Home of Greg Sanders Slash Fiction
by Buffyangel68
HALF AN HOUR LATER:
Curled close together on one end of the couch, Greg and Blair talked quietly, catching up on events in their lives that their e-mails had left out. Jim sat on the other end, laughing as he and Nick, perched in the recliner, picked their careful way through the minefield of getting to know each other. Occasionally, both of the older men snuck glances at the younger ones, assuring themselves that no further arguments were about to erupt, but beyond these spot-checks, both pairs kept to themselves.
"God... Greg, I'm so sorry. I wish I could have been here.... been with you."
"All you could have... done is worry... yourself sick. I had enough... people around me... doing that." Greg replied, smiling.
"Yeah. Sounds like you've got some really loyal friends down here. That's good to know. It'll ease my stress a little when I go back."
"You not stressing? That'll... be the day."
"I'm not that bad! Hey... maybe you've got one friend that's more than that?" he asked cautiously, tipping his head vaguely in Nick's direction. "The way he guarded you..."
Greg flushed slightly.
"Someday. It may take... a long, long time... before I'm ready... for a booty-call again. Right now... I can't even... go outside, so... dates are out of... the question." Greg joked, but Blair's expression was somber.
"I know. After my NDE... I did the same thing."
Greg's eyes widened.
"I forgot about that. How long... did it take before... you felt okay?"
"Weeks. I still get jumpy around water once in a while, so I don't think I'll ever be completely back to the person I was before, but... I can live with ninety-nine point nine percent."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"It might not... be enough."
Blair shot a brief glance at Nick.
"For you or for him?"
"Either. Both."
"He's been gentle with you? Caring and respectful?"
"Always."
"Protection isn't an issue... not after that little encounter earlier. Let's see... he knows when to push you and when to back off?"
"Yeah."
"You can tell when he's mad or upset without having to use a crowbar to pull it out of him?"
"Absolutely."
"Then I don't see a problem, man. He loves you. He'll be sticking around for the long haul."
Greg suddenly paled and turned away, his comment spoken so quietly Blair almost didn't catch it.
"Not like some people..."
"Some people? What's that about?"
"Sorry. I didn't mean to... say that out loud."
"Okay. You don't have to tell me..."
"It's nothing major. You know I'm adopted."
"Yeah..."
"Nick didn't until... two days ago. He and Catherine... she's another friend who... works with me... they asked if I wanted... to get in touch with... my family... and the whole... story came out."
While Greg paused to take a sip of apple juice, Blair watched him carefully then responded.
"You've never told me more than the basics."
"I don't tell anyone. It's humiliating... and bad for my... self-esteem."
"I don't understand. You were adopted at two, right? How much can a two year old do that would be that awful?"
"Not me, my birth mom."
"Oh. Boy, do I know what that's like. Go on."
"She left me with... my adoptive family... when I was only... a year old. She said she couldn't... take care of me... that she'd be doing... a lot of traveling."
In the back of Blair's mind, an old memory tried to surface, triggered by Greg's words, but he suppressed the tickling thought, trying to stay focused.
"And it took a year to get you declared abandoned and finalize the adoption?"
"I wasn't really... abandoned. She wanted them... to have me. She signed the papers... before she took off. It took time to move... through the courts... that's all."
"A few of the families Naomi dumped me on tried to keep me. Of course the system always found her and she showed up just in time to re-stake her claim."
"My folks told me... I was better off with them. My dad said my... birth mom was sweet... but also a flake and... a flower child that... took a wrong turn... and never made it.. out of the sixties."
Blair slowly sat up straight, staring at Greg intently. The memory that had only been an annoyance a moment before now insisted on revealing itself fully. It left him shocked and breathless for several seconds. By the time he recovered, Jim had sensed something was wrong and was sitting close to him, stroking his hair and face.
"Blair? What is it, baby? What's wrong?"
"No... it can't... it's impossible..."
"What?"
"Greg... you're 29... right?"
"Yeah."
"Three years between us, give or take a month... that fits. And your birthday's in November?"
"You know it is. What's... going on, Blair?" Greg asked, becoming agitated. Nick moved to crouch near him, taking his hand and trying to calm him.
"I'd like to know the answer to that too." Nick added.
"It's... I can't be sure. I just have this... this memory. I was two years old, maybe closer to three... and my mom suddenly started gaining weight. She never did that. A pound one way or the other, maybe... but not like this. She was always leaving me with friends and coming back to pick me up later, but when she vanished this time... she didn't show up again for a year and a half. It... it was the longest she'd ever been gone. That family was one of the ones I told you about, Greg... the ones who wanted me to stay for good."
Greg, rarely slow on the uptake, had already vaulted ahead to the logical conclusion of Blair's story and his face had gone starkly pale.
"No... you're lying..."
"Somebody has been... but not me." Blair forced out. He looked around frantically, leapt to his feet and raced to the bathroom. Jim followed and Nick and Greg heard Blair start to retch before the door shut softly, cutting off the worst of the sound.
"Greg..."
"No...He's... Blair's not... I can't... I have to be alone..." Greg sobbed, standing and stumbling into his bedroom. The door slammed shut before Nick could even recover his wits enough to form anymore words, never mind run after his friend the way Jim had pursued Blair. When Jim emerged a few minutes later, he found Nick alone on the couch, holding a cup of coffee tightly with both hands and staring into the middle distance. Ellison slowly dropped down beside the former Texan. It took a little while for Nick to come around and acknowledge the other man's presence, but Jim was willing to wait as he had his own shock to recover from. Finally, Nick spoke.
"Was that... was your buddy talkin' about what I *think* he was?"
Jim nodded.
"If Blair's memory is accurate, and it usually is... he and Greg aren't cousins. They're either half or full brothers. Knowing Naomi's history, my guess would be half."
"Hell..."
"My sentiments exactly."
"Is he okay?"
"For now. He's rinsing his mouth. He'll probably be out in a minute. Greg..."
"In the bedroom."
"I thought I heard a door slam."
"Man... why'd this have to happen now?"
"You mean why did we have to show up?" Jim replied with only the barest touch of defensiveness.
"No! No way. This should have been good for both of 'em. It was goin' so well, damn it. I just meant..."
"Greg's been through enough."
"Yeah. You sound like you know."
"If we end up sticking around, maybe I'll have time to tell you some of the stories. Most of it you won't believe, but... they're great to hear."
"How long do you guys have off work?"
"A week, but I can get that extended no problem."
"Then don't go runnin' home just yet, okay? Once the kick in the teeth wears off... they're gonna need to talk. Least I hope so."
"Me too." Jim agreed, watching Blair approach and standing to greet him with a fierce embrace. "Better?"
"A little. How's Greg?"
"He's hiding out in his room. Give him time..."
"God... this can't be happening, Jim..."
"I know. Let's head back to the hotel... rest some more."
"That'd be good."
Jim turned partially back toward Nick.
"We're gonna go."
"Okay. Give us a call when things settle down some."
"I will."
Jim and Blair left the apartment, arms wrapped tightly around each other. Nick remained on the couch for another few minutes, waiting for his own emotions to relent and his heart and breathing to slow. Then he sighed, picked up what dishes he could manage with his good hand and walked them to the sink.
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TBC....
