Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:06:42 -0800 (PST) From: Sean Hoke Subject: Twilight: A New Night Chapter One: A Whole New Day Disclaimer All character in this story are fake and just a product of the imagination of the author. The Twilight title story line and characters are all property of Stephenie Meyer. This is a fan's writing and I hope that everyone will enjoy it and feel free to email with comments and/or suggestions. Chapter One: A Whole New Day Even though it has been five years I can recall most every detail of my new life, it all started when I went away to college. My name is Jonathan James Miller, although most call me Johnny. I am five foot ten inches tall, slender and well toned, sandy brown hair and pale blue eyes. I grew up out in Southern California raised by my Aunt and Uncle; my parents had died in a car crash when I was just a small child. And now I am moving across the country to go to the University of New Hampshire. I was nervous about going to school in a new place, but also excited to get out of my Aunt and Uncle's house. They seemed stuck in a time warp; they were just too old fashioned. "Jonathan do you have everything you need in the truck?" "Yes Uncle Dave, all I have to grab is my backpack with the plane tickets." "Well hurry up boy, we ain't got all day." Uncle Dave yelled from outside. "Yes Uncle." I shouted back, grabbing my backpack I gave one last look at the room I had grown up in. The walls were a powder blue and there really wasn't a lot of my style in the room. I suppose it looked nice to anyone else, a spare room for guests, but to me it felt like a black hole, this wasn't the room of a young teen that was ready to set the world on fire. I quickly ran down stairs and got into the truck and decided to never look back on what might have been, instead I looked forward to what might happen. We got to the airport in plenty of time, checked in my bags and I was ready to get on with this new life that I was about to start with. "Are you sure that you have everything?" Aunt Jamie asked. "Yes Ma'am Aunt Jamie, I have the ticket right here, some snacks and a book to read on the plane, all my college stuff is in this pocket, and I have the address to my dorm so I can take a cab over from the airport in Durham. I am as ready as I can be." "Don't sass your Aunt now boy." Uncle Dave said to me. "I apologize Uncle Dave I was not attempting to sass anyone. My apologies to you as well Aunt Jamie." I said quickly. "Well you mind your manners up in that preppy school, if I find out you are being rude to people I will pull you out and bring you right home. Do I make my self clear boy?" Uncle Dave said with his face in serious mode to show me that he wasn't kidding. "Yes Sir. Crystal clear Uncle Dave." "Oh Dave leave the boy alone he is just excited and nervous about his new school. He will be perfectly nice to everyone." Aunt Jamie said. As if saved by the bell the flight I had been waiting for was called, I got up hugged my aunt shook my uncle's out reached hand and headed to the gate, this was it the start of my whole new life, I could hardly wait. The flight was long and totally boring, but finally I arrived in Durham New Hampshire, home to my new home the University of New Hampshire. I got my bags, hailed a cab and was off to the dorms. The cabbie told me it was a great day in Durham the weather was very pleasant, personally I missed the heat from the Sun it was totally overcast but it was pretty nice. I suppose I would get use to it in a few days. The cabbie pulled up to my dorm building and helped me to unload my two suitcases and my backpack, after that I went inside to find my new home. I had lucked out and got a scholarship to come to UNH and my only request when I accepted was to have a room to myself, I know it sounds selfish but I really wasn't a people person. Thankfully the college was more then happy to let me have a room alone. So here I was on the top floor, usually for seniors with a dorm room to myself, with its own personal shower. The room was spacious enough, it had two beds in it, and I could use one for like a sofa or something. I looked around the room and thought about the possibilities that presented themselves. Soon I was unpacked and headed down to main office to pick up my class schedule and books and stuff. I also had to report to the bookstore on campus to begin my new job as a part time worker there, just to have some spending cash since my scholarship covered food and books too. That was the real reason I choose to come to UNH because with out all this stuff covered I would never have been able to afford college at all. I think that was why my Aunt and Uncle pushed me so hard, because they knew with out a good start I was never going to be able to go to get a good education and make something of myself. The first five weeks of getting settled and getting ready for school seamed to pass in a blur. I had begun to meet a few people that I saw around the dorms and stuff, and besides work I was usually in my room or the quad or the student union. I suppose I had a lot of people that hung out with me that I wasn't totally sure I would call friends. People have always told me that I have a beautiful face, not handsome or rugged, but beautiful. And staring in the mirror it is a bit on the feminine side though I guess that didn't matter, though it did make me question why some people choose to hang out at my table. I guess it's an adjustment when you go form being the hottest looking guy in the high school in a small town to someone who is just a pretty face in college, though not to sound too full of myself there was only a handful of people that were hotter then me. The three biggest rivals I had if you could say that had just walked into the student union on the first day of classes. They each got their food and headed to the farthest table away form where my friends and I were. "Hey Danny, do you know who those three are?" I asked casually. "You mean the McIntire brothers? They are the sons of one of the best lawyer in this city, possibly the whole state. The tall lanky bean pole is Simon. The more beefy one is Spencer and the last one, by far the girls' choice for hottest guy on campus, and therefore my new enemy is Alexander McIntire." Danny responded. "Alexander, wonder if he goes by Alex or something?" I speculated out loud. "No one calls him anything but Alexander or Mr. McIntire; he hates nick names and won't respond to them in any way." Danny said. I glanced down at my watch. "Crap I got to go." "What's wrong?" My friend Amy said. "I got Chem. in like ten minutes in Alistair Hall." I said as I grabbed up my stuff. "Hey I got Bio. in that same building I will walk with you." Danny said. The two of us sprinted out the door and across the quad to out classes. I just barely made it to class before the teacher, there appeared to only be one seat available so I speed towards it, only to stop short. There in the very next seat was Alexander McIntire in all his gloriousness. I took a deep breath and tried to stop myself form doing or saying anything that would cause me to have to drop out of class. See I had a few secrets and one of those was that no matter how much my Aunt and Uncle hated the very thought that I was who I was, never the less I am gay. I thought Alexander was the most beautiful thing in the whole world. He was six foot two, I would guess since he was sitting at the time. His hair was chocolate brown, and he was so very pale, like a porcelain doll or something. He had his eyes trained on the front of the room so I couldn't be sure of the color or anything. "You planning on sitting down or standing though the class?" He said to me. Even though the words were a little harsh and cold, his voice was soft and warm, it made me want to hear him say anything else. I sat down and got ready for the class, about halfway though the class I noticed that he had stopped taking notes and seemed to have this almost painful expression on his face. His hands were balled up into fists. Before I could ask was there anything wrong the teacher dismissed the class and he was up and gone in a flash. Bewildered I headed to my next class. I was upset, I wanted to be offended but instead I was a little sad, as though I had lost a friend even before making one. I finished up my day of classes and headed over to the bookstore to work my shift. "Hey Johnny." "Yeah Rich?" I responded. Rich was my boss if that could be the proper term, he preferred to think of himself as the team leader type. "Can you run these requisitions up to the administration office?" He said holding out the stack of pages. "No prob, Boss." I grinned back at him; Rich hated being called `The Boss'. He glared at me as I took the pages. It only took me a few minutes to get to the administration office. As I walked in I was surprised to see Alexander standing there. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE ARE NO OTHER TIMES AVAILABLE?" He shouted at the receptionist. She seamed to cower in fear. "I...I am sorry, but all the slots for Chem. are full at this time." She said to him. "I AM NOT GOING TO HAVE THIS MESS UP MY STUDIES." He shouted at her again. Just then a breeze came up behind me and I realized I was standing there with the door wide open. Alexander seamed to stiffen as if he knew I was behind him. "Fine I will just have to suffer though it I guess." He said through gritted teeth and stormed away form the counter, in a matter of seconds he was gone. I dropped of the forms with the lady and hurried back to the bookstore, eager to take my mind off of what had happened. "Johnny, man what happed to you, you look like someone has just run over you puppy." Danny said to me. "It kind of feels like that." I said back. "Have you ever had someone hate you for no apparent reason?" I asked. "Not that I know of." He responded. "Why do you ask?" "I think that Alexander McIntire hates me. He was in the admissions office trying to change Chem. class, but there were no other ones available." I responded. "I am sure you are reading too into this Johnny. Maybe it had nothing to do with you." Danny said. And maybe it had everything to do with me, I thought to myself, I planned to confront Alexander and find out for myself. The next few days were total blurs as I waited for Chem. class so I could talk to Alexander, but when I got there he was no where in sight. He missed the next few classes too, just when I had begun to think that I had run him off and he wasn't going to come back to class, there he was in all his beauty. I still couldn't decide if I was ticked off, or just didn't care anymore. So I just dropped into my seat beside him. "Hello I don't believe we have been formally introduced, I am Alexander McIntire. And you are?" He said turning to me. I felt like I would melt into a puddle right then and there, his eyes were the color of caramel. "I'm Jonathan Miller, but most people call me Johnny." I said. I felt the heat and knew I was blushing. The heated words I wanted to say a week ago died in my throat. All I could think was that he was actually talking to me. There was a few minutes left before the start of class and Alexander seamed in no hurry to stop talking. "So what brought you to UNH?" He asked. "Mostly the scholarship, that and the chance to get away." I said. "Parents really strict?" He asked me, his caramel colored eyes filled with what looked like concern. "No my parents died when I was five years old, I live with my aunt and uncle and yes they can be very strict." I replied. "I am sorry." He said. "Hey not your fault, besides now I am free to find my own way in this world, and no one will stop me." I said. "Sounds like a plan to me." Alexander said. "Problem is I am not sure where to start, or even how to start this new journey." I said dejected. "I am sure opportunity is just waiting to knock on your door." He said reassuringly. "Thanks Alexander." I said. Suddenly a chill blast of air ran over my skin as the teacher walked into the room. I noticed that Alexander had stiffened and seamed to be in pain. His beautiful eyes were locked to the front of the room. "Alexander? Are you okay?" He didn't respond, his hands were balled into fists. I reached out to touch his arm, to comfort him or something. He jerked his arm away from me before I could touch him. I slumped back into my seat, it seamed the jerk had taken over again. As I was expected he bolted the second the teacher dismissed the class. I sighed and wondered if I was a masochist for wanting to have some form of a relationship with him. I headed out of the class thinking I would head to the student union for a soda or something. "We shouldn't be friends." Alexander said, he was leaning against the wall outside of the class. "Then why bother talking to me at all?" I said heatedly. "I said we shouldn't be friends I never said I didn't want to." He replied. "I don't know if you are trying to play me, or what but your mood swings are really starting to get on my nerves." I said. "Maybe it would be best if we weren't friends." I added. "I think it's too late for that." He replied. "What do you mean?" "I feel very protective of you." He replied. "I don't want to see any harm come to you." "What do you mean, very protective?" I asked confused. "Just what I mean, I would truly hate for something bad to happen to you." He said evenly. "You are starting to scare me." I said seriously. "Good you need a good scare once in a while." Alexander said just as seriously. "I have to go." I said suddenly a little afraid of him. "I will see you later." He said sounding like an old friend. That night was the first night I dreamed of Alexander McIntire. I didn't remember much of it the next morning, just that I was kind of afraid, but still happy and feeling kind of safe. The next few days were a bit weird for me, Alexander seamed to pop up every time I turned around. I was starting to feel like he was stocking me, it wouldn't have been so bad if he would just talk to me every once in a while. The most I got out of him lately was a "Hello" or an "I'll see you later." By the end of the week it was really starting to bother me. I woke up on Friday I decide that enough was enough. "Hello Jonathan," Alexander said smoothly as I came out of the dorms main entrance. "Alexander we really need to talk." I said not smiling. "But you will be late to class, we can talk at lunch." He suggested. "I don't care; I can be late to class, or not even go. It doesn't' matter." I said heatedly. "It does matter, and I do care." He said. Alexander grabbed me around my wrist and was pulling me down the walk way. "Alexander stop, I don't care about that. I just need to talk to you." I shouted, as I planted my feet. "Jonathan if you continue on like this you will be very late." Alexander insisted. He pulled again, I pulled back. "Jonathan why are you being so difficult about this?" He asked. "Alex you are the one being difficult." I said exasperated. He stopped and dropped my wrist. "What did you call me?" "I said `Alex'" I responded. "My name is Alexander; I don't like to have my name shortened." He said quickly, seams I found a sore spot for him. "Well if it will get you to listen then I will use what I can." I said. "Fine you don't care about your education, then neither do I." Alexander said. "You want to talk fine so talk." He said huffily crossing his arms over his chest. His perfect chest. "Alexander, can't we go somewhere quiet to talk?" I asked. "Fine, the Student Union is usually quiet around this time." He said. He turned on a dime and strode off at a brisk pace. I let a small sigh escape my lips, and started after him. Alexander had stopped and seamed to wait for me, he fell into step with me as I passed him, neither of us said anything. Once we made it to the Union he led me to the table he and his brothers typically sat at. I felt a little weird, like somehow his brothers knew I was intruding on their space. "Alexander why are you so angry with me?" I said tentatively. "I told you Jonathan, I feel very protective of you." He said exasperated. "What does that have to do with skipping class; no harm is going to come to me that way." I said. "Yes it does." He responded. "You endanger your education and that could lead to all kinds of harm." He added. "I hardly think that missing one class is going to be the down fall of my education, Alex." I said, and he scowled at me. "However I can see your point, so I apologize Xander." I said with just a hint of a smile. "Xander? First you disrespect me by calling me Alex even though you know I don't like it and now you are going to change names and start calling me Xander." He seethed with anger. "Don't you have any respect for an individual's choice?" He added. "I hardly think you should be lecturing me on morals, Xander." I said somewhat more harshly then I had intended. "What is that suppose to mean?" He asked his perfect eyebrows pulled up in confusion. "You mean besides the fact that you have been practically stocking me for the past week?" I said accusingly. "What do you mean stocking?" he said. "Well if it wasn't for the grunts in response to questions or the odd `Hi' I get from you. This is probably the longest we have talked." I said feeling a little sad. "Come to think of it you are right. I have been so focused on how to protect you that I sort of..." He trailed off. "Forgot that I was actually here?" I suggested trying not to show or feel how that hurt me. "Yeah something like that, I haven't been a good friend, have I?" he asked. "You have just barely been a friend at all, and I would really like for you to be one." I said quietly. "After all I don't have too many real friends." I said. "Jonathan I am so so sorry. You have no idea how sorry I am." Alexander said. "Maybe we can start over again and I can show you that I can be a real friend." He added. "I would really like that Xander." I said with a grin, he grimaced at the name I used. "You are never going back to Alexander are you?" He said, with just a hint of a smile. "Nope never." I said this time smiling broadly. "Even though I hate being called by nicknames?" He asked innocently. I thought about it for a minute or two and realized he was right, I wasn't respecting him and that wasn't right. The smile left my face and I felt my shoulders drop down; I looked at the table and said. "Your right Alexander, I won't say it again." I felt like such a stupid fool he was too great a guy to be tied up with me. I could only hope that he realizes that soon and makes a break for it. "Jonathan?" I just kept looking at the table, I felt like if I looked at his perfectly handsome face I would just start crying. "Jonathan look at me." He said. I blinked a few times and then looked up at his face, and sure enough a tear slid down my face. "Thomas what's wrong? Please talk to me." He said. "It's nothing, just me being my stupid self." I said quietly. "You are not stupid. Surely this can't all be about one nickname, can it?" He asked. "I just kind of liked the idea of having a nickname that only I could use." I said sadly. "I never thought about it like that, thought the idea isn't horrible to me. That is if only you get to say the name." He smiled at me. "You promise Xander? I can really call you that and you won't make that face?" I was beyond happy and I couldn't quite figure out why. "I promise Jonathan." "You know you could call me Johnny." I suggested. "But everyone else calls you that." He corrected me. "I suppose that is true." I answered back at him with a smile. I realized this conversation was starting to get just a bit too personal. I suddenly yawned. "What's wrong? Are you not getting enough sleep?" Xander asked concerned. "Still getting use to a strange bed in a strange place." I lied; after all I couldn't tell him that I was dreaming of him almost every night. "I think this whole day is a wash." I said. "Maybe I will just go back to the dorm and take a nap, I feel very drained." I said. "Can I escort you back to the dorms?" Xander said. "Just as a friend." He amended. "Sure that would be great." I said. We walked back to the dorms in a peaceful silence. Not all secrets had been revealed but at least the door was now open. I went inside and was quickly asleep, once more I dreamed of Xander. I dreamed he was holding me in his arms forever. The next day dawned clear and bright, for the first time almost a week the Sun shined down on the campus. I quickly made my plans for the day; I threw on some old cloths and hoped on a bus that took me as far as I could go. I started hiking when I was just a kid, trying to get out form under the rules of my Aunt and Uncle's house. I had my pack with me; in it was some food, my canteen of water, a first aid kit, and a raincoat, since I knew how quickly the weather changed here in New Hampshire. I hiked for hours, till the clouds started to cover the sky again. I looked up the mountain side and saw a glimmer of something, like sunlight hitting a diamond. I blinked but it was gone as the clouds had now covered up the Sun. Then I sad him, Xander was way up the mountain, I wondered how he got up so high. "XANDER!" I yelled cupping my hands over my mouth His head popped up and he looked my way, I couldn't tell if it was the light but he looked mad or annoyed. I backed up to get a better look and heard him shout down to me. "NO! JOHNNY DON'T BACK UP!" But it was too late, I was already stepping back and my foot just hit air. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed as I slipped off the cliff face. I grabbed madly and managed to grab a root that slammed me back into the cliff wall. My breath was knocked out of me, my left ankle hit the wall and all I could feel was pain. It was like the whole world was in slow motion. Even though I couldn't breath I could see my grip on the root slipping. I didn't want to look down, because I knew it was a long long way down. "JOHNNY HANG ON!" I heard shouted above me. I looked up but couldn't see him any more. I desperately tried to take a breath; I saw my grip slip a little more. And I knew that somehow that I was going to die. Ironically there wasn't any fear, only a feeling of sadness that Xander would be alone. My hand finally slipped form the root, I couldn't even scream. When out of no where a pale white hand grabbed my wrist with a steel like strength. "Hold on to me!" The voice said, I looked and my eyes about popped out of my head. It was Xander! Suddenly air rushed back into my body, I took a deep breath. "Xander? Please help me!" I cried, and I knew that tears were streaming down my face. "I got you Johnny, I won't let you fall." He said. "Xander, my ankle hurts; I don't think I can climb back up." I think I was becoming hysterical. "Calm down Johnny, take a deep breath, I will pull you up. Grab my wrist with your free hand and don't let go." He said. I grabbed on and was shocked, his skin was like ice. "Just hold on." Xander said. I gripped his wrist as tight as I could. He pulled and with strength I would never have thought he had, he pulled me up. Xander got me back onto the ground, but when my feet touched the ground my ankle gave out. If it wasn't for the fact that Xander still had his hands on my wrists I probably would have pitched right over the side of the cliff again. "Lets get you down on the floor and I will look at your ankle." Xander said as he helped me to the ground. "Let me get that boot off you, so I can get a look Johnny." He said. "Please don't it hurts." I cried. "Do you trust me Johnny?" Xander said. "Of course I do, you just saved my life." "Then trust me now, you might have broken it." He said. "I will try not to hurt you." Xander added. I gently lifted my leg up and he grasped my leg above the ankle with one hand and untied and removed my hiking boot and sock with his other hand. His cold hands felt so good on my skin, he carefully examined my ankle. "Now I am no doctor but it looks like you might have a fracture. I need to get you to a hospital quickly." Xander said, he continued to check my ankle, putting light pressure here and there. Suddenly he hit "the" spot. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed then promptly blacked out. I became aware of people talking, no not talking arguing. "Sir, I simply must insist that you leave this room this instance." A harsh old sounding voice said heatedly. "So long as he is in that bed, I am not leaving this room." Another voice said, it was smooth, velvety, but hard as steel and very familiar. I realized with a start that it was Xander's voice. My nose told me I was in a hospital; it had those typical hospital smells. Wait, what had Xander said? In a bed? That must be me. Why was I in a hospital bed? Then it all came rushing back to me, I had been hiking and nearly fell to my death. Things were kind of a jumble in my head, I wasn't totally sure of stuff anymore. Had I fallen and hit my head? I didn't want to `wake up' just yet; I wanted to see what would happen with the mean voice and my Xander. That thought brought me up short, when had he become my Xander? "Young man if you will not leave this room I will have to call security and have you taken out." The mean voice said. I wanted to shout to Xander to go, not because I wanted him to leave but because I didn't want him to get into trouble. "Grrrrrr." It almost sounded like Xander was growling at the guy. "I told you no one will make me leave this room unless Jonathan asks me to leave." Xander said fiercely. "Alexander I am sure that won't be necessary, now will it Dr. Gladson?" A new voice said, it sounded almost as musical as Xander's voice did. "Dr. McIntire, what are you doing here? This is none of your concern." Dr. Gladson said harshly. Dr. McIntire? I wonder if that is Xander's father. "Actually that isn't quiet true anymore, Dr. Gladson. Since young Jonathan has a pretty bad head inure, the chief of staff asked me to take over for him, here is the memo." Dr. McIntire said. "Also there should be no trouble about Alexander being in here since Jonathan has no family here and his aunt and uncle didn't seam to really care, my wife and I have agreed to be foster parents to him till he is one hundred present again. And here is the paperwork on that you will see that Judge Watson has already signed everything." He added, if I didn't know better I would almost think that he was smiling and enjoying himself with this. However one thought did catch in my head, my aunt and uncle didn't care that I was hurt? I fought with myself to keep my face still and continue to appear sleeping. "Fine Dr. McIntire I wash my hands of the whole thing, you take care of him form now on." Dr. Gladson said and stormed out the room. I was so glad to have that negativity gone. "Dad you really didn't have to go though all this." Xander said. "Yes I did. Your mother and I care a great deal about you. And you seam to care a great deal about Jonathan." Dr. McIntire said. "Dad shush, he will hear you." "Alexander he is out cold." "No Dad he has been faking for about ten minutes now. Listening to every word." I knew I was busted. "Not every word, more like every other word." I said as I opened my eyes, blinked and quickly shut them again. "Wow way too bright." I said. I heard a couple of clicks and figured that they had turned down the lights. "Jonathan, you can open your eyes again." Dr. McIntire said. "I prefer Johnny." I responded as I opened them again, and looked around. Typical hospital room, white and with nothing on the walls but medical stuff and charts. "Alexander calls you Jonathan though." Dr. McIntire said. "But only he gets to call me that, like I call him Xander." I said. Dr. McIntire was a lot younger then I expected. He had to have been somewhere in his forties but could have easily passed for early thirties. He was tall, very pale like Xander, with the same golden eyes and dark hair. He was truly beautiful. "I see, well then please accept my apologizes Johnny." He said. "And you can call me Dr. McIntire, Dr. M, Arthur, or Dad if you wish." He added. "I think I will go with Dr. M for now." I said. "Very good, now we have a few tests to run on you before you get to check out of out palatial hotel here." Dr. M said with a smile. "Thankfully your ankle was not broken, merely very badly sprained. However you did hit your head pretty hard when you passed out." He said. "Jonathan I am so sorry, I thought I had killed you." Xander was visibly shaken. "Xander don't even worry about that, if it wasn't for you, I would be a spattering on the floor of that cliff." I said, I held out my hand to him and was surprised that he quickly grabbed it. His hands were still cold as ice. Dr. M pulled out a pen light clicked it on and checked my eyes. "Everything seams to be in order however we will need to keep you hear a day or two for observations, and I am sorry to say that means you have to be awoken every few hours to be checked on." Dr. M said. "I will watch over him Dad. Jonathan can sleep in between exams." Xander said. "Thanks son, I will be back in a few hours, if you have any problems before that, call the nurse and Xander call my phone I will be here a soon as I can be." Dr. M said. "Sure thing Dad." Xander said, he pulled out of my handhold to stand up and give his dad a hug. He then said back in the chair right by the head of the bed. "Jonathan you should get some sleep, or are you in any pain?" He asked. "No I don't feel any pain." I lied it was just a dull throbbing ache all over my body. "But I do have a few questions." I said. "Later." Xander insisted. "No now, or I call the nurse and have you tossed out." I threatened. His eyes got really wide, and there was a look of hurt and pain in them. I immediately regretted saying it that way. "You would really do that?" "Probably not, but I still want some answers." I said. "Like how did you get to me so fast?" "Jonathan, I was right behind you, we had been hiking up there together remember." He said smoothly. "No you weren't you were halfway up the cliff, I remember cause I was shouting at you when I slipped." I insisted. "It was like you just appeared out of thin air." I added. "No one will believe you if you tell such an outlandish tale." Xander said with a hint of anger in his voice. "I wasn't going to tell anyone, I just want to know what happened." "I saved your life, can't you just thank me and let it go." He said. "I do thank you. I am forever grateful you saved me." I said quickly. "But you aren't going to let this go are you?" "No I want to know what is really going on." I said. "Get use to disappointment." He said. Xander stood up then. "Where are you going?" I said, horror filling my mind that I had finally run him off. "You said you wanted to be alone if you didn't get answers so I am going." He said, as he headed for the door. "NO!" I screamed, clutching wildly at anything I could grab. "Please don't leave me here. I don't want to be alone." I was sobbing. Xander was by my side again in a flash, his cool hands on my face. "Okay Jonathan, calm down, I will stay here I promise." "Please don't ever say you are leaving me again." I sobbed. Xander gently wrapped his arms around me and held on to me tightly. "I promise, now please get some sleep." He said. I breathed in his intoxicating scent and was quickly drifting off to sleep. Of two things I was totally sure of, one that Xander McIntire had a secret and I was going to find it out. And two that I was totally and utterly in love with him. I dreamed of him again, that he was holding me in his arms again. "I love you." I said in my dream. "Who do you love?" A velvety smooth voice asked. "Xander, I love Xander." I responded in my dream. "And I love you Jonathan." I dreamed of him saying to me.