Jack and Alan from "Cupid Knows" are back! The couple's world is turned upside down by a break-in, and while Alan takes it all in stride, Jack finds himself faced with something he's never dealt with before: fear. When panic attacks start to take hold, Jack decides Alan would be better off with someone "normal" and runs away to his parents' cabin in the woods. With the help of Solid Ground Security Systems, Alan just might convince Jack there's nothing they can't overcome together.
Excerpt
"Babe?"
Jack jerked and snapped his head to the side, spying Alan over his shoulder.
Alan stood hovering just inside their busted front door, wide-eyed and pale-faced. "I called Craig, and we can stay with them until we get things sorted out here. The cops are wrapping up. They're gonna have someone board the door for us."
Jack smirked. The cops. What a farce they were. What had the older one said? This sort of thing happens, you know. Considering your situation. Seems they didn't mind protecting the little old ladies, but when it came to a couple of faggots, the cops had better things to do.
"Was anything stolen?"
Jack shook his head. "I can't tell. There's a footprint on my netbook."
"Aww, babe, I'm sorry." Alan came close and rubbed a hand up and down Jack's back. "C'mon. Let's go. We'll sort this mess out tomorrow."
Jack's attention remained fixed, the weight of reality settling down on him. He'd never felt like a minority -- aside from his father, he had never encountered any extreme anti-gay sentiment. Not to his face, anyway. Though not everyone welcomed him with open arms, most people had been at least polite or professional. "Do you really think they did this because we're gay?"
Alan sighed. "I don't know. There've been a few break-ins in the area over the last year. None of those people were gay, as far as I know." He tugged on Jack's arm. "Come away, babe. Come on. Let's go. It's just stuff. It'll keep 'til tomorrow."
Just stuff. The words twisted like a knife in Jack's heart. Alan didn't mean it -- Jack was certain that if Alan had stopped to think, hadn't been exhausted and upset himself, Alan would have chosen those words more carefully. Just stuff. Of course it was. Stupid of Jack to think otherwise. But taking it all in -- the violation of this, Jack's special place, his sanctuary -- Jack would rather the intruders had held him down and raped him. Would've hurt less.
"Jack?"
Jack sighed. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm coming."
