Benny had come over again, but he had fallen asleep on the couch while watching Doug Falconhawk on the TV with Ethan. Ethan felt bad just leaving him there with no blanket, so he was going to pick him up and carry him into his room, after all, Benny was pretty light.

As he leaned down to pick him up gently, he noticed a mumble coming from Benny. He couldn't decipher what Benny had said, but watched as Benny furrowed his eyebrow and started groaning. He was rolling over, seemingly uncomfortable. He was mumbling again, and his forehead had started to sweat. Ethan was able to pick out some words.

"Ethan...I...you...need...please...help..save.." He adapted a worried expression. A tear fell down his cheek, and he started sputtering, frightened, moving like he was trying to shake something off. Ethan felt his forehead, Ethanelt his forehead. It was hot. Benny must have a fever, and he knew that sometimes fever dreams were scary. He tried to gently shake Benny awake, whispering.

"Benny..Benny..Wake up. Wake up, Benny. Come on, you're fine. I promise, I'm here." Benny woke up, startled, and held on to Ethan, wrapping him in a grateful hug. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ethan, I was so scared. I had a nightmare, and-and there were vampires, and one of them-one of them was named Jesse, and he was going to b-bite me, and I couldn't see you and I was all alone and I thought I was going to get killed and-and-and-." Silenced by a finger from his friend, who looked at him with a mix of sympathy and amusement.

"Shhh. Benny, vampires aren't real, and if they were, they wouldn't eat children. I don't think you have as much blood as some man would, do you? You would be safe, and you know how I know it was only a dream and it couldn't possibly be real?" Benny was looking at Ethan in wonder, with wide eyes, positively curious, and looking sort of adorable.

"How?"

"Because I wasn't right beside you." Benny smiled, seeming happy with that answer. He laughed a little.

"I guess my dream was a little crazy, right? I mean, vampires?" Ethan chuckled before realizing something.

"Oh! You had a fever! I think it's gone now, though. It's only 8 o'clock, and you're probably not that tired anymore, so how about we play some Space Demon Warrior 8?" Ethan flashed a toothy grin.

"Sure!" Benny shot him back a toothy smile.

And the boys went off to play their video game.