Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1999 18:32:37 -0800 (PST)
From: Mike D. <md_life@yahoo.com>
Subject: The Meeting 11

Disclaimer: Here's the deal. This story may or may not contain sex between
consenting men and women (not necessarily that combination though) This is
fiction (fiction -- not true or real). This is not meant to imply anything
about the Backstreet Boys. If you find this material offensive then why on
earth are you here? This story may be redistributed in other archives as
long as you don't charge people to read it and keep me as the author. Easy
stuff. Enjoy.

     Jess thanks for the help and Alec this is for you. I love you

Chapter 11

     The small group stared at the tiny hovel that Mat and Jenna's father
was raising their siblings in.  Jenna turned her face into Kevin's shoulder
to hide the tears that were streaming down her face. Kevin hugged her close
still staring in horror at the house. Its roof was sagging in the middle
and there wasn't a stair that wasn't already broken. The screen door was
hanging off its hinges, by all accounts the house should have been
condemned. Mat closed his eyes in pain for his younger siblings and turned
to face the rest of the group.

     "Jen, dry up. We have got to be strong now. It's time to face this
whole mess and then get rid of it." Mat said looking at his sister. He then
turned to Brian, "Thanks for being here Bri."

Brian smiled at his lover, "There's no place that I would rather be."

     Jenna composed herself and they all walked up the small path that was
overgrown with weeds to the dismal little house.

    Mat visibly braced himself then knocked firmly on the door. After a
moment they heard scuffling noises, then the doorknob slowly turned.

     When the door fully opened it showed a little girl and boy that looked
remarkably like Mat and Jenna. They stared silently at the intruders. Jenna
gasped in horror at the sight of the two. Both had numerous bruises on
their faces, some half healed and others noticeably new. Their clothes had
dozens of patches on them and looked as though they had not been washed in
weeks.

     Mat stared for a moment then asked softly, "You guys are Cynthia and
Alexander aren't you?"

     The two nodded suspiciously at Mat, ignoring everyone else.

     "Do you remember me and Jenna? We're your big brother and sister."

     Alex looked at Mat for a long minute then a grin broke out onto his
tiny face and he yelled, "Matty!!" flinging himself into Mat's arms quickly
followed by his sister.

     Mat hugged them both then set them down, "Where is Dad, guys?"

   They both got frightened looks on their faces then Cynthia pointed to a
door in the back of the small living room. "He ith sweeping." She said with
a slight lisp.

     Mat smiled at them then said softly, "Why don't you go with Jenna. I'm
gonna talk to Dad for a minute. Okay?"

     Alex grabbed Mat's arm shaking his head back and forth wildly. "NO NO!
He hurt you Matty. He hurt you like he hurt me and Thia!"

     Mat gently disengaged his little brother and looked at Jenna who was
currently holding a sobbing Cynthia. Jenna simply nodded at him and he
looked back at Alex.

     "No Alex. He's not going to hurt me because I won't let him. And I
won't let him hurt you or Cynthia ever again."

The little boy looked at Mat silently then said softly, "Promise?"

     Mat felt his heart break that his brother needed such an assurance,
"Promise." he whispered back hoarsely.

Alex let Mat go and went to Jenna, hugging her tightly. Jenna looked up at
Mat.

     "Mat? Should I come?" she asked softly.

     Mat shook his head motioning for her to stay with the kids. He started
for the door that Cynthia had indicated then noticed that Brian was with
him.

     "Bri, I should probably do this alone." Mat said to his lover.

Brian shook his head, gently touching Mat's cheek. "No, babe. I am coming
with you. Because I have to make sure that nothing happens to you."

     "Brian, you don't have to.."

    "Yes Mat I do," Brian interrupted, "Because if he did hurt you, I would
never forgive myself."

     Mat stared at Brian then nodded slightly and they continued together
to the room. When they were standing directly outside the room Mat paused,
taking a deep breath, then pushed the door open.

     Together they looked into the room in shock. A huge TV stood in one
corner along with a VCR and dozens of videos. They room was furnished in
nice comfortable furniture and the bed that Mat's father was laying on had
a satin coverlet on it.

     Brian heard Mat whisper, "The goddamn bastard. He is gonna pay for
this."

     Mat walked across the floor to where his father lay asleep, then
grabbed him and threw him off the bed. Mat's father came awake all at once,
rolling across the floor and coming up in a standing position.

   The man that stared at Mat and Brian had a days growth of beard and
bloodshot eyes, but besides that he looked like any other man you would see
walking around town. His blue jeans were faded but clean and his blue
checkered shirt had been pressed. The only thing about him that showed that
he was wealthy was his boots. They were crocodile skin and Mat would bet
that his father had paid over $300 for them.

     Mat's father blinked, staring at Mat, then muttered, "Mat? What the
fuck? What do you think that you are doing here you fucking fag?"

Mat smiled, "I'm taking my brother and sister away from you, that's what I
am doing here. I just wanted to let you know that a lawyer will be
contacting you very soon. Then I plan to file assault and blackmail charges
against you."

     Mat's father stared at this man that was his child. The boy was daring
to threaten him. He felt a surge of anger run through him, filling him with
power. He walked calmly towards Mat saying, "Well, I don't think that I can
let you do that Matty, boy. You see thanks to you and Jenna I don't have to
work any more. Those two brats out there are my meal ticket so I'm afraid
that you can't take them."  Taking one last step towards his son Mat's
father let his fist fly towards Mat's face.

     Mat saw the punch coming and moved quickly out of the way. But not
quickly enough. He felt the fist slam into his cheek instead of his nose
which had been the target. He heard the most awful sound, a crunch of bones
crushing, and even as the force of the punch had Mat spinning around he
felt searing pain coming from his cheek. The last thing he heard before
blacking out was Brian screaming his name.

* * * * *

     Jenna comforted her little brother and sister while Kevin stood next
to her. His presence was comforting. She had just stood from her crouched
position next to Alex when she hear Brian scream Mat's name from inside the
house. Without realizing it Jenna was running into the house and through
the door at the back of the room that Cynthia had earlier pointed
to. Shoving the door open Jenna saw her brother on the floor unconscious
and Brian pounding her father into the ground.

She desperately wanted to go to Mat but she needed to stop Brian first.

     "Brian! Stop! Stop Brian, you can't kill him. If you do they will put
you in jail. Please stop." Jenna gasped running across the room and pulling
Brian off of her father.

Once Brian was off of Mat's father he seemed to forget about him
altogether. With a soft cry he knelt next to Mat and gently stroked Mat's
uninjured cheek.

     Jenna stared around the room and went to the phone next to the bed and
quickly dialed 911, wishing that she could have been the one that had
knocked her father into unconsciousness. It didn't hardly seem fair that
Brian got to. She sighed, then went to join Brian next to her fallen
brother. She gasped in shock when she saw the huge bruise already marring
Mat's cheek.

     Kevin ran into the room, and sparing only a glance for the older man
spread out on the floor, he rushed to join Jenna and Brian at Mat's side.

"Damn. He got him good didn't he?" Kevin muttered seeing Mat's cheek.

     Brian felt tears start to come down his cheeks, "He shouldn't have
been able to get to him. I should have stopped him. This is all my fault."
he berated himself.

     Before Jenna and Kevin could say anything Alex and Cynthia came
through the door followed by two medics.

Alex shouted, "There's an ambulance here.....What happened to Mat?"

     Jenna picked up the kids as the medics looked over Mat.

   "Yep," one said, "Broken cheekbone, but he'll be fine, probably will
barely leave a scar."

One wheeled Mat out while the other looked over Jenna's father. Brian
followed the gurney out and started to climb into the ambulance when one
technician stopped him.

     "Are you family?"she asked.

Jenna looked at the lady and replied for Brian, "Yeah, he's our big
brother."

     Brian tossed a grateful look over his shoulder at Jenna just before
the ambulance doors closed.

   Jenna and Kevin rushed the kids into the rental car and began following
the ambulance to the hospital. Jenna took out Kevin's cell-phone and dialed
a number that she knew by heart.

"Hello, this is JC."

"JC? It's Jenna." Jenna knew her voice had more than a little bit of
desperation in it, but she couldn't help it.

"Jen? What's wrong? What happened at your Dad's?" JC asked anxiously.

"JC....he....Mat. He hurt Mat." she finally managed to choke out.


"He WHAT? Is Mat okay? I wanna talk to him right now."

"He can't talk. He's unconscious, my father broke Mat's cheekbone. We're
following the ambulance to the hospital. The hospital is
St. Jerome's. Please hurry and get there JC."

Jenna heard JC talking to someone in the back ground.

"Who's that?" she asked.

"Nick. Don't worry Jen, we'll be there soon." JC said, comforting her.

"Thanks JC." Jenna said and hung up. She felt Kevin's hand take her's,
holding her hand tightly. She gently squeezed his hand and he smiled weakly
at her.

* * * * *

JC hung up the phone and yanked on a sweatshirt. Across the room Nick
jerked his pants back on.

"Do you know what exactly happened?" Nick asked pulling on his shoes.

"No. She just told me that his cheekbone is broken. Damn, I can't believe
it. I should have gone." JC muttered.

"JC." Nick said taking JC by the shoulders and turning him to look him in
the face. "You are not perfect. You are handsome and the love of my life,
but you are not perfect. You are not at fault for staying here this morning
to actually talk to me, since we haven't seen each other in months, and not
being there to protect Mat. Think how Brian must be feeling right now. He
was there and Mat got hurt. He's probably blaming himself even more than
you are. Please, stop blaming this all on yourself, kiss me, and then lets
go make sure that Mat is alright."

     JC smiled at Nick and slowly lowered him mouth to Nick's, gently
kissing him. When they pulled apart they both started for the door.

To Be Continued...

Alright I know that you all hate me since there hasn't been sex in this
story in....a long time. There will be more sex I promise, but right now I
feel that it would distract from the plot. I got some feedback wanting Nick
to have a lover or something..well? Did I surprise anyone? Probably
not. Any comments, kudos, or feedback can be sent to md_life@yahoo.com.
Flames will be ignored.

Thanks a lot.
~Mike D.