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Storm Warning

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Storm Warning

Chapter 1

Wes Mitchell sighed out loud as he push the door to the bank open, Travis Marks close behind him talking loud about his latest conquest, Macy.

“Travis, why don’t you stay in the car? Why?” Wes sounded tired.

“And make you miss out on my story about Macy?” Travis smirked.

“Oh, thank you...” Wes said as he tuned Travis out and looked around as he stood in the line, there weren’t that many people around as it was still a bit early.

He heard the door open again but didn’t look back as he looked down at the check in his hands, it was for Alex.
Sighing again he looked up and saw four masked men with guns making their way thru the bank and he froze as he thought he recognized one of the men.

“Travis….” He said in a low voice. “Keep a low profile, please.”

But either Travis didn’t hear him or he just ignored his partner as he whipped out his gun and yelled:
“Police! Drop your weapons!”

The masked men halted their progress but neither did drop their weapons and one of the moved slowly and carefully over to the two policemen.
As he came closer his walk turned confident and with a swagger he stepped a few steps from Wes and Travis.
“Well, look at that!” The masked man said sounding happy. “Wes Mitchell! I knew that this is your bank but not in a million years I thought as to be as lucky to run into you!”

“Hey!” Travis said, a bit confused by the robber’s words. “I said drop your weapons!”

“And that will make you Wes’s partner, Travis Marks, right?” The robber said as he turned to Travis. ”You better drop that gun or one of them” he pointed to the other masked men “will start to shoot the innocent people over there and then I would shoot Wes here.” His gun now pointed at Wes who had not drawn his gun.

“Alright.” Travis looked over to his partner with a glance and didn’t like what he saw.

Wes was pale and tightlipped as he kept looking at the robber in front of him.

“Good, now drop your gun to the floor, kick it away and up with your hands.” The robber moved closer to Wes, leaned forward to whisper in his ear but still loud enough for Travis to hear. “I’m violating the restraining order big time now, huh?”

“What restraining order?” Travis asked, his voice pitched high.

Wes and the robber ignored him and the blonde detective closed his eyes as the robber slowly patted his shoulders and then down his chest checking for guns, taking the detective’s gun and put into the back of his pants and then continued down both his legs.

Travis watched with a growing feeling of uneasiness as Wes grew paler and paler, his lips a thin white line.
When the robber was done he straightened himself, he was a few inches taller than Wes and wider and standing that close made the size difference apparent.

“Guys, you know the plan. Keep going and I’ll handle this.” The masked man said and the other three men did what he said.

“How long have you been out, Sam?” Wes finally found his voice and ignored the shakiness in it.

“Not long at all.” Sam looked at Wes his brown eyes sparkling as they met the reserved blue eyes and then he looked over at Travis. “Did my Wes tell you about me?”

“No.” Travis was still confused but he was creeped out by Sam’s behavior and “my Wes”?

“Aw, that’s too bad.”

“Maybe you ain’t that memorable?” Travis said.

“And maybe Wes doesn’t trust you enough?” Sam said hitting a nerve and Travis looked at Wes with questions in his eyes, not knowing what to think.

“Hey!” The blonde detective said in a low voice. “Both of you stop it.”

Before anyone could say anything more one of the other masked men called on Sam and the brown eyed robber fished out both detectives’ handcuffs and cuffed them with their hands behind their backs and then ordered them to sit down as he made his way over to the other robber.

Wes tried to avoid Travis eyes as he followed Sam but he could feel his partner’s eyes on him, oh how he wished that Travis had stayed in the car.

“Wes…” Travis sounded unsure so Wes looked at him. “What’s going on?”

“I…” Where to start? Wes sighed and hung his head. ”When I was a rookie cop I stumbled on a robbery in progress. Sam was one of the robbers but I didn’t know that because he was masked like now. I was first on the scene and he had a pregnant woman as a hostage. She went into labor so I offered myself up as hostage. “

Travis didn’t know what to say, he just kept looking at his partner and trying to support him.
“I don’t know why or how but Sam took a shine to me, his partners wanted to shoot me right on the spot. I don’t remember it all, I was hit in the head as the situation grew more intense. It ended somehow with Sam’s partners shot but he escaped somehow. “Wes looked up glanced over at Travis and then down again. “After that this brown haired man started to pop up asking for my phone number, saying that I saved his life and then I started to get flowers sent to my desk, notes on the police car and strange phone calls home. Alex thought I was having an affair.” Wes shook his head. “One late night when Alex was away on a business trip Sam came by our house and he tried to invite himself. We fought and a neighbor broke it up. After that I got that restraining order but it didn’t really stop him.”

Travis looked away from Wes over to Sam and he was boiling on the inside. He just wanted to walk over to the robber and beat him to a bloody pulp.

The robber turned their way, meeting Travis eyes and he walked over to them again.

“I thought Wes was playing hard to get.” Sam stopped and crouched down, looking Wes in the eyes. “Admit it, he is
quite stunning. I know you see it too.” Sam turned to Travis. “He hasn’t changed much, gotten a little bit skinnier. Don’t you take care of your partner?”

“I’m an adult.” Wes said a bit affronted. “I can take care of myself.”

“I was happy to hear that you and Alex split up.” Sam continued, ignoring Wes’s words. “She wasn’t the right one for you.”

“But you are?” Travis said with a huff.

“Maybe.” Sam said his brown eyes turning cold as he looked at Travis. “You think you are?”

“You are not my type.” Wes said as he tried to draw back Sam’s attention to himself, not liking the tension between Sam and Travis. “You never where and never will be!”

Sam turned his head toward Wes, sadness showing for a second in his eyes and then he took his gun and pointed it at Wes’s forehead.

“Why do you say that?” He caressed the blonde man’s face with the gun letting it rest at the hollow of Wes’s throat. “You have never given me a chance. I would do anything for you! I went to prison for you!” He grabbed Wes by his shirt and pulled him up, changed his grip so his hand was around the blonde’s throat, breathing hard and just kept starring at the young man as his air supply was caught off.

“Sam! Let him go!” Travis yelled panicked and tried to stand. “You are killing him!”

“Sit back!” Sam yelled at Travis as he threw Wes down on the floor like a ragdoll. Then he turned around and walked over to his companions.

“Wes, are you alright?” Travis moved towards his fallen partner.

Wes was breathing hard and his eyes were shut as pain radiated from his left wrist, he had landed on it badly and he was pretty sure that it was broken.

“Wes?” Travis’s voice was filled with worry.

“I’m…” Wes swallowed. “I’m alright, Travis.”

“I don’t believe you.” Travis said but had a small smile on his face that disappeared as he looked over at the robbers. “What a mess.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Chapter 2

“What a mess.” Travis said as he kept his eyes on his partner as his thoughts wandered about what Wes had told him. He knew that his partner hadn’t told him everything that happened between him and Sam, and he wanted to know or it’s more like he needed to know what happened.

Wes leaned his head back against the wall behind him and he closed his eyes, he could feel Travis’s eyes on him, worried and wanting to talk about it.
But everything was starting to get a bit too much for Wes, he could still feel Sam’s hands touching him and it had felt too much like that time.
The blonde detective shuddered to himself as he remembered, he had never told anyone about it and he had tried to forget it. He had succeeded in a way but it all was making its way to the surface again.
Wes tried to change his position but the pain in his wrist got worse as soon as he tried to move and in a way he was happy about it, because it took his thoughts away from the painful memories and back to the present.

Travis saw his partner pale and heard his harsh intake of breath as Wes tried to move, the dark haired man ached inside because he wanted to help.

“Wes, what’s wrong?”

“I’m fine, Travis. “ Wes bit out in a raspy voice. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

“Too late for that, man.” Travis tried to make eye contact avoiding the bruises that started to appear on the younger mans throat. “Is it just your throat or something else?”

“Nothing we can do about it now.” Wes smiled a small smile towards Travis, thankful. “I think I hurt my wrist as I landed on it.”

“Let me take a look.” Travis said wanting to do something useful, scooting closer accidently bumping into Wes’s left shoulder, jarring his injured wrist more and making the blonde man pinch his eyes close and holding his breath. “Shit! I’m sorry, Wes.”

Getting his breathing under control Wes looked up at Travis saying:
“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not but I’ll try to be more careful.” Travis swore to himself. “Can you lean forward a little so I can take a look?”

Wes grunted a yes as he carefully leaned forward, holding his breath and fixed his eyes on a spot on the floor.

“I can’t see that much but I can see that it has swollen a bit.” Travis said and looked around looking for something. “Hey Sam!”

“What are you doing?” Wes hissed low as Sam made his way towards them.

“What do you want?” Sam sounded calm and collected as he crouched down.

“Wes is hurt.” Travis said meeting the brown eyes. “Can you take of his cuffs so we can check?”

“No, it’s fine.” Wes said not wanting Sam to touch him anymore than necessary.

“Hope I didn’t hurt you too much.” Sam said looking into Wes’s blue eyes. “But you know how my temper is when you provoke me like that.”

“Hey!” Travis almost yelled. “It’s not his fault that you can’t control yourself!”

“What did you say?” Sam turned his head his brown eyes blazing at Travis.

“You heard me.” Travis said meeting the stare his blue eyes also blazing.

Sam started to move towards Travis, his intent clear in his body language but he was stopped by Wes’s voice.

“Sam, calm down.” Wes was desperate to get the robber’s attention away from Travis because he knew how violent Sam could get and he would never forgive himself if his partner got hurt because of him. “Travis is just a mother hen sometimes. I’m fine.”

“You sure?” Sam said turning back to Wes, reaching forward with one of his hands and caressed the blonde man’s cheek.

“Yes.” Wes said trying to repress the nausea as the hand stayed on his cheek and the brown eyes searching his. Then suddenly the caress turned into a vice hard grip around his throat again.

“You are not just trying to protect him, your partner?” Sam’s voice was hard as he looked deep into Wes’s eyes.

“Let him go!” Travis yelled desperation clearly in his voice.

Sam and Wes ignored him as they stare at each other, then Sam let Wes go a bit more careful than the first time and the blonde detective gulped in some fresh air.

“I’m starting to remember what I admire about you the most and made me interested in you in first place, Wes.” Sam said and then turned to Travis. “It’s not just his looks, it’s his self-sacrificing behavior and that he thinks that everybody else is worth more than him. People often misread it as the other way around but I know. Right, Wes?”

Wes said nothing, he just looked at Sam and then down at the floor, feeling really uncomfortable with the situation, at being the center of attention as he felt Travis eyes on him also.

“We are ready now, boss.” They were interrupted as one of the robbers made their way towards them. “J has talked to the cops outside, stalling them.”

While Sam had been concentrating himself on Wes and Travis, his crew had emptied the vault and drilled a hole in the floor in the staff’s lounging room. J had been handling the communication with the cops outside, stalling them the best he could.
But now Sam was at a crossroad decision, he didn’t want his time with Wes to end and he couldn’t take him with him even if he wanted to.
Or could he?
No, it’s too much of a risk that he would get caught but now when he had seen Wes live again, not on some photo, his want was growing stronger.

“I gotta go, babe.” He looked deep into Wes’s blue eyes. “But don’t fret I’ll be coming back for you.”

And with that Sam and the rest of the robbers moved further into the bank and disappeared.

Travis and Wes stared at the robbers retreat and just two minutes after that the bank was stormed by the police.

“Damn, I’m glad to see you all!” Travis yelled out. One of the cops recognized them and made his way towards them to help them take the cuffs off. He started with Travis. “Thanks man but I also need a medic for my partner.” Travis grabbed the keys and turned to his partner as two medics bustled in.

“Hi, I’m Paul. What happened?” One of them asked as he sat down in front of Wes.

“He was held in a strangle hold two times and has been complaining about a hurt wrist.” Travis answered as he moved to help Wes.

“I can talk for myself.” Wes said in a raspy voice not wanting Travis to see his arm because he knew it was bad as the pain now was almost overtaking his mind.

“Oh, shit.” Travis said as he ignored his partner and then he saw his wrist.

“Alright,” the medic said as he saw what Travis saw, “I need to you take off the cuff on his good arm first then we will take it slowly from there.”
Travis did as he was told, Wes bit down hard on his bottom lip as they moved his wrist forward and the pain growing more intense.

“Mr. Mitchell, Allie my partner will insert a PVK (Peripheral venous cannula/catheter) in your right arm so we can give you some morphine for the pain.” The medic, Paul said. “Then we will try and removed the handcuff from your injured arm. It looks pretty bad but it will be fine. How’s your throat?”

“It’s fine.” Wes rasped. “A bit sore but not much more.”

“Good, are you allergic to anything?”

“No.” Wes shook his head lightly and looked at Allie as she inserted the PVK and then at Travis as he grabbed Wes shoulder. “It’s alright, Travis. It looks a lot worse than it is.”

“Stop it, Wes!” Travis voice had anger in it. “I know it gotta hurt like hell! It’s almost black and swollen twice its normal size!”

“I know but you are such a drama queen!” Wes said getting agitated, feeling so out of control that he felt sick.

“Mr. Marks, please calm down.” Paul said. “Please help me get the cuff off now.”
Travis huffed at Wes and turned to Paul and carefully followed the medic’s instructions as they removed the handcuff.
As it was removed Allie injected some morphine into Wes’s arm but he still couldn’t hold back a groan as the cuff came off.

“It’s alright.” Paul said as he wrapped Wes arm and looked over at Allie. “Get the gurney so we can wheel him out of here and take him to the hospital.”

“No!” Wes called out. “I can walk! It’s only my arm that is broken and Travis can take me to the ER.” He started to get up. “I bet there are people out there that are more hurt or sick than me.”

“Wes.” Travis said in a low voice but was interrupted by the medic.

“That’s noble thinking, sir but we want to keep an eye on you and your throat. The stranglehold could have damage your larynx, which can cause the throat to swell rapidly.”

“He’ll go with you.” Travis said looking even more worried, steadying his partner as he staggered a little when he came to standing.

“But can I at least walk to the ambulance?” Wes whined as he tried to shrug off Travis help but didn’t succeed.

“Yes.” Allie smiled. “That you can do, if you let us help you.”

Wes nodded dejectedly and the foursome made their way slowly out of the bank and towards the ambulance.
“Travis, you don’t need to follow me in the ambulance.” Wes said as Travis climbed into the ambulance. “You can take my car.”

“Forget it, Wes!” Travis said. “You heard as well as I did that Sam threatned to come back for you!”

“Travis…"

“Don’t Travis me! I’m not leaving your side until he is rotting in prison!” Travis said it all in a calm voice as he looked deep into Wes’s eyes. “I’m not letting him touch you again. And don’t think I have forgotten about the stalking thing… We’ll talk about it.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

“I’m not letting him touch you again. And don’t think I have forgotten about the stalking thing… We’ll talk about it.”

Wes closed his eyes after hearing Travis words, wishing that he could just disappear and he turned his head away from his partner a blush creeping its way onto his face.
He didn’t want to talk about it or remember, his heart started to beat quicker and Wes tried to take calm breaths but as the situation started to close in on him it was starting to get a little harder breath.

“Mr. Mitchell, how are you doing?” Paul the medic, asked as he checked Wes’s vitals.

“I’m fine.” Wes rasped out sounding a little breathless.

“Are you sure?” Paul asked as he looked into Wes’s eyes. “It sounds like you have a little problem breathing?”

“Maybe a little.” Wes admitted.

“It’s alright, I’m just gonna put this mask on you and give you some oxygen.” Paul said as he did what he said. “Just close your eyes and try to relax.”

Travis watched the conversation with growing worry for his partner and he was struck by how young and innocent his blonde partner looked as he lay there with closed eyes and with that mask on him.

It made a surge of fierce protectiveness made its way into his stomach and heart and some other feeling that he had felt before but he didn’t want to acknowledge.

“Is he okay?” Travis whispered to Paul.

“Yeah, I think he’s gonna be alright. He’s probably just a bit stressed right now.”

Travis nodded at that and kept silent the rest of the ride, keeping his eyes locked on his partners face.

Soon they were pulling in at the ER, Wes jumping a little as the ambulance doors opened and Allie looked thru, he made a small move to get up but Paul held out and arm to stop him.

“Please lay back and just breath.”

Wes wanted to argue but the look in Travis eyes and the medic’s stern face made him just nod and accept the embarrassment of being wheeled into the ER but at the same time he was thankful as he was feeling rather tired.

“You need to wait outside, sir.” A nurse stopped Travis as Wes was wheeled into a room. “Just for a few minutes so we can get started.”

“Alright.” Travis wanted to argue but he understood. Standing just outside the doors he took out his phone and called Capt. Sutton to tell him about what had happened. He ended the call with: “Cap I need to you get me the files on the robbery, the restraining order and the arrest of Sam.”

“I understand that, Travis.” Captain Sutton said. “I’ll help you get this son of a bitch.”

“Thanks, Cap.” Travis hung up and moved as the door opened and the nurse peeked out.

“Mr. Marks, you can come in now.”

“Thanks.” Travis moved inside and right up to Wes’s bedside. “How are you doing?”

“Just fine.” Wes said smiling a small smile and Travis smiled back.

“We are going to take him up to x-ray, his wrist is broken but we need to see how badly.” The doctor walked up to Travis and Wes.

“How is his throat?” Travis asked.

“Minor swelling but we are going to keep him over night to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t swell anymore."

“Alright.” Travis breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m going to need to stay with him and we need to amp up the security on the floor which he will be staying.”

“Travis.” Wes croaked. “That won’t be necessary.”

“Yes it is.” Travis said turning to Wes meeting his eyes not backing down an inch.

The doctor nodded and Travis kept close as he and two nurses wheeled Wes towards the radiology department.

About two hours later Wes was settled into a room, with a closefitting cast on his left wrist and Travis close by.
Travis had gotten the files from Captain Sutton and he had skimmed thru them during Wes’s x-ray and during when he had gotten his cast.

“Please Travis.” Wes started. “You can go home now. I’m fine.”

“Forget it.” Travis said, dragging a chair over to Wes’s bed sat down and laid his feet up on the bed’s end. “I’m staying.”

“I don’t need a babysitter.” Wes couldn’t understand why Travis was so intent on staying.

“Wes, Sam is still out there.” Travis took his feet down a so he could look his partner in the eyes.

“I know, Travis!” Wes exasperated. “So?”

“He said he would come back for you!” Travis said standing up. “Aren’t you even a bit worried? I would have been if he had been acting like that towards me!”

“Travis, I understand what you mean.” Wes sighed. “But this isn’t the first time he is after me. I handled it once and twice, alone. If there is a third time then I ‘ll handle that also.”

“But you are not alone now!” Travis yelled while thinking: twice? What does that mean? “No one is supposed to deal with things like this alone.”

“Maybe but I don’t want anyone else to get hurt because of me.” Wes looked out the window, his breathing get a bit heavier. “You don’t know what Sam is capable of, he would kill you if he thought that he could gain from it. He is a cold blooded killer.”

Travis watched his partner’s profile, sensing the pain in the blonde man and he sighed. How could he not know that Wes was so broken?

“Can you tell me what happened between you and Sam?”

Wes became stiff and he glanced in Travis direction, then away again.

“Haven’t you read the report already?”

“Yes, but I don’t think that you told them everything that happened.” Travis tried to get his partner to look at him. “The files have the fight between you two that your neighbor broke up, he bet you up pretty badly.”

Wes nodded and remembered, two broken ribs, bruised collarbone and a nice shiner but he had given as good as he got.
Sam had been hurt, just not as much.

“Then it tells about the arrest, the detective in charge of the robbery investigation wanted to use you as bait when they heard about the restraining order and made the connection that Sam was their guy.” If Travis got his hands on that detective he was going to beat him senseless for putting that on Wes. “It says that you were alone with Sam for about two hours before they found you. Beaten again but Sam unconscious.” Two hours could be a long time in the hands of an psychopath and rapist.

Wes didn’t know what to do or say. Those two hours had been the worst two hours of his life and he didn’t want to relive them but they could have been worse.

“I know what you think, Travis.” Wes said in a low voice. “After the arrest as Sam was interrogated and he confessed that he had raped two a few years back.” He met Travis eyes. “But he didn’t do that to me.”

Travis breathed a sigh of relief at hearing that but as he looked into Wes’s eyes, he knew there were things that could be done to you that were just as bad.

“What did he do?”

“I never told anyone.” Wes said looking out the window again. “I don’t know if I want to tell you.”

“That’s okay, Wes but I think that you need to talk to someone about it.” Travis said leaning back in the chair again.
Wes whipped his head to look at his partner and looked deep into his blue eyes making Travis feel like Wes saw thru his to his soul.

“I feel like a coward.” Wes started. “He never actually raped me but sometimes it feels like he did. Hitting and touching me all over my body.” Wes shivered at the memories. “That isn’t too bad considering what could happened and I know it make me sound weak and I can’t understand why I can’t just forget it, to file it away as the other fights I have been in.”

“It wasn’t like any fight like you been in before, you were in the hands of a psychopath.” Travis said touching Wes’s knee. “You didn’t know what was going too happened.”

“He let me loose from my restraints, telling me that if I didn’t let him “take” me he would go after Alex.” Wes said in a hard voice. “He told me he would rape her and then kill her but that wouldn’t be enough for him. He wanted me.”

Travis felt his partner’s anguish and could only imagine the horror at being in that situation.

“I was about to let him do it.” Wes sounded small and ashamed to admit it. “But as he started to take his clothes off I got hold of something and hit him. He didn’t go down and we fought. I got lucky and knocked him out just as the backup arrived.” Wes met Travis’s eyes with a blush on his face. “So it wasn’t as traumatic as you think, this is just about me being a pussy, a coward.”

“Wes…” Travis said grabbing a hold on the blonde man’s uninjured hand. “You are definitely not a coward or a pussy! You fought back! And you stopped him from attacking Alex.”

“But I froze today when I recognized him.”

“So? You didn’t let him hit anyone but you.” Travis said. “You didn’t let him hurt me.”

“Maybe not but...”

“But what? Wes, the things he did to you would break anyone. But you didn’t break. You fought him back today. And I’ll help you fight him again.”

“Yeah…” Wes closed his eyes as he thought, over my dead body. I’m never gonna let Sam hurt or touch you.

Travis watched his partner close his eyes and after a couple of minutes the young man’s breathing even out and he knew that Wes was asleep.
For a while he just kept looking at the sleeping man, it was so much he didn’t know about Wes and what he had been thru.

He wanted to know everything…

TBC

Chapter Text

Chapter 4

The night was pretty uneventful, except for the nurse that came checking Wes every third hour which Wes slept thru most of them but not Travis. He was still on high alert when anyone came into the room.

With morning came two doctors, one checked out Wes’s throat and after a couple of minutes he said:
“It’s looking fine, you are gonna be sore for a few days but I don’t think it will swell anymore.”

Wes nodded his thanks and Travis drew a sigh of relief and both men turned to the second doctor as he pulled out an x-ray picture of Wes’s wrist.

“It was clean break, no surgery needed this time but I had to consult one of my collogues...” The doctor looked over at Wes. “You have broken this one before yes?”

“Yes.” Wes nodded careful not to look at Travis, he hated when he got this questions. “Three times, I was a clumsy child.”

“Hm, I can actually see four different breaks.” The doctor said looking at the x-ray. “We are just a little concerned that when you have broken the arm so many times that it will be a problem in the future if you break it again.”

“What kind of problems?” Travis asked, his stomach clenched a little at hearing this. Wes clumsy? That he didn’t believe. So how could Wes have broken his arm that many times?

“The bone will heal but will probably be a little weakened. So if he breaks it again the break could be quite bad and require surgery.” The doctor said.

“Then I’ll be careful not to break it again.” Wes said in a calm voice. “Thank you, Doctor.”

“You are welcome, Mr. Mitchell. The nurse will set up an appiotment when it’s time for taking of the cast.” The doctor said. “If you have any problems please call us.”

“I’ll make sure he does.” Travis said with a smile as he shook hands with the doctors. “I’ll follow you out to get some coffee. Do you want one, Wes?”

“Yes. But don’t take too long.” Wes said as he got up and moved towards the bathroom.

Travis nodded and followed the doctor’s outside.

“Can I ask you something?” Travis asked the doctor that had spoken about Wes’s x-rays.

“Yes, of course.”

“My partner got hurt a few years back, couple of broken ribs, is it possible that you could check those old x-rays?” Travis asked whipping out his best smile.

“Well it all should be in the system.” The doctor said smiling back. “Follow me and we can take a look.”

“Thanks, man.”

Travis and doctor walked over to his small office and the doctor sat down at his computer, clicked on Wes’s file and looked.

“Yes, here we go. He had broken two ribs that time and they suspected that his collarbone on his left side had fractured but it was only bruised.”

“Can you see if there are any old breaks?” Travis asked, squinting at the screen and he hoped his suspicions wouldn’t be true.

“Well, I’m not an expert but it seems like he have broken few of his ribs, you see there and there, before this break. And his collarbone have also been broken, you see that little lump there it’s a sign.” The doctor sighed. “Have your partner mentioned some abuse from when he was young?”

“No.” Travis shook his head, could this be true? “Does it seem like it?”

“Well, he is pretty young and I don’t think he is or have been a cage fighter, too few scars in his face. So I would guess it.”

“Alright, thanks a lot for your help.” Travis shook the doctor’s hand again and walked out the small office not knowing what to think. He walked towards Wes’s room.
Could Wes have been abused when he was young, was it because of that he never talked about his childhood or parents? He opened the door to Wes’s room and stepped inside.

“Where is my coffee?” Wes interrupted Travis thoughts.

Travis looked up and saw Wes’s standing by the bed, his dress pants on and was awkwardly trying to button his shirt and Travis had to try not to stare at the skin that showed. So he looked up and saw instead Wes’s blonde hair standing up on his head, spiked in every possible direction and Travis couldn’t help but laugh at how cute his partner looked.

“What?” Wes asked suspicious.

“Oh, man. The coffee tasted horrible!” Travis moved up to Wes and started to help him with his buttons. “I will buy you a cup from that place you like.”

“What are you doing, Travis?” Wes froze when Travis came close and started to button his shirt, not used to have his dark haired partner so close, he could smell his Travis’s faint cologne and something more.

“I’m helping you.” Travis looked at Wes frowning, he had to tilt his head down a little too meet Wes’s eyes. “What?”

“I can dress myself, you know.” Wes said trying to move back a little, the closeness making him uncomfortable but at the same time making him want it more. “Have been doing it for years now.”

“It looked kind of hard, with your cast and so.” Travis didn’t say that he actually liked standing so close to his partner, he could feel Wes’s breath on his cheek and he could feel the heat radiating from the blonde man. “And I thought you wanted to get out of here as fast as you could?” He quirked an eyebrow.

“Well, can you do it faster then?” Wes said not wanting to tell Travis it had taken him five minutes to do two buttons and that he needed the help.

“Yes sir!” Travis smirked at him and buttoned his shirt.

Travis and Wes made their way towards the garage, Captain Sutton had driven Wes’s car to them and given the keys to Travis.

“So I finally get to drive this baby!” Travis said with a big smile.

“Just don’t hurt her, please.” Wes said trying not to smile at Travis happiness.

“Oh, I’ll take care of her.” Travis settled in behind the wheel and watched as Wes sat in the passenger seat. After a few minutes of driving he glanced over at his partner. “So how many bones have you broken?”

“What?” Wes was stunned by the question. He had hoped that Travis would have forgotten what the doctor had said. “A few.”

“A few.” Travis glanced at Wes again. “So how many are that?”

“That’s none of your business.” Wes crossed his arms over his chest and stared out the window.

“So, how did you break them?” Travis didn’t give up that easily.

“As I said it’s none of your business.” Wes glanced quickly at his partner. “I was a clumsy child, alright.”

“Huh, I wouldn’t have pegged you for the clumsy child.”

“Well, you don’t know everything about me.”

“Sadly no.” Travis said meeting Wes’s confused eyes for a second before turning back to the road wanting to say more but they arrived at Wes’s hotel.
Wes got out as fast as Travis parked the car and Travis was close behind him, Wes looked everywhere but at his partner as they got into the elevator and kept himself as far away as he could.

He needed to be alone so he could think, a breather so he could process, because his childhood was a topic he absolutely didn’t want to talk about with Travis.

“So are we staying here or at my place?” Travis asked as they walked into the hotel room.

“What?” Once again Wes was stunned.

“I said I wouldn’t leave your side until we caught Sam.” Travis said looking around. “Are you not listening to me or are you getting forgetful in your old age?”

“I’m younger than you and well, it’s more denial.” Wes said in a snarky voice. “Seriously you don’t need to stay. I can take care of myself.”

“Don’t start that again.” Travis sighed and rolled his eyes. “I believe that you can fight your own battles but this one you don’t need to fight alone.”

Wes bit his lip looking uncertain, he knew that Travis would be more comfortable at his trailer but at the same time he knew that he would have a hard time handling being in such a close and cramped courters when his mind was like this.

“If it’s alright, then I vote for staying here.” Wes said looking at Travis. ”More space and such.”

“It’s fine by me, man.” Travis could agree that his trailer would be a bit cramped for two grown men. “Just one problem, I need some clothes.”

“Then go and get them.” Wes said in a “duh”-voice.

“I don’t want to leave you alone.”

“But for God’s sake, Travis!” Wes exclaimed. “It will take you an hour tops, I’m sure I can manage that!”

“Promise me that you won’t open the door for anyone and lock it tight when I leave.” Travis demanded as he moved towards the door.

“Get out now or I’ll change hotel and not tell you which one!” Wes almost pushed Travis out the door. “And don’t forget my coffee!”

“Don’t throw a hissy fit, missy!” Travis yelled but smiled at the closed door staying until he heard the lock.

Wes leaned against the door for a couple of minutes and just breathed, he needed to process all that had happened the last 24-hours.
He decided to take a shower as he felt rather dirty and he still at moments felt Sam’s hands touching him making him shiver. But first he went to get a plastic bag for his arm and then after he had taken his clothes off he wrapped it expertly on his cast.

He jumped into the shower, groaned out loud as the warm water hit his back and for a few minutes he just stood there
enjoying the water and didn’t think at all.

But what was he going to tell Travis if he kept up his questions? And why had he decided to care about Wes’s past now?

Wes tried to keep most of the people around him at arm’s length, keeping up the fake facade that he only cared about himself and thinking that he was better than everyone else.

But as Sam had said the person he least cared about was himself, he knew that his worth as a human was less because that he had been told since he was young.

Wes hadn’t lied to Travis when he had told him that he was jealous of Travis’ foster brothers, he never had a brother or any family like that, a family that cared.

His mother had died when he was around ten years old, his father had never been the same after that and that didn’t mean that he had been the world greatest dad before.

Wes had never told Alex about it and in a way he had never let her completely in, he never told her what happened with Sam and he never thought about to tell her about his childhood.

In some ways Travis knew now a lot more about him that Alex never would know and in a way it scared Wes but at the same time he felt that he could trust Travis.

Huh, he trusted Travis, actually he trusted Travis more than he had trust anyone else. That was a new revelation to him.

Wes got out of the shower, feeling less gritty and a little more at ease as he toweled himself dry and put on a pair of soft sweatpants.

He was on his way over to the couch as the phone started to ring and he went over to it answered it:

“Hello?”

“So you live in a hotel now?”

TBC

Chapter Text

Chapter 5

Travis hurried as fast as he could but stopped at Wes’s favorite coffee shop to get the blonde his coffee and he tried not to think too much about the situation but his mind had other ideas.

He was glad that Wes had opened up to him about what had happened with Sam and he was surprised that his partner had said as much as he did.

But it didn’t satisfy Travis’s need to know more about his partner, everyone in Wes’s surroundings assumed that the blonde man had been raised in happy and wealthy home. He even knew that some of the girls at the precinct fantasied that Wes had lived in a mansion and was a distant relative to some European royalty.

Travis himself had assumed it also, not the royalty thing, the happy and wealthy part but his new findings pointed to a different reality and some of Sam’s voice echoed in his mind.

He already knew that his partner was self-sacrificing but not that his thoughts on self-worth were so low.

Well, that was gonna change, Travis decided.

He opened the door to his partner’s suit and what he saw made him almost drool.

Wes standing in just a pair of sweats that hung low on his slim hips and as he trailed his eyes upwards he almost blushed at his partner’s well toned abs and chest.

Not many people made Travis react like this but when the dark haired man saw his partner’s face and heard his voice his mind got out of the gutter real fast.

“What do you want, Sam?” Wes croaked out and he jumped almost out of his skin as Travis joined him.

Travis laid a calming hand on his arm and Wes glanced at him and held the phone so he could hear what was being said.

“Don’t play dumb, Wes.” Sam’s dark voice said. “I just wanted to let you know that I’m safe.”

“How did you get this number?” Wes felt a little panicked but Travis’s hand on his arm calmed him down.

“Oh, I have my sources. But sadly they couldn’t find out which room you are staying in. Care to tell me?”

“No. I’m not going to tell you that.” Wes’s stomach clenched.

“I didn’t think so. But I’ll find out.” Sam sounded so sure and then his voice changed. “Is Travis there with you?”

Wes looked at his partner unsure what to say but Travis made the decision for him.

“Yeah, I’m here.” Travis said into the phone. “What do you want?”

“Wes, of course.”

“He is not yours to have.” Travis said in an angry voice.

“Do you mean that he is yours now?” Sam asked his voice cold.

“I’m no one’s.” Wes said.

“Well, I beg to differ.” Sam said sounding really angry now. “You are mine and if I can’t have you no one will have
you!”

“Stop it, Sam.” Wes sounding tired but was interrupted by Travis.

“You are never going to get Wes! I’m gonna catch you soon and then you will rot in prison if I don’t kill you first!”

“Travis…” Wes was startled by Travis’s outburst.

“We will see about that.” Sam said. “See you soon boys.”

The dial tone sounded in their ears and Travis grabbed the phone and slammed it down.

“Why did you do that?” Wes asked angrily looking at Travis.

“Do what? Slam the phone?”

“No, stupid!” Wes shook his head. “Why did you say those things?”

“Because I meant them!” Travis yelled. “I won’t let him take you!”

“I’m not a freaking damsel in distress, Travis!” Wes shouted as he got into Travis space. “I’m a grown man and I can take care of myself!”

“Probably but Sam is almost twice your size!” Travis was real close to Wes now. “And I don’t want you to do it alone! I want to help you!”

Both men were breathing hard as they stood inches from each other, blue eyes meeting blue eyes and Wes was the first one to look away.

“Why?” He said in a low voice. “Why do you want to help me? Most of the time I don’t think that you really like me, Travis! So why now? Why ask questions about broken bones and such when you never cared before?”

“Because I want to know you.” Travis said taking a hold of his partner’s shoulders. “And I do like you, most of the times anyway.” He smiled at Wes.

“But I’m not worth it.” Wes said looking away.

“Why do you say that?” Travis dropped his smile.

“I sent an innocent man to jail. That’s one reason.”

“You made a mistake! I make them every day.”

“It’s not the same and you know it.” Wes took a few steps away and turned his back on his partner.

“Wes, I’m sorry. But you know how I get when I’m worried.” Travis said. “I’m worried about you.”

“Travis…”

“No, listen for a moment.” Travis grabbed Wes arm making him spin around so they were standing face to face. “I know that you can take care of yourself. You almost kicked my ass once or twice. But I can’t help it and I’ve acted like a fool this last few years. I have provoked you, saying all those things. Why, I don’t know but I really care about you.”

“Travis…” Wes was stunned by his partner’s words but something else distracted him. “You are touching me.”

Travis opened his mouth but he looked down, saw his hand that rested on Wes’s chest right above his heart and he could feel Wes’s heart beating under his hand and he was mesmerized by how smooth and soft the skin was under his hand.

“Wow, you are really smooth.” Travis blurted out and he looked up at his blonde partner.

Wes opened his mouth as to say something but nothing came out and he started to blush, the feel of Travis’s warm hand on his chest making him breath quicker.

They just stood like that for a couple of moments, then Wes cleared his throat and Travis startled.

“Oh, I’m sorry man.” He took his hand away. “Boy, I’m getting hungry. Aren’t you hungry?”

Travis took a step away and searched for the hotel’s menu.

“Not really but I could eat.” Wes said, finding his voice as the spell was broken. “It’s on the kitchen counter.”

“Found it!” Travis yelled. “I’m ordering a little bit of everything, is that alright?”

“Yeah.” Wes nodded as he slowly moved towards the bed room.

Travis dialed down to room service and ordered, as he hung up he saw Wes coming out of the bedroom and felt a little disappointed when he saw that the blonde man was wearing a shirt.

“So I’m going to take shower before the food arrives.” Travis said trying to act normal.

“Yeah, do that. There are towels in the bathroom.” Wes said and he watched as Travis made his way towards the bathroom.

Wes plopped down on the couch and let out a deep breath, what had just happened? He could still feel Travis’s hand on his chest and it wasn’t a bad feeling.
Overall Wes didn’t liked to be touched but the warm hand had woken something in him, a longing that Wes hadn’t felt in a long time and it made him wonder.

Did Travis feel it to? Or was it just his own imagination?

Wes turned on the television, he was staring to get a headache from all this thinking.

Twenty minutes later Travis plopped on the couch beside him, reaching and grabbed the remote out of Wes’s hand and changed the channel.

“Hey, I was watching that.” Wes said.

“Then I saved you from boredom.” Travis smiled.

Wes huffed but smiled back at him and there was a knock on the door, “room service” was called thru the door.

“I’ll get it.” Travis said and got up, soon the whole table in front of them was filled with food and both men ate and watched the television.

A couple of hours later both men were pretty tired and decided to turn in, Wes brought some pillows and a cover for Travis.

“Good night.” The blonde man said.

Travis nodded to him then went to the bathroom and after that he took a swing by the door to double-check that it was locked tight.
Satisfied he walked carefully over to the bedroom to check on his partner, Wes was already asleep and Travis’s heart clenched a little at the sight.

The blonde looked really young and small in that big bed but the look on his face was relaxed so Travis moved towards the bed so he could pull the covers over his partner.

He tried not to stare and he could still feel the smooth chest under his hand, suddenly feeling like a pervert, standing there and watching Wes sleep, Travis shook his head and moved to the couch were he lay down and fell asleep.

TBC

Chapter Text

Chapter 6

Travis awoke to sounds coming from the kitchen and the smell of coffee, he stretched, got up from the comfortable couch and put on a shirt as he made his way towards the kitchen,

“Good morning, sleepyhead.” Wes greeted him a cup of coffee in front of him and a newspaper in his uninjured hand as he sat by the kitchen table. “Slept well?”

“Yeah, thanks.” Travis yawned as he sat down a cup of coffee in his hand also. “How do you feel?”

“I’m fine.” Wes said handing the paper over to Travis. “You don’t have to worry about it. Are you ready to leave in about thirty minutes?”

“Yeah, I can do that.” Travis nodded.

“Good, see you in a bit.” Wes stood up and walked towards the bedroom to get dress.

Travis looked up and couldn’t help himself to catch a glimpse of the blonde man’s butt and he hummed to himself, liking the view.

Half an hour later Travis stepped out of the bathroom ready to leave but when his partner made his way towards him he froze.

Wes was in his usual dark slacks but instead of the usual dress shirt he had on a thin, tight, white shirt with long arms that fit him perfectly, hugging his body close. But the bruises standing out on the blonde man’s throat ruined the perfect picture.

“You ready to go?” Wes interrupted his thoughts.

“Yeah, I’m good.” Travis swallowed. “Let’s roll.”

As both men walked into the precinct, most females turned their heads when they saw Wes and Travis had to stop himself from growling at the attention.

“Good to see you boys.” Captain Sutton called as he waved them into his office. “How are you doing, Wes?”

“I’m fine, Cap.” Wes said trying to sound patient. “Ready to work.”

“That’s good but I want you to take it somewhat easy.” Capt. Sutton looked at both men. “And be careful, I read this Sam guy’s file and I didn’t like the tiniest bit. Watch each other’s backs out there. Alright?”

“Yes, Cap.” Both men said.

“How is the investigation of the robbery going?” Travis asked.

“Well, they are working on it. They are glad that you could identify one of them, Wes and I told them if they had any questions they could talk to you.”

“That’s fine.” Wes said nodding.

“And I told them that if you heard anything from Sam, you would tell them.”

“About that…” Wes cleared his throat but Travis spoke instead.

“He called the hotel room yesterday.”

“What?!”

“We should have called you but the call was brief.” Travis held up his hands. “He said some shit but he didn’t know
which room we were in and I don’t think he will find out.”

“But how did he get your number?”

“I don’t know.” Wes said. “He said that he had his sources but that is just like last time.”

“Alright, I’ll tell them but I want you to call me as soon as possible if he contacts you again.”

“Yes, Cap.” Both Wes and Travis got out of the office and over to their desks.

As they had no open cases, they started on finishing old paper work and such.

Travis couldn’t help as he kept steeling glances at his partner, the blonde man looked so damn good in that shirt and knowing what was under it made Travis more aware of it.

“What?” Wes said not looking up from his computer screen.

“What?” Travis said surprised.

“You are staring at me.” Wes said looking at him over the computer. “Why?”

“Oh, I just got lost in my thoughts.” Travis lied.

“Ok.” Wes said sounding like he didn’t believe his partner and Travis turned back to his computer.

Wes just kept on looking, feeling confused by his partner’s actions. Why was Travis acting so strange? And the memory of Travis hand on his chest sneaked into Wes’s mind and a blush started to travel onto his face.

He stood up, making Travis look at him with those blue eyes and making him freeze for a second.

“Where are you going?” Travis asked.

“It’s none of your business.” Wes said founding his voice. “But if you really want to know: I need to go to the bathroom.”

“Alright.” Travis said and he followed his partner with his eyes until he disappeared around the corner.

Wes walked up to the sink and looked at himself in the mirror then bent down to splash a little water in his face, trying to get the blush down.

Why was Travis affecting him so much?

He heard the door open behind him, so he reached for the paper towels to dry of his face when he suddenly felt someone close behind him and before he could react, he was grabbed by his uninjured wrist and had it twisted painfully as he was spinned around and pushed forward into the nearest wall.

Bracing himself with his casted wrist saved him from face planting into the wall but he was not able to push away from the wall even if he tried his hardest he couldn’t get the weight on his back to move.

“Just relax, Wes.” Sam’s voice whispered in his ear. “It’s just me.”

“God dam it, how did you get in here?” Wes croaked out as he tried to breath.

“It was quite easy.” Sam said easing up a little on the pressure so Wes could take a look at him. His dark brown hair was now black and his eyes were green making him almost unrecognizable. “What do you think?”

Instead of answering Wes put all the force he had into pushing himself of the wall and tried to slam his head into Sam’s but he hit the bigger man on his cheek not causing any damage and he was smashed hard against the wall, crashing his injured wrist into the wall first and it got wedge between the wall and Wes’s body.

Then Sam leaned in on him with all his weight making a sharp pain shooting along his arm and making it really hard to breath.

“That was stupid.” Sam took out Wes’s gun and shoved it in the blonde man’s back making Wes freeze. “That’s more like it. Now you are going to do exactly as I say if you don’t do it I swear that I’ll knock you out and then go out and shoot your partner right in the head.”

“Don’t you dare hurt him.” Wes said anger coloring his voice but he stayed still even if his whole being wanted to move.

“That’s up to you, babe.” Sam growled in his ear, he eased up his grip on Wes a little but not by much and Wes breathed a little easier but didn’t make a move. “Good. So here is the plan: you and I are going to walk out of here, calmed and collected then we’ll walk out to the backstairs and out to my car. Are we clear?”

“Yeah.” Wes bit out.

“Let’s go then.” Sam held onto Wes’s wrist as he guided the blonde man away from the wall, looked out the door both ways and then pushed the younger man in front of him and they made their way towards the back stairs, away from the office landscape and Travis.

“Wes?!” Travis voice sounded, almost echoed down the abandoned hallway and Sam spun around, whipping out the gun pointing it at Travis as he changed his grip on Wes, his arm close around the blonde man’s throat.

“Hello, Travis.” Sam smiled.

“Sam?” Travis pointed his gun at the duo, it had come out as soon as he saw his partner being ushered by this big man and then he recognized the voice. “What are you doing?”

“Well, ain’t that obvious?” Sam mocked as he tightened his hold on Wes.

“Let him go.” Travis said feeling desperate but tried to sound calm as he checked out his partner for any injuries but it was hard to get a good look.

“Not gonna do that.” Sam said, and then he added like an afterthought. “But we could make a deal.”

“No.” Wes croaked out but the hold tightened even more almost cutting his air of completely.

“Loosen up your hold. I’m listening.” Travis said not wanting his partner to get more hurt.

“I had a plan to lure you out but this will be so much more fun for me.” Sam sounded like a child on Christmas morning. “If you put down your gun and then cuff yourself you can join the party.”

“Don’t do it, Travis.” Wes’s voice cracked but he couldn’t let his partner do this.

Travis looked at Sam, then he looked at his partner and made his decision as he lay down his gun, took out his cuffs and snapped them on his own wrists. Then he held them out so Sam could see that they were snapped shut.

“Good, boy.” Sam said and he waved Travis to him, keeping his gun pointed at the dark haired man as he eased up his grip on Wes. “Don’t fight or I’ll shoot your partner.” Wes nodded and stood still as Sam grabbed him by his uncasted wrist again and wrenched it back, making Wes hiss in pain.

“Take it easy, man.” Travis said in a low voice.

“Let’s move.” Sam ignored Travis and waved to him to start to walk then he pushed Wes forwards.

“Are you okay?” Travis asked his blonde partner.

“No talking.” Sam said as the trio made their way down the stairs and down to the garage.

The big man stopped them at a big black suv with tinted windows, he opened the door to the driver’s seat and motioned for Travis to get in then he closed the door.
He opened the door to the back seat, shoved Wes hard in it, making the blonde man hit his head on the window and then followed him. Sam gave Travis the car keys and then told him to drive.

“And no funny business or I’ll shoot Wes.” Sam said.

Travis nodded, started the car but inside he was boiling with anger at how his partner was manhandled and he tried to check his partner in the review mirror.

“Eyes on the road.” Sam said in a cold voice as he shoved the gun against Wes’s temple and when he was satisfied that
Travis was watching the road he took out some plastic zipties and grabbed the blonde man’s arms.

Wes was still a bit dazed from hitting his head and it took him a moment to comprehend what was happening but as he felt the plastic ties surround his wrist he looked down at his arms.

Sam had fastened one of the plastic ties on his cast then one on his uncast wrist and then brought them together with a third making it impossible for Wes to get lose.

It was really uncomfortable and when Wes tried to move his wrists the plastic started to chafe on his wrist.
The blonde man sighed, closed his eyes and leaned back against the seat, his head ached from the hit and he had no idea how he and Travis would get out of this mess.

“Can I talk now?” Travis asked as he glanced briefly at Sam in the mirror who nodded at him. “Are you alright, Wes?”

“I’m fine.” Wes looked up meeting Travis eyes for a second and then looked away, out the tinted window.

“Take a right.” Sam said pointing where he wanted Travis to drive and then he settled back, lay a hand on Wes’s knee and he smiled.

Wes tried to shake the hand off his knee and took a hold of the big man’s wrist with his bound hands but Sam only gripped harder and a little higher on the blonde man’s thigh as he held the gun towards Travis.

“I think he can still drive with a gunshot in his shoulder.” Sam said in a calm voice as he took of the safety on the gun.

Wes let go as fast as he could and Sam’s smile grew even wider as he loosened his grip and caressed the blonde man’s thigh.

“Smart choice.”

TBC

Chapter Text

Chapter 7

The drive ended in an abandon warehouse, Travis shut off the engine and handed the keys to Sam and was told to wait as Sam got out and dragged Wes with him.

He stood up, hauled the blonde man into standing and pressed his body against his captive, enjoying the feel of the other man.
Wes started to blush as Sam pressed closed to him and he felt nausea build in the back of his throat at the unwanted attention.

“You look so good.” Sam said as he leaned a little forward and sniffed. “And smell pretty nice, too. I’ve missed you so much and we are going to have so much fun.”

Sam stood back and opened the door to Travis, who got out as fast as he could and looked at his partner.
He didn’t like what he saw for under the blush the blonde man was pale, his lips where in a tight line and his uninjured hand was clenched so hard the knuckles turned white.

Sam pushed Travis a little forward as he grabbed Wes and moved the two detectives in front of a door. He took out a key, unlocked the door and ushered them inside.

It wasn’t a big room, it held a bed and a small bathroom were attached to it, no windows in either room.

“It’s not the Hilton but it will do for now.” Sam smiled then he closed the door and the two detectives could hear him lock it.

For a moment Travis and Wes just stood there looking around the small room. Travis moved up to the small bed, sat down and looked up at his partner.

Wes was still standing, his head hurt and his casted wrist throbbed. He looked at his partner and he couldn’t understand why Travis had laid down his gun.

He usually shoots first then asks questions but not today obviously but why? He replayed the situation in his head, feeling Sam’s arm close around his throat but instead of replaying the whole scene his mind jumped to when Sam pressed his whole body against his own, making the nausea rise again and he dashed for the bathroom and started to heave into the toilet.
After a couple of dry heaves, he reached to flush the toilet and then leaned back against the wall closing his eyes.

Travis sat down beside him, their shoulders touching and Wes looked at him.

“How are you feeling?” Travis asked concern clear in his voice. “And please tell me the truth.”

“I don’t know.” Wes croaked not knowing what to say or what to think.

“Are you hurting?”

“Not much.” Wes said and the looked at his partner. ”Why did you drop the gun?”

“If I hadn’t, I think that he would have shot you.” Travis said anguish clear in his voice. “I couldn’t handle that.”

“But he is going to hurt you.” Wes said in a small voice, looking away then he said in a very low voice. “I can’t handle that.”

“He only seems intent on hurting you, Wes.” Travis said looking at his partner’s profile and anger was boiling in his stomach at how Sam treated the blonde man.

“Maybe right now but he is mentally instable, Travis.” Wes said shaking his head.” Maybe he sees you like competion or something and then he will hurt you. So please promise me that you won’t antagonize.” Wes tried to shift to a more comfortable position but hissed as he only succeeded in jarring his bound wrists, making the one without a cast starting to bleed sluggishly.

“Shit, now you are bleeding.” Travis said, got up and took a towel that was hanging by the sink, then he turned on the water and wet it before he put it on Wes’s bleeding wrist. “He really put them on tight.”

“Promise me.” Wes said as he looked deep into Travis’s blue eyes.

“Yeah, I promise.” Travis said and he felt his partner relax a little. “How’s your head?”

“It’s fine.” Wes sighed in relief at Travis answer. “I have had worse.”

Travis nodded not knowing what to say to that but tried to offer comfort to his partner by sitting beside him, close, glad that Wes wasn’t shying away from the contact.

Wes leaned back his head and closed his eyes, he felt Travis’s body heat and he actually was glad that his partner was there. And that made him angry at himself because he didn’t want Travis to get hurt because of him.

The door opened and Sam walked into the room and his now brown eyes gleamed as he saw the two men sitting so close.

“How cute.” He sneered, and then he held out a water bottle to Wes. “Here drink.”

“Not unless Travis gets one.” Wes said looking up at the big man.

“If you don’t drink he will get nothing.” Sam said as he crouched down in front of Wes holding out the bottle.

Wes grabbed the bottle, awkwardly with his bound hands and drank deeply from it, keeping his eyes on Sam and then gave it back to him.

“Good boy.” Sam said as he leaned forward and caressed Wes’s cheek then he took out another bottle and started to uncap it.

Travis bit the inside of his cheek as he tried his hardest to not say anything and he kept on glaring at Sam, wanting nothing more than to get up and beat the man in front of him to a bloody pulp.

Sam met his eyes and smiled at him, making Travis even angrier but then he felt his partner’s head first on his shoulder but then he felt Wes’s whole body slide into him and the blonde head rested awkwardly in Travis’s lap.

“Wes?” Travis stomach dropped as he saw his partner’ closed eyes. “Did you drug him?”

“Yes. I think it’s time for you and me to talk without interruptions.” Sam held out the bottle to Travis. “Yours is not drugged.”

Travis accepted the bottle and almost chokes on it as Sam gathered Wes in his arm and carried the blonde man over to the bed and gently lay him down on the bed.

“He is the most handsome man I’ve seen.” Sam said as he bent down do touch the unconscious man’s face.

“You wanted to talk.” Travis said and shifted, he wanted to stop Sam from touching Wes. “Let’s talk.”

“He is mine.” Sam said as he kept looking at Wes. “You know that right?”

“Doesn’t Wes have anything to say about it?” Travis said. “I don’t think he would agree with you.”

“I don’t really like you.” Sam said as he turned away from Wes and concentrated on Travis. ”I don’t understand why he puts up with you.”

“Well, I really don’t like you either.” Travis huffed. “What’s your end game here?”

“To get Wes to love me of course.” Sam said dreamily and with those words Travis knew that Wes had been right about the man.

“And what’s your plan?” Travis tried to keep his cool.

“When he wakes up I’ll tell him that I’ll kill you if he doesn’t love me.” Sam said as he held out the gun and pointed it at Travis.

“I don’t think that is the way to go, man.” Travis said as he tried not to laugh hysterically.

“Well, obviously you mean a lot to him.” Sam said. “Why I can’t understand but Wes would do anything to save one he loves.”

Hearing that made Travis remember when Wes had told him about when Sam had threatened Alex and he knew that the big man was right.

And he knew that he had to do something.

Suddenly there were some strange noises from the bed and it took Travis a couple of seconds to figure that it was Wes.

“Sam! He is starting to vomit!” Travis yelled out panic clear in his voice.

Sam turned around and dashed to the bed, he turned Wes onto his side so he wouldn’t choke on the bile that came out.

Travis heard his partner gasp for air and tried to get a look, what he saw made the panic rise to another level.

Wes was soaked thru by sweat, his face was flushed and he seemed to have a hard time breathing.

“What did you give him?” Travis tried to get up.

“Stay back!” Sam yelled as he petted Wes’s head. “Just some mild sedative. It supposed to knock him out for a half an hour.”

“Well it seems like he is having some side effect.”

“I didn’t think they were any.”

And then Wes eyes started to flutter open and he coughed a couple of times, then he noticed Sam, his eyes became panicked and he tried to shy away from the big man.

“It’s okay now, honey.” Sam said.

“Travis?” Wes croaked out looking wildly around.

“I’m here…” Travis started to say but was interrupted by a roar that came from Sam.

“Why are you just concerned about HIM!” Sam yelled out in anger as he grabbed Wes by his biceps and throttled him. “I’m the one that cares about you!”

“Let him go, Sam!” Travis yelled out panicked as he saw his partner being shaken like a ragdoll.

“Shut up! He is mine!” Sam yelled as he threw the blonde man down on the floor and advanced on Travis. “Everything is your fault! If it wouldn’t be for you he would love me!”

Travis got up on one knee as Sam started to move towards him and then he rushed the big man, tackling him down with his left shoulder and both men landed in a heap on the floor. Travis pushed himself up, pushing a knee into Sam’s stomach and was rewarded with an oomph from the big man but Sam recovered and kicked at Travis’s feet making the detective go down.
Sam threw himself on top Travis and started to pound on him, the detective had his arms up deflecting the blows when a gunshot sounded out and Sam fell on top of him.

“Travis?” Wes voice was cracked and barley high enough for Travis to hear.

“Shit, this man is heavy.” Travis groaned as he pushed at Sam’s body and got out from under him.

“Travis? Are you alright?” Wes was lying on his side breathing hard with the gun in his hands.

“Yes, just some bruises.” Travis said as he crawled towards his partner.

“Good.” Wes said as he dropped the gun and his head thumped on to the floor.

“Wes?” Travis grabbed his partner’s shoulder but couldn’t rouse the blonde man and for a second he couldn’t tell if Wes was breathing. “Shit! Wes! Don’t do this to me, man!” Travis yelled out as tears started to form in his eyes.
He leaned forward to hear if his partner was breathing or not, then he grabbed Wes’s head carefully and saw his partner’s blonde hair soaked with blood from a gash just in his hair line.

Travis patted Wes on his nose gently and was rewarded by the fluttering eyelids of his partner.

“Yes, Wes. Open your eyes for me.” Travis smiled thru his tears as Wes slowly focused on him.

“Travis?” Wes’s voice was barley a whisper. “Why are you crying?”

“It’s nothing.” Travis said wiping his tears. “How are you feeling?”

“Not good.” Wes said as he closed his eyes.

“Hey! Wes!” Travis said panic clear in his voice. ”Don’t shut your eyes yet, babe” He looked around, got up and walked over to Sam’s body. “Try to stay awake.” In the second pocket he found a cellphone and he imidetely dialed 911 as he walked back to his partner.

Travis spoke his badge number, the address where they were at and told them about Wes’s condition.

“We will have a bus at your location soon, detective Marks.” The operator said to Travis. “Please keep the line open and tell me if anything changes for your partner.”

Travis kneeled beside Wes who was watching him with tired eyes.

“I’m sorry, Travis.” Wes whispered as he tried to reach for his partner to touch a bruise that was forming on the dark haired man’s cheek but hissed in pain when he tried to move.

“Its okay, Wes.” Travis said. “It’s not your fault.”

“But you are here because of me.” Wes closed his eyes, he was so tired and his whole body was hurting.

“Hey, babe. Keep those baby blues open for me.” Travis said gently as he laid one of his hands on Wes’s cheek, feeling the smooth and hot skin under his hand. “Just for a little while longer.”

Wes opened his eyes slowly trying to focus on Travis, he leaned into the touch and sighed.

“You have cold hands. It feels nice.”

Before Travis could respond two police cars and an ambulance drove into the warehouse and stopped right outside the door.

“We are here!” He yelled out as the car doors opened. “Wes, help is here now.”

The medics bustled thru the small door, one of them took a look at Travis as one of the cops unlocked his handcuffs.

“I’m fine, just a little bruised but my partner is worse of.” Travis said to the medic in front of him.

“Jack! I need something to cut thru this plastic ties.” The other medic that was beside Wes called out.
Jack handed him a small blade and the other medic looked at Wes.

“I’m sorry but this gonna hurt.”

“It’s alright.” Wes said and he bit his lip as the medic cut thru the plastic ties, cutting the blonde man but Wes was happy to lose the ties.

Then medics made a quick assessment of Wes injuries, Jack inserted a PVK and they lifted Wes onto the stretcher and wheeled him out to the ambulance, Travis close behind.

Chapter Text

Chapter 8

Travis was sitting beside Wes’s hospital bed, watching the blonde man lying there as he slept sometimes frowning in his sleep but for the most of the time he just looked relaxed.
Travis had been sitting like this for two hours, not quite biting on his fingernails but not far from it.

Wes had fallen unconscious during the ride to the hospital making the dark haired detective worry and upon arrival at the ER the two detectives had been separated for some time then Travis had been shown to the room where Wes was lying in and he had sat down and not moved since.

The doctors had told him that his partner would be fine, the blonde man’s broken wrist had gotten a new cast, as the old one had a few cracks in it, and his other wrist was wrapped tight and had stopped bleeding. No new broken bones just bruised ribs and the gash had been stitched and you had a hard time seeing it but Travis still knew that is was there.

The side effect of the drug was the thing that lingered but at least the unhealthy flush and the vomiting had ended but Wes was still pretty out of it.
They would keep Wes overnight, they told Travis that he would be out of it for most of the night but Travis had refused to leave. He knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep until Wes had woken up.

“Travis?” Wes’s voice was barley a whisper but one of the best things Travis had heard in a long time. “You alright?”

Travis huffed out a laugh as he got up and sat down on the bed beside his partner.

“I’m fine. I’m not the one lying in a hospital bed.” Travis laid one hand on Wes’s arm and squeezed gently. “How are you feeling?”

“Groggy but otherwise fine.” Wes said and closed his eyes for as he shifted a little then he opened and fixed them on his partner. “Why are you still here?”

“I…” Travis got lost in Wes’s blue eyes for a second. “I wanted to make sure that you were alright.”

“I’m fine, Travis. It could have been a lot worse if it hadn’t been for you.”

“Stop it, Wes.” Travis looked away and he licked his lips nervously.

“No. I got to tell you this.” Wes took a deep breath before he continued. “You saved my life and my sanity. Thank you.” Wes looked away as he blushed. “But I’m really sorry that you got hurt.”

Travis was speechless for a second at Wes’s words and he just stared at his blonde partner that looked back at him and twitched a little under the stare.

“You are doing it again, Travis.” Wes said blushing.

“What?” Travis said finding his voice.

“You are staring at me.”

“But, baby, you are so beautiful to look at.” Travis smirked as his eyes twinkled.

“”I know, but it’s not polite to stare.” Wes smirked back. “And if that is your best pick up line I feel sorry for you.”

“Don’t be like that, babe.” Travis smiled his big smile and actually made Wes a little self-conscious.

Then Travis leaned forward to whisper huskily in Wes’s ear:
“I’m really glad that you are okay.”

THE END