Disclaimers: I don't own Saw or any of the characters.

Other: I was introduced to a song that fits Adam quite well. It's called Iridescent by Linkin Park. You should really listen to it. Not only is it an awesome song, but it reminds me of our little darling. :D If you know of any other songs that fit Adam, feel free to let me know! :) I just decided to let you guys know about this one. It's cool.

After this chapter, Adam's life picks up. He doesn't have as many nightmares, stuff like that. I can't wait to write the next chapter, which, I believe, will be the one where Adam finally brings Lawrence to the nightclub that Lawrence had promised to go to if Adam went out to dinner with him. Haaha, that'll be fun. So, I hope you guys are liking my fanfic so far. Enjoy this chapter, and thanks for reading. :)

Adam's panicked screams echoed in the dimly lit bedroom. Lawrence had agreed to keeping lights on while they slept, but not to the full maximum. Therefore, the lights had been on at a low setting, and Adam had several nightlights plugged into wall sockets by his side of the bed.

Lawrence lurched forward, his heart racing, startled badly by the way he had woken up. For a moment, he thought Adam was being brutally murdered; the screams were brimming with panic, horror, and desperation. Adam often screamed in his sleep. His dreams were always poisoned by nightmares. But tonight was different. These screams were different. Concentrating on slowing his heart, Lawrence looked over at his sleeping lover. Tears streamed down his flushed face, and he was gripping the blanket so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.

He wouldn't stop screaming. Normally, his screams were short outbursts in the middle of the night. But tonight, he went on and on, growing more and more intense and terrified as the seconds ticked by. He thrashed violently to the left, nearly falling off the bed, his chest heaving. He was using most of his breath to scream, and Lawrence could see, and hear, that Adam was having difficulty breathing – to the point of near hyperventilation.

"No, no, not again, please, God, not again! No…No! I can't…I'm so sorry…Please…No!" Adam suddenly shouted. Diana came racing into the room, frightened by Adam's screams. She stood in the doorway, staring at the shaking, sweating form beside Lawrence.

"Honey, go back to bed. He's having a nightmare. I'm going to wake him up, alright?" Lawrence said to Diana. The little girl hesitated, hugging a stuffed tiger plushie to her chest tightly.

"Daddy…I'm scared," she whispered, her eyes not leaving Adam. Lawrence smiled reassuringly at her.

"Diana, please. Go back to your room. He'll be alright. You can hug him tomorrow to make him feel better," he told her. She nodded, paused in the doorway, and then left the room. Lawrence looked back down at Adam, who was still screaming in mortal terror. Lawrence took the boy's sweaty bicep and shook it, hard. Adam almost always slept shirtless.

He didn't wake up. Lawrence grabbed Adam and yanked him up off the mattress. The kid's eyes flew open, glazed with horror and tears. His screams ended, and he now sobbed hysterically, shaking all over. His loud, heart-wrenching sobs and pant-like breathing made Lawrence desperate to comfort him. The older man put his arms around Adam and hugged him as tight as he could, giving Adam the sense of security he craved.

"Shhh….Adam….It's okay….It was just a dream, all a dream, you're alright," Lawrence murmured into Adam's ear. Adam clung to him, unable to calm down. He was shaking like a leaf in a hurricane, his tears soaking Lawrence's shirt. His fingers dug painfully deep into Lawrence's back, but Lawrence didn't complain.

They were like this for an hour. When Adam finally calmed down enough – crying silently and breathing raggedly – Lawrence glanced over at the digital clock by their bed. It was four in the morning. He had to leave for work in an hour.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lawrence asked gently, beginning to stroke Adam's back. Adam shook his head with a sharp intake of breath, and Lawrence didn't push it. For the next half hour, Lawrence silently held Adam and stroked his back, occasionally murmuring soft, loving things, and Adam clung to him, crying and trembling.

But Lawrence had to get ready for work now. He slowly eased away from Adam, watching him carefully. The panic was renewed.

"Don't…Don't…" Adam gasped, his hand curling tightly into the sheets, fresh tears pouring from his eyes. Lawrence leaned forward and kissed Adam passionately, his hands cupping the frightened boy's face. A whimper of despair sounded at the back of Adam's throat when Lawrence finally broke the kiss and got out of bed.

"I'm sorry. I have to, Adam. I already used up all of my sick leaves. I need to go to work. I can't lose my job. I promise I'll come home as soon as I can," Lawrence said, his heart breaking. He turned the lights on to the strongest setting and began tugging on his work clothes; a pair of black dress pants, a pale green silk shirt, which he tucked in, as usual, and his white doctor's coat. Adam watched him, his breath hitching, all the color draining from his face.

Lawrence finished putting on his black socks and formal shoes, and stood up.

"I'll have Diana sleep in here with you, okay? You won't be alone," Lawrence told him. He left the room and went to his daughter's bedroom. She was sitting up in bed, her eyes wide. She hadn't been able to fall back asleep; she was worried about Adam. Lawrence scooped her up into his arms.

"I need you to stay with Adam all day today, alright? Don't you leave his presence for a single moment. Be very nice to him, don't act loud, and don't make any sudden movements or noises. He's very afraid," Lawrence whispered into her ear. The little girl nodded and kissed her father's cheek.

Lawrence placed Diana onto the comfortable king sized bed, and she curled up beside Adam. But Adam didn't even give the child a glance. His widened eyes with their now-giant pupils focused on Lawrence, silently pleading him to stay. It was the worst nightmare Adam had ever had in the time he'd been with Lawrence, and it really was hard for Lawrence to leave him like this. But it was necessary. So the doctor left.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hi, daddy!" Diana chirped into the wall phone, playing with the curly cord. A cheerful grin lit up her young face. She loved receiving phone calls from her father while he was at work. It made her feel important. Everything about her father made her feel special. He treated her very kindly and respectfully. Though she would never admit it, Diana secretly preferred living with her father over living with her mother. Her mother was very good to her, but she was often a little cold and unsocial. She hadn't even called Diana once in the time she'd been away. It hurt Diana's feelings a little, but there was nothing she could do about it.

Her father's warm, deep voice drifted over from the other side of the phone.

"Hey, baby. How's Adam doing?"

Adam was another story. Diana loved him as though he were her older brother. In fact, he was like the brother she unfortunately never had. She knew that Lawrence loved Adam in a way that a prince loves his princess, but she never said anything about it, because she had a vague idea that she wasn't supposed to know. But it was so obvious. Lawrence always looked at Adam with such deep love and compassion that it made her want to smile. And Adam was always giving Lawrence hugs. Diana approved greatly of this relationship. She was glad that they were together. She was too young to understand any of it, but despite her naïve, childish innocence, she was happy with their relationship. All she knew was that they made each other happy. Adam was her daddy's princess.

Diana looked across the living room. The boy of subject was huddled in a corner, his eyes puffy, red-rimmed, and had dark half-moons beneath them. His chocolate colored hair stood up on end in three different directions, and he was fidgeting with his sleeves. Dressed in a large, cotton gray hoodie and a pair of jeans, he looked very thin and vulnerable. She didn't like seeing him like this. He was supposed to be tough, funny, intimidating Adam. Adam, who was like her guardian angel; Adam, who would protect her with his life; Now, he was just a very frightened young man who looked like he was about to cry.

He hadn't eaten anything all day, nor had he gone back to sleep. His heavy headphones covered his ears, and she could hear heavy metal blasting from them. His face was pale and he looked…haunted. His eyes never focused on one thing; they constantly roamed the apartment, as if he were searching for something, or suspicious. Earlier, she had dropped her cereal bowl. It had crashed to the floor and broke into five pieces. Adam had jumped nearly a foot into the air and cried out in terror. Then he had huddled up into the corner, where he remained to this moment. She had dropped the bowl nearly six hours ago. He hadn't left that spot.

Diana described all of this to her father, only to be answered with a sad sigh.

"So he hasn't slept or eaten?" Lawrence asked. Diana shook her head, forgetting she was on the phone and he couldn't see her.

"…Diana?" her father asked. A huge grin split across her face and she swallowed a giggle.

"No, he hasn't. What do you want me to do, daddy?" she replied.

"Well, I'll be home in five minutes for my one hour lunch break. So, in the meantime, simply sit with Adam, okay? It might cheer him up," Lawrence said. They exchanged their goodbyes, and Diana hung up. She walked over to Adam and sat down in front of him. His eyes immediately landed on her, and he tugged off the headphones, letting it hang around his neck.

"Are you okay, Diana?" Adam asked, concerned. She stared gravely up at him.

"Are you?" she countered. Adam didn't smile, but his voice sounded amused and proud.

"Nice one; very clever and sharp…I'm raising you well. Though, I guess your daddy wouldn't really like that," Adam said. Diana moved forward and cuddled against his chest. After a hesitated moment, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, and rested his head on hers, closing his eyes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

For the next three days, Adam didn't sleep. He barely ate; when he was given a meal, he picked at it, took a few small bites, and then pushed his plate away from him. Before the nightmare, Adam had been looking healthy again. But now he had took hold of that haunted, scared, sick look that he had lost through hard work. Each night, Lawrence would coax Adam into lying on the bed. He hoped that Adam would sleep. But he didn't. He'd curl up into a tight, tight ball and stare at the nightlight. The lights had to be stronger to make Adam feel safer, and it was harder for Lawrence to sleep. Every time the doctor woke up and looked over at his lover, he'd see him sitting up in the same position that he had been in when Lawrence fell asleep.

On the fourth night of no sleep, Adam sat huddled against the headboard, a look of anxiety printed on his frightened face. He looked terrible due to lack of sleep – his eyes looked like those of a junkie's, his hands had a constant tremor, and he was as jumpy as a cat. Lawrence had had enough. It was two in the morning. The young man should've been fast asleep.

Lawrence rolled out of bed, thanking the Lord that he had no work tomorrow. He was worried-sick about Adam. The boy just wouldn't sleep. No matter what Lawrence said or did, those sad eyes would not close while lying down. He came up with an idea. If he could relax Adam, the boy would sleep. Just get him very comfortable, warm, and relaxed. He would never drug Adam. That would make Adam lose all trust and respect for him.

"Adam, I'm going to give you a bath," Lawrence announced. Adam stared at him as if he had just suggested that Adam try doing a back-flip.

"What the hell? I'm not four," Adam protested. But the doctor wouldn't hear of it. He scooped him up in his arms. Adam had gained healthy weight through plenty of exercise and a regular diet, and wasn't as light as he used to be, but Lawrence still managed to easily carry him.

He carried him into the bathroom, ignoring Adam's sarcastic comments. Like him insisting that he could walk on his own. Lawrence set him down on the counter and then leaned over, plugging up the bathtub. At the corner of his eye, he could see Adam recoil; after all, the kid had woken up drugged in a bathtub. But Adam didn't say anything, so Lawrence twisted the 'hot water' faucet. The water automatically began pouring into the tub, and Lawrence poured in a capful of soap for some light bubbles. Adam sat on the counter, watching with tired amusement.

While he waited for the tub to fill, Lawrence turned around and placed his hands on either side of Adam's hips, resting his forehead against Adam's. They looked into each other's eyes, seeing different things. Adam saw deep, genuine love, concern, affection, and care. Lawrence saw sadness, fear, amusement, and, of course, love.

"I love you," Lawrence murmured, stroking Adam's cheek. Adam's eyes filled with tears, and his breath hitched.

"Yeah?" Adam said, smiling. Lawrence nodded.

"Yeah," he replied, returning the smile.

"'Cause I love you, too," Adam whispered. He leaned forward and kissed Lawrence deeply, his hands taking Lawrence's shoulders. Lawrence ran his fingers through Adam's dark, soft hair, his tongue tracing Adam's lower lip before entering his mouth, tasting sweet beer and minty toothpaste. He didn't want Adam to get horny. That wasn't the purpose of this plan. So before they could go any further, he broke the kiss and caressed Adam's pale face.

"Are you ready for your bath?" Lawrence asked, once the bath was full. Adam nodded, his eyes half closed. Lawrence undressed him and scooped him up into his strong arms, placing him gently into the hot, sudsy water. Steam rose steadily from the water, floating up into the air as lazy as a cloud drifting across the sky. At first, Adam tensed up, allowing his body to get used to the uncomfortably hot water. Eventually he relaxed against the curve of the tub, resting his head against one of those foamy pillows. His expression was one of complete bliss, and Lawrence felt triumphant.

His plan was working so far.

For awhile, Lawrence silently washed Adam's body with a cloth; massaging his neck and shoulders, scrubbing his back and torso, rubbing his legs and hips. The hot water sloshed against Adam, washing away the soap. Lawrence shampooed Adam's messy, soft hair, careful as to not hurt his scalp. By now, Adam's eyes were closed, and all tension had left his body. He lay in the steaming water completely at peace, all worry smoothed from his face. His breathing had evened out and grew more calm and deep.

Lawrence dumped a small pail of the hot water over Adam's head several times to wash the shampoo out of his hair, and Adam blinked sleepily up at him. Lawrence found it overwhelmingly adorable for some reason; his heart swelled, and he bit back a grin, watching his lover with extreme affection. Adam stared impassively at him, and then sunk further into the water, still keeping eye-contact with Lawrence. A shaky sigh escaped those sinful lips, and he began to talk.

"We were in the bathroom…again. And J-Jigsaw came in with a gun and a horsewhip. He grabbed you off of the floor. You had already hacked your…your…your foot…off. And you were…dying. Jigsaw began to whip you really hard, right in front of me. He…He gave me the gun and told me to kill you. He continued whipping, and you were crying and looking up at me, begging me for help. Begging me to stop Jigsaw. But…But I…I didn't. I only stood there and watched. And…And then you…you…" Adam's voice broke off and he leaned forward, burying his head into his knees, his hands grasping at the sides of his head. He sobbed.

"I could've shot Jigsaw with that gun. But I didn't. I only stood there and cried, completely useless…As always. You were about to die. He suddenly stopped, rolled you over onto your back, and knelt beside you. With the little breath you had, you cried out in pain. He ripped his mask off. It was my father. I fell to my knees and began to hyperventilate, staring at him in…in…in fucking shame."

Adam took a few deep, steadying breaths.

"He said…He said that I had to kill you now. Or he'd beat me again. And he promptly began whipping you again. You died. And I shot him in the head. I lunged forward and tried to grab onto your hand. I thought you had died. But you really didn't. You stared at me with bleeding eyes, angry and hateful. And…And you…you said, 'You did this to me. You could've saved me. It's your fault I died. You disgust me.' And then you died. I couldn't reach you. It was all my fault. If I had just shot Jigsaw…" his voice broke again and he wailed.

Lawrence leaned forward and pulled him into his arms, not caring that Adam was soaking wet. Adam buried his head against Lawrence's shirt and sobbed loudly, his cries echoing in the bathroom. His fingers curled into the material of his shirt.

"It was just a dream, Adam. You couldn't control your dream; nobody can. It never actually happened," Lawrence murmured into Adam's ear. Adam nodded.

"I know," he insisted, frustrated. "I know. I know how fucking pathetic this is, alright? It just…It was…I don't…Shit, Lawrence…Losing you…Even in a dream…Is terrifying," Adam said. He shook his head.

"And it wasn't just losing you like that…My father was there. He killed you. You, the one person I ever truly loved, killed by the one person I've always hated. Except I didn't hate him; I loved him…And I don't know why. All he did was make me miserable. He nearly killed me, he hated me, he was psychotic. But…But I still loved him," Adam went on, as if he had to get this all off his chest.

"He's your father. You love him because of that. It's very difficult for a child not to love their parent, no matter how badly the parent treats them. He's a sick man, Adam. It's not your fault. I want you to forget about the dream," Lawrence explained.

"Was," Adam said bitterly. His voice was growing thick.

"What?" Lawrence asked.

"He was. The bastard died years ago," Adam replied. He was now slurring. Lawrence lowered Adam back into the water, which was still hot, but not steaming any more.

Adam let out a sigh, curling up comfortably in the hot water. His exhaustion was taking toll. Lawrence could see that.

"Adam?" Lawrence asked. Adam didn't open his eyes. He made a small noise of acknowledgement at the back of his throat.

"I love you," Lawrence said softly. Adam smiled. He would've responded, Lawrence knew, but the kid drifted off to sleep before he could. Lawrence pulled the plug of the bathtub and left the room, entering the bedroom, and grabbed a pair of clean, dry boxers of Adam's, and entered the bathroom again. He lifted his boyfriend out of the bathtub, dried him off with a towel. Adam woke up to that, but was completely out of it, and wasn't able to help him. When you miss sleep for four days, your movements grow slow and unsteady.

Lawrence carried him into bed and tucked him beneath a heap of warm comforters. He climbed into bed and hugged him against his firm torso. Adam slept deeply and peacefully.

Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it. Review, please? :)