Sylum Advent 2017: December 6th

Title: Anywhere You Hang Your Hat
Author: Ladyjax
Rating: R
Summary: Robert Neville really wasn’t expecting a … neither was Jack Carter.
Artist: Taibhrigh

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Prologue

The last time Jack saw Alyc, they’d been standing on a balcony at the Council’s headquarters in Geneva. Light, misting rain dusted Alyc’s short locks only sharpened her features.

The escape from Eureka, the headlong flight into the unknown; Jack had barely had time to catch his breath. With Alyc as his unlikely traveling companion and ally, he’d been able to complete his escape from the strange little town he’d been both a prisoner and protector of.

“They tell me that you will be sent to Serenity.” Alyc said without prologue. Jack looked at her and then back out over the city.

“They seem to think it’s best for me to lie low in the one place Frankenstein and his goons wouldn’ think to look.” Jack leaned against the balcony railing and cocked his head to look at her. “What about you?”

Alyc turned her gaze out over the city. “I wish to stay here a while,” she said decisively. “It’s been too long since I’ve had a chance to talk with anyone from the council. There are more than a few things that I would like to know.”

Jack nodded slowly. Even though their partnership had been borne of convenience, he’d miss the enigmatic vampire. She wasn’ exactly a friend but she hadn’ let him down. “I hope you find what you’re looking for,” he said sincerely. “Don’ be a stranger, okay?”

Alyc’s lips twitched as though she were trying to suppress a smile. “We’ll see each other again one day, Jack Carter.”

Chapter 1 – Fall 2007

There was something heavy on his chest. Jack shifted slightly, barely awake. The thing on his chest moved with him before sharp claws flexed and dug in gently.

“Nngh!”

Jack swept up an impatient hand and made contact with a warm, furry body. A warm, furry body whose purr rumbled through his chest. His eyes opened as he felt the light brush of whiskers against his cheek. That brought him fully awake. A tiny nose, long curb feeling whiskers and bright green eyes greeted him, as did the tiniest of meows.

“Well, if you insist,” Jack muttered, bringing his hand to smooth over Dean’s short, ginger colored coat. At the same moment, heavy paws landed at the foot of the bed as Sam looked at Jack with avid interest. He shifted Dean off of him and pointed at the dog.

“Don’ even think about it.”

Sam whined, cocking her head to one side and turning on the charm.

Jack rubbed his face and tried to look stern. “I don’ even know you well enough for you to jump up here.”

He swung his legs around and down, allowing himself to come fully awake. The room he’d been given upon arriving at Serenity was all hardwood furniture and hand woven rugs which gave the room a homey feel. Finding himself in such a place after everything that had happened to him seemed almost anti-climatic.

“Can’ hide in here forever,” Jack said to himself. He got up, grabbed clean clothes from the meager supply he’d brought with him and headed for the bathroom. His animal companions had taken up observation posts on the bed once he levered himself out of it.

“You two clearly have no sense of boundaries,” Jack groused before closing himself in the bathroom and getting in the shower.

Even though he’d only been in Sitka for a couple of days, Jack finally felt safe. The last of the tension that seemed to have taken up permanent residence in his body eased under the hot blast of the shower. The escape from Eureka; the headlong flight into the unknown only to have Alyc get them to Geneva and the council. Everything had come at Jack so quickly he’d barely had a chance to process it.

With Mal agreeing to take him in, he had time to try and get his life together. “We’re here to help you in any way you need,” Mal had said upon his arrival. Mind you, Jack was dead on his feet at the time and probably made some hand waving motions meant to convey that he understood. Which he did. Sort of.

One he was showered and dressed, Jack made his way downstairs just as Book was walking in the front door.

“How are you doing this morning?” Book asked.

“Sam and Dean were my alarm,” Jack said drily. “Again.”

The other man chuckled. “They must like you.”

“Lovely.”

Book clapped Jack on the shoulder. “You’re fitting in just fine.”

They made their way to the kitchen where McClane sat with the morning paper along with Matthew and Dakota, whom Book waved to sit back down.

“You stay right there,” Book said. “We can get our own breakfast.”

Dakota grinned and motioned towards the sideboard. “I was able to save some for you from these two. I can make more if you’d like it.”

“This looks just fine, Dakota. Thank you.” Jack smiled at her gratefully and filled a plate as did Book. Once they settled at the table, both tucked in and silence reigned momentarily.

“Morning, everyone.”

Settling across from Jack amid a chorus of greetings, Mal poured himself some coffee. Jack swallowed quickly and wiped his mouth. “Um, hi.”

Mal’s eyebrows went up. “I’m not scaring you, am I?”

A snort from McClane put lie to any seriousness that Mal’s inquiry might have inspired. “You, scary. Alright, go with that,” the burly vampire said.

“You wound me, John.” Mal said. He leaned forward and whispered, “Clan leader is a thankless job.”

“Mmm hmm.”

The easy banter was something that had been missing from nearly all of Jack’s interactions in Eureka. Friendly bickering could turn to threatening within a blink of an eye. Watching it play out here in front of him, Jack still felt a little wary.

“You feel like you’re settling in okay?”

Jack nodded. “Yeah, I do. Listen, I really wanted to thank you for letting me come here. I honestly didn’ know what I was going to do. The Council took me in but…”

“Geneva is not exactly the hotbed of excitement on the best of days,” Mal finished. “I understand. You are welcome here. We keep a lot of secrets in Serenity. Stay as long as you need.”

“Thanks.”

“Mal, Robert called. He’ll be coming back home this afternoon,” Dakota said. She’d gotten up from her seat and began to clear away breakfast, Book by his Mate’s side lending a hand.

“Wash’s flying him in, correct?”

“That he is.”

“Good. You’re going to want to talk to Robert, when you have a chance. He’s our scientist as well as the only other known person to escape from Crimson Moon.”

The name of the organization that had kept Jack prisoner for the past five years sent a chill down his spine and curdled the previously delicious food in his stomach.

Chapter 2

The seaplane touched town lightly and as it slowly taxied to the doc, Robert Neville tucked his tablet back into his duffel bag and got ready to deplane.

“Thank you very much for flying Firefly Air Cargo. We know you have only a few choices for getting to the back end of nowhere and we are very glad you chose us,” Wash quipped from his seat up front. He turned to grin at Robert who rolled his eyes in mock exasperation.

“I’m going to complain to management about the lack of snacks on the flight,” he said gravely. Both climbed out of the plane and on to the dock, Robert lending a hand as Wash tied the seaplane off.

“You didn’ say you were hungry,” Wash replied. “Also, there were some peanuts in the seat in front of you.”

“Those peanuts have been there a while, Wash. A LONG while.”

Wash’s wide-eyed affronted look gave way to a snicker. “Well, as I am part of the management, I will take your complaint and get back to you.”

“You do that.”

The pair walked up the dock towards the offices. Zoe stepped out just as they came up. “Best beloved!” Wash cried and stepped in to kiss his Mate and wife on the cheek.

“Robert here has a complaint about our snack and beverage service.”

Zoe’s lips twitched. “We don’ have a snack and beverage service.”

Robert folded his arms and tried to look serious. “There were some age old peanuts in the seat in front of me.”

“I pointed them out,” Wash inserted helpfully. He would have said more but Zoe covered his mouth with one hand.

“As the other part of management, I apologize for the inconvenience. I’d offer you a coupon but we don’ roll that way.”

That brought a guffaw from Robert. He reached into his bag and pulled out a half pound box of See’s chocolates. Zoe let go of Wash long enough to take the box and hug it to her chest possessively.

“Okay, for you, I will make a coupon.”

Robert shook his head. “No problem. Wash? Thanks for the ride home.”

He bade the pair goodbye and walked over to truck sitting near the main hanger. He threw his bag on to the passenger seat then drove off towards the farm.

Even though he had state of the art lab equipment and a solid Internet connection in Sitka, sometimes it was worth it to spend some time in Seattle. The University of Washington’s library was a second home for Robert and allowed him to get many papers and books that he otherwise wouldn’ be able to get through inter library loan in Sitka or Anchorage.

There was a world outside of his Clan but he was careful. His trips were primarily point to point and he stayed at the Clan’s safe house. Though it had been decades since he’d seen Stryker or heard anything of Crimson Moon, Robert knew that his defection, in addition to the mayhem he created on his way out the door, would be a sore point for the other vampire for decades.

Thirty five minutes later and Robert was parking in front of the house.

He slipped his bag over his shoulder and got out of the truck just as the screen door opened and Sam tumbled out with a happy bark, Dean following at a slightly more dignified pace. He went to one knee as she leaned into him and licked his face eagerly. “I’ve only been gone a week,” he said laughingly. Robert was rewarded with a sloppy lick on his cheek at this observation.

He was just getting to his feet as someone else walked out of the house.

If anyone asked, Robert would not able to say exactly what it was about Jack that caught his attention that first time. He was definitely a good looking guy: short light brown hair, decent build – if the way he filled out the t-shirt and jeans was any indication. Hands in pockets and the slight rounding to his shoulders said, “I’m no threat,” but Robert saw how his eyes flitted to him, then Sam, then back again. Sam gave Robert one last lick then ran back up the stairs to butt her head against the newcomer’s hand. The slow smile as he ran his hand over the caramel and black fur told Robert what he needed to know.

When in doubt, always trust the dog.

Robert got to his feet and walked up the steps. “Afternoon,” he said affably. “I haven’ seen you around before.” He held out his hand and the other man took it and gave it a firm shake.

“Jack Carter,” he said.

“Nice to meet you, Jack. I’m Robert Neville.”

They stood that way for long moments. Jack wasn’ letting go; Robert wasn’ objecting. The hazel blue eyes, which looked really nice up close, studied his face as though trying to sort through where he might know Robert from. Robert licked his lips, Jack’s eyes followed the motion.

“Um, yeah, so…” Jack began just as another voice said, “You two gonna just stand there? You’re a little hard to see through.”

Robert dropped Jack’s hand and immediately felt the loss. The look on Jack’s face betrayed a similar sentiment.

The screen door swept open as McClane stepped out, coffee cup in hand. He looked from one to the other, eyes assessing and a mischievous smirk formed.

“I see you’ve met the new guy.”

Robert gathered himself and nodded. “I did.”

“Standing right here,” Jack muttered. Robert cut him a look before turning back to John.

“Was Matt able to finish those upgrades he’d been talking about?”

“Yeah, finished yesterday.” John walked down the stairs and took a few steps along the path before turning around. “Jack’s still learning about Clans and stuff. You might want to fill him in on a few things.” He chuckled as he resumed his walk.

“Like you couldn’ tell me yourself!” Jack called after John peevishly.

“Trust me, Robert’s gonna want to be the one to give you the details on this part.” McClane’s rejoinder floated back over his shoulder.

Turning his attention to Robert again, one of Jack’s eyebrows had made a break for his hairline. “Do you have any idea of what he’s talking about? I just met you.”

Robert’s vampire rose up slightly then became more attentive as Jack’s clueless-ness made itself known.

“Oh. No, but then that’s McClane for you,” Robert said with a weak laugh. A niggling suspicion hovered at the edge of his brain but he ignored it. He stepped back as Jack pulled open the door for him, Sam dashing in before he could even take a step. The two men followed in her wake, pausing in the foyer as Robert shrugged out of his coat.

“So, you’re new,” Robert began. “Meaning?” He hung his coat on a nearby stand, tucking his bag beneath.

Jack watched this before meeting Robert’s eyes again. “McClane’s right when he says I’m new to the Clan and everything. I was turned without consent back when I used to be sheriff of a little town in Oregon called Eureka. I had no idea it was a front for an organization called Crimson Moon.”

Robert’s stomach twisted and anger seemed to roll up and over him in a wave. “Who did it?” he growled.

Jack’s eyes went wide and he took a step back, one hand raised slightly. “Whoa, ease down. Who did what?”

The slight tremor in the other man’s voice cut through the surprise surge of emotion that had overtaken Robert. He took a deep breath then asked again, quietly, “Who turned you?”

“Victor Frankenstein.” Jack cocked his head to the side. “You know him.” It wasn’ a question.

“I’ve heard of him,” Robert answered. “And Crimson Moon too.”

Sam suddenly appeared again, claws skittering across the wood floor as she dashed by Robert and Jack and out the door, Dean scampering out behind her.

“Out! You know better than to come in here…SAM!” came Dakota’s shout as she bustled out of the kitchen, She missed catching Sam as she made her escape so she rounded on Robert instead.

“Your dog, Robert,” Dakota said with a growl. “I love her but her sassy, furry butt needs to stay out of the kitchen. Also, welcome home.”

“Yes, ma’am and thanks.”

“I see you’ve met Jack.”

“On his way in,” Jack offered before turning back to Robert. “If you have some free time I’d really like to talk. Crimson Moon and all.” He stuck his hands in his back pockets, feeling like a shy kid in a classroom. Robert stood there, a poleaxed expression on his face and swaying towards Jack a little.

Dakota gazed from one man to the other before she laughed softly. “Well then, maybe you should.” She patted Robert on the cheek and walked back towards her domain. “Mind your pup,” she threw over her shoulder. “Get settled and come down for some food.”

“I should probably let you go,” Jack said. “You just got home and I’m being all weird.”

Right at that moment, Robert’s brain stepped on the clue bus even as his vampire dusted off his jacket and thought of the million reasons why Jack shouldn’ leave, least of all without him.

After all this time, all these years. Not even a glimmer of interest in anyone beyond a certain point. The word rang loud and clear in Robert’s mind.

Mate.

“Give it a little time, you being new and all.” Robert replied. “I’m going to be around.” He whistled for Sam and cocked his head at Jack. “Nice to meet you.”

Chapter 3

Jack watched as Robert made his way up the stairs, Sam trotting peaceably after him. When she reached the top of the stairs, Sam turned at looked at him, flashed him bit of teeth and whipped around to make her way to what Jack assumed were Robert’s rooms.

He was a little disconcerted by his reaction to the other vampire. Like he couldn’t look away from him. Not that that was a hardship. Robert definitely fell on the scale of, “Seriously, not bad looking.”

From what he discerned from his own experience, his sexuality seemed to have broadened when he became a vampire. He noticed a lot of things now like the smooth brown of Robert’s skin, the neatly trimmed mustache and beard. He also had that slightly absent minded professor thing going on too which was kind of hot.

“Jack.”

Jack started as Book came around from the living room. “I see Robert’s home.”

Jack rubbed his hand over the back of his neck, suddenly nervous. “Yeah, um, we just met.”

“I see,” Book replied. He rocked on his heels, watching Jack. “You look a little out of it.”

“Wha…no, I mean, I’m okay.” Jack shook his head as though to clear it. “I guess.”

“If you’re sure?”

“It’s fine. I’m fine. Just going to check out the library,” Jack replied. He cast a longing look at the stairs then went on his way.

The library was located at the eastern end of the house, facing the ocean. Someone had thoughtfully added more windows to an what could have been a somewhat boring room but for the books lining the walls. Jack pulled a number of books from the shelves. Even though Dilios had given him a tablet filled with the very basics about vampire and Clan structures, he recommended a few more titles that were in Serenity’s library. He settled into a large overstuffed chair and read until the sun went down.

***

Robert had unpacked and sent off a few emails before he made his way back downstairs. He had a lot on his mind – between his research and his sudden discovery of his Mate, he’d been thrown for a bit of a loop.

And to top it off, McClane’s comment made Robert believe that he knew something was up.

It’s not as though Robert hadn’t had any lovers through the years. There had been a few affairs here and there, with one that ran for the longest with a researcher in Seattle but the bottom line was that living in Sitka could put a damper on dating and technically he was still in hiding. Once you made it Serenity, if you needed hiding, you stayed hid.

So what were the odds that his Mate would just happen to pop up while he’d been out of town? With much the same story as Robert’s own?

“That is the question,” Robert said to himself.

He walked into the kitchen, pausing to tell Sam to sit quietly near the door.

“Very much appreciated, Robert,” Dakota said. Robert shrugged and smiled at his dog who had turned on her best longing eyes as she rested her muzzle on her paws.

“She and that cat both know better,” he replied. He rooted in the cupboard for the French Press, then pulled it out along with some coffee he’d brought back from Seattle. “Are you going to want a cup?”

Dakota wiped her floury hands on her apron before taking a seat at the table. “Yes, please.”

Robert went about making a pot of coffee. While the water was boiling he prepared the rest of the repast.

“So, you met Jack.”

“I did,” Robert replied. He turned around to lean against the kitchen counter. “Seems like an okay guy. Sam likes him.”

Dakota shook her head, smiling. “That dog loves whoever scratches her on the head in just the right spot.”

“Are you saying my girl is indiscriminate in her affections?” Robert said with mock effrontery.

“Possibly.”

“You wound me, Dakota.”

“Please, half the time I never see you because you’re in your lab. Allow me a little teasing.”

“Fair enough.”

Robert could tell that she was dying to ask him a question but was barely holding herself back from it. “So.”

He drummed his fingers on the table. “Go ahead,” he said.

“What?”

Robert rolled his eyes. “Dakota, you come upon us looking like two moonstruck kids. Practically getting ready to hold hands in the hallway.”

Dakota leaned forward. “Well?”

“It’s quite possible that Jack is my Mate.” He shook his head. “Let me revise that, he is my Mate. I’ve never had a reaction to anyone like I did with him.”

He started to pace. “I’ve never met anyone who dealt with the Moon after me. What are the odds that my Mate experienced nearly the same thing that I did and ended up here?”

“I’d say that you were either extremely lucky or the universe just has it out for you.”

Robert looked up to see Mal leaning against the doorway. Not for the first time Robert was struck by just how young Mal looked even though he was more than twice Robert’s age. “That’s really comforting,” Robert replied.

Mal shrugged. “None of us is ever guaranteed to meet our Mate. And I know that you’d pretty much figured it was never going to happen for you.” He held up his hand when Robert went to speak. “Hush now, this is your Clan Leader talking and I’m trying to impart some leaderly wisdom here.”

Dakota’s eyebrows shot up at that. “Leaderly wisdom?” she said with a chuckle. Mal sighed heavily.

“You’re ruining my moment.”

“Sorry, sorry,” she said with a snicker. Mal grinned then looked more seriously at Robert.

“My point is, give it some time. He’s stressed so he might be feeling the effect of the Bond or might not even notice it. Add to that he’s playing catch up with everything. It’s a lot to take on.”

Robert rubbed his face tiredly. “I know. Trust me, I know.”

Mal smiled and walked over to put a calming hand on Robert’s shoulder. “Alright then. Take your time. Get to know him. See where it goes.”

The scientist shook his head and laughed softly. “Understood. I’ve got some more things I need to settle in the lab.” He nodded at both of them. “I’ll see you later.”

Mal sighed. “He’s going to avoid it, isn’ he?”

“Did you have a doubt?” Dakota replied. “You must be slipping.”

Chapter 4

A few days later found Jack in the library again, his head swimming with the information he’d learned that afternoon. Frankenstein was indeed a monster. By Turning Jack without consent, he’d taken away his right to a make a free decision.

There were more Clans around the world, with actual structure unlike the fear and chaos that characterized Eureka. Given what he learned while he was there, he highly doubted the members of Crimson Moon that he met could have thrived in the Clan system. ‘Rogues’ was the term that Dilios used and they were feared by some and hunted by others. He could understand that.

Closing the book, he got up from his seat and went to put it back before reconsidering. Jack quickly scrawled a note for Jeffrey, the Clan archivist, to let him know he’d taken the book and that he’d return it as he didn’t know if there was actually a procedure to take books out. At the very least, he could be polite about it.

He walked out of the library and headed back the way he came, stopping only when he saw Robert coming through the front door.

“Hi.”

That tentative greeting put a smile on Robert’s face. Jack felt the warmth creep up inside him again.

“Oh, hey.”

Robert looked at the book he held in his hands. “Studying up?”

“I am,” Jack said, waving the book a little. “There’s a lot I don’ know.”

“Dilios has made it a mission to know all there is to know about the Clans,” Robert replied. “I imagine he’s pretty thorough.”

A nod from Jack. “He is.”

Conversation dropped off as both men tried not to stare at each other.

“So.”

Jack looked up, hopeful. “Yeah?”

“I still want to talk to you at some point.” Smooth move, Robert. Mr. Suave. “But I’ve got these experiments going on. But soon, seriously. I promise.” Robert held up a finger. “In fact, tomorrow. How about tomorrow? Does that work?”

Jack let it all wash over him, the scattered stammering from the other man stirring Jack’s vampire. “Sure. If you’ve got the time.”

***

The next morning saw Jack in Robert’s domain, carefully sitting on a stool recently vacated by what he was 70% positive was a cat.

The other 30% was up for debate.

Robert finished up writing some notes up and sat in his own chair facing Jack. “I was just getting out of Vietnam when I was approached by a man named William Stryker,” he began quietly. “He offered me a way to continue with my research.”

“What was your specialty?” Jack asked.

“Bio-weapons research,” Steven replied. “Back then, there was a demand. I had my own lab, all the equipment I needed. Stryker let me know pretty quickly what the deal was. He had me tortured and Turned before I knew what hit me.”

Jack swallowed down bile, memories of his own turning sweeping over him. “How long were you with him?”

Robert grimaced. “Long enough to see what he was trying to with unwilling test subjects. Men, women. Kids. They had some sort of special powers that he was trying to extrapolate and use to whatever ends.” He rubbed his chin. “It took a while but eventually, he got sloppy.”

“Is that how you got away?”

“Pretty much. He thought he had me completely under his thumb. I took my time, collected what I needed and blew the lab. Made sure all the cells were open and told everybody to run for it. I ran the other way to give them a chance. John Henry – you’ll meet him eventually – he found me in the woods, brought me here.” Robert smiled at that. “He gave me my first Sam when she was a puppy.”

That took Jack by surprise. “So, Sam now? She’s what, the second?”

“Third. There will always be a Sam.”

“And a Dean,” Jack finished. “I think I’m getting it.”

Robert leaned forward. “What about you?”

Jack sighed and got up. “I’m…I was..a Marshal. I specialized in fugitive retrieval. On my way back from a case, I took a wrong turn in the rain and ended up in Eureka. My luck meant that I got there in the middle of a minor crisis; an experiment gone bad.”

“I helped out and thought that was the end of it. By the time I got back to my office, the transfer had already gone through.”

“Damn,” Robert breathed. “You had no idea.”

Jack shook his head. “None. My boss presented it as a done deal. ‘It’s a promotion, Jack.’ I remember him saying that.”

“How long before?”

“Before I knew about vampires? Pretty much within a few days of hitting town for good. They told me about it, showed me proof. But everything still seemed like it was on the up and up. Besides, who was I going tell? Who would believe me?”

Robert squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Isolate the subject,” he said. “Conduct the experiment.”

“Except I didn’ know I was the subject until it was too late.”

The rest of Jack’s story played like the bad memory it was. The torture, the mind games. The ultiMate ending involving his turning and first kill. All of it so familiar to Robert that he wondered if Crimson Moon had a play book.

As they talked, Jack started to write down what they were saying on index cards and pinning them to the bulletin board Robert had stashed in a corner. Facts about Stryker and Frankenstein. Research projects (or what little Jack knew of them). Suspicions about Crimson Moon.

The board filled up with anything and everything they could gather together between them.

“Pretty impressive,” Robert said as he stood beside Jack. Everything had been carefully arranged under various silos for ease of reading. “Is this like a murder board?”

Jack stared at his companion. “No one calls it a murder board except on TV. It’s just a board. With facts”

“So, a case board.”

“Work with me here. Board,” Jack tapped the outer edge of the bulletin board. “Facts,” he made a circular motion with his hand, encompassing the cards.

“And with it, you fight crime.”

“You’re just going to keep going with this.”

Robert smirked. “Maybe.”

***

After their talk, Jack was sure that that was the icebreaker they needed to get to where ever they were going. Robert on the other hand, had other ideas.

He was back on a plane and away to Seattle to pick up papers that had come through inter library loan the next day.

The tug in Jack’s chest became a slow burn and he buried himself in distractions – working around the house, studying history, meeting other Clan members. But it didn’ change the fact that Robert was avoiding him.

For Robert’s part, he knew he was being an ass. His vampire occasionally raging at him for being obtuse made it hard to concentrate on the research he’d come to collect.

Just tell him, his vampire groused.

He could say no, Robert relied. He could reject me, reject this Bond.

And maybe he’ll say yes.

***

When Robert returned home, he sought out Jack and asked to speak with him in the living room. Jack followed him and sat down on the couch next to Robert, close but not too close.

“No doubt you’ve picked up on the fact that I’ve sort of been avoiding you,” Robert began.

“Sort of, yeah,” Jack replied. “I figured maybe I offended you or something.”

“No no.” Robert held up his hands as Jack continued.

“Like maybe I needed to change my deodorant,” Jack lifted one arm helpfully and sniffed.

“No, really. It’s…” Robert stopped and narrowed his eyes. “Did you just sniff your armpit?”

Jack grinned. “Just wanted to make sure I was fresh.”

“Ass.” Does he even know that he’s flirting with me? Robert wondered.

“Ah, but I was listening,” Jack replied.

Robert gave a short nod. “That you were.”

He fell quiet before finally saying, “You’ve done a lot of reading about vampires.”

“Yes,” Jack said this slowly, drawing it out. He made a ‘go on’ motion with his hand

“And no doubt you’ve gotten to the part about Mates?”

Jack nodded. “I’ve got that down.”

Robert closed his eyes and rubbed the side of his nose. “This is not going to be easy,” he muttered. “You’re like a tug, right here,” Robert pointed to his chest. “And I want to just go rip Frankenstein’s face off for what he did to you.”

“I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting the whole “grrr” thing,” Jack made a fierce face complete with clawed hands. “When we talked about it the first time. It was a little…”

“Off-putting?”

“No.”

“Weird?”

Jack cocked his head and made a rocking motion with his hand, “A little. But no more weird than me showing up here in the first place.”

Robert rubbed his hand over his face. “You weren’t freaked out by the “grrr”?”

“Nope. In retrospect, it was kinda sexy,” Jack said, his grin turning mischievous.

Robert rolled his eyes. “I’m the last person that someone would call sexy, Jack.”

“Robert.”

Jack was looking at him. Really LOOKING at him. Those blue eyes.

Wowsers.

“You’re about to tell me I’m probably your Mate,” Jack began, holding up one finger.

Well, this is a fine how do you do. “Mmm, yeah.”

“And you’re wondering if I’m going to freak out because you’re a guy.” A second finger joined the first.

“Maybe.”

Jack dropped his hand. “Pretty reasonable for you to be nervous.”

Robert glared at him. “Is this how you are all the time?”

“Nah, I’m just messing with you a bit.” Jack moved a little closer to Robert on the couch. He reached out and took one of Robert’s hands in his own.

“For the record,” he said, turning Robert’s hand over to study it. “My first years as a vampire kind of sucked. I was working for evil. But, then so were you for a bit. I’m a lot less freaked out by how I’m feeling about you than that.”

Jack threaded their fingers together. “I know that when I first met you, I felt something. I’m not sure how to describe it. According to what I’ve read that was our souls meeting.”

Robert swallowed. “Yeah. That moment when you told me about Crimson Moon. About Frankenstein turning you. I wanted to rip his balls off.”

Jack still wasn’t looking at him, was still looking at their hands. “Mmm hmm.” His thumb slowly stroked the side of Robert’s wrist. “Did you know right then?”

“I suspected. A little later, I was pretty sure.” Robert gave their hands a gentle tug so that Jack moved closer, his vampire barely able to contain his excitement of having his Mate that close. “The longer I thought about it, the clearer it became.”

Jack leaned in until their lips were just so close. “I’m your Mate.”

“You are, Jack. And I’m yours,” Robert replied, his voice dropping down low. “If you’ll have me.”

That first kiss, there were no explosions, no grand sweeping soundtrack.

That first kiss was quiet, soft, their lips brushing at first before Robert pressed in, loosening his hand from Jack’s so he could grasp the other man’s shoulders. Jack’s shuddering groan and his lips parting for Robert lit the flame.

Within what would have been one heart beat and the next, Jack’s arms slid around Robert’s waist to pull him in and keep him close. The kiss turned serious with their tongues dancing and sliding against each other, crucial connections firing up and suddenly solidifying.

For his part, Robert hadn’t know that he’d missed or wanted this until he felt parts of his spirit reach out to wrap around Jack like a warm, secure blanket, drawing the other man in so that he could bask in the reflected promise of Robert’s soul.

Jack hadn’t been kidding about the last five years pretty much being a shit show. In his darkest days, when he thought he’d take his own life, there’d been that one small part of him that urged him not to do it, to hold on.

He thought it had just been about staying alive long enough to escape and get help.

As he sat there kissing Robert with all that he had, his brain caught up long enough to realize that maybe that small part of himself was holding out for something or someone, rather. His Mate.

When they finally pulled back, Jack rested his forehead against Robert’s.

“Wow.”

Robert snorted and brushed his lips quickly over Jack, his hand curving around the back of Jack’s neck a steady presence. “Wow? That’s all you’ve got?”

“My brain short circuited,” Jack replied, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “That was….mmm… wow.”

Robert’s eyes shifted slightly. “We have an audience.”

Both men turned to see Book, Dakota, and Matthew standing in the doorway. Wash and Zoe soon joined them. “What is going on?” Wash asked.

“Young love,” Book said with a knowing smile. Dakota gave a happy sigh.

“John owes me twenty,” Matt added, rubbing his hands together.

“You bet on us?” Jack asked.

Matt shrugged. “John swore the two of you would take about a month to figure it out. I told him three weeks or less.”

“And we were only worth twenty?”

“I didn’t want to take my man’s money. Twenty is enough for some basic humiliation.”

Chapter 5 – Spring 2008

Jack wiped his brow and stuck the bandana back in his pocket before nudging the repaired banister back into place. He heard footsteps behind him but didn’t bother to turn around.

“Jack Carter?”

That got Jack’s attention. He turned to see another vampire standing behind him. “That would be me,” Jack replied. He thrust the hammer into the loop on his pants and dusted his hands on his thighs. “What can I do for you?”

The stranger reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a badge. The gleaming star caught Jack’s attention and he felt a sharp bite of longing that quickly passed. His visitor flicked the badge holder closed and stuck it back inside his pocket then held out his hand.

“Marshal Sam Gerard.”

Jack shook his hand then folded his arms. “What can I do for you, Marshal?”

Gerard shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “I had some other business with Mal but I wanted to talk to you as well. Do you have a few minutes?”

“Sure.” Jack packed up the other tools and stashed the tool bag out of the way before stepping up to Gerard. The other man indicated the pathway with a cant of his head.

“Let’s take a walk.”

The two men set off and Jack said, “What’s this about? I haven’t been a Marshall for a few years.”

Gerard nodded “True. That transfer to Eureka was shoved through faster than a fly through butter. After what happened to you, I put some folks on finding out just how that happened. Needless to say we’ve had to do a little house cleaning of our own.”

He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out another billfold which he handed to Jack. When jack opened it, the silver circle in star took him by surprise. He stopped and felt the twinge of Robert’s interest in the Bond but quickly soothed it.

Robert would be on him about that later but Jack needed a minute.

Gerard turned to stare out towards the sea. “Your name was added to the Roll Call of Honor. Your sister, Lexi, attended the ceremony. From what I understand your parents had already passed.” He gestured back towards the badge that Jack held in his hand. “Hold on to that.”

Jack shook his head. “I don’t understand. I was transferred out of the Service in order for them to get me to Eureka.”

“Well,” Gerard began as he turned back towards Jack. “We did some digging and found out how that came about. You were truly in the wrong place at the wrong time. It could have been anybody.”

“It just happened to be me,” Jack finished quietly. He closed the bill fold and smacked it against his hand. “Why are you here?” He resisted the impulse to flinch under Gerard’s gaze. There were a few Marshals who had that exact same stare.

“At some point, we’re going to need you again,” Gerard said. “You can’t be a Marshal for a while. Give it a decade, maybe two. Eventually you can come back.” He turned to look back out to the sea. “It sure is pretty out here. Heard you have a Mate.”

The segue took Jack off guard. “Oh, um, yeah. It’s still new.”

Gerard snorted with some amusement. “I bet it is.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Anything else?”

“Nah, not really. I did want to meet you and to give you that.” He said this gesturing to the badge in Jack’s hands.

“I appreciate it,” Jack said thoughtfully. He slipped the badge into his back pocket. “Can you do me a favor?”

“Shoot.”

“There was someone else who helped me and Alyc escape. Allison Blake. She was a researcher there, mortal. They killed her husband in order to keep her and her kids in line. But she got me as much information as she could without them suspecting,” Jack scraped his foot on the ground then looked at Gerard squarely. “Can you see if she made it out okay?”

“I can try. Can’ guarantee anything though.”

“I understand.” Jack held out his hand which Gerard shook.

Robert was standing on the front porch when Jack and Gerard came back. He watched as the two men shook hands again and brought Jack in for a hug when Gerard walked away. They watched as he got into his Crown Victoria and drove off, then Robert pulled back just enough to look Jack in the eye. “You doing okay? I felt -”

Jack nodded. “Yeah, I am. Gerard was just doing some housekeeping.” He reached into his pocket and handed Robert his badge. “He wanted to give me that and to let me know that they had a really nice ceremony for me at Marshall HQ.”

“That’s…good?”

“It’s as good as it’s going to get. It’s given my sister some closure. That’s probably for the best.” He leaned in, brushing his lips over Robert’s then resting their foreheads together. “One day, I’ll go back to that life. Until then, I’ve got you.”

Epilogue:

With the crack of the bat, the Mariner fans roared and got to their feet. Both Jack and Robert did the same. When the outfielder for the opposing team caught the ball at the wall, a palpable groan of disappointment swept through the fans and everyone sat back down. Jack adjusted his Matsu Miners cap a little further down his brow before turning to Robert with a grin.

“Best date ever!”

Robert rolled his eyes. He was well acquainted with the Mariner’s losing streak but that didn’t mean he had to take it with good grace. “Ha, ha. Listen to the funny man.”

Jack chuckled. “I’m not trying to be funny. My guy brought me to a baseball game, bought me a hot dog, beer, and peanuts. And later we’re going to dinner.” He leaned in and whispered, “After dinner, well, that’s entirely up to you isn’t it.”

Robert shuddered as the sensual slide of Jack’s voice tugged at the Bond between them. “Behave,” he gritted out. “We’ve got one more inning and then we’re out of here.”

He should have known that Jack would take every opportunity to tease him. It’s what his Mate did best: pushing and nudging Robert out of his comfort zone. He thought he’d seen every permutation of Jack Carter so far.

Sporty Jack was a whole other animal.

“Are you sure you want to watch the inevitable defeat? I mean, we could blow this pop stand and get to dinner early,” Jack said with waggling eyebrows. Robert had been in the middle of drinking his beer when that happened and he nearly spit it out. He swallowed quickly and glowered at Jack.

“Keep going and you’re not getting anything.”

Jack rocked back on his heels and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Alright, alright. I’ll be good.”

Robert bit his lip. “Yeah, okay, right. I see what you’re doing.”

“Doing?” Jack asked innocently. “I’m not doing anything. Just standing here, watching baseball. Which is pretty cool by the way. Have I told you thank you for taking me yet?” ” He watched as his Mate’s eyebrow twitched upward. It was so easy to wind him up.

“Multiple times…JACK!”

They’d missed another player come up to bat but what they hadn’t missed was the ball that was making a line drive in their direction. Around them, avid baseball fans jostled to get into position.

Jack shifted just enough then vampire reflexes kicked in for him to snatch the ball out of the air.

As disappointed but jovial congratulations followed, Jack spun the ball in his hand and grinned at Robert. “Sweet!”

Robert just shook his head. “You are a piece of work.”

“And you love it.”

“Yeah,” Robert said, heart overflowing, “yeah, I do.”

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