——————Nicole's Dream——————

Nicole strolled through her home's door, humming to herself. She arrived home from work a little earlier than usual and going to start dinner. She turned on the stove and filled a pot with water and put it on top of a burner. She thought they would have Macaroni and cheese tonight.

Just a few minutes after the cheese started to melt, Gumball, Darwin and Anais came through the door. They had all just off the bus from school.

"Hey everyone! How was school?" Nicole asked cheerfully.

"It went well mom! I got to actually teach Gumball how to do an equation, and he for once understood it." Anais stated proudly, folding her arms and smiling.

This was followed by a sound of a jab, and an "ow! Meanie..." from her.

"Now now children, let's not be violent, alright? It's dinner time. Gumball, can you go get your father up from his evening nap please?" Nicole asked politely.

Gumball sighed, then hastily climbed the steps. Everyone else set their backpacks down and helped set the table. Soon enough, Gumball came downstairs, followed by the still very sleepy Richard.

They all sat down with a plate of Macaroni and started to eat. They all were then talking about their day. Darwin told a funny story about how a teacher tried to chase a student in a fit of rage, but fell so hard and clumsily. This made them all laugh. Nicole glanced away for a second to clear the tears from her eyes from laughter. When she looked back at them, they suddenly had disappeared. All but Gumball remained. She looked over towards him, now concerned.

"Where did everyone go?" She asked worriedly glancing around the room but still not seeing them.

"Don't you remember Mother? They are gone. They won't return. It's just us...forever." Gumball spoke, his eyes turning darker with every word.

Nicole felt her heart beating faster and faster. Suddenly Gumball stood on top of his chair, and raised his arms. Darkness surrounded them both, and started to envelop the table. Nicole jumped up away from the table and backed up to the wall. The darkness surrounded basically the entire room now. The only thing that seemed to remain was her and Gumball. Everything else seemed to fade into nothing. Gumball then lunged at Nicole, pinning her down.

"G-Gumball. Please! Stop this!" She shouted.

She kicked with all her might, but he was just too strong. His face inched closer to hers. With a evil grin, his darkened eyes turned bright red.

"No Gumball! Don't hurt me! P-please..." She begged mercifully.

Tears started to steam down her face. She was more scared then she had ever been before. She didn't want her life to end like this...

Gumball laughed maniacally and it echoed all around her. He then started yelling.

"Nicole...Nicole...NICOLE! Wake up...wake up...WAKE UP! Mother wake up!"

————————End of Dream—————————

Nicole's eyes shot open and she sat up in a cold sweat. She felt her heart still beating at a rapid pace. She looked around and realized she was still in her bed. It was all a nightmare...

She took a few deep breaths and wiped her forehead of the sweat. All of that wasn't real. It was just a bad dream. She repeated that thought in her mind over and over until she felt her heartbeat slow to a steady pace. She then heard a knock on her door. She looked towards the door and saw it open with Gumball poking his head in.

"Hey mom, I heard you talking to yourse-" he suddenly stopped talking mid-sentence before gasping, and covering his eyes. Nicole, confused, looked down at herself and realized she was still naked. She also gasped before covering up her exposed chest.

"I'm sorry Gumball. You can look now." She said awkwardly.

Gumball opened a small gap between his fingers before dropping his hands from his face.

"S-sorry for intruding mom. I just wanted to make sure you were alright. I heard you talking to yourself and you seemed in distress." He said, now looking down at the floor.

Nicole sighed slightly, before a light smile spread across her face.

"I'm fine now Gummypuss. I just had a bad dream."

"Oh...I see. What was it about?" He asked her curiously.

Nicole caught her breath for a second before responding.

"I...I was dreaming about our family...all of us. Back at home...but then everyone seemed to disappear..." She said quietly before averting Gumball's raised gaze towards her. She didn't tell Gumball the last part of her nightmare, but she felt that was right in her book. The last thing she wanted was Gumball thinking he scares her.

She looked towards Gumball when she heard him walk closer to her. She saw him walk right up the side of her bed, and then felt the warmth of his embrace from him hugging her. She embraced him in a hug in response and then closed her eyes. At this point, she didn't care she was naked so close to him. She smiled feeling his arms wrapped around her body and gently kissed his head. She rested her chin on him and closed her eyes. She couldn't remember the last time she had received a hug like this. It was a shame that even Richard hadn't given her a hug like this in years...

Nicole threw that harsh memory away and focused on this moment. She and Gumball didn't speak for a few minutes. They just kept hugging. Finally, after she felt his arms around her loosen, she got the message and let go. They both made eye contact now and she saw him with a sincere smile looking towards her. This seemed to melt her heart and she smiled back. This time with a tinge of red on her cheeks.

Gumball then cleared his throat.

ahem* "Mom, uh, do you want me to find you something to eat or drink? You were out for quite a few hours..."

Nicole looked around the room and saw the red-orange light shining through the windows. It must have been almost nighttime. She then looked back at Gumball and nodded.

"I'll help you look for something. Just...let me slip into something first." She said sheepishly.

Gumball got the message and sort of blushed before heading for the door. He turned around one last time and smiled towards her before leaving and shutting the door behind him.

Nicole was feeling better now. She quickly got up and opened her closet and slipped into a pair of her normal "work" clothes. She was sort of enjoying this magical closet now, as the clothes still seemed soft and freshly scented.

'I guess I won't be needing to wash clothes anytime soon...' she thought to herself before heading downstairs.

When she reached the kitchen, Gumball and her walked up to the fridge. Just as Gumball was about to open it, he stopped. Nicole looked over to him, and knew what he was thinking. She decided to see if his fears were correct, and opened the fridge herself. Inside was filled with fresh produce and diary products. She also noticed several types of juices as well. She took a small carton of orange juice out, then shut the fridge door. She reopened the fridge...and in its place rested another carton of orange juice.

Gumball and Nicole were still shocked by this, but Nicole decided to try something. She walked over to the kitchen sink, and poured the carton of juice down the drain. She then walked back and placed it back inside the fridge and closed it. When she reopened it, there was still only one carton of orange juice. The empty carton just disappeared out of thin air...

"Well, at least we can recycle." Gumball said, somewhat trying to be humorous.

Nicole formed a half smile, before reopening the fridge and pulling stuff out to eat and drink for the both of them. They ended up eating more yogurt and an some apples along with the orange juice. On one side of Nicole's mind she was utterly freaked out by these weird "ever filling fridges", but the other side of her was starting to like them; since they were providing at least somewhat healthy food and drinks for them to survive on.

After they were done eating, Nicole and Gumball decided to simply head back up stairs. They really didn't want to go outside at night. Especially with so much unknown in this world of wonder. Nicole went into the bathroom to take another shower before bed, and Gumball went straight to his room. He was about to hope in bed when he felt his foot touch something. He looked down and realized something was in his old torn pants. He picked them up and reached into his left pocket. Inside was his wallet. He opened it, and when he did, he started feeling emotions swirling in him...

Inside the wallet was a picture of his family. They were all looking so happy. He remembered his friend had taken it of them after they had gone out to the town fair. They had so much fun there too...

Gumball felt tears forming. He missed them so much. Darwin, his best bro, would be so worried for him. He probably is hurting quite a bit without him, wherever he is now. Anais is probably doing fine...but still, she looked up to him. And he looked up to her. Heck, if he was able to just go back for a day, he would watch that stupid donkey tv show she loves so much with her. That's saying something. As for Richard. Dad. He'd hug him without a second thought. Sure, he'd eat everything he could lay his hands on, and make a mess from time to time, but he was glad to have a father in his life. He missed them all...with every fiber of his body.

Still holding the picture in his hands, he curled up into a ball in his bed now, and let the tears fall down his face. He wanted to be home. The rest of his family and friends needed him, and he needed them too.

Nicole walked out of the shower and put on a towel. She was about to walk past Gumball's room when she heard the crying. She creaked open his door and saw him in a ball, curled up by the headboard of the bed. She walked over to him, and sat next to him.

"Hey." She said patting, then rubbing his back.

Gumball then looked over to her, and before she could ask what was wrong, he was clinging to her, and sobbing harder. She embraced him and held him tight. That's when she looked down and saw the picture he was holding. She knew then why he was crying. She now felt like crying too. She laid her cheek against the side of his head and helped rock his body slowly from side to side. This seemed to slightly ease Gumball, but he still had tears coming out.

"Shhh, It's alright Gummypuss. I'm right here..." Nicole whispered softly to him.

Nicole was no stranger to comforting her children. She would admit, usually it was Anais she would often do this too, but right here, right now, it would be for Gumball. She poured every once of love into her embrace and decided to whisper sing lullabies to him. Eventually, she noticed he had stopped crying, and was starting to yawn. She then moved and helped place him under the covers. She kissed his forehead, and was about to leave when she heard him call out to her.

"Mom, I know this is childish but...would you sleep with me tonight?"

Nicole stopped in her tracks. This was new. All her life, she had heard Gumball tell her countless times that he had wanted to sleep alone; ever since he could talk in fact. Now, having Gumball actually ASK her to sleep with him...she knew he really must be hurt right now. She then spun around, walked over to the other side of the bed, and climbed in. She heard Gumball scooch closer and eventually was almost right up against her. She then flipped onto her side and pulled him close. She was bigger then him, so he fit nicely up against her. Gumball sighed in relief, then slowly drifted off to sleep. Nicole, contempt with her son's happiness, kissed him once more on the head then fell into a peaceful slumber. No nightmares this time...