STORM FRONT

Written by Tiga.
Based on characters created by SFwriter

Goodbye For Now
What If? 

* * * * * * * 

Lucas stowed his bags away and wiped the water from his face. He sat
down next to the window, staring out of it to where Storm stood in the
rain, hands in his pockets, obviously crying. For some reason, Lucas
found that so very surprising. Tears over him?

As the bus pulled away, Lucas watched the figure of Storm standing in
the rain grow smaller and smaller. As he stared at the shrinking sight
of his former lover and best friend, Lucas began to recall the events
that led to this point …

-Four Months ago..

“So … how about a game of cards in the treehouse?”

Lucas looked at me mischievously, “Is that what you call it now, Dude?”

I let out a soft smirk, licking my lips a little, “I’ll only ask you
once then. Who deals?”

Lucas climbed up to the treehouse behind Storm. "man, he still has a
fantastic ass" he thought admiring his one and forever Love.

I could feel his eyes on me. "Lucas. Stop staring at my ass." I say
casually as I pull myself over and sit down. The treehouse seems so
much smaller. So does this town. Thomas Wolfe was right. 'You can't
go home again.'

Lucas's head pops up and he takes a seat opposite me. "so.. what now?"

I pull out a deck of cards from my pocket and set them between us. "I deal."

"And here I thought that bulge in your pants was cause you were happy
to see me" he says with a grin. Without thinking, I feel. That grin
can get me into so much trouble just by.. being. The Butterflies are
in my stomach.. Butterflies that seem to be on Viagra.

"I'm always happy to see you, Lucas.. even when things were bad." and I
knew I said too much. There's a flash of hurt in his eyes.

"I.. thought we weren't going to talk about the past? about her and
her lies. Everything that tore us apart."

I knew I said too much.. Damn it. "Lucas.. it happened. we've dealt
with it as best we can. If it hadn't been Ashley, it would have been
something else." I can feel the tears starting in my eyes.. I look
over at him and his eyes. I wish I knew what he was thinking. I look
into his eyes and I can see nothing but love and forever. But it's not
a forever we can share right now. I lean back and my hand rests on
something. A box. What is a box doing up here? I look over at it
and I hear Lucas gasp in surprise. I look over at him again and his
eyes have a hint of fear.

"Storm. Don't." he almost pleads. And now I have to know. I know
him. I love him. I trust him. but theres something more here. I take
the box and open it to find the necklace. Two in One. Love.

"I.. I was trying to move on." he says this as if I wouldn't
understand. But I do. I moved on with Marcel.. in more ways than
one.

"Lucas.. it's ok. I understand." and I can see the hurt in his eyes.

"It doesn't mean I don't love you." he continues again. "I didn't know.
I needed closure."

I must have put him through hell. I feel badly again. He still feels
it. and I know I do too. I hold the necklace and reach out to his
hand, taking it in mine. The sparks are there when we touch. "A long
time ago you took my hand and placed it over your heart. You said
that it was mine forever. This.. This is yours forever." I place the
necklace in his hand and close it, tears in both our eyes. I dont
even know who initiated it but suddenly his lips are on mine. I taste
the strawberry I have missed for so long. Suddenly time has no
meaning to me. Im with him and cant get enough of him. We start out
tender and slow but as we keep touching each other, as each layer of
clothes leaves our body, the need outweighs the tenderness. I need
him inside me. I'm not even aware that we are making love until we are
well into it. There is no foreplay. Only desire and I cry out in
passion as he is kissing my neck. I dont care if the world hears me.
Hell.. Mike and Sarah werent exactly quiet earlier.

Payback's a bitch guys.

It's hours later and we are cuddled up next to each other, our bodies
covered in sweat from our lovemaking. we are actually still breathing
heavy from it. I look over at him and see his necklace on again.
where it should be. He looks over at me with that grin that got me
into trouble again. "it's.. not going to work is it?" and I can hear
in his voice that hes not entirely sad about it. That makes me happy
and I smile back at him.

"No. It's not. it's.. not our time."

He snuggles closer to me, his head on my chest and speaks as if he
cant look at me while saying it. "You don't know how much I wish I
could make it work.. but it wouldn't be good for us. You'd eventually
hate me again."

"Never. I never hated you. I was hurt but only because I love you so
much." I'm struggling. Every instinct tells me to shut up but if he
is finally at this place, the least I can do is be man enough to give
him the truth.. Some truths I was too afraid of telling him and myself
before. "You were the first person to every get past my walls. The
first to touch my heart. I was a virgin before you, but what you did
for me was so much more than sex. I will always, ALWAYS love you but
we aren't good for each other. We're.. fire. And part of the problem
is that it burns bright hot and leaves ashes. I know one day we'll
find our way back but right now.. you need you more than you need me."
and I have to stop.. Before I say something that might hurt him. So I
kiss his forehead and I can hear sniffles. I said too much I think.

"I know you're right.. I knew it before you said it. It just sucks
that it's true. Sometimes Life Sucks." he sighs and I feel better. I
haven't hurt him with my words anymore than I hurt myself. That's
another difference between him and Marcel. with Lucas I'm always
worried that what I say will hurt him. With Marcel , there is no
hesitation. And again, it's like Lucas is reading my mind.

"You think Marcel and Dade are talking like this right now?"

"I don't know. I hope so. They have more pain between them in a lot of
ways than we do."

"I am glad, you know.. that you're with Marcel. He's a great guy and
if I had to lose to someone, I'm glad it's him." He surprises me and
makes me love him more with that then I thought possible. I hold him
closer to me, letting my actions speak for me more than words can.

"Promise me something."

"Anything Babe." It's been so long since he called me that.

"Promise me.. no matter what happens to you, that you'll call me and
not drink, if things get bad. I don't ever want to get the call that
you died. It would kill a part of me I can't lose."

He hesitates. I'm glad. if he had responded immediately I would have
worried he was saying what I want to hear. "How 'bout.. I call you
before I take my first drink?" he says with a bit of humor in his
voice. I chuckle.

"I'm glad that San Diego's drinking age is 21." he looks up at me and
sticks his tongue out in a totally childish and adorable way.

"don't stick your tongue out unless you're going to use it." I tease
and he grins. I can feel him getting hard again. Not surprisingly I
am too.

"Oh.. I intend to use it, Babe, I aint saying goodbye to this body
quite yet." as he starts kissing my chest and nipples.

I start moaning because he knows all my spots.. somehow between my
gasps I say "Here.. we go again!"

The next morning we walk into the house and Mike and Sarah are at the
breakfast table. I can't stop the stupid grin on my face. They look
up at us and we know that they know. There's a moment of silence and
akwardness. Finally Mike breaks it. "We really need to soundproof
that damned treehouse." and all of us are in tears with laughter.
Corey comes down stairs rubbing his eyes awake.

"What? What's going on?" he comes over to give me a hug. "Ugh! You
stink!" he turns his nose up until he gets a look of embarrassment when
he notes Lucas has the same smell. "uh... I'm glad I can sleep
through things." and again we are all laughing even harder. Corey
joins in.

I sit down next to Sarah and she leans over to hug me, whispering in
my ear "Storm.. are you two going to be ok? With this?"

I pull back from her with a smile. My Sarah. Always watching out
for us. I cant picture my life without her.

"Yeah. We're going to be fine."

* * * * * * *