Alice

I couldn't help but smile when Matt began to shy away from me. He'd laid his head in my lap just moments before and I comforted him. Memories of something horrible must have got to him, the way he screamed and hollered holding his head as if it were going to explode. I felt terrible for him and wanted to comfort him as if he were my little brother. But I held back.

That is… Until he lay across my lap and choked back sobs. I stroked the prickles on his head and tried to think of something comforting to say. But when nothing came up, I just cradled his head in my lap in silence, oddly enough enjoying every moment of it.

Now as he pressed himself against the wall, it almost made me laugh. He seemed so nervous, but he had every right to and I respected that. Memories were just too far for him to grasp. He was confused and frightened, I could tell by the way he had a tendency to zone out and the way he trembled when this happened.

Jill soon returned with a couple keys and motioned for us to park closer to the rooms she'd gotten for us. Room 27 and 28 were on the second story of the motel, and I hoped Matt would be able to make it without crumbling to pieces.

Once I was out of the car, I waited for Matt to step out before closing the door. I followed Carlos, LJ, Jill, and Angie as they made their way to the stairs. Then I realized we were short one. I looked back at Matt, who leaned against the car holding his ribcage, face twisted in pain. "Carlos, a little help?" I called up and caught his attention.

Carlos was already half up the stairs, but he turned and quickly made his way back down to me. "What's the problem?"

When I walked over to Matt and pulled one of his arms around my shoulder, Carlos got the idea and did the same, being forced to kneel down a bit so he wasn't pulling Matt higher than I was. Together we helped Matt up the cement steps, and by the way Matt groaned when he was forced to step up, he was getting jostled up pretty good. Finally once we got to the rooms, we took him to 28 and let him relax on one of the beds.

Jill stepped into the room, LJ following. "Alright then. The girls are taking room 27 and you boys can take this room. We can get a fold out bed up here for you so one of you don't have to sleep on the floor. Unless you really want to lay together." She smirked and stood there taping her hip lightly out of habit or something.

I glanced around and looked at Matt as he just looked up at us blankly, still holding his ribs lightly. I had a better idea and shook my head. "No… I've a better plan. Carlos, LJ? You two take room 27. Matt and I will take this room. Jill and Angie can sleep here too."

"What? That don't seem right." LJ and Carlos exchanged looks before turning their eyes back on me.

"Yeah, I don't see why Matt won't be fine with us." Carlos added.

"And I don't see why I have to sleep in the room with him." Jill piped in. I guessed she hadn't forgiven Matt for trying to kill us, and succeeding in killing Paten, her comrade and best friend.

"Then you can sleep with the guys. I'm not leaving Matt." I glared at Jill, controlling the anger that boiled within me.

"Why are you so intent on this?" Carlos asked and when I looked at him, he gave a slight shrug. "Just curious."

"Because… I've had time to rest up. Not that I really need the sleep thanks to some biochemical's in my system. Matt will need some looking after for a while. Until I'm sure he'll be okay, I'm staying with him. And that is that."

"One problem." Jill said as she shifted her weight. When all eyes turned to her, she jerked a thumb toward the other room. "Angie is fast asleep."

"I'll get her." Carlos stepped into the other room and soon returned with an out cold Angela in his arms. Gently, he laid her down on the other bed and said his goodnights to everyone.

Once the door was closed, I sighed and leaned against it. "You alright?" Jill asked as she sat in a nearby chair, taking her boots off.

I gave a nod and closed my eyes. "Just… A lot has happened."

I pondered silently to myself. I wondered if Matt would be all right. I had to do something about those wounds. And then there was the task of keeping a close eye on him the rest of the night to make sure his condition didn't get worse.

"If… It isn't too much to ask." Matt said, his voice nearly a whisper. I opened my eyes and looked at him, obviously making him nervous by the way he turned his head to the side to hide his right eye the best he could. "Could… I have something to eat?"

I smiled and let out a slight chuckle, catching him by surprise. "Of course."

"I'll go get something." Jill said, throwing her boots back on. "And I could bring it back. I'll check on the other guys to see if they'll want something too."

I knew that Jill only wanted to get out of there and away from the former Nemesis. So I gave a nod. "Okay… Sounds good. I'll stay here and tend to Matt. Oh, and could you pick up some clothes and bandages while your out?"

She gave a nod and a quick nervous glance at Matt before heading out the door as I stepped to the side to let her pass.

Now we were alone, accept for the slumbering girl on the bed closer to the wall. I watched Matt fumble around with the torn pants he wore. "We'd better get those wounds cleaned." I grabbed a cloth, soaked it, and took a seat next to him.

When I reached up to dab a wound on his shoulder, he jerked away from me. "I'll just… Uh, take a shower." Without looking at me, he rose and disappeared int the bathroom where he closed the door behind him.