James Campbell's Journal: So many stories.

[Dr. James Campbell]

[Dr. James Campbell]

Four gifts that meant a lot to James Campbell

James tried to bury his face deeper under the covers, but the two four-year-olds proved to be strong enough together to get it to shift enough for Harriet to crawl in next to her big brother. "Hey Jay."

James, acknowledging that he had lost, opened his eyes wide enough to look at her. "What is it, Harriet?"

"We gotcha something." She had her hands behind her back, and even without his glasses on he knew exactly what kind of grin was on the little kids' faces.

"What is it?" He sat up enough to look his little sister in the eye and found his glasses on his bedside table.

"FROGGY!" With great aplomb, she dropped a cold, wet amphibian onto her brother's chest. In a panic, he felt his chest constrict as the slimy skin soaked through his thin teeshirt and he let out a high-pitched squeak.

"What was that for?" James gripped the sheets tightly, staring down the bog-eyed thing that was sitting on his chest.

Harriet's chin wibbled as the idea that her beloved big brother didn't actually want a frog on his pajamas. He hated the froggy, and that made her so sad. "We just wanted to share the froggy with you..." He could hear the tears coming.

So, despite the overwhelming urge to get the slimy thing that was touching him off right now, before something terrible happened because it was not supposed to be there, he winced and very gently ran a finger over it's back, stroking lightly. "It's...okay..." James managed to croak out, "It's a lovely froggy."

*

"James, there's someone here to see you."

He'd been surprised enough that Lucy had called him, out of the blue, on a day that wasn't Tuesday or Friday. Of course, he thought that having specific days where he was allowed to speak to his own daughter on the phone was ridiculous, but Lucy calling with cryptic messages was worse. "What is it?"

"Come to the door."

James hadn't run that fast in ages. As soon as he reached the door, he flung it open, and swept his three-year-old into a tight hug.

"Happy Birthday, Daddy. You're squishing me!" When he gave her enough leeway to breathe, Ginny stopped wriggling and planted a wet, sticky kiss on her father's cheek. "We've been driving forever."

Lucy nodded, smiling at her ex-husband and their daughter. "She slept most of the way, but I'm exhausted. Mind if I crash for a few hours?"

"Not at all, bedroom is down the hall." He finally took his eyes off the little girl to look at Lucy properly, "Thank you for bringing her." The woman nodded, and headed off to sleep away an eight-hour car ride.

"Daddy, Mommy said I could help you bake a cake for your birthday." Ginny tugged lightly on his shirt collar to get his attention. "And your hair makes you look like a rooster."

"Thank you, Ginny. Let's go make a cake."

*

"Close your eyes, Jamie." Chase had said he needed to run some errands after work, and though James could tell he was up to something--he could always tell when Chase was up to something--he didn't push it. They had an understanding about his power, since he couldn't shut it down like the other man could. So he just closed his eyes and smirked.

"What are you up to, Love?" (Just because he knew better than to focus his power on Chase didn't mean he liked surprises.) There wasn't a response, other than a tiny meow. His eyes flew open and he gaped at the tiny kitten Chase had cradled in his arms.

"Jamie, this is Milo. I was just thinking, um... well, you like cats, right?" There was no pre-planning that went with it, a friend had told him about a litter of kittens that needed adopting, and though it was nowhere near a traditional gift-giving day, once he met Milo, he knew James would love him.

"Yes, Chase, I like cats. Hello Milo." He reached over and skritched behind the kitten's ears, smiling as it nuzzled his hand. "Hello there. Aren't you something?"

*

It was a fairly normal evening, Chase was watching some football game James had no interest in, and James had given up reading the supposed crime thriller that was so bad, even football was more interesting. He was sprawled across the couch, his head in his husband's lap, with Milo curled comfortably on his chest. And if it wasn't for the fact that he knew Chase was worrying about something, it would have been one of those rare perfect moments. "Love?"

"You want more kids, right?" Chase had met Ginny a few months after he'd moved to Vermont and started living with James. It had been a slightly awkward meeting, but they'd gotten along fine since. Of course, Ginny lived and went to school in New York.

James...hadn't been expecting that. "Well, yeah. I always wanted kids, and I didn't really get to raise Ginny, but I never thought you wanted that." Granted, they didn't really talk about it. They hadn't talked much before they ended up moving in together. And when gay marriage had been legalized, their conversation had gone something like:

"Chase, did you see the news today?"

"Yeah." Chase smiled and kissed James lightly, "Feels like a victory, doesn't it? Even though we didn't really do anything."

James smirked and returned the kiss, "Do you want to?"

"Get married?"

"Yeah."

"That...sounds pretty good, actually."

But they didn't talk about things, and that's what Chase wanted to do now. "You're wrong, for once. I think I like the idea. You know, adopting. Kids."

James smiled up at him. "I think I do too."

[Dr. James Campbell]

Eleven conversations with James Campbell.

Age: 12
"Alright, James, lets talk about what's happening to you."
"I'm being sent to a psychologist because my mom thinks there might be something wrong with the way I think and my teacher told her that I'm Obsessive Compulsive. Kids I was friends with last year now think I'm crazy and you do to."
"No, James, I don't think you're crazy. I've talked to a lot of kids like you. You're not the only one who gets hung up on things being neat and organized. And you're not the only one who likes symmetry."
"But you're watching my eyes to see if I notice that all the pictures on your wall are level except the one on the end, or that you have pens scattered all over your desk even though you have a pencil cup with plenty of space in it."
"You don't trust me."
"I don't trust you."
"Why not?"
"I don't know. You don't like me. You think I'm a smart-ass. And I surprise you."
"That's not true."
"Yes. It is."
"How can you tell?"
"I don't know...But I do."

Age: 18
"Bonnie..."
"James, you're a sweet guy, but I'm not going to waste my time."
"What are you talking about? You can't dump me, we havn't even kissed."
"And you're not interested in me. You're my friend, Jay. And we were fooling ourselves if we pretended that we were anything else."
"I really like you, Bonnie."
"And I like you. But it's not the same. James, I'm not sure if you look at everyone this clinically, but you're just not a good boyfriend to me."
"I'm trying."
"I know, and you're a sweetheart. But we're both going to be going to college in a few months, and for this last summer, I want a boyfriend who doesn't freak out at the thought of touching me. I really wish that was you, James, because you're cute, and you're a nice guy. But you don't like me that way, I can tell. And that's fine, but don't jerk me around and pretend that you do."
"But..."
"I had a good time with you at prom. I'm glad I was your date. But I'm going to find a boyfriend who's interested in something else this summer. You should find one too."
"I don't want another girlfriend."
"I didn't say you should get another girlfriend."
"But you said..."
"Jay, honey, I think you're the only person in the world who doesn't get it."

Age: 21
"Um, is this James?"
"Yes. Who is this?"
"Me. Lucy. We exchanged numbers two months ago when we met at Karen's party, remember?"
"Right. Lucy. Sorry, you sound different over the phone."
"Yeah, we have to talk."
"Is this because I didn't call you? I'm sorry, I've been busy, and--"
"James, I'm pregnant. It's yours."
"...Are you sure?"
"James! Yes, I'm sure. I don't sleep with men from bars at random!"
"Um, Lucy."
"Don't even say it. Is it okay if I come over now? I don't want to do this over the phone."
"Yeah. Sure. Bye."

Age: 21
"Do you think we should get married?"
"Why?"
"For our daughter. I mean, we get along well enough, Lucy."
"This isn't the sixties, James, and we're not your parents."
"But it worked for them, and they were younger than us. It worked for them, and for me. Isn't it at least worth trying?"
"Do you love me?"
"...We don't know each other. But I could."
"I'll have to think about it."

Age: 22
"She's sending me divorce papers. She wants me to sign away my rights to see Ginny."
"Are you really that surprised?"
"I was abducted and brought here against my will."
"You wanted to come with me before. I gave you solace in the idea that you're not alone in this world."
"You make everything so dramatic, Aristea."
"Funny. Particularly when it's coming out of your mouth."
"What do you mean?"
"Wah, I'm 22 in a class with 11-year-olds. I grew up thinking that everyone saw things the way I did and I just had a psychological disorder that makes me act funny."
"And my wife is divorcing me because of it."
"No she's not. She's divorcing you because you're gay and you're pretending you're in love with her."
"What?"
"Come on, James. You're not the only one who knows things."

Age: 29
"James, I had to track you down six times when you ran away."
"So you know I know all the tricks. I could be a good recruiter. I can see things others can't. And I'm charming."
"You're also the poster-boy as to why we don't let people with non-dangerous powers get away without training. You're prissy and particular and..."
"And I have a daughter. Parents would feel more comfortable talking to a parent."
"Okay, that may be true. But I'm still not sure about sending you into the field."
"Assign me to Aristea. I'll be her assistant. I'll become invaluable and then you'll hire as a full recruiter and let me travel on my own."
"To New York to visit Ginny."
"And wherever else you need me."
"Fine. I take it you've cleared it with Aristea already?"
"Nope. Now I get to tell her it was on your instructions, sir."
"Claude. And you're a real bastard."
"I get that a lot, Claude."

Age: 36
"You don't do this a lot, do you?"
"Hmm?"
"Go to a hotel with a strange man you met at a bar."
"If you didn't notice, it's not exactly a popular thing to do around here."
"I noticed, but I didn't exactly care. You're cute."
"....mmm, stop that, James."
"Why? You liked it when I did it before."
"I still like it, but you've worn me out. Can we just, you know, rest a bit?"
"Sure. You know how to stroke a man's ego. And, you know, other things as well."
"Shut up. Do you do this often?"
"Take cute guys back to my hotel on business trips? Not all too often, no."
"Why me?"
"Because you caught my eye, that's all."

Age: 36
"I have to admit, you've got taste."
"Yes, I do."
"I mean, it's been what, ten years since I brought you here?"
"Fourteen, and I don't see what that has to do with anything."
"Fourteen years ago, you were married to a woman and were so deeply in denial you didn't get any of the subtle insinuations I snuck into our conversations."
"Maybe I was just ignoring them, because you aren't as subtle as you think."
"Neither are you. If you think anyone thinks you brought him here for any other reason than you're banging him, you're an idiot."
"That might have been part of the reason, but he's turning into one hell of a trainer."
"That's the only reason Claude hasn't thrown you both out. You've got a good eye."
"Aristea, how come I never know if you're complimenting or insulting me?"
"You're just not clever enough, Jamie-boy."
"Don't call me that."
"Aww, only your boyfriend can call you that? That's so cute."
"Shut up."

Age: 37
"Hi Mom."
"James! Oh, I haven't heard from you in ages. How's work?"
"Good. You know how I'm supposed to come down for the Fourth?"
"You're being sent away again? I haven't seen you in over a year."
"Stop guilting me, Ma. I'm going to be there. I just wanted to know if it was okay if I brought a guest."
"Of course it is! Friend or girlfriend?"
"Neither, it's--"
"Oh, one of your collegues?"
"Kind of. Well he works here."
"Is it that trainer you mentioned a while ago?"
"Yes, it's Chase. And he's my boyfriend."
"..."
"Don't freak out, Ma. Is it okay if he comes with me. You'll love him, I know it."
"Yes, of course he can come. Should I warn the others before you get here?"
"Yeah, that might be best."
"Okay."
"Are you sure you're okay with this, Ma? Chase would understand if you needed more time."
"Is he a good man?"
"Yes."
"Does he love you?"
"Yes."
"Do you love him?"
"Yes. Ma..."
"That's all I need to know. I can't wait to meet him."
"Thanks, Mom."

Age: 37
"Is it true, Jay? You're bringing your gay lover to the barbeque on the Fourth?"
"Hello to you to, Harri."
"James!"
"Yes, it's true. His name is Chase, and he's a really good guy, and if you plan on doing something to freak him out or scare him away, I'll be very offended."
"Pft. Don't worry, Jay. I just wanted to know it was true so I could collect."
"Collect?"
"Mike bet $50 that you weren't gay, and Laura put up $30 that you'd never admit it."
"...You were...?"
"Betting on your sexuality, yeah. I had you as coming out before you were 40."
"Why the fuck would you bet on that?"
"Because it was so freaking obvious."
"You're insane."
"Maybe, but I'm also $80 richer."
"...Wait, when did you make that bet?"
"Right after you married Lucy."
"...Seriously, how was I the last one to figure this out?"
"Because you're stupid."
"Thanks."
"Anway, is he cute?"
"Very."
"Details?"
"Chase Kilbourne. He's a trainer at Hammel. Blond, tattoos, shorter than me, but not as skinny."
"Hot."
"Harri?"
"What?"
"Please don't be creepy."

Age: 40
"Hello?"
"Hey there, Peter. It's James, can I talk to Lucy?"
"Sure, let me get her."
"Thanks."
"...Hello?"
"Hi Lucy. Look, there's something I need to tell you."
"You're gay and you've been living with the same man for the past four years."
"...Ginny has a big mouth."
"Yes. You know, I figured it was something like this. When we were married."
"How is it that I was the last person in the world to know?"
"No, I think that was your daughter. Anyway, I think I know why you're calling."
"Really?"
"You and Chase are getting married. I watch the news, James."
"Well, yeah."
"Good for you."
"Oh, uh, thanks....um I'm a little surprised..."
"What, that I'm taking this well? James, when we were married, I knew you didn't love me. At the time, I thought it was because of another woman. It's honestly a lot easier, knowing you didn't love another woman more than me."
"Oh."
"I always wanted you to be happy, James. So yes, Peter and I will come to your wedding if you invite us. Have you told your mom yet?"
"Not yet"
"She's not going to be happy."
"No. But hopefully she won't bother me about grandkids."
"Yeah, we took care of that already. She's going to have your head, you know that? Anyway, Ginny just got home from school. You want to talk to her?"
"Yes, thanks Lucy."
"You're welcome. And congratulations."

[Dr. James Campbell]

James couldn't sleep.

He didn't like sleeping in beds that weren't his own, and though the guest room at the Kilbourne's was better than a hotel--and he had Chase there, with his arm sprawled across his chest--he was still a little uncomfortable. He'd slept well on the plane (Dramamine helped) and the drive to the Kilbourne's from the airport had been quiet, as Chase tried to sleep some. Delays meant they hadn't arrived there until a little after two in the morning, and they'd let themselves in with a key hidden under a planter on the porch. Then they'd collapsed into bed.

Four hours later, Chase was snoring lightly, and James had given up on trying to get any more rest. He hadn't met anyone's parents since Lucy's, eighteen years earlier. And well, that had been less than a treat. "Hi, I'm James. You don't know me, but I got your daughter pregnant after a party and now I'm going to be your son-in-law." Yeah. Not fun. And this meeting wasn't likely to be much better. "Hi, I'm James. I seduced your son in a bar and convinced him to move across the country so he can live with me."

Finally, he decided to get up. He could get a drink of water, then start reading the case files he'd brought along. James carefully extracted himself from his lover's arms, found his glasses on the bedside table, and headed into the kitchen, where Chase's mother was reading the newspaper as she started making coffee.

"Oh, good morning, Mrs. Kilbourne." He realized a little too late that running a comb through his hair might have been a good idea. But he was used to no one being awake as early as him.

"Please, call me Megan. I take it that you're the famous Jamie?" She was smiling, but James could read the tension in her face. She was trying though, and he knew that meant everything to Chase.

"That's me. Chase is still asleep; I don't think he slept at all on the plane." Returning her smile, he sat down at the kitchen table.

"And he'll sleep in until dinner, if you let him."

"I know."

They sat in silence for a moment, the only sounds was the low hum of the refrigerator, the bubble of the coffeemaker, and the rustle of the newspaper Megan Kilbourne wasn't actually reading. A few times, James wanted to try to say something, but there wasn't really all that much to say. He didn't know how much Chase had told his parents about him. He didn't know what they wanted to know about him.

"Let's try to clear something up right away, okay James? I was surprised when Chase said he was dating a man, but we're not going to disown him or anything because of you. Not all everyone down here is like that."

"I know," James said, nodding slowly. "It's just...I was thinking about the difference. Chase told you he met my family last month? Well, he got introduced to my parents, my brother and sisters, their spouses, and ten nieces and nephews in five minutes. Though he already knew Ginny, so that probably helped a little."

"Ginny's your daughter, right?"

"Yes. She's sixteen now. Just turned it."

"But if you're...."

"If I'm gay, how did I manage to father a child?"

"Well, yes, I guess that's what I'm asking."

"Her mother and I met in college. When she found out she was pregnant, we tried to make it work. We were married for a short time, but we ended it because we realized that staying together just for Ginny was worse than separating and remaining good friends." He smiled slightly wider, with a hint of his trademarked smirk, "And it didn't help that I was in Vermont, getting training at Hammel at the time, and she lived in New York."

"Yes, Chase told me you started at the Institute late. You were already married by that time?"

"Yes."

"I thought it was a school for teenagers."

"I took academic courses at the nearby college and worked in a bakery when I wasn't training. They didn't make me redo high school or anything, and they arranged to have my credits transferred as well."

"What did you study?"

"Well, the transferred credits were for a business major. I completed that, but they wanted me to train more, so I kept going back to school as well. So now I have a BA in History, and a doctorate in English Literature."

"So you're Dr. James Campbell. Impressive."

"Thank you."

"And now you recruit students?"

James nodded, "Yes. Actually, when I first told Chase what I did for a living, he thought I was part of some government program to round everyone like us up and I was there to take him away or something."

"And you did. You brought him back to Vermont with you." Though it wasn't overtly malicious, there was a hint of accusation in her comment.

"No." James said evenly, "that was later. I came back a few weeks after and convinced him to go with me."

"Why?"

"Because I'd fallen in love with him."

The bluntness of his response surprised both of them. To be honest, James had never told Chase that he knew he was in love, after just that first week. Sure, it was somewhat obvious, as he wouldn't fly across the country for just anyone, but he'd never explicitly said it outright before.

Megan smiled; how was she could she be disapproving after that? "And what if I had been that redneck you were afraid of, who hated you for seducing my son and bringing him to the godless Northeast, dooming him to hell with all the other liberals?"

James smiled back, because even though he heard what she was saying, there was definite approval in her eyes. "I'd still love Chase. And though I want your approval and I want you to like me, so long as he still loved me, I'd be okay with it. I'd feel sorry if it caused a problem with you and him, but I suppose I'm selfish enough that it wouldn't matter as much to me." He shrugged and ran a hand through his untamed morning hair. "I do want you to like me, but I don't need it the same way."

The coffeemaker beeped, signaling that it was ready. "Well, I approve of that. I don't know you, James, but I believe that you really do love my son, and that's all I can ask for. Now, how do you take your coffee?"

"Just some sugar, thanks."

A few hours later, the blond wondered into the kitchen, groggily. James and his mother were still there, talking and laughing, thick as thieves. "Did I miss something?" Chase asked, but he smiled.

[Dr. James Campbell]

One purple candle
It started at Thanksgiving. They were having a few friends over for dinner; nothing like the stories of huge family gatherings at the Campbell's . Of course, James was going over every. little. detail. of the meal, to the point where the manic, obsessive energy was enough to drive Chase crazy. But in James' head, this was what Thanksgiving was about, food and friends and family and the feeling of anticipation. Christmas was coming.

So James was in the kitchen, alternately asking Chase to help with something, then banishing him again when it didn't come out exactly right. By early afternoon, he'd gotten to the point where everything that could be started already had, everything that could be done already was, and everything that still needed doing was ready. And he'd done all of the dishes up until that point, and was rearranging the spices in the cabinet.

And Chase'd had enough.

"C'mon, Jamie." The blond man put his hands on his shoulders and physically pulled him out of the kitchen. "The turkey is cooking, the potatoes are mashed and not at all lumpy. The stuffing isn't going to burn, and whatever the hell you were doing with the onions is going to come out perfect too. The house is spotless. Your tie is fine, so is your hair, now will you please just sit and watch the end of the parade with me?" When James looked unsuitably panicked, Chase sighed and said, "James, calm down." And he reached out with his mind and nudged James back out of his manic state. "Let's just sit down. You have plenty of time, okay?"

James smiled blithely. He loved the holidays, this whole season, starting with Thanksgiving and not ending until New Year's Day. And right now, more than anything else, he loved Chase, for putting up with him while he was being so insane. (Admittedly, there was a part of him which knew he needed the extra help to get rid of the stress as well.) "That sounds really good, Love. It's almost time."

"Time for what?" Chase asked a little later, once they had arranged themselves in their preferred position on the couch, with Chase sitting back at one end, and James sprawled across it with his head in his partner's lap. The brown-haired man just smiled, leaning his head against the fingers slowly working into his hair.

"It's almost time for the end of the parade, which means the Santa float, which means I'm allowed to start playing Christmas music."

Chase looked down at the serene, happy grin on James' face and shook his head. "And that's all you'll be playing for a month, right?"

"Right."

*****

Two purple candles
James didn't lie. Starting from Thanksgiving, he had Christmas carols playing all the time. On December first, he came home from the store with an advent calendar, the kind with a chocolate behind each door. He magnomiously allowed Chase to open the first one, before launching into a story of how the twins always managed to swindle him out of his chocolate, every year.

The next Saturday was devoted to putting up strings of lights outside, lining the roof and the railing of the deck. Even a fear of heights couldn't keep him from adding a lit-up star above the deck. Chase stood at the bottom of the ladder, steadying it, and hoping that the pedicted snowfall wouldn't come until much, much later. "Jamie, do you really want to do this all today?"

James called back down, "It only gets harder when it's slippery. And were going out tomorrow."

"Why?"

"To get a Christmas tree."

*****

One pink candle, two purples
The next night, Chase took a deep breath, then sipped the hot chocolate/coffee concoction James had made. "Stop fiddling with it, James. It's perfect."

"No," James adjusted an ornament, moving it about six inches to the left. "Now it's perfect."

He ignored the way the blond man rolled his eyes, and turned off the overhead lights of the room, letting the Christmas tree cast the only light, other than the small glow from the embers in the fireplace. It glowed in colorful patches, with the colored bulbs reflecting off of the garland and the ornaments. He then put another log onto the fire, and curled up on the couch next to his lover. Chase stroked his fingers through his hair and asked, "Why do you do all of this? It's just the two of us until when Ginny comes."

James shrugged, "because it's Christmas, and it's a Big. Freaking. Deal." He thought a moment, then added, "I can't imagine it without all of this. And I thought you liked the mistletoe by the door."

"I do."

"If you want, we could invite some people from work over for dinner next week. Then all my decorations won't go to waste."

"Sounds good."

*****

Three purple candles, one pink

James had Elena and Jude over by the tree, and barely let them get a word in edgewise. Somehow, despite having been single for over a decade, had amassed enough Christmas ornaments to cover their twelve-foot tree. And now he was telling the story behind every. single. one. "I tried to get at least one on every recruitment trip. I just like having a sort of record of the places I've been, and now my family sends them to me from places they go to. Ooh, and this snowman was made by my niece, Natalia, in Girl Scouts..."

There was a fire in the fireplace, flickering below the three stockings hanging there. A Christmas Story was on playing on the tv, but no one was watching. They were, however, slowly making their way through the heaping plate of cookies on the table. The house smelled like the spiced squash soup that was simmering on the stove, fresh baked bread, and the ham in the oven.

Chase sat on the couch with Sean, both drinking a beer. They weren't as invested in Christmas as James, but then again, who was? Though, the bespeckled man was distinctly more calm than he'd been earlier that day, at work. The psychiatrist shook his head slightly, smiling. "You've got him under control, don't you?" He cocked an eyebrow at the younger man, who shrugged.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Chase took another drink, and though he didn't meet his friend's eye, he was smiling too.

"Whatever you say. Just don't give yourself a headache."

*****

Three purple candles, one pink, and a white one, just because
Ginny was already in bed, and once again, James and Chase were sprawled out on the couch, admiring the glow of their tree. "So what did you think?" James asked.

"Hmm?" Chase was full, happy, and almost asleep. He didn't really want to try to figure out what James was talking about, as it seemed he had once again jumped straight to the middle of a conversation.

"Christmas with me. What do you think?"

"Oh. That. I loved it." He kissed his lover on the forehead, then smiled. "I love you."

"Oh!" James reached down, under the couch, and pulled out a small, wrapped box. "I have one more thing for you." He handed it over.

Chase, surprised, unwrapped it. It was a simple, glassblown ornament. Plain, but pretty. The store name on the tag box looked familiar, and he looked over at James to confirm it.

"I bought it in Arizona. That first week."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Because even then, I knew you were a Big. Freaking. Deal. too."

[Dr. James Campbell]

Five times James Campbell was bullied

"Four-eyes! Four-eyes!"

James Campbell, age five, sat up and pushed his oversized glasses back up his nose. He glared up at his tormentors, three second-graders who thought the small, skinny boy was the perfect target. Though he was only a kindergardener, he was somewhat notable for already wearing glasses. And now he was angry, because though his corderoy pants were stiff and uncomfortable, they were new. And he didn't get new clothes all to often. Most of the time, his clothes were hand-me downs from Harry. (His father's youngest brother.)

But now, they had a hole in the knee and they were really dirty. And it was Bobby Smith and Elliot Levine's fault.

"Why'd you do that?" He looked at them, accusingly. He really wanted to know, what drove them to pick on the littlest boy in a grade two years younger than them.

"Little momma's boy." Of course, seven-year-olds couldn't articulate why they felt the need to pick on the smallest and the weakest. They just were establishing themselves as being above him. It felt good to watch him cry.

*******

"Freak." Wilson Levine had been James' best friend since they were six. Until this year, when suddenly, everything had changed.

James had changed.

He knew things, things he shouldn't know. He knew when people were lying, or making things up, or even just not paying enough attention. Plus, he worried about things, all the time. If he stepped on a crack, if his books were out of order, if his shoes were untied.

"I'm not a freak. I just care about things."

"You care about stupid things, James. You made us look stupid when you didn't stop erasing the chalkboard." He scowled at his ex-best friend. In sixth grade, things like that were important.

"...It wasn't clean." The scruffy-haired boy's voice was weak. "I had to finish it."

"No, you didn't. We were playing hangman, you had to go sit down. Why are you such a freak now?"

"I'm not. I'm not a freak."

******

"Fag."

"What the fuck?" James whirled around, meeting Wilson eye-to-eye. In high school, he'd shot up in height, but that hadn't helped him become any more popular. He was just that skinny, nerdy boy, the one with the glasses who ran the AV office and needed to have everything in exactly the right place.

"Oh, you're not too stuck up your own ass to talk to me today, are you?" Though James was an inch or so taller, Wilson was in football, and could break him easily. Or put him into a locker, like that one time back in freshman year.

"No. What is it this time? Are you going to make fun of me being smarter than you, or the crippling psychological issue that makes me notice that once again you are walking around with your fly unzipped." James tried to be threatening, but that only worked so well when the both of them already knew where this was going to end.

The sneer on his face grew a little wider, "Why are you looking?"

"I'm going to prom with Bonnie Walken." James sighed, and tried to sidestep him. Didn't work.

That earned a laugh from his tormentor. "So she'll have a date. Even with you, it's still a date."

"What do you want from me?"

"History paper. I need it in two days."

"On?"

"Kennedy vs. Nixon debate."

"Fifty dollars."

"Twenty-five, and I won't tell a teacher that you sell papers, and I probably won't sleep with your date. Unless you can't."

James grit his teeth, but he had no choice. "Fine."

*****

"You need to get out of the dorm." Chris and the other Chris each had a hand on his shoulder and were pulling, physically pulling James out of his chair. Girl-Chris continued, stealing his glasses, "I don't think you've gone anywhere except class since last week."

The other Chris nodded, "You're acting spacky, even for you."

James just turned and stared at them. Really? "Chris. Go away."

"Which one?"

"Both of you, go away."

They looked at each other, then sat down on on his bed. "We messed something up last week. Come out with us. We're going to a party down at Maclaren's."

"No, go away. I have to study."

Chris shook his head, "No, you don't. You have to stop being mad at us. You have to come down to the party and meet someone we found. Lucy."

"I'm not mad."

"You haven't looked either of us in the eye since last week."

"I'm not mad. I don't know what you're talking about."

Chris sighed, exasperated, "Look, if you had a problem, you could have said no last week." She pouted, in the way she knew could convince her best friend to do just about anything. "We didn't mean for it to get in your head so bad."

James just looked at them, then threw up his hands. "Fine, I'll go to the thing."

****

"Hey Jay."

"Hi Claudia, what do you want?"

"Is it true?"

"What?"

"What Harri told me. Your girlfriend is pregnant."

"My sister has a big mouth, and she's not really my girlfriend."

"Marry her."

"What? Why?"

"Because it worked for your parents, it worked for you, and it could work for you kid. You'll be a good dad."

"I'm hanging up now."

"You were already thinking about it, weren't you?"

"Goodbye, Claudia."

CLICK.

.....

"Hey Lucy."

"Hi, James."

"Do you think we should get married?"

***
And one time he bullied

"But where will I live?"

"I have a lot of room at my place. You can live with me." James accepted the cup of coffee Chase offered. He was still sopping wet, but he still had a grin on his face as well.

The blond shook his head. "And you're getting me a job. Won't people pick up on it?"

"It doesn't matter. Hammel could use you. You'd be good at it. The fact that I have a house that could use a roommate is just a windfall." James smiled at him. He was going to get his own way.

[Dr. James Campbell]

Two conversations James still can't believe he's had

*******
"So youe boyfriend's not a morning person, is he?"

James looked up from his newspaper and smiled over his glasses at his daughter. He ran his hand through his hair, making it stand up even more. (It was before eight in the morning; he was surprised he even saw anyone else up besides Milo.) "I don't like that term, boyfriend. Neither of us have been boys for at least fifteen years. I prefer to use partner."

Ginny shook her head and poured herself a cup of coffee. "You know that I'm not the only one who doesn't get impressed when you get all esoteric and crap."

"No coffee."

"Lucy lets me have coffee."

"And I let you have chocolate."

"That's because you have a sweet tooth," Ginny added some milk to the mug as well, before sitting across from him at the table.

James sighed, but he was still smiling. "My motives are irrelevant at the moment. And when did you start calling your mom Lucy? I don't call her Lucy around you."

Ginny's smirk reflected his. "It's just something I'm trying out. I call Peter Peter and I'm going to call Chase Chase. Why not call her Lucy?"

"Decent point, but more than what your mom has to say to you, I'm worried about what she'll say to me. It bothers me less when she reprimands you on your own time. I'm sure you deserve all of it. And I meant it about the coffee. It'll stunt your growth." He reached across the table and gently pulled the mug out of her hands.

"You drink it." She shot back, accusingly.

"I'm over six feet tall and I'm not going to grow any more. I don't need to worry. And you're not calling me James." James took another sip of his coffee and shook his head.

She smirked and reached for her mug, "Nah, I was thinking Jamie."

"Absolutely not."

"Your boyfriend does."

"He's also an adult. And stop calling him my boyfriend. You have boyfriends. I don't." He took another sip of his coffe, then added, "Actually, you shouldn't have boyfriends because you are too young to date."

"There's a guy in my English class I like. He's smart, funny, and looks like a young Johnny Depp."

"That's nice. Particularly the smart part. Tell me he's the president of the chastity ball and I'll like him more."

"You think abstenince-only education is ridiculous, at best."

James looked at her, skeptically, "How do you know that, and this is way too early in the morning to give you that talk."

"You're more liberal than anyone else I've ever met. And I already had it. I had it in school and I had it from mom. Though I don't think either of you are qualified to lecture me. " She got up and poured another cup of coffee, then looked at her father's stunned face. "What? Dad, I can do math."

"I'm not going to talk about this."

"It's okay, Dad. I know. It's not going to make me any less well-adjusted if you awknowledge it. I just want to know something."

"Does me being gay have anything to do with your mom and me splitting up?"

"If you're gay, how come you and Mom got together at all?"

James shrugged, "College. People try to figure things out. We were drunk, and we had the aspirations of having a lovely daughter someday."

"I was a mistake?" She wasn't surprised, more resigned.

"A surprise." He smiled slightly and finished off the dregs of his coffee, then started on the mug he'd taken from his daughter. "Best thing I've ever done. Best thing we did together. And I meant it when I said no coffee. I didn't start drinking it until I was twenty-two. Is this bothering you, Gin?"

"No." She took a sip of her coffee, still not sitting down. "Yes. Am I supposed to even be here?"

"Yes. Ginny, I promise you, if I knew what I was doing then, I would do it all the exact same way. Have you been up all night thinking about this?"

"I slept on the bus yesterday. I like this guy, your boyfriend..."

"Partner." He couldn't help it, he had to throw it in.

"Whatever! I like him. I like that you're happy with him and how you two are absolutely stupid over each other. I just don't want you to be hurt."

James put down his coffee and his paper and just looked at her. "Ginny, what are you talking about?"

She sat down across from him again and asked, seriously, "Does he know about your...you know?"

"He works at Hammel too. Chase is a meta-human as well."

She rolled her eyes and sighed, "No, the other thing. The one where you can't sleep at night because you have to put the cabinets in order or there's a wet towel on the floor of the bathroom."

"He's lived here for three months already. We didn't meet a week ago. He knows."

"Good."

"Now, go pour yourself some orange juice and leave the coffee to me. And you used esoteric wrong, earlier."

"Shut up, Dad."

*******

"Chase, I want to talk to you about something." They were eating dinner, on one of the rare nights they ordered food in, instead of James cooking. He twirled some more lo mein around his fork, while waiting for his husband to respond. He was a little too focused on the noodles to notice that the blond's eyes went wide.

"What about?"

"Adoption. You know, since we we've been talking about it? Well, actually it's more like fostering, at this point." The noodle wasn't wrapping around the fork properly, and he didn't look up.

Chase just kept staring at him. "Jamie, what are you talking about?"

"Niko. His family..."

"I know."

"We could take him in." James finally looked up, and smiled.

"We can?"

"We've already gone through the background checks. And the school already has custodial powers over him."

"Right. Well... Jamie, are you sure this is what you want to do? I mean, I like the kid. A lot. And I know he likes you."

"I like him too." Finally, he was satisfied with the way the lo mein wrapped around his fork, and he ate it. "So. Should we do this?"

"Yeah." He picked at his sesame chicken, then asked, "So what do we do now?"

"I think we need to talk to Niko."

"Yeah."

[Dr. James Campbell]

Just another story
"To Jamerson
James, who never misses a thing; Hope this will keep your wedded nights full of fun! I hope purple is your color.
Lots of love, Em xxx"

James stood in front of his desk, looking in horror from the card in his hand to the...present that had been left on his desk. Florescent purple, studded, and wrapped in a ribbon with a large bow, the buttplug could not have looked more out of place in his immaculate office. Blushing furiously, he stuck it in his briefcase.

If he and Chase hadn't been partners for years already, with everyone knowing they were together, their marriage might have seemed rushed. It was only three weeks ago that gay marriage was legalized. They decided that night to do it, and two weeks later they'd had a small ceremony, with only a handful of their friends, and Ginny, there. Of course, news of the wedding had spread like wildfire through the school, and there had been a mix of congratulations and surprise from the rest of the staff and the students.

And a few gifts, but nothing like Emma's. Thank God.

***

That night, without preamble or warning, he produced both the toy and the card for Chase.

The blond man first attempted to question why the hell his husband was holding a buttplug, but he fell silent as he read the card, before exclaiming, "Emma gave it to you?!"

"Does that really surprise you?" He put the toy down on the counter and frowned. It looked just as ridiculous there as it had on his desk.

Chase considered the card again, then asked, "Do you think she assumes......?"

"Yeah. And I doubt she's the only one"

"Why would she? And why would anyone care?"

James smiled, for once in his lifetime, he was calmer than his husband. "I don't know Chase," He planted a soft kiss on the blond man's cheek. "Don't worry, though. Purple looks good on you."

[Dr. James Campbell]

Three phone calls with Maeve Campbell

When the phone rang before nine in the morning on a Sunday, it could really only be one person. James, slightly startled, went to get it, and noticed how his daughter suddenly seemed very busy working on the crossword in the newspaper. (Chase was still asleep.)

"Hello?"

"James, this better not be what I think it is."

"Might be...What are you talking about, Ma?"

"Mike just told me that Natalia saw on Ginny's myspacebook that she attended a wedding yesterday."

"...Oh. Well, about that..."

"There are pictures, James."

"Yes. Chase and I got married yesterday."

"And you didn't invite your family?!"

"Ginny was there! Look, Ma, I didn't want it to become a huge thing. If we had told you about it, then there would have been a million Campbells there, and none of Chase's family would have been able to make it. Not to mention the fact that he doesn't have a huge family like us, and we wanted to keep it small."

"You could have told me."

"And then it would have been a big deal. Ma, even before yesterday, Chase and I were married in every way besides legally already. So we just had a small ceremony at city hall with Ginny and some of our friends up here."

"Did you get him a ring?"

"We picked them out together. I'm sure Ginny has put pictures of them up too."

"Is she still there?"

"Yes, she's going home tomorrow. Lucy called her school."

"Lucy knew before I did?"

"Ma, I just want to be sure, you're not mad that I got married, right?"

"No. I am mad that you didn't tell me. You know we like Chase, and we know that keeping this a secret was your idea. So at the moment, I like him more than you."

"Thanks Ma. That means a lot to me."

Chase came into the kitchen then, sleepily giving his husband a kiss on the cheek before pouring himself some coffee. After that first jolt of caffeine, he looked at Ginny for some explanation. She shrugged and said, "Grandma knows." The blond man shook his head, then poured another cup of coffee for James. It was the least he could do.

*****

James waited until Chase went to tuck Niko in, then dialed the phone. It would be easier to explain this alone. He set it to speakerphone, so he wouldn't have to hold the damn thing.

"James!"

"Hi Ma, I guess Mike got the caller ID working for you now?"

"Yes, he did. So, are you coming down for the Fourth?"

"Yes, we are. You can all meet Niko then."

"I am so happy for you two, and I know his cousins can't wait to meet him. He's just the same age as Joshua, Martin, and Aaron, so he should fit in just fine."

"I know, Ma. I think he'll be fine with the kids too, but just warn Harri and Laura not to scare him. And there is one more thing..."

"What, is he shy? You said he wasn't very shy."

"It's not about Niko. Look, I hurt my hands pretty badly at work, so they're going to have bandages on them when we're there. Can you please..."

"What happened?"

"It was an accident, and they got cut up. It's not a big deal, but I don't want there to be a million questions, okay? I can't answer them anyway."

"Why not?"

"Because I work with minors. Ma, please just tell the others to leave me alone about it, okay? Please?"

"Okay. And you are taking proper care of them, right?"

"Yes Ma. I'll see you Friday night, okay?"

"Okay James. I love you."

"I love you too."

From behind him, Chase said, "I didn't know you were even capable of lying to your mom." He shook his head when James jumped, and carefully pulled him into a tight hug. "Just think about Niko playing kickball with his cousins, Jamie."

Yeah, that did kind of make it better.

*****

James had nodded off on the couch while watching a baseball game. When the phone rang, Chase jumped to answer it, before it could wake his husband. (At least he was asleep.)

"Hello?"

"Hello Chase, how are you?"

"I'm doing okay. You?"

"I'm good. I just wanted to know, what colors does Nikolai like? I want to knit him a sweater and send it to you before it starts getting cold up there."

"Red, blue, green, that kind of thing, I think. But I'm sure he'd like whatever you made."

"Thank you. Is James there?"

"Yeah, but he's asleep, and I kinda don't want to wake him up."

"How is he doing? He wouldn't tell me what happened to his hands."

"Yeah, I know. His hands are almost healed, and he'll be able to get rid of the bandages by Tuesday, I think."

"What happened, Chase?"

"I...I wasn't there until it was over. If he says he can't tell you, then I'm going to respect that. I'm sorry, Maeve."

"...Okay. But you are taking care of him, right?"

"Always, Maeve."

"Okay. Tell them both I said hello."

"I will. Bye."

"Bye."

[Dr. James Campbell]

A Series of Questionnaires, Courtesy of Ginny

---

If You...

Visit any place in the world, where would you go?
I'd like to go to Rome. I've been to other parts of Europe, but never Italy

Change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I'd rather not have OCD, but still keep my power.

Fly, where would you go and why?
I really dislike flying.

Make three wishes, what would you wish for?
1. I wish my family will always be safe.
2. I wish my family will always be happy.
3. I wish to be an instrument of good.

Meet someone from the past, who would you meet?
I'd like to meet the person who invented calamari. What brave soul made that delicious discovery? Who looks at a squid and thinks about dinner?

In all seriousness, I'd like to meet Joan of Arc.

Have any pet what would you have?
I am quite happy with Milo and Mirage.

---

Beliefs

Magic?
No

Karma?
Not exactly.

Love at first sight?
Chalk it up to my perception, but I knew Chase was special from the first time we met. So I am going to go with yes.

Life on other planets?
Yes. It's frightening to think that the rest of the universe is empty. It doesn't have to be life as we know it, however.

Miracles?
Yes.

Ghosts?
No.

Luck?
Yes.

Believe there’s a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow?
No, though I sent Ginny looking for one more than once when she was younger.

Do you wish on stars?
No.

Do you believe in the traditional view of Heaven and Hell?
Not the traditional view, no. I refuse to subscribe to a belief that would deny access to Heaven to Chase. Or Gandhi.

Divorce?
Yes. Sometimes things don't work out, and it's better for all involved if the marriage ends. There is no way my ex-wife and I would be such good friends if we were still married.

---

Questions For Freaks

If the sky wasn’t blue and the grass wasn’t green… What colors would they be?
Purple and yellow.

Which end of the worm is the head?
The one closer to that smooth bit.

Why don’t boys have boobs?
Because they're unnecessary.

What languages does hippos speak?
I suppose it depends on the country in which they live.

If you run in the rain do you get less wet?
No. Mythbusters had the final say.

What shape was the last cloud you saw?
A ship.

Why do sprouts taste so bad?
They don't. They're quite good in salads.

Where does that other sock end up?
For the last time, check next to the dryer, Chase. They fall down there if you're not paying attention.

Is Santa real?
We're still pretending so for Nikki's sake, though he is playing along as well. I suppose we're playing along for Chase's sake so he can keep believing Niko believes in Santa.

Is a dog man's best friend?
No. If my companion cannot be my human friends, I'm sticking with Milo.

---

Personal Survey

Do you go to the bathroom with the door open or closed?
Closed.

Are your underwear and socks folded in your drawer or just thrown in?
Folded, of course.

Sleep on your back or stomach?
Side or back. It depends on if I'm sleeping alone.

Are you a cuddler?
Well...yes, I suppose I am.

What would I find if I looked UNDER your bed?
Flat plastic bins with sweaters.

Something that happened today that made you angry?
A young pyrokinetic manifested and was picked up by the police. His parents refused to acknowledge that he was their son.

What were you doing before this survey?
Watching a baseball game with Chase.

What will you do after the survey?
Probably head up to bed.

Marriage or living together?
Marriage.

What shirt are you wearing now?
Brown with lavender pinstripes.

Do you sing?
Infrequently, and mostly in church or when I'm cooking.

Do you de-label your beer bottles?
No. And it bothers me when people do so and do it sloppily.

Do you talk about your feelings or hide them?
It depends on to whom I am speaking.

Is there something you regret and wish you could take back?
Yes.

First thing you do when you wake up?
Brush my teeth, then start the coffeemaker.

Ever had surgery?
No.

Last argument you got into with?
Chase said my lobster tie was ugly.

Do you tend to rip the paper off water bottles?
See the beer bottle question.

What's one good thing about your best friend?
I can trust him with my family's well-being.

How long does it take for you to fall asleep at night?
It depends on the night and if Chase is having a hard time sleeping too.

When you shut off your alarm clock, do you tend to fall back asleep?
No. Once I'm up, I'm up.

If you were given the chance to take care of a monkey for a weekend, would you?
No.

No, Ginny.

What are you looking forward to in the next few months?
Chase and my second anniversary.

It's midnight. Who are you texting?
No one, hopefully. People only contact me that late if it's an emergency.

It's Wednesday afternoon, where are you usually?
At work, of course, then chess club.

Honestly, if you could have ANYONE in the world, who would it be?
Chase Kilb Campbell.

Your Christmas list consists of?
Chase, Ginny, Niko, Milo, Mirage, Sean, Anya, Clarisse, Rome, Kiko, all my recruiters, Tory and Gwynie, Aristea and her husband, my siblings and their families, my parents, Chase's parents...

You're going to New York for school shopping, where do you go first?
The bank.

You need a new pair of jeans, what store do you go to first?
I don't even know. I don't think I've bought jeans in the last decade.

How do you feel about your hair?
There's more gray in it than I'd like, but I still have it, so that's something.

What movie is in your DVD player?
The Princess Bride. It is the perfect family movie.

If you could move away, no questions asked, where would you move?
I'd rather stay. My life is in Pilot Ridge.

How much do looks matter to you in a guy/girl?
Less than personality, but I am married to a very attractive man.

What's the greatest thing that happened to you today?
I beat Rome in chess by a landslide.

How many TRUE best friends do you have?
Two. Roman and Chase.

What would you change about your life right now?
I'd make it so everyone in my family was in perfect health, mentally and physically.

What’s the best feeling in the world?
The feeling when your children call you "Daddy" for the first time.

---

Do You...

Sing Well?
I suppose? When I'm in a group, yes.

Believe In Yourself?
Yes.

Get Motion Sickness?
No.

Think You Are Attractive?
djfklsg Yes.

Like Thunderstorms?
Yes, so long as Nikki didn't cause them. And Chase took the keyboard for the previous question.

Own An iPod?
Yes. Chase believed that giving me one would make me more likely to want to go running with him. He was mistaken.

Pray?
Yes.

Keep A Journal/Diary?
No.

Sing In The Shower?
Yes.

Chew on your pencils?
No. I can never know who held them last.

Like your handwriting?
Yes.

Cry at weddings?
No.

Like Camping?
No.

Wear nail polish?
No, not since my daughter outgrew wanting to paint my nails.

Do you trust anyone with your life. If so, who?
Chase.

Do you like to watch storms pass by?
Yes, again provided Niko didn't accidentally bring them on.

---

Either Or

Sparking or still water: Still

Kisses or hugs: Hugs

Piercings or tattoos: Tattoos

Hot or cold: Cold

Nike or Adidas: Adidas? I don't know.

Cats or dogs: Cats

The US or the UK: US

McDonalds or Burger King: McDonalds

Church or nightclub: Church, it's the one I actually go to.

Mariah or Madonna: Madonna

Beer or soda: Beer

Rock or rap: Rock

Winter or summer: Winter

Sun or rain: Snow

Love or lust: Love

Pepsi or Coke: Pepsi

Love or money: Love

Indiana Jones or James Bond: Indiana Jones

Sweet or sour: Sweet

Night or day: Day

Originality or acceptance: Acceptance

Independence or Companionship: Companionship

Stability or Freedom: Freedom

Introvert or Extrovert: Extrovert

Wicked or RENT: Wicked. RENT was depressing. And no, Chase, I wasn't crying.

Music or Television: Television

Blondes or Brunettes: Blonds

Birds or Squirrels: Birds

Car or Truck: Car

Driving or Riding: Driving

Mexican or Chinese food: Chinese

Pie or cake? Cake

Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate

Smile or frown? Smile

Tears of joy or tears of sorrow? Joy. And I agree with Ginny's assessment of this question.

Past or present? Future

Science fiction or fantasy? Fantasy

Dull or sharp? Sharp

Live forever or die young? Die young

Books or television? Books

Jump or skip? Jump

Fast or slow? Slow

Run or walk? Walk

Disney or Warner Brothers? Disney

Belle or Jasmine? Belle. She was a reader.

Gaston or Cruella Deville? Gaston

Colors or black and white? Colors

Cute or pretty? Pretty

Good or evil? Good

Fruits or vegetables? Fruits.

Milk or juice? Juice

Hot chocolate or gingerale? Hot Chocolate

Beer or wine? Beer

Movies or cartoons? Movies

Moon or stars? Stars

Sky or sea? Sky

Vision or hearing? Vision

[Dr. James Campbell]

More surveys, or Ginny, stop sending these.

---

How old were you when you had your first relationship? Eighteen. It wasn't exactly serious though.

Are you taken/single? Married, with children.

How old were you when you had your first kiss? Twenty-one

What color is your underwear? Blue

Do you like anyone right now? Assuming you mean romantically, yes.

Ever had your heartbroken? No. I suppose I'm lucky.

Miss anyone right now? Yes. Despite my love for Pilot Ridge, I do miss my extended family a lot.

Who was the last person you sent a text to? Ginny. It's supposed to rain tonight, so I wanted her to know that if she was planning on driving anywhere.

Last person to text you? Ginny. She said she already knew.

Last person you saw? Chase.

What was the last thing you said to someone? "Ginny sent me more questions."

Who do you trust the most in your life? My immediate family and Rome.

Who do you love most? My kids.

Ever been in love? Yes.

Who has hurt you the most? It doesn't matter, since they cannot hurt us anymore.

Has a tragedy ever happened in your life? Yes.

Are you happy? Yes.

How many good friends do you have? Six. Five if Chase doesn't count.

Are there some songs you can't listen to because they remind you of someone? Yes.

Have you ever cheated on a partner? Yes I have never cheated on anyone to whom I referred as a partner.

Ever been cheated on? No.

Ever been told someone loved you? Yes.

Ever told someone you loved them and meant it? Yes. I'll only say it if I mean it.

Not meant it? Yes....that wasn't always my policy.

Ever had your heart broken? No, and you already asked me that.

Are you happy with where you are relationship-wise now? I'm happy with the status of my relationship. I'd like it if the world stops throwing shit at us.

What is your idea of true love? The knowledge that we can withstand whatever does get thrown.

When they slip, do you think you can let go the small stuff? Yes. Enough big stuff has happened we have some perspective.

Do you believe in love at first sight? Yes.

Why or why not? Anyone who has held their newborn child should.

Do you believe that it is best to have a friendship first then love? Not in my experience.

Do you believe that love can be found in bars or is that too much of a risk? I wasn't looking for love at the time, but I did meet Chase in a bar.

Should people go to bars to find love? Probably not.

Or should they go to places where people who like what they like hang out? Well, both Chase and I like beer, so I don't believe this is mutually exclusive.

Should men and women be expecting the other to buy the other gifts? No one should expect gifts.

Who should wear the pants in the relationship or should it be a mutual give and take? That's a false dichotomy, and relationships should be mutual in all senses.

Should chauvinists of either gender be in a relationship? I don't even understand this question.

Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? Yes.

How many girlfriends/ boyfriends have told you they love you? Three.

Have you ever thought that you were going to marry a person? Yes. And then I did.

Are you crushing on someone? I have a crush on a certain actress, but I don't think that was what you're asking.

Have you ever loved someone so much that it hurt? Yes

Have you ever made a boyfriend or girlfriend cry? Yes

Are you happier single or in a relationship? Relationship.

Have you ever told someone you loved them and didn't mean it? Yes. In my defense, I really wanted to.

Have you ever had your heart broken? No. Stop asking me that.

Have you ever broken someone's heart? I might have. Possibly.

If you could go back in time and change things, would you? Yes. I would have ended it better.

Think any of your exes feel the same? I think so.

Do you believe that you are a good boyfriend or girlfriend? I make a better husband.

Have you dated people who were not good to you? No. I was married to someone who was not good with me, but we were both trying.

Have you dated someone older than you? Yes.

Younger? Yes.

Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance? No.

Do you Believe in love at first sight? Yes. Again, stop asking me.

Ever been given an engagement ring? No.

Do you want to get married? Not again.

Has anyone ever told you they wanted to marry you? Yes.

Ever liked someone else's boyfriend or girlfriend? Yes.

Does heartbreak really feel as bad as it sounds? I wouldn't know.

Have any of your exes told you they regret breaking up with you? No. I think most of them were fairly relieved when it ended.

Have you ever flirted with a friends crush? Yes. Rome is still sensitive about that.

Would you believe your ex if she/he said they love you? No.

Would you ever date your best male/female friend? Male? No. Rome is not my type. Female? I think I would enjoy spending time with Clarisse, but we probably wouldn't date.

Have any of your exes called you by a nickname after the break up? I'm not in regular contact with any but two, and they both call me James.

If your best friend of the opposite sex went out with someone you knew was wrong for them would you speak up? Yes.

Do you regret any of your relationships? I have regrets about most of them, but I don't regret having the relationships.

[Dr. James Campbell]

Blatant Lies

"How much longer, Dad?" Six-year-old Ginny Campbell leaned against her father's leg and sighed dramatically. When he had told her that she could run around the bases after the game, she had been excited. But she hadn't expected the line to do it to be so long.

James teasingly pulled up the brim of his daughter's baseball cap so he could see her eyes. She'd been so good all through the game and had even listened to him explain how he kept score on the chart he had. But it was August, the game had gone into extra innings, and Ginny was still very little. "Not too long. The line's going pretty fast."

He put her hat back in place and patted the top of her head. All he needed to do was keep her occupied for another ten minutes or so, then she could do the kids promotion and get her free ice cream. He had borrowed Aristea's camera for this trip, and he really wanted to get a picture of Ginny running the bases of Shea Stadium.

The children on either side of them in line seemed to be fussy too, particularly the two boys behind them who couldn't have been more than four. In fact, most of the line seemed to be made up of kids under eight and fathers. James wondered how many of them were in his shoes, divorced and taking the kids out to a Mets game on their weekend with them.

They needed some entertainment.

James pointed to a set of metal braces that were bolted to the outside of the stadium, surely meant to be holding some kind of advertisement or the like. "Oh, look, Ginny. There are the hooks."

"What hooks?" Ginny looked up at her father, then followed the line of his arm to the pieces of metal. "What're they for?"

Casually, as if it was a completely normal conversation, James said. "The hooks are there in case they need to move the stadium."

"What? That's silly!" Ginny crossed her arms and squinted up at him. But she said it loud enough that the little boys behind them stopped poking at each other to eavesdrop. "No one can move a stadium!"

James shrugged and nodded. After all, Ginny's protest was reasonable. "They can't by themselves, you're right. So they get big trucks and hook them up to the stadium with chains. The hooks hold the chains."

"Like a tugboat?" The little girl pushed her blue and orange cap back to look at the hooks again. What her Daddy was saying was so silly, but he was saying it just the same as how he'd taught her how to keep score of the game. She asked, her voice a little hesitant, "But why?"

"Exactly like a tugboat, sweetie. And it is so they can clean under the stadium, of course. Like how we have to move the furniture in order to vacuum under it. They pull the stadium out into the parking lot."

Okay, so that did make sense. The line moved forward a bit more and they got closer to the hooks as she considered what her dad had said. Then, she realized something. Oh, she was gonna stump him. "But Dad! How do they move it back, huh?"

"There's another set on the other side, Ginny. While they're cleaning under it, they take the trucks around to the other side and hook them up there." James gestured towards the hooks again, just as casually.

Ginny was silent for a long moment, thinking about what her father had said.

Behind them, one of the two little boys piped up, pulling on the leg of his own father's shorts. "Is that true, Daddy?"

With a small, nervous smile, James looked behind him at the father, who looked thoughtful himself. Whoops. It was one thing to make up stories for Ginny, but it was another to tell them around a stranger's kids. He didn't know the other man, and the only thing the other man knew about him was that he apparently liked to lie to children.

The silence held for a moment longer, and Ginny even turned around to get confirmation from the other adult there. Finally, the other man answered his son. "I dunno, Matt. But it sounds like that man knows a whole lot about baseball."