Ten

His sleep pattern grew sporadic long ago. The fact that his body constantly renewed itself made sleeping a moot point. As a soldier he learned to keep one eye open, always alert in case of a night ambush. Then Hartsdale screwed with whatever form of normalcy still existed in his body's rhythm. Day and night were unknowns, indistinguishable from each other. He slept when he felt tired. Five years passed by since he escaped from those walls yet his body couldn't be taught anything different.

Tonight found him just as many other nights did, lying awake as the hours ticked on by. He was calm and relaxed, and for once only stayed awake to enjoy the night. His partner's steady breathing soothed him. Adam tilted his head to the side, smiling down on the sleeping boy curled up beside him. Peter's head tucked comfortably in the cook of Adam's neck, his arm draped across the immortal's torso. Adam loved watching Peter sleep. He could spend hours at a time doing just that.

Peter shifted in his sleep, almost as if he could hear Adam thinking of him. Adam ran his fingers soothingly through the boy's dark hair. This action didn't do any good, as Peter's sleeping grew more distressed. The boy's body twitched restlessly and he let out a soft groan. Then he let out a sudden cry and his eyes shot open.

"Peter?" Adam's worried eyes met with his lover's fearful ones. "What is it?" Adam asked him in a gentle whisper. "What did you see?" He recognized the expression as the same one Angela would adopt whenever she awoke from one of her dreams. Trembling, Peter turned away from his lover's searching gaze. The younger man slipped out of bed, pulling on his pants and headed into the kitchen.

Adam entered the kitchen a few minutes later. He knew prophetic dreams could be sometimes very troubling or frightening but for Peter to closes up like this both annoyed and concerned him. He sat down in a chair, his eyes fixed on his lover. Peter poured two cups of coffee, adding creamer into his and sliding over the other for Adam.

"Well?" Adam prompted at last.

"Do you know what tomorrow is?" Peter asked him, sipping at his coffee. Adam glanced idly toward the calendar.

"November the eighth," he answered.

"November the eighth," Peter repeated. Silence hung in the air while the immortal waited for his lover to go on.

"It's just a day, love," Adam told him patiently.

"No, it isn't." Peter's fingers closed in around his cup, squeezing his eyes shut. "It was five years ago, Adam. Five years…" His finger ran thoughtfully over the scar cutting across his face. He opened his eyes, meeting Adam's across the table. The immortal never saw his lover look so frightened.

"That's when you got that, isn't it?" Adam asked him in a hushed voice, reaching to follow Peter's finger down the scar. "In the explosion." Peter said nothing, but Adam knew his guess was right. Tenderly Adam pulled the empath forward and pressed kisses down his lover's scar until he reached the boy's lips. Peter kissed him back with a needy sort of desperation. Adam happily answered the kisses, returning them in hunger as he nibbled on Peter's lips.

Adam didn't need telepathic abilities to know his lover still felt upset about the dream. Something about the future frightened him, and the way his lips pressed against Adam's suggested it was something very bad indeed. Adam didn't question it any further, knowing Peter would talk about it when he felt ready.

Peter slid from his chair into Adam's lap, straddling his lover as he sought for more intense kisses. Adam's hands carefully slid up his lover's bare back, smiling as he felt Peter arch under his touch. He could feel something hungrier and more desperate in Peter. They always shared an intensity when they were together, but this… It almost made Adam feel afraid. Peter's hand slid into his clothes and started stroking his member slowly.

"Peter…" His breath hitched and he jerked under the touch. "Why are you so afraid? Just tell me."

"I love you," the scarred man responded quietly, rocking up against his lover as his fingers continued working. "I haven't loved someone for so long. I didn't want to get close. But now… the thought of being away from you, not having you here with me… That's what scares me."

"Is that what you saw?" Adam asked, trying to move his hands soothingly over his lover's back. "That I leave you? I wound never do that, love. Not having you frightens me too." He pulled Peter down to kiss him. He shifted, feeling Peter tug at his pants.

Adam never saw Peter take control like this before. Any other time he would've been thrilled, but he couldn't shake the worry egging at his mind. Even as Peter impaled himself and started rocking slowly against the immortal. Adam loved that Peter would need him with such desperate intensity. Still… Adam worried.

He carried Peter off to the bedroom so they could make love properly. Peter needed him for this, to take away the fear of his dream. Adam never loved anyone the way he loved Peter. He wanted Peter to be happy, and would do anything to make that happen. After it was over and they were both utterly spent Adam held his boy tightly in his arms.

"I love you, Peter," he whispered softly. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

"You may not have a choice," Peter murmured back, his face pressed into Adam's shoulder. The immortal pushed him away a little, gently combing his fingers through the empath's hair.

"What do you mean? Are you talking about the dream?" Peter nodded silently. "What is it?" Adam urged him. "Love, please just talk to me. Whatever it is, we'll get through it. Tell me what happens." Peter swallowed, his eyes slowly moving up until they focused on Adam's face. He leaned forward almost as if afraid of speaking too loudly.

"Sylar."