Falling Skies Invasion Alone

The Sleepless Nights

It was one of the longest nights I had ever experienced, and I wasn't even doing much. Anne was totally in control of everything, never faltering even when Tom seemed to be fading away. Eventually she got the bullet out. Lourdes and I sent her to rest, vowing that we would stay with him. Hal had brought us some coffee when he came to check on his father.

"Where's Ben?" I asked, cupping my mug.

Hal made a face. "I think he's over there somewhere." He motioned vaguely. "He's kinda been avoiding us.

"Yeah. Maggie told me what happened. Kinda."

He just swallowed and nodded. "He didn't mean it."

"I know that. God, I know that, he wouldn't do that." I shook my head. "He seems like a really sweet guy."

He just raised an eyebrow but said nothing, watching his father. "I better take off. We're going on patrol."

"So soon?" Lourdes asked.

He just nodded and left quickly. I sighed and took Tom's temperature. It was high, 100 degrees.

"Lourdes?" I called her over, showing her the thermometer.

"Oh."

"Is it always like this?" I raised my eyebrows. "So busy?"

She thought for a second while adjusting Tom's IV. "Pretty much."

The rest of the day went like that, tending to Tom and to Anne as well; she really loved Tom, and she was by his side almost constantly, so it was up to Lourdes and I, it seemed, to make sure she was fed and had water and rested. After all, someone else could get hurt at any time.

In the late afternoon, Matt came storming in, looking like he had been ratted out.

"What's up, kid?" I questioned. He was leaning over his dad, and then, upon seeing how unresponsive he was, turned on his heel and fled the bus just as quickly as he had come in. I glanced at Anne, who nodded to me, so I followed him out. "Hey!" I called after him.

He poutily turned. "What?"

"Don't 'what' me, boyo. I've got two little brothers and a little sister, I am not averse from telling on you to the Colonel." I smirked and sat on the step into the bus. He stopped walking away at least. I patted the space next me and he gave in, coming to sit beside me. "So. You don't like me very much, do you?"

He sniffled a little. "I don't know." I didn't say anything, and just waited for him to go on. Adam did that all the time when we were growing up. He would give you vague or one word answers if you questioned him repeatedly, but would eventually talk to you if you were just present with him, able to listen to him. "I sort of gave up on getting to know people now. They either leave, or die or tunr out to be mean."

I sat for a moment, thinking about what he was saying. "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

He looked up at me with a scowl. "I'm not stupid!"

"I didn't say you were. But you said a very stupid thing. That's nonsense." I shook my head. "Not forming relationships because you think that they're eventually gonna not work out, is like not eating because eventually you're gonna get hungry again."

Matt looked at me for a moment, as if I was insane. "But you need food to live."

"You need human interaction and relationships to live too." I pointed out.

"I guess you have a point." He sighed. "But what if you end up dying?"

"But what if I don't? I mean, I'm pretty much super amazing, so if you miss out on knowing me..." I shrugged.