Brian noticed Ted and Emmett following Michael, their expressions grim, and wished that Justin was there; knowing that his young lover would appreciate what was about to happen since it had partially been his idea in the first place. It still surprised Brian at the deviousness that resided in his young lover�s mind and he wasn�t sure whether he should be proud of the teen or scared.

�Showtime,� Brian told Ben, turning to face the irate store owner, a smile on his face. �Mikey, what a surprise. I didn�t think you would be here. Thought you had some inventory to do at the store or something.�

�I bet you didn�t, asshole,� Michael hissed. �What the fuck do you think you�re doing?�

�What does it look like I�m doing?�

�It looks like you�re dancing with my boyfriend.�

�Ex-boyfriend,� Ben corrected, causing Michael to glare at him, hatred in his eyes. Anyone looking at the angry young man would never recognize him as the normally cheerful man that he usually was. �We broke up, remember?�

�I remember you saying that you and an ex decided to get together,� Michael turned on Ben. �I didn�t realize that you were talking about Brian. I figured it was someone else that you knew.�

�I dropped enough hints,� Ben countered. �I told you that he had just broken up with his lover, which was what had happened.�

�You knew how I felt and yet you still went after him,� Michael continued on, not even bothering to notice the crowd that was beginning to form around the altercation. �Fuck, how could you do this to me?�

�Michael, sweetie, why don�t we get out of here?� Emmett asked, trying to ease the tension in the group and to get them away from the scrutiny of the dancers. As angry as he was at Michael�s duplicity, he didn�t want Michael�s humiliation to come in front of the crowd at Babylon. He still considered Michael a friend, even if he had lost his way for a bit. Emmett tried to pull Michael away from Brian and Ben, only to have the older man throw off his attempt.

�Back of, Em, �Michael growled. �This is between Ben, Brian and me. Ben�s the one that started this.�

�It just happened. We didn�t plan on it,� Ben countered. �I didn�t start anything.�

�You went after Brian,� Michael countered. �You took advantage of him being vulnerable after Justin left to get what you wanted.�

�I thought you said that Brian didn�t care whether or not Justin left him,� Ben said. �In fact, I distinctly remember you saying something along the lines of you being glad that Justin was gone because you felt that he was too demanding of Brian. That he was forcing Brian to do and be something that he wasn�t and now that Justin was gone, Brian could go back to his normal self.�

�What exactly is my normal self, Mikey?� Brian questioned.

�You know.�

�No really,� Brian raised one of his eyebrows. �Why don�t you tell me what I should be doing?�

�Come on, Brian,� Michael whined. �You know how you were. You never did boyfriends. You didn�t believe in love and you never fucked the same guy twice. But Justin changed all that. He made you into something you weren�t.�

�Everyone changes, Mikey.�

�Not you, Brian,� Michael replied. �That was something I could count on. That no one could ever have you because you never wanted them back.�

�Including you,� Brian pointed out, causing Michael to nod his head before realizing exactly what it was that he had just agreed too. He looked at Brian, about to deny the accusation when he saw the knowing smirk that crossed Brian�s face and the scowl that came upon Ben�s.

�That�s the real problem, isn�t it, Mikey?� Brian drawled, moving closer to his best friend. �It�s not that Ben left you for someone else, is it? It�s that he�s with me now. It�s the fact that, once again, I�ve chosen to be in a relationship with someone that isn�t you. That will never be you.�

�Brian,� Michael stuttered as he felt Brian�s hot breath against his skin.

�Isn�t it, Mikey?� Brian continued leaning in to whisper into Michael�s ear. �Admit it. You wish that it was you that I�m dancing with. You who I take home. Who I fuck.�

�Yes,� Michael nodded, lost in the sensual haze that Brian was weaving. �God help me, I want you Brian.�

�Well, you can�t have me Mikey,� Brian pulled back from the stunned young man. �And you never will.� And with that, Brian and Ben walked away leaving behind a stunned Michael wondering when it had all gone wrong.

Part 20

�Brian Kinney, open this fucking door now before I break it down,� a loud female voice yelled through the metal door to Brian�s loft.

�Hold your fucking horses, will you,� Brian shouted as he wearily made his way towards the door, pulling on a robe that had been lying near the end of his bed. The other person continued to pound the door, causing Brian to wince. �Christ, I said I was coming.� Brian pulled open the door, quickly moving away again as Debbie Novatny shoved her way into his home. �Why don�t you come in, Debbie?�

�Don�t take that fucking tone with me, young man,� Debbie ordered, turning furiously towards the man that she considered her son. �I want to know what the fuck you think you�re doing screwing around with Ben.�

�I see you�ve been talking with Mikey,� Brian drawled, heading towards the kitchen and going about making coffee. He glanced at the clock and groaned when he saw the time. �Jesus, Deb, couldn�t you have waited until it was at least a decent hour to come over to my home and rip me a new one?�

�And why should I be so damn considerate towards you when its obvious you don�t give a shit about anyone else, including your best friend,� Debbie countered.

�Debbie, don�t get in the middle of this,� Brian gently told her. �It�s not a place you really want to be. Trust me. This is between Ben, Mikey and myself.�

�You shouldn�t even be in that equation,� Debbie reminded Brian. �Brian, Michael is your best friend. How could you go after Ben like that? Knowing how much Michael cared for him.�

�Mikey doesn�t care for anyone other than Mikey,� Brian countered. �He�s just a good enough actor to make the rest of us believe otherwise, including me, and I�m the most cynical bastard in this town when it comes to people.�

Debbie stared at Brian in shock. She couldn�t believe the words that were coming out of his mouth or the venom in which he was saying them. Debbie had watched Brian grow up and knew what a heartless bastard he could be but she had never thought he could be so cruel against the man who was his best friend.

When Michael had come into the diner after leaving Babylon, upset and angry, Debbie didn�t know what to think. She had never seen her son like that, not even after Brian�s birthday fiasco when he had been outted in front of his co-worker, Tracy. Debbie had instantly gotten one of the other waitresses to cover her tables and went over to her son.

�Michael, sweetie, what�s wrong? What happened?� Debbie asked, concerned over what had her son so upset.

�Brian and Ben,� he answered between tears.

�What about Brian and Ben, honey? Did something happen to them?� Debbie couldn�t keep the worry out of her voice at the thought of something happening to either of the men. Brian, because he was like a son to her, and Ben because, even though he and Michael were no longer together, she still worried about him.

�They�re together. Ben broke up with me to be with Brian.�

�Honey, you know that�s not true,� Debbie comforted, wrapping her arm around Michael�s shoulder. She wasn�t sure what had caused him to get the idea into his head that the other men were involved but she was sure there had to be more to the story. �What gave you the idea that they were together?�

�I saw them tonight. At Babylon,� Michael explained. �They were dancing and kissing and they couldn�t keep their hands off of each other. It was like they knew I was there and were throwing their relationship in my face. Fuck, I just want to kill them both. I couldn�t believe what I was seeing.� Debbie sat back in shock at what she had heard. Sure, she had always said that Brian Kinney was a suck and fuck machine, who didn�t really give a damn about anyone, but she was almost positive that the one person he would go out of his way not to hurt was her son. Well, other than the occasional well meaning push off the proverbial cliff.

�I couldn�t believe it Mom. And Ted and Emmett were there and it was almost like they knew it was going on,� Michael continued.

�What did they do?�

�Nothing. Nobody did anything,� he told her. �I felt like I was being kicked in the gut. Then Brian and Ben just walked out of Babylon, together, and I know they were just going to go back to the loft to fuck.� Michael threw himself into his mother�s arms. �I�ve lost them. They both left me.�

And it was the despair in her son�s voice that had Debbie over at Brian�s loft so early in the morning to confront the men that had broken Michael�s heart because she was sure that if what Michael was saying was true, that she would find both Brian and Ben still asleep and she had a few choice words for both of the men that had hurt her son.

�Brian, you and Michael have been best friends for over fourteen years. The two of you have seen and done things together that no one else knows about or would probably understand,� Debbie started. �Sure, there was a time that I was worried about him being friends with you. I could tell you were trouble the minute I first saw you, but you proved yourself to be a good friend. But now this. You can get any guy you want. Why did you have to take the one that was with Michael? And where exactly did all this hatred I hear in your voice when you�re talking about him come from? What happened between the two of you?�

Brian didn�t answer Debbie right away. He didn�t know what to say to her. Even though he never showed it, her opinion of him meant a lot. She was more of a mother to him that his own and the fact that she was so angry at him hurt him a lot. But he also knew that she was Michael�s mother first and he didn�t want to hurt her by telling her what he son had done to keep him and Justin apart. That decision was taking out of his hands by a voice floating down from the bedroom.

�Tell her, Brian.� Justin said, stepping down from the bedroom, his appearance making it obvious to Debbie that he had not spent the night on the couch.

�Sunshine?� Debbie looked between the two men, surprised to see the teen in the loft. She watched as Justin walked over to Brian, taking his hand in his and raising it to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on the palm. She was stunned at the tenderness and affection between the two of them. She had known that Brian and Justin were close still, the fact that they worked together necessitated that, but she didn�t know that they were lovers again, and of that she had no doubt. What she could see between them was definitely love. And it made what Michael had told her all the more unbelievable. �What�s going on here?�

�It�s a long story,� Brian sighed, going over to Debbie and leading her to the sofa. She reluctantly allowed herself to be led, knowing that whatever she was about to be told would not be good. Justin went into the kitchen and made coffee for everyone. He knew that Debbie would not take the news that her son had helped bring about the entrance of Ethan into Justin and Brian�s life in the hopes of finally getting Brian to himself and he just hoped that his second mother would be okay.

�First off, you need to know that despite appearances to the contrary, there is nothing going on between Ben and me. There never has been.�

�But Michael said he saw you and Ben��

�I know what Michael saw,� Brian interrupted her. �Michael saw what we wanted him to see. It doesn�t mean it�s the truth though.�

�Why would you want him to see you and Ben together like that,� Debbie asked confused.

�Because we wanted him to know what it felt like to see the man he was in love with in the arms of someone else,� Justin answered, bringing over the mugs of coffee, handing one to Debbie and Brian. He then went and joined Brian, sitting as close to his lover as he could get without sitting in his lap. �To make him hurt as much as he made Brian and I hurt.�

�What are you talking about?�

�It all started a couple of weeks ago when I asked for Melanie�s help�.�

Part 21

Brian walked into the Liberty Diner, quickly spotting Justin and the rest of their friends, excepting Michael, as they sat and ate their breakfasts. He smiled softly as he looked over at his young lover, whose back was currently turned to him, and quickly thanked whoever was listening that he had gotten a second chance to have Justin in his life. And this time around, Brian was making damn sure he didn�t screw things up and so far, he was succeeding. The only regret Brian had, was the fact that the two men had to keep their reunion a secret, except for those people that had to be told, but that was about to change. Starting right there and then.

Brian sauntered over to the booth, surprising all of those present by leaning down and kissing Justin, leaving no doubt in anyone�s mind that there were no hard feelings between the two of them over what had happened at the Rage party so long ago. At first, Justin was so startled by the unexpected action; he froze up, before returning the kiss with equal fervor. The teen had no idea why Brian was making such an open declaration about their relationship being back on track, but he was more than willing to go with the flow. Finally they broke apart, but didn�t move away from each other.

�Hi,� Justin said breathlessly, moving over a bit to give Brian room to sit down. Neither man seemed to notice or care about the attention that was being sent their way by the other patrons in the diner.

�Hi yourself,� Brian replied, leaning in and kissing Justin again.

�You know, Brian, you have a perfectly good loft. You don�t have to molest the boy in front of everyone, although I�m sure they are enjoying the show,� Ted quipped, smiling at his two friends. It had been a long time since he had seen Brian and Justin so happy and not afraid of letting the outside world see them in love and he thought that if anyone deserved happiness it was them.

�I don�t know,� Debbie broke in as she brought over a cup of coffee for Brian, �Personally I think the jaded people in this diner need to be reminded that true love can win out.�

�Hear, hear, Debbie,� Emmett agreed as Brian and Justin again broke their kiss. Justin leaned into Brian�s side while the older man wrapped his arm around Justin�s shoulder.

�Not like I�m complaining or anything,� Justin began, �but what brought that on?�

�What, can�t a guy kiss his lover for no reason?� Brian smirked. Justin just looked at him. �Okay, fine, I just decided I was tired of hiding the fact that you and I are together again.�

�What about Mikey and Ethan?�

�Fuck em.�

�But the plan?�

�Plans change,� Brian said simply. At everyone�s look at him, Brian sighed and continued. �Look, Ben left for Tibet last night. Mikey is still freaking over what he saw at Babylon last week. You keep telling us about how Ethan is constantly bugging you to move in with him. For you to quit working with me. I just think its time for us to stop pretending that we don�t mean anything to each other. That we aren�t involved.�

�So what do you want to do?� Justin asked.

�Move back in with me,� Brian stated simply. �I want everyone to know that you and I are together and that this time it�s for good.�

�Geez, Brian, why don�t you just have a commitment ceremony and be done with it,� Ted joked, causing everyone to laugh. Everyone that was, except for Brian. Ted�s face grew serious again when he saw that. �Oh my god. You�re actually considering that?�

�Brian?� Justin questioned, hope evident in his voice. The ad exec refused to look in Justin�s eyes. Justin lifted Brian�s chin so that he had no choice. �Brian, is there something you wanted to talk to me about?�

�Yeah, I�ve been thinking about it,� Brian finally admitted, looking unsure of himself. It was something that his friends had never seen before. He looked around, silently asking them for some privacy, something that none of the others were willing to give him. Brian took a deep breath and turned back to Justin.

�You know what I�ve always said about relationships and love. That is was bullshit made up for breeders and had no place in our lives,� Brian began, taking Justin�s hand in his when the teen made to move away. �It was something that I had learned growing up and watching the way my parents acted towards one another. If that was love, I wanted nothing to do with it. Hell, remember my father�s idea of showing his love was a smack to the face.�

�Brian�.�

�No, let me talk,� Brian interrupted. �I never knew the kind of love that Hollywood keeps trying to show us. I didn�t think it even existed. That is, until you came into my life. And, yes, I�ll admit it. I fought it every step of the way. You were challenging my very way of thinking and I wasn�t sure if I could change. It was why I tried to push you away and into Ethan�s arms. But then I realized that I didn�t want you gone. I didn�t want to do to you what my father did to my mother.�

�You could never do anything like that,� Justin denied. �You�re nothing like your father and besides, I�m totally nothing like your mother.�

�But we were already like them, just without the fists,� Brian told him. �Even though you never said anything, I knew you hated the tricks. The partying. All of it, but I couldn�t change. Wouldn�t change. And it was killing you. Then you met Ethan and suddenly you had someone willing to give you everything that you wanted. And he made you happy in a way I couldn�t. And I was going to let you go. I had every intention of removing myself from you life, forcefully if necessary, but I couldn�t do it. It was why I asked Melanie to look into Ethan�s past for me. I wanted o know if there was something there that would give me the hope that I would be able to use against him.�

�And you sure as hell found it,� Debbie spat out, anger at what the violinist and her son had done to Brian and Justin. �Fucking bastard.� Brian just ignored her outburst.

�Then, after Melanie told me what she had found, and I realized just what had happened, my heart broke, because it made me understand exactly what it was I was feeling. It made me realize that I had to stop running from my past. I had to face up to it and say fuck you to my parents and prove to them that I could love someone. That love was real. And I want to do that with you, Justin. I want to stand up in front of all of our friends, our family and say that I am willing to commit myself to one man for the rest of my life. That I want to spend the rest of my days doing my damndest to make you happy. That is, if that�s something you would like.�

Justin didn�t know what to say. He had never thought he would hear the words coming out of Brian�s mouth. Even though he and Brian had been spending the past few months working out their relationship and actually talking, the words that Brian was saying were things Justin didn�t think he would hear, at least not so soon. Justin watched as Brian squirmed in his seat, waiting to see what he would say and Justin couldn�t help it. He smiled and threw himself into Brian�s arms, kissing him deeply.

�I think Brian just got his answer,� Emmett said dreamily, leaning over and placing a kiss on Ted�s lips.

�Attention everyone,� Debbie�s loud voice interrupted both couples. �I have an announcement to make. As of this moment. Brian Kinney and Justin Taylor are off the market.� Amid a round of cheers from the other customers, Brian and Justin kissed once more.

�NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.�

Part 22

�What the fuck is going on here?� All eyes turned to face the upset and angry young man that had entered the diner, only to see the man he loved kissing someone else. Someone that he despised with every fiber of his being. Someone that he had been told was out of their lives for good, the only interactions the two men having been about work.

�Now this promises to be interesting,� Emmett crowed, seeing the new arrival.

�And it should get even more interesting now,� Ted added, noticing someone else heading towards the diner. �Michael�s heading this way too.�

�Shit,� Justin groaned as he watched Ethan make his way over to the booth. Justin stood to face off with his now ex-lover, only to have the violinist push him aside and throw a punch at Brian�s head. Unfortunately for the teen, Brian�s quick reflexes prevented the hit from being successful and his own hand caught the punch. Instead of letting go of the younger man�s hand, Brian instead began to squeeze it, causing Ethan to wince as he began to feel pain.

�No one, especially some sniveling little shit like you, will ever get the chance to hit me,� Brian told him coldly, applying more pressure to his hold. Ethan bit back a scream as he felt the bones in his hand bend, but a moan did manage to escape.

�Brian,� Justin said simply, resting his hand above his lover�s. The ad exec looked over at him and nodded, releasing Ethan and pushing him away from him. Ethan stumbled, barely remaining on his feet, and cradled his injured hand to his chest.

�You almost broke my fucking hand you asshole,� Ethan swore.

�After you tried to hit him,� Justin countered, coming to Brian�s defense. The artist moved to stand between Ethan and Brian, making sure that there was no mistake as to whose side he was truly on.

�You were fucking kissing him,� Ethan said. �And this bitch was screaming like a fucking maniac about you and him being off the market.� This time it was Justin who did the hitting, smacking Ethan right across his face.

�Never, and I mean fucking never, say anything like that about Debbie, or any of my friends,� Justin said coldly. �Do you understand me?�

�Yeah, I understand perfectly,� Ethan hissed. �I understand perfectly.� Ethan mover closer to Justin, pretending he didn�t see the way Justin instinctively moved closer to Brian. �I understand that they�ve done something to you. Something to confuse you and make you think that he can make you happy. But Justin, you know the truth. You know how only I can give you what you want. What you need to be happy. He�ll only hurt you even more if you stay with him.�

�The only one who�s hurting me right now is you,� Justin replied, eyes turning towards the door to the diner as the door opened admitting the final player in their little game. �You and your little partner in crime.�

�What are you talking about?�

�Michael, I believe you know Ethan, right?� Justin said sarcastically. Michael looked between Justin and Ethan, confusion evident on his face.

�How the hell would I know him,� Michael asked, making a move towards the booth to sit by Brian, only to have Justin intercept him. His eyes narrowed, the hatred and anger he felt towards Justin apparent in his eyes. �Look, Boy Wonder, I don�t know what the fuck your problem is, but I�m really not interested in it. I don�t know what little game you�re playing here with your new boyfriend, but I�m sure nobody here is really that interested in it.�

�But I thought you and Ethan loved playing all kinds of games together,� Justin stated.

�Justin, what�s wrong with you?� Ethan asked, not sure what was going on but not liking the way the conversation was turning. There was something in Justin�s voice that didn�t sit right with him. �What would make you think I know Michael and what do you mean partner in crime? What partner? Hell, what crime?�

�Brian, what�s going on?� Michael asked, looking around Justin towards the other man.

�You�re talking to me now, Mikey?� Brian asked, raising his eyebrow. �I thought you were upset with me over what happened with Ben.�

�I was,� Michael admitted, shrugging his shoulders. �But I know that Ben left the country so I thought that maybe it was time for you and me to talk.�

�Is that what they�re calling it nowadays,� Ted commented sarcastically, earning himself a smack from both Debbie and Emmett.

�What does Ben leaving the country have to do with you talking to me now?� Brian asked, genuinely confused at Michael�s logic. Michael looked at the crowd in the diner, not failing to notice that he and the rest of his friends seemed to be the center of attention.

�Brian, look can�t we go somewhere to talk?� Michael asked his voice near begging. �Someplace a little more private?�

�Why, Mikey?� Brian questioned. �We don�t have any secrets from our friends, do we? I mean, it�s not like you�re going to tell me something that you wouldn�t want everyone else to hear.�

�Brian,� Michael continued to whine.

�Can�t you just shut the fuck up, you sniveling spoiled brat,� Ethan hissed, angry at the way things were going. Nothing was the way it was supposed to be. Justin wasn�t supposed to be hanging around Brian and his group of friends. He was only supposed to want to be with Ethan. Instead, the violinist had entered the diner, planning on surprising Justin, only to hear the announcement that Justin and Brian were no longer on the market, apparently because the two men were together. He didn�t have time to deal with Michael�s hysterics over Brian not paying enough attention to him.

�Fuck off, fiddle boy,� Michael countered, turning his attention to Ethan. �It�s not like you�re not invested in this too.�

�Guess they�re not happy with their partnership now,� Justin whispered to Brian, joining his lover in the booth. Brian for his part only smiled as he wrapped his arms around Justin, making sure that there was no question as to who the younger man belonged to. It was a declaration that didn�t go unnoticed by the arguing men.

�Get your hands off of him.�

�Brian, what the hell is going on?� Justin and Brian looked at each other, lovingly kissing each other before turning back to face the other two men.

�What�s going on, Mikey,� Brian drawled, �is that, despite your and Ethan�s best attempts, Justin and I are still together. In fact, I just asked him to marry me and he actually said yes.�

�You�re lying,� Ethan denied while Michael just paled at Brian�s announcement. Ethan tried to pull Justin away from Brian, but the other teen refused to leave his lover�s side. He looked at Justin in confusion, not able to miss the way that Justin was leaning into Brian�s arms. �Justin, tell him. Tell him that you and I are together. Tell him that it�s me you love now, not him.� Justin made no move to do as Ethan requested. �I said tell him, you bastard,� Ethan began to shout, his temper getting the better of him. He made to grab Justin again. �You�re mine.� Brian�s hand intercepted Ethan�s once again, this time the older man didn�t even try to hold back his strength.

�If you ever try and lay a hand on Justin again,� Brian threatened his voice low and menacing, �I will make damn sure your life isn�t worth anything.�

�You wouldn�t dare.�

�Try me, little boy. Right now,� Brian continued, �the only thing keeping me from kicking your worthless ass is that fact that you did make Justin happy, in a way. And, if it wasn�t for you, Justin and I wouldn�t be where we are now. You were a good friend to him, even if Justin didn�t know the real reason you were interested in him, at first.�

�Oh really? And what exactly was the real reason I was interested in Justin?�

�Revenge,� Brian stated simply. �Revenge for a perceived wrong against someone who you cared about. You came to Pittsburgh with the sole purpose of getting back at Justin and I for what Kip Thomas said we did to him. You even figured out a way to turn one of my family against me, against us, to help you do it. It was just your misfortune that you ended up falling for your mark and your underestimating me in what I would do to keep Justin with me.�

�Brian what the fuck are you talking about?� Michael finally joined back into the conversation, his voice conveying the panic he was beginning to feel as he listened to the conversation between his best friend and the violinist because it was beginning to sound like Brian knew exactly what Michael had been doing.

�I�m talking about you and Ethan conspiring to break Justin and I up so that Justin would be with him and I might go with you,� Brian answered. �Which, as I�ve told you time and time again Mikey, was never going to happen. There is no way in hell I would ever be desperate enough to fuck you, you whiny, self-centered, immature asshole.�

Part 23

Silence descended upon the diner as the patrons gave up any pretense of not paying attention to the fight that was taking place between Michael, Brian, Justin and Ethan. It was no secret how the relationships within the group worked; most of the customers had been present at the, now infamous, Rage party that had seen Justin walking away from Brian in the arms of Ethan. And the friendship between Michael and Brian was practically legendary; everyone knowing that to cross one was to cross the other. Even the other employees stopped their tasks so that they could satisfy their curiosity.

�Brian?� Michael quietly called out his friend�s voice, disbelief evident in it. He couldn�t believe what Brian had just said. �What are you saying?�

�Do you need a translator?� Brian asked sarcastically, his voice dripping with disdain. �Even you can�t be that stupid.�

�But, Brian, you and I,� Michael stopped as if he was trying to gather his thoughts. �Brian, we�ve known each other for so long. You�re my best friend. I don�t know what he,� Michael nodded his head towards Brian, his distaste at the closeness between the ad exec and artist, �told you but its all bullshit. Nothing but a bunch of lies. He cheated on you, Brian, remember.� Michael made to move closer to his friend but Brian stopped him cold with only a look.

�Michael, don�t you dare say one word about Justin,� Brian warned.

�He cheated on you��

�I said, not one word.� Brian signaled Justin to get up, following his lover closely. The confrontation looked to be coming to its climax and Brian didn�t want to face the two men that that intentionally made it their business to break him and Justin up sitting down.

�How dare you stand there, Mikey, and say that you�re my best friend after everything that you�ve done to me the past few months,� Brian began. �I trusted you. You knew me better than anyone, other than Justin, and you used that against me in the vain hope that you might have a shot in hell of getting together with me. You helped this psychopath,� Bran motioned to Ethan, �in his little plot to get between Justin and me, even though you had to know exactly what that would do to me. Did you think I wouldn�t figure it out eventually? Come on, Mikey, you had to know I�m not that stupid.�

�Brian, I know you�re not stupid,� Michael tried to placate him. �I never said anything like that.�

�Than how could you think that I wouldn�t figure out what you and fiddle boy over there weren�t planning?�

�Brian, you don�t understand,� the store owner tried again. �All I wanted was for you to finally see that you and Justin weren�t meant to be together. That the two of you were too different to make a relationship work. And when I found out that Ethan was interested in Justin, and that it seemed as if that feeling might be mutual, I just wanted to prove to you that I was right.�

�Shut you, you stupid fuck,� Ethan hissed, turning his angry glare towards Michael.

�Why don�t you shut up,� Michael countered. �It was your fucking plan. You were supposed to keep Justin away from Brian. Make him only remember the way that Brian always tossed him aside.�

�And I was doing my job,� Ethan practically growled. �You were the one that was supposed to make sure Brian kept up his old patterns. Make sure that word got around town that Brian Kinney was back up to his old tricks, sucking and fucking his way through gay Pittsburgh, but you couldn�t even do that right. You�re fucking useless.�

Brian, Justin and the rest of the diner watched in amusement as the two co-conspirators fight amongst themselves. It was an odd spectacle to see in the Liberty Diner, which was considered something like neutral territory among the Liberty Avenue crowd. Not to mention that fact that very few people had ever seen Michael Novatny truly angry and yelling at someone.

�You know, even though I heard the tape, and saw the reports that that detective had given Brian, I really didn�t believe that Michael could be involved with something like this,� Emmett whispered to Ted.

�But there�s no denying it now,� Ted agreed, looking sadly at the man he had once thought he was in love with. �Michael isn�t the same person we thought he was.�

�I wonder if he ever was.�

�Boys, boys, boys,� Brian interrupted the fighting, actually getting tired of listening to their arguing. �As interesting as this is, it�s becoming counter-productive.� Michael turned back to Brian, hoping to convince the other man to give him another chance.

�Brian, look, I don�t know what you know, or how you found out, but you have to believe me,� I began to plead. �I never meant to hurt you. All I wanted was you to see that Justin wasn�t right for you. He cheated on Brian, and I had nothing to do with that. And you�re only fooling yourself if you think he won�t do it again.�

�You�re the one fooling yourself, Mikey,� Brian corrected him. �Justin and I were doing just fine, and you know it. You knew that I was finally ready to believe that I was capable of love, of being in a relationship, and you couldn�t accept that. You went out of your way to make sure that Justin began to doubt his place in my life. Doubt my love for him.� Murmurs could be heard around the diner at Brian�s easy use of the L and R words in regards to him and Justin. They couldn�t believe the surprises that they were being treated to.

�And you,� Brian turned his attention to Ethan, �you got it into your head that it was your job to get revenge on Justin and I because of what happened to Kip Thomas. That�s the first clue of how completely stupid you are because you actually believed that idiot. And then you fell in love with your mark, which I can actually understand.� Brian looked over at Justin, the love he felt for the teen apparent to everyone who saw them. He reached over and took the younger man�s hand in his own.

�You are a sorry excuse for a queer. Hell, you�re a sorry excuse for a human being.� There was no mistaking the contempt Brian felt for the violinist. �How many lives do you have to ruin before you�ll be happy. You�ve already destroyed your family. You hurt innocent people in your quest to be the best, and yet it hasn�t been enough. You blackmailed your way into a school that wouldn�t take you because you weren�t talented enough. You�ve terrorized a boy who had taken you in when you had no place else to go. And then you made the biggest mistake of your life. You tried to take what was mine.�

�And I did it too,� Ethan said smugly.

�That�s what you think,� Brian retorted. �Justin and I were never finished. Even though he had moved out of our loft, but didn�t mean that he was out of my life. If it did, do you really think we would be here now. That I would have even bothered taking the time to find out the deal with you. Justin and I continued to see each other. Hell, we became better friends because of all the shit you put us through and for that I thank you. But only for that.� Brian advanced on the younger boy, anger radiating through his body.

�I�m going to tell you this once, and only once. I want you to get the fuck out of here. And I�m not talking just out of the diner. I�m talking out of Pittsburgh. I don�t want to even hear that you are performing some kind of fucking concert in this city.�

�And what will you do if I don�t?�

�I�ll make your life such a hell that you�ll wish you were dead.� Ethan continued to stare at Brian, searching his face to see how serious the older man was. What he saw there actually seemed to scare him and he turned around and left the diner as quickly as possible, allowing Brian to turn his attention back to Michael.

�Now for you, Mikey,� Brian drawled. �What should I do about you?�

�Brian?�

�I can�t tell you to get out of town because of Vic and Debbie.� Brian nodded his head in acknowledgement of the waitress that was standing there, disappointment in her eyes as she watched her son. �But I will tell you that you no longer exist to me. I want nothing to do with you. I can�t tell you that you can�t hang out with Ted and Emmett, that�s up to them, but I will tell you that Justin and I are completely off limits to you. So is my son. If I hear that you came within ten feet of Gus, I will kill you.�

�Mel and Lindsay won�t keep me away from Gus,� Michael countered. �They know how much I love him.�

�Who do you think got me all of my information?� Brian watched as that set into Michael�s mind. �They don�t want you anywhere near Gus or them. Don�t test me on this, Mikey. You will not like the results.�

Michael looked around the diner, trying to find a sympathetic person among the crowd, but not even those that had been his friends could meet his eyes. He looked over at Debbie, but his mother couldn�t bear to look at him and went into the back. Tears began to fall down his face as he realized that in his quest to gain Brian�s love, he had lost everyone that he cared about and he ran out of the diner. Brian watched him go, sadness etched on his face, as he remembered the young boy that he had befriended when he was fourteen and he wondered where that boy had gone.

�Are you okay?� Justin asked, wrapping his arms around Brian, offering his lover a comforting hug. Brian returned the hug, uncaring that his hard as nails attitude was taking a serious beating.

�As long as you�re with me I will be.�

�Always. I love you, Brian.�

�Love you too, Sunshine.�

Epilogue

�I now pronounce you, husband and husband,� Reverend Tom announced to the two men in front of him. �You may now kiss the groom.� The room watched, many still in stunned shock, at the sight in front of them. They couldn�t believe what they had just witnessed. Brian Kinney, legendary stud of Liberty Avenue, had officially and permanently been taken off of the market. He had done what he had sworn he would never do. He had committed himself to someone. A blonde twink had managed to do what countless others had not. Justin Taylor had tamed the big bad.

The witnesses to the big event included family and friends, along with some former tricks of both of the grooms. Debbie was there with her fianc�, Carl Horvath. Ted and Emmett had stood up for the men, both of them considering it a rehearsal for when their big day would come. Lindsay looked on, Gus in her arms and Melanie at her side, happy that her longtime friend had finally found the courage to accept the love that was due him. Vic and Ben stood together, Ben having come back to Pittsburgh specifically to witness the commitment ceremony of his friends. And standing together were Jennifer and Joanie, the two proud mothers of the grooms. Joanie had come a long way in accepting Brian�s lifestyle and Jennifer had done a lot to help that process. The two mothers helped each other accept the relationship between their sons and had actually grown somewhat close over the past few months.

Brian and Justin made their way through the throng of well wishers; both wishing they had just run off and gotten married instead of going through the whole commitment ceremony thing. They wanted nothing more than to have a few uninterrupted moments alone, preferably horizontal, but they also knew that their friends had been there for both of them during all of the hard times and that they had deserved the celebration as much as Brian and Justin did.

�I can�t believe we actually did it,� Justin enthused, his arms wrapping around his husband. �I can�t believe we actually got married.�

�Neither can I,� Brian agreed. �What was I thinking?� Justin grinned up at Brian, the love he felt for the man in his arms apparent to everyone that saw them.

�You were thinking that you love me and want to spend the rest of your life with me,� Justin stated, no doubt of what he was saying in his voice.

�Actually I believe I think it was more along the lines that I must be insane to want to tie myself down to just one person,� Brian said, tongue in cheek. Brian smiled down at his lover, now his husband, and couldn�t resist the red lips that seemed to be calling to him. He kissed Justin, throwing all the love he felt for the younger man into it. It was obvious to all watching, and everyone was watching, that the two men were right for each other.

�I can�t believe Brian actually went through with it,� Melanie commented, surprising herself by smiling at the happy couple. �Who would have thought that Brian Kinney would actually settle down?�

�Not me that�s for damn sure,� Debbie agreed, �and I�ve known him for a hell of a lot longer than you.�

�Well, I for one am happy for both of them,� Lindsay added. �After everything they�ve been through, they both deserve some happiness.� Everyone in the group grew quiet at Lindsay�s comment, the memory of one person not there getting to them all.

It had been six months since the final confrontation between Brian, Justin, Michael and Ethan at the diner. Six months that had seen a few changes take place along Liberty Avenue. Gone was the closeness of the once tight group. The hurt and anger over what had been done to Brian and Justin hurting everyone. Debbie and Vic felt the need to be supportive of Michael, although they were angry and hurt over what he had attempted to do. Still, Michael was their family and they felt the need to be there for him and try to get him the help that they believe he needed. Unfortunately their offers were constantly rebuffed until they finally had to give up. Two months after Brian told him to get out of his life, Michael left Pittsburgh for parts unknown. As a favor to Debbie, and because of his long history with the other man, Brian did make an attempt to locate him but with no success. No one has heard from him since. It was a loss that they all felt.

On the other hand, the entire gang knew exactly what had happened to Ethan Gold. His downfall was the biggest news throughout gay Pittsburgh. The boy that had been known for stealing away the twink that had tamed Brian Kinney was now awaiting sentencing for attempted murder, stalking, blackmail, grand larceny and a variety of other charges stemming from his activities in both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. The trial had been short, the evidence overwhelming. Between Justin, Ethan, Ethan�s old roommate and the dean at PIFA there was no doubt of his guilt. Ethan Gold was going to prison for a very long time and there was no one that was mourning for him. Even his family had finally washed their hands of their problem child.

�Excuse me, everyone, I would like to make a toast,� Jennifer interrupted everyone�s thoughts as she picked up a glass of champagne. Everyone quieted down as they turned to face her. Finally, when she had everyone�s attention, she turned to face her son and his new husband.

�As any of you here know, when Brian first entered Justin�s life I wasn�t exactly thrilled about it.�

�That�s an understatement,� Debbie said, earning herself a few chuckles. Jennifer smiled at her and continued.

�As I was saying, I wasn�t thrilled about it. I�ll admit it, at first it was because I didn�t like the concept that my son was gay, but I learned to accept it, but I still couldn�t accept Brian. I thought he was too old for Justin��

�Hey watch who you�re calling old,� Brian shouted out to his mother-in-law before being shushed by his husband.

�Well, I did. And then I heard stories about him and I was terrified that he would hurt my son and no mother wants to go through with that. I thought that had come through the night of Justin�s prom and I am sorry to say that I took my anger out on Brian, telling him not to come near my son. Of course, that backfired on me big time and I was forced to come to terms with the fact that Brian was a major force in Justin�s life and I decided to get to know the man that had stolen my son�s heart. Surprisingly I found out that I liked him. Instead of trying to keep Justin under wraps and separated from everyone, which is what I feared, I discovered that Brian didn�t want Justin to miss out on all of the opportunities that were being offered to him. Of course, that almost broke them up, but in the long run it made them stronger. Which leads us to today.

�Justin, I am so proud of you. You are everything that a mother could want in her son. Your strength is equal to your capacity to love. I am so happy that you have found what you are looking for with someone that I know will be there for you. Brian, while you may not be exactly what I was looking for in a son in law, I can�t think of anyone else that I would want in my son�s life. I know you will protect him and do everything you can to make him happy and that�s all I want. For both of you. So.� Jennifer raised her glass high in the air, the rest of the guests doing the same. �To Brian and Justin, may your lives be happy and may your marriage be the thing that legends are made of.�

�Hear, hear,� everyone agreed, toasting the couple. Brian and Justin took a sip of their champagne before kissing once more. Jennifer walked over and gave both young men a kiss. �Be happy boys.�

�Thanks mom.�

�Thank you, Jennifer.� She walks away from the couple, giving them a moment of privacy.

�Did you ever think you would live to see the day that my mother would willing kiss you?� Justin teased his lover, neither man willing to separate from the other.

�Only if I was lying in a casket,� Brian countered, earning himself a playful tap. �So how did I do with the whole romance thing?�

�Well, on a scale of one to ten I would have to say this is around an���eleven.� Brian smiled as he bent to kiss his new husband. �Have I told you lately that I love you?�

�Well, not within the past ten minutes or so.�

�Oh, how remiss of me. I love you Brian Kinney.�

�And I love you, Justin Taylor.�