When things failed to improve the following day—physically, though that other situation wasn't looking particularly healthy either—Kevin finally had to admit that he was (probably) legitimately ill.

Exhaustion had chased him through restless sleep, interrupted by odd fits which woke him, breathless and disoriented. His color wasn't much better than it had been the day before and the bruised shadows around his eyes were tinged with an almost livid redness. His stomach was still raw, but though he forced himself to eat anyway he felt shaky and weak, as though he'd skipped his last three meals. At least the puncture on his stomach was a little less angry looking, though the surrounding skin still felt hot and irritated.

Stubbornly, he decided to try and hold out until the end of the week. They hadn't caught a new case yet, so it wasn't like he was putting anybody at risk. If he was still sick by then he could see a doctor if he had to, otherwise he wasn't about to buckle under for some stupid bug...

He couldn't afford to when the rest of his life was such a mess.

He had been at work for less than an hour before he realized he probably would have been better off not coming at all. When he wasn't too light-headed to think, the only thoughts he had were of how badly he seemed to be failing in the two most important relationships he had. Kevin was still cursing himself out for the miss-step he'd made with Javier. His only bitter comfort was the knowledge that he and Javier hadn't slept together, which meant he wouldn't be forced to make that confession to Jenny.

He was still uncertain whether the fact that he thought he could have was something he ought to admit as well...

Honestly, between the uncertain state of his mind and the worsening state of his body, it was amazing Kevin managed to make it half the day. It was a dizzy spell that finally signaled the end of his valiant efforts, and he counted himself lucky that he made it to the men's room before everything started to turn hazy and muted—

Though perhaps it hadn't been the best place either, because there was nobody there to help when he collapsed.

When Kevin came back to consciousness he was sitting on damp tile. His head was throbbing again, his stomach tight, and just about everything ached... And, as he finally fought his eyes open, he saw that Javier was kneeling in front of him, eyes filled with concern that verged quietly on panic. Delirious, Kevin tried to reassure his partner that he was fine, but his tongue, like the rest of him felt heavy and odd, so he watched mutely as Javier lifted a hand toward his face.

And something...fluttered just under the surface of his own skin as Javier's fingers made contact. It was a strange, startling sensation, sparking a squirming panic that threatened to topple the already feeble control he had over his nausea. Yet, as alarming as it was, Kevin found himself leaning into the touch as the overwhelming sickness seemed to lessen.

"Shit."

His partner's curse was barely audible, but Kevin was happy to hear even that much over the rushing sound that had been drowning out everything else. Though he was much less pleased when Javier pulled his hand away and that ill feeling quickly reasserted itself. The next thing he knew, Javier had pulled him to his knees and he was heaving painfully over the toilet.

The next hour passed in something of a blur. Kevin vaguely remembered Javier saying something to Beckett—some excuse for taking him home—but he couldn't recall the ride that followed.

Things got a bit clearer once he was sitting on the edge of the bed so that Javier could remove his shirt. He realized dully and distantly that it was Javier's bedroom and not his own, but the detail failed to hold any significance in the present moment. Javier finished stripping his clothing and got him under the sheets, quickly removing his own and sliding in beside him. Though the arms that closed around him held him close, however, Javier was very quiet, his muscles tense. Even through the fog of his own discomfort, Kevin found it worrying.

They lay that way for several moments as the shaking and nausea began to recede, and Kevin was finally able to focus past the pain and confusion. Able to react to what was happening and to himself and where he was, naked and clinging tightly to his partner.

"I'm sorry, Kev," Javier was whispering, over and over again, voice tight and afraid, "I'm so sorry..."

It took more effort than he could ever remember needing for Kevin to claw his thoughts together enough to wonder what he was apologizing for.

"Javi?" His voice was a weak, dry croak that he barely even heard, though from the way his partner froze at the words Javier must have at least been aware of the attempt. "What...what's going on?"

Kevin felt Javier's hands stir, fingertips hovering indecisively against his skin as though caught between the urge to comfort and a reluctance to touch. Too weak to turn his head and look, Kevin couldn't meet his eye, but as close as they were he was acutely aware of Javier's every breath and the attitude of his body, and he could feel as well as hear the tension that wound its way into his partner's voice when he finally spoke.

"I shouldn't have done it," Javier said, his voice oddly soft and sad. "I don't know what I was thinking... You agreed, but I knew you didn't really believe me. You were drunk—we both were drunk, and I didn't know what the hell I was doing. God... Afterwards I just hoped it wouldn't take..."

"Hoped what wouldn't take?" Finding some presence in his own voice and thoughts, Kevin pushed his way past the clinging confusion. "Javier...what's happening to me?"

Javier's hands did brush lightly against his arms, then, and he heard his partner take a shaking breath before he answered.

"I think... I think I'm killing you," Javier said. He sounded scared, numb. "I gave you a part of me and...I think it's eating you from the inside. I never meant for that to happen, Kevin, please believe that. I swear to God I never thought it would hurt you like this."

And Kevin desperately wanted to argue that what his partner was saying was crazy. Yet it was obvious that something was going horribly wrong inside him. He didn't know what it was, but he could feel it. And while he couldn't understand how, being close to Javier like he was seemed to help. That didn't even begin to make sense, unless...

Suddenly, he was terrified of more than just the pain in his body. As insane as his partner's claims had been, Kevin realized he was finally starting to believe them.