Chapter Two

"So are you excited?" Marcie asked as she spooned the eggs onto a platter. "I mean... to start training again in you downtime."

Mark laughed. "You've seen this place, Marcie. When's the last time any of us had downtime?"

"OK, you have a point," Marcie smiled. "But... if Nick can get whole days off for football practice, I'm sure you can take time for the swim team." Mark raised his eyebrows, looking at her. "Oh come on. You know the guys will help cover your share. Riley and Hudson. Oh... and when Ronnie gets back from New Jersey, he's going to be helping us out too..."

"So... things are better between you and your brother." Mark said.

Marcie sighed. "Not... really. He's still set on getting Eric to cancel this wedding. He's never going to come around, he's never going to accept this or..."

"Eric is his brother," Mark said. "I just don't know... why... even families can't accept this. I mean... your own family."

"He has me," Marcie said. "And he always will. Gay, straight, whatever. I love him, he's my best friend. I just wish Ronnie... and my Dad...I wish they could see that Eric isn't any different than anyone else."

"I wish everybody could see that." Mark said. "But look around, Marcie. Not everyone is as tolerant as you are."

"They should be."

"How is it going in there?" Shannon called. "We're starving."

Mark laughed as he and Marcie gathered the food and stepped out of the kitchen. They looked around at the five other faces. "Nick really took off," Mark said.

"Oh well, his loss, more for us." Shannon said, sitting down."

Marcie saw the look on Mark's face. "Don't take it too hard." she said. "It's Nick."

"Who's taking it too hard?" Mark said. "I'm fine, let's eat."

Nick decided against the Egg McMuffin and grabbed an energy bar and a bottle of water at the grocery before heading for the University. Working out helped him clear his mind. Plus, it wouldn't hurt, especially with the first game of the season happening so early in the year.

Nick stepped into the gym, passing the pool on the way to the locker room. He tore off his tee shirt as he stepped up to his locker.

"Look who's here." Nick heard, turning around to face Ethan Harrison and Sean Ridge, his teammates and KAD brothers. "You see who I see, Sean? Looks like Messina."

"What you doing here, Nick?" Sean said. "You finally through with that sorry project?"

Nick sighed. He had felt just like that when the Love Project started, but it had grown on him. He wouldn't admit it, but completing the project had become important to him.

"I had to get out of that house, man." Nick said. "And if I wanna start at all this season..."

"You've gotta lift and keep up that muscle mass." Sean said.

"Yeah, man," Ethan added. "Legs... Arms..."

"Which is why I'm here." Nick said. "I'm gonna hit the weight room... then the track, wind sprints."

"Damn, Nick" Ethan said. "Where do you find the energy at night."

Nick laughed, shaking his head. "Believe me," he said. "If there was a way to keep up my game and be able to stay awake past nine o'clock every night. I'd go for it."

Ethan and Sean exchanged glances. "What if we told you we could help you out?" Ethan said. "Cut down on your training time."

"I'd say where's the magic bullet." Nick continued changing, almost shaking it off as a joke before he caught glimpse of something in Ethan's hand.

"Your magic bullet" Ethan said extending the small glass bottle and hypodermic. Nick was speechless. "Build the body, keep your energy for the ladies."

"The ladies..." Nick said. "Right..." he paused. "You're serious."

"Would we lie to our brother?" Ethan said. "We're KAD, man. We've got your back, you've got ours, right?"

"You want me to shoot myself up with that." Nick said.

"Beats being worn out." Sean said. "Go ahead."

Ethan placed it in Nick's hand. "This one's on us," he said. "Take it." Nick clutched it in his hand. "A free ride. It's yours."