I walk around like a ghost. It's like my brain has shut down, buried in grief and heartache, everything too painful to handle. I wander aimlessly around the hallways of the house, fixated on patches of peeling paint, or crooked panels on the walls. It's all empty, until it's not, and I'm doubled over as waves of razor sharp stabs assault my chest, memories of L'manburg and Wilbur.

Dream leaves me alone, all too polite as he sits at the table while we eat breakfast, keeping his distance everywhere else. Eret makes sure I eat, that I drink, staying at the table with me for hours as I sob at the dinner table, gently coaxing in spoonfuls of watery soup and little sips of water. Sapnap sits with me, chattering endlessly as I stare off into space, background noise that distracts my brain from reliving awful things from the past. Strangely enough, George helps the most.

He takes me outside and lets me sit in comfortable silence, as we stare at the stars, or the bright white clouds that float in the sky. He doesn't make me talk, or walk or do anything, he just sits there beside me. Even when fat raindrops burst on my skin as the sky darkens grey, he sits there; hood pulled up over his head, as I lay on the soaked earth, my tears mixing with the rain. I think it's the only thing truly keeping me alive.

I sleep on the couch. It's close to the front door, and while I don't bother running, old habits die hard. The living room feels safe, and private, and I curl into the cushions, thick blankets tightly pulled around me.

I wake to the sun peeking through the curtains, streams of pure light highlighting odd spots on the floorboards, emitting a soft glow throughout the room. I sit up, stretching out my sleep seized muscles, and tie my wild hair out of my face. George comes into the room, a smile on his face.

"I've got a surprise for you." He tells me. I'm filled with dread, because all the surprises recently have not been good, and I don't have the energy to go out and do anything, but George looks so excited to show me, I can't help but relent. I let him pull me off the couch, and lead me through the house, and out what seems to be the back door.

We're in a garden, neat rows of green leaves, a small shed nestled in the corner. It's kept off with a white picket fence, shrouded by the thick forest that reaches the side of the house. George turns and faces me, face beaming brightly.

"This is my garden, I thought you would enjoy it." He says happily.

And I do, because its cute and neat and normal and it's perfect. Just like my Mum's old garden, one I used to potter around as a small kid, pulling out insects and brightly coloured flowers. I beam right back at George, as he takes me down each row, pointing each plant and eagerly explaining how to grow them.

The garden brings me back to life. I wake up everyday, engulfing my food under Eret's watchful eyes, and head out with George to the garden. It's hard work, under the sun, but it keeps my mind off everything, and it gives me something to keep my hands busy. We spend the morning weeding and planting, and the afternoons swimming in the river. Sapnap joins us, laughing as we yell at him for trampling the carrots, and smack his wandering hands away from the strawberries. I find myself smiling, the horrible squeezing on my heart lessening, and I can start breathing again, start living again.

They gave me a new room. It's huge, airy and open, with floor to ceiling windows and a balcony. The door locks from the inside. It doesn't feel like home though, it's empty, devoid of anything of mine, no paintings, no clothes, no personal valuables. It sometimes reminds me of how I've been taken from everything I care about, but sometimes I see it as a new start. Most of the time however, I still sleep in the living room.

I squeal as cold water splashes the side of my face, and soaks my shirt. I look up and glare at Sapnap who's wearing a shit eating grin on his face, ducking back under the surface of the river. I lean back again, closing my eyes, relishing the beautiful calm of late afternoon sun on my face, and light breeze fluttering gently through the trees. I hear George's shrieks as Sapnap, no doubt, attempts to push him into the water, and Eret's chuckling as he watches them through his glasses.

It's not home, it's not my family, but maybe, just maybe, I can survive here.

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A/N I didn't really know what to write, and I don't really like this chapter at all, so I'm sorry if this is disappointing. I wanted to do something a lot less heavy and dark after the last couple of chapters, but I also wanted to develop the relationships without Dream, for further plot reasons. Unfortunately, this has lead to a filler chapter, which I hate the writing for, but as always, I'm extremely cynical and I hate my writing most of the time so who knows. Rest assured, the plot picks up next chapter.

I also had an idea for another story, one where Dream is an ancient god of the Dream SMP. This story would be in a short story style, and would have a lot of complex and darker themes. Let me know if that's something you guys would enjoy or be interested in!

Thanks for all of your support, and all the votes and comments!!

I still hope you enjoyed this chapter,

Oopsies x