Mark handed the bottle back to Sean, leaning off the bed to snatch a bag of chips that Sean had scavenged. Sean accepted the bottle from him, staring at it with a sudden worried look as he asked him cautiously. "Should you be drinking this with me? With your condition?" Mark popped open the chip bag, laying back lazily on his side. Setting the bag between them, he told Sean with a smile. "I can drink alcohol... just not a lot of it." Sean set the bottle between his legs, before telling him seriously. "Still... I don't want you drinking it." Mark propped his head up with a hand. He was going to argue about it being the end of the world... but Sean's look stopped him. Sean wasn't looking at him, but at the bottle with a sudden haunted look. Mark looked between Sean and the bottle, before asking him softly. "Are you going to be ok?" Sean tilted his head back against the wall, openly admitting. "I don't know. I feel like I'm walking a tightrope... Somedays I see a net below. Somedays I don't."

Mark pushed the chips closer to Sean to coax him into eating, when he replied lightly. "Don't look down. Looking down will only tempt you into walking off the rope. Just keep your eyes ahead. We'll get through this. You'll see." Sean lifted the bottle like that was his answer, causing Mark to reach for it. Sean moved the bottle away, leaning closer to him as he told him in a fragile voice. "I wasn't referring to the bottle. I was pointing at you. You're the only one that keeps me from looking down. You remind me what it was like to laugh and have fun." Mark stared into Sean's watery eyes, while his hand trailed down Sean's arm to the bottle. Taking the bottle from him, he told him sadly. "I haven't made you very happy lately though..." Sean lowered his eyes to the mattress, whispering to him lovingly. "Well, the world has gone to hell. I don't expect love to be anything less than painful as well...but... I love you too much to leave you on your own. I'd like to believe that you need me in some small way."

Mark reached up to touch Sean's cheek, telling him sweetly. "I do need you. I'd be lost without you. So... I wanna do something for us. Something fun." Sean looked up from the mattress to raise an eyebrow. Mark chuckled, ruffling his hair as he sat up. Climbing off the bed, Mark set the bottle on the mini fridge, telling him seriously. "I don't know about you... but I think it's time we both remember how to live a little." Sean started munching on some chips, giving him a shrug as he grumbled out uncertainly. "How? I found a set of playing cards in here... Other than that. There is nothing we can do." Mark bent forward to rest his hands on the bed, telling him with a bright grin. "It's going to rain again. I've seen the clouds rolling in. So, let's... Let's use that advantage to have some fun. Just for tonight." Sean shook his head grimly, muttering out numbly. "What can we do that won't attract a hoard?" Mark raised a finger to his lips, letting him listen to the patter of rain against the windshield for a few seconds.

Afterward, he lowered his hand to tell him confidently. "They don't like the rain or the thunderstorms. We're practically in the middle of a desert. Why waste this chance? There's an old player in the station..." Sean blinked blankly, then told Mark with panic in his voice. "Mark? Have you lost your mind? NO!" Mark pushed off the bed, racing for the door. Sean scrambled off the bed, yelling after him. "Mark! Don't!" Mark hopped down from the truck into the rain, dashing into the gas station. Sean was right on his heels. Mark rolled over the counter, pressing the cassette tape into the mounted boom box. Sean skidded to a halt in front of the counter, pleading with Mark desperately. "Mark, don't! Please!" Mark took a deep breath, retorting in a bold voice. "Trust me. We both need this. We can't be afraid forever." Sean slammed his hands on the table to hop over the counter, but Mark flicked the switch to turn on the boom box. The battery in the boom box was still good and began playing the tape over the speakers mounted around the gas station.

Sean landed in front of Mark and froze like a statue at the noise. Mark placed his hands on Sean's shoulders, guiding him backward away from the counter. Sean grabbed Mark's shirt, looking completely terrified. Mark countered his growing anger by kissing him passionately. The brief kiss had worked. Sean's anger had vanished into confusion. Mark booped his nose playfully, then took his hands in his own. Pulling Sean up against him, he whispered into his ear. "I need you to smile for me. Don't be scared." Sean was lost in a mix of emotions. However, Mark saw a spark light up in his eyes as he began dancing with him through the aisles. Sean's cheeks burned a bright pink as he tried to walk away, but Mark would pull him back into his arms. Swaying with him, until a reluctant smile spread over Sean's face. Seeing Sean smile like that was like looking at pure starlight. He let Sean go, casually stalking him across the store. At first, Sean was only focused on trying to run out the front door... but when Mark playfully put his hand on the glass door to close it without any real effort, something in Sean changed.

Sean bit his lower with a blushing smile, backing away teasingly. Mark followed him, watching him run off into an aisle to try and hid from him. Sean stayed low, sneaking around an aisle and playing with a plushy on the shelf to draw Mark's attention. When Mark would grab his hand, Sean would yelp and race off to do something else. It was stupid, but it was kind of fun at the same time. Mark walked slowly through an aisle of unsettling mannequins, looking for anything that looked out of place. He saw Sean go in here. As he was passing a set of mannequins dressed in black, he caught movement and stopped to peek out of the corner of his eyes. Sean was posed leisurely back against a pillar wide enough to hide him with one hand holding the bill of a black baseball cap down over his face. Mark slowly turned to face him. He was impressed. If Sean hadn't moved as he was passing, he never would have found him. Walking slowly up to him, he grabbed the bill of the hat and pushed it up. Sean grinned at him, staring at him with those bright blue eyes.

Just before Mark was going to say something, Sean grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him into a long kiss. Mark lost himself in the kiss, pulling Sean away from the pillar to hold him closer to him. Sean wrapped his arms around Mark's neck, running his hands up through Mark's hair. Mark wanted to hate himself. Wanted to stop himself... but the voice of reason in his head was silenced by the music playing and the loud beating of his own heart. He couldn't help it. He didn't want to resist it. It was easier to fall than to hang onto something that only brought him pain. Prying his lips away from Sean's, he told him honestly. "Sean... Say it for me?" Sean licked his lips, whispering to him as the music faded. "Say what?" They could hear the rain falling heavily outside now, when Mark told him a bit strained. "Tell me how you feel... about me." He couldn't tell Sean why... but he just couldn't bring himself to say it first. Some small part of him still wouldn't let go. He felt like he needed a push. A reason to bring it up.

Without questioning it, Sean cupped his face in his hands, staring deeply into his eyes as he told him whole-heartedly. "Ok. I love you, Mark. I always have." Mark felt his throat tightening up in an effort to try and stop him from saying it back. While something stole those words from coming out, he managed to bring his lips to Sean's and state out very softly to him. "Me too." Sean's blissful smile made Mark's heart skip a beat. They shared another passionate kiss that turned slightly more heated after a few minutes. Mark's hands where just starting to slip under the back of Sean's shirt to slid up his lower back, when a loud metallic 'BANG' made them both jump. Mark dropped his hands, following Sean back to the front door. The rain was coming down too heavy to see anything through the glass door. Pulling Sean back from the door, Mark opened it just a crack to listen. The heavy rain pattered the pavement hard as sounds of unsettled snorting came from the horse trailer. Mark slipped out, heading cautiously to the trailer. His big concern was that a zombie was stalking the trailer.

The soft buzzing speakers around the station clicked off. Leaving no other sound, except for the rain and horses. Mark peeked through the open holes of the trailer to see if a zombie was on the other side. Instead, he saw an agitated Agro. She was pacing back and forth with her teeth bared. Every time Barney moved closer to her, she neighed aggressively at him. Barney jumped in fright, kicking the metal walls of the trailer as he gave her space to move around. Sean slipped out, moving closer to ask him. "What's going on?" Mark straightened up, telling Sean shakily. "Well... I'm no vet... but I think the baby is coming." Sean put his hands on the trailer, worry filling his voice as he asked him. "What do we do?" Mark coughed awkwardly, mumbling out. "Well... Let's just hope that she doesn't need our help. All we can do is help her get comfortable. So... I'll get Barney out of there." Mark opened the back just a tab to slip inside. Then winced as Agro banged her head on the gate to try shoving it open. Was that normal? She snorted at him, then began pacing again.

Carefully, Mark grabbed Barney's bridle and slipped it on him to lead him out. Barney seemed to want the same thing. As Mark led him down the ramp, Agro tried to bolt out, but Sean quickly closed the door. Mark cursed, seeing Sean had closed himself inside with her. He didn't know anything about what horses were like in labor. He didn't want Sean getting hurt. Sean shushed her, moving up to her to stroke her nose. Agro shuffled her feet a bit, then sank down to the floor weakly. Even through the heavy rain, Mark could hear her loud ragged breathing. Sean kneeled down, petting her neck to calm her. Walking Barney around the trailer to get a better look, he told Sean nervously. "Sean, be careful." Agro stretched her legs out, then lifted her head to let out some strained whinnies. Sean pushed her head back down, shushing her. Mark glanced over at Barney who had his attention on Agro. Barney was so calm looking. Agro rolled up onto her stomach, letting out loud distressed whinnies.

Mark glanced around through the heavy rain. He didn't see anything out there. From the trailer, Sean chuckled out to Mark to get his attention. "Mark! Look!" He turned back to see a small head pop up past the lower half of the trailer. A tiny whinny squeaked out and Sean covered his mouth as he happily uttered out. "Oh my god... He's so cute!" Mark snorted, chuckling out. "How do you know it's a boy?" Sean lowered his hands to give Mark narrowed eyes. Mark laughed, admitting honestly. "I just asked. I can't see much from out here." Sean smirked, telling Mark excitedly. "He's a little grey horse with four white socks. I think... I think I'll call him Finbar." Mark started laughing as he walked Barney around in the rain a bit. For a while, Mark just kept Barney company in the rain, allowing Agro and Sean to get to know baby Finbar. It surprised them both when baby Finbar staggered up onto his feet. Agro licked baby Finbar's neck, nickering to him until he stumbled into her.

Mark shivered from the rain, reluctantly bringing Barney back up to the trailer. Walking Barney back in carefully, he let Barney see Finbar. Finbar was curled up close to his mother, but sniffed Barney's nose curiously. Then after a cute little yawn, Finbar laid his head down over his mom's front leg. Agro laid her head down around Finbar's tiny body, sighing heavily as she closed her eyes. Mark removed Barney's bridle, then coaxed Sean out by force. Sean didn't want to leave. Sean kept whispering about how cold it was and that the baby needed him. Resorting to Mark having to wrap his arms around Sean and let him watch a few more minutes. Barney shook off his wet fur, then carefully slipped in to lay down close to Agro. Close enough to block any wind from reaching Finbar and at the same time share his own body heat with him. In Sean's ear, he whispered to him. "He'll be ok. Horses are herd animals. They'll take care of him. Come on. They need to rest." Dragging Sean from the trailer, he walked him back to the truck.

Inside, Chica was freaking out but Sean quickly wrapped her up in a warm hug. Mark shivered, removing his shirt to lay it on the driver's chair to dry. Rushing for his top bunk, he told Sean with a smile. "He is cute. I just hope he travels well." While Mark wrapped himself up in his warm blankets, Sean played solitaire by himself for a bit. Both of them listening to the heavy rain for while. Then just when Mark was debating about taking a quick nap... he felt the bed shift around him. Opening his eyes in shock, he relaxed once he saw why. Sean was crawling over him. Snuggling in behind him, Sean whispered into his ear. "Thank you for today, Mark. I actually had a lot of fun." Mark ruffled Sean's damp bangs, warmly purring out to him. "You're welcome, Jackaboy." Sean rested his head on his shoulder, humming softly to himself as he snuggled into him more. With Sean so close to him, Mark began to stroke his back soothingly, until he could no longer stay awake himself. To Be Continued...