When a building gets torched, all that's left is ashes. I used to think that was true about everything, families, friends, feelings. But now I know that sometimes if love proves real, and two people are meant to be together, nothing can keep them apart. -Sarah, from the film: The Crow It is too bad they will not remember this moment once they return. It was just a moment. One of many. They must return to the beginning and start again, otherwise time and space would become over-crowded with the in-between moments. The might-have-beens do not belong in the continuum, brother, they must return to where they began. Yes. It is foolishness. However, I cannot help but feel sad about the loss…it was such a beautiful moment. Do you think they will ever know just how deeply their souls are bound together? They are stubborn, those two. Especially the older one. But, give them time. Eventually they will learn that their destinies are intertwined. In the meantime, take comfort, my brother, in the gift we have given them. We were very generous. I do not know about you, sister, but I have only been moved to grant such a boon once before in the entire history of the ages.” This was a first for me. I suppose the romance of the young one’s soul touched me more than I expected it would. * Brian carefully sipped his hot coffee, his head throbbed and his eyes felt like they might pop out at any second. He was paying for the excessive sorrow-drowning Justin and he had engaged in the previous night. “Fucking Stockwell,” he said under his breath. Justin’s right, it can’t be over, Stockwell can’t get away with it. Brian swallowed another sip of coffee and thought about the options. Maybe I’ll pay Stockwell a visit this morning, he thought with a grimace. No, bad idea, some remote part of his brain shouted. “Okay, maybe not,” he said out loud. “Maybe not, what?” Justin asked, yawning and running a hand through his sleep tousled hair. “Nothing.” Brian watched Justin carefully slide onto the stool across from him, his hand going again to his head as if it might fall off if he made any sudden moves. “Jesus. You look as bad as I feel.” “No matter how bad I look, I feel worse.” “Guess we drowned our sorrows a little too well last night.” “Oh God, don’t remind me. Fucking Stockwell,” Justin mumbled, his head resting on his forearm on the counter top. “Yeah. Fucking Stockwell,” Brian agreed, smiling as he absently toyed with the silky strands of blonde hair at the back of Justin’s neck. “Jesus, Brian, what are you going to do?” Brian took a deep breath. “I thought I’d finish my coffee,” he took a sip, “maybe take a shower…” “No. I mean…” “I know what you meant,” Brian said wryly. “I’ll get another job. It was time for a change anyway. And your suspension will eventually be lifted and you’ll go back to school. Life in the Pitts will go on.” “And Stockwell will be mayor. We might as well get used to the police state, we’ll all end up back in the closet, swept under the rug and out of sight in Stockwell’s fag-free Pittsburgh.” “You’re mixing your metaphors.” “Jesus, don’t tell me I have to be on my guard from the grammar police too?” Brian shook his head. It seemed Justin’s anger was the best cure for a hangover; he no longer looked green around the gills. As if to prove the point, Justin’s stomach rumbled loudly. “Well, since neither of us has anywhere to be this morning, what do you say we go grab a nice leisurely breakfast?” “Why not? Pretty soon, the Liberty Diner is one of the few liberties we’re going to have left.” As they made their way to the diner, Brian tried unsuccessfully to lighten Justin’s mood. Finally he resorted to sarcasm. “Look on the bright side, it’s certainly a nice day.” “Yeah, I guess it is. I thought it was supposed to rain. Looks like the forecasters missed it.” “Looks like they did,” Brian agreed in amusement.