To My Readers:

Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. Personal issues have occupied my mind and time and created "writer's block". I hope this chapter was worth waiting for.

CJ Chapter 49

Chris's mind was a blur during the social gathering after his initiation into the Delta Delta Delta Fraternity. He kept looking at the beautiful membership pin on his chest and felt like he was dreaming. Since the day he found out that Saul Bernstein was a member of the fraternity, he had dreamed about joining. He always wanted to earn the right to become a member and had refused B's help in getting a pledge bid. Now he was a member, and it felt like a large burden had been lifted off his shoulders. He was still light headed and wondered how things would change between him and Mike.

"He's still zoned out," Mike said to Saul. "I was completely different when my pledgeship ended. I remember how excited I was when I got my membership pin. I went nuts and got roaring drunk! He's barely talking to anyone."

"I told you that Chris is a very emotional young man," Saul offered. "You and I can't relate to what he's feeling right now. For most of his life he was told that he was worthless and a mistake. He spent 12 years in an orphanage not knowing who his mother or father was. We can't even imagine what that was like and what permanent scars he has on his emotional heart. Being on an athletic team gave him a feeling of fellowship, but it was nothing like becoming a brother. Teams break up after the season is over, but now he's got you as his lover along with brotherhood that will last the rest of his life. We need to be very gentle with him until he accepts this change in his life. I'm concerned about him right now and I know that you're the key to get him through this."

Saul and Mike walked up to Chris and gave him hugs. They were both surprised how tightly Chris held onto them and tried to fight back his tears.

"I think you and your Big Brother need to go outside and talk for a while," B said to Chris. "Mike will always be your Big Brother and someone you can share your feelings with. I'm your dad and will always take time to listen to you too. Please go with Mike and try to relax."

Chris nodded and followed Mike through the fraternity and into the beautiful Japanese garden. He sat next to Mike and let Mike hold both of his hands.

"Some things have changed, but others haven't," Mike said to Chris. "You don't have to kiss any asses now. You have equal status with a bunch of guys who love you and will support you for the rest of your life. I remember how weird I felt when I was initiated. In a way I wanted to remain a pledge because pledging was fun, especially whacking members to get even with them. You guys set the bar high for any future pledge classes. You might feel that you lost something today, but when you accept your new status, you'll be much happier and realize that you have gained thousands of brothers across the nation. Pledging is tough because it has to be. You made the sacrifices to earn the right to wear that pin and our Greek letters. I'm so proud of you that I feel like I'm gonna explode!"

"Will things change between you and me?" Chris asked. It was the longest series of words he had spoken since he was initiated.

"Some things will," Mike said honestly. "You don't have to call me Mr. Mahley anymore. I'll always be your Big Brother in addition to being your lover. You honored our fraternity when you wore a pledge pin during your athletic competition and now you will be accepted into any chapter in the nation. The main thing that won't change is how much I love you. Four years ago you opened up to me and shared some of the terrible things that happened to you before you were 12 years old. You risked your life to save mine, and I still don't think I've thanked you properly for that. You saved Joe McClure's life and almost died when those Phi Tau's retaliated. Fate brought us together and now good things are happening for both of us. We can get through this together."

"I'm afraid of the future," Chris admitted.

"I can feel your fear," Mike admitted. "No matter what life throws at us, we have each other to rely on. I loved the time you were a pledge and my Little Brother, but we have to go forward as brothers, and that should be even better. We can still remember the past but we can't focus on it if we want to live life to the fullest. Everything that happened in the past was necessary to get us where we are today."

"B always said that to me too," Chris said. "I feel like I could hurl right now. I always wanted to become a member, but now I feel weak and vulnerable. I thought I was gonna get in bed with you tonight and blow your head off with my MSB. Now all I wanna do is have you hold me."

"My ass will always be there for your load," Mike said. "Let's go back inside and say goodbye to our visitors, then cuddle in our bed. We'll have plenty of time for sex when you accept this big change. Just know that my love for you is unconditional."

Chris hugged Mike and followed him back inside the fraternity. He had trouble talking to people but didn't have any problem with giving out a lot of warm hugs.

"Take care of my boy," Helen said to Mike after hugging Chris and him.

Saul was concerned about Chris and asked Mike to call him the next day to let him know how Chris was doing. He watched his son leave the party and hoped that Chris would calm down and accept his new status.

Mike helped Chris undress and then got in bed with him. He pulled the huge body to his and hugged Chris gently. He kissed the top of Chris's head and said a prayer of thanksgiving for having the special guy in his life. He could feel Chris's tears on his chest and snuggled closely and drifted off to sleep, holding the most valuable person in his life.

"Time to get up, sleepyhead," Mike said while gently shaking Chris to wake him up.

"I'm exhausted," Chris admitted.

"That was a wild weekend for all of us," Mike replied. "Now we have to get cleaned up and go to our classes and sleep."

"You better stay awake and learn to be a doctor," Chris teased. "Your professors might say something that you'll need to save someone's life."

"It's nice to hear you teasing me again," Mike admitted. "Let's hit the showers and see if any dicks grew last night. I think our friend Cody smoked a Police Chief yesterday. Do you think he'll tell us the truth?"

"Don't go there," Chris cautioned. "If Cody messed around, it's his personal business. I blew you during the Open House but you didn't go around bragging to anyone. I still can't believe that you tossed us both out of bed when you popped your nuts!"

Mike and Chris showered and ate breakfast before heading for their classes. They both felt better after the intensity of the Initiation Ceremony, and were ready for a new day.

Chris was feeling much better after his classes when he headed for the Athletic Complex for basketball practice. Marcus Knight and the basketball players warmly greeted him.

"Now we can get back to business," Marcus yelled to his players. "O'Brien, you're back to forward so we can see if Hammer remembers anything that I've tried to teach him about playing center for us."

Marcus pushed his team hard during the practice, and was extremely pleased at what he saw. Of course he wouldn't tell his players that, and called them a bunch of lazy bums before ending the practice. He pulled Chris aside after the team left for the locker room for a private conversation.

"Are you ready to travel with us to North Carolina?" Marcus asked Chris. "The Duke Blue Devils are ranked Number 2 in the nation and think they can humiliate us in their home court. You're a little rusty, but I think you can really help us on Wednesday."

"I had a rough week," Chris admitted. "You saw the Open House when you were there, but last night I was initiated into the fraternity. I'm starting to calm down after initiation and I'll work hard to earn a spot on your team. I've dreamed about playing basketball for you ever since I was 15."

"You've already earned the right to start on Wednesday night," Marcus said. "I'm talking to you as your friend right now, not as your coach. You and I both know that you could have been drafted into the NBA right out of high school. Now that football is over until the bowl game, I need you to focus on basketball. There are 11 guys in that locker room who are depending on you to get your act together. Jermaine told me that you were very emotional about the initiation. He's really concerned about you and how you handle becoming a member instead of being a pledge and he asked me to talk with you. This team has more talent than any team I've ever coached and we can do great things if we work together and help each other. I'm your friend and will always make time if you need someone to talk to. Your teammates are excited about you playing and they expect great things from you. I know you won't let any of us down."

"Thanks, Marcus," Chris said. He gave his friend and coach a big hug and then headed for the locker room. He was determined to work hard to help the basketball team.

Chris was sore after the intense basketball practice, but he was also energized. He was starting to accept the changes in his life and looked forward to getting back to the fraternity to see Mike. He was just leaving the Athletic Complex to walk to the fraternity when his cell phone rang. He recognized the number and was pleased to take the call.

"Hi Dad," Chris said to Saul.

"How're you doing?" Saul asked. He was concerned about his son after talking to Mike and hearing that Chris was better but still very reserved.

"I think reality is sinking in now," Chris replied honestly. "I just finished basketball practice and had a nice chat with Marcus. I'm gonna travel with the team to the Duke game and Marcus said I'll start!"

"That's fantastic!" Saul exclaimed. "Do you want to call the Carpenters and give them the good news or do you want me to call?"

"I'll call them," Chris promised. "I wanna tell them that I'm done with kissing the asses of the members around here!"

Saul was relieved that Chris was back to normal. He promised to change his schedule so he could fly to North Carolina for the critical basketball game. He had some important phone calls to make to friends who wanted to know when Chris would play his first basketball game for the CSU Falcons.

Chris walked to the fraternity with Brendan and Jermaine. The three guys teased each other about the practice and how things would change around the fraternity with no pledges to do all of the work. When they walked up the long driveway to the fraternity house, they noticed that all of the special cars were gone.

"Your cars stole the show yesterday," Jermaine admitted. "We were all jealous that the lowly pledges got to drive those awesome cars!"

"It was a blast to see that Impala!" Brendan admitted. "Do you have any other special cars like that?"

"I'm having a 1957 Nomad converted into a limousine," Chris admitted. "Jim bought a 1932 Ford for me that he wants converted into a street rod with tons of chrome and a huge engine. He's always updating the collection now that I can't go to the auctions. Jim and B are making plans for a car museum to display what I collected. They found some property around here that they think would work, but I'm staying out of the decisions."

The three guys got inside the fraternity and were warmly greeted by their brothers. Mike was waiting for Chris and gave him a hug and kiss. He could tell that Chris was feeling better and was now joking around with everyone.

"It's good to see you back to normal" Mike said to Chris. "I've got this itch inside my ass that needs a big weenie to scratch it!"

"You're a slut!" Chris teased. "I'll buy you a big French Tickler so you can leave me alone; I need my beauty rest!"

"HAH!" Mike replied. "Little Chris needs to unload, and I'm the guy who's gonna take care of him!"

"Did Mike tell you what happened today?" Nathan asked Chris. The puzzled look on Chris's face told him that the answer was "No".

"Nathan and I had a little trouble when we had lunch at the Jacobs Dorm," Mike admitted.

"What happened?" Chris asked both Mike and Nathan.

"This asshole had been teasing me about being little and looking young when we were in the food line," Nathan began. "I was carrying my tray of food to a table and the jerk tripped me and my food went all over the place when I hit the floor. Mike was walking behind me and called the jerk `a shithead' and then things got bad. The guy stood up and took a swing at Mike after calling him `a fucking fudge packer'. Mike dropped his tray of food, punched the asshole and knocked him out cold! It was awesome!"

"Who the fuck was that guy?" Chris demanded. "I'm gonna go pay him a visit right now!"

"Chill out Little Brother," Mike said. "I can take care of myself. I learned to fight with Jake from the day I was born. I sure as fuck don't need you to fight my battles for me!"

"His name is Tom Watson," Nathan added. "Two of the cafeteria people saw everything along with one of the dorm advisors. Campus Security was called and they took the asshole away. I just heard that he's been in trouble before for harassing gay people. You should have been there to see Mike kick the shit out of him though! Mike knocked him out cold! Everyone in the dining room was cheering for Mike!"

"Jesus Mike, why didn't you call me?" Chris asked.

"I knew you had classes and practice today," Mike replied. "I didn't want to upset you. Tom Watson got what he deserved after fucking with Nathan. You and I are `Out' to the world now, but I don't like homophobes and bullies. Nathan and I'll let CSU take care of him and you have to do the same."

Chris was upset that Nathan and Mike had been victimized by a homophobe and still wanted to go and find the guy to beat his ass.

"I'm glad you were there to help Nathan," Chris said to Mike. "Fighting should be the last resort, but when I think about you guys being attacked, I really get pissed!"

"Save your energy for some intense bonding tonight," Mike teased.

"Let's eat," Tom Jankowski announced. "You two can take care of your personal needs later tonight."

"I want you to put a double lip lock on my love muscle tonight," Chris whispered to Mike. "I've waited so long to cum that my jizz will come out like yogurt!"

"God I love it when you talk dirty to me!" Mike exclaimed. "We've all been worried about you since last night but I can tell that you're back to being my horny lover!"

Things did change around the fraternity. House duties were posted on the bulletin board and all of the members were included. Anyone available helped set the tables for meals, and guests were still given special services during the meals by the members.

Chris and Mike helped clear the tables after supper and then went to their room to study. Isaac and Leif came into the room and hit the books until Alex came in with his Frisbee. The big dog was demanding that someone go outside and play with him, and Isaac volunteered to spend time with the fraternity mascot.

"I think I'll go join Isaac and let you guys have some privacy," Leif said. He left the room after hanging the sign on the door to give his roomies some privacy.

"I need a blowjob!" Chris announced to Mike. "Do your medical books tell you how to suck a dick properly?"

"I don't think I need any book to tell me how to suck your dick," Mike teased. "I want to undress you and show you how much I love you."

Chris was pleased and surrendered to Mike's wishes. He let Mike undress him and enjoyed the gentle way that Mike removed his clothes and kissed the areas exposed. He relaxed and let Mike take care of his sexual needs by kissing and licking intimate parts of his body. When Mike pulled down his boxers, his large cock slapped against his muscular belly. He groaned in a combination of lust and pain when his erect cock was subjected to the release.

"This is mine!" Mike shouted when he grabbed Chris's cock and pulled it to his mouth. He pulled back the long foreskin and bathed the large knob with his mouth. He slurped down the copious precum that was flowing out of Chris's member and knew that he was in control of their sexual adventures tonight. He knew that Chris could break him in half without working up a sweat, but he also knew that he was usually in control when they shared their sexual adventures. He worked magic with his tongue and loved tasting the intimate flavors of his big lover.

"God Mike that feels incredible!" Chris exclaimed. "I'm not gonna last long if you keep sucking me like that!"

"I'm in charge and you won't cum until I let you!" Mike commanded. "Lift up your legs and show me your asshole!"

Chris was surprised that Mike was being so assertive and lifted his legs in submission. He felt Mike's tongue licking under his scrotum and heading for his rosebud. He moaned when he felt the tongue of his lover circle his anus before licking directly on his manhole.

"Your ass belongs to me!" Mike exclaimed. He licked his finger and smeared saliva around the puckered ring of Chris's love hole before plunging it inside. He ran his finger in and out of Chris's hole and returned to sucking the dripping cock of his lover. Each time he stroked over Chris's prostate gland he was rewarded with more precum to slurp down.

Chris realized that Mike had control for most of the times that they shared sex. It was a surprise to him when his Big Brother demanded access to his anus, and he submitted. He loved Mike and realized that when they were making love, Mike was going to be in charge. He felt a second and then a third finger enter his love hole and waited for Mike to fuck him. When the three fingers were removed, he felt empty. He longed for the fingers to return to stretch his love hole and probe deep inside his body. He felt the special applicator enter his body and felt the lubricant coat his insides. He moaned loudly when he felt the head of Mike's cock pop inside his anal passage.

Mike loved Chris and wanted to make love with him on their first night of intimacy since Chris became a brother of Delta Delta Delta. He waited for Chris to accept the size of his manhood before pushing it further inside. The grip and heat of Chris's body was driving him toward orgasm, but he fought to make their lovemaking last. He looked at the handsome face of his lover and saw a mixture of love and lust. He rammed his cock to the hilt and listened to the moans of his life partner. He pulled back and then thrust his cock deep inside Chris's manhole, feeling the clutching muscles massage his shaft of pleasure.

Chris looked into Mike's eyes and saw the lust that filled his lover's body. He felt the pressure of having Mike's large cock ramming in and out of his body and knew that his Big Brother was giving him a fantastic fuck. Each time Mike's cock thrust in, he could feel his prostate gland being hit. All of his senses were focused on the feeling of Mike's thick cock stretching his insides and taking him toward orgasm without touching his own cock.

Mike picked up the pace of his fucking and was rewarded with the moans from his lover's mouth. From their many times of sharing intimacy, Mike knew that Chris was getting close to cumming. He kept slamming his cock to the hilt in Chris's gripping anal passage and felt the walls of Chris's anus begin pulsing. He knew that Chris was going to cum and his own orgasm was imminent.

Chris screamed when he felt his body convulse in orgasm. His huge cock throbbed and ejected the first blast of man juice across his face to splatter against the wall of the room. He hoped that Mike would continue fucking him to fill his ass with warm cum.

Mike's screams of orgasm joined Chris's. The two men were lost to the world while their bodies rewarded them for their intense lovemaking.

Chris could feel the throbbing of Mike's cock flooding his insides with love juice. He fought to stay conscious and enjoy the intensity of his own orgasm and the feelings of unity with Mike. When his orgasm subsided, he tried to open his eyes to look at Mike. Both of his eyes were covered in his own cum that had blasted out of his body. Mike had collapsed on his chest with his dick still buried to the hilt.

"God I needed that!" Mike admitted to Chris. He looked at Chris's face and began laughing. He had never seen that much cum covering his lover's face in all the times they had shared sex. It looked like a dozen guys had jacked off and shot directly on Chris's face.

"Get me a towel!" Chris demanded. Mike was holding Chris's hands to keep him from wiping away any of the love juice that had exploded out of his dick to coat his face.

Mike leaned down and swiped his tongue across Chris's cheek to smear a huge glob of cum to his big buddy's lips. He pushed the fresh cum into Chris's mouth and shared a passionate kiss and the flavor of the baby pudding. He repeated his delivery method several times before pulling his satisfied cock out of Chris's body.

Both guys moaned when Mike's meat was taken out of Chris's oven. Each time they made love their bond of love intensified. They were now both satisfied and needed to clean up.

"Holy fuck!" Isaac exclaimed when he came into the room and saw the cum dripping off from Chris's face. He watched Mike hand Chris a towel to clear his eyes and marveled at the amount of love juice that had covered Chris's face and was running down the wall of their room. "Next time you guys should fuck in the shower room!" he exclaimed.

Chris wiped the semen from his eyes and struggled to get up from the bed. His legs felt like rubber from the intensity of his orgasm and he staggered while trying to clear his vision.

"You guys hit the showers," Isaac suggested. "I'll try to clean up your mess so our room doesn't stink like a jerk off booth in some porno palace."

"How would you know what those booths smell like?" Mike asked. The only answer he got was Isaac's middle finger.

Chris and Mike hit the shower room and enjoyed feeling clean again. They were refreshed and teased each other about the sex they had shared. Chris reminded Mike that he wanted a blowjob and that Mike had complained about an itch. They decided to take care of those needs the next time they made love. They knew that their bodies had the capability to bond several more times that night, but they also knew that practicing moderation made each time sharing sex more exciting. They headed back to their room to sleep together but were treated to a live sex show with Isaac and Cody in a passionate 69, while Leif was fucking Jermaine.

"What a bunch of sluts!" Mike exclaimed.

Chris and Mike watched the hot action and then decided to 69 to take care of the two boners that popped up from watching their fraternity buddies hooking up. They both gulped down the fresh cum and then settled down to sleep.

Tuesday morning, Mike woke Chris up with a kiss on the cheek and a grab of his morning wood. Chris moaned and then tried to clear his head from sleep and a night of sex with his best friend and lover. He kicked Mike out of the bed and laughed when he heard his buddy hit the floor and start cussing at him. Chris got up and slapped Mike on the bare ass before heading across the hall to drain his bladder.

Mike walked up behind Chris when he was urinating and stuck his finger between Chris's ass cheeks. The sensation of having his rosebud probed caused Chris's bladder to stop the flow of urine. Mike laughed and knew he had control of his huge buddy again. He finally relented and allowed Chris to drain his bladder before draining his own.

"You're an asshole!" Chris said to Mike.

Mike laughed and said Chris deserved it for knocking him out of bed. The two guys finished their morning ablutions and got dressed for breakfast and their classes.

The day went fast for Chris. He remembered that he was supposed to call his Boston family about the basketball game and made the call during a break between morning classes. He was excited when Carol Carpenter answered the phone.

"Hi Mom," Chris began. "I've got some news for you."

Carol Carpenter loved hearing Chris call her Mom. She knew that her husband had conceived Chris during an indiscretion when they were having marital problems, but that was all in the past. Now she had a new son to love and be proud of.

"It's great hearing from you son," Carol replied. "What's the news?"

"I'm traveling with the basketball team today for a game with the Duke Blue Devils in North Carolina on Wednesday night," Chris replied. "I was hoping that you might be able to go there. Coach Knight says I'll start as center for the team, and I need someone to cheer for our team. Duke was one of the colleges that tried to recruit me, and I'm sure they will boo like mad when I'm on the court."

"Jonathan isn't here right now, son," Carol said. "He'll be mad that he wasn't here to talk to you. I'll call him and your brothers and sister and give them the good news after we talk. Why didn't you tell us that you were playing quarterback in the last CSU football game? We would have been there."

"I'm sorry about not telling you," Chris replied. "Coach Patrick made me promise not to tell anyone, even Mike or my family. I gave him my word, and I couldn't break it."

"I understand," Carol said. "We were disappointed, but we sure loved watching you perform. We had a bunch of friends over to watch the football game and your sister cheered louder than your brothers. We may have trouble getting tickets for that basketball game, but I think your Dad will find a way."

"Tell him to call B," Chris suggested. "I bet that between my two dads they can find some tickets. I really miss all of you and hope we can see each other soon."

"Thanks for calling, and I promise we'll be there for the game Wednesday night," Carol promised.

Chris was happy that he had the chance to talk to his Mom. He met Mike back at the fraternity for lunch and told him about the phone conversation.

"I'm going to the game too," Mike stated. "I got a seat on the same flight as the team, so you'll have one person who'll cheer for you. I know that there are restrictions on what you guys do when you travel, but I hope you'll spend the night with me in the Sheraton Hotel."

"How did you get all of that information?" Chris asked.

"I'm not stupid!" Mike exclaimed. "I told my professors how important this game was, and they agreed to let me miss a few classes so I can go there. I guess making the Dean's List has finally paid off for me! I called the Athletic Department and found out the details about your flight and hotel."

"I'm really excited about the game," Chris admitted. "Ever since you and Jake brought me to the CSU campus, I've dreamed about playing basketball for Marcus. Tomorrow night my dream comes true!"

Mike and Chris attended the rest of their classes in the afternoon, and headed for the Athletic Complex for the last basketball practice before leaving California for North Carolina. Mike wanted to watch the practice, but Marcus had closed it to everyone, especially the media. He didn't want the Duke team to know that CJ Hammer was going to play, knowing that his star player was going to make a big difference in the game. When he saw Mike in the locker room with Chris, Marcus agreed to let Mike watch the practice. He knew the strong bond of the two male lovers and didn't want to upset the practice for any reason.

Chris thanked Marcus for letting Mike watch the practice and gave him a warm hug. He knew it was a special favor to him to let Mike see what the team had planned for the Duke Blue Devils.

The practice went better than Marcus and his assistant coaches ever imagined. They watched the chemistry between the five starters and knew that they were ready for any basketball team in the nation. Even when substitutes were put into the practice, the team clicked. Marcus couldn't hide his enthusiasm and congratulated the team at the end of the practice.

"If you guys play tomorrow night like you did in this practice, we'll come back to this campus with a victory and a national ranking," Marcus announced. "I'm proud of you men, and tomorrow, the entire country will see just how good you are! Hit the showers!"

Mike waited for Chris to shower after the practice and talked to Marcus. He knew that Chris had pulled some pranks on Marcus, but the two men respected each other.

"Mike Krzyewski is a great coach and personal friend of mine," Marcus said to Mike. "He tried hard to get Chris to go to Duke and play basketball for him. Chris was flooded with offers, but he chose CSU. I've got the top rated freshman class of basketball players in the nation because Chris came here. I can't wait to see how this team clicks in a real game. Shaquille O'Neal is a personal friend of mine, too, and he told me he didn't want to play against Chris in a game. Can you imagine how great I feel right now?"

"I know that Chris is a great athlete," Mike said. "He came to CSU for a lot of reasons. Saul Bernstein never pressured him, but Chris wanted to follow in his Dad's footsteps. I remember the day you guys met. It was a riot to see how he humiliated your starters when he was only 15! Now Chris is a man, and he wants to prove to you and the entire country that his favorite sport is basketball. He's gonna make us all proud of him tomorrow."

Mike and Chris walked back to the fraternity with Jermaine, Brendan and Painter. The guys were all excited about the big basketball game and wanted to share their excitement with their fraternity brothers.

The entire fraternity was excited when their basketball players arrived. The evening meal was very loud with all of the guys wishing that they were traveling to North Carolina for the game. They promised their four brothers that they would watch the game on television and cheer for them.

Chris tried to study after supper, but his mind was focused on the first basketball game of his college career. After reading the same paragraph of a history book three times, he still couldn't remember what he had read. He finally gave up and told Mike that he had to get some exercise or he would go nuts.

"Let's take our mutt and go visit Aunt Millie," Mike suggested. "I'll call her to make sure she isn't busy and would be ready for some company."

Alex was excited about going for a walk with Chris and Mike. He pestered them both with his Frisbee on the way to Aunt Millie's, and was excited to run and retrieve it for another toss.

Aunt Millie was thrilled to have the two men and their dog come for a visit. She met them in the front yard and had some steak bones for her favorite dog, Alex. She understood how Chris was anxious about the basketball game and took her "two boys" into her back yard for lemonade and some conversation.

"I remember when I played volleyball in college," Aunt Millie began. "I was always so anxious before an important game that I was ready to throw up. The only way I could calm down was going for a long run."

"That's what I need!" Chris said to Mike. "Let's take Alex and go for a five mile run!"

Aunt Millie gave both Mike and Chris hugs and kisses before they left. She watched them leave and hoped that they would return soon for another visit. She remembered that Alex had saved her life, and she loved being around the handsome young men of the fraternity. She would brag to her friends that the handsome men had paid her a visit.

Alex was in heaven running with Chris and Mike. The big dog had no trouble keeping up with the young men and could have set a much faster pace on his own. He loved Chris and Mike and wanted to protect them whenever they were outside of the fraternity. He seemed to sense that the fraternity was a haven where his two men were always safe. When he knew that Chris and Mike were safe in the fraternity house, he was free to roam and pester the other members to play with him, but when they were out of the fraternity, he was on guard all of the time.

"I feel a lot better now," Chris said when they had finished running around the CSU campus. "Aunt Millie is a lot smarter than we are."

"There's something that I want to talk to you about," Mike said when they got back to the fraternity. "Let's go out in the garden and talk before we shower."

Chris wondered what was bothering Mike, but agreed to walk to the backyard of the fraternity to talk.

"You've been blessed with athletic prowess and wealth," Mike began. "It's time for you to give back to society for the blessings you've received. There are kids in the hospitals around this state who have terminal illnesses. They would love to have a visit from you and other athletes from CSU."

"I don't think I could handle that," Chris admitted. "I hate hospitals and seeing kids who are dying would tear me apart."

"Stop thinking about yourself," Mike said. "Those kids need something to brighten up their day. They are lying in the hospital taking chemotherapy or other painful treatments with little or no hope of ever having the life of a famous athlete. Don't you remember how it felt to be at St. Mary's Orphanage with no one coming to visit you?"

"Don't ask me to do this," Chris said.

"I'm not asking you to do this," Mike said. "I'm telling you that you need to do this to repay society for the blessings of your life. Just go with me this weekend for one hour and visit some of the kids. My dad and I have talked about this, and we hope that other guys from the CSU teams will visit the kids too. Our fraternity is based on serving the community, and this is a great way for you to set an example."

Chris didn't like Mike putting pressure on him, but he tried to imagine how young kids could face serious illnesses. He decided to visit Mercy General Hospital with Mike the next weekend.

"I've already talked to Jonathan Crawford, CSU President, John Stevens, Athletic Director, and both Marcus Knight and David Patrick," Mike admitted. "They all agree that having athletes visit the Children's Ward is a great idea. They agreed to take time from practices to let the players visit the hospital."

"You set me up!" Chris exclaimed.

"Part of learning how to be a doctor is also learning to be sensitive to what people need," Mike said. "My dad has taught me more about becoming a doctor than all of the professors at CSU could ever hope to teach me. Now I want you to help heal some kids or at least give them some joy in their lives. Yes, I set you up. Now you have to decide if you are just an athlete, or a man willing to take time for others."

Chris thought about his years at the orphanage and realized that Mike was a lot smarter than he was. He did owe something back to society for having Saul Bernstein in his life and finding out about his biological parents. He finally agreed that he would go to the Pediatric Ward of the hospital and visit some of the children.

Chris and Mike walked back inside the fraternity and headed for their room. They both knew that they couldn't exert themselves with a night of intense sex, and headed for the showers before returning to their room. They cuddled together on the big bed and drifted off to sleep with their bodies entwined.

Tuesday morning arrived and the fraternity came to life. Alex was running around tormenting all of the members to wake them up, and the house was filled with laughter and cussing over the antics of their mascot.

Chris and Mike had breakfast and then headed for the airport to meet the basketball team and coaches. The football team always traveled by charter planes, but the smaller basketball team always flew commercial. Chris was thrilled to see B and Helen in the waiting area reserved for passengers waiting to board the flight. He gave his Dad and future Mom hugs and kisses and sat with them to talk. He was surprised to find out that the site for the Car Museum was a vacated Kmart store located near the CSU campus. The vacated store would need renovation, but would have the floor space, sprinkler protection, and parking lot needed to create the museum.

"Are you planning a food court?" Mike asked Saul.

"We haven't thought about that," Saul admitted. "We don't really want a bunch of food or drinks spilled on the cars."

"Why don't you plan a food court in the middle of the museum along with the toilets, security offices, and visitor services," Mike suggested. "You can sell the food and beverages at bargain prices with the understanding that it can't be taken out of the food court. You could hire off-duty Campus Security officers for the security force and CSU students for guides and other workers. I bet John Klein could help with the food services."

"Those are excellent suggestions," Saul said. "I want you on the planning team for the museum!"

"Jeez Mike," Chris began, "You've got some great ideas. I'm impressed!"

"Have you thought of a name for the museum?" Mike asked.

"No," Chris admitted. "I think I have 280 cars stored right now, but I don't know how to show them when we will be selling and buying in the future."

"From what I've seen so far," Mike continued, "I'd suggest that you feature 200 or 250 cars and change them periodically to keep up the interest. How about `Wild Wheels' for a name? Of course, Petunia will be a big hit if you can display it and maybe start it up every few hours. You could group the cars by type and have aisles leading out of the food court like the spokes of a wheel. It would be awesome if you don't charge too much for admission."

"I agree with my Dad that you need to take over this for us," Chris admitted. "Those cars belong to both of us now, and I like your ideas."

Mike loved hearing Chris and Saul give him recognition for his ideas. He hoped that the car museum would be a tourist attraction to get people to the area where they would enjoy seeing the beautiful cars.

The boarding area was alive with the crowd recognizing the athletes of the Falcon basketball team and their coaches. Most of the waiting passengers were adults because the flight was leaving on a Tuesday morning when most children were in school. Chris had several people ask for his autograph, and quickly signed anything they put in front of him. He saw a boy wearing shorts and a T-shirt who looked about 10 standing back from the crowd. A man who Chris guessed was the boy's father was pushing him on the back to approach Chris. The small boy finally walked up to Chris with his eyes down looking at the floor. Chris made a mistake and stood up in front of the boy. The boy's eyes traveled up from Chris's size 20 EEEE shoes until his eyes met Chris's. The boy was so overwhelmed by the size of the huge athlete, that his eyes rolled back and he fainted.

Mike was quick and caught the boy before he hit the floor. He gently cradled the unconscious boy while the father tried to help his son recover. One of the basketball coaches came to help, opened a bottle of breath freshener, and put it close to the boy's nostrils. The boy regained consciousness and started crying. He had wet his shorts and was humiliated by passing out in front of everyone.

"Let me have him," Chris said to Mike. He carried the boy to the bathroom with the father talking to the boy to calm him down. Chris didn't think that anyone knew that the boy had wet himself, but he was concerned about the boy's embarrassment.

"I'm sorry I scared you," Chris said when they got to the Men's Room. "Sometimes I don't realize that my size can scare people. I'm really sorry."

The boy was still sobbing and choked out that he had wet his pants and couldn't go on the airplane with wet shorts. The father knew it was close to boarding time and there was no way they could retrieve their luggage for the boy to change his clothes. He would have to change flights and buy his son some clean clothes.

"I know it isn't a good solution," Chris began, "But I can give you my golf shirt that will hang down below his knees. I can sign it and he can tell people he's wearing it because it has an autograph on it. I have a T-shirt under the golf shirt, and no one will know the difference. He was wearing shorts, so everyone will think he still has them on."

"You'd do that for us?" Tom Brady asked. "Toby has watched every game you played, including the Karate competition. He thinks you are the greatest athlete in the world."

"Do you mean it?" Toby asked.

Chris took off the white golf shirt and used the permanent marker he had in his pocket to write across the front of the shirt, "To my buddy, Toby. Go Falcons!" He handed the autographed shirt to Tom Brady and left the toilet area to let the man clean up his son.

Everyone in the waiting area was concerned about the boy and questioned Chris about him when Chris got back to his family and friends. Mike was the only one who seemed to know that the boy had wet himself, and Chris didn't say anything to embarrass the boy.

Toby Brady walked into the waiting area just as the flight attendant was announcing that the flight was ready for boarding. He was afraid that people would tease him about not wearing his shorts, but the people that saw him saw the autographed golf shirt, couldn't have seen his shorts anyway, and congratulated him on getting Chris's autograph. Fears of being embarrassed were replaced with pride for wearing a shirt that had belonged to his favorite athlete.

During the flight, Toby cautiously approached the area where Chris was seated with the CSU basketball team. He wanted to thank Chris for saving him from humiliation.

Mike saw the boy walking down the aisle and quickly vacated his seat to let the boy talk to Chris alone. He loved Chris and knew that his lover was tuned in to the emotions of other people and needed some private time with the 10-year-old boy.

"I don't know what to say," Toby started. "I've always wanted to get your autograph, but I sure didn't think I would pass out and pee my pants when I met you. I love this shirt, but my dad says we can mail it back to you if you give me your address."

"I gave you that shirt as a gift," Chris said softly to the boy. "That was a permanent marker that I used to write on it, so I don't expect the shirt back. I hope you will watch my first basketball game for CSU and cheer for us."

"We're going to North Carolina because my grandma is sick," Toby admitted. My mom and dad are divorced and I live with my dad. He's a big fan of the Falcons and he told me that some day I might see you. I never expected to be on the same plane with you, and I know my friends in school will be jealous. I'm gonna wear this shirt to school every day when I get back to California!"

"If you give me your address, I'll send you something that will fit better," Chris offered. "It's great to meet fans of the Falcon teams. Why don't you sit down next to me for a while?"

Toby was in heaven. Tom Brady came up with his digital camera and took several pictures of his son sitting with the famous athlete. He knew that famous athletes and celebrities often shunned their fans, but CJ Hammer was completely different.

The flight wasn't full, and Mike realized that Toby wanted to sit next to Chris. He was considerate and found another seat so Chris and Toby could sit together during the entire flight and talk.

Tom Brady saw other people moving around the plane and got a seat across the aisle from Chris and his son. He was happily shocked that Chris would spend so much time talking to his son and joined in for conversation about the basketball team. He felt honored to learn that Chris was going to start at center for the first college basketball game of his life. He and his son promised to keep that information a secret until after the game started. They both knew that they would watch every second of the nationally televised event.

When the flight arrived in North Carolina, Chris gave Toby and Tom Brady hugs. He watched them walk away from the baggage claim area and promised to stay in touch with them.

"You were fantastic with him," Mike said to Chris. "You and I know that he wet his pants and would have been humiliated, but you saved the day for him. You have a real knack with kids, and that's why I want you to help me make life better for other kids. Toby is probably the happiest boy in the world right now!"

"I didn't do that much for him," Chris replied. "I remembered how I felt when I wet my pants when I was at St. Mary's. I just gave him my shirt to cover it up."

"You fucking liar!" Mike blurted out. "You didn't do much? You took off your own shirt to keep him from being embarrassed. I'm so proud of you right now that I can't express myself!"

"Just promise me a blowjob after we win tonight," Chris teased.

Mike laughed and promised Chris the blowjob after the game. He was confident that the Falcons would win the basketball game with Chris playing center for the team.

The Falcon team settled in at the Sheraton Hotel after many people in the lobby recognized them and asked for autographs. Chris was sharing a room with Brendan, and dumped his baggage before meeting his Dad for a late lunch. With the time difference of four hours, Chris was trying to adjust and wanted to eat a good meal before heading for practice.

Marcus knew his team was at a disadvantage with the time change and conducted a short practice before telling his players to get some rest before the game that would start at 7:00 p.m. local time. The players all headed for the showers and then back to their rooms.

Chris and Brendan were just getting ready to take a nap when they heard a knock on the door. They were both surprised to see Joe McClure waiting for an invitation to come inside the room. The two basketball players both hugged Joe and wondered how he got all the way to North Carolina for their game.

"I have to be honest and tell you that I talked to Jennifer Carpenter, and she told me she would be in this hotel today," Joe said. "I'll do anything to spend some time with her, including cheering for you guys when you beat the Duke Blue Devils tonight!"

"Jenny and I've talked," Chris began. "I know there is some major chemistry between you two. She's my sister, and I will kill you if you break her heart."

"I want to talk to your Dad, Jonathan after the game," Joe admitted. "I want to ask him for his permission to ask Jennifer to marry me. I really love her, and hope that your Dad will say `Yes' when I talk to him. Are you mad at me now?"

Chris hugged Joe and congratulated him on the choice of a woman to marry. He knew that Joe and Jennifer was a match made in heaven.

"We need to take a nap before the game," Brendan said. "You're welcome to stay here in our room, but please let us rest before the important game."

Joe was happy that Chris accepted his position with Jennifer. He agreed to answer the phone and keep anyone from disturbing Chris and Brendan while they took their nap.

When game time arrived, Chris was very excited. He was in the locker room with his teammates and prayed that he would be able to perform to the expectations of Marcus Knight.

"This is it!" Marcus said to his team. "We are 18 point underdogs with the bookies, but they don't know what you guys can do! We're on foreign turf, and the entire country expects us to get our asses beat tonight! I expect all of you to play your hearts out tonight and leave all of your emotions behind when you go out there on that basketball court! Let's go show the Blue Devils what a California ass whipping feels like!"

The team left the locker room and headed out into the field house. The partisan crowd booed when the Falcons ran out and began their pre-game warm-ups.

Mike Krzyewski was shocked to see CJ Hammer warming up with the Falcon team and quickly called his assistant coaches together. He knew that the talented freshman was going to be a real challenge for his team to defend against. He looked at Marcus Knight and saw the smile on the face of his close friend. This was not what he expected for the vital game that was being televised across the nation.

"This is Tom Jeffries welcoming the television audience to this basketball game between the California State University Falcons and the Duke University Blue Devils," Tom Jeffries announced to the ESPN audience. "The Falcons come into this game with a record of 8 wins and 3 losses, and the Blue Devils are undefeated. I welcome my partner in this telecast, Jahmahl Thompson, a star who played for the Los Angeles Lakers."

"It's great to be here with you, Tom," Jahmahl said. "I played professional basketball with Marcus Knight, and I know he has brought a team from California to challenge the Duke University team coached by Mike Krzyewski. Everyone in this house is surprised to see CJ Hammer warming up with the Falcon team. All of us remember the performance of Hammer in the Olympics and we're all surprised to see him here tonight. I'm sure that the Duke coaches didn't expect Hammer to make the transition from football to basketball to be here tonight. It's time for the introductions of the players, so let's listen to the local announcer."

The Falcon team was introduced first, with the partisan crowd booing for each player. Chris looked up into the crowd and saw Saul, Helen, Mike, Jonathan, Carol, Randy, Charles, Jenny, Joe McClure, Uncle Stephen Segall, and Shaquille O'Neal cheering for his teammates. He waited for his name to be called before he ran out on the basketball court.

"At center, 6 feet 11 inches from Fremont, California, a freshman, CJ Hammer!" the announcer stated.

The crowd booed loudly, mainly because they all wished that Chris Hammer had chosen Duke University over California State University.

Chris ran out on the court and joined his starting teammates for a circle handshake to show their unity.

"The boo birds are out tonight!" Jahmahl said. "CJ Hammer lit up the scoreboard last weekend with the CSU football team, and tonight we'll see if he can do the same at basketball. It's time to rock and roll in North Carolina!"

Chris won the opening tip-off and directed the ball to Brendan. The CSU team raced down the court with Brendan passing to Jermaine. Jermaine saw Chris cutting towards the basket and lobbed a high pass. Chris caught the ball and slammed it home for the first two points of the game.

The Duke team thought that the Falcons would drop back in defense and never expected Chris to quickly cut to his left and steal the inbound pass. He was outside the 3 point line and wheeled around and made a perfect shot to make the score 5 to 0.

The partisan crowd was shocked to see their team down so fast, and hoped that their team would quickly score to get on the scoreboard.

"Hammer has just showed everyone in the nation why he was the MVP (Most Valuable Player) in the Olympics!" Jahmahl said. "I've waited a long time to see him play college basketball, and I'm already impressed with his performance! If he keeps this up, the crowd will be taken out of this game and my friend, Marcus Knight, will have his team in control of this game!"

The Duke team brought the ball down the court and passed the ball around. Their center tried to "post up" on Chris, but Chris blocked his shot. The ball ended up with the Duke guard, who tried a shot that bounced off the rim. Chris grabbed the rebound and saw Jermaine wide open for a pass. He expertly threw the basketball to Jermaine, who traveled to the other end of the court and made an easy lay-up for two more points.

"Mike Krzyewski has called a time-out, with the Falcons leading by a score of 7 to 0," Tom Jeffries announced. "This crowd is shocked by the way the Falcons have jumped off to an early lead. Let's go to Karen Frazier, down at courtside."


"This is Karen Frazier, and I talked to coach Krzyewski before this game started. He never expected CJ Hammer to be here with the Falcon team, and I'm sure he wishes that Hammer had stayed in California. I had the chance to talk to Shaquille O'Neal before the game, and he hinted that the Duke team was in for a big surprise tonight. Now we know what Shaq meant. Back to you, Tom."

The Falcons dominated the basketball game. Every member of the team contributed to the half-time score of 56 to 24.

"I don't know what to say to you guys!" Marcus Knight said to his team in the locker room at half time. "You guys have done everything that any coach could ask for! All of our practice is paying off tonight in front of the entire nation! Just don't lose your cool and do what I tell you to do. Their center can't handle Hammer, so we'll keep feeding him to make them foul. If they double-team him, someone will be open for a shot. I want you to go out there and finish them off so we can go back to California with a victory!"

Marcus grabbed Chris and gave him a big hug. He realized that the big blonde guy was even better than he had imagined on the basketball court. He told Chris that the entire nation was watching him and to play like a champion.

When the game clock ran down to 5 minutes, Marcus started making substitutions to let more of his players get some game time. The score was 94 to 55, and there was no way his team could lose the game. The last substitution he made was to pull Chris out of the game.

Even though their team was going down to defeat, the partisan crowd cheered when CJ Hammer was replaced on the court. They recognized the athletic ability of the big guy from California, and gave him a standing ovation.

"We're listening to the recognition of a great athlete," Tom Jeffries said. "CJ Hammer is leaving the game with 56 points, 28 rebounds, 18 blocked shots, and 14 assists, and even the Duke fans are applauding for him. I don't know of any basketball team in the nation that can handle CJ Hammer when he plays like he did tonight!"

"Marcus Knight is hugging CJ right now," Jahmahl said. "I know my buddy, Marcus, is thrilled with the way Hammer played tonight! I hope we can get an interview with both of them when this game is over! We've all witnessed what the future of college basketball looks like until Hammer jumps into the NBA!"

The final score of the game was 104 to 61. When the clock ran down to 0, the entire Falcon basketball team ran out on the court and celebrated. Chris was in heaven when he grabbed Marcus, picked him up, and spun him around in celebration.

Saul had tears running down his face when he hugged Helen and then exchanged hugs with the special fans who were with them. He knew that Chris's favorite sport had always been basketball, and now he was watching his son prove to the world just how talented he was.

"This game has shocked the entire college basketball picture," Tom Jeffries stated. "The CSU Falcons have just jumped into the top 10 teams in the nation as far as I am concerned. If Marcus Knight can keep his team playing the rest of the year like they did tonight, I pick the Falcons to sweep the Pac 10 Conference and be favorites to win the NCAA National Championship. I hope Karen Frazier can get us a live interview with Marcus Knight and CJ Hammer!"

Chris wanted to leave the court and head for the locker room so he could shower. He didn't want to be interviewed by ESPN, but Marcus insisted that the interview was necessary for the image of CSU.

"This is Karen Frazier, and I'm pleased that Marcus Knight and CJ Hammer are here to talk with me after this shocking basketball game," Karen began. "Coach Knight, you surprised everyone by bringing CJ Hammer with your basketball team tonight, and it was obvious from the start of the game that he would make a big impact. How did you know that he could make the transition from football to basketball so quickly?"

"I met Chris when he was 15," Marcus began. "Ever since that day, I dreamed about having him play basketball for me and the CSU Falcons. He played football for our university, but I always knew that his best sport is basketball. He was rusty tonight, and I expect him to get better as this season continues."

Karen Frazier laughed and then asked Chris, "How does it feel to score 56 points tonight to devastate the Duke Blue Devils?"

"Coach Knight is one of my best friends," Chris began. "He connected me with Shaquille O'Neal when I was 15, and I've learned a lot from both of them about playing basketball. This is a team sport, and my teammates made me look good tonight. It's fun to play basketball when you have a bunch of guys with you on the court who are talented and full of energy. I'm grateful that Coach Knight let me travel with the team and play tonight."

"A lot of people expected you to declare for the NBA (National Basketball Association) right out of high school and play professional basketball," Karen continued. "Why didn't you turn pro and go for the big money that you could command?"

"I decided to go to college and try to get into the Delta Delta Delta Fraternity," Chris replied. "My Dad is the National President of the Delta Delta Delta Fraternity, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Last weekend I was initiated as a member, and I plan to stay in college until I get my degree. Why would anyone leave college when they can have Marcus Knight and Shaquille O'Neal teaching them how to play basketball?"

"What about all the money you could make in the NBA?" Karen asked.

"Things happen in life that are more important than money," Chris replied. "I now have my adoptive father, Saul Bernstein, and have been connected with my birth father, Jonathan Carpenter. I now have a bunch of relatives who I really love. My dads give me enough money to pay for food, and that's really important to a guy like me who wants to eat all the time. I'd rather be with my life partner, Mike Mahley, than have millions of dollars playing professional basketball."

Karen laughed again and thanked Chris and Marcus for the exclusive interview.

"This is Karen Frazier," she began, "I thank Marcus Knight and CJ Hammer for taking time to talk to us at ESPN Sports."

Marcus and Chris headed for the locker room. They both wanted to celebrate the victory with the team and assistant coaches. The locker room was alive with people celebrating the victory so important to them. The assistant coaches had allowed several male visitors inside the locker room to celebrate with the team.

Chris was elated to see Saul, Shaquille O'Neal, Stephen Segall, Jonathan Carpenter, Randy and Charlie waiting for him. He hugged all of the men and hoped they didn't mind the sweat that soaked his body and uniform after the basketball game. He looked around and found Mike, and immediately ignored everyone to hug his lover.

"You were fantastic!" Mike said while hugging Chris. "We all went nuts watching you play tonight!"

"The only nuts I want to talk about are yours," Chris whispered to Mike. "Do you have anything saved up for my mouth and ass?"

Mike laughed and said he had plenty of nut butter for Chris after he took a shower. He watched his lover strip and head for the showers where his teammates were waiting for him. It was time to celebrate for everyone connected with the Falcon team.