Justin:  

"So... that's why you decided to study law. Because of what happened with Michael" he said.

"Not exactly... it was what pushed me into studying law. But it is a combination of things really. Gus principally, since you signed away your rights I've been searching for ways to have them restored. How else did you think we  put together the file so fast?" I replied, continuing signing the papers that Laura gave us before she left. They were about the stuff I promised Brian we'll have, such as medical proxy, POA, between other things "Then there is the stuff with Craig..."

"What the hell did that bastard do now?!" he growled angrily, I hate when he is unhappy but in these kind of cases it warmed me to see that he was finally ready to show that he cared about me.

"He stole money from Molly and me. It is not a big discovery to know that Craig married my mother for the money her parents left her, but gramps never liked him so he made sure that all the money was left for us, his grandchildren, and not the asshole of my sperm donor. I don't know how he did it, but he made sure mom never knew about that little arrangement and stole everything they left us after they got divorced" I told him, stopping from signing the papers cause it still hurt to know that the one you considered your here once hates you so much now "It took a year but we were finally able to win the court case and get all the money back, how else do you think I was able to pay my tuition to finish my Fine Arts degree in PIFA and start pre-law in Carnegie Mellon?"

"I... After you told us about Michael I thought you used that money to pay for the tuition. Wait a second... you finished your studies in PIFA?! And did that bastard go to prison?" he demanded to know.

"Ok, calm down. I'll tell you everything. Let's finish with the bastard of my sperm donor first. No, he didn't go to prison. However, he is in bankrupt at the moment. He already lost his business for all the payments he had to do to us" I explained "It's kind of a poetic victory, he was the one that accused me of being a failure and made sure to tell mom and Molly all the time that without him they couldn't survive. But look at us now! I am the owner of an international gay comic which's popularity increases with each volume, graduated from one of the best art universities of the country and am going for a second degree. While my mother is making a great living out of her career as a real state agent, enough to support herself and Molly. Has full custody over my sister and is in a stable relationship with a young man... I can't believe I said that last part" I muttered to myself but Brian heard me, the asshole even laughed at me "We won, and now he is seeing the empire he built and was so proud of fall" 

"I'm so happy for you sunshine... but what about the money you got after winning the case against Michael?" he asked me curiously.

"I used it to pay for the lawyer that helped me, then to get one of the best lawyers of the city for the fight against dad... you really don't want to know the bill received afterwards. But at least it was worth it. Then I..." I stopped talking, not knowing how he'll react about it. Communication is easier now, but I don't want to push my luck.

"Yes, Justin... what did you do with the rest of the money?" he glared at me, knowing that I was hiding something huge from him.

"I might have signed a check anonymously to a certain someone so he could pay his debts for fighting against Stockwell..." I said it all in one go, fast and without breathing. I thought I might have to say it again cause he wasn't able to understand, but when he looked at me frozen in shock I knew he heard me just fine.

"You... you paid my debts? Justin I never wanted your money?! Or for you to feel indebt to me?!" he exclaimed, eyes wide open almost... wild.

Oh, oh. He is blaming himself, why the hell does he always blame himself?! I thought sadly and annoyed. He surely believes that he made me renounced to my dream of finishing college and being a great, because he made me feel as I owed it to him after everything he did for me... just like his biological parents and the so called 'family' always does.

"Brian stop it" I cut him off, voice firm and strong "Look, what I did I did it because I wanted to and I could. Just like you always do. You never made me feel as if I owed it to you, or if I was indebt to you. I know you don't act because you want something from other's, that's not you. You are a caring and generous man, that's why I wanted to return a bit of that generosity. I couldn't let you go into bankrupt for fighting against an asshole, for defending our community! If you feel uncomfortable by it, think of it as me paying the debts I accumulated with you for my earlier years in PIFA. We had arranged that whenever I was able I would pay you back" I tried to calm him down.

"Then... why did you continue working without pay at Kinnetik?" he asked, already calmer than just a minute ago.

I smiled calmly at him, then I stood up and sat on his lap "It's called an internship" I replied, wrapping my arms around his neck  "Something that's essential for graduating in PIFA. Don't blame Ted or Cynthia, I asked them to keep it a secret... I wanted to have an excuse to be near you even when we were over. No matter how masochist the decision was"

"They knew... it doesn't matter anymore. But from now on we will not lie to each other again, ok?" he stated, I could only smile my sunshine smile and nod "How did you finish college so fast? You still had approximately two years to go, I don't think it even took you a year to have your degree"

"It all began during the our struggles during the fight against Stockwell, you warned me off dancing for Saperstein. I listened to you... but told you otherwise because I wanted to make you worry- as bad as it sounds. I wanted you to show that you cared, to be jealous- of all those men salivating for my ass- and to not take me for granted, so you wouldn't just kick me out or finish things off because things weren't going as you wanted them to... I was in a bad place then Brian. I had just found out that Michael had been cheating on me since the beginning, even when it was clear we needed the money! I was scared, and feared that you would leave me... you already did that three times before. If you would have done it a fourth one... I won't be able to survive it"

"You left me three times as well Sunshine, we are even" I wanted to protest that it wasn't a competition, that I didn't do what I did out of anger and wanting to take revenge on him. But I stopped when I saw the pain in his face, I hated that I caused that. However, I also saw in his eyes that the hurt didn't only come from my actions, it also came from how guilty he feels about the way he behaved "That's in the past now" he finally said after a while "Where did you work on then?"

"That's the curious thing, I had a few event for the LGBT. Nothing big, mostly sketches and some paintings now and then. Sometimes they even asked for my number to ask for a personalized sketch, like portraits for themselves or as a gift. I charged extra for those" I started to explain, feeling silly for getting all excited for something as small as that.

Luckily Brian didn't feel the same, cause he said: "I'm so proud of you Sunshine"

"Why so sad then?" I asked carefully, not wanting to make him feel even worse.

"I made you feel so insecure in your place by my side that you had to hide all these stuff from me... how can you still want to be besides me after everything I made you go through?!" I was startled by the naked anguish in his voice.

He truly is changing, I thought happily.

"The same way you put up with everything I did to you, Bri" I replied rapidly, a fond smile on my face "But as you said before, it's on the past now" I kissed him softly before continuing "During one of my events, I was approached by Jessica Stuart.

"Wait, isn't she the one that won against Stockwell after our ad was revealed?" he asked me surprised. 

"Yes, she is. She came because she had heard about what's going on with us and wanted to help a bit, especially after everything we've been doing for the city. I think she just wanted to look better in our community, but I accepted her deal anyways cause we needed the money. She had began a plan to change the look of the city, make it more appealing for tourists and it also helped giving artists jobs. I worked in murals all over the city and even a painting in the city hall"

"That's you?! Now I know why I suddenly started to see you all around the city" he commented, making me giggle "I should have known those murals are yours, your art is unmistakable to me"

"It's easy not to see things when we don't want to, even when they are in front of you" I told him, we both stayed silent when we realized how true my words were and that it happened more than once to us... and to the gang "However, I still haven't answered your question. When Stockwell fell, she asked me if I wanted to her help to get me back in PIFA. She said that for me, because of the unjust reasons I had to go through she would even give... I would call it a VIP treatment. I would return to classes as if I was never gone, but as she knew I've been studying on my own she arranged so I would make a test to see how much more learning did I need to graduate. It seems like I didn't need much"

"That's very nice of her... and unexpected" he replied carefully.

"Relax, I know that it's kind of strange to have a politician being so generous and not wanting something in return" I laughed at his wary expression "We became... kind of friends? Anyways, during my work there I met a lot of important people and had friendly chats with them. It came to a point where I would be their own private adviser, for their personal lives anyway. My name began to be known between them, which helped me during me getting back to PIFA and the cases between Craig and Michael"

"Personal adviser?" he laughed at my description.

"Well, it all began with Jessica, we began talking more and more during work, I gave her my own vision of how I thought things should be done. Then I found out that she was having problems at home, her husband was angry that she kept on spending more at work, so I gave her an advice... it worked. She continued coming to me since then, when she has a problem and can't fix it she asks for what I think she should do. With others it started just by a friendly chat and then when they found out about my personal relationship with Jessica they started asked me for advice every now and then, but mostly her- that's why I can say that we are kind of friends" I suddenly smiled, at the wicked idea it occurred to me "That can help with the case! I know that we will win, there is no doubt about that... but just in case I can comment my situation to Jessica if things get hard"

"I... that's going to far Justin" he said, not sure about my plan.

"I won't do it if it isn't necessary Bri, just in case" I promised to him.

"Ok, then" he sighed defeated, making me beam "Only if things go south, ok?"

I nodded my head rapidly, lost in my excitement I began bouncing on his lap. Soon the warmth of his eyes turned from fondness and happiness, to lust and hunger. He groaned almost savagely before pulling me into a deep kiss. Unfortunately, it didn't go any further cause we were interrupted by the bang of the door. I scrambled off his lap, almost falling if it weren't for Brian helping me out. I stood straight- the irony of that word- ready to apologize for the uncordial way we were behaving, when I noticed how angry... no, furious she looked.

"You won't believe what the fucking bitch did?!" she yelled.