Several times during the night he'd reached for the phone to call James, each time stopping before even hitting a single number. He was probably still busy with whatever woman he'd hooked up with that night.

Besides, what would he say was happening? 'James I have a headache, can you come baby-sit me?' Yeah, that would go over well. It would be dawn soon now anyway, and then he'd be pretty much stuck with him until sunset. James was a great guy but didn't really deal very well with illnesses of any kind.

They never talked about it, but Tristan was sure something must have happened to him a long time ago that jarred him to the very core of his being, keeping him from ever becoming really close to very many people.

Tristan drew the curtains closed in his room, hoping he'd be able to sleep through the throbbing pain in his head.

To his surprise, he felt the headache lifting completely with the rising of the sun. Maybe everything would be ok after all.