Shared Demons

CHAPTER 7

Keegan was sitting on the kitchen island, her legs dangling as Theo filled up a glass of water for her.

She sniffed, "I don't know why I keep on seeing him in most of my nightmares." Her voice was shaky "My mom..." She chuckled in disappointment. "...she was here when it happened. She saw me...break down." She took a breath out to prevent herself from crying again.

Theo handed her the glass and stood right in front of her, holding her as she took a small sip. "You hated it when she saw you cry." He looked straight at her.

She chuckled again.

He caressed her lightly on her face and she gave a sly smile, looking at her glass of water.

"What?" He tilted his head.

"Nothing, I just...remembered the last time you did that." She chewed on her lower lip nervously.

"Right before you left me laying on a hospital bed alone?" He gave a small chuckle.

"That's why we are all back here, right?"

He looked straight into her puffy, wet eyes. "Yeah. You didn't make it hard for me to find you."

She chewed on her bottom lip again.

Theo then lowly scoffed and pulled her to himself. "Come on, I know how losing sleep can be so frustrating, I'm taking you to bed." He let her legs fall on his side as he lifted her from the kitchen island.

"Mmmhhh..." She gave a low complaint and buried her face in his neck.

He tensed for a while then loosened up. He walked them out of the kitchen.

She took a breath out and relaxed on him. He smiled, liking it. He used his instincts to take her to her room, placed her on her bed, and tucked her up.

She whined childishly, tugging on his hand with her closed eyes when she thought he was going to leave

"Whoever told you, you were going to be rid of me. I'm not going anywhere." He said softly as he tugged next to her.

She smiled in her sleep and cuddled close when he rubbed her shoulder gently, placing kisses on her head. She slowly went to sleep.

But he didn't.

She wasn't the only one afraid of closing her eyes. It's been his biggest fear ever since he was ten.

"Come on now, drink your milk and get some sleep." His mom tucked him into bed.

"I wanna come to sleep with you." The ten-year-old looked at her.

She chuckled, "Oh my little lion cub, maybe next time." She caressed his hair and handed him a glass of milk that was at his side table. "Here, drink."

He took it from her.

He thought the look on her face changed into pity when he was about to drink but he did not understand why his mom was sad.

"Aurora..." They both heard his father's voice from downstairs, calling which stopped him from taking the sip.

"Daddy...I wanna go see him."

"No." She cut him off. "No, maybe tomorrow. He might be tired now."

"But..."

"No, no...drink your milk and sleep. I'll go see Daddy."

"Okay." He almost took a sip but stopped. "I will never understand why you keep letting me drink milk before bed 'till now. I'm a big boy."