Part 5


The boys pulled away from each other a bit reluctantly. Justin was looking at JC, and JC knew what he saw. The tired eyes, the thin features. JC wondered why he’d driven here, to Memphis, instead of going home, but now was very glad he had.

“Hey,” Justin said a bit shyly.

“Hey,” JC returned.

JC’s eyes travel over the younger boy, causing him to blush under the scrutiny. “What?” Justin demanded when JC smiled.

JC shook his head in amazement. “You’ve gotten so big.”

Justin straightened a bit. “Yeah, my mom says I’m growing so much it’s hard to keep me clothed.” Justin cuffed him on the shoulder. “So don’t think of me a kid anymore, okay?”

No chance of that, JC thought.

“So,” Justin finally said. “Not that I’m upset that you’re here, but…”

“Why am I here?” JC finished for him. Justin nodded. “LA was a…bit of a disappointment, to say the least. So I thought I try my hand in Nashville. The people have to be nicer there.”

JC struggled to keep the bitterness out of his voice, but saw Justin’s eyes widen at his tone. Justin didn’t press the issue, however. “Nashville, huh?” Justin said. “That’s not too far from here.”

“I know,” JC said softly. “I missed you, Justin.”

“Really?” Justin squeaked, then blushed with humiliation. “I mean, what…”

JC reached out and touch his arm. JC’s hand slid down Justin’s arm until their hands where entwined. “Really. I missed you a lot,” JC said, pulling Justin into his body for another hug. JC felt his eyes burn at the feel of Justin’s arms around him again.

It was heaven…it was home.


JC woke up at the sounds coming from outside his cell. There was a loud commotion of some kind going on, and he knew this could be his best chance of escape, especially when he heard the lock of his door be unfastened. He stood up quickly, throwing off the unbuckled straight jacket, and with a flick of a glance tore the security camera off the wall, dropping it to the floor with a small shower of sparks.

The door burst open and a man entered, one JC hadn’t seen in this place before, but he wasn’t going to take any chances. He willed the man to stop, then pushed him until he hit the padded wall.

“Jesus, kid, let me go!” the man protested, struggling against the invisible bonds JC created with his mind. “I’m here to help!”

“I’m sure you are,” JC said sarcastically. “But as you can see, I don’t need any help right now.” For good measure, JC started moving the man up the wall until his feet left the floor.

“Dammit,” the man said. “JEAN! Get that kid’s ass in here NOW!”

JC’s head turned in thought, causing the man to turn until his body now parallel with the floor. He saw a woman enter the cell. JC saw her hide a smile, then all thoughts of the other two people in the room fled his mind at the sight of the man behind her. “Justin?” he whispered.

“Josh!” The younger man skitted into the room. “Josh, it’s okay, I’m here.” He approached JC warily, holding out a hand. “Josh?”

JC blinked, the sight of Justin blurring from the tears forming behind his eyelids. “Justin, you’re here?” He reached for he outstretched hand, fingers touching the warm flesh, causing a shudder to pass through JC’s body. Justin laced his fingers through JC’s, pulling the older man close to him, wrapping his arms around JC’s slim frame.

The action caused JC’s concentration to falter and Logan fell to the ground with a loud thud. The two entwined men paid no heed to the man rising from the ground, but held each other close and tight, Justin with relief, JC with a bit of panic and desperation.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” Justin said, his words muffled against JC’s hair.

“Same here,” JC said, pulling away a bit and capturing the younger man’s mouth with his own.

Logan rolled his eyes in frustration. “Enough of that now!” he said, his voice tinged with exasperation. “We have to get out of here before Essex’s goons wake up.”

The boys separated a bit, but JC would not release his hold on Justin’s hand. “Who are you?” he asked. “And why is Justin with you?”

The woman answered. “I’m Jean Gray, and this is Logan,” she said. “We were sent to help you.”

“Sent by who?”

“Time enough to explain when were out of here,” Logan said. “For now, let’s just get going.”

“It’s okay, Josh,” Justin said softly, squeezing JC’s hand. “I trust them.”

JC looked at his lover and nodded.

“Good work on the camera, kid,” Logan said, observing the broken machinery. “And the straight jacket. But I’m surprised they didn’t have a dampening field on you.”

“They did,” JC said simply. “I overpowered it, I guess.”

Jean and Logan exchanged a glance.


Justin spoke softly into the phone, his eyes on JC as the other man slept in the seat across from him. “Chris, listen to me,” he admonished. “JC is fine, really. He’s right in front of me, asleep.”

“Where did you find him?” Chris asked.

Justin hesitated. “It’s to complicated to go into right now, Chris,” he hedged. “Just know that he’s safe and protected,” Justin said, eyeing Logan as he passed. “Very protected,” he added, glancing at the older man’s hands for a quick second before turning his attention back to JC. His lover had moved a bit, knocking the blanket off his shoulders. “I gotta go, Chris. I’ll call again as soon as I can.”

Justin closed the phone over Chris’ protests, and knelt in front of JC to fix the blanket. He smiled at his lover’s peaceful face, his fingers feathering through JC’s soft hair. JC had fallen asleep ten minutes after the plane had taken off, as he always did on small planes. Or big planes. Or busses. Or cars.

Justin reached down to pull the blanket up to cover JC’s shoulders, knowing the other man was probably cold since he was dressed in only a beater and pajama pants, but his hand stopped before he reached his goal. There was a red mark on JC’s arm, right above the blanket. Justin pulled the blanket back a bit to get a better look.

An angry round red mark marred JC’s skin, right above his elbow. Justin pulled the blanket farther back, noticing another mark on JC’s other arm. And two on his chest, right above the beater. Justin reached a shaky hand out to touch them, wondering what the hell happened to cause such…

Justin’s breath caught as he saw the other marks on JC’s body. There were four… five…six of them. Punctures on JC’s inner arms just above his pronounced veins.

Needle marks.

Justin traced a soft finger over the needle marks, hoping and praying that JC hadn’t been awake when this had been done to him.

JC moved a bit and Justin saw his eyes open. “Hey,” he said sleepily. “I guess I fell asleep.”

Justin nodded. “And what’s so unusual about that?” he teased. Justin pulled JC up a bit, and maneuvered himself onto the seat, pulling the other man into his arms and rearranging the blanket to cover him. Time enough for questions, Justin thought. For now, I just want to hold him.

Justin reached down and pressed his lip against JC’s in a soft kiss. JC moaned with pleasure, opening his mouth and inviting Justin inside. Justin swept his tongue inside, gathering up every bit of JC he could taste. “I love you,” Justin said against JC’s mouth, his teeth nibbling JC’s soft pinkness. “I love you so much.”

JC answered the kiss, but his mind was torn. Justin loved him, yes. But Justin didn’t really know him, not who he really was. Would he still, when he found out?

Justin felt the tension in JC’s body and pulled back a bit, searching his lover’s face. “What?” he asked, running his hand softly through JC’s hair.

“Justin, you need to know…”

JC’s words were stopped by a finger over his mouth. “No, I don’t,” Justin said simply. “For right now, this moment, all I need to know is that you’re safe and in my arms.” He leaned down to capture JC’s mouth again, this time with a bit of urgency, a hint of desperation. “Time enough later to talk. For now, let’s just be together.”

JC nodded. He pushed closer to Justin’s warmth and closed his eyes, lulled to sleep again by the steady beat of Justin’s heart.


“We did as you instructed, sir, and allowed them to escape.”

Essex didn’t look up at the man giving the report, but instead watched the video of JC’s departure again. Of course there had been additional video monitors in the room, so the infiltration by Xavier’s operatives had been documented.

But Essex was not happy. “Yes, I can see that they escaped, just as I wanted them too,” he agreed. “But I did not instruct you to discontinue the dampening field against Chasez’s powers,” he continued, watching again how Chasez destroyed the video camera and flung the man against the wall.

Essex’s words were met with silence. “Can you explain why you decided to turn it off?” he demanded. Essex reached out a hand and closed his fist in the air.

The man facing him blinked as his airway was choked off. “Sir…Dr. Essex…we didn’t turn off the dampening field.” The man clawed at the invisible bond on this throat. “I swear it!” he gasped.

Essex lowered his hand, releasing the other man. He pondered the idea that Chasez could overpower the dampening field. The idea did not appeal to him at all. But no matter, his plan was in operation, and soon he’d have what he wanted. His way would be clear.



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