Ryan had only been gone for a little while so Cutter didn't think he would be back so soon, so he curiously went to the door. He wondered if it was Connor and he opened the door without checking, if he had checked there was a reasonable chance he wouldn't have opened the door.

He stood in the doorway, finding himself face to face with Stephen.

He should have expected this, after all he had been dreaming of Stephen the last couple of days too but now that he was here, all of those memories from a few months ago ... the affair ... everything ... came babbling to the surface and all he could do was stare at Stephen, trying to process that he was actually there.

"Stephen?" he said softly, not quite comprehending what he was seeing.