Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2003 22:55:36 -0600
From: Chad Cougar <ataq_katt@hotmail.com>
Subject: Family Spirit 2

Here is the latest chapter.  This story is copywrited Ataq Katt 2003 ©.  It
may not be displayed on any site other than the Nifty archive with out
permission of the author.


Family Spirit 2:


	Remy had always been an early riser even as a child.  He blinked into the
morning sunlight, disoriented, and tried to remember where he was.  He
lifted his head and realized that there was someone in bed with him and at
first he thought he was at Tim's in the south end of Salt Lake.  The problem
was Tim had short buzzed dark hair, and the hair he was looking at was long
and sort of dark blond.  He jerked back, stunned.  It was Talin!  Oh God, he
thought, I was sleep walking again!  Talin moved slightly as Remy slid his
arm from around Talin's chest.  His face burned with embarrassment and
shame.  He carefully climbed out of the bed and let himself out, pulling the
door shut behind him.

	"Shit!"  He hissed, squeezing his eyes shut.  "God damn it!"  He rubbed his
face and stared at Talin's door.  Had Talin been aware that he'd gotten in
bed with him?  Did he say anything?  Did Talin know he was gay?  He went
into his room and closed the door and slid down against it, pulling his
knees up.  "Please, God.  Not now, okay?"  He whispered.  "I don't want to
hurt anyone else."  Tears streamed down his face.

	He was positive that his revelation to his mother that he was gay had
caused her to commit suicide, he knew it.  I had only been a month since
he'd told her, and the last month had been the worst that he could remember.
  Anne quit taking meals with them, stopped interacting with them at all,
and Remy knew it was his fault.  Essentially, in his mind, he'd murdered his
mother.

	He lost track of how long he'd been sitting on the floor.  He finally
pulled himself up and went looking for clothes to shower.  When he looked in
his suitcase it was empty and he looked up surprised.  He didn't remember
putting his clothes away.  Curiously he went to the walk in closet and
turned on the light.  Most of his clothes hung neatly on hangers, and the
socks and underwear were neatly put away on a set of shelves in the corner.
He scratched his head and sighed.  "Now I unpack in my sleep.  Great."  He
grabbed some boxers and headed for the bathroom.

	Talin woke up a lot earlier than he liked too.  He blinked at the offending
sunlight and pulled the pillow over his head.  As soon as he'd settled and
nearly closed his eyes it hit him.  He was alone in the bed.  He pushed the
pillow back and looked at the side where Remy had been and for the briefest
second was sorry that he wasn't still there.  On the other hand, he hoped
that Remy had some memory of what happened so he wouldn't freak out.

	He sighed deeply and shoved the sheets off, awake now.  He stumbled into
the closet and grabbed some briefs and ran his hand through his hair on the
way to the bathroom.  He stopped at the door, looked out the window at the
sun, and changed his mind, heading back for a speedo.  It was a good day to
read, especially after last night.  Something out of the huge library
downstairs, something having nothing to do with ghosts.

	He showered and dressed, pulling on a pair of baggy cargo shorts over the
speedo and a large tank top, and made his way to the door, hoping that Mrs.
Parsons was available for some breakfast.  He closed his door and stopped,
looking at Remy's door, and let his hand fall away from the door knob.

	Remy had obviously been trying to deal with his mom's death last night, and
Talin had almost forgotten about the whatever it was that appeared.  Almost.
  He took a step towards Remy's door, not knowing if it would be welcome to
see how he was doing, or if it would embarrass him.  He had almost steeled
himself to knock when the door opened.  He nearly rapped Remy in the face.
"Oh!"  He jerked his hand away.

	Remy flinched and then grinned.  "Damn, man.  Don't be violent."  He pulled
the door shut behind himself.

	"I was just checking if you were okay."  Talin said, stuffing his hands in
his pockets.  "When I woke up you were gone.  I just wanted to make sure."

	"Yeah."  Remy blushed deep red.  "About that, Talin.  I'm really sorry.  I
didn't mean to go sleep walking and climb in your bed.  It happens sometimes
when I'm stressed out."  He couldn't bring himself to meet Talin's eyes.  "I
hope it didn't freak you out."

	Talin walked beside him towards the stairs.  "It was cool, don't worry.  I
heard you out in the hall so I got up."  He glanced at Remy.  "How much do
you remember?  Anything?"

	Remy shook his head uncomfortably.  "Dude, all I remember is, um, waking up
in your bed.  I don't know how I got there."

	Talin sighed through his nose, deciding that for the moment Remy didn't
need the details about the ghost.  "You were talking to your mother."  Talin
said gently.  He stopped and waited for Remy to look at him.  "I mean it
Remy, I don't mind.  I can't imagine the shit you're going through.  Any way
I can help tell me, okay?"

	Remy swallowed hard, fighting the tears that were suddenly in his eyes.
For all of the years that it had been since he last saw Talin he realized
that he still felt very close to him, like when they'd lived in the same
city and played together. He nodded, smiling, but didn't trust himself to
speak.  He fought the urge to wrap his arms around Talin and give him a bear
hug.  "thanks."  He said quietly.

	Talin smiled and put his hand on Remy's shoulder and followed him towards
the stairs.




	Daniel Glenn stood in the baggage claim area at the airport and watched his
partner Matt drag the last of their bags off the wheel.  He was tall like
his father had been and handsome, almost too much so.  His brown hair was
cut short in back and left longer on the top, and his ice blue eyes usually
were full of humor.  He was deeply tanned and muscular from working out and
a love of racquet ball, and at 29 he looked much younger, about 24.  He
lived in New York where he did set design on and off Broadway.  He'd come
home for his sister Anne's funeral for the first time in four years.  He
took the last bag and set it on the rented cart and looked towards the car
rental desks.  "Which one did you make the reservation with?"

	"Budget."  Matt Jensen pointed towards the counter and followed Danny
towards it.  Matt stood almost an inch taller than Danny and was about 25
lbs heavier, although he carried it in muscle.  His dark hair was cut short
and gelled forward, and his size and build intimidated a lot of people which
he found amusing.  Matt worked as an electrician and lighting tech for the
same theaters that Danny did sets for.  He guided the cart through the crush
of people.  "I made it in your name."

	After a shuttle ride to the cars they were dropped off to pick up the four
door Matt had chosen.  They loaded their bags and were out of the lot in
less than 20 minutes.  "This city never changes."  Danny offered, looking
out the window as the center of town came towards them.  "At least the
pollution is improving."

	"It's still home, though."  Matt said.  "Even when I haven't been to San
Francisco for a few years its still home.  Don't you feel like that about
Denver?"  He turned on the radio and tuned it to the classic rock station.

	"Yeah, I just hate coming here.  Denver isn't the problem."  Danny sighed.
Matt took his hand and he smiled slightly.  "Thanks, you big mush."

	"That's what I'm here for."  Matt grinned at him.

	"I thought it was to provide heat at night and keep the litter box
cleaned."  Danny chuckled.  Matt had two cats at their apartment that had to
be taken to a boarding house.

	"That too."  Matt leaned back and slipped the flip flops off his feet and
then stuck his feet out the window.  "I hate to say it but this is shit
loads nicer than New York."  He pulled his sunglasses down off the top of
his head and situated them.  "There's hardly any traffic."

	"It's one in the afternoon, freak."  Danny laughed.  "Even in NYC there's a
break at one pm."

	"I never noticed it."  Matt closed his eyes.  After several minutes he
turned to look at Danny.  "So if the funeral is in Salt Lake why didn't we
just fly in there first?"

	"I'm not going to the funeral."  Danny said more sharply than he meant to.
"I just came to see mother.  I can't handle Michael right now."  He brought
his fingers to his mouth to bite his nails out of reflex and Matt caught his
wrist, pulling it back down.  Danny's face went red.  "Sorry."

	"It wasn't my fingers."  Matt reached up and touched the underside of
Danny's chin.  "You know I came with you because I love you, right?"

	"Yeah, I do."  Danny kissed his palm.  "It means a lot to me."

	Matt nodded and closed his eyes again.  "You don't have to stay.  We can
leave whenever you want to."

	"I know."




	Talin looked up from the book he'd found in the library and watched as Reba
and Remy brought a pitcher of iced tea and glasses out to one of the
poolside tables.  He set the book aside and stretched his arms up over his
head, enjoying the fact that he had absolutely nothing better to do.

	"Is the water warm?"  Remy asked, pulling his t-shirt off and tossing it
over the back of a chair.  He adjusted the waist of his board shorts and
dipped his toe in the water.

	"It had better be."  Reba poured a glass of tea and handed it to Talin.
"Then man that cares for it charges enough.  It had better be perfect."  She
poured two more glasses and sat down in a chair that was in the shade.

	"Easy, Reba."  Talin chuckled.  "I've been in it twice today and it's just
right."  He stood up and used his thumbs to adjust the elastic legs of his
speedo.  "You never get in the pool anyway, do you?  Why did you have it put
in?"

	"Because my grandsons love it.  Why do you think?"  She said indignantly.

	"I don't know, it's kinda chilly."  Remy said, swishing his foot back and
forth.

	"Oh for Christ sake."  Talin chuckled and coiled up, launching himself into
the air and body blocking Remy into the water.  They made a titanic splash
and Talin arced away from his cousin, pushing off the bottom and gliding up
to wrap his arms around Remy's neck.  "Ya big wuss!"  He giggled and pushed
Remy under again.

	"You little shit!"  Remy sputtered and moved towards Talin with death in
his eyes.  "I told you it was cold!"

	Talin dived and went under him, grabbing his ankle and pulling him under
again.  He was just about to congratulate himself for being clever when
Remy's strong arm locked like a vice around his waist.  "Oh shit!"  He
squeaked and whipped his head around to see an evil grin on Remy's face.
"Remy, wait!"

	"Bullshit."  Remy laughed and lifted Talin completely out of the water,
almost lazily tossing him to the far end of the pool.  Talin's shout was cut
off abruptly as he went into the water, splashing clear up onto the deck.
When Talin came back up coughing Remy was already looming over him.  "How
d'you like me now, snot face?"

	"I give!"  Talin shouted holding his arms up in surrender.  "Oh please!"
He brought them down fast when he saw what Remy planned to do.  Talin was
among other things insanely ticklish.  "Remy, no!"

	"Gotcha!"  Remy shouted and grabbed Talin's sides.  He wasn't quite
prepared for the thrashing animal that he got a hold of, though, and had to
work to keep his fingers in place.  "Still think you're funny, smart ass?"

	"Oh, God!  Remy, please!"  Talin giggled and convulsed, trying to thrash
away but it wasn't happening.  Remy was way to fast and way too strong.
"Please, I give up!"  Talin shouted, rolling up onto the cement deck and way
from his cousin.  "No more!"

	"That's right, buddy."  Remy grinned from the side of the pool.  "Now we
know who's better, don't we?"  He pushed out of the water in one easy
motion, panting, and went to the table for a drink.

	Reba smiled up at him and shook her head.  "That certainly brought back
memories."  She looked over at Talin as he wrapped a towel around his waist
and came towards them.  "You know it nearly broke my heart when your parents
moved you away.  You two were always so close."

	Remy put his arm around Talin's shoulders and took several large swallows
of tea before setting the glass down.  "It's like we were never apart,
though, Reba.  It's cool."

	"Big jerk."  Talin groused, picking up his own glass.  It felt really good
to have fun again.  He hadn't realized how long it had been since he just
enjoyed himself.  Without really thinking about it he put his arm around
Remy's waist.

	"Little putz."  Remy said, digging one finger into Talin's side.  Talin
jumped and glared at him.  "Who's yo daddy?"  He grinned, pointing his
fingers at Talin like pistols and then blowing on them.

	"God, you are such a ham."  Talin rolled his eyes.

	"I'd have to agree with that."  Daniel said, walking up behind his mother
with Matt behind him.  "You're both pretty lame."  He grinned at them and
pushed his sunglasses up on top of his head.

	"Uncle Danny!"  Remy shouted and ran into his arms.  "God it's great to see
you!"

	"Daniel?"  Reba stood up and put her hands to her face.  "Oh, it is you!"

	Danny disengaged himself from Remy and looked down at the wet spots on his
dark shirt shaking his head.  "Who knew that was coming?"  He shook his
hands to get the water off and kissed Reba's cheek.  "Hello, mother.
Surprise."

	"I am so glad you came, dear."  She hugged him around the waist and kissed
him again, and then realized that Matt was standing behind him.  "Oh, Matt!
You look wonderful!"  She went to him and kissed his cheek.  "I'm so glad
you came with Daniel."

	Talin took all of this in silently.  He remembered Daniel quiet well,
including his last visit to Talin's home in San Diego.  Daniel had explained
to Talin's father that he was gay, and Michael had gone into a rage,
shouting and screaming, and finally kicking Danny out of the house.  It had
terrified Talin.  He'd never once discussed sex with either of his parents
after that.  It was an odd mixture of emotions that boiled to the surface as
he watched the reunion.

	"Hey, Talin."  Danny smiled, trying to judge how the kid would react.
Talin's face was unreadable, and he hoped that it wasn't going to be a
scene.  He hadn't known Talin was here.

	Talin found himself remembering all of the good times they'd had with Uncle
Danny, like playing hide and go seek, swimming, tennis, and trips to the
mall.  For a moment his face contorted in anger when he realized what his
dad had deprived him of.  He forced that feeling away and stepped over to
look up into Danny's eyes.  "Long time, stranger."  He said quietly.  He
stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his uncle's waist.

	"Damn, it's good to see you too, Talin."  Danny was surprised to find
himself almost in tears.  "I hoped you hadn't forgotten me."

	"No way."  Talin looked at Matt and smiled.  "Sorry, I haven't seen him for
awhile."

	"No problem."  Matt grinned and shook each of their hands.  "I'm Matt
Jensen."

	"This is the first time I've had Matt to my home."  Reba smiled and led the
small gang towards the house.  "We've talked a lot on the phone, and I
stayed in New York with them once, but we never could get him here."  She
slipped her arm around Matt's waist.  "Tell me, did you ever find the cause
of the lights going out in that little theater?  The one that was doing the
Simon play?

	He laughed, throwing his head back.  "I forgot I'd mentioned that.  It was
a mouse.  It chewed through the wires back stage."  He held the door for
everyone.  "We all thought it was a ghost.  Even the audience."

	Talin jolted at the mention of a ghost, his face becoming more serious.  As
they walked towards the foyer to get Danny and Matt's bags he glanced up at
the top of the stairs and felt a small knot in his stomach.  He looked back
towards the door and saw that Danny and Remy had stopped just outside the
French doors.  As he watched Danny took Remy in his arms, and Remy was
obviously crying very hard.  Wish that was me holding him, he thought to
himself.

	Whoa!  Where the hell did that come from?  Talin put his hand to his
forehead and his eyes went wide.  A funny creeping sensation crawled up his
back and he looked away from the doors quickly, his face burning.  Matt and
Reba had gone to the front of the house and Talin hurried up the stairs to
his room and closed the door, panting.

	"Get a grip."  He mumbled to himself and sat on the edge of the bed.  In
his mind he could clearly see Remy and Danny through the doors embracing,
and his mind pulled a dirty trick and placed him in Remy's arms instead of
Danny.  "Jesus Christ!"  He whispered and flopped back on the bed, jamming
the heals of his hands into his eyes.

	When Talin had been a freshman he'd met a girl named Cassie Bentley.
They'd become friends sitting at the back of the classroom in the biology
lab.  She'd asked him to the Valentine's Day Ball, and he'd accepted
immediately, thrilled and excited to be with her.  During a slow dance he'd
kiss her.  She had responded right away, sliding her tongue between his
lips.  At that moment, in front of several hundred students, Talin had
learned what he didn't want.  His mind had closed up entirely, and no
thoughts about sex or relationships were tolerated.  He just didn't think
about it.

	Now he looked up at the pattern of the paper on the ceiling of Reba's house
and felt a cold stone of guilt grow in his stomach.  He covered his face
with his arm and tried to force away the image in his mind.  He knew what
they would call him, he knew that what he'd imagined was incest and gay.  He
strangled a groan and swiped at the tears that had begun to run down his
cheeks.



	"Remy, you know as well as I do that Anne didn't kill herself because you
said you were gay."  Danny said directly, walking through the garden with
his nephew.  "Anne was sick, Remy.  She was severely depressed.  It wasn't
the first time either."  He put his arm around the kid's shoulders.  "Enough
of that, okay?"

	Remy nodded and used his thumb to wipe the tears out of his eyes.  "I know
what you're saying and your right.  I just can't make it fit, you know?"

	"You will."  Danny stopped and leaned his back against a tree and put his
hands in his pockets.  "You're mom was a great person.  She just couldn't
help being sick, kid.  You can't blame yourself for stuff you can't
control."  He was quiet for a few moments and a small smile came to his
face.  "So, have you had a relationship yet?  Have you been in love?"

	Remy's face reddened and he shook his head.  "I was seeing a guy named Tim
but there wasn't any chemistry.  We, you know, had sex, but there wasn't
anything there."  He sat down on the grass and put his arms around his
knees.  "I haven't looked very hard.  It was hard enough just living at home
the last few months."

	Danny nodded.  "It'll happen.  Maybe you could come and live here with Reba
for awhile.  Give yourself a break, you know?  You can go to school here
just as easily as in Utah."

	"That's a cool idea."  Remy smiled.  "I'll ask Reba.  I'd like that."

	"You know what she'll say."  Danny snorted a laugh.  "She'd be ecstatic to
have one of her boys here.  In fact Talin ought to ask Michael about it.
It'd do him good to get away from Godzilla."

	"That would be awesome.  I didn't realize how much I missed him."  Remy
leaned back on his hands.  "It was like we were still always friends."

	Danny tilted his head to the side and chose his words carefully.  "Remy,
keep your eyes open.  I think you'll find out that Talin is one of us."

	"What d'you mean?"

	Danny moved his feet and crossed his arms, trying to put it politely.
"When I told your Uncle Michael about me and Matt he went ape shit.  He
screamed and called me every dirty name you can think of."  He looked up and
met Remy's eyes.  "Talin had asked me a lot of questions about Matt and I.
I think that he may be like us but because of his dad's rage he's locked it
up, does that make sense?"  	Remy sighed and nodded, looking away.  "What is
it?"

	"I was thinking that he's nice looking."  Remy blushed even deeper red.
"That's pretty fucked up, isn't it?  To be gay and to think your cousin is
hot?  Incest, too?"  He lowered his head, ashamed.

	"Yeah, well, it's a weird world, isn't it?"  Danny chuckled.  "Come on."
He held out his hand and pulled Remy up.  "Just don't do anything stupid and
hurt him."

	"I wouldn't."  Remy said sullenly.  "He's the last guy on earth I'd chase
anyway."  He followed Danny back towards the house.

	"Good."  Danny smiled and hugged Remy's shoulders.



	Talin didn't go down for dinner.  He told Reba that he thought he'd gotten
to much sun and was going to turn in early.  Remy glanced at the open place
at the table and decided he didn't have much appetite either.  He excused
himself and took two Mt. Dews out of the fridge, heading up to the third
floor on the back stairs.

	"I don't think he'll go with you."  Danny said, not making eye contact with
his mother.  "There's a lot of scars there, mother.  I don't think you
should try to make him go."

	"Daniel, we're going to bury his mother!"  Reba was stunned.  "He'll never
see her again!  I think this is one time where I shouldn't give in."

	"Mom, he saw Anne dead, and he watched the medics put her in a bag and take
her out of the house."  Danny said as gently as he could.  "I think it would
be very hard on him to see her again."  He put his napkin on the table.  "I
can't even imagine how I'd feel if I'd seen you like that."

	Reba sighed and nodded.  "I don't want to go alone.  It will be hard for me
too."

	Danny stood up and went to her side and knelt down.  "I know that, mother.
Matt is staying here with the boys.  I'm going with you."  He tried to smile
but knew his eyes were watering up.  The very last place he wanted to be was
in the same room as his brother, but he also realized that his place was at
Reba's side.  He swallowed his fear and feelings.

	"But what about Michael?"  She asked, taking his hand.

	"It doesn't matter.  My mother needs me."  He said simply.  It felt so good
to hold her and let her cry.



	Talin looked up from his book when there was a knock at the door.  "Come
in."

	Remy stepped into the room and held up one of the cans of soda.  "I thought
you might like a drink."

	"Cool, thanks."  Talin took it and waved at a chair near the bed.  "So how
was dinner?"

	"Pork roast.  You didn't miss much."  Remy chuckled.  Talin sat in the
middle of the bed with his legs folded and still wore his swimming suit.
Remy chuckled and took a sip of his soda.  "You don't look that sunburned to
me, man.  What's up with that?"

	Talin looked down at his hands.  "I guess I just needed to be alone for
awhile."

	Remy started to stand up.  "Hey, if I'm interrupting..."

	"No!"  Talin held out his hand.  "Sit down.  I didn't mean to make you
leave."  Remy sat back in his chair.  "Remy, can I ask you something?"  Remy
nodded.  Talin tried to put the question together but couldn't make it work.
  "Look, last night when you got in this bed it was like you slept better,
right?"  Remy's face reddened but he nodded.  "Well, I never slept in the
same bed with anybody.  I was just wondering if you had before."

	"Well, yeah, I have."  Remy's face went red.  He looked down at his hands
uncomfortably and put the words together in his mind carefully.  "See, I was
trying to think up a way to tell you this."  He wiped his hands on his pant
legs and sighed.  "Look, I hope it doesn't screw things up with us, Talin,
but I'm gay.  I slept with another guy."

	Talin was silent for several seconds, running his index finger around the
rim of his pop can.  "What was it like?"  He asked quietly, not looking up
at first and then finally meeting Remy's eyes.

	"Uh, it was good."  Remy was caught of guard.  Of all the reactions his
mind had come up with he hadn't expected this one.  "I was seeing a guy
named Tim but it wasn't going very good."

	Talin nodded and took a sip from the can.  "I'm sorry.  That was a stupid
question."  He set the can on the bedside table.  "I've never done anything
like that."

	"You mean you're...?"

	Talin nodded again.  "A virgin, yeah."  He swallowed hard, still looking at
his hands.  "I kissed a girl once but it was nasty, like sucking on a
leach."  His face bunched up in revulsion.  "I just don't think about it."

	"Well what do you think about when you get turned on?"  Remy asked,
fascinated.  "Do you think of a girl like Brittany Spears, or someone from
your school?"

	"I don't think about it at all."  Talin said a little defensively.  Not
until today that is.

	"Well have you ever, you know, jacked off?"  Remy was stunned.  Talin
looked at him through his bangs and shook his head slightly.  Remy leaned
back in the chair, amazed.  "Dude, I would've exploded by now."  He stood up
and went towards the door rubbing his forehead.  "No wonder you were
curious."

	"Don't tell anyone, okay?"  Talin asked quietly.

	"No, man, never."  Remy stopped at the door and looked back at him.  "Man,
that's like worse than a prison sentence."  Talin shrugged.  "See you in the
morning."  He pulled the door open and shook his head again.  "Holy shit."
He pulled the door closed and looked back at it, blown away.  He sighed and
walked across to his room.

	Talin stripped off the speedo and climbed into bed, wishing he hadn't said
anything.  He felt like an idiot, but it was cool that Remy hadn't made fun
of him.  He stretched out and yawned, feeling the loss of sleep from the
night before.  It didn't take as much time for his brain to shut down as he
expected.

	This time the dream was so real that he could smell and taste the
surroundings.  He stood on the deck surrounding the pool in Reba's garden.
As he looked back towards the house he could see Remy coming towards him in
slow motion, the sun hitting him from behind and glinting off his curly
hair.  He was wearing one of Talin's speedos, which made it very erotic, and
Talin stood and waited for him to get there.

	"You didn't run this time."  Remy said quietly.  He smiled and took Talin
in his arms.

	"I didn't want to before."  Talin answered, grinning.  "I couldn't help
it."  Remy pulled him closer and bent to kiss him.  Talin tilted his head up
and closed his eyes, ready for the magic to manifest between them...

	And sat straight up in bed at the sound of a muffled thump, panting and out
of breath.  His heart was racing and the image was still clear in his mind.
He jerked his head towards the door.  The sound had come from the hall.
Images of the ghost from the night before slipped into his mind.  He slid to
the edge of the bed and noticed for the first time when he pulled the covers
back that he had a raging hard on.  Shame drizzled up from his chest and
into his mind as he pulled on his swimming suit to go see what had fallen.
The hard on retreated rapidly.

	He opened the door slowly, peering out into the hall.  It was dark but not
entirely.  He slipped out of the door and glanced over at Remy's room.  The
door was open about three inches, and he crept silently over and peeked
inside.  The bed was messed up but empty.  Just as he was backing out of the
doorway he noticed the sickly green light beginning to shine one the
woodwork next to him.  He closed his eyes and swallowed hard, knowing what
was coming and fighting the urge to turn and look.

	He had to.  Talin turned his head to look over his shoulder and felt the
hairs on his arms and legs rise.  His heart pounded in his chest as he
looked into those soulless black sockets.  The ghost appeared in the same
place in the hallway, sharply defined from the waist up and the outline of
legs reaching down to the floor.  The temperature dropped, and Talin felt
goose flesh pop out on his body as his short shallow breathes puffed in
front of his face.

	The apparition seemed to be studying him, and then it looked down.  Talin
glanced at where its attention was and felt his heart miss a beat.  Remy was
laying on the floor, crumpled as if he'd be knocked unconscious.  His body
was bathed in the swampy green blue mists of the spirit.

	All at once any fear Talin had drained out of his body and was instantly
replaced with anger.  "What did you do to him?"  He demanded, his fist
balling up.  He went to Remy and dropped to one knee.  "Remy?"  He shook his
shoulders hard.  The spirit seemed to drift back a few feet in the hall, and
for a moment its face seemed to change when Talin looked up.  For a moment
it's eyes were more distinct and visible in those black sockets, and for a
moment it looked angry.  Its fingers arched into claws and it suddenly moved
like wind, washing passed Talin and knocking him down before disappearing
with an almost audible pop.

	Talin's breaths were ragged as he picked him self up off the floor.  He
went to Remy and rolled him onto his back.  "Remy, wake up!"  He hissed
urgently.  Remy's eyes fluttered open and he became aware of Talin kneeling
over him.  "Oh, God!"  Talin sobbed and wrapped his arms around his cousin.
"I thought you were dead!"

	"Did I sleep walk?"  Remy asked, embarrassed, and put his arms around
Talin.  "What happened?"

	"You scared the shit out of me!"  Talin sniffed and then what happened next
shocked them both.  Without really thinking about it Talin kissed him on the
mouth.  He had been so frightened when he saw Remy not moving on the floor
that it had caused his emotions to overload.  He couldn't have stopped
himself if he wanted to.

	Remy's eyes flew open but them he let himself relax.  He pulled Talin
closer and into his lap, doing what he'd known he wanted to do all along.


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