"How are you feeling."

I rolled over to find Jay's anxious eyes searching my face, desperately trying to read my thoughts.

"Give me a second."

I snuggled closer to his chest as my mundane brain tried to grasp at the truth I discovered. Last night did nothing to wash away the doubt that had been flooding my mind. My brother. I bit my lip and pressed my face deeper into Jays t-shirt. It was no surprise that the guilt was eating away at me. Seth knew the town we lived in. He knew that our parents would of disowned him. He also knew me. He knew that nothing he said or did would ever shake my love and faith in him. I had made it clear that I didn't care what he did, within reason, as long as it made him happy. If he hid something this big from me, what else had he managed to slip past my unsuspecting eyes? I shuddered as the dice rolled in my head, showing every possible thing Seth could of been involved in.

"I give up," Jay sighed, "I have no clue what's running through that beautiful mind of yours."

"Your lucky you don't," I muttered darkly, to low for him to hear me.

"How did you find out?" I interrogated, breaking the silence that had settle between us.

"I walked in on them in a," he paused, searching for the right word,"rather compromising position. The rest was history. Seth loved you Cleo, more then anything in this world. He wanted to tell you, I promise."

"Why didn't he," I shot back, rage burning all the way to my core.

"You know why. He was terrified at what you and everyone else would say."

The fire disappeared as quickly as it had begun, leaving me with nothing but a sense of everlasting guilt. For the first time that day my thoughts turned to Dale. Jay grimaced knowingly, as if he had guessed where my mind was headed.

"He's still asleep. I honestly don't know how he's holding up."

He analyzed the terror in my face before speaking again.

"Dale's one of the strongest people I know. If anyone can handle the situation rationally, it's him."

Jay's eyes were anxious, but more relaxed at the calmness that has wafted over both of us.

I ran my fingers through his hair. The only evidence that he was still awake was the occasional sigh of contentment he let out when my fingers lingered in a certain area.

"Am I interupting?"

I paused for a second before turning around, my mind willing the edges of my lips to curve up rather then continue to press into a line that just gets thinner.

"Hey Dale."

I winced at the high pitched overly animated voice that came out of my mouth.

"Cleo you don't have to," he murmured in a voice barley above a whisper.

"I'm going to go talk to Joan," Jay informed us, obviously trying to give us alone time.

It was only now that I heard the fumbling of my totally unaware parents. The smell of fresh expresso drifted up the stairs, making my slumbering coffee addict self instantly aware. Jay gently kissed me on the head.

"Call me if you need me."

An uncomfortable silence settled inbetween Dale and I, both of us feeling the loss of our buffer.

I held out my hand and he gently walked forward and took it.

"I love you," I told him quietly, putting all my willpower and belief into the words.

"I owe you an explination," he said after a few beats.

"I knew I was gay from the minute I found myself more attracted to Prince Eric then Ariel," Dale let out a humorless chuckle, his eyes glazing over with memories.

"I fucked every girl that I laid my eyes on. It didn't matter to me. I was doing everything in my power to push down what I felt and sleeping with random girls made me feel so God damn numb. It was all a game to me Cleo," Dale looked over a me, panic strewn all over his face, as if he was waiting for the disgust to set in.

"I fell for Seth," He shrugged as if it was the most simple thing, "when I met him I realised I had been living a half life and he was my whole."

My heart ached at the longing in Dales voice.

"We didn't tell you because he was well, worried you would feel betrayed. Seth did not want your relationship with me and him to change. The only person who knew was Jay, and I have never seen Seth so afraid after he found out," his voice was fierce with protection, "so after that we decided that no one else would know."

"When he died, Cleo, I didn't know how to keep living. Everyday, every God damn day Cleo, I think about him. He was the best part of my past, is the best part of my present and will be the best part of my future. I was going," Dales voice choked in his throat," I was going to marry him."

At this point his voice was barely audible. The pain was even to much for me to bare.

*Dale's memory*

"Hey stranger."

A steady pair of arms wrapped around my waist.

"I missed you last night," I informed him, failing miserably at sounding nonchalant.

"I'm back now," He breathed, brushing his fingertips across my cheekbones.

"I need to talk to you," My voice was strained, giving away the extreme amounts of anxiety I had skilfully managed to hide up until this point.

Seth led me over the the bed and sat me down, a serious expression I was sure mirrored my own sculpted into his face.

"Last night I was thinking about the future."

Seth rubbed his neck uncomfortably, I had just brought up the subject that we both avoided the most.

"We have one more year Seth, then college. I don't want to live without you. So maybe I wouldn't have to? It wouldn't have to be a big deal or anything," I reassured him after seeing the alarm on his face," we could do a small ceremony, it's legal now you know."

What I hoped would provoke a laugh did nothing to his motionless frame.

"Say something," I pleaded.

"You want to get married?" The disbelief dripped from every word he spoke.

"It was a stupid idea I don't know what I was thinking, I was just being an idiot, and-"

He cut me off with a passionate kiss, one that threw flames through my entire body.

"We should talk about marrige more often."

He rolled his eyes, a warm blush spreading across his cheeks.

"I will marry you any day, any week, any month," he informed me, "you are my life now."

Dale snapped out of his daze, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Last night," his voice broke off.

"You don't have to," I reassured him, gently stroking the fingers that rested in my hand.

"I want to."

"Last night, my uncle found out and, Cleo, I'm not going home. My mom's been admitted to a psychiatric home permently. It was only a matter of time before she would need a higher lever of care, espically at her age. I got the call this morning. I'm going to sell the house and put the money toward college and her medical bills," He nodded in attempt to assure himself more then inform me.

"You'll move in with me in the meantime," I told him, not leaving any room for argument.

"Breakfast."

My mother's voice pulled us out of a world that was entirely our own and forced is back into reality.

Dale stood up from the bed, his expression netural, and grabbed my hand.

"Wait," I pulled him back just as he was about to decend the stairs. I wrapped him into a hug, my hold tight. I squeezed him tighter, wishing that my arms were able to keep him from breaking into pieces.