A FALLEN ANGEL

OMG! There's finally an update. Abject apologies to my readers! Usual excuses... busy life, yadda yadda yadda. But real reason is I've also had the worst case of writers block. Thanks to all those who have been reading and reviewing in the meantime. It really gives motivation to carry on.

A/N I've set this story in the late spring after my one shot story "Don't Make me Choose" where Pogue broke up with Kate. This story will contain male bonding, which may or may not become slashie. Definitely no Mary Sue, but maybe Gary Stu. Tee heee heeee. Sly wink!

Disclaimer. The world of The Covenant and it's characters belong to the creators of "The Covenant". I only own my own original characters.

CHAPTER 4

Reid scowled for a second, but the lure of an empty pool table was more than he could resist. He grabbed Pogue and Barton and hauled them away.

Tyler stepped over next to Caleb. Two sets of dark eyes watched the threesome set up a game and start playing.

Tyler looked at his older friend, seeing the look of concern in the dark features.

"Tyler. We need to talk. Now!"

Tyler blinked at his dark haired friend.

"About Pogue and Barton?"

Caleb looked mildly surprised that Tyler knew exactly what he wanted to talk about.

"You've sensed something too?"

"Yeah! Ever since we first met up with them this afternoon at the waterfall." He smiled briefly, remembering the prank Pogue had played on Reid.

"I sensed some kind of surge of power just before I saw them on the cliff."

Pogue's eyes widened at hearing this.

"On a cliff.?!"

"Yeah. Barton was showing Pogue how to rock climb. It was weird though. Whenever they were close together there was like a charge in the air. When they touched each other, there was warmth as though the sun came out."

Caleb scowled.

"I don't like it!"

"Huh?"

"I don't like someone having this much power over Pogue. I mean, it looks like Pogue is in love with him. Pogue's not gay for God's sake!"

Tyler cocked his head and looked thoughtfully over where Reid, Pogue and Barton were deep in a game. It looked like it was Pogue and Barton against Reid. Those odds were so stacked one way! Pogue and Barton were going to need help. They didn't stand a chance against Reid. Even on his own!

He hoped Reid hadn't persuaded their new friend to bet money on the game. Reid was sharp. Even without using. Tyler shook his head.

"I don't think it's like that Caleb."

"Tyler..."

"No really! I'm not sure who has more power over who!" He nodded to where Barton was watching Pogue take a shot. The green eyes were locked on Pogue. The look could only be called "lovesick". There certainly didn't seem to be anything calculated about it.

"We all thought Chase was a good sort too! Look where that got us."

"Look Caleb, I know Chase kissed you..." He laughed as he quickly ducked Caleb's hand which came up to clip his ear.

"Tyler this is serious!"

"I know Caleb. But I think you're reading this wrong. I agree, it all looks really strange, like there is some kind of power involved." He looked thoughtful for a moment. " There's something I vaguely remember reading in the "Book of Damnation" that sounded a bit like this."

Caleb looked thoughtful, then the corners of his mouth pulled down.

"It still worries me. If there's some kind of power involved, we need to find out what it is. And who's behind it!"

Tyler crossed his arms and watched Pogue and Barton for a moment, thoughtfully.

"Ok then. Let's see what we can find out." He nodded towards their blond friend.

"Do we say anything to Pogue in the meantime?"

"I think we should."

"Alright. But lets be real careful how we do this ok? We don't want to lose a friend over this!" he said looking hard at Caleb.

Caleb's eyes widened a little in surprise at Tyler's comment. He was so used to thinking of him as the "Baby Boy", but had to remember he was becoming a confident young man himself. Like the rest of them, he had "ascended". His powers fully matured. Caleb took note of the intensity of the look in those dark blue eyes.

XXX

Pogue and Barton stood shoulder to shoulder, watching Reid systematically clear the table of balls lower than the 8 ball. His numbers for this game. Pogue watched with a wry smile on his face, having seen this before. Barton watched with an expression bordering on awe.

Pogue shifted his attention back to Barton. He had been on the verge of running from the bar since arriving, because he was so nervous about seeing Barton again. But as soon as he saw Barton across the room, Pogue was glad he had stayed. He knew straight away that Barton was just as pleased to see him.

As Barton crossed the room to him, Pogue became aware of that warmth again that he had felt that afternoon in the other boy's presence. This time however, he was aware of a hint of "power" in the air. He quickly reached out with his senses. He could feel the other three "Sons" close by as he always could. They were all aware of each other in the background. Their powers feeling like a quiet background vibration to each other. They could also always feel if someone was using. But there was no hint of that happening now.

But there it was. That vague sense of some kind of power at work.

Pogue could feel the power growing stronger as Barton approached him. But he knew the power wasn't emanating from his new friend.

As soon as they physically touched, there was that rush of warmth again. Maybe there was no strange power at work. Was this what it felt like to be really be in love? Because this was how he had always expected to feel when he dated girls.

He couldn't be in love though!

They were guys!

Caleb and Sarah had arrived right behind Barton. Although Caleb seemed to genuinely like Barton, Pogue couldn't help but feel that his best friend was watching them very carefully. He wondered if Caleb could feel the power as well. He knew that after their experience with Chase that Caleb was going to be very wary of any new friends in the group.

As they watched Reid continue to clean up the table, Pogue and Barton had once again shifted into a comfortable intimacy. When Reid sank a particularly spectacular shot, Barton threw his arm around Pogue in excitement then let it slide down to Pogue's waist. Pogue turned slightly into the embrace, enjoying the look of excitement on Barton's face, but also enjoying the feeling of Barton's arm around him.

Reid sank the 8 ball and threw his hands in the air in triumph.

"Say my name!" he crowed as he danced around his two "opponents". Although, truth to tell Pogue and Barton were never really in the game.

As Reid danced around them again, Pogue reached out and grabbed his blond friend, pulled him into a head lock and knuckled the top of his head furiously.

"You're still a doofus Garwin!" he exclaimed as Reid batted at him trying to get loose. When he realized that he couldn't break free, Reid reached around and goosed Pogue between the legs, making him let go with a yell.

"Prat!" Pogue yelled at Reid as he danced away, chortling at his deviousness.

Just at that moment, Reid spotted Aaron and his friends across the bar.

"Money to be made!" he exclaimed as he hustled off to recruit Tyler into a doubles game.

Caleb and Sarah had found a table to sit at, so Pogue and Barton pulled up a couple of chairs and joined them.

"I knew Reid was good, but that was amazing!" Barton exclaimed. Pogue and Caleb laughed.

"Yeah, you'd think Aaron would learn." said Pogue as they watched the new game get underway.

"I just hope that it won't end in trouble." Caleb observed dryly. "Aaron isn't learning good sportsmanship either!"

Pogue humphed loudly.

"Good sportsmanship wouldn't sit well with his massive ego!" he said with a chuckle. "Man I'm starving! Anybody else want anything?" he asked as he got up from the table.

"I could murder a burger!" Barton said looking up at him.

"Cheese?" Pogue asked dropping a hand onto Barton's shoulder.

"Awesome!" Barton said smiling up at him.

"I'll come with you." Caleb said standing up. "You want anything?" he asked Sarah.

"Some cheese fries would be great." she said smiling up at him.

The two boys shouldered their way over to the bar and yelled their order to Nicky as he hurried past. He raised his hand in acknowledgment.

"There isn't going to be any trouble from your mate is there?" he yelled from down the bar.

"We'll keep an eye on him" Caleb called back. He and Pogue leaned their backs to the bar to watch the game. Judging by the thunderous look on Aaron's face, it wasn't going well for him.

Caleb leaned closer to Pogue.

"You and Barton seem to be pretty tight."

"Yeah. Don't ask me why, but I just feel real easy around him." He looked sideways at Caleb.

"Not like with you guys though. He's..." Pogue found himself at a loss to describe to his best friend how he felt about Barton.

Caleb gave his blond friend a searching look.

"He's what?"

Pogue leaned his shoulder against Caleb's, a sure sign between the two friends that he was about to share something intimate. Caleb slid an arm behind Pogue's back and gave him a quick squeeze to let him know he was listening. Pogue nestled into Caleb's chest.

"It's not like this." Pogue said, indicating the intimacy he and Caleb were sharing. "You feel like a twin brother to me. Like we are two halves of a brotherly whole, and Reid and Tyler are like our younger twin brothers."

Caleb smiled quietly to himself at being described as a close twin with Pogue. He gave him another quick squeeze to show his appreciation.

"With Barton it's kind of the same but in a different way. As soon as we met this afternoon we clicked..." he looked apprehensively at Caleb. "...almost like we were two halves of one soul."

Caleb's eyebrow went up towards his dark bangs.

"Like soul mates?"

"I guess...yeah that would be the way I would describe it" Pogue was relieved that Caleb was taking him seriously so far. He looked down and flushed at the thought of what he wanted to say next. Caleb waited patiently, knowing that Pogue wouldn't hold back on him.

"It's more than that though..." he continued to gaze at a spot on the floor just in front of his feet. Caleb held his breath, not sure if he wanted to hear what was coming next.

"BURGERS AND FRIES!"Nicky bellowed from behind them banging the baskets down on the bar behind the boys.

Caleb and Pogue both leaped about a foot in the air and spun around to face the burly bar owner, who was laughing fit to bust a gut.

"Jeez Nicky!" Caleb gasped, trying to get his breath back. "Are you trying to kill off your customers?"

Pogue laughed loudly, relieved he hadn't had to articulate to Caleb how he felt about Barton. He didn't feel he could adequately express how he felt yet. He knew he was going to have to, but he desperately wanted Caleb to understand what was happening.

Laughing at the release of tension, the two friends picked up their orders made their way back through the crowd to Barton and Sarah.

XXX

Barton and Sarah watched Pogue and Caleb make their way to the bar, then settled back to watch Reid and Tyler continue to annihilate Aaron and his partner. Sarah gave Barton an appraising look then moved over to sit next to him.

"Have you known the "Son's" for long?"

Barton leaned his forearms on the table, picking at the label on his drink bottle for a second before answering.

"We all started in the swimming squad about the same time. But I haven't got to know the guys until now" His deep green eyes looked up briefly with a self deprecating look. "They are almost a squad within a squad. The coach trains them separate to us mere mortals."

Sarah's eyes widened at Barton's innocent reference to the boys being something other than ordinary. But one look at his candid, green eyed gaze was enough to convince Sarah that he didn't mean anything more than they were exceptional athletes. After her experience with Chase, Sarah was as cautious as Caleb about new friends in the group.

"I'm afraid I invaded Pogue's private space this afternoon." Barton continued, chuckling quietly at the memory. "I was hiking, looking for some rocks to climb, stepped around a boulder, and there he was, stretched out over his own favorite rock. I don't know who was more shocked. Him at being found sunbathing half naked, or me for being sprung watching him!"

"Oh Barton!" Sarah laughed. "Most of the female student body would pay real money to be caught in that situation."

Seeing him blushing furiously, Sarah reached over and patted Barton's arm in sympathy.

"I take it he didn't run you off then."

"Well no. I thought he might, but we started talking, and well we just sort of clicked and it was like we had been friends for years."

"Are you seeing anyone at the moment?"

Barton rolled his eyes at the question, then threw her a sharp look.

"You don't know my parents do you?"

Sarah's eyes widened at the sharpness of his tone. She put her hands up in a conciliatory gesture.

"I seriously doubt it! I'm a scholarship student here. Something of a misfit amongst all this old money."

Barton visibly relaxed.

"Sorry. I'm a little sensitive about that. Usually when someone asks that, they are spying for my parents. It's one of the reasons I don't cultivate too many friends at Spencer."

"Parents from hell huh?"

"You have no idea!"

The both happened to look over to the bar just as Nicky played his little prank on Caleb and Pogue. At the sight of their friends shocked expressions, they fell against each other laughing, unable to stop even as Caleb and Pogue made their way sheepishly back to the table.

Just as they seated themselves, Reid danced up to the table, a $20.00 bill clutched triumphantly in his hand.

"He does it again!" he crowed as he danced around the table, both arms now stretched triumphantly above his head. Tyler sat at the table, watching Aaron over his shoulder, to see if Reid's victory dance was going to cause trouble. He could almost hear Aaron's teeth grinding from across the room.

"Chill out Reid!" Caleb growled impatiently as he swatted Reid's fingers away from the cheese fries he was trying to steal. "Go buy your own Mr Big Time!"

Pogue and Barton both grabbed their food off the table as Reid made a lunge for their burgers.

"Aaaaw, come on guys..."

"Heads up guys!" Tyler yelled, banging his hand on the table to get their attention. He had just seen Aaron launch himself across the room towards them, his face like thunder, his little posse of friends being drawn along in his wake. Reid made sure the table was between him and his approaching adversary. Everybody seated at the table tensed.

Aaron stopped a couple of paces from the table, breathing in short furious gasps, his fists clenched at his sides. The whole room had gone quiet as everybody turned to watch the confrontation. Nicky could be seen reaching under the bar for his baseball bat.

"Gar...win...you...ass...wipe..." Aaron's teeth were clenched so tight he was having trouble forming sentences.

"You'd think you would have learned how to loose better by now. God knows you've had enough practice!" Reid taunted from the other side of the table.

"Come out from behind your friends and say that!" Aaron raged. He took in the friends sitting round the table. His eyes falling on Sarah and then Pogue and Barton sitting shoulder to shoulder. Aaron's expression went from furious, to a calculating contempt. Everybody at the table tensed even more as Aaron stepped closer to the table, obviously still intent on causing trouble.

"Still hanging around with Public School Trash." he sneered, lifting his chin in Sarah's direction. Caleb started to stand with a growl. Sarah grabbed his arm to restrain him. Aaron then shifted his attention to Barton. Barton's green eyes widened, as he tensed, wondering what was coming next.

"Well Forbes." Aaron sneered as he leaned his hands on the table and thrust his face towards his new center of attention. His voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm sure you parents are going to love hearing about your new boyfriend!"

Pogue and his friends started to launch themselves at the blond trouble maker at the same time as Nicky stepped up with his baseball bat raised ready. They all stopped dead in mid movement. Barton was glaring at Aaron, his teeth clenched in fury, his rage concentrated on the sneering face before him as he narrowed his eyes.

Aaron's face went from sneering to surprise as his feet seemed to fly out from underneath him, sending him face first into Sarah's cheese fries. As everybody else around them burst out laughing, the "Sons of Ipswich" all looked at each other in shock, then at Barton in disbelief.

A/N Phew! Got it finished. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. It just refused to gel, but I got there in the end. Promise to update soon!