My head was pounding when I woke up.

I opened my eyes to look around, seeing that we were still surrounded by the tower's rubble. Blackstone chunks clumped together with some falling into divots from the explosions. Dust was still settling on the ground.

I shoved some debris off of me, only having a few scratches on my bare skin, thankfully. Next to me, Dream lay too still, his chest barely rising and falling under some crumpled stone.

Frantically, I grasped at my belt, pulling free a potion. Neon pink liquid sloshed around in the glass before spilling into Dream's mouth as I nudged his mask out of the way. It would make him drowsy, but it would keep his heart beating.

After he had caught not only his weight but mine too, he would definitely have some broken bones.

I glanced around, seeing everyone else was breathing evenly, just knocked out. Leaving me alone with the rubble and dust.

"Well, well, look who's all alone now." I turned to see Wilbur talking to me across a crater, his hands tucked deep in his dusty coat pocket. An aggressive expression settled over his face.

I fixed Dream's mask, hiding away his closed eyes. With a single motion, I swept wind under a large piece of debris and lifted it away, revealing my sword to pick up. It was scratched, but not damaged enough to be useless.

"Don't come any closer," I warned as I tried to stand. I put a hand to my head, feeling extremely light-headed. My head must have hit the ground, even if Dream blocked most of the fall for me.

The only thing keeping me on my feet was the magic pulsing in my body, a silent helping hand. Something fought in my chest to break free to help me, but it was unfamiliar so I shoved it back down.

I looked back to Wilbur, seeing that he and Fundy were approaching me with swords out.

Fine, let's fight then, rebels.

"You really want to do this?" I said. I attempted to put on a menacing face but deep down, I knew I couldn't win this by myself. My head was causing me to wobble, just by standing here.

In response to me, Fundy launched at me, his orange ears pinned to his head. I raised my sword in time to block but I shook to my core from the hit. I wouldn't be able to take both.

I quickly dodged his attacks, moving him away from my friends. The boy followed me blindly, swinging his sword with each step he took towards me. Wilbur hovered in the background, preparing to join in.

But I wasn't going down that easily. I dug deep for my remaining strength, pushing my exhaust into quacking power. Something warmed in my chest with the sudden strength, making me grit my teeth and lunge.

My sword connected with Fundy's arm, red blooming in response. He reared back, clutching his arm to the slash in his pale blue uniform, red clinging to his palm.

Wilbur screamed from behind, reaching towards his son to pull him away from me. "Fundy, go home now!"

Fundy looked hesitant to leave his father, but ultimately turned and ran, blood droplets flying behind.

I turned to Wilbur, who made a worthy opponent with his towering height. I breathed in and waited for his attack with my sword raised evenly towards him.

But it didn't come.

"I don't want to fight you," He said, only a foot from me. He sheathed his weapon, a natural habit after he preached no weapons to his followers. "I have a deal to make with you. It's just me and you, no Dream to talk you out of it."

I eyed him, waiting for him to continue. When I didn't respond, he said, "In return for my mercy on you and your unconscious friends, you join L'manberg, willingly. You could have a safe home-"

"Never," I spat at him. "My home is within the Dream lands. Besides, you would never kill me. I know you, Wilbur."

He hesitated for a moment at those words.

"No, you used to know me. Before I became a general." His eyes blazed, reminding me of the image I had seen earlier in my mind. "I have a nation to lead now, people to take care of. I don't want Dream's tyranny."

And with that he jumped, hands out, towards me. I saw his movement quickly and dodged left, feeling his body whoosh past me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Sapnap coming around with a groan. His hand pressed to a spot where blood was spreading across his bandana, eyes closed. But he was awake.

With my distraction, Wilbur jumped again, this time finding purchase on my shoulders. The ground was swept out from my feet with my head hitting the ground again, increasing the pain.

"Sapnap!" I called for his help, trying to squirm out of Wilbur's grasp. Black stars danced across my vision, threatening to pull me back into unconsciousness. My magic screamed distantly, practically keeping me awake.

As much as I tried I couldn't get Wilbur off of me, he was just too tall. He quickly pried the sword from my hands, but this didn't leave me defenseless. I reached up, pushing my hands against his chest with magic.

"Ow, what the hell!" He jumped off of me rubbing where my hot hands had shoved him. Chars marked his dark uniform where my palms had previously been. "You burned me!"

I rose shakily to my feet, ready to fight longer. My hands were shaking as I raised them and bent my knees, my breaths coming out as pants with slipping energy. Not even my magic was trained enough for this.

As Wilbur snapped and stalked towards me again, a blur of white and black collided with him, sending him to the ground. His hat fell from his curls, sliding a few feet away.

Sapnap stood above him, blood dripping down his forehead. "I would suggest leaving now."

Wilbur glanced between Sapnap and I as if he would attack again. But then he scooped up his hat, righted it on his forehead, and walked away with squared shoulders that carried no ounce of the defeat.

As much as I wanted to spit at his boots, I fell to my knees, exhausted. Everything was burning: my bones, head, magic.

Sapnap rushed to my side, ignoring his wound. "Hang in there, y/n. We'll get you somewhere safe. Dream, George, Punz, wake up!" He screamed at our slow-coming friends. By some miracle, they fully opened their eyes.

Sapnap gestured to me, wobbling with his own wounded head. "Can you help me?"

They quickly stood, shook off the fall, and rushed to us. Exhaust dragged their steps, but Dream was able to scoop me up as everything started going dark. They all began yelling at each other, voices ringing loud in my aching head.

"Where are the L'manbergians?"

"What the hell happened?"

"You said the tower would be safe!"

I didn't get to hear the rest, as my eyes closed.

-

Dream pov

She was so still in his arms. It scared him. And not much scared him anymore.

They ran to their old home, the one they abandoned before the war. It stood tall, built with three floors, walls made mostly of glass. There were more rooms than they needed, admittedly, but he was appreciative of a certain room at this moment.

Dream pushed through the front doors, frantically running past the stairs into the makeshift infirmary. Walls were lined with cabinets full of potions, gauze, and other supplies, two white beds next to them.

He put her down one with shaking hands, feeling drowsy himself. The sweet taste of a healing potion lingered on his tongue, the culprit to his sudden fatigue.

But that didn't stop him from grabbing another healing potion of a brewing stand and gently making y/n drink it.

"Dream she's gonna be ok. It's just a head injury and mainly exhaustion," George said, prying Dream from the bedside. "Just give her time. The potion needs time to run its course."

Dream ran a shaky hand through his dirty blonde hair, dropping the empty glass bottle into the sink. It landed with a loud thunk, but y/n didn't even stir on the bed.

"I know, I know. It's the adrenaline," He said, trying to steady himself. She'll be ok. But something dark in him wrapped tight around his heart, greedily grabbing at his worry.

"C'mon, let her rest. We need to sort out what to do next." George laid a thin blanket over her, walking to the door afterward.

"Oh I have a plan for them," Dream muttered to himself, feeling the dark thoughts run their course.

As he left the room, he gave one glance back at y/n.

For once, she looked peaceful.

-

y/n pov

I felt heavy with exhaust as I lifted my head. Looking around I could see a candle burning on the bedside table of the infirmary. It was dark outside, the stars twinkling through the window.

Pressing ice I formed in my hands to my head, I struggled to sit up. Past the pain, I was happy to be home.

Blood rushed to my head as I stood, and I stumbled forward, grabbing the corner of a cabinet with potions shaking inside. Steadying myself again, I leaned on the wall for support and walked to the open door, the blanket around my shoulders.

Quiet conversation spilled out from the dark kitchen across the house. I wandered towards it, still using the wall as support. Wanting to hear what they were talking about, I tapped into my exhausted magic for silent feet.

"...TnT could work again," Sapnap whispered around the corner.

"Yes it could, but we would need to sneak it in," Dream responded, anger in his tone. "Could you distract them enough, Eret?"

I peeked my head slightly around the corner, seeing the crew and ... Eret? Why was he here?

His face was thoughtful behind his sunglasses, the sun blazing in white flares where his eyes were. At that moment, he looked far too old for his actual age with his rumpled uniform and downward lips.

"I can try," His deep voice rumbled out tiredly. "I'm willing to do whatever you need me to."

"You sound uncertain, Eret," Punz questioned him.

"You have my word, I will betray L'manberg."

I crept away, letting their conversation continue on like it had before I had heard. They didn't even know I was there to hear.

Silently, I swept up the several sets of stairs and up a ladder, climbing up and out of a trapdoor with slow and focused efforts.

The moon sparkled out from behind the clouds as a storm approached. Stars were beginning to be blanketed by thick clouds. Everything could be seen from this tower, rising above the house.

I settled myself on the thick fence, letting my feet dangle over the edge with open danger. It was an easy movement, easing myself into this same position most nights. It had always been my favorite spot.

A chill ran through me, past my thin blanket. It didn't matter that it was freezing, I needed to be away from talk of war and in some cool air to clear my pulsing headache.

"Hey, it's freezing, what are you doing up here?" Dream's voice startled me out of my thoughts. He was halfway out of the trapdoor, his head tilted with confusion. "I went to check on you and the infirmary was empty."

"Oh, just trying to get away from you." I teased, scooting over so he could sit.

"Head injury and you're still being fiesty?" He laughed, wheezing. The previous confidence and mask of aggression had slipped away as if he hadn't fallen off a tower after fighting in a war.

I didn't respond, content with the comfortable silence that settled between us. I rested my head on his shoulder, letting myself lean on him. I knew this was just a pause in the war, one stolen moment.

"Thank you," Dream quietly said above me. He had his mask pulled to the side, showing off his freckles and emerald green eyes. He looked out across his land, something in his eyes that I couldn't pinpoint.

"For what?"

"Protecting us after the tower fell. You fought for us, even with a head injury." He smiled at me, a spark skipping through my heart. "So, thank you. We rely on you more often than not."

I felt a blush creep up despite the cold. "Of course. Wilbur was being a bastard."

We fell back into a comfortable silence, the first flakes of snow falling out beyond us. Their light coat caught the pale moonlight, delicate and soft, unaware of the war raging in the day before.

Despite the winter, my heart felt delightfully warm.

~~~~

re-written chapter