Ethan looks toward the door and he saw Jacob walk in with the group of guys and girls.

"Hey man, how are you today?" Jacob asked walking toward Ethan.

"Let me get back to you on that later. Why are you here so soon after last night?"

"Oh I told some friends about this place and we were hungry so figured we would check out the food menu this time around."

"Alright, y'all can sit anywhere and I'll bring some menus out." Jacob looked around and noticed that some of the chairs weren't down off the tables yet and that the bar looked empty from how it looked last night and that half the lights were still off.

"Are you even open man?" Jacob asked a little loud so Ethan can hear him in the back.

"Ah yea I'm open, just hadn't had time to really get ready yet. Had one hell of a morning." Jacob looked worried.

"Someone from my past who I thought was gone came back into my life, let's just say I have no idea what the hell to do right now."

"Someone you were romantically involved with perhaps?"

"Yea you could say that, we were together for a long time and some things separated us which was fine cuz it was their job but things happened while they was gone that everyone who knew them thought they were dead after like ten years they were gone and all of a sudden six months ago this person whom I loved dearly came back and I had no idea till this morning."

"Wow that's rough, were you happy to see them?"

"Well yea of course, after ten years wouldn't you be happy to see the person you had loved for a lot of your life when they come back after being 'dead' for so long?"

"Well yea I guess that was a stupid question. So let me ask you this, what are you planning on doing since they are back?" Ethan sighs and just smiles and gets the menus to the people sitting at the booths.

"Got it, you don't have to answer." Jacob said and he took a seat at the booth.

Ethan took their drink orders and went and made them their soda drinks and took them and gave them their drinks and they placed orders for wings and cheese sticks with fried pickles.

He went back into the small kitchen and started making the food. He's back there for a little bit before he hears someone calling out to him.

"Ethan, where are you?"He walks out and sees his good friend Emma standing there. He walked around the bar and gave her a hug.

"Hi Emma, how are you"

"Fine, I heard about Marcus, is it true? He's back?"

"He's back, I saw him this morning. Here put your stuff behind the bar and come to the kitchen, I have food cooking."

They walk back behind the bar and she puts her purse and jacket down and walked to the kitchen with him.

"So how did he look? How is he, what happened to him?"

"He looks amazing, still so handsome as ever and he's doing good, been back for six months."

"Six months?!" She shouted making everyone look toward them.

"Shh yes six months. He didn't want to disrupt my life as he says so he kept his distance."

"That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard! You were the love of his life and he doesn't let you know he's back and for six damn months?! What is wrong with him?!" She said loudly again.

"Emma you need to keep your voice down, I have people out there who can hear you you know."

"I'm sorry, so what happened to him?" Ethan gets the food out of the fryers and puts it on dishes and takes it out to them.

"Anything else I can get for you?" He asked them.

"We're good for the moment." One of the women tells him. He smiles and nods and walks away.

Emma is now behind the bar and Ethan makes her a drink and she sits on the stool he has behind there.

"Ok so he got taken, he was beat and tortured and raped and who knows what else, almost daily with a few to just one guy a day for years he said.

They moved him to basically a cell for the rest of the time he was there, one day he said a little old lady came in and gave him some bread and water and told him she would be back. He said he hasn't seen her for weeks and one day one beautiful day as he says he heard guns going off and she took one of the Marines that were there and saved him.

He went to Germany for a while and had a lot of surgery and somehow by the grace of God, he made it.

He seemed good, he looked damn good oh my gosh he looked good." Emma just sits there her jaw dropped at what Ethan had told her.

"Yea that was basically the face I had when he told me except I was crying, tears everywhere."

"I have to see him, I need to see him for myself to really believe it." She gets up and kissed Ethan on the cheek.

"I'll come back by later, love you."

"Ok, love you too." She smiled and walked out.

"Well guess there is your answer sir." The girl from last night said to Jacob softly so no one else can hear.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Jacob said while watching Ethan get the rest of the bar ready.

The group finishes up and they all put money on the table and head out,except for Jacob.

"Are you coming sir?" One of the guys asked.

"No, I'm gonna stay for a bit. You all go I'll catch up later." They nod and leave. Jacob cleans up the tables and puts the stuff on the bar.

Ethan noticed he was standing there watching him.

"What?" He asked as he turned around.

"I couldn't help over hear your girlfriend shouting earlier, was that about what you found out today?"

"My girlfriend? Emma? No man she's not my girlfriend, she's not even my type."

"She's beautiful and has a nice body. How is that not your type?"

"Well let's just say I'm more likely to take you home over her." Ethan says smiling.

Jacob felt his cheeks get a little hot. "Ah I see, well I may just let you do that sometime."

Ethan nods and smiles at him. "It's a nice house, you would like it, it's a lot better than the rooms on base that's for sure." Ethan walks slowly towards him and is now just a couple inches from him. Ethan is a good two inches taller than Jacob so he has to look down a little and he is lost in Jacobs bright green eyes and smiles down at him.

"You have been to the base before?"

"Yea, the person I was talking about earlier? He's in the service as well so I have been there a time or two with him."

"So, you are gay?"

"Yup and are you?"

"Mhm I am. Are you seeing anyone?"

"Nope, you?"

"No but I would like to, I recently met this incredible man who I cant stop thinking of and he's sexy as hell."

"He's a lucky guy to have your attention." By now they are lost in each-other's eyes and Jacob has his arms around Ethan's waist.

"I have to disagree as I am the lucky one if he let's me give him my attention and at least let's me kiss his delicious looking lips."

Ethan bites his bottom lip and whispers, "He would be crazy to not want to let you kiss him."

With that Jacob wraps his arms around Ethan's neck and pulls him down some and places a kiss on Ethan's lips. When they touched Ethan felt electricity throughout his body and a soft moan escapes his lips and he opens his mouth and Jacob slides his tongue in and their tongues dance around each-other's mouths, Jacob pulls away slowly, leaning his forehead onto Ethan's.

"Wow." Is all he can manage to say.

"Wow is right. Um maybe we can pick this up later?" Jacob smiles.

"Oh I think that can be arranged." Just than the door opens and Marcus walks in. Jacob and Ethan pull apart and Ethan clears his throat.

"Marcus, hi what are you doing here?"

"Hi ah I wanted to talk to you again, I didn't like how we ended this this morning, but I can see your busy, I'll talk to you later." He turns to walk out.

"Marcus." Jacob called to him. "Stay, it's alright."

"Are you sure? I don't want to impose on you two."

"Stay Marcus. If you are going to be in my life which is what I want then I want you to be a part of it, no matter what is going on. You will always have a place in my heart, always. I just want you to know you are my past and if and when I get serious again, I want you to be part of my future as a friend and as someone who supports me."

"I can do that, I'm Marcus." He extends his hand toJacob.

"Jacob, nice to meet you sir. I heard a little about what happened, glad you're back with us."

"I didn't say a word, he heard Emma shouting about you when she was here."

"Emma knows? God she's gonna kill me."

"Yup so watch out." Ethan laughs.

"I take it this Emma woman is not someone to mess with?"

"No." They both answer at the same time. They all sit and talk, joke and laugh for awhile before the place starts to get busy.

"I'm gonna take off for the night,it was nice meeting you Jacob and it was nice seeing you again Ethan. Have agood rest of the evening and night." Marcus gets up.

"It was nice meeting you to Marcus."

"See you later Marcus, it really is great to see you again." Ethan said smiling as Marcus walks out.

"I'm gonna get going also, I have to let my dog out and make something to eat. I had a good time today."

"Me to Jacob, me to. Have a good night and ill talk to you later." He smiled and touched his hand before Jacob walked out.

The rest of the night is busy and around one agroup of guys walk in already drunk and sit at the bar.

"Hey guys, what can I get ya?"

"A round of beers for my friends here, this guy is getting married tomorrow so were celebrating his last night as a single man!" One guy said with excitement.

"Alright. Congrats on your wedding man." Ethan said to the guy who looks like he's about to pass out.

"Thanks." He said. Ethan gets them their beers.

"On the house guys."

"Thanks man." They take their beers and sit in a booth.

"It seems this place is the place to be lately. I have been here a few times and it's never been this busy, what's your secret?" Ethan looked up and saw a tall dark haired woman smiling at him.

"No secret, word just got out about it is all."

"Well it's nice to see it busy, this place has a good feel to it, I think it's because of the handsome bartender."

"Owner and thank you."

Her eyes got wide. "You own this place?"

"Yup I do. Can I get you anything?" He asked her.

"Just your number."

"Sorry I'm sorta seeing someone." And just like magic, the door opens and Jacob walks in. "Speaking of that someone, hey there, couldn't stay away huh?"

Ethan said as Jacob walked to the bar. "Hey, no I tried but no I couldn't." He smiled.

The woman scoffed and rolled her eyes and walked away. "What was that about?"

"She wanted my number and I told her I was sorta seeing someone and it's like God knew that was going to happen cuz as soon as I told her, in you came."

"Sorta seeing someone huh? Is that what you want?" Jacob asked and sat down and Ethan gave him a beer.

"It is but if you're not ready it's fine, I understand." Jacob sits there for a bit while Ethan cleans up some and all of a sudden as Ethan is walking back to the bar Jacob gets up out of his seat and grabs Ethan and just kisses him. Ethan dropped the tray and wraps his arms around Jacob and just melts into the kiss, softly moaning as Jacob's lips touch his softly.

"I'm all in baby, all in." He said breathless when they pull apart. Ethan smiles and turns his head, not wanting Jacob to see his flushed cheeks.

Jacob bends down to pick the tray up and the dish that fell from it. He sets it on the bar.

"I have never done that before, I haven't kissed another guy like that in public."

"Why not?"

"Cuz no one really knows about me."

"What that your gay, why not? It's not like you have to hide who you are anymore in the service. That has been lifted."

"I know, it's just I'm this big macho guy and my guys look up to me and if they knew, I don't want them looking at me any different." Ethan nods and walks behind the bar.

He throws away the trash that's on the bar and wipes it down.

"Look I like you, I think you're great and sexy but, I won't be with a guy who is ashamed to be who he is, once you are comfortable with being who you are, come talk to me. I don't have time to hide my feelings for someone who isn't comfortable with being with me in public. I am an openly proud gay man and I want my partner to be the same." With that Ethan walks to the back and gets a case of beer to stock up before he closes.