Chapter 8

Benson sat on the bed, shaking. Mordecai was clutching his head, his eyes desperately trying to find Bensons. When they did, he relaxed, but a sudden twitch made the red spread through his arm to his hand. Bensons eyes widened. He leaned forward and hugged him again, his hand rubbing his back. After a few minutes, Mordecai was still twitching and moaning in pain.

"It burns..." He wailed, hot tears rolling down his cheeks.

Benson pulled him tighter, praying for the red to stop spreading. But it didn't listen.

"What do I do?!" Benson yelled out. He let go of Mordecai to see him sweating, his eyes wide and frightened.

"Benson, please, help me." Mordecai whispered. He held out a hand. Benson took it, and the red began to go away. Mordecai wrapped his hand around Bensons. The burning eased up a bit, and Benson smiled, relieved.

A hot needle like pain shot up Mordecai's spine and he pulled his hand away. Almost immediately, the burning came back. Benson grabbed his hand and linked their fingers together, closing their hands tight around eachother.

"Don't let go of my hand Mordecai." He said, tears streaming down his cheeks. He was shaking, his heart was racing, and he felt ready to throw up. It scared him to see Mordecai like this. He took Mordecai's other hand and held it tight. The burning went back down again, but the dark red stopped at his elbow.

Benson watched the scene in front of him; Mordecai screaming in pain, the red going back up then down again, the burning slowly spreading through his body. Soon, it would kill him. Holding hands wasn't enough. Hugging wasn't enough.

Benson knew what he had to do. He opened his mouth. "I love you Mordecai." He said softly. The burning didn't cease, but the red went up to the tip of his elbow.

Mordecai looked at him through blurred vision. He blinked, letting the tears fall down his cheeks and on the bed spread. The burning vanished completely and the red spread back to Mordecai's shoulder.

He took a deep breath. "You really mean that?"

Benson slowly nodded, a lump rising in his throat. "Yes." He wrapped his arms around Mordecai and hugged him, tears streaming down his cheeks and on his shoulder. Mordecai hissed, making Benson pull back. "Sorry."

Mordecai glanced at the graze to see most of the red gone down. He looked up at Benson to see him looking at the graze, but his eyes slowly drifted up to rest on Mordecai. Both of them blushed.

Benson's heart hammered against his chest. This was it. He took Mordecai's head in his hands, leaned forward and gently kissed him.

Mordecai closed his eyes and rested his hand on Bensons cheek. A bright glow shone around them, spreading throughout the entire room. Benson slowly pulled back, to see Mordecai smiling at him. The glow began to disappear.

Benson's eyes flickered to the gash to see it completely healed, blue and white covering it. His eyes welled up with tears.

"You did it." Mordecai whispered. Benson nodded. The door behind them burst open, revealing Skips and Rigby.

Rigby saw Mordecai and Benson holding hands and his eyes widened. "You-"

"Yes." Mordecai said, smiling.

Skips smiled a little. He nodded and backed out the room, Rigby reluctantly following. When the door shut, Mordecai turned back to look at Benson.

"So...are we..." Benson started.

Mordecai glanced at the hands twined together. "I think so..."

Benson cupped Mordecai's chin with his hand and kissed him again. When he pulled back, Mordecai smiled. "So, do you really think I'm cute?"

Benson smirked. "Shut up." He punched him lightly in the shoulder. Mordecai laughed.

"Why did it take you so long to admit that you liked me?" Mordecai asked as he shifted to sit next to Benson. Benson sighed. "I-I thought that I would get ridiculed for liking a guy." He said quietly.

Mordecai lifted his chin up and looked him deep in the eyes. "You won't get ridiculed. Everyone will understand." Mordecai dropped his hand, smiling.

Benson smiled. "Sure?"

"I'm sure."

...If the love stays, the darkness can never come back. "Mordecai?"

"Yeah?"

Benson swallowed. "When Skips told me what would happen if I fell in love with you, he said that if the love stays, then the darkness can never come back."

"If the love stays?"

"If I still love you, then the darkness can never come back." Benson said.

Mordecai squeezed his hand. "Well, you must love me a whole lot to make the darkness never come back."

Benson smiled. A huge crash downstairs made them jump. Bensons smiled vanished and he let go of Mordecai's hand. They stood up and went to the door.

"What the heck was that?" Mordecai asked. He yanked the door open and ran downstairs to see the window smashed, the glass spread out on the floor. Benson closely followed and gasped when he saw the mess.

Skips and Rigby were standing in front of the open window, a large gust of wind blowing through. Skips was trying to get the leaf blower going, while Rigby was distracting whatever was outside. Mordecai and Benson ran into the lounge.

"Who-'

Rigby stopped and turned to him. "Take a guess." He said with a frown, nodding his head to outside the window. Mordecai stepped over the broken glass and looked up. He groaned. "CJ."

Benson went up to him and held his hand. CJ scowled and shot a lightning bolt at both of them. They jumped apart.

"Now you like boys? What will it take for you to love me, Mordecai?!" She screamed, firing continuous lightning bolts at him. He glared at her. "CJ, stop this! You're destroying the park house!"

CJ screamed again and conjured a ball of lightning in her hands. She threw it down to Mordecai. His eyes widened and he jumped away, the ball just missing him but creating a giant hole in the floor. Benson grabbed his hand and pulled him behind the couch.

"What are we gonna do?"

"We have to stop her."

"But how?"

Mordecai kissed him. "Do what we did last time."

"Wha-"

"Just trust me." Mordecai whispered. Benson nodded.

Mordecai stepped out from behind the couch, letting Bensons hand go. He stood in the middle of the carpet, just as CJ was forming two lightning balls in the palms of her hands. His eyes widened when he saw she wasn't letting down.

CJ flashed a wicked grin and fired. Mordecai stood his ground, staring up at her. Benson gasped. "No..." He yelled. He jumped up and threw himself in front of Mordecai, the lightning hitting Benson's body. He collapsed on the ground, his body limp, his eyes closed.

"Benson!" Mordecai knelt down.

Skips stepped up and aimed a leaf blower at her. The wind picked up and blew CJ away. She screamed as she was pushed back up into the sky. He switched it off then turned to Benson.

Mordecai held him in his arms. "Benson?" Tears fell on his cheeks.

Rigby and Skips sat around the two, waiting.

Mordecai began to cry. He dipped his head low, his eyes shut tight.

Bensons eyes slowly flickered open. "...Mordecai?"

Mordecai opened his eyes. He smiled and pulled Benson in a hug. "Benson, you're alive."

"Of course he is."

Benson pulled back to look at Skips.

"Your love is strong enough to neutralize the darkness. It wouldn't have mattered if the ball of lightning shot either you or Benson, as long as you love each other, you're protected from the darkness." Skips told Mordecai.

Mordecai smiled and pulled Benson closer to him. Benson wrapped his arms around his neck.

"I'm so glad you're alright." Mordecai whispered. Benson smiled. Both their heads turned when they heard a grunt from the yeti.

Skips stood up. "Well, I better get this mess cleaned up." He clicked his fingers, sending the glass flying back into the frame, making it brand new again. He turned around to see everyones mouth agape. "What? You didn't think I'd use normal house tools to fix this, did you?"

Benson smirked at him then stood up. He looked at Mordecai. "And you've got your own mess to clean up."

"Aw what?" Mordecai threw his hands out and stood. "But hasn't Rigby been doing my work?"

"From being out with Clara, he's missed three days worth of your jobs." Mordecai opened his mouth, but Benson held up a hand. "And no, I'm not going to make Rigby do it."

Mordecai sighed. He glanced at Rigby to see his arms were folded, a smug grin on his face, making Mordecai frown. He walked to the door, and went out, the door shutting behind him.

Benson's eyes widened when the realization hit him. "Oh crud! I haven't been to my apartment in two weeks! Audrey..." He turned and ran to the door. Pulling it open, he raced outside.

Mordecai was getting the rubbish bags from the cart when he heard footsteps running up behind him and he turned, only to be tackled in a hug. "Hey." Benson.

Mordecai smiled. "Hey. What are you doing out here?"

"I have to go back to my apartment. Audrey'll be wondering where I've been."

Mordecai felt his heart sink. "Audrey?"

"Yeah, she..." Benson began but when he looked up and saw Mordecai's heartbroken expression, he placed a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"You like Audrey now." He said quietly.

"No. She's only a friend, I told you that."

"But you-"

Benson grabbed his shoulders and kissed him. He slowly pulled back and smiled at him. "If I liked Audrey, I wouldn't have done that, would I?"

Mordecai smiled. "No."

"Good." Benson squeezed his hand as he walked past. "Now get back to work or you're fired." He said with a smirk.

Mordecai watched him go. When Benson got to the crossing, he turned and waved. Mordecai smiled and waved back.

~ Sometimes we come into a person's life not to make them love us, but to let them feel that they're so much worth loving for ~

Yeah, I felt a cheesy love quote would sum this story up. Aw come on guys, you know how horrible I am at endings! Haha