Justin Taylor was feeling more excited than he had in a long time. He had just heard from his agent, Sherry, and the woman was flying high. She had gotten Justin a crack at a juicy part in an upcoming production of a movie based on a popular comic book and all he had to do was audition for it. Justin had been in Hollywood for almost five years now and the best he'd done so far was land some guest shots on a couple of soap operas and a dozen bit parts in films, although one film had been a big money maker.

Justin had come to Hollywood with dreams of being a name actor like so many thousands before him. He didn't care about stardom so much as being respected in the business. He had sacrificed a lot to get here. His dad had been adamantly opposed to his only son's career ambitions. He had wanted his son to follow in his footsteps and join the family furniture business. Craig Taylor had even vowed to cut off financial help for college if Justin didn't drop his dreams. The threat failed.

Justin decided to leave his home in Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania and move to Hollywood. He stared his father down that last day and told the man that he could take his threats and shove them. He would make it on his own. Five years later he was still struggling, working every petty job he could get his hands on to pay the bills, and trying to build up a reputation as a skilled actor. This new part was the first time that he had been offered a lead and he would give the audition his very best in hopes of snagging the role. An added incentive to getting the part would be the chance to go on location which would be in Pittsburgh, less than ten minutes driving time from Justin's home town. He missed his Mom, who had secretly been sending him care packages for years now, and his younger sister Molly. He hadn't spoken a word to his Dad in so long that missing him was another story.

Justin also missed his old friends back home. He hadn't been that close to too many of his peers but there was one in particular, Daphne, whom he missed a great deal. She had been his girlfriend all through high school. They had promised not to let the distance break them up but, of course, it didn't work out that way. Daphne had started dating others in a little less than six months, but Justin didn't hold it against her. Truth was, he adored Daph but he really didn't have a desire to settle down with her...at least not for a long time. Justin hadn't found anyone else he wanted to date in Tinseltown. He told himself that it was because everyone was so shallow, but the truth was that no one attracted him. He was just too damned busy trying to establish himself to worry about getting involved with anyone.

Justin stepped back into the Celluloid Diner after finishing the last puff of his cigarette break. He wanted more than anything to tell greasy Phil, the owner of the joint, that he quit because he finally had a good part in a movie, but he knew from bitter experience that it was better not to count his chickens too soon. He'd hold his tongue for now, but if the gods were on his side, he'd be seeing the last of this place very soon. He was grateful to have found the place since his last job fired him for taking too much time off to audition, but Phil was a creep who had a bad habit of rubbing up against Justin's backside every time he came back to the washing area of the kitchen. It gave Justin the willies, but he needed the job too bad right now to complain out loud. It wasn't that Justin cared that Phil was gay...he'd been hit on since arriving in Hollywood by plenty of folks, both male and female...it was just Phil himself that made Justin sick.

The minute Justin got off work he headed straight for his tiny cramped apartment in West Hollywood. A fellow actor had told him about the apartment less than a week after he had arrived in town. It had been a blessing since Justin really didn't have a lot of funds to get him by before he found his first job and staying in the motel, even his super cheap one, was a lot more money out of his pocket than getting the apartment. It hadn't taken Justin long to figure out that nearly, if not all, his neighbors were gay but it didn't matter to him. He quickly became expert in brushing off their many advances and keeping to himself.

Once he had settled into his overstuffed easy chair that he had gotten for hardly anything at a local thrift store, Justin cracked open a cold beer and picked up his phone. He had kept in touch with Daphne, even though it had been a lot less frequent since she had fallen in love with a fellow Med student, and he was dying to tell her about the audition. She might even know something about the story behind the comic book since it was published in Pittsburgh. Maybe she could even find him a copy to read, unless he found it on-line first. Every little bit of info would help him next week when he kept the appointment with the casting director.

Daphne picked up on the second ring. "Hey, Babe, I was just thinking about you." Her voice was filled with happiness.

"What's up, kiddo? You sound like the cat that ate the canary." Justin had never heard her happier.

"Even better, my dear friend. I just finished the last of exams for the year. And...."

"Well that certainly sounds like a reason to celebrate."

"You didn't let me finish. As I was about to say, I also have some news for you."

"So tell me."

"Well! I told you about Gary, my lab partner, right? Well he wanted to help me celebrate so he took me to dinner at a really cool place downtown and then....oh man, you won't believe it!"

"Damn, girl, you'd better tell me before you bust."

"Okay, okay! Now get this! He asked me to marry him!!!" Daphne screamed the last part.

Justin was speechless for a second. He felt happy for his best friend, but oddly depressed. He hadn't even had a date in forever and she was going to be walking down the aisle. He shook off the feeling and put on his cheeriest tone.

"That's fantastic, Daph! So when's the big day?"

"Geez, Justin. He just asked. We still have internships to get through first. Besides, I'm waiting for you to become a huge star so I can have you come to the wedding. Then I can show you off to everybody," she giggled.

"Well then, I hope Gary isn't in too big a hurry. Oh, but that's why I called. I have an audition in a few days with a casting director and the part is a big one...a lead. And listen to this...the movie will be shot in Pittsburgh."

Justin's eardrum ached when Daphne let out a shrill scream.

"Oh man, Justin! You've got to get the part. We can really spend some time together if you do."

"Whoa, girl! We'll be able to see each other, but don't forget I'll be working."

"So, what's the part?"

"I don't have all the details yet. I know the film is based on a gay comic strip called "Rage" and I play the victim of a gay bashing. That's about it so far. Listen, I was thinking...maybe you could see if you could get your hands on a copy of the comic. The thing is published right there in Pittsburgh where the author lives. If I had a copy I might be able to get a better feel for the part."

"Not a prob, kiddo. I'll let you know as soon as I check it out."

The friends continued to make small talk for a little longer and then said their good byes. Justin was feeling even more excited about the prospects with the new role by the time he moved over to the ricketdy old desk that held his second hand computer. He logged on quickly and googled 'Rage, the comic book'. A page popped up seconds later and Justin clicked on the main link. The screen was suddenly filled with a picture of the cover of the comic book.

Justin stared at the tall muscular man in a black mask and skin hugging silver tights. He looked fierce, but there was something about the eyes. They were hypnotic. Justin had seen plenty of attractive hunks and empty headed but well built men in the last five years. Not a single one had caught Justin's attention in any way. But there was something definitely appealing about this Rage character. Justin couldn't put his finger on it, but he found it hard to look away from the screen.

After a few more minutes of oogling, Justin laughed out loud and shook his head. "Well! If the cover captured my attention this strongly, maybe the movie has a chance of being a huge hit," he mused out loud. Justin then clicked on the 'Buy it Now' button and placed his order. He clicked on the 'Expedited Delivery' key on the order form. It would raise the price several dollars but he was guaranteed delivery in two to three days. The sooner the better, he decided. This was no time to count pennies. The order completed, Justin went to his kitchen and rummaged around for leftovers. He'd be eating leftovers snuck out of the diner for a little while to pay for the comic. He just prayed it was a good investment.

That night, Justin crashed in his tiny twin bed. The frame had been discovered in the back of a furniture store near the mammoth trash can. Justin had used his expertise learned at his Dad's furniture store to fix the cracked frame. His Mom had given him a brand new mattress as a Birthday gift his first year in the apartment. The mattress was still comfortable even after all this time and he snuggled under the covers. An hour later Justin was softly snoring as he began to dream about flying super heroes wearing incredibly sexy tights with impressive bulges in all the right places. The young man was so exhausted from his busy day that he didn't even wake up to see the impressive boner that he had developed. It was the first wet dream he'd had since his teens. But it wouldn't be his last.

To be continued....

Justin again pondered on how in the hell he was going to keep his temper in check if he didn't get the role in 'Rage'. He stepped off the bus and walked slowly with his head down towards his apartment building. That son of a bitch, Phil, was going to fondle his ass one time too many, and he knew he was going to lose it. What was it with all the gay guys hitting on him all the time? Justin reached his door and gratefully slipped the key in the lock.

Once he was back in his little sanctuary, away from the outside world, Justin was able to relax for the first time today. He cracked open a cold one and relaxed in his easy chair. This had been one of his worst days ever. Business had been slow at the diner, which gave Phil too much time on his hands to pester Justin. The tips had been lousy, on top of everything else. Sherry had sent Justin a copy of the script for the movie so he could study his part, but he still wanted to see a copy of the comic book itself. It had been three days now and it still hadn't arrived. The audition was in three days and Justin KNEW he had to get this role.

He had just finished up his doggie bag of leftover chili and corn bread from the diner when he heard the knock on his door. A jolt of electricity raced through him when he realized the UPS man was holding out a package from Pittsburgh. He thanked the guy, shut the door quickly, and raced back to his chair. In seconds he was staring at the sexy cover of the comic book.

Again, Justin found himself drawn to the eyes behind the mask of the character, Rage. There was something more than a fierceness behind those eyes. Justin couldn't figure out what it was, but he was drawn to them anyway. The eyes told a lot about the character. They said that the man was sensitive and vulnerable as well as tough. Whoever had drawn the character must have had powerful feelings for the model of the character. His curiosity brought him to the credits page. Story by Michael Novotny, it said...drawings by Lindsay Peterson. Well, whoever this Lindsay person was, they certainly were fond of Rage.

Justin began to read the story. He was finding the adventures in Gayopolis interesting, until he got to the page where a young gay man named JT was brutally attacked. A chill went down Justin's back. He suddenly had a moment of doubt. Could he ever do a part, so emotionally devastating, the justice it deserved? Justin had never experienced any kind of fear or pain that this character was going to have to go through. But then, he remembered that he was an actor and it was his job to become the character. He would put himself into JT's shoes and get that role. He had to!

Justin finished the story and breathed a sigh of relief. All's well that ends well, he laughed to himself. He wondered how far the producers were going to go with this story. Hollywood still wasn't known for exploring the possibilities of homosexuality in film quite yet. It usually wasn't financially beneficial to go too far if you wanted a hit. The comic book was pretty damned explicit with the sex, but Justin doubted the producers would go that far out on a limb and risk having too narrow an audience. Justin wondered just how far out on a limb he himself was willing to go. He had never even come close to kissing a guy, but he was pretty sure he could handle that with no real problem. It was only if they wanted more that he wasn't as sure of.

By this time, Justin was worn out and ready to hit the sack. A nice hot shower would go a long way in relaxing him so he could get a good nights sleep. He stepped into his tiny bathroom and got in the tub. He drew the fish laden plastic curtain around the tub and turned on the water. His one indulgence, a multi-headed massaging shower head, sprayed down over his back and shoulders. The stinging jets felt good to his aching back...standing over dirty dishes all day was a bitch...and Justin felt himself start to unwind.

He began to soap himself down with his sponge. Justin scrubbed his face, neck, arms, chest, and stomach. He let the water rinse away the bubbles. His closed his eyes and began picturing the comic book he'd just read. He unconsciously moved his hand down to his privates. He slowly soaped himself around his pubes, spreading his legs to get better access to his inner thighs. He continued soaping his hips while moving his free hand to his penis. It registered for a second that his cock was growing harder, then he continued on. He rubbed the sponge along his hardening cock and then took his other hand and began massaging the bubbles into the skin. He moved the sponge down to his balls and began rubbing the soap onto them.

Justin let go of the sponge and began to massage his balls with one hand while his other ran up and down his now rock hard shaft. His breathing grew more and more shallow until his body suddenly tensed and he let out a yelp as he shot his orgasm against the far shower curtain. Justin leaned against the wall trying to regain normal breathing. He had masturbated hundreds and hundreds of times in this very shower, but never with such intensity. He had no intention of exploring the fact that the last image in his head as he shot his load was that of the comic strip character, Rage.

********************************************

Brian Kinney was a man on the move. He was still in his early thirties, but he already owned his own advertising agency and had a growing clientele. Now his best friend, since childhood, was asking the impossible and it really pissed him off. Michael wanted him to do all the advertising for the movie that some asshole in Hollywood had agreed to do based on Mikey's comic book. Mikey told him that it was even in the agreement for selling the rights to the story, that Kinnetik would be the agency to handle all publicity. Brian appreciated the business bone from his friend, but he had never tried promoting a film before. Of course, it was just another product, he ventured, so he knew he could do the job. The more he thought about it, the less irritating it sounded.

Brian shouted at Cynthia, his longtime personal assistant, and watched as the woman scurried into his office.

"Yes, Boss ?"

"Cynthia, I want you to get hold of..." Brian scanned the note pad on his desk, "....Brett Keller, in Hollywood. Here's his cell number. Set up a meet with him asap. If we're going to take on this little project for Michael, I need to talk to the top man."

Cynthia grabbed the note and turned on her heels. "Will do, Brian," she answered briskly.

Five minutes later she was back with news that a meeting had been agreed to for Monday morning. That was good enough for Brian. That left him free to enjoy his usual debauched weekend, starting with tonight. By seven, Brian was sitting at a table in Woody's surrounded by his circle of friends. Michael sat to the left of him safely snuggled under his boyfriend's protective arm. Ben Bruckner, or Professor as Brian liked to call him, was a formidable looking guy but a real softy at heart. Brian approved of him...a much better match than Mikey's last attempt at domestic bliss, the insufferably stuffy and possessive Doctor Dave.

On Brian's right sat the irrepressible Emmett Honeycutt. The man was a queen if Brian ever saw one, but it was impossible not to like Emmett. He was as honest and caring as the day was long and just plain fascinating to watch. Sometimes his homespun, country ways irritated Brian, but then everyone irritated Brian on occasion, even Mikey. Brian could put up with that easily. Next to Emmett sat Brian's accountant and company manager, Ted Schmidt. Ted was a puzzlement to Brian. He still couldn't figure out why he cared about the guy. He certainly wasn't to Brian's taste. But, damn it, he liked the guy and he sure as hell trusted him. That in itself was amazing since the guy was a recovered crystal queen. But there you had it. He was surrounded by his closest friends and they were not the bunch he ever thought he'd hang with. He sighed deeply.

"We boring you, sweetie?" Emmett asked, grinning innocently.

"Now that you mention it...I'm heading for Babylon!"

"I'm with him," piped up Ted.

The mass exodus began with Brian, as he led his merry troop out of Woody's. Babylon was in full swing as the men entered the main floor. Everyone headed en masse to the bar. Drinks in hand, they surveyed their magic kingdom. Most of them had been coming to this place for fifteen years or more, and they still got a thrill at the thumpa thumpa of the music that surrounded them. They still enjoyed the view as they checked out the newest twinks and hottest studs. Within minutes, Brian zeroed in on his next conquest and was hooking up on the dance floor.

All four men marveled at how easily Brian managed to find his first trick for the night. He never even seemed to try. They gravitated to him like a magnet to metal. Michael had long since gotten over his jealousy of the nameless lays, since he finally realized that not one of them meant a thing to Brian. The faceless horde served one purpose only, satisfying Brian's itch, and then faded into nothing. Michael knew that Brian would never feel that way about him and that would have to do. A part of him knew that if Brian ever fucked him, Mikey might become a nameless person too. It was true that he had a crush on Brian, and probably always would, but he was more than satisfied with the boyfriend he ended up with. Ben was hot enough and smart enough to make Michael very proud to be with him.

There wasn't a single man in Babylon that night that didn't see Brian Kinney as a heartless prick who was ruled entirely by his dick. It didn't matter. They didn't want to be his friend or get to know him or even date him. He had a reputation for being one of the best fuckers in town and that was all that they wanted from him....a chance to check out his rep and see if he deserved it. He always satisfied.

Brian Kinney himself was perfectly content with his life. Who wouldn't be? His childhood had been a nightmare that he sometimes thought he'd never wake from. The worst part was his lack of control over the shit that was happening to him. His mother's icy cold treatment of him, and his father's red hot anger at him would have warped the young Brian even worse if it hadn't been for the Novotny family. He had met Mikey in middle school and formed a friendship the day that Brian punched out a bully who was picking on the much smaller Michael.

Debbie Novotny, Mikey's mom, took the tall skinny Brian under her wing in gratitude for his protective services, and that was the beginning of Brian's salvation. After that first day at the Novotny house, Brian had a refuge whenever things got to be too much at the Kinney house. Debbie was the epitome of an earth mother, even going so far as to let both her boys off the hook when letting them know that she was aware that they were both gay and couldn't care less when they were fifteen years old. She even added that they had better wear a condom in case they ever fucked together. Brian had been amused at that...Michael turned a bright red and couldn't look at Brian for hours afterward.

Now as an adult, Brian had the one thing that meant the most to him in his life...total control. No one would ever hurt him again. He wouldn't allow it. He controlled every aspect of his life and it would remain that way till the day he died. Now he even owned his own ad agency, so even his work life was entirely in his hands. As Brian pulled the twenty something twink with the nice abs back into the backroom by his belt loops for a quick blow job, Brian smiled his feral smile and thought about nothing but how good it was going to feel to get off and then return to the dance floor. He had no idea that his 'perfect' little world that he ruled so contentedly was about to enter the eye of a hurricane in the form of a small blue-eyed blond. If he had, he would have been fortifying the walls that he had surrounded himself with years ago.

To be continued.....

Justin couldn't believe how raunchy the comic book 'Rage ' turned out to be. He had read through it rapidly the night he got the thing and found himself rereading it the next morning. He was surprised at how fascinating the characters were. He had never been drawn to comics, even as a child. He was a bit of a literary snob, preferring the classics to pulp fiction, but this comic had hypnotic characters, especially Rage himself.

Justin had been a little disturbed while contemplating on how close to the comic the producers were going to come with the movie. The script he had read did stick pretty close to the comic itself, but it was a rough draft and Justin knew enough about the business to know that a lot of changes could happen before the final draft. He was more anxious than ever to get to the audition and snag the part. Sex scenes be damned. JT was an interesting character and he wanted the part so bad it hurt. He'd deal with the details of what was going to be expected of him once he nailed the audition.

Two days (and several more perusals of the comic book) later, Justin stood in front of his tiny mirror and examined his reflection. He was dressed in a colorful tee shirt and tight fitting blue jeans, an outfit that he was fully aware made him look several years younger than he actually was. But that was the whole point. JT was supposed to be a 'twink' barely out of high school, and Justin knew it always helped the casting directors if the actors came in looking the part. He wasn't sure who would be at the audition, but he was as ready as he ever would be.

Thirty minutes and one bus transfer later, Justin stood outside the small studio where the audition was to be held. He couldn't remember ever being so nervous. He wanted this lead role more than any part he had ever gone up for. It was almost eerie. The part was a lead role, true enough, but Justin felt drawn to the role in a way he had never done before. It called out to him. He knew he could do the part more justice than any other actor. Now he just needed to prove it to the head honchos. He stepped into the building and made his way to the room that was listed on the note Sherry had sent him.

Justin entered the door at the end of the hall and found himself in a room full of young men. There had to be twenty five or more twenty somethings with various hair colors lounging on couches and chairs or standing along walls. Some chatted with each other, others read scripts, while others just sat looking at nothing in particular. Justin moved over to the tiny desk in the corner where a young lady was busy shuffling resumes and head shots. She looked up and gave him her best tired smile. Justin handed over his papers and was instructed to take a seat.

It seemed like hours later when Justin's name was finally called. By that time, he was the only actor left in the room. He stepped gingerly to the door the young lady pointed him to. Justin entered the small inner office. He was standing in front of a long table that took up nearly the entire room. There were a little more than half a dozen men and women in the room. He recognized Brett Keller, the Director, from a previous film he'd shot. Most of the others were strangers, but there were two faces he recognized immediately. They were the creators of the comic book. They had small mug shots on the back of the comic where the credits were listed. The dark haired, brown eyed man that Justin knew was Michael Novotny sat forward suddenly and seemed to stare a hole through the young blond in front of him. For some reason, Justin felt more nervous than ever being scrutinized by the author. Then he remembered why he was here.

After being reminded what scene he was to perform, Justin began his lines. The scene involved JT thanking Rage for saving his life. Justin reflected on how getting the part would truly be saving him and put all his heart into the reading. When he was finished, there was a small smattering of light applause from a few of the panel including Novotny and Lindsay Peterson. A small bespectacled man, sitting next to the Director, thanked Justin for his performance and informed him that he'd be hearing from them soon. Justin exited, but not before noticing the large grin on Mr. Novotny's face. Now all he could do was wait.

***************************************************

Brian tried to get his friend to calm down. Mikey was blathering on and on about the perfect cast, especially JT.

"Really, Brian, you should see him! It's almost weird too. He even has the same initials. I mean, the kid is perfect. He's just what I pictured when I wrote the character for you... I mean Rage to save. The casting director wanted to go with this other dude but I made it clear that I wanted this kid. I think Brett's going to go along with me on this. Keep your fingers crossed. I've got to get back. I'll call you when I know something."

Poor Brian had barely been able to get a word in edgewise. He didn't think he'd ever heard Mikey so excited about something. Well, except for when he first created the comic. His boyfriend, the Professor, had written and published a book and Michael had made some smart aleck comment that he could be a writer too if he put his mind to it. He loved owning his own comic book store, but never even thought about creating his own comic. Ben had snapped back that writing wasn't as easy as Michael thought. That did it. The gauntlet was thrown down.

Michael had zero art talent but he soon pressed their mutual friend, Lindsay, into creating the art work for the comic. Brian was fully aware that the main character of the comic was based on him. He was truly flattered, although he'd never let on. He had always known that he was Michael's hero. It was a role he enjoyed playing.

The meeting with Brett Keller the previous day had gone well. He seemed genuine in his plans to keep Rage as gay as he was supposed to be, although Brian kept his reservations intact. He was an ad man, after all. He knew what kind of bull shit was thrown out there by people in show business. Keller, himself, was obviously swinging for their team, since he all but drooled when he saw the image of Rage reflected in Brian. Brian would have given him a tumble, but he was too busy at the time.

Now all he had to do was wait for Mikey and Lindsay to get back to the Pitts and wait for the production team to arrive. He had been reluctant to get involved in the whole Rage thing at first, but Brian was beginning to warm up to the idea. Who knew, if the film did well maybe it could lead to more advertising work in the movie industry. He knew big bucks could be made that way. He liked the sound of that. Production was scheduled to begin in two weeks. Brian would just have to be patient.

****************************************************

Justin had been sitting by the phone for what seemed forever. Luckily it was his day off from the diner, but he had to get back to work tomorrow. He had not been able to eat or concentrate on anything since leaving the studio. That had been around four p.m. He had been home for hours now. The phone rang and Justin jumped out of his skin. He had the phone to his ear before the second ring.

"Hello, hello!" he yelled into the receiver.

The voice of his agent, Sherry, came back at him as cool as a cucumber.

"Whoa there, boy! You're going to bust a blood vessel. So, I heard from the Rage people."

"I figured as much! So what did they say?" Justin questioned anxiously.

"Well...they thought you did a good job and...."

"And I didn't get the part. Fuck!"

"I didn't say that. You're JT, kiddo!" she yelled into the phone.

Justin's yelp of pure pleasure would have broken Sherry's ear drum, but the woman had been in the business long enough to know that news like this required holding the phone a long distance from the ear.

"So, you wanna hear more?"

Justin forced himself to calm down a little. "Lay it on me."

"They want you to be in Pittsburgh by the end of the week for pre-production, and you'll get the final script then. They'll have a ticket for you to fly out on Friday. Shooting starts a week from that Monday. They're moving fast on this now that they've got the financing. Most everything else was already set in place...location shots, costumes, etc. They want you to meet with the main players in the making and selling of the film before they start shooting, plus you have wardrobe fittings. Congratulations kiddo, you are going to be a staaaar!"

"I love you Sherry!"

"You too kiddo." He really was her favorite client.

The next day, Justin walked into the Celluloid Diner and looked around for his nemesis, Phil. He spotted him behind the counter making a fresh pot of coffee. He walked boldly up to the greasy man and tapped him on the shoulder. Phil swung around and grinned when he saw the blond behind him.

"You're five minutes late, kid. I'll have to dock you. Unless you'd like to make it up to me," he leered.

"I don't think so, Phil. Oh, and by the way, I'm giving you my twenty four hour notice. I just got the lead in a new movie and I won't be returning here after today." Justin threw a huge smile Phil's way.

The man's face turned beet red.

"What!? You can't just walk out like that. I gave you a job when you needed one desperately and this is how you repay me? If you leave now, don't expect your job to be waiting for you when you fall flat on your face, you asshole." His voice rose with each word.

Justin was a little taken aback by Phil's anger, but he stood tall and shot back, "Whether I fall flat on my face or become a big fat fucking success, I can guarantee you'll never see my face in here again, you jerk. And if I finish out today, you'd better keep those greasy fingers of yours to yourself. I'm tired of you pawing me. Touch me once today and I'll break your fucking hand."

With that, Justin turned around and went to the back to get his apron. He had the feeling that Phil wouldn't be in too big of a hurry to give him his last weeks pay, but Justin could have cared less. He had a film waiting for him. He was going to be the actor he always wanted to be. By the time he was done, everyone would know his name and he would be in demand. He looked heavenward. If there really was a God he prayed he'd be right.

To be continued......

Justin was about to jump out of his skin. He was pretty sure he had never been so nervous in his life. The big moment was about to arrive and there were times when he thought it never would. First off, he misplaced his plane ticket Friday morning and tore up every inch of his dowdy little apartment until finally finding the damned thing in his jacket pocket. Then there had been a shitty traffic jam due to a multi-car pileup on the freeway and he almost missed his flight, even though he had ordered the cab (a huge indulgence) almost three hours earlier than his departure time. The final straw was when the plane was grounded for several more hours on the runway due to mechanical difficulties. The plane was finally in the air and Justin had a smooth flight to Pittsburgh's airport.

When the young man arrived, he was surprised and pleased to find a car and driver still waiting for him. Some of his nervous tension eased a little as the driver shuttled him to his hotel, where the vast majority of the cast and crew from out of town would be staying. It was by no means fancy but certainly far from a dump either. He had been told by the pretty young blonde that greeted him that she was his liaison with the producers and director of the movie and she would answer any questions he might have. Miss Barker then gave him his room key and told him he'd be bunking with the actor chosen to play Zephyr...a young man named Jimmy Dixon. In the next instant the butterflies returned en masse when she informed him that a meeting was set up for seven p.m., right after dinner, so that all the participants could have the chance to meet and get to know each other.

Justin couldn't put his finger on why he was so nervous this time. He'd been on other sets and in other productions before. True, they had never been leading parts but still, he had never been so flustered before. He felt like his whole life and future success was riding on this one role and single movie. He had been far too nervous to eat anything. Actually, he had hardly eaten a damned thing all day. There had been too much going on and he simply forgot to. He had met his new roommate for all of five minutes before the chipper young man had disappeared out the door, promising to see him at the meeting. Because of arriving so late, Justin had only been forced to wait an hour and a half before the meeting was scheduled, but the time dragged by in torturous slow motion. Finally, seven o'clock was only ten minutes away. Justin gathered the papers that Sherry had given him before leaving and left his room behind, but not his jangled nerves.

When Justin stepped into the hotel's conference room, he was greeted by a couple of dozen strange faces and a few he recognized. He couldn't miss Brett Keller, the Director. He was obviously the man in charge. He saw his roommate and a couple of other actors that he knew from the audition circuit, though not personally. He spotted the casting director with the authors of the comic book standing beside him. As he scanned past Mr. Novotny and Miss Peterson, his eyes fell on the tall, slender man next to her.

Justin drew in a sharp breath and held it. He sensed that it was inappropriate, but the only word that came to his mind as he stared at the hazel-eyed brunet was 'beautiful'. My God, this man was simply beautiful. Justin thought to himself that he had seen that face before on Greek statues. The high brow topped by thick silken brown hair...the long aquiline nose that came to an abrupt end overlooking the most delicious looking full lips...the strong chin that seemed to shout 'authority figure' to anyone observing... and those eyes, oh my god, those eyes! Everything about the man was mesmerizing, but it was his eyes that trapped Justin in a time warp.

Justin had never ever been attracted to a man before. He had seen plenty of good looking ones in Hollywood but all he saw when he looked at them was competition for the next part. This man in front of him was no plastic stud...he was definitely flesh and blood real. Justin could feel the heat emanating from the man, even from twenty feet away. Justin felt a strange sensation deep in his groin. If he didn't know better, he would have sworn that this stranger had just made him horny.

Justin felt a moment of fear and the desperate need to get away from this man quickly. It was at that very moment that the stranger looked in Justin's direction and their eyes locked. Again Justin felt hypnotized by those eyes and knew immediately who the model for Rage was. As he stared, the hazel eyes began to darken and Justin realized that the man's face had developed an almost feral predatory look to it. Something inside him warned that he should look away, but he simply could not do it...not as long as the stranger kept looking into his own blue eyes, that were darkening at the same time.

After what seemed to be hours, but was actually only a minute or two, the tall brunet leaned down to his two companions and made some comment. Whatever it was, Novotny didn't seem too pleased. The tall man made his way over to the cute blond who still stood like a deer caught in headlights. He stepped right in front of the young man and said something to him. Justin suddenly realized that the stranger was speaking to him.

"Huh?" he said.

"I said, you must be JT. My name is Brian Kinney."

"YES, I mean yes, I'm JT. I mean...I'm Justin Taylor. I'll be playing JT," Justin stammered out, feeling his face flush with embarrassment. "And you are?"

"Brian Kinney of Kinnetik Advertising."

Justin realized the man had already introduced himself and felt doubly foolish. What the hell was wrong with him. He was acting like a kid who had never been in an adult gathering in his entire life. Then he realized the beautiful creature was speaking to him again. He tried hard to concentrate.

"...so I can see why Mikey thinks you're the perfect choice for JT. What do you think about the role?"

"Huh?"

"Are these particularly hard questions?" Mr. Kinney asked, with a touch of sarcasm.

"No..no. I just didn't hear everything you said," Justin explained.

"I said, you look like the comic character almost to a tee and you sound like you're from these parts. I asked where are you from, and then I said you have that innocent look that the character needs so I can see why Mikey liked you for the part. Then I asked how you felt about the role."

"I'm sorry. Yes, I'm from these parts...Mount Lebanon, actually. And I'm very excited about the role. I hope I can do it full justice. I appreciate Mr. Novotny taking a chance on me."

"So you don't have any problem playing gay?"

Justin could swear there was a twinkle of mischief in the man's eye when he asked that last question. He tried hard not to blush, but he could feel his skin warming uncomfortably.

"I don'... well, it's all acting. I mean a role is a role. I'm sure I...."

"So you don't think it will be too much of a stretch for you to play this role?"

Justin could clearly hear the laughter in the man's voice, and he had a disconcerting way of pushing his tongue against his cheek as if to try and control a huge smile.

"Of course not," he answered, almost defensively.

"You do realize that I...I mean Rage will be fucking the shit out of JT once the lad is rescued from the bashing. Right?"

Now, there was no mistaking the man's meaning. Justin began to bristle.

"Are you making fun of me, Mr...."

"Brian."

"Mr. Kinney?"

It was at that precise moment that the tinkling of a spoon on a glass caught everyone's attention and conversations drifted off until there was dead silence. Brett Keller welcomed everyone to their new 'family' and gave them the pep talk for the making of the medium budget thriller. He informed them that they had the weekend to get a feel for the place and get to know their co-workers, then they would get down to business with wardrobe fittings, rehearsals and some early blockings. When he was finished with his speech, he raised his glass in a toast to Rage and everyone shouted agreement before taking a sip of their champagne.

Justin turned to continue his conversation with Mr. Kinney and found the space empty. A quick look at where he had first spotted the man revealed that Mr. Kinney had rejoined his friends. He had his back to Justin. For some reason this bothered the young actor more than he would have liked to admit. For some odd reason, he felt abandoned. Before he could analyze why, a few of his fellow actors were surrounding him and drawing him into conversation. The next time he looked up all three of the Pittsburgh natives had vanished.

*******************************************

Brian Kinney was completely distracted all the way home in his Jeep. He didn't even hear a word of what his friends, Mikey and Linds, were chattering on about. He kept picturing vivid blue eyes looking deep into his. He tried to shake the image but it kept coming back. What the hell was it about that fucking kid. He was certainly no different than the thousands of blond twinks Brian had been around in his thirty plus years. Well, at least now he knew why Mikey had been so enthusiastic about the kid. He looked and acted exactly like the fictional character that Michael and Lindsay had dreamed up when creating the comic book.

Brian knew the kid was actually twenty three but he could have passed for a seventeen year old any day. There was an air of innocence about him that intrigued Brian. He hadn't fucked a virgin in forever. Not that he could be sure that Justin Taylor was a virgin...after all he WAS twenty three...but some animal instinct in Brian screamed that this kid had never been touched by a man, or maybe even a woman. Brian was almost, though not quite, surprised by how much he wanted to find out for himself if his assessment was true.

Brian dropped Linds off at her house, grinning at a scowling Mel who stood at the doorway of their home tapping her foot. So he was a little late getting her home! Well, he thought to himself, it didn't matter if she was pissed. He couldn't do anything right in Mel's eyes anyway. A part of her was always going to be jealous of his and Lind's relationship, which was her problem not his. He actually liked Mel...well, respected her anyway. She had one hell of a set of balls on her and she truly loved Linds. She had even been willing to let Brian father their son, Gus, almost six years ago. She was good to Linds and Gus so Brian tolerated her moods.

Brian tried really hard to convince Michael to go with him to Babylon after dropping off Linds, but his domesticated friend  only wanted to get back to his 'husband' and share all the news about the party with him and their ward of the state, Hunter. Brian frowned, thinking about how much his best bud had changed after meeting the Professor. It wasn't that Ben kept Mikey from going out... far from it... but his friend just didn't seem as interested any more. Well, he'd be damned and sipping iced tea in Hell before anyone ever tamed him.

As soon as Mikey was out of the Jeep, Brian turned the vehicle around and headed straight for Babylon, his second home. He felt hornier tonight than he had in a long time. What he needed was a ripe bottom to help relieve the tension that had been building ever since he spotted the blond actor.

Brian usually sought out tall dark slender men who vaguely reminded him of himself. He would fuck almost any decent looking guy but they were his favorites. As a matter of fact, very few small built blond twinks ever caught Brian's eye at the clubs or on-line. Tonight, as he stood on the scaffolding above the dance floor, Brian found himself scanning the gyrating throng in search of a compact blond. He finally spotted a likely candidate and descended to the dance floor to intercept his target.

Less than five minutes later he was dragging the twink to the backroom by his belt loops and pushing him up against a cum-stained wall. The young man's butt jiggled as Brian yanked his pants down and used his knee to spread the twinks legs. A quick roll down of the condom on Brian's impressive hard-on, and he was buried to the hilt in the blond's ass. Brian reached his release in record time as he closed his eyes and saw sky blue eyes staring at him from behind his eyelids. The intensity of his orgasm surprised him. The twink turned around and handed Brian his phone number. Brian exited the back room alone and tossed the number into the nearest trash can.

As Brian left the club that night he made up his mind that it would be his job to give the young actor playing JT some lessons in how to really get into the role. He would start first thing tomorrow. By the time he was done, Justin Taylor would be the best homosexual he could possibly be...whether he really was one or not.

To be continued...........

The sun was shining bright and clear for Justin when he finally awakened the next morning. He had had a really good talk with Sherry over the phone the night before, and she had bolstered his confidence in his ability to play his new role. He didn't really know why Mr. Kinney had shaken his belief in himself so thoroughly. After all, the man wasn't even in the business. He was nothing but an ad man, for fucks sake. He knew how to make things look good even if they weren't so special, but he didn't know movie making. But then again, Justin pondered, that was the business of movie making too... to make things look even better than they really were, or sometimes visa versa.

Justin went to his room fairly early from the party because, for some stupid reason, the place seemed devoid of interest once Kinney had left with his friends. Which seemed really dumb since he probably had nothing to talk to the man about even if the jerk had hung around. He had certainly been a cocky son of a bitch, questioning whether Justin could handle the part of JT or not. And Justin's sense of the man being a danger to him, not so much physically as mentally, still lingered even after a restless nights sleep. Right now he just hoped he wouldn't have to run into Mr. Kinney too often during the shoot. For now, he needed to get ready to meet with Miss Barker, his liaison, to find out what they expected him to do to prepare for the first day of production, which would begin in two days.

**********************************

Brian had risen really early in the morning in order to take a meeting with the production team on 'Rage'. What had started out as more a favor to Mikey than anything else, had become serious business to the ad man. He was a little irritated that the young actor playing JT had gotten under his skin a bit, but Brian knew how to exorcise anything like that from his life... and he had figured out the perfect way to set it up. One good fuck and the kid would vanish from his thoughts forever. Through interviews with certain people he got the distinct impression that they believed Justin Taylor was one of the straight actors on the film. The actor playing Rage and Zephyr most definitely were not. He'd already fucked the 'Rage' actor in the restroom just before the party, and the giddy young man playing Zephyr had propositioned him fruitlessly.

Brian was convinced that Justin Taylor swung for his team, but he had been wrong once or twice in his many years of prowling. Nobody was perfect. But he was a man who needed to find out things for himself, so he was determined to get to the bottom, so to speak, of the Taylor kid. He had made arrangements, unbeknownst to Taylor, to give the kid some lessons in how to be gay for the sake of the role he would be playing. The producers and Keller were more than happy to agree to his suggestion when Brian made it clear that he had the experience to guide the young man. Now all he had to do was pick the young man up and begin lesson one.

************************************

Justin waited in the lobby of the hotel for Mr. Kinney to show up. He was more than a little edgy. He hadn't known how to react when Miss Barker informed him that Mr. Kinney had volunteered to give him a peek into the world of a gay man in order to enhance his performance as JT. The only thing he knew about gay men was that they were pushy... always hitting on him and seeming to want only one thing from him. In the short time he'd been around Mr. Kinney, he had the clear impression that the man was very much a sexual creature. Justin didn't mind getting some tips from the man, but he wasn't about to put up with being drooled over or pawed at. But then again, Mr. Kinney didn't seem to be the type who would be so obvious.

As he pondered his situation, he saw a large Jeep pull into the circular drive at the entrance to the lobby. Something told him that it was Mr. Kinney. That's when he saw the tall brunet hunk exiting the driver's door. Justin's breath caught in his throat again, which disturbed the hell out of him. Why did he keep feeling flustered around this man? All he had to do was step out of his vehicle and Justin felt trapped by his presence. Well, if he was going to spend the next couple of days with the man, he was definitely going to have to shake off that feeling.

Brian spotted the gorgeous blond almost immediately as the glass doors swung open for him. 'Nice', he thought, 'that the kid was in such a rush to see him that he was sitting there waiting for him'. He walked straight up to the young man and stood inches in front of him. He could see the kid start to sweat.

"Good morning, Mr. Taylor, or is it Justin?"

"Justin will be fine, Mr. Kinney."

"Brian."

"Brian, then. I was told you were going to give me a crash course in the life of a gay man."

"That's the idea. They tell me you're straight and the producers want you to feel more comfortable playing gay. Is that right?"

"Is what right?"

Brian was amused. He could see that the kid was not at ease talking about his sexuality. It dawned on him that maybe this young man was one of those rare creatures who really didn't know what he was. If that was true, maybe there was hope for the boy after all.

"Is it true that you could use some help in feeling more comfortable playing gay? I mean, do you have any prejudices I should know about before we get started?"

"That's ridiculous. If I had any prejudices, would I take the part in the first place?"

Brian's eyebrow cocked up and he got that feral grin on his face again that Justin had noticed before.

"I don't know, would you ?"

"Of course not, " Justin answered, defensively. Why in the hell did this man make him feel like a foolish schoolboy?

"Well, we'll see how comfortable you'll feel soon enough. I figure the best place to start your... uhhh, tutoring... will be on our infamous Liberty Avenue."

"What's that?"

"Just the gayest place on Earth, outside of Disneyland, of course."

"All right. Let's go. I'm ready," Justin said, with a wave of his arm.

The young man behind the front desk, a twenty something gay boy himself, couldn't help noticing what a striking duo the two gentlemen walking out the front door were.... the tall dark one and shorter fair one. He wondered if they might be a couple. They just seemed to give off a vibe that they were connected. Oh well, he was certainly enjoying the view as they exited the hotel and climbed into the taller man's Jeep.

**************************************

The ride to Liberty Avenue was held in almost total silence. Justin was loathe to admit it, but he was enjoying the feel of Brian Kinney sitting so close to him. It was a little disconcerting, but at the same time he felt safe in the man's hands. Not literally, of course, but he had the feeling he could learn a lot from Mr. Kinney.

Ten minutes later, the Jeep pulled onto a street that was visibly different than the others they had been on. All along the street, on both sides, were colorful rainbow flags flying proudly from poles over business establishments. It was still fairly early in the day, but the streets were already clogged with pedestrians. Justin noticed right away that even the inhabitants of the street were different on this street. There were lots of couples with arms entwined or holding hands, and you couldn't help noticing that all of them were of the same sex. It certainly didn't shock Justin. After all, he lived in West Hollywood. He saw plenty of same sex couples there all the time, but there was an air of joy on this street. Justin felt an odd sense of excitement as they continued moving down the street. After going a couple of blocks, Brian suddenly pulled over to the curb and parked the Jeep.

"We're going to start here. Have you eaten yet?" Brian asked.

"No, I didn't take the time."

"Good, cause you're in for a treat. The Liberty Diner has the best home cooking around, though we never let on. It might go to their heads. And this is definitely the best place to get a crash course in fagdom. "

"Lead on," Justin replied.

The minute the bell tinkled over the front door, Justin knew he'd entered a place that was more than a little diner. There was a line of booths along one wall with a couple more near the front door. The other side of the wall had a long counter with an equally long row of stationary swivel chairs set in front of it. There was a frazzled looking young man with an over-large apron behind the counter walking to various customers with a pot of coffee in each hand. A firmly built older woman, with hair the color of fire piled on her head, was walking briskly between the booths, dropping off plates and then swiftly moving to the back of the diner to grab a few more plates from the cook.

"Order up, Deb," could be heard from the cook hiding behind the partition separating the dining room from the kitchen.

A booth opened up when several men, all dressed in black leather of various styles, slid out and went to the register to pay. Brian pointed to the booth and led Justin over. They each slid in on opposite sides. In a matter of seconds, the bus boy was clearing the table and wiping it down. He flirted openly with Brian, who seemed totally oblivious to the attention. A minute later, the red head was standing in front of the booth with pad in hand.

"Well, well, well, Brian. Where in the world did you pick up this cutie. You're grabbing them kind of young, aren't you?" She gave a little wink to the blushing young man.

"Calm down, Deb. I didn't pick him up and he isn't a kid. This is the young man who will be playing JT in Michael's movie."

The squeal from Deb almost burst Justin's ear drums. "My Mikey's JT! Of course. Michael told me you were a cutie patootie but he didn't do you justice. Welcome... Justin, right?"

The woman threw her arms around Justin's neck and gave him a squeeze. When she pulled away, Justin looked to Brian for help. He just laughed out loud.

"Don't panic. Justin, this is Debbie Novotny, our resident den Mother. She's also the Mother of Michael Novotny, the author of the comic book."

A sense of relief washed over Justin. At least she had a good reason for being so excitable. He stuck out his hand. Instead of taking it she threw her arms around him and gave him another big squeeze.

"Pleased to meet you, young man. Sorry for earlier. It's unusual to see Brian bring anyone into the diner and I thought you might be someone special."

"He is. He's going to play your son's JT, but he's never played gay before, so the producers want me to give him some lessons on how to be queer."

Debbie laughed even harder this time. "Well then, they definitely came to the right man. Honey, if this man can't teach you how to be the best homo in town, nobody can."

"Gee, thanks Deb. Now can we get some vittles. The boy hasn't eaten all day."

Debbie got serious. "Well we can't have that. You'll need plenty of vitamins and protein to keep up with Brian. Shoot!"

Justin's mouth was still hanging open and he couldn't string a coherent thought in his head. It took Brian snapping his fingers in front of his face, to get Justin's attention. He saw that Debbie was waiting patiently for his order.

"I'll have, uhhh, I'll have a Spanish omelet with English muffins and orange juice...oh, and bacon on the side."

"Usual for you, sweet cheeks, " she asked Brian.

"Egg white omelet, dry toast, OJ. Thanks Deb."

As the red head bounced off to place their orders, Brian laughed at the stunned expression on Justin's face.

"Deb takes a lot of getting used to, but she has a heart of gold and the brass balls to match. I think you'll like her. She's fiercely devoted to her son. Well, actually, we're kind of all her children... especially me. She pretty much raised me when my own folks were too busy boozing and hating each other to bother." Brian briefly wondered why he had told Justin so much about himself so quickly. Then he dismissed it.

"Look, we'll finish brunch and then I'll take you around to meet some of my friends. Then we'll visit Michael too. They'll give you a taste of what it's like within the gay community... or at least the best part of the gay community."

Justin nodded agreement. He decided he'd better eat every bite of his meal cause he had the feeling he would need plenty of energy to get through this day. If his first introduction to Brian's world was any indication, his head would be spinning by the end of it.

To be continued........

Once Brian paid the bill at the Liberty Diner he set off for Debbie's house. She had informed him, during a quick break, that Emmett and her brother, Vic, were working on their newest gig as party planners. Brian decided that an intro to Emmett would be just the splash of cold water that a repressed young man needed. In a matter of minutes he was pulling up in front of Deb's house.

Justin was impressed by the homey atmosphere of Debbie Novotny's street. It wasn't as fancy as his own upbringing not so far from here, but it looked like a friendly comfortable place to grow up. It seemed to suit the motherly woman he had met this morning.

Once the tall middle-aged man with the tired lined face and kind smile opened the door, Justin could smell some wonderful odors wafting in the air.

"Brian, what brings you to our humble abode in the middle of the day? And who is this delicious morsel?" asked Vic.

Justin blushed as Brian answered, "This is my new protege', Justin Taylor. Actually he's the actor chosen to play Mikey's JT in the movie, and I'm supposed to instruct him in how to play gay. I thought I'd give him a taste of what being gay is..."

"And you thought of Emmett and me. How thoughtful," he laughed pleasantly. "Em's in the kitchen, as usual."

Vic turned and led the pair into the large old-fashioned kitchen in the back of the house. It was immediately obvious that this was a kitchen where TV dinners were unwelcome and plenty of real home cooking occurred. There were cabinets everywhere, with pots and pans laid out in every available space. The dining table could seat a small army. Steam was rising from pots on the large stove, and a tall slender man with a wild pink panther shirt and low riding lavender jeans, with an apron tied around his middle, stood at them with ladle in hand. He turned when Vic called his name.

Justin was surprised at how attractive the cook was, but he didn't look feminine at all (which Justin was expecting for some reason). When he flipped around, Justin could see that his apron had "Kiss my Grits" stitched on the front. The minute he spotted Justin, a big smile lit up his face. Justin liked him immediately.

"Brian, what, or should I say who, did you bring for us...and aren't you just the cutest thing?", he said, openly flirting with Justin.

Justin blushed for the second time.

"Deb told me to introduce him to you two. Justin, this is Vic, Michael's uncle and Emmett, one of...of, ummm..."

"Just call me Auntie Em, sweetie. Everyone does. And you are...?"

"Uhh, I'm Justin," he answered hesitantly.

Brian came to the rescue, "This is Justin Taylor, Michael's new JT for the movie."

"Ohh, sweetie, you are soooo right for the part! Just look at you! It's as if Lindsay took a photo of you when drawing the character," Emmett gushed. "Turn around. Let's see the rest of you."

Justin felt compelled to turn and could hear the low whistle coming from the men behind him. Maybe he should have been insulted, but he felt a little happy to know they approved.

"Child, you have one perfect little bubble butt there. Anyone told you that before?"

"Ummm, no. Not to my face, at least."

Brian stepped in. He decided the poor kid had had enough for this round.

"Look guys, I just thought he should meet some of the folks that inhabit the world that Mikey created with the comic. I'll be bringing him to Woody's and Babylon later. You can admire his ass there. We've got more stops."

With that he turned for the front door, followed closely by Justin, who turned around at the last minute and bid the men goodbye.

"Nice to meet you, Vic...Emmett. I hope I'll see you again."

"You too, Justin. And watch out for big, bad Brian. He'll warp you, if you let him."

Brian either didn't hear, or chose to ignore, that last comment as he led Justin out the front door. Justin smiled back at the two men grinning at him and quickly followed Brian back to the jeep.

Once they were settled in the vehicle, Justin spoke up.

"So where to now, Mr. Kinney."

"Brian, remember."

"Yes sir...Brian."

"Now I'll take you to visit the artist who drew you for the comic...or should I say JT? By the way, I should warn you, she's the female side of being gay. So, have you known many lezzies in you life?"

Justin was taken aback, just a little. This Brian character was certainly bold and had no fear of asking direct questions.

"No, not really. At least not to my knowledge," he answered cautiously.

"Well, they're harmless, although I'm not too sure about Lindsay's wife, Melanie. She takes a little patience. She's small but has more balls than a lot of men I know."

"Sounds interesting." Justin was beginning to feel a little intimidated by this new world he was entering. But he had a job to do, and anything that would help him understand his character was important. He sat back for the rest of the ride to his next destination.

*************************************

Justin was immediately charmed by the lovely old two-story brownstone that Brian parked in front of. As he sat looking through the picket fence he could see the well kept garden surrounding the front porch. Just then, the door opened and a small bundle of energy came rushing out, closely followed by a short haired woman desperately trying to catch the little boy.

Justin could hear the petite woman shouting for 'Gus' to come back, but he was running for the gate shouting, "Daddy"

That was when Justin realized the little boy was referring to Brian, who stepped around the Jeep quickly and threw his arms open wide, waiting for the youngster to rush into them. As the boy, who looked unmistakably like his father, pushed through the opened gate, he launched himself into his dad's embrace.

"Hey Sonnyboy, how's it hanging? Have you been giving your mommies Hell lately?"

Gus started giggling while his mommy scowled at Brian, trying to catch her breath.

"I wish you'd try to control your language around Gus. He's not a baby anymore."

Brian looked down at his son and made a face, sticking his tongue into his cheek. "Oh oh! Daddy's been a bad boy again. Tell Mommy Mel that Daddy is sorry."

Gus giggled even harder, declaring he was a big boy now. Brian let him down gently to the ground.

"You sure are Gus...Daddy's big boy."

Justin had joined the trio by now. Gus finally noticed his Dad's companion.

"Who dat, Daddy?" he chirped happily.

Justin was impressed. For some reason he had seen Brian Kinney as a cold hearted son of a bitch, for the most part, but never as a loving family man. He remembered back to how he knew there was more to Mr. Kinney than what was on the surface when he first met him. This man was definitely not one dimensional. The thought occurred to him that he really did want to get to know this man better. Then he heard Brian answer his son.

"This is Daddy's new friend, Sonnyboy. Say hi to the nice man. His name is Justin."

Gus approached Justin carefully and shyly stuck out his hand. Justin grabbed it with his own and gave it a hearty shake.

"Hello, Justee," he quietly greeted the stranger.

"Well hello to you, Gus. Right?"

Gus giggled and buried his face in his dad's long legs.

Brian turned to Mel who had been standing by taking in the fascinating tableau. Now she could see why Linds had been so enthusiastic about the young man who was going to play JT. The kid was the epitome of what Linds had envisioned when drawing the character for Michael's comic book. On top of that, there was something sweet and innocent about the kid. She immediately hoped that Brian wouldn't warp the poor man. She wasn't so sure he should be the one to give the actor pointers in how to play gay. She knew what kind of pointers Brian was interested in. She was even shocked that Brian would spend his time helping the young man out anyway. She had been surprised when Linds told her that Brian had actually volunteered for the task. It was so unlike him. There had to be something in it for him. Justin didn't really look like his type and the fella was supposedly straight, not that that had ever stopped Brian before. Her thoughts were interrupted by Brian's voice.

"Earth to Mel. I said, where's Linds?"

"Oh, sorry. She's in the kitchen finishing up a batch of cookies."

"Chocolate chip, Daddy. My favorite," enthused Gus, as he grabbed Brian's hand on one side and Justin's on the other and began pulling them towards the front door.

Mel couldn't help smiling as her small son dragged the two big men along as quickly as he could to get to his cookies. Mama Linds had told him that he could have one as soon as Daddy and the visitor got there.

A minute later, Brian was standing in the warm, inviting, and delicious smelling kitchen of his son's home and introducing the girls to Justin. Justin took as much of a liking to the mothers as he did to the son. They retired to the living room with the beautiful bay window overlooking some of their lovely garden full of vibrant colors. The room felt lived in, the way Justin thought a home should look. He had grown up in a much more controlled environment, where his Dad liked everything to look showplace perfect. His Mom had seen to it that her husband left Justin alone when it came to his own room, but she had little say over the other parts of the house. This house was the kind of place a kid should grow up in.

The next few hours were spent by Brian playing with his son, who had enough energy for six toddlers, and by Justin in a lively discussion about the arts and trying to raise a family in today's society with Mel and Lindsay. By the time that Brian's restlessness to get going had become evident, the girls were already very fond of the young actor. They made it clear that he was welcome in their home any time. After a few pecks good bye and a huge hug for Gus, the ad man and the actor were back on the road.

"I really like your friends," Justin told Brian. "So, where to now?"

Brian couldn't help smiling at the young man. Why the hell did he feel so good around this kid? Well, enough of the hearts and flowers and visiting friends, he decided. It was time to show Justin the business side of Brian Kinney.

"One more stop before dinner."

Brian turned the vehicle back towards Liberty Avenue. Shortly after, he was parking the jeep in a lot across from a building with a huge sign declaring it to be the home of Kinnetik Advertising.

"This is where you work?" asked Justin.

"This is my company, yes. Let me give you a tour."

The minute the men walked through the glass bricked front door, Brian was greeted by a half dozen 'hey bosses'. Brian led Justin to the back where a glass door revealed the foyer of a large office space. Everything about the office was unique, just like the man who occupied it. It was airy and very modern in feel, with a rich texture to the furnishings. Brian Kinney obviously didn't go in for tacky or cheap. Justin was impressed. He also liked the way that Brian's employees seemed to respect the man. They were casual, yet clearly busy with their boss around. Justin could see the hustle and bustle going on outside the door. A few minutes later, a petite blonde walked in and began to berate her boss with a half scowl on her face.

"Hey boss. So where have you been? I know it's Saturday, but you called us all in here to work on the new project and then no one can find you. I tried your cell, but no response."

"Cool your jets, Cynthia. I turned the cell off so I wouldn't be disturbed, and I trust my crew. I was pretty sure you'd keep everyone in line till I got back," he told the young lady to placate her, which obviously worked.

"Okay. Anyway, we have several new ideas in the early stages for your approval on how to promote the 'Rage' movie. Do you want to set up a meeting for today or wait until Monday."

Cynthia kept glancing over at the attractive blond who sat quietly in one of Brian's comfortable chairs while she and Brian exchanged words. Brian finally got the hint.

"We'll wait till Monday. I have a lot more to get done today for this young man," he said, pointing at Justin. "Let me introduce you. Justin, this is Cynthia, my personal assistant and right hand man...woman...whatever. Cynthia, this is Justin Taylor, the actor who is taking on the role of JT in the new movie."

"Oh yes," she responded. "I can definitely see JT in him."

She gave Justin a wide smile that brought another hint of a blush to his cheeks. Why did everyone that had anything to do with Brian Kinney make him feel so shy? It didn't bother him in the same way the behavior towards him in Hollywood did, but it was still an odd feeling.

Justin rose and stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Cynthia."

"Likewise, Justin. Brian, you didn't tell me he was so adorable."

"Hands off, young lady. He has a job to do and I'm just here to see to it that he does the best job he can. So where's your other half, Theodore?"

"He had to meet a client at their office. He said to tell you, if I saw you first, that he'd meet you at the club tonight for the big initiation of the new boy."

"Thanks, Cynthia. We'll talk more later."

Cynthia knew a dismissal when she heard one and bid the two men good bye. Once she left, Justin had to ask, "What initiation?"

"Teddy was just being cute. You'll meet the rest of the gang after dinner. I'm going to take you to Babylon. It's a dance club. JT gets introduced to dance clubs thanks to Rage so I think you should experience it first hand. You game?"

Justin was a little hesitant. He had always loved dancing, but only in private...never publicly. But it was for the job, so it had to be done.

"Whatever you say, Mr.... Brian."

"Good boy." Brian was liking this kid more and more. He could tell Justin was nervous, but he was willing to learn and that went a long way in Brian's estimation. Brian had the feeling that tonight was going to be a real learning experience for the shy blond, and he was looking forward to being his teacher.

To be continued......

Brian hung around his offices for a while, checking on the progress of his staff in preparing the first presentation to the producers of Mikey's movie. He thought of the film, in that way, simply because the movie would never have happened if Michael hadn't dreamed up the Rage character one night when the two of them were stoned out of their gourds.

Mikey had just broken off with the insufferable Dr. Dave and Brian was determined to get him out of his funk. A trip to Babylon, and a reminder of what being an unattached gay man could offer, did the trick. Luckily an attractive hunk had zeroed in on Mikey and taken him to the back room for a quick blow job. It was just enough to loosen his friend up, so Brian eventually brought him to the loft where the two of them relived their youth until the wee small hours of the night. Mikey began calling his best bud his hero, and before he knew it, he was writing out a storyline for a brand new character. It wasn't hard to create a comic book hero for a man who had been obsessed with comic books since his very early childhood.

The next day, Brian thought that Michael would forget all about his idea, but the more the creator thought about it the more he liked the concept. Once he got Lindsay and her artistic talent involved, the comic book hero became a reality. Michael, of course, wrote himself into the character of Zephyr, Rage's sidekick. Eventually Michael and Lindsay decided they needed a victim for Rage to rescue. It was Lindsay's idea to make the young man a petite blond...projecting her secret fantasies possibly. She drew the character of JT, who was then given the same initials as Lindsay's beloved Grandfather, Jacob Tanner. Brian still marveled at how much Justin Taylor looked liked Lindsay's drawing. The coincidence of them having the same initials wasn't lost on Brian either.

Finally, it was getting late enough for Brian to send his tired staff packing. Justin had been remarkably patient, but Brian wasn't surprised. There was a calmness about the young man that Brian found intriguing. He could be embarrassed fairly easily, but he always seemed to be able to hold his own in the end. It was a trait that Brian liked in a man.

Brian caught Justin sketching some pictures on a notepad while waiting for Brian to finish up business. Brian had caught a glimpse of the top drawing when he walked behind the chair the blond was sitting in and was surprised at how good the picture looked. It was a sketch of Brian's office and very accurately drawn. When he questioned the young man about it, Justin went that pretty pink color in his cheeks again. Brian was surprised at how attractive that made him. Justin mumbled something about drawing as a hobby and closed the pad. Brian dropped it for the time being.

Shortly after, Brian asked Justin if he was ready for dinner. He was more than ready, so Justin helped Brian straighten up his office a bit and the two men returned to Brian's Jeep.

"Are you finicky about what you'll eat?" Brian asked, once they had settled in their seats.

"I'll eat just about anything," Justin replied. "My specialty is leftovers from whatever diner I'm working for at the time. Believe me, a struggling actor knows how to pinch a penny."

Justin turned a bright smile on Brian and the older man felt an unfamiliar fluttering in the pit of his stomach. Just hungry, he told himself.

In no time, Brian was parking the Jeep outside another old brick building on Liberty Avenue. There was a large sign on the side of the steps leading to the front door announcing that the place was called Woody's. A few minutes later, the couple stepped into the entrance of a large bar with lots of scattered tables, a juke box, pool table, dart board, blaring television screen, and a crowd of men with a scattering of women. Justin could see immediately that this was a place where folks felt at home. There were groups all over the joint, engaged in conversations and flirting. As Justin began to adjust to his surroundings, he heard a familiar voice.

"Whoo hoo! Brian... Justin! Over here."

Justin recognized Emmett from earlier in the day. He certainly stood out in the crowd, with his bright orange and extremely form-fitting tee with wildly patterned leather pants. The Queens of Hollywood had nothing on Emmett. Brian put his arm around Justin's shoulder and escorted him to the large round table near the bar.

Emmett turned to an extremely hunky man sitting next to him and asked him to move over a little. The table was filled. Justin recognized Emmett and Michael and that was about it. He stood waiting for Brian to make the introductions. Brian began by pointing to Emmett.

"Justin, I believe you know Emmett. Next to him is Drew Boyd, his significant other. Next we have my assistant, Ted Schmidt... he's the one with the questionable sense of humor. That's his boyfriend next to him, Blake. You've met Michael and this is his boy....excuse me, I mean husband, Ben Bruckner."

"Husband?" Justin couldn't help asking.

"We were married in Canada last year," Michael piped up.

"Oh?!"

"You have a problem with that, Mr. Taylor?"

"No, no, of course not," Justin answered quickly. In fact he truly didn't. He had never harbored any prejudices against anyone in his entire life.

"Good to hear," Michael shot back. "Especially since you'll be playing gay in a short time."

Brian was amused at Mikey's defensiveness, but he could see again that Justin was capable of handling himself. He leaned over and asked Justin if he wanted anything in particular to eat and got a shrug in return. Justin told him to choose anything, so Brian went to the bar to place an order while Justin settled into the seat next to Emmett. A few minutes later, Brian joined them.

The conversation became lively, with lots of teasing back and forth. Within minutes, Justin felt relaxed and comfortable and was joining in. He was surprised to discover that Drew was a professional football player. Justin seldom watched sports. The man was very friendly, even though he looked rather stern. Justin took an immediate liking to the Professor, the name Brian kept calling him. He was the biggest, most muscular man at the table but his looks couldn't hide the gentle tone of his voice. It was obvious he loved Michael very much. They touched often and shared quick kisses several times. Justin could see why Brian spoke so highly of his second in command, Ted. The man was clearly smart and Justin enjoyed the verbal sparring between him and Brian. He too, seemed to have a wonderful relationship with his boyfriend. Justin wondered why Brian seemed to be the only lone wolf in the crowd.

Lord knows that Brian was attractive, Justin thought to himself. He was intelligent and successful. What was not to want in a man like him? Again Justin thought to himself that this man had a lot of layers to him, and it would probably be fascinating to peel away a few of them. He shook off the thought as quick as it came. Mr. Kinney was taking care of business with Justin, not dating him... and besides, Justin didn't date men, for Pete's sake. Luckily, their food came and Justin dug into the nachos in front of him. Brian picked at the small salad he ordered and watched the young actor chewing his food. He was having a hard time taking his eyes off that luscious mouth. Even with it full of food, the lips looked kissable. A tiny dollop of sour cream appeared in the corner of his lips, and Brian had to restrain himself from licking it off.

Once everyone had finished their food, Brian rose from the table. "Who's for Babylon," he inquired. Every hand shot up. Justin looked around the table and slowly inched his hand upwards too. He was nervous as hell, but he didn't have to dance if he didn't want to, he reminded himself.

***************************************

The loud, vibrant music was the first thing that struck Justin as the entire gang stepped through the entrance of Babylon's main room. He loved music, but this was almost animalistic in its primal beat. The instant he heard it, his body itched to move. He caught himself almost skipping to the long bar at one side of the dance floor behind the rest of his group. They all lined up at the bar and placed their orders, turning to check out the action on the floor. Justin noticed the glances that were directed immediately Brian's way. He looked over at the man and could see the change in Brian's face. The easygoing demeanor he wore earlier was replaced by an air of disdain mixed with something more predatory. It gave Justin the odd feeling of a 'come to me...go away' look. Then Brian turned to Justin, and a genuine smile lit up his face again.

"Care to dance?" he asked Justin, extending his hand to the young man.

Justin didn't speak, he simply laid his hand trustingly in Brian's grip and let the older man escort him to the center of the dance floor. Justin didn't recognize the song but the beat began flowing through his veins and he was gyrating to the rhythm in seconds. Brian began moving to match Justin's body.

The song ended, but Brian didn't attempt to leave the floor. The next song began to play and Brian laid his arms on Justin's shoulders, moving his hips back and forth. Justin began to move to the beat in time with Brian's moves. He could feel the music deep inside him. Without warning, Brian's hands tightened behind Justin's neck and he drew the blond closer to him. Justin had become so lost in the music that he either didn't notice or didn't care. Without even realizing it, Justin's arms had left his own sides and his hands were now resting on Brian's undulating hips.

The men at the bar looked at each other quizzically. Emmett was the first to speak their collective thoughts.

"Honey, if that boy is straight, then he is one hell of a good actor and will probably win the Academy Awards for your little picture," he told his friend Michael.

Michael was not amused. Ben could feel him tighten up after Em's comments. He drew Michael to him and gave him a kiss. Sometimes that worked to relax him, but sometimes it didn't if his tenseness involved Brian. Ben was confident that Michael loved him sincerely, so he was exceedingly patient with his husband's everlasting obsession with his childhood friend.

The men at the bar continued watching the fascinating exchange between teacher and pupil on the dance floor. Justin had unconsciously moved his lower torso closer to Brian's, and he suddenly realized that he could feel Brian's growing erection connecting just above his own hardening shaft. He pulled back as if burned by a flame. He stopped his movements and stood looking at the man smiling down at him. He had never felt more confused. Why in the world had he allowed himself to be so brazen with this man? And, even more confusing to the young man... why did it feel so enjoyable to make that momentary connection? Justin's brain went into overload and he shut it down.

"I think I'd like another drink now," he croaked out to Brian.

"Sure thing," Brian returned. He was amused at the kid's reaction. Brian had felt enough erections in his life to know one when he felt it. This boy might not think he was gay, but Brian's senses told him otherwise. All he needed to do was get the kid to recognize what was right in front of him... in his crotch, to be specific, and not be frightened by it. He had a strong feeling that once Justin let go of his inhibitions, he'd be a tiger to deal with. Only time would tell. For now, the night was still youn

During the next hour, the men took turns out on the dance floor, visiting with acquaintances, and chatting about a myriad of subjects. Justin drank it all in. The one thing he could tell was that, except for the frequent comments about other men's bodies and attributes, the conversation was no different than other groups he'd stood in. The gay world seemed a little more colorful and exciting, but men were men, Justin decided. It was then that Brian suggested Justin check out the back room of Babylon.

Justin had noticed that there was a stream of men going through an open door to another room. The entrance to that room was too dark for Justin to make out what was going on inside or what the room looked like. He was curious but had said nothing. When Brian brought it up, Justin noticed a change in the faces of most of the group of friends. Michael looked disturbed slightly, but Em grinned from ear to ear. Ted almost choked on the drink he was sipping.

"Are you sure he's ready for that, Brian?" the man asked his boss nervously.

"No time like the present," answered Brian. "Besides, he needs to see all the sides of JT, and in case you've forgotten, JT and Rage have a hot sex life."

"Remember, it's only acting, Brian," piped up Michael.

Brian threw his arm around a suddenly nervous Justin.

"I'm sure Justin, here, knows the difference between acting and real life. You did say you wanted to get to know your character and everything about him, am I right, Justin?"

"Ye...yeah, sure," he stammered out.

"Then lets go."

Brian led the young actor away from the bar and towards the mysterious room at the back of the club. They had barely gotten through the doorway when Justin could hear the unmistakable sounds of men groaning and moaning. The smell was next to assault Justin's senses. He had never experienced any smell like it in his entire life. It was vaguely reminiscent of a locker room at school or the gym, but stronger. It was pure sex... man sex. Justin didn't have to be an expert to know that.

His eyes finally adjusted to the dark as Brian led him deeper into the room. Justin could see men everywhere... one on one, two by two, groups of three or more. They were in all states of undress. Mouths connected to cocks and other mouths. He could see hard cocks sliding in between other men's ass cheeks. Men were shooting their loads against walls. Discarded condoms lay in various places. Justin stumbled. He felt faint. He couldn't understand why he didn't feel repulsed, but he did feel overwhelmed by all the throbbing testosterone. He felt Brian's arms go around him, steadying him on his feet. He looked up at the taller man and for reasons he could not understand at all, he had the uncontrollable urge to kiss those full lips so close to his own.

Brian lowered his head and captured Justin's lips with his own. A spark passed through their mouths and traveled down into each man's gut, making their stomachs flutter. Brian had been right. He knew that Justin's mouth would be delicious, and it most certainly was. He wanted more. He pressed harder and felt Justin's resistance begin to slowly crumble as his lips parted ever so slightly. It was all Brian needed. He released his tongue from his own mouth and used the tip to pry Justin's lips apart, never breaking the delicious connection between their joined lips. Brian began to taste of Justin's mouth. It was warm and inviting inside. Justin shivered in every inch of his body. His mouth came alive with feelings and sensations. He didn't even know he had added to the moans in the room.

Suddenly a voice shouted out, "I'm cumming, I'm cumming!" It startled Justin and he regained his lost senses. He pulled away violently from Brian's embrace. He looked at the man who had just awakened every dormant feeling inside him, and fear was clearly visible in his eyes. Brian reached for him, making Justin panic. He turned on his heel and ran from the room. He kept running, past the men at the bar, and out the door. He didn't stop until he was a block away.

Justin suddenly came to a stop and leaned against a wall, trying to catch his breath. What in the hell had just happened to him, he kept thinking over and over? Why did he let that man kiss him like that. And more importantly, why did he want Brian Kinney to keep doing it... to never stop? What had gotten into him? He had to think. He couldn't do it with Brian anywhere near him. He had to get back to the hotel and think. Justin saw a cab standing a few yards away. He ran to catch it. Once he settled in his seat, he gave the driver instructions and tried to calm his heartbeat down. He would talk to Kinney tomorrow. Right now, he needed rest. That was it, he told himself. It had just been a busy day and he was too tired. That was all that was wrong with him. He was sure of it.

Justin didn't see Brian as he stepped out of the club looking for his runaway. Brian saw the blond hail the cab and get inside. He felt oddly upset that Justin had run off and sorry he had scared the kid so badly. But the one thing he knew for certain now was that Justin Taylor was not as straight as he professed to be. No man could make Brian Kinney feel like he did when Justin kissed him back unless there was something strong behind it. The kid wanted him. Brian knew it and he'd do his best to make Justin see it too. Besides, Brian thought, he wanted Justin just as bad. Come hell or high water, they were going to have each other. End of discussion.

To be continued.......

Brian proved himself to be a better actor than Justin the following day when he came to pick the young man up at his hotel. He was totally casual in his attitude, and one would never guess at the turmoil that was going on inside him. He had done his very best to shake the image of Justin's face as he pulled away from Brian in the back room of Babylon, but he just couldn't do it. The image even haunted Brian's dreams. He had finally given in and taken a sleeping pill just so he could finally get some rest.

Brian had never before been shook up by any other man. He could still taste Justin's mouth. He felt the way the blond trembled in his arms when their lips met. It made Brian feel things in places besides his crotch. That was new to the ad exec. But Brian wasn't alone in his confusion.

Justin had had a difficult night himself. He finally fell asleep in the wee small hours of the night after taking a hot shower and jerking himself off to relieve the unbearable tension that had been building inside him for hours. Only this time, instead of the face of Rage, Justin saw the face of one Brian Kinney as he exploded onto the shower wall. That was probably the most disturbing thing to Justin.

He had never pictured the face of any man before during his many masturbatory experiences. He had never pictured anyone. He would sometimes picture love scenes from movies as his orgasm overtook him, and it was always a male and female couple, but never any single person. He had never considered that it might be the man in the scene he was imagining that stimulated him. He never bothered to think of it at all. Now Justin couldn't seem to get one man out of his head.

Justin kept telling himself that it was the part he was going to be playing that influenced him. He was going to play the young lover of Rage, and Brian Kinney was the very image of Rage. But Justin was beginning to have his doubts. Could he really be feeling something for this man? Was that why he couldn't stop thinking about the feel of Brian's lips on his? Was he actually gay and not straight? Was that why no girl had ever made his heart flutter before, even Daphne, no matter how much he cared about her? Thinking of Daphne gave Justin the idea to give her a call the moment he woke up Sunday morning.

"Hey Daph. How's it hanging?" he asked when she answered on the third ring.

"It's hanging fine with me, but it took you long enough to call. You've been in town... what, three days now and you're finally giving me a ring?"

"I'm sorry, girl. Really. I got in late on Friday and yesterday was unbelievable."

"So, are you coming home today?"

"I can't, Daph. I'm being given lessons on how to play a gay man. Daph, you wouldn't believe this guy who has taken on the job of being my teacher. His name's Brian Kinney, and he's the ad man in charge of promoting the film. He's about as gay as you can get, and he has made it his mission to teach me all about the life."

"Is he good looking?"

"Well, yeah...in a raw animalistic way. No, wait. That's not really true. He's actually very handsome. I guess you could call him sexy. He's got these amazing eyes. They bore right through you. But there's something kind of dangerous about him too. I mean, you have to watch your step with him. You know what I mean? You get the feeling he could suck you in without even trying."

There was no response for a few seconds and then Daphne responded carefully, "So, do you like him, Justin?"

Justin's voice rose imperceptibly. "Well, of course I like him. I'm just saying that you have to be careful around Bri...Mr. Kinney. He's not one to toy with, that's all."

The rest of the conversation centered around their hometown and when Justin would be able to get to Mount Lebanon. When the old friends hung up, Justin was disappointed to realize that he didn't feel any better or more secure than he had when he first called Daphne. That was unusual. She had always made him feel better before. Justin suddenly realized how late it was getting and ran to get ready for Brian's morning pick up... that is, if the man still wanted to spend time with him after that disgusting display of cowardice he showed when he ran away from the club. Brian probably thought that all those men having sex disgusted him. It wasn't that. Justin had no doubt about that. He wasn't sure what it was, but it wasn't men being with men.

When Brian showed up at the hotel room door, Justin was amazed at how composed the ad man was. He greeted Justin with a friendly smile and inquired about his health and general well being. He made absolutely no reference to the previous night. He looked amazing in an attractive pearl gray shirt, that clung to his chest like a second skin, and a pair of black slacks that flattered his long limbs. It was slightly dressy, but not pretentious. Justin was glad he had taken pains to look his best. He wore a powder blue pullover that brought out the color in his eyes, with a pair of his best dress jeans... casual but not too much so.

Brian informed Justin that they were going to try something a little different today. He had introduced Justin to his circle of friends and then thrown him into the deep end of the homo pool. Now he was going to give the poor kid a break and let him see how normal and every day gay life was.

"My kid is about to turn six," he informed Justin. "His mom's are going to throw a party for the boy today and you've been invited. They insisted, actually. Apparently they've taken quite a liking to you. The whole gang will be there. So, are you up for a gaggle of youngen's running all over the place?"

"Sure, it sounds like fun. And I like your friends. Lindsay and Mel are very cool ladies. But how did you become Gus' father, if you don't mind me asking?"

"No big deal. They wanted a kid, so I volunteered. I jerked off in a cup, and they squirted it up Lindsay. Nine months later I was a father," Brian explained, with a twinkle in his eye.

Justin made a face. "Gross!"

"Well, it did the trick. Funny thing is that I never wanted a kid, but I can't imagine life without the squirt now."

Brian jumped up several notches in Justin's estimation of him. Justin could see that he had been right about the man. There were a lot of layers to Brian Kinney. Justin could hear the gentle love he had for his son in his voice. How could this Brian be the same man who had so roughly exposed Justin to the rawest side of gay life last night at Babylon? Justin decided then and there that he had to get to know this man better, because he had a feeling Brian would be worth knowing really well.

**********************************************

As Justin got ready for bed Sunday night, he was filled with questions. He was extremely excited about getting started on the movie in the morning, but at the moment all his thoughts were on the day he'd spent with Brian. They had gone back to the Liberty Diner for breakfast. Debbie, the red headed mom of Michael, hadn't been there this time. Brian explained that she was helping to set up Gus's birthday party. For some reason, Justin was disappointed. He was impressed by the outspoken lady and enjoyed the brief time they had been together. He looked forward to seeing her again.

They killed more time with a tour of the city. Justin enjoyed many happy memories in Pittsburgh when his family would visit from Mount Lebanon for some special event, like a concert. His Mom, who loved the arts, would often bring young Justin into the city to visit the museums, especially when a special exhibit would come to town like the one when Justin was only ten. There had been a magnificent collection of French artists that a local collector had lent to the museum. Justin had been enthralled with the works of art and told his Mom that someday his paintings would be hanging on those walls. His dad had constantly drummed into Justin's head that he couldn't make a living as an artist and so he had turned to acting after joining the drama club in high school. Now his artistic endeavors consisted of doodling when he had the time.

At two o'clock, after a quick lunch at a soup and salad joint, the Jeep was parked in front of Mel and Linds' brownstone again. This time there was no sign of a jubilant boy running to meet his Daddy. There were unmistakable sounds of jubilation coming from the back of the house, which rose in intensity the closer the men got to the building. Brian turned to Justin and grinned.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Justin responded.

The men rounded the corner of the house and stepped into a whole other world. There were at least a dozen, maybe more, first graders running all over the immaculately kept lawn. A few flower beds of bright colored blossoms had already felt the effects of the exuberant chaos. Their sad little blooms lay trampled on the ground. A little boy stood under a tall tree with a baseball bat, swinging at a low hanging monkey-shaped pinata for all he was worth and missing every time. A dozen more kids were surrounding the swinger and shouting their encouragement. One of the boys turned and noticed the men.

"Daddy!" Gus shouted, running to launch himself into his father's arms. "You came!" He gave Brian a tight squeeze around the neck.

"Like I'd miss my Sonnyboy's big day. Happy Birthday Gus!"

Gus wriggled down and turned to Justin.

"Hello, Justee. I'm glad you came to my party. I'm six now," he declared, trying to sound all grown up.

Justin took the proffered hand of the young boy and gave it a hearty shake.

"I'm glad I came too, Gus. And Happy Birthday." Justin looked around. "It looks like you're having a really good party, too."

Gus beamed and pointed to his moms, who were busily setting up a table filled with presents. "Mom and Mommy invited everyone. We're having cake soon. It's double chocolate-chocolate chip. That's me and Daddy's favorite, huh Daddy?"

"That's right, Sonnyboy. Now you'd better get back to your friends. It looks like they'll need your super strong arm to knock that monkey down."

Gus giggled and turned to run back to the tree, throwing a 'Later' over his shoulder.

Brian laughed at Justin's stunned look. "A bit of a whirlwind, my boy. You can breathe now, Justin. Shall we join the girls?"

Justin gratefully followed Brian over to the table. Just then, Debbie stepped out of the back door with a large cake in the shape of a super hero in front of her. She was followed closely by Michael and Ben with bowls, plastic utensils, and ice cream in hand. Within minutes the table was surrounded by shouting children, along with the adults who had been scattered in groups around the scene earlier, joining on the fringes. Justin noticed a few that he recognized like Ted, Blake, Emmett, Drew, and Vic, who was standing next to a tall good looking man of approximately the same age. Everyone waited while Gus made his wish and then blew the candles out with a hearty huff.

Everyone gathered their pieces of cake and ice cream and sauntered off to their section of the yard. Brian took Justin around to reacquaint him with some folks and introduce him to a few others. Justin enjoyed meeting Cynthia again, who was there with a rather nice looking young man. After introducing everyone, Brian pointed out the heteros from the homos. Justin realized that if Brian hadn't been so specific he would never have known one from the other.

This was a far cry from the back room of Babylon. This was a normal family living a normal life with their child and his friends. It certainly put a lie to all those times he'd heard his father rant about the perversity of the gay 'lifestyle'. Justin could still remember how pissed his dad had gotten when he found out that his son had invited an openly gay boy from his drama club to spend the night. He and Tad had become good friends and Justin wanted to work on some scenes with his classmate, but Tad never tried to hide his homosexuality. When Justin introduced him to his dad he could see his father stiffen up. When Justin told his dad about inviting Tad for the night that weekend, the man had gone ballistic. It was the last time Justin invited anyone over.

Justin was certainly glad his dad couldn't see his son now. He smiled, thinking of the apoplexy his dad would endure once he saw his son's first starring role. Brian had noticed the smile and couldn't help wondering what the young man was thinking.

"Hey Sunshine!" Debbie yelled, right at that moment.

Brian and Justin both looked around to see who the older woman was referring to. It was then that they could see it was Justin she was pointing at. Justin pointed to himself and mouthed 'me'.

"Yes you, kiddo," she answered their unspoken question. "Get your pert little behind over here."

Justin and Brian both walked over to where Debbie was still handing out pieces of cake.

"Why, Sunshine, Deb?" asked Brian.

"Because when this boy smiles, it lights up the whole place," she answered.

Brian looked over at a wildly blushing Justin. "She's got a point, Taylor," Brian added. Justin blushed even deeper.

The rest of the party flew by in a blur. Justin had a wonderful time getting to know Brian's friends better, and he loved spending time with Gus, who was clearly fond of his Daddy's new friend. Only one incident marred the perfect day. Justin had a strong call from Mother Nature and, after getting directions from Lindsay, entered the upstairs bathroom. He was standing at the commode relieving himself when the door opened and Brian walked in. Without a word, the man stepped up beside Justin and unzipped. Before Justin could say a word Brian was joining his stream to Justin's.

Justin had stood at thousands of urinals with other men but his cock was only inches from Brian's and, for some weird reason, it was disturbing the hell out of the young man. He tried so hard not to stare at the beautiful cock as it waved in front of him, but it was impossible. He got the distinct impression that Brian was enjoying his discomfort too. It irritated Justin. He had finished as quick as he could, zipped up, and left the room without a word. He could still see Brian's cocky grin as Justin shut the door on him.

Now Justin was lying in his solitary bed and asking himself for the umpteenth time why Brian Kinney affected him so much. And why couldn't he just ignore the man's face... his voice... his body. And now he had to admit to himself, despite his embarrassment, he had wanted badly to reach over and touch Brian's cock as it stood next to his. This no longer had anything to do with his new role in the movie. The truth was, that for the first time in his life, Justin Taylor was genuinely attracted to another man. It scared the shit out of him. He fell asleep Sunday night with far more anxiety over his feelings for Brian than he had ever had over the making of a new movie. Something had to be done. The question was...what?

To be continued......

Monday dawned with a slight chill in the air. It was the beginning of Fall, and Justin could see all the colorful orange and gold leaves on the trees outside his hotel window. It was the second morning in a row that he had awakened to an empty room. His co-star, Jimmy, had obviously already found a hook-up for the shoot. Justin wasn't disappointed. He enjoyed the solitude. Especially now, while he was busily trying to make some sense of his jumbled up feelings for the movie's ad man... one Mr. Brian Kinney.

Three days... that's all it took for the self-assured man to turn Justin's well ordered life upside down. Last night, Brian had forced memories out of Justin's closet that he had believed were long since buried. He started to remember little things that he had refused to think about for over a half dozen years now. He remembered how very much he had liked his drama club classmate Tad, and how much he had wanted the teen to spend the night with him. He had told himself it was only so they could work on scenes from the upcoming school play together, but it had devastated him when his father had gotten so angry. It wasn't as if they couldn't practice at school often enough. But Justin had refused to delve into why he avoided his friend after his father's tirade, so he was never forced to delve into why it had hurt so much.

Justin remembered the uncomfortable feeling he got the day that Daphne, who had been his friend for what seemed forever, wanted to get a little closer than usual. They had gone to a skating party together in their Sophomore year, and she had tried to kiss him on the mouth when he walked her to her door. He had allowed the kiss, making sure it was brief. He told himself it was because her parents could have opened the door at any time, but somehow he knew there was more to it than that. Strangely, she never was that forward again even though they continued to date all through the remainder of high school.

Justin began to think about the very attractive young actor who had given him a heads up on the cheap apartment available in West Hollywood when he first moved there. The young man, whom he couldn't name any longer, had tried hitting on Justin unsuccessfully. Justin could only remember how sorry he was when the fella disappeared from the scene just a day after Justin moved into the apartment. He had enjoyed being with him and talking about acting. His reaction to the rebuff had a lot to do with why Justin avoided all his neighbors after that. It didn't occur to him that he might be avoiding the lot of them, which were very much predominantly gay, just so that he wouldn't be tempted to feel an attraction to any of them.

And now, despite his valiant efforts to suppress any other feelings, besides the need to be an actor, he found himself most definitely attracted to a man. And not just any man, oh no... this was a man that refused to be denied. But he had to be, Justin told himself. Justin had come back to Pennsylvania for only one reason... to make a name for himself. He wanted to be respected in the business. If he mixed business with pleasure, he was bound to mess up. He had to shake this feeling. He would go to the studio, get his instructions for the day, and do his job. With any luck, he wouldn't even see Brian Kinney.

****************************************************

The first day on the job turned out better than Justin could have hoped. There were no surprise visits to distract him and things ran smoothly. He received the revised copy of his script from the script girl and visited wardrobe. The fittings moved along easily for him, but he had to feel sympathy for the tall good looking actor playing Rage and Jimmy. Their costumes were tighter than a virgin's ass, and it was obvious that they were uncomfortably hot in them on top of everything else. 'Better them than me', he thought to himself. The rest of the day he spent reading lines with his fellow actors. The film was going to be shot almost in sequence so that they could get as many outdoor scenes in the can as possible. The very earliest shots in Rage's Lair before the bashing and after, with JT, would be the final scenes to be filmed. Justin was relieved. He wanted to get to know Dirk, the actor playing Rage, much better before any love scenes were filmed.

The one person who was conspicuously absent the entire day was Brian. Not that Justin figured he needed to show up. The filming hadn't even begun. The ad man wasn't necessary right away, but for some reason Justin was disappointed. He caught himself looking for the tall figure several times during the day. It was getting a little irritating because he didn't want to get distracted like this. He even caught himself picturing Brian's face as he read the scenes that were between Rage and JT. He overheard Dirk telling Jimmy that Justin certainly put a lot of feeling into his scenes. Justin could feel his face warming from the slow blush that spread at that comment.

The actors were just being dismissed for the day by the assistant director when Justin saw Brian standing in front of his Jeep, as if waiting for someone. He stepped out the door of the studio being used for indoor scenes and crossed the street. Brian leaned against the side of his Jeep, a slow smile forming as the blond beauty approached him. Brian had been unable to concentrate all day at work. It was definitely a first for him. He kept remembering the look on Justin's face when he had joined the young man in Lindsay's bathroom.

Brian had seen enough cocks in his day to fill a football stadium, but he had never seen one more attractive than young Justin's. The urge to rest his own impressive tool against the young man's was almost too much to resist. The sad thing was that he could tell that Justin had the same urge, even though it clearly disturbed him. Justin was definitely a late bloomer but Brian had absolutely no doubt now that he belonged in Brian's world, and there was nobody better than him to show the actor the way. In the beginning, he had thought the young man was simply deep into the closet but now Brian felt that Justin truly didn't know who he was. It was going to be Brian's mission to open his eyes. He looked forward to teaching Justin more.

Justin stepped up in front of Brian, who gave him a wicked grin in greeting.

"Did we have a date that I forgot about?" he asked Brian.

"I don't date," Brian returned with his tongue poking the side of his cheek. His grin spread wider. "I just figured you might be hungry after your busy day, and I thought you might want a little company for dinner. Debbie asked me earlier if I was going to bring you to the diner tonight. She's on duty. Apparently, she's taken quite a liking to you. She doesn't hand out nicknames to very many folks, you know."

"I like her too," Justin responded. "She's quite a character, but I can see that she loves her family, whether they're blood or not."

"You don't know the half of it. If it weren't for Debbie and Vic...and Michael too, of course...I'm not sure I'd still be alive. My family would have stepped right over my body if I was lying in a gutter dead, but whenever things got too rough at home I could always escape to Debbie's. I lost count how many times she and Vic rescued me from the old man."

Brian was surprised at how much he had just revealed to someone he had known for such a short time.

"Anyway, are you interested in another visit with our favorite red head?"

Justin didn't have to think twice. "Sounds good to me. Just let me stop at the hotel and get changed. I'm all sweaty," he said, trying to sound casual.

Brian fought the urge to let Justin know he liked his men sweaty. Instead he told Justin to hop in, and then turned the Jeep towards the hotel being used by the movie's production staff.

*********************************************

It was a toss up between which man had controlled himself the best after Brian and Justin reached the hotel room. Once Justin entered the cramped room, he threw off the light sweater and tee he was wearing and tossed it onto the growing pile near his night stand. Brian couldn't help thinking that the room had the feel of a dormitory space, with Justin's things scattered on one side of the twin beds and Jimmy's on the other. In the next moment, his thoughts became distracted by the smooth hairless chest of the young man in front of him.

Justin was by no means muscular, but neither was he soft or feminine. He had skin the color of alabaster, with a faint glow to it in the room's soft lighting. His belly was flat with a deep naval that Brian longed to tickle with his tongue. He turned his back to Brian to remove his jeans. Brian drew in a deep breath. Justin had to have the most perfectly rounded bubble butt he had ever seen. Not an ounce of fat, but plenty of cushioning. His slim waist only added to the beauty of his rear. It took a lot of restraint for Brian not to grab on to that ass and play with it. Brian wondered if Justin knew what he was doing to his libido.

The moment the jeans had joined his other clothes on the floor, Justin headed for the bathroom, grabbing a large towel and washcloth from the dresser on his way. Brian sat on the edge of Justin's bed and did his best not to picture the blond naked in the shower, soaping his body and letting the water flow over him. If he hadn't been worried about scaring the kid off too soon, he would have been stripped and in the shower minutes after the door closed. But Brian had the sense that Justin wasn't to be rushed. He was now convinced that Justin truly didn't know who he was but was beginning to, and Brian REALLY wanted to be there when that happened.

Meanwhile Justin stood under the steamy water doing his best not to call out to Brian to join him. Brian had no idea how far along the young man had come in self-discovery in just a matter of days. Brian Kinney had awakened something in Justin that refused to remain quiet any longer. He wasn't convinced it was a good thing yet... these feelings inside him... but Justin was no coward. He wasn't going to run from the emotions that Brian stirred up in him, but he wasn't about to plunge in head first either. He felt frightened one minute, exhilarated the next, whenever he thought of getting close to a man... no, not any man, just Brian Kinney. He wasn't one hundred percent sure yet of which way to go with the ad man. In the meantime, he unconsciously ended up jerking himself off... again... while soaping his privates and thinking of Brian.

Nearly a half hour passed before Justin opened the bathroom door letting a cloud of steam escape into the outer room. He stepped out looking fresh and smelling even better. His blond locks were darkened and damp against his scalp. He looked good enough to eat. Brian approved of the bulge that poked out from the tightly wrapped towel around his middle.

"I was beginning to think you were scrubbing your skin off in there. Do you always take such long showers? A man could starve waiting on you, you know."

"Sorry. I told you I was all sweaty. I wouldn't want to stink up Debbie's diner... not after she was so nice to me," Justin shot back at Brian. "Look, why don't you go down to the Jeep and I'll join you in just a few. I promise."

Brian got the hint. It was obvious that the young man wasn't prepared for Brian to get a full view peek at all his goodies. He gave the boy a wicked grin and said, "Sure, see you down there. Don't take all day."

Justin was relieved. He knew he couldn't handle standing naked as a jaybird in front of the man. Not yet, if ever.

*****************************************************

It was totally silent inside the Jeep on the ride back to the hotel after dinner. Justin was still smarting at some of the things he had heard at the diner. Those guys were Brian's friends... apparently his best friends... and several of them couldn't wait to give Justin the scoop on what a cold son of a bitch he was. Why the fuck did they hang around him if he was such a bastard? Even Debbie had offered a warning of sorts. And it had started out so nice.

When they first got to the diner, everyone greeted Brian enthusiastically. A couple of connecting booths were filled with Brian's circle of friends, minus the girls and young Gus. They had left room on one side of a booth for Brian and Justin to slide in. Seconds later, Deb arrived with pad in hand to take their orders. There was a lot of good-natured ribbing going on throughout the meal. As the gang were wiping their mouths and cleaning the last bites from their plates, Debbie brought over a platter of the house specialty, homemade lemon bars, for the men's dessert.

"On the house, in honor of our 'soon to be famous' guest," she stated.

A few of the men grabbed a bar while a few others refrained, including Brian. Justin could smell the pungent lemon fragrance and decided it would be rude to refuse such a nice offering. As he bit carefully into the tangy treat, his lips puckered up in a tight purse.

"Now those are lips begging to be kissed," joked Emmett.

Justin turned a cute shade of pink again. It was becoming a habit since arriving in Pittsburgh. Not long after that, Brian got up to visit the little boys room. The minute he stepped away, Michael leaned over to warn Justin not to get too tangled up with Brian. He announced that once Brian finished his job of helping Justin with his role for the movie, he would drop the young man like a hot potato.

"Oh my yes, sweetie," echoed Emmett. If you get too attached to our Brian, he'll break your heart. He's a decent enough guy... I mean he's loyal to a fault with his friends, and all... but he has no intention of ever becoming serious with anyone. As he has told us countless times over and over again."

Ted added his two cents, when Justin turned to look at Brian's second-in-command.

"They're right, Justin. He's the world best boss. He treats everyone with respect. But he's a tomcat in the love department. He may be loyal, but his dick knows no such boundaries."

Justin's chest began to feel tight. "I don't know why you're telling me all this. There is nothing between Brian and me except a job he's doing. He's agreed to give me some insight into the part I'm going to play for a movie that he will be representing. That's it... nothing more."

Debbie caught the last of the conversation and bent over to refill the water glasses. She gave Justin a sympathetic smile and added her words of warning.

"The boys aren't trying to scare you, Sunshine. They just want to give you a heads up... just in case. I love Brian like a son but I wouldn't want my son having romantic thoughts about the man." She turned a knowing glance on Michael, who had the decency to look guilty.

"Well, I appreciate it Debbie... everyone... but I can assure you that romance is the last thing on my mind where Mr. Kinney is concerned."

He did his best to sound convincing. Luckily, Brian appeared at the end of the diner aisle and returned to the table. Brian knew right away that the atmosphere had changed slightly from when he had left, but decided not to pursue it. The whole gang then went on to Woody's where they enjoyed the rest of the evening. After a couple of hours, Justin informed Brian that he had an early call so he needed to get back. Now he was lost in his thoughts sitting in Brian's Jeep. He didn't even realize it when they had reached the hotel and Brian parked in the darkened hotel lot, turning off the engine.

He looked up as Brian spoke. "Okay, give it to me. What happened when I left to take a leak, and don't tell me nothing. You're not that good an actor."

"Well, thanks," Justin answered, trying to make light of things.

"You're welcome. Now answer the question."

Justin paused, considering whether to say anything. Finally he realized Brian wasn't going to drop it until he was forthcoming.

"I'm just wondering why your so-called friends are so harsh about you... even Debbie."

"What are you talking about, Justin?"

"I'm talking about the things they said about you. Practically every one of them warned me that you couldn't be trusted. Don't get me wrong. They didn't say you were bad, exactly. They even said you were loyal to your friends. They just said that if I was dumb enough to fall for you, that you would really hurt me."

"But you're not interested in a relationship with a man, or so I was led to believe. Am I wrong, Justin?"

"No...I mean yes...I mean no. Oh, fuck! I don't know what I mean. I don't know how I feel any more."

Justin sounded so defeated. Brian felt sorry to see the kid suffering.

"Justin," he asked the young man in the darkness, "do you feel something for me?"

Justin turned to Brian. He could clearly make out the man's handsome face with the aid of the security lights above. There was none of the wolfish look to his face now. There was a gentleness in Brian's eyes that warmed Justin and made him feel safe.

"I... I think I do. I..."

Brian gathered Justin's small frame and pulled him into his arms. He raised Justin's face up to his and lowered his lips onto Justin's. Again, the young man felt himself responding. But this time he had no desire to pull away or get out of the embrace that was making him feel so good. The kiss deepened and lingered. After what seemed hours, Brian released Justin, who was finding it hard to breathe right.

"Justin, I want you to go up and get a good night's sleep. I also want you to think about what you really want. This isn't a movie Justin. It's your life. You have to choose, for yourself, how you want to live it. Do you want to be who you really are, or do you want to please others and live a lie? Its your business. I'll pick you up at the studio tomorrow after work. We'll... talk... then."

"You have to leave?"

"I have things to take care of, but I promise to see you tomorrow. You have my word."

For some reason, Justin believed Brian. He reluctantly got out of the Jeep and headed for the lobby entrance. He looked back as he heard Brian rev up his engine and peel out. If he had seen the man's face he would have known just how pissed Brian was. He didn't need to worry. Others would be hearing from Brian tonight. Justin touched his lips with his fingertips. He could still feel Brian there. He didn't have to think about what he wanted. He knew now. He wanted Brian... warnings or no warnings.

To be continued...........

Brian wasn't surprised to find his whole gaggle of friends gone when he got back to the Liberty Diner. It was a work night, after all. He was relieved to catch Debbie as she was signing off of her shift for the night. She had just stepped through the door of the diner, throwing her usual farewells over her shoulder, when she came face to face with Brian. Debbie had known her semi-adopted son long enough to recognize his facial expressions.

"Okay, young man...Woody's for a quick drink?"

Brian didn't answer, just flourished his arm to indicate the way to his Jeep. They rode in silence the short way to the favored bar. Once they had sat and placed their orders, Debbie approached what was on Brian's mind.

"All right, Brian, I know that face. I've seen it often enough before. Do you want to tell me what is on your mind or should I take a guess?"

Brian had been all prepared to ream out every single member of their little family, including Debbie, but a wave of uncertainty washed over him as he faced the woman who had been more than a mother to him for most of his life.

"Let me guess, Brian. You're upset because Sunshine told you what the gang said while you were taking a leak. Am I close?"

"Damn it Deb, I wish you'd stop reading my mind like that. It's a little disconcerting."

"I know, Son. Now do you want to tell me why you're so bothered? It isn't the first time we've said the same things about you. You've even taken pride in your reputation, if I'm not mistaken."

"I know Deb. I don't know what's going on, either." Brian paused, as if debating whether to say any more. Then he plunged forward. "He's different, Deb. I don't why, but there it is. I can't seem to shake him.... I mean, I don't want to shake him. I actually look forward to seeing him every day. There's something special about that kid. I don't want him hurt, Debbie," with more feeling than ever. "What the fuck is happening to me?"

Debbie could clearly see Brian's confusion. She placed her hand gently over his and used her other hand to tilt his face up so that he was looking her squarely in the eyes.

"Brian, my dear, I hate to tell you this... but I believe you are falling in love!"

Brian pulled away as if he'd been given a jolt of electricity.

"That's plain crazy," he protested, a little too vehemently. "You know damn good and well, I don't do love... or boyfriends."

"Look again, sweetheart. Saying it doesn't necessarily make it so."

Brian sunk his head down on his crossed arms on the table. He sighed deeply.

"I don't know what this thing is. All I do know is that I don't want you guys scaring him away. I need time to sort things out. I have no idea where this is going, and I'm not sure I want to know, but I'll never find out, and neither will he, if everyone puts the fear of God in him. He's just finding his footing in this whole new world of his. I want to help him feel comfortable in it."

"Then that's what you do. Talk to the others. Let them know that you have no evil intentions with Justin. Let them know where you stand. You've always been straightforward and honest with them, like you're being with me. They'll believe you and respect you for it. They really like this kid and we were all just trying to help in our own way. I can see that you're not just toying with him for sport, so I'll back off. Just be careful. He's a baby, at least in gay years. You could do a lot of damage if you're not careful. Do you understand?"

Brian looked up at Debbie and could recognize the wisdom in her words. He stood up and placed a quick kiss on the top of her red wig.

"Thanks...Mom," he told her, before dropping a twenty and ten onto the bar.

Brian drove home to his loft apartment. He would have plenty of time tomorrow to set his friends straight before picking up Justin when he finished work for the day. That night he fell asleep without taking any assistance from sleeping pills or slugs of Jim Beam. He fell into a dreamless sleep with images of blue eyes and soft blond hair dancing in his head.

**********************************************************

Brian got an early start the next morning. He made sure he was the first man at the diner, the usual morning hangout on a workday. No one made a better breakfast for a busy queer who didn't feel like cooking for himself. As expected, his group of friends began showing up for their early morning gabfest with toast on the side. They all greeted Brian and took their seats, not suspecting a thing from the cheerful smile that Brian had carefully plastered on his face.

When the last man had taken his seat, Brian slid out from his empty booth and planted his feet firmly in front of their table. He placed his palms on the table and leaned in so that not one of the group would miss a word. The chatter died down slowly as the men's faces turned towards their friend. Brian calmly waited until the last voice silenced, then he spoke to the men.

"First, let me thank you guys for caring enough about Justin to warn him to beware of me."

The men began to protest, but Brian raised his hand silencing them.

"Second, let me tell you that I care about the young man's welfare as much... no, far more than you guys do. Third, I have no intention of hurting Justin in any way, shape, or form... now or ever. Last, I understand where you were coming from last night, but I'm here to tell you now that if you EVER butt into my business again, especially where Justin is concerned, I will rip your balls off and put them on the diner's menu as mountain oysters. Are we clear on this subject? Emmett...Theodore....Michael?"

Three faces sat with mouths agape.

"I said, are we clear?"

Three heads began nodding vigorously.

"Good! See you guys later... don't be late for work Teddy."

With that Brian turned on his heel and exited the diner. He grinned all the way to the car. One problem down... one to go. He had a far more important talk with a far more important man tonight and he needed to prepare himself.

*************************************************

Justin was distracted all day at the studio. He was able to get a lot of work done, practicing with other actors and working on some blocking for some early scenes to be filmed, but for the first time in his career as an actor, he was fully aware of the passage of time and longed for it to move faster. All he wanted right now was to see Brian again.

There was an air of anticipation in Justin that had never been there before. He kept reliving the feel of Brian's lips on his. He now was fully aware that he wanted to feel Brian's touch in other places too. Up until now he had been completely celibate, if one didn't count the numerous jack off sessions that sometimes occurred more than once a day. Justin, for the first time, wanted to feel someone else touching him. The feeling was heady and made Justin tense all over. Finally the news came down that the actors could call it a day. They would begin some preliminary filming of minor scenes the next day.

Justin was the first actor out the door. Relief washed over him in waves when he spotted Brian across the street, again resting against the side of his Jeep. Justin hurried over to greet the ad man. Brian gave him a wide smile.

"You came," he greeted Brian.

"I told you I would," he answered, smiling at the beautiful blond. "I thought we might have a more private dinner tonight so we won't have any interruptions. We could go to my place and order in. How do you feel about that?"

"That sounds like a good idea to me," Justin agreed.

The ride to Brian's place was quiet, both men lost in their thoughts. When they reached the old brick building that housed Brian's loft, he parked in the rear and they entered the building. Brian took Justin up in the old fashioned elevator that stopped right in front of Brian's door. Justin was fascinated. From the outside he would have thought he was in a warehouse, but the moment Brian slid the heavy metal door open Justin could see the man's signature displayed in front of him.

The loft consisted of one huge space that had been divided into distinctly separate living spaces. The ultra modern kitchen was directly to the side of the door, but what drew Justin's attention most was the raised platform space surrounded by glass panels that encircled what was obviously the bedroom, smack dab in the center of the loft. He could see a king sized pedestal bed with a deep blue duvet in the center of the platform. Two steps led up to the room. Justin quickly lowered his gaze and began to sweep the rest of the space when he realized that Brian was staring at him.

"You approve?" he asked the young man.

"Most definitely. It's quite impressive actually. It speaks volumes about you... tasteful, elegant, but not fussy. Best quality too. My dad's in the furniture and appliance business, so I know quality when I see it."

"Thanks. So, you hungry? I have a drawer full of take out menus in the kitchen. Help yourself while I get changed."

"I'm famished. Thanks." Justin went behind the bar, into the kitchen, and began checking drawers until he found the one filled with menus. He thumbed through them until he found a Chinese one to his liking. When Brian returned sans suit and tie and dressed in a pair of loose fitting sweat pants and white tee, he checked on Justin's choice and then called in their order, getting nods of approval from Justin when he mentioned certain items.

An hour later, the men had finished up the last of their sweet and sour chicken, rice, and egg drop soup. They had cracked open their fortune cookies and had a good laugh at the cliched comments. Brian cleared away the take home boxes and place settings from the table. Justin moved over to the plush cream colored sofa in the living area of the loft. He sat in front of the huge 42 inch plasma screen of Brian's television and waited. A few minutes later Brian joined him.

"Do you want to watch something?" Brian asked the blond.

"Not really. I want to talk to you," Justin answered Brian. "I want to answer the question you asked me last night."

"And that would be?"

"You asked me if I felt something for you. "

"And do you?"

"Yes, I do... and it scares the shit out of me," Justin told Brian, his voice very low. "I've never felt anything like it in my life and I don't know what to do with all these feelings. When you kiss me, I want it to go on and on. And I don't want you to stop there. I want more, Brian. I want to... to feel things with you, things that I've never cared about before."

"Do you want me to make love to you?"

Justin paused before answering and then looked Brian right in the eyes.

"Yes!"

Brian's heart gave a loud thump in his chest. He couldn't believe how good that one word sounded coming from Justin. He knew he had to be careful with this young man. No slam bang sex would be right with Justin. This was going to have to be slow and patient.

"What do you want Justin? Do you want me to suck you off, just touch you everywhere, or do you also want me to fuck you? Whatever you need, I'll give you."

Justin's eyes went big when Brian asked about fucking. He hadn't considered it, but now that it was out there he wasn't sure.

"I don't know what I want. Show me Brian. Please! Help me understand what is happening to me...what it means to me."

Brian rose from the sofa and reached down for Justin's hand. He pulled the young man up and wrapped his arms around him. He placed a kiss on his warm lips that deepened ever so slowly. When he felt Justin's mouth relaxing and giving way to him, he pulled back and released the man from his hold. He took Justin's hand again and led him towards the bedroom. He took him up the steps until they were standing beside the large bed.

Brian began kissing the blond deeply again, pushing his tongue in between Justin's pearly white teeth. Brian thought he had never tasted a mouth so delicious, and it had nothing to do with the Chinese dinner. Justin gasped and his own silken tongue began to taste of the invader. Soon he was forcing his way past Brian's tongue to begin his own search. Justin could feel his cock rising painfully in his pants. The material was strangling his privates. He took his hands away from Brian's chest and reached down to unzip his jeans, hoping to give his crotch some relief.

The sound of Justin's zipper inflamed Brian even more. He released Justin's mouth and pulled back just enough to see Justin struggling to pull out his growing dick from the hole in his pants. Brian went down to his knees, slapping Justin's hands away. He then unbuckled the jeans, undid the snap, and quickly pulled jeans and shorts to the ground, lifting Justin's legs so that he could throw the garments to the side. Justin's beautiful eight incher stood in front of Brian, with its light skinned shaft topped with a dark pink head. It's slit peeked at Brian as if winking approval.

Brian wrapped a hand around the shaft and began to slowly pump it. He could hear Justin moaning instantly above him. He flicked his tongue out and teased the slit until he tasted a salty sweet drop of nectar from it, then he removed his hand and engulfed Justin's hard-on with his mouth. Brian's tongue danced along the shaft as he pumped up and down the tool with his mouth, applying a sucking pressure with every upward thrust.

Justin began to lose all sense of time. He had never once felt anything so magical in his life. He longed for it to last forever, but he was rapidly losing it. In no time, his balls drew up, stars flashed in his vision, and his legs melted. He began to thrust down Brian's throat for all he was worth and the older man accepted it gratefully. Suddenly Justin screamed out...."Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!" and exploded into Brian's mouth. The brunet sucked harder, letting each precious drop slide down his throat. He held onto Justin's butt as the blond began to lose his balance. Brian released the drained cock and let Justin slide to the floor.

Brian held Justin in his arms as the young man shuddered over and over in the spasms of post orgasm. It took some time, but when Justin was finally able to speak, he looked up at the beautiful man holding onto him.

"My God! I had no idea. I never dreamed it could be like that! And you took it all? It didn't bother you?"

Brian pulled Justin's face to his and planted his mouth on Justin, giving him a taste of himself. When he finally pulled away, he spoke.

"You taste better than good Justin."

Justin grinned like a little boy. He had never tried tasting himself before and he found it intoxicating. He wondered if Brian would taste as sweet. He had to find out.

"I want to taste you, Brian."

Brian grinned back. "My pleasure, Justin."

Brian rose from the floor, bringing Justin up with him. The men first removed all items of clothing. Justin decided that he was right in thinking that Brian would be even more beautiful under his fine clothing than he was in them. His slightly tanned lean and toned body was a marvel to see, but nothing compared to the proud cock that stood at attention already. Justin ached to taste it.

Brian laid down on his back with his legs dangling over the edge. Justin went to his knees between Brian's legs and wrapped his hand around the shaft. Why did this feel so much better than when he held his own prick, he wondered? After some manipulations he knew he wanted to taste Brian even more than feel him. As he rose up to place his mouth over the head, Brian reminded him to shield his teeth when he went down on him. Justin smiled in agreement, and then slowly began to take Brian into his mouth. Each half inch was played with, a little at a time. When Justin had half of Brian inside, he began to feel the gag reflex. Brian must have sensed it because Justin could hear him telling him to relax his throat and swallow. Justin followed instructions and soon found the going easier. Eventually he could feel Brian's pubes tickling his nose. He relaxed against the shaft for a moment and then began fucking his own mouth with the cock.

Brian couldn't believe this was the first time Justin had given a blow job. The boy was a natural... that was for certain. Before he knew it he could feel the same exquisite pleasure rising in him that he had given Justin. Much too soon, he felt himself losing control and exploded into Justin's eager mouth. Justin gagged for a split second from the surprise, but then began to enjoy swallowing the juices that flowed. When he felt Brian's cock softening, he released it and climbed onto the bed to join his new lover. He offered Brian the same kiss that he had received earlier.

The men lay side by side, hands entwined. After Brian began to calm he rolled onto his side and looked at the young man beside him. Justin smiled up at him, lighting the room.

"Did I do it right, Brian?"

"Perfectly. You have an inborn talent, my good man."

"There is more... right?"

"Eager young pup, aren't you? There's plenty more, but we have all the time in the world. I'm not as young as you. Give me a minute to regroup. Then I'll show you a few more things worth learning. I do love a willing pupil."

Justin turned on his side and laid his arm across Brian's naked chest. He loved the feel of Brian's skin under his fingers. He slowly played with one of Brian's nipples and smiled to himself, thinking of the future lessons the ad man was going to be providing him. Tonight was definitely going to be one of those nights he would never forget for as long as he lived.

To be continued.........

Justin woke with a start. It took him a few moments to realize where he was... and with whom. As he turned his head on the plush pillow, he came face to face with the gorgeous visage of Brian Kinney. A slow sensuous grin spread across his face as he vividly recalled the events of the previous night.

The blow jobs that he and Brian had given each other had been sheer heaven for Justin. He couldn't believe that the human body could produce such ecstasy. It brought a delicious heat to his face when thinking of how he had given Brian that same feeling in return. He believed the brunet when he told Justin that he had done a perfect job of it, even though it was his first time to go down on a man. He had thought that nothing could feel better. He was wrong, as Brian soon proved. He had told Justin there were many more lessons to learn, and he had been soooo right!

The men dozed off in each others arms for about an hour, but woke when Justin had to take a leak. He had slipped out of bed quietly, but found Brian waiting eagerly for him when he returned.

"Are you well rested, young man?" Brian purred at the young actor, as he slipped back into bed.

Justin snuggled down under the thick duvet and rested against Brian's body, placing his head in the crook of the older man's arm. He could smell the odors of dried sweat, musk and cologne from the man's body and it intoxicated him. He decided that he had never breathed in anything sweeter. He couldn't control his desire to taste Brian again. He suddenly flicked out his tongue and licked along Brian's rib cage, savoring the slightly salty taste. He felt Brian shiver through the tip of his tongue. It emboldened him.

Justin pushed himself up from his comfortable spot and leaned over Brian's chest. He zeroed in on the darkened circle of Brian's flat nipple. He poked his tongue out again and flicked it against the tiny nub, watching as it began to harden and grow in size. A few more licks and the nub became a full bud, large enough for Justin to latch on to. He began sucking, flicking his tongue along the hardened flesh to taste of its flavor. Quiet moans began to form from Brian's throat.

When Justin turned his attention to the nipple on the far side, Brian threw his arms around Justin's back and pulled him up so that he could see the reddened lips the blond had as a result of all the sucking. He placed his hand on Justin's neck and pulled the young man down to him. Their lips met in a crushing move. Each man took his turn in exploring the treasures of the other as first one tongue deep throated a mouth and then retreated, making room for the other tongue to invade. Soon the room was filled with guttural sounds of pleasure building up.

When they finally parted, Brian rolled Justin off him, throwing off the covers, and began to wordlessly suck and nip at each inch of skin on Justin's chest, taking care to bring the nipples to the same erect status that had been afforded him. Every nerve ending on Justin's body became alive with anticipation as Brian continued his journey downward, leaving no patch of skin untouched by his lips and teeth. Tiny nips were followed by a slow lick followed by a cooling breath. By the time Brian reached Justin's pale blond pubes, the young man was squirming all over the place calling out Brian's name over and over.

Brian took no pity, bypassing the raging hard on that swung in his face. He continued his ministrations down the downy hairs of Justin's leg, nipping gently at the soft tender flesh of his inner thighs. Justin automatically spread his legs wide so that Brian would have as much access as possible. Brian used his hands to massage the quivering flesh he was moving towards and the skin he had already passed. Once Brian got to the calfs of Justin's small feet, he scooted back up to the other leg and gave it equal treatment. Once he got back to the second calf, he moved to the end of Justin's body and, resting on his knees, pulled Justin's feet into his lap. He massaged the feet with loving care and pressed into the sensitive flesh with practiced skill. Justin began to sigh with contentment like a pampered cat.

Once he had his lover totally pliant and relaxed, Brian lowered Justin's feet and crawled up his body until he reached the most treasured prize. He took each of Justin's full balls in his mouth and rolled them gently around until he heard the sighs coming from the blond turn into moans. He then released the sac and trailed his tongue up the fully engorged shaft. He reached the tip and licked it like a sweet, sweet lollipop. Justin's hands fell onto Brian's scalp and his fingers twisted frantically through the silken brown hair. Brian took Justin's weeping cock into his mouth and gave it several bob's up and down. This time, he was not giving Justin release. He had other lessons to teach first.

"Justin," he called up to the panting blond. "Do you want me to fuck you? I will take it slow and easy and stop if you tell me to."

Justin could barely think straight, and a tremor of fear ran through him...but tremors of desire joined them.

"Yes, Brian, yes. I want you! Just tell me what to do." The huskiness of lust deepened his voice and made it barely audible, but Brian understood what he wanted.

He placed his arms under Justin's hips and flipped him over. Taking a pillow, he raised his lover up just enough to place it under Justin's stomach causing his ass to rise in the air. Brian was momentarily awed by the perfect unblemished round globes that lay before him. But he had other things to do than stare. He set to work by kissing, nipping, and licking each buttock in its turn. Gentle moans again poured above him. Brian next started at the top of the crack separating Justin's globes and began to trace a wet path downward, using his hands to part the way. When his tongue reached Justin's virginal pucker and poked hard into the muscle, Justin screamed out loud.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!," he wailed, long and hard.

Brian smiled and continued his invasion, finally stopping to wet his fingers so that he could substitute them for his tongue. First one finger, probing and dancing inside, and then another. Eventually there were three, slowly loosening and widening the area that Brian knew he must enter to change Justin's pain to pleasure. He watched as Justin's head thrashed from side to side in uncontrolled euphoria. Finally, Brian felt it was time. He reached up to the table for a condom and lube that were always at the ready. Brian rolled the condom down quickly and poured a generous amount on his dick and all around Justin's hole.

"Are you ready for me, Justin?"

All he got were guttural assurances of approval. Brian placed the head of his cock at Justin's entrance. He moved a quarter inch. Justin stopped his wild movements suddenly. A tiny cry of surprise escaped him. Brian pulled back a tiny bit. Justin protested. Brian moved back in and added another quarter inch. Another cry escaped Justin.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"No..no...no...no..no," Justin whimpered.

"Breathe through it, Justin. Relax your muscles and just breathe deeply."

He saw Justin nod his head. He leaned up and kissed the side of the blonds face, reaching for his lips when he turned to look back at the beautiful man on top of him. Brian could feel Justin's muscles beginning to loosen. He pulled out, gathered some more lube on his tip and pushed back in slowly again, adding another quarter inch. Suddenly he felt Justin open up to him and he literally felt like he was falling into an abyss. Justin let out one more cry and then began pushing his bottom towards Brian. Brian knew he was ready. He began a slow and deliberate rhythm in and out. He was in no hurry.

Justin's sharp pain subsided so quickly, he had no time to worry about it. The pain turned into excruciatingly exquisite pleasure. Brian kept hitting a spot that made Justin feel like he was soaring through Heaven. He struggled to keep air in his lungs. After what seemed far too short a time he knew he could not hold in his orgasm much longer. The friction of his cock against the pillow, combined with what Brian was doing to him, was more than he thought his heart could bear. Suddenly his senses clouded and all thought became lost to him.

Brian knew when the moment came. He felt Justin's muscles clamp down hard on his cock, squeezing him in a death grip. The pressure brought Brian to the edge and he knew he was about to release his load too. He pulled Justin up to him with all his force and began to move more rapidly and deeper than ever. Suddenly he heard Justin scream.

"Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!"

Brian held Justin by the waist and let him ride his orgasm to its conclusion, all the while feeling his own at the edge. With one last mighty squeeze on Brian's cock, he too began to shudder and pushed his cock into the condom to fill up its tip with his seed. Both men collapsed onto the bed, pushing the pillow deep into the mattress. It was some time before either man had the strength to separate.

Brian rolled away, pulling Justin with him to lie with the beautiful blond against him in a spooning position.

"Are you alright?" he whispered into the young man's ear.

"I....I think I'm gonna be sore in the morning, but I think I could care less," Justin laughed gently. "There can't be any more lessons to learn after this. My God, Brian, that was...I don't know how to say it...I can't believe there's something that can make me feel like this."

"Oh, my sweet innocent young actor, there are so many more things to learn. You've just been taught the basics. Trust me, school is still in session," Brian laughed. "Now, I think we'd best get some sleep. We both have jobs to do tomorrow."

Brian grabbed the pillow and tossed the cum stained thing to the floor. He grabbed a small towel from the same side table and used it to wipe off Justin's chest, where evidence of his pleasure still lingered. Once that was done, Brian pulled back the duvet and waited for Justin to take his place on the bed. Brian quickly set the alarm on the night stand, used his remote to dim all the lights that were still on, and snuggled up against Justin again, spooning the warm body that seemed to fit into him so perfectly. He could hear Justin sighing with complete contentment. It sounded like beautiful music to Brian. He had never cared one iota for the sound of a man breathing beside him at night, but this time he couldn't imagine the long night without that sound. He settled in, feeling a peace in his soul that was totally new to him. The last thing he heard, as he began to drift off, was Justin's soft voice.

"I'm glad it was you Brian. I wouldn't have wanted it to be anyone else."

Silence... and then, "I think I may be falling in love with you."

To be continued...........

The next day on set was almost torture for poor Justin. His asshole still tingled, and it bounced between pleasure and discomfort. And he wouldn't have had it any other way. Being able to still feel it only reminded him again, over and over, of his glorious night with Brian. He had not lied to his lover when he said that he had never dreamed he could feel the things that Brian made his body feel. That didn't even take into consideration the emotional feelings that Brian brought out in him. Those feelings were in a class all their own.

Justin followed every instruction for the day's work... practicing scenes and blocking for shots... going to wardrobe, hairstylist, and makeup, but the entire time all he could think of was getting to see Brian again. The ad man had promised Justin that there were a lot more lessons to learn about being a gay man and the actor was more than a willing student. By the time the director got to the love scenes in the film, Justin was pretty sure he'd know how to play the part... after all, he WAS in love now.

***********************************************

Brian found it hard to concentrate on the job at hand. He was thoroughly distracted with visions of Justin dancing in his head. Even now, while in a meeting with his top employees on the Rage campaign, he couldn't stop picturing Justin lying underneath him. And, of course, he occasionally heard the young man's voice as it announced his love for Brian so quietly. Every time that memory came up, Brian felt a shiver run through him. Frankly he was a bit scared. He had spent his entire adult life disavowing love as a trap and a fool's game. Now, here was this young man who declared that it was exactly how he felt and Brian wasn't sure what to do with that declaration.

A part of Brian was warmed down to his very core by what Justin had said. In truth, he felt something strong for Justin too, but Brian was also chilled by the declaration. Justin was a virgin and Brian was only his first taste of the world of gay men. What if he discovered that Brian wasn't enough for him. If he was stupid enough to give his whole heart and soul to Justin, what would he have left when the kid decided to move on. Brian knew he had to slow this thing down between he and Justin before they crashed and burned, but he wasn't ready for that yet. There was so much more he wanted to show Justin. The time wasn't right to discourage him, but he wouldn't string the young man along either. Tonight he would set some ground rules to continue their affair.

*************************************************

The day finally came to an end and Justin was tickled to see Brian waiting for him in his usual spot. He ran across to throw himself in the older man's arms. Brian caught him up and held Justin close to his body as he bent over to place a welcoming kiss on the blond's eager mouth. A few of the other actors noticed the exchange and felt a tingle of jealousy at the scene they witnessed, or at least the gay ones did. After a couple of minutes spent reexamininghow much they enjoyed the taste of each other, Brian finally pulled back to gaze into Justin's clear blue eyes.

"Miss me?" he inquired.

"Every minute," came Justin's reply. "Especially when I had to practice kissing scenes with Dirk...you know, the guy playing Rage." Justin grinned innocently at Brian.

Brian felt a very brief moment of...of...well hell, he didn't know what it was, but he didn't like it. Then he recognized the look on Justin's face and realized he'd been played.

"You wouldn't be trying to make me jealous, now would you young man? Because if you are, I must warn you that I don't do jealous."

"Of course. I understand," Justin answered back, but he hadn't missed the momentary look of irritation that crossed Brian's face when he mentioned Dirk and kissing in the same breath.

"Well, if you're finished for the day, I thought we'd try something different. You wouldn't happen to bowl by any chance?"

"Bowl?"

"Yeah, you know...like in ten pins, a big ball, and a long lane? The gang have a team called the Liberty Balls and we bowl every Wednesday. Deb's team captain. It's good exercise and you get to see some pretty nice asses as they bend to throw the ball. So what do you say? Want to join us? We usually have dinner there too."

"I'm always up for a challenge, but I have to warn you, I've never bowled in my life."

"Don't worry, you can sit and admire my form while we bowl the challenge match we have set up with the Boys in Blue team. Then we can try a few frames alone. Are you up for it?"

"It's kind of hard to picture you bowling, Brian. Actually it's kind of hard picturing you involved in any sports, but I'm game if you are."

"Oh, my dear boy, you've just scratched my surface. I was once a track star and a pretty mean hockey player in school. And as for being physically fit, I believe I've proven that. Oh, and I presume you keep your lean figure with visits to the gym...I hear most actors do. You can join the whole gang at our gym later on, then we can talk about my fitness."

Justin laughed. "Oh, I will attest to your physical fitness, but I'd love to hear more about your athletic past. And, no, I don't work out at a gym...can't afford it. But I would certainly enjoy checking you...I mean your gym out with you."

"Okay, it's a date," Brian confirmed, never realizing how shocked his friends would be to hear him utter that forbidden word.

The men took their places in the jeep, and after one more enjoyable kiss, Brian whisked Justin off to his hotel. When Justin went in to shower, it was a very different scene from the previous one a few days earlier. Justin had no problem with stripping down in front of Brian, and instead of waiting patiently for Justin to finish his shower, Brian joined him. The space was limited, unlike Brian's loft, but the couple managed to scrub the day's labors off them while having a little fun at the same time. They exited the shower stall thoroughly refreshed. A quick redressing later, and they were on their way to the Liberty Avenue Bowling Lanes.

*******************************************

The bowling match offered up a lot more than just a few games of skill. Justin realized once more how ordinary and everyday gay folks were. His father had done his best to scare Justin at the thought of anything queer sounding, but the man was just plain wrong. Justin had always sensed it but, thanks to Brian, he now knew it. The only thing different about these folks was who they chose to love or sleep with. Well, that and the fact that some (like the adorable Emmett) had extremely colorful tastes in clothing.

The bowlers on the Liberty Balls team all wore maroon shirts with the team's name emblazoned on the back and their names on the front, except for Emmett who had added a few personal touches to his shirt. The large rainbow that covered the team's name in sparkly colors definitely made a statement. The Boys in Blue wore dark blue shirts. One cop was obviously special as he couldn't stop hugging Debbie during the entire game. Carl was written on the front of his shirt. Later, Debbie introduced him to Justin as her boyfriend.

Brian was quite impressive with his skills, but the star of the team was obviously Ben. Justin was even more impressed with the man when he heard Michael warn him to be careful after just getting out of the hospital. Brian explained, in a whisper, that Ben had had some medical problems due to new medication to treat his HIV positive status. Justin stared at the strapping Professor and found it hard to picture the man sick at all. Justin knew a few positive guys from Hollywood so he had no uninformed fears of the disease, but Ben's condition was an eye opener, especially in the way that he and Michael interacted. Justin's estimation of Novotny rose a couple of notches.

The entire evening turned out to be much more fun that Justin had anticipated. Brian's team won, thanks to some excellent moves by Ben and everyone, gays and cops alike, gathered around a large table in the bowling establishment's cafe for burgers and beer. There was a lot of good-natured ribbing and Justin ate it up. He had had more fun in the last week with Brian and his friends than he had the entire five years in Hollywood. The camaraderie between the friends was something new to Justin who had avoided forming bonds with anyone before. He had never been rude or unkind to fellow actors during auditions or on sets, but he had never allowed anyone to get too close either. He simply did his job and lived for the next one. When he needed a friend, he would call Daphne.

Now Justin was seeing the fun that could be had when one was surrounded by caring people, and he loved it. He loved his job, but being with Brian was fast becoming more important. After winning the three game match with the cops and having dinner, the gang started drifting off leaving Brian and Justin alone. Brian suggested a game for the two of them, but Justin had other thoughts in mind.

"You're kind of sweaty from all that exercising. Don't you feel the need to freshen up?" Justin asked with a wicked gleam in his eye.

Brian wasn't immune to the suggestion. He raised his arm and took a whiff of his armpit.

"Hmmm, I do stink. Do you want to come back with me to the loft while I take care of my problem?"

"Thought you'd never ask," Justin eagerly responded.

The drive to Brian's loft was held in casual talk about the progress of the film while Justin laid his hand in Brian's lap and proceeded to distract the driver who struggled to concentrate on the road. By the time Brian pulled up in the back of the apartment building, he was more than ready to punish the young man for nearly causing him to lose control of the Jeep. He pulled Justin over to him and began kissing the young man passionately, leaving the blond breathless and hard as a rock. Brian rubbed his free hand over Justin's bulge, causing whimpers to pour out of him. Brian grabbed an ear lobe and sucked on it before using his tongue to explore the ear he'd just assaulted. Whimpers turned into moans. Just then, the back door to the building opened and Brian's downstairs neighbor stepped out into the lot.

Brian and Justin froze. Only the sound of ragged breathing could be heard. "Let's take this upstairs," Brian whispered hoarsely against Justin's ear.

Justin bobbed his head up and down and pulled away from Brian's chest. A moment later the men exited the Jeep, adjusting their swollen crotches. They made a beeline for the stairs and took them two at a time until they were on the top floor and standing at Brian's loft door. Moments later, they were back in each others arms with the door sliding closed behind them. Brian escorted Justin to his bedroom and the men quickly undressed and moved to the over sized shower stall.

The lovers stood under the steamy water spray chest to chest and kissed over and over, tongues exploring...erections meshing against each other as Brian pulled Justin up to him. When Brian felt his need take over, he grabbed a condom from the small shelf behind him and handed it to Justin who squatted down in order to roll the protection onto Brian's weeping dick. Justin gave Brian's cock a few quick tugs first and then Brian was set. Brian raised Justin up by his arms and turned him around. He raised Justin's arms onto the glass wall and sucked his way from the blond's neck to his crack, tonguing the crevice thoroughly before rising back up and placing his cock head against the spot he'd just abandoned.

Brian rubbed some of the mild soap along his sheathed shaft and around the target it was aiming for. When he felt Justin was ready for him, he gently pushed forward against Justin's ass. The hole was still tight, but it only took three stops and starts before the muscles relaxed enough to welcome the invader at their door. Once Brian was firmly embedded and Justin was beginning to push back against him, the older man began a practiced rhythm that soon had Justin begging for more and deeper penetration. Much too soon Justin was crying out for release and Brian reached around Justin's middle and began pumping the blond's hardened shaft in time with his thrusts forward. Soon after that, Justin was decorating the wall with his orgasm as Brian filled the condom head with his own. Brian held onto Justin until the young man finally could stand firmly on his own.

Later, the men sat in the den area of the loft taking turns taking a hit off Brian's top quality weed. As their bodies and minds relaxed further, their casual conversation about their lives began to get more serious. Brian relived a painful experience at the bowling alley with his drunken father that almost turned him off the sport altogether, and Justin revealed his painful experience with his own father when the man frightened him into hiding his very nature even from himself. Eventually Brian saw an opening to warn Justin that no matter how close they had become, he must not think it was forever.

"You know I care about you... a lot, Sunshine. But we're not like straight folks who tell each other they're in love so that they can get laid and then break each other's hearts when they realize it was all a mistake. We're men and we fuck when we want to and don't when we don't. I refuse to pretend that it's anything more. I usually am never with the same guy twice, but you're the exception. First of all, because you're the best I've ever known and secondly because I didn't want some heavy handed asshole teaching you what being gay was all about and making a mess of it. I just don't want to lie to you. Sooner or later, you'll be moving on and so will I."

Justin sat next to Brian and quietly took in all the man said. When Brian paused, Justin stepped in.

"You do know that you just spouted a load of bullshit at me. I am falling in love with you, Brian Kinney, and it isn't just because you are one hell of a good fucker... which you are. And as for men being men, you're surrounded by couples who are obviously in love... Ted and Blake, Emmett and Drew, and particularly Michael and Ben. Last time I looked they were men, and I believe they would laugh at your idea that they can't be in love because they're men. And one more thing... you don't spend all this time with me for altruistic reasons. I may not have known you long, but I know enough to know that you don't do anything unless you really want to. You spend all this time with me because you love being with me and you are falling in love with me too. You just haven't got the balls yet to admit it. That's okay, I'll wait. You're worth it. Now, it's getting late, so you can either call me a cab and send me home, or you can take me up those steps and further my education by showing me another position."

Justin stared Brian down, waiting for an answer. Brian was stopped cold. No one had ever challenged him on his thoughts before, not even Michael. He could see it was a lost cause as he watched Justin watching him. The blond beauty wasn't backing down. Brian had no choice. There was no way he could let this magnificent creature walk out the door. Just the thought of that made Brian feel cold inside. He stood up and reached his hand down to Justin. Justin smiled and took the hand with his. Brian pulled Justin up and wrapped his arms around the young man tightly.

"Are you ready for more lessons then, young man?"

"Ready when you are, teacher," came the eager reply.

To be continued........

The next couple of days seemed to rush by for Justin. He spent every available minute away from work and the studio with Brian. The ad man, turned teacher, spent half that time giving his pupil lessons in the sexual joys of being a gay man, and the other half spent in learning the every day life of a gay man. Justin enjoyed it all. He had finally realized who he truly was, and he was proud. He would have mourned all the missed years of hiding from himself, if he wasn't so grateful that it was Brian who brought him out of his own personal closet. The man was definitely worth waiting for.

Justin had also come to the realization that the primary reason he enjoyed acting so much was that he could become someone else, if even for only a brief time. It wasn't that he had ever hated himself... it was that he didn't know himself, and he had been searching all this time. He now recognized that his dad had frightened him long ago into suppressing who he was, and he now felt it was time to confront the man. He would use the weekend time off from work to do just that.

Justin had kept in contact with Daphne every day since coming back to Pennsylvania, and he was eager to see her again. He knew that she was just as eager to see him. Daphne knew Justin inside and out, and she was aware that something had changed in him in a very short time. Justin had always been a positive person, but this new man was positively glowing, even through the phone. At first, she thought it was because of his new job. After all, it was his first lead role, but now she suspected it was something even bigger. He sounded suspiciously like a man in love, but the only person he ever talked about with any conviction was one Brian Kinney. Daphne knew that once she had Justin right in front of her, she'd get the truth out of him.

*****************************************

Justin spent Friday night wrapped in Brian's strong embrace, as usual. Justin still had his hotel room, but half his clothes were now at Brian's, along with his toothbrush. Justin had reluctantly told Brian, during the night, that he wouldn't be able to spend much of Saturday with him since he had promised to make the short trek to his hometown in Mount Lebanon. He told his lover that he intended to confront his family with some truths about himself, and he made it clear that he needed to go alone. He needed to make sure he knew where he stood with everyone before bringing Brian into the picture. Home might be barely over ten miles away, but it was a whole different universe from what Justin was living in now.

Justin made arrangements for a rental car and it was waiting for him when he rose early Saturday morning. The night before was spent in some playful bondage sex and Brian groaned when the alarm went off. He did his best to convince Justin to delay his departure and come back to bed, but the young man knew it was better to get moving onto the next chapter of his life. He gave his exhausted lover a quick kiss and left the man slipping peacefully back into sleep.

Justin had decided to visit Daphne first before confronting his family. He sensed that she would be a lot easier to talk to, and he wasn't quite ready to face his father yet. Daphne knew he was coming.  She had always been an early riser, so he knew she'd be up and ready to bombard him with questions. It was already clear that she knew something was up. Justin rechecked the address that she had given him since moving in with her new fiance, and pointed the car in that direction. Twenty minutes later, Justin was pulling up in front of a lovely old brick building that housed a dozen rather large and comfortable apartments.

Justin knew that Daph's fiance came from a well-to-do family, so the apartment confirmed it. She opened the door before he could even knock a second time and threw her arms around her oldest and bestest friend. After nearly squeezing the life out of him, she drew Justin into the apartment and shut the door behind him. Justin was impressed. The apartment was large and airy with a roomy living room off the entryway. There were two sliding glass doors at the back of the living room that revealed a small garden patio. Daphne drew Justin into the room and plopped down on a large recliner that faced a black leather sofa. She indicated for Justin to sit there and then leaned in to grab her friends hands.

"Oh man, Justin, I am so glad to see you. It feels like it's been forever. Damn, you look good... even better than the last time I saw you. So tell me, what's up with you? I want the scoop, the whole scoop, and nothing but the scoop."

Justin jumped in when his friend stopped to take a breath.

"Whoa, slow down girl. I'm glad to see you too. And I'll tell you everything, then you can tell me how things are going for you...." Justin waved his arm around the room, "...although I can already see that things are going well."

"Ummm, you might say that. I did mention that Gary comes from one of the richest families in town, right? But, oh my God Justin, he is the sweetest thing in the world. No pretensions or anything. You're really going to like him. He's working at the hospital right now, but he'll be home by lunch time. I've been incredibly lucky finding him. He wants to be a pediatrician. You know, I never thought I'd want kids, but Gary has changed my mind. He's going to be the best dad in the world some day. Now, you can see how happy I am... I want to know what's going on with you. You've changed kiddo. There's something really different about you. I could hear it on the phone, but now I can see it too. So spill."

"Okay, okay. I've met someone too, and I think... no, I mean I know I'm falling in love too. His name is Brian Kinney."

Justin paused deliberately to gauge Daphne's reaction to the name. There was a brief moment when the room went completely quiet, and then the girl jumped up from her seat, clapping both hands wildly together.

"Whoo hoo! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! It's about time you told me the truth."

"What are you talking about?" a confused Justin asked.

"I'm talking about knowing you were gay for some time now. So what made you decide to be honest about it? I've been waiting for years."

"You've known for years?" asked an incredulous Justin. "So why the fuck didn't you tell me? I just figured it out myself."

"Wait! Wait a minute. Are you saying that you didn't even know all this time. That's not possible. I've known since high school."

"No, I didn't know. I swear! I just didn't care. I've been drowning myself in making a career for my future and nobody, male or female, ever attracted me before."

"Well then, this Brian... whatever... must be one hell of a man."

"Oh, he is Daph, he is. He's the most beautiful man I've ever known. And it isn't just his looks. There is something really beautiful inside the man. He likes to put on these airs of not really caring about anyone or anything that much, but it's a facade. He cares deeply. You should see him with his little boy. He..."

"Little boy?", Daphne interrupted. "I thought he was gay."

Justin laughed. "I thought you were going to be a doctor, Daph. You have heard of artificial insemination, right?"

"Oh geez. Of course. Go on."

"Anyway, as I was saying, he is so good with the boy and Gus obviously loves his dad to death. And he gives his friends a hard time, but you can see the affection there, even though he'd deny it. He only took on the job of advertising the film because it was based on his friends comic. He's loyal to a fault. And my God, Daph, he's so gentle and loving with me. He took on the job of teaching me how to play a gay man, but he's taught me so much more."

"From the very beginning there was something there between us. I was scared shitless. He seemed to see right through me and he knew, even though I didn't, that I was gay. So he didn't let me hide from myself any more. I don't think he started out to fall for me, but he did... and hard too. He just wanted me to face up to who I was. I think I've scared him a little bit, cause he isn't used to feeling anything special for the men in his life, except his friends of course, but he can't deny how he feels for me. Well, actually he can deny how strong the feelings are, and he tried to, but I won't let him. You know how determined I can be when I want something, and Daph, I want him... more than anything in my life."

Daphne looked at her old friend and could see the truth in what he said. She could see Justin's eyes light up like a beacon whenever he simply said the man's name. She had never seen such a look of determination and affection on her friend's face before. Daphne had never been so excited about the prospect of meeting someone. She had to meet the man who brought Justin out of his cocoon and made him bloom like a butterfly.

They spent the rest of the morning reliving old times and talking about their lives now, mixed with talk of the future. Justin was pleased to meet Daph's fiance, Gary. The young man was tall and gangly with a mop of bright red hair and a smile that would warm anyone's heart. He obviously adored his fiancee, which gave him high marks in Justin's eyes. He joined in their conversation, but was soon headed back to the hospital to finish off his shift. They made a date to have dinner at the next earliest possible time, and he expressed an interest in meeting Justin's boyfriend, once Daphne explained who Brian was.

Shortly after Gary left, Justin knew he couldn't put off the main reason he had come home in the first place. He bid Daph adieu at the car and promised to return on the following weekend, bringing Brian with him if he could. Daphne assured him that he had better or she'd be making the short trip into Pittsburgh on her own. They kissed good bye and Justin turned the car towards the big house he had grown up in.

********************************

Justin drove down the pleasant avenue he'd spent his entire childhood on. Very little had changed, if anything. The homes were large thanks to owners who were mostly business owners and high paid executives. Every yard was neatly trimmed and in full bloom. Some kids could be seen bicycling down the picture perfect streets. This was suburbia at its prettiest. Whatever deep dark secrets existed here, they were well hidden behind heavy ornate doors. Soon Justin could see his own home as he approached it. He felt his stomach do a flip. It was now or never, he reminded himself.

Justin had called his mom to warn her of his upcoming visit. His mom knew he was in town for the movie, but he hadn't talked to his dad at all. It had been ages since his dad had spoken with Justin. The man didn't appreciate his only son defying him like he did. He had called Justin a few times when he first moved to Hollywood to let him know that he was still welcome to join the family business or attend college on his father's dime if he would give up his ridiculous dream of becoming an actor, but Justin had politely declined each time. Eventually, the calls stopped. Justin wouldn't even know what was going on with his family if it weren't for his mother.

Justin parked behind his mom's Mercedes and got out. He stared up at the large two story house. He had so many happy, and quite a few less than happy memories stored in this place. He took a deep breath and moved to the paved walk leading to the front door. He had only taken one step forward when the front door flew open and his baby sister came flying out.

"Justin," the young teen shouted, launching herself into her big brother's arms.

"Whoa Sis, back off. You almost flattened me," Justin got out, as he was plastered to the side of his car, thus avoiding landing on his ass.

Molly hadn't seen her big brother in almost a year... not since he had taken a brief job in a television show that was filmed in New York City. Their Mom had made a long weekend of it and met Justin in the City for a two day visit. She tried to get Justin to come home then, but he had refused. He made it clear that he wasn't ready to have a face to face with their dad yet. She didn't know what made this time different, but she was just glad to see him.

Justin pulled back from his baby sis and looked her over. She was fourteen now and the difference from last year and now was quite evident. His little sis was blossoming and turning into quite the blonde stunner.

"You're becoming quite the cutie, kiddo. Bet you have all the boys chasing you."

Molly blushed all the shades of red and punched her brother in the arm.

"Quit kidding me, Big Bro. I'm a mess. I can't even get the attention of the only guy in school who matters. But I'm working on it. So what made you decide to finally come home after all these years? Not that I care. I'm just glad you finally did. And man, I hear you've finally got a really good part in some action movie. Tell me all about it."

"Calm down, squirt. I will. I just need to talk to the folks first. So are they both here?"

"Mom is, but Dad had a golf game with some of his business cronies. He should be home soon. Come on. Mom's dying to see you. She couldn't believe when you called and said you were finally coming home. I could hear her and Dad arguing almost half the night about how he should treat you. She is so going to whip his butt if he gives you a hard time again. Just you wait and see."

Justin was half relieved that he would have some time with his mom alone before facing his father. He threw his arm around his little sis, who was now almost as tall as him, and led her towards the house. As soon as they entered, Justin could smell the sweet aromas of the apple spice cake his mom knew was his all time favorite. The siblings followed their noses to the back of the house where they knew they'd find their mother.

When Jennifer turned around and saw her only son standing in the doorway, she tossed aside the spatula she was using to frost her cake and ran to greet her boy. After nearly smothering Justin with her enthusiastic hug, she stepped back and gazed at her beautiful son. She noticed right away how much older and more mature Justin seemed to be than the last time she had seen him. There was an air of confidence in our son that she hadn't noticed before. This new movie must be the cause of it, she thought to herself.

The three Taylors enjoyed their reunion for a while sitting at the kitchen bar, when Molly suddenly remembered a previous promise to go with her friend to the mall after she heard the girl's mother honking outside the house. She threw a big kiss to her big brother, kissed her mom quickly on the cheek and ran for the door, shouting 'Later' behind her.

"Is she always this hyper," Justin laughed.

"No. Usually she's ten times more so. She's reining it in for your sake," Jennifer laughed back. "Okay, Justin, we're alone now. You can tell me the real reason you came home, besides just to visit. I could hear it in your voice when you called yesterday. You have something important to tell us. Am I right?"

Justin quickly decided it might be better to give his mom a heads up before talking to his dad so he plunged right in.

"You always could read me, Mom. I do have something to tell you and I'm not sure how you're going to take it."

"Well, the only way we'll know is for you to just spit it out."

"Okay, here goes. You know that I have the lead in this new film. I told you it was about a super hero who rescues this kid who is beaten in an alleyway. What I didn't tell you was that the super hero is gay and the victim... that's me... is also gay. The two of them fall in love in the story." Justin paused for a reaction.

"Okay, and...."

"And, they assigned this man to help me get into my character. He's the ad man in charge of promoting the film. He's also gay and...well...."

"Justin, just spit it out."

"And, I've fallen in love with him. And Mom, he's in love with me, although he hasn't admitted it yet." Justin stopped and stared at his mother, waiting for the explosion.

Jennifer sat perfectly still for all of two minutes. Suddenly she reached forward and gathered her son in her arms.

"Oh my God, Justin. Do you have any idea how long I've waited to hear you tell me the truth. I've been so worried about you, but I couldn't say anything. They told me at PFLAG that I had to wait for you to come to me."

Justin pulled back, puzzled. "Wait, are you saying you've known I was gay for a while now?"

"Not known for absolute certainty. Of course not. But I've suspected ever since high school. There was even one boy that I thought for a while was your boyfriend, but he disappeared from your life all of a sudden. After that I wasn't so sure, but I still wondered. Are you telling me that this man is the first time you've known who you were?"

"Yes! His name's Brian Kinney, and he is wonderful! He has his own business. He's smart, kind, thoughtful, and so damned beautiful. I really think you'll like him Mom. So, does Dad know too?"

"Good God, no. I mean we've never talked about it. If he's had any suspicions, he's kept them to himself. I wasn't going to bring it up to him, cause it's your business, not mine. Are you here to tell him too?"

"I have to. I want him to know the real me. So how do you think he'll react?"

"I don't know, honey. But I do know he loves you, so even if it is hard on him at first he'll come around. You might have to give him a little time though. He'll be home in time for supper. You will stay and eat with us, right?"

Justin thought for a second and then nodded yes. He had made up his mind that it was time to come clean with everyone that mattered. He'd sit down to dinner with his dad and by the time he went back to Pittsburgh, he'd know where he stood with the whole family. Daphne and his mom had proven that they loved him no matter what and that they had even known already what he had kept hidden from himself. His dad was probably the same way. But no matter what, he'd find out for sure in just a few hours.

He excused himself from his mom and went upstairs to his old room. The place hadn't changed a bit in five years. The years melted away as he sat at his old desk, surrounded by drawings he'd worked on as a kid and photos of friends at different summer camps and parties. He pulled out the cell that the studio had provided all its lead players, and called Brian. He felt a tingle in his crotch and a tightness in his chest when he heard the beautiful silken voice of his lover.

"Hey Brian."

"So what's up, Sunshine. Have you imparted the news to everyone yet?"

"Just Daphne and Mom. You wouldn't believe it. They claim they already knew and they are totally cool with it. I called to let you know that I won't be back until after dinner. My dad's not here, but he'll be home for supper and I'll tell him after that."

"How are you feeling about that?"

"Frankly, I'm scared shitless. My dad is not exactly gay friendly. I don't think he'll take it as well as Mom did. But I have to tell him."

"Well, just remember, if he really loves you he'll accept who you are no matter what. And Justin, remember that we're all here waiting for you. I'll have the bed all warmed up for your next lesson."

Justin smiled, thinking of what Brian might have in store for him next. It helped buoy his spirits as he waited patiently in his childhood room for the first man he had ever loved to come home, so that he could reveal who he really was to him. Then he could go home to the last man he would ever love. He looked at his old alarm clock and willed time to hurry up. He wanted this over and done with.

To be continued...........

The sound of his dad's pride and joy, the Porsche, pulling into the driveway alerted Justin to his dad's arrival. He felt a momentary sense of impending doom, but shook it off as quickly as it came. He couldn't wimp out now. He would never feel a hundred percent free to live his life the way he wanted and be a part of Brian's world if he wasn't completely honest with everyone, including his own father. He prayed his dad would love him enough to throw out his prejudices, but what would be would be. Justin got up from the living room couch and went to the door to greet his dad for the first time in years.

Craig Taylor limped into the house. He was favoring his right leg and moving slowly. A moment later he caught sight of his blond-headed son, who was the spitting image of his mother. He stopped dead in his tracks. His wife had mentioned that Justin might be coming for a visit on the weekend, but Craig had dismissed it. The boy had avoided his home for five years now. What made her think he had changed his mind now, just because he was filming a movie close by? But here he was, finally in his own home. Craig felt a brief surge of hope that Justin had finally come to his senses and would get a real job... maybe even join the family business. It certainly wasn't too late for that.

Justin stepped forward. "Hey Dad. It's good to see you again." He pointed down to his father's leg. "What happened to you?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing much. The club isn't run as efficiently as it used to be. The groundskeepers have fallen down on the job and I had a little accident. Some stupid gopher had left a hole near the wooded area on the tenth hole and I tripped on it when looking for a missing ball. I've thought about suing their asses, but it's just a sprain. It could have been worse. I could have been attacked by a rabid gopher protecting his home," Craig laughed.

Justin was relieved to see that his dad's sense of humor was intact. This might not be as hard as he anticipated. He stepped back to make room for his dad, and the two men settled into their old familiar positions in the living room... Justin on the couch and his dad in the big old easy chair across from him. Moments later, Jennifer stepped into the room and observed the two men in her life warily sizing each other up. She broke the noticeable tension in the room by announcing that dinner would be ready in five minutes.

Craig offered his wife a slight nod of his head in acknowledgment and Justin smiled a thanks. When she left the doorway to return to the kitchen, Craig asked his son if he was staying for dinner. Justin nodded yes and the men again stared at each other, almost like strangers. Finally, Craig broke the silence.

"So, I hear you have the lead in a new film and that's why you came back to town."

"That's right, Dad. It's an action adventure film about a super hero and I play a victim that he saves and then befriends. It's a very good part. The ironic thing is the character's name is JT." Justin gave his dad his best smile.

Craig smiled back. "That sounds exciting. I've always liked action films...Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, stuff like that. Maybe the film will be good enough to offer you a shot at a bunch of sequels. This is your first lead role, if I'm not mistaken. I mean, your mother has been keeping me up to date on what's been happening with you."

Justin felt a momentary thrill. Apparently his dad cared enough about him to keep tabs on him, even if it was through his mother. It was better than thinking the man who brought him into the world didn't care at all. Just then his mother called the men into the dining room and shouted up the stairs for Molly to get off the phone and join the family for supper. A minute later, the young ball of energy came flying down the stairs, almost knocking into her dad and brother. One look from her dad and she pulled herself together, and fell in step behind the men as they walked into the dining room.

Jennifer had laid out a small feast on the ornate Early American oak dining room table that stood proudly in the center of the room with at least ten chairs around it. It had a beautiful cut glass two tiered chandelier directly above it that screamed affluence. It's lights illuminated the fine cream colored china and beautifully patterned silverware that lay on the table. His mother had gone all out for the return of her son, even using her best goblets for drinks. Her husband noticed that she wasn't using the everyday tableware. One would think a prodigal son had returned from the dead rather than a stubborn one who was finally willing to meet his family half way.

Craig had secretly, or not so secretly, hoped for some time that Justin would fail miserably at his rebellious choice for his future, but if he was going to be a success at it then Craig could compromise. At least he would make a really good living if he became a real star and not just a starving wannabe. Craig could respect that. Besides, if his son became a star, his name power could help the business immensely. That was better than no contribution to the family business.

Justin's favorite childhood meal of braised lamb chops with mint jelly, peas with pearl onions and mushrooms, and stewed apples with raisins was laid out on the table. The reunited family sat at the end of the table and enjoyed their meal as they talked about superficial things. Justin heard how his father's business was blossoming to include electronics and appliances as well as furniture. He heard of how proud his father was to be on the Chamber of Commerce board now and of all the excellent contacts that he now had, even outside the business. His mom talked about her reading club and charitable pursuits, while Molly talked about her grades (that almost were as good as her big brothers) and all the boys in school who had crushes on her... which earned her a slight scowl from her dad. Once the meal ended, Jennifer suggested everyone retire to the living room so they could talk more comfortably.

Justin immediately began to regret his enthusiastic indulgence in his mom's excellent cooking as he felt his stomach do a nervous flip. He had begun to forget the real reason he had come home in the excitement of reliving the old days. As the threesome settled into their seats, Justin toyed with the idea of delaying the big reveal but dismissed it just as quickly. As Brian had told him, he could never be entirely true to himself until he was true to everyone else in his life. There was no putting it off. They exchanged a few more pleasantries until Jennifer joined them.

When Jenn entered the room and sat down in the other recliner, she looked at Justin for a silent signal. He nodded his head and Jenn turned to her husband beside her.

"Craig, Justin came home to see us, but he also has some things he needs to tell us. He needs you to stay quiet and listen for a while before you say anything. Can you do that?"

She sounded so serious, but Craig had the thought that maybe Justin was coming home to stay after all, so he nodded his head eagerly.

"The floor's all yours, Son."

Justin hesitated only a second and then plunged right in. "Okay, first of all...about the movie. I think you may have the wrong idea about it. First of all, it's not a cops type story.  It's a Superhero story."

"Not another Batman or Superman or Spiderman, I hope. Those have been done to death."

"Dad!"

"Sorry! Go on." He made a zipper motion across his mouth.

"No, you've never heard of this Hero. He's pretty new in comic books. He's called Rage... and he's a gay Superhero."

No reaction. Justin continued. "And I'm a gay teen who is rescued by him after a bashing. We become friends... and well... then we become lovers."

Craig jumped up from his seat. His face had been slowly turning red and was now blazing.

"What the fuck are you talking about? You're going to play a fag who has an affair with a fag Superhero? Are you crazy? You'll ruin your chances of ever having a career. Everyone is going to think you really are queer, Justin! Do you want to ruin the rest of your life, not to mention my reputation in this town? I forbid it."

Justin sat in stunned silence. Then he rose to all five feet seven inches of himself and stood directly in front of his slightly taller father.

"By the time the movie is made, everyone is going to know for certain that I'm queer Dad, if they don't already. And who the hell do you think you are, telling me you forbid me to do my job?"

What Justin had just said sunk in suddenly to the stunned man. Craig turned to his wife and waved his hand at her.

"Did you know what your son was coming here to tell me? Say something! Talk to him... put some sense into your son. He listens to you."

"What do you want me to say, Craig? Justin, don't be who you are because it upsets your dad's perfect world? And no, I didn't know what he was going to say, but I already knew who our son was... and so did you, deep down inside."

"That's bullshit. Molly leave the room. I don't want you hearing this filth coming from your brother."

"It's not filth Craig, and Molly can stay if she wants. She's a member of this family too. And it doesn't matter whether you knew or suspected or never even cared enough to notice... but our son is gay and that's all there is to that. If you love him like you say, you'll learn to accept it."

"Never!" the older man shouted. "As a matter of fact, as of this minute I don't even have a son anymore." He turned to Justin, who had remained silent during his parent's exchange. "And I'm telling you right now that I want you out of my house. I don't ever want to see you here again unless or until you change your ways. You give up this crazy notion, get out of that filthy Hollywood place and get your life back on track, or don't ever step foot in my door again."

"Excuse me!" came Jennifer's voice beside him. "Your house... your family... your life! This is my house too, and my life. This is Justin, our son and a part of our family... always. And if anyone should leave this house for bringing shame on it, it's you Craig Taylor. As a matter of fact, you've got one hour to gather enough to get you by for a day or two, and you can take your fancy car and drive yourself over to one of those girlfriend's houses you visit a few times every week.  You can make the rules there, because you are through making rules in this house."

She never raised her voice. The calm in her voice was even more forceful than if she had shouted her announcement.

The room went deadly quiet. The look of shock on the faces of both men would have been funny to Jennifer if it weren't so pathetic. But she wasn't going to be backing down... not this time. She had spent years turning her eyes away from the truth of the real condition of her marriage, but enough was enough. Craig had gone too far this time. Suddenly, Craig let out a snort and cursed.

"You two fucking deserve each other. I'm out of here. You'll be hearing from my lawyers in the morning."

A few minutes later, the pair heard the front door slam and Craig's car engine revving. The sound of squealing tires heralded his departure. The sound of held breath being released echoed in the room. Jennifer sank to the chair behind her. Justin rushed over and sank to the floor in front of her.

"Oh God, Mom, I didn't mean to wreck your marriage. Please, please forgive me," he pleaded.

"Stop it, Justin! Don't say that. Don't you see? You didn't wreck anything. You just gave me the backbone I've needed for years to set things right in this family. Our marriage has been dying since before you went to Hollywood. This really doesn't have anything to do with you. It's about your dad and I, and it's what I want. Now look, it's getting late, hon. You need to get back to town before too late. Besides, I'll bet your young man is worrying about you... Brian something, right?"

"Brian Kinney, but what about Molly?"

"Don't worry about your sister, dear. I'll talk to her. She's not a baby any more. She's known for some time that things weren't rosy at home. I don't think this will come as that much of a surprise. Now I want you to get going, and don't forget to call me to let me know you made it safely back. I love you Justin. I always will."

Justin wrapped his arms around his mother and squeezed her for all she was worth. He whispered in her ear.

"I love you too Mom. I'll call and see you next weekend... if that's okay with you."

"Okay? You are welcome anytime you want, Son. And next time bring your Brian."

"I will. I love you."

Justin moved hurriedly out the door and ran to his car. Suddenly he had an overwhelming need to see Brian. He couldn't get back to Pittsburgh fast enough. As he started to get into his rental car he saw Molly at her window. She smiled sadly at him and waved. He waved back, slid into his seat, and drove away. As the house faded in his rear view mirror, he felt the first sting of unshed tears in his eyes. Suddenly his stomach did a giant flip and he pulled to the curb. He opened the door and leaned out. Half his mom's good cooking rushed out and onto the side of the road.

A few more gags and Justin pulled back into the car, grabbing a tissue from the glove box and wiping his mouth clean. He took a swig off the water bottle he had left in the passenger seat earlier and spit out the window. A couple more swigs swallowed and he was ready to move on again. He wiped angrily at the tears that had formed in the corner of his eyes. He gunned the motor and got back on the road. The next twenty minutes or so were the longest of Justin's life.

Justin finally pulled up in the back of Brian's apartment building. He made a quick call to his mom and reassured her that he was safe and sound and back home. He thanked her for all her love again and promised to see her the following week. They bid each other good bye and Justin closed his cell with a deep sigh. He did his best to pull himself together. He was not going to show Brian how upset he was... not if it killed him. When he felt he was finally in control, he locked up his car and entered the building, using the key Brian had given him the day before.

Justin called for the elevator and rode the old thing up to the top floor. When he pulled up the gate and slid the door open he saw Brian at his opened door waiting for him. Brian saw the look on Justin's face and knew in an instant the gist of what had happened. He opened his arms wide and Justin stepped into them, burying his face in the older man's chest. A sob escaped him, despite his best efforts. Brian held him close for several minutes, rocking Justin and soothing him. After a bit, he led the young man into the room and slid the door closed behind them. He led Justin over to the large sofa and sat him down, taking a spot right next to him.

Justin's head fell back onto Brian's chest and he let the tears fall. Brian continued to comfort him, running his hand slowly on his neck and into his silken hair. Brian held onto Justin's arm, that was draped over his stomach, and waited. Finally the blond hiccuped and the tears ceased. He sniffled a couple of times and raised his head. Brian handed him a tissue and he blew his nose heartily. He tossed it into a nearby trash can, and looked at his lover with red rimmed eyes.

"I'm sorry," he moaned. "I didn't mean to lose it. It's just... it's... I mean... Oh God, Brian, he told me I wasn't his son anymore and that he never wanted to see me again. Well, at least not if I stay gay."

Brian's face darkened. If Craig Taylor had been in the room at that moment he wouldn't be breathing any longer. It tore at Brian to see the pain in Justin's face. Justin was meant for sunshine, not storm clouds. He forced himself to remain calm.

"What did your mother have to say about all this?"

"She kicked him out of the house. I think they'll get a divorce after this, but she says it has nothing to do with me. From what I gathered, my dad's been two-timing Mom for a long time now. Oh, and she wants me to bring you over next weekend. She's dying to meet you."

"Oh goody." Brian tried to sound sarcastic, but wasn't quite able to carry it off. His estimation of Jennifer Taylor rose a hundredfold after hearing how she reacted to her husband's tirade. He actually looked forward to meeting the lady.

"I know I shouldn't have let him get to me, but it hurt Brian. Do you know what I mean?"

Brian remembered the pain he felt when revealing the truth to his own father.

"I know, Sunshine, I know. Look it's late. Let's go to bed and things will look so much brighter in the morning. I promise."

That sounded so good to Justin, who was mentally and physically drained of all energy. The men climbed the steps to the bedroom. Brian removed Justin's clothing, piece by piece leaving his underpants on. He himself had only been wearing a robe and underpants. He slid the robe off and slid into the bed next to Justin. He spooned against the blond and laid his arm protectively around the young man's middle. He wanted Justin fiercely but tonight the boy needed rest. Tomorrow would be soon enough. They would have all day. He placed his lips against Justin's back and kissed him. He received a gentle snore as a reward. Brian wanted to kill the man who had hurt Justin so badly, but protecting Justin from bad dreams was more important. He was just relieved that Justin found his way back home to him.

To be continued.............

Justin sat in his usual chair in the hair and makeup department Monday morning and let his mind drift back to the day before. And what a day it turned out to be. He had awakened in the middle of the night after some nameless nightmare. Brian woke up immediately when he cried out. The strong arms of his lover instantly pulled Justin closer into an embrace, and the man ran his long fingers gently up and down the young actor's back, making soothing noises about him not being alone. In no time the trembling quieted and Justin was able to drift back to sleep feeling secure in the circle of Brian's arms. Brian didn't allow himself to drift off until he could hear the young man's soft snore, signaling that sleep had finally been restored.

In the morning, Justin woke to the smell of fresh coffee brewing and utensils banging. He had noticed that Brian was obviously not much of a cook before now, even though he had the latest of every kitchen gadget available. His fridge had lots of take out boxes from various places, containers of yogurt, some fruit, and several kinds of juices, but not much else. The cabinets were even more bare. Justin wanted to offer to cook for him but it hadn't really come up yet. Now, he could distinctly smell bacon over the aroma of coffee. This, he had to see. He jumped up from the bed and padded down to the kitchen area.

Brian was busily setting out glasses, silverware, and cups on the bar. He turned to a large bag on the counter behind him and brought it to the bar. He reached in and pulled out two large plastic platters with covers over them. He looked up when he saw Justin standing there in nothing but his undies. He gave the blond a cocky grin and pulled the cover off one of the plates.

"Ta dah! Breakfast is served, m'Lord," he laughed, giving a sweeping gesture with his arm.

The plate was filled with a large veggie omelet, bacon on the side, and English Muffins. There was a small bowl of fresh cut fruit in the center of the large platter. Just then Justin's stomach gave an appreciative rumble at the sight. It made both men laugh out loud.

"You made all this for me?" Justin asked, knowing full well what the answer would be.

"Bite your tongue. That's what God made restaurants and take out for. So, are you hungry?"

"As a horse," came the answer.

"Then have a seat and I shall serve you up a feast fit for a king."

Brian opened the second lid and revealed a similar breakfast without the bacon and with wheat toast substituted for the muffins and set both places up. Justin took the coffee pot off its stand and filled their cups to the brim. The men sat side by side on bar stools and enjoyed their morning meal in comfortable silence. After a bit, Brian asked Justin if he was ready for the new day and what he had planned for their Sunday pleasure.

"So what do you have in mind for me this time, oh teacher of mine?"

"I think you've had enough lessons for one week. Today is a day of rest. I thought we'd take a little excursion into the country. I have a little place out in the sticks that I use for weekend getaways and to spend time with my boy. I thought you might like to pay a visit."

"Sounds good to me. I think I could use a break from all the shit that's been going on lately. Shouldn't I go back to the hotel and change first?"

"Why do that?" Brian laughed. "I took the clothes you've been leaving here and had them dry cleaned yesterday. They're in the closet over by the bed. I like that dark green tee and tan pants you wear quite a lot." He didn't mention that those pants were particularly good at displaying Justin's perfect bubble butt.

Justin found it amusing that Brian took such notice of what he wore. The truth was that he had been dressing much more carefully than he once did with the thought in mind of pleasing Brian, ever since that first day the man had agreed to start teaching the young actor how to be gay. He was happy to know that it was paying off. It took him very little time to get dressed after taking a quick shower while Brian cleaned up the breakfast mess. He had secretly hoped that Brian would join him, even though he was already dressed to go out in casual dark grey slacks with a short sleeved light grey pullover to match. No such luck, so he hurried up his dressing. Twenty minutes later he stood fresh scrubbed and ready to go.

The men left the loft and took the elevator down to the parking area in back of the building. Once they were seated, Justin asked where they were headed. Brian gave him a little smile and told him he'd see. It wasn't far. After yesterday's debacle, Justin was up for anything. The engine roared into life and Brian leaned over, gave Justin a quick kiss, and moved out onto the street. In minutes they were on the highway leading out of town.

**********************************************

The journey into the country took less than a half hour, but the countryside was so beautiful in all its flowery colors that Justin didn't mind however long it took. Besides, he loved sitting next to Brian. He had lain his hand on the older man's knee and couldn't resist letting his fingers inch up towards the impressive bulge in the middle every few miles. Each time he got a little too close for comfort, Brian slapped his hand away gently, muttering 'not yet'. Finally Brian pulled off the highway and continued moving deeper, into what appeared to be a rather ritzy development consisting of large homes on several acres of land.

Suddenly Brian pulled off the main road and entered a long road through a seven foot gate that stood open. He continued to drive up the road that led to the front of an impressive looking two story building that Justin thought looked more like a country estate than a country cottage. Brian drove to a stop in front of a large oaken door shrouded by climbing ivy. Justin looked over at Brian, who just smiled innocently back at him.

"Is this the little country getaway you were talking about?"

"This is it," Brian answered, turning off the engine and climbing out of the Jeep.

Justin climbed out too and quickly moved to join Brian who was stepping up to the front stoop. He checked his key ring and selected the right one, placing it in the door lock. Justin was literally speechless as he followed Brian into a broad entryway that revealed several doors leading to various rooms. Brian dropped his keys on the entryway table and grabbed Justin's hand, leading him towards one of the open doors. As they entered the room, which was obviously a den, Justin couldn't believe his eyes. The room had a massive fireplace along one wall and large curtained windows on both sides. The furnishings were of the highest quality and a complete departure from the modern design of the loft. This place screamed old world elegance and taste.

"Well, what do you think?" Brian inquired.

"I don't get it? It is so unlike you, or at least what I thought was you," the young man answered, clearly puzzled. "This is actually all yours?" He knew Brian had his own multi-million dollar business, but he hadn't expected anything like this.

"All mine, Sunshine. Well, mine and the banks. I actually didn't buy it for me. I bought it for my boy. I needed some place besides my bachelor pad to entertain him when the girls have a mind to let me spend some real quality time with him. I wanted Gus to grow up well rounded, so I figured I'd get a place with a stable, pool, tennis court... you know, the works."

"You have a stable?"

"Yep. Got two geldings back there. I have a caretaker who comes daily to check on things and gives the boys some exercise. Gus still rides with me for now, but he's getting bigger. Won't be long till he's riding alone. So you want a tour?"

"Are you kidding? Lead on."

Brian proceeded to give Justin a tour of the expansive downstairs, which included a small library, sitting room, dining room, and beautifully appointed kitchen that was again fully stocked with every convenience. Justin wondered if Brian did any cooking here, since it was obvious he was a different person out here than in the city. He seemed totally relaxed, as if in his element. Justin could see Brian having a good time playing with his son in this setting.

Once they finished downstairs, Brian led Justin up the wide staircase to the top floor. There were a total of four bedrooms two on each side, of the long hallway. Justin could see right away which one was Gus'. The furniture was a miniature replica of his dad's bigger heavier furniture, and there was a ton of cars and airplanes sitting on long shelves around the room. The room was as neat as pin but had a lived in feeling. A large toy box shaped like a dragon sat in one corner with a built in seat on top. A desk sat in another corner with writing and drawing supplies neatly placed in different sections of the cubbyholes on top. The room was a very young boys dream come true. There was no question how Brian felt about his son.

The last stop was the master bedroom directly across from Gus' room. There was another large fireplace at the opposite wall from the king sized four poster bed, and Justin could almost see himself cuddled up next to Brian all warm and toasty with a roaring fire on a cold winter's night. This was early American at its finest. The deep maroon and gold of the rooms colorings made it even more inviting, if that was possible. As he stared at his surroundings, he felt Brian slip up behind him and wrap his arms around Justin's chest.

"You approve?" Brian purred into his ear.

Justin turned around in Brian's arms. He couldn't resist the mouth that was so close to his. He rose up on tiptoe and reached for Brian's head. He pulled the older man's mouth down to his own and took possession. What started out soft and gentle quickly escalated into an erotic play of dueling tongues, each determined to master the other. The room warmed several degrees as the men began to actively rub their rapidly growing erections against each other.

Soon, the confinement of their clothing became too much to bear and they took turns removing each other's shirts, pants, and underwear. They had stopped their physical contact only long enough to pull off shoes and socks and then came back together with a fever building inside them. Brian pulled Justin over to the bed and laid himself out, urging Justin to crawl up beside him. Justin got on his knees and felt the mattress give in a comfortable way. He threw one leg over Brian's upper torso, thus exposing his turgid cock and full balls to his lovers face. He leaned down in order to take in a mouthful of Brian's equally impressive hard-on. Each man knew what he wanted and proceeded to go for it.

Brian welcomed the flavor of Justin's leaking cock as his head bobbed up and down from the mattress, taking more length with each suck. He held onto Justin's thighs to give himself leverage. Justin's movements matched his lovers as he took deep breaths in order to take in more of Brian's tasty meat. Much too soon, the sound of deep guttural moans signaled that both men were on the edge. They doubled their efforts and the sucking became stronger and more intense. Cheeks hollowed as balls were gently palmed and manipulated. Suddenly, Brian cried out as he poured his hot liquid down Justin's eager throat. Seconds later, as he continued to suck Brian dry, Justin discharged an equally tasty treat down Brian's throat.

Brian held onto Justin's shaking legs until he had drunk his fill, and then he released the young man so that he could collapse next to his lover. Both men savored their lover's tastes as they waited for their heartbeats to return to normal. After calming enough, Justin turned around and laid his head next to Brian's on the side-to-side pillow at the head of the bed. The men faced each other and moved in for a soul searching kiss, relishing the taste of themselves in the other one's mouth. Justin felt a chill and shivered. Brian quickly moved so that he could release the duvet and place it over their bodies.

The men drifted off briefly, but were soon awake again and redressed. Brian took Justin outside and gave him a walking tour of his several acres of land. It was heavily wooded, with wonderful specimens of Mother Nature at her very best. Trees grew tall and proud creating wonderful shaded areas. They came across a small stream that ran through the property and removed their shoes in order to enjoy the feel of the running water as it slowly splashed over their feet. Justin enjoyed picking up some of the multi-colored rocks that lined the stream and wavered under the waters surface. He asked Brian if he could come again with his sketchpad, already picturing the beautiful images he could create from what he was witnessing. An image of a naked Brian lying next to the stream flashed through his mind's eye. He laughed with the joyful sound of a young man without a care in the world. It was music to Brian's ears.

Later that day, Brian ran Justin into the small village where residents did their shopping so that he could pick up some groceries. The young man had been bragging about what a good cook he was and it was time to prove it. Brian drove him back to the house with several bags in their arms and Justin set to work, whistling to himself as he bustled about the kitchen. Brian could hear the young man and smiled as he looked over some proposals from work on his laptop on the dining room table. By late afternoon, Justin had supper ready to serve.

Brian dug into his succulent pot roast with the new potatoes, onions, and carrots on the side. He was duly impressed. This young man had hidden talents. By the time the last bite of dinner roll with honey was consumed and both plates had been cleaned of every bite on them, Brian was congratulating himself again on his smarts in recognizing that Justin was special. Justin cleared the table with Brian's help and, once the dishwasher was loaded and running, the men retired to the den.

Brian popped in a DVD of an old Marlon Brando movie that Justin didn't recognize... some Western... and the men settled on the couch close together. When the film was over, the men made love on the couch and then nestled in each others arms. Justin's painful experience of less than twenty four hours before was completely forgotten thanks to Brian's tender loving care. Justin felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction with his life. He never wanted to leave this place or Brian's arms, but eventually he knew he had to go back to the real world. Brian's assurances that they could come out here any time he wanted made it easier to gather their things and head back into the city.

On the way back to Pittsburgh, Justin asked Brian why he chose that particular house.

"I was looking for a... I don't know... a palace, I guess, for my little prince and this one just seemed to fit the bill," Brian explained.

"So what do you call the place?"

"Call it? I didn't think to give it a name. It's just a house in the country."

"Brian, it's an estate, not a country cottage. You have to name it. That's what people do with estates," Justin insisted.

"I'll tell you what. I'll leave the naming up to you. Okay?"

Justin clapped his hands. "Okay! I'll give it some thought and get back with you."

Shortly after, the Jeep pulled back into the parking area of the apartment building and the subject was dropped. The men made an early evening of it. Justin had a really busy week ahead of him with some of the more important scenes being blocked and filmed during the week. Brian had meetings lined up all week, including a few visits to the studio scheduled. It was going to be an exhausting week, but they knew they'd always have the weekend to unwind. Luckily, neither man knew that they would desperately need a getaway next weekend after the stress the week was going to bring them.

To be continued..........

Things ran fairly smoothly at the studio on Monday and Tuesday. A number of important scenes were shot and Justin was pleased with his work. He got along really well with the Director, and his excellent work ethic showed itself proudly. He also had a good rapport with his fellow actors, which was a good thing since some love scenes were coming up rapidly between Rage and JT. The first kissing scene was to be shot on Wednesday which, just coincidentally, was also the first time that Brian was scheduled to come in for a meeting with the Producers and Director.

Justin was nervous about the prospect of Brian being on the set when he and Dirk had their first kissing scene. He knew that Brian had a ton of experience with other guys, but he had seen none of it since the two had gotten together. He really had no way of judging how seeing his lover smacking on another man would affect Brian. They had had dinner over at Debbie's house Monday night and Michael had arrived with Ben. Somehow the conversation got around to how Brian didn't have a jealous bone in his body, since he had even gone so far as to have shared Ben with Michael once upon a time, although it had been unwitting when it happened. Michael didn't like the direction the conversation was heading even though he had started up the topic of jealousy, so the conversation was dropped abruptly.

Justin marveled at the complicated relationship between Brian and Michael. It was obvious that Michael adored Ben, but there were undercurrents of longing for Brian that simply couldn't be denied. Justin wasn't so sure he could be as comfortable with Brian as Michael seemed to be, loving and wanting the man so much, if the feeling wasn't reciprocated. He finally put it down to the fact that their friendship was so long lived and had started when they were so young. He just knew that he was glad that Brian had remained unencumbered all these years so that he could have a shot with the ad man for himself.

Wednesday finally arrived and Brian dropped off Justin at the studio on the way to his office, which had become a daily occurrence. He wrapped his hand around Justin's neck and pulled him in for a toe curling kiss before the young man could exit the vehicle.

"See you in a little bit, Sunshine. "

"Looking forward to it," Justin returned, only half truthfully. He was also nervous as hell. Brian's opinion meant everything to him.

It was just after lunch when Justin was sitting on the sidelines of the alley set waiting to be called. The four actors who were playing the bullies who beat up JT were waiting to take their places on the ground. All four guys looked as rough as the worst thugs you'd meet in an alleyway, but Justin had discovered that all four of them were real sweethearts. Three were straight marrieds with kids and one was a gay guy in a longtime committed relationship. They all made a good living playing bullies and tough guys in dozens of movies. Jimmy sat next to Justin fidgeting uncomfortably in his tight latex costume. Dirk hadn't come back from lunch yet.

The scene with the beating itself had been completed and in the can after only three takes the previous day. Justin had no lines in the scene, but he had to be pushed around a lot. A stunt man had come in for some of the rougher sequences, but Justin had to endure a few of the falls himself. His adrenaline had been pumping. He had actually pictured his father hitting him in order to arrive at the right look of fear on his face. Apparently it worked because Brett couldn't praise him enough after the final shot.

Now it was time to shoot the after-beating scene. The bullies would be stretched out on the ground with a battered, bleeding JT lying on the ground near them, waiting for Rage to lift him up in his arms and bring him back to consciousness with a tender kiss. He and Dirk had discussed whether they should rehearse the kiss beforehand but had agreed that it should be more spontaneous since it was the character's first kiss. Justin was secretly relieved... not because he had any qualms about kissing a man, but because the guy just wasn't Brian.

Dirk finally showed up, followed close behind by Brian. Justin smiled as they approached, enjoying the contrast between his fake lover and the real one. Dirk was Hollywood pretty, unlike Brian who was beautiful in a different way. Brian had a masculinity about him that Dirk simply couldn't muster. Dirk wasn't an A list actor, but he was pretty high up on the B list. He had quite a few leading roles under his belt, but this one was his first gay role. It was a well known fact on the Hollywood circuit that Dirk was gay in real life, but you couldn't tell his fans that. He was always seen on the arm of the cutest starlets at parties and premiers. His agent had tried to talk him out of playing the part of Rage, but he had commented that he would be praised for having the courage to play gay. It didn't hurt that he owed his ex-boyfriend, Brett, a huge favor either.

The Assistant Director called the actors to the set and Brian gave a little wave back at Justin as he trundled off to take his position, bloody and battered with a torn shirt that exposed his smooth pale skin. Brian knew it was acting, but he felt his heart give a painful skip and his stomach do a little flip at the sight of Justin in his authentic looking makeup. He shook it off and moved in closer to watch the action.

The AD called for places. The actors took their spots. Justin/JT stretched out on the ground, raising his knee up to match the image that Lindsay had created for the comic book. The Director yelled Action! His bloodied arms stretched out beside him. He let out several painful sounding moans. Dirk/Rage approached him slowly and bent down beside him. Jimmy/Zephyr stood nearby with his arms crossed, watching the action in front of him. Dirk/Rage slid his arm under Justin/JT and lifted his upper torso up, using his other hand to cradle the battered head that flopped back lifelessly. He bent down slowly, and then lowered his lips ever so gently onto the young blond's mouth. He began to move his lips against Justin/JT's lifeless ones. Slowly those lips came to life and began to respond to the gentle pressure, eventually opening and welcoming Dirk/Rage's tongue inside. Justin/JT slowly lifted his arm from the ground and wrapped it around Dirk/Rage's back. The Director yelled cut. Brian let out a deep breath he didn't even know he had been holding.

Dirk hesitated one second too long after Justin released his hold on the man, and Justin pulled away quickly. He gave Dirk a disgusted look and sat up rapidly. He heard Brett in the background praising the actors as they all rose from their spots.

"Perfect," he announced. "That won't even need another take."

Justin was relieved. Dirk wasn't a horrible kisser, but his mouth tasted all wrong to Justin. There was no sweetness to it. If that scene looked so good on film, then Justin decided that he deserved an Academy Award for this movie role. He was more than ready to join Brian, who sat poker faced at the edge of the set.

"So, what did you think?" he asked Brian cautiously.

"I think you are one hell of a good actor. I'd swear you were really into that scene," he frowned. Less than a second later he grinned. "Of course, they don't know what your face really looks like when you are into it. I do. Not so good, huh?"

"Well, he is no Brian Kinney," Justin laughed.

"Who is?" Brian replied, tongue firmly in cheek.

Brian hung around for several more shots being filmed in the alley way before moving off to keep his meeting with the Producers. Brett soon left to join them while the actors went off to makeup to get cleaned up. By the time Brian returned from his meetings to discuss the direction of the advertising for the film, Justin only had one more shot to film for the day. This shot was in the secret lair of Rage.  It had barely been set up when one of the employees came running in to announce that there was a huge hubbub going on outside the front entrance to the studio. The majority of the actors and staff headed for the large double doors to the studio.

As everyone spilled out onto the streets, they were greeted by several dozen demonstrators carrying placards condemning the making of the queer film and fags in general. The noise was almost deafening as someone shouted hateful phrases through a bullhorn. Someone must have already placed a call, because the sound of police sirens could be heard in the distance fast approaching. Within minutes a number of squad cars pulled up and a dozen officers began working crowd control, shoveling the protestors to the other side of the street.

Justin stood to the side of the front entrance, next to Brian, and felt his whole body turn cold. He had seen this kind of hatred on television newscasts before but had never been so close to it. His face registered his discomfort. He had trouble understanding where so much vitriol came from. Brian, on the other hand, understood it fully. He had witnessed this kind of hatred several times in his life. The most recent had been when a gay-hating police chief had tried to run for Mayor. It was in part because of Brian's tireless efforts to expose the man's ugly underbelly, that the man failed in the election. There had been plenty of name calling and anger between bible thumpers and gays during this period.

Brian was surprised that news of the theme of the movie had gotten out. He had been instructed to keep it all hush hush and only focus on the super-hero theme when he had been hired on. Even Hollywood trade papers only referred to it as a super-hero action flick, never alluding to the sexual nature of the story. It was just this kind of thing that the studio had been trying to avoid, at least until the entire film was in the can. Now the cat was out of the bag. It was definitely going to be harder to get things done. Brett was beginning to wish he had picked a more gay friendly town to film in, such as Toronto, Canada where diversity was welcomed. It was too late now. The film was only a 6 week shoot on actual location with the rest of the work done in Hollywood. It was almost a third complete already, so they would just have to do their best to protect their actors and staff and get the work here completed as quickly as possible.

Brett gave one more disgusted look at the still shrieking crowd and ordered everyone back inside. The cast and crew went back to their stations, but with a lot less enthusiasm than they had when arriving that morning. The rest of the day progressed quickly, with everyone anxious to get back to the safety of their homes or hotels. Brian had originally planned to go back to Kinnetik after his meetings and pick Justin up later, but he hung around after calling Ted and giving him the lowdown. Most of the cast and crew had parked in the back lot behind the studio and were able to leave without too much hassle. Brian had parked in front in his usual spot.

When Brian and Justin left, they were dismayed to see that the majority of the crowd was still outside. Most had relaxed a little bit, letting signs lay on the ground next to them, but their presence was still blatantly threatening. Several police officers were still assigned to make sure that nothing untoward happened, but the crowd became active again at the sight of the two men making a beeline for a nearby parked Jeep. Brian told Justin to ignore the crowd, but at the last minute he did look over at the gathering. Shock covered his face when he recognized a familiar figure standing off to the side of the crowd. He carried no sign, but the look of hatred was clear on his face. It was Craig Taylor.

To be continued...............

So that was the man who had warped his only son! Craig Taylor was livid and could barely contain his anger. But it was important that these yokels that he had stirred up not know that his own son was standing amongst those sick creatures. The whole point of going to them and letting their organization know about the fag film was to get them to pressure the studio to shut down production. Maybe if Justin lost the job, he'd get his head on straight and realize what a stupid mistake he was making. Maybe things could get back to normal and they could all go back to being a family.

He knew there had to be some perverted man who had turned his innocent son into a queer. He sure as hell didn't inherit the illness. Craig had hired a private eye that very night that Justin made his sick announcement, and by Monday night Craig knew the name of the man Justin was involved with, including the name of his company and where he lived. It rankled Craig no end that the man, Brian Kinney, was well respected in the business community. Unfortunately he was openly gay even to his clients, so there was probably no way to hurt the man in his business. Apparently he had a decent enough reputation in his own fag community too, so that was probably not an avenue to get even with him. Craig finally decided that the first step in breaking his son free of the man was destroying the movie, the thing that brought the two together in the first place.

Craig turned away from the crowd of protesters formed by the "Keep America on the Straight Path" organization and headed back for his car. He hadn't intended coming to the studio today, but his curiosity got the better of him. He had seen Kinney's photo, but he needed to see the man for himself. He was hoping to get a glimpse of him, but had been sickened when he saw the man walking out to a Jeep across the street with his arm around Justin's shoulder in an almost protective gesture. He had never felt more incensed at the sight. It was at that moment that Justin turned to look at the crowd and Craig was almost certain his son saw him. He quickly ducked behind some of the mob. He was not ready for Justin to know what he was up to. Hopefully the boy was too distracted by the crowd to have seen him. Now it was time to put phase two of his plan into action. He had to do his best to make Justin see the error of his ways.

***************************************************

Justin couldn't stop shaking all the way back to the loft and it worried Brian. Brian wasn't really sure if it was fear or anger that the young man was feeling, or a combination of both. They had barely gotten seated in the Jeep when Justin revealed to Brian that he had spotted his own father on the edge of the crowd of hate-mongers. As Brian pulled away from the curb, he made a quick U turn and passed the ugly crowd. He scanned the group as he drove by but saw no one matching the description that Justin had given him of his father. The man had probably scurried away like the vermin he was. It was at the moment that he had that thought when he heard Justin gasp out loud beside him.

"Oh shit," he moaned. "It was my Dad. He was the one who did this."

"What are you talking about, Sunshine? Did what?"

"He's the one who organized this protest."

"Aren't you giving him a little too much credit, kiddo."

"No listen. I told him that the movie was gay oriented. They told us to keep that fact under wraps while filming here. It's my fault it got out. I never dreamed he'd use the information, especially to hurt me or my career. Goddamn him!" Justin began shaking even harder. "Could my own father hate me that much?" he cried out.

"Some fathers are as capable of hate as others are of love, Justin." Brian spoke with the authority of a man who had been there. "You're not responsible for his narrow minded view of the world... he is. You just have to wash your hands of him."

"Look, I know we have our differences.... always have. He saw my future one way and I saw it another, but I always believed that we'd get back on the same page someday once I was a success."

"People like your father only want you to be a success at what they expect from you, not what makes you happy. And don't blame yourself for what you father does. If he's the one who spread the word about the movie to the wrong people, then the betrayal is on his head, not yours. And there is no need for you to be spreading your theory to anyone else. Besides you don't know it was him for sure."

Brian didn't believe that any more than Justin did, but Justin took comfort knowing Brian didn't blame him. The rest of the ride home was in total silence, both men lost in thought.

That night Brian did his best to distract Justin. He placed a call to Linds and gave her the lowdown on the day's dramatics. He had decided that a woman's gentler touch might help Justin deal with his father's betrayal, and he knew that Gus was an excellent distraction. The young boy had bonded with Justin almost instantly. It was as if they'd known each other all their lives. Not long after he had hung up, the girls called Justin to invite he and Brian over for dinner. Justin suspected that Brian was behind the invite, but was more than happy to accept. He loved talking with both ladies and his obvious affection for their son made Justin a welcome visitor in their home.

Dinner was spent in animated discussion about a new art exhibit that Lindsay was responsible for and her enthusiasm over meeting the artist who had a worldwide reputation. Brian casually mentioned that Justin was pretty good at drawing himself, witnessed by his doodling at the office while waiting for Brian, which brought on a stream of questions from Lindsay. Justin blushed adorably at any suggestion that his drawing showed any real talent, but was only let off the hook when he promised to give Lindsay a sample of his work. He didn't bother to mention that drawing was his favorite form of escape whenever life got too complicated ever since he was quite young. His mom had encouraged him, but his dad convinced him it was a frivolous waste of his time starting with the day he first rushed home from school with an art project that got an A+ from his teacher in third grade.

Brian sat on the couch with the girls after dinner and talked with Mel about the legal aspects of dealing with the protesters at the studio. She only confirmed his worst fears that there was nothing they could do to stop them from openly demonstrating within the boundaries of the law. They sat and watched Justin sitting on the floor with their young son while joining in happily with the child's fantasy world of dinosaurs and cave men. Justin was a natural with Gus. Brian couldn't help thinking that Justin would make a wonderful father someday. He wondered if Justin ever considered parenthood. There was so much more to learn about the young man. The thought saddened him because he knew Justin would have to leave eventually. But Brian was never one to dwell on the future for too long. He forced himself to get back to thinking of the here and now.

By the time the men had left Mel and Lind's house and headed back to the loft, both men were feeling a lot more relaxed that they had been when they arrived. Neither of them noticed the dark blue sedan that began following them from the moment they pulled away from the curb. The swarthy man inside had tucked his notepad and pen into the seat next to him when he saw the tall brunet and shorter blond step out of the house. His job was to keep tabs of every place they went and everyone they saw. The man who was paying him handsomely for the job made it clear that he wanted full details of the lives of both men. It only took one man for the job in the evenings and nighttime since the two men to be followed were inseparable once they left work. He didn't have to guess what was happening in the wee small hours when they went up to the older man's apartment at the end of the day and didn't come out till the next morning. But that was none of his business. His job was to report the facts. He couldn't help wondering why his client needed to know all this, especially since the reports obviously upset him. He had spotted his client in the crowd of protesters that very evening, watching the two as they left work. Well, what the hell, it was his client's business, he reminded himself.

**********************************************

Craig met with the head of KASP, the Reverend Phillips, to discuss strategy for the day's demonstrations. Thursday had gone exactly like Wednesday's demonstration and both men decided it was time to get a little more aggressive. The studio hired some burly guards to protect their staff and actors the previous day and would probably do so again. Only a smattering of news folks had shown up for the first two gatherings, and it was time to do something more dramatic to capture a little more attention to their cause before the weekend. The filthy film had to be shut down.

Craig Taylor had contacted a gossip mongering yellow journalist from a national magazine, 'Truth Be Told', and offered him an exclusive on the full story behind the making of the new movie, 'Rage'. Sammy Peters, a man with few scruples and less conscience, was chomping at the bit for the chance to bring down the Producers of the new film ever since they had black-listed him for exposing their number one female star for her past as a working girl on the streets of New Orleans. She had been rescued from that life by one of the Producers and brought to Hollywood, where she had made a good name for herself as a leading lady in several small but popular independent films. She made a good story for the tabloid and they hadn't told a single lie. Now was the chance to teach the big dogs a lesson.

Craig met with Peters Thursday night and gave him the complete lowdown on 'Rage'. He then promised the journalist that he would have a rewarding exclusive if he just made sure he was at the studio the next day. Peters was intrigued. He just hoped it wouldn't be the usual placard raising, voices shouting protests that one usually saw at these events. The stage was set for something noteworthy. Hopefully Taylor would follow through on his promise.

***************************************************

Brian and Justin rose early Friday morning. They had made love the night before with a sense of urgency that they had not felt before. Thursday was stressful on Justin. The protesters had spent almost the entire working day outside the studio making their noises to try and distract the action inside. Luckily the studio sound stages were soundproof and the motley gang of thugs made little impact. However, just knowing they were there was stress enough.

For some reason both men felt uneasy today. Maybe it was because the weekend was looming. Maybe it was just being tired of the harassment. They had both felt they were being followed all the time, but put it down to paranoia. Whatever it was, they only wanted this day to end so they could go back out to the country house. As Brian let Justin out in front of the studio entrance, he was surprised that the street was clear. Maybe the idiots had tired already, he thought to himself. He watched Justin wave goodbye from the front door, giving Brian one of his patented Sunshine smiles, and then disappear inside. He knew he should feel happy that things had apparently calmed down so quickly, but he still had this feeling of unease. Oh well, he thought... as long as Justin was safe inside. Brian drove off turning the car in the direction of his office.

To be continued.......

The first part of the day had gone quite well at the studio. Someone had come to the sound stage mid-morning to announce that there was still no sign of protesters outside. It helped to lighten the mood at work tremendously. Justin called Brian twice to let him know that he was doing fine, after getting text messages from his lover checking on him. There were several scenes scheduled to be shot that included very little action for the day and all but one was in the can by the time lunch rolled around. Justin was just trying to decide who to join for lunch when he felt his phone vibrate again. When he checked it, he was surprised to see a message from his dad waiting for him.

Justin couldn't remember giving his number out to his dad, so he certainly never expected to hear from him this way. He read the message. It said, 'Justin, we need to talk. We need to work this thing out. Please call me at work asap. You know the number. Dad.' There was no love, Dad....but he did say he wanted to work things out. Justin felt a quick sense of happiness that he might not have lost his father from his life after all. Nothing would have pleased him more. He stepped to the side of a camera and quickly dialed his dad's old work number. Craig picked up on the first ring, as if he had been sitting there waiting just for this call. Justin smiled at the thought.

"Hey Dad, you wanted me to call?" Justin asked hopefully.

"Yes, I did. Look, Justin, I don't like how we ended things last time at the house. No matter what, you are still my son and I love you. I've always just wanted what was best for you. I guess we didn't always agree on what that was, but I'm willing to sit down and talk with you about it now. Have you had your lunch yet?"

"Not yet. Your timing couldn't have been better, Dad. It was time for lunch break right now."

"Perfect. So, how about me picking you up and taking you somewhere. How long do you have?"

"We get an hour. Do you want to wait and have dinner together instead?"

"No!," Craig almost shouted. His voice returned to normal instantly. "I mean this shouldn't wait. We need to make amends, and I have a business dinner that I can't cancel for tonight. I don't want to wait till after the weekend either. This is too important to put off."

Justin was warmed at the obvious anxiety that his father was feeling to reconnect with his son.

"Well how soon can you get here, Dad?"

"I can be there in less than fifteen minutes. We'll find somewhere close by."

"That sounds great. I'll talk to the Director. I'm sure I can get a little extra time off for lunch. I'm not needed in the beginning of the new scene anyway. Outside in fifteen then?"

"That's good. And Justin...."

"Yes, Dad?"

"I just want you to know that everything will be okay. We'll work this problem out like we always did when you were a kid."

"Okay. I'll see you soon."

Justin hung up feeling like a weight had been lifted off his shoulder. He didn't really see eye to eye with his father on many things, but he did love the man and being estranged from him hurt. He couldn't help smiling when he thought of how surprised Brian would be when he found out his dad had been the one to make the first move at reconciliation. He decided not to tell Brian until work was over. He hoped his lover would be happy for him.

Justin quickly sought out Brett and made a request for a slightly extended lunch hour. Brett, who found the young man enchanting, gave his consent easily. Justin gathered his things and went to the front of the studio to wait on his dad. Five minutes later, Craig drove up. Justin hopped in and the men drove off to a small cafe only a couple of blocks away that was a favorite hang out for lots of actors and studio personnel. Five minutes after that, they were seated in a far booth and placing their orders. As they waited for their meal to arrive, they began talking.

The first half hour of their conversation seemed to avoid what was really on their minds. The two men reminisced on their good times together when Justin was young. Justin realized that his dad had a slightly rosier image of some events than he did, such as the time when Justin was thirteen and the family had gone to Washington D.C. for a vacation. It had been a thrill seeing the White House and visiting other historic sights and monuments, but the highlight of the trip for Justin had been visiting the Smithsonian American Art Museum. He had been in awe of the building itself, but the artwork captivated the young man. He had brought along his own sketchbook at the urging of his mother and had often stopped to make a quick sketch of something that caught his attention.

Craig had been in a hurry to get going. The artwork was okay, but he was more interested in some other museums that were on the list of places to visit. He had become irritated with the amount of times he had to go back and locate his son who had been drawn by something and stopped to sketch it. The final straw came when he caught the boy drawing the outline of a naked man, based on a painting that he was obviously attracted to, that depicted a scene of what looked to be an ancient Roman bath with men lying around naked everywhere. He had grabbed Justin by the arm and dragged him off to meet with the rest of the family and then declared it was time to leave. Justin still had the unfinished drawing somewhere in his collection of childhood artwork.

But inevitably Justin and Craig finished their trip down memory lane and it was time to talk about what had really brought them together. Justin could feel his phone vibrating in his pants, so he flipped it open quickly and saw that Brian was trying to reach him. He excused himself for a moment and moved down to the entrance of the men's room. Craig watched him carefully as he saw his son's face light up while talking to the person on the other end. He had no doubt who it was and the thought burned his gut, but this was not the time to lose it. He had to remain calm until the right time.

Justin felt a glow inside hearing Brian's voice. It happened every time. He lied to his lover about where he was so that he could surprise Brian with his good news after work. After promising Brian to kiss Rage for him after lunch and agreeing that it would be Babylon tonight, the men said good bye and Justin returned to his father. His dad's face registered something off kilter, but his voice was perfectly calm. Justin sat back down and took a last bite of his bacon cheeseburger.

"So, I guess it's time we talked about what we came here for in the first place," started Justin.

"I agree," Craig nodded. "Justin, you know I love you Son. I'm just worried that you're getting into something that could destroy your life...your future. Don't you want a family of your own someday? You'll never be able to have that if word gets around that you're gay. And won't it ruin your chances of a big career in Hollywood?"

"Look, Dad, I understand your fears. It was scary for me to admit how I really feel, but I can't go back now. You have no idea how liberating it is to be honest with myself and everyone around me. And Dad, there's more than that. There's the man I love too."

Justin stopped at the look that flashed across his father's face. The mask slipped and Craig's anger showed.

"Look, I know you hate hearing it but I have found someone who means everything to me...and he just happens to be a man, Dad. And not just any man. Brian is special in a way that brings me more happiness than I've ever felt before in my life. And Brian could never accept my going back in the closet, anymore than I could accept it. I want your love, but I won't give you what you are asking of me to get it. I just want you to love me enough to accept who I really am the way that Mom does."

Craig said nothing for a moment. Then he shook his head and started to speak. "I can't ac........."

Craig was suddenly cut off in mid word by the sound of a loud boom followed immediately by a shaking of the building they were sitting in. Silverware rattled on the table and glasses jumped, spilling drops of liquid out onto the table. Every single one of the lunch time diners jumped up with quizzical faces.

"What the hell was that," Justin yelled. He looked over at his father. Craig shrugged his shoulders, but there was something odd about his behavior. Justin couldn't put his finger on it. People began spilling out onto the sidewalks from the cafe and nearby stores. Justin joined them, followed closely by Craig.

The crowd all seemed to be looking in the direction that Justin had just come from. He looked to his right and could see a black cloud mushrooming up from somewhere below over the tops of the buildings. Some sixth sense told him that it was the studio. He started to run in the direction of the huge building. He was stopped in his tracks by someone holding firmly to his arm. He turned and faced the offender. Craig looked scared.

"Where are you going, Justin," the man demanded to know.

"Let go," Justin yelled, over the sudden sound of sirens coming closer. He yanked his arm free and raced off in the direction of the smoke.

Minutes later, Justin came upon a scene straight from a horror film. It was chaos. Flames were shooting up from a huge gap in the center of the studio building and people and smoke were pouring out from the large double doors at the entrance. They looked as if they'd been in a war. Some were blackened and some were bloodied. Justin rushed in when he saw Jimmy, his one time roommate, limping out barely able to stand. He grabbed the young man's arm and wrapped it around his neck so that he could support the injured man. He took him over to the side of the building and helped him lower to the ground. Justin squatted down and begged to know what happened.

"I...I don't know," the young man wailed. "We were all at the craft table or sitting around having lunch when all hell broke loose," he cried. "One minute I'm sitting at the table, the next I'm laying on the ground several feet away. It was like an atomic explosion. My God, Justin, I saw some people I know were dead."

Jimmy started crying silently. By this time, a dozen ambulances, police, and fire vehicles had arrived on the scene. Men in uniforms were taking control and trying to get the chaos organized. An EMT approached Justin and the injured man. Justin stepped aside, but Jimmy begged him not to leave. The EMT did a quick check and yelled for a nearby orderly to bring a stretcher immediately. As they lifted him onto the stretcher, Jimmy grabbed Justin's hand and begged him to come with him. Justin could see the abject fear in the young man's eyes. He shook his head yes and followed the EMT to the ambulance, climbing in beside the stretcher. As they closed the doors, Justin could see that the situation was getting worse. More and more people, many that he recognized, were falling out of the building being helped along by fireman and police now. A huge crowd had gathered to the side and were being pushed back by hastily placed barricades. Justin saw his father standing among them, but had no time to care at the moment. His friend needed him more.

**************************************************

Brian had hung up the phone with Justin and smiled. The thought of dancing with the exceptionally talented blond tonight at Babylon would be enough to get him through the rest of the day. He went out to the lobby to wait for his client. They were to have a lunch time meeting catered at the office. Otherwise he would have gone to have lunch with Justin. The client was running late. Brian was getting tired of waiting. He had better things to do. It was just then that the man showed up, full of apologies. Brian took him to the conference room where a buffet had already been set up. They had just sat down with a plate of food when Ted came rushing in.

"Brian!" he said, completely out of breath.

"Ted, we're just about to have a meeting. What's so important you had to interrupt us."

"It's the studio! I just heard it on the news!"

Brian had jumped up from his seat at the word, studio. He grabbed Ted by the shoulders.

"What are you talking about? What news?"

"They said there's been an explosion at the studio."

Ted didn't get the chance to say another word. Brian was out the door in seconds, leaving a confused client staring after him. In a matter of minutes Brian was racing to the studio in his Jeep. His heart pounded so hard in his chest that he could barely breathe. The closer he got the more frightened he felt. His skin had turned cold with the overwhelming fear. By the time he got close to the studio, he could move the Jeep no further. The street was clogged by vehicles and people, some obviously from the building and others rubberneckers. Not one of them was his fair haired beauty. He longed to see that face in the crowd. He quickly parked the Jeep and jumped out, heading into the milling crowd.

Brian looked around him frantically. He tried desperately to see a familiar face. Nothing. Where the hell was Justin. If he was hurt...or worse...but no, he couldn't go there. He had to find him. Brian was at the very end of his rope when he finally spotted a familiar face. He rushed over to Dirk, pushing people out of his way.

"Dirk!" he called rushing up to him. "What happened? Where's Justin?"

The actor looked dazed, as if he'd been punched in the head too many times. He shrugged his shoulders. Brian thought he would scream, but just then another man nearby spoke up.

"Were you asking about Justin Taylor?"

"Yes! Do you know where he is? Is he alright?"

"I don't know for sure, but I definitely saw him going into an ambulance."

Brian's heart stopped cold. He felt the ground opening up underneath him. Suddenly, his mind cleared enough to remember the phone. He pulled his cell out and quickly pressed the 1 on his memory. He held his breath as the phone rang on and on and finally went to voicemail. Brian's mind clouded again and he couldn't think of a thing to say. All he could think was he needed to get to Justin and he needed to do it now! He grabbed a nearby EMT and asked where the victims were being taken. The man mentioned several hospitals. Brian prayed he'd guess right and went to his car to head off for the nearest hospital mentioned.

As soon as he parked Brian was rushing into the emergency room. There were at least a dozen or more injured people laying on stretchers in the hallway, being checked out or waiting for someone to look at them. He frantically searched each face for that one special one. Brian could see hospital personnel going in and out of cubicles. He was just about to despair when he heard a familiar sound behind him.

"Brian!"

Brian swung around and saw Justin standing in a corner slumped against a coke machine. He raced over to the young man, pulling him tightly into his arms, nearly squeezing the breath out of the blond. After several minutes of them holding on to each other, Brian finally moved back so that he could examine Justin more thoroughly. Only when he had assured himself that the young man wasn't seriously injured, did Brian finally allow himself to start breathing normally again.

"What happened, Justin?" Brian demanded to know.

"I don't know all of it. All I know was there was an explosion of some kind at the studio. Oh God, Brian, I could have been there too," he cried.

Justin began to shake all over again with the realization of how close he had come to possibly losing his life. Brian wrapped his arms around Justin again. That's when he realized what Justin had said. He pulled back once more.

"What do you mean, you could have been there?"

Justin looked up with tears shimmering on the edge of his eyes. "It's a long story, Brian, but right now I just need you to hold me."

Brian wanted to know everything, but now was not the time. All that really mattered was that Justin was alive and apparently unhurt. Everything else could wait a little while. But he would get the whole story...and soon. He pulled Justin in close again, tilting the young man's face up so that he could feel those lips on his. He just needed that connection. The rest could wait till later.

To be continued...........

Brian finished checking the loft, making sure lights were out and alarm systems were on. He had never been paranoid or overly cautious before, but if anything else happened to Justin he knew he wouldn't be able to bear it. Besides, the feeling that either he or Justin or both of them were being watched had grown stronger with every passing day. He had always trusted his instincts before, and he had the feeling he should do so this time too. Maybe it was time he found out for sure.

Once he felt fully secure, he quietly took the steps up into his bedroom. He saw Justin lying on his side of the bed, wrapped in the covers and scrunched up in a fetal position. It broke his heart. Justin was a spirit of joy and freedom, and for him to be frightened like this... made to feel helpless... was just plain wrong. He was sure the young man would bounce back from the attack, but he was already scarred for life. They still didn't have all the facts yet, but the news would probably have them by morning. The authorities did reveal that at least a half dozen people were killed and many more wounded. What kind of demented bastards would do such a thing just to stop the making of a a single movie? Brian had seen homophobia in many of its guises in his thirty plus years, but nothing came close to this.

Brian removed his clothes and let them fall to the side of the bed. He climbed in beside Justin, laying his arm protectively over the young man's chest. Justin wasn't asleep after all. He turned around and came face to face with Brian. His eyes were haunted with dark circles under them as if he hadn't slept in years. Brian leaned in and kissed the blond tenderly, letting his lips rest against Justin's for several long minutes. Finally he pulled back.

"Brian? Why did they do it? How can they hate us so much they want us all dead?" Justin's eyes began to cloud over with unshed tears.

"Shhhh," Brian quieted the young man. "There are no answers, Justin. Madness and stupidity can't explain itself. It just is. All we can do is hope they'll be caught soon and punished in a way they deserve. I'm just so fucking grateful that you weren't there when it happened. I don't think I could have taken it if you'd been hurt or killed."

Justin sniffled briefly and Brian could see he was forcing himself to take back control of his emotions. Brian was so damned proud of Justin. He knew a lesser man would have run away and never looked back or just crumbled completely. They lay there for several minutes, lost in their own thoughts. Justin broke the silence.

"It was my Dad, you know. I mean, I would have probably been killed or at least hurt badly if it hadn't been for my Dad."

"How's that?" Brian asked, with heavy skepticism in his voice.

"I wasn't at the studio at lunchtime because of my father, Brian. I didn't tell you when you called cause I wanted to surprise you, but he called my cell and invited me for lunch to try and make up with me. He was absolutely insistent on it." Justin shuddered involuntarily. "I even tried to get him to wait till later since it was so last minute when he called, but he insisted he couldn't wait a minute longer. He wanted to work things out as quickly as possible. Just imagine what would have happened if I had put him off." Justin shuddered again.

"So where did you go?"

"Well, he made it so spur of the moment that I didn't have much time. I had to get an extra half hour from Brett just to be able to go at all, so we couldn't go far. Actually, Dad asked to go somewhere close by so we went to Willy's Diner a couple of blocks away. We'd barely been there a half hour when we heard the explosion. He tried to keep me from going back to the studio, but I shook him off and ran back. That's when I saw how bad it really was. I think he followed me back, but I didn't have time to stop and find out what was going on with him. I saw Jimmy coming out hurt. I had to help him instead. I haven't heard anything from him since."

"Do you think he saw you getting into the ambulance?"

"I'm pretty sure he did. Why?"

"I don't know, Justin. It's just curious that he didn't try to find you at the hospital or just call you maybe. You said he called your cell so he knows the number."

Justin looked puzzled. He hadn't thought about that at all. He had been too upset over his friends and colleagues being hurt to worry about what his dad might be thinking. But the more he thought about it, the more he wondered why his dad didn't follow him. He did know his son wasn't hurt... true enough... but if he cared about his son so much, wouldn't he want to make sure he was alright emotionally too? It was a nagging question.

Brian saw the conflicting pain that his words were causing Justin and it wounded him to the core. At that moment, all he wanted was to take the pain away.

"If this was a deliberate act of sabotage to destroy your film perpetrated by homophobes, then they haven't won Justin."

Justin looked at Brian with surprise and tensed up.

"I don't give a damn about the movie right now, Brian. People were hurt and killed."

"No, no! That's not what I'm saying. It doesn't matter whether the movie is made or not. They think a blow like that will destroy our family, our community. Maybe something like that would have scared everyone back in the closet in the past... but no more Justin. No more! They can knock us down, but we'll get right back up... bigger and stronger than ever. Being gay isn't something to be ashamed of or to hide away like a deformity of the soul. As long as they don't make you ashamed of who you are then they've won nothing with their terrorist attacks. That's what I meant."

Justin felt himself relaxing just a tiny bit. He placed his hand on Brian's beloved face. He ran his slender artist's fingers slowly along Brian's cheek, stopping at the man's full lips. He traced the lips he loved so passionately, marveling at the sensuousness of them. Brian kissed the fingers as they lingered there.

"Brian," he said softly, "I want you to make love to me. I want you to make me glad the bastards didn't get me... glad to be alive. I want you to remind me why I'm proud to be gay and why I'll never want to deny it... or you." He waited several heartbeats and then added, "I love you and they can't kill that either."

Brian seldom got choked up about anything in life. His son's birth was one of the few times he ever felt this kind of feeling he was experiencing now. It was scary as hell. He was still too frightened of what it could mean to his life to give the feeling a name, but he was no longer afraid to let it wash over him... to embrace it. He reached up for Justin's hand and pulled the palm up to his lips. He kissed the palm, softly at first and then with more pressure. He let his tongue dart out so that he could taste Justin's skin.

Justin let out a deep sigh. Brian threw back the covers, exposing their close bodies. He got up on his knees and moved down to Justin's legs. He reached for the young man's underwear, pulling it down by the elastic band. He tossed the pants to the side. Brian rose up over Justin's body placing one long leg on each side of his lover's thighs. He lay above Justin, looking down into his beautiful face. He slowly lowered himself down until his face was only inches from Justin's. Justin reached over to the side table nearest him and fished out a condom from the bowl lying there.

"I want to feel you inside me, filling me up... making me whole again. Please Brian."

Brian was already as hard as a steel pipe. He scrunched upwards just enough for Justin to reach him and slide the condom down his length. Justin finished his task and reached up to touch a nipple with both hands. He rubbed the soft pads of his thumbs against Brian's buds until each one stood out in a hard peak like the pride between his legs. Brian scrunched back into position and lowered his upper body again so that he was face to face with his lover once more. This time he let himself fall downwards so that their lips met. The heat built as the friction increased on their touching torsos, while their lips refused to part from each other even to breathe.

Justin reached up, running his hands up and down Brian's arms that supported his body on each side of Justin's chest. Justin could feel the muscles straining there as the older man kept himself from crushing the smaller man below him. The feel of Brian's masculine lips on his, combined with the feel of the man's muscular arms under his fingertips, made Justin feel safe for the first time since that shattering explosion. The fear that had been gripping his heart and silently squeezing it began to dissipate. Here, laying underneath this beautiful man, he knew that he was in the right place. He was where he belonged... where he would always belong. Brian was right. Justin would never run and hide from those cowards.

Brian could feel the tension easing from Justin's body as his mouth opened up to him. He loved the taste of Justin...always had, since that very first kiss. Brian began exploring the soft warm mouth. He could hear the soft groans of pleasure begin to sneak past the invading tongue. Justin reached up and grabbed the back of Brian's head, loving the feel of the thick brown locks as they slipped between his fingers. Eventually Brian released Justin's lips and began a gentle trail from the young man's lips to his face, his neck, his chest.

Brian paid particular attention to the pale brown buds on Justin's chest. As he felt Justin's hands ruffling through his hair, Brian bent to each bud individually and gave it full measure. He circled the tips slowly with his practiced tongue and then licked them hard, suddenly sucking them into his mouth where his teeth gently nipped at them. Flashes of light pricked Justin's eyes behind his closed lids. He whimpered.

When Brian completed that task, he moved downwards. As he reached the end of Justin's pale pleasure trail to the surprisingly large cock for such a small man, Brian began to lick the tumescent shaft as if it were a favorite ice cream cone. He stuck his tongue into the slit at the tip, probing for the flavor of Justin that he enjoyed best. He was rewarded immediately with several drops. The salty sweet taste flooded Brian's senses, spurring him on. Suddenly he rose up, sat back on his haunches and grabbed Justin's legs. He threw them over his broad shoulders.

Justin gasped out loud when Brian swiftly wet his fingers and began to play around Justin's exposed hole. When he felt the muscles relaxing a little Brian began to invade the hole with first one, then another finger. He felt the ring of muscle contracting, then expanding to allow further access. Once Brian could comfortably insert three fingers, he began to scissor them around and explore. The sound of guttural moans above him signaled that Justin was ready.

Brian removed his fingers, grabbed his own shaft and placed it on target. He pushed in just enough. Justin let out a soft mewling sound.

"Oh yes, Brian. Please.... more!" he moaned.

Brian pushed himself further into the depths. He stopped, giving Justin time to adjust. Then pushed until he could feel his balls resting against Justin's smooth ass cheeks. He wrapped his arms around the blond's thighs, reaching for Justin's cock. He began stroking in and out of his lovers body while stroking up and down on his cock. The building pleasure in both their bodies seemed to reach higher and higher plateaus with every movement. Justin wanted it to go on forever. He wanted to die like this someday...underneath Brian and bringing the man untold joy. But eventually the body could take no more. They could both feel themselves on the verge of climax at the same time. They couldn't hold back the sounds of sexual release that poured from them at the same time that Brian filled the condom head and Justin filled up Brian's hand.

Only after the last spurt of pleasure shook their bodies did the men become unattached. Brian reluctantly pulled out of Justin's comforting warmth, stripped the condom off, and laid back down beside his lover, grabbing a small hand towel on the night stand to wipe his hand. He wasted no time in gathering the young man to him again. Justin rested his head in the crook of Brian's arm, smelling the musky manly odor of Brian's exertions. It flowed through him and he breathed more deeply. Slowly his heart rate returned to normal. He placed tiny kisses alongside Brian's underarm.

Brian raised Justin's face to his. He moved in for another soulful kiss. When they parted, Brian was pleased to see that Justin was back to his old self. The fear and uncertainty that had hung over him like a dark cloud was gone. He knew Justin was going to be alright now. He also knew Justin would need every ounce of strength in him very soon. Brian wasn't really a hundred percent certain yet, but he had a sick sinking feeling inside him that the story behind the explosion was going to cause Justin a lot of pain. Tomorrow, Brian was going to start the ball rolling. If his suspicions were correct, there was one man in town who was going to regret he was ever born. A part of him prayed that certain events were just coincidences, but if not....

Brian held Justin even closer. Justin sighed deeply. He was safe... he was home. Whatever the future might hold, this moment in time was what mattered. Brian had been there for him when he needed him most. He knew the man always would be. That was enough for now.

To be continued........

Brian eyed Justin warily. He was looking for any signs of post traumatic stress that the young man might exhibit. Justin had suffered a bad night. Brian hoped that making love to Justin, and showing him how happy he was that the young man had survived the catastrophe at the studio, would be enough to give him a decent night's rest, but it didn't happen. He had awakened in the middle of the night screaming out from a horrific dream. It had taken Brian a half hour just to calm his lover down enough for Justin to fall back into another restless sleep. It was obvious that Justin had never faced the kind of hatred it took for someone to do something so vicious ever before in his life. The fact that Brian suspected Justin's dad played some part in the event was the most disturbing of all. If it was true, it would devastate Justin. That thought tore at Brian, but no matter the outcome, he had to try and find out if his suspicions were correct.

Justin could tell Brian was worried about him. He had been more solicitous than ever before, on top of hardly letting Justin out of his sight. It was comforting on the one hand, but disturbing at the same time. It was as if Brian thought that the attack was aimed solely at him, which was a silly notion. Justin knew he had no real enemies...or at least personal ones. The attack was obviously the result of the hatred of the protesters who had been harassing the studio for a while now. Their goal had to simply be to shut down the making of the film. Justin even wondered now if they would continue with the production.

After showering, having breakfast, and dressing, the men decided to try and get ahold of Brett Keller at the hotel that most of the production staff was staying at. Later Brian would swing over to the hospital so Justin could check on friends and co-workers. A quick check of the local news made it clear that the police were still baffled as to who was behind the bombing of the studio, although there was no doubt what the intended target was. Brian could hear Justin's sharp intake of air when it was announced that five people were killed outright... two actors and three staff. No names were given out. More than two dozen had been hospitalized, at least a half dozen with serious injuries. Brian's blood boiled, but he maintained a calm demeanor to keep from freaking Justin out. Brian was anxious to get started on his quest for the truth, but he had to bide his time. He had no intention of telling Justin what he was up to. He still strongly believed that the trail would lead somewhere Justin would not find palatable. First things first.

***************************************

The visit with Brett was filled with sadness. The man was clearly shaken. He had made films in foreign countries that were not that welcoming and yet he had never experienced anything like this attack. By the time Justin showed up with Brian, Brett and the producers had already decided to leave Pittsburgh. They had more than a third of the location shots in the can, but the rest would have to be made back in Hollywood. Production would be shut down for a few weeks while plans were made and new locations to shoot had been secured. The actors and staff would be on paid leave. Insurance on the film would take care of that.

Brett was particularly interested in Brian following them to Hollywood, at least temporarily, towards the end of the shoot in order to be involved directly with the advertising and promotioning of the film. Brian had already planned to do so, just not as soon or for as long as they would now probably need him. But he had found working on the publicity for the movie to be quite interesting, Justin not included, so he had no problem with fulfilling his contract with the production company and doing what they wanted.

It certainly didn't hurt that he would be able to be with Justin either. In truth, he had not taken the time to think about what it would be like when the young actor had to leave and go back to Hollywood. Brian had not been in any kind of 'relationship' before so he had no thoughts about the future... not until now. For the first time ever, he was thinking ahead with only one person in mind. But he knew he couldn't move ahead with Justin until he found out for certain whether he had more to fear for his blue-eyed lover than the young man even suspected.

Brian finally got the chance to put his plan into motion when he let Justin off at the hospital. The young man had decided to spend some quality time comforting several of his friends that were all in the same ward. Brian offered to pick him back up in a couple of hours. The minute he kissed Justin good bye and waved to him as he entered the hospital entrance, Brian gunned it and headed straight for the office of an old school mate of his. Jake Montgomery, or Monty to his friends, had been a cop for almost ten years until a bullet from a traffic offender almost ended his life. For the last couple of years he had been busy checking into people's personal lives and shadowing them as a private investigator. He made a decent enough living at it, and so far no one tried to put a hole in him.

Monty greeted Brian with a healthy handshake and a big smile. He was a couple of years older and fifty pounds heavier than his old class mate, and he had always adored the smart ass Brian Kinney. He envied Brian his ability to be so open about who he was, even when still a young man at school. Monty, on the other hand, had been closeted then and all through his years on the force. He was as butch as a cop can be, so no one ever suspected a thing. It came as quite a surprise to his co-workers when Monty introduced his long time roommate, Eddie, as his boyfriend on the day they threw him a going away party at the precinct. The two bears had been cuddling for over eight years, much to the shock of Monty's closest friends on the force. He had half expected his fellow officers would tar and feather him only to discover that they were only pissed at him for lying about himself all those years. Many of them still stayed in close contact with their old buddy, even helping him on occasion with a job he needed intel on. After the pleasantries were out of the way, Brian got right to the point.

"You've heard about the explosion over at the movie studio on Piedmont?"

"I haven't been in a cave, Brian. So what about it. They say it has to do with that film they're making based on a gay comic book hero. Any truth to that?"

"That's the theory, and I think it's a good one. Look, let me fill you in."

"I'm listening," informed the detective.

"The movie is based on a comic written by my oldest friend, Michael Novotny. You remember him? He used to visit me on campus all the time."

"How can I forget the guy that mooned over you every chance he got. By the way, did you ever satisfy his crush?"

"No, and he has nothing to do with this thing... well, outside of writing the comic book. Anyway, he sold the comic to this movie production team and they decided to film here. Apparently word got out concerning what the film is about and I think I know who spilled the beans, cause they were trying to keep the whole thing under wraps just to avoid such stupidity."

Monty interrupted. "So what is your stake in this whole thing? You have some of your money invested or something?"

"No, I took on the job of promoting the film, using my company for the advertising. The thing is.... well, you see, I met one of the actors and....."

"Don't tell me. You're having a mad hot affair with the dude," Monty laughed, knowing that this was ridiculous being well aware of Brian's reputation.

"You might say that," Brian responded. Monty's jaw dropped. "Look, here's the thing, the kid.... well, he's actually a lot older than he looks, but anyway, Justin wasn't even aware of who he was until we met. I was only supposed to get him used to the idea of playing a gay man, but he ended up teaching me a few things too."

"Like what?" Monty was truly curious. He had never seen or heard Brian talking like this in all the years he'd known the man.

"Like how to care for someone so much it hurts, especially when they are hurt."

"Shit, Brian, don't tell me he was hurt in the explosion."

"No! God, no! No, the truth is that I think it was his own father behind the whole thing and that's where you come in. I want you to find out everything you can about him. I want you to bug him, film him, and help me prove or disprove his involvement. I don't care what it costs. I need to know... for Justin's sake. Oh, one more thing, I suspect the man has a tail on me too and maybe even Justin."

"Do tell." And that's exactly what Brian did, telling Monty everything that had happened between Justin and his father since the blond came out. He told him about the demonstrators and seeing Craig there. He left out no detail, including his eerie feeling of being followed every single day. Monty listened intently and made promises to follow up immediately and report in as soon as he had news. The men hugged goodbye and Brian left to pick up Justin, feeling slightly better. As he walked out of the ten story office building that housed businesses of all kinds, he again felt like someone was watching, but he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. Hopefully Monty would be able to get some answers and put Brian's mind to rest, once and for all.

***********************************************

Justin came out of the hospital entrance and slid in next to Brian. He leaned over and gave his lover a warm kiss. Brian was relieved to see that Justin wasn't quite as stressed as he had been when he'd first let him off at the hospital. Justin relayed the news that Jimmy and several of his other closest castmates had pulled out of danger during the night and were on the road to recovery. Apparently Brett had also stopped by to announce that the film was definitely not being shelved... that instead it would be delayed by one month while arrangements were made and contracts signed on new location shoots. That meant that those that could would have a month to recuperate and still be involved in the film and all the others would have time to deal with the trauma, getting help in dealing if necessary, and to work out any conflicts they might have with other jobs they had lined up. For Justin, who had nothing else on his schedule, this meant a month to stay with Brian and learn to cope. It meant another month of not having to think about the future and where Brian fit into it. That was reason enough to feel slightly better.

Brian had received several anxious calls the previous night from his circle of friends, wanting to know that Justin was alright, so he suggested that he and Justin pay a few visits to relieve everyone's minds and then head out to his country house. He didn't have to ask twice. They went back to the loft to pick up a few things and then headed for Debbie's house. Brian had called ahead of time and was pleased to see that Deb had gathered the troops at her place. The only ones missing were the girls and his son. During the next hour they reassured everyone that Justin was sound as a dollar and dealing with the trauma remarkably well. Brian kept his suspicions about the bombing to himself.

The next stop was Mel and Lind's house. Luckily, Justin had already dealt with a couple of hysterical women when he received frantic calls from his mother and Daphne while at the hospital just before Brian had arrived the day before. He had been almost in shock himself but somehow convinced the women that he was fine, and that it was unnecessary for them to come running to Pittsburgh. They finally let him off the hook when he promised to see them at the first chance. Now Justin had to calm the fear of Gus' mothers. No one had mentioned a thing to Gus, so he happily spent the visit pulling his newest, bestest friend into a game of make believe with his train track set given him at his birthday party. As the threesome watched Gus and Justin together in a corner of the living room, they each wondered at how controlled Justin was and whether it was a facade. Brian promised to take care of the young actor, thus relieving the girl's minds. Mel was still surprised at how solicitous and caring Brian obviously was with Justin. She still found it hard to believe that this was the same Brian she had grown to dislike because of his self-centered cocky attitude. But then again, he had changed a lot since Gus' birth, and now even more so since Justin entered his life.

Eventually the hour was getting late and Brian remarked it was time to hit the road. He stepped into the guest bathroom for a moment while Justin said his goodbyes and placed a quick call to Monty. The detective assured Brian that he had enlisted some of his best assistants to take on the task of shadowing Craig Taylor and was already digging into the man's recent activities. Brian gave him a heads up as to where he'd be, and Monty promised to report in as soon as he had some news worth passing along. Brian thanked his old friend again and went to join everyone on the front stoop. He scooped up his son and planted a big wet one on his wavy brown mop of hair, which earned him a giggle. He promised his boy that the next time they went to the country house, Gus could come too. It was enough to bring a huge grin to the little spitting image of Brian Kinney. Lastly the boy threw his arms around Justin's legs and squeezed. Justin bent down and shook the boys hand in a grown up way.

"See you soon Gus-Gus." This brought out another giggle.

Soon the men were on the move out of town. Once they were well on their way, Justin, who had been quiet for some time, spoke up.

"Brian, I've been thinking. Don't you think you should give your country place a name?"

"I told you Sunshine. I don't do names. I'll leave that up to you. So, what do you have in mind?"

Justin grinned crookedly. "Oh, I don't know. Something like Gee's Britin sounds good."

"Gee's Britin? Where in the world did you come up with that?"

"G e e for Gus and Bri...."

The light dawned. "Ohhh, Bri....tin. Aren't you the clever duck?" Brian laughed.

"It's brilliant," Justin bragged.

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," Brian grinned, "However, it does have a nice ring to it. I have the feeling Gus will like it." Brian paused. "Okay, Gee's Britin it is." He laughed out loud. "I certainly did pick myself one very clever young man to get involved with, didn't I?"

Justin placed his hand firmly on Brian's thigh. "Clever and horny," he laughed. "Are we there yet?"

Brian laughed out loud again. It felt good to see Justin's spirits rising. As soon as he could, he intended to see some other things rising too. They rode the rest of the way in comfortable silence, the fears and anger of Pittsburgh left behind them even if only temporarily. At least for a short while they could keep the rest of the world at bay. Brian gunned the motor of his Jeep. Gee's Britin was waiting for them.

To be continued......

Brian had never felt happier to see a place than he was as he drove down the long drive to his country estate, or as Justin now referred to it... Gee's Britin. It would have sounded totally corny to Brian just a month before, but now he liked the ring to it. It had the sound of a real home to Brian and he was more than happy to share it with the blond-headed man next to him. He drove the circle that led to the front door and stopped. He killed the engine and looked over at his passenger. Justin had tried valiantly to stay awake, but all the turmoil and stress of the last couple of days had taken their toll on the young man. His head had fallen back on the head rest and he was sound asleep.

Brian couldn't resist the opportunity. He knew a sure fire way to wake the young man up. He reached over to Justin's lap and snapped the top open on his tight fitting jeans. He next grabbed the top of the zipper and eased it down, enjoying the rasp of the metal as it disengaged. Justin moved slightly to the side on his hip, giving Brian a little better access to the young man's crotch. Brian glanced up, but Justin's eyes were still firmly shut and his breathing was perfectly even. Brian returned to his task. He slowly parted the material covering Justin's underwear. He was surprised to see that the young man was wearing boxers. Ah, the better to reach the prize, he decided. He reached inside the slit and could feel the warmth there. He relished the feel of Justin's silken pubes. Brian knew from vast experience that many men had wiry or prickly hair down there, but Justin's was soft like the hair on his head. Brian rather liked that.

Brian began to quietly and efficiently fish Justin's semi-hard cock from its bed. The minute the shaft popped out, Brian could feel it start to grow in his hand. Justin's cock most definitely knew how to react to the feel of Brian's hand on it. He wrapped his long fingers tenderly, but firmly around the length and began to pump it ever so slowly. As the speed began to increase, he could see a tiny drop of liquid gold forming on the tip. The urge to taste was just too strong to deny. Brian leaned sideways and zeroed in on his target, tongue at the ready. As he reached the tip, his tongue gently slurped up the bead of nectar.

Brian decided that a tiny taste was not quite enough. He checked to see if Justin's eyes were still shut. They were, but the corners of his mouth exposed a noticeable tilt upwards just a fraction. Brian noticed that the blond's breathing had also sped up. He grinned inwardly and returned to his labors. Brian laid his lips firmly around the tip of Justin's cock head and began sucking like a baby at a nipple. His cheeks hollowed as he slowly lowered his fingers, giving him access to more of Justin's manhood. He suckled his way down the hard shaft inch by inch. The sensitive nerves in his mouth could feel Justin's cock vibrating as the blood raced to fill it even more. As he tasted drop after drop of things to come, he could hear Justin's breath shortening to tiny gasps.

Suddenly Brian felt Justin's cock expanding in his mouth and he felt the first rush of juices as they erupted down his throat. A growl of pleasure could be heard above Brian's head. He drank in each drop and then sat back up. He looked over at the flushed face of his lover. Justin was staring at Brian with a warm look of gratitude.

"We're here," Brian announced with a wicked gleam in his eye.

Justin reached over and pulled Brian's head towards him. He spoke not at all, but placed a deep kiss of appreciation on Brian's eager lips. Justin poked his tongue inside Brian's mouth. He loved tasting himself in his lover's mouth. Brian let the kiss linger for minutes before pulling away.

"We may not have any nearby neighbors, but I think it's time we took this inside Sunshine," he announced, turning to the door in order to exit the Jeep. Justin nodded agreement and exited on his side. The men grabbed the things they had brought with them and entered the house arm in arm.

************************************

By Sunday evening, Brian could see a marked improvement in Justin's demeanor. He had let a great deal of the tension that had been eating at him slip away under Brian's tender care. Justin was amazed at how caring the older man could be. The lovemaking had been spectacular and frequent, but what stood out in Justin's mind was the hours that they spent just talking about so many different things. Brian was a brilliant conversationalist. Justin was equal to the task of keeping up with him in that department. Justin was certainly no air-headed pretty faced actor. He might have been a decade younger than Brian, but he was cognizant of a lot of things worth talking about. They spent a lot of time talking about their growing up years, which were so vastly different in some ways and similar in others. They talked of their dreams for the future, and Brian learned for the first time that acting had not been Justin's first choice for his future. Justin admitted that he once dreamed of being an artist, but had given up the dream thanks to his father's attitude. Acting had been a way for him to escape into another world.

Late in the day, Brian got a call from Monty informing him that he had discovered that Craig Taylor had hired a detective to look into Brian's history. He warned his friend and client to make sure that no one was snooping too deeply into his financial and business matters or chatting with too many of his friends and acquaintances when he got back to town. He assured the ad man that he would have a more detailed report the next day. Just before dinner, Brian suggested they have a game of tennis to work up a good appetite. Justin, who hadn't played since high school, liked the idea of a sweaty Brian. The men changed into shorts and went to the back of the estate where a court had been built.

The sun was just on the verge of setting when the match between the two men came to an end. The sky was a brilliant purple and maroon color as the sun began to disappear behind the tall trees that circled the tennis court in a half moon shape. The men dropped their tennis balls in a bucket at the side of the net and moved over to the narrow stone bench at the fence. They each swung their legs over the bench straddling it while facing each other. They bent down and slid their rackets into the covers provided for them. Brian grabbed a couple of the hand towels on the bench behind him and threw one at Justin. They mopped their faces and stared at each other.

"Good game, Sunshine. Thought you hadn't played in a long time."

"I haven't. No place to play and nobody I wanted to play with.... till now," Justin responded.

"Same here. I can never find anyone I want to play with either... till now." Brian grinned wickedly at the young man, his double meaning clear in his voice.

Brian removed his shirt and tossed it to the side. Justin reached up with his hand holding the towel and began to run it around Brian's glistening chest, sopping up the moisture there. Brian reached forward and grabbed the bottom of Justin's shirt and swiped it over his head in one fell swoop. He reached for his own towel and began drying Justin's chest too. Their hands lingered over each others torsos, rubbing slowly and deliberately along the upper body and down to the firm stomachs. Justin scooted in closer so that their knees were now touching.

Brian let the towel drift down until it rested against the waistband of Justin's shorts. Justin lifted up and used his hand to lower both shorts and jockeys down his legs. Brian did the same. The men sat back down and went back to their task of wiping off the sweat from each other. They rubbed all along each others upper legs and simultaneously reached the favored spot between their thighs. They used the soft towels to rub along the bush of hair they could reach, although much of that was now covered by fully erect penises that pointed straight up their stomachs. That didn't slow them down. They simply grabbed hold of the stiff poles and moved them to the sides with their free hands, then proceeded to continue rubbing dry the slightly damp pubes. Once they were sure that this job was done, it was time to rub down the neglected cocks. They continued to stare into each others eyes as they rubbed the towels up and down the others shaft. The sound of labored breathing began to be heard.

Suddenly Brian stood up, swinging his leg over the bench so that he could drop his pants to the ground. He swiftly swung his leg back again and sat back down. He grinned mightily at Justin. Justin didn't have to be told twice. He copied Brian's moves and then settled back in his spot on the bench. Brian began rubbing the towel along Justin's leg again, prompting the blond to follow suit. Brian used his free hand to wrap around Justin's shoulder and begin pulling the young man even closer. Justin's legs crossed over Brian's. Brian reached behind him where the towels had lain and came back with a condom instead. He smiled innocently at Justin. Justin let out a loud laugh.

"Always prepared, I see."

"I would have made a good Scout, if they welcomed queers," Brian agreed.

Justin threw the towel to the side of the bench. He grabbed the condom from Brian and ripped it open. In a flash, he had it seated perfectly on its intended target. Brian tossed his towel and reached for Justin's firm ass. He grabbed both globes in his hands and lifted his lover up while Justin leaned forward and pressed his mouth to Brian's. As the men began exploring with their fevered tongues, Brian pulled Justin into his lap and slowly lowered the young man onto his waiting cock. Justin supported himself holding tight to Brian's shoulders and waited till he could feel his lover's tip at the entrance to his hole. Once he knew Brian was in the right place, Justin pressed down, feeling the glory of being filled up by the body of the man he loved.

Once Justin was firmly impaled to the hilt Brian began thrusting his hips upward, while Justin rode up and down on his lover's cock like a man possessed. Each time one would reach a point of no return, the men would stop. They were in perfect tune with each other. Neither wanted the feeling that engulfed them to go away too soon. Brian held onto Justin as they kept their lower bodies perfectly still and connected while tasting each others mouths, lips, faces, necks. Once the urgency had passed, they began their ride again, each time building to that magic point a little quicker. This went on for what seemed an eternity and yet not enough time. By the time they had practiced the ritual a fifth time, they both knew they couldn't hold off any longer.

Both men were worn to a frazzle but not ready to quit when Justin began twirling his buttocks around Brian's impaled cock for the final time. The side to side, up and down motion that he refused to slow down was all it took. Brian had been pumping Justin's cock in time with the ride and Justin began chanting....now, now now!...over and over as he rose up one last time and came down in a fever while shooting his load between their stomachs, soaking them both. Brian groaned deeply and joined his lover in his orgasmic ride. Brian held onto Justin and they remained frozen in time as one entity for long minutes after, as they very slowly came down from their high.

The sun had finally set and the automatic lights turned on when the lovers finally detached from each other and moved to gather up their discarded clothing. Brian tossed his arm protectively around Justin's shoulders, and they took the path back to the house.

"I've forgotten. Who won that match?" Brian queried, as they reached the back entrance.

"Beats me," Justin shot back. "I think it was a tie."

The well exercised duo laughed out loud, kissed once more, and entered the house. Whatever happened inside would be for their eyes only, but the events outside were already well documented on film by the long lens of Craig's detective. The man couldn't help feeling sorry for his client. This film, along with the one from yesterday taken of the Jeep in front of the house, would surely cause the man a stroke. He could still remember how upset his client had been with just a bunch of photos. The videos were bound to cause even more stress. Well, it wasn't his problem. He was paid to gather information, not decipher it. The man packed up his equipment and headed back to the area where his car had been hidden behind the tall hedges lining the road. He most definitely had earned his pay this day. Knowing the pattern of the two men inside, he figured they wouldn't be coming out again till morning. Time to report in to the client.

To be continued............

Monty sat behind his desk, waiting for the explosion. He watched his old friend with a wary eye. Brian had never been one to lose his cool over much of anything, but Monty could vividly remember one incident when a fellow student had refused to back off with the name calling during a hockey game. Brian had even given the jerk a courtesy warning, but the player was too thick-brained to catch on. He spewed out one 'cocksucker' and 'faggot' too many and ended up with a hockey stick 'accidentally' banging a little too hard into his knees just above the protective pad. The guy had problems walking for a couple of weeks after that, but he avoided Brian like the plague after the incident. Brian received a penalty and smiled all the way to the bench.

"Fuck!" The word exploded like a cannon shot into the air. "What the fuck is wrong with that asshole? His own son... I thought my old man was a bastard, but this man's sick."

Monty just shook his head. He couldn't agree more.

"So, how long has he been having us followed?"

"You told me that Justin came out to his family last weekend and according to my sources, Rodriquez was hired the next day. I know he's been on your tail since the beginning of the week. I've got to warn you, Brian, he is known for his ability to get some really good footage of the people he's stalking. They say he would have made a great paparazzi, if he'd been so inclined. If you've been exposed with Justin... say with curtains open or out in the open... the man is bound to have it recorded."

Brian felt a cold chill inside his gut remembering the many times he'd been affectionate with Justin out in the open, particularly the hot lovemaking on his very own tennis court at the estate. He had no distaste at the idea of a disc of him loving on Justin for their own viewing, but the image of Craig Taylor viewing such a disc made Brian literally sick to his stomach. He dreaded how it would make Justin feel. He would do whatever he could to keep his lover from finding out about this possibility.

Brian looked directly at Monty. "So what else can you tell me about Taylor... particularly concerning the explosion at the studio? Is there any reason to think he was behind it, or at least knew something about it?"

"We're looking into that as we speak. I have some contacts in the police department and they've passed on a lot of what they already know about the bombing. There's one guy in particular... he's a fanatic member of a group calling themselves KASP... ever heard of them?" Brian nodded, scowling. "Well anyway, he's their number one suspect. I'm looking into whether there is any connection between this guy and Taylor. I do know that Taylor was seen talking to the leader of KASP. I also know that he was seen having a meeting with a scumbag yellow journalist named Sammy Peters and the guy just happened to be at the studio when the bomb went off. He told police he got an anonymous tip that there would be some action from the protesters so that was why he was there. I'm going to be interviewing him myself today."

Brian's blood chilled as he listened to the evidence that Justin's father could have been involved in the despicable act of cowardice that accomplished nothing but the loss of innocent lives, a lot of pain, and a temporary closing of a business. If the man thought he would scare his son away from being the man he was meant to be, the asshole had another think coming, Brian thought to himself. Besides the fact that he obviously didn't know his son very well, he also obviously didn't truly love his son. He loved the idea of his son, not the man himself, and this angered Brian even more than his own father's lack of loving support. Brian couldn't comprehend it because if anyone deserved to be loved fully and completely, it was Justin. He had more beauty in him than a million Craig Taylors combined. Brian looked forward to meeting Justin's mother, because he had to inherit his beautiful soul from someone.

"Well thanks, Monty. I appreciate all you're doing."

"No thanks necessary, friend. Just pay my bill," Monty laughed. "Seriously, I'd like to see the scum behind this shit get what's coming to him too."

Brian nodded agreement. "Trust me, he'll get what's coming to him if I'm right about the man." Brian paused. "Remember, Monty, I don't want Justin to know anything about this until I have all the facts. It would kill him to know his father had something to do with the bombing. It's bad enough that I'm going to have to warn him that I now know we're being followed. I wish I could spare him that, but he needs to be aware."

"I understand. It's up to you what you want your boyfriend to know, Brian."

The men shook hands and Brian left. Monty stared after the retreating figure as he left his office. He couldn't help noticing that Brian didn't protest when the term, boyfriend, was used. That alone was surprising. He was also stunned at the passion in Brian's voice when he spoke about the young man in his life. This was definitely not the Brian he had grown to care about when they were classmates. This was a man in love... no question about it. He envied the young man. He knew that his old friend was as loyal as a watchdog protecting its master. He hadn't met this Justin character yet, but the kid must be really something to tame a loner stud like Brian. He sighed and went back to his papers, looking for the number of the place where the cops number one suspect worked.

***********************************************

Brian felt torn. On the one hand he was filled with anger at Craig Taylor for forcing him to have to tell Justin about the surveillance. He knew it would hurt the kid and Brian ached at the thought of causing Justin pain. On the other hand, he was filled with sadness. He had already seen how hurt Justin was by his father's rejection. He had no doubt that it would devastate the actor if his father turned out to be the force behind the bombing of the studio. Brian still hoped it was just coincidence that Craig seemed to know more about the bombing than he should and not an actual fact. Surely, the thought of Taylor being behind it only popped up because of his intense disgust for the man, Brian hoped.

Brian killed the engine on his Jeep and sat in the parking lot behind his apartment lost in thought. He wanted to be with Justin but he dreaded the news he was bringing with him. Justin thought he had gone into work to rearrange his work schedule to allow him more time with his lover before he had to go back to Hollywood. Brian didn't bother telling Justin that he had already taken care of that. He had thanked his lucky stars again that he had Ted and Cynthia. He knew that the two assistants could hold down the fort quite competently for an extended period of time while Brian spent as much time with Justin as needed. All he had to do was touch base every once in awhile to make sure things were running the way they would if he had been present in the office.

Brian took a deep breath, pinched the bridge of his nose hard to try and ease the headache that had formed behind his eyes, and got out of his Jeep. He moved slowly to the back door of the building, scanning lightly around the closed in lot. He didn't spot anyone peering at him, but he knew it was possible. Another wave of anger rose again at the thought of being spied on.

Brian had barely pulled the door of his loft aside when a small bundle of blond energy launched itself into his arms. Brian wrapped his arms around Justin's middle and brought his mouth down hard on his lover. Their kiss intensified as if they hadn't seen each other in years. Justin's toes curled from the intense pleasure that Brian's mouth brought him. Eventually the men had to take a breath and they broke apart.

"I missed you," Justin announced. "Is everything going to be okay at the office. I don't want to cause you any problems with your work, you know."

"Everything is fine, Sunshine." Just then, Brian got a whiff of a delicious smell. He sniffed the air. "What...?" he began.

Justin grinned widely. "Oh that," he indicated, pointing to the kitchen. "I thought I'd use one of my Mom's favorite recipes. I called her and she gave it to me. I hope you like Jambalaya. It's really good for you and I know how you like to eat healthy," Justin laughed.

"Now aren't you the sweetest little hausfrau," Brian joked, his tone taking any sting out of the words.

"I aim to please Mr. Kinney."

Brian grabbed Justin's lips again and gave him another deep kiss.

"Oh you do, young man, you do."

"It won't be ready for a while yet. Why don't you go sit down and make yourself comfortable. I'll let you know when it's time to serve."

Brian smacked Justin playfully on his perfect bubble butt and went to stretch out on his expensive leather couch. He quickly decided that his news about Taylor could wait until after the meal. He'd be damned if he'd let the man ruin all of Justin's hard work in the kitchen. At least he knew that the prying eyes that Taylor had sicked on them couldn't follow them into the loft. He looked over at the kitchen, enjoying the sight of Justin humming quietly to himself as he went about fixing a meal for the man he loved. The thoughts running through his head were downright lesbianic, but at the moment Brian could have cared less.

*****************************************

Craig Taylor would have been apoplectic at the sight of his son playing house with Brian Kinney, if he wasn't already at that point. His detective stood at a safe distance away as he watched his client turn redder by the second as he watched the video the burly man had filmed just the day before on the Kinney estate. Craig suddenly let out an unearthly scream and threw his remote at the television screen. It had been bad enough seeing his son getting a blow job from the pervert Kinney while still in the car the day before...not that he could actually see it, but the man's bobbing head above his son's lap told the story. Then the detective had caught the disgusting display on the tennis court. Craig had managed to control himself during the mutual rubdowns, but when he saw both men shed their pants and his son rolling a condom down Kinney's cock, that was the last straw. He'd be damned if he was going to witness his only son taking it up the ass. The very thought brought bile into Craig's throat.

"I made a bad choice," he muttered under his breath. "I should have had them target that sick degenerate...taken out his fucking country house."

The detective caught the words and stored them away but decided not to explore their meaning any further at the moment.

"So, have you heard anything more on what they're going to do about making the movie?" Craig asked, once he had calmed enough to speak again.

"The film is still on according to all my sources. The bombing only delayed things. They're moving the whole production back to Hollywood to complete it. As for your son, apparently all the main actors survived and every single one of them have decided to stay with it, including young Taylor. You might also want to know that Brian Kinney is scheduled to join them in Hollywood too. I imagine he'll go with the kid."

The blood rushed to Craig's face again. He forced himself to calm down.

"We'll see about that," he said, more to himself than the detective. "For now, just keep doing what you're doing. I want to know if there are any changes immediately."

"Yes sir," the detective responded. "I'll get right back on the job." He turned to leave.

"And Rodriquez....." The detective turned back at the door. "I don't need any more visuals. Just write anything down that you see going on between them. That stuff is fucking porno. I don't need to see my son like that."

"Yes sir," the detective answered.

When Rodriquez left the office, Craig went over to the DVD player and pushed eject. He yanked the disc out of its seating and snapped it viciously in half, tossing it in the trash can. He'd be damned if he'd let anyone ever see his son in such a degrading position. He had half a mind to forget he'd ever had a son named Justin. He was free now. He was still young enough to start over. He still had Molly and he could always have another son. He'd just make sure he got the right kind of woman to be this boys mother. Jennifer had always been a little too liberal minded for him, anyway. But first he had to make sure the asshole who stole his son from him paid for it...one way or another.

To be continued...........

Telling Justin the truth about his father had been easier than Brian anticipated, but only because his lover proved once again how strong a character he was. It also didn't hurt that Brian only divulged the knowledge that Craig had hired a detective and was having them followed. He carefully neglected to mention his suspicions about the bombing, and Craig's connection to that despicable act.

Justin was justifiably pissed to know that his own father had found it necessary to have him followed. He was as incensed over Brian's privacy being invaded as his own. What in the hell did his father think he would gain by such actions, the young man wondered. Did he really think that watching his son's movements, and those of his lover, would bring his son around to his way of thinking? Justin was beginning to feel more pity for his father than anything else. The man he had once looked up to as a boy had become a pathetic creature in Justin's eyes.

Neither Brian nor Justin had any intention of letting Craig Taylor disrupt their lives. If Craig wanted a show about how they felt about each other, they'd give it to him. For the next couple of weeks, Brian and Justin went about their business arm in arm. They spent a great deal of time visiting Brian's friends and playing with Gus. They spent many nights at Gee's Britin, while making love in as many rooms as they could possibly get to in the time allowed. They visited Mount Lebanon several times as a couple and had Daphne, Jennifer, and Molly visit them in the Pitts. Brian took to Jennifer the minute he met her. She obviously felt deep affection for her son and that made her the perfect mother in Brian's eyes.

Jennifer had been concerned about the older, more sophisticated boyfriend of her son at first, but the more time she spent with the two men, and saw their obvious affection for one another, the more comfortable she became. By the third time she had dinner with them, she was a fan of their relationship. Daphne, on the other hand, had become enchanted by Brian from the first meeting. She could see why Justin had fallen so hard so quickly without a doubt. Justin thought about telling his Mom what his dad was up to but decided against it. He figured she had enough to deal with in getting her divorce from the man. She didn't need her fury at Craig for his treatment of their son to be added fuel to the fire.

The couple spent most evenings at Woody's and/or Babylon. Brian and Justin had developed a perfect rhythm with each other and danced together as if they were one. If Craig's detective was watching, he'd be getting an eyeful to report back. Justin had taken to joining Brian at his Kinnetik offices. He found the fast paced world of advertising fascinating, especially the artistic side of it. He would sometimes sit in on meetings with graphic artists and marvel at their creativity. Brian noticed how many times he would see the actor sitting with pencil and pad and drawing out sketches. The young man's ability to capture the human form was amazing. Brian couldn't help but notice that he himself was distinctly one of Justin's favorite models. He was making sketches of Brian commanding a meeting, sitting behind his desk, on the phone with a client, and a particularly sultry looking one of Brian stretched out on the couch in his office during a brief nap.

Even though Brian's offices had been set up with the ability to see inside thanks to all glass walls and doors, there was an alcove behind the main area of Brian's personal office that afforded complete privacy. The men spent many happy hours over the course of Justin's down time having passionate sex on the available large leather couch or in the family size shower stall that Brian built for his convenience. During one particularly enjoyable evening, Justin spent it riding Brian's very happy cock in wild abandonment while Brian swiveled from side to side in his office chair set up in the alcove. The men were particularly late leaving the office that night and hoped Craig's detective lost plenty of sleep while waiting on the napping lovers, who were unable to move a muscle for several hours after that vigorous workout.

Time was marching by quickly, and it was soon only days before Justin would have to go back to Hollywood to complete the film. Brian had already made all the necessary plans enabling him to accompany Justin. He blessed himself for having such a talented team behind him at his company. He knew he couldn't stay gone forever, but he was safe in leaving most of the labor to Ted and Cynthia with just a few meetings per week with clients while he commuted. He didn't feel comfortable letting Justin go off without him even though he knew the young man could take care of himself. He simply wasn't sure that Justin realized the full extent of his father's ability to hurt someone. Brian had no intention of letting the man teach his son the hard way.

**********************************

Craig Taylor was getting sick of all the repetitive reports from Rodriquez. What the fuck did his son do to himself? According to the reports, Justin was following that creep, Kinney, around like a lost little puppy. And that was what he was doing openly. No telling what kind of perversion they were getting up to in private. Craig was close to a stroke just reading about their activities. It was a damned good thing Rodriquez had stopped recording the two men, Craig decided. He didn't think he could handle that on top of seeing his son's descent into that sick lifestyle he had taken up. He should have known letting Justin go to Hollywood would eventually lead to this kind of behavior.

What infuriated Craig even more was discovering that his soon-to-be-ex-wife was indulging their son, and even taking Molly along for the ride. He had a good mind to sue for full custody of his daughter. If Jennifer had her way, Molly would end up a lesbo, with her life ruined too. He wondered again what he had ever seen in the woman he married in the first place. No wonder he had taken to having affairs years ago. He had no choice with a wife like her. It was just too bad he hadn't realized how her influence in indulging Justin's artistic and free wheeling desires would lead to the boy's disgrace. Now he would be forced to start all over with a new family.

Another thing that angered Craig was how he had been forced to take such drastic steps to save his son. He had been convinced that shutting down that infernal movie studio where they were shooting Justin's sick movie would put an end to it. He hadn't intended for so many people to get hurt... after all, he had suggested setting the bomb in an unoccupied area of the studio during lunch time so that only the building would be damaged... but it wasn't really his fault that it went down the way it did since they hadn't listened to his advice.

Reverend Phillips had assured Craig that Babcock was the right man to shut down production of the movie. He really hadn't a clue that the man would choose bombing the studio to achieve those ends... well not until the last minute. By then it was too late to figure out something else. Craig had already informed that reporter, Peters, to be on the lookout for some big story concerning the studio. He didn't see any way of stopping it from happening after all that. The worse part of the whole ordeal was that it accomplished nothing. Justin was still obviously involved in the film and now it looked like Kinney was even more involved.

Once again Craig cursed the day he had not tried to stop Justin from leaving home and pursuing his disastrous career. But it was too late to dwell on that. Right now he had to figure out his next move. He checked the scrap of paper in his hand with the name and phone number on it... Harvey Lipco. Rodriquez had recommended the detective who worked out of Hollywood. For a price, the man would provide anything one needed, according to Rodriquez. Craig hoped so, cause one way or another he had to get Kinney out of his son's life. Then, at least, he might have the chance of straightening his son out before it was too late. If that didn't work, then he would have to wash his hands of Justin once and for all.

*********************************

The bon voyage party (Debbie's words) that she threw at her house for Brian and Justin on Friday night was full of fun and good cheer. Everyone was having a wonderful time. Debbie met Jennifer for the first time and praised her for being the kind of Mother that would make a gay man proud... then immediately roped her in to a promise to join PFLAG at the first opportunity. Daphne, who had a habit of hanging on Brian's every word, enjoyed meeting Justin's new set of friends. They, in turn, could see whey Justin thought so highly of the girl after only chatting for a few minutes. It didn't hurt that Daphne took to little Gus from the moment Mel and Linds walked in the door with the youngster. As for Gus, he couldn't get enough of his new best friend, Justin.

Jennifer was worried about Justin going back to Hollywood. She needed reassurances that the trouble in Pittsburgh with the film would not translate to Hollywood. She still felt reluctant to see him go, but she also knew it was what Justin wanted and that was good enough for her to back up his decision.

"I can see that you and Brian are quite close," she told Justin in confidence, once she was able to get some alone time with him outside in the back yard. "I can tell how happy you are that he is going with you. But what are you going to do once the film wraps? I know Brian has a thriving business here. You know he'll have to come back sooner or later... probably sooner."

"I know Mom. Everything has happened so fast. Less than two months ago I didn't even know the man existed. Now he is everything to me. I can't... no, I don't want to imagine life without him in it every minute possible. I have a lot to think about, and believe me I have been thinking. I enjoy my job as an actor, but lately I've been weighing my options. I just don't know what I'm going to do next, but I will decide soon. I promise you. And you'll be one of the first I talk to once I know what I'm going to do."

Justin looked in the back window and saw Brian looking back at him. He gave the man a great smile. Brian smiled back. Jennifer noticed the interaction and leaned forward, giving Justin a little peck on the cheek.

"You do that hon. I just want you to be happy Son... in your job and your personal life. Then I'll be happy. Remember that."

Justin pecked her back. "I will, I promise."

Jennifer turned back to the house to leave just as Brian was walking out the back door. She smiled broadly at her son's boyfriend as she passed him by. He returned the compliment. Brian walked over to Justin, who was staring into the star-filled night sky. He put his arm around Justin's shoulder and drew him close, basking in the warmth of the young man's body.

"I used to dream of being one of those stars someday, but now it seems so unimportant to me," Justin said quietly. He turned to Brian. "Nothing seems important to me any more, except being with you."

"You're the most important person in my life too, Justin, and that's the truth. But you mustn't lose sight of the big picture. You are the one person you must be true to. You need to decide what you want in life and give it everything you can. Don't let your parents, friends, family, or even me decide anything for you. You only have this one life. The best revenge against those who want to control you, or change you, or won't accept you for who you are is to be a big fat fucking success at whatever you do in life. I'm behind you Sunshine, no matter what you decide."

Brian leaned down and captured Justin's lips with his. He poured his heart into the kiss, reminding Justin of his deep feelings for the young man. After several minutes, they reluctantly parted and Justin snuggled deeper under Brian's protective wing. After several more minutes, Justin spoke quietly but firmly again.

"Everything is going to work out for the best, Brian."

"I know," the older man confirmed, continuing to gaze into the night sky watching, as the stars winked their approval.

To be continued.............

Returning to L.A. was vastly different for Justin than the trip to Pittsburgh. First of all, he was simply relieved that he finally had a lead role in a film and believed that it might be just what he needed to win his family's approval of the choices he had made for his future. Secondly, the film might mean taking a step forward into that future. The thought of no more diner jobs to survive and maybe a chance to live a little more decently than he had been was enough to buoy the young man on the plane ride back to Pennsylvania. He had no inkling then of what the trip would actually bring to his life... not a clue.

First off, the plane ride back to California was a dream come true... a dream he had not even known he wanted a couple of months earlier. Brian had chosen to charter a private plane for the trip to California... a ride meant for only two. There would be no sharing of a cabin for what Brian had in mind. The man had spared no expense and the chartered plane was first class all the way. The cabin wasn't particularly large but it had all the necessary comforts, including a mini bar fully stocked. The large seats lining one side of the plane folded down into a full size bed for the comfort of the passengers.

Brian had made sure the pilot and co-pilot were aware that they were to stay in the cockpit unless there was an emergency. The company offered the services of a stewardess, which Brian politely declined. He had no desire to share this trip with anyone but Justin. Once the men were in the air, and the pilot announced over the loud speaker that they could remove their seat belts, Brian's intentions became quite clear.

"You know," he began, "I once won a bet with a guy by nailing a trick in the bathroom of a 747." He gave a crooked grin at Justin sitting next to him.

"Good to know?..." the young man answered back, hesitantly.

"My point is, it was meaningless... stupid... a waste of energy. I've often wondered how it would feel to actually make love with someone who mattered high in the sky. Has that thought ever crossed your mind?" This time the grin was accompanied by a mischievous gleam in the eye and tongue firmly planted in cheek.

Justin appeared to be thinking hard, then answered, "Well, truthfully it never crossed my mind before but now that you mention it, it might be fun to find out what it's like... providing I had the right partner to experiment with."

Justin lowered his eyes at an appropriate level and grinned back shyly. Brian quickly gathered the young man close to him and wrapped his free hand in the golden locks of Justin's head, pulling his head back enough to make his lips accessible. Brian brought his mouth down softly at first onto Justin's lips, and then with more pressure. Soon they were locked in an embrace that left no doubt of where it was leading.

Once Brian finally released Justin's lips, he whispered, "do I fit the bill?" Justin smiled his most beautiful sunshine smile ever and nodded. By the second nod Brian had recaptured his lips.

Brian was in no rush. The plane trip would last for a number of hours... time enough to go slow and enjoy the feeling. He had no intention of making this a slam bang, thanks for the win affair like the last time. He intended to make this an unforgettable experience that he and Justin would remember for the rest of their lives. While still absorbed in their breathless kiss, Brian let his hands slide up under Justin's pull over shirt. He felt the sharp intake of breath when Brian's long fingers first touched and then pinched Justin's nipples lightly.

Justin's arms were wrapped around Brian's neck, holding him in the liplock, but tiny moans began to escape from the blond's throat as Brian continued to manipulate the tiny buds between his fingers. They grew in firmness with each passing second. The sounds emanating from Justin fueled Brian's passion. He couldn't wait any longer to taste what he was feeling. He released Justin's mouth so that he could whip the shirt off his lover's body. Justin's blond hair went flying in every direction from the static caused by the sudden movement. Brian's hands grabbed onto the wild hair and forced Justin's mouth back to his. Their tongues danced alongside each other, tasting the sweetness of the champagne and strawberries they had consumed right after boarding.

Brian hated to release Justin's mouth, but he had other tastes he wanted to enjoy too. He reluctantly let those soft lips loose and brought his lips straight for that sensitive spot on Justin's throat that he knew drove the young man crazy. Justin squirmed in anticipation as he felt Brian clamping down and sucking along his throat and neck. Just as he was relishing the feeling, Brian began a downward journey towards Justin's chest, pushing the young man against the back of the cushions. Brian licked at Justin's upper chest, running his tongue along the side just under his arm. The clean smell of Justin's underarms inflamed Brian more as he went to his knees in front of Justin and moved his mouth to the other side. Again he licked and sucked at Justin's under arm and side.

Brian eventually moved to Justin's lower stomach, tickling the inside of his belly button, causing an involuntary giggle from the blond. Brian stopped and looked up into Justin's face. Justin smiled down at Brian, gratitude clearly expressed in his eyes. Brian returned the smile and then hurried back to his explorations. His tongue left a slow trail of moisture from the naval upwards to first one nipple, where the older man suckled for several minutes, and then to the other where he repeated the same treatment.

Justin didn't even know he was thrusting his pelvis forward more and more against Brian's chest with each passing minute. His cock was already a steel rod waiting... begging to be released. His moans increased in volume. Brian finally took pity on his tortured lover and quickly unbuckled the belt, unsnapped the top, and unzipped Justin's jeans. He grabbed the top of the pants, fingers hooking inside the underpants at the same time, and pulled downward. Justin raised his hips so that Brian could lower the offending pants to the floor of the plane. Justin's cock sprang out like a giant jack-in-the-box. Brian could already see a tiny pearl drop shimmering on the tip as he headed straight for his prize. He licked the tip, causing another great groan of pleasure from Justin.

Brian had no intention of making this easy and quick for Justin. He licked slowly and deliberately over every inch of Justin's manhood, making sure not to neglect the downy hairs that lay under the hardened shaft and then concentrating on the full sac below. Once he had licked everywhere he could reach, he began to suck on those same spots, still avoiding taking the whole thing in his mouth. Justin began mewling like a kitten. The feelings inside were almost too unbearably good, but he would have killed anyone who tried to stop them now. Finally Brian poised himself above Justin's shaft and then grabbed it between his lips and went down on it in one swift movement.

Brian moved back up Justin's shaft slowly, reaching the tip where he sucked at the cap. Once he enjoyed a drop of salty sweet flavor, he rushed back down the shaft again. He repeated this process over and over, each time bringing Justin closer to release. Once Justin felt the final surge was imminent, he flung his body forward, tapping Brian on the head. Brian slowed, looking up.

"I'm going to cum, if you don't stop," Justin gasped out.

Brian released his cock. "Cum for me, Sunshine," he ordered, pushing Justin back again.

Brian went back to his task and in less than a minute, Justin was announcing his pleasure loudly as he poured himself into Brian's throat. Brian gratefully accepted every last drop, continuing to suck until the twitching in his lover's cock subsided. Brian was still fully dressed as he sat back on the seat and grinned at an exhausted and satiated Justin. He waited until Justin's breathing returned to normal and then leaned over to share Justin's taste with him, once more capturing the blond's mouth with his own. Once he released Justin's mouth again, the actor smiled warmly and made his pronouncement.

"That was....was so hooottt! Now, it's your turn, my sweet lover."

With that, Justin began to slowly kiss and remove Brian's clothing, much like the man had done for him. Once Justin had Brian undressed and his rock hard member exposed, Justin went to work on seeing how much harder he could build up his lover's magnificent tool. When he knew that Brian was as prepared as he could be, Justin grabbed a condom from the pocket of Brian's discarded pants and rolled it onto the man's shaft.

"I want to feel you inside me, Brian. I want you to own me because I AM yours."

Justin turned around and placed his knees on the seat with his hands holding firmly to the back cushion. He leaned forward exposing his beautiful bubble butt to his lover. Brian didn't need any more of an invitation. He moved in behind Justin, wetting his fingers and inserting them one at a time in Justin's hole. He manipulated the ring of muscle until he felt it relax and expand. He placed his cockhead against the opening and pressed ever so slightly forward. He heard a new moan escape Justin's lips.

Brian pressed forward again until he slipped easily into place. Once seated perfectly, he leaned forward and began kissing all along Justin's neck, back, and shoulders. He placed his hands firmly on the blond's hips and began to ride inside and out, in and out, over and over. Each stroke brought him more pleasure as he felt Justin's warm walls surrounding his shaft tightly, creating a delicious friction that began to build in intensity. One hand flew up into Justin's soft hair and fingers entangled with the golden strands. Brian could feel his balls tightening as his orgasm approached and he wrapped his free arm around Justin's middle, pulling him even closer. Suddenly, he pierced Justin's interior with one more deep penetration and let out a mighty groan as he spilled inside the latex protection. He held Justin to him tightly until the waves of pleasure subsided.

Once Brian could safely stand alone, he released Justin, who fell forward onto the seat. He lay over to the side making room for Brian to join him. The two men lay together for awhile. Eventually they got up and pulled the couch out so that they could lay side by side. Brian grabbed a large soft blanket that was provided for them and the two snuggled together under it for the rest of the journey.

**************************************************

Once Brian and Justin deplaned in L.A., Justin took the ad man straight to his apartment. One look at the cramped, dingy place and Brian called the cab back, ordering the man to take them straight to the Beverly Hills Hotel. It was a good thing that Brian had anticipated the necessity for a hotel stay when he considered how dirt poor Justin had been while trying to make it in Hollywood. He had advance reservations... for a bungalow for two. Justin had wanted to protest, but the size, beauty, amenities, and convenience of the hotel was just too much to decline.... not counting the fact that Brian would be in that room with him. That evening, after a delicious meal at the Polo Lounge and a brisk rubdown at the hotel spa, the lovers christened the bedroom of their bungalow in the way they had the private plane.

By Monday morning, the entire cast and crew of the film that were now capable of working, were ready and eager to get started again where they had left off. Brian kept close to Justin, being fully aware that moving on to a different State would not necessarily quell the fury inside Craig's twisted heart. Brian had the sense that Craig Taylor was not through with his son or his son's lover quite yet. Brian had no intention of letting his guard down. According to reports from Monty, the police were zeroing in on the actual bomber of the studio. It was only a matter of time before they found out who put the man up to the evil deed. Monty also informed Brian that word on the grapevine was that Craig Taylor had hooked up with a Los Angeles detective. Monty didn't have to warn Brian to keep an eye out. If any harm came to Justin, It would be Taylor who would have to look over his shoulder... that was all Brian knew for certain.

To be continued........

Brian was surprised at how well things had been moving since bringing the production back to Hollywood. The film was actually ahead of schedule, and Brian had already worked on several aspects of the campaign to get the film noticed by the public. Brian was brilliant in his advertising strategy, building on the recent surprising popularity of a gay-themed love story that had even received Oscar buzz. By the time the film was finished, the audience would be chomping at the bit to see a super hero who just happened to be gay... in addition to being in love. Brian felt a surge of pride again when he thought of how smart his two closest friends, Michael and Lindsay, had been in creating the comic book. It didn't hurt his ego either that he was well aware of his part in inspiring his friends in the creation of Rage.

Justin had obviously relaxed a great deal since coming back to L.A.. Brian knew that his boyfriend (yes, he caught himself thinking of Justin that way more and more) still felt the pain of his father's rejection, but the distance helped ease the hurt just enough to allow Justin to enjoy himself more openly. The lovers found it difficult to keep their hands off each other and could often be seen arm in arm wherever they showed up. Every night they would discover some new position to share with each other as they renewed their commitment to each other over and over again. Their libidos were a perfect match and they took full advantage of it.

Brian had contacted an old friend of Monty's who had an agency in town and soon had a detective on the trail of Craig's LA detective. The cat and mouse game would have been amusing if it didn't come from such a hateful place in Justin's father. All Craig had managed to do was make Brian even more determined to stay close to Justin, just to make sure no harm came to him, if for nothing else. Of course, it was no chore staying close to Justin. With every passing day, Brian found himself more eager to be with the young actor. Spending so much time with Justin also afforded him the ability to notice something else about his young lover.

Brian first noticed how important Justin's art was while still in Pittsburgh. The young man was constantly putting pencil to pad and sketching out something that had escaped the eyes of everyone else around them. The first visit to Justin's cramped hole-in-the-wall apartment revealed even more. While Justin gathered up clothing to take to the hotel, Brian poked around. He found a closet full of drawings scattered a foot high on the closet shelf. That didn't include a sheath of papers lying on Justin's tiny TV tray set up next to an old chair. Those were obviously his most recent sketches since the top one was his rendering of the Rage character. Brian loved Lindsay's artwork, but this version of Rage by Justin was even more beautifully defined, with every muscle and sinew standing out in bold relief. The difference in the bulge in the crotch couldn't be missed either. Brian laughed to himself, realizing that one was drawn by a lesbian and the other by a horny young gay man. Leave it to Justin to appreciate Brian's endowments even before actually meeting him.

The more he saw Justin's artwork, and how much the young man loved doing it, the more Brian became convinced that acting was not the only thing his lover should consider as a career. He brought the subject up casually over dinner one night towards the end of filming. The movie production itself had much more to go before it would be ready for an audience, but the actual filming was only days short of completion. They were enjoying one of their private dinners in the bungalow, when Brian broached the subject.

"Well Justin, according to Brett, I hear the film is almost in the can... I think that's the right phrase," Brian started off casually.

"That's right," Justin answered back over a bite of avocado and sprouts salad.

The candle light between the men reflected off their eyes as they stared at each other. Brian quickly realized that there was a hesitancy in Justin's voice... a slight fear creeping in. He had swallowed his food quickly and looked at Brian intently. Brian was suddenly acutely aware of where Justin's mind had probably traveled to with his statement. He was quick to clear things up.

"The only reason I ask, Justin, is that I was curious as to what you had in mind for your next project. I'm looking forward to your answer, since it affects what I'm going to do next. We need to work something out so that we can still be close."

Justin visibly relaxed when he heard the word 'we' from Brian. For a moment he thought Brian was going to tell him that it had been fun but it was time to get back to their separate lives. That thought sent a stab of pain that made his breath catch in his throat. Knowing that Brian still thought of them as a 'we' was like music to the the young man's ears.

"Well, the truth is I have been thinking about this very subject for a while now," Justin started to explain. I didn't want to say anything to you until I was very sure of what I wanted. I know how you feel about people not sacrificing their own happiness just to please someone else. and I knew you would hate it if I did that. In truth, Brian, I don't think I can stand the thought of not seeing you anymore or hardly ever. I love you Brian, and being with you makes me supremely happy."

"I really do enjoy acting. It is good to get out of yourself and be someone else sometimes and it comes easy to me, but it isn't my first or most desired dream. I guess the truth is, I only took up acting to escape into someone else when I knew my dad hated what I really wanted to be."

"And what is that?" Brian asked, already sensing the answer.

"I... I always wanted to pursue my art. I don't know how talented I really am, but I do know how happy I am when I'm doodling away on some image that is burned in my brain. I look at the world around me and I see it on canvas in my own style." Justin laughed. "I certainly wouldn't be the first actor who was even happier painting than they were acting. Even some very famous stars are afflicted in that way. The difference is, I don't really care as much about the acting any more. I could drop it in a heartbeat. As a matter of fact, I told that very thing to Sherry, my agent, and received the worst scolding of my life since I was a little kid."

Brian had begun smiling inside with each new comment from Justin, but he kept a straight face. He knew this had to come from Justin.

"So what would you want to do to pursue your art?"

"I don't know. I talked to Mom and Daphne about it. I didn't want to say anything to you until I had a better handle on what I really wanted. Daph says that she has heard nothing but good things about a school there in Pittsburgh called Pittsburgh Institute of Fine Arts... PIFA for short. Mom says that she has the resources to help me pay tuition thanks to a smart lawyer who is handling her divorce. I have a little money saved up from my salary on this film thanks to your generosity, which by the way I intend to repay. How would you feel about my living in Pittsburgh and attending school there... provided I can get in, of course?"

"Oh, you would be accepted. Don't you worry about that, but are you sure you would want to give up all the glamour of Hollywood for a stuffy old town like the Pitts? What if the movie hits big and you become a bona fide star. Aren't you afraid you'll regret not taking your shot at super-stardom that you could have built on with this one role? If you're thinking of moving to the Pitts just for my sake, it wouldn't be the right thing for you to do."

"Brian, don't you get it, yet? I love you. I want to be with you... but no, I wouldn't be giving up anything just to be with you. I'd be gaining something to be with you. I'd be gaining the me that I was running away from when I moved to LA in the first place. I know who I am now, thanks to you, and having you in my life is just the icing on the cake. I consider going to that school and living near you the bonus I deserve for all those wasted years that I spent not having you in my life. When I consider what my life might have been like if I had met you years ago, like maybe right after school... but then you're right. It does no good to live with regrets. The one thing I know for certain, Mr. Kinney, is that I WILL live with regret if I don't give my art a chance and just as equally not give us a chance to see this thing between us through to where it is leading us."

Justin paused. The room was still. The candles flickered, casting shadows of the couple on the walls. They could hear the sounds of people chattering outside through the open patio door as the cool California breezes stirred the curtains at the sliding glass doors. Slowly Brian let a smile form on his face as the corners of his mouth inched upward. The thought crossed his mind for the millionth time since that day at the 'get acquainted' party for the film, that Justin was no ordinary man. He counted himself lucky again for having met the one man on this planet that had a heart even bigger than 'that' organ, which matched a really intelligent brain, which matched a beautiful face and personality. What were the chances, he asked himself once more, of a man like himself, who was convinced he was not worth loving, to be able to find a guy like Justin, and he'd turn out to be a man who truly loved him back?

In that instant, Brian knew he didn't care where his luck came from. All he cared about was that he HAD been lucky and he did have Justin in his life. He didn't doubt Justin at all. If he said that going to PIFA and being close to Brian was more important to him than pursuing his acting career, Brian knew it was true. The one thing he knew was that Justin was an honest man. Brian reached across the table and took Justin's hand in his. He softly rubbed his thumb in the tender flesh of Justin's palm. A smile even brighter than Brian's spread over the blond's face. Brian suddenly sighed deeply and rose from his chair, pulling Justin up with him. He pulled the young man around the small table until they were face to face. Brian lowered his head and captured Justin's lips with his.

"I don't know where this thing we have will lead us either, Sunshine, but I do know I've never wanted anything so badly as I do the chance to find out with you beside me," Brian quietly reassured Justin once their lips finally parted.

Justin let out a small laugh and threw his arms around Brian's neck, standing on his tiptoes in order to reach his lovers mouth again. The kiss deepened and their feelings became richer with emotion as the seconds passed. Finally they had to come up for air. Brian pointed to the open patio door.

"I think we should close the door, if we don't want the noises to disturb our neighbors and passersby," Brian joked.

Justin didn't need to be told twice. He moved quickly to slide the door closed and swung the curtains together, blocking the view of any activity inside the room. Within minutes, the lovers had removed every stitch of clothing from each other's bodies and were moving rapidly to reach the bedroom from the dining area. As they fell together onto the bed, their bodies were locked in an embrace that sealed them as if a single unit. They drank each other in, taking time to savor each touch, each feel, each taste they gave and received from one another. Their passion for one another and desire to be connected, body and soul, reached its crescendo as Brian fused his body with Justin's. Justin welcomed his lover in and captured his body with his own, making Brian his again. When their bodies could no longer take the exquisite torture they brought to one another, they released the built up tension in one sweeping mutual orgasm. They fell back down to the mattress, still connected, and drifted into a well deserved sleep.

As the two men languidly drifted away safely wrapped in each other's embraces, they were too besotted to hear the buzz of the cell phone still resting in Brian's discarded pants pocket. It wouldn't be until morning that Brian would read the words of the text message sent to him by his detective friend... 'Brian, need to give you a heads up. They've arrested Babcock and the DA has ordered the cops to arrest Taylor too for murder. They couldn't find him at work or home. Got an APB out on him. Watch your back. Could be anywhere. Call when you get this message. Monty'.

To be continued......

Brian woke the next morning after their discussion about Justin's future and buried his nose in the back of Justin's neck. His arm was draped lazily over the blond's chest and his hand rested comfortably in Justin's sensitive fingers. He slowly ran his long fingers along Justin's and thought about how talented those digits were. He was relieved to hear that Justin wanted to table acting as a career and take advantage of the training PIFA had to offer. He would have paid for it himself, but he knew Justin would not accept the offer. Just one more thing he admired so much about the young man... his pride.

He asked himself for the umpteenth time how any man who was capable of fathering such a wonderful human being could be so blind to his own child's attributes. Brian was a father himself and couldn't even imagine feeling such animosity towards his son, or even anyone his son loved. It was too much to fathom. Thank heaven, he mused, Justin had a mother like Jennifer. That was a blessing.

Brian's nostrils flared as he took a deep breath and savored the clean smells that emanated from his lover's skin. He brought his hand up to Justin's scalp and ran his fingers lazily through the silky smooth hair he encountered there. He loved the touch of Justin's hair, his skin, his mouth. Hell, he loved everything about this man. He had known there was something special about Justin the day he met him, but he hadn't an inkling how special until now. When they got back to Pittsburgh, Brian reminded himself, Craig Taylor would never be allowed to hurt Justin again... not if he had any say in it.

Justin began to stir. His head had been resting on Brian's other arm, and he reached out to pull the hand to his face. He kissed the palm and snuggled deeper into Brian's embrace. He felt Brian's fingers rustling through his hair and he let out a deep sigh of contentment... almost like the purr of a kitten. Brian smiled behind his back.

"Morning sleepyhead," he murmured quietly in Justin's ear, sending a shiver down the blond's back.

Justin turned in Brian's arms so that they were face to face.

"Morning, back at ya," came Justin's reply. He focused in on the face he had come to love so dearly.

"I have just one question for you Brian."

"And that is?"

"Is it always going to keep getting better and better every time we make love, like it does now?" He smiled sensuously at Brian.

"I don't know... but I sure as hell am willing to find out. That is, if you are."

"Oh, I'm willing!" Justin shot back, bringing his lips closer.

Brian didn't need to be told what Justin wanted. He grabbed Justin's head and pulled that beautiful mouth to his. Their gentle kiss grew deeper as they began to play a tongue game with each other. In no time they were crossing swords with the stiff cocks below their waists too. Suddenly, Brian pulled Justin on top of him as he fell over onto his back. He loved the feel of Justin's weight on him. Justin just as quickly pulled away and sat upright, straddling Brian's hips. His balls lay on the older man's stomach while his cock stood up tall against his own tummy.

Brian reached for the engorged manhood and lovingly caressed it. His thumb massaged the tip, spreading the golden drops that lingered there all around. Using the natural lubricant, he slowly ran his hand up and down the shaft while watching Justin's eyes shine with the pleasure it brought him. Justin leaned back with his hands grasping Brian's knees for support. Brian continued his movements, bringing a growing tension to Justin's center. The sparks ignited all along his veins as Brian's movements began to increase. He watched Justin's breathing become more labored. Suddenly, Justin fell forward, nearly crushing Brian's hand, and his lips firmly attached to Brian's lips. Brian could feel the hot sticky liquid as it poured out between their crushed torsos. The combination of the feel of Justin's orgasm, along with the invasion by Justin's tongue, nearly sent Brian over the edge too.

When Justin's body finally calmed, he sat up and smiled his gratitude at Brian. Brian thought he had never seen anything more beautiful. Justin reached behind him and encountered Brian's still tumescent manhood. It lay along the crack of Justin's ass as if knocking for entry. Justin smiled again and reached over Brian's head for the bowl of condoms sitting on the night stand. He grabbed one and scooted back enough to put the object of his desire in front of him. He reached down and slowly rolled the latex over Brian's now rock hard shaft. He lifted up on his knees and placed the tip where it needed to be.

Brian watched with eagerness as Justin reached back to make sure Brian was aimed perfectly. He leaned forward for one more delicious kiss and then slowly impaled himself an inch at a time onto Brian's cock. Once his muscles had given up the fight and he was seated perfectly, Justin began rotating his hips around and up and down, Each time he hit that sweet spot inside, he let out a groan. It was music to Brian's ears and made the older man feel even stronger inside. Giving Justin such pleasure was making Brian's heart pound harder, drowning out all sounds except one. He loved the sounds that poured from Justin as he rode Brian to a second orgasm. The sounds and movements of his lover, brought Brian just as close to the edge. He held onto Justin's buttocks tightly as they hurled forward together to the inevitable end of their ride. Justin fell forward onto Brian's chest and they lay together feeling their hearts beat in time to a perfectly attuned rhythm. Once they finally came down from the incredible high they had reached, Brian spoke first.

"So, do you think it's getting better each time?" He gave the young man a silly grin.

"Oh, I'd say it is... so far. I guess we'll just have to keep testing it out to see if it will keep on getting better, won't we?"

"Guess so," Brian answered. They lay back quietly for a few more minutes.

"Well, I don't know about you but I'm starving. I could use some fuel to rebuild my energy," Brian laughed.

"Sounds good to me," came the reply. Justin swung out of bed and found the room service menu.

A half hour later, the men sat at the table in their bungalow and began chowing down on a veggie omelet with hot buttered croissants. As Brian sipped his guava juice, he watched Justin carefully. It amazed him how grounded the young man was even with all the drama that had swirled around him recently. Brian had given up trusting people a long time ago and it had stunted his ability to be as open as Justin obviously was. But the young man was certainly rubbing off on him, and Brian savored the feeling. He knew he would do anything to keep Justin from losing that 'joie de vivre' he wore so perfectly. They finished their meal in comfortable silence and sat back fully sated.

"So, what would you like to do for the rest of the day?" Brian inquired.

"I was thinking seriously about getting to work on a couple of submissions for the board at PIFA. They have to be good or I won't be accepted, tuition or no tuition. I only have a couple more weeks of work on the film and the new semester is less than a month away at the Academy. You must have some things you wanted to get done.... like buying lots of souvenirs for Gus and the gang back home." Justin grinned broadly at Brian. "That is, if you can get along without me for a few hours."

Brian got up from the table, went around to the other side, and leaned down to kiss Justin on top of his head.

"It will be a struggle, but I'm sure I can find something... or someone to amuse me."

He started to walk away and got a swat to his well toned ass for his troubles. Brian walked over to where their discarded clothing from the night before still lay. He fished in his pocket for his cell, intending to call the new detective he'd hired to see if he had any more news on Craig's LA detective. He noticed the text message as he flipped open his phone. He quickly read the message from Monty. He felt a momentary thrill when he read that Taylor was going to be arrested, but became chilled just as quickly as he read on. The son of a bitch was on the loose and out there. That meant he was a danger to Justin.

Brian glanced over at Justin and watched as the blond stretched out his limbs lazily. He flexed his artistic fingers in contemplation of the task ahead. The image of Justin being beaten by Craig flashed in his head and a stab of ice cold pain shot through his heart. He gasped audibly. Justin turned to look at Brian and saw the look on his face.

"Brian? What's wrong?"

"What? Oh, nothing Sunshine. I was just thinking about how much it was going to cost me to put a smile on the whole Liberty gang's faces." Brian deliberately forced a grin on his face. "Do you think they would all be satisfied with just a tee shirt that says all they got was this fucking tee shirt?"

Justin relaxed. He knew Brian didn't relish shopping. He did love shopping for himself, but picking out the right thing for others was definitely not in his comfort zone.

"I think they'll be happy to get anything from you, Brian, but I suggest something more appropriate for little Gee."

Justin got up and went to gather his paint supplies in order to set them up outside in the sun. The little balcony area was a perfect place to sketch in. Brian took advantage of Justin's activities to slip away to the bathroom. He quickly dialed Monty's number and waited impatiently for his friend to pick up. The man answered on the second ring.

"Hey, Brian, glad you called back."

"Yeah, I just got your message or I would have called sooner. So what's up? Have they arrested Taylor yet?"

"No such luck, but I think you can relax. They checked the airports and a man answering his description and using his passport bought a ticket to France a couple of days before they issued the arrest warrant. They think he headed there since France is reluctant to extradite someone who could be facing the death penalty. They have Interpol on the case and are trying to track him down now. At least we know he's out of the country and shouldn't be much of a bother to you guys right now. Hopefully he'll be caught soon."

"From your lips, friend."

"So, are you going to tell his son what is going on?'

"I have to. I don't want him blindsided later on, and I'm sure his Mom would want him to know."

"Well, good luck then. How's the LA detective working out?"

"Just fine. He has a tail on Taylor's guy 24/7. So far, we're all just playing cat and mouse. We just go about our business as usual. I'll be damned if I'll let that bastard make me paranoid. What amazes me is the way Justin handles it. You'd never know he was aware of what his dad was doing to him if you didn't already know. He never even looks around to see if he can spot our stalker around us. It's like he's put his father out of his mind and he doesn't exist anymore."

"Well don't forget that he does still exist. I don't know if he'll still keep a tail on you now that he has other things to worry about, but just keep your eyes and ears open. I have the feeling the man isn't working with a full deck anymore."

"Thanks, Monty. I'll do that."

The men shared a couple more observations and concluded their conversation with a promise from Monty to let Brian know if Craig's detective was taken off the job. Brian stood in the marbled bathroom and tried to screw up the balls to tell Justin the whole story about his father. This was one conversation he wasn't looking forward to, but he knew it had to be done. No matter how Justin reacted, Brian knew he'd be there for him. It was the one certainty in their now uncertain lives.

To be continued................

When Brian exited the bathroom of the bungalow he shared with Justin, he hadn't a clue what he was going to tell his lover. The talk with his detective, Monty, convinced Brian that he had to come clean with Justin right away about the full story concerning his father. He was surprised Justin's mom or best friend hadn't called already to inform him of the arrest warrant out on Craig Taylor. He suspected they had been hesitant to call for the same reason that he had avoided telling Justin the entire story regarding his father. No one who loved Justin wanted to see the pain that would most assuredly be in his eyes when he discovered the truth. But he knew he couldn't stall any longer. Justin had to know, as a precaution, if nothing else. Craig Taylor had obviously lost it somewhere along the line in all this mess. No telling what he had in mind for the future.

Brian went out into the living area and could see that Justin's art supplies and easel were missing from the corner where he had stashed them. He saw that the sliding glass door to the patio was standing open, letting in the cool breezes of the mid-morning air. He stepped out onto the cobbled patio and saw Justin sitting on the stone bench under a small palm tree. He had his easel set up in front of him and his paints splayed out beside him on the bench, with a jar of water on the other side waiting to be used to clean brushes. He had a clear view of some of the fabulous gardens that surrounded the separate bungalows of the hotel, and Brian was fairly certain what he intended to draw. He smiled momentarily when he thought of how much Justin loved the beauty of Mother Nature. He was multi-talented, this boyfriend of his, doing a wonderful job with both scenery and the human form. The smile died quickly when he remembered why he hadn't gone shopping yet.

Justin must have heard Brian's footsteps because he turned suddenly and threw his trademark smile in his lover's direction. The smile faded quickly when he saw the look on Brian's face. He quickly set aside the brushes he was preparing and got up to join Brian, who stood in front of the patio door looking grim.

"Brian, what's wrong?" he asked, reaching for the tall man's arm.

Brian's instinct was to come up with some flippant remark and stall for more time, but he dismissed the notion quickly. He had to give Justin a warning... prepare him for what was probably coming. He gave a deep sigh and led Justin by the arm over to the other stone bench across from the palm tree. The men were shaded on their patio and out of sight of prying eyes. Brian took a deep breath and opened up.

"Justin, I have something to tell you and I really don't know how to start."

Justin reached his hand up to Brian's face. He laid his palm against his lover's cheek and gently caressed the firm jaw.

"You know there isn't anything you can't say to me Brian. Are you feeling alright? Please don't tell me you're having second thoughts about me moving back to Pittsburgh. I don't think I could handle that."

Brian grabbed Justin and held him close to his heart.

"For God's sake, Justin, of course I'm not having second thoughts. This isn't about you and me... well, not really. I mean it is in a way, but I've never been more sure of anything or anyone in my life. Don't ever wonder whether I want you with me in Pittsburgh."

"Then what is it about? I can see it's really bothering you. Just tell me what it is... please!"

"Okay. I'll give it to you straight. You deserve to know everything I know. The truth is, Sunshine, that there is a lot more going on with your old man than just his keeping an eye on us. I had my suspicions from the beginning, but I didn't want to say anything until I was absolutely sure."

"Absolutely sure about what?"

"About... well, about who might be behind the bombing of the movie studio."

Justin's face visibly darkened. Brian hesitated, but he knew he had to go on. It was too late to turn back now.

"It just felt out of sync to me that your father suddenly wanted to have lunch with you out of the clear blue on the very same day, and same time as the bomb was set to go off. It stank of prior knowledge. I wasn't about to accuse him of anything with no proof of course, or burden you with my suspicions."

"And now?"

"Now, apparently there is proof. I don't know all the details yet, but... oh God Justin, I'm so sorry. The police have an arrest warrant out on your dad and he is on the run. They don't even know where he is right now. They think France, but they are not really sure."

Brian paused. He wanted to wrap Justin in his arms again, but there was something about the way he sat there like an immovable statue that held Brian back. It was as if the beautiful flesh and blood blond had turned into unfeeling stone. Before Brian could feel panic, Justin snapped out of it.

"Are you absolutely sure? Oh fuck, of course you're sure. You wouldn't have said anything if you weren't. You knew how much I loved Dad, or at least the dad I grew up with. You wanted to protect me. You didn't have to do that Brian. I knew something was wrong about that lunch date from the very beginning, but.... hell, who wants to think their parent could be so cruel. I don't know what's happened to him."

Justin couldn't say anything more for a moment. He looked up at Brian with pleading eyes. There was an unnatural brightness in his eyes as moisture gathered in the corners. Unshed tears glinted in the morning sun.

"Is it my fault, Brian? Did I do this to him? Did I push him over the edge by handling everything all wrong? I just wanted to be myself for the first time in my life. I can't help who I am. I don't want to help it. Why can't he love me for the man I am?"

This time the tears couldn't stay still any longer. They began to drop down onto the actor's cheeks and lead a slow trail to his quivering chin. A pain so deep it took Brian's breath away stabbed at the older man's chest. He couldn't bear seeing Justin hurt so badly... and even worse, blaming himself. Brian gathered Justin tightly against him. He could hear the almost silent tears as they fell unimpeded down Justin's face and onto Brian's chest. If Craig Taylor had shown his face at that moment, the man would have been gasping for his last breath. Brian had hated his own father for more years than he could remember, but he had never felt this kind of anger before. He forced himself to calm down as he held tightly to his clinging lover. Brian waited patiently until he could tell that Justin had also calmed enough. He then set the blond away from him without letting go of his shoulders.

"Justin, I want you to listen to me. Are you listening carefully?" The young man nodded. "This is very important. First, do you believe I would never lie to you?" Another nod of assent. "Then you have to believe what I'm telling you. You are not to blame for any of this mess. Not one ounce of it. Only one man is responsible for your father's deeds, and that's your father. Even if Craig Taylor didn't approve or accept his son being gay, he didn't have to risk the lives of others in reaction to the news. Parents get this news every day all over the world and they don't go out and set off a bomb because of it, or have someone else do it."

"Your old man could have cut you out of his life, like mine did. It would have been painful for you, but certainly a more appropriate response. You have to wonder what the hell he was trying to accomplish in the first place. Doesn't matter why he did it. The point is the police say they have the evidence to prove he did it, and he has surely sealed that decision by running away. And like I said Justin, you are not.... I repeat, not to blame for any of this. Do you believe me?"

Justin sat still in Brian's outstretched hands. Brian could feel the blond shaking ever so slightly, but he then felt Justin straightening his back just a tad bit. Justin reached forward and placed his hands on each side of Brian's face. He moved in and placed his salty cold lips against Brian's. They quickly warmed up as Brian gathered Justin against his chest again and worked Justin's mouth. The kiss that started so tender quickly gathered force as Justin reminded himself why he was so happy to be a gay man. The feel of Brian's lips, as they pressed firmly onto his own, brought Justin a renewed strength and determination to live his life the way it was meant to be lived.

He couldn't hate his father. It wasn't in him, but he felt pity for the man. He detested what his dad had done, and he wasn't sure if he could ever forgive him, but he knew the man would pay for his actions. He was already paying. He had lost the respect of his children, wife, family, community. He was on the run, with no real friends. Even if he never went to jail, his father had lost everything. The company he was so proud of building from nothing would quite possibly fail, but even if it didn't, there was no one to care anymore. Besides all that, he would have the deaths of a number of innocent people on his conscience for the rest of his life.

Justin had no idea what his dad thought he would accomplish with his sick deed, but if he thought it would destroy his son's relationship with Brian, he had never been more wrong. Brian had proven how loyal and loving he could be, thanks to Craig's actions, and Justin would never forget it... anymore than he could ever forget Brian himself. He loved Brian more this minute than he ever had. Justin also had no idea whether his dad was through with his insanity or whether he was a future threat, but he did know that whatever Craig Taylor threw at the two of them they would handle it together. He felt entirely safe lying here against Brian's body. He knew that his lover would do everything humanly possible to protect him, as would Justin for Brian's sake. His father's hate could never equal that.

To be continued....................

Two days after telling Justin the entire truth behind his father's actions, Brian finally got word from Monty that Craig's detectives were no longer working for him. That was the good news. The bad news was that they still hadn't a clue where Taylor was. The man had vanished into thin air. His airline ticket and passport had definitely been used by someone going by his name, but none of the employees of the airline could describe the man who was in his assigned seat with any accuracy. He had been nondescript and spoke not a word to anyone. Once the plane landed in Paris and he had passed through customs, there had been no more sightings of anyone going by his name. The man was simply gone.

Brian tried to take comfort in the thought of Taylor being in another Country where he couldn't touch them, but he still felt a sense of unease. As production wound down with Justin's part in the making of the film, Brian began looking forward to the chance to get his boyfriend back home with him. He felt he could keep Justin safer on his own home turf than in the anonymous streets of LA. Justin was now eager to get back to Pennsylvania too. He wanted to be with his mom to help her cope with the awful news of what her soon-to-be-ex was capable of. The thought of spending lots more time in Brian's loft or at Gee's Britin didn't hurt either.

The last two weeks in LA were spent moving out of Justin's tiny apartment, and in getting what little was worth keeping ready to be shipped to the Pitts. Justin, of course, insisted that Brian had to make mad passionate love to him in the apartment so that he could have at least one decent memory of the place that was worth keeping. The minute the last man had exited the apartment with the final item to be shipped home or donated to the Salvation Army, Brian tackled Justin from behind as he took one last look into his dinky little bedroom closet.

Brian had Justin up against the closet wall, pinning him there with his weight. He grabbed Justin's hands and slung them over his head, pinning them to the wall too. He held the hands there with one hand and let his other hand slide down Justin's arm until it reached the young man's silken hair. Brian wrapped his fingers in Justin's golden locks and pulled his head back, exposing the flesh of the blond's smooth neck. Brian ran his lips along Justin's neck, from chin to throat. He nipped gently on the pliant skin and felt a shiver run through his lover's body. Tiny gasps of pleasure began forming in Justin's throat. His breathing quickened.

Brian released Justin's hair and let his hand snake around to the blond's chest. He began rubbing circles around first one nipple and then the other through Justin's thin tee shirt. The closer he got to the center of each nipple, the harder he could feel the nubs growing. Brian began rubbing his crotch up and down Justin's backside. Justin loved the feel of the hardening rock between Brian's legs as it slipped up and down his jeans-covered crack. He began thrusting his ass back, hoping to increase the contact. All the while, Brian's hand continued its downward journey along Justin's rib cage and down to his naval.

Suddenly Brian let go of Justin's hands and reached down to the hem of his tee shirt. He whisked it off Justin in one swift movement, taking an extra second to whisk off his own shirt next. He tossed both shirts out into the empty bedroom. He quickly reestablished dominance and placed Justin's hands on the wall above his head a second time. This time Brian began licking along the back of Justin's neck and along his shoulder blades, loving the clean taste of his lover's skin. He used both hands to move around to the front of Justin's jeans, noticing that the young man had obediently left his hands where Brian had placed them. The distinctive sound of a zipper being opened could be heard echoing off the closed-in walls.

Brian quickly unzipped Justin's jeans with one hand while unsnapping the waist with the other. Brian's stiffened tongue blazed a trail down the center of Justin's back, stopping only long enough to give the hands time to lower Justin's pants to the floor. That taken care of, Brian brought his hands up to Justin's hips and let his tongue continue its downward journey. Brian lowered his hands to Justin's beautiful full rounded butt cheeks. Brian knew he had never seen a more perfect set of spheres on any man. The cheeks were milky white and smooth as a baby's behind. Brian grabbed a good handful of each cheek and spread them apart, giving his ardent tongue easier access to its intended target.

Justin knowingly took the unspoken command from Brain and spread his legs further apart, leaning his upper body forward more so that he could jut his ample butt out further in Brian's face. Justin was instantly rewarded with the feel of Brian's tongue flicking hard against his perineum and then running a course from ball sac to his waiting hole. Each new stroke ended with Brian poking his tongue a little deeper into Justin's quivering hole. Rising sounds of pleasure started to pour from Justin's throat as he swallowed hard, waiting for the next move. He didn't have to wait long.

Brian quickly rose back up when he could tell Justin was more than ready. He grabbed a condom from his pants pocket and undid his pants, sliding them to the floor all in one swift motion. Brian expertly rolled the condom on his already steely shaft and went back to kissing and nipping all over Justin's back and shoulders. Justin's ass craved Brian's touch so much he was all but forcing his backside into Brian's crotch. Brian wrapped his arms around Justin's middle to steady him and placed his lips against the blond's ear.

"Do you want to ride my cock, Sunshine? It's hungry for you," he breathed hotly into his lover's ear.

Brian could feel Justin's entire body shaking in anticipation as he squeaked out his answer.

"Fuck me Brian...oh Gawd, fuck me now...Please!!!!"

Brian had no intention of denying Justin anything. He reached for his sheathed cock and lined it up perfectly. By now, Justin's body was in perfect harmony with Brian's. His ass hole knew what to do when it felt Brian's shaft knocking at the door. Justin rose on his toes unsteadily and he came back down hard, swallowing half of Brian's cock in one fell swoop. Brian lowered just enough to give him leverage to push the remainder of his impressive tool inside its sanctuary. Brian stilled for a moment, kissing and licking every inch of Justin's heated bare skin that he could reach. He grabbed securely onto Justin's middle again and began the ride.

Brian pushed in and out of Justin, never losing full contact. Brian used his right hand to grab a firm hold on Justin's cock as it bobbed in front of him, and began to pump it in time with his own movements. Justin could barely stand and held on desperately to the wall to keep from falling forward to his knees. Brian licked under Justin's raised arms, along his rib cage, and across to the other side and back up to Justin's neck again. Brian continued to pump Justin's cock, matching stroke for stroke with his momentum inside Justin's body. Justin's mind began to cloud and cries of pleasure, filled with Brian's name, repeated over and over in the tiny space.

Suddenly Brian could feel Justin's cock pulsing harder than ever at the same time as his own seemed to grow in stature. His balls drew up against his scrotum at the same moment he felt Justin begin to dance on his tip toes as a stream of liquid gold shot from Justin's tip and decorated the wall in front of the twitching blond. Brian tipped over the edge at that moment and filled the condom head with his own seed. Brian collapsed against Justin's back and they both lay against the now sticky wall.

"First time I ever wanted to stay in the closet," Brian sighed into Justin's ear.

Both men broke out laughing as they slid together to the closet floor, which could barely contain both bodies. Brian pulled Justin onto his lap and held him there with his arms wrapped securely around Justin's middle. Justin turned to Brian and showed his appreciation for the happy memory he could now take away from the old apartment. He kissed Brian several times before Brian pulled away.

"I don't know about you Sunshine, but I prefer my spaces a little larger for lovemaking. How about we take this back to the bungalow and we'll make a few more memories there too."

Justin nodded agreement, punctuated with one last deep-throated kiss, and scrambled off Brian's lap so the older man could rise and gather his clothing too. Luckily the water hadn't been turned off yet, so the men were able to clean up enough to be presentable in public. A quick wipe with a paper towel that had been left on the kitchen sink, and the closet lost its evidence of any hanky panky performed there.

Justin's last task in Hollywood was keeping a luncheon meeting with his agent, Sherrie. The woman started grinning from ear to ear when Justin introduced Brian to her, but the smile faded fast when her client informed her of his future plans.

"Are you crazy, kiddo? This movie could make your career... put you on the fast track to stardom. I've heard nothing but good things coming out of the production. They all say you are brilliant in the part. Once it's released you could probably have your pick of the next project. Why would you drop out at the best point of your career? It doesn't make sense."

Justin waited until the tirade was over and then calmly spoke to his friend and agent.

"Sherrie, you know I love you and that I appreciate everything you've done for me the last few years. I would have never gotten this far if it wasn't for you, but I've lost the taste for acting. I'm not really sure I ever had it that strongly in the first place. You always told me I was the most laid back client you ever had. Maybe that's why... cause deep down I didn't really care that much whether I was a success or not."

"So what do you intend to do with your life. I know you Justin. You're not the type to just sit around. You have to have something in mind or you would never be talking this way. So what's up... for real."

"I want to go back to school. I want to study art. Remember, you yourself said I had talent when you saw some of my sketches. I want to get some real training... learn different techniques... expand my horizons. I have the chance to attend Pittsburgh's Institute of Fine Arts back home in Pennsylvania and I want to take it."

Sherrie sat staring at Justin over her California Avocado Salad, then turned her attention to Justin's handsome companion. Naturally she had heard the stories surrounding Justin's relationship with the man in charge of promoting the movie, but now she could see clearly that the stories were all true. Staring at the tall brunet sitting closely with Justin on the other side of the table, she decided she couldn't blame her young man for falling so hard for the ad man. If he had been straight, and she was a couple of decades younger, she would have gone for him herself. She gave her head a little shake and decided to give it one more shot.

"Justin, I really don't think you know how good you are at this acting thing. Are you really that sure you want to give it up when things are just starting to go your way? You know that a ton of young kids would give their eyeballs for the chance you've been given with this film."

"Sherrie, I know how lucky I am... believe me. But I also know what I really want, maybe for the first time in my entire life. No, scratch that... not maybe. I DO know for the first time in my life exactly what I want. I can always act for the fun of it, but my dreams are moving in a different direction now." Justin, put his hand in Brian's and brought it up to his lips. "I know you might think that I'm doing this for all the wrong reasons. You're mistaken if you do. I don't deny that I want to be wherever Brian is, but he isn't the only reason I want to change my career. I'm telling you the truth. Being close to Brian is simply the bonus for what I want. Let's call it my reward for finally figuring out who I am and where I belong."

Sherrie looked over at Brian again. He sat there with a proud look on his face as he watched Justin talking. She couldn't help herself.

"Well, kiddo, I'd be a liar if I said I was happy to lose you. But I love you like a son, so I am happy to see you so grounded. And it is obvious to anyone with an ounce of brains that you are. And... well, what the Hell... if you are going to run away with some man and desert show business it might as well be with a hunk like this."

The agent grinned at Brian, who returned the compliment. The rest of the meal went pleasantly and the agent and her favorite client parted ways amicably, much to Justin's relief. He really cared about Sherrie and knew he'd miss her. Two days later, Brian and Justin were on their way back home. There had been no sightings of Craig Taylor or any new developments in the search for the man on the run. The lovers had begun to relax just a little bit. Justin still needed to finish preparing for his entrance exam to PIFA and Brian needed to catch up on how his ad agency business was coming along. They would be quite busy for a while and didn't have time to worry about a lingering threat that was more than likely too busy evading capture to concern himself with his son and Brian. For a while, at least, Brian and Justin could concentrate on the best parts of finally finding the love of your life. And that's just what they did, every night and day for months.

To be continued............

It had taken over three months for the final product of 'Rage: The Movie' to be edited, scored, marketed, and accepted for its first showing, and every person involved in the project was flying higher than the moon. The film had been getting lots of fantastic word of mouth thanks to Kinnetik's brilliant marketing strategies, headed up by its owner, Brian Kinney. The film was scheduled to have its Premiere showing in Pittsburgh itself, with a charity party right after to help take care of the bombing victims at the studio that first hosted the making of the film. Brian was in charge of the 'Rage' party, and he had gone all out to make it a party no one would ever forget.

Michael and Lindsay were on pins and needles with anticipation over the fate of their comic-turned-movie. If the film did really well, their futures would be a lot brighter financially. The only one who didn't seem that excited about the release of the film was Justin. He was still torn between anger and hurt over his role in what had happened during the making of the film, and the deep gratitude he felt that he had accepted the part that brought Brian into his life. After living with his lover all these months, he couldn't imagine a life without Brian being the center of it.

Brian was so proud of his boyfriend. Justin proved every day how smart and interesting he was to be around. Brian loved taking him along everywhere he could. Even Michael, who had shown some signs of jealousy in the beginning, had grown to admire the young man's good qualities. Michael couldn't deny that Justin obviously loved Brian with all his heart, and the changes that had become so apparent in Brian's attitude towards life were obviously thanks to the young actor. Michael had to appreciate that, despite himself.

Justin enjoyed his time at PIFA. He was a favorite of several of his teachers and was a shoo-in, even this early, for a grant based on his work for his next semester. He felt enormous pride in his accomplishments. He had tried to get Brian to accept financial help in the running of their shared loft and Gee's Britin, but Brian refused it. Instead, Justin took over taking care of his lover in every way he could think of, which included seeing to it that the man ate far better than he ever had before. Justin had managed to finally get Brian to agree to sharing living expenses as soon as Justin's art started selling. It was better than nothing for young Justin and he gave up the argument. Brian certainly had a stubborn streak in him, as Justin now realized. They butted heads occasionally, but the making up sessions afterward always made their minor disagreements worth the trouble.

The closer it got to the day of the Premiere, the more unsettled Justin felt. He couldn't help wondering if anything would happen to spoil the whole thing. When he and Brian first came home to the Pitts, both men had stayed on high alert for anything suspicious. They couldn't get it out of their heads that Craig Taylor was still out there somewhere. It took a couple of weeks, and the reassurances of Brian's detective friend Monty that there was no evidence that they were being stalked, for the couple to begin to relax. As the days turned into weeks and then months, both men began to relax their vigilance. Life settled into a comfortable routine. They spent many happy hours visiting Mel and Linds and enjoying their time with young Gus. They spent many more hours enjoying the thumpa thumpa of Brian's favorite night spot, Babylon, which brought out the wilder side of their relationship. Brian had finally gotten Justin to accompany him to the backroom for a little recreation, much to the pleasure of their envious audience.

Jennifer had moved her daughter into a comfortable condo in Pittsburgh proper and had the large house out in Mount Lebanon put up for sale. The memories were too painful there. She liked being closer to her son, who visited her and Molly often. She was enormously proud of Justin and his studies at the Art Institute. She made it her business to keep the man she had married, and spent almost all her adult life with, out of her mind as much as possible. She would deal with Craig Taylor if the time ever came that he showed his face again. Otherwise, he had ceased to exist for her. She, like everyone else, was now eagerly awaiting the film release and the big party afterward. She had the feeling it was going to be one of the most exciting events of her life.

*****************************************************

Premiere day finally arrived. All the denizens of Liberty Avenue were on pins and needles. This was big! After the success of the gay cowboys love story, a successful gay superhero story would go a long way in making an even deeper inroad into mainstream entertainment. The buzz that traveled from gym, to club, to bathhouse, to bar, to water cooler among the gay community was that the film was going to be pretty explicit and would pull no punches, unlike the most recent gay oriented show 'Gay as Blazes'. Everyone was looking forward to the Premiere. It was sold out within hours of the announcement that it would have its first showing in Pittsburgh. Every person who had bought a ticket for the movie had also bought tickets for the big after-show party. The largest dance club in town, Babylon, would be the site for the party, and it promised to be an unforgettable night.

Brian had been pushed to the point of exhaustion and was running on pure adrenalin by the time premiere night rolled around. He had been totally hands on with every detail of the after-party at Babylon and was also involved in a lot of the details for the showing of the film, although he had help with that part of the overall event. He and Justin had a lot less time together in the previous week than they were used to, so they looked forward to spending some quiet time together once things settled down. The plan was to take a week off and escape to Gee's Britin without telling anyone exactly what they were up to. They led everyone to believe they'd be going out of town on a vacation. Well, it was partly true and good enough to keep anyone from looking closer to home for them.

An hour before the Premiere, Justin stood in front of the floor length mirror in the bedroom of the loft and checked himself out. The suit he was wearing showed every penny of the nearly $2,000 Brian had paid for the Armani original. The dark blue velvet jacket hugged his upper torso with a perfect fit. The cotton/viscose black shirt, with the deep blue stripes the he wore underneath the jacket, felt like silk against his skin. The herringbone dark blue pants with the straight legs flattered Justin's slender legs and completed the ensemble on just the right note. Justin had never felt more fashionable and had to admit he didn't look half bad. He was unaware he had voiced his thoughts out loud until Brian came up behind him and wrapped his arms around Justin's middle.

"Not half bad indeed, my sexy little actor. There won't be a male or female heart in the theater that won't be fluttering when they see you walking down the red carpet tonight."

"I don't know about that. I suspect most of them will be fluttering because you'll be walking beside me," Justin returned.

"Either way, they can flutter as much as they want. As long as you'll be coming home with me at the end of the night," Brian answered back, nibbling on Justin's ear lobe as he spoke.

Justin turned into Brian's arms. "Wouldn't have it any other way, Mr. Kinney," he said, smiling up at his lover.

Brian leaned in for a tender kiss which offered up promises for how the evening would end. He pulled back, gave Justin's lovely butt a swat, and reminded him that it was getting late. They hurried to make sure they weren't leaving a thing behind. Brian gave his image in the mirror one final check and approved of his own choice for the evening. He wore his classic Armani tuxedo with the notched satin collar paired with the satin side striped pants and the cotton pleated-front shirt with the French cuffs with the ease of a man who knew he looked good in anything. He checked his cuff links again, mostly so that he could once more admire the gift that Justin had given him with the last check he had received from the company making the film. The silver links had tiny markings etched in black of two male symbols intertwined. The tiny letters B & J were etched just below that in black. Brian had never felt so touched by any gift he'd ever received before. He was proud to wear the cuff links to such an important event.

Brian noticed Justin waiting impatiently at the front door to the loft. He threw Brian one of his brightest smiles, warming up the ad man's heart even more than it was already, which was saying something. Brian took one more second to check his pocket. Ahhh, there it was, nestled safely in its box. He smiled back at Justin with a secretive grin inside. He let a slight twinge of nervousness pass through him even though he was pretty sure what Justin would say when he whipped out the box and asked his lover the big question. It might not be legal yet, but Brian wanted Justin to know just how committed he was to their relationship. He just prayed he'd read the young man right and that Justin would want this as much as he did. Tonight was going to be even more special than Justin expected if Brian had any say in it.

************************************************

The crowds at the theater were even more enthusiastic and swollen than had been anticipated. The few detractors who carried a few pitiful hate signs were drowned out by the noise of the patrons and fans who eagerly greeted each new arrival. Brian had hired a white stretch limo to deliver Mel, Linds, Emmett and date, Ted and date, Cynthia and date, Michael and Ben, Debbie and boyfriend Carl, Jennifer and date, Daphne and fiance', and of course Justin and himself to the Premiere. He had chosen a new H2 Hummer Limousine in bold white that held up to 20 people. He wanted to make a statement and he certainly did. The crowd literally oohed and aahed as the massive vehicle pulled up to the curb and began disgorging its couples onto the sidewalk, Brian and Justin being last to exit of course.

The feeling of acceptance was overwhelming for the young actor, but nothing compared to the standing ovation the film elicited as the credits began to roll at the end of the film. It took almost an hour to answer all the questions that were thrown at the actors and producers and director as they stood on stage when the lights came back up. Before anyone could leave for the after-party at Babylon, Brett made sure that he had gotten his actors agreement to meet the next day for a press conference which would be held at a hotel downtown. The reception for the film would probably guarantee bookings in some of the best theater houses throughout the country, according to Brett. A little more publicity should put their film over the top, guaranteeing it's success. But the rest of the night was for celebrating their success so far. It was hard won and everyone involved deserved it.

The ride to Babylon from the theater was held in joyful party making mood. Raucous music blared from surround sound speakers as champagne flowed at the built in bar in the limo while strobe lights flashed throughout the cabin. The passengers didn't need to wait for Babylon to begin their party. Brian and Justin sat locked together in the very back of the limo sharing champagne kisses and caviar dreams. Every time Jennifer looked back from her position further up in the limo and saw her son with his lover, she thanked heaven that her son had found someone who obviously loved him so deeply. She was too happy for her son and his success to even concern herself with her husband's stupid loss. If she had even taken the time to think of the man at all she would have felt nothing but pity for him.

Brian's brilliance in advertising revealed itself when the limo dropped off its clients at the front door of Babylon. The place was jam packed to the rafters. They had just barely managed to squeeze in the last legal number of occupants into the building. Getting to the bar was a work of skilled maneuvering, as one guest after another wanted to shake the hand of the cute blond actor who played JT with such talent. Countless numbers of guests had also seen the comic book itself and recognized Brian immediately as the source of the Rage character. He had his share of back slapping to deal with.

The hours ticked away, filled with dancing and fun. Brian wanted to propose to Justin during the party but had been hard pressed to get a moment alone with his blond beauty. Both men had lost count of how many offers to make a quick trip to the backroom they had received. The answer was always the same. Tonight belonged to them alone. Neither man had eyes for anyone else but each other. The chance to get some private time finally presented itself at almost the strike of two. Brian knew where the manager's office was from a dozen years earlier when he had a one night stand with the previous owner, a really nice older gent named Red. A quick perusal told him the office was still in use as a storage room but empty of people at the moment. Brian grabbed Justin from the bar where he was chatting with his mother and Daphne and pulled him back to the room between the bar and the back room. The minute he entered the room, he turned and locked the door.

"What....?'"

"Shhh," Brian warned. "We don't want anyone coming to look for us," he whispered conspiratorially.

Brian led Justin over to a discarded couch against the wall. He gently pushed Justin down onto the couch while he lowered himself to a crouch position in front of him. Before Justin could question him, Brian leaned up and gave the young man a searing kiss. When he sat back on his haunches again, he finally felt ready to announce his intentions.

"Now that I have your full attention," he announced, "I have some things I'd like to say, and I want you to pay close attention cause I'm only saying this once. Do you understand?"

Justin was confused but he knew that whatever Brian had to say, it was worth listening to carefully. He closed his mouth and nodded his head.

"Good," Brian began. "Justin, I first want you to know that I've thought long and hard on this. In the first place, I never thought in a million years that I'd even consider such a thing. As a matter of fact, I thought I'd be the last man on earth to do this, but I was wrong and it's all your fault."

Justin looked even more confused. Brian continued on, inwardly smiling.

"You've done something to me, Sunshine. You've stepped out of some fantasy that I never even bothered to fantasize for myself and made me see things that I thought didn't even exist in the real world. Thanks to you, I now believe that there is such a thing as a soul mate, and such a thing as real forever kind of love. I know I'm sounding a little sappy here and I'm sorry, but that's your fault too. I feel connected to you whether I'm resting inside your body or not. And even more importantly... I love that feeling. I don't ever want to lose it. I don't think I could bear to lose it. Aw shit, Justin..." Brian brought out the ring box and lifted it up for Justin to see. ".....what I'm trying to say is, will you marry me?"

He opened the box to reveal two beautiful platinum rings with deep black engravings circling the bands, reminiscent of the cuff links Brian was wearing. He lifted them out to show the engraving inside. Justin could clearly read... Brian and Justin... One Heart, One Soul. Justin couldn't speak. He had stopped breathing.

"Breathe," Brian ordered, and watched as Justin took a deep breath. "Well? Yes, no, go to hell?"

Brian could see a tiny tear forming in the corner of Justin's eye. Before it could fall, Brian reached up and gently wiped it away. He was about to ask the question again when Justin suddenly reached out and pulled Brian onto him. The older man lost his balance and fell with his full weight on top of the younger man. Justin pulled Brian's face towards his and crushed his lips to his lovers. Minutes passed as they drank each other in. Finally the need for oxygen became too necessary for survival. They parted with Brian holding onto Justin, who rested his head on Brian's shoulder. Several minutes later, the men stood up together and embraced tightly.

"Yes," Justin answered simply.

"Yes, what?" Brian asked.

"Yes, I want to marry you. It may not be legal here yet, but it will be in our eyes and our community. I'll be proud to be known as your mate and partner in life, Brian."

A grin spread from ear to ear on Brian's face. He had been right. Tonight had been the best night of his life, and it wasn't even over yet. Tonight was only the beginning of their lives together. He could hardly wait to get Justin home. The rest of their life was going to be one fucking fabulous ride with Justin right next to him where he belonged.

To be continued.........................

The vain attempt by Brian and Justin to keep their upcoming commitment ceremony a quiet affair had proven to be wildly unsuccessful. The movie, however, had proven to be just the opposite, which was to blame in large part for the couple's failure to keep their nuptials secret. The publicity that Brian had worked so hard to attain for the movie spilled over into the private lives of the participants in the making of the film once it had become clear that they had a real hit on their hands. Word of mouth had been tremendous, and in no time theaters were clamoring to get in on a piece of the action. Then the tabloids kicked in with one expose' after another about the lives of the actors and actresses in the movie. Even the creators of the comic book the movie was based on did not go untouched.

Michael found the attention of the press to be a lot more intrusive than he had expected and had retreated as much as possible from the public eye, avoiding any further press junkets for the film. Lindsay had done pretty much the same. Brian, as the ad man for the movie, would have been ignored completely if not for his relationship with one of the lead actors. Luckily he had enough experience in the media world to know how to handle the pressure, even relishing the attention to a certain degree. Justin seemed to take the attention in stride. He was far too happy planning his upcoming nuptials with the love of his life to care about any stories the tabloids put out. After reading about his father in one rag, including how the man had allegedly tried to kill his own son, Justin just quit reading any more items and simply ignored the press whenever they milled about him trying to get statements.

Brian had hired a couple of burly bodyguards that Monty recommended to keep Justin safe, but the fact that Justin never gave the press any juicy stories to print led to smaller and smaller paparazzi and newsmen surrounding him. Eventually Brian let the guards go per Justin's request. It had been a little over a month since the film's release and it was still raking in the big bucks. There had even been talk of a sequel, but Justin made it clear that he wouldn't be interested. He had school to think about. He now knew exactly what he wanted in life and acting wasn't it. He wanted to be an artist, and he wanted Brian. With that, he had everything that mattered to him.

The plans for the commitment ceremony had moved ahead steadily and the big day was soon only days away. The ceremony would be held at Gee's Britin in the large open garden. The property was gated so that uninvited guests could be kept out, and huge white tents would be set up over most of the garden which would eliminate prying eyes from above. The house itself would serve perfectly as a place for the most important friends and family to stay after the ceremony and reception, which would probably last way into the night. The couple planned on slipping away sometime during the party and heading for a small airfield nearby where a private plane, that one of Brian's best clients had offered use of, would be waiting to take them to a small private island off the coast of Connecticut. There they would indulge in the age old custom of honeymooning.

Not a single person in their small circle of friends and family was sorry to see how far the relationship had developed between Brian and Justin. The minute they came back from the back office at the Premier night party for 'Rage', after Brian had proposed to Justin, there was not a soul who couldn't see that something had changed. Justin had been almost giddy and neither man could seem to take their eyes off each other. It had taken only a tiny bit of cajoling to get Justin to open up to his mother and Daphne. The sound of Daphne's screeching approval could even be heard over the loud din of the Babylon music. Word had spread like wildfire. Some still found it hard to believe that Brian Kinney, the former Stud of Liberty Avenue, was actually going to settle down with a lifetime partner, but they were happy for him. It would give a few up-and-comers a chance at his title.

*****************************************************

The big day finally arrived. Things had been hectic but running smoothly for such a long time since the Premier that Brian and Justin couldn't believe their luck. The gods were definitely smiling down on them. There had been the usual crowd of fans who had fallen madly in love with the young actor and his handsome older boyfriend thanks to the release of the movie, but for the most part the women (by far the young actor's biggest fan base) and gay men were totally respectful of the couple's privacy and only asked for autographs when the occasion was appropriate. There were the usual haters, but they seemed to limit themselves to nasty emails and letters, which Brian had hired a mail sorter to eliminate so that Justin never even saw them. They were few anyway. Brian half expected to get an email or letter from Craig Taylor but thankfully it never happened. It looked like the man was too busy avoiding the long arm of the law to worry about his son's existence. At least that was what Brian hoped for.

On this most important day of his life, Brian had gone into his office early in the morning to clear up any last minute tasks that needed to be done. The place was deserted. All his employees were home getting ready to drive to the wedding at Gee's Britin. Brian left sticky notes for each employee reminding them of their duties while he and Justin were away on their trip for the next couple of weeks. He made it clear that he didn't want to be disturbed about anything unless it was a matter of life and death. He smiled to himself when he ended up back at his desk to pick up his keys. There was a large photo of him with his arms around Justin sitting on his desk. He picked the photo up and grinned.

"Well kid, you're going to make an honest man of me today. I just hope I'll always be able to live up to what you deserve and expect of me."

He let his thumb gently rub the photoed cheek of his lover and quietly laughed. Justin had stayed with Jennifer last night because the young man had suddenly gone traditional and told Brian he had to wait for the honeymoon to sleep with him again. Brian had spent the night longing for Justin in his arms. He discovered that he didn't sleep well without the beautiful blond's body next to his and the sound of his muted snore close by. Jennifer and Molly would drive Justin to Gee's Britin and Brian would go straight there from the office. He didn't need to get anything else done since the clothing and rings were waiting at the estate.

Brian checked his watch to see how much time he had before he needed to get on the road to the estate. He had just enough time to check on Justin. He quickly punched in the 1 on his speed dial and pressed send. Justin answered after a long wait.

"What took you so long Sunshine?"

"I...uhh, I...I'm sorry Brian. I..uhhh, I was distracted. What did you need?"

There was an abruptness in Justin's voice that Brian had never heard before. Maybe the kid was just nervous. After all, it was his big day too and maybe he was the one getting pre-wedding jitters. Brian knew everyone expected him to feel that way, but no one considered that it might be Justin who would feel it.

"Is everything okay kiddo? You sound a little freaked. Not having second thoughts, are we?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Justin answered a bit too abruptly. "Look, Brian, you're going straight out to the estate, right?"

"Yeah, that's the plan."

"Good! Ummm, Mom is going to be bringing me out soon. I'll see you there. Look, I've gotta go. And Brian..."

"Yes?"

"Brian, I love you. Don't ever forget that."

"I know Justin. I love you too."

The phone suddenly went dead. Brian stood staring at the instrument in his hand. Something was wrong. Just as he was about to call Justin back, the phone rang in his hand. He answered quickly and heard Jennifer's concerned voice. He knew it. Something was wrong with Justin and Jenn was about to tell him what it was.

"Brian, is that you?"

"Of course it is. So what's going on Jenn?"

"I was about to ask you that question. I got a call from Justin just a short time ago and he told me to go on to the estate without him. He said he'd be coming with you. I guess that's okay, but he sounded so funny I thought I'd double check with you before leaving. So what made you change your minds?"

"Whoa, wait a minute. What are you talking about, Jenn? Isn't Justin there with you right now?"

"Of course not. He went back to the loft to get something important he forgot. He called and told me that you were there and that you guys decided to drive to the estate together. Wait, are you saying he isn't with you?"

"No, he's not. Something's really wrong. I knew he sounded funny on the phone. I just called and he said you were bringing him to the estate as planned."

"Oh God, Brian. You don't think....?"

"He was too eager to get me off the phone and make sure I was going straight to the estate. Look, Jenn, don't panic. I'm going to check this out. I know who to call. Stay by the phone and I'll get right back to you." He could hear Jenn's choked voice cracking as she promised to wait. "It'll be fine. I promise. Just let me find out what's going on."

Jenn agreed and Brian hung up quickly. A sense of overwhelming fear and panic threatened to set in, but he forced himself to remain calm. He speed-dialed a call to Monty who said he'd take care of things, and Brian headed for his jeep like a man possessed. The loft was only a seven minute drive from the office but Brian broke every record getting to the loft in less than half that time. He saw no sign of anything out of the ordinary as he walked silently up the back stairs to the top floor. There was a fire escape out the window at the end of a very short hall next to the large metal door of the apartment. Brian sensed it would be wiser for him to use that than just opening up his front door.

He raised the window as quietly as possible and stepped out onto the fire escape. It wrapped around the side of the building and the walkway led to his main window from the living room. Brian inched noiselessly along the grating and peered in from the corner of the window. His heart gave a painful thump when he clearly saw two figures standing in his living room. Neither was looking in Brian's direction as they faced each other. Brian could see the gun being held, by what looked to be an elderly gray-haired man, on the younger man who seemed to stand even taller and straighter than the stranger who had at least five inches on him.

Brian would have broken the glass of the window with his bare hands if the sound of tires screeching didn't reach him from below. He looked down sharply and saw Monty and another large man rushing around the corner of the building. He stepped back and grabbed his cell from his pocket. He speed-dialed Monty again and the man answered immediately. Brian told him to look up and they waved to each other. Brian quickly informed his friend of what he saw inside the loft. Monty ordered him to meet him at the loft door. Brian hurried back inside and was joined by Monty and his companion in a matter of seconds. The men quickly strategized, and a plan was formed. The cops had been called, but they were notoriously slow to respond to calls from this part of town. There was no time to lose.

**************************************************

Justin was still shaking inside, but he'd be damned if he'd let his father see it. The thought of Brian walking in the door of the loft to be greeted by an insane Craig was almost more than Justin could stand. He prayed that he had convinced Brian not to come back to the loft. It was up to Justin to deal with his father on his own. He wasn't too sure his dad wouldn't use the gun on him, but he had had plenty of chances up till now and nothing had happened. Hopefully he could finally get through to his dad, although he barely recognized this man as the one who had raised him all those years. He hadn't even recognized his dad at first when he opened the door to leave the loft and found the man waiting for him with the gun pointed right at his stomach. It took a second to see that it was his own father under a gray-haired wig, but his lined face made him look so much older even without the wig. Craig had obviously had a hard time living life on the run.

Craig had forced Justin back into the loft and locked the door behind him. He spent the rest of the time, until Brian's phone call came, trying to get his father to listen to reason. Craig Taylor was too far gone to make any headway with that tactic. The man had convinced himself that he could get his son to drop this whole marriage idea and come away with him where they could start a new life as a devoted father and son...maybe even start up a whole new business. Craig would find a real nice girl for his son to marry and they could give him adorable grandchildren. They might even send for Molly later when the time was right.

No matter what Justin said, Craig didn't seem to hear it. Justin was only genuinely scared once, when he made the mistake of declaring his love for Brian, which agitated his father even more. The man pointed the gun at Justin's head and said he'd rather see his only son dead than with 'that pervert'. Justin was finally able to calm his dad enough for him to lower the gun again, but he refused to put it down. Justin began to worry, as the time dragged on, that his mother would come to find him since he was taking so long to return to her, so he made a quick call and gave her a lie in order to get her and Molly to leave town. That done, he contemplated his next move just as the phone rang and he warned his dad that they'd come looking for him if he didn't answer. The man reluctantly agreed and Justin did his best to get Brian to leave town too. He prayed he'd been successful.

Now he stood in front of his dad and made one last attempt to get through to him. If it didn't work, he had no idea what he was going to do next. It was at that moment that the glass shattered in the front window of the apartment. His father swung around to face the window and fired off a shot wildly. It was at that exact moment that the door slid open rapidly, thanks to Brian's key, and two men rushed into the room.

Monty reached Craig first and knocked the gun from his hand before he could fire a second shot. The big man who had broken the window climbed in gingerly and joined Monty, who had knocked Craig to the floor. Brian had rushed straight for Justin and thrown a protective arm around his lover, shielding him from any harm. The couple heard Monty order Craig not to move a muscle. They turned and saw Craig lying on the floor, his wig all askew. He looked liked the truly pathetic creature he had become. Brian didn't know whether to pity him or kick him.

Just then the sound of sirens could be heard through the shattered glass of the window. All of a sudden, Craig jumped up unexpectedly and started to sprint for the open front door. He hadn't taken more than three steps when Brian tackled him from behind. They fell heavily to the floor and began rolling back and forth. Somehow Brian ended up on top of Craig with his hands around the man's throat. He could no longer see straight. All he knew was that the threat to Justin had to be eliminated and he squeezed even harder. Suddenly he felt hands pulling on his shoulders and arms and Justin's voice pleading...

"Stop Brian, please! He's not worth it! Don't do it! He'll never hurt us again! I can't lose you! We're getting married... remember? Please let him go... now!"

Brian slowly relaxed his grip. Craig began to cough wildly as his starved lungs sought more oxygen. Brian finally let go and got off the distressed man. Monty and his companion moved in quickly to check on Craig just as the police came storming through the door. Monty, who knew several of the officers, quickly explained who the red-faced man on the ground was, and the police wasted no time forcing an unsteady Craig to his feet and handcuffed him. As he was being led from the loft he turned his watery eyes on his son with a pleading look. Justin turned his back and let Brian enfold him in his arms again.

***********************************************

Once the cops had taken Craig Taylor away and out of their lives for good, Brian and Justin sat in the loft and tried to gather their thoughts. Monty and his friend waited patiently nearby for word of what they wanted to do next. Monty couldn't help wondering whether he would be going out to Gee's Britin for a wedding or not. He should have known better. After a very brief debate, the couple agreed that there was no way Craig was going to spoil this most important day for them. Brian turned to Monty.

"Don't you need to be heading home and getting changed, my friend?"

"Sounds like a good idea to me," he laughed, winking at the couple. "C'mon Robin, looks like Batman has a wedding to go to for his friend, Rage."

A few well placed and important calls, first to Jennifer and then to the rest of the family of friends, and Brian and Justin were on their way to Gee's Britin. The ceremony was everything a couple could wish for. The love was so strong it could be felt like a physical force by every member of the wedding party and guests. Sometime during the festivities after the wedding, Brian and Justin slipped away in the back of a flower shop van. They were driven to the airstrip where their private plane awaited. Not a single guest or paparazzi had a clue that the couple were gone as the plane climbed into the night sky.

Hours later, Brian and Justin lay together in their first bed as a married couple and shared their joy in being one in every way that was now possible for two men in love with one another. If the time ever came that their State would allow a legal marriage rather than partnership, they would do that too, but for now they felt as married as one could ever feel in this lifetime. They made love with an intensity that made a mockery of Craig Taylor's hatred. Even when they fell asleep with exhaustion from their repeated orgasms they continued to make love to each other in their sleep... touching each other softly as if reassuring themselves that they were still one with each other and keeping that contact throughout the night. The sun shone bright in the island air the next morning, but not as bright as the future for one Mr. Brian Kinney, ad man, and Mr. Justin Taylor, artist and ex-actor.

The End