BANG!
Carlos shot straight up in bed, eyes darting back and forth across the dark room. His breathing was coming out in short, frantic huffs and sweat was rolling down the side of his face and the front of his bare chest. He raised his hand to his chest to feel his rapid heartbeat and took a deep breath as he tried to calm himself down.
He jumped again as the room suddenly got really bright and was soon followed by a glass shattering boom. He let out a breath and chuckled at himself a little as he ran his fingers through his hair. Of course it was storming, he only had those dreams when it was.
He glanced over at the alarm clock that sat on his side of the bed, 2:38 is what the angry red numbers were telling him and he sighed. Right on the dot.
Carlos looked to his other side just as a flash of lightening lit up the room and he could just make out the small body lying next to him. He smiled softly and ran his fingers through the short brown hair gently, before slowly climbing out of the bed, careful not to wake the still sleeping occupant.
Without turning on any lights and only using the on-again, off-again lightening as his guide, he made his way to the kitchen. The fridge light was bright and he squinted as he pulled out the milk and set it on the counter before searching through the cupboards for a mug.
Once the milk was poured, Carlos set the mug in the microwave and pushed a button before putting the cover on the milk and returning it to the fridge. Soon enough the microwave beeped, signaling that his milk was warm and Carlos carefully removed the streaming liquid from the machine and settled himself against the counter as he blew on it to cool it down a bit.
He moaned a little when he took the first drink and smiled sadly as he watched the rain pour outside and the lightening flash across the sky.
He hated storms. Only a few people knew this and even fewer actually knew why. Carlos remembered everything perfectly, as if it just happened yesterday. The flashing lights, the tires squealing over the wet black top, the loud thunder, the frantic look in his mother's eyes as she flung herself across the car to cover her young son in the passenger's seat.
Carlos shivered a little as the doctor's voice echoed in his ear's, "I'm sorry, son. But, your mother is gone."
Carlos was only 8 at the time and he remembers looking up at the doctor in confusion, then up at his Papi, who had tears rolling down his face. He didn't understand, of course she was gone. The ambulance had taken her away, but in Carlos' mind, she would be there when he got home. But, when he ran into the house and started yelling for his Mami, his Papi broke down in sobs again and had to explain to Carlos that his Mami was dead and never coming back.
He had broken down instantly and locked himself in his room for almost a week. But, then the funeral came around and the only one he would open the door for was Logan. And his Papi was so thankful that Logan was there for Carlos,that he held Carlos' hand through the service and as he said his final goodbye to his Mami. Logan held Carlos as the small Latino cried into his shoulder. And Logan practically lived in Carlos' room at the Garcia's until they moved to L.A. And even then they shared the same room. And now, they still shared the same room, and same bed for that matter.
A loud boom pulled Carlos out of his daze and he glanced down at the ring on his left hand smiling softly as his mother's voice filtered through his ears, "Those boys are inseparable. You watch, one day they'll be married."
Everyone had laughed when she said that, even Carlos and Logan-seeing as how they were completely oblivious to the meaning behind her words. But, now, as he looked down at his ring, he silently thanked his Mami.
"Papi?" a small, sleepy voice made Carlos jump a little and he spun around to see a short, shadowy figure standing in the doorway, rubbing his eyes.
Carlos smiled as he placed his mug on the counter and moved across the cool tile to the small figure, "What are you doing up, bud?" Carlos asked softly as he lifted his son into his arms. He smiled as his 6-year-old snuggled himself into Carlos' chest and yawned.
"The thunder woke me up," Aiden whispered and he shivered a little as the thunder crashed outside again.
"Yeah," Carlos nodded and made his way back to the counter, "Me, too." He settled the boy on the counter and held him upright as he looked down into the tired, brown eyes that resembled his husband's so much, "Want some warm milk?"
Aiden eyes lit up a little and he nodded as Carlos chuckled and pulled away to get another mug and do the same thing for his son that he had just done for himself a few minutes prior.
Carlos' mother always made him a mug of warm milk when he couldn't sleep and this obviously carried over to his own son. As soon as Aiden finished his mug, he passed out-usually sitting at the table or at the counter- and Carlos would carry him back to his bed.
Tonight, Carlos balanced both his mug and Aiden's mug in one hand and carried the boy in his other to the living room. He knew Logan wouldn't be happy if he found out he was letting Aiden out of the kitchen with any type of liquid, but he really didn't care.
He settled himself on the couch and Aiden settled in his lap as he turned on the T.V.-making sure the sound was way down-and they watched Spongebob as they drank their milk. Every once in a while, Aiden would giggle, but 15 minutes into the show, the giggling stopped and was replaced by soft snores emanating from the small body.
Carlos carefully picked the boy up and turned off the T.V., leaving the mugs on the coffee table for the morning and carried his son back up to his room. The storm had died down to just a light drizzle and without the lightening to see, Carlos stumbled up the stairs and through the hall to Aiden's hockey themed bedroom.
Carlos slowly eased the boy into his bed and pulled the blankets over his son, smiling softly as he sat on the edge of the bed and ran his finger's through the dark hair, "I wish your Abuela could see you," he whispered softly as Aiden's eyes fluttered behind his eyelashes.
"She has," a soft but firm voice broke through the air and Carlos turned to see Logan standing in the doorway, his hair ruffled from sleep and a gentle smile playing on his lips. Carlos watched as Logan made his way further into the room and knelt next to the bed, placing one hand one Carlos' knee and the other gently carded through Aiden's hair.
"She sees him every night," Logan spoke softly and his eyes sparkled in the moonlight as he looked up at Carlos, "She's always watching over you," he paused and glanced at his sleeping son then back at his husband and smiled, "Over us."
Carlos smiled as tears filled his eyes and Logan placed a quick kiss on Aiden's forehead before standing up and pulling Carlos with him and back to their own inside, Logan gently pushed Carlos on to the bed and waited until he was lying down to crawl in next to him. The short brunette settled his head over Carlos' chest, listening to his heartbeat and wrapped his arms around the Latino.
"You okay?" Logan's voice suddenly rang through Carlos' ears and the Latino looked down only to be met by a pair of soft, concerned, brown orbs staring back at him.
"Yeah," his voice broke a little, "I'm okay." Logan smiled and leaned up to kiss his husband softly. "Thank you," Carlos breathed as Logan pulled away.
"For what?" Logan asked and his bottom lip jutted out a little as he looked at Carlos in confusion.
The Latino laughed a little and pressed a chaste kiss to the lip, "For being there for me. For loving me. For Aiden." Carlos explained and Logan smiled.
"I could thank you for all the same reasons," Carlos opened his mouth to say something in protest, but Logan cut him off with a kiss, "Carlos, I love you. I love Aiden. You don't have to thank me for doing things that just come natural." Logan said as he pulled away.
Carlos smiled and ran his fingers through Logan's brown locks and stared up at him lovingly, "I love you, too," he whispered as he pulled Logan down for another kiss.
Logan was right, his mother would always be watching over him. And part of him honestly thinks that him and Logan being together was her doing. And that Aiden was a miracle sent from her to them. And everyday, he thanks her for the best two things in his life.
Thank you sooo much to everyone who reads my stories. It really means a lot that you guys take the time to read them and review. So keep doing what you do best, read and review!