Just For That

Story By StormDancer

"What the hell are you doing?" she exclaimed to the young man standing beneath her, "Do you know it's 2 in the morning?"

"yeah." He replied simply, enunciating the single syllable very clearly.

"And you do know that my brother's window is that one," she continued, gesturing to the window next to her.

"I think I know where my best friend's window is," he protested, then burst into raucous laughter. Mia glared at him suspiciously.

'Wow, then your aim's worse than I thought," she replied, considering the distance between her window and her brother's, as well as the number of rocks sitting on the ground beneath her window.

"My aim is fine," he slurred, "get down here."

She noticed him swaying on his feet, slightly off balance.

"Kevin, you're drunk," she observed blandly.

"So?" he asked, "just hurry up and get down here."

"Kevin Prince O'Conner, I have known you for 10 years, and I would normally trust you with my life. But I refuse to go anywhere with a drunk guy. You don't know what you're asking. You don't want me to come down. If you did, you would have just come in, I know you can. So go away, and don't darken these doors again drunk!"

Her face disappeared from view, the curtains closing decisively behind her. Kevin glared at the house a moment, than threw the rock he was still holding at the ground with all his might. He stalked unsteadily down the street, not seeing Mia's face re-emerge in her window, watching him walk away.

o0O0o0O0o

"Mia?" Kevin peaked tentatively into her room some hours later, "Are you awake?"

No voice answered him, but within the room he heard the sound of violent crashing. Looking in, he saw Mia thrashing on the bed. He crept in and shook her shoulders gently. She lashed out at the hand, deep in a nightmare's grip.

"No!" she muttered, "Stop it!"

Hesitantly, he sat on the edge of her bed and shook her harder.

"Mi? Come on, Mi, it's alright."

There was no hint of a slur in his voice, only genuine concern. Mia shot up, suddenly awake.

"Kev?" she asked, as if disbelieving he was truly there. She reached up to touch his face, "oh, Kev!"

She collapsed onto him, trying to hold back the wracking sobs which shook her entire body. Kevin tentatively stroked her hair, muttering soft words of comfort.

"Tell me about it, Mi," he coaxed. "Talking will make it better, I promise," he added when she didn't respond.

"All these people were attacking me," Mia sobbed, "I knew they were going to kill me, in that weird dream knowledge. And then you came, and you, you, you, were drunk or something and I thought you were going to help me, but you started attacking me too. And, and…" her voice trailed doff into frightened sobs.

"You know I'll never hurt you," Kevin comforted hiding the horror he felt that she could even imagine him attacking her, "I'll always protect you."

'I know you won't," Mia admitted, sitting up as she began to calm down, "But you aren't yourself so often lately! You've been drinking a lot more-"

She continued over Kevin's protests, "I know you have, don't bother to deny it. And I'm afraid you'll hurt yourself or someone else, and the worst thing is you don't even seem to know what you're doing to yourself! I can see, and I know Dan can, but you can't!

"And then tonight," her voice dropped so Kevin could barely hear her, "And then tonight, you did what I always hoped you'd do, and acted like you actually liked me, but than it turned out you were drunk. Do you know how much that hurt?" her speech ended in almost a yell.

Kevin shushed her quickly, "Don't wake up Dan. He'd kill even me if he found me in here with his kid sister."

"Dan sleeps like the dead," Mia retorted.

'Well, everyone knows the dead will rise," Kevin grinned, but his smile faded as memory intruded, "And about earlier, that's why I came. Look, Mi, I'm sorry."

'Sorry about what?" Mia spat, "Sorry it took you being drunk to see me as a girl, and not just your best friend's sister? Sorry it seemed like you actually cared, for once?"

"No," Kevin cut her off, "I'm sorry it took me being drunk to tell you how I really feel.

"Wha-" Mia's question was cutoff by Kevin gently pressing his lips against hers. Shocked, it took her a moment before her hands move up to entangle them in his hair.

"You aren't drunk, are you?" Mia asked when they separated.

"Wouldn't you have smelt it on my breath?" Kevin teased. Mia grinned sleepily, shifting herself so her back was against his chest.

"Kev," she said drowsily, "Could you promise me something?"

"Anything."

"You'll try to stay away from drugs and alcohol and stuff, now. Please? I don't want any more nightmares."

"Sure," Kevin responded fervently, "Anyway, why should I have any sorrows to drown now?"

"I think I'm flattered," Mia responded vaguely, "But I meant what I said before. If you ever come here drunk…"

Her voice trailed off, and Kevin realized she had fallen asleep mid-speech. He grinned and laid her down onto her bed. Gently, he leant down and kissed her forehead gently.

"Love you," he murmured.

"Love you too," he heard a sleepy response.

Kevin stood but did not leave, watching Mia as she settled into a peaceful slumber.

"Just for that, I'll keep my promise," he told the sleeping girl, "For those 3 words. Even if you don't remember this when you wake, or if Dan somehow finds out and kills me, I swear I'll keep my promise."

He slipped out of the doorway, a grin spreading over his face before stealing a last glance at Mia. He left before he could see an answering smile on Mia's countenance.