"What's got you in such a good mood this morning, Rob?" Austin asks as he couldn't help but notice the smile that had been plastered on his friend's face since they got on the pontoon.

"Oh, just thinking about how great life is." Rob smiles as he cast his line out into the lake.

"Especially last night." Tim mumbles as he carefully feels of the lure he had in his hands.

He suddenly receives a smack to the back of the head.

"OWW!! Who the hell hit me?" Tim growls as he rubs the back of his head.

"Isn't anything sacred around you guys?" Kelsey asks.

"No." Tim says with a chuckle.

"It's the highlight of our lives knowing when the other gets laid after so long of doing without it." Austin laughs.

"Oh, Good Heavens." Kelsey sighs as she shakes her head.

"That's pretty much the truth." Tim says with a nod as he continues to try to put the lure on his line. "When Adam and I finally made love, I thought Austin was going to rent a billboard and plaster it for all to see. I could use some help here, Adam. Where the hell is the loop on this lure?"

"Let me see it." Adam says as he takes the lure from the blind man. "The loop has been broken off."

"Well, no wonder I couldn't find it." Tim says as he reaches back into the tackle box.

"Just be careful. I don't want you to end up with a hook in your finger." Adam warns. "Do you need me to help you?"

"No. I got this." Tim says as he gets another lure and begins to search for the loop.

Adam glances up at Chance in time to see the silent man shake his head at him.

"Tim will only ask for help whenever he really needs it. He doesn't want to feel helpless." Chance signs. Adam gives him a thumbs up.

"WHOA!! COME TO PAPA!!" Austin suddenly yells as he begins to reel in a good size bass.

"Is anyone behind me?" Tim asks before he cast his line.

"Nope, you're clear." Adam says as he too cast his pole.

"I really hate Austin." Rob laughs. "He always out fishes all of us."

"GOT ONE!!" Tim shouts.

"You sure it's not a stick?" Austin laughs as he tosses his fish into the holder.

"No, it's not a f*cking stick." Tim growls as he fights to get the large bass to the boat.

Adam lays his fishing pole aside and grabs the net to dip Tim's catch out of the water.

"I think he beat you on fish size, Austin." Rob says as he sees the fish in the net.

"Oh, hell naw." Austin says as he recast his line. "I ain't having that."

"This ain't no competition, Austin." Tim says as he carefully lays his hands on the fish, checking out the size. "We're catching supper."

They fished for a couple more hours before stopping to eat. The fish holder on the boat was getting pretty full. Each person catching a few fish.

"I think we've got enough for a good size meal." Kelsey says as she relaxes back into her chair.

"This is so peaceful." Tim says as he closes his eyes and lays his head over on Adam's shoulder. 

The gentle rocking of the boat and the light breeze coming across the lake was great therapy.

"It's beautiful out here." Chris says as he relaxes with a beer.

"It may not be for long. Looks like we have some pretty dark clouds over here to the west." Adam says as he points.

"Yeah, I see that." Kelsey says as she gets her phone and pulls up the weather radar. "Yep, we have a storm coming our way. Guess we need to head back."

"A storm?" Tim asks, suddenly raising his head from Adam's shoulder.

"We'll get to the house before it starts raining." Kelsey says.

"Tim is deathly afraid of storms, Kel." Rob tells her.

By the time they pull up to the dock, it was already starting to sprinkle rain and the wind was beginning to pick up. They rush trying to get the things off the boat. They decided that the fish would be fine in the holding tank until they could clean them.

Tim could not see the black storm clouds heading their way. But the others could. Chris and Nate worked on getting the boat secured to the dock while the others rushed around trying to get the important stuff out of the oncoming storm.

"Good thing Tim can't see those clouds or he'd already been freaking out." Rob has quietly to Kelsey as she loads him down with stuff.

Tim was carrying an armload of things to the house with Satchmo guiding him. A loud clap of thunder causes Satch to yelp and run to the house, jerking his lease from Tim's hand. Tim jumps from the sudden sound, dropping a few of the things he was carrying. He stands frozen in the middle of the walkway as if he was afraid to move.

"The rest of this stuff can wait. Adam, you need to get him inside." Kelsey says.

The sprinkle had turned into a downpour as they all begin to run down the walkway toward the house.

Right before they reach Tim, another loud clap of thunder causes him to scream out and cover his ears. Dropping what he had in his arms.

"Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God." He whispers as he stoops down in the pouring rain.

"TIM! BABY, COME ON!!" Adam yells as he grabs his lover's arm and pulls him up.

Austin and Chance quickly pick up what Tim had dropped.

"COME ON, GUYS!! HURRY!!" Rob yells from the doorway as lightning streaks across the sky. "HOLY SH*T!!" He shouts as he rolls back away from the door.

Chris was the last one in and quickly shuts the door behind him.

"D*mn, that wind is kicking ass." He says as he wipes the rain from his face.

They were all soaked to the skin as they stood quietly in the living room listening to the storm rage outside.

"Shhhh." Adam whispers to Tim as he tries to calm him down. "You're okay."

"Listen. Is that hail?" Nate asks as he turns to the window to peak out. "That's at least quarter size."

"Maybe we need to get some dry clothes on and try to relax until this has blown over." Kelsey says as she tries to calm her and the others.

  A bright flash of lightning lights up the sky. The lights flicker and go out.  

"Oh, sh*t." Austin moans as they stand there in the dark.

Chance gasps and grabs tightly to Austin's arm.

"I got you, Sweetie." Austin whispers as he wraps his arms around his lover. Chance's entire body was trembling with fear.

Almost immediately, Chris and Nate have their phones out turning on the flashlights. They already had one freaking out they definitely didn't need two.

"There are lanterns in the closet. Can someone help me get them?" Kelsey asks.

"I will." Chris says as he stands with his light. "Nate, honey, you stay near Chance with your light."

"Okay." Nate says as he sits down on the other side of Chance.

Adam knew that thunder usually comes after the lightning. So he quickly puts his hands over Tim's ears. But his efforts did not help.

A deafening boom of thunder shakes the entire house.

Tim screams out and falls to his knees, covering his head. He continues to scream hysterically as he rocks back and forth. Flashbacks from his childhood flood his mind.

********

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