Disclaimer: The following is a work of fiction which will include t/t and m/m relationships, and probably some sex too. If it is illegal in your area to read this, or if you are not old enough to read this (you know who you are), stop here. Otherwise, please enjoy.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story is a companion story to "Things that Go Bump." The story lines are related and the characters will occasionally interact. The stories begin at roughly the same time. My sincerest thanks go out to Darryl AKA the Radio Rancher (darryltheradiorancher@gmail.com) who kindly edited this chapter. And thanks to everyone for writing such encouraging emails.
A Light in the Darkness, Chapter 3
"Identity"
"Gideon," the boy whispered, expecting the being to appear, but only dark silence. Chase reached for the Braille readout of his alarm clock -- 4 a.m. He sighed and exhaled deeply, rolling into William, and putting a hand on the boy's chest. The boy was sound asleep, so Chase gently put his hand on William's face, tracing its contours with fingers light as feathers. He could almost see it....
William stirred lightly, sighing at the boy's soft touch, mumbling, "That's nice...."
"Shhh.... Go back to sleep...."
"Is something wrong?"
"I ... just had a strange dream...."
William woke up a little and asked with a little more concern, "What is it, sweetheart?"
"I ... was just.... Are there ... magic doctors for other things?"
William rolled onto his side, facing Chase. "You mean, like eye doctors, or brain doctors...." Chase nodded. "I suppose so.... I only knew about the stuff I told your parents about, because...." William's voice broke and he stopped mid-sentence.
"Oh, William...." Chase said, hugging the boy tightly. Chase couldn't imagine, but he had to ask, "She wasn't already?" William nodded and was wracked by a soul-shaking sob.
With a concentrated effort, he choked down his tears and said, "Twin boys...." Chase kissed his face, and cradled William's head into his chest, stroking his hair with one hand and back with the other, as the boy cried himself to sleep. Chase realized that, while he had suffered a lot in his life, William's strength was a wall against intolerable pain that would only be released, little by little. When William was back to sleep, Chase slipped away to shower and dress, then he got on his computer, finishing up his paper and starting to get ahead on other work. He'd been at it for over an hour when he saw the time and slipped away to meet Matt at the bus stop.
"I talked to Amy on the phone last night for an hour! She's really cool and we had a lot in common...."
"That's really cool," Chase said, but Matt could hear that he was somewhere else.
"What's wrong, dude?"
"Just ... a heavy night...."
"Trouble in paradise," Matt asked, laughing, and Chase smacked his arm.
"Paradise is still as hot and bothered as ever.... It's just ... don't say anything, but you know Chase told my parents about this doctor whose helping them ... you know.... Well, he told me how he knew about this doctor.... His mom was pregnant when she was killed...."
Matt's eyes watered and he coughed to clear his voice, "I'm sorry ... to hear that.... Losing his parents would have been...."
"Yeah," Chase said, and the boys stood quietly together in the crisp morning air, shoulder to shoulder.
When the bus came up, the two boys got on board, and people who never talked to them said hello and waved. The people who sometimes picked on them averted their eyes. Chase and Matt laughed, and sat together. The girls sitting in front of them turned around to talk to them. Chase knew Maria, who lived two streets over. She'd always been nice, but they never got close. Her friend, Susan, was relatively new to the neighborhood.
"So, Chase ..." Maria began, "is it true?"
"Which part," Matt asked, laughing.
Maria actually blushed before elaborating, "You're gay?"
"Chase, not me," Matt blurted quickly.
Maria smiled, and said, "Well, that makes me feel a little better.... I always had a crush on you, but you never seemed to notice, so I moved on...." That might explain how we never got close, Chase thought.
"I'm afraid the subtle clues are lost on me," Chase said, indicating his dark glasses. The girls giggled nervously.
"You know, Chase's birthday party is a week from Sunday, you and Susan should come," Matt said, and the girls agreed quickly.
"What time?"
"Sixish," Chase said.
"So we'll get to meet him, then?"
"Him," Chase asked with a sly smile.
"Chase! Your boyfriend, the badass...."
"He's really sweet," Chase said, and Matt nodded grudgingly.
"I'm sure he is," Maria said, "but I heard what he did when those football thugs attacked Matt...."
"He's ... very protective," Chase said.
"From the stories, you'd think he was something between James Dean and a ninja," Susan said, and they all burst out laughing.
The four sat talking and the ride flew buy, but before the bus pulled into the school, Chase said, "Why don't you two come by this weekend, maybe Saturday afternoon. I'll introduce you, maybe we can all go to a movie?"
The girls looked at each other and shrugged, "Can we bring our boyfriends?"
"Sure, as long as they're cool with us...." The girls nodded, and the four made their way into school.
When William got out of bed, he pulled on some pajama bottoms and walked down to the kitchen, grabbed a cup of coffee, and sat with his head in his hands.
"What's wrong, champ," Steve asked as he emerged from his office. William shook his head, but the man sat down next to him and waited.
"What happened to Chase? What do the doctors say?"
Steve sat his glasses on the table and rubbed his eyes. "Where's this coming from?"
"I just want to know...."
"Chase seemed to be developing fine, but one day, after he started walking, he just started walking into things, so we rushed him to the doctor.... They said he was totally blind.... Eye doctors said his eyes were perfectly developed, the neurologists said nothing was wrong with his brain.... Wait a minute.... You're thinking...."
William raised his hand and shook his head, "I don't know, I don't know...." Steve again sat silently waiting. "Chase asked me last night ... if I thought there was someone who could help him.... I told him I didn't know.... I'm not an expert, I just had some private knowledge about your problem...." Steve decided not to push that one, but he put it in the back of his mind.
"Chase is happy, he's as happy as he's ever been with you.... If you'd check into it, we'd be grateful, but we understand there are limits to all powers...." William nodded, and took a long drink of coffee.
Just then, there was a knock at the door: it was the men delivering the equipment for the shed. William ran around and unlocked the gate and showed the men where he wanted the table and burners set up. One of the delivery guys was young, maybe nineteen, and cute, and William was pretty sure he was checking him out. When everything was settled, the older man hopped into the cab of the truck and the young guy came back into the shed with a work order.
"Could you sign this, please?" the young man, Robert by his name tag, asked.
William signed the page and handed it back with a smile. "Thanks a lot."
Robert took the paper and walked to the door, then turned back and said, "Look, I'm probably out of line, and don't be offended, but would you like to get a bite to eat sometime?"
William blushed, and said, "I'm flattered, and I'd take you up in an instant, but I've got a boy I'm mad over...."
Robert nodded with a smile and looked over William's bare chest. "Lucky boy.... Well, listen, you know where I am...." With that, the young man was gone, and William found himself wishing he knew someone who needed a boyfriend. The guy seemed very nice, actually.
William walked out into the yard and grabbed a few blocks of wood from the woodpile and carried them into his inner room. He made a fire in the middle of the room, and the smoke wafted into the infinite space above. "I call upon the elemental of fire, come to me, oh great spirit." A humanoid figure in flames appeared in the fire
"What would you have of me, wizard?"
William bowed to the figure, "I am your humble servant.... I humbly request a vial of essence of fire...."
"This is no small thing, young wizard.... What is your purpose for requesting my most powerful gift?"
"Love, my lord.... I wish to forge a Bond...."
The being laughed deeply, "Well, well! It is a beautiful thing, and rare...."
"What is your demand?"
"Come to me," the figure said, and William hesitated only for a moment to decide what the figure meant. Then he stepped into the flames to be embraced by the figure. The powerful elemental protected him from burning fire, but not from the pain. Moment after moment passed, and soon William cried out, but he did not struggle in the fiery arms. When the figure stepped back, he reached out with his fiery hand and took William's hand in his own, and William fainted from the pain. When he awoke some time later, he thought he had failed the second trial, until he opened his hand and found the vial of red, glowing liquid. Thank you, he whispered, and a warm wind bustled around him. Quickly, he opened his vault and sat the vial carefully next to the velvet bag.
It took all the strength he had left to lock up and make his way to the house. Inside, he stuck his head into Steve's office and said, "I'm going for a nap...."
"Good! Aiden and Xavier will be here at 6:30, and we'll call for you when we're ready...."
"Oh, yeah, thanks!" William dragged himself up the steps and laid on top of the covers, with his clothes on, and passed out. At school, Chase and Matt were having a banner day, and Matt was rapidly turning Chase's birthday into the social event of the winter, inviting all their new friends. When Amy and a couple of her friends joined them for lunch, it marked the changing of the tides for them. For the time being, even the popular kids from the jock crowd had to rein in their hostility.
That afternoon, they arrived at Chase's house to find William dead to the world, so Matt went home and Chase sat at his desk to work at the computer. Taking a break, he went down to get a drink, and his dad called him into his office.
"Tonight's going to be intense, Chase.... I'm a little worried...."
"They'll have to understand...."
"Eventually.... Tell me, I've been wondering, has William said anything to you about why he knows about fertility doctors?"
Chase turned white, and answered, "Yes.... I'm not sure I should...."
Steve held up his hand, "He nearly said something about it today, but I didn't push the issue.... His mother?" Chase nodded, and Steve ran his hand through his hair. "She wasn't?"
"Twins.... Far enough along to know they were boys...."
"Jesus," the man exclaimed.
"Dad?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think William ... do you think that Mom, you know, do you think it will make him sad?"
"It might.... But he's part of our family now, and I think he'll get through it...." Steve hoped, anyway.
"So, he said something to you," Chase began, hesitantly. "I guess he mentioned...." Steve nodded, and Chase's shoulders slumped as he sat down on the love seat. "I'm so selfish...." Steve laughed, but if Chase could have seen, he would have seen the tears in his father's eyes.
The man came around and sat next to his son, wrapping his arm around the boy, coughing to clear the emotion from his voice, "You, selfish? Even when you were little, you always smiled and talked up-beat to make your mother and me feel better.... If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have brought William home.... You agreed to share your room with him before you knew how you two could feel for one another.... You love everyone unconditionally.... You are the least selfish person I know...."
Chase wiped his eyes, and said, "Thanks...."
"Run on, now.... Why don't you take some food upstairs? William forgot lunch, and when he wakes up it will be too close to time for Aiden to get here for him to come downstairs...."
"Is he okay? How long has he been asleep?"
"He seemed okay, but he's been asleep for hours.... I think he may have worn himself out working on something...."
"Alright. Thanks, Dad...." The man kissed the boy, and Chase went to the kitchen and made a sandwich for William and took it upstairs. Hanging his coat on the back of his chair, Chase curled up next to William's sleeping form, rubbing his back and, feeling naughty, his ass.
"Mmmm," William groaned, waking up a little. He decided to mess with Chase, so when the boy's hand grazed his ass, William moaned, "Oh yeah, that's the spot Matt...." Quicker than he expected, Chase smacked him sharply on the ass, and he rolled over laughing, pulling Chase down into a passionate kiss.
"When did you get home," William asked, stroking the boy's cheek.
"Hours ago...."
"What time is it," William asked, sitting up. After 5! "I need to get ready...."
"I made you a sandwich.... You should stay upstairs until my parents talk to your uncle...."
William gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "You're the best.... I'll be right back...." Grabbing Chase's robe, he hurried to the shower and washed himself, soaking in the lukewarm water -- the hot water made his skin tingle like he had a sunburn, he supposed from the fire elemental. He relaxed, but realized he needed to move, so he dried himself and came back to their room. He sat on the bed next to Chase and ate his sandwich, while Chase stroked his thigh gently, occasionally grazing his balls.
"You're doing that on purpose," William said with a laugh.
"Me," Chase asked, sweetly, and if the boy's fingers weren't at that moment tickling his balls, he might have believed the innocent face.
"My uncle will be here in half an hour!"
"Plenty of time for you to relax," Chase said, pushing him onto his back. Chase's mouth went straight to his balls, licking and sucking them like before. Again, like before, he felt the boy's tongue seeking lower and strike on his hole. But this time, Chase aggressively lifted William's legs and probed the tight hole, making William writhe in pleasure. He felt Chase back off a little, then he felt something small and hard pressing against his hole. As it penetrated him, he recognized it as one of the boy's fine fingers. The feeling was intensely pleasing, and William bucked back against the finger as Chase now began sucking his cock. For a while he fingered and sucked William, then he removed his finger and spread more spit on his hand and now inserted two fingers. At first the intrusion was sharp and painful, but soon the feelings grew more intense than before. William was now grabbing at the boy's shoulders as he sucked, moaning in increasing pleasure. Finally, he couldn't hold back and shot in the boy's mouth, and this time Chase took it all, before falling over at William's side and stroking his chest.
At last, William opened his eyes and smiled, "I never thought I'd be saying this, but I can't wait to have your cock in my ass...." Chase giggled and tweaked William's nipple, "Ohhh."
"So much power," Chase said exaggerating his villain voice. Then, shyly, "Do you ever think about, you know, doing me?"
"No...."
"Oh," the boy said simply, sounding hurt.
"... I've never thought about 'doing' you.... But I love every inch of you, and I can't wait to make love to you, to be together...." Chase released a held breath and smiled.
"I've been thinking about what it would be like to give myself up to the man I loved ever since I realized I was different, but now that you're here, I can almost feel what it will be like," the boy said, sweet and excited, hugging tightly against William's side. "Now, clean yourself up and put some clothes on.... This is for my eyes only...."
William laughed, but the doorbell put some pep in his step. He put on khaki pants and a powder blue shirt, with a darker blue sweater vest. Chase stood at the door. "I'd better go down and say hi, or they'll suspect.... I'm usually the first to the door...."
"Go," William encouraged and closed the door behind the boy. He heard Chase nearly run down the steps and cry, "Uncle Aiden, uncle X!"
"There's my boy," Aiden said, taking Chase in his arms.
"How are you, sweet thang," Xavier asked as he got his hug.
"Too hot to handle," Chase said, making both men laugh. For a while, there was a lot of catching up, but Steve knew they shouldn't delay long.
"Listen, Aiden, Xavier, we invited you over to thank you for your help, but there is something else...." The men looked surprised and waited for him to continue. "When I show you what I need to show you, I think you're going to be upset, and I hope you can forgive me, but...."
"Steve, you're my best friend! Now, don't be silly and get on with it," Aiden said, laughing nervously.
"Then I need you both to promise me something.... No matter what you think, how you feel, you cannot speak a word of what you are about to see, outside of this house, not to family, not to friends, not to anyone.... Can you both swear that?" The men looked at each other and nodded. "Chase," Steve said and nodded for the boy to go get William. They heard him take the steps slowly. Steve moved next to Xavier and took the man's hand, something he had never done, except to shake it. "I am sooo sorry, Xavier, really," Steve said, sounding very sad. Soon, they heard two sets of footsteps down the stairs, and then the two boys stood in the doorway.
"No," Xavier said, standing and pulling his hand away, reaching for the wand hidden in his coat. "It can't be...."
"Uncle Xavier, please," William said, pleading, "put that away...." The man backed away as if it were all some kind of joke, or a trap, and William held his hands up and out, circling the man carefully and moving away from Chase. "Do you remember when I was five and you took me to the park? I busted my lip, and you were so scared, I had to comfort you?" A look of confusion replaced the fear and anger on the man's face, and he lowered his wand a little. "The secret ingredient in grandma's chocolate chip cookies was cayenne pepper?" The wand fell from the man's hand, and his eyes teared up. William ran into his arms and hugged him.
"How," the man sobbed.
"I snuck out to go visit Peter, down the street, and when the explosion happened I was in the back yard.... I woke up in the woods behind the house with a bump on the head.... I went to the emergency meeting place and waited for mom and dad, but I knew they weren't coming, so I packed up the supplies and I hid in the woods for weeks and weeks...."
"I looked for you.... They never found your ... body.... But no amount of magic let me find you...."
"I had plenty of time alone. I cast every cloaking spell I could find...." Xavier ran his hand over the boy's head, with a look of devotion and pride. "How did you come to be here," the man asked, his voice turning hard as he looked at Steve.
"We were camping in the woods," Chase said, "William smelled our fire and came to check us out.... He was invisible, but he thought he wasn't because I knew he was there, so he came out and then dad came back and we brought him home!" Xavier couldn't help but smile at the boy's enthusiasm.
William took his uncle by the shoulders and looked at him seriously. "I told them not to tell you!" The man looked surprised and hurt. "It's not that I didn't trust you, I did.... But I didn't know if the people who killed my parents were watching you.... They may still be watching you.... Gideon didn't want me to see you today, but he said I could if you promised not to let anyone know I was alive...."
"Gideon!" Xavier shook his head. "Guardians are so overprotective.... Your house was an accident, William, a gas leak, nothing more...."
"You don't believe that! Every bone in my body tells me that they were targeted...."
Xavier sat down and looked at Steve grudgingly. "Thank you for protecting my nephew...." Turning to William, "So, when all of this is settled and you come out of hiding, you'll move to D.C. with us?" William looked shocked, but of course his uncle would want him! Chase, however, was in an inner panic, and looked like he might pass out. His eyes were full of tears, and he ran out of the room.
"Chase, dear, what's wrong," Aiden called, going after the boy.
"Leave him, Aiden," Steve said. "There's a complication, Xavier, one I suppose you'll understand.... I know he's your nephew, but I'd like for him to stay with us...." William looked back and forth between the men, petrified and in shock, not sure what to say.
"Complication," Xavier demanded angrily, standing up, "complication! He's my nephew, of course he'll come live with us...."
"Uncle Xavier," William said with a sob, "I ...." But he couldn't finish, as tears overcame him. But Chase appeared in the door, wiping his eyes with tissues.
"William, you can go or you can stay when the time comes.... I promise I'll understand, and we'll get through it...." Chase sad, wiping his eyes. William's tears intensified and Xavier's face was again etched with confusion as he looked back and forth between the boys. Chase walked to the chair where William was now sitting in tears, and knelt down before him. With exceeding tenderness, he wiped the boy's tears and placed his hand on the boy's cheek. Then he leaned in and kissed William on the lips and hugged him tightly as he broke down again.... The room was completely silent except for the sound of William's crying, as all the adults looked on as Chase comforted him.
Finally, Chase stood and William struggled to his feet, putting his arm around Chase's waist. "Can you understand, Uncle Xavier? I thought I was dead inside until ..." turning aside so that he was face to face with Chase, "you brought me back to life...." Chase didn't care who was watching, he kissed the boy deeply. When William looked around, he saw that everyone had looked away, the scene too intense to watch.
Xavier approached the boys, putting an arm around each of them and lowering his head to kiss each of them on the cheek. "I love you boys.... I couldn't separate you.... I just...."
Before the room could descend into another tear-filled chaos, Aiden spoke in an authoritative voice, "I have a solution...." Now all eyes were on him, and he smiled. "Let's move to Richmond...."
"Aiden, really," Xavier said, "I couldn't ask you to...."
"You didn't," the man said, with finality. "For most of my daily business, I can work from here, and it's not exactly as if the commute will be difficult.... My company has private planes, and I've got my wand...."
"And I could move my gallery to Richmond," Xavier mused out loud. "A good deal of my business is over the net, in any case...." William wiped his eyes, and Chase was practically bouncing.
"Really," he asked, and when the men nodded, he threw himself into each of their arms.
"Now, if the rest of you don't mind," Xavier said, smiling sarcastically at Chase, "I'd like to talk with my nephew privately...." William led the man up to Chase's room and they sat on the bed.
"It still seems like a dream," Xavier said, hugging the boy again. "But you're still here.... And you're gay?"
Again, William shrugged and said, "At least for Chase, I am...."
Xavier laughed and said, "That's easy to understand.... Certainly easy to see.... Your mom and dad would be proud of you, for not letting fear get in the way of love.... They knew, you know?"
"What," William asked with a laugh, "I didn't know...."
Xavier shrugged his shoulders, "They always used to ask me what life was like, how I thought a gay boy should be raised, and the like.... They knew...."
William's tears started pouring, and he said, "I wish they would have known him...."
"They do, they do," Xavier said, "somewhere, they know...."
William nodded, and when he could speak, he said, "Thank you for not taking me away...."
"How could I? I've known and loved you both since you were babies.... I couldn't have done it to either of you...." The boy snuggled into his uncles chest as they laid down together, getting all the comfort they needed from each other. After a little while, there was a light knock at the door, and Chase came in. "Feel like dinner?"
"In a minute," Xavier said, and Chase wandered over to the bed and crawled into the other side, laying his head on Xavier's chest across from William. "You boys!"
"You love it," Chase joked, and the man hugged both boys.
A few minutes passed and Aiden showed up at the door. "Come on guys, let's eat," he said with a big smile. "Look at you! I leave you alone for a few minutes and you've got both arms full of teenage boy!"
"Come on in if you want some," Chase said, playfully, but Aiden waved them over.
"Come on, guys," he said, and the three of them stood and walked to the door. When the boys were on their way downstairs, Xavier grabbed Aiden and dragged him back inside.
"Thank you," he said, putting his head on the man's shoulder.
Aiden wrapped his arms around Xavier, but whispered with a laugh, "I love you.... But keep it in your pants til we get home...."
Downstairs, everyone tore into dinner, and they were all laughing and talking, catching up. It was very late when the little party broke up and William walked outside with his uncles, after everyone had said goodbye. "Listen, William," Aiden said, "we need to talk sometime soon.... There's some business we need to discuss.... I'm the executor of your parent's estate, so I'll be taking care of all that til you turn 25, but I need your input...." William nodded and hugged the men again.
Before they left, it occurred to him to ask, "Do you remember my father ever talking about a man, Sam Roth?"
"Rabbi Roth," Aiden asked, smiling. "Of course! He, your father and I were once on this ... thing in Budapest...."
"For the Council?" Aiden's smile faded, but he nodded. "What's the Council?"
"We'll talk about that later," Aiden said, "but, for now.... It's like the congress of magical beings.... They make rules and enforce agreements, and mediate with the human world.... Your father and I were both with the Council, representatives of the Society, but not for a long time now.... Rabbi Roth was our chief...."
"Is he safe, can I trust him?"
"Yes, you can.... But wait, you've been in contact with him since the explosion?"
"Yeah, in town.... I had a glamour on, but he helped me and I told him what happened, and then he knew...." William sounded in a panic, and Aiden took him by the shoulders.
"It's alright! He won't be under active surveillance.... And he loved your father like a son...." William nodded. "Now, go back inside.... We'll call you soon...." William waved goodbye and stepped inside. Sarah and Steve were getting ready for bed and he went and hugged each of them wordlessly before making his way upstairs to find Chase waiting in bed for him. Again, silently, William undressed and crawled under the covers, laying his head on the silky skin of Chase's head, closing his eyes as he felt the boy's fingers stroke his hair.
"What you said tonight," Chase whispered, "it's true for me as well.... My dad said something to me this afternoon ... I've always been so strong for everyone, but when I'm in your arms, I feel so alive...." William looked up into Chase's face and kissed his chest. Gently, he reached under the covers and started stroking the boy, and Chase's head lolled backwards. Sliding the covers down the smooth body, William gave the boy a sloppy blow job until the cock was rock-hard in his mouth. Grabbing Chase's waist, he slid the boy down the bed and straddled his waist.
"What are you...." Chase began, but William put a finger on his lips. Reaching around with his other arm, he rubbed saliva into his crack and guided the boy's penis to his hole. Gradually, he sat back into it, and increased the pressure until the fat head slid in. He gasped sharply and stopped, and Chase grabbed his hips to help steady him. "We can stop," Chase gasped.
"No, I need this," William said, and a few moments later, he again increased the pressure and put his weight into sliding the boy's six inches all the way in. Losing his balance, he drove the last three inches in all at once and whimpered again. The boy's cock felt like it was expanding in his ass, and the heat of it was intense. Gradually, his ass relaxed and he lifted himself a few inches and then lowered himself again. This time, the pain was residual and the rest was pleasure.... Chase sighed and William leaned it to kiss his lips, and began to slowly move his hips up and down.
Chase broke the kiss. "Get on your back, let me...." William lifted himself off Chase and rolled onto his back, and the boy got between his legs, William's legs hugging his waist, he guided his cock back into the boy's hole. After a few slow, deep strokes, William was moaning and rolling his head. William tightened his legs around Chase's waist, digging his heels into the boy's ass on the in-stroke. Chase gave William a fiery kiss as he picked up his speed, and William held onto him tightly, sucking his earlobe.
He whispered, "Oh my God, oh.... Deeper, deeper," and Chase responded by driving his cock in til his abdomen was flush with the boy's muscular behind. "Oh, that's it, that's the ... ungh...." Chase was surprised to feel hot, sticky cum splatter his and William's chests, as the boy came beneath him. The spasms in William's anal muscles drove Chase over the edge, and he unloaded inside of William. Chase collapsed on top of the big boy and laid there until his cock shrank and popped from the William's ass.
"What a stud," William sighed, cracking a smile.
"What was that," Chase asked, standing up and tossing William a towel to clean up some of the mess from the bed and from their bodies.
"I guess I'll have to get you something for your birthday now," William said, laughing. Then, seriously, "I hope it's okay, I just, I felt like I needed to be close to you tonight...."
"I've never ... that was the sexiest, most wonderful thing...." Chase said, blushing thinking about it.
"I'm glad you liked it, too.... I guess I don't need to tell you, you can have my ass any time, big man." Chase really blushed now. If he would admit it to himself, making love to the sexy jock, and his gushing over Chase's prowess, made him feel strong, masculine, in a way he rarely had. But, so did having the big boy cuddle up to him and lay his head on Chase's chest, as he was now doing.
"I knew it would be good," William said, curled up on him, "but, my God...." Chase chuckled and stroked his back, and soon drifted off. William noticed the boy's hand fall still and knew he was asleep. William rolled onto his own side, keeping his back in contact with the boy's side, and drifted off to his own deep sleep.
Friday came too early for either of them, and it was the alarm clock that woke them both. Chase ran off to shower and threw on his uniform, while William pulled on a pair of athletic pants and a t-shirt. They walked downstairs together and found Matt waiting for them.
"Waz up," the boy said, sillily.
"You're a little early this morning," William said.
"Hellz yea," the boy said, then in his normal voice, "I'm just stoked! Tonight's my big date.... I'm taking Amy to eat and to the movies...."
William laughed, and Chase said, "Well, you should probably calm down.... You don't want to come off as a dork...."
"And speaking of coming off," William said, trying to stifle his laugh, "You should probably try to choke the chicken before your date so you don't keep bumping into her with your boner...." The boy looked down, goofily. "Man, you are a lost cause.... I didn't mean you have one now, only that ... never mind...." The boys all laughed over their cereal, until they heard the bus coming down the street.
"I'll take care of the dishes," William said, and the boys ran out the door. He was putting the dishes in the dishwasher when Steve came out in his robe.
"Sarah gone already," the boy asked.
"Yeah, early morning, but it wasn't any trouble for her, since she didn't have any wine last night...."
"Getting ready...."
"Yeah," Steve laughed. "Listen, about that.... With all the drama last night, I don't know if Chase mentioned it to you, but he and Matt invited some girls and their boyfriends to go out with you guys tomorrow night...."
"No, he didn't...."
"I think it's like pizza and a movie or something.... I was just wondering if you boys might want to make it a late night.... I thought it might be nice for Sarah and I to have a romantic dinner at home...." William snorted and nodded.
"Sure, I'll just tell them we need to see the later movie because Chase's dad is at home boning his mom...."
Steve gave him a good smack in the arm and laughed, "Thanks...."
"Steve, are you going to be around today?"
"Should be, why?"
"I'm going out for a run this morning, and I want someone he be here when they deliver my weight machine...."
"No problem.... I'll be here...." Steve walked to his office and came back quickly. "But take this with you, it's my old business cell.... It's yours until we get you a better one.... Keep it on you!"
William took the phone and said, "Thanks, dad," this time with a cheeky grin. Steve put his arm around the boy and ruffled his hair.
"I think I like the sound of that.... You know, it's no disrespect...." William nodded, smiling and only tearing up a little. "After all, I am like your ... father-in-law...."
"Does that mean, if Chase gets me pregnant, we'll have an honest-to-goodness Virginia shotgun wedding?" Steve rolled up the paper and gave the boy a swift smack on the behind, making him jump and laugh. He walked to the door and laced up his tennis shoes, before jogging out the door waving goodbye. Steve picked up the phone and called Sarah's favorite restaurant, arranging a very expensive home service, with server.
William took it easy this time, and bypassed the park and its creepy denizens, heading straight for town. He was just getting a little tired when he arrived at the door of the old synagogue. Pushing the button, he heard the woman ask, "How may I help you?"
"Irma, its William, the boy from earlier this week...." He heard the door buzz, and he walked over to the office where the woman sat. "Thanks a lot! I was wondering if the Rabbi was available?"
"He's with someone right now, but he'll be free after," she said, checking his calendar. "If you like, you can wait in our library...." William nodded and she pointed him in the right direction. He found many interesting books, most of which he knew nothing about. But he gravitated to the section labeled mysticism.... He thumbed through a few books on Kabbalah before he heard the door open behind him.
"William," the man exclaimed warmly. "I was worried I wouldn't see you again for a while...."
"My uncle Aiden vouched for you," the boy said with a smile.
"Aiden Phillips is your uncle?'
"Well, yes and no.... His partner, Xavier, is my mother's brother...."
"Then he is your uncle.... Remarkable! How is he?"
"Well, you can ask him yourself, soon.... They are moving to Richmond to be closer to me...."
"Do you mind if I ask why you aren't planning to move back to D.C. when your troubles get cleared up?"
William considered the man closely and figured he had not disapproved of Aiden and Xavier. "The son of the people who are taking care of me.... I'm in love with him...." The man smiled and nodded, sitting down in a big easy chair and motioning William to the other.
"You are ... very young...." The man watched him carefully, "And love is a difficult thing...."
"Believe me, I know how difficult love is, but I also know that that is no reason to live without it.... And who knows how long you've got...."
The man smiled and nodded, "So you are in love.... Good for you.... Hold onto him...."
"I will.... Listen, with your connections to magical beings world-wide, I wonder ... do you know of any neurologists who have access to more-than-human techniques?" The man sat back and looked at him expectantly. "The boy, Chase, he's blind, and no one can figure out why, and I just thought...."
The man nodded, and said, "But you know, it's like anything else.... Our powers are not absolute.... If it's a curse, if the wizard was very powerful and very dark, there is only one way to help your friend...."
"I'd do it," William said, and the look in his eye confirmed it. The man nodded.
"Then there are some powers above ours...."
"What powers?" The rabbi laughed and spread his hands motioning to his surroundings. "Oh, yeah, of course...."
"You know, Chase, wizards are people too, and we all need something to believe in.... We of all people know what's possible. That's why there are wizards of every tradition.... I tried to talk to your father, but he didn't want to hear it.... I loved your father, but he was very stubborn.... I hope that there are some things he didn't pass on to you...."
"I believe in God.... The source of all power and magic...."
The rabbi smiled, but clearly disagreed. "God is so much more than that, more than the source of our power.... A machine could serve that purpose, like a power plant.... God is the merciful, the compassionate, the benevolent...."
"Where was God, then?" The boy spoke with a little anger, less than the man expected, actually.
"He was in your back yard, shielding you from harm.... He was in the spirit that guided you to the forest, into the arms of your beloved...." William felt angry at himself because he was hearing the sense in what the man said.
"Gideon was the spirit who did those things...."
"And who do you think Gideon is? Who do you think he answers to? 'Secular wizards' call them guardians, but they are what we call angels...."
"That's what Chase said, guardian angels...."
"Bright boy.... Your Gideon, I suspect, is closer to God than most...."
"Why do you say that?"
"Gideon is the name of a man, not an angel.... Gideon," the man stopped abruptly, as the big black, winged figure loomed silently and unnoticed behind William and raised a finger to his lips before dissipating.
"What?"
"I'm afraid, I'm not allowed to say any more.... It has been forbidden...." William looked frustrated, but nodded.
"So, God is looking out for us, God cares for us.... What about my parents?"
The man sighed. "I don't know.... It's not ours to know.... But it may be that you have some great purpose, and that for that to come about ... a tragedy was necessary.... In the end, all will be restored ... all will be united ... and your parents watch over you still...."
"Xavier said the same thing, the last part anyway.... Anyway, theology later.... Could you look into the doctor for me? I want the best, most powerful practitioner in the world...."
"That will be ... expensive...."
"I don't care about the money," the boy said, and the man knew he must have plenty, if he knew the boy's father.
"I'll have a name and a contact for you next week," the man said. William gave the man his new cell number and thanked him.
"Do come see me again soon.... You do remind me of your father," the man said, eyes glistening.
"I will," William said, and pleased the man by giving him a hug.
William was pushing on the door, when the man said, "Wait! I forgot, there's something I want to show you.... I was doing some research for your father...."
The man showed William two papers, one in Hebrew, the other his English translation. "There is little more important to a wizard than his magical heritage.... It's part of what ties us all together.... Your father's family tree is complete back into the middle ages, and connects there to very ancient wizards, but your mother's was more ... incomplete.... Many of her ancestors were unaware of their powers and left them undeveloped. But there was one connection I was helping him check. It turns out that your mother's mother's mother's mother was married to one of the great figures in Hasidic Judaism, a sect of modern mysticism. Your great-grandfather was a very powerful and important figure in the movement...."
"What does this mean?"
"Well, it means that you and Xavier can fill in a long branch of your family tree, because through this man, you trace your roots back to the biblical era," William sat down, hardly able to believe what he had heard. "And it means that you are a Jew...."
"What?"
"Well, a person can be born Jewish or convert to Judaism, but if your mother was born Jewish and never converted to another religion, you are Jewish.... In your case, generations of your matriarchs never converted to another religion, and so you were born a Jew.... Should you choose to embrace your heritage...." William's head was reeling and the man sat next to him.
"I don't know anything about Judaism.... I don't understand...."
"Your relatives hid their identity to escape the Nazis, and I suppose they masked their identities in fear.... They came to America and lived as secular wizards, which is what they passed on to your grandparents, and they to your parents.... Come by some Saturday for services, just to see how it feels.... You should know about your past, and perhaps your future...." William nodded in confusion and took the English translation and the original copy, and thanked the man, before leaving.
A week ago, he didn't know there were Jewish wizards, and now he finds out he was one. As he started jogging toward home, he couldn't help but ask, 'Who am I? What am I?' This raised more questions than it answered, and by the time he reached the house, he found himself in the midst of an minor existential crisis.
He numbly asked Steve if his weights had arrive, and the man pointed him to the yard, outside his building. "You forgot to open the door, so...."
"Thanks," he said, and went out into the yard. With a wave of his wand, the door opened and the box floated through it and into the inner room. William borrowed the tools he needed and threw himself into putting the equipment together. His whole sense of space and time was thrown off, so when Chase got home and called for him, he didn't answer. Chase carefully walked across the yard to the building and knocked on the door, calling his name.
Chase's voice penetrated his thoughts and he came out to the door and threw his arms around the boy, surprising him.
"That was ... unexpected.... Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, sorry," William said, catching his breath, "just got caught up in putting this stuff together. I bought this new weight equipment to work out at home and I just want to get it set up and out of the way...."
"Okay," Chase said, smiling and putting a soft hand on his cheek, "I'm going to go do my homework so I'm free this weekend...."
Before he could walk up to the house, William called playfully, "So were you going to tell me about this quadruple date we have tomorrow night?" Smiling playfully, Chase walked away. William laughed and shook his head. "I love you," he called, lighting the boy's face. Chase blew him a kiss before heading inside. William's head was clearer, suddenly, and he was able to finish putting the machine together. Then he went out to his lab and found the willow branch he had collected, and took out one of his ritual knives and carved the wood into a long smooth shaft a little thicker than a thick pen and about 11 inches long. It was a good start, he thought, but a lot of work remained. So he took the shaft into his inner room and locked it in his vault. Better safe than sorry.... Looking at the weight machine, he decided that this was as good a time as any. He hadn't lifted in a while, so he knew he needed to start slow, but he still needed to work out some energy, so he adjusted the machine to a not-too-strenuous weight, and started a circuit through the basic exercises.
When he came out into the yard forty-five minutes later, he was drenched in sweat and ready for a shower. Upstairs, he stripped off his exercise clothes and hopped in a cold shower, hoping to avoid sore muscles the next day. Then he styled his hair in the mirror and crossed the hall wearing a big towel.
"Hey," Chase smiled up at him and ran his hand up the back of William's towel, squeezing his ass. "All clean?"
"As a whistle," William said, "whatever that means...."
William pulled out some black pants and a form-fitting white dress-shirt, which he left unbuttoned to the third button, and shiny black leather shoes. "Why don't you get dressed and let me take you out on a proper date.... We should have one before we go out with a group...."
"Really," Chase asked excitedly. William told him what he was wearing and ran downstairs while Chase was changing.
"Well, aren't you dressed up," Steve said. "What's up?"
"I want to take Chase out tonight, just the two of us...."
"And you need rides?"
"No, I thought you might want to practice for tomorrow night," William said with a mischievous smile, "I just need your permission. I'll call a car service...."
"Well, well.... Sounds fun! Take your phones and be safe...."
"Thanks," William said and ran to get the phone book, calling to reserve a car and driver for the evening, then calling for a reservation at a posh Thai restaurant. He was stumped about what else to do. They couldn't go to mini-golf, and they were going to the movies the next night. Sarah passed behind him and leaned down to whisper, "There is a performance of Beethoven's Fifth tonight at the Carpenter Theatre.... Chase loves Beethoven...." William gave her a peck on the cheek and phoned the box office. The timing was perfect, and there were seats left, but they were the most expensive in the house, the woman explained, hearing the youth in his voice.
"Two, please," he said, and made the reservation, in time for him to see Chase coming down the stairs looking like a young movie star in his tight white turtleneck and sleek black slacks.
"Picture time," Sarah announced, and the boys posed for her at the bottom of the stairs.
"Now," Steve said, taking a fatherly tone, "You guys have a good time, have my son home after 11, and don't do anything I wouldn't do...."
"Dad!" Chase complained playfully. "Wait.... After 11? Ewww, dad, gross...."
"Those baby brothers and sisters aren't going to fertilize themselves," he said, giving his wife a playful smack on the behind.
"Was that.... You guys are gross...."
"They're pretty cute for old people," William said, dodging Sarah's hand. Their banter was halted by a knock at the door. A young man in black suit and hat stood at the door.
"I'm Derek, I'll be your driver for the evening.... Would you like me to wait, sir," they young man asked, looking at Steve. He was surprised when William answered, "No, we're ready...."
"Yes, sir," the driver said, leading them out to their car, a new black Lexus limousine. He stood by the door and opened it for them, and watched William help Chase inside. He closed the door behind them, and climbed behind the wheel.
"Will there be any other passengers, this evening, sir?" He could tell the young man was wondering if there were any young ladies to be picked up. William's response would confirm his suspicion.
"No, Derek, it's just us, tonight," he answered, wrapping his arm around Chase.
"Very good, sir," Derek replied, not revealing anything. "Where to?"
"Thai Curry House...."
"Very good," Derek answered. "There are drinks in the cooler...." With that, he raised the privacy glass, and Chase cuddled into William and they rode along. Shortly before they arrived, Derek lowered the privacy glass to announce the impending arrival, and Chase made no move to withdraw from William's embrace. And now William saw the look in Derek's eyes -- not disgust but longing. He pulled the car to a stop and came around to open the door for them. As Chase and William got out of the car, William asked the young man, "Can I get you something to eat? We'll be a while at our next stop...."
"Thank you, sir, I'll be fine...." Something told William the young man was being polite, but he said nothing, and led Chase to the door.
Approaching the hostess, William said, "We have a reservation for Abernathy...." The boys were led to their table and sat next to one another facing the room. Each boy ordered soup, salad and a meal, and they sat talking and holding hands, ignoring the few disapproving looks. The food was delicious, and the boys cleaned their plates. They ordered a desert to share, and William asked for an order of pad thai, to go. When they were all finished, William paid and took Chase's arm, leading him out of the restaurant. Seeing them emerge, Derek jumped out of the car and opened the door for them.
When Derek was back in the car, William directed him to the theater. William let Derek help Chase out of the car, while he sat the food on the man's seat. They collected their tickets at the will-call window and found their way to their seats, sixth row center. Chase held William's hand throughout the concert, occasionally squeezing it in approval. During the intermission, William ran to the restroom, leaving Chase alone.
He was startled when a young woman leaned forward and said, "You two are very cute together...."
Chase turned to thank her, and introduced himself, extending his hand awkwardly, "Chase Abernathy...." It was the ill-aimed hand, as well as the dark glasses in the dim light, that revealed his condition, and she took his hand warmly in both of hers.
"Charlotte Wilson, and to my left is my fiancée, Dave Swanson." Dave, too, shook his hand warmly.
William came back and smiled at them as Chase was chatting away. "William, this is Charlotte and Dave.... They're engaged.... Oh, and they are students at the University of Richmond...." William smiled and shook hands with the couple.
"William, I know you're on a date, but Charlotte and I were going to get coffee and a snack afterwards if you guys would like to join us...." Chase took his hand and squeezed.... Anyway, the concert would be over and they had some time to kill if they didn't want to hear Sarah and Steve 'practicing.'
"Why not," he said, smiling, as the lights flashed to quiet the audience. The symphony played a few more short works and the show was over. The foursome waited while the audience cleared the aisle a little for Chase, and William asked, "Did you have fun?" Chase, always enthusiastic, through his arms around William and squeezed, and William kissed him on the cheek before smiling at the other couple in embarrassment. "So where are you guys going," William asked, and Dave explained that there was a diner they liked near campus and that they had taken the bus.
"Well, we have a car, we can all ride together," William invited, and the couple happily took them up on it. As they walked out of the theater, William warned, "We don't always travel in this kind of style...." Derek pulled up to the curb and came around to open the door. "Derek, Dave and Charlotte are joining us for coffee...."
"Yes, sir...."
As the other couple, then Chase, got into the car, William asked, "Do you like pad thai, I wasn't sure...."
For a moment, the young man dropped his mask of professionalism and smiled, "Thank you...." William nodded and climbed in.
"You sure know how to show a guy a good time," Dave said, laughing. "Poor college students like us get by best we can...."
"You had pretty good seats," William joked.
"My parents have season tickets and they couldn't come," Charlotte laughed.
"Dave, could you tell Derek where we're going," William said, and when the car started to roll, the privacy window went back up.
"So, I don't mean to be nosey," Dave said, looking around the car.
"Sure you do," Charlotte broke in, cutting him off.
The boys laughed and William said, "It's alright...."
"How'd you swing this?"
William smiled and said, "My parents were very good with their money...."
Charlotte heard him, and put her hand on Dave's arm, stopping his follow-up. "How long has it been?"
"Two-and-a-half months.... Tonight is my first night out...."
"I'm sorry," Dave said, genuinely. "What happened?"
Chase squeezed William's hand and answered for him. "Someone blew their house up...."
"I'm sorry, I really am.... I grew up without my parents," Dave said. "They died in a car accident when I was nine and I lived with my grandparents...." William nodded in sympathy.
There was a short silence, which Chase broke, asking, "So, when is the wedding?"
The couple looked at one another and Charlotte said, "June, if we can get our site reserved...." She and Chase chatted away about her wedding and the planning she'd done, and William and Dave just smiled at one another.
"What do you want to do after you graduate?"
"Well, I'm an economics and business major, so I guess I'll do financial advising or something like that.... I'd like to go to law school so I can handle more aspects of my clients' businesses, but it's so expensive and I don't have anyone helping me.... I don't want to put us in that kind of debt at the beginning of our marriage...."
William had an impulse and considered the young man's face, "Give me your hand," William requested, and Dave looked at him funny, not sure what to make of it. At last he held out his hand and William took it like he was shaking it, but held it still. Now Charlotte and Chase were wearing curious looks, as Dave started to get nervous. "Calm down," he said. "Would you ever lie to your client?" The young man shook his head, no. "Would you ever take money from a client that wasn't due to you?" No. "Do you honestly believe you have the skill to make money for your clients?" Yes.
William sat back and thought for a moment, before speaking. "In the last couple of months, I've learned to go with the flow.... I've also learned that not every meeting is random and insignificant...." Chase smiled and took his hand, and William squeezed it. "I think you should go to law school.... And I'd like to make you a proposition. I'd like you to work for me...." Everyone looked at him in shock. "Finish school, come to work for me.... Go to night and weekend classes for law school, work for me, and then when you're finished, take on other clients...."
"Are you serious," Charlotte asked, and Dave looked at him with incredulity.
"I'm very serious.... While you're working for me, I'll give you $70k, plus law school tuition and insurance...."
"This is ... unbelievable," Dave said, still not sure he wasn't being put on. William pulled out his card and dialed the number for the first account. He told the voice his account number and entered his secret pass code.
"Balance," he asked, and heard the response -- upward of 14 million Euros. Holding the phone up to Dave's ear and asked the voice to repeat the balance. The young man's eyes bulged as he heard the number and William snapped the phone closed. "I have ten accounts like that one.... Additionally, there's my parents' estate. I'm not interested in most of the day-to-day, so your job would be to expand my finances and build a reputation for yourself. If you're successful, we can talk about a percentage of the profits for you...."
Dave looked at Charlotte, who was just bouncing and who, at last, leaned across with a squeal and gave William and Chase a big hug. The car pulled over and Derek opened the door for them. In the diner, they all got coffee, and Chase and Dave talked about the kinds of business interests Dave wanted to research before he would start working for William officially. William offered to have a contract drawn up and wanted to meet Dave the next week to get that signed and in place. He would also have the young man meet with Steve, who was an expert in struggling businesses. In the meantime, Chase asked Charlotte about the wedding venue and what was the delay in scheduling it.
"The down-payment -- they want half now, and half at the wedding, and my parents think it's too expensive...."
Chase nodded, and said, "I'm sure you'll figure something out...."
They all chatted for a while longer, and William said, "I think we should head home...." They settled their bill and William stopped at the ATM on the way out to the car to get some cash. "Do you guys want a ride back to your places?"
"No, thanks," Charlotte said. "We're just across the way, so we'll walk." William exchange numbers and emails with Dave, and he and Chase got back into the limo. "We're ready to head home, Derek...."
When the privacy glass was up, Chase said, "I think you did the right thing.... He'll be a good man...."
"I thought so.... And I don't want to worry with business, it's not my thing...." Chase snuggled up to him and William wrapped his arm around the boy, and they started a little light making out, but soon enough, Derek pulled up to their house and came around to open the door for them. As Chase stood by, William signed the slip for the credit card and gave Derek a very generous tip.
"Derek, could I talk to you a minute," William asked, and the man straightened up a little.
"Sure I'm off the clock," he said. Chase looked like he was worried William was about to hire this man too, given his wry smile.
"I may be out of line, but are you gay?" The young man blushed heartily, and nodded almost imperceptibly. "Are you out?"
Again he nodded, but he added, "Not that I know all that many people.... I've had a hard time and, well, I keep to myself...."
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
"No, I've never had ... a boyfriend...."
"I met a guy this week," William began, "he's a really nice guy, and I thought you guys might hit it off.... If you'd like, I could introduce you...."
"Really?" Derek asked, sounding a little excited. "I, it's hard for me to meet people and especially to ask a guy out unless I know he's ... you know...."
"Well, give me your number and I'll call him up and see what we can do.... Two cute guys like you shouldn't be alone," William said, teasing a little, as Derek wrote out his number and handed it to him. Chase took his arm and walked with him up to the house. Before they could get inside, however, they saw Matt's car pull in next door, so they walked over to say hi.
"Yo, Matt, what's up? Besides you?" William snorted at his own joke, which was true this time. Matt's hair was a little mussed up as well.
"Oh my God," Matt said, "what a weird night.... We went out and had dinner, and ... you were right, William.... She notice my discomfort, and just smiled. When we were in the movie, she held my hand in my lap and fingered me through my pants.... When we kissed goodnight, she put her thigh between my legs and I'm so frustrated ... and she's freaking awesome!" The boys laughed at Matt, who seemed well on his way to knocking boots with the prettiest girl in school.
"So, we're all going out tomorrow and I'll get to meet your Amy," William asked, and the boy nodded dreamily. "Well, night," William said, nodding toward Matt's lap, laughing, "I guess we'd better leave you to it...." Matt waved and shot him a bird, and William and Chase went in the house quietly.
A tell-tale sound from the master-bedroom said it still wasn't late enough, but the clock said after 11. William looked at Chase, holding back his laughter, and said, "Must be round two...."
"Ewww," Chase whispered, smacking him on the back, and the boys tiptoed upstairs. William stripped down and laid on the bed, pulling up the covers and turning on his side, and Chase crawled in with him, wrapping his arm around his waist. The warm spooning soothed William and he fell quickly to sleep, but in the night, he felt Chase's sleep hard-on snaking between his cheeks, leaking sticky precum. William smiled and spit in his hand, reaching back to lubricate the penis and guiding it to line up with his anus. Feeling the hot target, the sleeping boy tightened his grip on William's waist and pressed forward, pushing his cock into the hot hole. Like a teenager humping his bed, Chase went to work in his sleep, and was in full fuck mode when the motion shook him from sleep in the middle of sex. He stopped suddenly and William whispered over his shoulder, "Please, fuck me...."
Chase resumed his pounding of William's ass, using his hands to pull William's waist into line for deeper penetration, and his cock started massaging William's prostate, driving the boy crazy. He felt Chase's dick swell in his ass and felt the warm cum in his ass.... Chase quickly pulled out and climbed over William, taking his cock in his mouth, sucking the biggest load yet from the big cock.
"That was different," Chase said, smiling, and gave William a kiss as the boy got up to go to the bathroom. Chase straightened the bed and, when William returned, this time William spooned into him, and they fell back to sleep....