Whispers in the Dark

Jay was in a living hell. He'd woken up not long after Adam had left for a signing, burning hot with a fever and nauseous to the point where he'd already vomited several times. The last time he hadn't quite made it to the toilet in time, so the entire room now stank of vomit. The smell had become so bad that Jay had dry heaved in bed several times. He wanted desperately to get away from the stench, but it took all of his strength to even lift his head from the sweat-soaked pillow.

"Addy...." he mumbled the name through cracked lips. His lover had been gone for hours now, he'd left for a signing which was supposed to have run only an hour. No doubt he'd been delayed by the hundreds of fans begging him for just one autograph. He loved how generous Adam could be, but right now, he wished the tall blonde was here with him, instead of who knows how far away.

Once, he'd managed to get a hold of the phone to try and call him. But before he'd been able to hit the dial button, he'd been seized by a fit of dry heaves, and the phone had slipped from his fingers, crashing to pieces on the hardwood floor.

"Addy....help me....." Jay felt so weak, he could barely keep his eyes open. Suddenly, he heard the house phone ring, and he knew in his heart that it was Adam calling the house. He mustered up his strength to make a grab for the phone, but no sooner did he get to his feet then his legs completely gave out and he crashed to the floor, laying in a crumpled heap of unconsciousness. Not five feet away, the phone clicked to the answering machine...

"Jay? Jay I've been trying your cell for an hour, are you okay? Jay? Jay???"

Adam shook his head, packing his things as quickly as he could. Something was definitely wrong. It wasn't like Jay not to answer his phone like this. He needed to get home...and quickly. The drive back to the house seemed like a blur to Adam when he pulled into the driveway. Adam practically knocked the door off it's hinges to get into the house. "Jay?" Adam called worriedly. No response. "Jay-Jay?" Adam called again, becoming more and more worried when his calls went unanswered. Once he found the smaller man, lying on the floor where Adam guessed he'd probably fallen, Adam made his way over to him, pulling the smaller man into his lap. "Jay," Adam sighed softly, brushing his lover's hair away from his face. "Little one, c'mon now, wake up baby," Adam murmured

Jay moaned and his fever glazed eyes fluttered open, trying and failing to focus on the face above him.
"Addy....." he murmured, his tongue slurring over the syllables "You...you're here...." he moaned in pain and his eyes began to flutter shut "It hurts....." he whimpered, moaning louder when he felt a cool hand brush his forehead "S-scared....."

"Shhhhh little one, it's alright now, I'm here," Adam whispered. "I've got you now baby, don't be scared I'm gonna take care of you now." Adam placed a gentle hand on Jay's forehead and sighed. He needed to get him cooled down, and fast. Standing up slowly with Jay still in his arms. He wasn't about to let Jay out of his sight, not like this. He dampened a washcloth and pressed it to Jay's overheated skin as he sat on the end of the bathtub, holding Jay close to him.

Feeling the coolness, Jay moaned and whimpered, shifting slightly in Adam's firm grip.
"Addy...." he mumbled deliriously, strands of hair sticking to his sweat covered face "Where are you?"

"I'm right here little one, I've got you," Adam murmured. One hand kept the washcloth in place while the other went back and forth between brushing Jay's hair off his face and cupping his cheek gently.

"Hurts...." Jay whispered, slowly relaxing against Adam's chest, soothed by the constant rubbing on his warm cheek. The tiny part of his brain that was still rational knew that Adam wouldn't let anything happen to him, that he could trust him.

"I know little one, I know," Adam said softly. "Let's get you somewhere a little more comfortable, hm?" Adam asked. He stood up slowly, hoping not to cause Jay any discomfort in the process, carrying him back to the bed room.

Jay lay completely still once he was placed on the bed. He was so physically ill and weak that it was all he could do to breathe, let alone keep his eyes open.

A soft sigh escaped Adam's lips at he sat down next to his weakened lover. He'd never seen Jay so frail looking before, and to be perfectly honest- it scared the shit out of him. "You're gonna be okay Jay-Jay," Adam whispered soothingly, though he was trying harder to convince himself of that.

"Love you....." Jay murmured, voice cracking because of his incredibly dry throat "Stay with me?"

Adam smiled gently. "I love you too Jay-Jay, I'm not going anywhere I promise."

Jay snuggled closer to Adam's chest and yawned "Sleepy Addy....."

"Get some rest little one," murmured Adam. "I'll be here."

Jay yawned and slowly drifted off to sleep, using Adam as a living pillow.

Adam smiled, gently stroking Jay's hair as he slept.

As Jay slept, he began to dream. At first it was a pleasant dream, he and Adam were taking a walk in their favorite park, the wind was playing with Adam's long golden hair. Jay could see the lake in the distance so he began to run on ahead, shouting for Adam to hurry and follow. To his surprise, he didn't hear Adam answer and he turned around to look for his lover. He was shocked to see that Adam had disappeared and he now was completely alone. "Adam?" Jay began to feel afraid "Addy....where are you?" He began to head back up the path when a deep southern accent made him stop frozen in his tracks...

"I've got ya at last...."

No..... Jay thought in horror It can't be him, he's in jail, he can't get me anymore...

"I can get you anytime I want" the voice continued, it sounded like it was right next to him.

"No, get away from me!" Jay began to run, wanting only to get away from the man who had made his life hell for so long "Addy, Addy HELP ME!!!"

Adam looked at Jay puzzled until he realized what was going on. He shook the younger gently. "Jay, Jay baby wake up," Adam murmured.

"No...no....." Jay continued to twist and turn "Addy...Addy....don't let him get me, please, don't let him hurt me again!!"

"Jay-Jay," Adam said gently. "I'm right here, I'm here."

Jay suddenly burst into consciousness and clung to Adam sobbing in complete terror "Addy....oh Addy...." his voice was growing frantic "Please don't let him get me, please, don't let him take me away....oh Addy I'm so scared...."

Adam cradled the smaller man in his arms. "Shhhh shhhhh," Adam whispered gently. "Nobody's gonna get you."

Wrapped up in Adam's strong arms, Jay cautiously peeked his eyes open and looked around nervously "He....he's not here?" there was an unbearable amount of fear in his voice

"Nobody's here Jay, just us," Adam said. "You're safe."

"S-safe?" Jay still sounded unsure "I...I could hear him, he was coming after me...." even as he spoke he began to whimper again.