Maybe Too Protective

Chapter 13

I awoke from yet another nightmare. I was breathing heavy, more scared at this one then any other I had ever had. When I moved to lean up, my leg prevented it and I moved it slightly, which caused me to wince and cry out in pain. Once I made a sound, I shot my hands over my mouth hoping no one heard it. I heard footsteps, great.

"Lucy?" Devan was by my side in an instant

"How did you hear me?" I asked him.

"I was up, just finished my classes." He told me. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I rubbed my eyes.

"Can I get you anything?" He asked.

"You know what, I'm just gonna try one of those sleep aid things if I could?" I looked up at him. He nodded walking towards the kitchen. He came back with a pill in hand and a bottle of water. I washed the pill down with the water and laid back down. "Thanks." I told him. He nodded, sitting where Ryder had been earlier. "You can go to sleep, it's midnight. You don't have to wait for me."

"I know." He looked at me. Maybe Izzy was right, being comforted does feel a lot better. I felt my eyelids soon grow very heavy, impossible to keep up.

-----(morning)------

I awoke the my busy brothers. I had slept the whole night through? I slowly rose, being cautious of my leg, and leaned up onto my hands.

"Morning Lucy." Tyler greeted me and rushed by with an intent on where he was going.

"Morning Lucy." Ryder spoke, already dressed and ready to.

"When are you headed out?" I asked.

"About 10." He responded. HE looked around for something.

"What are you looking for?" I asked him.

"My phone." He replied. I looked around. It had been sitting on the table since last night.

"Here." I tossed it too him. He caught it and continued into the kitchen. I moved slowly, putting my back up against the arm of the couch. Devan walked by.

"Do you guys all have something to do today?" I asked him.

"Yeah, but do you want one of us to stay?" He looked at me.

"Nope, just wondering." I responded. As I finished there was a knock at the door. Mike walked over, opening it. Max was standing in the doorway.

"Hey Max." Mike smiled, letting him in. Max walked over to me, sitting by my feet. He set his backpack aside and pulled something out of it.

"Hey Lucy." Max smiled as he handed me what he held.

"Oh my God I love you. Thank you so much!" I smiled as I took it. It was a box of my favorite chocolate.

"Of course, as long as I get the mint ones." He told me. I nodded.

"Now, while your brothers are out, we get the TV and we have a whole new season Brooklyn 99 that we are not yet caught up on yet." He told me.

"I am in!" I beamed excitedly. I reached for the remote which was out of reach. I was going to move, but Max leaned over and got it. "Do you want me to move?" I asked him.

"Nope, you are just fine where you are." He replied.

"You two stay out of trouble!" Ryder ruffled my hair as he left.

"See you later!" I called after him.

"Max, touch her, you're dead." Devan said before he left. Mike and Tyler were leaving together.

"Don't hurt yourself okay Lucy?" I nodded at Mike's comment.

"Be safe." Alex told me. I nodded again, then, the house was quiet. This is the first time in a long time.

"Let's hit it!" I threw my hands in the air.

"Let's do it!" Max also tossed his hands in the air. HE found the new season on Netflix and hit play.

______________

"Bye Max!" I called behind me. Ryder had come back first. Max walked out the door. I heard it close. Ryder was doing something in the kitchen. I pushed myself up onto my one leg that was not wrapped. I began to hop over to the stairs. I looked at the big ascend in front of me. I put my hands on the railings ready, but someone stopped me.

"Lucy, what are you doing?" Ryder asked.

"Going to my room RYder." I huffed, not looking at him.

"Lucy, you could hurt yourself." He said.

"No Ryder, I already hurt myself." I turned to him.

"Lucy, you did not do this to yourself." HE told me.

"Yes I did Ryder." My eyes began tearing up. "This is my fault. I got myself hurt, I put you guys in pain, I scared you guys, I screwed up."

"THat is a lie and you know it." HE came closer.

"No it isn't Ryder." I cried. "I'm such an idiot."

"Lucy." HE pulled me into a hug. I cried into his shoulder. We slowly lowered to the ground. He held me as I cried all the tears I had wanted to for so long.

"I ruined us." I whispered.

"You get that thought out of your head, right now. You didn't and could never ruin us. We are too tightly woven. Nothing can break us." Ryder said as he still held me.

___________________

Ryder had helped me back to the couch. None of my other brothers home yet, but I heard a knock at the door. Ryder went over, answering it.

"Hey Zach." Ryder smiled. I think Zach was definitely growing on my brothers.

"Hey Ryder." Zach said like he does a lot these days. Zach stepped in seeing me and walking over. He immediately noticed something was off. I guessed it was my puffy red cheeks and watery eyes. "Cat what's wrong?" He asked.

"I'm just a little worked up today." I sighed.

"If you need to talk MAx, your brothers, or I would be happy to listen." He suggested. I thought for a moment.

"You mean that?" I asked. He nodded. "Ever since the first incident at the hospital I just feel like I'm relying on you guys to much. Like someday you are going to get tired and walk away."

"Oh Lucy." He shook his head for a moment. "We will never leave you. ANy of us. We will always be here for you by your side. As long as you are here so are we. We don't come split anymore. We are one. All of us, you made all of us more connected. Lucy you are the glue and you don't even know it. No matter how much your brothers fight, you are always one thing they can agree on. Max, he is your best friend, he is so close to you it's hard to imagine anyone else as close as you two. And as for you and me, I could never be more glad than the day I ran into you." I teared up at his speech. I leaned into him, letting some more tears flow Zach allowed me to and hugged me closer to him. But I finally dried the tears.

"Thanks Zach, I really needed something like that today." I sighed.

"If you ever need to talk again, just call me okay?" He said. I nodded. There was something about Zach that brought me a sense of nervousness and comfort. He gave me butterflies and I don't even know why.