As always, a m/f, m/m, m/f/m warning should be posted here. For all the great and kind people who wrote me to write another one.

Three of a kind: Another Place, Another Time

Nick pulled his jeep into the dirt driveway of the cabin. He turned
off the engine, but none of them bothered to get out.

"So," Alex said, "we're here."

"Yeah, I guess we are," Philip seconded.

Nick opened his door, but didn't move to get out. "Was this a
mistake? I mean our being alone out here together? Anything could
happen."

"I agree, I don't know if I'm ready for this, but since we're here, we
should...."

"Probably get out," Philip finished.

Nick looked at his new mates and laughed. "Oh, this is pitiful of us.
We've bonded so strongly that we hear and feel each other's thoughts, and
we're scared to go inside." He got out, flipping the seat forward so Philip
could get out too before moving around to start unloading the trunk.
"Guys, could use some help."

Philip smiled, and Alex rolled her eyes, but they went to help
unload the jeep and bring the supplies inside. Once there, Nick set up the
kitchen, putting the food away, and cleaning the dishes. Alex headed for
the two bedrooms to make the beds, while Philip lit a fire and aired out the
cabin. They met back in the living room, sinking onto the couch to stare
into the fire.

"That was wild, wasn't it?" Alex was thinking about the images
from their first night.

"Yeah, from what I got it was." He slumped down, leaning on
Philip's shoulder. "We...."

"No, Nick, I'm not ready to discuss it ye'." Philip said, moving away
from him. "This has been a bi' much on me, an' I'm tired." He stood up,
turning to face them. "There are two rooms, an' a couch. I wan' a bed, an'
I know Alex wan's a bed, so Nick, you can crawl in with me or her, or
sleep out here." He turned to face Alex. "Right or left one?"

"Left."

"Hey, don't I get a say?" Nick looked hurt.

"No," Alex and Philip said together. They walked down the hall
arm and arm, laughing. They closed their doors, leaving Nick to make his
decision.

~~~oooOOO000OOOooo~~~

Alex heard a scratch at her door, and groaned "Come in", rolling
back over. She knew it was Nick, and what he wanted.

"Hi, can I..."

"Only if you promise not to snore too much." She moved over on
the bed to make room for him.

He pounded a pillow into flatness, wiggling around until he was
comfortable and resting against her side. He leaned over to grab a kiss on
the cheek, but she rolled away from him. He sat up, flipping on the
bedside light. "Okay, so what did I do wrong this time?"

"I haven't made a list lately, but ...." she trailed off, covering her
head from the light. "Good night, Nick."

"Night, Alex." He sighed, turning off the light and leaned in next to
her again. "I promise to be good. Really."

"Good." She rolled onto her stomach, forcing him to move over.
She closed her eyes, intending to sleep.

Nick closed his eyes, trying to put the pictures away he had been
thinking of. //She wouldn't like those, not at all.// He shoved his favorite
fantasy out of his mind.

"Nick, I don't care how often you want to do what's-her-name the
model on the beach or the hood of your car on the beach, I don't want to
see it." She pulled the covers tighter over her head.

//Sorry,// he thought. //I'm trying to make them go away. Really.//

"Nick, shut up!" drifted from across the hall.

He shut his mind down, mortally embarrassed and fell into a restless
sleep.

~~~oooOOO000OOOooo~~~

Alex trudged out to the table in the morning, shooting the men dirty
looks.

"Sorry," Nick muttered.

Philip shot him a dirty look too. "What did ya do this time?"

"He tossed, and thumped, and rolled, and grabbed, and tried to use
me for cover all night." She sat down in the empty chair. "I don't think
I've ever slept next to anyone that restless before." She yawned.

"You're welcome to stay with me," Philip put in, earning him a
smile from Alex. "I don't move much, and I don't have dreams about
snakes eating me either."

"Hey, that wasn't mine!" Nick shouted. He stood up, flipping the
chair onto it's back. "That was her dream. She was being eaten, not me."
he walked over to the window, looking out on the forest.

"Not mine, I've never had it before, and I didn't see me in it." She
shrugged and turned to Philip. "Yours?"

"No, no' mine, I've never had it either." He shrugged, but looked up
startled. "But tha' par' abou' the temple *was* mine, I've seen it before."

"I've seen the beginning scene, the one with all the animals, before.
It was a nightmare from a Disney movie." Alex laughed. "Great, so now
we're having conglomerate dreams too. We should keep a diary for Sloan,
he'd love it."

Nick picked his chair up and sat back down. "Then I'm not the only
one feeling like he was enjoying the situation?" The others shook their
heads. "Good. So, do we keep a journal, a separate one from our Legacy
journal, about this?"

"Why separate?" Alex asked, getting up to get a cup of coffee. She
poured another, brining it back to Nick without having to be asked.

"For things like that."

"What, Philip?"

"You just got him a cup o'coffee without his askin' ya for it."

She looked down at the two cups. "I guess I did. But why keep
this separate?"

"Because, when we leave, our journals become the property of the
house." Nick said, sliding over the sugar.

"Thanks," she said, pouring some in her coffee. "So, everyone in
the house will know by the time we get back anyways."

"But if somethin' happens, and our journals get called by the council
for some reason or another, again, they would know too. I don't know
about you, but I would like to keep some of my life private from the
Legacy." Nick shrugged.

"I'd say it wouldn' hur' any." Philip said. "An' I brough' my own one
with me."

"Me too." Nick and Alex answered together. They looked at each
other and laughed.

"That is too much."

"Yeah," she agreed. "So, how do we deal with this?"

"Well, we could test the range today. That would be something
handy to know."

"True," Philip said.

"So, range testing should take all morning. Then what?"

"Then, pretty one, we need to talk, both one on one and in a
group." He waved a hand towards them. "About us, and this, and how we
deal with it."

"Okay." She nodded. "Let me get a shower." She stood up, and
looked at Philip. "What do you mean there's no hot water?"

"I didn' get any and neither did Nick this mornin'. We looked all
over for it, but couldn' find the heater anywhere."

"Okay, so now what? Cold shower, or bathe in a stream?"

"Same thing this time of year." Nick said. "You could do it the old
fashioned way and heat water for a bath."

"No stopper," Philip said. "I though' abou' it too."

"No, but I found one of those old metal washtubs they used to use.
It's out in the shed."

"Needed cleaned, though."

"That's cool, we can hose it out while we heat the water." Alex
went looking for her shoes.

"It's under the couch," Nick told her. "Right side." He and Philip
got up to get the tub. "Be right back."

"Okay." Alex found the biggest pot in the cabin, a ten gallon stew
pot and filled it, putting it on the stove to warm. She moved out of the
way of the men carrying the tub in for her and pushed the table out of the
way a little to make room for it. "Thanks guys."

"No prob." Nick smiled and headed past her towards the
bedrooms. "If you want help, just yell."

"Nick, too fast, okay?"

"Sure," he said, kissing her cheek. "When ever you're ready to pour
the water, or if you need help with it, just yell and we'll come to help. Just
that I promise." He followed Philip to his room.

"Well, all we have to do now is wait for the water to get hot." She
sat down in a chair, sighing in frustration. Why couldn't this be easy? Two
men, at least one of them wanted her. So why was she so skittish?

//Lovely one, you'll need more than one pot of water probably.//
Philip sent.

//Guys, I can do with less remarks on my looks.//

"Pretty one needs to loosen up." Nick shouted down the hall. "she
is pretty and lovely, and all those other words that Derek and Philip know.
It's a compliment, not a curse."

"Gee thanks. And here I thought I was more than another pretty
face."

//A pretty face, a beautiful mind,// Nick sent.

//A gorgeous body and the soul to go with it.// Philip added.

//Thanks guys. It's sweet. So does that mean I can call Nick
'car-boy'?//

//Studly, if you please.//

//Not a chance!// Alex snorted. //Maybe cute, but you're not
Denzel or even that new kid.//

//I think you wounded him.// Philip sent.

//Only in his ego!// She sent a picture of a smilely face with it.

"Very funny you two," the object of their speculation yelled out.

Alex laughed, then poured the boiling water into the tub before
running more. She settled down to wait some more. //Philip?//

"Yeah, love," he yelled.

//Why don't you have an accent when we're thinking?//

//I don't know. Hmm, I don't do I. That's odd.//

//Like any of this is normal.// Nick sent.

//True// the others sent back.

~~~oooOOO000OOOooo~~~

Nick rolled over to face Philip. "So let's talk. Just us." They were
ignoring Alex's mental version of white noise so she could get some
privacy while she bathed.

"Okay. Abou' what?"

"Us. Why you did it."

"Did what? Submit to you like that?"

Nick nodded. "I didn't think you.... thought like that. About me, I
mean. What with Anna and the girl while you were in school and all." He
snuggled closer, bringing their faces almost into contact. "I just wanted to
know if it was the perfume, or if it was something you really wanted."

"Oh, I wanted all right. Never doubt that. I still do," he said
kissing the offered lips. "But, I'm not so sure now as I was then."

"Morning after jitters?"

"Yeah, somthin' like that. How do you deal with it?"

"The attraction to both of you?"

Philip nodded, licking the end of Nick's nose. "Yeah, it's hard for
me, an' gettin' harder. It's like I'm being pulled towards you both."

"You are. Alex was thinking last night about the same thing, and
she thinks that it may be how this thing, the bond, is controlling us."

"Through sex? Oh, my, won't the Arch-Bishop love that one. I'll
have to repeatedly break my vows. He'll have kittens when he finds out
about this."

"I looked something up yesterday while you were with Sloan.
Your vows, the one for chastity especially, was started by a Pope in the
fourteenth, I think, century, not God."

"I know, but I still have to obey and observe it." He sighed. "I
don't know what to do abou' this. Do I leave the Church over this or stay
in both the Legacy an' the Church and hope no one finds out; do I have to
confess it since I wanted it to happen, but wasn't in control at the time? I'm
confused." He buried his face in Nick's neck. "An' havin' you enjoy my
body like that didn't help matters any."

//Love you, you know that right?//

"Yeah, I know. And I love you too, I just don't know if it's like a
brother or a lover, though."

"Fair enough. I'll wait until you figure it out if I can."

"Do ya think she's right?" //About this controlling us through sex.//

"Maybe."

"Yes," came the faint reply from the kitchen.

//Would you like to tell us what you think?//

//Can't it wait until I figure out how to wash my hair?//

//Bend over the side of the tub and pour water through it// Philip
sent. //One of my grandma's had one of those.//

//Oh, okay, thanks.// [cramping muscles, extreme pain down legs]
//Damn!//

Philip and Nick jumped off the bed and ran down the short hall to
the kitchen. Alex had tried to move, but her leg muscles had cramped from
lack of movement. Nick lifted her out, and Philip laid his shirt down on the
floor for her to be laid on. Nick set her down, Philip moving to work the
soreness out.

[Purr] //Thanks guys. Better now.// She tried to move, but her
shoulders were held by Nick.

//Don't move yet, they'll come back.// He sent. Philip made a noise
in agreement.

//Guys, this is too much, really//

//Sshh, you can stop us anytime you want.// Philip told her. He
raised his head to look Nick in the face. "Ours," he mouthed, and Nick
agreed with a nod. //Ours, pretty one. Just relax and we'll make you feel
better.// Philip sent to her.

//Philip, it's ... I'm no ready for this. Not yet.// She pulled away to
sit in a chair, but the sounds coming through her link got louder and louder
until she was grabbing her head and moaning in pain. //NO!// she cried.

Nick came over and hugged her, rocking her wet body back and
froth to calm her. "Sshh, pretty one, don't fight it and it won't hurt. This is
what you meant by the link controlling us right?" She nodded, pain still
radiating from her in waves. "Just relax into it and the pain will stop."

She relaxed into Nick's arms, letting her resistance to him ease off.
By the time she was fully relaxed into his chest, the noise was gone and her
head wasn't hurting. Philip came over to hug her and all the remaining pain
went away. She kissed each of them on the cheek. "Thanks you two.
Apparently I was right." She shrugged, slumping into herself. "So, we
can't fight the need."

"And a need it is. Even if we don't really want it right then." Philip
said. //I was feeling it while we were talking Nick.//

"Okay, so we don't fight it, and maybe even learn to like it a lot."
He smiled at his partners. "What?"

"Nick, what if it comes during a fight? Or in the middle of a party
at the house?" Alex said.

"Or while I'm away from you at the Church?" Philip added, looking
down at the floor.

"Philip, honey," Alex said, patting his shoulder, "we don't even
know if you *can* be that far apart from us right now."

A cell phone rang in the living room. Nick patted Alex one last
time and went to get it. "Yeah?" he answered.

(Nick, whatever you three were just doing, don't do it again.) Sloan
said.

//It's the big boss.// Nick sent them. "Why? And what were we
doing?"

(I don't know, but Derek just folded over in pain, screaming in
agony and clutching his head. So whatever triggered it, just don't do it
again. Oh, and hand the phone to Alex.)

"Okay," he said and nodded into thin air. He walked over and
handed off the phone. //We sent Derek screaming to the floor when she
resisted.//

//Not a good thing,// Philip said.

//Ssh, can't concentrate.// Alex said. "Hello?"

(Alex, it's Sloan. We just got back the analysis of the broken bottle.
There was a strange, man-made, bio-chemical that resembled a pheromone
in it. We think that's what trigged Derek and Nick's odd behavior and why
Philip got drawn into it.)

"Okay," she said, absorbing it and sending it to them. "So, is it
reversible? Is it dangerous to us? What?"

(No, and not as far as we know. Derek must still be sensitive to it
because of the incident that just happened, but it should wear off
sometime.)

"What did he have, a vision, or a feeling?" Philip asked.

"Philip wants to know what happened to him. Was it a vision or
some other manifestation of his sight?"

(No, not really. Like I said, he appears to be sensitized to you three
now. When you did what ever it was, he collapsed, screaming and holding
his head, to the floor.)

"How did you know it was me?" //Sloan knows it was me trying to
resist.//

(Because Derek said your name as he fell down. Oh, and looking
over your tapes of the tests from the other day, it seems that you have a
division of labor going on amongst you.)

//Huh?// Nick sent. He was listening in through Alex's mind.

"What?"

(Nick appeared to react more to any stimulus that needed action,
even if it was happening to another of you. Philip reacted to any
contemplation exercises, anything that needed to be thought about or
studied. You reacted more to the emotional and the lighter thought
functions, the math and science, the study of a new idea. Philip was best at
studying ideas and people before, and it appeared to carry over. Yours and
Philip's overlap to a degree, but Nick's preference to action is still there.
You might have been feeding off of each other's specialties to some extent,
but we'll more tests to determine if that's true.)

//Oh, damn,// Philip said. //We have changed, fully.//

//Yeah, and it might not even be for the better.// Nick added.

//We'll deal with it.// Alex said. "So, Mr. Sloan, how do we deal
with this new knowledge? We were going to test range today, and then try
to figure this out some more later today. Should we not do that?"

(Alex, when you resisted the link's properties a minute ago, and yes
Derek did know what happened when he could talk again, it wasn't a good
thing, was it? I would leave off the range study until you're in a more
controlled setting, and until you're where Rachel can help you if something
happens.)

"Okay, so now what?"

(I'd talk, you all need to. Philip will be having doubts about his
calling, and if I'm right, this link will hurt you all if you don't do what it
wants. At least for now.)

Alex replayed his words to Nick and Philip, watching them both to
see if it triggered any alarms like it did for her. Philip held out a hand for
the phone, so she gave it to him.

"Mr. Sloan, am I correct by your last sentence that there is a record
of somethin' like this happenin' before? Maybe in someone's journals?"

(Philip, you'd be correct in that. I logged into a personal file, one
that only the London Precept has access to. It contains strange
phenomenon that happened to various Legacy members throughout time.
It holds things like temporal travel, mating with forces not known but not
human, and things like that. It also contains an account from Greece,
Ancient Greece, concerning an investigation of four members in the house
in Alexandria, Egypt that had the same problem. It's a full account of what
happened, how they dealt with it, what the link did to them, everything.
I've been studying it all morning. I was going to fax a copy up, but you
didn't bring Nick's portable one, did you?)

"No, he left it in the Mustang." Philip said. "Can ya tell us about
their link?"

(Philip, it's not something you'd want to be told over the phone.
Really, trust me on this, it's not something that you don't want to read for
yourself. It'll be waiting for you when you get here. And before Alex asks,
I'm keeping it away from Derek so he can't be hurt by it.)

"Thank you," she whispered. Philip handed her the phone.
"Thanks, now some questions."

(Yes, the link is complete between you. Derek, go lay down for a
while so I can talk to them in private. They don't want you to be hurt
anymore than you have been already. Please?) There was a pause and the
sound of Rachel talking and pulling Derek from the room. (Okay, he's gone
now. Their link worked like this. It was strengthened by sexual contact
between the members, and if they resisted, like you did before, it can hurt
them. It was permanent, and if it thought you weren't close enough, it
forced the issue by sending them into a state like your first night; wanting
and needing it, not being able to stop, etc. Apparently, it had a limited
range for telepathy, and use of other's skills, about half a mile by present
standards, and you panic if one of you is farther away and the others don't
know where you are.)

"So, Philip can't go back to the Church, can he?"

(Well, after the first month, the sexual intensity died down to
nightly instead of constantly, and they could leave each other for short
times, but only if the others knew where they were. So, he could go back,
but not for a while yet.)

"Okay, so we're supposed to be on this connection high right now,
but it'll get fainter?"

(Yes, basically. Nothing farther away than in the city, though. One
of them was kidnapped once. The others heard the one's scream for help
and went to help, but didn't make it in time. When they tried to take the
one too far away, out of Alexandria by about twenty or thirty miles, two of
the ones in the city slipped into a coma, and one went berserk and started
killing people in his path to their mate.)

"Ooh, not good. We know which one Nick will do, though," she
teased, sticking out her tongue at him.

"Funny, pretty one. Just wait."

(That's another thing I noticed yesterday. The pretty one, and the
change in Nick's sentence structure was noted also. The 'pretty one' and
other compliments, along with the primativeness of his speech are caused
by the link, it's a way for it to suggest subtly that you aren't being close
enough. The Greek researcher who studied them said it was like 'being
around people who were cursed by Aphrodite to eternal sweetness'. He
also said it predated some form of expression of the link by about ten
minutes, our time, and usually sent him running from the room. He was
one of the few Greek prudes of his time, but...)

"Funny, so it's the link, and it's working through Nick? Why not me
or Philip?"

(Because you'll feel it more, and he'll submit to it when he can't stop
it. Nick is fighting it, very hard, and not winning. Tell him to give into it,
and let go. It'll stop, and you'll all feel better.)

Nick held out his hand for the phone. "Sloan, what am I doing?"

(You're fighting it, the sexual expressions of the link. I'm right in
supposing that you're normally not attracted to men, or to Alex because
she's like your sister, right?)

"Yeah, and so I'm fighting it." He slapped his forehead. "Sorry."

(That's okay. I'm sure your father would have just shot them.)

Nick laughed. "Not necessarily. He would have kept Alex." Philip
and Alex shot him a dirty look. "Sorry guys," he whispered to them.

(By all means, please don't fight. You all, and Derek, will be
happier if you don't. And maybe by the time you're back here in three days,
he'll be less sensitive to your link and everything will go back to your
version of normal.) Sloan hung up.

"Well, that was enlightening." Alex said.

Nick folded up the phone and put it aside. "Yeah, it was."

"So wha' do we do now?" Philip asked.

"Well, we could let Alex wash her hair, or we could go in the
bedroom and work this out of our systems for a while." Nick said.

"You two go finish talking. I'll wash my hair and meet you in
there."

"Need help?" Philip asked, getting up and pulling Nick to his feet.

"No, just need to heat some more water, then I'll grab a towel so
I'm not naked." She waved a hand at herself. "I'll be in there soon."

"Naked is fine with us," Nick said and clamped a hand over his
mouth. //Sorry, I wasn't ... I didn't want that to come out like that.//

"S'okay, Nick, we understand," Philip said, leading him away.
"Come one, lets give the woman some privacy, they always want it."

//Just wait until I get PMS once. You'll pay for that Philip
Callahan.//

//Oh, I hadn't even thought about that.// Philip thought.

//That's mean Alex, really. To torture us like that.// Nick said.
//But just think about Philip's slipped disk last year and my torn back
muscle a few months ago.//

"True," she said to herself, "but I get it *every* month." She ran
more water into the pot and headed for the bathroom for a towel.

~~~oooOOO000OOOooo~~~

Alex walked into Philip's bedroom and slid in between the men.
"Hi," she said.

Nick instantly rolled out and pulled back the covers for her to slip
under. "Now,: he ordered. "I don't want you to get sick from running
around in nothing but a towel."

She did as ordered and slid under, snuggling next to the warm spot
that was Philip on top of the covers. "Thanks," she yawned and closed her
eyes. "Just give me a minute."

"Sure," Nick whispered into her hair, "take as long as you want,
pretty one. We'll be here when you get up." He stroked her hair, gentle
and soothing. "Sleep, my, our, beautiful one, and we'll talk later." They
waited until she fell asleep to talk some more.

//Philip, are you scared of what's going on?//

//Not really. I've [clearing throat noise] had some experience in the
area before.//

//Really? With a guy too?//

//Yeah, at seminary. He was my best friend at the time, and he was
from near home. One night I was really home sick and he comforted me.//

//You made love? I never thought of you liking that sort of thing, I
mean men.//

//No, you didn't. You thought, that just because I'm a priest, that I
wouldn't enjoy a physical relationship. We're human too, Nick, and we
enjoy eating, and swimming, and cuddling, and sex just as much as the next
person. We've just pushed those feelings aside for our calling, our vows to
the Church.//

//So, you've done all this before. You can tell me what I did wrong
last time, and...//

//Nick, that night, you did nothing wrong. Well, the source of lube
wasn't too happy about you using her wetness like that, but it was all right.
Now, we can use some good stuff and do it right. It'll get better, if not as
frenzied and overwhelming as that night did, but it'll be just as good.//

//But what if it isn't as good? What if you or she don't like how I do
things, or after once with out the potion affecting us she doesn't want to
touch us again? What if she only wants one of us, or we start to fight over
her? What if ....//

//Nick,// Philip cut him off, //you worry too much for someone your
age. Calm down and relax. It'll be fine. Whatever you give us will be good
enough, for all of us. Julia used to say that you worried about pleasing her,
but I thought she was exaggerating.// He smiled to take the sting away.
//If anyone should be worrying, it should be me. After all, it's not like I've
had a lot of practice.//

Nick laughed, licking Alex's earlobe without realizing it. //You were
great that night, really. And before we left, when Alex almost crashed
because you were sending me dirty pictures, those were *so* over the
top.// He leaned across Alex to give him a kiss. //Do you really like that?
Those multiple people and rimming things?//

//Don't know, haven't tried it. I guess we'll find out, though, won't
we.// Philip pushed Alex's wet hair off her forehead. //I wonder what she'd
say if she saw that one.//

//Which? The one with her and a strap-on, or the one where you're
in her and I'm in you?//

Philip laughed softly. //Either. She's be pissed about the first
probably, and would at least be uneasy with the second.// He sighed and
rolled onto his side, gathering her close. //I do love her, have for a while
now.//

//I know, I do too. Only I thought of her as my sister, not as lover
potential. I know Derek loved her once, that's why he fought me so hard
that day.// Nick rolled to hug his partners to him. //He's going to be fine,
eventually, with this. It'll take time.//

//And some stealth on our part.//

//Huh?//

//Well, if he could feel Alex resisting from the castle, how much
more can he feel? And if we're closer, like in the house, will he feel us have
sex?//

//Hadn't thought about that.//

//We also might want to be discrete about using our link until the
others are used to it. It's unnerving for me to have seen you and Alex
interacting this morning with the coffee and sugar. How much more is it
going to be for Derek and Rachel.//

//What about Kristen? She tried to make a move that once, then let
it go.//

//I thought she was hitting on Derek, subtly of course, at the last
formal party. He seemed to notice, though, and pushed her away.//

//She's got to go soon. I can't take the competition.//

//For what? Grouch of the house?// Alex asked quietly.

"Morning," Nick said and kissed her ear. "Did you sleep long
enough?"

//No,// she yawned. "Not really. I'll take another nap later. I
couldn't sleep through the images coming over."

"What images? We never sent any." Philip said, licking her
forehead. //Taste good, beautiful.//

//Thanks.// She flipped sides, facing towards Nick. //Rub my
shoulders?//

//Sure, Alex, you know that.// Philip moved her hair out of the
way, using his thumbs to work out the stiff muscles and moved down from
her neck to her shoulders. He rubbed, teasing her flesh the whole way
down her back, lightly brushing with his fingertips down her spine.
//Better?//

//More// she growled.

Nick chuckled and leaned down for a kiss. //Does that mean pretty
one wants us?//

//Now!//

Philip followed her chaotic thoughts to find out what she wanted.
He let her back go for now, moving his fingers down to brush against the
globes of her butt. //Like this, Alex?// She pushed back, hungry for more.
He nuzzled her neck, moving the fingers down farther until they brushed
wetness and sunk one in.

//Yeah, like that,// she sent and grabbed for Nick's nipples through
his shirt. //Mine.//

//Yours,// he agreed, leaning back some to let her get at them. //Let
it go, pretty one, release the animal instincts in you so you feel better.//

Alex took his advice, sinking her teeth into Nick's chest, biting
around his nipples.

//Yes, Alex, more pretty one.//

//Why don't you let go. Come with me.// She rolled over, wrapping
her legs around Philip's back. //Mine too.//

"Of course we are, Alex, who else's would I be?"

//Mine, come with me.// She leaned over him, taking hold of the
buttoned part of his shirt and pulling. //Too many barriers.//

He laughed an pulled it off, losing his undershirt at the same time.
They both rolled over to watch Nick take off his clothes, watch the sunlight
stream down his body as he stood by the bed. They watched him pull open
a bag and come back with a tube and some condoms, which Alex promptly
threw away.

//No barriers. Here.// She pulled him over, taking the lube from his
hands and handing it off to Philip. //Mine, no barriers.//

//They were for my time with Philip.// He kissed her, sucking her
tongue into his mouth. //Let me use one with him, I won't with you if you
don't want.//

//Nick, it's not necessary.//

//Philip, I've read the literature before we left. It's better for both of
us if we do.//

//No. I don't want any.//

//Damnit, Philip, just give in for a while.//

//What, until you get used to being in me? Better be fast, the urge
is demanding fluid swapping.//

//Why can't I win an argument with you?//

//Cause you love him.// Alex sent. //Now, mine.// She flipped him
over, biting her way down his shoulders. //Ours.//

//No, Alex, I'm not ready for that yet.// He tried to squirm away,
but Alex was firmly on top of him.

//Ours. Must complete the bond. Must have you, both of us.// She
spread out on his chest, letting Philip's fingers wander between her
womanhood and Nick's cavity. //It'll be good, for both of us. We get to
make you ours.//

//Ours.// Philip agreed, taking an Alex-wetted finger and playing
with the tiny folds of muscle surrounding Nick's hole. //Mine and hers.
Together for good.//

//Not to be broken.// she added, sitting up to ride on his lower back,
spreading her scent on him. //For you, lovely.// She rolled off to the side
kissing Nick while Philip licked her fluid off his back and grabbed the lube
to prepare Nick.

Philip sent a private call to Alex, letting her take the attention when
he first entered. He waited until Nick was firmly entrenched in the sucking
of Alex's breast, then slid a fingertip in, slowly so as not to arouse
suspicion.

Nick jumped, moving away from them. //No, not ready yet.//

//You're fighting it again, Nick, just let go and come with us.//
Philip moved closer, kissing him. Nick let him, nipping at Philip's lower lip
before plunging into his mouth. //That's right, Nick, come with us. Let us
complete the bond, love, let us be whole.//

//Can't.//

//Why?// Alex asked, running a finger down the dampened track of
his ass. //We're already yours, you should be ours. Can't be whole without
you.//

//Can't.// He was starting to sound hysterical. //Don't want to.//

"Don't want to what, Nick? Make love to us, or make us whole?"
Philip asked him, pulling them down to lay across the bed.

"I just can't."

"Nick, look at us." Alex said, laying behind him. //What scares
you?//

"This, all of this." He buried his head on Philip's chest, not wanting
to look at them. "I can't."

"Nick, is it the bond scaring you? Is it mating with us? Is it letting
go?"

"Yes."

"Okay, so let's back up." Alex rolled onto her back, away from her
men.

//We can't. Remember what happened earlier?// Philip sent her.

//Can. You and I will slake our thirsts and he'll do what he can for
now.//

[whimper, shaking] //Don't know if I can do that.//

//Nick, love, sshh, we're here when you're ready for us.//

//We won't force you to finish the bond until you're ready. Don't
worry.// Alex rubbed his back, calming and soothing him until he was back
to normal. //Now tell us what's wrong. What's scaring you?//

//Is it me, Nick?// Philip asked, patting the short hair. //Because if it
is, I'll stop.//

//It's not you. Well, it is, but it's not just you.// He got up, and left
them, taking the cellphone and heading off a short distance into the woods.
//Gonna call someone to talk, have fun. Won't go far.//

//Okay.// They sent him. [Love, understanding, waiting]

//Thanks for understanding, guys.// He moved away until they were
just a buzz, pushing the 'star' and '1' key. "Hi, it's me. Is... Thanks."

~~~oooOOO000OOOooo~~~

//Hope he's okay.// Alex sent with a yawn. //So, do we do this
without him?//

//Not right now, love, sleep some more and I'll watch for him to
come back.// He combed through her hair with his fingers. //So soft.// He
worked a knot out, then spread it out on a pillow, creating a halo around
her head. Alex was already asleep, and he sat there, keeping watch while
she slept.

~~~oooOOO000OOOooo~~~

(Nick, did something happen?) Sloan asked.

"Yeah, no. Almost." He sighed. "I don't know if I can do this."

(Nick, you don't have a choice. This bond is tighter than any
marriage ever devised by man. You can't get out of it because you're
doubting yourself. Now what's the problem?)

"Are we alone?"

(Hold on, I'll pick up the handset and send Rachel out of the room.
Rachel, Nick needs to talk privately, do you mind? [click] Okay, she's
gone and you're only talking to me on the handset. Now, what's wrong? Is
it the Philip or the Alex part?)

"Both, but ... but it's neither; it's the bond and all of this." He sat
down on a rock. "It's scary, and terrifying, and bothersome, and ..."

(Nick, are you scared of the depth of your bonds?) Sloan sighed.
(I should have seen this coming. You know, in some ways it might have
been better to have let Derek win the fight over Alex.)

"Yeah, well you know what they say about hindsight."

Sloan laughed. (True, you leaped without looking and now you
have to live with the consequences. That includes letting others into your
most private thoughts and feelings. It also includes making love to Philip
and Alex. I'm not saying this is easy, it's not. Not for any of us. Total
submission to another force never is.)

"Hold it, submission? Like giving in? That I know I can't do." He
slumped forward, leaning on his legs. "How am I supposed to do that, I
can't even let myself follow orders if I don't agree with them."

(We've noticed.)

"Thanks."

(Not a problem. Now, if you think about this, it's not a whole lot
different than what Philip did in taking his vows. He submitted fully to the
will and whims of God and the Church. Now he has to break those and
align himself with a higher master in his new life, the three of you. Alex is
probably having the same problems you are. And if Rose's call earlier was
any indication, she's having others too.) He leaned back in the chair, the
sound of it creaking over the phone. (You have to do the same thing. You
have to align yourself with them, give up all you were ever taught by
anybody about the 'right way' to do a relationship, and let go of all your
doubts; because they can kill you.)

"So, it's like jump school. Close your eyes and step into thin air?"

(Good analogy, and they're your parachute. It's connected to your
body by the strings of trust, communication, love, and interdependence. It
won't open, though, if one of the strings is broken.)

"So, I need to go back in there and talk to them, right?"

(You actually left them? How far away are you?)

"About a tenth of a mile. A few minutes walk. I can see the cabin
if I look around the trees. Why?" A sense of dread came over him.

(Nick, it clearly said, the entry did, that during the first period while
the bond was growing that you shouldn't be apart. If it snaps for some
reason, one of you could die.)

"Oh, damn," he swore softly. He tried to reach Alex's mind, but
couldn't. He could almost hear Philip's, but nothing clearly. "I've got to
get back, I can't hear Alex."

(Nick, one last thing. Your father, while a good Legacy member,
was a bigoted s.o.b. who should have never been allowed to raise you. If
you can forget all he ever taught you about dealing with people, then you
can make this work. Just don't let his prejudice affect your love, or the
bond, because if you can't give into it like it needs, then you're not going to
survive it.) He hung up, and Nick stood up, jogging back to the house.

"Thank you," he called softly. He opened the door, and headed
into the bedroom, making Philip look up at him. He sat down, brushing
Alex's hair aside, and felt for her mind. //Pretty one?//

"Hmm," she asked and rolled over towards him snaking an arm
around his waist.

Nick sighed in relief and planted a quick kiss on her forehead.
"Philip, can we talk?"

"Sure, let's go inta the livin' room so she can sleep." He got up and
went for the couch, Nick following behind after placing another quick kiss
on her cheek. Philip shifted on the couch, making room for Nick to sit
farther away if he wanted. "So, wha's wrong?"

Nick laid his head on Philip's lap, letting his feet hang off the edge.
"I'm scared."

"I know. Submitting to somethin' this powerful can be tha' way."

"That's something I don't know if I can do, though, submit all of
myself to someone else. That's part of what's screwing with me." He
looked up, seeing the certainty in his friends eyes. "How did you do it?" he
whispered.

"It wasn' hard. I had my callin' and I could *feel* it. It was the tug
on my soul that led me to the Legacy, and to you all, but it was differn'
than the one that pulled me to the Church. It's scary, I know, when you
first realize that your life is meaningless and empty without something, then
you find it and you have to give up all that you ever were to have it for
your own. I was scared when I first fel' my callin'; when I figured out wha'
it was, I threw up for days."

"But how did you learn to submit to it, to give up all that you are
and were and could be to some greater purpose? That's what I'm having
trouble with." He shifted some, brushing his cheek against Philip's crotch
and felt the growing hardness. "Am I doing something wrong? Do you
want me to move?"

"Nah, you're fine. It's the bond callin'. It's like a singin' in my blood
and it's hard to ignore. You could be on fire and I would still be gettin'
aroused by you."

"Gee, thanks. I think. So how do I give in?"

"Easy, quit thinkin' so hard and do what you usually do, go with
your instincts and feelin's." He ran his fingers through the short hair. "I
would love it if you woul' grow it abou' half an inch." He brought one of
Nick's hands up and kissed the back of it. "Jus' go with whatever feels
right."

Nick watched Philip kiss and nibble on his fingers. //Nice.// Philip
smiled and sucked a finger in, laving it with his tongue and sucking on it,
thrusting it in and out of the wet and hot cavity of his mouth.

Nick shifted closer, brushing his ear against the bulge in Philip's
pants, getting bumped in the process. He sat up, swinging his legs down
and moved to kneel on the couch. Philip shifted also, letting them face
each other. He raised a hand to shyly stoke a cheek, making Philip hum
around his finger. //More? Right?// Nick sent, still unsure of how he
would please this man.

//Much more, muffin.// Philip brought another finger up, sucking it
in too, and Nick groaned. //Let me teach you?// Nick nodded, pulling the
fingers out and laying down on his back on the hard couch. //Not here.
Other bed.// Philip pulled him up and steered him to the other bedroom,
the one he had shared last night with Alex.

He shoved the naked man down on the bed and pulled off his baggy
jeans, laying down beside Nick on the bed, and kissing a path up his chest
to the waiting lips. Philip lightly brushed the soft lips, lending them the
moisture from his, before he nipped the lower one and sucked on it to take
away the sting from his teeth. Nick opened his mouth to moan and he
dived in, plundering the innocent portal with his tongue.

//Mine?//

//Yours, Philip. Teach me, make me not so scared.// He followed
Philip's tongue back into his mouth, licking around his teeth and gums,
swiping the length of his tongue, causing them to tongue battle for
dominance. Nick submitted, coming up for air, and closed his eyes.

Philip smiled and kissed him again, taking his time to test Nick's
oral abilities before moving down to play with his neck. //Don't need
taught, just follow your heart.// He traced the tender musculature up his
neck and behind his ear. //Just let your body guide you to what you want,
feel the burn in your blood from the bond, feel it calling to you.// He licked
a ticklish spot. //Hear the language of your body and let it guide you to
what you need.//

Nick smiled and flipped them over, taking the top spot. //My body
tells me that I like to dominate, but I don't know it's willing to go the other
way or not.// He rubbed Philip's chest with one hand and spread his cheeks
with the other, letting Philip's hardness rub between them. //Make me
submit to you.// He leaned over and bit a soft spot on his shoulder, making
Philip wince and flip him back onto the bottom.

//Are you sure?// "If you aren' now is the time to speak up." He
nibbled on the shoulder edge, sucking on the bites to take the sting away.
"Las' chance," he reminded. Nick laid there under him, taking it and not
saying anything so he pushed his head back and bit into the soft spot on
Nick's neck, marking him.. //Mine now.//

Nick arched up under the rough treatment and felt his body let go.
He relaxed under Philip, letting himself be pulled along. When Philip
leaned over to lick at a nipple, he raised up so he could reach it better. "So
this is what it's like," he whispered, making Philip laugh and suck harder,
pulling hard on the nipple.

//Yes, love, just to give in is the sweetest pleasure of all.// He
promptly lost the ability to send when Nick wiggled under him shoving
their hard cocks against each other. He could only groan, letting Nick rub
some more until he was to far gone to do much else but give in himself and
let the passion rule. He got up on all fours, shoving Nick over onto his
stomach and got up to run into the other room for the lube. When he came
back in the room, he saw a sight he had wanted since that first night: Nick
up on his knees, looking over his shoulder at him and smiling in joy at the
sight he made.

Philip walked over to the bed and leaned over to whisper in his ear,
"Too late now. You're mine." Nick nodded and Philip climbed up behind
him, bending to bite the luscious and tight globe under his finger. Nick
arched up into him, spreading his legs further for him to continue. He let
Philip stick a spit wet finger into him, shoving it around forcefully before
rolling them over and grabbing the tube from him.

He spread Philip out on the bed the way he wanted him, leaving him
open and willing for more, but instead of spreading the lube into his ass, he
spread a generous amount onto the hard, leaking cock that was sticking up.
He coated it well, leaving a thick layer behind, and positioned himself.
"Can't wait. Too much," he said and sat down slowly, letting it open and
stretch him fully.

Philip grunted, barely able to not grab his hips and force him down
all the way. He waited until Nick was sitting down before thrusting up into
his more than willing partner. He could feel the bond feeding on their
connection with each stroke, bringing them closer together. Nick looked
up when Alex came in, falling onto them to help, licking and nibbling
Philip's chest and Nick's cock where it sat on it. He pushed her away with
a harsh look and started to ride Philip, using his strong leg muscles to
propel them both into unconscious orgasm.

They came to, finding Alex still there and licking Philip clean.
//Mine too.// She helped Nick up from where he had fallen sideways until
he could let Philip slip out. He moaned at the loss of connection, but Alex
pushed him down to the bed and started to lick him, bringing his erection
back to life. //Mine. Both of you.// She looked at them, waiting for an
argument, but none came. She went back to suckling on Nick's cock,
lending a hand to help Philip back up too.

When she couldn't take it anymore, she moved up Nick's body,
pushing her genitals into Nick's face and turned so she could take Philip
into her mouth. For each stroke of Nick's tongue, Philip was let down into
her throat. She let her men fuck both ends of her, finding extreme pleasure
in it, but not enough. She stood up, surprising Nick, and promptly sat
down on him, pulling on Philip's arm to tell to join in.

"Why no'," he said, giving each a kiss. "How?" he asked Alex, who
continued to ride Nick to her own pleasure.

Alex didn't answer, couldn't, she was fully under the control of the
bond. She probably didn't even realize Philip had asked a question, so he
moved himself to between Nick's legs and bit her shoulder, licking and
sucking it into a huge hickey. He thrust a finger into Nick to check him,
making him arch his hips up and nearly unseating Alex, who squealed in
delight, coming down hard on him for it. Philip laughed and licked her
back as he slowly shoved inside Nick's tight passage again. He thrust in,
and Nick thrust up, making Alex sit down, bringing his hips back down and
pushing himself back onto Philip's cock They rode like that, becoming
more and more aggressive, pinching and biting each other harder and
harder. Eventually, Alex couldn't take anymore on her back, so she stood
up and turned around, re-seating herself and pulling Philip's head to her
chest and making him suck on them. Nick grunted at the change, running
hands over her hips to hold her down while he pounded into her, making
Philip give into to his rhythm. He shot off first, the tightness of his ass, and
the additional squeezing of his orgasm, bringing Philip over, who reached a
finger down to make sure Alex came with them. Alex came, screaming at
the top of her lungs, a wordless cry of pleasure, before falling heavily into
Philip's arms, passed out and breathing heavily.

Philip pulled himself out gently, checking himself to make sure
there was no blood from his rough treatment of Nick, and laid her down
between them. Nick rolled over, groaning, and grabbed Alex to hold while
he slept off the lethargy of two orgasms back to back. Philip stayed awake
long enough to pull the covers up over them and to grab onto Nick so he
could hold them both.

**************

Alex woke first and made a face at the taste in her mouth. "Gotta
stop doing that," she told herself softly. "It really does taste nasty."

"You'll get used to it," Nick murmured, letting her go enough for
her to roll over. He kissed the back of her neck, licking over the prior bites
and checked out her bruising. "Sorry."

"For what?" She looked over her back, arching the bottom portion
out to look. She could see some bruises on her shoulders, but she didn't
know how extensive they were. "Not a problem," she said, nodding her
head at his chest. "So am I."

Nick looked down, seeing his chest for the first time. "Are you
sure you didn't turn?"

"Funny." She wiggled, trying to get away enough to swat him, but
it make her rear brush against his front, arousing him again. The need
started to sing in her blood again, and she sent it to Nick, making him get
harder. She shifted her legs, rearranging herself until he laid between them.

Nick took the hint, entering her again and started to thrust gently.
She moaned, getting into the rhythm and wrapped an arm around his hips.
Nick took her gently, letting her have a few orgasms before he pulled out,
still not finished and rolled her over under him. He looked over at Philip,
seeing him laying on his side, facing away from them to give them some
privacy. He smiled at her, and she nodded, spreading her legs so he could
use her wetness again on their lover.

Nick dipped a finger into her, taking some of the considerable
amount of fluid there and slipped a finger in-between Philip's cheeks,
making him jump. Nick teased the opening, getting the outside good and
wet before going back for more and starting to shove it inside.

Alex got off the bed, letting Nick pull Philip into the center of the
bed, and she got back in, facing Philip's front. They started to kiss, Philip
starting to ride Nick's finger. When Nick went for more of her fluid, Alex
opened her legs again, letting one fall on top of Philip's bent over leg. They
intertwined, Philip taking her gently, and Nick watching while he stretched
Philip's ass with two fingers. He watched Philip thrust into her, bringing
her to the edge time and again before pulling out, and Nick reached in
quickly to get some more of her cum, slicking up himself and Philip more.
Philip pulled her up, licking her clean, stretching his leg more so Nick could
enter him.

Nick gasped as his cock passed the outer ring of muscle. Philip was
still so tight. He pushed in slowly, thrusting more each time he pushed and
withdrew. Philip was moaning into Alex's pubic mound, his chin rubbing
on her clitoris, when he sunk himself into the priest. His gasp of pleasure
was audible, even through her body. Nick smiled and leaned over to rest
his head on Philip's shoulder. "Do her good for both of us," he whispered,
making the first thrust shallow and gentle. He watched the whole time
from his perch on Philip's back, watching as he licked and nibbled on Alex's
clit, watching and encouraging with harder thrusts when Philip sucked on it
hard, making her cum over his lips. He moaned in Philip's ear when he
spread her nether lips and lifted a finger full of the delicious fluid for him to
taste.

Nick rode Philip harder, turned on by what he was watching,
slipping a hand around to play with his erection to bring them off together.
Alex had long since passed out, but Philip was still feeling the need to taste
her so he continued to lick her while she slept off the prior activity. When
he gave up on Alex and rolled them over, pushing Nick onto his back, he
got off, shooting wildly over Nick's legs and brought Nick over with him
one last time. They cuddled together again, Philip letting Nick fall out
naturally and in his own time. This time Nick grabbed the blanket and
covered his lovers, knowing now what it meant to submit to his heart's
desire fully and without much reservation, to let his animal side rule him
and enjoy it's happy hunting.

(To be continued, soon, in Reality is Strange.)