Violated

Co-Written By: Mel and LJ
        with input by Myst





It was just past twelve noon, and Rene had finished his half-day of work at the daycare centre. He stopped by the market and picked up some homemade bratwurst and some fresh corn on the cob. It was the last of the season and he was pleased to get some for tonight’s dinner. He planned to make the bratwurst with apple and onion like his mother always made. He wanted Zack to try this favourite dinner of his. With purchases placed neatly on the back seat of his car, he headed home.

He pulled in the driveway of the beautiful home he and Zack had purchased earlier in the year. It never ceased to amaze him that they could own such a wonderful place. Whistling an off-tune version of a song he’d been listening to on the radio, Rene grabbed the bags from the back seat and headed to the side entrance of the house. As he approached the door, he moved both bags to his left hand while selecting the house key in his right. It wasn’t until he was about to insert the key into the slot that he notice the door was standing ajar. The wood framing around the lock was splintered and broken with pieces of it lying on the ground.

“What the hell...” he spoke out loud as he pushed the door open and looked inside the kitchen. Cupboard doors and drawers all stood open and there were food packages and their contents scattered on the floor. Rene dropped the bags of groceries where he stood, taking in the mess. His heart was pounding in his chest as he slowly walked further into the house. From the hallway, he could see into the living room. The wall where the new flat screen TV had been hanging this morning was empty, as were the shelves below it that held the blue ray player and stereo equipment. Couch cushions were askew and the piano bench seat was open with sheet music lying on the floor.

A glance into Zack’s office showed further destruction. His desk had been ransacked and papers were scattered across the floor. Rene looked in horror and anger at the sight of the painting of their house that he’d done and given Zack for his birthday. It was tossed on the ground, the glass shattered and the water-coloured paper badly torn.

“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God...” he kept repeating as he looked around at the mayhem that had been their beautiful home only a few hours earlier. He slowly made his way up the stairs to glance into the guest bedrooms. The closets had been opened and some things they stored in them tossed about. But the master suite was in a worse mess with all the dresser drawers pulled out and empted onto the floor. Even the mattress on their bed had been lifted and tossed to the side. The jewellery box on Zack’s dresser was dumped over and empty. Zack had had heavy gold chain in the box, which was gone. Thank God the gold pocket watch that had been left to him by his mother was currently at the jewellers being cleaned and repaired.

Rene began to shake as he realized that he probably shouldn’t be in the house because the thieves could still be here. He ran back down the stairs, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket as he went. As soon as he reached the driveway, he hit the speed dial to the pharmacy. The phone rang several times before it was picked up.

‘Please be Zack. Please be Zack,’ Rene silently begged as he waited for an answer.

“Dispensary, may I help you?” Zack’s friendly voice enquired.

“Oh God, Zack, come home! We’ve been robbed!”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After making sure his customer understood how she was to take her new prescription, Zack slipped the vial of pills into a small white bag and handed it to her. “Don’t forget, this is not to be taken on an empty stomach. I hope you’re feeling better soon, Margaret. Bye now.”

Just as he turned to replace the large bottle back in its’ place on the shelf, the phone rang. He finished what he was doing and walked to the far end of the counter to pick up the receiver without looking at the call display.

His heart jumped into his throat when he heard his young husband’s panic-stricken voice and learned they’d been robbed.

“Do not go into the house, Rene!” he ordered. “Drive a short distance away; then call the police. I’ll be right home. Stay in your car until I get there, okay?”

“I...” Rene hesitated. He didn’t want to tell Zack he’d already been through in the house. “Okay, just hurry please.”

“Okay, sweetheart, give me five minutes.” Zack would have liked to sooth the young man but it was impossible to do so until he got home. He left instructions with his assistant, hung up his lab jacket and headed out the back door. He hastened across the parking lot, starting his car with the remote as he ran.

Rene quickly got back in his car, backed out of the driveway and drove down to the end of the street. Once he stopped, he picked up his cell and dialled 911. The emergency dispatch promised him the police would be there in a few minutes. They too cautioned him not to enter the house. Rene closed his eyes and gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.

Zack pulled up beside his husband’s car just as the police were rounding the corner. Rolling down his window, he hollered over the Rene. “Are you all right? Can you follow me to the house?”

Rene looked over to his husband and nodded. He started his car, turned it around and followed Zack back to their home.

Their cars pulled into the driveway side by side. Zack got out of his, walked around to Rene’s and slide into the passenger seat. He immediately noticed that Rene was hyperventilating. “It’s going to be fine, love. Just take a few deep breaths,” he instructed, massaging the back of Rene’s neck. “We’ll wait here until the police tell us it is safe to go into the house.”

Rene was still gasping for air as he spoke. “Oh God, Zack, it’s so awful. What are we going to do?”

“We’re just going to take this one step at a time, Rene. I know it’s upsetting but we’ll deal with it together,” Zack spoke calmly and he hoped reassuringly. He wasn’t sure of all that lay ahead of them and he didn’t have any idea concerning the extent of the damage done to their property. “I am sure Chief Barrett can lead us through the first phase.”

“But it’s horrible. They left such a mess and our things are...” Rene bit down on his lip, realizing he’d now as much as told Zack he’d been inside the house.

“And just how would you know that?” Zack looked his husband right in the eye and sternly asked, “Rene, have you already been in the house?”

Rene looked down at his hands and mumbled. “Yes, I...I didn’t think. Before I called you, I just went in and looked around.”

Zack leaned back against the headrest, closed his eyes and exhaled a loud, long breath to rid himself of the stab of fear he’d just felt. “Okay, I’ll put it down as a knee-jerk reaction when you found the door opened.” Turning a frown on the man sitting beside him, he added, “But in future, you darn well better think before you act. Your safety always come first and is your responsibility, especially when on your own.”

“I’m sorry Zack, I’ll know better in the future. I just wasn’t thinking.” Rene leaned over and put his head on Zack’s shoulder as a tear escaped his eye. “This is so terrible, how can people think they have the right to go into other people’s homes and do this?”

“I don’t believe they do think; or certainly not the way we do,” Zack mumbled, sounding somewhat disgusted. He gave Rene a quick hug and a kiss on the head, when he glanced up to see their Chief of Police approaching. He rolled down the car window and gave the man a sad smile. “Not looking good, I take it.”

Chandi shook his head. “I’m afraid your home is in shambles. It’s safe to go in now, but better prepare for the worst.”

Zack felt a shudder run through Rene’s body. “Thanks, Chief. We’ll follow you in.”

Rene exited the car and found Zack at his side, taking his hand and holding it as if he was afraid he might bolt. Rene heard the intake of breath from the man beside him as they arrived at the side entrance and saw the broken door frame. When Zack stepped forward to follow Chandi inside, Rene froze. He didn’t know if he could bear looking at it all again, knowing that this time it would be in even more detail and that the reality of the damage would really sink in.

Seeing his husband motionless, Zack place a hand on Rene’s back and gently steered him through the side door and into the kitchen. He understood the younger man’s hesitation and need for encouragement.

“Sorry for adding to the mess with the fingerprinting powder,” Chandi apologized. “Try not to move anything until my men have finished taking pictures.”

Zack pursed his lips in dismay at the sight that greeted them. Nothing had prepared him for the destruction; no room had escaped the thieves wrecking havoc. He held onto Rene’s hand as together they slowly inspected each room, trying to follow the Chief’s directive and by not disturbing anything.

“I am going to need both your fingerprints for elimination purposes,” Chandi informed them, “as well as from anyone who spends any amount of time here.”

“Well, so much for hoping Papa doesn’t hear about this before we get it under control,” Zack muttered for Rene’s ears only. “I know my parents had to be told sooner or later, but I was kind of opting for later. May as well get Rene and me out of the way, Chief, but would you mind possibly waiting until tomorrow to fingerprint my dads?”

“Not at all,” Chandi assured him. “I imagine you’d want to spend a few days with them until your losses can be catalogued and you’re able to put things to right. I trust you have insurance coverage.”

“Yes, more than adequate coverage. Of course, that can never take into account the emotional distress of having our privacy invaded like this. This is our home, our sanctuary and I just feel it’s been desecrated.”

Rene gave a distressed look towards his husband. “We can’t stay at your dads’ and leave the house like this! The door is broken and things are everywhere. We need to stay and fix things and protect our home!” Then suddenly remembering a place they hadn’t looked yet. “Oh my God, Zack, my studio; we haven’t even checked my studio!”

“We may as well face it now, sweetheart. Putting it off won’t make it easier,” Zack said, opening the door next to the one leading to the garage. “If you’ll give us a few minutes, Chandi, we’ll go through the fingerprinting routine when we come down.”

Together they slowly mounted the stairs, both dreading what they would find.

Zack was silently praying the damage to the studio loft would be minimal. He couldn’t bear the thought that these heartless thieves might have violated the room where his husband’s marvellous talent was given free reign. Most of the things in the rest of the house were just that, things which could be replaced. But Rene poured his heart and soul into his art and it was unconscionable that this room might have been desecrated. Zack didn’t think he could stand to have the love of his life wounded in such a deep and personal manner.

As they reached the top of the stairs, Rene bit down so hard on his lip that the copper taste of blood crossed his tongue. This studio had been a dream come true, a place where he could express his inner self. Would the thieves have turned it into a nightmare?

To say they were pleasantly surprised by the sight that greeted them would be an understatement. The entire studio remained unscathed. The culprits who were responsible for the damage done to the rest of their home, hadn’t so much as set foot in Rene’s studio.

Zack stepped up behind his husband, wrapped his arms around him, bent his head and softly spoke into Rene’s ear. “What are you feelings at this precise moment, love?”

Rene let out the breath he’d been holding. “Relief,” he whispered, “relief and thankfulness.”

“Hold on to them. In the coming days when you’re feeling overwhelmed, remembered how much worse things could have been.”

Rene turned in Zack’s arms and buried his face against the larger man’s chest. “I’m glad my studio was untouched; but, Zack, our house, our beautiful house. What are we going to do?”

Closing his eyes, Zack leaned his head on Rene’s and took a minute or two to think. He was grateful for having a partner who was depending on him to make the decisions as it helped him clear his head in order to contemplate their next move. “We’re going to give ourselves a bit of time to get over the shock, sweetheart. Then we’ll take it one step at a time, starting with going downstairs and talking to Chandi.”

After placing a gentle kiss on his husband’s dark hair, Zack took his hand again and led the way downstairs to rejoin the officers waiting for them in the kitchen.

“Okay, Chandi, how do we go about this?” Zack inquired, pulling Rene to his side and placing an arm around his shoulders.

“I’m going to have Officer Quincy do the fingerprinting while I check with my men who have been searching around the outside of the house. I won’t be long.”

Several minutes later, Zack gave a spurt of laughter as he worked at removing the black ink from his hands. Getting quizzical looks from the other two men in the room, he merrily explained. “I was just thinking of Papa’s reaction to having this stuff all over his fingers. I can’t see him being too happy about it.”

Just then Chief Barrett came through the patio door. “Does this belong to either of you men?” he asked, holding up a crowbar in a gloved hand. He smiled broadly when Zack and Rene both shook their heads. “Great! We may have some evidence here as there are a number of very clear prints on this. I believe it may have been used to break the lock on the side door. It’s a good start, anyway.” He dropped the object into a large plastic bag and handed it to one of his officers.

“I’m finished here, Chief,” Constable Quincy announced as he gathered up the equipment he had been using.

“We’ll be leaving now, but I promise to keep you informed of our findings. Will you be staying here?”

“No, I think we’ll make arrangements to stay for a few days with my parents,” Zack replied.

Rene was tossing ink-stained paper towelling into the trash while Zack and Chandi spoke. He looked unhappily at his husband. “Zack, the door is broken. We have to get it fixed or anyone could just walk in. Then we need to start cleaning up all this.” He waved his arms to indicate the mess surrounding them. “We should be here at home, not at your dads’.”

Zack frowned slightly. Although Rene had brought up valid concerns, the older man didn’t appreciate being contradicted in front of others.

“We will simply bar the door from the inside, Rene. I do not want to be living here 24/7 while we thoroughly tackle one room at a time. This will prove a great deal more beneficial in compiling a comprehensive list for the insurance company than rushing through the clean up in order to make it liveable as quickly as possible.”

“If I may offer a little assurance,” Chandi spoke up. “We have been increasing our nightly patrols over the past few of weeks and will endeavour to ride by here at least once every hour. This makes the fourth burglary we’ve had in the last month, even though it’s the first in this area of town. The methods used to enter the premises, the wilful destruction for no apparent motive, an even the electronic items taken are the same in every case. We have reason to believe it may be a small group from out of town as Jade Heights isn’t the only community to be hit with this rash of break-ins. It is unlikely your home will be targeted again. The thieves already got whatever they came for.”

“I hope the Chief’s been able to set your mind at bit at ease, love; because whether you like it or not, we are going to my dads’ place,” Zack said decisively.

Rene looked pleadingly at his husband. Couldn’t Zack see that they needed to be here to protect their home? But he knew that look on Zack’s face, the one that said he’d made up his mind and arguing wasn’t going to change it. Normally he loved Zack’s take charge manner, it made him feel safe and secure. But today he felt like a big chunk of that security had been stolen along with the items from their house. He glanced one more time at Zack’s face before replying. “K,” he mumbled and then added. “But we don’t have to go yet, do we? It’s only just after two o’clock; we can start in on things here and make sure the door is well barred.”

“That’s exactly what we’ll do, love.” Zack understood his young husband’s anxiety in wanting to stay here, but felt a little distance was needed in order to keep things in perspective. He saw Chandi out, sincerely thanking him and his officers for their prompt response in coming to their aid. Then he returned to find Rene staring at the clutter around his feet as if at a loss of what to do first.

Picking up a large lined note pad and a pencil from the floor, Zack wrote ‘KITCHEN’ in large bold letters across the top of the page and handed both to Rene. “Here, sweetheart, why don’t you begin making a list of the items stolen or damaged here in the kitchen? I’m going to make a couple of phone calls and then I’ll bring in the big trash cans from outside and start getting rid of some of this debris.”

“Okay.” Rene looked around for a clear spot on the counter in which to put the note pad. Finally, he just wiped a pile of spilled coffee beans into the sink and sat the paper where they’d been. He looked at the beans with sadness. It had been a pound bag of his favourite dark roast. He started the list with that.

Some of the cupboards had been completely emptied, with their contents tossed all over the floor and countertops. Other cupboards seemed to have been left untouched. A tin of Zack’s favourite chocolate-covered cookies were open on the counter, half the contents eaten. Rene knew the tin had been unopened this morning. A lower cabinet that had held casserole dishes had been emptied and its’ contents tossed on the floor. Three of the dishes were smashed and another lay intact amongst the debris. The sugar canister had been shattered and bottle of oil spilled over it, leaving a sticky disgusting mess.

As he worked Rene listened to Zack on the phone. His first call had been to their insurance agent. He could hear Zack describing the mess and assuring the man that the police had taken all the evidentiary photos that would be needed.

Rene crunched through the broken bits and pieces, stopping to pick up an unbroken mug from the floor. When he stood, his eyes fell on a suddenly very empty place on the countertop near the sink. The espresso machine was gone. It was a rather expensive model that had belonged to Zack’s mother. They’d brought it back from Vancouver when they’d emptied her home after her death.

Anger welled inside Rene. “Fucking hell!” he yelled as he threw the mug into the sink, smashing it with a satisfying crash.

A startled Zack bid a hasty goodbye to his dad and ran in from the hall. “What happened?” He took in the scene before him; a very angry man and a smashed bit of crockery in the sink where none had been before. He put the wireless phone down on the table and rushed over to Rene’s side. He pursed his lips as he put his hands on the younger man’s shoulder and gave him a slight shake to get his attention. “I know this entire affair is beyond infuriating and would make anybody see red, but throwing things isn’t the answer.”

Zack’s resolve melted when he saw the look of fury and resentment on his husband’s beautiful face. “Okay, maybe it isn’t exactly the best response but hey, if it helps us to feel better for even a few minutes, what the heck?” With that, he reached into the cupboard and pulled out a couple of cups, handing one to Rene. “You want another go or is it my turn?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Rene took the cup and threw it into the sink with only slightly less enthusiasm than he’d thrown the first one. “They took the espresso machine!” he yelled angrily. “And they ate your chocolate biscuits!”

“My cookies? Off all the gall!” Zack exclaimed; his cup immediately following Rene’s into the sink. He reached into the cupboard and took down two more cups while stifling a chuckle. He certainly didn’t want Rene for one moment to think he was being laughed at. Zack was hoping the young man would see the humour in what they were doing before they found themselves without an unbroken cup or plate in the house. He realized angry outbursts would in all likelihood persist over the next couple of weeks and in an effort to pick his battles, he was willing to cut his Brat some slack. Of course, it went without saying that there was a limit to what he’d put up with.

Rene took the newest cup and again tossed it angrily into the sink. As he threw it, a bubble of laughter escaped his mouth. The extremes of emotion were churning so much he didn’t know if he wanted to laugh, cry or kill someone. He turned and faced Zack, pounding his fists lightly against the older man’s chest. “Damn you, don’t make me laugh! This is so not funny!” He tried to sound angry but he couldn’t help but laugh more. Then the laughter stopped as suddenly as it started. “I hate this, Zack. It’s just not right what they did to us.”

“Of course, it isn’t right, sweetheart. Life isn’t always fair or right.” Zack put the cup in his hand on the counter and pulled Rene into a firm embrace. “But we’re both strong and we’ll get through this. Now let’s see if we can locate the floor. You keep writing and I’ll sweep. We have just enough time to get this room straightened out before going over to my folks’ place. Dad mentioned something about taking us out for supper, but that’s still up in the air depending on how we’re feeling by then.”

Sensing the man in his arms had settled some; Zack dropped a kiss on top of his husband’s head, released him and walked over to fetch the broom and dustpan from the closet.

Rene went back to the list and added the espresso machine to the growing number of missing or damaged items.

“What’s this?” Zack asked, holding up two grocery bags he found pushed up against the wall.

Rene shook his head rather sadly. “That is...was our dinner. I just dropped them when I walked in on this mess. It’s bratwurst sausage and fresh corn on the cob. I was gonna make you my mom’s recipe for cooking the bratwurst with apple and onion. We should put the sausages in the freezer or they’ll spoil. Maybe we can take the corn over to your dads’ because it really should be eaten by tomorrow.

“We could probably have it instead of going out; this is if there’s enough and you’d like to make the meal for all of us.”

“Honestly, I just don’t think feel up to cooking tonight. Maybe I could do it tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow will be just fine. You’ve already got my taste buds hankering for that new taste sensation.”

The men worked mostly in companionable silence; making only the odd comment here and there when they noticed something worth bringing to the other’s attention.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

At four o’clock, Zack called a halt. He glanced around and nodded his approval in all they’d accomplished in just under two hours.

“Let’s go upstairs and shower, get rid of this grime and dust. I know I’ll feel better out of these clothes. What do you think, sweetheart?”

Rene nodded. “Yeah, I could use a shower.”

They headed out of the kitchen and as they passed the living room, Rene stopped to once again take in the mess and loss. But before he could even speak, Zack’s hand was at his back pushing him along.

“Let it go. We’ve dealt with enough for now,” the older man commanded. “We still have to face our bedroom.”

Zack was right. The bedroom was an awful mess, with their dresser drawers dumped out when the thieves had hunted for valuables.

Rene let out a long sigh. “I don’t even want to change into clothes they may have touched. It just feels so gross.”

Zack spotted a couple of plastic bags sticking out from under a pile of clothing. Bending down, he picked them up and showed them to Rene. “Here are the new boxers and socks I purchased last weekend. I never got around to opening the packages. Hmm, for once it seems that procrastination paid off.” He tore off the wrappings and handed a couple of items to his partner. “Even though these boxers will be a bit too big for you, you’re welcome to use a pair. You can have some new socks as well.”

“Thanks, it’s nice to have something fresh to put on. It looks like we still have clothes hanging in the closet that weren’t tossed about so they’ll be okay, but we’ll have to wash everything else.” He sighed as he looked over at their dishevelled bed. “We’ll have to take the duvet to the dry cleaners, because it won’t fit in our washer.”

“Yes, love, all in good time.” Zack turned his partner towards their en suite and firmly pushed him forward until he had him out of the bedroom. With deft movements developed through plenty of practise, he quickly had them both naked and standing under warm cascading water.

Zack gently shampooed Rene’s hair and then rinsed it before squirting body wash on his hands and wrapping his arms around the slightly shorter man from behind to begin washing his chest. He kept up the soothing massage, steadily moving lower while gently sucking on the nape of his lover’s neck.

He softly growled out his pleasure when the tension in the other man’s body began to drain away. Within minutes, low moans were slipping from Rene’s lips as large soapy hands enticingly fondled his growing erection.

Rene began to thrust into Zack’s hands as the older man stroked him. All thoughts of the break-in and robbery slipped temporarily from his mind as he gave into his body’s demands. He could never resist Zack’s advances; the man could play him like a violin. It wasn’t long before his found himself coming in hot spurts against the tiles. Before he could catch his breath, he felt Zack’s slippery fingers entering him, slowly stretching and preparing him.

When he knew Rene was ready to receive him, Zack gently pushed himself into the welcoming warmth of his lover’s body. He waited a few moments before pulling back and then plunging forward, hitting Rene’s sweet spot. He repeated the movements numerous times, increasing the speed and depth with every thrust. Reaching around, he trailed his fingertips over the sensitive flesh of Rene’s stomach, moving down to lightly graze the length of his hardening penis and then stroked his thumb over the head.

Rene gasped as Zack’s hand rubbed him. He was surprised to find himself growing hard again as he was very sensitized from just having cum. Part of him wanted to push Zack’s hand away, but the rest of him was enjoying the sweet torture his lover was inflicting on him. Zack’s thrusts grew harder and battered his prostate. As the hand assaulted his penis, Rene was caught in some incredible place between heaven and hell. He became aware of a keening wale surrounding him and realized it was coming from his own throat. He could not form words or coherent thought. He was caught in a world of stimulation beyond such mundane things.

Soon Zack’s thrusts became frantic as his body sought completion. Just as his lover began to cum, he scraped his finger over the head of Rene’s penis and bit down on his neck. The sharp pain sent Rene over the edge as he screamed out his second climax. He felt his knees folding as Zack’s penis slipped from his body. Only the older man’s strong arms kept him from falling forward and hitting the tiles.

Zack kept his legs spread wide in order to maintain his balance. With one arm wrapped around Rene’s slim waist, he used the other to brace himself against the wall, barely managing to keep them upright. Gradually his heart rate slowed to a normal pace and the light-headedness he’d experienced in the immediate aftermath of their love-making, diminished.

“I love you, my darling. As long as we have each other, we’re as rich as we can ever want to be,” Zack murmured as he turned the man in his arms and gently kissed his lips. He looked down into the beautiful blue eyes he adored and smiled when he saw them still slightly unfocused. “Better get it together, my love. We have a dinner date with my parents.” He chuckled when Rene blinked as if waking from a dream.

Sighing deeply Rene leaned against Zack’s broad chest. “I love you too, Zack, but I think you just killed me. I wanna go to sleep,” he mumbled, oblivious of the water still pouring over them.

It wasn’t until Zack reached around him and shut off the tap that Rene became more coherent. Zack gently led him out of the shower and handed him a towel. “Get dried, Rembrandt, we need to get going.”

Rene was still in a blissful haze as he dried off. He was bent over to pull on Zack’s too-large boxers when reality returned to him. He looked out into the disaster that was their bedroom and felt the weight of the day return to his shoulders. Nothing had changed while they’d made love. No magic had taken away the mess or restored their loss. He looked back to Zack who was getting dressed, and grew determined to keep up a better attitude. After all, he had the man he loved and no chaos or loss of material goods could damage that. He closed his eyes on the disarray and quickly finished dressing.

Zack may have appeared to be concentrating on getting clothed but he was also cautiously watching his husband. He saw Rene look into the bedroom and sensed a slight change in his demeanour. He made note of how fleeting it was and strongly suspected the younger man of purposely putting aside distressing thoughts.

Deciding to keep his observations to himself, Zack teasingly badgered Rene into hurrying up. “We’ve got ten minutes to get to the Maple Grill, love,” he commented while checking his watch. “Don’t know why I find it so hard to keep my hands off that delectable body of yours. Maybe I can get a pill for my obsession,” he joked as he gently steered his lover down the stairs and out of the house.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Arriving at the restaurant five minutes late, they found Hayden and Todd already seated in a booth in the corner near a large window. Four menus lay on the table along with four glasses of ice water that were dripping condensation on the white cloth.

“Hi, Dad and Papa; hope we haven’t kept you waiting long,” Zack greeted as he waited for Rene to slid into his seat and then followed him. “Something came up at the last minute.” He didn’t so much as crack a smile.

Todd was dying to ask questions, but his husband’s hand resting firmly on his thigh reminded him that he’d been told not to jump in with his third-degree the moment the younger men arrived. So he settled for a kindly spoken, “We just barely got here ourselves and are glad you were able to join us.”

Rene couldn’t help the flush that crossed his face. Though he knew Zack said nothing to imply what they were doing, just thinking about it in front of his father-in-laws made him blush. He squirmed slightly in his seat, still feeling the effects of Zack’s passion which cause his face to flush even more. Trying to hide his appearance, he picked up his menu and held it in front of his face. “I’m starving; I wonder what the specials are today.”

Hayden couldn’t help but notice his son-in-law’s discomfort. He was concerned about both Rene and Zack. They’d been through a traumatic day and he wanted to try and help as best he could. He’d had to practically sit on Todd all afternoon to keep him from rushing over to the boys’ house. He insisted they’d need some time to come to terms with what had happened before being inundated with Todd’s emotional, if well-intentioned and loving, presence. Now however, he fully intended for he and Todd to help out in whatever way they could.

With that in mind, he reached across the table and pulled the menu down enough to see Rene’s face. “Order whatever you like, Rene. After we’ve had a good dinner, you boys are coming back home with Papa and me. We’ve got the spare bedroom all set up for you and tomorrow we’re going to help you deal with what you’ve been through today.”

“Hayden’s right, we’re both here for the two of you. You’re not going to have to do this by yourselves,” Todd stated in his firmest voice, glancing back and forth between the two young men sitting across from him. “But just now, we are going to put the whole sordid subject aside so we can properly enjoy a delicious meal and excellent company.”

As hard as it was not to ask questions, Todd understood and respected Zack and Rene’s need to step away from the trauma of the day, at least for a little while.

Zack blinked rapidly a few times when he felt his eyes watering. He’d known all along that he and Rene weren’t alone, but it meant a lot to hear his fathers saying so. He knew in the coming days he would be relying on his dad for support so he could be strong for Rene. His desire to care for his husband was at times almost overwhelming, but it was a responsibility he embraced not out of duty, but out of love and devotion to his beloved.

The waitress arrived as they were talking. “Good evening, gentlemen. Are you ready to place your orders?”

After perusing the menu, Zack quickly made his choice. “I’ll have the strip loin and shrimp with a baked potato, mushrooms and sautéed onion. Oh, and a side salad to start.” He looked at that man beside him and asked, “What would you like to order, Rene?”

Rene was warmed by the support being offered by his father-in-laws. It helped to know that they were there for him and Zack. He looked back at the menu. “I think I’ll have the half rack of back ribs with sweet potato fries and a small Caesar salad to start.”

Hayden gave Todd’s leg a gentle squeeze. He was very pleased to see their boys relaxing a little after they day they’d put in. “I think I’ll have the prime rib dinner with all the trimmings,” he announced. Then looking pointedly at his husband, he added, “and I don’t want to hear about cholesterol tonight.” His voice was light and teasing.

Todd smiled at the man beside him. “Okay, make you a deal. No talk of health issues and you share a piece of carrot cake with me for dessert. In the meantime, I’ll have the grilled haddock, baked potato, fresh veggies and a garden salad with light ranch dressing. A pot of tea would also be nice.” He grinned up at the waitress who was writing this all down.

Without saying a word, they unanimously agreed to keep the conversation carefree. Hayden and Todd talked about their upcoming trip next month; Zack mentioned an expansion idea he had for the pharmacy and Rene shared a couple of amusing anecdotes about the little ones at the day-care.

They enjoyed a companionable meal and were soon arriving at Hayden and Todd’s home. Hayden suggested they play a few rounds of euchre and went off to find the cards while Todd was getting drinks.

Zack and Rene sat opposite each other at the kitchen table. Rene was beginning to feel antsy. Though he loved Zack’s dads, he really wanted to be at home. Patently ignoring Zack’s earlier edict, Rene leaned across the table and whispered, “Zack, it’s only seven o’clock. If we went home, we could get a few more hours work done tonight. Get our bed put back together and sleep in it.”

Zack reached across the table and firmly took Rene’s hand in his. “Don’t even go there, sweetheart. It is not up for discussion. We are staying here and we’re going to try our best to relax.”

Rene sighed. His husband was a very stubborn man when he’d made up his mind on a subject. Now if only Rene could persuade his own mind to stop worrying about things at their house. He tried to put on a look of acceptance even if he didn’t feel it.

They played cards for a couple of hours and discussed what they were going to do the next morning at the house, though Zack kept that conversation short and light. After watching the news, the four men headed off to bed.

Todd had shown Zack and Rene to the guest bedroom and had made them as comfortable as possible. They were soon settled into the large cosy bed.

Zack pulled Rene into his arms and kissed him firmly. “Go to sleep, my darling. We’ll both be able to cope better after a good night’s sleep.”

Rene tried to do as Zack asked of him. He spent over an hour attempting every measure he knew to fall asleep, but to no avail. Zack had admonished him to stop tossing and settle a couple of times until Rene finally just lay still pretending to sleep in order to allow his husband some much needed rest. All he could think about was that their house was empty and vulnerable to another break-in.

By two-thirty a.m. he was still wide awake with Zack snoring softly beside him. At this point Rene had worked himself into a frenzy of worry. He had to check on their home, had to ensure things were all right. He quietly slipped out of bed without disturbing his husband, pulled his jeans on over the boxers and t-shirt he’d been sleeping in and made his way down the stairs. He pushed his bare feet into his running shoes and dug in the pocket of his pants for the keys he’d left there earlier. Rene slipped out the kitchen door and was soon behind the wheel of Zack’s car and on his way to the house. He promised himself he was only going to check on things and head right back to Hayden and Todd’s before he was missed.

He pulled in the driveway feeling very leery of what he’d find, but things looked normal. They’d left the outside lights on, so it was easy to see his way in. It seemed strange going through the front door but he had no choice as they’d barred the back one where the robbers had entered. He flipped on lights in the living room and was once again startled by the mess and the noticeably missing items.

As he walked through the house, he looked around carefully ensuring that nothing had been disturbed further. He was going to head back out when he spotted the photo album from his and Zack’s wedding lying on the floor in front of the bookcase. He couldn’t leave it just lying there like so much trash. He checked it carefully, relieved to find the album itself undamaged.

He put the book back on the shelf and without conscious thought began to work at re-shelving all the other books and items on the floor. More than an hour passed as he meticulously replaced each thing to its’ original spot on the shelf.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Zack would never know exactly what woke him. He only vaguely remembered reaching over while still more asleep than awake and encountering a cooling void where his husband’s warm body should have been. Sitting up, he waited a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the darkness and listened. Silence greeted him and he instinctively knew Rene was no longer in the house.

Resignedly sighing out his frustration, he tossed back the quilt, hauled himself out of bed and dressed as quietly as possible. A couple of minutes later, he was noiselessly shutting the back door of his parents’ home and jogging down the driveway. It took him just under a quarter of an hour to get to his and Rene’s house. He wasn’t at all surprised to see the light on in the living room.

After letting himself in the front door without making a sound, he stood in the shadows of the lower hall for a few moments and watched his husband at work. Rolling his eyes in loving exasperation, he cleared his throat and walked into the room.

Rene jumped, terrified for a moment that the robbers had returned. He was relieved and then suddenly very nervous when he realized it was his husband who had walked in on him. “Oh...uh...hi Zack,” he squeaked.

“Pack it in, Rembrandt. We’re going back to my dads’ place. Keys, please,” Zack calmly requested, holding out his hand.

Rene climbed slowly to his feet, dug the keys out of his pocket and dropped them into Zack’s hand. “Zack, I’m sorry I disobeyed you but I just couldn’t sleep. I had to check and see that everything was okay here.”

“Rene, we’ve been over this. Nothing has changed. The house is exactly as we left it earlier and the police are making extra patrols. If fact, I was just speaking to an officer when he stopped me from coming up the drive. He though you were an intruder and was about to call for backup. Fortunately, I was able to convince him you were not.” Zack raised his eyebrow and waited to see what his Brat’s take would be on that bit of news.

Rene bit down on his lip. Having the police arrive while he was at the house hadn’t occurred to him. “I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have come, but I just couldn’t seem to help myself. I had to be sure. I don’t want to be the cause of trouble for the police or for you.” He felt tears welling up in his eyes.

Zack sadly shook his head and wrapped an arm around Rene and pulled him close. “Oh baby,” he murmured into the dark hair beneath his chin. “I understand; I really do. But I need you to trust me when I say we come here together and only during daylight hours. It may take some time to get our home back to what it was, but it will happen. I promise.” He dropped a gentle kiss on that same dark hair and then pushed Rene back a bit, to look in the younger man’s face. “We are only going to stay at my parents’ for a couple nights and then we’ll be back here for good, okay? Think you can work with me on this?”

Rene nodded. “Yeah, I can.” He chewed his lip again before hesitantly asking, “Are you going to spank me for disobeying you tonight?”

Zack studied the young face gazing up at him. He used his thumb to pull Rene’s lower lip from between his teeth. “Not this time, love. I don’t spank you for running home, only for running from it. But a word of advice; don’t push your luck.” He winked to soften the sternness behind the warning.

Taking Rene’s hand, Zack led the way outside and then locked up. “I hope we can get back in bed without waking my dads. I gave up this sneaking into the house when I left for university so I may be a bit rusty,” he mused, chuckling slightly.

The two men were able to get back to Hayden and Todd’s home and into bed without disturbing the older couple. With Zack‘s calm comfort wrapped around him, Rene finally fell into a deep sleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

They arrived in the kitchen the next morning to the smell of coffee brewing and fresh muffins just out of the oven.

“Mmm, that smells great!” Rene inhaled appreciatively.

Hayden greeted his son and son-in-law. “Good morning, boys. I thought you might sleep later, given your late night prowling.” He grinned at the look of surprise on Rene’s face. The young man had obviously thought he’d gotten out and back in without being heard.

Zack smiled as he took a seat at the table. “While I may be a bit rusty, apparently you aren’t, Dad.” He picked up the mug of coffee place in front of him. “Thanks, Papa.”

“Although you often got out undetected, you never did master the art of sneaking back in. Your dad always caught you,” Todd teased with a soft chuckle. Stepping up next to his husband, he leaned in and murmured, “Like I’ve often said, you have me to thank for you being able to hone that particular skill so well.”

“Although you often got out undetected, you never did master the art of sneaking back in. Your dad always caught you,” Todd teased with a soft chuckle. Stepping up next to his husband, he leaned in and murmured, “Like I’ve often said, you have me to thank for you being able to hone that particular skill so well.”

“Don’t remind me, Brat,” Hayden whispered back as he gently patted his husband’s backside before turning back to the younger men. “We’ve got a fresh fruit salad to go along with Papa’s blueberry muffins and yogurt. I hope that sounds acceptable to you boys.”

“Sounds and smells delicious,” Rene replied as he sipped his own coffee. He was hoping the talk of food would mean an end to any discussion of his sneaking out during the night.

“Hmm, gotta love your muffins, Papa,” Zack mused as he bit into one. After swallowing the first mouthful, he brought up the subject of today’s plans. “When we’ve finished breakfast, Rene and I are heading over to our place. We got a good jump on the kitchen, but still have a lot to do before we’re ready to move back in.”

“Your dad and I would like to come with you, if that’s okay. We can do the general cleaning up as you complete the list of missing or damaged items in each room,” Todd offered. Although a bit curious about the condition of the boys’ home, he was also very concerned about them facing the emotional turmoil on their own. He could only imagine how they felt based on how he would feel himself if his and Hayden’s home had been invaded.

“We both feel that you could use the help,” Hayden added. “This is a horrible experience and such is what family is for; to help out when times are tough.”

“Thanks, Papa and you too, Dad; I’m sure there’s enough work for all of us.” Zack smiled his gratitude. “But you may change your minds when you see the mess.”

“Not likely,” Todd scoffed. Pointing to the large cooler by the back door, he merrily listed all that was packed in it. “So you see we’ll have plenty to eat in order to keep our strength up.”

Rene felt a warm glow of happiness. Hayden was right; this is what family was for. “Thank you both. It makes it a lot easier to face with your support.”

His happiness seemed short lived when they once again walked into the mess that was their home. He felt overwhelmed by the extent of things. “I’d like to start upstairs today, okay? I want to get our clothes sorted out and know just what’s missing.”

“Sounds like a good idea, love. I’ll be right up to start on the en suite.” Zack turned to his parents and swung out his arm to indicate the articles lying about so obviously out of place. “We’ve compiled the list for kitchen, but didn’t have time to put this stuff away. Would you mind doing it for us?”

“Not at all,” Todd assured his son as he grabbed up a tea towel and tucked it into his waistband like an apron. “Drop anything you want laundered down the laundry chute and we’ll get that started too.”

Zack smiled his thanks before following his husband out of the room and up the stairs.

Working in their bedroom, Zack had helped Rene get the large king sized mattress back on the bed and Rene stripped off the bedding, and gathered clothes and things to be washed. He discovered his high school ring that he kept in a box in his nightstand was gone. Although it hadn’t been of great monetary valuable, it still held memories and he was sad to lose it. A sudden thought had him on the floor looking under the bed. To his horror, a certain small plastic case was gone. He looked frantically around the room, but it wasn’t in sight. ‘Oh God, not that,’ he thought. “Umm...Zack, can you come here for a minute?” he called out with a strained voice.

When Zack came into the room from where he was working, Rene pointed under the bed. “They’re gone, Zack. Our uh...movies and toys are gone,” he whispered. They had owned a few adult-themed gay movies and a couple of sex toys. “I can’t believe they’d take those, Zack. It’s so humiliating. Why would they want to take those things?” Rene’s face was red with embarrassment and tears welled in his eyes.

Zack sadly shook his head and quickly stepped over to comfort his distraught husband. “There’s no answer to that question, love; just as there is no answer to why they are breaking into peoples’ homes to begin with. I understand you feeling mortified, but chances are the thieves never put faces or names to owners of the items they steal.” He gave Rene a hug and kissed him. “We’ll just buy new toys and movies, okay?” he asked light-heartedly and then added with a grin, “Of course, I recommend we don’t report this particular loss to the insurance company.”

Rene grimaced. “Oh God, not in a million years.” He looked up at Zack, a thought forming. “Speaking of the insurance company; do you remember when we first got the policy for the house and the agent asked us if we had or intended to get a security system? I think we should get one. They even give you a break on your insurance rates. What do you think?”

Zack paused to the idea some thought. He really felt it was something his husband could look into and by doing so, might get back a sense of control. “I say we go for it. How about you going online this evening to see how much information is available? Try to find a reputable dealer close by and check out available equipment as well as the costs involved in getting a system installed, then we’ll decide together just what will work best for us.”

“Great, you don’t have to worry. I’ll find us the best security system available. I don’t ever want to go through this again. In the meantime, we’d better get back to the work of sorting things out.”

Zack and Rene worked all morning categorizing things and compiling lists of missing and damaged items from the upstairs rooms. They sent down multiple loads of laundry to be washed. They just didn’t feel comfortable with the idea of wearing clothes the burglars may have touched.

Rene was in the middle of wiping down the bedroom furniture when Hayden’s voice called up from the kitchen. “Boys, Papa has lunch on the table; time to take a break and eat.”

Rene smiled as Zack came into their room from the spare bedroom he’d been working in. “I’ll be down as soon as I finish cleaning the dressers.”

“Oh no, you won’t,” the older man disagreed, shaking his head. He took the damp cloth from his husband’s hand and let it fall back into the bucket containing warm water and Mr. Clean. “This can wait but my stomach can’t” He laughed when Rene’s stomach took that moment to make its’ hunger pangs heard. “And apparently, neither can yours.”

Taking Rene’s hand, Zack towed his somewhat reluctant husband from the room and down the stairs to the kitchen.

“Something smells delicious, Papa, and looks so too,” Zack praised as he sat down at the table. His eyes lit up when he spied some of his favourites. “Hmm, your homemade lasagna and garlic bread fresh from the oven. No wonder my stomach’s been growling.”

“I knew it would be the deciding factor in whether you stopped working long enough to eat or just keep slugging away.” Todd smiled contentedly as he watched his family hungrily load up their plates. “Don’t forget the Caesar salad. I used my own recipe for the dressing.”

Todd sat across from Hayden and began filling his own plate. “You know, aside from the crockery smashed in the sink and the door latch, nothing else appears to be broken. What wasn’t stolen was mostly just thrown about.”

Zack and Rene smiled at each other before Zack responded. His eyes were merrily twinkling as he briefly explained what had taken place. “The robbers did a lot of damage that Rene and I cleared away yesterday, but they weren’t responsible for the mess in the kitchen sink, Papa. Rene and I sort of conducted a controlled tension-release exercise. It worked rather well even if the results were only temporary.”

Hayden frowned and raised an eyebrow, though his voice was light and teasing. “Zachary William Pearce, are you telling me that you stood here in this kitchen, using an ill-tempered moment as an excuse for smashing dishes into the sink? I thought I’d taught you better than that, young man!”

Rene started to giggle and within moments was laughing uproariously at his Top being chastised by his father.

Zack began to laugh along with him. He winked at his dad for helping to keep the conversation lightly entertaining. “I am not even going to ask what you find so amusing, Rene. I just love the sound of your laughter even if it may be at my expense.”

The four men finished off the delicious meal with plenty of light-hearted bantering. Then while Todd rolled up his sleeves in preparation for washing the dishes, Zack and Rene headed back upstairs.

“Hayden, would you mind running some errands? I have a lengthy grocery list written out. The pantry shelves have to be completely restocked thanks to those miserable reprobates who perpetrated this crime. Our poor piglets; having to suffer this violation.” Todd turned sad eyes up to his husband. “They certainly didn’t do anything to deserve this.”

Hayden took the list and gave Todd a gentle kiss. “No, they didn’t, my love, but we’ll do whatever we can to help them recover.” He glanced at the extensive list and moaned. “I’ll even suffer the agony of the grocery store on a Saturday afternoon.” He picked up his keys and jacket. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. And don’t over work yourself,” he added in a tone of warning.

“No fear of that happening due to us finally getting the last of that filthy black fingerprinting dust scrubbed off the door frame and counters. That chore certainly proved harder than I would have imagined. I’ll be spending the entire afternoon finishing up the laundry as soon as I get these dishes out of the way.” Todd gently pushed his husband towards the back door. “Off you go, enjoy the fresh air.”

He followed Hayden out to the car and waved as he drove out of the driveway. Taking a deep breath, he headed back into the house. They had accomplished quite a bit while the younger men had worked upstairs. Todd had been pleased to see that nothing outside had been damaged. The bar-b-que they had given the boys for a housewarming gift still stood in its’ spot on the deck, the sun shining off the stainless steel. The patio furniture was completely unscathed. Even the lock on the garden shed was untouched.

Hayden had checked out the two-car garage and had been relieved to find the ride-on lawn mower hadn’t been taken and the only disarray seemed to be a result of the thieves throwing around the few tools Zack owned.

“Guess they figured nothing was worth carting off. Although I am sure it would have been different had there been expensive power tools involved,” he’d reported. “However, I did discover the empty gas can that had been tossed in the bushes by the back fence. It wouldn’t surprise me if they’d emptied the fuel into their own vehicle.”

It had taken Todd most the morning to get the kitchen area back to his pristine standards. He had also cleaned the powder room but nothing else. He would never admit to being unable to go into the front rooms. After venturing part way down the hall and becoming afraid to face whatever destruction might be there, he had scurried back to the refuge of the kitchen.

Setting about his self-appointed task, Todd smiled as he listened to Zack and Rene’s voices floating down from the upper floor.

The carpenter and locksmith had been by; the door frame had been repaired, the lock and handle on the door replaced. All Rene and Zack needed to do, was put a fresh coat of paint on the new woodwork.

By late afternoon, Hayden had returned and all the groceries had been put away. The washer and dryer were finally quiet.

“The upstairs is a good as we’re going to get it until we replace the bigger items that were stolen and some of the smaller things that were damaged. We sure put in a good day’s work,” Zack announced as he walked into the kitchen with Rene.

“Thank you for bringing the last laundry basket down, Rene,” Todd said, reaching to take the item from his son-in-law’s hand. “I trust everything got neatly put away.” He turned a questioning expression on his son.

“Yes, Papa,” Zack assured the older man. “But you didn’t have to iron everything. Rene and I aren’t used to wearing jeans that look so spiffy.”

“Chalk it up to habit, son,” Todd responded, secretly pleased with the praise.

“We all put in a good day’s work and now I think it’s time to get back to your place, Dad. Papa, there’s no need for you to make another meal because Rene and I are doing up some homemade bratwurst and corn on the cob. It was what Rene had planned for last night.”

“That sounds wonderful, boys; let’s lock up here and head back home. I’m looking forward to the dinner. I’ve always loved bratwurst sausage; it has such a fun name.” Hayden grinned.

“It’s my mom’s recipe for cooking it with apples and onion. It was a favourite in our house,” Rene replied.

A couple of hours later they were relaxing over an after dinner coffee. Rene was still worrying about the house being unprotected. He looked to his father-in-law. “Dad, would you mind if I borrowed your computer for a while? I’m going to do some research into security systems for the house.”

“Certainly, Rene; help yourself.”

“A security system?” Todd piped up. “What an excellent idea. You know, Hayden, I think it would be a good idea for us to invest in one too.”

Hayden nodded. “Yes, I think it’s something to consider. I really didn’t think we’d need on in Jade Heights, but perhaps something like what we had in Vancouver might be in order. I’ll see what Rene comes up with for their home and then we can decide from there.”

Zack’s eyes followed his husband as Rene walked out of the room. He smiled understandingly at the younger man’s haste in getting his search started.

“This in all likelihood will be our last night staying here,” Zack announced, turning back to his parents “I think we’ll have the house set to rights enough to move back in tomorrow. On Monday, our insurance adjuster will be dropping by and it’ll good to get a lot of the paperwork out of the way. Our being able to tell him about our plans to put in a security system should keep our premiums from escalating. This is the first time we’ll be filing a claim, but I’ve heard that insurance costs can go up if the company feels you’re too vulnerable. Do you think there’s any truth in that, Dad?”

“Most definitely; I’ve heard of this happening to a number of people over the years. Robberies are a sad fact of life, and we all pay for them in our insurance premiums. The insurance companies will do all they can to recoup their losses by hiking premiums of those who make claims. However, if you show yourselves to be diligent homeowners, they take that into consideration when assessing you.”

“Then here’s to hoping they cut us a break when we get our system in place. Although to tell you the truth, I’m doing it more for Rene’s peace of mind than for lower insurance costs.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rene was quickly overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information on home security systems as he began his web search. He could not believe the number of companies offering services or the different types available. He narrowed his search parameters to companies servicing their area and then by those who had received approval of the insurance companies. However, there was still a lot of information to sort through. He’d been compiling lists of things he thought were most important; wireless installation, magnetic alarms of doors and windows, motion detectors, voice activation, multiple zones and key pads. He wanted the best for their home; he never wanted to go through this nightmare again.

He’d filled several pages of word documents with information and had no idea of the time passing as he worked.

Zack quietly entered the study and stood behind his husband, shaking his head at the amount of information appearing on the screen. There were also a number of sites still open, their tabs showing up at the bottom of the screen.

“You’ve done a mega amount of research, sweetheart. How about printing it off and we’ll go over it once we’re settled in bed? Dad and Papa have already gone upstairs for the night and I told them we’d be following shortly.”

Rene startled at the sound of Zack’s voice. He hadn’t heard his husband enter the room. “Oh hi, Zack; I’ll be done in a short while. I just found this new site with some really state of the art equipment. You should see what they have in the way of remote computerize monitoring. It will notify us on our cell phones of anyone even coming up to the door of the house when we’re out.”

Zack pulled up a chair and sat down. “Okay, let’s see what you have here.” They spent the next several minutes going over some of the highlights of the collected information. It was all rather complex and mind-boggling.

“Okay; we know we want a monitored security system, not just an alarm system. It should include a wired control panel with digital touch pads, battery back-up, transformer and siren. All interior equipment must include motion detectors, vibration/impact sensors, and distress buttons. Perimeter devices must include magnetic contacts for doors and windows, glass break sensors, as well as vibration/impact sensors. We can also consider bandit bars on all basement windows and cameras around the outside of the house. What do you think, love? Does it sound secure enough for you?”

Rene yawned and nodded. “Yeah, I think that should cover things pretty well. Now we just have to decide what company we want to go with. I’d like to narrow down the list to about three and then contact them to get quotes. Do you have any preferences?” Rene brought up the list of names he’d gathered. “I was thinking...” he spoke while yawning, “that the...” yawn...

“You were thinking that it’s probably a good time as ever to hit the hay? Hmmm, maybe? And that we can look over the list in the morning?” Zack didn’t wait for an answer. He merely saved the information and shut down the computer. Putting his hand under Rene’s elbow, he helped him up from his chair and began steering him out of the room. He chuckled softly to himself when Rene looked back over his shoulder as if to protest but only managed to blink sleepy eyes.

Fifteen minutes later, they were fast asleep. There’d be plenty of time for decision making over the next few days.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Balancing the small cardboard tray and two bags, Kadyn turned the knob on the back door. He wasn’t overly surprised to find it locked, so he merely knocked instead and waited for Rene to answer. He knew that like himself his friend would be spending a greater part of the day on his own as both their partners worked most Saturdays.

“I’m in between birthday parties at the shop and thought you could use a break as much as I can, so I stopped off at Timmy’s,” he announced, while smiling broadly and holding out two large lattes. Inside, he glanced around and took in the changes since he’d last been here a few days after the break-in. At the time he could only imagine what his friends had faced in the immediate aftermath and the emotion toll it had taken on them.

“You’ve got a lot done over the past week, Rene.” Kadyn didn’t mention the several empty places still glaringly obvious.

Rene nodded and sighed lightly. “Yeah, we’ve got everything cleaned up now but as you can see, not replaced. The insurance agent was here for ages on Monday, going through all the things that are missing or damaged. We’re still waiting for them to assess everything and get back to us with how much they’re going to pay out for our losses. However, he was pleased about the security system we just had it installed on Thursday. I think Zack believes we have too much, not that he’s complained. Well other than when the alarm went off in the night when he went down to the kitchen for a drink.”

Rene shook his head, laughing slightly at the remembrance. “He’s just gotta remember to turn off the motion detectors in the zone he’s going through. We got a really good system with four zones in the house with motion detectors and vibration/impact sensors, and distress buttons. As well as magnetic and glass break sensors for the windows and doors, outside cameras...well the whole works. Costs a pretty penny but we do get a break on our insurance because of it and I think we both feel better knowing the house is safer. I don’t think either of us could stand going through this again.”

“I know I sure wouldn’t want to go through it,” Kadyn lamented with his friend. “Vincent is talking about adding to the existing systems at both our shops but hasn’t said too much about the house. Maybe I’ll have to bug him about it. I did overhear him saying something to Zack about replacement insurance. From what I understand our policy pays full value for any item replaced. Hopefully yours will do the same.” He dug into one of the small paper bags he’d brought with him and handed Rene a doughnut. “Have you had any news about the robbers? Have the cops found any of your stuff?”

Rene picked up the treat and took a big bite while he sipped his coffee. “No, not a word and frankly, I don’t think we will. I’ve done some reading on the internet and not very many of these kinds of robberies ever lead to an arrest or recovery of the stolen goods. I know Chief Barrett and his officers will do their best but with little evidence, we’ll need a lucky break for anything to come up.”

“Then I guess we’ll just have to cross our fingers and hope for that lucky break,” Kadyn optimistically suggested with a shrug of his shoulders and a broad grin, then he sat back to enjoy his coffee.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Wandering aimlessly around the stuffy store, Kadyn mindlessly picked up odd articles only to put them down seconds later. He wasn’t terribly impressed with the place as it was far from clean and organized in the manner he was used to. Thank goodness it wasn’t a business he or his partner made a habit of frequenting. He was about to share his feelings of boredom when Vincent turned and smiled at him.

“Okay, sweetheart, I’ve got what I came for. I can’t believe that after searching for months online and in numerous musty book stores that specialize in antique first-additions, I finally found this treasure listed here in an out-of-the-way pawn shop. Makes a person wonder how it came to be here. I’ll just pay for it and then we can go somewhere for dinner. It’s my treat for you being so patient.” Vincent wormed his way through the maze of shelving with Kadyn following closely behind him.

It was while they were standing by the cash register when Kadyn spied an article that looked very familiar. “Psst,” he hissed in order to get his partner’s attention. “That belongs to Zack and Rene,” he whispered, pointing at the shelf behind the proprietor. “We gotta get it back,” he insisted barely loud enough for Vincent to hear.

“Hush, Kadyn. We’ll talk it over later.” Vincent turned back to the business at hand and accepted his purchase. He frowned slightly, not caring for the look the shop owner was directing at Kadyn.

It ended up being Vincent’s decision that they inform Zack and Rene of Kadyn’s suspicions and let them decide the best way to handle the situation. He called their friends that very evening.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Well that was certainly an interesting bit of news,” Zack commented as he hung up the phone after ending the conversation they’d been taking part in using the speakers. “I’d like to get a look at that machine Kadyn saw and see if it really is ours but I’m afraid it will have to wait a couple of days as I can’t get away before then. I think it would be best that if it ends up being ours, we just inform the police and let them handle it.”

“A couple of days!” Rene exclaimed. “Zack, it could be gone by then. Someone might buy it. We need to go tomorrow and check it out!”

“Sorry, Rene, I’m not able to go any sooner. Besides, Vincent was far from convinced it was ours. He only told us about it to appease Kadyn. On the other hand, if it should prove to be ours then there is always the possibility that the shop owner is aware of buying stolen goods. With that in mind, it is not someplace I’d suggest you going to alone.” Sensing an argument brewing, Zack continued in hope of nipping it in the bud. “You never know what kind of trouble you might run into in some of these places, love. Besides, it’s an expensive item. I can’t see it selling too quickly.”

Rene sighed. “Okay, I understand.”

“Good! Now that we have that settled, how about giving me a hand to get supper on the table?”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Any thoughts of following Zack’s directives were slowly discarded when Rene and Kadyn met up for coffee the next day. The more they talked about the theft and all the resulting turmoil it had caused, the easier it became to convince themselves to make a trip to Kelowna that afternoon to retrieve the stolen item. They didn’t let the fact that the pawn shop was on the seedier side of town, deter them.

Having already gotten a good look at the pawn shop’s proprietor, Kadyn was a little uneasy about seeing the man again. However, he quickly got caught up in his friend’s ambitious plans to get back what belonged to him.

Rene followed Kadyn into the small dingy-looking shop. He’d had enough of being a victim to the people who had broken into their home and stolen their things. Now it was time to stand up and reclaim what theirs. He was sick and tired of filling out insurance forms and waiting to replace things. He wanted their own things back and even if the espresso machine was the only thing they ever found, it was empowering to think he could get it back.

“That’s it on the shelf behind the counter.” Kadyn pointed to the machine.

Rene walked up to the counter and looked carefully at the machine in question. He knew right away it was theirs. The scorch mark on the front of the stainless steel finish was very distinctive.

The proprietor came over at the sight of potential customers. He was a greasy-looking older man who smelled of cigarettes and beer. “Can I help ya?”

“Yes, I’m here about that espresso machine,” Rene replied.

The man smiled with yellowed crooked teeth. “That’s a beauty, ain’t it? New in the stores they sell for nearly two grand, but I can letcha have this one for only five hundred.”

“Where did you get it?” Rene demanded to know.

The man suddenly looked defensive and snapped. “It was sold to me by the rightful owner.”

“I’m afraid that’s not true. I’m the rightful owner of that machine and it was stolen from our home in a burglary last month.”

“You’re mistaken, mister. There’s lotsa machines out there that look like this one. Now if you’re not interested in buying, I suggest you leave.”

“I’m not buying my own property back,” Rene replied. “I know this is my machine. I recognise that scorch mark on the front and if you turn it around, you’ll find the plug has been replaced with a bright yellow one as the wiring had broken in the original.”

Kadyn had been looking from one man to the other and following the conversation closely. “He’s telling you the truth. I know cause I’ve seen that exact espresso machine at his house many times.”

The man warily looked at the back of the machine and saw the yellow plug. “That don’t mean nothing. I’ll bet lotsa them got replaced. Now you boys best get outta here before I call the cops on ya.”

“I’m calling them myself,” Rene retorted as he pulled out his cell phone. “I think they’d like to know that you buy stolen merchandise here.”

“You go for it, Rene!” Kadyn encouraged his friend. Gone was any nervousness he had felt about coming here. He boldly stood his ground as the adrenaline began to rush through him.

When the shop owner stepped out from behind the counter as if to challenge Rene, Kadyn rushed over and grabbed the item they had come after. “Come on, Rene! I got it! Let’s get out of here!” With that, he headed out the door as fast as he could, hoping the weight of the machine wouldn’t slow him down.

Rene was momentarily shocked by Kadyn’s sudden snatching of the espresso machine. He paused just long enough for the shop owner to grab his arm.

“Hey! You thieving little bastard, get back here!” the old man yelled.

With a strength born of fear, Rene managed to wrench his arm from the man’s grasp and tear out the door at a run after his friend. He thanked God the old man was obese and slow. He glanced back over his shoulder as they ran down the sidewalk. The man was standing outside of the pawn shop, shaking his fist at them as they ran for the car. Rene pulled his keys from his pocket and hit the remote entry to allow Kadyn to climb inside with the machine in his arms.

Rene jumped into the driver’s side and started the car up, pulling away from the curb with barely a glance for oncoming traffic. A blast of a horn told him that he’d cut someone off in his haste, but thank heaven hadn’t cause a collision.

They headed as quickly as possible away from the pawn shop. “Oh my God, Kadyn, I can’t believe you did that!” Rene was both panting and laughing with the exhilaration of getting away with his beloved espresso machine.

“I can hardly believe it myself,” Kadyn breathlessly muttered as he gazed wide-eyed at the machine on his lap. “Ah, do you think this means we stole something, even though it really belongs to you?”

Rene frowned. “I don’t know. I mean it was stolen from us. Zack and I are the rightful owners. That guy would have hidden it away once we called the cops cause he knew damn well it was stolen merchandise. I’d like to know if he has anything else of ours. But I’m not going to worry about it. I’m just going to feel good that we got back at least one of the things that were taken from us.”

“Well I hope Vincent sees it that way too,” Kadyn mused with a shrug of his shoulders. “It’s too late to second guess myself now. No sir! It’s time to bask in the thrill of our success.” Kadyn was never one to fret over things. He always lived for the moment.

“Yeah, I hope Zack feels the same,” Rene quietly responded, now doubting his previous convictions.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“I’m home, love!” Zack called up the stairs to the studio where he took it for granted his husband was working. Turning towards the counter, he was surprised to see an espresso machine sitting on it. Closer examination confirmed it was their own that had gone missed during the break-in. Hearing footsteps coming up behind him, he glanced over his shoulder and inquired somewhat suspiciously, “You wouldn’t happen to know how this magically reappeared, would you, Rene?”

“Well...um...that’s kinda a long story.”

“I’ve got time to hear it.” Zack pulled out a stool and sat down, resting one elbow on the counter. “Please explain, Rene.”

“Well, I was talking with Kadyn and we got to thinking it would be good to just go and check out the pawn shop where he and Vincent saw the espresso machine. And well...it was ours, Zack. You can see that for yourself. And I couldn’t just leave it there. It came from your mother after all. I really couldn’t see us losing it. You understand that, don’t you?”

Zack wiped his hand across his forehead and sighed. “At least you didn’t go alone,” he muttered his resignation. Looking up, he curiously inquired, “So just how much did you have to pay for it?”

Rene squirmed and looked at the floor, trying to come up with an answer that wouldn’t gain his husband’s instant disapproval. “I…umm...didn’t exactly pay for it. I told the guy it was stolen from us and that I wasn’t going to pay to get back something that rightfully belonged to us.” He glanced at Zack’s face and saw the look that said the older man wasn’t going to accept anything but the full story. Rene tried to put a tone of righteousness in his voice, hoping Zack would understand. “First he tried to pretend he didn’t know it was stolen property. Then he tried to throw us out of the shop. So...so we just took it and left.”

Zack just stared at Rene for several moments while trying to wrap his mind around the idea of his husband doing something so brazen. “I take it that confiscating our property in this manner wasn’t part of your original plan when going there, right?” Not waiting for an answer, he continued to verbally analyze the incident. “I imagine one of you had to distract the shop owner while the other did the snatch and run. Although I’d be interested in knowing who did what, I suppose it’s irrelevant as you are both equally guilty.”

Getting to his feet, Zack began pacing as he ran his fingers through his hair. He was trying desperately to get rid of the excess adrenaline he felt building inside of him as thoughts of just how horrific this whole episode could have ended, came to mind.

“Do you have any idea of the danger the two of you put yourselves into? Just facing down a stranger and even suggesting he might be in possession of stolen property was extremely reckless and risky. You should have just left the store and reported your find to the police.”

Rene thought for a moment about Zack’s words and feelings before he replied. “Zack, I realize you’re angry about what we did. It wasn’t a very smart move; I know that. But this whole thing situation has made me feel so angry, so helpless, and for just one brief moment, I felt like we’d gotten some justice. It doesn’t excuse what we did and I know I owe it to you to be more careful. We have a relationship where I am expected to defer to you when it comes to situations like this. And I love that you’re in control; that you get to decide how things are done.” He sadly hung his head as he spoke. “I took that decision from you by going to Kelowna without talking to you first and I’m so sorry. I deserve to be punished for breaking our rules; for ignoring your feelings and authority.”

Forcing himself to calm down, Zack listened closely to what Rene was saying. His young husband was obviously forming a better understanding of their individual roles in their jointly chosen life-style. “You’re right, love, I should have been consulted before you decided on today’s adventure.” He reached for Rene’s hand at the same time as he pulled a chair away from the kitchen table. “But we have a way of taking care of broken rules, don’t we?”

Rene nodded sadly. “Yes sir.”

Zack sat down and patiently waited for Rene to lower his jeans and boxers, and then he helped him settle across his thighs. “I don’t see the need to reiterate what this spanking is for; as I am sure we are both aware of the ‘why’.”

With that Zack lifted his right arm and brought it down to land a resounding smack on the vulnerable backside, leaving a bright red outline where his hand had landed. His arm continued to rise and fall in a steady rhythm, gradually turning the once white flesh a deep shade of crimson. His husband’s body language and cries let him know when the lesson had sunk in enough to not be repeated any time soon. He immediately brought the punishment to an end and gently raked his fingers through Rene’s sweaty hair.

Rene slid off of Zack’s lap to kneel on the floor with his head resting on the older man’s knees. His bottom was blazing with heat and his face covered with tears that were now soaking Zack’s slacks. He tried to pull himself together enough to talk, but his words came out stuttered and broken. “I’m s...sorry, Zack. I really am. I won’t d…do anything like that again.”

Zack put his hands under Rene’s arms and lifted him to sit on his lap, taking care not to let the sore flesh make contact with anything other than air. “Shh,” he softly cooed as he soothingly rubbed circles on the sobbing man’s back. “It’s taken care of, sweetheart. You’re fine; we’re fine. I love you. You’re mine no matter what.”

He tenderly kissed Rene’s head while repeating the mantra over and over again to give the love of his life time to regain his composure. In the quiet aftermath, he spoke of his plans for the evening. “We’re going shut down all the phones and after a light supper, spend the next few hours just mellowing out in each other’s arms. Just ‘couple’ time with no interruptions; how does that sound, my love?”

Rene pressed his face into Zack’s neck, relishing the warmth and love he felt in his husband’s arms. “That sounds wonderful.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Zack was pleasantly surprised when he answered the door a few days later, for find their Chief of Police standing there. The smile on Chandi’s handsome face was probably in part responsible for Zack’s pleasure.

“You look as if you have some good news, Chief,” Zack greeted, stepping back to allow his guest to enter.

“Good enough I think to make it worthwhile bothering you on your day off,” Chandi affirmed, his smile widening. “Is Rene home?”

“Yes, he’s working in his studio. Come on into the kitchen and I called him down.” Zack walked down the hall and stood at the foot of the stairs leading to his husband’s private domain. “Rene, we have company and your presence is required,” he called before turning his attention back to their guest. “Have a seat and make yourself comfortable, Chandi. I’ve got a fresh pot of coffee on, would you like a cup?”

“Yes, please. I can’t remember ever refusing a mug of fresh brewed coffee.” Chandi chuckled as he pulled out a chair and sat down at the kitchen table.

Rene put his paint brush into soak and wiped his hands on a rag before heading down the stairs to see who the unexpected company was. He was surprised to find Zack sitting at the kitchen table with Chief Barrett. “Hi Chief, what brings you by?”

“I’m here to give you an update.” Chandi slipped a hand into his pocket, withdrew two small plastic bags with ‘Evidence’ marked on them and set them on the table. “First, I have a couple of items I hope one or both of you will be able to identify.”

While Rene fetched himself a coffee, Zack picked up both articles at once and nodded almost immediately. “Yes, this is Rene’s high school ring and this gold chain belongs to me. Where did you find them?”

“Well, that’s a rather interesting story in itself. Prepare yourselves for a bit of a laugh, guys.” Chandi took another mouthful of coffee and grinned over the top of his mug as his hosts looked questioningly at him. “Apparently there’s been quite a rash of break-ins throughout the surrounding vicinity. All have been perpetrated by the same gang holed up in Kelowna. The ringleader happens to be the owner of a pawn shop; one you might be familiar with.” He looked pointedly at Rene. Zack had reported the confiscation of their espresso machine at the time, but the police chief had not followed it up as no report of it had been filed with the Kelowna police. Chandi highly doubted there’d be any repercussions from the incident anyway.

Rene blushed. “Yeah, I ummm...know the one.”

Chandi smiled and continued, “Almost all the stolen articles ended up in the pawn shop. The few fingerprints we managed to lift at each crime scene let nowhere as none were in the system, due to the thieves being rather young and new on the job. Their arrests came about as a result of reckless move on the part of one member of the gang. A young woman tried to cash a nicked pension cheque at a convenience store, claiming it belonged to her elderly aunt. When asked to produce some ID, she showed the cashier her driver’s licence.” Chandi couldn’t help laughing. Bringing this case to a close had not only proven swifter and simpler than would be the norm, but also had an amusing side to it.

“No one ever said the average thief was overly bright,” Zack commented while laughing along with the chief.

Rene shook his head in disgust at all the trouble it had caused them. “I guess since you only brought the jewellery that our other things were gone by the time they were caught? The flat screen TV and all the entertainment centre equipment probably sold pretty fast to someone looking for a really good deal.”

“Which is why the insurance company has reimbursed us for anything we’ve replaced and will continue to do so,” Zack reminded his husband. “Another couple of weeks and our home will be back to what it was before all this happened….that is, with the exception of a lot of added security apparatus around the place.” Zack’s voice was light and teasing. He knew the new system was badly needed and truly appreciated all the time and effort Rene had put in to acquiring it.

“I better be getting home now,” Chandi announced, drinking down the last of his coffee. “Eric knows I’m off duty and is waiting for me. I’ll return these articles to you as soon as possible. For the time being, they’ll be needed as evidence in the upcoming court cases. I’m sorry we weren’t able to find more of your possessions, but believe it or not, you fared better than most whom had their homes broken into by this gang of thieves.” The Chief shook hands with both men and after bidding them a good evening; left them to ponder over this latest bit of news.

Zack shut the door and turned to smile at Rene. “Do you think, love, that we’re just about ready to put this whole episode behind us and move on?”

Rene pressed himself against his husband, wrapping his arms tightly around the larger man’s waist. “I sure am. I hate that this happened but I must admit I feel a lot better knowing they’ve caught the people who did it to us, and especially good that the creep from the pawn shop is being charged too. They violated our home and took more than just our things; they took away our sense of security. I know we’ve got that back now, but it was a horrible experience.”

“But one we survived! And we’re stronger for it because we tackled the problems together.” Zack dipped his head and gently kissed Rene’s slightly parted lips.

The End