CRDP case files

Case of: Big Top Horror

Chapter Ten: Freaks like us

XXXXX

A/N: thanks to all those that are reading. For the person who asked,
the song a couple chapters back, the one that Adir Shen danced to in
the bar was "Darling Nikki – by Prince". This story is completed and
will be updated hopefully twice a week until it's all posted.

XXXXX

Gunther hissed as something hard slammed into him, breaking his

concentration and knocking the wind out of him. He looked up as the
tree limb above him exploded with a huge bang. Showering bits of
wood and leaves down upon them. Once his vision cleared Gunther
looked up, reaching up to touch the bloody wound on Archer's face.
Suddenly a huge sob racked his body as he threw his arms around the
man.

"Hush, it's gonna be ok." Archer said pulling the kid up slightly. Adir
dropped down next to them, his eyes showing concern for his friend.
He hurt, his body was achy and burned where the fire had hit his back.

"Gunny." Adir said scooting closer to him. Closing his eyes, he

realized suddenly why the energy was here, and what it wanted.
Crawling towards his friend, he looked up at Archer. "Let me have
him."

"Adir?" Archer asked seeing the boy's eyes, were nearly black. Adir
reached out, gently pulling Gunther from Archer's arms. Gunther
came easily, reaching out to make sure he didn't hurt Adir in any way.

"I love you Gunny, you know that right?" Adir asked, seeing the kid
look at him confused. Gunther nodded, leaning slightly to rest his
forehead against Adir's. "Then trust me."
 "I do." Gunther said leaning back slightly when Adir moved to pull
Gunther's knife free of its sheath. He could hear the bad energy rise up
around them, blocking anyone from helping the two boys.

"I am innocent." Adir said looking up to meet Gunther's eyes. "Not in

body, but in spirit and mind."

Gunther watched as Adir shrugged off his coat, placing the blade
against his forearm, the boy cut a six-inch gash into his arm. Blood
spilled out; Adir gave a small pained cry.

"God damn it, Adir what the fuck are you doing?" Mercer hissed
trying to get to his lover. He didn't know what was happening, but he
wasn't going to stand here and watch the boy hurt himself. He could
also see that Archer wasn't doing much better.

"And you my Gunny, are innocent in body, but not in mind." Adir said
reaching for Gunther's arm. Gunther held out his arm, showing the
soft forearm to his friend. "The blood of the innocent, that was spilled
here all those years ago in the pain of death, will be countered by the
blood of the innocent spilled here today willingly."

Adir cut Gunther's arm, hearing the kid cry out as he made the mark.
He could hear the others screaming at them, could hear Archer's
animalist screams over the deafening sounds of the swirling energy.
Reaching out to grab Gunther's arm he pressed their wounds together,
letting the blood drip down their arms and onto the ground between
them. They watched as the darkness moved up the blood, seemly
sucking at the wounds on the boys' arms.

"Shen." Gunther said softly his eyes glossy from the pain.

"I know. It is ok." Adir said smiling sadly. "Sometimes sacrifices like
this have to be made."

"I know." Gunther said letting his eyes close, as darkness

overwhelmed him.

XXXXX
Mercer glanced from the rising sun to his lover that was sitting against
him. Adir's arm was wrapped tightly in a cloth, and the boy was
staring almost blankly at the horizon. He glanced over at Archer who
had his arms around Gunther, the kid's arm also wrapped in a cloth. In
the time it took for the energy to consume the blood from the boy's,
both Archer and Mercer had nearly gone nuts. Then suddenly it was
over, and Adir and Gunther were free. The fresh blood of the innocent
spreading out and made the energy dissipate.

"Stop thinking about it, love." Adir said, his voice barely above a
whisper.

"I can't." Mercer said feeling another shutter rack his body. "I thought
I lost you."

"I would never leave you with out saying goodbye." Adir said trying
to shift against the man he loved, but found his body just wouldn't
cooperate. "I lost a lot of blood."

"I know, but Jade said both you and Gun would be ok." Mercer said
his arms tightening around his lover's limp form. Adir didn't even have
the strength to lift his arms let alone move. Mercer glanced at Archer
again who was watching Adir, his eyes were sad.

A single tear slipped down Archer's face, before the man turned back
to the horizon, where the sun, was almost up over. Glancing down at
the pale face of his mate, Archer tightened his hold. Being forced to
watch what happened he had lost something deep inside of himself.
He wasn't sure what it was, but he knew it could never be recovered.

Gunther groaned, muttering in his sleep before another soft moan

escaped him. He knew the kid was exhausted physically. He glanced
at Adir again, knowing his ward was both physical and emotional
drained. Again he turned back to the rising sun. Even as the first rays
of dawn hit them, Archer felt no warmth.

"Archer." Casimir said softly indicating the small group of people

walking towards them. Archer could see Mo, Terrance, and Carlos.
 "Thank you." Mo said quietly letting his gaze scan the four before
moving onto the rest of the team. He let his gaze come back to Adir
and Gunther, looking between the young boys. He shook his head,
tears filling his eyes.

"They're gonna be ok." Archer said his voice slightly flat. He wasn't
sure what he felt about the situation anymore, and was too tired to
give a shit.

"I am very sorry for your loss." Carols said softly, seeing Mercer, Adir
and Archer look up at him. He smiled sadly, knowing that for as long
as the boys lived; they would never be able to put what happened
behind them.

"Not as sorry as we are for your loss." Adir whispered. "I want to go
home Merc."

"Me too kitten." Mercer said, standing with the boy in his arms. He
watched as Archer also stood, keeping Gunther tightly in his arms.

"I'll drive one." Braxton offered, seeing Jacy nod.

"And I'll get the other." Casimir said leading the way towards the
truck. He opened the door letting Archer slip into the back with
Gunther. He looked over seeing Braxton was doing the same for
Mercer and Adir. Getting in, he glanced back at his boss.

"Just get us home." Archer said sighing as he sat back. Closing his
eyes he kept his arms tight around Gunther knowing the boy wouldn't
likely wake up.

XXXXX

Archer stretched, letting his eyes fall onto Gunther's back. He could
see the kid's movements were slightly sluggish, even though the
wound on his arm was pretty much healed. It was Adir's wound that
had them worried, and how lethargic the boy had become in the last
two days.
 "BRAXTON!" Came a high-pitched voice, and suddenly something
went through him, making the man's steps filter slightly.

"Damn Wilber, don't do that." Braxton said grinning, at his pale see-
through lover standing in front of him.

"I missed you all." Wilber said bouncing slightly on his feet. He
glanced at Adir and Mercer before, looking at Gunther. "It was very
lonely here, while you were all gone."

"I know." Braxton said softly. He walked away, moving to unpack the
trucks. Wilber looked at Adir, who was pale and withdrawn.

"Adir?" Wilber said softly taking a step towards the boy.

"Sleep." Adir whispered nearly falling into Mercer's arms.

"What's wrong with him?" Wilber said in a panicked voice. His eyes
wide as, he took another step towards his friend. "Adir?"

"He's drained, physically and psychically." Mercer said hefting the

boy up into his arms. "And emotionally shattered."

"What?" Wilber asked following after the man and Adir.

"Gun?" Archer said, seeing the kid turn to him.

"I'm tired Arch, all I want to do is drop into bed." Gunther said. "Can't
the physical wait?"

"That's not what I want." Archer said reaching out to touch him.
"Come on look at me."

"I hurt you." Gunther said refusing to look up at Archer; he knew that
the mark was almost gone. But it hurt him to know he had cause pain
to his teammates.

"That doesn't matter." Archer said cupping the kid's chin. He forced
Gunther to look up at him, seeing the look of completely devastation
in the kid's eyes. "What matters is that you're ok."
"I need to sleep, please?" Gunther said pulling away. Archer nodded,
watching the kid leave the garage. He turned back to Casimir who was
pulling the gun bags out.

"He gonna be ok?" Casimir asked stopping in what he was doing.

"I think so, how are you feeling?" Archer asked seeing the man shrug.

"I feel drained, but not half as drained as those boys." Casimir said
watching, as Archer picked up two of the bags leaving only one for
him. Picking it up he followed after him. "How about you? You
haven't said much."

"Honestly?" Archer asked setting the bags down to pull out his keys to
open the weapons cage. He saw Casimir nod at him. "I feel empty and
numb."

"That's not good." Casimir said. "Let me do this, why don't you go lay
down?"

"Sure." Archer said handing Casimir his keys, and turning to leave the
room. He made his way up towards the living quarters, stopped to see
Wilber and Braxton were talking. After a second he continued on his
way, stopping at Gunther's door to knock softly. He didn't hear
anything from inside. Pushing the door open he saw that Gunther was
lying on the bed still fully clothed with his shoes on.

Walking in he quietly shut the door, moving over he pulled off

Gunther's shoes. Turning the kid over he heard him mutter, seeing the
kid's eyes open. "Hey."

"Hey." Archer said pulling back the stark white sheets and blanket,
and shifting Gunther so he was under them.

"Lay with me?" Gunther asked quietly barely auditable to a normal

person. Archer nodded, needed to have someone close to him at that
moment. Pulling his shoes off, he climbed under the whiteness, hating
the color. Somehow it clashed with the rest of the room. "Thank you,
hold me?"
"Of course." Archer said pulling the kid closer. Gunther snuggled in,
his eyes closing as he sighed and laid his head on Archer's chest.

"I love that sound." Gunther muttered half asleep.

"What sound?" Archer asked wondering if he should have insisted on

a physical.

"Your heartbeat, the way it beats." Gunther said yawning slightly

before closing his eyes again. After a few minutes Archer new the boy
was asleep and closed his eyes.

XXXXX

"Adir?" Wilber asked waving a transparent hand in front of the boy's

face.

"What Wilber?" Adir asked letting his eyes focus on the boy.

"How are you feeling?" Wilber asked, letting his gaze scan down to
where Jacy was removing the stitches from the boy's arm.

"Fine Wilber." Adir replied smiling slightly.

"But you are still so lethargic." Wilber said glancing at the doctor.
"Jacy is he really ok?"

"Yep." She said, grinning at the ghost.

"I need sex." Adir muttered, seeing them both look at him with raised
eyebrows.

"And that's a problem?" Wilber asked. "I don't recall after being
separated from you that Mercer lacked doing that."

"Oh but since coming back from Iowa, he has held me and that is it."
Adir said softly. "He is afraid that I was hurt, and am still too drained
to indulge in that."

"Oh." Both Jacy and the ghost muttered.

 "And Gunny? He has been down?" Adir asked looking at the doctor.
Jacy nodded, letting her gaze run over the small pink scar that was
left. "And how is he?"

"He's fine." Jacy said reaching up to brush a stand of hair from Adir's
face. "Adir have you used your powers at all since getting back?"

"No." The boy replied looking at her.

"But you weren't even possessed this time, why haven't you bounced
back?" Jacy asked getting up to get another scanner. Walking back she
sat down next to the boy, looking up to meet his purple blue eyes with
a smile. "Lie back for me ok?"

"Ok." Adir said laying back and closing his eyes. He was quiet as Jacy
scanned his brain, and was even quiet as she marked his readouts. He
could tell by the flicking of her tongue that something wasn't quite
right. But he lay still, until he dozed, that was until he heard Mercer's
voice.

"Are you sure?" Mercer asked glancing at his lover's sleeping form.

"As sure as I can be, there's a small spot of dark energy. It's shrinking
dramatically as we speak, but that's the reason he's been so tired." Jacy
said glancing over to see Adir was watching them. Mercer followed
her gaze, seeing the boy was looking at them.

"Should you be talking to Archer? He is my guardian." Adir said

softly.

"We already talked to him, Shen. He's working on getting Gunther

down here so we can scan him." Jacy said watching as Mercer crossed
the small space to Adir. Sitting down on the bed beside the boy, he
reached out to gently touch Adir's head.

"Shen, kitten, why didn't you say anything?" Mercer asked, seeing the
boy look at him.

"And what was I to say? That there is dark energy trying to eat my
brain?" Adir asked rolling away from his lover. He curled into a ball.
He knew that he had blocked this information from Mercer, but there
wasn't anything anyone could do. It just had to run its course. "And
there is no spot on Gunther, I can guarantee that."

"You can?" Mercer asked, not sounding convinced. He watched as

Adir turned to look back at him, the boy's eyes were so tired.

"Yes I can. I was there, I kept it from him." Adir said, as Archer and
Gunther entered the room. They were arguing, but that was par for
them since coming back a week ago.

"I don't want to do this, and get your hands off me." Gunther hissed,
stopping when he saw Adir in the bed. "Shen are you ok?"

"I am fine." Adir replied.

"Gun, we just want to do a quick scan, if you would just sit down and
hold still for a minute." Jacy said seeing the kid nod his head as he sat
down. Jacy moved to stand behind him, working the scanner up and
over his head. Gunther let his eyes close. He had been tired the last
week, but no worse then the time after the graveyard.

"Nothing, his scan is clean." Jacy said looking at them.

"See I told you." Adir replied with a sigh. "May I now go?"

"Sure." Jacy said watching as the boy pulled himself from the bed.
Mercer followed after him, not letting the boy get to far ahead of him.

"Did you want something?" Adir asked stopping outside his room to
look up at his lover.

"I want to be with you." Mercer said reaching out to cup the boy's
head. He could see that Adir was warring with himself.

"I want you," Adir said moving to him; he wrapped his arms up
around Mercer's neck. "I want you to make love to me."
 "I can do that." Mercer muttered against the boy's lips. He felt his
body's response to Adir's gentle light kiss, and couldn't stop the moan
that escaped him.

"You taste like cigarettes." Adir said pulling back. "I thought you
stopped doing that?"

"I smoke when I'm worried." Mercer admitted. It wasn't like he could
lie to the boy. He grinned slightly seeing Adir raise an eyebrow.
Mercer nearly yelped when the boy grabbed the front of his shirt and
pulled him into the room with a huge smile on his face.

"Come chase the darkness away, love." Adir said kicking the door
closed as his hands went to Mercer's clothing to strip the man down. "I
need you to fill me, and chase the darkness away."

"Ok." Mercer replied feeling something slightly urgent in the boy. His
own hands went to Adir's clothing and in seconds had Adir naked and
pressed to the bed. Adir pulled back, arching his body as a cry escaped
him as Mercer's naked skin came in contact with his.

"Merc." Adir hissed, a moan escaping him as Mercer's hand touched

his flush body. He moaned, when the man's hand wrapped around his
erection. Opening his eyes he reached out, cupping Mercer's cheek.
He shifted, leaning slightly to run his tongue over Mercer's chin
towards the man's slightly open mouth.

Mercer didn't even have time to moan the boy's name as Adir's tongue
invaded his mouth. He moaned loudly, his hand that was wrapped
around Adir's erection squeezing gently. Adir moaned loudly, pulling
back to let his eyes meet his lover's.

"Merc, I need you now. Slowly and gentle." Adir said tears slipping
down his cheek. Mercer nodded, moving to reach into the bedside
drawer to pull out the small tube of lube. Pouring some out onto two
of his fingers, he brought his hand down to Adir's opening.

"I love you." Mercer said, as he slipped a finger into the boy. Adir
cried out at the invasion, his hips lifting up as his head tilted back.
 Another moan escaped him as Mercer gently pushed another finger
into him.

"Merc, god Merc." The boy muttered, a small whimper coming from
him as Mercer started to gently stretch him. "I love you."

Mercer smiled, pulling his fingers free. Then coated his erection in the
lube. He shifted, moving to lean over Adir to catch the boy's mouth
under his. Adir moaned as Mercer pushed into him, his legs wrapping
around his lover's waist, while his arms slipped around Mercer's neck.
He arched up, crying out his lover's name as Mercer's started to rock
in and out of him slowly.

Adir's fingernails dug into Mercer's back, his body rocking against his
lover's. Another cry escaped him, and he moaned when Mercer's hand
slipped down to cup his butt. He could hear the man's loving voice
telling him he loved him over and over again making tingly warmth
spread out over Adir's body, as the man stimulated his prostate.

"God!" Adir cried out, clawing at Mercer's back and shoulders as

orgasm took him. He arched back, his mouth opened and his eyes
rolled back. Mercer continued to push into the boy, a smile finding his
face as he watched Adir's pleasure wash over him. He could feel his
own orgasm coming, but fought to hold it back as long as possible.

"Adir!" Mercer cried out, using the boy's first name. He pushed
impossibly deep into the boy's body as he released inside of his lover.
His hands tightened on Adir's soft hips to keep the boy tightly around
him. Adir groaned again his nails still digging into Mercer's shoulders.

"I feel so much better." Adir whispered hearing his lover laugh
slightly.

"Me too." Mercer said shifting to his side. He grabbed a handful of

tissues to clean his lover off, and himself. Tossing the used tissues into
the garbage Mercer pulled the boy close again.
 "Love you." Adir muttered, slipping almost instantly into sleep.
Mercer grinned pulling the boy close again, as he let sleep claim him
too.

XXXXX

"Please Archer, god stop." Gunther hissed his eyes closed. His hands
tightened in Archer's hair trying to pull the man mouth away from his
engorged heated flesh. Tears slipped down his cheek, god he wished
the man would just stop and leave him alone.

"Gunny." Archer said softly letting the kid's erection slip out of his
mouth. He pulled himself up to eye level with the kid. Leaning
forward slightly he licked at the kid's slightly swollen lips.

"Don't." Gunther said turning his head away.

"Don't pull away, Gun." Archer whispered, he reaching up forcing the

kid to look at him. "Please, let me comfort you."

"I don't want you to comfort me, I don't want you to touch me."
Gunther said softly. He didn't pull away when Archer reached up to
wipe a tear from his cheek.

"Gun." Archer said, seeing the kid shake his head.

"You can't find in me what you lost. I don't know what you want, but
you can't have me." Gunther said reaching out to push Archer back.
Reaching down he pulled his pants back over his erection and button
and zipped them back up. Taking a deep breath he looked at his boss.

"I don't want to find what I lost Gun." Archer said leaning to press
against the kid. He pressed one of his thighs to Gunther's still hard
penis. He watched as Gunther's jaw clinched. "I want you to help me
fill the empty space with you."

"I can't Archer, I can't give you what you want." Gunther said feeling
pathetic. He knew that Archer's strength and speed could easily
overpower him. "If you want it that bad, then you'll have to take it by
force. You'll have to rape me, because I won't give it freely."
Archer jerked back, his eyes wide as he looked at Gunther. There was
no way that he would ever even entertain that idea. There was nothing
in the world that would make him rape his mate. He dropped his eyes
from Gunther, before he finally spoke quietly. "You are my chosen
mate, I am unable to hurt you like that. I would die before I ever raped
you."

"I don't want to be your chosen mate. I'm not gay, and I'm tired of you
using my body to get what you want." Gunther said shifting. "I like
women, I like breasts."

Archer didn't say anything, his eyes on the kid. He could see that
Gunther was waiting for him to reply, but what should he say? What
possibly could he say to convince Gunther otherwise? He could also
see that Gunther wasn't done, and braced himself for what was next.

"What, Nothing to say? No witty comeback about how you own me?
How the inevitable will come and no matter what, that I can't do
anything about it?" Gunther hissed. "You're an emotionless prick, and
I never thought I could hate a person, like how I hate how you touch
me."

"I made you that promise Gunther, that day in the cemetery. No matter
what, you and me together." Archer said reminding the kid of the
promises they made that day. "You made me promise to never leave
you."

"I don't care anymore." Gunther said. "I don't care, because I nearly
killed the only family I have, and I hurt you."

"I'll heal, and you didn't hurt us bad." Archer said.

"Only because Adir warned you." Gunther hissed closing his eyes.
Opening them again, he looked at Archer. "I don't want you to touch
me like that again, like you give a shit. Like I'm special to you."

With that Gunther turned and left the room. Archer watched him go,
his eyes sad. "You are special to me." Archer whispered even though
Gunther didn't hear him. He turned away feeling as if someone had
ripped his heart out. Shaking his head he crossed back to his desk and
dropped down.

XXXXX

"Man did you see that?" Braxton asked after Gunther and Archer had
left the room.

"What? The tension or the barely held hostility?" Mercer asked

reaching out to touch Adir.

"He is broken." Adir said, suddenly the boy was frowning.

"Gun will heal." Mercer replied seeing Adir shake his head.

"Not Gunther, Archer. Archer is broken on the inside." Adir said as he

stood and headed into the kitchen. Mercer watched him go, before
looking back at Braxton and Casimir.

"That's not good." Casimir said. He glanced at Mercer waiting to see

what the man would say.

"What do you want me to do?" Mercer finally asked. "I can't give him
advice, and I'm certainly not gonna go tell him to just let Gun go."

"What about Shen?" Braxton asked softly. "Maybe he could talk to

Gun?"

"I don't know Gun's been rather pissy the last two days." Mercer said
looking up when Adir came back into the room. He watched as the
boy crossed the room towards him, Adir dropped a kiss onto his
lover's lips before moving out of the room.

XXXXX

"My Gunny?" Adir said coming into the shooting range. He let his
eyes scan the area, seeing Gunther was sitting by his computer.
"Gunny?"

"Hum?" Gunther answered, barely looking up from what he was

doing.
 "How are you feeling?" Adir asked moving closer. He could feel the
'don't touch me' vibes that were coming off Gunther in waves.

"Fine." Gunther replied softly, glancing at his friend. As easy as it

would be to fall into Adir's arms, and listen to the boy's wisdom, he
couldn't. Not this time, this time he didn't want to hear about the
inevitable, or stopping what was coming was like standing alone
against a typhoon.

"That is good." Adir said smiling softly. He watched as Gunther sat

down the gun he had been cleaning and looked at him.

"What do you feel?" Gunther couldn't help but ask.

"Sadness, emptiness, betrayal." Adir said softly. "The need to be

loved."

"Love." Gunther snorted. "Not like he wants to love me."

"Would it be so bad?" Adir asked, seeing Gunther look at him sharply.

"Yes." Gunther said shaking his head.

"You are attracted to him, you find his touch arousing." Adir replied,
seeing Gunther just grunt in response. "You can give him your body
without giving all of yourself."

"If I gave in, he'd take what I didn't want to give." Gunther whispered.
He turned, gently reaching out to touch the boy. "I trust Archer, no
matter what I say. I trust him above all else. God knows I've put the
man through enough in the last seven months. But I can't take that
step."

"Ok." Adir replied. He took a step back, an over emotional Gunther

was a very painful Gunther.

"Sorry." Gunther replied dropping his hand.

"It is ok." Adir replied. He watched his friend for a few more minutes
before turning and leaving the room. There wasn't much else he could
do. Walking back to his room, he dropped down onto his bed. Closing
his eyes he wasn't sure what else he could try.

"Kitten?" Mercer said seeing Adir look at him. He could see the boy
was watching him; a sad smile crossed Adir's face as Mercer came
into the room and closed the door.

"It is just as well, those two would just end up tearing each other
apart." Adir said rolling to his side.

"Give them time love." Mercer said lying down behind his lover. He
pulled the boy back against him to wrap his arms tightly around Adir's
form.

"Are you saying that given time, they will except each other?" Adir
asked, entwining his fingers with his lover's fingers.

"I'm saying, in time they will realize that they are connected to each
other. And hopefully stop fighting the attraction that nearly chokes
you when those two are in a room." Mercer said hearing the boy
laugh. Adir just nodded his head, as he snuggled back against his
lover.

"Love you." Adir muttered sleepily.

"Love you too, kitten." Mercer said shifting to pull a blanket over
them. Although he wasn't that tired, he wouldn't turn down the chance
to nap with his lover.

XXXXX

"You can't keep avoiding me." Archer hissed moving to block

Gunther's escape. He saw the kid stop to look up at him.

"I'm not." Gunther said. "I've got work."

"You skipped the last two meetings." Archer said, seeing Gunther
look at him and shrug. "These meetings are important, Gunther. I need
to know you're up to date on this stuff."
"I am." Gunther said, indicating the report he had just handed Archer
not five minutes beforehand.

"I'm tired of reading reports Gun. I want to know how you are doing."
Archer said fighting the need to rip something apart.

"I'm fine." Gunther said, seeing the man look at him.

"Gun please." Archer started, taking a step toward the kid. "Please
give me a chance."

Gunther didn't reply, what was there to say. That he was too scared to
give in, that it hurt him to be here? That the nightmares had come
back, and nothing he did chased them away. He shook his head,
meeting Archer's eyes again before turning and leaving the room.

Case Closed.

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