Eternity - 12. Chapter Twelve

Twelve
Jared felt like his nerves were completely shot as he went through everything that he had remembered from the attack. The officers he was talking to didn't seem too keen on the idea that they didn't have Jared's attacker in custody. The more they heard, though, the more they became convinced that it could not have been the man currently sitting in a jail cell. There was also no way that they could accuse Kyle again, as everything that Jared told them also convinced them that Kyle was not involved.

Kyle waited in one of the chairs, slightly away from where Jared sat talking to the two police officers. He didn't know exactly what was being said but the glances that kept getting shot at him made him nervous. They'd already arrested him once and no matter how many times Jared had assured him that nothing would happen, he still felt like they were going to walk over any minute and slap the handcuffs around his wrists again. Kyle watched as Jared scrawled his name on some documents before rising and shaking both officers' hands. Kyle could see that Jared was drained and not caring what people thought, as soon as Jared reached him, Kyle stood up and wrapped a supporting arm around his waist and led him outside. Once they were in the truck, Kyle couldn't keep quiet any longer.

"So? What happened?"

"I told them everything I told you. They asked me if I was sure that it couldn't have been Matt and I told them yes and that they had the wrong person locked up. Then they asked about you and I told them that there was no way it could have been you either."

"They didn't ask you who you thought it might be?"

"Yeah, they did," Jared said, staring out the window and pulling his hand away from Kyle's.

"And?" Kyle questioned, not exactly sure why Jared felt the need to pull away from him. Something about Jared's tone warned him that he wasn't going to like what Jared had to say next.

"There's only one other person I can think of that could possibly have anything to do with this Kyle."

"Who?"

"Chels," Jared replied as though it hurt to voice the thought out loud.

"My sister Chels?" Kyle asked as though the mere idea of it was totally preposterous.

"Yeah, I mean think about it Kyle. She wasn't exactly thrilled that I was back in your life. She was the only one other than you that was in my room when I was given the heroin. Who else could it be?"

"I don't know Jared, but I know it's not Chels. True, she's not exactly happy that you're back, but she would never, ever try to kill you," Kyle said vehemently.

"I guess we'll know soon enough," Jared said, still staring out the window. "The officers I talked to are going to question Matt again and then they're going to release him. After that's done they're going to go find Chels and pull her in for questioning."

"When will Matt be released?"

"Probably within the next hour to an hour and a half, however long it takes them to get him to admit that it wasn't him that came after me."

"Do you mind if I come back and get him? I can have someone come stay with you, one of the guys from the site."

"You do what you need to do Kyle; I know that you guys need to patch things up. I don't need someone to stay with me though."

"If I go pick Matt up then someone is coming to the apartment to stay with you, and that's all I can say about it. Since you obviously don't trust Chels, the only people I can think of are guys that work for me. I'm buddies with a couple of them and know they wouldn't let anything happen to you."

"If you feel you have to then go ahead, but I don't need a babysitter," Jared said, his voice resigned.

"You won't even know that they are there babe, I promise."

"If they're anything like some of your other buddies then yeah I will, but it's okay."

"I promise babe, just long enough for me to pick Matt up. I don't want him having to take a taxi to get home, not after what he did for us. If it wasn't for him, then I'd probably still be sitting in a jail cell."

"I know, you do what you need to do, I'll be okay."

Jared and Kyle reached the apartment about five minutes later and hurried up the stairs. As soon as they were inside Kyle pulled Jared to him and started kissing him softly. Kyle knew that he should keep his hands to himself but he couldn't help it, he had to show Jared at least a little how much he really loved him. They couldn't yet make love with their bodies but that didn't mean they couldn't make love with their mouths. Kyle's tongue slipped between his lips, probing gently at Jared's mouth, asking for entry. Kyle was lost in sensation as he slid into the warm wet cavern that was Jared. Wrapping his arms around Jared, Kyle lifted him up and carried him towards the bedroom, their mouths still fused together. Reaching the bed, Kyle gently lowered Jared to the mattress, making sure to keep his lips on Jared's. Kyle followed Jared onto the bed, lying on his side with one hand sliding up and down one side of Jared's chest. As soon as his hand moved to the other side Kyle froze and jerked away. Resting under his hand was the proof that they couldn't be completely together as they both wanted. His hand was making direct contact with Jared's skin where they had shaved a patch of hair to stitch the cut in his abdomen.

Kyle groaned and slid over before collapsing face first onto the bed, his face falling into his pillow. He wanted to just smack himself as he realized exactly how carried away he had gotten when they walked through the front door. Kyle didn't even know what had come over him but he had just suddenly needed the connection with Jared. Kyle still had his head buried in his pillow when he heard a light chuckling from beside him. Looking over he could see that Jared was trying to suppress his laughter, but wasn't succeeding very well.

"If you tell me you are laughing at what just happened I'm going to smack you."

"Kyle, if I don't laugh I'm going to cry."

"Oh god, and we still have six days left," Kyle groaned, pushing his face back into his pillow.

"Well, five actually, if you count the day that I came home, which I most certainly am."

"Still, five days may as well be a century; it sure as hell feels that long."

Kyle felt a light pulling on his arm and realized that Jared was trying to get him to turn over. As soon as Kyle had rolled over on his back, Jared curled around his side, one knee bent up. Unintentionally, Jared's knee lightly brushed Kyle's erection and Kyle groaned again before reaching down and stilling Jared.

"If you do that again I'm not going to be able to hold back," Kyle said through gritted teeth.

"Maybe I don't want you to hold back," Jared claimed.

"Yeah, but doctors orders and all that. We'll make it Jared, simply because we have to, not for any other reason."

"But babe," Jared started.

"Don't you ‘but babe' me, it's hard enough as it is," Kyle grumbled.

"Yes, it is," Jared said, reaching down to run his hand lightly over Kyle's crotch.

Kyle quickly reached down and grabbed Jared's hand holding it tightly in one of his. He couldn't even believe that Jared was teasing him like this. Looking over he saw the sparkle of humor in Jared's eyes and couldn't help grinning.

"You just keep that up Jared, by the time we can make love I'm going to be so wound up that you won't walk straight for a week," Kyle said.

"Promise?" Jared asked, grinning at him.

"Oh good lord, what am I gonna do with you," Kyle growled.

"Love me forever and ever," Jared replied saucily.

"Yeah, well, that's a given, but before this goes any further I should probably call Brian."

"Brian?"

"Yeah, he's part of my crew. If I'm going to get back to the jail before Matt is released I gotta get going. Besides, you can't torment me," Kyle said, shooting a pointed look at Jared, "if I'm not here."

"Spoil sport," Jared grumbled before moving off the bed.

"Yeah well, one of us has to be, at least for five more days. Five, long, agonizing days," Kyle said.

"Don't worry babe, I won't make it easy on ya," Jared said as he walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

"You just wait Maloney, in five days that ass is mine," Kyle hollered at the closed bedroom door before heading out into the living room and picking up the phone. Kyle quickly dialed in Brian's number, and Brian quickly assured him that he'd be right over.

Within five minutes Brian was at the door and Kyle let him in before walking back to the bedroom and tapping on the bathroom door. The door opened to reveal Jared standing there completely nude, and Kyle felt his resolve begin to crumble.

"Jared, you're pushing the limits," he warned.

"I know, ain't it fun?"

"Fun is not the word I'd use to describe it. Brian's here, he's out in the living room, I'm going to head down to the precinct and wait for Matt," Kyle said, placing a quick kiss on Jared's lips before turning around. Right as he began walking out the bedroom door Kyle turned around, "Oh, and Jared?"

"Yeah?"

"Please put some clothes on, I don't think Brian will appreciate the view as much as I do," Kyle finished before walking out of the bedroom, chuckling as he went. "He'll be right out Brian."

"Okay," Brian said, already making himself at home and flipping through the channels.

"Not sure when I'm gonna be back, as soon as they release Matt and we talk I guess."

"Take your time boss, I don't have anywhere that I need to be."

"Thanks Brian, and thanks for coming over so quickly."

"No problem, see ya later," Brian said as Kyle walked out, closing the door softly behind him.

"Hey Jared, I'm gonna fix me a sandwich, you want something?" Brian hollered.

"Nah, I'm good for right now, I'll be right there," Jared hollered back as he pulled his shirt on. He had decided that it was easiest to just wear button up shirts rather than actually lifting his arms up to pull a t-shirt on. Every time he tried wearing a t-shirt he could feel his stitches being pulled as he moved. Walking out into the living room a few minutes later he found Brian busy in the kitchen.

"So you're the one who gets to baby sit me today, huh?" Jared asked, trying to keep his tone light and teasing.

"Well, wouldn't call it baby sitting, more like here to keep you company," Brian answered with a chuckle. He knew that the boss was worried and he was sure that he would be if he was in the same spot.

"I guess, I'm fully capable of keeping myself occupied," Jared grumbled, hoping that Brian hadn't heard him.

"Give the boss man a break Jared, he's been worried sick about you ever since the night that you were attacked. I've worked for him since the time he opened the company and I've known him even longer than that. With how much work he's missed it's easy to tell that he's head over heels for ya."

"What do you mean ‘how much work he's missed'?" Jared asked.

"Well, from the time he started Blackner Construction, Kyle has been there every day. For him to miss so much work you have to be pretty special to him. Lost a couple contracts too because he refused to be on site," Brian said before realizing exactly what he was saying.

"Wait a minute, are you telling me that he's lost jobs? He told me that it wasn't hurting him at all to be gone from work. That his foreman was handling everything."

"Yeah, and his foreman is, but the foreman can't sign contracts," Brian stated. "Without Kyle there to sign the contracts nothing can get done. Some people hear the boss hasn't been around for a couple weeks and they decide they don't want to wait and they go somewhere else."

"I'm gonna kill him," Jared mumbled under his breath. "I can't believe that he'd out and out lie to me like that."

"Yeah, well, he obviously didn't want you to worry about the business. I'm sure he would have told you later on, Kyle is like that. He hates to make people worry about him, yet he tries to take the weight of the world onto his shoulders. One these days it's going to all become too much for him. I just hope that someone is there to catch him when he falls," Brian said with a pointed look at Jared.

"I'm not going anywhere Brian, not unless he throws me out."

"There's no chance in hell of that happening. He was hurt for a long time, but eventually he let the anger get a hold of him. I'm just glad to have the old Kyle back again. I'm warning you now though, you do anything to hurt him again and I'm coming after you, you won't have to worry about the psychopath that's after you now, because they'll pale in comparison."

"Yeah, I get it," Jared said, surprised that he didn't feel more uneasy than he did about the turn that the conversation had taken. He knew that he didn't have anything to worry about though because he had no intentions of pulling the same stunt again. He had learned his lesson the first time.

~~~~~~
Kyle had been sitting outside the jail for a good two hours when he finally saw Matt come out of the building. He was shocked as he took in Matt's appearance. Matt looked haggard and worn and just plain worn out. Kyle waited for Matt to notice him, but if he did he didn't give any indication, instead he started walking slowly down the street. Jumping out of the truck, Kyle took off after him.

"Matt, hold up," Kyle called, startled when Matt just kept walking. "Matt, please, stop for a minute," Kyle tried again, pleading this time.

"What do you want Kyle?" Matt said, not even bothering to look over his shoulder. He didn't need to see any more accusations in Kyle's eyes.

"I came to take you home," Kyle said simply. "Though, if you don't want me to I'll understand."

"Why?"

"Cause I know you aren't the one after Jared, and realize how stupid it was for me to even think it in the first place," Kyle responded honestly. "We have plenty of time to talk, we'll go somewhere away from this place and sit and talk," Kyle said.

"Where's Jared?"

"At home?"

"You left him home alone?! Are you a complete idiot?!" Matt yelled.

"No, I said he's at home, I never once said that he was home alone."

"Who's with him?"

"Brian."

Matt just nodded his head as though in approval and turned and followed Kyle to the truck. He still refused to meet Kyle's eyes, and Kyle realized that he had a lot of repairing to do. Matt was quiet the entire time they were in the truck, it wasn't until they reached their destination that Matt started talking again.

"What are we doing here Kyle?" Matt asked, taking in the lumber surrounding the construction site.

"Well, I knew no one would be at the site today and thought it was as good a place as any to sit and talk."

"If you say so."

"Matt? Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Turn yourself in when you knew you weren't the one responsible."

"Figured it was better me than you. I wasn't the one that was needed out Kyle, I couldn't protect Jared. He needed you there with him."

"That still doesn't completely answer why," Kyle said softly.

"I knew that if I turned myself in that they'd have to let you go. They couldn't keep you when they had a signed confession. It wasn't until Jared came in today that they found out that my story of what happened didn't exactly go along with what Jared told them."

"So then they knew you couldn't have done it."

"Yeah, but then they figured I was just trying to cover for someone. They thought that maybe I knew who did do it and that I was just taking the fall."

"They were right ya know," Kyle stated.

"How so?"

"You were taking the fall, but you were taking it because you knew I hadn't done it."

"You couldn't have done it Kyle and I knew that. As mad as you were at Jared, you would never have intentionally hurt him. You were the only person who could keep him safe, but you couldn't do that sitting in a jail cell. I couldn't even get close to him to make sure he stayed safe, so I figured there was no other way."

"Jared thinks he knows who's responsible," Kyle said.

"Who?"

~~~~~~
Jared was just heading into the bathroom when he heard a knock on the front door. Not wanting to turn around he hollered out to Brian, "Hey Brian, would you get that please."

"Yeah, I got it," Jared heard Brian holler back.

Jared did his business and washed up before heading back out into the living room. As soon as he walked out of the hallway all he could see was Brian laying in front of the door, unconscious. Jared hurried to the phone and quickly dialed Kyle's number, only to hold the phone up to his ear and realize that the phone was dead, he couldn't call for help. He was just turning around when he felt a sharp point pressing against his back.

"I'd stay right where you are unless you want cut up again," the voice whispered menacingly in Jared's ear.

Jared could tell that whoever had a knife pressed against his back was disguising their voice. He felt the fear crawl up his spine and make him immobile. Glancing out of the corner of his eye he again caught sight of Brian lying on the floor.

"Is he dead?" Jared whispered.

"No deader than you will be," the voice whispered back.

"Why?"

"Well, why don't you turn around and see for yourself who is going to kill you. You may as well know, it's not like you're going to be telling anyone," he heard right before he was spun around.

"Oh my god, it's you," was all Jared could muster as he fainted.