Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2003 08:38:50 -0800 (PST) From: No Label Subject: Donny - Chapter 23 Yada yada yada yada. Translation: This story contains descriptions of homosexual acts and may be illegal where you live. Download and possess at your own risk. This story is completely fictional. However, if there are any sweet, young volunteers out there who want to play Donny to my Tom and turn this story into non-fiction, please contact me at zero78245d@sbcglobal.net. Or if you just want to chat. The friends I am making through this story is amazing, and something that I treasure. So keep those cards and letters coming! I own this story. It's mine, you can't have it. But I will let you borrow it and read it, once. Oh, okay, twice. Uh, three times tops. And no more. Kudos to you know who! Yep, my hard-working, ever patient editor. Mention is made in this chapter to the Amber Alert. For those of you who may not know what that is here is a brief explanation. An Amber Alert is a multi-media broadcast of description and last known whereabouts of children believed to be kidnapped. Multi-media includes radio, TV, and Trans-Guide systems. The alert was named after Amber Hagerman, a 9 year old girl abducted in Arlington, Texas, and later found murdered. 33 states now have a version of this plan, and a bill to allot funds to establish a nation-wide system is now in the House of Representatives (already passed in the Senate). So please contact your congressman voicing your support for this vital plan. Donny - Chapter 23 Tom's POV Buddy used my phone to talk to the judge, then left to retrieve the paperwork. Bob's pager decided to interupt shortly after and he left to attend to a victim of the always dangerous work found on working ranches. Donny and Deke were deep into some cyber tournament that left sundry body parts (also cyber, of course) laying around. That left me with nothing to do until Buddy got back with the judge's decision. The boys did surface for a ton or two of teen fuel, then disappeared back into Donny's room. I made a mental note to double the next grocery list. Just when I was getting worried about what to do if Deke came out asking to go home, Buddy returned. "So what's the story?" "The judge granted a 180 day temporary custody pending a hearing Wednesday afternoon. He also ordered a psychiatric evaluation of Deke to be reported at the same time. Bill Anderson said he could do it tomorrow, since he sees Donny tomorrow also." "Okay. Do his parents know yet?" "Yeah, I swung by there on the way here. CPS will probably set up counselling and evaluations for them too." "How did they take it?" "Claire didn't say a word, just got up and left. Hans shrugged it off and said it didn't matter. So it looks like they will have to change a lot before Deke can return. The judge sure won't like that attitude." "So what do we tell Deke?" "Let me handle that." And Buddy went down the hall and knocked on Donny's door. "Donny, I need to talk to Deke for a moment. Could you excuse us?" "Sure, Buddy. I'll go help Dad get supper started." Donny came out and shut the door behind him. He walked to me and I could see tears welling in his eyes. I held my arms out to him and he walked into my hug. Donny's POV I knew why Buddy wanted to talk to Deke, and knew that Deke probably wouldn't take it well. I sure was glad that Dad was there cause I was really scared for Deke. Dad held me close for a minute before he suggested we go prepare Deke's room. Since we had already fixed up the room before Deke even came over I knew he was just trying to get my mind somewhere else. We walked back to Deke's room with our arms around each other waist. I felt sorry for what Deke must be going through, but I also knew that he would be safe and loved here. Dad made me sit in Deke's room and write a list of what I thought Deke would need to make him comfortable there. It kept me busy until Buddy came back out. "Donny, I think a friend is needed right now." "Sure Buddy." Deke was sitting on the edge of the bed staring at the floor. He looked like somebody had just punched him hard in the stomach. "Hey man. It's okay. Dad's a good guy. And I'm here." Deke slowly raised his eyes to mine. A lone tear trickled down his cheek. I walked over to him and slipped my arm around his shoulders as I sat next ot him. He just leaned into me and more tears flowed. "It's okay Deke. Every thing will be fine. You're safe now, and I know you will like it here. 'Kay, Deke?" We sat there for it seemed like an hour, but it was probably only a few minutes, when a soft knock at my door signaled Dad's presence. He came in and sat on the other side of Deke and wrapped him up with his arms. I could feel Deke's body shudder with huge sobs. I was glad that Dad showed up, because I sure didn't know what else to do. Dad mouthed to me that food was on the table so I went to the kitchen and sat down to eat. About fifteen minutes later Dad came out and said Deke was sleeping in his room. We ate supper, then, after cleaning up the dishes, I got to climb into my favorite sitting position on Dad's lap and we watched some TV. I guess I fell asleep there, because the next thing I knew the sun was shining in my bedroom window and the smell of bacon assailed my nose. Yum! Shit, school. Why can't weekends go on forever? I wandered out to the kitchen and Dad gave his usual (ugh!) cheery good morning. "I think we'll let Deke sleep in today. He has had a pretty rough weekend. And don't forget I will pick you up for your appointment at three." "Uh, okay. Sure, Dad. Pretty rough for me too, so don't you think I could stay home too? Ah, and keep Deke company? You know, so he won't get lonely or something?" "Nice try, hot shot. Nope, you have fully recovered from your adventure, and I am perfectly capable of keeping Deke from getting too lonely." Shit. "Uh, okay, Dad." It was worth a try, wasn't it? Half an hour later I caught the bus and was off to another exciting day of listening to intellectualy stimulating lectures, invigorating pop quizzes, and participating in amazing repartee with fellow classmates. In other words, another boring day of school. Well, at least I could look forward to an enjoyable evening in San Antonio with Dad and Deke after we finished our visits with the shrink. Finally the call came for me to report to the office. I rushed down there after a quick stop at my locker to dump books. Dad was waiting for me outside the office door. He looked worried about something. "Hi, Dad. You know, I like saying that." Dad grinned, "I like it too, son. Come on, you are already signed out." "Okay. Deke in the car?" Dad's grin disappeared in a flash. "Ah, no, son, he isn't." "Huh? How come? Wasn't he supposed to see Doctor Anderson too?" "Yeah, he was. Come on, let's keep moving so we won't be late. I'll explain in the car." Dad wrapped his arm around my shoulder and steered me out to the car. Once we got out of the parking lot I couldn't wait any longer. "So where's Deke? He's okay, isn't he?" "I don't know, son. I don't know where he is." "Waddya mean you don't know? What happened to Deke, Dad?" "Just that. I don't know. Around ten this morning I went to check on him because I hadn't heard anything out of his room. He wasn't there." "What? Did he run away? Did he go home? Where is he?" "Let me finish the story, Donny. Then you will know as much as I do." "Uh, sorry." "I understand that you are worried about Deke. So am I. Anyway, I called Buddy immediately and he came out. We looked around and didn't find anything that looked like Deke's. Did he bring anything with him on Saturday?" "Yeah, a backpack with some clothes and stuff. You know, games, CD's." "Well, as far as Buddy and I can tell, Deke packed up all his stuff and left sometime during the night." I thought hard to try to remember if I saw any of his stuff in my room this morning, but I just couldn't think of anything. Shit, this will teach me to be more awake in the morning. "Where'd he go? I'll bet he went home." "That's what Buddy and I thought too. So Buddy went over there and asked his parents if they had seen him. His mother wouldn't talk, but his dad said that Deke had been there. He said he had told Deke that he wasn't supposed to be there, and had better clear out before he got more trouble stirred up. Then Buddy checked the house and he wasn't there." "So we need to go look for him." "Do you have any ideas where to look? Where does he like to go?" "Shit, I don't know. But, Dad, we gotta try." "Okay, settle down, Donny. I know you want to find Deke. Buddy has bulletins broadcast over five counties. He even requested an Amber Alert. So without someplace specific to look, you and I can't do much right now. We will have to leave it to the pros." "But we gotta do something, Dad" "We will head home right after your appointment so we can be there if he turns up." "Dad, this is more important than any old appointment." Dad suddenly pulled the car to the side of the road and turned to me. "No, son. My first priority right now is you. Competent authorities are doing as much as they can for Deke right now, but you are my priority. I understand how you feel, that you need to help your friend. But right now there isn't much you or I can do to help Deke. So you and I are going to work on what we can do, and that is help you become everything you can be. I know I'm not explaining this too well, son. Maybe Doctor Anderson can explain it better. He is aware of what is going on, and we both decided you still needed to see him today. Donny...Son...I love you more than anything right now, and although I am very worried about Deke, I also want you to overcome what has happened to you in the past. So you will have your session with Doctor Anderson, then we will head home as fast as we can. Okay son? Do you understand?" "No, Dad. I know you love me, and want to help me, but Deke is out there someplace, all alone and scared. I wish there was something we could do." "I know son. I wish there was something we could do too. But we have to let Buddy do his job, and we have to do ours. Come on, we're going to be late." Dad pulled back out onto the highway and gunned the motor. It was a very fast trip into San Antonio. Doctor Anderson said most of the same things Dad did, but it didn't make me feel any better about Deke. One thing that he did tell me though came in handy before the day was over. He told me when I start to feel angry about something to go swimming. Well, I guess I don't have to tell you that when we did get home that pool got a real workout. So much so that I had no problems falling asleep that night. ... TBC