Justin watched as Brian did the dishes and then walked to his bedroom.  Ever since Brian had come home Justin had noticed that the brunet seemed a bit agitated.

“What are you doing?” Brian asked when he finally came into the bedroom.

“Thinking,” Justin told him.

Brian got on the bed, lying on his side.  “About what?”

“Us,” Justin told him.

Brian stayed silent.

“I have to go,” Justin said and kissed Brian on the mouth.  “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Justin pulled back but Brian held him by the arm.  “Brian?”

Brian stared at Justin.

“Do you want me to stay?” Justin asked.

“I have to talk to you,” Brian told him.

Justin pulled his arm away.  “What?” 

“It’s not about us,” Brian said.

“Oh,” Justin swallowed hard.  “I’m sorry.  It’s just...”

“I know,” Brian grinned.  “I can be an asshole sometimes and when I get scared I might push you away.  I’m working on it.”

Justin smiled a bit.  He got closer to the brunet. “I just don’t want you to break my heart.”

“I’m not going to do it on purpose,” Brian assured him.

“Tell me,” Justin asked.  “Why are you so tense?”

Brian took a deep breath.  “Well, it’s going to sound crazy.”

“Just say it,” Justin told him.

“I tried to find some information about your father,” Brian said thinking that the sooner he got it out the better.

Justin frowned and pulled away from the brunet slowly.  He sat up in the bed.  “What the fuck are you talking about?” he asked as he looked at Brian.

“I thought that it would be a good thing,” Brian continued, “I found a man that used to be his lawyer and I talked to him.  I told him that you were alive and that you wanted to take over your father’s position.”

“What do you mean?” Justin asked.  “There is nothing to take over.”

“Well, he was a very wealthy man,” Brian told him.  “It all now belongs to you, Justin.”

“I don’t want it,” Justin hissed as he got up from the bed.  “I don’t want anything.”

Brian shrugged.  He didn’t care one way or another.  “What about his personal effects.  There has to be something that you may want to keep.”

Justin thought about it.  There were a few things that weren’t valuable in the world but they were priceless to him.  “But why does he have them?”

Brian shrugged.  “I just know that he said that he took care of everything after their deaths.”

Justin rubbed his face.  Part of him couldn’t believe that he had been living on the streets when there was money somewhere that belonged to him.  But he didn’t want it now.  

“Do you want to go talk to the lawyer?” Brian asked.

“Are you going to go with me?” Justin asked a bit doubtful.

“Yes, if you want me to Justin,” Brian got up and walked to the blond.  

Justin bit his lower lip.

“You never told me your family was stinking rich, Justin,” Brian said.  “You didn’t have anything and had to live on the fucking streets,” he hated that something like that happened to his blond.  “And all this time you could have been safe.”

Justin started breathing hard.  He didn’t know what to think.

“What are you thinking?” Brian asked as he stopped caressing Justin’s sides.

Justin laughed bitterly. “I don’t know.  I’m...I’m still taking it all in,” he said as he sat down.

“Of course,” Brian sat down next to Justin.  

The loft was quiet except for the music that Justin had put on once they had finished eating.  Brian threw an arm around Justin’s shoulder.

“Brian,” Justin muttered as he pushed his tears away.  He wasn’t going to cry.

“What?” Brian asked.

“I don’t regret anything that happened,” Justin said and smiled.  “I got to meet you and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Brian didn’t have anything else to say but nod.  At least something good had come out of Justin’s affliction.

***

Patrick was walking slowly with his hands shoved inside his pockets.  He looked at everyone that came and went and felt a little better than the day before.  He reached the diner and went inside.

“Patrick,” Emmett waved.  He was happy that the blond had accepted to eat with them.

“Hi,” Patrick said when he reached the table.

“Sit down,” Ted who was sitting with Emmett told him.

Patrick sat down and looked around.  He looked back at the two men.

“Are you going to order something?” Emmett asked.

“I’m not really that hungry,” Patrick said.

“So,” Emmett said.  “Did you hear about Justin?”

Patrick nodded.  “He called me and told me what was going on.”

“It’s pretty amazing,” Ted said.  “And weird.”

“I miss him,” Patrick smiled, “all these days he was on my back.”

“That’s suggestive,” Ted told him.

Patrick smirked.  “That’s not what I meant.”

“Honey,” Emmett laughed a bit.  “He’s joking.”

“I know,” Patrick told him and relaxed a bit.

“What are you guys doing?” Michael asked.  He sat down next to Patrick.

“We’re talking,” Ted told him.

“Have you guys seen Brian?” Michael asked.  “I’ve been trying to call him.”

“I think he’s out of the city,” Emmett told him.  

“How do you know?” Michael asked.

Patrick looked at Michael and didn’t like him right away.  

“I don’t,” Emmett shrugged not willing to disclose any information to Michael.

“Hello,” Nicholas said sitting next to Emmett.  “How are you guys doing?”

“Where did you come from?” Ted asked as he was pushed more towards the wall.

“My parents,” Nicholas told him.  “Do you want me to explain to you the whole process?”

Patrick smirked and shook his head.  

“What are you doing here?” Emmett asked.  “I thought you were going to Michigan to see some of your friends.”

“I changed my mind,” Nicholas said.  

Michael rolled his eyes.

“We all know why,” Ted grinned.  “Don’t worry too much, Mikey, will give in sooner or later.”

Nicholas leaned back in the booth.  “Michael and I are over, right Mikey?”

“That’s right,” Michael got up.  “I have to go.”

“Bye,” Emmett called after him.

“So,” Nicholas got up and sat where Michael had been.  “How are you doing?”

Patrick smiled at Nicholas.  “Better,” he shrugged.  “Sorry I freaked out on you like that.”

Nicholas shook his head.  “It’s okay.”

Emmett and Ted looked at each other.  

“So you’re out in this crazy world again,” Nicholas said talking low so only Patrick would hear him.

“I guess it was time,” Patrick answered as they kept talking.

“Do you see it?” Emmett asked as he leaned close to Ted’s ear.

“Oh, I do,” Ted told him.  He was ecstatic to see someone flirting; he barely ever noticed things like that usually relying on Emmett for the gossip and was always lost or the last to know.

***

Brian and Justin were parked outside Craig’s house.  They had gotten there a few minutes ago but Justin said he just wanted to take a few minutes before he went talk to the lawyer.

“Are you ready now?” Brian asked after a while.

“No,” Justin told him.

Brian looked at the house and back at Justin.  “We can’t stay here forever.”

“In a minute,” Justin told him.

“Okay,” Brian said.  

Half an hour later Brian and Justin got out of the car. 

“I can do this,” Justin said to himself.  “It’s no big deal. I’ll get the things I want and we’ll leave.”

“Right,” Brian agreed.

“So, what’s his name?” Justin asked.

“Thomas Henry,” Brian told him as he knocked on the door.  “He was very nice about everything.”

Justin shrugged and they waited.

“A tall man opened the door,” he looked from Brian to Justin and let them in.  “Mr. Henry is waiting for you in this office.”

Brian and Justin walked behind the man.  Then the guy they imagined was the butler opened the doors and stood outside waiting for them to walk in.  Brian and Justin went inside and then the doors were closed behind them. 

“Mr. Kinney, I assume,” Thomas said as he swung the golf club.  

Brian looked at the floor and frowned.  “That would be me.”

“Don’t worry about the plastic,” Thomas told him.  “We are painting the office.”

Brian looked around but there were no signs of that.  His stomach turned no sure why but he didn’t like what was going on.  “Well, if you are busy then Justin and I can come later.”

Justin frowned at Brian’s attitude.

“No, it’s no trouble,” Thomas assured them.  “So, Mr. Taylor, I assume that you want to take control of your father’s company.”

“Uh, not really,” Justin told him.

“So, sell it and take the money,” Thomas answered.  

“No,” Justin sighed.  “I only want to see his stuff and also my mother’s and sister’s.”

“Very convincing,” Thomas grinned.

“What?” Justin asked not understanding.

“Justin Taylor is dead,” Thomas said as he pressed a button under his desk.

Brian turned around when the doors burst open and two men came inside armed.  He stepped in front of Justin to protect him.  Now he had an idea what the plastic, that Thomas had been put on the floor, was for. He didn’t know what the fuck they had gotten into.

“Who the fuck do you think you are coming into my house and trying to con me?”  Craig asked like a mad man entering his office.

“Oh, Jesus Christ!  Fuck me,” Brian said.  “You are alive.”

Craig grabbed a gun from one of the guys.  “And pretty soon whoever the fuck you two are won’t be.”

Justin frowned not believing what his father was saying.  

“Justin you are not crazy,” Brian said turning around.  “Your father is alive.”

“What?” Justin asked looking at Brian.  “You thought I was crazy when I told you I saw him?  You said that I might have seen someone that looked an awful look like him!” Justin screamed and hit Brian in the arm.

“What the fuck?” Craig asked surprise that it was really his son.  “You are dead.”

“Everyone is coming back from the grave apparently,” Brian said pinching the bridge of his nose.

“What’s going on?” Justin asked looking at his father.  “I want to know why…I…” he was so confused.

“Justin!” Craig yelled as he reached for his son.  

Justin cried as his father held him.  His father was alive and hugging him.  

“So this is your kid?” Thomas asked.  “Jesus we almost killed them.”

“You were going to kill me?” Justin asked.

“I thought it was someone pretending to be you,” Craig explained.  “Who is this?”

“My boyfriend,” Justin told him.

“You are gay?” Craig asked.

“Um, well yea,” Justin hadn’t thought when he answered.

Craig sighed and rubbed his face.  He took two steps back and stared from Brian to Justin.  Justin kept staring at the floor thinking his father was going to push him away.  Brian was praying that Craig wouldn’t kill them.

“What the hell?” Craig said and pulled Justin back into his arms.  “As long as you are alive I don’t care.”

Brian remembered how to breathe again.

“Dad,” Justin said pulling back a moment.  “Since when do you have people like them?”

Craig looked back at his goons and sighed.  “Justin,” he shook his head.  “I think it’s time that I explain a lot of things to you.”

***

“I don’t know what I’m doing here,” Patrick said.

“I invited you,” Nicholas told him.

“I know that,” Patrick sighed.  “I mean, I didn’t have to say yes.  I should just go.”

Nicholas intercepted him.  “Do you want a beer?”

Patrick took a deep breath.  “Um, sure,” he followed the man.

“So, what are you taking at P.I.F.A.?” Nicholas asked.

“I’m taking graphic designs,” Patrick told him, “although I’m having tons of fun with the electives.  I love all kinds of arts.”

“That’s good,” Nicholas told him.  “I remember college.”

“You went to college?” Patrick asked as he grabbed the bottle of beer.

Nicholas smiled and nodded.  “Why not?”

“You’re Daddy’s rich boy,” Patrick teased.

Nicholas laughed.  “Come on.”

The two of them walked into a room.  It was a mini theater.  

“Nice,” Patrick told him.

“I know,” Nicholas said.  “My father’s present when I passed middle school.  I loved this place, used to be here all the time.”

Patrick smiled hearing the man.  The two of them sat in the front row but didn’t watch anything.

“I got my first car after I graduated High School,” Nicholas turned to look at Patrick.  “When I finished college he gave me a job at his company.  I was the mail boy.”

Patrick frowned.  “It looks like he always demanded things from you.”

“Yeah,” Nicholas said. “But he taught me well.”

Patrick nodded.  “How old are you?”

Nicholas smirked at Patrick.

“Tell me,” Patrick said putting his hand on Nicholas arm.

“Twenty six,” Nicholas said.

“Well, you’re not that old,” Patrick laughed and took a sip of his beer.  “It’s so quiet here.”

“I know,” Nicholas told him.

“Did you ever bring Michael here?” Patrick asked.

“He brought himself,” Nicholas said.  “One day I woke up to find him here watching movies.”

Patrick laughed and could so see that happening.

“Do you want to watch something?” Nicholas asked.

“No,” Patrick told him.

“I have a pool,” Nicholas said.  “Want to see it?”

“Yeah,” Patrick said getting up.  

Nicholas took his hand and led him there.  Patrick felt out of place.  He felt like it wasn’t him that was holding hands with Nicholas.  He felt like he was doing something wrong.

“Here it is,” Nicholas said and turned on the light.

“Fuck,” Patrick said.  “It’s fucking huge.”

“Yeah,” Nicholas said.  “My mom liked to swim.”

“Where are they now?” Patrick asked.

“My mom died three years ago,” Nicholas told him.  “My Dad went back to Europe.  That’s where he met my Mom.”

Patrick nodded and they moved to sit down in front of the pool.

“Does he know you’re gay?” Patrick asked.

“They knew,” Nicholas said.  “I told them before I finished High School.”

“What did they say?” Patrick asked.

“They were mad but with time they just accepted it,” Nicholas told him.  “Something else you want to know?”

“I’m sorry,” Patrick stared at the water, “I just wanted to know.  It’s none of my business though.”

“No, it’s okay,” Nicholas assured him.  “Do your parents know?”

“No,” Patrick bit his lower lip and shrugged.  “I’ll tell them some day.”

Nicholas chuckled and finished his beer.  He put it on the outdoor table and then moved his chair closer to Patrick.

“What?” Patrick smiled. 

“Nothing,” Nicholas said.  “Do you want to get in?”

“Are you crazy?” Patrick asked.  “I’ll get pneumonia.”

Nicholas laughed. “Are you always this dramatic?”

“Pretty much,” Patrick told him and put his bottle next to Nicholas’ bottle.

“Want another?” Nicholas asked.

“No,” Patrick said feeling trapped.  “So, maybe I should go.”

“Why?” Nicholas asked.  “Are you feeling uncomfortable?”

“No, but it’s late,” Patrick told him.  “I have school tomorrow.”

“I’ll drive you home,” Nicholas told him moving closer once again.

Patrick felt his heart beating fast.  He couldn’t think of much except Nicholas kissing him and he wanted to hit himself for thinking that.  Alex had died about a month ago and he was already thinking about having sex.  

“You felt so good,” Nicholas whispered, remembering the day they spent together.

“What are you doing?” Patrick asked his body was shaking.

“I don’t know,” Nicholas said and then kissed Patrick’s neck.

“No, no,” Patrick said but he didn’t pull away.  He was melting in the man’s arms.  He opened his eyes when it all stopped.  “What are you doing?”

“You told me to stop,” Nicholas whispered.

Patrick got up quickly.  “I have to go.”

“I’ll take you home,” Nicholas told him getting up.

Patrick nodded and they exited the house in silence.  They arrived at Patrick’s building and still no one was saying a thing.  They got out of the car and went to Patrick’s apartment.

“I’ll see you around,” Patrick said once he was inside.

“I want to see you again,” Nicholas told him.

Patrick took a deep breath.  “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

Nicholas licked his lips.  “Why not?”

“I still miss him,” Patrick said.  “And I don’t want to start anything with you because I feel lonely or because you remind me of him.”

Nicholas nodded.  “Can I at least be your friend?”

Patrick smiled.  “You already are.”

Nicholas moved forward and kissed Patrick on the cheek.  “Goodnight.”

“Night,” Patrick said and closed the door.  He closed his eyes and knew he had taken the right decision.