Bobby came down the stairs first, paving the way for the frightened and embarrassed boy. Breakfast had already come and gone but Claire fired up the stove to make a fresh batch of biscuits, scrambled eggs and ham. John started a new pot of coffee.

"Hunter will be down in a moment. Please don't bombard him with questions. He's hurting physically and he's emotionally distraught. And he's retained me as his lawyer so I will not tolerate him being harassed."

John and Claire gaped at Bobby in astonishment.

"Bobby, how could you?"

"John, it was the only way Hunter would feel safe enough to tell me what's going on.  Now give him a chance to explain on his own terms."

John glared at his lover. Claire, momentarily put off by the nerve that Bobby had, sighed, then patted Bobby's shoulders.

"Bobby, honey, we'll follow your lead but I'd feel better if I could call Michael or Brian to let them know Hunter is with us."

"I realize that and believe me I feel the same way. Just give Hunter some time."

Hunter cleared his throat and entered the kitchen.

"Hi."

"Good morning, Hunter. How do you feel? Did you get some sleep?"

"I'm feeling a little better, thank you, Ms. Anderson."

"John, thank you for bringing me here, I really appreciate it. I, if I had to stay on the street one more night, I'm not sure what I was going to do."

"Hunter, dear, you can stay here as long as you wish. Dr. Adams wants to see you again next week to check your progress. Is that all right with you?"

"Um, yeah, I guess so."

"Have you washed up?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good, breakfast will be ready in a few moments. Take a seat at the table."

"You didn't have to go to any trouble."

"No trouble but you can't expect to heal without eating right."

"Hunter, are you up to explaining why you ran away?"

"I'm not sure, John."

"Hunter, we have to call your parents."

"John, please..." Hunter stood up ready to bolt.

"Hunter, sit down. John, I'm asking you again, do not harass my client," Bobby spoke out in such an emphatic tone that John was taken aback.

"Bobby..." John growled.

"John, please let me do my job. After Hunter eats we will discuss this calmly."

Claire placed a heaping plate of eggs and ham in front of Hunter and a glass of orange juice. Bobby helped himself to a large mug of coffee then sat next to Hunter. He stared into his coffee mug unwilling to look at John just yet. Bobby was hungry but he wasn't ready to eat. Hunter, on the other hand, scarfed down his breakfast. When Hunter finally came up for air, Bobby was beginning to relax and buttered a biscuit.

"Some more eggs, Hunter?"

"No thank you, Ms. Anderson. That was really good."

"Just help yourself if you want more."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Hunter, remember what we discussed. I think it's time you gave Claire and John your explanation," Bobby counseled Hunter.

Hunter took a sip of juice and closed his eyes for a moment. Placing the glass down, he placed one hand on the table and his other hand on Bobby's arm for support. Bobby put one hand over Hunter's and gave it a squeeze. Hunter recounted his feelings of dread, frustration and hopelessness.

"Can I go back to bed now, I'm feeling a little tired." Hunter's pain and his confession had exhausted him.

"Take some more Motrin and I'll take you back upstairs," Bobby offered.

"I can walk on my own," Hunter snapped back.

"I'm sure you can but going up stairs is a lot harder than coming down. Don't argue with your lawyer and let me help you. Why the hell did you retain me in the first place?" Bobby smiled taking the sting out of his admonishment.

"Okay, okay. Geesh, give a guy a dollar and he thinks he has the right to boss you around. Ugh." Hunter's flip remark was punctuated by his groan as he attempted to get up off the chair.

"Come on, kid. Back to bed and I want to take a look at your bandages. John?"

"I'll bring the first aid kit."

"Thank you, John." When Bobby finally looked at John, he saw John's soft smile and Bobby knew they were all right.

As Bobby settled Hunter in his room, Hunter gave his permission to call Michael.

"Bobby, can you call Michael for me? Tell him I'm sorry but I can't see them right now. And please, I don't want anyone to know where I am. I just can't do it anymore." Hunter started to whimper softly into his pillow.

"Shhh, it's okay. I'll take care of it and do my lawyer thing. Hunter, I promise, we'll work this out."

Bobby checked Hunter's bandages then tucked the boy in, brushing a stray lock of hair from Hunter's eyes. He waited until Hunter fell asleep then left to make the phone call.

Bobby left Hunter's room to make his call stopping first in the kitchen to pour himself a glass of juice. Due to the excitement of the past twenty-four hours Bobby hadn't been able to eat. He was beginning to feel the strain and his blood sugar was dipping dangerously low. Bobby found out during his days at Penn that if he didn't eat regularly he could easily pass out. If he could make it through the phone call he could relax and have a decent meal.

With a glass of juice in his hand Bobby passed the living room nodding to both John and Claire, indicating that he was going to John's study to make the call. Bobby could see the same wave of relief flash over each of their faces as Bobby passed them. Bobby entered the study and shut the door.

As Bobby flipped through their phone book he actually wished he was calling Brian instead of Michael. Somehow he knew Brian would keep a cooler head. He and Brian had connected during their time together on their trip. But as Hunter's lawyer, Bobby could only inform Michael and through him Ben, of Hunter's condition and whereabouts. It was Saturday so Bobby tried the comic book store first.

"Hello, comics."

"Michael? It's Bobby Morrison, John Anderson's partner."

"Bobby? I didn't think lawyers were into comics."

"This lawyer isn't but I have news about Hunter for you."

"Hunter?! Oh god, where is he? Is he okay? Can I come and get him?"

"Michael! Calm down. I need you to listen to me. Can you please sit down and listen for a minute?"

"Hold on, I was about to close up for lunch, let me lock the door."

Bobby heard Michael put the phone down and lock the comic book store door. He heard the noise of a chair scraping the floor and then Michael coming back to the phone.

"I'm back. Is Hunter okay?"

"He's fine, no not really. He was mugged. He's got a couple of cracked ribs and some scrapes but he'll be fine. We've had a doctor check him out but it's not his physical state I'm worried about, it's his emotional state I'm more concerned with."

"I can come and get him. I want to take him home."

"I know you do but you can't right now."

"I can't! What the fuck are you talking about? I'm his father; I can do what I want."

"No, Michael, you can't. I'm Hunter's lawyer, he's of the age of consent and I promised him the time to get his head together about this. Now if I have to I will file a restraining order against you but I won't if you promise me you'll give me the opportunity to get Hunter the help he needs to deal with everything."

"What the hell are you talking about? He needs to come home to where people love him and will take care of him, Ben and I miss him. We love him."

"I know you do and Hunter knows that too. But he's not ready to accept that love right now. Michael, let me do my job, I know how Hunter feels."

"Bobby, you're not..."

"No, I'm not; it's other things that I can't get into. Look I promise to call and give you progress reports. Just give Hunter some space. He's safe; he's not back on the streets."

"He didn't … he wasn't turning tricks again?"

"No, but a couple of more days out there and he may not have had any choice. So you see that it's important that he feels safe here, that we won't betray him. Give him the time he needs."

"Fuck, this shits."

"I know. Please Michael, I promise, I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay. Is it okay for me to tell Ben?"

"Yes, but no one else. Not yet. If anyone asks, just say you've heard from him and he's fine but that's all you know."

"Okay, thanks, bye Bobby. You'll call, right?"

"I will, I promise. Goodbye."

Bobby hung up the phone and began to slump in his chair. He was feeling dizzy. A gentle rap on the door brought him out of it for the moment.

"Yes?"

"Baby, it's me."

"Come in."

"Everything okay in here...fuck, you look like shit. Food, you need to eat and right now. No arguments, no stalling. I made you lunch. Now let me help you to the kitchen before you fall down."

"Bossy bottom," Bobby managed to say as his lover practically carried him out to the kitchen and hovered until Bobby ate a sandwich, salad, glass of milk and several of Claire's oatmeal cookies.

When Bobby finished his meal, John whisked him away to their room and put him to bed. They cuddled until John heard Bobby's even breathing and John knew his lover was asleep. John covered the sleeping younger man with a blanket then left the room to check on Hunter who remained sleeping in the guest room. John joined his mother downstairs.

"How are they doing?"

"They're both asleep. Mom, how do we get ourselves into these things?"

"I don't know. Patience and Aidan, they were so accepting of me. They loved us so much, I guess they taught us both how to love and accept love. Even when we were all so broke, we were rich with love. I guess it's in our nature."

"I guess so. I saw something today in Bobby that I never knew existed. I mean, I knew how passionate Bobby is about the law but the way he's so protective of Hunter. I don't understand."

"Jackie, you've only known Bobby for about a year; you're still learning about each other. I know his parents; they're good people but a little cold at times. Maybe it's something in Bobby's past. I'm sure when Bobby's ready he'll tell you all about it."

"I suppose you're right. I know it's early but I think we better plan dinner now and for the next several weeks. I have a feeling our food budget is about to skyrocket."

"I do believe you are correct. And did I hear something about a dinner with Brian and Justin and Bobby's parents?"

"Shit, yeah. I almost forgot about that. We may have to pass on that."

"No, we don't. It's important to Bobby and to his family. Jackie, we can't all run away from life. I'll plan something nice for next weekend; you arrange things with Brian and Bobby."

"Okay, I will. And thank you, Mom. Do you know how much I love you and I thank god every day that I have a mother like you."

"You're a good boy, Jackie; we'll get through this together."

"We always do, Mom, we always do."