I DO NOT OWN NATIONAL TREAUSRE OR ITS CHARACTERS.

"You're going to go back to her," the other man said as he snuggled closer to his lover on the couch, "you always do, it's like gravity, fate if you will."

The man holding him kissed his forehead gently before replying,"How can you be so sure?"

"It's happened twice already, I know I'm on borrowed time here. You know it too."

The man frowned at this answer but did not loosen his hold. On the inside his heart was beating awkwardly in his chest. He didn't want his lover to be right, but damn if he wasn't on the mark. He sighed defeatedly.

"Then why do you come back, if you know what I'll do?"

The younger man scoffed as he positioned himself so that he was lying comfortably in the other man's lap. He rested his hand on his forehead partially covering his eyes.

"For someone who spends all his time solving puzzles you sure are an idiot."

Th other man looked down at him quizzically and moved his lover's hand so that it rested on his chest.

"Ben, I love you. I can't help myself and I know that you love her, fate and all that," Riley said struggling to fight down tears of defeat. He tried to lighten the mood by laughing but it came out more as a sob than anything.

"I'm sorry."

"For now, but then you'll go running back to her and everything will be alright again."

"But not for you?"

"No, Ben not for me."

Riley sat up and enfolded his arms around Ben's neck. He pressed his lips to his gently reveling in the heady taste that he had come to love. His lover replied with equal measure turning the kiss to something more intense, as if trying to apologize. His hands wandered lower resting on the younger man's hip and slowly crawling up his chest. Riley pulled away first.

"No, don't."

"But-"

"Why torture myself, huh? Let's just, ah screw it!"

Riley pressed his lips against Ben's fervently and they resumed where they left off.

Morning came as they both knew that it would, and it was with a heavy heart that Ben tiptoed out of bed. He slipped into his clothes quietly stubbing his toe painfully on the side of the door as he tired to pull on his shoe. He took one last look at the man snoring softly on the bed, the sheets draped dangerously low on his hips. He didn't want to do this, run between them, hurt Riley, but it seemed that he was going to all the same. He closed the door softly unaware that his lover was watching through squinted eyes.