Love: Above and Beyond the Call

No Stronger Love

by

Cat

Copyright © 2000 Cat

This work is not to be reproduced in any way without the express written permission of the author. This story was first introduced in Whispers of the Heart 3.

*****

Captain Simon Banks opened the door of his office and looked around at the officers in the bullpen. Finally his eyes lighted on the two men he was looking for. “Rafe, Brown. My office now,” he barked.

Brian Rafe looked at his partner Henri Brown with a questioning gaze. H raised his hands in total innocence. “Hey don’t look at me – I didn’t do anything.”

“Today would be nice, Detectives!” Banks yelled across the noise of the room.

The two men shrugged at each other and left their desks to walk to the Captain’s office. Simon ushered them in and closed the door before walking around and sitting down at his desk. He motioned them into chairs from the conference table and opened a file on his desk.

“What’s up Captain?” H asked, then grinned. “What ever it is, we didn’t do it, I swear. It was probably Hairboy and Ellison.”

“You haven’t done anything, yet,” Banks stated, smiling grimly. “Thirty minutes ago we received the whereabouts of Jack Delaney.”

“The guy that they think held up the First National?” Brian asked.

“Yeah,” Simon acknowledged. “Except now we have hard evidence against him. The Security Guard he killed winged him and we’ve been able to match Delaney’s blood to that found at the scene. I want you two to bring him in.”

“Can do, Captain.” Henri replied, taking the address that Banks held out. He stood up with Brian, heading for the door.

“One more thing,” Simon said as they started out the door. “This guy has killed once. So be careful, killing one more wouldn’t make any difference to him.”

The two detectives nodded silently and left the office, closing the door behind them. Henri grabbed the car keys off their hook by the door just before Brian could reach for them. “My turn to drive, Bri,” he said, giving Rafe a big grin.

Brian gave an exaggerated sigh and rolled his eyes. But inside he was silently cursing as he followed H onto the elevator. He preferred to drive because it gave him something other than his handsome and oh-so-unavailable partner to concentrate on. From the first day he’d walked into Major Crimes, Brian had had his eye on his big partner.

He’d been drawn to that quick smile and ready humor. Not to mention that hard muscular body and those strong arms. But he’d discovered quickly that Henri Brown was an A-1 ladies man. Though he never seemed to have one steady woman in his life, he was never seen anywhere without a beauty on his arm. So Brian had resigned himself to watching the other Detective from afar and dreaming of what could have been if only….

He was snapped out of his reverie when Henri pulled up outside of a run- down house on the outskirts of town. The place looked like it should have been condemned years ago.

“You take the front, I’ll take the back,” H said as they climbed out of the car.

“Right,” Brian replied as he started across the street.

“And Bri, be careful,” Brown said, looking at him intently.

Brian felt a warm feeling flow through him. “You too.”

They parted ways, Brian heading for the front door, watching the windows carefully for signs of life, while Henri Brown made his way around the side of the house. Henri swore violently as he saw the house had not only a back door, but also a side door to the driveway as well. He positioned himself so that he could see both. He could hear Rafe moving at the front of the house.

Brian was almost to the front door when he saw movement in one window. He saw the suspect heading towards the back of the house, weapon in hand. “Henry, he’s heading for the back!” he yelled as he took off across the yard.

H heard Brian shout, then the younger detective was racing around the corner of the house with his gun drawn. Brian didn’t know about the side door and Henri was torn between heading for the back door and staying where he was. Suddenly the side door swung open and the perp came barreling out.

“Stop! Police!” Henri yelled, pulling his gun as he saw the weapon in De- laney’s hand. “Drop your weapon!”

Delaney raised his gun and H realized that there was no cover anywhere. Then Rafe was there; shoving him out of the line of fire, snapping off three fast and deadly accurate shots, but not before the killer got off one of his own. Henri heard Brian cry out as the bullet struck him, knocking him to the ground.

“Shit, shit, shit,” Henri swore as he jerked the cell phone from his pocket and hit the speed dial. “Officer down,” he yelled into the phone as he dropped to his knees on the concrete driveway beside Rafe. He was praying that Brian had worn his vest, but the blood quickly staining the front of the younger Detective’s jacket and shirt said otherwise. H didn’t even worry about the perp, Brian’s aim had been very accurate and the man was dead, that was certain.

“Oh god, it hurts H….” Brian gasped as Henri came into his view.

“Sh… don’t talk Bri. Save your energy.” Henri pulled back the front of Rafe’s jacket and then the front of his button down shirt to see the kevlar vest with a gaping hole in it. Blood poured out of the hole in the vest. He closed his eyes briefly; damning who ever it was that had developed armor-piercing bullets to the hottest reaches of hell. He tugged open the vest and ripped off his shirt to press against the wound in Brian’s chest.

Brian coughed violently and blood spattered his lips, dribbling down the side of his mouth. Rafe’s eyelids fluttered closed and Henri momentarily panicked, grabbing the other detective’s shoulders and shaking them violently. “Don’t you leave me! You hear me Bri, don’t you leave me!”

The eyelids fluttered open and pain filled blue-gray eyes looked up at him. “Di… didn’t… kno… know you… cared,” Brian chuckled then broke off as another coughing fit took hold of him.

“Of course I care, you’re my partner Bri,” Brown said softly. “And I’m not in the mood to break in another damn rookie, now that I have you trained just the way I want you.” He quipped to cover the gentler moment.

“G… Go… God forbid —” Rafe replied just before dropping into unconsciousness.

Henri Brown felt fear rip through him. Just then he saw the ambulance and paramedics pull up, followed by two black and whites and Jim Ellison’s blue Ford. Strong hands pulled him up and away from his partner as paramedics swarmed around them both.

“We’ll take over from here, Detective. You did a great job. Now let us do ours,” A paramedic said gently as he pushed Henri into Jim’s waiting hands.

“What happened H?” Jim asked as he tried to steer Brown away from where the attendants were working on his partner. But the big detective refused to budge his eyes glued to his partner’s pale face. “Come on H, talk to me! What happened?”

Slowly Henri shook his head, “Bri went to the front, I took the back but there were two exits, no cover. Delaney came out the side door, he had me dead in his sights, and then Brian was there, pushing me out of the way. He took the bullet meant for me and took out Delaney too. He had armor piercing bullets, Bri never had a chance.”

Jim shook his head, “Damn H. But don’t you worry, Brian’s a fighter. He’ll pull through.” Jim hoped he was right, if Brian died it would kill Henri. The man was as protective of his partner as Jim was of Blair. And Jim knew why.

Henri watched as the paramedics and attendants lifted Brian gently on to the waiting gurney and began to move him towards the waiting ambulance. Silently the big detective began to follow the gurney, but Ellison steered him towards the blue Ford.

“H, where are your keys?” Jim asked.

Blindly Henri fished in his pocket and pulled them out. Jim took them and handed them to Blair. “Take their car back to the station and get Simon. I’ll take H on to the hospital, he’s in shock.”

“Right,” Blair said shakily watching as the ambulance pulled away from the curb sirens blaring.

“You okay Chief?” Jim asked, looking at his Guide worriedly.

“Yeah, yeah I’m okay. This is just like way too close to home, you know Jim?” Blair replied.

“Yeah Chief I know.” He patted Blair’s shoulder and turned to collect Henri who was just standing on the side of the road looking lost.

*****

Simon and Blair walked into the waiting room, spotting Jim right away. The Sentinel was squatting beside Henri Brown who sat in one of the hard plastic chairs his head in hands. Blair moved to sit in one of the chairs beside the big detective, putting a hand comfortingly on his shoulder. Jim stood up and walked over to Simon.

“What’s the word, Jim?” Simon asked as he watched Brown.

“Brian’s in surgery. The bastard had armor piercing bullets in the gun he was carrying. Went right through Rafe’s vest and hit his left lung. They say he’s lucky. A little higher and to the right and he’d be gone. As it is they don’t know yet how extensive the damage to the lung is,” Jim informed his friend and Captain.

“How’s Henri?” Bank’s asked eyeing the lead member of his second best team worriedly

“He’s in shock. They gave him a sedative to calm him down, but he refuses to go home until he knows Brian’s out of surgery and okay,” Jim replied.

“Sounds like someone else I know,” Simon smiled grimly. “Damn Jim, this is happening just way too often for my liking.” The Captain sighed. “You know I really hate hospitals, don’t you?”

“You’re preaching to the altar boys here Simon, we all do,” Jim responded.

“I’m going to go and get some coffee. You want anything?” Banks stated.

Ellison nodded, “Coffee, just black is fine. Can you bring Blair some tea? And coffee for H, strong and sweet, he’s gonna need it.”

Simon nodded and headed back down the hallway to the elevators. Jim turned and walked back to where Blair sat with Henri. He looked at the clock on the wall. Forty-five minutes had passed since the surgeons had taken Brian into surgery. It felt like it had been three or four hours already. The Sentinel sighed. It was going to be a very long afternoon.

*****

“Excuse me… are you gentlemen here for Detective Rafe?”

Jim looked up to see the surgeon that had taken Rafe from emergency. “Yes,” he replied quickly, standing up.

“Please sit down. I’m Dr. Ryder,” the doctor said, waving Jim and Simon back into their seats. He pulled one of the chairs over for himself.

“I’m Simon Banks, Detective Rafe’s Captain,” Simon told the surgeon. “How is he?”

“Does Detective Rafe have any family we should contact? There was no one listed on the paperwork except for you Captain Banks and his partner Detec- tive Brown —”

“Oh God, he’s dead…” Henri breathed his eyes wide and his fists clenching and unclenching.

“No, no he is quite alive. I assure you,” The Doctor reassured them all quickly. Henri sagged in his seat. “He was even luckier than we first estimated. The bullet hit a rib, broke it. But it deflected the bullet enough that it just glanced off the lung and lodged in the muscle of his back. The lung was damaged but we were able to save both lung cavities. I won’t lie to you, it was touch and go there for a while, but he’s a fighter. His heart stopped twice on the table but both times he came back before we could even touch him with the paddles.”

“Can we see him?” Henri asked, his dark skin gray with worry.

“Not yet, he’s in recovery at the moment and will be there for a while. Then we’ll move him into ICU. Right now he’s listed in critical condition, but he’s stabilized. Now are there any relatives that need to be contacted?” the Doctor asked again.

“No,” Simon said looking at Henri. “He’s never listed anyone on his paper work. Henri, has he said anything to you?”

“No, Bri’s never talked about any family.” Henri replied.

“All right then, I am going to restrict his visitors to you, Captain Banks and Detective Brown for right now,” the Surgeon stated.

“Thank you, Doctor,” Simon stated and H nodded.

“Now we come to the other problem,” Ryder said, looking at them. “Detective Rafe is going to be down for quite a while, even if he doesn’t have any more episodes, like we had in surgery. We’ll keep him here a little extra time, but even when he is ready to leave the hospital, he is going to need more bed rest and help. He’s going to be tired and weak, and he can’t over exert himself at all. Now we can keep him here until he fully recovered since he doesn’t have a family or a domestic partner to help. But I have found that people normally do better in the last stages of healing if they are away from the hospi- tal atmosphere. They rest better and are normally a lot happier, and…” the sur- geon grinned. “The food is usually better. All in all it speeds up the recovery time drastically in most cases.”

“No problem,” Henri said looking at the Doctor. “When Bri is ready to leave the hospital, he can come home with me.”

“H, are you sure that’s what you want to do?” Jim said, looking at Brown intently. “Brian can come stay at the loft too. There’d be two of us to watch out for him. And he could stay in Blair’s room.”

“No, I’m sure. And I have lots of vacation time saved up that I need to start using. And hell,” Henri said, a small smile relieving the tension in his face for just a second. “I’d probably get teamed up with you while he’s down, then what would Hairboy do?”

“It looks like there isn’t a problem after all.” the Doctor smiled slightly. “I will let you all hash this out. Just remember he’s going to need support and quiet.”

“He’s got it,” Brown stated. “What ever he needs, he’s got it.”

Dr. Ryder nodded, satisfied. “I really suggest that all of you go home and get some rest. Detective Rafe probably won’t be awake for several hours. Maybe not even until morning.”

H shook his head. “I need to be here Doc. You just let me know when I can go sit with him.”

“You might want to go home and clean up first Detective Brown.” the surgeon stated, indicating Henri’s T-shirt stained with Brian’s blood.

“God I… I didn’t even realize,” Henri mumbled, staring at the blood on his clothes.

“Come on H. I’ll take you home to shower and change. Simon and Blair can stay here with Brian until we get back.” Jim said gently, standing up and easing Henri out of his seat.

“Okay,” Brown looked at his Captain. “You’ll call if anything happens? You’ll call right away?”

“I’ll call you, Henri.” Banks assured his Detective. “I’ll call you immediately.”

Henri nodded, satisfied and let Jim lead him away from the waiting room. The Doctor watched him go. “They’re good friends, Detective Rafe and Brown?”

Simon nodded, “They’ve been partners for three years, since Rafe joined Ma- jor Crimes. But if what Blair tells me is true, the bullet Brian took today was meant for Henri.”

The doctor whistled, “That’s a lot of guilt for one man to carry around. You’ll make sure he sees someone about that?”

“I’ve got an appointment for him with the department councilor tomorrow afternoon. He’ll be there if I have to carry him,” Simon stated.

“Good, I should go, I’ve got patients to see. But I will have a nurse come and get you as soon as Detective Rafe is moved to ICU,” Ryder said, holding out a hand to Simon and then Blair.

“Thanks, Doc. We’d appreciate it,” Simon replied. As the doctor walked away Simon turned to look at Blair. “You’ve been awfully quiet. That’s not like you.”

Blair shook his head, brown curls bobbing. “Just thinking. Thinking how I would feel if that was Jim lying up there fighting for his life.” The young anthropologist shuddered.

Simon wrapped an arm around the police observer. “But it’s not. And you heard the Doc. Brian’s a fighter, he’ll come through this and be back to swank up the pen in no time… you’ll see.”

Blair drew a deep breath. “Yeah, but man you didn’t see Henri at the scene. They had to drag him off of Brian. He… he seemed so lost. I’ve never seen him like that.”

“It happens when you’ve been partnered to someone as long as Henri and Rafe. It’s almost like being a married couple, you get to know each other so well, and you start to depend on each other. When something happens to the one, the other can feel that way.” Simon stood up. “Lets go on up to the ICU ward, make it easier for the nurse to find us.”

Blair nodded and the two men walked towards the elevators, each of them lost in their own thoughts.

*****

Brian came to slowly. It was a struggle to open his eyes, the lids felt weighted down with ten-pound weights. His chest hurt and his throat hurt, for a moment he even thought his toes hurt, but decided he was being too melodramatic. Finally he got his eyelids to open and stay open. He looked at the empty hospital chair beside the bed and the pain in his chest seemed to double. But he couldn’t blame anyone for not being there. From the dimness of the room it was still nighttime and they probably hadn’t thought he would wake up until morning. Just then a soft snore from the other side of the bed caught his atten- tion and he turned his head to see Henri slumped in another hospital chair asleep, one hand resting on the bed very close to his own.

Tears filled Brian’s eyes as he realized his partner must have been there almost the whole time and that at some point someone else had been there too. That was the reason for the two chairs. Slowly he moved his leaden arm until his hand touched Henri’s and immediately the older Detective was awake.

“Hey Bri,” H said softly. Then he saw the slow trickle of tears from the injured man’s eyes. “Bri, are you hurting? Do you need the nurse?”

Brian nodded. It was the truth. His chest and throat did hurt. And he couldn’t tell Henri that the tears were because of him, because he was there, even if he could have forced any words past the pain in his throat. He watched as his partner grabbed up the call button and told the nurse that answered that he was awake.

“Don’t worry Bri, she’ll be here in a minute and you’ll be flying high again,” Brown said.

Rafe nodded and sighed silently as Henri took his hand, holding it loosely. He let his head fall sideways on the pillows that propped him up, watching his partner. The beloved face and the hand holding his felt like his only lifeline. The door opened and a nurse came in. Her happy smile and efficient manner eased Brian’s ragged nerves more. “Welcome back Detective,” she said, straightening the covers a little and checking the monitors and IV. “Your Part- ner says you’re in a bit of pain.”

Rafe nodded, his eyes pleading. He watched as she pressed a button on a tube connected to his IV. Immediately a clear liquid flowed through the tube and into the IV mixture.

“There that should take care of that for a while. I bet you’re thirsty too,” she stated. Brian nodded again more vigorously and then moaned as the move- ment jarred his injured body. The nurse poured a glass of water from a pitcher by the bed adding a straw and held it to his lips. “Slow sips, it will be easier.” She recommended and he obliged, “Take slow careful breaths after each sip.”

The painkiller was beginning to work and Brian felt his eyelids starting to droop. Comforted by the presence of his partner and the gradual diminishing of the pain in his chest, the detective let his eyes close and sank back into sleep. As he drifted away, he thought he felt a gentle caress on his stubbled cheek, but discounted it as a drug induced hallucination.

*****

When Brian woke next, the room was bright with sunlight. He felt blissfully weightless and realized that it was the painkiller. His throat hurt less, but his mouth felt like it was full of cotton wool. Looking around he saw Henri standing at the window looking out. His clothes were rumpled and it was obvious he hadn’t been home to change since the last time Brian had woken up.

“Hey,” Rafe tried to speak but it came out as soft croaking noise. He frowned in frustration, then smiled slightly as Henri turned around, obviously having heard him anyway.

“Hey yourself. How are you feeling?” H said as he walked over to the bed a huge smile on his face.

“Fl… oa… ting. Thir… sty,” Bri rasped.

“I bet,” Brown grinned. “They’ve given you more painkillers twice since you woke up.” He refrained from saying that the younger Detective had been almost crying with pain both times and so in and out of it that he probably didn’t remember.

“Time… is… it?” Brian asked after taking several small sips from the straw Henri held to his lips.

“Almost three in the afternoon. You’ve been pretty out of it,” H said as he sat down beside the bed. “Simon, Jim and Blair stopped by earlier but you were asleep.”

“Go… home… rest,” Brian said, squeezing the hand that held his. It was the last thing he wanted, but Henri looked exhausted.

“I will when you go back to sleep. But I’ll be back,” H said soothingly.

“’kay…” Rafe replied. “What…?”

Brown looked puzzled for a moment then realized what Brian was asking him. “What happened?” The younger detective nodded. “Do you remember going to pick up Delaney?”

Brian nodded.

“He came out the side door you didn’t know about. Had me dead in his sights. You pushed me out of the way and got the bullet instead. It went right through your vest,” Henri explained.

“Get… him?” Brian asked.

“Yeah you got him, partner,” H replied softly.

“Killed…?” Brian’s eyes were huge. In all the time that he had been a Cop and been with Major Crimes he hadn’t killed a man yet. The thought that he had made him feel numb inside.

Detective Brown sighed; he could read his partner’s face like a book. “Yeah, you killed him Bri. But it was the only thing you could have done. You were moving, it was him or us, there was no time to try and just put him out of action.”

Brian knew that Henri was right, but it still didn’t stop the ache that burned inside of him. He had always hoped that he would never have to draw his gun to kill another human being. Now he had, and the only thing that made it bearable was the fact that it had saved Henri. He felt himself drifting, knew he was about to fall asleep again, when H’s voice pulled him back up.

“Why Bri, why did you take the bullet for me?”

Rafe tried to answer, but exhaustion was pulling him down and the world was going black before his eyes. Slowly his eyelids fluttered closed and sleep claimed him, leaving his partner no closer to an answer.

*****

“Welcome back to the land of the living.” Simon Banks deep voice greeted Rafe as he woke up.

Brian turned his head slowly. There was no sign of Henri and it was dark out- side again. “Hi, Simon. Where’s… H?” He rasped through a dry throat and mouth.

“I sent him home to get a few hours sleep in a real bed. He’s been here almost around the clock for the last two days,” Simon said holding the straw for a fresh cup of water to Rafe’s lips.

Brian took a long drink, noticing as he swallowed that his throat didn’t hurt anymore. He sighed with relief. “Two days?” He asked, his voice a little stronger, the words coming easier.

“Since they rolled you into the emergency room,” Simon said softly.

“Make him stay home for a while. I’ll be ok,” Rafe stated.

“Uh huh, right. It took dynamite and Jim to dislodge him from that seat beside you,” Simon grinned. “But we convinced him to go home and sleep tonight. I’m sure he’ll be back bright and early in the morning.”

Brian nodded his heart swelling at the thought of how much his partner cared. He was looking around the room, realizing he’d been moved. The new room was overflowing with flowers and baskets and opened cards littered almost every available surface. His eyes widened as he took everything in.

“They moved you out of ICU a few hours ago. Most of this has been waiting for you since yesterday. They couldn’t have them in the ICU ward,” Simon told him. “Here, this is from Jim and Blair. Blair said it always made him feel better.” Simon set a small stuffed brown bear on Rafe’s chest just below the monitor wires.

Brian grinned and immediately tucked the small bear into the crook of his arm. Leave it to Blair, who seemed to spend the most time in the hospital, to come up with something so childish, yet so wonderfully comforting. “Where did all of this come from?”

Simon smiled, “The guys at the department, your friends. That monster arrangement that is taking up most of the dresser is from the bank.”

The young Detective’s eyes skimmed past the large arrangement, taking in the smaller arrangements, fruit baskets and cards. “I never realized….” Bri said, his voice wobbly.

Simon patted his hand, “We never do. It’s too bad it takes something like this to show us,” The Captain stated. “How about some TV? The basketball game just started.” He finished, trying to lighten the mood.

“Sure that would be great,” Brian replied, a small smile on his face.

Simon located the hand control for the television and switched it on flipping channels until the game clicked on the screen. For the next hour they watched the basketball game in semi–silent companionship. Brian just enjoying listening to Simon swear and yell, trying hard not to be too loud.

A nurse came in at one point to check the monitors, and his temperature. She adjusted the flow of his IV and admonished Simon for stirring up her patient and getting him over excited. Brian grinned, watching his Captain try to explain that sports were really a homeopathic healing remedy for most men, at which point the nurse rolled her eyes and left the room laughing.

Brian was chuckling as Simon sat back down beside him to finish watching the game. “Taking lessons from Blair, Captain?” he said with a grin.

Simon growled at him good naturedly, “Just watch the game, Detective,” He quipped, a smile hovering around his mouth as he settled back into the chair.

The new dose of painkiller the Nurse had administered began to work on Brian and within half an hour he was sleeping again. This sleep was less deep, no longer induced by the heavy doses of medication. That night he had his first nightmare.

*****

“You ready to get out of this joint?” Henri asked, as he walked into Brian’s hospital room.

“God am I,” Brian sighed. “Any more of this hospital food and I’ll waste away from starvation,” he joked, pushing away his half eaten breakfast.

H unzipped the small duffel bag he was carrying and pulled out the clothes he had brought with him for Rafe to change into. He helped Brian stand up and the younger man took the clothes into the bathroom to get dressed. “I talked to the nurse at the desk, they should be bringing the paperwork for you to sign out and a list of final instructions in a little bit.” Brown called as he sat on the bed waiting.

“Great,” Brian called back as he gingerly slid into the button down shirt wincing as the muscles around his wound pulled. He tucked the shirt into the jeans Henri had brought, fastening them up and walking back into the room. He sank down in a chair to pull on socks and his tennis shoes.

“Your okay with coming to my place still, aren’t you?” H asked from the bed looking at him intently.

“Yeah, if that’s still okay with you,” Bri said hesitantly.

“More than okay,” Henri said smiling broadly.

Rafe smiled back. Just then the door opened and a medical technician walked in with his paper work. About fifteen minutes later, the MT with Henri walking beside him, was wheeling Brian out of his room.

“H… I’m not an invalid.” Brian protested as his partner took his arm to help him out of the wheel chair and into the waiting car.

“Hey the doctors said no over exerting yourself, now just sit back and enjoy this while it lasts,” the older Detective scolded as he handed the smaller man into the car.

Brian sighed exaggeratedly as Henri closed the door. Then he smiled, shaking his head in resignation. It felt good to be taken care of and pampered by the big man. But he couldn’t allow himself to get too comfortable because it wouldn’t last, it couldn’t. He was terrified that he would get careless and let something slip that would destroy the friendship between he and the man he silently loved.

As Henri started the car and headed out of the hospital parking lot Brian laid his head back against the seat, closing his eyes, feigning sleep.

*****

Brian looked around at the guestroom in his partner’s rambling ranch home. He’d been here before but never seen either of the two bedrooms. But H was famous for his poker and pool nights because he had a huge game room with a bar. Not to mention the regulation pool table, felt topped poker table and big screen TV that were the rage of football season with their friends from the department.

But now he stood in the guestroom, gazing around at the trouble Henri had gone through to make him feel at home. Along with all of his gifts from the hospital, his partner had brought an assortment of clothing from Brian’s apartment, his small stereo from the bedroom and a stack of his CDs. The bed had been made up and was turned down and ready for him. The hand control for the stereo and a stack of books sat on the bedside table for him.

“Is this okay? Is there anything from your apartment that I didn’t bring with me that you need?” Henri asked clearing his throat.

“H… I don’t know what to say. You didn’t have to go to this much trouble,” Brian said, looking at his partner. “It’s… it’s great.”

The ready smile was back and the older man looked relieved. “Hey, you’re going to be here for the next four weeks. I wanted to make sure you were as comfortable as possible.”

“Thanks, it’s wonderful,” Brian yawned and realized that the trip from the hospital had tired him out more than he thought.

“I’ll get out of here and let you get to bed. Remember you’re still not sup- posed to be up more than a few hours a day for the next little bit. You lay down and I’ll wake you up for dinner when it’s ready. We can watch the game while we eat,” Henri stated.

“Sure that would be great,” Rafe said, trying to smother another yawn. He watched as H left the room, closing the door behind him before sitting down on the bed to take off his shoes. A quick check through the drawers of the bureau found that the other detective had brought him quite an assortment of clothing. He pulled a pair of blue silk pajama bottoms out of the top drawer and slipped into them, forgoing the shirt that went with them and got into bed.

When Brown checked in on his partner thirty minutes later he found Bri sleeping soundly curled around a pillow on his side. The covers were twisted around his waist and Henri straightened them, pulling them up around the other man’s chest, careful of the bandage that still covered the wound over his left lung. Hesitantly he reached out one large hand and brushed the soft hair back from the pale face, caught by the difference of the dark and light skin. Brian sighed in his sleep and snuggled tighter to the pillow a small smile playing over his lips. The large Detective wondered what or whom his small partner was dreaming about, wishing that it could be about him. But he couldn’t imagine Mr. GQ, who turned every female head in the precinct, being interested in men. Especially not a jeans and T-shirt roughneck like himself.

With a long sigh Henri walked around the bed to close the drapes so that Brian could sleep better. Then he left the room, closing the door quietly behind him, missing the soft whisper of his name from the man in the bed.

*****

Henri placed the cover back on the homemade marinara sauce. He strained the pasta, pouring it back into the main pot and adding a light garlic butter sauce and Parmesan cheese before setting it aside. French bread warmed in the oven, along with two lightly seasoned chicken breasts. A tossed salad sat on the counter just waiting to be dished up. In the game room, he had a recliner all ready for Brian with a blanket if the younger detective got cold while they watched the basketball game.

Content that everything was ready, he left the kitchen and started down the hallway towards the guestroom. He was within a few feet when a sharp cry stopped him in his tracks. Another cry had him bolting the last few steps to burst into the room flipping on the light as he did so.

“Bri… what’s wrong?” he asked sharply seeing the younger man sitting up in bed bathed in sweat. “Are you in pain?”

Brian shook his head as he tried to get his breathing under control. “No… no ‘m okay. Ju… just a nightmare. Sorry I worried you.”

“Hey it’s okay,” H replied softly, resting a hand on the other man’s shoulder. “You’re entitled to a few right now.”

Brian nodded. “Thanks.”

“Why don’t you slip into a robe and come on down to the game room when you’re ready. Dinner is done and I’ll have a salad waiting for you when you get there,” Brown said, eyeing his shaking partner worriedly. What he really wanted was to take the smaller man in his arms and hold him until the shaking stopped… hold him until the nightmares went away.

“I’ll be there in just a minute,” Rafe murmured, hugging himself tight.

“Take your time. By the way, which would you rather have with dinner? Juice or coffee?” Henri asked from the doorway, hating the shuttered look on his partner’s face as the other man struggled for control after the nightmare.

“Coffee, thanks,” Brian said, his voice stronger as he started to climb out of the bed.

“Coffee it is.” H said and closed the door standing there for a moment while he got himself under control. He heard the closet door open and finally turned to walk back down the hall to the kitchen.

*****

“Damn H, something smells wonderful,” Brian said as he walked into the game room five minutes later to see Henri adjusting the sound on the big screen TV.

“Dinner I hope,” The detective replied with a grin. “Go on have a seat,” he said, indicating the easy chair with the blanket. He studied his partner covertly, worried that he might still be upset about the nightmare, but the younger man seemed fine.

“God, who would have thought you’d be a mother hen?” Brian chuckled as he sat down, folding the blanket over his legs.

“Keep it up and I’ll show you a real mother hen. I won’t let you out of that bed for the next three days,” Henri said with a mock growl as he headed to the kitchen.

Brian looked after him, thinking he could do that easy if Henri would just join him in the bed. He sighed and picked up the salad from the dinner tray beside him.

“I can move the tray around to the front for you if you’d like,” the older man said as he came back in the room with his own salad and coffee.

“Thanks that would be great. I was afraid I’d spill the coffee if I tried to do it myself right now,” Brian replied.

Henri set his own things down on his own tray and moved over to shift Brian’s so that it was sitting in front of him. “There you go that might be a little easier for you,” he said.

“Perfect.” Brian set his salad plate back on the tray and sat forward to eat.

They ate the salads in companionable silence, watching the basketball game. When the salads were done, H took the plates back to the kitchen and came out several minutes later with new plates heaped with food.

Brian’s eyes widened, “Henri that looks great,” he said taking in the pasta and chicken lightly covered in marinara sauce and French bread.

“Hey Mrs. Brown didn’t let any of her kids leave the house without knowing how to boil an egg,” H chuckled, setting one of the plates in front of Brian.

“H, this is way more than boiling an egg. I mean hell, we’ve all had those killer ribs of yours at the department picnic. But this is gourmet stuff,” Brian said as he cut a bite from the chicken.

The big detective grinned as he sat down with his own plate. He watched quietly as Bri dug into the good food. It was the best compliment the younger man could have given him. Rafe pushed his empty plate away twenty minutes later and sat back with a sigh.

“God Henri, two weeks with food like this and I am going to need a new wardrobe,” the younger man sighed, closing his eyes in blissful contentment.

“I doubt it,” Brown said with a small smile. “You lost a lot of weight in the hospital. I’m just trying to put it back.”

Henri finished his own dinner, then gathered up all the dishes. He was walking into the kitchen when he realized he was being followed. “Bri go sit down, you need to rest.”

“Not a chance. I need to stand up and give all that good food somewhere to go,” the slender Detective said. “Anyway doing the dishes isn’t that difficult.”

“No it’s not. I put them in the dishwasher,” he replied. But saw the determined look on his partners face. “Ok, you rinse the stuff as I bring it to you then give it to me to load in.”

Brian laughed softly but did as he was told. He watched as H stored the left over sauce in a container and put it in the freezer, disposing of the last tiny bit of pasta. The larger man brought him the pots and Brian ran them under the hot water setting them with the plates he’d already rinsed and left sitting in the sink. When Henri leaned into the still warm oven to remove the left over French bread, Brian took the unobserved moment to put the plates in the washer.

“I heard that.” H looked around at the sheepish younger man with a small scowl, but the smile tugging at his mouth ruined the effect.

“Oh come on H, leaning over to put a couple of plates in the dishwasher isn’t going to hurt me,” Bri pouted.

Henri paused unable to take his eyes off that full lower lip stuck out on his partner. All he wanted was to feel that lip between his own as he sucked on it, to hear his small partner moan with pleasure as he did so. Shaking himself he said, “Just don’t over do it.”

“I won’t, I promise,” Brian grinned. He added the pots to the bottom rack while H brought him more dishes that needed to be rinsed.

“Do you have any room left for dessert?” the big detective asked. “Just ice cream.”

Rafe shook his head, “Not an inch. That dinner was superb.” He leaned over to put the strainer into the bottom wrack of the washer when a wave of dizziness came over him. Desperate to keep from falling, he grabbed at the top rack.

“Bri!” Immediately Henri was there beside him, strong arms around him hold- ing him up.

“Sor… sorry, must be the meds,” Brian gasped, leaning into the strong body as the dizziness passed.

“Ok buddy, I think it is time for you to go back to bed,” Henri said as he steered the younger man towards the kitchen door.

“No it’s passed. I’m ok really,” Brian said quickly, hating to see the evening end. It was so close to what he had always dreamed of.

“No arguing,” Henri said forcefully. He tightened his arms around the smaller Detective and led him down the hallway to his room. He helped Rafe out of his robe and helped him into bed, pulling the covers up around his partner’s shoulders. “Get some rest. If you feel up to it in the morning you can help me make breakfast,” he said with a grin.

“I don’t know if you want to do that. Brewing a pot of coffee and boiling an egg are about the extent of my culinary achievements,” Brian smiled ruefully.

“You mean Mr. GQ can’t cook?” Henri asked, surprised.

Brian blushed and dropped his eyes trying not to show how the comment hurt. He knew it was a big joke to a lot of the department, the fact that he dressed rather fashionably. But then none of his friends, not those at the department or outside of it, knew what it had taken him to get where he was now. They would never have recognized the longhaired, scared runaway he had been ten years ago, in the smart dressed police detective he was today.

Brian shook himself and smiled at his partner. “Nope, take out and frozen dinners are my specialty.”

“Well, I’ll just have to see what I can do about that while you’re here,” Henri quipped. “But right now sleep is in order for you.” The big detective got up from the side of the bed where he’d been sitting. At the door he turned and looked back. “Sleep well Bri, just yell if you need anything.”

“I will, and H… thanks again,” Brian said from the bed.

“You’re welcome.” Henry replied. He turned off the light and closed the door quietly.

*****

Henri woke with a start, looking around trying to see what it might have been that had woken him. Then he heard it, Rafe crying out from the guestroom.

“No, oh God Henri, no!”

The big detective jumped out of bed, not bothering to throw on his robe that lay over the foot of the bed. He rushed out of his room to Brian’s. He found his young partner thrashing in the bed, still crying his name and the word ‘no’ over and over. Henri sat down on the edge of the bed, catching Brian’s flailing arms in his large hands.

“Brian wake up!” He called to his partner. “It’s just a nightmare. Wake up buddy.”

Rafe’s eyes snapped open and he looked around frantically. Seeing Henri sitting on the edge of the bed, he sat up suddenly running his hands over the larger man’s chest as if searching for something. “You’re all right, oh God, oh thank God. You’re all right.” Still caught in the last vestiges of the dream, not really thinking of what he was doing, Brian wrapped his arms around his partner, laying his head over the other man’s heart listening to the slow steady beat.

“Bri?” H asked questioningly.

Suddenly the younger man realized what he was doing and pushed away from the arms that had gone loosely around him. “Shit, shit. I’m sorry H, I’m so sorry. It won’t happen again, I promise.” He said agitatedly, moving back away from his partner until he almost fell off the bed on the far side.

“Bri, it’s okay,” Henri replied gently. “I’m not mad.” The big man moved slowly around the bed towards his agitated partner.

“You’re not… not mad, I mean… I don’t know…” Brian broke off watching Henri’s slow approach with wide, worried eyes.

“No, I’m not mad.” The detective sat down on the edge of the bed again close to the nervous man.

Then very slowly he reached out and pulled him into a loose embrace. He tilted the stubbled face to look at him, gazing down into the wide eyes. “No, I am definitely not mad.”

With slow deliberateness, the big detective lowered his head until his lips just barely touched the slightly parted lips of his partner. Brian moaned deep in his throat, leaning into the kiss. It felt so good, so right. He didn’t care what happened afterwards, right now he just wanted to enjoy the feel of that warm mouth on his own.

Finally Henri pulled back to look down at the flushed face and the eyes filled with need and hunger. Taking that as the go ahead to continue he lowered his head again. This time the kiss was more demanding as his moist tongue begged entrance. And Brian obliged, opening his mouth, meeting the questing tongue with his own. Their tongues dueled and teased each other until finally they were forced to break apart in order to breathe. Brian groaned softly as he sucked in more air than his injured lung could handle, the muscles pulling at the still healing wound.

“Damn Bri, I’m sorry I didn’t think,” H said worriedly, watching as the younger man struggled to get his breathing under control.

“I’m not!” Brian gasped grinning. “That was incredible. But H… how long — I mean I never realized… I never thought….”

Henri smiled slightly, but it was a sad smile. “More than two years, but I never thought that you’d be interested in me, even if you did swing this way.”

Brian sighed, “I think I’ve been attracted to you since the day I walked into Major Crimes as your new partner. But you always had one beautiful woman or another on your arm all the time. And you certainly didn’t seem interested in men.”

Henri shook his head, “Hey you know from experience that my sisters are always trying to set me up with someone. You don’t fight your sisters – it just makes them more determined and I do have three of them, you know.”

“Yeah I know,” Brian laughed. “Remember Yvonne tried to set me up once? It was a total disaster.”

“Yeah I remember. She complained for weeks that her friend wouldn’t speak to her ever again,” H grinned. “They decided it wasn’t safe to set you up after that. They didn’t want to lose any more friends.” With his arms still looped loosely around Brian, the bigger man eased them both down onto the bed on their sides, spooning up against his partner.

“Tell me about the dream Bri?” he said softly as he ran a hand soothingly over the other man’s left arm.

Brian shuddered, “In my nightmare I don’t make it in time. The bullet hits you and I can’t do anything but sit there with you and watch you die.”

“But you did make it Bri and took the bullet instead. God I thought I was going to lose you,” Henri whispered. “Why did you do it? You never did answer me about that.”

“Be… because I… because I love you. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you,” Brian replied softly, shuddering again.

“You love me?” The big detective asked, his voice soft and filled with happiness.

“For a long time now,” Brian said hesitantly. “You’re ok with that aren’t you?”

“Bri, I am more than ok with that. I love you too. I’m surprised you didn’t figure it out. Ellison told me he could see it a mile away,” Henri replied.

“I guess I was just afraid it was me seeing what I wanted to,” Rafe sighed sadly. “God, when I saw Delaney come out that side door I almost died. I thought he would get you before I got there.”

“I was wearing my vest,” Henri stated calmly his arms tightening around the smaller man, nuzzling his neck contentedly.

“I couldn’t count on him aiming for your chest,” his partner said. “And I didn’t have time to think about doing anything else.”

“Well don’t you ever do anything like it again, you hear me. I don’t want to lose you either,” Henri ordered gently. “Now go to sleep babe, I’ll be right here with you all night. I’ll keep the nightmare at bay.”

“I can’t promise that H. I really can’t,” Brian whispered, a yawn garbling the last word.

“We’ll work it out. Now go to sleep,” the detective said softly settling more comfortably behind his partner. Within a few minutes he heard the soft easy breathing from the younger man as sleep reclaimed him.

*****

Brian woke slowly feeling warm and lazy. Henri was still cuddled up close behind him, an arm and leg thrown over him possessively. He hated to move, but the annoying call of nature was calling very loudly. Sighing, he wormed his way out from under the other man and padded out of the room and down the hall to the bathroom.

He relieved himself, then looked at the shower longingly. But he wasn’t supposed to get the bandage wet, so that was out for the time being. Looking in the cabinets he found a fresh washcloth and gave himself a quick spitz bath. He spied his toiletry case and opened it pulling out his electric razor to shave. Finally done with his morning routine he went back to his room. Henri was still sleeping soundly, so Brian slipped back into the bed curling up next to his big partner.

When Henri woke up an hour later it was to find a pair of gray-blue eyes watching him quietly. “Good morning, “ he smiled, leaning to kiss the softly parted lips. “God, we’ve wasted so much time.” He whispered as he pulled back to look at Rafe.

“Not really,” Brian replied smiling back. “Think of it as a three year courtship to get to know each other. Now we’ve just moved it up to the next level.”

“Yeah the next level I like the sound of that,” H chuckled as he reached over to pull Brian onto his chest. Giving into the fantasy he’d had the night before he began to nibble lightly on the younger man’s full bottom lip, his large hands cupping the handsome face of his partner.

Brian moaned with pleasure, loving the erotic sensations Henri was causing in him. He slid his hands under the bigger man’s T-shirt, running them through the wiry hair on his chest, feeling the play of muscles as they moved beneath his fingers. Dressed Henri tended to look softer, the large body looking deceptively stout. But in his tight T-shirts or undressed the barrel chest and strong abs were tight and defined, and Rafe reveled in the feel of the other man’s strength.

Henri pulled back to look up into eyes gone dark with passion. He could feel Brian’s erection pressing against his hip, his cock pressing back. “Bri, we should stop before this goes too far. You’re not ready.”

“I am ready, I’ve been ready for so long,” Brian whispered desperately.

“But your wound, it’s not healed yet,” Henri said trying to keep control.

“We can go slow, take it easy,” the younger man replied, a pleading tone to his voice, his eyes begging. “Please, I want to feel you inside me.”

“Oh God Bri when you turn on those eyes…” Henri groaned.

“Please,” Brian whimpered. He leaned down and bit down at the strong neck and Henri moaned turning his head to allow better access to the younger man.

“All right Bri, all right,” Henri rolled so that they were lying on their sides facing each other. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

“Hurry,” Rafe whispered, shivering as the bigger man released him and got out of the bed.

Henri nodded and left the room, walking quickly. In the bathroom he pulled the lube out of a drawer. He hadn’t had a lover in so long that he never kept it in the bedroom anymore. But he vowed to start keeping one in every room of the house from now on. He had no doubts that this was it, the love he had been waiting for all his life. And he wasn’t going to let go easily.

Walking back into the bedroom he found Brian lying naked on the bed, having shucked out of his pajama bottoms. He was utterly beautiful, lying there against the white sheets, his body golden tan, his long slender cock moving sensually in the loose grip of one long fingered hand. Moving to the bed, H dropped the lube onto the nightstand and took the errant hand into a gentle grip pulling it away from the younger man’s erection. Brian looked at him questioningly.

Henri ran the fingers of his free hand over the straining cock feeling the younger man shiver and his hips jerk. “Mine,” he said meaningfully looking at his partner, seeing his eyes flare with excitement. He pulled Brian’s hand to his lips, kissing it gently then laid it on the bed.

Henri pulled his T-shirt over his head, dropping it to the floor beside the bed. Then slowly he slipped his boxers off, letting them slide down around his ankles and stepped out of them. He moved onto the bed slowly and lay on his side beside Brian. Reaching out he pulled the smaller man to him until their bodies touched. He kissed his partner deeply, his tongue pressing between parted lips.

He felt long fingered hands roaming across his back, exploring and caressing. His own hands were doing the same, wandering down the soft back, teasing the small dimple at the base of Brian’s spine with his fingers. Smiling as he heard his partner chuckle at the tickling touch. He stored this small piece of information in his mind for later play along with several other ticklish spots he’d found.

Finally his large hands reached the soft globes of the younger man’s ass. He kneaded them gently, savoring the feel of the soft downy hair that covered them sparsely. Following the soft strands down to the strong thighs. He ran one finger teasingly up the deep crack between Bri’s cheeks and heard the younger man gasp with pleasure.

Brian moved, breaking their kiss as he moved down to suckle at Henri’s nipples, teasing first one and then the other. Brian’s hands ran over his stomach and Henri shivered at the sensual touch. He groaned deep in his chest as Brian’s mouth moved lower, his teeth grazing the skin of his belly, then his warm tongue licking each spot soothingly. When the tip of his partner’s tongue flicked teasingly over the tip of his cock, Henri hissed with pleasure, his hips thrusting instinctively. H looked down to see Brian’s passion glazed eyes looking at him, then the younger man dipped his head, taking his cock into his mouth, sucking it smoothly.

Henri gripped the sheets with white knuckled fists, twisting them frantically as his body was rocked with pleasure by that wonderful mouth. He cried out, struggling desperately not to give into the urge to thrust. He didn’t want to do anything that would hurt his healing partner. When he knew he was on the edge he reached down and caught Brian’s arms drawing the younger man up. As carefully as he could he rolled the two of them over so that Brian lay beneath him.

“My turn to play,” he grinned, looking down at his new lover. Brian looked up at him with eyes filled with passion and excitement. Henri lowered his head to nibble on Bri’s lips for a second before moving on to the long neck. He nibbled playfully along the underneath of the younger man’s jaw, traveling down the neck to the curve of the shoulder. He sucked the skin into his mouth biting down on it gently. Rafe moaned his hand clutching at Henri’s head. “You’re mine now, Bri,” H whispered into his partner’s ear. “I’ve marked you and now you’re mine.”

“Yours,” Brian panted in reply. “Always H… always was.”

Henri grinned and began a slow sensual exploration of his lover’s body with his mouth. By the time he reached the other man’s cock, Brian was writhing on the bed, sobbing with need. Henri ran soothing hands over his partner’s belly and thighs trying to ease him down just a little as the smaller man’s breathing became ragged.

“Easy Bri, easy. Roll onto your side for me,” H ordered softly. Brian looked at him wonderingly but did as he was told. Henri adjusted his partner’s legs pushing them up closer to his chest. Then reaching over to the nightstand he snagged the lube. Popping the top he squeezed a liberal amount into his hand quickly coating his fingers.

Coating Rafe’s cleft and opening with the lube he gently pressed the tip of one finger inside the tight hole. “Damn, Bri you are so tight. How long has it been for you?”

“Al… almost a year,” Brian gasped as Henri’s finger probed deeper stretching him gently.

“If I hurt you at anytime you tell me and we stop. The last thing I ever want to do is hurt you.” H commanded, “Promise me, or we don’t go any further no matter how much we both want it.”

“Pr… promise,” Brian answered groaning as he pressed back on the finger that was deep inside of him. “More, please.”

Henri withdrew the single finger and quickly lubed his hand again before pressing back in with two. He kissed and sucked at the smooth side of his lover, teasing the sensitive spots he had found earlier keeping his partner relaxed and high. He twisted and scissored his fingers as he slowly pressed them inside of the tight entrance. When they were completely inside he began to thrust slow and easy, and Brian moved with him pressing back to meet each thrust.

Finally Henri added a third finger watching his partner for any sign of pain. But all he could see was ecstasy and a desperate need for more. He moved his hand slowly pressing in inch by inch, when he was all the way in he twisted his hand slightly brushing his fingers over Brian’s prostate. The younger man cried out with pleasure, pressing back on the fingers that filled him.

“Oh God H… now I need you inside me now,” Rafe sobbed pushing harder against the big hand.

“Okay Bri… okay,” Henri rolled Brian on to his back lifting his hips to rest over his thighs. He lubed his cock generously, knowing that his smaller partner still wasn’t completely stretched for his large cock and not wanting to hurt him. “Let me do all the work, Bri. This isn’t the easiest position but it will be easier for you right now.”

Brian wrapping his legs around Henri’s waist loosely. He watched with passion-glazed eyes as his big partner positioned himself, then he felt the head of large cock pressing against him. He tried to lift his hips, to press back, but Henri caught them.

“Let me…” Henri said hissing with pleasure as he slid into the tight opening. “God Bri, you are so tight, so hot.” He murmured breathlessly as continued to inch in slowly.

“More, please H, please. I need you inside me,” Rafe begged raggedly, trying desperately to push with his hips against Henri’s strong grip.

“Slow Bri, remember slow and easy,” Brown whispered soothingly still pressing inward. He hoped he could follow his own advice. It felt so good, the tight channel so warm and inviting, pulling him ever deeper.

Finally he was imbedded to the root inside of his partner and he could feel the muscles of Brian’s ass tightening and releasing around him. He leaned up and over his smaller lover angling himself to brush across the other man’s prostate on each thrust. He took Brian’s hands, entwining their fingers as he began to stroke in and out of Rafe’s center slowly.

Brian sobbed with pleasure his head thrashing back and forth. His chest hurt, but he’d be damned before he let Henri know. He couldn’t bear it if his lover were to stop now. “Aaah yes, oh God H… more. Faster, please H… faster, harder!”

Henri obliged his hips thrusting faster, harder, feeling his climax coming. Releasing one of Rafe’s hands he began to pump the other man’s slender cock in time with his thrusts. The younger man whimpered, moving with him. His free hand clutched the rails of the bed over his head. The other still caught in Henri’s strong grasp. He began to shudder, the pressure building in his cock until he couldn’t contain it anymore. Brian arched up, his head thrown back as he screamed his climax. His warm, come bathed Henri’s hand, and his own chest.

Brian’s orgasm plunged Henri over the edge. With a frenzied cry he thrust twice, three times, filling his partner’s hot channel with come. Exhausted, his mind nothing but mush, the bigger man still had the presence of mind to role onto his side as he collapsed on the bed pulling Brian to him.

“That was incredible,” He gasped his hands slowly caressing the younger man as he came down.

“Yeah,” Brian replied his breathing ragged. “You were wonderful.”

“So were you,” Henri said looking down at his partner lovingly. He watched Brian try to take a deep breath, then saw him wince. “Bri…?”

Rafe grinned sheepishly. “My chest hurts a little. I think I got too exuberant.”

Henri scowled, “I told you —”

“Don’t scold, please Henri,” Brian begged, his eyes wide and pleading. “I swear it’s not bad. I just couldn’t stop. I didn’t want you to stop.”

H sighed heavily. “I should spank your butt for pulling that.”

“Later! Right now that is sore too,” Brian replied, wiggling his ass slightly.

“God, what am I going to do with you?” Henri said, shaking his head. But a smile tugged at his lips.

“Just hold me,” Rafe suggested snuggling closer to his big lover.

“You got it babe, anytime. But I think that threat from last night to keep you in bed for the next three days has just become a reality. You need to rest and I don’t even want to think about what kind of damage we might have done,” Brown stated worriedly.

“I can do that,” Brian declared, a small tired smile on his face. “Especially if you’ll be here in the bed with me.”

“I don’t know that you’ll get a lot of rest that way,” Henri chided.

“Don’t care…” His partner murmured sleepily.

Henri smiled, kissing his lover’s forehead. “Go to sleep, Babe. We’ll figure everything out when we both have more than half a brain to work with.”

“Hmm… yeah, later.”

Henri watched as Brian drifted off into sleep, a small smile on his face. The big detective sighed, his heart swelling with the love he felt for the man in his arms. He still couldn’t believe that his handsome partner loved him in return. Had loved him all this time, loved him enough to risk his own life. He made a silent promise, as he slipped into sleep himself, that he would make up to Brian for every day they had lost, by cramming so much love into the days to come that they wouldn’t even remember the lonely days in their past.

Just the Beginning…

The title of this part comes from a saying that I once heard. ‘No stronger love hath any man than to lay down his life for his brother.’ I thought it extremely appropriate.