"I don't know what happened," Troy said to his parents who were staring at him. Ryan was upstairs on Troy's bed asleep. He hadn't said anything he had just stared at the floor with tired eyes, and once Troy suggested that he go to sleep Ryan looked absolutely terrified, but then Troy said he would sleep next to him and he laid next to him, holding him tightly, within minutes Ryan was fast asleep.

"We should call the police." Troy's dad stated.

"We can't." Troy insisted. "He's too scared, he wont talk to me he wont talk to the police dad."

"Maybe we should call his parents?" Troy's mum suggested.

"No. they threw him out, mum. He doesn't want anything to do with them." Troy sighed. "He's my friend, I'll look after him."

"But if what you're saying is true we need to take him to the police... he's been..."

"We can't take him to the police not yet mum. I'll talk to him tomorrow, please just tonight can't he just stay here?"

"Course he can, son. That's not what we're saying." His dad sighed. "You know he can stay here as long as he needs. But if he's been violated or hurt the police should be called."

"Tomorrow." Troy insisted. "For now I'm going upstairs to make sure he's okay." Troy headed up to his room. He opened the door silently and noticed that Ryan was fast asleep. He looked tiny hidden beneath the covers, his face was pale and his bruises were shining from his features. Troy grabbed his bottoms, and a clean tee and got dressed for bed quickly. He sat on his bed and wrapped an arm around Ryan, instantly he wrapped himself around Troy burying his head in the crook of his neck.

"You'll be okay, Ry." Troy promised as he ran his hand through Ryan's hair. "I'll look after you."

Troy wasn't sure what the time was all he knew was that he was being forced from sleep by someone kicking him, pushing him... he woke up quickly when he realised it was Ryan. The young boy was pushing against the covers still in his state of sleep.

"Ry, it's okay..." Troy said sleepily, he looked over at the clock it was just past two in the morning. When Ryan made no effort of hearing him or waking up, Troy gently shook his shoulder. That seemed to work as the movements he was making were more drastic, Troy knew he'd have a bruise on his chest later from where Ryan had shoved him. It took five minutes and a few more punches and kicks before Ryan woke up screaming.

"Hey, Shh, you're okay..." Troy said calmly. Ryan blinked big blue eyes and stared at Troy, sweat covered his forehead and he tried to focus his vision. "You want some water?" Troy asked, when Ryan nodded he handed him the glass of water from his side, Ryan drank it greedily holding the glass with shaking hands. "Are you okay?" Ryan nodded. "Don't lie, you're far from okay." Troy sighed. Ryan just stared at the covers. "Please let me help you," Troy said he was suddenly very much awake.

Ryan looked at him and reached out for him, when Troy wrapped his arms around him Ryan stiffened, his body became tense in his arms and Troy wondered if this was what holding a statue felt like. After a few moments, Ryan seemed to loosen up a bit and he held Troy back just as tight. "I just want to help you," Troy whispered in his ear. Ryan looked at him with scared eyes before resting his head on his shoulder. "Is it really that bad that you can't tell me about it?" Ryan just nodded. Troy figured Ryan was just in shock, he would start to talk in a few days maybe. "My parents they want to go to the police..." Ryan tenses in his arms again, and Troy hoped maybe that would cause him to speak, but Ryan just stared at him with those big beautiful, broken eyes shaking his head violently. "I told them no, too." Troy said, this seemed to calm Ryan down again. "I said that you'd talk to me first, are you going to tell me what happened?" Ryan didn't respond. "Was it Brett?" At the name Ryan became the statue again. Troy held him tighter and started to play with his black hair.

"I like this colour of your hair, it suits you." Troy said casually changing the subject, he knew it worked when Ryan relaxed in his hold. "You've always had this aura about you. I've always envied you're happiness, you always seemed as though life was perfect. But now, I want to make your life perfect again." Ryan looked up at Troy with tears in his eyes. "Am I being too sappy?" Troy smiled when Ryan nodded slowly. "Do you want to go back to sleep?" Ryan shook his head and Troy wondered if he was scared that the nightmares would come back if he closed his eyes, he knew that they probably would and he didn't want Ryan to be scared in his sleep too. "How about we watch a film?" Ryan nodded. "Want to pick?" Ryan shook his head.

Troy went to move away from Ryan, but the black haired beauty held onto him tightly and Troy took his hand in his and they headed to the bookshelf that held all his films. Troy smiled as his hand was linked with Ryan's, their fingers sending secret messages to each other and Troy couldn't think of something that had felt more right. Ryan pointed to a film with his left hand and Troy smiled and decided that is what they would watch. Ryan refused to let go of Troy's hand as he set the DVD player up, and when they got into bed they snuggled against each other. Troy could get used to this, he just wished it was because of a different reason.

They fell asleep half way through the movie, and in the morning Troy woke up to see the menu screen flashing and Ryan asleep in his arms. He looked at the clock surprised that it was nearing nine AM. There was a note on his bedside table, 'Troy, we heard you two wake up this morning and figured it would be best to let you sleep. You're to stay with Ryan at home today and tomorrow, you should look after Ryan, school can wait. Make sure he eats something, and get lots of water in his system as he could still be in shock. Talk to him and make sure he's okay. I'll phone in at lunch to make sure you're okay. Love mum.' Troy smiled at the note and tightened his hold on Ryan.

"You'll be okay," Troy whispered in his ear.

Half an hour later Ryan woke up a little shaken, he flinched away from Troy quickly when he realised he was being held. "It's okay, it's just me." Troy said and Ryan relaxed a little more, but didn't say anything. "Are you hungry?" Ryan shook his head, Troy sighed he wasn't too sure how he could talk to Ryan with the former blond not talking, he himself wasn't exactly a great conversationalist. "Do you want some clean clothes or are you okay wearing that?" Ryan pulled the jumper closer to him and Troy smiled. "Come on, lets go downstairs." Troy got out of bed and Ryan stood up shaking. "Are you cold?" Ryan shook his head. "Ry, please talk to me." Ryan stared at the floor, tears falling from his eyes.

"Hey, it's okay. I've got you." Troy wrapped his arms around Ryan again and he held onto him tightly. "I'm not going to let him hurt you ever again okay." Ryan nodded into the embrace. "But I need you to talk to me, just to let me know that you're okay. Please?"

Ryan stared at him for a moment before nodding. "Sorry," Ryan mumbled, his voice was harsh and rough from being quiet for so long.

"You've nothing to be sorry for okay," Ryan just nodded again. "Mum says I should get you lots to drink in case you're in shock." Ryan nodded. Troy held out his hand and Ryan nervously took it. They made there way downstairs, Ryan staying extra close to Troy.

"Are you sure your not hungry?" Troy asked.

"No." Ryan said as he sat at the table. Troy poured two glasses of water and handed one to Ryan.

"How about we get the blanket down here sit on the sofa and watch crap day time television for a while?" Troy suggested.

"Okay," Ryan smiled weakly.

"Ry, I know you don't want to talk about what happened." Ryan shook his head angrily again. "It's okay, I'm not going to push you into telling me anything you don't want. But I want you to know that, I'm here." Troy smiled. "You're staying here for as long as you need and I'm going to look after you." Ryan smiled, "And when you're ready we'll talk about everything."

"When I'm ready," Ryan repeated mechanically.