A/N: Hello again! Here's another chapter! Enjoy the awkwardness while it lasts!

/x\x/x\x/x\

About an hour later, I got up from the couch, and headed back to my workroom. I didn't want to do any work with the paintings, but I had to do something to get my mind off of the fact that Collins was stalking me. I stared at the boxes of shit on the right side of the room, then walked over to one and sat on the floor in front of it. Opening it, I prepared to sort or shuffle through it.

I sat there on the floor for another hour and a half, I think, before I got up, cracked my back, then turned off the CD player. I hit the light switch to the room as I headed to my bedroom. Closing the door, I changed into my pajamas, then went back out of the room and to the bathroom, where I did my nightly routine. Once done there, I padded out to the living room and saw that Ian was lying on the couch, asleep.

Grinning softly to myself, I walked around the couch, and picked up the blanket on the arm of the couch (that Ian's head wasn't resting on). I gently laid the blanket over him, then turned off the TV. Walking around the couch again, I hit the light switch to turn off the light, then headed back to my bedroom. Closing the door again, I crawled into bed, and turned off the light.

Lying on my back and staring at the ceiling wasn't helping me fall asleep, though. Every ten minutes or so, I would move into a new sleeping position. After a while of tossing and turning, I looked over at my clock to see how long it had been since I climbed into bed.

God, only an hour?

With a frustrated grunt, I got out of bed. I stumbled through the dark to get to the door. Amazingly, I only stubbed my toe once, and after a round of cursing the bed, I kept going over to the door. Upon reaching the door, I opened it, and jumped into the next room...the workroom.

Flipping on the light switch, I sighed, then sat in front of the paintings, then put my hair up in a ponytail.

I really didn't want to fuck with the paintings then, but I could use something to put me to sleep. Picking up the smaller painting in front of me, I stared at it, running my fingers lightly over the canvas.

I don't know how long I was sitting there, staring, but when I heard a thump from the direction of the door, my head shot up and over in that direction as I jumped about two feet in the air, letting the painting fall to the floor.

Ian was leaning against the door. Evidently, he pushed it against the wall, which was the thump I heard. He looked very tired and disheveled.

"Shit, Ian!" I exclaimed.

"Sorry." He muttered with a yawn. "What are you doing?"

"I couldn't sleep. Thought I could pass out in front of this if I tried to do work." I answered, motioning to the paintings.

"You couldn't sleep?" He asked.

I shook my head. "No."

It seemed like he was thinking, but he looked so tired, I wasn't sure if he was thinking or if he was falling asleep.

"Come on." He said, pushing himself away from the door.

"What?" I asked, not sure if I heard him right.

"Come with me. I know how to help you sleep."

I wasn't sure if I wanted to know what he had in mind, but I trusted him, so I got up from the floor. Putting the painting back in the pile with the others, I then followed Ian out to the couch. He stood in front of the couch, and motioned for me to walk around it.

"Sit." He instructed. "And face that way." I pointed to the right arm of the couch.

I gave him a raised eyebrow and a skeptical look, but eventually moved around the couch and sat.

"What are you doing?" I asked, turning my head to look at him.

"Just shut up and relax." He said, sitting on the couch next to me...behind me, technically.

Just as I was about to protest, I felt Ian's hands on my shoulders. All trace of protest left my mouth as I stiffened...I wasn't ready for that. He started massaging my shoulders and neck.

And, boy, did it feel good.

His hands massaged the back of my neck, then my shoulders. He used his thumbs along my spine as his hands moved to my shoulder blades, massaging the knots out of them.

As Ian continued his ministrations, I started to relax and found myself slowly closing my eyes.

"That feels good." I said with a sound that seemed like a cross between a grunt and a moan.

Ian didn't reply, just keep his mind on the task of relaxing me.

Eventually, I couldn't help myself when I started leaning back against him. He didn't seem to mind and frankly, I didn't care if he did or not. Since I was leaning back, Ian returned his hands to my shoulders and neck. His right hand left my neck and a moment later, I felt the blanket that was on the back of the couch being laid over me. I muttered a 'thank you' and pulled it tighter around me. His hand then returned to my neck.

I was starting to fall asleep, so I turned my head and leaned my ear against Ian's chest. I heard his heartbeat speed up a little, but I chose to ignore it and snuggled into him…and not really realizing that I was doing it, anyway.

Feeling Ian lean back against the arm of the couch (probably because my weight was pushing him back), I let myself follow him, settling in for a good sleep.

Just before I actually fell asleep, I felt Ian move his hands away from my neck. One of them felt like it went up behind his head and the other fell to his side, but I felt his hand lightly rest on the side of my hip...and it was comforting, really.

/x\x/x\x/x\

When I woke up the next morning, on my own I might add, I found that I was in my own bed, not on the couch where I remembered falling asleep against Ian. I smiled to myself, thinking back.

He certainly relaxed me enough to allow me to have a decent night's sleep.

My smile left as I wondered how I ended up in my bed. Shaking my head, I decided that Ian probably just carried me back after I fell asleep on him.

Stretching and getting out of my bed, I noticed that the door to my room was left open. Going over to it, I took a look out and saw an arm over the top of the couch. Grinning slightly, I brought my head back into my room and closed the door. Going about my room, I picked out my clothes for the day and changed into them.

When I was done getting dressed, I opened the blinds, then left my bedroom to head for the bathroom. After I was done in the bathroom, I walked over to the couch to check on Ian.

His arm was no longer on the back of the couch, but was lying over his chest. His other arm was hanging off the side. Evidently he was a little tall for my couch since his feet were also hanging over the armrest. The blanket that I vaguely remember him putting over me was now on him covering his stomach to about his shins.

Suppressing a laugh, I went into the kitchen to look for something I could make us for breakfast. I couldn't help taking a glance out of the window as I entered.

Searching the cabinets, I found one of those 'just add water and shake' pancake mixes. Digging around in the drawer under the stove, I found a skillet. Putting it on the stove, I let it heat up while I poured some water into the plastic mixing bottle and shook it. When I shook it enough, I poured some onto the heated skillet and waited for it to finish on one side, then flipped it. After it cooked, I took it off the skillet, putting it on a plate, then restarted the whole process.

I heard a noise from the other room, so I took a look behind me and saw Ian sit up and stretch on the couch. Turning back around, I blushed slightly remembering the little bits and pieces I could recall from the night before, then continued with the pancakes.

Hearing his footsteps, though, I turned around again.

"Morning." I said softly, then flipped a pancake.

"Morning." Ian replied groggily, not looking at me. "Do you have any coffee?"

"Yeah, I'll make it in a minute." I paused and looked him over. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He sighed, then went back to sit on the couch.

I gave him a funny look, then finished with the last of the pancake mix. While the last of the pancakes were cooking, I made some coffee...the last I had in stock.

By some remarkable time slip, the pancakes and coffee finished at the same time, so I took a mug of the beverage and a plate of half the pancakes out to Ian.

"Thanks." He said as he took the mug and plate from me, giving me a forced grin.

"No problem." I said. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, Jack, I'm fine." He snapped.

"All right. Chill out." I said, holding my hands up defensively and taking a step or two backwards.

I was going to ask him if we were still going over to the warehouse, but I changed my mind after that little outburst, and headed back into the kitchen for my breakfast. I decided I'd give him a little space, so I stayed in the small space and ate by myself.

The one bad thing about standing in the kitchen by myself was that I could easily look out the window. Every time a black car that so much as looked like a Cadillac that went past my window made me a bit jumpy.

After finishing my pancakes, I put my plate and fork in the sink, then gripped my coffee mug with both hands as I stared out of the window. Every time one of the previously mentioned cars went past, I froze, and my eyes widened, but when it just kept on driving, I relaxed against the counter I was leaning against.

"Jack."

I turned my head to see Ian standing in the doorway; the empty plate and fork in one hand and the mug in the other hand.

"Ian." I answered, turning my head back to look out of the window.

I heard him walk in and place the dishes in the sink next to me. He then turned to lean his back against the sink and also looked out of the window briefly before turning to look at me.

"All right. What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing." I sort of lied, then rolled my eyes. "Well, besides the shit going on with Collins, nothing."

I lied because I was curious as to why Ian snapped at me. Was it something I did? Was it because I involuntarily leaned against him last night while he massaged my shoulders...? I had no idea.

Men are confusing.

And they think women are confusing...

I think Genesis had it right when they came up with the song "Land of Confusion".

Ian pushed himself away from the counter and stood in front of me. He took the mug out of my hands and set it on the counter next to me. Since he blocked my view of the street, I had to look up at him and our gazes locked.

"Jack." He started, softly. "You can tell me anything. You know that."

Bullshit. I can't tell him the one thing that could ruin our friendship...no, I'm not in love with him, but there is something there.

"I know." I said, feeling my palms start to sweat. "I just have a lot of...personal...things on my mind at the moment."

He stared at me for a moment before taking a step back and walking out of the kitchen. I saw him pick up the duffel bag I got for him the previous day.

"Mind if I use the bathroom?" He asked as he came back into my line of vision.

I shook my head. "Go ahead." I answered, then grinned. "I don't like smelly house guests."

He rose an eyebrow, the ghost of a smirk playing on his lips. Then he lifted his arm and pretended to sniff his armpit.

"I don't smell...that bad." He replied.

I laughed. "Just shower before my neighbors think I have a dead body in here."

"All right. All right." He chuckled, then headed to the bathroom.

While Ian was washing up, I turned back to the sink and cleaned the dishes. When I was cleaning, however, my mind started to wander and I ended up imagining what was happening in my bathroom. My imagination strayed pretty far and created the image of a naked Ian standing under the steady stream of hot water in the shower. I closed my eyes as I imagined myself in that picture with him and felt my cheeks heat up...along with a fluttering in my stomach.

I heard a shuffling in the other room and my eyes snapped open as I gasped and dropped the fork I was 'cleaning' in the sink.

How long was I standing there like that...?

"Everything all right in there?" I heard Ian call.

My cheeks flushed to an even deeper pink color as I realized that he could have seen the look on my face as my mind created those erotic images.

"Y-Yeah. I'm good." I eventually answered, then cleared my throat and continued to finish cleaning the dishes.

When I was finished in the kitchen, I took a quick look out of the window, then left the kitchen and went to sit on the couch while Ian moved things around in the duffel bag. It was then that I noticed what he was wearing: one of his light blue colored, button down shirts and dress pants. The first five buttons or so on the shirt were undone, exposing his neck and part of his chest, which was where my eyes lingered for a few moments before I remembered my earlier thoughts and brought a hand to my forehead, closing my eyes.

"So, are we still going to the warehouse today?" I asked, trying to get the images my mind created out of my head.

"Yes. I just have to call the other three to have them meet us there." He said, taking his cell phone out of the bag. "Oh, and do you have a dishwasher to clean this." He took the science project of a water bottle out of his bag.

I let out a laugh. "Yeah, no problem."

I took the bottle from him and went back out to the kitchen to dump whatever was in it in the sink, then ran the water for a bit to get rid of the smell. Then I shoved the bottle and its lid into the dishwasher. Since it was full enough, I ran the washer, then headed back out to the living room. I entered the room and saw Ian hang up his phone.

"Almost ready?" I asked, wanting to get out of my apartment for the moment.

"Just have to call Phil." He replied, buttoning two of the buttons on his shirt.

"Okay, great. I need to get a pair of socks, yet." I said quietly, then headed back to my bedroom.

As I passed the bathroom, I could smell Ian's cologne (or soap, it was hard to tell) and I paused momentarily. The images from before crept back into my head. Shaking my head, I continued on to my room where I grabbed a pair of socks out of one of my drawers, then headed back to the living room.

I grabbed my boots on the way over to the couch. Sitting next to Ian, I put my socks on, then my boots. As I laced them up, Ian hung up the phone again.

Glancing over at him, I saw that he was looking at my back. When he saw that I was looking at him, he shifted his eyes to mine, then grinned slightly before looking to the floor in front of him.

"We should get going. The others will be there in a few minutes." He said after clearing his throat.

"Okay." I muttered, then subtly moved my right hand to my back to try and figure out what he was staring at. It seemed like a good three inches of my skin was exposed from where my shirt slid up my back...so that's why he was now blushing at being caught.

We both got off of the couch at the same time. While Ian went to the door, I went to grab my keys and messenger bag.

Ian opened the door and we both walked out. One of my other neighbors just had to walk out of his apartment at the same time we did. Luckily, the guy was married and didn't really care that I had some guy in my apartment. I can hear him and his wife go at it some nights anyway...and they live two apartments over!

"Hey, Joe." I said, closing my door. I could feel Ian step closer to me, his posture straightening protectively. Glancing behind me to him, I saw that he was giving Joe a hard look.

Whoa there, Tiger. Just a neighbor.

"Hi, Jack. How are you?" Joe asked, then noticed Ian's look. "And who's your...friend?"

"I'm fine, just a little stressed lately." I then took a step to the side, so Ian was next to me. "And this is Ian. A...an old friend of mine." I put my hand on his arm and squeezed it slightly. It looked like he was going to punch Joe in the face.

"Ah, nice to meet you Ian." Joe replied, not moving from his spot...probably because he saw the dangerous look on Ian's face. Joe then looked back at me. "He's not your painting friend, is he?"

"Oh, no." I laughed, then glanced at Ian again, my eyes laughing hysterically at him.

Joe raised an eyebrow at me, then called me over to him. I looked back to Ian and gave him a slight, reassuring nod, then went over to Joe.

"He's not a 'friend with benefits' is he?" Joe asked, quietly.

Oh, God, if only...if only he was more than that...

"No, he's not. Just a friend. He came over to get me and we're going out to breakfast. I haven't seen him for a while." I lied.

"I'm just looking out for you, kid." He replied.

"I know. And I thank you." I smiled a fake smile, then walked back over to Ian and locked my door. "We really have to get going. Nice seeing you, again, Joe."

"You, too, Jack."

Ian and I turned and started walking towards the stairs. I had to pull him along for a moment, when he still gave Joe an evil look. When we got to the top of the stairs, I looked up at Ian before going down.

"Ian, he's just my neighbor. He has a wife and he's a friend. He's looking out for me, just like you; he's no threat." I smiled at him for reinforcement.

When Ian looked down at me, I saw his eyes soften and he nodded. We then continued on down the stairs and out to my car. Once we got out of my building, I hit the button on my remote entry to disarm the alarm, then unlocked the doors. As I walked towards my Yaris, I looked around the parking lot, looking for any car that I hadn't seen before. After a quick sweep, I got into my car with Ian. I started the car then pulled out of the parking lot and headed to the warehouse.

A/N: Ahoy sexual tension!

More soon. Review please!