Part Three
Title: Aftermath
Author: firiel77
Chapter: Three
Pairing: Adam/Tommy/Allison Iraheta
Genre: AU
Rating: NC17
Words: 26,490
Warnings: Mentions of violence, non con, rape, het, angst, schmoop. Lol, a laundry list of warnings.
Beta: eloiserummaging beta’d for me but as usual I can’t leave well enough alone and have been putzing around with this fic right until the last second. So if I’ve messed things up after the fact it’s all me. Thank you for the great beta and encouragement!
Summary: Post-apocalyptic Road Warrior story. Adam gets to wear Mad Max’s leather pants and drive a hot car. Tommy is like the feral child with the boomerang only obviously, you know, older. Allison is along for the ride because I like her. And I really have no plausible reason why the three of them are in the Australian outback except that Adam + black Mad Max leather clothes = <3
Comments: I’m blamingIsolde_13 for this idea. She tweeted about how good Adam would look in Road Warrior leather and I couldn’t let it go. A mental image in search of a plot.
They were on a day trip, not hunting for a change, but just driving around for the sheer hell of it. In the past six months the number of hoons around had dropped off significantly. Adam didn’t know if they’d gone on somewhere else or had all just managed to finally kill each other but either way it made their lives easier. They’d been able to range farther and farther afield for supplies to stock their cave, farther than Adam had ever dared go in the past.
After driving all morning they came upon a gorge that cut a deep swath through the desert landscape. Adam had stopped the Mustang at the edge and when they looked down they say a river weaving lazily between the boulders at the bottom. Tommy threw him a look. Surface water was something you just never saw out here.
“We should check it out,” Tommy suggested.
“Yup,” Adam agreed immediately. They got back in the car and drove along the gorge until they reached a place where a smaller tributary entered. The edge of the gorge was broken down and allowed Adam to pull in so that the Mustang wasn’t visible against the skyline. The wall of the canyon was not as sheer as where they’d first stopped and they were able to scramble down to the bottom.
There was the ever present scrub grass growing but the water had allowed for some gum trees as swell. It felt like an oasis compared the usual outback landscape they were used to. They followed along the stream until they got to a place where the gorge narrowed, forming a deep pool. The cliffs above shielded them from any eyes looking down from above.
Tommy immediately pulled off his clothes, let out a whoop and jumped in. Adam wasn’t long behind. They were probably both damn lucky the pool was as deep as it was. Neither had taken the time to look first. The water was only a little cooler than their body temperature but it felt amazing after the oppressive heat. They splashed each other and ducked under to wash their hair, enjoying the luxury of so much fucking water.
When they’d had their fill they dragged themselves up onto a flat rock beside the pool and dried off in the sun. It wasn’t long before Tommy slid over and wrapped himself around Adam. That was the thing about Tommy. He loved to cuddle. The contact had its usual effect on Adam. He was hard instantly. Adam couldn’t get enough of Tommy.
He rocked against Tommy’s hip, rubbing his cock over his soft skin and heard a chuckle.
“You started it,” Adam murmured into his neck before he gave him a gentle nip.
Tommy pushed back against Adam, showing him that he was equally aroused. Adam had already fucked Tommy through the mattress once that morning but he looked like he was ready to go again. He reached for his jeans and pulled out a packet of lube he must have been saving for special occasions.
“You’re such a boy scout,” Adam laughed.
Tommy only shrugged and then got busy tearing open the lube with his teeth and squeezing it into his hand. Adam lay on his back and watched as Tommy reached back and pressed his fingers inside himself, squinting a little in concentration. When he was done he ran the rest of the lube over Adam’s waiting cock and climbed on top.
“Take it slow,” Adam warned him gently. Tommy had taken to bottoming after the first couple times but Adam was big guy and the last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt him.
“I’m fine,” he assured Adam.
Tommy lifted himself up and moved back so that Adam’s cock ran against his perineum. Adam had to shut his eyes before the visual made him come right there. Tommy rocked forward and back and smiled when the friction made Adam moan. He stroked himself a few times and then reached back to position Adam’s cock and then sank down on it.
Adam opened his eyes in time to see Tommy wince fleetingly when he took Adam in. Damn it. He was still sore, Adam though. He made sure to hold completely still, doing nothing to increase Tommy’s discomfort. This one was all up to Tommy. He would be setting the pace.
Tommy crouched over Adam and took some deep breaths, focused inward in concentration. Adam was reassured when he saw that Tommy’s cock was still as hard as a rock and pressed up against his belly, already leaking precome. He spat in his hand and wrapped it around Tommy to give him a couple slow strokes. Tommy looked up at him and then batted his hand away.
“Nope,” he told Adam. “I want to come just from you fucking me.”
“Okay,” Adam nodded. “Tell me when.”
“Right about fucking now,” Tommy said tightly.
He lifted a little and realigned himself to get in a better position. When Adam began to lift up and thrust gently it was at the perfect angle so that his cock hit Tommy’s prostate every fucking time. Adam knew he had it right because Tommy began to grunt each time he sank home. Practice made perfect.
Adam fervidly hoped he could last long enough to make Tommy come because seeing his taunt body arched above him with his head thrown back was probably the hottest fucking thing he’d ever seen. Adam kept his motion slow and gentle as if Tommy were the most delicate and precious thing in the world.
When he could feel Tommy was almost there, when his body tensed and the trail of precome had coated both their bellies, Adam picked up the tempo just a little and got a soft groan from Tommy. Adam rested his hands gently on Tommy’s narrow hips, shut his eyes, and set to work making the two of them fly.
When they’d both come, Adam only seconds after Tommy, he had pulled Tommy down onto his chest and held him close while they caught their breath so that he couldn’t pull off. Adam ran his hand lazily over Tommy’s back as their sweat cooled and their heartbeats gradually slowed. Only when he knew he was flaccid once more did Adam allow Tommy to move. He still hissed in discomfort as Adam’s cock slid out.
“Are you okay?” Adam asked immediately.
Tommy lay his head back down on Adam’s chest and told him, “I’m fine.”
Adam remained dubious. He’d never really gotten into bottoming and he didn’t know what the fuck he’d do if Tommy decided he didn’t like it anymore. Tommy noticed his silence immediately.
“Seriously, Adam, I’m fine. I’m always a little sore after, but it’s fucking worth it,” he assured him.
Adam smiled. “Yeah?”
Tommy just nodded in reply. He looked around at the pool thoughtfully and then turned back to Adam. “We need to bring Alli here,” he told him. “It’ll be a nice surprise.”
Adam nodded thoughtfully. The girl definitely needed some cheering up. Allison had been uncharacteristically withdrawn and moody lately and they were starting to worry about her. That was, when they weren’t tip-toeing around her so that they didn’t piss her off. Even her amigo Tommy was walking on thin ice. He’d made a poorly thought out comment about the wrong time of the month and been soundly punched in the stomach for his trouble. Adam mostly just kept his mouth shut.
She’d flat out refused to come with them that morning, instead lying in bed with her books and music. It wasn’t like her. Adam hoped the promise of a picnic and a swim might be just the thing to tempt her out of her black mood.
“Good idea,” he told Tommy.
They went for one last swim and then pulled on their clothes. Adam’s stomach growled loudly and he wished that they’d thought to bring food. It was going to be dinner time by the time they got back.
**********************************
Three days later they were ready. Tommy spent the evening before sneaking around the cave and packing up the car with provisions. The trip was to be a surprise and they didn’t want Alli to get wind of their preparations. Not that they had to worry. She spent the whole evening lying bed and wallowing in a trashy novel she’d found. Adam shook his head when he heard her sniffling quietly. He would never understand women.
In the morning Tommy tried to jolly Allison out of bed but she wouldn’t have any of it.
“Fuck off, Tommy,” she told him irritably when he’d turned a light on.
Tommy came out of her room looking dejected and told Adam, “she won’t come."
Adam sighed and then braced himself to confront her. He’d had enough. When he got in the room she had the covers pulled over her head. He sat down and put his hand on what he hoped was her shoulder and shook gently.
Adam cleared his through and said, “Alli?”
“Go away, Adam.”
“Hey, baby girl,” he started. “We’re worried about you. Are you alright?”
Allison didn’t say anything for a minute but then pulled her head out and glared at him. Here thick hair stuck out in all directions and Adam stifled a laugh. He knew that , with the mood she’d been in lately, he’d likely end up with a book embedded in his forehead if he were unwise enough to comment.
“Just leave me alone. I’m fine,” she told him grumpily.
“No can do,” Adam told her. “We’ve got a surprise for you today. You’ve got five minutes to get up and dressed or I’m going to do it for you,” he threatened.
“Piss off.”
It was not the response Adam had wanted. He stood up and pulled her blanket off the bed, leaving her exposed in the cool air. Alli pulled her knees up so her legs were covered by her t-shirt and gave a frustrated groan. Adam picked up the pair of jeans she’d tossed on the floor the night before and lay them beside her on the bed.
“Four minutes,” he told her.
Alli watched him a minute, weighing his threat, before sighing deeply and swinging her legs over the side. She grabbed the jeans and pulled them on and then glared at Adam before turning her back to pull on a clean t-shirt. Adam turned away to retrieve her boots and a hoodie. She snatched them from him and put them on quickly with a sour look. Then she turned and stomped from the room with Adam trailing after her.
“Tommy, we’re ready,” he called briskly.
Tommy gave her a bright smile when he saw she ready but was quick to noticed Adam putting his finger to his lips in warning not to say too much. He wisely chose not to comment, instead only stooping to pick up the backpack he’d filled with soap, shampoo and towels.
When they got in the car she gave Adam another murderous look. “Where are we going?” she grumped.
“It’s a surprise,” he told her cheerfully.
Tommy chuckled and for a moment Adam was afraid she was going to haul off and punch him again. Instead Alli climbed in and slammed the door before letting out a long sign and stared out the window while the guys threw their backpacks in the trunk and prepared to go.
Tommy had to climb awkwardly over the stick from the driver’s side to get in the passenger seat and Alli grudgingly shifted over enough to give him some room. He had lately taken to sitting next to Adam, in the middle, and Adam briefly wondered if that was part of what was bugging her. He was grasping at straws though.
Tommy shifted a little in discomfort when he sat down and Adam chuckled softly. They’d been at it the night before and Adam had made Tommy come three times before they’d both collapsed in an exhausted heap on their bed. It was only Alli finally yelling at them to fucking keep it down that had convinced them to call it a night. Tommy was paying for it today and he gave Adam a sharp elbow in the ribs when he heard him laughing.
“Ow,” Adam grunted.
“Asshole,” Tommy muttered, but he smiled when Adam looked down at him.
Alli looked out the window without comment. She’d seemed genuinely pleased when Tommy had moved his things into Adam’s room but now Adam wasn’t so sure. They made a point not to exclude her now that they were together but there was definitely something going on.
“So, tell me where we are going.” she demanded when they’d driven for a while.
You’ll see,” Adam told her smugly. He loved to pull her chain.
“Tommy?”
Tommy only shrugged and looked ahead, but jumped when he got an elbow in his ribs in return. Adam laughed at that and was pleased when Allison grudgingly joined in.
“You guys are jerks, you know,” she told them.
Adam turned on the music and the mood lightened. Allison actually smiled when Adam pulled over the Mustang so they could watch a bunch of kangaroo’s go by. There were hundreds of them, each female with a joey poking its head out of her pouch. Tommy smiled at Adam. They were both relieved that Alli’s black mood was lifting somewhat.
It was another hour before they reached the gorge and twenty more minutes to hike down to the water. They were all sweating by the time they got there but the look of astonishment on Alli’s face made the effort worthwhile. She looked around in wonder at the swimming hole.
Alli only stopped long enough to pull off her boots and jeans and then jumped in the pool in t-shirt and underwear. Adam spent a second frantically trying to remember whether she could even swim but was relieved to see her head pop up almost immediately.
“Come in, you guys,” she yelled at them and then hooted delightedly.
“Give us a second, Alli,” Adam laughed as he sat down to pull off his boots.
He and Tommy were in the water with Alli in minutes. They’d both made a point of wearing underwear under their pants so they wouldn’t have to go nude. Alli was on top of Adam in a second, trying to climb on him and push his head under the water.
“How long have you known about this place, you bastard?” she laughed. “It’s amazing.”
Just a couple days,” he told her immediately.
Tommy added quickly, “We wanted to surprise you.”
He splashed water in Alli’s face and then swam just out of her reach as she sputtered in indignation. It was her turn to laugh a minute later when she caught him and unceremoniously pushed his head under the water. Tommy was coughing when he came up and gave Adam a wounded look when he heard him laughing at his near drowning. He made for Adam to return the favour and smiled when Alli joined with him to corner the other man.
Adam climbed out of the water to get the shampoo and soap he’d brought along and tossed one to each of them. Everyone took turns scrubbing themselves with soap and washing their hair until there was a skim of bubbles covering the surface of the pool. Adam couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so clean.
Finally when they’d all had enough they pulled themselves out to sun themselves on the rocks. Adam and Tommy lay side by side and watched idly as Alli wondered around the canyon floor, poking through the rocks and snooping in some shallow caves formed by the water over the years.
She turned back to Adam and asked, “Is it okay if I look around?”
“Sure. Just keep your eye out for snakes, okay?” Adam told her, lying on his back with his forearm across his eyes to block the glare.
“Yeah, yeah,” Alli agreed impatiently before she headed down the stream past the boulders that formed their pool. Adam smiled indulgently. It was nice to see the old Alli back.
She usually couldn’t stay still for long. She always had to be doing something, burning off her excess energy and the guys had learned to let her go with it. Sometimes it wasn’t easy. Adam sometimes struggled to give her the freedom she needed and to remember she wasn’t a kid anymore no matter how many times she told him.
“She’ll be fine,” Tommy assured him as they watched her disappear from sight.
“I know,” Adam sighed. “It’s just....”
He lay there a few minutes enjoying the warming sun and then rolled over and looked up when he had an idea. Since Alli was otherwise engaged he figured they could put their time alone to good use. He took one more look down the canyon and then slipped his hand down inside Tommy’s shorts so that he could squeeze his cock.
Tommy pushed him away and opened his eyes. “Hey, not now,” he hissed. “Where’s Alli?” He asked as he craned his neck around.
“Off exploring,” Adam assured him. “We’ve got time. Lay back and enjoy it. I owe you for last night.”
Tommy laughed at that. “You damn well do. I could barely sit down today. Fuck, I’m sore.
“Well then, let me look after you,” Adam told him, leaning over and pushing him back down on his back. Adam grabbed the waistband of Tommy’s shorts and slid them down, encouraging him to lift up so he could get them off. Once Tommy was naked Adam had him turn on his side and bring up one knee so that Adam had access to his ass. Tommy lay there with his eyes shut waiting to see what Adam would do, feeling very exposed.
Adam bent down and ran his tongue over Tommy and drew a gratifying gasp from him. He blew air over the moistened skin and laughed when Tommy squirmed helplessly. He kissed gently over Tommy’s tight ass and made him moan. Adam put his hand on Tommy’s hip and encouraged him to roll onto his back again. Adam smiled when he saw Tommy was already hard.
He bent down and engulfed Tommy’s cock, taking it in until it hit the back of his throat. Tommy gasped and bucked up helplessly, driving into Adams’ mouth. Adam pulled back off until only the tip was within his mouth and swirled his tongue over the head. Tommy couldn’t help but cry out and he arched his back and threw his head back against the rocks.
Adam leaned back down, opening his throat and let Tommy thrust into his mouth, taking him right in. It only took four or five more thrusts before Tommy came. Adam’s lips were smarting but the sounds of pleasure Tommy was making made up for his discomfort. He swallowed it down and then laid his head on Tommy’s hip and waited while Tommy caught his breath.
Finally he opened his eyes and was horrified to see Allison standing ten feet away and watching them. Adam pulled away guiltily and must have made some sort of noise because Tommy sat up too and immediately noticed Alli there. He turned away so that his cock wasn’t into full view while Adam continued to lay resolutely on his stomach.
“Jesus, Alli,” Adam sputtered. “What the fuck are you doing? Could you give us a bit of privacy for fuck’s sake?”
Alli said nothing. She stood there with her damp t-shirt clinging to her body and staring at the two of them. Her shirt left nothing to the imagination and Adam was visibly reminded that she was far from a child. She was a young woman and the way she was looking at them with a mixture of curiosity and if Adam had to put a finger on it, lust drove that point home quite clearly.
Alli looked up at Adam’s sharp words and she glared at him. “How do you think I feel, Adam? I can hear you two going at it all the fucking time. I know what you are doing. I’m not stupid. But I’ll never have anyone, will I? I’ll always have to just listen.”
Adam just gapped at her, lost for words. He’d had no idea. While they watched her in shock Alli grabbed her towel and clothes and turned to leave. She was close to tears.
Allie gave them one last look and told them furiously, “I hate you both!” before storming up the pathway to where the car was parked.
Tommy let out his breath when she’d left. “Fuck,” he whispered.
“No shit,” Adam agreed. He was completely shaken.
He lay back and shut his eyes. He didn’t know what to do. “I never thought about this part,” he admitted. “She was eight when her dad died. I never thought about what would happen when she grew up. I don’t think I ever really thought we’d last this long.”
“Well, you have,” Tommy asked him flatly. “What are you going to do?”
“I have no fucking clue,” Adam told him. “And anyway, why the hell is it just me? You’re here too. Maybe you could....”
The moment the words were out of his mouth he knew that wasn’t what he wanted. Adam wanted Tommy to be his alone. The thought of Tommy fucking Alli was almost as unpalatable as Adam doing it himself. Well, maybe not that bad, but still not good.
Tommy shook his head and smiled. “We’re friends,” he told Adam softly. “Alli is a beautiful girl and I love her dearly but she doesn’t want me. She’s in love with you, Adam. She always has been. I could see it from the beginning. It’s just you that can’t.”
Adam was aghast. “I promised her dad I’d look after her. I don’t think fucking her was what he had in mind. In fact, I know it wasn’t. He’d probably fucking come back and haunt me.”
“That may be, Adam. But she’s grown up now and it’s only natural that she want someone. And you’re it. She doesn’t want anyone else. Who the hell else is there anyway? We’re all she has.”
Adam lay there with his eyes shut and thought about it. Tommy was right. There was nobody else around. They were what amounted to a family.
Tommy took his hand. “The only other thing we could do is try to find the colony. Then we’d be with more people. Maybe she’d find someone else there?” Tommy suggested hesitantly.
He’d been down this road before with Adam to no avail. Adam had steadfastly refused to consider leaving the cave. They’d gotten it outfitted pretty comfortably and it was safe. The only trouble was it wasn’t much of a life.
Adam signed. “Just let up on that, Tommy,” he warned angrily.
“There are fewer and fewer hoons around. You’ve said so yourself. We’d probably make it. We’ve got that radio you found. I could get that working. I could try to make contact with them first.”
“Forget it,” Adam cut him off. “Look at what happened to you, Tommy. Do you want the same thing to happen to Alli that happened to your sister?”
“Of course I don’t,” Tommy snapped. “But we all knew the risks. We thought it was worth trying. We wanted to try to find a better life.”
“You can go any time you like,” Adam told Tommy coldly. “Don’t let me stop you.”
Tommy sighed in frustration. “Damn it, Adam. I didn’t say anything about leaving without you. Don’t make that what this is about. You know I’m here for the duration.”
Adam lay there a few minutes in silence before turning over so that he was facing Tommy. His jaw was set with grim determination as if he’d made a tough decision. He reached over and took Tommy’s hand and squeezed it.
“It wasn’t always just me and Alli,” he told him quietly. “When things went bad, when Alli’s dad got killed, I had a boy friend. We’d been together for a while. We decided the best thing for Alli would be to find one of those damn colonies so we joined a convoy. It was mostly Brad’s idea but I went along. Well, big convoys aren’t easy to hide so we ended up being attacked by the hoons the first week.”
Adam paused when he could feel his throat tightening up and Tommy nodded encouragingly.
“I had the Mustang so we took off, tried to outrun them. I don’t know if anyone survived from the convoy or not because I never fucking looked back. I thought we’d made it but one of the motherfuckers had a machine gun and when he saw us getting away he emptied it at the car. Three of the bullets hit Brad. He lasted for a week and then he was gone. I had to watch him die of a gut wound out in the fucking desert.”
Tommy brought Adam’s hand up to his mouth and kissed it gently. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
Adam shrugged. It was ancient history now. “So that’s why I’ve never wanted to chance it. We went west instead of north, where there were fewer people, and I found the cave. And that’s where we stayed, where we’re staying. It’s not fucking worth it.”
He looked over at Tommy who was watching him carefully. “Come on, it’s time to go home.”
He got up and held out his hand to Tommy, pulling him to his feet. They pulled on their clothes and walked back to the car. Alli was sitting in the dirt beside the car when they got there, waiting for them. Her eyes were swollen from crying and she looked up worriedly when Adam stood over her.
She gave a loud sniff and told him miserably, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said.”
Adam gave her a gentle smile and held out a hand so she could take it. He pulled her to her feet and then into a tight hug, one of his hands cradling her head.
“I know baby girl,” he told her as he kissed the crown of her hair. “I know you didn’t.”
Allison started to sob, her head rested against his chest. Tommy came up to stand behind her and put his hand on her shoulder to let her know he was there. She looked up at him and told him, “I’m sorry, Tommy.”
Tommy smiled softly, “It’s okay, Alli. Don’t worry about it.”
Adam picked up the refrain and began stroked her hair over and over again. “It’ll be okay,” Adam told her. “It’s all going to be okay.”
Adam wasn’t sure if said it to reassure himself or Allison but she seemed to take some comfort from it. Alli wrapped her arms around Adam and hugged him back. She put her face back against his chest and gave a wet sniff but when Adam ruffled her hair she looked up at him and smiled tremulously.
Tommy said nothing more but once they’d climbed into the car but he held Alli’s hand in his for the whole drive back to the cave, not letting go for a minute. When they got home Tommy made a quick dinner that they all ate without speaking.
Adam kept avoiding eye contact with Tommy, well aware that he was making gestures indicating that Adam should at least try to make conversation with Alli. She wasn’t sullen but she wasn’t her former bubbly self; clearly self conscious about the things she’d said earlier. The words hung in the air like an elephant in the middle of the room.
When he was finished eating Adam retreated to his room, feeling ill at ease as well. He was on edge and threw himself on the bed to read while Tommy and Alli cleaned up after the meal. He could hear them talking but couldn’t make out what they were saying. He tried to read but he couldn’t concentrate on the words in front of him.
All he could think about was what Alli had said, no, threw at them, earlier and the conversation he’d had with Tommy afterwards. The thought of leaving the cave to find a colony, to chance losing either Alli or Tommy, left him panic stricken. Unfortunately there was only one alternative.
Adam loved Alli but he’d never desired her. He’d never wanted any woman for that matter. But what the fuck else could they do? They couldn’t expect Alli to remain a child forever. She was a young healthy woman. It wasn’t fair to pretend she wasn’t. He and Tommy had been fucking like bunnies of months and making her listen to the whole damn thing. No wonder she’d been so miserable. Adam was mortified. He shut his eyes and lay there with his unread book on his chest.
Tommy came in a few minutes later and Adam was pleased to see that he’d brought a bottle of Jack with him. Damn, he’d forgotten they had that; found at a house they’d combed through, forgotten in a pantry and left for years. He sat up immediately and smiled, holding out his hand.
“Liquid courage?” he asked before he took the bottle and took a mouthful of the amber liquid.
“Yeah, doctors orders,” Tommy agreed.
It had been so long since he’d had hard liquor that he coughed. He wiped the spilled liquid off his chin with the back of his hand.
“For fuck sake, don’t waste it,” Tommy scolded, retrieving the bottle so he could take an equally large swallow.
When he’d had one he put the bottle down beside the bed and told Adam,” I thought tonight would be a good night to break that out.”
“You’re not wrong,” Adam agreed. He fought the urge to grab the bottle and drink as much of it as he could down. No, he needed enough to calm his nerves, but he still needed a clear head.
Tommy took his hand and squeezed it. “Are you okay?” he asked.
Adam grimaced. “I don’t know how I feel. Nervous, I guess. Kind of like I’m on a first date,” he laughed.
Tommy laughed softly at that and then reached down and picked up the bottle again, took a drink and then passed it to Adam. “Here, have another one.”
Adam took another good size swallow, this time managing to keep it down, although it still made his eyes tear up. The alcohol was forming a warm ball in his stomach and starting to radiate pleasantly out through his limbs. It was definitely taking the edge off he realized thankfully. Adam gave the bottle back and then swung his legs over the side of the bed.
“What are you doing,” Tommy asked him.
“I was going to get Alli,” he told him.
Tommy shook his head. “I’ll go get her. You wait here.”
Adam watched Tommy leave the room and then reached down for one more swig of Jack. He pulled off his pants and t-shirt and then looked up slightly guiltily when Tommy came back with Alli at hand. She looked as nervous as Adam felt. She had on only one of the oversize t-shirts she usually slept in and clasped her hands across her chest while she stood just inside the room.
Seeing her worried expression was enough to prod Adam into action. He got up and walked slowly towards her if for no other reason than to comfort her. She watched Adam closely as he approached, chewing on her lip the whole while. Alli looked like she might either bolt from the room or start to cry.
Adam reached her and immediately pulled her into a hug and rested his face against her still damp hair. She smelled like shampoo and peppermint soap and she wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. Tommy slid over so that he was alongside and Adam let go with one arm so that he could encompass Tommy as well in his hug.
“I’m sorry baby,” Adam mumbled into her hair, getting only a soft sniff in reply.
Adam squeezed her arm. “I’m sorry I kept thinking of you as a little girl. You’re not anymore. You’re a beautiful woman now. I just wasn’t seeing it.”
She looked up at him and smiled unsurely. Tommy pulled away and sat on the edge of the bed so he could pull off his boots. He pulled his t-shirt up over his head and then stood so he could take off his jeans. Adam watched him as he weighed whether he should pull off his shorts but Tommy left them on for the time being. Adam smiled across at him.
He kissed Alli on the top of the head and murmured, “Come to bed. You belong here with us.”
She followed him without saying anything and made to climb onto the bed after Adam but Tommy stopped her and said, “Wait.”
He took the bottom of her t-shirt and pulled it gently up over her head so that she was naked. He kissed her gently on the cheek and guided her down into the bed. Alli lay beside Adam with one arm covering her breasts, looking intently into his eyes for any signs of rejections.
Adam smiled at her reassuringly. “You have to bear with me. This is kind of new to me,” he told her.
He put his hand on her cheek softly, stroking his thumb over her lips, before leaning in and kissing her gently. She kissed him back tentatively and Adam felt the bed dip as Tommy climbed on beside them. He put his hand on Allison’s shoulder and had her turn so she was lying on her back with one of them on each side of her.
Adam kissed her again, this time running his tongue along until she opened her lips to let him in. He smiled against her lips when he tasted Jack Daniels. Tommy must have given her a glass too to calm her nerves. Kissing Alli was so different than what he was used to; softer, more hesitant, and without the scrap of beard he had always been used to. But it wasn’t unpleasant and they continued to kiss lazily while Tommy kissed down the side of Alli’s neck.
Tommy slid lower and took one of Allison’s breasts in his mouth and she moaned. Adam slid his hand over the other one and gently ran his fingertips over the nipple until he could feel it beginning to peak. He slid down and took the nub in his mouth and swirled his tongue over it. Alli gasped and pulled his head harder against her chest.
Tommy slid up so that he could kiss her and while he did Adam took a moment to run his hand over Tommy’s cock, stroking him until he was erect. Tommy stopped kissing Alli so that he could lean in and kiss Adam, connecting with him while they both stroked Alli’s breasts until she began to squirm. Tommy took a moment to reach for a condom and they paused while he slipped it on. Thank Christ they had any, Adam thought.
Adam went back to kissing Alli deeply and Tommy slid his hand lower. Adam didn’t look to see what he was doing but he could hear wet noises and whatever it was, it was making Alli arch her back and gasp. Adam pulled away when he felt Tommy’s hand on his chin pulling him in for a sloppy kiss and then Tommy was guiding Alli onto her side so she had her back to Adam.
Adam wrapped his arms around her, stroking over her breasts and Tommy guided her leg up and over his hip so that he could slid in close. Adam kissed along her neck and Tommy leaned in and kissed her on the lips. Adam felt Alli shudder when Tommy slid inside her.
Tommy made love to her carefully, conscious that it was her first time, taking his time, not rushing the pace until he had her squirming and gasping at each thrust. Adam leaned around so that he could take over kissing her and she opened her mouth eagerly to welcome him. Before long they all had soft sheen of sweat on them and it wasn’t much longer before Alli came with a soft, surprised gasp.
Tommy pulled out immediately and he switched sides so that he and Adam were beside each other, lining up their cocks so that they could wrap them in their palms. Alli watched them lazily to see what they were doing and then added her hand to their actions. Adam was surprised at how hot it all was and came even before Tommy although the other man wasn’t too far behind.
The three of them lay there together recovering their breath until they began to chill in the cool air. Tommy slipped out of the bed and got a damp cloth. He carefully wiped Alli off while Adam held her and then dabbed the come off of Adam’s stomach and then his own. Then he tossed the cloth on the floor and pulled the blanket up over the three of them.
Alli tried to get out of the bed and go back to her room but Adam stopped her, telling her, “No, stay here.”
She’d smiled happily and climbed back in under the covers once she’d pulled her t-shirt back on. She’d looked once at Tommy and he’d nodded his agreement. Adam lay in bed with Alli on one side of him and Tommy on the other, both of them resting their heads on a shoulder. He felt more relaxed than he had in a long time. It wasn’t something he ever would have imagined but like Tommy had said, “Things were different now.”
It was going to be the three of them now. Adam was determined that they would make something that worked for all of them. Adam should have known, having always been an open-minded guy, that it was possible to find love in many different forms. Love is love.
************************************
Something woke Adam up in the middle of the night. Allison was nestled tightly against his side, her back to him, but Tommy’s side of the bed was empty. When Adam dragged his hand along the sheet he realized it was cold. Tommy had been out of bed for a while. Adam’s brow furrowed; that was odd. He gently slid his arm up from under Alli and slid out of bed to see where Tommy was.
Adam padded through the cave looking in one room after another until he finally found the other man in the storage room. He was sitting on a stool and was bent over the workbench. He looked up guiltily when he heard Adam come in.
“What are you doing?” Adam asked him, although he didn’t need the answer.
He could see exactly what Tommy was damn well doing. He had the radio set up on the bench and had attached a battery to it. Although the volume was turned down low Adam could hear the crackle of static coming from it. Tommy obviously had the thing in working order.
Tommy shrugged. He turned it off and swiveled around on the stool so that he was facing Adam, but he kept his eyes down. He put his hands in his lap but couldn’t keep them still. His fingers twisted together nervously while he thought about what he wanted to say. Finally he looked back up at Adam.
“I got the radio working,” he told him.
“I can see that.”
Adam struggled to keep the anger out of his voice but couldn’t. He was furious.
“Damn it, Tommy,” he seethed. “You fucking know I don’t want to go find that fucking colony.”
“Adam--” Tommy started helplessly.
“No. No fucking way,” Adam told him. “We’re not going anywhere. We all agreed. What the hell is wrong with you?”
He didn’t know what was worse, the fact that Tommy had acted against his wishes or that he was sneaking around and doing it behind his fucking back. In either case he felt like grabbing Tommy and shaking the ever-loving shit out of him.
Tommy shook his head and then just chewed on his lip. He looked miserable.
Finally he looked up at Adam and told him, “Alli’s pregnant.”
Adam stared at him in shock as the bottom dropped out of his stomach. His insides turned to ice as those two little words turned his whole, about as safe as it gets, world got turned upside down.
“How the fuck did that happen?” he demanded.
Tommy shrugged nervously and chewed on his thumbnail. “The usual way, I guess,” struggling to keep it light.
“That’s not funny. Tommy.”
Tommy looked at him earnestly. “Adam, I’m not laughing.”
He reached out to take Adam’s hand, but Adam pulled it out of reach and tucked it under his other arm. When Tommy down off his stool and tried to get closer Adam backed away from him, his eyes flashing in anger. He couldn’t remember every being so pissed off.
“Damm it, Tommy. We talked about this shit. You’ve been using condoms. I’ve seen you. What the hell happened?”
Tommy wrapped his arms around himself and looked down, gnawing on his lower lip again while he gathered his words.
“We ran out for a bit, remember?” he started, but then stopped when Adam looked like he was going to go for him. He held up his hands helplessly. “You were there too. But I pulled out, remember? I thought it would be okay. It was only the one time.”
“Fuck,” Adam sighed.
He remembered the night in question. Tommy had been reluctant at first but Alli had been persistent and demanding and Adam hadn’t intervened when he could have. They’d obviously underestimated the fertility and sheer horniness of a woman Alli’s age. He was as much to blame as Tommy. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration and thought about the last few weeks.
Alli had been feeling tired and they’d both worried about her. She’d also gone off eating meat, saying she couldn’t stand the smell of it cooking. One morning Adam had found her throwing up in the latrine. She’d told him she’d eaten something bad and he’d let it go. The baggy clothes, eating weird things, the signs had all been there. He just hadn’t put them together.
He felt all the anger drain away and slid to the floor where he sat with his legs crossed, his arms wrapped around his knees. Now that he wasn’t pissed off at Tommy he was panic stricken, paralyzed with fear.
“How far along is she,” he asked.
Tommy chewed on his lip again. “About five months.”
“Jesus, Tommy,” Adam snapped. “When were you going to fucking tell me?”
“I wanted to. I did. But we thought, I thought, we should wait until after the first trimester in case.....” Tommy trailed off, chewing on his thumb nail once more.
“In case what?”
Tommy sighed. “In case she lost it. It’s pretty common,” Tommy told him. “Especially now. The doc my family was travelling with thinks it’s got something to do with the environment and shit.”
“So she could still....”
Tommy scrubbed his hand over his face. “I guess so,” Tommy admitted. “But it’s not nearly as likely now that she’s made it this far.”
Adam stared at the floor in front of him and then finally back up at Tommy. He still had his arms wrapped tightly around himself, holding everything in, determinedly holding himself together. When Adam finally made eye contact Tommy stepped forward again. He saw down cross-legged in front of Adam and reached for one of Adam’s hands. This time he let Tommy take it, let him twine their fingers together.
“She’s really scared, Adam. We’ve both been scared to tell you.”
Adam snorted. No doubt. He shook his head in disbelief. This was a situation he had never imagined being in. The two of them weren’t the only ones who were scared. Adam was shit scared himself, especially when he saw the frightened expression on Tommy’s face. He looked like he was close to tears.
When Tommy spoke his voice was brittle. “Adam, we need to find other people. We can’t do this on our own.”
Adam looked at him and shook his head. “Yes, we could. You could do it. You know about that medical stuff. I could help.”
Even as he said it Adam realized it wasn’t true. Tommy was right. They had to find a colony, somewhere there were doctors and medical care. Adam knew enough about childbirth to know it could be a risky proposition. There was no option. They would have to leave even though the thought of giving up the security of the cave made him feel sick. Staying on and possibly losing Alli was more than Adam could contemplate.
Adam watched dumbly as Tommy shook his head no, echoing his thoughts. He stared ahead, running alternatives over in his mind, not seeing Tommy. Adam pushed down the panic by taking long, slow, deep breaths, consciously trying to relax, to get control of thoughts. Finally, he nodded numbly, his decision made.
“Okay,” he rasped, clearing his throat. “We’ll go.”
Tommy let out a sigh and squeezed his hand. “It’ll be okay,” he told Adam, although he didn’t sound very certain.
Adam pulled Tommy’s hand up to his lips and kissed it. “Yeah, I’ll be okay,” he agreed. So you think you can contact the colony with that radio?”
“Yeah. I think so. I’ve already heard people on it.”
“Alright,” Adam mused, trying to get his head around the idea.
“When?” he rasped. “How soon should we leave?” His throat was so tight he could barely talk.
Tommy chewed down another nail. “Right away. As soon as we can get ready. In case it takes a while.”
The two of them looked up when Alli came into the room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She looked suspiciously from one of them to the other.
“You told him,” she said flatly.
Tommy only nodded. Adam held his hand out to her, gesturing for her to come to him.
“It’s okay, baby,” he told her. “Come here.”
Allison walked towards him and then sat down beside Tommy without saying anything, only studying his face.
“I’m so sorry, Adam,” she told him quietly, looking broken.
“No, Alli. It’s not your fault. It’s not anyone’s fault,” Adam told her. He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her protectively. Tommy slid in closer and put an arm around both of them too.
“We’ll figure this out. It will be fine,” he reassured her, breathing in the sweet shampoo smell of her hair. “Are you okay?”
Alli nodded nervously. “Yeah. I guess so.”
“Good,” Adam nodded. He laughed when he heard her stomach growl loudly.
“Hungry?”
“Always,” Allison smiled. “I’m starving.”
“Okay, let’s go get some breakfast. We’ve got a lot of stuff to do.”
Two weeks later they were ready to go. Tommy was as good as his word. He’d contacted the colony as soon as he’d tried and got the coordinates they needed. They packed as many supplies as they could into the car, as well as sleeping bags and a tent.
It was the hardest thing Adam had ever done to leave the cave but he knew he had to do it. The three of them stood hand in hand beside the car and had one last look at their home before setting out. When he got in the car Adam set his eyes forward and never looked back. It was time to move on.
***********************************
Epilogue:
Adam couldn’t believe the difference a year made. He sat in the shade in a rocking chair they’d found for the front porch of the beach shack. He was holding baby Dia, letting her doze naked in the sweltering heat while Tommy helped Alli down to the beach for a swim. She was heavily pregnant with their second child, due within the next couple weeks according to the midwife.
The colony didn’t have much, just the basics, but there were fish from the sea, and everyone was learning to garden. There was water and grass for the sheep and cows and even horses the colonists had managed to capture. Each family had a rustic home near the beach and they all watched out for each other. There were more people turning up every week as word got out that there was somewhere to go.
Adam looked up from the sleeping baby when he heard Alli laughing. Tommy had her by the elbow, helping her up the steps to the veranda. Her belly was so big she couldn’t see where she was putting her feet. She waddled over to Adam and looked down at Dia.
“She being good?” she asked.
“She’s been sleeping ever since you gave her to me. But I bet she’ll want something to eat before long.”
Alli rolled her eyes at that. It was one thing she wasn’t used to yet, the constant feedings. A second later she put her hand up on her belly and then took Adam’s free hand and rested it where she’d felt the movement.
“It’s moving like crazy. This one must be a dancer.”
“Or a singer,” Tommy offered. “Some kind of hyperactive motherfucker anyway.”
Adam had felt the wild movements, they all had, lying in bed at night. And although the first baby was undoubtedly Tommy’s, this one could just as easily be his. The pregnancy felt completely different, Alli had told them, so she was sure it was. Only time would tell.
Dia started to wake, fusing as soon as she saw her mother and Alli leaned down and took her from Adam. He got up so that she could have the chair and stood with his arm around Tommy and then put the other hand on the small pot belly Tommy was growing.
“Fuck off, you asshole,” Tommy laughed, half heartedly pushing Adam’s hand away.
He was putting on a bit of weight, no longer as gaunt as when they’d first met and Adam loved it. He liked having something to hold onto he told Tommy. Tommy wasn’t quite so sure about it.
Alli looked up at them and smiled while the baby nursed contentedly. They didn’t have a lot, only the bare necessities. Like they often said, everything was different now. What they did have was each other, and the babies, and that was enough. For the first time in years that Adam felt like he had a future.
The end
Author: firiel77
Chapter: Three
Pairing: Adam/Tommy/Allison Iraheta
Genre: AU
Rating: NC17
Words: 26,490
Warnings: Mentions of violence, non con, rape, het, angst, schmoop. Lol, a laundry list of warnings.
Beta: eloiserummaging beta’d for me but as usual I can’t leave well enough alone and have been putzing around with this fic right until the last second. So if I’ve messed things up after the fact it’s all me. Thank you for the great beta and encouragement!
Summary: Post-apocalyptic Road Warrior story. Adam gets to wear Mad Max’s leather pants and drive a hot car. Tommy is like the feral child with the boomerang only obviously, you know, older. Allison is along for the ride because I like her. And I really have no plausible reason why the three of them are in the Australian outback except that Adam + black Mad Max leather clothes = <3
Comments: I’m blamingIsolde_13 for this idea. She tweeted about how good Adam would look in Road Warrior leather and I couldn’t let it go. A mental image in search of a plot.
They were on a day trip, not hunting for a change, but just driving around for the sheer hell of it. In the past six months the number of hoons around had dropped off significantly. Adam didn’t know if they’d gone on somewhere else or had all just managed to finally kill each other but either way it made their lives easier. They’d been able to range farther and farther afield for supplies to stock their cave, farther than Adam had ever dared go in the past.
After driving all morning they came upon a gorge that cut a deep swath through the desert landscape. Adam had stopped the Mustang at the edge and when they looked down they say a river weaving lazily between the boulders at the bottom. Tommy threw him a look. Surface water was something you just never saw out here.
“We should check it out,” Tommy suggested.
“Yup,” Adam agreed immediately. They got back in the car and drove along the gorge until they reached a place where a smaller tributary entered. The edge of the gorge was broken down and allowed Adam to pull in so that the Mustang wasn’t visible against the skyline. The wall of the canyon was not as sheer as where they’d first stopped and they were able to scramble down to the bottom.
There was the ever present scrub grass growing but the water had allowed for some gum trees as swell. It felt like an oasis compared the usual outback landscape they were used to. They followed along the stream until they got to a place where the gorge narrowed, forming a deep pool. The cliffs above shielded them from any eyes looking down from above.
Tommy immediately pulled off his clothes, let out a whoop and jumped in. Adam wasn’t long behind. They were probably both damn lucky the pool was as deep as it was. Neither had taken the time to look first. The water was only a little cooler than their body temperature but it felt amazing after the oppressive heat. They splashed each other and ducked under to wash their hair, enjoying the luxury of so much fucking water.
When they’d had their fill they dragged themselves up onto a flat rock beside the pool and dried off in the sun. It wasn’t long before Tommy slid over and wrapped himself around Adam. That was the thing about Tommy. He loved to cuddle. The contact had its usual effect on Adam. He was hard instantly. Adam couldn’t get enough of Tommy.
He rocked against Tommy’s hip, rubbing his cock over his soft skin and heard a chuckle.
“You started it,” Adam murmured into his neck before he gave him a gentle nip.
Tommy pushed back against Adam, showing him that he was equally aroused. Adam had already fucked Tommy through the mattress once that morning but he looked like he was ready to go again. He reached for his jeans and pulled out a packet of lube he must have been saving for special occasions.
“You’re such a boy scout,” Adam laughed.
Tommy only shrugged and then got busy tearing open the lube with his teeth and squeezing it into his hand. Adam lay on his back and watched as Tommy reached back and pressed his fingers inside himself, squinting a little in concentration. When he was done he ran the rest of the lube over Adam’s waiting cock and climbed on top.
“Take it slow,” Adam warned him gently. Tommy had taken to bottoming after the first couple times but Adam was big guy and the last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt him.
“I’m fine,” he assured Adam.
Tommy lifted himself up and moved back so that Adam’s cock ran against his perineum. Adam had to shut his eyes before the visual made him come right there. Tommy rocked forward and back and smiled when the friction made Adam moan. He stroked himself a few times and then reached back to position Adam’s cock and then sank down on it.
Adam opened his eyes in time to see Tommy wince fleetingly when he took Adam in. Damn it. He was still sore, Adam though. He made sure to hold completely still, doing nothing to increase Tommy’s discomfort. This one was all up to Tommy. He would be setting the pace.
Tommy crouched over Adam and took some deep breaths, focused inward in concentration. Adam was reassured when he saw that Tommy’s cock was still as hard as a rock and pressed up against his belly, already leaking precome. He spat in his hand and wrapped it around Tommy to give him a couple slow strokes. Tommy looked up at him and then batted his hand away.
“Nope,” he told Adam. “I want to come just from you fucking me.”
“Okay,” Adam nodded. “Tell me when.”
“Right about fucking now,” Tommy said tightly.
He lifted a little and realigned himself to get in a better position. When Adam began to lift up and thrust gently it was at the perfect angle so that his cock hit Tommy’s prostate every fucking time. Adam knew he had it right because Tommy began to grunt each time he sank home. Practice made perfect.
Adam fervidly hoped he could last long enough to make Tommy come because seeing his taunt body arched above him with his head thrown back was probably the hottest fucking thing he’d ever seen. Adam kept his motion slow and gentle as if Tommy were the most delicate and precious thing in the world.
When he could feel Tommy was almost there, when his body tensed and the trail of precome had coated both their bellies, Adam picked up the tempo just a little and got a soft groan from Tommy. Adam rested his hands gently on Tommy’s narrow hips, shut his eyes, and set to work making the two of them fly.
When they’d both come, Adam only seconds after Tommy, he had pulled Tommy down onto his chest and held him close while they caught their breath so that he couldn’t pull off. Adam ran his hand lazily over Tommy’s back as their sweat cooled and their heartbeats gradually slowed. Only when he knew he was flaccid once more did Adam allow Tommy to move. He still hissed in discomfort as Adam’s cock slid out.
“Are you okay?” Adam asked immediately.
Tommy lay his head back down on Adam’s chest and told him, “I’m fine.”
Adam remained dubious. He’d never really gotten into bottoming and he didn’t know what the fuck he’d do if Tommy decided he didn’t like it anymore. Tommy noticed his silence immediately.
“Seriously, Adam, I’m fine. I’m always a little sore after, but it’s fucking worth it,” he assured him.
Adam smiled. “Yeah?”
Tommy just nodded in reply. He looked around at the pool thoughtfully and then turned back to Adam. “We need to bring Alli here,” he told him. “It’ll be a nice surprise.”
Adam nodded thoughtfully. The girl definitely needed some cheering up. Allison had been uncharacteristically withdrawn and moody lately and they were starting to worry about her. That was, when they weren’t tip-toeing around her so that they didn’t piss her off. Even her amigo Tommy was walking on thin ice. He’d made a poorly thought out comment about the wrong time of the month and been soundly punched in the stomach for his trouble. Adam mostly just kept his mouth shut.
She’d flat out refused to come with them that morning, instead lying in bed with her books and music. It wasn’t like her. Adam hoped the promise of a picnic and a swim might be just the thing to tempt her out of her black mood.
“Good idea,” he told Tommy.
They went for one last swim and then pulled on their clothes. Adam’s stomach growled loudly and he wished that they’d thought to bring food. It was going to be dinner time by the time they got back.
**********************************
Three days later they were ready. Tommy spent the evening before sneaking around the cave and packing up the car with provisions. The trip was to be a surprise and they didn’t want Alli to get wind of their preparations. Not that they had to worry. She spent the whole evening lying bed and wallowing in a trashy novel she’d found. Adam shook his head when he heard her sniffling quietly. He would never understand women.
In the morning Tommy tried to jolly Allison out of bed but she wouldn’t have any of it.
“Fuck off, Tommy,” she told him irritably when he’d turned a light on.
Tommy came out of her room looking dejected and told Adam, “she won’t come."
Adam sighed and then braced himself to confront her. He’d had enough. When he got in the room she had the covers pulled over her head. He sat down and put his hand on what he hoped was her shoulder and shook gently.
Adam cleared his through and said, “Alli?”
“Go away, Adam.”
“Hey, baby girl,” he started. “We’re worried about you. Are you alright?”
Allison didn’t say anything for a minute but then pulled her head out and glared at him. Here thick hair stuck out in all directions and Adam stifled a laugh. He knew that , with the mood she’d been in lately, he’d likely end up with a book embedded in his forehead if he were unwise enough to comment.
“Just leave me alone. I’m fine,” she told him grumpily.
“No can do,” Adam told her. “We’ve got a surprise for you today. You’ve got five minutes to get up and dressed or I’m going to do it for you,” he threatened.
“Piss off.”
It was not the response Adam had wanted. He stood up and pulled her blanket off the bed, leaving her exposed in the cool air. Alli pulled her knees up so her legs were covered by her t-shirt and gave a frustrated groan. Adam picked up the pair of jeans she’d tossed on the floor the night before and lay them beside her on the bed.
“Four minutes,” he told her.
Alli watched him a minute, weighing his threat, before sighing deeply and swinging her legs over the side. She grabbed the jeans and pulled them on and then glared at Adam before turning her back to pull on a clean t-shirt. Adam turned away to retrieve her boots and a hoodie. She snatched them from him and put them on quickly with a sour look. Then she turned and stomped from the room with Adam trailing after her.
“Tommy, we’re ready,” he called briskly.
Tommy gave her a bright smile when he saw she ready but was quick to noticed Adam putting his finger to his lips in warning not to say too much. He wisely chose not to comment, instead only stooping to pick up the backpack he’d filled with soap, shampoo and towels.
When they got in the car she gave Adam another murderous look. “Where are we going?” she grumped.
“It’s a surprise,” he told her cheerfully.
Tommy chuckled and for a moment Adam was afraid she was going to haul off and punch him again. Instead Alli climbed in and slammed the door before letting out a long sign and stared out the window while the guys threw their backpacks in the trunk and prepared to go.
Tommy had to climb awkwardly over the stick from the driver’s side to get in the passenger seat and Alli grudgingly shifted over enough to give him some room. He had lately taken to sitting next to Adam, in the middle, and Adam briefly wondered if that was part of what was bugging her. He was grasping at straws though.
Tommy shifted a little in discomfort when he sat down and Adam chuckled softly. They’d been at it the night before and Adam had made Tommy come three times before they’d both collapsed in an exhausted heap on their bed. It was only Alli finally yelling at them to fucking keep it down that had convinced them to call it a night. Tommy was paying for it today and he gave Adam a sharp elbow in the ribs when he heard him laughing.
“Ow,” Adam grunted.
“Asshole,” Tommy muttered, but he smiled when Adam looked down at him.
Alli looked out the window without comment. She’d seemed genuinely pleased when Tommy had moved his things into Adam’s room but now Adam wasn’t so sure. They made a point not to exclude her now that they were together but there was definitely something going on.
“So, tell me where we are going.” she demanded when they’d driven for a while.
You’ll see,” Adam told her smugly. He loved to pull her chain.
“Tommy?”
Tommy only shrugged and looked ahead, but jumped when he got an elbow in his ribs in return. Adam laughed at that and was pleased when Allison grudgingly joined in.
“You guys are jerks, you know,” she told them.
Adam turned on the music and the mood lightened. Allison actually smiled when Adam pulled over the Mustang so they could watch a bunch of kangaroo’s go by. There were hundreds of them, each female with a joey poking its head out of her pouch. Tommy smiled at Adam. They were both relieved that Alli’s black mood was lifting somewhat.
It was another hour before they reached the gorge and twenty more minutes to hike down to the water. They were all sweating by the time they got there but the look of astonishment on Alli’s face made the effort worthwhile. She looked around in wonder at the swimming hole.
Alli only stopped long enough to pull off her boots and jeans and then jumped in the pool in t-shirt and underwear. Adam spent a second frantically trying to remember whether she could even swim but was relieved to see her head pop up almost immediately.
“Come in, you guys,” she yelled at them and then hooted delightedly.
“Give us a second, Alli,” Adam laughed as he sat down to pull off his boots.
He and Tommy were in the water with Alli in minutes. They’d both made a point of wearing underwear under their pants so they wouldn’t have to go nude. Alli was on top of Adam in a second, trying to climb on him and push his head under the water.
“How long have you known about this place, you bastard?” she laughed. “It’s amazing.”
Just a couple days,” he told her immediately.
Tommy added quickly, “We wanted to surprise you.”
He splashed water in Alli’s face and then swam just out of her reach as she sputtered in indignation. It was her turn to laugh a minute later when she caught him and unceremoniously pushed his head under the water. Tommy was coughing when he came up and gave Adam a wounded look when he heard him laughing at his near drowning. He made for Adam to return the favour and smiled when Alli joined with him to corner the other man.
Adam climbed out of the water to get the shampoo and soap he’d brought along and tossed one to each of them. Everyone took turns scrubbing themselves with soap and washing their hair until there was a skim of bubbles covering the surface of the pool. Adam couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so clean.
Finally when they’d all had enough they pulled themselves out to sun themselves on the rocks. Adam and Tommy lay side by side and watched idly as Alli wondered around the canyon floor, poking through the rocks and snooping in some shallow caves formed by the water over the years.
She turned back to Adam and asked, “Is it okay if I look around?”
“Sure. Just keep your eye out for snakes, okay?” Adam told her, lying on his back with his forearm across his eyes to block the glare.
“Yeah, yeah,” Alli agreed impatiently before she headed down the stream past the boulders that formed their pool. Adam smiled indulgently. It was nice to see the old Alli back.
She usually couldn’t stay still for long. She always had to be doing something, burning off her excess energy and the guys had learned to let her go with it. Sometimes it wasn’t easy. Adam sometimes struggled to give her the freedom she needed and to remember she wasn’t a kid anymore no matter how many times she told him.
“She’ll be fine,” Tommy assured him as they watched her disappear from sight.
“I know,” Adam sighed. “It’s just....”
He lay there a few minutes enjoying the warming sun and then rolled over and looked up when he had an idea. Since Alli was otherwise engaged he figured they could put their time alone to good use. He took one more look down the canyon and then slipped his hand down inside Tommy’s shorts so that he could squeeze his cock.
Tommy pushed him away and opened his eyes. “Hey, not now,” he hissed. “Where’s Alli?” He asked as he craned his neck around.
“Off exploring,” Adam assured him. “We’ve got time. Lay back and enjoy it. I owe you for last night.”
Tommy laughed at that. “You damn well do. I could barely sit down today. Fuck, I’m sore.
“Well then, let me look after you,” Adam told him, leaning over and pushing him back down on his back. Adam grabbed the waistband of Tommy’s shorts and slid them down, encouraging him to lift up so he could get them off. Once Tommy was naked Adam had him turn on his side and bring up one knee so that Adam had access to his ass. Tommy lay there with his eyes shut waiting to see what Adam would do, feeling very exposed.
Adam bent down and ran his tongue over Tommy and drew a gratifying gasp from him. He blew air over the moistened skin and laughed when Tommy squirmed helplessly. He kissed gently over Tommy’s tight ass and made him moan. Adam put his hand on Tommy’s hip and encouraged him to roll onto his back again. Adam smiled when he saw Tommy was already hard.
He bent down and engulfed Tommy’s cock, taking it in until it hit the back of his throat. Tommy gasped and bucked up helplessly, driving into Adams’ mouth. Adam pulled back off until only the tip was within his mouth and swirled his tongue over the head. Tommy couldn’t help but cry out and he arched his back and threw his head back against the rocks.
Adam leaned back down, opening his throat and let Tommy thrust into his mouth, taking him right in. It only took four or five more thrusts before Tommy came. Adam’s lips were smarting but the sounds of pleasure Tommy was making made up for his discomfort. He swallowed it down and then laid his head on Tommy’s hip and waited while Tommy caught his breath.
Finally he opened his eyes and was horrified to see Allison standing ten feet away and watching them. Adam pulled away guiltily and must have made some sort of noise because Tommy sat up too and immediately noticed Alli there. He turned away so that his cock wasn’t into full view while Adam continued to lay resolutely on his stomach.
“Jesus, Alli,” Adam sputtered. “What the fuck are you doing? Could you give us a bit of privacy for fuck’s sake?”
Alli said nothing. She stood there with her damp t-shirt clinging to her body and staring at the two of them. Her shirt left nothing to the imagination and Adam was visibly reminded that she was far from a child. She was a young woman and the way she was looking at them with a mixture of curiosity and if Adam had to put a finger on it, lust drove that point home quite clearly.
Alli looked up at Adam’s sharp words and she glared at him. “How do you think I feel, Adam? I can hear you two going at it all the fucking time. I know what you are doing. I’m not stupid. But I’ll never have anyone, will I? I’ll always have to just listen.”
Adam just gapped at her, lost for words. He’d had no idea. While they watched her in shock Alli grabbed her towel and clothes and turned to leave. She was close to tears.
Allie gave them one last look and told them furiously, “I hate you both!” before storming up the pathway to where the car was parked.
Tommy let out his breath when she’d left. “Fuck,” he whispered.
“No shit,” Adam agreed. He was completely shaken.
He lay back and shut his eyes. He didn’t know what to do. “I never thought about this part,” he admitted. “She was eight when her dad died. I never thought about what would happen when she grew up. I don’t think I ever really thought we’d last this long.”
“Well, you have,” Tommy asked him flatly. “What are you going to do?”
“I have no fucking clue,” Adam told him. “And anyway, why the hell is it just me? You’re here too. Maybe you could....”
The moment the words were out of his mouth he knew that wasn’t what he wanted. Adam wanted Tommy to be his alone. The thought of Tommy fucking Alli was almost as unpalatable as Adam doing it himself. Well, maybe not that bad, but still not good.
Tommy shook his head and smiled. “We’re friends,” he told Adam softly. “Alli is a beautiful girl and I love her dearly but she doesn’t want me. She’s in love with you, Adam. She always has been. I could see it from the beginning. It’s just you that can’t.”
Adam was aghast. “I promised her dad I’d look after her. I don’t think fucking her was what he had in mind. In fact, I know it wasn’t. He’d probably fucking come back and haunt me.”
“That may be, Adam. But she’s grown up now and it’s only natural that she want someone. And you’re it. She doesn’t want anyone else. Who the hell else is there anyway? We’re all she has.”
Adam lay there with his eyes shut and thought about it. Tommy was right. There was nobody else around. They were what amounted to a family.
Tommy took his hand. “The only other thing we could do is try to find the colony. Then we’d be with more people. Maybe she’d find someone else there?” Tommy suggested hesitantly.
He’d been down this road before with Adam to no avail. Adam had steadfastly refused to consider leaving the cave. They’d gotten it outfitted pretty comfortably and it was safe. The only trouble was it wasn’t much of a life.
Adam signed. “Just let up on that, Tommy,” he warned angrily.
“There are fewer and fewer hoons around. You’ve said so yourself. We’d probably make it. We’ve got that radio you found. I could get that working. I could try to make contact with them first.”
“Forget it,” Adam cut him off. “Look at what happened to you, Tommy. Do you want the same thing to happen to Alli that happened to your sister?”
“Of course I don’t,” Tommy snapped. “But we all knew the risks. We thought it was worth trying. We wanted to try to find a better life.”
“You can go any time you like,” Adam told Tommy coldly. “Don’t let me stop you.”
Tommy sighed in frustration. “Damn it, Adam. I didn’t say anything about leaving without you. Don’t make that what this is about. You know I’m here for the duration.”
Adam lay there a few minutes in silence before turning over so that he was facing Tommy. His jaw was set with grim determination as if he’d made a tough decision. He reached over and took Tommy’s hand and squeezed it.
“It wasn’t always just me and Alli,” he told him quietly. “When things went bad, when Alli’s dad got killed, I had a boy friend. We’d been together for a while. We decided the best thing for Alli would be to find one of those damn colonies so we joined a convoy. It was mostly Brad’s idea but I went along. Well, big convoys aren’t easy to hide so we ended up being attacked by the hoons the first week.”
Adam paused when he could feel his throat tightening up and Tommy nodded encouragingly.
“I had the Mustang so we took off, tried to outrun them. I don’t know if anyone survived from the convoy or not because I never fucking looked back. I thought we’d made it but one of the motherfuckers had a machine gun and when he saw us getting away he emptied it at the car. Three of the bullets hit Brad. He lasted for a week and then he was gone. I had to watch him die of a gut wound out in the fucking desert.”
Tommy brought Adam’s hand up to his mouth and kissed it gently. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
Adam shrugged. It was ancient history now. “So that’s why I’ve never wanted to chance it. We went west instead of north, where there were fewer people, and I found the cave. And that’s where we stayed, where we’re staying. It’s not fucking worth it.”
He looked over at Tommy who was watching him carefully. “Come on, it’s time to go home.”
He got up and held out his hand to Tommy, pulling him to his feet. They pulled on their clothes and walked back to the car. Alli was sitting in the dirt beside the car when they got there, waiting for them. Her eyes were swollen from crying and she looked up worriedly when Adam stood over her.
She gave a loud sniff and told him miserably, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said.”
Adam gave her a gentle smile and held out a hand so she could take it. He pulled her to her feet and then into a tight hug, one of his hands cradling her head.
“I know baby girl,” he told her as he kissed the crown of her hair. “I know you didn’t.”
Allison started to sob, her head rested against his chest. Tommy came up to stand behind her and put his hand on her shoulder to let her know he was there. She looked up at him and told him, “I’m sorry, Tommy.”
Tommy smiled softly, “It’s okay, Alli. Don’t worry about it.”
Adam picked up the refrain and began stroked her hair over and over again. “It’ll be okay,” Adam told her. “It’s all going to be okay.”
Adam wasn’t sure if said it to reassure himself or Allison but she seemed to take some comfort from it. Alli wrapped her arms around Adam and hugged him back. She put her face back against his chest and gave a wet sniff but when Adam ruffled her hair she looked up at him and smiled tremulously.
Tommy said nothing more but once they’d climbed into the car but he held Alli’s hand in his for the whole drive back to the cave, not letting go for a minute. When they got home Tommy made a quick dinner that they all ate without speaking.
Adam kept avoiding eye contact with Tommy, well aware that he was making gestures indicating that Adam should at least try to make conversation with Alli. She wasn’t sullen but she wasn’t her former bubbly self; clearly self conscious about the things she’d said earlier. The words hung in the air like an elephant in the middle of the room.
When he was finished eating Adam retreated to his room, feeling ill at ease as well. He was on edge and threw himself on the bed to read while Tommy and Alli cleaned up after the meal. He could hear them talking but couldn’t make out what they were saying. He tried to read but he couldn’t concentrate on the words in front of him.
All he could think about was what Alli had said, no, threw at them, earlier and the conversation he’d had with Tommy afterwards. The thought of leaving the cave to find a colony, to chance losing either Alli or Tommy, left him panic stricken. Unfortunately there was only one alternative.
Adam loved Alli but he’d never desired her. He’d never wanted any woman for that matter. But what the fuck else could they do? They couldn’t expect Alli to remain a child forever. She was a young healthy woman. It wasn’t fair to pretend she wasn’t. He and Tommy had been fucking like bunnies of months and making her listen to the whole damn thing. No wonder she’d been so miserable. Adam was mortified. He shut his eyes and lay there with his unread book on his chest.
Tommy came in a few minutes later and Adam was pleased to see that he’d brought a bottle of Jack with him. Damn, he’d forgotten they had that; found at a house they’d combed through, forgotten in a pantry and left for years. He sat up immediately and smiled, holding out his hand.
“Liquid courage?” he asked before he took the bottle and took a mouthful of the amber liquid.
“Yeah, doctors orders,” Tommy agreed.
It had been so long since he’d had hard liquor that he coughed. He wiped the spilled liquid off his chin with the back of his hand.
“For fuck sake, don’t waste it,” Tommy scolded, retrieving the bottle so he could take an equally large swallow.
When he’d had one he put the bottle down beside the bed and told Adam,” I thought tonight would be a good night to break that out.”
“You’re not wrong,” Adam agreed. He fought the urge to grab the bottle and drink as much of it as he could down. No, he needed enough to calm his nerves, but he still needed a clear head.
Tommy took his hand and squeezed it. “Are you okay?” he asked.
Adam grimaced. “I don’t know how I feel. Nervous, I guess. Kind of like I’m on a first date,” he laughed.
Tommy laughed softly at that and then reached down and picked up the bottle again, took a drink and then passed it to Adam. “Here, have another one.”
Adam took another good size swallow, this time managing to keep it down, although it still made his eyes tear up. The alcohol was forming a warm ball in his stomach and starting to radiate pleasantly out through his limbs. It was definitely taking the edge off he realized thankfully. Adam gave the bottle back and then swung his legs over the side of the bed.
“What are you doing,” Tommy asked him.
“I was going to get Alli,” he told him.
Tommy shook his head. “I’ll go get her. You wait here.”
Adam watched Tommy leave the room and then reached down for one more swig of Jack. He pulled off his pants and t-shirt and then looked up slightly guiltily when Tommy came back with Alli at hand. She looked as nervous as Adam felt. She had on only one of the oversize t-shirts she usually slept in and clasped her hands across her chest while she stood just inside the room.
Seeing her worried expression was enough to prod Adam into action. He got up and walked slowly towards her if for no other reason than to comfort her. She watched Adam closely as he approached, chewing on her lip the whole while. Alli looked like she might either bolt from the room or start to cry.
Adam reached her and immediately pulled her into a hug and rested his face against her still damp hair. She smelled like shampoo and peppermint soap and she wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. Tommy slid over so that he was alongside and Adam let go with one arm so that he could encompass Tommy as well in his hug.
“I’m sorry baby,” Adam mumbled into her hair, getting only a soft sniff in reply.
Adam squeezed her arm. “I’m sorry I kept thinking of you as a little girl. You’re not anymore. You’re a beautiful woman now. I just wasn’t seeing it.”
She looked up at him and smiled unsurely. Tommy pulled away and sat on the edge of the bed so he could pull off his boots. He pulled his t-shirt up over his head and then stood so he could take off his jeans. Adam watched him as he weighed whether he should pull off his shorts but Tommy left them on for the time being. Adam smiled across at him.
He kissed Alli on the top of the head and murmured, “Come to bed. You belong here with us.”
She followed him without saying anything and made to climb onto the bed after Adam but Tommy stopped her and said, “Wait.”
He took the bottom of her t-shirt and pulled it gently up over her head so that she was naked. He kissed her gently on the cheek and guided her down into the bed. Alli lay beside Adam with one arm covering her breasts, looking intently into his eyes for any signs of rejections.
Adam smiled at her reassuringly. “You have to bear with me. This is kind of new to me,” he told her.
He put his hand on her cheek softly, stroking his thumb over her lips, before leaning in and kissing her gently. She kissed him back tentatively and Adam felt the bed dip as Tommy climbed on beside them. He put his hand on Allison’s shoulder and had her turn so she was lying on her back with one of them on each side of her.
Adam kissed her again, this time running his tongue along until she opened her lips to let him in. He smiled against her lips when he tasted Jack Daniels. Tommy must have given her a glass too to calm her nerves. Kissing Alli was so different than what he was used to; softer, more hesitant, and without the scrap of beard he had always been used to. But it wasn’t unpleasant and they continued to kiss lazily while Tommy kissed down the side of Alli’s neck.
Tommy slid lower and took one of Allison’s breasts in his mouth and she moaned. Adam slid his hand over the other one and gently ran his fingertips over the nipple until he could feel it beginning to peak. He slid down and took the nub in his mouth and swirled his tongue over it. Alli gasped and pulled his head harder against her chest.
Tommy slid up so that he could kiss her and while he did Adam took a moment to run his hand over Tommy’s cock, stroking him until he was erect. Tommy stopped kissing Alli so that he could lean in and kiss Adam, connecting with him while they both stroked Alli’s breasts until she began to squirm. Tommy took a moment to reach for a condom and they paused while he slipped it on. Thank Christ they had any, Adam thought.
Adam went back to kissing Alli deeply and Tommy slid his hand lower. Adam didn’t look to see what he was doing but he could hear wet noises and whatever it was, it was making Alli arch her back and gasp. Adam pulled away when he felt Tommy’s hand on his chin pulling him in for a sloppy kiss and then Tommy was guiding Alli onto her side so she had her back to Adam.
Adam wrapped his arms around her, stroking over her breasts and Tommy guided her leg up and over his hip so that he could slid in close. Adam kissed along her neck and Tommy leaned in and kissed her on the lips. Adam felt Alli shudder when Tommy slid inside her.
Tommy made love to her carefully, conscious that it was her first time, taking his time, not rushing the pace until he had her squirming and gasping at each thrust. Adam leaned around so that he could take over kissing her and she opened her mouth eagerly to welcome him. Before long they all had soft sheen of sweat on them and it wasn’t much longer before Alli came with a soft, surprised gasp.
Tommy pulled out immediately and he switched sides so that he and Adam were beside each other, lining up their cocks so that they could wrap them in their palms. Alli watched them lazily to see what they were doing and then added her hand to their actions. Adam was surprised at how hot it all was and came even before Tommy although the other man wasn’t too far behind.
The three of them lay there together recovering their breath until they began to chill in the cool air. Tommy slipped out of the bed and got a damp cloth. He carefully wiped Alli off while Adam held her and then dabbed the come off of Adam’s stomach and then his own. Then he tossed the cloth on the floor and pulled the blanket up over the three of them.
Alli tried to get out of the bed and go back to her room but Adam stopped her, telling her, “No, stay here.”
She’d smiled happily and climbed back in under the covers once she’d pulled her t-shirt back on. She’d looked once at Tommy and he’d nodded his agreement. Adam lay in bed with Alli on one side of him and Tommy on the other, both of them resting their heads on a shoulder. He felt more relaxed than he had in a long time. It wasn’t something he ever would have imagined but like Tommy had said, “Things were different now.”
It was going to be the three of them now. Adam was determined that they would make something that worked for all of them. Adam should have known, having always been an open-minded guy, that it was possible to find love in many different forms. Love is love.
************************************
Something woke Adam up in the middle of the night. Allison was nestled tightly against his side, her back to him, but Tommy’s side of the bed was empty. When Adam dragged his hand along the sheet he realized it was cold. Tommy had been out of bed for a while. Adam’s brow furrowed; that was odd. He gently slid his arm up from under Alli and slid out of bed to see where Tommy was.
Adam padded through the cave looking in one room after another until he finally found the other man in the storage room. He was sitting on a stool and was bent over the workbench. He looked up guiltily when he heard Adam come in.
“What are you doing?” Adam asked him, although he didn’t need the answer.
He could see exactly what Tommy was damn well doing. He had the radio set up on the bench and had attached a battery to it. Although the volume was turned down low Adam could hear the crackle of static coming from it. Tommy obviously had the thing in working order.
Tommy shrugged. He turned it off and swiveled around on the stool so that he was facing Adam, but he kept his eyes down. He put his hands in his lap but couldn’t keep them still. His fingers twisted together nervously while he thought about what he wanted to say. Finally he looked back up at Adam.
“I got the radio working,” he told him.
“I can see that.”
Adam struggled to keep the anger out of his voice but couldn’t. He was furious.
“Damn it, Tommy,” he seethed. “You fucking know I don’t want to go find that fucking colony.”
“Adam--” Tommy started helplessly.
“No. No fucking way,” Adam told him. “We’re not going anywhere. We all agreed. What the hell is wrong with you?”
He didn’t know what was worse, the fact that Tommy had acted against his wishes or that he was sneaking around and doing it behind his fucking back. In either case he felt like grabbing Tommy and shaking the ever-loving shit out of him.
Tommy shook his head and then just chewed on his lip. He looked miserable.
Finally he looked up at Adam and told him, “Alli’s pregnant.”
Adam stared at him in shock as the bottom dropped out of his stomach. His insides turned to ice as those two little words turned his whole, about as safe as it gets, world got turned upside down.
“How the fuck did that happen?” he demanded.
Tommy shrugged nervously and chewed on his thumbnail. “The usual way, I guess,” struggling to keep it light.
“That’s not funny. Tommy.”
Tommy looked at him earnestly. “Adam, I’m not laughing.”
He reached out to take Adam’s hand, but Adam pulled it out of reach and tucked it under his other arm. When Tommy down off his stool and tried to get closer Adam backed away from him, his eyes flashing in anger. He couldn’t remember every being so pissed off.
“Damm it, Tommy. We talked about this shit. You’ve been using condoms. I’ve seen you. What the hell happened?”
Tommy wrapped his arms around himself and looked down, gnawing on his lower lip again while he gathered his words.
“We ran out for a bit, remember?” he started, but then stopped when Adam looked like he was going to go for him. He held up his hands helplessly. “You were there too. But I pulled out, remember? I thought it would be okay. It was only the one time.”
“Fuck,” Adam sighed.
He remembered the night in question. Tommy had been reluctant at first but Alli had been persistent and demanding and Adam hadn’t intervened when he could have. They’d obviously underestimated the fertility and sheer horniness of a woman Alli’s age. He was as much to blame as Tommy. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration and thought about the last few weeks.
Alli had been feeling tired and they’d both worried about her. She’d also gone off eating meat, saying she couldn’t stand the smell of it cooking. One morning Adam had found her throwing up in the latrine. She’d told him she’d eaten something bad and he’d let it go. The baggy clothes, eating weird things, the signs had all been there. He just hadn’t put them together.
He felt all the anger drain away and slid to the floor where he sat with his legs crossed, his arms wrapped around his knees. Now that he wasn’t pissed off at Tommy he was panic stricken, paralyzed with fear.
“How far along is she,” he asked.
Tommy chewed on his lip again. “About five months.”
“Jesus, Tommy,” Adam snapped. “When were you going to fucking tell me?”
“I wanted to. I did. But we thought, I thought, we should wait until after the first trimester in case.....” Tommy trailed off, chewing on his thumb nail once more.
“In case what?”
Tommy sighed. “In case she lost it. It’s pretty common,” Tommy told him. “Especially now. The doc my family was travelling with thinks it’s got something to do with the environment and shit.”
“So she could still....”
Tommy scrubbed his hand over his face. “I guess so,” Tommy admitted. “But it’s not nearly as likely now that she’s made it this far.”
Adam stared at the floor in front of him and then finally back up at Tommy. He still had his arms wrapped tightly around himself, holding everything in, determinedly holding himself together. When Adam finally made eye contact Tommy stepped forward again. He saw down cross-legged in front of Adam and reached for one of Adam’s hands. This time he let Tommy take it, let him twine their fingers together.
“She’s really scared, Adam. We’ve both been scared to tell you.”
Adam snorted. No doubt. He shook his head in disbelief. This was a situation he had never imagined being in. The two of them weren’t the only ones who were scared. Adam was shit scared himself, especially when he saw the frightened expression on Tommy’s face. He looked like he was close to tears.
When Tommy spoke his voice was brittle. “Adam, we need to find other people. We can’t do this on our own.”
Adam looked at him and shook his head. “Yes, we could. You could do it. You know about that medical stuff. I could help.”
Even as he said it Adam realized it wasn’t true. Tommy was right. They had to find a colony, somewhere there were doctors and medical care. Adam knew enough about childbirth to know it could be a risky proposition. There was no option. They would have to leave even though the thought of giving up the security of the cave made him feel sick. Staying on and possibly losing Alli was more than Adam could contemplate.
Adam watched dumbly as Tommy shook his head no, echoing his thoughts. He stared ahead, running alternatives over in his mind, not seeing Tommy. Adam pushed down the panic by taking long, slow, deep breaths, consciously trying to relax, to get control of thoughts. Finally, he nodded numbly, his decision made.
“Okay,” he rasped, clearing his throat. “We’ll go.”
Tommy let out a sigh and squeezed his hand. “It’ll be okay,” he told Adam, although he didn’t sound very certain.
Adam pulled Tommy’s hand up to his lips and kissed it. “Yeah, I’ll be okay,” he agreed. So you think you can contact the colony with that radio?”
“Yeah. I think so. I’ve already heard people on it.”
“Alright,” Adam mused, trying to get his head around the idea.
“When?” he rasped. “How soon should we leave?” His throat was so tight he could barely talk.
Tommy chewed down another nail. “Right away. As soon as we can get ready. In case it takes a while.”
The two of them looked up when Alli came into the room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She looked suspiciously from one of them to the other.
“You told him,” she said flatly.
Tommy only nodded. Adam held his hand out to her, gesturing for her to come to him.
“It’s okay, baby,” he told her. “Come here.”
Allison walked towards him and then sat down beside Tommy without saying anything, only studying his face.
“I’m so sorry, Adam,” she told him quietly, looking broken.
“No, Alli. It’s not your fault. It’s not anyone’s fault,” Adam told her. He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her protectively. Tommy slid in closer and put an arm around both of them too.
“We’ll figure this out. It will be fine,” he reassured her, breathing in the sweet shampoo smell of her hair. “Are you okay?”
Alli nodded nervously. “Yeah. I guess so.”
“Good,” Adam nodded. He laughed when he heard her stomach growl loudly.
“Hungry?”
“Always,” Allison smiled. “I’m starving.”
“Okay, let’s go get some breakfast. We’ve got a lot of stuff to do.”
Two weeks later they were ready to go. Tommy was as good as his word. He’d contacted the colony as soon as he’d tried and got the coordinates they needed. They packed as many supplies as they could into the car, as well as sleeping bags and a tent.
It was the hardest thing Adam had ever done to leave the cave but he knew he had to do it. The three of them stood hand in hand beside the car and had one last look at their home before setting out. When he got in the car Adam set his eyes forward and never looked back. It was time to move on.
***********************************
Epilogue:
Adam couldn’t believe the difference a year made. He sat in the shade in a rocking chair they’d found for the front porch of the beach shack. He was holding baby Dia, letting her doze naked in the sweltering heat while Tommy helped Alli down to the beach for a swim. She was heavily pregnant with their second child, due within the next couple weeks according to the midwife.
The colony didn’t have much, just the basics, but there were fish from the sea, and everyone was learning to garden. There was water and grass for the sheep and cows and even horses the colonists had managed to capture. Each family had a rustic home near the beach and they all watched out for each other. There were more people turning up every week as word got out that there was somewhere to go.
Adam looked up from the sleeping baby when he heard Alli laughing. Tommy had her by the elbow, helping her up the steps to the veranda. Her belly was so big she couldn’t see where she was putting her feet. She waddled over to Adam and looked down at Dia.
“She being good?” she asked.
“She’s been sleeping ever since you gave her to me. But I bet she’ll want something to eat before long.”
Alli rolled her eyes at that. It was one thing she wasn’t used to yet, the constant feedings. A second later she put her hand up on her belly and then took Adam’s free hand and rested it where she’d felt the movement.
“It’s moving like crazy. This one must be a dancer.”
“Or a singer,” Tommy offered. “Some kind of hyperactive motherfucker anyway.”
Adam had felt the wild movements, they all had, lying in bed at night. And although the first baby was undoubtedly Tommy’s, this one could just as easily be his. The pregnancy felt completely different, Alli had told them, so she was sure it was. Only time would tell.
Dia started to wake, fusing as soon as she saw her mother and Alli leaned down and took her from Adam. He got up so that she could have the chair and stood with his arm around Tommy and then put the other hand on the small pot belly Tommy was growing.
“Fuck off, you asshole,” Tommy laughed, half heartedly pushing Adam’s hand away.
He was putting on a bit of weight, no longer as gaunt as when they’d first met and Adam loved it. He liked having something to hold onto he told Tommy. Tommy wasn’t quite so sure about it.
Alli looked up at them and smiled while the baby nursed contentedly. They didn’t have a lot, only the bare necessities. Like they often said, everything was different now. What they did have was each other, and the babies, and that was enough. For the first time in years that Adam felt like he had a future.
The end