Alptraum

Everything – everything – around them was quiet.

Still.

Dead.

The sound of Ellis' boot crunching against the pavement seemed deafening as they waited for the evitable - waited for the eye of the storm to pass. Somewhere in the chaos created by the unexpected and unyielding car alarm they'd lost sight of Rochelle and Coach.

Now, Nick couldn't seem to remember seeing them at all.

Any moment that he would have liked to have to himself to further ponder the whereabouts of the other survivors was obliterated as he felt the sickening quiver of the ground under his feet. Eyes wide, he shot a look at Ellis who was looking back at him with the same tired and anxious expression.

Where were their shotguns?

They had only a pistol each.

No Molotovs, no health kits, no pills.

Grabbing the younger man by the bicep, Nick ran toward an overturned truck and threw their weights against its exposed underside just as the Tank came barreling through the eerily deserted intersection. The monster's labored breathing enveloped them as they froze, backs pressed into the belly of the truck. Nick watched as Ellis checked his ammunition and swallowed thickly. They were both only holding the meager supply in their chambers and had no chance of making it to the saferoom in one piece.

The younger man looked up at him with questioning eyes.

"Just don't move," Nick whispered. "Maybe he won't see us if we don't move."

The last thing Nick ever expected was the barely there smirk that graced Ellis' mouth before the younger man bent his knees and pressed his back as far into the truck as he could, pulling Nick down with him. The beast was directly behind them now, pawing at the overturned automobile with one monstrously deformed fist before a sudden rustle of metal caught its attention, sending it roaring down the road like a missile.

The two men held their positions for a few more agonizing minutes before they finally allowed themselves to breathe. Pushing himself away from the car, Nick rested his hands on his knees and took in several deep breaths. Straightening his back, he turned to face his younger partner and felt his brow furrow at the sight of the curved lips.

"I really wish you would tell me what the hell was so funny about that."

Laughing freely now, Ellis playfully punched Nick in the arm.

"I jus' didn't know Tanks and T-Rexs had so much in common, man," he grinned.

Nick stood there, stunned, as Ellis fought to regain his breath. Although he had no earthly idea why what he'd said had been so funny, it was wonderful to see the younger man so blissful. Ellis rubbed the back of his neck as he came closer to him.

"Man, ain't you ever seen 'Jurassic Park'," he asked. "Everyone knows that them dinosaurs can't see you if you don't move an - "

There was a sharp, biting pain in the back of Nick's skull as the Hunter leapt on him, forcing him to the cement and pulling the breath from his lungs as the inhuman claws dug wickedly for his chest. Nick pulled and pushed at the infected straddling him, managing to call out to his fellow survivor and opening his eyes just as the Smoker wrapped his tongue around the smaller man's waist and pulled him away.

Nick gasped in agony – red filling his vision – as the blades of the Hunter's hands tore him open, his ears full of the sounds of Ellis calling for help before he was silenced. Through his own cries - which were now coming freely - he heard the sound of Ellis' bones breaking and snapping under the unrelenting constriction and as he began to fade into unconsciousness, he reached out.

Gasping for air, Nick lurched up in bed swiftly looked around, reaching out to touch the stomach of the man sleeping untroubled next to him.

"Mmm, Nick?

Pulling his other hand to his chest, Nick felt for the gashes he knew had to be there and yet were absent.

"W'as wrong?"

A dream.

Another fucking dream.

Pressing his palms into his eyes, Nick laid back down.

"Nothing," he sighed. "It's alright."

Rolling onto his side, Ellis moved closer to the sweaty body next to him.

"Okay, but if you change yer mind there's more in the fridge."

Moving his arm around him, Nick pulled the younger man close to his chest and buried his face in his hair. He'd never really woken up from the throes of his own sleep and for that, Nick was grateful. It was becoming more and more rare when the nightmares would rip him from his slumber but when it did it was often a horrific ordeal that normally resulted in Ellis sacrificing his own rest to watch over him though he pretended not to.

For now though, the best thing Ellis could do for him was to remain loose and warm in his arms which he contently did until the older man woke him in the early morning with a cascade of tender kisses on his neck.