Crossing Borders By: Jesse Drache
Disclaimers: I don't own Ephram, Colin, Bright or any other characters you might recognize, I'm just borrowing them for my amusement. So don't sue me.
Warning: This is Ephram/Colin slash in NYC; if you don't like it, don't read it.
Rating: PG-13
Chapter 3: Realization
Ephram and Colin sat in the train's dinning cart, a plate of half-eaten fries on the table in front of them.
Colin idly fingered one of the napkins while Ephram stared out the window a forlorn expression on his face.
Colin turned and watched as Ephram sadly stared at the passing landscape.
"Hey," he said, dropping his head on Ephram's shoulder and looking up at the other boy, pasting what he thought was his most disarming smile on his face.
Ephram slowly disentangled himself from his thoughts and looked down at Colin, his expression brightening slightly.
"What were you thinking about?" Colin softly asked.
It took a moment for Ephram to answer, but finally the dreary look left his eyes and he slouched down in the seat until he was face to face with Colin.
"Nothing important," he said, although some of the dejection returned to his eyes.
"It's a long trip to New York, why don't you take a nap?" Colin offered, not finding any words to take the sadness from Ephram's face.
Ephram looked into Colin's eyes for what seemed like an eternity before softly kissing him on the lips, then he slouched down farther until his head was level with Colin's shoulder.
"What about-?" Colin motioned around the room at the other people seated at the various booths.
"It doesn't matter, no one cares in New York." Ephram said, lightly running his fingers over Colin's cheeks.
Colin smiled and wrapped his arms around waist as Ephram buried his face in the space between Colin's shoulder and neck before closing his eyes and falling asleep, surrounded by Colin's comforting warmth.
***
Dr. Brown was in the examining room feeling the underside of a sixty year-old woman's neck.
"Is everything alright?" the old woman asked after Dr. Brown had been inspecting her neck for ten minutes.
"Dr. Brown?" the woman repeated shaking the doctor's shoulder when she noticed the distant expression on his face.
"Pardon me, Mrs. McDermott. You said something?"
"I asked if everything was alright."
"Oh, yes. Your glands don't appear to be swollen. I think it's just a mild cold. I'll have Edna give you some Sudafed and you can come in if you develop a fever or feel worse." Dr. Brown said, walking to the table and writing on Mrs. McDermott's chart.
He helped the old lady get down from the examining table and opened the door for her.
"Will you please give Mrs. McDermott a bottle of Sudafed, Edna?" he asked, handing Edna his chart. "Thank you for coming in, Mrs. McDermott. See you next month for your check-up."
Dr. Brown went back into his office, shutting the door beside him and sitting down on his desk.
Idly he fingered some of the papers on his desk and as he absently stared at his wall.
"Dr. Brown, I need you to sign these," Edna said, barging into the room and catching Andy's far-off expression before he could mask it with fake interest.
Dr. Brown motioned her over and signed the papers.
"May I speak freely, sir?" Edna asked as she was handed the papers.
"Sure."
"Go home and talk to him."
"Who?" Andy asked, looking up at Edna.
"Ephram. I saw him run out of here earlier. You're not going to concentrate until you sort out whatever happened. Go talk to him, I'll reschedule your appointments."
Dr. Brown stared at Edna for a few moments considering her suggestion, then stood up and started to move towards the door.
"You're right, Edna. I'll see you tomorrow," he said as he grabbed his car keys, then his coat and walked out the door.
***
Andy Brown walked into his house and dropped his keys on the table.
"Ephram," he called but received no answer.
Shrugging he made his way through the house, until he came to Ephram's room.
He knocked on the door, but was only met with silence.
"Ephram, come out we need to talk."
Silence.
"Ephram I know you're in there I saw your bike on the porch."
Andy let out a frustrated sigh and opened the door.
"Ephram?" Dr. Brown asked, turning on the light, then looking around the room.
It was empty.
Where could he be? he asked himself.
He turned off the light and moved to walk out of the room when something caught his attention.
The closet light was on.
Andy moved across the room and stuck his head inside the closet to search for the light switch when he noticed the abundance of empty hangers in the closet.
Looking at the ground he noticed all three pairs of Ephram's shoes were gone, in addition to his bag.
"Fuck!" Dr. Brown yelled, walking out of the room and slamming the door closed behind him.
He made his way down the hall and to the kitchen where he picked up the phone and frantically ran the names of all of the people that might know where Ephram was through his head.
Deciding to call the Harts first, he went to turn on the phone when it rung.
***
Colin woke up when the train turned a rough corner, causing him to bounce uncomfortably in his seat.
He yawned quietly and looked at the empty seat next to him, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
He sat up in his seat and glanced around him, trying to figure out where Ephram had gone.
Not finding him in the car he decided to go after him.
"Excuse me sir," Colin said to one of the attendants. "Have you seen a boy, about my age and height with brown hair. He's wearing a black T-shirt with a gray long sleeved shirt underneath and jeans."
"Yeah, he went into the next car," the man said motioning to Colin's right.
"Thanks."
Colin turned and walked up the isle to the door, which separated the walkway between the cars.
Walking into the other car, he scanned the various groups of people until he spotted Ephram sitting in front of a pay phone making a phone call.
Walking up behind the boy, he saw the look of concentration in Ephram's face and decided to sit down and wait for him to finish the call.