A Rumor of Peace

CHAPTER 25

SUMMARY :  The boys see Roark and Harry back to there apartments.  They both spend some time with their lovers.

"Would you like one of us to stay with you?" Kili asked him softly as they stopped at his door, having already see Harry to his.

Roark drew the key card from his pocket, giving Kili a warm smile.  "No, Ki.  I'll be fine," he answered, inserting the card into it's slot, entering his unlock code, then watched the security pad beside the door begin to blink from red to green, his door sliding open.

"Take those tablets, Roark.  Like Harry, I know you don't like taking such things.  None of us do.  Sebastien would never have given them too you unless he felt it was necessary."

"I know.  Go on home yourselves.  See you all tomorrow.  Good night, guys."

"Good night," Dylan leaned in to press a kiss top his brow, "sleep well," he said before stepping back to allow the others in.

Roark had to smile, nodding as he looked over at Ethan.  "Will these damn dreams stop, do you think?"

"They should.  If you need anything...anything at all, even just to talk to someone, you call one of us."

He nodded as he turned to enter his dark, cool apartment.  Knowing that they'd wait until he secured the door, reactivating the security alarm, he did so quickly.  "Alarm is activated," came the computer generated voice.  "Apartment secure."

Without turning on any lights, Roark crossed the dark, except for the light of the banked fire in the fireplace, living area past the kitchen, then down the hall past his bedroom to the bathroom.  "Light's low," he said, moving first to the tub, set the heating element, then turned on the water.  As the tub began to fill, he moved next to the sink, turning on the water to first brush his teeth, then he pulled the bottle out of his pocket. 

He looked at it for a moment, then opened it and tapped two pills into his palm, staring down at the small, oval, dark blue tablets.  "Just WHAT, lover, are you planning to take?" came his deeply concerned voice.

He lifted his head, meeting Rodolphus' eyes in the mirror that hung over the sink.  He was leaning against the door jamb, his arms crossed over his chest, watching him with worried sherry eyes.

"Sebastien said they were a sedative.  Something that would help me relax, to calm my mind enough to help me fall asleep, and STAY asleep.  Which I have not done in far too long."

"You can't really expect to shut him down in a few short sectons, love," he pushed himself away from the jamb, crossed the tile floor to wrap his arms around him, drawing him back against his chest.

"I don't, but that's only a very small part of why I'm not sleeping well."

"Lt. Gareth's death."

"In part.  Worry over Rohan is also a part of it," he murmured, leaning his head back against his shoulder.  "There are the dreams."

"Dreams?" came softly, pressing his lips to that of so sensitive spot just behind his ear.  Rodolphus smiled against his skin when he felt his give a shiver, nipping at the spot.  "You're so sensitive, love.  What kind of dreams?"

"The kind that have kept me from coming home these last few sectons," he got a glass of water, popped the two pills into his mouth and drank, swallowing the pills.  He turned into his arms then, laying his head to his chest, listening to the steady heartbeat, not wanting to be looking at him when he told him.

"There are several, but there are two that are more frequent than the others," he told him softly.

Rodolphus slid his hands down his back as the tub, having reached it's fill point shut off.  "You are much to tense, babe," he murmured.  "Tell me what has you so upset."