Sunshine (Norman Reedus)

22. Snot and Tears

          "Mingus... I can't believe you're here. I'm so happy." I say to Mingus with honest joy in my voice. He looks at me and smiles at me. "I'm happy to be here. I wanted to come down the second dad told me about the accident. But, he told me that you needed a little time and that he wanted my appearance to be a surprise." Mingus told me. I nodded my head at him. I looked over at Norman, who was petting Eye. I start getting very tired and decide that I need to go lay down.

         "Hey guys... I love you all, but I'm getting really tired." I tell them. Mingus nods his head at me. Understanding why. Norman looks at me and smiles. "Ming, bud... you mind feeding Eye. I'm gonna go get Pipes into bed." Norman says to Mingus. I hear Mingus stand up from the chair and walk into the kitchen. I look over at Norman and smile at him. Eye jumps off his lap the second he hears Mingus shake the food. I chuckle at Eye and lean back against the couch.

          I close my eyes and hear Norman standing up and walking over to me. I open my eyes and see Norman above me. "How you wanna get up?" Norman asks me. I sigh and think over the options. I decide to just have Norman help me walk to the bedroom. When Norman and I get to the bedroom, he closes the door and grabs me some sleep wear. "You mind helping me?" I ask him. He looks at me and just smiles. I shake my head at him. "As much as I would love for you to pound the hell out of me, I just can't right now." I say to him in a hushed tone so that Mingus doesn't hear me. Norman looks down to the ground and nods. "I know. Just trying to lighten up the mood." Norman looks back up to me and I smile at him. "It's okay. I know you were. And when I get better, we are gonna have some amazing sex, you don't even know." I tell him with a smirk.

          Norman helps me take off my clothes and helps me put on a baggy t-shirt and some clean panties. Norman helps me into the bed and covers me up. "I'll be in here in a few. Gonna spend a little time with Mingus before I head to bed." Norman says to me. I nod my head at him. He leans down and lays a gently kiss on my forehead. "Get some sleep, Sunshine." I smile at the nickname that he hasn't used in a long time. I watch as Norman turns the light off and shuts the door before he disappears. I close my eyes and let the dreams take over. 

**NORMAN'S POV**

          After I leave the bedroom, I walk back into the living room and see Mingus sitting in the same chair he was in earlier. I flop down on the couch and sigh. "You alright dad?" I hear Mingus ask me. I look over at him and give him a fake smile. Which he quickly notices because he gives me that face. I chuckle at him and take a deep breath. "I'll be alright. I just... I just want everyone I love to be okay." I say to Mingus. He nods his head at me. "I can't stop thinking about it, Ming." I say, abruptly to Mingus. He looks at me and I think he can feel the emotion in the room.

          I slowly shake my head and feel tears start to form in my eyes. "I could have lost her Ming. You could have lost her. The whole world could have lost her." I say with my voice breaking up. I feel the couch dip down next to me and see Mingus next to me. I didn't even hear him move. I looked over at him and started crying. Mingus pulled me in and wrapped his arms around me and I did the same. I had my head on his shoulders and I just let it all out. I sobbed into his shoulder and I knew when I removed my head from his shoulder, it would be covered in tears and snot.

          I could hear Mingus trying to calm me down and I could feel his hands running up and down my back. I needed this. I haven't had anyone to break down to since the accident. I've called my mom, but Mingus is the first person that has physically comforted me, other than Piper, but with Piper I couldn't break down. I need to stay strong for her. I pull away from Mingus and see that his shoulder is definitely covered in snot and tears. I look up in his eyes and see the pain in his eyes. "She's going to be okay, dad. She's strong." Mingus says to me. I give him a quick smile and nod my head. "She is strong. You aren't wrong about that." I say to him.