Dyson sighed. "It would take something bigger than this to break us apart, Xan. This pissed me off, but it's not something that is going to stay with us. I know you were doing what you thought was right, but you were thinking with your mind, not putting yourself in mine. As alike as we are, there are differences. We'll be okay. I just need some time to cool down. The news was like ripping a bandage off a raw wound. Come here." D opened his arms and closed the distance between them.
"Thank God," Xander breathed out as he gripped the back of D's shirt in his fists as he hugged him. "I couldn't stand to lose you."
"You'll never lose me. We've been through too much." D pulled back. "We don't discuss it again, okay?'
"Okay." Xander nodded.
"Now tell me about the team. What's going on back home?" D needed to change the subject if he really was going to let this go.
Xander sat back down, his hand going to his beard and gripping it. "We took some time off after you got caught, but we're back in full swing. Bryon is watching for someone to join us to take your place, but he's not rushing things. Bryon took your arrest hard. So did Carter. He felt like he should have seen it coming, pissed he missed something on the police scanner. It's all eased, but for a while, things were tense. Really, nothing is going on to report. It's just like it was when you were there. We've all been a little more cautious, I think. It hit the team hard when we lost you. Thank fuck that Carter was able to pull off your escape. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't gotten out."
"Tell me about it. You weren't the one sitting in a jail cell wondering if you'd ever see freedom again. Still, even now, I'm paranoid. I almost got arrested again a while back. Jessica, one of our new members, her brother saw me and recognized me. He's a cop. Had me at gunpoint until Jessica talked him down. It's all blown over now, but it was really fucked up when it happened."
"Fuck, you didn't report that to Bryon?" Xander stared at him.
"I don't need to report everything to Bryon now. This is my team. I'm in charge of it. While I'll always turn to Bryon with questions, what happens here is up to me and Jeremy. The two of us decide what happens, who we trust, what we share. Besides, running one team is hard enough. I'm not putting more stress on Bryon's shoulders when he's got enough going on. We're okay here. Jeremy is the best person I could have to help me run the team, and the new members are slowly finding their place."
"Jeremy seems great. You two are serious?" Xander asked.
"Yeah, I love him. Never thought I'd say those words about another man, but I fucking love him. He just makes everything okay. No matter what it is, I turn to him and it's suddenly all okay. He's been through some shit too. I think that helps us understand each other. We've had to create new lives together in the most literal sense of the words. We get what the other is going through. He's just amazing." D laughed. "I sound like Becca talking about Bryon."
"You do sound like a girl, but you know what? I get ya. I was the same way with Matt, I just wasn't that great at expressing it. Faith and Matt changed my life. I hope that things work for you and Jeremy. You need someone in your life." Xander looked out over the yard. "It's nice here. I guess there are worse places you could've ended up."
D snorted. "I'll let you know come December when I'm up to my waist in snow."
"Yeah, winter is going to suck. No offense, but I'll limit my visits to summer." Xander grinned. "Who knows, you might take up skiing or something."
D raised a brow.
"Okay, so maybe not."
D laughed. "It's not bad here. I haven't had a chance to really go out and see the area too much. I'm trying to lay low still, but in time, I hope to get to know the area better. Outside of dump spots, I haven't really been anywhere."
"Yeah, I don't blame you. I thought for sure you'd have your tats covered up by now." Xander nodded to D's biceps.
"Yeah, I need to, but we've been busy, and I'm not sure what I want. I'll get there. Mostly, I've been wearing long-sleeved shirts to cover them up. I couldn't handle the blonde hair though. That was just too much. I'm growing it out. Hopefully, with the small beard and mustache, that will be enough of a change. Things aren't as risky as they were when I first got here. The media's moved on to new stories."
"Thank God. It sucked seeing your face on the news every night." Xander shook his head. "Fuck, that was the worst night of my life."
"Yours?" D laughed. "Try being me. I turned around and saw those cops and was sure my life was over. I figured I'd be continuing STK behind bars. Figured I was already arrested, taking out the pedophiles locked up couldn't hurt."
Xander grinned. "I can so fucking see you doing that. All the ones we couldn't get hold of, you do. Might not be a bad idea. Who do we know that's locked up?"
D shook his head. "Don't get any ideas."
"So you're happy here?"
"Yeah, I am. I was nervous and scared at first, to be honest. I didn't think I could run a team, let alone in a new place. Jeremy helped keep me calm and together we were able to focus. I'm not happy with how it all happened, but the change is what I needed. It's helped me focus, helped me grow up." D smiled. "Jeremy's shown me what was missing in my life."
"Not missing the random hookups?" Xander grinned.
"Not a fucking bit."
"Good. I'm glad. It helps put me at ease. You can ask Matt. I was a wreck when you got arrested. I was ready to bust in and break you out myself somehow."
"I'm glad you didn't. Waiting sucked, but Carter and Bryon came through. It's good to know that they're able to work their magic. I just hope if it ever happens again, they can pull it off again."
"Yeah, me too, but our best bet is not to let it happen again." Xander blew out a long breath. "I'm glad you're happy and okay. I miss the fuck out of you, but at least knowing you're here and safe makes it easier."
