Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2013 18:45:34 -0400
From: Andrew Todd <atodd867@gmail.com>
Subject: Second Chances Chapter 12

This is the third book in the `Riding Lessons' series. As always, if
romantic entanglements between people of the same sex offend you, you are
in the wrong place.


Riding Lesson III: Second Chances

By

Andrew Todd

Chapter 12


Devon was in his studio finishing a painting of TJ when he heard the
doorbell. He knew Sarge and Ace were still out in the barns, so he put down
his brush and grabbed a rag to wipe his hands and ran through the house to
the door.

He opened the door and grinned when he saw TJ standing there. "Hey, Ba..."
He stopped when he saw a woman he assumed was Mrs. Oliver standing beside
TJ. "Buddy, how ya doin'?" he said, trying to deepen his voice.

TJ started laughing at Devon's attempt to sound butch.

"Dev, this is my mom," TJ said. "She knows."

"Hello, Mrs. Oliver," Devon said quietly.

"It's nice to meet you, Devon," Mrs. Oliver said, smiling at Devon. "Don't
worry, I won't bite."

"Why don't you both come in," Devon said as he stepped back into the
entryway.

He led his guests into the family room. "Please have a seat."

Mrs. Oliver sat in the recliner and TJ and Devon sat together on the sofa.

Just as he was about to ask TJ what was up, Devon heard the back door open.

"Devon?!"

"In the family room!"

Ace and Sarge came in and stopped when they saw they had company.

"Dad, Ace, this is TJ's mother, Mrs. Oliver," Devon said as he stood.

Sarge offered her his hand. "Sergeant Major Ernie Evans, Mrs. Oliver, but
everyone just calls me Sarge. And this is my son, Ace."

"Please, just call me Monica," Mrs. Oliver said. "Sergeant Evans, could I
speak to you privately for a moment?"

"Certainly, why don't we go into the kitchen."

The two adults left and Ace plopped down in the vacant recliner.

"Ok, do you want to tell me what's going on?" Ace asked.

"I was just about to ask the same thing," Devon said looking at TJ.

"Well, I went home tonight planning to tell my parents I was gay and that I
was with Devon. I started by asking if they had heard the news story on
Channel 13. That's when I found out that not only had they heard the story,
but my father was the source."

"WHAT?!?" both Devon and Ace yelled.

TJ nodded. "Yup. Apparently, he thought I was spending too much time with
an `undesirable' element so he sicced that bitch reporter on them with a
bunch of made-up accusations."

"What did you do?" Devon asked.

TJ grinned. "Told him I was gay and I was in love with you and that the
stuff he was trying to do to CJ and Danny wasn't going to work. He didn't
take it well. He ranted for a while and tried to send me to my room. And
then my mom shocked the hell out of me. She basically told my dad to fuck
off and then grabbed me and we left."

"You moved out?" Ace asked.

TJ shrugged. "I guess so. I mean, they haven't exactly been happy for a
while. But I don't know what the plan was; I took my car and she took hers
and then she told me to follow her and we ended up here."

"Why did she come here?" Devon asked.

TJ shook his head. "Your guess is as good as mine." Everyone was quiet for
a few minutes. "Hey, have you guys heard any more on Spin?" he asked.

"I just saw Mattie out at the barn," Ace answered. "Spin woke up when he
was there earlier with Zak and Dusty. He's gonna be fine, but he'll be in
the hospital for a few days and it will be a while before he rides."

"That sucks," TJ said. "But at least he'll be ok. Do the police have any
idea who did it?"

Ace shook his head. "No, right now Spin doesn't remember anything and there
were no witnesses."

"There might be a way to find out," TJ said.

"How?" Devon asked.  "Well, no one knows about us yet," TJ answered. "A few
of the guys on the team asked about me defending you and getting
suspended. I just told them that you were a friend from art class and I
told them that Ty wasn't just harassing you, but I was afraid he was going
to seriously hurt you and we didn't need that kind of heat."

"You told them that?!?!"

TJ grinned. "Yeah. Other than art class, we've always kept our distance at
school. It's not easy pretending that you're not as important to me as you
are, but it does make it easier to stomach some of the guys on the
team. And it's made it easier to find out when they are planning
something."

"What do you mean?" Ace asked.

"Well, let's just say that there have been several nasty things planned for
the GSA and certain students that have been thwarted before they could
happen."

"You've been spying?" Devon asked.

TJ nodded. "I've been playing `mole' for Zak's mom. It was my idea, but
I've gone through her cuz I didn't want anything getting out at school and
she was the only person I could trust. I give her the information and she
passes it along to the principal."

"But you didn't know what they were planning today?"

"No, but this was obviously a heat-of-the-moment thing," TJ answered. "If
there had been a plan, I'm sure I would have heard, but there has been a
lot of frustration with certain guys cuz of the crackdown. It may have been
my fault that things got this nasty."

"No, TJ," Ace interjected. "You've probably helped a lot of kids. If these
guys couldn't take a hint and leave well enough alone, that's not your
fault. But, do you think you can find out who did this?"

"I'm sure I'll hear something when I get back to school. But, if it was one
or two guys and I hear about it, it's gonna be my word against theirs'."

"Not necessarily."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, since I'm technically part of the security team I have access to
certain equipment." Ace grinned.

TJ smiled back. "Like a wire?"

Ace nodded.

"Are you guys sure this is safe?" Devon asked warily.

"Sure, Dev," Ace replied. "I'll give TJ a wireless mic and an earwig. I'll
wear an earwig, too. That way we'll both hear any confessions and we'll
have it on tape and I'll know if he's in trouble."

"Ok. But you both better be careful," Devon said. "I can't lose either one
of you."

Just then Sarge came into the living room.

"Everything ok, Dad?" Ace asked.

"Everything's good, guys." Sarge nodded. "TJ, your mom wants to talk to
you."

TJ looked at Devon and shook his head. He stood up and went into the
kitchen.

"So what's up?" Devon asked.

"Well, Mrs. Oliver has been planning to leave Mr. Oliver for a while,"
Sarge answered. "She has a sister in California that she's going to stay
with for a while. What's kept her holding it off, was knowing that TJ
wouldn't want to go and she didn't want to leave him with his
father. Finding out about you, Dev, was just what she needed to know."

"Really?"

"Yup. She asked me if TJ could stay with us, at least until the end of the
summer."

"What did you say?" Ace asked.

"I agreed," Sarge said. He saw Devon smiling big. "Hold on, Dev. There are
rules. You and Ace are going to have to bunk up and TJ will get your
room. I don't know what you guys have or haven't done and I don't want to
know, but you're only seventeen, so I'm not ready to let you bunk up. Ok?"

"Sure, Dad," Devon answered. "I don't mind sharing with Ace."

"Ace?"

"You have to ask?" Ace grinned. "He's in my room most nights anyways."

"Ok, then," Sarge laughed. "We'll figure the rest of it out
later. Tomorrow, you guys can move things around. Mrs. Oliver is going to
send someone to get TJ's belongings in the next day or so."

"Is that what she's talking to him about?" Devon asked.

Sarge nodded. "Yes. She's leaving tonight. She hopes to come back at the
end of the summer."

Devon walked over to Sarge and hugged him. "Thanks, Dad."

Sarge hugged his second `son' back. "Well, I didn't know what to get you
for your birthday," he laughed.

***

Danny and CJ sat on a couch in the living room. Across from them a
reporter, Kylie Rivers, was being fitted with a microphone. She sat in a
chair. There were lights and a camera crew moving all around them.

After a few minutes, Kylie looked at her crew. "So are we all set, guys?"

The camera and sound guys nodded their approval.

"Danny, CJ, are you ready?" she asked.

"As ready as we'll ever be," CJ said.

"Guys, I'm 100% behind you, I saw what you do when I was out here last week
and the response to the piece I did featuring Dylan was fantastic. As far
as I'm concerned this is another chance to bring some positive publicity to
the ranch."

"Thanks," Danny said.

"Whenever you're ready, Sid," Kylie called to her producer.

"Rolling," came the reply.

Kylie looked at the first camera. "This is Kylie Rivers for WKID news. I'm
here today at the recently re-opened Second Chances Ranch and Rescue
Center. Or more specifically, I am in the home of CJ Alvarez and Danny
James, the owners of the ranch who have had their purpose in purchasing and
upgrading the ranch called into question." She turned to CJ and Danny. "CJ,
the ranch was formerly the Triple J Ranch and has been a mainstay in the
area for many years. What led you and Danny to purchase the ranch?"

"My family had relocated to the area while I was in college in
Florida. After graduation, I wanted to find a place that we could create a
business and settle down with our family. Martin Jones, the owner of the
Triple J was looking to sell and spend some time traveling."

"What led you to change the name of the ranch?"

"Well, when we purchased the Triple J we also bought the ranch next door,
more than doubling the ranch's footprint. We decided to keep the old Triple
J as it was, offering boarding, lessons, breeding, trail rides and pony
rides. The second ranch was razed and we built all new facilities so we
could turn it into a rescue. The goal of the rescue is to take in abused,
neglected and abandoned horses, rehabilitate them and adopt them to
families so they will have a forever home. We wanted a new name that
reflected the inclusion of the rescue and after brainstorming, we came up
with Second Chances Ranch and Rescue Center."

"And you've upgraded all of the facilities here?"

"Yes, we've upgraded all the barns, arenas and buildings on the old Triple
J and built all new facilities at the rescue."

"And you've also built this house?"  "Right, the old Triple J had a ranch
house, which is now used by the ranch manager and his sons. We decided to
build a new house and a barn for our horses on this piece of land that was
between the two properties."

"I've heard some of the kids around here refer to this as `the compound'."

Danny laughed. "That's sort of what we've named it. Since this is where we
live it is off limits to our customers. The facilities used here are for
our family."

"Now after the grand re-opening this past weekend a local television
station ran a story accusing the two of you of using the ranch as a `lure'
for and I quote `confused young boys'. The implication being that you were
sexual predators and the boys who came to the ranch your victims. How do
you respond to that?"

"Well, since we're on television, I won't say what I really think," CJ
said. "Basically, we're being attacked because we are a young gay couple
and some people have a problem with that. Nothing illegal or inappropriate
has ever gone on here and neither Danny nor I have ever touched any child
in an inappropriate manner ever, period.

"Now, there are quite a few young men that I've met this afternoon and they
seem to congregate around the compound. Who are those boys?"

"We have two foster sons, Diego and Jesse, who live here, and my brother
Mattie lives here and Danny's brother Zak often visits. The other boys are
friends of our sons and brothers. Most of them have been coming to the
ranch since before we bought it. They were here when Mr. Jones owned the
property."

"Are you afraid of these accusations hurting your business?"

"That's the least of our concerns. Kylie, on my twenty-first birthday I
came into a large inheritance left by my grandfather. Neither Danny nor I
need to work. We could shut down the ranch tomorrow and just keep the
rescue open, but we're not going to do that. First of all, to do that would
give power to the bigots who spread these stories. It would also rob the
families of this community of a place that many have come to think of as a
second home."

"Now, the rescue is a 501(C) non-profit organization and you accept
charitable donations--are you afraid of losing donations?"

"We've actually seen an increase in donations and volunteers since this
story came out. People that know us know the truth. We've had nothing but
positive support from our friends and clients. They know us and they know
what kind of people we are."

"You mentioned your foster sons--aren't you a little young to be foster
parents?"

"Well, we didn't plan on it," Danny said. "Jesse, our first foster son,
lost his mother last summer and was abused by his step-father and he ran
away. We found him at a friend's farm in Florida. He had nowhere to go and
since we didn't want to see him thrown into the system, we offered to have
him come and live with us. And Diego, we met in Spain; his father was his
sole parent and he was recently imprisoned. He had no other family so we
took him in. We tend to think of ourselves more as big brothers to the boys
than parents."

"Another accusation was that you `harbored' a serial rapist here at the
ranch."

"The man in question was hired here using a false identity; he could have
done that anywhere and if you check with the State's Attorney you'll find
that he did. He was apprehended here before he could commit any crimes, due
to the heroism of two of the young men who ride here. One of those boys had
been a victim of this man and faced his attacker to save another boy from
the same fate."

"While we won't disseminate a victim's name, how do you feel about the fact
that he was named in the news story?"

"It was reprehensible," Danny spat. "This boy was victimized a second time
by that station. He was raped by a sixteen-year-old when he was just
twelve. He's come through it and he's a strong, happy, loving, brave young
man. For someone who considers themselves a journalist to give out the name
of a fourteen-year-old boy who was brutalized is criminal."

"I understand that after the story ran, that a young man who works here was
brutally attacked at City High School. Do you think that's related?"

"We're sure it is," CJ said angrily. "This libelous story was run yesterday
morning and just hours later, Spin, my brother's best friend, was beaten
and stabbed. It's too much of a coincidence that someone who has been
connected to the ranch for as long as he has was a random victim."

"And how is he?"

"He's still in the hospital recuperating. He suffered some serious
injuries, but his doctors say he'll make a full recovery."

"Is there anything you'd like to say to those people out there who haven't
visited the ranch and yet may have seen the story?"

"Yes," Danny said. "I'd just like them to take a moment and think about how
they would feel if their family, their business and their lives were
threatened simply because of who they are. Yes, CJ and I are gay and some
of the young men who ride and work here are too and some of them are
straight and some of them don't know yet which they are. But none of that
matters to us or to them. Second Chances is a place where all are welcome;
we are a family and we support one another. CJ and I have never been
anything other than honest and supportive of anyone who has come here and
that's the way we will continue to be. We'd invite anyone who wants to come
and check out the ranch, the facilities and us."

"CJ, you used the term `libelous', are you planning to take legal action
against the station or anyone else?"

"No. When something like this happens the first reaction is always
passionate. Danny and I both wanted blood and then when Spin was attacked
and I had to watch my little brother deal with not knowing whether his best
friend would live or die, I wanted revenge. I spoke to my lawyers, but in
the bright light of day, Danny and I, along with the boys, decided that
vengeance solves nothing. If we sued the station or the man who started the
rumors all we would be doing is fueling the story and giving it
longevity. Sensational news always runs on page one and the retraction
always runs on page thirty."

"So you've decided to do nothing?"

"Well, we decided not to sue, because that would keep the story alive and
it would take years for a conclusion. As I said, we have resources other
people don't have. I didn't ask for the inheritance I received and my only
goal in using it is to take care of my family and pursue goals that would
reflect my grandfather's values. I had my lawyers seek out the owners of
the station. They were very hands-off and accepted a very generous offer we
made to purchase the station. As of tomorrow morning, the station manager
and the entire news team will be replaced. Eventually, the station's
affiliation with Fox will be terminated as well."

"So you're planning a station with a more liberal bent?"

Danny shook his head. "Not at all. We are going to be hands-off as
well. The station will be run by a qualified station manager and the news
room will be populated with unbiased journalists whose job will be to
investigate and report news and facts, not rumors and innuendos. We want to
create a community station with programming that serves the whole community
and that treats everyone equally."

"Thank you, guys, it's been a pleasure talking to you," Kylie said into the
camera. "Now we're going to go out to the ranch and talk to some of the
boys."

***

Zak and Dusty stood side by side.

"Just relax guys," Kylie said. "I'm just going to ask you a few questions
and I want you to be as honest as you can."

Both boys nodded.

Kylie nodded to the camera man who started rolling.

"I'm here with two young men who work and ride at Second Chances--Dustin
Crandall and Zachary Myers," she said into the camera. She turned to the
boys. "Dusty, you're the manager of the rescue, right?"

Dusty nodded. "Right. I've been working at the ranch since I was about
twelve and when CJ took over and decided he wanted to start a rescue he
offered me the chance to manage it."

"So, you've been here for a number of years. Have you seen any change in
the way the new owners run things compared to the old owner?"

"The only changes have been the expansion and the upgrades to our
facilities. The way Mr. Jones treated us and the way CJ and Danny treat us
has been very similar."  "And how do they treat you?"

"Like family. Mr. Jones was the closest thing I had to a father for the
last five years. My dad was killed when I was little and I got into a lot
of trouble. Mr. Jones helped straighten me out. He showed me about horses
and taught me so much and helped me to like myself again. CJ and Danny do
things the same way. They help whoever needs it. They've taken in boys with
nowhere else to go, but they also open their home to all of us."

"How do you feel about the accusations that have been leveled against
them?"

"I think it's cowardly. Obviously, someone has it in for them because
they're gay, but they are two of the best people I know. They've never done
anything inappropriate with any of us and they never would. It's offensive
that someone would make up stories like that."

"Thank you, Dusty." Kylie turned to Zak. "Zak, Danny is your brother,
right?"

"Yeah, we have different mothers and didn't even know the other existed
until last September, but we've become very close."

"How do you respond to the accusations?"

"It's really pis...uh, makes me mad," Zak said turning red. "My brother and
CJ are great guys. They took over the ranch and they've pushed to make it
so much more than it was. Danny decided to stop competing and now he
coaches me and some friends and we've done really well in
competition. Danny is a great brother, but also a great friend and for
anyone to accuse him or CJ of something like this is wrong."

"I understand the boy who was attacked is a close friend of yours."

"Spin is my best friend. He was the second person I met at the ranch after
Dusty and he and I hit it off right away. He is a funny guy who is always
there for his friends. I can't believe that someone would be so cowardly as
to attack him like that."

"Thanks, boys," Kylie said as the camera man stopped taping. "Is there
anyone else we should talk to?"

Jesse and Dylan stood off to the side. Their heads were together and they
were whispering between themselves. Jesse kept shaking his head and Dylan
kept nodding. Jesse wrapped his arms around Dylan and whispered in his
ear. Dylan hugged him back. They broke their embrace and walked over to the
news crew and Zak and Dusty.

"Hey, Jesse, Dylan," Zak said as the two walked up.

"We want to talk," Jesse said. "Actually, Dylan wants to talk."

"Talk to me?" Zak asked.

"No, to her," Jesse answered.

Zak opened his eyes wide. "Dylan are you sure?"

Dylan looked Zak in the eyes and nodded. "I have to, Zak. Everyone already
knows, but at least if I talk they'll know how Danny and CJ have helped me
and not think that they were harboring Cody."

"Dylan, I'd love to talk to you, but I don't want you to do anything that
might cause you further pain. You've been through a lot."

"Thanks. But I really need to do this."

"I'll tell you what, let's go into the house and talk to Danny and CJ,"
Kylie offered. "If they think it's ok, then we'll do the interview in
there. Ok?"

"Sure," Jesse answered taking Dylan's hand and leading him to the house.

Zak and Dusty followed.

The producer walked up behind Kylie. "What are you doing?" he hissed. "That
kid's offering a great interview."

Kylie turned. "Sid, that kid has been through the worst trauma anyone can
suffer and then that story put him through it again and made his personal
pain public. I'm not going to interview him unless I am sure he understands
the consequences of that interview. This isn't about ratings or a scoop;
it's about doing the right thing. If he wants to tell his story, then he
could do a lot of good, but I want to make sure he's emotionally ready for
that." She turned back and stomped towards the house.

Danny and CJ were in the living room talking to Mattie when Jesse, Dylan,
Zak and Dusty came into the room.

"What's up?" CJ asked.

"Dylan wants to talk to that reporter," Jesse said.

"You want to talk about the ranch?" Danny asked.

Jesse shook his head. "No, he wants to talk about Cody and what happened."

"Dylan, come here," Danny said. Dylan walked over and sat next to
Danny. "Dyl, are you sure about this?" he asked gently.

"I have to, Danny," Dylan said quietly. "That story made it sound like you
and CJ were the reason I was raped and that's not true. If it weren't for
you guys, I don't know what would have happened to me."

"Dylan, you don't have to do this," CJ said. "The people who know us aren't
going to believe that crap and the interviews that we've done will help
convince others. We don't want you to suffer any more than you already
have."

"Everyone at school already knows; everyone knows what happened since that
story was on TV," Dylan said, tears welling in his eyes. "If I talk to her,
then they'll know what really happened and that you had nothing to do with
it."

"He's right," Kylie said from the doorway. "If Dylan tells his story then
he could certainly help other boys and it would show that you guys are
helping these kids and not hurting them." She walked over and knelt in
front of Dylan. "But, Dylan, I want you to be absolutely sure that this is
what you want. It's not something that you can take back once it's out."

Dylan nodded and looked at Jesse, his eyes pleading. Jesse nodded
back. "Yes, I want to do this," he said firmly.

"Ok, but I want you to call your parents and I want their ok for this,"
Kylie said. "If they agree, then we'll do the interview in here and CJ and
Danny will be here."

"But if we're on camera it might look like we are coercing him," Danny
objected.

"We'll put Dylan on the couch and you guys can be behind the camera."

"Can Jesse be with me?" Dylan asked.

Kylie turned to Jesse, the love in his eyes was so recognizable. She turned
back to Jesse. "Sure, that's not a problem."

Dylan quickly called his mother on his cell phone. At first she objected to
Dylan doing the interview, but after she spoke to Danny and he convinced
her that Dylan was doing this on his own, she gave her approval under the
condition that Danny and CJ be present for the whole interview.

Kylie spoke to Dylan's mother and told her that she would be as gentle with
Dylan as she could.  Colleen appreciated the reporter's attitude and
concern for Dylan; she felt much better about allowing the interview after
speaking with her.

For the next half-hour, the living room was chaos. The cameraman and sound
guy were getting their equipment set back a second time. Kylie was
reviewing her notes. Danny, CJ, Zak and Dusty were off to one corner
watching the action, while Dylan and Jesse huddled on the couch.

Bridget busied herself bringing drinks and snacks out. She went back into
the kitchen and came back a few minutes later and headed over to where
Dylan and Jesse sat. She placed two large glasses in front of them. The two
looked up and grinned. While the other boys preferred sodas, Dylan's
weakness was strawberry milkshakes, a `habit' that he had passed on to
Jesse.

Dylan picked up his glass and sucked on the straw. "Mmm." He
grinned. "Thanks, Bridget, yours are the best."

Bridget smiled at Dylan. "Anything for you, Sweetie," she said as she went
back into the kitchen. Bridget was fond of all the boys, but she had a soft
spot for Dylan and Jesse.

Kaya lumbered into the living room and headed straight over to Dylan and
Jesse. She laid her head on the spot where their knees were touching and
they both petted and stroked her.

From the other side of the room, Kylie had been observing Dylan and
Jesse. A smile crossed her face as she watched the two boys who were
obviously in love. She walked over and sat down next to them. Kaya looked
up at the stranger suspiciously.

"It's ok, Kaya," Dylan said softly.

"Looks like you two have a guardian," Kylie said.

Dylan laughed. "She's actually Jesse's, but she's kinda adopted me."

"She's beautiful, where did you get her, Jesse?"

"She belonged to a friend of mine who died, so I kind of `inherited' her,"
Jesse said quietly. "She only ever listened to Seb and me until we got
here."

"I'm sorry about your friend, Jesse."

"Thanks."

"Can I ask you guys something?" Kylie said. Her eyes shifted to where
Dylan's right knee and Jesse's left were touching and their hands that
rested casually on top of each other.

"S-sure." Dylan said hesitantly and he moved slightly so that he and Jesse
were not touching.

"It's ok, Dylan," Kylie said gently. "I've been watching you guys and it's
obvious that you are very close. I was curious about how out you guys are."

"Well, my parents know," Dylan said. "They love Jesse. Everyone at the
ranch knows. I don't know about school. We're in different grades so we
don't have many classes together."

"The reason I'm asking is that you guys radiate love." Dylan and Jesse
blushed. "That's a good thing, guys. But I don't want you to make things
uncomfortable for yourselves by inadvertently outing yourselves."

Dylan leaned into Jesse and whispered in his ear. They carried on an almost
silent conversation for several minutes.

"What if we wanted to?" Dylan asked curiously.

"Wanted to what?"

"Come out?" Jesse answered.

"You mean now, in the interview?"

Both boys nodded.

"Boys, let me honest. I would like nothing more. You guys are adorable
together and I think seeing two boys who are `real' boys and as committed
and in love as you obviously are would show a lot of people that being gay
is not something to be ashamed of and you could help lots of young
people. But, I want you to be sure. Your friend was already attacked at
school and those people only thought he was gay. If you do this it's
permanent, you can't take it back and you would be putting a target on your
backs."

"We know," Dylan said. "But, we can help more people by being out and
showing them that we are not ashamed and that we are normal. We have
friends at school who will have our backs. Spin got jumped because none of
us knew about that damn story and he was alone. This time we'll be ready."

Kylie thought a moment. "I'm willing to do this, but I think you need to
talk to CJ and Danny since this will affect them, as well. A big point of
that story was to make people think they were `recruiting' boys and
`turning' them gay."

"But, if we tell the truth about how we ended up here and ended up
together, then it will show that's not the case," Jesse protested.

"To a rational person, yes," Kylie said. "Unfortunately, rational is not a
word we use to describe the average Channel 13 viewer."

"But, those people won't be watching this story anyways," Dylan said. "And
they're going to believe what they want. If we tell the truth, more people
are going to believe us than will believe those lies."

"With you two, they just might." Kylie grinned. "Why don't you guys go and
talk to CJ and Danny?"

Dylan and Jesse nodded and stood up and walked over to where Danny, CJ, Zak
and Dusty stood with Kaya staying between them.

Kylie watched as Dylan and Jesse spoke.

"Absolutely NOT!!" she heard Danny shout.

Danny took Dylan and Jesse by the arms and led them out of the room,
followed by the others.

Danny dragged Dylan and Jesse into the kitchen.

"Danny, stop," Jesse said pulling his arm free.

"Are you guys nuts?!" Danny yelled. "After what happened to Spin, you want
to out yourselves on television?"

CJ walked behind Danny and placed his hands on Danny's shoulders. "Hun,
take a deep breath."

"CJ, you can't think this is a good idea."

"I think it's their choice," CJ answered. "They're old enough to know what
they're doing."

"But they're kids," Danny protested. "What if something happens?"

Dylan walked up and took Danny's hand. "Danny, I know you love us. You've
done so much for both of us and we understand why you're against this. But
Spin got attacked because we didn't know about the story and he was
alone. We're not going to be alone. We have our friends and our family. We
need to do this, to show people that we aren't scared or ashamed."

Jesse wrapped his arm around Dylan's shoulder. "Danny, we're doing this."

Danny wrapped his arms around both boys and hugged them tight. "I love you
guys," he whispered. "If anything ever happened to either of you, I don't
know what I'd do." He released them and placed a hand on each of their
cheeks and looked them in the eyes. "Dylan, you need to call your parents
and let them know, ok?"

Dylan nodded. He took Jesse's hand and led him out of the kitchen.

Danny slumped into a chair at the kitchen table. He laid his head on the
table. CJ sat next to him and rubbed his neck.

Zak and Dusty sat down on the other side of the table.

Danny sat up and looked at his brother. "How do you guys feel about this?"
he asked.

"Danny, it's not exactly gonna shock many people," Zak said. "I mean, none
of us has ever `officially' come out, except maybe Devon, but it's not like
we've ever hidden it either. I refer to Dusty as my boyfriend all the
time. And as far as Dylan and Jesse go, anyone who looks at them together
and doesn't see it is blind."

Danny chuckled. "You're right, they are so gone."

Dusty grinned. "Oh, yeah. They need each other in a way that we don't."

"What do you mean?" CJ asked. "We all love our partners."

"He didn't say we didn't love each other," Zak answered. "He said they
needed each other. We--me and Dusty, you and Danny, Mattie and Spin, Devon
and TJ--we all have our own interests separate from each other; we can all
go off and do our own thing. It doesn't mean we love each other any
less. But Dylan and Jesse have been through so much, they need each
other. Don't you see it? Sometimes I don't think they even realize it."

"Realize what?" CJ asked.

"They're practically the same person," Zak laughed. "They're just connected
in a way that I don't think many people are. It's special."

"You're right." CJ nodded. "I guess I never thought about it since they've
been together since Jesse got here, but they are connected."  "That's why I
was suspicious when they told us that Dylan had gone with Mattie in
Spain. He never goes anywhere without Jesse, except home and classes at
school."

"You're right, that should have been a red flag for us," Danny said.

"I asked Jesse at the time, but he thought maybe because he and Ace had
been out with Diego and Dylan had slept in Mattie had convinced him to go."

"Makes sense," Danny said. "Well, let's go see what's going on."

The four went back into the living room, where they saw Dylan and Jesse
talking to Kylie.  "Dylan, did you talk to your mom?" Danny asked.

Dylan nodded. "Yep, she wasn't excited about it, but she's ok with it," he
said.

"Danny, I understand your apprehension," Kylie said. "Just know that I am
going to handle this as gently as I can for these two. I think this is
going to be good for them and they'll help other kids their age who may be
going through the same things."

"Thanks, Kylie, I appreciate that," Danny answered.

"Ok, let's get rolling," Kylie said.

Danny, CJ, Dusty and Zak went back to their corner of the living room.

Dylan and Jesse sat together on the couch and Kaya resumed her spot between
them. Kylie sat opposite them.

"Ready when you are, Sid," Kylie said.

"Go."

Kylie turned to the camera. "This is Kylie Rivers for WKID. I'm here with
two young men who work and ride and live at the Second Chances Ranch and
Rescue Center. One of these boys was victimized by the report that ran
Monday on another station and asked that he have a chance to set the record
straight. Dylan Summers is fourteen, almost fifteen, years old and has been
coming to Second Chances for almost a year. Jesse Osterman just turned
sixteen and he has been living with Danny James and CJ Alvarez as their
foster son since November."

She turned to the boys. "Dylan, let's start with you. Yesterday, Channel
13's report publically revealed that you had been attacked by another young
man and implied that Danny and CJ somehow helped hide this individual. Is
that the truth?"

"Yes and No," Dylan said. "When I was twelve, and living in another town, I
was raped by an older boy that I knew from a stable I rode at. I blamed
myself and I went into a deep depression; later I found out that this boy
raped my best friend as well and that pushed me to try and kill myself. I
was hospitalized, diagnosed with Severe Depression Disorder and eventually
found my way out of it. Last summer, I moved here with my parents, and my
cousin, Denise introduced me to some boys that rode here. I had given up on
riding, but they helped me remember how much I loved it and they gave me
back something special."

"What about your attacker being `sheltered' by CJ and Danny?"

"That's a lie," Dylan said forcefully. "In January, I contracted meningitis
and I was stuck in bed for almost six weeks. During that time, CJ hired a
new ranch hand. The only people who even knew what had happened to me were
Danny, Jesse and Danny's brother Zak. No one had any reason to suspect this
hand, since he was using a fake name and ID. Jesse was showing me pictures
of his birthday dinner and I saw a picture of Cody, the boy who raped
me. We immediately rushed to the ranch and with the help of a friend we
stopped him from attacking another boy. But, he NEVER was able to attack
anyone while he was here. To say that CJ and Danny helped him or protected
him is a complete lie."

"How did you feel about the report yesterday?"

"At first I was upset. My friends have known since Cody was arrested what
happened. They've helped me adjust and deal with the fear and guilt that
comes with it, but it's not right for someone to think they have the right
to broadcast my past on television without my permission."

"So why did you want to talk today?"

"I wanted to set the record straight as far as Danny and CJ go and I wanted
to show other people that might have gone through the same thing that you
can get through it and that they are not alone."

"Thank you, Dylan," Kylie said. "Jesse. You are one of two foster sons of
CJ and Danny, right?"

"Well, I think technically, I'm a foster and Diego is a ward or they're his
guardians or something. It's complicated. He came back with us from Spain
and CJ and Danny are his guardians, but he's still my brother."

"And how did you come to be their foster son?"

"Well, I was born in Wellington, Florida..."

"Which, if I'm not mistaken, is horse country," Kylie interjected.

"Right. My mom was a trainer and I was riding before I could walk."

"And your father?"

Jesse looked down and Dylan instinctively took his hand. "I never knew my
father. It was always just my mom and me."

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok. My mom was great and because of her job I came to realize how
much I love horses. Anyways, last spring, my mom got married and within a
few weeks found out she had terminal cancer. For the next few months she
was in and out of the hospital and her husband started hitting me. I never
said anything cuz she had enough to worry about. I had a friend, Seb, who
had been my best friend since fourth grade. He had gone away for the summer
and I was just trying to hang on until he got back. It was a day or so
after he was supposed to be back and I hadn't heard from him, so I went to
his house and his brother told me..." tears started to fall from Jesse's
eyes. He took a deep breath.

"Seb's brother told him that Seb had been killed in a fight," Dylan
finished. "Seb was a peacemaker and some bullies were picking on a couple
of kids and he tried to help and was shot."

"Jesse are you ok?" Kylie asked.

Jesse nodded. "Yes, I'm sorry. It still hurts when I think of him."

"You don't need to apologize."

"The day of Seb's funeral I came home and my mom's husband told me she
wasn't going to make it and he was going to be my guardian. He came after
me and I ran into my room. He broke the door down and started beating me. I
fell on the floor and saw an old trophy under the bed. I grabbed it and
swung and he went down. I thought I had killed him and I ran from the
apartment. I ran to the hospital, I saw my mom one last time--she wasn't
awake. And then I left. Seb's parents had wanted me to help take care of
his dog, Kaya." He glanced at Kaya sitting between him and Dylan. "So I
took her and I ran."

"You ran away?"

Jesse nodded. "I was on the run for about six weeks, when Danny found me
camped out near the farm of a friend of his. He took me in, fed me, helped
and offered to be my foster dad. Then we came here and I met Dylan and my
life has been great since."

"I think most people watching you and Dylan will see that you are more than
friends."

"Yes, ma'am. Dylan's my boyfriend. We connected the second we met and we've
been together ever since."

"There are some people that will say that you are `confused' or you were
`recruited' by Danny and CJ. How do you boys respond to that?"

"It's wrong," Jesse said trying to remain calm. "It's also insulting. Danny
and CJ were in the middle of stuff of their own and just starting a new
business when they found me; lots of people would have called the police
and sent me to a group home or an orphanage. Instead, they took me in, gave
me a home, friends and a family. They never even knew I was gay. They
wouldn't have cared either way. I was confused when they found me. I was
confused about how my mother could have married a man that was so
violent. I was confused about why my best friend, at the time, my only
friend was taken from me. I was confused about where I was going to go and
if I would survive another night; if I was going to eat; if I was going to
be robbed or worse. The only thing I was not confused about was the fact
that I was gay. I've known that since I was eleven. Probably even before
that."

"Jesse's right," Dylan interjected. "There are people who will think that
being raped made me gay, or being friends with CJ and Danny made me
gay. Nothing made me gay. I've knew I was gay a long time before I was
attacked. He didn't target me because I was gay, he went after me cuz I was
smaller and weaker and he knew I couldn't fight him off. It's really
insulting that people think we're so stupid or naïve that we would tell
the world we were gay if we weren't or that Danny and CJ would try to
`recruit' us. Do they think that being gay makes life easier for us? People
hate us the same way they hate people for the color of their skin and just
like that, we can't help the way we are. One of our closest friends was
beaten and stabbed yesterday, just because of that stupid story. Just
because someone thought he was gay. He didn't do anything to deserve
that. He's a sweet, funny guy who makes us laugh all the time and someone
thought that because he might be gay that was reason enough to try to kill
him. And people think there is something wrong with US?!?!"

"I don't understand the people who think that we are running a `recruitment
drive'," Jesse said. "We have friends who are gay and straight, some aren't
even sure yet. It doesn't matter to us and it sure doesn't matter to CJ and
Danny. The only person who should be concerned with who I love is the
person I love; it's no one else's business and it's certainly not a good
reason to hate me or my friends and family."

Kylie smiled at both of the boys. "Thank you, Dylan and Jesse, for taking
the time to talk to me." She turned back to the camera. "This is Kylie
Rivers reporting."

"Clear."

"You guys were amazing," Kylie gushed.

"Really?" Dylan asked.

"Oh, yeah," Danny said as he rushed over to them. "You guys made your case
in a way very few people could have. We're so proud of both of you."

Dylan and Jesse jumped up and hugged Danny and then found themselves passed
between CJ, Dusty, Zak and Mattie, who had come in just as the interview
was starting.

"I'm gonna call Spin's mom and make sure Spin sees this tonight." Mattie
beamed. "You guys were awesome."

By the next morning, the story had been broadcast and re-broadcast on WKID
during every newscast. Kylie called CJ to tell him that they had received
an unprecedented number of calls asking where they could send donations for
the rescue and complimenting the story, especially Dylan and Jesse's part
in it.

***

He punched the pause button on the remote and threw it across the room.

He stared at the still image of the two boys. He had gone after the wrong
one. He was sure the red-head was a fag and needed to be dealt with, but
these two sitting there holding hands and flaunting their
relationship--they were two that needed dealing with.

And he was going to see that they were taken care of.