Fists are flying. Cody can't stop them and he doesn't know why. It hurts; it really fucking hurts when he gets hit with punches over and over again. He's not this weak; he knows that he can protect himself, but there is something about this person that won't let him. A reason that he just won't hit back and at first it doesn't make any sense. Until he sees his attacker.

It's Ted.

Ted is beating him mercilessly and screaming obscenities. Cody doesn't understand why. What did he do to make his best friend treat him like this? To hurt him so badly?

"Faggot!"

Randy lies in the next bed this time, watching. Cody is clutching the blankets to his chin and is sobbing quietly. His blue eyes are frantically searching to room, as if making sure that there is nothing around to get him.

"Cody?"

The younger man doesn't respond; a classic night terror. Randy watches as he glances around anxiously for a few more moments, and then seems to relax and settle back into his pillow. Cody closes his eyes and Randy realizes that he himself has let out a sigh of relief that his friend has just gone back to sleep. Cody has spent too much time crying.

Randy lets his own eyes close and the next time he wakes it's about nine in the morning. Cody is still sleeping, so Randy leaves him be, trying to decide what to do today. Their workout may have to take a backseat today because he, John, and Ted need to stage somewhat of an intervention.

Or at least him and John. Ted he's not so sure about.

Randy doesn't know what happened between the two young men, but he knows that it probably also needs to be addressed. He'll go to Ted and try to wrangle another explanation out of him. It can't hurt.

He decides to scrounge up John first, hoping that his older and probably wiser friend can help him figure out how to help Cody. Throwing on jeans and a t-shirt, he slips out of the room quietly and heads to John's room.

They're going to have to find a place to talk because John ended up sharing with Kofi this time and they really have to keep this situation as limited as possible. He knocks lightly and grins when he hears thumping and John's muffled cursing before the door opens. The older man is standing disheveled looking in front of him and at this Randy lets out an actual laugh.

"Will you shut the fuck up?" John growls, motioning towards Kofi who is still asleep, his dark dreads splayed out on the white pillow.

Randy composes himself, "Get dressed and come with me. We've got a bit of an intervention to carry out."

John shuts the door in his face and Randy just decides to wait patiently while the grumpy man gets ready to leave his room. It's not long until the door reopens and John steps out, looking a little more put together.

"So what exactly are we doing?"

"First, we're going to find out what's up Teddy's butt; second, we're going to talk to Cody because this whole thing is getting out of control. He had another scare last night."

A frown crosses John's face as he follows Randy towards Ted's room. The younger man seems to have no regard for how early it is and just barrels along like a man on a mission. They approach the door and Randy knocks harshly. Then he waits about three seconds before knocking again. It seems like another five minutes before Ted opens the door.

"Do you know what time it is?"

"You shouldn't be sleeping now anyway," Randy says and pushes his way into the room. John just sends an apologetic look to Ted and follows him in. Ted stares at them incredulously, then realizes that he should've expected something like this out of Randy.

"What do you guys want?" he sighs.

"We want you to pull the stick out of your ass and come talk to Cody with us. He needs our help."

Ted flinches at the mention of Cody's name and John can't help but notice that he almost looks . . . embarrassed? Ashamed?

"I can't," Ted looks at the floor, "You two will have to do it without me."

It hurts Ted to say it, it really does. What he desperately wants to do right now is go to Cody and tell him that everything is going to be okay. He wants to help him get through this, but he's afraid. He's terrified because their relationship has been irrevocably changed and he has no idea what to do about it.

But he can't say that to John and Randy.

"Why?!" Randy questions, frustrated, "What happened Ted? Cody is your best friend. He needs you!"

"I need you Teddy."

Ted's breathing gets heavy, his hands shake, and his face begins to turn an alarming shade of purple.

"Just GET OUT!"

John grabs Randy by the arm and drags him from the room. Ted slams the door behind them and the two of them stand out in the hallway, momentarily in shock.

"Something really big happened, didn't it?" Randy says absently.

John just shakes his head and resolves to have a talk with Ted later. He gestures to Randy to follow him and they head back towards Randy's room to talk to Cody, who is hopefully awake by now. They enter to find and empty room, but water running in the bathroom alerts them to Cody's presence.

The younger man steps out from the bathroom after a moment, his face red from being freshly washed. He's still in a pair of boxers and a batman t-shirt and Randy almost feels bad about the conversation they are going to have.

Cody smiles when he sees them in the room and Randy is reminded of what a carefree, fun-loving kid Cody was before he saw his young friend in the midst of these night terrors. He wonders if Cody remembers the one from last night.

"Hey Cody," John starts, sitting down on Randy's bed next to his friend and motions for Cody to do the same on his own, "We wanted to talk to you. It's important."

Now, Cody is not an idiot. He immediately knows what they want to talk about and he hesitates a moment before sitting down to face his two older friends. He doesn't want to talk about this. It's not going to accomplish anything.

"Ooookay . . ."

"You had another terror last night," Randy quickly tosses out.

Cody looks at him blankly; he doesn't remember at all.

"We're just really worried about you," John continues, "I know you've been dealing with this for a long time but it's really starting to affect you and something needs to be done about it."

"I've been dealing with it since I was sixteen, guys. This isn't new. What do you expect me to do?"

Randy stands and begins pacing the room, swinging his hands, "This is new though! From what we know, you've never reacted like this before. Cody, this is messing with your everyday life. You're afraid of a friend! Someone who's never done anything to hurt you before."

"And we're not dumping this all on you," John continues Randy's thought, "We're here to help you. You're not alone in this; you have to remember that. You can get professional help. Someone who has experience with this kind of thing and really knows what to do about it."

Cody's eyes widen at that, "No way, guys. I'm not crazy or some shit. I don't need help like that."

"It's not like that-"

"Besides, like you said, you guys are here to help me; I don't need anyone else! Just you, Randy, and . . ."

His voice fades off, almost as if he has just come to the realization that Ted is not in the room with them.

"Where is he?"

Randy stops in his tracks and looks at John worriedly who answers, "Well, we went to get-"

"Where. Is. He?"

Cody is practically vibrating on the bed, his eyes looking back and forth from John to Randy wildly. He looks close to tears, a sight that is getting way to familiar, and neither man wants to say something that will make them fall.

Finally Randy sits down next to Cody and wraps an arm around his shoulders, "We asked him to come."

Which means he said no.

Cody doesn't reply, just curls into Randy's embrace, and tries not to think about how he's ruined his life.