Date: Sat, 21 Jul 2012 06:29:53 -0400 (EDT)
From: Pwrlftrbear@aol.com
Subject: Stepping Into Forever 16

					16

	The last few weeks had been...odd.  After Brian went through his
first change, I hoped we'd have some peace and quiet.  Besides, I wanted to
check out this guy who had been writing all the were porn.
	Was pleasantly surprised when we met.  Even more so that his papa
was there, too.  We had a beary good time.
	In most cases, I can only sense those from my own line, until we
meet in person.  Or in the event the worst happens, when they come to me.
	Turned out they were Sam's...kin.  And what's more, they had felt
Brian's touch.  I assured them it was nothing to be concerned about.
	They told me they had been writing stories about their encounters
and some of their kin's for a long while.  As far as they knew, everyone
assumed it was just...supernatural porn.  Unless the reader knew better.
	Makes me wonder if they'll write about our encounter together.
	We had been...in the middle of one such encounter when I felt the
attack on Gene.  Over the years, I had become...well, not used to it.
Inured, perhaps.  But my concern went immediately to Brian.  There was no
way he was prepared for such an experience.
	Even from this distance, I was able to touch him.  And his
emotional state...let's just say he was unsettled.  I was unable to calm
him, so had to disengage from Bjorn and fumble for my phone.
	I finally got through to Jim.  Brian had felt what happened to
Gene, intimately, and had reacted badly.
	I knew things were unlikely to turn out well.  I hadn't wanted
Brian exposed to this sort of thing yet.  He was still so new to his
abilities.  I had reservations about whether he'd be able to handle what he
might have to do, but I was too far away to do anything.  What's more, they
were the only ones in a position to help at all.  Even Bjorn and his papa
didn't know of any werebears in that part of the country.
	Against my better judgment, I opted to stay where I was.  Too many
years of waiting for my own comfort.  In the end, it was lucky I had.  When
it came to a head, it wasn't so much Gene's death, but Brian's reaction to
it that knocked me through a loop.
	His bellow of rage echoed in my head and I felt a savage tug that
sent me staggering against the wall.  Bjorn caught me before I fell,
helping me to a seat.
	I felt...empty.  Empty as I hadn't felt in thousands of years.  It
took me a moment to realize what had happened.
	I knew Rick had been able to pass back and forth between us.  Even
Joe, though not one of us, was able to do so.  But what happened was that
Brian was able to pull all of the spirits that resided within me to him.  I
was unsure how he did it, or even if he understood what he had done.
	It was hours later when they returned to me and what they told me
was both unnerving and exciting.  He had made them manifest.  I had seen
him do that before.  What was amazing was he summoned not only our kind,
but other changers as well.  Perhaps it was from his mixed blood, or
perhaps it was more than that.
	I was worried enough about his endurance, then I felt a spurt of
panic, then nothing.
	I wanted to set out immediately, but they were able to convince me
to at least wait until morning.  I suppose we could come up with something
to do until then....



	It took me a few days to get back to their place.  Hate to admit
it, but I'm not as young as I was.  Not able to ride as long as I used to.
My bike, that is.
	I rode up the winding driveway, killing the motor beside the great
bear.  It still made me smile, even through the sullen atmosphere cloaking
the house.
	"Grandpapa?" Mark said, walking around the house, his fur dripping
wet, his cock just dripping.
	"Mark!" I exclaimed, embracing him, not caring about the mess he
made of my clothes.  "You two still here?"
	"Three," he said with a grin, then sobered.  "Paul's letting us
stay here at least until Keith changes.  Is he...in there?"
	"I'm here, Bro," Gene said through my lips.  "Thanks for this."
	"Though I don't know if it'd be good for Keith to know that," I
said.  "So what happened?"
	He gave me a quick over view as we walked around the house.
	"He was able to take Keith's severed bond and attach it to us
somehow."
	"And it took okay?"
	"Seems to.  He gets sad sometimes, but...," he shrugged.
	We found Kip and Keith relaxing in the hot tub.
	"Grandpapa, I think you remember my cub, Kip," Mark said.  "And
this is Keith."
	"Woof daddy," the younger one said under his breath.  Then he
blushed at my broad grin.
	I held out my arms to him.
	"I'll get you all wet," he said shyly.
	"Easily fixed," I said, unsnapping the straps of my overalls,
letting them fall to my feet.  I pulled my shirt over my head as I pulled
my boots out of the pile of denim on the deck.
	"Holy fuck," Keith said, his eyes growing wide.
	"Can tell where Brian gets it from," Kip said slyly.
	I looked from him to Mark and they burst out laughing.
	"What?" Keith said in confusion.
	"I'll tell you later," Mark chuckled.
	Keith climbed out of the hot tub, letting me enfold him.
	"Damn," he said.  "That thing is real."
	I pressed my lips against the top of his head, testing his scent,
feeling Gene return his embrace.
	He was still a couple weeks from his first change, but the bonds
with Mark and Kip were as strong as any I'd ever felt.
	I was impressed.  I don't think I would have ever thought to try
such a thing.  Not even sure I could.
	What's more, while his grief over losing Gene was there, he was
dealing with it.  Perhaps more of Brian's work?
	"So where's everyone else?" I asked.
	"Jim's been working on something on the computer," Mark said.
	"Paul's in with Brian," Kip finished, worry crossing both their
faces.
	"You didn't finish telling me what happened," I said to Mark.
	"Well, after the...whatever they were...entered him," he struggled
to describe what he'd seen, "He...collapsed.  We got him into the truck
before we...took care of the house," he glanced at Keith.  "We got him back
here and put him to bed.  As far as I know, he hasn't woken up since.  Is
he going to be okay?"
	He looked at me, worry and fear clear in his eyes.  Worry for both
of them and fear what Paul might do if something happened to Brian.  I
brushed his hair back and smiled at him.  He had been holding onto his
anger for so long.  Whatever else had happened that night, he had finally
been able to let it go.
	"That's what I'm here for," I assured him.  "Don't worry," I
laughed at Keith's pout.  "I'll let you have a go at it later if you like."
	"Can I?" he said, looking back and forth between his papas.
	"You can try," Mark chuckled.  "Might not be able to sit down for a
week, but you can try."
	I left them on the deck and went inside.



	"Hey," Jim said, looking up from the computer.
	"Howdy," I said, bending to kiss his neck, glancing at the screen.
"What's this?"
	He was on one of those family tree sites.
	"When we were telling Mark and Kip about how Brian's related to
you, he pointed something out.  Something about me," he said sheepishly.
	"Oh?" was all I said.
	"Well, I did some research.  Turns out I do have children out
there."
	He pointed out a name on the chart.  A name with no further
information.
	"One of the names you used to go by?" I asked.
	"Yeah.  That was the area I was in when Tony took the boys.  Had to
go elsewhere for a while and needed some relief."
	"Any port in a storm," I chuckled ruffling his hair.  "Any others?"
	"A few, I think.  Have to admit, with the first one, stayed around
for a few months, but when she didn't show any signs of changing...I left.
Didn't know then that it only works on men."
	"Yeah, can cause more problems if you stay around," I said
wistfully.
	"So someday, might find a grandcub of my own," he winked.  "Oh!
Also found out something else you might find interesting."
	He entered another name into the box on the screen.  In a moment,
another tree popped up.
	"Joe?" I asked in surprise.
	"It gets better," he grinned.
	He scrolled the screen back a couple of centuries.  He grinned up
at me as I read the page.
	"That would be about the time he...disappeared," I mused.
	"So Paul might very well be Joe's many times great-uncle," he
chuckled.  "Wonder if that's why he responded so strongly to Paul."
	"Speaking of which," I said, clearing my throat.
	"Honestly," he said, suddenly sober.  "He can be downright scary
sometimes."
	He turned back to the computer and called up a news site.

	LOUISVILLE, KY- A home known as a later example of Frank Lloyd
Wright architecture was destroyed in a massive explosion early Wednesday
morning.  More than a dozen casualties were reported, including the
homeowner, Eugene Richardson, 45.
	One of the survivors, Brandon Kent, claims responsibility for the
fire, allegedly admitting to the slaying, not only of the homeowner, but
his own son, Keith Kent.  Reasons for the attack have not been confirmed as
Kent has been sent for a mental evaluation.  None of the other survivors
admit to remembering anything about what happened that night....

	"Hmmm," I pondered.
	"What he did to the ones he killed was scary enough, but that guy,"
he said with a shudder.  "I don't even want to know what he did to him."
	"He did what he had to," I chided.
	"I know," he said, grinning up at me.  "Don't get me wrong.  I love
the bugger, but I don't want him pissed at me.  Ever."
	"Well, I doubt you could get him that angry.  Don't think he'd
really hurt anyone that doesn't deserve it.  Now why don't you see about
fixing something for lunch.  We've got a growing cub out there, and I bet
we're going to have a hungry bear in there before long."
	He stood, stretching, looking out the window.
	"It's so beautiful here," he said.  "Wonder if Brian would care for
a neighbor."
	"Oh?" I smiled.
	"There doesn't seem to be too many of us in this area," he said.
"After what happened to Gene, well, now I understand why we tend to...well
congregate isn't the right word, but...."
	"There's safety in numbers," I agreed.
	He walked into the kitchen and I headed down the hallway to the
bedrooms.



	I eased the door open and looked in.  Brian was curled up on his
side, his breathing slow and steady.  Paul sat at the side of the bed,
gently stroking his hair.
	He glanced up as I came in and he looked like hell.
	"How is he?" I asked.
	"Not sure," he said gruffly.  "I don't understand it.  He's been
like this for days now.  Haven't been able to get him to wake up.  Figured
he would have at least needed to...well, you know."
	"Well, bears are great recyclers," I said, easing down on the other
side of the bed.  "When they hibernate, their bodies don't need
to...excrete."
	"He's hibernating?" he asked in surprise.  "I know I tend to get
sleepy in the winter, but...."
	"Brian's a...special case, in case you hadn't noticed," I said,
smiling at his weak chuckle.  "He's closer to the bear than most of us."
	"But it's not even winter," he said, waving his hand toward the
open window.
	"This is more healing, than hibernation, I think," I assured him.
	"Healing?" Paul cried, eyes growing wide.
	"Hush.  He overextended himself.  Tried to do too much too soon,
I'm afraid."
	"Well, he didn't have much choice," he said defensively.
	"I know, I know.  I'm not being critical.  Hell, I'm the one who
put him in this situation.  I just didn't expect all this.  Has he come
around at all?"
	"Not at all," he sighed.  "And trust me, getting him in here and
cleaned up was hard work.  Ended up burning what was left of his clothes.
Took forever to get his fur cleaned, though.  Thank God Mike and Cliff were
able to help before they had to head home."
	"What about...Gene?" I asked softly.
	"We buried him up on the hill, overlooking the lake.  Just hope
Brian's okay with that," he said, looking down at his sleeping lover.
	"I'm sure he will be.  Why don't you go get cleaned up a bit.
Jim's putting together something for lunch."
	"Suppose that's a polite way to tell me I stink," he laughed.  "I
know.  I've been afraid to leave his side.  Didn't want him to wake up
without me here," he trailed off.
	He bent and kissed Brian's cheek and headed to the bathroom.
	"Now then, let's see what's going on," I said, brushing my fingers
against his forehead.



	His mind was in chaos.  Considering how...organized he usually is,
I would have thought he would have been able to process even this mess by
now.
	I winnowed through the morass, occasionally glimpsing familiar
faces, but never the one I was looking for.
	I knew he was in here somewhere, but I could not find him.  Was he
lost, or hiding?
	Then the thought occurred to me.  I might not be able to find him,
but perhaps....
	Jim had pointed out that he might be kin to Paul.  He wasn't a
were, but I've had more than enough contact with him....
	"Joe!" I called into the maelstrom.
	"Here!" came the faint reply.
	It was enough of a thread for me to focus on and follow it to its
terminus.  I encountered a smooth white wall.  I reached out and my hand
passed through it.
	Within, I found them.  Brian curled into a tight ball, Joe beside
him, gently caressing his head in a poignant echo of Paul.  I had never
seen Paul until after he was changed, but even so, now that I knew, I could
see a resemblance.  I think Jim was correct.
	"Brian?" I said, kneeling beside him.
	He cringed away from me.
	"Leave me alone," he muttered.
	"I can't and I won't.  Now tell me what's wrong."
	He opened his eyes and looked at me miserably.
	"You gave me a job to do and I failed," he wailed.  "I'm nothing
but a worthless coward and a monster."
	"Brian!  You are not," I said urgently.  "How could you think such
a thing."
	"How?  If I had just fought them, I could have saved him."
	"Or they could have killed you, too!"
	He hid his face.
	"All I did was skulk in the shadows."
	"Did you know you could get in there unseen?"
	"Well, I figured...," he began.
	"Did you know for sure?"
	"Well...no."
	"And when you got in that house, and you smelt Gene's blood all
over the place, did you turn back?"
	He was silent for a long moment.
	"Is that what it was?" he whispered at last.
	"Yes.  Our blood, especially in that quantity, has a detritus
effect on us.  The newer the were, the worse the effect.  But did that stop
you?"
	"No," he admitted.
	"And how many were there when you found them?"
	"Six."
	"And were they unarmed?"
	"No."
	"They had guns, didn't they?  Enough to have taken down a fully
grown bear, much less a nearly new made one."
	"But I might have been able to distract them.  I could have...,"
	"Brian," Gene said through me.  "It was already too late for me.  I
had lost too much blood and those damn hooks were keeping me from healing.
I was only holding on in hopes that Keith would get away.  When I saw you,
I knew he'd be safe."
	He turned away, hiding his face.
	"There's more to this than just that, Brian.  Why are you really
hiding here like this?" I asked.
	His shoulders tensed.
	"Because I lost it, okay," he screamed finally.  "I turned into the
kind of guy I've always hated.  A bully.  I was bigger than they were and I
used that.  But killing them wasn't enough.  I wanted to hurt them.  To
make them feel it over and over."
	He glared at me angrily.
	"And that...man," he snarled.  "I flayed his mind.  I destroyed
every memory of love, of joy, of hope.  I destroyed everything until all
that was left was fear.  Fear of me.  That bastard will never know sleep
again because I will haunt his nightmares until the day he dies."
	His fury washed over us.  Joe winced, holding onto him grimly.
	"And do you think I will judge you for that?" I asked, letting his
rage flow away from me.  "I can't say I wouldn't have done the same, or
worse."
	He looked at me, surprise like an icy shower cooling his fury.
	"You?" he said doubtfully.
	"Me," I said, stroking his arm.  "You've only seen me as I am now.
I was once much like you.  Young.  Impetuous.  I still lose my temper now
and then, too.  Someday, I'll introduce you to Ben.  He's seen that side of
me.  And his partner Jay...he's someone I think you should meet, too."
	"You knew I was more than bear," he said accusingly.
	"I knew, but I didn't know what effect it would have, if any."
	"What would happen if I...you know," he said, gesturing to the
chaos outside.
	"Would you turn into one of them?" I chuckled.  "I don't know, but
I doubt it.  Usually, when one becomes a were, regardless of what kind,
they stay that way.  But then again, with you?  Who knows?" I shrugged.
"You seem to have a knack for upsetting what I think is fact."
	He returned my chuckle weakly, his posture relaxing.
	"Child, you've gotten through the last few years by shutting down
your emotions.  Now, you're not only having to deal with your own again,
you have everyone else's pressing in on you.  You may be closer to the
primal beast than most of us, but at the end of the day, you're still only
human.  We get mad.  We make mistakes.  And sometimes we fail.  What
matters is that you don't let that stop you."
	"I know," he said softly.  "But I can only imagine what Paul thinks
of me now."
	"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Joe said.
	He reached out and seemed to pull on something.  Paul appeared,
holding Joe's hand.
	He smiled at our surprise.  Brian glanced quizzically at Joe.
	"What?" he said with a lopsided smile.  "You think I haven't
learned a few things in here?  He's a part of you and so am I, so it seems
we're a bit of each other, too."
	"He's been keeping me updated on you," Paul said, kissing Joe's
forehead.
	He knelt beside his cub, brushing the hair out of his eyes.
	"When are you going to learn that I will always love you, no matter
what happens?"
	"But what if I lose control and hurt you.  Or worse."
	"You won't.  I trust that."
	"I hope we won't have to put that to the test," he whispered as
Paul pulled him into an embrace.
	"So think you're ready to join us in the real world?" I asked.
	"What about all that?" Paul asked, waving to the chaos outside our
little shell of calm.
	"They had no homes to return to.  Why?" Brian asked, turning to me.
	"Well, as I may have pointed out, a soul keeper doesn't appear very
often.  That's part of the reason I don't venture out too much any more.
Unfortunately, not all changers have been so...cautious."
	"So there have been ones, but they...joined the spirits?"
	"And the ones they held were scattered to the winds, I suppose," I
said sadly.  "The same as would happen if I...did.  Or at least would
have."
	Brian nodded in understanding.  He turned away from us, took a deep
breath, closed his eyes and stepped to the barrier.  He reached his hands
out to the roiling mass.
	"Let's see," he said, brow creasing.  He began pulling spirits out
of the chaos, holding them a moment, then setting them aside.
	"Let's start here.  Feline...there.  Canine...there.  Bovine....
Bovine?"
	He opened his eyes, looking at me in surprise.
	"What?  You think only carnivores can be changers?" I chuckled.
	"I...well...uh.  I guess I never really thought about it."
	"I'm betting you'll be thinking about it a lot more," I teased.
	"Are there...still...?" he asked.
	"Dunno," I shrugged.  "I only really know bears.  Though I do
remember my time on Crete with one.  But maybe you should ask them."
	He returned his attention to the rapidly fading chaos around us
	"Oy," he said.  "Not sure I'm going to be able to look at a
hamburger the same way again."
	"Well, you could always go vegetarian," Paul teased.
	"Sorry," Brian snorted.  "I like meat too much."
	Finally, he had each...species separated.  Then each was split into
breeds, then into individuals, every shade sliding into the space he made
for them.
	He opened his eyes, looking up at us where we sat on the bed beside
him.
	"Better?" he asked, beginning to smile.
	"Better," I said as Paul helped him to his feet.  "Hungry?"
	"Getting there," he laughed.
	"Well, I will say this.  If you're able to handle all that, you'll
definitely be ready when you do meet Sam.  Now let's eat."



(Author note: I hope you enjoyed my tale.  I am working on a third story
and still on the first draft, so will be a while before it's complete
enough to post.)