The little boy stood shivering at the end of the cold, dark tunnel. The tattered old t-shirt and trousers barely covered his frail limbs. He was clearly malnourished. Bruises and cuts were scattered over his arms and legs. The woman wanted nothing more than to run to the boy's side, to pick him up and hold him tight, to kiss his away his pain and smother him with love. A part of her brain, the rational one, told her that this was not real. But that part went practically unheard. The boy looked up at the woman with tears streaming down his tiny face. She reached her hands out as her mouth opened in a silent plea.

"Mama" He called, his voice so small and innocent "Mama help."

The woman didn't think about it. She sprinted towards the little boy. Towards her son.

"Matthew" she breathed "Matthew I'm coming baby"

The little boy straightened up and opened his arms.

"Mama help" he pleaded "Mama the bad men are coming"

The woman was now metres away from her son, she extended her arms, ready to pick the boy up and hold him tight, ready to pick him up and never let him go.

"Mama" he whispered, sounding so broken, so lost. "Mama please"

She took one step forward and watched in horror as the small boy disappeared. She whirled around, looking desperately for the boy. He was gone, and she was alone again, surrounded by darkness.

"Matthew" she screamed "Matthew!"

Monica woke up with tears cascading down her face. The room was bathed in the soft yellow glow from the streetlight outside and she could make out the outline of her husband's sleeping form. She took a deep, shaky breath, climbed out of bed and walked to the other end of the room, closing the door softly behind her. She slipped into the room three doors down. With a small sob she walked over to the tiny toddler bed by the window, on it lay a crumpled blanket and a small stuffed bear. Baba bear, Matthew's favourite toy. Neither had been moved from the spot completely in over ten years. Not since the day her son was taken from them. In fact nothing had moved since that day. The room itself was frozen in time. A snapshot of the worse day of her life.

She walked over to the foot of the bed and crumpled to the floor with a broken sob. Her eyes traveled to the bookcase as memories assaulted her. Ones of joyous times, when she would lift her giggling three year old into her arms and let him pick a story, or of when she would walk in and find him laughing and playing with his older brother and sister. She put her head in her hands as another wave of sobs convulsed through her body.

It was minutes before her husband was at her side pulling her into his arms. His brown hair, now mixed with flecks of grey was even messier than normal because he had fallen asleep with it wet. He picked up his wife's wallowing form and cradled her in his arms. He didn't say anything, there was no point. No words could ever sooth the pain that the loss of their son had caused.

"He was here, he was hurt, he was crying. I couldn't get to him. I am a horrible mother." Each statement followed by a few heart wrenching sobs before the woman collapsed fully into her husband's arms, no longer able to breathe normally. Chandler just pulled her even closer to him, kissing her head and rubbing her back soothingly. Tears now streaming down his own face.

"You are not a horrible mother Mon" Chandler said softly, tilting his wife's head up so she was looking into his eyes. "Never, never say that"

She just nodded and buried her head back into her husband's chest.

"We'll find him" he whispered shakily "I promise you we'll find him"

Monica said nothing, but Chandler knew she was doubting his words. Ten years was a long time. Too long.

"He's 14 now" Monica said softly, imagining what their youngest child, their miracle baby would look like now. He had always looked like Chandler, even as a newborn. But he had Monica's eyes.

They sat there in silence, both of them taking comfort in the other. Chandler didn't need to ask to know what his wife was thinking about. Because he was remembering the exact same thing. The day they lost him.

"Mama where are we goin'?" The little boy asked as his mother zipped up his navy sweatshirt.

Monica smiled and kissed the boy on the nose "You and I are going to walk down to Auntie Rachel's house and see her, then we are going to pick up Jack and Erica from school. And maybe if you're really good, we can go get an ice-cream"

Matthew's face immediately lit up at the prospect of ice-cream, making Monica laugh.

"Really mama! Even chocolate ice-cream?" He asked, now bouncing up and down in excitement.

She tried to smooth his unruly hair before Matthew grabbed her hand. "Even chocolate Matty"

The three year old ran down the front garden, shouting gleefully before quickly turning around. A panicked expression on his face.

"Mama we forgot baba bear!" He cried

"Baba bear can stay behind Matt"

"No mama we have to bring him, he gets scared when he's on his own" Monica sighed as she looked into her son's bright blue eyes. Her eyes. "Please mama"

"I'll get him then, stay here" she warned as she walked quickly back into the house, leaving the front door open behind her. "Matthew" she called as she approached the front door, "stay away from the road"

The boy nodded and waved at her with a cheeky grin so like his father's on his face. She was just approaching the first landing when she heard it. The squeal of brakes, a shout and a gut wrenching scream. Matthew's scream. Monica's blood ran cold as she ran down the stairs and out of the front door. A black van accelerated away, it's tyres leaving long black marks on the road. She almost fell to her knees when she realised what had happened. The van was gone, and so was Matthew.

Chandler slowly got up, pulling his wife with him.

"C'mon Mon" he said as he led them out Matthew's room. "Do you want any breakfast?"

Monica just shook her head as she followed her husband downstairs. Noticing the look on her face he pulled her into one more hug.

"We'll get through this Mon" He whispered into her hair. She nodded against his chest as he pulled her closer.

"I love you," he whispered softly, not sure that the words could bring any comfort but knowing it was the only thing he had to offer her.

"I know you do," Monica sighed, then hugged him even more tightly. "I love you too. So much."

They broke apart and walked into the kitchen, ready to start the day. Another day without their son.

Ok this story is kinda random, but It is coming to me in waves right now and won't go away. So like any person who is entirely too involved in the world of friends, I decided to write it down. Enjoy

ChocoholiclikeLupin x