For Disclaimer See the top of Chapter One for Warnings look in the note section at the top of Chapter one.

Hybrids:

Chapter Three: One Week Later

Liam had to stifle a yawn as he went over the security arrangements for Da'an's visit to a Children's hospital in a few weeks. 'It's been one week since Joshua Doors became Joshua Davidson and I haven't had a single night of uninterrupted rest.' He had to smile though at Joshua's reaction to the new name. 'As Street said though better to keep the first name since that way he will answer to it.'

Liam yawned out loud this time and noticed Da'an looking over at him. Liam hurried and turned back to reviewing his work. 'Joshua has learned to block the link during the day but at night.' Liam winced for the past week every night he'd been awoken by Joshua waking up in a panic from some nightmare that they other man refused to talk to him about. He noticed Da'an was staring at him again. "Do you need something Da'an?" he asked.

"Major are you all right?" Da'an asked he had seen how tired Liam was lately and could find no explanation. He noticed Liam fidgeting. "Liam you can talk to me about anything." Da'an said knowing it wouldn't do any good Liam hadn't trusted him completely since he handed the resistance leaders to Zo'or.

"It's nothing Da'an really." Liam said with a sigh. 'It must be starting to show if Da'an is commenting on it.' He realized he was going to have to do something to try to convince Joshua to get help or he'd never get any sleep.

Da'an was worried but decided not to pry. 'There's been a change in you Liam.' He thought he couldn't pick out what exactly is was but his young protector seemed more standoffish than he'd been in months. 'I will have to regain his trust somehow he is too important to the future of our race we cannot lose him.'

Liam was really getting nervous about the way Da'an was looking at him. "I need to get something from my office." He stammered out quickly and left the main room of the embassy. 'Well that was a brilliant excuse he's going to be even more suspicious now.' That unsettling thought followed him the entire way to his office.

Da'an watched Liam's hasty retreat with a troubled expression. 'I will have to find out what is bothering him.' Da'an turned to his work he would have to do so later for now he needed to focus on the projects he couldn't let Liam become aware of.

Joshua Doors now Joshua Davidson paced around the small house Renee had set up for him. 'I should be out looking for a job instead of leaving everything up to Renee.' But he knew his heart wasn't in searching for a job. Deciding to see if Renee had located anything for him he checked his messages since he hadn't felt like actually talking to anyone for several days. 'Great.' He thought when he saw a message from Liam saying he was coming over tonight. 'Probably sick of me waking him up at night.'

Sandoval wasn't surprised to see Zo'or standing impatiently waiting on him to report in. "I found no trace of anything other than an lab accident." He lied easily and smirked internally at Va'on's outraged cry.

Zo'or nodded. "Va'on calm yourself you will be allowed to continue weapons research but under someone else's direction." Zo'or said calmly the whole point of the demotion was to remind Va'on whose side it was best to be on. 'I know about your meeting with Da'an and I won't allow you to shift the balance of power in his favor.'

Reading something of that thought in Zo'or Face Va'on turned and left the bridge without another complaint. 'I'll play the loyal Taelon and bow to Zo'or wishes at least until my new project is finished.' He smiled wondering what Da'an would say if he knew the real reason for this joint venture.

Sandoval wondered if Zo'or noticed how easily Va'on who had been so vocal about the Jaridian saboteur backed down. 'If he doesn't I'm not going to enlighten him.' He heard Zo'or ask him the question he'd been expecting. "Yes Zo'or it really was an accident no Jardian weapon that could be smuggled in could cause that damage." He lied smoothly and handed over the doctored Evidence report. 'Whatever caused that is going to be mine Zo'or." Sandoval thought thinking of the damage that weapon could do to a certain Taelon.

After convincing Zo'or that it really was an accident he entered his office to contact Tate. "Have you identified the energy source yet?" Sandoval asked as soon as the other man's features came into clarity.

"Yes the computer found a match." Tate paused for a minute. "In the case of Rho-ha, boss according to the equipment it was either several shaqarava fired in unison or one very powerful one."

Sandoval ordered him to recheck that and closed his global. 'Rho-ha was the only Taelon who had functioning Shaqarava so that means it was either one of Da'an's hybrids, a Jaridian or something else.' That was a disturbing thought he repressed a shudder and decided that he would find whatever it was. 'If I can use it I will if not it will have to die.'

Renee Palmer sighed as she checked the list again. 'Blast there are still several deep cover Resistance Agents who haven't been brought over to the ANA yet.' She hated the time it took to do this having to be extremely discreet in contacting them so to not blow their cover. 'This would be easier with Liam's help.' She thought but something had been bugging him lately ever since Joshua's return and she didn't want to add to the pressure.

Street was waiting patiently by the portal she couldn't believe Augur was coming back for as he termed it a visit to check up on his equipment. 'Probably just an excuse to come visit his friends but he should know better.' She saw the portal activate and stepped back and smiled when the familiar face of her best friend appeared. "Welcome home Augur." She said giving him a chaste hug.

"So what have I missed." He said as he walked over to the computer equipment and began to make himself at home again. "I already know about the Taelons getting their core energy back."

Street wasn't surprised. "Did you know Joshua Doors is back." She watched him stiffen in shock. "Yeah according to Renee Liam and some person named Joyce pulled him out of one of Zo'or's private hells." She had to laugh at the memory. "It was odd I didn't expect him and Liam to be laughing uncontrollably when he first got here to get a new ID."

Augur stared at her. "Liam was laughing uncontrollably?" He was shocked sure Liam had lightened up allot since his birth but considering who his father was he never thought he'd see the day when someone said Liam was laughing uncontrollably.

Street laughed. "Unbelievable isn't it something's going on between those two I'd almost bit on it since that day Liam hasn't looked like he's getting much sleep." Augur turned on interesting shade of red. "I'm not implying that Augur." She couldn't help but laugh at him. "He looks worried about something and I'm sure he's hiding something about what happened to Joshua Doors while he was a guest of the Taelons."

"What exactly happened?" Augur asked concern for his friend evident on his face. "I mean I'd hate to think this was a trap set up by Zo'or."

"I don't know what happened all I know is that Joshua was experimented on." Street shook her head. "Renee and Liam are convinced it's not a set up but Renee seems to think Liam is hiding most of the details."

"And she's afraid to ask him and I haven't known him long enough so could you?" Street said giving Augur a pleading expression.

Augur smiled and nodded. "Send him a message to come by when Da'an lets him off." Street headed over to do just that. Augur began to wonder exactly what kind of mess his young friend had gotten himself into this time.

Liam was running out of things to do in his office when Street's message arrived and told him to come by the liar as soon as he got off. Liam sighed he could tell from her tone she wouldn't take no for an answer. So he sent a brief message to Joshua informing him he'd be later than expected. 'Might as well go back out and face Da'an.' Liam thought with resignation and headed out of his office toward the main room of the embassy.

Joshua was relieved when he got that message figuring it gave him time to come up with an excuse. 'I could tell him the nightmares were about what was done to me.' He said angrily. 'and in a way that's true.' But he shook his head he knew he couldn't tell Liam anything if he did he didn't know if he could stop and only say what he planned to.

Liam entered the liar with trepidation. "Street where are you what was so important I had to come by today?" He asked glancing around he jumped when Augur stepped out. "Augur what are you doing here where's street?"

"She's gone home I figured you and I need to talk Street was right you look terrible." Augur looked over him worry obvious on his face. 'The kid's had way to hard a life.' He thought sadly.

"I guess when Da'an noticed it should have clued me in that the others would have noticed as well." Liam said with something resembling a smile. "It's good to see you again." He said giving Augur a hug before heading to sit down in one of the many chairs scattered about the Liar.

"It's good to see you too?" Augur said dragging the rolling chair over to near Liam. "Now care to tell me what's going on?"

"It all started when Joyce Belman came to visit." Liam said glancing at Augur and seeing his shocked expression. "Turns out I wasn't becoming more human I was killing myself without knowing it by supressing my Kimera side." Augur stared at him in shock.

"Yeah it shocked me too." Liam laughed a bit bitterly. "Anyway she fixed the damage then dropped the bombshell that the Taelons were experimenting on Joshua Doors we got him out and then Joyce restored to the Taelons their missing Core energy."

"Why did she do that?" Augur asked wondering why she would help one of the Taelon's victims then give them the means to hurt more people. He looked at Liam and noticed that while he looked exhausted otherwise he still looked pretty much the same as when he'd last scene him.

"She knew Zo'or would take Earth with him when he went so she did it to buy us time." Liam laughed "The weird part is while Joshua was asleep in my apartment he had a nightmare about what the Taelons did to him." Liam had to close his eyes to fight off the remembered pain. "When I woke him up something happened my Kimera side let me experience what he was feeling."

Augur stared at Liam in shock. "I take it that it wasn't a pleasant experience." Liam mearly nodded. "Is this link still active?" He asked wondering if that had anything to do with Liam's slightly haggard appearance.

"Yes we can block it during the day but at night the blocks go down and well he's had nightmares every night this week." Liam laughed "I wake up ever night to his pain then when he finally calms enough to block the link I set up worrying about him."

Augur glanced at Liam. "You should talk to him about it." Liam began to laugh. "And did this have anything to do with the laughing fit I heard about from street."

Liam sobered. "Yeah if we are both feeling the same emotion it magnifies it." Liam couldn't help but laugh at Augur's face. "And I was going to head over to talk to him about this as soon as I left here."

They talked for awhile about old times and friends they had lost. "I should be going." Liam finally said as he noticed it was getting late and he intended to resolve this tonight. Augur nodded and they said their good-byes.

Augur waited for awhile before calling Street. "It went pretty well." He said. "I think things will be alright he's going to confront the problem tonight." He bid his farewell to street and asked her to tell Renee hello for him. As he stepped into the portal and returned to his new life.

Liam wasn't surprised when Joshua opened the door and nodded him inside. "So what is the point of this visit?" Joshua asked even though he knew what it was he wasn't going to start the conversation.

Liam sighed. "You need to see someone about your nightmares if we are ever going to get any sleep." He was surprised when Joshua released a short bitter bark of laughter. "What's so funny?"

"Can't you see me talking to a therapist and telling them what happened." Joshua stared at Liam. "Oh yes doctor I was finally coming to terms with my estranged father when the Taelons brainwashed me then right when I recover he dies saving me." Joshua turned to look out one of the small windows. "And then a computerized version of himself he left behind leads me around because of my guilt and then tells me he loves me before deleting himself."

Joshua turned to stare at Liam. "Oh wait doctor it gets even worse I carried out his plan anyway only to get turned into a fucking freak of nature by Zo'or as retribution." He laughed "And now every night I have nightmares about what happened and my father is calling me a sick freak who is no longer his son." Joshua stopped when he realized he'd said that out loud.

Liam placed his hand on the other man's shoulder. "He wouldn't hate you because of what they've done." He was slightly shocked when the other man turned into him and began to sob against his chest. He stood there in shock for a few minuets before putting his arms around the other man and tried to add a calming tone to his voice. "It'll be all right he wouldn't blame you." Liam then made a decision. "Let the block go just let it all out."

Joshua sobbed more loudly and did so. It took everything Liam had not to break under the assault of pain, self loathing and fear. Liam just held him and didn't even care when he began to cry silently along with his friend.

Da'an entered the facility on the moon calmly. "Belle how are you and the others today." He asked seeing the young hybrid woman coming out to greet him. She was dressed like an implant but she lacked the emotionless expression.

"They are doing well Da'an they need less energy from our Shaqarava now than they did before." Belle said as she turned to lead Da'an into the room where the infants slept. She smiled at her brother was Steve remained near the equipment.

Da'an walked over to one of the cribs and looked at the infant inside. 'I can feel you someday you'll be ready to touch the commonality and I can prove to them all that Hybrids are the answer.'

Liam wasn't sure how long they stood like that before Joshua finally spoke again. "Are you okay?" Joshua finally asked. "I'm sorry to dump all this on you." Joshua pulled out of his arms a bit reluctantly.

"It's fine I can deal with pain." Liam said "I do it all the time." Liam noticed the look Joshua was giving him. "Sit down and I'll tell you about it."

Joshua shook his head. "You don't have to." He said as he set down on the small couch. Liam walked over and set next to him wondering why Renee couldn't have given Joshua a place with a decent couch it was barely bigger than a loveseat.

"I want to." Liam said "You trusted me with your problems least I can do is return the favor." Liam then told Joshua about his mother and how she had died. After that he began to tell Joshua about all the other things that seemed to have gone wrong in his all to brief life. By the end Liam was in tears and it was Joshua doing the comforting.

'How did this happen.' Joshua wondered with amazement at how he'd become the one being strong. 'It's always easier to deal with someone else's pain because you can try to help I guess.' He thought and turned his attention back to Liam. 'So much pain in such a short life shit no wonder he seemed to desperate to have someone understand him.' Joshua thought finally understanding why Liam had been so honest with him after his rescue despite the danger. 'Even after being betrayed by almost everyone he still wants to trust.'

Sandoval set in his office thinking about how to find this mysterious Shaqarava user. 'The mothership is out if anyone caught the additions to the search programming Zo'or would have my head.'

Sandoval continued to wonder how he could locate whatever it was that had destroyed that lab. Deciding to deal with it tomorrow he grabbed his coat and decided to head down to Earth to try to relax.

Liam opened his eyes to find himself in a strange bed with an arm draped over his bare chest. He turned his head in shock to find himself staring at Joshua doors. 'What the Hell?' He thought but realizing that for some strange reason he was comfortable he'd just lay there and see what happened when the other man awoke. 'What happened last night?' he wondered to himself while waiting for the other man to awaken.

Joshua awoke from the first restful night's sleep he had since his fathers death. He hugged the warm body in the bed closer to him and felt the other man stiffen. "Good morning don't worry nothing happened." He said lazily. "You were half asleep by the time you finished telling me about your life and I wasn't about to let you risk going home or leave you on that damn uncomfortable couch."

Liam nodded and felt no desire to get up he was strangely content. 'Oh I know my problems aren't gone and I'll have to face them but for now they are quiet.' He wondered what the other man was feeling and tried to reach out to him. "Joshua are you blocking the link?"

Joshua yawned "No, why?" He asked he had been drifting back into a light doze. He felt Liam go stiff with shock again. "What is it what's wrong?"

"The Link is gone I can't feel you." Liam stated as he set up and turned to stare at the other man. Seeing his eyes loose focus for a moment and return with the same look of shock in them confirmed what he'd said.

To be continued..

Next time: The Aftermath of this. and Liam and Joshua's first attempts at practicing with their shaqarava.

Notes:

1. Va'on and Da'an's project will be revealed eventually in coming parts.

2. I skipped forward a week to keep this fic from becoming an incredibly long fic.

3. Why the link disappeared will be addressed eventually.