Authors Notes: A big thank you to everyone who's been reading this fic. I hope that you're enjoying reading it as much as I'm enjoying writing it =]. And as always... a small note from Kelsey... from an MSN messenger coversation we had... Kelsey says: Do put that if they don't review... Kelsey says: I shall poke myself in the eye and shout KUIAS at everybody There you go folks!!! Enjoy my lovely reader peoples! =]
June 3rd Pittsburgh – Taylor Residence 3:25am “Where’s my mom?” Justin quietly sobbed, his throat agonizingly raw from screaming. “Calm down and quit struggling!” a stern police officer replied, pressing the exhausted blond closer to the ground. Justin barely heard the cop’s voice, his ears overwhelmed by the thudding beat of his heart as it frenetically pumped blood and adrenaline through his veins. An unrelenting stream of tears poured from his fear-clouded blue eyes and obscured his vision. Justin had never been so fucking scared in his life. The blond continued to fight determinedly against the stocky officer, but his movements became weaker and weaker, every muscle aching with terror and fatigue. “That’s better,” the officer encouraged, mistaking Justin’s lethargy for compliance. “Now that you’ve quietened down a bit, maybe I can ask you some questions.” Justin tried to reply, but the weight of the police officer on his back, and the strain on his chest, from the pull of his handcuffed wrists, prevented him from taking in a full lungful of air. Combined with the panic that the situation incurred, the blond was finding it hard to breathe, let alone answer questions. “Why did you run through the tape, huh?” the cop asked. Justin forced himself to respond, but instead of speaking, the only sound from his mouth was a sharp intake of breath, as a sob jolted through his body. Assuming that the young man was merely exercising his right to remain silent, the officer decided to alter his approach. “Okay, let’s try an easier one. What’s your name?” “Justin Taylor.” A voice announced from behind them, “His name is Justin Taylor. Says so right here on his passport.” Justin struggled to turn his head and see whom the voice belonged to, but the controlling officer kept him firmly in place. “For God’s sake, will you get off him, Joe?” the voice instructed, “You’re probably crushing him to death.” “Sure, erm… sorry, Carl,” the officer mumbled as he hurriedly got to his feet. “Handcuffs,” Detective Horvath reminded. The cop quickly released Justin’s slender wrists from the confines of the handcuffs and extended a hand to help the blond get up. Justin shakily rose from the sidewalk looking rather dishevelled. His tousled blond hair was adhered to his forehead with sweat, and the fabric of his clothing was extremely creased. “Take it easy, son.” Horvath comforted as he placed a hand on Justin’s shoulder to steady him. Overwhelmed by the sense of relief that washed over him, Justin inhaled deeply and felt himself calm down significantly. The panic began to increase once again, however, when he suddenly remembered why he had been arrested in the first place. He looked from the open door of his mother’s house and then back to sympathetic face of Carl. “Is my mom dead?” he whispered. Detective Horvath studied the young man’s tear-streaked face with concern before replying, “No, Justin. She’s not dead.” Justin wiped at the wetness of the tear-trails on his cheeks with his fingertips, reassured that his mother was, in fact, still alive. “However,” Carl paused, and with the simple use of that conjunctive adverb, Justin feared the worst. “However,” Horvath repeated, trying to figure out the best way of telling the distraught young man in front of him that his mother had been shot, “She sustained a gunshot wound to her chest.” “Oh my God,” Justin gasped under his breath. “The paramedics took her to Allegheny General,” Carl explained, “I’ll can take you there myse-” “Why?” Justin interrupted, the tone of his voice unexpectedly laced with anger. “Why what?” Carl asked, confused. “Why the fuck was my mother shot?” Justin yelled, all of his previous feelings of anxiety transforming in to rage. “How could this happen?” “Calm down, son.” Horvath coaxed. “I am not your son!” Justin spat, and detached Horvath’s hand from his shoulder. “Okay, okay. Justin,” the detective tried to diffuse the situation. “Your mother was shot by someone that broke in to her house.” Justin opened his mouth to interrupt, but Carl continued. “My team are working on the details as we speak,” Horvath gesticulated to the many police officers that still entered and exited the Taylor family home. “It looks as though your mom was lucky, though.” “Lucky?” Justin asked, puzzled as to why the detective would think that his mother was lucky for having a maniac shoot a bullet in her chest. “One of her colleagues, Special Agent Kinney, arrived in the nick of time and managed to take down the gunman. He’s one hell of an FBI agent.” Justin doubted that Special Agent Kinney was as great an FBI agent as Detective Horvath proclaimed him to be. If he were, then his mother would not be lying in some godforsaken hospital bed. The thought of his mother injured and alone replaced Justin’s anger with alarm, and as he blinked, a fresh set of tears ran down his face. “Shall I take you to go see her?” Carl asked, patting Justin’s back reassuringly. Justin nodded, and together, they set off in the direction of Horvath’s squad car. Pittsburgh – Allegheny General Hospital 3:55am Brian’s head lolled forward and his eyes closed wearily. He had been waiting outside the O.R for over two hours, and still Jennifer’s surgery wasn’t complete. For the first thirty minutes of his time spent on the surgical floor of Allegheny General, Brian had paced up and down the disinfected corridors, pestering nurses for updates on Jennifer’s condition. Each time he had simply been told that his boss was stable, and that they wouldn’t know the full extent of the damage until the surgery was finished. Brian resolved to wait in the relatives’ room so that he could sit down on the moderately comfortable chairs, and rest his throbbing feet. Gucci shoes, Brian decided, were definitely not the ideal footwear to catch criminals in. Worn out from the night’s events, he had closed his eyes, for just a moment, to let them to rest, and had inadvertently allowed himself to fall in to a light sleep. He woke up instantly though, when his skilled ears heard two sets of footsteps echoing through the surgical floor’s main-corridor. Brian wiped haphazardly at his tired eyes and ran a hand though his tousled hair as he forced himself to stand up, assuming that a member of the surgical staff was coming to tell him how Jennifer was doing. He was surprised, however, when Detective Carl Horvath walked through the door, closely followed by a young man that he immediately recognised as Jennifer’s son. Brian couldn’t help but stare at the apprehensive-looking blond. He already knew that Jennifer Taylor’s son was good-looking from the photographs on her desk at the Field Office, but meeting him in person literally took his breath away. Sure, Justin looked rather pitiful, his face drained and his eyes red with tears threatening to spill, but he also looked remarkably handsome for someone who had just found out that his mother had been shot. Hastily withdrawing himself from his inappropriate thoughts, Brian unconsciously wiped his bloodstained hand on his pants and extended it toward Detective Horvath. “Carl,” Brian acknowledged, shaking the detective’s hand. He had liased with Carl Horvath on many of his previous FBI cases, and knew him well. “Brian,” Carl returned. “You must be Justin.” Brian ventured, turning to the blond and offering his hand. Justin frowned and folded his arms, refusing to shake hands. Not used to being refused physical contact by members of the male population, Brian was taken aback. He hurriedly placed his hand back at his side and raised one eyebrow quizzically. “I’m Special Agent Brian Kin-” “I know who you are.” Justin interrupted, his expression harsh and fixed. “I better be getting back to the station,” Carl announced, wanting to depart from this awkward situation as quickly as possible, “Are you two going to be alright here?” “We’ll be fine, Carl,” Brian reassured, although from the icy stare that he currently received from Justin, he wasn’t entirely convinced. Detective Horvath promptly exited the room and the two men were left alone to stare at each other as they listened to the fading sound of his retreating footsteps. Brian knew that it was probably his responsibility to break the silence and start a conversation. “Your mom’s in surgery,” Brian began, “They say that-” “This is all your fault!” Justin suddenly yelled, cutting Brian off. “You should have stopped this from happening!” “Justin I-” “If you’d have been doing your fucking job properly, my mother wouldn’t be lying in there, having her insides sewn back together!” Small tears escaped Justin’s eyes and ran down his cheeks, the intense emotions of the night finally catching up with him. He gesticulated wildly, and for a moment, Brian thought that the blond might actually hit him. “You could have at least fucking called me! Didn’t they teach you how to use a phone at the FBI?” “I tried to but-” “Then I wouldn’t have had the Pittsburgh P.D practically shove me to the ground and flatten me. Do you know how fucking terrified I was?” “Justin-” “I thought my mom was dead,” Justin’s voice cracked and he began to visibly cry, his body shuddering with the intensity of his sobs. “I just… I just…” Justin inhaled distraughtly, incapable of speaking any longer. Brian stepped forward and wrapped his strong arms around the smaller man’s shaking frame, pulling him close. “It’s okay,” Brian soothed, stroking Justin’s hair affectionately. “Jennif-, your mom is going to be fine.” “You don’t know that,” Justin whimpered in to the taller man’s chest, and wrapped his arms tighter around the well-toned form. “Justin, look at me,” Brian instructed, delicately pulling Justin’s chin up so that blue eyes looked anxiously in to hazel. “I promise you that your mom will be okay.” Justin studied the sincerity in Brian’s beautiful eyes and realised that he would believe anything that this man told him. Brian rubbed small, comforting circles on Justin’s back, and soon the younger man’s breathing evened out. Justin couldn’t believe the calming effect that Brian had on him. A few moments ago, he had felt as though his whole world had come crashing down around him, and now, all he could think about was the amazing sensation of being held securely in Brian’s arms. “Brian?” Justin whispered, his bewildered emotions taking over completely. Before Brian could answer, Justin’s mouth claimed his lips and they met in a passionate kiss. Brian was surprised at first, not quite sure how, in the space of a few minutes, the blond had gone from yelling at him to kissing him. Even though Brian knew it was completely unethical and unprofessional to kiss Justin, he couldn’t help but melt in to the blond’s beautiful mouth. Justin invitingly parted his crimson lips, and almost immediately, Brian’s tongue was sliding in to the soft warmth of the younger man’s mouth. Their tongues met and a jolt of arousal flickered between the men. Brian caressed the side of Justin’s face, his fingers sliding through the wetness of the freshly shed tears. Justin stood on tiptoes, gliding his arms up Brian’s back as far as they would go, trying to pull the older man’s body impossibly closer to his so that they could deepen the kiss and grind against each other. Their eyes flickered closed in concentration and pleasure, completely oblivious to their surroundings as they forgot the horror of the night. “Agent Kin-… Sorry, am I interrupting something?” the nurse bit her lip in astonishment, trying not to giggle at the startled men as they quickly drew apart from each other. “No, not at all,” Brian replied, trying to act nonchalant as he smoothed down his clothing. “I could give you a few minutes if you’d like,” the nurse rambled, noticing the red tint of embarrassment on Justin’s face. “No, it’s okay,” Justin insisted, “Please, tell me how my mom’s doing.” “She’s being settled in to recovery,” the nurse explained, “The bullet punctured some thoracic blood vessels and collapsed her lung, but the doctors managed to repair the damage. They’re very optimistic that the surgery went well.” Justin breathed an audible sigh of relief. “Will I be able to see her?” Justin asked. “We’re going to keep her sedated for a little while longer, but you can go in and see her for few minutes, if you want.” Justin glanced up at Brian seeking reassurance. The older man patted Justin’s shoulder encouragingly and the blond nodded his approval at the nurse. They followed her down endless corridors and eventually arrived at a small side room. Brian peered apprehensively through the window at Jennifer’s sleeping form. A doctor in blue scrubs stood next to the bed, writing on a chart and checking the I.V. “You can go in when the doctor’s finished,” the nurse assured, before setting off in the direction of the nurses’ station and leaving them to peer warily through the window. “Are you sure you want to go in there?” Brian asked the nervous-looking Justin. “I just want to sit with her, you know,” Justin replied, “So she’s not on her own.” Brian couldn’t help but feel admiration for the brave young man, and it took a great deal of his willpower not to kiss him again. The doctor promptly exited the room and nodded sympathetically at the men. Brian placed his hand on Justin’s trembling shoulder, urging the blond to step through the ominous door. Justin walked slowly in to the room and took a seat in the chair beside the bed, gently clasping his mother’s hand in his own. He stroked it tenderly, hoping that somehow his mom knew that he was there with her. Feeling slightly guilty, and realising that he was intruding on a private moment between Justin and Jennifer, Brian decided that he needed an excuse to leave them alone together. “I’m going to get a cup of coffee,” he announced, “Want one?” Justin nodded, his blue eyes not leaving his mother’s face. Brian hastily left the room in search of the nurses’ station. After taking at least three wrong turns, Brian found it and casually walked up to the desk. “Do you know where I can get a decent cup of coffee around here?” he asked the group of nurses that were sat doing paperwork. “There’s a coffee machine in the main entrance,” one of the nurses offered. “Okay, let me rephrase the question,” Brian smirked. “Where can I get a cup of coffee that doesn’t taste like piss?” “So you’ve had the hospital coffee before then?” one of the nurses laughed. “If I drink any more of that stuff, I’ll end up needing life-saving surgery,” Brian joked. “There’s a diner across the street. The coffee isn’t half-bad,” a nurse giggled, obviously smitten with the gorgeous FBI agent in front of her. “Thanks,” Brian smiled and waved, “Bye ladies.” He could still hear the giggling and chattering of the love-struck nurses echoing down the hallway as he entered the elevator. Pittsburgh – Allegheny General Hospital 4:30am A trip to the diner across the street and a purchase of two large cardboard cups of coffee later, and Brian was making his way back through the hallways of the surgical floor to Jennifer’s room. He paused outside the room and glanced through the window, expecting to see Justin by his mother’s side. He was taken aback however, when the blond was nowhere to be seen. He immediately felt the panic rise, looking left and right, as he searched for any sign of Justin. “Justin!” he yelled, running back down the corridor. Brian mentally kicked himself for being so stupid as to leave the blond alone. “Justin!” he shouted again, rounding a corner. “Brian?” Justin questioned, as the brunette nearly ran in to him, “What’s going on?” “Nothing,” Brian replied, trying to hide his obvious relief that the blond was safe. Justin looked quizzically up at the anxious older man, trying to work out what Brian was keeping from him. “I didn’t know where you were, that’s all,” Brian finally admitted, unable to resist the lure of Justin dazzling blue eyes. “Sorry,” Justin apologised. “I just couldn’t stay in there any longer. It was too intense. My mom looked… so weak. It began to freak me out.” “Here.” Brian offered the huge cup of coffee to Justin. “I’ve been informed by a reliable source that this won’t taste like shit.” Justin grasped the cardboard cup in his hands, taking a small sip. “It’s not bad.” Justin smiled his approval. “It’ll do,” Brian complained, swallowing a vast amount of the hot liquid then peering suspiciously in to the cup. “I know just the place where we can drink this.” Brian declared, leading the way back to the elevator. He pressed the very top button and the doors slid closed. “Where are we going?” Justin asked. “You’ll see.” Brian answered mysteriously, running his hands through his hair and taking another gulp of coffee. The elevator slowly ascended, it’s occupants riding in contemplative silence. Eventually, the doors opened and the two men stepped out on to the roof of the hospital. They walked over to the wall that surrounded the entire roof and sat down, looking over the edge at the tiny lights and objects below. “Last time I was up here,” Brian yawned, “My son had just been born.” “You have a son?” Justin’s head shot up in amazement. “Yeah,” Brian replied, smiling at the memory, “His name’s Gus.” Justin was intrigued as to how Brian had acquired a son, but didn’t want to appear intrusive, so he waited patiently to see if the older man would reveal any more. “I came up here with my best friend Mikey,” Brian continued, “I stood on this ledge, kind of like this,” Brian climbed up on the vast wall, spreading his arms, “And I threatened to jump.” “You threatened to jump? Off the building?!” Justin gasped. “Yeah, scared the shit out of Mikey,” Brian smirked, but quickly hid his obvious enjoyment of frightening his best friend, when Justin shot him a look. “It was just the sudden realisation that I had all of this responsibility. I didn’t know if I could handle being held accountable for the life of such a tiny, dependent person.” Brian paused, noticing that Justin was listening intently to every single word. “Luckily, the Munchers do most of the raising and nurturing. I just pay bills and drop in occasionally on the weekends.” “Munchers?” Justin raised his eyebrows. “Melanie and Lindsay.” Brian explained, but still didn’t receive any signs of understanding from Justin. “They’re lesbians.” “Oh!” Justin exclaimed, suddenly realising what Brian was talking about. “Cool.” Brian laughed and jumped down off the ledge, and resumed his sitting position next to Justin. “I’ve been friends with Lindsay since college, and she wanted a kid so I made a generous donation.” “So you didn’t actually…” Justin hesitated. “Fuck her?” Brian finished for him. “Well… yeah,” Justin replied, fumbling around in his pocket and pulling out a packet of cigarettes and a lighter. “Of course I didn’t fuck her. In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m a fag.” Brian retorted, eyeing the pack with desire. “Oh I noticed,” Justin smiled, pulling out one of the cigarettes and placing it between his lips. He lit the cigarette, taking a long drag, enjoying the calming effect of smoke entering his lungs. “Want one?” Justin asked, holding the packet out. “I’m trying to quit,” Brian replied irritably, “Smoking’ll kill you, you know.” Justin shrugged and took another drag, the smoke clearly visible in the cold night’s air. “Oh fuck it.” Brian grumbled, accepting a cigarette from the smirking blond. “Just don’t tell anyone, okay?” “Scouts honor,” Justin promised, clicking the lighter and holding it up for the older man. As Brian inhaled deeply on the cigarette, he realised that this was probably the most satisfying smoke he’d ever had. “Brian?” Justin sighed, capturing the older man’s attention. “I’m sorry for earlier. I didn’t mean to get so mad at you.” “Sorry’s bullshit,” came Brian’s automated response to apologies. He immediately regretted being so harsh, when he saw the look of hurt in Justin’s eyes. Feeling unusually guilty, for the second time that night, Brian decided that he needed to get away from the blond. “I wonder if I can turn my cell phone on up here?” Brian mumbled, changing the subject, “I don’t think it will interfere with the hospital equipment. Don’t blame me if someone’s life support machine turns off, okay?” he winked at Justin. The blond rolled his eyes and watched as Brian pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and proceeded to turn it on. “Shit.” Brian cursed when the phone eventually got a signal. “What?” Justin enquired. “I’ve got fifteen missed calls. Damn it!” Brian aggressively tapped some buttons on the phone and stood up. “I’ll just be a sec,” he told Justin. The blond resolved to watch the cars drive by in the street down below as Brian walked away from him, across the roof, cell phone pressed to his ear. “Answer, you stupid fuck,” Brian growled at the phone as it rang. “Gold.” Came the answer after at least fourteen rings. “You might want to answer your phone faster next time,” Brian complained. “We’ve been really busy here at the Field Office, Brian,” Ethan smoothly replied, “We’ve been clearing up your mess actually. You’ve left us with a massive investigation.” “Just brief me on what’s going on.” Brian pinched the bridge of his nose, willing himself not to rip Ethan a new ass hole. “As a matter of fact, we were just about to send agents over to the hospital.” Ethan replied. “What? Why?” Brian asked, taking a drag of his cigarette, completely baffled by what Ethan was telling him. “It seems as though the guy that shot Jennifer, well,” Ethan paused, “He wasn’t actually meant to shoot her. He was there to collect information.” “Collect Information? Information for what?” “That’s what we’re trying to figure out. But until then, we can only assume that Jennifer might be a target for another hit. That’s why we’re sending agents over to guard her room.” “What’s your source on this?” “The Pittsburgh P.D.” “You really think this runs deeper than a burglary?” “You said it yourself, Brian. Why would a thief take family photographs?” “Wait,” Brian exclaimed suddenly, alarmed. “Doesn’t that mean that there could be a potential threat against Justin?” “I’m sending someone over to collect him as we speak. I’ve arranged for him to stay at a safe house.” “Which one? I’ll take him ther-.” “You can’t,” Ethan interrupted. “You’re not on duty.” “Listen, I’m the Special Agent in Charge now that Jennifer is incapacitated, and if I say that I’m taking Justin to the safe house, then I’m taking him to the safe house, got it?” Brian snapped. “Fine,” Ethan huffed. “You’ll need to take him to Rosewood. There are agents already setting up the perimeter.” “Okay, I’ll report back in the morning.” Brian informed the haughty agent, trying to wrap up this exasperating conversation as quickly as possible. “Oh and Brian.” Ethan interjected, just as Brian was about to hang up. “What?” “Leave your cell phone on next time.” Brian furiously snapped his cell phone shut, ending the call. “Piece of shit… Tells me how to do my job… Stupid fucking Ethan… ‘Leave you cell phone on next time’… Fucking asshole…” Brian mumbled angrily as he walked back over to Justin. “Everything okay?” Justin questioned, stubbing out the smouldering embers of his cigarette against the wall. “We have a change of plans,” Brian announced. “I’ve been told that I need to take you to a safe house.” “Why?” Justin swallowed nervously, “Am I in danger?” Brian didn’t want to scare the blond, so he decided to be somewhat economical with the truth. “No, no, you’re fine. You just need somewhere to stay tonight, and seeing as the police are still rummaging around your mom’s house, we decided the best thing for you would be to go to a safe house.” “Can’t I just stay here, with my mom?” Justin suggested, rubbing his eyes wearily. “You need to sleep, Justin. You look beat,” Brian replied. “I promise that I’ll bring you back to see your mom tomorrow. You won’t be any good to her if you collapse from exhaustion.” “Alright then,” Justin gave in, too tired to argue any longer. The pair left their cardboard cups of mediocre coffee and cigarette butts on the roof-ledge and unenthusiastically made their way back to the elevator.