Title: Marriage of Convenience
Author: CaliaDragon Fandom: Original Pairing: Falcon/Brandon Warnings: Language, Slash, Mpreg, Violence, Abuse Disclaimer: All characters, situations, places, and ideas used in this fic are mine and only mine. If you wish to use and or incorporate the ideas into your own work, please contact me or leave a link to my work. Author's Note: In this universe both same sex marriage and male birth are a well accepted fact. The first male pregnancy was recorded in the times of the Greeks and Romans. It may or may not be listed here, but one of the emperors gave birth to a son while still conquering his neighbors. Women have been equals with men from such time as well. There are very few stigmas in this universe though I'm sure several will make their way into the fic as I go along. The time period is of modern times, but will have only a passing resemblance to our reality. Archive: If you wish to archive this you have my permission as long as you contact me first or have already acquired permission. Any list that I submit this fic to has automatic permission. Feedback: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Rating: FRMO Beta: Edi: The Magnificent. Part: 2-4/? Chapter 1: The Beginning Brandon Jefferson was in a great mood. He had just graduated from high school and had been accepted to the TriTech School of Medicine. Soon he would be starting college to get his degree in Emergency Services and Nursing. The best thing about getting into college though, in Brandon's opinion, was getting away from the ranch and his father. For now though he had one last summer to spend as a carefree eighteen year old. He and his best friend Jack Parnell were going to lake and spend two weeks relaxing and being happy. They were meeting at the local dinner and then they were off to the lake. At that moment though, Brandon was trying to sneak past his father and the latest group that the senior Jefferson had enraged. He really did not want to be seen by either his father or the men arguing so violently in his fathers study. Brandon knew that the men had every reason to be angry with his father, but Brandon had learned long ago not to get in the way of his father and those he was at odds with. Usually he was the one that ended up enduring the brunt of his father's anger. These particular men were from a nearby ranch that his father had managed to get the loan on. The Clearwater Ranch was prime real estate and had the best water rights in the area. That he had more than likely acquired the signature to the loan illegally made no difference. Most people, Brandon included, were to afraid of Lucas Jefferson and were careful not to get in the path of his anger. Then owners of the Clearwater Ranch were suffering for having the strength to oppose Lucas. The older man did not take defiance well and anyone who did defy him suffered for it later. Usually in the most painful way that Lucas could come up with. Brandon hated his father's behavior, but would never say anything to Lucas about it. Not just because he feared him, but because he knew it would do no good. Lucas had made it clear to Brandon a long time ago his place in the family, and that was at very last place. Brandon, as the youngest son, was only expected to stay out trouble, his father's way, and do as he was told. The fact that Brandon had been an unwanted and unexpected child had never been a secret to the teen. His father and mother had told him so on more than one occasion when he was younger. His parents wanted nothing to do with him, but his brothers, who were all older than him the second youngest Evan was only nine years older than Brandon; they were good to him. However, they were around very little, they had their own families and had long since moved out of both the house and the town. Each of them had taken jobs in other parts of his father's business or gone on to do their own thing. The brother he was closest to was the oldest, Damien. Damien made sure that Brandon was with him for at least three weeks out of the school year. His father wouldn't allow him to be gone from the ranch for any longer than that. It was one of many ways that Lucas had of making sure his youngest son never escaped him. Until Brandon turned 21 or was married his father had complete control over his life. Brandon loved Damien and often considered him his father. In every way that counted Damien and Zack, Damien's husband, were Brandon's parents. Brandon loved the time they spent together and he looked forward to the last few weeks of summer when he would get to go visit them on the island resort that they ran together. By then Zack will be near to his due date and they would all have a new child to celebrate. Brandon held his breath as the arguing in the study became louder. He knew that if he was going to sneak past the arguing men, he would need to do so now. However, that proved to be impossible do to the man who stormed out the door just as he was passing. Brandon let out a gasp of surprise and braced himself for a painful impact with the ground. He was surprised to feel himself caught in powerful arms and looked up to stare into the dark eyes of the man who caught him. Brandon blushed deeply and smiled shyly up at Falcon Clearwater, the oldest brother. The dark eyed man merely raised an eyebrow, causing the boy to blush further. "Brandon," his father snarled catching his attention. Brandon jerked in shock and quickly pulled away from the man with a nod of thanks. "I'm sorry Father; I was on my way out the door. I apologize for running into you sir," Brandon said politely while looking at the floor. Lucas took it as a challenge if Brandon met his gaze. The visitors were struck by the innocent beauty of the boy in front of them as well as impressed by his manners. Though they were all sure that it was more a matter of fear, rather than any real need to be polite, they were only partially correct. Brandon was afraid of his father, but he was also very polite. They also noticed that Brandon in no way resembled Lucas Jefferson. Where Lucas was tall and broad, Brandon was small and slender. He had the body of a swimmer or a long distance runner, while Lucas' frame reflected his years as a high school quarterback and brawler physique. Lucas had short blond hair and cold blue eyes, where Brandon had long black hair and silver streaked green eyes. Today he was dressed in cut off shorts, sandals, and no shirt. His skin gleamed golden brown. He radiated innocence and youthful vitality. He was charming and sweet, his expression was gentle and open in a way that Lucas probably never wore, not even as a child. In essence he was the polar opposite of his overbearing father. "Then go," Lucas growled out again, making the boy nod and rush away. Lucas scowled at the looks on the faces of them watching his son. While his plans rode on how well these men took to his plan and his youngest son, he did not like the look on their faces. Lucas was a hard, implacable man. He could be cruel and knew nothing about gentleness. He had never been raised to be kind. Lucas' father had been a far more brutal man that Lucas ever thought about being. For the sake of his sons, especially his youngest, he had done everything in his power to make the boys fear him. He wanted Brandon to avoid him as much as possible, if Brandon avoided him, then Lucas couldn't hurt him. Many would think the plan he had in motion would be a cruel blow to his child, but they didn't know the Clearwater men the way that he did. He would make sure his boy was safe from that bitch that bore him and from Lucas himself. He would make sure that his boy's dreams were met in the process. Perhaps things would have been different if Charlotte had been a different kind of woman, but she was a worse parent than Lucas ever thought of being. Brandon was not ruthless, he was gentle, loving boy who saw the world as something to save, not something to be wary of. Lucas needed a strong man to protect the boy and he didn't care about what lengths he had to go to get that protection. Chapter 2: Goodbye's and Alarming Revelations When Brandon made it out front he smiled at the sight that greeted him. His father's foreman, and one of the men that had raised him, was standing on the front porch facing off with several of the Clearwater men. "Hey Kiddo, you headed out now?" Zeke asked in greeting. Brandon smiled happily at the older man and walked over to him, "Yep just me, Jack, water and our group." Brandon said bouncing slightly an excited smile on his face. Zeke chuckled at the boy's attitude. While most teenage boy's were thinking about having sex and partying, Brandon and Jack were taking a group of kids to the lake to teach them to swim, fish, and to just let them be kids. There would be other adults there of course and the children's parents would be there, but it was just another thing that marked Jack and Brandon different than their peers. Taking care of a group of children was considered an exciting and carefree summer for the pair. Zeke also noticed that the boy was attracting attention from several of the Clearwater crew, he wasn't sure that that was a good thing. The boy was innocent, Lucas had seen to that. The old man had kept Brandon very sheltered about certain things. Jack only qualified as a friend in the older man's eyes, because he lived the same sort of sheltered existence that Brandon did. Both of Jack's older brother's went out of their way to make sure that Jack got an education, stayed out of trouble and never ran with a rough crowd. The other boy was as innocent as Brandon was. Which made it very hard to protect them at times. This was not to say that neither boy knew nothing of the darker aspects of human nature, because they did. They just chose to believe that the cruel people they met were a minority. Brandon was very na�ve and un-jaded despite the traumas he had experienced in his life. Zeke loved the boy and only wished the best for the boy. There were times when he was certain that Lucas hated the boy and everyone was quite aware that his mother didn't give a damn about any of her children. The last time the woman had even been near her son was eight years earlier when Brandon turned ten. This was the first time that Zeke was sure that Lucas was capable of killing someone. Brandon had a bad habit of attracting the worst sort of attention. During Charlotte's last visit she had brought a man with her. Supposedly he was a potential business contact. Any business he wished to conduct with Lucas died a violent death at the same time the man nearly died. The "business" man had attacked Brandon and it was only the intervention of Evan Jefferson that kept the boy from being seriously hurt. He had found the cornered boy and his attacker in Brandon's bedroom. He had struck the man and run for his father. Lucas had nearly beaten the man to death, and it was only Brandon's horrified screams that made Lucas stop before he killed the man. Charlotte, however, had attacked Lucas and point blank stated that Brandon had obviously been teasing her friend. Lucas had calmly ordered Evan to take his little brother to the bunk house. Zeke had not been there to witness the blow up after the boys were gone, what he did know though, was that Charlotte's was kicked off of the property, divorced and removed of custodial rights over the boy's within a three week period. The only way that Charlotte could get control over her sons was if Lucas died before they turned 21. Zeke was still certain at times that the boy was afraid of intimacy from that incident and others that had happened since. There were several cowboys out of a job and a few that were lucky if they would ever be able to get any work ever again. Lucas may not like his son, but if anyone acted out of line with the boy, he destroyed them without compunction. Zeke figured it was that he just didn't want anyone touching or harming what was his and that included his sons. Zeke let go of bleak thoughts and smiled at Brandon, he placed a protective hand on the boy's shoulder and walked him down the stairs, giving the men a hard stare over his head. He turned his attention back to the boy and smiled gently. "So have you and Jack planned for the kiddies?" "We're going to teach them how to swim and fish. We have ponies set up for them to ride and we're going to do crafts and stuff. We're gonna let them kids for a few days." Brandon said with a happy smile. Zeke chuckled again and let the boy hug him, then climb into his SVU and drive away. Once Brandon was away, Zeke turned and walked back up the stairs to lean against the banister. The Clearwater foreman, Hank Ravert, chuckled and shook his head. "That's one pretty boy. He's got to keep you and everyone else on their toes. I know Arizona keeps everyone on the ranch busy and she is just as innocent as that boy seems." Zeke and the Jump Creek men all laughed and nodded. "It's made worse by the fact that the boy just don't seem to see his own appeal. He's sweet and thinks that everyone is good, even when he has had first hand proof that that isn't the case. The boy attracts the wrong sort of attention if you get my meaning." Hank nodded, the boy sounded just like Arizona. "We run into the same sort of trouble with our Rona. We had to fire a man last week for going out of bounds with her. Of course we also had ta keep Falcon from killing the man," Hanks said ruefully. Zeke grinned, it was no secret what Lucas had done to the men and women that had dared to touch Brandon. "At least Brandon's a good boy. We don't have to worry about him getting out of line. He spends all of his time in school, with his friend Jack, here or working in his various charities. His idea of an exciting summer is working at a cancer camp for kids with Jack, and going to spend time with Damien and Zack. That boy never stops." Hank was stopped from responding by the arrival of the Clearwater bosses and their lawyers. All three men were pissed from the looks of things and the men snapped to attention when Falcon snarled, "We're out of here." As the men walked away Zeke and his men were alarmed to here Falcon's snarled words. "The kid is barely eighteen and he wants me to wed and bed him! What kind of father wants that?" Chapter 3: Confrontation Zeke waited to make sure that the Clearwater crew was gone, before turning and walking into the house. He made his way to the office where Lucas was standing. Many people feared the older man Zeke however, did not. He stood up to Lucas on more than one occasion; he had fought for and against the older man. He had helped raise Lucas' sons as his own. For that reason alone he was going to demand answers. When he walked into the office, he could see Lucas scowling furiously out the window. "What the hell is going on boss?" Zeke demanded without preamble. Lucas turned to look at him and sighed, a smirk crossing his face. He should have known that Zeke would notice what the Clearwater boy had been grumbling about as he left. "I'm getting my son married." Lucas answered calmly. "Why? Why now?" Zeke demanded. "I'm dieing Zeke. I'm not even a nice man, but I will not allow that bitch I was stupid enough to marry to harm my son. This is the only way to protect him. Brandon will do as he is told and Falcon will marry him to keep his land." Lucas told him bluntly. Zeke stared at him in shock; he walked to a chair and fell into it. "Are you sure?" Zeke asked huskily. "Yes, the doctors have given me three months. I'll see my boy wed before then. He'll be protected no matter what," Lucas said calmly. "But� the Clearwater, why not Jack?" Zeke asked. "Because he's too young, that and I think his brothers have already picked someone out for him, a Clearwater as well. If I manipulate things right I can get them to have him married by the time Brandon is. That way he won't be alone among them." Lucas said. Zeke just shook his head in disbelief. "You love him," he said awed. Lucas glared at him, "Love doesn't exist. I've never felt the emotion and I never will. Brandon is a gentle boy, too gentle to trust his mother's care. I'll see him protected before I die, even if I have to destroy people to get it done." Zeke sighed, "When will you tell Brandon and the other boy's your dieing?" "I won't, not until I have Brandon married." Lucas told him with a hard look, before turning away. Zeke knew that this was a dismissal and left. ______________________________ By the time Falcon, Ridge, and Brick made it back to the ranch with their men and their lawyer, the three men were in an explosive mood. Their hands disappeared as soon as they parked the truck. None of the men wanted to stick around and face the three Clearwater brothers. Falcon stalked in to the house glaring fiercely when he saw his sister and youngest brother waiting on them. Arizona and Rune both slumped dejectedly when they saw their brothers' faces. "He said no," Rune said with a sigh. Not that he was surprised. Falcon nodded curtly, and then turned to look at Arizona. "Rona, what do you know about Brandon Jefferson?" Rona blinked in confusion, but answered. "He's the sweetest guy I have ever known and if it weren't for the fact that he's not allowed to date, I would have tried to snag him along time ago. That and he's best friends with Jack," She answered calmly. Falcon blinked in shock, for that matter so did Ridge and Brick. "Jack's best friend Brand, is Jefferson's youngest son?" Ridge demanded, thinking of the younger man he was set to marry. "Yes, he and Jack are practically one person in two bodies they are so alike. Why?" Rona asked confused still. "To keep the ranch I have to marry Brandon and it can't be in name only," Falcon answered bitterly. Rona and Rune looked at him in shock. "You're joking right?" Rune asked. "No I have until the end of the summer to marry him, if we're not married in that time Lucas will find someone else and kick everyone off the place," Falcon answered harshly. "Man, I knew from rumors that the old man was possessive and homicidal about Brandon, but I had no idea he would pull something like this!" Rune said with shock. 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