To Protect

Chapter 11.

*T/W SUICIDE, please don't read if this will upset you or trigger you in any way! Just to remind that this is a made up story and you are safe and you are okay. Drink plenty of water and take time to yourself today :)*

I just kept going. All the time. I never stopped more than one night in the places I visited. Spending my first night in Tommy's exile camp, knowing that would be the last place everyone would come to look for me. The day after I sneaked my way through town to the badlands. Bad welcomed me happily as the news of recent events hadn't reached him yet. However, once I told him everything that occurred his tone quickly changed with me. He left me alone for a few hours saying he had to go and do some business but I knew he was going to discuss everything with Skeppy, Ant and Sam. Upon his return, he informed me that he wouldn't give me up to L'manburg because he cared about me but that I could only stay one night. I had done awful things and Bad didn't condone it, neither did the others. I understood. I left before they all woke up the next morning, the conversation we had before we went to sleep ringing through my ears.

"He was just a boy Dream..." Bad politely reminded me, a soft hand on my shoulder in comfort as the guilt washed over me.

"I know... I know. I did a terrible thing Bad and I can't fix it. I wish I could I really do but there's no way."

"You know you can turn yourself in." I shook my head.

"Something happened to me Bad, I don't know what it is but it's still happening. It's like I'm not me anymore, I'm not Dream, I'm... I'm nightmare."

"You're who?" He questioned, clearly puzzled.

"Nightmare. It's a dark side of me and it's taking over, I called him nightmare because he is a thing my nightmares would consist of. A hatred filled, angry and greedy guy. Unstoppable."

"He's not unstoppable if you fight him Dream. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for." His words reassured me despite them being untrue.

"He will always win. You don't understand. He's too powerful for me." I looked down at my hands as they trembled. Bad's grip on my shoulder tightening. "There's only one way for me to defeat him..." He seemed to understand what I was hinting at, keeping silent. "I need to speak to George, tell him I'm sorry and I love him before I go, but I'm running out of time."

"Time?"

"Yes. He was so close to becoming the dominant force taking over my body and I'm afraid I don't have enough time left before that happens again and I lose myself. I'll be trapped. I'll be gone and it will just be him. George needs to know I love him before I leave, Bad. He has to know this wasn't me and I tried so hard." He nodded.

"He knows you love him." His voice a mere whisper but consoling all the same. The conversation died away after that, Bad leaving me to rest.

The next week and a half I spent navigating my way through the lands around L'manburg, close enough not to get lost but far away enough that they wouldn't find me. Each night I moved. It was exhausting but I couldn't go back yet and face what I had done. I knew the only person I was going to see was George.

Each day I thought about what I would say to him, my dreams at night were filled with soft touches from his hands and forgiving words from his mouth. I only hoped when I finally did come face to face with him that my dreams would stand a reality and he would forgive me after I explained.

The morning was bright and stung my tired eyes as I woke up, the tree's surrounding providing no shelter from the rays. I stretched out in the makeshift bed and sighed deeply. Once I decided to get up, I packed all my stuff quickly, knowing I had to continue moving and leave no trace of my presence.