** HAPPY NEW YEAR, Y'ALL!!! May God bless you in 2018 !!!

*****

"So, do you plan on telling the others?" Austin asks as he pulls out of the hug.

"Not right now." Tim answers shaking his head as he dries his tears. "I will eventually."

"Thank you for telling me. I know it had to be hard." Austin says.

"It was." Tim nods and then smiles. "But you kept sticking your nose into my business."

"Hey. That's what I'm good at." Austin chuckles.

"Guys? Nate told me that there is a huge festival going on in town." Chris says as he enters the room. "He said there was a carnival, a huge flea market and even a band playing. Y'all wanna go?"

"That sounds like fun." Adam smiles. "It'll be good just to get out and enjoy ourselves."

"But .. But it will be really crowded." Tim says in a nervous tone.

"Please, Sweetie." Adam pleads. "Besides, it will do you good to get out of the house for awhile."

"Alright. If you really want to go." Tim nods.

"We'll have fun. You'll see." Adam smiles as he kisses Tim's cheek.

"You sure you don't want to take Satchmo or your cane?" Adam asks as they all load into the van.

"I'm sure. I was kinda hoping you'd be my seeing-eye person." Tim smiles.

"Gladly." Adam chuckles as he takes a seat beside the blind man.

"Dang, this place is packed." Austin comments as Chris desperately tries to find a parking place for the van.

"Really?" Tim replies as he nervously rubs his hands on his legs.

"How the heck am I suppose to get through that crowd?" Rob asks.

"Don't worry, we'll get you through." Chris says as he finally finds a place to park.

"Gees, it's loud." Tim says as they unload from the van. He quickly grabs Adam's bicep tightly.

"Relax, okay?" Adam chuckles as he pats on Tim's hand. "You're cutting off the circulation."

"Sorry. Big crowds makes me nervous." Tim says as he loosens the grip on Adam's arm.

"You'll be fine. I'm right here." Adam smiles.

"Maybe this wasn't such a great idea." Nate chuckles as they have a hard time maneuvering Rob through the crowded flea market.

The only ones that wasn't having any problems getting through the crowd was Austin and Chance.

"Sorry." Tim says to someone that he accidentally bumps into. "My shoulder will be black and blue by the time this is through."

Suddenly, a force hits Tim in the shoulder like a brick actually knocking him back a few steps.

"Oww." Tim groans as he turns loose of Adam to grab his aching shoulder.

"Watch where you're going!" A big burly man says over his shoulder as he continues to walk on.

"Tim?" Adam says as he turns around when he feels Tim's hand quickly pull away from his arm.

The crowd sees the opening and begin to squeeze through, separating the two.

"Adam?" Tim calls out as panic sets in.

All he could hear was loud talking and music blaring. People continue to bump into him, pushing him back widening the gap between him and Adam.

"GUYS! WAIT!!" Adam yells to the others in panic. "I'VE LOST TIM!!"

"ADAM!!" Tim yells out as his breathing quickens. He backs into what feels like a garbage can, grabbing on to the rim to keep from getting pushed further away. "Oh, my God. What do I do?" He whispers to himself.

"Excuse me." Adam says as he pushes through the crowd, trying to spot his boyfriend. "EXCUSE ME!"

Chris and Nate pushed Rob over next to a booth out of the traffic of people. Austin and Chance had walked on ahead.

"You guys go find Tim, we'll be alright." Nate says as he and Rob gets to a safe place.

Chris hurries to catch up with his brother.

"Sir? Are you alright." A female voice speaks as she gently lays her hand on Tim's arm.

Tim jumps slightly but shakes his head no. He's busy trying to calm his breathing.

"I can't ... I got separated from my boyfriend. I'm blind and .. God, this noise." Tim says, covering his ears.

"It's alright. Don't panic, we'll find him." The lady says rubbing him gently on the arm. "Can you describe him? The best you can?"

"Uh, he's about my height. Has long hair, he said it was blond. Ummm, he should be wearing a bandanna." Tim tells her. "His name is Adam."

"Hmm, sounds kinda like someone I know. Adam Rupp." The lady smiles.

"You know Adam?" Tim asks with a confused look.

"He's your boyfriend? Oh, my gosh. Yes, I know Adam and Chris, both. My mom and their mom are best friends." The lady grins. "My name is Kelsey."

"I'm Tim." Tim replies. "So, can you help me find him? Please?"

"Sure will." She smiles as she takes him by the hand. "It's been about a year since I've seen the Rupp brothers."

She calls over her shoulder as she leads Tim through the crowd.

She smiles as she spots the brothers in the distance looking around at the crowd trying to get a glimpse of Tim.

"Uh, excuse me, Sir." Kelsey says as she taps Adam on the shoulder. "Did you lose something or should I say, someone?"

Adam turns around, his eyes seeing a familiar face.

"Kelsey? TIM!!" Adam screams out as he throws his arms around Tim's neck.

"Oh, God. Adam, I was so scared." Tim says as he hung tightly onto his lover.

"Kelsey? How the heck are you?" Chris smiles as he hugs her.

"Oh, I can't complain I don't guess." Kelsey smiles as Chris hugs her. "Where is that cute boyfriend of your's. Y'all still together?"

"Yeah, he's here." Chris nods.

Kelsey smiles as she sees Adam kisses and talking softly to Tim to try to calm his nerves.

"But I must say, Adam, you have a cutie too." She smiles.

"I think so." Adam smiles as he takes Tim's hand and kisses it. "Thanks, Kel, for helping him."

"No problem. He looked as if he needed it." She giggles.

"Yeah, thanks." Tim smiles. 

"Kelsey, I know Nate would be happy to see you. He's just right up here at a booth." Chris says.

"Lead the way." Kelsey says with a smile.

They start making their way back through the crowd. Adam hung tightly to Tim's hand, making sure they didn't get separated.

Austin and Chance had made their way back when they realized the others were not following them. They had found Nate and Rob and were waiting patiently to see if Tim had been found.

"Hey, guys." Chris says as the reach the booth.

"I see the found the runaway." Rob chuckles.

"Actually, she found him." Adam smiles as he points to Kelsey.

"Kelsey?" Nate smiles.

"Hey, stranger." Kelsey smiles as Nate hugs her.

"So. Chris, Adam, are you going to introduce me to your friends?" She asks, smiling sweetly at Rob.

********

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