On Wednesday morning, five tense days after the night Adam had his nightmare, Aisha found Rocky at his locker.
"What have you done to Adam?"
"I have no idea."
"What do you mean you have no idea? He looks horrible, he won't talk to you, and he won't tell anybody what's wrong. Tell me what happened."
Rocky turned toward her. "He stayed over at my house. He had a screaming nightmare and I comforted him. He left sometime after I went back to sleep and now he's acting like this. That's all I know.
She frowned. "Maybe he's embarrassed about the nightmare. Have you tried talking to him?"
He nodded. "I've stopped by his house twice and his parents say he's busy. I've called twice and the same thing happened. He always stands away from me at the Command Center and he leaves as soon as we're done. We don't share any classes together either."
"Well, try harder. You have to find out what the problem is because it's starting to affect the team." She gave him the gimlet stare she reserved for him and Adam.
"Yes ma'am," he replied meekly. She laughed before heading toward her first class.
After he settled into his first period class, he wondered when he could get a hold of Adam. He hadn't been completely honest with Aisha earlier. He assumed one of the reasons Adam had been avoiding him was because he was embarrassed about what had happened before he left.
"Yeah, forever friends," Adam whispered softly.
They went silent, still lying on the sleeping bag. After a few minutes Rocky climbed to his feet.
"C'mon. Get up on the bed. You'll sleep better up there." Adam hesitated.
"Adam, it's a double bed. I don't know why you didn't sleep up here in the first place, but if you please don't come up here, I'm coming down there with you. It's late; you're upset, let's get some sleep.
Adam stood up silently and Rocky's mouth went dry. Even with his face streaked with drying tears, Adam still had the power to make Rocky burn. For two years Rocky had fought his yearning but tonight the flames seared his stomach and made his throat burn with things better left unsaid. Rocky watched Adam crawl across the bed. 'I'm either a saint or a fool,' he thought wryly.
Rocky slid onto the bed next to Adam, highly aware of his arm less mere inches away.
They lay there in their individual worlds, not saying a word and not falling asleep. Rocky's body felt charged with energy. He wished he could move closer to Adam. He wished he could fall asleep so this torture would end.
Adam finally spoke. "Rocky…" he trailed off.
Rocky looked at him. Adam opened his mouth but closed it quickly. "It's okay, Adam. I'd do anything in my power for you. What do you need?"
"Will you hold me for a few minutes," he asked faintly.
Rocky hesitated and Adam took that as denial. "I'm sorry," he sounded close to tears again. He tried to climb out of the bed and Rocky stopped him.
"No, stop. I was just startled." Actually, he thought he was imagining things at first. "I said I'd do anything for you. So yes, I'll hold you."
Adam sank back onto the bed and Rocky shifted closer to him, cuddling up next to his side. He draped his arm across Adam's stomach, his heart clenching at being this close to him.
He spoke softly, "Is this what you wanted?"
Adam wordlessly turned onto his side, facing away from Rocky and he pushed back into the cradle of Rocky's arm.
He drifted off holding Adam protectively in his arms and the fire in his heart was satisfied and still for the first time in years.
He woke the next morning with Adam gone, with everything changed, and the fire inside that raged stronger than before.
He sighed. Aisha was right. They did need to square this away. Not only for the team's sake but for their own sake as well.