Given An Unwanted Second Chance

I didn't bother opening my eyes.  I felt the cold concrete beneath my form and the slight wave of wind around me.  I was exhausted even within my own dreams.

"Eclipse? "

I didn't answer.  I was just too tired to answer.

I heard shuffling beside me as Nightmare probably knelt beside me.  "I can barely sense anything from you.  What happened? "

"Code happened."  I muttered numbly.  "He was there...he took Gradient...we found Gradient...he took me...I...I..."

I couldn't finish.  All I could hear were the cracks of bones, the screams of fear and agony...it was like I could actually hear them and not just echoes in my mind...

Nightmare was quiet for a moment.  "How strange...I can hear those screams."

I opened my eyes, looking up blearily at Nightmare.  The screams were faint, but they were definitely there.  Why...why couldn't I just forget...?

"You killed someone, didn't you? "

I flinched, not verbally answering.

Nightmare narrowed his eye slightly as I felt the ground change from hard concrete to soft grass again.  He didn't move, though his tendrils swished tensely.

"Eclipse?"

Tears broke free from my eyes.  "Leave me alone...please..."

"You're not wanted here, Dream."

"What did Code do to you, Eclipse?"  Dream asked, ignoring his brother.

I started shaking really hard, sobs escaping my lips.  The screams had disappeared with the scene change, but they came back a little louder than before.  I pushed my hands against my ears, curling up tighter and squeezing my eyes shut.  "Make it stop make it stop make it stop---"

I felt a cold hand on my shoulder and rapid footsteps approaching.  Someone knelt behind me, and a slightly warmer hand also rested on my shoulder just below the cold one.

"Dream, go away.  She doesn't need whatever burst of positivity you're hoping to give."

"She doesn't need more negativity, either!  She's drowning!"

"And you'll just smother her further with literally false hope."

"Ugh, look, this isn't the time to be fighting.  Do you...do you still have that ability?"

Silence.

"Nightmare?"

A sigh.  "I never lost it before my death, but I cannot say whether I still possess it."

"Whatever of you still remains, can you search?  Can we help her?"

"Why do you want to help?  WITH me?  You tried to re-kill me not that long ago."

Dream didn't answer, but I could've sworn the screams were getting louder.  It was tearing at what sanity I still had.  I was hyperventilating.

"Eclipse, try to slow your breathing.  Can you do that?"

I barely understood him as I pressed my hands against my ears harder, blocking out most of the screams.  I just wanted peace.

Something cold covered my mouth and gently pulled my hands from my ears, and my eyes shot open, looking up at the skeleton.  "Eclipse, focus on me.  I need you to breathe.  I'll uncover your mouth, but in through your nose first slowly.  Then slowly out through your mouth."