Main pairing: Joe/Lucas

Rating and notes: R18. I'm using the version of the special fan edition, but not everything in the bonus.

Summary: If Joe is so happy with his new life as the owner of the Empire Records store, why is Lucas a bit sad now? The gang will investigate.

Disclaimer: I'm just playing with other people's toys and nothing you think you know is mine. May I be forgiven in my next incarnation! Flamers will be adopted by my family (if you don't believe it's a threat... too bad for you!).

Editors: Starkindler and Mikee. The remaining mistakes are all mine, and I apologize for those.

Entirely Perfect

Berko had just finished playing a slow song - well, slower than what he'd played to encourage the audience to give money and save the Empire.

The gang had been dancing, but now they were a bit tired and they all sat down.

It had been a very long day for them all. Well, for most of them.

Eddie had made a tape for Mark, and he had baked a lot of brownies - special ones for Mark with a lot of sugar (which might not have been the best idea of the day, or maybe it was - who knows how Fate worked?), and normal ones to sell on the street. Of course, it had been an emotionally hard day when Corey blew a fuse and damaged some of Eddie's precious vinyls, but otherwise, Eddie's day had been relatively quiet.

Mark... Mark had a challenging day. He was there when Lucas mentioned Atlantic City, when the bank called to tell Joe that last night's deposit hadn't been brought to them, when Mitchell Beck phoned to yell at Joe about the money, and when the various pieces of the Empire's jigsaw entered the shop to reach the conclusion that brought them all to the roof, celebrating together the successful rescue mission. It was thanks to Mark's bold - and silly - action that they'd gotten enough money to give Mitch his money back, which led to Mitch's offer to sell the Empire - cheap - to Joe. Mark may have been the one to spill the beans to Joe about what Lucas did - much to A.J.'s disappointment - but he'd been a very important piece of the mechanism that brought that day to a happy ending.

A.J. was almost stunned, and he felt he'd spent the day on one nasty rollercoaster. Today was the day he'd decided to tell Corey how he felt about her - that alone was impressive enough, but the moment he saw Lucas, apparently asleep on his bike, he knew something weird was going on. Only weird didn't start to cover it, and Rex Manning Day had been one hell of a long day.

When Corey opened the letter from Harvard and she said she'd been accepted, A.J. had been torn; he was so happy for her that it hurt, but it also meant that if he didn't go to Arts School, the girl he loved would be pretty much out of his life, possibly forever. Being punched by Rex didn't mean much to A.J.; it was nothing compared to the moment when Corey told him she'd thrown herself at Rex and that she wasn't ready to hear his love confession. Then A.J. had felt as if someone had plunged a knife deep in his heart. Of course, Corey tried to make him feel better later, but it was only when she pushed him on the roof's floor that he started feeling better; when she said she loved him too, he felt like flying, and when they kissed, he knew she really was the one. A.J. had opened and closed the store, but he was too high on adrenaline to mind.

Corey was in A.J.'s arms, and she felt that he would keep her safe from now on. He knew that she'd been chewing speed to keep up with her demanding father's expectations. She'd kept the flowers her father sent to congratulate her only for a half hour - she'd just been accepted, and he already wanted (ordered?) her to be the first in her class in Harvard. She could no longer take the manipulation. At least, A.J. loved her the way she was, and he never pushed her. Corey was sad that her father was never satisfied, but at least in two months she'd be out of here and with A.J. by her side. She'd made amends and apologized to Gina for telling her nasty things, and she even got to talk to Debra civilly.

Gina was overexcited that Berko had asked her to sing with his band. She couldn't believe that he'd made her take the lead - when the people below applauded, she knew she was addicted to that sound. She even forgot that she'd made a fool of herself by doing Rex against the copier. She had good friends around her. Even when Joe sent her home, she couldn't stay away from the store too long, which had been a very good thing because she heard what Corey really thought of her, and not those nasty things she said when she was pissed off by Rex's reaction and troubled by A.J.'s confession. All in all, it had been a good day - they had a future, and they had hope again. The way Warren looked at her was a bit disturbing, but he was a nice kid.

Debra, in spite of herself, felt a spark of hope in her heart. She'd felt so invisible. She wanted to hurt herself to feel something. The void that called her almost claimed her. The only razor she could find the day before refused to cooperate with her plans, but her bad hair day got her the attention she needed, and if she didn't have a family, at least she had friends. She hadn't much, but some of the things they all discovered that day made her reconsider her position in the universe. Maybe Joe didn't know about her life at home, but he was the closest thing she had to a parent; he'd been clumsy with her, but he was the only one who had found where she was hiding.

Corey's true story had shaken Debra. Her funeral had shaken Debra even more. Now, she felt as if something important was about to happen again, and she wondered if Lucas's Zen or whatever was contagious or something.

Warren couldn't believe his luck. He'd found a family in the store, and thanks to Joe's help he hoped not to get into too much trouble with the police. Lucas was the elder brother he never had, and he decided to listen to him. Well, he'd listen to Lucas but for one thing; Warren had fallen for Gina, and he'd do anything for her. His name wasn't Warren, but maybe it meant that Warren had to start a new life and stop screwing up.

Joe was completely puzzled. Lucas had been so strange all day. It was as if Lucas knew what was going to happen - everything that was going to happen. Lucas could have left town and run when Joe said he'd call Mitch and the cops, but the imp stayed. What Lucas had done was completely stupid, but Joe just knew that Lucas tried to help - and he did. Without Lucas's screw up, Joe wouldn't have an appointment with Mitch next Monday to settle the sale of Empire Records. It had been nice to talk with Jane; Joe knew she wouldn't stay in town, but he really hoped they'd stay in touch - for once, it'd be nice to have an adult to talk to. The kids were okay, but they were a bit his kids, the ones he'd never have. It felt strange because he cared for them, loved them, and yet didn't feel like a father - maybe more like an uncle. Even Lucas, to whom he was definitely closer, was not a son. Lucas was Joe's own Zen imp - the kid could be as annoying as a Zen riddle and as charming as the Devil. Definitely a dreadful combination. Joe refused to imagine the turn his life would have taken if Lucas had done nothing.

Lucas felt as if whatever it was that had made him open the door after he'd closed the store and let in the spark that started it all for him was about to stop and leave him empty. His life had reached its pinnacle when Joe let him close the store the night before. It was just the night before and yet it already felt a long time ago. Joe was happy and that was all that mattered. There was a tiny little something bothering Lucas, something that made everything not entirely perfect yet, but the young man could not tell what it was.

Berko was impressed by Rex. The man had got them back to the store to play more songs. It had been amazing to watch Rex slither his way out of the cops' claws; he'd charmed them all, and no one got arrested. He'd make sure to meditate Rex's words of advice and keep in mind not to let people steal his soul and his music from him. The way Rex played with them told Berko that one tiny slip could lead to the hell Rex's life had become.

Berko and his band started playing Stairway to Heaven. Berko and Rex sang together, and those who were on the roof were astounded.

"He's not that bad," Eddie said.

They all nodded.

"Do you miss playing?" Jane asked Joe in a whisper.

One corner of Joe's mouth rose and he whispered, "A bit sometimes, but when I do, one of the kids comes in and I look around and see what I have here. This," Joe said pointing a finger at the floor to indicate the store, "is my life, and it's good - if strange."

Jane smiled warmly.

"Are you still going to Paris?" Joe joked.

She shook her head.

Next to Jane, Debra shivered.

"Are you all right?" Jane asked, her voice full of concern.

Debra looked at the other woman, who had such astounding eyes, and she blinked several times.

Jane took Debra's hand in hers, which made Debra shiver even more.

"Are you all right?" Jane asked again, even more softly than the first time.

Debra blushed and whispered, "My head is cold."

Jane smiled, winked, took her small hat off and put it on Debra's head.

"Thank you," Debra said softly.

Jane leant towards Debra and said, "I shaved my head once, and I remember how I hated cool wind on my head."

"You shaved?!" Debra exclaimed a bit louder than she meant.

"Uhuh," Jane said, nodding several time. "And when I tried to make the pain go away, I opted for pills," she added in a whisper.

Debra understood that Jane might well be the one with the answers she was desperately looking for. "Do you have a place to stay tonight?" Debra asked.

Jane shook her head.

"You can stay with me if you want," Debra offered.

Jane grinned.

Joe felt that Jane would do a lot of good for Debra and that made him grin.

"It's been a long day, kids. You should head home now," Joe said kindly.

"There's a bit of a mess downstairs," A.J. pointed out.

"Don't worry about that, I'll take care of it tomorrow," Joe said.

"No, Joe, we'll take care of it," Corey said.

They all agreed to come in the morning and tidy up the store.

Berko let his bandmates take care of the instruments, and he spent the night talking with Rex.

Debra brought Jane to her home, and they talked till dawn. Debra discovered she wasn't the only one experiencing the kind of hell she called her life.

Warren was brought home by Joe and was ordered to be on time at work.

Mark and Eddie had music-filled dreams - different types of music, of course.

A.J. had a hard time saying goodbye to his girlfriend. When they reached Corey's home, her father was waiting for her, and he looked pretty pissed off that she was so late. Corey's mother and sister were rendered speechless when she yelled at her father that she had the right to celebrate her admission into Harvard, and that she'd been out helping friends at the same time. There had been something in his elder daughter's eyes that simply prevented Mr. Mason from scolding Corey - as if he felt she was ready to bite him if he said anything.

They all met on a bright Sunday morning to share breakfast.

Lucas was late, and Joe was worried.

Joe was anxious when they went to the store and Lucas hadn't joined them, and he didn't answer his phone.

They found Lucas asleep on the couch in the break room. He'd put everything back in order in the store, and it must have taken a good part of the night.

Joe crouched next to the couch and woke Lucas up gently.

"Hi," Lucas said.

"You should have waited for us," Joe said.

"It was the least I could do," Lucas answered. He looked at his friends and said, "Guess I missed breakfast."

"I'll fix you coffee," Corey announced.

"I'll fetch something to eat," Eddie added.

"You can start planning what you're going to do with the store when it's yours," Jane said.

Joe nodded.

Joe looked at Lucas, but the young man looked away. Joe thought Lucas was sad about something, but he reflected that he must be tired after the past two days, and he dismissed his fear.

Debra saw the void in Lucas's eyes, and it frightened her. She decided to keep an eye on her friend.

Lucas sat up on the couch and looked at his friends.

"Did I miss anything?" Lucas inquired.

"Corey yelled at her dad when she got home," A.J. said proudly.

"Shut up!" Corey yelled while waiting for the water to boil.

A.J. chuckled. "She was great," he whispered, pride clear in his voice.

"You'll have to keep an eye on her," Jane said very softly.

A.J. nodded several times.

Jane took a step towards him and added even more softly so Corey wouldn't hear, "If she's addicted, she's going to need all the help she can get."

A.J. paled a bit. He'd been too happy to consider the full implications of his girlfriend's problem. He nodded again.

"I can give you tips," Jane said.

"Thanks," A.J. sighed.

"And I'll help," Gina promised.

"I'll help keep her in line, and well," Debra added.

"I thought you hated us," Gina said, very surprised that Debra cared.

"You bug me beyond words, but it doesn't mean I want to see you guys dead. In case you haven't noticed yet, I'm angry with the whole universe, not just you two," Debra retorted.

Gina grinned and said, "I'll always bark at you, but I want us to keep barking at each other for a very long time."

Debra shook her head, but Jane saw it was to hide her tiny smile.

Joe sat next to Lucas and said, "I should have seen you all needed help." He looked at Lucas and added, "I should have listened to you when you told me so yesterday."

Lucas shrugged.

It felt as if the young man meant to avoid the topic when he looked at A.J. and asked, "How's your black eye?"

"Corey kissed it better," he answered.

"I need to barf!" Debra protested.

"Mind if I join you?" Gina giggled.

Debra looked at her and chuckled. Jane grinned, and A.J. groaned.

"This is what you get when you're too sappy," Joe joined in.

A.J. rolled his eyes.

"How are you?" Joe asked Lucas, touching the young man's brow where he'd landed on a drum.

Lucas shrugged again.

Before anyone could ask him anything, Corey arrived with a mug, and Eddie rushed in with what was left of his normal batch of brownies.

"Perfect," Lucas said as he accepted drink and food.

"You know I'm not mad at you, right?" Joe asked.

Lucas made a vague movement that could have passed for a nod.

"What happened to your pretty comprehensive plan?" Corey asked.

"I told you I never had one," Lucas objected.

"Dogshit," Debra said.

Lucas looked at her and blinked.

Right then and there, something happened in the break room between Lucas and Debra. Something that made him blink several times and made her smile widely.

Debra looked at Jane and giggled.

No one had ever heard Debra giggle.

It was damn strange, but it was a good sound.

"Great! Just what I needed! My employees are turning into weird creatures," Joe joked.

"I told you it was a loony bin!" Warren exclaimed.

"Shut up, Warren!" they all said.

Warren grinned.

"You're one of us," A.J. said.

"Yeah," Warren sighed dreamily.

Joe groaned, but they all knew he was happy with his kids around - and he'd just gotten himself another stray.

"If we want to plan our future, we need all the gang," Gina pointed out.

"I'll go and wake up Berko," A.J. said and rushed out.

"Do you have an attorney?" Jane asked. "If you don't, I have friends who could help you."

"Mitch can't begin to imagine I can outwit him, so he won't even try anything. He never liked the store and wants to get rid of it with a minimum of trouble. I can deal with him," Joe said.

"But," Jane started to say.

Lucas interrupted her and said, looking down into his mug, "Joe can deal with him."

"You got a degree in law or something?" Mark joked.

Joe sighed and said, "Incidentally, yes."

You could have heard a pin drop on the carpet right then.

Two seconds later, they were all asking Joe thousands of questions.

Joe ended it by saying, "I got sent to college and got a degree, but hated it. I met my bandmates and decided that music was my life."

"You never told us," Gina said with a pout.

"It's a part of my past I'd rather forget," Joe answered.

"But Lucas knew," Eddie pointed out.

"He knows quite a lot about me," Joe admitted.

Lucas was still looking at the dark beverage in his mug as if it could reveal the secrets of the universe. Maybe Lucas was just tired - physically and emotionally - but he did look drained and empty.

Debra wondered what was going on with her because she had the strange feeling that she could see and understand things more clearly today - as if her funeral had produced an epiphany of some sort. Well, it was either that or Lucas's philosophy was contagious.

"Of course he knows you well, he's kinda your son, right," Mark pointed out.

"We've known each other for almost seven years," Joe said.

If Debra hadn't been focusing on Lucas, she wouldn't have seen him pale just a bit.

Lucas must have felt her eyes on him because he looked at her, only to look away almost instantly, as if mere eye contact could reveal the depth of his soul and his darkest secrets.

'Lucas has to be contagious, or I'm really the über-freak,' Debra thought.

"So you can get the Empire from Mitchell and get a good deal," Eddie said.

"Yes," Joe declared confidently, "he'll never imagine I can discuss our future contract."

"That's very good!" Mark said happily.

Joe smiled at him.

A.J. came back.

"You had to shake Berko to wake him up," Gina joked.

A.J. blushed.

"Whaaat?!" Gina teased him.

"He wasn't alone," A.J. mumbled.

Joe groaned.

"He spent the night talking with Rex," A.J. said softly, looking at Jane.

Suddenly, Jane realized what must have happened. She quit and left Rex stranded with no contact anywhere; she'd abandoned Rex Manning in the middle of nowhere. Well, payback's a bitch, right?

Jane looked at the gang and laughed heartily.

"Oh! He had nowhere to go!" Joe exclaimed.

Jane was still chuckling when she said, "I'm not sure he had enough money to pay for a motel room! And I'm not sure he ever had the opportunity to do anything by himself, so I doubt he knows how to make a reservation! He's so used to relying on people working for him!"

Joe snorted.

"Berko rescued him," A.J. said. "He told me he's not as bad as we thought."

"He was a bit nice with me," Gina said, more to herself than to her friends.

Corey nudged her friend and asked, "Really?"

Gina blushed, but nodded.

Joe rolled his eyes. "Is Berko trying to convince him to come back here?"

"Yeah, but he keeps saying you're going to kick him out, and it'd be only fair," A.J. said.

"Go and bring them back," Joe sighed.

'I can go!"

Corey and Gina looked at each other. They'd spoken in perfect synch.

Joe groaned again - maybe he wasn't out of the Twilight Zone just yet.

"You both need to have a word with Sexy Rexy," Debra pointed out. "You should go together."

The two young women looked at each other and nodded briefly. Holding hands, they walked out.

"You okay with that, man?" Eddie asked A.J.

"The guy's not a real threat," A.J. said.

Rex had a private moment with Gina, but he could have done the same with Corey and had instead declined the offer the only way that could disconnect Corey from him in two seconds - it had been nasty, but it had been for Corey's own good.

Jane looked at Debra and chuckled, "I told you."

Debra rolled her eyes and groaned.

"What?" inquired Joe.

"I told her that with such a haircut she was bound to channel a Zen monk," Jane answered.

"You said nun!" Debra protested.

Jane winked and Debra blushed.

"I'll make some coffee," Mark said.

They all wondered what would be said in Berko's place.

As soon as Corey and Gina were out, they looked at each other.

"Are you really okay with that? I can let you go alone if there's something you want to tell him," Gina said.

Corey shook her head. "No, I want to go with you. I guess I just want to apologize for being so stupid."

Gina gave her friend a small smile.

"Do you want to see him alone?" Corey asked.

"Nah! It's just that he really was nice... after... you know," Gina answered.

"Uh?"

Gina blushed; of course Corey couldn't imagine what she meant, and now that she'd mentioned that, she was bound to share it with Corey.

"Well, we did it in the count-out room, which is so not romantic, but... he was so much better and nicer than all the other guys I've ever been with," Gina said.

"Really?" Corey asked.

Gina panicked for one second. Corey looked really eager to know all the details, too eager maybe. "Please, tell me you're no longer interested in him," Gina said worriedly.

Corey's eyes grew wide and she shook her head. "No, no! It's just that I'd like to know one or two things for when I... you know," she said.

Gina smiled, relief clear on her face.

"Well, he knows what he's doing, and boy! It was good. Really good. But if you're in love with A.J., it's much better. I don't regret what I did, but sometimes I wish my first time could have been with someone I really loved - not just felt attracted to," Gina said.

Corey hugged her friend.

"You know what's weird? Rex will always be my first crush, but now I have A.J.," Corey said.

Gina grinned.

"Anything else?" Corey asked.

"Well..."

Gina was blushing now.

"Ginaaaaa," Corey teased her friend.

"I didn't have to ask him to use one," Gina mumbled.

"Uh?"

Gina thought she'd have to make sure Corey knew a thing or two about the birds and bees. It was not the non-information she'd been given at school that would protect her friend. Gina reflected that A.J. must be a bit more informed, but better safe than sorry.

"He had condoms, used one, and got rid of it after, even before I could concentrate enough to remember my name," Gina said.

"Oh. Wow!"

Gina knew she was still blushing a bit.

"You forgot your name?" Corey asked.

Gina blushed for good. "I guess it's what you get when you're not doing some guy our age," she concluded.

"Wow!"

Gina looked towards Berko's place and added, "And he helped me get dressed again. He was kinda sweet."

"He's not that bad," Corey said.

"What's that saying again? Don't judge a book by its cover," Gina said.

The two young women were close enough to Berko's door for Berko and Rex to listen to what they were saying. Berko elbowed Rex to make his point; he'd been telling the other man that the gang wouldn't be angry with him.

"Yeah," Corey said.

"It hurt... What you said. He was nice, but I just wanted to use him. I wanted him because you didn't get him," Gina admitted.

Corey hugged Gina and started crying.

"I have a problem with those pills," Corey sobbed. "I wasn't myself."

"We'll get you clean," Gina promised.

"Really?" Corey asked between sobs.

"Hey! We're a gang!" Gina said with unshed tears shining in her eyes.

Even though Rex tried to protest silently, Berko opened his door.

"Morning!" Berko said.

"You missed breakfast," Gina said good-naturedly.

"Sorry! We didn't wake up," Berko apologized.

Berko literally dragged Rex out.

"Hi," Rex said somewhat shyly.

"Morning! We have coffee and brownies for you in the break room," Gina announced.

"I should be going back to town. Somehow," Rex said.

"Oh! Don't be silly!" Berko growled. "I'll go and fetch Jane. She'll kick you back in line in no time."

Berko left them alone.

Corey finished drying her tears and she told Rex, "I've been silly. I'm sorry."

"Corey, I knew you didn't mean what you said," Rex said gently.

"Uh?" Corey said.

Gina rolled her eyes because it was a leitmotiv for her friend this morning.

"You were not the first to offer herself to me, but I could tell you didn't want me to have you. Not really," Rex said.

Corey didn't really understand, but he was right. She had a huge crush on him, but she didn't really want him. She was so innocent that she could not begin to imagine that it was her uncoordinated underwear that had given her away.

"I'm sorry," Corey said again.

"You really are a sweet girl," Rex said.

Corey smiled and blushed.

Rex looked at Gina and said, "I think I owe you an apology."

"Why?" Gina wondered.

"I used you. My world was collapsing, and I needed to make sure that I could have a pretty girl like you. I'm sorry," Rex said.

Gina laughed softly and said, "I used you too. I wanted to get what Corey couldn't."

"We used each other. I'm impressed," Rex joked.

Gina smiled and said, "You were nice."

"That's nothing compared to what I can do in a bed," Rex joked in answer.

"That an invitation?" Gina joked back.

Corey was lost in the middle. She grabbed their hands and exclaimed, "Veto! Let's go inside."

Rex didn't move. "Corey, I need to tell Gina something... in private."

Corey smiled. "Don't be too long."

Rex nodded.

Gina looked at him nervously.

"I've been a pampered, spoiled bastard for too long, but I guess I had a nice reality check yesterday. I want to control my life and my career again," Rex said.

"That's a good thing," Gina said.

"I... I hope I didn't hurt you or cause problems with your friends," he said softly.

"You'll remain a fond memory - not because you're the famous Rex Manning, but because you made me realize what I really want in the future," she answered.

"So I was a growth experience?" he joked, smiling widely.

She punched his arms and dragged him inside just as Jane was making her way out to fetch them.

Rex looked at Jane, blushed and said, "I'm sorry."

Jane rolled here eyes, grabbed his arm and pushed him inside.

"I want to change," Rex said. "Will you help me?"

As they entered the break room, Jane asked, "What makes you think I might still wish to work for you?"

"I need your help," Rex begged. "I don't know how to trick the studio and the record company. I want to do what I was doing in the beginning again."

Jane groaned.

"The kids were right. I'm just a washed-up imposter, but it doesn't mean I have to keep obeying and do things I don't want to do," Rex said.

Jane looked at Joe, and she groaned again. Joe had that little annoying smile that was telling her he knew she'd felt challenged by Rex's wish to change.

Joe chuckled; he had a finger on his lips - apparently to prevent him from laughing.

Rex looked at the gang, particularly A.J., and said, "I'm really sorry."

"You rescued Berko from the cops; maybe you're not that bad," Eddie said.

Rex smiled.

Berko was already having breakfast. Mark brought a mug of coffee for Rex, and Eddie handed Rex a plate with brownies.

"Normal batch," Eddie said.

Rex smiled.

"Are you going to help him?" Debra asked Jane.

Jane bit her lip. "Well, that would be a challenge," she said.

"I'll obey," Rex promised.

Rex was looking at her with puppy eyes.

"Oh! Cut it out! It never worked on me!" Jane protested.

"That's why I need you," Rex said.

"I might consider it," Jane said.

"All right, what's our battle plan?" A.J. asked the gang and their boss.

Joe took a deep breath. "Even though I don't want to jinx anything before I've signed with Mitch, it could be a good thing to start planning the future together."

They all nodded.

"Corey and A.J. are going to leave us after the summer," Joe said.

"But we'll come back, Joe," Corey said.

Joe smiled at her and said, "If you want a part-time job during the holidays, you'll always be welcome."

Corey and A.J. grinned.

Joe turned to Eddie, "I guess you don't want to change your schedule and will keep your two jobs."

Eddie nodded. "I like it that way. I'm feeding my body at the restaurant and my soul here. It's cool, boss."

Joe nodded. Then he looked at Debra, Mark and Gina. "What are you planning to do after graduation?"

Mark shrugged; he looked more lost than usual.

Gina elbowed Mark none too gently and said, "Hey! I could join Marc and we could have a band together!"

Mark blinked and was rendered speechless.

Joe chuckled. "Well, you could work on that in the evenings. I'd like you three to work full-time here."

"Really?" Gina said, her eyes wide.

Joe nodded and added, "With Berko, Eddie and Warren working part-time, I need Lucas, Debra, Mark and you full-time."

"Yeah!" exclaimed Mark.

"Suits me," Debra said.

"I'm in," Gina answered.

"You're really giving me the job," Warren murmured.

Joe snorted and shook his head. "Of course, Warren; I'll kick your ass if you bug me, but I expect you here one hour after school for two hours of work minimum," Joe said.

Warren nodded several times and said, "Yes, boss!"

Joe thought that everything was taking shape nicely.

Lucas's soft voice broke his nice bubble, "Do you still want me to work here?"

Lucas looked as sad as when he said he hated money just a few hours before, and it broke Joe's heart. Since he'd rescued Lucas, he'd seldom seen him so sad, and Joe really wondered what was wrong. It felt as if something in Lucas had emotionally pushed him back to the time he had to fend for himself, alone in the orphanage.

"It's my job to take care of you," Joe said. "Until I'm sure that you're not a threat to yourself, I won't let you out of my sight. Clear? I know that you wanted to help us all, but we've had a lot of luck. OK?"

"Only if you want me here," Lucas said softly.

Joe took Lucas's chin in his hand and said gently, "You belong here."

"Really?" whispered Lucas.

Joe held the younger man's chin just a bit tighter and said, "Of course, you idiot. I don't know why you did what you did, but without you, we wouldn't be here today planning our future together. I need you here."

Lucas nodded.

"More coffee?" Corey asked gently.

"Could be an idea," Joe said, "The past two days must have been tiring for Mr. Lucas."

Lucas's cheeks turned pink.

Joe let go of Lucas's chin.

"What I did sounded like a good idea when I went to Atlantic City," Lucas said.

Debra, right in her new dimension borrowed from Lucas - or triggered by the haircut - wrapped her arms around Lucas's neck and whispered in his ear, "Next time you go there, take me with you; I'll be your lucky charm."

She had spoken too softly for the others to hear her.

Lucas turned to look at his friend, and he saw in her eyes that she was damn serious.

Lucas nodded slightly.

They kept planning things for the shop and their future schedules.

Rex was quietly talking with Jane; he was telling her what he wished for his future. Jane agreed to go back to New York with Rex and keep working for him, but he was warned that the minute he bugged her she would kick him in the groin - preferably literally - and she'd leave him to fend for himself.

Joe was really surprised when Jane promised she'd come back, but that made him grin happily. She was very pleasant company. They promised to keep in touch and phone regularly.

They ended up sharing lunch before Rex and Jane left.

Joe stayed in the shop to work on the various details.

Most of the gang decided to go to the riverbank to talk and have fun and plan the future.

Most of the gang.

Lucas was walking towards his bike when Debra caught up with him.

"Luuucas," she said.

"Deb?"

He looked so... empty that Debra felt like hugging her friend. She'd never seen him like that.

"Whatcha' doin'?" she asked.

"I'm going home."

"Joe was right, you know," she said. "What was it you said? 'The bold and courageous act'? Well, Baby, the bold and courageous, but stupid act did change the course of history."

Lucas shrugged and sighed, "I'm too tired, Deb."

"Why did you do it?"

He could tell she wouldn't let him go before he'd spoken - and told the truth.

"When I saw the Music Town Franchise Option Agreement, I imagined how Joe would feel. I had to do something. I knew he'd need money to buy the Empire. Atlantic City was the fastest option. Everything was so clear back then," Lucas said.

"You know what, Babe?" Debra grinned.

Lucas shook his head.

"I'm in the zone. I feel lucky today," she said.

"Really?"

"Yup!" she said, grinning again.

Lucas blinked.

There was something weird going on, and today he was completely clueless.

"Say, Lucas, got enough gas to ride to the sea?" Debra asked.

"Er... yeah."

"Let's go to Atlantic City!" Debra said.

Lucas blinked again. "Deb, what happened to you?"

She grinned again and said, "You wouldn't believe it."

It was only the next day that Lucas and Debra came back in town.

"Do you want me to drive you home?" Lucas asked, turning his head to look at his friend.

"No, could you drive me to the store? There's something I want to buy across the street," she said.

"You want to buy your Vespa again?" he asked.

"Nope! I need a car, and now I can afford it," she explained.

Lucas stopped the engine and turned even more to have a good look at Debra.

"What?!" she exclaimed, smiling widely.

"You hate cars," Lucas stated. "As much as I do."

"Yeah, but I can't go to New York on a Vespa," she declared.

Lucas only wanted to crash in bed.

He was way too tired to think clearly, but the only connection he could see was about Jane.

Lucas shook his head and made a mental note to have coffee with Debra sometime soon.

Lucas started the engine again and drove her where she wanted.

He helped her choose a car.

When only paperwork remained to be signed, Debra kicked him out and ordered him to go and see Joe.

Lucas was so tired he was floating when he arrived to Joe's place - the house that Lucas loved, the only place that meant home.

Lucas knocked on the door, and Joe answered the door in a T-shirt and boxers.

"What's wrong, Lucas?" Joe asked worriedly.

Lucas's heart broke - why did Joe always assume there was something wrong? Was he really such a source of problem?

Before Lucas could answer, Joe dragged him inside, and Lucas found himself in the kitchen, sharing Joe's breakfast.

"You look like shit," Joe pointed out.

"Deb made me take her to Atlantic City," Lucas said.

"Lucas!" growled Joe.

"She did it, Joe," Lucas said.

Joe blinked and said, "Uh?"

From his leather jacket, Lucas took a huge envelope and handed it to Joe.

"She gave me ten dollars, telling me it was all I would get for my birthday, and she added she was my lucky charm and I could do it," Lucas said.

He knew he was babbling, but he went on, "It took me forever, but I won."

"What's that, Lucas?" Joe asked, pointing at the envelope.

"What I wanted to do to help you and make you happy again. I guess it might be enough to bargain with Mitch," Lucas said. "I won enough to give the gang their money back. Oh... and Debra bought herself a car."

"How much, Lucas?" Joe asked, still pointing at the envelope.

The young man shrugged.

"I never meant to make such a mess. I just wanted you to be happy. I'll go back home now. I need to sleep," Lucas said.

Joe had opened the envelope. The casino slip in it said there was fifty thousand dollars.

"Lucas..."

Lucas stood up... and swayed.

"Lucas, you're going to sleep here," Joe ordered. "You're in no shape to drive. Go to bed."

Lucas shook his head, but Joe grabbed his arm and pushed him into his bedroom.

Joe hugged Lucas and said softly, "I was unhappy, but I was never mad at you, not even when I grabbed you and you landed on the drum. You know that, right?"

Lucas nodded, but he looked dreadfully sad.

Joe made him take his jacket and shoes off and pushed him under his covers.

Lucas was asleep the instant his head touched the pillow.

Joe had to get ready to meet Mitch in a couple of hours. When he exited the bathroom, Lucas was crying in his sleep; Joe managed to soothe the young man.

Joe reluctantly left Lucas.

Mitch never knew what hit him.

The banker and attorney laughed out loud as soon as the former owner of the Empire Records store left the room, and they congratulated Joe, the happy new co-owner of the store with Lucas.

Joe didn't know why, but he felt that he had to include Lucas in the adventure - include him officially.

Joe bought lunch for two on his way home. They had a new association to celebrate.

They'd have to plan something with the entire gang, but without Lucas, Joe would have quit his job come next Friday, so...

Joe opened the door... and he wondered what was wrong with Lucas. The young man had left the comfortable bed and was tossing and turning on the lousy couch.

Joe sighed and proceeded to wake Lucas up. He had good news for him after all.

"Lucas?" Joe said gently, one hand on the young man's shoulder.

Lucas mumbled something and opened his eyes slowly.

"Why did you move?" Joe asked.

"Um? Don't know," Lucas said.

Lucas looked so tired that Joe didn't push.

"I brought lunch. There are all those Chinese dishes you like," Joe said.

Lucas gave him a small smile and rubbed his hands over his eyes.

"You can take a shower while I set the table. You know where everything is," Joe said.

"I could just have lunch with you, and then go home," Lucas said softly.

"We've got to celebrate, and then I need you clean-shaven in the afternoon. You can borrow one of my shirts," Joe said.

Lucas remembered suddenly that Joe had met Mitch to save the Empire.

"Everything's done?" Lucas asked joyfully.

Joe nodded happily and said, "The Empire is ours."

"I'm so happy for you!"

"Lucas," Joe said, grinning widely, "the Empire is ours. This is why I need you clean and clean-shaven this afternoon. You need to sign some papers at the bank."

Lucas blinked and gaped.

"Are you okay?" Joe asked worriedly.

Lucas kept blinking, but he asked, "Why did you do that? I can't be your associate. That's not why I gave you that money; it was for you. I can't be trusted."

Joe sat next to him and cupped Lucas's cheek.

"Shut up, Lucas. Taking the money was the silliest thing you've done up to now, but you came back to the shop, confessed and God knows how, but you managed to make things better. You stayed when you could have left. I don't know what possessed you and Debra, but you helped me get the Empire. I want you to be a part of that adventure," Joe said. "Now go to the bathroom and don't be too long or I'll eat all the noodles."

Joe's thumb caressed Lucas's cheek and he added, "And don't forget to shave!"

Lucas didn't have the opportunity to lean into the gentle touch for too long. Joe left the couch, and Lucas was forced to go take a shower.

He knew where everything was, but he decided that borrowing Joe's things would be faster.

Lucas shaved first and then rushed under the hot shower.

Under the water, Lucas remembered his dream, and he knew why he'd left the bed.

Joe's bed.

After Joe rescued him from the orphanage, Lucas had loved their Sunday mornings when Joe allowed him to jump into bed and read the newspaper with him.

When Claire, Joe's wife, was still living with them, she'd been very nice to Lucas. In fact, Lucas had seen how torn she was. Claire loved Joe, but she was in love with Connie, who owned the beauty salon downtown. Lucas understood long before Joe that Claire would leave.

Years later, Maggie had never moved in with Joe.

After graduation, Lucas moved out, thinking that Joe needed a kid-free house, but the summer was not over when he broke up with Maggie in quite a spectacular way.

Lucas had been tempted to move back in, but he thought Joe needed to be alone to do whatever he wanted to do with his life. Joe had rescued him, but Joe was young, and he deserved to find a good woman to settle with him and give him kids of his own.

It didn't matter that Lucas had left Joe's bed because he'd fallen asleep on Joe's pillow - that awful pillow that smelled of Joe; his cologne, cigar and his own scent. That fucking pillow that Lucas associated with the idea of love.

Lucas was almost crying again when he dried himself with Joe's towel.

Through the mist, Lucas looked at his reflection in the mirror and gasped; he looked like hell.

'The silliest thing I ever did was fall in love with the man who saved me,' Lucas thought.

Even if Joe wanted to work with him and hadn't turned him to the cops, it meant nothing.

Lucas was seventeen when he looked at Joe one day - and froze. It was stupid and impossible, but Lucas knew that he'd fallen in love with Joe the moment they met.

At thirteen, Lucas worshipped his savior.

At seventeen, he dreamt of being held by Joe - not as an adopted relative.

At twenty-one, Lucas felt empty. He felt like a fraud and a nasty liar.

Joe had never ever said anything against boys who loved boys, but Lucas knew his love was bound to be unrequited.

Lucas looked again at his reflection in the bedroom mirror as he put on one of Joe's black shirts and he thought, 'I am in hell!'

Lucas joined Joe in the kitchen.

Joe looked at Lucas, whose hair was still wet, and he laughed softly.

"We'll stop by your place on our way," Joe said.

"Why?"

Joe walked to Lucas and played with the shirt that was way too big for Lucas. "I did my best, but you're really too thin."

"I know I'm a shrimp," Lucas said, pouting.

Joe grinned and his eyes sparkled.

'I am in hell,' Lucas thought again.

Joe's grin widened and he invited Lucas to sit down with a movement of his hand.

"Let's feed you, shrimp! The best thing in all this is that I'll have the opportunity to keep an eye on you and make sure you eat properly if you spend more time in the store," Joe said. "Like in the good ole days."

Lucas was torn. He'd get to spend more time with Joe, but that would only torture him more.

"You really don't have to do that, you know," Lucas protested.

"It's not because of the money. I want to do it with you," Joe said.

Lucas smiled, but Joe spotted the veil of sadness he'd already seen in Lucas's eyes the other night on the roof.

Joe decided to keep an eye on Lucas.

Lucas decided to do his best to make Joe proud - very proud. He was sure Debra would help him.

"Do you think what remains of the gang will be enough to run the store?" Lucas asked.

"I think we might have to hire someone else. We'll have to see how it works," Joe said.

"You're going to ask Gina to open and Deb to close," Lucas said.

"I trust you to close."

Lucas blinked.

"I trust you, Lucas."

Lucas felt happy and sad at the same time. Of course Joe trusted him - as he'd trust a cousin or a little brother maybe. And yet, it was the best he'd ever get.

Joe was embarrassed to see Lucas so moved.

They ate in silence.

"The gang is going to wonder why you trust me," Lucas said.

Joe shrugged.

"The moment I saw you I knew you'd be a handful, but I could trust you," Joe said.

Lucas blushed.

Joe shared some of his ideas for the store with Lucas.

As they were about to drive to Lucas's place, the young man asked Joe if Jane had told him when she was planning to come back.

"You should ask Debra," Joe declared.

Lucas was about to start his bike. He blinked, looking more lost than Mark on a bad day.

Joe groaned and said, "Don't tell me you're that innocent. If Jane comes back, it'll be mainly for Debra."

Lucas gaped.

Joe shook his head and started his car.

Some things started making sense for Lucas, but he still thought that a good night of sleep in his tiny bed would do him a lot of good.

There was a paper on Lucas's door - a notice of eviction. The building was to be demolished.

"Perfect," Lucas growled.

"Come back home," Joe offered.

The sad something in Lucas's eyes was back, but he turned his head away from Joe.

"I don't want to bother you," Lucas mumbled.

"You're never bothering me. Come back home, Lucas. Please," Joe said.

"Thanks, Joe. I did nothing to deserve you," Lucas said.

"We'll plan your moving out," Joe announced.

"There's not much to move," Lucas said.

Joe was happy to have Lucas come back home. He'd missed him running around in the house.

Lucas's landlord lived just across the street and when he heard Lucas's bike, he rushed to have a word with the young man.

"Mr. Calvino!" the kind landlord called.

"Hi, Mr. Elliot!" Lucas said.

The landlord joined Lucas and Joe and shook their hands.

"I'm sorry, but the whole block is going to be entirely rebuilt. The town has big projects for the area," Mr. Elliot apologized.

"It's not your fault," Lucas said.

"It was very sudden. I have a list of places where you could find another apartment," the landlord announced.

Lucas was about to open his mouth to thank his landlord and accept the list, but Joe was faster.

"No need for that, thank you. Lucas will come back to my house," Joe said.

"Oh, good, good! I bet you can both use the company," the landlord said.

Joe placed one hand on Lucas's shoulder.

'You're killing me here, Joe,' Lucas thought.

Lucas almost choked on his own saliva when Joe said proudly, "Well, we've become partners now."

Mr. Elliot looked at the couple in front of him. Lucas was blushing because he was lost in his own thoughts.

"Well... Congratulations. I'm happy that your relationship changed if this is what you both wanted," Mr. Elliot said.

Lucas turned redder than a tomato.

Joe blinked and chuckled warmly. "It's not that. We own the store together... Well, the bank will have us by the balls for the next three years, but it's ours since this morning," Joe explained.

"Oh, my God! I'm so sorry! I thought you... you...," Mr. Elliot was blushing more than Lucas.

Joe laughed softly.

'That's it, Joe. Laugh. You and I together is so impossible,' Lucas thought. He had to bite his cheek not to cry like a baby.

"It's my fault, my statement was ambiguous," Joe said.

Mr. Elliot smiled and added, "Congratulations are still in order."

"Thank you!" Joe said happily.

"I'm happy for you two, and I bet your employees will be much happier with you for bosses," Mr. Elliot said.

"Thank you," Joe said.

'I'm not a boss. I can't be a boss. Two days ago I was an outlaw, a thief, an idiot,' Lucas thought.

"You must have a lot to do. I'll leave you alone. If you need help to move out, I could have my son lend you one of his trucks and we can help," Mr. Elliot offered.

Joe looked at Lucas and said, "That could be the solution."

Lucas nodded.

"We could start packing your things after coming back from the bank," Joe suggested. "If it's okay with you. That way we could concentrate on work."

Lucas nodded silently.

"Just call me when you're ready to go," Mr. Elliot said.

They shook hands again, and the landlord left them.

It was only inside Lucas's tiny apartment that Joe noticed that the young man was particularly quiet - which was completely unLucas-like.

"I don't want to rush things. You have a fortnight to move," Joe said gently.

'You'd better find a good lie!' Lucas told himself.

Without looking at Joe, Lucas got some clean clothes and proceeded to get dressed with items that actually fit. "It's okay. If I don't have to plan that moving out and in, I'll be able to concentrate on work."

Joe felt that something was off. He walked to face Lucas and held him by his shoulders.

"We can do that later if you want. I'm not your father, Lucas. You don't have to say 'yes' to everything I suggest," Joe pointed out.

'You're not my father. You're just my hero and the one I love more than anyone in the whole world,' Lucas thought.

The raw emotion that Joe saw in Lucas's eyes - but that he couldn't name - made him gasp.

"What's wrong?" Joe asked in a gentle whisper.

'Lie! Quickly!' Lucas panicked.

Lucas had a bright idea and he said, "I need to sleep."

"I can call the bank and postpone our appointment," Joe said. "You could move in tomorrow. You look like hell."

Lucas shrugged. "It's okay, Joe. It'll be done. I'll crash in bed... afterwards," Lucas said, finishing getting dressed.

'And hopefully you won't hear me cry myself to sleep,' Lucas added in a thought.

"Fine, but you're not driving back and forth. You'll ride with me," Joe said.

Lucas was too tired to protest.

Before leaving for the bank, they called those of the gang who were free that day, and they arrived to start packing Lucas's possessions.

Thanks to Debra working with Gina and Corey, everything was ready to be loaded on a truck when Joe and Lucas came back.

"More books, otherwise there's not much more than when you left three years ago," Joe pointed out as they carried boxes downstairs.

Lucas shrugged.

A.J. looked at his friend and said, "From the guy in Karate Kid, you turned into the mute Marx brother today."

"Unfortunately, I'm not that funny," Lucas said.

"Yet another bold and courageous act is going to keep changing the course of history," Debra announced.

Lucas shrugged.

His friends started to worry.

The rest of the gang joined after their respective jobs and helped settle Lucas back in his room in Joe's house.

"We'll need to find you a bigger bed," Joe pointed out.

"No need. That one's okay," Lucas said quietly.

Joe was happy.

The gang was all excited.

Lucas was lost in his world and it was beginning to worry them seriously. It felt as if Lucas had caught Debra's sadness.

They ended up sharing dinner together and celebrating the new beginning of the Empire.

When Lucas excused himself to go to bed at nine, they all knew something was very wrong.

To lighten the mood, Gina was about to tease Debra about her shiny new car - but the doorbell rang.

Joe answered the door and gaped.

His ex-wife and her partner were on his threshold with a bottle of champagne.

"We heard you had something to celebrate," Claire Reaves said.

Joe smiled.

Claire had left him, but they were still friends.

"All the kids are here. Join the fun!" Joe invited them in.

Within five minutes, Claire and Connie were given a summary of the events of the past three days.

"And my baby went to bed?" Claire growled.

Joe flinched. When Claire was in full mother-hen mode, she was more powerful than a tornado. He just nodded.

Claire rushed to Lucas's room, knocked and went in.

"He's fucked," Connie declared.

Joe and the gang nodded in synch.

Claire closed the door behind her.

She heard the quiet sob and rushed to Lucas's side.

She held him and whispered, "What's wrong, Baby?"

A dam broke.

Lucas held the one he considered his mother for dear life and cried.

Claire held Lucas and caressed his back as she whispered nonsense into his ear.

Lucas feared that Joe might come in to check on them, and the last thing he wanted was the man he loved see him cry like a baby, so he forced himself to stop crying.

"Sorry, Mom, I never deserved you," Lucas said softly.

Claire froze and tears rolled down her cheeks.

Lucas panicked and looked lost.

Claire caressed his cheeks and sobbed, "You called me Mom."

Lucas buried his head in her neck and murmured, "But you're my mom. You're the one who told Joe to trust his guts about me and take me away from the orphanage. You took care of me and loved me - God knows why."

"The moment I saw you I wanted to protect you. I wasn't the one who gave you birth, but you are the only child I'll ever have. I love you, Lucas," she said.

Lucas shivered and said again, "I don't deserve you."

"Don't be silly, Baby!"

Lucas shrugged. He looked so sad and empty that it broke Claire's heart.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

He looked away and shrugged again.

Claire cupped his cheeks and forced him to look at her.

"Is it about the money you took?" Claire asked.

Lucas shook his head.

"Tell me," she encouraged him.

"I'm awfully tired. That's all," Lucas lied.

"Bullshit, Honey!" she objected good-naturedly. "You slept much less after graduation when you partied for a week, when you got your apartment, and when you helped Berko with his first gig."

"But I'm tired," he murmured.

The raw pain she could see in his eyes echoed in Claire's heart. She ached, but not only because her baby was sad; the pain in Lucas's eyes reminded her of something that still hurt in her.

"Joe's not mad at you, you know," she promised him.

She saw Lucas pale and she felt him shiver.

Claire Reaves was the next to enter the zone, and she identified the pain in her son's eyes. It was fear of unrequited love. Her baby had fallen for her ex-husband. Talk about karmic irony!

"I swear he's not mad at you. You own the shop together, and he brought you back here... where you belong," she said.

Lucas shrugged.

"Do you trust me, Baby?" she asked gently.

Lucas nodded minutely.

"Really?" she tried him.

"Yeah."

"Really?" she insisted.

"Uhuh," he said, nodding again.

"Then what's wrong with you? The gang is in the dining-room having fun. Joe's out there," she pointed out.

Lucas could not escape her grip, so he just closed his eyes, sighed and said, "I don't know why, but I'm feeling empty. I must be more tired than I thought, or maybe the full extent of my stupidity finally hit me and I'm too ashamed to spoil their fun."

Claire leant towards Lucas and kissed the tip of his nose.

"I think I must really have become your mom. I just didn't realize what it was when I saw it in your eyes. I'm sorry, I could have helped you long before. I was wrapped in my selfish happiness. I remained friends with Joe, and I thought you were grown up and didn't need me," she said.

Lucas blinked. "What?" he wondered.

"Darling, I think you know perfectly well what's wrong, and it's eating you alive," she stated.

Two fat tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Why couldn't you be my mom for real, from the beginning," Lucas sobbed.

"I am now, and I swear Connie and I are going to take good care of you," she vowed.

"I'm going to be fine, no worry... Mom," Lucas said, trying to be brave and stop crying.

"Bullshit, Darling. You look like me before I moved in with Connie."

There, it was a nice hit on the head with the equivalent of an emotion-baseball bat.

Lucas whimpered and Claire held him tenderly.

"Don't tell him, please. I couldn't stand to see the disgust in his eyes," Lucas begged.

"What if he knew and felt the same?" she asked.

Lucas looked like a trapped animal and he paled dreadfully.

"Don't tell him! Oh, don't tell him, please! I fucked up big time because I wanted to make him happy again, and I didn't want him to leave the store because of Mitch and Music Town. I'd leave town before I embarrass him with my feelings!" Lucas cried.

"Silly boy," Claire said fondly.

"You won't tell him, right?"

She sighed and said, "I'll keep your secret, I promise."

Lucas knew he could trust her, but there was a tiny little something in her eyes that was bothering him.

"Won't you come and join us now?" she asked.

"I'm really tired," he lied.

She helped him settle comfortably and she waited for him to fall asleep for real. The events of the last days had to have exhausted him, and he needed to sleep.

When his breathing evened, she kissed his brow, caressed his hair, and whispered, "There are secrets that are not mine to tell."

Joe and Claire had met in college at a frat party. It had been wild. There had been something between them from the moment they met.

While they were still studying, Joe and Claire had been buddies, best friends and lovers.

When Joe got his degree and decided to leave and become a musician, Claire followed and they married.

Before their wedding, they'd been far from being exclusive lovers. Claire had spent some nights in other girls' beds. Joe... Joe had other female lovers - and some male lovers.

Claire was the one person in the world who knew the most about Joe Reaves. She knew that when Joe loved, it was for who the person was, not for a gender, or even color, or religion, or whatever. Joe fell for souls.

Their divorce could have been nasty, but they handled everything civilly.

They were still best friends, and Joe had always been nice to Connie - maybe because they both loved Claire. Joe still loved her, but he knew that his ex-wife and Connie were in love with each other.

Claire had been blissfully happy for the past few years, now she felt she'd been told about the Empire's adventure for one reason: help her ex and her son.

The situation was completely weird, but she didn't care. She loved them both and wanted to see them happy.

Love was too damn precious!

She made sure that her baby was sleeping, and she left to discreetly grill Joe about his feelings for Lucas.

Claire joined the gang again.

"How is he?" Joe asked worriedly.

"Kitchen, Joe," she simply said.

Connie and the gang remained silent for five whole seconds after they left the room.

"There's something weird brewing with Lucas," Gina said.

"He's going to be fine," Debra said. "He's home."

They all looked at her, and shrugged. She had to be right if she was in the zone today...

"Is anything wrong with Lucas?" Joe asked anxiously.

He was frowning and Claire gently put a finger between his eyes.

"You'll end up with wrinkles because of us all," she said tenderly.

He blushed and said, "Well, someone's got to keep an eye on you."

She grinned.

"It's good to see you," he said.

"You're the best man I know, Joe Anthony Reaves... and you did a great job with Lucas," Claire said.

"What's wrong with the kid?" Joe wondered.

"He's no longer a kid, you know."

He sighed, nodded and pushed his hair away from his face. "Yeah, I know, but I wonder if I was good enough for him. I care for the whole gang. I still love you, and I love Connie because she's the one who really made you happy. I hope Lucas knows I'm not mad at him," Joe said.

"I told him so. Of course, you might have to hammer the notion into his head," she said, chuckling.

"Good, good, just another five years should be enough," Joe joked.

Claire smiled.

"So, what's wrong with my shrimp?" Joe asked.

Claire didn't answer the question directly. "Will you keep an eye on him for me?" she asked. "He's really afraid to have disappointed you, and I think he's going to have nightmares."

"Of course," Joe promised.

Claire hugged him. "You're a good man, Joe."

He snorted, but held her tight.

"You really are a good man," she insisted.

"You made me a better man," he said.

"You're the only man I ever loved," she said.

"You still are the only one, you know," he confessed.

"Maybe you could find yourself a nice guy to take good care of you," she hinted in a whisper.

Joe blushed and groaned, "I'll see what I can do when Lucas and I are free from the bank, and when all the kids are grown up."

Claire grinned, so her Joe hadn't changed. He was still completely tolerant and open-minded.

He thought she was grinning because he'd mentioned the kids.

She grinned because if Joe wasn't opposed to the idea of spending his life with a male companion, then it was a very good thing for her baby.

"Am I interrupting anything?" Connie asked from the door.

Joe blushed, but he saw that she was smiling and looked moved; in fact Connie had heard what he said about her and it moved her deeply.

Claire held out one hand, and Connie joined the family hug.

"The kids have to go back home, and Debra wants to talk with us," Connie said.

"About Jane?" Joe wondered.

Connie nodded, which made him smile.

"You're going to like her," he said.

Claire smiled. "We'll leave. You're working tomorrow. We'll have to celebrate properly someday."

"We'll plan something, I promise," Joe said.

"Keep an eye on Lucas, right?" Claire asked.

"Of course!" Joe said.

As fast as the house had been invaded, the gang left.

Joe checked on Lucas, who was still asleep.

Joe went to sleep, and woke up when he heard Lucas in the kitchen.

The young man in boxer shorts was drinking a glass of water. The room was only illuminated by the moon, and Joe felt drawn to his Lucas.

'Three years out of here, and he can still find everything on autopilot,' Joe thought fondly.

If Lucas needed a glass of water, it meant that he'd had a nightmare.

Joe gathered a half-asleep Lucas in his arms and brought him to his bedroom. It was not the first time Joe did that. Lucas had recurring nightmares because of what his mother had done, and what the other kids had done in the orphanage.

Joe settled Lucas on Claire's side of the bed and he held Lucas like he'd done so many times.

"Love you," Lucas mumbled, half-asleep.

Buried under the ton of bricks that has just hit him, Joe put the entire puzzle back together.

Joe's heart beat faster.

Lucas was not his son.

Lucas was a young man now.

It all made sense - even Claire's words. Especially Claire's words.

Now Joe could make them both miserable in the morning, or he could...

He could...

Lucas slithered towards Joe's heat.

Joe held Lucas tenderly and fell asleep.

Joe woke up because he was dreaming that his bath was cold.

He blinked several times and managed to focus on the gentle weight on his shoulder. It was pleasant, warm - even if Lucas was drooling on his T-shirt.

'So, Reaves... It's time to make a choice,' Joe thought. 'I wonder if he really wants what I think he wants.'

Joe caressed Lucas's back, and the younger man purred.

"Wake up. We've got a store to open," Joe said.

Lucas opened his eyes and paled significantly. "Wha_?"

"We've got work to do," Joe said, still caressing Lucas's back.

"What am I doing here... in your bed?" Lucas squeaked.

"You had a nightmare," Joe informed him.

"Oh... Sorry, Joe."

"No problem, my shrimp," Joe said softly.

"You're always there to rescue me," Lucas said.

"And I'll always be there for you," Joe swore.

Lucas closed his eyes.

"It was completely stupid to gamble, but I know you did it for us," Joe said.

"For you," Lucas whispered.

"For me?"

"Just for you," Lucas said barely above a whisper.

Lucas could have kicked himself; he was useless before breakfast.

"And you stayed by my side," Joe said. "No one ever did until you."

Lucas reopened his eyes. It broke Joe's heart to see the tears in Lucas's eyes, but there was something else there - some hope, some light.

"Well, I had to stay," Lucas said softly.

"I'm happy you did," Joe added.

Lucas sighed.

Joe took a deep breath and took a leap of faith - if Claire was wrong, he'd be screwed big time. "You spoke in your sleep," Joe told Lucas, still caressing his back.

"What... did I say?" Lucas asked.

"You said you love me. Is it true, Lucas? Is that why you care so much?" Joe asked.

Lucas paled and felt faint.

Joe kept one arm around Lucas and with his free hand he caressed Lucas's cheek.

"Is this what you want?" Joe asked.

Lucas closed his eyes again and his tears spilled.

"I can leave town today," Lucas almost sobbed.

"Hell! Why?!!" Joe almost yelled.

"I... I don't want to bother you," Lucas cried.

"Bucket-head!" Joe growled. "I could have kicked you out of my bed, my house and my life when you mumbled last night. You're still here. What does that tell you?"

Lucas blinked and remained silent.

Joe sighed loudly and said, "What did you expect? That I'd be so narrow-minded that I'd kick you out? Fuck, Lucas! I should have shipped you to college the way I was, maybe you would understand how wild frat parties can be... and next time you see Berko, ask him what happens backstage - and after gigs."

Lucas kept blinking and he was gaping.

Joe took a deep, quieting breath. He caressed Lucas's cheek again.

"What do you want?" Joe asked.

"I don't know," Lucas answered honestly.

"Don't cry, okay?" Joe asked gently.

"I'm so afraid."

"Why?" Joe asked. "If you think it's just a crush you have, I won't flay you, you know."

"No," Lucas wailed. "I fell for you before Maggie."

"Shit," Joe hissed.

It was Lucas's turn to take a deep breath. "To be near you is enough."

"Do you want more?" inquired Joe.

Lucas whimpered.

"Claire," Joe began to say.

Lucas interrupted him and exclaimed, "She promised not to tell you!"

"She said nothing. She didn't betray you. It took me time to understand, and if you hadn't spoken, I would still be in the dark," Joe said.

"Oh."

"So?"

"So?" Lucas repeated.

"What do you want?"

"You're not... You're... We could..." Lucas said.

Joe grinned and leant to kiss Lucas's brow.

"Do you want us to give it a try?" Joe asked.

"I never thought you would... We could..."

"My, my... I've found the only way to make you speechless," Joe teased the younger man in his arms.

Lucas's cheeks turned pink.

"I haven't been with a guy since I left the band, but I think I remember the directions. What do you want?" Joe asked.

"As far as I can remember," Lucas said, a tight knot in his throat, "you're all I've ever wanted. You were my savior, and you became my world."

"I've been blind."

"Not your fault," Lucas whispered.

"Do you want me to make it up to you?" Joe purred.

Lucas wrapped his free arm around Joe's back and Joe drew Lucas closer.

"Do you want us to be together?" Joe asked.

"Really? But I'm not enough," Lucas objected in a murmur.

"Lucas," Joe said as gently as possible, "look at me, Baby." Lucas obeyed. "In my adult life, you are the only one who stayed with me. My parents rejected me, I'm no longer in touch with my bandmates, and my ex-wife is blissfully happy on the other side of town. You're the only one, Lucas. Do you want us to try to have even more than what we've shared up to now?"

Lucas nodded, spilling more tears.

Joe lapped the tears, and then he licked Lucas's lips.

The younger man whimpered.

Joe gently pressed his lips against Lucas's. He pecked his lips several times, which made Lucas smile.

Joe licked again and this time Lucas gasped, giving Joe's tongue access and allowing him to invade his mouth.

It was only after long, slow strokes that Lucas's tongue joined their sensual dialogue.

Joe knew that he should not rush things between them, but he loved the sounds his Lucas was making - something between needy whimpers and soft mewling sounds. Lucas was clinging to Joe.

Joe reflected that it was his best morning in quite a long time.

Lucas was overwhelmed and gasped.

Joe grinned above him.

"If I'd known it was so good," Lucas panted.

"Um?" Joe asked innocently.

Lucas looked like a sexy cherry on a bed of cream on Joe's white sheets when he said, "It was my first kiss."

Joe gaped. There was nothing else he could do.

"You've never...?"

Lucas blushed deeper and shook his head.

"Oh, God!" Joe exclaimed.

"You're not going to change your mind about... about... us? Right?" Lucas begged.

Lucas blushed even deeper when Joe grinned and declared, "If you really want me, I'm yours."

Lucas hid his face in the crook of Joe's neck when Joe added, "I'll just have to woo you."

Joe kissed Lucas's neck and said, "Go shower, shrimp, I'll fix breakfast."

Lucas looked at Joe, smiled and nodded.

Lucas showered as fast as he could, got dressed and rushed into the kitchen. He was excited and afraid at the very same time. What was going to happen between them? Would Joe change his mind?

Joe smiled warmly when Lucas came in and sat in front of him.

"Your mother phoned," Joe announced.

Lucas paled slightly. He hadn't seen his real mother since she gave him away, but he always feared that she'd come back and destroy his life even more.

Seeing Lucas's reaction, Joe said, "Claire."

Lucas relaxed, sighed and said, "Oh... Mom. Why did she phone?"

"Our favorite manipulator wanted to know how you are - and if you slept well," Joe explained.

"What... What did you tell her?"

Joe chuckled and Lucas decided that he really liked that sound. "She got everything out of me in two minutes - and then she threatened to cut my balls and my little Joe off if I ever hurt you. She was your mother even before I got you out of the orphanage," he said.

"Yeah, she's my mom all right," Lucas purred.

"I never was your father," Joe stated neutrally.

Lucas's cheeks turned pink again. "I never had one to begin with. You were my hero from the day I met you, and then..." his voice trailed off.

"Then?"

Lucas was pointedly looking at his cup of coffee. "Then, one day it hit me. I looked at you and you were my everything."

Joe was speechless - well, almost. "I never suspected..."

"I couldn't imagine that you were that open-minded and that I could be so lucky," Lucas whispered.

"I didn't know that it might be important to tell you about my wild past. I must say I thought you liked girls," Joe admitted.

"I like girls - as friends. They're very pretty to look at, but..." Lucas's voice trailed off again.

"But?"

Lucas still looked at his cup pointedly and said, "But they're not you."

"I was blind... and I thought you'd had girlfriends," Joe said.

"Almost."

"Almost?" Joe wondered.

"There was a girl in my class before graduation, but I couldn't touch her. I liked being with her, but that was all," Lucas said.

"So I've got to show you everything," Joe said.

Lucas looked at Joe.

"Do you want me to show you everything?" Joe asked.

Lucas looked lost.

"Lucas?" Joe called softly.

"I'll be happy with whatever you want," Lucas said.

"That's not how it works, Baby," Joe said gently. "If we do this, we do it together - as equals. You're not a hobby."

Lucas nodded several times.

"You know what, Lucas?" Joe said.

Lucas shook his head.

"I'm going to give you time to make up your mind. Today and tomorrow, I'd like you to think about us - not a dream, Lucas, an actual, possible relationship. If on Thursday morning you tell me that you still want... us, I'll see what we can do and how we can make this work," Joe declared.

"Thursday?"

"Thursday," Joe confirmed.

"You'll tell me if you change your mind. Promise?" Lucas said.

Joe nodded.

"My time to shower if we don't want to be late," Joe said.

"I'll wash up," Lucas answered.

With what Claire had told him, and what Lucas had done to help him, Joe knew he wouldn't change his mind. He'd seen Lucas grow up and seen that gentle soul blossom. Now that he could see things clearly, Joe felt that Lucas was the nicest and best opportunity he'd ever had in his entire life.

Lucas was sitting on the couch when Joe joined him. He looked lost in thought.

Joe was dressed in black denim and a T-shirt and Lucas found his Joe properly edible. His thoughts must have shown on Lucas's face because Joe's grin was feral - Lucas gulped.

"Ride with me?" Joe asked.

Lucas nodded.

"The gang is going to tease you if you remain that silent," Joe chuckled.

Lucas glared, but it had no effect on Joe.

They drove to the store.

The entire gang was there waiting for them.

"What the hell?" Joe said.

The gang had a surprise for their new bosses.

Joe parked in front of the store and he and Lucas got out.

"They're completely barmy," Joe murmured just loud enough for Lucas to hear him.

"Maybe they've got bats in the attic," Lucas said, "but they're our friends, and it's our loony bin."

Joe grinned happily.

He'd saved the Empire from Mitch - and he co-owned it with Lucas.

It didn't matter if Gina and Corey were holding a huge ribbon in front of the door and Debra held a pair of scissors on the satin-wrapped improvised cushion they'd used for her funeral.

Berko was up - and dressed - A.J., Mark, Eddie and Warren were there as well, waiting for the Opening.

Joe was forced to grin.

Last week his life was hell. One act from Lucas, and everything was changed - and things might even get much, much better.

In perfect harmony, the gang said, "Good morning, bosses!"

Lucas chuckled and Joe shook his head.

"We thought we had to find something special to do for the first opening with you two as our bosses," Gina explained.

"Hence the ribbon," Joe said.

"And brownies waiting for us in the break room," Eddie added.

Joe looked at him.

"Normal batch, I swear," Eddie said.

"There's a batch that's not normal?" Warren asked A.J.

A.J. looked a bit embarrassed, but Berko came to his rescue and said, "Sometimes he bakes some with a lot of sugar."

That explanation looked to be enough for Warren. A.J. and Berko traded a look and shook their heads.

"Joe," Debra said, holding the cushion out for him to take the scissors.

Joe looked at Lucas, who couldn't help but blush.

The others thought that their friend was moved - except Gina, who saw more in that, and Debra, who was still channeling a Zen monk.

Joe invited Lucas to cut the ribbon with him and Joe's proximity deepened Lucas's blush.

Once the ribbon was cut, the gang rushed inside towards their second breakfast.

Gina and Debra were the last to enter.

With just one look traded with Debra, Gina understood what was going on.

"My! We're not out of the wood," Gina whispered.

"Not yet," Debra answered.

"It makes sense," Gina added.

Debra grinned and nodded.

"How long have you known?" Gina asked in a whisper.

"Quite some time, I guess, but I didn't pay attention," Deb admitted.

"Rock and roll," Gina chuckled, pointing at her bosses.

"No shit!" Deb conceded.

When Joe turned around to look at the two young women, they were holding hands and that frightened him and he scowled.

When they grinned in synch, he knew they knew. Apparently they were okay with the situation - that was a good thing.

Somehow, Joe knew that the whole gang would be okay with the change that was brewing.

They were more than the gang - they were a family... if a weird one.

They shared brownies and coffee, and those who had to go to school left.

Eddie and Berko opened the store while Joe and Lucas planned the new management of their store.

By noon, they were interrupted in Joe's office by a knock on the door.

"Yeah?!" Joe yelled.

The door opened and Claire came in. "Quit barking, Joe!" she growled.

Lucas, who had been focusing on work, blushed.

Claire went to kiss Lucas's cheek.

"You're unbelievable," Joe chuckled.

"Why?" she asked jovially. "Because I love the both of you? Because I want to see you happy?"

Joe shook his head, but Lucas and Claire saw that he was smiling.

"I brought you lunch. I thought you'd be too busy today," Claire said.

"It's true that your son is a bit... thin," Joe declared, his eyes on a sheet he wasn't reading.

Claire chuckled warmly.

There was something in that sound that made Joe look at her. In her eyes, he saw the unspoken teasing about the relationship Lucas and he were about to start. Lucas was his shrimp, and he'd have to make sure that the young man ate normally and more regularly than Joe suspected Lucas did.

Claire showed her basket and said, "You can bring it back when you have time for us."

"Connie must be busy," Joe stated.

"Yes, but she wanted me to make sure you'd have something for lunch," Claire said.

"You're good friends," Joe said.

"Bring me the basket back when you have enough time to tell me how you're settling into your new life," she said.

"I know you," Joe chuckled.

Claire tilted her head; she didn't know what Joe had in mind exactly.

"You know me well," she answered neutrally.

Joe laughed softly and said, "So I know that there's enough food for a small army in your basket. Let's go to the break room and have lunch together."

"I wanted to see you and tell you how much I love you, but you have another fish to fry than having lunch with me," she said.

"There are only a few things in the store that need to be changed," Joe pointed out, "and we could do with a break."

Joe was pointing at the explosion of papers all over his desk.

"That's work," she objected. "You need time together."

Lucas groaned.

Joe laughed softly and smiled.

"What?" Claire asked.

"After you called, I made a deal with Lucas. I don't think it's an issue if you stay with us for lunch," Joe said.

Claire looked at her baby and blinked.

"Prepare our picnic, I'll go and check that Berko and Eddie are all right," Joe said.

He got up and had already reached the door when Claire said in a chuckle, "It's very kind of you to give me five minutes to talk with Lucas."

"Five minutes is all I need to check on them," Joe said mock-innocently.

He closed the door behind him.

Lucas blushed again and Claire cooed.

"Please!" Lucas said.

"What did he tell you after I phoned?" she asked.

Lucas looked at her.

She was more his mother than the one who kept him for ten years, and she was a friend.

Lucas knew he could trust her.

"He said he wanted me to think about us for two days. If I haven't changed my mind then... then we'll try," Lucas said.

"It's not such a bad idea," she conceded.

Lucas nodded slowly.

"I didn't know you like men," she said softly.

Lucas shook his head.

"Baby?"

"Just Joe. Only Joe," Lucas confessed.

"Oh... so it's girlfriends and only Joe," she said.

Lucas groaned. "Clai... Mom. If you make fun of me, I'll never speak to you ever again," he said. He took a deep breath and said, "It's only Joe, okay."

Claire blushed in her turn, stuttered incoherent syllables and pointed her thumb towards the door and the general direction of the store where Joe was talking with Eddie and Berko.

"Do you know everything you need to know?" she asked.

Lucas looked at her and laughed heartily.

He stood up and went to hug her. "You're my mom. Really," he said.

She hugged him back and growled, "You didn't answer."

"No practice, but I got the theory," Lucas said.

"Really?"

"The school librarian let me surf on her laptop when she saw which sites I was trying to access. She was cool," Lucas said.

"Why did she do that?" Claire wondered.

"She said that she'd like someone to help her kids stay safe if she wasn't there to give them access to what they needed, and she added that it wasn't with the crap we were told - or not told - that we could possibly stay safe. She never judged me. She comes here to shop sometimes," Lucas said.

"We need more people like that," Claire said.

"If there weren't people like Mitch, we wouldn't appreciate the good souls," Lucas declared philosophically.

Claire nodded.

"If you need anything, come and see us, or phone. Promise?" she asked.

Lucas grinned and nodded.

Claire pointed at the basket and ordered, "Prepare everything; I need to have a word with Joe."

Lucas groaned, but obeyed.

Claire joined Joe, who was talking with the two young men at the registers.

"Joe," she said, pointing towards the door.

Joe followed her out.

"What's going on?" Eddie asked Berko.

"I don't know yet, but I bet we're still in the Twilight Zone," Berko answered.

"Possibly," Eddie granted his friend.

Once outside, Joe turned towards his ex-wife.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"To tell you that I love you, and I hope you'll be as happy as I am," she said.

"And?" he chuckled.

She laughed softly, took his hand and led him to the swing seat where they both sat down.

"We were good together," she said.

"But Connie is the one for you," he pointed out.

"Yeah," she answered dreamily. She went on and said, "I love you, and I love Lucas, and if you can have what I have with Connie, it'll make me very happy."

"I'm glad I had you in my life, even if it wasn't for long," he confessed.

"Joe..." her voice trailed off.

"Claire?" he teased her.

"Lucas told me."

"Told you what?" he asked.

She groaned and said, "Told me about the time you gave him to think about it all."

"And?"

She looked at him and her cheeks turned pink. "He told you, right?"

"Told me what?" he teased her mercilessly.

"How little he knows," she said.

He nodded.

Joe loved Claire, but the more he thought about it, the more he thought he might well be in love with his shrimp. There was no way he'd tell Claire about the kiss he gave Lucas - it was only theirs.

"What are you planning to do?" she asked.

"Take one step at a time and show him everything he needs to know," Joe said.

She looked at him, wondering if he knew what to do.

Joe grumbled. "I'll imagine what I would have done with you when we started seeing each other, and then I'll do better."

"That's a plan," she conceded.

He rolled his eyes.

"Let's go and have lunch," she said.

Joe nodded.

When they entered the store through the back door, Lucas was waiting for them on the couch. There was enough food for a small army on the table.

"Knew it!" Joe said.

Claire rolled her eyes.

They shared a very pleasant lunch. Claire clearly saw the chemistry between Joe and Lucas.

"You know, Joe," Lucas said, "when Corey and A.J. leave, we'll need someone else. We won't be able to do it otherwise."

"Ask A.J. to make us an original 'Help wanted' board when he comes in," Joe said.

Lucas nodded and chewed his sandwich carefully.

Claire left with an empty basket and the promise that Joe and Lucas would keep her posted.

Joe and Lucas went back to work and took over the registers while Eddie and Berko went out to have lunch.

It was a very quiet weekday and apparently potential customers were all having lunch too.

"It's taking shape," Joe declared.

Lucas smiled and said, "The store, you mean."

Joe felt one corner of his mouth rise involuntarily.

Lucas looked away.

"Looks like there's not only the store that's taking shape," Joe teased back.

Lucas smiled shyly. "You know, it was very kind of you to give me time to... think, but I've had years to dream."

"It's not the same," Joe pointed out.

"You're right," Lucas conceded, "it's much better, more than I ever hoped and dared to dream."

"You're too good to be true," Joe said.

Lucas took a deep breath and asked, "You'll tell me if you change your mind?"

Joe could see so many fears and insecurities in Lucas that he almost took two steps forward to hold the younger man.

"Why would I change my mind? There's nothing wrong with it," Joe joked.

Lucas rolled his eyes, but his smile gave him away.

"I want to give you time. I'm not going to change my mind," Joe said seriously.

Lucas looked at Joe and there was so much love and passion in Lucas's eyes that Joe felt his heart beat faster. If Lucas had been hiding his love all those years - and if he didn't change his mind - Joe reflected that he might well be the luckiest guy in town - if not the entire state - if Lucas became his lover.

Lucas took a deep breath and said, "Joe, I l..."

The door opened and in came a customer.

Well, it was not your ordinary customer. It was Mr. Beck - Mitchell's father that is.

Joe had started working for him until Elijah Beck decided that he wanted to spend more time with his beloved wife and he gave the Empire and his other stores to his only son.

Three years later, Elijah became a widower. He came into the store from time to time, and he didn't like what Mitch had done to the Empire. Mitchell's management was brilliant - except for the Empire that was a bit too beatnik for Mitch.

"Gentlemen! I just now heard the good news," Elijah said happily.

"It's good to see you," Joe greeted him.

Joe left his register and went to shake hands with the older man.

"I'm glad you rescued my baby, kid," Elijah said, looking around. "I can't believe Mitch wanted to turn it into a Music Town."

It had always amused Lucas that Elijah called Joe "kid".

What Lucas liked about the older man, who looked very much like the grandfather Lucas dreamt of when he was a child, was that he was so much the opposite of his son.

He also liked the nickname Elijah had given him - even though he'd never admit it.

"Well, I was planning something conventional, but Lucas helped bring some fun into it all," Joe said.

Elijah looked at Lucas and smiled warmly. "So, my favorite Matchstick grew up and saved the store?"

As usual, Lucas mumbled, "I'm not a matchstick."

Elijah chuckled and said, "It's true that you grew up, kiddo, but you're as thin as my Mitch's love for music."

"Ouch," Joe said, teasing Lucas.

"Not fair!" Lucas said, pouting.

Elijah and Joe traded a look and laughed softly.

Lucas crossed his arms, pretending to brood, but no one was fooled.

Elijah looked at them and asked, "Do you need anything?"

"We're good, thanks," Joe answered. "I wanted to offer Mitch a partnership, so I'd thought about what I'd like to do if I owned shares of the store, and didn't just manage it."

"That's good," Elijah said.

"We'll just need to hire one more person. Corey and A.J. are leaving after graduation," Lucas added.

"Do you need someone in the store?" Elijah almost purred.

"Do you know someone who'd be interested?" Joe asked.

"Yeah, me," Elijah said.

Both Lucas and Joe blinked for five seconds.

"You can't work for us," Joe and Lucas said.

"Why not? I'm bored to death. If you don't have anyone else in mind, I'd like to help you, even if it's only temporary," Elijah said.

The two co-owners traded a look.

"A.J. is going to be so disappointed," Lucas said.

Joe smirked.

"What?" Elijah asked.

"We'd planned to ask A.J. to draw an original "Help Wanted" sign, but we won't have to," Joe answered.

"Do I get the job?" Elijah asked, almost bouncing with happiness.

"I can't wait to have him meet Warren," Lucas declared.

Joe grinned.

"Who's Warren?" Elijah wondered.

"My latest stray," Joe said.

Elijah nodded and said, "So, I get the job."

"Of course you do," Joe said. "It was nice working with you when I started here."

"And you already know almost everything about the store," Lucas added.

When Eddie and Berko came back, they were told the good news, and they started talking with Elijah about music. Eddie and Berko knew "Mr. Beck" only as a customer, after just five minutes they were looking forward to working with Elijah.

It was Corey and A.J.'s day off, but in the late afternoon, Debra, Gina and Warren arrived.

Elijah was asked to train Warren, and the young man immediately became fond of his tutor.

Berko and Eddie left, leaving the registers to Gina and Warren under Elijah's supervision.

Debra went to see her bosses to plan her life after graduation.

Through the office window, Lucas spotted that there were many customers, and he excused himself to check the floor and make sure that Gina, Warren and Elijah didn't need help.

Debra looked at Joe, and he felt she was about to say something about Lucas.

"Any news from Jane?" Joe purred.

Debra held her hands up and said, "Okay, none of my business."

Joe nodded.

"Hey, Joe."

"Yeah?"

"I'll always be on your side," she said.

He looked at her and said softly, "Thank you."

"You know, the other day," she started. He nodded and she went on, "You really helped me. You're more than my boss."

He held out his hand, she took it, and he squeezed gently.

"Any news from Jane?" Joe asked seriously.

Debra's smile illuminated the room. "Yeah... She phoned twice. We're planning to meet as soon as Rex no longer freaks out about all the changes he wants in his life."

"I trust Jane to kick him back on track fast," Joe chuckled.

"I hope," Debra confessed in a near whisper.

Joe smiled warmly and her cheeks turned slightly pink.

"I'll always be on your side, too," Joe promised.

"You're the best."

When Lucas walked towards the registers, he saw three of Gina's schoolmates, who were obviously teasing her.

Elijah was about to come to Gina's rescue, but Lucas winked and the older man waited.

"What's your problem, man? You've got such a small dick that you need a microscope to locate it and you're so pissed off about it that you think insulting a nice girl will make you feel better?" Warren spat.

"What do you know, microbe?" the leader of the pack growled. "She did you, too, and it was so good you're grateful. She's a bitch in heat."

Gina was stunned.

The few customers who were in the store were all listening to the exchange.

Strangely enough, when Warren was ready to slay the other, bigger guy, Lucas's quiet voice sounded clearly in the store. "What I don't get is that when guys do every girl in sight, they're lucky bastards. When a girl does exactly the same, she's a slut. There is a huge problem there. Don't you think?"

"It's always like that," Elijah answered.

"It is quite silly," Lucas went on.

"And it's highly unfair," Elijah added.

"And that fucker isn't worthy of even looking at Gina," Warren growled.

"That too," Elijah granted, pointing a finger towards Warren to show his support.

Quietly, Lucas took a step towards the three teens. "I would like you to apologize to her or leave the store."

"Why should we obey you?" one of the three asked.

"Because he's the owner?" Elijah smirked.

The three guys gaped quite inelegantly.

"Well, co-owner," Lucas said, "but if I call Joe, he's going to kick you out if you don't apologize to Gina."

The pack apologized while the other customers applauded.

"You okay?" Warren asked Gina.

"Yeah," she said.

"If they bother you again, I'll protect you," Warren promised.

Gina smiled.

"Hey, kiddo, ya think you could get me a caffeine fix?" Elijah asked Warren.

Warren nodded and went to the break room after grinning at Gina.

"Thank you," she said, looking at Elijah and then Lucas.

"Those kids are way too stupid," Elijah declared.

"It was kind of you," Gina said.

"It was normal," both men said.

"My, my... Are we still in the Twilight Zone?" Gina giggled.

"Possibly," Lucas declared.

Joe joined them and asked, "What happened?"

"Three punks bothered Gina, so she got three knights to come to her rescue," Elijah said.

"One is way more motivated," Lucas stated.

Gina groaned.

"He fell for you," Elijah said seriously.

Gina grabbed Elijah's arm and pretended to bang her head on him.

"He's not that bad," Elijah said.

She nodded.

After that incident, the end of their first day was smooth and Joe and Lucas went back home together for dinner. They drove Warren home, and Gina, Elijah and Debra closed.

Dinner was quiet for Joe and Lucas.

They sat on the couch to watch a film, talked about what they wanted to do in the store, and went to bed. Lucas woke up because of a nightmare once more and Joe rescued him again.

On Wednesday evening, Lucas went directly to sleep with Joe, who didn't complain.

Thursday morning came.

Joe opened his eyes.

Lucas was watching him.

"I haven't changed my mind. I want to be with you... Please," Lucas said.

"I want to be with you," Joe said.

The idea of wooing his shrimp was the best thing ever.

Joe Reaves was a very good man and he vowed to take good care of Lucas.

Joe knew what he wanted to do with Lucas in the evening and he hoped Lucas would like what he had in mind.

Joe and Lucas went to work together.

A.J., Mark and Elijah were opening that day.

Joe went straight to his office - he seemed busy with something, but he looked happy and excited about something; it was not at all like when Lucas had taken all the money.

Lucas... Lucas was silent. He was restocking.

The gang hoped their friends were all right.

They'd just saved the Empire; they didn't want nasty stuff to happen now.

Hour after hour, Lucas became more and more quiet.

Debra went to work with Joe as soon as she arrived; in the meantime, the rest of the gang started worrying seriously about Lucas.

"Surely he knows Joe's not mad at him," Mark said softly.

"Joe wouldn't have named him co-owner if he were mad at him," Corey agreed.

"Maybe the full extent of what he did is hitting him only now," Warren suggested.

Gina saw that Warren was voicing his own fears, and she patted his arm, which made him smile.

"Maybe it's something else," Elijah declared wisely. "I need caffeine."

"You know what's going on?" Berko asked Elijah.

"I don't know, but I have an idea," the older man granted.

"He's our friend. We should go and ask him what's wrong. I've seldom seen him this quiet, and it's giving me the creeps," Eddie said.

"I'll go," Berko announced.

The rest of the gang watched eagerly as Berko reached Lucas near the vinyl section.

"You okay, Lucas?" Berko asked.

Lucas had been lost in thought, trying to remember all those things he'd read about gay sex on the net and imagining what he'd like to do with and to Joe. Lucas squeaked with surprise.

Berko was starting to be worried and it showed.

"I'm okay," Lucas said, smiling.

"Is it your new status that's making you nervous and so damn silent?" Berko asked.

Lucas knew that Berko was referring to the job situation, but all Lucas had in mind was dating his Joe.

He chuckled as he said, "It's my new status, yeah."

"You're going to be great. We're here to help, and you've got Joe," Berko said.

"Thanks, man," Lucas said, really moved.

Lucas looked at Berko, who saw a strange light pass in his friend's eyes.

"Say, can I ask you a very weird question?" Lucas asked softly.

Berko nodded.

"How wild does it get backstage?" Lucas inquired.

"What do you mean?"

"Sex," Lucas whispered softly.

Berko grinned and whispered back, "Wilder than you can even imagine. Why?"

Lucas blushed even more than when he told Joe about his being a complete virgin.

"You seeing a musician, man?" Berko asked.

Lucas kept blushing.

"Spill the beans," Warren shouted from the register, which prompted A.J. to smack him. "Hey! I'm worried about him, all right!" Warren protested.

Lucas's blush deepened, and the gang walked towards him as one.

Joe walked in just at that moment and the magic between Lucas and Joe was clearly visible for the gang.

"Holy shit!" exclaimed A.J.

"Ditto!" Corey said.

"Same here," said Gina.

The others were gaping.

Warren was a bit lost. "Wha'?" he asked.

A.J. whispered a quick explanation into his ear and he took to gaping too.

"Got anything to say?" Joe growled.

"Er... Congratulations?" Gina tried.

Joe, who'd been ready to fire anyone saying anything negative, only saw friends rejoicing for him and Lucas. His anger died as fast as it'd been born.

Debra chuckled behind Joe. He turned to look at her, and she winked. He groaned and went to take the file he needed to go on planning his next order.

"I need a break," Berko said. "Come with me?" he asked Lucas.

Lucas nodded and followed him.

"Work!" Joe growled.

The entire gang chuckled.

"They're so cute together!" Corey told Gina.

Joe heard her and groaned. Debra took his arm and followed him back to his office; she was laughing softly.

"I was sure they'd react that way," Debra said.

"It's quite a gang we have there," Joe said to no one in particular.

"Now you just have to worry about what Berko is going to teach Lucas," Debra teased him.

"I think I can face that," Joe said.

"Great," she said.

They worked in silence for one minute and then Joe said, "I didn't plan to come out that way."

"Joe, we love you - whoever is in your bed. You growl quite a lot, but you never bite unfairly. I don't know what happened to you two, but you're more peaceful since Lucas's second trip to Atlantic City," she said.

"Nothing happened... yet," Joe said.

Debra whistled.

Meanwhile, Lucas was talking with Berko.

The young men had gone to the little café down the street.

Lucas was pointedly looking at his cup of coffee.

"You okay, man?" Berko asked gently.

"Yeah."

Berko snorted. "Lucas, man. You look many things, but okay is not one of them."

Lucas looked at his friend, but he didn't know what he could possibly answer.

"Are you sure about this? About Joe?" Berko asked softly.

"I was sure four years ago the day it hit me that what I feel is more than gratitude or father/son love," Lucas growled.

"Why didn't you try something before? And what happened now?" Berko asked.

"I didn't know I had a chance," Lucas protested.

Berko laughed heartily.

"What?!" Lucas asked, growling again.

"I should have told you about Joe," Berko chuckled.

Lucas thought that Berko had done it with Joe and he felt sick and sad and empty.

Berko saw his friend pale dreadfully, and he understood what Lucas had concluded.

"Not that, bucket-head!" Berko snapped. "The day after the first time it really got wild after a gig, when I entered the break room, Joe was there. We looked at each other and I could tell he just knew what I'd done."

Lucas blinked.

"It's disturbing when you look like Mark," Berko teased his friend.

"Shut up!" Lucas protested.

"Well," Berko chuckled, "I could tell that at one point in his life he swung both ways."

"Do you?"

"Life's too short, man! I always have rubbers in one of my pockets, and I'll be old the day I turn down any offer," Berko said.

Lucas was practically gaping.

"Any offer?" Lucas managed to ask finally.

"Oh, yeah. Guys or chicks. Love is love," Berko said philosophically.

Lucas nodded several times.

"Say, Lucas, do you know what you need to know?" Berko asked.

"The theory," Lucas admitted.

"Well, you know, whichever gender... it's nearly the same," Berko said.

"Which helps me a lot," Lucas murmured.

It was Berko's turn to gape. "Aw, man! You've never...?"

"Shshsh!"

Lucas blushed deeply.

"Man! That explains the way you dance!" Berko teased his friend.

Lucas glared this time.

"Is there anything you need to know?" Berko asked gently.

Lucas smiled. "I've read some stuff on the net and I guess I'll trust Joe to guide me."

"Stuff on the net?" Berko asked.

"Thanks to Mrs. Montague," Lucas said.

"She lent me some of her own books when I couldn't find what I wanted," Berko said fondly.

"She's a modern bookworm," Lucas added.

Berko nodded and grinned.

"Do you have supplies?" Berko asked.

Lucas shook his head.

"We'll go shopping, and I'll give you tips on the way," Berko said.

Lucas blushed.

They finished their coffee and Lucas followed Berko to the nearest drugstore.

Lucas discovered quite a lot of things about his friend.

Lucas was given plenty technical tips.

What Lucas loved was that when they got back to the store, he could have turned into a purple creature with green spots and the gang wouldn't have treated him differently.

Lucas just knew that those guys were the best family he could ever dream of.

At eight o'clock, Joe announced that he and Lucas were going home.

A.J., Debra and Berko would close.

Berko's soft chuckle was the only indication that something unusual was going on.

Lucas followed Joe to the car.

"I've planned something," Joe declared.

"What?" Lucas asked eagerly.

Joe sniggered and said, "You don't want me to spoil the surprise, do you?"

Lucas shook his head. "I trust you," he said softly.

Joe looked at Lucas and smiled. Lucas's heart skipped a beat or three - it was the gentlest and hottest smile he'd ever seen in his entire life.

Joe drove to their favorite Chinese restaurant. Lucas was ready to get out of the car, but Joe stopped him. One of the waiters came out; he was bringing their dinner to take away.

"Right on time, Mr. Reaves," the waiter said.

Joe handed him notes and said, "Thank your boss and keep the change."

"Thank you, Mr. Reaves," the waiter said.

Joe held his hand up to say goodbye and he drove away.

"You planned that," Lucas said.

Joe nodded, never taking his eyes off the road. "We can't go anywhere in town because I don't want us to be bothered, and we can't stay home or we could be interrupted by some well-wishers."

"Where are we going then?" inquired Lucas.

"It's a surprise. You don't want me to ruin the surprise, right?" Joe teased him again.

Lucas grinned widely and he knew he must look like Mark high on sugar.

Joe was forced to smile. He wondered why he'd never noticed the change in the nature of Lucas's love for him.

Joe reflected that they were lucky. It was not too late to discover if they could have a future together.

Joe knew a nice place out of town. It was near the river and close to a small wooded area. It was far away from all the notorious lovers' spots, but it was very nice. Joe had discovered it by chance, and he'd never had the chance to take anyone there.

He parked the car between river and woods.

"Like the scenery?" Joe asked.

Lucas was speechless; he nodded.

Joe turned the radio on.

"I know we're not in a nice restaurant, but I thought quiet was more important right now. Was I wrong?" Joe asked.

"It's absolutely perfect," Lucas answered, deeply moved.

"We'd be more comfortable in the back," Joe pointed out.

Lucas nodded.

They shared the Chinese dishes between them. They liked almost the same things, but Joe had made sure to take some of those sautéed vegetables Lucas was so fond of.

They didn't speak much. They knew each other very well, and they just enjoyed being together, alone, in a nice place.

"They all surprised me at the store," Joe said finally.

"Berko floored me," Lucas admitted.

"Had an interesting talk?" Joe teased.

Lucas blushed and wailed, "Don't make fun of me!"

"Never, Baby," Joe promised seriously.

They placed the remains of their meal into the bag and Joe put it on the front seat.

They looked at each other.

There was no one around.

There were only birds singing on their way back to their nests in the woods for the night.

"Joe, I love you."

Joe slid towards Lucas and took Lucas's face in his hands. There was so much trust and love in Lucas's eyes that Joe knew Lucas would be the best thing in his whole life. This sweet sin would become his redemption and his heaven.

Joe leant slowly towards Lucas, not wanting to frighten him, and he gently pressed their lips together.

Their second kiss was even better than the first.

They were both fully awake, and Joe knew how much he had to guide Lucas.

Joe carefully mapped Lucas's mouth and his shrimp proved to be an eager student and he reciprocated.

It was a very slow and tender kiss.

The need to take a deep breath overcame their common desire to keep stroking their tongues together.

Lucas was practically in Joe's lap and they were holding on each other for dear life.

Joe had never - ever - felt that aroused before. He didn't give Lucas any chance to catch his breath and he dove in for more kisses. Lucas took to whimpering with need and Joe trailed a path of kisses all over Lucas's face - as if he were trying to use his lips to map his beloved's features.

Lucas had closed his eyes; he was lost in sensations, his head resting against the seat, his hands grabbing Joe's shirt to try and draw him closer and closer.

Joe cupped Lucas's face again and said softly in Lucas's ear, "I love you."

Lucas shivered from head to toe and he opened his eyes suddenly.

There were tears of happiness in Lucas's eyes, but there were fireworks as well.

Joe kissed him again, and his lips trailed downwards.

Joe started fighting with Lucas's turtleneck.

"Fuck! I need to undress you," Joe muttered.

Lucas whimpered and nodded.

"We need a bed, Baby," Joe said.

Lucas tried to glare at him, but he was so horny that it didn't work.

"Even if it's a brilliant cliché, your first time won't be on the backseat of a car," Joe said.

"Let's go home, please," Lucas begged unashamedly.

Joe claimed his lips once more and nodded.

The trick would be not to get a speeding ticket. Piece of cake.

They arrived home in record time.

Joe wrapped an arm around Lucas's shoulders. It was already dark, but even if the neighbors saw, Joe couldn't bring himself to care.

They went in, and Joe locked the door behind them.

Joe didn't turn the lights on.

Joe gently drew Lucas closer and Lucas molded himself against his lover-to-be.

Joe cupped Lucas's cheeks once more and said, "We can take this as slow as you want."

"I need you," Lucas said hoarsely.

Joe claimed Lucas's lips hungrily and pinned him against the nearest wall. Lucas wrapped his arms around Joe's neck and the leather of their jackets sang together.

Joe started rubbing himself against Lucas, who gasped, breaking their kiss.

Joe grinned proudly; he was so happy to have Lucas in his life and in his heart.

When Joe initiated another kiss, he felt a bump in one of Lucas's pockets. Joe tried to feel what it was.

Lucas broke their kiss, panting as if he'd been running and he said, "It's stuff we're going to need."

Joe reflected that Berko had certainly had a hand in that.

Joe smiled and chuckled when he saw Lucas blush.

"Oh, we're going to need stuff all right," Joe purred.

Lucas groaned and hid his face in the crook of Joe's neck.

Joe caressed Lucas's back tenderly and said softly, "We've got time, Baby. What do you want us to do?"

Lucas looked at the man he loved. "I want you. I need you. I want us to make love," Lucas begged.

"We can take one step at a time and just have fun together tonight. It's your first time," Joe said.

"Joe," Lucas said softly and calmly, "I've been in love with you for years. I want you to be my first. I want you tonight. Now."

Joe smiled.

"Please," Lucas begged.

"Why you want me is beyond me," Joe commented.

"You're my world, my love, my everything. Enough words, Joe. If you don't want me, just say so now," Lucas said.

Joe growled and said, "I'll show you how much I want you."

Lucas felt dizzy when Joe claimed his lips again and Joe danced him to their bedroom.

Their bedroom.

Their bed.

The place where Lucas would become one with the love of his life - at last.

Lucas was frozen. He looked at Joe as he let his jacket fall onto the floor, toed off his shoes and socks and put his watch on the nightstand.

Joe walked to Lucas and took him in his arms. Lucas held Joe too and felt like melting against him.

"I hope we'll have a lot of time to discover what we love and what we don't like, but tonight I want you to tell me if there's anything that makes you uncomfortable. Deal?" Joe asked.

Lucas nodded.

Joe took the small packet that contained condoms and lube and threw it between their pillows.

Joe divested Lucas of his jacket.

"May I undress you?" Joe asked.

Lucas whimpered and nodded.

Between gentle kisses, Joe undressed Lucas.

His turtleneck was the first to go. In the soft light that was coming from the streetlamps through the window, Lucas looked very pale and Joe's hand was trembling slightly when he caressed Lucas's chest.

"Even softer than I imagined," Joe whispered.

Lucas was somewhat muscled, but he was very slim.

In the semi-darkness, his skin looked milky and Joe suddenly felt like licking each inch that was offered so willingly. Joe kissed Lucas's shoulder first and when they touched, Joe hated to feel his shirt between them.

While trailing a path of kisses, Joe got rid of his shirt.

Lucas registered that Joe was getting rid of his pants, too. He wanted very much to see his lover naked.

Lucas gasped when he saw that Joe wore no underwear.

"You okay, Baby?" Joe murmured lovingly.

Lucas's eyes were full of tears when he looked at his lover and said, "I love you. God, I love you so much."

Joe, who had harbored some fears that his younger lover would not like the way he looked under his clothes, felt his heart beat faster and his prick pulsed with need.

"Oh, Baby!" Joe said.

Joe had Lucas sit on the bed so he could take Lucas's shoes and socks off. Joe caressed Lucas's ankles, which made the younger man shiver.

"It's unlikely that either of us will last long... the first time," Joe said, still caressing Lucas and unbuckling the younger man's pants.

"I... I figured as much from what I read," Lucas admitted.

"But we've got time," Joe said, "and I don't mean only tonight."

"Yes, Joe."

"Lie down, Love, so I can finish undressing you."

Lucas obeyed and found himself naked.

Joe kissed Lucas's knee and whispered, "What did I do to deserve you?"

Lucas held out his arms to invite Joe to join him on the bed. "I'm the lucky one here."

In one swift movement, Joe joined Lucas and took him in his arms, positioning them in the middle on the bed on the covers.

They were on their sides, facing each other.

Lucas leant towards Joe and kissed him. While their tongues caressed and danced, their hands mapped their new playgrounds.

Joe almost growled when his hands discovered the softness of Lucas, his planes, his curves and his muscles quivering under his caresses.

Lucas was fascinated by the silky quality of the hair covering Joe's chest. Joe moaned when Lucas touched his nipples, and Lucas decided to tickle both.

Joe chuckled.

"Like that?" Lucas asked innocently.

The next moment, Lucas was on his back and Joe's lips were attached to one of his nipples while Joe's fingers teased the other.

"God!" Lucas cried, arching his back.

Joe gently bit the nipple that he'd tickled and Lucas whimpered.

Joe licked Lucas's chest up to his throat and then kissed him again.

Instinctively, Lucas spread his legs, allowing Joe to take a better position.

Their pricks brushed together and both gasped.

"So good," whimpered Lucas.

Joe had to swallow several times before he could speak.

His voice was husky when he asked, "What do you want?"

"You in me."

It was a simple statement.

"I need to prep you, Love," Joe said.

"I know."

Joe pecked Lucas's lips.

Joe reluctantly left his position to get what they needed.

He first put a condom on, so he wouldn't have to concentrate and remember to do that later.

"Joe, maybe we could, er," Lucas's voice trailed off.

"Yeah, Baby, blood tests as soon as possible, but right now, it's going to be helpful to make love," Joe said.

"Oh."

"It... helps... Especially the first times," Joe explained.

"Oh."

Joe opened the lube and took some of it. Lying next to Lucas, Joe snaked his lubed fingers between Lucas's ass cheeks. He easily found his goal, but in spite of his warm kisses Lucas was so tense that he couldn't take Joe's middle finger.

Joe knew his shrimp very well. If he told Lucas to relax, the younger man would tense even more, fearing that he wasn't good enough. His Lucas was just a virgin and he was a bit too nervous and it was Joe's job to make Lucas feel good.

Without a word, Joe trailed a path of kisses down Lucas's body.

A nipple was bitten and Lucas's belly button was swiftly licked.

Without Joe's strong hand holding him down, Lucas would have arched when Joe kissed the tip of Lucas's prick and licked the drops of pre-come that were pooling there.

Lucas squeaked and gurgled when Joe enthusiastically gave him head.

Lucas had heard about that - from friends, from Berko and from the net - but the real thing was way better. And Joe did know what he was doing! His tongue was everywhere, licking where it felt best.

Lucas was meowing non-stop.

Joe inserted a first finger like a charm and when he located Lucas's gland, the younger man yelled his lover's name. In consequence, Joe chuckled all around Lucas's length, which made it even better for Lucas.

Lucas was whimpering with need.

"More," Lucas managed to beg.

Joe complied happily. He sucked harder and deeper and inserted a second finger.

The one brain cell Lucas had that was still working knew he should not move if he didn't want to choke his lover.

Lover.

The word made Lucas want to cry with happiness and laugh with glee.

One of his hands took to kneading the closest pillow. The other went to caress Joe's hair.

Joe looked up at Lucas; he was surprised that the inexperienced man showed so much concern.

While Joe smiled, he took the opportunity to insert a third finger and then he deep-throated Lucas.

Two seconds later, Lucas was coming hard. Joe swallowed as much as he could, but he had to lick his lips and wipe the trail that escaped him.

Lucas opened his eyes to see Joe swallow the last traces of what they'd just done and the sight made him groan.

Joe started tickling Lucas's prostate, which was still under his fingers, and Lucas squealed and trembled.

"Please," Lucas begged.

The younger man was completely relaxed.

Joe withdrew his fingers, coated the condom with more lube and positioned himself between Lucas's legs.

Lucas's limp cock was already starting to twitch again, showing his deep interest in what was going on.

The time it took Joe to have the head of his prick enter Lucas was all the time the young man needed to be fully aroused again.

Lucas was panting.

"Breathe slowly, Love," Joe said.

Lucas gurgled. He could not speak coherently. He caressed Joe's arms and grinned to encourage his lover to take him.

One inch at a time, Joe entered Lucas.

When he was balls deep in his lover, Joe moaned. He had to make this good and memorable for Lucas, but his body was screaming to claim his lover and pound into him.

"Love you," Lucas murmured.

Joe leant down to kiss Lucas almost brutally and Lucas's instinct made him wrap his legs around Joe's waist.

"Love you, Lucas," Joe said.

Lucas whimpered.

Slowly, Joe began to move in and out of Lucas.

It was gentle in the beginning to give Lucas the opportunity to adjust to the new experience.

Soon, their rhythm became more frantic.

There was love, but there were also need, passion and lust. It was Lucas's first time, and Joe hadn't made love in months. Instinct took over and Joe surrendered to his body; he took Lucas frenetically and seized Lucas's pulsing prick in his hand and jerked him in synch with his to and fro moves.

Lucas did his best to match Joe's moves.

Joe couldn't hold back much longer. He sped up his hand on Lucas's length and hit his lover's gland regularly.

Lucas's seed covered the young man's stomach and Joe's hand.

The spasms generated around Joe's prick made him groan and hump Lucas faster until he surrendered to his own needs and came hard.

Lucas was still panting when Joe withdrew as gently as possible.

Joe took the condom off and threw it on the floor after knotting it. He grabbed his shirt and cleaned his hand and Lucas's belly. He threw the shirt back on the floor and settled next to Lucas.

The younger man slithered into Joe's arms and kissed him hungrily.

"I love you so much," Lucas said.

"I love you, my adorable shrimp."

Lucas tried to pout, but he was still so flushed that it was pointless.

Joe wrapped an arm around him and squeezed Lucas's buttocks.

They were beginning to be aroused again, and Lucas blushed.

Joe grinned and Lucas knew Joe wasn't done with him. His heart melted even more.

Joe was his love and his lover now.

Lucas didn't know who his travel agent was, but the package tour was great and he'd give great feedback.

Joe kissed him again.

Lucas moaned.

Joe broke their kiss off when he felt his lover smile.

Lucas chuckled and explained, "I think I'm becoming addicted to you."

"Then I think I'll have to make sure you get a regular dose," Joe said.

Lucas beamed and grinned.

In the relative darkness of their bedroom, Joe spotted the cut above Lucas's left eyebrow. He touched it gently.

"I'm sorry you got hurt," Joe said.

"It's okay, Love."

"It's not okay, Lucas. I was afraid and frustrated, but there's no justification for what I did," Joe said.

"Joe," Lucas sighed, "I was pushing you so you would end up doing something. You were so sad and you weren't fighting back. You were doing nothing like my Joe."

"Your Joe," Joe teased his lover.

Lucas felt himself blushing and he was grateful there was no direct light in the room.

"I didn't know we could be together, but I couldn't stand to see you so sad," Lucas said.

"Do you think Claire would like us to plan a party to celebrate the rescuing of the Empire?" Joe asked.

"She'd love that," Lucas said.

Joe kissed Lucas again.

Lucas sighed happily.

Joe touched the cut with the tip of his fingers.

"Kiss it better?" Lucas asked.

Joe chuckled, but complied.

"Just don't tell A.J.," Lucas begged.

"Never. I'll keep our happiness secret. It's our treasure," Joe said.

"I love you so much, Joe. Now that everything's changed between us, I'm the happiest guy on earth. Since I met you, my life became nice. It was nicer and nicer. It was great even when I feared that we'd just be friends," Lucas said.

"You were sad, my shrimp," Joe said.

"I'm not a shrimp," Lucas protested.

"You're my shrimp," Joe retorted, slapping Lucas's buttocks.

Lucas giggled.

"You were sad," Joe repeated.

"I was afraid."

"Um?"

"I was afraid that I'd damaged the good things between us by pushing everything," Lucas admitted.

"Maybe I'm the biggest fool in town, but there's nothing you can do to make me stop loving you. Before tonight I loved you as a friend, but now even if you break my heart, I know that I'll love you until my last breath," Joe said.

"Like you'll always love Claire," Lucas added.

"Yeah... you okay with that?"

"No problem. She was your wife. She's my Mom. You wouldn't be my Joe if your heart was any smaller," Lucas said.

Lucas hugged his lover and their pricks rubbed against each other, making them gasp.

"We should do something about that," Joe chuckled.

Lucas nodded enthusiastically.

"What do you want to do?" Joe asked.

"I want to taste you... Please?" Lucas said.

"Only if I can taste you, too," Joe purred.

Lucas moaned.

Joe wrapped his fingers around Lucas's length and the younger man's prick pulsed.

"I take it you like the idea," Joe said.

Lucas nodded repeatedly.

"Do what you want, try things. The only things you have to keep in mind are not to choke and mind your teeth," Joe said.

"Okay."

Joe moved. Soon enough, they were head to toe on their sides and in a comfortable position to give head to each other.

Joe wrapped his fingers around Lucas again and started licking him.

Lucas decided to imitate what Joe was doing. The shaft in his hand was different from his - a bit longer and thicker. Since Joe's tongue felt so good on himself, Lucas decided to try that. The first lick made Lucas whimper; the head was so soft and the taste was so... Joe - Lucas could taste Joe's soap and the muskiness that was uniquely Joe.

Lucas mirrored Joe's moves and enjoyed this new experience.

Joe had much more experience, so he was able to easily deep-throat Lucas, but Lucas's enthusiasm made up for his lack of skill.

Joe made Lucas come first, swallowing eagerly everything his lover had to give.

When Lucas recovered, he resumed his own moves and Joe melted under him - he melted until he exploded into Lucas's mouth.

Joe shouted his lover's name.

Lucas felt incredibly proud to be able to do that to the man he loved.

Lucas swallowed most of Joe's white load. Joe licked the faint trail that escaped Lucas's mouth, right before he claimed Lucas's lips in a soul-searing kiss.

Lucas was panting, but grinning.

"Liked it?" Joe asked.

"Hell, yeah," Lucas said.

Joe laughed softly.

"Love you," Joe said.

"I love you, Joe."

Lucas snuggled closer and yawned.

Joe held him as close as possible, and both fell asleep.

Dawn woke Joe up.

He was spooning Lucas. They were naked on the covers.

Joe grinned and fell asleep again.

Half an hour before their clock rang, they both stirred.

"Morning, Baby," Joe said, kissing Lucas's neck and shoulder.

"Morning, my Love."

Lucas looked at Joe with so much love in his eyes that Joe felt himself grinning stupidly.

"Fun in bed or naughty shower?" Joe asked.

"Why not both?" Lucas answered cheekily.

Joe chuckled warmly, the sound reverberating down to Lucas's heart.

"Suits me," Joe said.

They arrived at the store right on time.

Elijah, Mark and Eddie were waiting for them to open the door.

"Maybe we could ask Elijah to close the store next Saturday," Lucas suggested as Joe parked the car.

Their relationship was brand new, but they'd been living together for years and Joe knew what his shrimp had in mind.

If they wanted not to be disturbed, they'd have to plan a weekend out of town.

"We're going to need you this weekend," Joe told Elijah.

The older man smiled happily.

"What are you planning?" Mark asked Lucas.

"We don't know yet," Lucas answered.

"We," Eddie teased his friend.

"Eddie," Joe sniggered, "work!"

"Aye, aye, Boss number one. Whatever you're planning with Boss number two is none of our business," Eddie said.

The exchange was completely lost on Mark.

"I'll make coffee," Lucas announced.

Eddie and Mark did what they had to do before they opened the store. Elijah joined them after a short talk with Joe.

Lucas was still making coffee when Berko came in.

"Boo!" Berko whispered in Lucas's ear.

Lucas jumped and squeaked.

Berko laughed softly.

Lucas faced his friend and Berko looked at him, tilting his head.

"Happy?" Berko asked gently.

"Does it show?" Lucas wondered.

"You're a bit stiff and you're both grinning," Berko said.

Lucas blushed.

"It's cool, man," Berko said.

"Thanks," Lucas said. "Coffee?"

"Yeah!" Berko answered.

Lucas looked at Joe, who was sitting at his desk. They smiled at each other.

The gang was really astounding.

There was some fun when Corey, A.J., Gina, Debra and Warren arrived in the afternoon.

First of all, Warren was sporting a splendid black eye and Gina was taking care of him.

"What happened?" inquired Joe.

"The cretin who bugged and insulted me came back for more, and Warren arrived just as he was calling me names," Gina said.

"So I punched the asshole," Warren added.

Joe groaned.

"It was very cute, but Warren was a bit too small to face that toad alone," Debra said.

"How did you settle the situation with the punk?" Joe asked.

"Deb had another of those inspired moments," A.J. said, chuckling.

Debra tried to glare, but she was smiling too much for it to work properly.

"It's true that since Warren came back to the store, you've had some brilliant moments and quite a handful of great lines," Corey declared.

"She told that guy she knew pretty Goth boys who'd be delighted to cut off and make him eat his balls," Gina said.

"It was... motivation to make him retreat," A.J. said, chuckling.

"It's true that I am inspired," Debra conceded, grinning.

"You're not inspired," Gina intervened as she was looking for something to put on Warren's eye. "You're in love."

Debra grinned.

Gina laughed softly, but it was clear that it wasn't to make fun of Debra.

"There's nothing left in the first aid kit; I'll go and shop for something for his eye," Gina said.

She grabbed her bag and was gone.

Warren was grinning stupidly.

They all chuckled at his expense, but he didn't see it.

"Say, Joe, could I leave before dinner next Saturday?" Debra asked.

"I won't be here that day. If Elijah can replace you, there's no problem. Got a date?" Joe asked.

Debra grinned again. "Yeah, if it's okay with you, we've planned something."

"Why is no one telling me who you're seeing?" Warren interrupted her.

Joe rolled his eyes.

"It's Jane I'm seeing," Debra said.

"Oh," was all Warren said.

After several seconds of silence, they all looked pointedly at Warren.

"What?!" he growled. "I did a couple of stupid things, but I'm not an idiot. Besides, you can't choose for whom you fall, right?"

Debra traded a look with Corey, and both girls pecked Warren's cheeks in synch.

Warren blushed.

"Am I right?" Warren asked again, very softly and pointedly looking at the floor.

"Yeah, you're right," Joe said.

"I heard the kid fought for his lady," Berko said as he came into the break room.

"Hey!" Warren protested.

"Well, you did," Corey stated.

Warren blushed.

"Third injury. Let's hope we're good now," Lucas said as he joined them.

"How's your eyebrow?" Debra asked Lucas.

"Almost healed," Lucas answered.

"Did someone kiss it better?" A.J. teased his friend.

"A.J.," Joe growled.

"I know... Work!" the young man said, rushing to the store to see where he was needed.

"Did you?" Debra teased Joe.

Joe decided to play with her.

"Did I what?" he asked.

"Did you kiss it better?" she insisted.

"Do you think that's the kind of thing I'd do?" Joe asked.

"Yeah," Debra snorted.

Joe felt one corner of his mouth rise involuntarily.

Lucas's blush had provided an answer to the gang long ago.

"Brat," Joe said in a chuckle.

"I love you, too," Debra said.

She went to give a quick hug to her boss and she said, "I'll go ask Elijah if he can help me."

Joe nodded.

The store was buzzing with activity, so they all went back to where they were needed.

Lucas smiled at his lover, and Joe felt like entrusting the store to their closers for the day and go back home with Lucas.

Gina took care of Warren and she started working.

After two hours of work, Warren went to see Joe, who was working with Lucas.

"Uh... Boss," Warren said softly.

"What do you need?" Joe asked.

"Could I work more?" Warren begged.

Joe and Lucas started worrying instantly.

"Do you need money?" Lucas asked.

"Can we help you?" Joe asked.

Warren waved frantically. It showed that he was clearly moved. "No... You don't get it."

"Gina?" Joe suggested.

Warren blushed crimson. "Well, and there's no one home waiting for me. I'd rather be here. With you all,' he said.

"You can only work part-time, you know it," Lucas said.

"But the use of the couch is free," Joe added.

"I can stay here, then?" Warren asked.

"What are your parents doing?" Joe inquired.

"Mom shops all the time, and Dad is always at his office or traveling. It's a miracle if I see them both once a week," Warren said.

"Then you're better here," Lucas said.

"You know... about Gina," Joe's voice trailed off.

"I know I don't stand a chance, but I'm happy to be near her. It'll have to be enough," Warren said.

Lucas paled a bit. Warren's resignation was too close to what Lucas had been through these past years.

Joe cleared his throat; he was uncomfortable with the whole situation.

"The couch is a great place to do your homework," Lucas said.

"Thanks. For everything... and for not making fun of me," Warren said.

Warren left the office and went to sit on the couch.

"Lucas," Joe called.

The younger man stood up and went to Joe's side of the desk.

Joe pointed at something on Warren's file.

"He's turning sixteen in two weeks," Lucas said.

Joe nodded.

"We'll have to leak the info to the gang," Lucas said.

"You're reading my mind," Joe chuckled.

"I know you well," Lucas said softly.

Joe grabbed Lucas's T-shirt to make Lucas lean towards him, and he stole a quick kiss.

"What have you planned for our first weekend?" Lucas asked.

Joe smiled.

He smiled, but remained silent.

Lucas grinned.

Joe had the strange feeling that Lucas was blooming in his arms.

Joe would not admit it aloud before many years - a decade sounded good, actually - but Lucas had always been a good kid.

He was becoming a fine man now.

Now that they shared the same bed as lovers, Lucas was becoming stronger.

On Saturday morning when Joe woke up, he felt his heart start beating faster... Lucas was still asleep in his arms and the most astounding, angelic smile was still gracing Lucas's silky lips.

Joe remembered what those pretty lips could do and suddenly Joe's normal morning arousal took a more sexual turn, and he groaned.

Lucas rubbed his cheek on his lover's shoulder and he opened his sleepy eyes.

There was so much love in Lucas's eyes that Joe's arousal pulsed with need and made him groan again.

Lucas was a speedy learner and he identified the need behind the sound. He slithered into a better position, licked his fingers and wrapped his warm hand around Joe's throbbing length.

Within two minutes, Joe was coming all over Lucas's hand and on his own stomach. When Lucas licked him clean, he groaned once more and started becoming aroused again.

Lucas moved between Joe's legs, kissed his lover's shaft, placed his chin on Joe's thigh and looked at his lover adoringly.

"Breakfast or shower first?" Lucas asked.

Joe grinned, shook his head and said, "Naughty bath."

Lucas blushed and kissed Joe's thigh.

"It takes time to draw a bath," Lucas said, pretending to pout.

Joe's grin was sexy and feral as he purred, "Let me show you what we can do while the pretty bubbles are being made."

Later, Lucas wondered how he hadn't broken the side of the tub while he grabbed it as he leaned on it as Joe prepped him and then took him.

Joe preferred being face to face, but when Joe took him doggie-style, Lucas loved it a lot too, because it allowed Joe to go much deeper and Lucas felt owned.

Lucas told Joe all that while the bathtub was being filled. Lucas ended up well fucked and with a hickey in a weird place.

The lovers knew that the bathroom would become one of their favorite rooms very soon.

They left their tub only when there was no more hot water and they looked like well-marinated old prunes.

Fixing breakfast led to more kissing and gentle caresses.

"Thanks," Lucas said softly.

"What for, Darling?" Joe inquired.

The endearment nearly made Lucas cry. The young man knew just what it meant for Joe - that it was one of those words Joe said only to those he loved. When Joe took care of Lucas with Claire, 'darling' was a word Joe had used only for his ex-wife; Lucas had been 'sweetie', (in the beginning, when Joe was taming Lucas), 'baby' (when Joe was in a teasing mood) or 'Shrimp' (that one came naturally to Joe - and Lucas had to blame Elijah for the occasional 'Matchstick' teasing).

Joe gave his Shrimp a tender kiss because he knew Lucas knew what the word meant to him.

Lucas grinned and finally said, "I'm happy that we're not working this weekend. I need to be near you."

"Last week must have stressed you and we have a lot of hard work ahead. We need a treat," Joe declared.

"When do we leave?" Lucas asked.

"After breakfast, so no one comes to bother us. We're going somewhere that's just a one-hour drive away. We can't check in before 3 this afternoon, but I thought that we could have another picnic somewhere and stop the car in a wood and just enjoy a quiet day," Joe said.

"Heaven," Lucas whispered.

Joe's small smile was somewhat enigmatic, but Lucas didn't question his lover. Joe spoke only when he was ready to do so.

They got dressed, packed one small bag for their two days out of town, drove to buy their picnic and left town.

They went back to the quiet spot Joe had discovered, and they enjoyed the perfect quiet.

When they could finally check in, Joe drove them to Plainfield.

Joe looked at Lucas and explained, "We got lucky in fact. I phoned that B&B - a tip I got from Elijah - to get a reservation for next month."

"Next month?"

"A surprise for you, but now I have something else in store," Joe chuckled. "Anyway, Elijah had warned me that they take reservation only two weeks in advance. I started talking with the owner, asking him if we would be an issue. We talked a lot, and he ended up telling me they'd had a cancellation for this weekend, and we could have the John Philip Sousa Suite if we wanted."

"Suite?"

Lucas was gaping and blinking.

Joe chuckled and said, "I want to spoil you."

"I love you so much!" Lucas said, deeply moved.

Joe reached the B&B.

"You are spoiling me, my love," Lucas said.

They looked at each other and it was clear that they needed to check in and go to their room as soon as possible.

It would be one hot weekend.

Luckily, there was no one around, so Lucas took Joe's hand and they walked into the house.

The two owners welcomed them and escorted them to their suite.

"You can have dinner downstairs or use room service," one of the owners said.

Joe expected Lucas to blush crimson because of what the owners implied, but Lucas just smiled warmly and said, "Well, we'll see later."

"That's the spirit, Mr. Calvino," the other owner said.

"Lucas, please," the young man said.

The two owners beamed and Joe chuckled.

Lucas tilted his head.

"He's got a gift for making himself loved," Joe declared.

Lucas noticed that one of the two owners looked as if he wanted to ask him something and Lucas tilted his head again.

"What are you dying to ask?" Joe teased the second owner.

"Pardon my partner in crime, he's the only cat allowed inside the house," the first owner apologized.

"Ask all you want, we can always choose not to answer," Joe chuckled.

Blushing slightly, the curious one of the pair said, "You two just got together. There's magic between you."

The second owner pretended to roll his eyes, but no one was fooled.

"Sort of," Lucas giggled.

Seeing his Shrimp so happy made Joe grin.

"Sort of?" the curious one repeated.

"We've known each other for years," Joe explained.

"But things changed recently," Lucas added.

The two owners smiled warmly and said, "You're very welcome here, and we hope you'll enjoy your stay."

They opened the door of the suite.

Joe piloted Lucas inside and the owners closed the door behind the lovers after telling Joe to call them should they need anything.

Lucas was gaping as much as Warren the moment he first saw Gina.

The suite was absolutely gorgeous and Lucas fell in love with it.

There was a high queen canopy bed. There was a huge comfortable chair in front of a fireplace. A ceiling fan was making the heat of the summer day bearable.

"Joe... it's too much," Lucas murmured.

"Nothing is too much for you, Darling," Joe answered seriously.

There was only a faint trace of the cut above Lucas's eyebrow. Joe reverently kissed it and Lucas leant against his love and lover.

"I love you so, so much," Lucas gasped, deeply moved.

Joe pecked Lucas's lips and licked them.

Lucas purred and closed his eyes.

"What do you want to do?" Joe asked softly.

"You," Lucas answered instantly. He realized what he'd said and blushed.

Joe chuckled and asked, "Bed, carpet by the fireplace, or bathroom?"

"Bed," Lucas answered.

"It looks..." Joe's voice trailed off.

"Fluffy?" Lucas suggested.

"Comfortable," Joe said.

Lucas chuckled.

Joe retrieved lube and condoms from their bag and they undressed each other.

Lucas caressed Joe's chain bracelet, his necklace and his earring. Lucas snaked one hand around Joe's neck and invited him to lean down towards him so he could suck his pierced earlobe.

Joe groaned and danced them to the bed.

Joe teased Lucas's nipples.

"Feels nice," Lucas purred.

Joe laughed softly and said, "Maybe you'd like a piercing." Joe instantly felt Lucas's arousal pulse very eagerly against his stomach. "My, my, Lucas... You seem to like the idea."

"Would it be... Would you like that?" Lucas panted.

Joe kissed Lucas deeply, still teasing the younger man's nipples.

"It could be interesting," Joe conceded.

They settled in bed, and Joe let Lucas do what he wanted with him.

Lucas maneuvered them until Joe was in the middle of the bed, and then Lucas latex-wrapped Joe's arousal, added a good dose of lube and impaled himself on Joe's shaft.

Lucas had closed his eyes; he was panting as if he'd run the marathon, and he'd thrown his head back. It was such a sexy sight that Joe almost reached orgasm then and there.

Lucas rode his lover, slowly at first, and then faster and faster and harder.

The hands Joe had placed on Lucas's hips moved - one caught Lucas's hand, intertwining their fingers together and the other reached for Lucas's arousal.

Joe came first, and the sight of his lover under him made Lucas surrender to his body.

Lucas had happily collapsed on Joe, who moved them to cuddle Lucas and get rid of the condom.

They held each other lovingly.

"Heaven," Lucas whispered.

"Heaven is a future with you by my side," Joe answered.

Lucas's heart melted.

Spending his life in Joe's arms was the best thing possible.

His life was entirely perfect now and he just knew he was heading towards heavenly perfection.

End of the beginning of Joe and Lucas's adventures