They drove for almost twelve hours, only stopping so Chris and Matt could swap driving duties.
They had decided to take a detour through Detroit, hoping against hope for a decent person at the border.
They had just begun driving through Michigan when the two in the front heard faint sounds behind them. It sounded like a child, whimpering and moaning softly.
Both men turned to see Phil covered in sweat, his body shaking. Before they could say anything, Adam spoke.
"It's just the withdrawal. It's been too long since he had a dose. Keep driving. It just has to run its course."
Matt and Chris reluctantly returned their eyes to the road, Matt continuously casting worried glances in the rear-view mirror. This was just not fair.
When they got closer to the border, Matt pulled over in a wooded area and turned to the two in the back.
"Okay...I know this isn't gonna be fun, but we gotta put you two in the trunk."
Four eyes went wide, but it was Phil's weak voice that spoke.
"What?"
Matt looked at the sick man with sympathy. "We don't know how official your criminal records are, if the past two weeks would appear on there, and if you've been reported as having escaped, they'd certainly keep you at the border. It's safer this way."
Both men reluctantly nodded before all four got out, walking to the back of the car.
Adam got in first, curling his long frame into a ball, as small as he could, before Matt lifted Phil, who was too weak to climb in himself, and placed him on his side in front of Adam.
Chris and Matt quickly switched positions once again, figuring Chris to be the best bet for driving into Canada, and raced towards the border.
As Chris slowly brought the car up, he and Matt both let out huge sighs of relief as they caught sight of the guy in control of their line.
He was Jay's favorite.
Years ago, when Jay had gotten that first real injury and had to drive the long hours home with ice on his face, this guy could tell he had had a rough night, merely asked him what his citizenship was, and told him to go right on through. He was one of the few easygoing people working the border.
He asked both men what their citizenship was, asking for their passports once he heard Matt was American, and then told them to go ahead.
They both tried to contain their euphoria as they pulled away.
As soon as they were a safe distance away, Chris pulled the car into the back of a rest stop. He and Matt jumped out and, making sure no one was watching, popped the trunk and helped their friends out of the back.
Once they had both men standing, they quickly checked them over.
"You guys okay?" Matt asked. When he got two nods in reply, they led the two fugitives to the backseat once again.
Once they were driving again, Phil asked, "Where are we?"
As Adam gazed out the window, he could immediately tell. "Windsor," he answered, a smile on his face.
"Canada," Phil said to himself, nodding. He'd never been a huge fan of Canada, though mostly that was just because of shitty experiences at the border...but it sure sounded pretty damn close to heaven now.
"We still got a few more hours of driving, so just relax," Chris let both men know.
Once again, Adam let his curiosity get the better of him. "Where exactly are we going?"
Chris chuckled. "We told you...it's a surprise. Now both of you just lie back and relax, sleep if you want to. We'll wake you up when we get there."
Though he was still suspicious, Adam let it go, just happy to be free again, in his home country, where he could be himself at last.
He didn't even realize he had fallen asleep until he was being shaken awake.
"We're here," Chris and Matt called in unison.
Slowly, both Adam and Phil were brought back to consciousness, sitting up slowly before they gazed out the windows in curiosity.
A huge smile came to Adam's face. He knew that house. Hell, he'd bought that house for his mother years ago.
Just as he and Phil were getting out of the backseat, the door to the house literally slammed open as two men, who looked more like two little boys rushing to the tree on Christmas morning, burst through.
They both stopped, unsure of how their lovers would greet them, their eyes roaming over their abused bodies.
Adam could see the guilt that covered Jay's face and he hated it. He wanted to wipe it away permanently.
And then it dawned on him. This was Jay. In front of him. In the flesh.
He couldn't contain himself anymore.
His smile probably split his face as he raced for Jay, all his strength somehow finding its way back into his body.
He leapt into his man's arms, his legs securing themselves around his waist.
As he buried his face in Jay's neck, breathing in that uniquely 'Jay' scent, that was when the tears came.
He was home.
Jay felt his own tears escape as he held tightly to his baby. If he had it his way, he'd hold him forever.
When Adam brought his face away from his neck, Jay gazed into those green eyes he had missed so much.
He saw no hatred or blame there. Just love. Love and unbridled joy.
When Adam smashed their lips together, he couldn't help but moan.
God, he'd missed that.
They made out like two horny teenagers, tongues dueling, breaths heavy, before the need for air finally became too much.
As they pulled back, matching grins on their faces, unable to contain their elation, Adam felt the need to speak.
"I missed you."
That simple sentence said so much. It wrapped up everything he had been through and all of his emotions in a single declaration.
"I missed you, too. God, I missed you so much."
Adam could tell Jay was near tears again and he wanted to do what he could to comfort and reassure his man. His angel.
He placed his hands on either side of Jay's face, gazing into his eyes with a warm smile. "I love you, Jay. I love you so much. You're everything. Everything."
Jay felt the tears on the verge of leaking.
"I know you do, baby. I know. I love you too. More than anything."
Adam nodded, knowing how very true that was. "And if you'll let me, I'll never leave your side."
Jay smiled warmly. "I'll hold you to that."
As the two of them came down from their high, they noticed the seriousness of everyone around them.
They brought their eyes to Phil and Jeff, watching on worriedly as they realized their two friends had not made a single step towards each other.
Jeff's heart was breaking.
Every fiber of his being was telling him to run up to Philly, grab him in a vise-like grip, and never let him go. He knew he couldn't do that, though. He had to wait for Phil to come to him.
His mind kept replaying what Matt had told him over and over again as he gazed at his love's now weak form. He pictured those monsters piercing that perfect skin with needles filled with chemicals, drowning his angel's brain and wrecking his body.
He watched as Matt walked over to Phil, whispering quietly to him.
He bit his lip nervously, just wanting so badly to take the pain away. Make everything better.
Even when he felt Matt right next to him, Phil's eyes never left Jeff.
Or at least, what he hoped was Jeff.
"Phil, what's wrong, man? Jeff's right there. Why don't you go to him?"
"I-Is that Jeff?" he stuttered out.
"Yes, of course it is. Who else would it be?"
"It's just that...when I was back there, I would dream of him every night...and then, the drugs started making him appear whenever I was in that room. I just...I can't handle it if I walk over there and he's not real..."
He at last brought his eyes to Matt's face, the look of pure despair and desperation in his eyes breaking the older man's heart.
"...What if he's not real?"
Matt couldn't help it. He let a few tears fall. Was this what the man he looked at as a little brother had been going through this whole time?
As he looked over at Jeff, the worry oozing out of him, he got himself back in check, taking a page out of his own playbook.
He had to be strong. For both of them. For his brothers. They needed each other so badly, and they needed him to bring them together.
"He's real, Phil. I promise. Come on, I'll walk with you. We'll go slow. And he'll stay right there, because he's waiting for you. He's real."
Matt took the deep breath Phil let out as a sign of approval. He brought himself behind Phil slightly, one arm around his waist, the other grasping his arm.
The two of them made the small steps together, Phil's eyes never wavering from what he prayed was his love. His savior.
As they got closer, both Matt and Jeff were able to hear Phil's quiet murmurings. Repeated over and over like a mantra, absolutely breaking both men's hearts.
"Please be real... Please be real... Please be real..."
When they finally reached Jeff, Matt brought himself and Phil to a stop.
He gently released Phil, stepping back as he watched the two of them with worried eyes.
Phil held his breath, not wanting to take in any air if that delicious 'Jeff' scent wasn't going to be there.
He looked up into those eyes. Those deep, warm eyes. They looked just as he remembered.
Having built a little bit of hope, he finally took the plunge.
He slowly brought his right hand up, moving it towards the figure's face.
His heart started beating erratically as it came closer. He could feel warmth radiating from it.
When his hand finally landed, making solid contact with warm, soft skin, curling naturally over a jaw, being scratched as it brushed over slight stubble, he let out a single sob, ripped from somewhere deep within him, before immediately falling to his knees.
Jeff was quick, though. He caught him in his strong arms, bringing them both gently to the ground together.
He let Phil do what he needed, simply tightening his hold on his baby as he listened to his cries.
Phil couldn't control himself.
He released wild sobs as he buried his face in Jeff's shoulder, his arms flung around the other man's neck, clinging to his shirt.
He finally allowed himself to breathe. God, he'd missed that smell.
He lifted his head, littering his lover's neck and face with kisses.
"Nero," he breathed.
"I got you, darlin'," Jeff murmured, his natural southern drawl warming Phil's insides. "I got you."
As their lips met at long last, they both knew that everything would be okay.
They were whole.
TBC
Yay! Happiness! Adam and Phil are both safe and sound now. :) This story isn't quite done, though. There'll be I'm thinking a couple more chapters. 2 or 3 maybe? We'll see. Thanks again to all of you for reading/reviewing. You make my day!
