Into Another World - Sean's Story 20

Into Another World - Sean's Story

Part 20

Posted: June 8, 2007
Title: Into Another World - Sean's Story
Author: Ian Howe

*****

"WHAT?!" Sean's jaw dropped. What the fuck was going on? Every time he'd begged Urban to let him go, the Sheik had given him an adamant 'no'. And now that he-- Suddenly, Sean realised that he didn't want to leave. Returning to London meant leaving Christian behind. Christian, his eyes dark with desire, trembling in Sean's arms, his pulsing cock thickening as he approached orgasm...

"I'm sending you home, Sean." Karl's eyes betrayed a degree of pain the blond hadn't noticed before. "I've just returned from a conversation with Pierce Brosnan."

Sean paled and dropped his eyes. If Karl knew what Pierce had done, then of course he'd have to leave. The proud Sheik wouldn't want him in his harem anymore. Urban was the only one to deflower his slaves, and he wouldn't tolerate spoiled goods.

"I can't tell you how sorry I am that I couldn't protect you better. Please believe me that I really wished to see you happy." Karl's voice grew soft. "I know that I can't ever make this terrible experience be undone, but there's one thing I can do for you. I'm letting you go home."

Sean looked up and met the Sheik's eyes. "You mean just like that? I'm free?"

Nodding gravely, Karl confirmed, "Yes, you're free."

"But..." Sean's mind was racing, trying to stall. "I can't go back. I mean, what do I tell people as to why I've been out of touch for so long?"

"You've respected your ex-wives' pleas to leave the country while your divorce was making headlines, in order to spare your children. That's what my lawyers also told your agent. As the custodial hearing approaches, it's time for you to return. Don't worry; it's all been taken care of." Urban's voice was sincere.

Feeling numb, Sean nodded. Of course. What the Sheik had said made sense. He took the clothes Ian held out to him. By the time he had finished dressing, Urban had left the room.

"Karl's private jet will bring you to Dubai." The older man chuckled. "I'm afraid you'll have to go to the airfield on camel back."

Sean groaned and rolled his eyes, but said nothing. Ian continued.

"From there you'll travel by commercial airliner. You'll arrive at Heathrow at half past six tonight. Your agent will have you picked up and Karl's lawyers have arranged a visit with your daughters tomorrow afternoon." Ian handed Sean his passport and a sheaf of papers. Then he addressed the blond again, softer this time.

"We heard a rumour that Pierce was gloating over having been your first. Karl had it out with him and Pierce has been chastised. Karl was devastated. He really cares for you and he berates himself for not preventing you from running. He feels guilty towards you and if there's anything we can do to make things easier for you, please name it." Ian paused, but the blond didn't reply. "Karl has gone to inform the others. You'll want to say good-bye."

Sean nodded. He knew that Ian was right. It wasn't hard to see that Karl felt bad about what had happened. An idea was forming in his mind as to how the Sheik could make amends, but he wasn't going to ask Ian. This was something he had to negotiate directly with Karl.

It was a sombre group awaiting Sean and Ian outside the building. Sean swallowed. He'd miss the others. They all looked downcast. Even Craig's mischievous face had turned serious, and Christian was crying openly.

Sean's eyes narrowed as he addressed the Sheik. "Ian said I need but ask if I knew of something to make me feel better. Well, here it is. I want you to let Christian come with me. Set him free." He raised his chin in defiance.

Sighing sadly, Karl replied. "Oh, Sean, I'm so sorry. I can't do that. You don't understand..."

But Sean had heard enough. "All right then, let's get this over with." He approached his former companions. "I'll miss you. Wish we could have met under different circumstances." Sean grimaced. He hated formalities and farewells. Shaking each man's hand awkwardly, he found that he was not the only one with moist eyes.

Finally, it was Christian's turn. Sean opened his arms and hugged the young Brit close. He still couldn't believe that the Sheik was sending him away, now that he finally had a reason to stay – to be with the man in his arms.

Rubbing Christian's back, Sean vowed that he'd return to free his young lover. He'd go back to London and find a way. With sudden determination he lifted Christian's chin and placed a soft kiss on the trembling lips. Looking deep into the younger man's eyes he whispered, "I'll be back." He kissed Christian again, this time opening his lips and touching the other's tongue with his. "I promise."

Sean gently entangled himself from Christian's arms and turned to go. He was stopped by a heart-wrenching sob. "Wait!"

Smiling through his tears, Christian held out his hand with a small object twinkling in the sun. "This has been close to my heart for a long time. I want you to have it."

Sean's voice was hoarse with emotion when he took the nipple ring. "I'll keep it close to mine." He stowed the ring carefully in his breast pocket, then followed Ian and the Sheik to the waiting camels.

The flight was quiet and Sean drifted in and out of sleep. He wondered if his dreams might come closer to the twisted reality he had experienced these past weeks than the real reality. Maybe it had been a dream after all. Maybe this jet was not the big boy's toy of a rich sheik but a company jet belonging to someone in the film industry. That had to be it. He was returning from a set somewhere out in the wild and his brain was sluggish because of a massive hangover. At least he had a headache to support that theory.

But no, it didn't make sense. He wouldn't have forgotten several weeks of his life – unless he'd suffered from a stroke or head injury, but in that case there'd be medical personnel with him now. Also, he felt much too healthy despite the headache. However unlikely his adventures with Urban were, they had to be true.

Sighing, Sean felt for the tiny object in his shirt pocket. Christian's piercing. It had not been a dream. A part of him was relieved to feel the ring as it meant that the young man really existed. At least he knew he hadn't lost his mind. Then again, thinking over the events of the past twelve hours, maybe he had lost his mind after all.

Once more, Sean tried to convince himself that it had all been an alcohol-induced dream. Maybe Christian was only a harmless co-star? A young actor whom he'd bonded with and who'd been equally drunk when presenting Sean with this token of friendship? Maybe it had even been a prop, nothing to do with a real person? He shifted uneasily in his seat and winced when his sore cock chafed against his pants. And what part of the movie had that been, another man fucking his slit with a one-inch tongue piercing?

No. The nipple ring was real. The soreness in the crown of his cock was real. That meant that Christian was real, too, and in turn, the other men, including Sheik Urban and the oasis.

Sean swallowed. So he had been abducted by the crazy sheik who had tried to make him a member of his male harem. It sounded absurd, unbelievable, but here he was, in the Sheik's jet on his way to Dubai. Well, he had managed to escape. The episode was over and he was returning home. End of story. Please, brain, forget about the last couple months, okay?

Of course it wouldn't work. It never worked. Like a tongue that couldn't resist an aching tooth, his mind kept wandering back. Until Craig had shaved and blown him, he had refused to believe that the oasis even existed. From that point on, he had focussed on two things: avoiding being drawn into the nightly orgies, and fleeing from the place. He had failed in both.

Not everything had been bad. Giving up smoking and cutting down on alcohol had made him feel much better, as had the regular working out sessions. Also, he'd enjoyed the company of the others: the discussions with Viggo, the tea ceremonies with Ian – not the lectures, of course – exploring the garden with Patrick...

Sean sighed. He'd miss the lad. When they'd reached the airstrip, Ian had promised to give Sean's farewell wishes to Patrick. Despite his sexual orientation, Ian was a good person. To his surprise, Sean realised that he'd also miss the older Brit, and even Urban...

At the airfield, the Sheik had taken Sean's shoulder and promised solemnly that he'd look after Christian. "He isn't ready yet to face the outside world." Sean hadn't replied; something had told him that Karl was right.

Urban had continued, "Sean, I want you to know that my door will always be open for you. Right now you can't wait to leave my place, but should you ever find yourself in need of a refuge I'd be honoured if you'd consider me. Go home now. May you find happiness in your world." The Sheik had extended his arms and Sean hadn't refused the hug.

When Urban had left, Ian had led Sean aboard the plane. The blond's throat had gone dry. Ian had smiled at him. "We're aware that you don't like flying, but we thought you'd still prefer the jet to a helicopter trip, which is the usual means of transportation if it's too far to ride on camel back." Sean had shuddered. No way would he have gone by heli!

The older man had also hugged Sean, then stepped away. At the hatch door, Ian had turned once more. "Take care, lad." Sean could have sworn the other Brit's eyes were moist. Then the door had been closed and they'd taken off. He was going home.

"You have my word that I'll protect the little one..." Sean smiled. He trusted Urban to defend Christian fiercely. The blond had been angry at first when Karl had refused to let the young man go with him, but it had been the right decision. Sean couldn't have explained to his world why he had taken Christian under his wing. He had nurtured the idea of living with the young Brit, looking after him and making him happy, but of course they'd have been misunderstood.

Sean sighed again. His world wouldn't see that he and Christian were merely good friends. The tabloids would rejoice in announcing and degrading them as gay. This was, of course, not true. Admittedly, Sean had deep feelings for the younger man, but they where not of the physical kind. Well, not primarily at least. When he had touched Christian, it had only been to offer the comfort the younger man had so desperately needed.

And afterwards... Well, when living in a place where you weren't allowed to find release with a woman it was only natural to help each other out among his fellow men. It happened all the time, in the army, in prisons, and of course it didn't mean that the participants were homosexual. As soon as they were back to civilisation, the men would happily turn to women again.

And so would he! Despite being queer, the others had only been good mates understanding his needs. They didn't count as sex partners. And the night with Christian – he'd been shell-shocked by the younger man's revelations of course. He hadn't quite been himself after hearing that horror tale; otherwise he'd never have let Christian use that spike on him.

In a way, it was good that he had left this morning. His departure had saved him from hurting the young Brit's feelings by telling him that at least the second part of the night had been a misunderstanding. Sean wasn't gay, but Christian's final words on leaving Sean's room told him that the other might harbour that illusion. No, it was good that he had left before he could break Christian's heart.

Sean took a deep breath. He was going home. It would be better to look to the future instead of the past. His daughters were waiting for him. That's what counted. He checked his watch. It was noon, twenty minutes until they'd land in Dubai. His connecting flight left at a quarter to two and he'd be in London at half past six, back to his old life. Hey, he could even go out for a pint later!

Yes, the future looked brighter than ever, so why worry about the past! Sean fastened his seat belt and the plane descended into Dubai.

Wasn't it Douglas Adams who had written that it was not surprising no language had an expression, 'as beautiful as an airport', as all airports in the world were ugly? Whoever it had been, Dubai airport was no exception.

An airport employé had led Sean from the private hangar to the VIP lounge. Since he had plenty of time until boarding, Sean decided to take a stroll to the airport shopping mall. Maybe he'd find a book to take his mind off the upcoming flight. He had no intention of continuing to pore over recent events again and again until Heathrow.

The shopping mall was posh and hectic, and it brimmed with a hodge-podge of people. Men in business suits hurried past others who wore burnus and whose wives, completely hidden by their burkas, followed several steps behind. A young woman in a mini-skirt gave Sean an appraising look, but the smile he returned didn't reach his eyes. He felt dizzy from the contrast to the company he'd spent the past two or three months with.

Forget it, Bean, you can always get a paper from the flight attendant. He withdrew to the VIP lounge and decided to get himself a stiff drink. Regardless of how much he looked forward to be home, Sean was glad that he had several hours of flying time ahead to mentally prepare himself for his return to the civilised world.

Nursing a Laphroaig, he was waiting for his flight to be announced when he heard someone call his name. Sean turned his head and his eyes fell on a familiar face. Brown eyes in a handsome face, dark hair, and a smile wide enough to include the whole world. "Sean, is that really you?"

" Orlando! Nice surprise! What brought you here, mate?" Sean wasn't sure he was prepared for company yet, but Orlando had always had an easy way with people.

"Photo shoot at the Burj Al Arab, you know, the sail-shaped hotel." Orlando Bloom beamed. "I'm returning to London in an hour. You?"

Sean smiled, unable to resist his younger colleague's charm. "Me, too. I've been on an extended holiday." He winced. "Fleeing from the publicity over my divorce."

"Ouch, sorry. I hope I didn't touch a raw nerve?"

Sean hurried to reassure the concerned-looking man. "Actually, things are looking rather good and I can't wait to see my kids again soon."

The smile returned immediately. "I'm glad to hear that. It can't have been easy." Orlando's eyes fell on Sean's empty glass. "Can I get you the other half?"

"Sure, why not?" Sean watched his former co-star leave to fetch the drinks. Meeting Orlando gave him a chance to catch up on what had happened in show-biz while he'd been gone and it would take his mind off brooding over the recent past.

They talked until their flight was called, and Orlando arranged for seats together. The time passed quickly over shared memories and rumours. Sean was relieved that nothing had leaked out about his sojourn with Sheik Urban, and he enjoyed chatting with his colleague. It was good to be back.

After landing, they left the plane and walked together until Orlando was met by a good-looking woman whom he introduced to Sean as his fiancée. Sean thought they made a nice couple and he secretly wished them more luck than he'd had with his wives. Orlando's farewell consisted of an enthusiastic hug and the promise to meet again soon.

Meanwhile, Sean's agent had arrived and she drove him back to his house. He was relieved that she agreed to wait until the next day before asking him questions.

Sean locked the door behind him. Home at last! Everything else could wait until tomorrow. He went upstairs to his bedroom, undressed, and fell into a deep and dreamless sleep immediately.

*****

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