Dane drove us back, and I was honestly grateful to not have to see Billy again. Phil sat up front with him, slumped against the door and turning his head to look at me behind him every once in a while. He forced a smile for me and I returned the equally phony gesture. I was nervous beyond all hell. Dane had called me by that shitty made-up name I'd given to that scumbag, Billy; he knew I'd claimed myself to work for him. What would come next? Was he gonna try to force me into prostitution, too? If not, why was he taking me back with him, when he'd promptly kicked me out of the motel room just yesterday? I tried to stay calm, but it wasn't working. I knew I was in for trouble with this guy, and there was so little I could do to avoid it.

And then Phil turned to Dane and started speaking in a weak, croaking voice.

"Daddy, why'd you call him Cocoa back there?"

"Because Billy called me up while you were in the hospital, baby, and told me how your friend here told him he was one of mine. That his name was Cocoa, so that's what I'm going with now." He reached a hand beside him to stroke Phil's cheek, which was clearly flushed and feverish even in the sparse glow of an occasional streetlight.

Even with Dane's hand on his face, Phil turned back to look at me for a moment. His eyes were tired and sad, as if disappointed in what I'd said, and what I'd gotten myself into now. I pulled my knees up to my chest and buried my face between them in shame.

"So is he gonna have to work now?" Phil asked, sounding sort of forlorn. I knew I'd gotten an answer about it, but I still didn't quite understand why he wanted to protect me so much. I couldn't say I'd be the same way, had the roles been reversed. It stuck in my gut when I thought of how, in his situation, I might've left him to fend for himself. I'm a selfish prick –I can own up to that.

Dane shrugged, turning onto another street. "I don't know, Kitten. I guess he'll have to, unless he wants to cut a deal with me. You're too sick to work right now, aren't you?"

Phil shook his head insistently. "I'll be fine to get back to flatbacking if I can just have one more day to rest. I won't make you miss any more business. Just…"

"Just what?"

His voice dropped to a whisper. "Just leave Dan alone, okay?"

There was a long pause, and I wanted to shout at him. No! Stop being an idiot, trying to get me off the hook! Take care of yourself before you go and take care of someone else –you can't afford not to.

"I'll think about it," Dane answered at length. "In the meantime, I've got a new room for you, so you won't be staying with me or the girls. Don't want whatever you got getting caught by anyone else." He reached his arm across the console and I saw him take Phil's hand. "Think you'll be okay on your own?"

Phil hummed, thinking. "I think I'll be okay if someone's there to watch over me."

"Do you want me to stay with you, then?"

"The girls need you there with them, and I really need to get some rest if I'm gonna get back to work." He turned back to face me again, smiling a little, and then back to the man driving. "Is it okay if Dan stays with me?"

Dane sighed heavily, and it took him a long minute to answer. "… Alright."

Dane took Phil and I to a room a few doors down from the one we'd been staying in. I helped Phil get settled into the bed furthest from the door, and sat next to him for a while, watching him sleep. It didn't feel that creepy, honestly; I just wanted to be near him, I guess, make sure he was okay. I pushed his hair out of his face and smiled a little, feeling stupid but happy.

"Kid?"

I turned my head nervously to face Dane at the other end of the room. He twisted a finger toward me, gesturing for me to step outside with him for a minute. I followed immediately, not wanting to take his generosity for granted –and I couldn't believe I was thinking such about a pimp in teen prostitution.

Outside, he was silent for a little while, smoking. I stood there, waiting patiently and not saying a word, worried to instill his wrath against me. Eventually he finished the cigarette, pressing the burning butt against the scratchy wall, and looked into my soul, his eyes gleaming in the dim light.

"I'm letting you stay so you can take care of Kitten until he gets better, you understand?" I nod. "Once he's well again, I want you out, and never want you around here again. I can see he sees something in you." He looked me over. "Though god knows what. But I understand. But once he isn't sick anymore, if he wants to be around you, he can leave, too."

I knew Dane didn't mean for it to, but that sounded like a great idea.

"You understand, kid?"

I nodded quickly. "I understand, sir."

I slept in the empty bed that night, and was woken before dawn to find myself with a new bedmate. Phil had climbed into this bed with me sometime during the night, and was lying awake next to me, wide awake and very close. His body was right up against mine and turned slightly so his head was pretty much on my chest. I stared around, a little confused, but more worried that once the confusion wore off that I might come to enjoy it.

"Phil? You okay?"

My voice seemed to snap him out of a trance, and he nodded. "Yeah, just fine," he coughed, as if nothing was out of the ordinary with him sleeping so close to me. "Did you want me to go back to my own bed?"

I probably would've preferred it, honestly. I didn't want to react to this the way I felt my body reacting, and scooted away a bit. But I didn't tell him that yes, I'd like him to leave me be. I couldn't when he wasn't actually doing anything wrong, and I was objectively quite enjoying having him there with me. "No, you can stay," I mumbled quietly.

He smiled and pressed himself back against me, closer than before and properly laying his head on my chest now. I laid stiff, too scared to move.

"You don't have to pay me, you know."

My breath caught in my throat until I managed to choke out a "What?"

"I know what's bothering you. You're horny and need to get some." He sat up a little, looking me in the eye through the darkness. "Why do you think I came over? You were moaning in your sleep –moaning my name." He smiled softly, blush hidden in his fervid cheeks. "It's the first time someone moaned my name –my real name— since early on with Dane. And… I kinda like it. So, if you want to take the chance now while we're alone together, and I'm not working the night, I'll gladly let you take me."

He laid back down flat on the bed, and I was sort of stunned. Phil was inviting me to have sex with him. I sat up a bit. I didn't know what to think, or what to say. So my mouth let out the first stupid thing to come to my head. "I'm a virgin."

He grinned and took my hand in his, twining our fingers together. I couldn't describe how our hands somehow just fit together. "Don't worry. You're not buying your first time, you don't have to feel bad."

I gulped hard, staring down at him, my pants becoming unfortunately tighter at the sight. I tried to push my worries aside and assure myself that I did want this, because honestly, I really did. And I'd probably feel sick about doing it afterward but for now I was gonna live.

I moved to awkwardly straddle his waist and leaned down to kiss him briefly. "Are you sure about this?" I asked, uncertain about what I was doing. He nodded confidently, and asked me the same. I nodded and leaned back in to kiss him again.

For a while from there I couldn't comprehend much other than the heat between our bare bodies grinding against each other, hot and sensual. He coaxed me through fucking him and dear god I felt sick over it but it was so amazing that I couldn't bring myself to care. I kissed him long and hard and came just as hard inside him.

It wasn't until I came down from my high that I realized he wasn't finished yet. I swallowed hard, listening to him panting under me. I made the split second decision to bring him to the edge with my mouth, and I moved, almost unashamed, down his body.

"Dan?" he huffed out. "What are you doing…?"

"I'm gonna suck you off," I answered, the words bitter in my mouth but the most blatant truth. I hated the idea of having a dick in my mouth but I wanted to make him feel good like he'd let me.

"No, Dan—"

"What?" I lifted my head about level with his hips. "Phil, what's wrong?"

He looked sort of frightened, and I had no idea why. Was I doing something wrong? Did he change his mind earlier and in the heat of the moment I hadn't realized?

"I just—" He coughed hard and whimpered a little once it died down. He didn't look me in the eyes anymore. He looked almost ashamed. "I don't want you to get sick…"

I couldn't imagine I was gonna catch what he had now any more than I already could've. "Phil, what are you talking about?"

He was silent for a long, long moment, but I wasn't going to let up. I wasn't going to go further with this if he didn't want to, but I wanted to know what was bothering him so I could remember to avoid it in future intimate interactions –if there would be any more. He caught my eye for a moment, and I didn't miss the tears glittering in the blue orbs. It sort of broke my heart to seem him like this. "Phil…?"

He sputtered out a quiet reply, and I hated to make him say it again, but I prompted a repeat so I could hear him properly. His voice cracked and squeaked, and he tensed tight as he answered again. "I have AIDS…"