Disclaimer: This story, though maybe not in this chapter but in subsequent chapters, will have celebrities in it. I have no knowledge of their sexuality and this is not intended to imply their sexuality. This is all from my own mind.
Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Angel and all related characters created by Joss Whedon. Copyright 20th Century Fox.
Batman, and all related characters created by Bob Kane. Copyright DC Comics and Warner Bros.
X-MEN, and all related characters created by Stan Lee. Copyright Marvel Comics and 20th Century Fox.
The Vampire Chronicles and all related characters created by Anne Rice. Copyright Anne O'Brien Rice.
Star Wars and all related concepts created by or based on the universe created by George Lucas. Copyright 20th Century Fox, LucasFilms Ltd. and Lucas Books/Ballantine Books.
I don't know for sure if I will use all the above elements, but just in case, I have myself covered.
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Other stories in this universe written by other authors: "Tales of a Superhero Band" "Tales of the New Phoenix" "Tales of a Young Mutant"
Chapter 28 Party of Two
The next morning, I was up early. I had prepared a pot of coffee and stood at the patio door with a cup in my hand.
"Good morning," Tina said and I turned to greet her.
"Good morning," I replied. "How did you sleep?"
"Not that great. Considering all I've been through, it isn't any wonder."
"Very true," I replied. "Would you like some coffee or tea?"
"Coffee would be fine," she answered.
Once I poured her a cup, she sat at the counter while I stood on the other side.
"What do I do?" she asked. "How do I deal with Mike and what he's going through?"
"From what you've told me last night, he definitely needs a therapist. Reverend isn't cutting it with what he's been doing."
"How can you say that? Reverend has done all he could to help Mike."
"And yet look at how Mike is doing," I pointed out. "I have nothing against Reverend trying to help. But when his brand of helping isn't doing any good, other measures need to be taken."
"Do you know anyone who would be qualified to help him?"
"Not off hand. I'm still in school, sort of. I could do some checking, make a few calls. I might be able to find someone."
"That would be great."
I heard the shower start upstairs and knew my love was awake. Tina saw the look on my face and sipped her coffee.
"Well, I'm going to go shower," she replied, standing and going upstairs.
"Jealousy," I muttered as I sipped my coffee. "If anything, she should be jealous of me and the man I got."
Ten minutes later as I stood on the patio looking up at the beautiful blue sky, I heard the door open and Lance stepped out.
"Good morning," he greeted as he slid us arms between my arms and my torso, wrapping his arms around me.
"Good morning back. How did you sleep?"
"Okay. How about you? Did you have another bad dream?"
"Not after cuddling with you. All was well."
"Want to talk about it?"
"It was horrible. Matt and Tina took me before my former pastor to get prayed for."
"That doesn't sound that bad so far."
"It was to receive a miracle for my homosexuality."
"Now it's getting bad. What happened next?"
"The miracle was a success. I ended up having sex with Tina, and I had a large dick."
Lance remained silent.
"Does it bother you?"
"Yes," he replied but not in a horrible way. He was just being honest. "I wasn't too keen on the idea of her staying here. I know she was connected with you and that church and now you are having dreams of going to the same church to get your miracle."
"If it is any consolation, I tried to fight against having the miracle. I even threw Tina off of me and walked out to look for you."
"That makes me feel a little better."
I turned to face him and looked deep into his eyes as I took his hands in mine.
"I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going to be turned straight. It doesn't happen. I love you."
"I love you," Lance replied and we kissed each other.
The sliding door opened and Tina gasped, "Oh!"
The sliding door began to close but I stopped her.
"Tina, it's okay. Come out. We weren't doing anything R-rated."
"But you were..."
"Kissing?" Lance said his eyebrows going up in the air daring her to make a homophobic comment.
"I'm not used to that stuff. I'm still not comfortable with it and I don't feel right about it."
"It's because you've been programmed by society not to feel right about it," I said. "Many gay people have felt that way when they came out. It's a natural reaction when you're brainwashed."
"Hey, don't tell me about my parents and my church brainwashing me. Everything that I've been taught has only benefited me."
"Really? I'm glad to hear that. But lots of the things I've been taught have not benefited me. They've only harmed me. Look, I don't want to get into this argument. We should just focus on finding Mike and helping him."
"Agreed," Tina said. "Any ideas?"
"We can go to the police department and see if anyone has been reported looking like him. I'm sure if Mike is scarred like you say, anyone who has seen him has probably freaked out."
Both nodded in agreement.
"Do you want me to check out the police department?" my love asked.
"No. That's the last thing you need is getting photographed walking into the police department. I can just imagine what the Enquirer would said."
Lance chuckled.
"I'll check out the P.D. If you two want to head anywhere and check around the clubs, as well as anyone else you know who might be privy to that information that would help."
"Why can't I just stay here?" Tina asked.
"Chances are if Mike knows you are here, he will try to come after you when you are alone. If you are with one of us, it might keep him from doing anything stupid."
"Besides," Lance added, "how many of your friends can say you got to spend the day with a member of NSYNC?"
"Most of my friends don't listen to your music. Most of the people I know think it is worldly music and should not be listened to." With that, Tina turned and went back inside.
Lance turned to me and said, "Did you every believe that?"
"One time I did."
"What changed?"
"Realizing that I'm gay and I thought you and Justin were the hottest guys I had ever seen. 'No Strings Attached' was the first 'worldly' CD I bought, followed by your first album and your Christmas album. Need I go on?"
"No, that's plenty of info for me. I'm freaked enough knowing that you used to believe like she did."
"There are a great many things that I believed at one time that I don't believe in any more. That's the old me. To coin a phrase from the Bible, 'Old things have passed away. Behold all things are become new.' In a sense I was born again when I came out. Not that it was a religious experience, but...I'm rambling and I need to stop."
Lance just smiled at me.
"What are you smiling about?"
"I love it when you ramble."
My husband kissed me and we headed out in our separate directions.
I pulled up to the Orlando Police Department and got out, watching as the traffic and the pedestrians went by. In some respects they seemed oblivious to the vampire war the happened. I had heard of what Batgirl, Nightwing, Freeze and Robin went through and was surprised that people weren't acting different about it. Maybe they all chalked it up as mass delusion or something. The war still raged in some parts of the world, a war that would have lasting effects for all involved.
"Can I help you?" the officer asked as I approached the desk.
"Yes, I hope so. I'm looking for someone who might have come into town a few days ago. Has anyone reported seeing someone with scars on one side of his face?"
"Not that I'm aware of. Let me check into the database. Can I ask your name?"
"It's Eric McCoy."
"How are you connected to this person?"
"His fiancé came to my home last night asking me to help her find him. I figured you would be the best place to start."
"Let me see what I can do."
The officer turned to a computer and started typing. What appeared to be police reports appeared on the screen. He leafed through them and even did a search but came up with nothing.
"Sorry, we haven't been told about anyone like that. Can I have your information? We would be able to contact you if we hear anything."
"That would be great," I said writing out my address and phone number.
"Thanks," the officer said as I handed him the information.
"Thank you for all your help."
After leaving the police department, I called Lance's cell phone and asked how things were going with him. He wasn't having any luck either, although he said several paparazzi were following him and Tina.
"I'm going to have a girlfriend in the next newspapers," he said to me.
"Just don't let it go to your head."
"Only you get to my head," he said. I could tell by his tone which head he was implying.
"Why don't we meet for lunch?" I suggested.
Lance told me about a café with a patio dining area and we agreed to meet there. Because he was closer, he and Tina would reserve a table. I climbed in the SUV and headed over to the café.
"Do you think we'll be able to find him?" Tina asked as Lance hung up the phone.
"I don't know. Maybe. Orlando is a big city. And there is no guarantee that he's here."
"He's here," Tina replied. "I can feel it."
"You love him, don't you?"
Tina looked up at Lance and nodded.
"Did you love Eric?" he asked.
"I don't know. I never had the chance to get to know him. We only went out a few times. But he seemed like a nice guy. At first I liked him more than I did Mike. But Mike was always there."
"You didn't do anything to let Eric know you liked him more. For all Eric knew, you were playing with his heart."
"Maybe I would have been better off with Eric," Tina stated. "We could be together right now."
"Not likely," Lance said.
"What do you mean?"
"Eric's gay. There's nothing he could have done to change that. He's told me of all the things he's tried to do to be straight, but none of them worked. He even tried getting prayer from your precious Reverend, and that didn't work."
"Maybe if he tried one more time."
"Listen, honey. Unless you had a cock between your legs, I highly doubt it would have lasted. Eric loves men. He always will. Unless you were born a guy, it would not work out. Ever. So there is no reason to even entertain that possibility."
Lance and Tina arrived at the café and sat at the table. They ordered some beverages and sat back waiting for their third party.
"It's a good thing they have the awning out. It looks like it might rain."
Tina nodded and soon the rain began ever so lightly. The sky grew dark quickly and lightning flashed across the sky. Patrons waved down their waiters and asked to be moved inside, to which the waiters began doing, finding tables to place their customers.
Tina and Lance stood to go in when suddenly a car pulled up near them and, to their surprise, Mike climbed out of the passenger's side.
"Hello, our sweet," he said smiling at Tina. "It's been a long time." He pulled his gun from his coat pocket and aimed it right at Tina's head. "Don't you have something to say to us?"
I turned onto the block of the café and noticed the car pulled up to the café railing. It didn't look right at all so I slowed down. Getting closer, I realized that it was a man waving a gun at two people on the patio.
"Oh my God," I realized. "It's Lance!"
Tina was only an after thought when I saw my husband being threatened by a man with a gun. Thank goodness I had a few of my metal bats stored in the SUV for such an occasion as this. I stopped, rolled down my window and let a bat fly. No one was paying attention as everyone was running for shelter from the rain.
The bat was on target and hit Mike's gun hand, knocking it away. He looked around trying to find where it came from. Since the windows were tinted, he could see that I sat inside the SUV. He jumped back into the car and it sped away. I pulled up and jumped out.
"Oh my God, Lance! Are you okay?" I asked taking him into my arms.
"I'm fine," he replied.
"What about you, Tina? Are you okay?"
"What? What just happened?" she asked.
"Batman saved your butt," a waiter said.
I looked over and realized the waiter was the young man known as Robert Lakewind. He must have gotten a job here at the restaurant.
"Eric?" he asked looking at me.
"Hi Robbie," I said. "I see you have a job here."
"Yeah, it pays the bills," he replied. "And you just got saved by Batman," he said to Tina.
"That's crazy," he said with a chuckle. "Batman doesn't exist."
"Oh really?" he said picking up the metal bat. "Then who carries these around?"
Tina looked at it closer. "This is crazy," she said. Then she turned and went inside.
Robert pocketed the bat and Lance and I followed her into the restaurant.
After the meal, we headed home. Sitting in the living room, we drank pop and talked.
"I still don't believe Batman exists," Tina said. "It has to be some prank or something. Batman is just a fictitious character made up for kids."
"I'm not sure I believe he exists myself," I said, "but that was found at the restaurant."
"It could be kids," Tina said. "Or some hero wannabe. Regardless, he isn't real. But Mike is, and I don't know if I can deal with this any more."
Tina stood up and headed toward the stairs. Suddenly the window erupted.
To Be Continued...
Author Note: With the requests to see pictures of the characters in both "Real Dark Knight" and "Marvel Knights", I have created a Yahoo! Group to display the pictures, as well as host any thoughts on events happening in the stories. The name of the group is "RDK_MK" minus the quotes. Just do a search on Yahoo! under the "Groups" section. From there you can request to join. Please, give me several days to approve your request. Thank you.