The Island: Gabe and Zach

 

By AJ and Nelson

 

Gabe lay on the sofa in Mike's sitting room, eyes squinted, one hand holding Mike's in an iron grip.

 

"Easy, babe," Mike told him. "Almost over."

 

"It tugs!" Gabe complained. "And I bet it looks gross."

 

"Just keep your eyes closed," the TA advised.

 

"Almost done," Herm said from his place by Gabe's feet. "Just a couple more stitches."

 

"Thanks for removing them here, Herm," Mike said as the doctor began cleaning up and repacking his bag.

 

"No problem," Herm replied cheerfully. "It's nice to have a patient that isn't throwing up on me for a change. You and Rob are lucky you haven't caught it."

 

"Tough genes," Mike replied with a laugh. "I can't remember the last time I had the flu."

 

After a few last instructions on caring for Gabe's leg, Herm left for his next house call and Gabe hopped up from the couch.

 

"Hey, where do you think you're going so fast?" Mike caught his arm as he headed out the door.

 

"To work." Gabe looked at him in surprise.  "You said I could go to work as soon as the stitches were out."

 

"No, I said we would talk about it once the stitches were out. You're still getting over the flu, Gabe. I want you to take it easy the rest of the day. You'll get back to work soon enough."

 

It wasn't fair! Gabe thought rebelliously. First he had missed work because of his accident at the tide pools and then he had missed it because of the flu that swept The Island. He was already so far behind that he would never catch up and Mike *still* wouldn't let him go back to work!

 

"Come on, Mike!" He paced the TA's sitting room restlessly as he tried one more time to make the man see reason. "You know how far behind I am on this project! I'm never going to make the deadline as it is!"

 

"Did you send them an email explaining things like I told you to?"

 

"Yes, but--"

 

"Then I'm sure they'll understand if you're a day or two late," Mike said, cutting off the excuse.

 

"No, they *won't*! You don't understand how many things have to mesh here. Come on," he wheedled persuasively. "How is working for an hour or so going to hurt me? It isn't like I have to get dressed or go anywhere. I'll be right here where you can keep an eye on things and I'll quit as soon as I get tired. I promise."

 

Mike sighed. "Gabriel, when I say 'no' that's what I mean. Not 'argue with me long enough and I'll reconsider'. You are not going back into that workroom,” he said, pointing a finger toward the door, “until I'm sure you're feeling well enough to handle the stress."

 

"And the longer you make me wait, the more stress there's going to be," Gabe retaliated. "Because the longer you make me wait, the farther behind I'm going to be."

"Then maybe you shouldn't go back to work at all," Mike told him evenly. He paused while he watched the wheels in Gabe’s head process that last statement before he elaborated.  "Gabriel, you know how hard it is for you to work when you're tired or don't feel well. You'll sit in there and try until you're thoroughly frustrated and have nothing to show for it but a bad mood. If you wait until tomorrow morning when you're fresh, you'll have it done just as soon and be a lot happier with yourself."

 

"But, Mike--!"

 

"And I've had about enough of this discussion. Go find something else to do or I'll find something for you.”

 

Gabe glared at him for a long moment, measuring the inflexible gaze he was getting in return. "Fine," he said tightly. "Ruin my career. See if I care!" He turned on his heel and swept out of the sitting room. At the last minute, he let the door slam behind him with a satisfying bang.

 

It opened again almost immediately and he found himself gazing into the wrathful face of his TA. "Did that make you happy?" Mike demanded.

 

Gabe nodded defiantly.

 

"Fine," Mike echoed the Cen's last words. Reaching back into the room, he took a screwdriver from the shelves by the door and started down the hall.

 

"Mike! What are you doing?" Gabe hurried after him.  “Mike!”

 

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Mike asked.  He brought the screwdriver up to the first hinge and began to work.

 

"You can't do that! I didn't slam *my* door, I slammed yours! If you're going to steal someone's door, it should be your own!"

 

"You know, Gabe," Mike spared a light grin for him. "If I've really ruined your career, you can always become a lawyer. You'd be good at it." 

 

"He didn't listen?" Zach asked sympathetically as Gabe stomped into the living room.  Zach was stretched out in the recliner, wearing only sleep pants and a tee. He adjusted his blanket and took a sip from his mug of broth before continuing, "You want to choose the next show?" He generously offered the remote to his friend.

 

"No." Gabe flung himself onto the couch. "And no. I don't want to watch the damned TV, I want to go back to work!"

 

"If it's any comfort, Rob won't give my violin back either," Zach offered hesitantly.

 

"It isn't," Gabe snapped. "You're just doing without your hobby for a week or so. I have a job to do! I have people depending on me!"

 

Zach froze, then tossed the blanket aside and struggled to his feet. When he spoke, his words dropped like individual chips of ice. "You have people depending on you, because you were allowed to keep your job when you came. I sacrificed my *career* to come to The Island, and I don't know if I'll ever get it back. So why don't you quit your whining and be grateful for what you have instead of expecting everyone else to feel sorry for you?"

 

Stricken with remorse, Gabe watched helplessly as his best friend stormed out of the room. "Zach! Wait! I didn't mean--"

 

His words were cut off by the slamming of the front door.

 

"I didn't mean it," he whispered. His gaze went from Rob, who was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, to Mike, who had come in from the hall.

 

"I hope you're feeling better now," Rob said and Gabe cringed at the cold expression on his face.

 

"Go after him," Mike quietly urged his fellow TA, but Rob was already moving.

 

"I didn't mean it," Gabe said more loudly as the door closed again. "I was just mad."

 

"How many times have we dealt with you taking your temper out on other people?" Mike asked levelly.

 

"I don't know. A lot." Gabe hung his head. "Are you- are you going to spank me?"

 

"No." The TA denied the Cen his expiation. "I'm not going to let you off that easily this time. Go to your room. I don't want to see you out here again until lunchtime."

 

Gabe stood up, swallowing unshed tears of frustration and remorse as he went to his room as directed.

 

Rob heard the door swing shut behind him as he hurried to catch up with his Cen. "Zach!" he called to the rapidly disappearing Cen. Zach continued down the path, never so much as pausing at the summons. "Zach!" Rob shouted a bit louder, quickening his pace to shorten the distance between them. When the Cen was within reach, Rob stretched out a hand and caught Zach by his upper arm.

 

"What?!" Zach barked as he was pulled to a halt, his face twisted with a combination of pain and anger.

 

Rob pulled the Cen against his chest. "I know you're hurt, babe, and you have every right to be. But we need to go back to the cottage. You have no business out here in pajamas and bare feet, especially after you've been so sick."

 

"I don’t want to go back to the cottage," he mumbled against the shoulder of Rob’s navy blue polo shirt.

 

Rob held Zach back at arms’ length and said sternly, "Have I not made my point on who makes the decisions around here?"

 

Zach recognized the expression and was not in the mood to take on his TA. Barring the mood, he didn’t feel up to it physically either. "You make the decisions. But I--"

 

"No. Stop right there, and do like I said," Rob ordered, turning Zach back in the direction from which he came. "We’ll talk in my rooms."

 

"I’m not going back in there with him," Zach said stubbornly and turned his back on the cottage.

 

Rob caught Zach’s wrist and the new edge in his voice was unmistakable. "That is where we live and that is where we’re going. Got it?"

 

Zach glanced beyond the TA and saw Scott and Andre approaching on the main path. Zach had no intention of having Scott overhear him getting "spoken to" by Rob yet again. He gave a short nod, yielding to Rob’s decision.

 

As he wordlessly turned back toward the cottage, Rob wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Thank you. I know Gabe upset you. We’ll talk about it when we get back." 

 

Scott and Andre greeted them as they passed, registering but not commenting on Zach's attire.

 

Rob and Zach entered the cottage and Zach took a deep breath, steeling himself against the object of his anger, but Gabe was no longer in the living room. As they approached the intersection of the hall dividing Rob’s wing from Mike’s, Zach could see daylight washing out into the hallway from both Gabe’s doorless room and Mike’s sitting area, but knew that the other Cen couldn't have been in much trouble in the short time they had been gone.

 

"Don’t you get spanked around here for being a prick?" he asked loudly.

 

"Stop it," Rob ordered as they entered his sitting room. "I don’t know what Mike is going to do, and it isn’t your concern anyway."

 

He closed the door behind him and led Zach to the couch, then pulled the afghan from the back of the chair across the room. He sat down beside Zach, dragged the angry young man into his lap, and tossed the afghan over their legs. "Let’s talk about what happened."

 

"If you plan on telling me I have to be nice to him, you can plan on being disappointed," Zach said mutinously.

 

"Don’t practice mind-reading, it isn’t your profession," Rob said.

 

"I don’t have a profession anymore, remember? It’s just a hobby, and I don’t even have that anymore," Zach told him bitterly.

 

Rob pressed his palm against the side of Zach’s head until the Cen gave in and laid his head on Rob’s shoulder. "Gabe’s attitude and comments were wrong, Zach. Plain and simple."

 

"Yes they were," Zach agreed. "He has a lot of nerve to bitch because he gets to take a vacation from his job – one that he didn’t have to give up – and then to take it out on me because he was mad at Mike. It isn't fair that he gets to continue working and I don't."

 

"Zach, there are some rules and decisions that vary from Cen to Cen because you are each different and have unique needs. Gabe didn’t need to travel to continue his job, while you would. We made our decision and we stand by it."

 

"It isn’t fair," Zach groused.

 

"It doesn’t have to feel fair to you. We don’t make decisions to hurt you or to win your approval. We make them according to what is best for each Cen. You agreed to those terms when you came here."

 

"My career is over." Zach sadly expressed his greatest fear.

 

Rob’s hand stroked up and down the distraught Cen’s back as he gently said, "I’ve heard you play. There’s no way in this world your career is over, babe."

 

"You don’t know that," Zach disagreed.

 

"And you don’t know that it is," Rob countered. "Now, we aren’t going to discuss whether you get to work or not. That decision has been made. I want to talk about you and Gabe."

 

"There’s nothing to talk about. There is no ‘me and Gabe’. He’s a jerk and you can’t make me be friends with him."

 

Rob sighed.  "Who you choose to befriend is up to you, but you and Gabe were getting along so well. I would hate to see one argument end that."

 

"Then you’re going to be disappointed."

 

"I know you’re upset right now, and you’re still sick, which doesn’t help matters, but--"

 

"That has nothing to do with it," Zach interrupted.

 

"Let me finish, please," Rob ordered. Zach’s rigid body emitted waves of anger as he sat wrapped up in the Alpha’s lap but he remained silent as Rob continued. "I want to give you some things to think about. First, I have no problem with you being angry at Gabe and it's your decision whether you choose to continue your friendship or not. He belittled something you have a passion for so I’m not surprised at how you feel."

 

That got Zach’s attention and he sat up enough to see Rob. "You aren’t going to make me be nice to him? Make me be friends?"

 

"My preference is that the two of you make up. But I won’t ask you to lie about your feelings and be something you aren’t."

 

Zach frowned, confused at the information. "Really?" he asked in surprise at the news.

 

"Yes, really,” Rob said with a small smile at the puzzled expression on Zach’s face, “but there’s a caveat."

 

"A ‘catch’ you mean."

 

"Not a catch," Rob corrected. "You don’t have to be friends, but I expect you to be polite, and under *no* circumstances are you to escalate this situation or do anything to get back at Gabe.  That includes baiting him in your conversations."

 

"That won’t be a problem because I’m not speaking to him."

 

"Is that being polite?" Rob reproved gently, eliciting an immediate reaction from Zach.

 

Zach jumped up, storming, "You said I didn’t have to be friends!"

 

"Zach, calm down," Rob said quickly before a tirade could ensue. He pulled the Cen back into his lap, then leaned over and picked up the blanket that had fallen when Zach stood up, draping it back over their legs. "What I mean is, if he asks you a question, you answer him. You don’t have to talk about anything you don’t want to, but you give him the courtesy of saying you don’t want to talk about it."

 

"Why do I have to be polite to him? He was hardly polite to me, and I didn’t do anything to him. I was trying to be understanding and the thanks I got was for him to insult me."

 

"I know. He was reacting to his frustration with Mike and he took it out on you. But he is accountable for his behavior and I will hold you accountable for yours. That’s what I want to be clear on here."

 

"As long as I don’t have to be friends if I don’t want to."

 

"That’s your decision, Zach. Just be sure it doesn’t bleed into your behavior to the point it gets you in trouble." Rob’s hand went to Zach’s cheek then to his forehead. "You feel warm again."

 

"I’m fine."

 

"I know you are," Rob said with a smile at Zach’s inability to admit to being sick. "But I want you to go to your room anyway."

 

"Why am I being punished?" Zach asked in alarm.

 

Rob rubbed Zach’s thigh through the blanket. "You aren’t being punished, babe. You’re still sick and I just want you to rest a bit." Rob pushed Zach off his lap and stood up. "Go stretch out and I’ll be in to take your temp."

 

Zach grimaced but didn’t argue. "All right," he said. "How long do I have to rest?"

 

"I’ll let you know," Rob said with a pat to Zach’s behind.

 

~~~~~

 

Rob put the thermometer away and found Mike in the kitchen. "How’s Zach?" Mike asked.

 

"His temp is up a bit," Rob reported. “And I’m not surprised with the flurry of activity this morning.”

 

"This flu has been horrible. I’m glad Sam’s managed to skirt it with us."  Mike rinsed the dishcloth and draped it over the edge of the sink to dry.  "How is Zach, aside from the flu?" Mike asked. "Gabe upset him pretty badly."

 

"Yes, he did. Zach is feeling bitter and angry right now."

 

"I don’t blame him. Gabe is upset, too.  He knows he let his temper get the best of his mouth again."

 

"Being hard on himself?"

 

Mike nodded as he sat down at the table. "He’s going to have to deal with the consequences, though. I have to get his attention about not lashing out at others when he’s mad. He’s been spanked for it more than once and it hasn’t worked."

 

"Spanking isn’t always the answer," Rob agreed. He pulled out a chair and sat at the table beside his fellow TA. "It’s just not always that easy, unfortunately."

 

"No, it isn’t. Gabe thought that’s what was going to happen again, but I think he needs to face how his actions affected Zach."

 

Rob nodded. "He might prefer a spanking then. Zach’s pretty upset."

 

"I’m sure he would. He needs to see that a spanking doesn’t make things like this go away.  It’s more complex than just disobeying me."

 

"I agree," Rob said. He looked thoughtfully at Mike. "This could get ugly, you know."

 

"We’ll have to be on our toes," Mike agreed. "Keep there from being any bloodshed."

 

"Right. We’ll just keep them civil without squashing their feelings."

 

Mike rolled his eyes. "You make it sound so easy."

 

Rob feigned innocence. "What’s hard about it? Are you going soft on me?"

 

"Not at all," Mike said, then added, "We need to be sure Sam stays out of the middle of this, too."

 

"We’ll keep an eye on him."

 

"I'll have to watch Gabe closely, too. Make sure he’s handling this okay while still making my point, you know?"

 

"Please do. I don’t want to be scouring the jungle for him in the middle of the night anytime soon," Rob said grimly. "Not my idea of fun by a long shot."

 

"I’ve got the alarm and I’ll be setting it every night, so don’t worry." Mike scooted away from the table and headed toward the door. "I’ve got some work to do so I’d better take advantage of the time I have."

 

"I’ll join you. I have some paperwork myself."

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Lunch was a somber affair. Gabe came out of his room when called and immediately approached Zach with an apology.

 

"I’m sorry, Zach," Gabe said penitently. "I was wrong for what I said. I know your career is just as important to you as mine is to me. I was mad at Mike and I shouldn’t have taken it out on you."

 

"No, you shouldn’t have, but you said what you meant," Zach replied, clearly unwilling to let it go so soon. "Let’s just stay out of each other’s way, okay?"

 

Gabe blinked at his friend and tried to maintain his composure. Not knowing how to respond, he took a seat at his place across from Zach. Mike gave his shoulder a squeeze on his way to the stove to dish up the soup. He and Rob tried to keep the conversation going through lunch but it was a losing battle and they eventually gave up and finished the meal in silence.

 

The following day was no better. Mike was in his sitting room reading when there was a tap on his door frame. He looked up to see Gabe standing in the doorway. "Can I talk to you?" the Cen asked timidly.

 

"You know you can." Mike held out his arms. "Come here." Gabe sat next to Mike and let the TA encircle him in a hug. "What’s the problem?"

 

"You know what it is," Gabe said, staring at the floor.

 

"What can I do?" Mike asked.

 

"Make it better?" Gabe asked hopefully, turning his gaze to his TA’s eyes.

 

Mike brushed a short strand of hair back off Gabe’s forehead. "How do you think I can do that?"

 

"I don’t know," Gabe said miserably. "Can’t you do something? Talk to Rob and ask him to make Zach stop being mad at me?"

 

"Let me ask you a question first," Mike said. "If I had asked you to stop being mad yesterday, would you have been able to turn it off?"

 

Gabe thought back to the day in question and reluctantly shook his head. "I couldn’t help it."

 

"No, you couldn’t. And I’ve never asked that you deny your feelings. I just insist that you don’t act inappropriately because of them," Mike said. "Rob is the same way."

 

"But I’ve apologized and he still won’t talk to me," Gabe protested. "I don't know how to change that!"

 

"You can't. You can’t make someone accept your apology. That’s up to Zach and he doesn’t seem ready to do that yet."

 

"What if he never is?"

 

"Then you’ll have to accept that, Gabe."

 

“I can’t.”

 

Mike kissed Gabe’s forehead. “You don’t really have a choice, babe.  We can’t dictate to people how they should feel.”

 

"Maybe he didn’t believe I meant it when I apologized? Maybe if I did it again?" Gabe searched for an acceptable solution.

 

"I thought it was clear, in your expression as well as in your choice of words. You didn’t say, ‘I’m sorry you got upset’ or try to blame the situation on Zach. You took responsibility for what you did and apologized for your actions.  I was proud of you."

 

Gabe swelled slightly with the compliment but it wasn’t enough to erase the pain of the situation.  “Too bad it didn’t matter to Zach,” he said dejectedly.  "Mike? 

 

Would you make me be friends with him if the situation were reversed?"

 

Mike looked at him. "What do you think?"

 

Gabe’s head dropped, knowing the answer in spite of the fact he asked the question. "You wouldn’t."

 

"No, I wouldn’t."

 

Gabe nodded in resignation. "I don’t know what to do."

 

"You’ve done all you can do," Mike said. "It’s up to Zach now." He drew Gabe to him and kissed his head. "I know you're miserable, babe, but try to believe it will all work out, ok?"

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Mike sat up with a start at the shrill of the alarm on the front door. He grabbed his robe from the foot of the bed as he started for the door, barely getting it tied before his feet hit the porch.

 

Gabe was already part way down the path in front of their cottage, clad only in his boxers and t-shirt, and Mike hurried to catch up and direct him back to bed. "You shouldn't be out here, Gabe. Come back to bed, all right?" Mike said gently.

 

"I can't." Gabe told him earnestly. "I have to find Zach. He's lost and I need to find him."

 

"No, he isn't lost," Mike assured. "He's asleep in his room."

 

"Are you sure?" Gabe looked confused, the glassy eyes searching the TA's face. "Are you sure, Mike?"

 

"I’m sure," Mike told him confidently.  "Come back to bed now, all right?"

 

"All right. If you're sure."

 

"I am." The TA led Gabe back to his bed and pulled the covers back. He urged Gabe to get in and then knelt on the floor beside his bed. He stroked the Cen's hair until the gentle rise and fall of his chest gave away the fact that Gabe was sound asleep.

 

Rob was awake when Mike got back to his room. "Sleepwalking again?" Rob asked.

 

Squeezing the bridge of his nose between first finger and thumb as he got back into bed, Mike sighed. "Yeah. The stress over this thing with Zach is tearing him up, Rob."

 

 "I know it’s hard on him," Rob commiserated.

 

"Look, can you talk to Zach? It's been three days."

 

"I know." Rob sighed. “But I can't force him to be friends again, Mike."

 

"I know, and I'm not asking you to force him. Just talk to him, all right?

 

"All right," Rob agreed. "I’ll talk to him again tomorrow."

 

"Thanks," Mike said. "Goodnight."

 

"Goodnight."

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Rob wiped his hands on a dishtowel and glanced at the clock. Time to move Sam along if he was going to get to class on time. As he entered the hall, he paused as he heard a conversation not meant for his ears.

 

Zach was speaking with sarcastic elegance. "Oh, by all means. *You* take the bathroom first, Gabe. You’re the one with the real job. You definitely need to get ready before the worthless bums do."

 

"Zach, stop it," Sam said heatedly. "Leave him alone!"

 

"I said I was sorry!" Gabe exclaimed at the same time. "I said it a million times! How much more do you want from me?"

 

"I don’t want anything from you," Zach informed. "I just want--' He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and swallowed hard as he turned to his TA standing with his arms folded.

 

"Apologize, Zachary," Rob said evenly.  “Right now.”

 

Zach’s lips pursed in anger.  "Why should *I* apologize for anything?"

 

"Excuse me," Sam said, pushing past Rob. "I need to get ready for class."

 

"What’s going on?" Mike asked, attracted by the situation.

 

"Zach was about to apologize for speaking rudely to Gabe. Weren’t you, Zach?" Rob inquired politely, turning his attention back to the Cen.

 

"I shouldn’t have to apologize to him. He’s the one who started the whole thing," Zach told him defiantly.

 

Rob immediately moved beside Zach in the narrow hallway, gripped his arm for stability and proceeded to sharply swat his behind. "I’m not asking you whether you think you should. I’m telling you to do it. Now."

 

Zach’s face burned and his hand shot back to his backside. Through gritted teeth, he said to Gabe, "Sorry."

 

"Now, go to my room and find a corner," Rob ordered.

 

"But--" Zach started a protest that was quickly cut off with another heavy swat to his butt.

 

"Now," Rob repeated. As Zach stalked away, Rob asked, "Can you walk Sam to class this morning, Mike?"

 

 “Sure, Rob.  No problem.”

 

Rob took a moment to fill Mike in, then followed Zach, leaving Mike to comfort Gabe. He entered his room to find the Cen standing furiously in the corner, his arms crossed.

 

"You didn’t have to do that in front of everyone," he accused angrily.

 

"No more than you had to defy me in front of them," Rob informed him. "When I tell you to do something, I expect you to do it. Clear?"

 

Zach deflated slightly at Rob’s chastisement.  "Yes," he answered quietly.

 

"Now that we have that straight, have a seat.” Rob said.  Zach hesitantly turned from the corner and Rob motioned him toward the armchair.  he sat as directed, eyes focused on his hands in his lap.  "What did I say, Zach?" Rob asked.

 

"I sat down!"

 

Rob shook his head. "That's not what I meant and you know it.  What did I say about baiting Gabe?"

 

 

Zach offered a noncommittal shrug.  "I don’t remember."

 

"Is that the truth, Zachary?" Zach slowly raised his eyes to his TA and opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again.  "Well?" Rob prompted.

 

"I remember what you said," Zach admitted.

 

"Then you knew better than to say what you did to Gabe," Rob announced the obvious.  Zach nodded as Rob's eyes narrowed. "Have you been making comments like that when I’m not around? No, look at me," he ordered when Zach’s eyes fell.

 

"Some," the Cen admitted. His anger began to dissipate as he felt himself in the cross hairs of his TA. He nervously fiddled with the tie on his sleep pants, both uncomfortable with the inquisition and unsure of what would happen next.

 

Rob pressed on. "Did I tell you it was okay to make argumentative comments to Gabe, even sometimes?"  Zach shook his head and tried to hold eye contact as requested by the TA. "Answer me, Zachary."

 

"No," he said softly, "you didn’t."

 

"Then if you remembered what I said, yet did the direct opposite, you disobeyed me, didn’t you?" Rob asked directly.

 

"Yes," Zach whispered.

"Yes, you did," Rob confirmed, "and you are going to be punished for it."

 

At Rob’s words, Zach’s heart began to beat double-time and Zach swallowed on a suddenly dry throat. "You’re going to spank me?" he managed to ask.

 

"Not this time," Rob said, holding his hand out to Zach. "Count yourself lucky, Zach. I try not to spank my Cens this early in their Orientation or you would already be over my knee.  But consider this your only warning. Deliberately disobey me again, and I will spank you, no matter what. Is that clear?"

 

"Yes." Zach was momentarily relieved, but then became curious as Rob led him to the now empty bathroom. "What are you going to do then?"

 

"Have you ever had your mouth soaped?" Rob asked.

 

Zach shook his head and grimaced at the thought. "No."

 

"Well, you’re about to," Rob said. "Have a seat on the toilet."

 

Rob left Zach and Zach closed the toilet lid, and sat down as instructed. He started swallowing, trying to clear his mouth of what little spit remained, hoping it would help somehow. He could hear Rob moving around outside the bathroom and he sat on his hands while he waited for Rob to reappear.

 

The TA reentered the bathroom a few moments later, holding what looked like a small popsicle. "All right," he said, turning on the water and running it over the soap. "I’m going to put this in your mouth and I want you to bite down on it until I tell you it’s enough. Any questions?"

 

"How long?" Zach asked, his eyes firmly fixed on the soap being held under the running water.

 

"That’s for me to decide. You’ll know when I tell you it’s time to take it out."

 

"But, I mean is it like thirty minutes or thirty seconds?"

 

Rob turned the water off and shook the soap by the stick to remove any excess water.  He held his palm under the soap as he moved it closer toward Zach’s mouth, stepping directly in front of him.  "It won't be thirty minutes. It's usually less than five. Open up."

 

Zach instinctively pulled away from the soap headed straight for his mouth and frowned, unwillingly to open his mouth for it.

 

"Open your mouth, Zach."

 

"How bad is it going to be?" Zach asked through clenched teeth.

 

"You can let me know. Open."

 

Zach took a deep breath and reluctantly opened his mouth, grimacing as the slimy bar slid in. He tried to get his tongue out of the way, but the bar filled his mouth so that he could not get away from the foul taste.

 

"Bite down," Rob said.

 

Zach wanted to protest but his words were cut off as long as the soap was in his mouth. He thought ruefully that that might be the point of the whole exercise. Starting to feel remorse over his earlier words, he bit down on the bar and prayed for a quick passage of time.

 

"Stand up and face that corner. I want you to think about why what you did was wrong. We’ll talk about that when you’re punishment is over," Rob ordered sternly.

 

Zach stood up, went to the corner, and tried not to break down, embarrassed for getting in trouble at all, much less in front of Gabe. Gabe was probably tickled pink, he told himself. He longed for a different look in Rob’s eyes, one that wasn’t disappointed in him. He could feel the TA’s presence behind him while he waited.

 

After two minutes had passed, Rob said, "Okay, time’s up, Zach."

 

When Zach didn’t turn around immediately, Rob reached for his arm and turned him. Silent tears were running down Zach’s face, and Rob pulled the soap from his mouth. "You can rinse until I tell you to stop," he informed the Cen. Zach took the paper cup Rob offered him and tried desperately to rid his mouth of the aftertaste. The bitter taste was as stubborn as he was, and Rob told him to stop rinsing long before he was ready.

 

"Clean your face, babe," Rob said gently, passing Zach a washcloth. He waited as Zach cleaned up then took the Cen back to his sitting room when he was done.  “Sit with me,” he said, patting the cloth of he sofa cushion beside him.

 

Zach couldn’t look at Rob as he took a seat next to him. He avoided the Alpha’s eyes, diverting his attention to his lap.

 

"Why was it wrong, Zach?" Rob asked.

 

Zach didn’t trust his voice so he shrugged instead of saying what he knew Rob wanted to hear.

 

"Do you need more time in the corner to think about it?" Rob asked inflexibly.

 

Zach shook his head and tried to control his voice as he spoke. "Because I disobeyed you," he said, hating the tremor in his voice and the fact that he was near to tears again.

 

"That’s definitely part of it," Rob agreed. "Why else?"

 

"It was mean," Zach said.

 

"Yes, it was. I don’t expect you to talk to Gabe like that again. Do you understand me?" Zach nodded and kept his head down. "Come here," Rob said, pulling him close and erasing the little bit of distance between them. "I want to ask you a question, Zach. Why can't you let this go?"

 

"Because he hurt me!" Zach declared incredulously. "You know that!"

 

"I know he did," Rob said sympathetically.  "But everyone says things they don't mean when they're angry. I’m sure you understand that.  So why is this so hard for you to forgive?"

 

"Because he meant it. He wouldn't have said it if he hadn't been thinking it already!”  Zach pulled away and looked at his TA for support.  “Why are you doing this to me? You said you wouldn't take his side or force me to forgive him! You said I can hate him for as long as I want to!"

 

"That isn't exactly what I said," Rob told him. "But I'm not taking sides here. I think your actions are hurting you as much as they are Gabe, and I want you to think about why you feel so strongly about it. One more question and then you can go. Are you so angry because of what Gabe said, or because he put into words what you've been thinking? No, don't answer me now," he held up his hand as Zach started an angry protest. "Think about it - honestly - and we'll talk again later."

 

“I can go now?” Zach asked tightly.

 

“You can go.  But I want you to think about what I said.”

 

Zach jumped up, spun on his heel and stormed out of the room and then the cottage. Flinging himself into the swing in their back yard, he angrily pushed at the ground with his toe to set it in motion.  Gabe had to believe what he had said! Gabe was the one at fault, not him! Why was Rob blaming him? Gabe was the one who had insulted him, who had dismissed his career so easily, who had said he was useless and a failure and deserved to lose the career he had worked so hard for-- He paused, appalled at where his thoughts had taken him.  Had Gabe actually said that or was that simply how he had interpreted Gabe’s words? 

 

Zach thought back over the short conversation that had culminated in a three-day battle.  “A hobby,” Zach said aloud to himself.  “He called it a ‘hobby’.” For a moment his anger burned as  hotly as it had in the beginning, then cooled as he realized that Rob had been right. Gabe hadn’t insinuated he was a failure.  Those were his own feelings. While Zach still didn’t appreciate the “hobby” comment, he had blamed Gabe for far more than he had been guilty of.

 

“Nice going, Zach,” he told himself.  He didn’t leave the swing immediately, as his thoughts turned to how he could make this right.  He didn't make friends easily but in his short beginning on The Island  he’d had a chance to get close to people.  He could tell himself he didn’t need Gabe’s friendship, but the reality was he enjoyed Gabe’s company.  He knew he couldn’t make things right from the backyard and he looked toward the cottage, trying to summon the strength to go in and find Gabe.  He took a deep breath and headed inside.

 

Gabe ripped yet another sheet of paper from his drawing table and savagely shredded it before throwing the pieces on the floor. He didn't know why he had been in such a hurry to get back to work. Everything he drew, every slogan he came up with, was crap. He might as well just email the client and resign. It couldn't be any worse than sending him the shit that he was coming up with lately. He rested his elbows on the table and pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes. He was so tired. So damned tired.

 

A sound from the hall brought his head up. "What do you want now?" he demanded.

 

"I--" Zach hovered in the doorway, unsure of the right words. "I just wanted to say--"

 

"That I'm the scum of the earth? That I made one remark when I was angry and it ruined our friendship forever? I already know that and I don't need to hear it again. Get out," Gabe ordered shortly. He turned his back on Zach and clipped a new sheet of paper to his desk as he spoke.  "And don't come back in my workroom again."

 

"Believe me, I won't ever have a reason to," Zach snapped.

 

Gabe rested his head on his hands again after he heard Zach stalk away. A tear ran down his cheek and he brushed it away angrily. Picking up his pencil, he determinedly went back to work.

 

~~~

 

"Rob, I have to go pick up some folders from Hobbes. Can you keep an ear out for Gabe?" Mike asked later that evening.

 

"Sure," Rob replied, clicking the mute button on the TV remote for the third time in 45 minutes. "Is he asleep already?"

 

"Yeah.  I gave him a back rub and he was out like a light. Now if he'll only stay that way..."

 

"I know," Rob sympathized. Mike needed an uninterrupted night as much as Gabe did.

 

"I shouldn't be gone long. I'll pick Sam up on my way back. I don't feel up to dealing with him being late again."

 

"Take your time with Hobbes," Rob replied comfortably. "Zach should be home in a few minutes, so I can go get Sam for you."

 

"Would you? Thanks," Mike said gratefully.

 

Mike left and Rob unmuted the TV, just in time for a series of commercials.

 

Zach came in as the show resumed and moodily flung himself into a chair. "I tried to talk to him this morning," he announced abruptly. "He wouldn't listen. He told me to get out."

 

Rob sighed and muted the TV again.  "He's hurting as much as you are, Zach."

 

"Can't you talk to him or something? Or have Mike talk to him?"

 

"I can't dictate his feelings anymore than I can yours, babe," Rob said. "You two are going to have to work this out between yourselves."

 

"Great. We'll never be friends again," Zach sighed dramatically.

 

"I'm sure you will be," Rob told him. "I have great faith in both of you." He unmuted the TV again, just in time for the closing credits.

 

"Sorry," Zach apologized. "I didn't mean for you to miss the ending."

 

"No problem. I had already missed the beginning and the middle so it didn't make much sense anyway. I'll catch it on a repeat." He turned the TV off and put the remote in its basket before standing up. "I need to go get Sam. Can you listen for Gabe while I'm gone?"

 

"I guess," Zach said dubiously. "What do I do if he starts sleepwalking? How do I stop him?"

 

"Just tell him he can't go anywhere without Mike's permission and send him back to bed."

 

"I can probably handle that," Zach decided. "Do you mind if I practice while you're gone?"

 

"No, as long as you don't wake Gabe up."

 

Zach got his violin and settled down in the living room. He played idly, moving from a few bars of one piece to another as the mood took him. Eyes closed, he allowed the music to soothe him and clear his mind, understanding on some level that he had to make peace with himself before he could make peace with Gabe.  At some point, he heard the front door close and frowned. He had hoped Rob would be gone longer. He came to the end of the piece he was playing and turned. "You're back--" He frowned at the empty room. "Rob? Mike? Is that you?"

 

When there was no answer, Zach hurried down the hall to Gabe's room, where his suspicions were confirmed.  The covers of Gabe's bed were shoved to the side and the bed was empty.  Damn it! Zach grabbed the shoes he had kicked off in the living room and ran out the front door, eyes sweeping the deserted compound in search of his sleeping friend. He spotted him just starting down the forbidden path to the beach. Damn it! he swore again. Why was security always around when you didn't want them to be and never there when you needed them? Shoes in hand, he ran down the path, wincing and swearing as the uneven surface bit into the soles of his feet. 

Thank God for a full moon, he thought as he reached the beach. He could still see Gabe walking slowly along the shore, head-down, apparently oblivious to the world. He paused to catch his breath while he tried to figure out what to do next.  He couldn't shout at Gabe. He had heard that waking a sleepwalker was one of the worst things you could do. The best thing, he reasoned, was to get in front of the sleeping Cen and try to stop him from getting any farther away. Then he could gently reason with him the way Mike and Rob did. He dropped his useless shoes where he stood and took off again.

It was hard to run in the deep sand. He floundered along, feeling the sand push away from the balls of his feet, throwing his balance off, making his toes ache at the effort it took to push off with each stride. He was still moving faster than Gabe, though. He had almost caught up and was moving to one side to pass when he stepped on a coconut half-buried in the sand. It rolled beneath his foot and he flew through the air and straight into Gabe, catapulting them both to the beach and knocking the wind out of them.

For a long moment he lay on his stomach wheezing, trying to force air back into his lungs. As he finally succeeded, he heard a similar sound beside him and remembered Gabe. Oh, God, of all the *stupid* things to do! 'Don't shout and wake him up, Zachary!' he berated himself. 'Just knock him down and half-kill him instead!' He cautiously turned his head to see how much damage he had done and realized that Gabe was lying on his side, staring back at him in the brilliant moonlight.

Filled with panic over the damage he might have done, he said the first thing that came into his head. "Mike says you can't leave the cottage without his permission. Go back to bed."

Gabe's mouth worked but no sound came out.

"Are you ok, Gabe?" Zach pushed himself to his knees and hovered helplessly over his friend.

Gabe flopped over onto his back and made a whimpering sound.

"Say something," Zach implored. “Gabe?”

"I wasn't asleep."

"You-- you weren't?" For the first time he realized that the other Cen was fully dressed, his shorts and t-shirt very similar to the ones Zach was wearing.

"No, I just came out for a walk to clear my head."

"Oh," Zach said weakly. "I thought you were."

"I know. And I have to tell you that tackling a sleepwalker and pinning him to the ground isn't the standard operating procedure."

"I know that! I tripped over something!" he protested indignantly, then realized that Gabe's whimpers were an effort to hold back his laughter. "I must have looked like an idiot," he said as he began laughing as well.

"I wouldn't know," Gabe choked out between chortles. "I didn't see you. I just felt you."

Soon they were leaning against each other, laughing helplessly until the tears rolled down their cheeks. 

 

"It--it was like a bad dream," Zach said at last, swallowing the last of his laughter. "One minute I was running, the next I was flying through the air.

 

"I didn't know what hit me," Gabe replied, wiping his eyes on his shirt.  “I didn’t even hear you over the ocean.”

 

"I'm sorry," Zach apologized. "I was trying to help you, not maim you."

"No, I'm sorry, Zach," Gabe said seriously.  "I didn't mean to hurt you."

Zach knew Gabe was no longer talking about the fall. "No, it was my fault, Gabe. I was being too sensitive. I'm sorry."

"No, I was mad at Mike and I took it out on you."

"No, it was my-- Ok, it was your fault," Zach conceded generously and they both burst into laughter again. Zach flopped back against the sand and Gabe did the same. They lay there, shoulder to shoulder, gazing up at the full moon for a long time.

"We'd better get back," Zach said at last. "They're going to be worried about us."

"Yeah." Gabe stood up and held out his hand to pull Zach up. "Friends again?"

"Yeah," Zach agreed with a smile as he gripped the hand in his. "Friends."

They were walking up the beach together when Gabe spoke again.

"Uh, Zach?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't think we *have* to tell Mike I was awake when I came out to the beach…do you?"

Zach understood instantly. "Not as long as we don't tell him how I woke you up. Deal?"

"Deal."

 

The friends smiled at each other conspiratorily and headed home together.

 

The End