Well here are chapters 31 to 39. After this, I will be posting new individual chapters to continue this story. Thanks for the support and enjoy!

Chapter 31 – The Viper

'Please leave a message after the beep…'

'John? Please pick up. I just want to talk to you and stuff. I promise I won't yell. I miss you so much John. You don't know how much I miss you…'

'John? I need you to call me right away. It's important.'

'God damn it! Why won't you answer my fucking calls? I have to tell you something now John! Call me right away.'

'For fuck's sake! You're such an asshole you know that? And to think I've been friends with you all these years for nothing. Well you know what? You can go fuck yourself John.'

'Please, I'm sorry. I was just angry. Can you please call me when you get the chance? Love you.'

'I've been wondering if I should come up to see you since you're not answering any of my messages. Let me know either way.'

'I hate myself right now John. I've done some really horrible things to you. Please, forgive me.'

'I'm gonna kill myself if you don't answer my call.'

'FUCK YOU! FUCK EVE, FUCK PHIL! ALL OF YOU CAN GO STRAIGHT TO HELL!'

'I should have never saved you from Brock that night…you deserve whatever he was gonna do to you….prick.'

Randy paced the room, throwing the phone on the couch as he took another large gulp of his beer. Three weeks have passed since that night with John and the man has been trying to get a hold of him since then even though his ex-friend specifically told him not to. But Randy didn't care. He doesn't really care much these days except for being with John. The Viper growled at the thought of John and Phil together and in a fit of rage he threw the half empty bottle against the wall, watching the glass shatter into little bits while the liquid spilled down. A couple minutes later, he heard a knock on the door and begrudgingly opened it.

"What the hell do you want?" Randy asked, snarling.

The older woman flinched back but held her ground as she straightened herself up.

"Young man, I've been hearing several loud noises coming from your apartment for the past three weeks. I've asked you nicely to stop but you have not obeyed. If you keep on disturbing me then you leave me no choice than to make a formal complaint to the landlord."

Randy narrowed his eyes at the woman as an evil smile formed on his lips.

"You old hag. Get the fuck outta my face and leave me alone. And if I see you again, I have no problem punting you right in the head!" The man yelled at the poor woman and slammed the door in her face.

He went over to the kitchen to grab another beer when he heard the phone ring. He quickly ran towards it, hoping it was John but when he saw the number he didn't recognize it. The only thing that was familiar to him was the Tampa Bay area code. Sighing, he picked it up anyway and asked who it was.

"Randy? Randy…it's…it's me…Cody…" The young man whispered.

"Cody? What the hell do you want? And why are you whispering? I can't fucking hear you!"

"Shhhhhh! I don't want anyone to hear me talking to you. I don't have enough time…but….I need help Randy and…I don't know who to call…please…."

The Viper groaned out in frustration. He really didn't need to deal with Cody right now. He still had to sort out this mess with John.

"Jesus Cody, I don't have time right now. I got a lot of shit to do and I can't be talking to you right now." Randy was about to hang up when he heard a scream from the other end.

"NO! Please….don't hang up….he…he beats me Randy. All the time. I don't know what to do…."

"Ugh…you're talking about Brock right? Well of course he's beating the shit outta you. He's a fucking psycho! But you should have known better you idiot. Why the hell would you choose him over your fucking friends? You know what? I don't have time…."

"Please don't hang up. Could you talk to John for me? I'm too ashamed to call him…I'm even ashamed to call you…help me Randy…"

"I can't call John."

"Why?" Cody asked desperately.

"Because, we're not friends anymore."

"What? What happened?"

"Cody, we fucked and now John won't talk to me. He went back to that scum ball Phil and I haven't heard or spoken to him for the past three weeks. So no, I can't help you Cody. I got my own problems. Now be an adult for once in your fucking life and deal with it yourself!" The Viper yelled before hanging up on the young man.

He sat down on the couch; rubbing his face with his hands as he tried to think of a way have John back in his life. He grabbed the remote and turned on his stereo full blast, knowing that would really piss off that old bag next door and went back into the kitchen to grab another beer.

John went to work, went home, cried, and slept. He went to work, went home, cried, and slept. He went to work, went home, cried, and slept. Over and over this was the man's routine since his break-up with Phil. He's tried several times to contact him, go over to the parlour, send him emails, flowers, Pepsi anything but it was always met with rejection. The only person that was giving him any sort of attention was the one that ruined it all.

Randy Orton.

Day after day, the man would leave five or six messages. Some nice and others that would bring John to tears. But in each and every one, Randy wanted to talk to him, to see him. Something that Phil clearly did not want right now and it broke John in half. He hated coming to an empty home. He hated cooking for only himself and he couldn't stand sleeping in an empty bed. Sometimes John wondered what was the point in living if you couldn't be with your soul mate.

Letting out a large sigh, he rolled over to his side, clutching the pillow that was meant for Phil. It was a good that he didn't have to go to work today. All he really wanted to do was to stay in bed and feel sorry for himself. He closed his eyes briefly, picturing Phil's sweet face and smiled. He loved looking into those green eyes of his. John then picture the two of them together, kissing, hugging and rubbing against each other. The larger man shifted, feeling his cock getting hard from his little fantasy and quickly placed a hand inside his boxers. He stroked himself as he thought about Phil's lean body: how it tasted, how it felt against his skin and groaned out.

"Philly…damn you're so sexy…." John whispered as he pumped himself a bit faster. He stroked his dick quickly, thinking of his ex-fiancé's sweet naked body until he felt his stomach tighten and a huge stream of cum spilled out, ruining his boxers. John opened his eyes and looked down at the mess. He felt so ashamed, masturbating about Phil but that was as close he was going to get to the smaller man these days. He got up, took off his boxers and threw them in the hamper. He then went to the bathroom to take a quick shower before going back for some fresh clothes. Once done, John went downstairs and into the kitchen, where he made some coffee and sat down by himself for a few minutes thinking. His thoughts were disrupted when he heard his cell phone and picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hi son, it's your dad."

John rolled his eyes. He really wasn't in the mood to talk to his father right now with all the other issues going on in his life. But the man was persistent in calling John almost every other day, asking the guy when it was a good time to come down to talk about something important. John always had an excuse but now, he was running out of them and he wasn't sure if he really wanted to hear his dad's news.

"Hi dad. What's up?"

"Well, I was wondering if this weekend would be a good time to come down and talk. You know I've been trying to see you but you seem to be busy these days."

The other man sighed loudly.

"Well I got a lot of stuff on my mind right now dad."

"I know but I really need to talk to you. How about this coming weekend? I promise I won't take too much of your time."

"Fine, whatever. I'll see you then." The two men said their good-byes and John hung up the phone. He stared at the wall for a few minutes and wondered what his dad wanted from him.

'I have a bad feeling about this.' He said to himself before he got up again and went back upstairs to his room where he slept for the rest of the day.

Chapter 32 – Hunter's Offer

Phil kissed John softly on the lips, barely touching them. He heard a soft moan below and trailed his hand downwards, caressing the naked man's chest and abs before settling in between the thighs. John gasped out and arched his back, lifting his hips slightly so he could grind against Phil. The smaller man let out a groan, shoving two fingers inside of John, pumping him slowly. They kissed and groped each other, just loving the taste of the other lover's mouth. After a few minutes, Phil leaned back, positioning himself between John's legs and smiled below.

'I love you John.'

The larger man smiled.

'I love you to…Randy.'

'What? No, it's me Phil…'

'Noooo….Randy….I love Randy….' John moaned out.

Within seconds the scene changed. Phil looked on wide eyed much to his horror as he watched John and Randy making out on his bed. Phil yelled out NO and STOP but neither one of them was listening to his protests. He started to cry and looked away quickly covering his ears when he heard John moan out Randy's name over and over again.

Phil let out a scream, jolting up from his nightmare. He was breathing hard and sweat was covering his face and chest. He looked around the room, seeing only his bag of clothes and comics on the other side and slowly laid back down.

He wasn't back home. He was at Dolph's apartment and has been for the past month. Phil looked up at the ceiling, tears falling down his face as he recalled the nightmare he just had. He's been having a lot of those since he broke up with John. He moved his head to the side and stared at the empty wall. His eyes then shifted over to the nightstand where two items appeared. The house key and John's ring which he turned into a necklace. He picked up the ring and traced the edges slowly before putting it around his neck. Phil then picked up the key, studying it before putting it back down on the table.

"Tomorrow…I'll give him the key tomorrow." Phil promised himself. He swung his legs over, his feet landing on the floor and slowly got up, grabbing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He opened the door and walked towards the kitchen where Dolph was already awake and reading the morning paper.

"Morning." Phil rasped out, heading to the coffee pot and pouring himself a cup. Dolph looked up and shook his head. His friend looked like shit since the breakup. His face was pale and gaunt and the circles under the eyes were darker than usual. He didn't like seeing Phil all torn up. He even tried to convince the guy to go over to the house and talk to John but the smaller man can be a stubborn mule sometimes. So Dolph gave up and allowed Phil to take things at his pace, which was becoming very, very slow.

The smaller man walked over to the table and sat across from Dolph. He looked down at his coffee and let out a large sigh. Rolling his eyes, Dolph put the paper aside and looked over at his friend.

"Hey Phil…how yah doin'?"

"Oh I'm okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Well…I kinda had a dream again about John…more like a nightmare. I don't know what to do…" Phil trailed off. Dolph nodded his head. He knew all too well the nightmares Phil's been having. He hears them every night.

"Listen Phil, I know you're here to sort out this mess but…don't you think it's time to talk to John? I mean the guy calls the shop, sends you gifts, drops by sometimes just to see you but you keep brushing him off. I know you still love him. Why are you doing this?"

Phil honestly didn't know why he was doing this to himself. He can't deny the fact that he still loves John and wants to be with him but he still felt strongly about the cheating. And if he had to be truly honest with himself, he hated that it was Randy who he cheated with. Maybe if it was some nobody at the bar, Phil could probably be somewhat accepting of it but this was John's best friend. Someone that he's known longer than him. It just struck a nerve with Phil and he really didn't know how to go past it.

Phil got up, ignoring Dolph's question and went over to the kitchen.

"I'm gonna take a quick shower and then we can head on over to the parlour." The man said over his shoulder. Dolph let out a frustrated sigh, watching his friend walk down the hallway and into the bathroom.

John waiting nervously, checking his watching every few minutes, as he darted his eyes towards the restaurant front doors. His dad called him from the hotel that he wanted to meet up with him for lunch and to talk about some things. John asked politely what those things were but Hunter assured him that it all good. He let out a breath, staring out the window and saw his dad get out of a cab and enter the establishment.

'Everything will be okay John, everything will be okay.' He repeated that mantra over and over in his head until finally John was face to face with his dad.

"Hey dad."

"Hi son." Hunter smiled, reaching to hug John briefly before settling himself down.

John slowly sat down, watching Hunter's every move and waited for him to start talking.

"So are you hungry? You know it's my treat."

"No dad. I'm not that hungry."

"Oh come on! Let's share some nachos." Hunter suggested, waving to one of the waiters to come over and take their order. Once that was done, the two men sat in silence for a few moments until John spoke up.

"How's mom?"

"Good…very good."

"How come she's not here with you?"

"Oh…well…she's busy with a lot of community organizing and volunteering. You know how your mother can be with that type of stuff." Hunter grinned. John wanted to continue asking his dad about his mom but was interrupted when their food arrived.

Hunter grabbed a couple of nachos, dipping them into the salsa and sour cream and eagerly stuffed his mouth. John only took one, removing the excess cheese and bit into the chip, chewing slowly.

"So, how's work? Are you busy?" Hunter asked.

"Yeah…lots of clients and there almost every day."

"Well I'm glad your boss allowed you take the weekend off to see your old man." Hunter chuckled. John showed a small smile, as he cautiously waited for the man's big news.

"I'm sorry what happened about Phil. I know you cared for him very much. Have you seen him lately?"

"No…no I. Have. Not." John said through clenched teeth. By now, his patience was wearing thin. He didn't want to hang out at a restaurant with his dad and talk about work or Phil or any other personal shit.

"What do you want dad? Why are you here?"

Hunter looked up from the plate and wiped his hands with the napkin. He took a file folder from a suitcase that John didn't notice and placed it beside him.

"John, I have an offer for you that you might find interesting."

"Okay…what the hell is it?"

"As you know, I've been in the private detective business for the past 5 years and it has been increasing steadily in the past year or so. With the growing amount of clients, I had to hire a couple of hands to file and sort these cases. Unfortunately many end up being incompetent and some have even compromised sensitive information. I can't trust strangers John with the type of work that I'm in. So, I'm offering you a job in my private detective business in Boston. I know, I know, you'll have to quit your job and move back home but I can't think of anyone more reliable that my own flesh and blood. What do you say? This is a great opportunity for you."

John sat there stunned. This…this was his big news?

"You want me to leave Chicago and move back home with you and mom?"

"Well not move in with us…there are lots of apartments nearby. I'll even cover the rent for the first three months."

"You want me to leave my friends and job?"

"John, you'll be working for me so you won't lose a job and as for your friends. They can come and visit."

"I can't believe you have been badgering me for weeks to see you and you bring this news to me?! I don't want to work for your creepy detective business! I don't want to spy of innocent people."

"Christ John, I'm not spying on innocent people. These guys are criminals and convicts. Look, I brought some cases here with me that you might find interesting. Please just take a look and see if you're interested.

"No! I don't want to see your stupid file! And I'm not leaving Chicago to be with you and mom."

Hunter rolled his eyes at his son's reaction.

"John, come on. You work at a measly gym that's going nowhere. Besides, what's the point of being here? It's not like you have a boyfriend anymore."

"Oh fuck off! What the hell do you know about me?!" John got up quickly, grabbing his coat and stalked towards the entrance. Hunter rush after him, clutching at John's arm, bringing him to a halt.

"You listen to me son. You should think long and hard about your future. Being here and waiting for someone who might not come to you is no way to live. I'm giving you an opportunity to change your life around John, for the better. Believe me, having you there by my side is what's best for business…our business."

Both men stared at one another, neither one backing down. Eventually John broke the gaze and looked down at the floor.

"I'll think about it dad." John mumbled.

"Good. Thanks John for seeing me. I'll let your mom know that you are well." Hunter let go of John's arm, watching his son leave the restaurant before going back to the table to finish his meal.

He grabbed the folder and opened it, looking at the contents inside. He took one file in particular, narrowing his eyes at the numerous convictions this person had before staring at the photo of the man.

"I will find you…as God as my witness, I will make sure you never hurt anyone else every again." Hunter threatened the picture before putting it back inside with the rest of the information.

If only John took that file with him then he would tell his dad where to find that person.

He lives in Florida. And his name is Brock Lesnar.

Chapter 33 – Lunch and stuff

Phil was in his office, looking over the inventory and pricing for the month. Actually, he wasn't really looking at the numbers; he just wanted something to stare at while he thought about John and what the man was doing these days and where and with whom. Sometimes he would ask his sister but not in a blunt way of course. He didn't want people to think he missed the guy or anything…he was only looking out for him. At least that's what Phil told himself.

The man glanced up and looked at the clock overhead. He was meeting Eve today for lunch and to discuss about the baby. He didn't mind talking about baby stuff with her but Phil had no clue how to take care of a kid. Hell, he can't even take care of himself half the time but being a supportive big brother, he told Eve that he was willing to take care of the baby in any way.

He climbed down the stairs towards the parlour where Dolph was at the front desk talking to a customer. Phil said hi and waited by the window for Eve. The customer left a few minutes later and Dolph looked over at Phil.

"So you and Eve are gonna have some lunch? Where are you going?"

"Probably some deli place around the corner. I don't want her to walk too far. She says her feet swell up after about five minutes of standing."

The two men heard the familiar ring of the bell when the door opened and turned their heads. Eve entered the parlour, smiling at her brother and Dolph.

"Hi boys. How's it going today?" The woman questioned. Phil quickly went to her side, guiding her to a stool by the front desk.

"Good Eve. You look absolutely wonderful." Dolph responded with a smile. The woman blushed as she waved her hand to dismiss his compliment.

"Oh please! I feel like a whale and my ankles are like balloons."

"Well I think you look stunning."

Phil rolled his eyes at Dolph's obvious flirting.

"Dolph please don't hit on my pregnant sister."

"Well at least he's being nice. All you do is force me to lie on the couch like some patient."

"You said your back hurt! I was only trying to help."

"I know sweetie and I appreciate it. Now are you ready cause I'm starving for some good deli food."

Grabbing onto Phil's shoulder, Eve lifted herself up from the stool, straightening her shirt and coat.

"Okay, let's go. Dolph, I'll be back in about an hour."

The blond nodded, winking at Eve while she walked away.

"See yah gorgeous."

The woman giggled while Phil glared at his co-worker.

They made their way to the deli shop in ten minutes. The place wasn't too crowded so they settled themselves at a table by the window.

"Ok sis, whatcha want. And this is my treat."

"Phil you don't have to."

"I want to. Besides you need to save up money for the baby. How was your last check-up?"

"Good. The doctor said the baby is growing well and is a healthy weight. He suggested I go to Lamaze classes. I might ask Beth to go with me since…well…you know." Eve tightened her jaw as she thought about Randy's absence during this pregnancy. Phil nodded in agreement, angry that his sister had to go through this alone.

"Well you got me for support. You know that. Just don't make me change diapers or anything."

The two went ahead and ordered their meal. They talked about other issues as well as the baby; Eve's last day at work, the baby shower, Phil's shop, Dolph's obsession with dying his hair blond etc., etc. Phil desperately wanted to ask Eve about John but he didn't want to sound needy. Instead he waited during the conversation to ask Eve in a subtle way.

"…Anyway, Mrs. Jones, you know the one that lives across the street, she offered to donate some clothes from her grandkids. I might pick them up after our lunch."

"Cool…anything else happening? Any other neighbours I should….know about?" Phil asked. Eve looked her brother's expression. It melted her heart how much Phil was still in love with John but was too stubborn to admit it. She decided to have some fun with him.

"Any neighbours…hmmmm….well I think the house two doors down has finally been sold. Took them almost two years to…"

"Anything else?"

"Mr. Anderson's dog ran away."

"Anything else?" Phil asked through gritted teeth.

"Anything else…let's see….ummmm…no." The woman smiled, taking a large bite out her sandwich as she stared back at her brother. Phil's face tensed with frustration.

"Fine."

"Oh! There is one thing…but I'll tell you after I go to the bathroom."

Phil grabbed his sister's arm, dragging her back down on the chair. "NO! Please, tell me now."

"Well, I spoke to John the other day."

"Oh, John? How is he? Okay? Is he okay? He's not sad or anything? Is he dating anyone? Who? Tell me!"

"No he's not dating anyone…as far I know. But his dad visited him last weekend."

"His dad? Really? Why?"

"I don't know if I should tell you this…"

"What?!"

Eve looked away briefly before turning her attention back to Phil.

"John's dad offered him a job at his private detective business in Boston."

Phil's heart dropped.

"Boston? John's moving to Boston?" The man asked quietly.

"Actually, John didn't give his dad an answer. He said he'll think about it."

"Do you think John will move back?"

"I don't know. When I spoke with him, he wasn't too keen on the idea…but maybe he changed his mind since then."

Phil hung his head low. He looked at his half-eaten sandwich and didn't have the appetite anymore to finish it. Eve reached out and held onto Phil's hand, making the man look up.

"Phil, please talk to John. I know your heart is still breaking but you need to see him. He misses you dearly."

"Did you want my sandwich? I'm not hungry anymore." Phil said, avoiding Eve's comment as he stood up to pay for the meal. Eve watched him leave, letting out a frustrated sigh. She was also worried that if John did leave, Phil might do something that he would deeply regret. Feeling defeated, the woman got up and walked towards the cashier where Phil was finishing up paying the bill.

"I'll walk you back to the parlour." Eve said. Phil smiled softly and the two headed out towards the shop.

The two siblings entered the shop, laughing at a joke that Phil made.

"Oh my God! Phil that was funny and gross at the same time!"

"Hey, you know my sense of humour better than anyone."

The man turned his head and abruptly stopped his laughter when he saw the sight before him.

AJ.

"Phil, I'm sorry. I've been trying to get her leave for the past ten minutes. She won't fucking go until she saw you." Dolph pleaded.

The woman smiled wide when she saw Phil, skipping over to where he was.

"What the fuck are you doing here?!" Phil yelled.

"Oh sweetie pie. No need to get angry. I just wanted to know if you'll like to go out to dinner tonight."

Phil looked at AJ like she had three heads.

"Are you kidding me? I fired you over a month ago and you keep on badgering me! Get it through your thick fucking head that I don't want to BE WITH YOU! Now get the hell out of my shop before I call the cops AGAIN for trespassing."

AJ kept on smiling, tilting her head off to the side.

"My little cheesecake. Okay, how about tomorrow then? Oooooo! We can go on a picnic! I can make some sandwiches and we can go over to the park and look up at the clouds and cuddle and talk about our dreams and how much we love each other!" AJ squealed in delight, jumping up and down and clapping her hands at her crazy idea.

Phil shook his head furiously, his hands balled into tight fists.

"GET OUT!"

"Philip. Please don't raise your voice at me…you know…that hurts me…" The petite woman looked at Phil, her eyes brimming with tears. Eve narrowed her eyes at the little manipulative harlot and took a few steps forward until she was next to Phil.

"Are you fucking deaf? My brother has told you to leave him alone!"

AJ turned her head and stared up at Phil's sister as a smile crept up on her lips.

"WOW! You have gotten really, really fat!"

"That's it! Phil, hold my purse, I'm gonna knock her teeth out!"

The tattooed man grabbed his sister's arms, making sure her fists wouldn't make contact with AJ's face. He slowly moved between the two women and looked over at AJ.

"AJ, you need to leave NOW."

The woman pouted briefly before grinning again.

"So…you don't want to go to a picnic then? How about a movie?"

Phil gritted his teeth as he tried to remain calm.

"No. Leave this place. Don't ever come back."

AJ pretended to think about Phil's request before bouncing over to the front door. She turned her head to face Phil, Eve and Dolph.

"Bye Philip." The woman smiled before leaving for good, skipping along the sidewalk.

All three inside let out a sigh of relief when AJ finally left.

"Phil, you need to get a restraining order on that woman. She's probably gonna do something horrible to you!" Eve exclaimed, hugging her brother tight.

"Eve, don't worry. I don't think she go to great lengths to get revenge or anything."

'At least I hope not.' Phil said to himself.

Chapter 34 – The Key Exchange

Phil stared aimlessly at the window in front of him. He had Dolph on one side, talking to a regular customer but he wasn't listening to their conversation. His mind was too engrossed at what Eve told him earlier that day about John and his possibility of moving to Boston. He looked away quickly, not wanting Dolph to see his eyes brimming with tears. He got up and walked towards the back and up the stairs to his office. He locked the door and threw himself on the couch in the room where he sobbed into the pillow.

A part of him was sad that John was thinking of leaving him. But another part was angry that the guy didn't even bother to tell him about it. John should have at least talked to him about this life-changing decision!

Ten o' clock rolled around and Dolph was busy closing the cash, counting the day's till and typing the profits into the spreadsheet on the computer screen. Phil was busy cleaning up the back area, making sure everything was sterile and ready to go the next day.

"Okay, Phil. Counted the cash and all is well. You ready to deposit it at the bank?"

"Sure. Um do you mind if I drop you off at the apartment and take the car? I need to go somewhere."

Dolph agreed, having a pretty good feeling where Phil was going but didn't press the issue. Both men deposited the money and Phil drove Dolph home. He then turned the car around and headed in the direction of John's place.

Thirty minutes later, he arrived, parking the car in the driveway. He stayed in the car for a few minutes, wondering what he was going to say and how he was going to say it. Finally, he mustered up the courage to get out and walked to the front door. He held up his hand and paused for a moment before knocking on the surface a few times. Seconds later, the door opened and both men couldn't hold hide the expressions on their faces. John was beyond shock that Phil was here but felt a sense of relief. Phil on the other hand, felt complete dread, knowing the type of questions he was going to ask might not give him the answers he wanted. The two men stared at one another, their eyes locked until John broke the awkward silence.

"Ummm…hi. I…I'm glad you're here. Please come in." John said in a shaky voice. He opened the door wider, allowing Phil to step inside the house. The smaller man swallowed hard and walked into the foyer. He bit his lip, looking back at John who closed the door quietly. The larger man moved a step closer, smelling the faint scent of cologne on his ex-lover's neck and held back the urge to grab the man and tear off his clothes right then and there.

Phil took a few steps further in but didn't leave the foyer. He watched John close the door and both again looked at one another for a quite a while.

"So….can I get you a Pepsi?" John asked politely.

"No John. I'm here because…I need to ask you something."

John waited for the other man to start, hoping that Phil was finally coming back to him.

"Okay…"

"I heard that you might be moving to Boston." Phil blurted out.

"What do you mean?" John asked frowning.

"John, Eve told me that your dad came by and offered you a job in Boston. Is it true or not?"

"Well…yah…my dad did come by but I haven't made my decision."

"Well, don't you think you should have told me about it? I mean if you're leaving I have the right know." Phil crossed his arms over his chest, looking at John with a stern expression. The larger man narrowed his eyes, feeling a bit annoyed at Phil's question.

"Excuse me? You have the right to know? Who are you my mother? And besides how the hell am I supposed to tell you? It's not like you answer any of my texts, or voicemails or emails. Oh and by the way, thanks for asking I'm fine….how are you?!" John spat back. Phil took a few steps away from John but still had a serious look on his face.

"Yah well….I'm still trying to get over some stuff. You know stuff that YOU did to me? It's not easy to forget something like that….when someone cheats on you with their best friend!"

"Yah I get it! Kinda like when a co-worker slips something into your food while you're sick and then takes advantage of you in your bed!"

"Oh that's not the same!"

"Yes it is! We were both used for their own selfish needs! I don't want to be with Randy. I haven't spoken to him since then." John pleaded with Phil, moving a bit closer to reach the man's arm. However Phil quickly moved it away.

"NO! I was with a complete stranger. You were with your best friend. It's not the same!"

By now the two men were in a heated conversation as they kept on yelling at one another.

"DAMN IT, PHIL! You're being a complete hypocrite right now you know that? I can't talk to you like this, get out!"

Phil huffed out, angry that John was kicking him out of the house. He reached into his pocket and took out the key, slamming it on the foyer table.

"You know what? Maybe you should move to Boston so then I don't have to see your cheating face ever again!"

"FINE! Maybe I will!"

"FINE!"

"FINE!" John yelled back. Phil turned around quickly, grabbing the handle and throwing the door wide before slamming it.

John now frustrated and angry balled his hand into a fist and slammed it against the wall, breaking the plaster within. He took out his hand, seeing the scratches on his knuckles and let out a heavy breath. He then looked at the key that Phil left and slowly picked it up. His bottom lip trembled, feeling tears falling down his face. Wiping them away, John went over to his cellphone in the living room and dialed his dad's number. He waited for a few seconds before it answered.

"Hello?"

"Hi dad? It's John."

"John! How are yah son?"

"Fine. I made my decision….about Boston…"

"Really?"

"Yeah…I'm…I'm gonna take it."

Chapter 35 – Cody's Escape

Cody didn't want to admit it but his friends were right about Brock. It wasn't something that happened overnight though, it was more a gradual change but when it did happen, Cody knew that he was stuck.

When his friends left that day, he immediately called Brock to tell the guy the news. Cody didn't see it but the larger man was ecstatic that the boy finally gotten rid of his nosy friends. Brock suggested that Cody move in with him and the following day, the young boy packed all his belongings and called his sugar daddy that he was no longer staying at the house.

At first, things were great. They would eat together, watch TV together and the sex was fantastic! Cody was even bragging to his friends at school about his new boyfriend. He was so in love with Brock.

However, after a few weeks Cody noticed a change in his lover. If he did something wrong, Brock would yell at him, calling the boy stupid and push him around during their fights. Then it would escalate to hitting and grabbing Cody roughly until there were bruises in his arms and legs. His friends and some teachers questioned where they came from but the young man always had an excuse: he fell, bumped into something or tripped.

Brock also became extremely jealous over Cody's schooling. He didn't like how his boyfriend had late classes and friends outside of the relationship. Whenever Cody would come home late, Brock would get into the boy's face, accusing him of cheating and calling him a whore. The young man would deny it and apologize but that wasn't enough for Brock. Cody had to be taught a lesson. He would hit and punch him over and over until his knuckles became sore. Afterwards, he would tell Cody that he was sorry but if it wasn't for him, none of it would have happened. Eventually, Cody felt the pressure of Brock's constant accusations and dropped out of his photography course, making him even more isolated from the outside world.

But that was okay with Brock. That's how he liked his boyfriends. Afraid, alone and completely dependent on him.

It was two months into the relationship and the two men were out grocery shopping for the weekend. That was one thing that Cody enjoyed when they were in public; Brock never abused him in front of strangers. Brock was currently in the meat department asking for some pork chops while Cody was by the bakery looking at the treats. He was walking slowly, scanning the various cakes when he bumped into someone.

"Oops! I'm sorry…"

"Cody?"

The young boy looked on wide eyed. It was one his ex-classmates, Damien.

"Oh…Damien! Hi…how are you?" Cody asked, nervously looking from side to side.

"I'm good. I haven't seen you around lately, I was wondering if you fallen off the planet!" The man smiled warmly. Cody smiled a little but still kept on darting his eyes all over the place of any sign of Brock.

"No…I decided the program wasn't for me…"

"Oh really? But you were at the top of the class. Well, as long you're enjoying whatever you're doing now, I'm happy for you." Damien smiled but noticed Cody wasn't really paying attention to him. His friend kept on looking anxiously over his shoulder, like someone was going to snatch him away.

"Hey are you okay? Is something wrong?" The man asked. He reached out for Cody's arm but the boy winced, jerking it away.

"I'm fine…fine."

The man looked over his friend. He noticed Cody has some bruising on his neck and frowned.

"Cody, can you please tell me what's wrong."

"I…gotta go…" Cody replied. Just as he about to turn around, Brock came into view. The young boy's face turned pale as he watched the larger man narrow his eyes at him and Damien. He slowly walked over to Cody, wrapping his large arm over him and let out a venomous smile to Damien.

"Hey babe. Who's this?" Brock asked politely.

"Just someone I use to hang out with at school…"

"Hi I'm Damien. Cody was in the photography class with me." The man reached out his hand to welcome a shake but Brock ignored it.

"Really? Well I'm Cody's boyfriend. So fuck off."

"Excuse me? I…just wanted to say hi to him…"

"Yah, well you did now go. We need to get home." Brock replied, tightening his hold on Cody.

Damien watched his friend become scared and timid but knew this wasn't the place to confront Brock.

"Okay…well see yah Cody…" Damien waited for his friend to look up and say good-bye but after a few seconds, the man gave up and quietly left the two. Brock followed Damien with his eyes until he turned the corner and then focused his attention on Cody. He leaned in, his mouth only a few inches away from the boy's ear and whispered.

"Did you fuck him my little whore? Hmmm…I bet you did. I bet that's the reason why he came up and started talking to you. Cause you're that fucking easy…you disgust me. You don't deserve any friends. Hell you don't deserve me but you give me pleasure. You're my personal fuck toy. Now, we are going to go home and discuss what happened. Get the fucking cart."

Brock let go of Cody and stalked off, leaving the man with the grocery cart. The boy could feel tears welling up but did his best to fight them off. At least until they got in the car.

They were half-way home when Brock got a call on his cellphone. He picked it up and started talking to his trainer, Paul Heyman.

"Well Jesus Paul. Can't it wait until later today? Me and Cody are heading home…we need to talk about some things."

Cody shivered at Brock's comment but kept his mouth shut, listening quietly to Brock's conversation.

"Okay, okay. Fine. I'll be there as soon as I drop my little bitch off. Bye." Brock hung up the phone and turned his head in Cody's direction.

"Well, well. Looks like you're off the hook for now. I gotta see Paul after I drop you off. So you better put the groceries away before I get back. Oh and I want some pizza too. Make it and have it ready as soon as I walk in the front door." Cody nodded his head, tears spilling down his cheeks.

They arrived at the apartment a few minutes later. Brock popped the trunk of the car and allowed Cody to grab the groceries. Once done, the larger man stepped back inside and drove off, leaving Cody with five bags to carry on his own.

He gingerly grabbed all the bags and walked up the flight of stairs to their place. He opened the door and as quickly as he could, headed towards the kitchen. He placed all the groceries where they needed to be and put the plastic bags under the sink. He looked at the clock and nervously took out a frozen pizza. He put the oven on pre-heat and went into the bedroom for a few minutes. He kneeled down and reached under the bed. He grabbed a jar full of money and stuffed some change into it before quickly screwing the jar shut and walked back towards the kitchen.

Ten minutes later, the door opened. Cody looked to see Brock and Paul Heyman walk inside. He cringed when he saw Paul and did his best to be far away as possible from him.

"Paul, just sit down over there and I'll grab some beers."

"Oh no let me." The walrus smiled, walking over to the fridge. He noticed Cody backing away from him and grinned wider.

"Cody would you be a dear and show me where you keep the beer."

The boy trembled his lips, walking closer to the fridge and in front of Paul. He could feel the man stepping closer to him, his groin poking at his back and tried not to throw up.

"The beer is over there." Cody pointed to the bottom shelf.

Paul smiled. He leaned over getting a nice whiff of the boy's skin and quietly demanded Cody to get the beer. The younger man closed his eyes and bent down to grab two cold ones. He whimpered quietly when he felt Paul grind himself on him and quickly stood back up, turning around to face the man.

"Here."

"Thanks babe." Paul replied, walking back to the TV room and handing a beer over to Brock.

Cody legs began to shake. He swiftly went over to the bathroom and locked the door. He splashed some cold water on his face and let out several breaths to calm himself closing his eyes in the process. When he opened them up, he looked at his reflection in the mirror. He saw the dark circles under his eyes, the bruises on his neck and sadness in his face. He needed to get out of this hellhole before something happened to him. Opening the medicine cabinet, he went to grab some aspirin when he noticed another bottle. He smiled softly, quickly grabbing it and walked back outside towards the kitchen.

"So for the next bout, we need to focus on Dave's right leg. You know he just had surgery on that thing and I want you to destroy it. Make him a cripple by the end of the match."

"Don't worry Paul. I'll break that fucking face of his and his sorry ass leg. Where the hell is Cody? CODY!"

The young man ran towards the noise, stopping right next to Brock and waited.

"Yes…sir?"

"Where's the pizza?"

"Oh…ummmmm…it's still being cooked."

"Cooked? Didn't I tell you that I wanted pizza as soon as I came in?"

"Well…I wanted to make…sure…it was done…." Cody back away when he saw Brock stand up and tower over him. Paul looked on, smiling as he watched the young boy cower underneath.

"Fucking idiot! You don't even know how to make frozen pizza right! Why do I even bother with you? You're useless. You can't cook, you don't clean, you might as well be a piece of shit. The only thing you're good for is sucking cock! Isn't that right my little whore?" Brock screamed, grabbing Cody by the arm and dragging him back to the room. He gripped the boy's face, forcing him to kneel down and began to undo his pants.

"No…please…not in front of…him…." Cody pleaded, looking over at Paul who now had his hand down his pants.

"Really? Getting shy now? You weren't shy at that party a few weeks back. You know when we all had a turn."

"You slipped something in my drink."

Before Cody could apologize, Brock slapped him across the face, knocking the boy down.

"Don't fucking talk back to me! Maybe I need to teach you a lesson again in respect. What do you think Paul?"

"Oh definitely. He's being very naughty right now." The man agreed as he grinned from ear to ear.

Cody was back away, looking at Brock and Paul above him.

"Please! I'm sorry! I won't do it again! Ahhhhh!" Brock grabbed Cody by the hair, lifting him up and threw him on the couch face first.

"Paul…teach my bitch a lesson."

The walrus wringed his hands together as he stalked over the boy's scared form.

"With pleasure…hehehehe…." Paul roughly tore off Cody's jogging pants, leaving him naked from the waist down. He pulled out his cock and in one quick motion, shoved himself inside.

Cody screamed in agony. He didn't want to go through this again.

"Noooo! Please, stop!"

He felt another slap across the face and looked up to see Brock's angry eyes staring down at him.

"Shut up! You deserve this. You fucking like it! Now open up and take my cock." The larger man grabbed his dick and forced it into Cody's mouth.

The boy was now in tears. His could feel Paul grunt behind him, plunging his dick roughly into his hole as Brock face fucked him with his hard cock. The two men took several turns with Cody and after an hour and a half, they left him lying on the floor, battered, bloody and bruised.

"Now, that was a good lesson!" Paul exclaimed as the two men shared a laugh at Cody's expense. Brock poked the boy with his foot, making him wince in pain.

"Now make another pizza and get us some beers."

With his legs feeling like rubber, Cody got up slowly and walked into the kitchen. He threw the burnt pizza in the garbage and grabbed another one, putting it in the oven. He then took two beers from the fridge and opened the caps. He turned his head to see if Brock and Paul were looking at him. When he saw that their attention was focused on the TV, he quickly opened the bottle that he took earlier from the medicine cabinet and dropped a few pills into each drink. He waited for a bit for them to dissolve and quickly went back to where Brock was.

"Here you go sir."

Both men took their drinks, ignoring Cody completely. The boy turned around, went into bathroom and turned on the shower. He stepped inside, feeling the hot water burn his skin and cried out. He cried for his freedom, his friends and his life. After fifteen minutes of scrubbing off the shame, he got out, dressed himself and went back to the kitchen. He took out the pizza and placed it on the large plate. When he went to hand the pizza over to Brock, he noticed the two men were asleep. He leaned in closer, gently calling out Brock's name. When the man didn't respond, Cody smiled and ran into the bedroom.

He grabbed the jar of money and his coat and rushed to the front door. He took one last look at Brock's naked form and felt a sense of relief. He closed the door quietly, jogged down the stairs and out the doors. Cody then ran to bus station, clutching at the jar as he felt tears of joy escape him.

When he reached the station, Cody walked towards the front desk and handed the jar to the woman.

"Hello sir. May I help you?"

The boy let out a breath, smiling warmly at the woman.

"I need a one-way ticket to Chicago."

Chapter 36 – New Roommate

One week went by and John was still angry with what Phil said to him. He was also depressed and lonely that this was it. This was the end of their relationship. He was hoping the guy would call or come by again and apologize but like Eve mentioned, Phil can be a very stubborn person.

He was in the bedroom, putting some of Phil's clothes and comics in a box when the phone rang. He picked it up and was surprised to hear Cody on the other end.

"John please! Don't hang up. I'm at the bus station. I ran away…I couldn't…couldn't take it anymore! Please come get me…" The boy sobbed. John didn't need to be told twice. Of course he would have to ask Cody what the deal was but for now his number one priority was to drive over to the bus station and get his distraught friend at his place.

"Don't worry Codes. Give me ten minutes and I'll be there."

John quickly hung up and went down the stairs toward his car. He got in and drove as fast as he could without breaking the speed limit. He parked near the entrance and went inside, scanning any signs of Cody. He stopped and noticed a figure near the back, slumped and hugging his knees to his chest. John slowly went over to his friend, making sure not to scare him. When he stood right in front, the larger man bent over and knelt down so he could see Cody's face.

"Cody…hey, it's me John."

The smaller boy looked up to see a pair of sweet blue eyes staring back at him. His lips started to quiver as the tears poured down his cheeks.

"John! I'm so sorry!" Cody cried out, throwing his arms around his friend as his sobbing grew more intense. John held him tightly, rubbing his back and whispering to him that everything was okay.

"Hey, don't worry Codes. I got you…you're safe with me." John repeated that over and over. After a few minutes, John convinced Cody to stand up and guided him towards his car. The boy held onto his friend tight, looking over his shoulder from time to time, afraid that Brock was going to jump out of a corner.

John opened the passenger door, carefully placing Cody inside and jogged over to the driver seat, starting the car in an instant. The drive home was silent. John would glance over at Cody, watching the boy fiddle with his hands. When they got home, the two men went inside, John showing Cody the couch while he prepared some hot tea. He came back from the kitchen, holding two cups and handed one over to Cody. He sat down beside him and both drank in silence for a few moments until John spoke up.

"Cody….if you don't want to tell me now that's okay. But eventually I need to know what happened."

The boy let out a shaky sigh as he took another sip of his beverage. He looked at his friend and bit his lip before speaking.

"I'm so stupid! I should have listened to Roman but I didn't! I left my friends John…they hate me…."

"No they don't hate you."

"He was so nice to me John. He would buy me flowers and tell me how cute I was…but things changed…he changed…." Cody felt fresh tears pour down his cheeks as he told his frightening story to John. The beatings, shouting at him and the stuff he was forced to do in front of his friends. The larger man listened quietly as memories flooded his mind. Memories of Brock doing the same things to him…horrible things. When it was done, John reached out and gave his friend a hug.

"You listen to me. You're not stupid and no one hates you. Brock is an evil man and it's his entire fault. I should have gone to Florida when I found out. I should have saved you."

"John, you didn't need to do that…"

"But you're my friend. Friends are supposed to take care of each other." John said, looking at Cody. The two men smiled as they embraced again, their bond growing stronger from this incident. After a few minutes, John let go and went back to the kitchen for some fresh tea. He came back with another cup and handed it over to his friend.

"Thanks John for being there for me."

"You don't need to thank me. And now that you're here, you can stay for as long as you want…well at least until I move back to Boston."

"Boston? Why you moving there?"

John let out a sigh of his own as he recalled to Cody everything that was happening in Chicago. From AJ's obsession over Phil to Randy's obsession over him. Cody listened wide-eyed. Of course he knew about Randy and John being together but all this other stuff that John was telling him was new juicy gossip.

"…so now I'm packing all of Phil's stuff and probably give him a call later to pick it up. I can't believe it's over. I still love him Codes. He's my soul mate."

"Wow! I didn't think you and Phil would split up. You two are so cute together. I loved seeing you guys hugging and kissing…" Cody smiled, letting out a giggle. John chuckled at his friend's innocent nature. He was glad that he was able to talk to someone about this. It made everything seem a little bit better.

After a couple of hours of crying and talking, the two decided it would be a good idea to sleep off the night's events. John took Cody upstairs, towards the spare room.

"Now I might have some extra pajamas you could wear. If you want you can take a shower first."

"Ummmm…do you mind if I sleep with you? I don't want to be alone tonight."

"Of course Cody. Here, take these. The bathroom is the door on the left and take your time." John smiled, watching his friend walk slowly to the bathroom and locking the door. The larger man went into his room and took out his phone. He dialed Roman's number and waited for a few seconds until it was answered.

"Roman? It's me John."

"Hey how yah doing?"

"Well, things could be better. Cody is here. He ran away from Brock…I have a feeling that he might go after him."

"I see. What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to make sure that he doesn't know where Cody is. I'm sure he'll try to go after you guys and especially Evan. Please take care of him and if you hear anything, let me know right away."

"No problem John. You know I always got your back. And tell Cody that I'm very proud of him for leaving that scumbag."

"I will. Thanks Roman, Bye."

"Bye John."

The man hung up his phone, letting out a breath. He looked up to see Cody walk in wearing his sweats and smiled.

"Sleepy time!" The boy exclaimed, running over to the bed and jumping under the covers. John laughed softly, climbing in himself.

"Good-night Cody."

"Good-night John. And thanks again for everything."

John kissed his friend on the forehead, turning off the light and wrapped his large arm around him as they both drifted off to sleep.

For the next couple of days, John shifted his focus to Cody. He asked Eve to come by and check on his bruises and if there was anything that he could do to ease the pain. She got there and smiled at John's friend before examining his arms and legs. Cody stayed still, watching Phil's sister and thought how pretty she was.

'No wonder Randy fell for her.' She was so nice to him and did her best to be as gentle as possible to the boy. Cody also felt kinda guilty of being with Randy behind her back. He wanted to tell her what happened but thought otherwise.

"Well, I recommend some over the counter pain killers that you can buy at the drugstore without a prescription. That might help. Plenty of rest and being with supportive friends is good to." Eve smiled, looking over at John.

"Thanks Eve. I'll make sure to go over to the pharmacy. Cody are you okay staying here for a bit with Eve?"

"Ummmm…okay…"

John nodded and left the two alone while he went to get some medication. Eve tended carefully to Cody's arm, rubbing it gently with her hands.

"I'm sorry about Randy, Eve."

The woman looked up quickly hearing Cody speak.

"It's okay. I kinda had a feeling that he wasn't interested in our relationship."

"But he should at least make the effort of being there for you. You're having his child. I would never leave a girl behind if I got her pregnant. Of course, that would mean I would have to have sex with her and I don't think that's a possibility." Cody joked. The woman smiled back, letting out a sigh.

"You're a really sweet boy Cody. I hate what happened to you in Florida. You deserve better."

"Really?"

"Yes. Now, how about we make some food? What would you like to eat?"

Just at Eve was about to get up, John came back from the pharmacy.

"Okay, I got some stuff for you Codes. This should help for a little while."

"Oh good. I was going to make some food for us. Do you have anything in mind?" Eve asked John.

"I was actually gonna go to the grocery store and pick up some stuff."

"Let's all go! Road trip! Yahhhh!" Cody bounced off the couch, jumping up and down with a grin on his face. Eve and John smiled at the boy's sweet nature and shrugged their shoulders.

"Okay, well, guess we're going to the grocery store."

All three climbed into John's car as they sped off. Once they got there, Cody quickly grabbed at cart and ran towards the entrance doors, with John and Eve dragging behind.

"He really is just a child, isn't he John?" Eve asked.

"Cody has had a rough life. Being with Brock has made him even more vulnerable. I need to protect him Eve. You have no idea how much he means to me as a friend."

"I know John. I know." The woman replied, grabbing John's hand and squeezing it for assurance.

They went inside and headed towards the fruits and vegetables. John grabbed a bag of oranges while Eve picked up some apples and pears. Cody was biting his fingernails, watching the people grabbing their food when he spotted Phil and Dolph. He smiled wide, walking quickly over to them and stopped short in front of their cart.

"Hey you!"

Phil turned his head and was surprised to see Cody here in Chicago.

"Cody? Jesus man! What are you doing here?" Phil smiled, reaching out and hugging the boy lightly before breaking away.

"Oh I had to get away from Florida…" Phil nodded, having a pretty good feeling what he was talking about but didn't want to discuss it in public. Cody turned his head to face Dolph and gave him a flirtatious smile.

"Ohhhh and who's this?"

"Oh Cody this is Dolph. Dolph this is Cody. One of John's friends from Florida."

"Hey."

"Hello….are you single?"

Dolph swallowed hard, stuttering his response.

"Uhhhh…I'm straight."

Cody just winked at the man's blushing face as he turned his attention back to Phil.

"So I take it you're staying with John then? How…how is he doing? Is he here?" The tattooed man asked, looking around.

"Yes Phil he's here and your sister is to. John really misses you…he loves you."

It was now Phil's turn to blush as he brought his head down slightly.

"Well, he's moving to Boston. I can't do anything about that."

"What the hell are you talking about? Just go over there and tell him you still want to be with him." Dolph replied.

"I can't."

"You won't. You're too stubborn."

"Just leave me alone. Let's just get out food before the game starts. I want to get to the arena before the crowd."

"Ooooo…you're going to a hockey game?" Cody asked.

"Yes, me and Dolph are going."

"Yah, can't wait." The blond rolled his eyes.

Phil was about to leave and turn back around when John came into view. The two men locked eyes and for a brief second, everyone around them disappeared. What Phil wouldn't do to just run over there and hold John tight against his body. John slowly moved closer and closer until they were only a few feet away. Eve, Dolph and Cody all looked at one another and tried to ease this awkward moment.

"Phil! I'm so glad to see you!" Eve exclaimed, reaching out and giving her brother a big hug. Phil hugged Eve back, staring at John during the embrace and quickly let go.

"Hi Eve. I bumped into Cody. He told me he's staying here for a bit."

"Yes. Cody is staying with John." Eve said, turning her head to face the larger man. John looked over at Phil and gave the man a small smile.

"Hi Phil."

"Hey."

Again the silence grew between the two men for a few more moments until Phil broke the tension.

"Well Dolph and I we gotta go and get ready for the hockey game. Bye."

Dolph then had a wicked idea.

"You know what? I don't feel like going. Why don't you take someone else with you."

"What? I thought you wanted to go."

"I'm not a big fan of hockey. I find it kinda boring."

Phil huffed out at Dolph's last minute decision.

"Damn it! Why didn't you tell me this before I bought the tickets? Fine, I won't go either."

"Oh wait! Why don't you take someone else?" Eve asked, joining in Dolph's plan.

"You don't like hockey."

"Not me silly…someone else." The woman hinted, tilting her head slightly towards John. Oblivious to Eve's move, Phil looked over at Cody.

"Did you wanna go Codes?"

"Me? Oh no, no, no. Too much ice and padding. I can't see their cute butts. Why don't you take John? John loves hockey. Right?"

"Uhhhh…yeah but it's no big deal."

"Oh come on. Phil bought the tickets and I'm not going anymore." Dolph replied.

"Yeah. Phil ask John." Eve said.

"Yeah. You two go!" Cody exclaimed.

All three were badgering Phil and John to go to the game together that Phil finally had enough.

"OKAY! Jesus. Ummm….John did you want to go to the hockey game with me tonight…" Phil mumbled.

"Yes he does!"

"Cody! Well, if you really…want me to…"

"Yes he does."

"Dolph! Yeah…It will be fun."

John showed off his dimpled smile.

"Okay….I guess I'll see you later."

"Yeah." Both men stared at one another briefly before turning their heads away. Eve, Dolph and Cody all smiled at their little impromptu plan before saying their good-byes and going their separate ways.

As they turned the corner, Phil punched Dolph in the arm hard.

"Ouch! What the hell man?"

"Please! I know what you three were doing. I'm not stupid."

"Yeah well, do you want to call John and tell him no? Break his heart again?"

"Ummm…no."

"Phil relax. It's a hockey game. It's not like you two are gonna have sex afterwards." Dolph replied, taking the cart from Phil's hold as he went over to the next aisle. Phil walked slowly as Dolph's comment resonated in his head.

'That's what I'm afraid of.'

Chapter 37 – The Hockey Game

Phil got out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist as he wiped the mirror fog with his hand. He looked at his reflection and let out a deep breath.

'It's only a hockey game Phil. No big deal.'

But his heart was telling him otherwise. This was going to be the first time in a long time that he would be with John. It was a good thing that they would be at a crowded arena. At least Phil wouldn't have the urge to take John right then and there.

'But he might invite me to his place…upstairs…in bed.'

He shook the thoughts out his head and focused on his hair and beard. He grabbed some of Dolph's hair gel and poured some into his hand. He smoothed it over his head before taking a razor and trimming the hairs on his face. Taking one last look, he opened the door to the bathroom and went straight to his room. He knew he wanted to wear his favourite Blackhawks Jersey. He grabbed it from his bag along with a pair of jeans and some underwear. He got dressed and took out his phone, looking at the time.

He had about another hour to spare and decided to go over to the living room where Dolph was watching the pre-game show.

"So you ready for your date with John?" Dolph said smiling.

"It's not a date. We're going to a hockey game that's it." Phil said glaring.

"Sure you are. That's why it took you almost 30 minutes to get ready. You've never took that long when we would go out. I kinda feel a bit jealous." The blond put on a fake frown before he broke into a grin and started to laugh.

"Oh shut up! If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be in this mess. Now I have to be in close quarters with the guy for the next three hours."

"Well, it's not like you made any attempt to stop it." Dolph replied, sending Phil a smug look. The tattooed man narrowed his eyes as he waited for John to call him. A few minutes later his phone rang and he quickly picked it up.

"Hello?" Phil squeaked.

"Hi Phil…ummm is it possible for you to drive? My car is having some trouble."

"Oh uhhhhh, okay sure."

"Thanks. I guess I'll see you soon…bye."

"Bye." Phil hung up his phone and turned his head towards Dolph.

"John just called and said his car is having some trouble. Do you mind if I borrow yours tonight?"

"Hmmmm….you want to borrow my car for your date with John? Let's see…" Dolph tapped his chin with his finger, pretending to think over Phil's question. The tattooed man rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest as he waited impatiently for his friend.

"Oh Christ! Come on. Quit making it such a big deal."

"Okay, okay fine. I give you permission to use my car. But no drag racing and no funny business in the back seat!" Dolph went to grab his car key and handed it over to Phil. The smaller man grabbed it and walked over to the front door.

"Okay bye. I'll be back soon."

"Oh Phil? Do you have the tickets?"

Phil looked over his shoulder, seeing Dolph waving the hockey tickets in his hand. The other man mumbled something under his breath and snatched them out of his friend's hand.

"Have fun Phil. Let me know if there's any overtime." Dolph replied, smiling as he watched his friend leave the apartment.

About twenty minutes later, he arrived at John's house. Phil turned off the car and sat inside for a few seconds before opening the door and walking towards the front. Letting out a couple of breaths, he knocked and waited for John to answer. Within seconds, the door opened and Phil's mouth almost dropped to the ground.

John was wearing a tight light blue t-shirt, showing off his muscular arms and giving his eyes a bright blue color. His jeans were tight around the thigh area and he smelled so delicious. Looking at the larger man before him, Phil knew this night was going to be a long one.

"Hey, I'm glad you're here. You ready to go?" John asked, showing off his dimpled smile.

"Go where?"

"Uhhhh…the hockey game…"

It took a few seconds for Phil's brain to process what was going on. When it finally caught up, the man closed his mouth and grinned from ear to ear.

"Oh yeah! The game…yeah…I got tickets duh! Okay, let's go…." Phil said quietly, feeling a bit stupid that he acted like a high school girl. He turned around and walked towards the car with John following behind.

The larger man licked his lips at Phil's form. He looked so sexy with that Jersey on and those pants! They did not leave much to the imagination. However, John was able to get his composure in place and followed Phil. He went over to the passenger side and waited for the other man to start the car.

"Phil…I'm really looking forward to tonight…" John said. He slowly reached over to touch Phil's hand but stopped mid-way, returning his hand back to his lap.

"Yeah…I think it will be fun." Phil glanced at the corner of his eye as he saw John's hand close in on his. Halfway through though he stopped and quickly placed it back on his lap. Disappointed, Phil started the car and they both drove off to the arena.

The two men stayed silent for a few minutes as John looked out the passenger window while Phil focused on the downtown traffic until John decided to break the ice with some small talk.

"So who is Chicago playing against?"

The smaller man turned his head slightly towards John and replied.

"San Jose. It should be a good game."

"Yeah, both teams are at the top of their division. It's gonna be tough though for Chicago…"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they haven't had much luck on home ice lately."

"Please! All teams have a losing streak. And besides we're talking about the Stanley Cup Champs. You remember them winning it last year? Oh and who was it that they beat? Oh yeah…Boston!" Phil smiled wide at his comeback, whistling a happy tune. John couldn't help but smile at Phil's cute face and decided to have some fun with him.

"Oh yeah…I remember. I also remember the little bet we had. Do you remember that?"

Suddenly Phil's face turned a beet red as he brought his head down a little. He remembered all too well about that bet plus the chocolate syrup, the blindfold, the dildo and other things.

"Yeah…" Phil said quietly. Their conversation ended at that with neither man having the courage to continue on. Instead they stayed silent until they reached the arena twenty minutes later.

Once they got inside, they headed for their seats. They sat down and settled themselves in, watching the fans getting ready for the game to start.

"Hey did you want anything to eat? My treat." John asked, nudging Phil in the arm.

"Oh you don't have to do that."

"I want to. Now how about a hot dog and drink?" The larger man got up, smiling down at Phil.

"Okay. Oh John! Don't forget…"

"I know, I know. Pepsi." John winked at Phil before turning around and heading towards the concession stands.

The tattooed man watched John go up the stairs before disappearing into the crowd. He let out a contented sigh and thought that so far it hasn't been that bad.

'Maybe it is time to forgive and forget.' Phil pondered. He quickly turned his head when he felt a hand touch his leg.

"Hey, you're in la la land or what?" John looked into Phil's eyes and noticed something different. Almost like the guy wanted to say something to him. But before he could ask, the look was gone in an instant.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about the game."

John nodded his head giving Phil his hotdog and drink while he dug into his.

"Well, I'm sure it will be fun. Maybe we should make a bet on it?" John joked, winking at Phil. The smaller man smiled as his face blushed for the second time that night. It was going to be a long night for both men.

After three periods of non-stop action, both teams were tied 2-2 and going into overtime. The crowd was going wild and Phil was clapping and yelling for his team to win. John was also enjoying the game, although not as much as Phil but that was okay. It was just nice being near the guy without having an argument with him. The play stopped as the referee pointed to a Chicago player and sending him to the penalty box. Everyone was booing and screaming out profanities and Phil almost threw his drink out on the ice.

"Stupid fucking ref! That San Jose prick high-sticked him and he got nothing! Damn it….I hope they don't blow it." Phil said, letting out a frustrated breath. John smiled, looking at his phone and checking out the other games on tonight.

"Well, it can't as bad as what Boston had to go through. They lost against Montreal 5-1. Man, that blows."

"Well that's what happens when you root for a crappy team John. Seriously, you must join the other side. It will good for you." Phil teased. John smirked, lightly punching Phil in the arm before looking down on the ice as the game started again.

Everyone was at the edge of their seats. Phil looked on intensely as San Jose signalled for the goalie to get off the ice so they can have more man power. Chicago was doing their best to kill the penalty as the men huddled together, slapping their sticks on the ice and making contact with the puck. 30 seconds to go and the fans were going wild, Phil included. He was throwing his hands in the air, encouraging his team to make another goal.

As the puck entered the Chicago side, both sides were scrambling for the puck. The goalie made some pretty good saves, sending the audience into a frenzy of cheers as the puck was rushed out and into the other side. One of the defence men caught it in time and made a slap shot right at the empty net. The crowd screamed for joy as Chicago scored making it 3-2 for the home team. John got up from his seat, joining Phil and the rest of the fans in the celebration. Phil being lost in the moment turned around to John and gave the man a big hug and kiss on the cheek. The larger man was shocked at Phil's gesture and it looked like Phil was to. He quickly let go, feeling his face flush.

"Oh shit! I'm…I'm sorry…I was just happy that they won!"

"It's okay Phil. I probably would have done the same if Boston won." John reassured him. But his mind was in overdrive.

'He kissed me! Oh that felt so good!' The larger man thought as a smile crept up on his face.

After the celebrations, they headed back towards the car. The air was crisp and the people around them were still jumping for joy after the game.

"It was a good game. Thanks for inviting me Phil." John looked over at the tattooed man and smiled. Phil smiled back.

"Yeah, it was fun."

Phil spotted the car and quickly went over to the other side, unlocking the passenger door with the keys. Both men got in and headed back to John's place.

The ride was pretty relaxed. John and Phil discussed the game, the saves made and some fights that happened as well. Both men were at ease and it felt nice.

Thirty minutes later and they arrived at John's house. Phil turned off the car as both men sat inside quietly.

"Ummm…thanks again Phil."

"No problem."

John didn't make any attempt to leave and Phil didn't rush to start the car again.

"Well, I guess I'll…see you later…" John replied, breaking the awkward silence. Phil watched the larger man opened the door slightly. He didn't want to the night to end just yet. He was having too much fun.

"Did you want me to look at your car?" Phil blurted out.

John stopped, turning his head around.

"Nah…I'm sure it's nothing big."

"But it…it could be. And I don't mind." Phil smiled, hoping that John would accept his offer.

"Ummm…okay…if you want to."

Both men left the car, as Phil followed John towards the garage door. He turned on the switch and motioned to the vehicle.

"Did you want me to try to start the car?"

"Okay, sure."

John went ahead and put the key in the ignition. Just like earlier that day, the car wouldn't start. It made a horrible sound and the man was afraid that it was on its last life.

"I can pop the hood if you like."

Phil nodded, hearing it pop and lifted the hood up. He asked John to turn the key again and scanned the parts for anything suspicious. He finally had an idea. Taking the air filter, he unhinged it and asked John to start the car again. This time it worked. Smiling, John got out of the car and went over to Phil.

"I can't believe you fixed it!"

"Well, it's a temporary fix. You need to change the air filter. You can still use the car but the drive might be a bit jerky, especially when you brake."

"How much would that be?"

"Probably three hundred. But I can buy it at the local hardware store and replace it for you."

"You don't have to do that."

"I know…I…want to." Phil showed off a smile his eyes shining brightly. John's heart skipped at beat at that sweet face.

"Okay…Your hands are dirty. Did you want to go inside and wash them?"

"Sure."

Both men went into the house and towards the kitchen. Phil walked past John and started to wash his hands.

"Did you want a Pepsi?"

"Okay."

John opened the fridge and took out a can of Pepsi. He held onto to it and waited for Phil to finish washing his hands before he brought the can over to him.

"Thanks." Phil said as he opened the pop can and took a large sip. The two men remained silent after that, standing in the kitchen while Phil was looking everywhere but at John.

"So ummmm…thanks again Phil for inviting me."

"No big deal. It was nice hanging out with you."

"Yeah…" John didn't take his eyes off of Phil as he brought the Pepsi Can to his lips and drank slowly. Phil watched and swallowed hard before turning away, his eyes looking down the hallway.

"Did you wanna watch some highlights of the game on TV?"

'Say no, say no, say no, say no, say no'

"Okay."

Both men slowly walked to the living room. John kept the lights off as he turned on the TV to the sports channel. Phil sat down beside John; his heart was pounding a mile a minute as the larger man made himself comfortable. Upon instinct he wrapped his arm around Phil's shoulder, however neither man said anything. They watched some highlights of some basketball games before the announcer turned his attention to hockey.

Phil scooted a bit closer to John, their legs touching slightly. John swallowed hard, feeling Phil's leg rub against his as he moved slightly closer to him.

Both men tried to pay attention to the TV but their bodies were focused on something else. Phil turned his head as John did the same. They stared at one another for a brief moment until their heads moved closer and closer.

John could feel Phil's hot breath just inches away and pretty soon their mouths connected. The kiss was light almost like they were too afraid to touch each other with their lips but pretty soon it became deeper, more intense.

Phil loved the feeling of John's lips on his, sending electric sparks all over his body. John cupped the man's face with his hands as he applied more pressure, darting his tongue out to seek entrance to which Phil obliged willingly enough.

Suddenly Phil felt a small weight covering his body and noticed he was moving downwards towards the couch. He didn't protest, in fact he welcomed having John on top him and trembled when he lightly placed his groin against his, grinding it gently.

'Oh GOD! This feels so good.' Phil thought.

They kept on kissing one another, their mouths exploring each other lips while John's hands roamed along Phil's chest. Phil felt John's hand sneak under his shirt and tensed a bit when the other man's fingers lightly touched his skin. John moved away breaking the kiss as Phil tried to catch his breath.

"I can stop if you like…" John stated, his blue eyes turning a dark indigo as he licked his lips waiting in anticipation for Phil to answer.

"Nooo…I…don't want you to stop …" Swallowing hard, Phil's eyes grew wide as his breathing hitched, feeling those fingers trailing along his chest and down his abs before stopping above the waistband of Phil's jeans.

John moved his head down lower wanting to place another kiss on those supple lips when someone started to unlock the front door.

Both men jumped at the sudden noise and quickly moved away from one another afraid that whoever was on the other side was going to barge right in and see them making out.

Phil got up and pulled down his jersey while John bolted upright and tried his best to hide the bulge in his pants. He quickly turned on the light as both men sat as far away as possible from each other.

Cody walked in unaware of what just happened a few moments ago. He went into the TV room and noticed John and Phil sitting on the opposite ends of the couch and smiled wickedly.

"Hi boys. Am I interrupting something?"

"No…ummmm…we were just watching some highlights." John replied, his voice a bit shaky. Phil looked down, not wanting to make eye contact at the moment and quickly got up.

"I should go. I'll…I'll see you around…bye." The smaller man practically ran towards the front door and left the house, almost tripping on a flower pot.

Cody looked at Phil leave then at John with a big smirk on his face.

"You two were making out."

"Drop it Codes. I don't wanna talk about it."

"John and Phil up in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G…."

"Cody!"

"First comes love then comes marriage…"

"Damn it, stop!"

"Then comes John with the baby carriage!" Cody leaped onto John and started to laugh. The larger man scowled at his friend but was soon laughing with him for a few moments until they eventually stopped.

Cody sat himself up and looked at his friend.

"I hope you two get back together."

"I hope so to. I'm just afraid that I might have drove him away. I should call him."

"John. Give him some time. I'm sure he'll come around."

The larger man sighed. He really didn't want to wait any longer but Cody had a point. It was up to Phil if he wanted to see him or not.

"Okay…I'm going to bed then. Good-night Cody."

"Night John."

Phil drove like the devil, weaving in and out of traffic as his mind raced at what happened. Okay so it was his decision to look at John's car and his decision to follow him into the living room. And sure, he might have made some subtle moves and didn't stop when John started to make out with him. But all he wanted to do was to go to a hockey game and enjoy some time with the guy. However, tonight it ended up as more.

And Phil liked it.

Letting out a large sigh, he drove into the parlour's parking lot at the back. He wasn't ready to go home yet, not after what happened. He needed time to think.

Did he want John to go to Boston? No.

Does he still love John? Yes.

Is he ready to forgive and forget? That was the question plaguing Phil's mind. He man closed his eyes, resting his head on the wheel. He needed to talk to John. He had to in order to sort this mess out.

Taking out his phone, he called John. Within seconds he heard the familiar voice and began to speak.

"Hey…I was wondering if…if you wanted to talk about stuff."

"Really? Yeah…Yeah I would love to."

"Okay…how about we meet tomorrow around six at the coffee place near my shop."

"Sounds good. I'll see you then Phil."

"Thanks John. Bye."

"Bye."

The smaller man hung up his phone. It felt like a huge weight has been lifted off his shoulders. He grinned, knowing that he was finally going to talk to John and maybe restore what they have left.

He turned on the car, putting on the headlights. He was shocked to see AJ standing in front of his car.

Phil cursed under his breath, wishing he followed his sister's advice to put a restraining order on the woman. He opened the door slowly, cautiously watching the petite girl as he walked towards her.

"Uhhh…hey AJ. What are you doing here?"

The woman stared straight ahead, her face hidden behind the long dark strands of her hair. After a few silent seconds, she turned her head and locked eyes with the man before her.

"You saw him tonight didn't you?"

"What?"

"Don't play dumb with me. I saw you with him….you were with John."

"Were you following me? Jesus are you crazy?"

"DON'T CALL ME CRAZY!"

Phil jumped a little at AJ's outburst. He backed away a few steps not wanting to be near the woman at the moment and tried to think of a plan to get out of here alive.

"AJ, listen. I know you're mad but can't we still be friends? You know…we can hang out at the comic book store and check out all the new releases."

"No…I don't want to be fucking friends. I want to be your girlfriend."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in you in that way. I like men AJ. I like John."

The woman had a frantic look in her eye, stalking towards Phil who was backing away.

Before the man could react, he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head. He fell down on the hard cold concrete, as a pair of feet started to kick him in the ribs. He screamed out in pain, doing his best to shield his stomach with his arms but it was no use.

"Take him inside!" AJ demanded to the mysterious culprit.

The person grabbed Phil's keys and unlocked the parlour. Phil was dragged into the shop where he was dropped again on the floor. AJ then began to yell out in anger, throwing boxes of tools, ink and other items everywhere. She smashed mirrors and threw papers onto the floor before turning her attention back to Phil.

"Give me the can."

"AJ are you sure about this?"

"YES! Give it to me!" The woman demanded. The person handed her a can full of gasoline, watching as AJ poured the contents all over the floor. She took out a lighter, flicking it until the flame came out. She knelt down beside Phil who was coughing up blood and smiled.

"If I can't have you, then no one can Phil. Good-bye."

The woman then dropped the lighter and quickly left with her accomplice, leaving Phil broken and bruised, in his shop while it burned around him.

Chapter 38 – Aftermath

3 days later

Phil let out a groan, opening his eyes slowly as he looked around the room. He could see white walls, a monitor, and some tubes. He turned his head to the left and saw John hunched over in a chair sleeping.

'Where am I?'

He groaned again, grabbing the attention of John. The larger man shot up, a look of disbelief and complete happiness on his face.

"Oh my God! You're…you're alive!" John cried out. He went over to Phil and took the man's hand in his, squeezing it.

"Of course I am. What the hell happened?"

Before John could respond, the nurse came in. She saw Phil had woken up and immediately called for the doctor.

"John what happened?" Phil asked again.

"Why don't you see the doctor first." John replied. He waited until the doctor came and left the room where he was met with Eve and Cody.

"John, one my friends told me that Phil is awake. Is he okay?" Eve asked as tears streamed down her face.

"Yes he's okay but he doesn't remember what happened."

All three gave each other worried looks. If Phil didn't know what happened, then this was going to be more complicated than originally thought.

"Well, we should tell him when the time is right." Cody said. John and Eve nodded in agreement as they waited in the lobby.

Once the doctor was done checking up on Phil, he went over to where his three friends were. John, Eve and Cody all stood as they watched the doctor come closer to them. He smiled and explained to them the situation.

"Well, it seems Phil's injuries are not too serious, although he still has some burns in the upper legs and arms. I checked his ribs and they are still swollen. Fortunately for him, no internal bleeding. I have called one of the detectives who is working on his case. He would like to ask some questions regarding the incident."

"But doctor, he doesn't know what happened. He can't remember." John replied.

"Then I suggest someone tell him. He needs to know how he got here before he finds out from a stranger."

"So can we see him then?"

"He shouldn't have so many people at once but I'll let this one pass. On another note, Eve make sure you rest. I don't want one of my talented nurses fainting on me."

The woman smiled at her colleague, as all three walked over to Phil's room. Cody opened the door, allowing John and Eve to go in first before he followed. The smaller man gave a small smile to them.

"Hey guys…ummmm….can you tell me how I got here?"

John tensed his jaw, grabbing the chair that he was in and moved it next to Phil's bed. Cody took the other chair and gave it to Eve who sat on the other side while he stood by against the wall.

"Phil, something happened to you and well…I'm not sure how to begin." Eve said.

"Just tell me."

The woman looked over at John, nodding for him to start the story.

"I guess when you left my place, you went over to your parlour. Do you remember that?"

"Kinda yeah."

"Well something happened. Whether someone broke into your shop or you got into a fight, the police found you unconscious inside."

The smaller man gave a confused look to John. He tried to recall the events that happened but everything was so blurry.

"I don't even remember."

"Well, there's more. This person or group of people, they set your shop on fire…while you were inside."

Phil gasped. He couldn't believe that someone would want to do that to him!

"What?! My shop was set on fire! I…I don't know what to say…I should be thankful that I'm alive and that my parlour is okay."

Phil looked at John then at Eve for reassurance. He became worried when neither one was looking at him.

"Guys…my shop…is my shop okay?" The man asked.

Eve let the tears stream down her, squeezing her brother's hand.

"I'm so sorry Phil. I know your shop meant so much to you…they did whatever they could. They had to save you first."

The tattooed man shook his head violently.

"NO, NO, NO, NO! My parlour can't be gone! It can't!" Phil sobbed out loud, not caring who was in the room with him.

Eve reached out to embrace him, gently soothing him with small back rubs. John kept on holding onto Phil's hand, a look of sadness in his eyes. Cody stood where he was, as silent tears fell from his face.

"Phil, it's okay. You'll get a new shop. Don't worry…"

"I…I…don't…want…a new…shop! I want the…one I had before!" Phil cried out. His eyes turned all red puffy and his breathing was starting to come in heavy gasps until he started to cough. He groaned, reaching for his mid-section as the pain in his ribs overcame him.

"Phil, please don't be too upset. You're still injured. I know this is hard to take but you have me and Cody and John and Dolph for support. We're just glad that you're here…." Eve smiled warmly at her brother making him calm down a bit.

The group heard a knock on the door and Cody went to open it. There stood the detective that was on the case. He walked in, nodding over to where John and Eve were and stood by the foot of the bed.

"Philip Brooks?"

"Yes."

"I'm Detective Mark Callaway. I'll be investigating your case. I have a few questions for you if you don't mind."

Phil straightened himself up, asking John to prop up some pillows for him and looked at the detective.

"Yes sir I'm ready."

"Can you recall what you did that day leading up to events?"

"Ummm…well I went grocery shopping with my roommate, Dolph. He's not here by the way. I met my sister and Cody and John there. We started talking and then ummm…John and I went to a hockey game later on that night."

The detective scribbled everything that Phil was saying, nodding in between.

"Hmmm…and what did you do after the hockey game?"

Phil turned a tiny shade of red, looking at John for a brief moment before continuing.

"Well…I kinda went to John's place and ummmm we watched some highlights of the games and then I left."

Mark pointed to John with his pen.

"Are you two together?"

"No…well…I don't know…It's complicated…" Phil stumbled out. John let out a breath keeping his head down during the conversation.

"Okay, well do you remember what happened after you left?"

Phil squinted his eyes looking off into space as he tried to remember how he got here. He remembered going over to the parlour and then talking to John and then…

"AJ!"

Eve, John and Cody jumped at Phil's revelation while the detective wrote down what he said.

"AJ you said? Who is this AJ?"

"An ex-employee."

"Ex-employee…very interesting…" Mark said, writing a couple of notes in his pad before asking some more questions.

"Philip, I need to know why she would do that to you. It can't be because she doesn't work there anymore…there has to be something else."

Phil let out another sigh. Now he had to tell this stranger all the crap that has been happening these past few months.

"Do I have to?"

The larger man set his notepad down and leaned in closer to Phil.

"If you're too tired we can discuss it tomorrow. I know this can be very hard on you. You're lucky you have friends for support. I'll be back in the morning and we talk then. Thank you for your time."

Detective Mark Callaway stood up while the other three said their good-byes. Once the man was out of the room, they all huddled close together.

"Oh my God, Phil! Why didn't you tell us it was AJ? How could she do that to you?" Eve exclaimed, crying.

"Because she's crazy Eve. I should have listened to you. I should have gotten that restraining order but I didn't think she would have tried to…to…" Phil stopped, unable to say those words. John squeezed the man's hand and smiled at him.

"You don't have to worry. I'm sure the detective will find and arrest her."

"I hope so…I'm scared John." Phil reached out for the other man gently wrapping his arms around John's large frame.

Cody went over to Eve, asking if she wanted to go home and rest.

"Cody and I we're gonna go home now. But I'll be in tomorrow morning to check up on you." The woman gave her brother a kiss on the cheek and patted John on the arm. The two left, leaving John and Phil alone.

The two embraced each other for a moment longer before finally letting go. They looked into each other's eyes before Phil turned his head away and rested it on the pillows.

"I'm glad you're here Phil." John looked over the smaller man giving him one of his signature dimpled smiles making Phil smile back.

"Me to."

"I guess I should go to. I'll see you tomorrow okay?"

"No! Don't….don't leave me. Stay with me tonight."

"I can't. They'll kick me out."

"No they won't. Look the bed next to mine is empty. You can sleep there. I don't… I don't want to be alone…" Phil pleaded with his eyes, hoping that John would stay.

"Okay…I'll stay and keep you company."

Phil beamed, making himself comfortable as he grabbed the remote control.

"Let's see what on TV."

He turned it on and kept it on the comedy network.

"Do you mind if we watch this?"

"I don't mind at all Philly. As long as you're happy." John replied, going over to the other bed and lying down on it.

"Yes, I am happy."

The two watched TV for a while until Phil fell asleep. John looked over at his friend and smiled. He turned off the TV and walked over to Phil's bed, lifting the covers up so his upper body was covered.

"Good-night Philly…I love you." The larger man whispered, kissing Phil on the forehead before going back to his own bed.

Chapter 39 – Company

The next morning, John woke up bright and early to see Phil still sleeping. He smiled and quietly went over to him, lightly touching him on the shoulder to wake him up. Phil slowly opened his eyes, blinking them several times and when he saw John's baby blues staring back at him, his face instantly beamed making John's heart swell.

"You stayed the night…I can't believe you stayed the whole night." Phil whispered.

"Of course I did. You asked me to. But I gotta go. I need to get back to the house and change." John turned around about to leave when a hand grasped his wrist.

"NO! Don't go! Please don't leave me here alone!" Phil cried out. His eyes started to well up with tears as he pleaded with John over and over again to not leave. The larger man felt sadness in his soul. He never thought that he would see Phil so scared in his life. He went to his friend, placing his hand on the man's forehead.

"Philly, I'll only be an hour. I promise."

The door opened and in walked Eve and Cody. They saw the scene before them and stopped mid-way.

"Ummm…should we leave guys?" Asked Cody.

"No, it's okay. Phil was just worried of being alone. See, your sister and Cody are here. They'll keep you company." John reassured Phil and leaned in for a quick kiss on the cheek before heading out the door.

Once John left, Phil started to cry. Eve and Cody tried to console him but the smaller man wouldn't listen. He kept on asking for John to keep him company. Eve let out a sigh, sitting down next to her brother while Cody sat on other side.

An hour later, John came back. He brought a small duffle bag and some snacks, knowing Phil wouldn't be the type to enjoy hospital food and opened the door to the room. As soon as he walked in, Phil's face beamed again.

"You came back! Oh I missed you so much!"

John was a bit taken aback. He didn't think being gone for an hour would have an emotional effect on Phil. He motioned for Eve to come over so Phil wouldn't hear their conversation and asked her if Phil was okay.

"No. He was crying the whole time you were gone and kept on asking when you were coming back. He's a mess John. I don't know what to do." The woman started to cry quietly, not wanting Cody or Phil to know. John gave her a quick hug and told her that everything was going to be okay.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of him."

John let go and went over to where Phil was. The smaller man reached for John and wrapped his arms around his neck.

"I'm so glad you're back John boy."

"Me to."

Cody looked at the two men and felt a bit jealous. He wished he had someone like John in his life to take care of him. He got up and went over to Eve and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Maybe we should go."

"No…you guys stay to."

"No, we should be going. I have a doctor's appointment."

"And I need to drive her back home." Cody replied.

"Well come see me later today okay?" Phil said. The two nodded and went on their way, leaving Phil and John alone again.

Phil sat up, straightening the pillows behind him. He smiled again when he looked over at John.

"I'm so glad you're here. You're…you're gonna spend the day with me right? You won't leave?" The smaller man asked, almost in desperation, waiting for John to answer.

"Yes, I'll stay for the whole day. And look, I brought some snacks for you." John smiled, digging into his bag and bringing out some sandwiches, cookies and fruit. Phil grinned and reached out for the food. He took a large bite out the sandwich and closed his eyes in content.

"Mmmmm…you make the best sandwiches…" Phil said with his mouth full. John watched the smaller man eat his food. He wanted to ask Phil about the phone call he made to him before the incident, but he wasn't too sure how to broach the subject. Instead, John turned on the TV and switched over to the sports station.

"Let's watch some games." The two men watched the highlights of last night's games, commenting on various plays and penalties. A nurse came by shortly after and looked over at Phil's wounds. John observed her, tending to the smaller man's arms and legs and asked her some questions along the way such as how to treat burns and what to use to clean them. The woman politely answered all of John's questions, smiling as she did so. She gave Phil some instructions and told him that another nurse will come by later on to give him a sponge bath before leaving.

"Sponge bath? I'm not fucking 80 years old!" Phil huffed out. John didn't like the idea either only because someone else was going to touch his Philly in those intimate areas that only he was privy to but he kept the feelings to himself.

Once they were alone, the two settled again on watching the television. Phil was focused on a certain basketball game from last night but John's mind was somewhere else. He really needed to know what Phil wanted to talk about.

"Phil? Can I ask you something?"

The other man turned his head to face John.

"Sure okay."

"Ummm…you know when you left my house the other night you called me afterwards and asked if we could meet up and talk…."

"Yeah."

"Well…what did you want to talk about?"

Phil bit his lip as he brought his head down. He was waiting for John to ask that question but he didn't know what to say to the guy. Plus he wasn't too sure what he wanted to talk about.

"I'm not really sure John. I know that we had to sort some stuff out…"

"I know…we do…." John slowly reached over for Phil's hand. When the other man didn't pull back, John smiled warmly.

"I love you Phil, but I don't….I don't know what I can do to change the past."

"You can't John. We just need to move on…"

John swallowed the lump in throat as he asked his next question.

"You mean…move on from us?"

Just as Phil was about to answer, there was a knock on the door. John went over to open it and nodded when he saw the Detective.

"Hi Detective, come in."

"Thank you John. I'm not interrupting anything am I?"

"No…" John said quietly as he gestured for Mark to come into the room. The man towered over John and nodded over to Phil.

"Hello Philip. Looks like you're doing a lot better than yesterday."

"I am thanks."

"I was hoping that maybe we can talk about your ex-employee AJ Lee?"

"Yeah…but how did you know her last name? I never told you."

The Detective smirked down at Phil.

"Well son, that's my job as a detective to find out. I have some disturbing news for you though before you tell me your story…."

John listened intently, going over to the other side to sit down closer to Phil while Detective Callaway continued.

After the detective left the hospital he made some calls regarding Phil's shop. He was able to find out the current and past employees who worked there and started to dig deeper into AJ's employment history. He found out that not too long ago, she was released from a medium security Psychiatric Hospital just outside of Chicago. She was in the facility for about two years for violently assaulting one of her ex-employees…a male tattoo artist. The Detective went on about AJ's several charges that were still pending and the mysterious disappearance of her ex-employee when his shop burned down. The Detective also mentioned her obsessive compulsive behaviour diagnosis and the need to constantly please everyone around her. When things wouldn't go her way, she would become violent and start harassing the person she felt that 'betrayed' her. The Detective finished his story, leaning back in his chair as he waited for Phil to respond.

The two men stared at Mark, their mouths agape and their eyes bulging out of their sockets. Finally, John was able to break the silence.

"Holy shit! This woman is nuts! How can they let her out like that?"

"Because she's very manipulative at what she does. AJ can be sweet and innocent when the need arises. Her release was because of that. The doctors felt she was recovered enough and let her go."

"Let her go? That's it? No checking up on her or anything?"

"John, most of these places don't have the resources to check up on ex-patients. They just assume they will be able to blend into society and contribute. I know this is hard for you guys to take but let me assure you I will do my best to capture this woman. Now Phil…I need you tell me what she was like while working for you."

"What?"

"Phil? Can you tell me about AJ?"

The smaller man let out a shaky breath, looking over at John for reassurance. The larger man smiled and squeezed the man's hand, bringing it to the lips and placing a small kiss on the knuckles. Phil looked over at The Detective and began his story about AJ.

The Detective wrote down everything that Phil told him. From the first day on the job, to her constant mood swings, crying, and flirting. He even told him how she broke John and Phil up, almost bringing him to tears again to retell that story. Once he was done, Mark closed his notepad and let out a breath.

"I'm going to have a couple of my good men to scout the parlour, and her apartment. I'm also going to bring a police officer to guard your room."

"You don't think she'll try anything here do you?" Phil asked nervously.

"Listen, the news is already out there about your shop fire and you survived. Once she finds out about that, I'm sure she'll try to finish the job. I just have one more question."

"Okay…"

"When she attacked you that night, do you remember anyone else that may have helped her?"

Phil shook his head, too tired to think of anything else.

"Okay. I'm gonna start on the paperwork and later on have a guard here for you. Don't worry Phil, I will catch her." The confidence in The Detective's tone made Phil and John a bit more relieved. The larger man stood up and shook hands with both men before leaving the room to start on the case.

Phil rested his head on the pillow as tears flowed down his cheeks.

"Philly don't cry."

"I can't help it. There's a crazy woman after me and I'm stuck here…helpless. What if she finds out I'm alive? What if she does finish the job? What's gonna happen John? What?" John didn't have the answers to Phil's questions; instead he reached over and held the crying man in his arms, consoling him as best as he could.

After a few minutes, Phil was able to calm down. He slowly let go of John, thanking him in the process and closed his eyes.

"Get some rest Phil. I'll be here when you wake up."

The smaller man smiled softly, drifting off to sleep while John stayed in the room watching over him.

A couple hours later, Phil woke up from his nap. He turned around and noticed John was in the other bed, reading a book. He coughed to get the man's attention.

"Hey, how was your nap?"

"Good. I needed it that's for sure."

John nodded his head, placing the book down and walking over to Phil.

"Are you hungry? I got some granola bars here for you." John grabbed a couple and handed them over to the tattooed man. Phil took them eagerly and chopped them down in two bites, making John chuckle.

"You have quite the appetite."

"Hey I need my strength." Phil replied, licking his fingers in the process. John took a chair and sat down beside Phil silently watching him. The other man looked over and smiled. They heard a knock on the door and in walked a male nurse with a sponge and a small bucket.

"Hi there. I'm here to give you a sponge bath."

In an instant, jealously overflowed within John. He narrowed his eyes and walked over the man.

"That's not necessary. Phil doesn't need a bath."

"But it's required and plus I need to make sure there are no infections." The nurse explained, taking a couple steps towards the bed. John grabbed the man's wrist and squeezed it roughly.

"Get the fuck out." John hissed. The male nurse gulped and handed the sponge and contents over to John and left the room quickly.

Phil rolled his eyes at the scene and shook his head when John finally faced him.

"Jesus, you sounded like a jealous high school girl."

"Yah well, when they said they were giving you a sponge bath I wasn't expecting a guy."

"So it would have been better if it was a woman?"

"No…no one can touch you." John said in a possessive manner. Phil's heart beat a little faster when he heard John say that.

"Then who can…touch me?"

John looked over at Phil's coy little smile. He smirked as he went over to the door and locked it.

"I think you need a sponge bath. You're kinda dirty." The larger man slowly went over to where Phil was, placing the sponge and contents on the table.

"What?"

"I said you need a sponge bath. Now take off your gown."

Phil swallowed hard. This wasn't happening. He looked over at John who stood there waiting.

"But…someone might come in."

"I locked the door."

"Someone might hear us…"

"What? Will you be making any noise?" John asked in a low tone. Without waiting for a response, John slowly pulled the covers off and began to lift the thin gown off of Phil. The smaller man didn't say anything as he watched with wide eyes John grabbing the bottom of the gown and slowly lifting it up over his head. John threw the garment on the floor and took in Phil's naked form. Apart from the bandages, Phil looked the same. Delicious enough to eat.

Watching with intense eyes, Phil looked on as John dipped the sponge into the basin. He squeezed the excess water and took hold of Phil's wrist and began to pat down his arm. He didn't lightly and was careful not to get any near the bandages.

"Is this okay? You're not swore or anything?" John asked concerned. Phil shook his head, his breathing coming in short little gasps as John worked his way up towards the bicep and shoulder. He dipped the sponge again and started to wipe down Phil's tattooed chest. He watched as droplets of water trailed down Phil's stomach and settled in a pool and licked his lips at the sight.

Shifting in his place, Phil tried to position himself so he wouldn't get a hard-on but it was no use. As soon as John started to wash him, his dick instantly woke up. He looked down and saw it was pretty much at half-mast and felt embarrassed that he would get a reaction so quickly. Seeing the redness on Phil's face, John leaned closer and kissed him gently on the lips.

"Hey, don't feel ashamed. I'm only washing you."

"Yeahhh but….I can't help it…." Phil replied, biting his lip. John smirked and continued to clean his friend's chest, moving downwards to his stomach and near his pelvis. Phil sucked in a breath and waited for John to continue down south but was disappointed when he stopped and made a detour down to his feet.

The larger man began to wash Phil's toes and ankles, before going up to his calves. John put the sponge back in the basin and started to use his hands to massage the tight skin.

"Does that feel better Philly?" John asked just above a whisper.

Without saying a word, Phil nodded quickly, clutching at his pillow and trying not to moan at how wonderful it felt to have John's hands on him.

Slowly and methodically John smoothed his hands upwards reaching Phil's bandaged thighs. He lightly caressed the fabric as he made circular motions around the area. He looked over at Phil who had his eyes closed and biting his lip hard.

Phil couldn't take much more of this. His dick was now fully hard and John was completely ignoring it. He hoped this would end soon but a part of him didn't want this stop. He could feel John's hands caressing his skin and when he felt those fingers move further up he let out a tiny moan and waited for John to release him. Instead the man stopped suddenly and Phil opened his eyes to see what was going on.

"Why did you stop?" The man asked. He annoyance soon subsided when he saw John take off his shirt, pants and underwear and looked on in amazement at the man's sculpted frame.

"I want you Philly but I'm afraid you might still be hurting."

"Noooo…I'm…I'm okay."

John slowly climbed onto the bed, straddling Phil's thighs he leaned in and was within inches of Phil's lips when all of a sudden they heard a knock on the door.

Phil started to panic but John was able to calm him down.

"Ask who's at the door." John demanded.

"Whhhooo's there?!" Phil screamed out.

"Phil it's me Eve. Open up."

John began to kiss Phil along the jawline and neck, getting a moan in response.

"Phil? Come on!"

"Give me five minutes!" Phil said in desperation as John continued to trail kisses down the man's chest and stomach. He stopped and looked up at Phil's flushed face and smiled before engulfing the man's member into his mouth.

"Well, Jesus Phil, why do you have to door locked?" Eve said through the door.

Phil was now aroused and frustrated at the same time. Here he was getting a fantastic blow job from John while his sister was ruining the moment.

"FOR FUCK'S SAKE EVE! GIVE. ME. FIVE. MINUTES! Oooooo…God!" Phil gasped, as John began to flick the head with his tongue.

"Is John in there? John? Are you there?" The larger man stopped briefly and looked over at the door.

"YES!"

There was silence after that and John continued to work on Phil's hard dick. He licked the length with his tongue up and down several times while making sure not to hurt the man below. Phil was a writhing mess. He arched his back when he felt John's tongue on him and lightly placed his hand on the back of the man's head.

John bobbed up and down, slowly at first but soon quickened the pace. Phil's moans began louder more intense as time went on. Suddenly John stopped and swiftly went over to place a heated kiss on Phil's lips, driving his tongue inside. He began to gyrate his hips against Phil's, their dicks sliding against one another in the most wonderful way.

Without breaking the kiss, John reached out and grabbed the sponge again, squeezing the excess water on their cocks for extra lubricant. They moved their hips faster and faster as their kissing reached to new heights of passion.

Phil moaned into John's mouth, wrapping his arms around the man's neck so he wouldn't get away. John could feel himself get close and let go of Phil's lips for a just a second.

"I'm gonna cum Philly…"

"Me to…"

Without saying another word, the two men moved their hips in unison, their cocks rubbing up against each other's skin as their kisses became more intense and within seconds they released themselves simultaneously.

Soon their breathing even out and John cautiously got off the bed and went into the bathroom to grab some towels. He wiped Phil clean as well as himself and started to put on his clothes while Phil lifted the cover all the way up to his chin.

John turned around to see Phil all wide-eyed and smiled.

"You okay?"

"Yeah….you better unlock the door before my sister breaks it down."

Nodding, John went over and unlocked the door letting Eve inside. The woman was not impressed and it showed on her face as she looked over at John before walking past him. Cody on the other hand had a huge grin, knowing what the two men were up to.

"So. I take it you're feeling a lot better now Philip?" Eve asked sternly. Phil blushed, clutching the sheets tight against his frame.

"Yup."

"Good, because The Detective is here and wants to talk to all of us."

The Detective, Mark Callaway showed up a few seconds later, nodding to John and greeting everyone inside. He had a police officer with him, a big meat head type of guy that practically dwarfed John in size.

"Hello everyone. Well, I do have some news for you all. It seems that AJ has left the city. Where we don't know yet, but I have men surrounding her apartment, the parlour and this hospital just to be sure. I also have here with me your guard. His name is Officer Ryan Reeves. One of my best men on the force. He'll be outside of your room to make sure no one except authorized personnel and family gets in. I will keep you all posted for any updates."

Everyone thanked The Detective and watched the guard leave the room and take his post outside of the door, keeping an eye out for anyone suspicious.

"Well, at least I'm protected by the Hulk over there." Phil said jokingly. A few minutes later, the doctor came in with Phil's chart. He mentioned that the man was progressing quite well and that if all goes well, he could leave the hospital within a day or maybe sooner.

"However, Phil needs to rest and I don't want any visitors here after hours." John knew he was talking about him and nodded his head in agreement.

They all thanked the doctor before he left and focused their attention back to Phil.

"Well, we're heading out then. I'll check up on you tomorrow and make sure the door is unlocked." Eve replied, smiling. Phil rolled his eyes, hugging his sister and Cody as they left. He then turned his attention to John who was smiling down at him.

"So ummm…guess you can't stay the night again."

"No…I wish I could but you got protection now. I'll come back later to see how you're doing."

"Okay."

Without saying another word, John came closer and stroked the man's cheek before placing a light kiss.

"Bye Philly…I…I love you."

"I love you to John Boy."

Phil watched as John grabbed his belongings and slowly left the room. John looked over his shoulder once more before heading off, looking over at the cop.

"You take good care of him." John demanded before heading off home.