Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction. It has no intentions of resembling any real persons dead or alive. This is entirely from my imagination, with a little help from already established sources. This story is based loosely on the comic book character "The Punisher" from Marvel Comics. Other characters may appear from Marvel comics as well as DC Comics.
Punisher and all related characters copyright Marvel Comics.
Blade and all related characters copyright Marvel Comics.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel copyright Joss Whedon, United Paramount Network and Warner Bros. Respectively.
The Vampire Chronicles and all related characters created by Anne Rice. Copyright Anne O'Brien Rice.
I have written another story on nifty entitled "Tales of a Real Dark Knight". It is in the Celebrity/Boy Bands section. Batman may appear in this story once or twice, as the Punisher may appear in "Tales of a Real Dark Knight". Any comments may be sent to authorjames2002@yahoo.com
Thank you and enjoy.
Author's Note: This storyline will be the final installment for "Marvel Knights". I hope you have enjoyed the run as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Many issues that have come up in the last storyline will be resolved in this story line. Again, I hope you have enjoyed its run. Thank you.
Chapter 9 Eternity
Davey's heart sank. He was hoping that Harris would forgive him for what he did. And maybe, had things been a little different, he would have. But Davey could also understand why he didn't. Davey had done much to Harris, enough to make Harris constantly doubt what they had. Plus Harris had his own insecurities, and that would cause Davey trouble in the long run, too. Unfortunately, those facts did not remove the love he felt for Harris, nor did they remove the love Harris felt for Davey.
"Tandy asked me to come here," Harris continued. "I wasn't sure I wanted to see you again. What happened hurt me a lot. But I want us to put what happened behind us, reconcile, and move on with our lives. And right now, I don't think we can do that if we are in each other's life."
"So you're...you're..." Davey jumped up and ran into the bathroom as he vomited. His hand cupped his mouth trying to contain the fluid but the blood leaked out the sides of his hand. He got into the bathroom and dropped to his knees in front of the toilet. Blood hurled from his mouth as he heaved.
Harris rushed in behind him and saw what Davey was bringing up. His eyes widened in fear and he ran out of the bathroom and down to the study.
"Tandy! Ty! Come quick! Davey's vomiting blood!"
Tandy and Ty jumped up and ran up the stairs with Harris following after them. They got to the bathroom and Tandy knelt down beside Davey, placing her hand on his back for comfort.
"It's okay, Davey."
"Be careful you don't touch his blood," Ty said.
"I know," Tandy answered.
"What...what's going on?" Harris asked.
Ty exited the bathroom and went down the hall with Harris. "Davey's sick. The two guys he had sex with were carriers of a virus."
Harris's hand went to his mouth. "He has HIV?"
"No. The virus he has is mutant specific."
"Are those two guys mutants?"
"No. They were injected by the same guy that took Johnny over the summer. He somehow saw in the future that Davey was going to stop him so he created this virus and injected it into the guys. The semen production also produces the virus and they spread it every time they have unprotected sex."
"We have to find them. If we get samples of their semen we could create an antivirus."
"We know. We have them downstairs."
Harris ran as fast as he could down the stairs. He kept going until he got to the lair where he found Michael, Blade, Dr. Strange, Whistler, and someone he never met before.
"Harris!" Whistler said surprised. "What brings you here?"
"Where are the mother fuckers who poisoned my boyfriend?" He looked over at a monitor which showed the two young men masturbating with condoms on. They were watching porn on a television. "So this is their reward for breaking me and Davey up?"
"No, this is our way of getting their semen so we can find a cure for Davey."
"Let me help," Harris said as he ran into the lab where the video was playing.
The two boys were shocked to see Harris. He didn't say a word to them. Instead, he knelt down in front of them and jacked them harder. Not long after, they reached orgasm and filled the condoms. Once they were full, Harris pulled the latex tubes off, tied them and tossed them onto a table. In one fluid motion, he turned and punched the two boys, causing them to fall over into a nearby table.
"Fuckers," he said. "I hate you! With every fiber of my being, I hate you! You not only destroyed the relationship Davey and I had, you've poisoned him! He's going to die! And it's all because of you two! I hate you!"
Harris swung his leg up and kicked the boys in the stomach. Without any protection, the full force of his foot was felt throughout their body and their skin bruised easy.
Blade ran in and grabbed Harris, pulling the fighting youth away. Harris collapsed in Blade's arms and cried. "The bastards! They killed him! They killed my Davey!"
"I know," Blade whispered. "I know."
Harris calmed down enough to leave the room. Blade picked up the used condoms and gave them to Whistler, who began running his analyses. "I don't know how long this will be," Whistler said. "Hopefully it will be quick."
Ty came running down the stairs. All eyes turned to him. The look on his face revealed to everyone the situation and its seriousness. "It's Davey," he muttered. That's all it took. Everyone ran up the stairs to Davey's room. He lay on the bed as pale as alabaster. His chest would rise, hold, and then collapse with the slow, shallow breathing.
Blade went in and sat next to Davey, taking his hand in his own. "Davey," he whispered.
The youth tried to open his eyes but was barely able to.
Dr. Strange stepped beside the youth and checked his pulse. "It's slow," he replied. "Probably due to the lack of blood. It won't be long now."
Tandy turned to Ty.
"God, no," Harris replied. "Not now, not like this." He stepped up to Davey and took the other hand in his. "Davey, this is Harris. Can you hear me?"
Davey turned toward Harris and tried to open his eyes. A smile tried to break through, though it wasn't very strong.
"I want you to know that I love you. I will always love you."
Davey slightly nodded and smiled, assuring Harris that he believed him and felt the same way.
"We've been through a lot. Most of it insane. And I never stopped loving you, even after what happened. And I will never stop loving you."
Tandy stepped up to where Blade was sitting. He stood to allow her to sit down and hold his hand. "Hey, squirt, it's Tandy. I..." And the tears fell, her voice choking on the words she couldn't get out. After taking several breaths, she said, "I love you. You're my best friend. Who else could I talk about cute guys with? Only you."
Davey chuckled a little in acknowledgement.
Tandy got up and nearly collapsed. Marc caught her and helped her get into a nearby chair while Ty sat down and took Davey's hand in his.
"Hey, little bro."
Davey managed a smile.
"You taught me a lot of things. You taught me to open myself to new experiences and new people with acceptance and curiosity. I've gained some valuable friends because of you. But, most importantly, you taught me to be happy with myself despite what the world believes. You taught me because you are happy with yourself despite the adversity society perpetually gives you and others like you. I'll do whatever I can to protect those who are persecuted. I love you, little brother."
Ty bent over and hugged Davey. Then he stood and moved back so Michael could sit with him. Michael sat and took Davey's hand.
"You and I are like night and day. I'm the darkness that most people don't want to ever go to. You're the light that everyone strives for. In my quest to punish those who have committed wrongs against humanity, you wanted them brought to justice. You taught me how to forgive, Davey. You rescued my humanity by letting me be part of your life. Thank you. You will always be in my heart."
Michael stood so that Whistler could sit down with him.
"What are you doing, little shit? You should be up on your feet kicking the virus's ass and giving it a hard time. You've always been a pain in my ass, but I knew. I knew you respected me. The reason we crossed each other so much was because we are so much alike. I give the Watchers' Council hell whenever I get a chance, even more so after I met you. You're a great guy, and I'm honored to have had you in my life."
Whistler stood up and Blade sat back down. Ty and Tandy moved around sitting behind Blade and Harris so that Davey could see their faces. Michael stood at the end of the bed looking down at the boy smiling. They all smiled as the tears fell. Blade kept his hand on Davey's wrist keeping an eye on his pulse. He could tell it slowed even more.
The room was silent. All that could be heard was the shallow breathing of Davey. The only movement was the slow rise and fall of Davey's chest and the muted sobs of his friends and co-workers.
Marc entered and whispered to Whistler, "The ambulance is on its way."
Whistler nodded knowing they wouldn't make it in time.
Harris took a deep breath and sang softly to Davey, attempting to comfort him. "Never knew I could feel like this, like I've never seen the sky before. Want to vanish inside your kiss." Harris's hand caressed Davey's cheek, his finger tips lightly touched his lover's lips and a tear ran down Harris's face. "Seasons may change winter to spring, but I love you until the end of time."
Davey took a deep breath and barely whispered out, "Come what may."
Together they whispered, "I will love you till my dying day."
Davey's chest went up and then, slowly went back down. The Watcher stared hoping that it would rise again but it didn't. Tandy burst into tears as her best friend slipped away from this world. Ty put his hand on Blade's shoulder and leaned his head against Blade's back while the tears fell. Blade reached back to hold Ty's hand, the tear falling down his cheek. Harris pulled Davey's lifeless hand to his lips and kissed his hand, pushing them against his face, feeling the warmth that was slowly slipping from the lifeless body. The tears fell as if a flood gate were open.
"God, no, no, no," he cried.
Michael didn't say a word. He turned and went into his room to grab a gun. Then he walked past the door and headed down the stairs to the two who needed punished.
"What's he doing?" Strange asked.
"He's going to punish the two boys," Whistler said.
Marc and Dr. Strange ran out the door and down the stairs. By the time they got to the lair, Michael stood their staring at the empty room. Ryan and Caleb had slipped out when no one was watching them.
"They have to pay," Michael said. "They must be punished."
"Justice will be served," Dr. Strange answered. "But not today. Today, you must mourn for your friend, and you must comfort your other friends. Do not compound their grief with added trouble."
The sounds of the sirens pulling up to the mansion pulled Michael back from his trancelike state. The three men went up to the door to meet the paramedics.
A few days later, the occupants of the mansion rose with somberness. They went about their morning routine, with the exception of not eating breakfast, and with one less member. But that was the reason for the somberness and the lack of appetite. They were preparing for the burial of their friend.
Showers were had and black outfits were picked out. Tandy and Ty stood in the kitchen with Tandy in her black dress and Ty in his black suit.
"This is so surreal," she said as she leaned against the counter. "I remember him so healthy, so vibrant, so alive. And now, he's gone. And it wasn't like he was killed by a vampire, or a demon, or a wizard or even a mutant. He was killed by a regular person carrying a lethal disease. His death is a meaningless death. He didn't fulfill a purpose in dying. He wasn't saving the world when he contracted the disease. He just got it from making a bad choice, from doing something anybody and most others have done in their lives. It isn't fair."
Tandy buried her face in her hands as she cried. Ty walked up and wrapped his arms around her.
"You're right, it isn't fair. It isn't fair that he died. It isn't fair that he contracted a disease from doing something others have done many times and are still healthy. It isn't fair that his death doesn't really have a purpose or meaning in it.
"But life isn't fair. We get the hands we are dealt and their isn't anything we can do to change it. Nobody can control time or the will of others. But it doesn't mean we have to like it. The only thing we can do is the best we can do. Take one day at a time."
Blade stepped to the kitchen door and cleared his throat. Ty and Tandy looked over at him. "We're...uh...we're ready to go."
Ty and Tandy nodded. Tandy pulled out some tissues and wiped her eyes. Then she and her two long-time friends exited the kitchen.
Everyone stood solemn at the graveside as the small casket rested over the final resting place of their beloved friend. On one side of the casket were the Knights wearing black suits and dresses, and on the other were Davey's family members and friends from school. Even Larry, his one-time best friend was there, grieving alongside Davey's mother. The minister stood at the head of the casket.
The day was cool and clear. The bright blue of the sky seemed to mock the sadness that everyone felt.
Harris entered the cemetery and approached the casket while the minister spoke. The Knights saw him and were saddened by the look on his face. The sterner Harris made his face, the easier it was to tell how much pain he was in. Tandy wanted to run over and hug Harris, to tell him that everything would be okay given enough time. But she knew he didn't want to hear that nor did she. None of the Knights wanted to hear it, and none of them believed it. How could you say everything would be okay when someone you love, someone so young whom you fought so hard to keep alive is passing from this existence and there isn't anything you can do to stop it?
To Be Continued...