Two Faces

Old Times and Renewed Affection

"Matt!" María gasped as the tall Canadian closed the door behind him. Her mind blanked as she realized that Matt had full control over Matthew's body. She resisted the urge to look at her phone. Knowing it would have just told Matt the others were actively looking for him through her.

Matt grinned, "glad you can see the difference between us." His simple smile had María relaxing. Matt was not a hostile guest. Still, it would take a while for her to move out of the doorway to let Matt through. "Thank you."

"Why are you here, Matt?" María waited for him to sit down before starting her interrogation. "Where's Mattie?"

"Safe." He shrugged. Noticing her glare, he rolled his eyes. "I didn't do anything to him if that's what you're thinking. He ran off all on his own." He paused to look back at her. "I...he needs you."

"Matthew doesn't need me." María shook her head. "He's a grown man. He can handle himself."

Matt tensed. "Oh really?" He rolled up his sleeve to reveal the markings on his wrists. Some already scarred over, others still fresh and bright red. "Then explain this. Grown man or not, Matthew needs you. He's broken. You know this. Only you understand."

María swallowed hard.

~***~

"What are you talking about, Jones?" María cried through the phone. Already forcing her arms into her jacket sleeves and clocked out early from work.

"I don't know! Dude, he's covered in bruises. I think Marco's done something to him, but Mattie won't tell me anything!"

"Okay. Just calm down, deal? I'll be there soon." She hung up the phone and slid into her car. Adrenaline pumped in her veins. Recalling all the times she had to help her own mother. The poor woman always abused by the man she loved. Blinded by that love enough to never see the coward that solved all his issues with violence. Even if his victim was the most innocent angel heaven had.

María's anxiety had grown to the point where she had to take a deep breath before knocking on the door. Calming herself before kicking down the door and making the situation worse.

Alfred opened the door and shattered any composure she had left. Alfred, one of the most obnoxious narcissists she had ever met, was in tears for his brother. Not that it was rare. She noticed that dust got in his eyes a lot during romantic movies, even scary ones had him crying in fear. Still, this was different. It was out of character, and it scared her.

"Where is he?" Alfred had a hard time answering and instead took her to Matthew's room.

There, her childhood best friend was hardly breathing. An empty bottle of pills meant to help his anxiety lay next to him.

"Alfred, call an ambulance!" She did her best to keep Matthew alive as the emergency help arrived. Ten minutes of agonizing fear tore her apart before she found herself riding in the ambulance with Matthew. The hospital had successfully pumped his stomach and saved his life, but the damage was done.

She left his hospital room and made a finalcall. "Hello, I'd like to report domestic abuse."

~***~

A few tears fell from her eyes. "How do you know?"

Matt grinned and shrugged. "It's a pretty rough event for me to just forget about it. I was dying with him, after all. That's why I had to come out. Had to make sure he never tried it again."

María shook her head. "What do you even want me to do about it now? Last time he was still conscious but now—"

"Now I'm conscious." Matt finished her thought. He moved to sit next to her. "I can bring him back. Force him back out, but I need you to talk to him. Make sure he never tries that again."

The two stared at each other. Observing each other's movements. Calculating. María nodded. "I'll do what I can."

Matt smiled and reached out to grab her hand. Resting head on her shoulder. "Just, please don't let us die."

The brunette smiled at the blond. Remembering all the times Matthew had used her as a shoulder to cry on. Without letting go of his hand, María pulled him in for a hug. Petting the back of his head with her free arm. "Ay, mi angelito. I could never let you go."

Matt assumed she had been talking to Matthew. His other self. Unaware that María had now accepted him as a part of her best friend. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Thank you."

His body went limp for what felt like an eternity. María was starting to fear that he had failed, and that both Matt and Matthew were trapped somewhere in his mind. Her anxiety spiked as the negative thoughts spiraled in her head and tears formed in her eyes again. "Matthew? Matthew. Ay Diosito, please wake up."

His body shivered. The fingers currentlyentwined with hers wiggled and María drew back far enough to see his eyesflutter open. The familiar bright violet shining as he looked up at her."María?"