Josh opened the door to find Lance leaning against the wall opposite his door. Water was dripping off him from the storm outside. His head was lowered, but when Josh opened the door he looked up. That is what caused the gasp to fall from Josh's lips. He wasn't prepared for the sight before him. The bruise along Lance's cheek was visible even in the dim light of the hallway.The cut on his bottom lip still bled. Josh stood in shocked silence for a moment. He kept wondering if he was in fact still in his bed asleep dreaming that Lance was here, but he knew this was no dream. He knew that just from Lance's appearance. Finally, he reached out and motioned for Lance to come inside, but Lance did not move closer. Lance looked as if he were frozen. Josh stepped out into the hallway, and moved in front of Lance. Lance looked up and sighed. "I shoudn't have come here." "I'm glad you came here, Lance." Josh leaned against the wall next to Lance taking his hand. "My coming here will only cause you trouble." Lance looked down at the hand that held his. "I didn't know where else to go, Josh." "Well, you came here." Josh motioned towards his apartment. "You want to come inside?" Lance glanced over, and nodded his head slowly. "I guess we should." Josh walked into his small apartment turning back towards the hallway. Lance still stood where he had left him. He smiled and motioned him in. "Lance, come in here. I'll get you some dry clothes." Lance finally moved away from the wall at those words. He walked inside the small one room and stood in the doorway watching Josh as he rummaged through a dresser drawer. Josh finally pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Josh walked over to Lance, and handed him the clothes. "Thanks, Josh." "Go change in there. I'll wait for you out here." Lance nodded as he walked over to the bathroom. Josh put some water on to boil. He wanted to know what had happened to make Lance show up on his door step, but he didn't want to ask. He hoped Lance would tell him. When Lance came back out the bathroom drying his hair with a towel, he smiled at Josh briefly. "I feel better. Thanks." "Stop thanking me. I want to help you." Josh paused as he looked down at the floor. "I didn't want to leave the club tonight. He made me leave, Lance." "I know that. It is the way he is, but I left him, Josh," Lance whispered. "I can't let him hurt me anymore. I can't let him control me anymore. I know that is not what love is like. It can't be." "No, it isn't, Lance. Love can be great. If it is with the right two people." He paused as he took the water off the stovetop. "Can I ask you something?" Josh sat down on the floor in front of his bed. Lance nodded as he sat down next to him. "Why'd you stay with him?" Lance was silent for a few minutes. sighing, he leaned back against the bed. "Joe was there for me when no one else was. He helped me out of a tight spot, and I felt like I owed him at first. Then when I tried to leave I couldn't." "Did you want to leave him?" Once again Lance was silent. When he spoke, it was barely a whisper. "I tried to, Josh. It's hard to leave him. You just don't leave Joe." Lance looked down at his hands. "You did tonight, Lance. You left him. You're here with me now." Lance looked up smiling. "Yeah, I am. I like being here with you." Josh put his arm around Lance's shoulders. "I like having you here, but what about ...?" Lance leaned his head on Josh's shoulder. "Joe will not let me go, Josh. He will come after me, and what he did tonight to me will be nothing compared to what he will do when he finds me." Josh reached for Lance's hand. "Lance, you're going to be okay. I'm here with you now, and I will not let anyone hurt you ever again." Lance looked up confused. "Why though? I mean you barely know me, but you take me in. Give me your clothes. You don't have to do any of it." Josh smiled. "Call it love. The first night I saw you, I fell, and I fell hard. Now that you're here, I am not going to let you go unless you want me to." Lance shook his head. "I came here cause I knew there was something about you, and I wanted to find out what, but Joe will find us here." "Not if we aren't here for him to find." Josh stood up, and walked over to closet. He reached in and pulled out a bag. "I have no job to keep me here. Joe took care of that. So let's run away. Joe can't find us if we are gone." Lance stood up and walked over to Josh. He wrapped his arms around Josh's waist from behind. Leaning his head on Josh's back, he whispered, "I'm sorry." Josh turned in his arms and took his chin in his hand. "Stop saying that. I want to be with you. I want to run away with you, so stop apologizing." Josh pressed his lips to Lance's softly before leaving Lance's embrace. He packed quickly as Lance watched on. As day began to break, the two men left the apartment. Lance hoped that wherever they went Joe would not find them. continue menu