.

Days went by as Rhett found himself slowly re-assimilating himself into his son's lives. They practically lived at Link's house for two months until Rhett found a comfortable rhythm and moved them back home. Rhett chose not to confront Link over his clear denial and inability to sleep in his own bed. He thought, since Link waited for him to figure things out for 7 months, he should be close and ready when Link is comfortable enough to confide in him.

Things haven't been easy.

Link would have odd moments.

They all noticed his health issues and emotional mini-outbursts.

Stevie and the crew were super vigilant and Rhett made sure that he stuck to his friend's side most of the day. He needed Link to know that he was not alone and that was the only way he knew how.

Five months after the nose-bleed incident, something odd happened on set. The script of a SMORE episode they were shooting was simple: They had two hats with choices picked by the Mythical Beasts that contained a base food (Smoothy, sauce, pudding..) and a main component (hot pepper, salt, Vegemite..). It was nothing they haven't done before but for some reason, Link was subdued for most of the main episode and he seems to space out more than normal.

Link's first pick landed on vinegar sauce, which was not bad but he acted like he was eating acid. As usual, Rhett thought it was funny and Link sucked it up after a few seconds of heaving and complaining.

On the second pick, things started going down hill. Link picked Ghost pepper tea, which didn't have a lot of pepper in it, but he looked at it like it was a death sentence.

Stevie frowned from her seat at the producers desk. Her boss didn't seem like he was acting. Link was genuinely afraid of it.

Link whispers: "Rhett, I.. I.. I don't want to drink this."

Rhett went on a rant over how the Mythical Beasts took time from their busy schedules to vote for them and how it's their duty to fulfill their requests..

Link tuned him out as the coldness of dread filled his soul. Every fiber of his being was asking him not to do this, but his brain was telling him to do it for the fans.

Rhett stopped talking mid sentence when he turned and saw Link do something he hasn't done since middle school.

Link used to get bullied for being smaller than the rest of the class. He was a cute child and the other boys took advantage of his nice nature by tormenting him. Rhett got used to standing up for his friend whenever he was around and he learned to read his body language very well. Link used to rub his right ear while tucking his elbow in whenever he felt threatened or trapped. Rhett used to know when Link was in trouble or was bullied whenever he saw that tell.

Why was Link doing that now?

They're in a safe place, doing what they love the most and surrounded by people they trust.

Link's breath hitches as he reaches shakily with his left hand to pick up the tea placed before him.

Rhett asks hesitantly: "Link?"

Link didn't hear him, his sole focus was drinking this torturous drink before he disappointed more people.

A few tears escape Link's eyes as he picks up the mug.

Stevie jumps out of her seat and yells: "Stop rolling!"

She kneels next to Neal's seat and gently puts her hand on the arm shakily holding the mug: "Link, you don't have to drink that."

Link doesn't even realize that he's hyperventilating and shedding tears: "Rhe.. Rhett said that.. That the Beasts.."

Rhett picks the tea from Link's hand and says: "Forget what I said. I was being stupid. It's just a show, Link. It's our show. We don't have to do anything we don't want to do."

Link continues to rub his ear, as a soft sob finally escapes him: "I don't want to drink that."

Stevie pushes Link's seat around and pulls him into a hug as the man struggles to control his emotions: "Shh, it's fine. No one will make you do it. It's fine. Just take deep breaths."

The skinny man leans into her hug as he continues to sob softly.

She shares a worried look with Rhett as she continues to pat Link's back.

Link never had problems with saying 'no' before. What is going on?

After a few minutes, Link pushes away and covers his mouth.

Out of instinct and many.. MANY past mishaps, Stevie reacts swiftly and places the trash can a few seconds before Link was vomiting everything he ate in the past 24 hours.

Rhett sighs loudly as he pats Link's back: "Just let it out. You'll be fine."

Stevie motions for the crew to clear out and for Chase to help by bringing water and towels.

By the time Link finished heaving, he wiped his face and whispered to Stevie: "I'm sorry."

Stevie smiles warmly at him: "It's ok. We can finish filming this another time."

Link shakily tries to sit up and wipe the cold sweat on his face: "No.. no.. I can do it. Just give me a second."

Stevie pats his hand and moves to stand up: "Not a chance. We're going to your office to take a break. Everything can wait."

Link turns to look at Rhett and the bigger man nods: "She's right. I need a break too."

Link lets Stevie hold his arm and guide him out.

Rhett sat back trying to figure out what the hell just happened.

He feared that Link's way of suppressing his emotions was going to explode in their faces one day. But this was different. Something was wrong with his friend and he couldn't figure it out.

Chase held the trash can, ready to take it out but paused when he saw the content: "Umm.."

Rhett turned to look at him: "What?"

Chase tilted the trash can to show Rhett: "There is blood in here."

Rhett yanked the can out of Chase's hands: "WHAT?"

He was right. There was food, the vinegar sauce Link just drank and it was all mixed with the red color and metallic smell of blood.

Rhett ran out of the set to find his friend.

Link was standing in front of the sink, trying to rinse his mouth while Stevie waited outside.

The door suddenly bangs open, causing him to flinch: "RHETT, WHAT THE HELL?"

Rhett didn't give him a chance to think and grabbed his chin, forcing him to open his mouth as he looked inside.

Rhett frowns while he examines Link's mouth: "Your gums are bleeding."

Link swallows hard and rubs his aching jaw when Rhett lets go: "I know."

Rhett slams his hand on the sink: "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

Link closes his eyes, too exhausted to have this confrontation. He whispers: "Don't yell at me."

Rhett points his finger accusingly at his friend: "What kind of sadistic person eats vinegar and almost drinks hot paper tea while their gums are bleeding?"

Link pushes past Rhett and goes out of the bathroom to sit heavily on the couch.

Stevie sits at the table before him as Rhett fumes a few paces away.

Stevie gently touches his knee to get his attention: "Why didn't you tell us?"

Link hears her concerned voice and covers his face with his hands.

He doesn't know what to do anymore.

He has so many things on his plate and it's becoming hard to juggle them all while keeping his emotions and secrets at bay.

Link chokes out: "I don't.. I don't know."

Rhett screams: "HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW? How hard is it to just say: Hey guys, my gums are bleeding. THAT'S IT! That's all it takes!"

Link pulls his hair, feeling his chest tightens while he whispers: "Stop yelling at me."

Stevie turns to glare at Rhett before she turns to Link and pulls his hands away from his hair to hold them gently: "Look at me."

He opens his teary eyes to look at a serious Stevie: "We don't keep secrets like this. We're a team. We can only work by being honest with each other."

That seems to trigger the slender man. He slowly pulls his hands free and curls into himself.

Rhett snapped out of his fuming state when he saw his 38 years old friend, one again, revert to rubbing his ear in an uncontrollable sign of being pressured and caged.

Something he and Stevie is doing is making Link royally freak out and it triggered Rhett's protective streak. He gently taps Stevie's side, asking her to move and takes her place in front of his friend.

He then slowly gathered him up in his arms, whispering is a calming voice: "It's ok, Link. We won't ask anymore questions. I just need you to calm down and breathe."

Rhett felt his heart sing a little when Link didn't refuse him like he did with Stevie. Instead, he leaned his head on Rhett's shoulder and followed his instructions. Rhett continues to speak to the shaking man in his arms: "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I just saw blood and freaked out. I won't do that again, ok?"

Link nods.

Rhett wanted to ask so many questions.

He wanted to understand why his friend is reacting so severely to something so mundane.

What baffled him the most was the return of his old habits. Link is a grown man now with enough sass and comebacks that will make a man double his size cry. What could he be saying that's making his friend feel cornered and oppressed?

Link whispered to him: "You're so warm."

Rhett places his hand on Link's nape and finds his skin almost freezing. He gestures to Stevie to get the blanket near the couch and she helps him cover Link.

She rubbed his bony back and said: "Better?"

Link hums, clearly falling asleep in the comfortable warm place he's in.

A few minutes later, Rhett and Stevie moved the sleeping man back into the couch and looked at him as he slept.

Stevie whispers: "What the hell just happened?"

Rhett rubs his head in frustration: "That's Link's version of a panic attack."

Stevie turns to stare at the taller man: "Why?"

Rhett throws his hands in the air: "I honestly don't know. I haven't seen him like this since middle school."

Stevie kneels near the sleeping man and smooths the blankets covering him: "What do we do now?"

Rhett: "I don't know."

.

No one knew what to do since they didn't even know what the cause was.

Lily and Lincoln had their suspicions too.

Their father was an odd man. They knew that since they were kids. But recently, he's been acting extra strange. Lily still had hopes that her uncle Rhett would find a way to connect with her father so she did what she could do at home to make her dad feel more comfortable. She even went as far as gathering her brothers and telling them to be more supportive. Lando was already attached to Link and was good at making him laugh. Lincoln took his sister's advice to heart and planned to keep the study sessions with his dad even though he rarely needs them anymore.

A week after the mini-freakout in the office. Lincoln walked into his dad's room holding his homework: "Dad, can you help me figure out what I did wrong in this.."

His question trailed off when he saw Link laying on the bedroom floor, wearing the fluffiest robe he owns and curled up on his side. Lincoln ran to his father's side and sat next to him. He shook his father's shoulder: "Dad! Are you ok?"

Link cracked one eye open then closed it after nodding.

Lincoln looked worriedly at his dad: "Why are you sleeping on the ground?"

Link reached for the hand still holding his shoulder and placed it on the ground near him: "It's the warmest spot in the house."

Lincoln felt it: "Wow! It is warm."

Link nods: "Lily is doing laundry downstairs. It's the dryer."

Lincoln grabbed the hand that just guided him and whispered: "Dad, your hands are freezing."

Link: "Yeah.. I'm cold."

Lincoln runs to his room. He grabbed his blanket and went back to cover his dad and tuck him in for good measures. It earned him a soft smile from his dad.

Link reached from underneath the cover and pat's his middle child's chest: "Thank you. You're an amazing son."

Lincoln beams at his praise and Link looks at the discarded book: "What did you want to ask me?"

Lincoln shakes his head: "It's fine. I'll figure it out later."

Link sighs: "We're here. Mind as well do something fun. Show me."

Lily found them 30 minutes later. Lincoln was casually laying on his stomach near his father, solving his homework and showing him the answers as he talks about his friends and basketball. She walks to her room and gets her blanket to add on top of her brother's and laid on her stomach near them to do her homework too. Lando wiggled into the blankets to cuddle with his dad when he found them a few minutes later.

No one questioned why they were laying on the ground in the middle of the room.

This was their new normal.

.