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The Night Is Still Young

Title by Billy Joel

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I’m lousy at figuring out titles for my fics, so I usually turn to inspiration from Billy Joel or The Beatles. This fic came about for Deano Bingo. I hope you enjoy it.

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Life was going swell for Mr and Mr Mitchell-Johnson. At times the former Norse god and vampire felt like they were living the dream! They were in love with their new house, and the freedom and space of being homeowners. They had christened every room with passion and sex several times. Anders had found that working in the back garden had actually become something that he enjoyed. And John aka Mitchell had made it his life’s mission to decorate the house and front garden for every holiday in such a way that it could be seen from the international space station! And without the pressure of being Norse gods and the constant pressure to find the Frigg, the Johnson brothers were actually starting to …like one another?!

Things were going great with JPR. John had been a calming and stabilizing influence on Anders which had filtered its way into his work at JPR. Gone were the days of Anders coming in hungover, sleeping with clients, creating messes with clients that Dawn had to clean up. Anders had even made Dawn a partner in the firm, which was working out better than Anders had imagined it would. They’d hired a part-time secretary to free up Dawn so that she could start working with clients full time. And the two partners had found that if one of them needed or wanted to be gone for a day for whatever reason, the other partner was able to cover them both. This helped Dawn out a lot whenever she needed to take her daughter to the doctor or stay home with her.

Mitchell was loving his new position in the hospital as Department Head of Labour and Delivery. It could be a very challenging position with a lot of responsibility, and could be stressful. Mitchell wasn’t quite sure how to deal with this amount of stress, especially since he no longer had fangs. Thankfully Ty had convinced Mitchell to start working out as a way to alleviate the stress. He bought a gym membership and started running almost daily with Ty. At first Anders wasn’t crazy about this fitness routine, until he started to notice in the shower the results from the weight lifting had on John’s arms and abs! Arm porn!

It was no secret that Mitchell loved children. It was something that he looked forward to before he was turned into a vampire, and then after that, well, he pushed it to the back of his mind because what kind of a father would a vampire make? But now John believed it was a possibility again through adoption or via a surrogate. It was a touchy subject for the couple. Mitchell had tried several times unsuccessfully over the years to convince Anders of the idea of adoption. Anders tried to avoid the subject as much as possible. He had a very dysfunctional childhood and he just didn’t think he would be a good father because of it. So Mitchell tried to pacify his need to be a father by babysitting Ty and Dawn’s daughter Mary, or having her spend the weekend with the two uncles. Mitchell and Anders both enjoyed these weekends and would take her shopping, and then lunch at some ridiculously expensive restaurant, spoiling her rotten in the process.

One weekend Anders and Mitchell were hosting a family BBQ when Ty tapped on his beer with a knife to get everyone’s attention. “Hey, I’d like to have everyone’s attention… Dawn and I are going to have another baby! She’s three months along, so in six months hopefully a baby brother for Miss Mary!” Everyone was sooo excited for the couple and surrounded them with hugs. Mary wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, but she liked the excitement just the same. Anders took a quick glance at John to see how he was taking the news. He was smiling but not the kind of smile that was reaching his eyes. It was good enough to fool everyone else, but Anders could see the sadness behind John’s eyes. All of a sudden Mike spoke up, “Well I guess now’s just as good a time as any to announce that Michele has agreed to be my wife!” That really made everyone scream. It was a shock to everyone when Mike and Michele got back together after they all lost their god powers, but this was totally unexpected. Axl asked the couple, “So are you going to tell us next that Michele is pregnant?” Everyone looked at Michele, “No way in hell is this body going to get fat!” Mike pulled Michele in for a hug, “We’ll see about that Mrs Johnson!”

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After everyone had gone home, Anders and John were finishing cleaning up the kitchen and the garden from the party. Both were pretty silent. Anders knew that the news from Ty and Dawn was going to stir up feelings and questions from John about why can’t they adopt. It had been awhile since the subject had come up, but Anders knew that the subject was always bubbling just under the surface. He didn’t know if he should bring it up or just let it go. “Hey can you believe Mike and Michele are getting married? I guess they’ve worked out all their issues, at least I hope so.” Mitchell threw down the dish towel he had in his hand and ran upstairs. Anders threw a glass against a wall and broke it in frustration. He started pacing the living room when John came running down the steps in his running clothes, “John where are you going? It’s dark?!”

“I’m going for a run…” and he ran out the door.

“But it’s…8:00…Fuck!” Anders collapsed on the floor and cried. It had been a long time since Mitchell had run out on him like this. In fact, he really couldn’t remember when or if he had run out on him before. At least not since they were married.

After cleaning the glass splinters up from the kitchen floor, Anders poured himself a rather large vodka. He tried sitting outside with his drink, but that didn’t help. He turned on the tv for some mindless television. His stomach was in knots with worry. He felt like the veins in his arms were jumping. He didn’t know what to do or think. It was getting dark and that worried him even more. He tried calling and texting John but he never responded. He actually had the thought to have Mikkel go find him, that is until he remembered that they weren’t gods anymore. He poured himself a second drink and finally bit the bullet and called Ty.

“Anders, what’s up?”

“Um, have you by any chance seen John? I mean since you left here.”

“No? Why would I?”

“Well, you two are good friends, and he’s been gone for a while, so I thought maybe he stopped by or called you.”

“Fuck Anders, what’s going on?”

Anders swallowed hard and was trying to speak but he couldn’t quite form the words.

“Anders? What happened?”

“Um…” his voice was shaking, “I think, well…I’m not sure.. He um went out for a run and he uh, hasn’t come back.”

“What the fuck Anders? Did you have a fight after everyone left?” Ty asked his brother.

“Mm no, he was just really, really quiet after everyone left and uh, oh fuck Ty I think I’ve lost him.” Anders was crying now.

“Anders you’re not making any sense. Tell me what the fuck happened?”

“Fuck Ty, I did! We didn’t fight! He just got really quiet and I tried to make small talk because I had a feeling what was bothering him, and he just ran upstairs, and the next thing I know, he’s running out the door saying he’s going for a run. Fuck, fuck, fuck! Ty, I don’t know what to do! I can’t lose him! I can’t!”

“Shit Anders! What do you think is bothering him?”

Anders was crying so hard he couldn’t talk.

“Anders quit fucking around and talk to me damnit!” Ty was really close with Mitchell and the more Anders cried, the more pissed off Ty got at Anders.

“Kids… adoption…you and Dawn having another… “

Ty sighed. His announcement earlier in the day must have triggered Mitchell and sent him over the edge. He and Mitchell were very close and he knew how much he wanted to become a father and adopt with Anders and Anders would never agree to it. “How long has he been gone?”

“Three hours. And Ty it’s getting dark out. Where could he be?”

“Have you been drinking?”

“Yes.”

Of course he has Ty thought, “Ok, I know a couple of his spots he likes to go to. I’ll go look for him. You call me if he comes back Anders! And don’t say something stupid to him when he does come back. And stop drinking!”

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Ty went straight to the beach to look for Mitchell. They didn’t often run there because it was around 10 miles one way, but they had done it, and they’d often driven there for a run on the beach. Mitchell had told him more than once that it was his favourite place to go to think. So he took a chance and drove there first. His instincts proved correct when he found Mitchell skipping rocks into the water. Mitchell turned around to face the car, squinting in the headlights. Ty got out of the car and walked over to his friend, “I thought I’d find you here.”

Mitchell gave him a half smile, “You thought correctly my friend. Anders send you?”

Ty nodded, “He’s very worried about you.”

“Then why didn’t he come look for me himself. Oh let me guess… he’s been drinking.”

“Yep. He said you were quiet and then ran off. Something on your mind?”

Mitchell walked up to sit on a bench, “Kids. Adoption. You know, same old, same old with Anders. Oh fuck Ty, I didn’t dare bring it up again. I know what his answer is going to be.” Mitchell’s voice started to crack, “Christ Ty, it was hard enough when I was a vampire to deal with never being a father. I knew it wasn’t possible, so that helped put it out of my mind. But now, with the curse gone, it is possible, but Anders is too fucking scared to try. Shit tonight I even thought of leaving him, and adopting on my own. But then, something, someone would always be missing.”

“Anders.”

Mitchell nodded sadly, “So now, I have to face the fact that I’m never going to become a father. A dad.”

“I’m really sorry Mitchell. You know he did get the worst of the worst treatment our parents doled out, so it doesn’t surprise me. When I look back at the bruises that Anders went to school with, it’s incredible that social services never stepped in. His clothes were always torn or dirty. But he always protected me and Axl and made sure that our clothes were clean.”

“He told me once when he actually had a broken arm and was in A&E, that his dad sweet talked the social worker into letting Anders go back home with him.”

“Yeah I think I remember that. You know what his deal is with the fish don’t ya?”

Mitchell nodded his head no.

“One year we all saved and saved our pocket change and any money that we’d find between the sofa cushions or find in the gutter, just so that we’d have enough money to go on one ride at the carnival. It was during one of those times that dad was gone, so we didn’t have to worry about pissing him off. Mum managed to give us each $1 in addition to all of the change we found. So we each had enough for two rides and maybe a game or a cotton candy. But Anders spent his money on winning a goldfish at the goldfish game. It took him two tries. He was so excited that he won that fish. He loved that fish and took good care of it. He bought food for it and everything. He even named it Charlie.”

“No way, for Charlie the Tuna?” Mitchell asked

Ty chuckled, “Yep! Then a couple of weeks later, da came home one night in a raging mad drunk. All of us kids were asleep and he came into our room just yelling and throwing things around. Then he spotted Charlie. He figured out right away that it was Anders’s. He took that goldfish and dragged Anders out of bed to the bathroom, and flushed the goldfish down the toilet in front of Anders.”

“Jesus. What a giant prick,” Mitchell said.

“Right! Hence, the goldfish tank. Look, I know that Anders can be a right arse, but he really does love you. He’s terrified right now that he’s lost you.”

“He is?”

“Yes. He was actually crying on the phone. Let me take you home to Anders. You know that’s where you belong. For better or for worse.”

Mitchell snapped his head up to look in Ty’s eyes at those words. He sighed and got up and went over to Ty’s car and got in.

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John quietly opened their front door and closed it behind him. Anders jumped up from the couch and ran over to him, “I’m so glad that you’re back, I’ve been so worried about you! Where did you go, love?”

John sighed and looked around trying to avoid Anders’s eyes, “I took a run down to the beach.”

“The beach! Christ that’s like…”

“Ten miles away, yeah I know. You sent Ty after me?”

“John, I was worried about you. It was getting dark and you didn’t return my calls. I was worried about you!”

“So you’ve said. Ty said that you were worried that I was going to leave you,” John said.

Anders started fidgeting, covered his face with his hands. He was trying not to cry again. He finally looked up at John, “Yeah, yeah I was. I am. So are you? Going to leave me?”

John walked past Anders to the kitchen to get a beer and sat down at the island and opened it and took a long pull from it. He wiped his mouth with his hand. Anders walked over to him. John finally looked him in the eyes and saw that they were wet from tears.

“I thought about it Anders, I really did. I could adopt on my own and be the father that I’ve always wanted to be.” He heard a gasp come from Anders. “But then I thought something would be missing, and that would be you. I love you Anders, but it also kills me that you’re not willing to adopt. It hurts so much Anders.” Mitchell’s voice was starting to crack, “I’d miss you too much…”

Anders grabbed John and pulled him into hold onto him. They both let it out and cried in each other’s arms. Holding on to each other in desperation. Mitchell finally pulled back and put his hands on Anders’s face, “Would you please think about it some more…for me… please?” his lips reached for Ander’s lips softly and left them there for a moment. Anders looked up into John’s eyes, “What about my reputation as a womanizer, John?”

John furrowed his eyebrows, “What are you talking about?”

“I’ve hurt so many women throughout the years. I’m ashamed of it now. How do I talk to our children about that? What if our child goes to school with kids from those women, and my reputation gets brought up? How do I explain that?”

“I don’t know babe. But we’ve all done something in our past that we’re not proud of. I guess it’s just something that we work together on. One situation at a time.”

Anders said, “How ‘bout i get you a dog. You’d like a dog wouldn’t you?”

John huffed, “You egg, yes I would like a dog, but not right now. If we got one now, it would feel like we’re replacing a child with a dog. Later down the road, okay?”

Anders rested his forehead on John’s, “Okay, love. Can we go to bed now?”

John smiled, “Yeah, we can go to bed now.”

A couple of months down the road, Mitchell and Anders started looking for a dog. But of course the couple couldn’t agree on what kind to get, or if they should just go to a shelter and rescue a dog? If it was going to be this hard to pick out a dog, how were they ever going to decide on a name! Anders had done what he promised John, and had started thinking about adoption again. He even started seeing a therapist about it, because his big question about dealing with his past reputation with any possible children messed with his head. John made sure to let Anders know how proud he was that he was seeing a therapist. He even volunteered to go with him if Anders thought it would help.

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At JPR, Dawn looked at the time on her phone and grabbed her purse, “Anders I need to leave now and pick up Mary. Are you doing okay over there?”

Anders looked over his computer screen, “Yeap, everything’s aces here. Don’t worry about a thing and give my niece a big hug and kiss for me.

“I’ll be sure to do that. Okay, have a good weekend. Say hi to Mitchell for me,” Dawn smiled at her brother-in-law on the way out the door.

He heard the door open, “I’ll be with you in juuust a minute while I finish something up.” He didn’t bother to look up to see who it was.

“Hello Anders.” The voice was familiar but he couldn’t place it. He finally looked up and dropped the pen that he was holding.

“Gaia?”

She gave a weak smile, “In the flesh.”

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