November, 13th.

Mark grabs the dish that contained the beef stew and proceeded to pass the dish to Jeffrey. Paul grabbed his glass, and took a swallow. "So Jeffrey, is it?." Paul asks grabbing the dish from Jeff's hands. Jeff looks up. Smiles slightly. "Yes, sir." Jeff replies. "How old are you?, if I may ask." - "I'm sixteen." - Paul smiles. Mark was busy trying to determine what Paul was up too. It could be anything. It was Paul, after-all. Just then, Paul turns his attention to Mark. "So, Marcus. How are you doing?. Your awful quite over there." He stares at Mark, waiting with a smile. Mark looks up, shrugs his shoulders. " I'm good. I've not been too nothing much as of late. How about you, Paul?." - "Oh, nothing really. I've been trying to get a job with WWF. Have you ever heard of them?. Their a wrestling promotion. It would be a good job to have, a good paying job. I've even thought of putting in a notice for you, Mark. You could use a job, right?." - Mark grabs the bowl back from Jeff. "I don't need you putting in any good words for me, Paul. I am capable of getting my own employment. I don't need anyone's help in that department." - "I'm just trying to help." Mark smiles. "I know. And I appreciate it."

Jeff continued to listen in on their conversation while eating. "This stew is really good, Mark. You've approved your cooking skills over the years." Paul replies. "Thanks. I would hope it has approved." - "Yeah, it's really good. Mark. I like it!." Jeff looks over to Mark and smiles. Mark smiles back, and whispers. "Thanks, Jeffrey. I'm glad you like it." Paul watches the exchange intently. "So how long have you been staying here with Mark, Jeffrey?." Paul asks. - " A few months, I guess." Jeff replies, before asking if anyone would like more tea. Paul smiles, "I would love some more, Jeffrey. Thank you." Jeff nods and gets up to walk to the fridge. Mark coughs, and fiddles with his napkin. "So, Paul. How long do you plan to stay out this way?." - "Well, I'm not sure, Mark. I'm just going day by day, really. My house is being taken care of by a friend." Mark nods. While Jeff brings the glass container of homemade sweet tea that Mark had made earlier in the day to the table. Paul grabs it and pours himself another tall glass of the sweet concoction. "Would you like some more stew, Paul?." - Paul places his fork down on the now almost empty plate. "I would love some more, thanks Marcus." - Mark gets up and goes to refill the dish with more stew from the pot that was still sitting on low heat on-top the stove. He returns it to the table and Paul greedily fills his plate back up again. - Mark could understand why Paul had gained so much weight over the years. He was a foodie, for sure. "I'm glad you like my stew so much so, Paul." Mark smiles, slightly. "I do, almost reminds me of your mother's pot stew." Mark stops smiling. Jeff looks over to Mark, with a grim expression. Knowing how mentioning his family made Mark feel. But Jeff was intrigued to learn about Mark's past, to learn about something that Mark didn't ever want to speak of. His family life, his childhood. Jeff listened on but he did keep a close eye on Mark's facial features. Paul continued trying to hurt Mark, to make him vulnerable. And mentioning his family was the easiest way to do so. "I remember all those potluck dinners your mother would have with the neighbors. Do you remember them, Mark." Mark mumbles something before getting up and excusing himself. Paul smiles, and proceeds to stuff his face some-more. Jeff looked over at Mark's empty seat, he looked over to Paul. "Excuse me, Paul. I'll be gone just a minute." Jeff got up quickly and went up the stairs to find Mark, in his room. He was kneeling down in-front of his nightstand. And he was staring at the picture, the picture of his family. The picture that Jeff would so often look at, and wondered on how Mark's childhood, his life before him must have been. And why it was so hard for him to talk about it. Mark tried to stop the tears from forming, but alas. It was no use. He could feel the hot tears rolling down his cheeks. Jeff wanted to speak up, but his voice was choking up. Hearing Mark sniffling, and knowing that he was crying. It hurt Jeff. Mark then turned around, and noticed Jeff immediately.

Jeff stood in the door-way. His eyes getting misty now, Mark stood upright. He walked over to Jeff. Wiping at his face with his palm, "What are you doing up here. You should have stayed downstairs with Paul." - "I just wanted to see if you were alright. I could tell you were upset. The way you were acting, and the way you ran off like you did." - "I'm fine, Jeffrey. But thank you for your concern. Now, let's go back downstairs. We do have a quest." Mark grabbed Jeff around the shoulders. Guiding him out the room.

They meet Paul downstairs. He was standing up, now. "I hope I didn't upset you Mark. That was not my intentions at all." Mark coughs. "You didn't upset me none, Paul." - "Well, I better go, the dinner was wonderful. And I really enjoyed spending time with you. Reminds me of when you used to live with me. Doesn't it?." - "Yeah. I guess it does. Somewhat." - Paul holds out his hand. "Good night, Mark. I will try to contact you in a few days. Hopefully, we can do another dinner-date sometime soon. Maybe, next weekend." Paul smiles. Mark shakes hands. "Sure, I guess we can try." Jeff stood by Mark. Paul steps up to him. "It was nice to meet you again, young man." - "Nice to meet you too, Mr. Bearer." Mark placed his hand on Jeff's right shoulder, gently. Paul smiles before walking towards the door. Mark follows him out while Jeff stays behind to clear the dinner table. A few minutes later, Mark returns. He walks up to Jeff who was by the sink. He was placing the dirty dishes in hot water, and proceeding to fill the water with dish detergent. Mark nudges Jeff slightly. He smiles. "I guess that wasn't too terrible." Mark whispers, wrapping his arms around Jeff's body. Jeff continued to wash the dishes. But he did reply. "It wasn't bad at all. I don't know why you don't like him, he seems to be a nice guy." Mark kisses Jeff gently on the neck. "You don't really know him, Jeffrey." Mark whispers.

-Later that same night-

Mark was sound asleep when he awoke to a loud banging noise coming from downstairs. Mark tried to get out the bed quietly so as to not disturb Jeff who was sleeping next to him on the bed. Mark grabbed his pants and put them on. He looks back once more to Jeff who was still snoring lightly. He opens the bedroom door, it let out a low squeaking noise before Mark exited out the room. He makes his way downstairs. It sounded like the banging was coming from outside. It was someone knocking at the door. "Who the hell would be here, at this time of night." Mark wondered, whispering to himself. He looks out the door. He sees who it is. He growls lowly. And proceeds to open the door. "What are you doing here, Paul?." - "I've seemed to have had some car-trouble. It broke down on the side of the road. I got a cab back here." Paul smiles. Mark wipes at his eyes, before opening the door more wider so that he could look out. Sure enough, Paul's cab was sitting up ahead on the dirt road. Right behind his Jeep. The lights still on and the engine lowly rumbling on. "Why did you come here for?." Mark asks dumbfounded. - Paul proceeds to put on a dopey smile. "Well, I was hoping I could spend the night here, and then in the morning I could call for a tow. And get my car towed here. Your still good at working on cars, ain't you?." - "I am. I've actually been having trouble of mine own vehicle, with the Jeep, actually. I've been working on it for a few days. And I still haven't figured out what's the problem." Mark explains. He looks out at the cab. The driver waiting. Paul looks back. "The mender is running." He explains. Mark nods. Looks back towards inside the house. - Paul looks at Mark. Unsure if Mark was buying it or would be allowing him to stay. He pressured onwards. Using Mark's parents as quilt. "I know your parents wouldn't like it, Mark. If you made me leave. After-all, it's an hour away from where I'm staying at. And it's already so late, and I'm so tired." - Mark overheard him, and he swore he felt like just ripping his head off right then and there. He was just trying to use a quilt trip to force him to agree. But it was working. Paul continued to smile. "So, you were wanting me to work on your car?, I assume." - "Yes, I'll make the car in the morning and I'll buy for the tow myself of course, since it's my car. And I am willing to pay you for the car services, aswell." - Mark chewed it over for a few seconds more, before replying with his answer. " Sure, I guess you can. Come on in. I'll set you up a place on the couch. If that's okay for you." - "That will be fine, Mark. Just fine. Just allow me to pay the cabbie. And then I'll be right in. I hope you've got the house heated, it's a cold night tonight." - Mark rolls his eyes, and growls once again. He hated having to accept but what else could he do. He couldn't turn him away.

TBC

Well. I've finally got a new update for those that are still reading. Hopefully, I haven't lost any readers. I was a little concerned being I only got two reviews for my last update. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter.

Shout-outs:

MissBrianna: Thank you so much for the review. Hopefully, Jeff can get Mark on to doing something in the next chapter. I'm thinking of having Jeff's birthday in either the next chapter or the one after that!.

Centon4eva: Thank you so much for the review. I appreciate it alot. Here's more. I hope you've liked it!. lol

I'll update as soon as I can!.