BRIEF DISCLAIMER: Rather than limit myself in any way, take this as an official warning: this material is designed for adult audiences only. If you are under legal age in your place of residence, you should not access this work without your parents' permission. While most of the work is suited for any audience, parts of it may contain vulgar language, extreme violence, and/or sexual situations which may make certain people uncomfortable. If you may be offended by any of this, you should not read any of it. I will not limit my writing to keep from offending those with narrow minds or weak constitutions. I have a notification list and if you'd like to receive an e-mail when the next chapter is submitted, just write me and ask to be added! Names on this list are not sold, bartered, traded, loaned, or distributed. You will get mail only with major announcements, such as chapter postings. Lastly, if you're a professional publisher or literary agent, or know one, and would be interested in publishing my works, please write me directly -- I will be in your debt.

BY READING THIS STORY, YOU CONFIRM YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO THE "FULL DISCLAIMER" AS LISTED IN THE INTRODUCTORY DOCUMENT.

"Nicky?" repeated Alex, disbelievingly.

"Alex?" said Nicky, his eyes narrowing slowly.

"I've found you," said Alex with the elation in his voice rising in a crescendo of joy and happiness. He felt a surge of warmth, contentedness, and bliss coursing through his body. His delight, cheer, and pleasure threatened to overwhelm him. "This might be the happiest moment of my life."

Nicky grabbed his arm, "Quiet! We can't talk here. Follow me."

Nicky packed his instrument into its case, pocketed the money he had collected so far, and then glanced around furtively all the while leaving Alex nearly bursting at the seams.

"Right. Come on," said Nicky as he headed down the tunnel until he reached the bank of escalators. He headed towards the surface, which Alex thought a bit odd. It wouldn't be nearly as private there as it would in Nicky's world. Then again he thought it might be the perfect symbolic place for their reunion -- out in the open.

Soon, they were exiting the Green Park tube station on Piccadilly. They walked a few feet before turning into Green Park, one of the oldest of the Royal Parks in London. Buckingham Palace stood at one corner, with St. James's Palace and Clarence House at the other end.

Because it was a large park, it was full of people, but that same largeness made possible many areas of seclusion. Alex noticed that you could sit alone in one spot, surrounded by people who were just a few feet from you, yet not have them infringe upon your personal space, nor be within earshot. He could see why Nicky picked this place. It bothered him that Nicky chose not to speak right away, but he also realized that Nicky was probably overwhelmed with his own emotions. Nicky was sure to be feeling as strongly about this as he was.

Nicky led them to a patch of grass halfway between Piccadilly and the Mall on one side and halfway between the Queen's Walk and the Broad Walk on the other. He put his instrument down, and sat down cross-legged. "Sit down, Alex."

"What, exactly, brings you here?" asked Nicky in a toneless, controlled voice.

Alex took no notice of Nicky's lack of emotion and ploughed into the monologue he had been preparing as they had walked towards the park. "Nicky, there's so much to say. I don't even know where to begin, so I'll just start at the beginning."

"That's a good place to start," said Nicky flatly.

"As I left on that train, I realized that I was doing the wrong thing. I knew I had made a mistake almost instantly. But I'm stubborn. I thought I was being noble and making your life better by removing myself from it." Alex paused hoping for a reaction.

Not getting one, he continued, "I didn't get any e-mail or phone calls from you. The only e-mail address I had didn't work. I hoped you'd write or call, but you didn't. As time passed, I realized how much I loved you. I realized you were my soul-mate and I had been too dumb to realize it. I know I made a mistake when I left you standing at Lord's Station, but I was trying to do the right thing. I was younger then, Nicky. I didn't know any better."

Alex took a breath, and continued. "Then, out of the blue, an opportunity to come here presented itself." Alex paused again, his throat drying out from talking so much, wishing he some water to drink. But he was so happy, that he knew he could suffer through this explanation without a break so that Nicky would understand everything.

"So, here I am. I tried to find your world, but I must have been doing something wrong. I took the third car of the third train, and it didn't work. I did it several more times, but had no luck at all. I even went back to the tailor's shop, but they didn't know you. I am certain it was the right shop because the name is so unusual."

Alex paused again, certain Nicky would be ready to talk. Instead, Nicky sat silently, apparently waiting for Alex to finish.

"Anyway, I ran out of ideas. I was completely depressed and just going back to the hotel to give up and go home. I didn't know what else to do. I missed you, Nicky. I missed you so much. My heart was breaking because I thought I'd never see you again. I was on the way back to the hotel, defeated, and then I heard the music, looked up, and saw you. And, here we are." Alex stopped, taking a few breaths because he'd rushed through the story trying to get to the end. He was in a hurry to celebrate their reunion and get on with his life -- his new life with Nicky. He knew he had cut corners with the story and left important bits out -- including Delos and Gavin -- but that could all be rehashed later.

A tear ran down Nicky left cheek unnoticed by Alex. There was silence.

Alex wondered what Nicky was thinking, knowing the words would be hard for him to put together, and harder still to say. That didn't make him less patient. He knew, though, that this was not something he could rush.

Finally, Nicky turned to face Alex who then saw the tears and took them for tears of joy. He didn't understand why Nicky's voice was so dejected when he began talking. "I'm not sure how to say all that I need to say, or even how to express everything I'm feeling. I'm going to do it as quickly as possible, though. I'm just asking you not interrupt -- not to say anything -- until I'm done. Will you promise that?"

"Of course, Nicky! Anything for you!"

Nicky took a deep breath, collected himself, and began, "I was in love with you Alex: deeply, madly in love with you. I believe you were in love with me, too, though you obviously had problems dealing with it. Still, you offered your life for mine, and that's a huge selfless act -- a statement -- that nobody can deny. I was sure, after all of that, we'd be together forever." Nicky paused, and took a sip from his bottle of water.

"I'm sure that my assumption of the outcome was reasonable given any two normal people on this planet. However, Alex, you just aren't a normal person. You took that train and left me; leaving me crushed, on that platform. You broke my heart. You destroyed me. You left me desolate and ruined. I spent months in my room without ever leaving." Nicky wiped a tear off his face, and for the first time Alex realized the speech he'd just given might not have had the desired effect. Nicky wasn't gleeful and overcome with joy, as he himself had been feeling. Nicky almost seemed pained, perhaps even irritated at their reunion.

"My father had to change everything because of you. You were the biggest risk to our way of life that had ever occurred. Everyone you had come into contact with above ground had to be relocated; the entrances to our world were all moved. Alex, my father risked our entire kingdom for you. I was ready and willing to devote my life to being with you. And you threw it all away, thinking you were being noble. You spat in my face by doing that, and in the process broke my heart." Nicky paused, composing himself because he knew his voice was wavering.

"Then, after all that, you put everything at risk again by trying to find me. You may not be aware you're being followed. They're watching us now, Alex, and this just shows you don't have any clue what's going on." Nicky paused before continuing. "The only reason I'm even talking to you is so you don't come looking for me ever again. I am so over you. I didn't fully realize it at the time, but we were through the moment you left on that train. And if not then, when you didn't come back, when your betrayal went on, day after day, week after week. Now, I don't ever want to see you again. I'm leaving. And don't you dare try to follow me or contact me. Just fuck off and die!" and with that final pronouncement, Nicky got up, grabbed his things and without ever looking back, stormed off into the depths of the park.

Alex was too stunned to follow.

He sat there, and it began to rain. This suited his mood, which grew blacker and blacker. His depression from earlier in the day turned into a malaise that spread through his body like a fetid miasma.

It grew dark, as if to match his mood, with Alex just sitting there. The rain beat on him, saturating his deadened spirit as much as his clothes. Finally, he realized he couldn't just stay there -- he had to move on. Even so, he felt lethargic, a deep depression gripping him, like an iron fist gripping his spirit and crushing it slowly and dragging him into a chasm of despair. He knew he was destined to live a life of misery. His one chance at happiness had just left him. Nicky hated him. And he'd spurned Gavin the day before. His life, as he knew it, was done. It was over. Everything was over. He'd been stupid, and everything he'd done had turned out wrong.

He felt sorry for himself, for the way he had continually managed to screw up his life. Gloom enveloped him, crushed him, forcing sadness into every pore. Dejection swept through his body, sapping what little remained of his spirit, draining him utterly. Grief, sorrow, despondency coupled with hopelessness, and abject defeat threatened to crush his psyche into nothingness.

Alex stood upright, uneasily, and then trudged forward, going somewhere, anywhere, not caring where, and not looking anywhere except down at his feet. He came to the edge of the park, and was nearly hit by a car. It bleated its horn mightily as the driver slammed on the brakes, narrowly missing Alex on the rain-slicked street. He didn't stop, not even noticing, and kept walking, trying to walk away from his pain.

The rain kept coming down, pouring harder and harder to the point where even in his current mood Alex could not help but notice it. Alex passed a tube station, then turned around suddenly, nearly knocking over a passerby, and went down the stairs and into the station to escape the soaking rain, yet not really wanting to be there. He went through the fare gate and down to the platform, hoping it would be quiet.

The station wasn't very crowded, and he went to the far end of the platform, away from the few people that were there. He stood leaning against the wall, just staring at nothing in particular, while dripping on the platform, a small puddle forming at his feet. A train came into the station with a whoosh of air, stopped, and passengers got on and off, oblivious to the miserable teen standing alone against the wall. Then, the train rumbled off, leaving the station nearly deserted.

He had some vague notion that he was at the end of the platform where the train entered the station because he felt the force of the wind of the approaching trains. The air coming from the tunnels was warm, and it imperceptibly dried him. Several more trains came and went, but still Alex did not move, totally lost in, totally consumed by, his own misery even though people came and went, going about their commute.

"Are you alright, son?" asked a voice.

Alex didn't answer.

"Son, are you alright?" asked the voice more insistently.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Thanks," said Alex just to get the person to leave him alone. He didn't even look up. In that moment, Alex made a decision.

A few seconds later, he again felt the wind coming down the tunnel and forcing its way into the station. He looked around, for the first time since coming in from the rain, and noticed he was in the Hyde Park Corner tube station on the Piccadilly line. He wasn't sure why it mattered.

The wind grew insistent as he felt it grow stronger and stronger. The headlights of the train became visible a few feet back in the tunnel just before it barrelled into the station. Alex crouched, and as soon as the lights entered the station, he leapt.