(crossposted on Tumblr<3)

"Fuck, fuck!" Your breaths were rushed and sharp, your heartbeat hammering in your chest as you worked as fast as you could, elbow deep in your second generator. The cogs ticking and whining as you worked on them as fast as your tired arms could muster. Your hurriedness quickly turned all your efforts sloppy.

You blinked rapidly when the generator exploded in your face, you'd missed a skill check, and you wouldn't doubt that the killer would make haste to your exact position. You sucked your teeth, debating if you should risk continuing on the generator. You decided against it, you'd rather not greet the killer for today.

"Oi! Y/N! Get over 'ere." You heard your name be called by David, he was hiding behind a stack of tires and hurriedly beckoning you over. You figured you'd oblige. Once you had safely crept over to him, he gave you a glance, "Ya not hurt are ya?"

You shook your head, he smiled.

"Good. I just finished up the last of the crap in my medkit anyway." David chuckled, shaking his head lightly as he laughed, "Wanna complete that generator with me?"

You couldn't help but grin at his non-chalantness, then again he'd been in these trials a little longer than you had, he must be more accustomed to the chilling fear that crept up your spine than you were.

"Sure, what have I got to lose?" You snorted, giving David a hearty pat on the back as you both began to stalk towards the half-finished generator. Although your humour quickly faded when you got the sudden feeling that someone was watching you.

Sally tilted her head to the side, you were fresh meat, fairly new in the trials. But you'd managed to pick up her scent quicker than many of the veteran survivors who'd been round this carousel with her multiple times before. Interesting. She admired your intelligence from afar. Although she didn't enjoy your choice in company as much.

She huffed an amused breath when you patted David's arm in slight alarm, claiming you sensed her nearby. What a smart little survivor you were. David seemed to heed your warning and stopped his fidgeting with the generator, grabbing your arm and leading you away from your space.

Sally narrowed her eyes behind the mask, she didn't like that.

The sudden bout of irritation clouded her rationality, sending her flying after you and David, splitting you both apart and sending you running in opposite directions from each other. You clicked your tongue against your teeth, she was HOT on your trail.

When your heart stopped beating and there was a bead of sweat rolling down your forehead from the mile you just ran, you took a moment to breathe. Humming Zanzibar by Billy Joel quietly as you looked around for a generator and David alike.

Sally drifted close, swaying gently to the soft noise of your humming, she was certainly not close enough to alarm you, but close enough to know your exact position. Your voice was oddly soothing compared to just the clinking of generators and screaming survivors she was used to.

Sure she'd heard Anna hum and sing a lullaby every now and then, but even then it was the same song over and over again - and it was in Russian.

Sally soon found herself mimicking your humming, the tune had stuck with her and she'd been so distracted that she'd been letting you get through another two generators. Funnily enough she didn't mind, it was only you and David left, and David was severely injured.

She drifted lazily across to you, unfazed by your sudden gasp of surprise when she practically cornered you without you even noticing her move. She tilted her head at you before gesturing to your mouth, you spluttered like a broken car, did she mean..your humming?

"My h-humming? You like my humming?" You asked, a little more confident as it seemed she was no longer ready to hook you at every opportunity. She nodded, her weapon falling gently to the floor so she could trace your bottom lip with her free hand.

You took a deep breath before humming a few notes of Careless Whisper by George Michael, her hand trailed down into the insides of your arm, trailing her fingertips over the veins of your wrists before she grasped your hands in her own.

She pulled you forward gently, moving to the side and back again. She was..dancing with you? You continued to hum the song softly, Sally spun you around and pulled you close, your back against her lithe frame. This was oddly comforting.

You were no longer afraid of The Nurse in that very moment. It had been a while since Sally had danced and she was glad it was with you. A smart little survivor she had taken a shine to, she couldn't wait to attempt and try to tell Anna about this.

Her head shot up when the buzzing of the exit gate was heard, David had escaped by now, but Sally hadn't had the heart in her to hook you now. She'd let you go this time. Leading you gently towards the gate in hopes that you'd claim your freedom.

You turned towards the exit and back to her, a look of confusion on your face, you hadn't known why The Nurse had danced with you, why she'd helped you or even why she hadn't killed you when she had multiple openings to.

Before it hit you.

She was lonely.

You smiled softly, mouthing 'thank you' to her as you turned towards the exit. She was about to look the other way and wait for the entity, but instead felt your lips press gently to the top of her head. An act of affection she hadn't felt in years.

She held your hands one last time before they slid out of her grasp and you ran off into the night. Her fingertips pressing gently against the place you had kissed. Sally turned back to the map as it grew shakier, humming the tune you had been humming previously.

She held no sadness in her body.

She'd see you again.