Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 01:07:48 +0200
From: jerichoholic #1 <beer4myhorses@hotmail.com>
Subject: Paul & Josh / chapter 8

DISCLAIMER: The following story is completely FICTIONAL is
does not imply anything concerning the private life of Paul
walker or Josh Hartnett. I don't know them and I don't know
anything about their lives. This story is only meant as
fiction and does in no way describe real occurrences,
situations or facts. All other persons mentioned in this
story are fictional. Any resemblance to an existing person,
company or business is totally coincidental.

Author's note: Just want to stress again that this story is
complete fiction. In this chapter there's some talk about
their families and childhood. That's all made up ok. I have
no idea what their real lives look like so please keep that
in mind. For the rest: Enjoy chapter 8 and please let me
know what you think ok? I know this chapter is quite short,
but I've been really busy lately. I'll do my best to get
chapter 9 up by the end of the week end make it a bit
longer.


Paul & Josh: chapter 8


After they had finished eating, had some coffee and desert
they decided it was time to go  home. Paul paid for the both
of them and left a real generous tip on the table. During
the drive home they talked about the good time they had and
other stuff. About an half hour later they entered the
apartment. They hadn't even entered as the phone began to
ring.

Paul walked to the ringing phone and answered...

...

"...oh, hey mom" Paul said when he answered the phone.

"It's my mother" He whispered to Josh who was standing just
a few feet away.


"I hadn't realized that." Josh laughed.


Paul ignored Josh's joke and started talking to his mother
over the phone. He had put the conversation on speaker so
Josh could hear what was said. He didn't know exactly why he
had done so but he didn't give it any thought.


"I've been trying to call you all evening." Paul's mother
said.


"I've been out for diner." Paul said, "I've only just gotten
back."


"So how have you been?" His mother asked. She would call
once every week just to check up on how her son was doing.


"I've been alright." Paul replied, "The movie is a lot of
fun, hard work, but fun nevertheless."


"That's good" She said. She had always been very proud of
her son and his achievements and she was happy whenever she
heard he was making something of his life.


"Listen Paul, it's been months since we've seen you, and
your father and me were hoping to see you again soon. Can
you find a space in you schedule to come home for a few
days?"

"Sure I can,...that won't be a problem." Paul spoke, "I've
missed you guys too."

"great" she said, her enthusiasm was obvious and both guys
smiled when they noticed.

"Mom..." Paul spoke, "There's something I have to tell you".
He looked over at Josh and nodded his head to ask Josh's
permission, just to make sure. Josh knew what Paul wanted to
do and nodded his head back to Paul, to let him know it was
all right.

"What is it son?" His mother asked.

"Well, I'm seeing someone." Paul said.

"You are?" His mother asked surprised, "that's great! Do I
know him?"

"Not personally, but you should know of him" Paul grinned as
he looked at josh who was smiling to.

"What do you mean?" His mother asked confused.

"Well...you've seen pearl harbour right?" Paul asked.

"You mean that guy you've had the hots for...like forever?"
His mother asked. The surprise in her voice was obvious.
Paul looked over at Josh who had a big grin on his face.
"This is getting interesting" he whispered at Paul while he
tried to control his laughter.

"What was his name again?" His mother asked.

"It's..." Paul tried to answer, but he was interrupted by
Josh.

"It's Josh, Mme" Josh interrupted.

"Was that him?" Paul's mother asked.

"It was" Paul answered. He looked at Josh faking a look of
anger.

Josh put his hands up while laughing at Paul stupid
expression.

"Well Josh, we'd sure like to meet you." Paul's mother spoke
over the speaker. If you can, you're welcome to come along
with Paul next time he comes this way.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind" Josh answered over the
speaker.

"Could I possibly have my mother back?" Paul laughed at Josh
who had overtaken the conversation. Josh laughed and nodded
his head to signify she was all his.

Paul talked to his mother for a while longer while Josh had
turned on the TV. Ten minutes later Paul hung up the phone.
He, Josh and his mother had agreed both guys would head over
to Paul's folks next week-end. Paul walked to the couch Josh
was sitting in but was stopped in his tracks by the phone
ringing again.

"I got to go downstairs" He spoke after the phone
conversation had ended. "The landlord needs to see me.
Shouldn't take to long."

With that he walked out of the door. Josh meanwhile turned
his attention back to the TV. He thought back to the evening
he and Paul had spent at the restaurant and to the phone
call just a while ago. Suddenly his attention was brutally
pulled away. Even though he was sitting in the couch it felt
like he was falling over. His thoughts seemed to become a
rollercoaster, rolling fast into the depths of his  mind.

...

"You know Josh, you're about the only friend I have. I don't
know how I could go on like this if it wasn't for you.
Everybody seems to be out to get me, safe for you. Thanks
for being my friend man."

...

Josh violently jerked his head back as if he literally
wanted to pull himself back to reality. He breathed heavily
and a cold sweat sent shivers through his body. "Man...where
did that come from?" he wondered as he tried to regain
control over himself. He looked around, as if he wanted to
make sure he was still in  Paul's apartment and everything
was as it was supposed to be. When his eyes fell on the
clock, hanging on the wall, he was shocked to notice fifteen
minutes had passed since Paul had left the apartment. "What
the fuck?" He whispered to himself.

Suddenly he heard the door open behind him. "I'm back" He
heard Paul's familiar voice say. Josh tried to stand up to
face Paul but immediately fell back into the couch. He
hadn't noticed he was quite dizzy while sitting down, but
when he stood up his legs seemed to give away underneath
him. Paul saw Josh falling back and immediately rushed to
his side.

"You all right man? What's wrong?" He asked concerned.

"I don't know" Josh replied, holding his head with one hand.
"My head hurts like hell and I feel really dizzy."

"You want me to call a doctor?" Paul asked. He was obviously
very concerned about Josh. He ran his hand over Josh's face
while he examined him with a look that gave away the same
concern.

"No...I don't think that's necessary." Josh replied. "but
could you get me some water please"

"Sure" Paul said as he speeded to the kitchen. In no time he
was back with Josh watching him slowly drink from the glass
he had just brought him.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Paul asked again. Seeing
Josh fall back in the couch had spooked him. He was really
scared something might be seriously wrong.

"I'm fine..." Josh tried to assure him, "Just a bit tired I
guess". Josh felt his stomach twist as he said this. This
was the first time he deliberately lied to Paul and he hated
doing so. But what else could he do? He was so happy with
the love that had grown between them that he couldn't risk
destroying that by letting Paul know what he thought was
happening. Hell, he wasn't even sure himself. How could he
tell Paul about the `ghosts' that haunted him without
scaring him away. How could he explain to Paul what he
didn't understand himself...This could not be happening. There
was no way! There was simply no way!

"I think we better go to sleep" Paul said. "It looks like
you could really use some rest". He kept his eyes on Josh as
if he was afraid something might happen to him again. His
concerns only grew when he realized Josh wasn't even able to
make it to the bedroom by himself. Paul grabbed his arm and
supported him while they walked to the bed.

Paul remained awake for several hours. What had happened a
with Josh this evening had scared him and he didn't want to
fall asleep. He was scared something might happen to Josh
while he was asleep. He looked at Josh, who was lying next
to him and who was fast asleep. The rhythmic sound of Josh's
breathing finally assured him Josh was ok. He put his arm
around Josh's chest and pulled himself close to Josh. He
felt the warmth of Josh's body and he felt Josh's chest push
against his every time Josh breathed. Finally Paul drifted
away into sleep as well.

Josh was awoken the next morning by the first rays of
sunlight falling on his face. He extended his arm trying to
find Paul but noticed he was alone in the bed. When he
opened his eyes and the last bit of sleep had worn of a
shock went  through his body when he realized he wasn't in
Paul's apartment. He was lying in a he bed under a green
velvet blanket covered with grey dust. The room seemed
familiar but he couldn't remember where he had seen it
before. The windows were boarded up but some sunlight fell
in between the planks. Josh examined the room he found
himself in. It appeared like it had been totally abandoned
for years. The wallpaper was coming of the walls on several
places and big spots of mould covered the walls.

Slowly he stepped out of the bed and walked to the door,
hanging out of it's hinges just in front of him. As he
walked he left footprints in the thick layer of dust on the
floor. He noticed there was grass growing through the cracks
in the wooden floor. When he tried to open the door it
immediately fell to the floor causing a huge bang to echo
through the house. He froze...He remained completely still for
several minutes as if he was afraid the bang might have
attracted the attention of someone in the house. When
everything remained completely still he stepped through the
door. He found himself in what appeared to be the remaining
of a living room. There were a couple of chairs and a couch,
all covered with dust and mold. Webs were hanging on the
walls and from the ceiling and every window was broken and
boarded up. He couldn't understand where he was and how he
got here. Where was Paul? What was he doing here? How did he
get here? Suddenly he was pulled out of his thoughts by a
noise behind him. He turned around...On the other side of the
room, in a corner well covered by a dark shadow he saw a
figure. He couldn't recognize the person standing there
because the corner was to dark to see anything but the dark
outlines of a person standing there. He took a step towards
the shadow but immediately stopped when he noticed the
bright shiny eyes staring at him from the corner. He
recognized them immediately.

"NO!" He screamed as the figure emerged from the shadows.
"No!...It can't be you! It can't be...There's no way!..." Josh
screamed.

Paul was awoken abruptly by Josh's screaming. He turned
around to see what was wrong. Josh was still asleep but was
screaming in his sleep. The expression on his face was, to
say the least, disturbing. Paul, realizing Josh was having a
really bad dream, tried to wake him up. He pulled Josh
closer to him as he called his name, trying to wake him up.
Josh awoke with scream. He struggled to get out of Paul's
embrace, not realizing where he was and that he had just had
a bad dream.

"Josh..." Paul spoke loudly, trying to grab Josh's attention.
"It's ok...you just had a bad dream...it's ok!"

Josh turned to face Paul, still not fully aware of where he
was and what had happened. When his eyes met Paul it began
to dawn on him it had just been a dream. He felt Paul's arms
around him. He pulled Paul closer to him, placing his head
on Paul's shoulder. Tears were rolling down his face.

"Its ok" Paul tried to comfort him, while he stroked Josh's
back with his hands. "You just had a bad dream, that's all."

Paul tried to let go of Josh but Josh pulle his arms tighter
around Paul.

"Please don't..." Josh asked. The fear and confusion where
still obvious in his voice. "Don't let go" Josh asked again
as he pulled himself closer to Paul.

Paul was surprised to see Josh this upset. He put his arms
back around Josh's shacking body as he tried to comfort him.

"Are you all right?" he asked

"Just a bad dream" Josh replied, trying to regain his
composure.

"What about?" Paul asked concerned.

"I..." Josh hesitated, "I... don't ...remember". As soon as he
said it Josh realized this was the second time he had lied
to Paul.

...

  -- to be continued --


well that's it for this instalment, keep an  eye out for
chapter 9 which should be up soon. Let me know what you
think: beer4myhorses@hotmail.com. Till next time folks