Never Again (AmeCan Book 2) [Under Editing]

chapter 3: he knew the song

"Just breathe Mattie, take deep breaths." I instructed in a calm soothing tone as I rocked Matthew back and forth in my arms, he trembled and hid his face in the crook of my neck sending his shaky breaths down my neck. His fear filled tremors sent own shivers down my spine. "Alfred.." he whimpered and grasped onto my shirt, I wondered if he were cold in the clothes he was wearing. He wore a thin white button up shirt and a pair of shorts, I changed into some Batman pajamas before climbing in bed.

I ran my hand through his hair and hummed a quiet tune. "I'm here Mattie." I reassured and kissed the top of his head it was warm, I pulled away and held his warm face in my hands and examined his face, tears rolled down his flushed cheeks and landed on my hands. "Talk to me Mattie." I pleaded anxiously and swiped my thumb across his cheeks wiping away his tears. "What's wrong? What is it that made you like this?" seeing him in tears broke my heart and made my chest ache.

I brushed some hair away from his face. "I-I had a bad dream." He stammered out which made me freeze in place. "Want to talk about it?" I asked cautiously not wanting to scare him more by forcing him to tell me about his dream, he swallowed and took a shaky breath, he looked ill and was paler than before making the circles under his eyes even more noticeable. "I..it was terrifying Alfred. It felt so real." He whimpered and pressed his hands against his stomach.

I gave him a worried look and felt my heart drop down to my stomach, had Matthew felt pain? Did something hurt him in his dream? I dropped my hands from his face and took a hold of his cold hands pulling them away from his stomach. "It wasn't real Mattie." I brought his hand to my lips. "I'm here right now, and I'm real." I reached for his face and lightly pinched his cheek, he winced slightly as I pinched his flushed pink cheek. "You feel that right? It's real, and that means right now is real." Even in the darkness I could still see the doubt cross his features. "But my dream felt real too. What if this is a dream?" panic filled his voice, his breathing once again quickened.

I quickly grasped onto his shoulders and lightly shook them. "Matthew I am right here! This wouldn't be a dream if I knew what was happening right? This is real." I still couldn't get him to believe me, so I had no other choice. I pounced on him and pressed my lips against his own, he grew tense under me but then ever so slowly melted into the kiss and wrapped his arms around my neck. His breathing gradually slowed but I could still feel his heart pounding rapidly against his chest, when I pulled away I looked down at him and stroked his cheek with the back of my hand. We were both trying to regain our breath.

A blush made him flustered and he looked away covering his mouth with his hand, I smiled and moved a strand of hair away from his face. "Are you okay now Mattie?" I asked teasingly to which he answered with a slight nod of his head. "Do you think you can sleep?" I know he didn't tell what exactly what he dreamed about, but the circles under his eyes were starting to really worry me, and I just couldn't ignore them. He looked at me with a thoughtful glint in his eyes before nodding once again. "Just...please stay by my side." He grasped onto the sleeve of my shirt. "Don't leave me." I smiled a crooked smile and lied down next to him.

I pulled him close he curled up against me and rested his head against my chest. "I'll never leave you Matthew." I reassured and placed a kiss on the top of his head. "I promise you that." With those final words of reassurance he calmed his tense shoulders and closed his eyes, I instantly missed seeing them, but I knew sleep and his health was more important. And so, I pulled the blanket over us and allowed my self to drift off, but I think you already know why I couldn't sleep though. It was becoming a regular thing now.

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After I changed into a pair of jeans and a plain red shirt I looked at myself from the mirror in the restroom, I noticed how dark bags rested under my eyes, and my hair was completely messy. Bed hair is always the worse especially if you're really lazy in the morning and want to do nothing but sleep again. I washed my face and brushed my teeth before heading out, Matthew was still sleeping, but it looked like he was uncomfortable by the way he tossed and turn and his face twisted in what I could only describe as pain.