Troy tried to focus on what was going on in the show that was on the screen, but all he could focus on was the warm body in his arms, the jet black hair that was buried in his neck and the pale shaking arms that were clenched around his shirt. Ryan whimpered in his sleep, and Troy could tell he was reliving everything that had happened to him, sweat and tears were falling from his face and whenever Troy tried to wake him, Ryan would push him away. So Troy waited until Ryan woke up on his own accord, if he woke up screaming Troy would comfort him.

"Please..." Ryan's crying voice filled the room, knocking Troy from his vivid day dreams, "I said no... please... anything but... stop it please..." Troy felt his own tears on his cheeks and wanted nothing more then to wake Ryan up. Troy didn't have to force him awake because after a couple of seconds later Ryan woke up screaming and terrified. He pushed his way free from Troy and stood up, his shaking legs causing him to fall, but Troy had caught him.

"It's okay, it's just me... you're safe." Troy chanted softly. Ryan blinked the tears away but when Troy wrapped his arms around him holding him tightly Ryan broke down, he cried his tears away until his throat was sore. Troy wasn't sure how long he had been holding Ryan, he knew it must have been about an hour because his mum had walked in half way through his outburst and instead of letting her presence known to the crying boy, she hid in the kitchen set on making them lunch. "You're safe now, Ryan. I've got you..."

"Sorry," Ryan mumbled as he moved his head so he could look at Troy. Ryan's face was red, his cheeks blushing in embarrassment he never wanted Troy to see him like this, his eyes blood shot from crying.

"Stop apologising, you've nothing to be sorry for okay?" Troy asked as he wiped away a few stray tears with his thumb, he left his fingers on Ryan's face rubbing it gently. "You okay?" Ryan nodded weakly.

"Would it be okay if I have a shower?" Ryan asked his voice croaky from the lack of speech done before and from all the crying.

"Of course it is, come on I'll show you where everything is," Troy held out his hand for Ryan which the black haired boy took straight away, he gripped it tight and Troy wrapped his free arm around Ryan's waist.

They headed upstairs and Troy turned on the shower for Ryan, telling him what way to turn it if it was too hot or too cold, he told him to use what ever he wanted and handed him a big fluffy towel. "Do you want me to stay?" Troy asked, he knew how Ryan was about not being on his own.

"Can you leave the door open a bit?" Ryan asked quietly, not making eye contact with Troy.

"Sure, I'll go grab you some clean clothes." Ryan followed Troy out to his bedroom and he reached in his draws and found a pair of jeans and another tee for the boy to wear, he also grabbed him a fresh pair of boxers.

"Thanks," Ryan smiled. "For everything."

"Don't worry about it," Troy smiled. "Go have a shower, I'll be downstairs okay if you need me just shout."

"Okay." Ryan headed into the bathroom, and Troy made sure the bathroom door was ajar so if he was to call he'd be able to hear him downstairs.

Unlike Ryan who hadn't heard Troy's mum come in, Troy did and headed downstairs to greet his mum. She was in the living room folding up the blanket that was on the sofa. "What are you doing home early?" Troy asked.

"I was worried about him," His mother said straight away. "How is he?"

"You saw him didn't you?" Troy sighed, his mother nodded. "I don't know what to do mum." Troy felt tears in his eyes but he didn't want to cry, he had to be strong for Ryan.

"It's okay, son." His mum smiled as she pulled him in for a hug. Troy buried his head in the crook of his mums neck, much like how Ryan had with him earlier. "You're friend is going through something so terrifying it's only normal for you to react like this,"

"I just want to make him okay again mum." Troy sobbed. "He wont talk to me about what happened, he hardly talks at all."

"He's in shock, he's just scared. He'll talk to you when he is ready." His mum ran a hand through his hair and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. Troy pulled away and wiped his eyes. "Has he eaten?"

"He wont eat. I tried but he said he wasn't hungry."

"Okay, but he's been drinking lots of water yes?"

"Yeah." Troy answered dutifully.

"Okay, I'm not going into work for the rest of the day. You're dad is talking to the school, he's going to tell them that Ryan will be staying here." Troy smiled at that, he really did have caring parents. "I'll go and make you both some lunch, why don't you go upstairs and get changed?"

"Thanks mum." Troy placed a soft kiss on his mums cheek and then headed upstairs to Ryan.

Troy had just finished getting changed when his bedroom door opened and a refreshed looking Ryan came into the room, the thick jumper Troy had given him to wear over night was still on him. "Where should I put these?" Ryan asked as he held up the clothes he had on the night before. Troy took them off him and threw them with a pile of dirty clothes that were on his floor. Ryan raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"Did you have a nice shower?" Troy asked. Ryan nodded simply. "My mum's downstairs making us something to eat. Do you want to eat in front of the television, at the table or up here?" Ryan replied that he would prefer to eat up here, Troy wondered if it was about feeling safe around other people. He assumed it was so didn't say anything else, he just held out his hand for Ryan who took it eagerly and they made there way downstairs.

Troy's mum smiled warmly as her son and Ryan came down hand in hand, "How are you feeling Ryan?" She asked, and Troy frowned when he felt Ryan start to shake next to him. He looked at his mum and she understood what he was telling her and she didn't say anything else. She knew it would take Ryan a while before he felt safe around other adults, or anyone else that wasn't Troy.

"I've made you both some chicken sandwiches," She said, "And make sure Ryan drinks a lot of water." She said to her son who nodded.

"We're going to eat upstairs," Troy said and his mum nodded, reminding him to bring the plates down once they've finished. Troy took the sandwiches in one hand and let go of Ryan's hand. Ryan took the two glasses of water from the side and they headed up to the bedroom.

Troy flicked on the television he knew Ryan wouldn't want to sit in silence and he wasn't too sure what to say. Ryan leaned against Troy, the untouched sandwich on his lap as he drank the water. Troy was half way through his sandwich when he noticed Ryan hadn't touched his. "You've got to eat something," Troy said gently.

"I can't..." Ryan sighed.

"When was the last time you had something to eat?" Troy asked coaxing Ryan to look at him. Ryan didn't answer, which didn't make Troy feel any better about the situation. "Please, for me?" Ryan stared at Troy and back down at the sandwich. "Just one slice?" Troy pleaded. "Just one slice and a lot of water?" Ryan nodded and started to pick at the bread.

When one slice was gone, Ryan placed the plate on the side and looked at Troy. "Thanks," Troy smiled. He felt slightly better that Ryan had food in his system.

"Can you tell your mum I'm sorry?" Ryan asked quietly.

"You've nothing to be sorry for Ry, you're scared and it's okay." Ryan didn't say anything else he just stared at the television. Troy pulled him closer and they both got under the covers and let themselves hide away in the show they were watching, because right now they both knew it was better then their reality.