Chapter 23

It was just after dawn when they got back to the dorm. Tor glanced at Mara's empty bed, and then at his own, where his brother lay with his girlfriend in his arms.

Fergie looked up, and smiled at his brother. He started to get up, "Wanna swap over now?"

Tor thought about it for a second, then shook his head, "No, it would confuse her too much." he scrambled up the ladder and fell into Fergie's bed. Reaching underneath the pillow,. he found Fergie's old toy rabbit, that he kept, purely because he couldn't bear to throw it away. Tor held the pathetic stuffed toy tight in his arms, and thought about home, and how everything seemed so much simpler there.

Fergie lay, staring at the bunk above him, where his brother lay, trying to drop off to sleep, he'd been awake all night, and he had to get up in the morning. He saw the matress move as his brother rolled over, and then he saw a hand slipping down the gap between the wall and the bed. He reached up and held Tor's hand, feeling the soft skin as if were his own.

"Love you Ferg,"

"Love you too."

Ally and Charlie slipped back into their dorm, still holding hands. Ally turned to Charlie, and opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead. he reached out a hand to Charlie's cheek, feeling the roughness of his fingertips catching on the Charlie's smooth skin. "Thanks." he whispered.

Charlie smiled at him, "Night Ally." he said purposfully, and turned away, he couldn't let himself beleive that Ally really wanted him, he had to keep a grip on reality.

On impulse, Ally reached out and hugged him, "Thanks."

Tired, Seiji instinctivly walked up the spiral staircase to the teacher's floor, instead of following the rest of his dorm back to bed. When he reached Art's bedrooms door, he pushed on it softly, turning the handle slowley, so as not to make a click. The door was unlocked, and it opened easily. He had a feeling Art knew he would do this. Art always did. He looked across at the bed, where Art slept, and smiled. Slowley he unstrapped his boot knives, and, taking out the two knives from his pocket, he slipped one under the pillow, smiling as he heard it chink against Art's knife. He took off his jumper and trousers, and shivered from the cold, Art had left the window open, again. Shaking his head, and smiling to himself, he wandered over to it, and pulled it closed. He walked back around to the other side of the bed, even as he did it, wandering why he did. They'd never agreed on having "set sides" in bed, it had just happened that way. He frowned slightly, they were turning into a couple, something Art swore he'd always avoid. He contemplated taking off the three knives he had left on his body, and decided against it. He crawled into bed beside Art, huddling close to the warmth of the older man's body. As he drifted off to sleep he felt Art's arms wrap around his slender frame.

Outside the dorm, Alex grabbed Raven's arm. "Don't go in, just for a minute." he smiled, and brushed her hair off her face. "I..." he faltered, he wasn't really sure why he'd kept her here.

Raven smiled, and stood on her tiptoes. She kissed him softly on the lips. "I.....too." she grinned. She turned, and, taking his hand went into the dorm.Nienna and Tor were already in bed.

Alex pulled his jumper over his head, unbuckling his belt and stepping out of his jeans. Leaving his clothes in a crumpled heap on the floor, he was too tired to bother about them now. He climbed up the ladder above Seiji's empty bed.

Raven, waiting until Alex was in bed, quickly climbed out of her clothes, pulling on the old T-shirt of Matt's that she used as a nightie. Softly, without making a sound, she too climbed up the ladder to Alex's bed. She slipped underneath the covers beside him, pressing a gentle finger against his lips. "Shhhh, don't tell anyone."

Alex felt her arms slip around his waist, felt her body press close against his, felt his arms slip around her, it was so tempting to....no. He bit his lip, so hard he tasted the tang of blood in his mouth. "I mustn't do something I'll regret," he thought to himself, and as Raven's breathing slowed as she fell asleep the thought turned itself into a mantra inside his mind, he felt his lips forming the words, as he too fell asleep.

Mara woke up, wrapped tight in Fergie's arms. He was fast asleep, "Oh God," she groaned, that meant Tor was also asleep, which meant that Tor was back in the dorm. Gently she shook Fergie awake.

"What the..." he muttered, followed by, "Oh, it's you."

"Did your brother notice us?"

"Yes."

Mara was silent, slightly confused.

Fergie laughed, "You we'rent expecting that answer were you,"

Mara grinned and shook her head, "Does he mind."

From the bunk above Tor laughed, "Why don't you just ask me? You must know I'm awake."

Mara blushed, "Uh, sorry?"

Tor rolled over to face the wall, and closed his eyes, determined not to let her know how much she had hurt him, "Hey, it's fine, he's my brother." he frowned, "Wait, no, that makes it sound worse, he's my best friend, oh wait, no" he started to laugh, "That doesn't sound so good either," he smiled to himself, "Whatever, I don't care."

"You don't?"

"No, I'm tired and wanted to sleep." he leaned over the side of the bed, and, upside down, he grinned at Mara, "You serve as too much of a distraction, I'd have never of got to sleep, and then Fergal wouldn't EVER have forgiven me."

Eagle woke up, and lay staring at the ceiling, listening to the soft breathing of Matt on the bunk below him. He looked across at Raven's empty bunk, they probably weren't back yet, but out of the corner of his eye he could see someone in Alex's bed, that meant they were back, but where was Raven?

Raven woke up, and realised almost instantly where she was. She grinned to herself, and looked up at Alex, who was already awake.

Alex smiled "Shhhh," he whispered, "I think your brother is awake."

Raven gasped, "I'd forgotten he was here."

Alex started to laugh silently, "Just stay very still, he'll have to go to breakfast in a minute."

Raven giggled, and then clasped her hand over he mouth, trying not to make a noise. "God," she whispered. "I hope he doesn't notice"

Eagle had, infact, noticed. Tactfully he didn't say anything, he just made a silent resolution to kill Alex on Monday.

Art woke up to find Seiji in his arms, he gently kissed the sleeping boy, "Love you Sei," he muttered, and grabbed his watch off his bedside table. "Bugger," he swore, it was late, he should have gone and woken the kids up by now. He pulled on his trousers and a shirt, roughly combiong his fingers through his deathly white hair. He shook his head as he found Seiji's clothes in a crumpled heap on the floor. Swiftly he folded them and placed them beside where Seiji slept. He buttoned up his shirt as he walked down the corridor, and gently knocked on the dorm door, before opening it. "Alright," he whispered, "Breakfast is in 15 minutes, and as you get up, try and not wake the others up." His eyes scanned around the room making sure everyone was awake. He rolled his eyes at Alex, "Try and sleep," he mouthed, grinning. He walked back to his romom, 15 minutes, he probably had time for a shower, as he walked back into his room, the door slammed shut. "Bugger," he swore again.

"What?" Seiji murmered,

"Go back to sleep," Art walked over and kissed him,

Seiji grinned and grabbd him around the waist, "Come back to bed." he said, pulling Art on top of him.

"Seiji no," Art pushed him away, "I have to get up."

"Not just yet," Seiji smiled, "I want you too much."

"I hate you."

"Why?"

"Because I need to get up, but I want to stay with you."

Seiji glanced at the clock, "Meh, you have 15 minutes."

"I want a shower."

Seiji grinned, "I'll come too."

"No," laughed Art, rolling his eyes, "You need sleep baby,"

"Mmmmm, with you."

Art placed a gentle kiss on Seiji's forehead, and rolled out of bed. "Love you kid."

"Mmmm." muttered Seiji sleepily, as Art pulled the door closed.

Tor lay awake all day, staring at the ceiling, and wishing he wasn't a twin, so he could actually get some sleep for once.

Tor lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, wishing the night were over, wishing it was day again. He looked across at Fergie's bed, where his brother lay, patiently counting down the seconds, always infinately calmer than Tor. Tor heard the key turn in the lock downstairs, and the door swing open. He heard the thud of the slightly staggering footsteps, walking up the creaking stairs. He held his breath as the steps stopped outside his bedroom door, and closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep. The door swung open. He screwed his eyes tightly shut, and pretended he was an only child. He heard Fergie's feet pad softly across the floor, as he obediently followed their stepfather out of the room. As he dared to open his eyes, he saw the wall shake as Fergie was flung against it.

What seemed like hour's later, but could only have been minutes. Fergie walked back in, and pulled the door shut softly behind him. He walked over to Tor's bed and placed gently kissed him. "I'm ok." he whispered

Tor tasted Fergie's blood on his lips, and looked up at him. His lip was swolen and bleeding, he already had a black eye, and bruises were beginning to form all over his slender body. Tor bit his lip, tears filling his eyes, "Want a hug?" he asked.

Fergie turned away from him, "No really," he muttered, "I'm fine."

By 11 o'clock that evening, Tor was shattered. Fergie was out on the walk, and so Tor had ot be awake. Infact, most of the dorm were awake, there sleep patterns having been buggered up. Raven was back in her own bed, but wishing she was with Alex.

"Hey Tor," Eagle called, "Don't you mind that your brother was in bed with Mara?"

"Well," Tor frowned, "Yes, and no." He grinned, "I can't really decide whether to be pissed off with her, or him, or neither, or both."

"I'd be annoyed with both." Nienna looked up from her book, "I mean, I thoguht they were both in love with you."

"Nah, Fergie doesn't actually love me that much, but I trust him, and I trust her, so..." his voice trailed off lamely.

"So...?" Nienna asked,

Silence,

"Tor?"

Nothing,

"Tor? Are you ok?"

"Shit," Tor muttered, "I just fell asleep."

Eagle laughed, "And that is bad why?"

"Because it means Fergie did too."

Out on the moors, Mara quickly explained the whole sleeping thing to Mr Rotheborne, as Fergie lay, passed out on the floor.

"Shit," he muttered as he came round, "That hurt."

"Hmmm," Said James dissaprovingly, "Well personally, I don't beleive you, but if you're really that tired, I suppose you ought to go back."

"I'll take him." Volunteered Mara.

"Yes, well, it's a pity you had to miss the dawn, but ah well, these things can't be helped."

Mara held out her hand to Fergie, "Come on Fergal, we're going back."

"Are we?"

"Yes."

Fergie grinned and took her hand, together, they walked back, in the silence and the dark.

Outside the boarding house, Fergie spoke for the first time, "Wait," he said,

"Why?"

Fergie grinned, "Because I won't be able to do this later." he said, and, putting a gentle hand underneath her chin, tilting his head softly to one side, he leant down, and kissed her.

Mara felt her knees give way underneath her, and felt Fergie's strong arms slipping around her back to catch her.

"Thanks." he smiled.

"What, what for?"

Fergie rolled his eyes, "For looking after me, what else?" stepping back, he held out his hand to her, "Come on, we ought to be going to bed."

Tor looked up as the door swung open. "Fergie," he grinned, "You're back."

Fergiue walked over to his brother's bed, "I'm shattered."

Tor reached out and grabbed Fergie's belt buckled, "Sleep, now." he commanded, pulling him into bed.

Fergie pulled off his t-shirt, and fell gratefully into bed beside his brother.

Mara looked across at the twins, fast asleep in each other's arms, and realised with a horrible shock, that she couldn't tell them apart.