Camp Time

The weeks went by and other then Steven, Brian didn't talk with anyone. Steven was able to get Brian to join in on a few of the activities, like hiking and bird watching and other stuff. Their relationship also seemed to be getting better as they were getting closer to each other. The boys found out that they lived in the same city just on different sides.

Steven was happy when Brian told him he was going to be going to Pines Academy but was upset when he found out that Brian would be a junior instead of the 8th grade with him. Brian assured him that he would still hang out with him and not to worry he had no other friends EXCEPT Steven, and if and that was a big if, he were to find new friends Steven would still be his best friend. Both the boys wanted something more but were afraid to say it.

Steven and Brian finally did get to share a kiss. They were out watching the moon at the dock one night, sitting side by side. Steven turned and looked at Brian at the same time Brian turned and looked at Steven. Once again the two boys got lost in each other's eyes and slowly came together in a kiss. It was a first for both boys they soon separated and looked into each other's eyes and smiled. Steven put his right arm around Brian's shoulder and Brian cuddled up to Steven. Both boys had smiles on their faces as they watched the moon over the water for a while longer.

Mark and Don also watched the boys and saw how close they were getting, but they never interfered. Brad was still picking on Brian but carefully so that Mark or anyone else wouldn't see. Steven knew whenever Brian was being picked on or teased because Brian would just clam up and go back into his shell for a while. Steven was getting upset and didn't want Brian to keep doing that but didn't know how to go about stopping it, until he thought of an idea and ran to Mark with it.

A few days later Brian was walking back from the dock looking for Steven. Steven had purposely left Brian there by saying he had to go and see the nurse about a bruise he had that wouldn't stop hurting. Actually Steven and Mark were following Brian waiting to see what would happen. They didn't have to wait long.

Brian kept on walking with his head down and didn't notice Brad and his cronies coming up to him, until he saw a pair of feet in front of him. Brian stopped and looked up into the eyes of Brad.

"Oh looky here, we have the shrimp. A 14-year-old that will always be a midget." Brad said and laughed while his friends all laughed. "What's that matter little boy did you lose your way?" he asked mocking Brian. "Here let me help." With that, Brad pushed Brian down on the ground and kicked dirt on him. About that time Steven and Mark came up. Steven went to make sure Brian was ok and Mark went up to Brad.

"Is there a problem here Brad?" he asked looking him straight in the eyes. Brad just backed up some.

"Nope none at all, Brian here just fell and we were about to help him up." He said with a smile on his face. "Right Brian," he asked looking at the smaller boy. Brian just nodded his head.

"Well you see Brad I would believe you, but you see I was over there and saw everything you did. You taunting him and then finally pushing him down and kicking dirt on him. I thought I told you there would be no bullying here. I guess I'll have to take you to the Director's Office." Mark said with a smile on his face. Brad just looked at him and growled then turned away.

Brian was standing up on his feet by then, and he and Steven started to walk towards the cabin to get Brian cleaned up when at the last minute Brad turned around and ran at Brian while his back was turned. Mark didn't even get a chance to say anything. Brad tackled Brian and they both went down, with Brad on top of Brian. Brad turned Brian over.

"This is for getting me in trouble" and with that Brad started hitting Brian, in his face and chest. Brian just started crying and screaming from the pain of the blows that Brad was giving him. Steven ran up and tried to push Brad off but Brad just turned and hit Steven in the Stomach taking all the wind out of him.

Finally, Mark was able to move and get over his shock and came up and forcibly moved Brad off of Brian. Brad was able to kick Brian one last time and everyone froze when they heard a loud crack and scream from Brian. Two more counselors came up and grabbed Brad and held onto him while Mark checked on Brian who's head was in Steven's lap.

"You ok Steven" Mark asked first knowing that Brian wasn't. Steven just nodded his head but was crying, not because of himself but because of Brian and the pain he was in.

Brian lay on the ground holding his head with one hand and his chest and ribs with the other still sobbing and crying from the pain. Mark was able to get Brian to move his hands so he could look at his face and stomach. Brian's face was covered in blood from his nose and his lips, his face was already starting to swell and one of his eyes was swelling shut. Mark looked at Brian's ribs and saw the bruises then felt his ribs. Brian screamed out when Mark touched part of his ribs, Mark was afraid of this, Brian had a broken rib.

"Brian me and Steven are going to try and get you to the nurse's station then the hospital ok?" Mark said, all Brian could do was cry and sob from the pain. Mark and Steven helped Brian up and helped carry him to the infirmary. The two counselors who were holding onto Brad followed. One of the boys that was with Brad took off and got Don.

He was there by the time that the group had arrived.

"What in God's name happened?" asked Don looking at the blood-covered and crying form of Brian.

"Steven was afraid that Brian was being picked on. So he made like he had to go and ask the nurse something but in reality, he was with me watching Brian to see who was picking on him. I already had my ideas but I needed proof. Finally, Brian got tired of being alone at the dock and started heading this way, when he ran into Brad. Brad taunted him, then pushed him down and kicked dirt on him.

I came up to them and asked what was going on and Brad lied and said that Brian fell. I told Brad what I saw and that I was going to take him to your office. We started on the way there when he turned around and went after Brian. Steven tried to stop him but got hit in the stomach, he's fine just winded, but as I was pulling Brad off of Brian he kicked Brian one last time and broke one of his ribs, we all heard it." Mark said and the other boys that were with Brad nodded there head in agreement. "Then Susan and Colin came down and took Brad for me so I could check on Brian and Steven, as I said Steven is fine just winded but not Brian."

"Oh my God, let's get him inside." Said Don. They lead Brian inside; when the nurse saw Brian she quickly had him sit in a chair. They tried to get his shirt off but it hurt him too much, finally, they had to cut it off of him. When the nurse saw and felt Brian's face and ribs and Brian screamed from it, she turned towards Don and Mark.

"We have to get him to the hospital NOW." She said making her way towards the phone. Don walked outside and told Susan and Colin to take Brad in his office, call his parents and then watch him till he got back. Charges were going to be filled against Brad.

Now you see why Brian was crying and screaming.

"Brian we have to take you to the hospital ok. We'll call your parents and let them know what's going on ok." Mark said. Brian barely nodded unable to do much else from the pain he was in.

"I just want to go home," he said breaking into more sobs. Steven came up to him and put his arms around Brian and held him. Brian leaned into Steven and buried his face in his neck forgetting about the pain for just a moment being in Steven's arms.

An hour later found Don, Nurse Judy, Mark and Steven all in the emergency room at St. Lukes Hospital. Since the parents signed a release form allowing the camp to do what was necessary to help their child Don acting as Parental Locos.

A doctor approached them.

"Well, doc how is he," asked Don?

"Well, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Brian will be fine, nothing permanent. The bad news is that he has a broken nose, several fractures around his left eye, which is swollen shut, and a broken rib. We were able to set his nose, and wrap up his ribs but there isn't much we can do for the eye but let is heal. He can go back to the camp tomorrow, we want to keep an eye on him for tonight though, also no more activities. He will be too sore to do anything anyways." The doctor said. Don said fine and asked if they could see him. The doctor showed them the way.

They walked in and saw Brian laying there. The first one to the bed was Steven; he grabbed Brian's hand and started crying. Mark came up behind him and gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"He'll be ok man, remember what the doc said ok."

"Yeah I know," Steven said between sniffles. Steven then did something VERY unexpected. He bent down and kissed Brian on the lips and said. "I love you! Come back to me soon." He leaned forward and kissed him again. As he was pulling away he felt Brian lift his head to follow him, to keep the kiss for a few more seconds. He didn't lean up to far and neither did Steven because of the broken rib that Brian had. Brian laid back down and looked up into Steven's face and smiled.

"I love you too," he said. Don, Mark and Nurse Judy just chuckled and told him to get his rest and they would see him tomorrow. With one last kiss Steven left for the night to let Brian rest.

At lunchtime the next day Nurse Judy pulled up in front of the nurse's station with Brian. They got out and he followed her inside.

"Now, you have to come to me right after lunch for the next two weeks ok. When you leave I will give you the rest to take home with you." She said putting his medication in one of the drawers. Brian nodded then made his way to the cafeteria.

When he walked in all of the kids in there stopped talking and stared at him. His eye was black and still shut a little. Finally, their counselors made them start eating again. Brian grabbed some food then headed to his group's table. Steven had a seat ready for him.

"Hey so how are you feeling?" he asked.

"Fine, still sore and I can't do anything really. I can barely walk and can barely see out of my eye but ok otherwise. How about you?" he asked remembering that Steven got punched in the stomach. Steven grinned.

"I'm fine, a little sore but otherwise ok." He said. One of the boys that was with Brad got up the nerve and said something to Brian.

"Hey, Brian....ummm were really sorry about what happened. We didn't know that Brad was that bad. We are really sorry about what happened to you and picking on you, I hope you can forgive us." He said. Then he kinda looked down at the table.

Brian at first, not knowing what to say was kinda speechless and just sat there. Finally, he looked at Steven who grinned and nodded his head.

"That's ok I forgive you, just choose your friends better ok." He said with a smile. The other boy looked up smiled and nodded his head. They resumed there eating.

After lunch, Steven went with Brian to get Brian's meds.

Brian's parents called and asked if Brian wanted to come home after what happened, but Brian said no he wanted to stay. No one is bothering him, and his friend Steven was helping him. They were glad that he had a friend but were sorry they were not there for him once again. He said that was ok he understood they needed there time together and would see them when they picked him up after camp.

Brian and Steven took walks together in the woods with Mark whenever Brian felt he could handle it. When they were out of sight of everyone Brian and Steven held hands. After the kiss in the hospital, they didn't feel they needed to hide anything from Mark, Don or Nurse Judy. A few times that Marks back was to them they would stop and start kissing until Mark made them break it up by laughing and telling them to cool it. They all had a good time taking walks and relaxing and getting to know each other better. Brian was slowly opening back up.

Brian did apologize to Mark for his attitude and how he treated him those first few days. Mark told him not to worry about it and just seeing his happy was award enough.

Steven and Brian talked and decided that they wanted to try and be boyfriends, they knew they would have to be careful at the camp so no one would find out and pick on there and mess with them about that.

Slowly Brian's eye opened up and the skin was turning back to its normal pink color. His ribs still hurt when he walked or picked up on stuff that was too heavy, and sometimes when he breathed the pain seemed to be too much but Steven was always there to help him.

Finally camp came to an end. Brian and Steven said bye to there friends that they had made after the incident and gave, Nurse Judy, Don and Mark a big hug for all of there help.

Both Steven and Brian were both on the same bus, since Brian kept his head down on the way there he never noticed. They sat in the back and held hands and sneaked a kiss before they got off to be collected by their families.

They exchanged phone numbers, addresses, and e-mail addresses then gave each other a hug by.

Brian and Steven got together almost every day for the rest of the summer which was only a week because school was to start soon. They mainly met at Brian's so Brian didn't have far to go with him still hurting and sore from his assault.

They knew they would have to be careful once school started and keep their relationship a secret, but felt that it would be worth it, so they could keep seeing each other. Both boys were happy for the first time in a long time.

Brian did go to Pines Academy and met a lot of nice and cool people. He and Steven ended up in gym together and ate lunch with there friends.

Even though Brian was three years ahead of Steven he decided to go to a local college until Steven graduated so they could go to a university together. In Stevens's senior year of high school, he came out to his parents. They both accepted him and Brian. Brian also came out to his parents and they too accepted them as well. Unknown to both boys the parents have talked about this possibility before and decided that if the boys ended up together that they would support them no matter what, and they did just that.

Brian and Steven are now happy together, and love each other very much. Both boys go to Emery University up in Atlanta Ga. Steven is now 6'1 and close to 200lbs but it is all muscle, Brian didn't grow that much. He only got to his full height of 5'3 1/2, and is only 110 lbs now.

Brad was in Juvenile Hall till he was 16 for the assault against Brian, and then got released. He was put back in 6 months later for assault and battery to another kid but was not released until he was 18 at that time. When he turned 21 he was sent to prison for the rest of his life for murder.

Brian and Steven never gave another thought of Brad but they both heard what he did and were glad that he was not out in the public hurting people.

If you were to look into the future you would see Brian and Steven married. Brian becoming a doctor and Steven a lawyer, they have two wonderful and beautiful children, are together married for the rest of their lives.

The End.