A/N: And here we have it, day 5 of Pandora Hearts week. I've had this one half typed up in my document writer for a long time, I just never managed to finish it. And I figured what better time to finish it than Pandora Hearts week?

I got this idea after re-reading the manga, as if that wasn't already painful enough XD

"Oz…...Oz!"

Oz woke with a start, blinking the sleepy, bleary feeling out of his eyes. The sun was shining bright, only partially shaded by the tree he was sitting under. The last bits of his dream began to fade away, which had brought a tear to his cheek. He quickly swiped it away, and looked at the ones who had called his name. "Hm? Gil? Alice?" He sat up, a faint smile crossing his lips.

"Oz, you shouldn't sneak away like that without telling anyone!" Alice stood over him, a rebuking expression on her face. "Gilbert was worried about you!" Her words gained a teasing edge, which caused both Gilbert and Oz to blush.

"I wasn't! Well, I was, but!…." Gilbert protested, sighing in annoyance after a moment of trying to sort out his words. "Anyways, you'll catch a cold if you sleep out here, even if it's so nice out."

"Sorry, it just felt so good, I must have dozed off." Oz stood up, basking in the warm sunlight. He lifted a hand to his face, shielding from the brightness in order to look around. "I'm just glad the weather's so nice!"

"Aha, here you are!" A voice called from behind Oz.

Oz turned to face the direction the voice had called from, and his eyes lit up. "Leo, Elliot!" He ran to greet them, grinning widely. "It's been a while since we last met!" As he spoke, Oz couldn't help but remember his dream, the feeling of desperation, and loss, and death. But he quickly reminded himself that that was just a dream, and that his friends were still here in front of him.

The trio exchanged greetings (although Elliot seemed less than happy with Oz's enthusiasm), and finally Leo said, "Soon you'll be enrolled in Lutwidge academy, then you'll have to see us every day, whether you like it or not!"

Oz's grin widened at the prospect of seeing Elliot and Leo every day. "I really haven't spent enough time with them. But I guess it can't be helped. At least now I'll have that chance."

Before he could voice his opinion, Elliot was already challenging Oz to see who would be superior in the achievement test. The two bickered for a moment, before Leo cut in with a soft laugh. Both turned to look at him in surprise.

"I wonder what people will think…...to see a Nightray and a Vessalius getting along so well?" He pointed out, smiling at the pair. "Perhaps you two will really be an inspiration, just like Oz-kun hopes."

Oz and Elliot glanced at each other, slightly embarrassed. Oz reached out to playfully punch Elliot, who simply stepped aside and let Oz stumble forwards a little. "Hey, no fair!" Oz complained light-heartedly.

"Come on, shorty, let's go back. Your guests are waiting for you." Elliot ignored Oz's complaint, turning to go back down the hill. "Honestly, what kind of host wanders off during his own tea party?"

"Sorry, I just couldn't help it!" Oz laughed, following his friends back to the clear, open meadow. Rows of tables had been set up, each filled with different kinds of foods and sweets.

"Oh, everyone's back!" Ada's sweet voice called out, and she smiled at her brother. She was holding a teacup, although she seemed more pre-occupied with the person she had been speaking with, rather than drinking her tea.

Said person was none other than Vincent, who gave his own brother a smile. "Nii-san, where did you go off without me?" There was no malice in his words, only curiosity, and perhaps a slight teasing tone.

"Oh Vincent-sama, surely Gil could go off for just a moment by himself!" Ada said gently, setting down her teacup and reaching for her handkerchief. "And look, you've got cream all over your lips!" She used the cloth to wipe away said cream, smiling all the while.

"I do not!" Vincent protested through the cloth, but he allowed Ada to continue anyways. "You must be seeing things, Ada-sama!"

Oz tensed slightly at the sight of Vincent, but turned to Gil and whispered, "At this rate it looks like you're really going to lose Ada to your brother….."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Oz…." Gil shot back, although he didn't seem the slightest bit happy at the thought.

"Well now, who have we here?!" Another merry voice rang out, but it was slightly muffled. "Is it something the cat dragged in?"

"Break!" Oz couldn't even find it in himself to be annoyed by the insult. "And Sharon-chan! Reim-san! You all made it!"

"Of course we did, Oz-sama!" Sharon spoke up, "We wouldn't have missed it for anything!"

"Of course! Ojou-sama here wouldn't stop talking about it!" Break teased, watching Sharon's face go red, an expression rather unfitting for a Duchess. "There practically wasn't a moment in the day where the words "Oz-sama's tea party" were not on her lips!"

Sharon blushed profusely, and explained, "Because I was excited to see everyone together again!"

Oz laughed, but before he could respond, he noticed Break reaching for a slice of cake, despite the several slices already on his plate. "Hey, Break! Don't eat the entire cake by yourself!" He scolded, "There's other guests here, you know!"

"Boo, I would never." Break deadpanned, taking the slices anyways, and spearing quickly through one.

Sighing and shaking his head, Oz glanced away from Break, and another person caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. "Echo-chan!?" Oz smiled, feeling his heart swell with happiness once again. "She's alright!"

Echo didn't even bother to correct him, she was too busy blushing and trying to make herself seem invisible. "Yes…...Oz-sama….." She looked down, scanning the grass as if her life depended on it.

"Echo-chan, you look beautiful today!" Oz complimented sincerely, looking at her new dress. "That's not to say you don't always look good though! But your dress…..it's so cute!"

Echo's face went bright red, and she ran off, but not before smacking Oz over the head with her teddy-bear shaped purse.

"Ow! What's her deal?" Oz muttered, "I just gave her a compliment!"

"Well would you look at that!" A different voice chimed in, hearty and wholesome. "You've got her blushing! You've sure got a way with women!"

Oz turned, his breath hitching. "That was just a dream. He's alright! He's really alright!" Suppressing a cry of relief, Oz laughed, and shot back, "But I just gave her a compliment! I didn't mean to embarrass her!"

"Oscar-sama!…..." Gilbert couldn't help but show his surprise as Oscar seemed to enjoy the scene unfolding.

"Although, I must admit, I thought I was going to have to give Gilbert a stern talking-to." Oscar admitted, laughing heartily as Gilbert shrunk back, "Because I still thought for sure that Ada was going to go after him!"

Vincent, who was still within earshot, spoke up, "Nii-san, with Ada-sama?" He glanced between the two, and shook his head. "Although it's true they've known each other for a long time….."

"Certainly longer than you have." Break supplied, which earned a prompt smack on the back of the head from Sharon. "Ow! Ojou-sama, what was that for?!"

"Time is not the only measure for true love!" Sharon scolded, pulling out a book from her bag. "See!" She held out the book, which Oz managed to take a glance of. "One of her romance novels, of course."

"But!" Oscar added, shifting his attention to Vincent, "That doesn't mean you're off Scott-free!" He quickly gained his "over-protective" look, "Ada is precious to me, so if I find out you've broken her heart…..."

"Uncle!" Ada clasped Vincent's hand, and frowned. "Vincent-sama wouldn't do such a thing!"

"Um...well….I….." Vincent stammered, shifting uncomfortably under Oscar's intense gaze. He had never felt intimidated by another person quite so much, even throughout his rough younger years. More recently, he had become used to being the intimidating one, although in a much more subtle way. Oscar's way of intimidation was direct and intense, which made Vincent feel very nervous.

"I'm only teasing of course!" Oscar assured after a moment, "You make sure you make Ada the happiest girl in the world, alright?"

"Yes sir." Vincent sighed in relief, grateful that things didn't turn into a full-blown lecture. "I'll do my best."

"Well, now that that's out of the way, Oz, I've got a surprise for you. Now don't be too alarmed, alright? Someone manged to come today, thanks to getting a day off!" Oscar waved across the meadow, flagging someone down. "Hey, over here! Zai!"

Oz's eyes widened, and he clenched the side of his suit. "Father? Here?" He watched as Zai approached, and spoke, "Father?!"

"He had a meeting canceled, so I invited him to come join us!" Oscar was beaming, although it was slightly overshadowed by Zai ominously glaring at him in the background.

"You liar….." Zai lifted his cane and shoved it onto Oscar's face, "weren't you the one who kept pestering me day and night? And even at work! You snuck into my bedroom before I finally gave up and agreed to come!" He sighed, dropping his free hand to his side. "Who knows what else you would have tried if I didn't agree then?!"

"T…..thank you for finding time to come, even though you're always so busy!" Oz cut in, his voice shaking. So many thoughts were running through his head at once, but he tried to ignore them. For now, he was here, enjoying a moment with his family and friends, all of them. "I know…...now that I've enrolled for Lutwidge, I should focus on my studies…..but I…." Somewhere, in a tiny corner of his heart, Oz could feel a voice screaming, "This is wrong! They're all dead! Father, and Echo-chan, and Elliot, they all died!" But he ignored it, desperately trying to convince himself that what he had seen was only a dream.

"Oz-sama, are you alright?" Sharon questioned, "You look as though you're sick!"

"Yeah Oz, what's wrong?" Alice poked Oz's cheek, before Gilbert reached out and pulled her away. "Hey! I was just trying to help! Lemme go!" She pouted, kicking Gilbert in the shins.

"This is wrong!" Oz blurted, "All of this! Everyone is here, together, but they can't be! Because….because…...everyone died!" A tear rolled down Oz's cheek, and he continued, with a catch in his voice, "Echo-chan, and Elliot, uncle Oscar…..even you, father…." He looked between everyone as he spoke, who were all staring back in concern.

"Oz, what are you talking about?" Elliot crossed his arms, "We're all standing right here!" He reached over and rapped on Oz's head, "Are you dreaming or something?"

"That's just it!" Oz cried, "I am dreaming! This is just a dream, you're all gone, and I can't wake up! I shouldn't be here, so then why?! Why show me this beautiful dream, when I know it's nothing but a nightmare?!"

"Oz, calm down!" Gilbert let go of Alice, and moved to comfort Oz. "Look, everyone is fine! No-one is hurt. It was all just a bad dream. You must have had it when you fell asleep under that tree."

"No, it wasn't!" Oz insisted, "This is the dream! I know it is! I wasn't sure before, I hoped I was wrong, but I'm not! Please believe me! I…..I have to wake up! Everyone is waiting for me, and….and I can't stay here any longer!"

"Oz-kun! Please calm down!" Leo held out his hands in a soothing gesture. "Everyone is alright!"

"It's not just that!" Oz sobbed, clutching his arms together around his waist, his breath hitching. "Leo, you tried to change the past, Jack tried to recreate the Tragedy, Vincent…..he…." Oz couldn't force himself to continue speaking, every breath becoming painful as his chest heaved with every cry.

"Oz….." Gilbert reached to comfort Oz once more, but he jerked away from his touch.

"No!" Oz screamed, his eyes wide. "Don't….don't touch me!" He turned on his heel, running as fast as his feet could take him away from the party.

"Oz!" Several collective voices called after him, and they ran to catch up to him.

"Leave me alone! You're dead!" Oz burst out, darting into the woods and weaving throughout the trees until he had shaken everyone off his path. He climbed up a tree, collapsing against it. His eyes were stinging with tears, and he could hardly breathe.

"Stop, please stop!" He begged, "I need to wake up!"

But alas, the nightmare continued, a haunting eternity of wonderland, a beautiful dream tainted by reality from which he shall never wake.

A/N:And there you have it. I loved writing this one, as sad as it ended up being.

As always, comments are well appreciated! :)