Disclaimer: I own nothing. Brendon Small is a god. 'Nuff said.

Note: DyingVixen, there is a little shout-out to you hidden within! (think song title...) :D

...

"So, what on earth happened? I don't mean to pry but if I'm going to be spotting you on this wall, I would really like to be confident that you're not going to short-out and kill yourself. Do you know how bad that would make me look?" Abigail's tone belied a sly grin which Charles was inclined to match. After his latest trip to the Medical Wing, Charles had been more eager than ever to get back to "normal", and normal for him included exercise. He had managed to convince Abigail to that it was not too soon to go climbing by threatening to go on his own if she didn't join him. Now, just a day after he had been discharged from the hospital, he was dressed in work-out clothes, and doing some stretching to loosen up. Abigail was stretching next to him.

"You just don't want me to come crashing down on you. But it shouldn't happen." Charles sighed slightly, his smile dissolving. "According to the doctor, I went into sensory overload due to the extended sonar –use," and then, recalling the incident, he added, "which wasn't even very long. The medical staff had to induce a brief state of unconsciousness in order to run some tests to make sure the overload didn't cause any physical damage, which apparently, it didn't. So that's good, at least. But they are saying it appears that the sonar-use may have to be temporary, at best. Though, now that I have an idea of how valuable it can be, I have to say it's probably still worth having been turned into a cyborg." He continued to stretch.

"So it's just a matter of easing into it then, taking more time for your body to adapt?"

"That, and knowing when to shut it down. There were some warning signs that I ignored. Dizziness. Nausea. A bolt of pain…."

"Sounds fantastic."

"Almost as fantastic as waking up in the hospital."

"With Nathan snuggled next to you and your hand in his hair?"

Charles nearly fell over.

"Excuse me?"

"It was beautiful. When I came back to check on you guys, you were both asleep, and your hand was entwined in his hair. I wasn't aware that you two were together, but it really makes so much sense now…"

"Wait, Abigail, we're not. Together, that is. What makes you think that…" Oh god, besides my hand buried in his hair!? I must have been on the edge of consciousness. But I woke up alone... And Nathan's strange apology about "unwashed hair"….

"Oh my god," was all Charles could manage.

"Oh, wow, I'm so sorry, I just… well the other day I walked into the meeting just as you were talking about sharing his bed, and I really didn't think anything of it until we talked later, and then thinking about you two together, the way he looks at you…"

"Tell, me, ah, how does he look at me?"

"Like… like he's found something he never knew he was looking for."

Charles stopped mid-stretch, and then sank to the ground.

"You okay?"

"Sure. Except for the fact that I just unconsciously put a move on the front-man of my band, and now I'm finding out you think he might actually be receptive? Even if I chose to believe you, to, ah, pursue this would be the ultimate mixing of business and pleasure... Sounds like a terrible idea, really …" He trailed off.

"I think we both know the whole "no dating in the workplace" thing can be wise, not to mention convenient as hell… but when you find yourself falling into something really special… well, maybe it's time to make an exception…"

"I, ah, I need some time to think this all through. What do you say we hit the wall?"

"Sure. Oh, so I've been meaning to ask you… this wall… the fact that it goes all the way up and then covers half the ceiling, that's just for decoration, right?"

"I did tell you that it was rather advanced, didn't I?"

"Well you didn't tell me that you're Spider Man!"

"I prefer Superman." Charles smiled slightly in her direction. He got up and made his way to the wall. He examined the area in front of him with his hands, recalling familiar holds.

"Please tell me you're forgetting something." Abigail said expectantly. When Charles turned back to her but remained silent she continued,

"Harness. I don't want your death on my conscious, remember!"

"Ohhh. Right. Of course." He didn't bother to tell her that he used to avoid using a safety-harness just so he could practice not only the climb, but also landing from various heights.

When they were both harnessed-up Charles once again felt the wall. Normally he would just breeze up to the one of the more challenging areas of the wall. Now everything was more challenging, but he was not one to back away from a challenge.

"Go ahead and start," Charles instructed Abigail. "I'll let you know if I get stuck and need you to describe the path."

"Okay, if you're sure. I won't get too far away. And judging by the intensity of this wall, I'm guessing that you were far more advanced than I am, and probably still are."

"Well, that remains to be seen." His hand located a good hold above him and felt, with a foot, for a lower one to step up on. He found it with surprising ease, and was suddenly no longer on the ground. He paused for a moment, taking in the feeling, and could hear Abigail some distance off to his left.

"It's usually not this quiet. I tend to have music going, but I figured we should be able to hear each other, at this point."

"So I take it you weren't playing Smooth Jazz then?"

Not exactly. A little Metallica, AC/DC, Disturbed, things like that."

"What, no Dethklok?"

"That would be like working in sugar factory and eating nothing but candy."

"Hmm, point taken."

"Of course I do love hearing Dethklok, just not so much to unwind to. I like to really listen to it, you know. The layers, the feeling, the lyrics."

"I've often been impressed with the lyrics too." Abigail chimed in. "Nathan seems to really be able to express himself well through writing."

Charles paused, silent for a moment.

"Where do I go from here?"

"Well there's a good hold about 2, maybe 3 feet up and half a foot to your right… and there's a harder one to your left, but it's a bit closer… Do you mean hand or foot hold?"

"I mean Nathan!"

"Ohhhhh! Well… I don't know. Where do you want to go?"

Charles paused again, not even wanting to say it out loud, but glad, at the same time, to have someone to talk to.

"I want for Nathan to be happy and comfortable with whatever happens, even if that means he never finds out about it."

"You don't think he's receptive?"

"Why would he be?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"What do you think I mean? Even if he was potentially interested… he's Nathan Explosion! He could have anyone he wanted. Someone he can have fun with, someone who won't cramp his style, someone who will never burden him…"

"You just described a groupie. Is that what you think he wants, I mean really wants? And as for you, you're Charles Ofdensen! And you are still a force to be reckoned with. Don't ever forget it!"

They were both quiet for a moment and then Abigail continued,

"Maybe a second opinion would help."

They climbed in silence for a while as Charles pondered who he could seek such an opinion from.

As it happened, the answer came knocking at his door the next day.