Driving Mr. Bane

Chapter 37

"So Jon, who's the guy?"

Walking around inside the tiny room, Alec tried to sound casually as he looked at the things Jonathan had standing around.

"Why?" Jonathan was smiling mischievously. "Are you jealous?"

"Jon..." a tiny sting in Alec's heart made him turn around and look at Jonathan. Suddenly he was afraid that this was a new attempt at getting Alec's attention.

"don't worry Alec. I'm not trying to make you jealous. You have Magnus. And you love him. I know that. Just as I love..." Jons dreamy expression concerned Alec. It had only been a month. Who could he have cast his affection on? And was he just transferring? Casting his love for Alec on someone new in hopes of coping?

"can we meet him?" Magnus chimed in when he noticed how Alec tensed up.

"No!" Jon spun around on the spot and faced Magnus. "I mean... its not a good idea... we are not public yet. We want to keep our love private."

"is that so...?" it was clear to both Alec and Jonathan that Magnus didn't quite believe him.

"yes it is. And I don't like your tone right now!" Jonathan's face turned red. From anger or hurt. Alec didn't really know.

"Calm down, Jon. Magnus was just curious."

"no! he's not just curious. He doesn't believe me! he wants me to seem crazy so ill stay in here and wont get to hang out with you!"

"Jon. Please calm down."

"no!" Jon marched over to the door and tore it open. "I want him out!"

"Jon!" Alec stood up rapidly, but Magnus interfered.

"Its okay, Alexander. I'll wait outside. If he doesn't trust me right now, that's okay. I'm not going to force him." Magnus turned towards Jonathan again. "But Jon I promise you, I do want you to get better. For both your sake and Alec's. He loves you, so I do too. I want what's best for your both." Magnus placed a rapid kiss on the stunned mans forehead as he walked past him and out the door. "I'll see you next time we'll visit. And Alec, ill wait outside with the car. Take the time you need."

"thank you Magnus. I'll be out soon."

As Magnus walked down the hall, Jon closed the door and sat down on the bed..

"I'm sorry Alec. I didn't mean to yell... and I know Magnus wants what's best for me. I'm sorry... please don't hate me..."

"I don't hate you Jon." Alec took Jonathan's hand in his own. "but why did you attack Magnus like that?"

"I was afraid... I the guards finds out... we are not allowed to be in a relationship. They don't think it's good for us. But we can't help it. I'm in love with him."

"and he loves you back?" Alec kept holding Jonathan's hand and looking into his eyes. Searching for the truth. Who was the man he was obsessing over? And did the man know? Or was it just like with Alec? That he mistook friendship and kindness for love.

"Yes, he loves me back."

"He said so?"

Jonathan ripped his hand out of Alec's grasp.

"Why? Cause how could anyone love me? is that it?"

"no... no, I promise. I was just curious. If you have someone new in your life, I would like to meet him."

Alec reached for Jon's hand again, and after a little while Jon calm down and allowed him to take it.

"he hasn't said it directly. But he shows me. every day..." Jonathan smiled with the same dreamy expression as earlier.

"oh... how does he show you?"

"That's private, Alec. You don't tell me how Magnus shows he loves you. Some things are private. Maybe you can meet him next time."

"okay, Jonathan. I would love to meet him."

-----

As Magnus waited outside, he saw an opportunity to talk to the staff.

"so, you've never seen him with one of the other patients?"

"no sorry." The young woman shook her head while filling up the tiny paper cups with water. "Mr. Morgenstern talks to a lot of the others, but we havn't seen him pay special attention to someone specific."

"hmm... alright. Thank you."

When Magnus turned around to go to his car the woman called after him.

"but you might want to talk to the night manager. If somethings going on, it will usually be at night. With this specific addiction, most of them have troubles in the evenings."

"and where do I find the night manager?"

"He just arrived 15 minutes ago. He usually checks up on what has happened during the day, before the night staff arrives." The woman gestured towards a closed door. "he's in there. Just knock, he'll let you in."

"thank you."

Magnus smiled at the woman and went over to knock on the door.

"come on in."

Inside the room, the man, who was the night manager, was sitting at his desk with a lot of open files scattered over the desk.

"oh, sorry. I thought you were the nurse. Come on in. just give me a second." Rapidly he closed the folders and placed them neatly in a stack. "Patient confidentiality." The man smiled indulgent at Magnus.

"that's quite alright. I can understand that. Sorry for intruding like this. I just wanted to ask a question about a patient. Jonathan Morgenstern. I placed him in your care last month."

"And you are?"

"Magnus Bane."

The manager typed the name into the computer to validate. Then he nodded and turned his attention he his desk again.

"Jonathan..." The manager searched through the folders. "Yes Jonathan. Nice young man. Very polite, most of the time. A tendency to depression."

"Yes, that's the one. I'm a bit concerned after talking to him today. He mentioned a relationship."

"relationship? Our patients aren't allowed to ingate in a relationship the first 50 days of the treatment. It can interfere with the work."

"he also mentioned that they were hiding it."

"oh... well, that happens sometimes, but we usually notice it, and stops it from going to far. With sex-addicts we have to be very observant."

"have you seen anything during the evenings and nights?"

"No I haven't." The manager skimmed the file briefly. "and no one has written any remarks on it. Besides, they are locked in at night. We keep them all separated. Except for during the day. But there they are monitored all the time."

"I figured as much." Magnus sighed a little despairing. "thank you for checking. I think he might be projecting his feelings for my boyfriend onto someone new, who doesn't know."

"that seems likely. With Jonathan, sex isn't his only addiction. He's addicted to love too. And he haven't learned to recognize love, so he fixates on someone who has smiled at him, and then creates a relationship in his mind. That can very well be what is happening now. Ill make a note in his file, and well keep an eye out."

"thank you so much. And sorry for disturbing you."

"you are welcome. Happy to help. The patients are our main priority."

Magnus shook the managers hand and went out to the car, where Alec was now waiting.

"where were you?"

"talking to the staff. About Jonathan's potential relationship." Magnus unlocked the doors. "Get in. I'll tell you on the way."