The three weeks after Chris showed up at his doorstep, it took a lot of time for Gordie and him to get reacquainted. Like two lovers reunited, they had some changes to work out. One of which was that Chris was used to having domestics in the house, and even if he didnt really use them, he would do things like leave his jacket or shoes somewhere. Gordie and Denny would remind him to pick up after himself constantly. Chris also had to remember about Denny being around, even though walking around in boxer shorts was not that uncommon in the now Lachance-Chambers house, he had to remember life wasnt as rigid as it was back in Oregon.

Gordie had to get accustomed to sharing a house, a closet, and a bathroom with Chris, and although he was fastidious, Chris was not. Seeing them work their issues out at home was humorous to Denny, who noticed that as frustrated as Gordie would get, Chris would turn on his charm and Gordie would melt like an ice cream cone at Mission Beach. Gordie would hate that, but also smile, because they were happy for once. Except one thing. Sex. After that third week, Gordie and Chris were chewing on the furniture. Chris did not know why Gordie did not want to, he was cleared by a doc a few days earlier, but Gordie said "wait."

Gordie sat in the living room, with an envelope, from the California Health Services. The day after Chris arrived, Gordie went with Lilly to the clinic in La Jolla to get tested. Gordie asked for all the tests to be done. From the clap, to something he knew he did not have, but all the same, it was good to know. AIDS. That was something that most of the public thought was gays only. It hit him close to home. He was sure that Michelle had it when she left Denny with him all those years ago. Gordie knew Chris didn't have anything, his bloodwork from the stabbing came back clean as a whistle.

Just then, as Gordie fiddled with the envelope, he heard the door open., and in walked Denny. "Hey pop, I have a question." Denny asked as he threw his bag on the chair.

"What's up?" Gordie said, getting up to get a glass of something from the kitchen.

"Since its Friday, could I stay the night at the Nguyen's? Barry's folks said it's ok, his sister Margaret is going out with her bf, and it's gonna be me, Barry, and his grandma."

Gordie usually didn't let Denny stay over at Barry's unless his folks or Margaret were there, but this evening was different.

"That's fine, if you need anything at all, call home, me or Chris will come for you."

"I'd rather have Pop get me, he doesn't ask me a billion questions."

Gordie sighed as he fiddled with the letter.

"Kids."

—-

Chris got home from his job interview working for a non-profit in the downtown area. This non-profit worked with abuse victims of all kinds, and he was working as a legal aide. It was late, around 7:30, but the lights in the house were off, except the bedroom, as he saw when he drove up.

"Gee, I wonder…did I miss something? Were we supposed to go out somewhere? I'd better check, even if Gordie's car is here, it's a bit too early for bed.."

Chris walked into the dark house and turned on the living room light and walked upstairs. He wanted to get out of the crisp navy blue business suit and wanted to strip to a pair of sweats and a tee.

But Gordie had other ideas.

Chris walked in the bedroom, and saw Gordie laying on the bed. With nothing on, except a satin red sheet covering his pelvic area. And a hardon that was growing on Gordie the minute they locked eyes. By now, Chris was hurting, the pants stifling his own growing appendage. Gordie reached over to the nightstand and handed him the white envelope.

Chris opened it and asked simply, "What's this?"

"I wanted you to know. Before we did anything." Gordie said.

Both had lost their drive at that moment, soberly becoming aware that what they used to do, they needed to know before. Chris put the letter on the dresser, and took off his suit and was quiet. It was a somber reality. Even if they trusted each other, the fear of AIDS was a real thing.

Chris was left wearing his boxers and sat at the edge of the bed, with Gordie, who was worried.

"I want you to know…I will give myself to you without protection, condoms and the like, if you want to use them, I'm ok with that too, but if we do it without protection, we have to be the only ones. Me for you, you for me." Gordie said, reaching for Chris.

Chris turned around and looked at him. " Look, I know why you did it, and I'm happy, but I trust you. And I don't want anyone else. Got it?"

Chris climbed over Gordie, touching his face, and kissing him deeply. Gordie snickered a bit, Chris's beard always tickled. Gordie reached up, and ran his hands on Chris's back, he felt small hairs growing on his back. He looked and noticed, Chris still was muscular, but he was also getting a tiny bit chubby in places. Nothing bad, but it made him aware of their age. Chris looked down, and although he had some crow's feet, Chris looked older, but in his eyes shone that look, that look that never changed from when they were sixteen.

Their lips met in a familiar abandon, the tastes a bit different, Chris with the scent of a cigar and a forest scented cologne, while Gordie smelled like lavender with a bit of creme de menthe. The touch of their respective bodies was different. Older a bit, but things were different. Besides his scar, Chris was not as taut or muscular as he once was. He still had his muscle lines, but they weren't as defined before, covered up in blondish brown hair.

Chris looked down at Gordie's body, and noticed he wasn't as skinny as he once was, he also had some bits of chest hair and freckles on his alabaster skin. Their eyes met, and at once, Chris saw that one thing didn't change. The honey pool eyes that God saw fit to give to Gordie. Gordie felt the same, looking into Chris's deep blue eyes that were the color of the Pacific Ocean.

As their eyes shone, they both touched each other. Wanting to know if anything was different there. Chris still had his hood, while Gordie was still skinny. Gordie let out a small guffaw. Chris put his hand over Gordie's and said "it's yours. You know." Gordie smiled and with one fell swoop, tasted it again, after so long. It was still as he remembered it. Chris lay back, resting on both arms holding him propped up. Chris looked over and saw Gordie's beckoning to him to do the same. Like an ouroboros, they were a complete circle.

Gordie stopped him after a few minutes. "If we keep this up, we will finish, and then…"

Chris looked at him, puzzled…"And then, we can do the rest later."

Gordie blushed. He forgot, This was their life now. Together.

And in a few minutes time, they continued, finishing…remembering that…

They had all the time in the world.

—

The next afternoon, Lilly came over to drop off some papers for Chris.

She had a spare key, but she knew one thing. Who knew what was going on in there.

As she opened the door, Chris was sitting on the couch, in blue jeans, and nothing else, hairy chest and arms relaxed, draped on the couch, looking sweaty. The smell of the room was rather dense, like pure heat. Lilly knew then that if she didn't want to take her outfit to the cleaners, she shouldn't sit down.

"Hey Chris, Marge at the home office wanted me to give this to you, it's some paperwork to fill out for your employment."

Chris jumped up in excitement. "Thanks Lil, you are a life saver. Love you dear." And gave her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek."

Lilly smiled as she embraced him. "So much for no cleaners."

"What's that?"

Gordie poked his head in the living room in a red sleep robe.

"Hey Gordie, came to drop off some stuff for Chris." Lilly said, as Chris went upstairs to the office. As soon as he was out of earshot, Lilly walked up close to Gordie and stated with amusement, "Spill, you guys were fucking around werent you."

Gordie was bent over on the couch, with Chris behind him, making Gordie feel all of him, sweat covering their bodies, dripping down…

"Well naturally, I mean, after we got the results, we had so much exploration to do" Gordie said with a smile that reminded her of when they were teens.

"I hope you got a shower, and get another one soon" Lilly said with a witty smile, and she went to get a cup of coffee.

Chris begged for Gordie to take him in the shower as the water sprayed on their bodies. Gordie wanted it so bad that he pressed up Chris against the shower wall and kicked his legs apart gently.

"Well, yeah, we did." Gordie said, as he got a cup of coffee himself.

Lilly sipped her cup of coffee and sat at the kitchen table. "Well, where is the boy? You haven't made him suffer through all of this have you?"

Gordie looked at the table and blushed.

Chris put Gordie's legs on his shoulders as Gordie lay on the kitchen table. Chris entered him with desperation, like a lion on the savanna who hasn't eaten since the beginning of the dry season. Chris hadnt had sex in a while (A year to be exact), but Gordie, it had been much longer. The feelings of him inside made Gordie moan in pure happiness, while Chris didn't think he was gonna last long. They both moaned in an intense climax…

"Well, no, not exactly, he should be home today, he stayed over at Barry's"

"Poor Barry, having to babysit Denny." Lilly giggled, and then drank her coffee.

Chris came downstairs in a tee shirt and shorts. "Hey babe, lets go get the boy, and go out to dinner as a family." Lilly looked at him, as he waltzed up to Gordie who was beaming. Fatherhood suited Chris to a T.

"I had better go, I think since I'm in the vicinity, I will go visit Mo and Sheila."

And with that, Lilly left as Denny walked in with his backpack, big smile on his face.

As they walked out the door…Gordie and Chris were hand in hand…

With Denny behind them, all smiles.