And yet another chapter! Although, much doesn't really happen here. . .yeah. . . just more setting up of the drama that will happen later on! Enjoy!

Bookworm3 - NOOO not the stalker mouse! Anything but that! Please -begging face-

Wesdrewlover - It's okay. Considering you've been here since the start, you can miss a few ;). And you'll just have to see with the fights and Chris's and Tyler's relationship and the assholes (Piper and Wyatt) :D. Thanks for the review!

****So, who wants another sex interlude like in Pariah? Let me know in reviews/PMs!****

-Chapter Three : Certamen (Struggle)

Tyler sighed as he eased the door shut behind him. He saw Chris tense obviously have heard the patio door shut. Carefully, Tyler made his way over to his boyfriend, "You're gonna get a cold," he stated as he draped Chris's wool jacket over the man's shoulders.

Chris glanced at him and rolled his eyes but clutched the jacket closer to his body. Tyler frowned at the lack of response. Gently, the redhead placed his hand on Chris's arm. "Look," Tyler sighed, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said what I did," he frowned, "I'm…scared," Chris turned and looked at his boyfriend, "I mean, if we lose, we lose everything."

"I'm scared too. Scared shitless actually; but, we have to do this Ty, Virgin has been giving us shit since we signed with them."

Tyler nodded, "But still. It's ten million dollars."

Chris frowned and looked back out at the horizon, "I know. And…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have blown up at you, and said that you didn't care, or have made you sleep on the couch. I've been an ass, or a jackass as I believe you said."

Frowning, Tyler looked at Chris, "We were both wrong. We both said shit that shouldn't have been said. Let's just leave it there."

Chris smiled, "That sounds good."

Tyler sighed and leaned forward so his forehead was against Chris's, "God Chris, this lawsuit is going to kill us." His hazel eyes bored into Chris's green ones, "Promise me that this lawsuit won't break us up. That no matter how many fights we get in, we won't take what the other person says to heart and that when we come out of this, we'll be together, no matter what the outcome is."

Chris's eyes widened before he quickly gathered his boyfriend in a tight embrace, "I promise as long as you promise the same."

Tyler leaned back and looked at Chris. He took Chris's face within his hands and kissed the man deeply. He felt Chris's hands tense on his waist before Chris stood on his tippy toes so he could respond accordingly. He broke away from Chris, their foreheads still touching, "I love you."

Instantly, Chris responded, "Love you too."

-Line break-

Tyler ran his hand through Chris's hair, the strands slightly sweaty. The singer's head was resting on the red-head's bare chest. "So, are we going through with it?" Tyler whispered.

Chris sighed, his eyes opening, "I want to. But, if you don't…"

"Do you think we can win?"

"My lawyer says we can"

"But, what do you think?"

"I think we can do it."

Tyler let out a deep breath, "Then, let's do it."

Zach exhaled deeply as he threw the packet of paper on to the coffee table. "So, we're going through with this?"

"You don't have to do anything Zach," answered Chris, "This involves Ty and I. Not you."

"I'm part of this band, am I not?"

"Of course you are but-"

Zach held up his hand stopping Chris mid-sentence, "Then I'm a part of this. Stop trying to push me out."

Chris sighed but relented, "So, you two all made up?" Zach inquired with a smirk.

Tyler nodded and as if to prove it, he pulled Chris into his lap, the singer glaring at him but didn't move. "Now, the record, what are we gonna do about that."

Chris frowned and leaned back against Tyler, "I guess record it independently."

"Can we do that?" Zach asked.

Chris shrugged, "I don't see why not."

"Can we afford it?" Tyler said, "I mean, we need to get a producer and shit."

"We need to, I don't know, building a recording studio, we can use Ty's old bedroom and as for a producer, I'll ask around, maybe get a favor."

"You have those kinds of favors out there?" Zach asked with a small chuckle.

Chris smirked, "I have favors all over, you just need to learn when to use them. Which, I think I have the perfect man to call." He said, hopping off of Tyler's lap and headed into the kitchen.

"Who?"

Tyler shrugged, "I have no clue."

A few minutes later, Chris came out smirking. "You may now worship me." He declared.

"And why are we bowing down to you?" Zach said, raising an eyebrow.

Chris smiled and sat back down into Tyler's lap, "Well, I just got a producer to come and help us, for a small fee of course, but pretty cheap."

"Who?"

"Jared Jomo,"

"Still think that's a weird last name," Tyler mumbled, "Wait, isn't that the guy who is always flirting with you?"

"Sadly," huffed Chris, "But, he is one of the best music directors out there, and he can mix the record so that we don't have to pay for a mixer."

"No touching," muttered Tyler, his arms tightening around Chris's waist.

"Yes, and you don't have to crush my ribs to do so,"

Zach rolled his eyes at the couple. A few months ago, Chris wouldn't even hold Tyler's hand, and now he's sitting on the redhead's lap. "Hey, if you two are done," Zach said, "Can we please continue?"

Tyler stuck his tongue out at the drummer before looking at his boyfriend, "So, what else are we going to do."

"Tomorrow, we'll start cleaning out your old room. Move the rest of your shit into my room. Then, we'll buy the supplies and make it into a makeshift recording studio."

Zach nodded and stood, "Then, I'll be back at 8 tomorrow, I need to unpack and call my mother before she calls me and yaps my head off."

The two bid their drummer farewell, the door easing close. A soft yip came from the bedroom before a familiar husky plopped down beside the couple, Judas's head lying on Chris's leg. Chuckling, Chris patted the dog's head before smiling at Tyler, "Dinner?"

Tyler grinned, "Dinner."

Halfway through cleaning out Tyler's bedroom, Chris's phone rang. Frowning, he picked up the phone, "Yes Mom?"

"Hi honey."

"What do you want?"

"That isn't a way to speak to your mother," Piper chided

"Yeah, well, you didn't treat me like a son," Chris snapped as he slipped out of the bedroom, "What do you want?"

"I…just wanted to hi, and to see how you are doing."

"I'm fine,"

"Chris," Piper sighed, "You have to understand. I just wanted my baby back home."

"Yeah, well, I don't want to go back to the manor."

"Chris, its where you belong. You're in danger by being by yourself. Our family works best together."

"Mom, it's time that things change. I'll be fine. I am powerful enough to handle some demons and I have Ty on top of it."

"Chris, I just worry. I lost you once, and I don't want to lose you again."

Chris froze. She meant when you ran away, he reasoned. "You're not going to lose me again. The farthest I'll go is Chicago or on tour." Chris said, slowly understanding his mother's attacks throughout the tour, "But you can't leash me up and keep me in one place."

"But Chris, you need-"

"I need nothing. You need to understand. Sit down, and think Mom. When you get an answer, call me back." He stated before hanging up.

Chris sighed and ran a hand over his face. Of course, out of his whole family, it's his immediate one that is breathing down his neck. An abusive father, an over-worrying and slightly over-passionate mother who wants nothing more but to chain him to a bed and shove his destiny down his throat, and an older brother that had something wrong with him that Chris couldn't comprehend yet; briefly he wondered how he became the sane one.

Groaning, Chris leaned against the wall. "I so don't need this," he whispered.

"What do you need?"

Chris yelped and quickly twirled around and glared at his boyfriend, "One day, you're gonna do that and I'm going to have a heart attack."

"Not until we're in our sixties." Tyler reasoned, "And then we'll have brats to scare you for me."

Chris smiled softly. "What is Zach doing?" he inquired.

Tyler smirked, "He is trying to open a paint can without getting it all over."

"And you're not helping him because?"

"It's is more of a one-man job," Tyler answered with a shrug, "and I wanted to make sure you weren't gonna run off and kill your mother."

Chris snapped his fingers, "Damn, you figured out my plan," he joked.

Tyler chuckled and brought Chris closer, "So, what did you lovely mother say to you."

"The usual," Chris replied with a small shrug.

Tyler hummed silently, "Maybe you should go for lunch with her."

Chris pulled out of Tyler's embrace and looked at Tyler as if the redhead had officially gone insane, "You're kidding right?"

"No," Tyler replied calmly, "It's just. Chris, she's your mother. She worries about you. Think about, your son – your youngest kid to boot – suddenly leaves one day and returns five years later and reveals this big abuse scandal that happened for thirteen years and then said abuser comes back and tries to kill her son and yet her son wants to continue going around the world and putting himself in vulnerable positions. What would you do?"

"She's a bit…uh…forceful though," Chris mumbled.

"And I agree, she's taken it a bit far, but think what would you do."

Chris sighed, "Tried to get them to come home."

"Exactly," Tyler said, "Go to lunch with her and try to work it out."

"Alright, fine." Chris relented, "What about Wy though?"

"Him? I have no idea what crawled up that guy's ass and died." Snorted Tyler, "Jealous of his baby brother because he has a kickass boyfriend."

Chris raised an eyebrow, "Totting your own horn there a bit?"

"Nah, not at all." Tyler answered with a smirk.

"Weirdo," snorted Chris, "Come on, let's help Zach before he destroys the whole room." He said grabbed Tyler's wrist and dragged him back into the room.