Matthias

Chapter 22

**Devin's POV**

The ringing of my cell phone drew my attention from the task of cooking for my mom. I'd been staying with her since Matthias got Ben back. I told her everything that had happened between Matt and I, how I'd felt about him for a long time, and she wasn't mad at me. Sh'ed only hugged me and told me that none of this was my fault. Mom was set on the idea that he'd call when he got over everything. I think after three weeks, I wasn't the only one losing hope. I sighed and put down the spatula, digging my phone out of my pocket. 

"Hello?" I exhaled, not bothering to check the caller ID.

"Devin?"

"Yeah... Who's this?" I couldn't quite place the voice. 

"It's Adam. Uh... Do you think you can come over?" he stammered. "Like, right now?"

"Why?" I asked, more than a little shocked.

He paused for a moment. "Matt needs you... Please, come quick?"

Only the worst possible things crossed my mind. After this long, and now suddenly he needed me. That couldn't be a sign for anything good. 

"I'll be right over," I closed my phone with a frown. "Mom! I gotta go to Matt's." 

My mother entered the kitchen with a worried expression. "Is everything all right?"

I kissed her forehead and grabbed the car keys. "I really don't know, Mom."

I sped to Matt's apartment, trying not to entertain any of the horrible assumptions my mind went to. By the time I got to his place, I could hardly breathe and I don't think I could have come up with any worse scenarios. 

I ran up the stairs as fast as I could, taking two at a time until I reached the apartment. The door swung open just as I was about to knock and Adam pulled me into the room. 

"What's going on?" I asked immediately.

"They called and said they have to stop looking." He said and a tear leaked out from the corner of his eye. 

"What?! Where's Matt?"

"The nursery." He choked. 

I rushed to the room, but hesitated at the door. Adam was a step behind me, seemingly with no intentions of following me in. Matt was sitting in the rocking chair facing the boys beds. He was holding a sleeping Benjamin and he looked the epitome of awful. His tear streaked face was pale and thin. He probably hadn't eaten or slept in days. 

I walked into the room slowly. "Matt?" I called when I got close to him.

He looked up at me with sunken eyes. He looked shocked, as if he really couldn't believe I was standing there. I knelt on the floor beside him and his wide eyes followed me the entire time. "Devin?" he finally coughed out, sounding something like a broken gasp. He stood up from the chair and dropped his knees beside me. His face fell onto my shoulder immediately and I wrapped my arms around him. 

Matt seemed to just break, right there in my hold. Adam came in and somehow managed to get Ben and Matt hugged me back forcefully, crying harder. "I'm so sorry, Devin." He sobbed into the crook of my neck. "I'm sorry."

"Shhh..." I soothed him, rubbing his back comfortingly. I shifted position gently so that he was on my lap and my back was resting against the wall. He cried softly into my shirt for almost an hour until his short gasps died down to nothing but rugged breathing. Adam came in to put Ben in his bed and sat down beside me. The silence wasn't unpleasant, but he finally spoke. "It's been at least two days since he's slept, and I can't remember the last time he wasn't tossing, turning, and crying."

"How long's it been since he's eaten anything?" 

"I couldn't even tell you that. Three or four, if I had to guess." He sighed hopelessly. "I can't get him to do anything. He won't go to work. The only thing he'll move for is to take care of Ben... He can't go on like this, Devin."

I looked down at Matt's sleeping face. Seeing him now, he looked relatively peaceful. Nothing like he actually felt.

"Do you think you can help him?"

"I really hope he'll let me..." I sighed and kissed Matt's forehead.

**Matt's POV**

I woke up in my bed with the worst headache I've probably ever had. The room was dark and I could hear the television on in the living room. Everything from the previous day came back and I could feel my world crack once again.

I forced myself to get up to go check on Ben. I stumbled out of my bedroom and was caught a bit off guard when I found Devin laying on the floor with Ben. 

I watched them for a moment. Ben had a huge grin on his face. It seemed I wasn't the only one missing Devin. 

"Matt?" Devin called as he saw me walking in. "Sleep well?"

I nodded and sat down glumly. "How long was I out?"

He looked up thoughtfully. "Well, let's see. I got here around eight, so... twenty-one hours?" he chuckled. 

"Seriously?" I gawked. "Why'd you let me sleep so long?" 

"You needed it." He replied. "You can't go days without sleeping, Matt." He got up and flopped down next to me. "You okay?"

"No." I said plainly. Ben looked up at me curiously. "But, I guess I have to be, huh?" I stooped down ot pick up my son. He smiled up at me and grabbed at my chin.

Devin patted my shoulder reassuringly. "You guys are gonna be all right." He affirmed, almost as if he were trying to convince himself. 

"We." I amended. 

He paused. "What?"

"We. We will be all right..." I whispered. 

He shook his head and looked away. My breath caught. What if he didn't forgive me? I couldn't make it through this without him. Hell, I wasn't sure if I could make it through this as all. But, Ben needed Devin, too.

Suddenly he looked back at me, nearly tearful. "Are you sure? I know this is my fault..."

"Stop! This is nobody's fault but Regan's. I can't tell you how sorry I am for making you feel otherwise. I was so confused and stupid, and I'm so sor--!"

I was cut off as his lips crashed onto mine. I sighed and then kissed him back softly. Ben started laughing and Dev pulled away with a grin. I smiled back a bit forcefully. 

It was still hard to make it through the day. 

During the dinner Devin was forcing me to eat, there was a knock at the door. "Probably Adam." I said, getting up. I opened the door and was slightly pleased to find Nyx. We'd become friends after I got Ben back. His expression held a mixture of emotions, and I couldn't read him. "Nyx?"

"Matt, you aren't going to believe this..."

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Okay, wow! I'm soooo soo so sorry it took so long to upload. I have a lot of stuff going on right now, but I really should have tried harder to upload. Please, don't kill me o.o All of your comments make me so happy, guys! I'm so glad you are all enjoying my story! :D I promise it won't take me so long to upload the next chapter. Also, the next chapter will be the last. There will also be an epilogue, but Chapter 23 will be the final chapter. We'll have to see what books come up after that! ;)

-Laina R