Lately, I've been having trouble with past and present tenses. I'm not sure why. I know what they are but when I write, I put the present ones down when I mean the past ones. I'm only able to catch them if I proof-read this over and over and over, which I've been doing. So hopefully, I'll get better and you guys won't have to worry about seeing them. At least, I can hope, right?

Warnings: Watch for spelling and grammar mistakes. Tatsuha abuse. Yes, he gets hurt and it's not very pretty... I hope. Mwahaha! And Uesugi-san is OOC, maybe. Eh, this is short. Is that a type of warning?

Disclaimer: This should be a given!

GRAVITATION

Nightmares ~ n. (1) An event or experience that is intensely distressing. n. (2) A demon or spirit once thought to plague sleeping people.

GRAVITATION

Switching the television off, Tatsuha yawned and stretched out his legs from the curled position he previous held. He glanced at his Father reading the paper from the ratty, worn out recliner next to the couch. His Father grunted and threw the paper down, "I wish they would talk about more important subjects."

Tatsuha raised an eyebrow, "What's wrong with the articles now?" He knew this routine; they had it every night. Tatsuha would watch t.v. on the couch while his Father sat comfortable in the recliner and after Tatsuha turned off the television, Uesugi-san would complain about the local articles. "Did they write about the bad mushrooms?"

Uesugi-san snorted, "At least with that article it had a purpose." He rose from the chair and stretched, wincing at the few popping noises. "What is wrong with people these days? Do they really need to know what bank is right for them?"

"Huh?"

"Two pages, Tatsuha, listed different banks and their features. Two! Why, back in my day...."

Rolling his eyes lightly so the other man wouldn't notice, Tatsuha peered at the clock on the wall. Mika had bought the cat-shaped clock last time she visited and Father had insisted on hanging it in the living room, instead of his bedroom like she wanted. He watched as the tail swung back and forth with every second that passed. Tatsuha wondered what his sister thought when she bought the small object. Did she actually consider giving it someone else? Or had someone bought it for her and she couldn't stand the feline clock and decided to pawn it off to the next person she thought of. Tatsuha laughed quietly as he thought about what she would say if she knew Father didn't keep the clock in his bedroom. Shaking his head, Tatsuha slowly stood, his Father's speed talking stopping. "I would love to hear about all the stories you have to tell, but I think I should get some sleep."

Uesugi-san glared. He had just reached the part where "Uesugi the Great" had mastered the bead walking and now everyone respected him and handed out presents... Oh, the presents. Of course he couldn't tell Tatsuha, or anyone for that matter, about that certain present. No, he would keep that one to himself. Giving the hated feline clock a glance, Uesugi-san softly sighed, "Yes. You should sleep, and so should I."

"Well, good night then." Tatsuha walked to the staircase and turned around before he could reach the first step. "Father?"

"Hm?" Uesugi-san picked up the newspaper he had thrown on the floor. "What is it?"

Tatsuha opened his mouth before closing it after a few seconds, "Nothing. It's nothing." He turned back and bounded the steps two by two.

His Father stood watching him by the couch and sighed, rubbing his fingers against his forehead. "Why do I get the feeling he isn't telling me something?" He shook his head and walked towards the kitchen to tackle the pile of dishes waiting.

GRAVITATION

Pushing back the blankets from his bed, Tatsuha switched off the lamp beside his bed and laid down. He pulled the blankets to his chin and sighed happily; he loved sleeping after taking a warm shower. The teenager closed his eyes and snuggled into his pillow and took a deep breath, before letting it out and yawning lightly. He briefly wondered if he should try to work on his English essay due in two days, but decided against the thought when his pillow slouched, causing his head to be cushioned.

"Are you awake?"

Tatsuha shook his head, curling his body into a half circle, "No, go away!"

"Come, on! Wake up!"

"What part of 'go away' do you not get?"

"Tatsuha! Get up!"

"Damn it!" Tatsuha groaned as he raised up and glanced around the room, taking in the objects in his room and their exact location. To his right, a night table stood, holding his bedside lamp with a few scattered pens and erasers. To his left, near the closet door, the recently polished wooden desk sat. Tatsuha winced at the mess of school books and torn notebook paper. Next to the only window in his room and right across from his bed, his most prized posession stared back at him. Tatsuha softly remembered playing Nittle Grasper and few other bands on his stereo earlier today. Shaking his head, Tatsuha suddenly blinked. He backtracked the conversation he had and gulped, realizing that he had just spoken to something that wasn't even there. "What the hell?"

"That's mean, Tats! I'm here!"

"How did you do that?" Roaming his gaze over the darkened room, Tatsuha squinted to see if he could catch anyone. "Where are you?" he asked, feeling his heart beat speed up a little. "Hello?"

"You can't see me?"

Tatsuha shivered and reached to the table, flipping the lamp on. Feeling hot breath on his cheek, Tatsuha turned his head around. No one. Tatsuha sighed and covered his eyes with his hand. "I am definitely going crazy." He laid down and brought the blankets to his chin again. Closing his eyes once more, Tatsuha glanced at the lamp and decided to leave it on. "Maybe... I'm not going crazy? Gah! What are you talking about Uesugi? Of course you are!"

"You're not crazy! You're nice! And funny! And wonderful, Tatsuha!"

Tatsuha quickly sat up and stared. In the corner of his room, next to the window, the little kid from school stood, smiling. Tatsuha still couldn't see his face but the kid's mouth was in perfect view. He brought the blankets closer to him and shivered, "What? How did you get in?"

The kid shook his head, "Do you still not get it yet?"

"What am I supposed to get?"

"I don't understand." The kid walked to the window then back to the corner, repeating this as he contiuned to speak. "Why can't you remember? I do. Maybe because you lost your innocence? Hm, that shouldn't be a problem, though! I wonder...."

Tatsuha gulped and closed his eyes for a moment, "What are you talking about? And what are you?!"

"Uh, hello! I'm a kid!"

The teenager chuckled a bit, "I know that part, but what are you doing here?"

"Silly, Tats! I'm here because of you! You want to know, right?"

"Know? I want to know what?"

"That's why I'm here!" The kid waved his arms in the space around him as he stopped pacing "I remember because it happened when I was here! But you don't, so it's my job to make you remember!" He sighed and tilted his head baseball cap lower. "The only part I don't like is I can't just tell you! You have to remember it yourself!"

"I don't get what you're saying! What is it?"

The kid's lips thinned, "If you don't get it, then I'll have to show you! But remember, Tatsuha! You asked for this!" The kid raised his hands up and breathed in a deep breath before letting out a long exhale.

The room was silent and Tatsuha could hear his breathing, but he couldn't hear the kid's. When he was about to ask another question, the window in his room flew open and the harsh wind from class rushed in, knocking over scarttered papers from his desk. The blankets covering his body were thrown from the bed and the lamp, which emitted the only light in the room, flicked off. Tatsuha could barely hear his Father knocking on the door when the glass from the window shattered, the pieces flying towards him.

Tatsuha gasped and fell from the bed, missing the sharp pieces by seconds as they pierced the bed's headboard. "Tatsuha!" His Father called, jiggling the door knob. "Unlock this door!" Tatsuha looked at the wobbly door and stared at the knob before closing his eyes. His door didn't have a lock. He opened his eyes and glanced at the kid.

"Hey!" he yelled, trying to be heard over the harsh wind still raging, "What is going on?"

"You can't remember, right? Then you'll have to be shown."

Before Tatsuha could speak, his legs were pulled from him and he hit the floor again. As if someone had snuck up behind him, Tatsuha felt pressure against his ankles and suddenly, he was dragged from his spot and towards the window. "What the hell? Let go!" Tatsuha tried to kick his legs from the grip but the pressure stayed. He growled lowly and reached for one of the end bed posts and held.

The kid shook his head and raised his hands to the ceiling again.

Without warning, Tatsuha was raised from the floor and thrown across the room, his breath coming short when he touched the wall. Tatsuha groaned as he raised his head from the floor and began crawling towards the door. His Father was cursing and Tatsuha knew if the man had any strength in him from his younger days, the door would have caved in with the way Uesugi-san was pounding. "Father- Gah!" The pressure on his ankles returned and started dragging him towards the window again, and this time the hold was tighter.

Suddenly, the pressure left and before he could sigh in relief, Tatsuha was swung to a standing position, his feet barely touching the ground. He squinted his eyes, searching for the kid and realized that the kid had played the disappearing act once again. When he opened his mouth to yell out to his Father, a stinging pain charged his cheek and his head snapped to the right. The pain returned, this time to his left cheek.

Outside the room, Uesugi-san pounded on the door. He heard the wind and he heard the noises, but he didn't understand what was happening. Uesugi-san tried the knob again and to his suprise, it twisted and clicked open. He quickly pushed the door and to his horror, his youngest son was suspended in the air. But that wasn't what worried him. No. It was his son's face being snapped right and then left as if someone was slapping him repeatedly.

"Tatsuha!" Uesugi-san yelled. He tried to walk forward, but he was blocked; something was blocking him from reaching his youngest son. Searching the room, he couldn't find the source, and it worried him. All he could was watch as his son was abused in front of him by an uknown force.

A few seconds later, the slapping stopped and Tatsuha dropped to the floor, landing bonelessly. The harsh wind that had been howling for over fifteen minutes quieted and the window slammed closed, the pieces of glass unlodging themselves from the headboard and flying to the window. Uesugi-san stared as each piece came together like a puzzle. As the last piece settled into place, Uesugi-san hurried to his fallen son and reached his hand out to Tatsuha's neck. To his relief, the youngest still breathed. Uesugi-san frowned as he lightly touched the appearing handprints on Tatsuha's cheeks.

"Hey."

Uesugi-san flipped around, searching the room for the voice.

"I have something to tell you."

The lamp next to Tatsuha's bed flicked on and off.

"It's really important, okay?"

A moment of silence. Uesugi-san shivered, bringing Tatsuha's head to rest in his lap. He could feel something around him as he started to comb through the boy's hair.

"Are you listening?"

Uesugi-san nodded, feeling that the thing wanted his attention.

"Good."

Another moment of silence situated before the lamp flicked on and off and the harsh wind started again. Uesugi-san rubbed his arms as his night clothes flipped around him. The noise settled again and he released a sigh... too soon.

"TELL THE TRUTH!"

Uesugi-san startled, clinging to Tatsuha as he felt hot breath move on his neck. He said nothing as the breath moved away, and when he couldn't feel or even hear anything, he sighed. He moved his hand to Tatsuha's shoulder and shook, the boy groaning in slight pain. "Come, on. We have to get you up."

He pulled his son slowly to standing position and as Tatsuha tried to walk back to his bed, Uesugi-san stopped him. "No, we're sleeping in my room." He knew his son had to be tired and worried, or even scared, when the boy didn't protest. When they reached his bedroom, he motioned for Tatsuha to lay down and his son did so quietly. After hearing soft snores escaping from his youngest boy and child, Uesugi-san grabbed a chair and placed it underneath the door knob, making sure nothing would be able to twist it.

"I don't know why I'm doing this," he muttered, slipping on a clean pair of sleeping socks. "Whatever that was won't let a silly door stop it. No, it will come back; I just know it." Uesugi-san sat on the bed and watched his son's chest rise and lower as he slept. "But I won't let you do this alone. And it makes me feel better; that I'm trying to save you."

He laid down next to his son and sighed, bringing the blankets to his chest. "Maybe... No, that won't-can't happen." Uesugi-san shook his head to clear the rampaging thoughts and closed his eyes, his breath slowing to an evenly pace.

Back in Tatsuha's room, the little kid giggled.

GRAVITATION

Like I said in the previous chapter, I'm trying to reach 4,000 words a chapter but this one didn't quite make it.

I'll say it again and again: let me know what you think. Your comments really do work wonders for me. I like knowing what you like and what you didn't like. It makes me grow as a wannabe writer. So, please do so!