Welcome to option two. It was the original plan for this story and apparently everyone is keen to keep it that way. But fear not option one'rs, we shall see what I can do with that for the sequel. Mwahahaha.

Ok, seriously. I'm sorry this has taken so long but things have been rather hectic. Debating Championships, being dumped and school work have all gotten in my way but I have finally found time to update. Read and review my friends.

Reid blinked. The room was very pale. There was a bitter taste in his mouth and a strange beeping in his ears. He sat up slowly, noting that the usually sharp pain from his various injuries was only a dull throbbing. He lay back, letting the pillows, encased in white linen, support him. He knew from experience not to force the memories, they had to come back of their own accord. Tyler. The blood. The weeks spent in the safety of Tyler's house. Then, the school. Waking up to find Tyler gone had panicked him, he had followed Tyler as he went to the boys change rooms. Aaron's insult, nothing out of the ordinary. Practically a civil good morning by the standards of which they usually spoke to each other, but it had left him speechless. After that: nothing.

For a while he thought this over quietly, not wanting to react too fast. The room he was in was brightly lit and clean, from that he could assume he wasn't back in his own private piece of hell, so he was safe. At least for now. He wasn't sure how long he sat there before he fell asleep, too numb to worry that no one had come in. The next time he woke up it was almost dark.

Deep orange light was leaking in, staining the creamy curtains the colour of flames. Shadows stretched from the furniture in the room, somehow darker and more menacing. Reid shrank back into his pillows, fear filling him this time. Anything could be hiding there. His father; coming after him from beyond the grave for his weakness, his stepfather; come to take him back. Anything could be there and he would never see it.

Suddenly it was hard to breathe. He was gasping for air now, it rasped in his throat, burning into his lungs and yet failing to make its way out. And then Tyler was there. Reid wasn't sure where he'd come from, perhaps he'd been sitting there the whole time or maybe he'd only just entered the room. At the moment Reid didn't care. All that mattered was that his brother was there. Tyler sat him up, one hand on his back and the other supporting his chest. His lungs, cleared as soon as his friend touched him, dragged in the air.

Soon he was breathing fine again, although he made sure to pull in as much air with each breath as he possibly could. The whole time Tyler just sat there, on the side of the bed, his eyes fixed on Reid's face.

"Are you ok now?" he asked gently. Reid nodded, not sure there was enough air in his lungs yet for talking. For that matter he wasn't sure if there'd be enough air in his lungs ever again.

Tyler smiled at him and for the first time Reid noticed the deep shadows under his friend's eyes. As Tyler leant over and flicked on a light they were thrown into sharp relief. As soon as the idea that there might be something wrong with Tyler had registered it was obvious. He sat slumped in his chair and his eyes were unfocussed, the lids drooping down as if it was too much effort to hold them fully open.

"Tyler," his voice was soft and somewhat soft, but at least it was still there. "How long have you been waiting here?" Tyler avoided his eyes.

"Since we brought you in."

"And when was that"

Tyler paused and looked at Reid, as if wondering to how much of the truth to tell him.

"About a week ago." Reid stared at his friend for a moment, touched by the level of devotion there.

He moved over in the huge bed and patted the pillows beside him. Tyler lay down on top of the covers and within moments he was deeply asleep. But Reid lay awake deep into the night considering how much his friend cared for him and how little he had noticed that in the past few years.

So what did you think? That chapter was meant to be more about what had happened to Reid but Reid and Tyler fluff sits just as well.

NEXT CHAPTER: they will head back to Tyler's house and we will begin to see complications. Mwahahaha. Tell me what you thought and I'll try and update as soon as I can.

Sammy