"I'm tired, Dee," Sys said at last, raising his head. His eyes were red and puffy and his face almost as white as the bandage around his head. "My head hurtss sso much and I can't... I can't ththink. Pleasse, I need to... jusst need to..."
"You don't need to think, Sys. You're still not well. Jo'el, is there somewhere he can rest?"
"Of course. Follow me."
Dee picked Luke up into his arms. The little boy was trembling and crying softly. He buried his face in Dee's hair and clung to him, with his arms around his neck. With one arm firmly holding him, Dee used the other to help Sys to his feet and hold him close against his side, steadying him when he would have swayed. Sys turned up to him a face that was pale and streaked with tears but with an expression in his eyes and smile on his lips that spoke only of love.
"Ththank you, Dee. I don't know what I would do without you."
"You're a strong man, Sys. You'd do fine. But I am here and as long as I'm here I will protect you and care for you in any way I possibly can."
Sys' smile turned bashful and he rested his head on Dee's shoulder for a moment, before they walked towards am impatient Jo'el. He led them to a little suite, just off the main hall. There was a tiny bathroom, with a toilet and washbasin, an only slightly larger bedroom and a third room with a sofa a chair, a screen in the wall and a chest on which were laid out basic provisions... a kettle, packets of dried tack, biscuits and various powdered food and drink.
Gratefully, Sys sank onto the sofa and Dee set Luke on his feet. The little boy ran straight to the sofa and climbed up beside his father, snuggling into his side. Sys put his arm around him, wincing.
"Give me a minute, baby. I want to speak to Jo'el. I'll be right back."
Sys looked up, wearily, and nodded with a somewhat anxious smile.
Jo'el was hovering outside, knowing that Dee would be looking for him. "Where is Sysan?"
"Gone back to his home planet."
"How did you find him?"
"It wasn't easy. I tracked him down through a series of contacts."
"Why did you look?"
"Because, for some ridiculous reason I happen to be fond of you... and ever fonder of that absurd snake."
Dee smiled, uncertainly. "That's not exactly what I meant but... thanks... I guess."
"I thought that it couldn't hurt. I went through others, as I said and made sure there was no way I could be traced if things went wrong."
"How do you know you can trust him?"
"I don't." Jo'el turned thoughtful. "I've been in this business for a long time and I've learned to read people; their reactions, their expressions, the things they say and how they say them. There was genuine joy in the faces of the people I spoke to, Dee. I've seen, via a photo-link, Sys' mother, father, sister... and Sysan. They were so happy to know that he was safe and well. They wanted to come right then, but I made them wait. I made them convince me. They told me about the situation on their planet and that they were sure it would be safe for Sys to be in contact, or even go back. I met him before I let him anywhere near you, before I even let him know what planet you're on. I'm as sure as I can be that he's genuine; that he's telling the truth."
Dee scoured Jo'el's gruff face. He could be an ornery bugger and was as hard as they come, but he'd always played straight with Dee, and Dee had always known he had a soft spot for Sys. Who could blame him? With a smile and a sigh of relief Dee nodded and laid his hand on Jo'el's thick shoulder. A look of mutual understanding passed between them and then Jo'el strode off on some errand or another, bellowing orders at someone.
Opening the door softly, he slipped back into the room. Luke was half asleep, as Sys toyed with his hair. They had both stopped crying, although Sys still looked pale and stressed. He tried to smile at Dee, but it came out as a grimace.
Dee sat on the arm of the sofa and slid his arm around Sys' shoulders, resting his cheek on top of his head. The mane of bright blue hair was soft and, despite everything they had been though, smelled good. Dee could feel the tension thrum through Sys' body and sighed
"You should rest."
"Rest? How can I rest with all these thoughts in my head?"
"If I know you, you're thinking yourself round in circles. I've spoken to Jo'el: he was the one who got into contact with your family. He used all his contacts to find them."
Sys, jerked, his face tilting up, causing Dee to draw back sharply. "He did? Why?"
"Because he likes you; God knows why."
For a moment, Sys looked shocked, then his face softened into a smile. "He'ss a good man." Then he sighed and the smile faded again. "What shshould I do, Dee?"
"Whatever you want to. I'm behind you 100%."
"I know but I..."
"Fathther," Luke said sleepily. Sys, smiling softly, looked down into his son's tense face.
"It'ss alright, Luke, baby. It'ss going to be fine. We'll work it out."
"I like him, Fathther."
"You like who?"
"The man withth purple eyess. He'ss a bit sscary but he'ss a good man; I can feel it. But if he makess you ssad I will hunt him for you."
Sys gaped, and then pulled Luke close. Resting his head on his son's Sys sniffed as his eyes leaked again.
"It'ss okay, Luke. Ththere'ss no need to hunt anyone. That man iss your uncle and we will ssee him again ssoon. I'll make ssure he doessn't sscare you nexst time."
Satisfied, Luke tucked himself back in to his father's side and hissed softly to himself. Sys raised his eyes to Dee's again. His face was calm now, but so, so sad. Dee ruffled his hair and he sighed.
"Right," Dee said after fifteen minutes of watching Sys fight sleep and Luke succumb to it. "You two are going to bed." Effortlessly, he scooped Luke up into his arms and carried him into the bedroom. Luke stirred and hissed, but didn't wake. After tucking him beneath the covers he went back for Sys who was still sitting on the sofa, staring into the distance with a frown on his face.
"You, too," Dee said, gently.
"There'ss too much going on insside my head. I couldn't resst."
"You're almost asleep, Sys. I don't think it's going to be a problem." Sys' eyes were dazed when he looked up, and they pulled at Dee's heart. "You really need to stop stressing. Things will happen as they are supposed to happen. What's upsetting you so much?"
"I've lived for eight yearss believing I can't go home. I've yearned for it, Dee. I've ssat and cried, remembering my family and ththe way ththey betrayed me. I never knew. I never knew what ththey'd gone ththrough, how ththey tried to get to me. I feel sso guilty. And I'm sscared."
"Scared? What are you scared of?"
"That I won't be what ththey exspect me to be. I've changed, Dee. I've changed a lot. I'm not the ssame persson I wass before and I'm sscared ththey won't like me now."
"Sys, you're the most beautiful person I know. Of course they'll like you now."
Sys tried to smile but it was a pale one. "I wissh I could believe you, but you don't know my parentss. Ththey're good people. Ththey're important people and ththey have a reputation to keep up. I'm a sstranger now, a sstranger who wass exssiled and who lived on anothther planet for eight yearss. I won't be like ththem anymore."
"No, you'll be like you and that's what they'll see, Sys; that's what they'll love."
"Are you ssure?"
"Of course I'm sure. Did you see the way Sysan was with you? He was so happy to see you."
"Yess. Oh I don't know. I don't know how to feel, what to ththink. I'm sso tired, Dee, sso..." He sighed and leaned against Dee's side, trembling slightly.
"You need to sleep, Sys. You'll feel much better after you've had a good sleep. I would say a good night's sleep but I have no idea what time of day or night it is."
Sys looked around, dully and shrugged.
"Okay... bed."
Dee got up and held out his hand. Smiling sadly, Sys took it and allowed Dee to pull him to his feet. He swayed and Dee wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close. With a tired smile, Sys tilted up his face and accepted a soft, tender, kiss.
Resting his head on Dee's shoulder, Sys simple allowed himself to be held, listening to the steady beat of Dee's heart, feeling it vibrate through his chest. Dee was stroking his hair and it felt so good. So go...
Dee was caught by surprise when Sys' whole weight fell on him and he tightened his arms quickly, to stop him sinking onto the floor. That Sys had passed out didn't surprise him at all, though. He'd been running on empty for a while. Lifting Sys into his arms, he carried him into the bedroom and tucked him into bed, next to Luke.
Looking down at his sleeping lover and son, Dee was swept with a feeling of such love and tenderness it almost knocked him off his feet. He wasn't quite sure what was going to happen in their future, but he knew that whatever it was they would face it together and they would be alright.
Suddenly feeling exhausted himself, he went back into the living room and fell fast asleep on the sofa.
Dee had no idea how long he'd slept. He was woken by Luke, who'd recovered his high spirits.
"Dee... Dee wake up, I'm bored."
"Go wake your father and bother him."
"Fathther issn't feeling well. He ssaid not to bothther you but I'm ssoooo bored." He looked at Dee with his wide eyes, his lips trembling until Dee laughed and ruffled his hair. "And I'm sso hungry my sstomach hurtss."
