(Forgot to add Trigger warnings. Sorry about that. I got them up now when it comes to it)

That next morning, Chase walked down to get his cup of coffee only to see someone sleeping in on the couch in the living room. Tip-toeing over, he nearly gushed at the adorable scene. Anti and Jackie were cuddled up together on the large couch with Anti almost laying on top of his brother as Jackie just held him.

Then he noticed the tear-streaks on Anti's face and started to questions just why they weren't in their assigned rooms.

Chase started to frown, 'I fucking swear, if Dark OR Jackie hurt him or did anything, I will kill them.'

Jackie groaned a little and opened his eyes, "Chase?" he whispered and sighed, "Don't tell anyone about this"

Chase just smirked, "Maybe. If you tell me why. And why does it look like Anti has been crying?"

"He's been crying?" Jackie carefully looked down at Anti resting his head on his chest and saw the red marks, "I didn't know. Must have been having a bad dream again. Had one earlier last night too."

"Why is he out here anyways? Why is he not in Dark's room?" not that Chase minded.

"He said he wanted Dark to get some sleep. Has insomnia and hasn't been sleeping good. Thought sleeping alone would help him out. Anti didn't want to be alone though, so he asked me to stay with him."

"Ah" Chase nodded, "Alright then. Good job, Jackie. Proud of you. You want some breakfast? Thinking about cooking up some pancakes that Eric told me about."

"Yeah, sounds good. I'll try and edge out of this couch without waking him"

"Good luck" Chase knew Anti was clingy as hell when asleep.

After a few minutes of spy-level cautious moving, Jackie finally was able to get out of Anti's grasp and tip-toe into the kitchen with Chase.

By that time, Henrik and Dr. Iplier had joined in the kitchen as well for their morning coffee. Henrik greeted Jackie, "Morning. How vas the couch?"

"Chase told ya?" Jackie hummed, "It was fine. Anti's a little clingy furnace. Couldn't move most of the night with him hugging me like a teddy bear but it wasn't so bad"

"He's forgiven you, then?"

Jackie paled a little and shrugged, "I guess. He shouldn't but. . ."

Chase sighed as he flipped the pancakes, "Whatever man. It's in the past now. He seems to trust you now. . . " he turned and held a death threat in his eyes, "But if you EVER fucking touch him in a harmful manner or even speak to him in any way that hurts him. . . .I will fucking beat you near death, you understand me, Jackie?"

Jackie merely nodded, "Yes sir."

About a half hour later, they were enjoying their breakfast and some of the other egos started filing in. Anti even finally woke up and made his way into the kitchen.

'I should go check on Dark' he tried to go up to his room but Chase stopped him, grabbing him by his elbow, "Uh-uh, where the hell you think you're going?"

Anti blinked, "I want to go check on Dark. He seemed pretty upset last night"

"Let him rest a bit more, Anti. Eat breakfast first, at least and THEN you can go peek at him, you creeper."

"I'm not a creeper!" he shoved Chase indignantly but rolled his eyes playfully, "Fine. I'll grab a poptart."

"No need" Chase slid him over a plate of pancakes, "Eat up, brat"

Anti started eating without complaint.

Dr. Iplier decided to speak, "I noticed you were outside the room when we were speaking with Dark last night. You heard the conversation?"

Anti chewed his cake but nodded, "Yeah, that's why I slept down here last night. Wanted to give him some privacy to sleep better. See if that helped or not. He seemed really worried, though. But I hope it was just his insomnia."

"Hope what was his insomnia?" Chase asked.

Jackie piped up too, "Yeah you said something about that last night but what was Dark worried about? What was bugging the dude?"

Anti shrugged, not really wanting to talk about it, "He thought he saw something but video evidence claims otherwise, evidently. Docs think it might just be hallucinations."

"Rough"

"What did he see?" Jackie was curious.

"Don't know" Dr. Iplier said, "He just said something about his cane was missing and weird noises and such but on the video, he said it showed he had his cane with him the entire time and when he went to investigate the noises in the attic, the video showed him just frozen."

"Weird."

"It was weird, alright" Bing came in, hearing the conversation, "Saw the whole thing myself but now I'm not too sure if Dark was really messed up or not"

"What do you mean?" asked Anti.

Google came in behind Bing, "We think we might have found something on the tape."

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Dark tossed and turned in his bed. The covers having been flown off of him in his fear-induced state although he'd never admit it. He breathed heavily and was sweating. He was having yet another nightmare but he couldn't wake up. It felt like he was going mad.

He was in the cabin in the void. It was winter again but this time Celine wasn't there. The fire wasn't going. There were mirrors all over the walls with Damien's corpse-looking face staring into his soul. Damien was yelling at him, his sunken hollow eyes, red and glowing.

"It's all your fault she can never leave. You're worthless. Pathetic. You killed me!"

Dark tried covering his ears to block his voice out but the words rang in his mind, too.

"Celine doesn't love you! I was her brother! You're just a cheap imitator! Some thing people can look at and be reminded of ME. That's all they see you as!"

"Shut up!" Dark's aura pulsed and vibrated in the cabin, shattering the mirrors but his voice still echoed. 

Dark watched as the cabin whisked away like smoke around him, leaving him in the void again.

'What is happening? If this is the void then I should have some control here. What the hell is happening? Is this really just a normal nightmare? It feels so real'

(Trigger warning - gore and suicide)

"You hurt me, Dark" He turned to see Anti standing there with a spotlight over him. He looked broken-hearted.

"Anti" he tried to go over to him but Anti's face suddenly frowned and he looked angry, "You're not my friend. A friend wouldn't push you away like you did to me. Scum"

"Why don't you ever talk to me anymore?" Dark turned again to see Eric crying, "I thought you cared about me. You were like a dad to me. I guess I was wrong" Eric then took a knife and slit his throat and Dark shouted in horror.

"Eric, no!" but Eric merely was whisked away like smoke and Dark shuddered at the visceral horror of it all.

"You promised me!" Dark saw Yandere next, "Now he hates me and it's all your fault! I thought you cared about me. You're a liar" they stabbed themselves with their sword.

"Dark" he turned next to see Wilford and he didn't think about it. 

He lunged at him, "Wilford, no! Don't do it! Please!"

"Damien, I'm coming" Wil suddenly grinned and shot himself in the head. Dark bolted from him as he vanished.

Dark didn't realize how much he was crying at this point. His friends and brothers were killing themselves around him and there was nothing he could do about it!

It was all his fault.

'It's all my fault' He thought, 'All my fault'

All of them. All of his brothers had killed themselves in front of him. Bim hung himself. Google and Bing tore out their motherboards. King jumped from a high platform. The Jims shot themselves at the same time. Host stabbed himself with a pen in the throat. Dr. Iplier poisoned himself into a seizure. It was a fucking massacre and Dark couldn't do anything but watch in suffering silence as it all happened, blood covering and splashing onto the pitch floor. He just kept chanting to himself, 'It's just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream. Please it's just a dream. None of this is real!'

He nearly lost it, though, when Celine was there and made herself fall onto her ax. 

"Look at you" Dark looked up again to see Mark staring at him with disgust.

"You're a mess. A disappointment. You could have saved them. But you just watched and let it all happen."

"No."

"You just watched them die."

"It's just a dream! It's not real! What are you!?"

The dream Mark just smiled, "You know who I am" 

A figure came from behind Mark. His face was covered by a shadow so he couldn't see him properly but he saw red eyes and a smirk, "You've gone mad. They don't trust you anymore, my friend"

Dark stared in horror as the shadow plunged its hand through Mark's stomach, letting him fall to the ground lifeless into a pool of blood.

(Trigger warning end)

"You thought you won. Our battle is far from over, dear Dark" he sneered.

"Wake up!" Dark gasped and suddenly opened his eyes in abrupt fear. He shouted and pushed whoever was on him away and bolted to a corner in his room. He shivered in the memory of what happened in his nightmare. The whole detail of all of it playing in his mind like a damn TV rewinding and playing again and again.

"Dark. Dark!" a figure shook him and he snapped out of his panic attack.

Wilford was over him looking troubled. "Wil?" Dark suddenly hugged him tight, bringing him down to him further, crying in his shoulder.

Wil was never very good with comforting people in this type of situation but he didn't break away.

"Dark? What happened?"

"I saw you die." Dark breathed out, "I saw you all die.  . . And I just watched. I just watched it all"

Wil hugged him close, "Nonsense. I'm alive and well. See? I'm not dead in the slightest"

But that didn't really comfort him. Dark just held him tighter. Wil didn't move though. He just hugged him, rubbing his back soothingly.

At the door, some of the others had heard the ruckus but chose not to intervene in the moment. Anti stood there in the doorway unsure if he should come in the rest of the way or not.

"Dark? You alright?" he asked.

Dark slowly looked up to see Anti and calmed a bit more, also seeing Eric, Bim and Chase behind him. Gathering himself, Dark finally let Wil go. Wil helped him up off the floor and gave him his cane, "There you go, old boy. It's all good and well. Just a nightmare is all." he pat his shoulder lightly with a smile.

Dark wouldn't look anyone in the eye and shakily, he walked towards the door, walking past the others. 

He tossed his cane onto the bed carelessly. 

It was odd. He didn't even nod at them. It was like he saw a ghost or something.

Anti and the others watch with concern as Dark just made his way down the hall.

'Something isn't right' Anti thought, 'I better go after him.' 

"Is he going to be okay?" Eric asked, "I've never seen Dark look so . . . .haunted before"

Chase pat his shoulder, "It's alright, Eric, I'm sure. Dark's just a bit worked up right now is all."

"Must have been one hell of a nightmare" Bim commented, "When he's worked up like that, he never leaves behind his cane"

Anti took a breathe, "I'll go check on him."

"Be careful" Chase told him, "He might still be fidgety from his dream. You don't know what he'd do"

Anti nodded and went after his friend. He followed which direction he went off to until he saw the hole in the ceiling.

'The attic? What's he doing up there?' Anti glitched up and looked around the old dusty room. He saw the futon and the lamp where Actor had stayed but he couldn't see Dark anywhere.

"Dark?" he called for him, "You up here, buddy?" cautiously, Anti took a few steps around. He felt a shudder crawl up his back as he ventured around the large cramped room. The whole space was dim, the light from the small window not helping to spread light around.

Just as Anti went further into the room, around the discarded objects, he saw a figure a bit further away across the attic. It faced the wall unmoving just standing there.

"Dark? Is that you?" Anti took a few more steps  until he was close enough to touch him. Carefully, Anti poked Dark's back, "Dark?"

Dark's body turned to face him and Anti was surprised to see just how normal Dark looked.

"Yes? What's wrong, Anti?"

Anti stuttered, freaked out by how 'normal' he was acting about all of this, "D-dark. . . .w-what are you doing up here?"

He shrugged, "Oh nothing. Just thought I'd swing up here and cool my head is all."

"After you woke up from your nightmare you just rushed out of the room. You alright?"

"Yeah! Yeah, why wouldn't I be? It was just a nightmare is all."

"Just a nightmare. Was it about Actor? Or Septic? You told me you'd tell me if you dreamt of either of them again"

"It's fine. Don't worry about it." he smiled, "You worry too much."

"You worried Eric and Bim back there. You wouldn't even look at them. You threw your cane on the bed  leaving it behind. You said something about your nightmare that they all died. You watched it happen. What's up, man? You want to talk about it?"

"No" Dark looked at him blankly before smiling again, "You want to go play a game? We could play checkers if you want"

Anti was floored by this entire conversation. He knew something wasn't right. Something was off but he didn't want to say anything, heeding Chase's words.

"Okay. Let's go then. Lead the way" Anti was cautious about all of this.

He followed Dark out of the attic, hopping down from the hole he made yesterday, "I'll have to get that fixed soon" he muttered to himself.

As they ventured down, he smiled as he walked past the other egos. He caught Wil's eye and grinned but even Wil stared at him strangely. Even he could tell something was off. He could tell that grin was fake as hell.

Wil came up to Anti as Dark retrieved the board, "What happened? Why is he all of a sudden so cheery?" he whispered in Anti's ear.

Anti shrugged, "I don't know. I'll talk to you about it later. Something's off."

Wil nodded and left the room.

"Alright" Dark had the pieces set, "You first"

As they played, however, Anti couldn't help but think about earlier. Google and Bing's words echoed in his head. They had been looking more in the footage of yesterday when Dark was up in the attic. Before Dark had stood frozen for those few minutes, there was a small glitch. There had been another glitch right before he made the hole in the attic floor. Those same glitches had happened when Actor had made all the Thanksgiving food disappear from the fridge that day.

The others thought it had to be just a coincidence but now Anti wasn't so sure.

"Aw crap!" Dark pouted, "You win. Want to play again?"

Anti sat there startled. He hadn't even been paying attention but as he looked down, he saw it. He had beaten him. 

Anti glared at him, "You're not Dark. . . .are you?"

He just looked at him curiously, "What? What are you talking about Anti?"

"I've never beaten you in a game of checkers before and I was out of my mind distracted. There's no way I could have beaten you. Who are you? Because you're not Dark."

The impostor suddenly grinned and tsked, his voice having gotten deeper, "Is it that obvious? Hm. I seem to be losing my touch." he snapped his fingers and suddenly both him and Anti were back up in the attic.

"What the hell!?" Anti glitched away from him a few feet, "Who are you!?"

The man gave a sinister smile, "You know me, Anti. We've met some nights ago, remember?"

Anti snarled, "Actor. What did you do to Dark!? Where is he!? How in the hell are you alive!?"

Actor shrugged, "Does it matter? He's finally under my control now. And all it took was a bit of Celine's power. Interesting, don't you think? Nothing can get rid of me"

"Give him back" Anti glitched out, green sparks emitting from him, "I don't know how you're back or how you're remotely even alive but you better give him back right now!"

"So feisty." Actor smirked, "No wonder Septic is a part of you. You two are more alike than you realize."

Anti stilled, "S-septic?"

"What? You thought those were normal dreams? You thought you killed him? You merely sent his soul into the void. He's still around, dear glitch. And he wants revenge."

"Didja miss me?" Anti turned around slightly to see Septic behind him grinning but he was too slow to get away as Septic gripped him from behind, an arm around his middle and arms and another over his mouth to keep him quiet, "You thought I was g̷o̴n̶e̷?!"

Anti struggled, trying to scream, move or do anything really, but Septic had a good hold on him, "Your fear isn't the only thing that strengthens me, it seems." he licked Anti's cheek and ear, "Your anxieties seem to do the trick, too, and you've been pouring that out like water, sweetheart."

Actor snickered, "You're probably wondering how he's corporeal, hm? Let's just say I've given him a little help. The void is powerful once controlled." he lifted his chin to look at him and Septic's hand was still over his mouth, "I can practically see all the questions in your mind. The biggest, however, 'what are we going to do now?'" Actor's hand trailed down Anti's chest with a sick smirk.

Septic gave him a look and growled, "Stop flirting. If yer gonna tell him then tell him. Quite stalling and stop touching him"

"Patience, friend" Actor scolded Septic, "Just playing is all. . . . Since Dark has been 'put away' for now. . .  we just thought we'd enjoy having corporeal bodies once more for a little while. And now you're probably thinking, 'But what are you going to do with me?' Well that's simple. You can spend some time with Dark in his cage."

Anti's tried glitching out of Septic's grasp but it seemed to have accounted for that, merging his energy with his to suck out his power, "Easy there, sweetheart" Septic whispered to him, "I'll make sure you have a front row seat for later. Can't stop us now. You're too late"

Actor snuffed, "Take as much energy from him as you can now and then take him to the void with Dark"

Septic growled, "D̵o̸n̶'̷t̸ order me around, ya pompous prick."

Actor glared, "Who made you corporeal again, glitch? I gave it to you and I can take it away! Do as I tell you" he hissed.

Septic snarled but without another word, he was able to glitch into a world of darkness, the only light glowing from Anti and Septic. Anti saw Dark laying on the ground but before he could run to him, he suddenly fell, himself. He felt tired all of a sudden and he could hear Septic giggle, "Ya flopped down like a fucking fish, bitch. At least now you have company, hm?"

Anti turned over and looked up at him, "What? You work for him now? Thought you were the puppet master? Instead he's the one stringing you, huh?"

Septic glared and suddenly kicked him in the side, making Anti yelp, "Shut up ya little bitch! You don't know a damn thing! I'm in control here! N̸͕͛o̵̤̾̒t̶̢͖͎͑̚ ̵̳̱̞̤͛h̴͊̉ͅi̴̢̞͈̤̊m̷̛̩̭̘̄!̶̬͛̏ Just because he helped me out doesn't mean I couldn't have done it without him!"

Anti shook his head, "He's just using you"

He snarled and bared his teeth at him, "And I'm using him. Enjoy watching all your brothers and friends die. I'll come back for you last"

With that, he left, leaving Anti and Dark alone in the void. But this darkness was different. Actor called it a cage and now he understood why. This feeling. He felt compressed as if in a tight space, whereas in the void, it was vast and infinite.

He crawled over to his friend and shook him lightly, "Dark. Dark, wake up."

Dark groaned and blinked up at his friend, "A-anti?" he looked around but couldn't find the energy to move his head much, "Where are we?"

"It was Actor. He's back. And this time he has Septic at his side" Anti bowed his head in defeat, "We . . . . .  we lost, Dark"

:D I told you guys it wasn't over