The couple of weeks until Thanksgiving were filled with dodging the Russian professor and avoiding sleeping with Aaron for one Alexander Jacobs, and however unwilling, one Clayton Greenburg who, by living on the couch, supplied Aaron with a very good reason to do without sex.

Clayton was also the best buffer for a Tyler Kimbal, who had been around almost every corner for the past two weeks.

“I really think you need to talk to him.” Clayton chided around a mouthful of cheeseburger and fries. Alex’s eyes were stuck on the brunette who was smoking in the non-smoking area outside who looked so much like Tyler. A quick turn of the sun however, quickly proved that the dark hair was very much brown and not black.

“Xander?” Clayton snapped his fingers in between the window and his best friend’s face.

“What?” Alex jumped a little and glared at Clayton.

Clayton rolled his eyes, pointing the little bit on burger in his hand at Alex’s barely nibbled plate. “You going to eat that?”

Alex gave him an ‘are you serious look’ and scooted the plate closer to the natural blond, Clayton responding with a ‘what’ before finishing his, and moving to the second.

“I don’t see why Tyler keeps stalking me.” Alex huffed, leaning heavily on the table in front of him.

Clayton raised an eyebrow. “You slept with him before you slept with your boyfriend of five years. You called him went to see him, and then you told him to of fuck himself. You’re like a master of mixed signals. I don’t blame him for being confused.” He shrugged, taking a bite and downing half the burger.

“Confused? Maybe..” Alex drifted out of the pseudo conversation, as Clayton finished his meal.

Tyler had started small: calling, texting; then steadily moved to trying to meet him after class and outside his apartment. Alex just couldn’t talk to him however, partially because of Aaron, but mostly because the blond he was eating with refused to let him.

He only hoped that if something went wrong with Kayla, Tyler would have the sense to get a hold of him, because he knew Tyler was no where near where he could be. Tyler could and would do anything to get what he wanted.

“So…what are you doing for the holidays?” Clayton asked, finishing off the plate and winking at the petite waitress who took the dirty dishes.

Alex shrugged. “The usual.” The usual was in fact a hotel room about twelve miles from campus, not that Clayton knew that.

The blond nodded. “Well, what’s the usual? My mom told me to tell you that she wants to meet you, so if you’ve got nothing better to do but go to your prude parent’s, you can come with me.” He watched the smaller man still before answering.

“Well..I…”

Clayton nodded. “I told her not to get her hopes up. It’s cool.” He stood, waiting for Alex before they both dropped the tip on the table and stepped out into the deceivingly sunny but still frigid air.

Alex shrugged tighter into his coat as they moved towards their class. “It’s not that I don’t want to-”

Clayton laughed at his stumbling. “Dude, it’s cool. It’s my mom, if you knew her, you’d understand.” He punched the shorter man’s shoulder. “Your roots are showing pretty bad by the way.” He teased.

Alex glared at him again, covering his head with his hands. “You’re an asshole.”

Clayton only grinned at him and flipped him off.

“Mr. Kimbal?” The male voice, obviously older, asked after several moments of silence.

Tyler blinked and his eyes focused on the table top in front of him. “I’m here. Can…can you repeat what you said please?”

The older man cleared his throat awkwardly. “Ms. Kayla Jacobs has had a severe reaction to her treatment and, well, Mr. Alexander should be here as soon as possible. I realize the holiday is coming up-”

“Thank you for the call. We’ll be there as soon as possible.” Tyler flipped the phone shut and put his hands over his face. “Fuck life.”

Alex had been blatantly ignoring him, and try as he might for the past couple weeks he just couldn’t get in contact with him.

Tyler stood and sighed, walking over to the balcony. No more playing nice, he supposed, taking in the severity of the situation.

‘We need to talk’

Alex stared at the text message long enough for Clayton to look at him awkwardly as they walked out of the class, the Russian professor not having anything to say to Xander this time around.

Alex sighed and flipped the phone shut, shaking his head at his best friend. “It’s no big, just Rachael asking if we were out yet.”

Clayton stiffed at the name. “She’s been texting you?”

Alex shrugged, “Yeah, why?” He asked, although he knew full well why. They had gone on a date a few weeks ago that had started at Clayton’s house and ended in Rachael’s bed. Things hadn’t quite been the same.

The blond only glowered. “I guess I just want more than she does right now.”

Alex’s phone buzzed from his pocket making him adjust his laptop and grab it out.

‘It’s about Kayla. Come over around six.’

Alex’s blood ran cold, causing him to freeze in panic. “Hey, I’ve got to go Clayton.” Alex turned, not waiting for the response from the blond before heading in the direction of Tyler’s complex. Clayton watched him go and sighed, closing his eyes. He wished Xander would make better decisions, or even slightly consider the feelings of other people.

He gripped the strap of his laptop bad tightly, Xander’s words reentering his head. The thought of Rachel made him turn right semi-quickly, almost running into an underclassman in his haste.

It was time he and Rachel had a talk.

Alex marched into the complex, completely ignoring the doorman this time as he pushed the ‘up’ on the elevator with more force than necessary and glared solidly at the doors until they opened. He stabbed the correct floor at waited until the doors parted again.

What met his sight made him freeze.

Tyler was leaning against the wall with his hands over his face. “I figured you’d come here immediately.”

Alex stayed frozen until the doors began to close again, forcing him to step out. “This…You were serious?”

Tyler turned his head to meet his eyes, his eyes a stormy gray and slightly glazed over. “Alex…They don’t know a lot yet.” Tyler took a deep breath. “I wanted you to go…so you could pack or something..”

Alex fell heavily against the wall, facing the stumbling man. “Tyler, just say it.”

Tyler swallowed and took a deep breath, “She reacted poorly to the treatment. They’re going to remove her ovaries. The hope is that she’ll go into remission.” Tyler’s voice was straight this time, and he pushed away from the wall. “We’ll be staying at least the holiday. You should pack.”

Alex shook his head and tried to remain standing. “Tyler, I’ll just wear your clothes. I don’t care. We’re leaving now.” He commanded weakly.

Tyler nodded at him and entered the condo, appearing several minutes later with two expensive looking duffel bags and keys jingling in his free hand. “Come on.” He instructed, shrugging both bags higher on his shoulder.

Alex stood detachedly watching him summon the elevator and enter it, waiting for Alex to enter as well.

Tyler pushed the ground floor and they were carried down to where Tyler could strut proudly past the people sitting in the lounge area and the doorman who could only watch as the brunette opened the door for the obviously fake blond behind him.

Alex followed Tyler over to the red Lamborghini parked next to Tyler’s Porsche. Tyler popped the trunk, sitting the bag down and shutting it tightly before heading over and opening the door for Alex to sit in the passenger seat.

The shorter of the two men only stood and stared at the plush looking leather for several moments before Tyler cleared his throat awkwardly and motioned for him to take a seat.

Alex’s hazel eyes met Tyler’ silver and he walked sluggishly over to sit in the comfortable seat.

Tyler shut the door tightly and Alex felt the reality of the situation hit home.

Clayton knocked three times on the door to Rachel’s apartment, waiting just a moment before the door opened to a tired looking Rachel.

Sleep deprivation quickly turned to a hateful glare. “Oh. It’s you.” She pursed her lips and cocked her hips to the side, her arms crossing simultaneously. “What do you want? I’m busy.” She all but spat, Clayton wouldn’t be surprised if she began to foam at the mouth.

Clayton half grinned, leaning against to door frame, closer, but far enough away for comfort. “Too busy to talk to the father of your child?”

Rachel’s dark lined eyes narrowed further before she rolled them and pushed the door open so he could slip in, shutting the door tightly behind her and leaning against it.

Clayton leaned his side against the couch and finally took a long look of the female’s appearance.

She was wearing a baggy band tee and men’s gym shorts. Her dark hair was down as usual, but was obviously unwashed and brushed; she looked much paler, and despite her condition appeared to have lost weight. He noticed the her make-up was not darker than usual, it only appeared that way because it was in fact several days old and was making it’s way down her face.

The dark bags under her eyes tensed as she proceeded to glare harder.

“Are you okay?” He asked uncertainly, not moving an inch from his comfortable distance.

Rachel let out a barking shout of laughter. “Oh, I’m peachy. What do I have to be upset about?” she took a step closer, reminding Clayton of a lioness hunting her prey. “I’m in my final year of graduate study at Harvard, with a guaranteed internship in one of the most prominent conservation companies in the world. I have my entire future right here for my taking. Why would I not be okay Clayton?” She spat, barely a foot of difference between them. “Could it be because, I’m fucking pregnant?! That I haven’t had sex in six years, and the first time I have sex since I get fucking pregnant! By you of all people!” She growled, gripping the side of the couch in a death grip.

Clayton held up his hands, wanting nothing more than to go wrap his arms around her. “Rachel, I’m so sorry! I used a condom, I swear I did!”

She laughed again, “I know you did you ass. You think I care? You think that changes anything?” She moved her grip to her stomach. “You think that makes this go away?”

Clayton shook his head, “Rachel I’m going to help. We don’t have to get married or anything-”

She held up a hand to stop him. “You should leave Clayton. I realize we need to talk, and I promise I will call you when I’m more prepared to have this conversation.” Her hazel eyes met his cornflower. “Please.”

He nodded, sending her a pained smile. “Please Rach, call me soon.” He walked forward, pausing next to her and dropping a kiss to her head, ignoring the pang in his chest as she flinched away from him. “See-ya.” He said, leaving the apartment and shutting the door tightly behind him.

She closed her eyes to hold back the tears and flopped herself on the sofa, burying her hands in her hair.

She had some serious decisions to make.

Alex watched the scenery change as they made their way to the highway, Tyler speeding quite a bit as they hit the on-ramp. Alex felt the speed push him further into the set and took a glance at the speedometer and Tyler raced through cars.

One hundred and ninety-five miles and hour.

“Tyler-”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m a trained high speed driver, and as long as I clear one seventy, the cops won’t even try to stop me.” He reasoned, expecting Alex to be comforted. “And, this car is made to go this fast ‘Lex.”

Alex gripped the seat hard. “Don’t call me that.” He whispered. “My name is Xander.”

A/N: It's late, and short, and I am sorry. My excuse is that I have been going through a slightly horrific break up after two years of dating. Yeah, life sucks alot.