Oh Brothers

Chapter 21

In the middle of the night, I'm minding my own business, dreaming of attending Will and Lucy's wedding, when Thomas comes running into my room.

"Ara," he shakes me awake, "Ara there's someone in the house."

"That's nice....you should feed them," I mutter sleepily.

"Ara, seriously I think someone broke in," Thomas urges me to wake up.

I jolt up and rub my eyes, now feeling widely awake.

"Are you sure?" I ask him and pull the covers back.

"Yes, what are you doing?" Thomas asks, still on my bed.

"I'm going to go check it out," I obviously point towards the door.

"Like hell you are, I'm here to protect you," he says and comes to stand beside me.

"Now, follow me," Thomas orders.

I cross my arms and stare at him. 
"Why do I have to come with you?" I ask Thomas.

"Because I can't protect you if I leave you here, don't argue with me Ara."

"It's probably nothing, Thomas," I say, wanting to go back to sleep.

"Just, humor me, Ara," Thomas orders and takes my hand in his.

I sigh and he pulls me into the hallway and the way he keeps me behind him and the protective stance he has would have been funny if not for the fact that fear was beginning to set in. Before I know it, I become terrified out of my mind. Who is in the house? What do they want? I make myself calm down. It's probably just Thomas' hyperactive imagination. Or a rat. Yeah cities have those right? 

Thomas tiptoes into his room and glances around to find it empty. He rushes in, dragging me with him and nearly pulls my arm out of my socket.

"Jesus Thomas!" I exclaim and massage the arm he had been pulling.

"Ok, bat bat bat," Thomas scans his room. I don't know how that boy can accumulate such a big mess in such a short amount of time.

Thomas finds four bats and hands me two.

"We're going to get the others," he looks so intense. I hear a large thump come from the first floor of our penthouse. Oh god. This is real. The blood drains from my face and my breathing becomes ragged.

I warily follow Thomas to Carter's room and we find him already awake. Thomas throws him a bat.

"Let's get Jason," I urge Thomas, becoming more scared by the second.

Carter motions for me to come towards him and I let him pull me into a hug.

"We're going to be fine, Ara," Carter says confidently, "and you are defintely going to be fine if we have anything to say about it, and we do, so don't worry."

I run straight to Jason's room and Carter and Thomas split up to get Ryder and Scott.

Jason is sleeping so peacefully and I don't want to wake him up but I need him awake. I rush over to him.

"Jason," I nudge him, "Jason, wake up please, someone is in the house, and I'm really scared and I need you."

Jason wakes up and looks at me confused, "Ara?"

"Someone's in the house, Jason," I shakily spit out. Jason stands up and pulls me into a tight hug.

"It'll be okay, just stay here, Ara," Jason orders me. I feel tears fall down my face and nod my head, "go hide in my closet, here hand me the bat, I'm going to come and get you when the coast is clear."