Liam looked at Theo cautiously when they unloaded the truck. Liam was too afraid to say anything the whole way back to his house. Theo looked like he'd seen a ghost when he first saw Brett. Only for a second. Then his calm reserve returned. Theo seemed to have mastered the cool, calm outer appearance ages ago. With Brett, however, it was as if he was more affected. He wasn't completely the Theo Liam was beginning to know.

It was obviously not a good thing, but Liam didn't want to press. His curiosity would eventually get the better of him, but not right now. Right now, Theo was preparing his breakup dinner and... Liam felt like an ass after what just happened... Now he had to do something to help Theo.

"What do you need me to do?" Liam asked gently, so not to startle Theo while his back was turned.

"I need you to relax and eat your gummy candy while I cook your breakup dinner" Theo said, voice small. He tried to hide it, but it was unsuccessful.

"I think this is our breakup dinner" Liam said, flinching as Theo stopped and turned to him slowly, knife in hand.

"What makes you say that?" Theo was nervous. He heard Mason and Corey come over last night. None of them know what whispering is. He knew Corey wouldn't tell him about Brett. Maybe Brett already said something. That thought left Theo queasy.

"It's just the way you two are with each other. I mean it's like watching a trainwreck. It's hard to do or say anything because I don't know and I'm not asking you to tell me. It just sucks the way that he treats you. Plus, the way he treats me because of you... er- because you and I are kind of friends. He is really weird and I don't like it and I don't like the idea of him popping up at the supermarket... touching things that I am eating or have in my home. It grosses me out and he just... SUCKS... ok? He sucks!" Liam let out his rant in one breath and was now slightly dizzy from the lack of oxygen. Theo started to crack a smile, but it vanished as soon as it came.

"Look... I am just not ready to talk about it. I will, though. Eventually. For now, can I just teach you how to cook while you're still ready to help?" Theo turned back to cutting vegetables.

"I guess that's fair" Liam sighed dramatically.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call it fair. I mean, I gotta teach you a basic skill and tell you something deeply personal. I'm not sure what I get out of that" Theo finally let out a laugh.

Liam let out his own laugh to rebut "I have to learn how to do something that I don't want to do, when I could literally just go and get takeout! It's a completely fair trade"

"Tell you what. If you tell me about your sex dream, then I'll stop arguing with you" Theo said with a devious grin.

"WHAT?! I mean- I didn't-" his face went pale then red. He couldn't think of what to say. How could he tell Theo that he'd had a sex dream about him? Liam was straight. He couldn't have sex dreams about a guy!

"Liam you kissed my arm in your sleep and you were moaning. Then you had a raging boner, which by the way, nice" Theo winked at him and Liam felt his face turn the deepest shade of red ever possible. He felt like he was literally going to die from having this conversation. He kissed Theo? Oh my god. What if I did other stuff to him?! Liam was mortified. He couldn't be here. He had to leave. He couldn't breathe.

"Hey... look I'm sorry. It's ok. I didn't mean to upset you-"

Liam bolted out the door. He didn't have any shoes on, no phone, no wallet, no keys. He just left. He didn't need anything keeping him from being able to breathe. He was so pissed. Why would Theo mention that? He knew this morning! Theo KNEW! He didn't want it to happen this morning and he didn't want it to happen now! He just wanted everyone and everything to go away! Why did it have to be this?! This stupid thing that Theo was never gonna let go! Why did he have to tell Liam that he'd kissed Theo in his sleep?! Liam felt so violated! He felt like he wanted to punch Theo in his stupid face! And why the fuck did Theo want him to learn to cook sooo bad? What's it to him? Except the fact it brought up Hayden! Which he ALSO knew!

Liam was running down the trails in Beacon Hills as fast as he possibly could. He reached a clearing where there was a stream and a small bridge. He'd finally gotten tired and sat down. Running was better than breaking things. Like people's noses.

"Theo?" Mason asked from the other end of the phone. "What's going on?"

"It's Liam!" Theo was freaking out. Liam had been gone for over an hour and he didn't have a way to reach anyone. "He took off!"

"What do you mean he took off?" Mason was in panic mode now "Where did he go?"

"I DON'T KNOW! He just ran out of his house like an hour ago barefoot and then I tried to call him and saw his wallet and keys with his phone on the counter!" Theo didn't know what to do. He was in someone else's home, and he couldn't exactly leave. He nor the owner has keys. He couldn't leave it unlocked. He didn't know how long Liam's meltdown would last. He felt helpless. It was all his fault. He kept teasing when he knew Liam didn't want to acknowledge it.

"Ok. So it sounds like he's having an episode-"

"What do you mean? An episode?"

"Liam has IED... He mostly has it under control, but-"

"Oh my god no wonder he's so emotional" Theo understood now. It made him feel even worse about the situation.

"I guess? Look he usually only goes to two places. His parents' house or this bridge in the middle of a clearing in the woods. It's like-"

"Actually, I know it..." it was the place Theo had lost his sister. Theo had actively avoided it since he came back to Beacon Hills. His friends would want to hang out there in high school, but he could never bring himself to go.

"Alright. If you find him-"

"Wait! Shouldn't I stay in case he comes back? I mean he doesn't have a way in."

"He knows where his spare key is" Mason said as if it was so obvious. Of course. Why didn't he think Liam could have a spare key. Theo had one too, it was just in his truck. He'd had one of those magnetic boxes for his house and truck keys because you only have to stand outside of a Golden Corral for three and a half hours in the heat once before you get spare truck keys.

Liam was feeling calmer now. Rational. He could see that Theo wasn't meaning any harm with his teasing. It didn't make it less embarrassing. Liam should have told him that he was uncomfortable. He was certain Theo would understand if he knew. Theo wasn't told about Liam's issues. Liam was embarrassed about that as well. He felt like a weakling today in the worst possible way. He's lost it so easily and so completely around Theo. He'd just walk out of his life forever. It was fine. He had Mason. Mason watched him go through this time and time again since he was a child. Mason was his best friend anyway.

"Liam!"

Liam snapped his head up. He could have sworn he'd heard someone calling his name.

"LIAM!" The voice called out again. Louder. More determined. Persistent.

"Liam..." The voice was closer, quieter this time.

"Liam there you are I was worried" The voice faded as Liam started falling asleep from the tension headache, he had from crying all day.

Liam woke up in his bed after a few hours. He had a water bottle on his side table, a bottle of aspirin along with it and a note from Theo reading I'll bring dinner up when it's finished. You stay in bed and rest. You've had a big day. -Theo. Liam reached for the aspirin and the water. He still had a raging headache. His mind totally shut down earlier and he didn't even remember anything after the bridge. Did Theo bring him back here? Was he mad? How did he find me?

Theo knocked gently on the door before he came in. "I thought I heard movement in here. How you feelin'?"

"I'm soo tired" Liam whined.

"I can imagine. You had a big day emotionally. You haven't been sleeping or eating normal from what I can see. It's no wonder you had an episode" Theo said it like Liam's stepfather would have.

It was uncanny.

"You know?"

"Well. Mason filled in the blanks. I knew you were a very expressive person, though" Theo admitted.

"Are-" Liam started nervously and he almost couldn't ask. He looked away from Theo before he could start crying "are you... mad?"

Theo looked shocked and confused. Like it was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard, because let's face it, it was close. "Mad at you for what?"

"You know... freaking out... having to find me... making you worry..." Liam's eyes shifted down and he sunk deeper into the bed, trying to curl into invisibleness.

"Liam. You have a condition. It's not your fault. Did I worry? Yes. I had no idea what the hell was going on. Could you have told me sooner that something like this might happen? Absolutely... but I don't blame you. I'm not mad and as far as I'm concerned no one else has the right to be either" Theo said tenderly in a way that reminded Liam of his own mother. Theo really did seem genuine.

"Soo... about that food" Liam said as his stomach rumbled loudly. Neither of them had eaten anything since that morning and they were both hungry, Liam more so than Theo, as Theo grazed while he cooked.

"Yeah, I threw it out. I have to start completely over again" Theo said with a serious expression on his face.

"Are you kidding me?! I'm huuunngggrryyyy" Liam whined like a toddler, which just made Theo laugh.

"It was awful. I forgot I was supposed to put oregano in it but I accidentally put cilantro. It ruined the whole dish" Theo's serious expression back.

"Theo. I don't care. I will literally eat you if I don't get something soon!"

"As tempting as that is, I'm gonna have to pass. You couldn't handle me" Theo said with a smirk and a wink as he went to leave the room for their plates. Liam just sat on his bed thinking about what Theo said. Hayden wasn't like that. He had to change everything. Even his parents and Mason needed distance after one of his episodes. Sure, this time it wasn't as bad, but he was an emotional wreck all day and Theo was new to it, and it happened without Theo even having so much as a warning. He was allowed to be completely free around Theo and he didn't want to ever lose that feeling. He could be himself.