Adam raced from his house, into the cool December night. He knew the path well, otherwise he would have fallen.

He ran the familiar streets, toward the one person he thought he had known the best, but maybe he was wrong. He wondered again why Rocky would give his powers to a 13-year-old boy and without telling him about it.

He slowed at the sidewalk leading to Rocky's house. He didn't want to scare Rocky's parents because he wouldn't be able to tell them why he was upset.

He rang the doorbell and tried to slow his harsh breathing. Rocky's mother answered the door but didn't seem surprised to see him.

"Hi, Mrs. Desantos. I'm sorry to be stopping by so late, but there was a message from Rocky saying he was home. Do you know if he's awake?"

She smiled. "Go on up to his room, dear. He should be awake, if not, he will be soon. Rocky insisted that you'd be stopping by and he wants to see you."

"Thanks."

She watched him hurry up the stairs and turned when her husband came to the living room door. "Our son is an idiot."

Adam knocked on the door to Rocky's room. He didn't hear anything, so he pushed the door open and peeked inside. Rocky was lying on his bed sound asleep.

He sat on the corner of Rocky's bed. The news of Rocky's departure had punched a hole in his gut and he hadn't recovered yet, but seeing Rocky in pain made Adam's anger pale in comparison.

"Hey." Rocky's voice distracted him from his thoughts.

"Hi. How are you doing?"

"Good when the pills are kicked in." He paused. "You can ask, Adam. I've been waiting for you to stop by."

"Why didn't you tell me you were thinking of leaving?"

"It wasn't something that I knew when it was going to happen. So I didn't want to mention it until I knew. Getting hurt just accelerated it." He pushed himself up on the bed, wincing slightly. "I was going to tell you, but after I told you my other news first."

Without thinking, without realizing what he was doing, Adam rested his hand on Rocky's ankle. Rocky's breath caught at the contact.

"Which is?" Adam questioned.

"I'm graduating at the end of the semester."

Adam shot to his feet. "Oh my God!" he shouted. "What, you were just going to quit coming to school? Why didn't you tell me?" He felt his eyes sting with tears

"It was easier not to." At the softly spoken words, Adam shook his head and wiped quickly at his eyes.

"What are you going to do until the rest of us graduate?"

"I'm going to move in with my sister Maggie and get therapy for my back."

"She lives two hours away, Rocky! Why can't you get therapy at Angel Grove Hospital?"

"It's not so much that I can't get it there, it's just that I have early admission to Westminster College, which is across town from where she lives. They gave me the most in scholarships so I had to take it."

"I just don't understand why you wouldn't tell me this, Rocky," he said softly.

"I don't have a reason, Adam. I just didn't."

They both fell silent each lost in their own thoughts.

"When do you leave?" he asked quietly.

"January 12th."

Three weeks, he thought wildly. He knew this was coming but he thought he'd have more time to prepare first.

"Adam?"

"I'm sorry," he blurted and then ran out of the room.

Rocky leaned back against the pillow with a groan. He should have handled it better; he had a feeling that this changed his friendship with Adam, but not in a good way.

He just couldn't tell Adam that the real reason he was leaving because of him and Tanya.