A/N: The story goes on and we dig deeper into Mike's heart. Please, let me know how it goes – I hope better. There's still much to come. Enjoy!

Chapter 5. Doubtful.

There was no hit. Mike expected a wave of pain, but nothing happened. He just felt that the wind lost its fierce power, it wrapped them two, clinging to each other, and put them on the floor. Mike opened his eyes, not knowing what he'd see – and all he saw was a room. That same bedroom upstairs. It was already dark outside as he could see through the window. But it all didn't matter at that moment. As Mike was slowly realizing what was going on, he felt Davy.

He had already forgotten how it was – to feel Davy. He had locked those memories somewhere deep in his chest and wouldn't ever show them to anybody. But now with all the blood that pounded in his ears it somehow returned like a flash: he remembered Davy in bandages holding him and laughing at him – and Davy near the last step of the staircase down in hell with his blue vein on the naked wrist, crying on his breast. The moments he felt Davy. And he felt him once again.

Davy didn't move. Mike buried his face in that warm fabric covering the golden shoulder – how well he remembered that nightmare, the only dream he remembered in all his life… everything was like a nightmare again, but Davy was so close to him – safe in his hands. Maybe that was happiness – Mike didn't really understand.

- Look – the door… - Davy mumbled simply into his collar – and Mike let him go.

The door was clearly on its place. It was obviously there again. It was clearly where it should be.

Davy freed himself from Mike's hands not looking at him and headed slowly to the door. He was moving like blind and Mike watched him worriedly, not daring to move as the warmth was yet pulsing on his skin. Davy touched the door frame, then examined it quickly and carefully. He stood still for a few long moments, looking at the door and then he turned to Mike and they looked at each other in surprise. A smile slowly lit Davy's face and Mike smiled back, unsure, with the corners of his lips…

- Mike! It's THERE!

Davy exclaimed that in joy and then quickly turned back to the door, fell on his knees near it and bent down to something – and only then Mike noticed that the newly appeared door had changed. There was a little hole in the bottom of it – like an entrance for the dog or whatever. He came closer to Davy and knelt down near the hole by him.

- Micky! Peter! – Davy shouted agitatedly.

The next moment they heard the quick steps and then saw figures on the stairs. In just a few seconds Micky and Peter's worried faces appeared in front of them.

- Guys! – all four exclaimed.

Micky grasped the frame of the dog entrance.

- Fellas, how are you? We heard such terrible noises out of your room! And we couldn't open the door, though we tried.

- We're okay, - Davy answered, touching his fingers. – How are you?

- What could happen to us? – Micky shrugged. – We were just worried about you. Was that you who made these scratching and howling sounds?

- Maybe we can break the door using this hole, - Peter suggested quickly - he didn't seem to like Micky's question. – Perhaps we'll make the hole bigger and…

Mike shook his head.

- No, fellas. We can't try to break this door. Bad things start happening inside the room when you try opening it. For now there's no use trying and you shouldn't bother any more.

Peter looked at him with his big sad eyes.

- But how can we leave you there? – he said quietly.

Mike smiled with a bit of bitterness.

- You have to anyway, - he said softly. – We are inside here, and we have to find out what's going on here. And then we'll maybe find a way to get out of here. But now, can you do us a favour?

- Of course! – Peter moved closer to Mike. – Whatever you need!

Mike smiled humbly.

- We're starving, - he said quietly, and Davy nodded.

- I'll bring you something, - Micky said as he rose – the view of his concerned face was replaced by the one of his feet, - and they saw him quickly run down the stairs. As Micky left, Peter looked at the guys seriously and asked quietly:

- What's happening inside, Mike?

Davy answered instead of Mike:

- Sorry, Peter. We can't tell you.

- Anything too personal? – Peter asked, offended, and Mike felt his heart string touched. Really, wasn't it too personal?

- Not really. I just don't think it's necessary for you to know, I hope you don't mind, - Davy answered with his slight smile – and Peter melted as anyone would after only a look into Davy's wild honey coloured eyes.

- No I don't, - he answered humbly and looked down with a smile. Davy had a magic ability to smile others.

- Hey! Here.

It was Micky. He'd already returned and handed them a box of cereal and some milk. Mike took it all and saw Micky's confused face.

- We're poor today, - Micky said apologetically. – But I hope you're already used to it, aren't you?

Mike smiled slightly.

- Don't worry, - he said. – And thank you. I think we'll now go feast, and you just remember – whatever happens, don't try to open the door. It will only make things worse. Okay?

Micky and Peter both nodded.

- And…

Mike looked down and then put his hands on Peter's and Micky's hands holding the little frame.

- Take care of yourselves, okay? – he asked, looking at them both softly.

- Of course, - Micky answered quite sarcastically, with a grin, taking his hand back. – You may keep on doing what you're doing there. Right, Peter?

- If we only knew ourselves what we're doing here, - Mike mumbled as he took a large sip of milk.

They were sitting on the floor enjoying their humble meal – but how good it was after an entire day of starving!

- Don't eat too much, - Davy warned, drinking himself and putting the jug away. – We don't know whether the door will stay or not. And, by the way, I worry that you'll make yourself sick. Think about it!

- Don't worry about the door, - Mike answered, chewing. – It's already disappeared.

Davy looked in the direction of the door and shrugged - Mike expected that he'd choke, but Davy just raised his eyebrows a bit.

- You know, - he said with a sarcastic smile, - I'm not even surprised.

Mike wasn't surprised either, but he was worried about the guys they left behind the solid wall – and about Davy. The Monkees without him were like sheep without a shepherd. And Davy… Davy was with him but Mike was as helpless as the little one in the fight with these strange forces they were attacked by. What a curse…

Mike sighed. But as he saw Davy gazing at him somehow suspiciously he threw everything sentimental to the depths of his heart and started playing bossy – again.

- It's late, - he stated. – We'd better go to bed now, don't you think?

Davy nodded, swallowing everything he had in his mouth.

- I'm in complete solidarity!

Mike rose and went habitually to the bed to take his nightgown from under the pillow. Davy sat humbly on the edge of his crumpled bed and watched Mike change. Mike noticed it out of the corner of his eye but didn't let himself look as uptight as he felt. He just cursed his own body and tried to stay naked for the least amount of time he could. He tried to persuade himself that Davy was just deep in thought. Finally he slid under the blanket and made himself comfortable. Davy sighed and just lay on the tangled sheet and blanket and looked at the ceiling.

- What are you thinking about? – Mike asked softly, putting his arm under his head.

- Thinking about what will happen tomorrow, - Davy answered simply.

- Don't bother, - Mike smiled. – You'll never know. Let's just live this night, okay? Wait till tomorrow comes, you'll see everything.

- You'd already said it, - Davy said with a sigh. – It sounds quite simple… but, Mike, I can't stop thinking. Everything is just so… scary and…

He paused and Mike decided to encourage:

- And what?

- You'll think I'm mad.

- I rather think I am, - Mike smiled. – Listen, we've both seen such things… just please, don't hesitate!

Davy sighed.

- And somehow familiar, - he managed. – I don't know why. It reminds me of something… of something I forgot. And I'm trying desperately to remember, but I can't. It's right here and I can't reach it.

- I understand you, - Mike said thoughtfully. – But just let me give you a bit of advice. Just please, forget everything, close your eyes and sleep. Tomorrows bring ease. We both know it.

Davy nodded and smiled slightly and strangely.

- Good night, - he said somehow especially tenderly.

- Good night, - Mike answered, smile sounding in his voice.

- And thank you, - Davy added softly before turning his back to Mike and covering himself with a blanket. Mike sighed and closed his eyes. And Morpheus didn't make him wait.

When Mike woke up he didn't understand what was going on around. He would bet he heard some voice calling his name, but he couldn't understand why to wake him up. In fact, he couldn't understand anything, because as soon as he made a huge effort and raised his heavy eyelids, he saw everything lit by blue moonlight and understood it was night.

- Mike… - the call repeated, and it took Mike quite a while to understand that it was Davy's voice.

But it didn't sound like Davy's. It was a quiet call of large and overwhelming animal fear. Mike sat up on his bed, squinting, and turned to Davy.
The first thing he saw was the little one's face, white as a sheet he was holding in his little hands – they looked iron. Davy met his eyes and said with a strange hoarse voice:

- Mike. Look.

And he couldn't say anything more, he only looked down again and Mike followed his stare – and his heart skipped a beat.
The giant creature was resting in the spot of moonlight between their beds. It had bare skin and no eyes, its legs had enormous claws and its teeth sparkled scarily in the blue night. There was a wall biter, lying on its back like a cat in less than a meter from Mike and Davy.

- Mike, - Davy whispered with an effort. – Mike, do you see this too?

Mike nodded, unable to say a thing. Davy's description flashed in his mind – the monster looked just like Mike imagined, but now it was in flesh in front of him. Mike's heart was pounding and he could barely hear Davy's whisper:

- Mike, that's it!

- I see, - he answered and swallowed hard. Yes, he knew, but what could he…

- Mike!
Mike raised his head and looked at Davy – just not to look at the resting monster.

- Mike, remember what they fear? – Davy whispered feverishly.

Mike shook his head. He barely remembered even his own name at that very moment.

- Mike, they hear the words 'I love you', can you hear me?

- But what can I?... – Mike was still in trance.

- Mike, don'tcha understand! You said it already, you did say it – say it now! Come on, I never could scare them away, but you can! Mike, we need your words!

Mike looked at Davy and blinked a few times. His mind turned slowly and with creaking and Mike finally understood in full what Davy was saying. He opened his mouth, ready to say it, but then something flashed in his temples and the words disappeared in his throat. 'I love you'. Did he really dare?..

Mike shook his head firmly and then stood up confidently.

- Hey, you! – he called, looking straight at the monster.

The wall biter raised its head and its nostrils flared, then it turned over and stood up – it reminded Mike a little of a crocodile. He felt something like a stare from the wall biter's bare forehead and shuddered. But he had to pull himself together. He kept looking at the place where the creature's eyes should have been and continued:

- Get off, hear me? We're not afraid of you, okay? You mustn't be here and you'll go away now. Now go. Go!

And he stepped forward, putting all his courage in this little move. The wall biter moved back, baring its teeth and roaring quietly.

- Go! – Mike repeated, taking another step. The wall biter's nostrils flared again, it moved back a little more – and then turned and ran away quickly, disappearing right under Davy's bed. Mike sighed and slowly sank down on the floor. His heart was in his throat and everything was suddenly covered with scary reddish mist.

But he couldn't let himself get so deep in fear and despair. He rubbed his eyes with his hands, got up and hurried to Davy.

- Hey babe? You okay?

Davy looked at Mike strangely – his honey-coloured eyes were cold and dark.

- Mike, - he said in a hollow voice. – Why didn't you just say it?

- What? – Mike asked, taken aback.

- Why didn't you say what I asked you to say? – Davy repeated with the same bitter reproach in his voice. – Does it mean that you lied? Does it mean that you were lying to me all this time? Or were you lying to yourself?

- I told you: don't ever doubt me! – Mike said sharply.

- You told me you loved, - Davy answered with a bitter resentment. – I remember it clearly – in fact, it must have been your love to save me that time. And now… your love was quick to die!

Mike didn't know what to say.

- You know, if you said it – and really meant it – we'd probably be able to get out of here! In the morning – no, right now! We'd be free! And what stopped you from saying it? Does it mean you were untrue or what?

- No it doesn't, - Mike cut off. – Don't ever doubt me! If I said it – it was true. If it wasn't we'd both be dead by now!

- And we're alive and trapped! – Davy shouted. Mike put a firm hand on his shoulder.

- Listen. I did what I did. It ran away and it's okay now, isn't it?

- No it ISN'T! – Davy interrupted, throwing Mike's hand away. – You're just a liar and nothing more! You change your masks – but they're all masks! I thought you were true to me. I thought you cared! And now… you won't even say the simplest phrase to rescue me. What was all that theater about sacrificing yourself for, then?..

- Davy, listen, - Mike tried, but Davy just dropped on the bed and turned his back to Mike.

- Listen to you yourself if you wish, - he said bitterly. – If you still believe in your own lies…

His shoulders trembled and he covered his head with a blanket, hiding from Mike, from the night – from everybody.

Mike returned to his bed on shaky feet. As he put his head on the pillow he looked at Davy's back and wondered. Really, what stopped him from saying it? Was the reason really that Mike wasn't sure it was true?

Of course not, Mike thought. He loved. He did love, but now… it wasn't untrue, it was somehow too true to utter. How? Mike didn't know himself.

He couldn't sleep any more. He suddenly remembered all the moments when Davy touched him. His hugs and his taps on Mike's shoulders. He remembered that little kiss on the cheek – Mike didn't need any other thanks for everything he'd done. He recalled Davy's words, his smiles, his looks meant only for Mike. His trust. Mike didn't feel guilty. He just doubted. No, he didn't doubt his love. It was imprinted in his heart and it was there all the time. But now he didn't know what kind of love it was. Was it really just that brotherly feeling? Or was it… anything more?

Mike sighed. He loved. He lived on his love. But what was that love? And should he beware of it? Mike covered his head with the pillow and closed his eyes to wait patiently for tomorrow…