A/N: I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, so I really hope you guys like it (:

X

Avery awoke before Tyler.

The sun shone tranquilly into their room, casting out the mysterious allure of moonlight and vacant shadows with its slow rise, the birds proudly singing as they hunted for both mates and food. It was another beautiful, peaceful day, and he was absolutely happy.

The memory of last night teased itself out of him as he stretched in Tyler's unyielding embrace, his leg muscles sore and the sticky mess between his bare thighs making him blush far too excitedly for the early morning. The heated kisses, the loving caresses, the whispers of assurance, they all flitted through his mind as if it'd been recorded and played indulgently for his inner eye—

Avery shot his eyes upward, to the corners of the ceiling where he knew the cameras to be. As amazing as last night had been, it was by far the stupidest thing Avery had ever participated in. There was no pretending that they'd done nothing, no blaming the blurriness for making it look like they'd made out, because they did much more than that and Tyler had happily made grandiose gestures that couldn't he ignored.

His stomach in knots, Avery sat up and shook Tyler awake. He had a itching feeling that any minute now Dr. Clemens would storm into their room and have Tyler kicked out. He'd rather they'd be dressed first.

"Mm, what," Tyler slurred, half-heartedly swatting him away.

"You need to get up," Avery said quietly, injecting just a hint of fear into his voice.

Picking up on it, Tyler peeled his eyes opened and looked up at him with a frown. Confusion made his eyes glassy but there was no time for Avery to marvel at how pretty it made them. "What's wrong?" As he asked it, he sat up onto his elbows and looked around to find the clock. It was only seven in the morning.

"You- you remember last night, don't you?"

Tyler quirked an eyebrow at him. "Of course I remember last night. Best fucking night of my life."

The easy admission had Avery staring with his mouth open. The best night of his life? He found that difficult to believe. Tyler had to have had many encounters before him, with experienced partners who actually knew their way around a man's body. He'd done nothing but lie there.

Avery shook his head clear. Now was not the time to be focused on that. "Remember what you said last night, then? About getting fired? I think you should get yourself together and prepare for it."

Tyler blinked leisurely at him, a slight crease between his brows as he processed Avery's panicked words. When five seconds passed and he had yet to move a muscle, Avery shook him by the shoulder again, nearly hysterical.

"Tyler, c'mon!"

The brunet sighed and, much to Avery's horror, relaxed against his pillow. "It's early. No-one's gonna come down here and yell at me for at least another hour. Calm down."

"But-!"

"Ave." Tyler reached out, gently placing his palm against the blond's cheek. "Just shut up for a minute. Lie back down, and cuddle with me. Please?" He asked it plainly, no sugar coating it or batting his eyelashes. He was simply tired.

Avery nodded at him and slunk back down under the covers, where Tyler wrapped him back into his arms and held onto him loosely. The blond rested his head over the gentle measured beating of Tyler's heart and closed his eyes, listening to the solid thumps. It was almost easy to believe that everything was going to be all right. That Tyler would keep his job and they could have weekends like this all the time, serene and loving.

He didn't know for how long they laid there quietly before there was a round of knocks on the door. Avery instantly stiffened but Tyler acted like it was pizza delivery.

Tyler didn't say a word, but before he pulled his discarded pajama bottoms back on, he turned Avery's panicked face to his and kissed him on a fine line straddled between chaste and lust. It left Avery speechless, and he caught a spark of mischief in Tyler's eyes when he tried to follow him. Avery scowled, blushing that his guard had been dispatched so easily.

More or less presentable now, Tyler strolled up to the door and cracked it open just enough to stick his head out. Avery tried to catch a glimpse of the doctor, but Tyler did a fine job of keeping what was behind, and in front of him, hidden. They talked in hushed tones for less than a minute before Tyler gently closed the door and relocked it. He stood there for a moment, his head bowed, obviously thinking, before he spun on his heel and returned to bed.

Avery watched him warily, as Tyler's face was a blank slate and he didn't seem eager to relay the message. Instead, he crawled back under the sheets, pulled Avery back to him, and for all intents and purposes, closed his eyes to go back to sleep.

It was bizarre.

"Um… so… what'd he say?"

"Nothing much," Tyler admitted. "Only that I'm being suspended without pay for two weeks and that I'm to retake a training refresher for three days." He let that hang in the air before adding in a low, almost wondrous rumble, "and that I should take you out to a fine dining restaurant tonight."

Avery stared at him. "What?"

Tyler craned his neck around to offer an amused smile. "I swear I'm not fooling around. I knew Dr. Moore was awesome, but—"

"Wait," Avery butted in. "That wasn't Dr. Clemens?"

Tyler shook his head, still smiling. "As soon as I saw him, I already knew everything was going to be fine. No doubt Dr. Clem talked it over with him, and I can only imagine how that conversation went." His smile turned more into a smirk and his eyebrows wriggled aggressively. It suggested something scandalous and lewd, and eager to understand just what the hell was happening, Avery had to know what he meant by it.

"He has sway over the head doctor?"

"You could say that…"

Avery frowned. Tyler was being evasive on purpose. "Explain."

"Sure you wanna know?"

Avery pulled an unamused face.

Tyler chuckled, and setting his hand in Avery's mess of curls, gave him a few strokes that made him melt. "This can't leave this room."

"Mh."

Tyler shifted, moving his mouth closer until he was all but kissing the shell of Avery's ear. His breath was hot, and it sent shivers up and down Avery's spine. He tried to keep focus, but it was difficult to concentrate as the proximity made his dick hard. It was only by some strange miracle that their activities under the shelter of night had been forgiven. This, on the other hand, would be twice as bad.

"The thing is," Tyler murmured, "they like to eye fuck one another when they think no one's watching."

Avery flinched away, his face red. "Seriously?" he squeaked out.

"Yup. I've seen them kiss, too," Tyler said silently, his lips barely moving, "it's actually kinda cute."

Between being flabbergasted at the news and appalled that he was essentially listening to gossip, Avery was suddenly struck with understanding. He let out a huff of laughter, and seeing Tyler's quirked eyebrow of confusion, let him in on the realization.

"Last weekend, when you were drunk. You said some weird stuff, like you swore you saw Gregg and Dr. Moore kissing. It all makes sense now."

A corner of Tyler's mouth twitched. "Huh. Good catch."

"So… you think that because they're into each other that… but why? Why does he care?"

Tyler shrugged. "Dunno," he said in a normal tone of voice. "I think he likes you and knows that getting rid of me will have a negative affect on you. I mean, not to toot my own horn or anything…"

"And you think that they…" Avery trailed off awkwardly, his face hot.

"On a scale of one to ten of possibility, my bet's on ten."

"Wow… that makes me feel weird."

"Don't dwell on it, then. What's done is done, and I doubt either are complaining." Again with that eyebrow waggle, though that time Avery allowed himself a laugh. "I just wish I didn't have to retake that training course. It's really boring."

Avery settled his head back on his chest, sighing. "Small price to pay."

"… I suppose you're right. Lesson learned." Tyler resumed carding his fingers through the blond curls, his voice going soft again into a near whisper, "I say after dinner tonight we book a hotel room. That way we can fool around without repercussions."

Avery was too amused to be embarrassed by Tyler's line of thinking, especially since he too also wanted the same thing. Last night had been something different, and he was eager to keep exploring intimacy with the man he loved, and not be pinned down by cameras and faced with the fear of Tyler losing his job.

"I do like the sound of that…"

"Good." Tyler brushed his nose against Avery's ear, "I can't wait to strip you naked and have my way with you all night."

Avery shuddered, the throb between his legs resurfacing with the promise. He turned his head a little, his expression demure, before catching himself from taking a helping of Tyler's lips. Not here. Not yet. "Why are you whispering?" he asked, breathless.

Tyler pet the corner of his mouth with his thumb, his eyes dark. "Cameras."

"I thought you said it doesn't have aud—"

"I lied."

Avery pulled away from him, doubly confused. "You… lied."

At least Tyler had the decency to look apologetic. "Look you were being loud and it got me going. I didn't you want to stop. Sorry?"

Avery pulled an unamused grimace, then sitting up, grabbed his pillow and beat Tyler over the head with it.

"Asshole!"

"Hey if it's any consolation the picture really is grainy!"

"Oh like that makes it any better!" He hit Tyler again, and he wasn't gonna lie.

It felt pretty fucking awesome.

X

Unlike before, breakfast with everyone was tons of fun.

Gregg and Tyler weren't shooting each other unnerving looks anymore and Jen was—well, Jen was Jen.

"I'm really hoping for a girl," she was telling Avery with her mouth stuffed full of pancake, "then I can buy her all the pretty dresses she wants. And when she's old enough we'll have sleepovers and go to spas together and talk about boys!"

Beside her Gregg hadn't once stopped rolling his eyes. "And what if it's a boy? You gonna paint his nails?" he asked sarcastically.

"If he wants," Jen answered without giving it any thought. She shot her boyfriend a testy glance. "That wouldn't be a problem, would it?"

Gregg opened his mouth to say something, then thinking better of it, mutely shook his head.

Tyler, lounging back in the booth with an arm tossed over Avery's shoulders, barely suppressed a smirk. "Any ideas for names?"

It gave Gregg a convenient out. "Well I've always wanted a mini-Gregg."

"We are not naming him, or her, Gregg the Second."

"Party pooper…"

"I was thinking something classy," Jen said as she heartily cut off another bite of pancake, "like Natasha. Or Elizabeth."

"I like those," Avery offered.

The girl puffed up at the praise. "And if it is a boy… maybe Nathaniel? I haven't really given boy names much thought."

"That's fine. You have nine months."

Jen dramatically gasped. "Don't remind me! I wish they were here now." She rubbed her stomach, and though Gregg tried to act all butch and macho with everyone, his expression softened when it came to his girlfriend, and he reached over to perch a finger under Jen's chin to turn her towards him.

"Don't worry, we'll fill the time with getting a room set up and everything. It'll be over before you know it. And whatever name you choose, I'm sure it'll be perfect."

Jen relaxed and leaned into him, her eyes half-lidding as they shared a chaste kiss. "I love you," she mumbled against his lips, but Avery could pick up on the reverence, and Gregg's returned sentiment, just as muffled and clearly embarrassed by having an audience, was just as adoring. It was a sweet moment.

"So when's the wedding?"

"Tyler!" Avery exclaimed, exasperated, and thwacked the brunet in the chest with his palm.

Feigning confusion, Tyler looked at him, grinning. "What? They can't have a baby out of wedlock! It's scandalous!"

Jen blushed prettily and shot Gregg a semi-hopeful glance, though the older brunet sat frozen at the thought of marriage. One thing at a time, it seemed. "It's not the fifties anymore, Ty. It's not like I'm going to get shunned."

"I'm just looking out for you. If you change your mind, I hope it won't be too late, or you'll be a lumpy bride." He stared straight at Gregg as he said it, almost challenging him to propose to Jen right there on the spot, and despite wishing he had his pillow to bash him over the head again, Avery wondered when he got so overprotective of Jen. It didn't make him jealous, but it did raise questions. With all the revelations lately, he wouldn't be surprised if they were cousins or something.

Gregg glared back at him. "You're so rude, you know that?"

"I try my best."

Jen huffed out a laugh under her breath and took a swig of her iced tea. "It's fine. If we do decide to get married, you'll be the first to know."

Tyler nodded slowly. "Cool. And if you're looking for a flower girl, I volunteer Avery."

"Really, Tyler," Avery exclaimed.

Instead of defending him as he normally did, Gregg straightened up and smirked at the little blond. Was this Gang Up On Avery Day? "I think that'd be the first and only time I'd enjoy shopping for dresses. What do you think, blue to match his eyes?"

"Hell yeah," Tyler agreed. "With white stockings and some flowers braided in his hair." He looked at Avery's indignant face with a devious glint in his eye. "Actually, screw that. I'd buy him some fishnets right now."

The co-conspirator smile on Gregg's face wiped away in an instant. "Gross! Like I need to know about your creepy fetishes. Isn't he like fourteen, anyway?"

"I'm seventeen!" Avery got out.

"Really?"

"I told you that before. Twice."

"Huh. I forgot."

Avery buried his face in his hands.

"Still, it's creepy."

"It's only creepy to you because you're an old man."

"Shut up, Tyler."

"You shut up."

"Y'know, I'm amazed you're asking me when I'm going to get married when I can't help but think that you and Gregg should tie the knot. Then you can be grumpy assholes together."

"And have him die on me on the first night of our honeymoon? Yeah right."

"You wish you could get me that tired on the first night."

"You'd be dead five minutes in."

"I last a long time! Go on, honey, tell him!"

"Hm, yeah, I guess so. My money's on Gregg surviving."

"Hah!"

Avery couldn't hold it in any longer.

He burst into uncontrollable laughter, his shoulders shaking painfully hard as tears raced down his cheeks and coated his palms. He was sure half the diner was staring at him, but he didn't care. How could he care? His friends were absolute idiots and he loved them. Dear God did he love them.

Trying and failing to wrangle himself into control, Avery wiped at his wet face with his forearms and found that the others were all laughing with him, as though finally realizing how ridiculous they were being. At his side Tyler rubbed firmly at his back to help calm him down, his green eyes lit up with the force of his smile.

Once they regained composures, Avery shook his head, his cheeks hurting. "You guys are all dorks."

"Hey takes one to know one," Gregg supplied, his arm around Jen as the nurse buried her grinning face into his shoulder. "Shit. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. You're somethin' else, kid."

"I only laughed first," he muttered.

"And it was the most amazing laugh I've ever heard." Gregg smiled at him, something like pride written across his face. "It's nice seeing you happy."

Avery didn't know what to say to that, so he bashfully looked down at his plate. He knew Tyler was staring at him, and once the two across from them returned to eating their breakfast, he chanced a glance up.

Tyler was indeed watching him, his expression solemn. He didn't know what it meant, but he had an inkling that he would find out soon enough.

X

A/N: Getting sooooo close to the end of the road here. Two main chapters left and a Bonus/Epilogue, and I am done with CB! Woo!