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Chapter 11

Chance reaches for Tim's hand and leads him into his apartment.

"You care to tell me what's going on?" Tim asks as he glances around the apartment. "If y'all think getting me in trouble is funny, I'm not laughing."

"No, Sweetheart. You're not going to get into trouble. Actually, this was Tina's idea." Chance smiles.

"What? Tina? She knows??" Tim asks, his eyes widening with fear.

"Will you calm down?" Chance chuckles as he sits down and pats the seat beside him. "Here. Sit. Let me explain."

"Is she trying to catch me doing something wrong? I thought she was my friend." Tim says as he slowly sits down.

"She is your friend, Tim. She can tell that we're attracted to each other." Chance says.

"Oh, no. I'm definitely being punished." Tim nods.

"Will you let me finish?" Chance laughs as he places a finger on Tim's lips. "She's all for it. She says that our relationship is helping pull you out of your depression. She also said that if she doesn't see it then the rule about patients coming upstairs is not broken."

"So, that's why Nate waited until after she went home to come get me?" Tim asks.

"Exactly." Chance nods.

"Does Jenika and Olena know too?" Tim asks, fidgeting his hands.

"Yep." Chance answers with another nod.

"They don't know that I talk to you, do they?" Tim asks nervously.

"No. They don't. That's our secret." Chance says, smiling softly.

"Good cause I don't want them to know." Tim says with a slight smile. "By the way, you have a nice apartment."

"Thank you. I still have just a few things to move but then I been done." Chance says as he glances around.

"Wow." Tim says as he stands up and walks to where Chance had his cameras laid out. "You do have a lot of cameras."

"Photography is kind of an addiction of mine." Chance says as he walks up behind Tim and slides his arms around his waist, resting his chin on Tim's shoulder.

"Photography is my lifesaver." Tim says softly.

"You're very good at it." Chance comments.

"Thank you." Tim smiles as he turns around in Chance's arms. "It saved me from killing myself."

"Oh, Honey." Chance says sadly as he gently rubs Tim's cheek.

"Tina bought me the camera after Matt left. I was so depressed, I think they were afraid I would try to hurt myself." Tim says with a slight nod. "Which I probably would have. But they were watching me like a hawk. But through the camera lens, I saw the world in a different way. It wasn't as dark and ugly as I thought it was. It was beautiful and full of colors."

"And you show that through your photography." Chance smiles.

"So." Tim says with a slight smirk as he mindlessly plays with a button on Chance's shirt. "How long do I get to stay?"

"I guess I need to find out." Chance says as he digs into his pocket for his phone. He quickly sends a text to Nate.

(Text) C- When should I make sure Tim is back in his room?
(Text) N- Tina comes in at 8:00. But the patients start waking up around 6:30 or 7:00. So he needs to be back in his room no later than 6:00.
(Text) C- Okay, thanks.
(Text) N- No problem. Have fun. ;)

"You need to be back in your room by six." Chance says as he lays his phone on the table. "Sooo, I guess you're spending the night."

Chance wraps his arms back around Tim and softly kisses him.

Tim lays a hand on Chance's chest and gently pushes him back a little.

"Don't think that you're going to get sex from me on our first night together, Mr. Chance." Tim states with a raised brow causing Chance to laugh.

"Cuddling will be fine." Chance chuckles. "I would never think of taking advantage of you, Tim."

"What? Never?" Tim asks. "I only said our FIRST night together."

Chance laughs loudly as he takes Tim by the hand and leads him over to the bed.

"What? What are you laughing at?" Tim asks with a smile as he sits down on the bed.

"You." Chance answers. "You surprise me."

"Why? Because I'm not the sweet and innocent Tim that you thought I was?" Tim asks with a smirk on his lips as he takes off his boots.

"Well, yeah, to be honest." Chance answers. "When I first met you, you seemed so shy and yeah, innocent."

"Oh, I am shy around new people." Tim nods. He leans over to Chance and lowers his voice tone. "But I was very pleased with what I saw. And just for future reference? I am not a virgin."

"That's good to know, for future reference." Chance smiles as he places a soft kiss on Tim's lips. "And I was quite pleased with what I saw too. Very pleased."

"Let's get ready for bed." Tim says in a soft voice as he begins to unbutton Chance's shirt.

When he reaches for the snap on Chance's jeans, Chance stops him by laying his hand on his.

"You're not helping the situation." Chance smiles nervously.

"What did I do?" Tim asks with a slight smirk on his face.

"Oh, I think you know. You're quite the teaser are you, Mr. Tim?" Chance grins.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Tim smiles as he lifts his tee shirt and pulls it off over his head.

"Yeah, right. I'm sure you don't." Chance says as he eyes Tim's exposed chest.

Tim stands and starts removing his pants. Chance could not take his eyes off Tim's near naked body.

"You're staring." Tim states as he lays his jeans neatly to the side.

"I like what I see." Chance replies with a smile on his face.

"Really? Well, I feel a little exposed considering I'm standing here in only my boxers and you're still fully dressed." Tim says with a fake smile.

Tim's eyes roam over Chance's chest as he removes his shirt.

"Nice body." Tim smiles. 

"Uh, can I ask you something?" Chance asks as he removes his pants and tosses them aside. Receiving a nod from Tim, he continues. "Why are you here?"

"Nate brought me up here." Tim answers with a confused look on his face.

"No, Sweetheart, not that." Chance says as they crawl into bed. "Why are you still here in this mental institution? You are perfectly normal."

"I'm here because I'm not normal. I have my problems." Tim answers quietly as he snuggles up next to Chance. "I need someone to watch over me and I have nowhere else to go."

"It's just that you were not what I expected to find in a mental hospital." Chance says as he pulls the brown-eyed man closer and kisses him on the forehead.

"Just because I don't have an imaginary friend or think that all the shows on television are real, doesn't mean I don't have mental problems. You'll see." Tim says as he looks up at Chance with sad eyes.

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