Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 20:58:32 +0000 From: Mike Rich Subject: Paranoia Chapter 9 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 9 He woke up fling dizzy and very hot. He felt someone trying to shove him from his dreamless sleep, and it was getting annoying. He couldn't understand, still with his eyes closed and refusing to cooperate with who ever was trying to wake him, why he was so hot, and so dizzy for that matter. He tried to rearrange the thoughts in his head, but at that moment, it didn't feel like his head, it felt more like he borrowed it from someone else. Slowly he tried to open his eyes, only to shut them up again when he sensed the light that was coming from somewhere very near. Then he remembered. The window. He knew what had happen, now a more important question was clouding his mind. Who was waking him up? 'Please don't let it be Kevin, please don't let it be Kevin...' He turned around, and listened to the voice. He felt relieved. Again he tried to open his eyes, and this time he was successful. A blurry looking Alicia was standing over him looking concerned. He knew she would have questions, and with the way he was feeling, he only wanted her to go away. "Andrew? Andrew, what happened?" He could tell that she was worried. He tried to answer her right away but his voice refused to cooperate. After a few moments he tried again. "Hum... i... kinda... slept here." "Yes sweetie i can see that, i mean, why did you?" "Ally... can we talk... later, i need a shower." He said trying to get up from the floor. "OK, but we are definitely talking later." He heard her say with a tone of finality. "Fine!" With her help he managed to get up without too much problem though the dizziness still persisted. He left Alicia behind and went into the bathroom. He started the water on the bathtub and started taking of his clothes. Wile he was taking of his shirt, he got a glimpse of himself in the mirror. 'Definitely not me!' he thought. The bath was exactly what he needed, the warm water helped him relax until the dizziness went away completely. He still didn't understand how he could have slept all night in that position. He remembered one time when he was 8, Mathew was being his usual pissy self, at least at that time, he was still young to fatherhood and he was freaking out most of the time, Andrew that had been used to the full attention of his brother, had now, to fight for his attention with a baby. That day things got a little out of hand and Tommy ended up getting hurt. Andrew was certain that his parents were going to lash out at him, but to his surprise, at least surprise at that time, Mathew's hand connected with his face for the first time ever, and what would be the last time. That was the turning point, Andrew realized now, when his love for his brother died a little. Even though he knew that it was his fault that Tommy was hurt, that day he cried himself to sleep on his bedroom floor, knowing that there was someone, after all, that his brother loved more than him. He now understood of course, after all he was now a father too. So he knew that Mathew would only want whats best for Tommy, unfortunately, Mathew must have underestimated his sons will power. There was no way he would be the first to call. The bathroom was by now filled with vapor, and Andrew was beyond relaxed. He started emptying the tub wile he got out. There was that mirror again. 'OK, one more time.' There he was, the old Andrew he knew and loved, a bit narcissist he knew but at that point he couldn't care less. Now the only thing missing was finding out, why he felt so afraid of committing himself to Kevin. Yes, that was the question, i mean apart from the fact that they were in the middle of a fight, if he could call it that, he knew that they would be good together. And he knew, by the way that Kevin looked at him, that the man really liked him, so what was the problem? Unfortunately the mirror had no answers. He dried himself and got back to his room. He looked around expecting to see Alicia, expecting to be bombarded with questions, to his surprise the relentless woman, had given up waiting. 'Not bad, Buddha, not bad at all.' He went to his suitcase and opened it. After a few minutes he had clothes picked out to wear for the day. A light green shirt and some faded blue jeans. Simple. He dressed quickly, now the only thing he wanted was to see his son. He got out of the room and into the hallway. He thought of seeing if Kevin was still in his room, but quickly changed his mind. He was probably still mad, and Andrew didn't think he could take Cold Kevin today. Unfortunately for him, that wouldn't be an option. He saw his son, on the arms of his loving mother. Alicia sat there on the Kitchen table, holding Ben, seating in front of Kevin. 'Cold Kevin.' "Good morning." Andrew managed to say while he walked over to his ex wife. He bent over and kissed Ben on top of his head. His son just giggled and took his arms out to ask for a hug. Andrew couldn't resist. He took Ben from Alicia and sat beside her on the Kitchen table. "So how are you?" Alicia asked him after Kevin decided to remain quiet. "I'm good thanks, i took a warm bath, it was very relaxing." He said still looking at his son seated on his lap. Kevin still sat there, saying nothing. Andrew knew he was still mad, but he also knew that he wasn't about to say sorry anytime soon. 'Even though it was your fault.' He thought. Never the less, he was in no mood for apologies, after all, if it had been reversed, he would have understood. After a few minutes he couldn't take it anymore. The tension was just too much, and frankly he just had to get out of there. He got up and looked one last time to Alicia who just looked back at him with a questioning gaze. Without so much as another word, he turned, still holding his son, and left the Kitchen, leaving a confused Kevin to deal with very upset Alicia. "What do you think you're doing?" Alicia asked right after Andrew had left the Kitchen. Kevin just looked at her for a few seconds surprised by the upset woman in front of him. "What do you mean?" "Did you see how he was? And you just sat there and said nothing, not even good morning!" "How is this my fault? He was the one that just dismissed me yesterday?" Kevin was starting to get upset. "First of all, don't raise your voice to me, it does very little, second of all, we all have bad days, your job as a friend, is to put up with them and be happy with the knowledge that he will put up with yours." For a few moments there was silence. Alicia knew she was right, Andrew was rarely like he had been yesterday, and she knew that it took a lot to upset him. "Look" She started once again, not letting Kevin speak "You don't know Andrew as well as i do, he can be very proud, but he is one of the most patient people i know, and if he was upset yesterday, i can tell you he had good reason. Today i found him sleeping on the floor in the fetal position" until this point Kevin had been looking at his hands fidgeting on top of the kitchen table, but he quickly looked up to Alicia with a alarming gaze "Yes, in the fetal position, so i can tell you, whatever is bothering him, its not that easy. So i suggest that you stop being an ass, and be the friend that you told him you were going to be." With that Alicia stood up and left Kevin to his thoughts. Andrew was standing on the patio that gave him access to the grounds on the back of the house. He had been right the night before, there was in fact a lake. The big lake was surrounded by trees on almost all of its perimeter. Right in front of the house, depending on the perspective, there was this small wooden pier, with a small rowboat tied to it. The view was gorgeous, the most impressive thing was the tranquility it transpired. Ben was resting in his arms content on being that way. He had stopped giggling for awhile now, and just looked at the lake with his father. A few moments later he heard someone sliding the door that led to the patio. "Hey" he heard Kevin say meekly. "Hey!" He said back, wile Ben moved a bit in his arms to get a better look at the tall singer. "I'm so sorry Andy, i am. Yesterday i just felt like second plan, and... i guess i was just scared that you were getting second thoughts about the possibility... i... i don't know what to say." Kevin was beside him, looking at the lake. No sound could be heard for miles, this time there were no New York lights, there were no car crashes, there were no people screaming and there was no angry manager, all there was, was tranquility. And it was that tranquility that made up his mind. He had been wrong, he was the one that had dismissed him, the one too scared to jump blindly once more for fear of another failed relationship. And even though his fear might have been justified, he had now hurt the one he... "I love you." The words had a power of their own. They flew out of his mouth and seemed to be heard from the patio to the lake, where they took a stand, got on the boat and sailed to Kevin. Andrew was still looking forward, afraid of Kevin's reaction. He had told him that he wanted a relationship, but love? The silence just kept on going and Andrew was losing his mind, finally he took one last look at the sun reflected on the peaceful water and turned to Kevin. There he was, tall dark, handsome and shedding a tear. "Kev? Everything OK? Look, if its too much we..." But he was interrupted by the man. Kevin gently stretched his arm and put a finger on Andrew's lips to stop the smaller man from talking. Gently he got closer and took Ben from his father. Andrew just stood there, transfixed, waiting too see what the singer might do. Kevin put Ben in one of the lounge chairs and turned once more to Andrew. This time he got as close as he could, grabbed his man, and without a second of hesitation, kissed him. At that moment Andrew knew the answer. Kevin was gentle and passionate all together. He put his hands on Andrew's back and pulled the man impossibly close. At that moment they were one. When they finally came up for air they could hear giggling. Both turned to see Ben giggling at what was to him a funny site. Andrew smiled and turned to Kevin still waiting for words. His love must have sensed it. "I love you so much Andy." Kevin said refusing to let his man go anytime soon. "I thought that you didn't want to rush things so i dint want to say anything. I know its been little time and i know..." "Kev? Kevin?" Andrew called interrupting Kevin's line of thought. "Forget it. You know, i was being someone i am not. I mean i am worried, yes, mostly because of Ben, but the thing is, not one good thing in my life was thought through, it was mostly just instinct. Including my son. I mean, if i had stopped to think, i wouldn't have him now, and that isn't a possibility i even want to consider. So just forget it. I love you, the rest will fill itself." Kevin couldn't help grin widely. "Soooo, you're my boyfriend?" "I suppose so, yes!" At that moment they heard the front doorbell ring. They didn't care, they were lost in each other. "So, finally a couple are we?" They turned to see Nick on the patio doorway with Alicia, both grinning at them. Andrew was the first to speak. "Looks like it Nicky" turning to Kevin he said it one more time "it sure looks like it." He had been crying almost all night, he must have slept a total of an hour. First he was upset about the call. The call from his ex boyfriend. His best friend. He had broken his trust. He just wished he could still get it back. Rick looked through the window of his hotel room. New York was still New York. Then had come the other call. He actually didn't know what was worse, his ex boyfriend, the man he loved, calling him to say that he sucked, or the mother of another ex boyfriend calling in tears saying her son had died. Another tear fell down his cheek, and New York was still New York. Will was dead. 'What now?' Sorry its a short chapter, but this is where it had to end. Hopefully you're liking where this is going. Any comments can be send to gridlinked@gmail.com All the best Mike