Phil stared back at Dan completely bewildered.

"Stay? Sleep in his bed? I...but,"

Looking at Dan's face however, he knew he couldn't say no. So he nodded and gave a quick shrug and walked toward the other side of the bed.

Dan breathed a sigh of relief, he rolled to face Phil, mumbled, "Tanshoo" then closed his eyes.

Phil turned his head to the right and raised an eyebrow in Dan's direction. When he saw how peaceful Dan looked, he smiled and looked back at the ceiling. He had a feeling that Dan had been trying to tell him thank you.

While Dan slept, Phil's mind was racing around an endless track.

"Why did he want me here? Maybe he...No, Phil, NO. Don't go there. He's drunk and needed a friend. That's it."

"Christ, How long has he had these plastic stars on his ceiling... How much is there that I don't know...I know he's had his problems, but..."

"I can't...I can't stay here. This can't happen. He won't notice if I leave now."

Phil checked to make sure that Dan was still soundly asleep, then he slowly began to sit up, propping himself on his elbows first then, easing his legs off the bed. Phil winced and then froze when the bed frame creaked. He looked back over his shoulder to make sure that Dan hadn't been disturbed and he saw Dan's eyes on him. His posture sagged, he knew that there was no escaping now.

"No..." It sounded like a plea. There again was the same tone from before, though Phil couldn't place it. It sounded like fear, and sadness, and hope and maybe a little bit of longing, Phil smiled and said, " Go back to sleep, I'm just going to the bathroom and then I'll be right back" trying a different strategy to get out.

"No" Dan repeated. Suddenly Dan reached out and grabbed Phil's hand. "Stay"

As Phil laid back down, Dan scooted closer to him, putting his head on Phil's chest. Phil looked down startled and then moved the arm that had been propping up his head and wrapped it around Dan's shoulder. Despite the warning in Phil's head, he gently pressed his lips to Dan's forehead, "Shit Phil. This is bad."

When Dan woke the next morning, he still lying beside Phil with his head on his chest.

" Damn. What the hell happened."

He quietly got up and moved into the kitchen for coffee and some relief for his aching head. Sitting on the couch, he had time to re-think the night before and the implications of his actions.

After a string of expletives, his thoughts settled into a coherent form.

"Does he know? How much did I tell him? Is this going to ruin our friendship? I know he won't return the sentiment but I just want him close to me... I ... I have to tell him... It's too hard to hide anymore... I don't have anymore rope to hang on. I can't swing back and forth anymore."

When Phil woke, there was a moment of sleepy happiness and then the events of the night before came rushing back. He sat straight up looking around for Dan.

"Oh man, I hope he didn't get the wrong idea...Well I do, but...PHIL!"

Phil jumped up and headed to the door pausing with his hand on the handle.

"No, just do it. You've got to face this."

He swung open the door and Dan swiveled around from his seat on the couch.

"Phil?" It was a question, but Phil could only stare into the fathomless depths of Dan's eyes.

Dan knew he should move, but he was nailed to the spot by the look on Phil's face.