[Report This]Date: Apr 12, 2018 11:46 am Title: Chapter 23
Poor Justin is still out there and Tommy has had the scare of his life. But it looks like it just might work out.
Author's Response:
Thanks, hon. x
Date: Apr 05, 2018 8:13 am Title: Chapter 22
Brian (sorta) to the rescue? TAG
Author's Response:
Sorta... kinda?...not really. ;)
Date: Apr 05, 2018 12:26 am Title: Chapter 22
Holy shit....I am SO PISSED at Jennifer right now! What the fuck was she thinking mentioning shit for brains Craig?! Everyone knows what a trigger Craig is for Justin. Seriously ,why doesn't she clear things with Alex first? Christ I'm so pissed! So sad that Justin's trio of buddies no longer trusts Alex....Oh Teddy....you're such a good man & friend. So glad Brian came 'to the rescue', as it were and instinctively knew how to help Justin & just what to do. I think Alex is learning a lot about our boys connection.
Author's Response:
Alex is learning, but then, so is Brian. ;)
[Report This]Date: Apr 04, 2018 6:02 pm Title: Chapter 22
I so want to kick Jennifer's Ass!!!
And Beat Craig Until He Can't Think Straight!!!
She is still playing the weak willed little wife who let's Craig use her to keep the kids in line.
Did she really think telling Justin that Craig wants to see him after two years of ignorance was a Brilliant Idea??!!
Craig treated Justin like Crap, because he wouldn't conform, gave him an Ultimatum, didn't even show at the hospital to see Justin and dropped him from the insurance as soon as he turned eighteen and has made NO EFFORT TO REPAIR THE RELATIONSHIP with Justin.
But he does feel the need to send Jennifer in as the messenger to destroy what little equilibrium Justin has regained.
If Jennifer really loved Justin she would have told Craig to Go To Hell and spent her sessions trying to repair her relationship with Justin.
Ethan was right to suggest Brian coming in to see Justin, Daphne needs to be a friend not his warden right now.
Ted's session with Justin was good Emmett still has some work to do, Sam and Ethan are just the friends Justin needs and Daphne needs to learn to forgive.
I got all teary-eyed when Brian fed Justin and talked to him about Gus.
If anyone needs help it is Brian and Justin.
Jennifer and Craig might need new A-Holes after Brian finishes with them.
Wonderful Update :)
Author's Response:
Thanks, hon. xx
Date: Apr 04, 2018 3:10 pm Title: Chapter 22
Whoa! Another punch in the guts!
Wonderful chapter, very difficult to read without tears in the eyes.
If I had Jennifer in front of me, I would slap her hard: how could she tell this crap to Justin while he is still in therapy? Does she have no respect for his feelings? She knows what he went through with his sperm donor and how Craig feels about Justin. If she ever let him go near Justin it will be the end: total shutdown.
The end is heartbreaking, but Justin allows Brian to help him and that's huge.
Author's Response:
Thanks, hon.
Date: Apr 04, 2018 2:43 pm Title: Chapter 22
Wow, another powerful chapter. You amaze me with your writing. Definitely another tissue chapter. Can't wait to see where you go with this incredible story.
Author's Response:
cheers, hon.
[Report This]Date: Apr 04, 2018 12:51 pm Title: Chapter 22
This has not been a good week for Justin or was it just a day? I love that Ted said and did all the right things. Emmett still has a ways to go. But then Jennifer comes in and ruins it all. I think she should have talked to Alex before she told Justin what she did. As much as Brian wants to fix Justin, Alex is right. He's got to fix himself first.
Author's Response:
As much as Brian wants to fix Justin, Alex is right. He's got to fix himself first.
^^^ This.
And yes, it was over a week.
[Report This]Date: Apr 02, 2018 3:46 pm Title: Chapter 21
Hopefully, now that Brian’s had this catharsis, things will start getting better ... please. TAG
Author's Response:
Slowly, slowly. 😉
[Report This]Date: Apr 01, 2018 6:09 pm Title: Chapter 21
I feel like my reviews are so repetitive, but omg, girl, you make me feel things when reading this. Firstly, my love for Sam is insane, he's just what all the boys need. I think if Sam wasn't around, Ethan may have lost his shit with Brian long ago - and even though he may have deserved it a little, it wouldn't have helped. It would have made everything worse.
God, SO much could have been prevented if Brian had just let Justin talk or if he'd just opened his eyes and asked him wtf was going on with Ethan lol.
This story is SO beautiful, and I will continue to tell you that :)
Author's Response:
Naw, thanks, honey! Yes, a lot of things could have been prevented, and Brian is finally learning that lesson. And I'm glad you like Sam; when I create characters, I try to make them human, rather than perfect, so that you can see where and why they are needed for the story. Be it Sam or Tommy or even my version of Ethan, they are an integral part of the fic, so I'm glad you like Justin's "boys". 😉 I'll try to remember to add pics next week so you can all meet those boys. xx
Date: Mar 30, 2018 1:19 am Title: Chapter 21
Just when I think its safe to breathe, you up things a notch and I can't breathe again. Reading Ethans words as he told the story to Brian, was painful and yet the comfort they gave each other was so needed for them and for us! Ive been Brian centric since the first episode, with that said Im going to hold on him not taking the blame for what happened. The bashing 100% not his fault, the shitty way he treated Justin at times, I'm willing to give him a pass due to his childhood. Im hoping he is now beginning to see how both events have affected and changed his life and how the consequences, have affected Justins. Hence, the rippling Butterfly Effect. Candy
Author's Response:
Im hoping he is now beginning to see how both events have affected and changed his life and how the consequences, have affected Justins. Hence, the rippling Butterfly Effect.
Hence the title - just how far to those actions and consequences stretch? One step forward, Candy.... two steps back. ;)
Date: Mar 30, 2018 12:01 am Title: Chapter 21
Holy shit....you seriously want to tear our hearts out don't you Kerri? Lol omg so so heart wrenching, listening to Ian...um I mean Ethan tell his story of the day Justin tried to kill himself. Poor Brian.....kinda sweet seeing the pair of them actually comforting each other....wow! A new chapter of every Wednesday evening/Thursday morning always makes my day but of course I end up in tears.
Author's Response:
*Squishes you tight*
[Report This]Date: Mar 29, 2018 5:07 pm Title: Chapter 21
Hearing Ethan and Sam's side of the story is good it shows that life comes with many obstacles that sometimes overwhelms us, but there are some people who come into our lives to save us or hinder us.
Brian needs to deal with the bashing cause the aftermath touched everyone but it greatly changed Brian and Justin the most.
Brian does need new friends outside of his old ones to help him see that avoidance doesn't change what happened and facing it head on chases the demons away while destroying the lingering pain it generates.
This chapter just had me crying.
Author's Response:
*Hugs*
avoidance doesn't change what happened
You nailed it. ;)
Date: Mar 29, 2018 3:32 pm Title: Chapter 21
Great chapter. Your detail to writing is wonderful. Now we just have to get Justin to see that Brian really does love him.
Author's Response:
Baby, steps; Justin is in no way ready for that, believe me. ;)
Date: Mar 29, 2018 3:30 pm Title: Chapter 21
What a difficult and emotional chapter!
Brian needed to hear what happened and to get Ethan's POV. It seems that Ethan needed to hear Brian's POV too; they both got sort of closure and maybe will they end being friends because Brian really needs new ones.
Author's Response:
Thanks, hon, and yes, they both needed this. x
[Report This]Date: Mar 29, 2018 1:38 pm Title: Chapter 21
Powerful. You give us insight into what was happening. Dispite my wanting to make it all Mikey's fault, you show us that indifference hurts.
Author's Response:
you show us that indifference hurts
Bruises fade - words, or a lack of them, don't. ;)
Date: Mar 29, 2018 9:42 am Title: Chapter 21
All this story is sooo full of emotions. I want to know what will happen with our boys, but really glad that I have a week for each chapter. For it is almost impossible to read each new chapter without breaks... sometimes it is too much. It is amaizing how you make us feel everything. Thank you.
Author's Response:
Cheers, hon, and I'm glad that you need the break between chapters because believe me, I need them when writing certain chapters. There is an upcoming chapter that after I wrote it, I sent it to my beta, who cried when reading it, and as I said to Kim, take it away, because I can't look at it anymore. For me, that has been the hardest chapter to write so far. *Wide eyes*
Date: Mar 29, 2018 9:41 am Title: Chapter 21
I want to get all wordy again, but I can't here. This chapter kills me. Absolutely kills me dead. The missed opportunities and mixed messages and blindness...God. Words, Brian. Words. Use them! Ask! Talk! And drop Michael off at the nearest bus stop with a one way ticket to I'm A Shithead City with a travel sticker on his suitcase that says "Brian & Mikey Show Has Been Cancelled. Permanently!"
Michael wasn't even mentioned in this chapter and I feel his freaking obsession and cruelty and jealousy everywhere in it. Ethan's right, Brian needs to get new friends. And he needs to get some serious help ASAP.
Damn. I'm just dead here.
Author's Response:
And drop Michael off at the nearest bus stop with a one way ticket to I'm A Shithead City with a travel sticker on his suitcase that says "Brian & Mikey Show Has Been Cancelled. Permanently!"
LMAO!! Love it!!
The missed opportunities and mixed messages and blindness...God. Words, Brian. Words. Use them! Ask! Talk!
He's learning; slowly but surely, he's learning.
[Report This]Date: Mar 28, 2018 5:25 pm Title: Chapter 20
"How's the food?" That was the best thing Brian could say to break the ice, I loved it.
My heart, each time I read a chapter a different part of my heart breaks LOL. But, girl, this is so good. I hope that slowly Justin realises he can trust Brian again. Brian has a lot to learn of course, but he loves his boy and would do anything to put that sunshine smile back on his face <3
Thank God Brian got those photos taken down <3
Author's Response:
Thanks, honey. xx
Date: Mar 24, 2018 1:47 pm Title: Chapter 20
Your descriptions of the photos were so evocative. Great writing. TAG
Author's Response:
Cheers. honey. xx
Date: Mar 22, 2018 5:10 pm Title: Chapter 20
Holy shit...every week my heart continues to break for Brian...and Justin, Christ, it's just shattered...I am never disappointed with your written word, you're amazing & this story is epic!
Of course Justin sees his own lost innocense in Tommy, oh my goodness, he's such a great friend. I'm so glad Justin allowed Brian to touch him and speak to him and gave him silent permission to come back...
Brian will never forgive Michael, I don't see their friendship ever repairing after this.
I wish you had enough time for 2 chapters a week, damn real life! lol
Author's Response:
I adore you, Gloria, seriously!! But on a more serious note, you picked up on a theme there - silent permission. ;) Brian having to read actions and silences - let's see how well he does. ;)
[Report This]Date: Mar 22, 2018 2:44 am Title: Chapter 20
Renee was being selfish and very inconsiderate when she put up that photo of Justin in the hospital without his permission.
Exploiting Justin's pain for a high grade and high recognition is just such a scumbag thing to do, I hope she gets into serious trouble for her actions and she learns to be more considerate of others cause the next person won't have as much restraint as Brian had.
Brian going to Justin to give him the pictures is good they are making some progress and Brian is seeing that his actions cause Justin to react the only way he knew how.
Brian still needs to say the words because actions is what lead to Justin building walls, words are the reason why Justin only sees himself as Damaged Goods.
Brian needs to see that saying I Love You, I'm Sorry, Forgive Me won't mean the world will end.
Words have the power to destroy a heart, but they also have the power to mend a heart too.
Brian denied he felt love from Justin and that allowed Jack and Joan to win, they still controlled his life until Brian is ready to say the I Love You and not cringe then they still have the power.
Still have a long road to go.
Author's Response:
Brian still needs to say the words because actions is what lead to Justin building walls, words are the reason why Justin only sees himself as Damaged Goods.
^^^ This.
Brian denied he felt love from Justin and that allowed Jack and Joan to win, they still controlled his life until Brian is ready to say the I Love You and not cringe then they still have the power.
^^^And this.
Still have a long road to go.
^^^And this, too.
They aren't even reading the same chapter yet, let alone being on the same page. Thanks, hon. xx
[Report This]Date: Mar 22, 2018 12:56 am Title: Chapter 20
If only Brian could say the things he thought. It was a good thing that he saw those pictures and got them removed when he did. I think Justin might be one step closer to forgiving.
Author's Response:
I think Justin might be one step closer to forgiving.
Not a step; maybe a toe's hold, but not a step.
And yes, Brian will learn that he needs to say those things because silence is never a good thing for Justin.
Date: Mar 22, 2018 12:00 am Title: Chapter 20
Wow, another terrific chapter. Hopefully they are on their way to getting Justin better. Brian realizing his part in it means so much. Great writing.
Author's Response:
THanks, hon. xx
Date: Mar 21, 2018 11:53 pm Title: Chapter 20
I'm wordy. Sorry. :)
"He doubted that he would ever be able to give Justin the words that he needed, but he would damn well make sure that his actions would show Justin everything that he was unable to say."
Therapy, however one gets around to it, is a substantively selfish enterprise. Focusing on the self is absolutely necessary, making self the center of the therapy universe is almost imperative for healing/dealing, because the issues involved in therapy are pretty much, well, within the self. "Why do I feel this way?/Who am I, really?/Why do I react this way? and so on. The only person you can 'fix' is you and the only one you can fix it for is you. Brian has been seeing Alex and is doing his own introspection and, necessarily, focuses on *his* needs and deeds. Good for him. He's starting to get it. But...(and you knew there had to be a 'but' in there, didn't you? LOL) he can't fix Justin no matter how much he wants to.
Brian is still trying to fix Justin's situation rather than seeing that the problem he needs to work on can be boiled down to the first part of that sentence above. Why can't *Brian* say his words? He's getting there, but he's still so monumentally f'ed up, so stuck in the damage that he himself has never dealt with, that he still finds words superfluous. They really aren't. Working on his actions, the reasons behind and consequences of, is a good thing. But there is a damage so deep inside Brian that it has rendered him psychologically mute when it comes to things that others need - not just want - to hear. You an pat a child on the should all day long, help with her homework, take her shopping, make sure food is on the table and she has a warm bed. But sometimes that child just needs to hear the words.
I'm hurting for him (finally ;)) but he's still looking for bottom. He can finally rise up from there.
And I LOVE him for ripping down those pictures. That girl should be expelled! Those other images were public or posed, obviously. The hospital images were not. Let a picture of her taking a crap be displayed, or undergoing a pap smear! So, now that my petty little tweenager has spoken up, I can't wait for more. This is a fascinating psychological journey. Love this story!
Author's Response:
But...(and you knew there had to be a 'but' in there, didn't you? LOL) he can't fix Justin no matter how much he wants to.
^^^^^ This!! Yes!! Finally!! Brian thinks if he 'fixes his boy' then all will be well. He can't fix this - only Justin can. And the problem with that is that Justin isn't the same 'boy' that he once was. For starters - he's no longer a boy. ;)
Brian is still trying to fix Justin's situation... Why can't *Brian* say his words? but he's still looking for bottom. He can finally rise up from there.
Remember when we spoke about Brian's rock bottom? This will be a part of his journey - from this chapter on, you'll see him start that journey, and he will learn that spoken words are more powerful, and more needed, than any action given. I said in another review answer, that now it is Brian's turn to learn to read silences and actions... ;) He's on that slippery slope. He just doesn't know it yet.
I'm really glad you're still enjoying this fic, hon. Means a lot. xx
Date: Mar 21, 2018 10:47 pm Title: Chapter 20
They still have a long way to go, but the gap is slowly shrinking. Touching hands can be a first important step for them; that and the pictures that Brian gave Justin.
Author's Response:
I agree. xx