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Those Forgotten - Trinity Valley

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Notes: Notes: This is the 5th installment of 'Those Forgotten,' it contains no yiff ... Umm, this chapter is quite long for a no-yiff, but I guess that just shows that I'm growing. Only 3 more chapters you guys! You will not expect how this story is going to end! Ugh! I mustn't ruin it for you, but there are some good clues in here. Don't ruin it for everyone though.

Copyright of "The Copilot"

Edited by Warrior Scribe

All Feedback will be appreciated.

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(Chapter Five)

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Detective Lupo woke to the sounds of whimpering and cracked open a bleary eye to identify the source. As he thought, it was Oren. The poor Akita was resting next to his boyfriends side and crying, like he had been for the past week. Stretching noisily and blinking a few times to clear his eyes, he looked sadly upon the sight that had become common to him. Every hour, the dog would get up from the floor and try to nuzzle his boyfriend awake, but it had yet to give him any results. Today though, today was different.

Upon further examination, he realized that Shaun's eyes were open and both Oren and he were crying. Detective Lupo's mouth hung open as he viewed the sight, he had honestly believed the man to be permanently lost. For several minutes he watched in astonishment as the couple wept in front of him, until he realized he might be intruding. Sitting up quietly, he turned from his chair and exited the room, closing the door with a quiet click.

Walking down the hall, he stopped at the nurses station to inform that Shaun was awake but told them he asked to be alone for a little period. The nurses nodded and agreed that they would delay in telling the doctor of the change. Thanking them, Detective Lupo turned from the nurses station and left for main lobby down stairs, intent on getting coffee and some private time.

Upon exiting the elevators, he found himself in a loud and rather busy lobby, the hospital was crowded. Grabbing his coffee and walking out of the front of the hospital, he stopped outside the door to sip his coffee and look around. It was then that he felt a hand on his shoulder and he flinched, his whole cup of coffee soaring into the air before him. John barely moved out of the path of scorching hot coffee he had spilled. Staring at the coffee before looking over his shoulder, he recognized the owner of that hand to be Christine.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Christine said.

"No, it's okay. I've just been a little bit tense since... well, you know," Detective Lupo said, looking down.

"Me too... I'm sorry about your coffee."

"It's no big deal. I just wanted something to warm me up, it's so cold in there. This air is doing the job just fine though," said the Detective, waiving his arm about the air.

Christine giggled, "Me too... how's Oren holding up? He must be heart broken," Christine said, her voice taking on a somber tone.

"I'd say he's doing fine now, Shaun's awake. I slipped out to give them their privacy."

"Wow," breathed Christine.

"Yeah, I know. So, how are you?"

"Me? I'm doing fine all things considered-" Christine said, waiving a free hand over her sling. "The Doc. says that this is as much as they can do and that I'm 'healing at a rate he's never scene.' I might have to have some physical therapy but I'm not sure considering I'm not your average patient."

"So you've checked yourself out then?" asked the Detective.

"Yeah, the hospital insisted. I think they need all the beds they can get right now."

"Ah, ulterior motives. So, I guess that means you're out here waiting for family to pick you up, boyfriend maybe?" said the Detective, tilting his head.

"Nope, I don't have anyone. My family's dead and gone, my house is a crime scene, I have no where to go."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."

"Oh, isn't everyone. I don't need your pity."

"I've been there before, I know what it's like," said the Detective, trying to defend himself.

"Hasn't everyone," Christine said, looking away.

An uneasy silence passed between them for a few moments.

"I know loss, I know what it's like. I know the hurt that it produces, Christine, and I honestly have sympathy for you," said Detective Lupo.

Christine's gaze lifted as she examined the Detective.

"I lost my wife five years ago," sighed the Detective, "she died in Combat. We had both joined the forces years before. It was what we loved and we wanted to serve together. Anyway, before it happened, they gave me a temporary assignment on base."

"Her... her convoy was ambushed. Her squad mates said that she climbed up to the gun in her car and stayed behind while giving the rest of her soldiers a chance to escape. When they went back with reinforcements, they found her body slumped across one of the seats along with her driver. Her armor wasn't able to stop two bullets and she bled out slowly... all alone... and I wasn't there," said the Detective, shedding a tear.

"There was a note on the inside of the Hummer, written in her blood. That note was the last thing I ever heard from her. It read, 'John, I love you.' After that, I left the forces. "

"I'm sorry John, I didn't know. It's just... I've been on my own for so long that I'm used to having to fend for myself. I didn't mean to be so rude."

"It's okay, I know. Anyway, I couldn't keep away from work for too long, that's why I joined Santa Fe P.D as a detective."

Christine nodded.

"Still, I'm sorry. Can I get you another coffee? It's the least I could do."

"Okay, I can live with that... but on two conditions, one being not here, their coffee is terrible! Honestly, you probably saved me when I spilled that."

Christine giggled, "Okay, what's the second one?" she asked.

"The second one is that you let me buy you lunch, I could go for a good meal right about now-" John said. Right then Christine's stomach grumbled and they both laughed in surprise. "Sounds like you could too."

"Yeah, I find it hard to eat anything that looks like it could start to wiggle its way off my plate all by itself."

"Hah! So, you'll come?"

"Yeah, I'd like that."

"Great, there's a great little place around the corner that has the best chips and salsa in the city! You know my wife... and I used to love... eating there."

The Detective stopped to wipe his eyes.

"I'm sorry," said The Detective. "I haven't thought about her like that in such a long time. Ugh, I must look like a basket case."

"No, it's okay," said Christine, taking his hand. "I understand."

The Detective sniffed a little bit, before looking up. "Thanks," he said smiling. "Come on, lets go eat."

~~~~~~

Shaun heard the Detective leave quietly and thanked the man inside, he wanted to be alone with Oren. Shaun tried to move over and allow Oren into the bed so he could hold him but there came a tug on his arm followed by a pinching sensation in his arm and wrenching pain in his abdomen. Breaking eye contact with Oren, Shaun observed the source of the tug to be resistance from the I.V. tube in his arm before carefully examining the bandages around his stomach.

"I'm a mess--" Shaun said, slumping back into the bed. Shifting his head, Shaun took a good long look at Oren. If he was skinny before, he was extremely thin now. "And so are you. Have you been here the whole time?" Shaun asked, not sure if he wanted to know.

Oren nodded, bones cracking as he shifted.

"You were unconscious for a whole week, the doctor said you were in a coma. Shaun, I was so worried that I'd lost you," Oren said, bursting into tears.

"Oren, honey, I'm so sorry. It's okay now though, it's all okay, I'm back," said Shaun, rolling over to make space for Oren, pushing though the pain and pulling his lover into the bed.

"I'm here now, that's all that a matters. It's all that ever mattered to me, being with you. I love you," Shaun said, hugging Oren and kissing him softly.

Oren snuggled into Shaun's embrace, slowly falling asleep as they caressed each other, happy to be together again. Shaun placed his arm over Oren's hip as Oren pulled the covers over the both. For the first time in a week, Oren slept peacefully.

~~~~~~

Oren jumped awake to find Shaun gently shaking his shoulder. Yawning and stretching, he turned to see Shaun's worried look fix itself on the door. Oren was paralyzed in fear as he too watched the door open slowly, a head poking in through the crack. The both sighed in relief when they realized it was Christine.

"Hi guys, mind if John and I come in?"

Shaun shook his head and the door swung open just a little wider to allow them entrance as Christine took one of the two seats in the room.

"I thought you might be hungry so I brought some good food, here," said John, placing the plastic bag in front on a tray in front of Oren and Shaun. "It's just a couple of enchiladas, but I guarantee they're the best you'll ever have."

"Thank you Detective, I really appreciate that," said Shaun, reaching out and withdrawing the takeout box.

"There's one in there for Oren too, I figured he might actually eat now that you're awake," John said, moving a chair to sit next to Christine.

Oren and Shaun both smiled as Oren peeled back the covers, taking his meal, and sat himself on the floor. Shaun ate quickly but Oren took his time, electing instead to stare as Shaun and smile.

"I'm so glad I got you back," Oren said, dreamily.

"Awe, that's sweet. You two are an adorable couple, aren't they John?" Christine asked.

"Yeah, it's like their meant for each other," John said.

Shaun looked down at Oren and smiled as Oren's rear started to wiggle with his tail.

"More than you know," Shaun said.

There came a knock at the door and the whole group jumped.

"It's Doctor Reed, is it okay if I come in?"

"Just a second," called Shaun, looking at Oren. There was the cracking sound of breaking bones as Oren shifted back into a dog.

"Okay, you can come in now," said Shaun.

"Hi, I hope I'm not interrupting," said the Doctor. "I just wanted to talk to you."

"That's fine, I understand," Shaun said.

The Doctor stood in the middle of the room for a few seconds before sighing.

"You are a miracle man, Mr. Anderson. Truly a miracle. You've survived being shot, you survived a coma, and you've survived cancer."

"What do you mean I've survived cancer?" Shaun said, shocked.

"It's gone, all of it. It's just gone, vanished. We took several X-Rays to confirm it, it's just missing."

As Shaun looked down at Oren, he could see him prancing on his paws in joy. When he made eye contact, Oren launched himself up onto the bed where he straddled Shaun and attacked his face with kisses. The whole time, a voice looped over and over in the back of Shaun's head, 'You will live.'

~~~~~~~~

It was several days before the hospital would let Shaun leave and Oren had stayed with him the whole time. When they finally cleared him for release, the Detective and Christine were there to pick him up. As John wheeled Shaun down the hallway, he slowed down and leaned towards his ear.

"I know you just got out of the hospital, but I'm sending you all away. I have friends up North, just over the Canadian border. They all carry the mark and I know you, Oren, and Christine will be safe there until I can join you. It's simply not safe here anymore."

"Okay, how are we going to get Oren there? I'm not letting you put him in a kennel," Shaun said as his boyfriend trotted along behind them.

"I've read your record, I know you have a pilot's license. I've chartered a plane for you."

"Oh really? Well then, when do we leave?"

"Tomorrow."

"You're being serious? How am I supposed to fly like this? I just got out of the hospital?"

"Oren will be there to help you, no one's going to be present several thousand feet up to see a werewolf."

A nurse gave them a weird look and stared at Oren after overhearing that. Oren's eyes met hers and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. He paused to look at her, frightened, as she smiled.

"That face, where have I seen her before?'

The nurse crouched down and reached out to Oren, about to say something, but he bolted in fright. Looking behind he could see that she was watching him sadly, her arm still outstretched, before a man, Shaun's Doctor, stopped to help her up from where she had crouched. He too looked at Oren sadly, almost longingly, and they disappeared as somebody walking by blocked out his view.

'What's happening here?' Oren asked himself.

~~~~~~~

"Hello, Jodi?"

"Hey Shaun, where have you been?"

"I've been in the hospital, I was shot."

"Oh no, are you--"

"Yes, I'm fine. Listen, can you do me a favor?"

"Name it," Jodi said.

"I'm going away for a while, I don't know when I'm coming back. I know how much you like my car so, I'm leaving it to you until I get back. I'll set the sprinklers before I go, and I've called the post office to stop my mail, so the house will be fine.

"Okay, why are you leaving?"

"It's not safe here anymore, that's all I can say.

"Okay, I can accept that."

"Good, I'll drop the car off tomorrow, good night Jodi."

"Good night Shaun," Jodi said, hanging up the phone.

"When? When can he come home?" she said quietly while staring at the dead handset.

"Only time will tell, but I feel it will be soon," said a figure with pearly white skin and lips the color of roses. This was a general consensus as everyone around the room nodded their heads, even the newest edition with his bald head and long trench coat. He had been rubbing his forehead before jerking his hand away to nod jerkily before topping his bald head with his bowler hat and the group faded from existence.

~~~~~~

"We're flying in that?" asked Christine, incredulously.

"What's wrong with that? That's a fairly big plane," Shaun said.

"What! You kidding me, right? A Boeing is a big plane, that's a pack of chewing gum with seats and an engine. I would rather fly economy than fly in that!" Christine said, stabbing a finger at the plane.

"Two engines," Shaun said, correcting Christine. "Look, the 310 about the biggest plane I'm licensed to fly-"

"The biggest YOU are allowed to fly? You're flying this thing?" Christine shouted.

"Yeah, didn't John tell you that?"

"NO!"

"Oh... all aboard?"

"I'm going to kill him... and you're next!" Christine said while pointing at Shaun.

"Just get in the plane, I have to do a pre flight check and then we can go," Shaun said.

"Yes, come Oren, let's get in the flying death trap."

Oren looked at her funny before slinking off with her, leaving Shaun to go over the plane. When he finished, he gingerly eased himself into the pilot's seat and belted himself in. Flicking switch after switch and throwing several levers, the planes right engine sputtered then roared to life, followed by the left one.

"All buckled in there?" he asked Christine, looking over his shoulder.

She crossed her arms and 'humphed' in anger as Oren hopped from the passenger compartment and took a seat next to Shaun.

"Yes Mr. Pilot, can we get this show on the road?"

Shaun laughed before asking the tower for permission to taxi to the departing runway. It was granted shortly after and he allowed the plane to start rolling, reaching the runway a minute later. Again asking for permission, this time for departure, he started to throttle up the motors. When it was granted, he let off of the breaks and floored the motors. Both engines roared to full power and the plane quickly accelerated, pushing all of the occupants gently into their seats.

Screaming down the runway, Shaun gently pulled back on the yoke and set the plane into a gentle climb. Oren let out a quiet gasp next to him as the ground receded from the plane. Shaun grinned at this before gently banked the plane right, allowing Oren to look down past the wing. Oren looked back at Shaun and kissed him before returning to the window. There came a cracking sound, quicker this time, as Oren shifted back to his normal form.

"You're getting quicker at that," Christine spoke up.

"Yeah, the more I do it, the easier it is," Oren said as he plastered his muzzle to the window. "Shaun, this is so beautiful!"

"Not as beautiful as you, but yes. That's why I got my license. Want to help me fly?" Shaun asked.

"I don't know how," Oren's said, head whipping around, eyes the size as dinner plates.

"Here, help me steer. Just put both your hands on the yoke, like this... and then both of you feet... um, paws, on the pedals, and I'll show you."

Oren tensed as he did.

"I'm going to push on the pedals and change the direction, you ready?" Shaun asked.

Oren nodded and flinched when the pedals moved beneath his paws. Watching outside, the plane's nose eased in another direction.

"Now, I want you to push the pedals and fix the direction. See that dial, watch it and keep the plane moving until I say."

Oren nodded as the plane moved and the dial spun around.

"Okay stop, now hold it on that direction. That's the way we're headed. Okay, see this dial?"

Oren nodded.

"That's the altimeter, it tells us how far up we are, and this one is air speed. I'll keep the air speed here, you keep the plane flying at this height. The rest is simple, left to roll left, right to roll right, forward to go down, back to go up. It's that simple."

Oren nodded jerkily as he flew the plane with Shaun.

"Relax honey, I'm right here, everything is fine," Shaun said, reaching over and placing a hand on Oren's.

Gradually Oren relaxed and even started to smile, he was flying a plane for the first time in his life. After a while, Shaun started to laugh.

"What? What's so funny?" Oren asked.

"For someone who's never flown a plane, you're pretty good," Shaun said, giggling.

Oren tore his gaze from the sky and looked over at his boyfriend. Shaun had both hands in the air and both feet tucked under his chair as he smiled.

"You've been on your own for the last 30 minutes."

Oren's mouth fell open as he gawked at Shaun, the plane started to roll left and Shaun darted a hand out to take the control and roll the plane back level.

"Honey, eyes on the road," Shaun smiled.

Oren's head whipped back around as he straightened out the plane.

~~~~~~

Oren flew the plane for several hours, Shaun directing him and taking care of the radio as they crossed several state borders. Eventually though, turbulence started to rock the plane more and more as the weight of the fuel lessened, the plane having burned it away. For some reason, the left wing kept bucking up with each wind burst.

"Shaun, can you fly now? They plane keeps popping up on your side and it's getting harder to keep it level."

Shaun set down his book and looked over to see Oren had the yoke turned to the left as if countering something. Christine was propped up in a chair behind them, asleep.

"Yeah, it feels a little light over here, let me check the fuel gauge." The gauge read a quarter on the right tank, but full on the left.

"Well, that's not right," Shaun said, reaching out to take control of the plane. The left engine sputtered a little before catching back up. This repeated itself a few times, making the plane shudder, waking Christine.

"What was that?" she asked.

"I'm not sure but I'm working on it," Shaun said, tapping the fuel gauge. It still read full. Flicking a few switched and turning a dial, he tried to switch to the auxiliary tanks in the tips. It seems that we are leaking fuel from the left wing, we're light on that side and I can't get any fuel reading out of the main."

"So, don't you have back-ups or something?"

"Yeah, they're in the tips, this type of plane, you use them first. There's just a little bit of fuel left, that means we're soon to have only one engine."

"Well, can't you, like, pump some from the other wing?" Christine asked.

"I wish, these planes can't do that, they aren't as redundant as airliners. Without that engine, we fall from the sky like a bird suddenly finding it's actually a brick," Shaun said.

"What? So how far will that tank take us?"

"Unless I land pretty quickly, about as far as the scene of the crash," Shaun said pulling down his mic.

"Oh, that's wonderful," Christine said, buckling herself in tightly.

"This is Cessna 310, N16467 requesting emergency landing at nearest landing field, we're losing fuel and about to lose an engine, over."

"Rodger Cessna N16467, this is Tower, adjust heading to 2, 3, 0, degrees. Runway is clear."

"Wow that was quick," Shaun said to everyone. "Rodger Tower, changing course to 230."

Talking to the occupants of the plane again, Shaun said, "we just might make it."

Shaun flew the plane in low and circled the airfield before lining up with the runway. He was in an approach when his left engine sputtered to a halt and the plane began to plummet faster.

"Shit!" he yelled, grabbing the throttle of the right engine and spinning it up to make up for the missing power. Pushing the pedals hard, he countered for the torque and straightened the plane out just as one wheel chirped on the runway. The other wheel followed soon after as Shaun backed off the throttle, the nose gear finally touching down as he let drag care of business.

"Welcome to Montana gentlemen," the voice over the radio said.

~~~~~~

As Shaun taxied the plane to the hangars, there came the sound of Oren shifting again, this time more like joint popping out of socket than breaking. Looking over, Oren was already back to his canine form.

"You are getting quick at that," Shaun said.

Oren panted a little before letting out a bark at Shaun. Shaun, brought the plane to a stop far away from all of the other planes and near the one red emergency truck waiting for them. He directed Christine and Oren to exit the plane and get away from it as fast as possible, the stench of highly flammable Aviation Fuel now permeating the cockpit. Killing everything he eased himself out of the plane and went to meet the driver of the truck.

~~~~~~~

Shaun, Oren, and Christine were all sitting around the table of a little restaurant nestled under the small airport's Traffic Control Tower when a man dressed in an orange safety vest stepped up to the group.

"I found your problem," said the man as he placed a small rubber tube on the table. "There was a small puncture in the line allowing it to leak slowly, it looks recent. I would be surprised you didn't notice it earlier but I checked the fuel level indicator, the line to that was sheared through. You're very lucky, we're the only airport for an hours fight in any direction."

"Yeah, I've been getting that a lot lately," Shaun said. " Anyway, thanks for looking it over."

"Not a problem sir. I also called the place you leased it from, they're going to send a mechanic out here but he has a two week back up before he's free. Where were you folks headed?"

"Just up over the border to Trinity Valley."

"Well, you've already paid for your lease but I suggest finding another plane. If you want to consider it, go over to hanger 10. There's a guy there, big fella. He's kinda odd and he's not cheap but he is friendly and he can get you where you're going. Calls himself 'The Copilot'. Tell him Jimmy sent ya'."

"Thanks, I'll consider it," Shaun said.

"You folks have a great day."

~~~~~~

Hanger 10 was a rather small metal building built in a traditional half circle style, and compared to the other hangers, it was rather bare on the outside, lacking all the signs that buried the facade of the others.. Walking though the open doors, the group could only see one large silver plane parked perfectly in the middle. Walking around to the right of the plane, they found who they were looking for crouched over the motor. Shaun moved up behind the ladder.

"Hello?" Shaun called to the man.

The sound of flesh colliding with metal found his ears, followed by a yelp and some cursing. The whole group watched the figure slowly rise and wipe his forehead with the back of his arm, wrench still in hand. The man was shirtless, a large tattoo of a propeller moving across his shoulder blades. Turning around, the man sauntered down, whipping his hands on a rag. When he reached the bottom of the ladder, he surveyed the group.

"Well howdy, how can I help you folks," the man said, a bit of a southern twang overlaying everything.

"Hello Sir, my name is Shaun, Jimmy told us to come see you. "

"Name's Luke, how can I help you?"

"We're headed to Trinity Valley and the plane we leased ruptured a fuel line," Shaun said.

"That's just a hop, skip, and a jump away, but I don't work on leased birds. My insurance won't allow me."

"Well, do you know of a place that leases planes anywhere near here?"

"Yep, that would be me. I'm the only one within several hundred miles that leases planes... at least, I was. The way the market was going, I had to sell them all. The only plane I still got is Amelia and she ain't up for leasing," Luke said, jerking a thumb at the big gleaming antique behind him.

"Well, can we hire you to fly us?"

"You could try, but I ain't cheap."

"I'm sure we could work out a deal," Shaun said.

"You're persistent, you know that. I like that in a man," Luke said, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "My office is at the back, this way. Can I offer you folks some iced tea?"

~~~~~~~

"That's outrageous!" Shaun shouted.

"I said I wasn't cheap."

"No kidding."

"Well, I was headed that way in a few days. I see no harm in leaving a little earlier, I could drop you off for just the price of the fuel."

"How much is that?

"About three quarters of the price."

"That's still too much, I can't afford that."

"Tell you what, I'll take you there free because of cutie over there," Luke said, nodding over Shaun's shoulder.

Looking over his shoulder, Shaun saw Christine start to turn red. "I'll have you know that I'm seeing some--" she started.

"Not you darling, him," Luke said, cutting her off and nodding over to Oren. "You know, you don't have to hide like that here, it's safe. Everyone here knows not to come back here, it's my home and they respect that."

"You're--" Shaun started.

"I'm what? Insane, off my rocker, crazy, gay?" Luke said, his eyes now canine.

"No, you're a marked one?"

"Oh... yes, I am," Luke said, trying not to laugh.

There was a popping sound as Luke and Oren both shifted into their werewolf forms. Now standing before Shaun was a large, broad chested Sable German Shepherd, a warm twinkle of humor in his brown eyes.

"How did you do that?" Christine asked.

"Well you should know that, you're a marked one too," Luke said.

"I think she means hiding it so well, these two have spotted every marked one a mile a way and yet, here you stand," Shaun said.

"It's an old Native American trick taught to me be a shaman. It keeps the hunters at bay."

~~~~~~~

"So, Luke, where are you from," Shaun asked, taking a sip of the Iced Tea the other Luke had provided.

"I'm from the good ole' Lone Star State," he replied. "Why?"

"Firstly, you've provided the very definition of southern hospitality and you have a bit of a twang I couldn't quite place. You don't sound like you're from that far south."

"Well, I'm sorry I don't live up to the stereotype but hey, I got one," he said raising his glass of tea. "Well, one and a half," Luke said, his voice suddenly very southern.

The group chuckled at his antics.

"Okay, my turn. What about you cutie, you never did give me your name or tell me if you would take up my offer," Luke said.

Oren turned red underneath his fur, his dark mask getting darker. Luke had been persistently hitting on him in front of Shaun since he called him out.

"My name is Oren, thank you, and I'm already taken," Oren said, shifting in his seat.

"Awe, that's too bad. Are you the lucky girl?" Luke asked Christine. Christine turned red and shook her head 'no' as Oren stood.

"Well who--" Luke started.

Oren meanwhile, still naked as the day he was born, walked over to Shaun. Luke gasped in amazement as Oren sat gently across Shaun's lap, cupped his head, and gave him a deep and long over due kiss.

"A human? Surely you can't be serious?" Luke asked.

Oren just nodded, nuzzling into Shaun's chest. Luke slumped back in his chair, dejectedly looking at the floor. When he looked up, his eyes meeting Oren's, he saw the love that he carried for his mate and melted, he had always had a soft spot for romance.

'Shaun, you've truly changed. Well, Mama always told us, 'Love knows no boundaries,' Luke thought.

"So, Trinity Valley huh? That's a bush pilots nightmare, what kind of plane did you come in again?"

"Huh, bush pilot? What do you mean?" Shaun asked.

"Trinity Valley doesn't have an official airstrip, it's just a level field where they cut down a section of grass. It's rather hard to get there though, and the cross winds can get pretty strong."

"We came in a 310, why does that matter?" Shaun said.

"A 310? You're lucky you broke down here! These bush runs can get pretty rough, and the 310, well, it's notorious for its-" Luke started before Shaun interrupted.

"It's delicate landing gear! Oh my, I didn't think about that."

"Bingo, my friend," Luke said, sipping on his tea.

"What's that all supposed to mean?" Christine asked.

"Well, if you had actually made it there, the landing gear would probably have sheared away. You might have survived, but you would have definitely crashed," Luke said.

"What about your plane, Amelia, can she handle that?" Shaun asked.

"Can she ever!" Luke said, getting really animated. Leaning forward with excitement in his eyes, Luke tore into the subject. "Amelia is Douglas DC-3, I wanted a plane that looked similar to Earhart's plane. Amelia here was even specially outfitted with tougher gear and upgraded avionics by her previous owner. Dead reliable, she is. I spent a lot to get here that way and I'd take her to the ends of the Earth!"

"So then, what were you doing to it?" Oren asked curiously.

"Oh, just tinkering with the engines, I was curious as to how much power I could get out of those motors.'Never was one to leave things alone for very long," Luke said.

"I never did tell you why we were headed to Trinity Valley, did I?" Shaun asked

Luke shook his head and so the other Shaun told him everything. Luke looked at Oren sadly when Shaun talked about how he had been found but his gaze changed as Shaun went on. Shaun recounted everything in explicit detail, down to the song he sang to help Oren control his change and how Oren waited at his bedside for a solid week when the hunter had shot him. Shaun did however leave out the sex that took place before everything and how obviously gifted in that area Oren was. By the time Shaun finished his story, Luke was looking at the couple with a misty eyed understanding.

'It took such drastic events for you to find love, I'm sorry Shaun. I wish I had been there,' Luke thought.

"Why don't you stay with us? John told us that Trinity Valley is a sanctuary for marked ones," Christine said.

"Is that so? I've heard rumors of such a place being near the border, but that was all," Luke said.

"Yeah, I think you should come. It's not like we're going to keep you there, you'll be able to take Amelia out there and leave when ever you want," Shaun said.

"True. Maybe I will stay and check it out for just a little while," Luke said

"Well it's settled then, we leave tomorrow."

~~~~~~~~

Chapter 6 is soon to follow, sorry this took so long. Chapter 6 will actually have some love making, but I've been trying to work this story to the end I have in mind. Thanks for reading guys, feedback is wanted.