Midnight Whispers
QAF Brian and Justin Fanfiction
Author's Chapter Notes:

When it rains, it pours…

 

JUSTIN’S POV

Daphne and Justin sat at a booth sipping large lattes from Starbucks.

 

“Daph, I appreciate the ride to the airport. It would have been great if you could have come too.”

 

“Yeah, but I am going to need to save my vacation days for our trip with Brian to Ibiza at the very end of the month. When I spoke with Bree last night we squeeeee’d for like five whole minutes!”

 

Bree had returned to LA in order to pack up her life and relocate to Pittsburg ten days earlier when Justin received an unexpected phone call from Mr. Palmer, Brett’s driver. Three days later, Justin and Daphne were sitting at a booth indulging themselves with large coffees and cookies from Starbucks while waiting for his announcement to board his flight to LA.

 

“You’ll be so hard at work on that masterpiece for your friend and helping Bree tie up her loose ends you won’t have time to think about me. This is your first paid commission. Why do I get the feeling you’re not exactly overjoyed?”

 

“Are you crazy, Daph? What are you talking about? I’m thrilled! When Mr. Palmer called to ask me to do a family portrait as a gift to his wife for their fortieth anniversary, I couldn’t believe it.  It should take me three days if I stay focused to complete the work. I still can’t believe he’s paying me seven hundred bucks and sprang for my round trip ticket.”

 

“Well then Picasso, what’s with the face? You’ll only be gone a few days, Brian won’t have forgotten about you if that’s what you’re worried about.  I know you like the back of my hand, so spill already!”

 

“I didn’t want to say anything because it wasn’t a big deal. But the other night, I was Brian-ized and now I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

 

“You can straighten out this kerfuffle back when you get home next weekend. By then, Brian should be back in town after putting out the fires that threaten his bottom line and employee bonuses. You guys will talk it out because if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a zillion times, communication is the key. It’s time for you to line up for boarding, so I’ll walk you to the gate.”

 

“Thanks again and I’ll call you when I land, Daphne. Later”

 

THREE DAYS LATER…

“Justin, listen, it’s me, Daphne. I just intercepted a call at the loft for Brian.  All I can say is you guys you need to get back here asap! Seriously, he’s in over his head and will need all the help and support that he can get but will never ask for. And you know why? Because he is a stubborn ass! Please call me back as soon as you get this message!”

 

“Daphne, I was on another call. What’s wrong? Has something happened to Brian? I have Bree on a three-way so, talk to us.”

 

“Oh Justin, thank God! I don’t know the details or any facts whatsoever but the call was from a hospital in Boston. They wanted to give Brian some last minute instructions and confirm his pre-op appointment and check-in times for Monday morning. Justin, I googled the name of that hospital and it specializes in treatments for cancer.”

 

“Cancer? Get out of here, that’s crazy! Daphne, are you sure that’s what you heard?”

 

“Justin, I’m absolutely positive about what I heard because I replayed the message twice. Do you guys have money to make reservations to fly back to Pittsburgh? If you’re low on cash, don’t worry because I can help the two of you out. I hope you believe that I would never joke about anything this serious. Justin, say something. Are you still there?”

 

“Yes, Daphne, we can hear you and I’m certain Taylor knows that you are not yanking his chain. Like me, I think he’s kinda in shock and… Are you still at the loft?”

 

No, Bree. I left immediately because I didn’t want to confront Brian before I’d spoken to you guys. Justin are you okay?”

 

“No, yes,  I don’t think so, but I’ll be better as soon as we get back home, Daph. Don’t worry, we have more than enough cash to book the flights and thanks for asking. Look, we’ll call you back and let you know when we will arrive. Later, Daph.

 

Bree, I’m on my way back to your place. I’ll text you my card number so that you can reserve us the first available flight departing to Pittsburg.”

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2 hours later…

Bree slid into the window seat, closed her eyes, and leaned her head back.

 

“Omg Bree, for a minute I thought we weren’t going to make it. Between the nightmare that is Friday afternoon traffic, the mad dash through the airport like crazy people, and misplacing our confirmations, I’m about to have a nervous breakdown.”

 

“Taylor, I have a question or ten, take your pick. Stuff happens, I know that. But what is going on with…my father? Why has he shut us out? Doesn’t he know how much we care and…”

 

 “Bree, you know how people say before a breakup …it’s not you, it’s me…? Well, when you’re dealing with Brian you can rest assured it’s really him and the mountain of baggage that he brings along with him. Blame his biological family because you wouldn’t believe the number they have done on him. I don’t know all the details because Brian would rather eat broken glass than talk about growing up in the Kinney household. I met his mom once and the only thing I have to say about the woman is…not good.

 

What I have learned about Brian’s past consists of tidbits and breadcrumbs dropped by Michael and Debbie. They have been Brian’s family and support system ever since he met Michael when they were both fourteen years old kids. To be truthful, I don’t believe Brian has ever shared anything pleasant or positive about his real family.

 

Brian sincerely believes that the only person he can trust and depend on is himself. I’ll bring you up to speed and offer you some pertinent information from my latest edition of the Brian Kinney operating manual aka Brian Kinney 101.”

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Daphne was pacing impatiently in front of the luggage counter when Justin and Bree waved and hurried over to the frantic girl.

 

“How was your flight?” Daphne hugged her friends and hustled them out to the curb. “Let’s go because I’m double parked and can’t afford another ticket this month.” Justin tossed their bags in the trunk and they sped away. “Sorry, I have to concentrate while I’m driving because I always take the wrong exit so no talking about the situation until I get you guys to my place.”

 

As soon as Daphne locked her front door, Justin pounced. “Daph, you’re killing me and I am losing it. Start from the beginning and tell us what you know.”

 

“Guys, yesterday I dropped in on Brian at the office and I told him I needed details so I could request time off for our trip. I let him know how excited I was about him flying the four of us out to Ibiza on his dime at the end of the month. He said he would get back to me because there may be a change of plans. He was very vague, hesitant, and almost evasive. I felt like he was blowing me off when he said he would have to cut our little chat short because he was late for a meeting.

 

So I left Kinnetik and went by the diner for a snack and Debbie was leaving so she asked me to give her a ride home. She said I was right on time and asked me to I deliver some meals she had prepared for Brian. You know how she goes on and on about him being too skinny. I was like, no problem. It wasn’t the first time that I let myself into the loft with the key Brian had given me months ago.”

 

“Really? Get outta here! When did Brian give you a key to the loft, Daph? I thought that privilege was reserved for Mikey and Lindz.”

 

“Shortly after you left for LA, Brian needed some boards that you had done some time ago for an account. You must have forgotten all about it, Justin. The client popped into town suddenly and Brian couldn’t leave to get them.  He didn’t want to ask Michael or Lindsay because they were at work and he was afraid he would never get the keys back from either of those two without a tussle.

 

So, he asked me to do it and gave me a hundred bucks for my time. Then, he insisted that I keep the key just in case since you were gone and he might need my help again. Sometimes I’d drop by if he was in for the evening and we’d smoke his primo weed, pig out on crap that I didn’t think I’d ever see Brian put in his mouth, and watch some of those black and white movies he was addicted to.

 

So, there I was loaded down like a pack mule with two tote bags of Tupperware containers. I could have told Debbie that Brian doesn’t eat that much food in a year, but why waste my breath. She said there was no way one of her boys would starve on her watch. I put everything in the freezer and was on my way out the door when I decided to wait around for Brian in case he was feeling down from missing you and wanted some company for the evening.

 

Anyway, I was putting a pan of lasagna in the oven when the house phone rang and the caller opted to record a message. Then, I freaked out, put everything away, called you, and made a beeline for the door. The rest is history.”

 

“It all makes so much more sense now. Remember what I told you two about Brian’s crappy attitude and the spat we had right before I left last week? It was two nights before I was due to fly out to LA. I was packing paint and supplies when Brian came in from work, grunted something, and walked into the bedroom. Ten minutes later, he was decked out in his sluttiest club clothes and announced that he was going out for a while. I asked him if he wanted some company to give me a few minutes and I’d be ready in no time. He shut me down and said he be back later.

 

He came in around two…as high as a kite…and I could smell at least two tricks on him. He staggered away to shower them off and passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow. I was at a complete loss because I had no idea what had set him off. He’s been all over me lately and we’ve been joined at the hip ever since I moved into the loft with him.

 

The next day, Brian announced that he had to deal with a situation or I thought he said there was an account that needed his attention. He said he was leaving the day after I took off and he would be out of town for at least three days. I knew I smelled a rat but I didn’t have a clue as to why he was acting so off. It all makes perfect sense to me now that I realize Brian was in the middle of fight or flight mode. I get it now even though I can’t believe this is happening.”

 

“The way Daddy B hustled me off the phone the other night had me all up in my feelings too,” Bree admitted ruefully. “I called him to confirm what day he was flying in so that Tony and Leilani could make dinner reservations for all of us. He didn’t have time to talk and I was all like, ouch! Was it something I said? So yeah, I was wondering if he was thinking that his life had changed too much too fast. I thought maybe he needed some space. I was all about me when my father was probably scared out of his mind.”

 

“Justin, Bree, Brian is probably so stressed he can’t think straight. But we’re here now and all we have to do is figure out what we’re going to do to get him through this. Justin, you did say Brian is probably at Babylon, right? Let’s go to the loft and if he hasn’t erased the message, you can hear it for yourselves.”

 

BRIAN’S  LOFT

Justin played the recorded message a third time and took a deep breath. “Brian is a micromanaging Alpha dog with control freak tendencies. He’s going to be at Defcon One because, in his book, our good intentions are an egregious invasion of his privacy. He has to be terrified and he’s going to strike out and try to hit us with everything he’s got. But there are three of us and we got the drop on him so I know we can take him. We’re going to kill him with kindness. Guys, I hear the elevator so that must be him. Get your game faces on. It’s show time.”

 

The trio assumed identical expressions of resoluteness on their faces as they watched Brian enter the loft.

 

“What have we here? If it isn’t the Git Along Gang and they’re back in the saddle again. Hey Sunshine, when did you and the Karate Kid blow back into the Pitts? And what’s up with the long faces? Has there been a recall on your favorite sugar encrusted breakfast cereal? Has NBC canceled that Powderpuff Dolls marathon the three of you were so giddy about?”

 

Justin pressed the button on the phone and watched as the color drained from Brian’s expressionless features.

 

“Brian, before you lash out at Justin, I want you to know it was me who ratted you out. And you know what? I’d do it again because my best friend is your partner, and my favorite roomie is your daughter and I think of you as the big brother I have always wanted. I will always be there for you whether you like it or not because we’re family. So get over yourself and let us help get you over this hurdle.”

 

“Me and Daphne know your MO, and yet you were able to herd us up Cliff Kinney. But Bri, Bree is brand new to the game and you hurt her and had her second-guessing how you really feel about your relationship with her. But I helped her see the light and now, we’re all on to you.

 

I can’t believe you had every intention of keeping us in the dark about your condition. I’m so scared and angry and all I want to do is have Bree and Daph help me kick your ass up and down Liberty Avenue. And when this is over, I just might actually follow through.”

 

‘Yeah, Daddy B, this whole deal is so uncool. Fool me once…and I know you know the rest. So we’re going to need for you to cut the crap and remember we got your back. Taylor and I have already made reservations for flights and a hotel for the duration of your stay in Boston. I know you don’t like it but I guess you’ll just have to suck it up because we will not let you go through this alone.”

 

Justin, Bree, and Daphne surrounded Brian in a group hug.

 

“Bri, we know you’re scared and we are scared for you. But for once just trust us and let us support you for a change. Start from the beginning and tell us everything so that we are all on the same page. Will you try, please?”

 

Brian squeezed his eyes shut and nodded slowly. “This stays here in the loft because I don’t want…I can’t deal with Mikey, Debbie, or Lindsay right now. Swear it all of you.”

 

“Of course, Brian, that goes without saying. Not a word and I know I can speak for all three of us. Right, Daph, Bree?

 

“I promise, Brian.”

 

“Daddy B, my lips are sealed.”

 

TBC

Chapter End Notes:

We are getting down to the wire on this story. One more chapter, maybe two and an epilogue will tie things up. 

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