A/N: This one's a little shorter than my "usual" 7,000+ word mini-novel chapters - LOL! But it's a good stopping point for the next chapter. This one's mainly Fin and Tony, but I think you'll like where it's heading at the end. I have a feeling everyone's going to be waiting for Chapter 15! Thanks as always for the continuing support and reviews!

Harrisburg, PA – Early Afternoon, Same Day

Tony couldn't help frowning as he approached his and Fin's residence; as usual, there was a sea of television and press media camped out front by the iron gates, just waiting for the latest scintillating news regarding the man who was most likely to be Pennsylvania's next governor. He shook his head as he slowed his car and angrily honked his horn at two photographers in an attempt to get past them.

Thankfully, Mario, his partner's security guard, was posted nearby and, recognizing Tony in his customary disguise of a dark-haired wig, navy blue baseball cap, sunglasses, and beige, zip-up jacket, waved him through as he opened the gate briefly to let him pass and the photographers frantically flashed their cameras at him in a vain attempt to figure out just who he was. He was thankful at least that due to using one of Fin's cars, no one would be able to trace his identity through the license plate.

Thinking how utterly ridiculous it was that he had to go through all this subterfuge just to enter his own fucking house, he sighed as he neared the house and pressed the remote control on his car's visor to slow the vehicle and enter the three-door garage, hastily taking off the ridiculous disguise once safely ensconced inside the facility.

As he turned the car off and closed the door behind him, he sat in the relative silence of the garage as he tried to collect his thoughts. His partner's unexpected call this morning had taken him by surprise. It wasn't that he thought they would proceed now without ever speaking to each other – both of them still loved each other, despite what had happened recently – but somehow Tony thought his lover's voice sounded different somehow, almost painful. He had tried to ascertain just what that meant during their call, but Fin had remained cryptic and tight-lipped, merely telling him they "needed to talk."

He sat there for several seconds hashing over what had happened in the last couple of weeks, while he hoped that something else hadn't happened. He really didn't see what had changed from the last time they had seen each other – from what he could tell, there had been no flashes of epiphany, no changes in Fin's political ambitions – if anything, if you could gauge his partner's motives by the news accounts lately, Fin was poised to announce his intentions to run any day now; it was pretty much a foregone conclusion in everyone's opinion.

Yes, his partner appeared to be as stubborn and determined as ever, but Tony, for once, was sticking to his convictions about no longer wanting to just stay in the background like some dutiful, little housewife. That still didn't erase his intense feelings for his partner, though, and something – whether it was blind hope, wishful thinking, or just plain stupidity – made him return to the house the two of them had shared for so long, the house that was full of so many memories, most of them admittedly happy ones. Well, here I am, Fin…..the next move is yours, my love…He closed his eyes for a couple of seconds before releasing the breath he had been holding and, grabbing the handle, opened the door and stepped out.

Putting his key into the lock, he slowly turned the doorknob to open the entrance leading from the garage into their kitchen. The house was awash in bright sunlight as usual from the large bay window over the double sinks – one of the features that Tony had fallen in love with as soon as he and Fin had seen it – and everything appeared as it normally did. The room was neat and tidy, Spartan by most observers' accounts, with only a bowl of fresh fruit lying on the center, granite island. It's a shame our OWN relationship isn't so "tidy" right now, he couldn't help thinking…..

He had to smile a little, though, as he noticed a fresh package of chocolate chip cookies lying by the refrigerator from the gourmet bakery that Fin loved to visit downtown; the politician had been there so many times over the past few years that as soon as he opened the door, the owner immediately went over to the case and brought him back a freshly-baked dozen of them before he could utter a word. He knew that as much as Fin hated to indulge in high-carb foods, he always seemed to gravitate to these particular treats when he was stressed out. Their present situation certainly would qualify, he thought ruefully.

As he placed his key ring down on the counter, he placed his jacket over a nearby barstool and went in search of his partner. He could hear some jazz music wafting lazily through the speakers tastefully hidden throughout the house, and Fin's Jaguar had been parked in the garage, so he knew his partner was somewhere. "Fin?" he called out softly, but there was no response. A quick perusal of the living room, study, and their bedroom was unsuccessful; that left only two real possibilities for where his partner could be.

He quickly descended the carpeted staircase to the downstairs, finished lower level that held their exercise equipment and home offices. Normally, after Fin indulged in his calorie-laden cookies, he felt guilty afterward and escaped to the treadmill to try and work it off; of course, he normally used the same excuse later to fuck his brains out in their king-sized bed. As Tony thought about the last time Fin had had several of his favorite snack, and what the man had done to "work it off" THAT time, he felt his face flush. Even now, after all this time, the man's passion in their bed made him feel like the most special man on earth. What had happened to us, Fin? He thought sorrowfully. How had everything changed so suddenly? Was it THAT sudden, however? Or did he just realize the truth too late?

He shook his head in an attempt to divert his melancholy thoughts; he needed to find Fin first, to find out just what he needed to talk about. Turning to go back up the steps, he headed to the only other place he could think of where his partner might be – the stables.

As much as Tony had fallen in love with the sun-washed rooms of the house, Fin had simply been enthralled by the stables behind the house; ever since he had been a young boy and had visited his uncle's horse farm in Kentucky during the summer, his partner had been entranced by the Arabian stallions that had been raised there. Fin's eyes would light up as he told Tony about how riding the horses had made him feel free and had lifted his spirits when he was sad or lonely. Often, his parents, who were in the military, had been forced to send him to his uncle's for the summer when they had been assigned to conduct maneuvers for the Army, or attend training camp.

Fin had found a peaceful solace in spending time at the stables, grooming the horses' manes until they shone and tending to their feeding or even cleaning out their stalls; he was rewarded by his grateful uncle with the opportunity to ride several of them frequently during his visits and had become quite an adept horseman over the years. He had loved feeling the wind in his face as galloped over the several acres of woods behind his uncle's farm. Now, whenever his partner was involved in a high-stakes negotiation at the Senate, or feeling pressured by too many lobbyists trying to pull him in several different directions, he could always be found at their stables, performing much the same tasks he had done as a little boy.

It only made sense to Tony, then, that Fin would be at the stables; if anything qualified as a stressful situation, their fractured relationship and the recent discovery of an unknown son certainly did.

He slid the French glass doors back at the rear of the house and emerged onto the cement patio near the pool; not spotting his partner lounging nearby, he walked around the water toward the rear of the property that held an historic, red wooden barn and a fenced paddock area. As he approached the side door where the stables were located, he could hear his partner humming an old Irish tune he had been taught as a little child; Tony had no idea what the title was, but he had heard it frequently enough over the years that he recognized it immediately.

Unbeknownst to everyone else, Fin actually had a surprisingly good singing voice. Normally, though, Tony only got to hear it either in the shower when Fin was in a particularly good mood or after his partner had had a few too many drinks at home. Fin was extremely cautious about imbibing too much at social gatherings, always having to be ever vigilant about his political career, ambitions and reputation.

As he rounded the corner and caught sight of his partner at last, his eyes filled with nostalgic tears as he heard the almost sorrowful baritone of his lover's voice as he crooned the song next to his favorite stallion, Willful, while he brushed his chestnut mane carefully.

At the time they had purchased the proud, majestic horse at a thoroughbred action in Hershey, Tony had thought the name was the most absurd one he had ever heard for a horse, but Fin had insisted the name fit, telling him facetiously that he had named the stubborn, independent horse after HIM. He snorted – if the name had been borrowed from anyone's personality, it had been Fin, not him.

He saw his partner look up, a little startled, as his stepped on a twig and it snapped in half. Fin's initial wariness, not surprising given his prominent stature in the political world, was quickly replaced, however, by a look that made Tony's breath hitch slightly as the brunet saw who it was. For the man's face looking back at him wasn't filled with righteous determination that he was doing the right thing this time, it wasn't consumed with angry resentment over Tony not looking at the "bigger picture," as he often called it lately; no, the man currently staring back at him looked different somehow; it was a look that Tony was seldom accustomed to seeing on this intelligent, wildly-successful man. His partner looked relieved to see him, but also what? Anxious? Almost shy, unsure even?

Fin was dressed casually in a pair of expensive blue jeans, a long-sleeved, button-down, black denim shirt, and a pair of everyday, Gucci loafers; as he rose and wiped his hands on his pants to smile tenderly at his partner, Tony still thought the man was the sexiest, handsomest man he had ever seen. Of course, he had always thought that; it was just now, after being separated from him for a couple of days, he simply realized how terribly he had missed him as well.

"Tony," Fin murmured emotionally as he slowly walked toward his lover. "I wasn't sure you would come."

Tony walked over to his partner and smirked at him. "Fin – I wasn't out of the country – just downtown."

Fin huffed quietly. "You know what I mean, you asshole," he said gruffly, although there was no sting in his voice.

"Yeah…..I know," Tony said softly. The two stared at each other rather awkwardly for a few seconds, unsure of just what to do, before Tony reached over and, resting his hands lightly on Fin's upper arms, gave his lover a kiss on the cheek. It wasn't their standard greeting when they alone – after all, both were very tactile lovers and very passionate about their feelings for each other – but for now, it was all Tony had the heart to do.

He started to remove his hands from Fin's shoulders, but his lover reached to grab them before he could. "Fin….." he began tentatively as he tried half-heartedly to break away.

"No, Tony, listen to me…..please." Fin's steel gray eyes bored into his blue ones as he stared at the man he had known intimately for the past ten years.

"What's left to say, Fin?" his lover asked him wearily; he could feel himself wavering slightly as he felt the soft, warm flesh of his partner while he caressed the top of his hands, but he wasn't going to back down from his demands. He had spent too many years in the darkness, behind the blinding spotlight that Fin had always cast, to shrink back into obscurity now. He was a successful, intelligent, and yes, attractive man in his own right, and it was time that he made a life for himself – with or without Fin. It would hurt tremendously, but he had to do it, before he lost sight of his own identity.

"We've already discussed this, Fin," he said softly. "Over and over and over again. Nothing's changed," he added sorrowfully, shaking his head. He gently but firmly removed his hands from his lover's and turned his back to stare out onto the pasture behind the stables where two of their other horses were currently grazing. The idyllic scenery he was currently staring at belied the churning emotions swirling around inside him as he sighed in regret for the tangled mess they had somehow found themselves enmeshed in.

"Tony….." he heard his partner softly call out to him from a few feet behind.

The blond turned around to face his lover once more, his eyes flashing with pained exasperation. "Just why DID you call me this morning, Fin? What am I DOING here? Huh? It's only been TWO DAYS – what could have happened since then?"

"You'd be surprised how much thinking you can do in 48 hours alone," he partner whispered, his voice full of emotion. "You do realize the impossible situation I've been placed in, don't you?" he asked, his eyes never leaving the light-blue ones he knew and loved so well. He had to somehow make his partner understand….

Tony shook his head angrily. "Fin…..I am NOT going to rehash this all OVER again! You've been very clear – you have to do what you have to do; and I have to do what I have to do. I don't see a compromise here, Fin. I wish I did, but I don't." He rubbed his left hand over the hair on his forehead, his other hand on his hip defiantly as he shook his head mournfully. In a way it almost did feel like a funeral – the death of their relationship.

"I've already said what I needed to say to you before, Fin," he said more softly now, his anger quickly fading to be replaced more with a sort of melancholy resignation; there was no point in postponing the inevitability any longer.

"I'll arrange to have what I need shipped down to the Ritz by the beginning of next week," he said with a choked voice, hardly believing what was coming out of his mouth. He had been with Fin for so long, he could have never imagined living without him; now, it seemed he was going to have to learn to be by himself once again.

His eyes began to fill with tears over his loss as he turned to go before he said something else he might regret; even now, the last thing he wanted to do was hurt his partner even more.

He stopped, however, when he heard the steel in the brunet's voice as he said, "YOU may have said what you needed to say, Mr. Cassinelli, but I HAVEN'T."

As Tony sighed, he slowly turned around to observe his partner's look of determination. Did they really need to go through this all over again?

Fin slowly advanced until he was a few feet away from the blond and put his hands on his hips. "What I didn't get a chance to say before you so rudely interrupted me, Mr. Cassinelli, is that I had a chance to do a lot of thinking over the past 48 hours." As Tony stared at him silently, he continued softly, "And what I came to realize….What I came to realize is that it's pretty damned lonely standing on my lofty principles when my partner isn't standing up there with me."

Tony frowned; that was the LAST thing he expected to hear from this self-assured, politically-driven man he knew so intimately; did he really hear what he could have sworn his partner had just said? And could it possibly mean what he thought it meant? He had to be absolutely sure.

"Fin?" he whispered helplessly, holding his hands out in confusion. "I'm afraid you're going to have to spell out what you're trying to say to me here – I'm getting tired of reading between the lines lately, and anticipating what you're going to do."

Fin smirked and let out a bemused huff. "Spoken like a true attorney."

"Damn it, Fin! Just fucking come out and SAY it!" Tony's blue eyes flashed with annoyance and irritation at his partner's atypical vagueness; normally Fin was a man who always said what he meant, concisely and succinctly with as few words as possible. The man picks NOW to be so obtuse?

His partner smirked. "You always were one to not beat around the bush with me, weren't you? I suppose that's one reason why I couldn't avoid being attracted to you – after being around politicians all the time, you were like a breath of fresh air." He smiled tenderly at the fiery, indignant man currently staring back at him.

Tony huffed out an impatient breath at his partner's enjoyment at his expense; he couldn't help the flush that appeared on his cheeks, though, at the intense stare he was receiving from the sexy brunet. "Fin…" he almost pleaded now, biting his lip tensely, wanting for the man to hopefully end his misery and tell him what he wanted, no, needed, to so desperately hear from him. Until that moment, he hadn't really realized just how much the need had been.

Fin actually chuckled softly at his partner's reaction; if Tony didn't know better, he would say the brunet was prolonging his agony intentionally.

"Just forget it," Tony sharply barked out in disgust, as he began to turn around to leave. At least he was making the pretense of leaving. If you're going to stop me, now's the time, you damned, insufferable man…..He waited for what seemed like an agonizingly long time until he breathed an inward sigh of relief as he felt a strong, familiar hand reach out and firmly grab his bicep.

He turned around with a look of smugness on his face as Fin rolled his eyes at him. "Damn fucker," the senator growled softly as Tony merely raised one eyebrow innocently as if to say, Don't blame me - you MADE me do it…..

Fin sighed in defeat as Tony merely stood there; it was obvious this was going to be one of those rare times when Fin was going to have to grovel, and he always HATED that. But he was hoping the end result would be well worth it…

"Okay, Blondie, you win…What I'm trying to say to you, you fucking, arrogant asshole, is that I LOVE you and I can't imagine my life without you. And if that means I have to climb Mount Everest or even Capitol Hill to announce it – either figuratively or literally – I'm prepared to do that."

Tony stood there, immobile, still stunned that he was at last hearing what he had wanted to hear for so long actually coming from his partner's lips. "Does that mean…?"

Fin curled his lips under in acknowledgement. "Yes, Counselor…what it means is that I will be calling a press conference Monday morning to formally announce my candidacy for the governor's position next year. And I expect YOU to be standing next to me when I do."

"Fin…" He HAD to ask – to make sure his partner's intentions were crystal clear. He had too much on the line now – his whole heart and his life – not to be sure.

Fin held up one hand before he could utter the words, however, anticipating his next question; after all, they hadn't been together for ten years now without being able to almost reach each other's minds. "Yes, yes," he confirmed clearly as he reached his hand down to clasp the other man's. "I will openly acknowledge our relationship at the same time – AND let the chips– or in my case, my political career possibly – fall where they may."

He twisted his mouth and shook his head as Tony's eyes lit up with euphoria. "The things one does for love," he said melodramatically as he snorted. He smiled, though, as Tony beamed back at him radiantly, his blue eyes shining with happiness and just a touch of incredulity. At that moment, he knew for sure that he was doing the right thing, because without this man, nothing else mattered.

He frowned, though, as he immediately noticed just a tinge of doubt in his lover's eyes. "What?" he said softly. "I mean it, Tony…..really. You'll see."

But Tony shook his head and explained. "Are you sure you'll be able to live with this decision, Fin? You know this could be political suicide for you." If Fin wound up being soundly defeated for the governor's position next year, he knew it would be because of him, because of his insistence that his lover come forward with the truth. He knew, too, how much this meant to Fin; was it fair to ask him to jeopardize what he had fought for for so long?

"Tony," Fin said firmly, placing both of his hands on either shoulder and squeezing the tender flesh. "Listen to me. You know me well enough by now to know that I don't do anything I don't want to do. I may be pigheaded at times," he raised his eyebrows and twisted his mouth at his partner's who….you? look. "But I'm also an intelligent man, if I do say so myself. It may take me a while to figure out where I'm going, but once I buy the ticket I don't ask for a refund."

Tony snorted. "You are the most exasperating person at times!" he exclaimed reproachfully. But his biting comment was not as scathing as it could have been, because he was quickly becoming convinced that Fin really did want to do this.

Fin laughed at his partner's look of disgust; Tony couldn't help grinning back at him eventually in return.

"Yes, Tony," he said softly. "I'm sure. VERY sure. Because as much as I want to be Governor, I want us to be together even more. If you can put up with me, that is….."

Tony smiled. "Well...as an attorney – and a damned good one at that – I've weighed all the evidence, Senator, and I can't help but come to one definitive conclusion. I can….."

Fin smiled broadly in relief, breathing out a huff of breath he had been anxiously holding.

"Well then, Counselor. Shall we shake on it?"

Tony smiled coyly, shamelessly flirting while he batted his long lashes and winked at the other man as his eyes sparkled in mischief. "Oh, I think we can do better than that," he said as Fin laughed and swooped down for a deep, lingering kiss. As they began their sweet, familiar dance together at last, Willful gazed at them curiously from his stall as they slowly lowered themselves to the straw-laden ground and sealed their deal.

Thirty minutes later

Tony reached over and plucked a couple strands of straw from his partner's dark hair before placing his hand back on Fin's chest. "Well…..haven't had that much fun riding in the stables in a long time….." he told the other man huskily. He sighed in contentment as he heard his partner chuckle softly.

"Yeah….me too," Fin whispered as he reached to place a tender kiss on the blond's head. "Just like riding a bike, though," he joked as Tony slapped him playfully and snorted.

"Fin?"

The brunet could readily hear the touch of uncertainly in his partner's voice as he peered down into a pair of soft blue eyes. "What, baby?" he asked softly. "You're still not worried about my decision, are you?"

The other smiled back at him reassuringly. "No," he answered. "You've MORE than convinced me. But I was thinking….what about your son? How does this affect him?"

"What do you mean exactly?"

"What are going to do about him? I mean, if you're going to be open about your being gay now, don't you think you need to acknowledge him as well? I know how long you've wanted a family – here's your chance, Fin….."

The brunet stared at his lover for a few seconds before squeezing his pale shoulder and possessively hugging the smaller body against his; he could feel both of their burgeoning arousals beginning to flare again to his delicious realization. He would have to remedy that situation very shortly; however, first he had to address one more concern….

"I'm been thinking about that," he said as Tony stared back at him curiously. "You know how much I always enjoy taking rides in the country?" he said. "Haven't had a chance to do that very much lately. I think it's about time we indulge in one of my favorite pastimes – tomorrow, maybe? I've always wanted to see more of West Virginia."

Fin's heart leapt at the look of absolute joy on his partner's face as he replied, "So have I," Tony murmured before he leaned up to bestow another passionate kiss on the older man's lips. As they broke apart breathlessly several seconds later, the blond whispered, "But in the meantime, can we engage in another one of our favorite pastimes?"