Looking for jobs sucks. Still no luck. *Sigh* I will try to update my other fics as soon as I find my muse...*takes out the mouse traps*.

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Chapter Four

As Ian told another joke, inwardly he was frantic. He had had the nightmare again last night. It was ten times worse than it had ever been. He had raced to the bathroom to throw up. When Henry had not barged in, asking if Ian was all right and doting on him like a mother hen, he had been relieved. He hadn't wanted Henry to see him like that.

The nightmare had played out the same as it always did. He was in the temple, with the demon in black and the wall of fire. He died in the arms of the companion who had fought beside him.

But at this point, it had changed. The face above him had shifted and changed, until Henry's face stared back at him. His soul had screamed in agony at the pure misery in Henry's heart, reflected through his tear filled eyes. That he was causing his best friend so much misery was worse than the abyss that followed.

After he had washed his mouth clear of foulness, he had gone back to slump in one of the chairs that decorated his room. He had had no desire to return to bed. He could not get the heart breaking vision of Henry out of his mind. Several times he had to wipe tears from his face and stop himself from racing back to the bathroom.

He couldn't help but dwell on the nightmare, how Henry had been the one who held him as he died. Then the revelation had hit him. Henry was the companion from the nightmare! The companion from his nightmare was also the one from his dreams. Henry was also the one from his dreams as the warrior who fought by his side. The faceless, nameless companion had turned into Henry, Henry who fought by his side and gave him companionship. The feelings of love, and friendship he had always felt from this person had come from Henry.

In retrospect, it wasn't too surprising a find. Ian had always felt something special where Henry was concerned. The younger man had always been like a brother to Ian. Whenever Ian needed some one to lean on, Henry was always there. The first time he had met Henry in college, Ian could immediately tell that the young man was special. When they had met for the first time, when their eyes locked in mutual laughter and mirth, Ian had immediately formed a connection with the young man.

Henry was the brother Ian had always wanted but never had. Like Henry, Ian had grown up in the foster system. But Ian had been sent to numerous foster families until being settled at thirteen. By that time, Ian had been a closed off individual. He had never gotten along with his foster parents or siblings and had been known for getting into fights with them. Ian had never broken the law, but he was pegged as a troublemaker. He was made fun of for his size by his older siblings, something he took a grave offense to.

When Ian had finally been settled in his foster family, he had already been tagged as a "troubled child". He had six foster siblings, four of which were older than him. Like his previous siblings, they teased him about his size and tried to bully him. Ian always defended himself, protecting his two younger foster sisters from the older brothers.

Ian had adored his younger sisters and still kept in touch with them. But his brothers had been a constant source of annoyance and misery. His foster parents had tried to give him counseling, but he never took it seriously. The counselors had always tried to get him to talk about "abandonment issues" and "feelings of isolation and rejection." They always made Ian mad.

When they tried to get him to talk about how his parents abandoned him, Ian countered with the fact that they had died when he was a baby. He felt no abandonment. Sure, he was upset about it but it had been when he was a baby. He had no real connection to people whose names he never knew. It wasn't as though they had intended to die. He didn't feel abandoned, just lonely.

When they tried to get to the root of why "he acted out," Ian countered with the simple fact that he was learning to live in the real world and that he had the right to defend himself from those who wished to harm him. What had really mad him made was all of the attempts to try to "read his inner psyche" and all of the child psychology mumbo jumbo.

When Ian had left his foster home, he had been relieved. He had kept in contact with his foster sisters when he went to college. His brothers he had never heard from again, except two years after he left when one was arrested for rape. He had immediately called his sisters to be sure that it wasn't them and nearly collapsed with relief when he was told that they were okay.

Then Ian had met Henry and it was as though his soul had sung. It was originally Henry's innocence had drawn Ian to him. Ian was pretty perceptive when it came to reading people. He remembered that Henry radiated a sense of innocence and kindness that reminded Ian of his sisters.

*******Flashback

"Now where is that damn book? The computer said it would be here." Ian huffed in annoyance. "Damn system. I've been waiting almost all year for that book."

The blonde removed his silver, wire framed glasses and rubbed his eyes. He was tired. It was late and freezing cold. The library would be closing in an hour and he was peeved. He had been waiting for that book for ages. He didn't really need it for class, he just wanted to read it. Ian had always had a fascination with mythology and this book intrigued him.

Shaking his head in resignation, he was about to leave when something caught his eye. In back the shelves, at one of the seldom-used tables, was a young man fervently studying. This intrigued Ian. It was the middle of January and thus the start of the term. Barely anyone used the library around this time, even juniors like Ian. As far as Ian knew, there had been no one else in here besides the staff.

Ian crept closer, careful to not make his presence known. In his experience, people who hid in the back like this often wanted to be alone when they studied. Ian didn't blame the kid. He couldn't study in his dorm room. Though he had an apartment to himself, his neighbors made it impossible to study sometimes.

As he neared the young man, he saw the open Calculus book and the various crumpled notebook papers. The young man was obviously frustrated and having problems. Ian could relate. Math was never his best subject. This young man was a freshman, from the look of his books. His eyes brightened when he saw the 'Introduction to Cultural Anthropology' book in the young man's open bag. Ian had taken that class as a freshman for his History major.

The young man groaned and slumped in his chair. Ian gave a small smile. Math was not this young man's forte. When the young man leaned back in the chair, Ian caught a glimpse of the young man's ice blue eyes. For a moment, he was reminded of his foster sisters, Megan and Gloria, who shared the same eyes as this young man. Ian moved a little closer to him. There was an innocence radiating from the young man, a calm and peaceful feeling that drew Ian in. As he stared at the young man, he felt protective instincts kick, similar to when he defended his sisters from his foster brothers.

He decided to make himself known to this young man, if only to help him out with his math. He snuck up behind the young man and placed a hand on his shoulder. The young man jumped and turned, meeting Ian's smiling eyes. As Ian's eyes locked with the ice blue ones, something in him had vibrated. When the young man smiled back at him instead of getting mad, the feeling intensified.

He made a show of looking at the book. "Calculus huh? Sucks don't it?" He didn't want the young man to know he had been watching him. Then he took a seat beside the young man as though he belonged there. Strangely enough, he felt as though he did. The young man stared at him and then nodded.

He gave a small laugh. "I'll say. Did they write this thing in English? If not, then I need the pocket translator."

Ian laughed at the joke and the young man was laughing with him. The young man was hesitant at first, but it grew as loud and as genuine as Ian's.

When they both calmed down, Ian straightened in his chair. He was heartened by the young man's smile and what looked like gratefulness in his eyes. It was almost as though he wasn't expecting Ian to be so kind or genuine. It saddened Ian a little but he didn't show it.

"So," he said to the young man. "You want some help? I did okay in Calculus. I'm no math whiz but I think I can get you at least B material. I'm Ian." He held his hand out to the young man to shake and he gladly accepted. Ian noticed that the young man's eyes brightened at the genuine offer of friendship. Ian felt a sadness, a loneliness from the young man and knew what that was like. As their eyes locked, Ian felt as though he had found the other half of his soul. He knew, right then, that the two of them were going to be close.

***********************************

He had felt so comfortable with Henry, like he could be himself and not be insulted or bullied. He never had that with his foster brothers. Henry was so like Ian when it came to his morals and his sense of justice that Ian felt so connected with Henry on a deep level.

The fact that Henry was the companion in his dreams only solidified Ian's feelings. The other night, he had finally come to a decision. He would tell Henry about the dreams and the nightmare. If Henry was in his dreams, did that mean that Henry had them too? Or was this merely a figment of his imagination? Either way, Ian knew Henry would listen without a criticizing mind. Henry would listen to him and take him seriously. But Ian had to tell him.

The only real problem was how to tell Henry. Ian wanted to do this in one fell swoop. He didn't think that he could do it again if Henry interrupted in 'Mother-Hen-Overdrive' Mode and that was exactly what Ian was afraid of. That was something Ian did not need. Sometimes, Henry was too overprotective of Ian. Who wouldn't be overprotective, with a family like Henry's? The world's nosiest busybodies. Ian would be overprotective and paranoid too.

Ian frowned a bit at that last thought. He had never met Henry's foster family. Though Ian kept in contact with his sisters, Henry had never again seen or heard from his foster family. How could they be nosy busybodies? It didn't make sense. He shook his head clear of the thought. He still had to figure out a way to tell Henry.

Please R&R. No flames! Thanks for reading!