Part Thirteen
Jesse had dressed in a set of pajamas and got into his new bed. He faced the wall, away from the door and cried, silent sad tears. He knew this would happen. He only hoped Xander would fare better.
The door to his room creaked open, and Vincent stepped in. “I see you’re all settled in.”
Jesse turned to face the door, wiping his eyes hastily. “Y-yes, thank you,” he stammered, his voice husky from the tears.
Vincent walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge. “Don’t cry, Jesse. It’s such a childish response. As long as you do what you’re told, you’ll be fine.”
Jesse just stared at the man, warily.
“I know tomorrow is Sunday, but I have to go into the office. You can come with me. Then, if you behave, I’m sure you have some friends you’d like to call,” said Vincent, watching the boy intently. When Jesse did not respond, he called up a bit of information the social workers had told him. “Surely you want to speak with your little boyfriend, Xander, was it?”
“Who told you about him?” asked Jesse angrily. He did not want this man to profane his love.
“Sharon and Jacob did,” soothed Vincent. “They told me how worried you were that he was in the hospital, and how frightened you both were to be separated. We wouldn’t want anything to happen to him, now would we?”
Jesse was even more unnerved at the comforting tone Vincent was using. “Please don’t do anything to him.”
Vincent acted surprised, “Why would I do something as base and cruel as that?”
“Because you can,” spat Jesse. “So, if I do whatever you tell me to, you’ll leave Xander and Iam alone?”
“I never said that.”
“It was implied.”
“Go to sleep, Jesse. We’ll talk more in the morning.” Vincent got up and left the room, but paused outside the door.
Jesse punched his pillow angrily, “I’ll never let him hurt you, Xander, never! He’ll have to kill me first.”
Vincent was away from the door, nodding happily. The boy would be perfect.
Xander awoke in the middle of the night, in silent terror. He had dreamed of his father again, only this time it was Jesse that he had. Shaking and knowing he wouldn’t be able to sleep for a while, he propped himself up on one elbow and studied the boy lying next to him.
Iam was flung across half of the bed, his face burrowed into the pillow. Xander wondered how he breathed. He reached out a hand and stroked the long, honey-blond hair that was in disarray. Iam had such beautiful hair. Iam was beautiful. Xnader pulled his hand back sharply. Where had that thought come from? He belonged to Jesse. But, Xander had a horrible feeling that something was about to happen to Jesse, something that would take him away from Xander. Sighing, Xander settled back down, starting a little when Iam turned and latched on to him. He lay there for a little while, holding Iam and thinking. Finally, he returned to sleep.
Willow tried called Xander’s house again. She was starting to get very worried. She hadn’t heard from Xander or Jesse since Friday at school. Finally, she went to Jesse’s house and knocked on his bedroom window, but no one answered. Then she went to Xander’s house, and found that it was cordoned off by police tape.
After seeing this, she was very frightened. What if his parents had done something really terrible? She practically raced to the hospital. Once inside, she went up to the desk. “Can I help you?” asked the receptionist.
“Yes,” said Willow. “I was wondering if my friend Xander Harris is admitted here.”
The receptionist checked the computer. “No, he was discharged last night.”
“Where’d he go? He wasn’t home,” asked Willow.
“I’m sorry, we don’t know what happens to patients after they’re released,” said the receptionist smiling gently.
“Oh, thank you,” said Willow. She walked out of the hospital, back into the morning sunlight. Not knowing where to go next, she went back home. Just as she got in the door, the phone started ringing.
“Hello?”
“Wills?” came a familiar voice.
“Xander!” she exclaimed. “Thank god, I was so worried about you.”
“I’ve been calling for like ever. Where were you?”
“Trying to find you. And where’s Jesse? He’s not home, either.”
“Uh, long story. Look, Mr. Giles is going to come get you, and then I’ll tell you everything. Okay?”
“Okay,” said Willow, a bit scared.
Vincent led Jesse into Wolfram and Hart. Jesse felt very uneasy; the entire building exuded a feeling of malevolence. A young man came up to the two and stared talking to Vincent. Jesse studied the newcomer. He had brown hair and blue eyes, and occasionally a Southern drawl would slip into his words. Jesse wondered how old he was, couldn’t be a lawyer, he only looked about twenty.
Vincent turned to Jesse, “Jesse, this is my intern, Lindsey MacDonald. Lindsey, my son Jesse.”
“Nice to meet you,” said Lindsey. He turned back to Vincent, “Sir? There’s a lot to do.”
“Lindsey, calm down. Everything will be finished on time. I need you to look after Jesse for me.”
A quick look of anger flashed across Lindsey face, “Yes, sir.”
Vincent stepped onto an elevator and left the two staring at each other. “So,” said Jesse uncomfortably. “What do you do around here?”
“Fetch, carry, research, and apparently babysit, now too,” said Lindsey angrily.
“Look, it’s not my fault,” said Jesse. “Don’t get mad at me.”
“Why’d he bring you here, anyway? Shouldn’t you be at home?”
Jesse stared at the ground, embarrassed.
“Oh, what’s wrong? Your dad doesn’t trust you to stay home alone?” mocked Lindsey.
Jesse snapped his head up at that. “He’s not my dad,” spat Jesse. “I have no idea why I’m here.”
Lindsey looked taken aback. “But, he called you his…”
“Son, yeah, I know. He’s adopting me. Don’t know why, was fine with my parents. Least I knew what to expect with them,” Jesse’s voice trailed off into a mumble.
“I’m sorry,” said Lindsey, his blue eyes filled with apology. “Look, why don’t we go get a soda, or something?”
“So, your dad’s in jail, you’re living with the librarian now, and Jesse’s in LA?” asked Willow incredulously. “All this has happened since Friday?”
“Yeah,” said Xander. “But I think something bad’s going to happen to Jesse.”
“I’m sure he’s fine, Xander. You’re just missing him. You two were practically attached at the hip.”
Xander smiled weakly at that. “That’s not the worse part, though, Willow.”
Willow looked at Xander with sympathetic eyes, “What else?”
Xander looked at his hands for a couple minutes, “Um, well, Jesse and I are, uh, together.” Willow looked shocked but he continued, “But that’s not it. I think I like Iam.”
Willow tried to speak a couple time, but only squeaked. She took a breath and tried again, “You’re Jesse’s boyfriend.” Xander nodded his head. “But you like Iam. As a friend?”
“No, as in I was looking at him and thought he was gorgeous.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh.”
“He is pretty. All angles and those blue eyes, wow! And his accent is totally yummy. And his hair…”
Xander stared at Willow, shocked, “Wills! So not helping here!”
“Oops, sorry. Well, other than you being with Jesse, what’s the problem?”
“I don’t think he’s gay.”
“Hmmm,” was Willow’s reply.
Jesse and Lindsey were just sitting and talking, about nothing in particular. “So, Lindsey, how old are you? You don’t look old enough to be out of college.”
“Oh, I’m twenty-two,” he said. “I only just started here.”
“Doesn’t it take a long time to become a lawyer?”
“Yeah, I guess. But it’s worth it.”
“Are you a lawyer yet? Or are you just getting experience here?”
“Both,” said Lindsey. “Once I have enough experience with researching I’ll get try a case. If I do well, they’ll take me on staff, if not…”
“What?”
“I don’t know. One of Mr. Cambridge’s interns lost her case and she disappeared. She was found later, stabbed to death.”
“Oh, eww.”
“I’ve been doing some quiet research and any of the younger lawyers who lose their first case tend to go that way. Even some of the ones who win the first, but lose their second or third cases.”
“Then why are you still here?” asked Jesse curiously.
“Where else can I go?” Lindsey looked straight at Jesse. “They paid for my college, my housing, everything. They basically own me.”
“I know the feeling. Maybe we can figure something out together.”
“Why don’t you run away?”
Jesse stared at his soft drink, “He’ll do something awful to Xander. And probably Iam, too. That’s his real son. He lost custody of Iam for abusing and r-raping him.”
“That’s too bad.”
“I’m all done, boys. Lindsey, has Jesse behaved?” asked Vincent, walking up to the two young men.
“Yes, sir,” said Lindsey immediately.
“Good, good. Well, Jesse, ready to go call your boyfriend?”
Jesse blushed when Lindsey looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Yeah,” he said. “See ya later, Linds.”
“Later, Jesse.”