Just a Walk in the Park

41/29 aka The Haunting

Brian heard the crack of the bat then landed on the floor with a loud thud. And that's how Justin found him. Rubbing the bump on his head, blowing on his scraped knee trying to take the sting away and blushing with embarrassment.

"Shit, Brian. Are you all right? You're not all right. Come on, bed. Don't argue."

Brian remained silent, still blushing as his lover helped him up off the livingroom floor and into the bedroom. Justin washed the scrape and applied antiseptic. He made up an ice pack, wrapped it in a towel then gently laid it across Brian's head. Making sure Brian was comfortable, Justin snuggled close letting Brian know that whatever it was, Justin would be there for him. Brian drifted off to sleep with Justin's arms around him.

About 30 minutes later, Brian opened his eyes. Smiling back were the bluest blue eyes Brian had ever seen and always loved.

"Welcome back."

"How long was I asleep?"

"Not long, about a half hour. Can you tell me what happened earlier?"

"You're real, right? I'm not dreaming again, am I?"

"I'm real. You're not dreaming." Justin removed the ice pack, taking Brian's fingers as he had Brian feel the little bump on his forehead.

"Ow, still hurts a little."

"Let me get some fresh ice, then you can tell me what happened." Justin took the ice pack to the kitchen, drained off the water and added more ice. He rejoined Brian in bed and placed the freshened ice pack back on Brian's head. Brian sighed contentedly then geared up to tell Justin about his dream.

"I guess it was a nightmare. It had no plot. It wasn't like I was being chased by a monster or something. It was more like being haunted."

"Haunted by what?"

"By me. My past, our past. All the bad stuff, all my mistakes. All my tricks."

"Fuck! Must have been a very long dream."

"Tell me about it. It was quite a long line smugly parading in front of me. Then it was Jack, Joan, my sister and her Satan Spawn. Craig trying to take me out. Even the Pink Posse wasn't too pleased with me. There was Stockwell and Vance and that little fucker Kip. And Vic. He was the only good part. He was smiling at me. I always knew he loved me."

"He did, Brian, he loved you a lot. What happened next?"

"Then it was Ian's turn to haunt me. He fiddled away and danced a jig. He still had that annoying sputz on his chin. Oh, btw, he asked about you, he misses you and he still has to play straight while he's boinking every groupie he can get his cock into."

"Are you sure that was in your dream?"

"It was! Scouts honor."

"You were never a scout but I believe you. Continue."

"I guess what really got to me was Hobbs. I saw the bat and heard the crack. Next thing I knew I was on the floor."

Brian looked so miserable and so cute that Justin couldn't help but laugh. Of course, he knew he would have to pay the price later but that would come much later. After Brian's boo-boo's were all better.

"Go ahead, laugh at me. I'm suffering big time. It got to me, Justin."

"I know it did. But that was a long time ago. Stockwell and Vance are gone. Jack can't hurt you. Joan has no power over you and the Satan Spawn remain miserable little brats. As for Ian, I spoke with him not too long ago. His manager forced him to get married. He visits her every six months to keep up the pretense then he's off on another tour. He is allowed to have a personal assistant though. I hear he's blond, with blue eyes and a killer smile."

"Fucking chicken shit chin-rat asshole. I'll never understand what you saw in him."

"Brian."

"Fine. I won't say another word about his sorry ass. Justin, in my dream, I heard that sound. To this day it still haunts me. I used to like watching an occasional baseball game. After that night, never again. At least not with the sound on. Will the nightmares ever stop? Have they stopped for you?"

"No. Sometimes I think they have, then my hand has a spasm and the dreams return. But Brian, they don't hurt as much. Sometimes they don't hurt at all. You know why?"

"Why?"

"Because you're always here to chase them away. You're always here to rub the cramp from my hand. You're always here to kiss me and make me feel all better. You love me, Brian. It's worth every nightmare that I have because when I wake up, you're here, with me. I love you Brian. Always and forever."

Justin removed the ice pack and examined the bump which had all but disappeared. He placed a gentle kiss to it then snuggled up against his lover. Brian wrapped his arms around Justin knowing, feeling all of Justin's love.

"Justin."

"Mmm?"

"So the fiddler has his own blond."

"Mmm hmm."

"And Stockwell, Vance and Hobbs are long gone."

"Yup."

"My supposed family?"

"Completely ignored."

"And the tricks?"

"You tell me."

"Not for a while now."

"Me neither."

"But I still can't watch or listen to a baseball game."

"Me neither but I can live without baseball. I can't live without you."

"Me neither."