Will started to go through his father's box again after the talk with his mother. He needed a sign. A sign that told him that he was right to believe that Jackson was out there. Shuffling through the drawings, he spotted the National Enquirerer magazine he and Chad looked at a few days ago. He felt drawn to it, to the article about Sonny Kiriakis.
He opened it, on a random page, which just so happened to be the one after the page he'd read the first time. It was still part of the Sonny Kiriakis' article, but it featured photos of him with the musician who died, Christopher Moore. A photo of the two of them with another boy, credited as Mark Kristensen. And a picture of what was credited as Sonny Kiriakis' residence. A white mansion covered in ivy, with a red door and green velvet curtains. Will's heart started racing. However, when his door started to slowly open, Will broke out of his trance.
––Come on, Marlena, I've told you to knock! ––Will yelled before he saw Chad's beautiful face staring right at him––. What are you doing here? ––he asked, still annoyed at the fright.
––Your mom let me in ––Chad stayed at the door, looking down at the photo and note covered floor. ––What the hell happened in here?
––Come in! ––Will hissed––. And shut the door!
––What's all this? Have you finally gone nuts?
––I found something. Sit. ––Chad sat on the floor, next to Will. Will placed a drawing of a house in front of Chad and pointed at it with his index ––I drew that when I eight.
––It's excellent ––Chad said–– But what does it have to do with these magazines and your father's box?
––I'm getting there ––Will took the National Enquirerer on top of his bed and opened it at the already marked page. He pointed at a picture of Sonny Kiriakis in front of his house. Will placed the drawing next to it. The door, the curtains, the colors, the shapes, even the sun's positions were almost identical––. This is the house where William lived. Sonny Kiriakis lives in my house.
––How do you know he lives there?
––Either he lives there or he really likes to pose in front of it ––Will said as he placed six more pictures of Sonny in front of the house.
––OK. That's weird ––Chad accepted––. Possibly even weirder than what I came here to show you.
––You have something to show me? ––Will asked.
Chad tilted to the side and took a copy of Star magazine from his back pocket. The cover was graced by Sonny Kiriakis and the headline read: SMITTEN?
––I went by the super earlier ––Chad said––. The freshest batch of magazines was out, and I thought I would give it a look. I guess that the intrepid reports from Star tracked down one of the guys Sonny Kiriakis was seen with. He told them that he never had anything serious with him, because he was sure Kiriakis was in love with another guy. Wherever they went, he would always be looking for him.
Chad handed Will the magazine, but he didn't take it. He wanted to, but he couldn't allow himself to.
––Maybe he was in love with that musician's boyfriend ––Will whispered–– Isn't that what the tabloids are saying? That he killed Christopher whatshisface to keep him?
––Maybe. Or maybe Sonny Kiriakis has been looking for you.
Will tried to keep his emotions in check at that last remark.
––That interview proves nothing ––he pointed out––. There might be some sort of connection between us, but there's no hard proof that Sonny Kiriakis and I are soul mates.
Chad looked at him as if he were suspecting his friend being substituted by an alien form.
––Did I miss something? I thought you were convinced that Sonny Kiriakis was the one you were supposed to be looking for.
––I have to be careful, that's it ––Will explained, piling the magazines in a final attempt to keep himself busy––. I can't live my life falling in love with fantasies.
––And the house you drew? How do you explain that, and everything else that we've discovered ––Chad asked.
––And how would you explain this? ––Will grabbed a pile of pictures and handed them to Chad. In each, Sonny Kiriakis would have his arm around a different guy.
––I don't understand.
––If Sonny Kiriakis was really looking for me, do you really think he'll deceive every New York guy?
Chad laughed.
––Do you really expect a nineteen year old guy to live as a monk until he finds you? I mean, come on, you're a guy too. You can't possible tell me you've never… taken matters into your own hands. ––Will simply nodded––. Besides, where does it say here that he had anything intimate with these guys?
––I don't really care what Sonny Kiriakis did or didn't do to this guys ––he insisted––. It's just that I don't want to waste my time chasing pavements. If I can't find tangible evidence that we're meant to be together, I'm not taking any chances.
––What's that about you not taking any chances? ––Chad barked––. You somehow manage to get me hooked on this past lives deal, but, now that we have seemed to found your old boyfriend, you get cold-feet and you back down? I'm not having it. I will make you talk to him.
––With a New York rich kid that might be a murderer? Have you lost it?
––Are ya scared? ––Chad countered.
––Hell no! But anyway, how am I supposed to get in touch with this Sonny? As if it were as simple as a phone call. Besides, Marlena has me trapped here in Salem for the perceivable future. How the hell am I supposed to go to New York? I can't even control my visions. What if I blacked out in the middle of the street somewhere?
––I got it.
––About time!
Will wanted Chad to cave. He wasn't making keeping his expectations low easy.
––I'm not moving until you hear me out.
Will saw that it wasn't an empty promise.
––Fine. Let's hear it.
––Well, remember the letter your father wrote, the one in which he said he believed you had memories of a past life?
––Yeah. I do.
––Well, it was addressed to a place called Ouroboros Society. It sounded a little weird so I googled it. Turns out this Society helps people when they have memories about past lives. And guess what? It's right there in New York! I bet you that if you email them and tell them your story, they'll schedule an appointment for you and find you a place to stay while you're there. They can't possibly stumble upon things like this every day. And while you're down there, how bad would it be to have a little meeting with Mr Kiriakis?
––Fine. But even if that works out, how am I supposed to take a plane to New York under Marlena's surveillance. She would call the cops on me before I got to Maryland.
––Explain to me again why you have to run everything by Marlena. Tell her we're going on a road trip for a couple of days. She'll never figure it out. And as if you couldn't allow yourself a little trip to New York with everything we've gained with our business. Besides, I can lend you some.
––Never. You need that money for college.
When Chad sighed, he knew he'd been successful in changing the subject.
––I don't think I'll ever be able to pay for Vanderbilt.
––Are you saying that you might not be getting into college?
––I'm saying that if I take classes in the east of Salem, I can come and go every day and save in living expenses. ––Chad explained––. But we're getting off the subject. We can talk about that later. Meanwhile, take some of my money and go write that email!
Will wasn't able to find an excuse.
––I'll think about it.
William felt like his entire body had been lit on fire, but that fire was now out, and he could only feel an exquisite warm sensation on his body. What a feeling it was. He couldn't feel it at his full, but he knew that he had never experienced anything like that. It was like fireworks bursting in every inch of his skin.
He opened his eyes and the view that greeted him was by far the most amazing view he'd ever witnessed. It was Jackson. Jackson's glowing beautiful face with a slightly sweaty forehead and damp hair, and a beautiful grin on his plump, moist and redden lips. However what caught his eye more than anything was the sight of Jackson's chiseled, slightly hairy and heaving chest. William's head was laid there, with Jackson softly running his fingers through William's also slightly damp hair. That's when it hit him that he was naked, completely. And that he was laying in bed next to Jackson. Both of them loosely wrapped in white pearly sheets. William had his arms wrapped around Jackson's middle. Feeding from his heat. The heat they had produced in their act of love. Jackson and he had made love. And this was the sweet aftermath of that. William felt like he could burst in happiness.
––Hi ––William heard Jackson say, with a soft and romantic voice.
––Hi ––He answered, trying his best not to sound as overzealous as he felt.
––How are you feeling? ––The happiness in Jackson's voice was tangible, but right now it had a mix of concern that baffled William. How could he be concerned about me, he just gave me the most sacred thing I've ever been given. He gave me himself.
––I feel… complete. I feel like I finally found what I've been missing since the day I was born. I feel happy, no, happy is way too mild. I feel perfect.
––You do? ––The contentment in Sonny's voice was enough to send William into overdrive.
––I do. ––How could he think otherwise. He just gave me the most amazing thing I've ever had, the most sacred thing I could possibly hold and call my own: he gave me himself. ––And… and you?
––I feel perfect. I always feel perfect when I'm with you. Because when I'm with you, I'm complete. I'm with my other half. I'm like I'm supposed to be since our first life together. ––Jackson's eyes were so sparkly and filled with love. That stare would forever be imprinted in my heart, for I'm the only one, ever, to hold that gaze. ––This has been one of our best first times.
––Really? ––The fact that he remembers each of our firsts, I won't deny, has me a little envious––. Would you… would mind telling me about those?
––One of the many things I enjoy in this world is telling you about our past lives together. I will forever hold you close and whisper in your ears the multiple stories of our love. Our eternal love.
And so William laid on his back, with his head still in Jackson's warm chest and with Jackson's arms holding him close while he whispered in William's ear one of the most amazing stories he'd ever heard:
A perfect love story about a blonde French nobleman that feel in love with a brown-haired peasant, a story of how the courtesan left his parent's castle, his fortune, his life to be with the love of his life in a quiet little hut just outside Vignon. Their life was hard, the former aristocrat, named Jacques, had taken the possessions he could and sold all of them so he could buy some cattle, few poultry and some other essentials; him and his lover, Maximilien, did struggle to survive. They didn't have much commodities, but they were never hungry, and they were never without the one thing they truly needed, love. They made sure to never go a minute without showing their devotion, their love for one another. No matter what you may think, they lived a happy life, a live together, a life of love.
One day, Maximilien got home from selling some products at a local marketplace, he walked up to Jacques, who had just finished milking a cow, took his hand and placed a silver ring around his finger.
––What is this? ––The blonde peasant asked.
––This is my vow. This ring represents my heart, that will forever be in your hands. Like it always has, like it always will. I love you.
Jacques could do no more than kiss his soul mate passionately and walk him up to their bedroom, where they made love all night.
They lived a happy life, until, unfortunately, Maximilien got very sick, Jacques did everything he could to nurse his loved one back to health, however he was unsuccessful, and Maximilien left this world with a promise:
––I will find you, Jacques. I promise I will find you. I will see you again, my love. This has been one of our best lives together, but I'm afraid I have to leave. But we'll meet again, I promise. Until then, my love, always remember that I love you.
And he died. Maximilien buried his loved one in front of the house where they lived a life full of love. Every single day he would kneel there and talk to him. Tell him how much he loves him and how much he misses him, and how he can't wait until they met again.
Jacques died on top of Maximilien's burial ground, a month after the latter's death. He was found by a couple of huntsmen. He had a hand clutching a note that read "I beg whoever may read this, please bury me here, here the love of my life lays.", and the other in his heart, nestling a silver ring. He had a huge smile in his lips.
Will woke up the next morning, with tears in his eyes, but with a huge smile on his lips. He now knew what he needed to do.