Life Renewed - Revised

Portions Contributed by: Akeentia and Jeff P

 

When he saw both boys start to grin he chuckled. "I don't know what you munchkins are plotting, but I'd better go take a leak or else this will become a waterbed!"

"Okay Daddy!" both boys exclaimed, as they scrambled off of the bed and grabbed Josh's hands. "C'mon; we gotta go too!"

"Ummmm ..." Josh started to reply before being cut off by CJ.

"Daddy, we ain't doin' nothin but peeing! It ain't hurtin' us to look at each other; your rules just say us touchin' you or you touchin' us can be bad if we ain't careful."

"Okay munchkin; you guys win this round." Josh chuckled. "Let's get it over with."

Once they had finished, complete with sword-fighting streams, Josh turned towards the shower.

"Let me guess; you guys want to join me in the shower too."

"Please?" both boys replied with puppy-dog eyes.

Josh chuckled. "Come on guys; I guess we'll see if you've been taught to wash properly."

Twenty minutes later, Josh found himself drying off two giggling boys.

"Our turn!" Chad exclaimed as soon as he was done.

Josh was glad to discover that the boys took his earlier talk seriously and kept to drying without any excess 'playing'.

Josh walked out of the bathroom with two boys on his tail and went to open a drawer in his dresser to get out a pair of boxers. Two little hands pushed the drawer back closed.

"Please Daddy? We like seeing you without clothes; we promise no touching but we want you to stay nekked with us." Chad asked.

Josh looked at the two boys and noticed something.

"That's not the real reason, is it guys?" he asked softly.

CJ looked down at the floor.

"We kinda feel better when we cuddle nekked with you. We can feel you all over an' it makes us feel good."

Josh pulled both boys up against him.

"I can't help you guys unless you tell me what makes you feel safer. If it crosses the line of where I feel comfortable, I'll let you know. Let's go see what I can figure out for breakfast; I really didn't get a chance to get any 'kid food', but maybe we can figure out something.

Josh glanced at the boys snuggled under each of his arms. For the last seven hours, not a second had passed when at least one of them wasn't somehow in physical contact with him; even when he was cooking lunch they were right by his side. Josh gave each boy a squeeze.

"Guys, can we talk for a second?"

Both boys looked up at him. "Sure Daddy," CJ said.

Josh smiled. "I still don't know how I'm doing it, but I can feel how safe you guys are feeling. As much as I enjoy catching up on cuddles with you, sooner or later we're going to have to do things that makes it impossible for at least one of you to be with me. I'm not ever going to push you guys away, but you need to be careful that you don't get so dependent on being with me that you can't function without me."

Chad seemed to concentrate for a second, then cuddled in close as he replied.

"We don' wanna lose you, Daddy. Mommy knew all 'bout us; even stuff we ain't told you. We kinda goofed up once an' she made us promise never to tell anyone 'bout it; but one'a our friends ain't feelin' good an' we're worried about him."

Josh started to respond, but was interrupted by a voice from the center of the room.

"Your Mom says that promise doesn't apply to your new Dad guys; besides, you have already shared part of it with him." As he finished speaking, a twelve-year-old strawberry blond with glowing wings materialized above the coffee table.

"Whoa!!!" Chad and CJ exclaimed. "Are you an angel?"

The boy giggled. "Yeah, I'm Davie Owens, assistant to Saint Mikey of Urbandale, protector of gay and abandoned youth. Mikey says to tell you hi; he's kinda tied up at the moment with something that just came up. You guys have a really kewl Mom; Mikey and I have been talking to her since Josh figured out what was happening to you guys. She said to tell you that it's okay to tell Josh your secret; he's your Daddy now, and needs to know about it."

"We miss Mommy," Chad said as silent tears went down both boys' faces.

Davie settled into a nearby chair and motioned for the two boys to sit on his lap. Once they were both seated he wrapped his wings around them and responded softly.

"Your Mommy misses you too guys. She's watching over you every single day. In fact, she helped us set it up so that your new daddy was there right when you needed him the most. She says to tell you that everything you've done with Josh is just fine. I know what you guys need to do to finish what you started; considering why you want to do it what you need to do is okay. Josh; what they are going to tell you needs to be done is the only way; it's somehow tied into their genetic coding that this is the only way."

Josh looked at the two boys cuddled on Davey's lap. "Okay; you've just made this the weirdest day ever! I love these guys a lot, but why do they rate a visit from an angel?"

Davie giggled. "Sometimes things need a little 'push' to get them going in the right direction. Besides, I heard that I had some new brothers and had to check them out myself!"

"Brothers?" Josh asked with a puzzled expression.

"You can't see the resemblance?" Davie questioned as both boys looked up at him in question.

"Actually, no," Josh replied. "And I'm pretty sure I would have known if my sister had been pregnant twelve years ago."

"Maybe, but in life, I would be like 15 by now," Davie said as he looked down at Chad and CJ, who looked like they were really buying into his joke. "I'm kidding guys, Geez." He continued with a giggle. "You both are part of a huge family, didn't you know that?"

"Doc 'Tonio said we were like brothers now," CJ replied. "But that don't mean nuthin; he was just helpin' us feel good."

"You think he just said that to just make you feel good?" Davie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Chad replied.

"There ain't no way that they could be or would wanna be our brothers for real," CJ added.

Davie tilted his head and glanced at both boys before sighing. "I know Antonio." He stated with a serious expression. "If he wanted to just make you feel good he'd say you looked nice. If he said you were like brothers, I'd bet he said that from his heart; and meant it."

"Why? We ain't nothin." CJ stated.

"Oh man..." Davie sighed. "You know what I can see in you? I mean what I really see as an angel?"

"Whadda you see?" the boys chorused.

"I see two boys who never did anything to deserve being treated the way they were." Davie began. "I see two boys with big hearts and lots of love that they are afraid to share with anyone else right now cause they are afraid they aren't worth giving it to anyone else or maybe that no one else would want it. I see two boys that I would be proud to call my brothers, if they would only let me I mean." He finished with a smile.

"But we ain't no good; nobody wants to like brothers who liked puttin' their stuff in each other's mouth to feel good," CJ replied as both boys hung their heads.

"That's not true CJ," Davie said as he hugged the boys tighter. "Do you guys know who Saint Mikey is?"

"No. They never said nothin' about a Saint Mikey in the church we went to." Chad replied.

"The church you went to probably wouldn't tell you about him." Davie sighed. "Saint Mikey's work is to protect you guys. He chose to do that because too many people buy into the garbage some people believe about some of the things you were taught were wrong or meant you were no good. They say they are spreading the word of the Lord when all they are really doing is twisting his words to enforce their own hate for something that really shouldn't be hated." He said knowing the boys just weren't understanding him. "Anyway, Saint Mikey has been teaching me how to be a guardian angel. He taught me how to see if a person needs me. I can actually see the love and good in people, even if they don't even know it's there. You wanna know how?"

"How?" CJ asked with disbelief.

"Cause to me, it shines all around you. It's bright, like you have the sun trapped in your heart and it's trying to get out so it can share itself with everyone." Davie said with a smile. "You wanna see it?"

"Sure," Chad replied.

"Close your eyes, both of you." Davie almost whispered as he wrapped his wings tighter to cover both of their faces with the ends. "Now open your eyes and look at each other."

"But you got our eyes covered." CJ giggled.

"Right, you gotta look through me to see what I see. Trust me." Davie answered with a giggle.

"Whoa!" both boys exclaimed. "That's kewl!" After a seconds pause, CJ added "Chad's glow looks just like yours Davie. You ain't foolin' us are you?"

"CJ's does too!" Chad added.

"Normally everyone's glow is different. Some are brighter, some not as bright. Some have more color; some are more white or silver. You guys just happen to have a glow that made me know I have to be here. The brightness coming from you made me know you were my brothers even if we have different parents." Davie said, as both boys turned their heads toward Josh.

"Hey!" CJ cut in as both boys turned their gazes toward Josh. "Daddy has a kinda blue glow, it's not like ours."

"Cause a different Angel watches over him. One who saw in him the same thing I see in you both." Davie said, as he let the tips of his wings slide down and uncover their eyes. "That glow tells about the person inside. Most of the time a guardian angel has a glow that is similar to a person and that makes them a better choice to watch out for them. The closer they are in color and brightness, the closer the angel becomes to that person."

"What happens when they look just like their angel" Chad asked tilting his head in question as CJ looked up at Davie with wide eyes.

"It means you are just as close to me as any family could be." Davie smiled. "It means you aren't as 'no good' as you were told and I'll make sure you know it and never feel that way about yourselves again."

"What kinda glow did our old Daddy have? Everyone says he was bad." Chad asked.

"When he was a little boy, I think it was just as bright as ours. Somewhere in his life, someone made him feel like he was no good and he believed it. It's not like it's gone or anything, just trapped inside and it can't get out to be shared with other people."

"We share it?" CJ asked with a squeak in his voice. "We didn't even know we had it before."

"It's your life force." Davie giggled. "That glow is mostly love and trust and everything else that is inside your hearts. The more you believe that you are a bad person or maybe even just 'no good' it blocks everything that really is good inside you. I think that's what happened to your old Dad. Inside, he's a good person but he's trapped it in there and isn't even trying to let it out. Does that make any sense?"

"Kinda," Chad replied. "Is sharing the special stuff that CJ and I can do, ya' know, feeling other people inside, a good thing that makes us brighter? Is it gonna make Daddy brighter if we share the rest of it with him?"

"I bet it will," Davie answered with a smile. "Just remember that you saw a very special part of him just now. A part you normally wouldn't be able to see. You two have so much to offer everyone in your life, especially with your Daddy. Sometimes people can be good and act bad, other times they can be bad but act good. It's up to you both to find out who people really are inside before sharing everything that is good inside you. I can't always be right here to let you see the easy way like you did with your Daddy."

"That's my job to teach you how to do that." Josh piped in. "You both are truly special; I'm here to make sure you never get hurt again."

"And I'm here cause I see the same thing 'Tonio does in you even if it's in a different way," Davie added as he smiled widely at Josh.

"Will we ever see you again?" CJ asked in a suddenly worried tone. "We like you; you're nice."

"Now I know angels blush." Josh chuckled as Davie's face brightened in color.

"I'm always gonna be watching out for you guys, as your guardian angel and as a part of my family. I can't answer all your questions and I can't just keep everything that is bad away from you but, if you ever need me to be with you I will be. Sometimes you'll just know I'm there, sometimes you might not." Davie grinned as he watched Josh smile warmly at them all. "Your Daddy is always gonna be here for you. As a matter of fact," He said as he lowered his voice to a whisper, "I think he really needs a hug right now."

Chad and CJ both leaned up and kissed either side of Davie's cheeks. "You're an awesome big brother."

CJ whispered back. "Yeah, we love you, Davie," Chad added.

Both boys gave Davie a squeeze and then pounced off of his lap onto their unsuspecting daddy.

"I love you guys too," Davie said as he smiled at Josh, who was being tackled by them both.

Davey then slowly vanished from sight.

Josh pulled both boys in tight to his chest. "I love you guys too; you're my special pair of angels."

Both boys purred as they returned the hug, then CJ looked over his shoulder at where Davie had been. "Where'd he go? we didn't even get to say 'bye'."

"That's because I didn't leave." Davie's voice announced with a laugh, seeming to come from nowhere. "I wanted to give you guys some privacy though; you've got something to finish with your Dad before you have company. I do have to meet up with Mikey though so if you need me, just shout, okay?"

Chad and CJ both blushed, then CJ asked in a small voice, "Is it really okay to share our gift with Daddy? We ain't gonna be kicked outta Heaven for what we gotta do to share it are we?"

A giggle seemed to echo through the room as it became further away. "Could I be here if that was true?"

Josh chuckled. "He's got a point boys; angels won't allow you to do anything bad." Both boys gave Josh a nervous smile as they silently took his hands and led him back to his bedroom.

 

Forty-five minutes later:

Josh laid on the bed in awe as he held his two sleeping sons, one under each arm. He now realized that what had been shared with him in the hospital was but a small part of what made the two boys unique. He could now feel every sensation either boy was feeling as if it were his own; everything right down to the itch on Chad's little toe that the hair on his leg was causing. His smile grew wider as he realized the boys were even sharing their dreams with him. He closed his eyes and watched as he learned through their individual viewpoints in the dreams about the time they discovered the key to sharing this precious gift of feeling others totally with someone other than themselves. As Josh now knew, it required the right type of person along with the right sequence of events to allow the skill to be shared. He had been relieved to find out that the interpersonal actions between the participants did not require penetration in any way; what it did require was a complete commitment to the feelings of the other people involved, instead of yourself. After a few minutes, both boys stretched and ground their bodies in tightly against Josh as they started waking up. Josh gave them a hug as they all but purred in contentment.

CJ was the first to break the silence. "Is that what love feels like Daddy?"

Josh smiled. "If you mean what I'm feeling right now, yes it is, munchkin."

CJ pondered his feelings for a minute. "I'm happy I can feel you like I feel Chad then Daddy; I feel all tingly all over and it feels good!"

"Me too Daddy!" Chad chimed in, now fully awake.

"Me three guys! I do have one question though. How can you tell your feelings from other people? Right now ONE of us needs to go pee; I'm not sure who though!"

Chad giggled. "We don't try! We just go at the same time!" Chad then scooted off of the bed and took Josh's hand, pulling him and CJ along. "C'mon before one of us makes a puddle!"

Josh chuckled as he allowed the boys to drag him towards the bathroom. "This is getting to be a habit, guys!"

A few minutes later, they exited the bathroom to find Jamie sitting on the edge of the bed with a nine-year-old strawberry blond boy sitting timidly next to him.

"WILLY!!!" Chad and CJ screamed as they broke away from Josh and tackled the newcomer back onto the bed.

Josh came to a halt as he noticed the stern expression on Jamie's face.

"Go ahead and look Jamie; I don't have anything to hide," Josh said.

Jamie nodded and closed his eyes. A few seconds later, he re-opened them, stood up, and walked over to Josh.

"I'm sorry," Jamie said, as he wrapped his arms around Josh. "I guess I'm just worrying too much."

"No, you are worrying just right," Josh replied as he returned the hug. His new senses picked up on something, and he looked over at the other boys.

"Chad; CJ! Why don't you guys catch up with Willy in your room, while Jamie and I have a talk?"

"Sure Dad!" the boys chorused as they dragged their friend out of the room.

Josh had a seat on the bed and motioned for Jamie to take a seat next to him.

"Okay, I can tell it's something else other than worrying about CJ and Chad. The boys shared their gift with me; if I saw what I think I did in their dream earlier, you just brought the only other person other than me that they have shared their gift with into our home. But I'm not worried about that, I'm worried about you. Something is tripping you off, and it doesn't have anything to do with Willy."

Jamie took a seat next to Josh. "I'm sorry; it's just that seeing you walkin' out nude with CJ an' Chad kinda made me think about Jacob and me's old father. He useta' make us do stuff with him or else we couldn't eat; if we did stuff with him then we got bread an' somethin' to drink. I was thinkin' you might be startin' to do that kinda stuff to the twins."

Josh put an arm over Jamie's shoulder. "Thanks for worrying about them. If I could get my hands on your old father I'd strangle him. Something tells me that you're still being bugged by something though."

Jamie hung his head. "I liked doing the stuff though; I liked the taste and all."

Josh lifted Jamie's head and looked him in the eyes. "What was wrong was that he made you do it; what was really wrong was holding back food. You liking it is not wrong, the part about it that you liked was something you would have learned by yourself sooner or later. I'm guessing your brother is listening in on this too; this is for both of you. You guys were forced to learn about parts of sex before you were ready for it; it doesn't change what you like or don't like, it just means that you are aware of it before you normally would have been. Don't let what he did to you ruin your natural tendency to learn by experimenting with someone your own age that you trust."

Jamie snuggled into Josh's side. "I kinda understand I guess. I just miss some of the stuff; stuff that kids can't do. Even tho I know he was bein' bad I still miss it." Jamie paused, then added, "I honestly don't know what to do about that."

Josh replied softly. "I think I know someone who does though. Try talking to Mike; you know as well as I do that he's been there. Just because you know what's in his head don't mean that talking to him won't help; sometimes different memories can be put together in a way that they make sense as long as the right person is doing it."

Jamie smiled. "Thanks, Josh. I think I'll do that. You listen pretty good for a grown-up."

"Thanks. You're pretty smart for a munchkin." Josh chuckled as he rustled Jamie's hair. "Shall we check on the other boys?"

 

CJ and Chad's room:

"So, Willy, we was wondering about how you were," CJ said as they went into the bedroom and closed the door.

Willy looked back at the twins, "You did? You thought about me when I was in that place?"

"Sure, we're your friends," Chad added. "Just because we didn't see ya don't mean we forgot 'bout you."

"Those boys in the robes came and I belong to your new Dad now," Willy told the boys.

"Way Cool! That means you're our brother!" CJ said.

"Yeah, Dad doesn't own you, your his son just like us," Chad added.

Willy pondered that, "Even my first owner didn't treat me like that. He used me as a servant and, well some of the other things I'm programmed and designed for. I don't know exactly how to be a son."

"Don't worry bro, we'll teach you all we know," CJ replied with a grin.

Just then Josh opened the door, "Oh, my God, don't you dare!"

Chad and CJ giggled, but Willy looked worried that they had done something wrong.

Josh caught the look and quickly went to Willy and knelt down in front of him, "Willy, I was teasing the boys. They can show you what being a brother and a son is all about. You are a member of our family and CJ, Chad, Jamie and Jacob are your brothers. Each of you is important to me and to each other. We don't force things on each other, we try to work together. Do you understand?"

Willy looked perplexed, which is damn cute on a nine-year-old android face, "No sir, I do not understand. I am just an android and am only meant to be a servant member of the family."

Jamie who had followed Josh into the room, gasped, "But that isn't right. Don't you want to be a real part of a family? Didn't it hurt that you weren't a real part of the family."

The room was absolutely silent and everyone was looking at Willy. "I, I hated that. I hated having to give pleasure and never receive it. Giving loyalty and never being given a second thought." Real tears were on Willy's cheeks.

Chad and CJ smothered him in hugs as Josh and Jamie left the three alone and went to find Jacob and have him join them. Willy actually felt something he had never felt before. Love. He didn't know how he knew what this was, so he ran a scan of his programs, negative results. He reached his arms around his new brothers and returned the hug. Things then went blank.

"DAAADDDD!!!" Chad and CJ screamed as Willy went limp.

 

To Be Continued ....

 

Author's Note:

You said you wanted more! The twin terrors are back, and it looks like they've got something hidden in their armpits! (I would of said 'up their sleeves' but do you have any idea how hard it is to get them to wear shirts?) Thanks to everyone involved in getting this moving again!

AC

 

Coauthor's Notes:

Okay, see that's how to end a chapter. A little teaser to get the readers interest so they will want to grab a torch and pitchfork...I mean so they will want to read the next chapter. I think I better go be sure the castle is secure for the night.

Str8mayb AKA Evil Author & Master of Misdirection

 

Editor's Notes:

There are supposed to be notes in here. I have looked all up and down the scales and I haven't found any notes. I sure hope Willie is alright. He deserves to be loved and he deserves to know he is loved. Josh and the boys will most likely give him that opportunity, if he didn't have a fatal overload. Oh dear, I guess we will just have to wait for the next chapter to find out what happens.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

 

Clan Archivist's Review Notes:

This is a heartwarming and straightforward look into a very serious issue that affects many children around the world. Well done AC and Str8mayb you have a very good job on such a delicate topic. I am looking forward to seeing how CJ, Chad, and Willy develop into a family. It will be very interesting to see how Josh handles the emotional needs of his three kids. AAKD Strikes again.

The Story Lover AKA TSL