Reviewer: aglaja5 Signed [Report This]
Date: Aug 04, 2018 1:36 pm Title: Chapter 6

Hi! I really like this idea with these two stories... While reading this one we all hope that there will be someone who just tells Justin... But at the same time we all know, it's not going to happen, the damage is done... Damned :-)

I want to scream at them... at Ted... at Jennifer... at Brian... please, just tell Justin! But there's no one who had the balls. And the reason for both is just the threat by Brian??? I can't believe this! There must be other reasons?!?! And this is the point I don't understand or let's say something doesn't feel right... It was already asked by another reader. What would have happened if Justin had been told about the pregnancy and got back? As I said before, this would be another story, but there is this little thought which sometimes comes up in my crazy mind. Could it be that for example Jennifer also believed that, at this point in there life, Justin and Brian wouldn't make it? Don't get me wrong, it's no excuse for Brian's behavior or for Jennifer's and there is nothing that could justify what they've had done, and there is no argument why Justin shouldn't know about this, because in the end it is his choice and they've taken this from him, but I asked myself if they would have made it... Brian, who hasn't recognized that he needs help, who hasn't even started fight against any of his demons. And Justin... 5 years later Justin seems to be even more mature, He's very self-confident and self-content in a positive way. And yeah, after all, they way they used to talk and try to solve problems before Justin went to New York, was simply not enough. It's not that I say there would've been no other way, I only like to play with or imagine diffenrent scenarios in my head... There was this other fanfic (From the Brink of Spring to the Edge of Winter), where Brian got pregnant and through his pregnancy he really matured, starts to overwhelmed his demons. On the other hand, Justin who really wanted a family with Brian, appeared to be too young and too confused about being a father after the birth and he went away for a few years. Although it nearly broke my heart, this story is also so excellent, amazing writing-style, but also so hard to read, painful, heartbreaking. So, sometimes your story reminds me of this one, even if there are different situations and topics. So, I'm looking forward to the next chapter and send you my warmest regards!

Author's Response:

I have to admit I was rather surprised by how well the two stories worked out and by how much I liked the idea of them supporting each other and giving insights into different parts of storylines and characters. When I started writing Back for Good that was not the plan at all... But that's life - it takes over and we just follow ;)

While reading this story, there is still the hope that maybe one of them will be decent and do the right thing, that maybe one of them will tell Justin, but as we know - nope, not gonna happen. That to me makes the heartbreak of the Pittsburgh Years only more real. All the things Brian was so scared about, all the things Ted warned him about... We know how it turned out in the end. We know the damage this decision caused :(

 

That is the question: What would Brian have done if Justin had shown up? What would Brian have done if Justin had confronted him at the loft, the house or wherever... Would he have run away? Would he have sucked it up and talked to Justin? What if... maybe we'll never know.

 

I won't lie: When writing these two stories, I really started to realise for the first time that I was not confident that Justin and Brian (on the show) would have made it. Obviously I wanted them to and obviously I did believe that the move to New York didn't mean an end to their relationship, but those two already had huge communication issues when in the same town and living together. I can only imagine what their relationship would have turned into with them living in different states...

And I think that the age difference played a part in that - Justin was very young and Brian was at a completely different place in his life. Yes, maybe emotionally they were on the same level, but as far as their lives were concerned, they were never equals. Brian had the money, Brian had the apartment where they lived, Brian paid for everything... That is something that will definitely come up in Back for Good.

Having said that: It will help them in Back for Good that they have both grown up and matured in their own way. Most definitely :)

Thanks for your comment - as always I appreciate it so much :D More will be up later today!

Reviewer: mamab Signed [Report This]
Date: Aug 01, 2018 11:53 pm Title: Chapter 6

Wow, great chapter.  Can understand why Brian is doing this, but it is so wrong. Sorry RL just likes to get in the way.

Author's Response:

Yes, I can understand his reasons as well, but that doesn't make them right :/ 

Luckily it's the good kind of RL ;) I am having visitors over for the week and we're going out every day, so not much time to spend in front of the PC ;)

Thanks for your comment!