The Dangers of Desire

Author's Note: Thanks all for the ongoing feedback on the series. As always I love to hear what you think so feel free to email me at matterotica@hotmail.co.uk

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The Dangers of Desire

Chapter 20

by Matt

Sam was virtually catatonic, continuing to stare at the computer screen long after Warren's video had ended. He could hear yelling, but it felt like it was in the distance even though he knew they were all right behind him. He couldn't believe what he had just seen. Warren was... saying goodbye. He could feel tears running down his cheeks as someone grabbed his shoulder. He remained still, not even looking at who it was.

"... got to... Warren... anywhere..." Sam only picked up odd words before he got shaken again, this time stirring him enough to bring him partially out of his daze.

"Come on Sam, snap out of it. We've got to go and look for Warren, he could be anywhere!" Greg yelled at his friend.

"He... he... wouldn't, would he?" Sam mumbled.

"He might, so snap the fuck out of it!" Greg shouted.

Sam looked round and saw Dale, Josh and Nick arguing behind them.

"Forget them, we're going." Greg insisted, dragging Sam out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Nick called out, seeing the two younger boys leaving.

"You can stand there yelling at each other about who did what to who, but I'm going to find Warren!" Greg shouted back, already half way down the stairs.

By the time he got outside, still pulling Sam along with him, the other three had followed.

"You're right, we need to go." Dale said. He had turned almost ghostly pale. "Me and Josh can drive round, you three split up, call if you find him!"

Josh jumped in his car and pulled out of the driveway, turning left. Nick ran off down the driveway, with Sam and Greg close behind.

"I know Dale said split up, but... but please... please can I stay with you?" Sam stuttered as they walked.

Greg stopped and looked at the boy. He was shaking, his cheeks still wet with tears. Greg pulled him into a hug and whispered, "We're gonna find him. He's going to be okay!"

Dale just kept on driving, peering down every side street, slowing as he passed every person, hoping desperately to spot Warren. He had no idea where his little brother might actually go. Back before everything had gone to hell, any time the boy was upset he would have gone to Dale, or Nick, or Josh and if not them, then at least Corey or Sam. Now though, every one of them had betrayed, hurt or lied to him.

"Corey!" Dale suddenly exclaimed, cursing himself for not thinking of it sooner. He pressed the button on the steering wheel to activate the voice control on his phone and said as firmly as he could manage, "Call Corey."

The number dialled a few seconds later and a voice answered instantly. "Hey, you've reached Corey, I'm far too busy being cool and popular to answer my phone right now, so leave a message and I might get back to you!"

"Fuck." Dale muttered, pressing the button to hang up. "Come on Warren, where are you?"

After driving for a few more minutes, his phone rang. He almost swerved off the road in his rush to answer it. "Warren?" he asked immediately.

"No, it's me." Liam's voice came over the speaker. "What's going on?"

"It's... it's Warren...." was all he could manage to say.

"What? What about him?" Liam demanded.

"I can't talk now, he might call." Dale said and hung up. He felt momentarily bad for leaving Liam with no information, but at that moment Warren was the priority. He should have been the priority all along. He sat there cursing himself for letting some petty grudge come between him and his brother.

Sam looked round nervously as they walked around the lake, straining to try and see across to the opposite side in the twilight. "Come on." he complained. "He's not going to be here!"

"He might!" Greg snapped back. "I remember him mentioning this place a lot back when things first started with Josh and the others."

Sam stared at the water as they walked. "You don't think he'd try to..." he started, but couldn't bring himself to actually say it.

Greg looked at him, saw where he was looking and shook his head. "No, stop thinking like that, he's not going to do anything."

"Wait, do you hear that?" Sam said, stopping and grabbing Greg to make him do the same.

As they stopped and listened, they could just make out faint voices. With the way the sound carried and echoed across the lake, it was hard to tell where it was coming from.

Greg looked around and said, "I think it's round there!" He pointed to the bend ahead of them. The path curved round, disappearing from view behind the trees lining it.

The two boys burst into a sprint, reaching the corner in seconds and stopping dead in their tracks as they saw Corey sitting on a bench... accompanied by Warren!

"Warren!" they called out in unison as they saw him.

Warren and Corey both stared, surprised to see anybody else considering the park was now closed, and even more surprised that it was people they knew.

"What are you doing here?" Corey asked as they ran closer.

"Looking for Warren. We all are." Sam explained.

"All... who?" Corey asked, frowning. He knew Warren was upset, that was why he had gone to find him after football practice, but he didn't think it justified an all-out search party.

"Josh, Dale and Nick." Greg replied, suddenly looking a little wobbly.

Corey looked at the two new arrivals, confused by the nervous way they were staring at Warren. "Guys, what's going on?"

"Warren, we found the video!" Greg said accusingly.

Warren stared back, his previous expression of disdain for his two friends quickly replaced by fear.

Corey looked round again, completely lost. "What video? Will someone please tell me what's going on!"

"Warren recorded a video, it was... it was..." Greg stuttered.

"It was a suicide note, okay!" Warren snapped angrily.

Corey stared at him. "Wait, is that... is that what you were doing when I found you?" he asked shakily. After football practice, Corey had confessed to Sam what he had accidentally revealed to Warren. The boy had freaked out and ran straight off to find his friend, leaving Corey more than a little confused.

With his phone battery dead, he had been unable to contact anyone to see what was happening so had instead opted to go straight to Warren's house to find him. When he got there, he had let himself in as had become habit over the years of visiting the Spencer household and went up to Warren's room. When he walked in, Warren had been sat at his computer, in tears.

Warren nodded at Corey's question.

"Wait, so if I hadn't come along right then, you'd...." Corey said, his voice trailing off as he considered what might have happened. "You... you..." His expression cycled through shock, confusion, disbelief and finally settled on anger. "You absolute... fucking IDIOT!" he screamed.

Corey lunged at Warren, punching him. Sam and Greg immediately jumped in to hold him back.

"You fucking idiot." Corey yelled again. "How the fuck could you even consider something like that!"

Warren was cowering from the boy's attack. Shakily he replied, "I had nothing left! I couldn't... take any more."

"I don't give a fuck!" Corey screamed, subconsciously reaching up the necklace hanging round his neck. "Did you even consider anyone else? What if I'd come later? What if I'd walked in and found you dead? Did you even think about that?"

"Hey, Corey, calm down." Greg said, rubbing the boy's back. He understood exactly why Corey was acting that way. The young teen had already been haunted by nightmares from finding one friend near-death, so the thought of potentially finding another must have been particularly difficult.

"I..." Corey started, but stopped himself saying more, squeezing his lips tightly together as he leaned against Greg.

"I'm sorry." Warren whimpered. "I didn't know what else to do. I know you've been struggling and I didn't want to pile any more on you, and everyone else I care about..." Warren paused, taking a few deep breaths, overtaken by another wave of anger. "Everyone else... betrayed me!" He stared angrily back and forth between Greg and Sam.

Greg looked confused. He knew exactly why Warren was mad at him, but his furious rage at Sam didn't seem to make any sense at all.

"We... we should call the others, let them know we found you." Sam stuttered nervously.

"I'll do it. I have all their numbers." Greg said, frowning again as the comment seemed to get Sam more angry glares.

As Greg walked away, he gave Corey a final squeeze on the shoulder, getting a weak smile in response.

"We should go." Corey said quietly. "If they've all been looking for you, they'll want to see you're okay."

Warren shook his head. "What, just so they can feel a bit less guilty about fucking me over?"

Corey sighed. His fury at discovering what Warren had been planning was beginning to fade and his rational mind was taking over again. Warren had explained to him everything that the others had done and, honestly, he could understand why the boy was so annoyed and upset, but he knew better than anyone that bottling it up would just hurt in the end, so he had spent the last hour trying to encourage him to talk to the others.

"Come on." Corey said. "You know they love you, we all do."

"Doesn't feel like it." Warren scowled.

Corey sighed again. "Do you realise what you've put them through?" he demanded.

"Yeah well maybe they deserve to suffer!" Warren snapped angrily, folding his arms in front of him.

"You..." Corey started, but had to pause again to keep his temper under control. He took a few deep breaths and continued. "I get... that they've hurt you, but think about how they feel right now. So your ex is with your best friend, so Josh is with someone else, I can get how much that hurts, but they think you're dead! Do you get that? Do you honestly think they deserve that?"

Warren's expression softened a little. "I... I guess not." He sighed, then stood. "Come on then."

Greg walked back over to them as Corey stood up too. "I let them all know you're okay. They're gonna meet us back at your place."

Corey's words were just starting to sink in, making Warren flinch a little at the thought of seeing them. "They don't... they don't have to wait for me."

Corey could tell exactly what the problem was and called him on it right away. "No. You're gonna face them. This shit's gone on long enough. They hurt you, you hurt them... I've had enough. This stuff is getting sorted!" He marched off ahead of the others, leaving Warren to walk awkwardly alongside his two friends.

By the time the four boys got back to Warren's house, nobody had said a single word. Corey was still leading the group, seething and scowling. As he turned into Warren's driveway, he saw Josh, Dale and Nick waiting for them.

"Is he..." Dale started.

"Behind me!" Corey barked, then marched past the three of them into the house.

Nick and Dale just looked at each other and shrugged at Corey's behaviour, then turned their attention to the three boys who appeared a few moments later.

Warren stopped as he saw them. Aside from anything else he may have been feeling, it was strange just to see the three of them together. The time he had spent with the three of them over the last couple of years had been the happiest of his life. His brother, his boyfriend and his lover. But then Dale had ignored him, Nick had acted like their relationship had never happened and Josh had spurned him for someone else. Right then though, it didn't matter.

The three of them charged at the boy. First Dale wrapped his arms around him, then Josh joined them on one side and Nick on the other, the boy ending up surrounded by the three bodies.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Warren sobbed, wanting them all to hold him like that forever.

"It's okay Warren, it's okay now." Dale whispered back to him, gently kissing the top of his head.

Nick and Josh finally let go, but Warren remained holding on tightly to Dale. The elder sibling picked up the boy, carrying him into the house as everyone else followed.

They headed into the lounge, where Corey was already sitting, arms folded, face screwed up in anger.

"What's up with you?" Nick asked his little brother.

Dale sat on the sofa with Warren still refusing to let go while everyone else gingerly took seats around the room.

"He's pissed." Greg said quietly. "At all of us."

"What!" Nick said, frowning. "What's he got to be pissed about?"

"Ha!" Corey blurted out in response. "What have I got to be pissed about? That!" He pointed at Warren.

Everyone looked round then back at the angry teen, looking a mixture of confused over his rage and guilty over the state Warren was in.

"The people I love most on the world are all here in this room, and all you seem to want to do is fuck each other over. I mean, seriously, it's just one thing after another with you lot and look where it's lead you all. Brothers ignoring each other, relationships torn apart, friends falling out, suicide... I mean.... fucking suicide! And why? Because none of you can keep it in your pants for more than five minutes!" Corey ranted. His tone was sharp and accusatory, and as annoyed as everyone looked at being yelled at, not one of them could disagree with him.

"Come on Corey, you're being a bit harsh." Josh said, frowning at his little brother.

"Yeah, and I don't think this is what Warren needs to hear right now." Dale added, running a hand through Warren's hair, brushing it away from his face.

"No, he's right." Warren said, finally breaking his silence. He let go of Dale and turned to face the room, wiping his eyes. He looked to Corey, smiled weakly and nodded.

"Okay then. Let's... let's just lay it all out there. Now stop me if I've got any of this wrong." Corey said. He got up and started pacing around the room. "So Warren was cheating on Nick with Josh, while Josh was cheating on Dale with Warren. That all comes out and because of that, Nick refused to talk to Josh, while Dale pretty much took off and ignored us all." He looked from person to person as he went through it.

"Okay, so what next? Hey, let's throw me into this too, just so you don't think I'm only picking the bits I want. My brothers, all FOUR of them..." he said, looking first at Josh and Nick, then to Dale and Warren, making it clear that he still felt that same brotherly connection to them. "... were so caught up in all their drama, that they didn't even notice that I needed them, at least, not until I turned up on my own doorstep, blind drunk, calling out Nick. Turns out I have a bit of a drinking problem, so ya know... thanks for that guys!"

"Corey, I didn't..." Dale started, but paused as Corey raised a hand to silence him.

"Oh I'm SO far from done." Corey snapped. "So while I'm drinking myself into oblivion, Nick and Greg are busy falling in love. Now considering they both know the harm that secret relationships can cause, obviously they wouldn't then go and keep it a secret would they? Oh, what do you know... they do! Then they're stupid enough to go and get caught by the person who the relationship would hurt the most." Corey stared at Greg and Nick who were sat side-by-side. "Really nice move guys, you're meant to be Warren's friends."

"Warren, we're so sorry." Greg said shakily.

"NOT DONE!" Corey yelled. He turned to his oldest brother. "Then there's Josh. Where do I start with you?" He paused, shaking his head as Josh seemed to shrink into his seat. "So you cheated on your boyfriend with his brother, until that went to hell, then you tell Warren that you don't want to be together because you want Dale back and can't do that if you're seeing someone else.... then you go and start sleeping with his BEST FRIEND! Then you go and get yourself some ridiculous, mysterious master because God forbid you actually handle being a sub like a normal person. Then you get so caught up in all of that that you don't even notice when your little brother is coming to you for help! I'm sorry Josh, but there's no other way to put this other than... you're a cunt! A twisted, selfish, inconsiderate cunt!"

"HEY!" Josh yelled back at him.

Nick smirked. "Sounds about right to me!"

"Hey, don't you start!" Corey snapped at Nick, pointing accusingly. "I get that what Josh did to you was wrong, but it was YOUR choice to completely cut him out of your life with absolutely no consideration of what that would do to me, or Mum, or Dad!"

Nick lowered his head in shame.

"Speaking of which... sound familiar?" Corey said, turning his angry gaze on Dale. "How old are you Dale, twenty-two now isn't it? A bit old to be giving someone the silent treatment, especially your own little brother. And I know I've not exactly been round here much, but I can guess that it's not been much fun for your parents either!"

Corey continued pacing, thinking as he looked from person to person. Finally he looked back at Warren. "And you. I know we've never been as close as you were to Josh or Nick, but I thought we were brothers, Warren. How could you? Even if you were mad at everyone here, how could you even consider doing that to me?"

"I... I..." Warren stuttered, feeling Dale's arms tighten slightly around him. It was a great comfort to feel the security of being close to Dale again, but he still couldn't answer the boy.

"Wait a minute..." Corey said as he looked round at the final member of the group, the one person he had yet to pick on – Sam! He looked at the boy, then back to Warren, frowning. "You... you're mad at Sam too, but.... why?"

Warren looked across at his best friend, eyes narrowing angrily. He took a deep breath and began, "It started about a week after the argument..."

Saturday 7th February 2015

Warren stood on the sidelines as Sam ran round the pitch. The match was nearly over and Sam's team was losing. Corey had been playing far from his best and it was having an affect on the rest of the team too, explaining the current score. Warren had hoped that Josh would be there as normal, but he hadn't turned up.

When the match was over, Sam and Corey both made their way over to him. "Good match." Warren said flatly.

Sam just frowned. It was obvious to everyone it had been far from good.

"Thanks." Corey sighed, not really paying attention.

"Hey... erm... have you seen Josh?" Warren asked nervously. It had been three days since Warren had spoken to him and it had not exactly been a pleasant conversation.

"Yeah, went to see him, but I needn't have bothered. He won't even get out of bed. Total hermit." Corey explained. He sighed again. "I'm gonna get going." Without another word, the boy ran off.

"Fuck, you guys are depressing." Sam said, half-joking.

Warren shrugged. "Sorry. I just... I wish I could do more to help Josh."

"Why are you even bothered?" Sam asked with a frown. "I mean... he said he doesn't want to be with you any more, so fuck him!"

"It's not that easy. I still love him. I hate to think of him like that. I just wish I could.... I dunno, snap him out of it." Warren explained as they started walking home. They remained in silence for a few moments until Warren's eyes widened. He turned to Sam, grinning. "Hey, does Josh have your number?"

"No, why?" Sam asked, confused.

"This is perfect. Gimme your phone!" Warren demanded excitedly.

Sam handed his phone over and watched as Warren typed in Josh's number and sent a quick message. [What are you doing?]

"What are YOU doing?" Sam asked, mirroring the message he had just seen Warren type.

"I'm helping him!" Warren said with a grin. After a couple of minutes he sent another message.

[I asked you a question Josh, don't ignore me!]

Sam's phone beeped and a message popped up. [Who is this?]

[I'm the one asking questions, fag. Now, what are you doing?] Warren sent back, sniggering.

"Fuck, Warren, a bit harsh isn't it!" Sam said as he watched the text conversation proceeding on his phone.

"Not really. He's totally into this sorta thing. Believe me, it'll get his attention." Warren chuckled.

[I'm laying in bed.] Josh replied.

[What are you wearing, fag?] Warren sent.

[Just underwear.] Josh sent back.

Warren and Sam both laughed as Warren sent back, [Show me!]

Josh's reply was pretty much exactly what they had expected. [I don't even know who you are, I'm not going to start sending you pictures.]

"Time to get harsh!" Warren said with a wicked grin. [Yes you are. You're going to take a picture of yourself, fag, and send it to me RIGHT NOW! I know that you want to obey my orders because you are a pathetic little fag. Now do as I tell you!] The two resumed walking as they awaited the next reply.

"Oh my God, he did it!" Warren said, turning the phone to show Sam the picture. He typed out his reply. [Good boy. You're off to a good start.]

[Who are you?] Josh asked again.

Warren sent his next message. [You know who I am. That's why you're doing what I tell you. That's why you're going to keep doing what I tell you. Now, say my name!]

The phone beeped again as a message came back. "We've got him!" Warren said excitedly. "We've totally got him!" He turned the phone to show Sam again. This time just a single word from Josh. [Master]

[Good boy. Now it's time to get out of bed!] Warren ordered, smiling at the success of his plot.

Wednesday 11th February 2015

Warren and Sam were chatting on Skype. They had spent some time together after school, most of which had involved sending a series of orders to Josh, a mix of both sexual dares and general instructions to try and get him back into a normal routine. It was still Warren's intention to use this fictional 'master' to help Josh. The sexual aspect was simply a cover to avoid arousing his suspicions.

"I can't believe how easily he just started following our orders." Sam said, still surprised.

"Yeah, he's really a total sub." Warren sniggered. "But it served its purpose. He's back at work, he's doing his usual daily stuff, I think we can call it a success."

"Wait, so that's it? We just stop now?" Sam asked, a little disappointed.

"Yeah, I think that's enough." Warren said.

"Aww, okay." Sam pouted.

Warren stared at his friend's face on the computer screen for a moment. He knew that look. "I mean it Sam, no more. Promise me!" He demanded.

Sam sighed. "Fine. I promise. I'll leave him alone now."

"Thanks." Warren said, smiling. "Hey, you wanna go to the hospital and see Greg before school tomorrow? It'll be a nice surprise for him."

"Yeah." Sam said, smiling at the idea. "That'd be good. Although if I've gotta be up early, I should be getting to bed."

"Yeah, me too I suppose. I'll text you in the morning. Night." Warren said.

"Night." Sam replied, then ended the video call.

"As far as I knew, that was the end of it." Warren concluded his story. "But when Corey mentioned it, I knew straight away it had to be Sam, which means.... you lied to me!" He glared at Sam angrily. "And you've been lying to me all this time. You know I still love him, but you turned him into your... pathetic plaything."

"Hey!" Josh complained again at the slight insult, before realising his attention shouldn't be on Warren, it should be on Sam. "So... it's you?" He stared at the boy.

Sam looked terrified. Between Warren's anger, Josh's expression and the multitude of dirty looks he was getting from the others, he didn't know what to do. He just sat there, trembling and silent.

After silence had lingered in the air for what felt like hours (although it was just seconds) Corey finally concluded his rant. "So I guess that's it. That's what you've all done, now the question is... what are you going to do about it?" He asked, finally sitting back down.

The room once again filled with silence, supported by a lot of blank looks.

"Nothing!" Dale said. "At least not tonight, anyway." He slid Warren off his lap and stood up, then looked to Josh. "Would you mind taking everyone else home? I think... I think dealing with this tonight with tempers so high probably isn't the best idea. I'm gonna stay here with Warren. I think we need to talk anyway."

"Sure, no problem." Josh said, nodding as he stood. "Let's go guys." He walked over to the sofa, leaned down and put his arms around Warren. "I'm glad you're alright, we'll talk soon, okay?"

Warren nodded at Josh as he let go. Corey, Nick, Greg and Sam all took it in turns to say goodbye to the boy next as Josh found himself stood in front of Dale.

"Maybe... we can talk too... some time?" Josh asked tentatively.

Dale smiled, pulled Josh into a hug then kissed him on the cheek. "Yeah, that'd be good. Despite the circumstances... it was nice to see you."

Josh smiled back. "You too." Still smiling, he lead the four boys out of the house and piled into his car.

Dale closed the front door behind them and headed back into the lounge and sighed as he saw Warren staring back at him.

"Dale..." the boy started weakly.

"No, don't." Dale said softly, stepping across the room to sit beside him. "What you did, with Josh... it hurt me. I mean, it really, really hurt me." He could see Warren was close to tears once again so he reached across and brushed the hair out of his face again. "Hey, I'm not saying this to make you feel bad, I'm just trying to explain what's been going on in my head."

"I know." Warren sniffed. "I'm just... glad you're talking to me again."

Dale nodded gently. "Yeah, and that's what I need to apologise for."

"No." Warren insisted, shaking his head vigorously. "You don't have to apologise for anything."

"I really do. Corey may have worded it a little harshly, but he wasn't wrong. I never should have just cut you out entirely. It was.... yeah, he was was right, it was immature and selfish and... it hurt you... and when I thought that you were...." Dale couldn't say any more, he just lowered his head, breathing deeply and doing his best not to cry.

Warren jumped onto him, hugging him once again. "It's okay." Warren whispered. "I'm alright."

"I thought I'd lost you." Dale whispered back, holding him tightly.

"Nope." Warren said back with a slight smile. "I'm afraid you're stuck with me for life."

Dale laughed, nudging the boy away who laughed back at him. The laughter was borne more of relief than actual humour, but it made them both feel better as they sat staring at each other.

"You still love him, don't you?" Dale asked, his face turning sullen.

"Yeah, but so do you, don't you?" Warren asked in return.

Dale just nodded.

Josh was almost at Sam's house before anybody spoke. "Josh, I just wanted to..." Sam started.

"Not the time, Sam. Really not the time!" Josh cut him off sternly.

"Okay." Sam said, shrinking back into his seat. He remained silently for the rest of the journey.

When they reached the boy's house, he got out without a word and Josh pulled straight off. As he looked in the rear-view mirror, he could see that Greg had fallen asleep on Corey's shoulder. He cleared his throat to get Nick's attention, then gestured back to the sleeping boy.

Nick looked round at Greg, smiled, then turned back to Josh. "He's okay, he's probably just exhausted. He's not been up and about for long and today's... not been easy." Nick said quietly.

Josh nodded gently, remaining silent for a few moments before glancing at Nick then Corey. "Look, I know I've not exactly been the best big brother in the world lately, but... did you really mean those things you called me back at Warren's house?"

Nick and Corey exchanged questioning looks. It had mainly been the youngest brother who had been throwing around the insults, but Nick hadn't disagreed. After exchanging a few more gestures, Corey finally took a deep breath and said, "I... might have been a bit meaner than I should have been, but... I don't think it's wrong to call you selfish and inconsiderate."

Josh looked heartbroken, but as angry as Nick still was at him, he couldn't just remain silent and watch his big brother suffer. "But it's not too late." he added. "Just... try to be better."

Josh smiled and nodded. "Okay, I promise. I'll try." He went quiet again for a minute, then turned to Nick briefly again before looking back at the road. "Hey, I know this may not be the best time and I know I've said it before, but... I'm so sorry for what I did."

"I know." Nick said flatly, his eyes fixed ahead on the road.

"If I could go back and change things..." Josh started.

"Don't do that. You can't change what happened any more than you can..." Nick paused, thinking for just a moment. "... any more than you can choose who you fall in love with." he said with a slightly confused frown. He sighed, looking back at Greg again. His love for the boy had been unplanned, unwise even, but at least it had helped him understand that maybe the same was true of Josh and Warren.

Josh shot him a sly one-sided grin at the look of realisation on Nick's face.

"Fuck off." Nick said with a smirk, punching Josh's arm as they turned into the driveway.

As soon as the car stopped, Nick jumped out and opened the back door, sliding in next to Greg. He ran his fingers through the sleeping boy's hair and whispered, "Hey, time to wake up, we're home."

Greg opened his eyes sleepily and sat up, leaving Corey clear to get out of the car. His eyes suddenly opened wide. "Warren!" he called out.

"Hey, it's okay, you found him, remember." Nick said quietly, taking the boy's hand.

Greg calmed a little and leaned on Nick for a moment before climbing out of the car with him.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the car, Josh had opened his door and twisted his legs round to sit facing Corey. "Cor... I meant what I said, I'll be better. You..." He hesitated, sighing. "You've helped me so much, so many times and I guess I kinda took you for granted."

"Yeah! You did!" Corey snapped sharply, scowling, before grinning and chuckling. "But I know you basically can't function without me."

Josh smiled back at the boy's jibe. He was joking, they both knew that, but there was definitely a hint of truth about it. "Well hopefully I never have to." Josh replied sheepishly.

Corey looked at the house, then back to Josh and said, "Hey, why don't you come in for dinner. It was Dad's turn to cook tonight and you know he always does way too much!"

"Thanks, that'd be great." Josh said happily, walking towards the house with an arm around Corey's shoulders.

"What time d'you call this? Dinner was ready half an hour ago." George called out as he heard the door opening. As he walked into the hallway and saw Josh, he rolled his eyes and said, "I might have known you were to blame!"

"Who's to blame?" Pippa asked emerging from the dining room. She stopped as she saw Josh, grinning broadly, delighted to see all her sons together once again, especially after how awkward the previous night had been. "Come on, I'll set an extra place at the table."