X-ray and Pink huddled together under the covers of Pink's bed. The lightning lit up the frightened expressions on the girl's faces as a loud clap of thunder shook the windows. The girls screamed and bolted out of the room. They didn't get far before they collided with someone who was apparently in as big of a rush as they were. Lightning flashed again and the two relaxed as they caught a glimpse of two heads of hair, one a reddish-brown, the other snowy white. Matt grabbed X-ray's hand.
"X-ray? Pink? Is that you?"
"Y-yeah." X-ray responded, seizing Pink's wrist with her opposite hand.
"You boys aren't scared of the storm, are you?"
X-ray giggled at the smile in her cousin's voice.
"Of course we weren't!" Snapped a familiar voice from behind Matt. The voice came from someone with equally familiar long blonde hair. Near shook his head silently, one thumb in his mouth, a teddy bear wedged into the crook of his arm.
"I am." Matt admitted sheepishly, adjusting his grip on Near's hand. A huge crack of thunder boomed right above Wammy's, making the little group shriek with fright. Panicked, the children sped down the hall, too afraid to pay attention to where they were going. The next minute, they collided with someone who had stepped into the hallway.
"What on earth are you all doing out here? What's wrong?" A warm, familiar, sleep-filled voice washed over them. The children relaxed, all except Near, who had never really been frightened in the first place, only a little. Reaching back into his room, Beyond Birthday flicked on a lamp. One look at the expressions on the small faces before him told the seventeen-year-old all he needed to know. Beyond's lips twitched up into a smile as he reached down and lifted Near onto one hip. After flicking the light off again he took X-ray's hand.
"Come on guys. I know someone who's better at dealing with this than I am."
X-ray frowned at the faint trace of sadness in Beyond's voice. The next thing she knew, however, Matt's hand was yanked out of hers, followed by a small scuffling sound, which was then followed by a slightly larger hand grabbing hers. X-ray glanced in the hall mirror as another flash of lightning illuminated the hall. What X-ray saw in the mirror was exactly what she expected to see. Beyond led the small procession, with Near on one hip, and X-ray clinging to his hand. Pink and Matt brought up the rear, with Mello in the middle of the line, gripping X-ray's hand as if he expected to lose it in the dark. She met Mello's electric blue eyes in the glass and they flashed faintly.
"Not so tight, Mello." X-ray hissed quietly, Mello slackened his grip on her fingers a bit. When they reached their destination, Beyond Birthday lightly kicked the door open enough to permit him and his small group to enter. He released X-ray's hand, allowing her to cling to his t-shirt as he leant over the bed, adjusting his hold on Near. Looking around, Matt and Mello realized they were in Coco's room, Beyond's best, if not only, close friend. Beyond gently shook Coco awake with one hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, Coco. I brought you some company."
"What? Who?" Coco sat up a bit, one strap of her tank top sliding off of her shoulder haphazardly as she shielded her face when Beyond flicked on her lamp.
"Several visitors, one of them small." Beyond informed Coco as he motioned to Near, who held out his arms to Coco in a silent question to his favorite person. Coco took the six-year-old into her arms and leaned against the headboard. She looked the other four over with sleep-filled eyes. Suddenly Coco yawned.
"Come on then. Everybody up."
The children quickly scrambled under the covers as another clap of thunder, even louder than the last, shook the house. Coco flicked out the light as Beyond closed her door quietly. Next, Coco began to sing softly.
little child, be not afraid
though rain pounds harshly against the glass
like an unwanted stranger, there is no danger
I am here tonight
little child, be not afraid
though thunder explodes and lightning flash
illuminates your tear-stained face
I am here tonight
Near was the first to fall asleep, nuzzling his snowy white head under Coco's chin as she sang. His grip on his teddy bear loosened a bit, his thumb still in his mouth as his eyes drifted shut.
and someday you'll know
that nature is so
the same rain that draws you near me
falls on rivers and land
on forests and sand
makes the beautiful world that you'll see
in the morning
little child, be not afraid
though storm clouds mask your beloved moon
and its candlelight beams, still keep pleasant dreams
I am here tonight
Matt yawned, earning a light slap on the face from Mello as he got a whiff of the brunette's breath. But Matt was too sleepy to retaliate, and he hugged Coco's leg while his breathing grew slow and even as he slipped into dream-land.
little child, be not afraid
though wind makes creatures of our trees
and their branches to hands, they're not real, understand
and I am here tonight
Despite her efforts to stay awake, Pink felt her head droop lower and lower until it rested in Coco's lap. Calmed by the sixteen-year-old's voice, Pink didn't complain as Near's small fist found a clump of her hair and took hold of it, his teddy bear in his lap.
for you know, once even I was a
little child, and I was afraid
but a gentle someone always came
to dry all my tears, trade sweet sleep for fears
and to give a kiss goodnight
X-ray rubbed her eyes as they drifted shut, resting her head on Coco's legs. The top of her head was pressed against Matt's hair but she was grateful for the contact of her friend as she snuggled against Coco's legs. Soon, she fell asleep.
well now I am grown
and these years have shown
that rain's a part of how life goes
but it's dark and it's late
so I'll hold you and wait
'til your frightened eyes do close
and I hope that you'll know...
Mello gripped the back of X-ray's shirt, his forehead pressed against the back of her neck. Another loud clap of thunder boomed overhead and he jumped slightly. Coco's hand was there in an instant, smoothing her fingers over his hair soothingly. The loving gesture calmed him and he snuggled his head into X-ray's neck as he drifted off to sleep.
everything's fine in the morning
the rain'll be gone in the morning
but I'll still be here in the morning