Author's Note: I stopped working on this one for a while because I lost inspiration for it. Recently, I was reading through it and decided to give it another chance. I can't promise that I'll update it every day or anything, but I'll update it as frequently as I can. Most of my updates will happen once a month, when I go home for a short visit because that's when I have WI-FI to actually upload. I hope you're enjoying the story and remember to review.

Callidora.

Background Notes: The events in this chapter are taken from an event that happened in my personal life. It happened this way with me and, while it may not be healthy for everyone, some people need it to happen this way. Please don't be offended if this doesn't seem realistic to you.

Ten

They moved him to the Psychiatric Unit three days later and Cory couldn't get rid of the feeling that he'd never get out. He'd heard stories about people that never ended up getting better after coming to one of these places and it terrified him. Shawn had assured him that he wouldn't let that happen to Cory, that he'd bring him home if Cory really couldn't hack it in here, but that didn't erase the irrational fear that had blocked out all rational thought.

It felt like a morgue in there. Cory woke up sometimes in the middle of the night with the absurd thought that he'd find himself in a body bag. That more than anything made him want to call Shawn and beg him to come and get him, but he'd promised his family that he'd give this place an honest try. As much as he hated this place, he hated breaking promises to people he loved even more. So he'd suffer through the nightmares, if only to prove that he wasn't a total

screw-up.

Someone was screaming when Cory woke up. It was the middle of the night again, not that Cory was surprised. Someone was always screaming in this place. Rolling over, he buried his face in his hands and tried to stop the tears that threatened to take over him. Shawn's face swam before his eyes and he had to clench his eyes against the overwhelming wave of longing that threatened to crash over him. All he wanted right then was Shawn. Just to be able to bury himself in Shawn's arms and breathe him in at that moment would make everything better. But Shawn was at home, probably asleep, and Cory was alone.

The tears finally started coming then, and Cory buried his face in his pillow and let the sobs come out. He hated this place, hated being alone, hated not being able to curl against Shawn when he woke like this in the middle of the night. His chest aching, Cory finally sat up and slipped out of bed. They had to let him at least call Shawn, right? He was an adult, not a child, and they had to let him make a simple phone call. If he was able to hear Shawn's voice, he might be able to sleep. Or at least stop crying, right?

A nurse stepped into the room when she noticed Cory standing beside his bed. "Can I help you?" She asked.

"I… um… I need to make a phone call." Cory said, his hands playing with the hem of his shirt.

She tilted her head at him. "Are you sure? It's pretty late."

"I'm sure." Cory whispered. "I just need to hear his voice. Please."

"Come on to the phone room." She smiled, reaching to touch his shoulder.

Cory followed her from the room, his heartbeat slowing as he came closer to at least hearing Shawn's voice. She unlocked the door and let him inside with a soft smile..

"Come and find me when you're done, Mr. Matthews." She said, shutting the door softly behind her as she left.

His hands were shaking as he dialed Shawn's number, his heartbeat picking up as Shawn answered only a second later.

"Cory? What's wrong, babe?" Shawn answered, his voice sluggish with sleep.

Cory bit his lip, suddenly unsure. "Did… did I wake you up? I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…. I just needed to hear your voice." He whispered as his eyes filled with tears again.

"No. No, babe it's okay. What's wrong? Why are you awake so late?"

Shawn sounded a little more awake now and Cory could almost picture him. He was sitting up in bed, against the headboard with his longish hair falling across his eyes. The sheet would be tangled around his waist and his his chest was bare. The image, even a false one, made Cory ache to be there beside him. Curled with his head against Shawn's shoulder.

"I can't sleep." He admitted. "I keep having this nightmare and I wake up alone and I reach for you and you aren't there and I just… I miss you." Cory wiped his face and sobbed again, quieter this time.

"I miss you too, Cor." Shawn's breath puffed against the phone. "What's the nightmare about, babe?"

"I wake up in a body bag. It's quiet and I can't breathe." Cory sobbed, wiping his face again. "And then I wake up and I'm alone and I just… I don't know if I can do this anymore."

Shawn sighed, the sound sad. "Do you wanna come home? I'll come right now if it'll make you feel better."

"No. No, you're right. I need to be here. I just wish I could at least sleep with you." Cory whispered.

"Do you want me to drive down there and get you?" Shawn repeated. "There are out-patient programs we can get you into. Ones where you can still sleep at home."

Cory sobbed again, hating that he couldn't do this like they'd wanted him to. He was failing them again, but he couldn't do this alone.

"I want to come home. I'm sorry. I wanted to do this, but I can't. I can't do this alone anymore." He whispered through another sob.

"It's okay babe. This was a bad idea, all right? We should have asked you before we put you in there, we should have made sure you were okay with it." Shawn whispered, "We'll get you into an out-patient program, we'll do it at home. I'm on my way, okay? I'm leaving the house right now. Do you wanna stay on the phone?"

"Please don't leave me alone. Please… I just need to hear you." Cory begged, his hands shaking again.

"Okay, okay. I'm right here, baby. I'm not going anywhere." Shawn whispered. "Why don't we talk about what we're gonna do for breakfast tomorrow, okay? Get our minds off of things for a bit."

"Bacon. Real bacon, not that processed shit they give us in here." Cory said, trying to focus on the thought of Shawn and not the panic flooding his system right now.

Shawn laughed. "Bacon it is, then. What about pancakes? I've been craving those pancakes you make lately."

"Yeah, that sounds good." Cory whispered. "Can we just… just stay in bed tomorrow? It's Saturday and I just… I haven't been sleeping very well without you."

"Neither have I, Cor. It's weird sleeping without you. I think staying in bed tomorrow sounds good." Shawn replied. "I'm pulling into the driveway now, okay? Hang up and meet me in the hallway."

Cory sobbed, this time in relief. "Okay. I'm going."

He slipped the phone back on the receiver and went back to the hallway where the nurse from before was waiting for him. She gave him a smile.

"Looks like you're going home tonight." She gave his confused frown a smile. "Your partner texted your brother and he called us."

Cory nodded. "I don't handle being alone very well." He said softly.

"Shawn's waiting for you in the lobby. Is there anything you need from your room before you go?"

Cory shook his head. He hadn't brought anything from home because he hadn't wanted this to feel permanent. She opened the door to the lobby and let him slip through with a smile.

"You stay safe, Mr. Matthews." She said, but Cory had already caught sight of Shawn.

Shawn was wearing an old hoodie and his sleep-pants, standing near the door. He opened his arms as Cory hurled himself into them and buried his face in Shawn's shoulder. Cory held on tight, relief flooding through him so strong that his knees almost gave out. When they pulled apart, Shawn kissed his forehead and kept an arm around him as they headed out to his car. It was a cool night out, but Cory felt better than he had since he'd tried to kill himself. Cory pressed his lips against Shawn's shoulder as they pulled out of the parking lot, feeling for the first time as though everything would be okay.