Sean sat inside the car with his backpack between his legs on the floorboard. Slipping on his seat belt, he huddled up with his coffee. He felt uncomfortable. He didn't want to be in this situation. It was a temptation that he wanted to avoid, but his desire to understand Mark's motives were killing him. Mark didn't say a word as he took his time getting settled in the car. It was only after they had started driving that Sean anxiously asked him. "Are you going to tell me... Or was this another lie to get me in your car?" Mark focused on driving, while answering in a low voice. "His name is Quentin." Sean's eyes widened, shifting in his seat to stare at Mark with alarm upon retorting. "Quentin? The German? The four time reigning gold medalist? HE put you up to it?" Mark swallowed nervously, choosing his next words carefully. "You don't know him, Jack. Off the ice, Quentin is a frightening man. He came to me at the hotel and told me that if I didn't find a way to shut you down that he would." 

Sean tensed up, his anger seeping into his voice. "So, instead of just telling me this... You sabotaged me?!" Mark inhaled deeply, then rushed out a bit. "I knew you wouldn't listen to me! You were his biggest competitor that year. You would have brushed off his threat and gone out there-" Sean cut him off, snapping out loudly. "I would have taken this up with the ISU had I known! Damn it, Mark! You sabotaged me worse, than he could have!" Mark slammed on the brakes, turning to face him as he snapped out. "I DIDN'T KNOW! Your coach told you not to do jumps on your warm-up! I banked on that! You've never skated against Quentin! I've seen what he's done to skaters who threaten him!" Sean shook his head, grumbling out. "If he's so bad... How is he still in the sport?" Mark relaxed in the seat, his voice serious as he replied darkly. "It's easy to make things look like an accident, if you get to them before the championships... that you aren't in."

Mark started to drive again, letting Sean take this in. After a few seconds, Sean asked him in a calmer voice. "He's approached you before? Mark, had he been trying to sabotage me, before we flew out for the European Championships?" Mark didn't answer, but Sean read his nervous features. Exhaling sharply, Sean glanced out his window. That was terrifying to know. There was silence between them for a time, then Mark told him gently. "Quentin isn't skating anymore. He wanted to retire with a perfect record." Sean didn't know what to say. So, Mark added in with a voice full of regret. "Jack, I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do. I wanted you to just get disqualified for not showing up on time. I never intended for you to get hurt. I know I should have told you, but... I was afraid. I didn't want you to put yourself in harms way." Sean sipped his coffee, then muttered out dryly. "You didn't even come to the hospital after."

Mark gripped the steering wheel tighter, mumbling under his breath. "I couldn't. I saw the way you looked at me as they took you off the ice. Seeing the betrayal in your eyes hurt worse than seeing you in pain. It's why I lost to Rasputin that year." Sean rolled his eyes as the car pulled up to the curb of his house. Quickly unbuckling his seat belt, Sean tried to get out of the car. Mark grabbed his arm to stop him, pleading out in a loving voice. "Sean, please... I've never stopped loving you. I did it with the best of intentions." Sean yanked his arm out of Mark grip, his voice quivering a little as he curtly replied. "Mark... I can't deal with this right now. I just... I need to think..." Without another word, Sean climbed from the car and rushed to his door. Fumbling with his keys, he heard the car shut off behind him and groaned loudly.

In his haste to unlock his door, he dropped his keys. He just wanted to get inside and lock Mark out. Mark's car door slammed and Sean snatched his keys off the ground, fumbling with them again to find the right key. He really needed to get rid of some of these. Turning to insert a key into the lock, Mark told him in a broken voice. "Sean, don't run from me... If you can't stand to be around me... Than break my heart! I can't live like this!" Sean released his keys, leaving them in the door as he banged his forehead against the cold door. This was a wound that had never healed. The salt of betrayal had kept it raw and petrified. It was a question in his heart that he didn't have an answer too. Did he still love Mark after everything that he'd done? Part of him still did. Keeping the faith alive that it wasn't the real Mark that had hurt him. Mark was very competitive on the ice. He had hoped being sabotaged was just that... a stupid blinded mistake.

Only his other half didn't care about Mark anymore. Mark had been the one who had hurt him. Mark had made the choice to hurt him! Mark had kept secrets from him. Sure, he was here now... but where was he during his recovery? Stacy had spent long hours at his side after he fell into depression over being told that he'd never skate again! She encouraged him to keep going. That should have been Mark's job! Turning to face Mark with a cold expression, Sean told him in a dead voice. "You're out of your mind if you think I can answer that. I thought I had a grip on my emotions... and now... You just kicked a hornets nest of feelings that I don't know how to deal with right now." Mark started to move closer, but Sean raised a hand to gesture for him to stop. Mark obeyed with a hurt look, while Sean told him seriously. "Don't. Just don't. You can't live like this? Fine. Decide for yourself how you feel about me. Don't fucking make me decide for you, Mark. Not after all that I have been through."

Without another word, Sean turned around and unlocked his door. Slipping inside, he slammed the door and locked it. Dropping his backpack on the floor, then setting his coffee and cookies on the table in the hall. Sean let himself practically hyperventilate. His body wanted to run back out to Mark and beg him to comfort him. While his brain was frustrated from taking all this in and still feeling undecided with his feelings. His feeling swirled inside his chest, until he flung his keys down the hall and let out a yell of frustration and pain. Yelling until he was out of breath made him feel good. Internally, it seemed to silence all the warring thoughts in his head and heart. It just didn't do a damn thing for the tension in his body. He wanted to punch something... Break something. He had pent up energy and nothing to use it on. Storming into his living room, he dropped onto his couch and turned on his game console.

He had to take his mind off everything. He just needed a calming game that he could get through quickly without too much frustration. Slumping down on the couch, he braced his feet on the coffee table and began to play the Shadow of Colossus. Eventually, he snatched his coffee and cookies to enjoy while he played. By the time he had moved on to The Last Guardian, his phone began to vibrate. He refused to pick it up, until he was feeling calmer though. When he moved on to Bloodborne, he started feeling much better. Killing things was much more satisfying to burn off the rest of his tension. Pausing the game to pull out another cookie from his bag, he questioned why his phone was still vibrating endlessly. Putting the cookie in his mouth to hold it for a minute. He removed his phone from his pocket and dusted off his hand to unlock it. Scrolling through the messages, he stared at it confused. His parents and relatives were blowing up his phone about why he was seen with Mark and a video that spoke of his... Comeback?

Texting his mother back about this video she had seen, she sent him the link. Bringing up the video quickly, he let the cookie fall from his mouth and into his lap. The video was showing clips from the Café! A god damn reporter had been tailing him or Mark! The reporter played cut clips of him sarcastically thanking Mark for the invite to the ISU banquet and how Mark seemed to be trying to buy Sean's affection for reasons unknown. The reporter talked about the events of his injury and how Mark had been responsible... Or so it seemed. Since the reporter added in the clip of Mark snapping at him that he was afraid to loose him. It even showed clips of him skating in the rink recently... Showing the girl that had collided with him and wondering if this was his possible come back from a long recovery. A few locals were interviewed talking about how he looked fine and well enough to compete.

The reporter questioned why Mark would have sought out Sean and a few locals mentioned them being close friends once. The reporter promised more as the story developed and couldn't wait to see how the other skaters felt about his possible comeback. Sean dropped his phone, running his shaky hands through his hair. This isn't how he wanted all this to come out. He knew it might happen, but seeing it become a reality was worse! He had promised his parents after his injury that he'd stop skating... Now his secret was out. They had seen why he was always going to the rink and that it wasn't about possibly getting back together with Stacy. Not only that, but his parents were still sore over Mark hurting him, and now he was taking to him again! The locals would be eating this up, but he felt more like his life had just been diced up by a fan!

Sean dropped his hands from his hair, clenching his fists and shouting out loudly. "MARK!" He was sure his neighbors were having a hell of a day dealing with him, but at present, he really couldn't give a rat's ass about them. Snatching his phone off the ground, he bolted up from the couch and called Mark. Mark answered the phone calmly, asking him softly. "Sean? Why are you calling? I thought you-" Sean couldn't hold his temper back as he blurted out loudly. "Did you know a fucking reporter was tailing you?! I swear, Mark! If you knew he was in that café... So help me, I'll come over there and kick your ass!" Sean paused to take a breath, listening to Mark answer in that same calm voice. "I knew." Sean gritted his teeth and hung up. That was all he needed to hear. Turning off everything and locking up the house, he ran for the hotel Mark was staying in.

He couldn't bare it anymore. Mark wanted him to break his heart. FINE! He was going to smash it and stomp on it until it was nothing. He felt used and set up again. Why was he doing this to him?! What had he ever done to deserve this? Storming up the steps, because the elevator took way too damn long for only having four floors. He ran up to Mark's room number that was listed on the information he had provided him. Big mistake! He banged on the door and Mark opened it wide without any hesitation. Sean clenched his teeth and with one punch set Mark to his knees across the floor. Slamming the door behind him, Sean yelled down at him. "Is this all some kind of game to you?! Do you enjoy messing with my life?! What have I ever done to you?!" Mark rubbed his jaw, slowly rising back up onto his feet. He didn't look angry or scared. He seemed to be all too calm about this.

Mark stared into his eyes with his soft teddy bear brown ones. Sean shook his head, raising his hand to try punching him again. When Mark grabbed his wrist and shoved him back against the wall. Sean thrashed a little, turning his head away. He expected Mark to hit him back. To yell and fight back. Instead, Mark pressed his forehead to his shoulder, telling him in a calm defeated tone of voice. "You made me fall in love with you." To Be Continued...