Fire in the Firehouse 21

...Mitch sat in the same spot for hours seeing everything over and over. He finally recalled his gun up stairs This time he was going to end it all. There's be no more time spent in Wonderland. He'd come to the conclusion to himself he was like Alice, trapped in some alternate reality. Was it a spell? A bad dream? What? No matter. THIS would be it. No more guessing, wondering, wandering. He bolted upstairs, ran to his dresser drawer and pulled out the gun. He looked at himself in the mirror and saw what kind of a wreck he'd become. His clothes torn, dirty as well as all of his appearance, just a mess. This was not who he was. He picked up the gun, looked down the barrel and it was over. Just like that. No more Trish, kids, and most importantly, no more Colby. 

A bolt of lightning tore through the sky. The weather had shifted. This was all the people of the Bay Area needed. The ground had just shaken dramatically. News reporters were being soaked. An unexpected low pressure system expected to bypass the region had managed its way into the area. People that had lost their homes were now homeless, cold, hungry and confused. Chaos had erupted all over. The area was a mess. Gun shots rained through the night sky. The evening was growing longer. Life right now for these people was pure hell.

Inside their home Colby and Cory had managed to take Mitch into the room shared by the two lovers. He had been out cold for some time. A falling book, actually a book on Wiccan magic had fallen off the shelf and had rendered him unconscious. Colby sat on the edge of the bed wiping his lover's brow. He could tell he was having nightmares, but had no way to rouse him. He'd tried anything and everything. 

All the others were sitting before the TV watching the news coverage. They'd all been spared. Some neighborhoods had been devastated, while others had minor damage and others yet only a broken glass or so here and there. Victoria sat before the TV tears streaming down her face. It pained her seeing the children that had lost so much wander about looking for answers. The men sat silently, holding their emotions inside as men often tend to do.

Mitch's uncle Joey was pacing nervously. He would peek in on his nephew every 20 minutes or so. He'd used his powers and learned he was fine, but he needed verbal conformation. The house had grown still. The storm had made the air damp and muggy. A good relaxing breath was hard to come by. 

About 3:30 in the morning everyone had found a place to rest for the night. The windows were sealed and doors locked for protection. Looting was rampant throughout the city and surrounding neighborhoods. The police had issued a curfew but there were still others that used the cover of night to hide them and their mischief-making intentions.

Joey sat looking longingly at the bay. There were sporadic cars crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. The city seemed to almost shut down. best Joey could tell, those that were on the bridge were officers, Cal Trans workers repairing the roads, PG&E trucks out to repair downed lines and phone company trucks, plus occasional ambulances and fire trucks. 

Colby lay next to his lover. His mind overloaded with thoughts. He muttered, "When will this all end? Every time we turn around there's some new obstacle to deal with. We get so close to getting to where we want to be." He sat in stillness pondering his words and thoughts. The long night seemed to creep by. 

Colby was spooning his lover, they were both naked, bedroom door locked for added privacy. He felt his lover's perfected muscles as he caressed his body. He was hoping to himself that the stimulation would awaken Mitch, or at the very least give comfort. He'd touch his man's nipples between his thumb and index finger, pinching at just the right pressure. He'd then go down and cup his fiance's stiff prick feeling the warm precum juices flow. Occasionally he'd savor the sweet nectar on his tongue. He wasn't violating the other, just feeling their love and their bond through the intimate explorings.

Mitch stirred often. It seemed to indicate he was feeling the attention given to his body. The fan in the room was providing a minute amount of relief from the staggering air. The humidity was almost unbearable. Colby contemplated turning on the air conditioner, but figured that might be too much cold air on Mitch. The others in the house were sleeping with all windows ajar after realizing it'd be fine. Being on the second level made it a bit more safe.

It was somewhere around 5:00 AM everyone had fallen asleep. The rain had changed to a cool mist. It were as though God was answering prayers. The coolness blanketed the area and was helping to make the people relax. Someone in each room had closed the windows. They each knew as the sun rose there'd be more noises to contend with. The place was well insulated and had double pane windows, all of which helped minimize sounds from outside.

Cory was up first somewhere after 7:30 AM. He'd been restless all night. He'd just gotten some of the best news of his life and had it interrupted by the moving of the Earth. He had so many thoughts to weigh. A small thought danced through his mind. With the Earthquake chances were high that there'd be businesses closing and so on. He'd have the pick of the litter so to speak and might be able to really secure a great location for his planned venture. 

Cory made a big pot of coffee and dumped the first one into a thermos-like container. He was making sure there'd be enough for everyone. He peeked into the backyard after the first pot was done. The generator still running in the back shed. The rest of the block was out, but they'd managed to have power due to their planning ahead. A few neighbors saw they had a generator and came by asking to keep medicines cold and baby formula, too. They obliged willingly.

Nick rose next and made his way to his son. They sat and talked idly, bullshitting about anything that made sense. It was one of those situations that there was very little to talk about based on recent events. Plus it was still too early to talk in depth. They shared the morning paper and discussed the pictures and such that had been printed from the night before's events.

The day finally wore on where everyone but Mitch was awake. Everyone but Nick had decided to leave. Cole and Drake called SFO airport and chartered a private jet to Southern California. They'd made friends with a couple online and went there to meet. They felt the Bay Area was just to much of a mess. Mitchell,Sr., and his family tagged along as Victoria wanted to do some shopping on Rodeo Drive. They all stayed within the state, just to be close by. Nick stayed, not wanting to travel the roads at that particular time.

The house had grown still again. Somewhere around noon Mitch woke up. Cory made calls to the others to let them know he'd come to. Cory and Nick decided to head out and volunteer at a Red Cross shelter. The two lovers had managed some time alone.

Mitch whispered through a strained voice, "What happened baby? Last I recall we were going to head out to help with the disaster. And here I am now with these haunting memories." Mitch realized he'd been dreaming. The life he'd made was still in tact. Trish, the babies and all that was a nightmare brought on by his unconsciousness. He felt relieved knowing things were as he'd wanted them.

Colby teased his lover, fighting back tears of joy. "Well, Dorothy, while you were in Oz we did very little but worry about you and watch TV. You and I were heading out when one of your books on magic knocked you into Oz. We tried anything and everything to snap you awake, but it just didn't happen. Hell, I even tried turning you on. Even that didn't work." The two lovers shared a laugh over that.

Mitch replied, "Well, soon as this headache passes I'm all for doing that." They laughed more. But then a serious tone set in. "What are things like out there babe? Seemed pretty bad before I went out." Mitch remembered they were getting ready to run out the door and help out, that was basically all he recalled. After that, things were a blur.

Colby informed him that after he was hit by the falling book he opted to stay home. And he even confessed, "To be honest, I'm glad it happened this way." Mitch shot his lover a curious look. He responded in detail, "No, no. Its not like I'm glad you got knocked out per se. More like I'm glad something came along to stop us from going." This was making more sense. "See, ever since we met its been one friggin' thing after another. I'm sick of it. How much more can we take? I'm at my wits end. I realize people go through issues in life, but I swear, its almost like someone is on the other side writing these things and making us go through these issues, dilemmas, and the like." The two embraced in a loving hug, feeling as one, yet separate facing the world and what was thrown at them.

The house seemed dead. It had been ages since the two lovers were together. Both men kept thinking how sad things were out in the city and other surrounding areas. But they needed this. They needed to be selfish and enjoy each other. Colby got up naked, the house had a tiny chill to it that stiffened his nipples and caused his testicles to tighten in response. He got up to grab some healthy snack foods. The two men lay watching TV and trying to tune out the rest of the world. They both felt like they were carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders.

Mitch's mind was full of thoughts. He kept reliving his dream world, was comforted by the fact it was all just a dream. He'd gotten so caught up he began to shed a few tears. The warm tears streamed down his cooler cheeks before collecting in his collar bone. His breathing became more labored and Colby was quick to take notice. 

"Hey, babe," Colby began. "What's the matter?" They lay staring into the others eyes for a split second before Mitch tore his eyes away. The other found it hard to speak.

A deep sigh and Mitch began, "I guess its all hitting me at once what exactly this all means to me. There's just been so much. I agree, it seems like there's someone writing these events on the other side. I just want to build my life with you now. Enough is enough. Its been since January we've been dealing with this shit. What happened to the feeling we had the first time we made love? I want that back." Colby stared on intently. He was trying to read where Mitch might be going with all this. Mitch continued at it began making sense.

Colby interjected, "Well, I know what you mean. Things seemed more simple then. Maybe this is all going way too fast. We could call off the wedding. But..." His words stopped there, staining the air with emotions. He held back his own urge to cry.

Mitch quickly rebutted, "No babe. Not at all. Its just that there seems to be too much going on. I dunno. I don't think a move like that makes sense. But there's just something lacking from all of this and I can't place it." The two were finding themselves far too worked up.

Time passed slowly as the two men found themselves engrossed in a show on TV. They hardly noticed Nick and Cory come in. The two men said their good nights. Some talk was had over the conditions throughout the area and it seemed encouraging. Cory allowed that according to reports, the magnitude of the Earthquake was a 7.2 and that was bigger than Loma Prieta in 1989. But so much seismic retrofitting had taken place, most structures remained undaunted. There were deaths and plenty of destruction, but nothing like in the past. People seemed more prepared. And, as it turned out, the Earthquake epicenter was 25 miles out in the Pacific ocean. The dynamics were much different with this shaker.

The house suddenly filled with stillness as the day wore on into night. There was little to do and nowhere really to go. The police curfew remained in effect again this night. 

Somewhere about 2:45 in the morning Colby woke up. He was having terrible dreams. Not bad, but vivid in details. He had perfect recollection of what he'd seen. He sat up in bed gathering his thoughts. What were these dreams telling him? 

Since he couldn't make sense of his dreams, the young man quietly got out of bed to check his email. He figured he could relax online for a while and then go back to bed. And sleeping in wasn't a big deal. Most of the city was shut down due to repairs and all. Plus the fact the city was asking people not in need to stay home and keep the streets free of added traffic. Only people that worked retail, emergency response jobs and so on. Most other jobs were closed. Classes canceled. 

Colby checked his in box, saw a short note from Cole and Drake asking how Mitch was. He answered it and moved on. He sat looking through his favorite sites. Visited some gay blogs, posted his voice on some topics and moved on. All the while not being able to shake the dreams he had been having.

As he surfed the net, the stunning young man went into a deep thought. He thought to himself, I wonder what my dreams were trying to tell me. Maybe it has something to do with the conversations Mitch and I had about things not being like they were when we met. No sooner had he finished his thoughts when he noticed a new blog entry. 'Gay marriage and Wicca.' Curiosity got the best of him as he opened the page.

He read on. 'My gay lover and I are sick to death of the country ignoring us. We want the same rights as our heterosexual brothers and sisters. How much longer will we be denied our rights as people of this country. First it was women and blacks that were denied certain freedoms, now us. We're like the last minority that has been without a real voice that will fight for us. Today I learned the Wiccan religion has a practice known as handfasting. I'm curious to know the details on this.' Instantly Colby knew what his dreams meant. He was having a non magic premonition of marrying Mitch and getting their relationship blessed in the eyes of God and the spirits. It all made sense now. 

Colby began exploring all the details he could find on the ceremony. Then after he'd compiled a ton of info he began researching locations. He wanted to give Mitch ideas of where to have it. Santa Cruz and Monterey, both in California were two ideas and neither of which were too far away. There was Lake Tahoe in the Sierras, but too many memories there. There was Las Vegas and so on. Colby wanted a good list of choices to present to his man when morning came. He knew it was time to do things right by God.

The hours seemed to melt into one. Mitch awoke after 7:30 to find his lover looking both energized and exhausted. "Have you been up all night babe?" Colby barely recognized his lover's voice. He was becoming almost delirious from lack of sleep. But at the same time had renewed vigor with the idea of getting married and finding the right place. One thing he was certain of: it had to be somewhere special and it needed to be a fresh scene.

Mitch stood over his boyfriend's shoulder reading silently. It all looked good. Plus he saw Colby taking a serious interest in handfasting. He inquired what the sudden interest was. "Well, this is new. Care to share some details?" Colby was all too happy to oblige.

"Yeah! Well, funniest thing. I had a premonition last night as I slept." The dark haired stud looked on puzzled as if to say you had a premonition. You're not even a witch. Sensing what his lover was thinking Colby went on. "Yep, I did. I saw things how they need to be. I needed to open my heart and mind to all of this. And I feel with our having God's blessing, things will run more smooth." Mitch listened as Colby anxiously poured out his thoughts.

Things were starting to make sense now. They had a plan to go by. It all seemed more solid now. Like they were heading in the right direction. 

A few days passed. Nothing exciting happened. The city was very slowly trying to get back together after the Earthquake. The two men had made plans to drive down the coast, via Highway 1. Luckily there was no major damage to the road, what there had been had been quickly repaired. 

The drive was soothing for both men as they thoroughly enjoyed some one on one time. They left Nick and Cory home. The latter wanting to tour the city looking for a site for his club. The former wanting to catch up on some work. The rest of the family and friends stayed in Southern California.

They got a late start purposely. They wanted to stop off in a small city along the drive and make love by the road side. Unfortunately the weather had other ideas as a thick blanket of fog creeped in and cooled things off substantially. They opted to stop in Santa Cruz at a quaint seaside hotel. The view was spectacular. The moon kept peeking through the fog. The night was still except for a soft ocean breeze that made love to the air. 

The two men shelled out several big dollars for the suite they stayed in. It was the highest room possible, free from prying eyes. The best feature had to be the out door heaters on the balcony. There was the upright model and the one hanging from the overhang above. It blocked out a vast majority of the cooler air. 

Mitch made his way outside while Colby ordered room service. The darker haired man was paying close attention to details. He had some ideas in mind. The two men always traveled with an air mattress for various reasons. And it just so happened there was just enough room for their queen sized mattress to be rolled out and inflated on the balcony. 

Colby was soon to make his way out, totally nude except for an exceptionally soft white terry cloth robe, just like the one Mitch wore. It felt so soothing and comforting against his well-formed muscles. The night was truly a gift from above. 

Room service was prompt. They both had decided to be bad and reward themselves with nachos, beer, and buffalo wings. It was a total guy's night. It wasn't long before the act of feeding each other became foreplay. They started off sharing a bite of each other's food and soon it became a small food fight. The beers had taken hold quickly because they didn't drink often and they really had little in their stomachs to absorb the alcohol. Neither of them could recall how the little food fight began, just that it had and was quite funny.

Soon they began licking the cheese and buffalo sauce off each other. That made their cocks begin to rise and poke out from their robes. Colby being extra brave, a definite change in his normal behavior took some blue cheese dressing for the buffalo wings and rubbed the tip of his lover's cock, making it glisten in a creamy whiteness. Mitch stared on knowing where this would go.

The lighter haired stud spoke in a boyish voice, "Oopies. I got white stuff on your pee pee." Mitch tried to hold a serious expression on his face, but he was too buzzed, almost drunk and found it very daunting to not bust up laughing. 

"Ha ha ha ha ha. Oh, my God. Where the hell did that voice come from?" Colby stared on at his lover, making his eyes sad and mimicking a puppy dog. Mitch tried so hard to stay serious, but the mood was based in laughter now. He couldn't keep a straight face if he had to. 

Colby tried so hard to stay in character. "I wanna lick it off of your pee pee." Mitch struggled to stay calm, he kept snuffing out laughs and biting his bottom lip to keep his composure. He said not a word and allowed his lover full access to his swollen cock. His cock was starting to ache at the thought of entering his lover's warm and wet mouth. The skin around his tool tightened as it swelled more, the pressure forcing up a river of precum. Colby made a devilish grin as he saw the silky liquid emerge. The scent was mixed with that of the ocean. Mitch seemed to be bathed in a pool of manliness and ocean air. He wore it like an expensive cologne. It suited him well. Colby's own inner hormones were going crazy. His cock ached, too. It longed for some much needed attention. It'd be so long that the two lovers could be this way with one another.