Abby pounded on the door. "John, open the door!" She demanded. Her fist was aching from banging against the solid wood but still there was only silence from the other side. "John, come on, please? We're just worried about you. Come on."
She looked toward Brandon and Veronica for help, not knowing what to do.
"Has he got anything in there that he could maybe…" Veronica asked quietly. Brandon shot her a look and shook his head.
"He wouldn't do that," he said, trying to convince even himself. He took his turn at the door.
"John, come on, Baby. I really need you to talk to me. You've got all of us worried about you. I know that you heard us. We're just trying to figure out how to help you." Brandon pleaded. He heard mumbling coming from the opposite side of the door, judging by where the voice was coming from, he figured John was leaning against the door.
"I didn't hear you, Baby. What?" He asked, his voice much softer.
"I said I don't need your help," John said, this time louder, but not angry.
"John, you are not alone in this world. Hell, Veronica and I came down here because we were worried about you. Kerry called us and told us something was wrong. Abby's a wreck out here, John. Can't you see how many people care about you and don't want to see you hurting?" He continued. At least John was talking to him, even if it 'was' through a door.
"Don't talk about me behind my back," He mumbled.
"John, you won’t talk to us to our face so we have no choice. Come on, open the door and talk to me," Brandon begged. He stood there for several minutes and finally heard the lock slide open. Looking at the girls, Brandon tentatively turned the handle.
John had moved to the chair at his desk and he was staring at his bed. It was still in a state of chaos from the girls' extracurricular activities. He looked hurt and so young but it didn't look like he'd been crying. Brandon knelt in front of him and cradled his face in his hands.
"Talk to me, Baby, tell me what's going on inside." Brandon kissed his forehead.
Abby and Veronica looked on from the door. Brandon was being so tender that it reaffirmed the depth of his feelings that Abby could tell Brandon had for John. This older man had become like a brother, father, and lover all in one and John needed him so badly.
John looked into the man's eyes, feeling warmth envelop his entire soul.
"I feel like I'm dead inside." John managed to smile slightly. "The only time I feel alive is when I'm with you or your wife."
"Oh, Baby." Brandon reached up and wrapped himself around the younger man. John clung to him as Veronica came into the room, bringing Abby by the hand. Veronica nudged Abby towards him.
"John," Abby said, touching his shoulder. Brandon moved out of the way and Abby knelt in his place. She held his face and tenderly brought her lips to his, tentatively, but with all the emotion and love which she felt for the man.
Her lips were so soft. Here he was, feeling open and vulnerable and there was Abby, when he needed her most. As their lips touched, John felt his head begin to spin. All that mattered was Abby and the caring he felt coming from her lips. While only mildly erotic, he could read her mind and feel her heart. He felt as if they were connected deeper than anyone he'd ever been with. It was as if their souls were one; her dreams and loves equal to his own; becoming a part of him.
Brandon stood next to his wife, gently wrapping his arm around her back. He gently kissed her cheek, smiling at the sight before them.
Abby pulled away, keeping her face close to John.
"I am alive because of you, John," she whispered. He squeezed his eyes shut, unable to believe her. "I need you near me to feel alive," she admitted. She again leaned in to kiss him.
John felt her lips again, the electricity running through his body. How long had he wanted to hear, to believe those words from her? He couldn't believe her. She was just trying to make him feel better. She could never realize how much he needed her; so much it hurt, even more than he needed Brandon and Veronica.
Before the kiss went any further, he pulled back and smiled softly.
"Thanks," he whispered, pulling his emotions back inside, rebuilding the wall a brick at a time. He couldn't let Abby know how he really felt. He was her friend and a friend was all he could ever be.
"Well," Brandon stated, breaking the tension in the room. "I don't know about you kids, but I, for one, am starving. Where does one go for food around here?" He asked. John and Abby broke their stare and Abby stood up.
"Uh, we…" She said, blushing. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "There's a nice coffee shop just down the street. Their coffee isn't much but it's cheap and the refills keep coming." She smiled nervously, stealing a quick glance to John. He was again staring at the bed. She began to clumsily straighten the comforter.
"I have an idea. Let Abby and I get cleaned up, we'll take you two back to your hotel so you can get cleaned up and we'll go to the Falcon for brunch." John suggested, pulling his attention away from the bed.
"Can you afford it?" Abby whispered. Brandon overheard her and laughed.
"Not to worry, Abby. We're inviting the two of you to join us," he smiled. Abby's heart melted as she looked at his smile.
"Uh, okay." She fumbled with her camisole strap nervously. She excused herself walking past Veronica and Brandon and was headed towards her room. Veronica followed her pulling Brandon along with her.
"Hold on, Abby, I have an idea," she said to Abby then turned her attention to John, who had watchfully followed them out of the room.
"You go shower first, Mister, I want to speak with Abby a minute." Veronica turned and gestured for him to go back to his room.
John looked as if he didn't trust her to be left alone with Abby. The sex hadn't bothered him nearly as much as the talking about him behind his back. Although, he knew that he was definitely feeling a pang of jealousy.
"John, do you still trust me?" Veronica placed her hand on his cheek. He involuntarily pressed his face against her palm, relishing in the feel of her warm touch.
He swallowed hard as he allowed her to wrap her arms around him, holding him tenderly. He just needed to be held at the moment. He exhaled heavily as he pulled away from her and nodded, her palm held against his face again as her eyes searched his, waiting for his answer.
"Yeah, I do." He choked out the words and kissed her palm, not ready to lose contact with her.
"Okay then, go shower." She turned and slapped his ass.
"Ow, what was that for?" He scowled, rubbing his butt.
"Go, you big baby," Veronica scolded, causing everyone to laugh heartily.
John just shook his head and headed back to his room.
"Maybe I should see if he needs some help," Brandon offered as he kissed Veronica.
She nodded as Brandon followed John into his room. John was sitting on the bed removing his shoes when Brandon sat along side of him.
"John, I'm really sorry about earlier," he began. John ignored him as he went to his closet, pulled out a shirt and tie, and continued looking for a pair of pants. Brandon leaned against the closet door.
"Don't worry about it," John shrugged. He really didn't want to talk about it any more. He was trying not to dwell on all the negative feelings he was having and just go out and try to have some fun.
"No, John it's not all right and I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable in any way."
John unbuckled his belt and pulled it from his pants, tossing it on the bed with the rest of his clothes. John slid his pants off and stepped out of them, kicking them aside. He continued to fumble with the buttons of his shirt when Brandon moved closer and offered his help.
"I can undress myself," John stated sharply, drawing in a deep breath as he pulled away from Brandon. His mind was going a million miles a minute as he wondered what Abby was doing that very moment. He suddenly tore at the shirt, ripping the buttons right off and threw the shirt to the floor.
Brandon backed off and threw his arms in the air. "Fine, John, do it yourself," Brandon huffed. Realizing his pissy attitude, he carefully moved John's clothes off the bed and sat down, gesturing John to sit, also.
"John, I'm sorry. Would you like to just sit and talk for a while?" Brandon knew that John was hurting and he didn't know what to do to make him feel better.
John sat down against the headboard, drawing his legs up against his chest as he pulled the comforter up over his bare legs. Brandon turned so that he was leaning against the footboard opposite John. He sat and watched John shiver.
"Are you cold?" Brandon asked, but didn't get a response as he watched John pull the comforter tighter around him. "John, talk to me, please." Brandon spoke calmly. John stared back as his chills began to subside.
"I guess I'm the one that should be apologizing," John started, clearing his throat. "It's just that I wasn't expecting you, and don't get me wrong, I'm glad you’re here but so much is happening so fast my mind just isn't keeping up. I'm tired and hungry and just plain frustrated as hell." John rested his head on his knees.
"I could send Veronica to the market and we could just stay in if you would prefer." Brandon leaned forward and waited patiently for John's response.
"No, that's okay," John slowly pulled himself to his feet, grabbed his bathrobe and went to the bathroom.
~~~~~~~~~
"What took you two so long?" Veronica nibbled at Brandon's neck. "Did you two have a little appetizer before brunch?" She giggled.
"No." Brandon just stood there for a minute, then moved towards the couch.
"So, Abby and I have been talking and we have decided that since Abby doesn't own a 'decent' dress, after brunch I am going to take her shopping. We'll go have our hair done and just have a little fun for a while. The two of you can do whatever you want for a few hours and we'll meet you back at the hotel. John can bring along his tux, change there, and we can go to Dominic's for dinner, maybe even go out dancing or something."
"That sounds nice." Brandon sat quietly on the couch as he thought about John. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.
'Here we are un-invited, we've just barged in and intruded on his life like this. Maybe Kerry had been wrong and she really didn't know him at all. Maybe John didn't know how to share his desires to the point that when someone seemed the least bit interested he just jumped at the chance to have any type of physical contact. It would certainly explain why he had seemed so needy the night before. Why he seemed so eager for Brandon to touch him and to kiss him and even the way he had cuddled up to him when he was so tired, he just couldn't stay awake another moment. If Kerry was really so concerned about his welfare, why the hell did she insist that he work such ridiculously long hours?'
Brandon was beginning to think that this whole fantasy idea had been a big mistake. John still had not told them why he had avoided having any contact with them for the last 6 months.
John came out of the bathroom, wrapped in his bathrobe. He stood in front of the fireplace to dry his hair with the towel. Brandon noticed him shivering again and began to get a bit concerned. He stood up and stood near John.
"Are you feeling okay, Baby?" Brandon asked, placing his hand on John's forehead. He didn't feel feverish but Brandon could not help but wonder why John seemed to be so cold.
"I'm fine, yeah, I'm wet and naked, and it's cold in here." John complained as he checked the thermostat, turning it up a bit before going back to his room and closing the door behind him.
"John, grab your tux and bring it along for later," Brandon called after him on his way. John just waved, indicating that he understood.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"He's always cold," Abby said as she headed towards her bathroom with the clothes she had picked out.
Brandon sat back down on the couch and Veronica sat next to him. "Is there something wrong, Hon?" Veronica asked as she brushed her hand through his hair.
"I'm not sure, Roni, maybe we shouldn't have come." He whispered, praying that he wouldn't be overheard.
Veronica leaned against him and kissed his cheek. "It's going to be okay, we just have to get John to realize his true feelings," she whispered back as she smiled at her husband lovingly. "Everything he has ever wanted is staring him right in the face and he refuses to see it. We just need to find out why."
John emerged from his room dressed in a pair of black jeans and a heavy gray, cowl neck sweater. He was carrying a garment bag, and a toiletry kit, which he laid across the breakfast island. Brandon chuckled as he watched him walk over and stand in front of the fireplace.
"You can't possibly still be cold, John, not with that thing on." Brandon laughed.
John sat on the couch and leaned back into his corner. "No, I'm warmer, now. I just like the idea of a fire even if it's not real."
"Oh, sort of a 'pyro' at heart huh," Veronica giggled as she reached over and squeezed his knee, causing his to jump. John laughed out loud giving Veronica a toothy grin as he admitted that he was very ticklish there.
"Well, I'm glad to see that you're feeling a little better." Veronica leaned over and kissed him. His lips parted as he closed his eyes, enjoying the kiss.
Abby stepped out of the bathroom carrying a small canvas bag and a leather purse. She was dressed in a tight pair of jeans with a light blue sequined sweater. She looked away as she saw John and Veronica lost in a kiss. She felt a lump in her throat and a tug at her heart.
Brandon stood instantly and held out his arm in a gesture to escort her. "Abby, you look splendid." He complimented her, turning his attention towards John and Veronica. "Are we ready to go, my dears?"
To be continued…………
Copyright Footer', 'This site is not affiliated in any way with "ER", its writers or production company, or NBC, and makes no profit from the show. The ERROS skin is by Brihana. The script is eFiction version 3.4.2© Tammy Keefer, http://efiction.org\r\n