Jamie - The Journey Begins Ch. 33 - Lights Out

"Jamie, the EMT guys are going to take you to the ER just to check you over. We're collecting witness statements, but it seems that these guys jumped Ryan and Dillon?"

I nodded.

"From what I've been told so far, you did you, come busting in and went all 'Jamie - kick your ass' on them, right?"

I just nodded again.

"Then Jack, your boss, slam-tackled guy number three?"

"New Guy," I replied, somewhat dejected.

"You had time to name them?" Aiden laughed a little. "Fuck Jamie, you haven't changed since freshman year."

My massive cousin pulled me into a gentle hug. For such a big guy, he could be very gentle. "Come on out with it - I gotta know the names." A big smile wrapped his face.

I took a breath. "There was redneck, red hat, and new guy," I replied, without any real emotion.

"Ok. So redneck was that guy?" pointing to the first guy that hit Ryan.

"Yeah. He hit Ryan with the lumber, out cold." My stomach ran cold for a moment reliving the moment when Ryan crumpled like a bag of grain.

Pointing at the next guy, I continued,. "That's redhat - he was wearing a cap. He was belting the crap out of Dillon when I distracted him, and he got me... more lumber."

Aiden frowned at me for a moment. "Yeah, we'll get you looked at, I think. I don't want my brother-in-law all over my ass."

He'd given up years ago calling me his cousin and just ran with brother - said Lucas and I have always been inseparable, so what the hell?

"And Jack cleaned up 'new guy'."

"New guy?" looking puzzled at that one.

"Yeah - 'new guy'. He came from nowhere and was about to shred me, I think."

"Well, they're not going anywhere for a while - with some hate crime charges, assaulting a federal public servant, state public servant, straight-up felony charges for assaulting Ryan, Dillon, you and Jack too - they're in deep shit. Come on let's get you checked out so you can call Ben."

Like a kid that was being made to do their homework, head down a little and shoulders slumped forward I followed Aiden and headed over to the bus.

"Hey, guys - you too busy to look at me, right?" I cheerily asked the EMT crew, hoping they'd say yeah and I could go back to work, swallow a handful of Advil and rest till I had to face my husband. They looked up, smiling patting the trolley in the back. 'Damn - that didn't work.'

"Just for you, Jamie. If we let you go, Ben will have our asses - or Billy - he's our shift super. They both will have our asses for a year.

'Damn - does everyone know me and my husband... Where's the fun it that?' With a sense of resignation, I climbed in and let them do their checks.

..o0o..

"Hey, Ben, when you get this message, call me please, not super urgent." Okay, so I lied a little on his voicemail, but what do you say? 'Call me - I'm with your co-workers. They're taking me to the ER after I got the crap beaten out of me'?

Buzz... my cell vibrated in my pocket. Pulling it out, I saw Ben's smiling face. "Hey, Tex," I texted!

I tried my best to hide the truth.

My cell rang as I tried to reply. Ben's smiling face was on the screen. "Jamie, what's going on? Billy and I were having a coffee when we heard on his radio about three firefighters getting jumped." His voice was escalating with each word. "Are you ok? Do you know who it was?" he was clearly getting amped up.

"Ok, so-"

Ben cut across me. "Aiden is calling me." He sounded distracted, very distracted. "Can you hold on a moment, please? I rang and left him a message when I couldn't get hold of you, I'll just let him know I've got hold of you."

"NO, please Ben-." Okay, I might have said that a little too loud. There was silence on the other end. He didn't wait for my reply, I rubbed my face with my hand, he's gonna hear it from someone else, and then lose his shit at me. I too well remember how shit goes working when only half the story gets out. That time with Sam still haunts me, for both Sam and Ben. "FUCK!!".

Click. "Jamie, what the fuck? Are you ok?" His voice was much quieter. I could feel the apprehension in it, the urgency.

I took a breath and looked up to the sky -- well bus roof lining - then down to my feet. "Yeah, I'm ok. These guys pulled up and assaulted Ryan and Dillon and me," the last bit I offered meekly.

"YOU? Are you ok? You in a bus?" no pausing between words now, he was all up and about now. Simply, I'm royally fucked now. "Put them on, Jamie, please." The last bit was clearly through gritted teeth.

I looked at Tyler, the paramedic that was sitting in back with me. "It's for you... Ben." I handed him my cell.

"Hey... Ben," Tyler paused for a few seconds. He sounded like he had a stutter, trying to speak, but Ben must have -- nah, he was - firing questions without letting the guy answer.

Finally, he did. Tyler calmed him down saying it was precaution only, maybe a couple of cracked ribs at worse.

"Bloody hell, Aiden, do you always have to rat me out?" I guess I shouldn't have said I'd call Ben later when he was pestering me, "but I didn't want to worry Ben till I knew what was going on."

So, Aiden said 'Now'. I replied, 'Ok, soon'. Yeah, he gave me that look - should have known.

Ben slipped into the ER like a ghost almost. "Hey!" I exclaimed as someone tried to lift my bedsheet, I opened my eyes. Yeah, it was Ben. I didn't even hear him. He continued to lift the sheet. He'd drawn one of the privacy curtains around. Man, I didn't hear that either.

"I'm going to check you out for myself, ok." He was in full work mode, eyes were full of compassion, with a dash of fear and side of shock.

I just lay there while he checked me over, in almost silence, just the occasional "ouch" and "Fuck Ben, that hurts." Yeah, it was nice to feel his hand on me, and the look on his face. I have never doubted that he loves me, not from day one, even when we broke up and stuff. I just knew. "Ouch, fuck, BEN!" Okay, he was poking and pushing on a few spots. Yeah, my ribs hurt like a SOB. Surprisingly, when he pushed on my hip bones, it was like that knee - leg hammer trick, except it was my cock - it sprang to life in an instant.

"Hmm, seems someone is very happy to see me," he smiled a little and gave me a little tug. "Ok, I'm going to find your doctor." And with a kiss, he was gone, leaving me with some pain spots over my body and tenting the bedsheet. I could feel the embarrassment creep up my neck like a slow burn.

I could hear Ben's voice slowly growing louder - he was in conversation with someone. I couldn't make out who, but he was clearly in work mode by the tone. "Thank you, Robert, really thank you. Yeah he's very lucky that it's not worse." I could hear the sounds the other guy was making but I couldn't make out what he was saying. "Yeah, he's been on a huge health kick for the last month or two, not that he needed to, but you're right, it was definitely a factor in the lack of injuries he's sustained... thanks again." There was some more mumbling, "Yes, will make sure he rests."

Ben's hand appeared at the privacy curtain opening it quietly as he slipped in.

"Hey, I'm happy to see you, too," I offered in a solemn voice.

"Hey, you," he walked back over, gently cupping his hand around my jaw, his thumb resting between my chin and bottom lip. "I'm so happy to see you, and that you're ok. You frightened the hell out of me, Jamie. I just needed to, had to make sure you were ok. I was going out of my mind driving in here." Then he kissed me, slow, deep, and packed with love. "The doctors said that your physical shape saved you somewhat. They were surprised how well you are, compared to the other guys that started it. Clearly they came off second best."

Ben stepped back and looked at me, then smiled a little, leaning back in. "See I told you that if people saw you with your shirt off now, even more than before, they'd eye-fuck you."

I giggled a little. " Why? Did the doctor want to make a house call... hmmm?"

Ben shot me a look. "No - the nurses, all of them drawing straws to give you a sponge down, clean you up a little." He smirked, "I told them that you're coming home now, I'd take care of it myself."

"Aww, Ben, you stole their fun." I played cutie.

"No Jamie, MY fun. No touchy-touchy."

..o0o..

By the time we got home, it was close to 2200h, the house was silent except for Lucas and Hailey's voices in the front room. Lucas was trying his best to watch baseball without screaming the house down. Hailey, I think, was having more fun watching her husband try to be quiet, hand over mouth and muffled screams and all, lol.

"Hey you," Lucas jumped up as we came in the front door. "Nice bruises, fat lip, hey. How'd the other guys come off?" As he shadow-boxed his way up to me, all smiles.

"He clocked the sonofabitch good. Aiden said our own 'Aussie Jeff Horn' apparently. Two guys came at him and he floored both. Jack, his boss, took out the other one. My big strong husband, haha."

"He was pretty good at it in Senior High school. I remember a few guys from the football team went four-on-one with Aiden after a practice match. One came from behind, knocked him out.

This one," pointing at me, "jumped the last three rows in the bleachers and took on two of them before the rest of the team ran over. These guys had six inches and twenty pounds on him, and they came off second best."

Ben looked at me in total shock, mouth open.

"He also went at it with that guy from Ohio State that jumped you, Lucas, right?" Hailey added.

"Yeah, saved my ass a few times."

"Jamie, this is a whole other side of you that I didn't know existed. It's a... surprise."

"And a bit of a turn on too, hey," Hailey smiled.

"Hey guys, please." I held my hands up in surrender. "It's not like I go looking for fights - or want to - I hate fighting - I just..."

"Can't stand by when someone is being bullied, right?"

"Yeah, Lucas. How many times did my dad say we had to stick up for each other no matter what?"

"Yeah, true, but at least you're good at it." Mumbling so only Ben could hear, "wouldn't have had to if your brother wasn't a total bullying dick when you were little. Should have kicked his ass some more." Lucas smiled brightly, "So Ben! he hasn't told you about the black belt and stuff."

"No, not a word. Lucas tell me more. Seems my husband is keeping a secret - a whole other side to him."

As they turned facing each other on the lounge, I was just trying to lower myself without letting on that the pain meds had worn off. Fuck, I have forgotten how much-cracked ribs hurt. I just smiled an uncomfortable smile.

"Ok, there had been a few times when people I know or family were getting the crap beaten out of them, beyond a few punches."

I spotted Lucas rolling his eyes. Something was eating him up, clearly.

"Because they might have pissed someone off or deserved it a little, hmm? Hey, how many times did Mason do you over? Ass!"

"Yeah, well, Mom and Dad had us all take up Karate and a little boxing. So, see Ben, no biggie."

"Some totally deserved it - still do, if you ask me! Ouch, what the-Hailey?" Lucas grabbed his arm.

"Don't, Lucas!" She shot him a look that would stop the rivers from running.

"Come on, Ben. I'll tell you about how he got his 3^rd Dan blackbelt and how a few of the local bullies back in town thought they'd try him on and failed badly while we get some food and beers that we brought over."

"Oh fuck me, no, Lucas, don't!" I cried, as they headed off toward the kitchen looking for food. "Stop, guys! I'll go, ok?" I got up stiffly, trying not to show any pain.

"No. Come on - sit down, Ben. Lucas and I got this."

Ben wandered back in. "You ok? You're looking pale. Need some more meds?"

I shook my head. Hailey shot me a short look. 'I'm gonna be fucked after this, I'm sure.' I walked into the kitchen, leaving them free to plan my untimely death, lol.

Hailey rubbed her belly. "Now, you be nice to momma, ok? Stay off my bladder, please, and let's ask Uncle Ben what's got him looking a little lost."

"Hmm, what."

"What's up, honey?"

"Nothing, well not much. I'm just a little surprised about Jamie having a blackbelt and all that stuff at work." There was a hint of sadness, or maybe feeling lost that Ben was wearing across his face.

"Have you ever seen him hit anyone or get into an argument, Ben?" She offered with a warm smile.

A look of pure shock came over his face. "No - never Hailey! That's what makes it such a surprise. I'm not mad at him or anything, just surprised that he never mentioned it or talked about it. He is always the joker, and the clumsy ninja still."

"Yeah, I was a little surprised too when Ann Marie mentioned it in passing about three months ago, plus I interrogated Lucas. Took me taking a sex holiday for three days until he told me the whole story." There was a look of... something going on in the background of Hailey's mind.

"Damn Hailey, that's some tough love'n right there! Shit - three days? Jamie goes stir crazy AFTER TWO," we both said at the same time, laughing a little.

"Lucas, is the same," she said, laughing. "End of day two, he's like on the edge and all," she said, pulling a crazy face. "Haha, they are so alike. Anyways, years ago, when Jamie was here as a Freshman, the story goes, it all kicked off. Aiden used the story as an ice breaker during a school visit last year talking to some local kids about bullying and how it can affect anyone. The kids didn't believe anyone would bully Aiden -- like, look at the size of him."

"I know, right. Imagine if our boys were that big. Oh fuck, that's hot as..." Ben's face drifted off to some distant place where Jamie had about 25lbs of extra muscle on him.

"I know, and they're a bit taller than Aiden. Ok, maybe we'll convince them to bulk up, hey?"

Both Hailey and Ben let out a laugh at the thought of converting their men from tall and lean like swimmers to quarterbacks: their faces gave away that they'd drifted off to muscle land and Jamie and Lucas were standing at the gates for them.

"So he, Aiden, told them about his cousin that was younger than him and was easily twenty pounds lighter, jumped in to help him when he was being bullied. I wasn't sure who Ann Marie was talking about. I thought it was Mason or one of their mom's cousins, but no, it was Jamie. She told me all about it." Shaking her head.

"Huh... wow!" A mix of disbelief and intrigue was all over Ben.

"Yeah. When Lucas came home later, I asked him about it. He was all non-fussed and ignored it really. So, after some thinking time..." she smiled, nodding a knowing look.

"Three days, yeah?"

"Yep - three days in the cooler did the trick," Hailey laughed. "He started off about the whole black belt thing was to 'walk quietly with a big stick', couldn't tell me fast enough, hoping the holiday would end right there."

"Did it?" Ben smiled.

"The holiday, yeah. Look, to be honest, I was getting a little antsy too sitting on the sofa when Lucas walked past me, stopping right next to me, asking if I was ok. He was being so sweet, thought something was wrong... yeah they're both a little slow on that right?"

Ben laughed, "At times for smart guys, dumb as wood sometimes."

"Anyways I reached up, unzipped him and took matters into my own hands." Giving Ben a sly look.

"You didn't." A half-smiling half-surprised Ben replied.

"Yeah, so once I got his full attention, I asked again about what Ann Marie said. To his credit, he didn't give it up straight away. I had to stop and look like I wasn't playing anymore."

"OMG Hailey you're my hero."

Smiling at his sister in law's tactics, he asked, "What the heck is that - Teddy Roosevelt saying, yeah?"

"Yeah, Lucas said it means to not raise your voice - go quiet, and I guess, if shit starts, use the big stick."

"Have to say, is it wrong, in a way, that it's kind of a turn-on?" Ben flashed his eyes.

Hailey laughed. "Not wrong at all. It's kinda hot in a dirty way, right?" Both nodded in their dirty pleasure. "The rest of it was a surprise, but not when you think about it."

A little concerned, Ben offered, "So what do you mean the rest of it ... what did he do?" Ben put his hand to his mouth involuntarily, trying to hide a sudden fear about what she meant.

"No Ben, relax." She placed a steadying hand on his leg. "Mason is at the center of it all. No surprises there, right!"

"No, none," Ben answered suspiciously, unsure. "Look... he's been nice to me, but honestly over the last few years we've not really had much contact with him or Kate. Jamie keeps in contact with Steph, Todd, and Katie's kids, but not his twin siblings."

"Ok, I'll tell you, but you got to promise me that you won't lose it, ok? No southern justice ok? Promise, Ben?"

"Cross my heart - but why?" A look of concern, mixed with 'someone hurts my man, they will pay' swept his face.

"Ok, so when Jamie was little and until he was about 14 years old, Mason used to bully him. Beat his ass all the time when the parents weren't home or Stephanie."

"Yeah my brother did the same, but we were pretty equal. Did the 18 months between Jamie and Mason, you know, make such a difference? Shouldn't have, you know, been much?"

"Jamie was pretty quiet, almost timid, Lucas said. Mason, according to Lucas and Ann Marie, was a bit of a predator - would take any opportunity to stand over Jamie, super jealous of Jamie because he was so liked by everyone, made friends easily, good at sports, you get the picture."

"Total opposite of Mason, right?"

"Yeah, so Mason full-on watched everything Jamie did, always looking for and unfortunately finding his weakness' apparently ... like when he liked a toy, Mason would bust it all up."

"Doesn't surprise me, my poor baby." I'm gonna kick his ass when I see him.

"Yeah, or if he liked someone, like a girl, or made new friends at school or home, he'd make it his life goal to stuff it up for Jamie."

"BINGO! That's why he does it at times..." it dawned on Ben.

"Does what," Hailey asked quizzically.

"Not as much now. When we first got together, but, well yeah for the past few weeks too, since there has been talk of Mason coming over for 4^th July." Ben paused, "He- Jamie - gets all distracted,,, weirdly, when it's something that he's really into, you know likes..."

"Yeah, Lucas said that Jamie learned to hide stuff from Mason - most people, really, except for Steph and him - so Mason didn't wreck it."

"What did his folks do? Why didn't they stop him? It just doesn't seem like Robert or Kate."

"Mason had them all fooled. And most of the time, Katie sided with Mason, said it didn't happen, wasn't as bad as Jamie said they were just playing around or said she didn't see anything. They thought the bruises and withdrawn behavior sometimes was some other kids at their school bullying Jamie."

Ben's face just dropped, shaking his head, a mix of anger, sadness and a dose of bloody minded revenge flowing around his body in an instant. "I thought Katie was so nice. I know Jamie and she aren't that close, like his other sister."

"Lucas said that the school counselor here in the states," Ben looked shocked. "Yeah... Lucas and Aiden made Jamie see the school counselor when he was here studying. Apparently, back in Australia, they didn't have counseling services in the schools. But, the counselors here helped him, really helped him. The year here in the States helped Jamie a lot in so many ways it seems."

A tear slipped from Ben's cheek. "I had no idea. Jamie never said... told me. Why, Hailey?" Feeling a little heartbroken that his husband hadn't said anything about this ever, not even hinted.

"Hey, it's ok sweetheart." Hailey gently rubbed Ben's back. "It's pretty sad really, I cried a bit when Lucas told me, too. I wanted to kick Mason's ass, still do really, but Lucas made me promise, like you did to me." She looked blankly at Ben.