And we're back once again. So what has poor Alan so upset? And who will talk to sense into Scott? Also how mean can I get? Well lets see shall we!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Dark Dreams

By Rosa241

Alan POV:

Dark…

It's too dark…

Where are they?

Where's daddy?

Why aren't they here?

No one's helping me.

It gets darker and darker the further down I go.

I can't get out.

Please help me.

"Aaah!" It's too dark.

Why is it so dark?

I want daddy!

Someone pulls me into their chest and I grab on as tight as I can. Don't leave me. Please don't leave me.

Jeff POV:

The sound of Alan's crying is still echoing through my mind. Listening to him screaming is more than enough to keep me awake for a life time. Thankfully Virgil had been there quickly to wrap Alan up and try to help him. As had Scott. Unfortunately it didn't make a great deal of difference. He was too shook up and too scared to deal with the nightmare that he'd suffered. It took almost an hour before he stopped crying and even then he shook for most of the night as the memories plagued his young mind.

If there's anything more terrifying than waking up to the sound of your baby screaming in terror I don't ever want to find out.

The rest of the night had been spent curled up into my chest as he shook. I honestly don't think he managed to go back to sleep after he woke up. He spent the rest of the night shaking in my bed forcing himself to wake up every time his eyes closed. My poor baby is too scared to go to sleep and so exhausted now that he can barely keep his eyes open.

Looking round most of the room is struggling to keep their eyes open. Truth be told I don't think anyone slept well after finally returning to bed last night. None of us really know what to do now. We can reassure him all we want but we can't stop nightmares from happening. This will just take time.

"Alright why don't we find a nice movie to pop in?" Dad's suggestion, combined with John and Virgil's fake enthusiasm, is enough to get Gordon to tear his eyes away from his younger brother. Giving my dad I smile we usher the boys through to the living room and deposit Alan onto the couch. Dad sits on the other side of him and it doesn't surprise me that he instantly curls into him.

After a short, but quiet, argument the boys settle on Hercules and before long the sounds of the film fill the room. Before long the boys are pulled into the Disney film, it's no surprise that Mum and Dad had a draw full of Disney films. The boys all have a soft spot for them and no matter what they're always going to work to grab their attention. Thankfully the film manages to ease the tension in everyone's shoulders and for the first time since Alan woke up we all manage to start relaxing a little.

Even Alan relaxes into his grandfathers side and I can see his eyes beginning to droop. I know that sleeping in the middle of the afternoon won't help him fall asleep tonight but he's exhausted. His body needs to rest and if he can finally grab some sleep I'll happily sit up with him tonight.

Of course if he has another nightmare…Forcing that thought from my mind I urge myself to think positively. Maybe this was just a one time thing.

As the film continues I can feel my own body finally starting to relax and everyone seems to start unwinding.

Except for one.

Before long Scott, whose eyes have been glued to Alan since we came into the room, finally tears his gaze away and shoots out of the door. Sharing a look with my dad he wraps an arm around my youngest who sighs but doesn't stir at the shift in position and I quickly follow my oldest out of the door.

Scott POV:

This is all my fault.

Sitting there watching my baby brother trying to stop himself falling asleep purely because of me is torture. If I hadn't been so stupid then he wouldn't have fallen into the pond. If I'd been paying attention then he'd be fine right now. He won't sleep because he's too scared of the nightmares he's going to have. No one else has slept either because they're all too worried about what might happen to him.

This is all my fault.

How can I sit in there watching a film with them when I know that I'm to blame for all of this? How can I pretend that everything's okay when my little brother almost died because of me?

I'm meant to be his oldest brother. I'm supposed to be the one who protects him. My job is to make sure that he's alright but instead what do I do?

Almost get him killed.

"When are you going to stop blaming yourself?" My dad's voice makes me jump for I'd been so into my internal tirade that I hadn't realised he'd joined me out here.

"What do I have to blame myself for? Huh?" I know that he won't appreciate the sarcasm or anger in my voice but I really don't have it in me to care right now. "It's not like my baby brother almost died because I was too busy to pay attention to him? Oh wait!"

"Scott this isn't down to you." Oh please.

"Really? Seriously? You're going to go down that road? It is my fault because the last time I checked I was the one who was meant to be watching over him. I was the one who was supposed to be taking care of him and I failed. I failed and he could have died. He could have died!"

Quite what I was expecting him to do right now I don't know. Yell at me maybe? Blame me? I don't know. Pulling me into a hug wasn't it though. Despite my attempts at drawing away he doesn't let me. Before long tears are building in my eyes and I'm at a loss to keep them at bay. Within seconds they're breaking free and I can feel them running down my cheeks and soaking into my dads shirt.

"Shhh…It's alright…" The comforting hand rubbing circles on my back only makes it worse. I don't deserve this.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" I can feel him shake his head at my words.

"Listen to me Scott. There's only one person who should be feeling guilty for this whole thing. You know who that is?" I want so desperately to say myself but I know that's not going to help. "The only person who needs to feel guilty is me."

Wait what?

Before I can ask him what he's talking about, before I can protest at all he's continuing to talk and I can't help but listen.

"I'm your father. I'm the one who's supposed to be looking after you all. It's not your job to watch over them all of the time. You're a teenager. I know you like to think you're an adult but you're not. You aren't responsible for all the bad things that happen." The tone in his voice is enough to almost make me believe him. Almost. "If I'd been doing my job as your father then this wouldn't have happened. Stop blaming yourself. It's not your fault."

Standing there I can hear the sense in his words but nothing makes a difference right now. Maybe in the light of day I'll be ready to take it in but right now all I can think of is pulling him out of that water.

He could have died.

Awww! Poor Scott. He's blaming himself well no longer, super Jeff to the rescue!

Until next time,

Bye x