June 13, 2051 Official Residence Director of Planetary Security Lisbon Portugal Director Kinney has just opened his front door in order to stop the incessant knocking that had woken him from an uneasy nap. “Mikey I suppose you’ve heard from Gus?” The Director leads his best friend to the living room of his home. “No Brian I didn’t hear from Gus, Katherine called to tell me that you would be needing me. Gus got drunk and was in no shape to call anyone.” “Mikey as you keep telling me I’m 80 years old now and I don’t need your help. I never needed your help.” “I believe that about as much as any of us believed that you really didn’t love Justin before the Prom.” “Why did I screw things up so badly with Gus?” “I don’t know Brian, I could say that it wasn’t in your nature to be a good father but that would be a lie.” “Whether it was in my nature or not I certainly failed as a father.” “It wasn’t all your fault though. None of us cut you any slack around Gus. We should’ve known better but Mel and I never let a chance to hurt you in the eyes of Gus pass us by. Mel just couldn’t help putting you down in any way since she was always so jealous of Lindsay’s feelings for you. My excuse is that I was an idiot. I had wanted you so much for so long and then that little twink comes along and wins your heart. Then he was stolen from you and instead of being the best friend that I always claimed to be I just made your life worse than it had to have been. Gus would ask where his Daddy was and I would say something nasty about Justin and that you only cared about getting Justin back in your life. Of course he hated the idea of Justin and so he can’t understand why you dedicated your life to getting him back. Then once you straightened out your life you went directly into the directorship and had even less time for Gus. I wish I had been the best friend that I always claimed to be but that’s water under the bridge. Gus will forgive you in time especially if you’re able to bring Taylor home. Is there any real chance of Taylor coming home?” “I’ve no idea Mikey. We can go back to the planet but we’ve no idea if he’ll still be there or if he’ll even be alive. We simply don’t know enough but we’ll gain revenge for The Stolen and Taylor. “Brian you need to move on, 50 years is more than enough time to brood over losing Justin. I should’ve been able to get through to you about this obsession for revenge long ago but I never really tried. None of us expected you to worry about him for 50 days let alone 50 years. He really did change you. But Brian you have to ask yourself are you the same man that he loved so much? If he were to come home would he even recognize you? I don’t mean your looks either, would he recognize the inner you. You’re a very bitter man and that’s not the man Justin would remember.” “Mikey I’ve every right to be bitter. I finally admit to myself that I loved Justin and that he did love me. Then he’s stolen away from me. 50 years have passed and I still love him with what’s left of my heart. If we find The Stolen and bring them home then we’ll work out the kinks but Mikey I have to see him again before I die. I know that I would know if he had died so he has to be alive somewhere. Knowing Justin he has made the absolutely best of whatever he’s had to deal with. I may be a bitter old fool but Justin Taylor will still be my Sunshine.” “Brian you have to be realistic, 50 years as a slave has to have affected Justin. Promise me that you won’t be too disappointed in whatever happens. Whether he comes home or not, if he’s dead or alive you have to start thinking about your life instead of his. Resign as Director and let someone else deal with the problems. Go to your son and try to help him deal with losing his only child.” “Maybe when the immediate situation is resolved I can resign but I simply can’t do it now.” “I knew that would be your answer Brian. Someday you have to start living your life instead of living for revenge.” “Mikey you don’t have the nightmares that I have about that night. You don’t have the horrible memories that I have about how I treated Justin. He loved me from the first night and was brave enough to let me know from the beginning and to put up with all of my crap. I was such a coward; I would push him away and then pull him back, then do it all over again. Then he got less than an hour knowing that I had finally admitted to myself that I did love him.” “Brian don’t make yourself suffer anymore than you have to.” “Mikey, he was so brave in his dealings with me. How many twinks would have dared steal tricks from the King of Liberty Avenue? He did it twice. How many twinks would be brave enough to ask me to go to his Prom knowing what a coward I was about showing my emotions. I couldn’t just tell him that it scared the shit out of me to do something that would let people know how I really felt, no I had to make stupid comments and then tell him no. Then when I did grow some balls and went to the Prom did he flinch in anyway when I put him in the spotlight by dancing with him? No he just danced with me and looked at me with nothing but love in his eyes. We kissed in front of everyone at that homophobic school and he didn’t waver for a second. Then we went to the parking garage. I’ve played those last few minutes in my head over and over for 50 years. I wish I could forget them but then that would be forgetting him and I don’t want to do that, ever. We were having so much fun, dancing and singing and just touching each other. He said ‘did you see their faces?” “Yeah we gave them a prom they’ll never forget’ ‘Me either.’ I just though I would explode with happiness ‘This was the best night of my life, he replied to my smile ‘Even if it was ridiculously romantic?” Then we just kissed again, god he made me feel like I was 18 again. Then there was a horrible noise and the building started shaking. We just hugged each other as tight as we could. Then there were these crazy shapes walking through the garage forcing everyone into the ballroom. Some fool resisted and the alien just blasted him to a pulp. I kept holding Justin in an attempt to protect him. Once everyone was in the ballroom they started sorting the boys out from everyone else. They finally got to us and one of the fucking monsters started pulling on Justin trying to get him away from me. I said ‘Take me and leave him here where he’ll be safe.’ Of course they didn’t know what I was saying and one of them just touched something to Justin’s head and he just collapsed in my arms then one of them just knocked me away from Justin. When I woke up I was in the hospital and the whole situation was over. All of the ships had left Earth orbit and The Stolen were gone. The love of my life was gone and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. God I wish I could forget that night, except that I would forget the look in Justin’s eyes while we were dancing and when we kissed.” TBC