AFTERMATH : THE JOURNEY BEGINS

          Roark lay his hands on the table, the sparkle of the rings on his left hand catching Evan's eye, making him look briefly, but his blue eyes were drawn back to the beautiful face when he leaned in.

          "Trust me, Rosier, I could handle you just fine," he spoke in a cool, sure tone.

          Before Roark could even think to react, his lips were being taken in a deep, very passionate kiss, and much to his shock, he felt himself reacting, a soft moan souding from him.

          As fast as the kiss had begun, it ended as Rodolphus took two quick steps forward, wrapping his hand around his upper arm and pulled him back.

          "That will be quite enough, Major," came the sharp tone from the doorway.

          All three whirled.  Admiral Roark Durin stood there with a frown, his forest green eyes watching the interactions between all three.  "Roark, go find something else to do."

          "Bur I--"

           "NOW, son.  I need to have a talk with these two, and until he is cleared from level one security, everything about him remains classified at a level you don't have access to.  Go find Harry and Rabastan."

          "Fine," he said, then looked up at his husband.  "We WILL be discussing this later, husband."

          "I already told you I'd tell you."  He reached out and drew him into his arms.  "I'm sorry, Rory, I know I should have told you, but--" he broke off, shook his head.

          Roark reached up and slid the back of his fingers over Rodolphus' jaw.  "It's alright, we'll talk later."  

          He turned then, leaving Rodolphus' arms to head for the door.  He was just walking through when...  "God DAMN IT, Evan, what the fuck was that?!" he heard two voices snap as one

                                                                            cccVccc

          Once Roark got done explaining what had happened in the brig to not just Harry and Rabastan, but Schyler and Raphael, silence fell for a moment as they digested what he'd just told them.

          "I see," Raphael said,  "So, Evan Rosier IS a Counter-Intelligence Officer?"

          "As Dad called him Major, I'd say so.  You really didn't know? Neither of you?"

          "Our clearance is high, Rory," Schyler said, his left hand rubbing over his expanded waistline, a simple gold band now circling his finger, "but not that high.  Only the Admiral, Uncle Thorin, Dac, and Gabe--WAIT! He KISSED you?!"

          "Finally realized that part, did you?"  Raphael teased his bonded.  

          "Oh, hush, you," a slap to his chest, though his eyes remained locked on Roark.  "Evan Rosier KISSED you?"

          "Sounds like he's a bit like Sirius," Harry said. looking worriedly at his brother.

          "He is," Rabastan told them, "but then, he's always been a bit of a strange man."

          "Did you know they were lovers?"

          Rabastan shook his head as he sat back in his chair.  "I knew he had a lover, but not who.  I asked, of course, but he would never tell me his name.  Bella was away on a mission for Riddle at the time."

          "Roark Christopher Durin Peverell Potter-Lestrange, stop ignoring the real problem here!!" Schyler barked.

          "I'm not, Schy, I'm still trying to sort through it.  Still trying to figure out why I responded to another man's kiss."

          "You said he was incredibly handsome?  That he was obviously attracted to you." 

          "Yes.  Part of me thinks he was, for some odd reason, attempting to make Rodolphus jealous."

           "Very likely," Rabastan said.  "From what I remember of that time, it was an extremely passionate affair.  In fact, he was very rarely home for the two yahren they were together."

          "It ended abruptly, I gather?"

          "Riddle sent him, Evan, that is, on an assignment.  He didn't return.  We thought he was dead, in fact."

          "Did you know what that assignment was?" he asked him.

          Rabastan shook his head.  "Not a clue, but Dolph might know.  What are you going to do?"

          "Nothing.  I'll talk to Dolph as soon as he returns to our quarters," a ping sounded from his chronometer, making him look down.  "Sorry guys, I have patrol.  See you later."

          Getting to his feet, Roark left the room.  The other four watched his go, varying degrees of worry on their faces.  "This is either going to be a good thing, or it could hurt them irreparably."  Raphael finally said.