Episode 001, Season One

Maybe Jed was right, maybe it is time to move on, Nick Fuller thought and suddenly felt melancholy. Moving back to Port Wayne was a way to move on with his life after he'd been in New York for a few years. Nick stood in front of the doors that would lead him to the second floor of the building where the loft that held the offices of Blade Magazine. The ground floor of the building held a cafe one one side of the block and Nexus, a gay bar, on the other side. Nick entered the building and walked up the stairs until he was standing in front of the receptionist. Just as he was about to announce him name, he heard Jed's voice.

"Welcome to Blade Magazine!"

Nick smiled. "Glad to be here, Jed. Thanks for the offer."

"And thank you for accepting. You know I couldn't have done this without you."

"Sure you could."

"Well, it wouldn't have been right. Listen, I'd love to show you around but I have a last minute meeting with the printers and they're pissing me off!"

"I can show him around."

Both Jed and Nick turned around to see Damien Chastain standing behind them.

"Uh, okay, Damien." Nick said.

"Look at this!" Jed said with an comforting tone in his voice. "The three of us, together again. And, this time, we're actually doing what we said we'd do. And, just a reminder, I don't want any shit from either of you."

"Don't worry about me," Damien said.

Jed nodded and walked away with a bounce in every step. Nick and Damien stood and watched as he turned a corner down the corridor.

"Come, your desk is this way," Damien told Nick.

Nick followed Damien to a cubicle. Neither one said much during the few short steps.

"Here you are. My cubicle is over there."

"Thank you, Damien."

"No problem at all. And, I would like to add, that Jed is right. I would like to call some sort of a truce between us. We've been at each other's throats since college and..."

"Damien, its more like you've been at my throat and I just had to defend myself."

"Well, I want to tell you that I'm turning over a new leaf so I would like to declare us friends," Damien said, holding out his hand.

"That would be a good way to keep a close eye on you."


Later on that evening, Jed sat inside of Cavern restaurant just finishing up his coffee. He'd had a meeting with the party planners to go over details of the launch party. They argued over whether the affair should hold a bit of glamour as compared to a huge, but simple, occasion that probably would end up as being one of the most talked about events of the year. As he finished his coffee and signed the receipt, Jed looked up and noticed a gorgeous man sitting at the bar with a martini in front of him. His heart flipped and his stomach felt...wavy. He was indeed the most beautiful man he'd ever laid his eyes on. The guy turned slightly in Jed's direction. Their eyes locked. Jed smiled. The guy smiled back. Jed got up from the table and walked over to the bar.

"Good evening," he said.

"Good evening."

"I was sitting over there and...well, I thought I'd be finished for the night. But I'm wondering if I can join you for a drink?"

The guy smiled. "Yes. Yes, I would like that very much."

"My name is Jed."

"I'm Steve..."


"Thank you for having dinner with me. I wasn't sure if you would see me or not."

Nick sat across the table and looked at Ben. He was still handsome; still sexy. He wondered if he still harbored any feelings for him. There was something tiny in the pit of his stomach, but nothing overtly powerful. Not like before.

"I'm glad you invited me," Nick said. "I haven't seen you for a long time, Ben, and...well..."

"How do you feel about being back in Port Wayne?"

"Its kind of, I dunno, crazy, I think. It seems that I've been gone a long time."

"Two and a half years."

Nick smiled, and it eased what little tension had come to the table with them since they met in front of the restaurant.

"Its good to see you, Nick. You look good, and, from the sales of your last book, you're doing good."

"It was my first attempt at fiction and people seem to be eating it up."

"I've read it. It was good."

"No critique or ridicule?"

"Nope, not from me. I think maybe that writing that helped you deal with...I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I had dinner with Jed my first night back and he thinks that its time to move on. So, I'm moving on."

"Good for you."

Ben looked at Nick. He did seem different. More...what? Sharper? Stern? Happier? Whatever it was, it was turning him on. But he could not concentrate on that. Not right now. "How's Damien taking your return?" Ben asked.

"He wants to bury the hatchet."

"Maybe he's right. Maybe you should take your own advice and move on."

"I've known Damien since I was in college and I don't trust him, point blank."

"Nick..."

"You defending him probably would not be a good idea right now, Ben."

"You left town, maybe he's changed as much as you have."

"I can appreciate that, but remember that since college he's been trying to sabotage me."

"Its just jealousy. He wants so much to be like you and he wants to see you loose complete control of yourself."

"And what happened two and a half years ago wasn't enough?"

"I don't like where this conversation is headed. Let's just keep the focus on you and me."

Nick looked into Ben's eyes. There was a glow in them, just as there was before a long time ago when he fell in love - first - with those eyes and then the rest of him.


Damien wondered if Nick believed him when he said they should call a truce. As much crap as they have been through since college Damien would understand if Nick didn't trust him. But, why wouldn't Nick trust him? They did shake hands, by the way. It would be just like Nick to think all would be delightful and wonderful and...whatever. But what about him? Damien thought that maybe, just maybe, he could try just a little. The talk that Jed had with him before offering him the job of entertainment editor was somehow inspiring. And its a good thing that Jed had the job offering. Oh, Damien knew he could probably find something else or create something of his own. Since the cancellation of his short-lived television series, Damien seemed a bit unfocused for a nano-second before Jed told him that he'd bought that bar rag and intended to make it over into a splashy gay magazine. He was doing exactly what he said he'd do back in college. And, to add to the spectacle, he'd offered both Damien and Nick jobs just as he said he would. Damien often wondered why Jed didn't just purchase a magazine right from the get go, seeing that his family is one of the richest in the country. But, no, Jed was noble and humble; proud. He wanted to find his way first.

"Damien! Hi!"

Damien stopped thinking for a second and looked into the eyes of Joey Dials, a young guy he'd known a year or two back. "Joey! Hey, how're you doing?"

"I'm doing good. Its been awhile."

"Yeah, it has been. "What have you been doing this past year?"

"Oh, I went to L.A. and did some photography work. Ya know. I sold some of my stuff."

"That's good. So you're back in Port Wayne?"

"I've been back for awhile now. Just looking around for some work."

Damien thought for a moment. "Come with me, my young friend. I think I am about to change your life..."