Sollux was falling, falling into a deep abyss, and he couldn't stop. He screamed, wishing that he could at least see where he was falling to. He felt so utterly helpless. He was falling faster and faster, and the sudden, terrible sound of the ocean below chilled him to his very core. He closed his eyes...
And suddenly he was standing on solid ground. He opened his eyes. He was on a sidewalk, staring out into the street. A girl was crossing the street towards him. She had long black hair, and was wearing a dull red dress that sparkled in the lamp post's light. She had been looking up into the sky, but as he stared in utter speechlessness, she lowered her eyes to meet his and waved exuberantly.
"Aradia?" he whispered.
There was a flash of light, too quick for him to follow. A scream. Tires squealing, and then the sound of a revving engine. Two red lights winked at him evilly before turning a sharp corner, disappearing from his sight. He looked out into the road. Aradia lay in the center, a pool of red slowly forming around her.
"Aradia!" he screamed, primal instincts taking over as adrenaline coursed through him like a wildfire. He ran to her, but it was like he was running through molasses. She got farther away from him with every step. "Thtop it!" he screamed at no one. As the echoes of his outburst died, he stopped running, defeated, and she was suddenly at his feet. He knelt beside her.
"Sollux?" she murmured quietly.
"Oh my god, Aradia, I'm tho thorry."
"Don't be. It's not your fault." She coughed, and blood spluttered out of her mouth in a fine mist.
"You're gonna be ok. Oh god, please be ok."
"Sollux, I'm dying."
"No!" His vehemence scared him, and he blinked in astonishment for a moment before continuing. "You're going to be fine. You can't die!"
"Everyone dies, Sollux." She smiled. "Besides, I'm already dead."
Reality threatened to crash over him like a treacherous wave. "Aradia, pleathe. Don't die on me. Not again."
"Sollux..." her breathing became labored, her smile faded. "I love you..." Her breath left her body.
Sollux screamed, a scream so horrible that he was sure anyone who heard it would think he was dying. And somehow, on the inside, he was dead. He cradled Aradia's body close to his, didn't care that her blood was soaking into his clothes. His tears flowed into her hair. He knelt, hopeless, crying, broken, clutching the last feeble strands of his shattered existence.
"Hey," someone said behind him. Sollux turned. Eridan stood above him, hand outstretched. "Come on, Sol."
"I can't leave her! You can't make me!" Sollux held Aradia closer to him, her skin now cold.
"Yes, you can. Get up."
Sollux looked at Aradia. Gently, he kissed her forehead. He set her down, and tentatively reached out his hand. Eridan grabbed it, pulling him to his feet.
"Let's go, Sol."