The door opened and a greying man popped his head inside, a gentle smile playing over his lips. “Hello sweetheart.”
JC smiled slightly his memory jogged by the friendly face.
“Hello.”
“How are you feeling baby?”
JC sucked his bottom lip, blinking his massive liquid blue eyes. “My head hurts.”
“I’ll get the nurse to get you some Advil.”
“I’m tied down. Why am I tied down?”
David came all the way into the room and sat down beside his husband, playing gently with his hair. Twirling the brunette curls between his thick fingers. “I know you are honey. It‘s so you don‘t hurt yourself. It wont be for long.” He kissed the pale forehead, drawing his fingers down the side of JC’s face, capturing his earlobe tenderly squeezing and caressing it. “Soon my angel we will be able to go home, just four more treatments.”
“Treatments … no more. I’m better. I am, really I am.” JC pulled weakly at the straps. “Take me home, please take me home.”
David stroked the silky locks as he gazed into the deep blue pools that were JC’s eyes. “What’s your name angel?”
A single tear rolled down the blemish free cheek and a rose coloured lip trembled as the younger man struggled to remember, another tear fell then another.
David leaned in and touched his lips softly to those of his husband, “finish the treatments my darling, and when you will remember who you are and where you belong. Then you will be better.” He kissed JC again, this time forcing his tongue into his mouth. “I love you Jason,” his breath swept over the brunettes ear as he traced the outer shell with his tongue before sucking the lobe into his mouth. JC groaned and turned his face into David’s till their mouths met again. The older man smiled against the soft pliant lips. “I love you Jason, I want what’s best for you. I’d never hurt you, never.”
“I know” JC whispered back.
“Four more treatments angel, then I’ll take you home I promise.”
The younger man wept silently strapped helplessly to the bed. “Promise?” Hope filled his voice. The doctor came in wheeling his trolley.
“Don’t leave me!” JC winced as the injection broke his skin and clutched David’s fingers tightly till he succumbed to the drug induced sleep.
Four days later David carried his husband to his car, the fragile brunette hanging round his neck, his face buried in his chest. “Are you happy to be going home Jason?” The willowy man nodded slightly.
“I need you David, I don’t know what would have happened to me without you there, looking after me…… I love you … I love you so much. I’ll be good when we get home really I will.”
David kissed him sweetly. “I know you will darling.” He slipped JC into the passengers’ side of the car, closing the door. The short balding doctor came out to speak to him.
“Mr Scott, the treatments worked better than I hoped, his long term memory has been affected, from my talks with him, he only remembers you, and being with you. Anything before that has been wiped out by the electro-convulsive therapy.”
David smiled.
“It might not last, his memory could return next week, then again it might never come back.” The doctor took off his glasses wiped them then put them back on. “I owe you nothing now, my debt is paid right.”
The grey-haired man nodded. “For now yes.” He got into his car and pulled out of the hospital drive JC resting against him.
The doctor made his way back up the steps that lead back into his clinic vowing never to gamble with David Scott again.
*****
Justin sat outside the iron gates watching, waiting. He could really do with a bath. Lance, Chris and Joey would be there in less than an hour, then he could take a break and get something fresh to eat, living on chocolate was ok for the first couple of hours or so but not the best thing for a long term diet. Lance’s Cherokee jeep came into view, pulling up beside his SUV. Justin grimaced, the blond looked fucking pissed and Joey and Chris didn’t look much happier as the three of them got out the car. He got out of his own vehicle walking up to meet them.
“Justin what fucking part of stay away from Lawton didn’t you understand?” Lance shoved him hard, knocking him off balance. “Are you deliberately trying to get JC hurt or even killed?”
The startled younger man stuttered “N … no I …I just th … thought.”
“But you didn’t did you? You never fucking do! Justin is always right isn’t he?”
Joey grabbed Lance by the arm as the furious man towered over a rapidly shrinking Justin. “Dude, calm down.”
“Yeah” Chris joined in “Calm down, there’s no harm done.”
“No harm! No fucking harm!” Lance spun his fury onto the shorter brunette. “He could have fucked the whole thing up. Months of searching up the fucking tube because he couldn’t do as he was fucking told. Has he seen you?” Lance spun back on Justin, who was now hiding behind the big Italian. “Well?”
“He hasn’t been back, I been here two days.”
“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” The blonde slid his fingers through his hair, thinking. “Alright Joey you take Justin back into town, find us somewhere to stay. Me and Chris will say here and keep watch.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” Justin fronted his band-mate daring him to argue. Lance just rolled his eyes and nodded to Joey. They had discussed this on the way. The big man clamped his hand onto Justin’s shoulder and squeezed hard.
“Get … in … the … car.” He squeezed hard again to emphasize his words. The younger slighter mans knees buckled slightly as he winced from the pain.
“Ok … okay, I’ll get in the car.” He allowed Joey to walk him to the SUV and he climbed in the passenger side, leaning back in his seat his arms crossed across his chest, his bottom lip sticking out as he pouted angrily.
Lance came across and spoke softly to the Italian. “Make him get some sleep, a shower and some food. You can take over from us in five hours.”
Joey looked at his watch nodding. “You want me to bring you anything back?”
“No. Just make sure Mister America there does as he’s told for once. If anything happens I’ll call.”
Chris and Lance watched as their friends drove back towards town. “I think we should get the car off the road.” Chris said. Lance nodded his agreement. They both climbed into the jeep and Lance backed it between the trees opposite the wrought iron gates then they settled back to wait.
Boring was an understatement. Chris was bouncing off the car roof an hour in to their surveillance. Two hours in Lance was considering the penalty in Georgia for murder.
It was beginning to get dark when a black Mercedes. Stopped opposite them waiting for the gate to open fully before turning onto the gravel drive.
Lance grabbed his cell phone, pressing speed dial. “Joey, it’s me. Scott just got home. Guess who was with him.”
Muttering came over the earpiece and sounds of a frantic scurry to get into jeans and shoes before the phone went dead. Chris was already out the car, hiding behind the stone columns peering through the gates from his concealed position. Lance joined him just in time to see David lift JC from the passengers’ side of the car and carry him into the house.
“He looks bad dude.”
Lance nodded mutely at the pale shadow that JC had become. “No need to tell Justin, not yet. He will just worry himself and wanna go charging in there.”
Chris leaned back against the stonework. “He’s going to want to do that anyway.”