Chapter 15

phoenix the 1st: Later. Like the last chapter. :p

Bloody Mary: I decided on Andrei. So in my fics it would be Bryan Boris Andreievich Kuznetsov. Of course, he hides the second part of his name for obvious reasons... ^_~

Matty KakaSaku rulz: Guess we'll find out.

Shaman Wolf: I'm not really going to remove the tension issue here, so... *runs*

Black Jaggan: How could I do that to Bryan? Well, it was actually rather easy. You see, I had the idea, and then I paid him a shitload of money and... *spots everyone staring at her* What? Holding a gun to his head just didn't work, so I had to try something. *Bryan smirks, JPC smacking him over the ear* Stop it you.

Jay Kamiya: He might be... then again, he may not. :p

eyriess: Have you tried making words with the letters? That's always fun. ^_^

Lady Snowblossom: Yes, I am evil. My Star Wars fan fic readers call me Evil Goddess. And wonderful? #^_^# Aw shucks. Anyway, you're right about the diagnosis. Just don't tell anyone. ^_~

KuronekoHikage: Nurse him back to health, Tala can and will do. :p

LadyOrient: Might need to cross your toes too. :p

Castles in the Sky: Oh. Thanks. *Takes chewits* And that would probably get them over the fence, yes. But I decided not to add that plot device. ^_^

umi n secylia: Yeap, I most certainly have.

Reiven: Come on, it's better than Kevin hacking off his leg in Highway. ^_~

Boy it's taking a while to set this story up in html format. I mean, chopping it up into chapters, pasting it onto new documents, and setting out and writing the header and footer…

Disclaimer: See first page

Tala was uneasy. No, that was an understatement. It had never occurred to him that the fact the other guys could only come down twice a day would cause any problems. The night before Tala had been looking forward to this time alone, but now all he wanted was for Ian, Spencer and Panas to return with Aizik.

Bryan had made no improvement, but had in fact worsened. His fever was running higher, sweat now collecting in fine droplets on his skin, Tala gently washing them away. It stabbed Tala deep to see Bryan like this, so weak and vulnerable. Tala wanted to do everything he could to help Bryan, but until he knew what it was causing this to happen, there was nothing that could be done.

Tala himself was becoming sick with worry. He showered and ate, trying to keep to a normal routine, but he could never take his mind off the one he had allowed to capture his heart.

Years ago, after Kai had been removed from the Abbey, Tala had sworn that he would never allow himself to form a bond with anyone ever again. He had been only six-years-old, Bryan seven and Tala's best friend aside from Kai. But Tala had shut Bryan out in an attempt to distance himself, something Bryan himself had taken to doing.

But a year ago Tala had lain awake after a vigorous training session, reality dawning on him as he realised his feelings for Bryan ran deeper than that of brother to brother, friend to friend. He had fallen for the ice-hearted and emotionless blader, and exactly when he did not know. Since then, he had wondered if the feelings could ever be returned.

He still wondered that.

As he worked on building a pyramid out of the cards, he noted a break in Bryan's even breathing, causing him to turn. "Bry?"

Lavender eyes fluttered open briefly, faint lines creasing the otherwise smooth face. "Tal?"

Tala dropped the cards onto the table, crossing the room in three long steps and stopping by the elder teen's side, reaching out to smooth the brow. "How are you feeling?"

"Like utter shit." Bryan looked up at him. "What time is it?"

"Mid-afternoon. We tried to wake you, but we couldn't."

Bryan looked up at him. "The others been?"

"Yeah. I spoke with them about our plan and they want to go with it. The passage comes out near the graveyard, and the woods are on the other side of the fence."

"Good cover."

"Exactly." Tala sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at him. "You're sick, Bry-"

"No shit."

"-so Spencer and Panas are going to look for the boy with some sort of history in medicine or something."

"His father's a bigwig doctor," Bryan smiled faintly. "Aizik. The drug supplier."

Tala frowned. "How do you know that?"

"I've dabbled. Gave it up pretty quick. Slowed my ability to pick things up mentally." Bryan sighed heavily, closing his eyes. "Can't have been the food. You look fine."

Tala nodded, caressing Bryan's face, smoothing out some of the stress lines. "Aizik should be able to tell us what's wrong."

"If he don't, and I don't get better," Bryan looked up at him, meeting his eye, "you three leave me behind, understand?"

Tala's eyes widened. "I don't think so-"

"Understand?"

Tala set his jaw, meeting that gaze. "No."

Bryan frowned. "What?"

"I'm team captain. It's my responsibility to see that you are all okay. I cannot leave a teammate behind."

Bryan's eyes narrowed. "I will slow you down. You will be captured-"

"So be it then."

Bryan sighed in defeat, fight leaving his eyes. "Stubborn."

"Comes from being around you too long." Tala leant forward, kissing his forehead. "After all, you've always been my main role model."

"You're condemned " Bryan lost himself in Tala's eyes, still too weak to move. "You be careful, Tal. Whatever I've got might be contagious."

Tala shrugged, leaning down, lips gently brushing Bryan's before he stood, moving toward the table. "Let's find you something to eat."

So Bryan likes their plan, and Tala refuses to leave Bryan behind. And not only that, Bryan's dabbled in drugs. Then again, that's not really surprising, is it? :p