"I don't understand," Dream huffed. "It's supposed to be here."

Dream paced around the woods, holding George close to his chest. The snow covered forest floor made everything white. Minx's cottage was supposed to be there, but in it's place was just a small opening of snow.

Sapnap spoke up from behind him, "Dream, I think it's time."

"Time for what?"

Dream turned to look at the pyrokinetic, frowning at the look in his eyes. Sapnap muttered, "We should bury him. The ground is hard enough already. We should bury him before winter hits us full on."

Dream blinked in shock. "What?! No, Sapnap, Minx lives around here. We're so close... how could you even think about burying him?"

Sapnap hesitated before saying, "Dream, it's been over a week. The cold is the only thing keeping his body from decaying."

Dream hugged George closer to his chest protectively. He looked at Callahan, then Karl, both had expressions of agreement and sorrow.

"Guys," Dream insisted, "c'mon, listen to me. Minx can help him―"

"He's dead, Dream!" Sapnap interrupted loudly, tears in his eyes.

Dream flinched. "He's okay, we can―"

"Dream," Sapnap whispered, stepping forward. "It's okay. The first stage of grief is denial."

"I'm not in denial," Dream said defensively. "I know he's dead, okay? But he can come back. Sapnap, we can save him."

Sapnap's shoulders slumped as he whispered hoarsely, "Do you not understand how wrong this is? You've been carrying George around like a fucking baby. He's dead, there's nothing we can do to change that."

"You don't understand."

"Try me."

Dream's breath hitched and he looked at George. His lover's head was resting against his chest, motionless. Dream didn't dare let tears dwell in his eyes and he said, his voice cracking, "I promised to protect him. I promised to protect him with my life and now... it's my fault― I failed. I fucking broke my promise, so I'm going to make things right and fix it."

Sapnap exhaled shakily. "Dream, I know how much you love him, okay? I really do, but this is extreme."

"You don't know shit," Dream snapped, his eyes shooting daggers. "Karl is alive, you know nothing about how I feel."

"George was my friend too."

"Stop using 'was'!" Dream shouted, his chest rising and falling as his breathing quickened. "We're going to get him back."

Sapnap stepped forward again, lifting a hand to Dream's shoulder. He breathed, "Dream, it'd be so much easier for you if you would just listen to me."

Sapnap's eyes dropped down to look at George in Dream's arms. Dream stepped back, his grip tightening around George as he snapped, "You just want to get rid of him! You want to bury him where no one will ever see him again."

"That's not true."

A tear slipped past Dream's defenses, sliding down his cheek. He swallowed and muttered, "I love him, Sapnap. I'll do anything for him, anything. You don't understand."

"I do understand!" Sapnap shouted. "Dream, you're so fucking ignorant! Can't you see that I cared for George too! I loved him too... yeah, it's not the same way you loved him, but it still hurts."

Dream clenched his jaw, shoving away the guilt that climbed up his throat. He couldn't let guilt get to him now. He needed to save George, so he said stiffly, "Well, I don't fucking care."

"What?" Sapnap asked, his face falling.

"I said I don't care," Dream hissed. "Clearly, I'm the only one who wants George back, the rest of you just want to stick him in the dirt and move on."

"Dream, we all want George back, but this is insane. You're insane."

Dream flinched. "You don't understand."

"For fuck's sake, Dream!" Sapnap yelled. "Get over yourself, you can't save him! He's dead. He's gone. Nothing you can do will change that!"

Dream said nothing, keeping his expression cold and hateful. Sapnap's voice fell, "I don't want to take part in whatever witchy shit that you're going to try to do. Just let George rest in peace, you need to move on."

"In peace?!" Dream laughed hysterically. "You think that he's at peace right now? Sapnap, he's dead!"

Sapnap didn't reply and Dream's words echoed throughout the trees around them. Dream winced at his words and took a deep breath. "Fine, if you don't want any part in saving George, then you can leave. Go. I don't need you anyways."

Sapnap observed Dream, his face unreadable. Sapnap sighed. "I'm sorry, Dream, but I'm not going to leave."

"Why?"

Sapnap ran his finger through his hair and Karl rested a hand on his shoulder. Dream looked away and Sapnap said, "I'm staying with you, because when your witch friend fails, you're going to need me. You may not need me now, but you will. I don't want you to do anything stupid."

Dream's lips thinned. "Minx won't fail."

"Dream, you're trying to bring George back from the dead. He's been dead for over a week... Why can't you accept that?"

Dream didn't answer, watching as Sapnap sighed and sat down, leaning against a tree. Callahan went off into the woods to get a breather or some wood for a fire, whichever, or maybe it was both. Karl sat next to Sapnap, the two interlacing their fingers.

Dream swallowed and looked away, his eyes landing on George. A small smile ghosted his lips and he sat down, resting George's head on his lap. Running his fingers through dark brown hair, Dream hummed the tune that George used to hum to calm him down.

He avoided looking at the strip of cloth on George's neck, covering what had happened. Dream took off his cloak and covered George, not caring about his own comfort. He could feel two pairs of eyes staring at him, but Dream said nothing.

"You're staring," Dream had muttered all those nights ago.

"I know."

Dream smiled softly at the memory, recalling how they met. Oh, how he missed George's voice.

"I would think that a Faerie would have better things to do than visit some shitty carnival."

"I would think the same of a prince," Dream had responded.

His fingers tugged through George's hair absentmindedly as more memories popped into his head. He didn't notice when Callahan returned with kindling and when Sapnap started a fire.

"I think your name is... idiot. Yeah, I'm gonna call you idiot from now on...

"I am very funny, comedic relief, am I right? You're the type of guy that needs some humor in his life."

Dream's lips tugged up in a smile, closing his eyes as he remembered their bickering.

"Can his highness not handle a little bit of cruelty? Listen here, prince, the world isn't full of rainbows and butterflies like a castle, okay? The world is harsh and unfair."

Unfair, such a fitting word.

"What happens when I grow old and you stay young?"

"George, we have time."

But they didn't have time. Dream had lied without knowing it.

Time... a complicated idea, really. Now that Dream thought about it he realized that he had never quite understood the concept until now.

Seconds tick by, turning into minutes, then hours, days, weeks, months, years. Dream now understood that time was different for everyone. He had grown up with the idea that he could take his time, he had centuries ahead of him. Dream never had to hurry, there was never a point in rushing, but for George...

For George, time was different. Time was much shorter, much more valuable. He didn't have the same concept as Dream. Dream supposed that was their downfall.

Time. Dream's thoughts turned bitter and his mouth twisted into a scowl.

Dream's brows pinched together, surprised at himself. Why was he thinking about this? He didn't waste his time with George, he never had. They would have more time when George was back.

Dream's shoulders relaxed in relief. Soon enough it would all be better, it would be perfect.

They'd have their house in the countryside, they'd get a cat, hell, maybe they'd even take in an abandoned child. Dream missed having a little girl around. Would things be different if he had a daughter?

Would she be bold and vivacious like his sister? Dream could teach her the constellations, he'd teach her and George.

Dream swallowed the lump in his throat and opened his eyes. His eyes raked over George's features fondly, looking at his partner with so much love. Love that he didn't think he could have.

He could imagine it all.

Sunrises picking daffodils with their daughter, evening picnics in the meadow by their home with bountiful fruits and pastries, late night stargazing.

Dream's heart ached for it all.

They'd have it soon enough. George will be back and everything will be perfect. Dream couldn't help it as his thoughts carried further and further. He closed his eyes as he pictured it.

Tiny fingers combing through soft cat fur. The rumble of purrs vibrating his arms. Soft kisses on his mouth. Smiles and laughs and joy.

Warm, yellow light shining through the windows, illuminating the cookies on the table. Orange light and chilly air brushing cheeks as they jumped in leaves. Cold, white snow on their tongues as snow angels appeared below them. Green grass and colorful flowers gathering on their pants as they roamed through meadows.

Dream could have everything he'd ever dreamed of. It was so close, right there in front of him. His lover, his world, his everything, the person that laid in his lap. George was so close, yet so far away.

He sighed and leaned down, pressing a kiss to George's forehead. He ignored how cold George's skin was. Dream's heart throbbed, missing George more than anything.

Dream missed his smile, his laugh, the way his eyebrow would quirk at something Dream said or how his eyes were always understanding. All those months before Dream had mistaken the love in George's eyes for something else, but now... now that those three words had been said, Dream realized that George had loved him for far longer than he had known.

Dream shivered, pulling his cloak tighter around George. He tuned out Sapnap and Karl's conversation, focusing only on George. He thought that he had memorized everything about George, but now that he looked closely, Dream saw a few freckles on his pale skin.

He brushed a finger tenderly over the small brown spots, a soft smile tugging on the corners of his lips. Could he count George's freckles like George had done for him? Dream's heart sent a pang through his chest at the thought.

Dream's breathing steadied as he leaned back against a tree. Keeping his fingers in George's hair, he fell asleep after a week without sleep, full of constant worrying and pacing.

~

"Dream, over here!"

Dream blinked, looking around. He was standing in front of an unfamiliar forest. When did he get here? The familiar voice called again and Dream picked up his pace to follow it. Walking into the forest, he was met with a beaming smile and bright eyes.

"George?" Dream whispered in disbelief, "You're alive?"

George walked up to him and grabbed his hand. With a bright smile, George said, "Of course I am! When have I ever been otherwise?"

Dream's eyes widened at their connected hands. He turned George's palm over, his breath catching as he looked back to meet George's eyes. He choked out a sob and embraced George. His eyes fluttered shut as tears of relief and happiness threatened to spill.

George laughed softly. "What are you doing? I've never seen you so happy to see me."

Dream stepped back, holding George's shoulders at arms length. He searched George's eyes, finding nothing but pure love and joy. He was undoubtedly alive.

Dream's fingers travelled from his lover's shoulders to his cheeks and pressed their foreheads together. George's eyes were confused at Dream's elation, but he was happy nonetheless, always happy with Dream.

"I love you so much, George," Dream whispered.

"I know, you idiot, you tell me everyday," George said with a fond laugh. "And I always say I love you more."

"How much more?"

"More than the stars in the sky."

"That's a whole lot," Dream murmured, his heart warming.

"It's true," George whispered. He pulled away and Dream through the trees and into a small opening with a quiet pool of water.

They sat down, facing each other, and Dream couldn't stop staring. His eyes roamed over George's face, taking in everything from his soft hair to his quirked lips. George fiddled with the bracelet on Dream's wrist and Dream recalled how they had made bracelets for each other― an unspoken promise.

"I'm sorry, George."

George looked up, visible confusion across his features. Dream explained, "I never should've pushed the conversation about our future away, for pushing you away. It's my fault, all of it."

"Dream, you've never pushed me away," George replied, confused. He leaned forward and took Dream's hands in his own, murmuring, "And as for our future, we have all the time in the world."

"But we don't―"

George shushed him, placing a finger on Dream's parted lips. His finger ran up Dream's face and brushed a lock of hair across his forehead. Dream sighed, leaning into the touch. He had missed this, George.

George whispered, "Dream, I love you, that's all that matters."

"But―" Dream cut off when George pulled him closer into a hug. George's chin rested on his shoulder, his hair brushing Dream's ear. Dream melted at the touch, tears slipping down his cheeks. "I missed you so much."

"I'm here, Dream, I'm here."

~

Dream's breath hitched as his eyes were greeted with a cold wind. His heart dropped as he looked down, finding George's pale head still in his lap. Dream closed his eyes, it was just a dream.

Tears slipped down his cheeks as he took a shaky inhale. George's words echoed in his ears, 'I'm here, Dream, I'm here.'

His fingers sought familiar, dark hair, tangling in brown locks. He opened his eyes and pressed his forehead to George's. He whispered, "Don't worry George, I'll get you back."

Dream looked up, finding everyone asleep. He took a deep breath and stood up, lifting George in his arms. With one last look, he left the campsite, not regretting anything.

Surely, Sapnap would understand.