Adam sat out in the waiting room in the emergency room, trying and failing to distract himself with old magazines, yesterday's newspaper, and his third cup of coffee.

Isaac had been under the weather for a few days. That in and of itself was unusual. Isaac didn't get sick. It was a running joke between them that fighting off whatever Adam brought home from his job was building his immunity.

Whatever it was had knocked Isaac down hard. Adam had left him resting the day before to go to work. He'd been a little feverish, just enough to keep him from going into work himself, but not really sick.

It had been enough to worry the hell out of Adam, though, and had distracted him the entire shift. Johnny, of course, had been concerned by Adam's behavior, but Adam couldn't tell him why.

That would mean admitting one of his deepest fears, and Adam wasn't ready to face that.

It was hard to miss the epidemic that was tearing through his community. He and Isaac had been losing friends left and right. He'd lost count of how many funerals he'd attended the last couple of years.

And yet, somehow, they'd gotten lucky.

Until now.

By the time Adam had gotten home after shift the following morning, Isaac was far worse off than he'd been when Adam had left him. His fever had increased, his breathing was labored, and he'd developed an alarming wheezing cough.

Even with that, it had been something of an argument to convince Isaac to go to the emergency room. It was only when Adam threatened to call the fire department that Isaac reluctantly agreed to go.

Adam kept glancing down the hallway, waiting for Morton to emerge from the treatment room that Isaac was occupying. He already had a terrible feeling that he knew the diagnosis. He was just awaiting confirmation.

It seemed to be taking a damned long time.

Finally, Adam spotted Morton, and he rose to meet him. Morton's expression was somber, as it often was, and Adam found it impossible to guess what the outcome might be.

"It's a damn good thing you brought him in here." Morton told him. "He's in bad shape."

"Do you know what's wrong with him?" Adam asked.

Morton took a deep breath and exhaled, crossing his arms over his chest. "We have a theory. His condition is consistent with other cases we've seen."

"Shit."

Morton didn't react to Adam's muttered curse, but merely continued. "We're moving him to ICU, and we're running some tests so we have a better idea what we're up against.

"You'll let me know when he's moved?"

"Of course." Morton replied, uncrossing his arms and shoving them in the pockets of his lab coat.

"Thanks."

Morton responded with a firm nod and returned to the general area of the treatment rooms, stopping by the base station desk to talk to the nurse that was in charge today.

Unfortunately, it wasn't Dixie. This was one Adam was less familiar with, and he was less inclined to try and talk to her the same way he would to Dixie.

Instead, he found a pay phone and dropped in a dime before dialing a number.

"Hello?"

"Joseph." Adam breathed out a sigh of relief at having caught him at home.

"Adam, honey, what's wrong?" Joseph's voice was already raised in concern.

Adam paused for a moment. "Isaac's sick. I'm here at Rampart with him. They're getting ready to send him up to ICU."

"Say no more." Joseph told him firmly. "And don't go anywhere. I'm on my way."

Adam looked over his shoulder down the hallway. "I'll be here. And thanks."

With that he hung up the phone, staring at it for a long moment. Calling Isaac's family was going to be a no go, as was calling his own parents.

No, he and Isaac had plenty of friends they could lean on. They were all looking out for each other in these times. God knew no one else was going to.

Before Adam knew it, Joseph breezed into the waiting area and wrapped Adam up in a tight hug. "Oh honey, I'm so sorry."

Adam slowly hugged him in response. There wasn't much to say. Both he and Joseph understood the gravity of the situation.

Finally, Joseph let go, taking both of Adam's hands in his, and Adam let out a short huff. "I don't know why I thought we'd be spared."

"You guys have been lucky." Joseph replied. "Hell, I've been lucky, too."

"I don't get it." Adam continued. "Why him and not me? It doesn't make any damn sense. He doesn't deserve this."

"You don't either." Joseph told him firmly. "None of us do. And those that think we do can go straight to hell."

Adam couldn't help letting out a short laugh at that. "I don't want to spend eternity with those fuckers. Are you kidding me?"

Joseph smiled ever so slightly. "Baby, spending eternity with us will be hell…for them."

"Hmm." Adam considered that. "Maybe it won't be so bad, then."

Morton reappeared just as the two of them were cracking more ridiculous jokes, appearing briefly baffled before shaking his head. "He's being moved to ICU. Tests haven't come back yet, and they probably aren't going to let you see him anyway. Go home and get some rest."

Adam started to object before Joseph stopped him with a hand on his arm. "I'll make sure he does, Doctor…?"

"Morton." Morton seemed to look Joseph up and down, unsure how to take him.

"Morton." Joseph repeated. "Thank you."

Morton nodded, turning and walking away, and Joseph squeezed Adam's arm lightly. "My, he's lovely."

"I am reasonably certain he's not one of us." Adam told him.

Joseph sniffed as he started out of the waiting room. "I'm allowed to notice a nice-looking man. No one can stop me from doing that."

"Wasn't trying to." Adam answered sharply. "Just trying to keep you out of trouble."

Joseph scoffed. "Imagine you keeping me out of trouble."

"Things have changed." Adam replied as they made their way to the parking lot toward Adam's car.

"I know that." Joseph responded quietly. "It's never been easy being us, now it's damn near impossible."

"Downright deadly." Adam intoned.

Joseph sighed and embraced Adam. "Don't think for a minute that you have to handle this all yourself. Call the center, we'll make sure you have help."

That's all it took for Adam's emotions to nearly get the better of him, realizing the enormity of what he was now facing. Joseph didn't let go of him. If anything, he held Adam a little tighter.

Normally Adam would have hated this, but God, he needed this right now.

"Don't you worry, honey." Joseph told him in a soothing tone. "We'll get you through this."

Adam didn't find that much of a comfort at all, knowing the likely outcome. Life without Isaac was unthinkable, and yet Adam knew he was going to have to face that possibility.

What the hell was he going to do without him?

Adam took a deep breath and exhaled. Somehow, he was going to have to find a way to keep this to himself. He didn't need the rest of the guys at the station freaking out about this.

It was another chaotic morning at the DeSoto household. Roy couldn't believe how much harder it was to get two teenagers out of the house for school than it had been when they were younger.

He was just trying to finish a cup of coffee while Joanne puttered around the kitchen. Jenny came into the kitchen, thoroughly exasperated. "Mom, I can't find my folder."

"Which one?" Joanne asked.

"The red one." Jenny replied with a huff. "You know, the one for math? I have a test today and I have to have it."

Roy searched through a few items on the kitchen table, coming up with a red Trapper folder. "Is this it?"

Jenny's eyes lit up. "Oh my God, yes. Dad, you're the best."

She kissed him on the cheek and shoved it into her backpack, zipping it closed and slinging it over her shoulder. "Chris! Come on!"

Chris soon appeared, though not moving as quickly as Jenny. "Will you chill out? We've got time."

Jenny glared at Chris, but otherwise didn't respond. Chris, for his part, gathered up the various items he had scattered across the kitchen table and tucked them into his own backpack. Roy couldn't help noticing one of the drawings.

"Hey, that's the one you've been working on, right?" Roy asked.

"Yeah." Chris smiled a little. "Still a work in progress. I'm thinking about entering it in the art show."

"Chris, come on." Jenny's impatience was obvious. "At this rate, I might as well take the bus."

Chris rolled his eyes and zipped up his backpack, picking up the keys from the table. "Okay, let's go."

"Be careful." Joanne told him.

"I will." Chris assured her. "Bye, Dad. See you in the morning."

"Bye."

With that, the kids were gone, and Roy let out a sigh. "I thought things would be easier once Chris got his drivers' license."

Joanne crossed over to the table and kissed the top of Roy's head. "That's what you get for thinking."

Roy couldn't help laughing at that. "You know, someday we're going to miss all this chaos."

"Speak for yourself." Joanne replied crisply. "I look forward to the peace and quiet."

"Sure, sure." Roy answered as he finished his coffee. "Just in time for the grandkids to show up."

"You stop that." Joanne scolded him. "I am not ready to be a grandmother."

Roy rose from his chair and set his coffee mug in the sink, wrapping an arm around Joanne's waist and kissing her cheek. "But you'll be the prettiest grandma around."

Joanne merely let out a huff. "Don't you have to get to the station?"

"I do." Roy answered, crossing back over to the kitchen table. As he was checking his pockets, making sure he had everything, he noticed something on the table.

One of the kids must have left it behind, Roy figured. It was a folded piece of paper, heavily decorated. This must have been some of Chris's work. Roy hoped Chris didn't need it for anything.

His curiosity got the better of him, and he unfolded the paper. The writing was definitely Chris's, though Roy was having trouble putting together what he was reading.

It looked like a love note, but it wasn't to a girl.

Roy got a horrible sinking feeling. It wasn't that Roy would have a problem with this, per se. After all, he'd worked with Adam for the last few years and had gotten to know him and his longtime partner, Isaac.

But this was different. This was his own son. And if his own son couldn't come to him about this, well, what kind of father did that make him?

Roy glanced over his shoulder at Joanne, who was humming along with the radio as she cleaned up the kitchen. Did she have any idea what was going on with their son? If she did, wouldn't she have said something to Roy already?

He slipped the note into his pocket along with his car keys. Maybe Adam could offer some advice on how to handle this.

"I'm leaving." Roy told Joanne, kissing her cheek one more time. "I love you, see you tomorrow."

"I love you, too." Joanne replied, kissing him back. "Be safe."

He nodded in response and made his way out to the car, starting it up and backing it out of the garage and on to the street. The note in his pocket felt as if it were burning a hole. Were this a note to a girl, Roy would know exactly how to handle it. After all, they'd already had this talk, hadn't they?

That talk would be pretty damn useless if this was a note to a boy.

Roy pulled into the station, parking next to Sam's truck, and made his way into the station, making a beeline to the office. "Morning, Barnes."

"DeSoto." The C shift captain nodded firmly.

After receiving a quick briefing from Barnes, Roy went into the day room to gather up his own crew. Johnny was first, followed by Chet, Sam, and Mike.

Wait, he was definitely missing one. "Anyone seen Adam?"

"Right here." Adam trotted in, tucking in his shirt and falling into line next to Johnny. "Sorry."

Johnny looked a little puzzled but didn't say anything. Roy continued with the roll call briefing, and soon everyone went their separate ways.

"Adam, do you have a minute?" Roy caught him before he got too far. "I'd like to see you in my office."

Adam frowned slightly but nodded. "Sure, Cap. I'll be right there."

Roy nodded in response and returned to his office. Adam wasn't far behind.

"If it's about me being late this morning, I can explain." Adam started.

"No, no." Roy replied. "I'm sure you have a good reason. Close the door."

Adam closed the door behind him, a concerned expression crossing his face. "What's this about, Cap?"

Roy reached into his pocket and pulled out the note, handing it to Adam. "Found that after Chris left for school this morning."

"Cap, I don't think I should be in your son's private business." Adam replied carefully.

Adam was probably right, but Roy needed to know if he was reading this correctly. "I just need another set of eyes on it. Not sure I'm reading what I think I'm reading."

"If you say so." Adam sounded skeptical, but unfolded the piece of paper, scanning it, his expression growing somber as he finished reading it.

He folded it back up and handed it back to Roy. "Looks like your son has himself a crush."

"On another boy."

Adam nodded. "On another boy."

"I was afraid of that." Roy let out a heavy sigh. "Adam, how the hell do I talk to him about this?"

"Damned if I know." Adam replied sharply. "I don't have kids."

"Okay." Roy realized he would have to take a different tack. "I mean, your parents know about you, right? How did you talk to them about this?"

Adam let out a derisive snort. "Yes, they know. And they did not take it well."

This was going nowhere. Roy didn't know why he had thought trying to talk to Adam would be a good idea. "Okay, what would you have wanted your parents to say to you about this?"

Adam's expression changed, and Roy quickly regretted asking. It was clearly a sore spot for him.

After a few moments of staring at the floor, Adam lifted his head. "That it was okay. That I was still their son, that they still loved me, no matter what. You know, the sort of thing normal parents tell their kids."

It took Roy a moment to absorb that, and his heart broke a little for the man that stood in front of him. He would do anything so that Chris wouldn't hurt the way Adam did. "Thank you, Adam. I'll make sure I do that. You're free to go."

Adam nodded curtly, turning to open the door. He paused for a moment with his hand still on the handle. "Isaac's sick. That's why I was late this morning."

"Oh." Roy hadn't been that concerned. Adam was rarely late, if ever. "Well, I hope he gets well soon."

"No, Cap." Adam's tone grew harsh. "He's sick. You know."

Roy finally connected the dots. "Adam, I'm sorry."

Adam nodded, his back still to Roy. "If you could keep it between us, I'd appreciate it. I haven't had a chance to say anything to Johnny yet."

"Sure, of course."

"Thank you." Adam replied quietly. "And tell that kid of yours to keep it in his pants."

Before Roy could respond, Adam opened the door and walked out. Just then, the tones went off, and Roy rose to respond to the call.

Now Roy had some idea how to approach his son, but he was more concerned than ever for him. One of his jobs as a father was to keep his children safe. Roy had no idea how he was supposed to keep his son safe from this.