Disclaimer: Warning. This is a work of homoerotic fiction that may not be suitable for all audiences. If you are not of age or if this work is illegal in your area do not read it, if you are not comfortable with this type of literature don't bother reading it! This is purely fiction with no relation to facts known, any relation to any person or fact is thus coincidental. In layman's terms, this is utter fiction written out of enjoyment either read it or don't but don't come crying to me if it gets you in trouble. :-P
From Whence We Came
Chapter 1
"Independence Day."
I begged my mom, it didn't work. I pretended I was sick, it didn't work.
I even prayed for rain, and it just didn't work.
So I resigned myself to my fate.
And laid half sprawled on my bed while the rest of the family got their shit together. My solitude didn't last long as the two innocent forms of the twins bowled through my door with anticipation dripping off them, like water off a wet dog.
You couldn't blame them though, being all of eleven, there was still that air of excitement to be had whenever something big and grand was about to happen. Much like today in fact.
"Ben! Ben!" Came the calls in unison, I hated it when they did that. It was like whining in stereo. "We're about to go see the fireworks!" Both turned and ran out, as soon as the words had left their mouths.
I counted down from ten just to be sure, and like clockwork the shrill confirmation from my mother sounded downstairs, informing me my ass had better be down in short order. With a groan I rolled off my bed, grabbing my I-pod because I knew I was going to need it, and headed out the door.
With my i-pod secured in one of the various pockets of my cargo pants, I made my appearance in the family room just as my parents gathered the last remaining objects that they probably wouldn't use as we set forth to celebrate another anniversary of the birth of our nation.
In case you couldn't tell, it's July 4th and if you live in America you know, or at least you should know that it's Independence Day, unless of course you skipped history and have been living under a rock your entire life. We live in the nation's capitol, yep the District itself, well Arlington VA close enough, across the Potomac from the good stuff, so you know the fireworks where going to be something.
In this city they always were.
It didn't take long to load up in dad's black suburban, and make the short trip along the memorial parkway, across a bridge and a layover in traffic; with a lot of cursing from my father involved we arrived at West Potomac Park.
The sun had long since turned in for the night, and the collection of people in one space was almost suffocating.
I only stayed with the family long enough, for the blanket to be put down and for them to settle before mumbling something about needing to stretch my legs and wandered off towards the bank.
I really didn't want to hang around, and to be honest I didn't even want to be here. I would have been perfectly content to be allowed to brood in my room quite and alone.
This day I had been dreading internally for some time, I just didn't want anything to do with it. Let the patriots be damned for all I cared. All I wanted was my older brother back.
He joined the army in the patriotic fits that occurred after September 11th. My mom wasn't sure of the idea, my dad congratulated him for it, and I merely begged him to change his mind.
Of course he didn't. So he left for Iraq, with promises of returning on leave, and reminded me it was only for a year, and that his enlistment was only going to lasted for four.
He never came home.
Or at least he didn't come home the way I wanted him too. No fate had dealt him differently in this hand.
He came home in a box, draped with a flag. The same flag that now rests in a case in my father's study. I never go into his study anymore.
Losing him practically shattered the mirror that was my world. He wasn't like some older brothers that ignored there younger siblings. No, he always made time for me and the twins. Even before the twins he was my protector, my confidant and now that he was gone, my hero.
I withdrew into myself, much to my parent's dismay. I cried, but never in front of them. I didn't cry at his service, which to this day I don't know how I managed that minor feat. So far the 'rents have given me my space, the distance I needed to grieve. It's been months now but I'm not done. I don't think I'll ever be done.
Of course I wasn't the only one hit by this. There are four others in my family besides myself. They grieved in their own way, which to be honest, I really don't know how, mainly because for now I just didn't care. They may have wanted to share their pain, but my pain I chose not to share. It was mine and mine alone.
Despite the ever growing number of people that seemed to come out of nowhere I managed to find a small quiet spot on the bank of the river, and leaned against the trunk of an oak tree. I pulled out my I-pod and plugged myself in to drown out some of the noise.
You know laughter. The sound happy people make.
My mood flowed with the music, and my thoughts just roamed the sea that was my mind. That was until my I-pod decided to shuffle its way to "Brother in Arms" by Dire Straights. As the first cords where played, my heart fell again. I mean I wasn't going to cry or anything. I just felt^ÅSad.
I closed my eyes and just went with it. Distracted by the music, I didn't hear anyone approach but somehow I knew someone was near and I opened my eyes to see someone standing a few feet away, close to the river.
He was about my age, just a touch taller with short black hair and brown eyes. Or at least what I thought where brown eyes, it was dark after all. His build, again like mine. Thin, to average.
"You look a bit lonely mate, mind if I sit?" He asked in his English accented voice.
I nodded and turned down the volume, a little so I could hear him, if he chose to engage in conversation and still hear the song.
He gave me a slight grin as he got settled, the trunk of this tree was large enough to accommodate both if you didn't mind being chummy about it. And by the looks of it he didn't.
"Out of all the yanks in this park, you seem like the only one who either doesn't want to be here, or you have something on your mind other then the obvious." He said with a wave of his hand at the public in general, at the latter part of his question.
"Yes to both questions." I replied.
He chuckled, "it was a single question."
So he wanted to be cheeky with me.
Alright, we can do that, "yes to both statements?"
"Gotcha," he looked forward towards the river, "feel like sharing?"
I grimaced internally, and some of it may have leaked to my facial expressions but since he wasn't looking it didn't matter, "not really."
He nodded silently. "Sorry to push, but usually everyone is all hyped up to celebrate the day you kicked our bum's back across the pond. I'm just surprised to see someone who's not."
His honestly made the corners of my lips turn upwards just a touch, almost a smirk, almost not.
"Yeah well, I guess I don't have much to celebrate this year and I'm not feeling very patriotic." I replied with a slight sigh.
"Really?" he asked with what appeared to be mild surprise. "Now that is something."
I nodded at his response without commenting further.
I could feel his sideways glances ever so often. He even opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but only to close it again when I guess words escaped him. After a few minutes of awkward silence I pulled the ear buds out of my ear, and let them fall to my lap with my I-pod.
"Are you really that curious?" I asked as I continued to look towards the river.
"Wot?"
Damn the British for having cute accents.
"You're fidgeting." I replied.
"I am?"
"Yes, you are."
"Alright then, so I am what of it?"
This was turning into a mind fuck already. "Nothing!"
A few more moments of silence, "so are you going to tell me or are ye gonna sit there in a humph for the rest of the night."
"Ye? Who the hell says ye?" I asked, my mood brightening a little.
"Hey now, I'm not taking pot shots at your choice of language mister." He said in a mock manner which did make me chuckle.
"Sorry."
"Aye that you are," he exclaimed.
"Now who's taking pot shots of who brit boy?"
"Brit boy, is that the best you've got yank?"
"I am not a yank!"
"If it looks like a yank, and quacks like a yank^Å." He didn't finish his sentence; instead he looked me in the eyes and smiled warmly. Thinking back on it, I believe that little touch of banter inspired by him was to somehow pull me out of the sadness I had felt when he arrived.
"So mate^Å Really what's got ye bothered?" He asked in a much softer tone. I watched his eyebrows fall ever so slightly, and I found mine doing the same.
"I'm just not feeling all that patriotic and all of that." I turned my eyes back to the river, so my eyes wouldn't betray me.
"Well I guessed that, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out."
Internally I sighed, "my brother died in Iraq at the beginning of the year. I loved him, and^Å It's just been difficult to handle." I managed to squeak out.
I felt his hand on my shoulder, which made me twitch ever so slightly. It was almost enough to send me over the edge. Here was a perfect stranger, whose name I didn't even know, giving me a random act of compassion and fought tooth and nail, to keep back the eventual flood.
"I just^Å didn't want him to go in the first place. You know? Like I knew this was going to happen."
He nodded silently, and let me continue, "Every time I think about it I just get, angry and hurt. And now I'm forced to be here to celebrate. To celebrate the day that signifies freedom, and those who died to give it. Ugh, I don't want to celebrate his death!"
I started to shake and his hand, tried to sooth me by rubbing slowly. I stole a quick glance at his face, his eyes where still intently on me, with a slight sadness of their own. I pulled my knees, up to my chest and buried my eyes in them.
"I'm just so mad at him for leaving me, he said he would come back and he didn't Instead he died out there, far away from home without us. He was too young to die!"
My body shook again as my words hit home. Holding back the sobs, my body shuddered a little instead. His hand moved from my shoulder and he actually moved closer, wrapping his arm around both of my shoulders and held on.
The gesture made me flinch, and pull away, but still he held on.
"It's okay mate," He said in an assuring whisper.
Tears slowly leaked out of my eyes, his grip loosened a bit to give me the option to pull away, but I didn't. Instead I slowly inched closer, and in response he moved in as well.
"I don't think I'll ever get over him, or forgive him." I blurted out.
"And why not?" he asked with another whisper, "he knew what would happen didn't he? He was aware of the risks."
"But he didn't have to do it!"
"That one, I can't answer," he said solemnly. "The sense of duty or calling is different with each person. Some feel the need, the urge to go above and beyond what is required for their existence, even if we don't quite agree on the situation," Those words mulled in my head for a few moments.
"Tell me, was your brother a kind honest person who went out of his way to help someone, or protect someone?"
I sniffled a little, "yeah."
"There you go then. He had the need the desire to do what he thought was best. I know this whole war is a controversy and hell even the men and women who are out there find themselves asking why. I'm sorry to say I can't give an honest opinion on the whole situation without pissing someone off, but I suppose the choice to do something ultimately resides in those who actually get out and do it."
His arm flexed slightly, giving me a squeeze. "They say history is made by those who show up, and your brother just may have wanted to be one to say that he made a difference."
"Yeah^Å" I said with another sniffle in agreement.
"That doesn't mean you can't feel his loss, but it doesn't mean it has to be a painful reminder. He didn't die in vain, he died doing what sounds like, what he did best, helping others."
That last part made me just stop. I hadn't thought of that. I had been so wrapped up in my pain; I didn't bother to think about how my brother had felt. I didn't think about the real reason why he had to do it. It was because he couldn't help BUT to do it. Of course there where a lot of people who said this war was wrong, it was pushing into the billions of dollars to finance, you couldn't turn on the TV. without hearing reports of more death and destruction.
He knew it the possibility of being sent to Iraq existed, he knew what could happen if that turn of events did arise, and still he made his choice despite the consequences because it was just his nature. I felt myself easing up a little as I calmed down.
I blinked the few tears away and raised my chin to rest on my knees, for a few moments before carefully turning my head to face him. He gave me a soft smile that caused me to quiver ever so slightly. I returned the smile slowly and let out a small sigh.
"So, you can smile after all." He said after a few moments, "It suits you, you know."
My face froze for a slight moment, 'suits me?' Did he just^Å
He broke out laughing, due to my change in expression, "Is that what you yanks refer as to, 'deer in headlights'?"
I coughed involuntarily, realizing he still had an arm securely around my shoulder. I found myself in quite a compromising position; being this close to quite possibly one of the cutest guys I'd ever seen who just happened to be sort of holding me, what a situation to be lost in.
He didn't let go, he still kept his position. I sat up a little, still keeping my knees to my chest due to the other little problem that was starting to develop in my boxers. His eyes stayed on me even when I shied away from his gaze. Those big brown eyes lured me like a magnet.
I found myself staring back at them. His grip on me tightened ever so slightly, drawing me closer to him. Time itself seemed to slow to a crawl, the millings of the crowd faded away. His head leaned in towards mine, with our eyes still locked.
Slowly the distance was closed and our lips touched. My eyes fluttered closed, along with his. I could feel the hot breath flaring from his nostrils as he pushed closer still. His lips were soft and almost sweet. We held that simple gesture for what seemed like forever.
I felt his free hand come up to grip one of mine as his tongue flicked across my lips, which parted ever so slightly. The tip of his tongue teased my lips by licking along them. The pressure of the kiss eased a little and we both found ourselves separating from the lock.
I opened my eyes slowly.
The smile on his face was a dreamy one as he opened his eyes. When he looked at me again, this time it was him that shied away with a blush.
"Ah, sorry 'bout that mate, heh guess I kind of lost control there for a bit. And you looked like you could use it."
I just looked at him, and he blushed again. My hands moved on their own as they wrapped around his neck pulling him back to me. My lips quickly found his again, and pressed against them tightly.
He moaned in response and his grip tightened around me, his lips parted and my tongue took advantage of it, by pushing through to lap at the inside of his mouth, soon our tongues where wrapping around or at least attempting to wrap around each other as they dueled.
We were so wrapped up in the moment we didn't hear anyone approaching until a bright luminous bulb from a flash light was cast against us.
"Hey!" A voice boomed from above.
Immediately we broke apart and instinctively pushed against the tree trunk, both readying to flee.
The man moved his flash light slightly so we could get a glimpse of the uniform, and the badge was unmistakable
Busted by one of the Capitol police departments finest and he didn't look happy.
"Kids," he scoffed. "Look, if you two," he paused and shook his head, "boys are gonna be doing that find a spot that isn't so noticeable, although I'd prefer it if you didn't do it in my park all together. You got me?"
"Yes officer." I replied softly. My partner in crime only nodded with a small amount of fear in his eyes. He looked to the officer, and then his eyes seemed to focus behind the officer were two men in suits stood looking at our direction.
One of them raised his chin ever so slightly, causing the boy beside me to ever so slightly shake his head. The man's chin lowered again, and the officer who stood before us shook his head and muttered something inaudible as he clicked off the flashlight and resumed walking.
"Oi mate," he finally said, and I blushed sheepishly. "You really know how to hand it to a bloke."
"Yeah, sorry about that, I guess I lost it there for a second, and you looked like you could use it."
He grinned at me. "Care for a walk?"
He stood up and offered me a hand. I took it and started to stand up. The I-pod that had been sitting in my lap started to tumble, but his free hand was quicker and caught it all the while helping me to my feet.
Winding up the ear buds he looked at the screen for a moment as he flipped through the songs that where stored in the device. "Some nice choices," he grimaced, "some not so nice."
We walked across the park away from the river to the tidal basin that held the reflection of the Jefferson Memorial which loomed in the distance. Soft popping sounds filled the warm air, as the amateurs set off their somewhat illegal fireworks.
A few even streaked into the air to explode in colorful balls of flame that were only a shadow to the main event that was yet to come, our walk had mostly been silent, as we maneuvered around people, when we reached a quiet piece of bank, we sat down gazing at the before mentioned Jefferson Memorial, still in silence.
"So what's your story?" I ventured, as I didn't know a thing about the person beside me.
"Story mate?"
"Yeah story, you know a little something about you?"
He gave a light chuckled, "the book that is my life, is honestly a pretty boring read."
"Try me." I challenged.
He grimaced slightly, "not much really to tell. I was born in England of course my parents work here in the city well," he said with a shrug of the shoulders. "My dad does anyway. My mum and I stayed behind in the UK so I could finish out the year in school. I myself have only been in the country for a week now."
"And?" I asked.
"And what?"
I gave a small grin, "how is it so far."
"Well, I can say I am suffering from a touch of culture shock if that's what you mean, and I haven't yet had the opportunity to venture out on my own."
I glanced over my shoulder, and turned my body acting like I needed to stretch. The same two gentlemen caught my eye milling about, not looking in our direction exactly, but still keeping a scope out of the area.
"What their story." I said, turning forward again looking back to the water.
"Who?"
I jerked my thumb back behind me and his eyes followed it.
"Oh^Å" A small sigh escaped his lips, "listen mate that's ah^Å A long story, really it is and if it's okay^Å" He glanced at me with a drawn face.
My arm wrapped around his shoulder, "it's cool dude. Sorry I pushed."
"No really, there is an explanation it's just, for one night I'd like to forget."
That made me raise an eyebrow in curiosity and he continued, "sometimes it's not easy being the person you were born."
His eyes reflected with the water, "I just don't want someone to get the wrong idea about me is all. You know? I for once just want to be myself without the^Å other things getting in the way."
"Image," I replied.
"Aye, you're almost too bright to be a yank you know that right?" He said slugging my arm lightly. He looked at me with a straight face before he broke out into laughter.
It was infectious and soon I was laughing as well till we both fell backwards onto our backs.
"What's your story mate," he asked as we both gazed up to the heavens.
I thought about my answer before I gave it, "I'm a middle child, I have two younger brothers who are twins. Identical twins, sometimes it's scary. My dad, is a lawyer, and my mom works in the White House as an assistant director in the office of protocol. Her office handles all the frilly red carpet events."
His head turned to face me, giving me an odd look.
"What?" I asked.
"Ah nothing," his head turned to look upwards again, "just the way you put that. 'frilly red carpet events' haha."
I shook my head at him, "that's what it amounts too. All that fancy crap for dignitaries, heads of state, ambassadors. Personally I can't see how she does it, or even remembers half of what needs to be done but eh, that's mom. I myself couldn't do it. It's just too much."
"Ah a real down to earth kind of guy then eh," he asked.
I grinned, "yeah you could say that."
The moment was interrupted by a whistle overhead and a loud pop. The explosion blossomed into a multicolored plum. It was followed by another, and another. The celebration in the sky had begun.
The echoes of cheer reverberated through the still air, as the thousands that gathered watched on. Our quiet little patch of grass remained just that as the sky lit up with the colorful explosions, seemingly one right after the other.
Some of the bigger explosions sounded like cannons as the fiery projectiles where launched to the heavens. We both let out a gasp, and his hand reached for mine as one exploded directly over our heads.
Showering us in a beautiful starburst, his hand relaxed its grip and I intertwined my fingers with his. He blushed slightly, either at the gesture, or for jumping slightly at the moment. I smiled at him and returned my sights to the show above us.
Thinking back on that night, it was probably the one time that I actually saw the beauty in the display. Its controlled chaos, the marvels of the deep bass of the explosions, the many colors that seemed to be endless, earlier that night I had not wanted to be here at all. I would have missed this moment and this meeting all to be alone.
Alone, it was something I honestly didn't wish to be, even though I had pushed everyone away to achieve that goal, my pain had blinded me I loved my brother and even the thought of losing him wanted to cripple me. Had I been afraid of losing others?
Probably so.
A quote from Star Trek of all places flashed in my mind, 'risk is part of the game if you want to sit in that chair.'
I chuckled to myself on that thought, damn my brother and his nerdy influences.
The boy beside me heard my chuckle and looked over to me, "hmmm?"
"Oh heh," I replied slightly embarrassed.
"A stray thought."
He looked at me, and I told him what had been roaming through my mind, and the quote. He surprised me by telling me which movie it had come from, and who said it.
"Man not you too!" I laughed.
"And why the bloody hell not," I didn't have a chance to reply as he rolled over and started to tickle my sides. Instinctively I curled up into a ball, and turned red with laughter as I squirmed and tried to writhe away. "Aha ticklish are ye?!"
I begged him to stop, as my lungs couldn't keep up with the laughing. No longer being able to process oxygen normally I started coughing pretty heavily. Thankfully he stopped and lightly rapped my back with his hand.
"You prick." I said as I was finally able to breathe.
"Aye, I know."
I punched him in the arm.
"Ow!"
"That'll learn ya."
"Not likely mate, you don't know I may like that kind of stuff!"
My eyes went wide which elicited another round of laughter from him.
"HAHAHA, crazy yanks."
He grinned at me and I rolled my eyes.
"We have to do this again sometime." I said dryly with a touch of sarcasm.
"Indeed we should!"
We both sat up, slowly and dusted the grass off ourselves. The sound of a cell phone ring tone caught our attention. At first I thought it was mine but he reached into his pocket and pulled out the source of the noise.
"Hello?" He asked and his face fell slightly as the voice on the other end started talking.
"Hang on mate." He said to me as he rose to his feet and walked a few steps away. He spoke in a hushed voice that wasn't easy to overhear but I got the feeling from the look on his face that our time together had reached the end.
Almost to confirm my thoughts he closed the phone and looked up at me, "sorry, I've gotta run, the folks and all."
He looked very much like the guilty one, not like he was in trouble for being out, but like he felt guilty that it had to end so quickly. My eyes fell to the ground slightly, his hand cupped my chin and raised it eye level again, before dropping it back to his side.
"I can't give out my number; I mean my folks would totally have a freak out, but is it okay if I look you up later on?" He asked shyly.
The look of hope in his eyes was undeniable, "you mean like to go out and do something sometime?" I asked.
"Exactly!" he beamed.
His smile again was infectious, and I found myself smiling despite the situation, "alright yeah."
"Grand!" He pulled me into a bear hug and squeezed and quickly kissed my lips. With a blush he broke free and scampered off at a quick pace towards the two gentlemen in suits from earlier.
"HEY WAIT!" I called out. "I don't even know your name!"
He stopped and turned around and yelled a response, "Damian! Sorry I didn't say it before Benjamin but sometimes the little details elude me!"
He turned and ran off again, as my eyes went wide for a moment. "How the hell did you know my name?" I yelled. He was already too far to hear me. How the hell did he know who I was? It was a question that apparently wouldn't be answered on this night.
The fireworks display was still going off in the sky above D.C. I thought it would have been prudent to make an appearance with the family since now I really didn't want to be alone and perhaps it could be a start to undoing the damage from the last few months.
"Oh fuck!" realization snapping me out of my revere. My hands immediately went for the pocket on my thigh which was empty. The cheeky little brit never handed me back my I-pod from earlier.
The scowl was from instinct more then anything else as I headed back to the spot my parents had picked out. As I walked it slowly faded away and soon I just shook my head, "you better look me up otherwise I'll have to hunt you down." I said to myself again.
When I reached the spot, I saw my parents sitting next to each other pointing off the various bulbs of light to the twins. The excitement on their faces especially the twins was one to melt the heart. Despite the tragedy that met our family head on they still allowed the simple joys to be just that.
Enjoyed.
I felt bad for the way I had been acting the last few months. The selfish tantrums, the backtalk, the door slams. I felt bad for closing myself off and keeping them at arms length when all they really wanted to do was help, and in the end they didn't push, didn't yell or anything. They just let me be, unless of course they caught me being mean to the twins.
In our house that was unacceptable and for good reason to, especially after my brother died.
In the end they were still my family, my dad may have congratulated my brother on his choice, he always did that no matter what choice we made as long as it was something you could learn from. Oh yes it still hurt, but not like it did before. Amazing how you can have that one encounter that chances your entire prospective. Mine came from that total outsider who somehow just knew.
"Hey stranger," my father said as they noticed me approaching.
"Hey." I sat down next to my father and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder, causing me to flinch a little.
"Easy there son, is everything okay?" He asked as he looked down at me.
"Yeah^Å Look I've got something I need to say, something I want to say." I said softly, slightly unsure of myself. "I just wanted to apologize for being a dick the last few months. I know I haven't made things easier on anyone and I'm just^Å Well sorry."
I meekly looked at them briefly and shied away feeling very much the guilty one. I felt my father's hold on me tighten as he pulled me closer. My mom's hand reached behind my dad's back to clasp my shoulder.
"What brought this on dear?" My mother asked.
That brought a smile to my lips, "I had a talk with someone^Å It just made me think about how I was handling stuff."
She nodded, giving me the 'we'll discuss this later' look which was cool, no need to bring it all out now with the festivities. My father's arm hugged me once then let go as the twins padded towards me on all fours.
Jason, the oldest wormed his way into my lap, and Jesse snaked his way to my side, utterly content on using me as a leaning post. They didn't say a thing as I wrapped myself around both, and we all went back to just watching the sky as we celebrated two hundred and thirty years as a nation.
The drive home was one of utter content. The twins raved about the fireworks show, mom and dad talked about the speeches and of course political issues. We shared some laughs, and took the general jabs at each other.
I knew I caught my father's gaze in the rear view mirror as me and the twins went back and forth at each other. God it felt good to be a family again.
Long after the excitement was over I got myself ready for bed. Thankfully, my room had the bathroom attached like the master suite my parents had and the twins shared a bathroom of their own. No sooner then I had finished showering, and stepped into a clean pair of boxers I was assaulted by two little balls of flesh as they launched at me from God only knows where.
"What the^Å" I exclaimed as I picked myself up off the floor. Jason and Jesse giggled at me as they stood up and gave a high five to each other.
"What are you two doing in here?" I asked. Both where stripped down to their boxers as well and I had thought they were in bed.
Two sets of devilishly green eyes gazed up at me as they pushed next to one another.
"Bed!" the call came in unison.
"No shit sherlocks, and that's were both of you are supposed to be." I replied. Sometimes these two little shits where hard to understand, but I still loved them.
They're hands grabbed mine and gravitated, me towards the bed. Jason pulled back the blankets and both pushed me down onto it. Wordlessly each hopped on either side of the bed and snuggled up to my sides.
I looked at each of them and whispered, "What's this?"
Again those two sets of green looked up at me as one whisper back, "we missed you."
Jesse reached over and turned off the lamp as both kissed me on the cheek, and settled for the night.
I lay there silently as the twins quickly fell asleep, leaving me with just the sounds of their steady breaths, the steady beats of their hearts and the everlasting warmth both provided. Sometimes pain can blind you to a lot of things. It can keep you from seeing the real love that is around you even when you need it the most.
Today, with the help of a stranger I was free of my earlier constraints. I still had my pain but it didn't have the same grip on me as it did before. It truly was my Day of Independence.
The twins stirred slightly as they dreamed. My arms squeezed both of them slightly and I felt them squeeze back, and as content as one could be I closed my eyes and drifted off^Å
Authors note: Yeah that's it for chapter one, first of all I have a couple of people to thank. shdowgod first since without your constant prodding, your head beating, your threats and continuous amounts of praise that made this chapter, made this story possible. I don't think I could have gotten it into words without your help. And to my editor Jon, who took my words and made them better, I honestly couldn't have posted this without your help and for it I'm eternally grateful.
For the readers, do feel free to email me what you think about this little tale. I of course can be reached at treyvan@gmail.com. Well, until chapter two. :-)
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY AMERICA!