Date: Thu, 5 Jan 2006 13:30:01 +0000 From: Mike Rich Subject: Paranoia Chapter 8 Disclaimer: The following story contains sexual content and deals with homosexual relationships. It is not for people under the legal age. If you are offended by the contents of this story, or it is illegal in your location to view this type of material, leave now. This story is fiction and is not intended to imply anything about the true sexuality of the celebrities mentioned or any personal knowledge about their private lives. Any comments can be send to gridlinked@gmail.com I would like to thank Rich, for making me plunge deeper in the life of Andrew Archer. Chapter 8 They were all tired after a few hours. There wasn't much more to go until they reached Orlando, but they were tired enough. The journey so far had been a calm one and now they were all in a small room on the bus, watching TV. Ben was having the least trouble with the trip, he was happy as long as someone, namely Brian, was playing with him. Andrew was bothered by something. He didn't know what it was, but he felt uncomfortable. He had been watching the scenery go by, out of the window, the trees, looking almost shapeless because of how fast they were going, the small elevations on the ground he saw from afar, and then the night sky. The stars weren't showing themselves tonight, even the moon had decided to take a day off. And so Andrew felt uncomfortable. He looked at Alicia who was happily in the middle of a conversation with Howie, then he turned to his son, playing with Brian who seemed to never tire from the childish games. He got lost in his thoughts again, thinking of Sarah, thinking of how he never did get a chance to say a few words before she died. He remembered the last thing he said to his sister, "OK don't move, just stay there." 'Far from poetic', he thought. But life really didn't seem like poetry, not that he wanted it too, poetry was almost always dramatic in some kind of way, and drama was something he was tired of already. No, life wasn't fair. He felt himself sink lower in his seat near the window as the bus kept going onward. Life wasn't fair, and it went by too quickly... or maybe not quickly enough. He stood up silently earning a look from Kevin who seemed worried. Andrew just brushed it off and walked to the far door on the back to the last room. Inside he sat on one of the beds and sighed. He didn't know why he was feeling like this, neurotic and uncomfortable, but he just couldn't help himself. 'This is perfect, I'm really starting to think that someone up there is toying with me, i mean i was fine a moment ago, now I'm feeling like crap, so if there is no rational explanation, i must assume that some higher power is doing this to me, toying with my emotions, and i don't know why. I thought we had covered this Buddha, you work for me OK? There is just so much i can take, and right now i cant take too much. I mean i feel like i should be enjoying the trip but I'm not, so if there is no good reason for making me feel this way i suggest that you stop it right now before i come up there and kick your fat ass.' A small bump on the road at that moment made him fall backwards on the bed. "So much for non violence Buddha." He said aloud. "Still talking to Buddha?" He turned to see Kevin standing there on the doorway looking worried. "Just catching up, do you need something?" Kevin was thrown by Andrew's indifferent tone, "Well, i thought i would check on you, see how you were, you didn't seem very good out there." "Well, how nice of you to stare at me long enough to catch that." Andrew said looking at the window. "OK, i see how you are, why don't we just talk when you're in a better mood hum?" Kevin said in a cold voice. "You do that!" was all Andrew responded, and then he heard Kevin getting out of the room. He stayed like that, looking out the window for a few minutes. He was worried about himself now. Why had he been so arrogant to the guy he liked? Why was he being arrogant at all? He felt something grab his pants and yanking hard. He looked down to see Ben grinning at him. "Ben, not now!" The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them, and what most shocked him was the tone he had said them in. Immediately he cursed himself and saw his son just looking at him not saying anything. He dropped from the bed to the floor and hugged Ben all he could. The tears came then, he couldn't stop them, he had said no to his son for the first time, and it had been for a horrible reason, he was scared. He knew then. He was scared of his future. Ben just giggled and hugged his father around the neck wile Andrew kept crying. The tears wouldn't stop, he just couldn't stop them. He heard the door open and looked up to see Alicia standing there. Immediately she started for her boys, until Andrew stretched his arm, still holding Ben with the other, and with the palm of his hand, motioned her to stop. "Andy what..." She started. "Please Ally, just leave OK? Please." Andrew managed to say between sobs. "Are you sure, you don't seem to..." "Ally! Please just go, i need to be alone for a few moments." He heard her breath for a few moments before she turned and left. He was alone again with his son, the most important thing in the world to him. His world. Ben seemed to not tire from hugging his father because his grip on Andrew's neck didn't relent a bit. He forced Ben to let go eventualy and kissed him on the top of the head. His son just giggled and said "Daddy." After a few more minutes he started to get up and put Ben on the bed. As he was preparing to pick him up again and go back to the other room to face what he assumed would be a very angry Kevin, his cellphone rang. 'If its you, Buddha, you'll have a lot to apologize for.' "Hello, Andrew Archer here." for few seconds he didn't hear any response from the other end of the line, he was prepared to hang up and call Buddha a coward when someone finally spoke. "I want my son!" "Sven?" Alicia closed the door and looked at Kevin who was just looking out the window. "Everything OK with him?" Howie asked. "I don't know... he was crying." Alicia said calmly as she saw Kevin immediately turn to face her with a interrogative look. "I don't know why. But he's with Ben, and if there is anyone that can make him better is Ben." All of them stood quiet after that. You could see that Kevin was restless now that he knew that maybe something, other than bad temper, was really going on with his Andrew. Brian who had lost his play mate, turned to share A.J.s, so both band members just took turns in trying to make Niko look at them. A few moments passed and they heard Andrew open the door. Kevin immediately looked at his man, and stood up to reach him. Andrew just brushed him aside and tuned to A.J.. "We need to talk." Alicia was the first to react. After reaching for her son who was piggyback riding her ex husband, she starred at him. She knew something was definitely wrong now, Andrew rarely used that tone. "What... what is it?" asked A.J. still a bit phased by the tone of his new friend's voice. "Sven." was all Andrew needed to say, and A.J.s face turned to one of recognition in hearing the name of the biological father of his son. "What do you mean? Did he call?" Alicia asked. "Yes, he did, and apparently he wants his son back." Kevin sat down before he looked at A.J. The singer was getting upset fast, already a tear was coming down his face. Brian was the closest to him, and so he reached out to hug his friend. "Alex" tried Andrew "Alex look at me." A.J. did "We can fight him, OK? The law is on our side, I'll talk to Rick and I'll ask him to talk to Will, his boyfriend, he's a lawyer, so he will know what we can expect. OK?" "Hum... Andrew?" Alicia started . "What is it?" "I don't think asking Rick to talk to Will is a good idea." She said wile she avoided her ex husbands eyes. "Why not? Its not like i am going to ask for Rick back." As he said it he heard Kevin grunt. "No, i know, its just that, well... its complicated." Alicia said stalling. Andrew looked down at A.J. who was holding Niko on the ground wile Brian hugged him. He then looked back at Alicia who still hadn't made eye contact. "Ally, could i talk to you for a moment?" Without waiting for a response he walked back to the room on the far back. When Alicia got in she closed the door behind her. "OK, so lets talk... what are you hiding Ally? This is not like you." Andrew said looking at his ex wife. "Its just that" she hesitated "its something personal about Ricks life and i don't know if i should be the one to tell you." "Well your gonna so just spill it." "OK, look, Rick broke up with Will." "He what?" Andrew couldn't believe it, the man he had loved more than anything was single. "Broke up with Will yes, but he didnt want you to find out i guess, look i just think it would be asking a lot of Rick, to talk to his ex boyfriend, being that we don't know in what grounds they broke up." she explained. Andrew just looked at her and sloly sat on the bed. Rick was single, he couldn't believe it. 'Now what?' "Andrew?" He heard Alicia talking to him. "Yes..." he started after a moment "yes you're right it would be asking a lot, can any of the lawyers at your firm take care of it?" "I'll talk to them tomorrow, I'll call the foundation." "Thanks Ally." "Its not a problem, you know that." she said with a smile. "Wait" Andrew said suddenly "When did Rick tell you he had broken up?" Alicia immediately got nervous "Hum... yesterday actually." "Yesterday? Over the loud music?" "No, actually he..." she couldn't lie, she could hide, but she couldn't lie "he came to my house later." "Oh... can i ask why?" Andrew was getting the feeling he was better off not knowing. "Andrew, i don't want to lie to you, and i really shouldn't be telling you any of this." She was getting out of options. "Tell me Ally, why?" he insisted. Alicia realized, there was no use. "He came because he was upset." "About?" Andrew pressed. "What do you think Andrew? His life, the break up with Will, the fact that you moved on, everything." Andrew just looked at her. 'He still wants me.' He knew her too well, she was still keeping something from him. "What is it Ally?" She knew he would find out eventually, and she also knew he could read her just as well as she could read him. "Andrew, don't get upset but, we were talking and he started crying and things got a little..." she trailed off, but Andrew already had the guidelines, now he could read her like a book. "OH NO! YOU DIDN'T." He couldn't believe it. "OH MY GOD ALLY!" "I'm so sorry Andy, i am, i don't know what happened, i woke up with a start afterwards and then i saw him there and i just panicked." "I cant believe this. You and Rick?" "Andy please calm down, OK? It was just what it was and nothing more, please understand, neither one of us would intentionally hurt you." she said desperate to make him understand. Andrew knew she was right, and looking at his best friend's face he couldn't be mad... at her. He reached for her and gently hugged the woman rubbing her back with his hand. "Its OK, it doesn't matter." "I'm so sorry Andy..." she said quietly. "Its OK, forget it, what matters is that i know that you would never hurt me. Its OK." He looked at her and smiled. "So tomorrow you'll call the lawyers right?" he said wanting to change subjects. "Yeah, yeah i will." She responded trying to calm down. "OK then honey, go back to Ben i just need a moment." "Are you sure you're alright." she asked reluctant on leaving him. "Yes, yes" he said smiling at her, "I'm fine OK, I'll be there in just a minute." "OK then." With one last look at him, she left, once again closing the door behind her. As soon as she was out of the room he was dialing the number. He heard it ring a few times, and then he heard him pick up. Andrew didn't even let him speak. "You know" he started as fast as he could "for a friend, you suck." And then he hung up. He put the phone back in his pocket and reached for the door. On the other side of the phone line, Rick started crying. They reached Kevin's house first, the bus got in through the gates and left them at the front door. Andrew said his goodbyes to everyone except Alicia who would be staying at Kevin's with him. When he hugged A.J. goodbye he reassured him that all would be fine. Together the 3 of them, Kevin, Andrew and Alicia, plus Ben, got inside wile the bus made its way to drop off the other singers. From what Andrew understood, Howie would be staying with A.J. to help the man with Niko. Andrew saw Kevin opening the door and motioning them in. He let Alicia go in first and then he followed. Ben was asleep in his mother's arms, and truth be told they were all tired enough. "OK, well i think you guys might want to sleep, we can take the tour tomorrow, just follow me." Kevin said as started going up a flight of stairs near the entry hall. Andrew was a bit concerned about how Kevin was talking to them, the tone felt almost indifferent. The host showed them their rooms. Alicia would be staying with Ben in the room next to Kevin's, and Andrew would be staying in the room at the end of the hall. He wanted to say goodbye to his man, but somehow he knew that at least at that moment, from the look Kevin was giving him, he wasn't his man. Andrew went to his room after saying goodnight to Alicia and kissing his son on the cheek. He looked around to see a beautiful decorated room. The four post bed in the middle was big enough for 3 people. The walls were painted in a light green, and there was a big window, floor to ceiling, like he liked them, that gave him a view of, what he was sure was, a lake. He went to his bathroom to watch his face and brush his teeth. The look the man in the mirror gave him, made Andrew think, for a minute, that maybe it wasn't his reflection. He was tired. And now he knew, he was scared. He got out of the bathroom and looked at the bed once again, it seemed so inviting. 'Just a few more steps.' He told himself. But after the first one, he looked to the right and out the window. He noticed that the moon had decided to show herself after all. Without realizing it, he turned and walked over to the window. With one hand, he reached for the glass and caressed the night. Slowly a tear freed it self from his eye, and started making its way down his cheek. It wasn't until the tear reached his neck, that he fell down on his knees. It was all catching up to him. The restaurant, Nick running, Sarah dying, the disappointment of his brother, Rick's betrayal, Sarah dying, Sven returning, Kevin's cold demeanor, Sarah dying... And still not realizing it, he curled himself on the floor and being bathed by the moonlight, he cried himself to sleep. The last thought on his mind was the realization that, he did in fact, love Kevin. OK this is it for now, the next one should be posted this week. Any comments can be send to gridlinked@gmail.com All the best Mike