Five years later

 

That summer in Malta wouldn’t be the last time the kids would all be together but it was the last summer they were that close. Nico and Stefan progressed in high school, and the others were young teenagers in the blink of an eye. Landon, Katiana, Josh, and Katarina all went to the same school with Jensen, Hunter, Ryan, Conner and Evan. Nikolai and Viktoriya were splitting their time between Russia and Fort Worth.

 

Over the years James and Leo avoided Tomas and Theo, accepting the missions that took them as far from them as possible. Each sent occasional word to Stefan that he was all right, and would see him again one day. Jake’s misguided thought process had cost him his brother for the time being and he had to try to explain it to his mother. Tomas wasn’t giving up on Leo, and he and Theo swapped intel on the guys’ whereabouts. It had been an uneasy alliance at first but as time went on, they had become good friends.

Jordan and Lucy were in Australia, and while Jordan and Viktoriya still spoke, it wasn’t what it used to be. Firmly in the teen years, the kids were becoming more and more of a handful for a lot of the crazy dads. The roles had reversed and the crazy dads were now putting their foot down on the hormonal teenagers. Jensen and Hunter had remained tight but Jensen also spent a lot of time with Viktoriya.

 

One night as they were all hanging out at the skating rink, Viktoriya was doing a slow skate with Jensen. Ryan was watching Evan flirt with a group of girls and his heart ached. He had feelings for Evan. He knew what they were but Evan never acted as if he wanted Ryan for more than a friend.

“Hey,” Lily said, snapping Ryan out of his thoughts.

“Hey, Lily.”

“You wanna skate?” Lily took his hand.

“Sure.”

Lily took Ryan out and watched Damon skating with his girlfriend. She wasn’t going to lie, it hurt like hell. But Damon was flirtatious and confident and she was not going to let him worm his way into her heart. Tanner was sitting in the corner by himself and Phoebe sat down beside him. She took his hand and pulled his face up.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nico didn’t come.”

Phoebe held him tight. “I’m sorry. You know he has a lot of homework.”

“It’s not that. He’s been pulling away from me for a long time, Phoebs.”

“Look, school’s almost out and you’ll see more of him, okay?” Phoebe hugged him hard.

Landon had been watching Katiana and her boyfriend and he couldn’t take it anymore. He crossed the seating area to the snack counter and leaned against it looking away from the rink. Joshua came up next to him and gave him a smile.

“Stop stalking me.”

“Dude.” Joshua hit him.

“You know, I would love to be the size I’m supposed to be. Why am I still scrawny?”

Joshua smiled at him. “I am too; and look at my dad — he’s a freak!”

“I hate the fact that Katiana still sees me as this four-year-old kid.” Landon sighed.

“Hell, Kat doesn’t see me as anything but a friend.” Joshua took Landon’s drink.

“Both of you are pathetic,” Hunter taunted as he joined them.

“So, I hear Jensen asked Viktoriya out.” Joshua raised an eyebrow. “An older woman.”

“That’s what he tells me.” Hunter sat at the counter.

“And you’re okay with that?” Joshua asked.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Hunter watched Conner approach.

“Where is Juliet?” Landon looked around.

“Skating with some guy.” Conner sat down and sighed.

“Oh, my God. We are all pathetic.” Landon laughed.

Phoebe’s nemesis Jaime was making the rounds and she stopped in front of them, smiling.

“I’m having a party and you guys are all invited.” Jaime smiled again and batted her eyes at Joshua.

“You’re not going to run around naked are you?” Joshua sneered.

Jaime sidled closer and ran her hand down his chest. “Maybe, if you ask nicely.”

“What if I ask?” Damon had walked over to them.

“Well, Damon, if you play your cards right…” Jaime looked slyly at him. “You just get hotter and hotter.”

“Why, thank you.”

“Excuse us.” Katiana and Katarina brushed past her, knocking her into Damon.

“Excuse you.” Jaime narrowed her eyes.

“I thought I just said that.” Katiana narrowed her eyes. “Troll along, Jaime.”

“Bitch,” Jaime replied.

“You say the sweetest things.” Katiana winked.

As soon as she left, both Katiana and Katarina turned on all the guys standing there.

“Seriously?” Katarina asked, hands on hips.

“What? I was just being friendly.”

“Pfftt. Whatever. You know she’ll bang anything.” Katiana raised a brow.

“Talking about Jaime, I assume,” Phoebe announced as she walked up.

“How did you guess?” Katarina laughed.

 

Nico had finally arrived, dragging Stefan behind him. He had a ton of homework to do before finals but the thought of not seeing Tanner landed them in the car and on their way. Nico spotted Tanner right away when they entered the rink. He was all by himself and then he wasn’t.

“You’re in my spot.”

Tanner looked up to see a much bigger kid looking at him.

“I didn’t realize there was assigned seating,” Tanner said.

“You’re that little Youngblood fag aren’t you?”

“Excuse me?” Tanner stood up.

“I’ve seen you, hanging out with a bunch of guys holding hands.”

“Whatever.” Tanner sat back down.

Nico watched as the bigger kid grabbed Tanner by his shirt and punched him. Oh, hell no. He was across the skating rink in seconds.

“Oh, shit!” Stefan ran after him, yelling for the rest of the guys.

Tanner watched from the floor as Nico pounded the living daylights out of the guy who had hit him. He couldn’t move or speak; he had never seen Nico like that.

“You don’t ever put your fucking hands on him!” Nico hit him again.

Stefan dragged Nico off as the security guards arrived and tried to calm every one down. Phoebe took Tanner aside and examined his face.

“Get me some ice,” she told Conner.

Stefan was still trying to hold Nico back as a security guard escorted the bully out of the building.

“It’s over!” Stefan shouted as he pushed Nico back. Stefan let him go and Nico went straight to Tanner and pulled up his face gently. His eye was already swelling.

“I’ll kill him,” Nico growled.

“Hey.” Tanner put his hand on Nico’s shoulder. “I’m okay.”

“He should have never hurt you.” Nico caressed Tanner’s face, fighting the urge to kiss him.

Tanner looked up into Nico’s very blue eyes and smiled. “Wow, you really beat his ass.”

Nico chuckled. “Yeah, well.”

“Yes, we’re all impressed,” Phoebe drawled. “I think we should leave.”

“Wait until Uncle Damon and Uncle Tyler find out.” Joshua laughed.

Tanner stopped mid-laugh. He felt rage rising. “Where’s Damon?”

“Oh, shit!” They all ran for the parking lot and found Damon beating the guy up again.

“Damon!” Joshua and Landon pulled him off.

“You don’t touch my brother ever again! Do you hear me?” Damon was trying to get loose.

“Jesus,” Lily whispered. She got in his face. “Damon!”

Damon blinked down at her and she cupped his face. He took her in his arms and held her.

“We need to go home.” Stefan blew out a breath.

“And explain this?” Conner laughed.

“I’m the excuse.” Tanner smiled.

They decided to hit the grandparents’ house. They figured their dads were all there anyway.

The minute they walked through the door Tyler was on his son.

“Oh, my God!”

“I’m okay, Dad,” Tanner assured him.

Caleb turned to Nico and asked, “What did you do?”

“Why do you assume it’s me?” Nico tried for innocent.

“Oh, don’t worry. It was Nico and Damon.” Stefan beamed at the adults.

“Damon?” Tyler turned to his son.

“What? The guy hit my brother and called him the ‘f’-word.” Damon sat down and Lily put ice on his hand.

Jake and Dante were trying hard not to laugh, and Kyle smacked Dante upside the head.

“Hey!” Dante blurted.

“Violence never solves anything,” Tyler pronounced.

The whole room exploded in laughter and Tyler tried to keep a straight face. It didn’t work.

Lorenzo was laughing so hard he fell off the couch. Reece tried to get him back up, as the rest of the parents were in a fit of laughter. The kids doubled over, laughing at them.

“I can’t believe you just said that, Dad,” Damon snickered.

“I’m trying to be the responsible parent.”

“Said the sniper to the kids,” Evan pointed out.

Tyler let out a loud sigh and sat down. “Are we going to get sued?”

“Not in this lifetime.” Jordan snorted and Stefan smacked him.

“Why don’t you guys bunk here for the weekend?” Stefan suggested to his grandchildren.

Reece examined Tanner’s eye. “You need ice on that.”

“I got it.” Nico came in with an ice pack.

Damon’s knuckles were bruising and he hissed as Lily pulled his fingers straight and put the ice pack on it.

“Grandpa, I think he broke something,” Lily called to Jordan.

Jordan inspected Damon’s fingers. “Yep, you did. How hard did you hit him?”

“I don’t remember.”

“There’s more than one, and I think your wrist is broken too.”

“Is that why that hurts?” Tanner wiggled Damon’s hand.

“I don’t know — does this hurt?” Damon made a fist.

“Hey! Stop it!”

“Okay, let’s go.” Tyler grabbed Damon. “You stay here.” He pointed at Tanner.

Tanner hugged Damon tight. “Thanks.”

“Hey, you’re my big brother.”

Most of the kids were watching TV in the back bedroom. Tanner sat on the couch with Nico watching a movie, or pretending to anyway. He was mostly sneaking glances at Nico’s profile. He was so beautiful.

“Do I have a black eye?” Tanner shifted the ice pack off his eye.

“Yeah, but it’s not bad right now.”

“It will look worse in the morning.” Tanner sighed.

“You look beautiful.”

“You are too.”

The way Tanner was looking at him? Oh God, he wanted to kiss Tanner so badly.

“We should get some sleep.”

Tanner sat back and sighed. “I guess so.”

Nico got up and extended his hand to Tanner. He pulled him up and Tanner hugged him hard.

“What is it?” Nico ran his face against Tanner’s hair.

“You protected me.”

“I always will.”

Phoebe’s birthday party was well under way. She sat on the dock holding Stefan’s hand. As he had gotten older, the girls went crazier than before over him.

“Stefan?”

“Yeah?” Stefan ran his fingers through her hair.

“Are you ever sorry you’re stuck with me?”

“I’ve told you a million times, I’m not stuck with you, Phoebe. I love you very much.” Stefan caressed her face and kissed her.

Phoebe almost sighed at the feeling of Stefan’s lips on hers.

“I’m sorry. I feel like such a prude.”

“Hey, I would much rather have you than any of those skanky chicks in school.”

“What about Jaime? She likes you.”

“Case in point — queen of the skanks.”

“But, you’re a guy and I know you have needs.”

“Look, sure I have needs, Phoebe, but I’m not so out of control that I need to go out and find some girl just to satisfy me physically. There’s something to be said about being in love, and when you’re ready we’ll take that next step, okay? Besides, I know how to relieve myself.” Stefan blushed.

“Great, now I have a visual.”

“Yeah? Do I look sexy?”

“You always look sexy, Stefan.” Phoebe kissed him sweetly.

“Phoebe!”

Phoebe turned to see her dads looking at her. “Yes?”

“Birthday presents!” Mark smiled.

Paul blindfolded his daughter and they took her out front.

“Is it a pony?”

“Close.” Paul took the blindfold off.

Phoebe gasped and then squealed, jumping up and down. A brand-new Mustang gleamed in the driveway — red, just like she wanted.

“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my GOD!” Phoebe ran to it and opened the door. “But I was a few hundred dollars short; I even took more tutoring assignments when I didn’t have enough money last year.”

“Your father and I covered the remaining balance. You worked hard for it, Phoebe.”

Phoebe sat in the car and the rest of the kids piled in, jostling for room.

“Can we go to the mall?” Katarina asked.

“Oh no,” Jake sighed. “There goes her allowance.”

Phoebe smiled. Stefan’s black Mustang was parked right next to hers, and Nico’s black one was on the other side.

“We’re keeping the car company in business.” Mark sighed.

 

She cut her cake and the kids were running around chasing each other. Stefan led Phoebe to the dock again and handed her a small, wrapped gift.

“You didn’t have to get me anything, Stefan.”

“I wanted to. Besides, we always get each other something.”

Phoebe unwrapped the package and smiled. It was a perfume she had always wanted, but since it was so expensive she hadn’t wanted to spend the money on it. Stefan had been with her at the mall the day she had seen it, but he had been all the way across the store when she had asked to see it.

“How did you know?” Phoebe took his hand. “You weren’t even near me.”

Stefan caressed her cheek. “I’m always paying attention, Phoebe. You just don’t realize it.”

“Stefan.” Phoebe looked into his eyes; the beautiful chocolate-brown eyes were gazing at her with such love. She traced his lips with her fingertip before kissing him.

Stefan slid his hand into her hair and pulled her in closer. “I love you, Phoebe. I’ll always love you.”

Phoebe felt his strong arms wrapping around her and she closed her eyes and breathed in his scent. “I love you.”

 

Mark was watching his daughter and Stefan when Paul took his hand.

“I think when everyone’s gone I want to make love to you,” Mark said.

Paul looked shocked. “Why, Mark Greystone! You little slut, you.”

Mark wrapped his arms around Paul’s neck, running his tongue across his bottom lip. “I’m your slut.”

“Fuck yeah, you are.” Paul picked him up, taking his mouth.

“Wow, Dad.” Colin smiled.

Paul broke the kiss and he and Mark looked down at their son. “Yes?”

Before Colin could say another word, Nikolai tackled him and he hit the ground with a loud grunt. “Nik!”

“Hi, Colin.”

Colin hugged Nikolai tight. “You know, you’re getting a little bit big to be pouncing me like .” He smiled. “I’m going to miss you when you leave for Russia.”

 “You need to get home for bed, Nikolai,” Vince told him.

“I’m not tired, Pops.” Nikolai looked at his dad with a wide grin.

“Let him stay with me, Uncle Vince. I’ll go with you, Nik.” Colin stood up and took his hand.

Vince watched them go into the house and toward the bedroom and smiled at Mark and Paul. “Can I take Colin home with me?”

“Sure, take Phoebe and Conner too.” Mark chuckled.

 

They said goodnight to everyone and then Mark and Paul checked on the kids before going to their own room. Mark got in the shower and closed his eyes. He knew within minutes Paul would be in with him; he was wrong. It took seconds.

“God, you are so beautiful.” Paul ran his hands over his husband’s ass.

Paul picked Mark up and he wrapped his arms around his neck and his legs around his waist. Paul’s hands were on his ass. His lips flowed lightly over Mark’s and he slipped his tongue in, searching his mouth. Paul gripped Mark’s hair, deepening the kiss. Mark slid down and then Paul was positioned right at his opening. He looked into his eyes as he slid inside slowly.

Mark let out a loud moan and tightened his arms around him; he moved with his husband, sliding down, and then up. Paul had one hand on the wall to stabilize them, the other wrapped in his husband’s hair, kissing him. He never got tired of kissing Mark.

Mark teased Paul with his tongue and was rewarded with a loud growl and a rough kiss; the pounding was getting faster and deeper and Mark dug his fingers into Paul’s scalp.

Mark’s back hit the wall and Paul braced against it with both hands, slamming into him for all he was worth. Mark’s moans got louder and louder. He was stroking his cock and Paul hit him perfectly again. His loud cry reverberated through the bathroom and Paul came seconds later. He wrapped his arms around Mark, kissing his neck.

“Oh my God, babe,” Mark panted.

“God, I love you Mark.” Paul caressed his face.

“I love you too.” Mark kissed him softly as he moved slowly back up and slid down with a smile.

“Again?”

“Bend over.”

“Merda.”