Two guardian angels

"Open the door, kid, I know you're in there!" BA shouted through the wooden panel that separated him from the young Lieutenant.

'Damn', Face thought, glancing over his shoulder at the Colonel, who was trying to get dressed and tidy the room at the same time, making less explicit the reason why they were in there. Face gave him a small smile that the older man answered with a silent "I love you" that actually made the younger man blush.

BA called Face's name one more time before the young man finally opened the door.

"Hi, Bosco. I thought you were out of town, didn't you say that you were going to your mama? Is she OK?" the Lt offered the big guy, hoping he wouldn't notice the state the room was in.

BA didn't waste time, didn't bother answering and stepped into the room. He wasn't going to be fooled by the kid, not this time. He knew Face had planned to spend the whole weekend with the Colonel, probably without going out of the motel or out of bed. He had hoped he was wrong. Glancing around the room, he spotted a few suspicious items that confirmed his theory, however.

He really didn't know how to behave. He had always been caring and gentle with Face, since the very first time he saw him. Face was just a child and it was a damn luck that BA ran into him one day, trying to run away from some goons that were after him. Being a man with a very sensitive soul when it came to children, he didn't even think about it and helped the kid to hide and then took care of the brutes that were after him. When he was finished with them, he found young Face crying softly but as soon as he approached him the kid tried to go away. BA held him in his arms, telling him he was OK and it was over and that he was safe now, over and over until the kid stopped fighting him and relaxed in his arms.

Later Face admitted that this was the first time in a very long time that someone held him close and addressed him with caring words. The big guy seemed OK but Face had learnt not to trust people, even the gentle ones, and it took almost three months for BA to gain Face's trust.

Bosco became the brother Face never had, and the mother and father too. He helped him to start a new life, far from the streets and its dangers. He introduced him to Father Maghill, who gave the kid a new home in his community. Sometimes old "friends" from Face's past came to him, certain that they still had power over him, and those times BA had been there, making it clear the kid was now clean and not in the game anymore. Just a kid, Face had been forced to go with old men and perverts of every sort, some of them were gentle but some others were not and the kid was still wearing invisible scars of that dark period of his life. He had nightmares, mostly when he was worried about something, and he was always trying to please other people like he was taught. BA and Father Maghill managed to teach him that it was good to be kind to other people but that he had the right to say No if he didn't feel up to doing something.

'Here we are, again' BA thought in the middle of the motel room.

Face and Hannibal were waiting for the big guy to speak, nervously looking at each other, not knowing what to do.

"I thought we had an agreement, kid. You don't need to do things you don't want to do in order to please other people. Even if it's your superior officer that asks you to," BA spoke very calmly in a cold voice. "And you, Colonel, I don't know what you want from him but I warn you, don't mess with my baby brother, do ya hear me? Was I clear?"

Before Face or Hannibal could say a word, BA had handed Face his clothes and practically dragged him out of the room. The LT tried to stop him with no avail. Hannibal had been shocked by Bosco's words but soon recovered from it and tried to talk to him. The result was a fight that ended up with Face on the floor and Hannibal against the wall with BA's hands around his neck.

"BA, no please, let him go. Bosco, calm down. You're going to kill him!" Face shouted to him.

The big guy relaxed his grip a fraction, letting the Colonel breath again, but didn't let go of him.

"I don't know what game you're playing but Face is out of it. Do you understand, you old son of a bitch?" the Corporal hissed to Hannibal's face.

"You don't understand, Bosco, please. Let him go and I'll explain everything!"

BA snarled in Face's direction but refused to do as he was told. Hannibal was on the verge of unconsciousness and was starting to feel dizzy. Face tried one last desperate move then.

"He's not using me, he loves me!"

Bosco didn't budge.

"It's true, BA. Why should I lie to you? Goddamnit, listen to me. You've got to let him go!"

"He doesn't deserve to live, he is just another of those perverts trying to get fun from you. I can't let him go, he's going to pay for it!"

"He is not a pervert, he is not a pervert, he … he is my lover, my other half, please you've got to let him go now…"

Seeing his little brother trembling and with tears in his eyes, the big guy let go of the Colonel, who crumpled ungracefully to the floor wheezing but still alive.

"What? Face, brother, you cannot be serious. I won't kill the man, if it's what you want but I do not believe you. You're doing it just to please the Colonel and this is wrong!" the big guy stated.

"I'm not doing anything to please him, in fact he was the one to declare it first. I can understand you are confused, Bosco, but we are a couple… since a few months ago in fact, we love each other and…" the LT paused to clear his throat "we were wanting to tell you but we were afraid of your reaction, well, John was afraid of your reaction!"

"John? Is that you call him? John?" BA asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, John. Listen, Bosco, you've been the most important person in my life since I was a kid. I would never hurt you. I would never lie to you. I'm telling you now … I love John, I'm in love with him and he loves me back. I know what you're afraid of but I swear to you John is the most caring and loving person I could have found. He didn't put any pressure on me, he didn't ask me for anything but what I willingly would give to him. He knows about my past and he doesn't care. He knows about the nightmares and he helps me. When he looks at me, he doesn't see the dirty kid that sold himself on the streets years ago. He sees the Ranger I have become. And that is because of you. He knows you're important to me and how much I value the way you care for me. That is why he – we were so afraid to tell you. He was afraid that, being much older than me, you wouldn't have believed him."

Feeling a little relieved at Face's words, BA took a deep breath before talking again. The Colonel was now breathing normally and holding the big guy's look from his seated position on the floor.

"Is he talking the truth?" he asked Hannibal.

"Yes, Bosco. I'm sorry you had to find out this way but we really didn't know how to break the news to you. I love Face with all my heart and I would never willingly hurt him. You can be sure of that," the Colonel stated in a still small voice.

Face smiled at him and the Colonel blushed slightly.

"Are you sure this is what you want, Face?" BA asked then, holding Face's hands in his own and forcing him to look in his eyes.

"Yes, this is what I want," the Lt answered seriously.

"OK then. I just want you to know you can always come to me, if you need me…"

"BA, this is not…" the younger man replied feeling the sting of tears in his eyes again. "You'll always be my big brother, you know that! Nothing could ever change this!"

"Thank you, Face," BA whispered in his brother's ear, hugging him tightly.

It took a few minutes for the two men to gather themselves. Then, to Face's surprise, BA helped Hannibal to stand up on his feet, made sure he was OK and actually said he was sorry and he didn't mean to harm the Colonel, but he had seen so many people hurt Face on purpose that he wasn't going to take any chances.

The Colonel nodded. "I see we are very much alike, then. Face, my boy, you're going to have two guardian angels from now on, with your blessing BA!"

END