A/N: Get ready for my favorite chapter I wrote.

TRIGGER WARNING: There is at least 1 moment in this scene that may be considered triggering. There are no ideations at all, but "un-aliving" at the hands of others are implied. However, from the title, it's obviously ALL A DREAM.

Ch 5: Too Much to Dream

Bright lights, big stars, big dreams

This town ain't what it seems

Where was I goin' when I left you?

What did I think I was gonna do?

Setting: Interior, high school, lockers, day

The hallway in the school was busier than usual. It was in the middle of the day, lunch time to be exact. For some reason, Sly could have sworn there were never this many students with this lunch schedule, but at the same time, he didn't care. Sly was sitting on the long bench across from his locker, hip to hip with the one woman in his life he could say aloud he loved. Why they weren't at Sharkey's, where the gang went everyday for lunch, he didn't know either. Actually, he couldn't remember how he even got there, to be honest.

But, it didn't matter. Sly was publicly holding Lorena's hand, and she was okay with it. They both looked at each other and smiled, the gang hanging around with smiles also plastered on their faces. Everyone was just really smiley, really happy, and really odd.

But again, it didn't matter. Sly closed his eyes, leaned in, and gave his love the most passionate kiss he felt she deserved.

A shrieking scream pierced Sly's ears instantly. He popped open his eyes in time to see Lorena shoving him and jumping away. It caught him so off guard that he fell back and barely stopped his fall on the back corner of the bench. What the—

"He attacked me!" Lorena screamed, falling back into the arms of Tiffani and Sam. "La Cucaracha kissed me!"

"What's wrong with you, Sly?" Sam demanded.

Before Sly could even contemplate a response, he felt the collar of his shirt yank backwards forcibly. His back slammed against a set of lockers, the wind getting knocked out of his lungs. Sly couldn't breathe, much less speak. In front of him, leaving him no space to escape, was the gang led by a very angry Tiffani.

"How could you, Sly?" she growled. "Stoop so low as to assault Lorena?" Tiffani slammed her hands against his shoulders, but she had the power of a bodybuilder, the idea that she could easily be taking steroids again.

Sly winced in pain, hearing the break and pop of bones, but was able to gather enough energy to look over the blonde warden's left shoulder and see Lorena standing there. She was glowing in the sun. She smiled, winked, and blew Sly a kiss.

Jake, who was on Tiffani's left, banged his hand violently against the lockers. Sly cowered away only for a hand to whack his right cheek hard. He felt the sting travel through his body as he grabbed the tender skin.

"Don't you touch her or any other woman again!" Tiffani screamed.

Another fist slammed against the locker, another wince from Sly, and suddenly he was falling, descending, tumbling below until his right side came in contact with rough gravel beneath him. He coughed from the cloud of dirt that enveloped his body all around. Sly's entire right side ached from the hit as he grabbed his right cheek. He felt something wet and sticky hot. Pushing himself up, Sly looked down at his hand and saw the dark crimson of blood.

"Oh, Sly," echoed a familiar voice. He searched around the void until he looked in front of himself.

"Lorena?" Sly squinted.

Lorena was in a field full of green grass, luscious trees, and perfumed flowers. She was being held in someone's muscular arms, but Sly could not make out the face. It was cloudy, much like the dirt and smoke that grew more and more around him.

"Don't worry, Sly," Lorena crooned, stroking the strong arms that held her close, "I'm only doing him a favor."

Two pairs of hands reached down and lifted Sly up, dragging him on his knees. The air around him became cold and gray. He glanced up, searching for the sun but was only met with ominous clouds.

"What's happening?" Sly cried. "Where are you taking me?" The two figures remained stoic. They marched him across the courtyard, up the steps, and onto the platform where a third figure in a hood was stationed. As one tied his hands behind his back, Sly realized what he was standing on.

The gallows.

The angry mob below was already gathered, screaming and screeching, throwing their fists into the air. Across from Sly, in the court beyond, sat three gentlemen dressed in British court uniforms. Sly squinted, disoriented.

"Jake?" What is going on!

"Sylvester Leslie Winkle," Judge Jake began as a hush fell upon the crowd, "you have been charged with assault of malicious intent. How do you plead?"

Directly on either side of Judge Jake sat co-Judge Mark and co-Judge Tony.

"It doesn't matter how he pleads," Tony chimed in. "He'll always be guilty as sin."

"Sorry, cuz," Mark shrugged.

"In that case," Jake nodded, "this court finds you guilty and sentences you to death." All three men slammed their gavels down in one thunderous boom.

"WHAT!" screamed Sly. The mob cheered excitedly, ready for a good hanging. One of the figures from before walked up and slowly placed the rope around Sly's neck. He struggled, but it was no use. It was as if his body was completely frozen. "Please, I'm sorry," he begged, "I'll never do it again! You have to believe me!"

The mob began throwing old vegetables and fruits at him, aiming for the knees, the head, or anywhere else that would provide the most pain. They heckled him, growling words like "hang em!" and "let em swing!" until it was a cacophonic explosion.

The third figure, near the lever, stretched their arms, popped their knuckles, and removed the hood. Honey-kissed brunette hair fell to their, well her, shoulders, as she brushed a strand or two away from her eyes. Her gaze met his as she lifted her hand to blow one last kiss.

"Lorena!" Sly shouted, suddenly hopeful. "You can save me!" But Lorena only smiled.

"Goodbye, La Cucaracha," and pulled the lever.

Sly tumbled to the ground screaming, his blanket twisted around his legs, the smell of carpet beneath him. He breathed deep and slow to calm his panic, sweat dripping from his brow. Flipping to his back, Sly grabbed his chest and exhaled hard.

It was only a dream.

Too high, too fast, too far,

No one can catch a falling star.

Where was I goin' when I left you?

What did I think I was gonna do?

Setting: Interior, high school, lockers, day

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Sly questioned the brunette. The two were removed from the gang who were sitting idly on the bench near their lockers. Peering over, Lorena took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Yup," she said, determined. "Let's do this." The couple grasped hands tightly and walked over to the bench. "Hey, guys?" No one reacted. "Uh, guys?" Still nothing. "Um," she looked at Sly before convincing herself to just spill it. The two sensed each other and each wrapped an arm around the other's waist. "Sly and I are dating."

The air rushed out of the room, down the hallway, and through the double doors. A high pitched sound drowned out the silence that encompassed the moment. All eyes snapped to Lorena and Sly, staring blankly.

A deafening laugh roared from the gang, piercing Lorena's ears as she winced in pain. Then silence once again.

"Good one, Lorena," Tiffani jeered to break the hush, all eyes snapping right back to where they were originally looking. Lorena furrowed her brows. What?

"No, seriously," Sly insisted and grabbed Lorena by the chin, pulling her in for the most passionate kiss she'd ever experienced.

Before she could fully enjoy the moment, Lorena felt the rush of Sly being pulled violently away. Opening her eyes, an angry mob carried him off as he screamed.

"Lorena, I'm coming!" Sly's voice trailed off until Lorena couldn't hear him any longer. The mob grew bigger and bigger, strange arms and hands pushing her back as she reached for his hand, hopelessly grasping the air. A surge of energy threw Lorena back, but she landed on her feet.

Another surge, and she was face-to-face with just the gang, Sam leading the charge. They stepped slowly in unison, forcing her to retreat backwards.

"You manipulated him once and broke his heart," Sam snarled under her breath. The gang continued their march, each with their own sinister gaze upon the Latina. "You're going to do that again?"

"No!" Lorena screamed, shaking her head. From a distance, she heard the guttural cries of torture, Sly's wailing cutting into her soul. "Sly!"

"How can you be so selfish?" Sam growled, pushing Lorena's shoulders, causing her to stumble.

"It's not true," she cried, "I love him!"

A cacophony of screams erupted, the gang shrieking "LIAR!" as they forced Lorena to run… run out the double doors, run through the void, and run to the ledge. Lorena slammed her hands against the concrete rim, catching her breath and tightening her eyes to stop the tears from escaping.

Silence.

Lorena felt the cool breeze, smelled the sting of salt, and heard the crash of waves. Opening her eyes, far below her perch, loud and thunderous waters crashed against the very high was nowhere else to go. She flipped her back to the ledge, and the mob was already there, already waiting for her. Once again, the gang led the riot.

"Look what you did, Lorena," Jake stoically pointed to Lorena's right. Two figures carried in a bloody body. His clothes were torn, his stomach was scarred, and his head hung lifeless. "You killed him."

Lorena tried to reach for Sly, but Mark and Tony grabbed and slammed her back to the ledge. She winced, and suddenly the mob was gone.

"You killed me, Lorena," a voice whispered calmly to her right. She snapped her head to the sound, and there stood a lifeless corpse of Sly. His skin was gray and wilting. Lorena shook violently, crying and gripping the concrete behind her. Closing her eyes, she shook her head and pleaded.

"No, please, no," Lorena sobbed. "I didn't mean it."

"You killed me!" screamed the voice, but it had moved. Lorena cowered and opened her eyes. Sly stood before her, his eyes a crimson, bloody mess. "You're nothing but a spoiled, conceited, princess!"

Lorena couldn't handle it anymore. She had to escape. She had to take her chance in the waves. She began the climb up the ledge, bawling and atoning.

"I'm sorry, Sly," she wept, attempting to control her shaking legs. She stood up and then looked back. To her horror, the waves were now infested with gray, angry, hungry sharks. Those weren't there before!

"Sly," she pleaded, staring down at the dangerous waters, "please, I beg you. I'm so sorry." But there were no sounds of screams anymore. Maybe he's gone? she thought. Turning back, lifeless Sly stood, his head slumped. He breathed deeply, every inhale getting quicker and stronger until his bloody eyes shot up and…

"Too late."

A gush of people sailed past him and pushed Lorena off the edge into the perilous ocean.

Lorena screamed and shot up in bed. Grabbing her chest, she felt herself hyperventilating. The Latina attempted to calm her breath, gulping and inhaling deeply, but it WAS too late.

She broke down and cried into her hands.

I had too much to dream last night,

Hey now, do you know what I mean?

It's all different in the daylight,

Just had a little too much to dream

A/N: I LOVE writing dream scenes. If you look back on my other CSI: Miami fanfics, you'll see the enjoyment I get out of writing chaos, lol. Anywho REVIEW