Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2000 20:55:38 EST
From: DJs Tale <djs_tale@hotmail.com>
Subject: Forever 68-71

Disclaimer
----------
	The story contained here is entirely in the (possibly unbalanced)
mind of its author.  As much as I might like to bear Kevin's children (which
would be nothing short of a miracle), I have no idea if he or any of the
other BSB is actually gay.  Now that Kevin's engaged, I have a good idea
that he's not.  If any of the BSB read this story and are offended, they
should certainly exercise their right to free speech and e-mail me to
complain all about it.  Readers should enjoy the fantasy, but remember
that reality may be (and probably is) dramatically different.

	Don't read this little tale of love if you're too young where you
live.  Don't read this little tale of love if it's illegal where you live.
If either of those two things applies to where you live, I recommend that
you MOVE!!!  (I hear Florida's a pretty nice place!!)



Previously on 'Forever'...



	I breathed a sigh of relief as the gun started to slowly lower.  Then,
the world shifted into slow motion.  `God's assassin' turned his head
back towards me, and started to raise the gun again.  I spun around,
hoping to move enough to throw off his aim.

	The next thing I knew I heard gunshots, followed quickly by a lance of
fire as everything went dark.



And now...'Forever'...



Chapter 68

	Voices.  I could hear voices.  They were a low hum around me.  As
the moments passed, I was able to make out what they were saying.  It
seemed like they were talking about me.

	"...he gonna be alright?"  That was Kevin, sounding anxious.

	"I believe he'll be fine," a strange voice said.  "The bullet
grazed his skull.  But, I don't believe there's any permanent damage.
I expect him to come around any time."  I figured that was about time
to make my entrance.

	"Hey," I said.  Or tried to say.  My voice wasn't quite normal,
so it came out a little more like a groan.

	"Hey," I tried again, this time able to manage it.

	"Hey, sweetie," Kev said, bringing my hand to his lips.

	"What happened?  D'you let Nick drive the bus, and he tried to
run me over again?" I asked.

	"Hey," a soft voice said from my other side.  I hadn't bothered
to open my eyes, yet, but I could tell it was Nick.  He followed up the
verbal protest with a light punch to my shoulder.

	I cracked my eyes a bit, then, looking over at Nick.  For some
reason, I felt like touching him, so I reached up a hand and stroked
the side of his face.

	"Don't worry, Nick.  I know what a bad driver you are.  I forgive
you," I said, trying to keep the moment light.  He smiled that
beautiful smile of his.  I felt my man squeeze my hand on the other
side.

	"Could y'all give me and Kev a minute, please?"  I continued to
look at Nick, not looking around at anyone else.  The room emptied of
everyone before I turned to look at Kev.

	I didn't say anything, just reached out an arm to grab his
shoulder.  I tried to lift myself up, but I was starting to shake.  I
had a hard time pulling myself towards him.

	He figured out what I wanted.  He leaned over and sat on the bed,
then put his arms around me and lifted me into a hug.  He just squeezed
me, holding me tight while I got over the shakes.

	"You ok?" he asked me when I'd managed to get control over myself
again.

	"Yeah, I'll be alright.  Oh, baby, I was so scared, though," I
replied.  "When he was holding that gun on me, all I could think of was
that I'd never get to hold you again, never get to say `I love you'
again."

	"I understand, sweetie," he said softly into my ear.  "When they
told us you'd been shot, they didn't know how bad.  I was so scared,
D."

	For a moment, it was me giving him comfort instead of him to me.
I guess that's how it should be...give and take from both.  I leaned
back from him a moment later to gaze into his green eyes.

	"I love you, Kevin.  And I wanna be with you for the rest of my
life," I paused to smile a little.  "And I hope the rest of my life is
a lot longer."  He cracked a smile, too.

	"I love you, too, Dylan," he said before he leaned in for a kiss.

	We were interrupted by a throat clearing.  I started to pull
away, but Kev kept a hand on the back of my neck.  I'd forgotten for a
moment that we didn't need to hide.

	When we broke the kiss, I turned to see Nick standing there with
what I assume was my doctor.  He looked a little young, but then again,
most doctors seemed too young to me.

	"Well, Mr. Weston, it looks like you must be doing better," he
said with a knowing glance at Kevin.  I blushed.

	"Yeah, I'm doing fine.  Helluva headache, though.  What
happened?" I wondered.

	"Well, the man after you managed to get a shot off before the
officer wounded him.  Fortunately, his aim was off, so the bullet only
grazed the side of your skull.  You were very lucky," he replied.  I
squeezed Kevin's hand and exchanged a glance with him.

	"I'm gonna be ok, then?" I asked.  The doctor nodded in reply, so
I asked my next question.  "When can I get outta here?"

	"You can go any time.  Just stay off your feet as much as
possible.  And, you'll need to have a doctor check you in a few days to
make sure there aren't any problems.  If you notice anything before
that, chronic debilitating headaches, dizziness, anything like that,
don't hesitate to give me a call."

	"Cool, thanks, doc," I said, shifting to get off of the bed.
Kev's hand on my shoulder stopped me.

	"Off your feet, remember.  It's either a wheelchair or I carry
you," he said.

	"Kev, come on, don't be ridiculous," I replied.  I saw the
serious look in his eyes and didn't even bother to argue again.  "Fine,
I'll take the chair."

	"Boy, somebody's sure got you trained to obey," Nick decided to
be funny.  I just gave him a nasty look.  If the doctor hadn't been
there, I'd have been tempted to do more.  But, manners won out.

	"I'll send a nurse in with a wheelchair and your paperwork," the
doc said, reaching out a hand to shake mine.  I took it as he
continued, "It's been a pleasure, Mr. Weston.  Take care of yourself."

	"Thanks, doc, for taking care of me," I replied.  He smiled,
nodded, and turned to walk out the door.

	"Yo, DJ, you gotta get over this hospital thing you have, man,"
AJ spoke up.

	"Gee, AJ, I'll try to remember that the next time someone pulls a
gun on me," I said, just a small touch of sarcasm in my voice.  He
smiled when he realized I was joking, but I felt Kev squeeze my hand.
I returned the grip on his.

	We bantered back and forth a bit, the guys giving me a dose about
my lack of ability to properly avoid psychos, me thanking them
profoundly in words and gestures for their advice.

	The nurse interrupted a bit later, thankfully.  I was ready to
get out of there.  I signed all the necessary stuff, then let Kevin
help me into the chair.

	To my surprise, Brian stepped in behind and started pushing me
out the door and down the hall.  Kevin walked beside me, holding my
hand the entire time.

	I didn't expect the barrage of photo flashes and screams that we
encountered when we walked out the front door.  I guess word had leaked
out that the guys were here.  We all just smiled and waved and ignored
all the questions being thrown at us.

	Tom was holding open the back door of a limo at the end of the
sidewalk.  Kevin looked like he might try to lift me out of the
wheelchair and into the car, but I quickly stood, holding off on that.
I may have to be off my feet, but that didn't mean I had to show
everyone how I was feeling.



	I lay down on the bed, still feeling a little shaky.  Kevin
walked over and sat down beside me.  I reached up a hand and pulled
down on him until he lay down next to me.

	I snuggled up to him, not saying anything.  I just needed the
comfort at the moment.  He wrapped his arms around me and held me,
giving me exactly what I needed.

	"You sure you're ok, sweetie?" he whispered into the dark.

	"Yeah, I'll be fine, Kev.  Just never been shot before is all," I
said, smiling a little against his chest.

	"I'm sorry I wasn't there tonight, D," he said, sounding a little
guilty.

	"Kev, don't be ridiculous, baby.  There was no way to know that
the guy'd show up like that.  If it's anyone's fault, it's mine," I
replied.

	"How d'ya figure that?"

	"I didn't take Tom along.  Granted, it probably wasn't a
guarantee, but havin' him with me might've given me better odds of not
gettin' shot at," I said.

	We lay there for a while.  I listened to the steady drum of his
heart.  It was calming, soothing to my nerves.  I started to drift a
little, but I remembered something I'd forgotten before.

	"Kev," I whispered his name.

	"Yeah?"

	"What happened to the guy?  Did he...did the policeman kill him?"
I dreaded hearing his answer.

	"No, D," he replied.  Strangely enough, I was relieved.  "He did
shoot him, but he didn't die.  I didn't hear many details, but I think
it was basically a leg wound, just enough to drop him."

	"Good," I replied.  "I'd rather he lived, even if he was a whack
job."

	"I understand, sweetie," he said.  I yawned.  "Time for bed?"

	"Oh, yeah," I sighed.  "That sounds great."

	He stood up from the bed.  He turned to look at me, offering me
his hand to help me up.  I stared at it a minute, thinking back on the
times he'd helped me stand since we'd met.

	There was so much that we'd gone through together.  The initial
fights, the death of my father, his fake engagement, then the coming
out.  And now this.  We'd lived a lifetime together in the six months
since we'd met.

	I reached out and took his hand, allowing him to help me stand.
I slid my arms around his waist as I came up to him.  I rested my head
on his shoulder.

	"There are moments in my life when I don't have a clue how I ever
survived this world without you.  These last months, with everything
that happened between us, and to us...I guess what I'm trying to say is
`Thank you'.  For always being there for me.  For sharing the worst of
the hard times, and for always being a reminder of all the good that
life has to give."

	I kept my head against his shoulder.  I was a little embarrassed
at the emotions I was feeling, I guess.  It was easier to tell him when
I didn't have to see him looking back at me.  He apparently didn't
agree as he lifted a hand to my cheek, lifting my face to look at his.

	"Dylan, I feel the same way.  My whole life has changed since I
met you.  So much has happened between us, both wonderful and awful.  I
wouldn't trade the last six months for anything, and I can't imagine
havin' anyone else by my side."

	"I love you, Kevin."

	"I love you, too, D.  Forever," he whispered.



Chapter 69

	"Dylan, if you don't sit down and quit pacing, I'm gonna tie you
to a chair," Kevin was smiling at me from his seat.

	"Gee, Kevin, excuse me if I'm just incredibly nervous about
meeting your mother.  It's not like I meet the mother of my lover every
day," I replied, sarcasm dripping from every word.

	"Well, since I'm your only lover at the moment," he paused to
look at me, "I AM your only lover, right?"   I just gave him a look of
death, so he continued.  "Since I'm your only lover at the moment, I
can personally guarantee that you can take next week off from meeting
the mother of your lover."

	I dropped into a seat next to him, slapping his strong bicep.
He'd been teasing me all day, and it was starting to drive me nuts.
But, I had to admit, it took my mind off of his mother.

	I took a second to look around the gate area.  We were at the
airport in Orlando, waiting on his mother's flight.  It was the Fourth
of July weekend, and she was coming to spend the holiday with her son.
And her son's boyfriend.

	The press tour that the guys and I'd been on had ended a couple
of weeks ago.  Life was slowly returning to normal.  Or as normal as it
ever got for me anymore.

	The guys were back in meetings and working out studio time.  They
were due to release their newest album in late September, and the weeks
on the road doing publicity stops had shortened their available time
considerably.

	In the end, the fans had reacted favorably to Kevin's coming out.
Actually, their popularity had gone up in the last few weeks.
Personally, I figured Kevin's announcement had probably attracted a
bigger gay following, and that had to've helped.  But, whatever the
reason, the fans still loved `em, and that put the guys on top of the
world.

	There was a lot of noise from the older generation, the
conservative, family-values type groups out there.  But, for the most
part, it was ignored and had already started to lose steam.  I was
pretty happy for that.  I didn't really want another meeting on a dark
street.

	Tom caught my eye, then.  He'd practically become my shadow since
Stan Reilly had shot me that night.  Every time I made a public
appearance of any kind, Tom was there.  I think, deep down, he felt
like he'd let me down by not being there that night, even if it'd been
my fault that he wasn't there.

	Mr. Reilly was now in prison.  Sort of, anyway.  He was actually
locked in a maximum security hotel for the `sanity challenged'.  His
lawyers were appealing everything, of course, but, for now, he was off
the streets and out of my life.

	I wished it helped.  I still got nervous walking down the street
by myself.  Every door and window in my house was always locked.  If
Kevin wasn't in bed with me, I was lucky to sleep the night all the way
through.  Unfortunately, Kevin's absence from my bed was a pretty
common thing since we'd returned.

	"United Airlines announces the arrival of flight 1408 from
Atlanta.  Arriving passengers will be debarking through gate number
48."

	"Oh God, she's gonna hate me," I turned to Kevin.  "What if she
hates me?  What if she doesn't wanna have anything to do with me?  What
if," I rambled on, panicked.  Until Kevin stopped me with a kiss.

	It wasn't deep or hot or passion-filled.  But, it was enough to
get me to shut up and calm down.  And that was probably exactly what
he'd been planning.

	"Kevin?" a female voice interrupted us.

	I turned to the owner of that voice.  She was a stunning woman.
I guessed she was in her fifties.  Kev didn't look exactly like her,
but there were enough similarities that you could tell she was his
mother.

	"Mom, it's good to see you," Kevin stood, giving her a hug.  She
returned it, squeezing him tightly.  It was obvious from her reaction
that she loved her son very much.  He turned to me, then.

	"Mom, I'd like you to meet my fiance, Dylan Weston," he held out
a hand to me, which I took.  "Dylan, this is my mother, Ann."

	"Hello, Mrs. Richardson.  It's very nice to meet you," I said,
very politely.  I was so nervous, I thought I might pass out.

	"Please, Dylan, call me Ann," she replied, pulling me in for a
hug.  I was surprised at her affection.  I'd gotten the impression in
the past that she didn't really care for Kevin's being with another
man.

	"Um...thank you, Mrs...er...Ann," I stuttered.  She released me
from the hug, pushing me out to arm's length and looking at me.

	"Not what you expected, am I?" she said, a slight smile on her
face that was reflected in her eyes.

	"Well...no, ma'am.  Actually, you're not," I told her the truth.

	"Good," she said with a decisive nod, "I like to surprise
people."

	"Mom, would you not tease him, please?" Kev interrupted.  "He's
been so nervous all day I thought he was gonna pace a hole in the
floor."

	"And," she replied, looking at me, "if I know my dear son, he's
been giving you a hard time about it all day, hasn't he?"  I just
nodded, a small smile on my face.

	"Yeah, actually, he has," I told her.  "But, in his defense, it
did usually take my mind off of," I stopped, realizing I'd been about
to tell her that he'd taken my mind off of her visit.

	"It's ok, Dylan.  It took your mind off of meeting the mother-in-
law, right?" I blushed and nodded.  She had a surprisingly direct
manner.  She turned a more serious look on me.

	"Well, I hope that we can become friends.  Kevin and I haven't
always seen eye to eye over the years," she sighed, pausing.  "I wasn't
exactly supportive when he told me about his...orientation."  She
glanced at Kevin.  There was a look in both of their eyes that told me
that'd been a tough time for both of them.

	"But, I know how happy you've made him.  In the months since you
met, he's been a changed man, more open and happy than I've ever seen
him.  So, I know that you're what's right for him, and I want us to be
friends since I know how important you are to him."

	"Thank you, Ann.  I know it means a lot to Kevin to have your
understanding," I said, pausing to stare back.  "And it means a lot to
me, too," my voice was nearly a whisper.

	She hugged me again.  I almost started crying.  All I could think
of at that moment was my own mother, and how she'd reacted to Kevin and
I.  And there was Dad, of course.

	Kevin put an arm around each of us, turning us to walk out of the
airport.  We introduced Ann to Tom as we walked, letting her know that
he was around a lot, although not really getting into the specifics of
why.

	The mood became less serious as Kev drove us back to his place.
I'd insisted on Ann riding in front so she could be with her son.  I
could tell by their banter that they were very close.  It was nice to
see.

	The ride was noisy and fun, all of us talking and joking.  Ann
and I were starting to bond already.  After all, we both loved Kevin
very much, so we already had a lot in common.



Chapter 70

	"Kevin, I can't find a platter for the chicken!" I hollered.

	"Try the cupboard next to the fridge," his voice drifted in from
outside.

	I walked over and opened the door, rummaging around until I found
what I was looking for.  I needed a platter to hold a bunch of chicken
that we'd been marinating overnight.

	Today was July 4th, and Kevin had decided that it would be cool to
have a barbecue.  He'd invited all the guys over.  Some of them had
brought guests along.  Lindsay had also driven over from Tampa to hang
out and enjoy the holiday.

	I'd like to say that the day had been a lot of fun.
Unfortunately, I'd somehow been elected `food boy' for Kevin's party
and was in the kitchen for most of the day so far.

	I stacked up the chicken on the platter and set it on the counter
next to the rack of steaks that Kev was also gonna grill up.  The rest
of the food was basically ready to go.  I'd made a few pasta salads, as
well as a strawberry cheesecake.  That was a first, so I was hoping
that it'd turned out ok.

	"Man, we got a beautiful day for this, D," Kevin said as he
walked into the kitchen.  I turned to look at him, my breath catching
in a gasp when I noticed his shirtless form.

	"Well," I said, a sarcastic little smile on my face, "I wouldn't
know since I been slavin' in the kitchen for my man."  He chuckled, as
he knew I didn't mind that much.  He walked over and wrapped his arms
around me, pressing his chest to my back as I finished at the counter.

	"Sorry, D.  Can I help with anything?" he asked.

	"As a matter of fact, ya can.  Grab yourself a platter of meat
and let's get this barbecue rolling," I replied, picking up the chicken
and some cooking utensils.  Kev grabbed the steaks, and we wandered
outside.

	"Nice of you to join us," Nick said to me as I stepped out onto
the patio.

	"Well, Nick, somebody had to cook for that bottomless pit of
yours," I replied.  "And I know you can't even boil water."

	"I'll have you know, I can boil water with the best of `em," was
his answer.

	"I've tasted your cooking before, Nick," Kevin interjected.  "And
I'd MUCH rather have D cookin' than you!"

	"But," I said, "I'm done for the day.  So, unless you boys wanna
get back to your caveman roots and eat your meat raw, I'd recommend
that someone volunteer to grill."

	"Kev volunteers," AJ tossed out.

	"Hey, why me?"

	"It's your house.  And no one can run a grill like you can, Kev,"
AJ replied, smiling.  Kevin just gave in and nodded.

	I walked over to a lounge chair next to the pool.  I slipped off
my t-shirt and sat down, taking a few moments to just enjoy the sun.
It was what I loved about Florida.  Well, one thing, anyway.

	Howie came and sat next to me a moment later.

	"Hey, Dylan.  How've you been?  I haven't had a chance to see you
since we got back," he said.

	"Yeah, I know.  I've been really busy at work.  Our deadline is
this week, so I've been putting in a lot of extra hours to try to get
done in time," I replied.  "It makes it nice, though, since all the
extra time at work helps take my mind off the fact that Kevin's not
there.  You boys've been keeping him so busy up here that we've barely
seen each other."

	"I know what you mean," Howie sympathized.  "We've been putting
in a lot of long hours, too.  We didn't get as much time to relax as we
thought we would since we did that publicity tour.  Now, we're kind of
gettin' down to the wire with a lot of stuff for the new album."

	"Kev's been keeping me posted when we've actually been able to
talk.  He said you guys have been doing a lot of late nights to get
caught up."  Howie nodded at my comment.

	"How have you and Ann been getting along?" he asked, changing
subjects.

	"Pretty well.  I'm still a little nervous around her, but I'm
getting over it."  I turned to him, lowering my voice.  "I never told
Kev, but she's the first `in-law' I've ever had to meet.  None of my
other boyfriends ever introduced me."

	"You're kidding."

	"No.  I'm not.  I haven't been with that many guys in the past,
Howie.  My last serious boyfriend was in college, and that
ended...badly."  I turned away from him.  I didn't really want to think
about Michael at the moment.

	We were both silent for a few minutes.  I took a second to look
around.  Brian and Leighanne were talking to Ann at a patio table.
They were looking pretty happy.  Brian had proposed to Leighanne not
long ago.  I got the impression from Kevin that it'd been expected for
a while.

	Kevin and AJ had taken up residence at the grill.  From the look
on Kev's face, AJ was being his usual goofy self, telling jokes and
being crazy.  Nick was currently about three feet under water, held
there by Lindsay.

	"You feel like doing some shopping with me tomorrow?" Howie
interrupted my wandering thoughts.

	"I can't, bud.  I have to get back to work tomorrow.  I only have
three days to get a TON of work done," I sighed.

	"Well, how `bout Saturday, then?  I could come down to Tampa.  We
could bum around."

	"Actually, I'm coming back up on Friday night after work.  How
`bout we hook up here?" I offered.

	"That sounds good."  He stopped to smile.  "Kev'd probably kick
my ass for skipping out on all our meetings and stuff tomorrow, anyway.
Especially if I skipped out to hang with HIS fiance."  We both
chuckled.

	"What's so funny over here?" the man himself asked, sitting down
on the end of my lounge chair.  I moved my legs apart and patted the
space between them.  He got the hint, shifting up closer to me.  He
didn't lay against me cause it was pretty hot for snuggling.  But, it
gave me access to touch his bare back and chest, which I did.

	"Howie was just making plans to steal me away from ya," I said,
smiling at my man.

	"Really?"  He looked at me with a raised eyebrow.  He turned to
Howie.  "You don't have to steal him, Howie.  I'll be happy to loan him
to you for a few days.  He's a really great cook, and he can clean a
bathroom like nobody's business."  I slapped his arm for that one.

	"I do NOT do bathrooms for just anyone, you!"  I smiled at him.
"Besides, don't you think you should get a little money for me?  I
mean, I'm supposed to be the love of your life.  I should be worth a
few bucks."  We all chuckled.  Kev leaned in and gave me a kiss.

	"There's not enough money in the world, sweetie," he whispered
against my lips.  I felt a little thrill inside.  I loved this guy.

	"Kevin!" AJ intruded on our moment.  We both turned over to see
smoke rolling from the grill.

	"Hell!"  Kevin jumped up and ran over.  AJ obviously wasn't the
cook that Kevin was.  Howie and I busted up laughing.

	"Oh, it feels good to laugh.  Things've been so crazy lately,"
Howie said.

	"Yeah, they have," I agreed.  I found myself staring at Nick and
Lindsay in the pool.  They seemed...unusually friendly.  I wondered if
I had missed something there.

	"Dylan?"  Howie asked.  "You ok?  You seemed a little distant for
a minute."

	"Yeah, I'm fine, Howie.  Just relaxing is all."

	"Have you heard from your brother lately?"  He switched topics
again.

	"No," I replied.  "We haven't talked in a couple of weeks,
actually."

	"What're they up to for the holiday?"

	"Honestly?  I'm not really sure," I answered.  "I'd imagine
they're probably spending the time at the lake at Kris' folks' cabin."

	"What about your mother?" he wondered quietly.

	"I don't know," I said, my tone letting him know I didn't want to
talk about her.

	"Sorry, Dylan.  I didn't think..." he trailed off.

	"It's ok, Howie.  No harm done.  It's just," I paused, staring
off at the sky, "we never talked after Dad's funeral.  I told her that
it was up to her.  And she never called.  So, I guess she made her
decision."

	"I'm sorry to hear that.  I know it's gotta be rough on you," he
said, reaching over a hand to squeeze my arm.

	"Thanks, Howie.  Yeah, it's hard, especially at times like this,"
I said.  I stopped to think a moment.  "You realize that the last
Fourth holiday was the last time that I was with my family?  Happy with
them, I mean?"  I slid back into my memories.

	"We had a big barbecue at my folks' place in Bismarck.  Most of
Mom's family was there.  Dad's mom, my grandma that died in September,
was there.  Everyone I loved.  That I thought loved me."  I sighed.

	"It was so much fun, being with everyone.  Playing games, goofing
around, spending time with family.  It was what those types of holidays
were made for.  It's hard to believe how much that all changed.
Jeremy's wedding was just a few weeks after that.  And nothing's been
the same since..." my voice died off.

	"D, sweetie, you ok?" I heard Kevin's voice.

	I shook my head, coming back from my memories.  I realized that I
had some tears dripping down my cheeks.  I quickly reached up and wiped
them away.

	"Yeah," I said, standing.  "Yeah, I'm fine.  Just...excuse me."
I turned and ran into the house.



Chapter 71

	"Dylan?" Kev's voice called softly through the door.  He only
waited a second before opening it.  "What is it?  What's wrong?"

	He walked over to where I was curled up on the bed.  I wasn't
crying, I was just lying there with my eyes closed and my arms wrapped
around a pillow.

	"Nothin', Kev, I'll be fine," I replied.

	"That's bullshit, D, and we both know it," he said firmly.  His
voice softened, "please, sweetie, don't shut me out.  Let me help."

	"I just...I miss my family, Kev.  You and the guys have been so
great, but...it's just not the same thing."  I couldn't look at him.  I
felt the bed sag under his weight as he sat next to me.  His hand
reached up and started stroking my head.

	"I understand, D.  I wish I could do something to help."

	"I know you do, Kev.  But, you can't.  No one can."

	He shifted, then, laying down next to me.  He pulled on the
pillow in my arms, trying to get it away from me.  I reluctantly let
go.  Fortunately, he slid into my arms where the pillow had been.

	His bare chest touched mine as he pulled me tightly to him.  His
skin was still warm from the sun.  It felt really good against mine.

	"She never called, Kev," I said.  He didn't say anything.  "She
never said anything, just abandoned me again."  I sighed.  "I'm so
tired, baby."  I took another deep breath

	He still didn't say anything.  He just held me, which is all I
really needed anyway.  As I'd said before, there wasn't anything that
could be done.

	We lay there for a while.  Eventually, the sounds of Lindsay
trying to drown Nick drew me out of my shell.  I eased my hold on Kevin
a bit, shifting away.

	"Come on, Kev," I said, my voice still a little somber.  "I don't
wanna let her ruin another day.  Let's go outside and hang with
everyone."

	"You sure you're ok?" he asked.  The concern was evident in his
tone.

	"Yeah, I'm ok.  I just let the holiday get to me a little.
Sorry."

	"Nothin' to be sorry `bout, sweetie.  Holidays tend to do that,"
he said.  "Especially when you can't be with those you love."  I slid
on top of him, cupping his face in my hands.

	"Don't ever think that I'm not happy just being with you, Kev," I
said.  "I AM with those I love.  You and the guys, you're like my
family now.  I just wish things had been different with my old family."

	"I understand, D, and I know how you're feelin'.  Let's go down
and enjoy the rest of the day, ok?"  I nodded, giving him a quick kiss.

	We both got up and wandered back downstairs.  Lindsay's screams
were getting loud.  Apparently, Nick had turned the tables on her and
was now trying to drown her.

	We walked out into the warmth of the Florida sun.  No one made a
big deal about my sudden exit, which I appreciated.

	"Dylan, help!" Lindsay yelled when I walked outside.  "Nick's
tryin' to kill me!"

	I looked over at the pool and laughed.  Nick was stalking Lindsay
around the edge of the pool.  He was gaining on her, as she was heading
for the deep end where his height gave him an advantage.

	I dove into the pool, coming up just behind Nick as he turned
around.  He was momentarily blinded by the water splashing in his eyes.
I, being such a good friend, took complete advantage of that fact and
reached over to dunk him.

	Lindsay, sensing victory, leaped into the fray, adding her weight
to mine.  Suddenly, I was grabbed from behind and pushed underwater
myself.  This left Nick free to kick away from Lindsay and get to the
surface.

	I grabbed the arms of my would-be drowner and pushed him off.  I
came to the surface and opened my eyes in time to see AJ diving at me
again.  This time, I was expecting him and could brace myself.

	My height allowed me to keep my feet on the pool floor.  I
grabbed AJ as he leaped at me, twisting my body and turning to allow
his own momentum to push him under the water.  I held him there,
laughing maniacally until I was again attacked from behind.

	"I'm sorry, baby, but I can't let ya drown my band," Kev said,
just before he pushed me under himself.  I kicked a leg out, hooking it
on his and yanking his out from underneath him.

	I surged up out of the water, taking stock of the situation.  Kev
was quickly recovering in front of me and AJ was slowly stalking me
from the side.  I looked over towards Nick.

	To my surprise, Lindsay had Nick held under the water.  I wasn't
sure how she'd managed that, but I cheered her on just before AJ jumped
me again.

	This time, I was able to keep my feet under me, so AJ was
basically just clinging to my back.  Kevin came to stand in front of
me.

	"Traitor," I called to him.

	"Hey, just watchin' out for my boys," he smiled.

	"Yeah, at the expense of your lover!" I said.  "You're on the
couch tonight, mister!"  I chuckled at him.  He seemed to stop and
think.

	"Ya know, you're right.  What was I thinkin'?" he asked as he
grabbed AJ's arms and pried them off of my chest and shoulders, pushing
him off behind me.

	"Kev..." AJ started to yell just before he went under.  Kevin
wrapped his arms around me for a minute.

	"How `bout we find a quiet corner of the pool and neck?" he
asked, a big goofy grin on his face.  I slid my legs up around his
waist and my arms around his shoulders.  The water was deep enough to
support my weight, so he easily moved us over to the side.

	We started kissing and making out.  It wasn't anything too deep,
obviously, as we were in a crowd, but we just had a little fun with
each other, touching and rubbing in the corner.

	"Hey, get a room!" I heard Nick yell to us.  I just lifted a hand
and gave him the finger, which caused a round of laughs.  Then I
remembered Kevin's mother was one of our audience, and I quickly pulled
my hand back down.

	"Alright, you two, that's quite enough!"  Lindsay joined in the
ridicule next.

	I pulled away from Kev, chuckling.  I looked into his eyes,
noticing the mix of lust and humor there.  I decided to let humor win
out for now.

	"Well, it looks like our guests don't approve of our idea for a
party game," I said softly to him.  He chuckled.

	"No, I guess not," he agreed.

	"Later, then?" I asked, letting the lust fill my eyes.

	"Mmmmm, absolutely!"

	We broke apart, Kevin hopping out of the pool to relieve Brian at
the grill and me heading over to help Lindsay in her quest to drown
Nick.  Everyone started settling down and just talking in groups.  All
in all, it was a great afternoon.

To be continued...
------------------
	No, kiddies, the story didn't end with Dylan's death.  That seems to
be a common question that everyone asked after the recent near-car-accident
and gunshot wounding.  I'm not one to kill off my main character, so you'll
have to suffer for a bit longer.

	The move to Florida is still in progress for those who are wondering.
I'm buying a house, actually.  Paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork.
But, it will be nice to have a place of my own, right?  I'm not so sure
anymore ;-)

	And, on that same note, this will be the last posting I send for about
a week.  That's why there wasn't a cliffhanger (you can all thank me
later!).
I'm heading back to the Mile High to pack up my stuff to complete the move.
So, I won't really have computer access for a bit.  Sorry ;-)

	Feel free to e-mail your latest opinions.  I'm always interested in
hearing from the readers.  L8r, all!