Carter Verse

List of Vignettes:


Party Favor: Idaho, Colby has problems not following in his father’s foot steps

A Part, However Small: Afghanistan, after the Humvee accident, Dwayne/Colby, Dwayne swears to save Colby again if he has to

Moderation: Afghanistan, Dwayne/Colby, Colby shares and secret with Dwayne and they have a bit too much to drink

Side-by-Side: Ohio, from CJ’s birth to baptism, Dwayne/Colby friendship, Colby is by Dwayne’s side as he becomes a dad

Becoming Familiar: Quantico, after CJ’s fifth birthday party, Dwayne/Colby, Jenny and Dwayne’s partnership is falling apart… so Dwayne sleeps with Colby

If I Had To:  Los Angeles, during the escape from prison, Dwayne admires Colby, Dwayne swears again to save Colby if he has to

Never Stop Trying:  Los Angeles, after the freighter incident , David and Colby talk, David swears to never stop trying to understand and help Colby


 
“Party Favor” Idaho

Colby Granger’s father had died of liver failure due to chronic alcoholism when Colby was barely ten. Growing up Colby hadn’t touched alcohol, not at weddings, and not on New Year’s. Colby made it half way through college, before he made his first mistake. He drank for the first time. The night, surprisingly was crystal clear in Colby’s memory. It had been a celebration for his one of his friend’s birthday at a frat house. He had gone to these kinds of parties over the years, but he had never given in, never even tasted alcohol. So when someone handed him a drink that didn’t smell like  alcohol, Colby took a tentative sip. When he couldn’t taste anything odd, he took a bigger sip and a bigger sip, and then it was gone. By the end of the night Colby was drunker than anyone else at the party, and had become the official party favor. He never forgave his “friend” or his roommates for the humiliation and pain they had put him through. After that night, Colby swore to never touch alcohol again. He had made his mistake. He couldn’t look at himself in the mirror for almost a month.

.
 
“A Part, However Small”  Afghanistan, in an Army encampment just outside of Kandahar

The fire was hot, but the band around his arm was hotter. Smoke was filling his lungs, and metal was melting into his skin. Colby Granger knew he was going to die. He didn’t know why, all he knew  was that he was serving his country by dying in Afghanistan, in this Humvee just outside of Kandahar. There was sudden movement next to him, and the door was ripped open, as the flames grew brighter and hotter, Dwayne Carter reached in, tearing Colby out of the burning vehicle.

When all was said and done, Colby had 3rd degree burns on his left arm and some minor scrapes and burns, but otherwise he was miraculously okay. Dwayne had some minor cuts and burns but his hands were covered in 3rd degree burns. Burns, that he would later find would never heal completely. All in all, the two soldiers weren’t in bad condition for being in a Humvee that should have exploded. Colby’s wounds healed enough for him to return to duty a few weeks after the incident, but Dwayne’s burns took over a month to heal.
 
“Hey, Granger!” Colby looked up from the report he had been writing to see his buddy come waltzing into the tent. He smiled. Dwayne had always been a good friend, and now that he had saved his life, Colby owed the guy good. But Colby didn’t really mind, it’s not like Dwayne would ask him to betray his country or anything else ridiculous like that, just because he saved his life.

“Hey, Carter!” Dwayne just flashed a happy grin at his buddy, setting his bag down next to Colby’s stuff.

“You just got yourself a roommate, man.” Dwayne flopped down next to Colby and discreetly enjoyed the view. It was mid-August and wickedly hot. It was a dry, consuming heat that was accompanied only by driving sandstorms and fierce winds. To accommodate the arid heat Colby was shirtless. And sweaty. And only wearing a pair of BDU pants and… nothing underneath? Dwayne could usually see a strip of boxers above Colby’s pants… but today they were low-slung, like usual, but there was no tell-tale hint of boxers anywhere.

“Dwayne? Is there something wrong? Are you… Are you staring at my pants, man?” Dwayne looked up guiltily. It was common practice, probably more common than most people thought, to sleep with other soldiers, out here in the middle of nowhere. Dwayne had always kept an ear out for rumors about Colby, but apparently his Idaho upbringing had left him completely straight, with no room for arguments. Colby was still staring at him, but instead of confusion, or even disgust, all Dwayne saw was… amusement?

“Are you gonna stare at me all day?” Dwayne just nodded. Colby laughed and tossed his report off to the side, giving up all pretenses of working.

“You’re going commando, aren’t you?” Now Colby just looked smug.

“Yep.”

…

Dwayne had to try very hard to focus on anything other than pushing Colby onto his back and having his wicked way with him. And then he had a brilliant idea.

“Colby?”

“Yes?”

“I saved your life.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s fuck.”

“Yes!” Colby’s last “yes” had been very emphatic, reinforced by Colby pushing Dwayne onto his back and having his wicked way with him.

And then Dwayne’s brain short-circuited. Again.

Colby Granger, who had been his straight-laced, Idaho-bred buddy for a while now, was kissing him. Very well, for the record. Their lips licked and bit against each other, vying for dominance, fighting good-naturedly like they did in everything else. Dwayne opened the eyes he hadn’t even noticed were closed and peeked at Colby. He looked like he was very focused, so intent that there was a little line of concentration on his forehead. Dwayne mentally took a breath to still his nerves and dove head first into sin.

Colby could feel Dwayne’s hands running hot over feverish skin, smoothing sweat and creating more. Colby had thought, foolishly, that he was in control. Dwayne flipped Colby over, effortlessly holding him in place with a well-placed submission hold on Colby’s wrists, before reaching down into no-man’s land. A burst of cool air and Colby knew he was as bare as the day he was born.

Dwayne wanted to touch everything, taste every bit of Colby. The chilling reality was that he might never have another chance. Dwayne quickly pushed that thought into a little corner of his mind, and slammed the door shut.

Now was the time to love Colby, to experience him to the fullest. Dwayne was mapping Colby out, deciding which choice areas he wanted to touch-taste-smell-see, live first.

Colby was startled when his mouth and hands were suddenly free. His first instinct was to grapple for control and then he would-
Wet-hot-slick-perfect. And Colby’s higher thinking skills were defenestrated by animal lust.

Dwayne was licking, tasting really, down Colby’s six-pack, into the crease where thigh met abdomen. A perfunctory lick to Colby’s cock and Dwayne was kissing him again. Colby licked feverishly into Dwayne’s mouth, trying to taste himself over the taste of Dwayne and tobacco.

Colby’s hands were free. Hands were for touching. Colby should be touching right now. Colby tugged and pulled until he had Dwayne’s shirt up and off. It took longer than expected due to Dwayne’s distracting hands and fierce kisses. At the first brush on skin on skin Colby gasped. The cliché was overused but his overwhelmed brain could only produce: electric. Maybe it was electric, the arid climate not only produced dry heat and sandstorms, but also static electricity and lightning storms.

When Colby gasped at simple contact, Dwayne couldn’t wait to get him more vocal.

The sudden realization was like a bucket of cold water. They were in a tent in the middle of an army encampment. Anyone could come walking in, anyone could hear.

“What? Dwayne, man, what’s wrong?” Colby’s voice and eyes were hazed with passion, but the clarity inevitably dawned.

“Yeah.” Dwayne sighed, running a hand through sweaty hair. Green and brown locked and the silent communication of two people who knew each other too well was all it took.

“I can be quiet.” And then they were kissing again. Back to your regular programming, ladies and gentlemen. Colby had been given a small respite, enough to get himself somewhat under control. More focused, Colby went to work on Dwayne’s BDU pants. There was some scuffling and a bit of good-natured tickling and laughter. Dwayne finally decided that Colby was really just adding to the problem, and stood up, kicking off boots and tossing socks in every which direction, finally shoving his half unbuttoned pants, boxers and all, down, kicking them the rest of the way off.

Colby took a moment to enjoy the view, before coming to the conclusion that touching would be a lot more fun. Good thing Dwayne seemed to agree. Colby sighed when he realized he had ended up on the bottom again. Damn it. Oh, well, might as well enjoy it.

“Y’got something…?” Colby cocked his head like a kid, trying to understand. Dwayne sighed, either Colby was just that dazed, or he really had never had gay sex before. He hoped it was the former.

“Lube, genius.” Colby’s eyes widened and then he nodded quickly, reaching into his bag and pulled out a mostly used tube of lube and tossed it and a condom to Dwayne. Dwayne caught the supplies deftly. Before Colby knew what hit him, Dwayne flipped him over, and was rubbing impatiently over Colby’s ass. And what a fine ass it was. Pulling Colby up onto his hands and knees, Dwayne got his fingers slick.

Wet-cold-slick-perfect. Colby was not a virgin, as Dwayne had assumed. He had been as dazed as Dwayne had hoped. Colby would never admit it, but he really didn’t mind being on bottom as much as he was supposed to. Warm-wet-full. Dwayne’s fingers were efficient, like the man himself, but surprisingly gentle, stretching Colby quickly but with just the right amount of passion. Colby gasped as Dwayne flicked his prostrate, privately reveling in the waves of pleasure that overtook him. Dwayne slipped his fingers out and Colby took a breath, hoping that Dwayne wouldn’t make fun of him too much when he came right away.

Dwayne slipped the condom on, hoping Colby wouldn’t make fun of him too much when he came right away. Gasps were echoed as Dwayne pushed into Colby. Hot-wet-tight. Fiery-slick-full. As Dwayne began to move, slowly at first, trying to draw it out as much as possible, Colby’s arms gave out, and he pillowed his head on his folded arms. Dwayne held onto Colby’s hips, keeping him up and away from the bed. And started to move in earnest. Colby was making a sound deep in the back of his throat, and Dwayne knew he was trying very hard to be quiet. Dwayne bit his lip to keep his moans to himself. Dwayne knew he was being a bit cruel by not letting Colby rub against the sheets, but it was just too good.

It was just too good.

It was just too much.

It had just been too long.

It was just about over.

Dwayne rolled his hips once, twice, and Colby was coming with a gasping-grunt. Three, four, and Dwayne was coming, biting his lip at the last moment. Panting filled the room. Dwayne couldn’t take how incredibly hot it was that Colby had come just from being fucked.

“Uhgh. Damn it, Dwayne. Get off me, man.” Dwayne laughed, pulling out and off of Colby. Pulling off the condom and tying it, he tossed it in the general direction of Colby’s trashcan. He ran a hand down Colby’s back and over his ass.
“I’ve never fu- had sex with a guy that could come just from being fu- uh… yeah.” Dwayne didn’t know how he felt about saying that he had fucked Colby. Had sex with, definitely. But fucked? The alternative was “made love with,” but that was just a little too girly for him, thank-you-very-much.

“Fucked? You can say it, Dwayne. I’m a big boy.”  Okay, apparently Colby didn’t have a problem with it, but still…

“Mmm.” Dwayne hummed. Sighing he laid next to Colby, staring up at the canvas “ceiling” of the tent and just breathed. Breathed and lived, and tried to capture the moment. He knew in their line of work it was very unlikely that he and Colby would live through the tour, let alone get together afterwards. But he could fantasize… and hope… and pray.

He had saved Colby’s life and that meant a part of Colby, however small, would always be his.  He had saved Colby, and he swore he’d do it again, if he had to.

.
 
                “Moderation” Afghanistan, in an Army encampment just outside of Kandahar

By the time Colby Granger made it into the Army, he learned the lesson of moderation. He could at least drink a few beers with buddies, but never more. The only person Colby had ever told about his father’s problem, and subsequently his own problem was Dwayne Carter. He had told him about the party in college and how they had… taken advantage of him. And Dwayne took it in stride and even looked out for Colby. Sometimes even going as far as tasting drinks at parties, since Colby was especially weary of crowded gatherings that involved alcohol. The one night Dwayne and Colby did drink alone together was a disaster. They had been in Afghanistan at the time, and had already become lovers of a sort. They were weary of the fighting and drank too much. Well… by the end of the night they had ended up in bed together. Colby made it a point to remind himself of moderation more often. While in Quantico, Dwayne helped keep Colby in line. And Colby was comfortable in his drinking habits… in fact, it wasn’t even a habit anymore. Without Dwayne Colby never would have made it. He was forever grateful.
 
.


                “Side-by-Side” Cincinnati, airport, hospital, and church

As Colby rushed through the Cincinnati airport, he noticed the strange looks he and Dwayne were receiving, but it didn’t matter- Dwayne was about to become a daddy.
 
“I need to know where Jenny Carter is- she’s having a baby,” Dwayne’s excitement was infectious.

The nurse smiled at the two soldiers, still carrying their travel duffels, and dressed in uniforms. “She’s in OR6.”

That was all Colby and Dwayne needed to hear. Again they were off, sprinting side-by-side down the hallway.
 
When Dwayne finally emerged from the OR, wearing scrubs over his uniform, he was smiling like he had won the lottery. Colby jumped up from his seat.

“How did it go? Is it a boy or a girl? When can I see-” Colby was running a mile a minute.

Dwayne laughed, “Hold on man! Everything went fine, and Jen and I have a beautiful boy named CJ.” Colby almost fell over in his excitement.
 

Colby Granger straightened his tie. Stepping up to his place, he stood close to Dwayne, as an elderly priest trickled water in the form of a cross on his soon-to-be godson’s forehead. Colby looked into CJ’s slightly slanted hazel eyes and smiled.

“Colby John Carter, I baptize thee, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Colby coughed, almost choking. He tried to look apologetic as Jenny glared daggers at him. Colby glanced sidelong at Dwayne but his friend just shrugged, as if to say, “I though you knew.” He didn’t realize that Dwayne had named CJ anything other than CJ… let alone Colby. Colby had already intended to take his job as godfather seriously, but now he was even more determined. Neither Colby nor Dwayne had ever really had a father; Colby swore that CJ wouldn’t grow up that way.

.
 
                “Becoming Familiar” Quantico, Colby’s apartment

Even after Dwayne began spying for the Chinese, and Colby began counter-spying for the US, the two ex-Army buddies were still close. On the night after Dwayne’s son, CJ’s birthday party, Dwayne knocked on Colby’s apartment door. When Colby opened the door he was pushed back into his living room without preamble. Colby was glad that Dwayne had taken care of the door, because he couldn’t think when Dwayne was pushing and pulling at both of their clothing. As Colby relaxed into the rhythm of sex with Dwayne, he sighed at the familiar taste of Dwayne and tobacco… and alcohol? Colby didn’t really mind. It wasn’t like Colby was taking advantage of him. Dwayne only ever had a beer or two and it only clouded his judgment when it came to Colby. Despite the fact that they shouldn’t because Dwayne had a girlfriend and son waiting at home, it didn’t really deter them. Jenny hadn’t been the same since Dwayne and Colby had been away for their thirteen month tour in Afghanistan, leaving her to raise an infant single-handedly. It wasn’t Dwayne’s fault that she was bitter… and really an encounter like this, it didn’t mean that much. Did it?
 
.


“If I Had To”  Los Angeles, inside an auto repair shop

Dwayne glanced over, getting an eyeful of Colby. His fellow ex-Army buddy was stripping out of his prison uniform shirt, leaving behind a skimpy white tank top and baggy prison pants. The material didn’t fit Colby all that well but it didn’t mater, it still gave Dwayne a view of sculpted arms and a hint of more. Dwayne paused, remembering the times he had seen Colby shirtless… or those few and far between times he had seen even more of Colby. He had touched Colby, felt all over those hard muscles and soft skin. Dwayne had known Colby in the Army, hell, they had been stationed in Afghanistan together for thirteen months. Those had been some pretty stressful times and he had seen Colby loose weight, but nothing like this. Colby’s cheeks were hollowed, and even his impressive musculature had lessened during the fives weeks of prison, but that didn’t detract from the man’s pure, unadulterated animal attraction.

Dwayne stripped off his own shirt, and fumbled a bit, trying to call Lancer as quickly as possible. They had to get to out of here. He had saved Colby once and he swore he’d do it again, if he had to.

.


“Never Stop Trying”  Los Angeles, inside David Sinclair’s apartment

David and Colby were drinking. They had the weekend off and neither of them needed to be anywhere until Monday, so here they were, sitting on David’s couch, drinking and talking. The conversation eventually headed towards the one topic David wanted to avoid: what David had mentally dubbed as “The Spy Thing.” Ever since Colby had come back after his time in prison, David had slowly been reconciling what he thought he knew with what he was relearning. For example, Colby still liked red-heads over brunettes and the Devils better than the Flyers. He still loved kimchi, but hated regular cabbage.

When Colby finally broke the comfortable silence, David jumped a bit.

“He and I were family, y’know?” Colby wasn’t even close to being drunk, but he had let his guard down. Maybe it was the beer, but David wanted to pretend that it was his company that had let Colby relax so much. David and Colby had talked about their families before, but David honestly had no idea who Colby was talking about right now.

“Who was your family?” Colby smiled. David couldn’t discern whether it was a happy grin or a bitter grimace, or maybe both.

“Dwayne.” David would have given any numerous things to never hear that name again. He really didn’t want to talk about the jackass who had made Colby’s life a living hell for over two years. In fact, he wished he could go back in time and stop Dwayne from meeting Colby.

“Dwayne’s my family.” Apparently Colby wanted to talk about him, though. David sighed, and decided he didn’t have much choice on the matter.

“I know you were close, Colby, but-“

“No, we’re actually family, David,” Colby’s voice was a complex combination of resignation and pride.

“You mean you’re cousins or something like that?” Colby just laughed at that.

“Do I look red-haired or Irish to you? No, I’m his son’s godfather.” This was news to David. He hadn’t even known that Carter had a son. Let alone the fact that Colby was the kid’s godfather. What kind of person convinced some one to become a spy and then asked him to be his son’s godfather? … Or rather, what kind of person pretends to be a spy with someone, with every intention of turning him in, and then agrees to be his son’s godfather? David just shook his head. Colby had seen too much and had been through a lifetime’s worth of hell. David would never really understand all of that. Colby needed him though. He needed David’s support… and love. David admitted that he didn’t understand everything that Colby had gone through, but that would never stop him from trying.