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Ohaaaa,… guys… I'm amazed… so many reviews. Thanks.

marinawings, Thanks again for your review. I'm glad you liked the chapter and thanks for pointing out the things which you liked.

Golden-Heart, Yeah… I love this relationship between Riley and Ben, too. Thanks so much for the review. Glad you liked it.

nawndawn:D Waiting is over… Thanks for your lovely review.

SN=love, Thanks for the review. I'm happy you like the story.

Superotter, I promise action will happen… I really, really promise, like I said before… I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for reviewing.

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9. Chapter (We miss you.)

Ben's Perspective

After I finished with the story, there was a long silence, only interrupted by Riley's irregular breathing. For the entire story I had an arm around him, now I was squeezing him gently.

"Why haven't you told me this for the past 16 years?" My dad snapped. Why did he do something like that? Riley tensed under my arm; I guess he was scared Patrick would be actually mad at him.

"Dad!" I scolded, and was happy to see that his face immediately softened. He sighed and ran a hand over his face. For the past sixteen years my dad had often asked about Riley's past. He never asked Riley, only me, because he didn't want to confront Riley about his past in the orphanage. But I never gave an answer.

"Sorry." My dad apologized quietly taking Riley's hand again in his. "I'm just so upset when I see you like this." He added in a soft voice. Riley looked up with a frightened look on his face.

"Not at you!" My old man assured Ri with a sad chuckle. "I just wish that you two could trust me. You two are my sons and I need you to trust me." It sounded like a plead. I looked at my dad and felt Riley lift his head a little bit, so that he had a better view of my dad too.

"I trust you." Riley mumbled, the tiredness was obvious in his voice.

"Sleep." I ordered kindly and was surprised when he actually nodded.

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"Bye dad!" I gave him a goodbye-hug. The sun already rose and my dad wanted to get home before my mother woke up. "And thanks for being there."

"Let him sleep." Dad nodded in the guest-room's direction and I nodded.

I watched my dad drive off, before I went to the mailbox. In there was a letter.

Addressed to Riley! In my mailbox? I wondered whether I should wake him up or not. I had a bad feeling in my stomach. Again, the letter had no sender on it. There was no address or stamp. On the envelope there was only Riley's surname.

If I just could open it.

'No, I'm not allowed to open it.' I struggled with myself. My heart was beating faster than normal and my hands were sweating. Riley was asleep and he would never find out.

He would never find out.

I turned the envelope over, again and again. I was trembling and I hardly registered anything around me, only the letter.

I winced when I heard the telephone. Dropping the envelope, I took a deep breath.

I cleared my throat, running a hand through my hair. "Ben Gates."

"Oh darling! It's so good to hear your voice." A happy voice of a woman greeted.

"Abi!" I cheered. "How are you?" Now, hearing her lovely voice I realized how much I truly missed her.. Ugh, I was a bad boyfriend, In the whole ordeal with Riley, I forgot to call her. .

"Fine. Where were you yesterday? I called several times," complained Abi.

"I'm sorry, we were… bowling." Bowling? Aha… that was new.

"Bowling?" My own girlfriend didn't believe me, not that she had a reason to. "Riley swore never to go bowling again. Why did he change his mind?"

That was actually true. Last time we went bowling a ball accidentally fell on his feet. His feet was broken and he had to walk with crutches. This was shortly after we found the Templar Treasure and a couple of weeks before Abi and I broke up. I thought that his immobility was the reason why he wrote his book.

I visited him every day when he couldn't walk. Abi hated me during this time, because we barely saw each other in those days. Either I was with Riley or at work. She had hoped this would be just as long Riley was handicapped, but then he was healthy again and had no time for me, because he was promoting his book.

When Riley was away, Abi thought our relationship would go back to normal. But it didn't. Eventually it was too much for her, she has had enough of our fighting and she hated the fact that I wasn't there anymore, so she threw me out.

"Earth to Ben, is somebody there?" Abi asked anxious.

"Sorry, honey. I was thinking." I confessed.

"Bowling, Ben? Are you sure everything is alright?" Either I really couldn't bluff or her female intuition sensed something was wrong.

"Yeah, why not?" I answered effusively.

"BEN! Is anything wrong?" Ugh, not good, now she was worried and mad.

"No!" I insisted. "Abi, how is your godchild?" I asked to get off the subject.

"Healthy and very cute. I'm really happy to be here, I missed all my relatives. But you two are too far away. I miss you already… it hasn't even been a week."

"We miss you too, more than you could imagine." I confessed in a small, sad voice.

"Ben, something isn't right. Please tell me." I heard the concern in her voice. "Let me talk to Riley!" She ordered.

"Asleep." I told her.

"Is he all right?" Abi was hysterical already. "Ben if something isn't okay, I require that you tell me this instant!"

"Nothing's wrong! It's not even would be wrong if he was awake this early." I tried a small joke, but it didn't convince Abi.

"You don't want to tell me…" It sounded like a simple fact, she wasn't mad or anything. "Ben, I have to hang up, we're going to visit the zoo."

"I have something to do also." My gaze landed on the envelope, laying on the floor.

"Okay. I'll call soon. Say hello to Riley for me." I swallowed, I didn't think that I would do that.

"I will. I'm looking forward to hearing your voice again, I love you so much, my treasure." I whispered.

"I love you, too. I miss you, especially your kisses." I heard the smile.

I hung up and for a moment I was just standing there, breathing heavily.

Then I picked up the letter again and insisted to myself to open it. Riley would tell me what's in there anyway, so it wasn't cheating or lying or betraying.

"Hey Ben…" I jerked and hid the envelope behind my back. "What is that?"

"Riley!" I yelped. "You're awake! How are you?"

"What is this?" He asked again nodding to my hand I was hiding behind my back. "What are you hiding?"

"Me? Hiding? Don't be…" One look at his innocent face sufficed, I couldn't lie to him about this. "Here, that's for you."

He took the letter and looked at it. Fortunately I was immediately at his side as his legs gave in. I sat him down on the sofa.

"Please, Ben, can you open it?" He asked me shakily.

I took the letter again, biting my lip. "Yeah, I'm sorry, that I wanted to open it without you." He just nodded, and it seemed like he understood. I gave him a small hug and patted his back.

Then I opened the letter, my hands trembling. Riley had his eyes closed and calmly waited.

"Should I read it out loud?" I asked. He nodded.

When I finally held the paper in my hand I looked one last time at Riley, who was hugging his legs to his chest very tightly and had his gaze on the floor.

"It doesn't matter, what the letter says. We'll get through it together." I assured and slid a little closer to him.

Then I took the letter and started to read.

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Whooo…. Not good…

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