My Beloved Shadow

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SallyJane: Here\'s more. lol Hope you enjoy.

Rosemary: I can\'t give out too much, yet. The next chapter will have all about what Michael\'s home is like(his planet and his castle).

dramaelf: *grins* You never know. Michael isn\'t always certain what he wants... What he gets might not be what he wants.

Janette: Thanks. I\'m still waiting for the next chapter in \'The Next Generation\'. Nick\'s father was just very abusive, rather like what Jason\'s stepfather is. I can\'t say that either one is worse, or less bed, than the other.

Jaided: *feels so loved* Thank you, again. Can I have my cookie now? I like chocolate chip. *drools*
It\'s really hard to explain Nick. He\'s a really complex character, at least in my mind. Don\'t forget that Jason enjoyed what Nick did, too. I\'m hoping that this chapter will explain things a little better.
It\'s just hard to explain how a mind works and makes them do the things they do.


Anyways, thanks everyone for reviewing, I feel so loved seeing all the reviews. This chapter focus mainly on Nick and Jason, the other two are barely even in it. I got part of my inspiration for the parts of Jason and his stepfather from an CSI episode. Don\'t ask me what CSI show it was, or the name, because it\'s been about a year and I don\'t do cable, etc. lol**



The next day Nick is still bothered by what he had done to Jason. To keep himself from thinking about it too much he allows himself to be distracted by Michael while they wait. They go to school as they are expected to, so that when they disappear it won’t sink into the minds of everyone for awhile.

Somewhere during that time Michael seeks out any sign that Lance is around and comes up with nothing. Not to mean he isn’t still around and just hiding, but it gives Michael some hope that maybe Lance got what he needed.

When the day comes for their departure, Nick tells Michael that he’s going to make certain Jason comes and Shadow Dances before Michael can stop him. Michael shakes his head, wondering for the first time what had happened between Jason and Nick when they were alone. Not that he feels threatened in anyway. He’s just curious.

****


Nick had looked for Jason’s house the day before so he wouldn’t have to look when it was necessary. So when he steps out of the shadow, rubbing his arms for warmth, he’s a block down from Jason’s house.

Nick hasn’t gotten to where he can Shadow Dance and not become cold when stepping out. Michael has told him that it will come with more practice. The more he uses it the less it will bother him until he builds up a resistance against it.

Feeling warmer, he makes his way down the side walk. He tries not to look suspicious as he comes to Jason’s house and turns to step up to the porch. Something catches his eye in the window and he moves closer to see what it is. Though he doesn’t expect what he does find.

Looking where he is, a large mirror sets on the wall opposite him and it reveals a scene in a room off to the right. He can see Jason pulling his shirt on, the bite marks Nick had put there unnoticeable from such distance. Before Jason gets his shirt on all the way an older man steps into view, pulling Jason close and kissing him.

Nick feels anger leaking out and building up inside him. The man is feeling up Jason, holding and fondling him as if they were lovers. Nick can see pictures on the table just below the mirror, on it are pictures of Jason, a little boy who is a smaller version of Jason and an older couple.

The woman he knows is Jason’s mother, he’s seen her a few times at school, but the other he can only guess is Jason’s stepfather. The picture looks like it’s no more than a year old. Nick can only guess at what is going on between them and tries not to pass judgment on the older man until he can ask Jason about it.

Moving to the door, Nick knocks twice and waits for someone to answer. After a moment the door opens, it is the older man who answers it, not Jason.

“Yes?”

“I’m here to get Jason, we’re having a last minute practice before the big game. Coach says it’s required.”

The man turns to look into the house, “Jason, get your ass over here!”

Nick can hear some stumbling around in the room where he had seen Jason. When Jason passes by the window it looks like he’s putting on his pants. Nick feels the anger boil up again and has to fight to keep a straight face.

The two whisper for a few moments. Nick can’t hear what they’re saying but he hears the tone of the words. Jason’s is soft, more demure, while the other’s is harsh and commanding. Then Jason appears at the door.

Nick catches the hurt and unshed tears in Jason’s eyes right before he pulls on a mask of indifference.

“I’ll see you after practice, dad!”

Jason waves to the man and walks outside. Nick keeps pace at his side, feeling eyes on them the whole way, until they turn and are out of sight. They walk a little further before Jason stops and turns to Nick, the tears back in his eyes.

“I know it looks bad, but it’s not.”

“What looks bad?”

Jason bits his lower lip, “I saw you watching in the mirror.”

Ah, yes, the mirror worked both ways.

“How long as it been going on?”

“I-I was twelve, fives years ago, when he married my mother and moved in. He said he felt like a real part of the family when we are together. It’s not so bad, I have a little brother now.”

Even Jason isn’t truly convinced of his words but he will stick by them until the day he dies. After his father left, leaving them alone, his mother had always been sad. He had come by her room many a nights to find her crying. When his stepfather came into their lives she had been happy again. His stepfather had spoiled him, giving him anything he wanted, just so long as Jason came to him when his mother was at work.

“You were a child, Jason. No one, especially not a parental figure, has that right.”

Jason shakes his head and touches Nick’s arm, his eyes ask Nick to understand.

“It wasn’t, isn’t, like that. It was my decision, he didn’t force me. Please, you have to understand…”

And in a way Nick does, he understands perfectly. He forces himself to smile, though inside he’d like to take Jason’s stepfather and beat him senseless. Much the same feelings when Lance had touched Michael fill Nick again. Feelings that he doesn’t quite understand or have a name for.

“It’s all right, I won’t promise anything but I will try my best.”

Jason relaxes visibly, “After all this, would it be too much if I asked you not to tell Norris? I know he won’t understand and I don’t want to hurt him.”

“If that’s what you want. You can’t always hide, Jason, you’ll lose a friend by keeping too many secrets.”

“I know. One of these days I’ll tell Norris everything, but not right now. It’s just too much right now.”

Jason looks down at his watch and makes a sound of distress.

“We’re going to be late, it’s all ready ten till five. Michael’s house is twenty minutes away…”

Jason looks scared, worried that Michael will be mad at them when they arrive. Nick isn’t worried about it, he has a way that will get them there in no time. He just has to get Jason to agree.

“I have a way of getting there without being late.”

“How?”

“You know the trick Michael does with the shadows, going from one place to another? I can do that.”

Jason shivers visibly, “Really? It’s always so scary in there, and cold.”

It’s Nick’s turn to touch Jason.

“I can’t stop the cold part, but I think I can make it less scary. Either way we haven‘t much choice. Michael will be beyond pissed if we‘re late.”

And, indeed, Nick thinks that he has a way to make Jason enjoy the trip. If he can use his Enhancer abilities to see what Michael sees, can he not, then, allow another to see it as well? Jason nods his head, though Nick can tell he’s still not happy about it.

Nick pulls Jason back, into the shadows of a house, holding him close as he calls the shadows to him. Slowly it’s becoming natural for Nick to Shadow Dance. He had spent most of the day before going from one room to another. This had been the first time he’d moved from one place to another with such a distance since he’d gone to his room.

Jason closes his eyes as soon as he feels the shift in the air. He may be human but he is sensitive to magic. Cannot yield magic, but can sense it. Nick stops when they are inside the shadows, willing Jason to see all the colors that are there.

“Open your eyes.”

Slowly, Jason complies. At his first glimpse of lights his eyes quickly become wide and he looks around in awe.

“It was never like this with Michael! It’s so wonderful. I-It’s beyond words…”

Nick smiles, remembering when he had first gotten a good look at it.

“I can’t explain it, but somehow I’m able to let you see it as I do.”

Jason’s attention is immediately on Nick, “You can see this too? Always?”

“I only caught a glimpse of light my first time through. One of the more interesting parts about this is that Michael says time stops while your in here.”

“It does?”

Jason had feared punishment, but now, knowing that they can take as long as they want and still be on time, he’s not in such a hurry. Ever since Nick had marked him he had wanted it again. He had looked at each on in the mirror every morning, though they had started to heal and disappear this morning. Just a couple days and all ready they were leaving. Jason doesn’t want them to, especially since he will be going to a new place full of strange people.

“Nick…”

He moves closer to Nick, pulling off his shirt as he does so.

“They’re fading, I don’t want them to.”

The sight of Jason’s chest, marked by his teeth, takes Nick’s breath away. He had refused to even think about what he had done and the sight of it brings back the memory of it as if it had just happened. Before he realizes what he’s doing, Nick reaches out and touches the marks on Jason’s chest.

There is an unnamable look on Jason’s face as he leans into Nick’s hand. Jason places a hand over Nick’s, his breathing becoming a little erratic.

“Dad got mad when he saw them, told me he forbid me to see who ever did it to me. Said it was disgusting. He knows that I like it, knows that it’s what I want. It is the only thing he has refused to truly give me.”

Nick tries to feel bad about the whole thing, but the euphoric feeling he gets at the sight of the marks quells any other feelings. Nick moves his hand to rest on Jason’s waist, Jason’s hand goes to rest on Nick’s head as he lowers it to kiss Jason’s chest.

Jason sighs softly when he feels teeth against his skin. It had purely been by accident that he’d discovered his like of such things. He had been fooling around with Norris and Norris had accidentally bit him. Rather than being totally turned off, it had aroused Jason. Later, he had asked his stepfather to experiment with him and found that he really enjoyed pain with his sex. Or just the pain itself.
Nick pulls back after awhile, leaving fewer marks this time. He has a little more control over himself this time. Mostly he just can’t believe he’s doing it again.

“No more.”

“It’s all right. It’s hard to accept what you are when it starts coming out. It was hard for me at first, finding out that I liked guy’s, that pain is a turn on.”

Jason suddenly looks older than his seventeen years, wiser in things than Nick. Nick sighs and nervously rubs the back of his neck.

“I’m so confused… I’m suppose to be a normal high school student, not all this. Hell, I don’t even know what *this* is.”

Jason leans in close to Nick and whispers something in his ear. Nick’s eyes go wide and he can’t help but shake his head.

“No, your wrong. It can’t be that…”

Jason smiles, “You can’t even deny it with conviction. You know it’s true, it will just take you time to realize it.”

Jason picks up his shirt and pulls it back on, then moves to stand next to Nick, his arm holding Nick’s arm.

“Until you can fully accept what you are, I’ll treasure these few moments for as long as I can. Now, shouldn’t we be going?”

Nick is too shocked and confused to even argue. He takes them the rest of the way through the shadows, coming out behind Michael’s house. Nick doesn’t want Norris to know that they had been Shadow Dancing. Somehow that thought makes it through his foggy brain.

When they walk into the house there is distance between them and both have neutral looks on their faces. The only one who thinks anything of them is Norris, who doesn’t like the idea that they had arrived together.

“Well, are we ready to go?”

No one says anything but Michael smiles anyway and has them all to stand close, and touching.

“Time to fly…”

And into the shadows the four of them go. One is returning home while three are coming to a new world. A world that will hold many things for them, both good and bad.




**
I know, I cut it off at a good part. I\'m doing this so that the next chapter can be completely dedicated to them arriving on Michael\'s world. Plus, this chapter has a lot on Nick and his interactions with Jason. This is a turning point for Nick, though he doesn\'t realize it till later.
How much later? You\'ll just have to wait and see.