*Graphic content ahead: Mention of drug abuse*

It wasn't long until Chris was able to breathe on his own without the machine, and given some cruthes for when he needed to use the bathroom.

But right now, he had other plans.

He had to check on he friends, on Ricky. This past week all he could know was that Maria and Andy were awake, and Kuza was put off his respirator, but still won't wake up.

Sadly, there were some casualties from that night from their side, including two agents.

Agent Ortiz was crushed by debris after the explosion. Another two agents, Agent Derek Jones and Agent Alexander Fox, suffered multiple gun shot wounds after an attack from some surviving vampires outside the warehouse. Two Creeps, Charlee and Richie, got killed from a grenade during the outside shooting.

One of Demon's men were also killed, had his throat slit by one of the vampires as a sneek attack from one of the ambush teams. Chris was told that he was one of Demon's most loyal friends.

Chris waited for his nurse to leave and once she did, he carefully swung his good leg down, followed by his casted leg, then reaching over for his crutches.

He got positioned before stumbling out to the hall, thankfully no nurses paying much attention. Not a lot around anyway.

He went down the hall when he stopped near a room ws he entered the ICU area.

He peered in and frowned at the familiar small figure sitting by the edge of the bed.

He turned and slowly pushed the door a little, enough for him to wobble in, and stand there looking at Matt as he sat by a very still and coma-induced Kuza.

Machines surrounded him beeping and hissing, as well as an IV bag and oxygen tank and respirator. He was also covered in tubes and bandages, his arm and shoulder in a cast and sling.

Matt held on to his hand, not paying attention to the visitor in his partner's room.

Chris decides to break the silence.

"Devin tells me you're not eating," Chris said, making Matt turn around, eyes tired and red from crying.

He gulped and wiped his tears away with his hoodie sleeve.

"C-Chris," He mumbled.

"Or sleeping by the looks of it," he said.

Matt looked down shyly. "I don't want to leave him... I want to wait until he wakes up..."

"But its best you also worry about your health so he doesn't wake up only to worry about you," Chris said, limping over as he sat next to Matt on the bed.

Matt sniffled as he gripped Kuza's hand.

Chris reached over and rubbed his back.

"Did you ever hear about how I found my mom? When she died?" Matt asked.

Chris frowned. "Only that she died of a heroin overdose."

He chuckled half-heartedly. "Heroin.... She would always tell me it was medicine. But adults tell a six year old anything to make sure they can sleep easy at night."

"Matt," Chris sighed as Matt continued.

"I would always get up pretty early, before anyone," He sighed. "One morning, I got up, and went to look for something to eat...."

*flashback*

Six year old Matt woke up early as usual, going into the kitchen to eat.

Being very small for his age, he had to grip the railing as he climbed down the stairs.

Omce he reached the bottom, he walked into the quiet kitchen, expecting it to be void of any life.

... Or so he thought...

There on the kitchen floor laid his mother.

He scrunched his eyebrows and walked over, seeing her eyes were closed and the needle she used for her "medicine" was stuck in her arm, and the medicine bottle broken on the ground.

"Mommy?" Matt mumbled, shaking his mother.

She didn't wake up.

He frowned. "Mommy, wake up..."

Nothing.

He didn't fully understand what was happening, and just thought her "medicine" made her too sleepy.

His father's medicine does the same with him, only his makes him grouchy and mean before he just  falls asleep. His mother's only makes her usually talk funny, other times sleepy or sad.

He sat by his mother's side and decided to hold her hand until she woke up.

She felt cold, but he didn't think anything by it.

"Its okay, Mommy... You and I can watch TV when you wake up and  feel better," he mumbled, a tiny smile on his lips.

He waited... Waited for any sign of his mother to wake up, his sister came downstairs.

"Matty?" She frowned, as he turned and shushed her.

"Shhh.... Mommy's asleep, Amy. Her medicine made her sleepy," he said, looking up as his sister walked up to them, her face going from confused to horror.

"O-Oh my god," she said, tears falling down her eyes as she tried to pull Matt away.

Confused, Matt tried to push her hands away.

"Sissy, stop. I have to stay with Mommy," he frowned.

"Matty, we have to go, you can't see this," she said frantically.

"Huh?" he asked, confused as she suddenly started to cry and try to pull him away.

"Matty, come on!" she sobbed.

Matt grew scared as Amy pulled him away from his mother and he started to panic.

"Mommy.... MOMMY!!!"

*end of flashback*

Matt had eyes streaming down his face as he tried to keep it together.

"My god...." Chris mumbled.

"I... I had to watch them put her in those black body bags.... A-And take her away," he cried softly. "My dad became worse with alcohol... Amy grew depressed but still tried to raise me before what happened to her with Watkins."

Chris felt sorry for the kid sitting next to him, having to have witnessed so much death in his life.

"My mom... She was a good person... Never hit Amy or me like my dad did, or anything," he whimpered. "She may not have been the best mom, but she still knew how to love her kids."

"I'm so sorry, Matt," Chris said, feeling tears prick his eyes, one roll down that he wiped away.

Matt sniffled and roughly wiped at his eyes

"T-They say Kuza's just sleeping.... J-Just like I thought my mom was...." he stuttered. "W-What if I'm wrong, a-and he....?"

"Hey, hey," Chris said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Don't think that. Kuza is tough, he's gonna pull through. He wouldn't leave you alone in this world. I know he won't."

Matt sniffled, still trying to hold back.

"You can cry, Matt. Nobody is gonna judge you for being sad," Chris said.

At the moment Chris said, Matt let out a sob and rested his head on Kuza's shoulder.

Chris rubbed his back as he let out his pain.

He could only hope Kuza pulls through, because he would never be able to sleep well at night knowing Matt's alone in this world.

Matt ended up crying himself to sleep next to Kuza before Chris heard the door open and saw it was Devin.

"I figured you would be here when I found the bed empty," he sighed as he walked in, the looked at Matt. "But at least he's asleep."

"Kuza is gonna make it, right?" Chris asked.

Devin sighed. "He didn't break anything important, but it could take a while until he wakes up. He's breathing on his own, so it's a sign of hope."

Chris nodded.

"I'm guessing you wanted to see Ricky?" Devin asked.

Chris nodded. "He took the worst of the blast."

"Yeah... Let me grab you a wheelchair. I'll take you to him," Devin said.

Chris nodded and waited as Devin went outside.

He turned to look at Kuza's still body, his tiny dancer clinging to him in his finally-gained sleep.

"Keep fighting, Mike.... He needs you," Chris mumbled as Devin walked back in with a wheelchair.

Devin helped Chris into his chairx handing him his crutches, then pushed him out to the hall, leading him to Ricky's room.

"Have you heard anything from him?" He asked.

"Not much. His sister's been with him," Devin said as they arrived to a room.

Bethany... According to TJ, she suffered a slight head injury during the attack outside, but nothing a few stitches couldn't fix up. She hasn't left her brother's side for anything.

Devin and Chris soon arrived to the room and Devin opened to door. Chris immediately spotted a sleeping Bethany on the big cushioned hospital seat, a bandaged on her head, some food wrappers on a nearby table.

He then looked at the bed and his heart broke.

There laid Ricky, surrounded by tubes and machines, a tube in his mouth forcing oxygen into his lungs, wearing some sort of cast on his abdomen, and gauze on his arms and part of his neck. He was pale and his eyes and cheeks slightly sunken in.

"Oh my god," Chris mumbled.

As if sensing their presence, Bethany stirred in her sleep a bit and woke up, and noticed the visitors in her brother's room.

"Chris... Devin..." she said, sitting up.

"Bethany... Thank goodness you're alright," Chris said.

"Just got a scratch, nothing too major," She said, motioning to the bandage on her head.

Chris nodded and rolled the chair over to be by Ricky's side.

"Is it true...? I-Is he...?" Chris asked.

"Paralyzed?" She asked, and sighed. "Its what the doctor says. When he wakes up, they want to run some tests to confirm it. He also suffered some second degree burns, but a few on his arms were third degree, and he inhaled too much smoke from the fire when he was trying to breathe from the punctured lung."

Chris gripped Ricky's hand firmly in his.

"A lot of people almost didn't make it that night... You and Ricky were one of them," she mumbled.

Chris could only stare at Ricky's still face... the face of the little raccoon who somehow managed to steal his heart.

Chris sighed sadly, but deep down was glad he was awake.

He was then surprised when he felt a sort of strong grip to his hand.

He looked over and saw Ricky's eyes were moving slightly.

"He's waking up," Chris said.

"Oh my gosh," Bethany gasped.

"I'll get a nurse," Devin spoke, ad rushed out the room as Chris and Bethany watched Ricky's blue eyes slowly open.

~~~~~

Hope you're all enjoying the story so far! Let me know what you guys think :)

♡~ sapphire.