In his waning memory, Tom Sawyer could not fathom how long he had been lying on his back, simply staring up at the dancing clouds above him, his arms spread out to his sides lazily, and one knee drawn up as a bird flew overhead, seemingly in slow motion for a while… and a distant melody of song and faint instruments started up, seemingly out of nowhere.
Tom did not move, simply blinked at the new sound. It was beautiful, there was no denying that, but it was odd… almost sad. Where had it come from? And why?
Green eyes narrowed thoughtfully, even as a voice that was not his own spoke to him as if from a distance, "There is a darkness in every beauty, Sawyer… you will learn that in your own time, but hopefully not too late…" A sigh whispered across from the distance, and played over Tom as he rose to sit upright. "As I did…"
The American's gaze met the dark brown and mysterious orbs that belonged to Dorian Gray, whose black hair and perfect poise only completed an immaculate form without a single flaw. Yet there was a deep melancholy and sorrow about him, and he was dressed so very differently from when Tom had last seen him in Venice. Dorian had betrayed them… but the immortal was now – ironically – dead. So then… this wasn't real. But what was it?
"The darkness… it exists in everything," Dorian continued, walking up to Sawyer, and perching himself elegantly upon a seat that had not existed before. It was a low log, a fine oak, and Dorian sat almost reluctantly, as he continued, "In the skies, the heavens… in the seas… and in the people we care for."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you need to know, before you make mistakes."
Tom sighed lightly, feeling odd about his lack of disgust towards the apparition of the treacherous immortal. "I've made mistakes already."
"But nothing so terrible as I did, Sawyer… and I do regret them, no matter how I acted in my time around you… and Mina. The darkness enveloped me, and I obeyed it. I wish I had never seen that stupid painting of mine. It destroyed me. Don't let the darkness destroy you too…"
Tom furrowed his brow. "But you betrayed us… me, Mina… the League. Why?"
"Because, Sawyer," Dorian began in a quiet voice, staring off at the drifting bird Tom had seen before, "the hardest thing in this world, is to live in it." He gained a sorrowful air about him, which even seeped into Tom, and dragged down his contentment. "I was just trying to live."
Even as Tom watched the immortal, who had donned the faintest of painfully sincere smiles, he started to fade, and everything dimmed. "I am sorry… tell them that. Make them understand."
And then he was gone… it all disappeared…
The music stopped.
… Tom opened his eyes, stared up at his ceiling, and frowned.