Nothing Changes like Time

Chapter 7

A/N: Um...thanks to all the people who are still here and reading and enjoying. I hope you like this chapter...and its a bit long so i hope you can drag yourself through it. lol. Cheers, Phoenix

Doug stood at the window and watched over the stormy ocean. The waves rolling over each other, wanting domination, fighting hard for it, gaining it as others resigned. The wind howled and the trees twirled angrily, banging against the side of the house he couldn't see.

The door opened, a wintry breeze flew in and the door was shut again. Jack was pushing Amy in her pram with a couple of grocery bags in the underneath compartment. His hair was tousled and knotty, his cheeks flushed with red from the cold and the beating of the wind. Amy was all bundled up, with a clear plastic windbreaker over the pram, she was giggling and clapping her hands.

"At least someone enjoyed herself," Doug said taking the bags to the kitchen and putting the contents in the fridge and pantry.

"Yeah," Jack said taking off his jacket and went to stand by the fire in the living room. Doug took Amy out of the stroller and joined Jack, Amy sat on the ground and crawled to a stack of her toys sprawled around the room, Doug sat on the couch putting his feet up on the coffee table. "Remind me not to try that again, I'm freezing my ass off."

"It's gotten cold really early this year," Doug said.

"It was predicted though," Jack said, rubbing his cheeks furiously. "Thank God it's a Saturday. I don't think I could face Capeside High when my insides feel like ice."

Doug laughed. "At least you don't have to deal with delinquents."

"Are you kidding?" Jack asked aghast and Doug laughed again. "I teach them and then you put them in jail."

"At least we have a system," Doug said.

"Mmmm.... have you seen Tobey lately?" Jack asked, kneeling down to play with Amy.

"No, I don't imagine I would have, unless he's broken the law," he paused. "Why? Haven't you heard from him?"

Jack looked up at him and shook his head. "He didn't return the messages I left on his phone..."

Doug couldn't help but feel a stab of jealousy. "He's not your boyfriend Jack, unless you've forgotten."

"What?" Jack asked getting up. "Where did that come from?"

"Ever since Tobey arrived, you've spent every waking moment either with him or talking about him with me."

"He's going through a rough time Doug!"

"And it's acknowledged!" he shouted, getting up from the couch. Amy whined at Doug's raised voice. He lowered it then continued, "but our life has to keep moving around his, and you're not letting that happen. You're dwelling on his issues and because of that, we're having our own!"

"You're making mountains out of molehills," Jack said. "I've just been tired lately, so I'm sorry if you've been feeling rejected, but that has nothing to do with Tobey."

"That's not what I'm implying Jack, you don't talk to me anymore, you run and tell Tobey everything and when I come home you can't be bothered relaying the stories again. I know I work long hours, but I love coming home to you and listening about what happened to you that day... "

"It's just nice having a friend in Capeside," Jack said quietly, sitting on the edge of the other couch. "It's been so long."

"I though I was your friend," Doug said.

"You are but...it's different, I don't know, but it is. Maybe because we're in love," he added slowly. There was a silence and Doug, shifted his feet.

"I'm going to make coffee. Want one?"

Tobey wandered down the stairs and smelt pancakes. His heart melted as he looked into the kitchen and remembered with extreme clarity the first morning he and Gareth woke up together and Gareth had made pancakes: strawberry ones with chocolate sauce, a scoop of ice cream and a pinch of sprinkles.

They had sat down together and said nothing while they ate. It was bliss, Tobey recalled, closing his eyes and leaning against the doorframe.

"Morning," Gareth said, stopping suddenly, seeing Tobey on his way back to the fridge.

Tobey opened his eyes and pushed himself away from the wall. He dragged his feet to where the island bench in the kitchen was and lifted himself up so his legs were dangling over the edge. He grunted in reply to Gareth's greeting.

"I don't remember having all this stuff in the pantry," Tobey noted, glancing at the stuff all over the kitchen.

"You didn't. I went down this morning and picked it up," he said and grinned at Tobey who just raised his eyebrows then rubbed his eyes. "You slept late."

Tobey glanced at the clock on the wall. "Yeah...oh well..."

Gareth piled three pancakes on a plate and dressed them as Tobey has expected. Tobey looked down at them and slid off the bench. "I'm not really that hungry."

"You can't not eat these...I made them specially."

"Oh well..." he muttered and wandered out of the kitchen, leaving Gareth standing with the plate in his hands as he picked it up to follow his husband but thought better of it and put it back down and went after Tobey without the food.

He was in his bedroom. Gareth opened the door and walked in. Tobey was in his underwear.

"Jesus can't you knock?"

"I didn't realise I had to."

"Well, you do."

"Why? I've seen you in less before..."

"Just don't, ok?" Tobey said turning around and slipping a loose t-shirt on and buttoning up his jeans.

"Why?" Gareth pressed, wanting to know. "Is it because of..."

"Because of what?" Tobey asked, making his bed. "Say it."

Gareth said nothing and Tobey turned around. "You can't even say it," he said quietly. "What did your parents say? If anything at all? Did you even tell them?"

"Nothing, I didn't tell them."

"Why not?"

"I told you yesterday, it's none of their business. Have you told yours?"

This time Tobey didn't answer but placed the pillows of his bed and sat down on the corner.

"I didn't think so," he said and walked to the other side of his bedroom and looked out the window. "So why did you tell them you were going to stay here?"

"I said you were coming too."

"Right..."he looked over at the pictures on Tobey's chest of drawers in frames. He picked up a picture of Jack. "Who's this?"

Tobey turned around and glanced at the frame. He and Jack in Boston. Wasn't the happiest of times but they were still going out. They had their arms around each other, Tobey gazing off at something in the distance and Jack was laughing.

"Jack."

"The elusive Jack?

"Not really elusive."

Gareth put the frame down, considered it for a moment longer and looked at Tobey again. "Looks a bit like me don't you think?"

Tobey's head shot up. "Doesn't look a bit like you."

"Brooding good looks; tall, dark haired, blue eyes.... footballer's body?"

Tobey got up. "I'm going out." He left the room.

Gareth followed him down the stairs. "I'll come." Tobey grabbed his house keys from the kitchen.

"I'd really rather you didn't," he said as he manoeuvred to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"No where."

"Liar."

"Everyone is at some point."

"Doug can you get that?" Jack asked, peering over the stack of correction on the kitchen table at his lover who was fastidiously cleaning the grubby handprints from the furniture.

"Yeah, sure," he out the cloth down and walked down the hall to the front door.

"Don't let them sell you anything, you don't need it," Jack said and he heard the door close and Doug come back up the hall.

"He wasn't selling anything and he looked hungry so I let him in," Doug said and returned to the kitchen.

Jack turned around and saw Tobey. "Hey dude," he said bracingly, sensing something of bad news. "Sit down."

Tobey sat opposite Jack at the kitchen table. Doug hovered in the background to hear the conversation.

"Gareth's here," Tobey said. "He came yesterday...in the morning."

Jack opened his mouth to say something but he wasn't sure what exactly he could offer. He scratched his head, looked away and looked over at Doug who stepped forward.

"Where's he staying?"

"With me," Tobey answered looking up at Doug.

"Why? There are plenty of places in Capeside...the Potter B'n'B..."

"I know....I didn't want him to get hypothermia."

Doug raised his eyes and took Amy for a walk outside.

Jack and Tobey stared at each other for a while before Jack spoke up.

"Did he say anything? I mean, did you talk about what happened?"

"Briefly..."

"Briefly? Tobey, I hate to pretend to sound like someone who knows how to handle these situations, but shouldn't you have a deep and meaningful discussion about this with him? Sort it out?" he was staring at Tobey intently. "What do you mean by 'briefly'?"

"I cried, threw things, broke down, tried to beat him up and he tried to calm me down, pry me off him and clean up the shattered glass."

Jack's lips twisted into a smile until he suddenly felt guilty and tried to stop but when Tobey laughed he looked up and chuckled at the disheartened man opposite him who was laughing at his own misfortune.

"This is like a bloody soap opera," he said when he caught his breath. "God I wish I could replay yesterday and laugh like crazy at the corniness..." he trailed off and looked out the window.

Jack had a sneaking suspicion that the tears of laughter had taken a different turn as Tobey wiped his eyes under his glasses and tried to conceal a sniff. Jack's heart pulsated quickly and he felt the tingling effects as the sudden throb of fresh blood pumped hard around his body. He reached across the table and took Tobey's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"You don't have to laugh if you need to cry," he said gently and Tobey returned his gaze to Jack. "You don't have to pretend that his presence here isn't effecting you if it is. You don't have to explain yourself if you can't," he paused and wiped a stray tear off Tobey's cheek. "And you defiantly don't have to go back and face him if you don't want to."

"Where else can I go?" he choked out quietly.

"You can stay here."