June-1999. Revised, June 2000

And you stand there, say your not happy
As if no one cares
But I do
I want you to make it through
Yes I do
Come with me and we'll make it through

I believe that the answer to life
Has something to do with the will to survive
But survival for what, is a brand new question
All good causes stand in front to see
That no action leads to apathy
Gotta pick one good reason for those who suffer.
'IN YOUR IMAGE'- 54-40.

GANGSTERS IN PARADISE.

PART I – “Pasts and present collide.”

AUGUST 17/1997:

Blair Sandburg entered the trendy night club and wiped the palms of his hands down the sides of his blue jeans. He was rattled, more so than he thought he would be. On top of his jittery nerves, his body was just beginning to experience the first, mild pangs of a craving. His thin frame was beginning to grow hungry for a fix of heroin.
The interior of the club was very dark and he squinted his eyes against the change in the lighting. It was the middle of the day and there was, of course, no clientele in the place.
The bar was totally empty with the exceptions of an extremely handsome, tall, green-eyed doorman who had let him in, and two burly body guards standing behind Antonio Martino; the owner of the club.
Blair had come to the bar, alone and in secret, after having been summoned by Mr. Martino personally. He worked for James Ellison, entrepreneur, gangster; Antonio Martino's strongest competitor and main business rival.

Martino in his early sixties, had been kicking around the underbelly of Cascade for decades.

He had come to meet with Martino without James' knowledge, or his permission. Blair stared at the green-eyed man as he passed.

But the doorman's face remained passive and did not even acknowledge the visitor other than to say dully, "Mr. Martino is in the back."

The 'quiet man' pulled the door closed and slammed the heavy-duty lock home. Then he stood dutifully beside the barred metal entrance; just another soldier waiting for another order to be issued.

Blair nodded his head in acknowledgment to him and started for the back of the club.

Because the place was deserted, it was easy to hear everything that was being said, even from the other side of the room. The quiet voices of the conspirators carried across the large open space. The party at the table may as well have been speaking into a megaphone; the man at the door could clearly hear their conversation and plan making. However, his body language gave no indication of any kind, that he even heard them.

Blair, good of you to come." Mr. Martino said. "Sit, relax, you look so nervous." The older man nodded his head and within seconds, a tall cup of freshly brewed coffee was set down in front of the jittery man.

“I'm scared, Mr. Martino." Blair confessed to the mobster. "If Jim . . . er . . . Mr. Ellison finds out I'm here, he'll kill me." He picked up his mug and took a drink. His hands shook the mug slightly. A fine line of sweat was breaking out along his spine, and Blair knew that it was more than just nerves making him shake and perspire. He had been too afraid to show up at the meeting jazzed, but now he was really starting to regret not fixing himself up before hand. Suddenly it dawned on Blair that his addiction to heroin was more serious than even he had thought.

"Don't worry son," Martino patted the tense man's shoulder. "No one will know that you came here today." He nodded his head again and the other bodyguard reached inside of his jacket and pulled out a plain white envelope. Inside it, there was $10,000, in crisp, newly minted $100 bills. The burly man set the envelope down on the table in front of Blair.

"There's ten large in there." Mr. Martino stated pleasantly, "It's more than enough to pay off your bookie and your drug dealer. All you have to do is bring Ellison to my other club, tomorrow night at 11:00, and we'll look after the rest." Martino leaned back and sipped from his own mug, "Come back on Monday after noon and Dave. . ." He gestured to one of the gigantic book-end guards, ". . . will put you to work for us. No one has to find out that it was you who betrayed the Ellison family." Martino took another sip from his mug, staring at the young man over the rim.

Blair fingered the corner of the envelope for a few seconds then he picked it up and without opening it, he stuffed it deep inside his jean jacket pocket. "I'll have him there, on time." He said dully.
Sandburg had no idea how Martino had found out about his drug and gambling habits, especially when everyone close to him was so clueless. Blair knew that Martino had eyes and ears everywhere, but then, so too did the Ellison family.
Jim was aware that he did drugs, but as far as his boss was concerned it was only recreational. He had no idea that his employee shot heroin between his toes in order to hide the track marks. On top of the drugs, Blair also had several other bad habits that he had been keeping secret. Not even his older brother Walter, who was the manager at the restaurant Jim owned, knew the extent of his little brother's dark vices.
He had made a few bad bets with a small time bookie; also without his employer’s knowledge. Jim would have fired him immediately if he had known that he was a junkie gambler who didn't pay his bills.
The young man was backed so far into the corner that he had no choice but to betray his boss, and sometime lover, Jim Ellison to Martino. But it was a-dog-eat-dog world, and in the end, Blair had to look out for number one.

Himself.

Betraying Jim would hurt, but better that his boss wound up dead, then him. Blair stood up and walked out the same way he had come in. The doorman unlocked the door and held it open for the little double-crosser, still no emotion showing on his face.

After Sandburg had left, the man at the door stood steadfast at his post, feigning disinterest but listening intently to the conversation between Martino and *Huey and Louey*, the square jawed bodyguards. Martino and the guards discussed the plans for "taking Ellison out".

"You can go home Victor." *Huey* told the doorman, once the meeting and plan making session had broken up. He handed the green-eyed man a couple of hundred dollar bills, "See you back here just before opening."

Victor took the money and stuffed the bills into the front pocket of his jeans. "Ok." he said simply before leaving.

Once outside, Victor looked around, decided that no one was following him - he wasn't a big enough player for that any ways - and then set off down the street toward the restaurant he knew was owned by Jim Ellison.
Victor thought that it was fairly safe to assume that Blair would be visiting his drug dealer first, and then dropping in and paying a visit to his bookie. So he wasn't too worried about being seen by Sandburg at Ellison's establishment; junkies were always so predictable.
Inside, he asked to speak to James Ellison himself, intending to tell the man the entire plot being hatched against him. After being frisked over twice by a tall, well-muscled twenty something man, a large body guard finally admitted him to Ellison's office.

Jim Ellison; one of the most powerful men in Cascade - restaurateur and racketeer.
^*^*

THE ELLISON FAMILY STORY:

The Ellison family had been established in the city of Cascade for decades. Starting with the elder Ellison, Montgomery "Monty" Vincent. He had come out west in 1959 at the age of 19. Along with him came his teenage bride, Margaret, affectionately known as Molly. They had fallen deeply in love and wanted to marry, but were forbidden to by their parents. However, when it was discovered that Molly was pregnant with Monty's child, the parents of the teenagers had no choice but to acquiesce to their headstrong children's wishes and permit them to wed.
So, while Molly was still large with pregnancy, the young couple came to the West Coast to start their own lives, away from their still disapproving families. Monty had another reasons to relocate to Cascade; one of which was that he wanted to get out from under the control of the old-world Irish crime families' of the eastern seaboard. He needed a fresh start for both him and his beautiful bride.
With $10,000 to work with, quite large sum of money for the time, Monty had managed to buy his first broken down charter boat and fix it up. With nothing more than a sincere promise of payment to an inexperienced crew, Monty brought a shipment of good Canadian liquor from an expatriate Frenchman who lived just across the border. He and his tiny crew sailed it back to Cascade through a nasty gale, making the voyage and the booty all the more valuable.
Monty then sold the liquor at twice the price he had paid for it to a night club owner. However, the booze was still cheaper for the proprietor than buying it from the local distillers. The club owner made a good profit selling it for drinks.
Monty after making the profitable sale, paid his people and himself, then promptly turned around and wisely reinvested his small profit and bought another batch of excellent whisky to sell; thus, a magnate was born.

Soon after Monty's maiden voyage to Canada, Molly gave birth to their first, then their second child.

Unbeknownst to both Monty and Molly, she had been carrying twins. Molly gave birth to two perfectly healthy, identical boys in the early morning of January 6, 1960. Both boys had brown eyes and deep brown hair, and were the spitting images of their proud father. The happy couple named the first boy born Justin Alexander and the second boy Jasen Austin.
Shortly after the boy's official christening, to Molly's complete and utter surprise, she discovered that she was pregnant again. "So much for nursing keeping away the babies," she had thought at the time. Monty however, was ecstatic, he reaffirmed his love for his beautiful wife by buying her a proper diamond ring in which to wear on her finger.
Just over 12 months after giving birth to the twins, in the mid-afternoon of January 15, 1961, Molly again gave birth to another perfect little boy. This time it was she alone who chose the name for her son; Montgomery Vincent Ellison II, 'Marc' for short. He too was the mirror image of his father and two older brothers. His eyes were dark and his hair deep chestnut brown, his skin pale.
Molly, having come to the conclusion that three boys were enough for anyone, decided that she was done having children. But as fate would have it, one year to the very near day after Marc was born, Molly's last child had come into the world.
Throughout her pregnancy Molly had clung to the hope that the child she was carrying would be a little girl. A beautiful, fair-haired, blue-eyed daughter who looked just like herself.
So when it was announced that she had given birth to yet another boy, Molly quietly wept in disappointment. Unenthusiastic, she could barely work up any excitement when she was handed the baby to hold for the very first time. With Monty by her bedside, Molly reluctantly took the newborn into her arms and folded back the corner of the blanket. She looked down and again, her eyes filled with tears.
But this time they were tears of joy, for her little boy was beautiful. He looked identical to the rest of her children, except that he was very nearly bald, with large blue eyes, just like her own. Molly looked up at her husband and declared, "He's bald Monty, that means I'll finally have my fair-haired child."
Monty ran his fingers lightly up Molly's cheek, "I know how much you wanted a daughter my darling. We can try again if you like." He looked down and smiled at his infant son, for the bald pate surely did mean light hair.

On a cold and rainy January day in 1962, Monty and Molly's last child was christened and named.

Like he had done with all of his sons, Monty took his baby son from his wife and went for a walk down the hospital's long halls with him. For a man living in the nineteen sixties, Monty was quite progressive. Usually a father did not attend the birth of his children let alone hold them immediately afterwards. But Monty had done both; he had been there to see every one of his sons leave Molly's womb, and he was there to welcome them afterwards.
As was his tradition, the first time holding each new son, Monty would take them away for a little bit and talk to them. Letting the child know all of his hopes and dreams that he held for his child. While holding James, as his father and mother would always call him, he did the same. Telling Jim all the things that a father needed to tell his son, ending the heart felt talk with a private peck on the cheek.

Monty Ellison, loving husband and father; cruel and clever businessman. Both parts of his life were separate. He could pistol whip a man in the morning and come home in the evening to have dinner and roll around the floor with his boys.

Molly, having discovered the birth control pill, catholic roots or not, took the tiny white tablet daily. Four sons were enough, she had decided that when the day came, she would content herself with daughters in-laws instead. And not a day went by that she didn't think how blessed she was to have a boy like James. So sweet and serene, satisfied to be on his own. He slept right through the night from early on, and had been, by far, Molly's easiest child. Of course having three older brothers to dote on him and to keep him company helped a great deal too.
As the Ellison prospects increased, they slowly began to creep up the ladder of social standing. Monty and Molly both gave to the right causes and attended all the choice charitable functions. Even though Molly had three house maids who helped to cook and clean their large mansion. But Molly always, always took on raising her boys on her own without a nanny to help her. Getting up in the middle of the night and toilet training was, in her opinion, her job. She did not want another woman to raise her children, she was mother, therefore *she* would be the most important woman in her son's lives, until such time as they married, then of course, their wife would take over the job.
Of course, she was not above having one on the maids baby-sit for a few hours here and there, she fully realized and understood the merits of getting away too.
Monty never really discussed in depth, the exact nature of his business to Molly but she was smart to know that a portion of it was done in dark rooms over bourbons and cigars; deals sealed with a handshake. She preferred not knowing about her husband’s illegal activities anyway. She chose instead, to focus on his legal ones and felt absolutely no guilt when out spending the family's money.
Both generous and faithful to his bride, Monty had no wish to cavort with a mistress, like many of his business partners. No matter how much the other men had tried to convince him of otherwise. Monty, a true family man, wanted to set a good example for his boys. He both loved and respected his wife, and if she even suspected an illicit affair, he knew that she would take away his son's and most of his fortune too, in that order. He had no wish to lose either of those things. So by true business acumen, and shear love of the good life he was living, Monty Ellison did show his boys that it was indeed possible to have your cake and eat it too.
All four sons grew up with a healthy respect for the family first, then the business. None of the Ellison boys really fought too much with each other while growing up. It was always an *us against them* mentality. Their parents very rarely disagreed, so the sons never really conflicted with each other either.
When each of them had finished their education, they were introduced to the business, both the legitimate and un-legitimate ones. Monty had told his sons many times that they could be anything they wanted to be when they grew up. That he would pay to send them to any university of their own choosing. But each of his sons had chosen to go to the University of Cascade to attend; wanting to be near the family. All had majored in business and communications and all, upon graduation, joined Monty in business.

The twins, 37, were each married with three small children a piece. Justin had chosen a beautiful petite redhead to be his wife, or rather, she had allowed him to choose her. The two of them had met in at the university, Justin was attracted to her sensible nature as much as her beauty. When they were ready to have children, Dana had born Justin two daughters and a son. She worked hard at being the proper wife for her important in-laws. She was even tempered and because her own mother had passed away when she was still quite young, she had forged a close, special relationship with her mother-in-law. Justin's choice in marrying Dana was a wise decision on his part.
In the same token, Jasen had also chosen a woman with much the same demeanor as his sister in-law, Dana.
Samantha, though younger than Dana, hit it off immediately with her sister and mother in-law respectively. Like Dana, she too had given birth to three children; two boys and a girl. Samantha, loved her children and husband unconditionally. She had entered the marriage knowing that to be in the Ellison Family you had to give up some control over your own life, but she didn't mind. She had come from humble beginnings and living the Ellison lifestyle suited her just fine. Her older brother, Fox, was a detective in the major crimes' division of the Cascade police dept. He was very close to his younger sister, which in return, meant that he was close to the Ellison family. Though he sometimes helped out the family with information and some computer searches, he never, ever, compromised his job or his name for them. Fox Mulder was a good, clean cop and no matter whom he was related to, he intended to stay that way.
Fortunately, the Ellisons' never asked more of Mulder than he was willing to do. 'Sam', as everyone called her was, like Dana, a stable addition to the family.
Marc however, had not chosen quite as wisely as his two older brothers. He had rushed into a marriage with an extremely beautiful, but much younger woman of Asian heritage. Her exotic beauty was what drew Marc to her in the first place.
LiAnne had been very upset that she had not been able to become pregnant immediately after the wedding like her sisters' in-laws. So she immediately sought out the advice of a specialist and discovered to her extreme disappointment that due to a badly done abortion when she was still a teenager, her insides had been damaged beyond repair.
LiAnne would never be able to bear children, ever. Marc however, at his wife's painful revelation, secretly didn't mind at all, he preferred LiAnne's svelte figure. He saw in LiAnne, the kind of trophy wife that he had always wanted; which was exactly what he got. She enjoyed a generous allowance from Marc's business dealings and in return, Marc got a beautiful, uninhibited wife. Though he loved her deeply, the whole Ellison clan - daughters' in-laws included - thought of her as shallow and vain. Of course they were right. But both Molly and Monty having spoken their piece once never brought up their reservations about the girl again. Marc had chosen against the family's better wishes, it would be his mistake and his alone.
Now, in the present day, the Ellisons made a good portion of their legal profit from the shipping business. Of course, always the entrepreneur, the senior Ellison saw that a small fortune could be made from putting two people together for a deal. He helped in making the deals by finding a buyer for whatever it was the peddler was selling. The Ellisons handled the exchange of money only, and left it up to the purchaser to pick up the product, only after the goods had been secured in a safe location. The buyers would then be informed as to when and where they could pick up their 'items'. Being the middleman, in all of their illegal business dealings ensured that the entire Ellison clan came out of every shady deal on top and looking clean. Everybody wanted to be associated with, and seen with the family.
They were sure to conduct all of their illegal doings far away from the glare of witnesses.
Everybody knew that the family was it's own modern day Mafia, including the mayor of the city. But the cadre` of lawyers employed by Monty Ellison ensured their good name and reputation remained intact.
^*^*

JIM'S STORY:

James Robert Wilson Ellison; 35 years old, a bachelor and the youngest son in the very powerful, well established Ellison criminal family. He had never married, nor would he ever, marry . . . a woman that was. As a teenager Jim had discovered that his yearnings did not lean in the same direction as his handsome, older brothers.
While attending Cascade University, he had experienced a short but intense relationship with another boy who lived on campus. Jim, assuming his sexual orientation would leave him outcast from the family, kept his preferences to himself. But by the time he was in his mid-twenties, his father, astute as ever, had already begun to guess that Jim was 'different' than his other sons. Many a beautiful woman had tried catching Jim's eye, but he never showed a real interest in going out with them. However, every once in a while a handsome man would show up around the estate, then disappear as quickly as he had appeared.
Monty had finally become fully enlightened when he spotted Jim give some good-looking fellow named Troy, a quick peck on the lips. That particular incident happened very early one morning, when apparently, Jim thought no one was up yet.
Later that day Monty went to his son with what he had seen, and Jim confessed, with halted speech, and through more than a just few tears that he was in fact gay. Immediately after revealing the truth about himself to his father, Jim began jamming his clothes into a well-weathered knapsack.

Monty, confused as to why Jim was packing his things, asked his son what the hell he was doing.

Jim replied gruffly, "Leaving. That's what you want me to do now, right?"

The first thing Monty did was slap Jim hard, twice across the face for even thinking that the family would turn him out. Then he knocked the knapsack out of his son’s hand and embracing his youngest tightly in his arms he confessed to him that he wouldn't have chosen for his son to be gay. But it was the hand that they were dealt, so they would just play the cards they had.
Monty immediately apologized for slapping Jim and kissed his strapping son on the forehead as if to seal the apology. Monty released Jim and told him that he loved him no matter what. That it didn't matter whom Jim fell in love with, just as long as he picked better than his older brother Marc did.
Monty laughed as he held Jim at arm’s length, and looking into his son's irresistible big blue eyes, he told his son that everything would be okay. And Jim believed his father, for he had never lied to him before.
Later that evening Monty had called a meeting with his sons and as Jim sat stoically in a large drawing room chair, Monty told the boys and Molly Jim's long kept secret of who he really was. If the boys were overly shocked none of them really showed it. All three had guessed years ago besides, they were family and Jim was the youngest; they loved him regardless. Molly was disappointed of course, but in the end, she knew that it really wasn't Jim's fault. She had three daughters' in-laws. Two of whom she loved dearly, and the third she was fond of, as well as having the grandchildren to dote on. Later on that evening, when Molly reflected in her private sitting room, she realized that she had been luckier than most. A loving husband and adoring children what more could you ask for? Molly dried her tears for all of the what 'ifs' and what 'might have beens' and told herself that she should be glad for four healthy children instead.
A few weeks after that particular family meeting, Jim joined his father and brothers in the business. He immediately got started in on the idea that they should open up a restaurant, the idea was originally conceived and constructed by him in order to enable his brothers to launder the 'dirty' money made from some of it's bigger, more profitable illegal enterprises. In the end, it was Jim who ended up owning and running the very trendy, upscale restaurant.
The restaurant, was the perfect cover, and its success owed to the fact that the Ellison family as a whole, had managed to build a firm and somewhat legitimate reputation within the community as a whole. Monty had given Jim the money in which to pursue the project with, but everything else was up to Jim.
This was Monty's way of seeing if Jim would sink or swim. And true to the Ellison form, Jim soared with success.
However his personal life did not prosper as much as his restaurant did. He occasionally sought company in the arms of another man, but somehow, Jim still felt empty inside. He ached to have what his brothers all had . . . a companion. Someone he could love and who would love him in return, his whole life through.

A partner who would last a lifetime.

Sex without a real relationship satisfied Jim in the short term, but in the end, he always ended up yearning for something more intense, something deeper than he had ever experienced before. Rather than have meaningless sex, Jim more often than not abstained, seeking release only when he could no longer stand it.

Eventually Jim moved out of the family mansion, and took up residence on the top floor of a high-rise apartment building that his mother owned.
Being gay did not change Jim's inherent personality. Rather than Jim being a gay man who happened to be a mobster, he was a mobster who, just happened to be gay and he could be just as brutal and ruthless as his father and older brothers. Jim was not above pistol-whipping a man before dinner either.
That was, after all the nature of their business and their enemies knew better than to piss an Ellison boy off, any one of them. After an unsuccessful attempt on his father's life in 1990, Jim, and the rest of the clan, had found it necessary to surround themselves with bodyguards. Times were changing, luckily the Ellison family was resilient, and they too, changed with the times.
^*^*

THE MEETING:

Victor opened the door to the quiet restaurant and was instantly he was approached by a tall man in his twenties.

Can I help you?" The younger man asked.

"I'd like to see Mr. Ellison." Requested Victor.

The young man smiled coldly, "Mr. Ellison is very busy. Come back another time."

Victor frowned, "Look it's important that I talk to him. I've got some information for him that I think he'll want to hear . . . "

The young man sighed and pulled a cell phone out from the inside of his suit. Pushing a button, the man spoke softly into the phone, then hung it up. A minute later a large, older man came through to the front of the restaurant. "What is it Mac?" he asked pleasantly.

Mac turned to the big man, "Well Lyle, this gentleman . . . "

Victor interrupted, "My name's Victor Mansfield."

Mac continued like he had not been interrupted, "Victor would like to speak to Mr. Ellison. He says he has important information to tell him."

“In person." Added Victor.

Lyle Dobrinski looked Victor up and down and nodded his head to Mac. "Bring him to the back."
Then he turned around and started walking away. Mac Ramsey, Jim Ellison's chief of security, waited for Victor to follow Dobrinski, then he in turn, followed behind Victor.

The three men came to an outer office with a waiting room just off of the kitchen. And as soon as Mac had closed the door behind him, Victor said, "I've got a piece holstered under my left pit."

Mac nodded his head. "Okay Vic, thanks for saying that. Now take your coat off and raise your arms over your head please."

Victor did as he was told, while Dobrinski took his old leather jacket and started going over it thoroughly. With arms raised, Victor stood still; he knew the routine.

Mac started to pat him down. He checked every place possible, even going so far as to ask Victor to remove his Dayton boots to check the bottoms of Victor's feet. Which he complied too.
Victor had made Dobrinski laugh out loud when Mac was going over his private parts in search of a concealed weapon and Victor quipped, "Are you done squeezing the Charmin yet?" And when the invasive search continued he said, "Get your hands off my balls, were not married you know." Mac's face turned as red as a tomato and he tore his hand away from Victor's genitals. Victor gave Dobrinski a grin as he accepted back his leather jacket.

“Oh, you're a charmer all right. Don't you think so Mac?" Dobrinski said to Victor.

Mac looked sourly at his 'partner', "Yeah, he's a riot."

Still laughing softly Dobrinski said, "Wait here." Then he knocked softly on another door and entered the office.
**^*

It was late in the afternoon, when there was a light knock at Jim's restaurant office door. A fateful tap that would forever, change his life.

"Come in." He said simply, not looking up from the mixed-up accounting books he was trying to sort out.

Dobrinski, Jim's right-hand man, opened the door and stepped inside shutting it quietly behind himself. "Victor Mansfield here to see you Jim."

Jim let the page fall back to the book and looked up. "Who?" He asked.

"Victor Mansfield. He says he works for Martino and that he has some information for you. He said it was urgent." Then as an afterthought he added, "He's clean, Mac went over him with a fine-toothed comb."

Jim smiled at his older friend knowing full well that his personal safety was always first in Dobrinski and Mac's minds. Jim shrugged his shoulders. "Urgent huh?" The body guard only nodded. "Better send him in then." He stashed away the accounting books, they were giving him a headache any ways.

Dobrinski went back outside to get the 'visitor'. Jim was prepared for a visit from a hygiene-challenged pug-nosed, steroid addicted Goliath that Martino seemed to favor. No doubt that the thug would be carrying some sort of a threat too.

Dobrinski entered the office first and then stepped back, instantly becoming at one with the surroundings. He was followed into the room by the most attractive man Jim had ever laid eyes on. His heart rate immediately jumped up an extra few beats a minute. He, had, for the very first time, fallen instantly in lust, with a guy he had never even met.
^*^*

Victor stepped into the small but tastefully decorated office a few feet then he froze. The door closed softly behind him, but he didn't even notice it. He stood still, not moving even an inch from his spot on the floor and stared into the deep blue eyes of the man seated behind the desk. After a few seconds, realizing that he had been gawking at one of the most powerful men in Cascade, Victor tore his eyes away and looked down at his boots. His mouth had suddenly gone dry as he waited for Mr. Ellison to acknowledge him first before speaking.
^*^*

Jim, impeccably groomed and dressed in an Armani suit, sat in his chair and stared back, captivated by the handsomely rugged strangers beautiful green eyes. And for a split second, an electrical spark, full of sexual tension and energy passed between the two men as they looked into each other’s eyes. Jim collected himself and said in a deep, pleasant voice a beat later, "You have some information for me?"

Victor brought his gaze up from his feet at the question and, firmly back in control of him self, he walked over to the large antique desk that dominated the room and stood in front of it. Looking into the ocean blue eyes of the most devastatingly attractive man he had ever seen and with his heart thrumming wildly in his chest, Victor started talking. "My name is Victor Mansfield and I'm a bouncer at the Insomniac . . . "
Victor cleared his throat and told Jim the whole sordid story involving Sandburg, Martino and the subsequent planning of the 'hit' and how it was supposed to go down after Blair had led him to the designated nightclub. He also took the time to fill Jim in about the younger man’s drug habit, the gambling debts and the $10,000 pay out he had already received for luring his boss to the club and ultimately his death.
^*^*

Half an hour later, Victor stood up from his comfortable leather chair. He wiped his sweaty palms down the side of his jeans. His heart was still pounding, and he wasn't even sure of exactly when, during the conversation that his palms had started to sweat. All of which was very unusual for Victor; generally he was as calm as a placid pond, not many men intimidated him. Victor knew that his body wasn't reacting the way it was because he was afraid of Jim Ellison, on the contrary, it was because he was acutely attracted to him.
Victor hadn't felt this conscious of another person in a very long time. He couldn't help but be drawn to Jim's masculine, good looks; like a moth to a lantern.

Both men had gripped the other in a firm handshake, and held it a couple of seconds longer than the average innocent shake. The extra squeeze in Jim's clench, did not go unnoticed by Victor, or vise-versa. Victor took a chance and boldly looked directly at Jim for a beat, then they broke apart mutually.

Having already received his instructions, Victor turned without saying good bye and started for the door, just as he reached for the knob Jim called out, "I have one more question for you Victor."

Victor turned around and said, "What's that?"

Jim walked around from behind the desk and stood next to Victor. "Why did you come here today? You could have let me walk into that trap." He stood gazing at Victor, waiting for an answer, not really wanting the man to leave just yet.

Victor shrugged his shoulders and said matter of fact, "I came here to warn you because Martino murdered my father when I was just a kid. I made a blood vow, . . . "
Victor raised his right hand to show Jim a very large, very old scar, that ran across his entire palm, ". . . On my father's grave that I would seek revenge on the man who killed him. I've been planning on killing him myself as soon as I could close enough. He's a double-crossing rat bastard who'd shoot his mother if he thought it would help *his* business. I won't let him to take another life just because he couldn't get his own way. At least, not if I can help it. I saw an opportunity, so I took it. I thought by warning you, then I would get my chance to avenge my father's death, in the club tonight. Amidst all the chaos."
Victor licked his lips. He had no idea why he was admitting to Jim Ellison that he was going to murder Martino. For some inexplicable reason, he sensed that he could trust Jim. It felt like they had almost known each other for years, instead of just meeting 40 short minutes ago.

"Do you have a piece?" Jim asked Victor practically.

Yeah, but I checked it at the door with one of your . . . ah . . . men." Replied Victor.

"Is it clean?" Asked Jim, meaning whether or not had it been used in a crime before.

Victor shook his head, "I'm not sure, I bought it off the street. So it's probably dirty."

Jim looked to his man who was standing back in the dusky shadows, "Lyle, would you see to it that Victor has a piece that's clean when he leaves. Have Mac find him something new, whatever Victor prefers, and have him get rid of Victor's old gun. Now if you'll excuse me," Jim said to Victor pleasantly, "I have some details to attend to. But I'll see you tonight, as planned." He smiled at the green-eyed man, but made no motion to move from where he was standing.

As it was, Dobrinski moved first by going to the door and holding it open for Victor.

Victor hesitated just long enough to be sure that he had heard correctly, the double meaning in Jim's 'I'll see you tonight'. Jim licked his lips slowly, and then Victor knew for sure that he had not been wrong about the silent innuendo. "Tonight it is then." He said huskily. Then he turned around and left.

Dobrinski waited for Victor to pass through the threshold first, then he turned around and said, "I'll take care of things Jim."

The large man closed the door behind himself, signaled to another large man who was standing just outside of the office, that he was to keep an eye on Mr. Ellison. Lyle went and found Mac and informed him of Jim's instructions regarding the gun. Once his firepower needs were taken care of, Victor was escorted out of the back way of the restaurant.
^*^*

THE INSOMNIAC - AFTER HOURS NIGHTCLUB:

Victor stood at his post, watching the main doors at Martino's club. For the second time, he reached inside his unzipped leather jacket and touched the butt of the 9 mm stuck into the back of his snug jeans. Smiling to himself, Victor looked down and made sure all the buttons to his jeans were done up. Tonight he had dressed himself in body hugging, button fly jeans and a forest green T-shirt that clung to his upper torso, accentuating his large biceps muscles, flat stomach and well-developed pecs.
Victor normally did not take as much care in his clothes. But for tonight, he had picked his clothes from his spartan wardrobe very carefully. He was dressing for Jim Ellison, and Jim alone.
There was something going on between them, and after the evening’s business had been conducted, Victor had a feeling that it would be followed by some pleasure for both of them, involving each other.
Virtually every woman that had passed through the entrance to the Insomniac gave Victor a second and some a third glance. Even a few guys gave him an extra look. Victor didn't mind however, was in an exceptionally good mood, seeing Jim tonight had a lot to do with it. As well as the fact that tonight would be the night that Antonio Martino paid for his crime. Victor was glad when Jim had agreed to let him be the one to exact Martino's punishment. Jim would deal with Sandburg and the hit, then come to the Insomniac with a crew and create a diversion so that Victor would be sure to end up alone with Martino, his men taken down during the resulting melee.
The time passed quickly and the club was exceptionally crowded. Though he hadn't been informed of before hand, Victor had a feeling that half of the people in the place were somehow connected to the Ellison family. Victor's suspicions were confirmed when a half hour before Jim was supposed to arrive, Mac Ramsey, Ellison's main security man showed up with a gorgeous blond woman on his elbow who, had as many muscles showing on her arms as Victor did.

"Victor, . . . " Mac said softly, stopping in front of the bouncer. ". . .This is my fiancé Jackie. Jackie this is Vic."

Victor smiled at the woman, "Nice to meet you." he greeted.

“Like . . . Likewise." Jackie said in a very 'valley girl' voice. The blonde woman eyed Victor appreciatively then giggling, she turned to Mac and said, "Let's go in, I'm dying for a martini . . . "

"Any word on how's it going on the other end." Victor asked, not clarifying what 'it' was. He wouldn't admit it, especially to Mac, but he was very nervous, but in the end, he supposed that Jim could look after himself. Victor knew that Dobrinski would make sure that he came out of that club unscathed.

"I just got word from Lyle. He said that everything is going according to plan." Mac informed.

Victor looked around the jam-packed club for a second before he turned to Mac and asked, "Is there anymore of our people outside? I have to bring them in now if there is. It's pretty crowded in here, I'm going to have to stop admitting."

Mac smiled when Victor referred to 'our people'. He knew that Victor didn't even realize what he had said. Some of Mac's doubts about the man were put to rest with that one little statement. If he was a plant by Martino, which Mac was still suspicious he was, then he wouldn't have said 'our people' like that. Mac assumed that Victor already considered himself part of the Ellison crew now. And after tonight, Mac figured, he would be. That was, if he lived up to his end of the plan. Mac shook his head no. "They're already here and in position. I'm the last." Looking around he said. "I better go, before anyone gets suspicious. See you later Vic." Mac walked away with Jackie close at his side.

Victor watched them wander over to the bar. He opened the door and stepped outside. "No more people tonight, were full." And over the disgruntled shouts, he shut the door on the sizable crowd of people, all of whom wanted inside.
^*^*

Victor watched from across the room as Martino pushed the code numbers to the door that led to a set of back room offices. He glanced at his watch.

//Right on time.//

Martino always went to his office around midnight to count the majority of the evening’s receipts and Victor knew that he would be in there alone too. With only one bodyguard, usually 'Huey' standing outside the boss's locked door. 'Louey' would be behind the bar, keeping an eye on things going on in the frenetic club.

Fifteen minutes after Martino and 'Huey' had gone to the office, there was a rap at Victor's door. Victor quickly opened the door and was relieved to see both Jim and Lyle. Victor looked at Jim and smiled, then he opened the door wider and let the men pass. Jim followed Lyle through as the exceptionally large man some what shielded his boss.
Jim eyed Victor's physique appreciatively then he leaned in close and whispered directly into his ear, "I can't wait to see what's under that T-shirt." He blew a short, hot breath into the sensitive auditory organ and then backed up.

Victor's flesh immediately raised goose bumps. There was no mistaking now that there was definitely something 'going on' between them.

Dobrinski started walking away and Jim followed close behind him. Mac spotted Dobrinski first, and immediately he went to the men's room. He waited until the bathroom was completely empty before he set up a tiny, but potent smoke bomb. Mac lit the fuse, and on his way out of the john, he grabbed a roll of toilet paper and propped open the door with it.

About 30 seconds later, smoke started billowing out of the slightly ajar door. Jackie, taking up her cue from Mac, shrieked as loud as she could, "OH . . .MY. . .GOD. . .FIRE!" Amazingly, people actually heard her over the loud, throbbing beat of the canned music. Louey shouted ‘shit’, and as he went for the phone to dial 911, Mac clocked him over the head with his gun. 'Louey' fell unconscious to the ground, hitting the dirty floor like a block of granite.

The sprinklers started to go off and the rest of the crowd who had not heard Jackie yell, looked up. All of a sudden there was a rush to get out of the exit doors. Victor had the main entrance already open, and the other two emergency exit doors had been opened up by Jim's men. The men who worked for Martino had already been identified and subdued by the family's own crew. Victor worked his way through the crush of people until he reached the locked door. Lyle, Jim and Mac were already there waiting there for him. Mac turned to Victor "We'll take care of things on our end, you go do your job. And watch Jim's back." He warned.

Victor pressed the numbers on the pad, and when the light showed green, he drew his gun. He pushed open the door and entered low shooting 'Huey' as the guard was going for his gun, killing the man instantly. The heavy door slammed tight behind he and Jim, who had his gun pulled too. Despite the mayhem going on outside of the club, in the hallway, it was relatively quiet, the steel and concrete blocked out most of the noise. There were no sprinklers in this section of the building; Martino had no idea that he had been left unprotected, he didn't even hear the gunshot as both invadors had silencers screwed onto their guns.
There was another keypad at Martino's office door. This code, Victor didn't know, so instead he opted for the easiest way in and simply shot it out. Victor looked back over at Jim and shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'hey, whatever works huh?'
He grasped the knob and turned it slowly, relieved when rotated all the way. Shoving the door in with his large shoulder, Victor burst into Martino's office and caught the man completely by surprise.

Martino looked up, "Victor" he said. "What the fuck is this?...Ellison? How the hell did you . . .?"

"Surprised to see me Martino?" Jim asked casually.

Standing motionless, Victor stood and stared at Martino, his gun aimed directly for the centre of the older man's forehead.

"We don't have much time Victor." Jim said anxiously as he looked at his watch.

Ignoring Jim, Victor said to Martino. "I'm here to kill you MR. MARTINO. For murdering my father 20 years ago on the dock."

“No, nooo." Martino said, petrified now.

"Don't deny it. I know you shot him because I was there. I saw you . . . you bastard." Victor said vehemently.

"Victor please." Begged Martino. "Don't do this . . . I . . . "

Victor interrupted Martino and shouted at him, "You ruined my life!" Then he pulled the trigger on his gun, and a bullet passed through Martino's brain as easily as a warm knife through butter. Martino fell forward, his head hit the desk and made a loud smacking noise.

Victor just stood there, the gun still raised, with his eyes riveted to the splatter pattern of gray matter and blood on the stark white wall behind the dead man.

Jim reached out and gently pushed Victor's gun arm down. "It's over Victor. He's dead. We should go now." When Victor still didn't move Jim tried again, "Victor" he said softly, "We have to get out of here before the cops come."

Victor turned to Jim. Shaking his head, he came out of his daze. "Yeah, . . . " He said softly "In a minute." He gave Jim a shaky smile then he grabbed a chair that sat against the wall and carried over to a large bookcase on the far wall. Victor stood on the chair and he pulled the sleeve of his jacket down and covered up his hand. He reached up high and grabbed hold of a large leather bound book. He carefully opened up the book and pulled out a small video camera that had been secreted in the spine. The camera, Victor knew, was motion controlled so every time someone was in the office and moving around, the camera recorded. He dropped the camera to the rug and Jim stomped on it, smashing it into pieces. Victor replaced the book, then, with the sleeve of his jacket still over his hand, he went to the shelf below. Moving aside a large wooden framed picture, Victor went straight to a small VCR that had been hidden behind the photo. He used one leather-covered finger to open up the machine and he pulled the small tape out. Sticking it into his pocket, he intended on destroying the video evidence of him murdering Martino later.
Victor knew that when he was questioned about Martino - and as an employee of the club, he *would* be questioned there would be no doubt about it - he didn't want the cops to be able to tie him into the murder. Fingerprints in the office could be explained; fingerprints on the security equipment could not.

Back out in the club, Jim and Victor ran into an anxious Mac and Dobrinski, waiting for them.

We were just about to come in for you. What the hell took so long?" Mac asked Jim, annoyed over the length of their delay in leaving the office.

Dobrinski piped up. "No time for that now Mac. We gotta get out of here. Now!" He turned and started for the exit at the back of the club.

Victor followed and as soon as he was a few feet away from them, Mac grabbed Jim and pulled him back by his arm and asked, "He watch your back in there?"

Jim smiled and slapped Mac's cheek lightly, "Stop worrying about Victor, Mac. He *did* the job in the office. And didn't leave it to me to take care of. Satisfied?"

Mac nodded and released Jim.

"Good, then let's get out of here." Both men ran for the exit.
^*^*

UNKNOWN LOCATION 1 A.M.:

Jim stepped out of the back of his Mercedes and slammed the door behind himself. Victor who had been sitting in the front seat of the dark-blue luxury vehicle climbed out too. Dobrinski who had been driving, turned off the motor but left the head lights on in the high beam position and had them aimed at a large mound of gravel. The Mercedes sat at an angle and was parked just to the left of another vehicle. This car, a Cadillac driven by one of Mac's men, had arrived just before them. It too was turned off with only it's lights shining on the same gravel pile. The three men had stood in front of their car waiting for the occupants of the other to emerge.

Mac climbed out of the back seat, he held the door open and out stepped Blair Sandburg, whose exit was followed by a man whom Victor didn't recognize, just another soldier to the family, he assumed.

Jim turned to Victor and said, "Give me the tape and stay here by the car." Victor had been about to protest Jim's orders, but then he took a second look into Jim's eyes and he rethought his hasty decision.
Victor nodded in acquiesce and reached into his pocket and handed over the recording of him murdering Martino. He had no choice now but to trust Jim completely; he leaned back against the warm hood of the car and waited. Victor was positioned between the headlights, and as he sat there, he realized that because of the glare of the halogen lights, his form would not be recognizable to Blair. Dobrinski walked out to the gravel mound with Jim and waited as Mac dragged the 'turncoat' along by his arm to meet them.
The disgust Mac felt for Sandburg was evident in Mac's scowling expression, making it obvious to Victor, that Mac did not like 'rats'. Once Mac and Blair had reached Jim, he forced Blair to his knees.
Sandburg's eyes were wild with fear, and clearly he had been crying. Blair looked up at Jim and waited for what he knew would be the inevitable outcome of his own scheming.
“You set me up!" Jim's shouted. His fury barely under control.

“No. Jim I promise I didn't." Blair tried. Hoping that Jim would feel some residual sympathy for him and buy his final lie.

"Yes . . . you did. You're a liar and you betrayed me." Jim raised his arm and aimed his gun, the silencer still attached.

Blair shrank back. "Jim please." He begged. "I had no choice."

“We all have choices to make Blair. And here's mine." Jim squeezed the trigger only once; the bullet passing straight through the traitor’s heart and killing him instantly.

Victor stood up straight. He was not as affected by the murder of Sandburg as he thought he would be. He knew what it was like to want revenge.

To need it.

Jim had paid Blair back for his treachery the only way any connected man would. Shooting him came as no real surprise to Victor. The only thing that did surprise Victor was that Jim had done his own dirty work, unafraid of getting his hands bloody. Victor couldn't help but admire the man, he watched silently as Jim handed his gun to Mac and the video-tape.

Jim said a few parting words to Mac and the two soldiers, then he shook hands with all of them and walked away, back toward Victor and the car.

Victor figured that now, he and Jim were at least standing on level ground together. Jim maybe worth millions and Victor was only worth a couple of bucks, but both men had committed murder in the name of vengeance, and that small detail had made them equals.

Dobrinski held the back door of the Mercedes open, "Do you want to come home with me?" Jim asked before getting into the back seat.

Responding with a simple, "Yes." Victor went for the front passenger seat door, he glanced quickly back over his shoulder and saw that Mac had already started to destroy the video by opening up one end of the tape and ripping out the insides. The tape flapped in the wind like a gymnasts ribbon. He grabbed the door handle.

But Dobrinski, still holding the door, stopped him and said, "In the back if you please, Mr. Mansfield." Victor smiled at the large guard as he climbed into the car next to Jim. He shut the door then went around to and climbed in the driver's side.

“Home, please Lyle, and no more calls tonight." Jim requested. He pushed a button beside him in the armrest and a black glass partition rose up cutting them off from the driver.
Victor leaned back into the rich black leather seat. His exterior portrayed calm, but on the inside his guts were churning. He had never been around such luxury before. Having only sat in the front seat of the custom Mercedes, Victor didn't realize that there were all these bells and whistles in the back. He also couldn't deny that fact that at that moment, he was very turned on. Jim's proximity to him had made the butterflies in his stomach start fluttering again.

Jim smiled at Victor. He was watching him look around the car. Contrary to what Victor thought, he was not doing a very good job of hiding his enthusiasm at being in the back of such a lavish and expensive car. However, Jim was refreshed by Victor’s attitude. His honesty and eagerness was a welcome change from the back stabbing world Jim lived in every day. He was afraid to admit it to himself, but Jim already felt himself falling for Victor, and falling hard. Victor's ability to be brutal when he had too - killing Martino, yet able to think under pressure - going for the surveillance tape and camera, told Jim that Victor had both balls of steel and brains.

Two very attractive traits in a potential lover for a mobster.

The way that Victor had taken orders from him without protest or question, also spoke volumes to him. Though Jim was not a particularly bossy man, he needed the people to listen, obey and respect his commands and in that order.
Victor had done all three without hesitating. The fact that Victor was also gay and totally gorgeous, certainly added another element to his appeal. And best of all, it was very clear to Jim, that Victor returned the attraction. Yes, Victor Mansfield was turning out to be the perfect man.

Jim picked out a c.d. and started it playing. Done with his musings about Victor, he asked, "Drink?"

"Sure, that would be great." Replied Victor who had been looking out the car window. He took his coat off and placed it beside him between the door and his body. He pulled down his T-shirt and tucked it in, smoothing out the folds.

Jim in the meantime had pulled down a handle of a wooden panel and a small mini-bar appeared out of the back of the seat. "What will it be Victor?" Jim asked, putting ice into two crystal glasses.

"Vodka please."

Jim poured several fingers of an expensive brand of vodka into each tumbler. "Ahhh." He said as he passed Victor his glass. "A man after my heart." Jim smiled seductively, his face lit up by the dim lights in the ceiling above both of the men.

That . . . I am." Victor said suggestively. He put his full lips to rim of the crystal and looking up provocatively at Jim, took a deep drink of the alcohol. "Can I ask you a question Jim?" Victor said as he put his tumbler down in the cup holder in front of him. The music of a Canadian band, '54-40', was playing softly in the background.

"Sure. What?"

"What will happen to the tape of me killing Martino?"

"Don't worry Victor, Mac won't leave any trace of it. I promise." Jim smiled, then he leaned forward and kissed Victor gently on the mouth. Victor's lips were full and round, and felt better than Jim had imagined them to be. He pulled back and asked, "Was it okay I did that?"

Victor didn’t answer but pulled Jim into another round of kissing. After a few minutes he allowed Jim to take control, and let the man gently ease him back against the soft leather seat. Their kisses were ardent and enthusiastic and never once, during the maneuver did they break their seal.

Jim was half laying on top of Victor, his hands had somehow found their way up the tight T-shirt that Victor was wearing. He had been dying all night for the chance to run his hands over the younger man’s chest; to be able feel the warm skin beneath that had been concealed by the small, innocent piece of cotton. Jim thought it strange that a simple piece of clothing could drive him so wild. He thought that maybe it was the same thing as when his brother Justin once confessed that he loved to see Dana in white lingerie.
With his hands resting easily on top of Vic's hard pecs, Jim, slightly out of breath asked, "So you're definitely into coming up to my place for a drink right?"

In the background, the band was singing softly:
'If you want love you should come over, I'd like some time to be by your side. You look like you could lean on a shoulder, leave the walls behind'.

Victor looked deeply into Jim's eyes. "Yes. For sure I'm coming up now." He smiled and laughed softly but he was so nervous, more so than had been ever before. He had been with a few men over the years, and even one woman. But none of those people had ever made Victor feel like he did right now.
Jim was an attractive package of connected family, wealth and influence. Victor couldn't help but be turned on by him. He was strong, masculine and 'dangerous.' Everything about the man turned Victor on, starting with his looks and going from there.

Jim Ellison, was power. Pure and simple.

Jim got up off of Victor. "Then, how about we save some stuff for the penthouse." He said. They adjusted their hard-ons in their pants at the same time, each of them taking notice of the other and laughed together in unison when they 'caught' each other doing it.
Taking the tumbler from Victor, Jim freshened their drinks, saying conversationally, "I never thought I was the type to be attracted to a blue collar guy." He handed the glass back to Victor.

Victor raised his eyebrows in wonder, "Oh?" he sipped from his drink.

"But I must say, . . . " Jim flicked his gaze over the still sizable bulge in Victor's jeans, ". . .Those tight jeans and your equally snug T-shirt, seem to do it for me!" He laughed and took a sip of his own alcohol.

Victor smiled brightly, "Well, . . . " he retorted, "I'm not usually the type to chase a 'suit' but, . . . "

For the rest of the ride back to downtown Cascade, Victor and Jim talked and got to know one another better, sharing laughter and vodka all the way home . . .
^*^*

The elevator rang and it's shiny stainless steel doors opened to let out the occupants. Dobrinski stepped out first; as it was part of his job, to make sure that they would not be met in the hallway by any unwanted intruders.
But the only person in the hallway was a slight, 'nerdish' type man - who after having been thoroughly checked out by Mac - had been hired as a personal security guard, to stand outside of Jim's apartment. His shift was from midnight to eight a.m..

The guard had been sitting at a small desk at the end of the hall, about four feet from Jim's front door. He had been working on a computer, but when the men exited the private elevator he stood up; he already knew of the men's arrival and was waiting for them to reach the top floor.
The desk, though small, was the control centre for a state of the art security system. There were several camera's hidden around the building and all of them gave live feedback to the three monitors that were hidden from view from the public.
Dobrinski had buzzed up to the security desk, indicating that he was at Jim's private entrance. The guard however, had seen them through a camera first and had already sent the elevator down to them.
As the trio waited for the elevator, the guard at the desk studied the three people on the small monitor. On it was Jim, Dobrinski and a man he had never seen before. He kept his eyes narrowed and focused in on the unknown guy standing next to his boss. A pang of jealously hit the guard hard when he saw how close Mr. Ellison was to the newcomer. He did not like the way that his boss was talking quietly to and directly into the man's pierced ear. The good-looking man was just smiling and nodding his head, then turned to look into his boss's beautiful blue eyes.
And Dobrinski just stood there, back to the two men, his eyes watching behind Jim's back, for anything and everything! He clenched his fists in anger when he saw that Jim couldn't keep his hands off of the guy. And as the elevator opened up and the men got in, the guard's pangs of jealously were joined by a big dose envy for the unknown man, who was obviously *with* Jim. The guard didn't know what had happened to that little creep Blair Sandburg, but apparently he had been replaced by an older, more mature date who was a lot closer to Mr. Elisions' own age. The guard's blood had boiled at the sight of the two handsome men chatting away on the ride up to the top floor of the high-rise. //No matter.// Thought the guard as he stared at the incredibly handsome stranger, //He's just another quickie. Another notch for Mr. Elisions' bedpost. One day he will wake up and see me for who I am. I know it . . . He has too.//

By time the elevator doors had opened, the guard's emotions were safely under control, and instead of the grimace he wore for the stranger's image on the monitor, he now wore a smile for *his* boss.

"Evening' Langly. How were things?" Dobrinski said pleasantly as he fished out the key to Jim's apartment from his suit pocket.

“Quiet. Very quiet." Langly responded, his eyes on Jim now. "Mr. Ellison." He greeted.

Jim pulled his attention away from Victor, all business now. "Ringo." Was the cordial reply.

Ringo Langly preferred to be called by his last name only. And everyone did call him that, except for Jim. Jim was the only person that Langly didn't mind hearing his first name coming from. He liked to think that when Jim called him Ringo, it was his own personal, pet name for him. Langly's crush on his boss grew with waking day. He hid it so well no one even suspected.
Not one of Langly's associates knew how he really felt about his employer or the 'boy toys' he occasionally brought home. "Here's your messages Mr. Ellison." Langly handed a few pieces of paper to his employer. Jim took them from Langly's and his fingers brushed across Langly's hand. Somewhere in Langly's stomach a large butterfly fluttered about.

Jim however, took no notice the accidental touch. It was not the same thing for him. Jim turned to Dobrinski and said, "Go home to Kimberly. Vic's here. We'll be all right."

“Okay. See you tomorrow morning then. Bright and early." Dobrinski stretched and yawned.

Jim looked at Victor quickly then back to his friend, "Well not too early, lets push the meeting back a few hours."

Dobrinski only laughed and shook his head. "Okay. Goodnight boss." He said as he stepped into the elevator.

Jim introduced Langly to Victor. The men shook hands but Victor got the very distinct feeling from Langly's tight grip that he was, in fact not welcome and that it really wasn't nice to be meeting him. Victor ignored the man's iciness and smiled any ways saying ‘hi’ as pleasantly as he could to the smallish be speckled man.

Jim, of course, noticed nothing. He simply said a quick 'night' to Langly after the introductions then he was in the door and had shut it without even looking back at the worshipful employee.

The minute the two men disappeared into the apartment, the smile disappeared from Langly's face and was replaced by a scowl. He unhappily, flopped himself back down into the leather chair and brought the elevator back up to the floor as soon as Dobrinski stepped off of it . . .
^*^*

Once inside, Jim took Victor's leather jacket and hung it up in the closet.

Victor kicked his boots off without even having to be asked to, then he stepped further inside of the apartment and looking up at the high ceilings, he turned around in a circle slowly, in wonderment.
Jim had told him all about the high-rise when they were in the Mercedes. How his mother owned it and when he had decided to live in the city, his mother, as a gift, had the entire 20th floor gutted, and rebuilt from four small apartments into one large spacious living area. Mac had seen to all of the security in the place. He had worked closely with Ellison family contractors and architects. He had a state of the art video camera installed at Jim's own private entrance into the building as well as in and outside of the elevator and in the hallway leading to Jim's door.

However, what Jim did not tell Victor, was that Mac had also cleverly incorporated another hidden exit just in case a hasty escape was called for. There was a hidden door in the very back of Jim's large walk-in closet. The closet was paneled in a type of Swedish blond wood, the door was not easy to see. In fact it was so well camouflaged that unless you knew where and what you were looking for you would never find it. The knob to the secret passage was recessed and hidden behind a panel that needed to be slid aside in order to get to it. Once open, the door was spring-loaded and would close automatically behind you. On a ledge there was a flashlight, spare guns and ammo, put there by the ever vigilant Mac, for any one of those 'just in case.' scenario's that he thought might pop up.
Once a month, Jim was sure to check and clean the weapon, as per his security chief’s instructions. The small, dark passage, ran parallel to the length of the large hall and at the end of it there was a flight of stairs that led to the next floor. Once there all Jim had to do was unlock and push open the small 3 x 3 door and exit, via the 19th floor's fire hose and ax that was sitting behind glass. No one who lived in the posh building had a clue that there was a secret tunnel hidden behind the fire safety equipment on the 19th floor.

Jim smiled at Victor's back, as he continued to look around. After the apartment had been built, Jim's sister in-law Dana, had taken over and decorated the whole place, top to bottom in things that were unique to Jim's, very uncomplicated, masculine taste. He liked basic, modern furniture, he had no wish to see doilies and dried flower arrangements on any of his coffee tables.

Victor looked over his shoulder to the older man and said a simple, "Wow."

"Yeah." Jim replied, "It's a bit too much space for a single guy. But every once in a while one of my brothers spends the night instead of driving back out to 'burbs. Sometimes the kids come and stay with Dana or Samantha if there's something good going on in town."

"No." Victor protested. "This place is great." He stuck his head in and peeked at the main guests' bathroom. "I think your bathroom is bigger than the room I'm living in now." Victor turned around and laughed and shook his head. "Oh, to be you growing up . . . what a great life you must have had as a kid."

Jim went over to the bar and poured a pair of vodkas on the rocks. He handed the Lalique crystal tumbler to Victor and said with mock sadness, "I have to admit it, . . .I was the product of a happy home." He grinned and then said, "We had everything we ever wanted, but our parents made sure to teach us to appreciate it. I may have my own money now, but it was father and mother who made it possible for us to live the good life. They made us what we are today, and the amazing thing is that they started out with nothing." Jim knocked the rim of his tumbler with Victor's and took a drink.

Victor responded with a "here, here." Before he took a sip from his glass. He was still trying to hide the fact that he was a little in awe of Jim and his lavish lifestyle. The man himself, seemed so easy-going to Victor. The trait was reflected in the man's taste in the beautiful but simple things that surrounded him.

“Come on, I'll show you the view. It's great." Jim took a hold of Victor’s hand and led him out onto the patio. Outside on Jim's large tongue and groove brick patio there was a private swimming pool and hot tub along with a beautiful cedar sauna. A white, glass top table sat under an awning, with four padded chairs surrounding it. Near the pool and hot tub there was a small cabana that looked similar to the sauna. Amongst the furniture, the rest of the area was tastefully peppered with trees and flowers all in wooden boxes.

Victor stood at the edge of the railing and looked out over the city. He wished that his father were still alive, he would have loved to had seen Jim's apartment. Victor wasn't envious of Jim or his money in the least bit; he knew that having money didn't always make you happy. His dad was poor, but they still laughed and enjoyed the free things life had to offer like walking the beach and roasting hotdogs on an open fire pit for lunch on the beach. He only wished that his father were here so that he could see all of the beautiful flowers blooming on Jim's deck. His father always spoke of how he should have been a florist instead of a longshoreman. Victor wished that he had been one too, that way he would have still been alive then.

“What's the matter Victor?" Asked Jim when his companion had suddenly grown quiet.

Victor turned his head and looked at Jim, his face just a little bit sad. "Nothing." He lied, pushing away the melancholic thoughts of his father. He covered his mood by shrugging his shoulders and taking another sip of the cold vodka. "The view makes me feel positively small. That's all"

"Me too. Come on, let's get into the hot tub." Jim leaned forward and kissed Victor. They opened their mouths at the same time, and Jim could taste the vodka on the younger man’s breath.
Jim pulled back first and looked into Victor's eyes. When they had first met earlier that afternoon, it was Victor's large eyes and dark lashes that first grabbed Jim's attention initially. Even now, though it was dark out and the green hazel colour was not really visible to him, Jim still searched Victor's eyes. Eventually he said, "Let me see if I can give you another kind of view to think about."
He walked over to the side of the tub, and pulled back the hard cover. He smiled again and then started to disrobe, letting his expensive suit drop to the decking. "You going to join me?" Jim asked, undoing the buttons of his dress shirt. Once naked, he slid into the hot water.

Victor put his drink down on a small table. On his way to the hot tub, he crossed his arms in front and pulled off his deep green shirt, dropping it on top of Jim's clothes. Then he tossed his jeans and socks on top of the pile.

Jim stared at Victor, mesmerized by his beautiful, hard body. He mentally compared his last lover body to Victor's. While Blair was by no means fat, his frame was small and he still had some youthful baby fat ringing around his abdomen. Where-as Victor's body, being a full ten years older, had matured. His upper torso and arms were so well developed that each and every muscle's outline was clearly visible. From his 'traps' - the muscles running from his neck to the top of his shoulder - to his calves, if Victor had body fat, Jim would be hard pressed to find it. Jim thought that Victor was the most beautifully made man that he had ever laid eyes on.

"What? Ahhhhh." Asked Victor as he slipped into the water and sat across from Jim.

“I was just thinking how gorgeous you are. God, your put together perfectly." Jim reached out and felt around for his tumbler of vodka.

"Thanks. You're not exactly hard to look at either you know." Jim blushed at the compliment and Victor was pleased he had finally been able to unbalance Jim, like he had been doing to him all evening.
Victor decided to use the 'body' comment as an opening to tell Jim about his time in prison. He wanted to be honest with him, especially since if tonight led to other nights, Jim had the right to know the truth about him and where he had been. "I work out every single day, no matter what." He commented.

Jim put his glass back down and said, "Jeez, I wish I had your dedication."

“Well it's not so much dedication as habitual." Victor swallowed hard, "You see a while ago, I did a 12-month stretch at the 'Cascade County Pen.' To alleviate the stress, I worked out every day for several hours. It was my way of keeping out of trouble. Here's what happened . ."
^*^*

VICTOR'S STORY:

Victor Nathaniel Mansfield, age 34, had lived without a family ever since he was 12 years old. He had been alone and lonely for the majority of his thirty-four years. His mother had passed away when he was only eight years old, and the memories he had of her were nothing more than vague images that he no longer trusted to be accurate. Victor's only photograph of his mother was a pewter framed, 5 x 7 black and white photo, taken of her when she was still a teenager. She had died while in a sanitarium, the details of the circumstances surrounding her death was something Victor would never learn. He had no idea what she died of, though he once heard his father talking to a friend, and he had mentioned drugs. So Victor thought that maybe she had overdosed on drugs. But he couldn't even be sure of that fact.
After all of the years that had passed, not knowing the truth pained him greatly, even to this day.
His older sister Veronica, was 12 when she had gone off live with an aunt he had never heard of before his mother had died. After Veronica had left, it was just Victor and his father.
Once, when Victor was nine or ten, he asked his father why they never got to see Veronica. His dad looked down at his son, his green eyes full of sadness and answered, "She has her cousins for brothers and sisters now." Victor didn't understand at the time, but he did a few years later. His aunt hadn't wanted him after his had mother died, only Veronica. All of her children were older, as was she, and she felt that raising an 8-year-old boy would be too much trouble. Little boys messed the house up, and wore holes in their shoes and clothes. Victor's aunt wanted a girl to dote on, not a boy she would be constantly picking up after.
Even after his father was killed, his Aunt, rather than taking him in, had let him be sent to an orphanage to finish his informative years' in.
Victor learned the hard way that he could not count on his aunt, his sister, or anyone else in his immediate family anymore.

He had long since permanently exiled them from his solitary life.

In fact, he could count on one hand how many times he had seen his sister since she had first left the Mansfield household. And every time that he had seen her, Victor came away feeling like the poor, underprivileged cousin from the hills, that you only put up visiting because they were *family* and you *had* to be nice to them. In the end, Victor supposed that he really was the poor cousin no one wanted to associate with, even his own natural sister. The last time he had seen Veronica, she had come to visit him jail. Frustrated by her attitude, he told her not to come back; and she never did.. He couldn't take all the unpleasant feelings that came with Veronica and her visits.

Victor's father, Martin Mansfield had been only 43 years old when he was murdered; unprovoked and in cold blood by Antonio Martino. The elder Mansfield was killed because he refused to go along with Martino's scheme of using dock worker’s union dues and future pension dollars to fund the gangster's latest business dealings. Martin Mansfield, was an honest man to a fault. Simile’s like 'straight shooter' had been used in more than one conversation to describe him. He believed in the hard working men who had voted him as their union representative, and they believed that he would do his best in protecting their interests. When Mansfield told Martino and his goons just that, Martino did not get angry, instead he simply pulled a gun and shot Martin once in the head, right then and there.
The gangster stood over the man's corpse and said coldly, "Now they'll have to find someone else to protect their interests."

Martino, however, had no idea that the clandestine meeting and subsequent murder had an audience of one.

Victor had come to his father's work that afternoon intending on surprising his father with the sandwiches he had made for lunch. Arriving at the docks early, Victor climbed up high on a pallet of crates and waited for the lunch horn to sound. As he sat and waited, he heard loud, angry voices. Knowing he wasn't supposed to be fooling around the cargo, Victor hid where he was, high atop of the men and looking down at them. From his vantage point, he could hear everything word and see everything that was exchanged between the men. He was proud that his dad was standing up to the well-dressed man. Victor had no idea whom the man was, but he certainly didn't like him. The boy could clearly tell by his father's body language, that he didn't like him either. Then shot rang out and the man calmly walked away.
Victor waited until he thought it was safe then he took off, scared out of his wits. He ran all the way back to their tiny apartment. Locking all the doors, Victor sat, in shock, and wondered if what he saw was even real. An hour later, there was a knock at the door, and when Victor opened it, there was a uniformed cop, and a detective waiting to tell him the bad news; news that he already knew. It was only then did the tears, and grief come; once he knew that his eyes really hadn't deceived him, and his father really was dead.
Victor never did tell the police anything useful regarding the investigation, he was too afraid of the well-dressed gangster. Besides, he told himself, "who would believe me any ways." After the funeral, which was attended only by Martin's fellow dock workers and Victor himself, he had asked to see his fathers grave one more time before going to the orphanage. He waited until he was alone at the burial site - the social workers preferring to sit in the car and out of the rain - before making his vow.
Pulling a small, but sharp pen knife out of his front pocket, Victor sliced all the way across the palm of his right hand. Barely noticing the pain, he squeezed his hand tightly and let the blood flow freely through his clenched fist to the top of the freshly turned soil. Victor silently whispered to his father, vowing revenge against the man who had killed him as easily and with about as much emotion as swatting a fly.
Victor stood still, a solitary youth boy whose inadequate clothing was drenched right through from the pouring rain, heedless of the blood he was losing. The tears streamed down his face and Victor, abandoned by all, cried for his father and for himself. He had thought that he would never feel so alone as he did at that moment.

Too bad that he would find out how wrong he was . . .

Victor would be well in his thirties before losing the aching desolation that was with him always. One of the social workers, wondering what was taking the poor pathetic kid so long, finally looked out the fogged up a window for their charge. Both of them gave horrified gasps when they saw Victor, standing there, uncaring of the rain and bleeding from the hand onto his father's grave. They got out of the sedan and ran to the boy. One worker grabbed the knife while the other one admonished the preteen for hurting himself in such a manner.
Victor looked at them dully, numb with grief and with his eyes still coated with tears he said quietly, "It doesn't matter to me. Why should it matter to you?"
The social workers only scowled at his foolishness and then dragged him by his arm all the way back to the too warm car. As they pulled him alone, Victor had his head turned toward his father's grave the whole way; unwilling to look away until he was finally forced into the backseat of the sedan and driven away. The social worker who had pulled him along by his arm, opened up a manila file folder and made a note to have a child psychologist visit Victor at the orphanage.
Cast off by all, including the social workers who were supposed to watching out for him, Victor began yet another stage of his life. The orphanage that he had been sent to live in was a brutal, uncaring and loveless environment. He did the best that he could in terms of protecting himself. But every once in a while he would lose a fight and have his stuff taken away by an older, meaner boy. Fortunately, he had managed to avoid the sexual activity that took place after hours, when the lights went out for the night. Many younger charges were visited by the older and tougher boys, who stole through the dark to their beds, like marauding hyenas.
But Victor was not as small and weak as some other’s his age, so he, in that respect was left alone. That was, until one fateful evening a few months before his 15th birthday. He had been summoned to a dorm supervisor's private room. The supervisor had generously offered Victor some cream soda to drink, a treat, that was not often doled out in the orphanage. Unsuspecting, but wondering why he was called into the man's private room, Victor drank down the pre-drugged offering greedily.
All the supervisor had to do was wait for the strong drugs to take effect. He talked to Victor, casually, from the other side of the coffee table about growing up. Complementing him on what a 'fine, handsome young man' he was becoming. The predatory supervisor droned on, extolling the virtues of being 15. He told Victor how lovely it was to be in the particular phase of growth that he was in right now; how that he was hanging in limbo, between no longer being a boy and not quite a man.
It was at that point in the conversation that Victor first felt his eyes cross. He tried to focus them, but there was two of everything and he was dizzy. He told the man that he was not feeling that well that he wanted to go back to his dorm and go to bed.

The supervisor responded by saying softly, "Here, Victor. You can lay down in my bed." Then he stood up and guided Victor to his own, down quilted bed. Victor did not want to lie down in the supervisor bed, but his mouth and muscles would not work properly. He had no control over his body, he could not say no, and he certainly could not leave by his own volition.
After the supervisor had laid him down, he proceeded to slowly undress Victor and have his way with him for the next two hours.

He could remember some of what happened to him, but not everything. The exact details of what had occured were a little fuzzy. However, one thing Victor did know for sure was that the supervisor had drugged him, and when he was totally tractable he had sexually assaulted him. He woke the next morning in his own bed with a headache and an upset stomach. And when he pushed back his blankets and saw the fresh blood stain in his sheets, his fears were confirmed. He had been raped, only it wasn't by one of the boys in the dorm.
Gingerly he sat up and swung his legs over the edge of his bed. The hot, searing pain in his backside was excruciating. Thankful that he was alone in the dormitory, Victor stood up on shaky legs and slowly walked to the showers. He cleaned himself up as best as he could and scrubbed at his skin long after the hot water had run out on him because he thought that he could still smell the supervisor on his skin. Eventually though the cold water drove him out of the showers, and he returned to his bunk, where he packed what little possessions he did have into a small khaki duffel bag. Not caring who saw him, Victor walked down the dim hall and out the front doors of the orphanage. He went to a section of the chain-link fence that had a hole in it and passed through it, to his freedom. Victor looked at the scar on his hand and then kissed it. Vowing to himself never to return. Which, he never did.

Lying about his age, Victor told a kindly Asian man that he was 17, instead of his real age of 14 and got a job in the kitchen of the man's restaurant. At first he started by taking out the garbage and keeping the kitchen floors swept up and clean. Then as the months wore on he moved on to being a dish-washer and then, if he was needed, Victor would help the cooks out, by chopping up vegetables and cutting up the meat.
Once he was a legal adult, he attended school at night and eventually, put himself through a college that specialized in business administration. All those years, he was content to work for Mr. Wong and his family. He saved his money and bided his time, and every once in a long while, the feelings of desolation would leave him, but never for long. He kicked around Cascade throughout his twenties and into his thirties. He kept trying to find a way to get close to Martino, but nothing ever came up.
Then one night in 1995, a co-worker whom he didn't know very well, asked Vic for a ride home. Victor said ‘yes’ and while on the way, the co-worker had asked Victor to stop at a convenience store, claiming he needed smokes. Victor pulled over and waited in the car, and a few minutes later the man came running out of the small store. Jumping in he yelled at Victor to 'GO-GO-GO!'

Victor pulled away from the curb. "What's going on?" He shouted, afraid of what the man might have done. The co-worker never answered him and they didn't even get five blocks away before the cops pulled them over and arrested both of them. Victor had no idea his passenger had just robbed and shot the store clerk. Lucky for both of them, the man lived. Despite the larcenous co-worker sticking up for Victor - he had told the courts that he had nothing to do with the robbery - the judge still handed down a sentence of 18 months to Victor. Which meant that he could be out in 12 months with good behavior.
Victor minded his own business while on the inside and did his time without too much trouble. He spent his spare time in the gym working with weights in order to build up his physique. And as soon as he was released from the cages, Victor went straight to Antonio Martino and asked for a job. He knew his record and sizable build would work in his favor. Gangsters always needed a few good grunts around. He was hired on the spot to work as a bouncer/doorman at Martino's new nightclub the ‘Insomnia’. The club was the hottest place in town. Martino never even put his name together with his fathers. The murder had taken place so long ago, and Martino had killed plenty of men in between.
Victor was glad he had told Martino his real name, his honesty would, one day, get him closer to the well-protected man. He had been there just over six months before Blair Sandburg and opportunity walked in the door.

One day, while he was working, Martino came over to Victor and said with a sneer, "I've got that faggot Ellison's boy, Blair Sandburg coming in for a coffee in a little while. He's a little guy with long brown hair. Let him in, but after that, the place is off limits to everyone."

Victor had inwardly winced at the epithet, but outwardly he nodded in understanding. Martino often conducted business in the nightclub during the day.

Mr. Martino sat at his usual table and complained to 'Huey and Louie' about how that 'fag bastard Ellison stole that land deal' right out from under him and how it would be his pleasure to get rid of the youngest Ellison.

After he had been dismissed, Victor immediately headed straight for the Ellison establishment. He wasn't quite sure how his information would be taken. But at least it was a starting point in his need for revenge. ^*^*

Victor couldn't believe that he had told Jim the *whole* story of his life. Done with recounting his sad tale, he looked at Jim fully expecting to be told to get the hell out.

But instead, Jim was only looking at him wide-eyed, sad that Victor had such a crappy life; amazed that he turned out as good as he did.

"The last time someone looked at me like that, he was trying to talk me into having sex with him in the showers." Victor laughed softly.

Jim smiled at the thought of Victor naked and soapy standing under a warm spray of water. "Did 'he' get any?" He asked.

"Nah . . . Luckily by the time any of the big cons took notice of me, I had already gotten my early release. Besides, I can look after my self . . . " He got out of the warm water and suddenly freezing, ran quickly over to his drink and grabbed it up off of the table. Sliding back into the tub's warmth, he said. "However, I've made sure never to go back to the can. Once was enough for me."

"I bet." Shifting topics Jim commented, "Martino got what he had coming. He made his fortune off of the blood and sweat of others. He was a parasite, no one will miss his sorry ass."

Victor's eyes - reflected by the underwater lights in the hot tub - looked even greener than they had during the day, "I know. I just wish revenge felt sweeter."

Jim crossed the foaming water and sat next to Victor, shoulder to shoulder. "It's not easy to kill a man no matter how much you want to do it. It's what separates us from the psycho's and makes you one of the good guys. You did what you had to do, and took no pleasure from it."
Unable resist any longer, Jim leaned over and captured Victor's mouth. He gently prodded it open and then delicately touched the tip of his tongue to Victor's. After kissing that way for several seconds, Jim pulled back and reached for Victor's drink. He took a sip than passed it to Victor who drained it. "That stuff about the orphanage. Are you okay with that?" He asked.

"It was a long time ago now. I don't even know why I told you about it, no one else knows. Sometimes I think about it and wonder if I could have some how gotten my self out of the situation before it happened. But, in hindsight, I don't think so. He liked teenage boys, and he had a plan to get them, a plan that he was crazy enough to think was fool proof. That man was drugging the beverages of his victims long before rohypnol came onto the scene." Victor sighed heavily, "Anyway, he can't hurt anyone anymore."

Victor looked out into the distance and studied stars that made up the big dipper. "He's dead now." He said softly. "His scheme back fired one night, and a kid he didn't quite drug enough, stabbed him with a letter opener and ended up killing him. I guess he got what was coming to him too." Victor turned his gaze back to Jim, "I don't lie, and I don't like lies' Jim."

This time it was Victor who made the first move by tilting his head to the side and nibbling the soft flesh in the crook of Jim's neck. He kissed his way from one side to the other, planting small kisses over his neck. Every couple of kisses, Victor would bite down softly, arousing Jim and causing him to moan softly.

Jim brought his hands up and wound his fingers through the hair at the back of Victor's head. "Victor." He said softly.

Victor stopped kissing the side of Jim's neck but he did not move away from him. "Yes." He whispered, his warm breath raising goose bumps on Jim sensitive flesh.

“Let's go inside."

"Okay." Came another whispered reply.
^*^*

After showering and shampooing away the chemicals of the hot tub together, the two men stood at the edge of Jim's four poster antique bed looking into each other's eyes. Jim reached out and slowly undid the belt of the plush white robe that he had lent Victor to wear. The terry towel tie fell away and the robe parted open slowly, revealing a six foot one, by 3-inch wide vertical stripe down the length of Victor.

Victor stood still as Jim's large, blue eyes swept him up and down.

Jim reached out with both hands and ran them up Victor's smooth, hairless chest. He fanned his fingers wide and slowly pushed down the robe, over the back of his shoulders. When Victor was completely exposed, Jim leaned in and sucked the younger man’s left nipple into his mouth.

Victor moaned softly as Jim gently bit down.

Jim released Victor's nub, and kissed his way across the velvety muscled expanse to the other nipple; where he gave it the same tender loving treatment as he had the other.

No longer able to withstand the sensuous but torturous nipple treatment, Victor grabbed Jim's head and pulled his face to his own and kissed him roughly, the stubble of the days' growth rasped against each others cheeks and chins.

Jim grinned and ran his hand over Victor's chest again. "How come guys who work with weights always shave their chests?"

Victor looked down and watched Jim's hands as they caressed him. "Not shave." He said matter of fact. "Wax. And it's so you can see your muscle definition better." Victor shrugged. "Don't you like it?" He asked shyly, though judging by Jim's fascination with his pecs, Victor would have guessed that he did in fact, like it.

“Oh yeahhh. God you're sooooo sexy . . ." Jim sucked some more flesh in near Victor's nipple and left a small purple mark next to the small hard pebble. "You turn me on Victor." Jim stepped back and shucked off his own dark blue robe. He looked down and Victor's eyes followed his. "See." Jim said, "How hard it makes me just to kiss you?"

Victor brought his eyes up to meet Jim's. Both men's pupils were wide with dilation, not much color showed now in either pair of eyes.

"Lets lay down then and get comfortable." Victor replied huskily, his erection from Jim's careful ministrations very conspicuous too.
^*^*

Victor was laying on his back and Jim was on his knees making love to him. He arched his back and dug his fingers into the soft cotton sheets, clenching up fist full of the material. "Oh Jesus Christ Jim. Yesssss. That's it, right there." He moaned huskily. Victor cried out, as his cock let go and he released his seed, sending out several waves of the thick, creamy liquid. The hot cum fanned out over his chest and some of it landed on the back of Jim's hand. As he orgasmed, his ass muscles clenched tightly around the base of Jim's cock.

Which was all that Jim was need to send him over the edge as well. His balls tightened up and with a primordial cry of pleasure, he let himself go and came inside of his lover’s tight ass. Releasing Victor's rapidly softening cock, Jim collapsed on top of his sweaty lover. Heedless of the layer of rapidly cooling semen that separated his chest from Victors.

After a few heavy breaths, the mobster kissed with Victor for a few seconds before he eased his soft organ out from the constricted confines of the younger man’s insides. Jim reached over and grabbed a soft, plush towel from the nightstand and handed it to Victor.

"How gallant of you." Victor said jokingly as he took the towel and wiped himself.

"God Victor. That was best sex I ever had." Jim said contentedly as he took the proffered towel back and wiped his own genitals down with it.

Victor rolled over and kissed Jim lightly on the lips. Smiling he said, "Yeah. It was great for me too." He flopped back down and stared at the ceiling. "It's been a long time since I've made love to a man." He nestled his hands under the back of his head, "I usually date my right hand." Victor rolled over so that he was facing Jim, and said with a playful grin, "And when I feel kinky . . . I date my left hand."

Jim laughed loudly as he reached for the large down quilt at the foot of the bed. He pulled it up and covered them up with it, then he reached over and shut off the light. Snuggling in behind Victor who was now laying on his side, they were fit together like two puzzle pieces. Jim whispered in Victor's ear, "Good night." He kissed the back of Victor's neck. Both men fell asleep instantly.
^*^*

Langly had heard the muffled cry and he instantly snapped his head toward Jim's locked door. Pissed off that they were having sex, he scowled and thought to himself again how the new guy would never last. He was just another one of Jim's pick-ups. One day Jim would open his beautiful blue eyes and see just how right he was for him.
Behind him a phone rang softly, Langly picked it up immediately. It was Byers, the guard who was supposed to relieve him in the morning. He was calling from the hospital to let Langly know that he was going to be a couple hours late for his shift as his son was having an emergency appendectomy done, and that he would try to be there by ten or eleven.
Langly smiled at the desktop. He didn't mind, he wanted to be there in the morning to see Jim's latest conquest leave.
^*^*

Jim heard Victor call his name out softly. He shut the safe hidden in his large walk in closet and left the room. "Here I am." He said cheerfully.

Victor blinked his eyes a few times, the sunlight streaming though the skylight warmed the large bedroom considerably. "Whatch'ya doing in the closet?" Victor sat up and leaned against the headboard wondering why Jim was standing there looking like the cat who just ate the family canary.

Jim pulled his hand out of the pocket of his robe, and pinched between thumb and forefinger, was a small wad of money. "I got some money for you." He said smiling.

The look on Victor’s face morphed from curious and happy to shocked, "You what?" He asked, thinking he must not have heard Jim right.

"Five thousand dollars. I want to give you five grand for last night. I mean if Blair was going to receive ten thousand for me to lose my life, then the least I can do is pay you for saving it."

"Sorta like, . . . 'services rendered' you mean." Vic said, growing crosser by the second.

"Yeah. I guess so." Jim replied, he held the money out to Victor.

Victor swatted Jim's hand away. He threw back the covers and said angrily, "No thanks. Last night was for free." He walked past Jim, searching for his clothes.

Suddenly it dawned on Jim that Victor thought that he was offering him money for the sex. "No . . . wait Victor, that's not what I meant . . . I just wanted to help you . . . I don't think you're a 'pro' or anything . . . " Victor's hard glare cut Jim off in mid sentence. Which he realized was probably best since he seemed to be digging himself a deeper hole.

"I'm a man Jim, not some college boy whom you hired for the night. I'm not for sale." Victor said crossly as he pulled on his socks.

The biting remark stung Jim.

Victor grabbed his jeans and hastily did them up. He found his T-shirt and marched out of the master bedroom toward the front door.

All the while Jim was trying to explain his offering of the money. But nothing he said was coming out right. All Jim knew was that he didn't want Victor to leave, not like this at least. "Victor." He tried as the man in question pushed his feet into his boots.

Victor stopped and looked up at Jim expectantly.

“Please don't go." He said finally.

Victor shook his head and stood up. He said evenly to Jim, "Yesterday Jim, when I met you. I felt something. It was just as quick as that." He snapped his fingers. "And I thought that you had felt the same thing." Victor linked his forefingers together and said, "I thought that we had connected."
Then letting his hands fall to his sides he said softly, "I put my self on the line for you Jim. I told you things about me that no one . . . No one else knows. Jesus Christ . . . " he implored, his eyes wide with hurt. "...I murdered two men, in cold blood, right in front of you last night."
Jim tried to speak but Victor wouldn't let him get a word in. He held up a hand to stop him. "Listen, it's okay. I get it. Were from two different worlds and all that shit." He shrugged, trying to act like he really didn't care, but the truth was that he did care, too deeply and way sooner than he should have allowed himself too. He blamed himself for jumping in bed with a guy he had only just met. "Do you know how long it's been since I let someone fuck me?" He asked profanely, his emotions breaking through and betraying him.

Jim simply shook his head, he didn't know what to say.

"Over five years ago. That's how long." Victor chewed on his bottom lip, trying to control all the old, negative feelings that were bubbling up. Feelings he hadn't felt since the orphanage supervisor had raped him.
"I'm a big boy." He said finally. "If you only wanted last night to be a one time deal, then all you had to do was tell me. I can handle not being wanted. I can cope." He put on his jacket and grasped the doorknob, but before he walked out he turned back to Jim and said quietly, "I haven't felt this fucked over since the orphanage." Then he yanked the door open and slammed it behind himself.

Turning to the smirking Langly Victor said, "I need the elevator. Now!"

Langly had heard most of the argument that had taken place. Or the part of it that had taken happened near the front door that was. He was extremely pleased that the good-looking man was leaving, as he had predicted he would. "It's already on its way up. Mr. Mansfield." He said smugly.

Victor glared at Langly but said nothing to the guard. Instead he turned his back to him and walked to the steel doors and waited. They opened up almost immediately, and out stepped Dobrinski. "Morning Victor." He said cheerfully.

Victor mumbled "good morning" back as he slid past the large man. He jammed the button several times, there was no time for niceties, he just wanted to get the hell out of there and fast. The doors finally closed and as the elevator slowly descended, Langly watched him through the security cameras the whole way.
^*^*

"I thought you told me that Victor was different." Dobrinski said as he handed Jim a cup of coffee.

“He is. Or was." Jim answered glumly as he took a sip out of his mug.

“Then why are you treating him like a common whore?" Dobrinski asked sensibly.

“I didn't . . . " Jim protested.

Dobrinski laughed and put his mug down. "Okay, Jim. Let's take a look at it from Victor's point of view. He comes home with you, and after having sex, he is invited to spend the night. The next morning the man whom he has slept with, offers him five grand 'for last night'."

"Well . . . when you put it like that . . . " Jim mumbled.

The large man shook his head and asked. "What's he supposed to think?"

Jim didn't answer. He took another sip of his coffee and wondered how he could have been such a fool and let what possibly was the best thing to ever happen to him get away from him. Dobrinski spoke again, pulling Jim out of his commiserating. "What?" He asked, not quite catching what had been said to him.

"I said, is he worth going after?"

“Yes." Jim replied immediately.

"Then I suggest you get dressed while I phone Mulder. See if he can track down where Victor lives."

Jim put down his mug and went down the hall to his bedroom.
^*^*

VICTOR'S APARTMENT:

There was a rap at the door. Victor opened his eyes and listened. The walls were so thin that sometimes it sounded like someone was at your door, even though the person was really at the neighbors.
Victor's neighbor just happened to be a slimy drug dealer, and the rap was so soft, he though it that it was just another customer looking for, 'Cajun Cal'. He shut his eyes just as the knock came again. It was for him after all and not Cal. Sighing, he got up slowly and went to his door, he stood to the left of it, just in case. Which it didn't really matter anyway, because the door was so thin, it may as well be made of balsa wood. An old lady would have had no problem kicking it in. Nevertheless, he still followed basic security sense. "Who's there?" He asked gruffly.

Silence, then "Jim."

Victor couldn't help but smile, he was pleased that Jim had taken the time to find him. Opening the door he said, "You better get in here before one of my neighbors tries to mug you." Then he pulled Jim inside by the hand. "This is not a safe neighborhood. Where's your protection? Where's Dobrinski?"

Jim removed his jean jacket and laid it over the back of a kitchen chair. "I came alone."

Victor picked up his jacket and hung it up on a hook. Suddenly nervous and a little ashamed to have Jim standing in the shit hole of an apartment that he called home. "You want a beer?" He asked.

"Sure." Jim replied as he looked around the small, but very clean apartment. "You weren't kidding when you said my bathroom was bigger than your place." Jim accepted the beer and tilted it toward Victor before taking a drink.

"I told you. I don't' lie." Victor took a sip of his beer. "If Mac finds out you came here alone, he'll have Dobrinski's balls and kick your ass."

Jim put the bottle down on the small kitchen table and said to Victor, "There are some things that Mac can't do for me and some things he can't fix. This is one of them." Jim took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for this morning Vic. Really sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I'm usually not such an ass hole. But Lyle made sure to point out just what a dip shit I was for offering you money." He picked up his beer and took another deep swallow. Afraid that Victor wouldn't accept his apology.

"I'm sorry I was such a horses' ass too." Victor apologized, doubly relieved that Jim had come to find him.

Jim put his bottle down and went over to Victor. He wrapped his arms around the slightly shorter man and hugged him tightly. "I know this may sound crazy Vic, but I want to 'go steady'? Is that the right word?" He pulled back to look into Victor's face, but did not let him go.

Victor wrapped his arms around Jim's waist. "You mean you'd like to start a relationship?"

Jim laughed softly and then kissed Victor on the mouth. "Yes. That's what I'm trying to say."

Exclusive? No one else? Just you and me?" Victor asked, clarifying things. He knew that Jim's last boyfriend was at least ten years younger than him, and some self doubt started to creep into his thoughts.

"Yes, of course just you and me." He nuzzled Victor's neck. "I want a man, for a change, not a perennial student." Jim echoed Victor's similar sentiments of the morning’s argument. He bit the side of Victor's neck and sucked the soft flesh into his mouth and could taste the green apple glycerin soap on his skin.
Jim felt like he could spend the rest of his life forming hickeys on Victor's neck. "What do you say Victor? Are you up to the challenge of dating a known mobster?"

Victor leaned his head to the side to give Jim and his roving tongue better access. Sliding his hands down the back of Jim's jeans, Victor cupped his warm ass cheeks and whispered, "Alleged mobster. And yes, I'm up to the challenge."

Jim kissed his way to the other side of Victor's neck then he reluctantly he pulled away. "I need to say something then, before we go any further."

"Okay. Say it." Victor pulled his hands out of the back of Jim's pants and picked up his beer.

"Well last night, you said you don't lie and you don't like being lied to. So I promise you, I'll always to tell you the truth."

Victor nodded.

"Well, then if I 'm going to be truthful then I should say that, in the bedroom, in our apartments, you and I we are complete and total equals. But at the office, in front of my men, . . . well . . ." Jim started to stammer, he took a sip of beer and tried again, ". . . I need to be seen as the boss . . . "
He couldn't believe he was actually blushing. He didn't bother having this conversation when he started bedding down Blair. Blair had worked for him before, so he knew the score. Besides, Blair was an underling and Jim had no problem fucking him then telling him what to do afterwards. But with Victor, Jim could tell already that things were different. He was mature and had been around the block a few times. Victor might know what the score was, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

"I understand where you’re coming from Jim." Victor explained. "You have a lot of people working for you and you need to be in control. Especially in front of your people. I can respect that. But I want you to swear to me that you won't treat me like some 'bum boy' who hasn't got a brain in his head. I'm not window dressing for your elbow. Okay?" Victor smiled and looked directly into Jim's eyes. He didn't think he would ever get enough of them. The blue color reminded him of a picture he had seen once as kid. The picture was in a national geographic magazine, it was of the great barrier reef. The still blue waters pulled him into a fantasy world where he was the skin diver, swimming freely among the brightly coloured tropical fishes. At the time, Victor thought that the photo was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He was living in the orphanage, and being free was very much on his mind those days.

Jim smiled. "That's why I like you Vic. Brains and beauty." He kissed him again.

“Yeah, well brains and beauty not withstanding, now that Martino's gone, I'm out of a job." He went to his small fridge and as he grabbed another beer, it hit him, Jim Ellison, one of the most powerful men in Cascade, the entire state for that matter, had chased him down and asked him to 'go' with him exclusively. Victor had done the 'poor' thing over and over again. He thought that it might be nice to be with a man with some taste and class for a change. "You want another he asked?"

“Please." Jim replied. "I can give you a job." He said from the sofa.

Victor raised his eyebrows, "What kind of job?" He sat beside Jim on the threadbare couch.

Jim took the beer and twisted off the top, "Well your sleeping with me for free, " He made an 'oomphing' sound when Victor elbowed him, "But how about I pay you to figure out what's wrong in my restaurant."

Intrigued, Victor asked, "What's wrong at the restaurant?"

"Well, the books say one thing but the inventory and profit say another. Something's lumpy, but I don't know what, exactly it is." He took a drink and then said, "I think it would be a good idea to bring you in to check things out. See where my inventory and profit are really disappearing too."

"Like a private investigator?" Victor smiled as he put his beer down on the small coffee table.

"Yeah," Jim agreed, "exactly like that."

"Okay." Victor said. "I can do that. Victor Mansfield, P.I." He said, he gave Jim a provocative smile, then reached out and grabbed him; kissing him roughly. Victor pushed Jim back so that he was leaning against the arm of the couch and undid the jeans he was wearing. He exposed the man's already erect cock to the cool air of the small apartment. He ran his tongue over Jim's navel, sticking it inside the deep depression.

Jim started to murmur softly about how good Victor's lips felt.

Encouraged, Victor ran his tongue from the bottom of Jim's heavy balls to the weeping slit of his swollen head.

“Ohhhh, you better investigate that deeper." Jim muttered again. He brought his hands down and gently pushed Victor's head toward the object in dire need of investigating.
^*^*

“I better take you shopping for some . . . clothing." Jim said casually, fingering the hem of Victor's thin T-shirt.

Victor looked down, "I guess I need to buy a suit," He looked up at Jim, "or two. How much do you think I'll need? I've got about a thousand dollars saved."

Jim laughed, "How about you keep your savings and you just let me treat you to a . . . " he didn't want to say 'a new and improved wardrobe.' Because he liked Vic's personal style of jeans and simple shirts, but if he was going to work for the Ellison family, then he was going to have to invest in some proper clothes in which to work in. "...wardrobe that's more appropriate for business" He finished very politically correct.

"You're right. I guess short sleeved T-shirts and frayed jeans are all right if your working a door, but you don't have to treat me. I've got money, I can pay." Victor didn't want to admit it, but he knew the kind of clothes that Mac and Jim wore cost more than a measly thousand bucks. Their socks alone must have cost fifty bucks a pair.

Jim, still basking in the afterglow of the late afternoons blow job pulled Victor close and kissed him, "I know you have money Victor, but the 'right kind' of clothes cost a lot more than what you have. What's the point of having money if I’m not going to spend it? Right? Please Vic, . . ." Jim wheedled, ". . . just let me do this for you. It doesn't mean a thing. I promise." Jim knew that Victor had no wish to be seen as a kept man. Unlike Blair, who relished in his role as the 'well looked after' lover.
Victor however was different, he had pride in his independence. Jim had no wish to strip Victor of his dignity. A thought struck Jim, so he added in quickly, "Besides, once you start getting a salary, I can have my accountant Nathan deduct the price of the clothes. That way you can pay me back a little bit at a time." He couldn't get enough of being so close to his new lover. Victor felt so right in his arms, he fit Jim's large physic so perfectly. "How does that sound? Hmmmm?" Jim worked his tongue under the collar of Victor's navy blue cotton shirt and sucked in the flesh at the top of his well-developed 'trap' muscle.

Victor squirmed, his cock already hardening again at Jim's careful ministrations. "Okay, it's a deal. Let's go shopping." He said breathily.

Instead of answering, Jim opened the fly on Victor's jeans and buried his face in his lovers exposed groin. Reciprocating the great blow-job Victor had given him just a short fifteen minutes ago.

Leaning back against the kitchen counter, Victor grasped the edge to support himself. All thoughts of clothes and shopping evaporated.
^*^*

Ellisons restaurant:

Later that evening, Jim and Victor were sitting and enjoying a light dinner at Jim's restaurant, that was simply named, "Elisions." Both of the men were laughing about the trip to an exclusive men's shop earlier in the day.
^*^*

Victor, overwhelmed by all of the attention the tailor was paying him, finally swatted away the small, elderly French man's hand away from his genitals and growled, "It's none of your business which way my dick 'dresses'."

Where upon the man, frustrated with the clients non cooperation looked up at Jim from his knees and said exasperated, "M'sieur James . . . please . . . "

Jim laughed at his lover and took him aside, still smiling he said to him, "Vic, he has to know these things if your two thousand dollar trousers are going to fit you properly."

Victor looked over his shoulder and scowled at the tailor and his effeminate helper, who in Victor's opinion was far too eager to but his hands all over his balls "I'm an ordinary, everyday kind of guy Jim. Can't we just grab something off the rack and go?"

Jim rubbed his thumb over Victor's lips and stifling a laugh he said, "I know you're a meat and potatoes man," he leaned in close and whispered, "that's why I love you." As he spoke, Jim reached out and gently felt up the front of Victor, cupping his hand gently over his balls.

Victor eyes opened wide and he looked at Jim questioningly, he had assumed that Jim was not one for public displays.

Jim grinned mischievously and then he let go and stepped back a pace. Though he spoke to the tailor, he was looking directly into Victor's wide eyes. "He dresses left, M'sieur Louis. You have the rest of his measurements already. Mr. Mansfield will take the dark gray, navy blue and black suits we looked at earlier. I want all white shirts and any ties Marcel, sees' fit to match up with the suits. He'll also take that and that," Jim pointed to two new, non-traditional suits, designed by a young, currently hot, male designer from London. "With the green and teal blue dress shirts for the black suit and orange and that light green to match the other. Throw in some socks to match."

"Right away Mr. Ellison," Marcel, the assistant said.

Jim looked over a frowning Victor's shoulder and said to Marcel, "Mr. Mansfield wears a size eleven shoe, be sure to find something that matches the wardrobe. Three pairs, and make sure they're comfy." Jim commented to Victor practically, "Well you can't very well wear your Nikes to the office, can you?"

Victor looked down at his dirty runners.

"Would it be a problem to get everything delivered by Sunday night?" Jim asked pleasantly, as he handed his platinum credit card to Marcel who started to protest the short notice.

But the Frenchman stopped him. Jim had just spent over ten thousand dollars in his store, any thing Mr. Ellison wanted he got. "No m'sieur, no problem at all." The tailor replied in a thick French accent.

Once back in the car, Victor turned to Jim and said what he had wanted to say in the shop, but held his tongue until they were alone. "I am capable of picking out my own clothes and actually putting them on you know. I learned to do it as a small child" His voice was sarcastic.

Jim deflected Victor’s anger easily by saying, "Listen. I was only trying to save you another round of Marcel trying feel the peaches in your basket. I could tell you just wanted to get the hell out of there. If you want though, we can go back. It's not too late to pick out something else." Jim poured Victor a vodka and handed it to him.

“All right, all right, you got me. Actually, when it comes to suits, I'm not sure what I like. It's better you ordered them for me." He sipped his drink.

"Besides," Jim poured his own drink, "I had to get out of there too. Marcel was making me jealous with all of his fawning." Jim mimicked Marcel's high, falsetto voice perfectly and said, "Ooooh, Mr. Mansfield, what big muscles you have. And such lovely green eyes, we must find a tie to match them. Mr. Mansfield your ass is so perfect and so tight." Smiling he took a drink of his alcohol.

Victor laughed, "He didn't say that last crack about my ass. You did, while you were trying to molest me in the fitting room." All of his frustration had dissipated.

Jim laughed with his lover . . .
^*^*

Victor took a sip of his wine and looked up, past Jim. Still grinning at Jim's ability to imitate the Frenchman’s assistant so well. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw a man, who looked very similar to Jim, but with darker hair and a little bit more of it coming toward their table. He put his glass down and said, "Jim." Just as the man reached the table.

The look a-like man leaned over and kissed Jim's cheek and Jim kissed the other side of the man's cheek at the same time.

Jim looked up smiling and said, "Hey Jase what's up?"

Jasen Ellison smiled at his brother and flicked his gaze toward Victor and raised his eyebrows in silent questioning. "What's up with you little brother? I haven't talked to you in a while."

Jim understanding the signal, said to his brother, "Um, we have to get together on Monday for a meeting, the rest of the boys should be there too. I have a few things I need to tell you about what I've been up too this weekend." He sipped his wine and then said, "I want you to meet Victor Mansfield. Victor, this is my older brother Jasen." Jim said, making the introductions.

Victor smiled and reached out his hand and Jasen shook it, "Nice to meet you Mr. Ellison." He greeted respectfully.

Impressed with Victor's firm grip and the fact the man addressed him as Mr. Ellison, Jasen said to Victor, "Please, call me Jasen, Victor." He smiled back.

Victor let go. As he watched the two Ellison men talking, he thought that for as much as they looked alike, there were also some very marked differences. Jasen had dark brown hair, whereas Jim's was a dark blonde and his eyes were large and deep brown, Jim's of course, were a light tropical blue. Jasen, when he smiled had deep laugh lines ingrained at the corner of his eyes, and Jim, though 35, had very few lines that had formed. He did not show his age, in fact, he looked much younger than he was. Victor picked up Jasen's conversation mid sentence.

"...The kids are spending the weekend and mom and dads, so Sam and I are out for a little dinner, then off to Marc's new blues club to catch a little music, do a little dancing." He said cheerfully.

Where's Sam now?" Jim asked.

"Oh, talking to your chef Thea, about something or other." He looked over his shoulder and saw his wife approaching. "Here she comes now." As Samantha Mulder Ellison approached the table, both of the seated men stood. The beautiful brunette leaned in and kissed her brother in-law on the cheek, but before she pulled back she whispered softly into his ear, "I certainly hope he's your date and not a business deal." She grinned cheekily at the rapidly blushing Jim, which of course revealed her, that the handsome man across the table was indeed a date.

"You're a terrible tease." Jim said to his sister in-law, though neither Victor nor Jasen had any idea what he was referring too. "Samantha Ellison." Jim gestured toward Victor, "Victor Mansfield."

Victor reached out and shook Samantha's hand. "Pleasure to meet you Mrs. Ellison." He said.

"The pleasures all mine, Mr. Mansfield." She gave a sideways glance at Jim.

Jasen cleared his throat, "Come on Sam, the table's waiting." He put his large arm around his wife's waist and after the good-byes were said, they walked away.
^*^*

"You know." Jasen admonished his wife as he pulled a chair out for her to sit in, "You shouldn't tease Jim. Lord knows he never gets out enough as it is." He looked over his shoulder at his brother, and watched for a few seconds as Jim looked directly at Victor and spoke only to him. Jasen thought that Jim was so focused in on his companion, that the two of them were alone, in a crowded restaurant.

Samantha watched the men for a few seconds too. She could tell just by Jim's body language that this was not just some ordinary guy he was dining with. She looked at Jasen and said, "Well, Victor's certainly a good-looking character. Isn't he?"

Jasen poured his wife a glass of wine. "I suppose so." He agreed noncommittal. Although he could see that almost every woman in the place seemed to need to walk by Jim and Victor's table on their way to and from the ladies room. Even though the restaurant's tables were set up in a circular dining pattern.
All of the women were sure to smile at Jim on their way to the washroom, and then smile at Victor on the way back. Jasen commented on this half way through dinner to Samantha, who only laughed softly.

Holding her husband hand she teased, "I can't wait to tell Dana and LiAnne about Victor." Sipping her wine, her eyes sparkled with mischief, "Finally a new man to ogle at the family dinner table."

"Stop." Jasen said playfully. "All your fawning for him is making me jealous." Which of course, it wasn't, he lifted his wife's hand and kissed the back of it. Putting it down gently he said a little more seriously, "At least Victor isn't some bum living off of Jim like he was a sugar daddy or something."
Jasen had made it very clear to Jim on a previous occasion just how he felt about Blair Sandburg. He did not like the young man at all. He felt that Blair was nothing but an opportunist and a gold digger, living off of Jim's generosity. He had told Jim all of this, which was why Blair was only an occasional lover of Jim's. His family opinion meant a lot to Jim, they were everything to him. So, whenever he was with Blair, he tried to keep a low profile; but of course, Jasen knew whenever they were together anyway.

"Obviously Blair's out of the picture if Jim's out on the town with Victor." Samantha, said, wisely keeping her ill feelings toward the younger man to herself. "Well, I think Jim’s made the right decision by dating others. I wonder how he and Victor met?" She mused out loud, trying to change the topic.

"I don't know, but Jim wants a meeting on Monday, so I guess I can ask him for you . . . " He took another sip of his wine.

"Oh, now you stop." Samantha said softly, "I know your dying for 'dish' too. You're the worst out of your brothers for gossip."

"Maybe so." Jasen said. He looked up just as Jim and Victor approached their table.

Samantha noticed all of the women whose tables the two men had passed had turned their heads at the handsome men.

Jim squeezed the back of his brother's neck and then leaned over and kissed Samantha on the cheek. "Were on our way. See you Monday morning. My office, right?"

"Okay, ten o'clock good?"

Jim nodded head. "Ten's fine." He stepped back and Victor moved closer.

He reached out and shook Jasen's hand again, "Nice to have met you Jasen." Then he turned to Samantha and nodded toward the seated lady, "Mrs. Ellison." He said simply.

Samantha smiled, "Good night Jim, Victor."

As the men walked away Samantha said to her husband, "Ohhh, what a gentleman Victor is."

Jasen shook his head and poured more wine for the both of them, "I thought I said to stop that . . . "
^*^*

It had been a week since Victor had met Jim's older brother Jasen and his wife Samantha. He hadn't however, even seen the rest of Jim's large family. He knew all of the Ellison men had office space together, taking up the entire tenth floor of a posh downtown high-rise. All of the men worked under the blanket name of "Ellison holdings."
Jim was there, at his office right now, while Victor was back at Jim's restaurant working in a small office that could only be reached by passing through the kitchen. Passing through the first door on the left you came to a waiting area, and then the office was behind yet another door.
Right now Victor had that door closed, and was very busily pouring over the inventory books along with the receipts for items received and paid bills. They did not jibe with what Nathan - the accountant - had in his books.
The phone next to the computer rang shrilly, pulling Victor away from the numbers. "Mansfield." He said distractedly into the phone. His eyes still walking over the pages.

"Hey Vic, it's me. How goes the battle?"

Victor smiled and sat up. "Hi Jim. It's never ending, but I think I'm starting to make sense of some things here. I don't think your going to like the conclusions that I'm drawing to, either." He pinched the bridge of his nose then rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger.

"What's the deal?" Jim asked.

"I'd rather not get into it over the phone, besides I want to talk to a few people before I start making accusations. I'll fill you in tonight." Victor was suspicious that Nathan Muckle the accountant and Jim's manager, Walter Skinner - who happened to be Blair Sandburg's half brother - were scamming Jim. Victor also thought that even the head chef, Thea Director, a truly scary woman in her own right, might even be in on things.

"Fair enough. But do you have a minute to do me a favor?"

"Sure what?" Victor wouldn't mind taking a break from the paperwork.

"Move the gum ball machine in the corner of the room and lift the rug. There's a floor safe hidden there and I need you to bring some papers over to the high rise and give them to Jasen. Would you mind? I'd come and get them myself, but I've got to meet with the architect for the plans to the new nightclub and I can't get away."

"No, I don't mind. I could use a break anyway." Victor rubbed at the sore muscles in the back of his neck and silently wished that Jim were here to massage away the tension for him.

"Oh, great. Thanks babe. I owe you one. I need you to pull out the entire red file folder. And take it directly to Jasen's office. I won't be able to see you until tonight anyway, which reminds me, do you want to stay over? We'll work out and then have a swim after dinner." Jim couldn't figure out why Victor stubbornly refused to give up his little apartment. He insisted on sleeping there, alone, at least twice a week. Jim suspected that it was an 'independence' issue with Victor; that he was merely flexing own authority in making decisions for himself. Jim admired Victor for not giving up total control over to him; as others had done in the past.

"Sure. Sounds good." Victor replied.

"Great. Have Mac drive you over. Here's the combo . . . "
^*^*

Mac knocked and entered the office first, "Victor's here with that file you needed Jasen." He said, holding the door open for Victor.

Jasen smiled, "Mac." He nodded toward Mac who went and stood next to a seated man against the far wall of Jasen's large office. "Victor, nice to see you again." He said to his brother's current lover.

Victor greeted Jasen then put his brief case that contained the red file folder on top of the large desk.

The man who had been seated stood up and went toward Victor with his hand extended. "Oh, so you're Victor Mansfield . . . "

Victor turned to look at the slightly taller man and judging by his suit, he obviously did not work for the family. He did not recognize stranger’s face. So when his eyes caught sight of a glint of steel within the dark recesses of the mans suit, he grabbed the outstretched hand and reefed up the man's arm behind his back. Almost the breaking point and pinned the brown haired man sideways to the top of the desk while shouting 'gun', all in one quick, fluid motion.

Mac couldn't believe how swiftly Victor had moved. He saw now that he had been worrying over Jim's safety whenever he and Victor were alone together for nothing. Obviously Victor could take care of Jim and himself.

Victor looked at Jasen, "He's got a piece Mr. Ellison." He said.

Jasen started to laugh. And the pinned man said sarcastically, "Oh yeah Jasen, yuck it up. Go ahead."

But it was Mac who went up to Victor and laid his hand on the man's taught arm, "You can let him up Vic. He's friendly."

Suddenly embarrassed beyond belief, he let the man go. Victor looked inquiring at Mac.

Jasen said to Victor. "Victor, meet Fox Mulder. He's a detective in the major crimes' unit at the police department and my wife's brother."

Victor's cheeks blushed hotly. He was mortified. All he kept thinking of was how much of an embarrassment he must be to Jim right now. He apologized to Mulder. "I'm sorry man." He said. "I saw your gun and reacted. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Mac broke in, "No need to apologize Vic. You were just doing you job, isn't that right Jasen." He had a new found respect for the man he had previously thought of only as Jim's 'latest squeeze.'

Jasen agreed, still chuckling.

Mulder rubbing his sore arm gave Mac a sour look, then turned to Victor and said, "That's all right. No hard feelings." He looked at Jasen, "Jesus Christ Jasen the least you can do is pull out that expensive scotch you've got hidden in your desk and pour me one. I could use it to kill the pain right about now." He looked back to Victor and commented, "That's a pretty impressive display of hand to hand combat there Victor."

Victor mumbled his thanks and quickly occupied himself with giving the file for Jasen, which he handed over just as Mulder was being handed his scotch.

"Come on Vic. We better go." Mac said.

Victor closed his brief case and turned to Mulder, "Ahh, sorry about that, really." Then he turned to Jasen and said, "Nice to see you again . . . " He was about to say Mr. Ellison, but instead he said simply, "Jasen."

In the hall once they had left, Mac turned to Victor and said to him, "You did good in there you know."

While waiting for the elevator, Victor replied, "How? By embarrassing Jasen and myself in front of his brother in-law? God Mac, if this gets back to Jim he's . . . "

Mac interrupted him, ". . . He will be pleased. And it will get back to him." The doors opened and the men stepped inside, "You did the right thing. You saw a gun and put the man down. You didn't know he was a cop." Mac smiled encouragingly at the man and said, "You changed my opinion about you in two seconds. I'm not often wrong, but I'm glad I was about you." Mac clapped Victor on the back. "Come on, I'll buy you beer." Suddenly feeling like Victor was his equal now. Mac was a true believer that actions speak louder than words. Victor's instinctual conduct to protect Jasen Ellison made him an okay guy in Mac's book. And Victor, had no idea how special he was to have even received an invitation for a beer. Many men worked under Mac, all of them soldiers, therefore he did not mix with them. But Victor's behavior in Jasen's office had just moved him up the ranks. Just because he was with Jim, did not automatically make him an okay guy, in Mac's rigid opinion.

"That sounds good. I could use a beer right about now. Besides I want to talk to you about some of Jim's people at the restaurant. Get your opinion on some things." Victor said.

"Great. A beer and some conversation it is." And thus, a new friendship had struck up. As they exited the building Mac said to Victor, "You'll have to show me that take down move. It looked good."

"Yeah?" Victor replied. Glad that Mac wasn't going to hold the embarrassing incident over him.
^*^*

Three days after the 'Mulder incident' as Jim had fondly called it, Victor summoned Nathan Muckle, Thea Director and Walter Skinner into his small office at the restaurant. Already in the room with him were Mac, and Lyle Dobrinski, Jim's right-hand man. All three restaurant employees stood in front of the desk waiting for whatever it was Victor wanted to tell them.

Victor, who could be ruthless when wanted too, did not offer the trio a seat, instead he started right in on what he had to say. "It took me a few days of searching, but I found it." He looked directly at the three but they said nothing, they only stared blankly back at Victor. "I know all about your little scam. How you say that you’re buying a greater quantity of goods than what you’ve really receive. Nathan pays the bogus bill and the three of you skim the excess off of the top. Well the buck stops here." Victor frowned at the group, who in return, were scowling right back at him. "You're all fired. You will leave the premises immediately, and if you ever show your faces to any member of the Ellison family or crew . . . well" Victor warned, "I don't think I need to say what will happen, do I?"

Walter Skinner made a grab for Victor, "Why you fucking little cock sucker . . . " He growled out. But before he could finish his sentence, Victor had already pulled his gun and stopped Skinner midway, as he tried to crawl over the top his desk to get at him.

Victor's luger was touching the centre of Skinner's slightly sweaty forehead, "Go ahead Skinner." He said menacingly, "I dare you to finish that sentence . . . " His voice was low and barely calm.

Nathan looked around, and saw that both Dobrinski and Mac had their guns trained on Walter. Thea Director however, hadn't moved a muscle.

She looked over her shoulder and spit out angrily at Mac. "He can't just fire us like that. He has no authority."

Victor made Skinner get off of his desk by pushing the end of his gun into the man's head harder, forcing him to back away.

Mac replied. "MR. Mansfield has all the authority he needs. And the proof that the three of you were ripping of Mr. Ellison." Nathan broke into a sweat and mumbled 'shit' a few times.

Thea yelled at him to "shut up!"

"Now, " Victor warned, "you three had better get the fuck out of my sight right now, before I change my mind and shoot you anyway."
^*^*

One month later:

Jim straightened Victor's tie before entering his family home, or as the town people called it the 'Ellison Mansion.' "Jesus Christ Jim, I'm nervous." Victor complained.

“Don't worry handsome. They're going to love you. You already know Jasen and Samantha. Now all you've only got to meet Justin, Dana, Marc and LiAnne and my mom and dad. No big deal."

"Yeah, no big deal." Victor muttered.

Jim planted a quick kiss on Victor's forehead, "Besides, Mac and Mulder will be here, you know him." Jim couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh yeah Ellison, really funny! Poor guy, he thinks I'm psycho or something. I can’t seem to do anything right in front of him."

"Would you relax. Mulder’s good-natured. For a cop. Besides, he's already forgiven you. Why don't you do the same for yourself?" Jim done with straightening up Victor, grabbed his hand and said, "Come on, were already a half hour late." Then he opened the door and pulled the hesitant man in behind himself.

Victor was more than a little surprised when Jim held his hand the whole time that he had led him around the room making the introductions. But he knew that here, in Jim's family home, the two of them could be comfortable. No body, including the children seemed concerned about the men's affection for each other.

Justin, - Jasen's twin - and his wife Dana, greeted Victor warmly. Of course, Samantha had already told Dana all about the 'gorgeous' new guy that Jim had out for dinner. And Jasen had passed on the amusing incident of the month before involving Mulder and Victor.
However, he did not tell the story in order to embarrass Victor but as to best explain his character.
Jim's other brother Marc, received Victor with a reserved, almost chilly handshake. Where his wife LiAnne, undressed him with her eyes and flirted outrageously.
But Victor simply deflected her bold almost invasive comments with self-deprecating remarks about himself. Her behavior toward Victor did nothing to improve Marc's low opinion of him.

Both of Jim's parents were very friendly toward him, but somewhat formal too. Mulder walked up to Victor, and clapping the man on the back said, "Come on tough guy, I'll buy you a drink." Then he led him over to the bar, where Victor was relieved to find out that Mulder did not in fact, hold a grudge against him. He took the offered vodka and drank down half of it in one gulp.

Mulder stared at him for second then smiled and swept his arm toward the rest of the people dispersed around the room, "Don't worry Mansfield. They're a little intimidating at first. But they will lighten up once they get to know you."

Victor finished his drink and looked around "God I hope you're right. This is the scariest crowd I've ever been in." He said as his eyes rested on Marc, who was busy scowling at him from across the room.

Laughing, Mulder took his glass and refilled it for him. Mac and Jackie walked in shortly after and then everyone sat down to dinner.

Finally, after what seemed like and eternity, the dinner was over with. Victor had gotten stuck sitting between Jackie and LiAnne. While both women were pleasant enough, Victor grew tired of having to push LiAnne's roving hand off of his thigh and he started to develop a headache from Jackie's very valley girl dialect. Strange, considering she was born and raised in Cascade.
Every so often he would look up from his plate, where he would see Jim grinning at him, obviously aware of his discomfort and then he would glance toward Marc, who was glaring at him for reasons known only to him.

In the sitting room, the women poured themselves some after dinner liqueurs and then they all left to go to discuss the upcoming charity fund-raiser in Molly's private sitting room.

The men's discussion turned to current business matters which meant that Victor was somewhat left out of the conversation. He turned to Mulder and said quietly, "Where's the washroom?" Mulder gave him directions and as he left he closed the study door behind himself.

Once done, he left the bathroom and was surprised to see LiAnne standing in the dim hallway. Victor thought it was strange for her to be waiting for this particular bathroom, considering there must have been one closer to where the women were discussing their own business.

"Mrs. Ellison." He said cordially as he tried to squeeze past her.

"Please, Victor. Call me LiAnne." She said, putting out and arm and impeding him from going by her.

Victor smiled at her and when he tried to walk by again, she launched her self at him and ended up pinning him against the wall. Before he could even react, she had attached her mouth to his and began kissing him, suctioning the insides of his mouth like she was a vacuum cleaner.

Victor grabbed her by the shoulders, pushed her away and said, "You're a married woman. Mrs. Ellison." He deliberately did not use her first name.

"I don't mind. God, you are soooo gorgeous." She gushed as she attempted to kiss him again.

"Well I mind." He said more firmly as he gave LiAnne a light push away from his body.

"Come on Victor, who's going to know? Everyone is too busy discussing business anyway." She reached out and brazenly tried to cup Victor's groin.

Victor meant to swat away her offending touch away, but before he could tell her to back off, Mulder reached out and grabbed LiAnne’s delicate wrist before it made contact with the surprised Victor’s genitals.

The two of them swung their heads around to look at Mulder at the same time.

He said, "I'll know LiAnne that’s who. I believe Victor told you no. Now be a good girl and run along."

LiAnne pulled out of Mulder's light grip and before she walked away, she said to Victor, "I was just teasing you know." Then she turned and glared at Mulder. "Ass hole." Was all she said to him, before turning her back on the men and storming away.

"Geez, thanks Mulder. Good thing you came along, or I might have lost my boyfriend and gained a wife." Victor joked.

Mulder smiled, "Well I know LiAnne. She tried the same thing on me and Mac. I thought it was taking you a little longer than it should to pee. Come on, I'll freshen your drink."

As they approached the study, Victor could hear shouting and arguing. In fact, he could clearly hear Marc saying, "Listen Jim, Victor's not as clean as you think he is . . . " The sitting room door suddenly slammed shut.

Victor turned away from the loud voices and said, "Sounds like I'm pretty unwelcome around here."

Mulder mixed himself a martini. "Not un-welcome. It's just that nobody really knows you yet. The family is very protective of Jim."

Victor accepted the drink being offered to him. As he took a sip, it dawned on him that this was the second time Mulder had served him vodka. Yet he never asked what he had wanted. "How did you know I drank vodka?" He asked.

Mulder shrugged his shoulders and explained, "Marc hired me to check you out when he heard about you and Jim. Like I told you, they're very protective of the youngest Ellison. Especially Marc"

There was some more shouting and both Victor and Mulder clearly heard Marc say, "He's trash Jim! You know it and I know it. He's nothing but a gold digger like that little shit Sandburg. I don't like him!"

The biting remark made Victor wince. But he tried to shake it off by shrugging his shoulders and saying to Mulder dryly, "So that's where he heard about me being 'trash'." He wasn't angry with Mulder, after all the man was just doing his job. He was doubly glad now that he had already told Jim all of that and then some. Jim knew every ugly detail that there was to know about his life.

Mulder grinned over the rim of his martini glass, unapologetic. "I didn't quite say it like that. I believe I used the words 'economically challenged." Victor had to laugh at that. If he was one thing, it was poor, and had been his whole life.

The men couldn't hear when Jasen tried to defend Victor's character to Marc. But they did hear when Marc said loudly, but not quite shouting, "Don't you think it's a little fishy that out of nowhere, a guy, who was born and raised in the underbelly of Cascade comes along to save you from a hit by Martino. Pretty convenient if you ask me. I'm telling you, he's after your money Jim. That's what he wants."

Jim, more angry than he had ever been at his usually adoring older brother said insultingly, "Oh. So you think Victor's trash and a gold digger. Not unlike LiAnne eh!"

Victor looked at Mulder and said softly, "Oh shit. What did I do to piss Marc off? I don't' get it."

Mulder shook his head, "You didn't do anything wrong Vic. Marc's just jealous, that's all. He's not used to sharing Jim with anyone else, including a boyfriend. Jim always used to go to him for things, now, he goes to you."

Marc roared in anger at the slur and yelled, "You little bastard! Take that back!"

There was a loud crash then and both Victor and Mulder listened as all of the men in the room began yelling at each other. They heard scuffling and more shouting, until finally the senior Ellison said in a loud voice, "God dammit will you two cut it out. I won't have my sons fighting over a stranger."

“I shouldn’t have said that about LiAnne, Marc.” Jim said softly. “That was wrong of me. But if you can't accept Victor, then you can't accept me. It's that easy."

It was at that point that Mac was finally able to get out the room. He beat a hasty exit and shut the door firmly behind himself. His eyes rested on Victor, and he could tell by the expression on his face that his friend had heard everything. "Ahh Victor listen . . . It's not your fault . . . " He tried explaining things to the wide-eyed man standing next to Mulder at the bar.

But Victor, appalled to be the cause of strife between Jim and his family, shook his head sadly and pulling out his cell phone he dialed a cab. He did not turn around when Mac tried to call him back, instead he went to the front door and pulling it open he stepped out into the cool air, leaving the warmth of the mansion behind him.

Mulder and Mac looked at each other, but neither one of them followed the dejected man outside. Instead Mac poked his head just inside the sitting room - that had since grown quiet - and said "Jim. I need to speak with you."

Jim took a deep breath and stood up from a large wing chair, glad to be away from his brothers. He stepped out into the hall, and met with Mac, who was more than just an employee, he was also Jim's close friend and confidante'.

"Jim, Victor's called a cab. He's leaving." He said plainly.

"Oh shit." Came the reply, then Jim rushed down the hall to the front door. He pulled the large door open, and was relieved to find Victor still standing outside waiting for his taxi. "Oh, thank god your still here." He said to Victor's back.

Victor turned around, his eyes full of sadness. "Listen Jim." He said "I heard everything. The whole argument."

"Victor. I'm sorry you had to hear all that bull shit." Jim tried to pull Victor into a hug, but Victor gently pushed Jim's arms away.

"No. I'm the one who's sorry. I didn't mean to be the cause of a family fight."

"Listen, " Jim said, "Don't let them bother you."

"But it does bother me Jim." Victor interrupted. "It isn't fair to you. They're your family. I'm nothing."

"Don't say that Vic. You're everything to me." Jim did not like the direction the conversation was taking.

Victor spoke on, not acknowledging Jim's words. "It's true though. Guys like me Jim, were a dime a dozen . . . disposable. But your family?" He ran his fingers through his hair, "They're like . . . for ever. Listen to me Jim!" Victor said hotly when Jim tried to interrupt him. He had tears in his eyes now, but he kept on talking, saying what had to be said. "I know you won't leave me. That's why I have to break it off with you . . . "

"No!" Jim interjected, "I love you. You're who I want. Please . . . "

A single fat tear broke away and rolled down Victor's cheek. He knuckled it away, embarrassed that he was crying in front of his lover. "But at what cost Jim? Exile from your family? To have to stay away from the very people who love you the most? Can you do that?" Another tear spilled over the rim of Victor's eye, but this time he ignored as it slowly ran down his cheek, "Do you know the kind of stamina it takes to cut your family off? Well I do. Trust me Jim, you don't have the juice for it."
He looked away for a second, then brought his eyes back to meet Jim's. "How long do you think you can go without seeing your brothers? You're all so close. I can't be the reason you cut them out of your life"

More tears rolled down his cheeks but Victor paid them no attention. He said huskily, "I won't be."

Victor wiped at his nostrils with the back of his hand. "God help me Jim, I don't want to do this. I don't want to leave you. But I have too." The cab rolled up the driveway and both men looked at it. Victor waved at the driver, showing that he would just be another minute more. Turning back to Jim he held either side of his head and kissed him softly on the mouth. He pulled back and still holding onto Jim he said, "I love you too. That's why I'm going. I won't make you choose between me and your family." Victor rested his forehead against Jim's for a second. Then he released him and whispered softly, "Good bye." He turned around and walked to the waiting cab.

Victor got into the vehicle and as the cab pulled away, not once did his eyes leave Jim's form.
^*^*

The door opened behind Jim and Jasen stepped outside, joining his younger brother on the porch. Standing right beside him, he asked, "Everything okay?"

With tears in his eyes' Jim answered as evenly as he could, "No. No, it's not."

"What happened? Where's Victor?" He asked as he put a hand out and turned Jim so he could see his face.

Jim looked into his brother's eyes and said softly, "He left me."

Shocked Jasen asked, "What? He did what?"

"Victor left me because he wouldn't make me choose between him and the family." Jim turned away from his brother and looking out into the distance, his voice broke as he said, "That's how much he loves me."

Jasen reached out and pulled Jim close to him. He held his little brother tightly, trying to hug away the hurt. "I'm sorry Jimmy." He said. "I know how much you liked him."

Jim squeezed his brother, then pulled back away from Jasen's grasp. He hastily wiped away his tears. "I “loved him Jase." He said quietly.

"I know you did little bro."

“Jase?" Jim said.

"Yes."

"I just let the best thing that ever happened to me walk away." Jim shook his head sadly and pulling out his keys, walked to his car.
^*^*^*^*^*

GANGSTERS IN PARADISE.

NOTE: This story bounces back and forth, from the present to the past. I think you will figure out what's what.
^*^*

Tell me a story,
where we all change,
and we'd live our lives' together
and not estranged.

I didn't lose my mind,
it was mine to give away,
couldn't stay to watch me cry,
so I softly slip away.

No regrets / they don't work.
No regrets now / they only hurt.
Sing me a love song,
drop me a line,
suppose it's just a point of view,
But they tell me I'm doing fine.

'No regrets' - Robbie Williams.
^*^*

PART II – “The unforeseeable future.”

January 4-1998:

Victor stepped off the elevator and the memories of a short, but sweet former time, came flooding back to him. He gave Dobrinski - who was stationed at the desk and waiting for him - a small half smile. He hadn't seen the older man since the day before he had broken up with Jim; which was just one more day in his miserable life that he would never be able to forget. Ever. Victor had, to his regret, broken things off with Jim because of Jim's family and their disapproval of him.
And not one day went by that Victor, at some point, did not think about or miss his former lover. He had felt compelled to let Jim go because it was the right thing to do . . . The right for Jim and the right thing to do for the sake of harmony within the Ellison family. But it was not the right move for Victor . . . But then, he was used to not getting what he wanted any ways. Looking at Dobrinski, Victor remembered who and what had brought him back to the penthouse.
^*^*

Earlier that evening:

Victor had gone out and bought the late edition of the newspaper. He was intent on scouring the want adds in hopes of getting a 'legitimate' job. On the front inside page, his gaze rested on a photo of a funeral. It was a photo of all the Ellison brothers coming out of the large cathedral carrying a casket, Victor's eyes had immediately picked Jim out in the grainy picture. His heart sank as he read the story of how Jim's father, Monty Ellison, had died of complications resulting from an aneurysm. He was just two months shy of his 58th birthday. The funeral for Monty had taken place the day before and Victor wondered why he hadn't heard anything about it on the street sooner. Then again, his connections to the street were severely limited these days.
In the photo, Jim's expression, like his brothers, was grim. The tightness showed around all of their eyes. Victor wished he had been there to console Jim; whom he still considered the love of his life.
Suddenly, as if his thoughts were being read, his phone rang out, loud and shrilly. Startled by noise, Victor plucked the receiver up. "Hello?" He said hoarsely.

"Victor? It's me Mac. How are you doing?"

"Hey Mac. I'm okay. How's Jim?" Victor asked right away. He was surprised to be hearing from his former co-worker at all. He hadn't seen or heard from Jim, or anyone else even associated with the family since parting almost four months ago. At the time, he supposed that the friendships came and went with the family.

"He's not good Victor. He really needs you." Mac said plainly.

"I want to go to him Mac. But I think I pretty well blew up that bridge back in September."

Mac cleared his throat, "Listen, Jim would kill me if he knew I was even phoning you right now, but last night in a drunken haze, he admitted to me that he still misses you. Jim won't be able to get over Monty's death if he stays alone like this. He sure as hell won't let anyone else penetrate the walls he's built around himself, walls he's been building for the last four months. Please Victor," Mac implored, "I'm asking you as for a favor, from one friend to another, will you at least try to help him?"

Victor knew things must be pretty serious if Mac was going against Jim's wishes and asking him a favor anyway. He and Mac had become fast friends in the short time that they had known each other. However, all that changed last fall; Mac was Jim's man, and Victor understood that. When he had walked out on Jim, Victor gave up a lot of things, love and friendship being at the top of that long list. "Okay. For you I'll try." He said quietly.

"Good. I'm out front, come down and I'll give you a ride to the penthouse." The phone clicked off.

Victor stared at the receiver for a second before hanging it up. Smiling, despite the sad occasion, at Mac's assumption that he would go along with his request. He grabbed his jacket and left his tiny apartment.
^*^*

Dobrinski, the only person outside of Jim's door, smiled back at Victor. He was pleased that Mac had gone behind Jim's back after all.

"How is he?" Victor asked.

"Not so great. It's good you came." Dobrinski replied.

"Do you think he'll see me?"

Dobrinski shrugged his shoulders, "Why don't you go in and find out." He unlocked the door, rapped on it twice and then opened it up to let Victor pass through.
^*^*

Victor walked in and stood in the foyer. From where he was, he could see that Jim standing outside on the veranda, it was very cold out and a steady rain was falling. He crossed through the living room and pushing aside the gauzy cream drapes, he stepped out.

Jim was standing at the edge of the railing with his back to the apartment. He was just staring out across the city and holding a glass of vodka in one hand and dressed only in a T-shirt and jeans. Hands and feet alike, were bare. The solemn man stood seemingly hypnotized by the view, heedless of the icy cold rain drops washing over him.

Victor's heart ached for his former lover. He wanted nothing more than to be able put his arms around him and take all of his pain away. "Jim." He said softly.

Jim turned around slowly at the sound of the voice, "Victor?" He asked almost dream like.

"I came as soon as I heard." Victor said faintly. Stepping out from under the awning, he walked over to his former lover and stood in front of him and waited for him to say something, anything to him. But Jim only kept staring at Victor like he was some sort of an apparition that had suddenly appeared out of thin air. Finally, Victor asked Jim, "Was it okay I came over? Do you want me to go?"

Jim blindly dropped his tumbler onto a small table near his hand. He grabbed his former lover and pulled him tightly to his chest. "God no Victor. No. It's just that I was standing out here and thinking about you. . .Thinking about how I missed you and how much I wanted to see you." Tears stood out in his eyes, he pulled back and looked directly at Victor, "And here you are, just when I need you the most."

Victor pulled Jim back to him and pushed the slightly taller man's face into the crook of his neck. "Jim, I'm so sorry about your father. So sorry." He said softly as he squeezed his arms even tighter around the trembling body. Victor held Jim firmly as his lover fell completely and totally to pieces in his restrictive embrace. He inhaled Jim's scent as he held him and mused that they had always felt so right entwined in each other’s arms. Victor just wished that the occasion of their seeing each other again could have been under other circumstances. Sighing heavily and whispered calming, sweet nothings into Jim's ear, he petted the back of Jim's neck.

Jim's trembling and shaking finally ceased. Sniffing, he pulled slightly back from Victor, but he did not try to break out of the strong arms that had felt so good, so comforting around him. No one had ever fit him as perfectly as Victor did.

Poor Jim, he looked so lost and alone. Victor just wanted to keep him safe from everyone and everything. The rain had continued to pour down on them, now Jim not the only one soaked, Victor was too. His jacket had provided some protection, but the large drops had managed to work their way down the back of his collar. The front of his coat was unzipped, providing very little in way of protection against the cold water drizzling over the two of them.

With his emotions a little more under control, Jim said to Victor, "I can't believe he's gone. An aneurysm took him just like that." He snapped his fingers. "Hold me Victor." He said, full of sorrow for his lost father.

The younger man pulled Jim back into his chest and again held him tightly. "Shhhh. It's okay Jim. I'm here now." He said, trying to soothe the only person he had ever dared to truly love.

"Please don't leave again me Victor." Pleaded Jim.

"I'm not going any where, I promise." Victor cupped Jim's chilled cheek gently as he spoke to him. "Come on, let's go in, you’re freezing." He reached out, took a hold of Jim's hand and led him inside.
^*^*

Jim, numb from grief and the cold, started to shake as Victor stripped off his soaking wet clothes. Victor quickly did the same for himself and then, leading Jim by the hand he pulled him into the large walk in shower in order to try and to warm him up. He gently urged Jim under the hot spray, and grabbed the bar of soap that was sitting in the tile dish. Creating foam in a washcloth, Victor scrubbed down Jim's slightly red skin. He hoped that the brisk motion would bring some of the circulation back to his flesh which was starting to warm already. Judging by how cold he had felt before showering, Victor assumed that Jim had been standing in the rain for quite sometime and most likely had been drinking through all of it too.

He asked Jim casually while he poured shampoo into the palm of his hand. "How much have you had to drink tonight?"

"I don't know. Too much." Jim replied. The hot water sluicing over him felt good, and Victor's hands rubbing over his body felt even better. He couldn't believe that Victor had come to him, if there was ever a time that he had needed him, it was now. Leaning back and relaxing against the strong body behind him, Jim's cock slowly began to harden under Victor's gentle touch, even though it was clear that the washing he was getting, was intended to be benign.

Victor smiled when he saw Jim's state of arousal. "There will be plenty of time for *that* later." He said softly into Jim's ear. "Now, rinse and let's get you into bed."

"Ahh, it's just as well." Jim sighed, letting Victor completely take over for him. He had never given up the reigns of control before, not to anyone. Jim had always prided himself on not really needing anybody. Then Victor had walked into his life, and for the first time, in a long time, his perspective had changed.

Then, just as suddenly as he had entered it, Victor had walked out of his life; in the name of love and for the sake of family unity. The act had devastated Jim, especially since he knew for certain that Victor was the *one* for him. Had he been given a choice, he would have chosen Victor over his brothers, and then eventually found a way back into the Ellison fold. But Victor, who never really had a family, would not put him through the pain of being cast out; pain that he himself had had to live with his entire life.

Now, here Victor was, back again. Unable to abandon him.

He had come back to take care of him, riding in like a shining knight on his majestic steed just when Jim had reached his breaking point. The only person Jim *could* give himself over to had come back to look after him. Jim smiled at Victor, the heat of the shower increasing the effects of all of the alcohol he had drank.

"I love you." He said softly as he was being tucked him naked into his big, down covered bed.

"I love you too." Victor said, smiling down and Jim. He pushed the hair off of Jim's forehead, his touch gentle. "Stay here. I'll be right back." He waited for Jim to nod, then before grabbing the white robe that he had taken to wearing while he staying at Jim's apartment before. Victor tied the belt and sniffed, he could smell Jim's cologne, obviously Jim had started wearing his robe.

//Trying to be close to me?//

Suddenly, Victor felt guilty for walking out on his lover; whether or not it was for the best. He opened the front door and peeked his head out, surprised to see both Dobrinski and Mac standing at the desk, the men looked up at him at the same time. Victor smiled and shook his head. "I should have known the two of you were in on this." He said.

"How is he?" Mac asked.

"He'll be okay. Don't worry. You guys may as well go home. I'll look after him. I promise."

Mac glanced at Dobrinski, then said to Victor, "Okay, but make sure you call the elevator back and lock it down. There's no one to watch the door tonight."

"I'll take care of things. Don't worry Mac, . . . " Victor said smiling, " . . . I know it's been over four months but I still remember the routine."

"Come on Ramsey, let's go." Dobrinski started for the private elevator and Mac followed him. He called over his shoulder, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Victor nodded.

After taking care of the elevator, Victor walked around the apartment and shut off the lights, making sure to lock up the patio. He went back to the bedroom and was surprised to see that Jim was still awake. Stripping off his robe, Victor climbed into bed next to his lover and pulled him close, trying to reassure him.

Jim sighed contentedly, and was instantly asleep.

Victor waited a few minutes to be sure that Jim really was sleeping, then, more relaxed then he had been in a long time, he drifted off too.
^*^*^*^*^*

The bright winter sunlight, slowly lured Jim out of the most restful sleep that he had experienced in months; since the last time he and Victor had shared a bed. He rolled over and propped himself up on one elbow and rested his head against the palm of his hand. Images of the previous night replayed in his mind as he stared down on the still sleeping Victor and studied his peaceful, untroubled face. He looked so beautiful, so 'angelic' which, when describing Victor, was a complete oxymoron considering Jim knew him to be a double murderer, albeit a murder for good reasons. Jim pushed the hair back from his relaxed brow before leaning down and kissing Victor's forehead gently. Then he ventured a little further and kissed the tip of his nose. From Victor's nose Jim moved onto the small colourless mole just above the corner of the right side his luscious mouth. Victor finally started to stir and his eye-lids fluttered, then opened completely.
Jim had been waiting for months for a chance to look into those beautiful green eyes again. His heart skipped a beat. "Good morning" He said to Victor.

Victor smiled brightly up at Jim, captivated by the pair of big blue eyes looking down at him. "Good morning" He replied. "How do you feel?" He added.

"Other than a thick head, I'll be okay. Thanks for last night. I don't think I could have gotten through it without you." Jim kissed Victor again, this time on his mouth then he leaned back and propped himself up on one elbow again.

"I'm sorry I hurt you so bad Jim . . . " Victor said, chewing nervously on his lower lip.

"Shhhh." Jim said as he ran the tips of his fingers over Victor's lips. "It's okay, I understand. But I meant it last night when I said I didn't want you to go."

"And I meant it too - I'll stay as long as you want me to."

Jim smiled down at Victor and then kissed him deeply, gently prodding his mouth open with the tip of his tongue, neither men noticing nor even caring about the morning breath of the other. As he kissed Victor, Jim ran his hand over Victor's smooth chest, then he moved his head down and kissed his way across the pecs, from one nipple to the next. "God, Victor, I missed you, missed this, . . . " Jim whispered as he stroked his hand across Victor's abdomen, " . . . more than you could ever know."
Jim sat up and positioned himself so that he was straddling Victor's waist. He ran his hands over his chest then up well-muscled arms and then, playfully, Jim pinned Victor's wrists together above his head. Jim rubbed his early morning hard-on over his lover’s own erection. He looked deeply into Victor's eyes and said, "Please don't leave me again Victor. Move in, stay with me forever."

"Bu . . . But what about your brothers?"

He let go of Victor's wrists. "I love my mother that goes without saying and my brothers too, but I've got a right to be happy too, Victor. Dad's death showed me that I could go at any time. I need to live for today. For myself." A single tear spilled over the rim of Jim's eye, "You make me happy Victor. You alone. I was miserable when you weren't here with me." Another tear slipped out and ran down Jim's cheek as he said softly, "We were meant to be together. I believe that."

Victor reached up and using his thumb, he wiped the runaway tear and brought his thumb to his mouth. "Okay." He said softly. "I'll stay . . . Always." He stretched his arms, captured Jim's head, and drew him down for another kiss.

The larger man maneuvered himself so that he was in between Victor's muscular thighs. He stretched out over top of him. Using his feet, Jim pushed Victor's ankles, spreading his legs far apart. Jim kissed Victor again, and made his ultimate intentions clear when his erection prodded the younger man’s small cleft.

Victor smiled and brought his legs up so that they were bent at the knees, with his feet laying flat on the bed. "Make love to me Jim." He demanded huskily.

"Oh, God Victor." Jim sucked in one of Victor's nipples, before grabbing himself with his hand and guiding his penis into Victor's tight, tight opening. "You're so small." He said. "I'm going to hurt you." Jim's voice was hoarse, he was trying to control himself from doing what he really wanted to do - which was just saying fuck-it and ramming his cock up Victor's ass and pounding into him as hard as he could. Until they both went over the cliffs' edge into oblivion.

"I want to feel you Jim and I want you to feel me. Just fuck me. It's what I want." Victor said, his voice low and throaty.

Jim’s cock jumped when he heard, Victor say 'Just fuck me'. Nevertheless, he still took his time to gently push into Victor, in one continuous, slow stroke. He could feel the tight, concentric muscles trying to discourage his entry, but he thrust a little bit harder, and the small tissues gave way. When he was completely buried in his lover, Jim remained completely still and gave Victor a few seconds to collect himself.

Waiting until Victor mumbled, "Ohhh, yeahhh." Before Jim started to leisurely pump in and out of him.

Victor trailed his fingers over Jim's back and reached around as best as he could and held onto the cheeks of Jim's ass.

Jim, in return, slowly increased his rhythm, working himself and Victor into a frenzy. He made sure that his cock was sliding over Victor's prostate gland every time he pushed in and pulled out. He knew when he had found the right spot the first time, when Victor moaned out an 'ahhhh' and pushed himself onto Jim. Shortly after, Jim wrapped his fist around Victor's erection and began to masturbate the writhing man in time with his thrusts. "Look at me Victor." He requested softly, on the cusp of orgasm. "I want to watch you when you cum."

Victor opened his eyes and smiled up at his lover. He licked his lips, and kept his green gaze riveted to Jim's blue one.

Seeing Victor look up at him like that was all Jim needed. "I love you Victor." He whispered to his lover. "I'll love you forever." And with a final thrust and stroke he brought the two of them off together. Victor spilled his warm seed over his own torso, as his ass muscles squeezed Jim in a tight-fisted grip, milking every drop from Jim's incredibly large orgasm.

Jim withdrew from Victor, but remained sprawled out between his legs. He flopped down on top of him and whispered into his ear, "Thank-god you've come home." Then he put his head down and rested it on Victor's strong shoulder, where he listened to his lover's strong heart beating.

Victor pulled up the quilt and covered them both up with it. He wrapped an arm around Jim, who had shifted and was now, only using his shoulder as a pillow and shut his eyes. Both of them easily sinking back into a post-coital sleep.
^*^*

Victor immediately started back working at the restaurant, 'Ellisons'. Only this time, he was the general manager. He had studied several business and administration courses when he went to night school; he was perfect for the job. Jim had been managing during the daytime hours and some nights, but he gladly gave over that duty to his lover. Jim, in Victor's absence had hired a new head chef, this one, he’d had Mac and even Mulder check out thoroughly before even talking to him. As well, he hired two new managers for some of the evening and weekend shifts when he - or now Victor, couldn't be there. As for an accountant, Jim went back to the 'family's accountants'. He had tried trusting an outsider, and he had ended up getting ripped off by the man for his troubles. The *family's* number crunchers were a whole lot more trustworthy, they had been working with his father and his business for decades.
Jim made a point to introduce Victor to all of the new employees and to reacquaint him with the staff he already knew. And this time, he made it clear that whenever Victor was on the premises, he was the man in charge. That included controlling the pair of managers he had hired, Murphy and Camier`.
At first, Victor was nervous at to what the employees would think of him, but his fears were unfounded when the staff he knew welcomed him back readily, and the new people, including the team of Murphy and Camier` had accepted his role as boss easier than he initially did.

Now that his restaurant woes had been taken care of, Jim went back to his business with the nightclub. Which had progressed from the planning, permit and designing stage to taking the plans that had been put down on paper and turning them into a building. Jim, for the first time in a long while, was content. He had his lover back, a man he loved and trusted implicitly to look after his interests in his absence, and now, he could get back to constructing his club, on the land he had bought out from under Antonio Martino's nose.
Even his brother Marc, who still didn't trust Victor, had given up on trying to split his brother and his 'low rent' lover apart. He had seen how badly Jim had been hurt after he had succeeded in driving Victor away the first time. Now that the man was back in Jim's life; his little brother’s transformation into the happy, smiling man he used to be was nothing short of miraculous. Marc and Jim had long since settled their differences over the harsh words that they had said to each other on that fateful autumn night.
So Marc, kept his opinions to himself, and treated Victor with the respect he deserved for bringing Jim out of his blue funk and for taking over and handling 'Ellisons' as smoothly as it had ever been run. The two men were not friendly with each other, but they were polite, and that's all that mattered to all concerned.
^*^*

Several things had gone on in Victor's life during his absence from Jim's. First, he had been hauled in and questioned for a second time over the murder of Antonio Martino as well as in the disappearance of Blair Sandburg, who had been linked to Martino via an anonymous tip. The cop interviewing Victor said that his name had been put forward by the tipster as a possible suspect in both of the 'incidences'.
Victor, to his credit, kept his cool, even when the cop brought up his record. He told the truth, or as close to it as he could get and, because, there was no evidence tying him into the either case, the cops let Victor go and struck his name off of the 'possible' list of suspects.

Not once did he mention Jim's name and when asked about their relationship, Victor spoke the truth and said, "It was very short and it was very sweet, and now it's over." Victor had no idea that Mulder was on the other side of the glass the whole time, watching the interview.

Mulder was relieved to find out that Victor was not involved in either of the cases. Even though he himself was not investigating the murder, that was homicides' turf, or the disappearance - that was missing persons. Mulder still felt it was his duty to go and make sure that the man he had liked so much, but only known for a short time, wasn't busy peddling lies about his sister’s in-laws.
^*^*

January 7-1998. Walter Skinner's apartment:

"I knew it!" Skinner said triumphantly to his partners. "I knew that bastard Mansfield would find a way to come crawling back to his sugar daddy." He looked at Thea and Nathan, both of whom were staring back at him, expectantly. Taking a drink of his beer, he said to them, "My man on the inside says that he came back the night after Ellison's dad's funeral." Skinner clenched his fists and shook them, "I've been waiting four months to pay that little cock sucker back for wrecking our side business at the restaurant."
All three had managed to get other jobs after the firings, but Skinner was still holding a grudge against Victor for taking away the tidy little profit he had been making on the side at the restaurant; at the restaurants expense.
Nathan was only involved in the 'payback' of Victor because he was afraid of Skinner and Thea. It was easier to just do as he was told, than to fight back and walk away from them. Thea wanted in on Walter's plans because she wanted to pay Victor back too, though she had another job it certainly wasn't as prestigious or profitable as working in a five star establishment. Besides, she just liked causing shit, she couldn't help herself. Sipping at her olive-laden martini, she waited for Skinner to reveal what his plans for Victor were.

"If we want everything to work out right, then were going to have to have some patience and take our time so that no one will even suspect it's us . . . " Skinner leaned forward in his seat and began laying the ground work for his long, drawn out and intricate plot against Victor. "Okay Thea here's what you get to do .
^*^*

One year later: January 1999:

The anniversary of Jim and Victor's getting back together, landed on the third day of their island vacation. They were staying on a privately owned island off of the coast off of Maui. The island was owned by the whole Ellison family. Monty had bought it so that there would be a safe place for them to vacation at, after an attempt had been made on his life. The island itself wasn't overly large, but it was big enough to have a private beach and an a trail leading to the other side of the island, which ended at a beautiful grassy bluff that over looked the clear blue-green water.
The house had six bedrooms and four bathrooms and a state of the art, a stainless steel kitchen, which for the owner’s arrival, had been fully stocked for Jim and Victor as per their dietary instructions. Along with the beautiful open air house there was a swimming pool and a hot tub. The grounds were looked after by a man and his sons, and whenever an Ellison family member was going to stay, the caretaker's wife and daughters came out to make the place ready by cleaning it up and stocking the cupboard's as well refrigerator. The boat ride to Maui was only 30 minutes, depending on the strength of the current.
And there were enough of the Ellisons to ensure that someone was staying there most of the time.

"Viictooor . . . " Jim called softly, "Are you awake?"

Victor made a small noise, pretending to still be asleep, however Jim knew he was only playing. He smiled at his lover - whom he was sure was peeking at him through his long lashes - and then kissed him softly on the mouth. Jim kept on kissing Victor, all the way down his body until he came to his sizable erection. He poked his tongue in the moist slit and grinned again when Victor shuddered slightly. Enjoying the game, Jim nibbled Victor's cock, before sucking all of it into his hungry mouth.
^*^*

The men had spent most of the morning in a warm, soft bed. There was a gently cool breeze blowing through the bedroom and the gauzy white curtains that covered the glass doors flapped delicately in the wind like a pair of racing flags. Jim had run to the kitchen earlier and grabbed a fruit plate one of the daughters had prepared for them, and a bottle of champagne. Between sessions of lovemaking, the two men managed to eat a light breakfast of fresh fruit washed down with sweet, champagne. Today was their one-year anniversary and they were celebrating it by doing virtually nothing. It was now the afternoon, and after Victor's blow-job, they reluctantly got up and showered. Jim planned on spending the rest of the day, sun tanning and swimming in the ocean.
^*^*

Jim packed the picnic basket full of fresh buns, cheese, crackers, pate and fruit, tossed in some bottled water and wine glasses. Victor grabbed a bag whose purpose was to keep things cold and selected two bottles of chilled white wine to go with their late lunch on the beach. Bag in one hand, blanket in the other, he met Jim at the back door of the house and together they walked the short distance to the private beach.
They set up the blanket under a large coconut palm tree out of the reach of the waters lapping waves. Behind them there was a meadow of wild flowers, and the pretty blossom’s sweet fragrance was in the air all around them. Some distance out in the water, a pod of gray whales swam protectively around their newborn calves. After swimming and playing in the warm waters themselves, Victor and Jim settled onto the blanket and contented themselves with just watching the whales swim around.

The serenity of the surroundings, lulled both naked men into yet another nap. The balmy breeze enough of a blanket for them.
Now awake, Victor and Jim were laying close to each other, side by side.

"Victor." Jim said softly.

"Jim." Replied Victor playfully.

The older man smiled and looked up into the almost cloudless sky. Studying a lone fluffy cotton ball cloud above him, he said. "I want to give you your anniversary present now."

Victor grinned, "Ok, but mine first." He said, excited.

They sat up at the same time and Victor reached out to retrieve the boxer style swim shorts he had worn down to the beach, he pulled them on. Suitably dressed, he removed a kangaroo style jacket out of the gym bag, Jim grinned at him with raised eyebrows. He pulled a small box, about three times the size of a ring box out of the front pocket of the garment.
"Ta Da." He said as he presented it to Jim on his open palm. Victor was very anxious, he really wanted his lover to like his choice of gifts.

Jim opened the box, and stared, stunned at its contents. "God Victor." He breathed, "They're beautiful." Inside there was two perfectly matched, small emerald and gold cuff links. The emeralds were a typical square cut, 1 carat each, and bordered in a setting of white gold, which in turn was surrounded by 18 carat yellow gold for the rest of the link. Jim reached into the box and plucked up a link off of the velvet, to examine it.

"Do you like them?" Victor asked.

"Victor, I love them." Jim breathed. "I'll wear them with my new suit when we get back to work.

"I bought the emeralds because you said green was your favorite colour."

"Green is my favorite because it's the colour of your eyes." Jim smiled and leaned over and kissed Victor softly on the lips. "And every time I wear them, " He said, "I'll be thinking of you and your beautiful eyes."

"There's more." Victor said, another large grin plastered to his face.. "Pull up the velvet."

Jim did as instructed and stared blankly at the item that had been secreted under the cufflinks. He stammered, "How did you find? I mean where?" Hidden within the box was Jim's father's gold antique pocket watch that had been stolen. It had been taken by a grounds keeper who had slithered into Molly's dressing room on the day of Monty's funeral and stole her jewelry box. The watch hadn't worked in years, which was why the watch was in her chest on her dresser mixed in with her *imposter* jewels. Her real gems were securely locked away in a wall safe. The grounds keeper, not realizing the difference, had stolen copies of what he perceived to be the real items. The watch was not even worth that much, except in its value as a family heirloom. The watch had come from the old country in Monty's grandfathers pocket from Ireland.

Jim, along with the rest of the sons, regretted its loss deeply.

Immediately after the watch went missing, Victor put the word out, using his own street connections, that he was to be called if a broken, gold pocket watch was to surface.
Then, two months after the robbery, he received a call from a pawn-broker, asking him to come to his shop to see if the watch that had just been brought in was the one that he was searching for. Much to Victor's delight, the watch was the right one.
^*^*

"Good work Lew." Victor said. "How much?"

"Oh, no charge Mr. Mansfield. It's on the house." Victor was getting a reputation in his own right. There were not that many people didn't know that Victor was Jim Ellison’s lover. Treat Victor Mansfield *right*, and your treating Jim and the Ellison family *right* was the word on the street. Someday, when you need a favor, the Ellison family just might remember the good turn you did to one of their own. Lew knew how to play the game.

"Are you sure?" Victor replied.

"Yah, Yah." Lew tried to make like it was no big deal, as if paying for merchandise and then giving it away was an everyday occurrence for him.

"Well then. Mr. Ellison and I appreciate your gesture." Victor reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a money clip holding a wad of bills. He peeled off two, one hundred-dollar bills and put them on the counter, knowing full well the shop keeper probably only gave the skell who pawned the watch to him fifty bucks. "I'll be sure to tell him the good turn you did for the family." Victor pushed the money toward the broker and then turned around and followed by a hovering Mac, left the small hole in the wall shop.

"Thank-you Mr. Mansfield. It was my pleasure." Lew said to himself as he pocketed the cash.
^*^*

Victor and Mac left the pawn shop and went straight to a Russian watch maker. The elderly man, despite being in the country 30 years, spoke very little English. But once Victor showed him the watch, the old man knew what to do with it. Four weeks later, Victor returned to pick up the heirloom. The Russian man had completely restored the exquisite piece to its original beauty along with putting it back in perfect working order. It had only cost Victor two thousand dollars to mend and restore the beautiful time piece.
^*^*

And judging by the look on his lover's face at that moment, it was the best two grand he had ever spent; worth every penny.

"Wow. Victor. I love this . . . This is the best gift ever . . . " For once, Jim was speechless, making his lover smile. Jim held the watch tightly in his hand, it felt so good, to be there.

It was then that Victor knew that he had made the right choices for presents. He caressed Jim's tanned face with his right hand then ran the pad of his thumb over the soft brown freckles that dotted the bridge of Jim's nose. Victor kissed him and then pulled back and said, "Happy Anniversary."

"Your turn!" Jim said excitedly as he reached into the picnic basket and pulled out a scroll of heavy cream coloured paper wrapped in a blue curly ribbon. Along with the scroll, Jim was holding a small ring box too.

Victor blushed as Jim handed him the box. He opened it up and inside it there was indeed a ring. It was a men's gold wedding band with a sapphire cut diamond in the centre of the band set in platinum. "Jim . . . " Victor started, " . . . This . . . This is a wedding . . . "

"Ring." Jim finished for Victor. "I know. I have one too." He pulled an identical ring out of the small pocket inside his swim shorts and held it in his other hand. Jim looked directly into Victor's eyes and said seriously, "Will you marry me Victor?"

Victor smiled, then teasing Jim, he shrugged his shoulders in a noncommittal fashion and said casually, "Sure, why not?"

Jim tackled Victor playfully. He kissed him roughly while at the same time managed to wrest the ring from Victor's grip. He sat up triumphantly and holding the ring tightly in his fist said, "Brat."

"Hey!" Victor protested as he reached to try to get the ring back.

Jim, however, pulled his hand back, preventing Victor from grabbing it or him. "You'll get it back at tonight's ceremony, by the light of Tiki torches. That is, if you want to get married."

"Of course I do." Victor said, surprised that Jim would think otherwise. "Can I at least see if it fits?" He asked.

"It does. I know everything about you, including your ring size." However, Jim handed the ring over to Victor who tried it on and saw that it did fit, perfectly.

Victor pulled the band off and read the poetic inscription, 'V & J - two eternal hearts beating as one.'

"Mine says the same except with the initials reversed." Jim said.

"Tiki torch ceremony huh?"

"Yup."

"When?"

"Tonight. An island minister who says he has the perfect ceremony for "The gay boys," will come tonight and bring along his four daughters with him. They will serve as witnesses as well as setting up the beach."

"You mean," Victor asked, "The marriage will be legal."

"Of course. That's why I decided on this particular family vacation spot to go to. After tonight, we will be legally wed. No more shackin' up together."

Victor smiled, "That's a big step Jim. Are you sure about this?"

"About us?" Jim asked, and when Victor nodded he said, "I've never been more sure about anything in my whole life. Which brings me to my other gift."

"Ohhh, does it have something to do with that roll of paper?"

Jim pulled the ribbon off of the scroll and said, "Yes." He handed it to Victor who unrolled it and read it.

It was a document stating that Victor was his sole heir to his part of the family fortune and was also the recipient of a two million-dollar cash gift. Signed by Jim, and made legal by his raft of lawyers, who signatures were also on it. Victor finished reading it and looked up at Jim, "What's this for? I don't get it."

Jim licked his lips. "Well dad's death really hit me hard. I don't' know what I would have done without you this last year. His last lesson in life to us boys was the old adage that 'you can't take it with you.' If something should ever happen to me, I want to make sure you're taken of."

"Is that whole stalker thing still bothering you?" Victor shook his head. "I told you, nothing is going to happen to me . . . or to you. You don't need to give me your money, or your family's inheritance. Do you know how pissed Marc's going to be when he finds out you tried to cut me in on the family's fortune?" Victor laughed softly, "Jim I love you for who you are. Not for what you can provide for me. God forbid, if anything should happen to you, then I promise, I will be okay, financially. I don't want your money. I won't sign the papers."

Jim sighed heavily in frustration as he tried to organize his thoughts. "It's not just that *stalker thing* I'm thinking about. Look, I could die in a car accident when we get home." This was not the conversation Jim wanted to be having with Victor. The joy of the proposal was becoming clouded. "Victor. That *Ken* doll with its throat cut really scared me." Jim rubbed a stray grain of sand from the corner of his eye. "Vic, . . . if anything ever happened, I just wanted to make sure that you're looked after. That's all. After the doll incident, I started to think about us. I want to do this Victor." Jim whispered softly, "So please, for me, sign the papers."

"Mac or Mulder will find the person behind the threats Jim." Victor said gently, "I have to believe that." Victor saw the look on Jim's face, he was so worried, and Victor, knew right then and there he was defeated. He couldn't help but go along with his lover, just to cheer him up. So he rolled the scroll back up and said, "Okay. I'll sign them . . . after the ceremony." He put the papers in the basket and pulled Jim to him.
^*^*

Later that evening, in front of four young, beautiful Hawaiian women, Jim and Victor exchanged rings and vows by the light of the full moon, accompanied by eight tall Tiki torches.

Jim looked at Victor just before the minister's daughter snapped their picture, and he thought to himself how perfect his life was now. He didn't think that he would ever be happier than he was right now.

//How could anything possibly go wrong for us?//
^*^*

The previous year:

One month after Jim and Victor had gotten back together, a persistent female stalker who was focused solely with Jim, had started sending unwanted packages and letters; all in the name of *love*. The two men had assumed the obsessed person was a female because in the beginning, Jim would receive letters and poems and accompanying the sheets of paper, was several different pieces of female lingerie. From pairs of lacy red panties to white garters stockings, Jim was given it all. It just wasn't clothing either, the admirer also saw fit to send various sexual 'devices', that only made Jim burn red with embarrassment and Victor laugh.
But there really was no proof that the letter writer was a woman or a man. Jim and Victor simply got into the habit of referring to the stalker as a 'her'. The 'presents' and letters came at irregular and intermittent intervals, arriving at Jim's office, the restaurant and in his mail sent to his penthouse. Sometimes it was just letters, other times it was both notes and a gift. But all of it was unwanted.
Jim had at first thrown away the letters and under things, chalking them up to a woman he had crossed paths with, who thought that there was something more to their meeting then there actually was.

But then more notes had started to arrive and when the fan mail turned from adoring to threatening, in particular Victor's life, Jim got Mulder involved.

It was Mulder who took the case and then passed it onto the new 'anti-stalking- squad' that had been formed, stemming from the rash of obsessive fans in Hollywood.

The squad closely examined the correspondence and various items that had been sent to Jim, and they warned him that this was "just the beginning." True to their prediction, the woman's campaign did in fact, increase.

She claimed to be the only person, man or woman, who could love Jim and vowed to "get rid of that green-eyed whore you seem so fond of."

One time she sent Jim some expensive cologne and even went so far as to buy him some designer men’s underwear. Along with that particular batch of men's bikini underwear - something Jim would never wear - came a letter in which she revealed her fantasy involving Jim, the bikinis’ and red wax.
The erotic fantasy letters eventually turned from plain male/female sexual acts to something more dark and twisted. She took the time to write to Jim in great detail about how she: "aches to teach you the fine art of bondage." She talked about her act of "confining Jim would bind him to her forever. She also wrote about murdering "HIM." - she never referred to Victor by name usually. ". . . before your very blue eyes, while HIS hot red blood runs cold from the altar of discipline, I will go to you and make love to you the way you like it. Only I will use my dildos and other various toys to satisfy you. Your lover," she said, "will become irrelevant and unnecessary as I can do for you everything HE can. And more if you'll let me."

The threats against Victor's life petrified Jim. He took the unknown woman's menacing utterances as seriously as the Cascade PD did.

Victor however, stubbornly refused to cave to Jim's demands that he have a bodyguard with him at all times. Declaring angrily that if he could look after himself in prison and on the streets, and not be afraid, then he sure as hell wasn't going to let one anonymous woman scare the shit out of him. After that, he was sure to point out that he thought that Jim *was* his bodyguard.
^*^*

Langly smiled at the loud argument going on behind the penthouses closed doors. He could wait to report to Skinner that Thea was doing a good job in her rein of terror.
^*^*

Jim, tired of arguing, finally relented in his nagging of Victor, though he had no real choice, his lover was as stubborn as an ox.

Though, after the first threat, Victor did notice that Mac seemed to hang around the restaurant office a lot more than he used too. But he put up with it only because it kept Jim off of his back.
^*^*

Late December-1998.

For an entire year Jim and Victor had put up with one woman's campaign of bizarre obsessive, behavior. The men left it up to the police to try and catch her as they tried to put their focus on their blossoming relationship and business promising dealings.
However, Jim finally lost it when he and Victor entered Victor's office at 'Ellisons' restaurant. Together, they found on top of his desk, a brunette Ken doll that looked a whole lot like Victor. The doll was laid out in a small, replica of a coffin and the eyes had been cut out. Along with the missing eyes, the ‘Ken's’ arms and legs had been cut off at the knees and elbows. Red paint - Jim hoped it was paint - surrounded the damaged areas in mimicry of blood. There was also mark at the small throat of the doll as well. Sitting above ‘Ken's’ head was a piece of paper cut into the shape of a head stone. On it was printed, "Victor Mansfield. BORN: to the devil. DIED: AUGUST 20 -1999. MAY HE ROT IN HELL!!!" There was a letter with Victor's name on it sitting beside the gruesome figure. He picked it up and read and then when he was done, he reluctantly passed it over to Jim, who read:

'Victor, I saw the way you were looking at MY JAMES last night when you were having sex. Do you honestly think that the love you made to him in the deck chair was good? I've had it with you and your bedroom games. I've decided that you’re going to have to die today. And after I'm done killing you, I'm going to look down at your corpse and smile, for you will be no more. ‘J’ will finally welcome me into his loving arms, and it will be me who helps him to grieve for your lost carcass. He won't miss you for very long, I'll see to that.'

"Fucking Bitch!" Jim roared as he drove his fist right through the office wall.

Victor immediately went to Jim's side, who was seething with anger. "Calm down Jim." He said.

Jim whirled around, his eyes were wide with fury. "Calm down? Calm down!" He shouted at Victor. "How can you say that? She's just threatened to outright kill you today." His anxiety level was high enough for both them.

"Jim." Victor said calmly, "How's she going to get close to me when I'm usually surrounded by an army of men?" He smiled, and in trying to calm Jim he said rationally, "Now. I'm going to get a hold of Mulder and he can phone the cops who are supposed to investigating this case. I guess this," Victor waved his arm toward the mutilated doll and casket, "should be reported."
He picked up the cell phone and turned his back to Jim dialing the phone. As soon as he had turned around, he had blanched at the sight of the bloody display left by who ever the deranged person was. The truth was, he was unnerved by the threat. But he couldn't...wouldn't...admit it to Jim. His lover was already panicked enough over his safety. Usually Victor had Mac around him at all times now, but this morning Mac and one of his men were delayed by a car accident on the 401. A car had crashed ironically, at the freeway exit Mac needed to take in order to get to the restaurant. So Jim and Victor went ahead to the office alone, with Jim having already decided he would wait with Victor until Mac or one of his other minions showed.
^*^*

Mulder walked into the office first, followed by the detectives assigned to the case and a three-person forensics team. By the time the cops had arrived, Mac had already shown up, and was busy fuming at the "crazy woman's" audacity for the B and E job she had pulled to get into Vic's office. In performing this act, she had been as bold as she had ever been.

The cops took pictures and then let the forensics team scour the room; searching for prints, hair, fibers or any little thing, no matter how minute, that would tell them the identity of whom the pursuer was. And if they were really lucky, maybe even where the person could be found.

Mulder pulled Jim, Victor and Mac aside, and speaking quietly to them he said, "Listen Victor, it's time you got the hell out of Dodge for a few weeks."

Victor started to protest, but he was cut off by Mac, who backed Mulder up by saying, "Good idea." He turned to Jim and said, "Victor needs to be protected and there are just too many people for us to watch here. You should take him to one of the islands for a vacation or something."

Mulder interrupted Mac, "One of the private islands would be a great place to stash Vic . . . "

Jim piped in with a hesitant, "Well . . . we could take some time off . . . "

Throughout the conversation, Victor's head had snapped to each speaker, then in frustration, he interrupted them all by saying heatedly, "*Victor* is here in this room and can speak for himself thank-you! He glared at all three, who stood there looking at him like he had suddenly grown a third eye. "And I'm not going to let some woman . . . "

"Were only assuming it's a woman." Mulder said matter of fact.

"Nevertheless, " Victor continued, "I'm not going to let *some person* I've never even seen run me out of town. So you can quit making plans from me. I'm not going anywhere." He said defiantly, directly to Jim, then he spun on his heel and stalked away from the plotting trio.

"Oh Shit." Mac said to no one in particular.

"I think we pissed him off." Mulder said and he started toward Victor, intending on explaining the situation to him so that he could get a clear picture of how dangerous it was for him to be in Cascade right now.

Jim stopped him though, "I'll handle this." He said. He came up behind Victor and reached out and turned him around so that they were face to face. Jim plucked the cell phone from Victor's hand - just as he was about to dial it - and turned it off. He shoved it in his suit pocket.

"HEY!" Victor protested. "I was just about to use that."

Jim leveled a look at him and said, "Anyone you'd phone is already standing in the room with us." He looked back over his shoulder to where Mac and Mulder stood head to head talking conspiratorially between them.

//Still plotting my disappearance, no doubt!// Victor thought as he scowled at the two men.

"Give it up Victor." Jim said, pulling Victor's gaze away from the other men. "I know you to well. You're trying to avoid this conversation."

"Well that should be easy to do considering the three of you are talking like I'm not even here." Victor raised his eyebrows and then he sighed heavily. He tried to stave off his impending headache by pinching at the bridge of his nose. "You promised me once Jim that you wouldn't do that to me you know." He said finally. Looking directly into Jim's eyes he said, "Don't treat me like I'm an ornament."

Jim conceded, "I know. I'm sorry for trying to bully you. But whoever this person is, man or woman Victor, they scare the shit out of me. I'm afraid for your life. I wish you would be too. I feel like your not taking these threats seriously enough."

Victor carded his fingers through his ultra short hair. "No. I'm taking it seriously. But I hate being controlled by someone we haven't even seen. Look Jim," he said sensibly, "I agree we should take some time off. But I won't go scuttling away like a cockroach when the lights come on. Our one-year anniversary is in a week and a half. Why don't we plan to be away then?" He looked up at his lover through his lashes and smiled at him, showing him all of his even white teeth. Victor knew that if he batted his lashes long enough, Jim's mind could eventually be changed.

Encouraged by the difference in his lover's expression, Victor spoke, making sure to keep his voice low, and gravelly. "There are some things I want to take care of first, and I need to make a schedule for when I'm gone. Come on Jim." He said huskily, taking a few steps toward his lover, "Let's take a real vacation that's planned because we *want* too. Not because some psycho has us running scared." Victor kissed Jim softly then blinked his eyes a few times. "This person," Victor said reasonably, "has said these things to me before." He flicked his hand in the direction of his desk and the contents on top of it, " the only difference is she or he has decided to leave me the gift this time instead of you." Victor kissed Jim again. "Come on, it'll be more fun if we take a week and plan it properly. I promise to keep Mac and one of his boys with me at all times."

Finally Jim relented. He smiled and said softly, "Okay. You're right."

Victor grinned back at him in triumph. "Let's plan a real vacation then."

Jim pulled Victor into a tight hug and said to him, "I know what you're up to by the way."

Victor answered back, "Ohh? I don't' know what your talking about."

Jim replied, "Showing me that big smile of yours and then *gazing* at me with equally big eyes." He let go of Victor and kidding in a voice that mimicked Jackie's said, "Like, what is up with all that eyelash action any ways?"

"Well it works doesn't it?" Victor said as he laughed out loud.

Jim laughed along with him and then said in a normal tone, "True. Come on we better go let M&M over there know what's going on." He pointed to where Mac and Mulder were still talking with their heads together. About what, was any ones' guess.
^*^*

The cops had taken the statements and the forensics crew was finished with making Victor's office into a bigger crime scene than it had been in the first place. Jim waited until had he had a chance to speak Mac alone before he hauled him to one side and said, "When were gone, I want surveillance cameras put in Vic's office." Mac nodded in understanding. "No need to tell him." Jim made the order clear. No matter how close Mac and Victor had become, Jim was still his boss and it was his orders that Mac followed.

"Okay." Mac said.

“Only you and I are to know about this. Got it? Not Dobrinski, not even my brothers. Install them yourself."

"Okay." Mac parroted again. "The minute you're gone, I'm on it."

Jim clapped Mac's back and went to where Victor and Mulder were debating some mundane topic. He was glad that Victor had insisted on waiting to go away, because now that he thought about it, there was some business concerning Victor, and their upcoming anniversary that he wanted to take care of too.
^*^*

Walter Skinner's house:

Walter, Thea and Nathan all met at Walter's small house, two nights after Jim and Victor had returned from their tropical getaway. It had been a full year since the three of them had been fired by Victor. They had been getting together regularly, closely monitoring the progress their revenge against the pair was taking.
In a half ass earlier attempt at payback, Skinner had anonymously given Victor's name to the cops who were investigating the disappearance of Antonio Martino's disappearance. Telling them cryptically only that Victor, "Should be checked out."
Skinner had later heard from his source inside the Ellison 'compound' that Mansfield had stood up well to the intensive questioning and had eventually been released.
His name was stricken from the officer's list, as he had never really been a suspect. Jim had also been taken in for questioning and for a moment he was the cops main suspect in Martino's murder. But Jim too, was removed from the list, as there was no real proof that he was the culprit either.

And, as Jim's lawyer pointed out that it was Jim who had scooped the lucrative land deal that Martino was gunning for - a prime piece of downtown real estate. "After all, they have been business rivals for years, why would Mr. Ellison have him killed now?" Reasoned Jim's high priced mouthpiece to the detectives. Then the legal eagle promptly brought up several reasons as to why someone else is the killer. Once the cops dug deep enough, they came up with a whole raft of other possible suspects. Finally, Jim was released and taken off of the list.

Skinner, pissed off that both Jim and Victor had managed to come out of the Martino murder looking more innocent than his Rabbi, had decided to turn his energy's into finding his missing brother. He knew that he couldn't very well march into Ellison's office and ask where Blair was, considering Victor had threatened to kill him if they ever crossed paths again.
It wasn't that Walter was afraid of Victor - though Nathan was - and the 'Director' as Walter and Nathan called her, just wanted to fuck Victor to death. No. Not that at all. But he was afraid of Mac Ramsey, Jim's meanest handyman. And it had been Ramsey who had backed up Victor's initial threat in the first place.
So instead, Skinner went to the Cascade police station and reported his half brother missing. He was sure to mention that Blair last worked for Jim Ellison, and was in fact, his last lover. Once again, Jim had been asked to come down to the station house for questioning. To which he complied. And when asked, Jim lied flawlessly and fed the cops a bullshit story about how he caught Blair shooting up in his bathroom so he kicked him out, right then and there. And when Blair threatened to 'go public' with news of their relationship, Jim had told him to go ahead. He was open, and anyone who knew him knew he was gay. Then Jim told the cops that the last time he had heard, Blair Sandburg was on his way to see his dealer, Jim had flushed his drugs down the toilet.
Because there was no evidence to foul play - Mac was a pro after all, no one would ever find Sandburg's remains - and owing to the fact that as an adult, Sandburg was allowed to disappear. The police were satisfied with Jim's answers, so they filed away Blair's file and called Skinner to let him know that Jim proved to be of no help. That he was most likely not responsible for his brother’s disappearance and they would contact him if they "dig anything new up."

Skinner, angrier than ever, gave up on having the cops doing his dirty work for him. So he called together 'The Director' and Nathan, where they put their heads together and hatched a very long and complicated plot against the two men whom he saw as the enemy. Walter did his part in the plan by using what knowledge he had of Jim's life outside of the restaurant. He had singled out a personal employee of Jim's and slowly began to turn Jim's man, into his own using very subtle techniques he had learned while serving in Vietnam.
He knew for a fact that his informant had a secret crush on Jim, and that he definitely had a 'hate on' for Victor. His envy for Jim's lover seethed just under the surface of his quiet demeanor. Skinner used that jealously to his advantage, and soon, he had the man totally wrapped around his finger. By the time Walter was finished, he would have his very own Manchurian candidate.

The Director and Nathan's part in the grand scheme was to carry out with stalking Jim. Skinner didn't care how they did it, only that it got done. Thea took her part in the plan seriously, not to mention the great joy she got in harassing the two good-looking men who had both at one time or another rejected her.
She was the one who wrote all of the letters and select the gifts and tokens to be mailed away. She also was the one who decided where and when to send a mailing.
Nathan took care of posting the psychotic mail, either by courier or by going to a neighboring town and mailing the letters. He did not take pleasure in carrying out his part in the plan; at least not like Thea did. But she scared him almost as much as Victor did.

Walter's patience and determination amazed both of his accomplices. And finally, one year later, the trio's sick stratagem was ready to be finished off. Neither Nathan nor The Director had ever met Walter's informant before, but tonight they would meet finally get the chance to meet him.
Though the informant did know about Nathan and Thea, that they were the ones behind terrorizing both Jim and Victor.

The inside man also knew that the two men had been vacationing together for the last two weeks and that they had gone to a private island the Ellison family owned. However there was something the inside man didn't know, that Walter did. It was something that the lovelorn man would consider the last straw, and Skinner planned on using it to push his 'man' right over the edge.
^*^*

Walter set down another olive laden vodka martini in front of The Director and a beer in front of Nathan Muckle. He twisted the top off of his own bottle and sat across from the pair. He said to them, "Okay. Tonight is the night. By this time tomorrow, Ellison and Mansfield's world will have come crashing down on them."

"So what's the plan?" Nathan asked, sipping from his beer bottle.

"Well, " Skinner said, "The fake stalking has succeeded. Two weeks ago Ellison and his thug boyfriend took a hasty vacation to the family's private island retreat just off of the coast of Hawaii. They went there because the 'stalker'," Walter smiled at Thea, "drove them there - just so Victor could be safe from the 'kook'." He said directly to Thea, "A job well-done gorgeous. By the way, you make an excellent psycho."

"Thank-you." She murmured before popping an olive into her mouth.

"So . . . Jim and Victor while living in the lap of luxury, get this, got married while on the island." Skinner shook his head in disgust. "They flew home on Thursday and after spending the weekend unpacking, will finally be back to work tomorrow morning; bright and early. Which is when my snake in the grass will strike at Victor."

"Just what exactly is the big revelation that will send your guy off the deep end?" Thea asked.

"Well he's *yearned* for Jim from afar for a long time now. He admitted to me that he would do anything to get Jim to notice him. Just wait Thea, you and Nathan will get to see how I get him to do what we want."

"Just who is this inside guy of yours?" Nathan asked. He had been kept in the dark about the identity of the man for a year now.

"Patience Nathan. Patience." Was all Skinner would say.

A knock sounded at the door and Walter looked at his watch. "Right on time." He said to Nathan. "Now you two finally get to meet the rat." He stood up and went to the door and let in his guest.

"Nathan, Thea, " He said, "This is Ringo Langly."

"Just Langly." The geeky be-speckled blond man said to the two people in the room.

"Langly." Nathan and the Director said in unison.

"Get you a beer?" Offered Skinner.

"Sure" came the mild response.

Walter handed Langly a beer and then sat across from him and said conversationally. "So Jim and Victor are back, rested and ready to go to work tomorrow."

Langly made a face at the mention of Victor's name. "Yes." He said. "They're back."

"Well did you notice something different about them?" Skinner asked.

"Apart from the fact that they're tanned and happy?" Langly replied grimly.

"Apart from that, yes."

"No, I didn't notice anything new. What are you getting at Skinner?" Langly asked, growing paranoid.

Skinner smiled deviously, this next statement was the proverbial other shoe dropping. "Jim married Victor when they were away on the island."

A look of shock and disbelief crossed over the blonde man's face. "Wh . . . What?" He finally managed.

"You heard me." Skinner said calmly, "Mansfield talked Jim into marrying him. He had the minister come to the island to *surprise* Jim." He held up two fingers on each hand and made the quotation mark gesture when he said the word surprise.
Thea and Nathan just sat back and watched as Skinner drew Langly into his intricate web of lies. "Jim was put on the spot. He had no choice. Victor set it all up, he even had the rings ready." Skinner gave Langly a predatory smile, he was of course, turning the 'real' wedding story all around; laying it on really thick for Langly.
Skinner, encouraged by the look of horror on Langly's face, continued with the telling his 'tale'. "Then after he manipulated Jim into marrying him, Victor coerced his new *husband*, . . . " Walter could barely keep the disgust from his voice when he said the word 'husband'. "...into signing an agreement that gave over half of his fortune to Victor. He had the balls to have the paper work already drawn up, just waiting for Jim's signature. Victor Mansfield is a lying, cheating, opportunist who lied and manipulated his way into Jim's bed and then his bank account. Mansfield is no good for him. You know that yourself. Jim's in so deep with this guy, he doesn't even know how to find a way out. If something were to happen to Victor, then the contract Jim signed would be void."
Skinner sipped his beer at that point, taking a well-timed pause, to let his words register with the already half brainwashed man.
He set the bottle down. "In fact, if Mansfield were to die, then Jim would be able to get out of this whole big mess unscathed. He would be the one to receive a small insurance settlement from that gold-digger's small life insurance policy. I'm sure, . . . "
Skinner sweetened the honey pot, " . . . Jim would need a strong shoulder to lean on, to help ease him through the grief of losing Victor. You could be that shoulder Ringo. No one understands him like you do. Only you." Skinner took another sip of his beer and flashed a quick smile for his silent associates. "Can you do it Langly?" He asked the man, in low even, hypnotic type voice. "Can you do what it takes to save Jim from Mansfield's clutches?"

"Yes." Langly whispered so softly that Skinner almost never heard him. "I'm all Jim needs."

Skinner smiled evilly, "That's right," He said, "You're all Jim needs." He looked over his shoulder at Nathan and Thea and grinned at them, then he turned back to Langly. "I know where he'll be tomorrow and when he'll be alone."

Langly looked directly into Skinners eyes. "So do I." He said monotone. Then he stood up and mumbled a goodbye to the silent other two in the room.

Walter walked him to the door and reaffirmed, "In his office, tomorrow at the restaurant. He'll will be alone tomorrow morning." To the almost dejected like man.
Whether or not Victor would be alone tomorrow, was anyone’s' guess. But Skinner figured that Langly, being on the inside would be able to catch him alone in his office at some point during the day.

"He's a goner." Was all the geeky man said when he walked out of the door, and into the night.
^*^*

"BINGO!" Skinner said triumphantly to his partners. "By this time tomorrow, Mansfield will be dead and Jim Ellison will be weeping over his corpse. Ringo Langly will have done the job for us and that fake stalking angle we've been doing should cover our tracks long enough for us to collect the rest of our payment from Martino's 'family' for the hit. We'll split up the money, get out of town and then its fat city for the next couple of years."
He popped the cork of an expensive bottle of champagne and poured three glasses. He handed one to each of his partners in the crime. "Here's to the death of Victor Mansfield, may the son-of-a-bitch rot in hell and here's to Ringo Langly for taking the fall." The trio tinked glasses and then drank.

Thea piped up and made a toast of her own, "Here's to the million-dollar pay out to make it happen." She held up her glass and both Nathan and Walter said "Here, here." Together.
^*^*

Jim and Victor's penthouse, Monday, January 1999:

The alarm shrieked its nasty call, Jim reached out sleepily and slapped it into silence. He rolled over and instinctively reached out for Victor, who was not on his usual side of the bed. Jim groaned in protest. As he lay there for a second trying to wake up, he heard the shower starting in the background.
Jim lazed in bed for only a minute before his early morning hard-on mixed with visions of Victor, naked in the shower finally drove him out of the cozy bed. After urinating, Jim stepped around the thick glass blocks of his walk-in shower. He stood for a second and admired the beauty of Victor's well-muscled back and his firm ass. He couldn't help but smile at his younger lover’s stark white butt, standing out in marked contrast to the rest of his body that was tanned to a golden sugar hue.

As Jim stood and stared, the subject of his lustful thought turned around and smiling said, "Well are you going to stand there all morning staring at my ass or are you going to get in here and wash it for me?" He winked at Jim then turned back around.

Not needing a second invitation, Jim stepped into the hot spray behind Victor. He hugged his 'husband' tightly and bit into his shoulder softly. "Can you believe we have to go to work today?" He said as he nuzzled the back of Victor's neck.

"Mmmm. I know. I can't believe how quickly the two weeks flew by."

Reaching around Victor's waist, Jim captured his left hand and held it up in the air putting their ring fingers next to each other’s. "Marriage looks good on us. Doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does." Victor replied. He turned around and pulling Jim into his strong arms, kissed him. "Come on, turn around and I'll wash your back for you." He said rubbing his erection across Jim's. Then he slid around so that he was standing behind Jim, letting his lover receive the warmth of the hot spray.

Jim leaned forward and soaked his entire body.

In the mean time, Victor grabbed a bar of fruit scented glycerin soap and turned it over and over in his hands until he had created a thick lather. Reaching around in front of Jim, Victor ran his hands up his torso. Smiling at the feel of Jim's waxed chest - something Jim had been doing since he had taken up working with weights regularly six months ago. Running his finger tips lightly across Jim's delicate nipples, he made the small, light brown discs instantly stand at attention.
Victor shifted his touch and ran his hands gently downward and over the flat stomach that like his, was now sporting a six pack of muscles.

Jim moaned softly, he closed his eyes and raised his arms and clasped his fingers behind his head, giving Victor greater access to his body.

In turn, Victor's clever hands strayed due south, where he wrapped all ten of his fingers around Jim's now rigid cock. He nudged Jim forward by pushing his chest against the man's back.

Jim put his arms out once he was close enough to the tiled shower wall, he assumed the position; the same one he would if a cop was going to frisk him roadside. He leaned his head forward and watched as Victor stroked him until he was on the verge of orgasm. Then his pulsating organ was released and Victor sank down to his knees, behind Jim.

Jim had protested mildly when Victor stopped his hand-job. But Victor whispered up to him softly, "Shhh. You'll like this better." Then he leaned in and bit one of Jim's firm round cheeks, causing the still standing man to moan in pleasure again. Victor kneaded, nibbled and fondled Jim's ass until finally he parted the tight mounds and ran the very tip of his tongue over the small, pink opening.

The touch was electric and Jim's body jumped in ecstasy, undulating slowly, in silent pleasure.

Victor smiled to himself, knowing that his actions were driving Jim wild. After a minute or two of indulging his own private fantasies, Victor wetted the index finger of his left hand and slowly penetrated Jim's tight anus. With his right hand he reached between Jim's well-muscled legs and wrapped his fist around the base of the trembling man's cock.

Jim stared down at Victor's hand as he watched and felt as the love of his life proceeded to slowly carry him right to the brink of euphoria.

Victor pushed his finger in and out of Jim as he stroked his hand in time with his thrusts, until the point Jim reached the verge of orgasm. At that point, he suddenly stopped stroking and grabbed the very base of Jim's cock with his thumb and forefinger and squeezed tightly. By doing so, Victor's actions elicited a groan and then a plea of continuation from Jim; the benefactor of his careful ministrations.
Victor pulled out his finger and slapped Jim's left cheek hard, hard enough to leave a complete hand print coloured bright red. Jim mumbled incoherently as he thrust his hips forward, seeking Victor's fist, which had by now, been removed altogether. Standing up, Victor put his hands on Jim's hips and then pulled him back, so that his hands were still against the tiles, but his body was at a sharper angle. He used one bare foot and gently kicked Jim's legs farther apart. Then he leaned forward and placed his left hand at the small of Jim's back while with the other he guided his very hard, un-lubricated cock into Jim's constricted entrance.

Jim moaned at the pleasure/pain sensations of the burning heat that pulsed right through his whole body. "Ohhh, yessss, Victor . . . Yesssss." He whispered hoarsely as Victor entered him in one long, slow stroke. His cheeks clenched together in involuntary response to the invasion.

Undaunted, Victor was patient as he held onto either side of Jim's hips and slowly pumped in and out of him. Making sure to scrape the head of his cock over Jim's highly erogenous button every time he plunged in and then again, on the way out. It had not taken too long before Victor had Jim begging and panting for Victor to cum and to let him cum too.
But Victor in reply to the pleas, clenched his fingers around the base of Jim's cock and whispered into his ear, "Not quite yet love. Not until I say." He sucked in the flesh of the top of Jim's shoulder and made a purple mark. Jim groaned again.
This time, finally done teasing, Victor used his entire hand and stroked Jim in an opposite rhythm to his deep thrusts from behind. A few strokes later, Victor knew it was time, for them both. He kept up with fucking and stroking Jim, and whispered lustfully into his ear, "You make me so hard Jim. I could fuck you all day." Victor blew in his ear and smiled when the organ in his hand jumped at his dirty talk.
"My dick, ..." He continued," . . . is up your ass and my hand is wrapped around your cock, . . . " Jim mumbled out some unintelligible words of endearment, all Vic could make out was 'please' in the garbled mumbling. He ground into Jim even harder and gripping his penis tighter he said raspily. "I'm ready Jim. Come to me, . . . now."

With that, Jim let out a holler and let go; his semen painting the Italian tiles of the wall in front of him.

Victor ejaculated deep inside of his lover, at the same time. His knees had straightened with the orgasm, then buckled in the after math. Jim turned his head, and they kissed for a few seconds until the awkward angle forced them apart. Victor pulled out of Jim, and watched, as the lukewarm spray washed away the evidence of their love for each other.
^*^*

Dressed and ready for work, Jim kissed Victor thoroughly and said playfully, "My ass is going to burn all day now, thanks to you and your un-lubed entry."

Victor gave his 'husband' a lascivious look and retorted, "I know. Every time you move, you'll think of me." He licked his lips provocatively and then turned to the mirror to straighten out the knot in his tie. "Sometimes it's better to do it without the slippery stuff."

Jim approached Victor from behind and spoke to his reflection, "I'll think of you all day any ways, next time you're on the receiving end!" Jim pretended to sound angry, the truth was that he really wasn't, of course. The love making between them improved with each passing day of their togetherness. Jim supposed that was so because every day they fell more in love then the day before. He kissed at Victor's neck.

Suddenly Victor's pager went off, interrupting the nuzzling. Victor smiled as Jim continued kissing him and held the pager out at eye level to read it. "It’s Mac. Gotta' go." He said breezily. Pocketing the pager, Victor turned around. "I love you champ." Then he cheekily slapped Jim's trouser covered ass.

"I love you too, Vic . . . " Jim replied, smiling at the smack, couldn’t help but be disappointed that his kissing had been halted.

Next thing, Victor was out the door and down the hall. He passed the guard at the desk and said "Good morning" to John Byers. Glad that he had missed the shift change between Langly and Byers. He didn't want to have to look at Langly's face on this perfect morning. Langly only ever spoke to him in a cold voice and that was only when he had too. And Langly always, always wore a scowl only for him.
Victor got into the elevator having no idea that Langly had not shown up for his shift the previous night: that he had called in sick and Frohicke had covered his shift until morning, then Byers came in to relieve Frohicke early.
^*^*

Mac pulled the door shut behind himself and listened for it to click shut - it did - as it locked automatically.
Victor took a step away from the now secure door, but Mac put out his arm and stopped him. "I'll go first." He said.

"It's not as if Jackie's *not* going to kick my ass if something should happen to you." Victor said sarcastically, one eyebrow raised.

"She might kick your ass, but at least she won't *kill* you." Mac said over his shoulder to Victor.

Victor had to laugh at that, Jim was way too protective when it came to him. They went down the hall and when they reached the office door, Mac poked his head in first and looked around quickly, but before he was satisfied, Victor pushed Mac aside gently and entered his office. He looked around, as good as it had been to get away, it was good to get home again. He fingered the wedding band on his ring finger and turned to Mac. "Shit!" He said.

"What?" Mac asked.

"I forgot that file of new recipes the chef wanted me to read in the car." He started toward the door.

"Hold it." Mac instructed as he pulled his keys out. "I'll go and get them. You stay here where it's safe."

Victor shook his head. "All right." He relented. "I guess I better phone Jim anyway, and let him know that I arrived alive.”

Mac laughed as he was leaving. Neither man even noticing that the desk chair was pushed to the side, so that it was no longer resting under the desk, as was usual. Victor walked around his desk and reached for his phone but before he could grab it, a hand snaked out from under the desk and grabbed his ankle. The hand yanked hard and Victor fell over, smacking the side of his face, then the back of his head as he went down.
Caught completely by surprise, Victor had no time to react, let alone defend himself. He lay there stunned, trying to clear the stars that danced in his vision. His assailant scrambled out from underneath the large wooden desk, in one hand he was holding a large serrated knife and in the other he had a small can of pepper spray in the other.
Victor was bleeding from a cut at the corner of his eye and from another at the base of his skull but he still managed to get his hands behind himself and he crabbed backwards for a few paces. Then he froze, as his clouded brain cleared just enough for him to realize who exactly, his attacker was. Had Victor had a gun on him, he would have gone for it and shot the bastard standing over him. Lacking a weapon, he tried instead, to get up, wanting desperately to knock the shit out of his assailant. The blow to the skull however had really hurt him. Victor's head throbbed, and he didn't think his legs would hold him, even if he did manage to stand up.

Langly stepped up and stood over Victor, looming large over the still half-senseless man. He sneered at the rapidly blinking Victor, then he crouched down and using all of his might, jammed the knife into the centre of Victor's belly.

Victor shrieked in pain, it burned where the knife had entered and all of his nerves were on fire. The pain pulsed through his body in time with his speedy heartbeat.

Langly, left the knife where it was; imbedded in Victor's abdomen. He straddled Victor and grabbed him on either side of his jaw and pulled him so that his eyes were facing upwards and looking directly at him. "Did that hurt Vic?" Langly asked casually. "Well, I guarantee you it didn't hurt half as much as it did when I found out you married Jim and conned him out of his money."

Victor's eyelids fluttered as he asked, "Langly . . . Why?" His voice was barely above a whisper, the pain of the knife in his belly was not subsiding in the least and he wished that he would either pass out or just die.

"Because, you stole Jim from me. That's why." Langly's eyes, magnified by the glasses he wore, were full of pure hatred for Victor.

"Just kill me then." Victor groaned bravely. He couldn't wrap his thoughts around the fact that for the last year, it had been Langly terrorizing them and not some unknown woman. Something still didn't seem right about that fact, but Victor was in too much agony to think straight. He looked at the knife still in his stomach, he could see the blood seeping out of the wound and he knew then, that he probably wouldn't survive the encounter even if Langly did leave right now.

"Oh no Victor. I won't kill you outright. I told you, I'm going to hurt you first." Without warning Langly yanked the serrated knife out of Victor.

Victor screamed and Langly still holding the pepper canister, sprayed the stinging pepper into the bubbling wound. In doing so, it was the equivalent of throwing salt into the wound. Which was what Langly wanted; he wanted to torture Victor not just merely kill him.

When the spray had hit the freely bleeding injury, the agony of the stinging mercifully pushed Victor past his limits and allowed him to pass out, and thankfully, he could no longer feel anything.

Langly screamed in anger when Victor's body could no longer hold on to consciousness. He jumped up and began kicking the oblivious man in the ribs on the right side of his prone body. Yelling for him to "Wake up," Langly only stopped kicking when he heard the satisfying crunch of some of the bones giving way. Then as a last final indignation, he spat on the motionless man's torso.

Throughout the encounter, time seemed to move in slow motion for both of the parties involved; victim and perpetrator. However the actual span of time was only three or four minutes. After spitting, Langly dropped the knife near Victor and then he took off out of the office. He ran through the kitchen and was out of the back door before Mac even returned.
^*^*

"Gee, I don't know Vic, . . . " Mac said as he rounded the corner and walked into the office. "Some of these recipes seem . . . " He froze for a few seconds when he saw Victor laying on the floor unconscious and bleeding out.
Then a beat later, he screamed out Victor's name. The file slipped from his hand, forgotten as he ran to his friend and dropped to his knees. Mac cradled Victor's head in his lap and he pressed his bare hands to the knife wound, but found out quickly, that his mere hands would not be enough to help stop the flow of blood. Reacting to the situation, he immediately yanked off his suit jacket and flung it aside, then he ripped his shirt open by grabbing in the small gap between the buttons and yanked it wide open. He popped off all of the buttons in the process and sent them up into the air, showering Mac and Victor in a hail of expensive acrylic. He pulled off his white cotton dress shirt and balled it up. He replaced his hands with it by pressing it to the bleeding abdomen, trying his hardest to stanch the wound; the expensive shirt immediately turned red.
Reaching out with one bloodied hand, Mac grabbed the telephone cord and yanked the phone right off of the top of the desk. The phone protested hitting the floor by sending out a solitary ringing noise. He pulled the phone closer to him, and double checking for a dial tone, Mac immediately pushed in 911. He had remained calm and cold like, keeping his real emotions locked firmly away as he confirmed the address for the woman on the other end of the line.
He even remembered to tell the 911 operator that the door was locked and the paramedics were going to have to smash the glass to get in. He listened to the first aid instructions, and pressed the now completely soaked shirt down even harder onto the stab wound. Against the 911 operator’s advice, Mac hung up the phone and flung it away in frustration. He groped behind himself and grabbed the sleeve to his jacket. While still pressing down on Victor's stomach, he managed with one hand, to pull his cell phone from his pocket. Pushing down a single digit, the phone speed dialed to Jim's cell phone, Mac swore when the he heard the computer start to say, 'The user is away from the...'. Hanging up, he then pushed another number and reached one of his men, who was already en route. Mac shouted at him to step on it as he was going to have to watch the place for the Ellisons.
Mac's hands by that point were covered with Victor's blood, but he didn't notice, all he could think about was saving Victor. Pushing a third number on the speed dial, Mac managed to get a hold of Mulder. He frantically filled the cop in on what was happening. And when he finally heard the sirens wailing in the distance; Mac was flooded with relief. He told Mulder that the medics were here and that he would go with Victor to the hospital, then he instructed Mulder to try and get a hold of Jim, that he had already tried him but Jim's wasn't answering his cell phone.
Mac said to Mulder just before hanging up, "There's a camera hidden in the office. It's in the light fixture and the recording equipment is sitting behind a false front of books, all of them titles by 'Dickens'. Mac spoke firmly, "No one knows about the surveillance. I want you to get to the tape first. Then I want to know who the son-of-a-bitch is that did this. We’re gonna’ this bastard Mulder!"
Mac hung up and dropped his cell phone to the carpet. "SHIT!" he screamed, distressed. Just as he yelled that he heard glass smashing. Victor moaned but did not wake up. "It's okay buddy." Mac soothed, his eyes glued to the red dress shirt. "Help is here now." The paramedics came charging down the hall yelling for Mac, who answered by shouting "IN HERE! HURRY!"
^*^*^*^*^*

PART III – “Time changes everything.”

NOTE: I am not a doctor. Duh! The only medical knowledge I have comes from ER. So, please, forgive me for all of the medical mistakes, inconsistencies and myths . . . Just pretend - like I did - that I know what I'm talking about. Demi.

^*^*

All through the night I'll be standing over you,
All through the night I'll be watching over you,
And through bad dreams I'll be right there baby,
Holding your hand, telling you everything is all right.
And when you cry I'll be right there,
Telling you, you were never anything less than beautiful,
So don't you worry,
I'm your Angel standing by . . .
‘Angel standing by' - Jewel.

^*^*

The emergency room doors flew open and Victor's blanket covered feet led the way through. He was still unconscious, and as hard as they tried, the paramedics were unable to wake him in the ambulance. The quad of people were greeted by a tall, attractive Asian Dr. His name I.D badge read, 'M. Tsang'.

"Talk to me Sophie, what have we got?" Dr. Tsang yelled as he guided the rolling bed down the busy hall toward a free trauma room.

"Caucasian, male, 35. Stab wound to the middle of the abdomen with a serrated knife, possible broken ribs on the right side of the victim's torso."

"What's that smell?" Dr. Tsang asked as he pulled his mask up.

"The perp contaminated the belly wound with some sort of a dog repellent or pepper spray." Came the reply from Sophie, the paramedic. The trauma room doors were pushed aside by another doctor and two nurses who were waiting for them, they brought Victor in, and his gurney came to a rest in the centre of the large room.

"Shit" Was all Dr. Tsang mumbled in response to the answer to his question of the smell. Victor was immediately transferred into a bigger bed.

Mac tagged along at the rear of the medical procession, still bloodied and in a somewhat of a daze. He himself had experienced residual effects of the potent pepper spray; his eyes were red and swollen and stung like crazy, now. But at the time, in the office, sheer adrenaline had kept him from realizing it at all. Mac pushed his discomfort aside; he was not the important one in all of this, Victor was.
^*^*

Once Victor was delivered to where he was supposed to be, the paramedics' jobs were done. They had done their bit in getting Victor to the hospital, now the rest was up to the doctors and nurses. The two of them passed by Mac on their way out of the trauma room but Mac ignored the medics as they went by him, he was totally focused in on Victor and was listening intently to what the doctor was saying.

"Okay people, let's get to it." Dr. Tsang said calmly. The doors swung closed and the everyday mayhem of the emergency room was shut out.
As the trauma team did their individual jobs, each one having a specific duty - from the nurse starting the IV lines to the second doctor examining for any secondary injuries - Dr. Tsang shouted out instructions. He called out what meds he wanted pushed through the lines and what tests he wanted performed. The tests ranged from determining Victor's blood type to whether or not there was blood in the urine. Doctor Tsang controlled it all. As he was verbally ordered his team, Tsang lifted the large bandage that had replaced the bloodied shirt. "What a mess." He stated to no one in particular.

"But you can fix him? Right Doc?" Mac spoke from the side of the room, well out of every ones way.

Dr. Tsang turned around and looked at Mac, he noted the blood-covered undershirt he was wearing beneath the expensive a suit jacket. He saw that Mac's hands were coated with dried blood up too, and probably past his wrists.
"Who are you?" Dr. Tsang asked warily. "Someone get security in here." He ordered.

"I'm not the one who stabbed him." Mac said sarcastically. "I'm his body guard. Mac Ramsey."

Dr. Tsang relaxed slightly and bent his head back to examining Victor. "Maybe he should have had two guards instead of one." He replied back, just as sarcastic, as Mac had been with him.

Ignoring the remark, Mac inwardly thought the Doctor was correct in that assumption. He asked again, "Is Victor going to be all right?"

Dr. Tsang covered up the stab wound. "Alice, tell O.R. to get their surgical consult down her now." He looked at Mac and answered the obviously worried bodyguards' question with the standard, "I don't know Mr. Ramsey, I honestly don't know."

Mac replied nervously, "Well I suggest you do everything you can to save his life. Or there will be hell to pay if he dies. You don't know who you've got on that table."

"Fresh gloves." Tsang said. He turned to Mac and proceeded to pull off his bloodied ones. "Every patient gets the best care possible. I assure you." Dr. Tsang resented Mac's implications. However, he was curious about his patient so he asked Mac, "Just who is this on the table any ways?" A nurse handed him a fresh pair of latex, and he started to put them on.

"Victor Mansfield. He's a member of the Ellison family."

At the mention of Ellison, the expression on the Doctor's face changed. It was a subtle change, but it was enough that Mac had caught it.

Dr. Tsang said finally, "There's only Ellison sons. No daughters. How can he be a member of the family?"

Mac narrowed his eyes at the doctor as he snapped, "He's James Elision's lover. No scratch that, his husband. So I suggest you quit yapping at me and get back to work." His temper was growing shorter by the second. He couldn't believe that Victor might not live . . . wouldn't believe it. As it was, Jim would probably kill him for letting this happen. He didn't know the assailant had gotten to Victor in such a short time, but the camera in the office would tell him who had attacked Victor and whoever it was, was going to die. Man or woman, it didn't matter. Mac would see to it, by killing the culprit himself.

Doctor Tsang frowned at Mac's outburst and looked away from him. "Where the hell is surgical?" He asked a nurse, this time with more urgency in his voice than the last time he had requested their presence. As soon as he had asked the question about surgical coming down, a warning alarm screeched out from one of the many monitors that Victor was hooked up to.

A male nurse shouted out, "Pulse and pressure dropping. He's CRASHING!" Then a single buzzer pulsed out, in confirmation of the nurse's statement, mixing in with the already blaring, annoying alarm.

Doctor Tsang yelled, "Son of a bitch!" as he jumped up on the bed, and straddled Victor. Then he began to perform CPR pushing down as hard as he dared, considering that it had been confirmed already that there were broken ribs.
"Bag him Mannie." Dr. Tsang instructed the male nurse. Who did as he was told and disconnected the hose leading from the breathing apparatus to the tube that was going down Victor's throat. Mannie replaced the hose with a hand-held air bag, which he squeezed manually at regular intervals. "Alice." Doctor Tsang barked, "Get the elevator NOW! Were going up."

Two nurses pushed the bed, Mannie continued to manually pump air into Victor's lungs, and Dr. Tsang kept up pressing gently on Victor's chest as the elevator doors closed behind them.

Mac tried to follow Victor up but a nurse stopped him from entering the elevator. She said to him in a gentle voice, "You can take the next one up. He's going to be in surgery for the next couple of hours."

Mac ran his fingers through his hair, still oblivious of the dried blood staining his hands. "What's going to happen to him?" He asked anxiously.

The nurse smiled softly, trying to encourage the frightened man. "They'll operate to fix the stab wound and then repair his ribs while they're at it. Don't worry Mr. Ramsey, your friend has a good chance that he will make it out of the OR alive."

Mac, somewhat relieved by her optimism asked, "You think so?"

. She pushed the button for the elevator again, "Yes I do. I've seen worse and they've managed to survive." The doors opened up and as the people filed out she said to Mac, "Go to the fourth floor and wait in the waiting room there. Someone will talk to you after awhile."

Mac stepped into the elevator. Worried sick for the life of his friend, and what this would do to Jim.
^*^*

Lucky for Mac, he had the waiting room all to himself because he didn't think that he could handle people right now.
He had only been in the bland room about fifteen minutes before Jim came storming in, frantic for news of Victor. He was followed into the waiting room by his older brother Justin, who happened to be in a meeting with Jim when Mulder pushed his way past the secretary and busted up the discussion.

Mulder had finally barged past the soft-spoken lady after he had grown tired of being told that Mr. Ellison, both of them, could not be disturbed.

Upon hearing the news, Jim had immediately jumped up and ran out of the office. Not even bothering to grab his coat on the way out; despite the fact that there was a freezing rain falling.
Luckily Justin remembered to snag Jim's warm trench coat while chasing his younger brother out of the office. As the trio passed the frightened secretary, Justin said to her hastily, "I'm unavailable until further notice Mary." He had his cell phone and his family knew how to reach him. Anyone else could wait.

Mulder parted company with Jim and Justin at the cars, Justin's driver was ready to go, but before the two Ellison men could leave Mulder pulled Jim aside and said to him, "I've got the tape of the stabbing." He patted his coat pocket firmly. "I'll let you know what's going on later."

Jim nodded his head. "Thanks Mulder." He said.

"Thanks Fox." Justin added. "Come on Jim, we should get going." Jim climbed into the back seat of the luxury car and Justin followed him in.
^*^*

As soon as Jim caught sight of his security chief, he froze.

The young man was still covered in blood; Victor's blood. He still had not washed up and the bright red pigment of Victor's precious fluid had stained his cuticles as well as the creases and crevices of his large hands. Far too warm in the hospital, Mac had removed his jacket and draped it over the back of a chair. He was still wearing the white muscle shirt that he had on when trying to help Victor in the office. It had numerous large blood splatters peppering the front of it. The stained shirt hung from Mac's lanky frame, un tucked from his pants. There were blood smears on his light gray pants too, though they had dried to a dark brown. Mac stopped pacing and stared back at his boss. "Jim. I'm . . . "

But Jim cut him off by saying, "Is all that Victor's blood?" His voice was soft and he was barely able to speak. His blue eyes were wide and it was obvious that he was beyond worried, now he was totally petrified for his husband.

Mac raised his arms in front of himself and he looked at his hands as if he had suddenly grown them. He slowly rotated his wrists back and forth staring at his palms like he didn't recognize them at all. He raised his eyes and looked up at Jim and answered the question by replying softly, "Yes."

Horrified, Jim staggered back a few paces until his back was against the wall. His legs, no longer able to support his body, gave way, and he slid down the bare white wall in slow motion. Jim's shocked blue eyes were glued to Mac's bloodied wardrobe and as soon as he was sitting flat on his ass, he buried his face into his hands.

//OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD//

Justin, ever the sensible one, took control of the situation immediately. He looked at Jim for a second before going over to Mac. He said to him, "Go home and clean up. Then get down to the cop shop and find out what's going on." Mac nodded but he couldn't take his eyes off of Jim, who just sat there on the floor, shaking his head back and forth; his face still hidden in his hands.

"Are you listening to me? Mac?" Justin asked gently.

Mac finally pulled his gaze away from Jim and looked at Justin. "Yes." He said simply.

"Good. Do you have your cell?"

"Yes." Mac replied again, monotone.

"Okay. Make sure you get a hold of Murphy and Camier`. They can handle the restaurant through all of this. As soon as you hear anything, phone me. Whoever did this is through living." Justin threatened. "I'll look after things here, but I need you to get a grip Mac and look after things out there for Jim, you’re speaking for him now."

Mac nodded his head. "Okay. I'm okay now." He went over to where Jim was and squatted down in front of him, and said, "I'm sorry boss. This is all my fault."

Jim brought his head up, "No." He whispered. "It's not . . . Mac . . . I don't . . . It's not your fault. So don't blame yourself. Whoever stabbed Victor is to blame. No one else." Jim's eyes were full of hatred. "Find who's responsible for hurting Vic, Mac. That's what I want you to do."

"I will." Promised Mac solemnly. He stood up and started for the scene of the crime.
^*^*

As soon as Mac had left, Justin went to Jim and pulled his brother up to his feet. "Were alone now Jim." He said and with that, Jim let all of his control go, but only for only a few seconds. Instantly tears came to, then spilled out of his eyes. Justin hugged his brother tightly for a second, then let him go. Jim wiped at his eyes and then went over to a box of tissues, grabbing a few he blew his runny nose.

"He’ll be all right Jim." Justin said his brother’s back.

Jim turned around. "I hope so Justin. I hope so."
^*^*

Four hours later.

"Mr. Ellison?" Jim, Justin, Jason and Marc Ellison all turned their heads at the same time to look at the female voice that came from the doorway.

"Yes." All four said in unison.

The pretty nurse smiled at the foursome of faces that were so very similar to each other. "I'm looking for James Ellison." She said.

"That's me." Jim answered as he stood up from the couch he had been sitting on. He was exhausted, even though it was only two o'clock in the afternoon. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jim feared that he was about to hear the worst news.

// They'd send in a Doctor if it was *that* kind of news. Wouldn't they?//

"I have an update for you." The nurse walked over to Jim, extremely conscious of the other men staring at her expectantly. She felt like a bug under a microscope and she couldn't help but think that if these four people didn't like the answers being delivered, she might be the next one to check into the hospital; as patient and not an employee.
"Mr. Mansfield is still hanging on.” She encouraged. “They've finished repairing the stab wound. And now the doctors are going to start on his ribs. One of the surgeons will come down and explain the extent of the damage to you later on, when they're finished. Okay?" She certainly hoped it was.

"Okay. Thanks." Jim said to her coldly then he turned his back to her.

The nurse smiled nervously and then beat a hasty retreat out the door.

"I'm hungry." Said Jasen casually after a minute. "Want to get some lunch?" He asked his brothers.

Justin and Marc accepted the invitation. "Jim?" Marc said. "You going to come with us?"

Jim shook his head. "No. I'm not hungry." He couldn't even think of food, the mere mention of it made him feel sick to his stomach.

"You need to eat." Justin said practically.

"I'm a big boy. I'll eat when I feel like it." Jim snapped. He was frustrated, it showed in his actions and it could be heard in his tone of voice.

"Jiiim . . . " Chided Jasen. "You need something."

Jim quit staring at the Pepsi machine and whirled around to face all three of his older brothers. Relenting he said, "Well then bring me back something. I don't care what, because I'm not leaving this hospital until I see Victor." He stated firmly before turning his back to his brothers again. He stared out the window at the view of the parking lot. "I wonder why Mac hasn't phoned?" Jim said no one in particular.

Jasen looked at Marc and Justin then he shrugged his shoulders. "He'll phone one of us as soon as he knows something." Jasen said.

Jim sighed heavily, then he swung around and looked each one of his brothers in the eye. "Listen, I know you're all busy, so after lunch why don't you guys go back to the office? ...Victor wouldn't want all of this fuss . . . " Jim waved his hand at the waiting room.

"We will come back after lunch." Marc said, interrupting Jim.

"No. Really it's okay. I want to be alone anyway." Jim said. He gave the three of them a small half smile, then he went back to staring out the window.

"Okay." Justin agreed. "But we'll bring you back some lunch first, at least."

Jim only nodded and the siblings left the small room. Jasen stopped and spoke to the two large *family* security guards who were posted just outside of the door. "Jim wants to be alone. So don't let him see you, just stay here."

The blond guard nodded his head. "Sure, Mr. Ellison." He said.

Marc in the meantime handed a hundred-dollar bill to a nurse at the station across the hall from where Jim was. "Mr. Ellison, wants the waiting room to himself." He smiled, laying on all of his handsome, Irish charm. He slid two more hundreds across the counter top, "Please if you can direct any other people to the other waiting room down the hall." He patted the back of her hand.

The young nurse nodded her head, she was quite taken with the well dressed, older man. "For you Mr. Ellison. Anything." She said, making sure to emphasize the 'anything'.

"Thanks." He said, not taking up her up on the 'anything' invitation. Instead, he joined his brothers.
^*^*

"Hello." Jim snapped into the cell phone. He had been sitting on the over stuffed couched and staring into space when the phone rang, pulling him out of his hypnotic state. He stepped out onto the small deck to speak. The cold, fresh air revived him.

"It's me." Mac said.

Jim bent his head and rubbed at the muscles at the back of his neck, sighing he changed his tone of voice. "What's up?" He asked.

"How's Victor?" Was the first thing Mac said.

"I don't know." Jim said frustrated. "I've been sitting here in this fucking shit hole waiting room for like . . . ever. I haven't heard word one in over four hours. The last time the nurse spoke to me she said that they had fixed up his stomach and that the surgeons were going to start in on Vic's ribs."
He looked up, "Every time I try to ask someone what's going on they give me the standard 'He's doing as best as can be expected'. Whatever the hell that means!" The aggravation of the situation was beginning to wear on his nerves.

"I'm coming over there right now!" Mac growled angrily. "Fuck this bullshit, I'll get the answers you want!"

And at that, Jim had to smile. He had no doubt that Mac would be able to extract the information they wanted regarding Victor. Charm or intimidation, Mac did both well. He would try charm on a nurse or doctor first and if that didn't work then he would go the intimidation route. That method always got results.
However, Jim still just wanted to be alone; alone as he could be with two giant body guards standing in the hall watching over him. "No Mac. Don't. I appreciated the gesture but I want to be by myself. I told both Dobrinski and Mom to stay away too."

"Okay." Mac knew that Jim had also chased away his brothers as well. His boss was building his walls again and he shuttered to think of what would happen if Victor didn't live through this nightmare. The walls would never come down.

//Victor dying is not an option!//

"So why did you call?" Do you have some news for me?" Jim could hear voices and telephones ringing in the background of wherever Mac was.

"Well, . . . " Mac hesitated for a second, "I'm at the cop shop. Mulder made an arrest."

"Who is it?" Jim asked immediately.

Mac sighed. He was not looking forward to telling Jim this next bit. "I don't' know. Mulder won't say jack shit to me. He took the tape and whoever it is that's on it, he's made an arrest according to the images."

"That bastard. Why won't he show you the perp.?"

"Because he knows whoever it is, is a dead man. Or woman. I think he's trying to get all he can before the inevitable ending comes up. He's just doing his job Jim."

Jim scratched the back of head, thinking for a second. "Okay. You're right. So here's what I want you to do . . . Stay there and try to find out who's on the tape. Maybe even try to get a copy of it. At any rate, It's mine and I want it back, have Dobrinski call the lawyers, maybe they can get it through legal channels. Money is no object Mac. Phone me when you hear any more. When we find out who did this, I'll leave it up to you to take care of things." Jim asked.

Of course Mac got his meaning. "Leave it up to me." He said. "I'll get Dobrinski working with the suits and I'll get a hold of you when I know something new." Mac paused before hanging up. "He'll be okay Jim. You have to keep believing that."

"I know." Jim said as he hung up. He stepped back inside the waiting room. The cloying heat of all hospitals, irritated him. The mobster strolled over the couch and plopped down. He stared at the food container Jasen had brought for him from lunch. The pasta was still untouched. Tired of looking at the box, Jim stretched out his leg and using his foot, he pushed the container into the garbage can that was sitting next to the coffee table.
^*^*

8:00 P.M.:

"Mr. Ellison?" Jim stopped pacing and stared at the person who had called his name.

"Yes" He said. Showing no outward emotion.

The young Asian man smiled. "I'm Dr. Tsang." He held out his hand and Jim shook it. "I was here when Mr. Mansfield came in this morning. I wanted to stay with the case, so I followed it through." Michael's heart was pounding wildly in his chest, Jim Ellison, along with his whole family frightened him. He wasn't sure how his news would be taken. The man that had patted him down had arms that were so big they looked like they could rip his head off, bare handed.

"How's Victor?" Jim asked, relieved that finally another medical professional had finally come to talk to him.

"Well,...He's coming out of the surgery alive and that's always a good sign." He led Jim to the couch and then sat in the chair across from him.
"We managed to repair all of the damage in his belly. Which is what took so long. You see, the knife nicked several pieces of his small intestines. Luckily they were small cuts, so not a lot of the fluid had leaked out into his abdomen yet. But it was enough to make the operation messy. The surgeons managed to clean it all up. Unfortunately, they were forced to remove a five-inch length of intestine that was beyond repair."
Dr. Tsang looked directly into Jim's eyes and said, "Mr. Mansfield is lucky the knife didn't do more internal damage. "

He cleared his throat. "Now as for his ribs, he had four of them that were smashed in two. So it took the team of thoracic surgeons quite sometime to put him back together. I think his prognosis is good Mr. Ellison. Victor is young and in good shape....."
Dr. Tsang left the statement dangling. He cleared his throat once again and ignoring the pager that was vibrating in his pocket he said, "We've done all we can. The rest is up to Mr. Mansfield he's not quite out of the woods yet. If he makes it through the night, then things should turn out okay." He stood up, "They've just wheeled him into recovery, he won't leave there until around one A.M. Why don't you go home? He won't wake up tonight."

Jim looked up at the doctor and grimaced at the thought of leaving Victor. He shook his head. "No." He said firmly. "I'll stay."

"Well I'll leave word at the desk then, you'll be able to see him once he's brought to his room on the ward."

"Thank-you Doctor." Jim said. At least now he had some hope.
^*^*

3:00 A.M.:

The door behind Jim opened up and a strip of bright light shone into Victor's room. Jim turned around thinking it was another nurse coming in to check on Victor's progress. He smiled weakly at the visitor - it was his brother Marc.

"You. Little brother, . . . " Marc said quietly as he handed Jim a cup of fresh brewed coffee, " . . . look like shit."

"Thanks Marc." Jim said dryly as he sniffed at his armpits. "Probably smell like it too."

March laughed softly, he pulled up a chair and sat across from Jim, who was sitting next to Victor at the head of the bed. Marc was on the same side of the bed as Jim, but near the foot of it. He looked around the room and studied all of the equipment Victor was hooked up too. One of the machines beeped at an annoyingly regular interval; reminding him of a dripping faucet.
There were all kinds of clear tubes and wires running in and out from underneath Victor's blankets which were pulled up to his chest. Marc could not see Victor's tightly taped ribs or the stomach wound; one of the tubes that came out from under the blankets was a drainage tube inserted into Victor's abdomen.
Marc could see all the apparatus meant to heal the wounds and he couldn't help but worry for the sleeping man. He could see even in this light that Victor was unusually pale. In fact, the ghostly white pallor was from losing so much blood and it made Victor's bruised face stand out in stark contrast to his unnatural skin tone.

"They took the breathing tube out of him about twenty minutes ago. He looked even worse then." Jim said, pulling Marc out of his silent assessment of the younger man.

"Jesus Christ Jimmy. Is he going to make it?" Marc was genuinely concerned for his brother's lover. //No! His husband. I'll have to get used to saying that.//

"The Doctors are optimistic. Because of his age and health, they say that if he survives the night, he has a chance." Jim rolled his neck around in a slow circular motion. Marc could hear it crack. "Why are you here at three in the morning Marc? You should be home in bed with LiAnne."

Marc swallowed. "Mac phoned me. He's been trying to get you for hours, but your cell is off. Besides, I couldn't sleep."

"I had to turn it off." Jim glanced at Victor briefly then turned back to his brother, with the exhaustion clear in his voice, he said, "It interferes with the equipment. So what does Mac have to say?" Does he know who tried to murder Vic?"

Marc leaned forward and spoke in a low voice, "Oh yeah. A whole lot has happened in the last couple of hours. We all saw the tape Jim." Marc paused. "It was Langly who stabbed Victor." He shook his head slowly. "I've seen and done a lot of things, but this guy, God Jim, the shit he did to Victor. Did you know that he sprayed pepper spray into Victor's belly while he was still conscious?" Marc snorted in disgust. "Now that's nasty."

Jim's lips made a tight line and he shook his head angrily. "I want to see the tape Marc. And then I want that bastard dead. Is he the one who's been stalking me. Trust that little weasel to make it look like a woman was doing it!"

"He's already dead Jim." Marc said softy. He looked over his shoulder quickly at the door behind him then continued. "Some loser in holding shanked him. He did it because he heard there was a *price* on Langly's head." Marc blinked a few times, "And Mulder is really pissed off about it too. Good thing Mac was with him when it went down and Dobrinski was busy working with the lawyers at the time. But he still suspects the family had something to do with it. Luckily, he has no idea that as soon as Mac figured out that he wasn't going to get anywhere near Langly, he put the word out. $2000 cash for Langly's head. The skell who did it is going upstate for a 2-year stretch. I suppose he'll find the money handy."
Marc sipped from his coffee "Mulder busted Langly while the fool was still at his apartment. You should have seen his apartment, he had an entire wall devoted to you and your 'ugly mug', . . . " Jim smiled at his brother, " . . . And another wall devoted to Victor and all of the ways he wanted to hurt him. He was obsessed with you, . . . " Marc said matter of fact, " . . . And obviously jealous of Victor. Mulder figures that hearing about you and Vic exchanging vows put him over the edge. He guesses that up until that point, there was always still some hope that you would notice him. But once you slipped on that wedding band. Well . . . " Marc left the sentence hanging, obviously they knew what Langly did at the news of the 'marriage'.

Jim looked at Victor's still form, and watched as his chest rose and fell evenly. "Was he the one sending the threats, it would make sense considering where some of the mail found me." He asked, not looking at his brother.

Setting his cup between his legs, Marc replied, "Well here's where it gets weird. Looks like it was Walter Skinner, Thea Director and Nathan Muckle were the ones who were behind the 'Stalker' bit. Once Mulder arrested and charged Langly, that skinny punk spewed his guts and fingered everyone. He told Mulder that it was Skinner who was the mastermind behind it all and Thea did the actual stalking part and Muckle was just along for the ride."

Jim snapped attention back to Marc. "Skinner, Director, Muckle. Why? Victor fired them over a year ago." Jim asked confused.

"Exactly. Looks like they were holding a grudge against you and Victor all along. Skinner was waiting all this time to pay you back. He still blames you for Sandburg's disappearance" Marc gave his brother a knowing look.
"Mulder also found out that Martino's brother thinks you’re behind Antonio's disappearance too." Marc grinned, he was glad that Victor had killed Antonio Martino. He had always suspected that it was Martino who was behind the failed attempt on his fathers life years before.
"Mulder followed the paper trail from Langly to Skinner to Troy Martino, who is Antonio's son. Looks like he paid Skinner to *off* Victor. And Skinner was all too happy to take on the job. Only he didn’t want to do the deed." Marc sipped from his warm coffee, wrinkling up his nose at the liquid, he swallowed then tossed the paper cup into the garbage bin.

"So basically, " Jim said, "What your saying is that Troy Martino paid Skinner to get rid of Victor, and by that act, hurting me more than killing me outright, and that Skinner took a full year to enact his plan. Using Ringo Langly and his well-hidden obsession, for me, as a weapon." Jim shook his head in wonderment, "He was Skinner's scapegoat."

"And his inside source of information too." Marc said.

Jim nodded. "Where's Skinner and the rest of them now?" He asked his brother.

"Nathan Muckle turned up dead in his apartment, his throat had been cut. It looks like Skinner and his bimbo Thea grabbed Muckle's part of the pay out and left town. Don't worry, . . . " Marc assured Jim, " . . . we'll find them...eventually. They can't stay hidden forever."

Jim wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand. He too tossed his empty cup into the garbage. "Were in some shitty kind of business hey?" He turned and looked at Victor's serene, but battered face.

"Yeah." Marc agreed.

Turning back to Marc, Jim said, "We need a career change before we all end up dead."

"You know what?" Marc said, "I agree, we've got enough legitimate holdings to get out of the biz..." He smiled, "Let's talk to the twins about it sometime, after Victor gets better."

"Okay, it's a deal." Changing the subject, Jim pointed to an Adidas bag that Marc had brought in with him, but had left at the side of his chair. "What's in the bag?" He asked.

"I went by your place and picked up a few things for you." Marc handed his brother the sports bag, "Why don't you go to the family lounge and shower."
Marc added in quickly when in looked like Jim might refuse, "I'll stay with Vic. Go and clean up, take your time little bro, I won't leave him, I promise."

Reluctant to leave his love's side, Jim stood up slowly. He smiled and then reached out and hugged his older brother. He had always known that he could count on his brothers, especially Marc. Marc who claimed to not like Victor, but yet, here he was, in the wee hours of the morning offering to watch over him until he returned. "Thanks." He said. "I won't be long." Jim leaned over and kissed Victor on the forehead. Unafraid of expressing his emotions or show his sexuality in front of his family.

He left the private room, noting on his way to the lounge, that at some point, the bodyguards had changed. He looked at one of the guards who reminded him a lot of Victor and said to him casually, "Come on Alex, I'm going for a shower." Alex went with Jim and the other guard stayed where he was posted just outside of Victor's room.
^*^*

Marc waited for the door to click shut before he went and stood next to Victor at the head of the bed. A dim light was on above them, Marc could see Victor's face clearly. Feeling a little self-conscious he picked up the sleeping man's hand and held it tightly. He noticed it was cold, very cold, so he wrapped his other large hand around it to warm it up a bit.
While looking down at Victor, Marc realized that for as much as he protested him being with Jim, he really did like the man. It was his own jealousy that had kept them from connecting like brothers' in-laws should. It wasn't Victor's fault that LiAnne had flirted brazenly with him on that first night, though she never did it again, and it wasn't his fault that he had been born on the wrong side of the tracks.
But his jealousy mostly stemmed from the fact that he was being replaced in Jim's life. Marc cleared the short bangs from Victor's forehead, in a gesture he would have performed on one of his sleeping nieces or nephews, and then spoke to him.
"Okay. Victor." He started, still holding onto Victor's hand, "Here's the deal. If you wake up tomorrow, I'll give you the satisfaction of hearing me tell you, in front of the family that I was wrong about you."
Marc smiled. "Trust me, that's not something I say often. Listen, if you don't make it, Jimmy will be crushed. He loves you and as much as I hated to admit it in the past, he needs you. We all do." Marc squeezed Victor's chilly hand before tucking it under the covers with the other. He sat in Jim's chair and waited for his brother to return.
^*^*

The next morning:

Victor's eyelids fluttered opened and he stared up at the ceiling for a few seconds. At first, not fully comprehending where he was exactly, or how he had gotten there. Then he felt the sharp ache in his stomach and side, and the memories of the day before flooded his consciousness. He turned his head slowly and gave a small smile when he saw Jim's still form sitting in the chair, he was slumped over and his head was resting on the edge of the hospital bed. Victor lifted his hand slowly and gently rested it on the back of Jim's head, petting the back of his head and neck softly.

At the light touch, Jim brought his head up immediately. He blinked his vision clear and it took him a second to realize that Victor was really awake and smiling at him, and not simply a pleasant dream that he was having.

"Good morning. " Victor said, his voice raspy from having a tube down his throat.

Tears sprang out in Jim's eyes immediately. "Oh thank god you're awake." He said as he buried his head in the bedcovers and wept for joy.
^*^*

2 months later: epilogue.

"It seems to me, " Victor said dryly, " . . . that we've done this before." Both men were standing on the front porch of the family mansion.

Jim smiled and finished straightening out Victor's tie for him. "Quiet." He said. "This time your going to have fun." Jim leaned forward and kissed Victor softly on the mouth then studied his eyes for a minute. "You're too thin." He said casually, but there was concern fringing the edges of the comment.

Victor laughed softly and then he kissed Jim back. "You worry too much Jim." He smiled easily, "I just got out of the hospital, you know they didn't exactly have me on a high carbo diet or anything."

"You're making fun of my concern." Jim scolded.

"No. I'm not. Really. But the tube in my guts just got pulled out yesterday and the stitches haven't even finished dissolving yet." Victor reached out and ran the back of his hand down Jim's cheek. "And my ribs are still healing. Not to mention I've been eating bland food for two months now. I promise I'll eat like a pig tonight." He smiled again. "Okay?"

Jim surveyed Victor, he had lost a lot of weight and muscle tone while recuperating in the hospital and it worried him. But Victor was right, all he needed was a few days to adjust. "All right." Jim said. "But remember you said like a pig . . . not me."

"Come on," Victor said finally, " . . . let's go in we don't want to be too late to our own wedding celebration."

"True. I guess your fit to be seen in a crowd." Both men laughed and Jim, holding onto Victor's hand, led the love of his life into the family home much like they had done almost two years before. Neither Victor nor Jim could believe how fast the time had flown by.
^*^*

Everyone greeted Victor with open arms, including Marc, each of them hugging or kissing him, but all of them mindful of his still fragile condition.
All of the Ellison's were present, including the children as well. Mac and Jackie were there, along with Dobrinski and his wife Kimberly.
Mulder as usual, had come alone, claiming that no nice girls would go out with a cop. In tandem with the wedding celebrations, the party was also to welcome Victor home from the hospital. The small gathering of people were having a good time at the catered affair. Even the flirtatious LiAnne was on much better behavior than usual.
The children had been fed first and then were squirreled off to one of the many large rooms for the rest evening. Only then, did the adults sit down for dinner.
Just as they were doing so, Mulder's pager beeped and he was called to the scene of yet another crime. He expressed his apologies, said good bye to Victor and then left the mansion.
The caterers had been excused for the time being, so Justin and Jasen poured the wine and when they were settled back into their seats, Marc stood up and raised his glass of red.

All eyes turned to him as he said, "I have an announcement to make. A little over two months ago, I paid a late night visit to Jim in the hospital, while he sat vigil over Victor's bed."

Victor turned to Jim, eyebrows raised in questioning. Jim shrugged his shoulders and grinned, he was in on the announcement but there was no way he was going to give anything away to Victor.

"Jim and I had a heart to heart discussion about business, which I will tell you about in a minute,.." Only the brothers knew what Marc was going to say, everyone else, including Molly, was in the dark, several pairs of curious eyes looked to Marc. "But first I need to say something to Victor."

Now it was Jim's turn to be surprised, he had no idea what Marc wanted to say to Vic.

Looking only at Victor, Marc said, "After Jim and I had our little talk at your bedside in the hospital, I sat with you while he went to freshen up." Marc often wondered if Victor had any memory of that night at all. Judging by the look on his brother-in-law's puzzled face, he did not.
"I asked you to come back to Jim, I told you that he needed you by his side. And it was then, that promised you that if you lived, I would get up in front of the whole family and tell them all that I was wrong about you . . . " Every one seated at the large table was stunned, they couldn't believe Marc would actually admit to that, in front of all of them.

Victor tried to interrupt, "Marc it's okay . . . "

But Marc cut him off. "No. It's not okay. I was wrong about you and a lot of other things and I'm sorry for my boorish behavior. So Victor I have only one thing to say . . . " He lifted his glass up and said with a large smile, " . . . welcome to the family." Marc took a sip of his wine in toast.

All the people sitting around the table lifted their glasses as well, "Here here." They echoed and then drank in honor of Victor.

Victor opened his mouth to speak, but didn't know what to say so he simply murmured a shy, "Thank-you." And blushing, he took a sip from his own glass.

Jim reached under the table and squeezed his knee reassuringly. Marc's apology and welcoming came as a complete and total surprise to him. And he was pleased that his big brother had finally accepted Victor for whom he was and the role of importance he played in Jim's life.

"Now." Marc said. "Onto the next announcement." He sipped from his glass again then set it down. "It's a new time in a new-year. The millennium is almost upon us. After what happened to Victor,.." All the people seated at the table swung their heads again to look at Victor, who smiled nervously back at the eyes, " . . . Jim and I came to realize that we had to find better, safer ways of doing business. I went to the twins and through a great deal of discussion and a whole lot of arguing . . . " The women at the table laughed at that comment. " It is my pleasure to announce that Ellison Holding Inc . . . is completely legitimate, 100%. No more rum running." Marc didn't bother going into the logistics of the family's illegal activities. Rum-running, seemed to cover all the basis neatly. "Everyone here, who used to see to our safety in our old lives will stay with us of course, but the soldiers and bodyguards are gone...."

Victor was relieved. For a second there, he thought that the announcement might mean Mac was out of the picture too. But obviously he would do the same job but just overseeing security for all of the Elision's at the high-rise not just him at the restaurant office.

Victor would keep on as manager and co-owner of the restaurant, Jim himself would stay with the night club and the other brothers would devote their time to managing and pursuing the interests of the family's holding company.

As the group at the table drank their wine and the caterers started bringing out the food, Jim sat back and reflected: the table looked empty without father seated at the head. But Marc, who resembled their father the closest, seemed to fill the chair nicely. Though Jasen and Justin were oldest, it was Marc who was the Ellison namesake, and he suited it. Jim smiled at the people surrounding him.
^*^*

The penthouse:

Later that same evening, Victor and Jim lay in bed, cuddled closely together. Jim wanted to make love to Victor, but he was afraid of hurting him. So instead, he pushed away the amorous thoughts and then tried not to let the dark and scary thoughts take over him. He twisted the gold band on Victor's finger and wondered about what the future would bring for not only him and Victor, but the whole family.

"I'm okay you know Jim. You don't have to worry." Victor said softly through the darkness of the bedroom.

"I know." Jim replied.

"What's on your mind then?" Victor could sense that something was bothering Jim.

"Oh, I was just thinking about us. How it's a new time, like Marc said. I'm glad the family has gone legit . . . " He stopped talking and inhaled sharply, his emotions over taking him, "I love you Vic. Always. Our lives from now on are going to change for the better . . . If you had died . . . I don't know. . ." He was unable to finish the thought.

Victor slowly turned over to his good side, and Jim's arm automatically wrapped around his shoulders and held him close. "Shhh." He said softly. "Were together Jim. How much better can it get."

"You're right." Jim replied as he gently turned onto his side and wrapped his other arm around Victor. So that now they were face to face.

"Let's make love Jim." Victor said as he pushed his groin into Jim's, pleased when he felt the companion hard-on.

"Are you sure?" Whispered Jim.

"No. But I need to be with you. I need to be close to you." Victor replied, husky with need.

Jim kissed Victor softly then with one arm reached back behind himself and grabbed the small tube of KY jelly that was supposed to be for use when removing and changing Victor's stomach dressings.
Jim didn't think that the perverting the original use would hurt anyone. He gave the small tube to Victor who opened it and squeezed a small amount onto his fingers.

Victor tossed the tube over the side of the bed and reaching down, he applied most of the clear jell to Jim's small opening.
Leaning forward, he began to kiss Jim as he gently worked the lubricant all around, and into Jim's ass. He took the time to play a little bit by running his index finger over Jim's prostate gland. Making him jerk with pleasure. Satisfied in Jim's readiness, Victor used the lubricant that was left over on his fingers by rubbing it over the tip of his own, throbbing cock. "I've got us this far babe, but I don't think I can do the rest." He quietly admitted to Jim.

"Shhh. Let me do it for us." Jim replied while he was still kissing Victor's neck and shoulders. He raised his right leg and positioned himself over Victor's erection. After a little more wiggling and maneuvering, Jim grabbed Victor's cock and guided it into himself slowly. The men were still laying face to face. Victor was buried to the hilt inside of him, Jim slowly rocked his hips and drew himself up and down on Victors cock.

Victor moaned in pleasure. It had felt like forever, since he and Jim had been together. Not since the morning of the stabbing. Victor knew that he wouldn't be able to last very long at all; Jim was so tight and warm, he felt too good.

Jim went back to kissing Victor, all the while doing the work for the two of them. He rested his hand on Victor's hip then ran it around and gripped the firm ass cheek beneath it. "I'm going to cum Vic." He whispered into his lover’s mouth.
Victor reach down used his hand to masturbate Jim's own erection in time to the thrusts, "Cum for me Jim." Victor said softly, just like he had done last time they had made love, "Cum for me now . . . "

Jim groaned loudly and released his seed into the palm of the only person who could make him get off by just talking. His spunk jetted up and splashed Victor underneath his chin and coated his chest.

Victor closed his eyes, and as the last vestiges of Jim's spasms pulled on him, he moaned softly, "I love you Jim . . . " And then he let himself go. It had been so very long for him since he last had an orgasm. He didn't even really have the energy while recuperating in the hospital to relieve his sexual tension himself.
Jim's muscles squeezed the juice right out of him, and at that point, he did take over for himself by pushing his cock up Jim's ass as far as it would go.
^*^*

After the love making, Jim cradled Victor in his arms as gently as he would a delicate new born baby.

Victor kissed Jim one more time before saying goodnight. He was unwilling to admit how tired he was. The day's events and the lovemaking had left him exhausted, his body was only at 70% and he was disappointed in having to take so long to recover. Slowly, wrapped in a loving embrace Jim, Victor slowly slipped into much needed slumber.

While Jim lay there in the dark listening to Victor's soft breaths, he realized that he was fulfilled by his life. He felt totally and completely satisfied. The satisfaction came from the knowledge that he had finally achieved what he had been seeking for all of his adult years; he had finally found true love, with a companion who would never leave him and who would never willingly hurt him. Victor's presence in his life renewed many of Jim's long forgotten hopes and dreams. Dreams that he had at one time may years ago, thought impossible for a gay man.
As he lay there contemplating how perfect he and Victor were together, Jim let the hypnotic thrum of Victor's strong and steady heart beat lull him into his own peaceful, contented sleep.
^*^*^*^*^*

FINIS

DEMI-X