Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2001 19:23:57 -0700 (PDT) From: Author James <authorjames2002@yahoo.com> Subject: Adventures of a Real Dark Knight 43 Disclaimer: This story, though maybe not in this chapter but in subsequent chapters, will have celebrities in it. I have no knowledge of their sexuality and this is not intended to imply their sexuality. This is all from my own mind. Scary!! People actually get a glimpse into my mind!!! Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Angel and all related characters created by Joss Whedon. Copyright 20th Century Fox. Batman, and all related characters created by Bob Kane. Copyright DC Comics and Warner Bros. X-MEN, and all related characters created by Stan Lee. Copyright Marvel Comics and 20th Century Fox. Star Trek and all related characters created by Gene Roddenberry. Copyright Paramount Studios. I don't know for sure if I will use all the above elements, but just in case, I have myself covered. In this story, which has been floating around in my head most of my life, you will find many universes merging, as the above copyrights reveal. I hope you all enjoy this. I appreciate any feedback that you may want to give. This story doesn't deal so much with sex, sex, sex, but more of my feelings that I struggled with and am starting to come to terms with. Part of his background is mine. I do hope that you enjoy it!!! I have received many emails from people who have enjoyed it and some from those who do not. I would enjoy hearing from you. Any emails you send, please tell me what chapter and story you are commenting on. Thanks. jmsotc@yahoo.com I also have several online messenger services. If you want to chat with me in real time, email me and tell me the services you use and I will tell you my screen name. Chapter 43 Glory of Love David and I walked back into the hospital room and he went over to Michael. He leaned down and kissed him. "I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have said those things to you." "It's okay, David. I understand. No reason to apologize." The nurse walked in. "I'm sorry, but it's getting late. Visiting hours are over." "Okay. We'll be going in a little bit," I turned to Michael and David. "See you guys tomorrow. Take it easy, okay?" "Yeah," they said. "Thanks...for everything," David added. "Sure thing. Any time." Lance and I hugged them and then left. As we walked down the corridor, Lance put his arm around me, knowing exactly what I needed. We drove to the hotel Lance had booked for us and made love. I needed to feel that connection with him. Thinking about how David and Michael had not had that connection, that closeness of sex, made me realize the man I was blessed to have in my life and the way we connected with each other on so many levels. After sex, we fell asleep in each other's arms. Lance fell asleep rather easily. Being on the road, he has gotten used to sleeping in new places. I, on the other hand, could not do that. I lay awake for the longest time. Then I decided that I was going out for a while. Thinking that I may need to use my mutant abilities, I dressed in dark, concealing closes. After about an hour of wandering around the city, I found myself near the hospital. I decided to look in on Michael and David. Hopefully they were getting the sleep they needed. Using my mutant ability, I floated up to their window and looked in. To my shock, and delight for David, they were being intimate. Not having rough and tumble sex, but soft, gentle making love sex. Michael couldn't get into it too much because of his breathing problem. I smiled to myself, knowing the joys that come with the closeness of sex. I turned to go away when I heard them get a little louder. Thinking there was a problem, I turned back only to see that they had climaxed. This wasn't a moment I should be watching. David turned over and turned the radio on, then went into the bathroom. He came back out with a wet cloth and cleaned Michael and himself up. Putting the cloth in the dirty clothes pile, he came back in and lay down with Michael. The song "Glory of Love" by Peter Cetera came on the radio, and I had to watch them have this intimate moment. Call me wacky, but I wanted to make sure David was going to be okay. Tonight it's very clear As we're both lying here There's so many things I want to say I will always love you I will never leave you alone. Sometimes I just forget Say things I might regret It breaks my heart to see you crying I don't want to lose you I could never make it alone I am a man who will fight for your honor I'll be the hero that you're dreaming of We'll live forever Knowing together That we did it all for the glory of love You keep me standing tall You help me through it all I'm always gone but you're inside me I have always lived in you I could never make it alone I am a man who will fight for your honor I'll be the hero you've been dreaming of We'll live forever Knowing together That we did it all for the glory of love Like a knight in shining armor From along time ago Just in time I will save the day Take you to my castle far away I am a man who will fight for your honor I'll be the hero that you're dreaming of We're gonna' live forever Knowing together That we did it all for the glory of love We'll live forever Knowing together That we did it all for the glory of love We did it all for love We did it all for love I floated back down to the street level and headed back to the hotel, happy for David that he had a good moment with Michael, a moment of intimacy. For that span of time, David didn't have to worry about Michael's ailment, or Michael's future. The only thing that mattered for them at that moment was each other, loving each other, caressing each other, caring for each other. I entered the hotel room and undressed. Then I climbed into bed next to the love of my life and cuddled with him, finally falling asleep in the safety of his arms. Lance and I awoke the next morning and prepared for the day. We ordered breakfast from room service and ate in the hotel room, enjoying the quiet time we were spending with each other. When we finished, we headed off to the hospital to see David and Michael. "Good morning," we greeted David. "Good morning." "Did you sleep well?" I asked. Then I felt embarrassed because I remembered the sight I saw last night. "Yeah. Pretty good. For the first time in a long time, I slept well." "I'm glad to see this change for the better." "Yeah. Michael and I got to spend some intimate time together." "That always helps," Lance said taking my hand. We heard a beeping go off from Michael's room. We rushed in to see Michael's breathing monitor go off. "Oh God, no!" David said. Lance ran out of the room to get the nurses. Two nurses came rushing in as well as a doctor. "Stand back!" the doctor ordered. I had to take David by his arms and pull him back and hold him to keep him from getting in the way. "Don't leave me, Michael," David whispered. "Please. Don't leave me." It was as if Michael could sense David's pleas. He opened his eyes and looked over at David. Gasping hard he barely got out his last three words. "I.... love.... you." With that he collapsed. The doctor and nurses worked furiously. "Get him out of here," the doctor said to me referring to David. I pulled on David trying to get him out of the room. "No, Michael needs me! I can't leave him! He needs me!" "Come on, David. Let them do what they can." I got David out into the hallway. Lance, of course, was standing there with his hand on my back for support as I held David close. "I can't lose him," David muttered. After a few minutes, the doctor and nurses came out. He looked at us and I knew what he was about to say. "I'm sorry. We could not resuscitate him." David just stared off into space. "He didn't make it." David's jaw dropped. He looked at the door and tried to rush it. "NO!" he screamed. I grabbed David and pulled him away. "David, Michael's in a better place. No more suffering." "My God, I've lost him! What am I going to do?" I held him close as he grabbed me and sobbed and cried. "Nurse, is there someplace private we could go?" Lance asked. The nurse motioned for the chaplain's office. I practically walked David over to the office and we went in. I helped David sit down on the couch. "I'll get him some water," Lance said leaving the office. I held David close as he sobbed and cried. There were no words that I could give that would comfort him, no promise of hope that Michael would get better. Michael was gone, no longer upon this earth. The only thing I could give him was that, in time, he would be healed of this hurt, though I don't think anyone can get completely over the loss. After about an hour the doctor said the room was cleared out, meaning Michael's body was removed, as well as the equipment. "There...are some things in there I need to get, doctor. Can I go get them?" David asked. "Sure." "Thank you." David turned to me. "Would you come with me?" "Sure," I answered. I looked over to Lance. "We'll be right back." "Okay." David and I stood up and walked into the hall. The door seemed to be set apart from all the other doors. It held the worst of our fears, the compilation of our sadness. It held the death of someone we cared about. David paused for a moment, took a few deep breaths, and turned the doorknob. We entered the room and David began crying. He looked over at the bed and the tears began to flow. He sobbed and his body shuddered, but he went on. He opened the cabinet by the bed and pulled out a teddy bear. "I got this for him when he first came in the hospital. He kept it with him every time he was admitted. He said it was his bond to me." "It still is," I replied. "I would rather have him." David pulled out some other things from the drawers. He put them in the bag that was in the drawer and then he turned to leave. We walked over to the door and he stopped. He looked over at the bed and whispered, "I will always love you, Michael." I put my hand on his shoulder and we exited the room. The day of the funeral came and went. Michael's family included David with them in sitting with the family. They treated him as part of the family. Lance and I sat more to the back. I was beginning to hate funerals more and more. I lost my friend Hunter to suicide a few months ago. And I lost one of my patients and friends to a disease. Life and death seemed so unfair to me. I couldn't stand it. I felt so irritated and restless. I wanted to run but didn't seem to have the energy. I wanted to leave but couldn't miss this last opportunity to say goodbye. "Weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning," the minister concluded. "We are all going to miss Michael. He brought so much joy to so many people. He was a very talented young man. Very warm and nurturing. Always ready to help. We will miss him greatly. But now he belongs to heaven. No more pain for him, no more suffering. Our loss is heaven's gain." Slowly the casket lid was closed, sealing that beautiful face that reflected such a beautiful soul in the dark. Everyone stood and people walked by the family, shaking hands, giving hugs and offering support. The family held up well thanking everyone for their kindness. As the people drifted away, I went up and gave my condolences. When I came to David I gave him a big hug. He released his hug but would not let go of my hand. I stood there until just about everyone had gone. Then I walked with him back toward his car. He stopped to let everyone else drift away from us so we could have some privacy. "What am I going to do?" he asked. "I feel so empty and alone. I feel like there is a big void in my heart." "There is. Michael was so much part of you. The only thing I can say is to let God fill it. God can heal people pretty well. You'll be sad for a while. But the sadness will slowly fade and you will be fine. And then you are going to go on living. Michael would want you to live and be happy and celebrate his memory. You and he have wonderful memories. Let those memories live." "Thank you, Eric, for everything." David leaned in and gave me a hug. Then I watched as he went with Michael's family. I turned to Lance, who had come up as David went away, and hugged him. "I can only imagine what David is going through. I don't ever want to experience losing you," I said. "I don't ever want to experience it, either." Together we walked back to the car. A few days later we were on our flight back to Orlando. We helped David adjust a bit, the best way that anyone can help by supporting him and being there for him. He planned on returning to their apartment in Los Angeles and getting things taken care of. He planned on moving back in with his family until he got through this. They were very understanding and supportive of him. I told him to keep in touch and that if he needed me to call. Lance and I dragged in and through our bags at the bottom of the stairs. I collapsed on the couch, as did Lance. "What a trip," he said. "Something I don't want to repeat ever again. Things started out okay. But they went down hill once we arrived in Canada." "Poor David. Is he going to be all right?" "Yeah. Eventually he will be okay. The only thing that will help him is time." After a few minutes of sitting in silence, I got up and went over to the phone. "My mom wanted me to call her when we got in." I dialed the number and it rang and rang and rang. No answer. My parents refused to get an answering machine saying, "I don't want to talk to a machine and I don't expect people to call and talk to a machine. If it's important, they will call back and talk to a real person." "No answer," I said to Lance hanging up. "Maybe they went out." "Yeah." I looked over at Lance and began to feel a little playful. "I don't know about you, but I could use a nice bath." "So could I. I'll wait until you're done." "Oh, no you're not." I went over and grabbed Lance by the hands, pulling him up to his feet. I kissed him full on the lips and we went up the stairs. In the bedroom I stripped him down slowly of his clothes, kissing all over his body. Then he did the same to me. We went into the bathroom, turned on the water and climbed in. We cuddled and kissed for a while then got out and went to the bedroom where we made love. We stayed in bed cuddling for the rest of the day. To Be Continued... Michael has passed away. Eric and Lance have returned home. Did you like this chapter? I'd like to hear from you.