Thank you so much for the reviews. I hope you continue to like this. I know I enjoyed writing it. Keep the reviews coming like this and I'll be forced to update even quicker…like every other day or so…bribe

Chapter Five

Marco sat for his exam and managed to forget about Dylan. At least, until the exam was over. Then, everything came flooding back into his brain like a tidal wave.

At 12:30 sharp, Dylan knocked on Marco's door. Marco, almost reluctantly, opened the door and let him inside.

"Hey, Marco."

"Hey. Have a seat. Can I get you a drink? Pepsi, tea, hard liquor, maybe a beer?"

"A Pepsi is fine. I can't have anything harder since I have to be on the ice in a few hours." Dylan responded.

Marco laughed and retreated to the kitchen. More than grateful for the reprieve, even if it was only for a few minutes. His senses were on overload. Dylan looked great, he smelled even better and it was getting harder for Marco to stay angry. And he was still angry for being cast aside like yesterdays trash. He definitely deserved better than that.

Marco came back in and found Dylan looking at his wall of pictures.

Dylan turned as Marco entered, "I must admit I'm shocked to see my picture among the others."

Marco shrugged, "This is my wall of friends. We were friends once, Dylan. We were great friends. You were a huge, monumental part of my life for almost a year. I can't just erase you."

Dylan looked a little relieved to hear that. "I was so sure you'd try to pull an 'Eternal Sunshine' if you could find a way."

Marco shook his head, "You can't change the past without changing the present and future. I won't change my past, I just chose to learn from it."

"You're preaching to the choir on that one."

Marco sat on the couch and Dylan sat next to him. "I screwed up royally, didn't I?"

"What do you mean? You made your choice and how is that screwing up?"

Dylan sighed, "By making that stupid decision I lost the one person I've ever loved more than anyone else in the world. I probably lost my one shot at happiness and knowing true love when I signed." Dylan dropped his head into his hands.

Marco took in the dejected look of a man in pure anguish, "Maybe there's still hope. Maybe he'll forgive you if you give him the option. He might still love you," Marco told Dylan, rubbing a hand soothingly over Dylan's back.

"Do you really think so?" inquired Dylan.

Marco half-shrugged, "Yeah, I guess so."

Dylan turned his head to look at Marco, "So, are you going to give me a second chance?"

Marco, for being as smart as he is, was a little stunned by the revelation. He should've seen it coming but truthfully, his brain was on automatic pilot since that exam earlier. The lack of response caused Dylan to worry.

"I guess that's a no. I guess you meant as long as it was anyone else but you and I didn't hurt them quite as bad as I did you."

Marco sighed, "No, you caught me off guard. I know what you said the other day and I am well aware of what I admitted but I wasn't right. I may still have the feelings but I know I won't act on them. You screwed me over Dylan. I was hoping that maybe you were just in love with the thought of me and not still in love with me."

Dylan smiled sadly, "Yeah, I was really hoping for these years I was only chasing a memory. I was so sure that if I ever saw you again, I wouldn't feel the same way. Then I saw you in the bar, and didn't know it was in fact you, but I felt that feeling again. I thought I felt it for someone else. But no, only you can illicit these feelings."

This was more than Marco could even process, "You keep saying feelings. Care to define them because that could mean a myriad of things." Marco bit out almost angrily.

Dylan flinched, he was hoping not to have to say everything out loud. He got up and began pacing in front of Marco's coffee table.

Marco watched as Dylan ran his hands through his blonde curls. It seemed to be a sign of frustration, desperation, and defeat. The man unraveling into the boy he'd once loved with his heart and soul was terrifying. Marco kept getting glimpses of the Dylan from Degrassi Community School. The fun loving, heart of gold, eyes twinkled as he stole a kiss in the halls, lost his virginity to, first boyfriend, first love—that Dylan Michalchuk was the one that now stood in his apartment. In that instant, all the anger, hurt and betrayal fled. Marco felt an odd feeling, one he hadn't felt since that day he walked out of the Michalchuk's basement six years earlier, a feeling kind of like love and a need to comfort his old lover.

Dylan stopped his pacing and then sat directly in front of Marco on the coffee table. He looked Marco in the eye, "You want to know my feelings right now, right?"

When Marco nodded slightly, still fighting off the feelings of silencing Dylan and just holding him tightly.

Dylan continued, "I'm hurting, confused, scared, but most of all, I feel love. I love you Marco. I haven't been able to get over you. I tried, believe me, I tried over and over again. I fucked up so bad when I agreed to that damn clause."

Marco took Dylan's hands in his, if not for any other reason than to stop the fidgeting. "You've had six of the greatest years of your life on the ice. You are getting paid an unreal amount of money to do something that you love beyond reason. You are telling me that you would have given all of that up because of a high school romance that probably wouldn't last anyway."

"No but I wouldn't have signed the clause and then we could've still dated."

"Yeah, with me in high school in Canada and you in California. Do we see a problem with this?"

"Duly noted, but at least we could have ended in a more humane way. Not as forced."

"Point taken. We were too young. We would never have lasted." Marco said on a shrug.

"Could we make it now that we're older?" asked Dylan in all seriousness.

Fear flashed in Marco's eyes. He had dreamed of a conversation like this, mainly for the fact that he could turn him down. But the fact that it was actually happening, brought in reality and feelings and that terrified him to no end. Marco dropped Dylan's hands and sat back on the couch. On a resigned sigh, Marco closed his eyes, "I honestly don't know."

Dylan didn't know what came over him or how it happened but the next thing he knew, he was straddling Marco's thighs and his lips were pressed tightly against Marco's.

At first, Marco stiffened at the contact. Then, he softened. He couldn't fight it anymore. He couldn't fight the physical attraction he suspected he'd always feel for Dylan.

When Marco submitted, Dylan deepened the kiss.

Marco moaned lightly, giving Dylan the chance to slip his tongue in. Marco dueled playfully with Dylan's tongue. All reason and logic fled. The physical memories came flooding back making this all too easy to recreate.

The next thing either of them knew, Marco had pushed Dylan off and was leading him to the bedroom.

Dylan's hands were roaming over Marco's body as they kissed their way into bed.

Clothes went flying, shirts, pants, boxers, socks and shoes were all scattered in various spots around Marco's room. Neither cared nor thought about the fact that this was not the right time.

Marco was running his hands over Dylan's body, refamiliarizing himself with the planes of his body. There was definitely more muscle but it still felt like the same Dylan. The boy that held him so tightly after their first time together. The one who had been so gentle and apologetic about the physical pain that came with their first time. This was the man that was hiding that boy deep inside of him, now burying himself in Marco.

Marco bit his lip lightly at the sensation of Dylan inside of him. It was a feeling unlike any other.

The two peaked around the same time, which was par for the course with them. Dylan slid next to Marco and was stroking his chest lightly. "That was amazing."

Marco smiled, "Yeah. I don't see why you expected anything less between us. It was always amazing."

Dylan noticed the smile didn't quite reach Marco's eyes. He decided to voice the unheard question in the air, "Then why does this feel like the end?"

Marco's smile became sadder, "You feel it too."

Dylan just nodded, "Yeah." He got up and started to get dressed.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting dressed?"

Marco rolled over and looked at the time, "It's still early. I think we need to talk."

Dylan laughed humorlessly, "That's an understatement of monumental proportions. But I think it would be better if we were clothed for this one."

Marco stayed on his bed for a few minutes more, watching Dylan dress. He finally got up and wandered to his dresser, still completely naked.

Dylan sat back down on the bed and groaned, "Yeah, clothed would be definitely better. Because I loved your body before and now…well, damn. It looks even better, all muscular and tattooed."

Marco laughed as he stepped into his running shorts. "Well, then ignore it because this is as dressed as I'm going to get until I have to shower for work."

Dylan just tilted his head to the side, "Okay. Living room?"

Marco gave the humorless laugh this time, "Afraid you're going to give in to temptation and try to take advantage of me, again…"

"I don't think you resisted too much."

Marco led the way into the living room and sat back down on the couch. He watched his doorway, waiting to see when Dylan would emerge.

Dylan groaned again. He had just had the best sex since well, Degrassi years and now it was about to end again. 'This just sucks' warred in his brain. He got up and joined Marco in the living room.

"So, you wanted to talk…so talk." Marco invited.

"I didn't say I wanted to talk but I said we needed to talk." Dylan explained.

Marco gestured to him that said 'Whatever, get to the point'.

Dylan smiled sadly, "I don't know what happened in there…"

"You mean I have to explain it to you? Has it been that long?"

"Not the mechanics, that I remember. I just don't know why it happened between us." Dylan said.

Marco shrugged, "Let's just chalk it up to old memories. And ending something that should have been ended in a similar fashion years ago."

Dylan smiled, "Yeah, probably. I just wanted you to know, I thought about it and I'm not signing another straight clause. I don't care where I end up but I can't see hiding for another six years."

Marco nodded, "I can understand that. I wish you the best of luck."

Dylan and Marco sat in silence for a little while. Neither knew what to say. There was a definite feeling of finality in the air. Both were afraid to break the silence, in fear of shattering something more fragile.

Dylan looked at his watch, "I guess I should go, then. I need to get my gear from the hotel before heading to the rink."

Marco nodded, "Yeah, I need to go shower and get to the bar."

They stood simultaneously. Marco walked Dylan to the door.

"I guess this is good-bye then." Dylan said sadly.

Marco nodded, "Yeah, it is. Have a good life. Just make sure you're happy this time."

Dylan nodded and drew Marco into a hug.

Marco felt tears prick behind his eyes. He had to make him leave before he started crying over him again.

Dylan dared for one last kiss as he walked out of the door.

Marco was more than willing to share the one last memory. It was over. It started seven years ago and it took six years to end but it was finally over. The chapter of Dylan Michalchuk had finally gotten its proper finale.

Marco sat on his couch and stared at the wall of photos. The tears that had been threatening to fall did. He saw himself as a younger more naïve version of who he is now. He was so in love. It was written all across his face. He sometimes missed the elation of a new love or any love for that matter. It made it all worse today because he'd caught the tiniest glimpse of it when he was with Dylan. His Dylan, not the trumped up hockey star who had to be straight to save his own ass.

Marco knew he had an hour to kill before getting ready for that night's shift, so he pulled out a book from inside the end table.

He held the book on his lap and placed his hand on it. He swore it had a heart beat. That it was a living extension of himself that no one knew existed. He gently traced the gold leafed letters embossed on the cover. 'My Year' it read, almost mockingly. It was teasing Marco, it didn't think he could open it. It hadn't been opened for so very long. It thought he'd forgotten about it and him. But now here he was, staring at the cover. It would have been so easy to just toss the book aside and not open the cover. Marco, stubborn as always, had to prove the book wrong. He could open it. He would open it. And when he did, he would be fine.

On the very first page he saw him. The blonde curls shining in the sun. The blue shirt to match his eyes. The smile gracing those fully kissable lips. Each page after that held different variations of the same person. Some had others in them but most were just him, alone or with Marco. Most of the two of them together were showing them fooling around or kissing or just being together.

Marco flipped to the last page. There was the last picture the two ever took together. It was the day of the party, the one where Marco read the contract. They were standing outside the Michalchuk house, arm in arm, smiling at Paige on the porch. She was starting her graduation scrapbook for Dylan and wanted that to be the first picture in there. Too bad it ended up being the only picture with Marco in it and where Dylan was actually smiling.

From beginning to end, Marco's life with Dylan was displayed in this hardbound leather book. All 250 pages of it. From the first day at the beach to the last one at the Michalchuk's, it was all here.

Marco headed for the shower, he'd been silently crying for almost a half hour and knew he'd need more time if he hoped to repair some of the damage done.

In the shower, Marco remembered that Dylan wasn't going to hide anymore. He was going to be transferred more than likely but he was coming out, again. God help the gay community where ever that man ends up, Marco thought. Then he also remembered that Dylan said something about a future for them. He didn't see how that was going to be possible.

Dylan was the past, Marco needed a future. Could Dylan be a part of the future as well?

Please review. I know this sounds like the end but rest assured that it's not. I have plenty more with this story. Another 10 and I'll update on Wednesday night…bribe. Lots of angst in Chapter six, just a teaser.