A/N: ...I considered killing Cross this chapter, too. (Cross was not originally going to be in the story, so I don't have a place for him.) Almost done, by the way. Another chapter or two.

Thank you to Cutiepie120048, Phantom Flickering Gundam-Ryuu, NaruShika-Forever, i love pink, Yami-The Lord of Darkness, InsanityOwl, and RMXStudio for reviewing!

Title: Sweet Dreams

Author: liketolaugh

Rating: T

Pairings: None

Genre: Angst/Tragedy

Warnings: Character death, insanity

Summary: Allen was the least stable to begin with, so it was no surprise that he went first. And really, it was a very high-stress job, and a lot of the exorcists were just too young. It was no surprise that they went mad.

Disclaimer: I only wish I owned D. Gray-man.

"But Zokalo is an exorcist," Allen protested to Link. His arms didn't feel secure enough around him, and he tightened them, shaking and scared, cold and confused. "And exorcists are family." The only family he had.

It was dark. The moon was big. There was screaming again, always the screaming. He thought it was Lenalee, and Timothy, and others, too. Cross was yelling somewhere. He could hear someone's roars of mindless rage, and smashing. Kanda was shaking beside him, always beside him, but his fists were clenched and his eyes were closed.

"Allen, Zokalo has gone mad. He's killing people. Can't you see?"

Allen shook his head. No, Zokalo didn't kill people anymore. He shook his head. Zokalo was a friend. He was a friend. You didn't kill friends. He shook his head. You didn't hurt family. Not on purpose, never on purpose, never.

Lavi was crying, leaning over somebody. He was very good at ignoring things when he wanted to. Allen hadn't known that about him.

"Bookman! Bookman! Wake up, you stupid old panda, wake up!"

"Allen Walker, this… this is not a ch-choice!"

Allen jumped, hard, at the sound of the voice, loud and hard and harsh and cracking. Link's face was frightening, glaring at him with tears and fire and blood. Allen flinched back. A sword flashed through the air and there was a yell, and Link clapped a hand over his side. Mugen gleamed with a dark liquid. Allen looked up. Kanda's eyes were dark. So dark. Angry and wild. And he was pale.

Everything was too loud. Too fast. Allen couldn't catch up. He was falling behind. Just because he could walk didn't mean he could run. He'd trip. He'd fall. And then he wouldn't get up again. Not again.

Not again.

Chaoji was on the ground. He'd fallen. He was asleep. Fast asleep. Allen took another step back, away from Link. It was cold. He couldn't think. Lenalee was screaming, and she sounded angry, and scared, and lost. So lost. She kicked the raging man in the face and he flew back, and landed on his back, and he yelled. He yelled so loud. He yelled so angry.

Oh. Komui was asleep, too. That must be why Lenalee was so lost. Komui had always been her north star. Now she had none. No stars for Lenalee. None that were still bright, anyway. None she could see.

Allen exhaled. It was loud, too, and shaky. He was shivering again.

Link exhaled, too. It sounded painful. His hand was still on his side. Allen could see red under it. It dripped onto the ground and stained it like paint.

"Please, Walker. We need you to put Zokalo down. Please."

Allen's gaze flicked to Link's eyes. He sounded tired. He said 'please'. He looked tired. Allen didn't want Link to go to sleep. Not like this.

"Okay," Allen whispered. He stepped back again. Kanda shook his head.

Lenalee screamed, and there was a girl on the ground, near Allen. She was crying, and gasping for breath, and her shirt was red. Shiny. It flickered in the light, and Allen stared at it. It heaved. He could hear gasping, and sobs, and whimpers. And then they stopped.

It was still loud. He could hear his heartbeat. He couldn't breathe.

My friends. My friends. My family. Please. Please.

Kanda wasn't next to him anymore. He was angry now. He'd left Mugen behind. It gleamed in the dim light. He was attacking the raging man with his bare hands, and his eyes were wide, and he was snarling. He was bleeding.

"Dammit, Winters! God fucking damn you!"

Cross was so mad. It was almost a comfort. Allen took it for what it was, and Crown Clown woke up, and he moved, he ran, and he wondered when he'd fall.

The man was fast. Zokalo was fast. And he was strong. He hit hard. It hurt.

The walls were falling down around them. There was a ringing in Allen's ears. He had long black claws, and they dug into Zokalo's chest, and Zokalo roared and hit Allen and it hurt, his head cracked against the ground and he rolled over and Crown Clown stood him up and he coughed.

Kanda was hitting Zokalo again and again, and Zokalo hit him back, and Cross wasn't talking anymore and that never meant anything good. Blood flew. It spattered against the ground, but Allen couldn't tell where; the ground was red. The light was dim, but he saw Miranda on the ground with eyes blank, lying still with red all around. The ground was red.

Black and white and grey and red. Go deeper, Allen. See the souls. Hear them scream. Watch them cry. Just like me, Allen. You did this. It's your fault.

Allen was falling. He was falling and he couldn't stop. He couldn't scream, his throat was too tight. He couldn't watch, his eyes were too wet. His body hurt. Crown Clown was stained with blood. It was hard to move. His claws gleamed. Kanda screamed at Zokalo and Zokalo screamed back, and Cross stood back and watched and Allen didn't recognize his look, his face, but he'd never seen it like this, so angry and so pained.

Except when Cross knew something Allen didn't. Something Allen didn't want to know. Something he had to tell him anyway.

Allen lunged, he flew through the air and air rushed by and he rushed by. He slammed into Zokalo and Zokalo fell, and he rolled and Zokalo's arm was trapped under him, and Kanda trapped the other. Zokalo thrashed and arched and screamed, and Cross walked up with dark eyes and a glare. His mask looked ominous in the moonlight, and Allen watched it with wide silver eyes. Cross scowled, and Judgement was in his hand, and he pointed it at Zokalo's head.

"Winters, you fucking idiot."

Bam.

Sorry, NaruShika. Your request is denied. It's really not going to get any better. By the way, guys, if it's any consolation, Lavi is gonna come out of this okay. Or at least not insane. He's rather sturdy, actually. Thanks for reading, and please review!