Fandom:	Houston Knights
Series:	Alternate Universe
Rating:	NC-17
Pairing:	Joe/Levon
Archive:	Starwinder's
Title:	Homecoming
Author:	Starwinder
>e-mail:	starwinder2of7@gmail.com

The MCU bullpen was fairly quiet. It was a Wednesday afternoon and even crime seemed to have hit a midweek slump.

Detective Sergeants Lundy and LaFiamma were at their desks going over case files, filling out reports. Carol O'Brien was at the computer, running a query. Her partner Nat Holiday had the day off. Joe Bill McCandless and his partner Esteban Guiterrez were at their desks listening to the radio, just killing time. Lieutenant Beaumont was out of the office, upstairs in a meeting.

LaFiamma didn't even look up when the phone on Lundy's desk rang.

Lundy looked over at him, gave his head a shake and picked up the phone. Sometimes Joe could be oblivious to the universe. "Lundy."

He recognized the smoky voice on the other end of the phone immediately, Joe's Uncle Mikey. He frowned and looked across at Joe, wondering why Joe's uncle would be calling him when Joe was right there. A moment later he looked back at Joe, concern clear in his eyes and said, "Yes, sir.... Yeah, she's in a meeting with the Chief. Probably be all afternoon."

He swiveled his chair to turn his back to his desk... and Joe. "Exactly what happened?" He asked quietly. He was silent for a long moment then closing his eyes, whispered softly, "Oh, Lord!" Another long silence then, "No sir, I don't think it'd be a good idea.... But at the same time... I think it'd be better coming from you..." There was a long pause and Lundy sighed, "Yes sir. I can do that."

He turned around and covered the mouthpiece. "Joe." He said it quietly and waited a minute for LaFiamma to look up. "Joe, Uncle Mikey needs ta talk to ya..."

Joe looked a bit confused then reached for his phone.

Lundy's voice stopped him. "Joe. He asked me ta warn ya.... It's bad news.... Real bad."

Joe hesitated with his hand on the receiver, "W-which line?"

"Two." Lundy waited till Joe had picked up then hung up his receiver and stood up.

He walked over to McCandless' desk, "Didn't Sutton leave a bottle in ya'lls gun drawer?"

"Yeah," Joe Bill looked across at LaFiamma.

Joe's anxious voice carried across to them, "Uncle Mikey? What's happened? What's wrong?"

"It is bad, Lundy?" Esteban asked softly.

"Very." Lundy said grimly then turned back to Joe Bill, "Lem'me have the bottle..."

LaFiamma's voice rose, grief and pain clear in it. "Oh, God! Oh, no... No... Please... It can't be... it can't...." His face was ashen.

Lundy turned and moved back to his partner, laying a hand on his shoulder.

The touch seemed to calm the distraught man. His voice grew calmer, firmer, even as tears slid unacknowledged down his face. "Uncle Mikey... What hospital? God dammit! Tell me! I'm coming up there! So you might as well!" He paused just a second then his voice came back fierce and strong, "No! No! Dammit! You can't expect me to stay here! I won't! I gotta be there!"

Lundy reached over and took the phone away from LaFiamma. "Uncle Mikey. I'll call you back in a bit. I need ta talk ta Joe."

As he hung up the phone, LaFiamma sprang to his feet, heading for the door. "You can't stop me, Lundy! I'm going home!"

"Not right this minute you ain't!" Lundy grabbed his arm and yanked him around.

LaFiamma shoved him and jerked away, turning back to the door. "Lemme go! I gotta get home.... I gotta!"

Lundy grabbed his arm again, spinning him back around.

Joe swung a roundhouse right.

Lundy blocked it easily. The sharp SMACK of his open hand hitting the side of Joe's face silenced the entire bullpen.

Joe stared at him in disbelief, his hand rose to touch his cheek where Lundy's handprint stood out in bright red against the pallor of his face.

Taking advantage of Joe's shock, Lundy grabbed his arms and dragged him back to his desk chair, shoving him down in it, "Sit down, shut up and for once in your life listen to me!"

He took a deep breath and sat on the edge of Joe's desk facing him. Reaching out he tilted Joe's face up to look him in the eyes, "I know you have to go to Chicago. I know I can't stop you. I ain't gonna... but I ain't gonna stand by and let ya go off half cocked and get yer fool self killed either. Ya cain't help nobody if yer dead! And that's what yer gonna be iff'n ya just take off outta here without thinking about what yer doing! You got ta think this through!"

"I... I can't... I... just ... I gotta get home...."

"I'll get you there." There was determination in Lundy's voice, "But alive, Joe. Alive."

"How?" It was barely more than a whisper. Watery blue eyes, filled with trust and acceptance, locked on Lundy's brown ones,

"I gotta think on that, gotta couple of ideas. Need ta make some phone calls. Arrange some things...." He broke off, "Yer white as a sheet. Need ta get you outta here... somewheres that you can rest till the worst of the shock wears off." He looked up to find the rest of the detectives gathered around them, "You got that bottle, Joe Bill?"

The lanky detective thrust a paper cup filled with amber liquid, over Joe's shoulder, "Here ya go, LaFiamma. This'll calm yer nerves a bit."

The hand that reached to take it was shaking more than just a little. Joe took a good swallow then looked up at Levon, "Angie.... Uncle Mikey said that they didn't know if she'd make it through today... I gotta..."

"Fast as we can, Joe... I promise. Fast as we can." Lundy reassured him. He looked up at the others. "Carol, ya keep an eye on him. I need ta have a couple a words with Joe Bill and Esteban."

He drew McCandless and Guiterrez off to the side. "Joe Bill, I'm gonna need you to fill Joanne in when she gets outta that meeting. Let her know that I took Joe home... and why." He took a deep breath and glanced back over at his partner who was now weeping, quietly. "Joe's sister, Angie and his Grandma LaFiamma took Angie's two kids, Markie and Maria to the park to play this morning. Place ain't far from where they live and they walked. On the way home they wuz... attacked. Markie wuz snatched. Angie and Mrs. LaFiamma tried to keep the kidnappers from taking him. Joe's Grandma died at the scene. Angie's in the hospital with a fractured skull. She suffered a major brain hemorrhage as well. They don't expect her to live. Little girl was the only one that wasn't hurt."

"Jezzus!"

"Madre Dios!"

Joe Bill shook his head. "Yer right. Ain't no way we're gonna be able ta keep him from goin'! You goin' with him?"

"Yeah."

"You will need back up," Esteban said soft voiced.

"Uh-huh," Joe Bill agreed, "he can't stay up there more'n a day or so without the wrong people finding out... an' ya can't guard him twenty-four seven by yerself."

"Joanne ain't gonna let the whole MCU take off ta Chicago, guys."

"Perhaps not... but I have vacation time coming... and I have never seen Chicago." Esteban smiled.

"Ah ain't used a sick day this year," Joe Bill put in, "And I bet Andy Garcia will cover for me. I pulled a'plenty of overtime when his wife was running ta the hospital with false labor ever couple of days before that young'n of theirs was born last month."

Esteban nodded, "I also have those who owe me favors."

Lundy looked back at LaFiamma then nodded, "Ya'll talk ta Joanne about it. If she okays it... I could use the help. We'll be at my place. I'll call when I get the travel arrangements made. I'm gonna need ta talk to Joanne mahself. I know I want ta check out a vest for Joe. Might not be a bad idea ta get one for everybody that's goin'."

They moved back to where Joe and Carol were sitting.

Lundy laid a hand on Joe's arm.

Joe looked up. He was still unnaturally pale and the paper cup, still half full of liquor, shook slightly in his hands.

"Ready to go?" Lundy asked softly.

Joe nodded.

Joe Bill and Esteban each patted his back as he rose and murmured their condolences.

He thanked them numbly, then let Lundy lead him out.

*************************************************

The drive to Lundy's was made in silence.

Joe let the silent tears run down his face, wiping at them from time to time.

As they stopped at a red light, Levon reached over and laid a hand on his arm. "Be at the house in a minute," he said quietly.

Joe nodded, reaching up to wipe at his face, as Levon withdrew the hand.

Lundy parked the Jimmy under the big shade tree out front and got out.

Joe sat a minute longer. He felt leaden, so heavy he could hardly move.

Lundy went up on the porch and unlocked the front door before returning to help Joe out of the vehicle and guide him into the house.

He led Joe down the hall to the guest room and sat him on the edge of the bed.

Joe slid up on the bed until he was sitting against the headboard. "Lundy..."

Levon sat down on the edge of the bed beside him. "What?"

"You really gonna help me get home? This ain't some kinda trick to keep me from going...?"

For a long moment Lundy looked down at the floor, his face unreadable then he looked back up and reached out to lay a hand on Joe's face, lightly touching the still red mark where he'd slapped him. "Yes, LaFiamma, I'm really goin' ta help you get home."

He paused hunting for the right words, "Sometimes a man has to do something... even if it cost his life. I understand that this is one'a those times... but I don't want ta lose you. I'm gonna do everything I can to keep you alive... except try and stop you from going. Okay?"

Joe nodded silently, fresh tears welling up in his eyes. He reached up, covering Levon's hand with his then leaned forward as the sobs he'd been holding in shook him.

Lundy shifted, pulling him into his arms. "Let it out. It's all right ta cry." He rubbed circles on Joe's back with one hand as the other reached up to caress the dark hair. "Let go, you'll feel better..."

Joe clung to him, letting the grief and despair wash through him. Sobs racked his body. Levon was right, better to let it claim him now, while he was still in Houston and relatively safe, than to try to push it aside now only to have it come flooding back after he got to Chicago.

It was some time later that he finally wound down and drew back out of Levon's arms. He looked away, embarrassed, "Thanks," he murmured.

"Anytime. You get some rest now. I gotta make those calls."

Joe nodded and curled up on the bed.

*************************************************

Three hours later they were back at Reisner. After a couple of hours sleep, Joe was looking better, still pale but more in control of his emotions. It had helped that he and Levon now had a plan.

[I'm going to Chicago and I might just live to come home again.] He stopped short behind Lundy as his partner stopped beside Joe Bill's desk. He blinked in surprise at what he'd thought. [Home? Houston?]

"Joanne back yet?"

Joe Bill shook his head.

Lundy frowned then signaled Joe Bill, Esteban and Carol to join him and Joe in the empty holding cells so they could talk.

As soon as they were all inside he began, "We can't wait for her. Our plane's waitin'. Friend of mine's gonna give us a ride on his corporate jet. He makes a regular run up ta Calgary, Canada ever week. He's gonna drop us off in Chicago on the way."

"Levon, I thought we wuz goin' with you..." Joe Bill protested.

LaFiamma reached out to lay a hand on the lanky cowboy's arm, "Look guys, I appreciate the offer. You're good friends... but Lundy and I have come up with a plan and frankly the fewer people involved and the less we disrupt things here the better the chances are that we can pull it off."

Esteban looked at him, "I don't know LaFiamma. You are well known in Chicago..."

"I'll be invisible."

Joe Bill gave him a disbelieving look, "Invisible!!! Have ya lost yer mind?"

"No. Lemme explain. My Uncle Leo runs a limo service, I used to drive for him when I was in college, so I know how to act like a limo driver. My cousin Mario, still drives for him. Me'n Mario look a lot alike, same height, same build, same hair color. Only real difference is Mario's got brown eyes. I already bought colored contacts to make my eyes brown. Mario's gonna meet the plane with one'a Uncle Leo's cars. He'll be in his chauffeur's uniform. We trade clothes. I become Mario, just one of my cousins sent by Uncle Mikey and Uncle Leo to meet Lundy and be his guide around Chicago. Mario stays on the plane, they take him on up to Calgary, he calls a friend of his in Alaska that's been wanting him to come visit, the friend comes and gets him and Mario spends however long I'm in Chicago in Alaska with his friend. I stay at Mario's apartment, wear Mario's clothes, make like I'm Mario. Nobody really looks at a limo driver. They're like postmen and delivery boys... invisible."

"They're gonna buy that you sent Lundy up there instead'a going yer self?"

"If we're lucky, they'll figure that he don't consider it worth his life ta be there. Only three people in Chicago will know fer sure that he's there. Only people down here that'll know are you three and Joanne... if she ever gets outta that meeting."

"Yeah, and we're counting on you three to keep her from going ballistic when she finds out we're gone." LaFiamma put in.

"Ya might point out that makin' a fuss, lettin' it be known that we're both gone, could get us killed." Lundy suggested.

The three other detectives exchanged looks. Finally Joe Bill sighed and nodded, "Okay. Reckon there ain't a lot we can do, iff'n yer minds are made up."

"You take care, LaFiamma, Lundy. We have become accustomed to having you two around." Esteban said softly.

"Yeah, ya'll watch yerselves."

"Joe," Carol leaned in to give him a hug, "don't get yourself killed. Who knows... I might have another cancellation some time..." she smiled at him.

He hugged her back and smiled, wanly, "... before the turn of the century?"

She kissed his cheek, "Yeah." Then turned to hug Levon. "Take care of him."

"I intend to."

*************************************************

Lundy'd really hoped to get to talk to Beaumont before they left but it didn't seem to be in the cards. He sighed as he wove through the afternoon traffic back to the ranch. He really hated to do this to his ex-partner and friend. It wasn't his nature to take off, leaving her shorthanded, without having made arrangements with her. Joe could legitimately claim family-leave but Lundy didn't have a leg to stand on.

On the other hand maybe it was best this way. After all, what wuz he gonna tell her? That he had it bad for his partner? That he'd follow the boy through the gates of Hell... or Chicago. Fact wuz that he was going with Joe because he couldn't *not* go with Joe. The thought of Joe rushing off on his own, maybe getting killed scared him more than... more than anything.

He turned into the dirt drive up to his place and spotted the sleek black car waiting in front of the house. Their ride was there.

It only took a few minutes to toss their few things in the trunk of the car. Joe had packed... but for Alaska not Chicago. Mario would be taking those clothes with him, since it would look odd if Joe's cousin packed to come to the airport to pick Lundy up. The few items that Joe was taking to Chicago with him were in Levon's bags.

*************************************************

Joe let Lundy take care of moving the bags to the sleek black car that was parked in front of Lundy's house. There was a discreet sign on the front door, driver's side that said Little Hat Industries.

He settled into the soft buttery leather of the back seat, grateful not to have to do anything. [Thank God, for air conditioning.] Mid-July in Houston was sweltering. Chicago wouldn't be much better and he wasn't dressed as coolly as he'd like. Lundy had been absolutely adamant about the damn bulletproof vest... and he supposed that it was a good idea, but still... it was hot! Made more so by the fact that he just could not stand it directly against his skin and had put on a thin cotton tank top under it... then the vest... then his shirt... then his guns and the requisite jacket to hide them.

He wiggled a little to adjust the gun in the back of his belt. He wondered if Levon would be as worried about him if he knew that Joe had four guns on him... a switchblade in his shoe and a garrote concealed in his belt. He probably shouldn't mention the garrote... it was not the sort of thing that Lundy was likely to understand him having.

Back at Reisner when they'd changed into the vests, he'd put the brown contacts in so he could be getting used to them on the flight north.

Lundy slid into the seat beside him and the driver started the car. It pulled out of Lundy's drive, with scarcely a bump, smooth and quiet. It turned onto the highway and headed for the private airfield where Levon's friend, Aaron Little Hat kept his jet.

[I'm going home!] He still couldn't quite believe it, couldn't quite believe that Lundy hadn't tried to stop him. [I ought to be terrified. It's supposed to be suicide for me to go back to Chicago but... I don't feel like I'm committing suicide. I feel... I feel... invincible... because Levon's with me.]

He reached up to touch the cheek where Lundy had slapped him in the bullpen right after he'd gotten the call. If he closed his eyes he could still feel Levon's hand there... not from when he'd hit him but from when Lundy'd been sitting on the edge of the bed in the guest-room and had reached out and caressed the cheek. That touch had been so gentle....

"Does it still hurt?" Lundy's voice was soft hardly more than a whisper.

Joe turned his head to look at him and smiled a half smile, as Levon reached up to touch the bruise that was beginning to show on the cheekbone.

"It's all right." His voice was tired. He turned his head back to look out the darkly tinted window, moving away from the touch, fighting his desire to lean into it, bury himself in Levon's arms, the way he had while sitting there on the guest-room bed. He wished he could crawl into Levon's arms and just stay there. He'd felt so safe... in Lundy's arms.

*************************************************

Aaron Little Hat was a Native American. He'd made his fortune selling hand made Indian crafts through the mail. He used that money to set up programs to help his fellow American Indians.

Tall, dark eyed with long black hair, he greeted Levon with a hug and Joe with a hand shake. He had an infectious grin.

"I really appreciate you giving us a lift, Aaron." Lundy told his old friend as they settled into their seats on the plane.

"No big deal, Levon. The fact is that I fly up to the Calgary office every Wednesday afternoon. Spend Thursday, Friday and Saturday tending to the Canadian end of the business. Fly back on Sunday. Spend Monday till the next Wednesday afternoon tending the US end of it. Hell, you ain't even taking me outta my way. An hour on the ground in Chicago, doesn't begin to pay you back for all you did for me."

Feeling a twinge of jealousy, Joe asked Lundy, "Just exactly what did you do for him?"

Lundy grinned, "Well, fer openers, I arrested him!"

"What!?"

Aaron laughed, "It was the best thing anybody ever did for me. I was a real wild Indian." A grin quirked his mouth up. "Determined to get mine back from the white man. Levon caught me breaking into a liquor store. I was seventeen at the time... could have been tried as an adult... but instead of just doing his job and going on, Levon spoke to the judge, got me into a juvenile program. Kept his eye on me too. Turned me around. I'd never had anybody that cared how I turned out before. The way I figure it, I owe everything I have to him. It was his idea to sell the crafts that my people made through the mail. He said that lots of folks that didn't live anywhere near a reservation would love to be able to buy genuine American Indian crafts."

Lundy just grinned. "You did all the work Aaron. An idea ain't worth nothing without the sweat to make it inta something. You've earned what you've got."

"So, how much do you make a year?" Joe couldn't help asking.

"The corporation cleared, five million last year. I pay myself a salary of two hundred thousand a year. The rest goes back into the company for expansion. We're now selling Eskimo crafts too, that's why we have offices in Canada. I also put money into the reservation schools. We built a new hospital for the reservation last year."

Joe nodded slowly, "Giving back."

"You could say that. It feels good to help my people help themselves to a better life... and I'm not hurting any." He waved his hand around to indicate the luxurious plane that they were riding in.

Joe dropped out of the conversation shortly after that. Aaron and Levon chatted a while, catching up on what had been going on in each other's lives. Joe started drifting off to sleep and Levon rose to dim the lights for him.

The two old friends moved into another compartment on the plane to continue their talk without disturbing him.

*************************************************

They were five minutes out of Chicago when he woke up.

He came awake instantly, with the sure and certain knowledge that he was almost home. He'd spent most of his life trying to deny the secret talent that he had. Now he was glad of it. He could *feel* the family. It was a faint vibration, humming through his veins. He'd almost gone crazy the first few months in Houston when he'd been unable to feel that vibe... when he had known that they were all too far away for him to sense. Then slowly he'd began to be able to sense Levon. To feel that vibe when Lundy was close by. Gradually it had grown in strength until he could feel Lundy all the time.

He wondered what Levon might think if he ever became aware that all the times Joe had just happened to wander in to Chicken's or some other place where Lundy just happened to be, it hadn't been a coincidence. What would Lundy say if he knew that his partner could find him anywhere?

He pushed the thought aside. Right now he needed to know that Angie was still alive. He closed his eyes again, took a deep breath and reached for her. She was the closest kin he had left. He could home on her easily from this distance. He sorted through the various tremors of the vibration until he found the one that was uniquely Angie. Focused on it, followed it until he could link with her. He almost shouted when he locked on to her, but clamped down on it and kept it to a sharp intake of breath. There was pain in the connection. She was hurting but she was alive... and the fact that there was pain meant she was awake! She was alive and conscious. He wasn't too late.

He blinked back tears... [Thank you, Lord.]

*************************************************

Mario was waiting for them at the small private airfield they put down at just south of Chicago. He greeted Joe with a hug as Levon stared in disbelief at the striking resemblance.

Joe introduced them then flashed Levon a grin. "Get used to it. The whole family favors." He turned back to Mario. "It's good to see you. Have you been to the hospital?"

"Yeah. Angie was still out when I left but Aunt Teresa called me on the car phone about twenty minutes ago. She's awake. The docs are still being cautious... but they think she might make it."

He moved close again, stroking Joe's arm, "Joey, she looks awful. Wires... IVs... all kinds of stuff. They had to drill a hole in her head to relieve the pressure of the hemorrhage... shaved all her hair off... and they've got her head in one of those cage things to keep her from moving it. But you can't think about that... just concentrate on the fact that she's alive... and conscious. Okay."

Joe nodded. "Grandma's funeral...."

"Day after tomorrow...."

"Rio, I'm sorry.... "

"Hey, I saw her everyday. I'll miss being there but... I can go and visit her anytime. You can't. You need this a lot more than I do." He smiled and pulled Joe into another hug. "Now let's get changed."

Joe turned to look at Levon a question in his eyes.

"There's another compartment right through that door," Lundy gestured towards the back of the plane. "Ya'll can change in there."

As they traded clothes in the aft compartment Mario teased Joe, "I hope you packed some nice stuff for me to wear... Jordan likes me to look nice."

"So, that's who's in Alaska. I wondered what ever happened to him."

Mario blushed.

Joe gave him a curious look, "Hey, little cousin... you serious about him now?"

"He asked me to move to Alaska... live with him... I... just don't know. It's so far from... everything... everybody..." The look he gave Joe said, 'You know how that is.'

"Yeah, but you can come visit... and if you love him... and he loves you, well... ain't it better than waiting around, not knowing if you'll ever find someone here that loves you like that? I mean, if it doesn't work out, you can always come home."

They were finished changing now and Mario stepped close to hug Joe again, "This is why you were the first one I told when I decided I couldn't stay in the closet forever. You were the one person I knew wouldn't turn away from me because I was gay. God! I've missed you..."

"I've missed you too, Rio." Joe held on tightly for a minute before stepping back. "I guess we better get this show on the road, huh?"

"Yeah." Mario let him go then held out the keys to the car he'd brought, "It's a Lincoln Towncar... not a limo. Thought you'd prefer it. Mirrored windows, bulletproof glass, armor plating. Forty-five auto in a holster on the driver's side door. There's three clips... armor piercing loads."

"Fully equipped, "Joe grinned.

"Yeah, well I don't want anything happening to you." He paused, then added, "That cowboy any good?"

"That cowboy took out a professional hit man, the one Scalia sent right after I went to Houston... four bullets in the back of the head. You could'a covered the entrance wounds with a playing card... folded in half. He made the shot through the back windshield of the car the guy was in... from about forty feet back with a Colt .45 revolver."

"Whoa! He could give JD a run on the target range."

"Yes. He could."

"Good. I'm glad, Joey, that you got somebody that you trust to cover your back. If anybody tumbles to you being me... you'll need him."

Joe nodded.

They hugged and went back out to the other compartment.

"Ready to go, Cowboy."

Lundy turned to look at Joe and blinked. If he hadn't known that Joe and Mario had changed clothes, ... he wasn't certain that he'd be able to tell that the man in the chauffeurs' uniform was Joe and not still Mario... until Joe smiled. He'd know that smile anywhere even if it wasn't as bright as usual.

"Ready," he gave a nod and set his hat on his head. He reached for his bag but Joe beat him to it.

"I'm the chauffeur, Lundy. If we're gonna fool anybody you gotta let me do the job. That means, I tote the luggage. I open the car door---"

"Long as you don't think I'm sittin' in the back!" Lundy broke in. "I wanna *see* where we're goin'."

Joe shook his head as he carried the bags down the airplane steps and over to the Lincoln, opening the trunk and putting them in. "What is it with Texans? When I was driving for Uncle Leo every time I went to pick up somebody that was coming in from Texas... they had to ride in front. It didn't matter if I was driving a stretch limo they had to ride in the front seat with me."

Lundy trailing behind just smiled at the tirade. [That's yer answer, boy. They wanted in the front seat cause that's where you were!]

*************************************************

Joe pulled the Lincoln out onto the highway, turning right, driving like he knew where they were going.

"Where're we headed?"

"Hospital. I gotta *see* Angie. Talk to whoever's staying with her."

"Yer Uncle Mikey was at the hospital when he called us."

"I doubt he stayed. If the kidnappers are after a ransom, they'd know that he's the one to call."

"So he'd go home to wait for the call..."

"... or to the restaurant."

"Restaurant?"

"He owns several businesses... the one he spends most of his time at is a restaurant/bar. If the kidnappers know enough to know that he's the one to call, they'd also know that he spends most of his time there."

Lundy hesitated before speaking again, watching Joe weave his way through the traffic. "You keep saying 'if'... 'if they're after a ransom'... 'if they know he's the one to call'... Wanna tell me what you're thinkin'."

"I don't even want to think what I'm thinking..."

Lundy didn't say anything, waiting for Joe to decide what he wanted to say.

"I've just got a bad feeling about this..."

Lundy looked back out the window at the passing cityscape. Joe's 'bad feelings' had proven to be uncannily accurate over the last couple of years... and it seemed to him that maybe there was more to it than just a bad feeling. He hoped the kid was alive... for Joe's sake.

He wasn't certain how much more Joe could take. He seemed to be all right at the moment. Being here had seemed to energize him. He'd seemed more like the Joe, that Levon had come to know over the last two years, since they'd put down at the airfield than he had since before the call had come.

They finished the ride to the hospital in silence.

Joe seemed to know where they were going in the Hospital, too. He led the way without comment, until they were standing just outside the ICU waiting area.

He smiled at a tiny, silver haired woman, sitting in a large armchair. He steered Lundy to her, "Aunt Teresa." He spoke quietly.

She looked up at him, surprise showing in her eyes for just a second then she smiled and reached up to take his hand.

He gestured to Lundy, "This is Sergeant Lundy, Joey's partner, from Houston."

Lundy stepped forward holding out a hand, his hat already off and in the other one, "Ma'am, Joe sends his regards. He shore did wanna be here. Might near had to hog tie him ta keep him away but ah finally convinced him that getting hiz fool self kilt wouldn't help nobody. Still he's right anxious to know what's happening. So I'm here to sorta keep my finger on the pulse so ta speak. Make sure that he hears right off if there's any changes in his sister's condition, or any word on his nephew." He looked back at Joe, wondering if his aunt knew that it was Joe and said, "Mario here's told me that she's conscious... doing better. I sure would appreciate it if I could see her... just for a minute, so as when I call Joe I can say that I did see her with my own eyes..."

Teresa LaFiamma glanced from one of them to the other. The cowboy was acting as if the man with him was Mario. She could almost see Joey willing her to play along. Of course she knew it was Joey. They'd never been able to fool her, not even colored contacts could hide Joey from her. Joey, JD, Sam and Mario, four cousins, all born the same week, four different last names, four almost identical faces... each with a different color eyes.

She smiled slightly, "Thank you for coming, Mr. Lundy. Joey has told me a lot about you. Normal visiting hours are past. However, I believe that you may be permitted to see her for just a moment. Mario will show you the way."

He was permitted in... for five minutes. He stood silently beside her bed, knowing that Joe was undoubtedly chaffing to get in but was letting him go first to reinforce the illusion that Lundy was there to represent him and that he was actually Mario.

When he stepped out of the room, Joe was right there, ready to go in. He reached out and squeezed his partner's arm. There wasn't anything to say. Even with Mario's warning it had been hard to see her like that and she wasn't even kin to him. He could only hope that Joe didn't blow it when he saw her.

Joe steeled himself before stepping through the door. He walked over to the bed, looking down at his precious baby sister. He swallowed hard. It was a good thing that Mario had warned him what to expect. He was certain that he'd have lost it if he hadn't had that warning.

He reached out and touched her arm, lightly just above one of the IV needles.

She stirred and blinked, looking up at him. Her eyes went wide in surprise, "Joey," she whispered.

He laid a finger on her lips, to silence her, "Sorry, Angie. It's Mario. Joey can't come home... you know that..."

She stared at him a long moment then her eyes widened as she saw him move his hand back in front of his chest so that it was hidden from the camera that monitored her and begin to sign.

{It is Joe. I love you.}

She smiled weakly. "Tell... Joey I ... understand..." It was a hoarse whisper.

He nodded and signed, {Wish I could stay here.}

She smiled again and let herself fade back to sleep. Joey was here. It would be all right. Joey would make everything right.

He watched her fade back into sleep, leaving only the slow steady beep of the heart monitor and the soft sigh of her breathing to reassure him that she was really alive.

*************************************************

Back in the waiting room, Lundy was talking to Joe's aunt. It was nearing midnight now and they were the only people left in the waiting area.

When Joe came back into the area, Teresa rose and crossed to him, hugging him firmly, now that there was no one else to see, "Did you really think you could fool me?" She chided him quietly, looking past him to make sure that there was no one near enough to hear..

"No, Ma'am. I never fooled you." He replied, also keeping his voice low. He held on to her tightly for a moment then drew back. He walked her over to the couch and sat down beside her. "Where's Uncle Mikey?"

"Home waiting to see if they call." She looked at him as he fingered his watch, checking the time. "It's been too long hasn't it?"

He looked at her a long moment then, sighed. "Aunt Teresa... if they haven't called by now... they're not gonna."

"Then why did they take him?"

Joe shook his head, squeezing her hand. He couldn't say it, but she knew what he wasn't saying.

She swallowed hard, "Oh, Joey... is there any... hope?"

Lundy stood up, reaching to lay a hand on Joe's shoulder. "There's always hope." He said it firmly, with more conviction than he felt, determined not to let Joe give up... because somehow he knew that losing hope would destroy Joe. The man needed to be doing something... needed to be actively involved.... "We need to know who's working the case..."

Joe's head came up, "It'll be a homicide case..." he trailed off and looked down again, his shoulders slumping at the reminder that his beloved grandmother was gone.

Teresa put an arm around his shoulders, holding him close.

He reached up to touch the hand that rested on his shoulder then took a deep breath and stood up, "There's a couple of cops that I know in Homicide, Baldree and Metzger. They're good... tough... smart... no quit in them. Baldree and I were partners for a while, when I worked Homicide. I trust him. I can call him on the car phone. Find out who's got the case."

"Gonna tell him you're here?"

"I don't think that there's anyway that he can tell that I'm not calling from Houston. I could have direct dialed."

Lundy nodded. "Might work."

Joe gave a quick nod of his head and turned to his aunt, "I have to go. I need to be doing something. I can't just sit around here..."

His aunt sighed and nodded, "You never could just sit." She rose and kissed his cheek. "Be careful. Don't trust anyone... too much."

"I'll be fine." He assured her.

*************************************************

Back in the car, Joe pulled his address book out of his pocket and dialed a number. It rang several times before he got an answer.

"Yo! Gerrit. It's Joey... Joey LaFiamma... look I know you have'ta've heard about Angie... yeah. My partner from Houston is up there... kinda taking care of things for me... you understand I wanna be there myself but... the way things are... yeah. He needs to know... who's got the case?" He fell silent for a long moment. "Shit! Him? ... Okay. Look... ya know that he's not gonna be working tonight... he never works late... could you maybe... pull the files?... Make copies for my partner? ... I know it's asking a lot... I know that you can get in a lot of trouble... I give you my word... you can trust this guy. If he gets caught with the files, nobody will ever know where he got them.... Okay... his name's Lundy. Mario's driving him. Yeah... I'm sure he does. I'll call them... tell them to meet you there.... No, you can't miss him. Look for a brown-eyed blonde in a cowboy hat." He grinned at something the other man said, then said goodbye and hung up.

"Your friend gonna be okay with what amounts to stealing police files?" Lundy asked.

"He'll survive. We go back a long way. He woulda flunked outta the Academy if I hadn't helped him... tutored him." He paused, "We got a couple of hours to kill before we meet him. I guess we oughta go get settled at Mario's."

"How you gonna explain me stayin' at Mario's instead'a a hotel?"

"Hey, I done told everybody what a tightwad you are... besides, Rio likes blondes..." he grinned wickedly.

Lundy gave him a stunned look, "Blonde guys?" He asked both eyebrows riding up.

"Uh-huh."

"Do tell."

"Nope. But I have to warn you that the décor may reflect his taste... if you get my drift."

"Oh?"

"Rio likes to take pictures. He even took a course in photography. It's strictly a hobby... but he's pretty good."

*************************************************

Lundy was glad that Joe had warned him about the décor. Otherwise the life size black and white photo he found himself face to face with when he walked in the door to Mario's apartment would have come as a real shock.

It had been taken through an open doorway. The man, long and lean, practically hairless except for long flowing blonde hair and a pale triangle of hair around his semi-erect cock had been captured completely nude, he was lying on a recliner, upside down. His long elegant legs, crossed at the ankles, pointed towards the ceiling. The long blonde hair cascaded over the footrest of the recliner to pool on the floor. His arms were over, or under depending on your perspective, his head, his long fingers were twined in his hair. His eyes were closed. His lips were parted. He was breathtakingly beautiful.

Lundy swallowed... hard and turned to view the rest of the apartment. "Sweet Jesus!" He couldn't hold back the exclamation.

The apartment consisted of a single room, approximately thirty feet by sixty feet. It looked like a converted warehouse. To the right of the door was the kitchen and dining area, sitting on a platform one step up from the foyer. Stainless steel gleamed through out the kitchen.

The dining table was chrome with a glass top. The foyer led into a living room with an overstuffed, buttery, white, leather couch and matching chairs. The coffee table and end tables matched the chrome dining table. A large screen TV and a stereo with giant speakers sat against the far wall. Behind the TV and stereo, extending on across the dining area, windows ran the whole length of the outside wall, from the floor to the approximately twelve-foot high ceiling.

To the left another raised platform, this one three steps high, defined the bedroom area... with the biggest bed that Levon had ever seen, covered with a deep green comforter in what looked like corduroy. Matching pillows were propped against the bookcase headboard. Books lined the upper shelves and an adjustable reading light protruded from one shelf.

Beyond the bed, spanning about twenty feet of the side-wall was a series of sliding doors, presumably concealing a closet... a very big closet. Each sliding panel was adorned with a life-sized, black and white photo of a semi-nude, gorgeous man. A single hinged door was set approximately midway of the remaining ten feet of the wall, probably leading to a bathroom.

The entire place except for the dining room/kitchen combo was carpeted with a deep green pile carpet. The dining room/kitchen was floored with a matching dark green tile with white marbling. The walls and ceiling were painted white.

There were pictures everywhere. All of them black and white prints. Most of them life size.... All of them were of men... in various states of dress or rather undress.

"You want to get a hotel room?" Joe sounded amused.

Lundy swallowed again. He forced himself to look at the floor. It was the only place that there weren't ... pictures. "That couch let out?"

"Nope." Joe still sounded amused.

Lundy spared him a glare.

Joe gestured towards the bed, "It's a big bed, Lundy... and I promise not to bite..." his voice dropped, going husky, "unless you want me to."

He didn't know what had given him the courage to add that. Maybe it was being here at Mario's, feeling the vibration of the family humming through him, seeing the reminders of a past he'd never dared mention to his partner.

Lundy turned, taking a step towards Joe, there was something predatory in the move, "What if I... bite?" He couldn't believe he'd dared to ask. His heart was pounding.

Joe felt his heart speed up, beating harder and faster. His eyes dropped to Lundy's crotch. The cowboy had an erection. Joe wanted to say something, anything to break the sudden tension but he couldn't speak... couldn't make his voice work.

Lundy took another step towards him, like a stalking lion. His eyes locked on Joe's. He could see the heat in Joe's eyes and the boy wasn't backing off, just standing there letting him get closer and closer.

The room felt hot, suddenly, inexplicably. Joe's head was spinning. He felt like he was going to faint. He had to do something... say something... let Lundy know what he wanted. He reached out, stretching his hand across the mere inches that now lay between them, to clutch at Lundy's shirt, pulling him closer. He stepped into the cowboy's arms, tilting his head back, baring his throat.

"Bite." He whispered.

And the cowboy did... just under his jaw, above the collar, where it could be seen. His cowboy marked him.

He shook in Lundy's arms, shook the way he only shook when someone's big cock was buried deep inside him. He moaned and cried out. He was cumming in his pants. His eyes rolled back and his knees went weak.

Lundy held on to him, lowering him to the floor, his head still bent to Joe's throat, licking at the mark, he'd made. His. Joe was his. Marked. A staked claim. Finally. He rocked the moaning man in his arms, slowly trailing kisses from the mark upward to Joe's lips.

Joe let his lips part, let Lundy push his tongue in, let himself be kissed deeply. He lay limp in Lundy's arms, unable to think, move or react. Only the hand still clenched in Lundy's shirt holding the cowboy close and the soft moans of pleasure that escaped his lips, reassured Lundy that Joe was a willing participant in what was happening.

Lundy drew back just a bit, looking down at Joe.

Joe's eyes were glazed, his face pale. He was still shaking slightly.

"You all right?"

A nod.

"You all right with this."

Another nod.

"Can you stand?"

A nod with a soft whisper added, "Help me up."

"Okay," Lundy stood, somehow without untangling himself from Joe. He couldn't let go... not yet. He needed the physical contact to believe what had just happened. He pulled his partner to his feet and guided him towards the bed.

He helped Joe onto the huge bed and started to straighten. There were still things that needed to be done.

Joe's hand tightened it's grip on his shirt, "Don't leave me... don't leave me...." The voice was scared, semi-hysterical.

Joe wasn't as all right as he had let on.

Lundy leaned back over him, slid onto the bed.

Joe immediately huddled into his arms.

Lundy hugged him tightly, murmuring soft, meaningless words of comfort as Joe drifted off to sleep.

Lying there holding his partner the way he'd dreamed of doing so often, Levon's mind began to worry, spinning around like a hamster on one of those wheel things.

[We got a meeting in a while. I don't know where it is... or what the guy looks like... Is Joey gonna be all right in time to make the meet? If he ain't, what then? I'll look unreliable to somebody that's riskin' their career ta help us.] His mind jumped to a new worry. [We're gonna have'ta talk about what just happened... and what did just happen? Does he want what I want? I've loved him fer so long. Does he love me? Or is he just vulnerable now? So much has happened... such a short time.... Better be prepared. Prepare fer the worst... hope for the best.]

He sighed, leaning his forehead against the top of Joe's head, he whispered "Oh, Joey. I love you so much... Reckon if I never get ta hold you again, I should be grateful I had this little bit."

He lay awake trying not to worry, trying to enjoy the chance to hold Joe while he dozed. The apartment was extremely quiet, he could hear the ticking of a clock. He hadn't seen one but there had to be one. His watch surely wasn't that loud. He shifted so that he could see his watch.

Joe felt Levon shift and opened his eyes. The cowboy was checking his watch. "What time is it?" He muttered.

Lundy looked down at him, "Sorry, didn't mean ta wake you." Then realizing what Joe'd asked, added. "Almost one A M."

"I better get up. I need a shower," but he didn't move to get up, instead he burrowed deeper into Levon arms. After a long moment he asked in a small voice, "Lundy?"

"Yeah?"

Joe burrowed even deeper into his chest. He hesitated then asked in a scared, little boy voice, "Do... do... you... love me?"

Lundy leaned back, reaching down to tilt Joe's chin up, looking deep into the worried, blue eyes, seeing hope mingled with the fear. He smiled gently, "Yeah. Yes. I do. I love you, Joe. Have for quite a while now."

He felt the tension go out of Joe, as his partner relaxed against him. "I love you too, Levon." He held tightly to Lundy a moment longer then drew away with a groan. "We gotta go meet, Baldree... and I gotta get a shower. The bar he wants ta meet at is in Boys Town. No way am I going down there smelling like cum. I *got* my man!" He leaned up and kissed Levon then rolled away to get off the bed.

"Why'd he pick a gay bar?" Lundy frowned.

"Mario's supposed to be your driver. Mario is one hundred percent gay. Baldree figured the safest place for him to pass over copied files would be someplace that he would never be recognized... therefore...he picked a bar that any gay man, such as Mario, would know."

"I see."

"Good... Now I'm starving, go look in the fridge and see it Rio left us anything to eat. I don't think we have time to get anything on the way but Rio's usually pretty good at keeping the fridge stocked."

Lundy nodded, rolling off the bed and heading for the kitchen, hoping he could figure out whatever was necessary to get them something to eat as Joe headed for the bathroom to get his shower.

It looked pretty straight-forward. There was a medium sized dish in the fridge with what looked like lasagna. It wasn't his favorite food but Joe'd like it... and Joe needed nourishment. It seemed he was still on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster.

As Levon popped the dish in the microwave and set it to heat, he wondered if Joe's declaration of love was real or just part of that emotional upheaval that Joe was going through. [Guess I'll just have to wait... see what happens when we get back home.]

Joe came out of the bathroom wearing jeans and a simple white T-shirt, with sneakers. "I don't think I should wear my guns, Cowboy. Mario wouldn't be carrying to go to this place. I got my hideout in the ankle holster though. You look okay like you are."

He strolled over and casually pulled Levon's jeans jacket open to check that he still had his shoulder holster and gun. "You won't have to check it... just sort of keep it hid... up here they don't expect every Tom, Dick and Mary to be packing, so there's not a sign like the one at Gilley's about checking all weapons at the door..."

He stepped into Levon's arms for a quick hug before asking, "What'd you find to fix. Smells good."

"I think its lasagna... don't know much about Italian food."

Joe pulled back slightly and smiled at him. "You'll learn. I love to cook... when I got someone to cook for."

"Gonna try and fatten me up, huh?" Levon teased.

"Nah," Joe stepped back holding Levon by the waist and looked down a Levon's slim form, "I like the way you look, Cowboy. I'll keep you well fed but I wouldn't want you to get fat... not that there's a lot of danger of that. I mean, the stuff you eat now... I'd weigh a ton, if I ate like that... but you... God! You look good!" He leaned in and stole a kiss just as the microwave dinged to tell them that the lasagna was ready.

Levon drew back, reluctantly breaking the kiss. "We better eat and hit the road."

*************************************************

Baldree was late, not by much but they'd been waiting at least fifteen minutes and Levon was getting a tad nervous. While he'd messed around with guys before, in college, he'd never been one to go to gay bars.

It helped that Joe was staying close... real close, making it obvious that Levon was taken but still the bar was way out of Levon's league. He'd never seen anything like this.

The music was loud, the beat heavy and strong. The dance floor was wall to wall men... and this on a mid-week night. Light's flashed and blinked making it hard to see. The men were mostly dressed like Joe, jeans and T-shirts but there were a few that were more undressed than dressed. He was fairly sure that one guy at a back table was having sex with all comers. He didn't want to get close enough to confirm that suspicion.

Three men on the dance floor, almost directly in front of the table he and Joe were sitting at, were having mock sex... at least he hoped it was mock. Two of the men, both tall brunettes were holding a third between them. The man in the middle, a slender blonde, had his legs wrapped around the waist of the man he was facing. That man was holding him by his hips, standing between his legs and making humping motions to the beat of the music. The one behind the man in the middle had his arms around the man's waist from behind and was making humping motions against his ass to the beat of the music.

Lundy was sure he was red as a beet. He was grateful when Joe leaned over and shouted above the noise. "There he is!"

Lundy looked where Joe was pointing and saw a man weaving his way through the crowd towards their table. He looked out of place among the blue jeans and T-shirt crowd. He wore a suit, white shirt and tie. He was about six three or maybe four with dark wavy hair and hazel eyes. He was built along the same lines as Joe just a bit larger.

He came over to the table, giving Joe/Mario a smile, "Looks like the vampires got you, Rio."

Joe grinned back at him, "You know me, Garrit, always ready to donate blood when it's needed."

Baldree's head came up at the voice. He stared at Joe/Mario a long minute, then shook his head, "Joey's got blue eyes..."

"Ever hear of contacts?" Joe leaned close. "Don't give me away, buddy."

Baldree gave a sharp nod and turned to Lundy, "I was surprised to hear that Joey sent you... I expected him to come... hit or no hit."

"He's not that stupid." Levon replied.

"He is that emotional." Baldree said. "Look I gotta go. I wouldn't do this... for anybody but Joey. Understand that." He held out a plain brown grocery bag. "It's in here. When you're done with it... shred it... burn it... but don't bring it back to me."

He rose and reached out to shake Joe's hand. He reached up to touch the mark on Joe's neck and tilted his head to indicate Lundy and raised a brow in question.

Joe nodded and smiled.

Baldree grinned and shook his head as he turned to go.

They gave him ten minutes to get clear then left.

*************************************************

Levon used the map light to read through the file on the way back to Mario's.

"According to the witnesses there wuz three men, driving a brown van. Two of them jumped outta the side door. One grabbed the boy and started back to the van with him. Angie started screamin' and jumped the guy. The other one pulled her off him, threw her on the ground and started beating on her with what looked like a tire iron. He beat her pretty bad, numerous blows besides the one to her head. The first one got the boy in the van. Your grandmother ran up to the one beating Angie and hit him with her cane. He turned around and hit her, once up side the head, with the tire iron. Musta caught her just right... coroner's report says she died instantly."

He looked over at Joe to see how he was handling the data. He laid a hand on Joe's arm, "Sorry, partner."

"At least she didn't suffer." Joe said tightly. "Keep reading. We need the info if we're gonna save Markie."

"You don't think there's gonna be a ransom demand do you?"

"I wasn't sure... until you read me the description of how it happened." Suddenly Joe pulled over and parked on the side of the street, turning off the engine. "God! If that bastard grabbed Markie because he's related to me...." He leaned forward and rested his head on the steering wheel. "I don't think I could take that...."

Lundy dropped the file on the seat and reached out to lay a hand on Joe's shoulder. "Maybe you better tell me what you think we're dealing with here."

Joe leaned back in the seat, letting his head tilt back on the head-rest to stare up at the roof of the car. "July 1985. I was transferred into Robbery/Homicide from Bunco. Three days later me'n my new partner, Temple Hargrove," He turned to look at Lundy saying in an aside, "the guy's a real asshole," before continuing with the story, "Anyhow we caught this homicide/kidnapping. A little boy, seven years old, snatched off the street. Three guys, black van. Two guys jump out. One grabs the kid and throws him in the van. The kid's teenage brother is with him and starts yelling and fighting. The second guy takes him out with what could have been a tire iron. Fractures his skull. He's dead at the scene. The family was dirt poor. There's no ransom demand."

"Same M.O."

"Yeah, only that ain't no where near the end of it." He looked over at Lundy. "It's only a few more blocks to Mario's and this is gonna take a while to tell. I could use some coffee. Could you drive? I don't feel real good."

"Sure. I'll go round. You just slide over."

*************************************************

They didn't talk anymore until they got to Mario's. Lundy made coffee, strong and black. Joe dumped sugar in his but for once skipped the cream.

They sat at Mario's dining table, Joe facing the wall of windows, looking out at the lights of his hometown with a wistful expression on his face.

When he began to talk, he didn't get straight back to the subject, he seemed to be rambling a bit. "This used to be a warehouse." He waved his had to indicate the apartment and the building.

"Thought it looked like it."

"Yeah, Mario's grandfather, Victorio DeMira owned it. When he died, back in seventy-eight, he left it to his grandkids. There were about forty of them all told."

He grinned at Levon's look. "Hey, Italian's run to lots of kids.... Anyhow, he leaves them the building and they get the idea of turning it into apartments. They borrow the money, using the building as collateral, and they turn it into this. Mario is the only one of them that lives in the building."

He stood up and went to look out the window. "He always said that he lived here because he loved this view." He paused and returned to sit at the table sipping his coffee. "I used to love it too... and at night it is beautiful...the lights of the city sparkling in the distance like jewels. But in the daylight you can see the way it really is, you can see the crumbling facades on the buildings, the overgrown, empty lots, the piles of trash..."

Lundy sat back, watching him and listening, letting him ramble on.

Joe reached out and turned the folder around to flip it open. He tapped it. "This guy that did this is like that. A pretty façade but corrupt and evil inside."

He settled back in the chair and Levon knew he was ready to tell the rest of the story.

"Eight days after the first kidnapping a second, almost identical kidnapping, took place, a little boy, six years old, out with his mom and dad. Both parents are hospitalized but both survive. The father gives us a good description, even the license plate of the van. We track it down. It's a company van, belongs to The Dampier Corporation that is owned by one of Chicago's richest families."

"Reckon I can see where this is headed."

"Yeah, well, I get a warrant and search the van. Find a ring... one of those little sterling silver friendship rings...The first kid that was kidnapped was wearing one. His mom ID's it. Says the kid spent his allowance to buy a pair of them and gave one to a little girl in his class at school. We confiscate the van so forensics can go over it. I ask for the records of who was supposed to be driving it that day... Hargrove, the asshole, is busy bowing and scarping at the Company CEO, a guy named Chandler Dampier..."

He gives Levon a 'you know the type' look and adds, "The Dampier's own half of downtown Chicago."

"Uh-huh." Levon makes a go on motion.

"Dampier don't want to give me the records... Hargrove, wants to let him get away with it. I have to go get a court order. We finally get the records and go to question the driver... I can't remember his name right off hand... and guess what..."

"He fits the description of the guy driving the van?"

"No, the guy that grabbed the kid. So I go back to Dampier Corp. and start asking questions about who might have been with him. Suddenly nobody will tell me anything... orders from the boss, Chandler Dampier. I ask to see him. They toss me out."

"That didn't stop you." It was a statement, not a question.

"You know better than that." He leaned back and went on. "So, I go back to question the guy we took in. I point out to him that nobody has offered to put up bail for him and that if we don't get the other two guys, he'll go down alone for kidnapping. Maybe even, homicide, if we don't recover the kid. I tell him that it's reasonable to presume the kid to be dead, after all, he was snatched, he's been missing for almost ten days... and the guy pops up with, 'Chandler will bail me out!'."

"So, naturally you ask, why would the CEO of the company put up bail for him."

"Right. I keep hammering at him, going back to question him over and over. In between I'm having uniforms sit outside Dampier Corp. and pick up Dampier's employees as they leave for the day and bring them in for questioning. Hargrove is going ape shit, saying I'm harassing Dampier. The Lieutenant is getting heat from the Chief, 'cause Dampier is complaining that I'm harassing his employees. I feel like I'm working alone."

He rose and went back to the window. "Anyhow, after a couple of days without his buddy putting up his bail the driver finally realizes that Dampier has left him to take the fall. He spills his guts, gives me the name of the other two guys that were with him. He says that Chandler Dampier was driving the van. I find it hard to believe but then I go back and look at the descriptions that the eyewitnesses gave. None of them got a good look at the driver. The descriptions are vague... but it could have been Dampier... or it could have not been."

"What about the other one?"

"We got his address from the first guy and went to pick him up. He's hanging in the bedroom of his house... apparent suicide. We search the place... nothing to tie him to the kidnapping... "

Joe moved to the counter, picking up the coffeepot and refilling his cup. "You want a refill?"

Lundy nodded and Joe refilled his cup and sat back down at the table. He yawned and ran a hand through his hair.

Lundy glanced at his watch, "It's almost four..."

"Yeah, well, there ain't much more." He sighed, "Where was I?"

"Second man, dead. Apparent suicide."

"Right. It looks like a dead end... I can't get anybody to give me a warrant for Dampier... there's no real evidence against him and they all wanna say that the guy we caught is just trying to save his own hide by pulling down a pillar of the community. I don't buy it. If he just wants to save his hide, why not just blame it all on the dead guy, the apparent suicide? Anyhow... it all becomes academic. The guy gets killed in lock up."

"Another dead end."

Joe nods.

"... only..."

"Only I still think Dampier is my man. I get into the property records and find out that he's got a cabin up on the Lake. Real isolated..."

"You decide to take a look..."

"Uh-huh, I tried to get Hargrove to go with me but..."

"He let you go alone!" Lundy's voice plainly showed his outrage.

"We'd been told to stay away from Dampier... I guess, he was following orders... but I couldn't let it go. There were still two kids out there... scared... maybe hurt... waiting for somebody to come and rescue them."

"So, you went... alone."

"Yeah.... When I got there, the place looked deserted. It was getting dark. I slipped around checking the windows and doors, hoping something that was open. Finally found a back bedroom window open. Pulled the screen off and climbed in. Searching the upstairs didn't take long. I didn't find anything, except a door leading down to a cellar. At first I didn't think that there was anything there. Then I realized that the cellar was a lot smaller than the area of the house but it should have been the same size since the cellar walls were the foundation of the house. I started looking for a way into the other part of the cellar. I found a big wardrobe shoved up against what looked like a wall. It had a lock on it and I was curious about why an old piece of furniture stored in a cellar would be locked. I pried the lock off and there was no back to the wardrobe. It was open to the other side of the cellar."

He stood up, walking back to stare out the window, again. "The kids were there... in cages... like animals... naked. They'd both been... sexually assaulted. They were both conscious and wake, but they didn't make any noise just stared at me. I got them out of the cages. They were clinging to me. I had to carry them both. It's awkward but I started out... then I saw a book on a table. It looked like an address book or diary so I grabbed it and stuck it in my pocket. I got the kids out and up the stairs. We were in the kitchen headed for the back door when I head the car drive up out front."

"I had to decide... Get the kids out or confront him... I took the kids out the back, trying to be as quiet as possible... carrying them both... I got clear of the house and into the woods, started running for my car. We made it... just barely." Joe paused again.

Levon could see the fatigue eating at him.

Joe went on, "He must have gone straight down to the cellar, seen the wardrobe broke open and come back up looking for the intruder. Running through the woods at night carrying a couple of kids ain't real quiet... but I figured if I could get to the car, I could get them away... come back for Dampier later."

"What I woulda done." Levon said reassuringly, "You were alone, Joe. Weren't no back up coming."

"Yeah... right. Anyhow. I got the kids in the car... just stuffed them in from the driver's side... climbed in, slammed the door and started to crank the car... and there he is. He's got an ax... takes a swing at the windshield. The head of the ax comes through but the windshield is reinforced glass and it doesn't break out just shatters and holds together around the head of the ax. I get the car cranked while he's trying to get the ax head back out and I just take off."

"What's he do?"

"He starts to run after me then throws the ax down and heads back towards the house. I don't know what he's gonna do but I get on the radio and put in an 'officer needs help' call to any units in the vicinity... trouble is I'm way out. I don't get an answer right off. By the time I finally get a Sheriff's deputy, Dampier is coming up beside us in his big old Caddy. He's trying to run me off the road. We play bash and ram for a while then he catches me just right and I go off the road... the car rolls down a bank and into the Lake. I can hear sirens as it starts to go under and I guess he takes off."

"I know *you* got out... wuz the kids okay?"

"I got a window down and got them out. I'm treading water, trying to keep my head and two kids heads above water when the Sheriff's deputy comes by, sees where the car went off the road, gets out to look and sees the car sinking in the Lake. I see him and holler for help. He gets us out. After that it's just wrap up. The kids both survive... both needed psychiatric help. The book was a journal... a record of all the boys he'd kidnapped, tortured, raped and murdered in the previous ten years. Police psychologist said that Dampier was a sociopath."

"He got clean away?"

"Yeah. I guess he probably had money somewhere. He was rich enough..."

"Now, you think he's back."

"Yeah. I just hope that he didn't take Markie because he was my nephew..."

"How'd he pick his other victims?"

"He always took two boys. The first would always have blue eyes and dark hair, be six or seven years old. The second would be taken with in ten days of the first. He'd have brown eyes and dark hair... and be a year younger than the first boy."

"Markie have dark hair and blue eyes?"

"Yeah. Angie always said, he looked more like me than her or Louie."

"Markie's description fits his victims profile. He mighta just targeted a kid that fit his pattern. Might not know that the kid's your nephew. Markie's name ain't LaFiamma. 'cordin' ta this it's Sis--Sis--"

"Chic-ca-rel-li. C-i-c-c-a-r-e-l-l-i. Ciccarelli."

"Yeah... and he wouldn't have seen you around the kid cause you've been in Houston for the last couple of years."

"If he didn't know Markie was my nephew and he's just back in business then we got until he takes the second boy to find Markie!"

"How do you figure that?"

"According to his journal he doesn't do anything to the boys until he has them both. He sexually assaults them both but he... I don't know... plays them against each other... offers one food or... says he won't rape him again if he'll do something that he tells him to do to the other one... hurting the other one... it's a cruel game."

"So if he's just playing his game... we got time."

"Yeah."

"Good... 'cause son, you look like you're gonna fall over any second. Time we hit the sack." Lundy stood up, walked to the sink and emptied his coffee cup, rinsed it then came back and took Joe's away from him and did the same.

Returning to his partner, he grasped him by the shoulders from behind, turned him and started pushing him towards the bedroom area. "Bed. Now."

Joe resisted for a minute then obeyed. He could barely keep his eyes open, even the coffee hadn't helped much.

*************************************************

Levon awoke early, just as the light of the gray Chicago dawn was filtering through the bank of windows.

Joe was snuggled close against him, still sleeping soundly.

He lay still, not wanting to wake his partner. He looked down at the dark head buried against his chest and smiled. The word 'partner' had a whole new meaning now... not that they had actually made love yet. The events of the past day, [Lord has it just been one day?], had made that academic. Joe was too wrung out emotionally and physically for them to move into that right off. Much as he'd love to make love to Joe, Levon was aware that what Joe really needed now was emotional and psychological support, to get him through this... and a partner to help him find his nephew.

If Joe was right about it being Dampier, then Joe had the inside track. He'd almost caught the man four years ago.

He bent to kiss the top of Joe's head then snuggled back down to sleep. Joe needed the rest and he couldn't really do anything till Joe woke up.

He sighed softly as he drifted back to sleep, thinking, [Damn! I like this bed. Wonder what it cost ta have it made. Had to be a custom job.] The bed was at least eight feet long and just as wide. The mattress had to have been custom made... and all the bed linens. The mattress was firm but was topped with what felt like a feather-filled topper, making it luxuriously soft.

[Mario must have money, ta afford this.] He frowned. [Why's he work as a limo driver if he's got that kinda money?]

He let the question drift away as he faded back to sleep.

It was after noon when Joe finally stirred and began to move around on the bed, waking Levon back up.

"Mornin'," he muttered when Levon rolled over into him, reaching out to cuddle. He snuggled into Levon's arms.

"More like afternoon. You sleep well?"

"Yeah. Feel a lot better." A long sign escaped him as he hugged Lundy tightly. "I hate to get up... wish I could just stay here...."

"We got a lot ta do today...."

"Yeah. I gotta go check on Angie... then we need to stop by the precinct... guess I ought to tell you. You're gonna have to deal with Hargrove... the asshole caught the call on Angie, Markie and La Nonnina Concetta. It's his case."

"Don't worry. I can handle him."

"Never thought you couldn't... just wish it was somebody else... Baldree and Metzger would have been up all night working it, if it were their case."

"Kinda like us, huh?"

"Exactly." Joe tilted his head back to look up at Levon.

Lundy took the opportunity to steal a kiss, "Exactly?" He murmured.

Joe blushed and chuckled, "No. Guess they're not *exactly* like us!"

Lundy was glad to hear the amusement in Joe's voice the quiet laughter at the though to Baldree and Metzger cuddling in bed like they were.

"You sure?" he teased, "Baldree was pretty good looking..."

"You've got to see Metzger," Joe laughed. "Five eight. Fifty if he's a day. Balding... fat... wrinkled... and married. Gerrit might not mind a guy now and then... but he's got better taste than that!"

"Okay. Long as his taste don't run ta beautiful... blue-eyed... Italian... cops..." he punctuated each word of the description with a kiss to Joe's upturned smiling face.

Joe smiled again and said softly, "Well, he never made a pass when we were hanging out together at the academy."

"His loss.... My gain...." Lundy indulged himself with another long, tender kiss.

"Hummmm! The more you do that the less I want to get up... but you know we gotta...."

"Yeah, ya gotta see about your sister, then there's a kid that needs ta be found..."

"Uh-huh...."

"So, get up."

"Can't... you're *holding* me."

Lundy unwound his arms from around Joe and held them up over his head, "Ain't now."

Joe rolled over on his back and groaned but then crawled off the bed. "Wanna make the coffee while I see if a shower will wake me up?"

"Reckon, I can." Lundy rolled off the other side of the bed, careful not to get too close to Joe. If he got too close they'd end up back in the bed... and they had work to do.
By the time Joe was showered, Lundy had not only made coffee, he had made breakfast... eggs, bacon and toast. He was almost finished eating when Joe came out of the bathroom.

As Joe sat down to eat, Levon complained, "He didn't have no grits..."

Joe chuckled, "Lundy, Mario don't even know what grits are! You go asking for them around here you're gonna get looked at like you're from Mars."

Lundy showered while Joe ate.

As they prepared to leave for the day, Lundy watched Joe as he put his wrist watch on his right wrist and strapped on Mario's shoulder holster... under his right shoulder.

Seeing Levon watching him Joe grinned, "You musta been tired last night if you didn't notice that ever since we left the plane I had my watch on this wrist..." he held up his right arm. "Mario's left-handed. I'm ambidextrous enough to fake it... as long as I don't have to go and try to write any thing left handed."

"Oh, Lord. I'd hate ta see what that'd look like!"

"Are you *still* complaining about my handwriting?" Joe pouted.

Lundy grinned at him, "Boy, first time I tried ta decode your notes on a case I thought you'd took'em in Chinese!"

"They weren't that bad!" Joe pouted.

Lundy chuckled. "It's a good thing you can type." He waited until Joe had put the blue chauffeur's jacket on over the gun and then asked, "Ready?"

"Yeah."

"Ya put your contacts back in?"

Joe turned and looked at him, "What color are my eyes?"

"They're blue... but right now they look brown. Okay. Let's roll."

*************************************************

Temple Hargrove wasn't a happy man. He'd come back from lunch to find a cowboy cop waiting to see him and he'd been on the losing end of the conversation since he opened his mouth.

"Mister Lundy," he stressed the word 'mister', "this isn't Texas and you're not a cop up here. This is my case and I don't need any help."

"Yeah, well you shore ain't been workin' it, boy! You got a dead woman, a kidnapped child, and a woman in ICU at the hospital and you're sitting here shuffling papers. I wuz on the phone with LaFiamma most of the night and the boy says that this case looks like it might connect ta a case ya'll worked some time ago. The Dampier thing. Maybe you remember that. From what I hear, you blew it big time."

"LaFiamma stepped way over the line on that!"

"Over the line? He saved those kids! And damn near got kilt doing it. If ya'd a been any kinda pardner he wouldn'ta been out there alone!"

"I don't need no funny looking, funny talking, cowboy to tell me how to do my job!"

"Well, some damn body needs ta tell you how before you let another kid die cause you're more worried about not stepping on somebody's toes than you are about a child's life!"

"Hargrove! What the hell is going on here? Who is this man?"

Lundy turned to see a stout white haired man, storming out of the office that overlooked the Homicide bullpen. Before Hargrove could answer the man, Lundy stepped forward, "Captain Mitchell? I'm Sergeant Levon Lundy, Houston PD, Major Crime Unit. I'm Joe LaFiamma's partner. He speaks highly of you, sir." He held out his hand to the man.

Mitchell blinked, looking from Lundy to Hargrove then back before taking the offered hand, "Yeah, I'm Mitchell. You're Joe's partner, huh?"

"Yessir. Joe shore is upset that he couldn't come up here himself, fact is I might near had to toss him in a cell to keep him from coming. But I'm sure you know why he can't come back... still he's real anxious to know what's being done about getting his nephew back... safe and sound... I'm here to kinda make sure that everything that can be done is being done and to keep Joe informed."

He leaned forward and lowered his voice a bit, "Like I was telling Hargrove here, I talked to Joe at length last night, filling him in on everything that the family knew about the kidnapping. He seemed ta think that it might tie to a case that he worked some time ago... Perp's name was Dampier. He kidnapped a couple of boys... they were about the same age that Joe's nephew is...."

"Yeah, I remember that. Does Joe think that Dampier might have took Markie as revenge? Joe damn near caught him, you know."

"I know... look could I maybe take a look at that old case file? If it wuz Dampier that snatched the kid there might be something in it that would give us a lead on where he took him."

Mitchell seemed to consider it for a long minute then shrugged, "Sure, why not. No harm in checking it out." He paused, "There still hasn't been a ransom demand. It's past the twenty-four hour point. Usually if there's no ransom..."

"...demand within twenty-four hours there won't be one. I've sat by a few phones, myself, Captain."

They stepped into the Captain's office leaving Hargrove to whatever he was... or wasn't doing.

*************************************************

Joe had decided that as Mario he shouldn't go up with Levon to confront Hargrove. There was simply too much risk that the man might recognize him... or that he might give in to the impulse to strangle Hargrove. He had chosen to remain with the car, sitting in the underground garage. He had spent most of the time going back over the files that Baldree had brought them the night before. The more he read in it, the most convinced he was that the man who took Markie was Dampier.

Since he didn't have to worry about anybody but Lundy seeing the files, he made notes and marked in the file as he read through it, penning queries and thoughts in the margins.

He was still working on it when Lundy tapped on the side window, to get his attention before opening the car door. They'd agreed that they needed some type of signal to keep Levon from startling Joe and maybe getting shot, when he returned to the car.

Lundy slid into the seat beside him and held out a folder, "Captain Mitchell must be real fond' a you. Gave me copies of the old case file on Dampier. Even got photo copies of that journal you found."

"Yeah, well, while I was with Homicide, Mitchell's department had the highest case clearance ratio in Chicago PD. He was real unhappy when Major Crime "borrowed me" and never gave me back."

Levon sighed, "Speakin' of Major Crimes... we need ta call Joanne. She's gonna be more than a mite unhappy with us..." He reached for the car phone.

"Might be better if you call from a pay phone..."

"You called Baldree..."

"I wasn't thinking clearly. This is one'a Uncle Leo's cars..."

"He in the same business as Uncle Mikey?"

"Sorta... you could say that they know a lot of the same people."

"Okay. Find me a pay phone."

"There's this place I know... it's got phones at the table. Nice big booths, high backs on the seats... I can look over those files while you make the call... and you might even like the food."

He started the car and they were soon out on the freeway.

Lundy was a little surprised when half an hour later Joe took an exit and pulled them into the parking lot of a huge truck stop.

"Don't seem like your kinda place, partner," he commented wryly, looking around as Joe led him to a booth.

There was a huge buffet bar, stretching at least fifty feet long, a salad bar running at right angles to it and a dessert bar on one side wall.

Joe grinned, "My first patrol beat, right outta the Academy included this area. I was partnered with this huge Irishman, Andrew O'Reily. Six foot six, three hundred pounds, could eat like you would *not* believe. Back then the buffet here was six dollars, all you could eat, drink and dessert included. It was his favorite place to eat. Sort of like Chicken's is for you."

The waitress came over and Joe ordered coffee and the salad bar. Lundy ordered the buffet and tea.

After the waitress brought their drinks and they'd gotten a plate from the buffet, Lundy read the instructions on the phone at the table and dialed the operator, asking to place a person to person, collect call to Joanne Beaumont, giving her number and extension at HPD.

Joe shook his head and grinned at Lundy.

Lundy gave him an innocent look, "What? Ya said ya'd already told ever body that I was a tight wad!"

Joe chuckled and went back to looking at the files.

It was several minutes before Joanne came on the line. "Hello, Joanne.... Wha---" he gave an exasperated sigh and listened for several minutes, "Lieutenant, will you just let me explain...."

He ducked his head and stared down at the table listening, "If you'll let me say something...." Several more minutes of listening. "Are ya done now?... Okay. First off, the only way I coulda kept him from coming woulda been to toss him in a cell and throw away the key and that woulda done more damage than lettin' him come.... Dammit, Joanne... there's things worse than dying... not letting him come woulda *destroyed* him. You know it's true. He'd a never been the same.... We're all right so far. Ain't nobody tumbled to him not being Mario... least wise no body he don't trust with the info."

A long few minutes of listening. "We might have a lead on who took the boy... Joe thinks it connects to an old case of his and his old Captain in Homicide, seems ta feel that it can't hurt ta let me look in ta that angle. He let me go over the files...." He didn't figure she needed to know that they had copies of them.

"Nah, don't think he knows Joe's here. He ain't seen him. Joe figured it'd be best if he stayed outta CPD headquarters as much as possible, too many folks there know him.... Yes ma'am. We'll be careful. Okay. I'll stay in touch."

Joe watched him hang up the phone then said softly, "You really do understand. I wasn't sure that you weren't just humoring me. Thanks, Cowboy."

Levon smiled at him, "You're welcome." He reached across to squeeze Joe's hand then cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Anything in there that jogs yer memory about anything?"

Joe tapped a page, "Here's the list of the Dampier real estate holdings that I got from the land records office. I used to know somebody in the utility company... if she's still there, she could get us records of the usage for the various properties...."

"How's that gonna help?"

"I'll have her get me copies of the utilities bills back to 1985 when Chandler Dampier disappeared. If there's a piece of property that hasn't used any electricity, gas or water since before that but has started using it again in the last couple of month; then we can check that property out to see who is using it. Starting with the properties that are isolated... like the cabin on the Lake that he was using before."

"If your friend still works for the utilities company..."

"If she doesn't, I'll call Baldree. He probably will know some one who does and can get the same info for us."

"Sounds like a plan."

*************************************************

Joe's friend, Melissa, was still working for the utility company. She was a supervisor now and agreed to pull up and print out the bills for the addresses that Joe gave her. It would take some time and she promised to drop them off at Mario's apartment that evening.

After Joe hung up the phone, Levon asked, "Where to now?"

"Back to the hospital to check on Angie then out to Uncle Mikey's," Joe led the way back out to the Lincoln, "then to the funeral home to see La Nonnina Concetta. The funeral is tomorrow."

"I ain't ever been to a Catholic funeral. Don't know what I should do..."

"I'll fill you in. The close family will be at the funeral home then go to the church. If I could be here as myself I would be with Uncle Mikey and Aunt Teresa and the girls.... But Mario would just go to the church so that's what I'll have to do. You just go with me and follow my lead. I gotta warn you, it's a long drawn out process."

"Okay. Long as you don't let me do nothing ta embarrass myself."

"I don't think you have to worry about that."

*************************************************

Uncle Mikey's place was a huge old Victorian style house on a wide quiet, tree-lined street. Set back from the road, behind a wide lawn, it looked to be two stories and an attic, maybe even a basement. The wide front porch stretched across the front and wrapped half way to the back on each side. At each side on the second story was a round room with a cone shaped roof, like the turrets on a castle.

As they exited the car in the sweeping front driveway Joe gestured to the right hand turret. "That was my bedroom when I was staying with Uncle Mikey." He grinned, "I loved it."

Lundy looked up at it and smiled. "Reckon I can see why. Most any young'n would like that. Bet you played like it was a castle..."

"Yeah... and it was easy to climb out the window... and down that tree when I wanted to sneak out."

Lundy shook his head. "Kids are the same ever where. I used ta shimmy down that big tree at Mother Minnie's."

Joe smiled at him, coming around to lead the way up the steps. It was comforting in a way to realize that for all their differences there were things that had been the same for them. Maybe now that he and Levon had reached a new point in their relationship they could talk more about the ways they were alike, instead of focusing on the differences.

He didn't ring the bell, just opened the door and walked in.

Luigi, Uncle Mikey's chief of security would have seen the car pull up on the security monitor and watched them cross the drive and come up on the porch. It was one of the reasons that Joe had stood for just a minute beside the car, facing the camera, letting Louie get a good look before crossing to the porch.

Marco, Uncle Mikey's bodyguard was standing in the hall.

"Hiya, Marco." Joe/Mario said.

Lundy noticed that he spoke softly and had pitched his voice a tad higher than usual. It didn't carry that vibrancy that he was accustomed to hearing in Joe's voice.

Marco nodded, "Mario." He looked at Lundy.

"Joey's partner, from Houston, Levon Lundy. He needs to see Uncle Mikey... and I think Uncle Mikey wants to see him."

Marco gave Lundy a nod but didn't offer to shake hands. "Mr. LaFiamma left word that when you arrived I was to show you both into the study." He turned and led the way down the long hall.

Lundy noted that the hall ran the whole length of the house from the front door to the back with rooms opening off on either side. To the right, just inside the foyer, running parallel to the hall was a staircase that went up to the second floor. As Marco led them to a door about halfway down the hall, Lundy could see that there was a second staircase going up from the back of the hall.

Marco opened the door, stepped inside and said, "Sergeant Lundy is here, sir." He then stepped back and held the door for them. Once they were inside he stepped back outside and settled into a watchful stance.

The man that rose from behind the desk and came to wrap Joe in a hug was a surprise to Lundy. He'd expected someone like Joe, maybe bigger, heavier but this man was head and shoulders shorter than Joe. There was a passing resemblance in the face. His hair was darker than Joe's, mostly black, sprinkled with gray. The eyes were deep brown, darker than Levon's.

He hugged Joe tightly then stepped back, he spoke quietly in his gravely voice. "It's good to see you, kid. You shouldn'ta come but... I understand." He reached up and lightly slapped Joe's cheek, more a caress than a blow. "You look strange with brown eyes. So much like Mario. I guess that is good."

"I've missed you, Uncle Mikey." Joe broke the contact with his uncle reluctantly and turned to present Lundy. "This is my partner, Levon Lundy."

"Sir." Lundy held out a hand.

Michael LaFiamma took it. "An honor, Sergeant. Joey's told me a lot about you. I understand that I owe you thanks for saving his life."

Lundy shrugged, "He's saved mine a time or two. Figure we're pretty even. Partner's don't generally keep score."

The older LaFiamma gave a sharp nod of his head, studying Lundy for a moment with shrewd eyes. Then he turned his attention back to Joe. "There hasn't been a ransom demand for Markie... The cops, they say... that there probably won't be." He fell silent then sighed, "They think that he's probably dead... or worse."

"Uncle Mikey," Joe leaned forward, "I can't promise you that Markie is all right, but me'n Lundy, we think that he might still be okay."

"Tell me."

"You remember that mess with Dampier?"

"Yes. A bad man. Very bad what he did to those boys."

"Yeah... but he didn't do anything except hold the first boy prisoner until he kidnapped the second boy..."

"You're thinking he's back? That he's got Markie?"

"I can't prove anything right now... but Markie fits the physical description of the boy he always took first. So far we haven't heard of another boy being snatched that fits the description of the second boy he takes. If it is him, and he's following his established pattern, he won't hurt Markie until after he takes the second boy. My old Captain from homicide, Mitchell... you remember him?"

Mikey nodded.

Joe went on, "He gave Lundy copies of the old case files on Dampier... and he promised to let us know if a boy was taken that fit the physical description of Dampier's second victim. We've got somebody at the utility company running down the utility usage on all of Dampier's properties. We're hoping that it will show a property that hasn't been used for a while but now shows usage."

He sat back in the chair, "It's not much... but it's all we've got." He was silent.

After a long moment Uncle Mikey murmured, "If only you had been around Markie more..."

Lundy looked at him with a raised brow, "Don't understand how that would have helped." He said quietly.

Joe gave what could have been a guilty start then looked at Uncle Mikey. He swallowed hard, then said softly, "Maybe you should tell him."

"The Talent is yours."

"Talent? Like the Gift of Prophecy and so forth?" Lundy turned to look at Joe.

"Not exactly. The Talent is... well... it's a little more practical than prophecy. I..." He hesitated then said, "When I was a little kid, my mom never worried about me, if we went somewhere and got separated... cause I could always find her. It was like I could... *home* on her... or my dad.... And after my sister and brothers got older, after I'd been around them awhile I could *home* on them, too. If I had been here, around Markie everyday the odds are good that I could *home* on him, too."

Lundy sat perfectly still, looking at him for a long moment then he asked very quietly, "That how you found me that day up at mah fishin' hole?"

Joe ducked his head, staring at the floor, then nodded, "Yeah... I guess. I..." he turned and looked at Levon, his eyes pleading, "I never knew it could work with anybody that wasn't blood... it never did before.... I hadn't ever been able to *home* on anybody that wasn't a blood relative. I don't know why I can *home* on you.... I just... I just can."

Lundy looked down at the hat he was slowly turning over and over in his hands for a long moment then he looked back up at Joe, locking their eyes, a slow sly smile crossing his lips, his eyes going warm and loving, "Reckon that means we're family."

Joe's face lit up. A smile spread across it, like sunshine suddenly breaking through on a cloudy day.

It didn't last long, he quickly suppressed it but it was long enough for Levon to see how delighted having him call Joe 'family' had made Joe.

Mikey LaFiamma saw that smile too and knew that there was more between these two than a mere working partnership. As if Joe being able to *home* on Lundy hadn't been indicator enough. As Joe's head came up, he noticed the mark on Joe's throat, just under his jaw... a major passion mark... no doubt put there by this Texas cowboy. He closed his eyes. [Another one. JD. Mario. Now Joe. That only leaves Sam. The four Musketeers... and three of them have chosen a man as their life companion.]

Joe turned back to his uncle, his face going serious again. "Uncle Mikey, where's Maria?"

"Upstairs. Anthony's wife brought her here as soon as they released her at the hospital. She was not hurt physically but... she hasn't said a word since Markie was taken. She won't be left alone... she starts to scream if there's not an adult in the room with her."

"Can I see her?"

"Of course... I don't know if she will remember you... she and Markie were only four when you left."

Lundy raised a brow in question at Joe.

"Marcus, that is Markie, and Maria are twins." Joe explained.

Lundy nodded, "Ya want me to wait here?" he asked as Joe and Mikey rose to go upstairs.

"No. I want you with me." Joe's voice was positive and he moved closer to Lundy.

Uncle Mikey led the way up the stairs, Joe and Levon walking side by side, shoulders almost touching, brushing together from time to time. Marco had fallen into step behind them, following them up the stairs.

Lundy glanced back at him and Joe smiled, leaned in and whispered, "Uncle Mikey's personal bodyguard."

Lundy nodded. [Man's probably invisible ta Joe mosta the time, he's so used ta him bein' there.]

Upstairs Uncle Mikey led them to the round room that Joe had pointed out as having been his as a kid. He opened the door and his wife looked up at them and smiled, rising she gave Joe a hug, "Mario. Levon. It's nice to see you again."

Joe hugged her back then asked, "How is she?"

"She hasn't spoken since the attack. The doctor came by and gave her a shot to make her sleep last night but if she wakes up and there is no one here she starts screaming. She doesn't seem to be inclined to go to sleep tonight, either. I really don't want to have to give her anything to make her sleep."

"Could I talk to her a few minutes?"

Teresa looked at the child propped up in the single bed, "I don't know if she remembers you and..." she looked pointedly at his eyes.

"Just let me try and talk to her." Joe reached into his pocket and pulled out a storage case for the contact lenses. He took them out and put them in the case.

He walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge of it. Reaching out he carefully pushed an errant strand of hair back behind her ear, "Hi. I'm your Uncle Joey." Levon noted that his voice sounded normal now, back to the deep vibrant baritone that Levon was familiar with. "We talk on the phone all the time." He touched the brown teddy bear she was holding, caressing the fur. "I sent this to Markie for his birthday. Yours was white wasn't it? Did you and Markie swap?"

She shook her head.

"Oh, then this is yours?"

She shook her head again.

He looked at her and tilted his head to one side, "Oh, I see. You miss Markie. So, you're keeping his bear company, until Markie gets back."

She didn't say anything and he turned to look up at his aunt and uncle, worry in his eyes.

A small hand tugging at his sleeve drew his attention back to her, "Is Markie coming back?" Tears welled in her eyes.

Joe reached out and caressed her hair, looking deeply into the blue eyes so like his own. "I will do every thing I can to get him home."

"He's scared." It was barely more than a whisper.

Lundy leaned forward, uncertain that he had heard right... but it had been clear and distinct. [She said: 'He's scared'... not 'I'm scared.'!]

Teresa had surged forward at the first words but Mikey had reached out and caught her arm, holding her back, letting Joe keep the child's attention.

Now Joe looked up. "Uncle Mikey, Aunt Teresa, could you let me and Lundy have a few minutes here, alone?"

Teresa opened her mouth to protest but Mikey again interrupted her, "We'll be outside."

"Mike..." Teresa began.

"Outside. Let Joey work." It was firm... an order.

She clamped her mouth shut and went, giving Lundy a sharp look as she passed him.

He didn't know why Joe wanted him to stay, but if Joe wanted him there, he was gonna be there.

"Maria." Joe waited till the older couple were gone before turning back to his niece, "You and Markie, can you find each other...I mean if you're playing hide and seek can he always find you?"

"No," she paused just a minute then added, "but I can feel him."

"Tell me what you feel, Maria."

"Scared... and cold... he doesn't have any clothes...." She trailed off.

"Maria, would you do me a favor?"

She smiled at him. "Sure, Uncle Joey."

"I want you to close your eyes and think about Markie. Reach out to him. Try to get as close to him as you can..." He waited until she had closed her eyes then he said, "I'm going to put my hands on your face, Maria, don't be afraid. Just concentrate on Markie... on reaching out to him..."

He reached out and carefully placed his hands on her face, little fingers at the temples, thumbs on her chin the other fingers spread between. He moved them slightly as if searching for the exact points he needed to make contact with then his eyes closed and drew in a long, slow breath.

For several long moments they remained like that, then the little girl slumped and Joe shifted his hands to carefully lay her back on the bed.

Her eyes flickered and opened. She looked up at Joe sleepily. "Did I help?"

"Yes, little one. You did." He reached out and laid a hand on her forehead. "Go to sleep now. You need your rest."

Sleepy blue eyes blinked up at them, then closed. A moment later she was asleep.

Lundy stepped close as Joe rose and turned to leave, "Looks like you might have more'n one "Talent"."

Joe looked tired and a little drawn. "It's all part of the same thing I think. This is a lot harder than the other... but I may be able to home on Markie now. I felt his... vibe... it was mixed with hers, coming through her... but I think I can isolate it... if I get close enough to him." He swayed slightly.

Lundy reached out a hand to steady him, "I think we need to get you back to Mario's and ta bed."

Joe leaned on him but said, "We still have a lot to do. Melissa should have the utility reports for us by now. I need to find out where in the funeral procession we'll be tomorrow... might should go to the Rosary tonight at the funeral home..."

"You have'ta be there?"

"Not really but it's for the family..."

"I think you should skip it..."

"Lundy... she was... special to me."

"I know... but she wouldn't want you to take unnecessary chances. Tomorrow at the funeral there'll be a whole lot more people, be easier, to stay anonymous in the crowd. At least think about it."

Joe nodded, wearily.

They moved out into the hall where Uncle Mikey, Aunt Teresa and Marco were waiting.

Uncle Mikey took one look at Joe when they stepped through the door and said, "You need to eat. There's plenty of food downstairs."

Teresa stepped past them and went into the room, a moment later she was back, "How on earth did you get the child to sleep?"

Joe just shrugged.

She nodded then said, "I'll have Rosa come up and sit with her, so that there will be someone here in case she wakes up." She gave Joe a long evaluating look, "You do need to eat. Come on." She turned and led them down the stairs behind Mikey and Marco.

Joe leaned on Levon's arm, letting his partner help him.

An hour later, after they had both eaten, Aunt Teresa having insisted that Lundy eat too, they prepared to leave.

The rest of the family was getting ready to go to the funeral home for the Rosary. Levon was grateful when Uncle Mikey agreed with him that Joe shouldn't go, saying simply that Joe looked too beat and should go back to Mario's and rest.

*************************************************

When they got back to Mario's the computer printouts were waiting, in the mailbox inside a large manila envelope. They went inside and spread them out on the table, splitting them in half so that each had something to work with.

Levon had almost insisted that Joe go on to bed and let him check through the printouts alone but one look at Joe's face decided him against it. It'd only start a war and he didn't feel like fighting with Joe.

It was past midnight when Joe finally flipped over the last printout and sat back with a sigh. "I've got four possibles here. How many do you have?"

"Five... I think. You can look at the ones I pulled and see what you think." He handed the printouts across to Joe.

Joe looked at them. Noting the addresses first. "Hummm. I think we can toss these two. They're both downtown Chicago. I doubt that he's use them... not his MO."

"So we got seven to check."

"Yeah." Joe was silent a moment thinking. "La Nonnina Concetta's funeral will take all morning. Aunt Teresa will insist that we go back to their house to eat after.... It looks like tomorrow afternoon is the first chance we'll get to check these out." He sat in silence a frown on his face.

Lundy rose and went to stand behind him, reaching down to massage the tense shoulders, "I know it goes against the grain ta let it wait till then. I know you're thinkin' about yer nephew and how alone and scared he is but you know that you can't run on empty. You're under a lotta stress here too, boy. You need your rest. You need to go to that funeral. If yer right about it being Dampier then yer right about us having time. He ain't took another boy yet. That means that Markie may be scared and cold and alone but he ain't in any immediate danger."

Joe rose and turned to face him, "What if I'm wrong?"

"If yer wrong there ain't nothing ya can do because you don't have a clue where to start." He reached out and hugged Joe to him, "All you can do is the best you can. Ask the Lord ta guide you then follow yer instincts. Now you need to get some rest, gather your strength for tomorrow. It's gonna be a long day."

Joe leaned against him, grateful for Lundy's understanding and acceptance. After a long moment he stepped back and said softly almost hesitantly, "Levon... I need... I need to pray...."

"Ya need privacy? If ya want me ta I can go down and sit in the car..."

"No! I don't want you to leave... it's just that I... it's very ritualistic and I... uh."

"Joe, I don't want to make you feel self-conscious. I really don't mind going down ta the car..."

"No. I guess if we're going to be... together you ought to know about the way I pray. I don't do it often... but I really feel the need tonight."

"Okay. Just tell me what you want me to do."

"Mostly... just don't interrupt. I mean... first I'll get my rosary, the candles and my crucifix and set them out, then I bathe... it's a ritual cleansing, so you can't touch me after I bathe until after the prayers are done. Then I say the full Rosary and some more prayers. When I get up and put everything away, I'm through and we can go to bed."

He thought a moment then said, "I don't know how long this will take. Maybe you should bathe first then you could go on to bed... I could just come to bed after I finish."

"I reckon if that's what you want... okay." Lundy said with a sigh, he wasn't certain that he understood but he didn't want to make Joe feel like he couldn't do what he felt he needed to do.

"Thanks, Cowboy." Joe smiled and leaned in for a kiss. "You're really special. You know that?"

Levon kissed him gently, "You're the one that's special, boy. Now ya go ahead and get ready ta say yer prayers. I'll get a quick bath and be in the bed outta yer way."

Levon headed for the shower.

Joe went to the get the small bag that he had packed his personal stuff in. He lifted out the velvet pouch that held his rosary and took out the rosary. He held it in his hand for a moment, tears welling in his eyes. It had been a confirmation gift from his grandmother LaFiamma, La Nonnina Concetta. [Oh, Nonnina, I already miss you so!] He ran his fingers over the smooth, golden tan, ivory and felt a wave of peace settle over him. La Nonnina Concetta would always be with him as long as he had this.

He slipped it back into the velvet bag until he was ready to begin his prayers. He got out the crucifix and laid it beside the bag with the rosary. The candles were next. He'd packed the ones he always used, knowing that he'd probably want to do this at least once while he was here and preferring to have his own things, to not have to hunt for the things he needed at Mario's.

He laid it all out on the nightstand and waited for Lundy to finish his bath. When Lundy emerged from the bathroom, damp haired and wrapped in one of Mario's thick, fluffy robes Joe went in.

He took a long hot shower, bathing carefully and thoroughly. He slipped into a pair of thin cotton pajama pants and went back to the bedroom area to find that Lundy had turned off all the lights except the one on the nightstand where Joe had laid out his things. He smiled at Lundy, who was sitting propped up against the bookcase headboard watching him, but he didn't speak and Lundy, taking his clues from Joe, didn't speak either.

He saw the step that Mario had beside the bed to facilitate getting into the high platform bed and picked it up moving it to a point about two feet out from the bed. It was solid wood, fitted together without nails, and about eight inches high. The top was a rectangle about a foot by eight inches. It would make a perfect low altar.

Joe set the crucifix and the candles on it and kneeling before it, lit the candles. He took the rosary out of its velvet bag and began his prayers. He said a complete Rosary, Hail Mary's and Our Father's in order. Then he said a prayer to his name saint, St. Anthony for guidance and strength and added a prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, the patron saint of police officers, for help in finding his nephew. Then after a moment's thought added another to St. Joseph, Christ's earthly father, to guard and protect Markie until he could be rescued.

Finally, he put out the candles, rose and put everything away. He was exhausted but more at peace than he had been since he'd looked up in the bullpen at HPD and Levon had told him that Uncle Mikey needed to speak to him.

He sighed softly as he slid into the big bed and settled in close beside Levon.

Lundy slid down, rearranging his pillows and reached out to pull Joe close, "Ya feel better, now?"

"Yeah," Joe laid his head on Levon's shoulder and snuggled down. "Did it bother you?"

"What?"

"My praying?"

"Course not! Everybody needs to pray from time to time, Joe. We all do it in our own way. What you did just then, that's part of you being you. That's your religion and the way you practice it. It ain't the way I pray but that don't matter. I love you, Joe. I respect you and I respect your beliefs."

"God, I love you, Levon. What did I ever do to deserve you?"

"I keep asking mah self what did I ever do to deserve you, Joe. You're something real special."

Joe was silent for a long moment then he asked, "Does my Talent bother you? My being able ta find you?"

"Not really. Seemed a bit strange but then I kinda suspected that there was something... odd about the way you'd just turn up somewhere that I was when I didn't think you had any way of knowing that I was there. Reckon it was yer finding my fishing hole that cinched it. There just wasn't any way ya coulda figured out where that was... and the claim that ya just happened by and saw the Jimmy.... Boy, there weren't no way you coulda seen the Jimmy from the highway. No way at all."

"So, you're okay with it?"

"Yeah... I'm a little curious though..."

"About what?"

"Well, just exactly when did it happen... Ya said that you couldn't home on Markie cause you hadn't been around him that much... I was wondering how long it took for ya to be able to home on me?"

"I... it was different with you than with anybody else. I mean... you're not a blood relative and I was never able to connect with anyone who wasn't a blood relative before I met you."

He hesitated hitching just a tiny bit closer to Levon, "From the first day there was... I don't know... a connection. I felt something at the airport... call it a tug... something pulling me towards you. It just kept getting stronger. It got to where I had to see you every day... or I'd feel... the only word I can think of to describe it is, disconnected."

"So it ain't just that you can find me when we're apart, you need me to be near you somehow. What happens if I go off somewhere?"

Joe swallowed hard and Levon felt him tense up.

"Joe, what happens?" Then he thought a minute. "When I went up ta Colorado on that fishing trip last May you looked plumb peaked when I got back." His eyes widened and alarm filled his voice, as he demanded. "Did you get sick because I was gone?"

"N-no... not exactly... I..."

Levon rolled onto his side wrapping both arms around Joe, bending his head to kiss the top of Joe's head, "Joe, tell me. I think I need to know."

"I... mostly I just couldn't sleep. I don't know I was just... afraid that you weren't coming back...." He trailed off.

Levon drew back enough to look down at Joe's face, seeing the misery there. "Why on earth would ya think I wasn't coming back!?"

"I don't know.... I just... I kept having this stupid dream and it scared me. " He went on with a rush, "I *know* it was just a dream.... I *know* it was stupid but... I'd wake up scared and I couldn't go back to sleep..."

Levon reached up to stoke Joe's hair, "What'd ya dream?"

"I... I told you it was stupid..."

"I know... but tell me anyhow."

"I... I dreamed that... that this huge trout come up out of the lake and... and it...uh... swallowed you..."

"A trout... a trout swallowed me?!" Lundy was trying not too successfully to keep from chuckling.

Joe suddenly sounded defensive and a little pissed off, "Yeah! You, the boat, the guide, the damn fishing poles and... and everything!"

Lundy was chuckling now but he knew that he was upsetting Joe, "Oh, Joey, I'm sorry... I know it scared you... but it's... it's funny! A trout! Oh, Lord... musta been the gran'daddy of all the one's we caught an' ate coming back fer revenge!" He was laughing helplessly.

Joe had pulled away and was trying to look annoyed but after a minute he chuckled too. "I told you it was stupid!"

He relaxed back into Levon's arms and they rolled together, laughing, and snuggling. Levon bent his head to kiss Joe's upturned face and soon Joe shifted so that Levon could reach his lips.

Passion quickly flared. Moments later Levon lay on top Joe looking down into eyes, dark with desire.

"I want you, Cowboy. I need you... in me now... please."

Levon leaned in for another kiss, "Anytime. Lube?"

"Should be in the nightstand."

"Condoms?"

"No. Please... I need to feel you and... there's no need is there?"

"No need that I know of... if you're sure."

"I'm sure. I don't want anything between us. I need to feel *you* in me."

"Alright." Levon rolled off him and over to check the nightstand for the lube.

Joe used the time to slip out of his pajama bottoms. When Levon rolled back with the lube in hand, Joe tugged at his nightshirt, "Off..."

Levon let him pull it up and over his head, shifting to assist. Then he draped himself back over Joe.

Joe moaned softly, "Oh, God! That feels so good, just to finally feel your skin against mine."

They were both already hard and they both knew it wouldn't last long. They were too ready for this, but at the same time too tired to spend a lot of time on preliminaries. They moved together for a moment, their cocks aligned, sliding against one another, moaning.

Levon bent down for another kiss and found Joe stifling a yawn.

Joe looked embarrassed.

Levon chuckled. "Sure ya can stay awake for this?"

Joe blushed, "Yes!" He paused then chuckled too, "I'll be out like a light when we're done but I promise not to go to sleep till then!"

"Well, at least this time ya won't have'ta do any work." Still chuckling Levon kissed his way down Joe's body, pausing to suck each nipple, then dip his tongue into Joe's navel. He looked up and grinned at the loud moan that brought from his partner. "Have'ta remember that ya like that." He dipped his head back and tongue fucked Joe's navel again until Joe reached down and tried to push his head down to the rampart cock waiting just below it.

"Impatient!" Levon growled, but moved on down to lick the precum off the head of Joe's cock.

Joe groaned and arched up.

Levon grinned and continued to lick at Joe's cock head, deliberately not taking the head into his mouth as he used his hands to squeeze some of the lube onto his fingers and careful slip a finger into Joe's anus.

Joe moaned again and pressed down, taking the finger as deep as Levon would let it go.

Levon added another finger and began to scissor them inside him stretching the snug ring. It loosened immediately and Joe moaned, pushing down and rising up.

"More!" Joe pleaded.

Levon quickly added another finger then after a moment withdrew them all. "Ready?" He asked softly.

"Yes! God, Yes! I need you! Now!"

Levon shifted, lifting Joe's legs up over his arms then guiding the head of his cock to the puckered entrance.

Joe moaned again when it touched him, "Yeah, oh, yeah. Levon!"

Levon pushed his cock in the tight passage, slowly but steadily, until he was buried to the balls inside Joe, watching Joe's face as he entered him.

Joe's head titled back, his eyes closed, his lips parted. He reached a hand up to Levon, wanting to touch his lover. His eyes opened, dilated, and dark with passion. "Oh, God! Levon. It feels so good. Do it, Cowboy! Ride me!"

Smiling down at him, Levon began to move, slowly at first, a long slow slide all the way out until only the head remained inside Joe then just as slowly all the way back in.

Gradually he picked up speed as Joe's cries of pleasure and desire told him that he didn't have to worry about hurting his lover. He leaned forward, bending Joe's legs up tightening the ride, stroking faster and deeper. He couldn't last long he knew.

Joe reached up to pull him down, hungry to have his cowboy's mouth on his, as they plunged towards their climaxes. His cock was trapped between their bodies where neither of them could reach it but he didn't care. He didn't need to be jacked. All he needed was to have Levon in him, to feel his strength and his power filling him.

Levon claimed Joe's mouth, thrusting his tongue deep inside, unconsciously matching the rhythm to the thrusting of his hips as he drove his cock faster and faster into Joe.

Joe cried out around Lundy's kiss, beginning to shake and moan as he started to come.

The spasming of Joe's body around his cock as Joe came, pushed Levon over the edge and he reared back, shouting Joe's name as he too, reached his climax.

A moment later he collapsed down on top of Joe, letting his lover's legs slip from their place over his arms. He lay still for a moment catching his breath, his head resting on Joe's chest then raised up and looked at Joe's face.

He was already asleep.

Levon chuckled then carefully withdrew from Joe and rolled over on his back. He rested there a moment then got up and went into the bathroom. He cleaned himself up then came back and sat down beside Joe on the bed using a warm damp cloth to carefully clean Joe. He couldn't help grinning when Joe never even stirred. [Out like a light. Least he oughta sleep good tonight!]

He took the cloth back to the bathroom, turned off the lights and crawled into bed next to Joe. He rolled over close and sighed contentedly as Joe automatically snuggled closer without waking. Moments later he was asleep too.

*************************************************

Friday dawned bright and beautiful. Levon awoke as soon as the first light of day began to show through the wall of windows. He lay there, in the bed with Joe and thought of how happy he was at that moment, even though he knew that in just a few hours he would be attending a funeral. He shifted so that he could see Joe's face and a slow grin crossed his face.

Joe was smiling in his sleep. The Italian lay more than half out from under the light cover, sprawled naked and beautiful across his side of the bed. The way Joe was laying if they'd been on Levon's bed back home or Joe's in his apartment there wouldn't have been room for a cat to sleep with him, let alone Levon.

Lundy grinned. [...but this bed....] It was more than big enough for two men to sleep together on without crowding each other. While he loved to snuggle there were times when he also liked to be able to sleep without feeling confined or being crowded by a bedmate.

He turned over and looked at his watch on the bedside table. Still a couple of hours till the time that Joe'd said they needed to get up. He couldn't just lie there. He was wide-awake and it looked like Joe was gonna sleep a while yet... and he didn't want to disturb him. While it'd be nice to wake him up and reaffirm their new relationship by spending the next couple of hours making love to him, the boy needed his rest. Today would be another emotionally trying day for him.

He was sure to want to leave early enough to stop at the hospital and check on Angie before the funeral, which would start at nine. Then the funeral itself would take a toll on him. After that they'd be going looking for Markie. Levon wasn't certain what kind of stress using his 'Talent' put on Joe, but he'd been a little upset at how drained Joe had seemed after he'd done whatever it was he'd done with Maria at his Uncle Mikey's house. Obviously using the 'Talent' cost him.

He frowned. He'd have to keep an eye on Joe, make sure he didn't overextend himself using it. If what he'd seen at Uncle Mikey's was an indicator, the strain of using the 'Talent' could deplete Joe's energy reserves and his physical strength, leaving him vulnerable, unable to defend himself against a physical attack.

He spent a few more minutes just lying there looking at his lover, then with a soft sigh he got up. He went into the bathroom and showered, putting on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. He'd get into the suit he'd brought to wear to the funeral when he absolutely had to... and not a minute before.

He made himself some coffee and sat down at the dining table, looking out the window at the sky. He deliberately didn't move close enough to look down at the street and the surrounding buildings. Joe'd been right about that view being depressing in the daytime.

He'd always liked the early morning hours. Liked to get up and have some quiet time all to himself as the world was waking up. He looked back over at Joe still sleeping like a baby on the huge bed. [Might be a good thing that the boy likes ta sleep in on the days he don't work. If we wuz ta move in together, I'd still have my quiet time on them days at least.]

He shook his head and smiled to himself. [What'm I thinkin'? Who said he'd wanna move in? Lord we ain't even talked about this at all yet... and it don't look like we're gonna get to any time soon!]

He waited until it was almost the time Joe had told him that they needed to be up. Then he fixed a cup of coffee just the way Joe liked his and went over and sat down on the edge of the bed next to Joe, who had turned on his side facing away from the windows. He held the cup down about six inches in front of Joe's face and fanned the steam towards him.

"Coffee," Joe mumbled. He opened one eye then blinked and looked up at Levon, "Mine?"

"Yours. Time ya said you wanted to get up. I done had my shower and coffee. You drink this and I'll fix us some breakfast whilst you go get your shower."

Joe rolled over on his back and yawned then scrunched his pillow up behind him and sat up, reaching for the coffee. "Is this gonna be a regular thing?"

"What?"

"You bringing me my coffee in bed."

"Don't know... ya plannin' on being in my bed regular?"

"Yeah... or having you in mine!"

"Okay, then I reckon I can bring your coffee to ya... just don't get ta thinkin' I'm gonna serve you breakfast in bed ever morning!"

Joe grinned at him, "That'd get old quick, anyhow." He leaned forward and claimed Levon's mouth in a good morning kiss. "But I might bring you breakfast in bed from time to time."

"Boy, I'll probably be up before ya most all'a the time."

"Bet I could persuade you to sleep in from time to time..." He reached out to trail a hand down the side of Levon's neck and across his chest.

Just before the hand reached his nipples which were already puckering up into hard nubs just from anticipation, Levon captured it, bring it up to his lips to kiss it. He stood, "You gotta get up, Joe... and I gotta go cook us some breakfast. Be plenty of time for that later."

Joe nodded but didn't make any move to get up and held on to the hand that Levon had caught his with. He dropped his eyes away from Lundy, looking downward.

Levon reached his other hand out and cupped Joe's face raising it to look into Joe's eyes, "I'm gonna be right beside you... all day. You need ta lean on me... lean. You need ta hold my hand... just reach out an' take it. That's what I'm here for, Boy. I'm here for you... nobody else."

"Thank you."

"Ain't no thanks necessary. I love you, Joe. I'm always gonna be right here for you... long as you want me ta be."

"Forever. I want you to be right beside me... forever, Levon."

"Then I'll be there... forever, Joe. Forever." He bent and kissed Joe's lips. It was a strangely chaste kiss, almost solemn.

Joe continued to hold on to his hand as he straightened, "Levon?"

"Yeah?"

"Did we just get married?"

"I think so." He rubbed his fingers across Joe's fingers feeling them, "You want a ring?"

"I think I'd like that."

"We'll go shopping soon as we get home, okay?"

"Okay." He drew Levon's hand back to kiss it. "Now I really do have to get up... or we'll both be back in here."

"Yeah," Levon gently extricated his hand from Joe's. "Better hustle if you wanna have time to stop by and see Angie." He headed for the kitchen.

*************************************************

Seven-thirty saw then at the hospital where Angie's doctor, who was making early rounds, told them that she was much improved and they might move her out of ICU and into a regular room later in the day.
By eight-thirty they were at the church. Joe'd said 'church' but to Levon's mind there was only one word for this, Cathedral. Make that two words 'huge Cathedral'.

The main floor looked to be as big as a football field. From the doors to the altar would be about the distance from goalpost to goalpost. Four sets of pews stretched about as wide as the football field would be. The two main sets had an aisle between them that was at least ten feet wide. Looked like the sets of pews to either side of the main set had a slightly narrower aisle between the main set and the smaller sets. That aisle looked about six feet wide. The whole thing was carpeted in deep plush red carpet... dark, wine red carpet. Levon couldn't help but stare at it. [Red carpet. In a chu-- Cathedral!]

Stained glass windows lined both sides of the Cathedral, reaching up and up and up. [God! How high is the ceiling?] He felt like a gawking tourist... a lost tourist. After a minute he took a deep breath and let it out slow. [It's just a church. Like any other church. We're here for a funeral. I'm here cause Joe needs me. Time to quit gawking and pay attention to what's important... and that's Joe.]

They were sitting in the family section, as Joe was supposed to be Mario and Levon was there to represent Joe. There were four rows of pews ahead of them. Joe'd said the very front row was for the pallbearers, all cousins of his, right behind that was reserved for the immediate family. His uncles and aunts and their wives or husbands and some of the younger cousins that still lived at home with their parents. Apparently there was quite a few of them.

He turned to his partner, "You okay?" He kept his voice low.

Joe nodded and replied in a whisper. "Yeah. It'll be a bit yet. Then they'll bring her in. There'll be the priest and the altar boys then the pallbearers with the casket. They'll take her up there." He pointed to a spot in front of the altar.

"You gonna get ta go up and see her?"

"No... and I... I don't want to. She... was always so... alive. I want to remember her that way. Not like this... still and silent... in... in a box!" His voice broke on the last word.

Levon reached over and took Joe's hand leaning close to murmur, "Easy, Baby. Steady down now." His tone was the same as the one he used to soothe Fooler when she was upset. In fact the words were even the same.

Joe couldn't help smiling a little at the realization. He swallowed hard and squeezed Levon's hand. "I am so glad that you're here."

"Wouldn't be no where else." Levon said quietly, reaffirming his vow to be there for Joe whenever he needed him.

The people around them were talking quietly. The pew on the other side of Joe had filled up with several couples and a dozen, or so, children between them. Most of the adults spoke to Joe, calling him Mario and he responded as if he were his cousin, greeting them by name. He introduced Levon as Joe's partner from Houston there to represent Joe. Mention of Joe brought questions about how he was faring in Houston, which Joe let Levon answer.

He'd just finished telling a lovely dark eyed, black haired cousin that he'd almost had to throw Joe in a cell to keep him from coming up there when Joe touched his arm and turned to look towards the entrance. The Cathedral was suddenly filled with the solemn tones of what Levon had always called the funeral dirge. He wasn't certain but he thought he remembered from high school choral practices that it was called the Requiem March.

The quiet talking that had surrounded them fell silent, even the littlest children seemed to know that when that song played you were quiet.

Levon looked back towards the entrance and his eyes widened. There was a whole procession of little boys in white robes carrying some kinda pole things with what looked like bells on them. Then a bunch of men, also in white robes, followed by the priest in his black robe. Behind him was a whole passle of other priests... and more of the boys in white robes.

Following them, came the pallbearers with the casket. Levon blinked. He turned around and looked back at Joe then turned back and looked the other way again. The two front pallbearers could either one be Joe... except that Joe was sitting right there next to him. He turned back and gave Joe a look that said, 'Who are those two?'

Joe grinned and leaned over whispering in his ear just loud enough for him to hear, "The braid is JD. Buzzcut is Sam. Now you've seen all four of the Musketeers."

As the men passed the row that Levon was on he could see that the one on their side of the casket had his hair in a long braid. It was very neat and hung straight down his back. He hadn't been able to see it when the pallbearers were walking towards them. The six men, who were all young and tall, carried the casket up to the front of the Cathedral and placed it on a raised platform, draped in what looked like black velvet. Then they filed back to the front row in the family section and sat down.

Behind the casket came Mikey and Teresa... and Marco, the bodyguard that they'd seen at the house the night before. Mike and Teresa's three daughters came in behind them. Two of the girl's husbands were with them and several small children. He was a little surprised to see that Maria was with the oldest daughter. [Dang it! What is her name? Melissa? Melinda? Melina... no that's the one he just introduced me to...Lord, I ain't ever gonna get all these names straight!]

Behind Mike and Teresa's brood came another older couple and several more younger couples, probably the older couple's children and their grandchildren. The pattern repeated several more times. Older couple, anywhere from three to half a dozen younger couples, a passle of kids then another older couple. The four rows ahead of them were rapidly filling up.

[Lord at the people!] Levon swiveled his head looking around. The place was packed. He didn't have a clue who anybody was. [Reckon I better just stick with Joe. Too many folks here for me! Looks like half a' Chicago is here!]

The Priest moved to the pulpit and began the service. Levon was grateful to realize that it was in English. He was lost enough without having to try to follow along in a service that was in Latin. So far it seemed pretty much like any other church funeral, first a prayer then a song. Then kneel... pray... stand up... sing... greeting... kneel... pray... stand up... sing... kneel... pray.

[Cain't these people stay put?! No wonder Joe's always jumping around!]

The priest began to read form the Old Testament. [Okay, I recognize that.]

Kneel... pray. [Huh? He's readin' form the New Testament now, we're still kneelin? Oh, get up. Okay, sit down. Joe flipped that kneeler thing up. Reckon we're gonna sit a spell.]

More talking... okay... [This program calls this a Homily... That's all right, I know a sermon when I hear one.]

Everybody's repeating something... I believe in One God, the Father, All Mighty, maker of Heaven and Earth....

[Sounds familiar.]

The ushers began moving along the aisles with the collection plates.

[Huh? They're gonna take up a collection? At a funeral!!]

He took the plate as it was passed to him and as Joe dropped a folded bill in it, he raised a brow.

Joe leaned over and whispered, "It's all right. Better to not fish for it. I forgot to tell you that they took it up."

He still felt a little odd about not giving something.

Joe noticed his expression and leaned back in to whisper, "You can drop something in the poor box as we leave, if you want to. There'll be time to get your money out while everybody's filing out."

Levon settled back with a slight frown. [Guess that'll have'ta do.]

He returned his attention to the priest in time to hear him saying, "Let us remember our sister in Christ, Concetta Sophia LaFiamma nee DeMira, who passed into the Lord's care on the fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord nineteen eighty nine..."

There was little after that, that Levon really understood until it came to what the program listed as Our Father. He immediately recognized that as the lord's Prayer and spoke it along with the rest.

"Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on Earth as it is Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread..."

When that was done the priest asked that everyone stand up and greet everyone within reach, shaking hands and saying, "Peace be with you."

Levon had a vague recollection of Reverend Tyler doing this at church but he'd never seen it done at a funeral before. Afterwards everybody sat back down.

Then the priest announced that they would be giving communion to all who wanted it. The ushers began to take the congregation down to the altar, one row at a time.

That was when Levon realized what Joe'd meant when he said that this would take all morning. Full as the church was, if even half the people took communion, it was gonna be a while. Joe told him just to wait there for him when he went down. Levon didn't like it but he couldn't make a scene... not in a church, at a funeral.

It did take a while, quite a while. Levon noted with curiosity that one of the pallbearers, the one with the braid didn't go up to take communion. It looked like he was the only one of the family that didn't go.
By the time that the communion was over and everyone was once again seated, it was past eleven o'clock. [Lord, I hope this is about over with. My tail bone *aches*!]

Joe reached down and flipped out the kneeler.

[We're gonna do our exercises again? Okay, kneel... pray... stand up... and a blessing. That's good. Music... all them boys is lining up to leave! Must be about over. Thank you, Lord!]

They went out just about the way they came in. The boys in their white robes then the men in their white robes then the main priest and all the other priests and more of the boys in their white robes. Then the pallbearers collected the casket and carried it back out. Mikey and the family filed out after them.

He and Joe were amongst the family as they went out. It looked like there was at least four long limos full of family. Joe had told him they'd be the first car behind the limos followed by some of the other cousins that had driven their own cars instead of riding in the limos with the uncles and aunts.

The limos were running so that the air conditioning was ready for the family as they came out. Joe had to turn theirs on but it didn't take long to cool off the Lincoln Towncar.

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Homecoming 2