Hey Guys, its Monday night in Australia and I am so happy to say I just finished typing out chapter 17, so both 16 and 17 will be updated on time this week Yay!

Again a big thank you to everyone who left me reviews be they private or public. It's always a joy reading what you all have to say. But even to those who come by just to read and don't comment a big hello and thank you to you.

Again I have to mention mdexter2010 who is without a doubt my biggest fan! Thankyou for your continued public reviews. I don't know if we are in different time-zones, but I publish my chapters Monday night my time and every Tuesday morning I wake up to a public review from you and it always brightens my day! I am feeling better thanks for asking and as for your wondering about what will happen once the cat is out of the bag? My advice? Read on…

Good news is that Andy and Jay had a safe flight, though they are a little weary as a 3 hour flight leaving at 10pm had them arriving back at Connecticut Airport at around 1:30, but they are safe and sound and, ooh, is that them coming out of the gate?...

Chapter Sixteen – Welcome home Jay.

As Andy and Jay touched back down in New Haven all Andy could think to himself was its good to be home.

After all the drama that occurred in Pittsburg, coming back to New Haven filled him with some sort of serenity. Little did he know that serenity would be gone by the end of the day.

"Andy! Jay! Yoo-hoo!" came a sing-song voice from the airport gate.

As the pair looked over they noticed the two people Andy was dying to see, there to pick them up as a surprise.

"Lauren! Rein!" Andy yelled back, completely forgetting Jay and racing towards them.

He threw himself around Rein for a quick hug and then almost fell on Lauren.

"My god it is good to see you," Andy whispered into Lauren's ear.

"You're back now honey, you're back." She soothed patting him on the back happy that her best friend was back with her.

"Think I can get in there?" Jay cracked from behind Andy.

Begrudgingly Andy stepped back and allowed his boyfriend to say hi to Lauren.

"Ok guys so we are flexible but…" Rein started, but Lauren chimed in.

"Flexible? We have a whole schedule mapped out! First Rein is going to take Jay and the bags home, while we catch up…" she said turning to face Andy. "Then after they've brought the bags home, we're all meeting back at the Dètendez-Vouz for a late supper! Chef Ramon has pulled out all the stops!"

Andy chanced a glance at Jay. Despite his happy feelings about this arrangement he didn't know if this was the best idea for his boyfriend.

He wasn't wrong either.

After getting off the plane, Jay wanted nothing more than to go back to Andy's house and get some sleep. Sure he'd planned on calling Lauren, but that was only to advise her that he was back and that he'd be back at work the following day. But as much as he would have loved nothing more than sleep there at that moment, he knew this would be the best thing for Andy and therefore smiled as his boyfriend turned to face him.

"Good with you?" Andy smiled.

"Yeah good with me!" Jay replied almost too enthusiastically. "I wanna hear all about college and besides, Rein owes me, remember Rein?"

Rein smiled. Of course she remembered she owed Jay. Honestly, she had been having reservations about this man she had come to like ever since he'd left for Pittsburg. Finding him coming out of Rick's room like that had really startled her and thrown her whole idea of him into utter chaos. Who did this kid think he was? She had been pondering. But her mother had advised that they drop the topic completely, as her mother had said "That's between them to sort out."

So when her mom had suggested that she go with Jay, Rein was surprised. However when she explained that Andy would undoubtedly need some venting time away from his partner Rein had agreed. Especially considering that her mother had offered to do all her washing for her and provide an excuse to get out of the up and coming dinner with Rein's Grandparents.

"And you know how much I hate being in debt," Rein cracked as she took Andy's luggage and, assuring him she was fine, walked with Jay towards the exit.

"Did you guys drive here or does she need cab fare?" Andy asked, almost wanting to compensate Rein.

"Oh no honey, we planned this all yesterday, we came separately." Lauren replied. "Oh…before I forget."

Lauren turned around to face some seats that were behind her and picked up a small coffee cup.

"To last until we find some good coffee," she smiled, handing Andy a still surprisingly warm cup. "Seriously, this place is like a coffee morgue. It is literally the place coffee comes to die."

"You know me better than anyone else," Andy replied, before half draining the cup.

"So how's the Dètendez-Vouz? I hear Jay's working there now?" Andy asked breaking into a smile, so happy to have his best friend back.

"Yeah, he started there days after you left. Poor little guy. Without you he was like a lost little puppy. But he's doing really well, the staff like him and he knows his way around…the reception area, which is good."

Lauren had to stop herself. Good save! She thought.

Despite the fact that she had told Rein to leave the whole Jay/Rick issue alone, she still had reservations of her own. She had no idea if Jay had even told Andy what had happened and so had to watch her step. Thankfully, Andy didn't seem to notice her pause as they were rounding a corner and he just figured she was trying to work out where she was going.

"That's good! I'm glad I could supply you with adequate staff," Andy replied.

"More than adequate," Lauren replied. "Within a week the guy knew how to do everything, he sort of rotates between what he does, did he tell you that?"

"Yeah, one day he was telling me about the people at reception and the next thing he's telling me about cleaning the rooms. I had an inkling," Andy laughed. "Anyway, Lauren, love of my life, coffee bringer and all, think you got a job for me at that hotel of yours?"

"Of course!" she half screamed excitedly. "I've been waiting for you to ask. Just tell me the job you want, though not mine that's taken and it's yours!"

"*"

While the pair discussed Andy's future at the Dètendez-Vouz, Rein was driving Jay back to his house in what was suddenly a down-pour of rain.

"Wow, nothing but snow before you left and during and yet the moment you come back, rain? Welcome home Jay!" she half smiled as she kept her eyes firmly focused on the road.

Jay just smiled. For him it could be thundering and they could be experiencing stormy weather he wouldn't care provided he could just go to bed. Considering it was a 3 and a half hour flight it was 1:30am by the time they arrived at Connecticut airport and now it was getting closer to 2. A nice warm bed with Andy by his side would have been perfect. But Lauren and Rein apparently ran on another time-zone like in Australia where it was most likely nearing 5 o'clock in the evening.

"So…" Rein started, fighting between her urge to yell at him about Rick and not to say anything at all "how was Pittsburg?"

"Pittsburg, was Pittsburg. They named it Pitts for a reason you know."

"Really? That bad?" Rein couldn't help but chuckle, maybe Jay had some karmatic experiences.

"Yeah, well, let's just say it's not New Haven."

As Rein pulled up to the house she turned off the engine and looked at Jay seriously.

"What?" he asked, suddenly feeling on edge.

Rein took a deep breath in. She hated going back on her word to her mother, but needed to satisfy her own needs to know what was happening.

"Ok, so… I haven't said anything" she started looking more and more wary as she went on. "But, well… you sort of came out of Rick's room and… well… left. And aside from our little…you know, talk, nothing else was said and ah…"

She trailed off. Jay had gone from looking ready to go inside the house all normal, to looking white as a sheet.

"Yes?" he asked tentatively.

"Well…I hesitate to bring it up and again, I haven't said anything. But…well…Rick is still at the hotel and ah…he's kind of asking when you'll be back."

Despite the fact that it was a sentence the way she said it sounded more like a question and Rein was more than grateful that the door was right next to her and at worst she could just fly out of the car.

Jay took a moment to consider everything she had said. So much for wanting to just wait out the next few hours and go to bed he thought. Then suddenly as though it were flashing right in front of his face, he recalled her telling him that Rick was still there.

"Wait. Rick hasn't left yet? He was meant to be going that day!" Jay said now in unrest, completely worried.

"Nope, I guess he…ah, wanted to see you before he left," she replied.

"Rein, thanks for letting me know. It sucks and I haven't even told Andy what happened yet. So much was happening by the time I got there that we never really had the time. By the time we left I just figured he'd be gone."

"Like I said, I haven't said anything to Andy, it's not my place," Rein said. "As far as Rick is concerned all I could say is that I didn't know where you were or when you'd be back."

Jay smiled warmly at the girl.

"Rein, forgive me for putting you in that situation," he said at last. "I'm so sorry, it's sort of the story of my life. One mistake can haunt you forever…"

As he allowed his voice to trail off, Rein started to feel sorry for him. Yes he had made a mistake, well not really, it's not like he was with Andy during that time. But it was more the fact that Rick was Andy's friend. The betrayal he would feel, could very well lead to them splitting up and Rein did not want to see that, especially since she had a feeling that these two loved each other very much.

Meanwhile at the airport Lauren had found what she had referred to as an acceptable coffee shop.

"Meh, It's a 5," she remarked to Andy indicating that she'd rate it a 5 out of 10 "But that's good enough, besides we don't have long until we need to get to the Dètendez-Vouz."

The pair took a seat and ordered their coffees from the waiter, before discussing everything that had happened to Andy in Pittsburg in detail.

"So I lost everything and by then I'd just had enough and just wanted to come home." Andy finished.

"Of course," Lauren responded, seemingly on the verge of tears after hearing about Andy's ordeal.

"How could that judge rule against you though? That's ludicrous!" she remarked.

"I know," Andy replied. "I think his basis was more along the lines of me leaving soon anyway. As far as the actual case went Mel fought very well. I should have won."

"Who's this Mel, you keep mentioning?" Lauren asked.

"She's a friend of the family," Andy said. "She's also a lawyer so I hired her to help me with the case. Nice lady let's me vent…nothing like you though." He finished.

"Oh yeah?" Lauren cocked an eyebrow. "I'll bet she was much nicer and you two formed a little club all of your own, the Melandy Delights!"

"Oh please!" Andy responded. "One time I babbled on a little too long and she very quickly told me she didn't like what New Haven had done to me."

"New Haven?" Lauren questioned, shocked.

"Oh don't worry, I was very quick to tell her it was not the state, but rather this woman I know who keeps me so caffeinated that I'm still buzzing at 3am!" he laughed.

"So how's your dad?" she asked. "I mean Jay told me next to nothing, honestly it's like extracting teeth with that guy. But, I figured something was wrong for you to up and leave again so soon."

"Yeah he wound up in hospital, I'm so sorry I didn't call," Andy replied.

"Please, don't worry about me. So what happened?"

"Well, he was out at a night club and B rocked up…" Andy started.

"Uh-oh," Lauren chimed in. "Something tells me this doesn't end well."

"Right?" Andy replied. "So they're at this top balcony and B just shoved him off!"

Lauren gasped.

"Oh my god! Is he ok?" she asked.

Though she had never met Andy's cousin, she what he had done for Andy and how important he was to him.

"He was in ICU when I arrived," Andy replied.

"Of course," she responded.

"But yeah, thanks. He came out of hospital just last night so I'm glad he's at least home."

"Ben taking care of him?" she asked, recalling Micah's husband's name.

"Oh yeah, he keeps telling me that Papa wants too much ice-cream."

"The guy just got out of hospital! If it were me I'd have stocked up on liters and liters!" she said.

"Right?" Andy responded. "Anyway so everything's… well, worse than it was before. But to be honest I'm just glad to be back."

"Of course," Lauren replied. "And we're happy to have you back, me especially." She smiled signaling to the waiter that she wanted the check.

After she paid for the coffees, insisting that it was her treat, Lauren and Andy made their way back to her car.

"So I hope you don't mind the lateness of the hour," she said suddenly.

"Oh no! It's just great to be back here with you," Andy said. "Trust me, if you weren't here now I would have caught up with you tomorrow first thing."

The two jumped into Lauren's Jeep and as they backed out of the parking lot, Andy remembered something he had not yet told her.

"Oh by the way, guess we're both going to be busy Friday nights from now on."

"Oh?" she questioned.

"Yep, Friday night dinner's all round." Andy replied smiling.

"Wait? You're going back to Pittsburg every Friday night?" she asked.

"Yeah, honestly it's been such a drag going back and forth and feeling like I'm being split in two…"

"Oh so-rry!" Lauren fake-apologized.

"Oh, please! I wish Papa and Dad would just move here to New Haven, it would solve everything. But, since they won't, I offered to be there every Friday night for dinner. Inspired by your lovely self of course."

"Are they paying for your flight?" Lauren asked.

Andy just shook his head.

"You going back to college and they're funding your tuition? Paying for Jay's removal truck fees? Threatening to abandon you if you don't come?"

"No, no not at all!" Andy responded. "I just offered."

Lauren drew out a long breath.

"…why?" she asked suddenly.

"Why?" Andy repeated.

"Ok, never knew I had an echo," Lauren said more to herself then Andy "No, I just mean, why would you put yourself up for that. I mean ok, it's one thing for me, but flying interstate each week? Why?" she asked even more intrigued.

"My Papa's accident showed me just how little time we may have left. I need to do this for my own sake," he then laughed slightly "though believe me, dad wanted to hang paying for our flights over our heads. Naturally I said no."

"Good." Lauren said. "If there's one thing I'd always hoped to pass down to you it's to never let your parents pay for things. They'll hang it over your head for the rest of your life."

Lauren pulled into the parking lot at the Dètendez-Vouz and Andy couldn't help but drink in the sight of it. Despite the fact that he had only been away for a fortnight he truly missed this place. It was as much a part of his life as his own home and he was happy to see it still standing, still looking exactly the same.

"And before you know it," Lauren started noticing Andy checking out the entrance "You'll be as proficient as Jay. Like last time when I needed to get some towels from Rein and I saw Jay coming out of Rick's room and I was all it's not even 7am and this boy has already started room service? He really is that good Andy and um…" But Lauren couldn't talk anymore.

As she turned to face Andy, the expression on his face confirmed that she had said too much. Idiot! She thought to herself. Why Lauren, why? The guilt continued to shine through her as Andy's face went from happy-happy, joy-joy to one of sheer darkness and utter loathing.

"He did what?" Andy asked, eyes narrowed.

"*"

Oooooh! So now Andy's knows, well knows something at least. And what is with Lauren and slipping things out. Is she just clumsily forgetful or does she just have a pure heart and not think? Either way chaos winds are blowing heavily!

It's like they say; It's not when someone yells, but when they don't yell that you have got to worry!

Ok well drama aside I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Andy needed to find out somehow and now he has but I hope you enjoyed them both being back in New Haven.

And now if you would like to leave a nice little review…. Hehe.

Otherwise, click on over for chapter 17! -