A/N: I am SOOOO sorry to take so long to update this story; I really love it, and want to do it right. Hope you enjoy this chapter, please leave a review, I love to get your comments! Hope everyone had a good holiday, and that we'll all have a wonderful New Year--and that Heath gets the Oscar!!

Reeniecat

* * *

Jack was drunk. It was a Saturday night school dance, and he and Harvey and Jim Gordon were doing shots out back. The harsh alcohol burned Jack's throat as it coursed downward into his belly, but he liked that. Helped get his mind off of what he was having to put up with tonight.

It was the goddamn Sadie Hawkins dance--a big fundraiser for North Gotham High. What an idiotic way to bring in money--didn't those go out in the 1930's?...Christ, of all the lame-ass schools he'd been to, North Gotham took the freakin' prize. Why couldn't they just have more bake sales? Jack liked bake sales.

Rachel had, of course, asked Bruce to go with her weeks ago. Bruce had told Jack he would be going with her. Jack didn't care, not really. He knew Bruce had to keep up appearances with her, and he also knew that Bruce had no intention of trying to get her to sleep with him anymore. Bruce was too gosh-darned honorable for that, a damn boy scout he was, just about...

Jack didn't intend to go. Cassie Meyers had asked him; it was awkward with her. For one thing, he'd fucked her a couple of times just for fun, before he and Bruce really got together. So, she had an idea that there was something between them...secondly, he wanted to fuck her again. He sighed. It wasn't because he particularly liked or cared about her or whatever, he just really did like getting a little pussy every once in a while...jeeze, he'd been screwing girls since he was thirteen, it was kind of a hard habit to give up, so to speak, ha ha....

And, if he took her to the damn dance, he didn't think he'd have much self-control in that department, especially if he had to watch Rachel hanging on Bruce's arm all night long, giving him those moon eyes....it would be better for everyone if he and Bruce just holed up together at Wayne Manor, ordered a pizza, and screwed their brains out all night long, as usual, but nooo. As Bruce said, the fucking dance was important....

He'd ended up agreeing to go because Rachel--damn Rachel--had given him ninety-nine kinds of hell for not showing any school spirit, for not caring about the school's financial viability--that money will go for new computers, Jack!!--and, God knows what other deadly sins he was committing by not dressing up like a monkey and hauling his ass to the stupid school gym for a million boring hours on a Saturday night, to hang out with someone he didn't give a shit about, but who was probably going to cause him to cheat on the one person he DID give a shit about, who was probably driving crazy the person who was making him, Jack, go to the dance, by not cheating on him....Or something like that.

So, here he was, getting loaded out of his mind, trying to stay away from Bruce, stay away from Rachel, and stay away from goddamn Cassie Meyers, with her short little spaghetti strap dress that would slide up over her hips so nicely....he took the bottle as it came around again and took a deep, long swig, before handing it off to Jim.

"Damn, Jack-o, you can really put it away! Who're you drinking off your mind tonight?" asked Jim admiringly.

"Aw, fuck, no one, Jim. I jus' don't wanna have to show what a bad dancer I am to the entire school...." Jack was slurring his words slightly. His eyes were heavy lidded and he thought he could probably curl up behind the giant school air conditioner units and pass out, thus saving everybody a lot of trouble....

"Jack's got a hot date he's getting ready for, Jim. He's not going to be able to get it up if he's sober, unless he can talk her into putting a bag over her head...." Harvey snickered, highly amused at his own wit. Harvey was quite well lit himself at this point. Cindy Adams was out of town, and he was at loose ends.

"Aw, Cassie's not that bad, Harvey...she's got great tits, who looks at her face?" asked Jim, chortling.

"Hey, you fuckers, Cassie's all right, don't talk about her like that..." Jack ordered. Cassie was actually quite pretty, but her hair was cut severely short and dyed an unnatural black. Plus, she wore garish makeup that seemed to be chosen for it's shock appeal rather than its ability to enhance her features.

Harvey and Jim both broke into drunken laughter, and started in on some of the other girls they found to be less than attractive. Jack hated that kind of idiocy, and he waved his hand dismissively at the other two boys.

"So long, assholes, I'm going back inside...need to find some food...." He began weaving his way back to the gym.

Inside, the dance was in full swing. There were lots of people bobbing up and down out on the floor, but Jack instantly spotted Bruce and Rachel slow dancing together. Bruce was holding Rachel close, swaying easily in a tight circle, his eyes closed. Rachel looked unreasonably happy....

Jack curved his lips in disgust and sighed. Cassie was instantly at his side..."Hey, babe, where'd you go off to?" She could smell the liquor on Jack's breath.

"I was...outside. For some reason...." Jack answered, rubbing his forehead and wobbling a bit.

"Well, let's go back out there, together, huh?" asked Cassie brightly. She'd had a couple of drinks, herself. She squeezed Jack's arm and he smiled down at her. He wondered what she'd look like without the damn makeup...

"All right, honey. Le's go," Jack agreed. He took another look at Bruce, who was now gazing down at Rachel and smiling at her with that sexy, boy scout smile of his. Jack felt a cold flash of jealousy. All he wanted was to be in Bruce's arms tonight, to be in his warm bed, lying under him, feeling Bruce's dick throbbing, hot and swollen, as it slid deep inside him, and here he was, trotting off to the bleachers with this girl....

Clearly, there was no justice in the world.

* * *

Rachel stared up at tall, dark-haired, dark-eyed Bruce Wayne. God, he really was stunningly handsome, she thought. She was so used to him, so comfortable with him, that it was easy to forget what a gorgeous guy he really was. His arms felt so good around her, so strong and commanding. And he smelled so nice.

She was really going to have a hard time sticking to her morals this semester. No sex before marriage, and there was no way they could get married before they graduated high school...but, how long would Bruce be willing to wait? The man obviously had needs...it was a good thing he had football and debate club to keep him busy. Oh, and working on cars with Jack...that seemed to keep him occupied quite a bit these days. She'd never have taken Bruce for a mechanic, but oh well, whatever. She just hoped he wouldn't get impatient with her. He was such a good, loyal boyfriend...when they finally did get together, she wanted it to be special, to be perfect. For both of them.

* * *

Bruce held Rachel closely, finding it easier to keep an eye out for Jack with her pressed against his chest. He'd seen him come in with Cassie on his arm, but he'd lost sight of him almost immediately. Cassie had been quickly absorbed into a group of her girlfriends, but Jack had disappeared.

Bruce felt distinctly uncomfortable about the situation. Jack was probably jealous, more than he would ever let on. He probably didn't want to hang around watching him and Rachel together. They often went out, but it was usually with another couple or in a group, and Jack never minded that. But a dance...there was something inherently romantic about that, and he could already see that Jack wasn't happy about being there.

He just hoped Jack wasn't out in the parking lot with the stoner kids smoking pot. He hadn't been doing that, as far as Bruce knew, since he came to North Gotham, but Jack's impulse control tended to be a little shaky, especially under pressure. Plus, sometimes he just didn't seem to have good sense. Jim Gordon's dad, the cop, was one of the chaperones, and he already had Jack on his radar screen. Bruce sure hoped Jack didn't do something stupid tonight....

* * *

Jack and Cassie wandered out to the parking lot to Jack's car. They stood leaning against it, looking up at the stars. Jack wanted a cigarette. Smoking was yet another thing he had given up when he decided to get his life on the right track, and he hardly ever thought about it anymore, mostly, but tonight, he damn well wanted a cigarette.

He asked Cassie for one, and she fumbled in her tiny shoulder bag and pulled out a pack and a lighter. She took out a cigarette and held it up invitingly, so that Jack could slip it into his mouth without using his hands. She flicked a flame out of the lighter and Jack leaned forward to light up.

He inhaled deeply, appreciating the sharp scratch of the smoke as he dragged it into his lungs. Ahhh, fuck yeah, why'd he quit doing this again? The mild buzz of the tobacco soon mixed pleasurably with the fog of the alcohol and Jack started feeling pretty damn good. He flicked the ash to the side and when Cassie stood in front of him and reached up on tiptoe to kiss him, he slipped his free hand around her waist. Mmm, cherry lip gloss, nice...

They lightly made out, standing under the night sky, with Cassie's tongue exploring his mouth, when he suddenly felt a rush of loneliness for Bruce. Damn it. He missed him so much tonight. Just knowing he was inside the gym with Rachel in his arms felt like a knife stabbing him in his stomach, although that might have been the booze and cigarette combined with no food....suddenly, Jack pushed Cassie away from him.

"Listen, babe, I'm sorry, I just can't do this...." he said firmly.

"What's the matter, Jack? What did I do?" she asked worriedly.

"Nothing, it's not you, it's...look, I'm seeing someone right now."

"Who?"

"It's kind of a long-distance thing, we don't see each other a lot, but...I'm really sorry, I just need to...look, let's go back inside and find some food, huh? I'm starving...."

"Fine, Jack, listen, screw you, ok? Just forget it, I don't need this!"

"Aw, Cassie, come on, don't be mad..."

"No, Jack, you're a real asshole, you know that? Fuck off."

With that, Cassie turned on her heel and headed back inside.

Jack stood there, his lips twisted, frowning in thought. He took a deep, blessed drag on his cigarette, watching the smoke swirl around his head before wafting toward the clouds, when suddenly a hand came out of nowhere and pulled the cigarette out from between his lips. He turned, startled, to see Bruce standing there, a wry smile on his face.

"Smoking's not good for you, Jack."

"Bruce! How long have you...."

"Long enough. You had me worried there for a minute, but...you did good, Jack," he said softly.

"Bruce..." Jack's voice failed him.

"Come here," Bruce ordered, taking Jack's arm.

He led him to a nearby cluster of the school's utility buildings, into a secluded area between the structures and, after checking carefully to be sure they wouldn't be seen, pulled Jack into his arms and kissed him tenderly.

"Dammit, Bruce..." Jack said brokenly. "I was missing you so much...."

"I know, I know, me too. I was worried about you, so I came to see how you were doing...."

"Yeah, not so great. I hate this, Bruce."

"Me, too."

"I wish we could just be together."

"Me, too."

They felt too exposed, too vulnerable to kiss again, but they smiled wistfully at each other.

"Well, I guess you don't have to give Cassie a ride home, now, huh?"

"Guess not. I'm too loaded to drive, anyway."

"Why don't you go inside and get some food, and sit with me and Rachel at our table? By the time you sober up enough to drive, it'll be time to go. I'll take Rach home, and then I'll meet you at my place...we'll go to bed, and before I'm done with you, you'll forget Cassie Myers ever existed," Bruce spoke teasingly, but he put his hand under Jack's chin and looked deep into his eyes, letting him know that he wanted him very badly. "How does that sound?"

"Sounds really good, Bruce. I just...."

"What, babe?"

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have...I'm really drunk, Bruce."

"I know, Jack. It's ok. I'm really proud of you. Come on, let's go in."

"Ok. I love you, Bruce."

"You're really drunk, Jack. But, I love you, too."

The two walked slowly back to the gym, and although they both ached to just settle in together somewhere quiet and private, they were careful not to touch one another or to betray their intimacy in any way.

The rest of the evening was a fuzzy blur to Jack, but it passed smoothly enough. He ate, and started drinking water, which helped to flush the effects of the hard liquor out of his system, and eventually his head cleared and the resentfulness and anger he had been nurturing earlier in the evening abated. He didn't even hate Rachel anymore.

Later, Bruce met Jack at his house as promised, and after they had gone upstairs to Bruce's bedroom, slipped out of their clothes and into Bruce's bed, they gratefully wrapped themselves in each other's arms. Bruce inhaled deeply of the unfamiliar scents clinging to Jack on this strange night, stale cigarette smoke, the raunchy aftermath of too much liquor, and the faint lingering of someone else...a girl's perfume....Those, mixed with Jack's usual spicy scent and a light dousing of fresh sweat, were wildly intoxicating to Bruce, and he felt a surge of such desire that his vision became cloudy.

Bruce lovingly slid his warm, moist lips over Jack's eager mouth, dipping his tongue inside, no longer the shy, tentative explorer he had been when they started their affair. He now knew his lover's mouth by heart, his most sensitive places, between his gum and bottom lip, inside his cheeks, and deeper, and he demandingly used his tongue to claim them again, sending chills of excitement through Jack's entire body, causing him to melt against the latent strength of Bruce's muscular chest.

Bruce hugged Jack to him so tightly that he thought he might squeeze the breath out of him, but Jack just snuggled in closer to him, as though afraid he might disappear....Bruce's hand trailed over his lover's back, tracing a path that followed the sharp indentions of his bony spine, moving lower, until he reached the only place on Jack's skinny body that curved softly. He smiled against the deep kiss they were enjoying, and affectionately squeezed first one warm, silky cheek, then the other. Bruce stopped a minute to reach for lubricant, then gently probed even lower, and, finding Jack's entrance, slid two long, slender fingers inside him.

"Jeeze, Bruce, what're you doing?" Jack broke the kiss to stare at his lover's face in surprise. As experienced as Jack was in rowdy sexual exploits, he had little familiarity with gentle, caring lovemaking techniques.

"I've been reading up on this...does that feel good?"

"God, yeah...so good...but, 'reading up?' What the hell..." Jack shut up after Bruce began to gently but commandingly prepare him for what they both had been looking forward to all evening. As he used his fingers to open up Jack's tight entrance, Bruce felt his lover begin to relax against him, and soon he judged by the noises coming from low inside Jack's throat and the way he was thrusting himself back against Bruce's hand that he was close to being ready.

"Turn over, babe," Bruce ordered, his voice a low rumble.

Jack eagerly complied, positioning himself on his hands and knees, parting his legs wide enough to give Bruce easy access; Bruce raised himself upright onto his knees, steadying himself with his hands on Jack's hips, and, after liberally applying lubricant to his member, he gave a deep, powerful thrust.

Jack moaned, the pleasure so strong that his legs already felt weak, but he jerked back to meet the delicious intrusion, encouraging his lover to pick up the pace. "God, Bruce, that feels so good...." he gasped.

"Sexy boy," Bruce responded softly, his capacity for rational thought laid to rest for the night. "It's going to feel even better...."

Bruce closed his eyes and slid deeply into the heat of Jack's body. This moment was all he ever wanted, feeling his sweet lover under him, tightening and flexing around his member as he drove himself at a steady pace in and out of Jack's tight channel. He was constantly rewarded by Jack's fervent responses, and Bruce now knew to seek the proper angle to stimulate his prostate, as well as to reach around to grasp Jack's rock-hard erection with his still lube-slicked hand and help him to reach a climax by firmly stroking him, while still thrusting into him with that hard, powerful rhythm.

It wasn't long before Jack's warm semen filled his hand, and Bruce heard his guttural cry of release. Pleased, Bruce now focused on satisfying himself, grasping his lover around his waist and pulling him into a slightly different angle, then sliding his hands onto his skinny hips, holding him firmly in position, fucking him deeper and harder than he had ever thought possible. He soon came, ejaculating deep in Jack's delicious heat, allowing his member to stay sheathed inside, still throbbing pleasurably for a long moment before finally pulling out.

It was only afterwards, as Jack lay cradled in Bruce's arms, senses barely recovered and just before drifting into an innocent, dreamless slumber that it occurred to him that they had told each other "I love you" that evening. God, he'd been so loaded, did it really happen? He was fairly certain he had drunkenly spouted the words, but had Bruce really said them back?

"Bruce...?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yeah?"

"Did I...did I say something really, uh, stupid, earlier this evening?"

"You said an amazing amount of stupid things this evening, Jack, what in particular were you thinking of?"

He moved far enough away from Bruce to be able to look him in the eye.

"I think I told you 'I love you'," he admitted, sheepishly.

"You did."

"Well...did you say it back? Everything's kind of fuzzy after the second round of booze..."

"I believe I did, yes."

"Didya mean it?"

"Oh, yeah. I meant it. God help me, I meant it."

Jack smiled.

"You poor bastard."

He settled back into Bruce's arms and was out like a light.