Five Years

(This is the continuation of Robert. However I think you could read this as a stand-alone if you wanted. I hope you enjoy it. It's a little short but it's something ;3

~Tae Pallaton )

*

Five years. It had been five years since they became a couple. Five wonderful, incredible years...It was only too bad that they had three days left. Jared was getting married. He had to, no matter how much he didn't want to. It was arranged, of course, by his father and her father. They wanted to join their companies together, and what better way to do that then create a family tie?

Jared thought she was nice, at least. There are worse people he could be engaged to. However, Elizabeth was not his type. Sure she had wonderful curves, plump breasts and a cute face—any man would want her—but she wasn't what he wanted. He wanted Mike.

They dated secretly for five wonderful years only to have that taken away from them. It hurt Jared more than anything. Elizabeth saw the sadness in Jared's behaviour and she knew why.

"I knew you two were together." She had said one day. "It's been obvious to me since I met you, last year. Every time you mentioned that you were going to Mike's you would get this look on your face. Like you were going to your happy place and whenever you came back to me you looked like someone of yours passed away. It hurt, to be honest..."

Jared sat on the leather couch and looked at his untouched glass of red wine. He didn't want to have this discussion with his fiancée. He didn't want to have the discussion at all. He didn't want the marriage. He didn't want to leave his boyfriend. He didn't want any of that.

"And I let you be because I would hate to be the reason for your sadness. But Jared, you do realize that once we get married our parents will expect a child sooner rather than later." She placed her slender hand on his shoulder. He was a built man, not to any extremes but he took care of himself. His muscles bulged as he shrugged her hand off.

"I won't stop you from seeing him as long as you promise that I can see others too. But you have to prepare for our families to complain about the lack of children. Then you will have to have sex with me."

Jared stood up and pulled his suit jacket on. Just before he left their house Elizabeth stopped him.

"Invite him to our wedding. And make sure you say hi to him for me." She said quietly. "I don't hate him, and I don't hate you. I hate our situation. Please understand that if I could change it I would."

"Thank you," Jared whispered before he left the house to his Mercedes.

*

The one of the things that Jared loved about Mike was how sweet he was. He was a kind man and he could always find a way to make Jared happy. He also loved how Mike smelt. He rarely wore cologne, there was no point considering he worked in a garage, but he always came home smelling powerful and oh so masculine.

Sure it was his dominance that originally drew Jared to him, but overall Mike was just...Perfect. He had his flaws, like any other person, but they were things that Jared over looked. They were so miniscule to what Mike was that they didn't matter.

It hurt them both that Jared was getting married. Mike was openly gay, and everyone he came into contact with didn't care. Mike was a well-liked guy and everyone wanted to be around him. He was the life of the party and the last word. He was loved by everyone.

But with Jared it was a different story. "A gay businessman is a joke! Who would buy from a gay man? Fags are the worst; they always fight for what they want and nothing else! What about Straight Pride?!" There was no way he could come out to his family and friends. He would be ridiculed and out of a job. He wanted to be out, but he wouldn't last very long without a job. And the family business was all he knew.

Sure he went to school for business and sure he did a great job at what he did. But with his family's business he was already second from the top. He was already there. It would take forever to get where he was at another job. Jared was used to the luxury in his life and he was reluctant to leave it.

Jared knocked on Mike's door and waited patiently for his lover to answer. He tried not to cry, but it was hard for him to do. Yet, still, he stood tall and looked at the red door and remained calm as he waited. The fall air was nipping at his nose and he knew that winter would be around any moment. He feared for it. It was always too cold for him, and he wouldn't have Mike around to keep him warm all the time.

The door opened to the small house that Mike owned and there stood his angel, the light to his darkest days. His honey brown hair was spiked, but naturally, without any jell in his hair. His greens eyes went from pleased to concern in a matter of seconds. Jared knew that this was his home. It was the place that he was most wanted.

"Babe..." Mike said pulling Jared into his arms and into his house. Mike's house was smaller than the one that he and Elizabeth 'owned' together. But it was nicer...homier even. He felt comfortable to be himself there.

Mike rushed Jared to his old couch and they sat quietly while Jared tried to think. He wasn't sure what to say in what order. This was hard for him to do. Four years of University was easier than that moment.

"Do you want some water?" Mike asked as he started to stand. Jared pulled him down and closer to his body. "I guess not..." He whispered.

"She says hi."

"Well that's nice of her," Mike said. There was a smile in his voice but it sounded like it was put on.

"She says that you can come to the wedding."

"I would love to come to your wedding." Mike's hands were rubbing Jared's quivering back. He could no longer hold the tears back.

"I don't want to marry her."

Mike pulled Jared down with him as he lied on his back. He placed Jared head on his chest and kept rubbing his lovers back. It was enough to get the man breathing again.

"I don't want you to marry her either."

"Maybe I shouldn't marry her..." Jared looked into his lovers eyes. "Would you take me in?"

"Of course I would. But what would you do as a job?"

Jared shrugged.

"I have enough money in my account right now that we would be comfortable for a while. Enough in my savings for a bit longer. While I search for a job we wouldn't be hurting or anything. At least for a few years. But I would find one in no time...right?"

"Of course, Baby." Mike kissed Jared's head.

"Maybe I will run away with you. She doesn't know where you live. I could run away here and no one would find me."

"Your car has a GPS system. They would find us eventually." Mike sighed. Jared looked at the gray carpet and his eyes started to water. Mike no longer seemed as interested as he once was. They used to come up with plans on how to run away. They were usually extravagant and nearly impossible unless you were James Bond. But they always lightened the mood. Mike no longer did that.

"Do you still love me?" There was no answer. That scared Jared...a lot. "Mike?" He sat up and looked at him. His eyes were red, so was his face. Something was wrong...He was lying. Or at least trying not to lie. "Michael?"

"...I thought I wasn't going to see you again..."

*

It was raining when he drove away. He was mad...And he was sad. He was betrayed not only by his family but by the man he loved the most. Five years! They were together for five years and Mike...Mike hurt him.

Tears were streaming down his face. He knew that he should pull over if he was going to cry, but that didn't matter. At that point he wouldn't care if he died. He felt dead inside already. He didn't want to live the rest of his life in such a sad manner. He didn't love Elizabeth and he no longer had a boyfriend to lean on. He was no longer happy.

There was a crash of thunder and lightning lit the night sky. Rain started to pour. Jared cried some more. BOOM! Lightning filled the sky again, this time giving enough light for Jared to see a cat running across the road. He swerved out of the way but crashed into a tree.

The last thing he remembered was his car alarm going off.

*

He could hear someone walking with what sounded like a cane. It wasn't slow moving so he figured that it wasn't an elder. It sounded more like someone who was in an accident and needed the cane more for balance than anything. He could also hear the steady beeping of something in the background. He found it oddly calming.

He slowly started to open his eyes to see a stranger. He looked gruff but kind. He had the beginnings of a blond beard. His eyes were a pale blue and his skin even more pale. He looked like he had been up for hours without getting any rest. He almost looked frightened.

"Where am I?" Jared asked, trying to sit up. He noticed he had a paper bracelet around his left wrist. It had his name and date of birth on it.

"You're at the hospital. You were in a crash right in front of my house. Do you remember?"

"I remember my car alarm going off...But that's it," Jared said. Jared sat up in the hospital bed and looked around. It was like the typical hospital room with three other men in it. "And a cat."

The blond man nodded and frowned. He took a pink chair from the wall and pushed it over to Jared's bed. He sat down and sighed.

"Was the cat white?" He asked. He was taking a keen interest in the cat and it made Jared chuckle a bit.

"I think so..."

"I am sorry," the man said, "That was my cat."

Jared laughed at the irony of the situation. The reason why he crashed was because of his cat, and he was the one to bring Jared to the hospital. He gave Jared a confused look, but smiled after a few seconds.

"You've been here for a few hours. The doctor said that you were fine for the most part. You have some bruises and scratches but nothing major. I guess you were lucky it was a minor crash. You didn't seem to be going too fast. And you hit the passenger side of the car." The man informed him.

"I see. Is the cat okay?" Jared asked.

"Yes, Frankie is fine. Oh, that reminds me," the man said, "The nurses told me to get them once you woke up. I'll be back."

"Oh no, you don't, Mr. Stag. You sit back down because a nurse is already here." An older woman in pink scrubs walked into the room and smiled pleasantly at Jared. "I can tell that leg is bothering you today. Just relax for a bit."

The nurse checked my vitals and nodded as she walked to the end of the bed.

"I think that you will be fine, hun. You can go home now if you want. Or you can stay until tomorrow, if you'd like. Please come back if you feel; dizzy, suddenly worried, or uncontrollable shaking. But I think you'll be fine. Mr. Stag, are you taking him home with you?" She asked nicely. She seemed to know the blond man with the cane.

"We don't really know each other, Catherin. But I have a spare room in my house if he needs one. His car is kind of a mess, so I don't think he can drive home tonight." He laughed like the car crash was just a joke. "My name Colton Stag." He stuck his right hand out to Jared and smiled.

It was charming. If he was a few years younger Jared could see Colton with flocks of young girls behind him. He was probably a heartbreaker as a teen. Even as an older man Jared suspected that he was heartbreaker. The women in his workplace probably daze in his presence but he had a wife—if the gold band on his left hand meant anything to him.

"My name is Jared Sinclair," Jared took Colton's hand and gave it a firm shake. "Thank you for everything."

*

Colton's house was two floors of similar rooms. There was one and a half bathrooms. Two bedrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs, and Colton said something about a weight room also being on the top floor. The main floor had the half bathroom, kitchen, living and dining room.

The house on the outside was gray brick, but on the inside was painted in tans and browns. It was a very pleasant house to walk into. It was clean but it looked lived in. It was like Mike's house and Elizabeth's house put together. An overall nice mixture.

"I usually sleep upstairs but when my leg gives me trouble I sleep down here. It gets hard for me to climb the stairs when it acts up." Colton said when he flipped the light on to the spare room. The bed was unmade and messy.

"I'm sorry. I woke you up, didn't I?" Jared asked. He looked at his feet embarrassed for all the trouble he gave this perfect stranger. He shifted his weight and moved the cane to get Jared's attention.

"Don't worry about it. I've been in a crash too. I know what it's like." He ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "It's not easy, but you'll be fine. At least you won't have to go through physiotherapy."

"I'm sorry...Was yours a cat too?" Jared joked. Colton seemed to have suddenly changed moods—giving off more of a depressed aura.

"No, it was a transport truck." He moved back into the living room. "If you can handle it the couch is yours, unless you want to sleep in my bed upstairs."

Jared had no words to describe how he felt. He was honestly shocked that someone made it out of a crash with a transport truck. But he was also shocked by how much Colton's mood changed. He suddenly seemed very distant and cold.

"Are you okay?" Jared whispered.

"Pardon?" Colton asked when he turned back and looked at Jared. Jared wasn't sure if he heard him or not but he certainly didn't repeat it. It was bad enough he said it once.

"Hm? The couch is fine with me. Thank you for all your help. I should be out of your way tomorrow." Jared said as his host walked back into the spare room. Colton brought back with him a large red blanket and a pillow.

"Here you go," Colton said as he placed them on the leather sofa. "I'll see you in the morning then."

*

Colton had nightmares that night. He could hear the sound of the metal crunch together as the truck smashed into him. He remembered the pain of the glass cutting into his skin. He remembered what it felt like to have the car crush his left side, breaking his leg and shattering some bones. He remembered the glass and the asphalt cutting into his face as the car rolled.

He could hear the rain pouring down on the city. He could hear his body breaking. He could hear the trucker screaming into his phone for help. He remembered looking into the grey clouds asking for forgiveness.

He remembered the pain. The tears. The regrets. He couldn't take any of it any longer. The pain was too much. The memories were too much.

He gasped, searching for air as he woke up. He clutched at his stomach and pushed his nightshirt out of the way. The scar was faded but still uneven to the touch. Colton cringed as he lightly stroked the healed cut.

He remembered what happened that day. And each day since that accident he had tried to redeem himself. But it was an act easier said rather than done.

He touched the gold wedding band.

"I'm sorry," He whispered.