A/N: Hello again my lovelies! Antonio and Bassanio are back! If this is the first you have heard of either of these dashing young men, I am assuming you haven't read Caskets of Lead yet. If that is the case, this story will make absolutely no sense. I am not one for recap so I suggest reading the first story first. This story is going to be based loosely on The Tragedy of Julius Caesar just as Caskets of Lead was based on Merchant of Venice. Both original plays belong to the magnanimous William Shakespeare, and the adaptations belong to my imagination. I am not making any money off these stories, just pure enjoyment JAny and all critiques and comments are very much appreciated. I am bumping up the rating on this story as some of the scenes are going to be rather more graphic. Oh yes. I'm talking about SEX! I apologize for the wait, so without further ado, here we go.

Tempt not a desperate man.

~William Shakespeare

Chapter One – A Costly Price

Bassanio was speechless. He stared at Antonio, whose handsome face was tight with anger. His slate grey eyes were dark and the tendons in his neck stood out in stark relief. A single bead of sweat traced a wet trail down his temple.

"What?" Bassanio whispered hoarsely.

"You seem to know me, or, more likely, you are insane," Antonio snapped. "However, I certainly don't know you."

"I'm your best friend…" Bassanio whispered.

"Unlikely," Antonio muttered.

Bassanio clenched his fists; fear and anger were making his hands shake. "Is this your idea of a joke?!"

"Do I look to be joking to you?" Antonio asked icily. "I want you to leave."

"Is this some kind of pay back, is that it?" Bassanio shouted. "I'm sorry that I hurt you, I never meant to… I never wanted to… But I've changed my mind, I swear!"

Antonio pointed through his open door. "This is ridiculous, get out!"

Bassanio was speechless. Luckily, at that moment Antonio's mother Lady Adrianna, Vincenzo the butler, and American Lady Alice (irritatingly perfect Alice) burst into the room. Lady Adrianna gasped, staring at Antonio's smooth, uninjured chest. Antonio saw Alice, blushed, and quickly buttoned up his shirt.

"My son, you're…" Adrianna whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "You're… Praise God…"

"I'm sorry I scared you, Mama," Antonio said. "I'm healed; it must have happened during the night…"

"But how?" Vincenzo asked, eyes wide in disbelief.

"Does it matter?" Antonio's mother cried, going to her son and embracing him. "It's a miracle!" Bassanio saw Alice's lips tighten and her slender blonde brows pinch into a frown, just for a moment.

Bassanio pointed to Adrianna and turned to Antonio, "Do you recognize her?"

"My mother?" Antonio asked skeptically. "The woman who gave birth to me? Of course I recognize her!"

Bassanio pointed to Alice. "And her?"

"Now you're just being rude, boy," Antonio snapped.

"Boy?!" Bassanio exclaimed indignantly.

Adrianna looked from one young man to the other, clearly confused. "What's going on?"

"He's pretending like he doesn't know me!" Bassanio shouted, pointing accusingly at Antonio. Panic was starting to creep in, but he pushed it aside and focused on the anger. This is a joke, it has to be a joke!

"That is because I don't know you!" Antonio yelled, clenching his fists.

"Stop acting like an ass!"

Antonio froze, his eyes wide with anger and astonishment. "…What did you just say to me?"

"I said you're being an ass!" Bassanio shouted.

Antonio's face darkened, like storm clouds rolling across an empty sky. He crossed the space between them in three powerful strides, his right arm drawn back. Bassanio had tussled with Antonio enough time to know his opening moved by heart. Antonio was big and strong, but Bassanio was fast and had knobby elbows and knees that Antonio had taught him how to use (unfortunately for him). Bassanio ducked under Antonio's right hook and drove his elbow into Antonio's stomach. Antonio grunted and both men went down. Bassanio knew he had to end this fight quickly; Antonio had taught him that one, too: When your opponent is larger, stronger, and more experienced than you, use your assets to end the fight as quickly as possible.

Bassanio tried to pin Antonio's arms with his legs, but Antonio locked his ankles in front of Bassanio and threw him onto his back. Antonio made to leap onto Bassanio but Vincenzo grabbed him by the collar and hauled him to his feet, just like he had when they were boys wrestling in the garden when Antonio was supposed to be with his tutors.

"You're lying!" Bassanio shouted from the floor, rubbing the back of his head where it had hit the carpeted floor rather soundly. "We've been best friends since we were boys!"

Adrianna went to Bassanio and helped him up. She turned to her son, "Antonio, what in the world has gotten into you?!"

Antonio roughly shrugged Vincenzo off. "This boy just… He was in my room when I woke up and he's saying all these crazy things-"

Bassanio's heart leapt in his throat. He couldn't let Antonio repeat his confession in front of everyone. "I-I'll go, it's alright."

Antonio threw his door open even wider. "Good! And don't come back, ever!"

Bassanio shoved past him, refusing to meet his eyes. He didn't want Antonio to see the tears he was fighting to hold back. Antonio's door slammed behind him and Bassanio broke into a run. He would need to borrow a horse; there was a certain someone who had a lot of explaining to do.

When he got to the stable he nearly ran into one of the barn hands, a young man that looked not much older than him, but was at least twice his size. The young man said something in English and chuckled.

"I don't speak bloody English," Bassanio shouted at him. "Let me pass!"

"I said take it easy, lad," the young man said again in thickly accented Italian. "Who are you?"

"Everyone here knows me," Bassanio snapped. "I need a horse, let me by! I'm a… a friend of Antonio's, um, Lord Romano's…""

The young man had Bassanio by the shoulders and was holding him back. He frowned skeptically, "You don't look like anyone that would be associated with the Romano family."

"Why?! Because I am not dressed like a pompous aristocrat?! Let me go, you bastard-!"

"Gideon," Sergio, the elderly stable master said, "Let the boy go. He speaks the truth, he's a friend of the family. Why do you need a horse so bad, Bassanio? Is his lordship worse?"

"No, no, Antonio's fine," Bassanio said dismissively. Fine being a relative term… "I need a horse for another very urgent matter, Sergio. I promise I'll bring it back, and I won't ride too hard-"

"You're a fine horseman, Bassanio, I trust you," Sergio nodded. "Gideon, get him a horse."

The young man nodded and ducked back into the stable. Within minutes, Bassanio was galloping through the gates to the Romano estate and pounding down the cobblestone streets. He had reasonable confidence that he could find Lady Calpurnia's house again, even though it had been dark… and deep in the woods…

God, please help me find that blasted witch again…

The trip with Dr. Marcos had taken maybe half an hour; it took Bassanio four hours before he found the house again. By the time he dismounted in front of Lady Calpurnia's stately brick house, he and his horse were both winded and sweating. Nevertheless, he pounded up the stairs to the front door and pounded on it until Mrs. Brantley, Lady Calpurnia's maid, finally opened up.

She squinted suspiciously up at him. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"My name is Bassanio, I was here last night with Dr. Marcos. I need to see Lady Calpurnia immediately."

Mrs. Brantley tried to force the door closed, but Bassanio's hand was in the way. "My Lady is sleeping, come back later."

"It's urgent!" Bassanio cried, pushing his shoulder into the door. She was strong for an old bird.

"She was up all night helping you lot!" Mrs. Brantley grunted. "My Lady needs to rest now. Go away!"

"I am very sorry for this," Bassanio muttered. He threw all his weight into the door, knocking the poor old woman onto her backside with a, "Oof!" of alarm. Bassanio strode past her and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Lady Calpurnia! Where are you?! Lady Calpurnia!"

Lady Calpurnia appeared on the stairwell, fastening a dressing gown around her person. "What in the world is the meaning of this?"

Bassanio was vibrating with fury and frustration and exhaustion. "You tricked me! Antonio doesn't know who I am!"

Lady Calpurnia sighed and began to descend, leisurely. "I told you to not come running to me if you didn't like the price of his health. Although I should feel flattered if I were you. Antonio holds his memories of you in equal regard to his own life."

"I already know that!" Bassanio snapped. "He tries to die for my sake on a regular basis these days. I want you to give the memories back!"

"I cannot do that," Lady Calpurnia said, a note of regret in her voice. "If I return his memories to him, the sickness will return as well. Antonio has to pay the price and, if you ask me, he got off easy. He could have woken up blind or his family could have died or worse."

"But…" Bassanio whispered. "He doesn't know who I am…"

Lady Calpurnia gave him a withering look, as if he were demanding surgery for a paper cut. "Unfortunate. Now, if you'll excuse me, I had a late night last night and I am quite tired." She walked back up the stairs, and Bassanio watched her go until he heard her door slam.

"Will you please leave now?" Mrs. Brantley asked. Bassanio shuffled numbly out and the door was slammed so hard behind him that he was nearly knocked off his feet. He slowly mounted, and very slowly rode back to the Romano estate. He felt… cold, lost, empty… Knowing that Antonio had not only forgotten him but now hated him…

Bassanio drew a ragged breath as he stared up at Antonio's window. Figures were moving around inside. Antonio was… a cornerstone, a pillar of his life. How could he not realize a huge part of his memories and emotions were missing? Was this penance for all the times he had unknowingly caused Antonio to suffer? Now Bassanio had to suffer while his friend was oblivious?

Not just his friend, his lover… Bassanio had sworn to call off his engagement to Portia in order to be with Antonio. Was it still necessary? Did he still want to marry Portia when he knew now that he would always love another more?

I don't want to be alone…

He cringed away from the thought. Lady Calpurnia had been right, his love was weak and worthless. If he really loved Antonio he would call off the wedding and pine for him the way Antonio had always pined for Bassanio. But he… he just couldn't. Why add Portia's heartbreak to this mess?

A poor excuse to avoid the hardship of ending a relationship even though it's the right thing to do… Portia deserves a man who will love her with all his heart.

A man shoved past Bassanio. He blinked and realized he was in front of the Saucy Sailor, a tavern near the waterfront. He looked through a window and saw a few sailors playing cards. He reached into his pocket and felt a few coins.

I'm down on my luck and I have nothing left to lose… This could either work for or against me…

I shouldn't start again…

I'm tired. So tired of… Just so tired…

Bassanio removed the coins and ducked into the tavern.