“Call me when you get to Chicago,” Justin said, smiling at Brian.

For a moment, Brian thought about cancelling his trip but then thought better of it. There was an emergency with Brown Athletic, which meant he needed to take care of it himself. It took this long to get the account, he wouldn’t risk losing it because he was feeling sentimental.

“I will. I’m only going to be gone two days at most. I really wish you and Gus would fly home instead of driving.”

Gus was with him for a few weeks, something he had to fight to get. They had flown to New York to visit Justin. It was decided then that they all would go back to Pittsburgh for the next two weeks. It had been almost a year since Justin moved to New York and Gus moved to Canada with his mothers. For the next two weeks it would feel like he had his family back. He wished work wasn’t trying to get in the way.

“I want to drive. I love my car,” Justin said, loading his car with Gus’ bags.

“What kind of twat buys a car after he moves to New York City?”

“Hey, I’m a mature adult now.”

Brian smiled at him, gone was innocent little twink that wormed his way into Brian’s life. Now stood a handsome, independent young man. Brian liked to think that he had something to do with it but it was all Justin.

“Sure, adult. That’s why I saw you and Gus watching cartoons this morning,” he said, smirking.

“It was a good show,” Justin defended himself.

“Please, just fly. I would feel better if you flew.”

He didn’t know why but he was had a bad gut feeling about Justin and Gus driving to Pittsburgh.

“We’ll be fine. It’s not like I’m going to pick up hitchhikers.”

Brian knew he wouldn’t win this argument; Justin had his mind set on the drive.

“I’ve got to go. I’ll see you in two days,” he told Justin.

“We’ll be waiting. Won’t we, Gus?”

“Come back soon,” Gus told him.

“I will.”

Brian remembered the conversation with Justin before he got a taxi to the airport. That was the last time anyone seen or talked to Justin or Gus. When he landed and tried to call Justin, he got no answer. He gave it a few more hours. No luck. That started the worst time of his life, and it hadn’t stopped yet.

The police hadn’t listened to Brian or Melanie. The cops insisted that Justin had kidnapped Gus, and somehow convinced Lindsay of that. No one was listening to the people who knew Justin the best. It wasn’t until his abandoned car was found a month later that they admitted Justin might be a victim too.

The front of his car was dinged up pretty bad, as was the back bumper. They didn’t know what happened but there was blood on Justin’s airbag that was determined to be Justin’s. That wasn’t that odd, airbags could cause some damage but there was no other sign of Justin or Gus. Their things were still in the trunk. Justin’s cell was never found. It hadn’t been used since Gus called Lindsay before Brian had even left them at the airport.

Six months. It had been six months since Justin and Gus disappeared. Brian had even got so desperate he had gone to see Mysterious Marilyn. The old queen just sadly shook her head and said she didn’t know where they were. Lindsay and Melanie moved back to be closer to where Gus went missing. They even were able to get their old house back, which they had been renting out, in case Gus came home.

Brian had thrown himself in work, when he wasn’t working he was searching for Justin and Gus. Every weekend he would drive the whole way to New York City, looking for his family. Sometimes he would go to the woods that Justin’s car was found in to just look around.

His intercom buzzed, drawing him out of his thoughts.

“What?” he snapped.

“Brian, Detective Mac is here,” Cynthia said, not fazed by his attitude.

Detective Mac was the lead in Justin and Gus’ disappearance. The FBI was involve but only distantly. They would be there if there was something they could do but there just was nothing.

“Send him in,” Brian said. He stood up from his desk and circled around in front of it.

Detective Mac was a formidable man with scar under his right eye. Brian had wondered what had happened to the man but it wasn’t really any of his business. He just hoped the man would find Justin and Gus. Mac had been very untrusting of Justin from the very beginning, Brian suspected even though now his fellow cops believed Justin was a victim too, he still thought he was guilty as hell.

“Detective,” Brian said, shaking his hand a little roughly.

“Mr. Kinney, I wanted to talk to you before the news outlets could get to you. We found two skeletal bodies. The forensic corner said that it was of a man in his early twenties and a child. Both male.”

The room spun and went bright white on him. He could hear the man’s deep voice, but it sounded underwater almost.

        Sixteen Years Later

“You have to tell him for me,” Jenny whined.

Brian looked up at his best friends’ daughter. She had grown up into a beautiful woman. She was the spitting image of Mel, which wasn’t as bad as he had thought once upon a time.

“I’m not telling Michael anything. If you want to do this, you have to tell him yourself.”

“I thought you would be behind me. It’s for Gus and Justin.”

Even after almost seventeen years it still hurt like hell to hear their names. Missing for all this time. A few times over the years they thought they had found their bodies, but it had never been them.

“Jenny, I know you think this will help but I don’t see how it will.”

“It’s the first step in me becoming an FBI agent.”

She switched her major to criminal law and hoped to get into the Quantico once she finished. He didn’t want her in danger, but she was a big girl and could chose for herself. Michael on the other hand would need convincing. Jenny was the only one in the family that still believed they were still alive. None of them could break her heart and tell her there was no way they were still alive.

“Let’s just let Christmas get over with, alright?”

“Of course, sorry Uncle Brian,” she said before giving him a hug.

It would be seventeen years on December 23rd. He hadn’t really celebrated Christmas since that day. He had gifts for Gus from that first Christmas, along with birthdays and Christmas past in his closet. He knew his son was dead, but it didn’t stop him from getting him gifts every year. 

“It’s alright, kiddo. Go home, have dinner with your dads. I’m just going to go home.”

She knew better than to argue, he needed time to himself. By himself is the way he liked it. About ten years ago he thought maybe he might be ready to move on to another relationship. It ended in a disaster, he compared him to Justin then the freak became a stalker. Not the innocent, annoying way that Justin did. No, this was bunny boiler kind. He decided he never needed another after that. It never moved beyond sex and even then, it all felt forced. Like he was making himself do these things because that’s was normal men did.

He drove back to the loft. It’s where he was sure Justin would go if he ever came back. It was stupid, but it’s the only place Gus would remember; it’s the place Justin and he fell in love. He had to remind himself, they wouldn’t be coming back.

His head was killing him, he felt wet grass under him.

“Jussy, my head hurts,” he heard Gus say.

“Mine too, buddy.”

He gently sat up and willed his body not to retch. The first thing he really noticed was that it was dark out. That meant he hadn’t been passed out very long. The last thing he remembered before everything when black was lights in the sky. Everything after that was blank.

“Are you ok, Gus?” he asked.

“My head hurts.”

“Yeah, I know.”

After a minute, he was able to stand up and went to where he had heard Gus’ voice come from. He was lying down beside a large rock. It took a moment longer for Justin’s eyes to adjust to the dark. Gus was a little dirty but looked fine except for him clutching his head. Justin knew that feeling, he was having it too. It felt like his head was going to explode but he noticed when he closed his eyes a bit it lightened. He told Gus to try it and he seemed to calm. Looking around he noticed he was in some woods.

He didn’t know how he ended up there, but he needed to get them out. Pulling his phone out of his pocket he cursed when he saw it was dead. Perfect, it was going to be a long night. He just hoped they weren’t far from the road.

“Come on, buddy, I’ll carry you,” he told Gus. Brian was going to kill him, he told him he had a bad feeling about them driving. With any hope he would get back to Pittsburgh before Brian realizes anything is wrong.

They walked for miles; Justin’s feet ached. His muscles felt weak, but he was never really the athlete Brian was…or anyone. Gus had fallen asleep a little while back, his drool soaking Justin’s coat. It felt warmer than it did when they had gotten gas earlier, they were in middle of a cold snap. But the weather now felt like a usually warm night for December in Pennsylvania. Not that it was all that cold, January would be worse, it always was.

His ears perked up when he heard something, stopping he listened closely. Cars. It was cars on a road. They were almost saved. He thought about calling Brian or one of the gang but then he’d have to wait until they got there. When he got someone to stop, he would hope they had a cell phone and call a cab. He needed to get Gus seen at the doctor, same with himself but since he’s head was hurting, he’d rather see his neurologist. It would make it easier to make the police report of his stolen car then. A flash of something sparked in his mind. He hit something with the car, something big. That must have been it, the crash must have been the carjackers plan and they stole the car while Justin and Gus were passed out. Assholes, they could have killed them.

They were in luck a nice old woman stopped and let them use her phone, she also had a number for the cab company already listed. She laughed and said sometimes here eyes were too bad to drive. She dropped them off at a gas station and the cab driver was waiting for them. Luckily the carjacker hadn’t checked his wallet he still had his cards and cash.

The cab driver was glad for the hefty tip Justin gave him along with the cab fare. Hopefully the man would be able to have a good Christmas. Gus was still sleeping when they got to Pittsburgh. Justin noticed a lot had changed in the year he was gone. The loft’s building looked the same, Brian wasn’t one for a lot of change.

Justin picked Gus up and settled the young boy again in his arms. He was almost to the door when he realized he didn’t have his keys. How was he going to get in?

“The spare,” he said to himself.

Brian left a spare loft key with Ms. Krantz on the bottom floor. He pressed Ms. Krantz call button, but she wasn’t the one to answer.

“What do you want?”

“Ms. Krantz?”

“Do I fucking sound like a fucking Ms. Krantz?” a gruff voice snarled. Gus whimpered in his sleep.

“Sorry, I’m just trying to get the second floor.”

“Why would anyone what to visit that asshole.”

“Listen could you just buzz me in?”

“Fine, maybe you’ll end up killing him.” The door buzzed and he was granted access. Getting into the loft would be hard but sometimes Brian left a key hidden in the hallway for Debbie or Michael. He hoped he had done that because he was out of town.

Brian was tapping away on his computer when the noise of the elevator sounded. It wouldn’t be for him; everyone knew not to bother him this time of year. Just as he was about to email Ted about a new client, he heard a muffled shout from outside his door. Who the hell was there now?

Justin cursed when he couldn’t find the key. It had been a long shot; Brian took security to a freakish level. Get robbed one little time and you think of your place like Fort Knox.

Gus was getting heavy in his arms; he was still the smallest in his class according to Lindsay. Carrying him around seemed to be a little harder than it had the previous night when he carried him around Times Square while Brian bitched about his shirt. Justin had laughed because Brian had looked at his only child like a monster with his grubby hands and dirty clothes, he was such a fashion princess.

A sound caught his attention. “Who the fuck is out here?” a very familiar voice snarled.

Justin didn’t even turn around before he sagged in relief. Brian must have come home early, maybe his flight to Chicago was cancelled. Spinning around he walked past Brian not even looking at him. “I’m not in the mood for your attitude tonight, Brian. You have no idea what kind of hell of a night we had. I think I might have a concussion, even if I don’t, we need to get Gus looked at.” He strode past a new desk. Brian must have reorganized in the year he’d been in New York. “We were carjacked. Can you believe that? As much as I hate the idea to leave as soon as we got here Gus really should be seen by a doctor.” He laid Gus down on the couch, it was new too. “Damnit, did you have to get an entire new living room. You would think you were having a midlife crisis or something.”

Standing up he cracked his back which was hurting. “Justin?” Brian asked hoarsely.

Justin laughed. “I know, I look like the creature from Black Lagoon with all this dirt and sweat. How about this, I get a shower and changed, and you grab a change of clothes for Gus.” He was glad some of his things were still here. “I guess we’ll call the cops from the hospital about the carjacking. You were right, we should have just flown. It’s been a complete nightmare.”

The bedroom looked very different from it always had before. More solemn if he had to give it a name. Opening the closet, he started going through the clothes. He couldn’t find any of his. “Jesus, Brian, did you think my clothes were infecting yours or something?” Justin turned around but Brian wasn’t there. Walking towards the door he saw him by Gus looking down at him. “Brian?”

Brian’s head shot up and Justin was knocked back with shock. Brian was old. More grey hair than brown, a greying beard on his face and weathered skin. What the hell was going on? It was then he noticed Brian was crying.

“What’s wrong, Brian? And why do you look different?”

“Why don’t you? Or him? You look exactly like you did that night. You’re still wearing the clothes you were.”

“What night? What are you talking about? You saw us this morning. What’s with the getup? Are you in a play?”

“It’s happened. Michael and Ted always said it was going to happen, but I didn’t believe them. I’ve completely lost my mind. I’m sorry to say if I get both of you back, I welcome insanity, I should have gotten it years ago.” Brian reached out and touched Justin’s face.

“You’re starting to scare me, Brian. What’s with the look? Why are you back from Chicago?”

“Chicago?”

“Yeah, Brown Athletic. What is going on with you? I feel like I’m missing something here. Is Emmett throwing a costume party? It that why you’re dressed like a BeeGee or something?”

Pounding on the door interrupting their conversation, well his conversation and Brian’s staring.

“Brian, I know you’re in there, let me in,” Michael yelled.

Justin rolled his eyes, of course Michael would know that Brian cancelled his trip. Brian didn’t move so Justin headed to the door and slid it open.

“What the hell, Brian, Jenny just- “Michael cut off as he stared at Justin.

Justin stared right back; it was a costume party. Michael was wearing some padding around his waist and his jet-black hair was now streaked with white. He looked older too, much older. Who was doing their makeup? It was really good work.

“Hey Michael, you look really good. I would never have guessed you two wanting to look older though,” he said, laughing at how times changed.

“What?” Michael said, looking faint.

“You see him too, right?” Brian asked, coming up from behind him. “It’s not just me, you see him and Gus too.”

“Gus?” Michael asked, walking into the loft and looking around wildly before his eyes landed on Gus on the couch. “But…”

“I know, they look exactly the same,” Brian said.

Justin started to realize something was very off here. “What’s going on?”

“Justin, how did you get here?” Michael asked.

“When I woke up after being carjacked a nice lady let me call a cab from her phone. What’s the big deal?”

“You and Gus disappeared seventeen years ago, well it will be seventeen years in a few days,” Michael told him.

Justin laughed. “Very funny, it’s a stupid joke. Is that why you two are in the makeup? I’m feeling like I hit my head harder than I thought. We need to go to the hospital and get checked out and then make a police report about my car.”

“Your car was found in the woods sixteen years ago,” Brian said quietly.

“What’s going on?” Justin demanded.

“You and Gus were declared dead ten years ago. You’ve been missing for seventeen years.”

Justin felt light headed then it all went dark.

The waiting room at the hospital was cold, they needed to turn up the heat. Several cops were talking quietly in the corner and giving him odd looks every so often. The FBI were on their way too. Justin and Gus were going through every test made known to man behind those doors. It had taken Michael seeing them for Brian to realize it wasn’t his mind completely snapping. When Justin passed out, they called an ambulance and when they found out Justin was dead according to the state, they called the police.

Now they had been there for five hours and hadn’t gotten any word about Justin or Gus. Mel, Jenny, Emmett, Ted and Debbie were all in the waiting room with him. They had lost so many in the past seventeen years. Carl had a massive heart attack on his seventieth birthday. Ben had stayed healthy right to the end, which was a car accident just before Jenny’s fifth grade graduation. Blake fell off the wagon hard at forty and disappeared. Drew left Emmett for a newer model and took off to sunny Cali. Then there was Lindsay, his sweet and caring best friend had gotten eaten up with hate.

She never stopped believing Gus was kidnapped by Justin and killed. No matter what anyone said, she never thought anything different. It got too much for Mel who asked for a divorce and moved in with Ben and Michael until she got on her feet. They still saw Lindsay every so often, she would go on some television show to speak out against letting boyfriends of deadbeat dads take their kids anywhere.

“It’s like the Twilight Zone, they looked like they did when they disappeared,” Michael was saying to Mel.

“So, Gus is still six years old?”

“Yeah, he was really tired, but he said, ‘I love you, Daddy’, before they took him back,” Brian cut in.

“I just want to see him and hug him,” Mel cried, Jenny wrapping her arms around her mother.

Brian couldn’t agree more, he wanted them back now that they were here. He didn’t know why they hadn’t changed a day or why they were still in the same clothes. All that mattered was they were here now. Jennifer was a few hours out, Molly even further. After their disappearance and being declared dead Jennifer moved to Colorado and Molly had gone to college in Ireland, met a man there and got married. She hadn’t been back to the states in about ten years. They both cried when he told them they were back; he hadn’t shared that they were exactly the same as they were when they went missing.

“This is crazy,” Emmett said.

“No shit. My boyfriend is supposed to be forty but instead is twenty-three. My son is supposed to be twenty-three and instead is six. I have no idea what they’ve been through and it scares me that they have no idea either.”

Before anything more could be said something caught his attention outside the door. Several men and women in dark clothes walked by the door, the cops waiting outside following them into a door labeled ‘Private’.

“You think that was the FBI?” Jenny asked.

“Are you kidding? With this kind of thing happening. CIA, gotta be,” Michael replied.

“I feel fine. When can we leave?” Justin asked, clutching Gus to his chest. They had taken so much blood and scans of them it made him uncomfortable.

Then there was the ‘thing’ with not letting Brian in with Gus. They had worked some legal mojo and said because Gus was an adult according to his birth certificate Brian wasn’t allowed in the area. Justin had told them that if Gus was separated from him for more time than to run one test, he wouldn’t consent to anymore testing. That backed them off a little.

“Mr. Taylor, we have questions. Questions you don’t have answers. Like where have you been for the last seventeen years? Why does it look like you two haven’t aged a day?” a female doctor said. She wasn’t with the hospital; she had come in with the people in suits.

“Listen, I’m done. You have all said that we are healthy. That means we are going home. If you have a problem with that, call my lawyer.” He was sure Brian had one on retainer.

“You can go anytime you want. But because Gus is an adult but unable to make decisions for himself, we have to find the best place for him.”

“He’s not an adult, he’s six-years-old child, any moron can see that.” Gus whimpered in his arms, so he lowered his voice. “All the tests confirmed that he is, and doesn’t have some kind of condition, not that I thought he did. As I told you all since you arrived. I left my apartment in Chelsea yesterday evening after Brian left for LaGuardia airport. There is a big chunk of last night that I don’t remember but when we woke up, we got help and came home.”

“You didn’t think about calling the police?” the woman asked.

He didn’t like the thought of calling the police when he didn’t have anyone else there. Technically he had no legal right over Gus, he thought they might have caused a problem if he was far out of Pittsburgh.

“I just wanted to get Gus home.”

“His mother is on her way; she’ll take custody of him.”

He breathed a sigh of relief. “Which one, Mel or Lindsay?”

“His mother Lindsay, she had made it clear he is not to be released to Melanie Marcus or Brian Kinney.”

“I thought he was an adult. Let Brian take him home.”

“That’s not really appropriate at the moment.”

They were working some kind of angle. As much as he loved Lindsay, she wouldn’t see the manipulation they would play on her. Mel and Brian both were sharks.

“If you let Brian take him, I’ll stay for whatever tests you want.”

That seemed to stop them. He didn’t like the gleam in their eyes. But to get Gus away from these vultures he would do anything. Since they both were gone for the same time, they didn’t need Gus. “Anything?”

“Yes. But I want it in writing that you’ll release Gus to Brian’s care and not try and use him as a pin cushion again. He’s out of this. Any tests run them on me.”

“Fine but we’ll need to observe for at least two weeks without outside factors.” That he understood, he’d be their prisoner for the next few weeks.

“Agreed, I’ll do it as soon as you release Gus to Brian.”

Brian was doing everything in his power not to yell at Lindsay. As soon as she arrived, she started in on saying the worst things about Justin. This had put him in the clear in everyone’s mind except hers apparently.

“Lindsay, you need to calm down,” he said for the tenth time.

“CALM DOWN! CALM DOWN! My baby was found after all this time and he’s the same age as when he left. What did Justin do to him?”

“Do you hear the crazy coming out of your mouth?” Emmett asked. “No one can cause someone to stop aging. There is some outer world thing going on here.”

“I swear if you start spouting your ET theory again, I will beat you with your own arm,” Brian growled.

Ever since Emmett and Ted, who had settled down together in a platonic way in their old age, had gotten there had been unbearable. All he wanted was to hold his son in his arms again, see Justin with his own eyes. Take them home and never let them leave again.

“I’m just saying, aliens are the only explanation. My Great Aunt Lula,” Emmett started.

“If the rest of that sentence is ‘got abducted by aliens’, you should start running now,” he said, biting his tongue to stop from hurting the man. He wasn’t ready for this. There were too many people around and not the two he needed.

The door opened to the waiting room and a very stiff looking woman walked in. The cops in the corner seemed to take notice too. “Mr. Kinney?”

“Yes, that’s me,” he said, rushing to where she was standing.

“I’m willing to release your son into your care,” she said, her face grim. She wasn’t happy about this.

“What about Justin?”

“Mr. Taylor has agreed to go with us for further testing. If you argue with us, we can take both of them.”

He didn’t know if that was possible, but they were the government. If Justin made a deal to get Gus released, which he was sure he did, it would be stupid of him to ruin it. “Thank you. Can I talk to Justin before we leave?”

“For a few moments but it will be under guard.” She was done playing nice.

“He doesn’t have custody of Gus, I do,” Lindsay screeched.

“Ms. Petersen, whatever arrangement you had went out of date the day you had your son declared dead and collected his life insurance, at least according to the law. But you can go ahead and start a new case, right now though he will be going with his father.”

“Why?”

“Because I like him more than you,” she said before walking off, his heels clicking hard on the floor. At the door she waved Brian in, he wasn’t about to cause anymore problems. If he played this right, he would be taking his son home and then he could work on getting Justin home.

“Why are you so hairy?” Gus asked getting a laugh from Brian and Justin.

“It’s a look I’m trying. Think I should keep it?” he asked Gus.

The little boy wrinkled his nose and shook his head. “No, it’s icky.”

“What about you, Sunshine? What do you think?”

“I’m going to have to go with the kid here. I like my men without worrying if there is a birds nest hanging off their face.”

Brian smiled at Justin’s attempt to lighten the mood. They both knew that in a few minutes they would be separated, and he didn’t know when they would see each other again. But they couldn’t say anything in front of Gus, it wouldn’t help to scare him.

“Don’t let them take him from you,” Justin said just as the woman from earlier came in. “I promise I’ll be alright just don’t leave him alone.”

After that Brian was practically dragged out of the room, Gus crying in his arms. He got glares from the dark suit people; these were people he was wary of instantly. He skipped the waiting room, not wanting Lindsay to cause problems. His attempt was a valiant effort, but she caught up to him in the parking garage.

“Where do you think you’re going?” He kept Gus’ face buried in his shoulder. Usually the boy would be fighting to get to her, but her voice was scaring him.

“Home,” he said, feeling so very tired.

“Brian, I’ve missed him for seventeen years too,” she said softly.

That he couldn’t deny, no matter their differences she grieved their child just as he did. “Alright, come over but if you start on Justin or scare Gus you’re out, understand?”

She gritted her teeth but she than nodded. The drive home he tried not to worry about Justin too much. His phone pinged non-stop with messages from the gang he left at the hospital. He had to think of Gus and too many people that changed too much would be a lot for such a little boy to understand.

“Why do you look different?” Gus asked.

They were walking into the building; Lindsay should be there soon.

“I don’t really know. I just know everyone except you and Justin got older.” He was trying to keep it simple.

“Huh?”

“I don’t know why I’m older and you’re not.”

“I don’t like it.”

“Me either.”

A SUV with darkened windows picked him and his forced posse up. Justin just assumed from now on he would have them always with him. He wasn’t stupid, they wanted something from him. The only thing was he didn’t know what it was. They seemed to be talking in code when he was around. Kept using the work ‘Striker’, whatever that was.

They ignored him for the most part, any time he asked a question he was told he would be told soon enough. After a few minutes he just stopped caring where they were taking him. It wasn’t until they pulled up to a small airfield when he started to worry again.

“What’s going on? What are we doing here?”

“We’re going for a little ride. Don’t worry, it’s not that far.”

“Not far, that sounds…ominous.”

They glared at him, so he decided to keep his mouth shut. If he played their game in two weeks hopefully, he could go home. Maybe in that time he could wrap his head around everyone he knew aging almost two decades while he was the same. Just yesterday Brian was a thirty-five-year-old and now he was fifty-two. That meant his little sister was who was fourteen yesterday was now in her thirties, his baby sister was older than him.

When he got back home what did it mean? Everyone would have changed so much and here he was exactly the same. They all had stories and lives without him. What if Brian had a husband or boyfriend, he wasn’t telling him about? His sister could have kids. Who all had died when he was gone? Was his father dead? Would he never get the chance to make up with him? All his friends were in their fifties. What kind of life would he be going back to?

The flight was short, and the small six-seater airplane wasn’t too bad. They had gone back to ignoring him which was fine. His mind was going over everything to a crazy level. Most of all he was exhausted, since waking up he had been so focused on protecting Gus, now that was Brian’s job again. Justin could just worry about himself, and worried he was.

For the next two weeks he had to just think about himself, which was hard because Brian had come in number one to him since he was seventeen. Even through all the bad and his moving to New York, it was Brian that called the shots…he always did. But Brian wasn’t here, he wouldn’t be saving Justin from himself or these people. It was him against the world.

A new SUV with darkened windows met them on an even smaller airfield. The SUV looked identical to the previous one, that if it wasn’t for the location, he would have thought it was the same. None of the people who flew with him got in the car with him. It was a driver and a very large man who sat in the passenger’s seat.

“Where are we going?”

“That’s privileged information,” the passenger said.

They were treating him like a child, it was pissing him off. But since they were holding all the cards, he would just have to bide his time.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Lex, your lead bodyguard.”

“I need a lead bodyguard?”

“You’ll be briefed when we get where we are going.”

“Oookay then.”

A shiver went up his spine when they drove through a high gate surrounded by a high fence. There was no way he was getting out of here without permission. He hadn’t even realized he was thinking about escaping until the option was taken off the table.

A tall, willowy woman greeted him outside a plain looking building.

“Hello, my name is Dr. KaMoria Ffolkes. I’m going to be your doctor during your time with us. Would you like to see where you are living? We’ll have our talk afterword.”

While she looked like a doctor, he guessed she was much more. “I’d like to see where I’m staying,” he said. All the sudden he was scared to be in a room alone with the woman.

“Alright, Lex will show you the way. We’ll be waiting for you in the conference room.”

As they made their way into the building, Lex seemed to lose a bit of his tension.

“It’s not as bad as you’re thinking. I know it can be a bit daunting but it’s not as bad as you’re making it in your head. In a few weeks the new apartment will be ready, and you won’t have to stay in this room.”

“Oh, I’m only here for two weeks then I’m going home.”

The man’s jaw tightened. “Of course.”

“I am going home in two weeks, right?”

“If that’s what you were told then I’m sure you’re right.”

The lie was dripping from the other man but before he could interrogate him, they stopped outside of a thick metal door. There was some sort of scanner and Lex looked at it with his right eye.

“Luther Green, access granted,” a robotic voice said before the door slides open.

Justin’s eyes widened at the room. It was an artist’s wet dream. It made his tiny studio apartment in New York look like a kid’s art room.

“Wow!”

“We found out you are an artist. Doctor Clayborn, your psychiatrist, thought it would help your anxiety.”

“How many doctors do I need?” Already he had two and that didn’t include the doctor he met in Pittsburgh.

“We have your best interests in mind with everything we do. There are questions we need answered but that doesn’t mean you’re a prisoner.”

Looking at the heavy-duty door that had no doorknob just another scanner, he asked, “Aren’t I?” Lex had nothing to add to that.

Justin looked around the room again, his eyes landing on the large queen size bed in the corner. What he wouldn’t give to just crawl up in the bed and go to sleep right now. That wasn’t on the agenda now according to his agenda that was on a dry erase board on the wall.

“What the hell is this?” he said pointing at it.

It was blocked off in thirty-minute intervals. It weirded him out that according to the clock on the wall and the board, at this moment he was ‘Inspecting Living Facility’. Can you say creepy?

“This is just the board, so you know what to expect for the coming day. I will change it every morning when I bring your breakfast in at seven.”

“I thought you were my bodyguard, but you’re not, you’re my jailer. Fine, whatever, lets get the next part over with.”  It was time for his meeting with the doctors.

“You don’t need to think of this as a punishment. Think of it as an adventure,” Lex said as they made their way down some hallways.

“I find out I’ve been gone for seventeen years and everyone’s aged except me and my partner’s son. My friends and family thought that I stole Gus and ran off. Brian thought we were dead; he thought his son was dead. How can he ever heal from that, even with Gus back? Everything is wrong here.”

“That’s what this is all about. Finding out where you’ve been. Justin, you need to let the doctors do their work.”

“How will doctors tell me where we’ve been and what happened to us?”

“Because no matter what you think, the answers are in you somewhere. They have to be.”

Justin didn’t argue with the man; it wouldn’t make a difference. He was theirs for the next two weeks and not a minute more.

He was led to an official looking room that reminded him of Brian’s conference room at Kinnetik. It could have been anywhere; it was just so normal looking. If fact, everything had been so normal looking. He had no doubt he was in some hidden base but there wasn’t a name on anything, he guessed that’s why he thought it was hidden. He didn’t know why they wanted him so much, he didn’t remember anything. What kind of tests did they need to run on him? There had been so many scans, blood tests and eye tests at the hospital. What more could they want or need?

They were alone in the room for a few minutes then were joined by several people. A short, round man with balding red hair who introduced himself as Dr. Clayborn, his psychiatrist. An older woman with grey hair in a bun and heavy jewelry gracing her hands and neck, she was a big wig at the facility, but he didn’t know what exactly she did, her name was Dr. Ismire. Dr. Ffolkes was there, her dark eyes staring through him it felt like. Two men who were introduced as the rest of his security detail, Milo, a short but robust man of about twenty-five and Chris, in his thirties, a tall and muscular man who looked like he lived on a beach with his darker complexion compared to Milo, making the other man look downright pale. There were some other people, but they offered no name or title just cold looks and tapping on some electronic things.

“Mr. Tyler,” one started, one with no name or title.

“Taylor,” he corrected.

“Too right, my apologies,” he said, the British accent wasn’t as charming as it should have been. The man was all sharp and pointed with his words and glares. “Anyway, as I was saying before I was interrupted, you are here because of your memory issues.”

“I have no memory problems, I just have no idea how I got here,” he said, he could feel his cheeks reddened.

“Like I said, memory issues. Until you’re deemed safe for the public by the government you will be kept here. You shouldn’t fret too much, it’s all very normal.” He raised up a piece of paper, read it over and lowered it. “Mr. Kinney and all the people that were at the hospital have signed a confidentially agreement. If they don’t speak about the incident, then we will not have to take custody of the boy.”

“You can’t take Gus, he’s just a little boy. He needs his parents. I won’t cause any problems; I promise just as long as Gus stays where he is.”

“That’s very good, now I believe Dr. Clayborn wants to speak.”

“Yes, thank you, as I said before I’m your psychiatrist. We’ll be seeing each other everyday at noon. If you need to see me any more than that feel free to call me using your phone, my number is listed beside it. Just remember it doesn’t reach anyone outside of this facility. If you want to call someone from the outside you have to use to phone in Dr. Ffolkes office.”

“If this isn’t a prison why can’t I have a phone to talk to my family in my room? I also noticed there wasn’t a computer in that room.”

“It’s just to keep everything low key. No reason to get upset,” Clayborn said.

“I can’t do all my artwork by hand. Sometimes I lose control if I’m too tired or my emotions are too much. Brain damage will do that to you. I need my computer.”

“I’m sorry, that really is impossible,” nameless suit number two said.

“Whatever. Is this meeting over?”

“Yes, you’re in for the rest of the night but starting tomorrow you’ll start the tests. With any luck, we’ll be able to find out where you and the boy have been for the last seventeen years.”

Lex left him in his bedroom prison when they got back to it. He wanted to be left alone anyway. Instead of touching any of the stuff in the room to occupy his mind, he laid down and decided never to get up again.

It had been four days since he had gotten his son back, Brian hadn’t heard from Justin since they took him away. Gus asked why he couldn’t call Justin like he did when he lived with his mothers. Brian explained as best as he could that Justin was off on an adventure and would call as soon as he was able, he hoped he didn’t lie.

Brian rented Lindsay the top floor loft so Gus could see her when he wanted. He didn’t understand why they all were so much older than they were a week ago to him. Sometimes he cried himself to sleep because he wanted everything like it was, Brian did too.

Lindsay had calmed down, but he suspected she had already hired a lawyer. His lawyer was already on the job, and unlike Lindsay he hadn’t been living inside a vodka bottle for the last seventeen years. All three of them; Lindsay, Melanie and he had taken the loss of Gus in a different way. He became even more a workaholic than he was before, Melanie actually took a step back from her job to raise her daughter while volunteering for missing children groups. Then there was Lindsay, when it happened, and she blamed Justin, but they hadn’t cut her off. They knew it was her hurt and pain talking. She had been the one to cut them all out of her life. Mel had tried to keep a relationship with her because of Jenny. It ended the night Jenny called Mel crying and begging for her to pick her up. She was hungry and when she asked Lindsay if she could have a sandwich Lindsay threw a wine glass at her. Jenny was eight years old at the time.

Melanie and Michael had to go to court again to work out custody. Unlike before, Brian did not help get her a lawyer. He saw the fear of Lindsay in Jenny’s eyes. He had the same fear when he was little for his father. It hadn’t been the first time Lindsay lashed out at her, if she hadn’t started hitting her yet she would soon. It was the reason Brian had made sure she wasn’t alone with Gus; she couldn’t be trusted.

“Why can’t I go to school?” Gus whined. They were waiting for his tutor to arrive.

They couldn’t send Gus to school because legally he was still dead. With the government being as cagey and secretive with all the paperwork they made him sign, he couldn’t really start the process of getting him and Justin declared alive again yet. That didn’t mean that Gus should fall behind on his education. He thought about getting Jenny to do it, but he had cried when they reintroduced them. He hadn’t understood.

The buzz sounded stopping Gus from getting more upset.

“Yes?”

“I’m Travis Morton, the tutor,” a smooth voice said.

“Come on up.” He buzzed him in.

Brian had told Ted and Cynthia that he would be working from home for the foreseeable future. There was no way he would be letting Gus out of his sight for a very long time.

“Your tutor’s is here. He’ll be like your teacher.”

“I wanted to go to school,” Gus pouted.

“I know but this is the best I can do right now.”

There was a knock on the door. “It’s showtime,” he told Gus.

Opening the door reveled a gorgeous looking man around his age. He was clean shaven with salt and pepper hair.

“Mr. Kinney?”

“Yes. Thank you for coming on short notice,” he said.

The man raised a perfectly styled eyebrow. “My pleasure,” he said slowly.

Brian looked down, trying to ignore the odd tingle in his spine. He hadn’t had any kind of real feeling for anyone since Justin. The worst part is, when he was around Justin before all he wanted was to pull him down and have his wicked way with him. But seeing him now, it felt wrong. The feelings he once had for Justin had changed. He was attracted to him, who wouldn’t be? But it didn’t feel right. It felt forced because of who he was. He shook his head, trying to clear the thoughts. It had to be because they didn’t spend any real time together yet. His feelings would come back as soon as Justin was around him again.

“Right, well this is Gus. He’s a little upset about not being able to go to school. I was hoping that once you start, he will start to enjoy it.” Brian looked at Gus. “Gus, this is your tutor Mr. Morton.”

“You can call me, Travis if you want, Gus. Or some kids call me Morty.”

Gus giggled. “Morty sounds funny.”

“Tell me about it.”

Brian let them get acquainted with each other and start their lessons. He moved to his desk where he could keep an eye on them without hovering. He shot off some emails to some clients, one to Ted and one to his lawyer.

Soon Gus was giggling and learning at the same time. As the next hour passed Brian couldn’t help that his eyes kept straying to Travis and lingered on the man’s lightly muscled form. He looked like a teacher, but it wasn’t a turn off. Nothing about him was a turn off and that made his stomach twist painfully.

Justin laughed as Lex threw his cards down. “You a dirty, rotten cheat,” he said without heat.

“You may have the best poker face in the world, but you can’t play to save your life.”

Standing up, Lex playfully glared at him. “I told you, poker wasn’t my game.”

“I can’t play anymore canasta. I can’t do it. You need to learn another game. Or better yet, why can’t I have a television?”

“We’ve been over this. They don’t what you to have any electronics for fear it will mess with your brain.”

Justin rolled his eyes. He never heard anything as stupid as that. He knew there was no winning though, Lex wasn’t making the calls here. The more he had gotten to know Lex the more he liked him. It was one of the reasons he was so together. Lex brought him breakfast in the morning, filled out his schedule board but everyday he was done by five. Lex lived close so he would relieve Justin’s evening babysitters and they would just hang out until it was time for lights out.

“Tell me about the guy?” Justin asked. Lex had confessed there was someone he had feelings for.

“What guy?”

“The guy you told me about yesterday.”

Lex lost his smile. “Doesn’t matter. He doesn’t feel that way about me.”

“Is it because you think he’ll get turned off by…you know,” he said, hating how Lex felt so broken.

“Who wouldn’t? I don’t even have the excuse that I lost my legs in action. A stupid dare and look at me now.”

Justin had by accident found out about Lex’s legs. He was a young lance corporal in the marines when he went home for leave one Christmas. He had a boyfriend, friends and by all accounts a good life. Drank too much and took a bet from an even drunker friend. He didn’t tell Justin what the bet was but what did happen. He passed out in below freezing temperatures. Frostbite led to gangrene in both legs, he lost both below the knee.

The boyfriend broke up with him because of it. He was medically discharged from the marines. He lost his dream, his love and his legs in a few weeks’ time. That’s how he ended up here as an outside contractor and not a part of the military anymore. Justin had also found out they were only a few months apart in age, well if he had aged. Lex will be forty-one on his next birthday and Justin would be twenty-four.

He had never been like Brian. Wanting to be young and beautiful forever. He just wanted love…real love. He wanted the whole marriage, kids and taking nerve wracking family vacations. But most of all, he wanted those things with Brian. That wasn’t going to happen now, Brian wouldn’t want more children. He had Gus back and that was great, but Justin wanted a child that looked like him.

“Well, now I feel like throwing myself off the medical building.”

“Stop being so dramatic,” Lex said, putting his arm around him. “Anyway, I have good news for you.”

“What?”

“You know that visit with the boyfriend you’ve been begging for?” Justin nodded. “It’s been cleared. Brian and Gus will be here tomorrow. They can’t come to the facility, so we’ll be meeting them at Frances Scott Key Memorial Park.”

“You’re kidding? Brian…I get to see Brain and Gus tomorrow? I need to shave.” He’d let some of his grooming get a little out of hand. As he turned, he thought he saw Lex’s eyes narrow but that couldn’t be right. He had so much to plan.

Gus had been chatting on the flight to Washington, DC. The flight was only an hour, but his nerves were getting the best of him. Gus seemed fine but Brian was sure it was because of Justin. Gus felt a connection with Justin since he had been with him when everything changed. Gus still had no memory of the time he was away. It was like he fell asleep for seventeen years.

“Do you think he missed me?” Gus asked as they rode in the taxi.

“You know he did. He told you on the phone.” Justin was able to call them last night just before he left the medical facility…whatever that was.

The things that went through his head was terrifying to think. He loved Justin and didn’t want him to be used. There had always been rumors about the government not caring about people’s rights, just running over the little guy. What kind of tests had they done on Justin? He hadn’t been allowed to tell them and they were forbidden from being asked. Even the meeting they were going to have a laundry list of rules they had to follow. There was a bit of worry on his mind about Gus being near these people again, but he couldn’t leave him alone in Pittsburgh, he trusted no one but himself right now.

There were already dark SUVs all over the parking area, alerting him that they were already there. He hoped that he could at least talk to Justin without them sitting right next to them.

Gus giggled as the driver told them to have a good day in a fake southern accent.

It was easy to find them, the park wasn’t big by any stretch of the imagination, in fact there was only really one place for them to be. Justin was sitting alone on a half-circular bench around the inside of the memorial. He looked up at Brian as he neared.

Brian took a step towards him, Gus squeezing his hand. Suddenly a large figure stepped in front of Justin. He was a menacing looking man; Brian couldn’t place him with the rest of the group. He wasn’t dressed in a suit like the agents that were clearly there or the casually formal clothes of the doctors, he more looked like he should be on some survivor show. He had short, black hair and wearing a shirt that showed his muscled form. There was something a little odd about the way his jeans fitted the calves of his tight jeans though.

“It’s alright, Lex. You can stand down,” Justin said with a laugh.

The look that Lex shot Justin was unmistakable, he was infatuated with Sunshine. Brian had seen the look on many men and women over the years. He waited for jealousy to rear its ugly head, it disturbed him when it didn’t. Had he fallen out of love with Justin in the last seventeen years? No, that couldn’t be it.

The man hesitated but moved, not too far though. Gus rushed to Justin, wrapping his boney arms around Justin’s neck. Once Justin hugged him and let go, he stood, and Brian gave him a hug. Justin then kissed him, and it felt awkward, he wondered if Justin felt it too. One look into Justin’s eyes he saw he had. Justin lost his real smile and the fake one he used to use replaced it. He hated that smile; it was the one that said he was hurting but didn’t want anyone to know.

“So, how are you doing?” he asked, taking a seat.

Justin sat back down, Gus crawling up beside him. “It’s really not that bad except for completely being shut off from the outside world. I’m not even allowed to go on the computer.

“That’s for the accuracy of the tests,” a woman said from the group of formal looking people.

“You said I would get a little bit of privacy, that means you can listen but not put your nose in every other word,” Justin said, glaring at the woman.

“We are being very generous, Mr. Taylor,” she snapped.

Justin rolled his eyes and turned back to Brian. “Have you talked to my mom? I’ve only been able to call her once. She says she wants to see me, but they are being weird about it. Something about seeing too many people. I can’t wait until I get to go home.”

“She’s good, she’s staying in Pittsburgh for a while. Molly had to go back home. She was so disappointed she didn’t get to see you after flying in.”

“I’m sorry too. Does she have any kids? Mom just cried and asked me if I’m eating like a hundred times.”

“She does. Georgia is five and Justin is three.”

“She named her son after me? I thought everyone thought I stole Gus?”

Brian shook his head. “No, that was the cops and Lindsay, which was only because she let her parents get into her head. Everyone else knew you never would have just taken him. Anything else you want to know?”

“Everything. I’ve only had enough time to ask about you and Gus last night. Please, tell me everything. How is Emmett? Ted? Ben? I saw Michael, he looked fine.”

“Emmett and Ted are good, they’re living together.” Justin’s eyebrows shot up. “No, not like that. Just to keep each other company. Blake fell off the wagon a while ago and took off. Emmett and Drew broke up when he caught Drew with a twenty-three-year-old dancer.”

“Poor Ted…and Emmett. I notice you didn’t say anything about Ben, I was worried to ask.”

“He’s been gone a while too. Accident took him before the disease did. It was a tough time, but we had been through a lot by then. We mourned, dusted ourselves off and went on.”

“I’m sorry,” Justin said, his fake smile slipping.

“It wasn’t your fault. Something happened to you and Gus, I for one want to know. The sooner we find out, the sooner you come home, right?”

“I should be coming home in ten days, I’m counting. Alright, tell me more.”

“Guess who I ran into a few years ago?”

“Brad Pitt?”

Brian laughed. “No one that good. Ian.”

“Ian? Ian who?” Justin scrunched up his nose before he seemed to catch on. “Ethan? You saw Ethan?”

“Yeah.”

“How is he?” Brian heard mild curiosity but no real feelings. He brought the man up to see if his own old jealous feelings resurfaced. They did but more like a memory of an ache. That didn’t make him feel any better, worse in fact.

“He was good. Married, his husband seemed nice, couple of rugrats. He’s music teacher at St. James.”

“You’re kidding me? Wow, I guess even St. James can change. I’m glad for him, I hope he’s happy.”

That was the thing about Justin, it didn’t matter what wrong they did to him, he actually wanted others to be happy. There was only one exception, and no one could blame him.

“Do you know how my dad is?” Justin asked quietly.

Brian avoided his gaze and looked away. It was the first time he noticed Gus had wandered off and was playing some card game with the bodyguard guy.

“Brian?”

He looked back; he knew he wasn’t hiding anything from Justin. “He died.”

With a broke whisper, Justin asked, “How?”

“Just after you disappeared, there was a fire. The fire alarms were faulty, bad batch they said. They think the smoke overcame them and they never even woke up.”

“They?”

“Molly said that she had been sworn to secrecy from your dad, you know what he was like. Him and his girlfriend had just a little girl. She was only a few weeks old. The fire took the three of them and the girlfriend’s two-year old twins.”

“He’s dead? I had another sister, and she’s dead too?”

“Christmas Eve night, just days after you disappeared.”

“Any other deaths I should know about? Best to tell me now and rip the bandage off.”

“Carl died of heart attack, blockage he didn’t know about. There is one thing I need to tell you about, but I don’t know how.”

“What? It can’t be worse than what you just told me.”

“Hobbs.”

“What did he die? I don’t think I’ll shed any tears.”

“No, he attacked…someone. He ended up killing them, he’s doing five to twelve in prison.”

“He killed someone and only got five to twelve years. I don’t even know why I’m surprised.”

“There’s more to it. Apparently, Hobbs had been going to a few places and hooking up with guys. It’s been years, no one really remembered him that didn’t know you personally. In Poppers…he ran into someone who did.”

“What aren’t you telling me?”

Brian looked over at Gus to make sure he was occupied. This was going to hurt; Justin had already just learned about his dad. But there was no way he would get away without telling him.

“She was there with a friend. The friend was getting over a break up. She just wanted him to meet a cute guy and get a spark or whatever women think happens.”

He saw the moment Justin knew who it was. He shook his head frantically. “No, he didn’t kill Daphne. She’s alive. Mom would have told me if she wasn’t alive. You’re lying.”

Everyone’s attention was on them. Gus looked worried but stayed with the bodyguard. Everyone else looked weirdly indifferent.

“I’m sorry, she called him out for his actions. Told everyone there what he was. Later that night he followed her home, waited until the friend left. Broke in her house and strangled her.” He didn’t tell Justin what else Hobbs did to her. He couldn’t. The judge was a bastard and only gave Hobbs the minimum of what he had to; Brian guessed he’d been paid off. The trial had been awful they made it look like Daphne went looking for him. It was a farce not a trial.

“When?”

“Few years after you disappeared.” Five years after to be exact. Hobbs would be getting close to his release date. So far, all his attempts at parole have been thwarted by Daphne’s family, Mel, Debbie and Jennifer.

Justin took a few breathes and wiped the tears streaming down his face away. “I’m ok, I am. I just need a moment. Tell me something not terrible.”

“Jenny Rebecca wants to be in the FBI, she’s changing her major because of it.”

The tears reformed. “No, no, no. She’s only a toddler. None of this is right. We’re not right.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. Last week you were the love of my life, I wanted to spend my life with you. But overnight, you became someone I don’t know.”

“You mean because I’m older.”

“No, that’s the least of all of this. It’s because you’ve had a whole life without me.” Justin spread his hands out in front of him. “I’ve always wanted you and until we were in that hospital room, I’ve always known you wanted me. But I felt it then, your feelings have changed. I don’t blame you. Knowing that, has made me feel something different, something new.”

“What?”

“Ever since I was seventeen, I wanted to be the one with Brian Kinney. Now, I need be just me. When I was in New York, all I could think about was getting back to you. Becoming a success so you would be proud. I don’t know how but knowing you don’t feel the same about me anymore, I can breathe.”

“And you couldn’t when we were together?”

“See, that’s the thing. If I could go back I would in a second…no hesitation. You’re not my Brian, you grew up. And I’m not your Justin because I didn’t. You thought I was dead. You may have not wanted to believe it, but you did. You already said goodbye to me. That’s why you feel different, you’ve already let go.”

Brian wanted to deny it, but it was to truth, every word. “I still love you.” Words that had been so hard to say years ago flew out of his mouth.

“And I still love you. But it’s different, isn’t it?”

Brian nodded. “Yeah.”

“I’ll call when they release me. But I think this is it. I’ll still check on Gus but it’s time for you to move on.”

Brian rolled his eyes. “I don’t think that’s going to happen.” He had already tried that before, it never worked. Of course, before he didn’t have the closure.

The rest of the visit was quiet. Brian knew it was too much for Justin. Finding out about his father and his family. Then what happened to Daphne at the hands of Chris Hobbs. Gus told Justin about his tutor, about Lindsay living close. Told him about how everyone changed, and he didn’t like it. Brian just hoped that they would be alright.