Fear - 6

Shawn was almost back to the motel when his cell chimed. He answered it to hear Jared say, "Shawn, baby, I'm at the restaurant. The one we always liked to go to. Do you…will you meet me here?"

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Shawn replied, "Why?"

"Because I miss you. Because I want to apologize for what happened. Just… because. Please, baby."

"I…all right. I have to clean up some. I just got off work, but…okay."

"I love you, baby." Jared's voice went low and gravelly as he said that, hitting the right tone to send Shawn's pulse racing.

"I'll be there as fast as possible." Shawn hung up and almost raced the rest of the way to the motel.

* * * *

He arrived at the Fireside, a small mom-and-pop restaurant, to find Jared seated at 'their' table. It was at the back of the room, away from prying eyes. Shawn started to slip into the chair across from him, only to have Jared point to the one next to him. The second he sat, Shawn's hands were taken in a tight grip as Jared pulled him close enough to plant a hard kiss on his lips.

Afterward Jared leaned back, something between a smile and a smirk on his face as he asked, "Did you miss me, baby?"

Shawn nodded. "I did."

"Now that wasn't a terribly enthusiastic reply."

Shawn tried again. "I really did. I missed you terribly. I was so lonely."

"Well, not anymore, baby. I'm back and we're moving out of this one-horse town. I got us a trailer not far from the job site." Jared took Shawn's hand, squeezing it. "You're gonna love it. Off all by itself, even if it is in a trailer park—trees all around, a stream a few hundred yards away. Our own cozy little place 'til the job's over."

"But what about my job?" Shawn said, wishing seconds later he hadn't, when Jared scowled at him.

Jared immediately smoothed his features, smiling as he stroked Shawn's cheek. "You don't need to work now, baby. I make enough for both of us. You can stay home and take care of me. You'd like that, wouldn't you? Just like it used to be before I lost that damned job in the city and took this one."

Shawn covered Jared's hand with his own, knowing his hazel-green eyes had to be sparkling happily as he nodded 'yes'. Those had been good times—mostly. He'd felt needed, wanted, useful. He pushed thoughts of the bad times away. This was the Jared he remembered from before—happy, enthusiastic, caring. "It sounds wonderful," he whispered. "And maybe I can find a part-time job." He regretted the words the moment he said them. Jared's scowl was back in full force.

"Not happening. I want you there when I come home for lunch, after I get off work, all the time. That's the way it has to be."

Squeezing his eyes closed against the sudden feeling of panic, Shawn took a deep breath, opened them, and smiled. "Just the two of us. Together."

"Exactly, baby." Tangling his hand in Shawn's dark hair, he pulled him close again to give him a rough, demanding kiss. "The Two Musketeers."

That had been a joke of sorts between them. After they'd first met, they were always together when they went anywhere. "Like the Two Musketeers" an acquaintance had commented at a bar one night. The nickname had stuck.

"Now," Jared said, changing the subject, "let's eat and then we'll pack up your things and head out in the morning."

A cold knot of fear tightened Shawn's stomach for a moment. Do I want to leave? I-I love him but… but… "It's going to be good," he said under his breath. When Jared looked questioningly at him, Shawn smiled. "Things will be good again."

"Yeah, baby, they will. They'll be perfect."