sentences and words.
It took a week for her to run.
It took two for her to realize the emptiness of the house, and the lacking presence of her father; not that she wanted to see him after what he did to her.

But, as she ate, she finally decided to ask the question that's been in the back of her mind since she woke up.

"Mom, where are the others?"

"Why don't you finish up your dinner, I have cookies in the oven that'll be done right after." She said. Her cheery voice avoided the question. Juniper squinted her eyes at her robotic mother.

"But—"

"Miss Juniper. Why don't you finish and after we'll discuss all the questions you have."

Juniper looked over to Pogo. She nodded at him and quickly finished her meal. She pulled out of her chair and pushed it back under the table.

She quietly followed Pogo out of the kitchen and into the big living room. They stopped in front of the fireplace and Juniper let out a small gasp when she looked up and saw a small Portrait of her best friend.

"How—-how haven't I noticed this before..." she said. A hot tear slid down her cheek.

"It's all right. He—-we are not sure if he's alive or—-but you're father believed he was still out there somewhere." Pogo said. "Come along. There's something else you should see."

Pogo led the girl out side. She shivered at the sudden coldness from the wind as it brushed her hair back out of her face.
She looked around at the clearly unkept yard and her eyes widen when she sees a statue.

"Ben." She whispered as she approached. She got down on her knees and traced her finger on the plaque. The words bringing more tears to her eyes as she remembers her times with her other best friend.

While she was asleep, she had missed two of her best friends disappearing and dyeing, not to mention her father.

What was there to do now?

Why did she have to wake up to such sadness?

It was like when she was awake. She would be afraid to sleep because her dreams would be of such horrors; but now, it was like her reality was turning into her dreams.

"Oh, Miss Juniper. Though I'm sure your not ready to see anyone, your siblings are coming back for your fathers wake." Pogo said

Juniper looked up. The chimpanzee clearly ageing by the looks of his old face. Her sadden expression confirmed that she wasn't ready to see anyone.

But she missed her siblings. So she would pull through and tough it out.
Sure she just woke up from a deep sleep and found out half her family was dead and gone, but there's nothing like a funeral to bring them all back together.

"I—I'll be okay, Pogo. Diego is still with us, right?" She asks hopefully.

"Yes, dear. He is. He'll be here tomorrow. With the others."

Juniper smiled. The thought of her other best friend still alive made her not lose hope.
Oh the surprise they're in for when they all return.