HAUNTED MANSION

Chapter 24

** a/n: There probably won't be a double today. Sorry.

********

"You're a little past your curfew, aren't you, Cowboy?" Austin asks as he hurries over to help Adam with the drained spirit.

"Yeah, you might say that." Tim says in a weak voice. "We kinda let the time get by us."

"Did y'all have fun?" Austin asks as they help Tim sit down.

"Let's just say it turned out to be a very interesting night." Adam says, sitting down next to his cowboy and brushing his hair back.

"Interesting? How?" The younger spirit asks.

"Honey, why don't you go rest, I can tell Austin what happened tonight." Adam says, rubbing Tim on the leg.

Tim nods. He just didn't have the energy to stay any longer. He slowly begins to fade. Adam and Austin watch as a small orb of light drift toward the window and exits the house.

"So what happened? Did something happen to Tim?" Austin asks in a worried tone.

"Uh, maybe you ought to sit down, Austin." Adam says as he pats the couch next to him. "I'm not sure how what I'm fixing to tell you will affect you."

** a/n: I will skip the conversation to keep from having to repeat everything. **

Austin drops his head into his hands. But remains silent as he thinks about everything that Adam had just told him.

"Austin? What are you thinking? Talk to me." Adam says as he rubs the younger spirit's back.

"So she thought that I was neglecting her and was only trying to make me jealous?" Austin asks softly as he raises his head. "This is all my fault, Adam. I was too busy trying to impress everyone and neglected the one person that loved me the most."

"And she still loves you. She's been paying for her mistake all this time." Adam says sadly.

"I have too." Austin nods.

"I know." Adam sighs as the brushes back the young spirit's hair. "I'm so sorry."

~~

Adam gets ready for bed, leaving Austin with his thoughts as he sat on the couch.

The blonde walks out on the balcony of his bedroom and looks down at the tombstone underneath the tree.

"Hurry back, Sweetheart. He needs you." Adam says. "I love you." He adds blowing a kiss.

Just after sunrise, Austin feels someone sit down next to him on the couch, bringing him out of his thoughts. Thinking it was Adam, he glances around, his eyes meeting the sympathetic brown eyes of the older spirit.

"I'm so sorry, Kid." Tim says in a soft voice, pulling the red-headed man into his arms.

"You saw it all happen didn't you." Austin says as he held on to the cowboy for comfort.

"Yeah." Tim nods. "But I had no idea what her intentions were that night. I also saw you fall. But there was no way that I could have helped."

"I know." Austin sighs.

Adam watched from the stairs. He had come down to check on Austin and was surprised to see his lover back so early. The blonde smiles as he sits down on the stairs. They may be as different as night and day and fight like dogs and cats but when one is hurting the other is there.

Adam soon realized that he was being watched. The eyes of his ghostly boyfriend were staring at him. The blonde put his finger to his lips receiving a wink from his lover. He knew Austin needed Tim's attention more than he did at the moment, so he quietly slips to the kitchen to make himself a pot of coffee.