In This Life I Was Loved by You - 4 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Brian fell to his knees clutching his head. The pain was intense, and then there was nothing. He carefully straightened up. His hand went to his temple, he was sure he was bleeding, but it came away dry. There was no blood. Eyes wild, he looked around only to see hundreds of Gloinzen perched everywhere looking at him with concern. He shook his head to clear it. Zuni popped in onto his shoulder and kissed his cheek. Her violet eyes were filled with a combination of fear and compassion. “What is it Zuni?” Brian asked. He and the Gloinzen made themselves understood to one another, but with a lot of effort involved, though it was getting easier. “Justin” the word a soft whisper that Brian barely heard, and then only because the tiny mouth was so close to his ear. “Justin hurt, bad man hurt Justin.” Brian could almost feel his blood chill. “What happened to Justin?” he asked. His voice was hoarse and he once again questioned his sanity for caring so much about someone who may not even be real, but rather a figment of his lonely subconscious. Zuni placed her hand to her forehead. “Hurt bad here.” She said. “Much blood, much sadness.” Brian sank to the sand, his back to a tree; soon he was surrounded by the little people, all of them with concern for him showing on their faces. He was numb, Justin, who was someone he had never met, yet someone with whom he shared some kind of connection, had been hurt. There was absolutely nothing he could do about it stuck here on this planet. “Bryaaan” Zuni whispered again.” He looked up at her. “Zuni fix.” She said. “You see Justin – no touch – no speak – but you see him.” A soft chant was started by the tiny warrior child and was quickly taken up by those assembled around him. In a flash Brian found himself standing on the terrace of an apartment building in Pitts. He looked around at the luxurious furnishings and was startled to see a large cougar sprawled on the tiles in a graceless heap. The cougar’s eyes were open and fixed on him, her tongue hung out and drool puddle on the floor. Brian watched her twitch, once twice and he could see that she was going to be alright once what ever drug had been given to her worked its way out of her system. He bent to pat the majestic head but felt nothing. But the act of kindness seemed to reassure the beast and the golden eyes shut, and the tension went out of the heavy muscles. Brian wondered how the big cat could see him as he walked in through the open patio door cautiously, not wanting to be seen by anyone or anything else. A door opened. Brian ducked down by a large sofa, he wasn’t taking any chances. Two men walked in, both of them dressed in black with dark greasy hair. Brian listened carefully. “Why did you hit him so hard?” one of them asked. “He’s no use to us dead, everything would pass to his younger sister and we’d have to start this all over again.” “How was I to know he’d recognize me.” Whined the other one. The two of them bent over and placed the inert body of a young blond man on a float stretch. “Geeze, he doesn’t look so good.” “You better hope that it’s the light in here, because this kid has to live.” When the two of them who where directing the float stretch walked past Brian’s hiding place, Brian gazed at the pale face of a young blond. His temple had an unhealthy looking concave mark where he’d been hit. Blood dripped down his face, into the blond hair and onto the stretch ”Justin” he gasped. Fingers brushed across Brian’s forehead as the float stretch moved past Brian and out of the room. The familiar smells of this young man were mixed with the copper scent of blood and Brian felt his heart lurch. “No, no, no, no. god” he screamed and he tried to gather Justin in his arms, but of course it wouldn’t work, he had no substance. Justin’s eyes fluttered and for a moment Brian was sure that the sapphire blue orbs gazed into his. The next thing Brian knew he was sitting on the sand, his back to a tree and his heart back on Earth. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ “Michael, we have to get out of here. We can’t wait any longer.” Ben looked at the stars as they shined brighter than ever out in space. He kept expecting one of Peterson’s ships to appear over the moon’s horizon at any second. “Ben, he said he’d be here. It’s important to him – important enough to talk us into doing it.” Michael was concerned as well. He hated waiting for anything and the longer it took, the more uneasy he was feeling. “Did you try his apartment again?” though he knew that Ben had tried the link only a few minutes before. Ben gave Michael a look that spoke volumes. He hated it when Michael tried to placate him. “I think we should head back to Earth and see what’s happened.” He said finally. “We can explain our return by telling them of the broken replicator.” “The replicator isn’t broken.” “It will be by the time we dock.” Ben’s voice was grim. He was having bad feelings about Justin’s absence as well. He quickly made the adjustments in their course headers and set out for the return to Earth. “Come in Siddhartha” the computerized voice could be heard through the ship. “Siddhartha here requesting permission to return to dock.” “You left at fourteen hundred hours. Why are you returning now?” “Problems have developed in the Replicator. I’m not going to go hungry until our next port. I request permission to dock and replace it or make the necessary repairs.” “Permission granted. You will receive clearance coordinates now.” “That was a little too easy.” Michael said to his friend. “Yes, I expect we won’t have quite as easy a time leaving the next time.” Ben looked at Michael. “Be prepared for questions; just make sure you don’t answer them with anything that will jeopardize the mission. This time Michael gave Ben ‘the look’. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Justin could feel himself floating; he struggled to open his eyes and was surprised to see green and gold flecked eyes filled with anguish looking back at him. His eyes shut and darkness washed through his mind, but not before he was able to wonder why he could see. His arm brushed a cheek and then was grabbed roughly and secured close to his body. But Justin knew nothing of this as he was spirited down the freight elevator and into a waiting delivery floater that vanished almost instantly into the busy city traffic. The next time Justin regained consciousness, it was more than a day later. He was cold and he hurt everywhere, especially his head. He opened his eyes and saw nothing. He knew he was in a room alone; there were no helpful eyes to see through. Justin was afraid to move, he had no idea where he was though he could smell the antiseptic sweetness that clung to most hospitals. Could he be in a hospital? The familiar smell and sounds of his friend Keisha were absent from his life for the first time in two years and he yearned for the gentle purr and the heavy golden head that the big cat liked to rest on his legs. He thought he could smell cloves and sweet grasses, but knew that was impossible and once he was sure he could feel warm lips caress his cold ones and then he slept. Brian, in his ethereal state paced back and forth in the small room where Justin was being held far below the earth. Since the younger man had been hurt Brian had entreated the Gloinzen into letting him sit with Justin, he needed to watch over him though there was nothing he could do. He ached to warm the body that lay shivering on the pallet in front of him and vowed to beg Zuni the next time to find some way for him to at least solidify long enough to let his own body warm Justin’s. He saw Justin open his eyes and look around unable to see and his heart ached. He brushed his lips over the full ones that trembled before him and was sure that Justin had relaxed back into sleep. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ “Justin, Justin.” Michael called out. Ben had opened Justin’s door with a device that Michael was better off not knowing about. The two of them stepped through and carefully closed the door behind them. They both walked into the large open room and saw Keisha for the first time. “Keisha” Michael breathed. A grumbling growl was heard from the large body, but the big cat stayed where she was crouched on the floor beside a large blood stain. Keisha looked up at the two men who she knew were Justin’s friends. “Father hurt, Keisha sick, Keisha kill man who hurt father.” Of course her words were only so many growls to Michael and Ben, but her intent was clear. Someone had hurt Justin and Keisha was pissed. “I wonder how they got him with Keisha standing guard?” Michael asked. Ben looked closely at the big cat’s golden eyes. “I think she was drugged, look Michael, her pupils still aren’t tracking properly.” The big cat made a piteous sound and Michael knelt down beside her to scratch her ears. “What are we going to do?” “I’m not sure” Ben admitted. “I think we should call Emmett and Mysterious Marilyn, maybe they can do something. Before Ben could take out his communicator, there was a knock at the door and then it slowly opened. “Justin, are you in there, Keisha, here kitty, kitty,” Emmett stepped through the door followed closely by Mysterious Marilyn. They both looked startled when they focused on Ben and Michael staring at the two of them. “Merciful Heavens, you two, you scared me half to death.” Emmett waved his hand in front of his face as if recovering from a swoon. “There are forces here almost as powerful as the ones who work with me.” Mysterious Marilyn began. “And Justin has been hurt. We’ll need to pool all of our resources to locate him.” “What’s going to happen when we find Justin?” Michael asked. “We were about to try and locate Brian, for some reason, we seem to have a few road blocks in our way.” “Yes, like half the federation on our ass trying to discourage us from leaving.” Ben mumbled. “It isn’t that bad.” Michael looked at his lover. “The Peterson group doesn’t want us finding Brian, and they control a lot of ports.” “First we need to rescue Justin. For that we need a plan.” Mysterious Marilyn sat down on the sofa next to Keisha. “Keisha, do you remember anything of what happened?” The big cat hung her head in shame. She’d allowed her friend to be hurt and taken away. It was breaking her heart. “Keisha eat prey and then Keisha sleep. Father gone, father hurt.” Her head went down to rest on her front paws and she began a deep throated keening that raised the hair on the backs of everyone’s neck. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ “Zuni, Justin’s being held in a place that is cold, his head has been hurt and he can’t see. Is there anyway you can help me, help him?” Brian pleaded with the young Gloinzen and he could tell from the nodding of the heads on those who were perched close to him and Zuni, that they had heard and understood him as well. “Brian love Justin? Justin your mate?” Zuni asked. Brian shut his eyes for a moment, how can he describe Justin – they had only met mentally, never physically, yet there was a connection between the two of them that had never appeared before with anyone Brian had been with. Did he love Justin? What was love? He had no idea, but did he want the younger man to live and be close to him, for the rest of their lives, if that was love, then yes, he loved Justin. Brian was about to answer his small friend when he noticed her head bobbing up and down in the universal affirmative sign. Her grin was wide and she shouted something in her native tongue to her fellow Gloinzen that must have been amusing because they all laughed and shouted something back. “What the fuck” he muttered. Zuni looked at Brian and grinned. “Your mate is Justin and you love him, you are too young in the ways of the spirit to know this. We will help your mate survive until his friends find him.” “Someone knows he is missing?” Brian asked. “Of course Brian, his friends are coming to find you and the two” she giggled “bitches on the other side of the pond.” She shrugged, “Sorry if my translation is off, it takes a lot of talking for the words to come right.” “No, bitches pretty much describes the two of them.” Brian agreed. “Tonight, when the moons are high – the village will assemble and send you to your mate. Time with him will be short, and you may only take what you can carry in your pockets or close to your body. I suggest you think on what that might be.” Without another word all of the Gloinzen disappeared, the noises coming from the direction of the beach indicated that one or both of the women were coming to find him. For some reason that Brian wasn’t quite sure of, though he could only imagine, the Gloinzen refused to be seen by the girls, nor would they help them. “There you are, sitting on your ass doing nothing while we’re struggling to put together a decent home for ourselves. For all we know there could be bad weather coming any moment and then what will you do, we’ll be snug inside our shelter and if you don’t help us with it you won’t be welcome.” Melanie stood with her hands on her hips glaring down at Brian who continued to sit in the sand with his back against a large palm like tree. “Brian, daddy wouldn’t like it if you don’t help me.” Lindsay tried her best to look alluring though she knew it wouldn’t do any good. “I’ll be sure to mention it to him when I get back to Earth.” Brian sneered. “It’ll be right at the top of my list along with his piece of shit transport ship.” He crossed his legs at the ankles at turned his face to the sun as if preparing to sun tan. “And another thing Brian, we want to have a baby.” Melanie glared at him. “For fuck sake are you insane?” Brian roared. “You both are nuts if you think you’re going to populate the planet. I’m not contributing that foolishness, even if I could get it up for either one of you.” “We don’t need you. The survival pods have samples of DNA and sperm and a lovely list describing the donors. It’s standard on any ship, even yours.” Brian rolled his eyes. “The donors wouldn’t want to help the two you bring a new life into a world that doesn’t even have a name.” Actually he was the donor – he’d just written up likely looking descriptions of half a dozen men. He couldn’t afford to buy the kits that were complete, and it wasn’t like he planned on using it. It would pass routine inspection at each port and that’s all he cared about. “I’ve picked a good looking physician, he’s tall and blond and Melanie has picked a wonderful lawyer.” Lindsay gushed. Brian felt a bit uneasy, but figured that it would be years before the kids started to look alike and who knows, maybe they would have some recessive gene traits that would make them look completely different. Though thinking back, the men in his family pretty much look the same. Perhaps the fertilization won’t take. It was a hope at least. “I would think that Melanie at least would have more sense than to want to have a child now of all times. Do you two think you’re playing house? This isn’t some kind of wonderful fairy tale that will have us all living happily ever after.” “Brian, you always want to spoil things.” Lindsay began. “Melanie and I know what we’re doing.” Brian rolled his eyes and pulled his cap down over them, pretending to ignore both women. “Brian” Melanie kicked his leg and was immediately thrown back into a large prickly bush by a force she couldn’t see. “What the fuck?” she looked around wildly. Brian lifted the cap up off of one eye. “I wouldn’t try and harm me Mel.” He chuckled at Zuni who was standing beside Mel glaring at her, though Mel couldn’t see the small Gloinzen. “I don’t know how you did that Kinney, but stop fooling around.” Melanie was pulled from the bush by Lindsay who turned and glared at Brian as well. “Stop kicking me.” Brian drawled and lowered the bill of his cap. “Brian, we need you to help us. We want you to go back to the ship and get a few things that were left behind.” Melanie hunkered down beside Brian hoping to get his full attention. “And I would be doing this how?” Brian enquired. “If I recall the ship is full of water and sand.” “Couldn’t you use the air breather and get in enough to use the thrusters to move it at least up onto the beach?” “Melanie, think about it, if we could have done that at the time, we would have.” “But we were in a panic situation Brian, we have underwater lights now and we know what to expect.” Brian thought for a moment. He felt a tug on his sleeve and looked down at Zuni who nodded her head. Brian figured she meant that the Gloinzen would help him get what ever it was that was needed to move so that the ship could at least be beached. The girls were welcome to clean the crap out of it, he wasn’t going to. “I suppose I could be persuaded to try.” Brian lifted his hat to look up at Melanie and Lindsay, “You girls run along while I think about this for awhile and don’t come back, I’ll find you. Right now it’s time for a short nap.” “We want you to do it now.” Lindsay tried to clutch Brian’s arm but suddenly her hand began to burn and she backed off screaming. She rubbed the palm on her leg. “I think I mentioned before not to harm me.” Brian sounded amused. “You might think on that the next time Linds.” ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ “I don’t know if this is going to work.” Michael said as he peered around the corner at the deserted warehouse. “I’m sure they have some kind of sensors around and they’re bound to notice us breaking in.” “Of course they’ll notice us.” Emmett said, “that’s the whole point, that way Mysterious Marilyn can do her thing and whisk that poor boy the heck out of there and onto Ben’s ship.” “But they’ll catch us.” Michael looked nervously at Emmett. “I won’t be any use to Ben if I’m in some damn jail.” “I’d be surprised if they didn’t catch us. Don’t you worry your pretty brown eyes about it hun, Emmett Honeycutt has it under control. You just follow my lead.” “Where’s Ben?” “Michael, pay attention, Ben’s with the ship getting ready to leave port.” Emmett sighed in exasperation. “Keisha is with him and Mysterious Marilyn has her hands full being the crew and working her magic.” Violin music could be heard drifting out of the broken windows of the deserted looking warehouse. A light was seen and then quickly extinguished and shadows moved past the filthy pieces of glass in the window openings. “What’s going on?” Michael whispered. “The violin music is how he assembles his magic. If we could get our hands on that damn piece of wood, it would seriously put a crimp in Ethan Gold’s machinations.” Emmett looked thoughtful. “Mysterious Marilyn didn’t say we couldn’t have a little side plan happening here.” “Geeze Em, I don’t know, smashing his violin, that’s kind of harsh.” Michael blanched at the thought of destroying a musical instrument that had been around for hundreds of years. “Couldn’t we maybe just hide it or something?” “I suppose, we could, but I’m not sure if we’d get away with that. And where would we hide it? Anywhere here on Earth, he’d find it sooner or later. It is the main source of his magic and more than likely has some kind of tell tale tracer on it linked to his aura.” “But couldn’t we use the magic; it might help to find Brian?” “I don’t know anything much about magic, other than to leave it to Mysterious Marilyn. That shit can do you serious harm, I was a rabbit for six days before I could get Marilyn’s attention long enough to have me changed back.” Emmett looked chagrined. “All I did was try on the top hat collection. How was I to know they were all formerly owned by magicians.” “I thought it was pretty funny.” Michael chuckled. “Boy was Mysterious Marilyn pissed with you. Wasn’t that when she banned you from going into the side rooms of Splendid Things? You left rabbit nuggets all over the floors in there.” “I don’t want to talk about it Michael.” Emmett huffed. “But I hope you noticed that I wasn’t just any garden variety rabbit. I was an angora rabbit with the loveliest harlequin markings.” Michael laughed and turned back to the warehouse. “I have a bad feeling about this.” The violin music was louder, so loud it was if the violin player was standing beside them. Slowly Michael and Emmett turned and sure enough Ethan Gold was standing only a few feet away, sawing away on the old violin so loud that their ears began to hurt with the noise. Finally he finished the passage, looking at the two of them he said. “Gentlemen, are you lost?” “No” Emmett answered. “This is private property and you appear to be trespassing.” The man’s voice was smooth as silk. “We’re looking for a friend.” Michael began. “I’m sure you won’t find your friend here.” Ethan looked around. “There’s only the three of us and I’m certainly not your friend.” He took the violin bow and traced it down Michael’s cheek, “though I could be.” Visibly shuddering, Michael backed away. “Not a chance fiddle boy.” He sneered full of bravado, forgetting his usual defender was miles away preparing their get away ship. “Brave talk, from one who is just a rabbit at heart, prey for a rather large cat that is hanging around these days.” He flicked his bow and Michael was suddenly close to the pavement looking up at a horrified Emmett and an amused Ethan. His nose was twitching and his short brown fur ruffled in the soft breeze from the stream that once was a majestic river that ran through the Pitts. Another flick and Michael was back being himself. “Remember that bunny boy.” Ethan laughed and faded away, until he wasn’t even a shadow leaving Emmett and Michael standing on the sidewalk. Outraged screams could be heard from inside the old building and Michael and Emmett didn’t need any further encouragement, both of them took off running as fast as they could until they reached the corner where a cab was letting someone off, they jumped into it and soon were whisked high above the factory district. “Fuck, what was that screaming?” Michael asked Emmett when he could finally get his breath back “Maybe we were a diversion - maybe Mysterious Marilyn was able to get Justin out of there.” ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Ethan had materialized outside the room that held Justin Taylor; he looked through the clouded glass in the window on the door and was surprised that he could see only an empty room. He tried the door and it was still locked. He touched the edge of the bow to the door handle and the locked sprang free. Cautious and unsure, something that was completely foreign to him, Ethan put his head inside and instantly the blue haze that smelled slightly of burned dirty socks that was always left when something was transported filled his nose. He stepped inside the room, prepared to follow the particle trail and retrieve his piece of blond boy ass. He had uses for it before he turned it over to the Kitwangas, and whoever was manipulating space and time was going to pay for removing it. Angry now, and forgetting that anger should never be used around magical forces, having had Justin Taylor in his clutches and now having him gone, made Ethan Gold unable to see reason. Without thinking he placed his precious bow that had acted as a wand for him and for generations of Golds, into the very epicenter of where Justin had lain. It flashed into brilliant flames over the entire bow burning his finger tips and causing him to scream a primordial scream of rage. The magic in the room was a magic that didn’t come from Earth. In fact it had rarely ever been to the third planet from the sun for the Gloinzen had no need to travel that far. It was a magic fashioned from love and kindness and had always been able to repel magic that was pulled from the dark forces of the universe. Ethan Gold’s magic didn’t stand a chance. He would never be able to follow Justin by using his regular methods. Nursing his burnt fingers Ethan set off to find Michael and Emmett, they had to know where Justin had been taken. He’d find them and make them pay for the destruction of his bow. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Brian sat with his back to his favorite tree, his legs folded comfortably, his hands placed on his knees as the Chief of the Gloinzen had instructed. He wasn’t sure what they were going to do, but what ever it was seemed to be a big deal among the small orange people. He was given a bowl of something green to drink, it smelled of sage and summer grasses with a hint of something he had never smelled before. Zuni had offered it to him with a reassuring smile. It was only the size of a small tea cup, yet in Zuni’s hands it was a vast bowl and Brian took it from his tiny friend blowing her a kiss and making her flush with pleasure. He drank it down and was surprised when the bowl seemed to take forever to finish – he looked over the top at the sparkling violet eyes of Zuni and realized they must have added a dash of magic so that with his large size he would get the proper amount of what ever it was they wanted him to drink. Finally he finished and he barely had a chance to place the bowl in the sand beside him before he found himself floating over his body. In the air around him were hundreds, no thousands of Gloinzen more than he ever thought could be on the planet. He looked down in amazement and could see himself sleeping covered with the sleeping bodies of those who were with him in the air. The Chief indicated that Brian should follow him and with only a thought Brian and the rest of them floated high over the planet until they were far out, well into the shipping lanes and the planet Tilak was only a speck of light in the distance. With a blink of an eye, Brian found himself and all of his Gloinzen friends standing inside the locked room where Justin lay in a coma on the floor of the cold warehouse. Justin’s breathing was shallow and his color was bad. Brian could see that the delicate body was wracked with tremors from the cold. Brian turned his stricken eyes to the Gloinzen. Zuni’s voice could be heard in his head. “Pick up your Justin Brian, we cannot stay in this evil place, it makes Zuni sad.” Brian had tried to touch Justin the last time he’d been here. He couldn’t touch him before and he didn’t expect it to be any different this time but with the looks of encouragement from all those with him, Brian bent down on one knee and lifted Justin’s body up in his strong arms. The beating of Justin’s heart suddenly became part of Brian’s and Brian knew that his body was taking over for Justin’s, helping it to heal. He looked at Zuni and the rest of them – all of their faces were pictures of smiling concentration. A blink and once again Brian was back on Tilak and in his body, only this time he had his arms full of Justin. He stood and carried the blond inside his hut not surprised that his bed now was wide enough for two and that another blanket was folded at the end. Brian lay the younger man gently on the mattress and a smell of sweet grasses rose into the air. Zuni was at his side with a bowl of warm water and a piece of what looked a lot like one of Lindsay’s shirts to be used as a cloth. Brian eyed it up and arched one brow causing Zuni to dissolve into innocent giggles. He stripped the filthy clothing off of the pale cold body and washed the dirt and grime from it. While he was doing that a contingent of the Gloinzen entered the hut. “Brian, your Justin has need of our elders, for he lingers in the fog of the netherworld undecided if he should return to this realm.” Brian’s hand smoothed back the soft blond silk from Justin’s forehead, wincing at the indentation that showed clearly through the bruising. But he moved so that the elders could approach. The temperature of the inside of the hut had been raised somehow and Justin was no longer shivering. Brian felt a bead of sweat roll down his back between his shoulder blades, but he couldn’t move. He couldn’t leave Justin’s side, though he knew the Gloinzen would never harm him. Brian never took his eyes of Justin; he was everything that he’d ever imagined. Somehow the younger man lying on the mattress in front of him seemed to fit right in his mental image of what the perfect man should look like. Brian only hoped it wasn’t too late to have a relationship with him. It wasn’t as if these were normal circumstances, but what was normal these days? A low hum filled the air around all of them, small crackles of light showed in the air which had become heavy, almost too heavy – the gravitational pull had been somehow altered. Slowly the porcelain white of Justin’s face became blushed with a healthy glow. Brian let his breath out that he hadn’t been aware he was holding and he touched Justin’s cheek with the tips of his fingers, gratified to feel warmth where there had been icy coldness before. Brian longed to see the sapphire blue eyes that had looked at him briefly. He wanted to drown in their depths. Instead all he could do was watch the lids that hid them flutter as Justin dreamed of who knew what. He reached out and touched Justin’s soft cheek again, to confirm that he was actually a solid entity and really there in front of him and not some kind of hallucination. Kiri, one of the Gloinzen appeared with a small cup filled to the brim with a black liquid. The small woman approached Justin’s lips and pressed the cup to them. They parted enough for her to slowly pour the liquid into his mouth, almost instantly he reacted, his hand went to his head though he still was unconscious. Brian grabbed for it twining his fingers through the younger man’s and he watched the bruised dent in Justin’s forehead return to normal. Everyone in the tent smiled and nodded their approval. Brian used his thumb to smooth a few lines from the once again pale brow. Justin relaxed visibly at his touch. Off in the distance Brian could hear Melanie and Lindsay calling him – soon they had breached the stand of trees that held his hut, he could see them clearly through the walls of his hut, which didn’t make sense to him and when they walked through unseeing, stepping across Justin’s legs and through the throng of elders Brian realized that the Gloinzen were able to manipulate dimensions and that was how they effectively hid from anyone they didn’t like. He grinned, the women could look a long time, they would never find him, no wonder they’d been puzzled about his sleeping arrangements. He had thought they could see his hut, but clearly they couldn’t. “You’ll have to teach me how to do that Zuni” he said with a laugh. “Perhaps my Brian.” Zuni replied, “when you are ready.“ The small girl-child smiled at him with apparent approval as he continued to sooth Justin with his touch. “How long can we keep Justin here?” Brian asked. “How long to you want him here?” the Chief answered. “Think carefully my friend before you answer. The fate of parts of your world and many people depend on the two of you returning together.” “But we have until Justin turns twenty one.” “Only until that time.” “I know” Brian looked sad. “We need to be on Earth and joined in marriage well before his twenty first birthday.” “Then you know the answer to your question.” The Chief smiled. He looked at Justin. “Your partner betrothed stirs, we will leave you now. Make sure he eats and drinks when he awakes, but keep him close, he needs more healing sleep. Perhaps tomorrow when the sun rises, you could allow him to walk to the beach and back. But no more, he will be healing for a day or two.” “What about Melanie and Lindsay, what do I tell them about Justin?” “Oh, until your betrothed is healed, you should stay on this side of the fold. I will have the people bring your ship up onto the beach, that will keep the two #$@! busy.” Brian wasn’t sure what the Chief had called Melanie and Lindsay, but he suspected it wasn’t flattering. With an almost audible pop, the hut was vacated leaving behind a large bowl of berries and one of water. Brian went to his latrine and relieved himself before removing his clothing and joining Justin on the bed. He made sure they were both covered before he took the smaller body in his arms to hold close. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Justin slowly regained consciousness, his head ached duly, but it really wasn’t bad. He wiggled closer to the warm naked body that held him tight and smiled at the dream he thought he was having. He could feel Brian’s arms around him, smell his skin. Soft gentle lips kissed his forehead. What a wonderful dream. “Hey Sunshine, are you awake?” Brian’s words were low in case Justin was still sleeping. “Brian?” Justin’s voice was cautious. “Is that really you?” “Hmmmm, feels like me.” Brian pulled Justin closer and Justin could feel the hardness of Brian’s morning cock against his belly. “How did you find me?” “I’ll always be able to find you Sunshine.” Brian murmured. “But I did have a bit of help from my friends.” “Where am I?” “You’re with me on Tiluk in the delta quadrant. My friends have a way with space and time that’s rather endearing.” “Oh, are they the Gloinzen?” “You know them?” “I know OF them?” Justin said. “My grandfather talked about them. They’re small and orange skinned with blue hair and violet eyes – right?” “Yes, that pretty much describes them. Plus they are kind and gentle and really rather sweet.” Justin sighed and rubbed his head under Brian’s chin, a lot like Keisha did when she was happy. “I’ve always wanted to meet them.” His stomach rumbled and Brian remembered that he was feed and water his young charge. “You’re hungry, I have something you’re supposed to eat and drink and then you have to sleep again.” Brian reluctantly moved away from Justin and found the berries and water. “Here, sit up, let me help you, he handed Justin the small bowl of berries. “Eat these, they’ll fill you up even if you don’t think there’s much in the bowl. I guess they kind of expand or something. I have some water too.” “It’s funny Brian; I can’t get into your head to see.” Justin looked a little frightened. “That’s never happened to me before.” “What do you mean?” Brian looked at him curious. The blue eyes looked up at him and were full of sadness. “I know I’m looking at you, but I can’t see you. Usually I can get into the part of the person’s head I’m with and ‘see’ through his or her eyes. But with you I can’t.” Brian chuckled relieved that this was a problem. “I don’t think I really want you or anyone in my head Jay. It was one thing when I was in trouble; you managed then, but just as an everyday thing, no thanks.” Justin’s bottom lip went out in a pout and Brian laughed out loud. “I’m sorry baby, but I have to kiss that swollen lip of yours.” And he placed his hand behind Justin’s head and pulled it closer to kiss away the pout, nibbling it carefully until Justin groaned in pleasure. “No fair” Justin said when he came up for air. “You can see me.” “I kind of like that. For all you know I look like a troll and I’m having my way with you.” Brian teased as he tasted with small love bites down Justin’s neck and onto his chest. “You do not look like a troll. I can still feel you.” Justin smiled. He ran his fingers lightly over the plains of Brian’s face memorizing everything. “If my Keisha was here, I would be able to see you.” “Ah, yes, the famous Keisha.” Brian said with a smile. “I met her the other night. She’s very protective of you.” “Yes, but not enough” and Justin slumped in dejection remembering how and why he was here in Brian’s arms. “Something happened and she wasn’t there.” “She was drugged Jay, there was nothing she could do about it.” “The poor thing.” Justin felt bad for his pet. “I wish there was something I could do, but I’ve imposed on the Gloinzen enough just getting you here and having them heal you.” He smiled at Justin and wished the blond could see him. “I don’t want to push my luck.” “Michael and Ben will look after Keisha; they’ll come looking for me when I don’t show up for our rendezvous.” Justin said matter of fact. “Michael and Ben? You know them?” “I sort of know them. We aren’t good buddies or anything, but I knew that Ben would be able to help me find you. I know he doesn’t work for the Peterson group.” Justin turned his blue eyes to Brian even though he couldn’t see him. “And isn’t Michael your friend? I figured he’d help once he got over the fact that you and I are a couple.” “We are?” Brian teased. “That must have surprised old Mikey.” He laughed. “I’ve made rather a spectacular name for myself in Liberty Square, not being a couply kind of guy, more a love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy.” “So I’ve heard Brian. It really wasn’t one of your more endearing qualities.” Justin’s voice was dry. “No, I guess not.” Brian said with remorse in his voice. “But it’s all I had at the time Jay. Think of it as a protection device” “What were you protecting?” Justin wondered. “My heart against being broken.” “Brian, even I know you have to let someone into your heart before you can start worrying about it being broken.” Justin was exasperated with his new found life partner. “I’m rolling my eyes here Jay” Brian smirked. Justin reached over and pinched his arm. “Ow, what was that for?” “Just because I can’t see, doesn’t mean I don’t know when you’re being a jerk Brian.” “For someone who was kind of a pathetic mess not all that long ago, you’re pretty mouthy.” “For someone who professes to be the stud of Liberty Square you’re pretty slow. I am naked, I am horny and I’m hard.” “Fuck Jay” Brian’s lips cut off any thought of a retort from Justin. “That would be nice” Justin did manage to mumble when he was able to come up for air. work in progress