Deppfreak: Thanks... Uh, yeah, short but meh... Uhm, I'm gonna try and upload more than one chap at a time but uhm... Okay, so... glad ya still like it though Uhm, yeah... Tortured Hanson here for sure

Rubydoo: Uhm, thanks for your review of I Already Have A Cat... Uhm, it's okay... been takin' me awhile to post... Uhm, thanks, glad you like it

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Hey Tommy, feel any better?"

Tom nodded his head slowly; he still felt dirty and sick, but lying was only the beginning. He had to fool Doug into believing he was okay. "Yeah. Clothes are kinda big though," he replied, voice silent and trying to smile.

"Least they're clean, right?"

The clothes were big, but not by much; the shirt hung just above Tom's knees and the sleeves just past his elbows; the pants were baggy and were rolled up in a thick cuff at his bare feet. But yeah, they were clean; it was better than nothing.

"Yeah," Tm whispered. "What about you? Do you need to-"

"Yeah, yeah I do," Doug answered, purposely leaving out the fact he had already tried earlier; he didn't need Tom feeling guilty about tearing Doug from his 'shower' or 'bath' or whatever it could be called. "Yeah, I got some clothes too-" Doug held up clothes similar to Tom's, expect that the shirt was a lighter green. "I was plannin' on goin' once you were finished," he smiled.

Tom gave his own weak grin, "Yeah, go ahead then, I'm done."

"Yeah. Uh hey, if ya want, Clavo's up for another hour..."

"I-I. Can I wait for you?" Tom cut off in a whisper, staring at Doug like a small child lectured about stealing a cookie or drawing on the wall with crayons.

"Well yeah, but I just thought-"

"I-I don't know them," Tom cut off. "Please Doug, I just wanna wait here."

They were standing in the hallway that led to the washroom, out of hearing range of the other occupants of the house. Only La Bizca spoke English, but Doug hadn't wanted to get her involved.

"Okay, just wait here then," Doug reasoned. "I'll try and be quick."

Tom looked down at the floor, twisting the bottom of 'his' shirt in his hands. "Doug, I-I just... When are we going home?"

"Soon Tommy, but I gotta wait. For Marta."

"Oh right," Tom whispered. "Guess I'll wait here, then, okay?"

"Tommy-"

"Just go, 'kay? You stink."

Tom's attempt at humour didn't phase Doug and he continued. "C'mon Tommy, don't-don't be like this. I swear we'll get home soon," he tried to reason. "La Bizca says news of Marta will come through here first. As soon as I find her, I swear we're all gonna go home."

"She's probably dead," Tom whispered bitterly and Doug stared at him, stunned; angered.

"Why the Hell would you say that?" Doug yelled, angered and hurt.

"Because it's true!" Tom yelled back. "She's gone, can't you understand that? Why do ya gotta be so damned attached to everything!"

Doug snapped; he hadn't wanted to; he hadn't wanted to hurt his friend, but this wasn't Tom. The Thomas Hanson he knew would never say anything like that; at least Doug didn't think he would. But Tom had changed into something unpredictable; he had been broken and was now a completely different person that Doug didn't know. So the older man snapped; he shoved Tom into the wall, anger gleaming in his eyes. "Shut up Tom, you don't... You don't know-" Doug's voice broke but his grip on the younger man still stayed strong, "What you're talking about," he finished, face inches from the other man's, anger and pain shining in his eyes.

"G-get off," Tom whispered, fear laced into his tone. "Doug I..." Now his voice broke and tears shone in his eyes. "I'm sorry, I never meant it. Really. I'm so sorry." A tear fell down Tom's face; Doug had stuck by him through everything he had gone through, and he had just said that. He wasn't even sure why, just that he had said it; he knew he had been thinking, and then it had just slipped out.

"Shit Tommy-" Doug whispered, pulling away. "Why did you say it then?"

"I-I don't know. Doug, I'm scared. I just want to go home."

Tom mentally cursed himself; he wasn't doing a very good job at pretending he was okay. In time though, a few hours even, he knew he would have it down; he just had to relax and settle into the facade – like he had done many times before.

"Yeah, sorry for-for pushin' you," Doug apologized. "It just pissed me off."

"Yeah," the younger officer mumbled. "I-I thought you were gonna hit me. Doug, you-you scared me."

'Shit,' was all Doug could think, because he was the only person here Tom could truly trust, and he had just gone and betrayed him; he had scared him. And it hadn't been the first time, either.

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah." Tom didn't believe him, though; he knew he could, and should, trust the other man, but he couldn't. In truth, he was scared of him. And he didn't even know the exact reason why. All he knew was that he was afraid of his best friend and had no idea why.

"What is wrong with me?" was all he could think, not hearing Doug when he said he was going to wash; not noticing when the older man left. He didn't notice when he leaned against the wall and slid down; he didn't remember closing his eyes and he didn't remember falling asleep. All he could remember was Doug yelling at him; pushing him; hurting him; scaring him.

TBC...