What is a realm without its ruler? But just a hollow shell of what it was before. I stare at the broken throne, now in half and a large chunk of it was on the ground. All this time away, all was left was the staircase up to the throne and the platform that throne was on. Everything else was gone. It was like the whole world was now a black abyss and all that reminded me was what I was standing in. Decay and time haven't been kind.

Even being back in the realm, all the memories came flooding back. The good, the wicked, the bad. The loss, the hope, the love... My mind lingered on what I had within this palace, a man who loved me. And I squandered the chance to be with him. More like had the chance taken away from me. I came up to the throne, and spun on my heels, and sat ever so slowly down. I was already wearing my signature outfit, but staring out into the black abyss of my realm gave me chills.

With a blink of an eye, and exhaling deeply, when they reopened they focused on a man standing down the steps before coming up to the throne. I wasn't surprised to see him standing there. Looking more alive than before, and more powerful than I saw him.

"Hello, Dream," my eyes connected to him, as he bowed his head ever so slightly.

"Lady Chaos," he replies, making me small at hearing my name fall from his lips.

"I'm sorry," I state straight off the bat, not wanting to waste any time beating around the bush here. "For leaving, and not seeing you all the way. But seeing you here, you must have succeeded in getting your ruby back," I swiftly rose from the throne, and never disconnected our eyes.

"The ruby was shattered. Releasing the power it held inside," Dream explained, he no longer had the ruby, but the power inside was reabsorbed back into him. He was resonating more power than before, it was clear.

"Do not bore me with the recollection. Now leave, let me attend to my realm," Dream took notice of her words, but would not leave. He turns his gaze around the realm of Chaos, but it was more of a dead realm. Even now the base of the staircase was crumbling up, making its way further up.

"How long have you not been here?" A question that I would never have thought I would hear from one of the Endless. He was trying to make small talk.

"A thousand years, give or take," I could not recall when I abandoned my realm. I took the steps down, and came to the last one, looking ever so slightly down at Dream. "What are you doing here Morpheus? You did not need to bother coming - unannounced might I add. Just leave me be," after everything, I was tired. Being forced to be sent back to my realm just so I could survive was an instinct for me. But being here. It was not worth it.

"Surely, the Lady of Chaos will not listen to her master's advice and stay in her realm?" He questioned, raising up an eyebrow at me.

"The Lords of Chaos are not beings to be trifled with, and to do so, will surely end up in my destruction, " I shot back at him, as he had no contact with the Lords, or know what they are like in the first place. And when they mean something, they mean it. "My time on Earth has been a wonderful experience, and now I am stuck here in my realm for all eternity. Because I dared to think helping you was a good idea, or even being associated with you," I felt rage fill my veins, but not a Dream. But at my creators, who were controlling me. Like they have done for aeons.

"Then you would like to know. You are free to come and go as you please," Dream responded bluntly before turning on his heels and began to walk away. My eyes widened, but I shot forward and grabbed his shoulder making him stop in his tracks.

"You can't just drop a bomb like that and walk away," I used my hand to bring him back around to face me. But he was a willing participant in the action. "What did you do?!" I stared into his eyes as I dropped my hand from his shoulder.

"Matthew told me what happened. So, I paid the Lords of Chaos a visit and gently persuaded them into your freedom," I was stunned, and it showed on my face. I stumbled back, my mind reeling with what he had done.

"You did that. For me?" I brought my gaze back to Dream, as I wouldn't have thought in a million of years that he would have done this for me.

"A reward for your help," was his only reply. But it made a smile come to my face. The lingering look between us felt real, and had some meaning behind it. Without thought, I pushed forward and tilted my head up, before planting my lips onto Dream's. The kiss was heated, but Dream stood like a statue. It only lasted a few seconds, but he did kiss back. That I was sure of. Our lips departed, and I offered a grin.

"Thank you," the words were honest and came from a place of gratitude. "Run along, Lord of Dreams. Rebuild the Dreaming," I placed my hands in front of me, clasped them together. Like a Monarch would do when seeing someone off.

"Do not forget about your Kingdom," he spoke, before bowing his whole body forward a smidge, peering his eyes up through his lashes to look at me. "A pleasure as always Lady of Chaos," with his final words spoken, Dream vanished in a blink of an eye. Returning to his own realm to rebuild what was lost.

I inhaled deeply, as my eyes scanned the broken staircase, and he was right. My realm is a part of me, I created this realm. I created everything that was in it. And I shall create it once again. I extended my right hand up as a ball of red energy came to life in my palm. Suddenly, a wave of red energy appeared on the right side of the throne room. The columns, the banners, the decor, being created out of nothing, just Chaos magic. The wave of energy filled the whole right side. Before I raised my left hand, the ball of energy came to my palm again, and constructed the left side of the room. In the same manner. Throwing both my hands behind, and a wave of energy blasted from both of my palms and constructed the remainder of the throne room. Returning it to its former glory.

I looked around my throne room, feeling hope that I hadn't had for a long time. Rebuilding my realm will be a piece of cake, and have it done in no time. I spin on my heels to look at my still broken throne. A throne fit for a Queen. Fit for me. My left hand rose up, and took a claw-like shape, and wisps of energy wrapped around my fingertips, but also wrapped around the rubble scattered at the foot of the throne. The rubble began to float up, the red energy supporting their weight. I twist my wrist slowly round, allowing the rubble to be placed back into its original place. It was like time was rewinding, fixing what had been broken. Within seconds, the throne was put back together, without a single crack to be seen.

"Home, sweet, home," I allowed the words to fall effortlessly from my lips, finding the statement true. It was my home for millions of years, and deep down I was glad to be back.

But my realm was not on my mind at the moment. Something else was. Or should I say, someone...

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