A week passed. He found that he had grown much closer to his lover.
 They where a real couple now, and Bodie was surprisingly loyal to Doyle.

"Tell me again, why are you inviting Lars and Bryant to dinner?" Bodie 
came put behind Doyle and put his arms around him, Doyle was cooking.

"I want to extend an olive branch to them."

"An olive branch, I didn't know we where at war with them," Bodie
 teased.

"We're not,"

"Then why the olive branch?"

"I thought it was time that we have them over,'

"I understand why you didn't have themm over," Bodie said. "Me and Brend...."

"That was in the past," Doyle cut off. He didn't want Bodie wallowing in  
guilt again. "I would like to get to know your brother better."

"How much more can you know him? You do share an office with him."

"Your incorrigible."

"Thank you, so what are you fixing us?" Bodie reached around Doyle and took
 a chunk of carrot out of the bowl and popped it in his mouth. "Can I do anything 
to help?"

"Your doing nicely right now,"

"Hum..." Bodie rubbed his cheek across Doyle's back. He slowly unbuttoned
 Doyle's shirt, he slipped a hand in and began to caress the hair on Doyle's chest, 
stopping at the nipple, rubbing it with his fingers. 

Bodie then unfastened the belt on Doyle's pants, and unzipped them. The put his 
hand in, and his fingers felt for Doyle's cock and began to pump. Ray leaned back
 against his lover.
"We have company coming," Ray finally gasped.

"Do you want me to stop?" The caressing getting even more sensual, making 
Ray feel like he was going to come.

'Please Bodie,"

"Please what?" Bodie asked.

"Fuck me Bodie, I want to feel your cock inside of me,"

Bodie's hand stopped for a moment, that was a sore spot between the two of 
them. Bodie hadn't made love to Doyle since they had gotten back together,
 choosing to receive instead of give love. After so many years together, Bodie 
was now a bottom.

"Please Bodie, don't stop," Doyle gasped.

"Turn around then."

Doyle put down the knife and turned towards Bodie, never during that time 
did Bodie's hand leave his lover's cock. They kissed passionately, sensiously. 
Bodie's lips left Doyle's and trailed his way down Doyle's neck, then down 
his chest, then finally Bodie got to his knees, he took his lover's cock in his
 mouth, and began to give it expert attention.

Doyle closed his eyes, he would have rather had Bodie inside of him, but 
this felt so good.
Soon too soon, Ray came, filling Bodie's mouth. The Bodie was on his 
feet again, kissing him, letting his lover taste his come.

That was when the doorbell went.

"That must be Lars," Bodie said. "Just look at you, not fit for company."
"No thanks to you," Doyle began to straighten his clothes. 

"That's not what you said earlier." Bodie said, pulling Ray to him, 
perhaps this time, Bodie would take him.

The door bell rang again, but they ignored it, being too wrapped up in
 themselves.

"Don't the two of you ever answer your door bell?" Bryant said.

Bodie pulled away from Doyle. "How the hell did you get in here?"

"I've got a spare key,"

Doyle turned and straightened his clothes. "How did you get a spare key?"

"The cow gave it to me,"

"We where just getting dinner finished," Bodie said.

"I can see that," Bryant grinned.

"We're my brother?"

"He'll be here in a few minutes, one of his students called him." 

*                                                                    *                                              *

Thirty minutes passed, and there was still no sign of Lars. During this time 
Bodie did his damnedest to show Bryant that Ray was his. Doyle had 
quite a time fighting off Bodie so that he could finish cooking.

Bryant hung up the phone, "Lars still isn't answering,"

"Perhaps he's already on the way down," Bodie put his arm around Doyle.

"I'll go hurry him up," Bryant said.

"I'll go," Ray volunteered/ "I need the exercise."

"Are you sure?" Bryant asked.

"It's just two floors up,"

"What's wrong Brendan?" Bodie asked.

"I get this feeling that your lives in danger Ray," So that was it, Bryant was 
claiming to be psychic again. 

"You and your feelings," Ray sighed.

"Take your beeper," Bodie put it on Doyle's hand, the beeper was used
 if there was an emergency, all Doyle would have to do is touch it, and 
CI5 would come running.

"I can't persuade you to wait?" Bryant asked.

"If anything happens, I'll signal you," Ray said.

Bodie kissed him gently. "Don't be long,"

"I won't," Doyle promised.

*                                                     *                                            *

Doyle took the stairs to Bryant's apartment. As soon as he got off the 
stairs he heard a scream. The cop came out in him, and he walked towards
 the noise. It didn't take Doyle long to realise that the noise came from Bryant's 
apartment.

He tried the door, it was unlocked, slowly Doyle opened the door and went 
inside.

There where people in the room, dressed in black and wearing stocking caps. 
Lars was tied to a chair, one of his arms was tied to a table. His shirt was covered 
in blood, and his hand, two of his fingers where several inches from the hand.

Lars looked at Doyle, his eyes black with agony. "Get out of here Ray!"

Before Ray could do anything, someone tackled him from behind, and he 
could feel a sharp pain in his back. Ray fought back anyway, even with the
 pain. He was able to fight the person to the ground, and get on top of her. 
He pulled off the hood, it was Glyness the bartender!

Someone came up from behind Doyle, stabbing him again and again. Doyle
 fell to the ground, as he fell, he hit the pager.He could see Lars from where
 he was, one of the attackers raised a knife, and cut off another of Lar's fingers. 
There was an inhuman cry from Lars.

"He saw me," Glyness said.

"He won't live long enough to tell anyone," The man who had stabbed him said. 

The last thing that Ray heard was a long agonising scream from the Lars as the
 attackers cut off yet another finger.

*                                                                    *                                          *

Bodie looked at Bryant as the pager went off. They hesitated for a moment, 
then they ran towards the door.

Bodie opened the door to Bryant's apartment, in the darkened apartment, he 
could see his lover lying in a pool of blood, his golden curls now scarlet from 
the blood he lost. 

Suddenly he could see Kyle, he had failed Ray, just like he did the man's twin. 
Bryant pushed past Bodie, he knelt down by Ray. 

"Is he dead?" Bodie's voice was flat, emotionless.

Bryant checked him. "He's still breathing,"

Bodie knelt down by his lover, then he looked across the room, in the dark, he 
could see his brother, who was tied to a chair, unmoving. "Bry, something's 
happened to Lars,"

Bryant stood up, he turned on the light. Lars sat in a chair, his hand tied to a table. 
His fingers piled up several inches from him, his eyes where open, unseeing.

"Lars!" Bryant rushed to his lover's side. He touched him on the cheek. 

The younger man blinked once, then twice. in a small voice Lars said. "Help 
me please,"

"Call Cowley!" Bodie ordered.

Bryant just stood there, unmoving, and Bodie realised the man was in 
shock. 
Bodie got up, and called in the report to Cowley. Then he turned to 
his brother, who by then had passed out. 

"I think I'm going to be sick," Bryant said. He ran into the bathroom.

He knelt down beside Doyle again. This time his lovers eyes where open. "Bodie?"

"Yes sunshine it's me," 

"I'm sorry.....I couldn't help Lars,"

"He's all right, the ambulance is on it's way."

Ray looked up to him, his green eyes not focusing. "I'm dying,"

"Your not dying!" Bodie said firmly, as if willing it not to happen. 

"It's not your fault, don't blame yourself," Ray gasped.

The fear that was always there was suddenly gone, his lover was dying, 
he had the right to know how Bodie felt. "I want you to know that I love 
you, that I'll always love you."

The ambulance came with amazing speed, the attendants had two police officers with 
them.
"What's all this then?" The detective demanded. "Did you attack them?"

"Of course I didn't!" Bodie said outraged.

"The two of you had a lovers quarrel didn't you?" He accused.

Bodie stood up,  reached into his pocket, to show the detective his ID, the police
 grabbed him and pushed him against the wall. Bodie tried to fight them off. 

Bodie noticed that the ambulance attendants just stood there, out of the way. 
"Why aren't you looking after Ray?"
"Be quiet!" The officer yelled.

"There are two men dying in there!"

"Tell us queer, why did you kill your lover?"

"I didn't!" Bodie tried to struggle away from the officers, but they slammed him 
once, then twice against the wall. Then they handcuffed him.

"Coming through!" A familiar voice said.

"Who are you?" The police demanded.

"I am CI5," Cowley said, he showed the officers his ID "From now on, this 
is a CI5 matter,"

"Murder is a police matter!"

"You will have to take that up with your superiors, let him go!"
"He is our suspect!"

"He is a CI5 agent and as I've told you, this is a CI5 case,"

The first police officer let go of Bodie, Cowley looked at the paramedics. "Get to 
work! There are people dying in there!"
The paramedics rushed into the apartment. 

Cowley looked Bodie over, "You look terrible,"

"They tried to kill Ray and Lars,"

"Did 45 say who did this?"

"He's not in any condition to,"

"He might tell us later," Cowley looked at the second officer. "Unhandcuff this man!"

The second police officer did. 

They carried Lars out on a stretcher, Bryant following, he was pale, he looked at 
Cowley. "Sir, they won't let me go with him."

"Did they know your relationship with Lars?"

"They said it didn't matter, I'm not family, and we're not legally married. Lars is all 
I have, and I'm going to loose him." Bryant said morosely.
*                                                                 *                                            *

Bodie couldn't get the sight of seeing his lover lying on the floor, bleeding to 
death. Bodie had been incapable of helping him. Just as he had been with Kyle,
 all those years ago.

Bryant sat on a couch, his face pale, mumbling something, Bodie could over
 hear a fragment of it. Bryant was putting curses on who ever did this.

"The people who did this deserve more then just curses," Bodie told him,  he was 
sitting at a table, writing his report, hoping that it would keep his mind off of his 
lover.

"What would you do to them?" Bryant countered. "They deserve to die slowly."

"Don't you remember the rules of threes?" 

"Of course I remember it," Bryant got off the settee and walked over to the table.
 He sat down across from Bodie. "What are you doing?"

"I'm writing my report,"

"Your report?"

"The cow will want our reports first thing in the morning."

"He'll understand, Ray and Lars......."

"Cowley has always said that personal grievances can't get in the way of 
completing assignments."

For the first time Bryant looked down to the paper Bodie was working on. 
"You have to  turn in more then three lines,"

"I just started,"

"Yeah, an hour ago."  Bryant paused. "Has anyone contacted Mrs. Doyle?"

"Probably not,"

"Then someone should call her,"

"All right, call her," Bodie tried to look back down to his report.

"You call her,"

"I'm busy,"

Bryant touched Bodie's hand. "Mrs Doyle has the right to find out from 
you and not the telly."

"Have it your way," Bodie walked over to the pay phone, that was by a 
window. He saw Cowley's car pull up. Mrs. Doyle was in the back seat with Cowley.

A few moments passed, and Mrs. Doyle came in, both Bodie and Bryant 
stood up. 
"We're sorry Mrs. Doyle." Bodie finally said.

Mrs. Doyle walked over to Bodie, she hugged him. Bodie found his arms 
going around her. "You poor thing, first Mai Li's death, then Ray and 
your brother's attack. How are you doing?"

"I can cope,"

"Your a brave man Bodie," She pulled away from Bodie and went over 
to Bryant, her hand went to his face,  touching his cheek. "Brendan, I hope t
he best for your lover,"

"Thank you Mrs. Doyle,"  Bryant said.

"Please Brendan, call me Aungsun,"

"Aungsun it is," Bryant agreed.

*                                                              *                                                    *

Bodie sat by Doyle's bed, it was the next day, after the stabbing. If only...If only 
Bodie had been there with Doyle, all this wouldn't have happened.

If he hadn't hurt Doyle in the first place, he wouldn't have gone through all this. 
The marks on his face had made him an open target, just ripe for people like t
he hate group to attack him. He hadn't been there to protect Ray, like he
 had promised him.

He had told ray he loved him.

Everyone Bodie had told his feeling to had died, from Marrika to Kyle. Now Ray 
was like this....It was better for everyone that Bodie keep Ray at arms leanth, not 
committing, for if he committed to Ray, his lover would get hurt.

Cowley came into the room, out of habit, Bodie stood up. The Scots looked him 
over. "Och lad, sit down before ye fall down!"

"Yes sir," Bodie sat back down.

"How's 4.5?"

"The doctors don't know how he survived, he lost so much blood that he 
almost died, did you know that?"

"Yes I know," Cowley said. "I'm taking you off the case, perhaps you can 
go on holiday in the country."

Bodie couldn't bear the thought of leaving his lover. "Please sir, don't take me 
off the case."
"Your too involved 3.7,"

"How could I not be involved? My partner, My brother where almost killed!" 
Bodie took a deep breath, trying to calm down. He couldn't get angry at his s
uperior, it wouldn't help. "Have you took Bryant off the case?"

"Yes, I have. I am very worried about his mental state."

"Is he going to talk to Dr. Ross?"

"Eventually, after we get your brother out of ICU

Bodie looked up at Cowley. "May I ask you a favour sir?"

"You normally don't ask favours,"

"I know, but this time I must."

"Go ahead," Cowley said.

"Please don't take me off this case,"

"I told you, your too involved,"

"I know, but I don't want to leave Ray....I mean 4.5,"

"Have you been awake since the attack?"

"Yes sir,"

Cowley looked at Ray for a moment, as if thinking. "I have the perfect assignment
 for you, you are in charge of 4.5's safety. That will mean you'll be stuck in 
this hospital until Doyle gets out, do you think you can handle that?"

Bodie found himself smiling in relief. "Yes sir, thank you sir."
*                                                    *                                        *

Doyle woke, he was lying in a hospital bed, he felt as if there was a great 
weight on his chest. There was tubes coming out of each of his hands which 
where in a brace. 

Bodie sat in a chair next to the bed, he just looked at him, his eyes hollow, 
as if he had seen too much pain. 

Doyle tried to talk, but his mouth felt dry, as if he had gone too long without 
any water. He could barely croak out his lover's name. 

In an instant Bodie was at Doyle's side, he gently took his lover's braced
 hand in his. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm thirsty."

Bodie took a sliver of ice out of the ice chest that was on the nightstand 
beside the bed. He held it up to Ray's lips, he opened his lips and the ice cube slid in.

The sliver was cold, but it felt like water quenching a fire. 

"Now, can I have some water?"

"Not yet, you just woke up, you only get ice cubes until the doctor changes 
his mind."

"Wonderful," He looked into his lover's eyes. "Is Lars still alive?"
"Yes, he's still in a coma,"

"His hand.....the fingers....."

"The sergines where able to  re-attach them,"

"He'll never be able to paint again, painting was his life,"
"They took off the fingers of his right hand, Lars is left handed."

"It's still my fault,"

"Ray, if a nuclear bomb went off in London, you would blame yourself."

"I'm the one who asked Lars to dinner in the first place, if I hadn't....."

"Then Bryant would have been killed too,"

"You don't know that," He looked away from Bodie. he knew he was 
responsible for what happened to his brother.

"I do too know it's not your fault."

"All right," He looked back to Bodie. "Glynnis, did you get Glynnis?"

"Why should we get her? She's part of the gay student union."

"She's also part of the hate group, she was one of the attackers, she stabbed me."

The colour drained from Bodie's face. "That bitch! I have no idea where she is, 
I'll have to contact Cowley."

"Use your R/T,"

"Can't I'm technically still undercover, I'll have to use the hall phone. " Bodie 
kissed Ray gently on the lips. "I'll be right outside, if anything happens, just holler."

"I trust you,"

Bodie kissed Doyle yet again. "I'll be right back,"

Doyle couldn't see Bodie as he disappeared down the hallway. He looked 
down to his hospital ID, it said Doyle, Ray. 

Two doctors came into the room, the first one began to look him over. 
"How are you feeling today?"

"I'm all right,"

As the first doctor checked Doyle over, the second shut the door to the room 
and stood it in front of it. 

"How long have you been awake?" The voice sounded familiar to him. "Can
 you hear me Dr. Lang?"

That was it, Doyle realised what was wrong, his name tag read Ray 
Doyle, no one here knew he was Ray Lang.

Except....

The men that attacked him, and that man's voice, it was the man that stabbed 
him!
"Bodie!" Doyle shouted as loud as he could. "Get in here quick!"

In an instant, the first doctor had his hand over Doyle's mouth, pushing him
 back onto the bed. Usually Doyle would fight back, but now he was 
too weak. The man took a knife out of his pocket, and stabbed Doyle in the chest.

Bodie burst into the room, knocking the second man to the floor. Suddenly 
the second man had a knife in his hand. Bodie fought back fearcely, killing
 the second man with his own knife. The first man got off of Doyle and went 
over to Bodie, he raised his knife high, then stabbed him.

Just then the Murphy brothers came into the room, they pulled the attacker 
off of Bodie.
"Are you all right?" Liam asked.

"I'm fine, look after Ray, he's been stabbed again!" Bodie gasped, Ray noticed
 he was bleeding.

Doctors swarmed around Doyle, and he could see Bodie as he was wheeled 
out on a stretcher. 
*                                                                *                                                   *
*                                                                   *                                               *
After the doctors took care of Ray, Cowley came into the exam room. "How 
are you doing 4.5?"

"I'm fine, but Bodie, is he hurt?"

"Don't you be worrying your head about Bodie,"

"But he was bleeding......"

"It was only a nick, he'll be all right,"

"When can I see him?"

"In a while, since we are in hospital, I'm having the doctors give Bodie a full 
check-up." Cowley took off his glasses. "Your becoming a rather large
 bother 4.5."

"Yes sir," Doyle said quietly, he knew what would probably happen, he would 
be kicked off the squad.

'You do know the attack wasn't your fault," Cowley said.

"Yes it was,"
"You where simply in the wrong place at the wrong time," Cowley looked him 
over. "I think it's too dangerous to keep you in hospital,"

"I'm too sick to go home,"

"You won't be going home, CI5 owns a safe house that can double as a s
mall hospital, you'll be staying there,"

"What about Bodie?" Doyle asked concerned. "Will I get to see him?"

"You'll need a nurse, won't you?" Cowley smiled.
*                                                        *                                                 *

Bodie didn't realise that saving his lover's life would put him in hospital. 
He had been stabbed in several places, and it had taken quite a long time 
for the doctors to sew him up. The physicians has asked him about his still 
healing back, and he had basically told them, it was none of their business. 
They had taken that as an answer.

He had been put in a simi-private room. There was a curtain that separated 
Bodie from the other bed, but there was no one in that bed.

The door to the room opened, Cowley walked in. He did not look pleased.
 "How are you feeling 3.7?"

"I'll  survive," 

"You where very brave taking on the attackers,"

"It was part of my assignment," Bodie shrugged.

"I'm going to level with you 3.7," Cowley said seriously. "Right before I came
 in here, I had to convince the physicians not to call a battered partner service,"

It finally dawned on Bodie, the doctors had found out about his fight with Doyle.
 "Am I going to be charged?"

"Why would you be charged with anything?" Cowley asked confused. "Doyle's 
the one that battered you!"

"Doyle doesn't batter me,"

"You are recovering from a very severe beating, and you have an infected bite 
wound on your shoulder,"

"Oh," 

"Is that all you have to say is oh? Murphy told me about your fight a month ago,
 but this....this really takes the cake, I didn't know your relationship with him was 
that violate,"

"It isn't sir, Ray doesn't batter me....."

"I can see the evidence from your back!" Cowley said harshly. "Why didn't 
you ever tell me about you and Ray,"

"I thought you knew we where sleeping together," 

"Of course I knew about that! What I didn't know about was the abuse,"

"It's not how it looks," Bodie tried to reason. "I asked Ray to beat me,"

"Why? Why would you do such thing?" Cowley asked. "No, don't tell me,
 I don't think I want to know, it doesn't matter anyway. I'm breaking you and 
Doyle up, you will be assigned to Wales,"

"Please don't do that sir," Bodie begged. "I need Ray,"

"Your needs don't matter right now," Cowley took a couple of tabloids from 
his coat pocket. He handed them to Bodie, who glanced at the front cover.
 There where photos of Bodie and Doyle, kissing, dancing slowly together,
 the photo had been taken at Mai Li and Jenn's wedding.. The headline read.
 "CI5 agents openly gay,"

"Oh my god," Bodie gasped.

"You've caused a scandal, one that's rocked even the upper ecolon of government."

"Did you tell them that we where on assignment?"

"The minister has ordered me to break the two of you up,"

"Can't you talk him out of it?"

"If the two of you where together simply because of the assignment, that 
would be one thing, but the truth is, that you are lovers." Cowley paused.
 "You are also in a relationship where your being battered. The best thing 
for the two of you would be if you parted."

"For how long?"

"This is perminate, 3.7,"

Bodie sighed, he knew that he couldn't convince Cowley now, not when he was
 in this kind of mood. "When do I leave for Wales?"

"When 4.5 is ready to go back on duty, that should be about a month," Cowley 
took off his glasses and put them in his pocket. "For now, your still with 4.5, 
stay with him, make sure nothing happens to him. I'm going to have him moved 
to a safe house, you'll go with him."

"I don't want to leave Ray," Bodie said finally.

"You forget 3.7, I own you, you'll do exactly as I say, or else I'll send you back
 to Angola, where you'll face a firing squad." With that, Cowley left.

*                                                               *                                             *

In the country, far from the college, Doyle had been transferred in an 
unmarked ambulance. Bodie was no where to be seen. That worried Doyle.
 The last time he had seen Bodie was him lying on the floor, in a pool of blood. 
All questions about Bodie had been left unanswered. 

Doyle got a good look at his new home. It was more like a bedroom, with the
 medical equipment put in every nook and cranny. There was a fireplace, but it 
was too warm for a fire. There was another bed in the room, it was unoccupied. 
He had only been there an hour, but the resident doctor had already looked him over.

Bryant came into the room.  Doyle was surprised, so surprised that he said. "What
 are you doing here?"

"I was checking on you," the tall man said.

"I mean, what are you doing at the safe house?"

"Lars is staying here, and I'm here with him."

"Why aren't you on the case?" 

"The cow says I'm too involved, I'd rather be out there, looking for those
 bastards that attacked you." Bryant sat down in a chair. He looked worn 
out, as if he'd gone days without sleep. He was also armed.

"How is Lars?"

"He's doing better, but he can't talk yet...he's got tubes in his mouth,"

Doyle decided to ask Bryant the question that had been nagging at him. 
"Did something happen to Bodie?"

"What would make you think that?" Bryant countered.

"He was injured the last time I was attacked,"

"So your worried,"

"What's wrong with being worried?"

There was a noise at the door, Bryant drew his gun and went to the door. 
He opened the door. Bodie was standing in the hallway, holding a package. 
He held up his one free hand.
Bryant put the gun up. 'Took up long enough to get here,"

"Sorry about that," Bodie looked worn out.  "How's the patent doing?"

"I think he's loosing his patence," Bryant kidded.

Bodie walked over to the other bed. He moved gingerly around the room, as if he 
was in pain. 

Doyle looked him over, concerned. "Are you okay Bodie?"

Bodie tried to smile. "I'm just sore from sitting so long,"

"you weren't hurt where you?"

"Of course I wasn't hurt," 

"I saw you bleeding," 

"I think I better leave the two of you alone," With that, Bryant left.

"Where'd you go after the attack?" Doyle asked.

"Cowley made the doctors give me a check up."

"You couldn't contact me?"

"I'm sorry Ray, I was busy,"  Bodie looked pale to Ray, too pale. "I brought you something,"

Doyle looked down to his still bound wrists. "I can't hold anything,"
Bodie took a sculpture out of the box that he was carrying. It was the green 
jade carving that Mai Li had always loved. "Where would you like me to put it?"

'Anywhere that I can see it,"

With a groan, Bodie walked over to the fireplace, he put the sculpture on it. 
"How does that look."

"Wonderful." ray said. "Where will you be staying?"

"Here, in that bed."

"A hospital bed?"

"The cow thought it would be cheaper if I was your twenty four hour nurse,"

"I see," 

Bodie walked over to him, he stroked Ray's golden curls. "I missed you sunshine,"
"I missed you too,"

Bodie kissed him gently.

*                                                                           *                                      *

Bodie went downstairs to get Ray a pot of Tea. Three days had passed since 
his arrival. He knew he should rest, but Ray was his responsibility now, he would 
be damned if he failed his lover. 

He put the kettle on the cooker, the sat down on the kitchen table. It wouldn't 
hurt if he got a bit of rest. His wounds were really aching. He had been up for t
hree days taking care of Ray. He couldn't sleep at night, the sound of Ray's 
oxygen machine kept him up, reminded him that  his lover was hurt. 

Bodie put his head on the kitchen table, before he knew it, he was asleep.

A high pitched noise woke Bodie. 

Suddenly the noise stopped. Bodie sat up, Bryant was at the cooker, looking 
at him. "i'm sorry, I nodded off for a minute."

"Just how hurt where you in the attack?" Bryant asked bluntly.

"I wasn't hurt."

"This is me Bodie, I know you. I know when your aura's changed."

"My aura's changed," Bodie said leavly. "You thinks something's wrong when me 
because you can see my aura?"

"Your aura's usually the colour of ice fire, but now there's a splash of black 
around it, right in your rib area."

Bodie looked up at Bryant. "I don't believe in aura's,"

"Of course you don't," Bryant said as if humouring a child. "How many ribs 
did you break?"

"Why do you think I'm hurt?"

"Because I do, please tell me."

"You won't tell Ray will you?"

"Why should I tell Ray?" Bryant countered.

 There was a long pause, as Bodie gathered his thoughts." Ray almost *died*, 
he's had enough happening to him without letting him worry about me."

"Are you sure your up to taking care of Ray?"

"I have to be,"

"Why do you have to be? You should take some time off, when he's well, the two 
of you can...."

"After Ray's well, we're being split up by Cowley."

"Does Ray know about this?"

"Cowley's given me orders not to tell him until he gets well."

"So he knows nothing about the scandal?"

"Less then nothing, we've kept it from him." 

"So if your not with him now, you'll never be?" Bryant asked.

"Yes,"

"If you even need a break, call me, I'll help," The tall man offered. "If your bed gets 
cold, I'll be there."

"Thanks,' Bodie got up, he went over to Bryant. He kissed him. Bryant had lost so 
much, but he was still there, offering confort to him. They kissed for a long while,
 then finally Bodie pulled away from him. "I need to get back to Ray."

*                                                                   *                                       *