“I’ve got to admit, this IS pretty spectacular,” I grinned, looking down at the immense gray mass of battleship moving underneath us, headed for the moorings . Crowds lined the shores, waving American flags, the anticipation of Fleet Week almost electric in the air. “I daresay it’s also the first time the Navy has ASKED two gay men to provide air cover for one of its ships.”

“Bit by bit we chip away at it, Cub,” Superbear chuckled, moving in closer to my side. His hand met mine, his wonderfully-musky bear scent filling my sensitive nostrils. “They may not like the thought of sharing showers with you….but I sure do.”

With a WHOOSH, the tugboats below began to fire their water cannons, welcoming the battleship into port; an evil grin spread across my face . “Let’s try it now, whatsay?”

“Supercub, what are you – OOOOOF!” Superbear grunted as one of the water cannon jets suddenly leaped vertically from its lazy arc, splashing him with its full force. He spluttered, laughing, as I let out a self-satisfied puff of air, my super-inhalation having sucked the water up to our altitude like a giant vacuum. “Why, you little devil!”

“Who, me?” I laughed, dodging sideways as his handsome paw swung at me in a good-natured swipe. “Poor, sweet, innocent, naive Supercub?”

“Oh, don’t even START,” he growled, coming up behind me, pinning my arms in his dripping-wet powerful grip. “You’re no more any of those than I am hairless.”

“Foiled again,” I snickered, rubbing up against the cool wetness of his chest, feeling his bulge press into my backside as he gently bit against the back of my neck. “Careful, you’ll give me a hickey.”

“Precisely my point,” Superbear rumbled. “You can explain at work next week what you were doing with your husbear this weekend.”

“They wouldn’t believe me if I told ‘em,” I chuckled, my eyes drawn suddenly to the battleship’s guns, the turret slowly rotating, elevating, the klaxons sounding, the massive barrels pointing directly towards the cheering spectators. My ears perked as a sudden ultrasonic whistle filled the air…..for just a second, then it was gone. “What in the –“

“They usually fire a salute coming into the harbor, sweetie,” Superbear said, floating up alongside. “Nothing to worry about – just blanks. Lots of smoke and noise, keeps the people happy.”

“That makes sense, I suppose…….” I started to look back up, but a movement out of the corner of my eye, a sailor bursting out of the tower, his face lit with horror….tilting my ear……his words, echoing upward, suddenly chilling me to the bone….

“NO…DON’T….IT’S LOADED WITH LIVE –“

With a massive KATHOOM, the three guns fired.

Chapter 2

“Superbear,” I screamed, yanking him down, pointing at the whirling shell emerging from the blanket of smoke, out of the center barrel. “That gun was LOADED!”

“I see it, Supercub,” he yelled, off in a burst of crimson and yellow. “Get to the shore, try to get those people protected – I’ll stop the shell!”

“Got it,” I hollered back, putting on full jets, streaking towards land….need something big…..and able to stop metal….the Pan-American Exhibition!

In an eyeblink, I was over, underneath one of the massive masonry domes…..separating the metal tiedowns with quick blasts of heat vision. Gritting my teeth against the enormous mass, I pushed….and pushed…..with a sudden groan, the dome and I were back again airborne, shooting back towards the beach. “UNGH!” I grunted, dropping it between the running, screaming crowd and the soon-to-be crater towards which the shell was rocketing, burying it in the sand like a gigantic blast shield, rising to the top to balance it. I looked up and saw Superbear turn, face the red hot shell…..spreading his cape wide.

With a CRACK-BOOM and explosion like the mother of all thunderclaps, the shell struck him full in the chest, the intense shock wave rattling the shoreline, the dome shaking in my hands as fragments of metal rained against its front, embedding themselves in the hard stone. I scrabbled to hold on, looking down to regain my grip….then looked up…..just in time to see a stricken figure plummeting from the sky, landing with a SPLASH in the icy waves.

“NNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!” I screamed, the dome fragmenting into tons of shattered rubble, crashing down onto the sand, as I frantically vaulted over its top, pushing it away. “SUPERBEAR!” Without thinking, I dove into the Bay, fear propelling me through its murky depths, the intense current pushing, forcing me farther and farther down as I battled against it, peering desperately into the green darkness…..seconds ticking by inexorably as I shot this way and that through the water….no….oh God, no….where is he…WHERE IS HE?

Suddenly I saw him……floating limply in the undertow, the inexorable and heartless flow carrying him out…..within seconds, I was at his side……covering his mouth and nose……then gathering him up……forcing myself up, up, away from the bottom…..towards the hazy light above….feel so weak......barely…able…to…

With a gasp, I broke the surface….paddling with him in my grip, the water deathly cold against my furry skin. “UNNNGGGGH!” I growled, finally able to get enough push to get airborne, rising over the waves….looking up startled to see, not the red towers of the Golden Gate, but the broad expanse of the Pacific….my God, we’re almost out to sea! I fought for each precious foot of altitude, Superbear’s limp form cradled in my arms, struggling against the intense cross-breezes off the hills…..finally managing to catch an updraft just in time to clear Twin Peaks….and dive into the welcoming depths of the Den.

Chapter 3

I stirred fitfully in the chair, the cold gray light of a foggy San Francisco dawn shining through the windows, my muscles and bones protesting as I unkinked myself from its groaning arms and seat. I looked over at the bed, hoping to see what I wanted to see so badly.

Jimmy lay in the bed, a peaceful _expression on his face, absolutely still and quiet……only the slightest quiver as his nostrils moved, the gentle thump-thump of his heart audible through my super-hearing, looking for all the world as if he was just sleeping late.

Except he’d been sleeping late – for three days.

I’d tried everything…..loud noises, slapping him gently, frozen marbles in the bed, a supersonic scream….but nothing worked. He just lay there – and he wouldn’t wake up.

I rubbed my temples, trying to get rid of the dull ache that had been plaguing me ever since I had fished him out. Flashes of the past days came back to me……crying, screaming hysterically as I carried him upstairs, stripping him down to put him in bed….dialing 911 over and over, then hanging up again and again as I realized the stupidity of what I was doing – what are they going to do, try to stick a needle in him? – then finally just collapsing into this chair, watching, waiting, hearing the answering machine pick up call after call, both our mobiles beeping and chirping with unanswered voicemails.

I probably have no job left by now, I thought, staring blankly at the wall…..and I totally don’t give a damn.

With a measured sound of gongs, the front door chimes sounded…..then the intercom chirped. “Jim? Dan? Come on guys….answer me. I know you’re in there.”

With a start, I recognized the voice….Jim’s best friend Alex. The two of them had been close for decades…..a deep friendship born of losing so many others during the AIDS years, then of richness as they went through various relationships, and now of contentment from having two successful partnerships. Their mutual interest in modern works – his as the commissioner of arts for the city – only deepened the brotherhood.

The ‘com sounded again. “Guys….please….this is important. I really need to –-“

Alex cut himself off, a surprised look on his face, as I pulled open the front door with a creak. “Hi Dan – sorry, I guess I didn’t hear you coming down the stairs.” He looked at me quizzically, standing there in the middle of the doorway. ”Um…..may I come in?”

“Oh – sure, I’m sorry, Alex,” I said sheepishly, stepping out of his path as he came in, then shutting the door behind him. “I’m sorry Jim can’t come downstairs right now….he’s been sick for a couple of days and is sleeping.”

“Is he OK?” Alex asked fearfully. My brow furrowed at the strange tone in his voice.

“Yes, he’s fine. Now…..to what do I owe the honor of this visit?” I said, ushering him into the living room, gesturing him to the sofa. “You need anything – coffee, tea, soda?”

“No, thanks. Actually…..” Alex said slowly….”I came to talk to you guys about something. City business.”

“Oh, that’s right, I did forget to tell you. I’ll be in town, so if you need me to volunteer for the gallery opening –“

“No, Dan,” Alex said, his words strangely blank and flat. “This doesn’t have anything to do with the arts department. Are…..are you aware of what’s going on in the city?”

“Alex, I’ve been too busy taking care of Jim to worry about anything –“

“You may want to worry about this,” Alex said, reaching over and grabbing the remote, fumbling with the buttons as the TV flashed to life. Scenes of smoking trash barrels, overturned cars, the streets splattered with paint, torn-up grass --

“We now take you from the devastation around City Hall left from last night’s riot to the demonstrations down at the docks, where hundreds of people are barricading the naval vessels in for Fleet Week. Two sailors have been killed and several others severely injured in what observers are calling 'lynchings' and what the mobs themselves are terming ‘just desserts’.”

“What in the…..” I stared at the TV, transfixed and horrified. “What in the hell happened?”

“Take a look at their signs,” Alex said, leaning in to raise the volume.

I exhaled sharply as I read the words….MURDERERS…SUPERBEAR AND SUPERCUB, WE WILL NOT FORGET…..YOU KILL OUR HEROES, WE KILL YOU…..”Dear God in heaven…..they think we’re….THEY’RE,” I swiftly corrected myself….”dead.”

“That’s the general consensus,” Alex spoke, his tones strangely hushed. “Everyone saw Superbear take the shell hit……fall into the water…..and everyone saw Supercub go in after him. Neither of them has surfaced…..or been seen…….since.”

I laid back on the sofa. “Well, what do you expect? If I got shot at, I wouldn’t be charitable towards anyone – or stupid enough to show my face around those ships again.”

“Yeah, Dan, but this is Superbear and Supercub,” Alex replied. “They’ve never stood the city up – ever. We’ve always been able to count on them. People are scared, frightened, mad….and getting hurt out there. We need their help.”

“Well, we’ll probably be waiting a while,” I said evasively. “After all, isn’t the whole point of all this that they’re dead? They’ll never come back in that case….and even if they aren’t dead, why should they?” My eyes narrowed as I saw him flinch at those words. “Alex, you didn’t come over here to watch TV. What’s going on?”

“Well…Dan….I…..” Alex stumbled, the words seeming to get caught in his throat, his lips moving but very little coming out. “I have to ask you something. Something that might sound…..strange.”

“What is it, Alex?” I said, staring back at him as his face worked. I suddenly had a strange and unnerving flashback to the day my parents popped a very specific question after seeing a few….ummm, unusual…..email and webpage addresses on the notepad I had left in their car by accident. Naaah….he….he couldn’t have….

His eyes met mine…..”Are….are you…Supercub?”

Chapter 4

Talk about being floored. Instantly. My mind reeled.

“Alex….what….where….how did you ever come up with that idea?”

“Dan, please,” Alex said, his eyes meeting mine, his throat tightening. “I….I wouldn’t be asking if this wasn’t important – I figure it’s your and Jim’s business – but….but….”

“Alex, I….” I stared out the window at the street, my nostrils flaring as I caught the reek of smoke, the maddened screams of the crowd from the docks echoing like an evil chorus in my ears…..then looking up, at, then through the ceiling, seeing Jimmy’s form prone in the bed. Oh god, I don’t know if I should….but if I don’t, I’ll go crazy….and I can’t lie to him….

I turned to Alex. “Yes. Yes I am Supercub.”

Alex’s jaw dropped, his eyes going wide. “You…..you ARE?”

Despite myself, I grinned at his _expression, a weird combination of disbelief and sudden vindication – sort of like a kid spotting Santa Claus crawling out of the chimney. “Yes, Alex, I AM Supercub. Really. Honest and for true."

Alex’s jaw worked, his mind clearly . “Dan….really…you don’t have to kid, I—“

“I’m not kidding, Alex,” I said, rising up on my toes, floating off the floor. Alex’s jaw dropped as I gently drifted over; he gasped as I easily picked up the sofa on which he was sitting with one hand. His eyes widened even more as I flew up to the ceiling, the candles in the room igniting with quick shots of red from my eyes. “I’d show you the costume, but from your pulse, I’m not sure your heart can take it at this point.”

“Oh…..my….” Alex’s face worked as he stared up at my hovering form. “D-Dan….you really are….Supercub….and….”

“Jimmy is Superbear,” I finished, dropping to the floor with an ungraceful thud, Peter Pan suddenly losing his happy thought as the image of Jimmy laying helpless in bed came to mind. Deep wracking sobs tore through my body, the pain and heartbreak of the past three days, as Alex came running over. “Sit down, Dan, sit,” he murmured, guiding me to the couch. “It’s going to be all right.”

“No, it’s NOT, Alex,” I bawled. “Jimmy’s up there, he won’t wake up, there’s nothing I can do, I—“

“Dan, STOP,” Alex said, his voice stern. “Don’t you realize what you two did? If that shell had hit the shore—“

“If that shell hadn’t been fired in the first place, NONE of this would have happened!” I snarled back like a wounded grizzly, leaping up from the sofa, rage blazing in my eyes.

“I know, I know, Dan,” Alex murmured, gently taking my arm, pulling me back down. He looked at me….and for the first time I saw fear in his _expression. “What I came here to ask you about……has to do with that. A lot to do with that.”

“Alex, I don’t—“ My voice trailed off as light suddenly dawned. “You….you’ve got to be kidding. They had – the Navy had the freaking BALLS to send you –“

“They didn’t send me, Dan,” Alex said, looking me squarely in the eye. “All they know is that they went to the emergency meeting of city government and pleaded with us to find Superbear and Supercub.” His expression darkened. “They want to talk to you.”

My fists clenched. “I have nothing to say to them. They’re going to try arguing it was an accident, that they never meant it, whatever. I don’t care.”

“They said all that, Dan,” Alex rebutted, “and they seemed serious. They honestly don’t know what happened.”

“LIES,” I screamed in pure anger, a nearby mirror cracking. “You don’t fire a gun like that without knowing it’s fucking LOADED! Do they think we’re stupid?” I turned back to the window. “And that mob…..bunch of freaking idiots! They can tear this damn city apart for all I care. Superbear and Supercub aren’t going to do anything about it.”

“Dan, you can’t really mean that—“

“You think I don’t, Alex?” I said, getting up and heading to the window, staring out at the cold gray dankness. “Because of Supercub and Superbear, Jimmy’s up there in god-knows-what condition. Because of Supercub and Superbear, there's two families getting death notices, more in the hospital, and a mob rampaging through the city.“ I whirled. “What in the hell good has it been to be Superbear and Supercub?”

“Thousands of people aren’t lying on the beach dead or wounded from a shell impact,” Alex said, rising from the sofa, walking tentatively towards me, putting his hand on my shoulder. “Thousands of people are scared about what’s going to happen now that their heroes are gone and are taking it out on others.” He squeezed it lightly, wincing as the steel bear-muscle refused to yield. “Dan, Superbear and Supercub mean something to San Francisco. There’s so much they’ve done for the city.”

“I know that, Alex,” I whispered, my eyes downcast. “But San Francisco isn’t my husband. Jimmy is. My place is here with him, not out being Supercub.”

“Dan, I know you’re worried about Jim,” Alex said, pulling me close. “But if you don’t do something and fast, what he wakes up to won’t be San Francisco. Washington is already talking about sending in the National Guard….and the mob leaders are saying there will be blood in the streets if they do.” He stared at me, pleading, as I turned away, my eyes back on the rolling fog. “Dan…..Supercub….go talk to them. Find out what happened. That’s the only way you’ll know – and the only way you’ll stop this from going completely out of control.” He hugged me tight. “I’ll watch Jimmy. You have my word on it.”

I looked out the window, then back at him. “Do you ever get tired of being right?”

“Not often,” Alex smiled, a small flicker of hope in his eyes. “Does that….does that mean you’ll do it?”

I grinned wanly. “On one condition. You tell me….how did you figure it out?”

“Dan, I’ve known Jim for decades,” Alex chuckled, “and he’s always been as punctual as an atomic clock. Right around the time Superbear started showing up, he stopped – and he started coming up with some really lousy excuses for being late, especially right after Superbear had just averted some kind of disaster.” He looked at me, then snickered. “I had my suspicions already….but then when this cute cinnamon cub from out of town moves in with Jim, then all of a sudden Superbear is accompanied by a cute cinnamon Supercub, well….it didn’t take much more guessing.”

“Point well taken,” I said, squeezing my ring, willing my costume into existence. I pointed to the secret panel in the wall, starting to slide open as my x-ray vision tripped its sensor. “If anything goes wrong, or you don’t hear from me in three hours, get Jimmy down there. It’s the safest place you can be, trust me.”

“You got it, Dan – I mean, Supercub – I mean—“

“Either or will do, Alex,” I smiled, heading for the Den. “Just not in public.”

Chapter 5

Admiral Morgan stiffly ushered me into the interior conference room, his demeanor matching the austere coldness of the furnishings, the screaming crowds still faintly audible even through the thick armor plate of the hull. “You might have done us the favor of coming up from the land side. It would have gone a long way towards settling down the crowds.”

“If you would like people to do you favors, I suggest you stop shooting at them, sir,” I said evenly, my eyes meeting his wary glance as he sat down opposite me. “I can tell you it hasn’t done much for my willingness to help you.”

He glared at me. “It was most certainly not our intention to fire that shell.”

“You have a long way to go to convince me of that, Admiral,” I said, leaning over the table. “I wasn’t raised to think that the US Navy was incompetent enough not to know they were firing live ammunition. I do, however, know that this wouldn’t be the first time they did something with less-than-pure intentions.” I stared back at him. “Perhaps this was your way to eliminate two national-security risks? Ask them to provide protection, create a situation where you knew they’d intervene – and get rid of them in the process?”

His eyes flared, jaw stiffening…..then he exhaled. “I suppose I deserve that. I can certainly see how you’d come up with that answer. But the truth is far more complicated…..and unsettling.”

I looked at him, slightly taken aback. “All right then….tell me about it.”

He stood up…..stared at the wall briefly….then turned back to me, a small twitch in the corner of his face. “Basically put, the gun was loaded with the wrong shell….but not just with any shell, one that had been specifically planted for maximum devastation.” His voice became hushed. “It was a tactical nuclear shell.”

I sat back, shocked. “You….you can’t be serious. That would have…..“ I paused.

He nodded. “Yes, it would have. Complete devastation of a quarter-mile radius, tens of thousands of people dead or dying from the explosion itself or radiation exposure, widespread contamination of the air and the Bay.”

“My….god,” I whispered, reality slowly sinking in. “H-how could they….I mean, how could anyone DO that? How could they even get that shell – I mean, you have safeguards, right?”

“We don’t know,” Morgan said, sitting down again, his hands clenching together. “All of the sailors involved said they saw nothing out of the ordinary. They even testified that the markings were consistent with the blank shells.” He looked over at me again. “However, there were two anomalies. The firing control computer had been set to misfire the guns unless a specific code sequence was entered immediately prior to firing. The fire control officer entered that code with ten seconds remaining.”

I suddenly recalled the sailor’s screamed warning. “But I saw another sailor come out, yelling that it was loaded—“

“Yes,” said Morgan, his eyebrow raising. “There are tracking mechanism in the gun barrels – diameter, weight, and so forth – to make sure a gun isn’t misloaded. The sailor monitoring those recognized that the middle gun was loaded thirty seconds before firing and tried to stop it.” He looked away. “However, the firing control officer did not respond to him.”

“Sounds like we need to have a talk with the firing control officer, then.”

Morgan looked at me stonily. “He’s one of the two dead.”

“You….you’ve got to be kidding—“ I looked over at him, his twitch growing exponentially, a sudden dreadful thought filling my mind. “And the sailor who recognized the gun was loaded…..is the other one.”

Morgan nodded uneasily, pushing a sheaf of photographs onto the table. “Yes.”

I stared down at the pictures in shock, my gut churning.....then mulling through the sequence of events. “Admiral…..do you believe in coincidences?”

“Not in this case,” Morgan said, coming around to my side of the table, pulling up a chair next to mine. “I know you have no reason to believe me. But we were sabotaged…..and worse, we were sabotaged by someone who was able to penetrate our defenses and who wanted thousands of people dead, then could kill the only witnesses involved.” He stared down at the floor, then back up at me. “Had you and Superbear not been there……the consequences……”

I got up from the chair, walked away….then turned back. “Admiral, I’m not sure why, but I believe you. But what you’ve told me scares the hell out of me. ”

“I know,” Morgan said, rising from his seat. “We’re doing a thorough investigation, trying to find out how someone was able to do this – in absolute secrecy. Publicly, it was an accident.” He shifted uncomfortably. “The Pentagon is very opposed to you knowing about this – they do think you and Superbear are national security risks -- but I told them it was either that or you definitely would be.” He looked at me. “Will you help us?”

“On two conditions,” I said, staring back at him. “One, your ‘accident’ doesn’t get blamed on gay sailors, like you did with the Iowa. Two………..”

Chapter 6

I floated up the passageway from the Den, tight spandex melting into baggy fleece and cargo shorts, then up the stairs, chuckling softly as I saw Alex sprawled out in the same chair I had been, the bedroom TV flashing a rerun of “I Love Lucy”. He jumped as I lightly touched his shoulder, quickly blushing. “I’m sorry, I –“

“No need to apologize, Alex,” I said wryly, helping him to his feet as we both looked at the sleeping form in the bed. “It doesn’t look like you missed much.”

“There was too much on the TV,” Alex yawned, stretching out his arms. “Dan, that was incredible. The way that you spoke to the crowd….you….you calmed them down….you took the heat for the Navy…..and—“

“And I’m probably off Cindy Sheehan’s mailing list,” I chuckled. “But all’s well that ends reasonably OK.” I turned back to the bed, face darkening.

“Dan…..” Alex came over to my side as we looked down at Jimmy’s vaguely-angelic form. “He….he will get better…..won’t he?”

“I honestly don’t know, Alex,” I said dully. “I know we’re invulnerable, but….it…just….nothing has ever happened like this before.” I turned back to him, my jaw stiffening. “But….what you said today….even if there isn’t a Superbear any more….there…..there will be a Supercub. For everyone’s sake.”

“Oh Dan……” Alex clasped my shoulders tightly. “If….if you….need anything, you know Jake and I are there –“

“I know, Alex…and you know I’ll be there for you guys as well – in more ways than one,” I said, smiling gently. “But there’s another matter….a bit more serious than that.”

“I kind of thought this would be coming,” Alex grimaced. “I….I promise I won’t tell anyone about….the whole, that you’re Supercub thing.”

“I know you wouldn’t, Alex, It’s not a matter of not trusting you….it’s a matter of not trusting anyone to keep their hands off you,” I replied gravely….launching into the story of Milan and how Supercub came to be.

Alex swallowed as I finished up with the tale. “You mean you’re Supercub – by accident?”

“A lucky one at that,” I said, nose quirking. “And I don’t want to take the chance that our luck runs out with either you or Jake.”

“I…..I understand,” Alex said, looking back at me. “So….so what can we do?”

“I can fix it,” I said, staring deep into his eyes, feeling my super-hypnotic power manifest, Alex’s body stiffening. “Easy….easy….I promise this won’t hurt……but…” I smiled back at him…”you don’t realize how much help you’ve been."

“I….do…” Alex said, almost in a whisper. “Will….I….remember….”

“Only the good feelings,” I grinned, “not the specifics. But…..if you ever need Superbear or Supercub….you’ll know who to call and tell them about it.” I gently ushered him down the stairs. “Now…..go make passionate love to your partner….and tell him how much you love him. Lots.”

“Sure….I….will,” Alex said, his steps quickening as he went out the door, breaking into a jog. I chuckled as I watched him out the window, his pants definitely starting to bulge as he sped away. Make that two good deeds for the day – or maybe twenty by the time he gets finished, I thought wickedly, turning and flying back up the stairs to our bedroom.

I gently dropped down from the ceiling next to Jimmy, bending over him gently. “At least that problem’s fixed,” I whispered softly. “Now, if this could only wake you up, Prince Charming,” my lips reaching down to press against his.

Suddenly I felt a strange tingle go through my body, a pang of nausea in my stomach as we touched. I pulled away in surprise….only to be even more shocked to see Jim move slightly….just a tiny bit, but more than he had in days! I leaned over him again….the same wrench in my gut, weakening in my limbs as our lips touched….and I felt his mouth start to twist under mine, as if his waxen form were melting into warm flesh. The RADIATION, I thought, jumping into bed, holding him close, gritting my teeth as pain shot through my body, but feeling his movements grow stronger, more powerful with each passing second of contact. THAT’S been what he’s been fighting off….and I must be siphoning it out of him!

I pounced onto Jimmy’s form, my cock rising unbidden in that strange, ecstatic fusion born of mixing half pain and half pleasure. Our faces squashed together, my goatee scratching his, I spread his legs…..and let out a scream of agony and ecstasy, the glass in the broken mirror downstairs tinkling like bells, finally shattering completely and falling to the floor, as I pushed inside of him. I thrust harder and harder and harder, half mad with the torture of fiery burning spreading across my skin and my body, half wild with joy as I felt his ass awaken, his body pulse with new energy, his tongue coming out to meet mine, his muscles firming as his strong hairy arms wrapped around me. With a last giant gasp, the curtains flapping wildly as I inhaled, my cub cock exploded inside him, feeling his cock jerk in response, hot jizz shooting, hanging like crazy stalactites from my chest fur.

Jim sat bolt upright, barely catching me as I toppled to the side, darkness starting to overtake my vision. “Sweetie…..sweetie…what happened, I – “

I opened my mouth to answer…..but the darkness slammed it shut.

Chapter 7

“Feeding time, Cub,” Jim boomed as he came into the room with a steaming tray, a hot cup of green tea on the one side, a big bowl of chicken soup with oyster crackers on the other.

Groaning, I pushed myself up on both elbows….only to flop back down immediately when the world started to whirl the farther upright my head got. “Ugh…..just get me a funnel and pour it in, would you?”

“Not quite,” Jim chuckled, laying the tray down at the bedside, then solicitously pushing in pillows and bolsters behind me as I reached for a Kleenex, making a long honking blow. “You’ll feel much better the faster you sit up. Trust your bear on this.”

“OK, OK,” I grumbled, pushing back against the pillows, raising myself as he tucked the covers in around my legs. “Man, this feels like the worst cold I ever had – times twelve.”

“You’re proving the wave/particle theory of radiation, Dan,” Jim said, moving the wastebasket into closer range as I heaved another throw onto the huge pile of tissues right next to it. “Because they couldn’t pass through you or me as waves, they stay put as little pieces – and your immune system is treating them just like a cold virus.” He looked at me, part gratefully, part ruefully. “You know, I would have woken up eventually, although not quite with THAT much of a bang. But I’m kind of glad it’s you and not me having to put up with this part,” chuckling and ducking as I heaved a quick pillow at him, then diving into bed, his arms wrapping around me as he planted a quick kiss on my cheek. “Go on, eat your lunch, little one.”

I pulled up a quick spoonful of noodles, snuggling back into his big chest as he nibbled on my neck. “So what have I been missing in the big outside world?”

“Cleanup from the riot,” Jim said, opening the package of oyster crackers, “and otherwise dull moments in the streets, even though all the papers are ablaze with ‘conspiracy theories’ about what really happened”.

I inhaled more of the clouds rising from the fragrant broth. “And they don’t even know the half of it.” I turned around to look into his beautiful eyes. “Sweetie, I’m worried. Burglaries, purse snatchings, and the occasional massive structural fire we can handle. Someone being crazy enough to set off the equivalent of a nuclear bomb around hundreds of thousands of people….I don’t know. Something like that could take us out for days, maybe weeks, even if we manage to stop it…..and we don’t know who, or why, or anything like that.”

“I’m worried too, Dan,” Jim said, pulling me tighter. “This is a lot bigger than anything I’ve ever faced before, and frankly, I’m scared. I don’t want to lose you OR me. But…..” he tenderly kissed my cheek, then looked into my eyes, warmth radiating from him…”there isn’t anything we can’t handle if we do it together. No matter what.” His glance turned roguish. “But do the words ‘secret identity’ mean anything to you?”

“It wasn’t like he hadn’t already guessed,” I chuckled, playfully shoving Jim sideways. “I just confirmed what he already thought.”

“Point, cub,” Jim said, snarfling back over to me, licking my nipples. His gaze turned wistful. “Yeah, Alex has been there since the beginning. He’s seen everything….or, I guess everything suspicious.”

“Well, I haven’t,” I said, reaching down to rub his head. “Care to illuminate me a bit more about Superbear, BC – Before Cub?”

He smiled, plopping his head down on my pecs, looking up at me. “Well, since you asked…” •