Date: Sat, 30 May 2009 06:21:08 -0400
From: chris james <drmeta4@gmail.com>
Subject: Adam Conquers Earth, Chapter 12

Dear Reader: the following is a story of adult fiction, persons under the
age of 18 are not permitted to view this material.

	It's not hard to understand that for every minute of television
viewed there are hours of work behind the scenes. From some of the comments
I have received there are no doubts many of you reading this story work
close to the performance industry. I cannot claim that all I write is based
upon personal experience, this is after all fiction. But if you are having
a fun read then I have succeeded. All comments welcomed. Chris James.

<drmeta4@gmail.com>

			 Adam Conquers Earth (M/B)

Chapter Twelve

	"I have some good news and some...good news," Alan intoned at that
first meeting of the production group, Brian and Mark both sat straight up
to listen. Alan scratched his head, "Funny thing television, you look for
success and you get it...we're about to get it."

	He smiled. "They renewed my contract." There was applause at
that. He held up a hand and grinned. "And then doubled our budget." That
was the kicker; it upped the production values immensely.

	"Hope you enjoyed your time off. The network has us slated for
sixteen episodes. I wanted a full twenty-four, but we've taken on three new
writers and the story ideas are already piling up. And now the best part,
something we've all seen coming. I'm proud to announce in what is probably
a first for Triton, and maybe even television itself, Mark Harrison is
going to be given the position of creative head over the writers."

	Heads turned and there were a lot of smiles, they all had
confidence in him. He'd know it was in the offering, Todd had just told him
last night it was in the contract. Mark felt thrilled, and yet that was
tempered by the responsibility he was taking on. He was glad to see the
support from Alan and the company.

	"Now before Mark has to leave and attend his staff meeting," Alan
said. "I just want to say we all have the utmost faith in Mark's creative
abilities. To keep this from becoming too much of a strain on him there
will be some changes. We have a month before shooting resumes, a mere
thirty two days.

	"We're going to storyboard out each episode, and in all that we're
going to have room for about four guest stars, Triton feels this will give
us a boost. Any ideas about who to invite, and what to do with them will be
greatly appreciated.  Sixteen is a huge number, guys...four months of hard
work. Triton is behind us now, let's use their resources to the fullest
extent we can. Day one begins now."

	Tina led Mark down the hall and Brian tagged along, there was an
open door at the end, one that had never been open before. "Triton expanded
our space as well," Tina said. "This is now the writer's block."

	Twelve new rooms, one of them now Mark's office. Brian almost
laughed, betting the boy was the only fourteen year old in television to
have one. They could hear laughter down the hall and Tina smiled.

	"That's the new playpen, go take a look," She suggested.

	Mark walked into the writer's room and smiled. The walls were all
covered in whiteboards, plenty of room to share thoughts and line up ideas,
four couches, and a long table occupied the center. There was a kitchen on
one side, two bathrooms on the other. This would become a hotbed of work in
no time, it had already begun.

	 "Stan, Evan, Walter...this is Mark Harrison," Tina said.

	"Thank God, our alien intelligence has arrived," Stan said. And
they all laughed.

	Script writers were always the odd bunch, the genius behind any
successful television show. With the addition of these three there would
now be six, and Mark to keep them focused. Mark was glad to see that Alan's
diversity plans had held up, Stan and Walter were black.

	Mike, Tony and Pete joined them after hearing all the laughs; it
was time to start talking. And the first thing they did after taking a seat
was talk about the character Adam. Brian and Tina sat on a couch to listen
in.

	"Old and new thoughts, guys?" Mark asked.

	"New," Pete said. "We have a budget for special effects, Thank
God."

	"New," Tony said. "We have access to outside talent now, which
means we can boost the story line at several points this season...once we
figure out the pros and cons."

	"OK, I like this game," Stan said. "Old, how long is Adam going to
get away with this? So far from what I've read, Steve has an idea the boy
is different, Beverly does as well, and the science teacher doesn't know
what to think."

	"Good point, new eyes make the difference," Mark said. "At some
point I think Adam should be busted as an alien. The first time I heard
someone say guest star I thought; wow, now we can use that person as Adam's
father who came looking for him."

	"Jeez, that's a great thought," Mike said.

	"End of season at least, something to bring 'em back for season
two," Mark said.

	"OK, yeah...that gives us the whole season for a build up," Stan
said, and then he smiled.  "Alan gave us the scripts and character bios for
what you guys did so far. I think all three of us are happy to be here,
there's so much good stuff happening and we all want to be a part of it."

	Mark looked at the new guys. "Glad to have you here, new ideas will
always help this show. No matter what Alan said to you, I am not the genius
behind everything, we share the load. I know he gets carried away with the
kid writer routine, I've seen him do it, but the writing is a team effort,
I wouldn't have it any other way."

	Mike nodded. "Our day is tight, guys. We have Mark most mornings,
and then he has class. Don't tell the teacher, but I know he's written
script in class." Chuckles around the room. "I just want you to know he's
as dedicated as any of us, more so because he has a role to play as well."

	Evan nodded, "OK...so in the last episode you pissed Beverly off,
where do we go from there?"

	"We have some ideas already...Mike?"

	"We made a preliminary season outline," Mike said, opening a folder
and handing out sheets. "Basic ideas, something to expand on. So far we
only have the first episode blocked out."

	Mark looked at the script sheets:


ACE: Season One/ Episode One


					ACT ONE

					SCENE 1



	      INT. BEVERLY 'S HOUSE, BEDROOM-EARLY EVENING

FADE IN: WIDE SHOT, SLOW ZOOM TO BEVERLY


	(TYPICAL YOUNG TEEN GIRL'S BEDROOM-A PINK ROOM, STUFFED ANIMALS ON
BED, SLEEPING BAGS ON FLOOR, CLUTTERED DESK, SOFT POP MUSIC IN BACKGROUND,
ZAC EFRON POSTERS ON WALL)

	(BEVERLY SITS ON BED FILING NAILS, 2 GIRLS ON BED WITH HER. ANDREA,
DENISE)

					BEVERLY

	(TO OTHER GIRLS)

			 He won't tell me what he thinks. I'm beginning

			 to wonder if he kissed me just like it was some

			 kind of experiment.


					ANDREA

			 Yeah, but you'd do it again, wouldn't you?


					BEVERLY

			 Oh yeah, definitely. Adam has such dreamy eyes.



					DENISE

			 I've never kissed a boy, my mother would kill me.

	(GIRLS ALL LAUGH)

					BEVERLY

			You don't have to tell her. Who would you kiss?


					DENISE

	(DENISE SIGHS)

		           I would kiss Zac Efron in a heartbeat.


	(ALL THREE GIRLS LOOK AT POSTER ON WALL AND SIGH)


					ANDREA

			  All the boys at school want someone older.

			  Where does that leave us?


					BEVERLY

		        Sitting in my bedroom on a Saturday night,

			that's where.



	Mark dropped the script back on the table. He just wondered if six
men and a boy could portray the lives of three girls well enough. They now
had to go back and fill in the lives of the characters. The audience would
want to know more about their personal lives; the public one had been
established.

	The general synopsis of each episode was attached to the script's
cover:

	Episode One: A weekend: Girls night out, Beverly has a sleepover
with two friends from school, they talk about Adam. Some business with
neighbor Casey. Adam and Steve go out for hamburgers and talk about the
girls.

	Episode Two: Science class plans a field trip to the natural
history museum, Mr. Blake talks about the trip, and Adam shows ignorance of
Earth history. Puckett gets a new vice-principal, a woman.

	Episode Three/Four: The field trip, Puckett chaperones, Adam shoots
a dinosaur with an antique bow and arrow. Puckett and Adam get trapped in
the gift shop and spend hours together. Adam sets off the museum alarm, the
police come. Puckett gets in trouble with the school board, Adam to the
rescue.

	Episode Five: The school dance. Beverly invites Adam, Butch the
Bully and friends crash the dance, Adam gets tricked and Butch tries to
lock him out. Steve dances with Beverly, and a fantasy scene occurs.

	 "I have an idea that we could do a double shot of outside talent
in four and five," Mark said. "A police officer in episode four, and maybe
a rock star in five, a singer for the band at the dance."

	"Someone for Beverly to fall for? You trying to get her off your
case already?" Mike laughed.

	"No," Mark smiled, "But we can't wear that out either. OK, let's
start with Episode One and see what happens." Nothing was set in stone, the
episodes would change around and be revised again, it was the way things
were.

	Of the sixty child extras, nine of them had dropped out. School
issues, parenting issues, the kids had real lives, it was to be
expected. Alan had left a note on his desk. "Brian, find me ten new kids."
He picked up the phone and call Betsy at Central Casting. All he had to do
was give her the name of the show, they knew what he wanted.

	Having a successful show meant a lot of things. New sponsors wanted
in, and Triton would deal with that, but it also meant they were deluged in
bribes. The lobby was starting to look like a small corner market with
cases of chips, soda and juice, even a box of laundry soap. Brian ignored
all that stuff, the staff would take it home.

	Adding a vice-principal to the show had been considered since the
beginning, but there had been a great deal of debate about what type of
character she should be. Both Mark and Alan had favored a woman to balance
the power sharing in the school office. Brenda Gibbs would be an immediate
hit, with the boys at least; she was an attractive twenty-something year
old blonde. She was sitting in the lobby when Brian walked out to find her.

	"Brenda? Hi...Brian Simmons, I'm one of Alan's assistants."

	They shook hands and Brian walked her back to the production
office. Tina and three of her cohorts were on the phones making a lot of
racket so Brian walked past the office to the break room.

	"This looks quieter than the office at the moment, we can talk
here," Brian said.

	"The production staff is back in gear I see," Brenda said.

	"New season, new headaches. So let's talk about vice-principals, I
imagine you've never been one."

	"No," She chuckled. "I started modeling at sixteen, did a few
commercials and landed a two year stint on Divine Women. I got married,
have two kids and just felt like I wanted back in," Brenda said.

	"Is your husband in the industry?"

	"No, he's in furniture; the Blevins Gallery is his baby."

	"Oh? I've been in there, nice things...not that I could afford
them," Brian laughed. "But we all dream. I'm sure you have some questions,
and the first answer is that they haven't written the script for you
yet. It will probably be ready next week."

	Brenda smiled. "I was wondering, I don't know what kind of
character Alan wants, besides a blonde."

	"You've seen Wayne Edwards on the show I imagine, the writers
thought the contrast would work well, Mark did in particularly."

	"Mark? The boy who plays Adam?"

	Brian nodded. "Yes, our resident creative genius. There's a lot of
him in this show, more than just the acting. It's an unusual role for a
kid."

	"He writes and acts? That's pretty incredible," Brenda said. "So
I'm not going to be the sympathetic sidekick to the principal, just the
opposite?"

	"I don't think they want you to play a temptress, just be good at
what you do. The Puckett character will spend a lot of time in hot water
this season; someone has to run the school. If anything, you'll be Adam's
foil. He may control Puckett, but he won't be able to control you."

	"I thought that mind control bit was cute, a very convenient way of
sliding Adam into normal everyday life. So why can't he control me?" Brenda
asked.

	Brian laughed. "Now that's top secret, only Alan can tell you
that."

	"You're kidding?"

	"No, I'm not. They haven't written that far into the season, but
they've been talking about it for months. Let's just say your character
isn't what it appears to be."

	Brenda laughed. "OK, now you have me hooked."

	"Episode One is all about the kids, your character gets introduced
in number Two..."

	And at that point Mark walked in the break room looking for Brian.

	"Mark...this is Brenda Gibbs," Brian said.

	"Nice to meet you, Mark."

	"Thank you, Brenda...so glad you're here."

	"So, Brian says you have plans for the character...can you tell me
about it?" Brenda asked.

	"Sure, just keep the information to yourself, that's all we ask,"
Mark said. "The character of Loretta Jones is another alien."

	"Wow, so that's the big secret?"

	"Yes, we decided that Adam isn't the only one on the planet, just
the only one from his home world of Regalia. His mind powers only work on
humans, you can't be touched."

	"So the disciplinary role of the vice-principal is immune from
tampering," Brenda said.

	"Yes, that only leaves Adam with the possibility of controlling you
through Puckett or just being clever, I favor the latter for comedy's
sake."

	Brenda smiled. "I already think it's clever, this show seems to
have your name all over it."

	Mark smiled. "Thank you. Adam will find you attractive but
confusing, the other boys will see only the beauty...I think we made a good
choice."

	Brenda chuckled. "I've been told I have that affect on men. So,
tell me how it's all going to happen."

	Mark gave her a ten minute overview of the season ahead and then
had to head back to his writer's group, but he stopped at the door.

	"Brian, I almost forgot...did Tim say anything to you about going
sailing?"

	"Sailing? Not to me, but his daddy has a big damn boat, sits at the
dock all the time. Why, where did you hear that?" Brian asked.

	"Steve called me and said Tim is taking him out on a boat," Mark
said, holding up his new cell phone.  "I just wondered how Jean was going
to handle that, guess we'll find out."

	Brian smiled. "Tim will be here later, I'll ask." And Mark nodded
before he left. The cell phones had been Tim's idea, they each had one. For
Mark and Steve it meant instant communication and the boys were into the
whole coolness of the electronic culture anyway. It was also a good
security measure, so for Tim it was a write off, Brian liked the idea as
well.

	"He's something else, he really knows his stuff," Brenda said.

	Brian nodded. "I just don't want it to wear him down, that's when
most of these kids get in trouble. So maybe we better go see Gina, she'll
want to do some measurements on you. How would you dress as a
vice-principal?"

	"Mine were always men, I have no idea," Brenda said.

	Brian left her with Gina in the costume shop. He took a call from
Central Casting and arranged some interviews for the new kids. Alan was out
at the school set planning some new locations to shoot so Brian wandered
back to the writer's block. Mark was in his office so Brian stepped in and
shut the door.

	"This thing with Steve and Tim...you almost sound worried," Brian
said.

	"A little, ever since the trip to Japan Steve has been a lot more
assertive," Mark said. "I think he might come out to his mom."

	"Oh? I'm not sure what to think about that, I don't know how she'll
handle it."

	Mark sighed. "I'm all for the stability of this show, not sure I
want the feelings to change around here right away. If Jean takes it badly
things will change, they have to."

	"Yeah, we don't need that," Brian agreed. "You think Tim realizes
what he's doing? Steve could place him in an awkward position if Jean even
suspects..."

	"We just spent a month with Steve, we're all likely suspects," Mark
said.

	"Is Steve here yet?" Brian asked.

	"After lunch, they'll be here together. We need to ask Tim what's
he's planning to do," Mark said.

	Tommy saw Brian and Mark walk out the main doors and head for the
parking lot so he started his car to follow them. But just as they reached
the lot the red Ferrari pulled in and he shut off the engine. Tim and Steve
got out, they all talked a moment and then they followed Brian over to his
Jeep and climbed inside. Tommy started his car again, and waited.

	"We can't talk about this inside," Brian said. "Steve...Mark seems
to think you're going to tell your parents about being gay...true or
false?"

	Steve nodded. "I want to...I really need to."

	"It's just the timing," Mark said. "You've been with us the past
month, your mom is gonna wonder if we had something to do with this."

	"And then there's Tim, how is she going to react towards him?"
Brian said.

	"Lord, all the drama," Tim said with a chuckle. "Jean already knows
about Steve, and she thinks I'm the answer."

	"OK, so now you better explain that because I'm confused," Mark
said.

	"Sorry, I should have kept you informed, but this all just
happened," Tim said. "I went over to Steve's on Saturday morning with the
idea that he and his parents might like to take a cruse to Catalina next
weekend, and we are.

	"Steve was out with his dad and Jean gave me that 'I need to talk
to you' business so we sat down. She asked me if I knew anything about
Steve that I wasn't telling her, and then before I could answer she said
she thought he was gay."

	"Oh Lord," Brian said.

	"No, it was fine, she doesn't know about me...about us. My response
was that he might have the feelings but not the means to express them to
her or anyone else, and I said that worried me. I said Steve has enough
pressure in his life right now; he didn't need to feel that his parents
were disapproving, and if he was gay that's what he would worry about.

	"Well Jean assured me it would be a shock if he was because she
didn't know anything about raising a gay boy. Not that she would reject him
mind you; just that she didn't know what he needed."

	"Oh wow, that's sweet," Mark said, and Steve nodded.

	"But she also said his relationship with me was a good thing
because I presented Steve with such good manly values, maybe I could change
his mind. So I invited them to sail and she accepted, now all I have to do
is find the straightest looking crew I can," Tim said. "We'll overnight and
I thought giving Jean and Frank the master suite would be romantic."

	"Then I can sneak out of my room to his," Steve said.

	"I think we already had that one figured out, Steve," Mark
said. "She's right you know, manly values can also mean gay values."

	"That's what I figured," Tim said. "This should be quite an
experience."

	The writing group plowed ahead all week long, wading through a
mound of thought and finally producing a draft of episode one and sending
it to Alan. Episode two began with the confrontation between Mrs. Kennedy
in the office and the new vice-principal over paperwork.

	Brenda, now known as Loretta to one and all, was presented in a
smart looking women's business suit and yet Puckett's first reaction was
funny as he tripped over a trash can on his way to greet her. Steve was to
appear in the door to the Principal's office where he had been receiving a
customary admonishment for some implied infraction.

	Loretta was to walk right past Puckett's outstretched hand and
right up to Steve where she would smile and introduce herself to the
boy. Loretta would be shown as the compassionate one, the school
administrator with a heart. And that set the stage for Steve's first
fantasy scene.

	Mark had suggested that boys had such off the wall fantasies and
they couldn't ignore them, this one was a winner. Steve in a toga with a
crown of golden ivy leaves around his head watches from his throne on the
bleachers as Loretta and Puckett fight it out like gladiators on the
basketball court below. She is dressed like Wonder Woman, something that
Loretta could easily represent, something a boy might see in such a
fantasy.

	Puckett drops his sword and has only his shield left, Loretta beats
him to the ground and Puckett is defenseless. She stands over him with her
sword and looks up to the mighty Emperor Steve. Steve stands up and
gestures to his subjects, kids filling the bleachers beside him.

	"Friends...Romans...Countrymen...what shall we say?" Steve shouts.

	"Death...Death to Puckett," The kids reply.

	Steve smiles and pulls back the sleeve of his toga. His bare arm
extends, his hand raised.

	"You hear their cries, Rome has spoken," Steve shouts, and he turns
his hand, thumb pointing down.

	Loretta raises her sword and the kids all scream. Steve snaps back
as Loretta bends down and looks him in the face, all Steve sees is her
cleavage, and he faints.

	The writers all howled with laughter after Mark read that scene to
them, it set the tone for the rest of the episode. But if Mark was willing
to poke fun at Steve's character, he also had no mercy for Adam as
well. The following scene with Mr. Blake, the science teacher, did exactly
that.

	"The Mesozoic period was the age of dinosaurs here on Earth, and
that ended some sixty-five million years ago," Blake said. He had several
pull down charts covering much of the blackboard space, pictures of the
fearsome creatures stood out behind him as he paced back and forth.

	"When we visit the museum next Monday you will get to see
fossilized remains of some of these fierce creatures. Much of what we know
about that age in history is..."

	Adam raised his hand, and Blake sighed. "Yes, Adam?"

	"Where did they go?" He asked. "Did they leave the planet?"

	There were snickers around the room; the kids always seemed to
enjoy Adam's interruptions of Blake's otherwise dry lectures.

	"No, Adam, they didn't leave, they died. There are many theories
about why that happened, would you like to hear them?" Blake asked.

	"Yes, please," Adam said.

	"There are several theories that have developed over the past two
hundred years. The discovery of fossilized remains told us a lot about
their size and shape, their eating habits and migration patterns. The
actual decline of the creatures began long before they disappeared or
became extinct.

	"It was theorized that climate change began to destroy their source
of food and their numbers became reduced. There are also theories that a
huge comet many miles wide impacted the Earth and filled the atmosphere
with poison gasses or the dust darkened the skies..."

	Adam raised his hand, and Blake sighed once again. "Yes, Adam?"

	"Didn't someone know it was coming, couldn't they have warned the
dinosaurs?"

	There was outright laughter at Adam's comments and Beverly looked
at him like she thought the boy was crazy.

	Blake smiled. "I guess no one saw it coming, Adam. Will you stop
asking such ridiculous questions? There were no humans on the planet at
that time, only the dinosaurs. Now all we have are their bones...which we
will see at the museum next week." He glared at Adam, daring him to ask
another silly question.

	"Now before we go I want you to read Chapter Six in your textbooks,
which will explain the various types of dinosaurs..."

	This scene was a key factor in Beverly's assessment of Adam. Mark
was determined that at least Adam's two closest friends would discover the
boy's alien origin at some point this season. It was vital if he was to
counter the knowledge of an alien Loretta, Adam would need to tell someone
when he made the discovery.

	The show might be presented in vignettes of humor, but there was
the long range story that had to be considered as well. For down the road
Mark knew he would have to introduce the idea that Adam's parents would
come looking for him. Boys of any species did not just disappear without
consequences.

	The walls in the playpen were slowly covered in writing, ideas
flowing, and yet there was one board that only had a few lines on it. This
was the list of goals, the why's of Adam Conquers Earth. The thoughts there
looked at the future of the show, something they all had to keep in mind.

	By Friday Mark was ready for a break and looking forward to lying
by the pool and doing nothing. Steve was excited about the sailing, which
seemed to pervade his thoughts throughout the afternoon class period.

	"I've never been on the ocean," Steve said.

	"You flew over one. Don't get worried, Tim won't let anything
happen to you," Mark chuckled.

	Steve smiled. "I get to learn the manly art of sailing." Then he
laughed. "You know the whole crew is gay, don't you?"

	Mark smiled. "That's OK; just make sure momma doesn't find out."

	"Tim says we'll all be out doing our morning Tai-chi on the beach,
and that ought to impress my parents."

	"Well just be careful around Tim," Mark said.

	"Yeah, I've never been on a sailboat either. I'm gonna have fun."

	Tim had set the sailing time as ten o'clock from Long Beach harbor,
not wishing to push the Biddle's for an earlier start. But he had promised
to provide transport so Steve wasn't at all surprised when a limo pulled up
at the house just after nine. James opened the doors for them and they
climbed in, Steve could tell his parents were impressed.

	But all of them were in awe of Tim's sailboat. It was the largest
boat at the dock with a mast that seemed to tower over the deck. Tim
appeared on deck as the limo pulled up and he ran to greet them.

	"Hello, you're right on time," Tim said.

	"Wow...I thought you said a sailboat...this is like a real ship,"
Steve said.

	Tim laughed at the expressions on their faces. "Yeah, it's
impressive, but Dad got a deal on it. She's eighty-eight feet long, does
about twelve knots...but she's also very comfortable."

	Two crew members unloaded their overnight bags while Tim took them
onto the deck.

	"Jean, I thought you and Frank ought to have the master's cabin,
Steve and I will each have a suite as well," Tim said.

	"Wow, Tim...this is all so much," Jean said. "All for just a little
sail down to the island, I feel like a queen."

	"Sorry, we don't have anything smaller. But the crew likes to give
her a workout so we'll take the long way around, OK? Let me show you below
and we can get comfortable as they cast off."

	Jean was impressed by the cabin, the kitchen space, and the huge
bed she would share with Frank. Steve had warned her Tim was from a wealthy
family, but this...she felt like royalty. They all felt the throb of the
engine as it started up and the boat began to move away from the dock. Tim
smiled graciously and offered them a fruit drink which he made himself.

	"In about fifteen minutes we'll be out beyond the buoys and go on
deck to watch them set the sails. That's when this baby really feels good
under your feet," Tim said.

	"I hope we don't get seasick," Frank said.

	"No reason to, she sails smoothly, and the sea is like glass
today. We'll spend about four hours making the run to Catalina, slow and
leisurely. Manuel has a nice lunch planned, and once we dock we can walk
around town. I made us dinner reservations for seven-thirty, hope that's
not too late, but the best view of the sunset happens after that."

	"Tim...do you live like this all the time?" Jean asked.

	Tim shook his head. "No, I'm a working stiff...but this is all part
of the fun I get out of my family. Dad hardly sails anymore, it's a shame
really. I don't want you to think I'm putting on a show here, but maybe I
am...a little. I just want you all to have a good time."

	Terry leaned down the companionway a short time after that and
said, "Outer buoy coming up."

	Tim smiled. "Come on, this is the exciting part." He led them on
deck and they sat on the wide bench at the stern. "They set two sails, a
foresail and the main."

	Terry and two others unwrapped the cover over the sails that lay
along the boom at the foot of the tall mast.  He waved and Tim reached over
and shut down the engine. The silence surrounded them, only the wind made
any noise. The sound of a ratcheting winch and they saw the foresail begin
to rise, another winch stirred the mainsail and it rose up the mast.

	The effect on the boat was immediate and Tim held a steady hand on
the wheel as the craft was taken by the wind. The boat made a few sideways
moves until Terry began to swing the boom into place, and then it heeled
over gracefully. The sails were full of wind as the boom swung out over the
starboard side and Tim looked back at the three passengers.

	Frank was holding on for dear life as the boat held at a fifteen
degree angle. Terry walked back and took the wheel so Tim turned back to
his passengers.

	"Cool," Steve said, his long blonde hair flying in the breeze. Tim
could only gaze at the boy with admiration; he was taking on this new
adventure with courage. He looked magnificent, and if they had been alone
Tim would have had the boy in his arms.

	Jean was all smiles, enjoying the rush of adrenaline, while Frank
looked disturbed at their apparent speed.  "So what do you think?" Tim
asked.

	"Wow, this is wonderful," Jean said. "How far can this boat sail?"

	"If we had the time and the supplies I could drop you off in
Hawaii," Tim said, and Jean nodded in understanding.

	Terry allowed Steve to take the wheel and the boy really felt the
weight of the rudder even thought the steering controls were run on
hydraulics. It was an image of Steve Tim wanted to remember forever, he
looked so alive and happy like this, and he saw Jean watching her son as
well.

	Terry, Vince and Manuel had crewed the short run down the coast and
across to Catalina Island dozens of times. They were comfortable on the
boat and that meant they only wore board shorts most times. Tim had decided
not to ask them to look any different, and he saw Jean take in their
muscular bodies.

	Steve and Tim took off their shirts and Jean tied up her blouse,
but Frank cling to the side rails of the stern locker like he expected the
boat to capsize any minute. The sun was warm, and Tim knew the salt water
would soon soak into their skin. It didn't matter; they had plenty of hot
water for showers before dinner.

	Steve's body was starting to fill out. A month in Japan, and now
with daily exercise, he was building a fine set of muscles. Frank pulled
out a bottle of sunscreen and lathered it on every exposed part. The man
was obviously uncomfortable, this was not his element.

	Tim led Steve and Jean up towards the bow so they could see the
boat knifing through the water. Vince showed Steve the ropes that held up
the sails giving Tim a chance to talk with Jean.

	"I'm sorry Frank isn't enjoying himself more," Tim said.

	Jean laughed. "Oh, he'll get over it, and just imagine this, he was
in the Navy."

	"Oh Lord, then why does this bother him so much?"

	"He had a desk job, I don't even know if he ever went out on a
ship," Jean said. "Your crew looks like a bunch of strong guys, that's the
image I want Stevie to have."

	"I work with Steve every day, Jean, his body will develop," Tim
said.

	"Yes, I know you give him extra attention, I really appreciate
that. I wouldn't care if he did turn out to be gay, just as long as he
isn't weak or effeminate."

	"That's not going to happen," Tim said.

	They all went below deck and Manuel set a nice table. Terry had
altered course so the dishes wouldn't slide off in their laps, and that
made Frank a little more comfortable. Lunch was light, salads made with
chicken and fruit, pine nuts and tomatoes. Tim knew better than to serve
novice sailors a hearty meal on their first voyage. Afterwards they ate
cake and drank coffee on deck as Catalina hove into view.

	They tied up at the dock two hours later and left Manuel to guard
the boat. Vince and Terry assumed the guard positions, for they were also
part of Tim's security force. They might be in the quaint little town of
Avalon, but Steve's face would be familiar. They wandered the shopping area
around the Metropole Market and Steve caught the glances.

	"Don't worry...just be yourself," Tim said.

	Several bold young girls walked up and asked Steve for his
autograph, but that was about it. The famous of Hollywood often came here;
celebrities were nothing new to the Island. Tim and Jean talked about the
town as they strolled around; even Frank seemed to have a good
time. Steve...well Steve was just his usual silly self, trying on hats and
making faces at the fish in a tank inside a store window.

	The sun was hot by three o'clock and they headed back to the boat
to cool off. Frank and Jean sat in the air conditioned cabin while Steve
got a lesson in rigging from Terry. Vince sat quietly by watching as his
lover explained the workings of the boat to the boy.

	He knew, they all knew of Steve's relationship with Tim, he for one
didn't disapprove. Of course having the boy's parents along was a bit
awkward, but he could see the humor in that as well. He'd had his first
relationship with an older man about Steve's age, there had been some great
times, and he knew Steve would someday look back and smile about these
days.

	Frank fell asleep in a comfortable chair and Jean left him to go on
deck. Vince was showing her son some kick boxing moves and she suddenly
realized that all the men around Tim were part of his organization. Her
opinion of the man as a mere bodyguard had changed dramatically in the past
two months and now she saw him in his element.

	If Stevie were to become as strong as these men she would never
have to worry about him, and that was all she did as a mother. But Tim was
right, the boy was developing. Maybe it was time to relax, there were
others watching over her only son.

	The day tourists took the ferries back to the mainland and the town
took on a quiet happy flavor. Armstrong's was everything Tim had said it
would be, Catalina's finest seafood. The sunset was a riot of glorious red
and gold, and they sat complacent over their dessert until the display was
done.

	Jean summed it up for all of them. "Lord, what a magnificent
day. Thank you, Tim."

	He raised his coffee cup in return. "To good company, we'll have to
do this again."

	By then even Frank was settled down and Jean was grateful. He was a
good husband, a good provider, but he lacked something, something she felt
Stevie needed. To her mind that something resided in Tim, the man her
husband would never be. But the choice had been hers; she never regretted a
moment of the past sixteen years with Frank.

	A quiet walk back to the docks and Jean excused her husband and
herself to bed. Steve yawned and Jean smiled at her son.

	"I hear the day begins pretty early around here, maybe you better
get some rest, Steve," Jean said. Steve gave her a hug and suddenly
realized she had called him Steve and not Stevie. She seemed to sense his
understanding, and yet she still stroked his head before she walked down
the hallway and shut the bedroom door.

	Steve sat looking at Tim, who looked back with a smile on his
face. They shared the moment and the understanding. Their relationship had
forged a bond, bringing a level of maturity into Steve's life where none
had existed before. This was the trait Jean had finally grasped, the
discovery that her son was growing up; he was no longer her little boy.

	Steve went to his cabin and Tim to his. The crew remained on deck
for a while, and then they would quietly take to their bunks. Steve messed
up his bed and then slid across the hall to Tim's. They would not have the
whole night together, just the greater part of it.

	Ten days ago they had shared the futons in the ancient Japanese
tower, there had been a few times since, moments of peaceful love making,
asides where they hugged and kissed. Now Steve lay in Tim's arms, the one
place that made him feel whole, and they basked in the glow of another
successful joining.

	Tim could feel the changes in the boy, his passion was no longer
rushed, his mood level and contemplative. They were lovers of the best
kind, equals in life and love. The relationship had given Steve a greater
sense of security and brought him another mile on the road to manhood. The
boy had found his partner, and now they could focus on the living.

   	"I hope things went well for them today," Mark said, as he lay in
Brian's arms. "Steve has changed...matured. Now the character he plays is
an act, he finally gets it."

	"You've done a lot to help him, sweetie. I think he's developed a
certain amount of love for you, a brother's love," Brian said. "An older
brother at that, you turn fifteen next week."

	Mark giggled. "Yeah, the old boy gets older."

	"And stronger...and a whole lot more loveable," Brian said.

	"Couldn't do it without you, wouldn't want to. I haven't lost the
need to perform; I just feel it's work now, work I enjoy."

	"And the enjoyment is shared by all your fans, I'm your biggest
fan," Brian said.

	Mark sighed. "Love is such a warm and wonderful feeling, I cherish
the moments we have. I lie here and know I have to go back to work on
Monday, but none of that matters."

	Brian smiled in the darkness. "I'd still be your biggest fan if all
that disappeared tomorrow; I love Mark and not Adam."

	"I love you too, Brian. And in three years we can get married...if
you want."

	"I want what you want."

	"Does that mean we're engaged?" Mark asked.

	"Baby, I've been engaged to you since we first met...do you want a
ring?"

	"A ring, I never thought of that. I mean should we...could I wear
it in public?"

	"Mark could, Adam can't...just not on your left hand, that gives
too much away," Brian said.

	"I could wear it around my neck on a chain, no one would see it
there," Mark said.

	The room became silent, only a distant siren disturbed the serenity
of that moment.

	"You won't forget...the ring I mean," Mark asked.

	Brian leaned over and kissed Mark's neck. "I never forget anything
where you're concerned."

	"That's all I want for my birthday, I don't need anything else."

	"From me? You know the world won't forget your birthday, I have to
share that with your adoring public."

	"Just get me the ring, all the rest won't mean a thing."

	All the rest, and there was lot of that, a ton in fact. Triton's
mailroom was swamped with the outpouring of affection from Mark's fans. The
stuffed animals were given to charity, and there were thousands. It was all
Mark's fault, a bit of business at the end of the opening season.

	Beverly had given Adam a stuffed bear, it sat prominently on Adam's
dresser. And in the final scene of that show he had been standing in front
of the mirror combing his hair. The kissing scene with Beverly had happened
earlier in that episode and Mark ad-libbed the moment.

	He picked up his backpack for school, and paused at the door,
looking down at the little bear. On impulse he picked it up and kissed it,
gave it a smile and placed it back on his dresser. The camera stayed on the
bear as Adam left the room and the credits rolled. The avalanche started
shortly thereafter.

	Every girl in television land sent him a stuffed bear, or some
other animal. Triton had an office filled with them. The offerings made
Mark smile, and each and every girl received a photo in return. Triton
wasn't happy with the expense, so Mark paid for it himself and someone
leaked that to the press. It was the feel good story of the week, and then
the media moved on. And now came the birthday.

	The birthday party, or parties, both public and private were a
sensation. Triton braced itself as the cards and stuffed animals came
rolling in, bags of them. The very public party was held in Studio B and
Mr. Triton himself hosted the bash. The cameras rolled and flashed, the
media wasn't about to pass up the opportunity.

	Mark wore his best blue suit, only this time the costume shop had
whipped up a tie covered in little space suited figures, he posed for the
cameras in front of the space car which had been dragged in for the
occasion. But what none of them knew was that he wore Brian's engagement
ring on a gold chain around his neck.

	The plain gold band held a single small diamond, placed in a star
deeply etched in the precious metal. It was a man's ring, and yet the star
was significant, for Brian knew that Mark was the star in his life, both at
work and in love. They two shared the private moment of giving, and then
Mark showed it to Rosie.

	The ring only confirmed what she already knew; Mark was committed
to Brian in every way. Rosie couldn't deny the love they shared; it had
always been Mark's choice to make. He should have been older before making
such a life changing decision, but age had never been a factor in Mark's
life.

	Rosie could only smile and kiss both men, for Brian had become very
much a part of their lives. Mark was strong because of their commitment,
and Rosie hoped he would maintain that strength in the days ahead. Today
was his birthday, and he needed to enjoy the happiness, for tomorrow she
would have to tell him of the sadness.

	They gave her sister only days now, her body was too weak to
maintain life, the machines had taken over. It had always been a matter of
time, and the call had finally come. Rosie knew Mark had to see his mother
before she died, even if the woman wouldn't recognize him for who he
was. The boy was entitled to that moment; his evidence of manhood would get
him through it.

	The joy of raising Mark had been all her's...and now she conceded
that Brian was his future. She could only feel a certain amount of sadness
amidst the feelings of happiness that swirled around them this evening. For
just as his life was beginning to take shape, the very source of that life
was passing away. Mary Anne had never really been a part of Mark's life;
her death would only serve to make the boy a stronger man.