Unexpected Places

 

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Started this with one story in mind but sidetracked
to write SAFE HARBOR. This story veers off from that one after the
very first section.
COMMENTS: Feedback welcome.
DISCLAIMER: Judson Cross, Stefan George and all other Adventure Inc
cast belong to Tribune among others. No copyright infringement intended.

This story mirrors SAFE HARBOR for the first section... and then
goes in a very different direction :-)

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Unexpected Places
By Tarlan
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The Vast Explorer seemed so different following Gabe's death, no
longer the welcoming home filled with laughter as they sailed the
world in search of treasure. Instead, a gloomy air hung over the ship,
with too many memories attached to every part of it. Wherever Judson
turned, he saw reminders of the younger man who had been a part of his
crew and his life for several years. He could still imagine Gabe
covered in grease as he tried to coax life out of the engine one more
time, or seated in the mess hall in front of his expensive laptop,
searching the world for clues that would lead them to some lost
wonder.

Although they were ever in need of money, it played little part in
their choice of adventure. For Judson, a shard of pottery from some
distant dynasty held as much wonder as a cave full of jewels.

Gabe had joined the crew because he sought adventure, wanting the
adrenaline flow that came from seeking out these hidden treasures,
often at risk of life and limb. Yet, for all their adventures, facing
down 'bad guys' intent on killing them, caught in quicksand in a
desert or lost in the darkest depths of the Peruvian jungle being
eaten alive by mosquitoes, Gabe had lost his life in an every day
tragedy -- a car crash.

As Judson watched the dark clouds gathering on the horizon from the
bridge, he thought about the funeral. Gabe's parents were devastated,
his father more so because he did not even have an outlet for his
anger. So many times he had attacked Judson verbally, afraid that
Judson would get his boy killed on one of these stupid adventures.
Instead, Senator Patterson had stood beside the casket in shock at
such a senseless death -- a drunk driver running an intersection while
Gabe was visiting his parents in Washington D.C., killing Gabe
outright.

After the funeral, Judson returned to the Vast Explorer after
fulfilling an obligation to attend the wake, and as soon as he could,
he set out to sea, wanting to leave Washington D.C. far behind as
quickly as possible.

Two months had passed and now, Judson cast his eyes towards the
horizon, his lips tightening as the dark clouds heralded an
approaching tropical storm. Already, the Vast Explorer was lifting
higher with each swell passing beneath the ship and Judson knew from
experience that this storm would be dangerous.

"Can we outrun it?"

Mac's silent appearance by his side almost made him jump and he turned
to her with a smile. It faltered as he caught sight of the ample
cleavage on display, his mouth drying as new thoughts entered his
head. Mac raised one eyebrow, noticing his sudden discomfort but
saying nothing. If anything, she drew in a deeper breath to make her
breasts swell higher.

Judson cleared his throat and looked back towards the darkening
thunderheads.

"Yeah, there's a natural harbor just round this headland. We'll be
safely moored by the time this storm reaches us."

"Famous last words?" she teased gently, reminding him of the many
occasions when he had belittled the danger facing them only to be
caught off guard.

He grinned in response and let his eyes flick towards the prow as he
spun the wheel.

"Not this time," he laughed softly, as Mac turned to see the safe
harbor dead ahead.

She shook her head and grinned back at him. "Home sweet home."

Within fifteen minutes, they had safely anchored the Vast Explorer
where it could ride out the storm with ease. Judson moved to the prow
and stared out at the darkening sky, feeling the steady increase in
the breeze.

"Shore leave?" Judson asked, indicating towards the sandy beach with
its palm trees swaying as the wind picked up but Mac surprised him by
revealing her intention to ride out the storm onboard.

They leaned on the side, waiting until the first raindrops fell before
retreating below decks. Above, the outer edge of the storm reached out
to ensnare the ship, rocking the ship as slightly larger swells passed
underneath.

"Romantic dinner for two?" Judson held up an emergency lamp as the
power flickered and died, casting a warm haze of light about the mess
hall.

"I'll bring the wine," Mac replied with a grin, holding up a bottle of
Chardonnay.

A separate generator powered the galley so hot food was on the table
before too long. They ate in companionable silence, with the alcohol
putting them at ease as the Vast Explorer yawed and rolled, buffeted
by the small waves that rocked the ship. Afterwards, they worked
together, washing dishes and stowing everything away for safety. As
they crossed the mess hall, intending to head for their separate
cabins, one particularly large swell sent them tumbling into each
other's arms for support.

Judson had no idea who made the first move but they ended up where he
had often dreamed of being -- in Mac's bed, naked, with his limbs
entwined around hers as he thrust deep inside her yielding body. She
was the fulfillment of a dream, easing an ache of desire deep inside
him, which he had felt for her since the moment they first met. They
had come close to this moment so many times over the years, even
sharing body heat on several occasions but they had not crossed the
line until now.

All the shared dangers only served to heighten that wanting, and now
she was his.

Her small yet deadly hands mapped his body with less than gentle
caresses, squeezing the flesh of hips and ass, with sharp nails
breaking the skin to leave tiny half-moon marks. He leaned over her,
suckling upon one pert nipple while his fingers toyed with the other,
hearing her gasps of pleasure as her strong fingers carded through his
hair, tugging on the strands to encourage his worship of her beautiful
body. He moved lower, biting at the firm flesh of her belly before
sinking lower still. His tongue flicked out, licking and sucking upon
the tiny nub as she moaned for more. She cried out, back arching from
the bed as he tasted the sweetness of her first release.

Her hands dragged him up the bed, guiding him between her soft folds.
Her fingers clamped tight upon each asscheek as she used all her
strength to force him to take her deeper and harder as she surged
upwards, crying out her second orgasm in gasps of profanity,
triggering his own.

Afterwards, they lay together in a sweaty tangle of limbs with her
head pillowed upon his shoulder as the dissipating storm left the sea
rocking them slowly to sleep while the wind crooned its gentle
lullaby.


Despite their safe harbor, the storm wreaked damage upon the Vast
Explorer and they spent the following week trying to make the ship sea
worthy again. Each night, they fell into bed together, finding a
certain amount of comfort each other's arms. Yet, Judson had to admit,
if only to himself, that finally having Mac in his arms had not
assuaged the hunger he felt deep inside. He knew from the look in
Mac's eyes that she felt the same way.

That night, after making love, Judson rested in silence with Mac's
head upon his chest, listening to the slap of the waves against the
side of the ship and wondering what had changed. He had wanted her
from the moment he set eyes upon her but had dampened the desire in
the name of friendship. A good friendship... perhaps the best he had
ever known. Fear of losing that friendship had kept him from
expressing his desire, and the recent loss of Gabe had reminded him
that there was more than one way to lose even the best of friends.

He stilled the small protest that said it was not just Gabe but also a
sense of loss that had been following him for many years. A loss that
he had felt more keenly in the past two years, brought to a crisis
point with Gabe's senseless death.

Still, because he and Mac were best of friends, he thought that would
make them the best of lovers too. Yet, something was missing and,
instead of enhancing their relationship, it had soured it, leaving him
feeling hollow and empty. He wished he could explain how he felt,
wondering why the heat of her body was simply not enough to warm his
soul.

Judson paused that train of thought as Mac moved from his arms,
watching her as she slowly pushed away until she was lying on her side
with her head raised on her hand. Her eyes narrowed and her lips
pursed before he gave a deep sigh of regret.

"I love you, Judson," she said simply but instead of elation, all he
felt was despair. Her fingers reached out to smooth at the frown lines
that he had been unconscious of forming. He looked away. "But we make
lousy lovers," she continued.

Judson turned back in surprise, seeing a slightly bitter smile on her
kiss-softened lips, He opened his mouth to say something -- anything -
- but she pressed her fingers against his lips and shushed him.

"I love you," she reiterated, with more passion. "But I'm not 'in
love' with you... and you're not in love with me." She gave a genuine
smile this time. "You are my best friend, Judson... but you're in love
with someone else."

Her hand cupped his cheek as he frowned and strove to deny her words,
even though he sensed, deep down, that she spoke the truth. With
denial made impossible by the look in her eye, he asked in a harsh
whisper, "Who? Who am I in love with?"

Mac moved away from him and slipped out of the bed, pulling on a
silken dressing gown and tying it securely before facing him.

"You're the explorer, Judson. That's for you to figure out. Just
remember to look in unexpected places."

Mac leaned down and kissed him firmly on the mouth, her tongue
brushing over his lips, sending flickers of desire through him that
she would never quench. She pulled back with a soft moan of
resignation and Judson knew that, from this moment onward, they would
return to simply being the best of friends, and no longer be lovers.

Strangely, despite the cry of frustration from his body, he did not
care as long as they would remain the best of friends.



One Month Later:

Any awkwardness between them dissipated quickly, leaving that brief
interlude firmly in the past, gone but never forgotten. Judson had no
regrets and was profoundly grateful that Mac had none either. No
matter what, she was still his best friend and losing her would have
been too great a blow so soon after Gabe's death.

As Judson steered the Vast Explorer towards the wharf, he reflected
that he still had no idea whom he was supposed to be in love with, and
Mac had refused to talk about it, not even dropping hints. In
exasperation, he decided to put that particular puzzle out of his mind
and concentrate on their latest client instead.

Simon Planchard was the curator of the Museum of Antiquities at Punta
Gorda. Excavations at the 'jade' temple had revealed a stone tablet
inscribed with ancient Mayan pictographs and Planchard wanted Judson's
opinion on its contents. The request seemed a little strange to
Judson, for he knew of several scholars who knew far more about the
Mayan civilization than he did. He wondered if the request had more to
do with the Governor's daughter, Ynez, recalling how he, Mac, and Gabe
had helped to convince her father to accept the local boy she loved.

He shivered imperceptibly in remembrance of a greater mystery
surrounding the jade altar, which according to legend was built by Ko-
Hi-Ho The Fierce as a lavish setting for the wedding of his daughter,
E'Chala, to a neighboring prince. However, she had fallen in love with
a boy from the village and when she refused to marry the prince, her
father killed her in a fit of rage, sacrificing her upon the jade
altar and burying her there. Over the centuries, the forest reclaimed
the small temple and all memory of its location died along with the
ancient Mayan civilization.

Strange events had taken place as they followed the clues on the Jade
ring in the hope it would bring them to the altar. At the time he had
tried, unsuccessfully, to explain away those paranormal events as mass
hysteria, with both Ynez and her Theo caught too deeply in the ancient
legend that seemed to parallel their lives. However, this time the
story had a happy ending, and if there truly were spirits of E'Chala
and her beloved wandering restlessly through the millennia, then they
had found peace now through their descendants.

At least, it had a happy ending for Ynez and Theo. Yet he could not
quell the sorrow that flipped his stomach as he thought back to that
day, two years earlier, when Stefan died in his arms.

Judson swore softly under his breath. Why couldn't he admit that
hearing Stefan's voice on the radio had caused his uneasiness that
day? Seeing him had brought back so many memories of the good times
they had shared. Even now, he could not understand why Stefan had
betrayed him, besmirching his name, and trying to kill him.

That inner voice niggled again. During the fight, Stefan found the
perfect opportunity to kill him but, instead, he struck Judson with
that old Smith and Wesson before pushing him aside. Perhaps he found
it was not so easy to kill someone face to face, especially someone he
had once called partner... and friend.

Friend.

Much to Gabe's dismay, Judson had never stopped thinking of Stefan as
his friend, even after he shot up the campsite... and especially as he
lay dying in Judson's arms. Instead, he had yearned for those old
days, fooling about in the sea together, dodging bad guys and bullets
and other treasure hunters who had tailed them in the hopes of
stealing whatever they found.

All the memories from the past came flooding back of dark eyes
laughing, of the ease between them as they worked together to bring
home the trophies. So where had all the bitterness come from?

Several of their exploits had caught the attention of the media, in
particular the Discovery Channel. Yet, when they worked together as
partners all those years ago, Stefan had shown no interest in Judson's
increasing fame, only in the discoveries -- and they had made plenty
of those together. In truth, he had always seemed pleased at the
recognition Judson gained, saying he deserved it for those leaps of
faith that often led to the end of each quest.

Even money held little interest to either of them as most everything
they earned seemed to go into the maintenance of the Vast Explorer and
its diving equipment. So what had changed between them?

Over the years, Judson tried but failed to pinpoint the exact moment
when all went sour between them. Only now, as he thought back to that
week spent in bed with Mac did he recall how surly Stefan became after
Julia joined the crew. She had joined on the request of Discovery
Channel, who felt they needed a pretty female crewmember to add a
little more excitement.

She stayed on the ship for only a few months, sharing the duties --
and Judson's bed after one night of celebration led to something more
physical between them -- though she moved on soon after, deciding to
finish her doctorate with a museum in Cairo. Nothing had been the same
with Stefan after that. Where before they had worked as a team, now
Stefan worked alone, becoming frustrated when all his hard research
was overturned by a moment's intuition on Judson's part. He started to
take bigger risks, as if he felt he had something to prove to
Judson... or to Julia.

Judson wondered if Stefan had set his sights on Julia, hating him for
being the one she chose to bed. Yet, he could recall no instance when
Stefan displayed anything but disdain for her, but human nature could
be fickle. Perhaps he had used the disdain as a defensive reaction.
Perhaps Stefan had been in love with Julia all along and had wanted to
prove that he could be as good a scholar and explorer as Judson...
maybe even better.

After she left the ship, Stefan had used every opportunity to taunt
him, reminding Judson that she had been the one to walk away,
abandoning him when he had outlived his usefulness to her. He began to
drink more, as if he no longer cared about his safety, often ruining
any chance of making a discovery because he was too drunk to dive.
Then, one night after they reached shore, he took some kid for a
diving trip in the middle of the night, and killed him.

Stefan had forgotten to refill the air tank and he was so drunk it
never occurred to him to check the gauge. The kid ran out of air, and
ended up swimming to the surface too fast from too great a depth.

Judson shuddered at the memory of hauling the kid out of the water and
racing through the darkened streets to a hospital that seemed too far
away, in the hope that they would be able to save the kid. However,
they couldn't. The damage had been done and the kid never regained
consciousness.

Eighteen months imprisonment for manslaughter, and Judson doubted
Stefan knew that the original sentence had been five to ten years.
Somehow, he managed to call in a few favors and have the sentence
reduced but Stefan refused to see him or speak to him. So they parted
company and, until two years ago, their paths had crossed infrequently
and rarely with much pleasure on either side.

Yet, Judson had wished only the best for him, hoping that he would
turn from the dark path he had chosen and become the person he once
knew, the man he still wanted to call his friend. After all those
years, he still missed that friend even though Mac had gone a long way
to replace what he had lost with Stefan.

Tears burned in Judson's eyes as he thought back to those last moments
as he held Stefan's badly electrocuted body in his arms, feeling the
life leave him. Recalling the silver Smith and Wesson pistol, he tried
to get through to Stefan one last time, to let him know how much he
had cared for him, and valued him.

You won it from me, right? So you didn't always lose.

I cheated that time.

I know.

He had known, but the cheating had seemed so unimportant compared to
seeing that triumphant smile back on Stefan's face, letting him recall
the days when it had been there honestly.

"Judson?"

Judson wiped his eyes briskly and turned to Mac with a smile, knowing
he had failed to hide his grief as her blue eyes softened in pain for
him.

"You okay?"

"Yeah... just thinking too much about..." His words trailed off, not
wanting to explain how his thoughts of late had dwelled on Stefan.

"I miss Gabe too," she said softly, and Judson did not bother to
correct her, only just realizing that he had not truly grieved for
either of the friends he had lost.

Between them, they maneuvered the Vast Explorer into a mooring and
Judson murmured a small prayer that they would get an advance payment
for their services, if only so he could pay the mooring fees before
suffering the threat of broken legs or having the ship held to ransom.
He heard someone call his name and saw a man waiting for them on the
dock, recognizing him from the previous visit as the curator, Doctor
Planchard.

"Mr. Cross. Welcome back to Punta Gorda."

"It's good to be back. So... how can I help you?"

"Aaah, a man who likes to get straight down to business. Perfect,"
replied the slightly stooped, grey-haired old man. He smiled broadly
and indicated back towards the town with an expansive gesture. "The
air conditioning at the museum is far more suited to civilized
conversation and heated discussion. Please bring your beautiful
assistant with you, Mr. Cross."

Judson raised both eyebrows and saw the smirk on Mac's lovely face.

"Heated discussion?"

Planchard laughed. "Isn't that always the way when scholars get
together?"

Judson grinned back, remembering how much he had enjoyed the old man's
company last time around. It had made him feel all the more guilty at
'borrowing' the jade ring from the museum without his permission.
However, he had repaid Planchard by leaving him with both the Jade
ring and the magnificent altar, asking nothing in return except enough
fuel and supplies to see the Vast Explorer off on its next quest.

Leaving the Vast Explorer as secure as possible, Judson joined
Planchard with Mac trailing a few steps behind them out of habit.



Just as Planchard promised, the interior of the museum was as
refreshingly cool as Judson recalled from his last visit. On that
visit, he had gone to study the Jade ring that Stefan had tried to
steal from him. On reflection, Judson could not believe that his first
sight of Stefan after several years would be under such painful
circumstances. He could only be grateful that, when he fell from the
cliff into the sea far below, there had been no jagged rocks lying
just beneath the surface.

Had Stefan meant to sever the rope? Judson wanted to believe that
Stefan had acted impulsively.

During the fight, the jade ring had slipped from his fingers into the
sea only to be snared in a fisherman's net before Judson could
organize a dive to recover it. However, he needed the ring for he was
convinced it held the secret to a lost Mayan temple with its legendary
altar carved from solid jade.

His attempt to steal the ring met with failure until Ynez stepped in,
offering it up as a bargaining chips o she could accompany them on the
quest.

That quest had led to tragedy.

Judson stopped in front of the display area holding the Jade altar.
When Stefan tried to tear it from its platform, something weird had
happened. It had glowed with an ethereal green light, and something
had raced along the cable connecting it to Stefan's jeep. Judson had
watched in horror as it struck Stefan like a lightning bolt, barely
pulling Stefan from the jeep as the cable snapped and the jeep spun
off, heading straight over the cliff, and plunging into the sea.

He could still feel the weight of Stefan's body in his arms; see the
mask of hatred fall away to reveal the man he had...

Shock rippled through Judson and he stumbled back from the jade altar,
feeling physically sick as realized what his heart had been trying to
tell him for so many years. Mac was right. He was in love with someone
else, someone unexpected... someone dead.

All those moments from their shared life came back to him as he saw it
all through fresh eyes. Stefan had not been in love with Julia. He had
loved *him*. He recalled all the times that Stefan would start to say
something and then clam up, saying it did not matter. He remembered
the closed expression on his face when Julia stared flirting with him
openly, and his cold eyes that morning when he found her in Judson's
bed.

Judson swallowed hard. His instincts, which worked so beautifully when
reading the subtle clues in body language, leading to hidden treasure,
had failed abysmally with Stefan. He had taken his friend for granted,
never seeing below the surface to the heart beating beneath. He had
never dared to see beneath his own thoughts and needs, too afraid to
take the hidden path that would lead to a greater treasure, the
fulfillment of his heart's desire.

Stefan had stood beside him, wanting him to take that path but
refusing to coerce him in any way, only to fall behind in despair when
Judson took a different path with another... with Julia.

"Judson?"

He turned to look into Mac's concerned eyes. "It was Stefan," he
stated softly and saw her eyes cloud over in understanding as she
nodded.

Mac had turned up looking for work a few months before Stefan's
imprisonment for manslaughter but Stefan had made it clear that he did
not want her onboard. She returned when she discovered he was without
a dive master and had stayed ever since. Though she had known Stefan
only fleetingly, she must have seen something but had chose to keep it
to herself. Part of Judson wished she had spoken up with her usual
candor. Perhaps he would not have wasted so many years searching in
the wrong direction. Perhaps he might have been able to turn Stefan
away from that destructive path. Instead, all he had left were bitter
regrets for a love found too late.



The rain forest had a habit of swallowing up tribes and ancient cities
alike in a matter of decades, and few men had the ability to read the
cryptic clues left behind for they conveyed more than just words but
ideas too. The very spirit of the Mayan people seemed wrapped up in
their complex writing, leaving much of the translation down to
intuition. Judson knew he was one of those few that had the gift,
possibly because he was of the same mindset, seeing the world through
cryptic eyes.

Stefan had that gift too, though to a lesser degree, and that was what
had attracted Judson to him initially.

However, although highly skilled, Stefan had lacked confidence in his
intuitive abilities. He could not take the plunge without something
substantial to support his gut feelings whereas Judson had never had a
problem in that area. He had always been willing to jump in with both
feet, and that is what made them such an ideal partnership. Stefan's
caution had tempered Judson's flights of fancy in a far more subtle
and less intrusive way than Mac and Gabe's total disbelief and
questioning.

Although Judson had continued to be lucky in his finds, he knew he had
missed so much more due to Mac's solid objections or her careless
dismissal of his fanciful notions.

How many times had he turned away from an unknown path, where his
instincts screamed at him to go, because Mac and Gabe had stalked off
on the path indicated by the book, map, or tablet in their hands?

Stefan would have waited. He would have sensed the pull of the unknown
pathway and hovered by Judson's side until they threw caution to the
wind and stepped onto the hidden track. Moreover, if they reached the
end and found nothing, then he would laugh and tell Judson how much he
had enjoyed the walk and the scenery anyway.

Still, Judson could not fault Mac for, invariably, the path written on
paper or carved in stone did lead to some form of treasure. Only,
Judson sometimes wondered what had been waiting for him down that
other secret path.

Yet all of this seemed unimportant compared to the path his life had
taken, as he followed the rules of convention rather than follow his
instincts to look beyond the veil of social acceptance. Perhaps if he
had listened to his heart and instincts then Stefan would still be
beside him rather than lying in his grave.

Judson swung the machete hard, hacking away the overgrowth as he led
Mac through the forest, following the cryptic clues carved upon the
stone tablet by intuition. Planchard had not wanted him to take the
actual stone, offering him a translation instead but Judson had
insisted. His instincts told him that the stone held greater
importance than just being a convenient piece of rock to carve upon.
Rarely had those instincts been wrong... when he chose to follow them.

Mac swore in annoyance as she brushed away the flies buzzing around
her face. As usual, she had chosen a tight fitting vest top that left
a lot of skin exposed, to match close-fitting pants and walking shoes.
Her skin gleamed with a combination of sweat and mosquito repellent
smeared liberally with dirt as she swiped at the perspiration
trickling down her flesh. Her long dark hair hung loose beneath a
wide-brimmed hat. In contrast, Judson had chosen a thick shirt over a
khaki-colored t-shirt with loose cargo pants and sturdy boots. He wore
his baseball cap low to keep the sun off his face but he pulled it off
now so he could wipe the rivulets of sweat from his brow.

"I thought Planchard said he had an advance camp set up along this
route already," she growled as she hacked at the undergrowth blocking
their path.

However, Judson was never one to simply follow on behind others. He
wanted to make his own sense of the directions given, blazing a
slightly different trail through the thick foliage. He thought Mac
understood all his foibles but she had seemed very uneasy since
arriving in Punta Gorda, grumbling and moaning about everything from
the mosquitoes to the food. He decided to put it down to the heat and
humidity, which could drain even the strongest person.

Planchard's people had already determined which direction they wanted
to start the search for the lost burial place of Ko-Hi-Ho The Fierce,
following the clues given on the stone tablet. According to local
legend, the Mayan people had buried the powerful Sun king with immense
treasures to see him through the afterlife. Many scholars and treasure
hunters had sought this El Dorado but no one knew where to start
looking until several months ago, when museum archeologists unearthed
the stone tablet within the Jade temple.

Yet, Judson wondered if Planchard realized he had taken this same path
to the Jade temple with Mac, Gabe, and Ynez over two years earlier. He
pondered on its significance, feeling a tightening in his chest as
each step took him closer to the place where he had lost Stefan
forever. Even the thrill of the hunt for lost treasure ebbed as he
wished, suddenly, that he had not taken on this particular
exploration.

However, it would be a valuable find both in scholastic and monetary
terms, one that he and Mac needed so they could keep the Vast Explorer
afloat.

As he hacked his way through one final segment, Judson grinned, seeing
the campfire smoke drifting up from the clearing ahead. It seemed that
Planchard's people had managed to translate the first part of the
journey in the same way as him. For a moment, he pondered on who would
have been able to follow the cryptic clues, hoping he would be able to
work with this person to solve the full mystery.

Behind him, Mac growled her thanks that this stage was almost over and
wearily, they stumbled into the encampment. Judson gave a wry grin as
the army colonel raised his eyebrows at them before quickly looking
towards the open trail he had expected them to follow.

"Just double checking your people had translated the first part
correctly."

"Colonel Ferrez... and you must be Judson Cross," he stated, holding
out a hand in greeting.

Judson accepted his hand, grinning in return. Planchard had informed
him that he would have a small, armed escort because of known problems
in the interior but that Judson would be in charge nonetheless --
except for matters pertaining to security. He saw the question in
Ferrez' dark eyes as the man glanced over his shoulder with open
appreciation and looked behind him, making the fresh introduction.

"Mackenzie Previn... Mac."

Once they had dispensed with the pleasantries, Ferrez indicated
towards the small circle of tents. "I took the liberty of having my
soldiers erect a tent for you and your assistant, Mr. Cross."

"Judson... just call me Judson." He followed Ferrez towards the
farthest tent. "Have to commend the skill of your epigrapher. We seem
to agree up to this point."

"Perhaps you would care to meet him... though I believe you are
already acquainted with him from the past."

Judson frowned, trying to recall any particular scholars in the field
of Mayan archaeology. Only one person came immediately to mind but
then, Stefan was never far from his thoughts these days, especially
after he figured out the truth of how he felt about him.

"Damn mosquitoes," Mac griped, slapping her arm, and Judson frowned
anew at the tenseness in her frame. She looked across at him, and he
read embarrassment and apology in her blue eyes.

"Judson."

Judson froze, hearing a familiar voice as if from beyond the grave. He
turned swiftly, eyes wide with shock, and the color leached from his
face as he saw Stefan standing in front of the tent. He shook his head
in disbelief, once more feeling the weight of Stefan's body in his
arms as Stefan gave one last sigh before stilling. Stefan was dead,
and Judson had not even stayed for the burial, wanting to get away
from Punta Gorda, taking the coward's way out by running as far and as
hard as he could, and as quickly as possible.

Stefan's dark eyes flicked towards Mac, and they hardened before he
turned away without waiting for any verbal acknowledgement, re-
entering the tent, breaking the spell that kept Judson rooted to the
spot. Judson took a step forward, meaning to follow, but then he heard
Mac clear her throat and he rounded on her with sudden realization.

She knew Stefan would be here. She knew he was still alive and had
probably known all along.

"He wasn't dead, Judson. He was unconscious. Whatever that lightning
was, it wasn't the same as electricity. It didn't fry him."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He said, hoarsely, barely able to speak past
the lump in his throat.

"At the time? Because he had just spent the best part of a week trying
to kill us." Her voice softened. "And later, because I realized how
much he had meant to you." She paused, pursing her lips in shame. "I
thought you could move on if you thought he was gone for good."

Later that evening, Mac sat by the fire contemplating the events that
had led them back here. Two years ago, when she realized Stefan George
still lived, she took the decision to let Judson remain in ignorance.
He had suffered enough at the hands of a man he had once thought of as
his friend, not even wanting to stay for the funeral. Out of respect
for Judson's former friendship, though, she managed to persuade the
Governor into commuting the death sentence into life imprisonment.
However, Mac wondered if she had done Stefan any favors, knowing the
condition of some Central and South American prisons.

As the months past, Judson's reaction to Stefan's supposed death
confused her for he never mourned him, and he never talked about him,
almost as if he was in denial. Instead, life went on pretty much as it
had before, with the same old Judson cracking wry jokes and asides as
they faced obstacles in their quest for whatever artifact had caught
his imagination.

Then, seven months after Stefan's death, she spotted him sitting on
deck beneath the strong light of a full moon, staring at something in
his hand. Her curiosity overcame her and, on the following day, she
used all her stealth to sneak a look at the photograph, imagining it
to be some old girlfriend from Judson's past.

Seeing Stefan's face staring back at her was only a small shock
compared to interpreting the look in Stefan's eyes. They spoke volumes
to Mac, telling her that Stefan was in love with the person holding
the camera. With the sun behind him, the photographer's shadow spread
out across the deck and was captured within the image -- it was
Judson.

After that, everything fell into place.

Suddenly, she understood why Stefan had not been so enamored with her
presence when she first sought work on the Vast Explorer. He had seen
her as competition in more than one way. Not only would she compete
with him for the role of dive master, but also for Judson's attention
for, despite his brilliant mind, Judson seemed clueless on personal
matters. He did not see the love shining for him Stefan's eyes, nor
did he recognize the strength of his feelings in return.

Mac saw it all, though. She saw what Judson could not see -- or would
not see -- finally understanding what had driven Stefan to despair and
caused the rift between the two men. It tore her in two, caught
between wanting Judson for herself and wanting him to have what he
loved and needed. It took that single week of having what she thought
she wanted to make her realize that it had all been an illusion. He
was her best friend and she loved him with all her heart but she was
not in love with him. In contrast, what he felt for Stefan went far
deeper, beyond friendship to an all-consuming passion -- if only he
could acknowledge it.

Mac knew they could heal the rift between and she gave small thanks
that she had continued to press her case for Stefan's early release,
corresponding through Ynez in the hope that she might be persuaded to
speak to her father, asking him to show clemency. In earnest, Mac
cited Stefan's knowledge and experience of ancient Mayan, little
knowing that this was exactly the skills the Governor needed. Ynez'
last letter had seemed more promising; with a mention that Planchard
had approached her father concerning Stefan's Mayan knowledge and
exploration skills.

Still, until receiving the call from Planchard requesting Judson's
assistance, she had no idea if the Governor had been moved by the
request. Planchard told her immediately that he had secured Stefan's
release upon his agreement to join the exploration team and assist in
the translation of the tablet. Then he had thought of Judson Cross,
recalling what an exceptional team the two had made in the past, when
he had followed their exploits on the Discovery channels.

Mac looked up as Judson joined her by the fire. "I should have told
you about Stefan."

"Maybe... maybe not." He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I
don't know."

"Have you spoken to him to him at all?" Judson shook his head and Mac
felt sorry for him, seeing the lines of tension around his eyes and
mouth. "You look terrible."

"Thanks," he said wryly but a small smile tugged at the corner of his
mouth.

"Why don't you get some sleep. Ferrez wants to set up an early meeting
in the hope of moving on tomorrow."

Judson nodded his head, too tired from the journey and the emotional
trauma of seeing Stefan alive to even speak. She watched as he
disappeared inside the tent they would share that night, as they had
on so many occasions. Only then did she register the new presence. She
looked up to see Stefan lounging against a tree just at the edge of
the circle of light thrown out by the fire. He pushed away and stalked
towards her, his mouth a thin line, his eyes as hard as flint.

Mac waited for Stefan to hunch down across the fire from her. He
stared across the flames, eyeing her from head to toe. However, if he
had hoped to intimidate her then he failed miserably. Instead, she met
his stare, refusing to back down for she knew how to disarm him.

"I'm not your rival, Stefan. There's nothing between Judson and me
except friendship."

His eyes widened in surprise, momentarily, before he regained his
composure. "And why should I care," he stated petulantly.

"Because you do," she responded simply, before standing up and walking
away, leaving Stefan to mull over her words. She had already done a
lot for this man and she was damned if she was going to spell out the
whole truth to him. Let him figure the rest out for himself.



Ferrez planned the meeting in his larger tent, wanting to ensure both
Judson and Stefan would work together to determine the next course of
action.

Stefan arrived first and he waited on the far side of the table,
looking up from it only when the tent flap rose to admit Judson and
Mac. Unconsciously, he licked his lips hungrily as he covertly studied
the lean, handsome man, seeing fresh lines of strain in the familiar
face. Judson looked tired, as if he had not slept well for some time
but Stefan knew he looked just as bad.

He had spent the past two years in prison, fighting for his survival
against murderers and potential rapists but, even without this need to
sleep with one eye open, he would not have slept well. Dreams of
Judson as his lover had haunted him for too many years, taunting him
with what he desired so much but could not have.

He frowned as he caught Judson trying to watch him surreptitiously,
unable to read the emotion in the green eyes before they slid away.
Moments later, Ferrez drew their attention back to the stone tablet
and he pushed all thoughts of Judson aside as he concentrated on the
stone. The Governor had promised him his freedom in return for helping
Planchard find the burial chamber of Ko-Hi-Ho, and Stefan had no urge
to return to prison.

They started haltingly... almost begrudgingly sharing insights until,
slowly, the excitement of discovery pulled them away from the old
animosity.

Several hours later, Stefan glanced up to see a smug smile on Mac's
face, only then realizing that he and Judson were sitting shoulder-to-
shoulder now, with heads almost touching, and with cryptic notes
strewn all around them. Somehow, they had met each other halfway
around the table, slowly dispensing with the buffer that, first the
table, and then Ferrez had made between them.

His face flushed with embarrassment as Judson realized this at the
same time. Both of them pulled away, shooting a glance at the quiet,
exasperated sigh that came from the other side of the table as Mac
raised an eyebrow and left the tent.

"I think we have a good idea where to head next," Judson stated
quietly, barely able to meet Stefan's eyes.

"Yeah," he replied softly, "back to where they found the stone."

The thought of returning the temple filled him with unease as he
recalled the strange shock that had gripped his body as he tried to
tow away the jade altar by force. He had sensed something within the
green mist, some intelligence that seemed malevolent at first. When
the first bolts struck through him, he *knew* it meant to kill him for
disturbing the temple but something altered its intentions as it
crawled through his mind. Whatever it found had saved his life.

Over the past two years, he'd had plenty of time to think about that
incident, and to wallow in self-recrimination. In hindsight, he hardly
recognized himself as that same man, scared at how close he had come
to destroying something so profoundly beautiful just to cause pain to
Judson. He had lashed out like a small child, wanting to hurt Judson
in some insane belief that it would take away *his* pain, the pain he
had lived with through his unrequited love for the man.

Two years in prison had given him enough time to burn out some of that
anger, and he thought it had given him enough time to let go of the
past... to let go of Judson. He was wrong. His heart had started to
beat wildly the moment he heard Judson's voice beyond the tent flap
and his attempt to put the past behind him failed miserably the moment
he looked into the soft green eyes.

He still wanted him with every fiber of his being. His heart still
ached to be the one Judson wanted in return... but *there* was
Mackenzie Previn -- still as beautiful as he recalled -- standing at
Judson's side, touching him freely, perhaps even intimately. And it
hurt to see them together.

Yet, Mac's words last night had given him unwanted hope.

I'm not your rival, she had said. There was nothing between
them but friendship.

Her words could hold only one meaning. She was not his rival for
Judson's love, and that she recognized he had strong feelings for
Judson that went beyond mere friendship. However, those words gave him
no other clue. Did Judson return his feelings? Or was there some other
rival, one he could not compete against? Perhaps Julia had returned to
claim him, belatedly realizing what a prize Judson was.

"We'd best get moving. If we take the jeeps, we could be there by
nightfall," Judson added in his soft voice and Stefan nodded his
agreement.



Judson watched as Stefan climbed into the front jeep, knowing his old
partner had an amazing ability to recall directions and would lead
them straight to the temple. He had never known Stefan to get lost,
not even in the murkiest water or the darkest cave system. The man
seemed to have an inbuilt guidance system that told him how far he had
gone and in what direction, allowing him to retrace his steps with
ease. They had relied on that skill on so many occasions and Judson
could think of a few times in the past years when he could have used
that extraordinary gift. Instead, he'd had to rely on his instincts
and memory. Under normal circumstances, that was not such a bad thing,
but Judson knew his instincts were governed by his desires rather than
common sense... and the desire to find the 'treasure' could sometimes
be stronger than the desire to escape danger.

Judson looked back at Mac, who lounged comfortably in the rear seat
looking immensely pleased that they were not on foot this time. He
smirked at her, and she glared back but that softened into a self-
indulgent smile. Her eyes widened fractionally seconds before she
yelled out, lunging forward to push Judson down in his seat. The
stickiness of blood and brains splattered across his whole body as the
jeep's driver jerked and fell sideways onto him, the jeep careering
out of control to plunge into the thick foliage and slam up against a
tree.

Gunfire erupted all around but Judson could barely form a cohesive
thought as the world swam around him in a blur. He felt someone's
strong arms grab beneath his armpits, dragging him from the destroyed
jeep and away from danger, into the rain forest. His head was swimming
as he tried to focus on the face above his, knowing it was not Mac.
The face coalesced into Stefan's concerned features, though the
concern in the dark eyes lost intensity when Stefan realized Judson
was actually seeing him. Stefan pressed a wad of cloth against the
gash on his head.

"Where's Mac?" Judson groaned in concern.

Stefan stared hard at him for a second before grasping Judson's hand
and bringing it up to hold the cloth in place.

"I'll find her for you."

He raced back towards the distant sound of gunfire without waiting for
an answer. Knowing Stefan had gone back to find Mac filled Judson with
a sense of foreboding, aware he might have sent him to his death
before he could even tell him how much he cared for him... how much he
loved him. Judson struggled to his feet, swaying alarmingly as he
clung to the tree for support.

The sound of gunfire became sporadic and finally stopped. Judson heard
a rustle of movement and sighed in relief when Stefan returned,
partially supporting Mac. She dropped to the ground beside the tree,
yelping in pain. Judson fell back down beside her, instantly concerned
by the bright red blood soaking through her pant leg.

"I need your knife," Stefan stated, holding out a hand to Judson,
looking chagrinned as he added, "Ferrez wouldn't allow me anything
that could be used as a weapon."

Judson swallowed, having forgotten that Stefan was little more than a
prisoner until he had fulfilled his side of the bargain, and helped
the Governor find the lost burial chamber. He reached into his pocket
and pulled out his old and trusty Swiss Army knife, handing it to
Stefan. Stefan smiled at it, as in remembrance of all the times they
had used the various implements within it to solve a problem facing
them. He pulled up the single sharp blade and sliced through the leg
of Mac's pants, revealing the bullet track that had scored the flesh
of her slim thigh. It would need suturing but, for now, Stefan pressed
a clean handkerchief against the wound.

"I got it," Mac said as she edged his fingers aside, hissing at the
pain. She looked from one to the other. "Who's gonna go check to see
who won this round? Us or the bad guys?"

"I'll go--"

"I'll go," Stefan stated forcefully, staring hard at Judson with an
unrelenting expression. He paused as Mac offered him her spare gun,
nodding gratefully before moving off.

Ten minutes passed slowly, with Judson's first warning of someone
approaching coming when Mac's gun snapped upwards. Moments later,
Stefan stepped out from the undergrowth with Ferrez but Judson had
eyes for only one of the men.

Although his head felt like someone was playing a set of drums inside
it, his eyesight had cleared, and he grinned at Stefan in heartfelt
relief, allowing his concern to show. It saddened him that Stefan's
expression showed only surprise, as if he had not expected Judson to
care less about his safe return. It made Judson realize how much
ground he had to recover with Stefan before he could ever hope to
convince him that his newfound feelings for the man were genuine.

The Colonel rushed forward and dropped down next to Mac, with his
remaining soldiers spreading out around the small group of explorers.
His medic joined him, pulling open his kit and seeing to Mac's bullet
graze.

"You are injured?"

"Just a graze... but it's nice of you to notice," she smiled coyly and
Judson laughed softly, knowing Mac had made another conquest.

"Hardly a graze..."

Judson heard a little more of their exchange as Ferrez talked of the
bandits causing problems in the area. His men had seen them off...
this time. However, his attention wandered away the moment Stefan
approached.

"How's the head?" he asked, and Judson grimaced, reaching up to touch
the small gash.

"Sore... but I'll live."

"It's only a small graze but it should be seen to."

Judson hissed as Stefan grabbed some items from the medic's bag and
began to treat the gash, cleaning it thoroughly before applying
antiseptic and a small dressing. As Stefan rose back to his feet,
Judson grabbed his wrist.

"Thanks."

Stefan nodded once, almost perfunctory but Judson knew it meant a lot
to Stefan, coming from him. He watched as Stefan walked away, his
fingers still tingling from where they had touched. A few minutes
later, they headed back to the remaining jeeps, eager to journey on to
the Jade temple.



The Jade temple was exactly as Judson remembered it to be, except for
the empty space where the altar had once sat.

Judson climbed the few steps up to platform and turned slowly,
surveying the unusually large interior. He paused to stare at the
place where he had held Stefan in his arms, believing him to be dying,
and he shivered at the memory. He felt drawn to that place and, at
first, Judson tried to deny his instinct, believing it to be a hang
over from that terrible moment when he thought he had lost his friend
forever. Then he chewed thoughtfully upon his lower lip as he stared
at the broken column, recalling the words he and Stefan had translated
from the complex images on the stone tablet.

"The sentinel cries for the spilled blood, then raises his eyes to the
setting of the Sun."

As he walked back down the steps towards the stone column, Judson
looked at Mac, who sat on a broken column nearby, her face pale and
her teeth gritted against the pain in her leg. Then he looked to
Stefan. Ferrez believed these words meant they should look to the
west, to where the sun set each day but Judson was convinced
otherwise, and Stefan agreed with him.

He ran his hands over its surface, brushing away the dust and dirt
accumulated over the centuries to reveal a face. Stefan joined him,
his hand reaching up to touch the teardrops falling from the eyes that
faced the altar. His dark eyes caught Judson's, ideas connecting
instantly just as in the old days. They set off in different
directions around the column, fingers digging into the dirty stone as
they searched for another face, one that would look towards the burial
chamber.

Nothing.

Judson heard Stefan's soft expletive and saw him checking the rubble
that lay strewn around the feet of the broken column. Together, they
tried to roll over one large chunk found several feet away, accepting
the help of the Colonel's men.

"Stop," Stefan yelled as his fingers began to follow the furrows
carved into the stone. Slowly, he and Judson uncovered another face
with its hooded eyes open.

"We need some more light over here," Judson called as he used a chunk
of debris as a platform so he could climb to the top of the broken
column.

Working together, he and Stefan quickly figured out which way the
chunk of stone had sat upon the column before it splintered and fell,
rolling down the slight incline. They shared a triumphant look as the
pieces of the jigsaw puzzle fell into place, before both looked in the
same direction, towards the back wall at a 45 degree angle to the
right of where the altar had stood.

On reaching the back wall, they found only stone. Judson glanced
across at Stefan.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"A pivot stone... or a hidden lever."

"Could be either."

"I'll take this direction," stated Stefan.

They moved apart, fingers tracing each stone in turn, as they searched
for a clue. Judson stopped abruptly as his fingers brushed across one
gap, sensing something amiss.

"Stefan," he called softly, and waited until his old partner reached
him. Together they brushed away the dirt from a stone large enough to
conceal a hidden doorway. All they needed to do now was work out how
to open it, bearing in mind that the builders would have added extra
security to prevent grave robbers from gaining access. His sense of
unease rose alarmingly at that thought, and Judson stepped back. He
still had misgivings about the validity of the stone tablet, wondering
why someone had left it here. Judson called Ferrez over.

"Where exactly did your people find the stone tablet?"

"Over there."

Judson followed the line of the Colonel's pointing finger across the
temple to one darkened corner, and found the answer to a question that
had bothered him up to now.

The corner was little more than a dumping ground for mistakes made by
the original artisans. It explained why the stone tablet had
directions leading to the very place where they found it. What
Planchard's people had discovered was not genuine directions to the
burial chamber of the Sun King but an earlier attempt that had gone
wrong. Either the stonemason had made an error and discarded it here,
or the priests had altered the instructions after these were carved,
making this tablet useless.

Judson looked back across the temple to cover stone he and Stefan had
revealed in the back wall. This doorway could lead to the final
resting place of the Sun King. Then again, it could be an elaborate
trick, left here to fool those who discovered the temple and wanted to
plunder it. Judson returned to the hidden doorway and stared at it,
feeling even more uneasy with its presence.

"Well, Judson," asked Mac impatiently as she hobbled towards them.
Judson turned his gaze to Stefan, seeing him standing quietly, waiting
as he always used to with his dark eyes intent upon him. When Mac made
to shove against the stone door, Stefan grabbed her and pulled her
back away from it. She rounded on him instantly but Judson stepped in
between them, his eyes begging Mac to back off.

"There's something wrong here," he stated softly. "Think Indiana
Jones." He knew she would recall the incident in the first film, where
Indy had sprung a trap unintentionally, almost resulting in his death.
He glanced upwards, eyes scanning the darkened recesses as he mapped
the position of one stone against the next. Beside him, Stefan seemed
to be doing the same for he grabbed Judson's sleeve and pointed to a
small area high above.

Judson swallowed hard, recognizing the trap. Opening this pretend door
would bring the entire temple crashing down around them. As he looked
to Stefan, to acknowledge their joint, unspoken decision to leave this
supposed doorway alone, Judson saw the pleasure in his friend's eye
that had been missing since Julia. However, this time he saw beyond
friendship to the love lying beneath, and he smiled, revealing his
love for Stefan in return.

Confusion in the dark eyes gave way to renewed joy... and then horror
as his eyes slid over Judson's shoulder.

Spinning quickly, Judson stared at the green haze glowing around the
base of the platform. This same mist had sent a charge of something
akin to electricity surging through Stefan and, though it had not
proved lethal then, the memory sent fear striking through him. He
reached back blindly, the fear receding only when his fingers
encountered Stefan's living flesh.

The luminescent mist curled around their legs, entwining them as it
traveled slowly up their bodies, seeming to have a life of its own. As
it swirled over his face, Judson sensed intelligence within it,
recalling all the strange phenomena he had encountered on his quests,
and especially in this temple two years back. He let it guide his
thoughts, moving back around the platform with Stefan until they stood
together beneath the broken column once more. This time, instead of
raising his eyes across the platform to the far wall, Judson lowered
them to the sharply rising steps lying before him that led up to the
top of the platform. They fell to their knees, their hands reaching
out to press on some of the carved figures on the step risers in a
sequence communicated to them through the strange, glowing mist.

A stone dropped away suddenly to reveal a narrow set of stairs leading
down into darkness, the luminescent green mist dissipating almost
immediately.

"Judson!"

He grinned over at Mac. "I'm fine...we're fine," he said as he looked
at Stefan.

Grabbing flashlights, he and Stefan descended into the small hole,
ordering Mac and Ferrez to wait above, just in case something went
wrong. At the bottom, Judson found he was at the beginning of a long,
narrow tunnel that led beneath the temple. Taking careful steps, he
led the way. Water had seeped through the limestone over the centuries
and Judson hunched over to avoid smacking his already sore head
against any of the stalactites hanging from the ceiling. As he walked
along the corridor, he read the walls, searching for any mention of
danger. At the end of the tunnel, it opened out into a tiny
antechamber stacked with the bones of a dozen skeletons lying
haphazardly, as if thrown there without any thought. Small pottery
jars lined the edges of the antechamber. Judson knew these victims
were probably captives taken in war and sacrificed during the burial
ritual for Ko-Hi-Ho. The jars would contain symbols of Ko-Hi-Ho's life
and death, filled with jade, cinnabar and hematite as well as other
long since decayed offerings.

Ahead, Judson could see the immense cover stone and the limestone
sarcophagus housing the mummified remains of Ko-Hi-Ho but he paused,
not wanting to touch what they had discovered. Planchard's people
would want this burial chamber left undisturbed so they could study
it, and the archaeologist within Judson bowed to their needs. Finding
the burial chamber would have to be enough, though he hoped Planchard
would allow him to witness the raising of the heavy cover stone with
its lapidary art. Part of him longed to see the mummified body of Ko-
Hi-Ho and stare at his death mask, knowing the custom was to carve it
from precious jade. Another part of him simply wanted to see the face
of the man who had slaughtered his daughter just because she had
fallen in love with a boy from the wrong caste.

Stefan brushed up against him as he sought to take a closer look in
the confined space. With his body still tingling from the strange mist
that had enveloped them, the touch sent a spark of desire coursing
through Judson. He heard Stefan's soft gasp, knowing it had affected
him too and turned his head to meet the desire-filled eyes, forgetting
how close they stood.

Their lips brushed, sending fresh licks of passion burning through
him, turning his blood to liquid fire as Stefan leaned into him, their
lips sealing in a deeper kiss, tongues dueling as they fought to taste
and touch the reality of this meeting of heart, body, and mind. The
green mist wove around their ankles, slowly enfolding them in a warm
and loving blanket as they gave into the love that had torn them apart
and made them whole once more.

Judson felt hot hands slide beneath his t-shirt, sliding across his
back even as his hands worked under the material of Stefan's shirt to
touch and stroke the heated flesh. He broke the kiss with a gasp as
Stefan's hands lowered, trying to wriggle beneath the tight waistband
of his pants, and stepped back.

He wanted this. God, how he wanted this... wanted to feel Stefan's
hands upon him, claiming him, possessing him. He wanted to feel his
hands upon Stefan, learning every curve of muscle, every line of bone.

Stefan dropped to his knees, fingers fumbling at the belt, lowering
the zipper and dragging aside the pants. He buried his face in
Judson's groin, rubbing his lightly bristled cheek against the hard
column of flesh, tongue flicking out to taste the sweet offering
beading at its head. Judson braced himself, hands upon Stefan's broad
shoulders as Stefan swallowed him whole, feeling his climax build
swiftly, too swiftly, as his senses overloaded and he came hard,
thrusting into the hot mouth, giving Stefan more than just his body as
the green mist swirled around them.

Numbed by the intensity of his climax, he barely registered being
turned in Stefan's arms; barely felt the burn as Stefan entered his
body, possessing him fully as he softly gasped out in climax within
Judson. He opened his eyes, as the last sensations ebbed away,
blinking rapidly as the last whispers of green mist cleared, only then
hearing the calls from above as Mac demanded to know what they had
found.

"It's okay," he called back. "We found it. We found the burial
chamber."

He turned in the narrow space, his eyes meeting Stefan's, knowing he
had found far more than that. With trembling fingers, Judson accepted
a wetted handkerchief, cleaning himself as best he could before
pulling his pants back up.

"What happened?" Judson asked in a whisper, awed by the wave of love
and desire that had flowed over them, stripping away all common sense.
Stefan shook his head, unable to explain his own loss of control, his
eyes filling with embarrassment. Judson leaned forward and claimed the
warm lips in a gentle, reassuring kiss, needing to prove to Stefan
that he had wanted this, and that he still wanted it... wanted more.

They pulled apart as they heard Ferrez approaching but not before
Judson made it clear, with his eyes, that he saw this as a new
beginning to their relationship. Stefan's responding grin gave its own
silent promise, warming Judson to the soul as Stefan stepped aside to
give Ferrez room to see the small but incredibly important burial
site. Allowing Stefan to lead the way, Judson followed him back to the
surface where Mac waited impatiently, and he could tell by the joy on
her face that she knew something significant had happened between
them.

Mac reached out and grasped Judson's shoulder, using him as a support,
before reaching for Stefan too.

"Let's go before Ferrez forgets his promise to release you... and I
end up having to shoot him."

"Thought you liked shooting people, Mac," joked Judson.

"Not the cute ones," she replied, waggling her eyebrows, and Judson
could not help but grin as he and Stefan walked away together,
supporting Mac between them.


Epilogue:

Judson had not wanted to take any chances, putting out to sea as soon
as they reached the Vast Explorer and not stopping until they were in
international waters far from Punta Gorda. Stefan could not blame him,
feeling that same unease as he wondered if the Governor intended to
keep his promise to release him.

As the Vast Explorer cut through the sea, Stefan breathed in deeply,
filling his lungs with the fresh, salty air and feeling the spray on
his face. He smiled as he watched Judson on the bridge, with face
intent on one purpose... getting them as far out to sea as possible.
What made this even more exciting was that Judson was doing this
solely for *him*, wanting to have him safe. It almost seemed too good
to be true and Stefan felt an insane urge to pinch himself in case it
was all a dream, but if that was the case, then this was one dream he
never wanted to awaken from.

The engine slowed to an idle and Stefan licked his lips nervously as
Judson handed over control to Mac, hearing her insist that her injury
was negligible. Once convinced, Judson stepped out of the bridge, his
eyes instantly locking onto Stefan's as if he had known exactly where
he stood.

Probably had, Stefan thought suddenly, recalling how keen an eye
Judson had, able to catch the minutest detail quickly. Yet, the look
in Judson's eyes had an almost predatory gleam as they raked over him
and Stefan fought the urge to squirm in anticipation. He followed
Judson down the companionway to the living space below, feeling old
memories wash over him at every sight. This had been his home once.

Judson glanced over his shoulder once, to check that Stefan was still
following but, otherwise, he did not stop moving towards his quarters.
He seemed at a loss when he reached them; turning to face Stefan with
a slightly embarrassed expression but Stefan knew exactly what he
wanted to do. He closed the door behind him before stalking towards
his new lover.

"Mac..?"

"Is a big girl who knows the score," said Stefan firmly as he reached
for Judson, hands settling on Judson's waist. He shivered in
anticipation as he felt the heat of Judson's body through the thin
cotton t-shirt. Slowly, he wriggled his fingers beneath the material
to touch silky flesh, while Judson's hands reached out to grasp him in
return.

Pulling Judson towards him, Stefan captured his lips in a kiss, at
first chaste but growing in pressure and intensity as hands drifted
over sensitive skin. Stefan plundered the offered mouth as firm lips
softened and parted, greedily swallowing the soft moan of pleasure as
Stefan's hands moved lower to massage the firm asscheeks, drawing
Judson closer. He felt the hardened mass at Judson's groin and pushed
against it, grinding his hips against Judson, his hands tightening
their grasp on the still-clothed ass.

All too soon, it was too much and yet still not enough. He wanted to
feel skin on skin, wanted to see, touch, smell, and taste the lightly
perspiring flesh of his lover. Judson moaned in frustration as Stefan
stepped back, trying to recapture him but Stefan held firm, taking a
moment to stare into desire-darkened pupils ringed with just a corona
of soft gold and green iris. Gently, he encouraged Judson to pull off
the t-shirt while he divested himself of his own, leaving their upper
bodies naked. He let his hand drift between them, reaching out to
scrape across one nipple with a rough fingernail before pulling away
again, watching as the nub tightened deliciously.

Flushed, kiss-swollen lips pouted in annoyance at their loss of
contact until Stefan's hand reached lower to unzip his cargo pants,
drawing them down over the swell of his ass until gravity took hold
and the pants tumbled to Judson's ankles. Judson kicked them aside and
stepped forward, wanting to renew contact with the tantalizing
fingers, moaning in appreciation as he gained what he wanted. Stefan
rubbed his palm over the hard column of flesh still imprisoned within
the cotton boxers, exalting in the tiny groan as Judson's eyelashes
flickered, closing over passion-filled eyes as his head tipped back.
Precum soaked through the thin cotton, the scent of male arousal
slowly filling the air, igniting all of Stefan's senses, and sending
flashes of need through him.

Not wanting even the thin cotton between them, Stefan snagged the
boxers and drew them down, exposing the full beauty of this man,
flushed with desire for him. He had seen Judson naked on so many
occasions in their shared past but never had he looked more beautiful
to Stefan than he did at this moment. Not an ounce of spare fat could
be seen on the leanly, muscled frame. Strong pectorals glistened with
a light sheen of sweat, while dark golden hairs curled damply between
them, growing less sparse as Stefan's eyes trailed down the firm,
lightly tanned body, over the hard ridge of abdominal muscles to the
column of flesh standing proud from a thatch of curls.

Recalling their earlier lovemaking in the temple, Stefan knew
something beyond their world had driven their need but, this time, he
knew that he was the cause of all the desire he could see in Judson's
eyes. It both elated and humbled him, knowing he had such power over
this beautiful man. With unsteady hands, Stefan kicked off the
remainder of his clothing, leaving them both standing naked and
wanting in the cabin. He reached for Judson again, seeing no
indecision as Judson moved into his embrace, kissing him soundly.

Coherent thought was rapidly disappearing but Stefan knew what he
wanted. He wanted to be inside this man again. He wanted to feel the
heat of Judson's body tight around his engorged flesh, wanted to sink
into the firm, yielding body one more time. Stefan pressed forward
until the back of Judson's knees hit the bed, following him down onto
the cool sheets. Only then did he realize that he had no lubricant to
ease his penetration. Both flustered and frustrated, he glanced
towards the washroom door before looking back at Judson.

The green eyes were no longer completely dazed though Judson's face
was still flushed. Instead, the green eyes focused on Stefan intently.

"Top drawer," he said softly, eyes flicking towards the bedside
cabinet thereby giving more than just the means for Stefan to take
him, but also his consent.

Stefan took his time preparing his lover, stroking fingers deep
inside, and bringing renewed pleasure to them both as he found that
sensitive place inside. When neither of them could wait any longer, he
positioned himself between the strong thighs and pushed in, breaching
the loosened ring of muscle in one smooth stroke as he buried himself
inside his lover.

That first time outside the burial chamber had been fast and furious,
filled with an intensity of need that stripped away all control. This
time, Stefan set the pace as he made love to the beautiful body lying
open and willing beneath him, thrusting in deeper with each stroke,
and drawing cries of pleasure in response. He braced Judson's legs
against his upper arms, pushing them back further so he could deepen
his possession, crying out his pleasure even as he felt the flood of
wet heat between them that heralded Judson's release.

Bonelessly, he slumped over Judson's body, with limbs too weak to
support his weight. Droplets of sweat trickled down his body, with
gravity taking them from him to mingle with the sweat and semen pooled
between them. He laid his head upon Judson's shoulder and moaned
softly, hearing Judson's deep sigh of contentment as strong arms
enfolded him. Although he was not comfortable, Stefan had no desire to
move, wishing they could stay like this forever. However, he knew that
was impossible, groaning as he rolled away, onto his back, draping a
forearm over his eyes.

He felt movement on the bed as Judson turned onto his side, moments
before Judson's hand stroked along Stefan's body from shoulder to
waist. Stefan lowered his arm and laughed softly, loving the silly
grin plastered on Judson's face, so different from the shocked desire
he beheld at the burial chamber.

As they shared a gentle kiss, Stefan recalled the green mist that had
enveloped them there. The first time he encountered it, he sensed
malevolence barely held in check but, the last time, he had sensed
familiarity, love, and joy. Unlike Judson, Stefan had always believed
in the spirit world and he knew this had been the physical
manifestation of the murdered princess, E'Chala, and her beloved. He
had sensed both of them together at last, united in death as they had
never truly been in life, feeling their joy at this union after so
many centuries apart.

Stefan grinned. Now he understood their joy. In addition, he
understood why they had shown him and Judson the true entrance to the
hidden burial chamber. They had seen a reflection of their own
forbidden love within him and Judson, their joy complete when he and
Judson recognized the depth of the feelings between them.

He thought of his seemingly unrequited love for Judson. After so many
years of wanting and hoping, and after so many years of frustration
and despair, Judson had finally figured it out and discovered that he
loved Stefan in return.

The spirits of the two long dead lovers had ensured that he and Judson
would not leave the temple without consummating that love, gifting
Stefan with all he had ever wanted in this life -- Judson Cross.

As Stefan reached back to draw Judson closer to him, wanting to claim
one more kiss before they washed away the evidence of their shared
passion, a single thought swept through him.

Just like E'Chala, he felt as if he had spent centuries waiting to be
reunited with his beloved, and Stefan did not intend to let him go
ever again.

THE END

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