Brian stalked into Babylon, ready to drink himself into oblivion.  After downing a few shots of Beam, he strutted onto the dance floor, prepared to fuck the first hot guy that caught his eye.  A young Adonis boldly approached him as he danced.  The determined young man seductively moved to the beat, as he slowly closed the distance until he was pressed up against Brian.
 
The trick soon began grinding his hips into the legendary stud of Liberty Avenue.  Aroused, the brunet examined the specimen before him.  He was certainly hot enough...yep, he'd do.  Brian reached down and grabbed him by the belt.  He whispered something into the trick's ear, and headed to the backroom, with the eager twink in tow.
 
The blond haired twink dropped to his knees, undoing Brian's belt and zipper.  Brian took a snort of coke, as he watched the young man shimmy his pants down, to reveal Brian's perfect cock.  The blond began to suck him, and Brian had visions of another blond who had stolen his heart a long time ago.  The trick's head bobbed up and down, but to Brian's disgust, he wasn't very good at giving head.  Or perhaps it was just that no one could compare to his Sunshine.  Brian angrily pushed him away, and left the stunned young man kneeling on the ground, as he departed the backroom.
 
Brian entered the men's room and splashed water on his face.  When he looked up, he felt nauseous.  His eyes were red, his hair was disheveled, he was a mess.  'Why the fuck was he doing this to himself?'  On unsteady legs, Brian staggered out the exit of the club to his car.  
 
Brian needed some place to crash, because he couldn't face Justin like this.  He thought briefly of going to Michael's, but he and the professor were surely asleep by now.  Besides, he wasn't sure if it was Michael's weekend with Jenny Rebecca.  Brian was driving around aimlessly, when he thought of where he could go.  He knocked on the door to the apartment and waited.  
 
Ted was awakened by the rapping on his door.  At first it was light, but then it became louder.  Who the hell was knocking on his door at 1:00 in the morning?  "Shit", he had an odd feeling he knew who it was.  
 
"Brian", Ted confirmed.  "What are you doing here, at this hour?"
 
"I thought I'd visit my favorite employee."  Ted noticed that Brian's speech was slurred, and he could smell the liquor and God knows what other toxins, on his boss' breath.  
 
"Shhhh...don't talk so loud and come in.  Blake is asleep in the bedroom."  He ushered Brian to the couch.
 
"Twinks...they're nothing but trouble", Brian complained.
 
"Ah-ha.  What have you done to Justin this time Bri?"
 
"Why does everyone always presume that it's me?"
 
"Because it <i>usually</i> is", Ted snarked.
 
"Thank you Theodore for your vote of confidence."
 
Although he would never admit it, over the past few years Ted had become his confidante, someone he could rely on.  In some ways, he was closer to Ted than he was to Michael.  
 
Brian imparted the events of the past few weeks to Ted.  The older man shook his head in disbelief.
 
"When are you going to realize that the two of you belong together.  If you would stop being so pig headed, you would know that you're the one Justin wants, the one he needs in his life."
 
"I don't deserve him", Brian whispered as he cast his eyes down.
 
Ted was shocked at Brian's honesty.  "You do deserve him, and he deserves you.  He's the yin to your yang, so to speak."  
 
Ted went into the kitchen, and brought back a mug with coffee in it.  Brian appreciatively accepted the offering.
 
He sat down next to his boss and friend.  "So Bri, are you going to fuck up again and let him leave, or are you going to swallow your pride, and tell him the truth."
 
Ted rose, and returned with a pillow and blanket.  "I think you know the answer."  He patted Brian on the shoulder, giving it a squeeze before he left him alone, and went back to bed.
 
After giving a lot of thought to Ted's words of advice, Brian was resigned to what he knew he had to do.  
 
That morning, Brian woke to the smell of freshly brewed coffee, and Blake's humming.  
 
"Where is Theodore, and what the fuck time is it?", he queried groggily.
 
"Ted already left for the office.  He muttered something about covering for you today, and it's almost 9:00."  
 
"Christ!", Brian exclaimed.  He jumped up and pushed Blake out of the way as he raced out of the apartment.
 
On the ride to the loft, Brian hoped that he could catch Justin before he left.  He charged up the stairs not wanting to waste any precious time.  As he opened the door, he saw Jennifer standing behind Justin apparently ready to wheel him out.  
 
Jennifer and Justin stared at him, surprised to see him in the state he was in.  If nothing else, Brian Kinney had always been meticulous with his grooming and his clothes.  His haggard appearance was very uncharacteristic of him.
 
Brian cleared his throat and addressed Jennifer, "Do you think I could talk to Justin alone, Mother Taylor?"
 
Jennifer turned to Justin, who looked annoyed, but nodded his head in agreement.
 
"I'll be downstairs waiting honey", Jennifer remarked protectively.
 
Justin glared at Brian, "What do you want, I think you said it all last night."
 
"I know what I said last night Justin, and I was acting like an ass."
 
"So what else is new", Justin validated smugly.  "Well?"  Justin was growing impatient with Brian's mind games.
 
Brian looked Justin squarely in the eyes and began, "I don't want you to leave, I want you to stay."
 
"And what suddenly changed your mind?", Justin asked, becoming agitated.  
 
Brian expounded a sigh, this was going to be harder than he thought.  "I was at Babylon last night getting wasted, and receiving the worst blow job..." 
 
Justin rolled his eyes.  "Is that why you want me around because I give great head?"  His temper was flaring now.  
 
"Calm down Sunshine, that's not it.  It's what happened after that unsatisfying encounter. I looked at myself in the mirror, and didn't like what I saw.   I had become a poor excuse of a man who was drowning his sorrows in booze and drugs, and fucking, instead of trying to talk to the one person he cares about most in this world."  That seemed to get Justin's attention, because he became very quiet, and gazed at Brian hopefully.
 
"I thought I had put all of that in my past years ago."  Brian paused trying to find the right words to express himself. 

"When you left for New York, it felt as though you had abandoned me.  Then when you never returned to confront me, I surmised that I wasn't what you really wanted, and you had moved on with your life."
 
"I never stopped loving you Brian, but I needed you to prove to me that you wanted me too.  You never once tried to contact me in over two years, do you know how I felt?  That everything I thought we had...that I thought we meant to each other, was just a lie.  It was something that I had only imagined."  
 
"I'm sorry, it's my fault.  I should have gone after you."  
 
"Don't you see, it isn't only your fault, it's mine as well.  Somehow we stopped communicating."
 
"It's something we undeniably need to work on Sunshine.  But if you're willing to give us another try, I can promise you that I will put every effort into our relationship.  I don't want to live without you...I love you Justin, always have, always will."
 
Justin couldn't believe what he was hearing.  Brian Kinney was actually pleading with him to work things out, and professing his love.
 
Tears started to form, as Justin pushed himself up, and stood.  Brian almost went over to him, but something made him wait.  He was floored when Justin began to walk, albeit shakily.  He managed to take three steps before he landed in Brian's waiting arms.  Choked with emotion and unable to speak, Brian hugged him tightly to his chest.
 
A few moments later, he lifted Justin's chin up to peer into his face, and noticed the tears flowing freely from his blue eyes.  His own hazel eyes misted, as he ran his fingers through Justin's blond locks, and gripped the back of his neck.
 
Overwhelmed with Brian's declarations, and his affectionate gesture, Justin blurted out, "I love you Brian, so much.  I never want to be without you again.  Let's make it work this time, please."
 
Brian touched their foreheads together and agreed, "My sentiments exactly Sunshine.  Whatever problems may come, let's always resolve to work through them together."