Disclaimer: This is a fictional story based on the television show "Poltergeist: the Legacy." It is in no way intended to infringe on the copyright or ownership of MGM and the creators of the show. All characters, scenes, places, etc. from the show and any references to them are the exclusive property of MGM and whoever else might own them. Warning! This is a piece of slash fan fiction. It contains m/m romance and graphic sexual scenes. If you are too young to read this stop now! I will not be held responsible. You have been warned. I, the author, have not been paid in any way for this. I write for pleasure. This story may be distributed among consenting adults. It may also be posted on web sites by people other than me, if and only if the person(s) doing the posting/ submitting is not out to harm the author in any way, shape, or form, the words of the story are kept the same, and the title and my pen name are kept the same. Corrections may be made, but only if a corrected copy is first e-mailed to me, the author. If you've read this far, you certify under penalty of the laws of G-d and man that you are of legal age, do not find this offensive, and are not trying to harm the author or the web site this may have been found at. Now, ENJOY! Author's Personal Note: This is the second part of my sequel to "Always the Last to Know." This story will be divided up into three sub-stories. To get a full understanding, you need to read them in order. "Lost in the darkness, Silence surrounds you, Once there was morning, Now, endless night, If I could reach you, I'd guide you and teach you, To walk from that darkness Back into the light. Deep in your silence, Please try to hear me, I'll keep you near me, Till night passes by, I will find the answer, I'll never desert you I promise you this Till the day that I die...." -- "Lost in the Darkness" from "Jekyll and Hyde" the Broadway Since Michael's departure, Nick had fallen into a routine. During the day, he would go about his work silently, but at night, he would cry, until sleep found him. Michael's absence took more than just an emotionally toll on Nick. He barely ate. In a few weeks, his weight was dropping sharply and dark circles formed under his eyes. It was apparent to everyone in the house, Nick couldn't go on like this. "We have to do something," Derek announced, "Any suggestions?" "Sure, get Michael back here now!" Alex said in frustration. "I'm afraid, that is something Michael will have to do on his own. Rachel?" "Hmmm, maybe Phillip could help. Despite past problems, he and Nick still care about each other." Derek nodded, "I'll call him immediately and explain the situation. We'll get him here tonight." Within hours, Phillip was at the house. Nick had gone to his room for the night and was surprised when Phillip knocked on his door and walked in. "Phillip?" Nick said, sitting up and wiping the tears from his eyes. "Hello Nick. How are you?" "What are doing here?" "I was informed about what 'appened. I came t' see if I could help you." "Hmph, yeah right. Like anyone could really help me. I'm such a screw up. As usual, I managed to fuck up the best thing that's ever happened to me." "Nick, look at me, it wasn't your fault. His leaving was no because of you." Nick turned away at his words, not wanting to hear. "Nick, look at me. It was not your fault." "Yes it was." "It was no' your fault." "How can you say that? It is. I always screw everything up." "It was no' your fault." Nick began crying and tried to turn away, but Phillip pulled him into a hug. Nick resisted at first, but soon held on in a lifeline grip. Phillip rubbed Nick's back, stroked his hair, and whispered soothing words into Nick's ear. He let Nick cry until no more tears came. Phillip laid Nick down and pulled the covers up over him, as Nick was exhausted. "Y-you surprise me, Phillip. I thought if anyone would be glad about what happened, it would be you." "Why would I be glad?" Phillip asked with a puzzled look, as he smoothed Nick's hair back. "Because of how I was living, what the church says about it." "Give me a break, Nick," Phillip said, rolling his eyes, "There are many religions in the world, many cultures. Who is t' say which is right, if any are truly right? I do know this, love, true love, is no' evil. No matter wha' one religion, even mine, may say. Men have argued over things like this for a long time." "Phillip?" "Wha' is it, Nick?" Nick took Phillip's hand, "Thank you..... for being here for me, but I don't know how anyone can heal this. I feel so empty, so dead." "Get some sleep. I promise ye this, I will no' rest until I see ye happy again. You can't go on like this, Nick. I won't let you." "Phillip?" "Yes, Nick?" "Please.......stay with me. I don't won't to be alone." "Of course." Phillip slid into bed beside Nick. After he got comfortable, he cradled Nick in his arms, whispering soothing words, until Nick finally fell asleep. Phillip leaned his head back, while Nick slept. He thought of any way to help. Being there for Nick wasn't enough. Nick needed more. Lost in thought, sleep finally found Phillip as well. Phillip awoke before Nick. He gently slid out of bed, smiling at the fact that this was probably the first night Nick had slept soundly in a long time. He gently brushed the hair back on Nick's forehead, before exiting the room. It was early, but Phillip needed to speak with Derek. He gently knocked on the door and heard a sleepy "come in." "Phillip, what are you doing up? How's Nick?" "Sleeping peacefully. It's Nick tha' concerns me. It's obvious only one thing will help 'im, Derek....getting Michael back here as soon as possible." "We can't force him to come back, Phillip. We don't even know where he is." "Then at least let me talk to 'im. I know ye can find out 'is location." "I don't know if I can do that." "Then Nick will continue to get worse. This is no sickness o' the body, but o' the soul. Michael is the only thing tha' can make Nick complete. My bein' here may barely slow his illness, but tha' is all. Nick needs Michael, the love, the forgiveness to survive." Derek sighed and looked away, but Phillip turned Derek around to face him. Slowly, Derek nodded, giving in to Phillip. "Come back in an hour, Phillip. Then, we'll see what we have." Phillip nodded and went downstairs to get something to eat in the meantime. His stomach growled, reminding him of its neglect since last night. It helped, was easy to focus on something as simple as hunger. He ate breakfast, but right as the hour was up, Phillip returned to Derek's room. Derek was still on the phone, so Phillip waited patiently. Derek sighed and put the phone down a few minutes later. Phillip did not like the look on Derek's face. "Wha' is it?" "Michael has severed all his connections with the Legacy. He doesn't want to be found." "I don' care whether or no' he wants to be found. This is no' jus' his choice." "Phillip, without some connections, there is no way to tell where he is." "C'mon, Derek. I know ye. When you really want t' find someone, ye always find a way. Please, Derek." "Well, the only ones who would know how to find him are his people. Michael was our only connection with them.....but when he was weak, he stayed with others of his race. They might still be in the same place." "Where?" "New York." "Give me th' address and make a reservation. I'm leavin' righ' away." "Be careful, Phillip. They are good people, but not to taken lightly. Their power is great and their tempers can be equally great. You must handle the situation delicately." Phillip nodded and went to gather what belongings of his he had gotten out of his suitcase. It didn't take more than fifteen minutes and Phillip was on his way. Nick awoke in the empty bed. He instinctively reached out, expecting a body to be sharing it with him. Finding none, he looked around. Where was Phillip? He had slept here. It was past noon and no one had bothered to wake him. A knock on the door caught his attention. "Come in," Nick said, expecting Phillip. "Good afternoon, Nick," Derek's smiling face came into view. He had a breakfast tray with him. Derek set it on the dresser and sat down next to Nick on the bed. Derek had only seen Nick so alone once before. During her funeral. "Where's Phillip? I thought he was staying here for a while." "He had to go take care of some Legacy business. He'll be back soon. I brought you some breakfast." "I'm not hungry. I need to go jog." "No." "What?" "You are not going anywhere until you finish that plate. You're starving. You haven't eaten in 19 hours. Now, eat!" "I'm not a child Derek," Nick said getting up. "No, but as long as you act like one, I'm going to start treating you like one." Derek blocked the doorway. "C'mon, Derek, let me by." "When you eat." "Derek!" "No." Staring at Derek's determined face, Nick finally growled and started shoving food in his mouth. "There, happy?" Nick asked between bites. "Very," Derek said with a smile. Nick was almost finished with the plate when he realized the food was particularly good. He has shoved it down so quickly, he hadn't taken the time to enjoy it. It did feel good to have food in him though. "Thank you Derek.....for being here." "I'll always be here for you, Nick," Derek said with his slight, crooked smile. Nick pulled him into a hug, and before either one fully realized it, Nick was kissing Derek. Derek swelled quickly from the passion, and his hardness pressed into Nick's leg. Derek wanted so much to lose himself to the passion, to give himself to Nick, but he pulled away. "Derek, what's wrong?" "I can't do this, Nick. This isn't love. You love Michael, not me." "I need you, Derek. Please. You already said you wanted me. Your body obviously wants me." "No, Nick. That's lust, not love. I can offer you any comfort but that one. Believe me, I know how much it hurts, how much you want to try to fill the void with the caresses of another, but ultimately, it doesn't help when you are still in love with Michael. It will only hurt you more later if we do." "Derek, I...." "It's alright, Nick." "Can you, just stay with me a while. I'll keep my distance, but I really don't want to be alone." "Of course. I can stay until three, but then, I have some things to take care of. Rachel and Kat will be stopping by, until I get back. Then, after eight, I'll be here the whole evening." "Thank you, Derek. I really do need to jog though. Would you care to join me?" "Sure." Phillip arrived in New York. He took a cab over to the address. The guard stopped him. "What is your business here, father?" "I'm here to see Elizabeth Raven and Maxwell Kronos. It's regarding a friend of theirs, Michael Nox." "I'll ring them." The guard talked with whichever one was on the other end, but as soon as Michael's name was mentioned, the guard nodded for Phillip to go up. He got in the elevator and the operator took him to proper floor. Stepping out of the elevator, Phillip was greeted by the pair and the site of the monstrous apartment. "Good day, father," said Elizabeth, warmly, "It's not often we get visits from the church. How do you know Michael, if I may ask?" "I don't. I know Nick." Maxwell stiffened at the name, but said nothing. Instead he turned and walked into the other room, closing the door. Elizabeth shook her head. "Not to be rude, father, but may we cut through the pleasantries?" "I need your help, t' find Michael. Nick and him were together, but there was an attack on the house, by an assassin called Shay," Elizabeth stiffened and a scowl appeared on her face at the mention of his name, but Phillip continued, "Michael was forced to kill him. I understand they were once involved. Michael left, had to get away, but his absence is destroying Nick. He's getting worse every day. He barely eats, barely talks anymore. I need t' find Michael." "I'm sorry for what is happening to you and your friend, but Michael obviously needs to be away, until he works things through." "Maybe he needs someone t' help him. I can no' force him t' return, but I have t' try t' help them both. It is my duty as a priest and as a friend." "It will take some time to find him. There is a room at the end of the hall, on the right. Make yourself comfortable." Two days later... "Father?" Elizabeth asked, gently shaking Phillip awake. "Wha.....?" "We found him." Phillip shot up immediately. "Where?" "I already booked you a flight, father. It leaves in a few hours." "Where is Michael?" "He went home to his birth land.....what you know as France, but it was long before the land was ever called that name." "Thank ye. You have know idea how much your kindness means t' me." "There is one way to repay it, father. Help them. I saw how Michael looked at Nick. The last time I saw him look like that.....it was a long ago." "May I ask one more favor? I need t' use the phone." "Derek Rayne speaking." "Hello, Derek." "Phillip?" "I have good news. They found Michael. I'll be on a flight in a few hours." "That is good. I've been keeping an eye on Nick. He's not really getting better, but at least he's not getting any worse. I have been having a hard time with it though." "Why?" "Nick has been making sexual advances on me, and he knows I'm attracted to him." "That's no' uncommon, Derek. With his world crumbling, he's lookin' for security." "Yes, well, just hurry. I'm not sure if I can fend him off for too long. His boldness is increasing, he keeps trying to steal kisses. I'm worried he might try to catch me off guard, in bed." "Is the mighty Derek Rayne afraid he might be taken advantage of?" Phillip laughed softly. "Not funny. Just hurry up." "Keep well, Derek." "You too, my friend." "G-d on high, Hear my prayer, In my need, You have always been there. He is young, He's afraid, Let him rest, Heaven blessed, Bring him home, Bring him home" "Bring Him Home" from "Les Miserables" Phillip arrived in Paris. From there he took a train to the small hamlet where Michael had gone. With a settlement of this size, it did not take Phillip long to locate Michael's small but comfortable dwelling. Phillip knocked several times, but no answer came. Out of curiosity, Phillip tried the doorknob. To his surprise, it opened. He stepped into the house and saw Michael staring listlessly into space. It was obvious Michael had not showered or changed for a few days. Michael did not even register him, until Phillip loudly closed the door and sat down. "Go away." "I'm afraid I can no' do tha'." "I don't care. Go away." "I'm here because of Nick." With the mention of Nick's name, Michael suddenly became more animate. He sat up on the couch and looked Phillip over with eyes made up of nothing but grief and loss and love. With a dry voice, he addressed Phillip. "What do you want?" "I need ye t' come back with me. Nick needs ye." "I can't." "Nick is slowly dying without ye. He barely eats, cries himself t' sleep each night. I though' ye loved him." "I-I can't. It's too hard right now." "Why? If ye love him the way I think ye do, then why is it so hard?" "You don't know anything about this father." "Then tell me. That's wha' we priests are here for, ye know." "It's a long story." "I don't mind." Michael sighed, not having enough fight in him to argue. He started at the beginning, over five thousand years ago:
