It was around 2 in the morning. Rei was sound asleep like any boy who had just turned 11 would be at this time of night. It was, actually the night after his birthday. It had been two years since he and Nagisa had been adopted by Makoto.

Rei was in a dreamless sleep. He hardly ever dreamt. Unlike Nagisa, who had an unhealthily lively imagination, Rei's imagination seemed to be somewhere between asleep and dead. He couldn't seem to think in other than facts and calculations.

Because of this, he hardly ever awoke in the middle of night either. It happened so rarely that he usually forgot when it happened last before it could happen again.

But tonight it happened. He awoke without any reason it seemed. He laid awake and listened for a bit to the sounds around him. He could hear a storm was rising. The wind was making slightly scary noises around the corners of the house.

But as the door to Rei's room opened, he knew, this wasn't what awoke him. He had awoken on instinct because he subconsciously knew that a certain someone was going to come to his room shortly. Sometimes, it was as if his conscience was linked to his, like they really were related.

"Rei-chan…" Nagisa's soft voice sounded from the door.

Rei turned and sat up in his bed and looked at Nagisa who was hugging his penguin plushy tightly. "What is it?" Rei asked as he fumbled around on his table in search for his glasses.

"I can't sleep," Nagisa said. "I… I had a nightmare,"

Rei decided to give up on finding his glasses and just moved on his bed and patted on the spot that was now free, signaling for Nagisa to sit there.

"Was it bad?" Rei asked as Nagisa sat on his beds and pulled his knees to his chest.

Nagisa didn't answer at first, he just nodded his head.

"What?" Rei asked, and only then Nagisa remembered that Rei couldn't see anything without his glasses and therefore he would have to answer by words.

"Yeah," he answered.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Rei asked.

Nagisa turned slightly on the bed as he was facing Rei before he started explaining about his nightmare.

"Rei-chan, do you know those fairy tales where an evil stepmom is involved?" he asked.

"Like Cinderella and Snow White?" Rei asked. "You just worked with them at school didn't you?" he asked.

Nagisa nodded. "We did," he said. "I dreamt we got an evil stepmom," he explained.

"Like, Makoto got married?" Rei asked.

"Yes, like that," Nagisa confirmed. "She was really mean to us and treated us badly and Mako-chan didn't notice this and before I knew it, I was back at the orphanage. You weren't there… I was told…" Nagisa started sobbing at this. "I was told that our stepmom had brought me there because she didn't think I was good for the family anymore." He tightened his arms around the penguin so tight Rei feared he might squeeze all the filling out of it.

"You're right," Rei answered. "That's no pleasant dream,"

"I'm glad you agree, Rei-chan," Nagisa answered.

"Of course," Rei answered. "But it won't happen. I promise you that much," he said as he moved closer to Nagisa on the bed and wrapped his arms around the seven-years-old.

"You mean that?" Nagisa asked.

Rei smiled. "Of course," he said.

"But why won't it happen?" Nagisa asked.

"There are numerous reasons why," Rei answered. "Makoto is concerned about us, therefore I'm sure he won't marry a woman who wouldn't treat us properly," he said.

"But Kisu-chan once said that Mako-chan was naïve and Ren-chan and Ran-chan says so too," Nagisa argued. "Who says she couldn't trick him into thinking she was kind and treat us cruelly behind his back?" he asked.

"I say so," Rei said. "He is attentive to those he care about and I know he cares deeply about us. He says that a lot," he smiled as Nagisa looked up at him. "Besides, if we went and told him that she was being mean to us, Makoto would listen to us and think about it," Rei assured.

"Then… what if she put me in the orphanage, or another orphanage, before we could manage to tell him?" Nagisa asked.

Rei thought and then smiled as the answer came to his mind. "He won't even let it go that far. He would worry if either of us went missing. If one of us were left to tell the truth, if anything he would get angry at the evil stepmom and try to get the missing one back with all his might until we were all back together," Rei said.

Nagisa and Rei were silent for a bit as Nagisa let Rei's words sink in and allowed himself to calm down and figure out that Rei was really right. There was no chance the nightmare would ever become real.

"Thanks, Rei-chan," Nagisa said as he leaned closer to Rei and allowed his body to rest against the older boy's.

Rei smiled softly. "It's nothing. But don't make up silly things like that again. They're only good for scaring you, you know," he said.

Nagisa nodded. "I know," he muttered.

Again the two of them were silent while they were listening to the storm outside. Both of them allowed themselves to feel comfortable and safe. They could sense the body heat of the other and they knew that Makoto was taking care of them. Although he was probably asleep right now, somewhere else in the house, the fact that the two boys knew he was there and they could rely on him, was giving them more than enough comfort.

"Rei-chan?" Nagisa asked after they'd been sitting like that for a while.

"What is it, Nagisa?" Rei asked.

"I don't want to go back to bed," Nagisa said.

"Why not?" Rei asked.

Nagisa hesitated. "Because I fear the nightmare will come back," he answered.

Rei sighed. They had had these conversations before, both at the orphanage and here, on more than one occasion. He knew what his line was in this and he didn't mind, he just thought they might be getting a little too old for this.

"Do you want to stay here then?" he asked.

Nagisa looked into Rei's face, smiled and nodded. "That'd help," he said.

Rei moved on the bed as he was lying down and Nagisa laid down next to him, resting his head on the space next to Rei's pillow. Rei wrapped an arm around Nagisa and hugged him softly while Nagisa hugged the penguin plushy.

"You should learn to deal with these on your own," Rei said into Nagisa's hair.

"I know," Nagisa answered. "I can't keep doing this forever. But… my classmates tend to say I'm childish, so I'd like to stay like that for a little while,"

Rei chuckled. "I didn't think you were the type to pay attention to what others are saying about you," he said.

"I won't, if they were saying it behind my back and weren't my friends. But those who are my friends are the ones saying it, kinda like a joke… I think. They laugh while they say it,"

Rei smiled. That did seem kinda like a joke. He would admit, it wasn't very much off. When he was at the age of seven, he wouldn't even have thought of the idea of sleeping with a plushy. He wouldn't go sleep in someone else's bed either just because he had a nightmare. If this was because he was mature or because he had no one to find comfort with besides Nagisa would always be unknown though.

"We should sleep," Rei said. "We have school tomorrow."

Nagisa yawned and nodded. "You're right… Goodnight Rei-chan," he muttered, already half asleep.

"Goodnight, Nagisa," Rei answered and shortly after this, both boys had fallen asleep. There were no more bad dreams that night.

This is the final chapter with just Rei and Nagisa living at Makoto's place. Starting next chapter. two new ones will be introduced. I'm sure you know who I'm talking about.

I really do hope these stories about the Free main cast being a family are still something you like.

Thanks for reading

Jackie