Author's Notes: This chapter's one of the MANY that'll be including major flashbacks in them. The past is just as important as the present and the future...

Out Of Time

Kyle's POV

Funny how you try and predict what something will look like...but as soon as you finally see it, it's the complete polar opposite of your daft prediction. What I thought would be a classy and old country-style house...instead, it's far from it. 69 Oxley Way – the estate of Kenny McCormick, as it says on the digital terminal on the front door, is one of those in-fashion new white and glass estates where everything is crisp and cleanly shaped – no round or sticking out angles or areas...just block beside block upon block which in the end looks pretty sleak and cool. But what's this – no bizzarre outdoor furniture shaped like sex-related things? No specially shaped cut grass? No outdoor pool structure that'd make any other perso apart from us two feel uncomfortable? My my, looks like Kenny's let us down already, ha ha. We're pretty much used to the vocabulary, thoughts and feelings Kenny shares with us from out of his twisted but very cute mind. Even if he does take the piss out of our sexualities and maybe, rocks the boat a little, he never fails to end on a high.

Besides, I have to thank Ken for quite a lot of 'ideas' he's given me for showing Stan how much I love him. If it weren't for him, I'd be back to basics.

Where's the love song……to set us free?
Too many people down, everything turning the wrong way 'round.

It was just after the wedding and we found ourselves at the after-wedding party...pretty much GETTING to the point of being absolutely off our heads on wine and booze. "Ah'm jush sho happysh shto she ev'rah'bodi here...an ah jush wana say sto Stanny...I LURVE YOU!" I was soooo afraid of ending up like that. Thankfully, Kenny was amongst the few who lived off the buzz of the alcohol.

But before Kenny came to that point on the night, I found myself away from Stan for maybe THE ONLY time on the night for maybe one minute. While Stan was getting the usual family and friend hugs, I dragged Kenny to one side.

"What's the big idea – my nose just got accustomed to the red selection there." Obviously Kenny loves his wine. And after explaining the major dilemma to him, he stands and searches the far depths of his 'romance' files in his brain.

"Kennyyyyyyyyy..." I say to him in a childish moan "I can't come up with anythiiiiiiing...can you help meeeeeeeeee!?"

"Well Kyle, that's certainly quite a problem you've got there."

"Well...anything?" My response makes him smile and he goes off on one of his lectures on what I was doing wrong and how I can improve – both in the 'love' way and in the 'flirting' department. Jesus Christ, he's straight and yet he made me sound like a novice. He sits me down and makes a big speech about where I've been going wrong and how I can 'improve'.

And I don't know what love will be.
But if we stop dreaming now, Lord knows we'll never clear the clouds.

"You gotta stop hoping and believing he'll just fall into your arms dude." He spoke forcefully to me – making me THAT big. "If what you're saying is true, he's practically read yer' just as much as I read my bed-side 'collection'." And if that's anything to go by, I certainly was doing something wrong.

"So what do I do?" Practically pleading with Kenny to give me somw advice. "I mean, he's trying to play me at my own game here. Sure, I LOVE IT...but...well...I'd prefer being the cheekiest and flirtiest guy in the house y'know."

"Well then...kick it up a notch – make him think...but not too much, play him at his own way of playing your own game."

"Right...you've lost me completely Kenny."

He smiles – obviously he's lovin' the fact he has more knowledge of this topic than I do. "Be sneaky and be cunning...but don't overdo it. It's like Poker – you know your opponent's got a weaker hand but you don't want him to know that. You bluff your way until it reaches a high point. Just when he thinks he's gunna win...BANG...out you come with a bigger surprise and you've got him just where you want him. And then, it's all up to you." I don't know how Kenny does it...but he's saved my flirting ass umpteen times. And if the honey-moon was anything to go by, IT WORKED! Stan suddenly found himself being out-matched by my sneeky little love-show and flirting moves. I retained my title as the biggest flirter of the two and now I know how to play Stan into my loving arms.

The other day, Kenny gave me a 'sneeky little item' which I'm gunna use for that exact purpose as soon as we're done here at Kenny's place. "I'm sure you can come up with a special something using this Kyle." Kenny winked to me. "Two weeks worth of reserved energy – my, I bet Stan's gunna be surprised." Oh believe me, Stan has no idea that I've been playing him into my hands all this time. And by tonight, he'll know just how much of a loving control I have over him, ha ha ha.

And you've been so busy lately,
That you haven't found the time.
To open up your mind…
And watch the world spinning - gently out of time.

Anyway, that's for later - here and now is the present. And after ringing the doorbell – which makes a cheery traditional little jingle, we stand out in the white marble porch waiting for our 'host' to finally open the friggin' door. And at last, still dressed in his red vest and white shorts, Kenny opens the door and gives us both a surprising look.

"Well well well...if it isn't my dear young friends Stan & Kyle."

"Alright Kenny, you can lay off the posh accent y'know." I smile back in reply.

"Who said I'm being posh?" He takes out a fake smoking pipe and pretends to take a huge inhale and he jokingly looks as if he got too much of it. We both at look at him – smiling but unimpressed. "Alright, alright, come on in."

As soon as Kenny closes the door behind us, he takes us on quick guide 'round the ground floor of his estate – all the rooms on the ground are pretty much cream or white coloured with the sleekest and newest style of warm and cosey furniture filling all the light space. After we get a preview to the living area, study, kitchen...AND LIBRARY of all rooms...he takes us back into the living room and we sit down by the two couches. Kenny sits opposite us and brings in the three cups of coffee he already prepared us – milk, no sugar. "So then, what brings the most cutest and famous couple in the whole LA district to my gorgeous #69, huh?"

I better not start off with the obvious topic, it'll be good to spend some time here and find out just what the home of LA's #1 chef is like.

"Well, we just thought we'd pop 'round for a chat – nothing wrong with that, is there?"

"I dunno – IS THERE?" He winks. "I've set my talk-readings to high tonight coz' I'm in a fucking good mood this evening."

"Oh really, and why's that then – you finally memorised which way all your 'magazines' need to be turned to get the full picture?" Stan jokes and Kenny laughs – he had to have expected that, but I guess he's used to that...just as much as we're used to his filthy humor.

"Oh Heavens, NO! I still got a whole book-shelf to look through." I wonder if THAT was a joke. "I just got off the phone from my contact affiliates in Europe and Austrailia...and..." He bends down and reaches for something underneath the coffee table. After finding whatever he's looking for, he sits back up and waves about a thick load of paper documents. The smile on his face widens. "Now then...I wonder what the Europeans and Aussies will think of my food."

WOAH! "OH MY GOD – is that what I think it is!" Me and Stan are on the edge of our seats – Stan nearly spits out his mouthfull of coffee in surprise too.

"Yep, the expansion of my restaurant chain is ON – 3 more in Europe...and 4 more in Austrailia."

"KENNY, THAT'S BRILLIANT!" I reply as me and Stan jump up and go to hug him in congratulations.

"Alright, alright...calm down you two..." He muffles "...I'm gunna end up as squashed as my orange and current square cakes if you keep this up guys." Finally, me and Stan let go and sit back down.

"So what happened?"

"Well...I've been reading through the construction and location documents for the past hour – waiting for a phone call..."

"AH, so that's what you meant when you said you were in the middle of reading."

"Of course, what did you think I meant?" He smirks as me and Stan look at one another and back at him. "Oh, do you think I'm really THAT predictable."

"...YES!"

"Anyway...I've been putting all my time and effort over the past few months into expanding my chain of restaurants to other parts of the World. So after putting forward my planning and final business details...I've spent the length of about 3 days for a phone call. And it was only earlier this evening, that I FINALLY received it. Ten minutes later, I'm rolling on the floor shouting 'YES...YES...OH YEEEEEEEES!'

It's pretty obvious what that reminds me and Stan of. "So when will construction begin?"

"In eight months time...after that, it's just another five months of waiting AND THEN...all 7 restaurants will finally be finished."

"Well...you're certainly making the most of it aren't yer' – hope it all goes well for yer' Ken."

"Hey, I just hope the French can stomach a restaurant that DOESN'T serve fucking toads and snails and all that shit."

The next five minutes follow in the same flow – Kenny goes off in a 'professional' squeel about how excting it'll be to stretch his restaurant to all over the World. Me and Stan are simply enjoying watching Kenny squeel and get all giddy with excitement – looks like filthy boys do have a soft spot for things time and again, huh.

Feel the sunshine on your face.
It's in a computer now,
Gone to the future - way out in space.

"Oh sorry about that guys." Kenny says after burning his mouth on his own cup of coffee – which brings him back down to Earth after being on such a Heavenly high. "I can be quite uncontrollable when I'm happy."

"Yeh, we know THAT." Stan rolls his eyes – obviously he's still kinda moody in a humorous way for Kenny asking those daft little questions.

"So anyway, what did you two come 'round to talk about?"

Stan's obviously giving me the nod to speak. "Well……we two have been thinking about this for quite a while……and we've come to a decision."

And after one hell of a big build-up……I bring out the finishing blow to my sentence…and it knocks Kenny into submission so much that we get a spraying of luke-warm coffee from his mouth. "REALLY?" Looks like I'm not the only one who can say that word in a really high-pitched voice.

"Yep it's true……me and Stan are going to adopt." We both prepare ourselves for a huge lecture by Kenny on how this 'news' to him……but instead, he responds in a completely new way.

"GLOMP!" He cries out and grabs hold of us both in a tight hug. Either this is a side to Kenny we've never seen before……or he's just taking the piss out of us……AGAIN. "Sorry, I couldn't resist trying to speak a language you two would understand." Yep…it's a piss-take. "So, WHAT NOW?! Do you have any idea what you're actually looking for?"

"Kenny, we're adopting children…not picking some new friggin' shoes. We're gunna head down to the central adoption agency on the outskirts of the city on Wednesday. We're gunna have a look then. But we just need to know something……you DO think it's a good idea, right? I mean, WE ARE perfectly capable of this…RIGHT?"

Kenny starts rolling on the floor…at which we think that's a bad sign. Dragging himself back up to a standing position, he walks over to the back of the couch we're sitting on and he kneels down so that his head rests on the back of it. "You came all the way over here just to ask me THAT. Jesus guys, you really have gone a little on the silly side haven't you?"

"Is that bad?"

"HELL NO – GO FOR IT! I think you'd make BRILLIANT parents. Just two words of advice. One, for the love of God, don't be bringing your kids up here and expecting me to introduce myself to someone like Sunshine-Ruby Marsh-Broflovski or some poor UNLUCKY lad called Lucky. I've had enough of celebrities bringing in their kids to my main restaurant and me having to cook pizza, pasta and salads to kids that are named after flowers and friggin' Greek Gods. AND…secondly…" He smiles. "Well……you dam well know what I'm going to say." YEP, I SURE DO. I'll just have to make sure I lock our bedroom door when that time comes.

Kenny turns to Stan and smiles. "Hello…Stan……EARTH TO STAN!?" Stan meanwhile has gone off on one of his little excited fantasies. "Don't make me give yer' another spraying……of coffee."

"EWWW, KENNY! Do you know how sick that sounded for a second" Well, that got Stan out of the trance.

"So……I presume you're pretty pleased with that decision Stan." Kenny laughs as Stan gives him the usual 'YER' THINK?!' look.

And you've been so busy lately,
That you haven't found the time.
To open up your mind…
And watch the world spinning - gently out of time.

Kenny then takes us on the rest of the tour of his home – guiding us upstairs into his bedroom…which is like a cross between some kind of holy sex temple and a cream cake. Bathroom, guest bedroom, study, library (AGAIN), games room, outside along with his cleanly cut fresh-smelling garden, tennis court and…his prized possession……HIS KITCHEN – a chef's garden of Eden. And after countless times of us both saying 'No', Kenny finally wins the battle and persuades us both to have him make us a small snack before we go. We watch him marvelously and gracefully go to work as he prepares two small chicken salads with all his professional equipment and expertise.

Tell me I'm not dreaming,
But are we out of time!

And after we finish our small salads and we bounce all 3 of our individual giddiness off one another for about another ten minutes, me and Stan agree on the fact that it's time we get going.

"Well…it's been a pleasure having you 'round my crib." Kenny walks us out into the patio and back to our car which is parked in a small space where the driveway ends. "Now if you'll excuse me……I've got some 'reading' to catch up on."

"How many X's do yer' think you'll be looking up in your library tonight then?" I smile to him as he begins to pretend that he's thinking about it.

"Well……excited moods call for excited levels." Guess that's 5 X's then. "And hey…" He calls to ME specifically. "Don't turn him into a slave TOO MUCH tonight alright?" He winks again and I smile in a cheeky manner once more. Stan gives me a confused look as Kenny makes his way back inside as me and Stan climb in the car.

"What was that all about?" Stan asks.

"Well……" I give him the ole' flirty eyes again. "Like I said……you still need to re-pay me. After all, you didn't really think I'd say yes to kids without something in return."

He gives me the half-open eyes 'TEH!' look. "Is that what I think it means?"

"Well…tell yer' what." I reach into my jean pocket and pull out a coin – covering one of the sides with my fingers. "We'll flip for how it turns out……HEADS……we just limit it to a few kisses and hugs in bed………but if it's TAILS……" Here comes that flirty smirk. "……2 weeks of reserved energy – that's one hell of a night."

Thinking he's STILL gunna win the battle, he shows a smirk too and agrees to it. I toss the coin into the air and catch in my hand – placing it on the back of my left hand and covering it with my right. Oh what a silly little lover I'm married to, huh. I slowly move my blocking right hand away…and Stan's smirk slowly drops to what looks like a humorous feeling of worry. And that's just the way I like it…GAME SET & MATCH! I look back at him still with my flirty smile as wide as ever. "Oh you're in for a TREAT tonight Stan. LET'S GO!"

Ha ha, he barely suspected a thing. The next time I see Kenny, I'm gunna have to thank him for that – double-tail-sided coins………they ALWAYS work!