Thanks to Rena (elyxer) for her wonderful Beta work, without you I never would have made it 'til Halloween _________________________________
Red rimmed eyes looked down from the top window of the huge mansion in West Pittsburgh. "Mom! Stay with me! Please!" The young man shouted but nobody heard him... ever. Nobody stayed, they always left, left him alone in this cold mansion. He watched as his mother opened the door to her car and looked up, up to his window where he stood and waved goodbye to her. Just as he always had. But she never waved back. She didn't know he was still there, still in his room in the house which should have become his home. It never really would, or could, because this mansion wasn't a home for him. It was his prison. He was captured, trapped in a world that he never really belonged to. A house that he never would call 'home'. A world that never really had accepted him for who he was. But he couldn't remember why, or how he died, with time he had lost all memories of his life, his life before he died. All his memories had simply faded away. First the memories of his friends and then as time went by, even the one's of his family. The only memory he had left was the one of his mother, but only because she came to visit the mansion from time to time with strangers. But the strangers never stayed, they always left, and never came back. No one wanted to live in a 'haunted' mansion. Everyone was afraid of ghosts since that fucking movie 'Poltergeist' but nobody ever thought that ghosts could also be like 'Sam'. He shivered. Patrick Swayze still drove him wild. How he wished that someday one of the strangers would stay. Every time a new stranger came, he always wished, hoped and prayed that this was the one. The one that would stay with him. But he knew that even if they did stay, he would never have the chance to speak to them, because he was invisible (for)to the living ones. They felt him, felt his sadness and loneliness, but they couldn't see or hear him. He had tried everything to get attention, but always failed. They always left. They were afraid of the sadness and loneliness they felt in the house. Then, he would be left all alone once again. Until the next time someone would visit and he would try it all over again. In hope that someday he maybe WOULD get attention, that somebody wasn't afraid of the sadness and loneliness that surrounded him, and would stay to change it. To make him feel even a little alive again. To bring happiness back into his world. And so he stayed and waited praying for that day to come soon. Why couldn't anybody see that he was lonely, why couldn't anyone see him at all? Was he damned to an eternity of loneliness? Tears ran down his face as he watched his mother drive away and disappear into nothingness. In the east the sun slowly sunk into the horizon, only to go up on the other side of the continent. How he wished that one day he would have the opportunity to be there. On the other side of this window. On the other side of the horizon. To see the sunrise for one last time before he truly died or went into the light, if it really existed. "Later..." he mumbled before he turned away from the window to get back to his canvas. It was the only thing that was left for him from his former life. No one ever came into this room. The studio. Because his mother always told the people who visited the mansion that this room was still under construction. But he knew that his mother herself couldn't enter the room, this room should have been his room. But he died before he got the chance to live in it. To his amazement, every time he left the room to walk around in the house and came back later, there were new canvases for him to paint on. His walls already were filled with pictures he had painted over the years. He had no idea of how many because he had stopped counting a few years ago. Time doesn't matter when you're dead and only waiting for the final call. Pictures of people and places he didn't know or couldn't remember anymore were captured on the canvases. A beautiful brown haired woman appeared on most of his canvases. Somehow he knew that she was important to him when he was alive, but he had forgotten her to. Forgotten all about her. If he would have to paint her again, he knew that he couldn't because now she also was a stranger to him. Now to him she was only a pretty face. Nothing more. Nothing less. Every time he looked at all the pictures, he got sad trying desperately to remember something of his life. His mind was empty, there wasn't really anything more to remember. He wondered how long it would take for him to forget his mother too. Before she would stand in front of him and he wouldn't know who the hell she was and what she was doing in HIS house. He was frightened of that day. The day he would lose his last memory. ******* He was scanning the yellow pages, he didn't know how he got into this situation, but somehow a couple of weeks ago he got a phone call from his lawyer saying that he had full custody of his five year old son. It seemed his parents had decided to get a divorce and didn't want a little boy caught up in all the mess that soon would start. "And so the muncher's got the fucking idea to give me the kid. Me!? Wasn't Mel the one who always said that I'm not a good role model for THEIR son? And look at me now. I'm a fucking full time dad!" The chestnut haired man thought and sighed. Now he didn't only have to watch over his son, no, he even had to move. Move out of his fuck pad. And he had no fucking clue where to start with his search. The loft definitely was too small for two people, hell sometimes it was even too small for his own ego. He turned another page while he sipped his coffee. He had taken a day off work, so that he would have the time to look for a realtor.'It couldn't be impossible, to find only one fucking realtor who knows his business, could it?' The brunet thought and sighed. He had nearly lost all hope and was almost at the end of a long list of realtors that he knew nothing about. "Dad! Watch out!" Before he could react, the small tennis ball hit the cup, which stood beside the yellow pages, and splashed coffee all over the book. Disgusted Brian grabbed for the now coffee soaked ball and carried it over to sink, but not before throwing a stunned gaze in his son's direction. "What have I told you about tossing the ball in the loft, Gus?" The brunet growled, grabbed a cloth and went back to his desk to clear the mess. Somehow he felt relieved that he would soon move out of the loft. Then, finally, Gus would have more room to play. He couldn't count the number of times in the last few weeks he'd had to wipe up after the boy. A broken glass here or a leaking glass of milk there, He was fucking tired of it. Hopefully he would find a realtor soon. The loft didn't look like its old self anymore. In every corner you could see that a small boy lived with him. Comics stuck out from under his white Italian sofa, toys were spread all around the loft, and crayons were spread all over his desk. Yesterday he even found a Power Ranger doll in his bed! He knew that clearing the desk was futile because it would be a total mess again in under five minutes. It drove him nuts! He was so anal about having an organized home. Gus certainly hadn't got that messy nature from his side of the family. 'Fuck, now I need to find a realtor AND a new yellow pages book!' He froze just as he started wiping the cloth over the coffee soaked book and noticed the name of the most popular realtor in Pittsburgh. It was the only name which still could be read on the long list of the names. He had overlooked it before. 'Jennifer Taylor'. Somehow the name sounded familiar to him. He looked over to his son, when he remembered why the name sounded familiar. The day Gus was born, he'd read an article in the newspaper at the hospital. He could still remember the Headline 'Young talented artist Justin Taylor (18) died last night after years of suffering from a heart defect', because the doctors weren't sure if his son would survive the night. He could almost imagine how the boy's parents must have felt. Then he had read the article and was shocked to find that the artist was outcast by his father when he found out that his son was gay, and that he never visited his son in the hospital in the last few weeks of his short life. He still felt the anger rising in his body when he thought of that homophobic prick. The chestnut haired man was pleased to know that at least Justin's mother stayed with him to the end. He couldn't imagine ever letting his son down. He was his heart and his soul. Even if he could never admit it. He picked up the phone and dialed the number. He knew his chances were slim that Mrs. Taylor was still in her office at 8PM, but it never hurt to try. "Taylor." A groggy voice was heard over the phone. "Hi, my name's Brian Kinney, and I'm searching for a place for my son and myself, can you help us?" Answered the ad-exec in his best business voice, and heard someone giggle. He looked over at his son with a raised eyebrow, and his son only rolled with his eyes. "Of course Mister Kinney. May I ask you if you have some idea of what the house should look like, and what price range?" The woman asked in her business voice, and Brian had to smile. The woman had balls. "Money doesn't matter. It's only important that my son has enough room to play in the house. You can't imagine what a mess my home is like right now." Brian answered without thinking and had to bite his lip when he realized what he'd just said. Fuck! "I'm sor-" Brian started but was interrupted. He knew that sorry was bullshit, but in this situation he couldn't help himself, from feeling it. "No, it's okay Mister Kinney. I'm quite used to people knowing about my son. He was quite popular before he died." The sadness of her loss was still to be heard in the woman's voice. "Yeah. So, do you have something in mind?" Brian asked, and heard the woman turn some pages. "Yes I have Mister Kinney. There's a house a little outside of Pittsburgh, which I would like to show you. How about we meet tomorrow?" The woman asked and the ad-exec looked over to his son. "Gus, do we have something planned for tomorrow?" He asked his son, who shook his head no. "Tomorrow is okay. Should we meet you there, or do you want to get us?" "I will get you. The place is really hard to find, when you don't know where it is. May I have your address?" Brian dictated her his address and said his goodbye's before he turned around again to his son. "Well, Sonny Boy. Looks like tomorrow we go on a cruise to search for a new home for the both of us. How do you like that?" The ad-exec picked his son up and cuddled him. "That's great dad. Maybe I can find new friends there." The young boy answered enthusiastically and hugged his father back. "Well then. It's well past your bedtime. Get ready for bed, I will be there in a few." He let his son down, and went over to the fridge to grab a bottle of water. He sighed. Now Brian fucking Kinney really had to grow up. He no longer was Peter Pan. There was only him and his 5 year old son. ******* 2 weeks later... "So, that's it, Brian. Here are your keys." Jennifer Taylor handed him the keys to his new 'house' frowning when Brian looked down at his son, who smiled brightly up at him. Jennifer looked up to the top window. She always felt that there was something in there. One day she almost believed someone was in there, that she could see someone - a shadow - in the window. But that couldn't be. The room was locked up. No one could be in there, but Brian Kinney was the new owner now, so he had a right to open the door. She was frightened for him. Somehow the house scared her. Something was in there. Something she didn't want to know about. This house should have been Justin's but since Justin's death her feelings for the house had changed, when he was still alive she was always happy to be there, but now everytime she entered the house she felt a sadness and loneliness overcome her. Now everytime she was in there to show the house to a new client, she searched for the fastest way out, and now the house was Brian's. In the last 2 weeks she got to know him a lot - and since she lost her son a couple of years ago - in the time she was together with Brian and his cute little son Gus, she didn't feel so alone. "Jennifer, you know you can always come to visit. You're always welcome." Brian offered after noticing the woman's discomfort. She shook her head. "I'm sorry Brian, but now that the house is sold I don't want to ever be near that house again. This house brings too many memories I'd like to forget." The realtor explained and Brian nodded understandingly. Jennifer told him for whom the house was meant to be, and somehow he felt a little sad that her son never got the chance to live in this great Victorian house. It was simply built for an artist. "Brian, if you like ehm... You could come to dinner with Gus on Sunday if you like." Jennifer offered and grabbed for the handle of her cardoor. "Maybe we will do that. So you can teach me a little how to cook. I really suck at it, you know?" Brian smiled tongue in cheek, which made Jennifer laugh. "Well, I don't think take-out food will feed Gus all the time, so I will teach you. Then, let's say 2 PM on Sunday?" The realtor suggested and Brian nodded. "We'll be there." Brian kissed her on the cheek and winked. "So, if you excuse me. I have to go, find my son." Brian waved her goodbye and turned around to go after his son. ******* "Daddy, daddy. Can I go, pick out a room for me?", Gus tugged at the hem of his father's shirt. "Sure Sonny Boy." Brian ruffled through his son's hair, before Gus ran away to pick out his new room. Brian rolled his eyes and looked around his new house. The huge entrance hall was impressive. High dark-red walls and a whirl at the roof. It just looked amazing. He cocked his head and looked up the stairs and decided not to go up yet. He wanted to check the ground floor first. He even had a huge kitchen. Needlessly to say that he didn't think to use this room a lot. He turned around and went into the living room. Brian looked around and sighed at the view in front of him. Boxes were everywhere. Some were stacked at the corner, some stood in the middle of the room. Suddenly the hairs in his neck stood up and he turned around. Somehow he felt as if somebody was watching him. "Gus!?" He shouted and heard a quiet "Yes, dad?" from somewhere on the first floor. "Okay, I just wanted to check where you were." Brian shouted back. The ad-exec shook his head, turned around again and went further into the room. Still he felt as if somebody was watching him. ******* He was just beautiful. His chestnut hair shimmered in the bright sunlight. His eyes... He thought he could look through them right into the man's soul. Somehow he cared for the two men in his house, he saw so much hurt and pain in the man's eyes, that he didn't even want to know what the man must have gone through in his life. He only wanted to make him feel better. He had such a wonderful son, who loved him dearly. Why then did he always seem so sad? He had watched him for a while now, and was still mesmerized. He was so gorgeous and handsome. His cute little son, he had watched him too. For the first time in ages he had laughed at the boy's antics. He went closer to the man and touched his cheek. How he wished he could feel him. Feel his warmth. His breath on his skin. The touch of his hand. His lips on his skin. He sighed. Another wish that wouldn't come true. Suddenly the man turned around and for a short moment he thought he would look at him, only to see him look right through him in the next moment. "Gus!?" The man shouted and he felt tears build in his eyes. Nobody would EVER see him. After he heard the quite answer of his son, the man turned around again and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't mind if you hang around the house, but all I'm saying is if I end-up getting disfigured, somebody's going to die." The man said to no one in particular and went over to the boxes. He stepped back to the door.'Could it be that the man knows that I'm here?'frightened he stepped further away. "Well then, you won't have a problem because I'm already dead." He mumbled, and the man stood still. Before he knew what was going on, he found himself back in his studio. Looking at a frightened little boy. ******* Gus had found his new room. It was perfect for all his toys and comics, and he would be too far away from his father to get on his nerves. He even had enough room to play with his tennis ball. Gus turned around and grabbed in his backpack releasing his tennis ball from its small prison. He threw the ball up and caught it. He did this a few times before the ball slipped out of his hand and rolled over the old hardwood floor. The young boy watched as the ball rolled over the floor and disappeared into one wall. "What...?!" he mumbled and went after the ball. There was a small crevice in the wall, but he couldn't see his ball. He put his hand in between the crevice and was surprised when it opened further. He took another step and slipped. In shock he closed his eyes, and when he opened them again he was in another room. Bright blue walls, with canvases all over them. He was mesmerized and stood up and looked around, and that's when he saw his ball. In front of an easel. He bent down to pick up his ball, when he noticed that the floor was clean. In the whole room there was no dust. It seemed that the room was still used. He frowned. That couldn't be. 'Dad and me would have noticed, wouldn't we?' He thought and looked at the canvas on the easel. "Holy shit." He said and stepped back. On the canvas was a picture of himself and his father. Frightened he looked around and went back to where he came from. He shouldn't be here. He never saw this room before, and that's when he noticed the door. He went over to it and wanted to open it, but it was locked. "Dad!" He cried out, and tears started to build in his eyes. He didn't know how to get out of the room, sat down in one corner and started crying. He was terrified. He only wanted to have his ball back, and now this. He was locked in a room and didn't know how to get out of it. His father couldn't hear him, because he was on the other end of the house. He pulled his legs up, put his head on his knees and closed his eyes. Tears ran down his face. He prayed that all this was just a dream. A nightmare. "Fuck, his son." He heard someone saying and opened his eyes again. In front of him was a young man. Blond hair and blue eyes. Somehow he looked different. Pale. Transparent. Like a ghost. But instead of being frightened of the person in front of him, the boy was relieved. Relieved that he wasn't alone anymore. Somehow the young man reminded him of someone. The person came closer and Gus felt a cold chill run down his spine. He got this feeling a lot lately. "How did you get in here?" He asked noticing how frightened this person seemed. "You, you can see me?" The young boy asked him and Gus nodded. He stood up, went over to the person and reached out to touch him, but before Gus had the chance the person stepped back. "Don't, don't touch me." He said and stepped further away. ******* He was fucking terrified. Someone could see him. It was the first time in years that he could actually talk to someone. The boy wanted to touch him. He didn't allow it. Couldn't allow it. He knew that the boy's hand would go right through him. "Why can't I touch you?" The boy asked and he shrugged his shoulders. "You just can't, nobody can. See" He stepped forward and touched the boys hand. It went right through it, like it wasn't there. He saw the boy frown. "It feels weird. Like, when your hand falls asleep, but it's kind of cool. You touched me a lot of times this week, didn't you?" The boy asked him and Justin nodded. He knew people could feel his presence, but never knew if they could feel his touch. "By the way, I'm Gus." the kid held out his hand and smirked. That expression reminded him so much of the boy's father, it was uncanny. "Justin. Justin Taylor." He answered and touched the young boy's hand again. "Holy fucking shit. You're Jennifer's dead son." The boy answered surprised and stepped back to have a better look at the person in front of him. "Don't swear. Your father wouldn't like it one bit." Justin said smiling slightly. "Where do you think have I learned all these words?" Gus answered with a cocked eyebrow and tongue in cheek. Justin rolled his eyes. Somehow he knew that he and the boy would become friends. Why not, when the boy was the only one who could see him. "So, can you help me get out of here?" The boy asked and Justin shrugged shoulders again. "I don't know how. I kind of go through closed doors." He explained and the boy wrinkled his nose. "Can't you get my father up here?" With hope in his eyes Gus looked at Justin. Or what was left of him. "You know that you're the only one who can see me, right?" He asked frowning and Gus nodded. "Yeah, but can't you move things? Like a pencil? Try to get my father's attention." Gus suggested and Justin started thinking about a way to get the man's attention. "And you don't think it would scare your father to see things moving?" Justin asked suspicous. "No, he would just think he had taken the wrong pill. Not that I've ever seen him take one, but well, my mother couldn't stand him, and talked a lot about how my father is such a pain in her ass." Gus answered and bit his lip. "Language Gus." Justin reminded the boy smiling. "I'll see what I can do. If you'll excuse me now. I will try to get your father's attention." Justin bowed and disappeared. Gus stayed where he was and looked around the room. Now that he knew who had painted all the pictures he risked a look at all of them. In the meantime Justin could try to get his father's attention. He would so love to see his father's expression when Justin made things start moving. ******* Brian was still in the living room. Reading the slogans on all the different moving boxes. 'Gus's room', 'Office', 'Bedroom'. The boxes with 'Living room' on them were already unpacked, and the things that were in them were lying around the room. He sighed. 'So much about being anal.' He thought to himself and grabbed a paper which had fallen off of the coffee table. When he turned around, he couldn't believe his eyes. That just couldn't be. There wasn't a pencil moving over a piece of paper. Terrified he looked around the room, to see if somebody else was in there with him. When he didn't see anyone he went closer to the paper and felt a cold chill run down his spine. Now he could read what was written on the paper. 'Gus needs your help. He's in the locked room. The one you never opened because the room scares you.' Was clearly visible on the slip of paper and Brian frowned. "Who are you, and why the fuck do you think I'm afraid of the fucking room? Why should I be scared at all?" He shouted and was surprised when the pencil flew again over the paper. 'Let's just say I'm onto you. And now get your fucking ass to the room. We don't have an eternity. Well, at least you haven't.' He read and smirked. Whoever it was that was writing this had balls. At least he hoped that this 'thing' would turn out to be male. 'Could you please stop thinking about my balls. It fucking confuses me here. Go get your son. And stop thinking about me.' Appeared on the paper and Brian had to laugh. "Okay, okay. Don't get your pants in a knot. I'm going." Brian answered and left the room, but not before he grabbed the keys from the table. ******* He was throwing the ball again. He didn't know it would take Justin so long to get his father's attention. "Hey, I'm back." Gus heard someone say, turned around and frowned. "Justin? Are you here? I can't see you." Gus looked around and for a moment. He could finally see Justin's presence, but only for a moment before it disappeared again. "What do you mean you can't see me?" Justin asked and looked at Gus. It seemed as if Gus looked through him and then at him. "Hmm... I can see you. Sometimes. Can it be that you used too much power down there?" Gus said and cocked an eyebrow at Justin. "I don't know, could be. Now just let me rest. I feel kind of exhausted." Justin exhaled slowly, even if he didn't need to, but he felt better when he did something to cool himself down. "So, you got Dad's attention?" Gus asked Justin who sat beside him on the cold hardwood floor, and they young man nodded in response. "He's on his way. At least I hope." Just after he had finished his sentence, they heard a knock. "Gus? Are you in there?" Brian shouted and Justin could see the relief on Gus's face. "Yes, dad. Can you get me out of here?" Gus asked, stood up and went over to the door. "Yes, wait a second. I have to find the right key... Holy shit. There are thousands." Justin heard Brian mumble, sighed and rolled his eyes. "Well, Gus. Now, I know where you got your language from." He said smiling and stood behind the young boy. His power was back now. A key was heard in the lock, and before they knew what was going on, Brian stood face to face with Justin. "What the...?!" He said, but stopped before another word slipped his lips. ******* He couldn't believe his eyes. In front of him stood an angel. That was the first thought that crossed his mind, until he noticed that this guy was sort of transparent. He looked... dead? Brian frowned. A ghost? In his house? Well, at least that would explain the moving pencil in his living room. It would also explain the feeling of loneliness and sadness he felt since moving into this house. Nevertheless he had to ask. "What the hell are you doing here?" He shouted and stepped closer to the young man, who looked at him first in amazement, and then with fear. "I... I live here." Justin answered frightened. He couldn't explain why suddenly Brian could see him too. Could it be that everyone who entered the room could see him? That the canvases held some sort of power that made it possible for others to see him? That must be the reason. Since his memories were captured on the canvases, they must somehow make him strong enough to allow others to see him, when he was in this room. "Ahh, yes. You live here? How come I've never seen you before?" He asked and looked into his transparent blue eyes. "I don't know. Normally no one can see me. You two are the first one's in years that I've been able talk to." He answered and looked back and forth between Brian and Gus. "You know, this room looks like something right out of the Rocky Horror Picture Show." Brian looked around the room, and for the first time noticed all the canvases on the walls. He looked at his son and his friend and smirked when he noticed that both of them wore the same expression. "Never mind." He answered and sighed. "Okay, now that we have that cleared up. How about we plan the housewarming party?" Gus interupted the two adults and looked up at them. "Yeah, we can do that. Want to join us ehm..." Brian looked at the young man before him. "Justin." He answered and Gus ran over to his father. "He's Mrs. Taylor's son. You know, the artist?" Gus looked at his father, who looked in amazement at the young man. "Wow. That's some news. Well, then, do you want to join us, Justin?" Brian asked again looking at Justin, who merely nodded in response. The threee of them left the room, and Brian closed the door behind him. Not one of them was amazed by the fact that they could still see Justin. ******* During the week, Gus and Brian got to know Justin a little better. With his artist's eye he was a huge help in planning the housewarming party, which they had decided to give a Halloween theme, killing two birds with one stone. Brian didn't want to plan two parties when he could manage to have two in one. One evening, the two adults even talked about the fact that Justin didn't seemed to be really dead. They talked for hours about what could have been Justin's unfinished business, but neither one of them could come up with a solution for Justin's problem. Neither one of them could come up with a reason why Justin didn't leave when he died. And why he was in this house, a house that he never entered before he died. Brian had the opinion that the fact that his mother wanted to hand the house to him had something to do with it, but Justin thought that it had something to do with the two Kinney men. That they were destined to move into this house. They just couldn't explain why, although both of them had their own opinion, but they were too frightened to say their thoughts out loud. Since Brian could now see Justin, the young boy lost the ability to read the man's thoughts. During the week the two of them also discovered that they had a few things in common, and to Brian's amazement, for the first time in his life he liked talking to someone. He got used to talking with Justin after he took Gus to his room to sleep. In that time, they began to like each other. Some might have even went as far as to have said that they loved each other. Neither one of them mentioned their feelings for euch other, because they knew that they never could have a real relationship. Not as long as Justin was a ghost. ******* Halloween and the housewarming party came around and Brian was worried. "Gus! Have you seen Justin today?" Worried he looked around his son's room. "No, dad. I've searched for him already too. He isn't in his studio. I don't know where else he could be." Frowning the boy looked at the worried expression on his father's face. "You don't think that he has disappeared, do you?" Gus asked terrified and stood up from his bed. "I don't know Gus. I have to go back downstairs. The family is coming soon. Don't worry, Gus. I don't think Justin would disappear without telling us goodbye." He tried to calm his son. 'At least I hope he wouldn't.' He thought to himself and went back downstairs. ******* Everyone was there. The music was playing loudly and Mikey was being his usual self. Always whining in his ear. But this time, it didn't bother Brian. He didn't even listen to his best friend. He looked over to his son, who also wore a worried expression. Neither of them had found Justin, and they had searched everywhere. They even searched in the basement, but hadn't found anything. He held up his hand to stop his friend's whiny voice. "If you'll excuse me, I think your mother wants to talk to me." He went over to Debbie, never taking his eyes off the stairway. "Dad, can I play the Casper song?" Gus pulled at Brians black coat and the man nodded. "Sure thing Sonnyboy." He looked at his son and tried to smile, but failed miserably. He was still worried and wondering where Justin could be, he missed him already. Just then he heard the first accords of a beautiful song. Every now and then We find a special friend Who never lets us down Brian's eyes grow wide when he saw the most beutiful guy he'd ever seen appear at the top of the stairway. It couldn't be. Justin was alive? How? Without thinking he went over to the bottom of the stairway and looked up at him. He was just angelic. He wore a blue tux which matched his eyes perfectly. From the other end of the hall he could hear his son screaming out for Justin, but the young man only seemed to have eyes for him. Who understands it all Reaches out each time you fall You're the best friend that I've found Whispers could be heard from everywhere. "Who is that guy?" "He's beautiful." "Holy shit, since when is Brian into twinks." But Brian didn't listen. He smiled up at his angel. Finally, he was alive. Now they could be together for real. He looked into Justin's eyes, and was shocked to see a sad expression in those blue orbs. He grabbed for Justin's hand and pulled him into a hug. "Finally, I can embrace you." He whispered into the younger man's ears, and stood back when he noticed that Justin was crying. "Justin, what..." But he couldn't finish his sentence, because now he could see in Justin's eyes why he was so sad. I know you can't stay A part of you will never ever go away Your heart will stay "Just this dance." Justin whispered and leaned into Brian. It felt so good to feel warm and secure again. Tears ran down his face when he thought about the fact, that he only would have this one last dance. "Can I keep you?" Brian whispered in his ear, but Justin shook his head. I'll make a wish for you And hope it will come true That life would just be kind To such a gentle mind If you lose your way Think back on yesterday Remember me this way Remember me this way "I just want you to know that I love you Brian. Never forget that." He leaned back and pressed his lips to Brian's. He already felt the power leave his body. It wasn't long until he would completely disappear. He couldn't stop himself from crying. It was all so wrong. Finally he had found love and safety, and now it would all just disappear. He had found his unfinished business. I don't need eyes to see The love you bring to me No matter where I go "I love you too. Always." Brian answered after they broke their kiss. With his thumb he wiped away Justin's tears but it was useless. Immediately new tears ran down the young man's face. He took his head between his hands and looked deep into these blue orbs. He always wanted to remember them. Remember them filled with all the love they held for him. And I know that you'll be there Forever more a part of me, you're everywhere I'll always care "I'll always watch over you. No matter where I am, or where I'm going." Justin whispered and pulled back. He looked at his hands and sighed. It was time. He had to go. He turned around and saw Gus with tears in his eyes. He waved him over, and the boy came running in his open arms. "Be good to your dad, promise?" He ran a hand through the young boys hair, to get his attention. Tear filled eyes looked up at him. "Why can't you stay? I love you like a second dad." The boy whispered and hugged Justin. "I know you do. I love you too, Gussy. So do you promise me to take care of your father?" He put a finger under the boy's chin to lift it up. I'll make a wish for you And hope it will come true That life would just be kind To such a gentle mind If you lose your way Think back on yesterday Remember me this way Remember me this way "I promise." He whispered back and a tear ran down his face. Justin wiped it away immediately. He had to be strong now. For all of them. "Good-bye Gus. Take care." He touched the young boys cheek and watched as his hand went transparent. He turned around again, and saw that tears ran down Brian's face. He hated to break the man's heart, but there wasn't any other way. If he had known that falling in love was his unfinished business, he would have tried everything to keep himself from falling in love with this man. He went closer to Brian and hugged him one last time. "Take care. I love you." He whispered, kissed Brian and instantly vanished. And I'll be right behind your shoulder watching you I'll be standing by your side and all you do And I won't ever leave As long as you believe You just believe Brian remained at the bottom of the stairs after Justin disappeared with tears running down his face. But he didn't care that all his friends saw him crying right now. He felt as if someone had ripped his heart out. After finally discovering that he actually had heart, it just made having to let go of the only man he'd ever love that much worse. He cried harder when he looked over at his son, who cried even harder for their lost friend. Gus was right when he said that Justin, for him, was like a second dad. He knew from the beginning that Gus hadn't seen only a friend in Justin. For Gus, Justin was an equal to him, and he had believed the same. I'll make a wish for you And hope it will come true That life would just be kind To such a gentle mind If you lose your way Think back on yesterday Remember me this way Remember me this way "Wow. Man that was kind of freaky, you know." Micheal went over to him and put his arm around his shoulder. Anger filled his eyes when he looked over to his so called 'best' friend. Didn't he see how heartbroken he and his son were? "Shut up, Micheal and go home." He shrugged his arm away and looked at his other guests. "You all go home!" He shouted and ran up the stairs. Gus was left behind. Tears still ran down his face. He coulnd't come to terms with the fact that after he was finally able to hug Justin that he vanished. Completely. Without turning back. He looked over to his uncle and shook his head. He was such a fool. He would never change. He'll always be the same old Mikey, like his father often discribed him. Without looking at the others in the room, he sighed and went after his dad. ******* End *******