"Useless fagot… You think you're so smart? You think this is over?" The creepy man from the hotel morphed into Mike as he pinned Rory to the mattress. "You think what those creeps had in mind was bad? Wait until I find you." Pain radiated through Rory's head where Mike dug his thumb into the fresh wound. "I'll make you wish those bastards killed you…" Mike's voice taunted Rory as he struggled against the restraints of the bed. When had the restraints gotten back on? Rory whimpered and struggled against the tight bonds holding his body to the bed, but it only caused the pain in his head to worsen. "Ha! Yes! Fight! You know it only turns me on more when you do!" Mike taunted. Rory cried out this time as Mike pressed harder against his wound.
Dillon busted through the bedroom door, his eyes scanning the room wildly. Rory had tied himself up in the covers and was now fighting against them. Rin was nowhere to be found inside the room. When Rory cried out again, still struggling against the tight tangles of the bedding, Dillon sprinted forward. He quickly worked Rory free, but didn't anticipate the fists that would come flying toward his face the second he did. Rory fought frantically, his eyes still closed. "Rory! Come on, buddy. Wake up! It's me! You're dreaming." He struggled to hold Rory against his bare chest as Rory struggled and fought against him.
Hearing the commotion from across the hall, Maggie and Ben soon came busting through the bedroom door as well. "What's going on?" Maggie cried out but quickly gasped and covered her mouth.
"Go find Rin! If anyone can calm him down, it's Rin." Dillon called out as he continued struggling against Rory's sleeping body.
Maggie whimpered and sank to the floor as fresh tears began to stream down her face. "My baby… what have you gone through…"
"You want to help him, get Rin!"
To Dillon's surprise, it was Ben who snapped into motion, his confused, worried eyes moving from Rory to Maggie. He quickly darted from the room and, within minutes, was rushing back in behind a sleep-drowsy Rin.
It didn't take Rin long to process what was going on and rush onto the bed. He didn't bother taking Rory from Dillon's arms; instead, he wrapped himself around them both and held Rory tightly. "Rory, baby… It's me, Rin… Come back to me, baby… Wake up… I'm here…" Rin's eyes scanned Rory. Blood trickled from his wound. "He must have bumped it in his sleep. I bet the pain has caused a nightmare." His eyes moved to Ben. "Can you get him some pain meds and water?"
Ben nodded, his gaze shooting back down to Maggie's distraught body again before leaving the room. He returned moments later with a glass of water and a bottle of ibuprofen. He didn't speak as he held them out to Rin.
"He won't wake up. How are you going to get him to take them?" Dillon muttered.
Rin frowned. "Hold his mouth open." Rin pressed the pills in Rory's mouth as Dillon did as he was told, then took a large mouthful of water and forced it into Rory's mouth. Rory sputtered against the forced fluids and medicines, but the action seemed to snap him out of the nightmare. His eyes flickered open and moved around them in confusion. "You back with us now, buttercup?" Rin asked.
Rory's eyes moved around the room. He clung tighter to Dillon and Rin as his blurry vision worked to make out the other two individuals in the room. A troubled whimper left his lips as Maggie lifted from the floor and began to move toward the bed.
Dillon tightened his hold on Rory's trembling body as Rin held his hand up to stop Maggie from advancing. "Where is a first aid kit? His blood bled through his bandages." Rin muttered, his own brow knitted in concern. He ushered her and Ben both toward the door. "Lead the way."
"But…" Maggie's eyes kept returning to the bed where Dillon was rocking Rory in his arms, but Rin continued ushering her onward.
Rin shook his head. "Not now… Perhaps after he's fully woken up…"
Maggie bit her lip in hesitation before mumbling. "Does… does he often have these… nightmares?"
"He does…" It wasn't Rin who answered. Sabastian sat with his knees pressed to his chest and arms wrapped tightly around them on the opposite side of the hall. His tear-streaked face lifted to meet them.
Rin nodded in confirmation, a sad frown curving his lips as he sent Rory and Dillon one last glance before shutting the door. "I'd love to explain it to you… all that he's gone through, the pains, the tortures… but he's not confided in me enough yet. I only know that the ex that he was running from when he came here for help still haunts him… every second of every day… and I fear now that it will only get worse. He thought the stalker was his ex, and was convinced enough of that fact to leave me, for my safety… Who knows if that will get better now that the real stalkers were caught?"
Neither Maggie nor Ben responded as they led the way to a hall closet and retrieved an oversized Tupperware container from it. Maggie held it out to Rin. "You should be able to find everything you need…" She avoided Rin's steady gaze as she bit into her trembling bottom lip. "Regardless of how much I'd love to go back inside with you and help nurse my son… I feel like I've lost that right…" She forced her gaze to meet Rin's. "Let me know how he is once you have him settled."
Rin nodded. "I will… Thank you." When she seemed confused, Rin gave a soft snort before adding. "For setting aside your selfish impulses to rush back in there and try to soothe your own guilt. He needs his space right now. This isn't the first time Dillon and I have had to bring him out of these nightmares, and I know it won't be the last of them." Rin spun on his heels and headed back for the room without waiting for a reply. He could tell Ben was angry and Maggie was hurt, but he couldn't be bothered to care. He blamed them both for Rory's PTSD and night terrors and wouldn't forgive them for that blame even if Rory found it in his heart to do so someday. Rin's back stiffened as he felt their eyes bore into him. Keep staring, assholes… We'll be leaving first thing tomorrow…
**
Rory groaned as he tried to stretch his stiff body against the constrictive arms wrapped around him. He tried to wiggle free but quickly discovered the restrictive confines he was wedged between. Any other time, he'd be freaking out and throwing a fit, but after last night, he welcomed the soothing warmth and familiarity of the two bodies pressed against him on either side. A husky groan and another arm snaking around his waist caused his body to go rigid. His head slowly turned to the side, and his eyes widened as they locked on the wolfish grin spread across Dillon's sleeping face.
"You may have gotten your sleep out, but the rest of us were up all night worrying about you… So, give us a break, will ya, and lay back down for a little bit longer." Dillon muttered in a sexy, husky, sleep-heavy voice.
A deep blush quickly spread up Rory's neck and across his cheeks, causing him to renew his struggles to get free.
Dillon huffed out a laugh. "Ah, come on. Even Sab sacrificed comfort to stay in here and keep an eye on you last night."
Rory's eyes moved to the fold-out cot in the corner. Sure enough, Sabastian was curled up on it with a throw blanket wrapped tightly around his small frame. Rory swallowed past the lump in his throat as several emotions began to rise at once. He shoved against Rin and Dillon's arms and sat up in bed. He brushed his fingers through both their hair as he said. "I appreciate you guys staying by my side last night. I'm sure no one slept comfortably, especially since this is only a full-sized bed. If you're still sleepy, keep sleeping… but I'm getting up…"
Rin groaned. "Fine… then I'm taking a shower first… How soon will you be ready to leave today?"
A smile spread across Rory's lips as he realized Rin had been awake the entire time. "I need to talk to my mom first…"
Rin stretched as he sat up. "Very well… I assume you want to do it in privacy…"
Rory shrugged. "I don't care either way." His gaze moved over to Dillon. "I have nothing to say to her that I don't mind saying in front of any of you guys. You guys probably already have an idea anyway." He blew out a long breath. "If anything, I wouldn't mind having the moral support… of one or both…" His gaze shifted to Sabastian's sleeping body. "Or even all three…" Rory chuckled. "He's even grown on me lately."
Dillon and Rin both laughed. "Those are words I never thought I'd hear you say," Dillon muttered as he rolled onto his back and cradled his neck in his interlocked hands.
Rory shrugged. "I mean, we've worked together, gone through scandal together, lived together, run away together, and got abducted together… if that doesn't make you close, what does?"
Rin pulled Rory into his arms and placed a kiss on his forehead. "I'm glad to see you laugh in light of everything. I was afraid it would be a while before I got to hear that sweet sound again."
Rory pushed down his own anxious doubt as he forced the answer he knew they all wanted to hear… needed to believe. "As you said, the culprits were caught… it's all over now…"
"Rin nodded. "Yes, it is. And I'll do everything I can to make sure it doesn't happen again. You have my word on that."
**
Ben's eyes moved skeptically between Rory and Dillon as he rested his arm lazily across the back of Rory's dining room chair. He held his tongue as Maggie rambled on and on, not seeming to notice the action. Ben's gaze shifted to his wife. No… Maybe it wasn't that she didn't notice… She seemed to notice as well. So, what was it? Did she not care? Was she not bothered by the open show of depravity these boys were obviously partaking in? His eyes narrowed as his resolve strengthened. He would have his own words with them… yes, without Maggie this time… His thoughts were interrupted as she asked one of the questions he'd been wondering.
Maggie hesitated as her gaze shifted to Dillon's arm once again. Her mind went back the night before, and the way this same man had held her son against his bare chest and rocked him in his arms. Rin didn't seem shocked at all; as a matter of fact, Rin had implied that 'they' often handle Rory's nightmares. She'd even looked in on them early this morning to find that the three of them were sharing the same bed. The entire time they'd been talking today, anytime Rory had seemed distressed, Dillon had softly caressed his neck, back, or shoulder… Surely that wasn't something you did with just another coworker… But there was no denying it, Rory and Rin seemed to be in an equally, if not more, involved relationship. She bit her lip but couldn't hold back any longer. "Forgive me for asking… but what is your relationship to one another? The three of you seem so close… All four of you, really…"
Rory couldn't help the crimson that colored his entire face as he struggled to answer, but it was Dillon who supplied one in the end.
"What would you like to know?" Dillon asked with a smirk. His gaze shifted from Maggie to Ben, who was now giving them his full attention.
Maggie swallowed hard. She understood immediately Rory's reluctance to answer and took it as an answer enough. "Forget I asked."
Dillon's grin widened. His arm shifted from the back of the chair to Rory's shoulders as he pulled Rory closer. "No, you want to know if your son and I are more than coworkers. If Rin and I are? How Sabastian fits into all of this? If the rumors in the tabloids and floating around the internet are true, yeah?" His gaze shifted to Ben. "Tsk, what naughty thought you must be thinking to be so interested suddenly… but I can't say those thoughts are entirely wrong… or at least they weren't at one time. Regardless of what kind of relationship I desire to have with Rory and what I've had with Rin in the past, Rory here only has eyes for Rin… Does that answer everything for you?" Dillon's head tilted in amusement as color flared in Ben's face. "What? Does it piss you off to have a house full of homo's that bad? Want to curse us and kick us all out like you did Rory all those years ago? Don't worry, we'll be leaving soon enough."
Ben shot up from his chair, his face flaring red with anger as Rin walked in and leaned against the doorway. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Don't be so sure of that… I just got off the phone with the sheriff's office. They wanted to have a word with us about last night. Looks like we may be staying a bit longer."
Ben slammed his hands against the table. "Don't think just because something like that happened, you can suddenly come into this house and disrespect both of us! I don't care how rich you are or who your families are! I'll not tolerate the disrespect or the filth!"
Rin arched a brow as he straightened from the doorway. "Filth?"
Ben sputtered in frustration. "Yes, filth! I don't know what you think you are, but in this house-"
"What I think I am?" Rin narrowed his eyes as he walked toward the table. He leaned forward, placing both hands on the table. "What are you implying here?"
Ben's eyes moved over Rin. Rin was wearing a dress shirt and vest with the dress shirt unbuttoned all the way down to the V of the vest to make it look more feminine for Rory's family. "Do you think this act of yours is believable? I know you're one of those he-she's!"
Rin sputtered out a laugh. "Well fuck, if the cat's out of the bag, then why the hell am I doing this dumbass shit?" He straightened and buttoned his shirt to where he normally wore it. He sent Ben a glare. "Don't worry, we freaks will be out of your hair soon enough."
Maggie shot to her feet and grabbed Rin's arm. "No!" She stammered as she continued. "As you said before, this is Rory and my home… If he doesn't like it… he can leave." She gave a rigid nod of her head. "You boys stay."
Rin clasped Maggie's arm. "Thanks. We appreciate it." His gaze moved to Dillon as he shook his head. "Forever the troublemaker… Anyway, get cleaned up. We need to be down at the station in two hours, and it's nearly an hour's drive." His gaze softened as it shifted to Rory. "Will you be alright doing this, buttercup? We could always ask them to dispatch an officer or detective out to the house."
Rory shook his head. "I'll be fine… as long as you guys go with me." He gave Dillon's hand that still rested on his shoulder a squeeze to emphasize his point.
Rin nodded. "Very well. Go get ready too." Rin watched as Rory and Dillon left the room. As soon as he was sure Rory was out of earshot, he turned his attention back to Ben. His cold, dejected tone was trained directly at Ben. "Be out of this house when we return. You'll not hurt Rory with your hateful bullshit ever again. You understand me?" Rin squeezed Maggie's arm. "Text me if you need anything. As we discussed before, anything you need will be provided the second this asshole is out of the picture." Rin sent Ben another hate-filled glare before spinning on his heels and leaving the room.