Out Of The Past

I came into the cabin to find 9 sets of eyes locked on me, as I just smiled, seeing the immediate relief which came across their forms, and in their faces at seeing it.

I went over to the Brian, and bending down, gave him a hug and a kiss, then repeated it with some of the others ,before making my way over to the sofa, where Sammy was sitting, and taking a place beside him, pulling him to me and giving him a big hug too.

I soon had Danny and Peter crawling into my lap. It was fun, but I just wished my lap was bigger. 

Derek was with his mom, and Chris was on the other side of her, leaving the twins to take up a spot next to me. 

"What's going on dad?" Sam asked.

"Well, we crossed out of US airspace a few minutes ago, which means they can't get any of you now, and we have a nice house to stay at in the country," I told them. 

They seemed to digest this, as they were silent for a while. 

We sat like that, but eventually they began drifting off to find things to do, such as TV or video games. 

Only Sammy stayed by me, partly because I had a very tight hold on him, I think. 

We just snuggled up together, finally getting up, and going back to the bedroom for some serious cuddling which I really think we both needed. 

At least I did. 

"Dad," my angel said to me softly, after a while.

"Yeah baby," I told him, as he turned his head towards me, and looked into my eyes.

"I'm really sorry I scared you." he told me.

I just looked at him, and he added, "Brian really needed help." 

"I know sweetheart, I know." I replied

"Are you mad at me?" he asked, biting his lower lip.

I just looked into his eyes, as he slowly stopped, and a small smile began to be apparent, as he understood.

"No, honey, not mad, just incredibly frightened, and a whole bunch of other emotions. I'm also so very proud of you, for what you did. You didn't think about yourself, but someone else, and that is something very special, that a lot of adults don't do." I told him, slowly placing words to the thoughts, running through my head.

"It's just...well when you collapsed, and began to fall, I thought my world was ending, and then when I saw the light leave your eyes...when...you died...I knew it had. As much as I love you, as much as I know how much you mean to me, and all, at that moment...at that moment, it seemed as if my heart died too, and all of that hit me. I have never been so scared and lost, as I was, when I lost your light from my life, in that instant." I softly said to him.

He didn't say anything, just continued to look into my eyes, and I, into his, as I continued.

"I...I almost did something very bad, Sam. Very bad. I...when you...after the light left....I was...I lost it, and almost killed someone." I told him, suddenly finding the resolve to say it, while never breaking contact with him.

"But you didn't." he whispered.

"No...I didn't...because of Peter. He saved me, Sam. I have killed before, but never like that would have been, and he brought me back."

"You didn't kill him though, dad." he said. 

"You're right, but I came so close. I can't tell you how close, but I was already pulling the trigger, when he stopped me."

"Why" he asked.

"He said 'daddy', just that one word, and it stopped me."

"You decided." Sam said. 

"No that's just it...I was going to, but it was He, who decided, and I allowed him to."

Sammy was shaking his head, but I went on.

"That little boy made me stop, and I realized that I still had something here, someone who needed me, and...Whom I needed too."

In complete seriousness, he said, "No dad, you made a choice, and you stopped, you decided. Peter simply loved you, and you loved him back, you didn't have to do that."

"You could have pulled the trigger, dad, you decided not to, for Peter." he finished softly.

"And for you," I told him softly, as he simply nodded his head.

"I did think, Dad, I mean before it happened. I know you think I didn't, but..."

"Shh, I never thought that honey, never, and neither did anyone else." I told him gently.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah, really."

"it's just, with Peter, I saw it, I mean I could see that if I did this, and then this it would work...and I did." He told me.

"I know honey, it just frightened me a great deal, because as an adult, I look and see all the things that could have happened." I told him

"I just saw what needed to happen," he told me, still looking into my eyes.

I smiled as I told him, "I know that."

"With Brian, I thought I could handle it, you know, with all the training I've had, but then, he pulled the knife..." he trailed off. 

"Yeah, I know you didn't expect that, baby." I said. 

"No, and I should have, I have the training to deal with it, but he pulled it, and got me before I even knew it was there. Afterwards, I was too busy trying to keep him away from Brian. That's who he was after, dad, that's who he kept trying to get. I was getting so scared, because I could feel myself getting weaker, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to keep him away, anymore, then you came and..." he finished leaving the rest unsaid.

"I know, and I am proud of you, for saving Brian, from that." I told him again.

"Why dad?" he asked me, and I knew he meant so much with that question. Not only why did they want to hurt Brian, but why did Peter's father hurt him, why did Brian never get any love, why did Derek and Chris's stepfather hurt them, why was there all the pain in the world, and why now were they trying to hurt our family?

Sadly, there was only one thing I could say to him, the one he looked to for all the answers, or to find the answers, didn't have one.

"I don't know, honey." I told him.

He had tears running down his face, and I just pulled him to me, and held on.

Somewhere in this, we fell asleep, cuddled together, holding each other tightly.

I awoke, sometime later, to Sam, trying to get free, and I asked, "What's wrong, honey?"

"Oh, sorry dad, I gotta go, I was trying not to wake you." he said.

"It's ok." I told him, and planted a kiss on his cheek, as I released him, and he quickly sped off, clearly in a hurry.

I turned back around, to find Brian looking at me, with his sweet eyes.

"Well, hi there." I said, smiling which earned me a gentle smile, as he shyly said, 

"Hi, is it ok?" he asked. 

"Is what ok?" I asked, confusedly. 

"Well, I came in, and you were here and..." he trailed off, looking embarrassed. 

"That you crawled in with us?" I asked.

"Yeah" he almost mumbled.

I reached up, and caressed his cheek, as I told him,

"Of course, it's ok, you are always welcome, I love cuddles, don't you know that?" I told him, as I pulled him to me, and wrapped my arms around him, tightly.

I could feel the stiffness, at first, and then he simply melted into my arms, as I held onto him, and softly stroked his back. I could almost hear him purr with contentment at the attention, and I almost cried, that so simple of thing as this, had been denied to him for so long. He needed it so much, and he was scared that I would be angry at him, for such a simple thing as crawling into bed with me. 

After a while, I felt a wetness and realized he was crying softly, as I said to him,

"Hey, what is it sweetheart?"

He didn't answer for a minute, but then he said, "It's just..." and couldn't go on it seemed.

"So hard to believe?" I asked him softly.

"Yeah, no one wants me." he said.

"Well, I'm not no one, and I want you, very much." I told him, and then was surprised when I heard,

"So do I," and looked up to find Sam standing there, with tears in his eyes, that matched the ones in mine, by this time.

I could feel Brian stiffen in my arms, at Sam's utterance, but Sam quickly crawled in on Brian's other side, and cuddled up to him, holding him tightly, so that between us, the young boy was now sandwiched.

Brian had turned slightly, so he could see Sam, and like in the hospital looked, in seeming awe, at Sam before reaching up and touching Sam's cheek, with the same look of wonder and disbelief, on his face. God it hurt to see a little one, who obviously thought it was impossible, that anyone would actually care about him.

He looked over to me, and repeated the action touching my face, where tears were running, and the disbelief was so evident in his expression that it was heartrending. 

"Brian, we love you." Sam said to him, and I watched as he looked intently at Sam, before saying,

"What's there to love?" with bitterness in his voice.

I watched, as several emotions played across Sam's face, while I just lay their shocked to my core, this was serious, and I didn't know how to cope with it, I thought after the hospital, he knew different, but it was apparent he didn't.

I watched those emotions, anger, pain, and sadness, predominant, and thought Sam was going to yell at him, as I was about to do, when suddenly Sam broke down in great racking sobs, burying his head in Brian's chest. 

Brian looked at me with a completely lost look, while I just stared at Sammy, worried. Why? Then Brian turned his attention back to Sam, looking at him helplessly, before saying,

"Sam?" hesitantly, which got no response. "Sammy, what's wrong?" he asked, and I could tell he was worried about him. 

"Sammy?" he said again, lifting his hand to place it on Sammy, in comfort, but stopping with it still in the air, unsure what he should do.

"Sammy just cried harder, as Brian glanced at me, before turning back to Sam, and placing his hand awkwardly on Sam's back, and patting it briefly. 

"Sammy, what is it?" he asked, as his hand began doing what his heart told him to, which was to caress Sam's back gently, up and down, attempting to comfort him.

"Please Sammy, talk to me, what's wrong?" he begged, while holding Sam to him and continuing to rub his back. 

Sammy didn't answer him, and Brian just kept rubbing, and holding, and trying to soothe the boy, while Sammy cried, until Sammy finally said,

"Why won't you let anyone love you?" in a broken voice, looking at Brian, with sad eyes, not understanding.

"I...it's not...I mean..." Brian tried to answer, but ended up stopping.

Sammy never stopped looking at him, and I could feel Brian was decidedly uncomfortable, even if you couldn't see it in his eyes.

"Just because no one did in those places, doesn't mean you can't be." Sam told him.

"Why would anyone want to?" he asked, only this time, mixed in with the bitterness was also clearly, the hope that someone would tell him something he so desperately needed to hear.

"Why wouldn't they?" Sam shot back.

Brian looked down at that, and then back up, "cause..." but Sammy interrupted him saying, "You better not say because of this." while tapping Brian's legs.

"They said I wasn't no good cause of them." Brian mumbled.

"Just because they thought that, doesn't make it true." I softly said.

"But, I can't do nothing." Brian said.

"Sure you can." Sammy told him, "You got away from those guys in the bathroom, didn't you?"

"Well, just for a minute, but they got Me." he said.

"Yeah, but lots of kids would never have got out of the bathroom, in the first place." Sammy shot back.

"You didn't leave me, when I got hurt either." Sammy said softly, which brought Brian's gaze back to him. 

"And you wanted to go with us to the hospital, to be with him remember?" I asked.

"Brian there are some things you can't do, but there are still a lot of things you can." I told him, softly.

"Brian, love doesn't care about your legs, just this." Sammy said placing his hand on Brian's chest, over his heart. 

Brian gasped, as Sammy's hand touched him, and he was once again looking into Sam's eyes, as Sammy told him,

"We love you, you're my brother now, and Dad's son, and we love you, not your legs or nothing, just you, the way you are," softly and very intensely

"Why?" Brian said.

"Because we can. Because I love kids, and you are one. Because you need loving, and I need to love." I told him softly.

"Cause you have a good heart." Sammy added, while Brian looked back, and forth between the two of us, tears running down his face.

"It...its just...no one has..." but he couldn't finish.

"Oh baby, I'm so sorry for that. They should have been hugging you, and holding you, and just plain loving you to death, and they didn't. It didn't have anything to do with you though, it was them. They couldn't love, and they made you think it was your fault, I'm sorry." I told him.

"You're sorry?" he whispered softly, in wonder once again.

"You're sorry, and you didn't do nothing." he went on.

"Yes, child, I am sorry that you had to live like that, and no one cared enough to notice, and protect you." I said to him.

"You really want to love me?" he asked softly, with hope, warring with the pain of rejection, clearly in his voice.

"YES!" both Sam and I answered at the same time.

"And hug you, and hold you, and cuddle with you, forever." I told him, while both Sammy and I did a good imitation of trying to squish a boy between us.

"My dad really likes cuddles, too." Sammy added, with a mischievous look, in his eyes.

"I sure do, and you're going to be getting lots and lots, from me." I told him, while Sammy added, "Lots and lots and lots." in an evil voice.

Brian got a look of terror in his eyes, which couldn't quite mask the one of yearning, which was underlying it, as I pulled him to me again, while Sammy said indignantly, "Hey, you got to share, he's my boyfriend," and pulled him back towards him.

"No, mine all mine." I said, while Brian couldn't decide whether to blush, or laugh, and finally settled on the blush, along with giggles, as Sammy said,

"Go and get your own boyfriend." and I replied, "why, you can share," which got Brian laughing now, and telling me, "you're silly."

"Nah, he's just weird." Sammy responded, giggling.

Then Brian looked at me and Sammy, and said the most magic words of all "I love you." 

Sammy and I just looked at him, and both of us at the same time bent our heads and kissed his cheek, one on either side, as we said together "I love you too." just smiling at him.

The look on his face was one I'll never forget, as I thought the smile would split his face, that, or he would faint from all the blood rushing into one area. 

Both Sammy and I, gave him another kiss, and cuddled up to him as I heard him whisper,

"Please don't let this be a dream." as Sammy whispered, "why not they do come true, you know." as we lay there and slowly drifted off to sleep, once again, as I was thinking, and remembering that they certainly do.

Flashback

I was laughing softly, as he came back from the bathroom, but it turned into full laughter, as he scowled and said, "It's not funny, I almost went pee pee on myself." 

"Well, a little pee pee won't hurt you, none." I told him, while trying unsuccessfully to stop laughing, while I said it.

He walked up to me and said, "yes it will," while I grinned ,and told him, "Well you went good now didn't you?" which caused him to look at me oddly, but replied, "Yeah, why?"

"Oh just wanted to make sure is all," as a look of understanding came too late to his face, as I reached out, and grabbed him and started tickling him to death, amidst screams and giggles.

Somehow we ended up on the floor, rolling around once again, both of us laughing hysterically, taking the occasional breaks, while holding on to one another, but Sammy made sure to get me tickling him again, each time.

This was just so wonderful, that I didn't have words for it. 

I couldn't get enough of touching his small body, hugging it, and just generally holding it and neither could he, it seemed. He was as starved for affection, as I now realized I was, and I had absolutely no problem, giving him lots and lots of it, I thought with a silly grin on my face.

We both ended up out of breath, on the floor, with him lying on top of me, and his head nestled in my chest, while I just gently rubbed his back.

"I like that." he moaned.

"So do I." was all I could reply, "so do I," 

After a while, I thought of something, and said, "You know we need to go shopping."

"Why?" he asked.

"Well, I can't have you wearing those clothes every day, now can I?" I said with a grin.

He raised his head, and looked confused for a minute, before saying,

"You mean you want to buy me stuff?" in a tone of disbelief.

I smiled and said, "Nah I thought I'd just take you shopping, and let you buy the stuff." 

His look was priceless, as he said, "But...I don't have any..." and then tapered off, as he realized I was teasing him.

"You're silly." he said, with a grin, while I just smiled and said, "I thought we settled that," as my fingers dug in, causing wonderful Sammy giggles, to erupt, as he cried, "stop, stop" and I let off.

Then as quickly as that, the fun stopped, and he was all serious, as he asked, 

"You really want to buy me stuff?" in a tone that clearly said 'what for'?

"Samuel Patrick Campbell, you are going to be my son, are you not?" I asked.

"I guess." he replied.

"You guess?" I asked.

He was staring at me intently and finally said, "Yes."

"Then part of my job, besides tickling you to death, hugging you, holding you, cuddling you, and telling you how much I love you, is to provide for you, which means, buying you stuff." I said, as I watched his face light up more, with each item I mentioned, before he finally moved his arms around me, in a big hug saying, "you're weird, but I love you." as I kissed the top of his head, and told him softly, "I love you too, munchkin." 

We got up from there, and with him either in my arms, or my lap, made our way back to the phone, and found the number for a local cab service, and I carried him outside, to wait for it.

When it got there, he wiggled down and scrambled into the cab, while I followed at a more sedate pace, with him shooting me daggers, clearly saying hurry up. 

I just smiled, as I got in, and said, "What? You're not in a hurry or something are you?" which got the very first of what I loved to hear from his lips,

"Daaaaaaaaaaaad!"

"Yes," I replied, as he scowled. I wasn't even sure he realized he said it, but I did love hearing it.

The cab driver was chuckling, and I could see why, as I looked up at the pictures he had, and smiled saying, "I need a mall where I can get some children's clothes." 

"Ok," he said, and we were off. 

Sammy was bouncing off the walls of the cab, in excitement, and I had to tell him to settle down, several times, although I almost hated to do it, as seeing him so excited, was something I knew to be special. 

The driver got to the mall, and I told him we would call him back, when we were through, as I paid him and we got out of the vehicle.

Munchkin was pulling on my hand, saying "come on, come on" while I just laughed, being dragged all the while. 

They are pretty strong believe it or not, when they actually want to go somewhere.

We entered the mall, and headed over to a clothing store, where, of course, someone came right over to help us. 

I explained that I needed clothing from the inside out, to her and she set off with Sammy, while I just stood there, feeling left out.

That didn't last long though, before Sammy was running back, and grabbing my hand, telling me that he had to try everything on, and wanted me to watch.

The next few years, or at least that's what it seemed like to me, appeared to take forever to get through, as the child tried outfit after outfit on, all of which had to have my approval. 

Let me just say that I do not like shopping, although I loved the look of childish pleasure, that each new item seemed to engender on his young face. It was like watching a kid on Christmas, with a new present with every new shirt or pair of pants, which he put on. 

That was what made it bearable, the pure joy present. 

We finally got out of there, leaving the stuff to be picked up later on. We had left the boy's department, at one point, and we went over to the shoe section, where I got Sam several different types of shoes so he now had a fairly complete wardrobe and anything else could be purchased at a later date. 

I have never seen anyone as happy as Sam was although it took a while to get him over the idea of me spending money on him; once I did he had a field day. The look on his face alone was worth it.

We made a few other stops in the mall, including getting Sammy some cowboy boots, which he absolutely loved, and that he looked so adorable in.

After getting him a snack, we headed back and collected the stuff, with the help from several employees, and carried it all out to the cab, which I had called a short time earlier.

Sammy was still highly energized, although the ice cream could have had a small part in that, I suppose.

We got back to the coach, and I asked the driver to return in about 2 hours, so we could go to dinner, and proceeded to take all the stuff, into the coach where my excited boy began going through it, as if he hadn't just purchased it a short time ago. 

He was so excited about everything, and like in the store, kept coming up to me and giving me a hug, and/or a kiss, before going back to his latest item to show off.

I finally got him to separate them into piles, of shirts; pants, underwear and socks, and then I began putting them away, one pile at a time, as he would relinquish it. 

By the time he was done, I was exhausted, but told him to get changed into something clean, for dinner, which got him very excited again, not, that he had ever wound down yet.

He ran off to his room, and then suddenly was back, and looking at me shyly. 

"What is it honey?" I asked him. 

"I kinda need a bath, it's been a while." he said.

"Ok well, then let's get you one." I said, smiling, which got a Sammy smile in return as he ran off again.

I went back and started the shower, calling "Ok, it's all ready, just come in, and you can leave your clothes in the bin in here, when you get undressed." as I turned around to find my new son, standing there in all his glory, smiling innocently at me.

"Well, I guess we don't have to worry about the undressing part." I said with a smile on my face, which got a little giggle from him, as I said, "well hop on in, and have fun," as I started past him.

"Dad," he said, hesitantly to me.

I stopped and turned to find him looking at me, with an odd look on his face.

"Yeah baby?" I asked him.

"Would...could you..." then in a whisper "...wash me."

"Sammy...." I started to say, but there was a pleading in his eyes that while I didn't understand it I also wasn't going to argue with.

For whatever reason he needed this and I didn't have a problem giving it to him.

"Please" he said before I could say anything "sure honey, I'd love to," I told him, with a smile on my face.

The smile, which appeared on his face, was something that I wouldn't ever forget, I didn't understand why it was important to him, but I knew it was, as I placed my hand on his shoulder, and guided him towards the shower.

He stopped, before I got him to it, looked up at me, "Aren't you going to take your clothes off first?" he asked.

"Umm...well, I thought I would just...." I said, but he spoke up, and told me "It's ok, I don't mind, and you'll just get all wet, if you don't."

"Well honey, it's not that simple, you see..." I once again tried, but once again he opened his mouth.

"Dad, it's not like we're going to play with each other's things, or something." with an evil gleam in his eyes, along with a smile.

"Please," he asked again.

I was not real comfortable with this, but finally said, "are you sure it's alright honey?" 

"Yeah dad, it is." he said, with a finality in his voice, as I stood there looking at him, all traces of levity gone, and dead seriousness in its place.

I wasn't sure about this because of obvious reasons but I began undressing while he watched every move I made and my unease increased as his gaze seemed locked on one area in particular which was having a reaction 

I was about to say something when he placed his hand on my arm and looking intently in my eyes said simply, "It's ok." 

I just looked at him, and he looked back with a small smile on his face, and I realized no matter what happened, that it was and with that realization, I slowly removed the remaining garment, standing before him, in a matching outfit.

He giggled as he looked on intently saying, "It's hard daddy," and with that proceeded to ignore it, and got into the shower.

And that was that. 

All my worries evaporated, along with something else, as I got into the shower with my son.

It was in that moment, that I realized that although being naked with a young boy, had been a dream of mine, for many years that it didn't have to be sexual in nature. 

I was shocked to say the least, but Sammy taught me so much, with that one shower. 

It had to be one of the most intense experiences of my life, although the day had been full of them. 

He stood there as I soaped up my hands, and proceeded to wash him, every part of him except one which he reminded me to do, when I skipped it. I had never experienced anything so sensual, and intimate, as that bath, as I slowly ran my hands up and down his beautiful body, washing arms and legs, chest and back, legs and belly slowly and thoroughly, without haste, and without tarrying, but nevertheless there was no part on his body left untouched, when I was finished, no part that hadn't been loved, and caressed, as I watched his face. The pleasure on it was indescribable, along with the gentle slight smile that never left it. 

I could tell you that I never got hard, and neither did he, but that would be a lie, as I washed his most private part, it responded as did mine, at seeing his obvious enjoyment of my touch. What I can tell you, is other than his sweet smile, while I washed it, and a small giggle or two, it wasn't sexual, just life if that makes any sense. I spent no more time there, than any other place, and he didn't ask me to, although I somehow knew he wouldn't have objected to it, if I had, would even have welcomed the love, but I didn't, and he didn't. 

I finally finished rinsing the last toe, and stood back up, to his smile, as he then surprised me by taking the soap, and beginning on me. He never hesitated, when he got to that part, and washed it with the same love and care as he had done to every other part of my body, before moving on, and like him, there was a normal response to touch, but that was all. 

There are no words to describe that shower, or how close it made me feel to him. This was my little boy now, more than ever, I thought, as he finished rinsing my last toe, and stood there once again, smiling at me.

Of all the things I could think of to say, the only thing I could come up with was two words, with everything I was feeling in them, "Thank you."

The smile became bigger, as he launched himself upwards, and I reached out and grabbed him, bringing him up so he could wrap himself around me, while he hugged me, and I him.

"I love you little one." I told him, as he just hugged harder.

We got out of the shower and I dried him off, just as gently as I had a few minutes earlier washed him, and then the process was repeated, as he did the same to me, both of us smiling all the while.

When we finished, and I had the towels hung up, I told him, "Well, I guess we better get dressed, so we can be ready." 

"Dad, can we just stay home tonight?" he asked me, looking up at me with entreaty in his eyes, and I replied, "Yes, we can." which earned me another big smile, as he once again launched himself into my arms.

I carried him out of the bathroom, telling him "Ok, then lets get ourselves dressed, and we'll just hang tonight." 

"Can we stay like this?" he asked, looking at me again, with entreaty in his eyes. 

This presented a problem, and while I was trying to figure out a way to tactfully say no to him, he asked, "please daddy?" and I simply said alright, carrying him into the living room, where we called and canceled the cab, and proceeded to watch TV for the rest of the night, snacking occasionally, and just holding each other, until bed time, where once again he wanted to stay with me, and I gave in to that look of entreaty in his eyes.

Surprisingly, none of my fears materialized, during the course of the evening. Of the times I had a reaction, Sammy would simply giggle, and occasionally make some comment, one time even reaching over and squeezing it, but then he would simply ignore it, and it became the perfect antidote. 

It was as I had a cuddle puppy crawl in my lap, and get comfortable, that I realized that tonight had been as much about me, as it had been about Sammy. He had, with the simplicity and love, of a child, shown me that my fears didn't have to materialize. He made me comfortable tonight, not only with myself, but with him in the way only he could have, and it worked. Nudity didn't have to equate to what I had always feared it would, and only a child could have shown me that, and he did.

He snuggled up to me, and I wrapped my arm around him, pulling him to me as he said, 

"Goodnight Daddy." 

"You've been calling me that for the last couple of hours," I told him softly,

"Yeah, I know, it's alright isn't it?" he asked me, his body tensing up slightly

"Oh yes, it's more than alright, baby, it's the best thing in the world." I told him.

"Good, cause that's what you are now, you're my daddy." he said, as he sighed contentedly, and settled back into me.

"Yeah, that's what I am sweetheart." I said softly, "forever and ever, and a million years past that." I told him, as I said,

"I love you little one, sleep tight, and don't let the bedbugs bite," as my fingers tickled him slightly.

"I love you too." he responded, when the giggling was finished.

"Daddy," he added, as we both drifted off to sleep with me thinking about that word and that child. 

End Flashback

I awoke, thinking much as I had when I drifted off to sleep, with two of my babies in my arms, that dreams do come true, sometimes. I just laid there for a few minutes, until Randy came running into the room, saying, "Didn't you hear the pilot, we have to take our seats, we're starting to go down so we can land." 

"Ok, honey, we'll be right there." I told him, as he rushed over to give, and get, a kiss, before heading back to the main cabin. I then realized that I had company on my other side, and two sets of eyes, looking up at me, on this one.

"Well hello there sleepyheads." I said gently, while bending over and placing kisses on their foreheads. The smile on Brian's face, was heaven sent, as I kissed him again, and then tried to suppress laughter, as SamSam bent over and gave him a kiss on the cheek as well, eliciting a beautiful red hue to his face. 

I couldn't resist, as I said, "Aaaaawwwww, that's sooooo sweet," which got a scowl from Sam, and an even redder hue from Brian, as I tried to disentangle myself from the pile, of what I soon discovered to be Peter, Danny and Derek on the other side of me.

After I had gotten everyone up, and all of us had hit the bathroom, we headed out to the main cabin, where it looked like we weren't the only ones who had been napping. 

I had just sat down, when my sat phone rang, and I picked it up.

"Hello."

"Hey, what cha doing?" Eric, on the other end asked me.

"Well, lets see, other than fleeing the country, ahead of the police, FBI and God knows what else, just peachy." I told him, as he began laughing, not that I could see what was so funny, myself, but...

"Hey, I don't think you have to worry about it much now." he said, and I sat forward suddenly.

"What do you mean?" I said, all seriousness now.

"Well, let's just say, that the hearing was fun, and the prosecutor stepped on his dick, big time." he told me still laughing.

"Eric..." I said in no mood for jokes,

"Alright, alright, already, Sammy needs to get you to loosen up some, not only did the judge deny everything, and I mean everything, that the state had asked for, he also issued an order barring the state from being within a mile of you, or the kids, or attempting any contact either."

"You're joking," I said.

"No, and it gets better," he said.

"How?" I asked.

"Well, the prosecutor had the audacity to basically say in open court, that you being single, and collecting boys, must mean you were screwing them, or planning on it." 

"Oh no he didn't?" I said in horror thinking that they were accusing me of that now

"Oh but he did" Eric said still laughing which was beginning to get on my nerves 

"Eric, being accused of child molestation is not what I would call a laughing matter," I said, all trace of friendliness gone from my voice.

"Mike, chill for God's sake, he insinuated it, but didn't come right out and say you were doing it." Eric told me.

"So what is funny about this?" I asked, still not mollified.

"Well, it seems that the state's attorney either didn't have time to prepare adequately, or didn't bother, because not only did this judge cut the guy's balls off without pain meds, he also is a single man, who has adopted 4 boys himself." Eric said.

I started choking, before I finally got out, "oh no he didn't." 

"Oh yes he did, and the judge didn't say a damn thing, until the hearing was concluded either." Eric said to me.

Now, I was laughing, while everyone else was looking at me strangely.

"What did he say?" I finally managed to gasp out.

Chuckling, Eric told me, "Basically, he told the guy, he hopes he doesn't show up on his doorstep, thinking he was screwing them too." 

"OH MY GOD!" was all I could get out, while the kids thought I must have gone crazy or something.

"Just thought I'd let you know, Alan says the judge is probably going to want to speak to you, and the boys, either teleconference, or videoconference, if you can do it."

Between laughter, I managed to get out, "Ok, well, I'll call you after we get settled in, and tell Al that I think we can manage one or the other, and will let him know." 

"Ok, say hi to my bunch, and I'll talk to them later, tell em...tell them I love them." he said. 

"I will Eric, I will, and I'll hug em to death, for you too." I promised. 

"You do that Mike, you do that." I heard him say, and I knew this must be horrible for him, as the line went dead.

"I will," I softly whispered to the dead phone, before placing it back on it's cradle, looking at it for a moment, before looking up to find the clan staring back at me.

"Well, that was Eric." I said to stares of 'duh', as I continued, "he says things went well in court today, and he loves you guys, and misses you guys a lot. I am also supposed to smother you with hugs from him, after we land." I said, smiling.

They smiled back, just as the Captain announced, "we are on approach, and will be landing in approximately 10 minutes."