Michael sat, coffee in hand, the sun beating down on his face. It was a cool North Carolina morning as he kicked his feet up on the railing of his deck, he scanned the horizon watching the wind blow through the overgrown weeds. He never heard the back door open but he felt the lips that brushed against the back of his neck. "Mornin sunshine, you’re up early."

"I was lonely, come on, we don’t have to be anywhere for another couple hours, let’s make the most of it." Dale slid his arms around Michael’s neck and let his tongue play with the skin around his ear.

Michael sat the coffee on the table next to him and reached behind him pulling his lover around and onto his lap. "Mmm." Dale moaned as Michael slid his tongue between his lips. Life had been nonstop since Dale had won Daytona and these quiet moments between just them were few and far between. Teresa and Tony Sr. were up to their old tricks trying to separate the two and made sure Dale’s schedule left little time for Michael.

An ally had popped up in a most unusual form and both Dale and Michael were shocked to find out just how behind the two of them he was. As time had gone on Jade had not only given his blessing to them but had revamped Dale’s schedule a number of times behind Teresa’s back to give them a little more alone time. Jade had suddenly been put on Tony Sr.’s shit list and he made no qualms about his feelings for him. Jade hated that it came to this but Pops wasn’t his problem, Dale was and Jade would see to it that he was happy…whatever that took.

Michael pulled away from Dale slightly. "So what do you have going on today?"

Dale frowned, he didn’t want to be talking right now. "I don’t know. Whatever Jade says I am." His mouth dropped down to Michael’s collarbone as he slid off his lap and to his knees. Dale’s fingers quickly untied the robe Michael was wearing and then ran down his chest.

Michael inhaled sharply as Dale’s hands teased Michael’s skin then quickly wrapped around the hardness that had formed. "Not a lot to say there Junebug?" Dale grinned and just shook his head no before replacing his hand with his mouth. Michael’s head dropped back and his eyes closed.

This was definitely the way to greet the morning.

Chapter 1

The Beginning of the End

Texas Motor Speedway

"Wow, look at her." Tony Jr. said aloud.

"Huh?" Dale said from the couch of the hauler. Practice had just ended and Dale was sipping on a bottle of water.

"Her." Tony pointed through the window.

"Damn, she is fine." Martin said. "You have to see her man."

Dale reluctantly got up to see what had Tony and Martin so hot and bothered. "Yeah, she’s good looking."

"Good-looking? Dude she’s hot." Martin couldn’t stop staring.

"Wipe the drool off your chin there Marty."

"Go get her number." Tony Jr suddenly said.

"Yeah, Martin, go for it." Dale laughed.

"No! Dale you go get it." Tony suddenly spun around as both men looked at him. "I mean she looks more like Dale’s type. Sorry Martin but I think he needs to go."

Dale looked at him like he was nuts. "What?" Looking at Martin he chose his words carefully. "I don’t need or want her number."

"How can you not want her number?" Tony asked then turned to Martin. "Go stop her Martin, don‘t let her get away. Are you dead? Is that thing there working?" He pointed crudely to Dale’s groin.

Martin shook his head. Tony Jr. was acting weird but then again he did that from time to time. Dale waited till the door shut behind Martin. "What the hell is your problem? If you don’t knock it off Martin is going to find out." Dale shook his head. "And trust me it works just fine." Dale headed to the back of the hauler to change. "Just ask Mikey." He mumbled as he left the room.

Tony rolled his eyes. "Maybe you should think about the fact that you are dating someone that you feel it necessary to hide from one of your best friends. His finding out won‘t be my fault, trust me."

Dale slammed the connecting door between the two rooms. He was sick and tired of listening to his friends, family, whatever put him and Michael down. He particularly hated the treatment Michael had suddenly been receiving from them. But Tony’s words haunted him none the less. ’dating someone that you feel it necessary to hide from your best friend’ No, they had to hide it look at everything that had happened since people started finding out. Martin wouldn’t understand, he wasn’t like the other guys.

A few minutes later Tony tossed a piece of paper at him. "What is this?"

"Her name is Kortni and she’s expecting your call."

"Have you lost your fucking mind? I don’t want it…"

"We could have done it the easy way if you would of just gone and talked to her but you had to be stubborn. Keep it, trust me, you’re going to need it." Dale watched as Tony didn’t give him a chance to react he just turned and left."

Dale looked at the closed door. "What the hell does that mean?" He whispered, was something going on with Michael he didn’t know about. He started to throw the number in the trash when something stopped him. He shoved it in his pocket and headed out of the hauler and back to his coach.

He was met by a sullen looking Michael outside his coach. One look at the frown on his face made him think of the number in his pocket. "What’s going on?" Michael looked at him. "You here to tell me you’re leaving?"

"What? No, why would you think that?"

Dale eyed Michael as he opened the door and both men stepped inside. "Cause, it’s been a weird day. Sorry."

"What happened?" Dale briefly told him about Tony and the number and Michael dropped his head to his hands as Jade walked into the coach. "Then it’s true."

"What is?"

"Yeah it is, I just found out myself. Wanted to get over here before Teresa or Pops did." Jade said.

"Will one of you tell me what the hell is going on."

Jade looked to Michael who never looked up. His heart went out to him he knew how much Michael truly loved Dale. "Teresa is going to force you into dating someone, a woman."

"What? Who? She can’t do that."

"Yes she can June and she is." Michael chimed in standing stretching his lanky form.

"How?" Dale suddenly felt sick to his stomach, Tony‘s words ringing in his ears. Could’ve done it the easy way.

Jade continued. "Teresa is going to use Mike against you." Dale looked to Mike then back to Jade obvious confusion on his face. "You don’t do this, he’s gone. Not next season, not in a few months, but right now. They realized that for Michael to make his threats come true, he’d have to have his team ready to go with multiple cars and sponsors."

"Maybe in a year I could have that so you would have a ride and we might be able to convince Bud and Napa to come with us but you just signed a new contract as did they and that means that this." He gestured to Dale then himself. "all this would be out in the open, drug through the courts. We would take the chance of losing everything, I may not have a team to build, when they are finished."

"She wouldn’t do that, not to daddy’s name." Dale shook his head trying to let everything sink in.

"She’s counting on the fact that you won’t risk it. To her she’s doing this to save his name." Jade said sitting.

Dale took a deep breath and sat down but not before pulling the number from his pocket. "So Tony Jr. knew all along. That son of a bitch."

"Don’t take it out on him, he was pressured into it from Pops."

Just then a knock caused them all to look at the closed door. Dale stood barging over to it, the anger building with every step. He threw the door open and glared at Teresa and Pops. "Don’t bother."

Teresa eyed Jade and Michael. "I need to talk to you, alone."

"No. You can say whatever you think it is that will make this ok, in front of them. They aren’t leaving."

"Apparently I don’t need to go into detail." She looked at Jade. "So I’ll keep this short. Call the number in your pocket Dale, set up a date with her. The fans want to see you with a girl, people are starting to talk."

"Starting to talk? About what? The fact that my schedule allows me to sleep in my own bed 3 nights a month as it is. They want to see me with a girl? I wouldn’t be with her if I was dating one, what girl wants to be ignored by her boyfriend, never gets to see him, never…" It was starting to all make sense. "You paid her. You fucking bought her off to ’date’ me. No! No fucking way."

"Then…" Pops looked at Mikey with a grin on his face.

"No. Don’t you even fucking think about it. This is all you’re fault not his…" Dale stepped in his uncles face.

"Do it June." A voice was heard from behind Dale.

He turned shocked. "Mikey?"

"Look, you aren’t really dating her. She’ll been seen at the track, you’ll take a few pictures that will show up on some websites and newspapers. It’s not like you have to live with her or fuck her. Ask Gordon how to deal with it, he did it for years with his wife."

Dale looked to Jade for some help. He shrugged not able to come up with a solution. "I have to say it’s the easiest and safest option."

Dale was pissed they had him over a barrel. He walked to Michael. "I love you, I will always love only you."

"I know, it’s ok June."

He didn’t turn around to face anyone, he just stayed lost in those blue eyes he cherished. "Fine. I’ll call her, we’ll take a few photos, make everyone but ’us’ happy." He stated sarcastically. With that he pushed Michael backwards down the hall towards his bedroom. "Everyone get the fuck out." He yelled before closing the bedroom door.

Jade looked at the two of them. "Not sure how you two sleep at night. How many times do you think your husband’s rolled over." He left them alone, staring at the closed bedroom door.

Chapter 2

Several days later the phone call was made, Jade and Michael both in the room. Dale was disgusted with the whole situation, how they had convinced him to do this he still didn’t know. He still wasn’t sure he did the right thing, he had a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach, everything felt so wrong.

Kortni was at the race the following weekend and the press had a field day with the ‘new woman’ in Dale Jr.‘s life. What was worse was that Fox was taping segments for their new show 360. They wanted Kortni to be a part of it so now Dale was having to ‘date’ her for the cameras. All and all, he and Kortni really didn’t see each other all that much and he thought she was ok, she was nice and she was easy to look at but just knowing how she had been ‘bought’ still made Dale uneasy. As if he didn’t have enough people wanting a piece of him and his check book, now there was one who had gotten that piece, with several zero’s behind it.

But a winning season and becoming the favorite for champion, made all that easier to forget. Dale was having a strong run and had been in first place for several weeks. He got so swept up in the season that he had become oblivious to what was happening around him, including the distance growing between him and Michael. The close finish at Talladega had gotten the fans in an uproar and the beer cans flying. Dale was laughing as he entered the coach.

"What’s so funny?" Michael asked still disgusted about Dale’s comments to the media.

"Oh hey, didn’t know you were still here."

"Since when do I not wait for you to head home." Michael said spinning around to grab his bag. "Sorry I bothered."

"Hey," Dale grabbed Michael’s arm. "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Mikey."

"What’s going on Dale?"

"What are you talking about?"

"We haven’t spent one minute alone for, I don’t know how long. You’re out there basically saying you approve of what the fans were doing. Pop’s is saying I hung you out to dry, when if you want to get technical about it I‘m the one that got screwed in the deal."

Dale pulled Michael to the couch. "Look, Pop is going to be Pop. I know you didn’t and I’m sorry, I didn’t think I screwed you over out there." Michael sighed. "I didn’t mean it like I approved of them throwing the cans but it was pretty damn funny. And I know we haven’t spent much time together but I’ve been busy." He laid his head on Michael’s shoulder playing with their intertwined fingers..

Dale was too flippant about the whole thing. "Yeah too busy with Kortni."

Dale lifted his head. "Don’t tell me you are jealous of her." Michael shrugged. "Mikey, listen to me, Mikey." He took Michael’s chin in his hand forcing him to look at him. "Baby, you know I love you. She doesn’t mean anything to me." He laid back pulling Michael on top of him. "You are right in that we haven’t spent near enough time together."

Clothes started falling to the floor and Dale rolled them over causing them to fall off the couch in a fit of laughter. Dale finally caught his breath and crawled on top of Michael straddling his hips. As he bent down to kiss him the door opened.

"What the fuck?" Pops about choked at the sight of both Michael and Dale naked wrapped in each other’s arms. "I think I’m going to be sick." Pops yelled as he and Jade stepped in the door.

"Then maybe you should knock. It is still my coach." Dale said sitting up still on top of Michael.

Jade couldn’t hold back the laugh that escaped. No he really didn’t want a front row seat but Pops almost heart attack was more than he could take. "That’s what I said." Jade reminded Tony.

"Shut the fuck up."

Tony stormed out of the coach and Jade paused setting the lock on the door. "I’ll assume you’re taking a later flight. Talk to ya tomorrow."

"Thanks Jade." Dale said as Michael flipped them over and took control of the situation.

They spent the rest of the evening in each other’s arms making up for lost time.

2 Weeks Later

Richmond

Michael stood to the side of Victory Lane staying in the shadows best he could. He watched as Kortni pulled Dale’s head to her shoulder and made a skeptical of them for the cameras. He could imagine the smile on Teresa’s face already and he didn’t have to imagine Tony’s. He could see it from where he stood. Tony saw Michael watching from a distance and knew he didn’t have the nerve to confront them now in front of the world. He pushed Dale back towards Kortni as he stepped away. "She can stay for the pics."

Jade shook his head not believing what he was seeing. What was Dale doing? "Where is Michael?" Dale asked then shrugged his shoulders as another camera was shoved in his face. He probably left a note in the coach. It would be late before Dale would get out of there, he’d be at home at the party.

Jade stepped forward hearing Dale’s question. "He’s…"

"Come on boy, the pictures are waiting." Pops said sweeping Dale back towards the cameras and Kortni.

Michael felt his world collapsing. Teresa was winning and Dale wasn’t fighting her. She had planned it out so well and Dale fell right into the trap, they both did. He was the one that convinced Dale to call her, to do it to shut everyone up. He was losing him, he wasn’t stupid he could see it but mostly he could feel it.

"Fuck." Jade said as he saw Michael turn to leave.

Michael’s head was hung as he turned and headed for his coach. He couldn’t take this anymore, Dale wouldn’t even notice that he was gone, the party was already in full swing and they would take Dale right along with them.

"Michael."

Mike stopped hearing his name. "What Jade?"

"Don’t leave, come on."

"Don’t. I can’t deal with this right now."

"Mike?"

"He’s made his choice. Let it go Jade." Michael continued walking but stopped suddenly not turning. "But Jade?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks anyway." With that Mike headed for his coach grabbing his cell phone and dialing the one person he knew wouldn’t turn him away, someone whom he hadn’t thought of in months at least not like this, but someone who would be there no matter what.

"You sure you don’t mind? It’s going to be late when I get there. I don’t want to be any trouble….Ok, thanks, I’ll see you soon."

He hung up the phone stealing one more glance back towards Victory Lane. Tonight could change everything between them. Tonight already had, he didn’t have anything else to lose.

Robby, Jeff, and Matt watched as Michael disappeared into his coach. He looked like a man beaten, the past few years had been rough on Mikey and they weren’t getting any better. "How could he do this to him?" Jeff said angry at Dale’s actions. "Does he not know what he is losing?"

"Hell I never could understand just how Dale got someone as great as Mickey anyway." Robby added.

"Oh come on you and Steve fought more than once cause you wanted to get your hands on Dale." Jeff pointed out to Robby who was usually all talk.

"I wanted to fuck him. Michael is in love with him and offering him everything and Dale is treating him…well just like he was another of his one night stands."

"Come on guys, Dale isn’t that bad of a guy and you both know it." Robby and Jeff stared at Matt. "He isn’t. Dale is easily persuaded into things, you know how naïve he is; and you both know how he listens to Tony Sr. more than ever now that his daddy is gone. Tony has never liked Mike and ever since he found out about him and Dale he’s been pissed. I can’t help but think this is more his doing than Teresa’s."

"Well, Dale had better figure it out quickly cause Michael won’t be alone for long." Jeff stared back at the coach as Michael came out with a bag over his shoulder. "Someone needs to talk to Dale and the sooner the better."

Robby and Jeff both turned to Matt. "What? Why me?"

"Cause you’re his best friend, you’re the one defending him."

"Ok fine I will, but not here, tomorrow."

Michael knocked tentatively on the door not sure he should even be there. He had almost talked himself out of even going when he pulled into the driveway. He quickly turned and headed off the porch without knocking again. As he stepped down off the first step the door swung open and figure appeared.

"Mikey?"

"I shouldn’t be here." He said not turning until he felt a gentle hand on his arm.

"I watched the race, saw her in Victory Lane. Where else you gonna go?"

Michael slowly turned and one look into those blue eyes turned Michael to mush. He fell into the open arms and cried into his shoulder. "God, I’m losing him. What am I going to do Steve?"

Michael woke the next morning feeling the warmth of the body next to him, the arms wr

apped tightly around him holding him protectively. "Mornin." "Hey." Michael said slowly meeting Steve’s stare. "Steve, I shouldn’t…"

"I know, Mikey, it’s ok." He pulled him into his arms even tighter. "Don’t worry Mikey, everything is going to be ok."

CHAPTER 3

Dale Jr. crawled out of bed and stumbled half asleep to the bathroom. His head was pounding, his mouth felt like the Sahara and his eyes were bloodshot. "Man what did I drink last night?" The celebration raged on late into the night but most of the evening was a little blurry in his head. He remembered his place already packed and the party under way when they had arrived.

They. He looked down at his naked body, the purple welts forming on his neck, the scratches down his chest. The reality came rushing back in as if someone opened the floodgates. He threw the door open to find Kortni sprawled naked across his bed. He quickly shut the door. "No No Fuck. No." He sat on the edge of the tub trying to remember what exactly had happened. He remembered her being attached to his hip all night, he had tried to get away to call Michael when there had been no note and he never showed up at the party. He remembered Kortni’s tease of a blow job behind the bar in the game room. Too many Buds and the heat of her mouth was all it took. Of course he also remembered calling out Michael’s name at some point during the night. Not caring too much Kortni straddled his waist and rode him till she achieved her own satisfaction. Dale wasn’t even too sure that he was conscious for the whole event.

The doorbell brought him back to the present and he quickly threw on a pair of jeans and tee and ran down the stairs to the door. "Michael?"

"Nope, but I think we need to talk if you ever want him at this door again."

"What are you talking about?" Dale said stepping aside and letting Steve enter.

Steve stepped in and started to say something when his attention was diverted to the stairs as a half dressed Kortni came bouncing down. She threw her arms around Dale’s neck. "Hey lover."

Dale tensed. "Get dressed and get out."

"I thought after last night…"

"Out!" Steve shook his head as Kortni disappeared back upstairs. "You don’t understand." Dale tried smoothing over the situation so Steve wouldn’t tell Michael.

"No you don’t fucking understand." Steve interrupted stepping up right into Dale’s face. "You may have just blown the best thing to ever fucking happen to you. And why?" Steve turned looking towards the stairs and where Kortni had disappeared. "I wish someone would tell me why on earth you keep throwing him to the side. All season you have been acting like a spoiled brat repeatedly hurting him and what I really don’t understand is why he keeps coming back to you." Steve paused but not long enough for Dale to speak. "Well he didn’t last night did he?" Steve said turning back towards Dale not wanting to miss the reaction. "No he didn’t, cause he came to me last night. "

Dale’s eyes grew wide, his blood pressure rose, and his heart sank. Michael had gone to Steve. How could he, he always said he didn’t want Steve. "Oh God." Dale whispered.

"Yeah, you really fucked up this time kid. I have no intentions of telling Mickey about her simply cause I don’t want to see any more pain and hurt in his eyes than what I’ve already seen; but don‘t think he isn‘t figuring it out on his own. He‘s not stupid. You had better figure out what the hell you are doing and what you really want, cause you are going to lose him for good, soon."

"To you? Why you here Steve? This is what you’ve always wanted, Michael all to yourself. I would think you would be happy with this, now you can make your move, have him all to yourself, not just some quickie where you knew his heart was truly with me." Dale paused. "And you know Michael isn’t completely innocent, he’s done his fair share of hurting me through the years." Why did he say that? Steve didn’t need to know about all that, it wasn’t Michael’s fault.

Steve was ready to kill him, how could he be saying these things, how could he not care about what he had done to him, how he’d hurt him. "Be very careful what you wish for little one, cause you’re right, I will be more than happy to…" Steve stopped. "Screw this. You deserve what you get now." Steve stormed out and Dale slammed the door behind him.

"Fuck." He yelled. What had happened? How could he have gone to Steve? How did their lives become so fucked up? It all started when…

Just then Kortni came back down the stairs. "Baby you sure..

…when Kortni came into his life. "Get the fuck out." He screamed as he pushed her out the door. "Don’t ever come back…this, whatever sick fucking game it is…is over." He started to shut the door when Matt walked up behind Kortni.

"What the hell is going on?" Dale walked back into the house away from the door leaving it open for Matt to follow. "Dale?" Matt shut the door behind him and walked into the living room. "Dale?"

"God Matty what the hell have I done?"

Matt found Dale on the couch holding his head in his hands. He sat next to him draping an arm over his shoulder. Although he never told him everything, Dale had confided in Matt weeks earlier that Kortni had been paid off to look like his girl friend. "Look I don’t know what exactly is going on but you can still fix this, you just have to stop listening to everyone else and do what’s best for you."

"No, it’s too late. I slept with Kortni after the party."

"Oh June, why?"

"I don’t know, but what’s worse yet, Michael turned to Steve last night."

Matt remembered the far away look on Mike’s face the day before and he hated to say it but if that were true Steve may have already won. It wasn’t a big secret that he had wanted Michael for a long time. Hell he and Robby stopped seeing each other when Robby found out about the threesome that started without him. This may very well be the end Matt thought to himself, and he wasn’t so sure either man would survive it.

Dale didn’t hear the door shut as Matt looked up to find Jade standing in the hallway leading to the living room. Jade watched on as the young man in front of him crumbled. Tony and Teresa didn’t realize what they had done, Jade had seen this coming and was helpless to stop it. He still didn’t know what to do to fix it. He had never gotten completely involved in Dale and Mike’s personal life, it wasn’t any of his business; so he didn’t know the extent of everything that had happened through the years. He did know one thing however, there was a good chance nothing would ever be the same for any of them again.

Chapter 4-6