#something tiny

"Really?  Don't  you  have  anything  better  to  do  than  follow  me  wherever  I  go?  Shouldn't  you  go  be  Kaiser's  puppy?"  He  looked  over  his  shoulder  for  a  moment  and  saw  the  other  staring  at  him.  He  wasn't  sure  why  --  but  he  had  this  odd  feeling  something  would  happen  being  left  alone  with  the  other.  But  he  wanted  to  see  what  the  other  wanted.

“Virgil?” Scott had just walked out of Gordon and Alan’s room. Alan was asleep down in his playpen--the day of activity had worn out the one year old, though he hadn’t really understood what had happened. Gordon, however, had been upset all day--understandably--and Scott had just spent the past couple of hours getting him to settle down and fall asleep.  “Virgil?” Scott called to his next youngest brother again as he made his way down the hall and squatted down next to him. “Whatcha doing?” 

Virgil wiped at his eyes with the sleeve of his suit jacket and shrugged. “I miss mom.” 

“I know. I do too.” Scott settled down next to his brother and wrapped him up in his arms. 

“When I was upset, I’d sit out here and sing that song she’d sing to us. I didn’t want to bother her or Dad when they were asleep, but she still somehow heard me and would sing it right back through the door. She would let me in and I’d curl up in bed with them. I’d usually wake up in my own bed unless Dad was gone, then I’d wake up curled up next to her.” 

“I know. Sometimes I’d wake up and notice you were gone. I’d go and crack the door open and find Mom singing you to sleep.” Scott squeezed him a bit. “Do you want to sleep in their bed tonight? I’m sure Dad wouldn’t mind. He’ll probably stay in his office.” 

Virgil shrugged but then shook his head after a moment. “I’m afraid it’ll hurt more.” 

“We can’t run from the hurt forever.” 

“But I don’t want to hurt more than I do now.” 

“I know. Why don’t we get you out of that suit and into your pajamas. I think Grandma is going to let John stay up and watch a movie, we could join him and sleep downstairs tonight--together.” 

Virgil looked up at the door he was leaning against and nodded. He let Scott help him to his feet and back to his room. He never sought out his parent’s bed for his own comfort again, but took Gordon there a few times when he was still having nightmares about their mother--their father staying up most nights working on some project.