jenni

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I love cold weather and snow, up to the point where it turns dangerous.

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I would spend as much time as possible with the people I love and tell them how much they mean to me. I'd go to Canada and see a couple of my friends there. I'd also want to focus my energy on things that would remain after I was gone, like finishing my family video projects.

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So Benjamin has made an appearance back in the story? LOL This should be interesting. I'm so glad Matt is doing better. Now that he's more alert I'm sure it's driving him a little crazy that he's still stuck in bed. Hopefully he'll be able to get back to school and into life. So far Wade and Matt have pretty much shared friends, but now Wade's making friends on his own and I wonder how Matt will feel about that. Thanks for the early Christmas present, Mark!

Merry Christmas, Mark. Thank you for taking so much of your free time during the past year to write such wonderful stories for us that keep us all begging for more updates, faster! Even if we get a bit impatient sometimes, it's only because we enjoy your stories so much. Happy holidays to all!

I agree with you on #1, but sorry, I have to agree with Mark on #2. At least here in the midwest USA, those would not be worn by a straight guy. My husband doesn't wear any kind of flip-flops or slip-on shoes without socks out in public (only just like out to grab the newspaper or something) so I don't have any suggestions. He wears tennis shoes, usually Nike.

I already knew that the love between Matt and Wade was great, but I was struck in this chapter by Wade's devotion to Matt. It's wonderful how he stays with Matt, just because he knows Matt wants to see him there. It's a heavy burden for an 18/19 year old guy but Wade bears it well. I thought about what I was like at that age and there's no way I could have handled a similar situation as well as Wade has. He's just amazing. I was also thrilled that Matt's parents saw the light, so to speak, and are ready to accept Matt and act like real parents again. It's a shame that they had to face the possibility of losing Matt to open their minds and hearts, but I guess late is better than never.

I think so too. Wade's mom had the opportunity because she visited them not long before Matt got sick. She also acted strange because she seemed to think Matt was the dirt under her feet when she arrived but then was kind of nice to him by the time she left, which probably means she was up to something. Plus, with Wade's father being a senator he probably as the power and money to have access to rare, possibly even military type, poisons. I don't think the Senator just planned to let Matt and Wade continue to hold something over his head.

LOL well I have a few friends in Canada, but they are all female and definitely not named Mark. Hope it didn't seem like I was attacking you personally because that's not what I intended to do. I enjoy reading your posts, but I was just disagreeing on that one point.

I couldn't agree more. With all due respect to Mark M, I really don't want to read long descriptions of a hospital room. But this chapter dealt with the frustration everyone was going through trying to figure out what was going on with Matt. It's angst, it's plot, it's the heart of any well-written story. It drives us crazy sometimes, but without it the story would be bland. Yes, I got frustrated with the fact that Jack couldn't tell Matt what was going on, but that was the whole point. The fact that we care is a sign of how well-written the story is.

Of course I'm anxious and upset about Matt, but still that chapter was very well done. I like that Wade is narrating while Matt is out of it. Not only is it helpful to keep up on what's going on, but it's nice to get into Wade's mind for a little bit. Everyone is just awesome in supporting Matt. Wade is the best boyfriend Matt could have, and JP is so wise and caring. I kind of miss Stef, but his personality probably would not be helpful to Matt at the moment, kind of like Robbie. I'm curious as to whether news about Matt's health gets back to his parents, and whether it would melt their cold attitudes at all.

I voted for none of the above. I don't think it's AIDS because we went through that in earlier stories and I think Mark is too nice to throw that on us again! I don't think it's leukemia because there are only a handful of chapters left and I don't think that disease would be resolved that quickly. I also voted for Matt needing a transplant for similar reasons. I think Mark probably wants to include the transplant aspect into this story, and we're running out of time! It could come in a future story, though.

That makes at least two of us (and I'm sure many more agree).

I could probably get on board with this vote. Mark gives us a lot of killer cliffhangers, but on the positive side he rarely leaves us hanging there for long. On the other hand, Jake's poor mom in In Due Time has been standing over her spilled laundry for ages in shock after hearing that her son got a blow job from another guy!

LOL @ Mark getting two negatives for saying it's not a cliffhanger. It wasn't I, Mark! Nevertheless, I think the people have made their feelings clear that Bloodlines should be next. (I admit to being biased!)

OMG I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop for a while, but I never saw this coming. Poor Matt. The uncertainty over Matt's health was definitely unexpected and sad, but Matt and Wade were so wonderful together. I loved the little moments, like the way Matt immediately asked to check where Wade was before he went to the hospital and the unequivocal support Wade was giving Matt in the hospital room. Even though I've only "known" these two characters for one story, they are quickly moving up to one of my favorite couples with JP and Stef, and Brad and Robbie. I understand why AIDS would be the scary prospect for Matt, but I'm wondering which would be more deadly, leukemia or AIDS? Hopefully he has mono!

I've only been a Domaholic for a year or so, but he is the first author I read here at GA (I saw a recommendation somewhere) and I've been hooked ever since. Desert Dropping was the first one I read, and it's still my favorite. Thanks to Dom for writing such wonderful stories!

I kind of bought that argument at first, until it came out that he flew his mistresses around the world and, in one case, the affair allegedly lasted 31 months. Those kinds of long-term affairs aren't the kind that are the result of a slip-up because it's hard to avoid temptation when you are that famous and have women throwing themselves at you. I do agree, though, that it's about his ego. I don't think he thought anyone would dare to tell on him. Apparently (if we can believe the reports and reporters who suddenly have loosened their lips), he didn't try to keep it much of a secret, except from his wife. I've always been a Phil Mickelson fan myself and never cared too much for Tiger because of his ego, so I can't say that my opinion has changed too much. I think his fans will forgive him over time, though, just as they've forgiven other athletes who have found themselves involved in a scandal (e.g. Kobe Bryant). The only problem will be if they somehow prove that he took HGH, which I don't think they will ever do. Right now the only thing to suggest he took it was that a doctor who had treated him in the past was found with some as he tried to enter Canada. If they prove he took HGH, his career is pretty much over, like Roger Clemens. Otherwise, he'll be back and almost as popular as ever.

I don't ever want to see JP, Stef, Brad or Robbie die! I'm all for anything that extends the CAP series. One thing Mark always does well is have stories with actual plot that don't just feel like filler, so I'm sure anything he came up with would be good. I like the idea of the political stories, although I think having too much recent politics in a story can be dangerous because it can turn a story you're reading purely for enjoyment into something that is emotionally stressful, especially if you get as wound up about politics as I do. I like the way it has been in the background so far in Mark's stories. It is talked about, but is never a primary focus.

I was actually up late enough last night to read this chapter when it was posted, but it was so heavy that I thought I should read it again today with a clearer head before posting my thoughts. So I've read it again and . . . wow, what a sad chapter! I feel so unbelievably sorry for Wade. Both he and Matt have essentially lost the families they grew up with, but I think it's worse for Wade. I think his mother's reaction, or rather non-reaction, to the news that Wade had been molested by his father for years would be almost as hurtful as the abuse itself. She cares more about the family's power and position than her own son. So, to me, the betrayal by both Wade's father and mother would hurt more than Matt's parents' rejection of him due to his homosexuality. For Wade, it's not a rejection of him because he's gay, it's more like saying that he just isn't valuable enough as a person to care about. At least, that is what I think it might feel like to people in that position. Also, at least Matt has a new family who loves and supports him. Wade has Matt, but sexual relationships are not as stable as family relationships, or at least as family relationships are supposed to be. Brad, Robbie, JP, and Stef will always be there for Matt, and he knows it. But what if something happens to Matt or his relationship with Wade? Who will be there for Wade? I suppose that's something many people have to face, but it seems really unfair for someone to have to deal with that at the age of 18 or 19. But, on the brighter side, Wade does have Matt and they seem to be getting stronger and stronger together. Oh, and he also has the hockey team, who have already given an awesome demonstration of their support for him. Love the picture, Paya!