Date: Thu, 18 Apr 2002 18:36:03 EDT
From: AmateurishWriter@aol.com
Subject: M.A.R.C. Ch. 22

M.A.R.C.

Warning: The following story is a work of fiction.  It is a fantasy.  It
never happened, except in the author's imagination.  This story may contain
sex between teenage boys, a man and a teenage boy or multiple male teens.
The author does not encourage or condone sex between adults and little
children. If you are underage, or this is illegal where you are, you
already know what you're supposed to do.  Delete this file and find
something else.  If this kind of story turns you off, delete this file and
find something else.  If you're looking for a story that has someone having
sex in every other sentence, this one is not it.

The author retains the copyright for this story.  Placing this story on a
commercial web site or in print without the authors permission is a
violation of that copyright.

Disclaimer: M.A.R.C. is in no way related to a certain movie character or
characters of a similar age and construction and/or recently released
sci-fi movie.  Any and all similarities are purely coincidental.

Comments to AmateurishWriter@aol.com, pro and con and of a constructive
nature, will be gratefully received and acknowledged, if possible.  Flamers
will be ignored.


Near the end of Chapter Twenty-one:

Marc and I both chimed in at the same time.  "You mean we might get home
today?"

"No problem."  Eddie assured us.  "All Sharon needs to do is round up the
technician and the equipment for the conferences this week and you're off."

"What conferences?"  Marc's curiosity was back to normal.


Part Two - Life goes on

Chapter Twenty-two - Home again

It didn't take long for us to gather up a technician and his equipment and
soon we had said our good-byes, not without tears between Marc and Sharon.
It was very sweet to see the bond between them and it tugged a little at my
heart.

Both Sharon and Eddie waved as the van pulled out and headed for the
airstrip.

The short van trip gave me the opportunity to explain the video conferences
to Marc.  He expressed his desire to help all he could.  Then, after we
took off, he and the technician spent all of the short flight discussing
the equipment, how it all hooked up and operated.

Me?  I took a much needed nap.

The gentle jolt of the landing gear contacting the runway woke me up.  I
wasn't surprised that Marc and the tech were still deep in conference.  I
sat there with my eyes half closed, quietly listening and watching.  Marc
was a very engaging young man.  I could see that the young technician, who
seemed to be maybe 25 or 26 at most, had accepted Marc as a contemporary.
He was not put off by Marc's many questions.  And, Marc seemed confident
enough to make a suggestion here and there.

Finally, Marc caught me with my eyes open.  "Hey old man!  You gonna sleep
all day?  We're here already!"

"So I see."  I chuckled.  "Looks like you two will have this stuff up and
running in no time."

"Actually sir," The technician looked and winked at Marc.  "I don't think I
will need to go all the way to your house.  Marc seems to understand quite
well, how to do everything.  He can set all the equipment up and test it.
If he has any questions he can call me on my cell phone.  But, I think
he'll be just fine."

I nodded my approval.  "I'm impressed Marc.  If you're sure, then that's
good enough for me.  Besides, then this young man and Sam can get home a
couple hours early."

"Yes, sir.  He'll be fine.  And, we'll save the company some overtime for
the pilot and the plane."

We taxied over to the gate near the pilots' office which was where I had
hastily parked early this morning.  It only took a few minutes to load the
equipment in the trunk and then Marc and I watched as the plane taxied away
and took off.  It was just past 4 PM.

Marc gently took my hand and I looked down into his bright young blue eyes.
"Let's go home Uncle John.  I just want to go home."

It's so easy to love this boy, I thought as I looked at him.  "Me too son.
Let's get you back home."

It didn't seem to take very long at all before the garage door was gliding
closed behind us.  We got out of the car and I went around to the back to
get the equipment out.  "Let's get all this stuff inside and then see about
supper."

As I reached for one of the small packing cases I felt Marc's arms slip
around me from behind and the side of his face press against my back.  I
turned in his embrace and looked down at him.  He was crying ... sobbing.
"What's this sweetie?"

In between sobs and sniffles he squeezed out a few words.  "I ... sob
... was so ... sniff ... scared ... sniff ... John."

"Shhhh, shhhh."  I soothed him and stroked his back.  "It's okay now Marc.
Everything's okay now."  I held him tight and kissed the top of his head.

"I know bu ... hut ... sniff ... I had this dre ... heeam last nigh ... hyt
and then ... and then ..."

"Come inside."  I interrupted.  "Let's sit down and you can tell me."

We left the stuff in the car and went into the living room.  I sat down on
the couch and patted the cushion beside me.  Marc came over and settled
down sideways on my lap, wrapping his arms around me again and nuzzling his
nose into my neck.  His face was warm against my skin but he wasn't crying
any more.  Every once in a while he would heave that great jerky kind of
sign you sometimes get from crying hard.  Finally he felt comfortable
enough to describe his strange dream about his coming to first
consciousness.

I continued to soothe him by stoking his arm and leg and occasionally
kissing his warm tear streaked cheek.  "You know Marc, it may seem like a
strange dream but you might try to think of it as very special."

"How do you mean?"

'Well, I can honestly say that I don't know anyone who remembers their own
birth.  I expect it would be pretty frightening and even painful."

He sat back to look at me. "Painful?  Really?  Do you think it might really
be painful for a baby?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure it's painful for the mother.  So, it stands to
reason ... don't you think?"

"Well, I wasn't in pain but I was frightened.  Especially when the
technician tried to make me sleep again and they talked about redoing my
memory and stuff."

"Did you talk with Sharon about this today?"

"No.  I was too embarrassed.  Do you think I should have?"

"Yes, I think it would be something good to include in our first video
conference."  I nodded thoughtfully.  "Maybe you can help make it better
for those who come after you."

"Those who come after me?"  He looked surprised.  "Do you think that there
will be other children just like me?"

I laughed.  "Well, I hope not just like you.  You're my little imp.  But
yes, I'm sure there will be more children ... and adults too."

He looked pleased.  "Well, I would like to help make it better for them
when they first wake up.  I think I would like that."

"I'm proud of you Marc."

"Thank you John.  I'm proud of you too."  He giggled and hugged me close
again.  Then he whispered in my ear.  "What's for supper?"

"What's for supper you ask?"  I acted surprise and spoke loudly as I held
him away from me.  "What's for supper you ask?"

"Huh?"  He looked completely confused.  "Ye ... yeah.  I'm hungry.  What's
are we eating?"

I suddenly pushed him onto his back on the couch.  "What's are we eating?
Well, I'm eating you for supper!"  I exclaimed and buried my face in his
tummy making munching and chewing sounds and mumbling.  "Yum, yum.  Roast
Marc with spinach and mashed potatoes."

He began to giggle and tried to wiggle away backwards.  My face ended up in
his lap and he suddenly stopped.

"Oh my!"  I exclaimed.  "Lookie here!  Desert already?"  Then I broke down
into my own fit of giggles.

"Awk!"  He chided.  "You are so bad Uncle John."  Then he lost control too
and the two of us lay there giggling like two six year olds.

Finally I caught my breath and sat up.  "How 'bout I order pizza?"

"Cool!  I'm gonna call Jeffery.  Okay?"

"Sure.  You want to invite him to come over for pizza?"  I held my breath.

"Nah.  I just want him to know that we're back and to come over tomorrow."
Hearing that, I let out my breath again.  "Can we go sailing tomorrow?"

"Ask his parents to come too."  I felt bad about not being able to take
them today, it had been beautiful all day.

I went out to the car to get a load of the equipment and my cell phone.
When I got back Marc was happily telling Jeffery all about the corporate
jet.  While they gabbed I ordered up a tossed salad and medium special
combo pizza without the anchovies, which I suspected Marc wouldn't like.
Then I went back to the car for the rest of the stuff.

Just as I came back in there was a tapping on the deck door.  It was Ralph
Marsh.

I slid open the screen door.  "Hey Ralph.  We just got back.  It went
faster than I thought."

"Oh good."  Ever the nosy neighbor, he glanced past me with a curious look
and spied the small packing cases.  "I was concerned when I saw glass
slider was open."

"Oh.  Sorry, I should have called as soon as we got here but I got carrying
this stuff in."  I waved my hand at the computer and video equipment.
"Thanks for keeping an eye on the place."

"No problem John.  Happy to be a good neighbor."  He craned his neck
further trying to see what the equipment was.  "Looks like some fancy stuff
you got there."

"Yeah.  It's on loan from one of my customers."

"Oh?  I thought that you retired."  He looked surprised.

I laughed.  "I thought so too but this job came along and I couldn't resist
the challenge."

I could see the wheels turning behind Ralph's eyes.  "What sort of business
is it John?"  His curiosity almost made me chuckle out loud.

Even though I knew it would only make him more curious, I had to be direct.
"I'm sorry Ralph but I'm not at liberty to say."

"Oh, oh."  Ralph looked a bit put out rather than embarrassed for having
asked.  "I suppose I can understand."

Marc finished up talking with Jeffery and came over.  "Hi Mr. Marsh.  How's
the fishing?"

He laughed.  "Just fine young fella'"

"Uncle John?  Has the pizza come?  I'm starved."

Marc's mentioning the pizza did the trick and Ralph excused himself.
"Well, since all seems to be well here, you're not burglars, I'll head back
before Ginny starts looking for me or calls 911."  He chuckled at his
effort at humor and headed back across the lawn.

"Thanks again Ralph!"  I called after him and he gave me a friendly wave.

I turned to Marc.  "No pizza yet kiddo but soon."

He chuckled.  "I know.  It just sounded like you needed to be rescued."

I gave him a hearty laugh and tousled his soft hair.  "You got that right!
I think he was dying of curiosity about my work and the equipment.  Which
reminds me, let's get it up by my computer.  Then we can set it up later,
after pizza."

"Maybe."  Marc stretched like a cat and leaned against my side.  "Or maybe
tomorrow morning?"

Playing dumb I vaguely replied and changed the subject.  "Well, let's see
how it goes.  So, how is Jeffery?  Are they going to come sailing?"

Marc's eyes lit up.  "Oh yeah!  Yes.  Cool.  I almost forgot.  I have to
call back to tell them when.  And, Jeffery's parents want to bring lunch or
something."

I thought for a minute.  "Well, if we get things set up tonight, then you
can tell them 10:30am.  It would be very nice of them to bring food.
Please tell them nothing fancy.  Sandwiches and cold picnic kind of stuff.
We'll bring stuff to drink."

He rushed off to the phone again and I brought the equipment upstairs.

I came back down just as the pizza arrived.  The heavy luscious aromas of
tomatoes, onions, sausage and so on, made my stomach growl as I carried it
past Marc.  He giggled and made some disrespectful comment over the phone
to Jeffrey.  I stuck out my tongue and gave him a rather loud and juicy
raspberry.

"Eeeeeeeuuuuuwwwww!  Jeffrey, John just let one fly, I gotta go open a
window!  See ya' tomorrow."  He hung up the phone with a nasty little
snicker of a giggle.  God only knows what Jeffrey thought of me at this
point.

I made a face at him.  "I hope Jeffrey knows you were kidding."

"Don't worry Uncle John, the truth is safe with me."

"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of."  I laughed.  "But the pizza's not safe
with me kiddo.  Let's eat!"

We served up plates and sat down in the living room to watch the news.
After second helpings we were soon sitting there just sighing and enjoying
our happily full bellies ... mine maybe a bit fuller than Marc's.

I reached my hand over and began to twirl my finger in the hair on the back
of Marc's head and neck.  He shivered and kind of scrunched his head down,
giving me a shy but happy smile.  "You feeling better kiddo?

"Yeah, now that I'm home with you."  He moved over and snuggled up to my
side as I slid my arm around his shoulders and drew him close.

"I'm glad Marc.  I love you."  I kissed the top of his head and breathed in
his scent.

He spoke softly, thoughtfully.  "It ... it makes no difference ... does
it?"  There was a kind of finality to the way he said it.

"What makes no difference sweetie?"

"That I am what I am and you are what you are."

"Nope."  I said emphatically.  "Is there any reason that it should?"

"Nope!"  He sighed and nuzzled a little closer.  "None at all!"  There was
a kind of finality in his voice as he said it ... as though closing a
chapter in his short life.


Next: Chapter Twenty-three - Jeffrey's Dad feeds the fishes