Chapter 6

Sean stood up as he heard the lock of the hotel door open. For the first time, he dreaded the Undertaker's arrival, knowing the larger man would be extremely unhappy with him. But what else could he have done? Force Billy to stay? That was just not something the brunette was willing to do.

The door closed behind Taker, cutting off Sean's thoughts and the brunette stood very still, his head slightly bowed as he waited for the Taker's reaction.

It took several minutes as the big man walked around the room, apparently trying to figure out the sub's location. "Where is he?"

"He's gone, master."

Taker's voice lowered dangerously as he walked over to where Sean still stood. "What do ya mean `He's gone'?"

"Billy is no longer part of your household, master."

"What?" The question was yelled in pure rage and was accompanied by Taker's hand twisting in Sean's shirt collar yanking him closer to the big man. "What the hell do ya mean by that? He's mine!"

Sean kept his voice calm and respectful. A show of resentment or emper now would only enrage Taker further. "Not anymore, master. He no longer wears your collar."

The dark wrestler's voice lowered again, a threatening whisper as he closed his other fist in Sean's shirt. "What did ya do to him?"

"I..." Sean struggled to find a way to explain but fear was beginning to build in him as Taker's hands twisted in his shirt collar, tightening the material around his neck. "Nothing, master. I didn't do anything to him."

Taker shook him roughly. "Don't lie t'me, boy. Ya had to do somethin' for him to take off my collar. He wouldn' show me that kinda disrespect without a lot of provocation. He's too smart for it."

"Master, he didn't remove the collar." Sean took a deep breath, steeling himself for the rage he knew would come. "I took the collar off him, master. I freed him."

Even though he had prepared himself, Sean was still almost knocked over by the force of Taker's fist crashing across his face. Only the Taker's hand still twisted in his shirt kept him upright. "What the fuck were you thinkin'? Ya cain't free what's mine!"

"You..." Sean struggled to breathe around his sore jaw. "You gave me authority to collar for you and to punish for you in any way I saw fit, master. You said he was to be punished, so I did. I banished him from your household as his punishment."

"How dare you! I told ya I wanted him here! How could ya be so stupid as to release him as a fucking punishment?"

"You said, master, that you wanted him loving and obedient him like he used to be. Releasing him was the only punishment that would restore that part of him."

Taker twisted his body to slam Sean into a wall, making the other man gasp in pain. "You're fucking insane. How can he be loving and obedient to me if he's not mine? If he's not here? Either you start making sense or I'm gonna beat some into you."

Sean was finding it hard to thing around the pain in his knee from the match and the new pain in his head and back. "He didn't want to serve you anymore, master. He wouldn't have been loving and obedient when I brought him here. He was begging to be freed. His heart and soul belong to someone else, only his body was still yours and that would never have satisfied you and was not going to be your much longer, collar or no. I let him go before you could harm each other, before he angered or hurt you with further disobedience and resentment. I only did what seemed best for the household, master, what would serve you and make both of you happy."

"What would serve me is to have a groom that can do his damn job and actually control a sub."

Sean flinched at the harsh words but the Undertaker did not notice as he roughly released his hold on Sean's shirt, allowing the brunette to sag back against the wall.

Turning away, the green-eyed man took a deep breath as if to calm himself. "You're gonna go out there and get him back."

"No, master, I won't."

Taker turned and backhanded Sean. "Don't you talk back to me! I want him back and I want him back now!"

"He's not coming back, master. He doesn't want to and I won't force him."

Taker's eyes were dark emerald with fury and contempt. "Fucking worthless. Fine. If ya cain't do it, I'll get him back myself. Then, I'll decide what t'do with you." Turning away again, Taker pulled off his shirt. "Get a damn bath ready and then go t'bed."

Sean pushed away from the wall, ignoring the dull pain in his head, back, and leg. Keeping his eyes on the carpet, he walked into the bathroom and turned on the taps, checking the temperature carefully. He did not want to anger Taker further so he double-checked everything he did as he laid out towels and arranged the Taker's favorite soap, shampoo, and other items. By the time he was done, his head was hurting enough to make it hard to see straight.

Making his way quietly out of the bathroom, he concentrated on walking straight to his bed, actually glad that he was being ignored by his master. Kicking off his shoes, Sean managed to get his shirt off but anything after that, even making his way over to his bag for some pain killers, seemed like too much effort so he simply lay on his side, trying to avoid putting pressure on his knee or back, and pulled the covers over him. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply, trying to focus past his pain, both emotional and physical, and escape into sleep.

He did not regret freeing Billy. Even though he hurt from Taker's anger over it and the bed seemed empty now that he was alone in it, he did not regret what he had done. Without Billy's knowledge, he had followed him to the general locker room. Although he did not love Billy, Sean was still concerned fro the smaller man and wanted to make sure he stayed safe. It was impossible for Sean to look after someone as long as he had with Billy and not care for that person.

So, he had followed the sub to the general locker room and waited outside, out of the way and out of sight. If the Flock rejected him, Sean was determined to do what he could to ensure Billy's safety until the smaller man either gained the Flock's acceptance or gave up and, possibly, came back to Taker. It was a long wait and that had given Sean hope, though he had no idea what business Brock and Zack had in the locker room especially when neither of them looked happy as they left. Finally, the Flock emerged and Sean smiled as he watched.

Billy no longer looked like the sweet clean cut young man Taker had insisted he appear as. His crisp white button down shirt was gone as were his nicely ironed, tailored pants. He was wearing a pair of ragged cut off jeans and a plain black t-shirt which Sean figured had to have come from another member of the Flock since he knew the smaller man didn't own anything like that anymore. Taker had thrown out Billy's old wardrobe when he had claimed him. Apparently, the smaller man was going to get a new wardrobe again, because Hammer threw Billy's suitcase into a dumpster as the passed it.

What reassured Sean, though, was what else he saw. Raven was walking in front, as appropriate, flanked by Hammer and Scotty. Billy was wearing a heavy silver studded, black leather collar with a thick chain leash attached to it. The leash was being held by Scotty but he was not leading Billy. Instead, Scotty's arm was wrapped around the smaller man who was pressed against his side. The obvious connection between the two reassured Sean that Billy would be well taken care of and happy.

No, Sean did not regret releasing Billy. He only hoped that, when Taker calmed down, there would be a way for him to do what Billy had suggested, bring his own love back into his life. What would he risk for the man he loved, Billy had asked and their answer had been identical. He would risk anything, everything.

*******************

Billy lay cuddled between Scotty and Raven with Van Hammer's arm reaching over all three of them. The sounds of deep breathing and soft snores were comforting to him, familiar, reminding him that this wasn't a dream. Nuzzling further into Scotty's long black curls, he breathed deeply the soft smell of Scotty's shampoo and the scent that was uniquely his love's. The larger man turned his head slightly to rub his cheek over Billy's murmuring, "So glad to have you back, baby."

"Glad to be back. I missed you."

"Missed you too. Every day." Turning his head slightly, Scotty kissed Billy tenderly. "I never wanted to leave you."

"I know. But you had to go where the work was and I had to stay where my contract was."

"I should have found a way to take you with me." Though whispered, the words screamed regret and pain.

Billy ran his fingers through Scotty's hair, staring into blue eyes he had dreamed of for so long. "You couldn't. Between our contracts, the problems the companies were having, the firings and the changes in administrations, there was no choice. I understood then and I do now. I'm just thankful for this second chance. Just glad to be with the Flock again, to be where I belong. Just glad master was able to form it again and bring you back to me."

Scott kissed Billy again, deep and slow, his arms tightening around the smaller man. "So am I, love. I never want to separate from you again. I love you so much."

Billy rubbed his nose over Scotty's. "And I love you. I always will."

They continued to share soft kisses in the dark until sleep overcame them.

Read Chapter Chapter Sevenof ? of Silverahra's Saved By Darkness