Daniel's Dream Read Free

Daniel mumbled and looked down at his lap.
    Nick swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and he hugged Danny's small body against him. Nick was always amazed how ignorant and horrible people could be when it came to allowing others to live their own life. He had hoped that his relationship with Josh wasn't going to affect Danny, but it looked like that hope may have been in vain.
    As Nick looked down at the special child sitting on his lap he couldn't help but wonder if this was just the beginning of things to come.

Chapter Three

    Nick paced the floor anxiously and checked the time on his watch for what he knew must have been the hundredth time. Where the hell was Josh? He knew that his fiancée should have been home at least fifteen minutes ago. He walked over to the kitchen window and looked out into the backyard to once again check on Danny.
    Danny and his beloved basset hound, Fred, sat on the porch steps together. His slight shoulders were hunched over as he picked at a thread on his shirt. Fred leaned heavily against his side and licked his cheek, making him giggle. He watched Danny's small arm reach around and hug the dog to him.
    Damn, Nick loved that dog.
    If anyone could get Danny out of a funk, it was Fred.
    Nick wished Fred could do the same for him. Unfortunately, doggie kisses didn't do anything for him. Nick needed Josh. Josh's calm demeanor and voice of reason was something that both Nick and Danny relied on.
    Nick rubbed his hands up and down his arms trying to ward off the uneasiness that threatened to overwhelm him. He couldn't forget the vision of Danny being attacked by that horrible boy. Even with him being parked among the congested school traffic, he witnessed the attack quite clearly. As soon as he saw the bully hit Danny with the erasers, he dashed out of his car and ran toward them, but he didn't get there in time to stop the attack, and the guilt weighed heavily on his shoulders.
    He knew he should have left the house earlier to pick Danny up after school. If he had, he would have been able to park closer to the front of the school, and he could have gotten to Danny sooner. He was supposed to protect Danny and knowing that he failed to do so, made him feel sick with remorse. He anxiously twisted the gold promise ring that Josh had given him. Over the past year, touching that ring had become a comfort to Nick whenever he was nervous.
    Nick spun around and sprinted toward the foyer when he heard the front door close.
    "I'm hoooooommeee! How are my two favorite people doing?" He heard Josh's tenor voice sing off-key.
    His feet dashed toward Josh's voice, and it seemed like minutes passed before he stood directly in front of his lover's smiling, welcoming face.
    Between Nick's body language and facial expressions, Josh immediately realized something was wrong. His smile vanished and a look of concern crossed his handsome face.
    "Oh my god, Nick… what's wrong?" Josh's warm hands cupped his face and his light green eyes looked worriedly up at him.
    At six feet, Nick stood a couple inches over Josh's five foot ten inch frame, but there were times Josh's comforting presence made him appear larger than life.
    "It's Danny…" he began.
    A look of pure terror washed over Josh's face. "What about Daniel?"
    Nick took a deep breath trying to calm his nerves before he continued. "He was harassed and attacked at school by a fellow classmate this afternoon right before school let out. Danny and this horrible boy were dusting out the erasers in front of the school, and the boy said some cruel things to him and started hitting him with them."
    A look of astonishment fell over his lover's face. "Our Daniel was bullied? Who would pick on such a sweet child?"
    Nick nodded and brought his own hands up to Josh's waist. "Apparently, this Andrew boy and his father believe that Danny is a freak because he lives with a couple of fags . According to them, our kind isn't welcome here and we should just pack up and