A/N: I wanted to quickly apologize for the late posting of this chapter. The truth is that I've had one of the worst weeks of my life. Hopefully, things will get better soon. :) Thanks for understanding. Justin shook his head in the negative. “I tried to tell him last night, but he said he didn’t want to talk until tonight. Oh! That reminds me- I need to call Cynthia and confirm our plans tonight. Give me a second,” he said as he pulled his cell phone from his pocket. He hit the number three button and let the speed dial function call Brian’s internal number at Kinnetik. “Brian Kinney’s line,” Cynthia’s voice said over the line. “Hi, Cynthia, it’s Justin,” he warmly greeted Brian’s long time assistant. “Hi, Justin,” she warmly returned, “Brian said you would be calling. He told me to tell you to meet him outside the diner at 6:45pm.” “Outside the dinner,” Justin queried and pretty much repeated back in disbelief. “Yes,” Cynthia confirmed and then added, “And Brian also told me to tell you not to worry. This is a good thing.” “Mmm-Hmmm,” was Justin’s less than enthusiastic response, “Ok, tell him that I’ll be waiting outside the diner at 6:45pm. Did he happen to tell you what kind of clothes I should wear?” “Sorry, Justin, I have no idea what kind of clothes. But I will tell Brian that you’ll be waiting. Bye,” Cynthia replied before closing the connection. Justin hit the ‘end’ button and flipped his phone closed. “Well,” he told his mother, “That was a weird phone call.” “Really? Why,” she asked in an odd tone. “Cynthia just told me to meet Brian out front at 6:45pm,” Justin informed his mother. “Out front? Of the diner,” she repeated in a questioning manner. Justin thought she was still acting oddly. “Yes,” he said. “Do you know something about this, Mom?” “Nope,” she quickly replied. “Well, I’ve got to be going. I need to meet a client in about twenty minutes. You have a nice evening with Brian tonight. I’m sure everything will be fine.” And she was out the door before Justin could say or ask anything more. Debbie walked up and started clearing their lunch plates by stacking them one on top of the other. Noticing the look on Justin’s face, she stopped and sat down across from him. “Everything ok, Sunshine?” She asked as she almost simultaneously popped her gum and gave him an intense stare; her chin resting on the palm of one of her hands. “Yeah, just a weird phone call from Brian’s assistant about my evening with Brian and my mom acting even weirder than the phone call,” Justin replied. Debbie reached across the table, popped her gum again, and said, “Have faith, Sunshine. Things might not be as weird as you think.” That being said, she grabbed the stacked plates, walked to the dirty dish collection area, and added a few more dishes for the dishwashers. Justin just shook his head. He was starting to think that everyone in his little family had lost their minds. Michael, who had been elsewhere in the diner, saw that Jennifer was no longer at the table and headed back over. “Can we talk now?” Justin loudly sighed. “Sure, Michael, but I don’t think anything has changed since we last talked.” “Sure it has! You went to the doctor. Ma told me that they you won’t need to have the radiation treatments anymore. So, see! This is obviously the sign that you were meant to go to L.A. and help with the Rage movie.” “Son of a bitch, Michael,” Justin loudly exclaimed. He rubbed a hand over his face a few times and then scratched the hair at the nape of his neck- a sure sign to anyone that knew him that Justin was beyond pissed. “Fine. Yes, the doctor’s have decided to stop the radiation treatments, but that doesn’t mean I can just up and go! I have to have blood tests every four weeks and ultrasounds every six weeks. I need to be taking care of myself. I also have commitments here, Michael. And, as you very well know, Brian and I have things to discuss tonight. So, as far as you are concerned, things are no different than when we talked last time. I need to talk to Brian before anything can be decided. Period.” Michael began again, “Brian…” “Zip it, Michael,” Justin harshly responded. “Don’t say another fucking word. We will not talk of this again until I say so. In fact, let’s get this completely straight: I’ll come to you when I have a decision.” Justin stood, gave Michael a nasty glare, and began walking to the door. He turned back one more time and asked to make sure Michael understood, “Are we clear, Michael? I’ll come to you.” Michael looked completely taken aback. He simply nodded his agreement while looking at the table in front of him. He pulled a napkin out of the napkin dispenser and began methodically shredding it. Justin nodded back at him despite Michael not really looking at him, walked out of the dinner, and directly into a really tall person. “Justin?” the familiar voice said, “Are you ok?” Justin stepped back and said, “Sorry, Em, didn’t mean to run you down. It’s just been a long day.” “Oh, you poor baby, it’s barely early afternoon. You want to go back in there, have a hot cup of coffee, and tell Auntie Em all your problems?” Emmett said, motioning with his hands for Justin to go back inside. “No, thanks,” Justin replied, “Part of my ‘long day’ is still sitting in there; neither of us is happy with the other.” “Ah,” Emmett knowingly said, “Brian, sweetie?” “Michael.” Justin responded a bit harshly. Emmett looked surprised and then looked into the window of the diner. “Ok, want to go somewhere else and talk about it? I’ve got forty-five minutes before I have to meet a client a few miles from here. Justin smiled. “That would be great, Em! What about the coffee shop at the end of the next block?” Emmett stuck out his arm for Justin to take. “Let’s get going,” he whispered conspiratorially-like, despite being quite loud, “My ass is freezing and that just won’t do!” Justin laughed and hooked his arm through Emmett’s. The walk to the coffee shop was fun and lighthearted. Justin could tell that Emmett was intentionally keeping the topics of conversation drama free, and he really appreciated it. Once they arrived, they ordered some outrageously caloric coffee-like drinks from a man that Emmett assured Justin looked like a young Marlon Brando and sat down in a corner away from the mainstream hustle and bustle. “So, what’s Michael done?” Emmett said, cutting to the chase. “I suppose that you’ve heard from Michael about the movie?” Justin knowingly said. “Yes,” Emmett replied cautiously. “Did he tell you the plan, per chance?” Justin asked. “Ummm,” Emmett started, “Let’s see. He told me that Brett Keller was making the movie. Michael said that Brett Keller wanted you both to work on the movie. I think other than a few other small details that was the gist of what he told us.” “Us,” Justin softly inquired. “Yeah, he told me and Teddy at Babylon last night.” “Shit! Do you think he’s told Brian, too? Shit!” Emmett shrugged. “No idea, but I would assume that he has.” “Shit,” Justin repeated. He put his forehead in the palm of one of his hands and rubbed. “I’m confused,” Emmett said, “I would think that having a movie made, Justin, would be a very good thing.” “Yeah, well, Michael left out a few details for you. He gets to stay here and work on writing issues. Thus, he can send his work back and forth via e-mail. I, on the other hand, don’t get that luxury. I get to move to L.A. for the next year.” Emmett’s jaw dropped. “Live in Los Angeles, California! For a year! Holy wow, Justin, how cool is that? Oh, my baby is all grown up,” Emmett enthusiastically soft-clapped his hands. “Yes, it is exciting, except for a few minor details: cancer and Brian.” Emmett sobered immediately. “Oh…dear…God!” he exclaimed loud enough and forcefully enough that some fellow patrons turned to look at them. “Exactly,” was all Justin said in response. “So,” Emmett asked a few minutes later when it was clear Justin wasn’t adding anything, “what are you going to do?” “Well, first I need to see what my doctor says about everything. I saw him this morning to see how things are going. They’ve decided to stop the radiation treatments and continue on a plan of blood tests and ultrasounds.” “That’s good news, right?” Emmett interjected. “Well, considering how bad I felt- yes, I think it should be a good thing. But I still would feel more comfortable having Dr. Finnegan monitor me than someone new to the case.” Emmett nodded while Justin continued, “And then, there’s Brian.” “And then, there’s Brian,” Emmett repeated. “We’re supposed to talk tonight, and I know damn good and well that if I don’t handle this correctly, Brian will push me off another cliff. Fuck, Emmett, I can’t take another cliff. Not this soon after the last. I’m not sure we can make it through another one.” Justin sighed loudly. “So, any sagacious advice for me?” “Yep! Tread carefully and keep the beast at bay. I vote for heavy petting.” Emmett nodded the whole time he said these wise words. Justin laughed and agreed. “Brian’s best communication skills are, without a doubt, done with his hands, tongue, and well, you know.” “Exactly,” Emmett assured Justin, “You want to speak his language.” “You know, Emmett, I think you might be on to something.” “Trust me! My cousin, Billi Jo, back in Mississippi always swore the reason why the family cow, Bella, hated me was because I didn’t speak the cow’s language. That girl could get that cow to do anything. I’d look at the damn cow and she’d start huffing and swishing her tail in annoyance.” Justin shook his head in amusement. “So, I should ‘moo’ to the cow?” “Yep,” Emmett concurred, nodding emphatically, “’Moo’ to the cow.” Justin just couldn’t stop himself. “Mooooooo.” They both snickered until they noticed everyone was looking at them again, which made them laugh outright. It was a few minutes later when Emmett exclaimed, “Shit! Look at the time. Baby, I have to go. I’m going to be late as it is. Call me if you need me, ok?” “Ok, thanks, Em,” Justin said with a wave as Emmett practically ran out of the coffee shop. Only a few more hours until I have to meet Brian, Justin thought…