The Scars Above My Heart

    Alex awoke with a start, just as the dawn was beginning to light the skies toward the East. Given the time of year, he knew the hour was early, more so than common for him to jolt himself in that way. Glancing beside him, he saw Ethan's smaller frame snuggled up to his side, and in that brief moment the older teen heard a light snore emitting from the boy. Behind Ethan lay Brett pushed up against the smaller boy warmly, asleep and breathing deeply.

    As Alex lay there, he suddenly shivered. Although the room was cool, given the air circulated by his overhead fan, the teen also felt uncommonly achy, as if his muscles were slowly adjusting to some new-type of environment. He kept himself from letting a groan escape as his chest felt tender with each breath he took. That feeling was depressing, as he the thought of becoming ill again occurred. The previous day's activities at the pool had left his muscles tender afterwards, for certain, but he figured given all the exertion they had gone through, perhaps that was normal. Now, however, he wasn't so sure.

    Extracted himself from the bed as quietly as possible, Alex staggered his way to the bathroom to relieve a rather urgent call from his bladder. As he urinated, he noted that the flowing stream felt unusually warm to him, and that in turn triggered the realization that he might have gotten another urinary tract infection of some sort. 'Just great!' he thought to himself miserably, as another cold chill started a run and made him shiver again. His days in Idaho had not been kind to him during their stay, as he had acquired such infections before like this. It seemed Indiana would have him pay a similar price, too.

    Upon finishing, Alex washed his hands briefly before eying the bathtub in the dim lighting. An idea formed in his head, so he closed the bathroom door as quietly as he could manage with its squeaky hinges, before crossing the floor and engaging the faucet and running a tub of warm water. He did not bother with soaps or bath oils in this instance - he just wanted a chance to alleviate the chills for a few minutes if he could.

    Although the tub was quite large in comparison to modern standards, it did not take long for the water to rise to the desired level. As Alex turned off the faucet, he quickly slipped his t-shirt and briefs off, dropping both to the floor before slowly stepping inside. At first, he did so slowly, hesitating as each foot and subsequent leg entered the steaming liquid. In no time he got used to the change in temperature and thus welcomed it as he sat down slowly letting the warmth flow around him. Settling in, he breathed a deep sigh as the heat enveloped his mid-section and chest as he lay back. As desired, it did help offset his chills, and for a few moments he found himself relaxing. It was an older tub, made of antiquated porcelain that included tall sides and a wide breadth, with one end slanting which the teen had long learned to take advantage of. Closing his eyes, he tried to breathe deeply, despite the rumblings within his congested chest. Combined with the soreness of his sinus passageways, the feelings prevented him from dozing off, but nonetheless the warmed water gave him some relief at least.

    Alex's thoughts returned to the previous evening, and how things had gone between the three of them. Although Brett had risked much with his approach initially into the younger teen's underwear, it was Ethan who actually opened the door to their fun. Alex had already felt like it was on the horizon, just from various little remarks Ethan made throughout the evening. The fact that they had all ended up in their underwear and t-shirts, for most of their play time throughout the evening, added a level of ambiance to their feeling comfortable around each other as well. The thought occurred to Alex that, given his and Brett's close relationship, messing around had become natural between the two older teens because of the bond they held with each other. It was then, at that moment and for the foreseeable future, Alex realized Ethan wasn't going to have that kind of closeness with anyone. At least not for a while.

    In his own way, Ethan had already let the two older boys know that he had no problems with them. They had carried him naked into the shower, and held him with legs spread wide before cooled water flowed downward and over the boy (Alex had refused to let the water be outright cold). He had laughed and played along for the most part with no care of modesty in their presence, and that told the older teens enough about how the boy felt about them on the inside. So, when he announced he had a growing boner, neither Brett nor Alex were surprised at what was going to come next.

    It could have just stopped at a simple hand-job, something Alex was ready to give to their new friend if he wanted it, but there was something further implied in the exchanges that followed. When Ethan asked if the two ever did anything else, and further hinted later at wondering what it was like to be sucked. Brett had grinned at that point and, after a quick glance at Alex, dropped to go down onto the boy's 5-inch manhood and take him inside. As Ethan gasped and sucked in his gut yet again, he also gripped onto Alex's leg like a vise, making the older teen gasp at the strength of the grip. With their close proximity, their playfulness and intimacy around each other heightening, Alex's own erection forced itself up alongside Ethan's torso. Emboldened, Ethan stuck his hand inside Alex's briefs alluringly to grasp the hardness there. "Shit, that thing's big!" the younger teen exclaimed, before being overtaken by other sensations happening in his own groin just then.

    Alex smiled as he recalled that sequence of events, and others that had followed. Having a somewhat smaller hand wrapped around him felt... different, to say the least. He actually enjoyed the inquisitiveness of the fingers that played and explored around his manhood, from the tip of his skin, down to deep beneath his scrotum. They were actually doing to him what he did to Brett on occasion - exploring, feeling, touching, sensing. When a moment later, Brett pulled off of the younger teen, he could see Alex's outline plainly in the dim light. Pulling the band out and over, he leaned in to swallow the larger, hardened member now exposed, descending enough to where Ethan's hand was still invested. There he suckled quietly for a few seconds, before pulling up again and whispering aloud. "Does that answer your question?"

    Ethan sighed. "Oh, fuck yeah..." He paused blushing, completely lifeless between the two boys. "So, that's what its' like! Wow..."

    Alex giggled before he then piped up. "What, that? No, that's only a part of what it's like, buddy..." With that, he had maneuvered himself to go down on the boy, taking Brett's place, all while the other teen reached out and fondled Ethan's testicles. Seconds later though, he pushed Ethan's underwear off of him and spread the younger boy's legs, before descending again, this time to let his mouth do its silent exploring further. Ethan writhed and began breathing hard, moaning softly beneath them.

    The younger boy was not going to hold back for long, as he made obvious only a moment later. "Alex... I'm... I'm g-gonna... squirt man, I-I'm gonna c-cum... I- I'm gonna cum h-hard... So hard... fuck..." he hissed.

    "Then do it, just let it go," Brett whispered, coming off long enough to lean into the younger boy's ear. "It's okay, he'll take you all the way if you want. Trust me, it's worth it," he added, before his hand returned to its previous fondling position and gently grasping and massaging everywhere.

    Ethan had no time to consider the ramifications of that admission, as he suddenly sucked his gut in hard and pushed, thrusting himself up deeply inside Alex's waiting mouth. He cummed hard, surprising the older boy with the force of the eruption, along with the substantial quantity that followed. "Oh f-fuck... Oh, shit!" the boy repeated continuously, until finally near the end he collapsed. "OOhhh ffuuucccckkkk....." he whispered, causing Brett and Alex both to giggle as Alex backed off. The dim light did not reveal much of what lay before him, but in this instance, it didn't need to. Alex could see, or rather feel, the changes in front of him, and he relegated to it being close to what he, himself, must have felt after his first time.

    From that point onward, the next couple of hours were spent having lighthearted fun with one another. Their fellowship allowed the younger boy to have a long-needed break from his sad and tough life, giving him pleasure he'd never experienced before. It wasn't just the sex, however. Ethan was also full of questions, so many in fact it made Alex's head start to hurt just thinking about them. Questions about Alex and what it was like having the extra uncircumcised skin that protected his glans. Did it make him more sensitive that way, how far did the skin stretch and all, could he touch and feel it... Alex had responded by doing what he and Brett did on occasion, placing his dick end-to-end with the younger boy and letting the skin slide back up and over so that could both be engulfed. Ethan grew super hard again, and with closed eyes and abated breath, relished the warmness he could feel in the connection. "Oh shit... have you done this?" he asked Brett, who simply nodded. "Oh, wow..."

    The younger teen also dived into topics about what boys did, or could do. Initially he squirmed at the thought of tasting cum, but he was surprised to discover Brett's confession about doing it before too, on his own. That brought a slew of questions, asking if it was different between guys, how they tasted and more - something Alex readily answered for him. "I've only, like, you, Brett and myself, but yeah... there are definite differences, for sure."

    Other questions, a great deal for that matter, were about girls - including very minute, physical details that, for all their supposed extra knowledge at being older, neither Alex nor Brett could always answer. Ethan was like a sponge, asking away and getting his 'education' (as he called it), about anything and everything he could think of. He was even emboldened to considering returning the favor to the older teens, but Alex and Brett held back somewhat, only letting the teen take things where he was comfortable about going. His persistence in the end, however, wasn't to be discounted, and the younger boy did go down on both of them, but not long enough for either of them to reach their peaks. Instead, he let them finish each other off while looking on in both fascination and amusement.

    Those were not only the new experiences, but also the enlightenment that Ethan sought and enjoyed from the two older boys, and he gave back where he could with his own limited knowledge. In the early morning hours when they were finally growing tired, the younger boy sat up and hugged both of the teens. They questioned him one final time, about whether all was still right with him, and his response surprised them both. "Shut the fuck up, guys. I know what I'm doing, err, what we're doing. Besides, my dick started it all, remember?" He had sighed heavily then too, and lay back finally between them, cuddling into one friend while pulling the other up close. "Just, stay with me, okay? Don't leave me, not tonight... please?" he whispered. It was the one thing that had dispelled Alex's concerns, and having Brett drape an arm across the void between them and gently squeeze his arm, it made Alex realize his best friend felt the same way. Ethan had already worked his way into their hearts, and now it was a mutual feeling with respect.

    Just then, Alex heard a sound nearby that caused him to open his eyes and look about the bathroom. When they focused upon Brett, sitting in the floor beside him, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Hey," his friend whispered, before yawning. "What's up? Are you okay?" Brett asked.

    Alex slowly shook his head. "Not really. I woke up with the c-chills and feeling achy, and I p-pissed fire again, too," the teen replied, laying his head back. He didn't know how much time had passed, but the water was definitely feeling cooler than when he started. "Sorry if I w-woke you up. I just thought maybe a warm b-bath might help keep me from feeling so cold."

    "That's okay. The truth is, you didn't wake me. My bladder did," Brett replied, stifling another yawn.

    Alex nodded toward the toilet. "There it is. I don't promise I won't peek, though."

    Brett observed him in amusement. "What do you mean? I've already peed, silly! Didn't you hear me?"

    "N-No," Alex replied, shaking his head slowly. "Sorry, I guess I did doze off." He fell silent, watching his friend who was presently draped over the side of the tub with both arms, his chin resting pleasantly on his hands. Brett dipped his hand into the water and then became concerned.

    "That water is not that warm, bro," he noted, then reached down and let some of the water out of the drain before stopping it up again. Brett then turned on the faucet again, and within minutes had refilled a portion of the tub with hot water. Combined with what was already present, it was welcomed by Alex immensely, as he settled back in to nurture the heat.

    As Brett watched, a peaceful half-smile appeared before the teen then sat up. Without a word, he pulled his t-shirt over his head and stood, shucking what was left of his underclothes until he stood naked next to the tub. Then silently, he slipped first one foot, followed the second into the tub of water. Alex, guessing to the intent, shifted to one side to make room, and Brett began by first sitting on the ledge until he got used to the warmer temperature before slowly sliding down.

    The deeper Brett sank below the surface, the more the water rose and escaped through the overfill drain. "Hey, scoot down just a little more, okay?" the teen requested with a whisper, and when Alex complied, the teen slid onto the opposite side and wiggled underneath. It was a mix of bodies and positioning that took a moment to arrange, the water splashing back and forth haphazardly. When they finished, however, Alex ended up floating over and back down on top of Brett, sliding gracefully between his legs and leaning back so his friend could cuddle and hold him. Being enveloped by the warm body and the water both, the teen closed his eyes yet again and sighed deeply. Brett pulled the his friend up tight and held him close, running a hand along from his chest to his naval, and even lower. "I wish you could understand how this feels to me, with you holding me. Like, right now, this minute..." Alex finally murmured.

    "I do, Alex, I promise," was Brett's whispered reply. "Maybe not exactly in the same way, but there's been times we've held each other before. No sex, no goofing off, no playing around ... just holding one another, no clothes or anything; just feeling each other as close and intimate as we can and all. Sometimes, I think that it's the best feeling in the whole world. Even better than when you make me cum."

    Alex smiled, grasping the arms around him and hugging them tight. "I know. Wow, you dug pretty deep to bring that out, I think."

    Brett lay still, letting the peacefulness swallow them up. He could feel the tenseness escape the boy in his grasp, as Alex lightly rubbed the arms and legs that had enveloped him. "You and me, bro," Brett offered once again. "We're going to grow old this way, you know? Always trusting one another, always being there for each other. Whether we find girls and screw them and have families of our own or not, it doesn't matter. You know why? Because we're always going to be a part of each other, no matter where we go, no matter what we do. I believe it, deep inside. This... it's just us. I'll remember this for my whole life."

    Alex hugged him tightly just then. "I don't know if I'll ever want to let go, you know? Right now, all this stuff you've taught me about trust and everything, it's like I've said before, it runs really deep inside me. If I never marry or anything, I think I'd still be just as happy, as long as you're around sometimes to hold me and everything." He turned his head back to look into Brett's eyes. "I mean that, too. If it means I'm gay, I don't care. As long as it's just with you, then fuck it, I'll be super gay for you. I just want, I just need you... you know? I need us, at least for right now. That's how deep it feels to me."

    "It runs deep for me inside too, bro," Brett whispered back. "I honestly think we'll always have our fun, Alex. I don't think either of us will ever break away from it completely, but we'll have that, and we'll have our feelings for each other, too. I've already told you that I love you, remember? And I mean it, with all my heart."

    Alex nodded. "Yeah, I know, and I've told you, too. I love you, from the inside." He suddenly went totally limp. "You know, I'd kiss you, if it wasn't for being afraid that I'd give you this crud," he croaked, but then smiled. "I do promise you though, right now, you'll never lose me, or this. Ever. Even if we end up living a hundred miles apart, we'll always have this, in our hearts."

    Brett giggled, but then nodded. "And I promise you the same thing." To underline that statement, he added a kiss to Alex's neck, before settling in and nuzzling it close. "The way I see it, we only have one real problem right now. This morning, I mean."

    "Oh? What's that?" Alex asked hoarsely.

    Brett nodded toward the door. "How we explain THIS, being in the tub together, if Ethan walks through that door and finds us. You have to admit, this goes beyond messing around a bit."

    Alex giggled, but then sighed as he hugged the arms around him again. "I wouldn't worry about it too much. I don't think he would care any at all. Heck, he'd probably try to join us! I mean, this is a big tub, but I don't think it would hold all three of us, though. Not easily, anyway." Laying his head back, he found he could see the edge of his best friend's expression up close. "Can I ask, last night, what we did... you do think that was okay, right?"

    Brett nodded. "Fuck yeah! Now, if we had been a few years older, maybe that would have made it kind of risky, but... like he told us, he knew what he was doing. Honestly, I think ever since he found out at camp about how much guys mess around and stuff, he's been kind of hoping he would find someone to do the same."

    "Yeah, he's kind of hinted at it around me, too," Alex replied, relief in his voice that he hadn't misread the signals.

    Brett agreed. "Last night, he found us, you know? And seeing how happy it made him and all, especially to ask us all those questions and everything? It - well, it made me feel happy inside, too. Kind of like when I did this stuff with you and all, only we have a lot more heart for each other, I think." He sighed before nuzzling Alex's neck again. "I mean it, Ethan... he was so happy, you know? He loved having the fun stuff, but... he loved us, too."

    "I think so, too. I think you're right. I just... Something told me we should do something for him, you know? I know that's totally weird, but... it just felt right," Alex replied, making Brett hug him even more.

    "I think it was a good call, bro. It WAS right. I have no hang-ups about it, and you shouldn't either. In fact, if you have any hang-ups, it should be how you're going to make it up to me. The next time you and I get to make out together, that is!"

    Alex turned and gave the boy a leery look. "Make what up?"

    Despite the implied wariness, Brett could see in his friend's eyes he was struggling at the moment, and definitely did not feel very well. "You took his first full load, remember? Which was fine, but then you didn't share, or leave any for me!" Brett teased, before relenting. "Well, not much anyway. I did get some later on, but still..."

    "I'm sorry bro," Alex replied, blushing. "You know, I was actually nervous about whether you would even want to do what we did with him. I mean, so far, it's only been you and me mostly, especially with all this sex stuff. Letting him get inside of us, inside of our trust and everything, well..."

    "Alex," Brett started, but then hesitated. "Listen to me: there's messing around, and then there is this thing we have beyond that. Call it whatever you want, it's just our... our intimacy, I guess. At least, I think that's what you called it once. As far as I'm concerned, the former is fine as long as we feel safe with whoever is with us. The latter though, as long as it's something you and I can keep for ourselves, then don't worry about it. I mean that, okay? There's no reason to worry about letting someone else in between you and me, especially if, well, they need us. We both know, Ethan kind of needs us, you know?"

    Alex whimpered. "You are getting to be so effing smart, Brett, you know that? It's why I love you so much sometimes, because I don't have to explain what or how I feel so much and all. You already know it, and... and..." he whispered, but then suddenly shivered again, causing Brett to sigh deeply.

    "This is definitely not going good for you, Alex. No matter how much I love trying to hold you right now. Do you think you might be coming down with something, for sure?"

    Alex nodded miserably. "Yeah, I do. Like I said, when I went to pee, it was, you know, hot piss, and... and... it hurt, and..." He let the sentence trail off as Brett nodded in understanding. Sighing, finally Alex summoned the energy to break away and sit up. "Honestly, I'm getting tired of these fucking infections and whatever else they bring to me, too."

    "I believe you, especially when you go from 'effing' to the full word," Brett teased him softly. "You know, maybe you just caught something at the pool yesterday. I know I did that once, a long time ago. The chlorine and all, it's supposed to protect, but I guess there's some things it doesn't kill." What he did not voice, though, was that it took him basically days to get over whatever he had caught.

    "I hope that's all it is." Alex placed both hands upon the sides of the tub. "I should probably get out and dry off, and then find some warm clothes. Maybe go downstairs and find some aspirin or something, too. Doctor Mom can help me deal with it later when she gets up. What time is it, anyway?"

    "'Doctor Mom?' Oh yeah, sorry, I get it... heh. It's around 6:30, I think," Brett replied. Alex nodded and then stood up shakily. Brett pulled the plug and allowed the water to drain as he climbed to his feet behind his friend, encircling an arm around his waist to make sure the boy didn't fall. As Alex reached and grabbed a towel, Brett took it from him and swatted his hand away, before proceeding to quickly dry the ill teen off.

    "You know, we seem to end up this way pretty often, with you drying me off and getting an eye-full of my privates, and... and..." Alex offered weakly, but with a waning smile before stifling a sneeze.

    "Hush, you're not feeling good, remember? It doesn't make your jokes sound very convincing," Brett retorted. "Besides, it gives me the perfect excuse to play with your plumbing while the main pipe is so soft," he teased, but then regretted his words as he watched Alex shiver yet again. "Sorry, bro. I'm guessing the bath didn't end up helping you very much, did it?" he asked, stepping from the tub and guiding his best friend out beside him.

    "It act-actually helped a lot. At least at f-first," Alex responded, shivering again. Still, though uncomfortable, he willed himself to be patient as Brett re-dressed him quickly with his underclothes. Even afterwards, he stood quietly while his friend quickly dried and dressed himself. "Problem solved," Alex whispered, which made Brett raise an eyebrow. "We don't have to explain anything, remember? To Ethan?" Brett grinned sheepishly, nodding before he took hold of Alex by the arm and led him to the door.

    When they returned to the room, both boys simultaneously smiled as they heard the continued snoring that came from the bed. Ethan had been no more the wiser as to their excursion, and Alex could not help but look upon their new-found friend with a feeling of peace. "You were right, you know. He needed us last night. He really needed US," he whispered, to which Brett nodded in agreement. For a boy who had lost both his parents, and been through as much as the family had in the last seven to ten days, he seemed to be adjusting well to his new world already.

    "You know, for what it's worth, just seeing him like that, at peace..." This time it was Alex's turn to nod in agreement, as they both observed the pleasant, almost smiling expression that met them. It was then, however, that Alex shivered again. Crossing to his dresser, the teen pulled out a pair of heavy sweats, which he quickly donned before heading toward the door. He was stopped by Brett, however, before he could get very far. "Nuh uh, nada. I know where you guys keep your medicines at. You just want aspirin for now, right?" When Alex nodded, Brett pointed to the bed. "Climb back in, I'll be right back." As the teen disappeared and could be heard descending on the steps, Alex obeyed.

    When Brett returned, he found Alex had covered back up, but also that Ethan had rolled over from behind and was cuddling up into his friend's backside. Brett walked around and found Alex watching him approach. Brett placed two aspirin into his friend's extended hand, and watched as he took them, along with a drink of water he had brought along. Afterwards, without another word, Alex lay his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes. Brett watched him for a few minutes until he heard what sounded like a rhythmic breathing, before rising and climbing into the other side of the bed. Soon, as he listened to the quietness in the room, he also succumbed to a light doze.

<<<<<<<<< _ >>>>>>>>>

    "Yep, I'm afraid you have a fever kiddo, so you've probably picked up a bug from somewhere. Maybe from the pool yesterday," Patty remarked, placing the thermometer back into its pouch. She observed her son stretched out upon their couch, wrapped snugly in a blanket, and sighed.

    Alex looked utterly crestfallen. "Again?"

    "Again?" Patty repeated, frowning. "Why, are you having other episodes like this or something?"

    Alex shook his head. "No, Mom, it's just... this will be, what, the third time since we've moved here that I've gotten sick? Something like that, anyway. It's just depressing, that's all."

    Patty laughed. "Oh, you'll get over it, kiddo. Actually, I'm not that surprised at all. Remember when we moved to Idaho? You had a few spells then, too, I think." She leaned back against his knees for support as she smiled. "You know, when a body has to acclimate or adjust to a new environment that's unlike the one it comes out of, it sometimes goes through one of those fine-tuning periods and all, before it builds any new natural defenses. Especially when you're young, like you are."

    "Well, you guys don't get s-sick any. Neither does Brett or Gina, I think," Alex complained miserably. Another chill ran through him, making him shiver again as he looked up at his mother, who was not unsympathetic.

    "Well, your father and I grew up in this region, so we've probably built up a bit of natural immunity already. Don't be so sure about your friends, though. At least for Gina. Brenda told me not long ago that that girl gets a bad, seasonal cold every year, almost like clockwork, when Spring or Autumn comes around. She thinks it has something to do with allergies, more or less, but your guess is as good as anyone else's. She also told me that Brett was the same way, but he seems to have adjusted better to them in the last few years."

    "Is that common? Allergies, I mean," Alex asked.

    Patty nodded. "I'm afraid so. They say the Ohio Valley is about as rich of a haven for the pharmaceutical companies as they come, especially when it comes to allergy medications. It's just an area of the country known for high humidity, and when you combine that with mold and ragweed, and a whole host of other allergens, it's rough for some people to deal with. You're lucky, I think," she added, touching Alex's nose in the process with the tip of her finger. "Since we lived close enough to the edge of the valley when you were a baby, you sort of grew up with it."

    "But... you don't think this is allergies, do you?" Alex asked quietly.

    "No, because there are other signs that go along with them that you don't have. Plus, this seems to have just popped up quickly overnight, and allergies don't really work that way, especially with fevers and what-not. Unless, of course, you think you've become allergic to a certain 12-year old teen that you and Brett have been giving an awful lot of attention to lately," Patty teased. Watching her son roll his eyes made her laugh at her own little joke. Threading her fingers through his hair, she relented. "I'm sorry, honey. Seriously, I think with a fever and, how did you say it... you felt like you were 'pissing fire'? That combination definitely sounds more like an infection, and the sooner we get some antibiotics in you will be the better." She studied him momentarily. "You know, they started this media-doctor thing with your Dad's workplace. Why don't we link up and give them a try? Maybe they'll give you a mild antibiotic, like a Z-Pack or something. Being a Sunday, I know it'll be better than going over to the emergency room, and then waiting who knows how long before we get to see probably some foreign doctor, that will end up just doing the same thing!"

    Alex nodded. "Sure, I remember reading the brochure about it. You're the boss, Mom," he added before sneezing again. "Maybe we can use Dad's tablet, since it has a built-in camera and all," he suggested, as his mother nodded and then rose to her feet.

    Patty disappeared, but minutes later returned with both some ibuprofen and juice, along with the tablet. "Are Brett and Ethan still upstairs?" she asked quietly before sitting back down again at Alex's side.

    "Yeah, they were both still sleeping, so I didn't want to bother them," the teen replied before suddenly sneezing yet again. "I didn't want them catching anything from me, just in case I was contagious." Alex then pulled the blanket around him tighter, as his mother worked on going online and bringing up the desired site.

    "That's good. We'll get you sorted out, and then I'll go make us all some breakfast." She glanced up and saw how miserable her son was feeling. "You'll get better, honey, I promise. This is just another one of your moments, that's all."

    "I hope so," he replied. A moment later, she had placed a video call into the desired site, which answered on the third ring.

    After explaining who she was, and providing the necessary insurance information, Patty was then rewarded with a direct connection to a pleasant looking man who appeared to be in his mid-30's. "Good Sunday morning to you, ma'am. I'm Dr. Hardin, with the Westfield Medical Group. What seems to be the trouble?" Patty explained the situation, and then let the doctor chat briefly with Alex. The man agreed with Alex's mother on her assessment. "I'll be happy to phone in a prescription for you, but to be honest, I think I am going to make it for something a little stronger than a Z-Pack. You say these symptoms just hit you overnight, right? Or rather, when you awoke this morning? Yet you didn't really have any problems at bedtime?"

    "That's r-right, Doc," Alex replied.

    "Well, I'll grant you that's a little sudden, but not entirely unheard of. Just drink a ton of fluids, okay? Lots of juice, because it'll help you both build up some energy and give you a good supply of Vitamin C, too. It'll also help you flush your kidneys and bladder out. No milk or dairy products though, at least for a couple of days. Eggs should be fine, but that's the limit. As soon as you feel up to it, then graduate to something like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or two, before going all out on a full meal deal. Even then, keep it on the light side, and build your nourishment back up. In the meantime, make sure you take all of this prescription I'm going to send in. It'll be for antibiotics twice daily, for 7 days." When Alex nodded in agreement, the doctor checked with him for any allergies Alex might have to medication, before being satisfied. "Is your mother still there?" the man asked, which caused the teen to hand the device back to her.

    After providing the necessary information for a local pharmacy, Patty thanked the man and broke the connection, promising to call back in if his condition did not improve. "I'll get your father to make the trip out in a little bit. Here, until then, drink this and take two of these," she said after handing over both the medicine and juice.

    It was almost an hour later before Brett and Ethan appeared, coming downstairs from the bedroom. "Hey! What's up?" Ethan asked, crossing and sitting down on the floor next to Alex. Brett stepped in and sat on the edge of the sofa at Alex's side.

    "Nothing too bad guys, I just needed to get with Mom. Sorry I wasn't up there when you woke up," Alex replied. He brought them up-to-date on his situation, which made Brett frown.

    "You're not going to feel like much of anything for a while then, are you?" When the ill teen shook his head, Brett nodded. "That's okay, though. I promise, we won't abandon you."

    Alex, however, wasn't going to hear of it. "Like heck, you won't. You're right, I'm won't feel like doing anything for a while guys. After breakfast, just go on and play some basketball, or ride bikes, play video games, whatever you two want to do. I'm s-sorry, really, but... seriously, all I'll do is hamper things." He sat back and indicated the nearby TV in the room. "Besides, I can watch some football later. The Redskins play today, I think, and then the Packers later this afternoon. I'll be fine, I promise."

    Ethan frowned. "Okay, but... you know we can do stuff and not leave you alone, can't we?"

    "Of course, we can!" Brett declared, but one glance at Alex told the teen his friend was really not feeling up to it. "Still, Alex probably needs some beauty sleep for a while, all the same," the teen grudgingly relented, and saw the look of relief that met him. "We'll still check on him at least, and play it by ear. He might feel better later, who knows? Maybe we can watch some of the ball game with him or something."

    Alex smiled weakly at them both, thankful the silent message was both received and understood. "I'll be okay later, I promise. I just n-need to recoup some, that's all."

    Although the other boys nodded, Ethan continued to frown. "Uh, Alex?" he whispered uncertainly.

    "Yeah? What's up, buddy?" Alex whispered in return.

    It took a moment, but then the younger boy leaned in close. "You being sick and all... it, you didn't like, get it from us, or from me, did you? Because of last night? You know, what we all did last night?"

    Despite feeling as rough as he did, Alex could not help but grin at the younger boy. Pushing back the blanket, he reached out. "Come here," he said, and when Ethan was close enough, Alex embraced him before putting his lips up to the boy's ear. "No fucking way, buddy! I probably got something at the pool yesterday, okay? What we, you and Brett and me did, none of it had anything to do with this, I promise. Trust me on that, okay?"

    Ethan sat back then, feeling relieved. Just as Alex pulled the blanket back around him, Patty appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. "Oh, so you two are up now! Just in time, too ... I have a whole stack of waffles in here with your names on them!"

<<<<<<<<< _ >>>>>>>>>

    "Can I ask you something, and not freak you out any? Or try not to, at least?" Ethan asked, as he and Brett took a break after playing a hard set of basketball. Both boys had plopped down into the yard, catching their breath as the afternoon breeze cooled them during their lull.

    "Sure, you can ask me anything!" Brett declared, after falling back into the grass.

    "Well, I don't... I don't want you to get the idea I like either of you better than the other, okay? I mean, I've told you already, what it means to me and everything just to be able to hang out with you guys and all."

    When the boy didn't continue, Brett scoffed. "Especially after last night?"

    Ethan giggled. "No, this has nothing to do with last night, I promise. I've felt this way long before we, before we, uh..."

    "Messed around?" Brett whispered, causing the younger teen to giggle again, but nod in acknowledgement.

    "Yeah. It's kind of funny, in a way. I mean, before camp, I never would have believed boys did the kind of stuff like what we did last night. I've heard of skinny dipping before, but never thought I'd be in the middle of doing it!" Ethan also lay back, his elbows propping himself up. "It's like, with all the Catholic priest news, and kids being molested and everything, everyone around me is, like, super sensitive about that stuff, you know? The guys around me, they're like macho and, and... and like homophobes." He paused, and then grunted. "Like my Dad was. He always told me guys just don't do those kinds of things, or cry, or even hug one another. I always thought that was weird, though. Girls can do almost anything they want, like hug, kiss, whatever, and the worst anyone will do really is laugh at them. If guys do anything like that though, with another guy... well, we get crapped on, beat up, and... and then killed." He turned to glance at Brett. "As stupid as it sounds, it doesn't really seem fair, you know?"

    Brett glanced at the boy, and then pivoted, rolling so that he was facing their friend. Propping his head with his wrist, he gazed thoughtfully. "Guys do things though, but it's usually only with very close people to them, and in private. They'll do things with people they know are not going to tell anyone else, or laugh and pick on them. Not all guys, mind you, because some are just pure jerks. A lot of them do though, hug at least, and sometimes a lot more - especially in the name of fun or curiosity. Sometimes it's only the simple stuff, say like getting in a shower with other guys, or just stripping and changing clothes with someone, for example. We don't think about those things so much, because after you've been in school and Phys Ed and stuff, it's just kind of taken for granted. Sometimes though, it's can turn into a whole lot more. Like, the showers at school, you're in front of a whole group, and as long as you don't do something stupid, everyone has to share the same blame for just joking around."

    "Even... even if you get a boner or something?" Ethan asked.

    "Even then, yeah. Trust me, everyone gets them, there's nothing bad about it. People will tease, but then, meh, you just laugh with them or shake it off. Now, if you try and rub up against someone, or touch them, or you know, just get sexy with them or something... that's totally different. That's the stuff that will get you branded and in trouble for the rest of your life, I think." Brett observed Ethan thoughtfully. "Still, guys will do stuff, too, with close friends and whatever. You just won't ever hear them admit to any of it in public, even to their other best friends or brothers. It's more private-like, you know?"

    "Yeah, I know, and that makes sense..." Ethan replied. He sighed before he continued. "I know now, at least. Thanks, you know, for talking with me last night, and answering a lot of my questions. I guess that had to be kind of weird to you guys, but..."

    Brett shrugged. "No sweat, it wasn't weird, I promise. We're good. You can ask us anything you want, anytime you want. At least, so long as you're okay and all with everything..."

    "You mean, like last night?" Ethan shook his head, smiling. "I'm better than okay, man. Honest, it was fucking awesome!"

    "I'm glad," Brett nodded. "I promise, it was for me and Alex, too."

    "You two, you seem to really like each other a lot," Ethan observed. "You know, the whole trust thing, and being like brothers and all. That's what I really wanted to ask you about. I mean, can I ask how it started and all?"

    Brett paused, considering his answer before shrugging again. "I don't know. It's like, before Alex moved here, I was mostly just stuck with riding bikes and listening to my music and all. Gina and I would play around some, and Kelly, too. He lives down the road from here, um, about a half-mile or so. He was like the only real guy close by, but he's Gina's age and everything, see."

    Ethan frowned, thinking hard. "Kelly? You don't mean Kelly Williams, do you?"

    Brett raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, you know him?"

    Ethan nodded. "Oh yeah, he's in my grade. He seems like a pretty cool dude, I think. Doesn't act all stuck up or anything, at least."

    "Kelly is a good guy, I like him a lot," Brett admitted. "I think Gina does, too, the way she fawns over him sometimes."

    Ethan rolled his eyes. "Really? Shit, I guess there goes my chance, then."

    "What? Are you saying you like my sister?" Brett asked in surprise before giggling. "Why does that make you think you don't have a chance with her?"

    "Oh, come on!" Ethan exclaimed. "Other than when she kissed my cheek the other day, she doesn't even act like she knows I exist! Her and April are probably in there-" The boy paused to nod toward Brett's house. "In there somewhere, talking about all the boys in our grade BUT me!"

    Brett laughed, surprised at this recent revelation. "Well, you just need to turn that around some, then. You know, make her notice you and everything."

    Ethan scoffed. "Yeah, rriigghhttt..." Looking up, he saw the seriousness in Brett's face. "You're not kidding, are you? Just exactly how would I go about doing something like that? Especially if I have to compete against the likes of Kelly Williams? Like I said, he's pretty cool, and... well, he looks nice and all, for a guy I mean. I can't compete with that, or..." He paused for a few seconds, before adding in a softer voice. "Or you..."

    Brett frowned. "What about me?" He waited, but when no answer came, an idea struck. "Are you afraid I wouldn't want you going out with my sister or something?"

    A short silence ensued before Ethan finally sighed. Looking up at the sky, he remarked, "You- You don't think that would be awkward or anything?"

    "Why should it?" Brett replied. "Hey, if you have the hots for my sister, then go for it. It's not like I'm her bodyguard or anything, she can take care of herself! I've been on the receiving end of some of her antics, so trust me, I know that one!" he added, before becoming thoughtful again. "I just... I just, well, guess I do watch out for her some, you know? I'm her big brother, and I like to think I'd make sure nobody hurt her, or tried to get physical and... stuff."

    Ethan screwed up his face. "What, like in sex or something? Ew, no! At least, nothing bad anyway! I don't think I'm ready for anything like that anyway! I mean, I've only just now gotten to see and hold my first dick, for fuck's sake!" he hissed, but then laughed. "Although, maybe touching some breasts wouldn't hurt..." he teased.

    Brett could have pinched him just then, but decided to laugh it off instead. He scooted closer to the other boy so that he could lower his voice. "Just remember something for me, okay? Anything you two do, as long as it's something you both want, is fine with me. I mean that. Just don't hurt her, okay? She's my sis, and she has not only me, but two big brothers who will watch out for her."

    "Two? Oh," Ethan hesitated. "You and Alex, right?"

    "Damn straight. Alex loves her, too - just not the kind of love you're talking about. He thinks of her more like a sister," Brett explained.

    "I get it, honest. And besides, even if I was able to get her attention, I mean, look at me..." Ethan's voice trailed off, his thought left unspoken.

    "What, are you kidding? You are just as good looking, just as cute, and just as funny as anyone else I know your age, including Kelly Williams," Brett offered sincerely. "All of you, too. Don't forget, Alex and I have seen you naked, so we know what sits inside you all the way from the outer skin to the inside of your heart. And guess what? Alex saw a good kid in you long before I came around to the idea. That means something, Ethan. When he trusted you, then I trusted you, too. Not because of your dink or anything, either. He trusted you for who you are. Understand?"

    Ethan nodded and smiled. "I think so. It's kind of the same way with me, you know? I just never really knew how to say it before. I trusted you two because of what I could see inside of you."

    "Well, good. You're going to be alright, buddy. Don't let anyone ever tell you different. Like Alex, see. He has his weak moments, too, but he's going to be fine. Probably a lot better off than me, too."

    Ethan made a face. "His moments? You mean, like with his scars and all?"

    Brett sighed. "Some, yeah, but other things, too. His scars though, they used to really bother him a lot, but not so much now. Alex is just like this innocent goofball, you see. He's experiencing a lot of things for the first time, since growing up homeschooled and everything. At least, he's seeing things now that a lot of us take for granted, you know? I think that's why I love hanging out with him so much. Every few days he'll turn a corner and find something new, something different that fascinates him. It's cool really, because then he'll come and tell me all about it, down to the smallest detail, no matter what it is. I mean, like, whether it's him seeing my sister's boobs, or him crapping his pants for some reason, or even more so, just crying his heart out. He doesn't hold back from me, you know? And it's all funny and cool at the same time, to just listen to him and all!"

    Ethan's eyes went wide. "You mean he saw Gina's... Gina's..."

    Brett laughed. "Breasts? Yeah, though kind of by accident, but he did. And then yeah - he told ME, her big brother, all about it up front. Don't you see? He's... he's like a 15-year old version of you in some ways, or maybe even someone younger at times, and he's like... well, let me put it this way. With all that innocence and trust, he's injected a lot into this thing that we have together, in me of all people, you know? It, like, really made me stop and think about a lot of the stuff I take for granted, and then I get to watch him learn everything from the outside and all. It's funny, and cool, and... and... It's what makes us feel really close sometimes, and... and..." Brett's voice trailed off as he realized there was nothing more he could add. Ethan, however, fully understood.

    "You, of all people, is because you like helping him, and you trust him just as much as he trusts you. I see that, and I'm only 12-fucking-years old, man! And then you both, you give me a lot, too. It's like, last night when you guys were telling me all kinds of stuff. I get it, Brett, I really do. It makes you feel good inside, because you get to live through some of what stuff is like with him and all," Ethan voiced softly, and when he saw Brett smile, he knew he had hit it. "It's the same thing with you both and me, too. You're getting to live through some of my stuff, too."

    "You do understand, then. That's good, I think," Brett whispered. "That's why we both tell you that you can talk to us about anything. Mushy stuff, sex, girls - we don't care. It's like, if you need us, we want to be here, for you."

    "Yeah, I know. I know because, like last night, I was seeing some things for the first time, too, about the both of you..." Ethan sighed. "You're both great, Brett. I hope I never lose you as friends, you know?"

    Brett leaned in and lowered his voice again. "Friends? I thought maybe you became our little brother," he whispered. "I know Alex feels like that, and I do, too. We've kind of adopted you already, you know?" When Ethan turned to look at him closely, the younger teen's eyes were moist with the emotion of the moment.

    "I'd like that. More than anything in the whole world, I think," the young boy whispered back. Brett smiled at him and nodded, and after a moment the younger teen spoke again. "Can I ask you just one more thing, for now anyway? A favor?"

    Brett laughed. "Sure, what is it?"

    "Will you let me give you a hug, again? Even out here in the open?" Ethan whispered. Brett answered by sitting up and crawling toward him, closing the distance before he wrapped the younger boy up into the most heartfelt, sincerest embrace he could make.

    "You know, I've told Alex this a lot of times, and I'll tell you, too. Neither of you should ever be afraid of this. If you need me, I'm here - any day, any hour. Well," he hesitated and then giggled. "Umm, maybe not in the school showers with a bunch of other guys around. That one might be a little, uh... awkward, yeah..."

    Ethan laughed hard. "Umm, I don't think that'll ever be a problem. I would never be allowed in the showers with your grade anyway," he muttered, his voice muffled as he buried his nose into Brett's shoulder. "Thanks though, Brett. Thanks... for everything."

<<<<<<<<< _ >>>>>>>>>

    "So, d-did you guys have a g-good day?" Alex asked, suddenly jerking awake and then, between breaths he reared back and sneezed into a tissue. Afterwards, the teen released a huge sigh before rolling sideways so he could face Brett again.

    Brett had appeared late in the afternoon to check in on his friend, but found him still wrapped up and stretched out on the couch pretty much as he had left him that morning. Sitting on the floor, he observed his friend as his head lay back onto his pillow. A football game was playing on the TV in the background, but the volume was turned low, and Brett got the impression Alex was only half-watching it at best. "Yeah, we did okay. It would have been better if you were with us, but we both understood and all," Brett replied. Alex glanced around the room then, noting the recliner where his father usually sat was empty. Following his gaze, Brett interpreted what was up. "Both your parents left a little bit ago. I think they said something about going out for some ice cream, and to find you some popsicles. I told them I'd stay with you until they got back."

    "Cool. I hope they find some. I'd love to have something cold on my throat," Alex admitted. "Um, you wouldn't, like, maybe go fix me some Sprite, would you? And fill the glass up with some ice, too! I want it c-cold!"

    "Sure," Brett replied, climbing to his feet and taking off for the kitchen. A moment later, he returned with a tall glass prepared as requested. "Here, just what the patient asked for!"

    Alex opened his eyes again and then suddenly pushed himself up. Taking the glass, he drank deeply and quickly. "This is s-so good," he whispered. After another drink, he placed the tumbler on the end table and sat back.

    "Are you feeling any better?" Brett asked, sitting down beside him again, though this time onto the couch where the ill teen could lie back into his lap.

    "Actually, despite how I might look, I am feeling somewhat better now. I don't have the chills as bad as I did before, and Mom said my fever broke this afternoon. Mostly, I just have a lot of aches and crud, and... and..." An additional sneeze presented itself, which the teen caught in another tissue, before he continued. "A stuffy nose and whatever, now." He glanced at his friend as he sank back into his lap. "I doubt I'll make it to school tomorrow, though."

    Brett nodded. "That's okay, but beware, you may have to endure some more ribbing from Steven and Greg if you don't show up."

    Alex giggled and then shrugged. "They can take it or just eat my undies, I don't care."

    Brett laughed out loud, causing Alex to grin. Without preamble, he shifted so that Alex's head could lie more comfortably. "You know, you do have a pretty good sense of humor sometimes. Even if that one was borrowed from The Simpsons!"

    "Meh," Alex replied. "I think Bart always said 'Eat my shorts!' though, didn't he?" He chuckled. "Doesn't matter either way. I still get some of it from you and Gina, I think. And Dad, even though his is kind of old stuff anymore," he replied. Looking up, he spoke quietly. "So, did Ethan talk about any of that stuff we did last night? Did he pummel you with another hundred questions today?"

    Brett laughed, but shook his head. "He talked about you some, and hoped you get better soon." He played a hand lightly across Alex's chest, but paused when Alex grasped it and pulled it inside under his t-shirt. He noted the teen's skin felt warm, and for that moment, he played, feeling around Alex's navel and moving his fingertips up to his friend's chest. When he looked back, there was a smile that met him, filled with a happiness. "He likes us, bro, just like you suspected. I even told him he was like our little brother and all now. You should have seen his face."

    Alex smiled. "I'm glad. Like you said, I think he's a good, uh, kid, I guess." He grunted. "But maybe not so much a kid anymore."

    Brett laughed again. "Yeah, I know." He suddenly sighed. "I'm going to have to watch him though. He kind of let it slip that he has the hots for Gina."

    Alex was so startled he had to pause manage his laughter, intermixed with a series of coughs. "Are you s-serious? Oh, sheesh!"

    "Oh, yeah," Brett grinned. "He also admitted he didn't think sex was in their future though, which was a little funny coming from him, but meh. I guess I can be relieved about that, at least for the immediate future. Although, he also said he wouldn't mind feeling her tits." That made Alex cough and sputter again, which caused Brett to grin. "Oh, yeah, and his eyes about popped out of his head when I told him you had already seen her boobs."

    Alex cocked his head to one side before laying back again. "What the fuck...? Just exactly what all DID you two talk about then?"

    Brett grimaced, but then shook his head. "Nothing to worry about bro, I promise. He just, I don't know, he kind of wanted to know how we got to be so close and all, and I told him how much trust we have for one another. Then somehow, that came out while we were talking about Gina."

    Alex grunted. "Well, he'll see her breasts long before I do again, if ever." Looking up, he saw the amused expression in return. "What?"

    Brett leaned in closer, but moved his hand over Alex's heart, and extended his fingers to cusp both the breast and nipple he found there. "Don't be so sure, okay? Gina is her own person, and you know that. There is no telling what she'll do around you, you know? Trust me, I think she feels safer with you more than she does with me, sometimes. Honest."

    "I know," Alex replied softly, nodding. "I was just... well, you know."

    "I know, bro. She's just, I don't know, she's just very trusting with you and me, that's all. Don't be surprised, you know? Remember the hospital? You could have probably flipped her gown that day, and she wouldn't have cared any at all you did." Brett smiled. "In the meantime, though, you've got my moobs you can feel up anytime you want, just like I have yours. And my crotch and everything in it too, if you want."

    Alex relaxed. "I know I do." He brought his hand up and laid it across Brett's. "Besides, it's not my breast you're holding anymore. It's my heart, you know?" he whispered. Then he grimaced. "Sheesh, there I go again, too much mushy stuff today..."

    Brett started to scoff, but then thought better of it. "Meh, you're just feeling under the weather right now. Tomorrow you'll be better and onto something new all over again, so don't sweat it. Though, the way you've been sweating, your skin feels a little clammy right now... I might have to make some excuse and get you upstairs in the shower again."

    Alex grinned. "You're teasing me, right? You know better... You can get me in the shower anytime you want."

    Brett smiled, then finally nodded. "Yeah, I know." He stared deep into the eyes that met him. "I do love you though, remember?" he whispered.

<<<<<<<<< _ >>>>>>>>>

    "Oh, my goodness, just look at this mess! How on Earth did Harry ever do any business in here at all?" the children's grandmother exclaimed.

    Ruby, the grandchildren, Brett and Alex were all gathered along with Brenda and Gina, in the office of Harry Spalding's car lot. It was a Saturday morning, almost a month following the funeral, on a cool, autumn day in mid-October. Although the sun shone brightly through partly cloudy skies that morning, the entire Ohio Valley region had finally lost its last vestiges of summer weather. Cool days, combined with even cooler nights, had spawned nature's transformation into a kaleidoscope of colors, as the leaves on various trees began changing to hues of brown, yellow and orange. It was an event that came but once a year, with its foliage creating both a blessing and a curse. One was that it provided a feast for the eyes, something only nature could provide in its medley of such abundance and austerity. The downside, however, was the massive work it created for the tenants of the world beneath, to clear away and bag those leaves that made their way to the ground.

    Strewn about the office were mountainous piles in places, containing old catalogs, newspapers, folders and odd paperwork, some of which appeared to be years old. It was the first day the office had finally been unlocked, having been released by the county attorney before turning the property over to the family. Sheriff Mackie apologized profusely to the group, having met them earlier that morning when they arrived, explaining that the delay had been caused more by getting other agencies than anything else to sign off on the release, including the FBI.

    The Sheriff had informed Ruby only two days before that all would be cleared up for them by Saturday morning, and as luck would have it, Brett and Alex happened to be visiting when the man came by. Immediately, Alex volunteered both himself and Brett to lend a hand, and the elderly grandmother readily accepted their offer. It was an important moment for the teenager, as it relieved Alex's worry on how to get quick access for other, albeit personally important, reasons. When Brenda called upon them that evening to pick the boys up, she also offered her and Gina's assistance after hearing the news.

    The group had opened the doors to find the cluttered interior stale and musty, with traces of faint cigar odors still drifting about in the enclosed space. After opening the windows and propping back the storm door, which permitted an exchange of cleaner air to drift through, the assembly then divided up into smaller groups to try and sort through the mess. The older women began sweeping the floors, collecting various trash to throw out. Ethan, April and Gina were given tasks of cleaning and washing the windows, while the older teenage boys were given the task of sorting through the mess on Harry's huge desk and bookcase.

    Both Alex and Brett were surprised at being given access so easily to what was, potentially, Harry's most important paperwork. Although Alex raised an eyebrow at his friend, neither complained and accepted their stroke of luck. They began by sorting various items into stacks, which ultimately fell into two groups. One such group consisted of things they felt ought to be outright preserved, such as recent bills and invoices, which amounted to what they considered were the 'current' state of affairs. The second group, however, included older playbills, receipts and invoices that were at least six months past, clearly non-essential. When they started finding paperwork that dated back more than a year, Brett pulled one of the garbage cans around and, after obtaining permission from the women, started discarding the latter. It turned out to be a significant job, and required an undue amount of careful attention between the two, as much of the older paperwork had faded imprints or ink, making them more difficult to read.

    It was in the midst of their work that Alex finally sat back in his seat to take a break. He observed that the others in the room were diligently going about their various tasks, and not paying any real attention to him or Brett. Thinking the time was as good as any just then, he exchanged a careful glance at his best friend, who realized what was about to happen. With an encouraging nod, Alex then opened the central drawer of the desk and began rummaging inside. While pushing its contents around, the teen discretely dropped the key to the supposed deposit box, given to him weeks earlier by Casey. As he did so, he readily observed another, albeit smaller, key that resided where he had been told to find it.

    For the better part of the time since Alex had first sat down, he had already been subtly shifting his feet underneath, pushing across various boards in the floor space. At one point, the teen had even slipped his shoe off one foot, and with the bared skin he began quietly searching for anything subtly different. It did not take him long to feel that one of boards, without him even looking, was elevated somewhat on one edge above the rest, compared to the texture of the others. Pressing about in various places, he was surprised when something tripped, and the board rose distinctly, thus telling the teen he had succeeded. Glancing again at Brett, the teen quickly slipped his shoe back on before taking a deep breath. "Hey, what's this!" he called out, infusing his voice with as much excitement as possible.

    First one, and then the others in the room, stopped and turned toward the teen. Alex pushed his chair back and bent down toward the floor, finding the outline of the exposed board now easily. He hesitated a few seconds, hopefully gathering a level of suspense with the others in the room, before reaching into the narrowed space that had opened up. Indeed, Ruby and Brenda had approached just as the teen found and grasped a handle belonging to something, and pulled, withdrawing a large, flat-metal box which he lifted and placed on the desk in front of them. He glanced up to see Ms. Simpson standing over from the opposite side, looking on with surprise. "What's that you've got there?" she asked rather hoarsely, as the others in the room began to crowd around her and the desk.

    "It's a box, hidden underneath the desk, ma'am," Alex replied. "My foot started itching, so I took off my shoe to scratch it, and then, I don't know, somehow it just started hitting one of the boards. It felt kind of funny, you know, different, so I decided to find out why." A combined feeling of excitement and mystery set in among the group, as they watched. Alex and Brett both explored the container, studying the sides until Alex finally broke the silence. "Hey, look here, there's a place for a key. I wonder..." Pulling the central drawer open once again, he located the smaller key he had observed earlier and extracted it.

    Once inserted, the key fit perfectly and when turned, there was a sound within the container as if a spring had been triggered. The entire top of the box moved, subtly elevating along the sides while exclamations of surprise rose from the group. Alex grinned at them and then pulled the panel up and free. "Oh, my stars!" Ms. Simpson whispered. "What have you found? Is that... is that... money?"

    "Yep, sure looks like it," Brett piped up. "Is it okay if I, like...?" At her nod, the teen pulled one of the stacks out and rifled through it, finding several denominations of bills that ranged from $20 to $100 notes. "Wow, there's quite a bit here, ma'am."

    As Ms. Simpson looked on in stunned silence, Alex saw and extracted a set of multi-colored documents. He read the first one on top aloud. "State of Indiana, Certificate of Title', uh... it looks like it's for a 2008, Ford F150." Alex paused, thinking quickly before nodding. "There's a red Ford truck on the front row outside. This looks like it could be the title for it!" Quickly thumbing through several more, both eyebrows shot up in feigned surprise. "It looks like they're all titles, ma'am. Uh... there's quite a few, too! Maybe, yeah, maybe they're for all the cars and trucks out there!"

    Ethan, who had squeezed in to stand next to his grandmother, looked up at her with amazement. "You mean, these... wow! You were just wondering about these the other night, weren't you Grams?"

    Ms. Simpson finally smiled, her eyes becoming moist. "It sure looks like it." Alex searched other stacks of papers, and then in the excitement, decided to assert his final intervention. "Uh, you know, there's another key here, too." He rummaged the desk drawer again, before extracting the second key and looking at it closely. "It looks like, I don't know, maybe a bank key or something. See? On one side, it's somewhat worn, but it seems to have some letters that say 'FNB', and then, the other side has a five-digit number. Could the initials, like, stand for 'First National Bank'?"

    "Let me see that, honey," Brenda announced and, upon inspecting the key, she turned to Ruby. "That's exactly what this is. Roger and I have a safe deposit box down there too, and we have a key similar to this at home."

    "Do you think... oh my," the woman exclaimed, hesitating before she continued. "What could be there, I wonder, if not maybe the deed to the house or something like that."

    A certain relief spread over Alex, as he smiled at the women. "Well, there's really only one way to find out, isn't there?" He glanced at his watch. "It's only a little after 11 o'clock. Don't they stay open until noon on Saturdays? I bet, if you wanted, you could go down there now before they close up."

    "Can we, Grams?" Both Ethan and April observed their grandmother closely, their excitement barely contained.

    "I don't see why not. Let's go," the woman declared, and then picked up her purse. As she and her children made their way to the door, she stopped to observe the others. "Well? Aren't you coming along? This could turn out to be a grand adventure, you have to admit!"

    Alex, Brett and Gina sprang to their feet, but Brenda hesitated. "Don't you think perhaps you and the children should be-"

    Ruby shook her head emphatically. "All of you are just as much a part of this now as we are. Besides, you're like family to us. We have nothing to hide, from any of you. Come on, it might even be fun! We'll grab some ice cream while we're out, too!"

    Brenda smiled and, seeing the restrained excitement in her own younger charges, finally nodded and moved to collect her own purse.

<<<<<<<<< _ >>>>>>>>>

    "That's amazing! So, the box at the bank, it had life insurance policies and the deed to the house?" Richard asked.

    "Yeah. The policies looked like they were, I don't know, a hundred thousand dollars or so - each. It was pretty exciting to see them, actually, and you should have seen Ms. Simpson. She had to sit down, she was so surprised," Alex explained. "Oh, and it also had the deed to the car lot property and all. It looks like Mr. Spalding owned everything, and didn't owe a dime to anyone."

    Patty sat across the table from the both. "That is, well, in a word, just awesome! That should set those children up for life, pretty much. Or, at least get them through college, maybe buy a house or someplace outright." She looked up to observe her husband. "They will get it, won't they?"

    "Huh?" Alex asked, his own surprise surfacing, which made Richard grunt.

    "I think they will. Sometimes there are riders on life insurance son, you know, like exclusions. But they are mostly for guarding against suicide, or having a minimum amount of time elapse before anyone can file a claim," Richard explained. "I don't think either of them fit into those categories, but there may be a few things that could get tied up for a while. Eventually, though, they should get it all."

    Alex sat back, understanding what his father had implied, and remembering Casey's remark that the process might take a while. "I hope so. At least, it would be well deserved for those guys to have something good happen to them, if only for one last time, and from their dad of all people."

    "I totally agree," Patty piped up. "What about the box under the desk? Did you say something about deeds and titles, or...?"

    "All the paperwork for the cars on the lot, with bill of transfers, titles and everything - it was all there," Alex answered. "There was quite a bit of money in it, too. When we went back, Brett and I helped Ms. Simpson count over $160,000 in there. There were also some other papers that looked like some kind of a logbook, but the math was all messed up in some places." He turned to his father. "Dad, Ms. Simpson was kind of wary about the money at first. She thought it might be linked to some kind of underground or black market or something. Is that ... possible?"

    Richard nodded. "It's always possible, yes. But... you did say it was all cash, right? No bonds or securities?" When Alex nodded, the man shrugged. "Then, it doesn't really matter, I think. If Harry was never arrested or prosecuted for any kind of grand larceny or such, then the cash is about as clear as anyone could want it to be. And from what I understand, he had several run-ins with the Sheriff, but all of them were only misdemeanors and the like."

    Alex raised both eyebrows in feigned surprise. "That's kind of what I told her! I mean, unless you can tie it to something illegal, like directly, it would be just as clean as anything else, right? And after all, she could use the money, I know. She admitted to me once she didn't have hardly anything in savings when Ethan and April moved in with her."

    Richard gazed upon his son, impressed. "Clean money? That's... well, that's what it could be called, yeah. I'm surprised you've picked up that term! I haven't heard that one in years!"

    Alex blushed. "I think I read it in some book or something. You know how I like to read all those John Grisham and Tom Clancy novels and such," he muttered, being careful in his reply. His answer, however, seemed to satisfy his father.

    "Nevertheless, I would say you're correct. I didn't know they were hard up for money, either - I wish you had said something before now," Richard mused.

    "I agree," Patty chimed in. "We could have helped out, I think. Especially now that we're getting back on our own feet again, finally."

    "You know son, if you ever hear of anything like that again..." Richard began.

    "I know, Dad, okay. I guess I just wasn't thinking very well, that's all," Alex voiced, thoroughly chided.

    "It's okay, honey. Let's talk about something else, though," Patty observed. "Your father and I were wondering if you boys had anything special planned for the week after next, during fall break?"

    Alex narrowed his eyes, thinking hard. "Not that I know of. We shut down the car cleaning, since it was getting so cool now and everything. Why?"

    "Well, your mother and I are thinking of taking part of that week and heading back to our old home grounds, so to speak," Richard answered. "We think it's been long enough now, that maybe we can finally go back and see your grandparents again, and re-introduce you to some of your cousins. What do you say?"

    Alex's expression changed immediately to one of hope. "Seriously? I mean... really?" he whispered, causing Patty to chuckle.

    "Yes, really. It would be good for you to see that you have more family than just your father and myself, besides the one you adopted up the road from us," his mother explained, teasing.

    The news hit Alex hard, striking him speechless for several seconds, before he slowly climbed to his feet and walked around the table. Once there, he wrapped his mother up warmly with a hug before he spoke again. "There is very little that could make me happier."

    Patty smiled and gave a knowing look to her husband, who was observing them both with his own moistened eyes. "We know you've wanted to do this for a while, son," Richard began. "I'm just sorry we couldn't do it any sooner."

    Before his father could say another word, the teenager turned and engulfed him heartily, squeezing tightly. "I know, Dad. I know, and it's okay. Just...l... I mean, thanks..." He pulled back. "What about your brother? Can we get to see him, too, before long?"

    Richard smiled. "I've already reached out to him. He's planning to be here with us for Thanksgiving week."

    Alex had to lean against the table then, feeling beside himself. As little as it might have seemed to some people, the teenager was realizing that once again, after hoping against all hope, his life would become even richer. Their stunted existence in obscurity was actually coming to an end. They all had family, and ties to something as real as the next man out there, and it was with a welcomed sigh of relief that he was going to finally begin seeing them again.

    Not only for the Spalding children and their grandmother, life was looking up again... for his parents, and for himself.

<<<<<<<<< _ >>>>>>>>>

    "So, what are we going to do next week? Anything special?" Brett asked, as the three alighted from the school bus at the end of the Edwards' driveway.

    It was Wednesday afternoon, and although the sun was shining brightly, a chill breeze flowed rampantly throughout the countryside. Gina, giving what was now becoming her quick, customary hug before leaving Alex behind, made her way skipping up the driveway while her brothers talked.

    "Uh, I won't be home until the latter part of next week," Alex confessed. "Sorry, I've been meaning to tell you before now, but Mom and Dad asked if I would like to go back home with them, to visit my grandparents and see my other relatives."

    Brett raised both eyebrows. "Really? Wow! You said yes, of course, right? I mean, that's your family Alex! Isn't it about time you got to go and reunite with them and all?"

    Alex smiled. "Yeah, I guess, but... it does mean leaving you again, though."

    "So? It's not the same like it was, bro. I'll be okay, I promise, and so will you!" Brett replied. He studied his friend briefly. "Seriously, man, I am so fucking happy for you, you know? You're doing a lot better now, too. You know that, right? Just... make sure you come back to me when you guys are done, that's all."

    "Oh, I will. Plus, we're not going for the whole week, Brett. I think we're coming back sometime on Wednesday, so the rest of the week will be ours. We can spend all the time we want, doing whatever your sneaky brain can come up with," Alex replied, after bumping shoulders with his friend. "Besides, yeah, you're right - we're all doing better, I admit it. But, really, I still need you, bro."

    "And I still need you, too. Just saying, is all," Brett replied with a smile. "So, when do you leave?"

    "Sometime early Saturday morning, I think. It's about a four-to-five-hour drive, if I heard Dad right, so he didn't want to get a late start Friday. Plus, the game against Benton is Friday night, and we're supposed to be meeting up with Brad and Steven again, remember?" Alex scoffed. "This time it's not supposed to rain or anything though, so I doubt you'll get another shot at seeing Steven going into the showers or anything like I did."

    Brett sputtered and then laughed. "It's okay," he whispered. "I've got you bro, and that's plenty enough for me, I promise. Say, see if you can just spend the night with me Friday night, okay? I might get you all relaxed and, who knows, stress free and... and..."

    It was Alex's turn to laugh, as he blushed deeply at the inference. "I love you, brother, but man...!"

    "What?" Brett replied grinning. "Okay, okay, I'll be good... at least until we get home Friday night. No promises though, afterwards," he whispered and then sneaked a quick kiss on Alex's cheek. "There, that's for the one Gina didn't give you today!" Indeed, their 'sister' had also started the occasional peck on the cheek, something Alex found heartwarming.

    The teen glanced at Brett and smiled, feeling the same kind of warmness begin to fill his chest. "Thanks. I'm kind of surprised though, out here in the open and all."

    Brett shrugged. "I don't care, at least every once in a while. It's okay to be sneaky," he quipped. As the boys turned to separate, Brett suddenly reached out and grasped Alex's arm. "Wait up! Gina's calling to us, see?" Glancing toward the house, both saw the girl was waving at them both to approach. As they started up the driveway, only then did the boys notice that Richard's SUV was there, along with another familiar vehicle. "That belongs to Ethan's grandmother, doesn't it?" Brett asked.

    Alex nodded. "Yep, and my Dad's, too. I wonder what's up?"

    When they reached the back door, April held it open for them both. "Family meeting, sort of," she whispered, but the expression on her face was one of curiosity, too. When the teens entered the Edwards' living room, they stopped to see both sets of their parents sitting amicably, along with Ms. Simpson, chatting freely. Upon their entry, however, they stopped as Bobba Fett ran up and started jumping up and down excitedly, until Brett set his pack aside and picked up the canine.

    "Well, it's about time you boys showed up! I was beginning to think I'd have to call the school and see if your bus was broken down somewhere!" Roger exclaimed.

    "It was mostly just heavy traffic today, I think. It took a little longer to get turned around in places," Brett offered, while walking into the larger room with Alex by his side. All three were then invited to sit down, Alex with his parents and Brett with his. Gina plopped down in the floor beside the recliner with her Dad, looking onward. "So, what's up?" Brett finally asked, breaking the silence.

    Ms. Simpson was the first to speak. "Ah, I'm afraid it's my fault, boys. I, uh, had to have a discussion with your parents about something, and so that's why we're gathered together here."

    "Yes," Richard piped up. "We've been hearing some very interesting news concerning you three."

    Brett suddenly froze, his mind quickly thinking. "Uh, what did we do? Whatever it was, it's Gina's fault!"

    The adults suddenly burst into laughter, while Gina looked up sternly from her perch. "Hey now, butter breath of death!" the girl declared. The exchange made the others laugh even more.

    "You're not in trouble or anything," Brenda sputtered through deep breaths.

    "Aw, now, speak for yourself honey!" Roger exclaimed. "We could have had some fun with this one!"

    Alex inwardly sighed with relief. "Okay then, what really IS going on?"

    "Well, as you very well know," Ms. Simpson began. "Last weekend, you made some fairly startling discoveries. Both of you have helped me and my grandchildren in ways beyond belief, and I for one am very grateful. I'm not sure we would have found that box and its' contents, at least all of them, if it hadn't been for you."

    As the woman paused, Alex shrugged. "We didn't do anything, ma'am, other than just help you clean up the place and stuff."

    "Well, that might be so, but I happen to subscribe to the belief that, sometimes, things happen for a reason, or for a purpose. These last couple of months have been hard on all of us, but having friends like you and your parents, have certainly tipped the scales in our favor, allowing us to get through all of this, together." Ms. Simpson shifted in her seat. "So, the children and I had this idea about something, and I wanted to discuss it with your parents first, before I did so with you."

    "Alex is right though, ma'am. You don't owe us anything. We were glad to help. We'd do anything to help you guys, honest," Brett replied, before glancing around. "Where are Ethan and April anyway?"

    "Oh, I imagine they're getting off the school bus about now," Ms. Simpson responded kindly. "Don't worry, they know where I am, and that I'll be coming back with burgers and fries for them afterwards." Both Brenda and Patty giggled at the reference, but otherwise all remained quiet, waiting for the woman to continue. "So, I have a problem, boys... or at least, I will have a problem before too long. I was rather hoping you might help me out with it. You see, I've learned that Harry's car lot has a large number of vehicles on it which, come next month, I'm going to have to pay property taxes on. Although there is not a single vehicle on that lot which isn't paid for and such, Uncle Sam still gets his rightful share and all every quarter, you see."

    The elderly lady sat forward. "Now, the taxes are a minor thing, given the money you found, and given that Harry seems to have had several dollars in his checking accounts for the business. Having such a large number of vehicles down there though, begs the question about what on Earth we're to do with all of them. I guess I could have them taken to auction, and I probably will have most of them carted out or transferred to some of the other dealers we've all been acquainting ourselves with this summer. That'll keep me from paying anything more in the next quarter. Before we do that though, the kids and I thought that maybe, perhaps we could reduce that number by a few. You see, there are a few older ones that I doubt anyone would want anything to do with. Having said that though, there are also several which are not that aged, meaning they're more later-modeled than you might think. As far as we can determine, there is not a thing wrong with them, either." With a twinkle in her eye, the woman stared back and forth between both of the young men. "So, here's the deal: I understand you're going to turn sixteen early next spring. If you'd like, how about coming down and taking a look over the selections, and maybe you can find something you'd rather like to have for your 16th birthday, hmm? It will be a gift from us, meaning Ethan, April and myself."

    In the deafening silence that followed for the next few seconds, both Alex and Brett froze. "S-Seriously?" Alex asked, glancing at both his parents. When Richard nodded at him, the teen broke into a wide grin. "Wow!"

    "Yeah, no kidding! Thanks ma'am!" Brett exclaimed, after finding similar looks of approval from both of his parents.

    "Well, you're very welcome. When the time comes, the children and I will pay to clear everything up for this year, and then sign the titles over into your names afterwards. The only condition I ask of you, is that you keep it under wraps and not tell anyone the vehicles were gifted to you, okay? You can tell anyone you want as to where you got them, that is no problem, but... well, just keep the other part quiet," the woman explained. She turned to the younger girl sitting beside her father. "We'll even save one out for you, Gina. Between Mr. Bay and his brother, we think we can safely store one back for a few years, until you're of proper age to receive it. We're going to do something similar for Ethan and April, too, only I'll be driving them alternately for a while, so that they don't sit too long unused. I suspect someone can do the same for yours."

    Gina sat in stunned silence, before she glanced up to see her mother smiling at her. It was Brett, however, who rose first to his feet and crossed the room to where the elderly lady sat. She rose to meet him and each wrapped the other up in a heartfelt hug. "Thanks! It means a lot, you know? I mean, wow!"

    Ruby laughed. "The thanks are mine, young man. You each deserve to have a little something out of all this mess." Suddenly Alex was by her side with Gina as well, and she pulled them both into the same hug with Brett. "It's not much, but... it's something."

    "No disrespect intended, but your wrong, ma'am. It's a lot, and we really appreciate it," Alex voiced aloud. When the teens released the woman, she dabbed at her eyes, the emotion of the moment affecting her in equal terms.

    "You mean, we can pick out anything?" the young girl inquired, which caused Ruby to look down at her.

    "Well, yes, but I'd suggest you get one of the better ones that don't need to be worked on or such."

    Many of the older people laughed, but Gina grinned. "I understand." She turned to her brothers. "I'm going to get one, too!" she whispered, the excitement beginning to sink in. "But... you're going to have to help me pick one out, okay? Both of you!"

    Alex laughed, but nodded. "Sure thing, sis," he whispered.

<<<<<<<<< _ >>>>>>>>>

    "You know, I did something last night I haven't done on my own for a long, long time. By myself, anyway," Alex freely admitted to his best friend.

    Both he and Brett were sitting in the swing on Alex's porch, waiting for their ride to show up before heading to the game, slowly rocking back and forth. "Oh? I doubt it was jerking off," Brett teased, then hearing Alex scoff, he relented. "Sorry bro, I couldn't resist. What was it, though?" Brett asked quietly in the silence that followed.

    "I cried," Alex voiced, almost a whisper before he suddenly gained strength. "I got to thinking that, well, after everything that's happened in the months since we moved here, now that so much of it is over - the trial, dealing with Ethan and April's parents, and, you know, other stuff, school and all. It's like, everything is suddenly all straight and right again. I mean it, I have friends, a brother and sister, and... and... I don't know, Brett. For some reason, I was just ssooo happy inside." He turned to face his friend. "You and Gina both, you've made me feel so awesome. It's like, this feeling that's all inside of me, it was on fire and everything. I could feel it, this thing between us, even more than ever before, and honestly - I can't remember even once, since we've moved here, where I've felt alone or out on my own, like I did in all the places we lived before. Does that make sense?"

    Brett scoffed as he put an arm behind his friend and held him close. "Everything with you makes sense, Alex. You don't have to explain everything, you know. Sometimes I really do understand, even if you think I don't, or that I'm not capable of it."

    Alex returned the gesture, slipping his arm around Brett's shoulders. "I'm sorry, Brett. I know better. You are, without question, the closest person to me, my best-est friend I've ever had. Like we've always said, too, you're more than my friend. You, mister bubble-butt, you're my brother - a real, live person who isn't afraid of me, or my weaknesses or faults." Seeing Brett beginning to blush, Alex pulled him in closer. "You love me back when I love you the most. You're in my heart, Brett, my soul even, I think. I'm sorry, I know I fuck it up sometimes, thinking I have to explain everything, even when I don't."

    Brett stared back into the blue eyes that met his own, and smiled. "I know, you're in my heart and soul too, Alex," Brett whispered. He glanced toward the mailbox. "Since the very first time I rolled down that driveway out there on my bike, and you stopped your lawn mower and we ended up talking, I... I knew something then. Don't ask me how I knew, but I just did. I didn't know we'd become as close as we have, but there was something, bro. Something just told me, on the inside, that you were okay. Then over the next few days and weeks, I started feeling things about you, about us. Then, the day you showed me your scars... It was like, almost like heaven. Because then I knew, and I understood so many things, and... and... You know?"

    Alex glanced around briefly to assure they were still alone. He knew his Dad was inside, but figured the man was watching TV, so he leaned in and kissed Brett on the lips. When he pulled back, he suddenly giggled. "You know, do you realize something? My scars, bro. We're together because of the scars above my heart. It sounds corny, weird even, but really? I gave up my secret to you, only to find out it really wasn't such a big thing after all. You taught me that. If... if the fire hadn't happened, we probably wouldn't have moved here. Life would have been boring then, you know?" He was once again near tears, and one finally fell freely down his cheek. "See? I'm still doing it, still getting all emotional and everything, and it's because of you, because of us. That's why I gave in to your trust, Brett, in the beginning, and it's why you gave in to mine. All of it, physical, emotional... everything."

    Brett turned and hugged his friend fully then. "Are you just now figuring that out?" he whispered, making Alex laugh again but hug him harder in return. "Hey, we gave into OUR trust Alex, because we fell in love with each other. Not for the sex, either. It's the best of both worlds, and you... you're the one I share it with. It's why I say I'll never break this between us, you know?"

    Alex pulled back, a knowing look in his expression. "Even if we grow old and screw girls and make ourselves a family and all that?"

    Brett recognized his own words before he smiled. "Even then. You promised me, and I promised you, remember?"

    "I sure as fuck do," Alex whispered, causing Brett to look on in amusement before shaking his head.

    "I still say you need to just lay off the swearing, bro. It's... it's just not you," the teen whispered, making Alex blush before nodding. The two then hugged again before turning back around in the swing. Brett lowered his voice. "Speaking of screwing, I was kind of wondering. Do you think maybe... I don't know, tonight, we might, uh...?"

    "Oh, hell yes!" Alex whispered in reply, clasping his brother's hand and squeezing it warmly.

. . . T h e   E n d . . .

Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive, and stuck with me to the end. :o)