A/N

Sorry for the delay in posting, things have been pretty insane lately. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Ezra was so tired, but no matter how he shifted he couldn't fall asleep. He wanted to go to sleep like Hiro did, but he was terrified that the man would come back while they were asleep and hurt Hiro. Why did he want to force Ezra to use these powers? He had the same abilities as Ezra, why did he need him? Why wouldn't he let Hiro go home?

Eventually Ezra drifted off into a fitful sleep, waking up when he or Hiro had a coughing fit. Ezra wasn't sure where the man went or when he'd be back but he couldn't bring himself to care. He'd tried to get them out through the doors but all of them where firmly locked. He didn't understand why dad hadn't come to save them. He always saved other children when they were missing, so why hadn't he come for them? The door slammed open, startling Ezra awake. Hiro twitched and moaned next to him, coughing uncontrollably.

"Get up," The man snapped, throwing a water bottle and piece of bread at Ezra who snatched both up and greedily gulped down some water before biting into the bread. Though it hurt to swallow the bite he was too relieved to finally have some food to care. He wanted to scarf the scrap of food down all by himself but stopped himself. No, Hiro was probably hungry too. Reluctantly he reached over and gently shook Hiro saying,

"Hiro, Hiro wake up." Hiro groggily blinked his eyes and slowly sat up mumbling,

"Huh…?"

"Here," Ezra said, handing Hiro the water bottle. With shaking hands, Hiro removed the lid and greedily gulped down the remaining water and started to lie back down. Ezra grabbed his arm saying,

"No Hiro come on you need to eat too." Hiro stared at the piece of bread for a full minute before mumbling,

"'m not hungry…"

"You gotta eat though," Ezra begged. Hiro shook his head and curled up in a tight ball, shivering uncontrollably. The man grabbed Ezra's arm and yanked him away from Hiro hissing,

"Stop talking, we have work to do."

"But I think Hiro's sick!" Ezra exclaimed, coughing uncontrollably as well.

"He's just a filthy human," the man said. "His life is utterly worthless."

"No it's not!" Ezra cried, throat scratching painfully.

"I could kill him right now and not feel a thing…" The man continued. "He is far more difficult than he is worth." He added, slowly lifting Hiro into the air with his mind. "Humans are so fragile. It would be so easy to snap him like a twig." Hiro weakly started thrashing in the air, this time Ezra knew nothing he said would stop the man from killing Hiro.

"Don't you dare hurt him!" Ezra shouted, throwing his arms out sending the man flying back with more force then the first time he'd thrown him.

Ezra thought he'd be angry, but he simply laughed. "You're more like me then you care to admit boy."

"I'm nothing like you!" Ezra snapped.

"Look at what you did to serve your own goal," He said. "We are very alike…one day you'll be able to take my place."

"No!" Ezra shouted. "I want to help people like my dad!"

"You want to be like him?" the man sneered. "The man who abandoned you?"

"He's coming for us!" Ezra determinedly shouted, causing him to start coughing painfully.

"Then why hasn't he come yet?" The man asked. Ezra felt his heart sink at his words. Why hadn't dad come yet? Ezra's misery must have shown on his face, a sickening smirk spread across his face as he said, "it's because he won't ever come. Face it boy, you're not really his son, you don't mean anything to him. You're nothing more than a freak, just like me." Ezra shook his head, but Ezra wasn't sure he entirely believed himself anymore, and the man knew this.

"You family, your so called friend, none of them care about you. They never have and they never will. I'm the only one who can ever understand you."

"No! You're wrong! Hiro cares about me!" Before the man could respond, one of the man's new henchman walked in saying,

"I am so sorry sir but uh theirs something you're needed for…" The man faced the newcomer and glared at him saying,

"Fine," and turned his attention back to Ezra, "Remember boy. In the end your little friend is merely human." And strode out of the room. Shaking Ezra crawled over to Hiro whispering,

"W-w-what if he's right? What if….I turn into something like him?" Hiro groggily sat up and stared at Ezra, a look of concentration on his face.

"You…won't…" Hiro croaked, starting to let out a wet cough.

"How do you know?" Ezra whimpered, tears streaming down his face.

"You're too nice…" Hiro sleepily mumbled.

"You really believe that?" Ezra asked. Hiro nodded and weakly smiled before coughing again.

"You're my best friend…" Hiro mumbled, eyes drifting shut. Scared for his friend, Ezra moved closer to him and hugged him tightly, trying to ignore how the room was starting to spin around him. All they had was each other now.

Tadashi's limbs felt like lead. As hard as he tried to get them to move they refused to cooperate. He was trapped inside of his own body. For a moment he feared the Inquisitor found him and did something to him but then remembered Mr. Lee gave him something…Mr. Lee did this to him! After a minute of struggling Tadashi was able to slowly open his eyes and looked around the room he was in, instantly spotting Fred sitting in a chair by the bed he was on reading a comic.

Tadashi glared at his boyfriend and slowly sat up, catching Fred's attention. Fred beamed at Tadashi and placed a hand on his shoulder asking,

"Hey Tadashi how are you feeling?" Tadashi glared at Fred and shrugged his hand off and snapped,

"Why did you do that to me?"

Fred stared at Tadashi with a hurt look on his face and asked, "What do you mean?"

Tadashi was furious with Fred, but it was quickly becoming difficult with him looking like a kicked puppy. "You drugged me."

"My dad did that but… he was right you needed to sleep an-"

"Do you even care about finding Hiro?" Tadashi demanded. "I lost hours of work because of this! What if I lose Hiro for good because you decided I needed to sleep!"

"Tadashi you're killing yourself!" Fred exclaimed.

"Hiro's more important!" Tadashi snapped.

"Hiro is important but killing yourself because you're too stubborn to take care of basic needs will not help Hiro!" Fred shouted. Tadashi glared at Fred, secretly knowing that Fred was right which only made him angrier.

"This wasn't your choice to make!" Tadashi snapped.

"Don't you see what you're doing to yourself?" Fred roared. "You're so blinded by your need to save Hiro you won't take care of yourself! I love you both so much and I don't want to lose either of you!"

"Fred-" Tadashi groaned.

"No!" Fred snapped. "You're listening to me for once!" Tadashi stared at Fred in shock at his outburst but didn't say anything. "You love Hiro and he always comes first I get that, but you can't keep doing this to yourself! You need to sleep, to eat! I don't want to lose you because you wouldn't take care of yourself!"

"Fred….I…" Tadashi began, awkwardly breaking off. What could he say? "I can't lose Hiro…"

"I know that!" Fred cried. "I understand I swear! But please you need to take care of yourself too!" Tadashi looked at Fred and sighed heavily,

"I…Fred I just can't…"

"If not for yourself then for Hiro. If you're not taking care of yourself you won't be able to help Hiro," Fred begged. Tadashi sighed and mumbled,

"I…I'll try for Hiro." Fred had a pained expression on his face as he took Tadashi's hand in his own and hesitantly kissed Tadashi's cheek.

"Thank you," Fred breathed.

"And for you," Tadashi added. Fred grinned at Tadashi and pecked his lips.

"You matter too you know," Fred whispered.

"Not as much as Hiro," Tadashi argued. Fred frowned and ran a hand through Tadashi's hair saying,

"Let's get you some food and then get back to work okay?"

"Okay," Tadashi agreed.