Author Notes - This story was inspired by the fanfic 'Hurry! Save Goby!' by TimmyTurnerFan, itself a sequel to 'Healing a Sick Friend' by AdrianaCartoonFan. SPOILERS, by the way, because I'm going to talk about the ending. In 'Hurry! Save Goby!', the story seemingly ends with Goby dying from his illness despite his friends' best efforts, only for it to turn out to all be a dream Gil had based on his experiences in 'Healing a Sick Friend'.

To me, this ending was a massive cop-out, and (in my opinion) the story would've benefitted from focusing more on Gil's trauma. So, this story was created. Except this one focuses on Oona and Nonny, because I love those two and it lets me write about Nonny's more vulnerable and emotional side. Somehow, this story ended up talking about the idea of losing love ones and how you should appreciate the time you have with them.

NIGHTMARES

Nonny gasped as his eyes shot wide open. His breath was heavy, and his eyes darted around the room in a panic. He found himself where he should've been: tucked up gently in his bed, with his glasses and an emptied glass of warm milk by his side. The dim night light provided the room with a comforting warm light, much like a campfire in the woods.

This welcoming room was not where he had found himself a mere minute ago.

'O-Oona?'

There was no one else in the room. The only thing he could hear was the sound of chirping crickets just outside his window. He couldn't even hear Perrita, his chihuahua, yipping from her doghouse in the backyard like she usually did.

Everything that he had seen just minutes ago wasn't real. It was all just a dream. This revelation did not relax Nonny's breath, however. It only sped up as he thought about what he had seen in his mind. Most of it was already forgotten, but one thing remained strong in his mind.

Oona. The terror in her eyes. The desperation as she reached out to Nonny. The bone chilling scream she let out as fate swallowed her up. What happened to her? Nonny couldn't even remember anymore. But he could remember the horror.

And he could easily remember that he had failed.

He placed his hand on his heart. It beat against his chest like it was trying to escape, but it was beginning to slow down. His lungs didn't get the memo at first, and continued to take air and let it out so fast that he almost fainted. They only calmed down when he felt himself losing consciousness.

'It… was just a dream.'

There was no way the dream could've been real, and he knew that. Still, those terrified eyes staring back at him pierced his heart.

'It's fine. Just get back to sleep. You'll be fine.'

He rested his head on the pillow and closed his eyes, waiting for sleep to come back. That final image of his dream kept reappearing in his mind, as much as he tried to get rid of it. No matter how hard he tried to replace it with thoughts of finding a whole new dinosaur fossil, it kept coming back.

But, somehow, he managed to get back to sleep.

The nightmare lay dormant in his mind, forgotten like most dreams. Nonny didn't think about it once as his father got him ready for school and as he swam down his usual path. His thoughts about Oona were strangely bittersweet, and he wasn't certain why. It seemed like everything was going to be normal, like the nightmare had never happened, until he arrived at school. The rest of the class was already there, sitting in their places.

'Good morning, Mr Grouper!'

That was already strange, Nonny thought as he put his bag away in his cubby. He typically arrived first, and could make such good time that even a trip to the comic book store didn't slow him down.

'You're late!' Deema said, like she was reading his mind. 'Got a little caught up?'

'More than Molly and Gil?' Goby said, chuckling. 'Now that's impressive.'

Molly rolled her eyes. 'Hey, we've been on time almost every day recently!'

Nonny opened his mouth to greet his friends, but he couldn't speak. The first person he saw in that crowd was Oona, giving him her usual sweet smile that would tame even the most vicious of dragons.

All it took was that one little glance, and the nightmare that had lay forgotten in the back of his mind returned.

All he could see when he looked into her eyes was the terror she suffered before her life was taken away.

And all he could think about was how he had failed her.

That he let her die.

He couldn't breathe. Each breath came in quick and harshly, out of his control. His eyes began to sting, and his vision blurred like his glasses had fallen off. He couldn't keep his eyes open for much longer.

'Woah, Nonners!' Deema said. 'You okay?'

'What's wrong, Nonny?' Zooli asked.

Their questions and pleads fell on deaf ears. The only sound that Nonny could hear was his own heartbeat.

A choked sound escaped his throat, and he couldn't get his breath back. His heart raced in a panic. What was happening? Why couldn't he breathe? Why did he feel like he was dying?

I'm sorry! Please… don't leave me!

'... Sorry about what?'

He didn't realise that he was speaking out loud. His arms wrapped around his body like he was trying to keep a chilling breeze away.

A cold drop of water trickled down his cheek and onto the floor.

'He's crying, Mr Grouper!' Oona cried. 'He's crying!'

'I… I see that, Oona.' Mr Grouper said. 'I've never had a student cry for what seems like no reason. Especially someone like Nonny. There has to be-'

'Nonny!'

Nonny managed to keep his eyes open for a few seconds, though the water in his eyes blurred his vision. A pinkish-purple shape stood before him, and next thing he knew, he could feel someone's hands on his shoulders. He flinched like he had been dipped into a bucket of cold water.

'Nonny, what's wrong?' Oona asked, sounding like she too was close to tears. 'Please tell me what's wrong!'

Even if he had heard her question, he was in no state to answer it.

'D-Don't leave me… p-please…' He muttered, ignorant to her desire for an answer.

'... Leave you? I-I don't understand.'

Then, as though the entire ocean had suddenly disappeared and left him with nothing but air, Nonny fell to the floor. His shoulder hurt as it hit the ground, but he barely felt the pain. He could barely feel anything at all.

'I-I'm sorry, Oona!' He yelled, making everyone jump. 'I… I would do anything to get you back!'

Never before had Oona heard him speak with so much pained emotion. And never before had her heart broken so much. Tears welled in her eyes too as she took his hand and held it tight.

'M-Mr Grouper, help us! I-I don't know what's wrong with him, but he won't answer me!'

'It will be okay, Oona. I'm not sure what's upset him so much, but I know we can't just leave him here.'

Nonny didn't have it in him to fight back when he felt someone lifted him up into their arms. He just let this person carry him away; to where, didn't matter. When the comforting arms put him down and left him, he missed them.

Nonny woke up. He couldn't remember ever choosing to go to sleep, or anything that had happened over the last hour. The whole morning was just a blur to his tired and upset mind.

The first thing he saw when he woke up was a familiar pinkish blur. When his vision focused, he saw Oona staring down at him with worry clear all over her face. She held his hand in hers, squeezing it tightly.

'Nonny?' She said, in a quiet voice. 'Are you okay?'

Nonny gasped and sat up. He was not in the same room he was before the world had become a blur. It was Mr Grouper's 'office', the room he was usually in right before school started and right after it ended. He was lying down on the couch, with Oona kneeling on the floor right next to him. Mr Grouper sat at a table on the other side of the room, allowing Oona and Nonny to have their space.

'O-Oona?' Nonny stammered, squeezing her hand so tight that it almost hurt. 'Y-You're okay?'

'Of course I'm okay.' Oona replied. 'But you aren't. You swam into the classroom, and… you started crying. Tell me what's wrong.'

Nonny could hardly bear to look into those sweet brown eyes. When he looked into them, all he could see was terror and despair staring back at him. If he looked into them much longer, he may very well see them taken away from him once again.

'W-Wrong?' He asked, trying to comprehend the question.

'You never cry.' Oona said. 'But today, you couldn't stop crying. You… you said something about not wanting me to leave. And how it was your fault. What did you mean?'

When Nonny opened his mouth to reply - though he didn't know with what - all that came out was a quiet choked sound.

'Nonny?'

'I… I…' Nonny tried to swallow his tears, though it didn't help. 'I don't want you to leave me.'

'Where would I even go?'

'N-No. I-I don't mean like that. I… I-I mean…'

There was no way he could bring himself to finish his sentence. And yet, Oona understood. When she realised what he meant, it hit her like a truck. She lifted up his hand and placed it upon her chest, right where her heart was. The way it beat against his palm sent a wave of calmness through Nonny's mind and body.

'You know what that means, Nonny?' Oona asked. 'It means that I'm right here, alive and well. I haven't left you, and I don't plan to.'

'It… it is nice.' Nonny murmured, voice cracking.

Mr Grouper didn't step in - not yet, at least - and watched them from the side. He was certain that Oona and Nonny could do a lot on their own, but he would absolutely get involved when he needed to.

'Can I ask you why you're so upset?' Oona asked. 'I've never seen you cry before. And… and I don't think I ever want to see it again.'

A new feeling dragged Nonny's heart down: guilt. He wasn't even certain what he did, but he knew that he had caused the sadness evident in her voice and eyes.

'S-Sorry…' He said.

'Sorry?' Oona asked, a small giggle getting out. 'Sorry for what? You're the one who's crying!'

'I'm… I'm making you worried.'

'Of course you're making me worried! I care about you, Nonny. That's why I want to know what's going on.'

Nonny looked into her sweet eyes in silence. The same eyes that had begged for his help. He didn't want to talk much longer, but he could see the distress in her eyes. If he didn't say a word, he'd be leaving her in torment. So, he took a deep breath and tried his best to explain.

'I-I had a nightmare last night.' He said. 'A-A really bad one.'

Oona gasped. 'Oh no! It must've been bad if it made you cry. … Do you want to talk about it?'

Nonny opened his mouth to answer 'no', but wasn't able to finish it. The silence, filled only by the muffled sounds of the others playing in the classroom, gave him time to think and reflect.

He took a deep breath before answering. 'I… I don't remember much about it. It, uh, wasn't really scary, I think. B-But, I remember one thing. You were there.'

'I was? What was I doing?' Oona asked.

'You… you were crying out for my help.'

He stopped to gulp. He waited for Oona's response, but all he got was a worried stare. A stare with eyes begging for him to continue.

'I-I don't know why. Something was happening, but I don't remember. I… I tried to save you. T-To help you, like you wanted.' He gulped again. 'B-But I couldn't, and… and I watched you, you, y-you…'

The story came to an end, for its teller couldn't continue. His voice choked when he tried to finish his sentence, and no words came out. It was hopeless. Oona needed no more words and wrapped her arms around him as tight as they could go. Unchecked tears dripped down onto her and trickled down her body, and the very thought of Nonny crying made her eyes tear up too.

'I'm okay, Nonny.' She said, so quietly it was almost a whisper. 'I'm right here, and I'll try as hard as I can to make sure that I don't leave you for a long, long time.'

'W-Why can't I-I s-stop… c-c…?'

'You don't cry very often. I don't think you can deal with it so well. And that's okay. I'll be here for you. Cry as much as you need to.'

'I-I don't get it… It wasn't real. W-Why does it m-make me so sad?'

Mr Grouper chose this time to join the conversation. He got out of his seat and swam over to his distressed students as carefully and as quietly as possible, as to not startle them.

'If I may, Nonny,' He said. 'Even though it was just a dream, the emotions you felt were genuine, and they're still affecting you even now. You've never been through something like this before, so it makes sense that it's affecting you so harshly. It's a lot for someone your age to deal with. But you'll get through it. You always do.'

'How?' Nonny asked.

'The solution is right there, and you're in her arms.'

The room went quiet. Nonny allowed himself to melt into the welcoming embrace, appreciating its warmth like it was the only campfire in a dark snowy forest. He wrapped his arms around her too, holding on like his nightmare was doomed to happen for real.

And this time, he was going to make sure he held on.

'I… I don't want to lose you, Oona.' He murmured, barely able to get the words out.

'And I don't want to lose you either, Nonny.' Oona said. 'But I'm gonna try my best to make sure that you won't have to say goodbye to me. Not for a long time.'

'But… w-what if something happens? Like… like what happened to your parents?'

Nonny regretted those words the very moment they left his mouth; the fate of Oona's biological parents was no secret among the Guppies, but not something they ever talked about. He backed out of the hug immediately.

'S-Sorry.' He said. 'I-I-I shouldn't have said anything.'

To his surprise, Oona gave him a soft smile.

'It's okay.' She said. 'I understand. Maybe, something could happen to me. It probably won't happen, but maybe… your nightmare could come true.'

'How am I meant to… just live with that?' Nonny asked. 'Knowing I could lose you at any moment to an accident?'

'You might not, remember. And even if you did, we're still together right now. If you worry so much about something that might not even happen, you won't be able to enjoy the time we do have together. And I would hate to miss out on all that time.'

'But… wouldn't that make it hurt less?'

Oona put a finger to her chin. 'Well, would you want to spend your entire life without a pet, just because you'll lose them after a while? Dogs don't live nearly as long as we do. Does that mean you shouldn't have Perrita?'

He went to answer 'no' straightaway, to point out how silly it was to say that. All the Guppies knew that their pets weren't going to live forever. Whether it was Molly and her cat Gingersnap, Goby and his guinea pig Gideon, or Deema and her turtle Beyonda, just to name a few… they loved them just like a pet owner should, even though one day, that love would turn into pain.

Then Nonny understood the point that she was trying to make.

'I… I see what you mean.' He said. 'Just because I might lose you, it doesn't mean I shouldn't love the time we spend together. Because… because knowing I could lose you makes the time even more special, and I can't let it go to waste.'

Oona smiled. 'Exactly. And I will be sure to spend all the time I possibly can with you. But I don't plan on going anywhere any time soon. You're gonna have to put up with me for at least a hundred years before I go!'

Though he was crying mere minutes ago, Nonny had to laugh. It raised both of their spirits, especially Oona's, who thought the rare sound of his laughter was the greatest sound known to mermaid kind.

'You know, guys,' Mr Grouper said. 'You don't have to go back to class. Not yet, anyway. If you want to just sit here and enjoy each other's company, I won't stop you. Not after what you've gone through.'

'Thanks, Mr Grouper!' Oona said. 'If Nonny's feeling up to it, we might join the class later. But if he doesn't, then I'm okay with staying here with him!'

'Alright. Let me know if you need anything. I'm just a single room away.'

'Okay, Mr Grouper!'

And so Mr Grouper left the room to tend to the rest of his students, who were waiting patiently for an update. An update he was eager to deliver, and one that brought them relief. Oona and Nonny stayed in the quiet room together, sitting on the couch next to each other.

'You don't have to stay here with me.' Nonny said. 'Go back to class. I'll be fine.'

She placed her hand over his. 'Nonny, I want to be here with you. I can't imagine anywhere I'd rather be. You're the greatest friend I could ever ask for.'

Tears returned to Nonny's eyes, but now he shed them with a smile. Happiness or sadness, it was all a lot for him to handle. Without saying another word, he brought Oona into a tight hug with his head resting on her chest. That way, he could hear her heartbeat.

Whether or not that horrible nightmare came true, he was going to appreciate every single moment he had with her.

THE END

Author Notes - This story kind of got away from me. I didn't intend to include a rather serious 'appreciate your loved ones because they might die suddenly one day' message. It was just meant to be a simple little 'Oona comforts Nonny in his time of need' kind of story. But I'm actually quite proud of how I did it, and I'm glad that's the path the story ended up taking.

I have no idea if Nonny really does have a pet chihuahua, but he had one in the shopping segment of 'Bubble Puppy', so I'm rolling with it. 'Perrita' is literally just the (feminine) Spanish word for 'puppy' by the way.