Hey guys, here's another chapter of "I'm here", it's a bit more longer than the two previous chapter so I hope you enjoy it

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power of five series

The next few days were puzzling, to say the least, the day after they left the hospital Richard received a newspaper from one of his co-workers that he was fired because he hasn't been at work in two days. Matt felt guilty when it happened and said it was his fault that now they fired him, but Richard assured him that it wasn't his fault and that firing people for no reason happens sometimes.

Not only that but Matt had been acting different throughout the next couple of days, he rarely talks to Richard and only answers in simple one word forms, he doesn't eat much throughout the day and is always hesitant in getting help to navigate anywhere. To Richard, it felt like this wasn't even the same Matt who needed his help when he stayed in Lesser Malling, the same Matt who told him everything about his past, the same Matt who he argued with when they left the hospital. That Matt left the moment he stepped out of the room and was then replaced with this Matt who is deprived of feeling any emotion at all, but Richard can't hold that against him, he just can't, Matt lost something that he can never get back so he's allowed to feel this way.

Richard just worries on how this might affect his mentality.

Matt was in the living room listening to the TV while Richard was looking through the newspaper to see if his story got published, that was something that also happened the day he got fired. He wrote about what happened in the museum, Omega One, and Lesser Malling but true to his words he left Matt's name out of the story. Of course, before he actually wrote anything he asked Matt if it was still okay for him to write the story, all he responded with was a shoulder shrug and an "It's fine.", even with the approval he still felt a bit uncomfortable writing it.

"You've got to be kidding, there's nothing here." Richard quietly said to himself, not wanting to alert Matt. The journalist turned to look at the boy with the sunglasses on his face and started thinking.

'I wonder what Matt's thinking about, I know that with the situation he's going through right now a lot of things might be going through his head but... does he know that he doesn't need to face it alone?' He asked himself, 'I told him that if he needed someone to talk to I'm right here but now he barely even talks to me.'

Richard lowered his head as he placed a hand on his forehead, tears started appearing.

'For god sakes, he's just a kid, he's suffered enough and doesn't deserve this.' More tears started to fall. 'I should have been there for him, if I wasn't so weak then maybe that witch wouldn't have had the chance to pour that stuff on him and he wouldn't be like this, it's my fault.'

Richard felt more tears run down his face knowing that Matt's life was never going to be the same because of him.

'I'm going to make this right, tonight I'll try talking to him and ask him what he's going through,' he thought to himself as he started wiping away the tears. 'I wasn't there for him at Omega One but I can be there for him now.'

Once he was sure that there were no more tears he looked at Matt again.

'I promise.'

Later at night

After they finished with dinner, Richard helped Matt up the stairs and into his room like they did every night. It basically became a daily routine, they would finish dinner, Richard would help Matt up the stairs, Matt tries to find his bed, and when he does they say goodnight to each other, but tonight Richard has decided to say more than just goodnight.

Once Matt placed his sunglasses on the table, he went to his bed and said goodnight in a monotone voice.

"Matt... I want to talk to you." Richard said, Matt sat up and looked at him with a blank stare.

"What is it?" He responded with no emotion in his voice.

"I want to talk about how you've been acting recently."

"What's there to talk about?"

"Well you've been acting rather reclusive lately, you haven't been eating a lot, you only answer me with either a one-word sentence or a short sentence, and whenever you do speak or do anything it's like you have no emotions."

"So?"

"Matt this isn't you, I may have only met you recently but I know this isn't the same Matt I met at the Gazette," He told him directly as worry started to overflow his mind. "I'm really worried about you, I know the reason you're acting like this is because of you losing your sight and it's okay to feel this way but you don't have to go through this alone. I'm here for you, you can talk to me and I'll listen but you have to let me know if you're ready so we can talk."

It got quiet all of a sudden, Matt was facing down throughout Richard's ranting and stayed quiet. Richard waited for Matt to say something, worried that maybe he was a bit too direct, that is until Matt spoke.

"You want to talk, fine." Matt's tone was different, he sounded irritated and annoyed, not only that but his volume was getting higher as he proceeded to talk. "Let's talk about how horrible my life has been up to this point, let's talk about how I don't understand anything now, let's talk about how I'm a terrible kid who could have avoided this if he had more than one brain cell, or let's talk about how I AM NOW BLIND AS A DAMN BAT BECAUSE OF HOW STUPID AND IDIOTIC I AM IN THINKING THAT MAYBE JUST MAYBE I COULD HAVE A NORMAL AND HAPPY WITH NOTHIN WRONG HAPPENING TO ME!"

Anger was written all over Matt's face as he lifted his head to face Richard, an emotion that Richard hadn't seen since dinner a few days ago.

"I was stupid to think I could be happy, that I could just go on in life without thinking about this, that I could just be...normal." He said as tears started to form. "But I'm never going to be normal, I'm just going to keep being a freak that no one cares about and that no one will listen to because of the stupid mistakes he made before and before you know it I'll end up dying alone with no one to remember!"

"Matt stop!" Richard intervene. "Stop saying this about yourself, you know damn well that I care about you."

"No you don't, the only reason why you're letting me stay here is that you need a stupid story to help your career and before I know it you'll be kicking me out."

Richard got irritated with Matt's response. "Do you honestly think I would be that cruel to kick out a blind child who has suffered enough throughout the past few weeks?"

Matt got quiet, he knew Richard wasn't like that, in fact, if it wasn't for him he would probably be dead by now. Richard took a deep breath to cool himself down then he started talking.

"Matt I want you to understand that if I didn't care about you then I wouldn't be standing here trying to talk to you about your situation," He stated to the boy. "And we won't be getting anywhere if we continue to argue so please...just talk to me, tell me what's going on inside your head so I can help you."

Matt then realized something, all this time he thought he was alone, that he had no one left to help him, no one who would listen to him but in reality, there is someone who wants to help him and he's standing right in front of him, he was just too upset to notice.

Matt nodded as he was trying not to cry more than he already was, he then felt a sudden warmth and two arms around him. While Matt was lost in his owns thought, Richard decided to go and hug the boy as a way to comfort him, Matt couldn't hold back the tears anymore.

Tears were pouring down his eyes fast, he was hiccuping and sniffling a bit as he tried to calm down but he couldn't, no one but his parents have ever hugged him like this and he really missed that safe feeling he always felt when they hugged him, knowing that it was going to be okay.

"I-I'm s-sorry, I-I'm so s-so sorry." He stuttered out as tears just kept pouring out. "I-I just t-thought that *hic* if I just s-shut down m-my emotions then maybe *hic* I-I wouldn't have t-to d-deal with the pain *hic* b-but each day I was j-just getting worse and I just *hic* I'm s-sorry."

"Shh, It's okay Matt, you don't have to apologize." The journalist reassures him as a way to calm the boy down. "Breathe in, breathe out, okay, it's going to be okay."

The rest of the night was Richard just trying to calm the crying Matt down, it ended up with a tired Matt sleeping on top of him and Richard just trying not to wake him up as he tried leaving to go to his own room. Once he was free he tucked the boy in properly, ruffled his hair, and started heading towards the door.

And with a smile, he said "Goodnight Matt."

Next morning

'I hope everything going to be okay now.' Richard thought to himself.

Richard was in the kitchen making some breakfast for him and Matt while he was drinking coffee, he was hoping that maybe Matt was ready to talk to him and he wouldn't have to deal with this alone. His thoughts were then interrupted when he heard a voice coming from up the staircase.

"Hey Richard, mind helping me or do you want me to wing it?" He asked in a smug tone, Richard chuckled.

"Don't worry, I got you." He accepted as he got up from his seat and went to go help him.

Once Matt was down the stairs he started walking on his own.

"Wait Matt you're going to hit the-!"

"Ow!"

"wall."

"Yeah, I think I need to learn my way around the flat."

"Well how about in the afternoon we try navigating around the flat, that way you know where everything is and you know your surroundings much more better."

"I'd like that." He responded with a smile.

'I think everything going to be okay.'

Well that was an emotional roller coaster, now you see why I had to make this it's own chapter than putting it in the second chapter, it didn't feel right putting it along side it and it would obviously make the chapter longer, leave some criticism down in the comments so I can make this better. PEACE OUT!!!