The Nightmare Before Christmas

Bam awoke yet again a cold sweat. He switched on his light, moving his hands desperately around his bedside table in an attempt to bring some light into the room, to reassure him that no one was with him, to chase his nightmares away. Shaking, the dark haired man pulled the thick blankets closer around him and let out an annoyed groan, he'd been having the same nightmare again and again for months now, and it wasn't going away.

Walking in the front door of the oddly quite Castle Bam, the young skater made his way down to the pirate bar, in hope of finding at least one beer left. His friends were likely to leave the house clean of anything even remotely considered alcohol within an hour of their arrival, and they'd been there that morning. Reaching the themed room, Bam smiled, the bar was clean, empty, seemingly untouched. Slightly odd he thought, but still, it meant there was beer around. Helping himself to the first beer in sight, he headed upstairs to his jukebox, hoping to be able to relax with a bit of HIM and the latest issue of Sports Illustrated. 'I love you (Prelude to tragedy)' filled the room as Bam started to read yet another pathetic rumour about himself on the letters page of the famous magazine. 'Brandon Margera is to quit filming for 'Jackass 3' after rows over royalties. The 28 year old skater is said to have asked that all his roles within the movie be cut until he is paid the money he is owed. He has refused to perform any more stunts. A close source says...'

However, what that close source said remained a mystery to Bam, before he had any idea what was going on, Dunn, his best friends, and the man he was secretly in love with, came into the room, hands in the air, a scared look on his face,

'Dunn? What the fuck?" The skater questioned. He heard his fellow Jackass gulp, and before he had time to question again, 3 masked men - armed masked men - came into the room. Out of instinct, Bam threw his hands into the air, not wanting to get shoot.

"Money, valuables, anything worth something." One man said, his gun aimed directly at the dark haired mans chest. Bam nodded and, with his hands still in the air, lead the man upstairs. Half an hour later, the men had goods worth untold amounts of money. But they weren't done. They tied the two friends together, disconnected all phones they could find. Tears poured down the lighter haired mans face as he realized his fate. Bam tried, but failed, to reassure his friend that everything would work out of the best.

"We are going to die Bam, and I'm scared. More scared than I'd normally care to admit. Bam, your my best friend, you know that. At least we're going to die together." Ryan informed the man who was bound to his back. Bam finally let out a sob, he nodded, just as 'When Love and Death Embrace' came on. He wasn't aware that the jukebox was still on until that moment.

"I know we are Ry, your my best friend too. But god...your more than that. I love you man, more than you'll ever know. I just wish I'd told you sooner...before...well....this..." The blue eyed man confessed. A gasp escaped the lips of the older man, and Bam hung his head in shame. He'd wasted his last few minutes on Gods green earth by confessing something that should have remained a secret. He went to apologise, but gasped himself as some how, despite their bindings, Ryan grasped his hand tightly.

"I love you too Bam," He whispered. The words barely had time to register in Bams head, before two of the men appeared before them, guns aimed, ready to fire. The last thing that passed through Bams mind as the gun fired was the irony of what was happening, in comparison to the song that was blasted into the room.

The only thing is, Bam's nightmares weren't just nightmares, they had really happened, just 2 months ago. Bam had survived the shooting, the bullet had missed his heart by a mere centimeter. But Ryan...the man he had been, was still and would always be in love with..? The skater had only been able to kiss him once, and once only, at his funeral. His lips were cold, his face remained still, but it was a kiss nevertheless. Bam remembers crying so hard as his best friend turned lover was lowered into the ground, that he'd had a panic attack, and had to be taken to the hospital. Since then he'd attempted to commit suicide twice, was on antidepressants and had worried his mother so much, she was on the brink of a mental breakdown.

With a sigh, the tormented man climbed out of bed and dressed warmly. Only one thing would calm him now. Grabbing his keys, he fled the house into the cold night, and walked out into the woods. He'd had Ryan buried within the grounds of the castle so he could always feel close to the man he loved. With a sigh, he collapsed next to the gravestone that bore the dead mans name.

Ryan Dunn
June 11th 1977 - October 12th 2008

"I miss you man, so much...my heart breaks at every mention of your name because I know I can never be with you...at least not in life..." Bam whispered though his tears. His fingers ran over the framed picture of the 'Home Wrecker' star as he sniffed and blinked back yet more tears. Snow began to fall lightly in the crisp December air as the young skater pulled a gun from his pocket. "I'll be with you soon Ry..." He whispered, his last words before he put the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.

Awaking, Bam found himself in the same place he was before, but with one difference. Ryan's grave was gone. Looking up, dazed and confused, Bam spotted a figure heading towards him. Ryan. Before he could react, the older man had connected his lips with the skaters in a passionate kiss. Their tongues danced as they pulled each other close, tears of joy and relief pouring down both their faces.

"I love you Bam," Ryan informed the younger man.

"I love you too Ry..." Bam replied, and, as he pulled the blond in for another kiss, he knew that finally, he was in heaven.