Sweet Dreams - The Black Parade

**Angila** · 08-09-2008, 07:10 PM

Sweet Dreams

Rating: 18+ for adult situations and language.

Main Characters: Nicki, Julia, Mikey, Frank, Gerard.

Genre: Fantasy/Drama

Summary: Night after night Nicki has dreams, nightmares really, that cannot be explained. They revolve around someone she has never met, and usually involve that person's death. Are they simply nightmares, or something more?

Disclaimer: I do not have contact with My Chemical Romance. I do, however, own or have permission to use the other characters that do, in fact, exist. All others are purely fictional, as is this story. This story is mine.

Chapter Index:

Chapter 1-page 1
Chapter 2-page 2
Chapter 3-page 3
Chapter 4-page 6
Chapter 5-page 9
Chapter 6-page 11
Chapter 7-page 12
Chapter 8-page 14
Chapter 9-page 16
Chapter 10-page 18
Chapter 11-page 20
Chapter 12-page 21
Chapter 13-page 24
Chapter 14-page 26
Chapter 15-page 28
Chapter 16-page 29
Chapter 17-page 30
Chapter 18-page 31
Chapter 19-page 32
Chapters 20 & 21-page 33
Chapter 22 & 23-page 34
Chapter 24 & 25-page 35
Chapter 26-page 38
Chapter 27-page 40, 41

**Angila** · 08-09-2008, 07:16 PM

“A dream is not a dream until you have lived it.” –Unknown.

The man was dying. As surely as I could see my own breath in the winter air, I knew he would soon be gone. He clutched at his chest as I bent over him. “Hold on, sir. Help is on the way.”

His eyes rolled back into his head, but he was trying to speak. “My…”

“I’m sorry, I can’t understand you.” I forced myself to keep up the calm façade, but inside I was panicking. I’d never before been near someone so close to death. It wasn’t beautiful, as literature might lead one to believe. It was ugly, and all encompassing.

“My…” The sound of the subway screeching to a halt was so loud…deafening. I covered my ears, but the noise didn’t stop.

Springing up in bed, I realized the screeching subway sound was, in fact, my alarm clock. “Damn it!” I exclaimed aloud, to no one. That nightmare had haunted me every night this week. Always the same old man, always the same. He said my…, and he never got another word out of him before I woke up.

Swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, I begrudgingly began to ready myself for work. Working at a call-center was certainly not fun, but it paid the bills for my dismal apartment. I longed for a better way to make a living, but the options were limited for a twenty-year-old without a degree and no experience.

“Hey, Nicki!” Mikey exclaimed as I stepped inside the nondescript brown building we called our workplace. Mikey was sweet, and definitely cute. The only thing that stopped me from going after him was the fact that he was in love with our other friend, Julia. Julia, of course, was oblivious to this. It was aggravating how obvious he made it. Maybe one of these days I’d break my promise to Mikey and spill it all.

“Nicki, come here!” Julia called from her cubicle next to mine. “I had the most amazing date last night!” She began to go into incredible detail, and I tried not to watch Mikey’s crestfallen face as I listened closely. He plopped down at his seat on the other side of me and began typing angrily. Julia didn’t notice as she continued on with her story. “So after that we went for ice-cream, and then-“

“Sounds lame,” Mikey interjected, his gaze still on his computer.

“Oh? And how would you know? You haven’t been on a date in what, two years?” Julia poked fun, smiling light-heartedly.

“I’m waiting for the right girl. When I find her, I’m sure I can come up with a better idea than ice-cream.”

“Enlighten me.” Julia rolled her chair away from her cubicle and nearly into Mikey’s. If she didn’t plug her headset back in, she’d bump all her calls to me.

“Julia…”

Mikey tapped his chin. “Well, I’d start the date out at the beach.”

“And then?” She asked, her attention fully his. He relished in it.

“After a romantic walk, I’d lead her to the place where I’d previously set up a romantic beach-side dinner. Candle-lit of course, if it’s not too windy.”

“Julia!” I screeched, a little too loudly.

Both of them snapped their attention to me, Julia rolling back toward her desk. “What?”

“Plug your ass in.”

“Jesus, sorry.” She obliged, then turned back to me. “What’s the matter? More dreams?”

I nodded, absently twirling my own cord around my finger. “Yeah. He keeps dying.”

“They’re only dreams.”

“I understand that, but why are they always the same? And almost always, someone dies in them. Do you ever have dreams like that?”

She glanced at her computer thoughtfully. “Well, no, but last night I dreamt that I came to work in my underwear.”

Mikey let out a low-whistle. “Amazing! I had that same dream last night too! You looked really good, by the way.”

Julia rolled her eyes, began to speak, and then stopped. “Thank-you for choosing Telecarter. My name is Julia. How may I help you?” She scooted back up to her computer as my headset beeped as well. Our workday had begun.

As Julia’s lunch break began ten minutes before my own, she had to wait in the lunchroom for Mikey and I. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why she hopped around so excitedly when she saw me.

“Guess what!” She cried, thrusting a card into my hand. Dr. Lexi Adler.

“Who’s this?”

“She’s a dream specialist. She can interpret yours for you so you can get on with your life.”

“I don’t know, Julia,” I told her warily, stuffing the card into my pocket. “I’ve never told anyone but you guys about my dreams before. I’ll probably get stuffed in the psych ward.”

“Nonsense. Call her, and set up an appointment. At least give it a shot.”

“I’ll think about it,” I muttered, as we settled down on our usual spot, the couch. Others glared at us as they walked by. Everyone wanted the couch. I smiled happily and flipped off one such bitch as she rolled her eyes at me. If I were getting more sleep and had more energy, I’d surely kick her stupid ass. I yawned and leaned into Mikey’s shoulder. Without even being aware of it, I fell into a deep and sudden sleep.

The fire burned so hot, my skin felt instantly scorched. “Remove all personnel…no inhabitants in the building…” Someone’s cb went off, presumably a fireman’s. I fell to my hands and knees, but quickly lifted my palms. The floor was hot, but no flame could be seen. I tried to make my way back to my feet. My lungs burned, and it was difficult to pull air into my oxygen-starved lungs.

“Nicki! Oh God, Nicki!” Strong hands lifted me up, and put me over their shoulder. This person knew me. I turned to get a good look at the side of his face. Handsome features, and dark hair poked out beneath his helmet. Surely, I would remember this man. “You’re going to be okay now, sweetie,” He reassured me. I stiffened as I felt his hand graze my ass as he bent under a fallen rafter. Just how well did he think he knew me?

“When we get out of here, I’m going to take you somewhere special. Away from all this, okay?” He turned and made eye contact, and I gazed at him in confusion. He might be hot, but I wasn’t about to go anywhere ‘special’ with someone I’d just met.

I gulped, and he suddenly stopped in his tracks. “Oh shit…” It was then that I heard the creaking sound of the floor beneath his feet. “Don’t get mad, but on the count of three I’m going to throw you as far as I can down that hallway.”

“What? No!”

“One…two…”

It was then that the floor gave away beneath us.

“Nicki! Wake up!” I opened my eyes to see Mikey peering at me in concern. “You’re sweating like hell.” He pressed a hand to my forehead and hissed. “God, you’re burning up!”

I lurched to a standing position. “Guys, tell the powers that be that I’m sick and taking the rest of the day off. I’m calling Dr. Whatshername as soon as I get home.
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Sorry, Lexi, I don't know your last name, so Adler it is!

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