Sam's eyes widened. His fists clenched so hard that they turned deathly pale. Blood shot through his entire body, but it seemed as though it had decided to focus solely on his face, on his eyes, to be exact. The red liquid kept pouring and pouring until it had completely taken over the once clear green eyes. The heart that had been stitched up far too many times at hundreds of different places reopened its wounds and joined the waterfall of what was lost, what could have been and what could never be. Sam felt something sting his eyes and realised that if he stayed here, he would definitely end up losing what ounce of control he had left. And that was the last thing he wanted. Tightening his jaw and shutting his eyes tight, he whispered:

"Thank you for being honest."

Peter was taken aback by the sudden response, but before he had a chance to reach out, Sam's eyes shot open and a genuine smile appeared on his face.

"I am happy. Really I am. I'm….glad you found the power to move forward and am happy that you found that person who you would want to spend your life with."

Tears formed at the corners of Sam's eyes as he looked away and took in a shaky breath of toxic air. Peter cringed when he saw that Sam's lower lips trembled slightly.

"Oh Sam…."Peter whispered.

Sam then closed his eyes, shook his head, then reopened them and turned his head back to look Peter directly in the eyes, "I am sorry, but I have to go."

Peter watched frantically as Sam shot out of his chair and nearly bolted out of the café. Blue eyes widened. Their owner followed the other boy's every movement until every trace of Sam disappeared completely. Then they returned back to the pristine table as Peter clenched his fist and hit the table quite hard, not caring that he had scared and/or attracted every person's attention. In his mind only one thought registered – Damn it!

Sam walked aimlessly around town until his feet took him to his sanctuary. Green eyes looked up at the familiar white building. They soon landed on the red curtains that tossed from left to right in the wind. The window was open which meant that he was probably there. With a deep sigh Sam fished out his phone and dialed an all too familiar number. After a few rings, the person on the other line picked up and all Sam said was:

"Hey, I saw that your door or rather window was open…. Can I come up?"

The last bit was uttered hesitantly, but nonetheless, the answer was positive. Once the all too familiar click of the door in front of him was heard, Sam climbed up the stairs and entered the building, He then went up the other stairs until he reached the seventh floor and did not bother knocking or ringing the bell because he knew that the door would always be open for him when he needed it. Sometimes Sam thought that he did not deserve to have such a great friend after everything he had committed.

"What happened?" Nick asked as he followed Sam towards the living room.

With a deep sigh Sam answered, "Peter happened."

Nick's eyes widened. Before he had a chance to ask, Sam elaborated, "I called him, asked if we could meet up." He then stopped and laughed bitterly before he continued in a voice that soon became hoarse with emotion, "Everything was going great until that fucking ring came into the picture!"

Nick's eyes widened even further before he exclaimed, "Wait…. Do you mean to tell me that he proposed to you on your first date?!"

Sam's eyes widened before he yelled, "Wait… what?! Hell no! Nick…. The fuck?! Why would he propose to me when he is already engaged and is obviously planning a wedding?!"

Nick's eyes returned to their normal size as did Sam's. With a deep sigh Nick went to sit next to Sam. He rubbed Sam's shoulder soothingly before he let his hand rest on it as he said, "Man, I am so sorry. I thought…" He then laughed and added, "God! I don't even know what I was thinking asking such a thing so unceremoniously."

Sam chuckled as he inwardly smiled genuinely. It seemed that he had been right. Nick always managed to put him back together despite the state he was in. This was probably one of the many reasons they had become friends and had stayed friends even after the war ended. Hell, Nick had even come back on Earth just so that he could keep an eye on Sam in spite of the latter's protests. If Sam had to be honest, he probably would not have survived the war and the aftermath if it had not been for Nick. It seemed that no matter how many times he broke into a million pieces of a puzzle that could not be put back together, Nick always managed to find the glue that would stick them back together. It did not matter how big the wound was, Nick always had a remedy for it.

And even after all that we've been through I still could not find a way to repay him… Sometimes I can't help but wonder why he still continues to stick to my side.

"So what are you going to do now?" Nick asked after some time had passed in silence.

The question managed to bring Sam back to Earth and with a sad smile he answered truthfully, "I don't know."

Nick snorted as he replied:

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't." Sam responded.

"Yes, you do." Nick itinerated.

"No, I don't!" Sam half-yelled as an answer to Nick's ridiculous statement.

"Yes, you do, Sam. You've known what to do all these years. You knew what you had to do back then, but there were far too many obstacles lying between you and the path you wanted, so you ignored your heart and followed you conscience." Nick explained as he looked deeply into Sam's eyes, who only sighed in response.

Suddenly a dark chuckle escaped Sam's lips as he uttered to no one in particular:

"You're wrong. I've always followed my heart. I've always said that my duty is to my heart and I've fulfilled it to the very end. I did not blink when I kissed Peter, knowing that I would abandon him in the morning. My heart did not waver when I arrived back at Amyss and saw the abyss the war had turned it into. My mind did not break despite the atrocious training I received. I did not lose my path, not even once, despite the fact that I had to kill some of the people I had come to regard as companions or even friends during my short stay there all those years ago. I did not become insane, scared or dead inside even after I had gambled with death and had risked my life so many times. I…"

"I know." Nick whispered in a dangerously low voice. His fists were clenched and his gaze was equally clouded as Sam's was when he added, "I was with you through it all, remember?"

Before Sam had a chance to respond, Nick continued, "I was there when your first used your powers on a civilian who had tried to murder you. I remember how your eyes burned during that night. They continued burning during the next restless days and nights. I was with you when you had nightmares about it. I was the one that stayed up with you when you could not sleep. I was the one that listened to your every word. I was the one that…. God, Sam! I was there with you through it all! I experienced and endured so much and yet I never left your side!"

With a voice full of guilt and clenched fists Sam whispered:

"I know."

"So then why?" Nick asked, his voice becoming hallow as his heart was.

"Why what?" Sam questioned, needing to hear that his suspicions were just a figment of his imagination.

Unfortunately for him, they were real. And the consequences of all the avoidance during the years on Sam's part were going to be severe.

"Because…. I love you." Nick whispered before he continued, "And despite the fact that you've known all these years…"

Sam opened his mouth to protest, but Nick moved up a hand and immediately succeeded in silencing the still disbelieving man. Nick then finished his uncompleted sentence, "And despite the fact that you've known, you did not do anything."

Sam stayed silent before Nick questioned, "I am never going to be enough for you, will I?"

Sam sighed before barely managed to utter out, "I am sorry."

Nick chuckled darkly before he replied:

"Don't be. I should be the one to apologise. You came to me for help yet I dumped all this on you."

Sam shook his head before he responded:

"You have nothing to be sorry about. It's not like I didn't know. I just decided to ignore it because I was selfish and needed a friend, not a lover or a boyfriend."

Nick chuckled at that before he uttered:

"Oh, I am well aware of your needs Sam and, unfortunately, I also know how you've been taking care of them during all these years."

Sam blushed before he whispered:

"Don't tell me you know about the rare times I've had one night stands?"

Nick sighed before he looked up and met Sam's eyes for the first time in a while and smiled sadly before he said:

"There are a lot of things I know which I wish I did not."

Sam nodded before he replied:

"I guess I should go. Thank you for everything, Nick. I really mean it and I am sorry…. I am truly sorry for all the times I've hurt you."

Nick brushed off Sam's apology as though he had casually stated the weather before he got up and followed Sam towards the door. Before Sam left Nick pulled him back by the shoulder. Sam yelped in surprise when lips connected with his own. Of course, Sam was far too shocked to respond. He just stood there as the seconds ticked by. Soon the kiss ended and Nick pulled back with a sad smile on his face before he whispered:

"Sorry."

Sam chuckled awkwardly before he, too, whispered:

"No need. No harm done."

Nick smiled sadly once more before he stepped back and away from Sam. He was about to turn around, but halted. His face showed a mixture of emotions, but one was prominent – anger. There was disdain in his gaze as well when those blazing eyes bore holes into the innocent wall. Nick clenched his fists before he mumbled out something. Sam, of course, had not heard it and asked his friend to repeat what he had said. With a deep sigh and closed eyes, Nick whispered:

"Why him?"

With a sad smile Sam answered:

"Because I love him."

Nick's eyes shot open before his face twisted into what appeared to be a malicious smirk before he uttered:

"You told me you loved me." He then turned towards Sam so that he was facing him entirely before he asked, "Was it just a lie? A vain attempt to fill my heart with false pretenses?"

"No!" Sam almost yelled. He then winced slightly as the sound reverberated throughout the whole building. With another sigh Sam choked out, "I do love you. It's just…. I love you as a brother. I want to protect you from the pain. I want you to be near. I want you to be happy…. But I know that I can't make you happy. At least, I can't make you happy the way you want or need me to."

Nick smiled sadly before his gaze returned back to its normal calmness and he said:

"You are right about the last one. You're right about everything actually. It's high time I stopped waiting for you to change your mind and started searching for my own happiness. No offense."

"Non taken. And hey, I did not say that." Sam responded.

"But you thought about it." Nick pointed out as he winked and chuckled, which was followed by Sam's rolling his eyes and chuckling. It seemed that the tension between them was gone and both could not help but be happy with the positive outcome of the unexpected confrontation.

"Hey, Sam?" Nick asked.

"Yeah?" Sam questioned in return.

"Try not to screw things up this time. Remember not to leave the guy again after you have screwed him." Nick said before he winked and closed the door.

Sam blinked as he stood motionless and silent for a while before what Nick had just said was taken in. After that a small blush overcame Sam's cheeks as he yelled:

"I did not sleep with him!"

Suddenly the door opened and Nick said:

"Sure you didn't."

Those words were followed by a wink and then the door was closed for the final time, separating a chuckling Nick from a slightly brooding Sam.