The good thing was that Cody was still breathing even, it helped to calm his friend some. But when he didn't wake up, no matter what Nick tried, all the calmness was gone again,. After another minute had passed without any reaction of the blond man, Ryder decided it was time to call 911. He jumped up and sprinted to their phone, but didn't get to dial more than the first number.
Cody stirred and screamed in pain. Nick almost dived by his side to help his waking friend. „Hey, babe, you're with me again?" He reached out to hold him close and get a good look at the other man, only to find himself pushed away hardly. „Stop it, please.. please, I can't take anymore... please.."
„Come on, buddy, I'm with you. You have to wake up."
A pain- and horrorfilled scream was his answer. „Please let me go!"
Nick was afraid for his friend, whatever was happening in his dream must be terrifying. He tried to wake his friend again, but it nothing helped. „No, not him, NO! Leave him alone, please... Take me, I do whatever you want, just don't hurt him, plaease!" There was a noise Nick didn't recognize at first. Could it be..?
„Cody, wake up for me, you're safe, I'm here." Nick's fear for his friend was worse than back when he was unresponsive.
The blond mans eyes opened wide. „Nick, no, you have to run... run away.."
„Cody, everything's fine , you just have to calm down."
„No, they'll come back, can't... can't let them hurt you, please run, leave me here, just go, Nick!" The panic in his eyes, his voice, even in his breathing worried the pilot.
„Nobody's here, man, it's just you and me. Calm down, buddy, you scare me to hell right now." He reached out again and was finally allowed to hold his best friend close.
Cody blinked twice. I don't wanna scare, Nick. „You're sure, we are safe? I don't want them to get you, too."
„We're alone, babe. Let me get you to our room and cleaned some. I'll tuck you in and you can tell me what happend, okay?"
Cody was dizzy and cold. The pain was the worse, and if that wasn't enough, he also was running a fever. He was weak and was afraid to throw up again, if he tried talking, so he nodded slightly to answer his friend. Nick helped him up and let him steady himself, but he kept swaying and his knees almost buckeld.
„Okay, that's it partner. I'll carry you." Cody didn't disagree and a new wave of worry washed over Nick, when he lifted his friend up and carried him to the bed. That was when he noticed that his partner had lost some weight.
Since Cody's bed was a disaster, he laid him down on his own bed. „I get some stuff to clean you and be right back. You need anything?"
„Water and painkiller", it was more a question than an answer, the voice weak.
Nick didn't need long, he would take care of the mess in the bathroom and Cody's bed later. His mind was occupied with the simple need to care of the most important person in his life.
Cody was already drifting again, when he came back with some warm water, a cloth, a bottle with cold water and Aspirin. He kneeled down beside the bed and touched the other mans face gently. „I'm back, buddy, don't fall asleep on me. Let's talk some, you can rest soon, okay?"
His partner nodded weakly and leaned into Nick's touch for a moment. „Good pal, I'll clean you and you take all the time you need to tell me what happened." Ryder soaked the cloth with warm water and began his task.
„I went back to sleep after Murray and you had left. Can you give me some of that water first?" Nick gave it to him and he took a few sips. He closed his eyes for a moment. And took two Aspirins and some more water, before going ahead. „I woke up, thought I had heard someone. It couldn't be you, because it was not even an hour later and I didn't expect you back for at least another five hours. I went outside to see, if someone was there and then..."
Nick was just getting a fresh short and shirt for him and waited for Cody to finish his sentence, but nothing came and he turned around just in time to see how his face lost the last rest of its color and his eyes widened in shock, his body totally still. Nick needed a second to understand the situation, but before he was able to do something, Cody screamed in horror and pulled the blanket over himself and the pillow over his head. He didn't stop screaming for a while.
Ryder kneeled beside his own bed and grabbed for his friend, who wouldn't let him under his shelter. „C'mon, babe, don't do this to me!" He felt somewhat helpless for the first time in a while. „You're safe! I'm here... I'm here, Cody." The last words ware not more than a whisper.
Suddenly the screams stopped and were replaced by heavy sobs. The covered man cried heavyly and let his partner finally take the pillow away and climb with him under the blanket. Nick hold him tight, kissed his hair. „It's okay, babe, you don't have to talk about it now. Just let me hold you for a while." Oh God, he wanted to know so badly what was going on, but his stomach still hurt and his heart was racing after seeing this kind of change in his friends face within a second or two. And Cody needed to calm down and rest, maybe it was gonna help and he would be able to tell Nick then what had happened.
„So sorry, Nick", the blond man slurred into his partners neck.
„It's okay, babe." Despite what had just happened, he couldn't help the smile that formed on his face, when he felt Cody's soft breath on his skin. He listened to the light snoring of the sleeping man. It calmed him and he, too, fell asleep very soon after. The exhaustion, due the long time at the airport and the current situation, too, finally took over and he drifted into his own dreams.
