A/N: Sorry the delay guys.

Song for this chapter: The Fear you won't Fall, by Joshua Radin.

Edd suddenly woke up covered in a layer of sweat, not knowing where he was for a moment. When he recalled, he looked at the clock, it was only three in the morning. He ran a hand over his face, sighed, and stared at the ceiling, maybe he should go back to sleep.

Edd looked around looking for Derek, but he wasn't in the room. Edd tried to get up, didn't expecting that this simple act would cause so much effort, when he could sit he put an arm around his abdomen, his bruises still hurt a lot. He managed to get up and made his way to the living room, one floor below. Derek was sitting, sleeping, apparently in a very uncomfortable position. Edd took the blanket that was around his shoulders and covered the other. When he was going into the kitchen, he was startled when Derek grabbed his wrist.

"I thought you were sleeping." smiled.

"You were supposed to be sleeping, resting."

Derek looked tired. The hazel of his eyes were even more pronounced because of the deep dark circles below it. Edd didn't like being a burden to others.

"C-can I sleep with you?"

Derek just smiled and pulled Edd, who groaned because of injuries. "I'm sorry, but when you talk like that I stop working."

Edd smiled back. "No problem." And kissed lightly his lips.

Derek hugged him and lied right there on the couch, he made the possible for Edd could get comfortable, positioning himself at the edge of the couch so Edd would not fall.

"Please wake me up when it is time to go to school." Edd said facing the couch.

"You shouldn't go." Derek said, his lips close to Edd's nape.

"Please." Edd pressed a little more his embrace.

Derek kissed his nape in response.

Double D woke up smelling fried eggs. What a delicious smell. He didn't realize he was hungry, but it was to be expected since they hadn't eaten. He looked at the clock...

"NINE O'CLOCK?" Edd stood up too quickly causing his injuries to hurt more than necessary. "Derek, I said 'please'." He said with a squeaky voice.

Derek appeared in the doorway of the living room, wearing an apron with a frying pan in one hand and a spatula in the other.

"Edd, you're not under conditions, be merciful to yourself." He smiled and turned back to the stove, Edd went behind him. "And before you complain," Derek said, his back facing Double D, "you can ask for the homework to Eddy or Ed, since you have the same classes."

"What about the notes, or do you really think either of them do it?" Edd smiled at his own comment.

"You can ask it for the teachers. They know that you are a model student, and if you're absent, it's for a good reason."

"I'm never absent."

"Exactly." Derek turned and smiled at Double D.

Edd sighed deeply and hugged his partner from behind, relaxing his face into his back, making Derek smile.

Derek's body was warm, and his company more than pleasant, it might be a good idea to rest for a day and avoid questions about his injuries.

"What about you?" Edd asked, exploring the muscles of his partner' stomach.

"I am also a model student." Derek said, and they both laughed.

When it was eleven, Derek had gone to his home to get clean clothes, because for some reason Edd's parents would just come back on the next day.

Edd was in his bed - with nothing to do because Derek had taken care of everything - when his cellphone vibrated, Edd smiled as he read the message from Eddy.

[[From Eddy]] Damn Edd, where r u? Who r with u? Fuck anyone who wants to take your friendship away from me because I arrived first in this shit. Any son of a bitch will be able to separate us.

[[From Edd]] Relax Eddy. I am at home, I was not feeling very well.

[[From Eddy]] Now it's serious Double D, Nazz told me what happened. Why the hell didn't u call me?

[[From Edd]] There was no need to disturb you. Derek is with me.

[[From Eddy]] All right about that, but hey Double D, it's me :'( Anyway, I'll stop by your house after school, along with Ed.

[[From Edd]] This would be wonderful!

[[From Eddy]] great! Bye then.

Edd would put his cell phone aside when it rang again.

[[From Eddy]] N ask Derek to cook something cause I'll be hungry, me and Ed got detention again. Bye!

Double D couldn't help but laugh.

[[From Edd]] Perfectly Eddy.

As he had promised, when Derek arrived, he asked if he could cook something for the Eds. Derek just smiled and nodded happily; being the good chef he was, it was always a pleasure to cook in large quantities, and it was always good to think of great proportions when speaking about the Eds.

Knowing Edd's friends, Derek baked two large pieces of meat, made mashed potatoes and the gravy Ed adored. The smell was contaminating the house and Edd's lungs, causing his stomach to snore. For some reason, he had been unable to eat right for breakfast or lunch, but now his body screamed for food. That fact amused Derek, who provoked furthermore Edd' stomach preparing especially for him, his favorite Greek dish: youvetsi. Edd cursed his friends delay: he wanted to eat immediately.

The Eds' detention ended at five o'clock, and it didn't take long for them to arrive at Edd's house, who was more impatient than ever, sitting at the kitchen table while Derek opened the door. His joy, however, reappeared when he saw how Ed was concerned.

"Double D, I'm sorry, but I can't hug you because Eddy said that if I do that, I'd hurt you even more. I don't wanna hurt my Double D. But you should have been more careful, you need to pay attention with aliens on the loose."

Ed clutched tightly Double D's hand, which really started to hurt, but Edd tried to push the pain away, because the happiness to see the concern of his friend overcame that.

"I'm really well Ed, no need to worry. And you're right: I should have paid more attention to the aliens." Edd laughed at his own comment.

Eddy had approached, shoving Ed away from Edd, and put a hand on the chair back where Double D was sitting and came face to face with his friend.

"Next time you don't tell me when this happens," Eddy stuck his finger in Edd's face. "I'll be the one to beat the crap out of you."

"Love you too Eddy." Edd said with a wry smile.

Eddy just huffed. He took on the chin of his friend and began to turn it from one side to the other inspecting his bruised face.

"That asshole really took rough with you." Eddy stood upright and crossed his arms. "I'll finish that motherfucker's race."

"I already took care of that." Derek said with a grin, sitting at the table.

"Then let's do it again. So he really learns not to mess with those who he shouldn't." Eddy also sat down, his stomach growled, and said with a smile:" But for now, the only thing that will end the race, is of this delicious steak that is sensually staring at me. "

Everyone at the table laughed.

"Ed, I also thought you'd be hungry, so I prepared a lot of gravy for ya." Derek said, smiling wide at the big, bright, sparkling eyes Ed was giving.

Ed grabbed Derek in an affected, painful embrace, with tears in his eyes. "You make me happy!"

"That's good Ed, but I need to breathe."

"Sorry, but you did make Ed really happy." Ed replied with the widest smile he could give.

Kevin spent the entire day trying to find Edd, but he wasn't anywhere. He expected Edd wouldn't come to school, but somewhere inside himself, he was expecting to see the boy at any time, as he headed to his locker. Kevin wanted to make sure that Edd was good, wish he could talk normally with him about anything, they might even talk about algebra or science… he wanted to see the gap between his teeth.

Given these thoughts, Kevin reflected on what Nazz said, and if what the girl said was true, when did he come to create such feelings of affection at Edd? Could he be in...love? Kevin tried to push those thoughts away from his head, it wasn't possible, it was all happening too fast. Edd always had been there every day trying to talk to Kevin. Not that he ignored him, but he used to respond to Edd's excited questions in a simply way.

Now that he hadn't seen Edd, for just one day, he was feeling lonely.

Kevin just now realized: they lately were walking a bit closer together than normal, it was in part Nazz' fault, who had become really friendly with the guy. In parts it was fault of Kevin's incapacity in learning anything about science. Thus, it turned somewhat routine to spend more time together.

Kevin violently punched his locker. What the fucking hell is happening to me?

Kevin angrily hung the bag on his shoulder, and rubbed his face fiercely. He was decided to leave these complications aside, he had more important things to worry about. Whenever Kevin didn't understand something, he looked for an explanation, but now he decided to make an exception to what he was feeling. He didn't want to understand.

Kevin couldn't concentrate on his last two classes. He thought about nothing. Not even in Edd. He was just looking sometimes out, sometimes at the teacher, sometimes anywhere.

Troy babbled happily about Hailey, - or was it Hanna? Kevin hadn't paid attention - a girl he met at a party, he kept talking about the girl, and now he believed to be in love.

Now has everyone decided to fall in love? Kevin thought looking disinterested at Troy, his chin resting in his hand.

Troy continued jabbering while Kevin was pretending to pay attention, but he was thinking how he wasn't willing to go to training, that would begin in a few minutes. However, it was essential that Kevin attend, they had a small chance to enter the semifinals, and he was determined to not let the chance slip through his hands. The team had noticeably improved, and them all had lit a flame in their breasts, believing they would win. And as much as Kevin resisted to admit, Derek became the surprise element of the team. The guy was good and Kevin recognized when a player was good.

For Kevin the minutes were passing slowly and he was using the reserves of his energy to try to get excited to train. It was the only time he could actually clear his mind and focus on something he liked.

He blessed the moment his class was over.

The rest of his energy, however, faded away as the others of the team were arriving at the changing room. He wanted to make a statement, almost an intimation, he couldn't blink. When everybody was assembled, he drew attention.

He went straight to the point.

"I dunno who, nor why," he lied "but the next person who lays a finger on Eddward are going to have to explain themselves to me, and to the director. Eddward has had, let' say, the decency not telling who it was, but I'm not as decent as him…"

"Why the hell you are defending that dork?" Exactly the one who should have the chutzpah to stay quiet, spoke. Roger.

Kevin's blood bubbled.

Only I call him as 'dork'.

"Because that dork is my friend and I defend my friends." He said pointing a finger at Roger.

Roger got up and came face to face with Kevin.

"Get your fucking finger out of my face." He said slapping Kevin's hand away. "And since when are you friends?"

"And since when does it matter? What matters is that I won't let that happen again. "

"Since when do you care? As far as I know, you used to do it with him. "

"I've never done it that way," Kevin leaned back offended.

Roger made a face of disgust.

"You .. you like him. "

Kevin didn't know how to distinguish if it was a statement or a question.

"And what if I like him? Since when is it your problem?"

Everyone's jaw dropped. Troy was the least to believe what he was seeing and hearing.

Kevin put his hands on Roger's shoulders and pressed him against the lockers. "Now, know that if you mess with Eddward you're messing up with me. And if I know that Edd was beaten again and you had something to do with it, you can consider your position on the team down."

Roger was looking at him indignantly.

"Let that be clear." Kevin looked at the rest of the team, who were astonished at that discussion. "To everyone."

No one moved.

"If anyone has any problem regarding this subject, I want you say it to my face, directly." No one moved. "NOW MOVE!" Kevin shouted, and everyone huddled in the chance to get out of there.

Roger thought that Kevin knew what had happened, but he wasn't sure.

"I expected more from you Kevin." Roger hissed, pulling away sharply from Kevin, and headed out.

"I don't like him, but he surely is my friend!" Kevin murmured. Why am I explaining myself?

Roger stopped at the exit, holding on the arch of the door, and looked at Kevin.

"Whatever!" And left.

Kevin threw his head back, running a hand over his face, and sighed heavily.

I'm diggin my own grave.

He smiled.