Quandary

by KatBear

Title: Quandary
Author: KatBear
Archive: MA, AO3
Category: AR
Rating: R
Pairing: Q/O (Ian Prentice/Quinn Masterson)
Feedback: Appreciated.
Thanks: To the beta reader who made this a better story (Merry Amelie). All mistakes are my own.
Summary: Ian and Quinn help a student struggling with a difficult question.
Disclaimer: The boys belong to George Lucas, I'm just playing with them.
Academic Arcadia #201
Notes:
1. This story is set in Merry Amelie's Academic Arcadia sandbox, in which she has graciously allowed me to play. In return for all of the lovely stories she has given us about her two professors, this story is offered in honor of the tenth anniversary of the Academic Arcadia series.
2. Although DOMA was repealed in June 2013, it will take a while to sort out the details of how changes will actually be made. Within the timeline of this story, I have assumed that full equality has been established within the military services for same-sex couples at this point, including things like health care and housing allowance money.

Quinn smiled as he read through the next essay in his first stack of the new school year. The quality of the small group of students in his advanced seminar was even better than usual, but a few already stood out for their intensity and liveliness. He was quite looking forward to the rest of this fall semester.

A tentative knock on the partially open door of the office he shared with Ian broke his concentration and he looked up. A young man in jeans and a Luke t-shirt stood in the hallway peering in, chewing on the corner of his lower lip. It took Quinn a moment to place the square-jawed face, black hair and olive-tinged skin, but his athletic build reminded Quinn that Ian had pointed out the youngster last year when they had been at a gymnastics match. Joseph Liberato, thought Quinn as he quickly reviewed Ian's comments -- a solid performer, especially on high bar, not one of the team stars but someone who worked hard with the talent he did have. He wondered briefly why Liberato was here, since he vaguely remembered Ian saying that the boy was an engineering major of some sort, but perhaps he wanted to talk about gymnastics.

"Mr. Liberato, isn't it?" Quinn ventured pleasantly. "What can I do for you?"

"Yes, sir, Joey Liberato." Joey wiped a hand on his jeans. "I'm sorry to bother you, sir. I thought Professor Prentice had office hours on Tuesday mornings starting at ten."

Quinn glanced at the clock; its hands pointed to a good ten minutes after the hour. "You're quite right, but he does have a morning class which might have run late. I'm sure he'll be here any moment if you'd like to wait."

"I..." Joey swallowed hard and licked his lips. "I guess I'll just come back later."

Quinn recognized the signs of nervousness and suspected that it had taken the youngster a while to work up the nerve to come here to discuss whatever troubled him. "No, please come in, you can wait in here. I don't mind at all."

Joey was already turning to leave when Quinn heard footsteps racing down the hall, and he saw Ian practically bowl over the student. Ian's armful of books and papers flew into the office and across the hall.

"Gosh, I'm so sorry, Professor Prentice," mumbled Joey as he scrambled to pick up the debris of their collision.

"No, it was entirely my fault," said Ian graciously. "I should have been watching where I was going."

Quinn jumped up to help and it took only a few moments to gather everything and bring it into the office. He returned to his desk and began putting his papers and work notes into his briefcase; he knew from long experience that Ian would likely need privacy for this conversation to be able to happen.

"So, Joey, now that I'm done banging you about, what can I do for you?" Ian put on his friendliest smile, a genuine one since he liked working with the members of the gymnastics team.

"If you have a few minutes, sir, I was wondering if maybe we could talk about something..." Joey shifted his feet, his backpack now dangling from one hand. He looked down at the floor as he swallowed again. "If you're busy, I can come back some other time."

Ian and Quinn exchanged glances as Ian put a hand on Joey's shoulder and steered him to the chair next to his desk. Quinn noisily stood up and closed his briefcase as he announced, "I've got some work to do at the library and a committee meeting this afternoon. It was nice to have met you, Mr. Liberato." He grabbed his jacket and headed out, briefcase in hand, returning the door to an almost-closed position.

Quinn spent most of his day productively and the meeting was only somewhat boring, so it was late afternoon by the time he returned to his office. He and Ian went home, fixed dinner for themselves and the pups, then played with Artoo and Sandy out back for a while since the weather was so fine. It was late evening and they were sitting quietly on the couch having a glass of wine together before Ian finally mentioned his morning visitor. Quinn had an arm wrapped around his lad as Ian leaned his head back, eyes closed.

"Thanks for giving us some privacy this morning," murmured Ian.

"Mr. Liberato was looking like a deer about to bolt, so it seemed the kind thing to do. I'm not sure he would have come back once he left."

Ian shifted a little closer so their thighs were touching, opened his eyes and glanced at Quinn. "Probably not. It turns out that Joey had been agonizing for almost two years about talking to someone. But he's a senior now and felt that he needed to make some decisions about his life." Ian sighed. "Joey Liberato is gay and still in the closet."

"Ah, poor kid." Quinn gave his mate a squeeze. "I'm glad he finally felt comfortable enough to talk to you. I hope that it was something other than a crush on you that precipitated his confession?"

"Oh, yes, very much something else, or rather I should say someone else." Ian smiled briefly. "He's been friends for a long time with another young man, who is now also a senior but at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It's been difficult with all the restrictions on his time that his friend has, but Joey says they still love each very much and they are considering getting married after they both graduate."

"Sounds like a difficult situation. Do their families know or are they completely in the closet?" asked Quinn sympathetically, remembering some of his own personal issues.

Ian shook his head. "Both very much in the closet. Joey thinks his family won't be too upset; they're Catholic but they've met gay and lesbian people in their hometown and Joey said they seemed to have accepted them pretty well." Ian snorted. "Joey has several sisters and an older brother, so he was relieved that his parents won't have to rely on him for grandchildren. He said that his mother has already been hounding his two married siblings with some very pointed hints."

"And the other young man?"

"That is apparently quite another situation altogether," said Ian somberly. "Joey has been to their home a few times for holiday visits as just an 'old friend from high school'. His friend's father is a high-ranking officer in the Navy and they come from a long line of conservative military people; everything was relatively formal and very much centered around the military. His friend's mother was nice, but the father was definitely a Type A personality with a Southern drawl. Joey seemed actually afraid of the man, from what I could tell."

"Sounds like it's going to be pretty difficult, especially with coming out AND wanting to get married. I don't envy either of them." Quinn gently nuzzled the base of Ian's throat. "So what was the end result of your meeting?"

"We talked in general about coming out and family issues for quite some time, but I had to get ready for my afternoon class so he agreed to meet again." Ian sat up and turned his head. "Joey said he finally got up the courage to come in because he's been watching you and me and how well we've handled our situation. I took a few liberties, love . . ."

"I'm sure that will be fine, laddie." Quinn smiled and ran his hand through Ian's hair. "What did you sign me up for?"

"I know things are busy with the start of this new semester, but I asked Joey to come back to our office on Friday when we both have a free block of time so we can speak with him. I promised him that we'd be willing to talk again later if he has more questions. In the meantime, I'm going to try to arrange a discreet get-together for Joey with Belinda Mikert at Luke-Loves; she's very knowledgeable about legal and social issues, especially for gay and lesbian problems. I'm also hoping Belinda might know some gay military or former military people Joey could meet."

"Sounds like you have a good start lined up for the young man, and I don't mind spending the time -- it will be a worthwhile investment if we can help Joey make an informed decision about what he wants to do."

"Thanks." Ian pressed a warm kiss to his mate's lips as they began to let their hands gently wander. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?'

Friday afternoon came quickly. Quinn glanced at the clock; it was almost two o'clock, so he finished one last note on a draft article he had been working on and put his pen down just as a diffident tap sounded on the office door. He pushed his chair over to the front of Ian's desk as Ian welcomed Joey in, closed the office door and ushered him to the visitor's chair next to his desk.

When they were all seated, Ian smiled comfortingly. "So, Joey, how are you doing? Did you get a chance to meet Belinda?"

"It's going better, sir. And yes, I met with Ms. Mikert Wednesday evening after practice; she was willing to come over to one of the small conference rooms in the library so I didn't have to go to the GLBT center." Joey nodded his head, a thoughtful expression on his face. "She was really great about helping me start to understand the issues I'll probably run into when I come out and what kind of help I can get from Luke-Loves."

Ian and Quinn both smiled as Joey said 'when', not 'if'.

"It is a big decision, Joey," said Ian. "Did you have any specific questions you wanted to ask us today?"

"Well, I guess first I wanted to thank you for helping and for setting up the meeting with Ms. Mikert. She was interested in the military questions and said she's going to add some military people to the general session for everybody that she's already putting together to provide briefings and discussion about the DOMA repeal."

"That should be a stimulating gathering," Quinn replied. "There are many practical and legal issues that are still being worked out. I think we'll all be interested in attending that."

"Ms. Mikert said they're expecting a good turnout; the flyers and web posting should be appearing next week. She's going to ask some Naval officers from the NROTC program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to come down. She thinks she can also get a gay man who used to be a Marine officer and a couple of gays and lesbians from the Army and Air Force to join the RPI Navy people in an additional session to talk specifically about military issues, so I'm going to sit in on that too."

"Sounds like you're making some good progress already, Joey," said Ian.

"I thought about what we discussed on Tuesday also. You were right that I needed to feel comfortable with myself and who I am. I've been miserable all these years, feeling like I was hiding things and sort of skulking around. I'm not really the activist type and I don't want to make a big production of it, but I do want to let the people closest to me know about me. I was wondering how people reacted when you told them."

"It was a little different for each of us. My mother had already guessed about Quinn and me, but my family was pretty supportive." Ian turned his head and looked at his mate.

"Unfortunately, my situation didn't go quite as well. My parents had a difficult time accepting things at first." Quinn shook his head as he remembered the initial hurt of rejection. "Eventually, they did come around and both of our families have a good relationship now. I think it's very important that you are honest with yourself and others, but you're right in that you don't have to act 'in your face' about being gay if that's not part of your personality. Obviously there are no guarantees that someone you love won't react poorly, but it's up to you to have an open mind and heart. If you make it clear that you'd like to talk whenever they're ready without trying to force others to accept your decision, you might find that over time people can change their minds."

"Was it hard making the decision to get married?"

"Not for us; it was really more a matter of the laws changing to make marriage possible.' Quinn grinned as he thought of the Tolkien conference that had brought the two professors together. "We were attracted to each other right away and our love has only grown stronger these past ten years." He reached across the desk to take Ian's hand in his.

"It's been a wonderful relationship and is a lifelong commitment." Ian squeezed Quinn's hand as he smiled in return.

"Wow, I hope it turns out that well for me." Joey's eyes were dark with wistful longing as he looked at the clasped hands. He suddenly sat up straighter in his chair. "Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. I brought a couple of pictures." Joey reached into his backpack and retrieved a folder, then pulled out two five-by-seven photos. He proudly handed over the first one, a young man in formal Naval uniform, standing stiffly at attention in front of an American flag. He was pleasant-looking rather than handsome, with short brown hair, earnest brown eyes, an athletic muscular build and a tan.

"Midshipman First Class Matthew Williams," announced Joey, pride in his voice. "He's doing really well at the Academy: in the top third of his class and made varsity football and track two years running."

Joey passed over the second image. This picture was very informal; the young man was in gray sweats with a blue Navy ball cap pushed back on his head and had a big grin that lit up his face. "That one's more of what Matt's like. He's just a really nice guy, always helping others and wanting to do good things. We met in high school when we had several classes together and were part of a group that ran together." Joey grinned a little bashfully. "We sort of fumbled around a lot until we figured out we were both gay." A blush painted both cheeks as he continued, looking down at the floor. "I know it's not really the 'modern' thing, but Matt and I were brought up pretty conservatively and haven't done much more than kissing and petting, so getting married is a really huge thing for us."

Ian immediately responded, trying to put the young man at ease. "That's not something to be embarrassed about at all, Joey." He smiled reassuringly. "It's just part of who you are, and it sounds like you and Matt feel the same way. Intimacy has been a very important part of my relationship with my husband, and making sure both partners want the same things is a key part of being happy together."

"Ian's right," added Quinn, "and that could actually be a good thing to bring up when you talk to your parents because they would probably see that as being very serious and responsible about your relationship with Matt."

"Gee, I hadn't thought about it that way." Joey grew a wry grin. "You're probably right, though. It's the sort of thing Mama would like."

The conversation bounced around after that as Ian and Quinn honestly answered the student's questions, both the good and bad of how people had reacted to them individually and as a couple. They gave Joey some insights on the marriage process, exchanging smiles as they remembered what they had experienced, and passed on what they had found out so far about issues that were still in flux, such as federal taxes.

An hour later, Joey put his pictures back in their folder and stashed them in his backpack. "I don't want to take up too much of your time, but I appreciate all the help you've provided. It's a lot to think about, but I know some things I want to do now. There's one thing in particular I want to get out of the way - I've looked at my schedule and after the GLBT seminar in two weeks I plan on returning home that weekend. I'm tired of living in the dark, and I'm going to tell my folks I'm gay so I'll know one way or another where I stand." He stood up and swung his pack onto his back.

The two professors also rose and moved toward Joey. Ian was the first to shake his hand, followed by Quinn.

"It's a big step, a courageous step, but it will be a big milestone in your life," said Ian. "Good luck."

Quinn added his own wishes for success. After Joey left the office, Quinn draped an arm around his mate and held him close. "He's a nice young man; I hope things go well for him."

Ian softly answered as they both stared soberly at the door. "However it turns out, I don't envy him what he'll be going through."

"Aye, laddie, aye." Quinn gave his love a squeeze before they broke apart to gather their things for the trip home.

The auditorium was already half full when Professors Prentice and Masterson made their way down the left side of the hall and slipped into seats ten rows back from the stage. The seminar sponsored by Luke-Loves was open to all, and they recognized individuals from the university and community as well as many people they didn't know. They settled into their seats as they waited for the presentations to start.

Belinda Mikert opened the session on behalf of Luke-Loves. The first speaker gave a brief overview of the history of GLBT rights and issues. There was applause when things like the abolition of Don't Ask Don't Tell were mentioned, and a cheer went up when he concluded with the recent June Supreme Court decision repealing the Defense of Marriage Act, DOMA. Ian and Quinn listened attentively to the various speakers and remained for the second half when several current and former military people discussed their experiences and the positive direction for improved rights. They slowly made their way back out of the auditorium amidst a buzz of conversation.

"Hey, Professor Prentice, Professor Masterson." Joey Liberato hailed them just outside the door.

"Hi, Joey. How are you?" asked Ian as they all moved off to the side so as not to impede traffic.

"Good, good. I'm heading over to a private conference with the Navy people in a few minutes. Just from what I heard inside and from what Matt's been able to find out, it looks like the Navy is really serious about moving ahead with as many rights and spousal privileges as they can."

"I saw those slides the officer from Rensselaer's ROTC program put up; I didn't realize there were so many things that military spouses might be entitled to that same-sex spouses weren't able to get before now," said Quinn. "It's good, though, that the Secretary of Defense is making public statements about providing equal rights for all spouses, regardless of what sex the married serviceperson is."

"I'm not entirely sure what about half of those things on his list really were, but Matt is pointing me to some more web sites and documents to check on and I've put together some specific questions for the Navy and Marine people."

"Still going home this weekend?" asked Ian casually.

"Yes, sir, I sure am; I've even been practicing what I'm going to say. Matt and I plan to wait until we find out how things go with my family before we start planning on what to do next." Joey shook his head. "I'm looking forward to it in one way, but I have to tell you it's been real hard getting any sleep these last few days."

"Just be yourself, be honest, give your parents a little time to take it in, make sure they understand that you still love them," counseled Ian. "You'll do fine."

"Yes, sir. I'd better get moving so I don't keep anybody waiting. Thanks again for all your help." Joey smiled at them and walked rapidly away.

"I hope his family is sympathetic to his situation," said Quinn. "It's such an important but scary step in his life."

"It certainly is. I'll never forget the butterflies in my stomach when I told my mom about us while she and I were sitting at her kitchen table. I'm incredibly lucky to have such a great family."

"And I'm very glad they welcomed me into your family." A dark cloud of pain passed momentarily through Quinn's eyes. "I wish it hadn't taken so long for my parents to come around, but at least they did eventually."

"Yes." Ian patted Quinn's arm for a moment. "My poor herven... I always shared your pain."

"I know." A smile lit his face as Quinn looked at his love. "And we shall always be there for each other."

They shared a brief but intense look that said volumes before starting a casual walk toward the parking lot, animatedly discussing what they had heard at the seminar.

Quinn strolled across the Luke University campus, enjoying the late September sunshine and the hints of cooler weather to come. He entered the gymnasium and looked for Ian.

"Hi. You've got great timing, love. We just finished up." Ian had been asked by Coach Rance to help the staff with evaluations of all the men's gymnastics team members, bringing a fresh set of knowledgeable eyes to the process.

"Excellent. How's the team looking this year?"

Ian fell into step beside his mate as they went outside. "Overall, pretty good. Several of the seniors are really coming into their own, a few juniors are top notch, some solid performers among the sophomores and a number of very promising freshmen. If everyone lives up to their potential, the Skyhawks could do quite well in the rankings." A sly little grin slipped onto Ian's face. "I think somebody had a nice trip home recently. Joey Liberato has never looked so proficient on the high bar or as happy as he did today."

Quinn's reply was forestalled by running footsteps coming up behind them and the aforesaid gymnast pulled to a stop in front of them, a towel around his neck, his Skyhawk sweatshirt stained with sweat.

"Mr. Liberato, how are you doing today?" Quinn smiled as he spoke.

Joey took a moment to catch his breath before replying. "Great!" He beamed at them. "I waited until after dinner Saturday night to talk to my parents. They were kind of stunned at first, but we kept talking and I tried to be as reasonable and responsible as I could, like you said. Several times I made sure they knew that I loved them and my being gay wasn't any reflection on them. Eventually they calmed down, not really happy about it but starting to accept that it was part of who I am. Mama was concerned about my soul and going to hell; I assured her I had considered that and would try to be a good person, but in the end it had to be my decision on how to live my life. I think they were both surprised that I was standing up for myself so firmly," Joey rolled his eyes a little, "but Mama kind of perked up when I told them about Matt and us wanting to get married." He snorted. "She loves weddings and I could almost see the little planning lights going off in her head."

"That's wonderful, Joey," enthused Ian as he and Quinn offered congratulatory handshakes.

"Papa pulled me aside later and we had a long talk. He's not as religious as Mama and he said he's okay with it but pointed out some family members that will have a hard time accepting it. I know my grandma on his side is very homophobic and I've got one uncle who's almost as bad, but he said we'll just have to deal with them." Joey's face turned a little more serious. "He also talked to me about the hitch in the Navy he did after he got out of high school. He was already seeing Mama and said it was really hard being apart when he was sent out to sea for six months at a time; they almost broke up a couple of times before he got out and took a job in town. I guess that's something Matt and I are going to have to consider, too."

"Separations can put a huge strain on a relationship, but I hope things come together for you and Matt." Quinn looked fondly at Ian and fervently thanked whatever gods that be for having Ian in his life and being able to both live and teach with him.

"We'll certainly be working on it, sir. I've told Matt and he's trying to figure out a good time to approach his parents, so I guess for a little while it's just a matter of 'wait and see'." Joey grinned again. "I won't be making any public announcements just yet, but it sure does feel good knowing I'm not keeping everything inside anymore."

"We're both very happy for you," said Ian. "Let us know if you need to talk about anything else, and don't forget the folks at Luke-Loves. They're on your side, too."

"Thanks. I'd better be hitting the showers; got homework to catch up on tonight." Joey headed back into the gymnasium, a happy grin still on his face.

With Ian busy teaching a Tuesday afternoon class, Quinn was feeling restless in the empty office. The sunshine coming in the window drew him outside and he walked aimlessly about the Luke campus, enjoying the first color changes in the trees that heralded the coming glories of the autumn season. Quinn's wanderings took him to a secluded corner behind a remote soccer field; several particularly large trees lined the eastern boundary with a grassy knoll and a few picnic tables and benches beyond the trees. As he came nearer, Quinn noticed a student at the furthest table, laptop and books to one side, elbows on the table and head on his hands as he seemed to be staring down at a piece of paper.

The student's tightly hunched shoulders and air of misery pulled a sympathetic twinge in Quinn's gut and he walked over.

"Mr. Liberato, how are things going?"

Joey barely glanced up. "Oh, hi, Professor Masterson." His voice was flat.

Quinn sat down across from Joey. "Is there something I can help with?"

Joey sat up a little straighter and picked up the sheet of paper in front of him while he chewed the corner of his lower lip. Finally, he sighed and put the sheet down, still not looking at Quinn.

"I got this email from Matt, sir." Joey gestured at the printout. "His parents were visiting from DC last weekend, and Matt was able to get town liberty so he could leave the Academy and have dinner with them. He told them he was gay..." Joey swallowed hard. "It didn't go well."

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Joey," said Quinn sympathetically. "What happened?"

"Well, Matt's family is from the South, very conservative, very religious, lots of military men. Matt had put together all his arguments about equal rights laws, the repeal of DOMA, the new military policies and the fact that he intended to follow the family tradition and stay in the Navy to serve his country. It didn't seem to make much difference." Joey glanced down at the email. "Matt's father said that 'I may have to follow orders and allow God-forsaken fags to serve in my Navy, but I'll be damned if I allow that sort of contemptible behavior in my own family.' I guess it was pretty bad..." Joey's voice quivered.

"I haven't been able to get Matt on the phone yet; I don't know if it's because he's so busy or just doesn't want to talk. In the email, though, it sounds like his father essentially told him to get straight or get out. Matt did say the conversation never got as far as telling his parents about wanting to get married, so I guess they don't know about me, but I'm really worried about Matt."

The remembered pain of his own rejection tore at Quinn's heart and he ached for the young gymnast. He reached out to put a reassuring hand on his forearm.

"I know this is difficult to deal with for both of you, not just now but in the days to come." Quinn squeezed Joey's forearm once before releasing it. "It's important that you keep trying to reach Matt and make sure he doesn't do anything rash while the hurt is still fresh. You have options you need to discuss, and don't forget that the counselors at Luke-Loves would be happy to help, even if you just need somebody to talk to."

"Yes, sir, I will. I need Matt to know that I'm here for him even if his family doesn't come around. From what I saw when I visited those few times, though, I'd have to say I'm not very hopeful about it getting better." Joey shook his head glumly. "His older brother is the proverbial 'chip off the old block', but Matt's a lot closer to his younger sister, who didn't seem to agree with a lot of their parents' beliefs, so perhaps she might be okay with it. I don't know." Joey sighed. "I'm going to write to Matt and try calling and emailing again, so hopefully I can reach him soon. And maybe I'll stop by Luke-Loves, too." He gave a half-hearted smile. "They do seem to be very discreet and they always have good cookies if nothing else."

"That's the way, Joey. Hang in there and be persistent. Things have gotten better, but there are still many who don't accept people like you and me, and we have to deal with that as best we can." Quinn stood up as Joey started to shove his books and laptop into his backpack. "Are you going to be all right or do you want to talk some more?"

Joey rose, pack in one hand. "I'm better, sir, and I really appreciate your help. I think what I need right now is a good long run to just work off the tension before I try to call Matt again... you know, try to get my own head a little straighter so I can help him better."

"That's a good idea. Just remember that you're not alone and get some help if you need it." Quinn shook hands with Joey, a firm, reassuring grasp.

"Thanks, sir. See you around." Joey smiled as he returned the grip, then headed out, his step a little lighter.

Quinn watched the young man for a few moments, then with a quiet sigh turned his own steps back toward his office, not looking forward to having to share this new development with his mate about the young man in whom they had both developed an interest.

The rhythms of academic life moved on at their own inexorable pace. Classes, papers, exams, student woes and administrivia filled the days and many of the evenings of Professors Masterson and Prentice as October rolled into November. Family activities, aikido sessions, walks in the woods and caring for their pups claimed many of their remaining precious hours, leaving little time for other concerns. Although Ian made a point of chatting with Joey Liberato if he encountered him when he ventured to the Luke gymnasium for a workout or to assist with the gymnastics team, the young man was very reticent about discussing his situation in public. Therefore, it was not unusual that Joey's plight had become only an occasional passing thought over the course of time.

Excitement and anticipation were beginning to fill the air as the Thanksgiving break rapidly approached. Quinn and Ian were working hard in their campus office to finish off paperwork late on Tuesday afternoon after Ian's last class of the day when a firm knock on the open door startled them from their focus.

Quinn looked up in surprise at the sight of Joey Liberato in the doorway. Joey seemed both more assured and anxious than the last time he had seen him sitting at a picnic table in misery. "Mr. Liberato, what a pleasure. Please come in." Quinn stood up and made a welcoming gesture with his hand.

"I don't want to bother you and I can only stay a moment," said Joey as he advanced a few steps. "You've both been such a help with my problems that I wanted to let you know." He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath. "I'm bringing Matt Williams home with me for Thanksgiving to meet my family. Wish me luck."

"That's great news." Ian came over and both he and Quinn shook hands with Joey. "We'll keep our fingers crossed for you."

"How is Matt doing with his family?" asked Quinn.

A cloud passed over the senior's face. "That's not any better. It's Matt's father, mainly; his mother supports whatever his father wants. Matt hasn't told his brother and his sister is on a semester abroad so he doesn't want to say anything to her until he can do it in person." Joey sighed. "It's not easy for him, but Matt's been working extra hard to make sure he does well this last year at the Academy, and I keep trying to cheer him up." His face brightened a little. "There is one good thing; Matt got his first choice of specialty. He's going to be a pilot after he graduates, assuming he passes flight training, of course." Joey gave a wry grin. "Matt's really excited about that, but apparently it pissed off his father even more because he wanted Matt to enter what they call surface warfare or submarines."

Ian grinned back at Joey. "Sorry to hear about his father's attitude, but at least Matt's getting what he wants from the Navy." He winked and waggled an eyebrow. "And he'll have a job when he graduates so you won't have to worry where your next meal is coming from."

"Now that part will really make Mama happy!" Joey laughed. "She worries about all of her kids either getting jobs or getting married, but even if I can't find something in my field right away, I can assure her that Matt will put food on the table and a roof over our heads."

"Not to be prying, but is it going to be a problem for you if Matt has to move frequently because of his Navy training or assignments?" asked Quinn.

"We've actually talked about that already." Joey shrugged. "There's still a lot of sorting out we need to do, but I was thinking of trying for a master's degree anyway and quite a bit of that can be done online nowadays. Worst case, I can do temp jobs like I did during the summers. I don't mind if that's what it takes to keep us together."

"Both Luke and Luke-Loves provide job networking assistance services and those are open to alumni as well," replied Quinn. "It's something worth looking into."

"Gee, I hadn't thought to ask about that, but I'll check it out after we get back." Joey glanced at his watch. "I gotta be going, lots to do still before I leave for home. Thanks again for everything."

They shook hands once more as Ian and Quinn wished the youngster good luck. After Joey left and closed the door behind him, Quinn hugged Ian fiercely.

Ian returned the hug and they held each other for a moment. "Thinking about our early days together, love?" asked Ian softly.

"Aye. He reminds me of the problems I had with my family and I feel bad for both of those young men, just starting out and having to deal with that sort of thing." Quinn tucked Ian's head under his chin and closed his eyes, simply enjoying the close presence. "I can never be too thankful I have you in my life, my handsome laddie."

"I love you, too, my wonderful herven," murmured Ian. "And I can never get enough of you." He waited a long moment before shifting back and pulling his mate's head down for a quick kiss. His eyes twinkled as he continued, "We need to finish up a few things before the holiday, but I promise I'll make you forget your bad memories tonight. Deal?"

Quinn stole another quick kiss before releasing Ian with a grin. "That's a promise I'm going to hold you to."

Sunday afternoon lunch was a quiet affair at their Alder Run home. Afterwards, Ian and Quinn sat on the couch for some shared time while Artoo and Sandy dozed. Thanksgiving festivities had been happy, busy and bountiful for the Mastersons, Prentices and their friends. Quinn had started Thursday feeling pensive; his recent interactions with Joey Liberato had reminded him how much he appreciated his own current life. In recompense, Quinn had spent much of Thursday and Friday tracking down all of the people that were important in his life and spent at least a few minutes letting each of them know that he loved them. Now, alone with his mate, Quinn was exquisitely comfortable as they sat close together in jeans and t-shirts, exchanging occasional kisses and letting their hands roam where they would.

The two men were drowsy with contentment when Ian's cell phone rang a little after one. Ian pulled it out and quietly answered. Quinn listened sleepily to his laddie's side of the brief conversation, not really paying attention until Ian closed the phone.

"Up and at 'em, my love," said Ian with a wide grin as he stood up. 'We have visitors descending upon our home as we speak."

"Visitors?" Quinn slowly rose and ran a hand through his tangled hair. "Who?"

"I'll let that be a surprise." Ian was already heading for the bathroom. "Don't worry, I've been assured it's only a flyby for a few minutes."

Both men barely had time for a quick pit stop and cleanup before the doorbell rang. Ian beat Quinn to the door and had a broad smile on his face as he ushered in two young men.

"Hi, really appreciate you letting us stop by on such short notice, but I just had to drag Matt over to meet you before he has to catch his train to Annapolis." Joey Liberato made a formal bow. "Professor Ian Prentice, please meet Midshipman First Class Matthew Williams. Matt, this is Professor Prentice." He waited until Ian had shaken hands with the blushing young man in his Naval uniform, then turned to Quinn. "Professor Quinn Masterson, Midshipman First Class Matthew Williams."

Joey paused another moment before breaking out in a huge smile as he wrapped an arm around Matt's shoulders. "I wanted you to be the first to know that Matt and I are getting married in June right after he graduates from the Academy."

There was a general round of grins, handshakes and congratulatory hugs, with even the pups getting in on the fun. It took a few minutes to restore order but eventually everyone was seated again, the place of honor on the couch being ceded to the two lovers shyly holding hands.

Matt looked a little uncertain, but Joey shifted closer and said, "It's okay, you can tell them anything. Without them, we might never have made it this far."

"Joey has told me a lot about you, so first off I'd like to thank you. It's meant so much to both of us to be able to come to terms with being gay and having this opportunity to make a new life together," said Matt.

"We're just glad we could help. Our hats are off to you; you had the really hard work to do," replied Ian. "We're very happy for both of you."

"I take it the visit home went well?" poked Quinn with a sly grin.

"It went even better than I could possibly have imagined." Joey laughed and shook his head. "I guess when my folks finally decide to do a thing, they go whole hog in doing it up right. Everything was quiet until we got inside the door, then they threw the lights on and everybody was yelling 'Surprise' and 'Welcome home'. They had signs up that said 'Welcome, Matt and Joey' and balloons and all. It was fantastic."

"And food!" chimed in Matt. "I don't think I've ever had so much incredible food over three days. I'm still stuffed."

"Hey, we're Italian," joked Joey. "It's not a real occasion without lots of food. Being Thanksgiving just made it that much better."

"And family." Matt had a hint of a glisten in his eyes. "Everybody there was happy for us, even wanted pictures of us together." A misty smile graced his lips as he turned his head. "Together, can you believe that?"

"Hey, Papa says that with four girls and only two boys, it's about time he got another son. You not only impressed the heck out of everybody with your uniform, you sealed the deal for Papa when you beat the pants off the Gino boys in bocce ball four times in a row."

"And I suppose Mama likes the steady paycheck?" asked Ian with his own knowing poke.

"When I explained to Mrs. Liberato that I had a job guarantee for several years with the Navy and told her about all the benefits I get for Joey after we're married, I swear she was positively beaming," said Matt. He pointed a finger at Matt with a mock glare. "And I DO intend to take care of you, Mr. Liberato, so just you remember that."

Joey rolled his eyes as if this had become a running inside joke. "Yes, sir, Mr. Williams, sir. I will be happy to sit around the house eating chocolate bonbons and reading engineering manuals." They both laughed before turning back to their hosts.

"So there's going to be a wedding in June, then?" asked Ian.

"Yes, sir. Mama's already got a full head of steam up and is looking at places in New York to have the wedding and reception," Joey responded.

"Hey, Joey, I was really hoping for something small and quiet. Is your mother serious about all those people she was talking about inviting?" Matt's eyes were anxious and his tone wary.

"Naw, it won't be as bad as it sounded. Papa will let her run with it for a while and then step in and make sure it's reasonable, like he did for my sisters' weddings." Joey grinned. "But it will be a big, noisy happy party; you can count on that." Seeing Matt's anxiety, Joey squeezed his hand. "Hey, Papa says you're famiglia now, and that makes it so. And you heard Mama... anybody that doesn't want to come to see her two boys put the rings on, they're not true friends." He continued in a rough voice, "I hope your people will come, but even if they don't, you've got family now. That's for always, just like you and me."

Ian and Quinn quickly retreated to the kitchen to noisily bustle about for several minutes as the moisture in Matt's eyes became more than a glisten. When they returned with milk, cookies and pie, the two young men had composed themselves and were chatting quietly. While they ate their treats, Ian and Quinn regaled the duo with anecdotes about their own weddings.

"I'm glad I met you and I really appreciate your hospitality, but I'm afraid I do need to catch a train," said Matt finally. "It wouldn't look good to be listed as AWOL my last year at the Academy."

Everyone bussed plates and glasses to the kitchen, then returned to stand near the door for farewells.

"It'll be a few months before things are firmed up, but you're invited to the wedding, of course. I'll let you know as soon as we have a date," said Joey. "In the meanwhile, for both Matt and me, we can't thank you enough for all you've done."

"Pleasure to help," said Ian.

"If you want to repay us, just help somebody else when you get a chance," added Quinn. "There's always somebody out there who needs a hand."

"Yes, sir," chorused Joey and Matt. "We'll do our best," said Matt.

After final handshakes, words of congratulation and best wishes, Joey and Matt left; Ian and Quinn returned to their spot on the couch.

"I'm glad things are looking up for them," said Ian softly as Quinn wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "They're fine young men."

"It won't be easy, especially for Matt, but I have a feeling that they'll find a way to make things work now that they've gotten a start on what they want to do." Quinn nuzzled Ian's neck gently.

"I agree. And they've one advantage we didn't have since DOMA is now repealed. I have to think it will certainly be nice for them to be able to claim the military benefits that same-sex couples have been receiving." Ian slipped a hand under Quinn's t-shirt and they kissed for a while.

"Aye, those are all good things, love." Quinn ran his tongue along the edge of Ian's jaw, then around the edge of his ear before dipping it inside, making Ian shiver. His fingers sneaked down to his lover's crotch and massaged the growing bulge.

"I'm feeling really happy for those boys," Ian murmured as he returned the favor of an intimate kneading. His voice grew rougher and lower as he continued, "And I'm feeling happy for us, too. For ten years of love and a lifetime more yet to come."

"Ah, my herven, I do love you so much." Quinn abruptly stood and scooped his husband into his arms. He grinned down at Ian as he carried him toward the bedroom. "And it would please me mightily to have another celebration of DOMA's demise."

Ian's laugh drifted back across the room as Artoo and Sandy looked at each other before settling in for a nap.