Nothing Changes like Time
Chapter 2
A/N: thanks ever so for all your kind words. I thought I was really out of touch...and I probably still am and you guys are just humouring me but I thought chapter 2 should come sooner rather than later.
Special thanks: Gina: thanks ever so for reading my stories! I'm glad you're enjoying them and I hope this chapter is as good... Sam: with Tobey in the picture things will get very interesting, lol. Thanks also to Zero D. Allen, Repmet (Temper backwards?) and R. You guys are the best!
PS: there's a quote from Queer as Folk in here...so, no infringement intended to the lovely Ron and David.
Jack wasn't sure whether he was beginning to suffer an irregular heartbeat or he was falling into a trap of excessive surprises.
"You're married?"
"That depends on where I am," Tobey said and smiled. "We got married 2 years ago and...well, here I am, getting away from it and him."
"What made you decide to get married?" Doug asked, surprised. He was just getting used to the idea of being out, but getting married, to another man, that was somewhere down the thought list that he hadn't had a chance to get to yet.
"I don't know. He proposed and I accepted, we got my family and friends up to Toronto, we have a photo album and a video and a certificate...what's good for the hetro's is good for the homo's."
Jack and Doug laughed.
"So, I'm here, just getting some distance I suppose. Trying to work some stuff out without him."
"So does that mean you're getting a divorce?" Jack asked watching Doug go to the bin with the used serviettes.
"No...I hope not," he paused. "But I had better get to the supermarket, the house is empty."
"Where are you staying?" Jack asked, standing up and taking the wheel lock off Amy's pram.
"The folk's place. They're on holiday visiting Claire and family in L.A, so I figured; I have exactly two months before I absolutely have to face Gareth again."
Jack smiled. "Here's our phone number—"he scrawled the number of Tobey's hand with Doug's biro, "Give me a call and we can have a proper catch up sometime after tomorrow."
"Will do," Tobey said, smiled and left.
"Jack! Can you bring me Amy's dress—I need it for the wash!" Doug shouted from the laundry. Jack came pounding down the hall and passed him the little pink dress.
"She's asleep, finally," he said exhausted.
Doug shut the lid of the washing machine and turned the nob to gentle warm wash. Doug turned to Jack, put his arms tightly around his waist and hoisted Jack up over his shoulder.
"Whoa—what are you doing?" Jack asked, faced with an upside-down view of Doug's bum. "Great view though—"
Doug patted Jacks ass and laughed. "Same here." He laughed again and walked to their bedroom and dumped Jack on their bed.
"Doug—don't, I've got 6 more to do and if I stay here any longer I won't be able to get them done."
Doug leaned down and kissed Jack's lips softly, feeling Jack's hands loosely on his back. Doug sat on the edge of the bed and took off his socks before rolling Jack onto his side of the bed, pulling back the covers on Jack's, rolling Jack back into his side and getting into his own. He reached for Jack and wrapped his arms around Jack's torso.
"Tobey's married—how weird is that?"
"Could you imagine the stink if we decided to do that here is closed minded Capeside."
"We'd get a lot of support—think about it. My family, you're friends would come..."
"And no one would mess with big tough Sheriff Witter," Jack said dreamily, cuddling into his lovers arms, secretly wishing that he could get married, even though he could never contemplate it happening, especially with Doug.
"You are such a bullshit artist," Doug said softly into Jack's tussled black hair.
"I can't even remember who the last 6 were..." Jack muttered. "I should go and do them, it won't take long, I'll be back."
"No," Doug whispered kindly, and Jack didn't move. Doug knew he didn't have that much power, Jack wasn't even going to get up anyway, but it made Doug's heart beat that little bit faster.
"I love you Jack."
The end of school bell sounded and Mr. McPhee dismissed his year 10 class as he picked up his brief case and pile in the new stack of correction that needed to be done. He looked up when he heard a familiar knock at the door.
"Hey there," he said and smiled broadly.
"You look much better," Doug said, rearranging Amy on his hip.
"I feel heaps better too."
"Amazing what a couple hours of sleep will do for you."
"OK, OK," Jack laughed. "I surrender, you win."
"I always win, I've got the law on my side," he said with a smirk and passed Amy over to Jack and picked up his lover's briefcase.
"Yeah, well if you're not careful, I'll just put you in Saturday morning detention."
"Do teachers still use wips?" Doug asked playfully, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"Only if students are really, really naughty," Jack said in a low voice.
"Well then I'll have to come up with something that will induce severe punishment."
They heard the phone ringing when they pulled up and Jack bolted out of the car and into the house just in time to answer,
"hello?"
"Jack—it's Joey."
"Hey Jo, I got your message, I've just been really busy—"
"OK, save the long winded theatrics for your students McPhee, we have a problem," she said seriously.
"Has Pacey passed out on the floor of your apartment again?"
"Not funny—have you read the summary for this weeks episode?"
"No..."
"I think it's time to pull out the big guns on our friend dawson."
Jack wandered into the living room and picked up the television guide and flipped to Wednesday.
"'Sam and Petey give into passion on their school ski trip and Jarrod and fellow tutor Nick agree to go on a date'." Jack laughed.
"Jack! Do you realise that Dawson is going to tell the world I lost my virginity!"
"Joey, you did lose your virginity."
"But he's telling it the way Dawson saw it."
"Dawson saw it?" Jack teased as he watched Doug stumble into the house with everything as it started to drizzle. He mouthed 'thanks' sarcastically and kept going into the kitchen.
"Jack," she said, irritated.
"Yes?"
"Shut up."
Jack laughed again. "Hey, you'll never guess who's in town."
"Enlighten me," she drawled
"Tobey."
"Really?" she said as her mood seemed to lighten.
"Yeah, Doug and I ran into him and get this—he's married—to a guy. Do you believe it?"
"Yes, what I wouldn't believe was if you'd said that Tobey got married to a girl. Tell him I said hi, and say hi to Doug too—I gotta run, finish this incredibly boring book. Call you later, to discuss battle strategies."
Jack hung up and wandered into the kitchen.
"Joey?" Doug asked from the floor as he was watching Amy walk from the leg of the kitchen table to the couch.
"Yep," Jack sat down on Doug's lap and they hugged warmly.
"You're so perfect," Doug said.
The rain started pouring down, battering against the windows of the Barrett house. Tobey stood at the French door and watched as the sheets got soaked in the first rains of autumn. A couple ran across the street and quickly under the shelter of their porch.
It had been so long since Tobey had been in Capeside. Everything seemed different. Jack...Tobey couldn't describe what he felt for him. Was there still something there between them? There was only one problem if the answer to the previous question turned out to be affirmative: Doug Witter.
And Gareth Pendlebury. They were married, not matter what the government decided. And Tobey loved him. Truly, deep down. Everything that had got him to Capeside and everything that drove him away from Gareth ran through his head. Could he go back to Gareth and Canada if he still had feelings for Jack?
He was brought out of his trance by the ringing phone, hopeful that it was Jack. He bounced over to the coffee table.
"Hello?"
"I knew you'd be there."
A/N: okies................thanks for reading this much, it's a bit of a long chapter, I know. Sorry. I hope you like it and review!!!!!
Phoenix