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"It's not going to go any faster if you keep asking.", Oliver said when he heard someone walk into the room.
He assumed it was Mark again, coming to ask him if he's done with the serum. He was wrong.
"I went through all this trouble to get rid of the serum and you're just going to remake it?", a high voice that definitely wasn't Mark's spoke, "I can't let you do that, Oliver. I'm sure you'll understand."
Helen. Shit. Oliver slowly let go of the vials as she slowly walked up to him. She took his work and threw it on the floor.
"Helen, we really need this serum. Mark is keeping an eye on him right now but if that guy out there wakes up, he could blow up this whole place with all of us in it.", the alchemist tried to reason with her.
"Oh, yes, of course. Mark. It was lovely catching up with him some more.", Helen said, a sweet smile that made his stomach churn, on her lips, "You need his blood to make more, right? Don't worry, he's bleeding more than enough all over the floor right now."
What?
"What?", he asked. Was she fucking with him? Was she serious?
"You heard me. You might wanna check on our pal. He was not looking good when I left him there.", she chuckled.
Oliver's breathing became rigid and he turned on his heels and ran past Helen back to Mark and Alex.
"Mark?", he called out when he entered the room.
When he looked down, there he was. On the floor, with a scalpel stuck in his chest and a pained expression on his face. Oliver dropped to his knees beside him and frantically checked him for more injuries. He had a few superficial cuts here and there.
"Byron, listen to me. You're going to be okay.", he reassured him, taking his hand, even though they both knew the only doctor in the building was dead and Helen was still walking around freely. Things were not looking good.
Speaking of the devil, apparently she followed Oliver back into the room.
"Aw, isn't that sweet? Now, who does that remind me of?", she asked herself, coming closer.
"Oh, right! This is almost like when I stabbed Green. You should have seen the look on Dr. Bright's face! Kinda like the look on your face now, Oliver.", Helen said, grinning like she just told a funny joke, "Wanna make it even more alike?"
Before Oliver could react she reached for the scalpel she had stabbed into Mark's chest and pulled it out.
"Woops.", she said, her smile never wavering.
Oliver watched in horror as blood started spilling out of Mark's wound.
"Byron! Byron, no!", he exclaimed.
The older man ripped open his button-up, bunched it up and started pressing it onto the wound.
"Oliver.", Mark choked out.
"Don't worry, Byron. You're not dying on my watch.", Oliver said, blinking away the tears welling up in his eyes.
"Not that I doubt your skills but I don't think I'll make it out of this.", the younger man said. Tears were streaming down his face and that was all it took for Oliver to fully start crying as well.
"No. Mark, just- Just hold on. Just stay with me. It's going to be fine. We are both going to make it out of here and we'll go on a waffle date where you won't actually order waffles again and it's going to be fine!", Oliver insisted, pressing down on the wound. His shirt was completely soaked with Mark's blood and his hands were covered in his blood.
"Oliver.", Mark said, sounding weaker by the second.
"Yes, Byron, what is it?", he asked. His tears were falling down and mixing with the blood on his hands.
"Oliver, I- I love you. Promise me you won't try to deal with this all on your own?"
"I promise, Byron. I love you too. Please don't leave so soon."
Oliver desperately tried to stop the blood from coming out but it kept getting more and more. Mark took a shuddering breath, trying to say something else but he slipped into unconsciousness.
"No, no, Mark! Wake up!", he cried, clinging onto his best friend's lifeless body. He kept checking his breathing and his pulse until there were no longer any signs of life. He was dead.
Something shattered inside Oliver's chest. Something irreparably broke. He stared at the man who was possibly the love of his life, dead, and started sobbing.
Oliver jolted awake in Mark's bed, breathing heavily, tears streaming down his face.
"Oliver! Oliver, hey! It was a dream. You're here, you're safe.", Mark assured him, already beside him, ready to hold his hand or give him space, whatever he needed.
"Byron.", he whispered breathlessly.
He pulled the younger man into a hug, finding immense relief in feeling his heart beat against his chest. Mark ran his hand through his curls and caressed his back with his other hand.
"What did you dream about?", he asked.
"Helen. She-", Oliver choked up.
Mark continued his soothing motions, patiently waiting for him to continue or not.
"She killed you.", he said eventually. Mark's hands stilled momentarily. He picked up his movements again after the initial shock.
"And- And I watched you die. You died in my arms and-", he started sobbing again - for the first time? - and held onto Mark as tightly as he could.
Mark held him long after Oliver stopped crying. It wasn't until the older man started disentangling himself from fhe hug that he let go.
"Wanna try to get some more sleep?", Mark said, lying down on his side.
Oliver lied down on his side as well, facing him. "Yes, you need to sleep."
"So do you.", Mark retorted.
Oliver lied awake for a while after Mark fell back asleep, just watching his peaceful face and listening to his even breathing. The dream had felt so real, he needed a little more time to shake off the feelings from his dream.
Eventually he drifted off to sleep again, this time without a nightmare, thankfully.