Josh knocks on the hotel door across from his own. After a moment, Sam opens the door. He looks as tired as Josh feels.
"Hey. Is something going on?" Sam says.
"Nah. I just wanted to see how you guys were doing. I didn't wake her up, did I?" Josh says. Sam shakes his head.
"That would involve her sleeping," he replies. "Come in." Sam steps aside to let Josh in.
There's only one light on, the one between the two beds. Sam's laptop is on one bed, screen glowing in the dark. Scattered copies of the speech surround the laptop. Some have been thrown on the floor, crumpled in frustration. Cerulean sits on the other bed. She holds Fred tightly as she watches the men come in. The dark circles under her eyes look even larger in the shadows of the room.
"Hi, Uncle Josh."
"Hey, kiddo. What are you doing up so late?" Josh says.
"What are you doing up so late?" Cerulean answers. Josh tries not to laugh as Sam sighs.
"She picked that up from you," Sam says, exasperation apparent in his voice.
"I think that was a team effort," Josh says. "And, to answer your question, Cerulean, I'm a grown-up and grown-ups get to stay up late. You are six. You should not be up this late." Cerulean glances at the clock.
"It's early now." Josh looks at the clock, which reads 1 A.M. Fuck, when did it get so late? How was Cerulean not asleep?
"Look, Cerulean, it's time for you to sleep," Sam says. "Why don't you sit next to me for a while and see if that helps?" He pushes the laptop aside and sits on the bed again. Cerulean climbs down from her bed, dragging Fred along. Josh lifts her up into Sam's lap.
"There you are. Hang out with Dad for a while." Josh pulls up some mattress on the bed Cerulean has just left. She's busy making herself comfortable beside Sam, trying to hold him and Fred at the same time with her little arms. Sam helps by putting an arm around her.
"Why don't you want to sleep, kiddo?" Josh asks. "You look tired." Her face appears from the other side of Sam.
"Nightmares," she mutters. "Really bad."
"Yeah?" Josh is uncomfortably reminded of the Rosslyn nightmares he still gets on occasion. Sam nods.
"Christine warned me they'd been keeping Cerule up," he says. "You'll be all right, though, Cerule. They'll go away soon." Cerulean does not seem convinced. She doesn't reply either, but tightens her hold on Sam.
"You know, I used to have really bad nightmares," Josh says.
"You did?" Cerulean says, big brown eyes focusing on him.
"Yeah. They went away…around the time I met you, I think," Josh recalls. The serendipity surprises him slightly, but he plows on. "But they were keeping me up at night. They were pretty bad."
"How'd you get em to go away?" Cerulean asks.
"Time," Josh says. "Getting farther away from what caused them helped, getting better helped…meeting new people- a particular small blue person- helped." Cerulean giggles at the implications. Sam smiles slightly. "But they'll go away, promise. And if I can get through it, then you totally will, because you're way cooler than me."
"I am?" Cerulean says.
"Absolutely. Nobody's cooler than you, kiddo," Josh says.
"That's completely right," Sam agrees. "In the meantime, when you do have nightmares, we'll be right here to take care of you when you wake up. Just like last night." Cerulean nods.
"I think I'm ready to go to sleep now," she says softly. Josh stands.
"Well, that's my cue. See you guys…later in the morning, I guess." He turns to leave.
"Josh?" Sam says. Josh looks back. His friend is exhausted, but the relief softens the exhaustion a bit. "Thanks." Josh grins softly.
"No problem. You try and sleep too. We've got a long weekend ahead."