Aha! I have an excuse for Tyler moving Reid. My reasoning is that Tyler doesn't know much about abuse victims, having never thought Reid had been abused and only having found out recently he hasn't had much time to do research and so has been learning on the go. He also had to move Reid and thought it would probably be better to do it before everyone else was there to ask questions. And anyway, the school is probably fairly familiar to Reid as well. Just answering a question/pint raised by UraniaChang.

And snaps for exitlight for recognising what was happening to Reid. I'm glad I got my point across so well.

Does this story make everyone want to hug Reid after reading it? Seriously?

Anyway: read and review guys.

Tyler carefully helped Reid back across to their dorms, stumbling occasionally on the slick tiles The sun was now fully above the horizon but the buildings cast odd shadows across the hallway windows and Tyler could feel Reid shivering through the thin material of his shirt. He'd added his jacket to the boys ensemble but worried that it wasn't enough to keep him warm. They reached the dorms at last and Tyler carefully pushed the door to the main dorms open, keeping one arm around Reid's waist. Suddenly he felt the slow steady rate of Reid's breathing increase, he looked into his friends face.

Reid's eyes were still unfocussed, staring blankly through the opposite wall, but they had widened somewhat. His slack expression remained the same otherwise. Tyler hurried Reid up the stairs, having little difficulty manoeuvring the totally submissive boy. He could feel Reid losing, or perhaps surrendering, control of his body. He began to take more and more of his friend's weight and by the time he reached their room on the third floor he was almost carrying Reid.

He nudged the door open with his foot, glad that Reid had not thought to lock it behind him, and dragged his friend across the threshold. He carefully lay Reid down on the bed before moving back over to close the door. Just as he was pushing it heavy pounding in the stairwell announced Caleb and Pouge's arrival. They paused at the door, both panting slightly and Tyler opened the door wider, silently inviting them in. They both came past him with nods and grave looks. Caleb leant against the wall while Pouge went straight to the bed where Reid lay. Tyler glanced at Caleb who smiled reassuringly at him,

"I told Pogue, he has some experience with medical conditions." Tyler nodded, currently too grateful for this unexpected boon to question it. The two boys watched Pouge check Reid's pulse and breathing with amazing efficiency. Tyler himself hadn't thought to check any such things, a state of panic had kept him going from the bathroom back to his dorm but he hadn't considered what he intended to do afterwards. Pouge eventually stood up with a sigh. Not knowing what that could mean Tyler started forwards eagerly.

"I don't know what's wrong with him." Caleb sighed and Tyler felt the panic rise again. He quickly moved over to the bed and sat down on it. He could hear Caleb and Pouge talking over his head but wasn't really paying attention.

He had put Reid on his bed, the central part of his mind pointed out, trying desperately to drown out the screaming and terror that was leaking in from the outer regions. He wasn't sure why he'd done that, it wasn't like either of the beds was far from the door, in fact the room was pitifully small. Maybe it was just habit, he went to his bed, not Reid's.

Caleb walked over. He could tell it was Caleb because Pouge's boots were so much more scuffed from the ridiculous tricks he pulled on his bike. He watched the shiny boots, poking out from under the worn jeans, make their way into his vision and stop, only inches from his own bare toes. He wiggled his toes, not wanting to look up at Caleb. Instead Caleb crouched down, bringing his face into Tyler's line of sight and forcing him to meet his eyes.

"Tyler," It wasn't an accusation but Tyler flinched anyway, he closed his eyes, anything not to look into those eyes, dark not with power or anger, but sorrow.

"Tyler we don't know what's wrong with him. But we need to find out, can you tell us what's been happenings since he came to stay with you." Caleb spoke gently and softly, like he was talking to a small child or a frightened animal.

"He's…He's been having dreams." Tyler's voice was so soft he could barely hear it himself, but Caleb just nodded at him to continue. He opened his eyes and saw that Pouge's scuffed boots had brought him closer too.

"He keeps having nightmares. And I thought maybe if I brought him back here early it would be ok. That maybe he'd have time to get used to the school grounds again." Caleb nodded and stood up.

"You did the right thing Baby Brother." Tyler finally found the courage to look up. Pouge and Caleb were both watching him.

"His vitals are all stable." Pouge told him, his voice rough with emotion.

"I don't know what's wrong with him. He's not responding to anything. Maybe we should get him to the hospital." Tyler put his head in his hands and shook it slowly.

"He didn't want anyone to know what had happened with his step father…" He trailed off as Caleb put a hand on his shoulder.

"We could tell them we don't know what caused it, then see what Reid wants when he wakes up." Tyler considered this then nodded. What they were saying made sense. He didn't want to reduce Reid back to the wreck he had been when he'd first come to stay with Tyler but then again he didn't particularly want his friend to remain this empty shell. If they took him to the hospital, though they risked breaking what little of the old Reid Tyler had managed to put together over the past few weeks, it would be worth it to at least have Reid respond to something.

He nodded once more, decisively this time, and stood up. With Pouge and Caleb's help it was much easier to get Reid dressed, back down the stairs and across the lawn, this time in a different direction. They loaded him into Tyler's car and Caleb took the keys from Tyler's unresisting hands. He and Pouge strapped themselves into the front while Tyler climbed into the back, carefully taking Reid's head in his lap. He did his best to hold his friend still as they drove towards the hospital. He looked into his glazed eyes and hoped that Reid would get better. He would never tell any of them this but it terrified him. It terrified him to see his best friend brought so low by such a man. The great Reid Garwin meant the world to Tyler and suddenly Tyler's world didn't seem so strong anymore.

Hmmmm, that came out differently to how I expected. And I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. SO review and tell me what you think.

Also I have another question. I have two ways for this story to go and whichever one I don't use I will make into a sequel. However, I want your opinions.

Option one is to have Reid lose his memory, to deal with his stepfather and bring our favourite bad guy back all in one nifty little package.

Option two is to have a story filled with lots of issues, for Tyler and Reid, and have Reid come to terms with himself and witch hunters before facing his stepfather.

Alternately I could kill Reid off in either story. The choice is yours. Choose carefully.

Send me your reviews and sympathy! I am at home sick and thus updating this on my mother's laptop as I can't actually get up. I caught this bug from my delightful sister who caught it from one of our friends. Then again I guess it's good for you because it means I'm updating. So now that I've given you lots of things to talk about in your reviews I expect you all to review, mwahahahahaha. Ok, fever addled brain, not my fault.

Sammy