Even from where he stood in the basement, Herbert could hear the latest in Dan's line of floozies screaming unintelligibly at the top of her lungs at his best and only friend. He couldn't help but feel that he had something to do with it, and it hurt just a little. He became a little curious as to what was going on and went up the basement steps until his ear was to the door.

"Don't go," Dan pleaded. "I promise that will never happen again."

"I don't want to be in a house where a psycho freak lives!" she shouted back at him, her New York heritage thick in her voice. "I can't believe you're friends with him. And, well, it's disgusting! I never want to see you again! Good bye!" She slammed the front door shut behind her, her high heels clicking on the floor.

Herbert left the basement to find Dan in a wreck on the couch in the living room. He sat next to him, trying to pretend he didn't hear the exchange. He looked up at his friend's face and saw the pain in his red, puffy eyes. "It didn't go all that well, did it?" he asked.

Dan shook his head. "No. And I don't blame you, I can't blame you as much as I want to."

"She wasn't worth it, Dan," Herbert said, being as reassuring as he could. "If they feel the need to leave you, none of them are worth it. I hope this teaches you a lesson."

Dan gave his friend a double take. "That's...true. Thanks, Herbert."

"Hm."

"There goes my night." A yawn escaped Dan's lips. "I think I'm going to bed."

"Good night. See you in the morning."

Herbert watched his friend shamble away depressed with his shoulders slumped. As he himself returned his basement lab, he decided to solve Dan's romantic problems once and for all. He took a quiet moment to formulate his plan as he sat down. He knew he had to act fast, and amazed that he was even considering doing this. He was quite sure the only way to get through it was to think of it as an experiment of a sort.

Another week passed and Dan brought in more than a weeks' worth of girls. All of them blond, which was a tad bit disturbing for Herbert, especially since he knew what Dan had gone through in the past. As expected, they all left, and Dan was lonelier than ever. Herbert finally gathered the courage to go through with his experiment. That seventh day after that last girl had left, Herbert seated himself on the couch, closer to Dan than usual.

He stretched up so he was a full five inches taller and he put his lips on Dan's and kissed him in a way that was usually thought of as romantic. He felt Dan's lips open beneath his own and his tongue slip into his mouth. This made him squirm a little in discomfort and start blinking in utter shock as his face turned crimson. At the same time, while he was surprised that he was going through with this, it gave him so much pleasure like a fire deep in his being was finally being quenched. He was quite convinced that this couldn't happen with anyone else. He gave in and his tongue began to wrestle with his friend's. His hands gravitated towards Dan chest, and with only them he could feel that Dan's breathing was beginning to weaken. He broke the kiss and watched an amazed look form on his friend's face.

"Herbert, what was that for?" Dan asked, in a bit of a high-pitched voice.

"Well..." Herbert laughed and grinned weakly. "You needed cheering up, especially after that record amount of break ups you just went through."

"That was a new way of getting cheered up by you for me, but thanks. It really worked." He enclosed his arms around Herbert and held his trembling form close. He rested his head on his chest in a matter that would not dirty up his friend's glasses, and began to stroke his raven black hair, which was as neat as always. "We have to do that again more often." He heard Herbert emit something that sounded like a nervous squeak.

While he was completely out of his element and slightly scared out of his wits, Herbert was very satisfied that his experiment was yielding the results he wanted, causing him to smile inwardly. Should I go further with this? he asked himself. Dan is falling for it and you, but what if he found out about what you were really doing all of this for? He might leave you...for good this time, like he's threatened all those times before. Would you want that to happen? Would you want him to leave? I don't think you would, Herbert, he's your best friend, the only friend you'll probably ever have in this world. That gave him the answer to his own question, which was just what he needed. Yes, I will go through with this. I might even enjoy it. It might take me places I've only dreamed of going, and Dan's the best person to go there with, I can trust him. He looked up at Dan and smiled. "We certainly do."

Dan smiled sweetly. "Great. Maybe we could do other things together outside of the house."

"Daniel, do not push your luck," Herbert said, a bit of a laugh evident in his voice.

They celebrated the evolution of their relationship with another kiss. This one more expected and deeper. Dan ran a hand up Herbert's inner thigh and felt him twitch uncomfortably when he reached where he was going. Oh come on Herbert, you know you liked that. Herbert's inner voice told him. No, I did not. He argued back before he started thinking about it a little. Maybe a little, but not enough to want it to happen again.

"Dan, you're pushing your limits. I do not want you to do that again."

"Sorry, Herbert, it won't happen again."

"Good." He felt Dan grab his hand and pull him up. "Wh-what are you doing, Dan?"

"Come on, don't be nervous." Dan led Herbert down the hall until they ended up by the door to Dan's bedroom.

Herbert looked at his friend and blinked a little. "D-Dan?"

"It's okay." Dan opened the door with his free hand. He led his friend in and closed the door again. He turned to face Herbert, who was trembling again. He loosened his tie and let it hang loose around his shoulders as he worked on unbuttoning his shirt. Herbert stood there as still as a statue, his nervous shudders the only sign of movement he showed.

What's wrong, Herbert, don't you like this? He wanted so much to ignore his inner voice and snap back to reality, but he just couldn't. I do, I really do, but this is my first time doing this.

"Okay," Dan said, finally snapping Herbert out of his thoughts. "My turn." He began to pull his shirt off and saw Herbert turn away, his face once again crimson. "Is something wrong, Herbert?"

"I...I..." Herbert stuttered. "I just can't look. I like you, I really do, but..."

"It's okay. I think I understand."

Herbert spun around and faced his friend. "Well, that's good." He kept his eyes on Dan's face, too scared to look anywhere else.

Dan sat down on the bed and patted the space next to him invitingly. Herbert walked forward hesitantly and sat next to him. He then lay on his back because he knew that he couldn't be in charge in this situation, and that Dan could, his tie slipping off his shoulders. He felt that this was the only acceptable time in his life for him to submit to someone else...make that knew.

Dan lowered himself onto Herbert, their exposed skin touching as they began to kiss again. Dan's hands lowered to take care of removing the rest of Herbert's clothing, not at all fazed by his friend's nervous twitching. He was surprised at how smooth...and gorgeous, which was a word he scarcely thought he would use about his best friend. He placed his hands upon those legs and felt Herbert squirm as he began to caress them from the top down. "Is that a good squirm or a bad one?"

A bad one is what he wanted to say. He actually didn't need the assistance of his inner voice to tell him that it wasn't bad this time. "That was a good squirm, Dan."

"Great." Dan lifted the lower half of his body and moved Herbert's hands to his pants. He noticed that his hands were stone still and decided to guide them through their task. With the task finished, Dan lowered himself again and once more they kissed. Herbert slipped off his glasses, not wanting to deal with what happens if he wears them during what was soon to begin. As soon as they touched the table, Dan began everything.

After all was said and done in that passionate moment, Dan and Herbert lay next to each other, coated in sweat. Herbert felt so relieved and like he was in...Paradise. He looked at Dan and a smile began to form on his face. That was amazing... his inner voice said. For once, I am inclined to agree with you. he thought back at it. No time like the present. "Dan," he said, entwining his friend's fingers with his. "I...loved that. I especially loved that I got to do it with you because, well..."

"I love you too, Herbert," Dan said, filling in the nervous blank, causing his friend to turn red for a third time by his count at least. "I'm glad we finally got to do this. You don't know how cute you look without your glasses."

He actually said those words Herbert gasped to himself. I can't believe I am actually falling for him in return. I should not be doing this. He felt a mental slap from his inner voice and visibly cringed, confusing Dan. You should, he's the closest thing you have to a lover...and your only friend. Herbert sighed inwardly. Yes, I know...I know...but I don't want to ruin our friendship. Oh, Herbie, we're already beyond that point, and Danny doesn't seem to mind. "A-as am I," Herbert stuttered. "Thank you...Dan." He suddenly yawned and let go of Dan's hand. He drifted off to sleep as he lay on his back to cool off in a more efficient manner after giving Dan another kiss.

Dan took advantage of his friend's slumber to get dressed once more and go to the telephone. He felt a pang of guilt begin to eat away at his heart and soul, as he knew what he was going to do and whom it was going to affect. He took a deep breath as he felt himself begin to cry. He dialed the three numbers he would probably come to regret for the rest of his life, 911. "This is Daniel Cain," he began.

As Dan finished his business in the living room, Herbert awoke in the bedroom. He slipped back into his clothing and made his way towards the basement to get back to work. He nearly got past his brand new life partner in the living room when he felt a vice like grip on his arm and pulled back to face him. Why is Dan being so rough? I thought we loved each other. He felt like he wanted to cry but was more outraged that Dan would dare manhandle him. I did trust him from the beginning, but I couldn't let you down, dearest Herbert. his inner voice suddenly said, quite evilly. I will not let you speak of Dan that way. He's my friend...or more than now, what could he possibly be doing? "Dan, what's happening?" he asked aloud.

"I...Herbert...I'm sorry," Dan said, seemingly unable to finish a sentence.

"Sorry about what?"

The sound police patrol car sirens pervaded the air of the street and came closer and closer to the house. Herbert's eyes widened in shock and he felt like his only friend had backstabbed him. See what I mean about your friend here? his inner voice inquired. That can't be right. We love each other. Why would he do this? Why? Maybe he wasn't my friend to begin with... Herbert told himself, on the verge of tears both mentally and physically. "Why? Don't I...? But we just...I thought you loved me. It seems that it wasn't true at all."

"It is true...I really do. That's what made it so hard for me. It's just that I can't take this anymore...all of this. You keep putting our lives in danger, and all in the name of...science. Something that you shouldn't be doing in the first place, I might add." Dan wrapped his arms around Herbert, tears forming in his eyes. "Please don't hate me. I really, really love you. I'm doing this for your own good."

Herbert shoved his way out of Dan's arms and went to hit him in his anger. He once more felt the vice grip of his lover's hand upon his arm. He looked up and Dan saw the look of utter rage on his face. "I am truly having a hard time believing that now. And why didn't you do this before? Why now?"

The door opened and two police officers came in to arrest Herbert before Dan could say a single thing. He was put in handcuffs and dragged out of the house, his mind still in shock about Dan's betrayal. He was too busy still thinking about it to notice the young boy with golden hair holding a full syringe of his serum. He was shoved into the back of the car he began to break down into tears. At least he was thinking about me, he told himself. He really did care. I can't believe I spoke to him that way...I love him and I treated him that way. I suppose I deserve this now. His head slumped down and tears began to fall on the inner lenses of his glasses. He was only thinking about himself, his inner voice responded from somewhere deep inside. He didn't care after all. He deserved what he got. You don't deserve this. Herbert's inner representation finally became fed up with that inner voice. That is enough out of you! I'll survive quite well without you now. Herbert smiled a little in inner triumph as he was taken to whatever fate awaited him in jail. "I forgive you, Dan..." he said to himself. "I still love you."