A NEW BEGINNING
Author's Note:
This story is sort of a continuation of the series Nick and Jonathan. Ten months have passed since Jonathan found himself alone.... If you haven't seen the Nick and Jonathan series, you should read it before reading this.
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Chapter One:
"You still aren't eating enough" said Frau Eberle.
Jonathan looked down at his plate. Over a third of the plate was still covered in veal, and spetzle. "You cook too much" he replied. "This is my second plate of your wonderful cooking"
"Now Jonathan" said Frau Eberle. "You have been here for 9 months. I know exactly what you have eaten and not eaten. You have lost over 15 pounds since you came here. I know what my cooking can do to a person. You have lost wieght, not gained."
"I know" said Jonathan softly, standing and walking away from the table. He walked over to the plate glass windows overlooking Lake Lucerne. Here he had come when he parents had died, here he had come after the killing of Nick's father, and now, 9 months later he was still here after Nick's death. A far away look was on his face. He felt rather then heard Frau Eberle come up in back of him.
"Life goes on Jonathan" she said quietly. "The pain will soon leave. What is yours to keep is the memories. I know you miss him, I miss him too. But more I miss the life you used to have in your eyes."
"In time" he mused. "I miss him every day. I've accepted his death, as pointless as it was. I can't help feel that somehow it was my fault in a way. He asked to stay, I should have made him come with me. He'd still be alive... Chris would still be alive.. Paul would be in one piece instead of peices of steel in his leg"
"Shush" she said. Frau Eberle guided him over to a couch in the lounge area. "It wasn't your fault. Nick asked to stay. He asked. What was is over. It was a pointless death but you do him no honor by staying in your suite, eating nothing, not even running. Remember this. We can spend the time we have on this Earth dying.. or we can spend it living"
With that she gathered up her skirts and walked off to the kitchen leaving Jonathan alone. Looking out the window he saw Paul in the private park. Still on crutches after his leg was shattered by the accident that took Nick's life, he was in therapy for eight months. Sighing he reflected back on the past nine months. Flying home to South Carolina for a week after sending Nick's ashes to the sea off of Cape Cod, he never left his room . He had told Brandon to sign his name to whatever he needed to. Finally as the walls started to close in on him, he flew to Switzerland and the hotel the Eberle's owned. Now nine months later, he had a beard, his hair messy and unkempt fell almost to his shoulders. No one would ever realize that this slovenly dressed person who walked the parks of Lucerne was one of the World's richest men. They only saw someone who was tired of life, waiting for death to claim him. He got up and walked out of the hotel across the street to the park. Danny watching from a distance, never far away but knowing that his presence was not wanted kept his silence.
Jonathan walked into the park and went over to the bench where Paul was sitting. Paul moved the crutches and Jonathan sat down.
"How's the leg doing today?" asked Jonathan.
"Still stiff but its getting there" said Paul. "Uhm can we talk?"
"Sure" said Jonathan. "What's on your mind?"
"You are man" said Paul. "You look like shit. Your staff is scared to say it but I'm not"
"The point?" said Jonathan.
"You are Jonathan" said Paul. "You are. Nick died, not you. The world is yours for the taking. It's been ten months since Nick died. You are not doing his memory or yourself any good moping around here. When was the last time you ran?"
"I don't know" said Jonathan. "I don't really care"
"Yeah well I do" said Paul. "You hired me to be your trainer remember? I may not be able to run but I can hit you over the head with a crutch. It's time you got your fucking lazy ass in gear and did something around here"
"Who the fuck are you to tell me what to and not do?" said Jonathan snapping and standing over Paul suddenly.
"Someone who cared about Nick like a brother." said Paul raising his voice. "Someone who hasn't stopped hurting physically or emotionaly since that day. But I'm dealing with it. I fucking cry every day I do my phyiscal therapy. I push myself because of Nick. To prove to him in someway even if he isn't here I want to live. We never gave up on each other. We were always there for each other. We drove each other man. That memory drives me. What are you doing about his memory? Sitting on your ass shriviling up waiting to die. YOU probably can't even get it up anymore"
Jonathan stared at him for a moment. Suddenly, swearing, he reared back and made a swing to hit Paul. Paul dropped down and swung a crutch with incredible force catching Jonathan behind the knees effectivly forcing him to the ground. Next Paul shoved a crutch into Jonathan's chest pushing him to the ground and held him there.
"About time you showed some emotion around here" said Paul smiling for the first time. "You going to stop being a deadbeat and maybe do something to get your ass in gear and honor his memory?"
Jonathan just lay there, tears flowing for the first time in a long time. No sound came from his mouth. Paul released him and waited. Finally Jonathan stood. Silence was between them like a stone wall. Jonathan stared off into the distance, his mind a thousand miles away.
"Thank you" said Jonathan softly and walked away. He walked across the street and into the hotel. He saw Danny in the lobby. He walked up to him.
"Find us some taxis in like a half hour " said Jonathan, some of the fire returning to his voice. "We are going to the train station. Find Brandon, tell him to make arrangements at the spa at St. Moritz. He knows which one. We're moving out. Everyone."
"Yes sir" said Danny, surprised but pleased.
Chapter Two.
Jonathan walked into the brilliant sunshine of the new morning at 7 am. Beside him was Danny and Jeff, who had replaced Chris on the staff. Brandon and Mark were also there. All of them stretched out and began the morning jog. Three weeks had passed since Jonathan had left Lucerne. In the three weeks time at the spa he had finally started to live again. His hair was now cut back shorter then it was at anytime but still styled and cut in a European style. His beard had gone at the same time. Working out every day had restored his stamina as well as put on a few new pounds of muscle. Jogging at the 6,000 foot level at first had been hard but Paul's words kept coming back to him.'I push myself because of Nick. To prove to him in someway even if he isn't here I want to live." To live.. To honor Nick. Ending his 5 mile morning run left most of the crew breathless and sweaty. He too was sweaty but today he felt better then he had in almost a year.
"Thanks guys"said Jonathan turning in towards the hotel at the spa.
"For what?" asked Brandon his chest heaving in gasps. "Not dropping dead a mile back, or not hurling all over your sneakers?"
Jonathan laughed at that. He realized he hadn't heard himself laugh in ages. It felt good.
"If you can manage not to drop dead in the next hour or so, scare everyone up. We're heading over to Hawaii tomorrow."
Brandon just looked at him. "Hawaii?"
"Yeah." said Jonathan. "I feel like learning how to surf. Can you deal with that?"
"Cowabunga bossman"said Brandon. "Maybe I'll even teach you a few things"
Chapter Three:
The next afternoon, Jonathan got out of the limo that had brought him to the foot of Renaissance. He looked up at it. He had not seen the plane in 8 months. Shining under the afternoon sun, it was like seeing it for the first time. He walked up the steps and was warmly greeted by Captain Hendrickson.
"Welcome back Jonathan" said the captain, shaking his hand. "It's been a long time"
"Yeah it has Don, thanks" said Jonathan, releasing his hand. "You still remember how to fly this beast?"
"I think so" said the Captain with a smile. "I took her up yesterday on a test flight, she's looking good and ready to fly."
"God, I'd forgotten how beautiful she is. Big too. Rock and roll whenever we got everyone on board" said Jonathan.
Jonathan wandered around briefly throughout Renainssance,ending up his office. As expected, the plane had been lovingly maintained by Swissair. On his desk he found a several folders from Brandon. The first was letters that had to have his personal signature on. As he flipped through them he saw several with notes attached. He closed the folder and realized he had been away too long. He reached over and hit the phone button for the cockpit.
"Yeah Jon" said Captain Hendrickson.
"What's flying time?" asked Jonathan.
"We need to refuel in New York" said the captain, "We'll be on the ground long enough to clear customs and refuel, call it 2 hours. Then another 10 to Hawaii, almost 19 hours total time. I am anticipating touching down in Hawaii around 9pm local time which incidentially wll be today their time."
Jonathan did the mental conversations in his head. "OK thanks." said Jonathan. "Do me a favor change flight plans, and clear and refuel in Boston. I got something I need to do"
"OK" said the Captain. "We have everyone on board. We are cleared to taxi. We will be airborne in 10 minutes."
Jonathan walked out of his office and ran into Brandon who handed him another file of papers. Continuing on, he went into the front lounge area. Karen and Anthony we waiting for him.
"Hi Guys" said Jonathan as he took a seat as the plane started moving.
Karen walked over to him and hugged him. "We've missed you Jon."
"I've missed you guys too" said Jonathan hugging her back. "It's been a long time, but things are going to be OK now."
"You're looking pretty good" said Anthony as Jonathan walked over and hugged him too.
"I should" said Jonathan. "I haven't had any of your fattening cooking in a long while"
"Wise ass"said Anthony laughing. He could not feel anything but trust and love for this person who was like a son to him. "We'll change that"
"No doubt" said Jonathan. "We got 17 hours in air. I"m sure you can come up with something to eat in that time"
The three chatted as the plane roared down the runway and leapt into the sky, once again reborn to fly in the heavens instead of chained to the Earth. Her four engines, the sunlight shining off the metallic gold paint roared to full power as Captain Hendrickson brought it up to crusing altitude.
Life returned to a routine aboard Renaissance. Jonathan was working on paperwork in his office a couple of hours later when there was a knock on the door. Paul walked in.
"Hey, got a minute?" he asked.
Jonathan shoved the paperwork over and stretched and got up. "Of course. What's on your mind?
"I wanted to apologize for being an asshole in Lucerne" started Paul.
Jonathan came from around his desk. He went over to the small bar in the office and got them both a glass of wine.
"Funny, first time in ages, I've actually had a drink" mused Jonathan. "Listen you weren't an asshole in Lucerne. In fact it is proably you that I have to thank. If you hadn't dumped me on my ass in the park, I might not have woken up"
"Thought you were gonna send my ass home for a minute that day" said Paul, drinking his wine.
"Nope" said Jonathan. "In fact, you seem to be getting around pretty good these days. Looks like the time in the spa helped"
"Yeah it did" said Paul."Their therapists did more for me in three weeks then the the two stateside did."
For a moment he paused. "The day Nick flew back to Denver I couldn't believe the changes in him. He was always kinda quiet, all the shit with his father I guess. But when this thing rolled up to General Aviation it blew me away. He told me the colors of the plane but not what it was. Then after one of the guards came down to check out who I was, he came down. Man, it was like he was another person. He looked so confident. A totally different person."
The two continued to talk for a couple of hours. There were tears in Paul's eyes by the time they were both all talked out. Without even thinking Jonathan reached out and took Paul into his arms and let him cry. For mintues neither said anything. Paul finally stopped crying and looked up at Jonathan.
"Thanks" said Paul.
"No Problem" said Jonathan. "Anytime. You are pretty special to have cared about Nick that much. He talked a lot about you. Listen. We are touching down in Boston for refueling in about 4 hours. That will be around 3 pm local time. I have something I have to do while we are there. We will be airborne again when I get back shortly thereafter. From there it is about another 10 hours to Hawaii. I'm gonna crash out shortly after dinner. If you want, you are more then welcome to sleep up front tonight instead of in the back. I'm not hitting on you and don't plan to, but you aren't just anyone either. You are more then welcome to share the front of the plane with me anytime you like"
Paul looked at him for a moment. "Thanks Jonathan. I think I would like that" he said.
Chapter Four:
The wheels thumped down on the North runway at Logan International in Boston. As they taxied to General Aviation, Danny came into the office area where Jonathan was.
"Hey, what's the plan?" he asked.
Jonathan stood. "The plan is for me to go into Boston and take care of something and I don't want company."
"Nice idea" said Danny. "Other then that, what's on agenda?"
Jonathan sighed. "It was a thought. I need to go to the cemetary where I put a marker for Nick. I don't want a whole lot of company"
"I understand" said Danny. "I think you and I can handle that"
Shortly after the plane came to a halt in General Aviation. Danny and Jonathan walked off the plane to a waiting car. They were quickly transported downtown. As they found a place to park next to an ancient graveyard in the middle of the town, Danny marveled at such things could remain in today's fast paced world.
"Stay here" said Jonathan getting out of the car. It was clear in the tone of his voice that there was no room for arguement this time. Danny got out of his side of the car, but remained with the car.
Jonathan walked to the grave marker for Nick. He looked down at it. He bent down and remained there for some time. Finally he spoke as if he was speaking to Nick.
"Hey babe" he said softly. "It's been a long time. I've thought about you every day. You had a special friend in Paul. He got me to live again. Reminded me that I was the one who was alive and not dead. I miss you so much, but I'm learning to live with it. You will always be in my mind and soul and my love forever until we meet again. It's time to live again though. I may meet someone but they will never be as special or as loving as you are to me."
Jonathan stood and looked at the marker for a short while longer, fingering the leather necklace he still wore that Nick had given him. The only change to it was the ring Nick gave him was no attached to it. Suddenly there was a brief motion and a raven came to rest on the grave marker. It looked at Jonathan and chirped a brief song before taking off again. For some unfathomable reason Jonathan felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
He walked out of the cemetary and got back in the car. They were driven back to the airport. Jonathan ran into Captain Hendrickson as he entered the plane.
"How we looking?" Jonathan asked.
"OK" said the Captain. "We are refueled and Brandon has taken care of all the customs crap. We can get a slot for take off in about 20 minutes"
"Get a move on then" said Jonathan. He walked forward to find Karen in the front lounge.
"Everything OK?" she asked getting up and getting him a glass of wine. He took it.
"Yeah" said Jonathan. "For the first time in a long while. I think everything is going to be OK"
To be continued? its up to you folks.. lemme hear.
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