Chapter 2: Hotel Night and Sleeping Failure

"Here we are" Veronica said, as they arrived to a motel in the road. It was 9:50 p.m., and it was very dark, so she decided to stay in a motel. She entered a parking lot, and left the car there. Then she got out, with David and Teddy following her.

"You have to leave the keys here, miss" the clerk told her, and she gave him the car keys, which he put on a locker, and gave her an ID card "You'll have to give me this when you pick up the car"

"Thanks, sir" Veronica said, and walked away to the elevator, where David was waiting for her.

"Take my hand, hunny" she told him as the elevator's door opened. They entered, and went to the lobby floor.

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"That's 80 NB per night" the male receptionist said.

"Oh, dear…that's a bit expensive" Veronica thought, and she said "Does that include breakfast?"

"Yes, miss" he said "And the boy stays for free" he added, looking at David, who was looking at the motel brochures and the pictures in the walls.

"That's good" she smiled "I'll take it"

"Well…that's a single room with a double bed, with breakfast included" he confirmed, and took a key "Here you are. Room 406, 4th floor to the left. Enjoy your stay!" he said, with a smile.

"Thanks a lot" she said "C'mon, guys" she added, and David took her hand, Teddy climbed to his back. They went to the elevator, and she pressed the button to the fourth floor.

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"This…is…HUGE!" Veronica said when they entered the room. It had a large bed with beige sheets, a nightstand with a lamp, a transparent sliding door that led to a balcony, a TV and a bathroom. The lamp's light shone brightly in the room.

She walked to the bathroom, where she found a large tub, so she considered the idea of taking a good, relaxing bath. She had taken her shirt off when she heard a noise, and she saw David in front of her. She blushed fiery red, and covered herself with a tiny towel she found. David stared at her, with that innocent look in his big, blue eyes.

"Ummm…David, why don't you go watch some TV while I take a bath?" she suggested.

"Yes, Veronica" he said with a smile, and walked out.

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"What are you doing, David?" Teddy asked when he saw David sitting in the bed, looking for something. David found the TV remote control.

"Veronica told me to watch some TV" he answered, as he turned on the TV and put it in FOX Kids Channel, on the 'Barney & Friends Show', and added "Come here, Teddy"

"Yes, David" the bear said, climbing on the bed.

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Veronica was taking a long, relaxing bath. She had put some vainilla bubble bath on warm water, and had gratefully gotten into the tub. As she closed her eyes to relax, she thought of David, the sweet little boy she had just found alone in the road…

"Wonder why his mom left him there…" she thought "Maybe he just got lost, or…his mom didn't want him…but why wouldn't she want that cute boy?" she added, with a concerned voice.

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David and Teddy were laughing at Barney's silly antics, when Veronica got out of the bathroom wearing a comfy large-sleeved blue sweatshirt (with the Phoenix University logo on it), blue sweatpants and white socks. Her large, messy brown hair was now neatly combed in a ponytail, reaching her middle-back.

"Well, David" she said "I guess it's time to go to bed. I guess you want to change that clothes you're wearing" she added, looking ad David's blue jacket, his white T-shirt and his blue pants, which were all covered with dirt and grime from his walk in the forest "I'll leave you alone for a sec, so you can change"

She gave him a white robe; and she was going to get out of the room when she heard a tiny, sweet voice saying "Dress me?" She turned around, and saw David in front of her, handing her the robe she had given him.

"What-" she said, surprised, then she decided to agree "Well…here, lemme help you" she added, as she took off David's shirt and pants, slightly blushing, fumbling with the dirty clothes. When she looked up, David was looking back at her, smiling with those innocent blue eyes.

"What's wrong, David?" she asked, but he only giggled gingerly, and she looked puzzled.

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"It's bedtime, David" she finally said. David was already dressed with the white robe, and the laundry service had gone to the room to pick up the dirty clothes.

Veronica set up the bed sheets, helped by David. He stared at her as she lied down in the bed.

"Come in, David" she said when she saw him standing in front of her with an odd, blank look on his eyes. "You've gotta sleep, boy, you must be tired"

"Yes, Veronica" he said, and did as he was told. She tucked him and Teddy in, and covered them with the blankets. Then she turned off the lights, and the room lit up with the moonlight entering the balcony's huge windows.

"G'night, David" she said, and kissed his forehead. "G'night, Teddy" she added.

"Good night, Veronica" David said, and Veronica closed her eyes.

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David hugged Teddy very close to him, and moved to a more comfortable position, but no matter how much he tried, he couldn't sleep.

"I can't sleep, Teddy" David cried in a thin whisper "I've tried, but I can't sleep"

"It's okay, David" the bear said, putting one of his tiny paws on David's forehead, trying to comfort the little Mecha-child.

"But I have to sleep if I want to be real" he insisted, "Will I be real if I sleep?"

"I don't know" Teddy said, as both of them looked at the sleeping girl besides them. David approached her; and with his right hand brushed a lock of brown hair off her face, and looked at her closed eyes.

"She looks so much like Mommy" he said.

"David, she's NOT Mommy" Teddy said.

"I know!" David said, and he lied down straight, looking at the ceiling with his never blinking eyes.

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Author's Note: Okay, David's gotten a bit smitten with the girl at this point, and so has she. But there's a problem...he can't sleep. What will happen if she discovers him? Read Chapter 3 to find out!