So it's 2019 now but I came to QaF and related fanfiction very late, only a couple of years ago. I've read a tonne of fiction since but I'm pretty picky about the quality of stuff I read and this is up there with the best. Everything about it felt authentic and you captured their characters so well. Hats off to your excellent skill... It even made me cry, and I'm sure it will remain with me for a long time to come. Thank you. Going to go on to discover more of your fiction now... 

This was absolutely heartbreaking! You got me bawling my eyes out on my night shift in the staff room. I knew this was gonna happen so, I could have avoided reading the epilogue but, I still read. Cause I love angsty stuff. i think I might have even read this before years ago. 

Anyways, just wanted to say Superb writing! 

I almost didn't read this epilogue because I knew it would leave me crying and I wasn't wrong. But it was a fitting end to a beautiful, romantic and heartwrenching story.

Well. I definitely hate death fictions :( The only reason I did read this one is by mistake, I didn't see the warning....
Jesus ... I can't thank you enough... It's breathtaking, extremely sad and comforting at the same time...
Thank you!!!

You made me cry with this one! :(:(:(

Nicely Done!!! So Emotional!!!

thank you for sharing this story

I know this is a story but most of us live very well with HIV today due to the amazing meds they have. Give me HIV over Hep C anyday. That said; there are drug resistant AIDS/HIV strains that can't be treated very well.

Omg what a wonderful series I have loved every chapter I was so engrossed in it I did not realise until I read the extra chapter it had ended. I cried through the last one. It was beautifully written thanks so much xxChris

Wow! Tear jerker from beginning to end. Sad yet a great story. Great work!

i liked the story i cryed it a very good story thanku  kim

Congratulations on being chosen as Story of the Month. I can't believe I missed this story while it was being written. It is a wonderful heart wrenching tale. I was so captured by it I had to read it one sitting.
Lori

Awarded Blue Ribbon Featured Status. Will be the monthly featured story for Feb.

I`m sitting here crying.... such a beautiful Story!!!!!

I love this story alot ~ Yvonne xx

I loved the hangover movie,great chapter darling ~ Yvonne xx

Oh I remember where he went hehe ~ Yvonne xx

Oh crap!!! ~ Yvonne xx

That is so beautiful,I mean the way that last line is,it made me smile ~ Yvonne xx

Gus is so grown up,I love your Gus ~ Yvonne xx

So painful to read,even after reading it like five times already ~ Yvonne xx

Such a beautiful and sad story. 

I did wish we had more interactions with Hunter, Ben, Ted, and Emmett. 

~Nim

 

 

AMAZING, the optional I should have held off on, especially after that beautiful ending but I don't regret it, definitely adding this to my favorites.

I am having a very hard time writing this review (as I can barely see thru the tears in my eyes). OMG!!! How heartbreakingly bittersweet.  I can honestly say, I have never cried from reading a fanfic before and I am still sobbing like a baby & it ain't pretty crying either.

You are a wonderful author and I can only encourage you to continue to write more B/J fiction. Only...not so much of a tear-jerker next time.

Will keep checking back to see if you post anything new in the coming months. Thank you so much for this wonderful story!

Oh my god! This made me cry like a baby! A true tragic romance. You stayed true to Brian and Justin and it was beautifully sad. Amazing...

Wow what an ending. Very well written and packed with emotion. Loved Justin in this story. Gus was also adorable. Thank you for writing it.

Oh! That was...damn I don't have words.

wonderful touching ending.

in my little dream world he lived a fullfilling life with justin til he grew old.

i don't think brian would kick his ass for not finding someone else. sadly i think it would take justin a long long time to do so.

hate to see this go. hopefully your next story will have them happy and together for years to come.

Those three deserved more time together :(

I believe in life after death and ofcourse they will meet again but it still hurts... alot.

Hi there,

I just wanted to give you my best thanks for writing this fantastic story, I started it last night and then i couldn't help my self and finished what you have posted so far at work today. You are one hell of a writer, that's for sure!

I'm so happy that things are going better and they have found their happiness and Brian's health again. I hope the story is not finished... it's a treat to read your work!

<3 Edda

 

I read this whole story in one sitting and fell absolutely in love with it!! Your writing is so powerful and I just love the teenaged Gus. I'm so glad that you didn't make Michael a jerk (he's not my favorite character) but someone who was afraid and doesn't want to come between Brian or Justin. I love that you show the vunerablity of each of these characters that we've come to love. Please update soon and keep up the good work.

nice chapter. i'm not sure not telling brian about talking with michael is such a good idea, but right now whatever works i guess.

moving into the house...together, about friggin' time.

well that was certainly an eye opener.

wonder what ever gave michael the idea that he's so much better than everyone else. still the same after ten years. he can be happy and live his life the way he wants, but brian isn't allowed unless he approves. what a bastard he still is.

 brian has to tell why he turned to heroine. i don't understand it either.

if they couldn't stop thinking of each other, why did neither one call?

Author's Response:

Interesting questions. Well, this isn't an anti-Michael fic, and he isn't trying to be a judgemental prick (though we all know he can be at times), he was just trying to look out for Brian. What he realized during this chapter is that he hurt Brian too, so that's why he backed off and apologized. I'm not totally sure yet if I'll be going more in depth into Brian's heroin use or if I'll leave it to the imaginations of the readers. There are a few scenarios I've been playing with, but I haven't decided yet. And as for your last question, Brian didn't call Justin because after Justin left, he wouldn't answer Brian's calls or remain in touch with him in any way. After that, he gave up. He did think of Justin and even go to New York just to make sure Justin was happy, but he didn't call because he assumed (by Justin's actions), that he wanted to move on without Brian, so he respected his wishes. Justin, as we've learned in the fic, has pretty flimsy excuses as to why he never called Brian even though he was still in love with him. Once he'd broken all ties for awhile, he thought it was too late to fix it. They both did eventually get on with their lives for the most part (ie. Kevin, Brendan, and Travis), but they were always on each other's minds. I hope this helps! Thanks for reading/commenting!

Thank you.... this was very very nice

this story is so good.  cried for several chapters  am a real softy when it comes to the boys.  i'm a little better toward the last couple.  hopefully kevin doesn't cause too much angst.  good writing.  i'm appreciating the story line.

I don't think I've seen this story before.  But, I read all 12 chapters and cried all the way through them.  It's a very good story and I can't wait for the rest of it.

Oh god, your story kills me! But I guess that's a positive thing in this regard (you've got some serious writing skills!) I'm seriously heartbroken over the idea of Brian being this way. Your writing is so emotional that I can't help imagining him fading. I personally love Brian. I think his character is amazing. 

Fantastic story! You really know how to tug at heart strings.

This is a great, gripping story.  I'm glad that Brian is letting Justin in and that he believes Justin never stopped loving him.  You've done a great job of keeping them IC.  I can't wait for another update. 

Wow Wow what an amazing chapter.

Of course I had to have my tissues near me as usual. Your wirtinf of the love scene is incredible. We're alaways there with them. The feelings are so intense.

What an incredible job!

Where would Brian go? I must read on to find out. Love the story.

Excellent cliffie here. Nice of you to post so many chapters so one doesn't have to wait. The story is excellent.

B&J AIDS angst; what a plot line.

Kaposi Sarcoma will clear up when his immune system is strong again. The HARRT treatment should reduce his viral load, and raise his T-cell count. Sadly I'm old enough to remember when this fu*king disease started and I've watched dozens of friends die before the drugs came along. Reading on....

This is a very interesting plot. Although nobody dies of AIDS anymore due to the wonder drugs they have; artistic license allows you do this anyway.

Author's Response:

Thanks for the comment. I just want to say that no one dies of AIDS, period. They die of AIDS-related malignancies; and this sort of thing still happens all the time. Yes, drugs have come a long way, but there's still no cure and someone who has gone from HIV to AIDS has a severely compromised immune system and is therefore more succeptible to opportunistic infections, which sometimes results in death. No wonder drug can keep everyone from dying of cancer, pneumonia, etc. If something could, we wouldn't have to worry about those things.