Tom didn't bother with the driver but instead fled the opulent town house, not even bothering to retrieve his coat from the servants. He walked the few blocks to Charlie's home quickly, his eyes securely fastened to the pavement. He dared not meet the eyes of any of the passersby though he was sure he drew a few looks in his state of disheveled undress.

He made it to Charlie's own townhouse in under ten minutes and hurried inside. He murmured a greeting to Johns but otherwise didn't stop until he had locked the door of his bedroom behind himself. He slumped onto the crisply made bed. He supposed it was to be expected. No one had slept in this room in weeks. Tom kept many of his belongings in here in order to keep up appearances but otherwise he slept in Charlie's room every night. The servants no doubt knew of them but none of them would dare gossip about their employer.

Tom struggled to get himself under control. It was hard just as it had been before but somehow he felt almost invigorated by the energy as it had coursed down his arm and out of his fingertips. He looked down at his hand turning it over to examine it but nothing looked any different than anyone else's hand.

The dark haired man got up and stripped himself of his clothing leaving him only clad in his undershorts. He walked over to the basin and filled it with water from the accompanying pitcher before he started wiping himself down. There was indoor plumbing that provided water through a shower in the watercloset but for some reason he found comfort in doing something as simple and rubbing his skin with the chilled water.

Charlie's boss frightened him. More than he cared to admit if he were honest. The light had picked up on his fright and returned to ward off the threat. But it went against his own wants. Tom didn't want to hurt anyone, not even the intimidating mob boss.

He wondered, not for the first time, who he really was. All he had to go on was the pendant that hung around his neck. The triangular symbol that looked so familiar to him but he could never quite grasp its meaning no matter how long he stared at it. He'd looked through many books but without some sort of point of reference, he was at a loss as the where to really start looking.

Rothstein had seemed to recognize the symbol somehow, or more likely, the man was playing mind games with him. He couldn't understand why the man would deliberately goad him like that and he was sure that he had. The mobster had looked smug when he'd been thrown away as if his point had been proven.

AR seemed like the epitome of a blood hound. Not letting go of a scent until his prey had been caught. Tom worried now that he was the prey which only confused him. He'd thought the mob boss was interested in Charlie not in himself. Tom shook the thoughts off. None of this mattered. He'd stay as far from Rothstein as he possibly could.

Charlie entered AR's home and made his way upstairs to the second floor to the office. He'd finished his tasks early and had finally thought of a suitable job for Tom. His second cousin was a library manager at the Yorkville Library. It was a smaller library but it was within walking distance and since Charlie had gotten Don the position, he could call in the favor and get Tom a job.

Charlie was quite proud of himself and his pride must have shown on his face when he walked in.

"What are you so happy about?"

Charlie instantly wiped his face of the expression. "Uh nothing AR, I got your money and here is the assessment on the operations at the docks."

AR took the papers and read through them before putting them down and looking up at Charlie. He gestured for his second to sit, something that was unusual and almost never boded well. Charlie grabbed a side chair and seated himself across from his boss.

Rothstein smiled that enigmatic smile of his. "Charlie, I had a little run in with your Tom this morning. He seemed to resent the fact that you're mine. So much so that the mysterious green light made a reappearance. No daggers this time but enough to push me half across the room."

Charlie was tempted to ask what AR had been doing to warrant being pushed by whatever power Tom possessed but held his tongue. He wanted to keep it after all.

Best to get this under control quickly. "Sir, I'll make sure it never happens again."

AR's smile widened and took on an edge of smugness. "Oh no. I don't want you to stop it. I want you to get him to do it again. He is obviously beyond human, and it's a boon that he has no memory of his life before you found him in those woods. He will either be a great asset or a great threat." The mob boss's eyes narrowed a bit with a look of violence. "I'm leaving the decision of which in your hands. Keep in mind though, what I do to people I consider a threat."

Charlie could do nothing but nod his head.

Rothstein inclined his own head in agreement and his voice lightened as if the previous statement had never happened. "Bring him by here tomorrow."

He needed to get Tom away from AR. "Uh, I found him a job and I was going to take him there-"

Arnold's voice was sharp. "What job?"

The Sicilian hastily explained, "He has a great fascination with books and learning. If he ever read anything before the accident, he doesnt remember it so I thought I'd get him a job at a library."

"Which Library?"

"The Yorkville."

Arnold paused a moment thinking over what Charlie had said before coming to some sort of mental descision. "Nevermind then. Let him work. He and I can have our conversation another time."

Charlie restrained a sigh of relief and nodded and got up. He was about to walk out the door when he heard one more thing.

"Was he wearing that pendant when you found him?"

Charlie froze for a few seconds before he turned and looked back at AR but the man was looking at his paperwork again.

He should have taken the god damned necklace too. "Yes."

Charlie saw the subtle smirk before Arnold's face smoothed out and he nodded, dismissing Charlie.

Charlie descended the stairs feeling unease coiling in his gut. He collected his overcoat and hat without conscious thought and left the grand town home. AR had not even hinted at their usual intimate ritual, he'd seemed far more interested in Tom, which could not bode well for the green eyed man. Arnold was well known for getting everything he wanted and doing anything required to get it.

Charlie climbed into his car and started it up. He let is idle for a minute while trying to think of ways out of this situation. He pulled into traffic and made his way down Central Park West to his turn off.

The easiest and quickest solution would be to send Tom away. Contact one of his relatives in Sisily perhaps and give Tom enough money to help him land on his feet. Rothstein's reach didn;t really extend outside the states and in particular the eastern seaboard. But AR would probably have him murdered if he even suspected Charlie of helping Tom escape.

Charlie turned onto 54th and drove the last block to his brownstone. It was earlier in the day so there was ample parking on the narrow street. He climbed out of the cadilac and made his way inside. Johns met him at the door and took his overcoat.

Charlie could see from the door that the lights in the library were off. "Where's Tom?"

"Mister Marriston came home this morning and he looked a little shaken. He went up to his room and hasn't really come back out. Mary Alexandra brought him lunch and one of his books and she said he seemed a little queer. Maybe you can talk to him."

Charlie nodded calmly though his mind was racing with thoughts of what had happened between Tom and AR. "Thank you Johns. I won't be needing any more assistance tonight. Thanks."

Charlie turned from the older man and headed up the stairs before making his way down the hall to the double doors that marked the entrance to the master bedroom. He opened them expecting to find Tom already there waiting for him but he blinked in confusion when he saw the bed still made and the room unoccupied.

He turned and made his way back to the blue guestroom. The door was closed so Charlie knocked softly and waited a few seconds before opening the door. His eyes immediately fastened on the for of his house guest. Tom was sitting up in the bed with a book in his hands.

Charlies voice was soft. "What are you doing in here?"

Tom's didn't leave the pages of the book. "Reading."

Charlie scoffted. "Why are you here instead of our bedroom?"

This time Tom did look up at him. "Because it isn't our bedroom and I have no right to be there."

"What the hell are you talking about? You have every right to be there." Charlie walked towards Tom and sat beside him on the bed. "What did AR say to you?"

Tom flinched almost imperceptibly but Charlie had become very in tune with Tom's movements and picked up the subtle shift.

"He only said the truth. That your his."

"And?"

"He said I was his too because I was yours. He scares me a lot. I know he's capable of horrible things. I don't want anything to happen to either of us so maybe we should take a break."

Charlie shook his head. "No. No..." Charlie's hand came up carress Tom's face. He adored the gentle man before him and wanted to protect him but there wasn't much he could do against AR. "We just need to keep our heads down for a while. Everything will be fine."

"The green light came back... But I think he wanted that. He looked happy when he was pushed back."

"Did he attack you?"

"Not really. He pushed me against the wall and touched my face. I overreacted."

Charlie had been cornered by Arnold before so he doubted that. "It's alright." He kissed Tom and the green eyed man seemed to let all his anguish and fear pour into his kiss.

They parted and Tom pulled back the linens. "Stay with me tonight?"

Charlie nodded and stripped himself of his clothing before climbing into bed with Tom.

His companion set aside his book and the two laid facing one another. Charlie kissed him lightly before they turned off the light and fell asleep.