(standard disclaimer applies)

Warning: contains implied romantic/sexual relationship between two men. If that's not to your tastes, please look elsewhere. Also contains spoilers for the episode "Retribution."

Bush was exhausted. He had argued with Kennedy late into the night, so ardently that his throat ached and his wound had begun to pulse unpleasantly. Clive had ordered him back to bed, and since the doctor's support had shifted in favor of Archie's position, Bush did what seemed not to come naturally to these tenacious young officeres: he gave in.

Now he turned his head, hearing a rustle from the other cot. Damn the boy; he would need rest if he was to carry this fool plan out.

"Mr. Kennedy," he whispered across the way, "shall I call for Dr. Clive?"

Archie coughed, arms folded over his midsection. "No," he said, then, his voice hollowing, "no, no..." His head began to shift restlessly on the pillow.

"All right, all right," said Bush, trying to placate him. When Archie didn't calm, Bush gritted his teeth and sat up. Slowly and carefully, so as not to surprise his recuperating body in any way, he roused himself and settled into the chair at Archie's bedside, left there from Horatio's last visit.

Archie was sweating and picking at his bandage, his face tight with pain. Bush leaned over him and took his clammy hands to still them. As the weak light from the tabletop candle fell upon him, Archie squinted. His eyes suddenly lit with more than fever, and he smiled broadly.

Unnerved by this abrupt shift in mood, Bush said, "I should get the doctor."

"No," said Archie again with a shake of his head. His fingers flexed beneath Bush's own. "I'm all right, Horatio, truly."

Well, that explained the carefully modulated ease of his expression. He had been trying to put on a brave face for Horatio for days now. Bush opened his mouth to correct him, then hesitated. It was impossible that a right-minded Archie would ever confuse the two of them. If he was hallucinating, then, it could very well be the end. In that case, Bush was loath to take from him this last vision of his friend.

So he patted Archie's hand, smiling at him, and tried to remember how Hornblower had angled his head while sitting here earlier.

He needn't have bothered. Archie was lost within his own waking dream. His eyes ran over Bush's face with far more affection than their brief acquaintance could account for. He was seeing what he most wanted to see.

"Oh, Horatio," he sighed, raising his free hand to lay it over Bush's. "I wish I did not have to say goodbye like this. We simply haven't had enough time, you and I." He lifted Bush's hand to his face, brushing chapped lips against his knuckles. "Then again, I doubt I would be satisfied with all the time in the world."

Bush blinked, numb to his caress. Yet it was not such a shocking thing to discover, particularly not between these two. No wonder Archie had looked upon him with such suspicion at first. He and Horatio had gotten on from the start, but their tenuous friendship was nothing compared to the depth of feeling in Archie's wide eyes.

"I love you," he said, his voice nearly breaking as he clutched Bush's hand hard enough to hurt, "and I'm sorry that I cannot stay. What I can do -- what I will do -- is save you."

He was trying to rise now, fervor evident in every line of his trembling body. "Shhh, shhh," said Bush, approximating Horatio's lighter tone as best he could. He soothed Archie back into place, pushing his sweat-darkened forelock back from his eyes.

"I will save you from their pettiness," Archie continued, his eyes bright with conviction and tears of pain. "Never forget that you are better than that, Horatio. Never doubt that I have done the right thing."

"You must rest and conserve your strength, Archie," said Bush, rubbing a thumb over his cheek. "Will you do that if I ask it?"

Archie subsided immediately, settling back against the pillows with a groan of relief. "Of course. I would do anything you asked."

"Then sleep." Bush pulled the sheet up, laying Archie's arms flat. "Sleep now," he repeated softly.

He closed his eyes, a smile still curving his lips. Bush stood and leaned down to kiss his brow.

Returning to his own bed, he stayed awake and watched Archie sleep, listened to him breathe. A part of him believed that the man would not make it through the night, but his will was strong.

At dawn, he judged it safe to return to sleep. Casting one last look on Archie's pallid face, Bush murmured, "And who will save you, dear boy?" Even as he spoke the words, he knew they were worthless. Horatio had already done so.