Well, I'm back with another chap. I hope you guys liked that chapter. It was something of a filler though. Well, I dunno if this one is too. Don't quite remember what's in this chapter to be truthful. Lol I guess everyone get the surprise.

Regular—regular speech

Italics—Thoughts

Bold—P.O.V. change and title

(word)—Bez speak

[words]—dream sequence

Chapter 24—Nightmare's Remix—

Wren's P.O.V….

Dream realm….

Darkness surrounded me and I shivered. Something wet lapped at my ankles and I was afraid to find out what that liquid was. It was much thicker than water and I knew that for sure. A small light appeared above me creating a circle of light around me that was about four feet wide. Slowly it expanded revealing an ankle deep ocean of blood. It surrounded me as far as the eye could see. I gasped and back pedaled several steps before stopping for fear on falling down into the mess.

"You've done this," Something hissed from somewhere around me. I couldn't tell which direction it came from.

"I couldn't have." I whimpered, "I don't even know what I've done."

"You've killed us," The voice hissed again. "You've killed us all."

An explosion of light and sound erupt from behind me blinding me for a moment. I turned around ever so slowly and saw all my friends hanging by their wrists from wires coming from no where. Blood covered them and dripped from everything. Blood dripped from finger tips, hair, and clothing and from their faces which I couldn't see. The sound of blood dripping into the ocean of blood was so loud it was almost deafening.

Fear enveloped me as they lifted their faces toward me. I started to cry as I saw the pain and hatred written on the faces that I knew so well. I saw the hollow lifeless eyes stare at me as if drilling into my soul. Nothing of them seemed to be left in those eyes.

"I wouldn't kill you!" I screamed clutching my hands to my chest trying to slow my pounding heart. My heart beat echoing in my ears, mingling with the dripping of blood and the panting of my breath.

"But you have." They hissed.

"I didn't."

"You've killed us all and we want revenge!" the bodies screamed turning into monsters before my eyes. Hundreds of blood covered figures erupted from the floor. All of them reaching out for me with blood covered hands. The monsters tried to pull me down into the ocean of blood as I fought the whole time.

Waking realm….

"NO!" I screamed and sat up in bed. Sweat poured down my face and drenched my clothing. My hair stuck to my face. I pulled my legs up to my chest and buried my face in my arms. "No. Nononono no. I could never do that. I would never do that." I sobbed into my arms.

Rachel's P.O.V….

I was just beginning to doze off, my head on James chest and his arm around me, when we both were surprised by a scream. I shot up in bed and looked around frantically. James had done the same. We looked at each other and I flopped back down on the bed.

"I though these rooms were sound proof," I muttered covering my face with my arm.

"I guess not," James replied, "We better figure out what it was though."

I only nodded and reluctantly uncovered my face to slide out of bed.

Narrator….

One very tired looking Irken exited his room about the same time as two equally tired and somewhat annoyed humans did. They looked up and down the hallways trying to figure out what the hell was going on. When none of them noticed anything out of the norm they walked into the middle of the hallway.

"So we're not crazy then and we all heard something, right?" James asked.

"We never said anything about crazy," Rachel said.

"By now we should all be in an institution or something," Zim yawned while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Padded walls sound like fun right now," Rachel muttered. As an after thought she added, "Shut up James-kun."

"I wasn't going to say anything though," he protested almost pouting.

"You were thinking it." Rachel scowled.

Zim rolled his eyes at them, "Let's see if it was Wren who screamed, because if it isn't something else on the ship then we are in deep trouble if Bez didn't notify us."

Rachel nodded as James shrugged. Lifting his hand James knocked on the door.

"Go away!" came a hoarse reply from behind the door.

"Wren! You better open this door now!" Rachel shouted.

"Hell no!"

"Rouk! Open the door." Zime shouted.

"Do and die." They heard Wren hiss.

"Do it Rouk!" Zim snarled.

"Rouk, don't…" Wren started to say but the opening door made her stop in silence.

Rouk looked more worried than afraid when she appeared in the doorway. Wren had fallen completely silent in the darkness of her room. No one could see her from where she was and didn't even get the chance to look closer. Rouk had closed the door by jumping to the panel and pressing her paw to it.

"I don't want her to get any more worked up," Rouk exclaimed, "she really isn't in any way, shape or form to talk to any one either."

James, Rachel, and Zim looked at her curiously. Zim raised a nonexistent eyebrow in question.

"I'll explain, I'll explain," she hisses, "but only in someone else's room"

"Not mine," Zim sighed, "GIR has finally fallen asleep and I don't want to deal with him if he wakes up."

It was Rachel's turn to sigh, "Then it's our room I guess."

Rouk bobbed her head just like Wren would in understanding.

Rachel's P.O.V….

I sighed heavily as I fell onto our couch and rested my head on James' shoulder. "So it was Wren that screamed? I thought the rooms were sound proof."

"They are," Rouk replied and started to pace.

"Then why did we hear her?" James questioned.

(I am probably that reason,) Bez said.

"Eh? Why?" Zim asked with a frown gracing his face.

(She needs to talk about her nightmares,) Bez said matter-o-factly. (They aren't going to get better if she doesn't talk about it.)

Rouk throughout this had continued to pace. She switched into a hologram form of Wren but missing the feline parts. I was amazed at how different the Wren from before looked to the Wren of now. The Wren from before didn't seem to fit the Wren now sadly.

"Wren for the past two nights has been having nightmares. This one tonight was worse than the last one." Rouk started to explain. "Something's wrong, really wrong. She won't talk about her dreams either."

"So? She usually never remembers any of them any way." I said with a shrug.

Rouk stopped dead in her pacing and glared daggers at me. "My Wren is cracking because of her nightmares. Before they were nothing, these are sending her into panic attacks. She was almost hysterical when she woke up this time."

"She seems ok other times though." James said.

"That's because she is very good at hiding that she's scared or not sleeping right," Rouk snapped. "She is excellent at listening to other people's problems but when it comes to talking about hers, she just can't do it."

"Maybe she'll get over it," James suggested with a shrug, "from what I've seen, she's a fighter and can handle just about anything life can throw at her."

"And maybe Earth is just right around the next turn." Rouk said sarcastically while throwing her hands into the air. She suddenly sat down on the couch and placed her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands. "I just don't know how to help her now. I truly don't. I just feel so helpless."

"She can get through it," I said smiling at the biomech, "she has been through a lot worse most likely. She is a fighter like James said. We just need to give her time."

"Maybe you're right," Rouk sighed again.

We sat in silence for a while trying to digest everything that Rouk had told us. I know a few of us were trying to convince ourselves that Wren was going to be ok if we just gave her time.

"Bez," James said hesitatingly, "why exactly did you drop the sound proofing?"

(I was worried about her,) the ship replied softly within our minds. (Unlike you I pretty much key into everyone's minds when they're asleep. You let your defenses down and it just happens.)

"Oh…" I murmured. "So, you see everything?" I asked nervously.

(Unfortunately,) he sighed. (I've learned to tune most of it out though. You people would drive me insane if I didn't block most of it. And you don't what to know what I've seen while you people sleep.)

James' P.O.V….

Rachel was yawning throughout the whole conversation. After Bez was finished, I decided that it was time to end this little meeting.

"Let's figure this out tomorrow, right now everyone needs more sleep that what we got before we woke up," I said as a threaded my fingers through Rachel's hair. She sighed drowsily and snuggled closer to me.

Zim stifled a yawn and stood up, "Sleep does sound good right now. Lock your doors because GIR most likely will get up pretty early."

"Thanks for the warning," Rachel sleepily yawned.

"Eh," he replied with a shrug and headed out the door.

"I'm going to check on Wren," Rouk softly said with a bow to both Rachel and I.

"Hope she's doing better," Rachel said before Rouk left.

"So do I," she replied in a whisper while laying a hand upon the door frame. "But you know Wren, she's probably asleep again by now." With that she walked out the door.

I looked down at Rachel who yawned yet again. "Want to try sleeping again?" I asked.

Rachel looked at me and smiled but before she could answer she yawned. I laughed and stood pulling her up after me. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and guided her to our bed.

Narrator….

Zim sighed as he stepped outside of James and Rachel's room. "Maybe I should check on Wren," he murmured to himself softly.

"It might be a good thing if you did."

Zim jumped and looked around to see who the speaker was. He finally noticed Rouk; she had changed back to her original form and was now sitting on her hind legs with looking at him. She somehow managed to give him a crooked smiled, though a weak one. Worry still laced her eyes though the smile still graced her face. Zim just glared right back at her with a mild frown gracing his face.

"You should check up on her though. You have a calming effect on her for some odd reason," Rouk added and bounded to Wren's door. "And right now I think she needs a shoulder to cry on besides mine. Rachel and James seem too caught up in each other to really care."

"Fine," Zim muttered but inside he was nervous but happy all the same. It was a reason to be closer to Wren, even if it was a darker moment in her life. "But only because I'm one of the only other people on this ship that will actually listen to her."

Rouk snorted and Zim glared at her again. She shook it off easily and jumped to the door access panel. The door opened to reveal a black void that was Wren's room.

"Wren?" Rouk called out into the inkiness, "Wren, are you awake?"

A sniffle was heard from inside the room, "Yes and what do you want?" a hoarse voice asked from the darkness.

"Is it ok if Zim comes in?"

"No," she snapped sharply.

"To bad Wren, I'm coming in any way whether you like it or not. Bez turn the lights up a bit," Zim ordered and stepped into the room.

The door slid shut behind him and the lights came up to a very dim setting. It was enough for him to spot Wren in her bed with her knees drawn up to her chest and her head in her arms. Zim made his way over to her quietly and slowly as not to startle her and as he got closer he could see that every so often a silent sob ran through her body. Her form shivering after each sob.

"Wren?" he hesitantly asked reaching for her.

"Go away Zim," she said softly without looking up.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing is wrong," came the reply, a little sharp if anything.

"There is too," he pushed softly, "you wouldn't be crying if nothing was wrong."

"There is nothing wrong!" Wren growled snapping her face to look him straight in the eye. "Just go away."

Zim could barely make out her face except for the flashing colors of her eyes. Her normal odd colored muddy grey eyes were now shining with a blue that could challenge many a galaxy. He could tell though that she had been crying for some time regardless of those jewel like eyes. Her hair fell limply into her face and her ears were barely visible as they lay against her skull.

"There is something wrong," he said softly and sat down on the edge of the bed. He didn't try to reach out to her again. "I can see it in your eyes and how you hold your ears."

"No there isn't," she whispered as she turned her face away from him. She shifted a little to move herself just a bit more away from him and her tail wrapped around her ankles.

"Yes there is," he pushed softly knowing that Wren was almost ready to crack. "What is it?"

"You wouldn't understand," She finally said after a few seconds laying her chin on her arms to look at him.

"Try me," he whispered and brushed some of her hair out of her face. "You won't know until you say something."

She shook her head and leaned away from his touch.

"Wren," he sighed, "you have to get this off of your chest." He reached out and carefully took her chin within his fingers turning her face toward him. Even though she was facing him she still wouldn't look him in the eye. Inwardly he winced as her tears prickled his skin. It was more uncomfortable than anything else thankfully. "We all are worried about you and I truly want you to feel better," He added.

She looked at him finally. "You better not tell as soul," she whispered. "Do and I'll never trust you again. And I may just have to hurt you."

"You hurt me only when you don't tell me what's wrong," he simply told her.

A wave of emotion rolled over her eyes and tears started to well in her eyes again. As soon as he analyzed what he had said seconds later he mentally slapped himself. How stupid could that have been, what he just said. Had he ruined everything by letting that slip? Did she honestly know what he might have meant by what he said?

And he was more than a little surprised when Wren moved her head just minutely to nuzzle the palm of his hand. Her breath warm against his bare palm. And surprising him again she murmured, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he said with a smile at her. "Now what's wrong?" He asked wiping away a stray tear with his thumb before taking his hand back.

She took a deep breath before resting her chin on her arms again and closing her eyes. She sighed, "It is really silly to get this worked up over really."

"Then there is no reason why you can't tell me about it." Zim said still smiling softly.

"Only if you promise never to tell anyone else."

"I promise."

"You better keep it too," Wren muttered.

"I swear I will. I will not tell another soul what you will tell me now." Zim said and brushed more hair out of her face pleased that this time she didn't move away from his touch.

Wren took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright, I really have no clue why I got this worked up over a dream. I was standing in the dark when a light came up and basically all these voiced started to talk. To hiss out accusations."

"Go on."

"More lights came up behind and I turned to see," Wren stopped short and a deep shiver wracked her body.

"What did you see Wren?"

"I saw everyone I knew, everyone I cared about hanging like puppets from strings," said Wren tears forming in her eyes again. "The voices were blaming me for their deaths. Everyone's deaths."

"It was only a dream though," Zim said. "No one's blaming you for anything."

"You don't understand Zim!" the girl on the bed snapped. "You were there, and Rachel and James and everyone I knew from school, my family, and a lot more! They told me it was my fault they were dead and it was my fault a whole lot of other people died too!"

Her tears were falling freely now. "They then turned on me; all of them. They surrounded me and I was terrified Zim. I'm still afraid. All because of a stupid dream!" she spat out. "I was alone. No one was there to help me because I was the on that let them all down. I was the one that let them get killed."

Wren buried her face in her arms again crying. Zim looked at her with understanding. He had nightmares still of the few missions that he have gone on had had to kill someone to survive. Granted they weren't that many because he sorta bungled on a few of them but still. Seeing the person that you just killed gazing up at you with dead vacant eyes that stared at everything yet nothing at all would give anyone nightmares.

He reached out and gently smoothed her hair down, passing a hand carefully over her velvet ears. They twitched softly under his hand. "I understand Wren, I understand perfectly. You're not alone in your nightmares."

She looked up at him, "And how would you know?"

He ran a hand through her hair, catching it between his fingers as he cupped the back of her head gently and met her eyes. "Because I have them. Killing to protect yourself is never something you can get fully over. I still have nightmares of their last screams and clouded eyes looking at me. You just have to live with it though it is so very hard to. The screams never quite fade. Their eyes either. But talking can help and I can help you grashé, you are never alone."

Wren sobbed again and Zim pulled her against his chest and let her cry. Every so often he would whisper something in his own language or her's in her ear and smooth her hair down. Soon her sobs quieted. Shortly after that she had fallen asleep from emotional and physical exhaustion.

Zim shifted to try and lay her onto her bed but Wren, even in sleep, wasn't going to have any of that. She murmured and scrunched up her face when he tried a second time. Finally he gave up and shifted her to where he could rest on the bed as comfortably as he could. He pulled her to rest against his chest as she had early and it wasn't long till he was asleep as well from such an emotional day.

Phew….. nine pages and three thousand and some odd words later this chap is done. This one was actually better than I thought it would be. One of the longer chaps and if I remember right they only get longer. Lol. Hope you enjoyed it! Read and review! Please!