8.

With cold sweat falling down his face Dougie shot right awake in the middle of the night breathing heavily. He seemed to have woken Tom, which he shared a room with since they were babies, because the light was suddenly switched on.

'The nightmare?'

Dougie nodded and buried his head between his knees to stop Tom from seeing his tears. But Tom knew his brother inside out, even this broken one. He sat down on Dougie's bed and stroked over his back.

'You're home, you're safe. I won't let anything happen to you' Tom said. 'Not again' He added in a whisper.

'I'm sorry' Dougie said hardly understandable between his knees.

'Hey don't be. There's nothing to be sorry about' He said tough and pushed Dougie's face up. Softly he wiped away the tears on his cheeks. 'None of this is your fault Dougie'

Tom pulled Dougie into a hug. It felt so good to hug each other again. They used to do it all the time but lately things got so mixed up.. Tom suddenly felt guilty for not treating his brother as well as he could since they got here. But things were on the better hand with Dougie. The nightmare had gone and he had Harry but now the dream was back again and Tom was determined to be there for him.

'Do you think you're alright again?' He asked as he pulled out of the hug.

Dougie swallowed. 'Yeah, I'm good again'

Tom laid Dougie down in his bed and tucked him in. 'If there's something you just come to me alright?' He said and went back to his own bed. 'Sleep tight' He said and switched the light off again.

Dougie stared at the ceiling. He couldn't get the horrific images out of his mind. It was months ago since he last had that dream. Why was it back, why now? He turned around and saw it was only 3 am.

To try to take his mind of the dream he thought of Danny and the conversation he had with him in the canteen earlier that day.

'You're Tom's angel, aren't you?'

'Yeah, I am' Danny said with a sigh

'Why didn't you tell me?'

'I.. I just wanted to get to know you first. I was going to tell you, only later'

'Anything else you want to tell me later?'

'No, nothing' Danny lied and gave a weak smile. Lying isn't something that comes natural to him and in his education he was always taught that lying is a sin. He only lied once before and he was caught right away. But judging by the look on Dougie's face he bought it, much to his relief. It was too soon to tell him. He wasn't ready, not that he'll ever be truly ready..

'Are you okay with me being Tom's angel?' Danny asked insecure.

'Yeah, of course I am. Now I know who's responsible for taking care of my brother all this time. He's never had an accident or anything' Dougie said whilst wishing he had an angel just like Danny who kept him safe from dangers. His angel, obviously, hadn't done a great job.

Danny smiled proudly. His job is his world. He'll do anything to keep Tom safe and he has done anything to keep him happy.

Somewhere along Dougie must have fallen asleep because it was morning when he opened his eyes. He searched for Tom but his bed was already empty. He was probably in the shower.

'Good morning' Dougie said when he got to the kitchen where his mum was making breakfast.

'Good morning honey, had a good night sleep?' She asked

'Not really' He said. 'I had the nightmare again'

The smile on her face faded and the spoon she was holding fell through her fingers on the floor. 'Sweety, are you alright? Why didn't you come wake me up?'

'Tom was there for me'

She pulled her son into a hug. 'That's good but next time you come wake me alright?'

'I will' Dougie said and smiled gratefully to his mother. 'Oh and mum?'

'Yeah?'

'I have gym today'

'I'll write a note' She said and immediately dropped what she was doing to do so.

'Thanks. I think Tom is out of the shower so I'm going in now'

After the shower Dougie came back to his room with only wearing a towel around his waist. Wanting to go to his wardrobe he froze when seeing his own reflection along the way.

He looked at himself in the mirror. He looked at the scars on his arms, chest, legs and back. Carefully he went over the biggest scar on his chest. Who was he kidding when he thought he could forget about his past when even his own body keeps reminding him?

'Shit Dougie, I'm so sorry' Tom said panicky when he came back in the room and quickly picked up the blanked that was lying beside the mirror and threw it on it again. 'I just wanted to see my outfit matched'

Now staring at the blanked instead of himself Dougie looked down. 'It's okay' He said and went to his wardrobe where he originally was going to.

'I promise it won't happen again' Tom said

Dougie smiled at him, fake smiled. But Tom didn't see it. 'So what do you think of my outfit?'

'You always look great' Dougie sighed without looking.

'Do you think Danny will like it?'

'What?' Dougie asked shocked and swung around. 'Why?'

Tom raised his shoulders and had a cute smile on his face. Dougie sighed, he knew that face. It was the crush face. His brother is crushing on his own angel but more importantly he's crushing on HIS crush.