3.5 Now We Know

Heath went upstairs after fixing the broth for Don. Keeping his eyes down he almost tripped over the box he had left on the floor. Don stirred in the bed blinking he smiled weakly at Heath before closing his eyes again. "Don are you alright?" Heath asked sitting beside her on the bed. "Don?" he repeated.
Groaning Don opened his eyes staring blankly up at Heath. "I've got some broth for you," Heath told him. Shaking his head Don closed his eyes. "Come on babe eat for me," Heath didn't seem to notice what he said too concerned with getting Don to eat something. "It's good for you. Open your mouth babe." Don just laid there motionless. Setting the broth aside Heath leaned over Don running his fingers through Don's short dark hair and along his jaw line. "Please Don don't leave me alone here. I need you to get better."

In response to his pleas Don popped his mouth open like a bird waiting to be fed by it's mother. Smiling in relief blinking back tears Heath brought a spoonful of broth to Don's lips. It was a long slow process to get Don to finish the broth and towards the end Heath was saying "come on babe two more bites. Just two more bites."

Shaking his head Don mumbled "no,"turning his head aside when Heath brought another spoonful of broth to him. "Come on baby try," Heath pleaded "if you finish all your broth I'll give you a kiss."
Turning his head Don looked at Heath "better not," he whispered "you'll get sick."
Smiling down at him Heath gave him another spoonful saying "I'll take my chances. Last spoonful," Heath announced leaning over and kissing Don's forehead. He could feel the heat rising from Don's fever on his lips. "You need another cold shower," Heath told him as he slipped out of his shorts. Picking Don up he carried him to the shower.

Their days continued like this for several weeks. Heath marked the days on a makeshift calendar. While Don slept Heath explored the confines of their prison. The house was surrounded by a force-field of some kind. They couldn't get out and no one could get in except for whoever seemed to be helping them by giving them their clothes and medicine. Heath was plagued by questions among which were why had Ambrogio brought them here? Had he only rescued them from one cell to imprison them in another? I didn't make sense.

The days dragged along as Don slowly recovered. The tincture was working. After four weeks Heath woke up to find Don staring up at him from his shoulder. He smiled down at him "how are you feeling?"

"Better," Don said "much much better." He scooted over to the other side of the bed he sat up. Looking around he asked "where are we?"

"Don't you remember?" Heath asked.

Shaking his head Don said "I don't remember much of anything other than being sick." He turned to look at Heath with an accusatory look "you kept making me eat when I didn't want to. Drowning me in the shower with cold water."

Laughing Heath sat up "sorry for my lack of nursing skills if I get sick feel free to torture me..."

"I will," Don stated as his stomach growled loudly in the room "I'm hungry."

"Good," Heath enthused "you must be feeling better." He reached over and felt Don's forehead "I think your fever has finally broke. You know what that means?" Don shook his head "no more cold showers." Heath threw back the covers and stood up stretching. Walking towards the door Heath stopped when Don called out to him.

"Where are you going?" fright clear in his voice and manner.

"Babe don't worry. I'm just going downstairs to make us some breakfast."

"Can't I come with you?" Don struggled to his feet almost falling on his face. Heath raced to his side. 

"Easy there babe. Before you go traipsing down any stairs you've got to get stronger." He helped Don back to bed before he was able straighten up he felt Don wrap his arms around him. He could have broken Don's embrace but it was somehow comforting to feel someone holding him. He felt Don's lips on his cheek as Don kissed him. "I'll be right back," Heath said in a husky voice.

Entering the kitchen Heath stared into the refrigerator too stunned to figure out what he needed to prepare breakfast. Closing the door Heath ran his hands through his hair. What was happening to him? Was he falling in love with his best friend? He wished his dad were there to help him. To guide him through what he was feeling. He didn't understand what he was feeling, yet if felt so right. It felt natural for him to be so at ease with Don. He never felt this way with anyone before. When Don's lips brushed against his cheek he felt as if he had been electrified. These past few weeks had made him feel both vulnerable and strong. He felt as if he his very soul was wrapped around Don and if anything were to happen to him Heath would be crushed.

Coming out of  his daze Heath elected to make pancakes. Bringing them up to Don he smiled as he watched Don slowly pacing the floor after having discovering the shorts Heath had left out for him. Don turned as he opened the door "it's about time I'm starving."

Handing one of the plates to him Heath sat on the floor to eat his. Don joined him and they ate in companionable silence. "This is good," Don told him.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Heath said standing up to collect the dishes. As he took Don's plate their fingers touched and he felt as if a bold of electricity shot through him.

After washing the dishes Heath came back upstairs to find Don still sitting where he had last saw him. 

"Are you feeling alright?" Heath asked in concern.

"Just a little tired," Don admitted "but I've been in that bed for so long I'm enjoying sitting here."

"Would you like to sit outside?" Heath asked "it's strange but pretty."

"Ok," Don's eyes brightened "I am tired of looking at these four walls."

"I thought I brightened up the room with my presence," Heath pretended to put as  he gave Don a hand up and helped him outside. Heath heard the intake of air as Don gasped.

"Where are we?" he asked again looking around with eyes wide with wonder.

"I've no idea," Heath said "it's like no place I've ever seen.  There's people out there I've seen them coming and going. No one ever comes here though. I think we're in some kind of isolation unit."

"So we're still prisoners?" Don asked losing interest in the scenery. "How long?" he slumped on the wall and slid down sitting on the deck.

"Near as I can tell four weeks," Heath told him sitting next to him. He put an arm around him as Don began to cry. "Don't worry babe my Dad will find up. We'll go home and this will be but a passing memory."

"How can you be so sure? What if we're here forever? What if this is our life for now on?" Don blurted question after question out.

"Babe I don't have the answers," Heath told him "all we can do is live day to day not giving up hope. My dad has never let me down. He'll come. I know he will." Heath quit talking noticing the scowl Don was giving him "what's the matter babe?"

"Quit calling me babe," Don shouted "you don't mean it."

Shocked Heath stared at Don. Had he misread things? Getting up Heath took a few steps away looking off into the distance. His mind in a turmoil of conflicting emotions. He felt like crying or screaming or a combination of both. He was so confused.

Don watched him as he stood tense holding onto the railing. What had he just done? He just pushed the only person he cared about, who cared about him away. He was afraid that what was happening between them wasn't real. That once they left this place it would be over. Maybe it would be better for both of them  not to start down this path. He couldn't face the possibility of letting Heath in, letting him believe he was falling in love with him only for them to return home and realize that it was all wrong. Someone had to put a stop to it. He bent his head onto his knees and cried.

"Don?" Heath said without turning to face him. "How do you know I don't mean it?"

"You don't. You can't," Don mumbled "you're not gay. It's this place. As soon s we get home you'll come to your senses."

"It's not this place," Heath said turning around facing Don "at first I thought it was. The first time I said it I nearly freaked out. Then I said it more and more because I liked calling you babe. I've wanted to say it hundreds of times before. Before this place but never did. I was too afraid. Too afraid of what it meant about me, about you. I hadn't figured it out not yet." He knelt in front of Don "I didn't even know you were gay until Quentin told me. Do you know what I felt when he was pouring out his hear to me? When he was telling me you didn't like him like that? That you liked someone else? Do you know how I felt?"

Don looked up into his blue eyes a few shades darker than his own shaking his head. Don mumbled "no."

"I felt jealous," Heath told him "I was jealous of whoever it was you liked because it wasn't me." He stood up and began to pace the deck in front of Don. "I tried to tell myself that I wasn't gay. That I liked girls." Stopping in front of Don "I never felt this tingly inside with anyone else. You make me feel things I've never felt before." Turning to Don with a half pleading have angry expression "please don't tell me you don't feel it too."

Don held his hands out to him "I feel it to," he admitted as Heath snuggled into him "I'm sorry," he muttered kissing the top of Heath's head. He felt the dampness on his chest as Heath silently cried on him. Running his fingers through Heath's blue hair Don realized the burden of responsibility Heath had been carrying around with him ever since they arrived here. He had been to ill to notice anything but to an eighteen year old kid it had to have been terrible,

"Don?" Heath said looking up at him "do  you think we'll ever go home?" sounding very much like the kid he was.

Don smiled down at him "your the one who told me his dad was going to come and rescue us. So yeah we'll go home some day."

"You're not just saying that?" Heath looked up at him with worry in his eyes "I've been so scared. 

You were so sick I though you might die. Then I'd be here all alone." Don felt him shiver as he began to cry again.

Holding Heath in his arms Don felt his heart flip flop and knew he had lost the desire to fight what was happening between them. It was his turn to be the strong one. The one Heath could lean on. He kissed Heaths forehead then his as his eyes locked onto Heath's he wiped away his tears. Don went to kiss Heath's cheek as Heath moved bring there lips together. 

Breaking the kiss Don hugged Heath tight against him. They sat like that for a while until Heath laughed "you're stomachs growling," he said.

"I'm hungry," Don told him "my nurse is falling down on his job," he teased.

"You're nurse is too comfortable being held in your arms," Heath said moving to get up. "Come on babe it's time you got some rest." Heath helped Don to his feet and back into bed. "Hurry back, " Don said as he turned to leave "my arms are empty without you."

Grinning Heath shook his head "that's just ... just really bad."

"Give me a break I've been sick," Don shot back.

Shaking his head Heath skipped down the stairs. He felt better then he had in a long time. It had been a relief to know Don felt the same way about him just as confused. Was it just this place? No he was sure it wasn't. This place was just forcing him to confront his feelings sooner than he might have done otherwise.

He decided on hamburgers for lunch. Don needed to get his strength back and lots of protein would help. Making up two plates he brought both upstairs.

Eyeing him Don said "I'm not that hungry."

"One's for you and the other's for me," Heath said handing him one of the plates "I thought I'd join you."

Sitting on the edge of the bed Heath began to eat. Don watched  him for a moment before taking a bite of his hamburger. Heath saw him looking at him "what?" he asked.

"Nothing," he mumbled around the half chewed bite in his mouth. Swallowing Don smiled "I was just thinking how you would make a good wife some day."

"Wife," Heath said incredulously "how about husband?"

"Wife definitely wife," Don smiled "you can cook, clean, nurse the sick and your too damn pretty with all that blue hair."

"Pretty," Heath spluttered "how about handsome or cute. Not pretty."

A mischievously glint came into Don's eyes "pretty maybe even beautiful," Don teased.

Heath felt his face flush in embarrassment. Turning his face away he finished his hamburger in silence staring out the glass door. He could feel the bed shake with Don's silent laughter. "It's not funny," he protested. Heath turned to look at Don whose eyes were dancing bright in his cheerful face. Smiling despite himself Heath asked "I suppose you think your the husband?"

"Of course," Don agreed 

"If you don't stop laughing your wife is going on strike," Heath muttered reaching for Don's dirty plate.

Instead of handing the plate to Heath Don rolled Heath over on the bed. Laying on top of him Don looked into Heath's eyes smiling "wife did you say?" Heath nodded as his eyes focused on Don's mouth. After a moment of stunned silence Don brought his mouth crashing down on Heath's.

It felt good to be kissed. To feel Don's body on top of his. Having Don's hands caress his skin. His touch set him on fire with a passion he hadn't realized existed within him. It drove him wild when Don ran his hands across his chest down his stomach and ... "No Don. We've got to stop." He said with a mixture of desire and fear "I'm ... I'm.... not ready. I'm sorry." he turned his head away afraid to see the sting of rejection in Don's eyes.

"Baby it's ok," Don rolled off him "we won't do anything either of us isn't ready for. I promise when we do it we'll both be ready."

"You're not mad?" Heath asked.

"Of course not," Don reached out and held Heath's hand. "Have you ever, you know gone all the way before?" Don asked him.

Shaking his head Heath looked away "no I ... no."

Lifting up on one arm Don looked at him "you don't have to be embarrassed. It's ok." Turning Heath's face to look at him Don continued "I haven't' either and I'm older than you. I want my first time to be special. With someone I love. We'll take this slow and let nature take it's course. When the time is right we'll both know."

Snuggling into Don Heath kissed the side of his neck "thank you," he spoke softly "for understanding."

"What are friends for?" Don said squeezing him tight.

Smiling up at him Heath said "I think we're more than friends."

"I know baby I know," Don said as his eyes drifted shut.

As they lay in each others arms fast asleep the sliding glass door slid open. Two figures entered.

Ton'ga smiled "things are progressing nicely between them."

The man frowned looking around pointing at the box of clothes "where did they get that?"

Looking where he was pointing Ton'ga went and picked up the box "they were wearing these when they arrived. Why are they here?"

Rendar stared at her in silent fury Before turning and looking at the two boys on the bed. "Someone has been helping them."

"Who would do that?" Ton'ga asked "it's not Ambrogio. He and the chosen one are one now."

"There is one other possibility."

"He hasn't been seen or heard from in a hundred years. It couldn't be him," Ton'ga objected.

"We'll put out an alert," Rendar said "if he's about we won't need these two."

"A real creator would be much better," Tonga replied watching her mate walk towards the door. 

"What about these rags?" she asked.

"Leave them," Rendar commanded "it doesn't matter now."

Looking back at the boys she smiled "you're right. It's only a matter of time." 

A cool gust of wind blew into the room. Heath opened his eyes thinking Don had wondered outside. Upon further observation Don was still asleep beside him. Heath had the uncomfortable feeling that someone had been inside their room. It gave him a vulnerable feeling.

"Did you just go out?" Don asked beside him.

"No I thought maybe you had," Heath replied. Getting up Heath said "I'm going to have a look around."

Sitting up Don said "I'm coming with you."

"No you're not," Heath protested "you're not strong enough yet."

"I can't just sit on my hands while you put yourself in danger," Don protested.

"And I can't worry about you falling down the stairs an breaking your neck," Heath retorted.

"I'm not an invalid," Don protested.

"I didn't say you were," Heath grumbled "here," he shoved a plate at him "wash the dishes while I'm gone." Heath said going out the door angry and frustrated.

A half hour later Heath returned to find Don watching the door anxiously "Well?" he asked.

"I didn't find anyone," Heath said "all I found was this note. He handed it to Don who read it aloud "careful they're watching you." Don look up bewildered "whose watching us?"

"I don't know," Heath told him "maybe the people who have locked us up here." He felt the tears and frustration building up inside him.

Don pulled him close wrapping is arms around him "we'll face this together. You don't have to do this alone. I'm here."

Wiping his eyes Heath muttered "I guess I am the wife. I'm nothing but a ball of emotional chaos."

Don chuckled holding the most important item in his life. Hoping whoever was out there watching wouldn't tear them apart.