Michael was closing the door to the store when he heard a moan from behind him. He turned around and examined his surroundings. He stayed still looking at the dark street. “Justin!” he yelled to the blond who had walked towards the car just minutes before. “Justin!” He finished closing the store and walked to the alley where they had parked. He saw Justin’s car still there but the blond was not inside the vehicle. He walked closer and called for the blond once again. “Michael,” Justin gasped. “Michael.” Michael ran up to the back of his truck to find Justin clutching at his stomach. “Oh, Jesus fuck!” Justin reached for the man with a bloody hand before he passed away. “Justin!” Michael yelled as he kneeled next to the blond. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed for an ambulance. He looked back as he heard a noise but it was just a black cat. Terrified he yelled, “get the fuck away from here!” The cat hissed at him and sprinted off. Michael put his hands on the wound to establish pressure. He touched Justin’s forehead with his free hand a few times and the blond was freezing. “Don’t die, Justin,” Michael whispered. “Please, don’t die.” The ambulance and the cops came. They took Justin to the hospital as quickly as possible. Michael went to the hospital as well but he rode with the cops. They kept asking him what had happened but he didn’t tell them anything. He just kept thinking of Justin. When Michael broke down no one was around him. He had been sitting in a stark white patient waiting room with a desk and a chair. He suddenly needed air so he got up and went outside. “Hello, sir,” an officer said. “We need to ask you some questions. What happened?” Michael shook his head and slowly uttered, “I didn’t see much. I came out of the store and Justin was on the floor bleeding. I called an ambulance and here we are.” “What’s your name?” another officer asked. “Michael Novotny,” Michael told them. “Is he okay? Is he...alive?” One of the officers nodded. “He is in the Trauma Unit, fourth floor.” Michael let out a deep breath. “Thank god.” “Do you need to call anyone?” One of the officers asked. Michael shook his head. He couldn’t talk to Brian at that precise moment. Michael stayed with them a while longer just answering their question. When he was done one of the officers took him to see Justin. Michael was happy to see Justin lying peacefully in the bed, even if he was asleep at the moment. *** Brian walked towards Michael with his heart on his throat. “Michael,” he muttered with concern in his voice. Michael looked up and rubbed his face. “Jesus Brian.” “What’s going on?” Brian asked. “Are you okay?” Michael nodded. “It’s not me.” “What happened?” Brian asked. “Is it Vic? Is he okay?” Michael got up quietly and added, “it’s Justin.” Brian swallowed hard and looked away from his friend. He looked at the floor, the room suddenly spinning. “Tell me he is okay,” his frightened voice demanded. “He’s okay,” Michael muttered still not believing everything that had happened. “Tell me what happen,” Brian said. “Someone tried to kill him,” Michael said acidly. Brian took a step back as he saw the blood covering Michael. “What the fuck happened?” “It happened when we were closing the store,” Michael said making two fists. “And you called me now!” Brian screamed. Michael grabbed Brian by the collar and yelled back, “you are a fucking asshole! Do you have any idea how fucking scared I was?” “What’s going on here?” Clay asked as he approached them. Brian pushed Michael away. “Nothing,” he muttered. Michael shook his head. “I’m just mad because Justin got hurt and none of us was there for him. It was my fault,” he said quietly. He looked at Brian and then down at the floor. “I see,” Williamson said as he looked from one man to the other. “Yeah,” Michael said. “I’m sorry, Brian.” Brian fixed his shirt and in a strong tone said, “I’m going to go see Justin.” Clay watched him go and then turned to Michael. “Did you see anyone?” “No,” Michael said sitting down again. Clay nodded. “Did Justin say anything?” he questioned. “He called to me a few times,” Michael sighed. “Do you guys have anything? Any clues or leads?” “We are working on it,” Clay assured him. He wasn’t allowed to say anything else. Michael nodded and got up. He just needed to get out of there. He didn’t want to even think of the ramifications to everyone if Justin had died. “Is there anything else you can tell me?” Clay asked him. “No,” Michael told him quickly. “I have to go. I have to tell the others what happen.” “I have a phone,” Clay suggested. Michael shook his head. “I have to go change.” “That can wait a while longer,” Clay said. “I really need to ask you some questions now that the incident is fresh in your mind.” “Incident?” Michael asked pissed. “Attempted murder is more like it!” Clay didn’t looked fazed at Michael’s harsh tone. “And fuck you. I have nothing to say to you,” Michael told him walking away. “Okay then,” Clay walked towards Justin’s room. When he looked inside Brian was caressing Justin’s face and telling him that everything was going to be alright. Justin was crying as he held one of Brian’s hands really tightly. Clay knocked on the door and walked inside. “Excuse me.” Brian pulled back and looked at the man. “What the fuck do you want?” he growled; he was Justin’s very own guard dog. “Can I ask you a few questions?” Clay asked as he looked at Justin and ignored Brian. “You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Brian hissed. “Bri,” Justin muttered. “Relax.” Brian looked at the blond and shook his head. “How are you doing?” the brunet asked gently. “I’m feeling okay,” Justin told him. “Whatever the nurse gave me is working.” Brian swallowed and nodded at the blond. “So,” Clay said stepping closer to them. “Did you see the guy’s face?” Justin frowned and shook his head. “He was wearing a mask.” “Was there anything about him that you can remember? Something in specific?” Clay asked. Justin shook his head. “It happened so fast.” Brian closed his eyes not wanting to think about what would have happened if Justin hadn’t made it. He would have gone crazy. “What happened?” Clay asked. “Can you tell me?” Justin licked his lips and tried to remember as much as he could. “I was walking out of the store with Michael when Daphne called me on my cell phone. Michael suddenly remembered he had forgotten something and went back inside.” Brian glanced at the Detective who appeared detached as if he wasn’t listening. “I continued walking to the car and just stood outside talking to Daphne,” Justin swallowed as he remembered how he felt then. “I was waiting for Michael so I could say goodbye. I could have left. I should have left...just gotten in my car and left.” Brian took a deep breath. He didn’t want to see Justin like that, re-living the attack. “So what happen then?” Clay asked. “I hung up,” Justin told him. “She was just telling me to be careful. Go figure,” he let out a tear. “You don’t have to do this now, Jus,” Brian told him. “It’s better now,” Clay protested. “It’s fresher in his memory.” “It’s okay,” Justin said. He grabbed Brian’s hand and closed his eyes briefly. He was so tired. “He came up behind me and pushed me to the ground. At first I thought that it was Michael fooling around and had accidentally pushed me too hard.” “Why didn’t you call for help?” Clay asked. “I just...froze,” Justin said. “I couldn’t even move.” “So then,” Clay said the words and left them hanging. “He pulled out a knife and I thought of getting up and running away but I just couldn’t. Everything felt so cold around me. Then he...” Justin closed his eyes. “He what?” Clay asked. “He got closer and told me he was going to open me up and gut me like a pig,” Justin muttered shaking. Brian kissed the blond’s temple thankful that Justin had been strong enough to survive. He needed the blond in his life. “Did you recognize the voice?” Clay asked. “No,” Justin said. “It wasn’t his voice. It was like...something, it didn’t sound human. I think he did it on purpose...change his voice somehow.” “Did you fight him?” Clay asked looking at Justin, then at Brian. “I tried,” Justin told him. “But he still stabbed me. I thought for sure I was dead. It hurt so much,” Justin trembled. “And I couldn’t do anything.” “I think it’s time for you to go,” Brian told him. “I have a few more questions,” Clay told him. “I don’t care,” Brian said. “He needs to rest.” “I’ll come later,” Clay told them. Once the detective was gone Brian looked closely at Justin. “You okay?” he asked tenderly. Justin nodded and closed his eyes. “I’m still scared Brian.” “Nothing is going to happen to you,” Brian assured him. “I’m here now.” Justin smiled briefly before he fell asleep. Brian watched him and didn’t move away from the blond. He didn’t want Justin to wake up and be alone, not after all he had been through. He would protect the blond as much as he could from now on. *** Clay arrived at the station and went to look for his partner. He found him sitting in the lounge room. There were only a two other people in the room. He went over to Terrance and sat next to him. “I bought us something to eat,” Terrance told him. “More junk food,” Clay protested. Terrance shrugged. “So, what did you find out?” Terrance asked as he handed his partner a cup of coffee. “Not much,” Clay told Terrance. “So now what?” Terrance asked. Clay sighed and shook his head. “I still think its Justin,” Clay said. “Really?” Perry asked taking a bite of his hot dog. “Yeah,” Clay said. “None of the vital organs were damaged.” “True,” Perry shrugged. “He could have bled to dead thought.” “But he was with Michael,” Clay pointed out. “I don’t know. There is something about all this that doesn’t add up.” “What do you mean?” Terrance asked. “My gut tells me that one of them if not all are hiding something,” Clay said. “I just can’t figure out which one is the one giving me the vibe.” “I see,” Terrance muttered. Clay pushed his food away. “I don’t know what the fuck we are doing here anymore.” “Did you read the coroner’s report?” Terrance asked. “It’s something you don’t see everyday.” “What does it say?” Clay asked. “Well,” Perry said. “The report concludes that we have three different killers here.” “What the fuck are you talking about?” Clay asked as he grabbed the report from his partner. “Due to the angle of the stab wounds it was concluded that Justin’s stab wounds were made by an attacker that is left handed,” he sighed knowing that Justin was left handed so that could be a good thing on proving that Justin had attacked himself. “Justin’s parents and Penn all had stabs wounds that were perpendicular and opposite to Justin’s, thus their attacker is right handed. But Jason’s murder does not match to either Justin’s attack or Penn and the Taylors murder; therefore his killer is a totally new profile. “That’s good news,” Perry said. Clay raised a brow. “We don’t have a psychopath in our hands,” Terrance said. “Yet,” Clay muttered as he closed the file. *** Justin opened his eyes and looked around. For a moment he didn’t know where he was until he remembered what had happened. “Brian?” Brian opened his eyes and looked at the bed. He got up quickly when he realized that Justin was calling him. “Hey,” he smiled. “This really happened,” Justin stated tentatively hoping that Brian would tell him otherwise. Brian nodded. “How are you feeling?” he asked. “Like shit,” Justin told him. “But you are here,” Brian told him as he caressed Justin’s face. He kissed the blond and pulled back when someone cleared their throat. “Hi,” the man said. “I’m Doctor Johnson.” Brian nodded. “When can I go?” Justin asked. “When you are better,” the doctor said. “You lost a lot of blood and you need to recuperate your strength.” “He’s right,” Brian told him. “But I feel fine,” Justin assured them. “You are heavily medicated,” Johnson said. “I just want you to know that you are going to be fine, but you were very lucky. There was no significant internal damage.” “What does that mean?” Brian asked in a worried tone. “The scars are not going to go away,” the doctor told him. “They were deep.” Justin didn’t want to know what they looked like. “Is that all?” Brian asked relieved. “He can have surgery for that, right?” “It’s very expensive,” the doctor said. “It’s not that much help in this case. There are some papers that will need to be filled out,” he told them. “I’ll take care of that,” Brian said. “You don’t have to. I can do it,” Justin told him. “I also have to call Daphne.” “I already did,” Brian said. “She’s coming later on.” “If you need anything, let me know,” the doctor said. “I also need to know if you experience any kind of pain or pressure that won’t go away. I should be informed immediately.” Justin nodded and when the doctor left he didn’t dare to look at Brian. “What’s wrong?” Brian asked. “Did you see them?” Justin asked. “What?” Brian frowned. “The wounds,” Justin whispered. “Are they...too obvious?” Brian shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.” “You say that so sure of yourself. You haven’t seen me. You’ll change your mind,” Justin looked away. “Would you change me if I got burn in the face or something?” Brian asked. “Yes,” Justin told him and looked away. Brian waited patiently. He knew the blond was mad. Justin looked back at Brian after a few seconds. “No,” Justin told him. “I wouldn’t change you for anything in the world. I...I love you. Do you love me?” Brian froze on the spot. He didn’t know how he should answer. He knew he loved the blond but he didn’t think he would ever have to say it. “Guys,” Daphne said coming into the room. “How are you doing?” she went straight to her friend. “I’m okay, Daph,” Justin told her and tried to get up. “Don’t,” Brian said. “You don’t want to hurt yourself.” Justin sighed and reclined back in the hospital bed. “How did this happen?” Daphne asked. In the next breath she turned to Brian and yelled, “where were you when all this happened?” “Daphne!” Justin protested. “It wasn’t his fault.” Daphne looked away from Bran and directed her gaze back to Justin. “I told you to be careful,” she muttered. “I know,” Justin said. “It wasn’t my fault either.” “I know that,” Daphne told him. “Jesus, I’m so happy that you are okay.” “I have to go,” Brian said. “What?” Justin asked scared. “I’m going to go change and bring back some of your things,” Brian said. “You and Daphne will be fine. No one is going to hurt you here. There are two cops outside the room.” “Yeah,” Daphne nodded. “I saw them. One of them is hot.” Justin swallowed hard and nodded. He didn’t want Brian to leave but he knew that he was acting like a total baby. “I’ll bring some magazines so that we can entertain ourselves,” Brian told him. He ran his fingers through his hair as he tried to control his emotions. The truth was that he needed to get out of there. He was feeling trapped, like a cage animal. He was experiencing too many feelings for the blond at once. “I understand,” Justin smiled at him. “Later.” Brian looked at the blond and smiled. “Later.” *** Michael opened the door to the building and went inside. He walked to the end of the hall and knocked on the door. “Michael,” Duncan said happily when he opened the door to find Michael. “Come on in.” Michael nodded and went inside. “I never thought you would come here,” Duncan said surprised. He had left the man his address and phone number but never thought that Michael would show up outside his doorstep. “How have you been?” Michael asked. “Good,” Duncan told him. “Do you want anything?” Michael shook his head and looked around the place. He didn’t know what he was doing at Duncan’s apartment. He never saw tricks twice but with Duncan he felt comfortable. He was feeling down and apparently Ben couldn’t help him anymore. “Is everything okay?” Duncan asked. “You look kind of down, Michael.” Michael nodded and walked over to him. “Can we not talk about it?” Duncan nodded. He smiled and kissed Michael. “I can make you think of more interesting things,” he whispered seductively. Michael smirked. “Oh yeah?” Duncan kissed Michael on the lips and moved back. He took off his shirt first and then kneeled in front of Michael. The older man just watched and let Duncan do what he wanted. “I have dreamed of this,” Duncan said as he opened Michael’s pants. “My cock?” Michael asked. “This moment,” Duncan kept his eyes on Michael’s face. “But yeah, that too.” Michael put his hand on Duncan’s shoulder as soon as the man started licking his lower stomach. He just watched fascinated as the pink tongue darted out again and again. He grabbed his cock and jerked a few times as Duncan just watched. Duncan licked his lips and stopped Michael’s hand. He then sucked the head of Michael’s cock into his mouth. Michael threw his head back in pleasure. Duncan messaged the dark-hair man’s balls. He started bobbing his head back and forth as he started to suck Michael. “Such a good mouth,” Michael said in a husky voice. Duncan smiled as much as he could at the comment. Then he pulled back and stared to lick Michael’s shaft and sac. He was about to start sucking Michael again but he was stopped. “Get up,” Michael told him. “What?” Duncan asked and stayed where he was. “Where is the bedroom?” Michael asked. “Through there,” Duncan told him. “Move it,” Michael said. Duncan got up quickly and went towards his bedroom. Once they were inside Michael closed the door. Duncan sat on the bed and watched as Michael got rid of his clothes. Michael walked over to him and pushed him back. He unzipped Duncan’s pants and pulled them off. Duncan licked his lips and smiled. “Hurry up.” Michael got in the bed and lay on top of Duncan. He kissed his neck and then licked his body inching downward until he reached the shorter man’s nipples. “Oh,” Duncan moaned. “Michael, I want to cum so bad.” Michael nodded and sat on his haunches. Duncan quickly found them a condom and the lube. Michael grabbed the blue bottle and squirted some of the lube on his fingers. He parted Duncan’s legs and then pushed a finger inside the man. “Yes,” Duncan growled. Michael was rock hard. He craved to posses Duncan again and again. He couldn’t get enough of the man. He ripped the condom open and put it on. Then he positioned himself at Duncan’s entrance. “Please,” Duncan begged and pushed back against Michael. Michael moved Duncan’s legs from his waist to his shoulders. Then he pushed inside all the way in. He closed his eyes and stayed very still. Duncan gripped Michael hard against him. He opened his eyes and watched Michael. He couldn’t believe that the man was really there. He moved his hips around. “I’m okay. Please fuck me,” Duncan pleased. Michael nodded and started to move. He was moving slowly. He had his eyes close while Duncan’s were open. “Harder,” Duncan demanded. Michael opened his eyes and stared at Duncan. He leaned forth and kissed him hard. Duncan moaned into the kiss. Their bodies already had started to sweat. “You want hard and fast?” Michael asked as he pushed inside Duncan hard. “Yes!!” Duncan screamed as he held on to Michael and the sheets. Michael pulled out of him and turned Duncan face down. He entered him again and stared thrusting into the willing hole. Duncan kept on screaming for more. And he didn’t stop yelling Michael’s name. “Mmm,” Michael held onto Duncan’s hair. “Michael!” Duncan hissed as he held on to the edge of the bed. He pushed back against the man over and over. He didn’t want it to be over. He was so close and was trying to think of something else. He didn’t want it to be over yet, he didn’t want to cum. Michael was hammering in and out of Duncan. Their bodies were now covered in sweat all over. He leaned forward and kissed the man. Their tongues pushed and pulled around each other. Duncan made a noise that came from deep within him and his body started to tremble. Michael pulled back and watched as the man experienced his orgasm. His fingers wrapped around Duncan’s honey hair and he pushed into the compressed hole. “Michael,” Duncan gasped and he shot the last of his cum. “Jesus!” Michael growled and came too. He pulled out of the man and dropped on his back. “Wow,” Duncan smiled at Michael as he got on his side. “That’s what I call fucking.” Michael looked at Duncan and smiled. He nodded and then got rid of the condom. “Can you stay?” Duncan asked him. “No,” Michael said. “I have things to do.” “Okay,” Duncan told him as he sat up. “Come here,” Michael grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back. He kissed Duncan slowly at first and then gradually each kiss, each caress turned much more animalistic. “You make me dizzy,” Duncan said out of breath. “Have you ever been in love?” Michael asked. “Once or twice,” Duncan muttered. “Try not to fall for me,” Michael said. Duncan kept quiet. Michael sighed and got up to retrieve his pants. He looked at Duncan who had lighted up a cigarette. “I have to go.” “So, are you going to tell me what is wrong with you?” Duncan asked as he got up and sat closer to Michael. Michael frowned as the smoke hit his face. “Nothing.” Duncan moved away so the smoke wouldn’t bother Michael. “You can tell me.” Michael looked at Duncan and sighed. “I just had an argument with Brian.” “Why?” Duncan asked. “He can be a total asshole sometimes,” Michael shrugged. Duncan just nodded and left it at that. He wasn’t going to push Michael to tell him what was going on. “I heard about what happened to Justin. That’s awful.” “Yeah,” Michael sighed. “But he’s going to be okay.” “What if they try to kill him again?” Duncan asked. “Is it really because he is with Brian? Everyone is saying that.” “No,” Michael got up from the bed and grabbed his pants. “He’s going to be okay.” “How do you know?” Duncan asked. “I just do,” Michael told him. He turned around and looked at the shorter man. “Brian is not going to let nothing happen to Justin.” “I know,” Duncan said. “Anyone can tell that Brian cares for Justin.” Michael nodded and looked at his watch. He put on his shirt and sighed. He looked at Duncan and frowned. “What?” Duncan asked. “What are you doing next week?” Michael asked him changing the subject. “Why?” Duncan was curious. “I am going to New York on Monday,” Michael said. “And I thought about taking you with me.” Duncan smiled from ear to ear. “Really? Are you serious, Michael?” Michael nodded. “Yeah.” “You want me to go with you?” Duncan asked not believing it. “Yes,” Michael told him. “Now shut up before I regret it.” Duncan laughed and threw his arms around him. “I’ll be ready.” Michael nodded and kissed him. Then he let go of him not sure what Duncan had done to him but he was smitten with him. *** Justin got out of the car and looked at Brian. “I am so happy. If I had to stay in that hospital one more day I would have had to fucking jump out of the window.” Brian nodded. “You didn’t have to stay with me, you know,” Justin said as they got in the building. “I wanted to,” Brian said. Justin smiled and didn’t say anything else. They made out in the elevator and stayed there a few minutes, just touching and whispering things to one another. “Let’s go inside,” Brian muttered. “Okay,” Justin followed the taller man. He looked around scared for his life while Brian opened the door. The shadows in the building turned into bad and frightening images. He wanted to be strong but he couldn’t. Brian grabbed Justin by the waist and held him tight. “I got you.” “Hey guys,” Ted said as he stopped in front of them. “It’s nice to see that you are okay, Justin.” “Thanks,” Justin said very slowly. Brian looked around and sighed. He didn’t want them there, but the whole family had showed up. “Good,” Ted said and kept on walking to the sofa. “What is going on?” Justin asked. “We just wanted to be here,” Debbie told him. “Look, this is my brother Vic.” “Hi,” Justin said. “It’s nice to meet you,” Vic shook hands with Justin and then looked at Brian. He winked at the man and then moved away. “I saw that,” Justin whispered to Brian. “I’m hungry.” “I know that,” Brian teased in the same tone of voice Justin had used. “I am so happy that you are okay,” Michael said hugging Justin from the side. “Mmm, you smell good.” “Michael,” Justin said sternly. He took one look towards Ben and shook his head. Brian pushed Michael away. “He’s taken,” Brian told him. Michael showed him his tongue. “Who wants a beer?” “Me,” Ted shouted from the living room. “Come here Justin,” Lindsay told him. “We prepared plenty of food.” Justin smiled and went to the kitchen. He picked Gus as soon as the boy grabbed him by the leg. They were all talking and having a good time. The rest of the family had told Justin they were happy that he was okay and hugged him. Emmett had cried saying it was terrible but Justin convinced him that he was truly okay. “I think you guys should go,” Brian said. “Don’t be rude,” Justin told him. “I think he’s never going to change,” Daphne told her friend as she got up. “It’s okay, I had to go anyway. I put your things in the bedroom.” “My things?” Justin asked. Brian cleared his throat. Daphne rolled her eyes. “Come on, Justin, follow me.” Justin got up and followed her into Brian’s bedroom. “Daphne,” Justin frowned seeing some of his stuff. “Those are my things.” “Brian made me bring them,” Daphne told him. “What?” Justin asked and then turned to look at Brian who had followed them. “I want you to stay here for a few days,” Brian said. “Until I know you are better, okay?” Justin smiled from ear to ear and nodded. They went back outside and into the open where everyone was getting ready to go. “Take care of yourself,” Emmett told him. “Thanks,” Justin smiled and waved at them. He gave Gus, who was sleeping already, a kiss on the forehead. Brian closed the door when they were all gone. He set the alarm and turned to look at the blond. Justin smiled not sure of what to do next. Brian walked over to him. “We are all alone,” Brian whispered and embraced Justin. Justin stiffened. Brian frowned and pulled back a bit. “I’m sorry,” Justin told him. “I’m tired.” “No,” Brian told him. “You just don’t want me to see you.” Justin turned red. “I told you I didn’t care about that,” Brian said. “I really don’t.” At first Justin wasn’t too sure about having sex with Brian. But that night Brian showed him that he was still beautiful, he was loved. It was just like the first time but with new memories.