Daydreamer

Part 9: Trust

The Corinthian led Katarina out of the room, a woman standing outside who did not seem to like the young girl's presence but she was ignored as the nightmare asked for a moment before she met her downstairs. "Good Doctor" was what Katarina could see from her name tag before she hesitantly headed towards the elevator, leaving the two alone in the hallway for a moment. She leaned against the wall, her arms crossed as she looked up at the nightmare, who leaned his arm by her head, leaning in slightly so that she could feel his "eyes" staring at her.

"What's it been since I last saw you, Kat?" He said quietly and she adjusted a bit against the wallpaper before looking back up at him.

"Well, I was asleep for eighty plus years," She said nonchalantly, "Like a lot of people, which I'm sure you knew about given how you helped the Magus with imprisoning Morpheus."

"And what makes you think I had any part of that, hm?"

"The Magus didn't just conjure up the glass sphere that imprisoned him from thin air. You were the only being besides Morpheus who could have seen that contraption used to imprison witches, Cori. As I'm sure you remember plenty when you plagued my nightmares."

"I'm flattered you remember me," He chuckled but she only sighed, her hand coming up slowly to cup his cheek, making him jump ever so slightly, "Kat..."

"You were so gentle before..." She whispered, her fingers gently brushing across the skin of his cheek, "You would spend many nights just sitting with me, calming me with your words, wiping my tears with gentle hands..what happened, Cori?" The nightmare's lips set in a thin line at her words but he didn't move away, instead leaning his head into her touch. They stood like that for a moment before he sighed, his head going onto her shoulder and his arms wrapping around her waist. Katarina was slightly startled but adapted to the new position, her arms wrapping around him while one hand brushed through his soft, blonde hair. The nightmare inhaled at the feeling of her nails against his scalp, taking in her scent as he held her close before pulling away as quickly as he pulled her close, moving to walk down the hallway. Katarina tilted her head as he looked back at her before his hand was being held out, making her smile a bit as she placed her fingers on his palm, their hands intertwining as he led her towards the elevator. The Good Doctor was still waiting there, her eyes glancing at their hands and back up at the two before she looked away, the three getting into the elevator and heading back down to the convention. When they entered the main conference room, the Corinthian told her to stay just a few feet from the stage entrance, giving her hand a squeeze and offering her one last signature Cori smile before he stood behind the podium once more, addressing the many "Collectors" as they called themselves, sat around the room. He spoke to them so calmly yet passionate as he talked about their dream, a common one they all shared and Katarina couldn't help but close her eyes, her ears not wanting to hear how happy he was to influence so many killers.

It wasn't until he stopped and another voice, just as calm but deeper and disappointed cut through the air that she opened her eyes again, peering around the corner to see Dream standing there adorning his usual coat, but shorter, the hem stopping near his thighs instead of pooling on the floor around him. The two spoke, both biting words at the other as Dream expressed his disappointment in the nightmare while the nightmare did the same to his maker. They spoke for sometime, all the other heads in the room bowed as they all dreamed their glorious murders, Dream slowly making his way up the the stage. His hand raised to uncreate the nightmare and to his and Katarina's surprise, Cori was able to pierce Dream's flesh with his dagger, the Endless falling to his knee as he looked at his bleeding palm. She was going to run to him, a healing spell ready in her head when she felt her vision blur, her eyes closing as she slumped against the wall. Being pulled into the dreams of the murderers, Katarina looked around at the basement she was pulled into, seeing four different killers in their own cubicle of their favorite way of killing, the blood and gore almost making the witch vomit on the spot. Cori and Dream stood at the center, sandwiching the vortex who looked terrified for a moment before she turned towards Katarina.