A/N: Bold text is a flashback

TW: Mentions of/References to death

When he woke up, it was to the voice over the speakers, announcing that they were half an hour until landing. Dream blinked his eyes blearily, stretching the best he could in his small seat, yawning slightly. He looked around the packed flight, mind distracted, as it had been for the past day. Dream looked down at his watch, momentarily confused at the contradiction of the time read on his watch and the sky outside, but realized it was London time. He adjusted accordingly, and sat up straight, waiting for the plane to land. Dream felt well rested and full of energy — too much energy. He was practically squirming on his seat, dreading the trip to the hospital he would have to pay in around thirty minutes. As the plane slowly descended, Dream clutched the armrests, slightly nervous, but it landed smoothly. As everyone stood up, shoving for a space in line, Dream rushed for his own spot, pushing out of the airplane rather early, and speed walking down the sleek hallways of the airport. Once he spilled out into the large crowd at the front of the airport, he scanned the mob for Sapnap. Dream reached into his pocket to send Sapnap a text, telling him he'd arrived.

Dream

I'm at the front of the airport

Where are you?

Sapnap

Meet me in the garage

I have the blue car

Look for a black hoodie and jeans

That'll be me

And you know what I look like

Dream

Alright

Coming

Dream stowed the phone away into his pocket, looking up, searching for directions towards the garage. His gaze caught a sign that gestured him towards the left, and he immediately set off in that direction, backpack bouncing on his back. As he arrived at the airport garage, he started scanning for a car and a man that fit Sapnap's description. Dream's gaze landed on a man in the far corner, eyes cast down on his phone, with a visible crease on his forehead.

That'd be Sap

"Sapnap!" Dream called out, waving a hand to the dark haired man. Sapnap looked up, and waved back. Dream walked towards the younger boy, smiling slightly, but it dropped when he realized the look of exhaustion on Sapnap's face.

"What's up." Dream spoke quietly, nervous for the Texan's reaction. Sapnap sighed.

"Nothing good. Come on." Sapnap spoke quietly as well, a hint of ill masked disappointment. Sapnap climbed into the drivers seat, and Dream walked around to the passenger seat. They drove in silence, and Dream stared in apprehension at the looming white hospital.

"George is there, isn't he?" Dream whispered.

"Yes." Sapnap responded simply. The pair exited the car, entering the sterile white hospital, and proceeded into a long hallway. "George is at the end of the hallway, to the right."

Dream stared at the door in question, knowing that his dying friend was behind it.

Not dying.

He took a deep breath, pushing the door open, bracing himself to see the state George was in. And he was surprised to see George lying peacefully on the bed. The only evidence of any harm that came to George was a large bandage around his head and alarmingly slow breathing.

"George." Dream rushed to the shorter boy's side. George's breathing was shallow, even for one in a coma. "Oh no. Please no." Dream shut his eyes, praying.

"He's not doing too well." A doctor spoke from behind him.

"No. Please." Dream felt tears start to well up. He clutched his own hair, feeling slightly crazed. "No, this is my fault." He buried his face in his hands. "Nonononono. Not George." Dream sank to his knees, face leaning on the side of the hospital bed, head spinning with despair. He felt a hand on his shoulder, but he shook it off.

"Sapnap, it's my fault. It's all my fault." Dream wailed, attracting the attention of the people walking past in the hallway. Sapnap angrily shut the door and advanced on Dream.

"Listen, Dream, whether it's your fault or not, the fact is that you're not helping. Don't scream in the hospital, we don't know if George can hear us or not. Be calm, you're 21." Sapnap snapped angrily.

Dream turned his blotchy face towards Sapnap, desperation evident in his eyes. "It's my fault." He whispered, helpless. Suddenly, an alarm went off, and doctors rushed into the room, pushing the two boys outside. "What's going on?" Dream called out, trying to get back to his friend's side. The door shut, and he turned to Sapnap. The younger boy sank down against the wall, face buried in his hands.

"Dream. I don't think George is going to make it." Sapnap mumbled from behind his fingers.

"What do you mean?" Dream widened his eyes, alarmed. "What did the alarms mean?"

"His heart rate has flatlined. It flatlined a few times before this. He's struggling, Dream."

Dream felt a pit open up into his stomach, and he was frozen in place, mind racing. "no. Nonononono. NO!" The blonde haired boy ran to the door, intending to barge in, but Sapnap caught the older boy in time to avoid disaster.

"Dream, calm down. You're not helping." Sapnap spoke through gritted teeth, panting slightly from the effort of restraining Dream. "Calm!" Sapnap shrieked, slightly hysterical.

If Sapnap was becoming hysterical, Dream was on the verge of breakdown. He was clawing desperately for the door, eyes mad and wild. "No!" Suddenly, he went limp, and Sapnap staggered a little. Tears started streaming down Dream's face, soaking into the hoodie he was wearing, staining the cloth into a darker shade. "no. not george." He whispered, whimpering slightly. Sapnap looked down at the blonde haired boy with an air of pity and sadness.

The door opened, and the team of doctors walked out, looking dejected. Sapnap widened his eyes, bracing himself for the news.

"I'm sorry. Your friend didn't make it."

-

Dream stared at the white hospital door marked 526. Behind that door was his dead friend. He shut his eyes, hoping that when he opened them, he would be safely back in Florida, lying in bed, waking up to a fresh new day, and George would be there -- and Dream could apologize. But when he opened his eyes, he was greeted by the same door. Dream pushed the door open, eyes shut, bracing himself to see George's body. When he opened his eyes again, George's body was splayed weakly on the small hospital bed. Dream fell to his knees.

George was gone. Properly gone.

George had kept many of his secrets to the grave. Literally.

George was dead. He was dead. It didn't matter anymore. The tears that were welling up in his eyes were blurring his vision, spilling over, tracing tracks down his cheek.

He hadn't said sorry. He hadn't said good bye. He clutched George's shirt, burying his face into the still warm body. George's body was still, limp, and unresponsive to Dream's touch. George would never say another word, he would never speak to Dream again. The blonde haired boy brushed a piece of hair away from George's shut eyes, studying the calm features of the older boy. Dream would've given everything, his life, his life savings, his every possession to see George's eyes blink open and to hear his laugh again. He traced his thumb over George's cheek, praying, hoping that a miracle would occur and George's doe brown eyes would come to life again. At no reaction from the dark haired boy, Dream squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head, breath catching in his throat, tears filtered through his eyelids and dripping steadily onto

George's.

Dead.

Body.

He sobbed over the lifeless corpse, eyes raw, salty tears falling one by one onto the soft fabric of George's shirt.

Dream felt a hand on his shoulder. This time, he didn't shake it off, instead turned towards it, and embraced the hug from Sapnap.

"I didn't get to say goodbye." He whispered.

"I know."