Disclaimer: See Chapter 13.

Note: Put on your seat belts and I'll see you at the bottom! Early update because I'll be watching the Superbowl! (American Football). Enjoy and I'll see everyone Friday! -JJ

Curiosity Kills

"So, how've your dreams been going?" Gail asked, leaning back in her chair, her dark eyes running over Cody as he laid on the chaise, his hands folded behind his head, eyes closed as he spoke softly. "Have you tried talking with anyone about them? Your roommate maybe?"

Cody shook his head, blue eyes slowly sliding open. "No, we haven't really spent much time around each other lately," he admitted, blowing out a sigh. "They're just getting worse. I barely make it a day without having one. I haven't felt as comfortable in them lately either. I either end up yelling or somehow getting my feelings hurt. I don't know if it's the same one over and over again or not. We end up arguing about the same thing, even though half of the conversation is silent. It's just our mouths moving but I know we're yelling."

Gail scribbled in her notes, nodding. "You know, I don't like to bring up this kind of therapy, but in your case, it might be better," she started, sitting up straight, looking down at the dainty watch on her wrist. "It's called photo therapy. Normally, it doesn't do much for a patient but we can try it. Have a family member or friend pull out some photos from the last three years and run through them with you. If anything, you'll know more about the time you're missing anyway."

Cody sat up, thinking about it. He could easily ask Roman to go through some photos with him. Maybe it would be enough to get Roman off of the phone for a while. "Thanks Doc, I'll try it," he answered, looking at the clock on Gail's desk, finding that his session was almost over. "You think this could work?"

Gail smiled encouragingly. "Memory loss is a strange and complicated thing. Sometimes all it takes is something as minor as a photo to bring everything back, other times it takes an emotional trauma. Then there are times that people never recover the time they lost and some are never the same. I had a man once who had went missing for four years after a car accident. He had no recollection of who he was or where he'd come from. One day he ran into his wife at the grocery store and didn't even recognize her. He never remembered her and he'd changed so much that they couldn't be together again. He died never remembering her."

Cody felt a cold darkness settle in his heart. Could he be like that? He hoped not, he wanted to remember, at least some of it. "That's terrible," he murmured, hands shaking as he pushed off the chair and stood. "I don't want to be like that. I want to be able to remember my friends." He looked over at the clock, finding his time was up. "I'll see you next week doc."

Gail only smiled, waving as Cody left without another word to her.

Cody's thoughts were brooding in his mind, his hands fidgeting in front of him. He didn't know what he was missing out in those three years, but suddenly he needed to know. He had to know what it was that he was missing out on. He pushed open the door to the lobby, turning his attention to Jeff at the receptionist's desk. "See you next week," he said, the blond looking up and giving him a smile.

He'd taken a regular scheduled time every week on Wednesdays at one thirty. He waved at Maria, who was cleaning up legos before heading outside into the humid air. He felt like he was suffocating, the air really thick that day. Even the breeze wasn't helping much. He blew out a sigh, walking up to his car and getting in, enjoying the sudden cool air that hit him as soon as he turned it on. He didn't have to go back to work, only working a half-day on Wednesdays since he'd told Damien about his therapy. He could go home and start searching for photos, but he wasn't sure if Roman was there, he'd been out most afternoons as of late.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out his cell, deciding that he'd text Seth. He was a photographer, so there was a big chance that he had at least a few photos of his past. He typed in the message asking if Seth was busy and sent it.

Working until four. I'm free after that.

Cody groaned, wanting nothing more than to go through photos as soon as possible. He couldn't ask Drew, knowing he was at work until around six. He blew out a breath, tossing his phone into the passenger seat and clipping on his seat belt. He pulled out of his parking space and headed home. Even if Roman wasn't there to explain, he could at least look at them.

"Roman," a round woman breathed, running her hand through his hair. "You have to stop moping baby. Put on your smile and take it head on," she encouraged, grabbing his pony tail and gently pulling his head back to look at her. She smiled, leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.

Roman smiled back softly; the soft lips only making him feel like a kid again. "Thanks mom," he murmured, closing his eyes. "How's dad doing?"

The woman shrugged, sighing. "Working like a mad man again," she answered, pushing a lock of dark hair behind her ear, her own grey eyes mirroring her son's. "He's going to end up putting himself in an early grave if he keeps it up. But, don't stray from the conversation. What're you going to do about Cody?"

"What can I do? I already messed up by lying to him, how do I just tell him that we were together and I still love him?" he asked, folding his hands on the table and resting his face on them. "Mom…."

"Just breathe honey," she eased, rubbing his back, smiling. "Have faith that everything will be okay, as long as you do that, things are bound to get better." She took the seat next to him at the table, picking up her coffee mug and taking a sip of her herbal tea. "Roman, be honest with him. Go home and let him know how you feel. Even if things don't change, at least you aren't hiding it."

"You told me that about dad too," Roman muttered, looking up into the slight taken back eyes. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you."

A soft sigh escaped the tanned lips. "Your father is another story. He'll come around one day. He loves you for you, and he likes Cody. He just doesn't like you two together. He wants grandkids."

Roman only groaned, pushing his face back into his arms. "I don't really want to talk about this anymore Mom," he murmured, leaning forward heavily. "He's happy with Drew. I just need some time. We don't know if he'll ever remember those three years, and I don't want to force it on him."

She only nodded, giving her son a soft look. She didn't say anything when Roman stood, rubbing his face roughly with his hands, only gave a soft smile.

"I'm gonna go work out and go home. I haven't made dinner in the last few nights, I'm sick of take out," he muttered, walking over to the door and slipping his shoes on. "And I know Cody'll eat those damn noodles again if he isn't going out with Drew. If you talk to Matt before me, tell him to call sometime. I miss hearing from him."

"You know your brother, he's worse than your father when it comes to working."

Cody closed the door, breathing in the cool air as he kicked his shoes off. He flopped down on the couch, closing his eyes and wondering where he would even look for a photo album. It wasn't like he'd thought about looking at photos before. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket a moment later. His blue eyes slowly slid open and he pulled it out, looking at the message that Seth had sent him with a smile.

Off early. Call when you're free

Maybe he could get Seth to go through them with him. Seth and him were friends and it had to be less awkward than it probably would be if he waited for Roman. That was, if he could even get the other man off his phone long enough.

Cody smiled, growing a little anxious as he scrolled down his contacts to Seth's number. He hit the dial button and held his phone to his ear, listening to it ring a couple of times.

"Hey Cody, what's up?"

Cody felt a little relieved, Seth's voice a little more upbeat than the last time he'd talked to him. "Hey, I had a question. I'm looking for some old photos and I was wondering if you knew where Roman would keep an album," he said, closing his eyes again, sinking into the comfortable cushions. He listened as the line went quiet, the sound of soft rock music in the background flowing into his ear.

"Last I knew Rome kept photos in the end table. That's where he put them last time anyway. Or they're in his room. Why, what do you need them for?"

Cody's eyes popped open as he sat up, getting up and walking over to the end table at the other end of the couch. His heart rate started to increase. "The doc said it could help me out with some memories. So I figured we could go through them and you can give me some information on what I'm missing out on," he quickly explained, struggling to open the door. He finally got it to pop open after a few tense moments of tugging, a large photo album sitting there, the black leather cover staring back at him. He smirked at it, more than a little excited to fill in some of the gaps that he was missing.

Seth's voice grew tight and a little high strung. "Cody, wait until Roman gets home. You and him should really be the ones talking about this. Please, wait until he's there. Promise me you will!"

Cody promised half heartedly, biting back a smile as picked the heavy book up, silently shutting the door and walking over to the dining room table. "Yeah, yeah, I'll wait. Oh, I have another call, I'll call you back in a bit okay?" he lied, tired of hearing those words. He was tired of everyone telling him to talk to Roman. He didn't give Seth a chance to say anything back as he hit the end button. He sat down and opened the cover, looking at the loose photos on top.

He picked the thick stack of photographs up, blue eyes concentrating on the first one of him and Roman, their arms around the other as they stood in front of the surf board at Jon and Josh's surf shop. His breath caught in his throat, the smile on Roman's lips so perfect, so happy. He'd never seen Roman smile like that around him. He looked over his own face, perfect happiness radiating off the glossy paper. He remembered Roman telling him that he'd been happy in the last three years. He smiled softly, flipping the photo over, the date scrawled neatly on the back.

Uso Surf Shop, Pensacola, Florida 2011

He set it off to the side, giving it another once over before looking over others. He smiled at goofy photos of him and Seth, thinking that they had to have been close with how at ease they both looked together. There were a couple of Dean and Roman, both making serious faces and looking exhausted. He tried to hold back a chuckle, the exhaustion overwhelming in their less than enthused eyes. Cody wondered what had them so tired.

His heart thumped, flipping to one of Seth and Dean. Dean had a hold of Seth, the two toned male's mouth wide open in what he assumed was protest. He chuckled, wondering if Dean was trying to throw Seth off the wooden dock into the ocean. Even in the photo, he could see the love in Dean's eyes. He ran a hand over the two, thinking about what Dean had told him. He'd have to call Seth back and ask him about what had happened.

He paused at the next photo, his breath catching in his throat as he stared at it in disbelief. His heart started to pound as he set the stack down and held just that singular photo in his trembling hands. He took in the sight, eyes running over it several times.

It was a photo of him and Roman at the beach. The white crested surf was up to their mid calves, both standing there in just swimming trunks. The sky was bright blue and clear behind them in the background, the sun bearing down on them, making the water on their exposed upper bodies sparkle. Roman's arms were wrapped securely around his waist, the dark head resting on his shoulder. Cody was happily wrapped in those arms, his body relaxed as his eyes followed where Roman's hand was pointing out into the gentle waves that were coming in. Both had smiles on their lips. The moment was personal, intimate even, that had been captured.

Cody's hands were trembling as his heart thumped uncomfortably in his chest. They had been close, so close. He didn't understand how he couldn't remember that kind of closeness with someone. He turned the photo over, the messy scrawl making him smile. He assumed it was Roman's handwriting.

Pensacola Beach Summer 2012

He felt a rush go through him, hurrying through a few more photos. He felt a small panic rise up in his belly to his chest, knowing something about his current situation with Roman wasn't right. He could feel it. He flipped though photos, glancing over them, scanning them for answers.

He saw one of Seth and Dean, a couple of them with Roman's cousins and Trinity all dressed in green, a few of them with Mike and Maryse in formal wear. He froze when he stopped at a strip photo, the ones you got from photo booths. His jaw dropped, heart pounding as his eyes fluttered over the four miniature photos.

The photos were bordered in pristine white, decorated with red, blue, and yellow balloons and streamers. Across the top bold red letters spelled out Happy Birthday. The first two photos were innocent enough of him and Roman, both smiling and laughing for the camera, both making peace signs in the second one with their hands.

It was the third one that made Cody's blood run cold and his heart seize in his chest. Him and Roman's lips were pressed together in a gentle kiss, his hands wound loosely in the long dark hair, Roman's hands cupping his cheeks.

Questions flew through his mind, his eyes flowing down to the last one, his stomach doing a flip. In the final strip he could mostly see his face, Roman pushed back against the wall of the booth, their kiss less than innocent, their eyes closed tight. Cody could feel the need between them. He swallowed hard, hands shaking so bad he could barely make out the date printed at the base of the strip.

May 25, 2013

Cody could barely breathe as he stared at the strip, realizing that the photos had only been taken two months prior, right before the accident, right before he'd woken up in the hospital. He blew out a sigh, biting his lower lip roughly, wanting nothing more than a spark, something that would make him remember.

He set it down on the small pile of photos he'd collected of him and Roman, questions rising in his throat. His mind was racing with what his life had been. What had him and Roman really been to each other? Were they really just roommates? Had they been more? He shook his head, covering his face with his hands, questions bubbling up in him, stealing his breath. Had they only been fooling around in the booth and it had gotten hot and heavy? Had he been with Roman?

He shook his head, eyes closing. Roman had told him before that they weren't anything more than roommates. That nothing had happened between them, but why did they look so happy in each other's arms? Had they only began to notice each other? Was this what everyone kept telling him to ask Roman about?

Cody's hands dropped, his eyes opening to look at the mess of photos in front of him. He rushed through them, searching for answers. He tossed any picture that wasn't of them off to the side, wanting answers. He bit his tongue, tasting bitter coppery blood as it blossomed in his mouth when he realized that in every photo of them they had their hands clasped together or were in some way touching the other. It was usually something simple, something as friendly as Roman's arm around his shoulder.

He took in their bright smiles, knowing he'd never looked so happy in a photo. He hated to have his picture taken, but there he was in several photos posing happily as long as he was next to the Samoan man. What had changed in him? What had made him so happy in those three years that made it so anyone looking at those photos could see the happiness radiating out of them? He just wanted to remember.

He suddenly stopped, looking down at a white and blue card with sparkling snowflakes on it sitting perfectly on the shiny page. His breathing slowed as he set the last few photos off to the side, not bothering to look at them. He took up the card in his hands, the glittered letters still intact and brightly glittering in the light. His hands started to shake as he read the large silvery blue cursive.

Happy Anniversary

Cody could barely breathe as he opened the card, reading the loving pre written message in the same silvery blue ink. His heart pounded, his eyes falling to the little message that was written at the bottom in blue ink. His eyes widened at his handwriting.

These last two years have been the best time of my life.

Happy Anniversary Ro, here's to the rest of our lives.

I love you,

Cody

The card fluttered from his lax fingers, suddenly realizing that everything he knew was wrong. Every last thing he thought was completely wrong. He jumped, heart pounding so hard against his sternum that it hurt when the door opened. He looked over, Roman's tall form pushing the door open, those beautiful grey eyes focused on his feet, the bronze face tired looking. He was frozen, voice completely gone as confusion and anger bubbled inside of him.

Everything he'd ever been told by the man in front of him had been a lie. Every last word out of that mouth had been wrong, and he had lapped it up. He'd trusted Roman. He felt angered hurt and betrayal start to out weigh the confusion, rising in his chest, ready to erupt.

Roman sighed, pulling his sneakers off, enjoying the coolness of the house on his sweaty skin. He was tired from his serious work out at the gym, but he felt a little better. He'd taken his mother's words to heart. He needed to talk to Cody, at least clear the air between them and hope that Cody would forgive him for the lies. He knew it wouldn't do anything to change their current situation of being only roommates, but it would at least be the truth.

"I'm home," he called, wondering if Cody was even home. He'd seen the new Toyota in the driveway, but that never meant anything. It didn't mean that Cody hadn't went out with Drew, like he did most nights, or that he hadn't went out for a walk, which was a normality too. He didn't hear anything. "You home?" He looked up, heart stopping at the sight of Cody sitting at their table, photo album in front of him, photos spread all around. He froze in fear, eyes widening. He couldn't even begin to think of anything to say

"You lied to me," Cody said, voice barely above a whisper, looking down at their happy photos, their happy memories of the last three years together laid out in front of him, memories that he couldn't even try to remember. "You fucking lied to me!" His voice was rising as he jumped up from his chair, knocking it backwards as he rushed up to Roman. His trembling hands wound in the front of the loose grey and white tank top, his blue eyes searching guarded grey ones for answers. "Why? I trusted you! Why Roman, why did you lie?" He hadn't realized that he was yelling.

Roman's heart ached at those pleading blue eyes tearing him apart inside. His jaw tightened as he looked away. This was not how he wanted Cody to find out about them, about their past. "I panicked," he answered, voice soft, unable to think of anything else to say. His eyes moved to the table, knowing that all of their memories were right there for Cody to look at and take in. "We should sit down. I'll make us something to drink. You're going to want it." He swallowed hard at the lump in his throat, his larger hands touching the backs of Cody's. He took a step back, telling himself not to feel hurt when Cody yanked away from him.

"Sit down?" Cody questioned incredulously, narrowing his eyes at Roman. "Are you kidding me? You want me to fucking sit down and wait for a drink?" He took another step back, shaking his head, anger filling him. "How about you tell me what the hell went on in the last three years and maybe, just maybe I'll fucking sit down and have a drink!"

Roman just looked at Cody, taken back and a little shocked at the outburst. He'd known Cody was going to be angry no matter which way he'd told him about their past, but Roman hadn't expected for Cody to be this furious with him. He tried to stay calm as he stepped around Cody and walked into the kitchen. His hands shook as he pulled open the fridge door and pulled out a beer. He popped the top and took a quick drink, completely uncaring that it was only three in the afternoon. He was going to need something a lot stronger than beer by the end of their conversation.

"Everything you ever told me was a lie," Cody growled, anger only intensifying in the pit of his stomach at Roman's silence. He started to pace, shaking his head, mind reeling. He waited another moment for Roman to say something, anything. "Are you going to say anything?"

Roman set the beer down on the row of cabinets; grey eyes meeting heated blue ones. "What do you want me to say?" he asked carefully, eyes moving to rest on their photos. "I did lie to you, but it wasn't why you think."

"And what the hell would you know about what I'm thinking?" Cody screamed, walking over to the photos, shaking his head as he pushed them around, eyes floating over happy faces staring back at him. "The last three years of my life is on this fucking table and no one wants to give me a straight answer." He thought of Seth and Trinity and how they'd told him to talk to Roman. "Any time I ask someone about my past, they tell me to talk to you." His eyes turned to Roman, a cold burning fire running through them. "And you'll barely even talk to me. Why is everyone treating me like I'm a piece of glass? I'm not a fucking kid. What the hell are they hiding? What the fuck were we?"

Roman took a breath, fear enveloping him. He wasn't ready for this conversation. He wasn't sure if he could get through this. He had no idea where to start or even how to start to explain. "I… I lied to protect you," he said gently, voice slightly wavering. He only earned a darker look from the smaller male.

Cody scoffed, throwing his hands in the air angrily. "Protect me?" he asked, pushing out a humorless chuckle, facing Roman. "From what? Wait, nevermind how am I supposed to trust a word out of your mouth now? I know we weren't just roommates. I know that this is all a lie!" He felt his body start to shake, his breathing faster. "Was all this just some fucking cover up? Is there someone else?"

Roman groaned, irritation growing and coursing through his body. "No, there wasn't, there isn't anyone else," he bit out, telling himself to keep calm. Yelling and screaming wasn't going to get them anywhere. It would only escalate the already heated accusations. His mind was reeling. He had no idea what to say to calm Cody down. "I don't even know where to fucking start."

"Well, the beginning would be pretty fucking great," Cody snapped, crossing his arms over his chest, his mouth nothing more than a thin, tight line. His blood was boiling with questions all about his life. "What were we? And don't you dare tell me something stupid. I want the fucking truth."

Roman rubbed his face roughly with one hand, knowing that he only had himself to blame for how fucked up things had gotten. It was his fault that Cody was so angry with him. "We weren't just roommates," he started, earning a low No shit from the other man. He winced, unable to remember if Cody had ever been this angry with him before. "We were lovers. We have been for two and a half years."

Cody felt his heart nearly burst out of his chest, anger rising even further in him, the only saving grace was at least Roman wasn't lying to him. "And you thought that it would be nice to tell me otherwise in the hospital?" His sarcasm was thick and mean, but he couldn't help but unleash everything on Roman.

"I fucking panicked okay?" Roman asked, voice rising. He was tired of the subtle and not so subtle accusations. "Is that what you want to hear? Yeah, I lied about what we were but I couldn't just take it back after I said it, now could I?" He blew out a frustrated growl, shaking his head. "It wasn't right but I only did it so things wouldn't be so awkward when we came home."

"And this right here isn't fucking awkward?" Cody asked, pointing at Roman, then himself, before finally pointing at the table. "We're standing in the middle of our God damned house yelling at each other because you didn't have the balls to tell me the truth!"

That was it. "For fuck's sake Cody!" Roman finally yelled, unable to keep up the calm resolve that he was fighting so hard to keep. He moved from his spot, roughly rubbing his face with his hands as he took a few steps towards the table. They dropped and he turned to Cody, looking at the smaller male. "Yes, this is fucking awkward." His hands pressed hard into his hips, his brain on fire. "But you don't even remember meeting me, how the fuck was I supposed to tell you that I was your boyfriend? You don't remember a damn thing about me, or us, or what our lives were like before the accident! So excuse the fuck out of me for trying to make your life a little easier!"

"Easier, how the hell is this easier?"

"I didn't want you coming home and feeling like you had to remember everything. I didn't want you to feel forced into trying to love me! I didn't want this to be any more uncomfortable then it had to be!" Roman shouted, hands shaking.

Cody only gave Roman a cold look. His heart was pounding harder, not just from anger, but fear. Those photos had shown a side of him he'd never known he'd had. It was Roman that had made him happy and that scared him. "Well that worked out great, didn't it?"

Roman just looked at Cody, lightening shooting between their heated bodies. "This isn't how I wanted you to find out," he bit out, turning back to his beer and taking a long drink, hands shaking so bad that he could barely hold the bottle to his lips. "This isn't how I wanted any of this to go."

"And when were you going to tell me?" Cody asked, voice surprisingly calm but still frigid. He looked up into Roman's grey eyes, watching as fear and anger and anguish shifted back and forth in them. He hadn't thought about how this had to be for Roman, and at that point he didn't care. He was the one that had been strung along like a toy on a string, believing and trusting the other man. "How long where you going to dangle me around like a god damned marionette before you decided that you were tired of watching me dance?"

Roman bit back the hurt. He'd never meant to hurt Cody. "You know, you aren't the only one that's hurting here," he growled, jaw tightening as he pushed back the growing resentment. "Everything I've done, I did to make life a little easier for you, and look at where the fuck it's got me!"

"This is easier?" Cody snarled, shaking his head, completely in disbelief of the words. He walked to the other side of the table, hands setting on the top of the photo album. He shoved it towards Roman, scattering the photos all around the table, some slipping over the edges and fluttering weightlessly to the floor. "All of my memories, all of our memories, of the last three fucking years is on this fucking table and you just happened to think that it would be easier to lie to me about them? Three years Roman! Three God damned years!"

Roman just looked down at the scattered photos with a hard face; teeth clenched; jaw ticking. "I fucked up, okay? Is that what you want to hear?"

"No, I want to know what the hell all this is!" He was near begging for someone, anyone to tell him what he was missing. What had happened in those three years?

Roman set his beer down and walked over to Cody, grabbing his arm and yanking him to the other side of the table. He grabbed a photo of them and shoved it into Cody's hands. "This isn't easy for me either, okay?" he blew out, voice softer as he looked at the happy photo of them together, Cody wrapped in his arms. "Did it ever cross your mind that maybe I'm going through a lot too?"

Cody felt a shot of lightning shoot down his spine. "How the hell is this hard on you? You're free to do whatever you want and I wouldn't know any different!" he shouted, looking down at the photo, hands shaking as his anger seemed to spike at the happy faces smiling back at him. He just wanted to crumble the photo up and throw it. "You have all of your memories!"

"Because I fucking love you, okay?!" Roman yelled back, crossing his arms over his chest as he walked towards the counter, eyes focused on the hardwood floor. He felt his entire body start to shake. He sucked his lower lip into his mouth, his tongue running over the edge as he searched for the right words in the silence. He'd said it out right, there was no going back. "I love you Cody. I have for the last two and a half years and I can't do a damn thing about it." He turned to Cody's shocked face, blinking back the burning in his eyes. "Even if I had told you the truth, where would we be? Would you let me kiss you? Would you let me just fucking hold you?" He let another pause settle between them, it completely suffocating him. "No, no you wouldn't."

Cody stood there in shock, letting the information run over him. He knew Roman wasn't lying to him. He also knew Roman was right; he wouldn't have let anything happen between them, not even allowing Roman to hold him. He looked down at the floor, thinking over all the time that they'd spent together, a few things starting to make sense and click into place. Instantly he thought about everything Drew had said to him, how he'd made Cody wait before they could be together again. He felt a stab to his heart, knowing Drew had lied to him to a degree too.

"I gave up so much to be with you, and you don't even know it," Roman yelled, snatching the photo from Cody's hands and flinging it back onto the table. "I ruined the great relationship with my Dad for you. I spent the last three years being your friend, your lover, and I'm stuck here confused, and angry, and hurt that I can't even tell you how I feel anymore. Yeah, I fucking lied to you, but you aren't the only one that's hurting over it!" He stepped away from Cody, unable to stop, letting all of his frustrations run out of him. "Not that it fucking matters right? You have Drew, that's all that matters. As long as he's there, your world's fucking great, fuck anyone else that might care about you!"

Cody swallowed hard, the utter viciousness in Roman's voice tearing at his insides. He was angry and hurt and at that moment, he couldn't stand the sight of the Samoan man. "I can't be here right now," he murmured, suddenly feeling choked by everything around him. He turned towards the door, completely missing the suddenly terrified look on Roman's face. "I can't be here. I can't be around you."

Roman felt his feet move before he could think, heart pounding as his arms wrapped around Cody, his face burying into the crook of Cody's neck. Fear coursed though him, knowing that there was a chance that Cody might not come back. He couldn't handle that. "I won't ask you to stay," he breathed, voice soft arms tightening. He could smell Cody's natural scent. He didn't want to lose that, not again. "Promise you'll come back. I know this is a lot but I want to be the one to explain it all. It's my fault this happened." He felt Cody's body stiffen as his own started to shake.

Cody couldn't feel Roman's trembling over his own, the same warm feeling of completion rushing over him. He jerked free from the strong arms, terrified of how his body was reacting to Roman. He turned and swung without thinking, his fist colliding with Roman's left cheek. He took a step back, heart pounding even harder. He could easily see shock in the bronze face. He turned back to the door, flinging it open before running out to his car, completely forgetting his shoes.

Roman's head slowly turned towards the door, heart aching in his chest. Never in their entire relationship had Cody ever hit him. He couldn't feel the pain in his face, just the emotional toll of his lover leaving him alone in their house. He sighed, jaw tightening as a hand tenderly touched his cheek. He didn't dare let a single tear slip free, knowing that he could only blame himself for how things had turned out.

Cody sped as fast as he could to his parents' house, pulling into the drive way and rushing in. "Mom!" he cried, hands shaking as he paced in the doorway, wincing when he looked down and realized that he was only in his socks. His mind was in a million places and he just needed someone to talk to, someone who understood him. "Mom!"

Michelle came running into the kitchen, worry written across her face. "Cody? What's wrong? What happened baby?" she asked, grabbing his face and looking into the scared blue orbs. "Cody, calm down. Look at me, what's wrong?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked softly, trying to slow his breathing, knowing if he kept it up he would end up hyperventilating. "Why didn't anyone tell me the truth?" His body shook harder, his mother's soft features doing little to console him.

Michelle sighed, pulling Cody to her, holding his shaking form close to her. "Come, sit down at the table, I'll get you something to calm your nerves," she comforted, leading Cody to the small round table in the middle of the kitchen, pushing him gently to sit in the matching wooden chair. She'd been waiting for this. "Did he finally tell you?"

Cody shook his head. "You knew?" he asked incredulously, looking at his mother like she'd grown another head. "All this time, you knew that he was lying?"

Michelle turned her back to Cody as she poured them both a glass of iced tea. "Yes, I knew," she answered after sitting down, placing Cody's glass in front of him. "But listen, he did it for you baby. It may not seem like it, but lying to you was the hardest thing for him to do."

"How can you defend him?!" Cody shouted, betrayal heavily saturating the words. How could she defend Roman? She was his mom.

"Don't you use that tone of voice with me," she snapped, her motherly side shining through, understanding of Cody being upset, but not with the disrespectful tone. "He wanted you to recover without pressuring you. I didn't agree with it, but I understood it. I know you're hurt and upset, but think of how hard that had to be on him. Even now, that man loves you more than a bird loves to fly and he can only sit back and watch you be happy with someone else."

Cody shivered, forgetting completely about his and Drew's relationship. He covered his face with his hands, his elbows resting on the table. It all made sense: why Drew and Roman hated one another; why Roman didn't like being around Drew and him. All the missing pieces were starting to fall into place, leaving Cody to sit there in complete shock. "I don't understand how he could just watch all this. If he loves me half as much as he says, how can he sit back like nothing's wrong?"

"Because your happiness is his happiness," she said, resting her hand on Cody's upper arm. "I'm not trying to defend him, but he had your best interests at heart, even if that meant sacrificing his." She gave a gentle smile, teary blue eyes looking at her. "C'mere."

Cody let himself be wrapped up in her arms, pressing her face into her shoulder and letting a few tears go. "I don't know what to do Mom. How am I supposed to face him now?"

Michelle ran her hand through the dark hair, holding her youngest child closer. "You need to talk to Roman baby. Get things straightened out between you two and go from there. At least so the truth is out."

(A/N): Well, the truth is finally out to Cody and things did not go well. I wonder how the rest is going to go. Welp, stay tuned! (And why does everything end up going down in chapter 14?) Thoughts? Feelings? Let me know! Onwards and Upwards! Title is Curiosity Kills by Trapt.

JacktheSinister_JaketheJust