Lena: Ahem, WE'RE BACK! We're not dead, people, don't even hope for it! And we're bringing you another…slightly weird chapter, as usual.

Alex: Is there anything normal with the two of you? *glares both Lena and KD down*

Mathias: heh

Lena: Shuddap! We also have a new beta! *offers Aharah the spotlight*

Aharah Musici: Yo peeps!!! I am their new beta *cough*slave*cough* Soooo don't flame them about bad grammar/syntax etc… Flame me @ [email protected] That also applies if you need/want a beta!!! I love editing it's my passion!!!

KD: *glomps Aharah* Bless you lass! Lena and I both suck big time when it comes to proof reading, so thank you ^^

So as we've said, we're back and we hope that you guys like this long awaited chapter…..that is unless of course you've been waiting for this, and if you had, that's so sad……..HA! I'm kidding, we love our reviewers! Hehehe

Mathias: *shocks KD* She'll be shutting up now ^^

KD: X____x

~~Chapter 7~~

Whisper of an Omen

As the first rays of sunshine tickled Alex's lids, he groaned with displeasure and blinked, quickly waking up and springing to a sitting position. Mat's smaller form was curled up in the sheets beside him, and the boy was still sound asleep, a serene and so peaceful expression frozen on his gentle face. Alex sighted and ruffled his own short, blue hair, falling back into the pillows. The morning after was nothing like he'd had before, it was actually nice, and the man snuggled back to his lover's side.

Mathias shifted slightly when he felt something soft brush against his bare form. He wanted to open his eyes, but his body refused to cooperate, too relaxed and content to care what he had slept next to last night. Alexander nuzzled affectionately on the boy's shoulder, placing small kisses on the smooth skin, while his hands busied themselves by running up and down along Mat's thigh. Not getting any other response but a sleepy giggle, Alex turned his lover on his back and straddled him, poking not too gently at his chest.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty! I need attention, you know." He said half-angrily. Lilac eyes opened, only to glare at the disturber of sleep on the youth's chest. He mumbled something incoherently and tried to roll over, but Alex stopped his attempts.

"Listen, I'm the one who's supposed to be grumpy in the mornings!" Alex chuckled and held Mat's arms down at the wrists, not letting the boy get away so easily. He grinned like a big cat and purred, kissing Mat on the lips with renewed energy and hunger. Sighing deeply from the welcomed, brown sugary kiss, Mat finally allowed himself to awake fully, pinned down by the large body of his new found lover.

"You know, I would have let you sleep in." he said, poking Alex gently on the arm. Alex shook his head with enthusiastic disagreement, continuing kissing down his lover's neck. He found a sensitive spot along Mat's collar bone and sucked gently on the supple skin, eliciting a tiny whimper from the youth.

"I know better things we could do, a lot more fun than sleeping." He whispered seductively.

"Do you ever stop?" Mat asked, moaning lightly at the gentle nips dealt to the pale skin of his throat, until he was purring with ecstasy. He had remembered falling asleep last night together. At first he believed that he was giving himself to the older man only in pity, but the night had proved other wise, and was symbol of the possible love forming between them.

"Don't count on it." Alexander chuckled, proceeding lower to Mat's firm stomach. His skillful tongue flickered playfully on the tempting skin, tracing slow circles, while his teeth grazed now and then to make Mat gasp with surprise. Both their bodies held the scent of sex, and Alex would have never thought that this smell alone could turn him on so quickly.

"O-Okay, we can't do this again, we have to get moving, or is your brain so clouded with last night you can't think?" Mat asked, quirking his brow as Alex traveled lower over his body.

"Oh, I can think alright! Um... Where is it we need to go?" The man mused, all the hopes for morning sex disappearing, unfortunately.

"Simple, we expose Scott for the sick son of a bitch he is, sound good to you?" Mat asked. Alexander instantly paled as the events of last night came rushing back into his conscience, making his insides freeze with horror and aversion. The sight of the rat-hole that jerk lived in resurfaced in his memory, along with sickening images of abused photos of his sister. However, Alex realized that they couldn't just go to the police and tell the cops about it; they would be certainly asked how Mat and he had known this in the first place.

"No, it's not good enough." He answered with a dead voice.

"What? Why not? We show the tattered pictures to someone, even your mother! Surely someone could help us!" Mat demanded, watching as Alex removed himself from his current position and started to dress.

"I'm already in shit up to my ears, and I have no desire of dragging you down with me!" Alex growled, jumping on one leg as he tried to pull the pants on. "Forget I even asked you to help, I had no idea what a sick maniac Scott is. I'd have to figure it out on my own."

Mathias sighed heavily and leaned back into the pillows. He should have known that one suggestion would cause Alex to over react and take it out on him, as was the normal activity between them. Rolling over, he stared out at the morning sky, bright and blue, with the promise of a new day and high hopes, so why couldn't that all work out for him?

"Listen, I'm not going to hold you back, so do as you wish, I was just hoping that you cared enough about me to let me help."

Alex blinked, stopping his already futile attempts of zipping the pant up. He hadn't had time to figure out their relationship yet, and the remark about not caring caught him off guard. Yet, somehow, Alex didn't need to weigh all the pros and cons of admitting his feelings, and the words rolled off his tongue before he had a chance to realize what he was saying.

"I do care about you, damn it! Hell, I think I even love you... I know I love you."

"LOVE ME!??" Mat yelped, bolting straight up in bed and crawling over to Alex, with a quilt wrapped around him. "How, how can you say that? You've known me what… three days, and we fight so much, we're like an old married couple that hates each other!" Alex laughed heartily at the amusing creature Mat was, who was tangled up hopelessly in the bed coverings yet managed to look attractive and desirable. He held the youth by his shoulders and straightened him up, gazing deep into the bright violet eyes.

"Don't ask me, I can't explain it myself. There's only one thing I know for sure, and it's that I would give up my life for you. Isn't that what they call love?"

Mathias looked thoughtful for a moment as he gazed at the strong hands gripping his shoulders. He felt warm all over, but he couldn't understand why such words could make butterflies flutter around his stomach and make his knees feel weak even when he wasn't standing.

"But why would you love me?" He asked. Alex rolled his eyes and pulled the impossible youth into a tighter embrace, inhaling the sweet, tangerine-like scent of his hair. "Must you always ask difficult questions?" He whispered quietly, his hands caressing the boy's delicate back, "I just do; you're the best thing that ever happened to me."

"I don't know what love is, but be patient with me and I know I can learn!" the chestnut haired youth said, trying to hold back sobs as he felt Alex embrace him tighter.

"I know. That's why it scares the crap out of me when I think that something might happen to you. But I'm willing to compromise if you insist on helping me out. Just promise me we'll do it my way, no one else involved till we get some good evidence on the son of a bitch."

Mat nodded, refusing to let Alex go, only to hide his tears to not look weak in front of the taller man. His plans were cancelled when he was pushed away slightly so that Alex was allowed to gaze deeply at him.

"I think I know where to get more information on him," The blue-eyed man said thoughtfully, unwrapping the quilt and getting his lover out of the bed and on to the floor, "There's this club Heather used to hang out with her friends at, and if we hurry, we just might catch her girlfriend. It's early enough... So move it and take a shower...errr...A cold shower, I bet you're sore."

"Yes, very sore in fact." Mat droned pitifully, finally able to feel the full extent of their love making, as small tingles of pain shot up through his lower back. Carefully, and with ease he inched to the door and towards the bathroom to shower off the remains of last night.

Alex sighed and shook his head, never seizing being amused with the youth. He rummaged in Mat's closet, not realizing that the clothes would have to be ironed after his gentle touch, and finally found a sweater big enough to fit him. His own tight top was better off left alone. Fully dressed, Alexander walked to the kitchen with easy, feline grace, snooping in the fridge for anything eatable. Luckily for him, there was some orange juice and pop tarts. Alex dropped four of them in the toaster and filled two glasses with the juice. His cooking skills came to their limit here, however, and Alex waited for his lover to join him.

Meanwhile, Mathias stepped out of the shower, feeling refreshed and at ease, all the tense muscles had been completely washed away by the intense beating of the water against his skin. He quickly rung his hair out and wrapped a towel around his dainty waist before heading to his room to change his clothes. Once dressed, and the bed was made as much as possible, he wandered into the kitchen to find two glasses of orange juice on the table, with the familiar boxed pastries lying next to them.

"Hey, see how much I love you?" Alex groaned with a mouth full of delicious treat, pointing at Mat with remains of his pop tart, "I even made you breakfast!"

"Wow, and you managed to keep my kitchen intact! You must really love me to not burn pop tarts!" Mat joked, sitting next to Alex, and starting to eat the breakfast his odd lover had "cooked".

"Yeah, yeah, you never appreciate anything I do for you." Alex pouted, taking a long sip out of his glass, "But we need to move now, you can eat on the way." He stuffed the pop tart into Mat's mouth and dragged the displeased boy outside. Hopping on one foot in an attempt to get his shoes on, he allowed Alex to drag him out of his apartment, with breakfast in his mouth and trying desperately to grab his keys.

"Hey, can I at least chew it!?" He asked, coughing up bits and pieces of the pastry, while Alex continued to drag him to the elevator.

"Yeah, sorry," the man replied, pushing repeatedly on the button. He was getting anxious for some reason, as if feeling that the time was running out. His time was running out. With the last bits of the treat gone, Mat breathed in steadily and waited for the elevator to reach the floor. Alex, however, was impatiently pressing buttons to make the thing move faster.

"You do know that won't make it go faster, right?" he asked, taking Alex's hand away from the buttons like a small child's, and holding it firmly to cease his juvenile actions. Alex smiled charmingly, catching Mat's hand, and kissed passionately on the inner side of the boy's wrist. Finally the elevator's doors slid open, and he pushed Mat inside, pinning him to the opposite wall, and rubbing his hips suggestively against Mat's midsection. What neither of them noticed right away was a little elderly woman staring at the two men engaged in rather inappropriate activities.

"Hello!" Mat said lamely, turning shades of red that weren't even named yet. He coughed lightly and pushed his overly excited lover away from his body, receiving a displeased groan and a muttered threat to the old lady.

"My, my, young people have no shame at all nowadays." The old lady mumbled, her wrinkled face taking on a wistful look, "Back when I was young, we used to..."

"Nice to meet you! Good-bye!" Alex said, really scared of the old bag's rumbling. He jumped out of the elevator as soon as the doors cracked open, not forgetting to drag Mat along, and ran down the sidewalk and to his car.

"Back when I was young we used to… Blah, old bat! When she was young, they were still figuring out the wheel!" Mat barked, annoyed with the old woman's ranting, as he climbed into Alex's car.

"Yeah, no shit!" Alex agreed, immensely relieved to lose the scary old lady. He slammed on the gas, as it was his habit, and sped down the street, glancing at the clock worriedly. It was seven o'clock already, and they will be lucky to catch Iren, Heather's girlfriend, on her way out of the night club. Staring out the window, Mathias watched the scenery pass by quickly, making him sick to his stomach.

"Christ, it's like a roller coaster," he mumbled, feeling the car speed a little more down the road to their destination. The car came to an abrupt halt, causing Mathias and Alex to bolt forward.

"We're here, that's the place." Alex said, getting out of the car in the back of a fancy-looking building. "I know we're not late, that girl is always the last one to leave, crazy bitch." Alex mumbled.

Mathias stumbled out of the car and made his way over to Alex. They leaned against it, watching occasional people come out through the back door, stumbling and blinking at the bright day light. He felt an arm instinctively reach around him and draw him closer, as a warning to any of the people that looked his way.

"Um, so what does she look like?"

"Her name's Iren, she's about your height but a slutty-looking and a skinny red head." Alexander replied, tightening his protective grip on the smaller boy, "She'd screw anything that has two legs, and I think she was fucking around with Scott a few months ago. But other than being a tramp, she's okay."

"Wow, you make her sound so… Uh, nice" Mat said, shifting his gaze from Alex and to any means of escape. He settled on watching the door and soon the slutty, trampy, skinny red head that was described to him came out the door, stumbling drunkenly.

"Here she is," Alex informed, approaching the familiar girl with Mat just behind him.

"Hey Iren, had enough fun for one night?" He asked with an evil smirk on his lips. The girl raised her eyes to the two men, and finally recognizing Alex, she hung herself on his neck.

"Alex, sweetie, I heard what happened to Heather, I'm so very truly sorry!" She sobbed drunkenly.

Behind Alex, the lilac eyed youth fumed with jealously at the seemingly innocent contact, but he knew better to trust the loose woman. Quickly he moved next to Alex, and tried to discreetly move between the two.

"Oh, who's the pretty boy?" Iren purred, releasing her hold on the taller man, her attention now drawn to Mat.

"Hands off, he's taken." Alex growled, trying to get her attention back by grabbing the girl's skinny wrist. "Listen, I need you to tell me all about Heather and Scott's relationship, the stuff that my sister would tell only you."

Mathias cringed at the woman's high pitched, drunken slurs. As Alex spoke to her, he noticed her eyes traveling back to him, completely ignoring Alex, until the azure haired man snapped his fingers in front of her.

"Hello? You're with me, right?" Alex hissed, his annoyance and frustration threatening to come out.

"Yeah, all I know is that Scott was cheating on her with everyone... Well and the fact that he wanted to marry her for your dad's money." The girl mumbled, playing with a strand of her red hair.

"He...What?" Alex blinked, his eyes wide and very much surprised, although it should have been expected.

"Yeah, you know... So I told Heather about it myself, the day she was... The day she died, but she refused to believe it. I think they must have had a big fight after that."

"Shit, then we should tell your father about this and he'll send that fucker packing! I'm sure after knowing this that he'll believe you, Alex." Mathias said hopefully, clinging onto his shirt and tugging on it like a small child. Alexander remained still, his face an unreadable mask.

"Thanks, you've been a great help. See you around." He said to the girl mechanically, walking back to the car with Mat still clinging to his clothes. Iren yelled something about Alex needing comfort and that she's always free for him, but the man was too pissed off and deadly serious to get the true meaning of her words.

"Hey, what's the deal? Didn't you hear me!?" Mat asked, still pulling at Alex's shirt relentlessly to catch his attention. The said man stopped and turned to the smaller one, his eyes void of any emotion.

"I heard you, but as I said, I can't have other people involved in this shit, especially not my father. We need to think of a way to get direct proof of his guilt, cause all we've got so far is useless. No one gives a damn, and no one will believe us unless we have some ground evidence."

Mathias backed down, not liking the dead, unfamiliar tone in his boyfriend's voice, it reminded him too much of their first encounter. Slowly, he released his hold on Alex and moved away, giving the man some room, instead of cluttering up his personal space with his unwanted presence. Alexander sighed heavily, noticing the unusual distant expression on his lover's face, almost scared if Alex didn't know better. He took Mat's hand and squeezed it affectionately, smiling lightly at the violet-eyed youth.

"I'm sorry, Mat, I'm a dick and I admit it. Just give me some time, and I'll find a way to prove he did it." He said sadly.

"Okay…So what now?" Mathias mused aloud, realizing that Alex's mood would not improve any time soon.

"Now I take you back home, I'll need to think about all this crap." Alex replied grimly, although his eyes were gentle towards his lover. He got in the car after Mat and drove back slowly this time, his thoughts concentrated on finding a way out of this mess. They drove in silence, neither exchanging an idle word, both too enthralled in their own minds to acknowledge the other. Mathias frowned when he thought about his empty apartment, not wishing to be alone at this time.

"Alex, could you take me to my grandmother's instead?" he asked his lover.

"Sure, that's not a problem." The older man replied, glancing at Mat with slightly worried expression on his face. It wasn't that he didn't want to stay with him, or that he was tired of Mat, it was just one of those times when he needed to be alone. Feeling a bit guilty for disposing of Mat like this, Alex asked quietly. "Are you gonna be alright?"

"Of course I will." Mat said, a smile marring his features. His exterior looked happy and content, but inside he was depressed, feeling inadequate for not being able to comfort Alex in any way. Sighing, Alex finally stopped the car in front of now familiar to him house, thinking that Mat was a terrible liar. But he convinced himself that spending a little time apart would be good for them. He was getting exhausted of the maddening rate of life when he was with Mat, because somehow the youth made him feel constantly high, intoxicated by his own feelings for Mat. He leaned closer to the smaller man and caressed his cheek gently, gazing into the sad violet eyes.

"I'm fine, honestly." Mathias stated curtly, scolding himself when his voice came out harsh and biting, but it couldn't be helped. Alex either didn't care or didn't pick up on the tone, when he leaned in and gently kissed Mat on the forehead, then greeted his lips with the soft, rose petal-lipped kiss. As their lips parted, Alex separated from Mat, allowing the youth to get out of the car. When Mat looked back at him through the lowered window, Alex mustered a smile, waving him off mischievously.

"Love ya, sweetie!" He exclaimed, already driving off, and leaving Mat to his confusion.

"Sweetie?" Mat murmured then shrugged off the pet name and headed up the steps of his grandmother's house. It was still very early, but he wasn't surprised when he saw her tending to her garden.

"You came back, it's too bad Alex couldn't stay." The elder woman said, clipping dry petals from her flowers.

"I know, he'll be back though." Mat responded, kneeling next to her and helping with the flowers like he used to when he was younger. His thoughts drifted back to Alex; would he come back soon?

~*~

Save for a few housemaids and servants, Alexander found his house empty, wondering where his mother could have possibly gone. He wasn't surprised that his dad wasn't there, however, the old pain in the ass always out doing his dirty business with other politicians. He absently circled the hall with his azure eyes, noticing how unusually clean everything was, almost sterile. Now that all the relatives fled, the place looked inhabitable and alien to him, although he spent almost all of his life in here.

He dragged himself up the stairs and down the hall, his heart sinking in the pit of his stomach when his eyes caught a sight of the closed door to Heather's room. He felt small and miserable all of the sudden, like a scared little child, lost in the cruelty of the big world. He couldn't complain about his life, it would seem perfect to any on looker who might be interested, although he's never been happy with it. Yes, he had the money, social status and some high contacts, and if he chose to follow his father's footsteps, it would have been all he needed to be happy.

But Alex didn't want it, he wanted nothing from his dad. It scared him just to think that he might end up being a dry, practical businessman or a politician, with more phobias and inner fears than any of the psychiatrists knew about. He was willing to give it all up for a simple life, when at the end of the day he'd come home and be greeted by the only person he loved. It never occurred to him before, hell, he just didn't have time to think about it, but Mat could be the one to fill the emptiness inside Alex's heart.

Only now, laying in his bed and staring at the ceiling, had he finally taken a moment to analyze their relationship. Mat never said he loved him back, and Alex seriously doubted that his boyfriend even believed him when Alex admitted his feelings. It's been under a week since they met, but Alex felt as if they knew each other for years. He didn't know why, but he couldn't get rid of the dreadful feeling inside of him, pouring venom into his heart. All the investigating they were doing smelled fishy, but Alex didn't have a choice. He'd been thinking of a way to get some real evidence against Scott, and finally he came up with a plan. Whatever the outcome it might take, Heather would be avenged for her death.

He'll see Mat again tonight.

~*~

When Alex dropped Mat off, he felt a small part of him leave with his departure. He was used to feeling lonely, but when the other's had gone, it was like his heart was torn in two, one half staying with him and Alex taking the other half without even knowing it.

Nothing today could make Mathias smile unless Alex was to come back for him, but Mat tried his best to look cheerful in front of his grandmother. She was oblivious to his feelings, but he knew his uncle Emmett realized what he was going through.

Sighing lightly, Mat dug up dirt from the cold ground and gently placed a flower into the ground. Such a fragile thing, it would be easy to break it with a simple snap of your fingers, yet they can withstand such horrible weather and even when someone steps on them.

He envied these little plants for their strength.

"Matty? Are you okay, sweetie?"

Was he okay? He thought he was, as long as he had his family and Alex, he guessed that he could smile more, laugh more, and even live more. Mat smiled to his grandmother, showing her that all was well, and he started to sort through some more flowers.

His eyes caught sight of a lone lily within the other blossoms, which brought another smile to his face. He reached to it and before his fingers even touched it, the flower wilted in front of his very eyes.

It died at this very moment when Mat tried to touch it… Something horrible was going to happen. He knew it; he could sense it from this simple omen. But to whom this will happen he didn't know! For all Mat knew the person he loved could be in danger.

All from a dying flower…

T B C

Well? Any good? TELL US!!!!!! *goes nuts* Anyway, we would really appreciate knowing how we did after such a long absence. So share your input because we love hearing it and all hail our beta!