Authors Note: Here is the final chapter as promised. Any continuation will be in a stand alone fic. I hope you enjoyed this fic. Thank you Lois for the beta...you're the greatest! Chapter 5 – One Week Later, New York Justin returned to his loft in New York City to find that he was not alone. Waiting in one of the more uncomfortable chairs was Brian, already dressed in jeans and a tank top, with his bare feet comfortably propped up on the edge the coffee table. “Brian!” Justin remarked with a smile as he opened the door. “It’s a good thing I have a key, or I would have been stranded outside indefinitely.” Brian commented as he held Justin’s cell phone in his outstretched hand. “Why do you even have a cell phone if you’re not going to carry it with you or turn it on? How do you expect people to reach you?” “I don’t. You know I hate cell phones. I only have it so I can call you.” “Well that does seem like a good purpose, I suppose.” Brian conceded after reflecting on the stated cell phone purpose. Justin took the cell phone and placed it on the table. Then Justin quickly placed himself in Brian’s lap. They kissed each other gently, and then the kiss deepened. When they finally came up for air, Justin snuggled into Brian’s arms. “I’m surprised to see you,” Justin commented. "How come you didn’t let me know you were coming?” “I wanted to surprise you, Sunshine.” “I’m definitely surprised,” Justin said as he let out a laugh and then leaned up to give Brian another kiss. “What’s the occasion?” “I wanted to tell you about my latest adventure,” Brian said innocently. “It must have been some adventure for you to fly all the way here to tell me about it in person. You usually tell me about those sort of things by phone.” “Not this time, Sunshine. I just had to tell you about this one in person.” “Wow! It must have been exciting. I’m listening. Tell me!” “You know Melanie’s really loved this new painting she received.” Brian whispered in his ear. “She couldn’t wait to show it to me. I had to drop everything and fly to Toronto…by the way, Gus says hi.” “Fuck!” Justin responded. He’d secretly planned that with Melanie in Toronto, Brian would never see that painting. Now that Brian had seen it, Justin knew that his punishment would be swift. Justin also knew that Brian was about to enjoy every minute of his impending torment. “It was a fascinating concept. I’d just love to hear the back-story to that painting, Mr. Taylor. Why don’t you enlighten me? MMmmmm?” Brian teased. “Or maybe you would like to explain that note? Now where would you like to start?” “Brian!” “No, No. I want to hear this.” “Brian!” “Please put your 1500 SATs to work. I’m listening.” Brian continued to torture Justin, as he held him tightly so he couldn’t escape. “I’m waiting, Sunshine.” “Brian, it was just a painting.” “Justin, you never do ‘it’s just a painting’ paintings,” Brian pointed out, using his fingers to make the quotation marks in the air. “I’m waiting.” “Well, did you like the painting?” “Justin!” “Ok, first let me say that you and Melanie have a complex relationship. You guys always fight, but whenever one of you needs the other, you’re there. Look at how she defended you during the Kip Thomas lawsuit, and look how hard you worked to get Melanie and Lindsay back together. So I know you don’t actually hate each other. But, you’ll never really be pals either. She has Ted to fulfill that role. You tolerate each other because of Lindsay and now because of Gus.” Justin began. “Maybe.” “I think Melanie spars with you because you two are a lot alike, you’re both smart, you’re both driven, you’re both caring, and you’re both successful. Both of you don’t believe in a lot of bullshit. Both of you have childhood memories you’re trying to escape. But even though the two of you are a lot alike, she can’t compete with your success, and that must bug the hell out of her. You are now and always will be the more successful one because of Kinnetik, and she can’t compete with that.” “Ah huh.” “She also can’t compete with your relationship with Lindsay nor your relationship with Gus. Sometimes I think this makes her bitter and jealous. But at some point she has to realize that trying to keep Gus and Lindsay away from you won’t make either of them love her more. Neither Gus nor Lindsay is going to ever forget about you. Neither Gus nor Lindsay is going to suddenly transfer to Melanie all the love and affection they feel for you, just because they don’t see you. Out of sight…out of mind definitely does not apply here. Neither Melanie nor Time can change how Lindsay and Gus feel about you. That’s all there is to it!” “You’re sure about this?” “Absolutely! Justin continued. “You know I have a theory that once upon a time when Lindsay realized that you and she weren’t going to ride off into the sunset, she then went out and found the closest female version of you that she could find and that would be Melanie. I think originally the reason that you and Melanie sparred was because you’re so much alike. It became the way you two dealt with each other. But now you and Melanie seem to be locked in some ancient struggle where no one wins.” “That’s an interesting theory Mr. Taylor. Is this your artist’s eye looking at the canvas of life?” Brian asked. “No, just the random musing of a long time observer.” Justin said with a shrug of his shoulders and a smile. Then he snuggled closer into Brian’s chest and mumbled, “But, don’t any pay attention to me, I’ve been inhaling paint fumes too long.” Brian started to run his fingers through Justin’s hair and kissed the top of his head and said with a laugh, “Yes, the paint fumes may be causing you to hallucinate. We’re definitely going to have to limit your studio time.” “You’re kidding? Right?” “No. I’ve never been more serious. We’re just going to have to find some other creative outlet for your inscrutable talent.” Brian said, nudging Justin from his lap and starting to stand up. “Well, now that you’ve mentioned it, I do have a few ideas.” Justin responded with a smile, as he leaned in to give Brian a kiss. “Of course we should probably move this discussion to a more comfortable venue,” he continued as he led Brian toward the bedroom. Brian gently pushed Justin onto the bed and allowed himself to be pulled down beside him. Brian’s tank top disappeared and Justin began to kiss a path down his chest. Brian reached out and held Justin for a moment, just long enough to speak in a whisper, “And Justin, thank you.” “For what?” Justin asked. “They’ve agreed to let me visit Gus more often.” Brian said, as he shifted his position rolling Justin onto his back. They managed to rid themselves of their clothes while kissing each other deeply; their clothes ended up strewn beside the bed. And, after several hours of lovemaking plus fucking in the shower, they were both thoroughly exhausted. So they wrapped in towels and again resumed resting on the bed. Justin turned toward Brian, propping himself on one arm, and finally said, “You know I love the way you show your gratitude, but of course you realize I had nothing whatsoever to do with them letting you visit Gus more often.” Brian simply turned his face toward Justin and said, “Now, you tell me! You realize that means that I just spent hours fucking you unnecessarily?” “Well, I wouldn’t go that far.” Justin remarked with a smile as he snuggled onto Brian’s chest. “You know Justin, we all could have argued a lifetime with Melanie. We could have all told her about the importance of family. We could have told her how important it was that I spend time with Gus. We could have told her that running away to fucking Canada was not the solution to whatever problems there were in Pittsburgh. But she wouldn’t have listened to anyone; she would have only become more entrenched in her position.” “And now?” “Let’s just say, your painting was worth a thousand words.” Brian remarked kissing the top of Justin’s head. “At least now she’s starting to question some of the decisions she made.” “Well, it seems the press was right. Remember they said during the Stockwell campaign, that they thought I had a promising career making political statements with propaganda posters? MMmmmm!” “So it would seem” “Does this mean you liked the painting?” Justin asked still fishing for that ever, illusive compliment. “Yes, I liked the painting.” “Gee, I wonder what will happen when the others are delivered.” “Others? Delivered? Justin? How many? Justin, what’s going on?” “Huh?” “How many, Justin?” “What?” “Justin, how many paintings did you ship from Santa Barbara?” ‘Three.” “Melanie got one, where are the other two?” “Don’t worry,” Justin leaned up to kiss Brian. “I’m sure they’ll turn up eventually.” “Justin, I though we were partners. Don’t you think you should tell me as you partner about the paintings you do? Do you know what it’s like to be called at your office and invited over to see a painting that your partner has done for someone, a painting that you’ve never seen, a painting you didn’t even know existed. Were you ever going to tell me about any of them?” Brian asked trying to concentrate on the situation at hand, instead of focusing on his developing hard cock. “No. Not really,” Justin responded nipping his way down Brian’s chest. “Well now…that you know… I’m interested… shouldn’t we …talk about them?” Brian tried to utter in between groans as Justin’s tongue moved below Brian’s waist. “I don’t think so,” Justin whispered as he kneaded Brian’s cock with his hand, while he continued to explore Brian’s balls with his tongue. Justin’s talented mouth covered Brian’s cock completely, and Brian began to writhe beneath him. As Brian arched his back and entwined his fingers in Justin’s hair, the only sounds that were heard with the gasping for breaths and the groans of pleasure, while Brian received one of his guilty pleasures. And, as Brian came down the back of Justin’s throat, “Justin” was all that Brian was able to whisper. Discussion for the moment had proved impossible, so any questions about the remaining two paintings would have to wait for another time. After all, Justin did say that the other two paintings would turn up eventually.