Thank you to all my reviewers: Guardian Angel4, spellgirl5, dexter (so happy you're back), raven4darkness (email me, yours didn't go through on the review. I'm on yahoo…screen name is anjel9192000.), Platinum Rei, ReRe04, Lizzy (don't worry, this story should have 20 chapters like the last one), Spider-man-fan, crystal, adamo4me, smoothNcreamy, Sagittarius Sage, AngelsDon'tSleepHere, Kate (I love you…you know that though.), McCurdy, and citygal509 (Thanks for the suggestions on this). To Feral, sorry I didn't send this first but I haven't had a lot of time to write and I wanted to get it posted.
A/N: I am so sorry it's taken me this long to update. I've been working unreal hours and trying to keep up with my college courses as well. I promise to try and update by Monday again.
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Chapter Twelve
Dylan woke up the day after Christmas alone and he wasn't in his room. He recognized the room he was in but he couldn't figure out where the owner had disappeared to at such an early hour.
Marco came in a moment later carrying a tray with breakfast and coffee. "You're awake!"
"You left me…"
"I'm sorry. I felt you deserved breakfast in bed after the workout I gave you last night." Marco said smiling.
Dylan grinned back at him, "You are too good to be true."
Marco slid the tray on the bed before gently returning to it too.
Dylan pulled him down for a kiss before reaching for the tray. "What a way to start the day…drop dead gorgeous guy and breakfast in bed."
Marco laughed as he picked up his own coffee cup. They chatted about nothing in particular while eating their breakfast.
Dylan's phone rang on the bedside table about an hour later, while he and Marco were still cuddled up together.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Chad."
"No, I'm not home yet Chad. No I haven't seen Paige this morning. No I don't know why she's avoiding you. Yes, I'm a little busy right now. I'll call you after Marco and I get back to my house. I promise. Good bye Chad."
Dylan clicked the phone closed and laughed, "You aren't supposed to be kissing me like that when I'm on the phone."
Marco smiled, "But I like distracting you. Too bad the real world has to intrude."
Dylan laughed, "Yeah, we should probably get back to the house soon. Mom will be the one calling next or Paige will just show up here."
Marco bit his bottom lip lightly, "Okay, lover…let's go take a shower."
Dylan smiled tensely, "Maybe it should be alone or we'll never get out of here. But I suggest we stay over here for the remainder of our visit."
Marco agreed and went to take his shower. Dylan explored Marco's room a little while he was in the shower. Not much had changed, except it didn't look lived in anymore. He opened the closet and saw a shelf with all his stuff on it. It looked like Marco tried to hide it in plain sight after he left.
Marco emerged with only a towel on and saw Dylan looking in his closet, "Anything of interest in there?" Marco knew exactly what he was staring at but wanted to hear his thoughts on it.
"All the stuff I gave you and pictures of our life together. For some reason, they are hidden in a closet." Dylan said accusingly.
"Kind of like all the stuff I gave you is either still in your room here or in a box on your shelf or the pictures in a book that you hid away for over a year…" Marco accused right back.
"Point taken, I see your point…"
Marco kissed his shoulder blade and wrapped his arms around Dylan's waist. "If it makes you feel better, I'll pull all this stuff out and put it around my room here. I've got enough pictures around my house in Boston of us in various poses."
Dylan turned around to look at his boyfriend, "Where'd that come from?" asked Dylan, pointing at the chain around his neck.
Marco picked up the ring on the chain and looked down at it. "This old thing? I found it the other day and I decided today would be a good day to put it back on."
Dylan smiled at him, "I'm glad you decided to wear my ring again."
"Like I had a choice…"
"There's always a choice…"
"Not really when I want the whole world to know I belong to you…again." Marco stated smugly.
Dylan laughed and went to take his shower.
Marco replaced a few of the pictures while Dylan was in the shower and started to get dressed.
Dylan emerged completely naked and smiled, "Guess it's time to get dressed and go home…huh?"
Marco groaned, "Yeah, you need to get dressed or you might not see your parents for the next few days."
Dylan laughed and walked over to where Marco had laid out some of his clothes from "his drawer". "I thought you would've tossed these or given them back to Paige by now…"
Marco laughed, "I didn't know what you were up to in college last year and I was hoping for a reunion…some of them actually came with me so you have a drawer started already." Marco was blushing slightly as he admitted that.
Dylan laughed, "So does this mean our sleepovers are going to be a regular occurrence?"
Marco smiled, "Yeah, I'd say that would be a safe bet. Come on, let's get back to your house before your mom calls in a missing persons report."
Dylan smiled as they finished dressing and headed out the door. When they got back to the Michalchuk residence they saw Paige sitting on the front porch, crying.
Dylan ran up the porch steps to Paige's side, "What's wrong? What happened?"
Paige shook her head, "Oh Dylan, Mom didn't want to interrupt your night. Granddad fell last night, he's in the hospital."
Dylan tore into the house looking for his mother. Hopefully, she'd shed some light on the nonsense that Paige was spewing.
Marco curled up on the porch swing with Paige. He was trying to comfort her and calm her down.
Dylan found his parents in his father's study, "What's going on? Why didn't you call me?"
Mrs. Michalchuk looked at her son through bloodshot eyes, "I didn't want to interfere in your reunion with Marco. You deserved last night after the last year and a half of being apart. Where is Marco?"
"On the porch with Paige…I think. I forgot to check but I need to know what's going on." Dylan waved his hand, "Anyway, what's going on? Paige wasn't making much sense."
Mr. Michalchuk had just hung up the phone, "Dylan, your grandfather fell last night. He's got a hemorrhage in his head. He's been in and out of consciousness all night. The doctors say he'll be in a coma before tomorrow night."
"What does all that mean? I mean, I know the words and the meanings but in practicality what does it mean?" Dylan exclaimed.
"He's going to die, Dylan. And soon."
"I'm so sorry, Mom. I know you and Granddad haven't gotten along but it's gotta be hard on you."
Mrs. Michalchuk managed a soft laugh, "You amaze me. You apologize before the news even sinks in. Will you go visit him today? Maybe he'll wake up for you. You were always his favorite."
Dylan hugged his mom, "Yeah, I'll have Marco drive in case I can't make it home."
Dylan left to find where Marco had gotten to and then he remembered Chad. Dylan pulled his cell phone out of the pocket and hit Chad's speed dial number.
"Hey Chad. No, Paige isn't mad at you. She is going to need you though. Yeah, come over please. She'll be mad that I called at first but she'll get over it. We just found out that Granddad is about to leave this plane of existence. He's dying, you moron! Just come over and support her. She needs you and I need my boyfriend back. Good, I'll see you in ten."
Dylan found Marco holding Paige, murmuring soothing tones into her hair. Dylan sat in the chair next to the swing and placed his head in his hands, elbows placed on his knees. He looked almost defeated. He was trying his best to keep his emotions in check until he knew more after seeing his grandfather.
Chad pulled up a few minutes later, got a tongue lashing from Paige for being there. Then, she collapsed into his arms and started crying all over again.
Marco climbed onto Dylan's lap, "You want to talk?"
Dylan kissed him lightly, "No, not yet. I want to go see him. Will you drive?"
Marco nodded, "Let me go change my shirt."
Marco and Dylan entered the guestroom together. Marco stripped off his shirt, stained with Paige's tears and make-up.
Dylan wrapped his arms around Marco's bare shoulders from the back. "Thank you," he whispered lightly in Marco's ear.
Marco turned within Dylan's embrace, "For what? For supporting you the way you supported me when I needed you…or for loving you. Those aren't hardships for me so there's no reason to thank me."
"I never expected to be repaid…"
"Dylan, I love you. Anything that you need and I can provide, I'll do it."
"Put your shirt on. I don't know how much time I've got to see him."
Marco slid his shirt into place. And the boys left the house immediately.
Dylan gripped Marco's hand tightly as they heard the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital.
The nurse at the desk stopped Dylan, "I'm sorry but only family are allowed in the room."
Without missing a beat, "He's my fiancé, he is family."
The nurse looked shocked at the announcement but let the boys pass.
"Dylan, how could you do that? What if she says something to your parents?"
"I'll explain to them that it was the only way to get you into the room. They'll understand, you're practically family anyway." Dylan said. "Besides, I need you there with me, I'm terrified of what I'm going to see in there."
"I know, love. Open the door, the longer you wait the harder it'll be to go in."
Dylan pushed open the door slowly. His grandmother looked up from her knitting, "Dylan. It's so good of you to come. Who's this with you?"
Dylan smiled, "Hi Gram. Don't you remember Marco. He's the guy I dated my Grade 12 year."
"Of course, I didn't know you were back together. Last I heard, you were dating someone at college."
Dylan smiled, "We got back together yesterday, Gram."
"Good for you, dear."
"So, how's he doing," inquired Dylan, not looking at the bed.
Marco felt eyes watching him and looked over at the bed. He nudged Dylan lightly as the ice blue eyes continued to bore a hole through him. "Umm, Dyl? Someone's awake."
Dylan turned to the bed, "Granddad, how are you?"
Dylan edged closer to his grandfather's head, "I need to talk to you boy. Everyone else, get out!" His grandfather waited until his wife and Marco were out of the room.
"Now boy, I'm going to give you some advice, so listen up. Love like there's no tomorrow because you never know, there might not be. Make yourself happy and screw everyone else. The only person you have to face in the end is the person looking back at you from the mirror. You challenged me and my beliefs, for that I respect you. Not too many people had the courage to do that. I love you because you're my grandson, I like you because of who you have become. You're a good person, Dylan. Don't ever let anyone tell you any different or try to change you. Be sure to take care of the family for me."
"I will Granddad. I love you." Dylan was crying as his grandfather fell asleep again.
He let his grandmother and Marco back into the room.
He pulled Marco onto his lap and held him tightly as he relayed the information his grandfather gave him.
His grandmother watched the scene with an avid interest. It was clear that this young man on her grandson's lap was in love. Judging from the way Dylan wasn't letting him go, the feeling was mutual. It was an amazing sight to see…her grandson in love.
She listened as Dylan told her of her husband's advice for the younger man.
Marco even started to cry a little at the wisdom of the older man's words.
"I didn't mean to make you cry, Gram. That's the last thing I wanted to do." Dylan said.
Gram smiled slightly at him, "No dear, it's okay. You don't understand why I'm crying. Your granddad had a terrible time accepting it when you announced you're gay. I guess this is his way of saying that he finally accepts you and loves you."
"I think he just wants you to be happy and to know a great love like he had with your grandmother." Marco suggested lightly, his voice wavering as he spoke.
Gram smiled a little bigger, "I think Marco's right, dear. We've been in love since high school. I think I love him more today than I did back then. You being happy is definitely the most important thing."
Dylan stayed with his grandmother for about an hour. They talked about school, hockey and how he and Marco got back together.
Marco added some information when he felt in necessary but mainly stayed silent, still sitting on Dylan's lap.
Dylan's grandfather slipped into his coma that night. He woke up once more to tell his wife he loved her.
Two days later, Dylan and his family got the phone call that his grandfather had passed away.
Marco stayed by Dylan's side through the wake and funeral. He met family members that he was sure he'd never see again. He saw Chad supporting Paige the same way, trying to get her through the rough times.
Everything settled down in time for Marco and Dylan to return to Boston for the spring semester.
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Please review. I'm trying to update quicker. Also, I have a new story coming out, hopefully tonight. It's called 'Straight Tale'. Please read it and tell me if I should continue it.
