| Physician, Heal Thyself |
| Sunday morning, Emil woke to the unpleasantness of the worst hangover he'd had since college. Groaning, he sat up in bed and remembered. Why he'd gotten so drunk. What he'd revealed. He glanced over at the other bed and realized Jack wasn't there. // He's afraid to sleep in the same room with me now. // Skoda was sure he'd just ruined their vacation. Groaning again, he staggered to his feet and shuffled toward the bathroom.
After a long, hot shower, he felt only about half dead. As he emerged from the tiny bathroom, he found Jack waiting for him, grinning, holding a glass full of what appeared to be tomato juice. "Had a feeling you'd need this," Jack said as he handed him the morning-after cocktail. "Don't ask what's in it." Skoda sipped cautiously. It didn't taste half bad, and it seemed to be settling his stomach. He looked up at his friend sheepishly, realizing that his fears were unfounded. "Thanks, Jack." McCoy nodded, accepting the thanks for both the drink, and everything else implied. "Don't worry about it, Emil. I told you the truth last night; I'm not weirded out. Just because you're attracted to men, that doesn't mean you're going to crawl uninvited into my bed." Skoda sighed. "I do appreciate that, Jack. Some people are very threatened by alternate lifestyles." "Emil, when you've seen some of the 'alternate lifestyles' we've seen in the courtroom, sleeping with other men doesn't even come close to threatening. Come on, think you could eat something?" After a light breakfast of toast covered in locally made apple butter, Emil was feeling much better. They decided to tackle the long trail out to Bridal Veil falls, since the weather was perfect but the forecast was calling for rain tomorrow. Skoda did make one concession; letting Jack drive the new Harley. He settled in behind his friend, placing his hands on Jack's waist. It felt kind of strange, touching him, knowing he knew. He didn't want to react, but his body had other ideas, especially when that big engine started vibrating. Fortunately, it was a short ride to the entrance to the Falls Park. Jack also found himself reacting to his passenger's touch. It was like a secret thrill, nobody knew but him. He'd always enjoyed it when Claire rode with him, and he suddenly realized that finally, he could think of her without getting upset. The pain had faded, leaving only a warm memory. // Maybe Emil's not the only one moving on with his life � // He gave himself permission to enjoy this new thrill. They parked the bike and made their way through the visitor's center. Jack picked up a small backpack and a couple of bottles of water, tucking in the sandwiches they had brought along. The long trail was about two miles, the signs said it should take about two hours, but they figured on taking longer. They set a leisurely pace, heading uphill toward the farthest fall, the Pennell Falls. Jack, being just a bit taller, tended to take the lead. Several times that morning, Emil caught himself paying more attention to watching his friend move than to the stunning scenery around them. // Stop it! // he admonished himself. He knew he was lucky that Jack was so open minded about his bisexuality. He did not need to push the issue by making an unwanted pass. But his libido, so long dormant, seemed determined to wake up with a vengeance now. And Jack did push just about every button he had, at least as far as male attractiveness was concerned. That got him to thinking about Jim, the mechanic. Aside from being tall and thin, he really didn't match Skoda's typical profile. Was is just that he'd made his availability so clear? That had to be part of it. But there was more to it than that. Maybe it was the fact that he WAS so different. Emil's experimentation had been during college, with other college students. Jim was blue-collar all the way, those strong muscular arms, hands that worked for a living. That was what made him exciting. After 20 years of sameness, Emil wanted variety. It occurred to him that he'd never had a blond, male or female. How had that happened? Or rather, not happened? They stopped for a bit at Pennell Falls, the furthest north point of the trail, then headed across country toward Pond Run Creek, which fed into the main Bushkill Creek. Pond Run boasted the Bridal Veil falls. Jack noticed that Emil seemed a bit preoccupied, and figuring it was at least partly due to the hangover, he was happy to hike along in silence. It really was just beautiful here, peaceful, relaxing. But his active mind wasn't good at 'neutral' for long periods of time. He found himself thinking about his new friend, wondering how he could play this. The good Doctor wasn't at his best right now, and a heavy relationship was not what he needed. But in truth, neither did Jack. Maybe a good no-strings-attached fuck would do him good. It certainly sounded good to Jack. Jack started watching his companion more closely. Now that he was paying attention, he caught Skoda watching him several times. He was pretty sure yesterday's encounter with that mechanic had gotten the doctor's motor running. What was that song from the 70's? "All Revved Up With No Place to Go." The amount of trivia that managed to stick in his brain around the edges of all the legal stuff sometimes amazed him. In any event, if Skoda's marriage had been stuck in neutral all these years, it was about time he shifted into gear. They came out of the forest pathway into a clearing with a spectacular view of three separate falls; the Bridal Veil, and her two bridesmaids. They both just stopped in their tracks, taking in the scene. "OK, that was definitely worth the hike out here!" Jack finally broke the silence. "You can say that again." Skoda agreed softly. They stopped there to eat lunch while enjoying the amazing view. As Jack finished his sandwich, he studied his companion. He wanted to draw Skoda out of his shell. "Emil? Can I ask you something?" "Yeah �" the Doctor's voice came out slowly, as if he wasn't sure what to expect. "You never really answered me last night. Was I reading it right between you and our friend the mechanic?" Skoda felt the heat rising up his neck. "Yeah, I guess so." Jack just grinned at him. "Nothing to be embarrassed about, Emil. Would you be embarrassed if it was a pretty blond girl we were talking about?" Skoda made a face. "Which one of us is the psychiatrist?" Jack laughed. "Not me, that's for damn sure. Listen, if you want to go for it, go for it! Don't let me stop you. It's your vacation too, you know." Emil thought about it and realized that maybe Jack was right. Why couldn't he 'step out' for once? He wasn't legally divorced or separated yet, but he knew there was no going back. He found himself nodding. "I might just do that, Jack � if you're sure you don't mind?" Jack just shook his head. "I don't suppose he has a sister �" Which got the expected laugh. From there, the afternoon progressed much more amiably. They chatted as they followed the trail down the hill beside the triple falls, which turned into a beautiful babbling brook as the ground leveled out. When they made it back to the visitor's center, they spent some time in the little shopping village before heading out for dinner. The girl at the Fudge Shop had recommended a local Italian restaurant, which had turned out to be quite nice. They split a bottle of wine with dinner, and by the time they made it back to the cabin, they were both quite mellow. Jack had been considering his options all afternoon. Despite his suggestion that Emil make a date with the mechanic, he was still more than a little interested himself. Funny how he didn't see any conflict there. He'd never tell a girlfriend, hey, sure, go fuck that other guy too. But there was a whole different dynamic to this. He knew he didn't want a 'relationship' with Skoda, not anything serious, at least. But his curiosity was certainly kicking into high gear. And he had a feeling that after 20 years of stagnation, Emil could use some variety. He had an idea that would allow him to see if the doctor was really interested. As he stood up from lighting the fire, Jack stretched his back with a groan. "Hey Emil, don�t psychiatrists have to study physiology? I could sure use a back rub." The request surprised Emil; at least Jack wasn't worried about having a bisexual man touching him. // The trouble is, he should be � // After the conversation about the mechanic, you'd have thought Emil's libido would have been focused on Jim. But still, every once in a while, he'd fall behind a bit, watching Jack. The man moved with the grace of a mountain lion. And he was here, now. But he couldn't very well just refuse such a reasonable request, so Emil tried to push those thoughts away as he looked around the room. The couch was too narrow for him to get a good angle for a massage. But there was a fake-fur throw on the floor in front of the wood stove, which had quickly brought up the temperature in the small room. He pointed to it. "Why don't you stretch out there?" Jack grinned and quickly stripped off his shirt before lying down on the soft blanket. Kneeling beside Jack, Emil gently placed his hands on the broad back, rubbing slow circles over the shoulder blades, slowly working his way down the spine. Broad strokes perpendicular to the spine across the small of the back drew a soft moan from Jack as the tight muscles relaxed. Of course, Jack wasn't the only one enjoying that backrub. The warm skin beneath his hands felt so good, so real, to Emil. He couldn't remember the last time he had touched another human being, beyond the ritual of a handshake. Let alone a touch as intimate as this. It was soothing, reassuring, to him. And something more. The thoughts he kept trying to push aside were pushing back, getting stronger and stronger. He knew it had been building all day; the way he had enjoyed following Jack along the trail this afternoon, watching the man move, watching his ass. And now to feel the warmth of Jack's skin beneath his hands, it was too much. His cock was painfully hard. He shifted position, both to get a better angle on Jack's lower back and to give himself a respite from the pressure in his jeans. As his fingers slipped under the waistband of Jack's jeans his cock jumped. He could feel his breathing becoming a bit ragged; at least that he could explain away from the exertion. He realized he'd better be very careful; he couldn't let Jack figure out what was happening. He was just beginning to find a real friendship with the attorney; he didn't want to ruin that with an unwelcome advance. He forced himself to breathe calmly, and ended the backrub as soon as he could. Lying there, Jack had been almost hyper-aware of what was happening above him. He could feel the trembling of Skoda's hands, hear the ragged breathing. He knew what was happening to his friend. It was happening to him too. The anticipation, his curiosity, the close contact had him hard, his cock was pressed almost painfully against the floor. Now he knew for sure that he was interested. "That better?" The deep bass rumble of Skoda's voice as his hands stilled forced Jack to make a decision. He twisted around, onto his back, reaching up to pull the startled psychiatrist down to him, claiming his mouth in a passionate kiss. Releasing his friend, Jack grinned up at him. "THAT's better." Skoda had fallen full length over Jack's body, and had been unable to miss the obvious signs of his arousal. He was confused, shocked by the unexpected action, and so turned on he couldn't think straight. Everything that had been simmering just beneath the surface ever since that patient had propositioned him suddenly came to a boil. He wanted this, wanted it badly. The next thing he knew, he was crushing Jack's lips in a powerful kiss as his hands clawed at the man's shirt. He straddled Jack's hips, grinding his crotch against the hardness beneath him. Jack was just as eager, returning the kiss with every bit as much intensity, his hands tugging at Skoda's shirt, pulling it out of his jeans. It was almost more of a wrestling match as they scrambled to get out of the interfering clothing. At one point, Emil sat up, gasping for breath as he clawed at his belt. Jack's hands were there, pulling the denim out of the way as soon as he released the zipper, taking his shorts with it. His cock sprung free, the head already dripping. And then Jack's hands were on it, grasping, pulling on him, forcing a deep, guttural cry from his throat. His back arched as he came, the thick cream shooting up, landing on his chest, spilling down over Jack's hand, onto Jack's jeans. Gasping, he crawled off, sitting beside Jack. McCoy looked unbelievably sexy, his face flushed, lips swollen, that stunning silver hair disheveled. And his eyes were hungry. Skoda could only think of one thing. "Take me, Jack. Now!" The doctor assumed the position, on hands and knees. Now it was Jack's turn to hastily shuck off his jeans. His right hand was covered with Emil's cum; he used it to slick up his own cock before moving into position. Even though he'd never done this before, it just came so naturally. He gave a good solid push, and felt the head of his cock gripped unbelievably tightly. His groan of pleasure echoed Skoda's grunt as his body was invaded. It was so hot, so tight, it seemed to just pull him in deeper. His hips pumping like pistons, he plowed into Skoda again and again. All he could hear were their grunts and groans of pleasure, the sound of flesh slapping against flesh. And then there was nothing else, nothing but the pleasure, the most intense orgasm he'd ever felt. It rippled through his entire body, wave after wave. And then suddenly he had no strength, found himself slumped over the body beneath him, breathing heavily. Emil sagged to the floor, turning to pull Jack with him, one arm wrapped protectively around his waist. It was warm in front of the fire and soon they were both asleep. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When Jack woke, it was to the realization that it was getting cold. He noticed that the wood fire had gone out, and they were sprawled on that fur throw completely naked. // Well! // Thinking back on it, he was surprised at how easily, how naturally it had come to him. He gently slipped out of Skoda's grasp and got up. Ducking into the small bathroom, he quickly cleaned up, then pulled on the pair of sweatpants he'd brought along. He stopped to grab the bottle of scotch and a couple of glasses, then returned to where he'd started. Even in the dim light, he could see the goosebumps on the good doctor's skin. He went back and grabbed a blanket from Skoda's bed. "Emil. Get up. It's freezing in here. I need to relight the fire." Skoda's eyes blinked open to see Jack leaning over him, a glass of scotch in his hand. It took him a minute to realize he was naked, and shivering, and that they had � // oh, my god! // He took the glass, hiding behind it and the blanket that Jack dropped on him, while Jack fussed with the fire in the wood stove. Scrambling to his feet, he wrapped the blanket around him while he rummaged for his scrubs. Following Jack's lead, he did without a shirt. By the time he turned around, Jack had gotten the fire going, and was sitting on the fur throw on the floor, leaning up against the couch. Jack smiled and motioned for him to sit beside him, and they got the blanket wrapped around both their shoulders. Their shoulders were touching, but nothing else. At first neither one of them knew what to say. Finally Jack broke the silence. "Emil? You ok? I didn't hurt you, did I?" Skoda just shook his head. "Hell, no. Felt damned good. It's been a long time since I've done that �" Jack nodded. "Good. 'Cause I'll tell you this, I had no idea what I was doing. That was pure instinct �" That got a grin. "I like your instincts, Jack!" The grin quickly faded, replaced by confusion. "I didn't think you went that way?" Jack shrugged. "I've always been curious. And I noticed you watching me today. After what you said last night, I figured this was my best chance to try it." Skoda shook his head, still a bit stunned. "Jack, I never would have guessed �" Jack grinned. "Well, you've had a lot on your mind, Emil." Skoda's agile face twisted in a grimace. "Yeah, like not wanting to screw up this friendship by making an unwanted advance." "I don't think you need to worry about that anymore." Jack reached out to take his companion's hand beneath the blanket. That got the desired laugh. "I guess not �" His smile quickly faded. "Thanks, Jack �" The softness of Skoda's voice worried Jack. "For what?" His head was bowed as he spoke. "For being a friend when I needed one. It's been too damned long since anybody gave a damn about me. Suzanne's been so cold � and I realized after I left her that all of our friends were really her friends. I didn't have anywhere to turn. Been hiding in my work all this time. Being a doctor, you have to build up the walls, not let yourself get too close to your patients. Don't get 'involved.' I think I forgot to let that go when I come home �" The loneliness in that voice touched something deep inside Jack. He let go of Emil's hand, moving his arm to wrap around his companion's shoulders, pulling him close. "I know what you mean � I haven't let anybody get close to me since Claire died �" // until now � // the words went unspoken, but they both heard them. Emil found himself wrapped in Jack's embrace, his head resting on one broad shoulder. Jack's hands ran lightly over his arms in a gentle caress, soothing, comforting. It was a good place to be. Continut on to Chapter 5 Back to the Story Index Send me some feedback Disclaimer: These characters belong to Dick Wolf and NBC. I'm just borrowing them for fun, not profit. |
| Chapter 4 |