Donny's eyes fluttered open to the sound of talking. Everything hurt. For a moment Donald didn't recognise where he was, sun shone in through the cream curtains, however, the soft silk sheets and roses by his bed quickly told him he had to have been in one of Reddington's safe houses. The blonde was in a tremendous amount of pain but Donny pushed past that and forced himself to his feet, the voices continued somewhere outside the room but blue eyes were focused on the bandages wrapped around his pale torso. His black boxers clung to his toned body but almost every other inch of him was battered and bruised. He looked around the room in an attempt to get his bearings, the last thing he remembered was watching Dembe drag Raymond away, he'd been shot, blood, so much blood. Red must have sent Dembe back for him, of course he had, underneath his bandages he'd no doubt find the skilled work of Red's medical team; I'm definitely alive then. He glanced at the yellow roses sat in a glass vase on the night stand and smiled, there were at least fifty of them, years ago when he and Red had first become a couple Donny had made some stupid joke about getting roses for Valentine's day and ever since Red would spontaneously present him with a bunch of yellow roses; red was just too common.

Donny forced his feet to move one in front of the other and left the confines of his room in favour of following the sound of voices, they didn't sound heated as he made his way down the corridor, just regular conversing. He almost felt like the grey hallway went on forever but soon enough he turned the corner and entered the living room to see Red with his back to him as he spoke to Elizabeth and Director Cooper; just out the corner of his blue eyes he spotted Dembe at the breakfast bar shedding an orange.

"... you expect me to just take your word for it when it comes to Ruiz's missing money?" Said Harold in that deep voice of his.

"Have you tried looking under the couch cushions? I lose things under there all the time."

Donny shuffled further into the living room and the FBI's heads snapped up to look at him which prompted the Concierge of Crime to turn on the spot.

"Donny! Baby boy, you shouldn't be out of bed." Red was at his side in an instant helping to keep him upright, Donald could practically feel the concern in Raymond's voice.

"How long have I been out?" Ressler asked as he was forced to throw his arm over Red's shoulder to keep himself stable.

"About thirty-six hours." Replied Liz.

"Donny, please, let's get you back into bed before your tear your stitches. Dembe."

The tall black man rose to his feet, orange forgotten, and quickly made his way to Donny where he took Red's place supporting him. Reluctantly the blonde nodded.

"I'll be there in a minute, Lizzie and Harold were just leaving." With that Reddingtoncupped Donald's face and pressed his lips to the younger mans and then Dembe helped lead the blonde back to his room.

There was a pause where no one spoke, just stared at the hallway where Donald had been stood until Red snapped back to the world and spun around to face the federal agents, head tilted ever so slightly.

"Is there anything else? I need to take care of him."

"I'd thought they were kidding when Keen and Navabi said you were together." Stated Harold. "A lot more makes sense now."

"Happy to help." Said Raymond quickly. "Goodbye now." He gestured towards the door.

"Fine." Sighed Cooper before raising a warning finger. "Don't think this conversation is over."

"Yes it is, Harold, now get out."

"Hope Ressler feels better soon." Muttered Keen.

"Thank you, Lizzie."

She turned to leave and follow Cooper out of the door but paused and found herself turning back with a furrowed brow.

"I'm sorry but... we've had photos of you and Ressler since he was a kid. Did you-?"

"No! What do you think of me, Elizabeth?"

"Sorry, sorry, it's just..." Keen shook her head somewhat ashamed of herself. "... he's a lot younger than you."

Red sighed. "I don't have time for this. My Donald is wounded and I have things to attend to."

"Yeah, sorry." Liz finally left and the door clicked shut behind her.

In an instant Red had shed his suit jacket and made his way down the hallway to Donny's room just as Dembe was pulling the covers over young Donald.

"Thanks Dembe." Said the blonde as he hissed in pain.

"You're welcome, Donald. Would you like some tea?"

Donny shook his head no and then left knowing Red wanted to be alone with his boy, he paused momentarily at the door though. There was so much concern in the criminals eyes, Dembe had never seen Raymond so scared until that moment his hands were covered in his lover's blood.

"I'll be just outside if you need me."

"Thank you, Dembe."

For a time Red just stood there looking at the man he loved, he was a man who always had something to say but there and then he couldn't find the words, thankfully Donny filled the silence.

"I'm okay, Red. Look at me I'm fine."

"Fine?!" Raymond raced to Donny's bedside and perched on the bed, he took the blonde's hand in his. "Donny, you're not fine. I thought I'd lost you." Donald snuggled into Raymond's chest as best he could. "I don't know what I'd do without you, My Boy."

"You'd survive, you can survive anything."

Red was silent for a moment, when he spoke again his voice was full of emotion, his eyes with sincerity and his heart with love.

"... I think you're the exception, Baby boy."

Donny didn't quite know how to respond so instead he smiled up at Red.

"Then it's a good job I'm not going anywhere any time soon." He ignored the pain in his torso and leaned up to press a kiss to the older man's lips. "I love you."

"I love you too, Donny. You need to rest, I'll get you some water and you can go back to sleep."

"No!" Donald reached out for him. "Just... just stay here with me?"

Red paused, Donald needed rest but he needed to be close, didn't want to let the blonde out of his sight or his arms. Of course he'd stay with him. Red settled on his side propped up on his elbow and ran a hand through Donny's soft blonde hair.

"Don't think we've ever done this, just lay here together without it leading to sex." Donald chuckled until the pain spasmed through him. "Always too busy."

"Or you're snoring." Grinned Donny as sleep started to take him.

"I don't snore."

"How would you know?"

"I know everything, it's my job. Now, go to sleep. I'm going to make sure you get all the rest you need."

Red just watched as his boy's dazzling blue eyes slipped shut and he got some much needed rest. He'd felt like his heart had been ripped out when Dembe carried young Donny out of Ruiz's labyrinth. There he was though, safe and recovering.

Donald would get better, Red had the best medical staff threats and money could buy, he'd never let anything hurt his darling Donny.