| A Light in the Darkness |
| On August 14, 2003, the power grid supporting the northeast US overloaded, sinking NYC and much of the rest of the northeast into darkness. Guess who get stuck in an elevator ... |
| Lennie glanced at his watch as he walked down the hallway toward the elevator. 4:05 PM. He sighed. Not quite late enough to get away with just going home; he really should head back to the precinct through the early rush hour traffic. He�d spent the last hour here at One Hogan Place with McCoy and Southerlyn, going over his testimony for next week. The lawyers wanted no surprises when he got on the stand. The elevator came and he stepped in. As he turned around he saw Jack McCoy sprinting down the hall toward the elevator. For a brief moment Lennie considered hitting the �shut� button on the door; he�d had more than enough of lawyers for one day, and Jack had been even more irritating than usual this afternoon. But courtesy won out, and he hit the �open� button instead, holding the elevator for the attorney. �Thanks, Lennie.� Jack was a little breathless from his sprint down the hall. Lennie shrugged. �Where are you headed, counselor?� �Basement. Looks like a late night, wanted to grab a bite before they close the cafeteria at 4:30.� Lennie nodded and punched the L and B buttons and the doors slid shut. As the doors shut, elevator etiquette took over, and they stood there in silence as the elevator dropped from the 10th floor toward the lobby. Suddenly, the elevator jerked to a stop, sending them both tumbling to the floor in the darkness that suddenly surrounded them. �What the ..?� They both exclaimed at about the same time. Lennie sat up, his eyes trying to penetrate the near total darkness. �Jack? You all right?� McCoy slowly got to his feet. �Yeah. You?� Lennie nodded, then realized Jack couldn�t see him. �Yeah. Guess the power went out.� Jack groaned. Of all the people to get stuck in an elevator with, he had to pick Lennie Briscoe. The man annoyed him. He really couldn�t say why. They had worked together for 8 years now, he had seen the detective at his best and at his worst. He knew Lennie had the instinctive hatred toward lawyers that was natural for anybody who had been through two divorces. He had to admit his own divorce had left him glad he had stuck with the criminal side of the law. But it was more that that. And Jack had never really figured out what. To make it worse, he had a lot of work to do tonight, writing his opening remarks for the trial next week. He didn�t want to have to fuss with it over the weekend. Not that he had any big plans for the weekend; it wasn�t like he had an active social life these days. He�d realized recently that he had gotten old while he wasn�t looking. He still missed Claire; she had made him feel so young. Oh, he was well and truly over her at long last. He had just gotten into a rut of working too much and Serena was SO not his type, and he just really didn�t have much time otherwise to meet people. Or, he had to admit it, energy these days. Lennie pulled out his cell phone, the tiny screen lighting up the area like a flashlight. Jack watched him as he dialed the precinct. Now this man had energy. He knew Briscoe was a few years older than he was, but the detective still pounded the streets every day. His eyes roamed over the long, lanky body. Obviously not somebody who worked out; he could make out the barest hints of middle-aged spread. And yet he still had the energy to do a physically demanding job. Whereas Jack had to fight tooth and nail at the gym to keep his body in shape after 16 hour days at his desk. He sighed; life just wasn�t fair. Lennie snapped the phone shut, unexpectedly sending them back into total darkness, then quickly turned it on again. �Sorry about that � habit.� Jack chuckled. �I probably would have done the same thing. No signal?� Lennie shook his head. �Didn�t really think I�d get a signal in here. You want to try yours?� Jack shrugged and fished his phone out of his jacket pocket, got the same results. He did get a beep and a message that the battery was dying. �Great. Not even useful as a light source now.� Lennie laughed. �I hope you�re not afraid of the dark, Jack, because my battery is pretty low too.� Jack sighed. // we�ll see � // �Let�s hope they get the backup generator working before then.� �Might as well be comfortable while we wait.� Lennie got up and moved over to sit against the back wall of the elevator. Jack stayed standing, but leaned against the side wall. �Well, since we�ve got some time, you want to go over your testimony one more time?� Lennie glared at him. �Jack, we�re stuck in an elevator. I sure as hell don�t want to spend the next however many hours talking about this case, ok? What is it with you? Don�t you know how to relax?� Jack ran a hand through his hair. �I just have so much work to do �� Lennie shrugged. �So do I. Neither one of us is going to get any of it done in here, though.� Jack sighed again as he slid down the wall. �You�re right.� He looked across the elevator, saw the look of distaste on Lennie�s face. He realized Briscoe was no happier about the situation than he was. �What the hell happened to us, Lennie? We used to be friends. At least I thought we were �� Lennie just shrugged, looking across the small space, trying to decipher what the vibe was that he was picking up from McCoy. The man seemed edgy, and Lennie had a feeling it wasn�t just the workload. Without the A/C running it was already starting to get warm in the enclosed space. Lennie leaned forward and shrugged out of his jacket, folded it and tossed it into the far corner. He was glad he was wearing a short sleeved dress shirt today. But his tie quickly found it�s way into the pile of discarded clothing. He leaned back against the wall and shut his eyes. Jack watched Lennie, his eyes drawn to the darkly tanned forearms. Funny. Never in a million years would he consider wearing a short sleeved shirt to work. But on Lennie, it looked natural, normal. Lennie had that blue-collar cop aura; reminded Jack of his old man. // don�t go there �! // A world he was so familiar with and yet so alien to him now. He shook his head, wanting, no needing, to think of anything but his old man right now. He studied Lennie�s face, relaxed, resting but not asleep. A face with a lot of character. Below it he could see just see a bit of gray chest hair poking out from the now open collar. He envied Briscoe his ability to relax. Jack knew that it was something he wasn�t very good at under the best of circumstances. Being trapped in the small space wasn�t helping. He knew he was getting tense, afraid that the cell phone battery would die, leaving them in darkness. He couldn�t help himself; he just couldn�t sit still. He got up under the pretense of stretching, and fidgeted with the elevator�s control panel. He tried the emergency phone, with no luck. He tried punching every button on the panel. Of course, with no power, nothing worked. Lennie heard him get up and watched him through slitted eyes, almost feeling the waves of tension coming from the other man. He had a feeling he was trapped in an elevator with a claustrophobe. And if the light went out, it would likely get worse. �Jack.� The sudden sound in the silence startled him. �Huh?� �You got any plans for the weekend?� Jack was confused. �Why?� Lennie chuckled. �Just making conversation. You seem tense.� Jack shrugged. Truth be told, he was grateful for the distraction. He shrugged out of his suit jacket and tossed it in the corner with Lennie�s, his tie following as he slid down the wall to the floor. �Not really. Plans, that is. You?� Lennie noticed he didn�t dispute the tension. �Got tickets to the Mets game Sunday.� �Sounds like fun.� Lennie grinned. �Ed was supposed to go with me, but he got a better offer for the weekend.� Jack laughed, rolling up his sleeves. �Let me guess. There�s a lady involved.� Lennie nodded. �Oh to be young again.� Jack sighed. �I hear you. Been feeling kind of old lately myself.� Just then, the cell phone beeped as its battery died. Darkness enveloped them again. Lennie tried to keep the conversation going, tried to keep Jack distracted. But it wasn�t working. Jack wasn�t paying any more attention to him now than he had been paying to the lawyer earlier in the day in his office. Lennie finally admitted to himself that Jack had every right to be irritated with him earlier. He really hadn�t been paying enough attention to the topic at hand. For some reason, he had found himself fascinated watching the attorney stalk around his office, looking like some sleek, elegant big cat about to pounce on its prey. It had been very distracting. After about half an hour in the dark, Jack got up and started pacing. Lennie could hear his breathing becoming rough. McCoy was having a panic attack. Time to intervene. Lennie stood up, moved to intercept McCoy as he turned around. Briscoe�s hands grasped his upper arms, the detective�s body blocking his path. �Jack, can you hear me?� �Lennie, let me go. Please!� He struggled to get past the detective, but Lennie held on tight. �Jack, listen to me. You�re having a panic attack. I need you to stay still for just a moment. Take a deep breath. That�s it. Feel my hands on your arms, Jack. You�re safe. I�m not going to let anything hurt you.� McCoy�s breathing had become very fast and shallow. Lennie just wasn�t getting through to his panic-stricken mind. Later on, Lennie would never be able to explain why, but suddenly he knew the one thing that would startle Jack out of his panicked state. He leaned forward and kissed McCoy full on the lips, taking his breath away. For a moment they hung there. Then Jack opened his mouth, letting in a warm, probing tongue. His arms slid around Lennie�s waist as the detective�s hands slid behind him, holding him close. Finally they came up for air, sucking in deep lungfulls, not the short gasping breaths of earlier. Neither one of them made a move to let go. Lennie reached up to gently caress Jack�s cheek. �You all right now?� �I � I think so. What �?� �You were having a panic attack. Claustrophobic?� �Kind of. More the darkness, though. Can you believe it? A 54 year old man who�s afraid of the dark. I still sleep with a nightlight at home.� Jack was very glad Lennie couldn�t see his face; he was deeply embarrassed by this. He laughed nervously. Lennie didn�t need to see his face to feel the warmth, know this was difficult for the attorney. He felt strangely protective, and pulled Jack into a hug. �It�s OK, Jack. I won�t tell anybody.� McCoy suddenly registered that they were still holding on to each other, and that it felt very good. Briscoe�s body, warm and comforting in the darkness, pressed tight against his. It had been a very long time since he had been intimate with a man, but suddenly he realized that this was exactly what he wanted. Was that what had irritated him so much about Briscoe? Had he been attracted to him all this time and just never realized it? Lennie smiled as he felt Jack relaxing further into his embrace. His hands stroked the attorney�s back soothingly. Part of his mind couldn�t believe what he�d just done. He�d been thinking about this for so long, but never dared to actually do anything about it. Jack seemed to be accepting it, not running away. He gave one last hug, then pulled back. �Jack? Come on, let�s sit down.� Lennie guided him to the back wall of the tiny room. �Sit in front of me?� He asked as he slid down the wall. Once he was settled, he reached up to guide Jack into position between his outstretched legs. His hands settled onto Jack�s shoulders, maintaining a firm contact, feeling the tension creeping back in. He began massaging, chasing the tension away. He felt Jack take a deep breath, trying to maintain his calm. �It�s ok, Jack. Just take it easy. Close your eyes; stop trying to stare into the dark. Trust me, ok? I�ll keep you safe.� Lennie�s hands on his neck and shoulders felt so good. In more ways than one. He couldn�t remember the last time anyone had touched him like this. The soft voice in his ear helped too. He closed his eyes and leaned back against Briscoe, sighing as Lennie�s hands slid down his arms and wrapped around him. It was getting quite warm in here, but he wouldn�t have let go of that contact for anything just then. Lennie felt the tension lessening as McCoy leaned back against him. Time for some conversation. �Jack? Feeling better?� �Yes. Thank you �� Lennie�s arms squeezed him in a hug. �You know, if I�d had any idea you�d react like this, I would have kissed you a long time ago.� Jack laughed nervously. �I don�t know if it would have worked any other way �� Lennie�s hands were gently caressing his arms. �Have you ever done anything like this before?� Jack hesitated. �Experimented some in college. Enough to know I can go either way. Just chose the simpler path.� �Nothing since then?� Lennie could feel him shaking his head. �It�s been a long time � What about you?� Lennie chuckled. �Fairly recent discovery. After I got sober I realized I�d been running in the wrong direction all these years. Had a few short-term relationships, nothing recently. Jack, I don�t want you to feel pressured. This doesn�t have to go anywhere.� McCoy sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the feel of Lennie�s body wrapped around him. �I know, Lennie. But it�s funny. I haven�t thought about it in over 30 years, but as soon as you kissed me, I knew I wanted this.� He felt Lennie�s lips press softly against his neck. The question suddenly popped into his mind. �Lennie? How long ago?� �What?� �You said you would have done this long ago. How long?� �Years, Jack. I guess it was after Claire died. You were so lonely, I wanted to comfort you. But you pushed me away, you pushed everybody away.� Jack sighed and nodded. �I�ve never been good at letting people in, Lennie. I guess I was hurt too much, too young. It�s hard to trust �� �You trust me?� �Finally, yes.� Lennie hugged him again and let his hands gently float over Jack�s chest while he kissed and licked his neck. His fingers found the buttons of the starched dress shirt, opening them one by one. �Lennie? What are you doing?� �Need to keep you nice and relaxed, Jack. Don�t want another panic attack, do you?� �Well, no � but how far �?� Lennie chuckled. �How far do you want to go?� �But what if the power comes back on?� �It�s already been a couple of hours, Jack. I have a feeling it�s not going to be anytime soon. Besides, doesn�t that make it more exciting?� Jack thought about it for a moment and realized that Lennie was right. He had gotten so uptight lately. There had been a time in his life when he wouldn�t have given a second thought to whether they might get caught. Funny how Lennie gave him the same feeling of youthful abandon that Claire used to � He grinned. �You have a point there.� Lennie chuckled as he finished unbuttoning Jack�s shirt, then pulled it off his shoulders. Jack cooperated eagerly, slipping his arms out and tossing it aside. Lennie returned his mouth to the other side of the neck as his fingers sought out Jack�s nipples. The attorney moaned softly as Lennie�s fingers rubbed the sensitive nubs. He was pretty sure he was starting to feel Lennie�s erection pressing against his back, and that realization sent a thrill to his own cock. He couldn�t believe he was doing this, but he felt more alive than he had in a long time. Lennie let one hand slide down Jack�s chest, coming to rest gently on his bulging crotch. He let his fingers trail lightly over it, caressing, teasing. Jack squirmed in his arms, wanting more, moaning as his desires ignited, setting off an answering fire in Lennie. But Lennie wanted to keep it slow, both to prolong the pleasure and to keep Jack relaxed for as long as possible. His mouth moved further down, licking and nipping gently at the shoulder as he kept up his soft caresses below. �Oh, god, Lennie. You�re driving me crazy �� Lennie laughed, a deep baritone chuckle. �Good.� Jack loved the sound of that laugh; it sent a thrill right down his spine. Finally, Lennie�s hands found his belt and released it, followed quickly by the zipper of his slacks. He sighed happily as long fingers slid over his undershorts, the touch still feather-light. His hands gripped Lennie�s legs on either side of him, feeling the muscles through the thin fabric. Jack floated there, wrapped in Lennie�s arms, for what felt like an eternity. Safe, secure, happy, riding the pleasure coursing through his body. Lennie kept him there, never letting it get too intense. But finally his own need became so great that he knew it was time. He let his hands slip inside the loose boxers, pulling them down, freeing Jack�s throbbing cock. His fingers slid over the warm velvety flesh, enjoying the feel of it in his hand. There was something exciting about feeling Jack up in the darkness, not being able to see it except in his mind�s eye. Long, thick. His fingers found it already dripping; he spread the natural lubricant around, covering the quite substantial head. He smiled as Jack moaned at his touch. He wanted to take it into his mouth, but was reluctant to release Jack from his full-body embrace. So he settled for his hands this time, hoping that there would be many opportunities to come in the future. Jack groaned as those long fingers wrapped around him, now taking him firmly in hand. Lips again found his neck as the free arm slid around his waist, holding him close. He could clearly feel Lennie�s hard-on pressing into his back now. The increased pressure was getting him close. He squirmed against Lennie, his hips bucking as he couldn�t restrain himself any longer, and finally he came, hard, a gutteral cry wrenched from his throat. When it was over, Jack realized he was covered in sweat, both from the heat and exertion. Lennie held him close as he recovered, gently kissing his temples, then let him loose. �Christ that was good!� he said as he sat up. Lennie laughed. �I just wish I could have seen your face�� Jack realilzed his chest was now covered with his come. �Uh, you know, I think I just figured out a problem with this � I really don�t want to get this mess on my shirt.� �Oh, no problem. Thought of that already. Got some napkins in my pocket from lunch.� Lennie reached over into the other corner, fumbling around until he found their discarded jackets. �Here you go.� They laughed together as they fumbled in the dark trying to hand off the napkins. // At least he should be good and relaxed now � // Jack�s hand finally found him and reached up to caress his face. �Thank you. That was wonderful.� Lennie was surprised as Jack�s lips found his; he hadn�t been expecting it and couldn�t see it coming. Jack broke away and finished cleaning himself up, resettling himself into his pants. �Now, what about you?� He crawled over to Lennie, again seeking with his fingers and following with his lips. As he let go, Lennie smiled. �I�m not going to say no!� Jack knelt between Lennie�s outstretched legs, leaning in for another kiss as his fingers found the buttons on Lennie�s shirt. Lennie�s hands held his back, keeping him balanced. He pulled back from the kiss to push the now open shirt back; Lennie obligingly let go of him just long enough to shrug it off and toss it in the general direction of their discarded clothing. Then the long fingered hands settled again on his back, pulling him close again. For a while they were content with kissing, tongues probing deep, exploring the depths of each others� mouths. Jack�s fingers laced through Lennie�s hair, feeling the texture of it. But after a while, his knees just couldn�t take any more and he pulled away, repositioning to sit on the floor beside Lennie, but still facing him. They kissed again, but this time Jack�s hands began exploring the body beside him, tracing the outline of broad shoulders, collarbone, finding nipples already tight with desire. �Lean back and relax,� Jack whispered into Lennie�s ear before moving his mouth down to tease at the hard nipples. Tongue first, circling the hard nubs, flicking against first one, then the other. Then teeth, just barely scraping, finally gently biting down. Lennie gasped. �Easy, Jack. I�m real sensitive. Not too much there, ok?� McCoy answered with his tongue, returning to a gentler touch, licking and sucking. �Oh, yeah. That�s better. Much better. Ohhh!� Jack couldn�t help chuckling, despite the nipple in his mouth, as one hand slid down to Lennie�s throbbing erection. He gently kneaded through the thin fabric, feeling Lennie rock hard beneath. He sat up to get a better angle on undoing belt and fly, sliding his hand inside. Lennie�s shorts were already damp with pre-cum; he�d been pretty strongly aroused for quite a while. Jack smiled and let his fingers slip under the waistband. He knew Lennie wasn�t going to last very long, but that was ok. He hadn�t done this for a long time, but somehow his fingers remembered exactly what to do. Warm, velvet-soft skin, so hard underneath, filled his hand. A long cock, but not too thick. Jack smiled again, remembering. The few times he�d tried it, he�d really liked taking bottom. But it had been a long time; he found himself glad that Lennie wasn�t too thick, it would be easier to get used to again. Of course, not tonight. But he hoped that there would be others � �Uh, Jack?� Lennie�s voice seemed to come out of nowhere. �Yeah?� �I think I gave you all of the napkins.� Jack chuckled. �Won�t need them this time. I�ll take care of it.� That wonderful baritone chuckle was back. �I was hoping you�d say that.� Lennie closed his eyes as Jack�s tongue teased at his engorged cock. Slowly licking up each side, swirling around the head, finally the lips slid over and engulfed him. Lennie moaned, knowing he wasn�t going to last long. If doing Jack first hadn�t turned him on enough, feeling this now, in the dark, in the elevator at One Hogan Place, was more than enough. Jack went down on him, loving the feel of the stiff dick in his mouth, remembering how to relax his throat, breathe around it. It wasn�t long before Lennie was thrusting up to meet him on each stroke, claiming his long-denied release. The hot liquid exploded into his throat as he eagerly swallowed, claiming every last drop. As Lennie relaxed, he let go, continuing to lick the area clean, like a mother cat washing her kitten. Finally he sat up and kissed Lennie again. Lennie sighed contentedly. �My turn to say thanks.� Jack laughed and caressed Lennie�s face. Lennie stretched and reached down to tuck himself back into underwear and pants, then called out to Jack. �Come here.� Jack happily settled back into his original position, between Lennie�s legs, leaning back against a now naked torso, long arms wrapped around him from behind. This time Lennie�s fingers found his hair, threading through it gently as they relaxed in the afterglow. Jack couldn�t remember ever feeling this safe, this secure, this WANTED. And all because of a stupid panic attack. He snorted, thinking how angry his old man would be to think that he had anything to do Jack being in this position. Lennie heard the soft sound. �What are you thinking about?� Jack sighed. He knew he could tell Lennie. �My old man. He�d be so mad if he could see us right now. And even more if he knew it was all his fault.� �His fault?� Jack nodded, not saying anything for a moment, collecting his thoughts. �He was a monster, Lennie. Big man, huge hands. He was a beat cop, with the whole attitude going. Also a mean drunk. My sister and I used to hide in the closet, hoping he�d pass out before he found us. I think that�s where the panic attacks come from. Doesn�t happen often anymore, but I guess this just was too much like the real thing.� He was quiet for a while as Lennie�s hands stroked him, comforting without words. �Lennie? How did you know?� �How did I know what?� �Most people would slap someone to snap them out of an attack like that. But it just would have sent me further into panic, because that�s what I was expecting him to do. What made you kiss me instead?� Lennie hugged him close. �I don�t know, Jack. Maybe I just wanted to, wanted the excuse. Figured even if you didn�t welcome it, it would shock you back to the real world. For what it�s worth, I don�t like hitting people. I was a drunk, but thank god never a mean one.� Jack�s arms wrapped over Lennie�s, hugging him. �Whatever the reason, I�m glad. It was the best thing you could have done. For a lot of reasons.� Lennie laughed softly and leaned down to gently kiss his head. �Me too, Jack.� They fell asleep like that, Jack feeling protected and safe in Lennie�s arms. A few hours later, the elevator lurched, waking them. The emergency lights had come on and the elevator was moving. Lennie glanced at his watch � it was 11PM. They had been trapped in the elevator for seven hours. They grabbed their clothes and got up and were both putting on their shirts as the door opened to the lobby. The rescue workers explained that there had been a large scale failure of the power grid, all of the city AND a lot of other areas surrounding had been without power since 4:11PM. They were handed bottles of water and immediately both of them made a beeline for the men�s room. Funny how they had managed to not think about it until that moment � Finally, the paramedics agreed they were fine and let them go. Lennie groaned as he looked out the door and saw the snarl of traffic. There were some lights on around the city, but most of the buildings were still dark; the only lights were the cars, and there were a lot of them. No traffic lights, one big city-wide traffic mess. �Christ, it�s gonna take me two more hours to get home in this.� Jack chuckled. �You know, I only live a little way from here. And I�d bet my bike gets through a lot faster than a car. I don�t have an extra helmet with me, but we�re not exactly getting to highway speeds, here.� Lennie looked at him. �Is that an invitation?� Jack looked into his eyes and spoke very softly. �I don�t want to go home alone, Lennie. I can face the dark with you, but not alone.� Lennie smiled, wishing he could take Jack into his arms again. But that would have to wait just a little while � �Lead on, then!� He followed Jack down to the parking garage under the building. Thankfully the emergency lights were on; Jack led him to a motorcycle, a sleek, Japanese model. Jack put his helmet on then climbed on. Lennie looked on, a little nervous. Jack turned to him and he could just barely see the grin behind the helmet. �Come on, Lennie. Think of it this way � you get to put your arms around me.� Lennie took a deep breath and moved close to the bike, swinging his long leg over the side and settling into the �back seat.� He eagerly wrapped his arms around Jack, holding tight as he found the footrests. When he was settled, he gave Jack a quick squeeze. The voice came through the helmet a little muffled. �You ready?� �As ready as I�ll ever be.� Jack laughed and backed the bike out of the space, then kicked it to life. He kept it slow as he wound through the garage to the exit. �Shit!� Lennie was startled by the sudden exclamation. �What?� �My parking card is in the pocket of my jeans. I usually change before I leave.� Lennie laughed. �Wait a minute, I�m parked in here too. I should have mine.� He rummaged through pockets and came up with the plastic card. �Just remember we�ll need yours to get MY car out tomorrow.� As it turned out, they didn�t need it � the automated gates had been manually opened when the power went out, everybody got out free today. Jack eased the bike out onto the street, which was strangely crowded for this late hour. Lennie could see someone trying to direct traffic at the main intersection ahead, somebody not in a uniform. He realized that this had been a nightmare for the NYPD, there just couldn�t be enough bodies to go around. He felt a little guilty for not staying to help, but then realized how many other crises he�d weathered over the years. It wasn�t his fault he�d been stuck in an elevator this time. Let the younger cops handle this one. Jack turned off the main street at the first opportunity, using back streets and alleys to make reasonably good time. The bike�s headlamp was often the only light, giving the scene an eerie feeling. He was very glad he could feel Lennie�s arms wrapped around him. After only about half an hour, he pulled into the garage beneath his building, parking in his assigned space. �OK, so what should have taken 15 minutes took twice as long. Not bad for the mess out there!� Lennie laughed. �Sure beats the hell out of trying to get to my place.� As Jack killed the engine, they realized that the bike�s headlamp had been the only light in the place. Lennie�s arms slipped back around Jack�s waist. �Easy Jack. Turn it back on for a minute.� Jack�s heart had started pounding as the darkness fell; again he was glad Lennie was with him. He turned the key to auxiliary and the headlamp came back on. Jack sighed and reached up to take off the helmet. Lennie leaned his chin on Jack�s shoulder and gently kissed his cheek. �OK, where are the stairs? No elevators tonight.� Jack pointed. �Good. It�s not far. Your apartment is on the first floor, right?� �You remember?� Lennie squeezed him. �I said it�s been a long time � so can you make it? I�ll be right there with you, Jack, but you�re going to have to lead.� He took a deep breath. �Yeah, I can make it. With you.� Lennie hugged him again. �Good. Come on, then.� He let go of Jack and got off the bike. Jack got off and reluctantly turned off the key, plunging them into darkness again. Lennie took his hand and started walking toward the stairwell. They found the door without too much trouble. �You hanging in there, Jack?� �Yeah. I�m OK. Not great, but OK.� Lennie took the lead up the stairs. They came out into a hallway. �OK, Jack, which way?� �Uh, left. I don�t usually take the stairs.� Luckily some moonlight was visible through the window at the end of the hall, so it wasn�t totally dark. Jack fished in his pocket and came out with his keys, and finally they were in the apartment. He sighed and sagged for a minute against Lennie as he felt the detective�s arms wrap around him. Lennie was startled to feel something soft brush against his ankle, followed by a soft �mrowff?� sound. Jack laughed and bent down. �Hey, Midnight! This is your element, isn�t it?� �You have a cat?� �Trust me, it wasn�t my idea. Jamie gave him to me, not long after the last time you were here. She said if I was going to spend so much time alone, I should at least have some company. I resisted for a long time, but I have to admit, we understand each other. He�s very independent, doesn�t demand a lot, but every once in a while he�ll jump into my lap while I�m working here and remind me to take a break. We�ve kind of gotten used to each other.� The cat gave Lennie�s offered hand a good sniffing and apparently decided he was acceptable, purring loudly and bumping his head into the outstretched fingers. Lennie chuckled and scratched the soft ears. There was a little moonlight coming in through the window; enough for Jack to fumble in a desk drawer and find a flashlight while Lennie tossed his jacket over the back of the sofa. �That�s better. You as hungry as I am?� Lennie grinned. �Hell yes. Starving, even.� Jack�s jacket joined the discard pile, then he reached back and took Lennie�s hand, leading him to the kitchen. �Unfortunately it�s all electric, we can�t cook anything. So it�s either cold leftover Chinese or �. Hmm, I just got a bottle of milk yesterday, might as well use it. How do you feel about Corn Flakes?� Lennie laughed. �Quick, easy, no cooking. Sounds like a plan.� Jack got out a couple of large soup bowls, grabbed the cereal box from the top of the fridge, and opened the fridge just long enough to get the milk out. They sat at the kitchen table, the flashlight standing on its end like a candle. They each put away two large bowls, pretty much kicking the half gallon of milk. The little bit left found its way into a small bowl for Midnight. Finally sated, they sat back and relaxed. Lennie reached out and took Jack�s hand, gently rubbing his thumb over the back. �You know, I could really use a cool shower. Why doesn�t the power ever go out when the temperature is something comfortable?� Jack laughed. �Because when it�s comfortable we�re not running the A/C to the max?� Lennie scowled at him. �It was a rhetorical question.� �I know. But a shower sounds like a wonderful idea. Even better together?� Lennie grinned. �Now you�re talking. Lead the way!� Jack led him back to the bathroom. They propped the flashlight up on the sink and Jack turned on the water. There was enough hot water in the reservoir to keep the temperature lukewarm, just below skin temperature, not icy cold. By the time he turned around, Lennie had shed his clothes and stood naked, watching him, his cock already starting to stiffen. Jack smiled as he took in the sight. The soft gray curls scattered across the narrow chest, forming a line down his stomach, finally merging into the darker tangle below. Long arms reaching out to him, pulling him close, fingers once again unbuttoning his shirt as the soft lips found his mouth. He wrapped his arms around the slender waist, sliding his hands down over buttocks, pulling him closer. �Oh, Lennie �� he sighed. That deep chuckle was back again, sending a shiver down his spine. Lennie let go and helped him finally pull off his clothes, then stepped into the shower. It was a little tight for two tall men, but tight wasn�t necessarily bad. They took turns standing under the shower head, the cool water rushing over each body in turn. As Jack stood under the water, Lennie found the soap and worked up a lather in his hands, reaching out to rub it over Jack�s chest and arms. Remembering Jack�s actions earlier, he let his fingers find the nipples and pinched. Jack gasped, not expecting that. Lennie laughed. �I got the feeling you like it a little rougher than I do?� �When I�m expecting it, yes.� �Well, expect it now.� Lennie pulled him forward just a bit, out of the main deluge, and began nibbling at one nipple while his fingers pulled on the other. He used his teeth, biting down gently, then caressing softly with his tongue, then biting again. Jack moaned softly. �God, you�re good.� Lennie reached for the soap again, this time applying the lather to the small of the back, letting his fingers slide down over gently rounded cheeks, slipping between. Jack squirmed as the long fingers brushed over his entrance. Lennie�s voice whispered softly into his ear. �I want to make love to you, Jack.� �Yes. Oh, god, yes.� �Have you ever?� �Long time ago. I remember really liking it.� Lennie smiled and let his finger probe deeper, rubbing in circles over the tight pucker. He could feel Jack�s erection pressed tight against him, twitching as his finger tip pressed inside. �Ohhh�� Jack moaned. Lennie took it as encouragement, slipping the long finger all the way in. �Yesssss.� The finger began thrusting gently, in and out, searching for the hard spot. He knew he�d found it when Jack�s body jerked. �Oh, god, yes!� Lennie smiled and gently slipped in a second finger. This time he was rewarded with a groan. He captured Jack�s mouth, his tongue probing as deeply as his fingers. When he was released, Jack whispered, �Take me, Lennie. I want you �� A gentle kiss. �Not here. On your bed. Come on.� He let his fingers slip out, rinsing them under the shower then shutting the water off. Jack got out, reaching for a towel, eager to continue. Lennie followed and grabbed the towel from his hand. �Let me.� He gently dried Jack off, head to toe, placing soft kisses all the way down his body. Kneeling before him, he gently sucked the throbbing cock into his mouth, worshipping it with his tongue. Not for long, though; he had other plans. He let go and quickly finished drying himself, his eyes darting around the sink. Something to use as lube � ah, hand lotion. That would do. He grabbed it and a small hand towel, then looked at Jack. �You ready?� Jack bit his lip and nodded. He was so excited, and a little bit scared. It made for a heady mixture. They took the flashlight into the bedroom, propping it up on the nightstand. Lennie pulled aside the covers, not wanting to take the chance of making a mess on the hard-to-clean comforter. He laid the hand towel down, and Jack laid on top of it. Rather than start right in, Lennie laid down beside him, kissing him and gently stroking his body. Jack couldn�t remember the last time a lover had paid such extravagant attention to him. It felt marvelous. Finally, those long fingers found his entrance again. Lennie reached for the hand lotion, getting his fingers nice and slick. This time he pressed right in, meeting almost no resistance. The second finger followed quickly, probing and gently stretching. �Enough, Lennie. I want YOU.� Lennie chuckled softly as he withdrew his fingers, wiping them on the edge of the towel. He crawled up over Jack�s body and kissed him thoroughly, then moved back to his position between the outstretched legs. He applied a liberal amount of lotion to his dick, then got into position. Jack pulled up his legs, opening himself to Lennie. Their eyes locked as Lennie pushed into him, just the head then holding still while Jack adjusted. Jack had let out a soft gasp at the intrusion. Lennie could see from his face that it hurt at least a little; but the pain was quickly replaced with a look of absolute contentment. Jack�s eyes opened and he smiled at Lennie. �More,� he whispered. Lennie started rocking gently, pushing in a little farther with each stroke. Jack moaned as he pushed past that sweet spot, sending waves of pleasure through his lover�s body. Lennie varied his tempo, one minute slow and gentle, the next hard and fast. He grabbed Jack�s legs, pulling them to rest on his shoulders. Jack couldn�t believe the sensations pouring through his body. It had been so long since he felt anything like this, he couldn�t believe he had voluntarily chosen to give it up. Lennie kept him on the edge, constantly changing rhythm and tempo, never letting him get too close. It felt so good � Lennie leaned over him, taking care not to pinch his cock too tightly between them, and kissed him. Jack eagerly wrapped his hands in the still wet hair, holding that precious face close. After a while, Lennie got back up and resumed thrusting, this time fully intending to bring them to a climax. He found a comfortable rhythm and kept at it, one hand finding Jack�s dick, pulling down on it with each inward thrust. A steady stream of soft gutteral sounds came from Jack�s throat as he got closer and closer. When it came, the explosion left his entire body trembling. He squeezed down so tight Lennie couldn�t hold back either, sending his fluids deep into Jack�s body. Lennie gently disengaged and let Jack�s tired legs fall to the bed. He tugged at the towel and Jack obligingly lifted his hips, letting Lennie take it to clean first himself then the puddle on Jack�s chest. Finally, exhausted, Lennie laid beside Jack, his head pillowed on his lover�s shoulder. Jack pulled him close, kissed him. �Amazing.� Lennie smiled sleepily. �Glad you liked it� It was plenty warm enough that they didn�t even want a sheet over them. But even so, they stayed cuddled close, not wanting to let go. They were drifting off into a contented sleep when they heard a soft rumbling. �What the �?� Lennie muttered. Jack smiled as he realized the nightlight in the bathroom had come on. �Power�s back on. That�s the A/C starting up. You want to shut off the flashlight? I�ll get a sheet � don�t need it yet, but by morning � Lennie rolled over and shut off the flashlight. He was surprised when Jack ducked out to the bathroom and shut off the nightlight. Jack spread a single sheet out at the foot of the bed for later then climbed back in, this time letting Lennie be the pillow. Lennie ran his fingers over Jack�s cheek. �No nightlight?� Jack smiled. �Don�t need it with you here. Now get some rest.� Lennie hugged him and sighed happily, closing his eyes. Just as he was drifting off again, he felt something warm and furry settle next to his leg. He fell asleep with a soft smile still on his lips. 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