The intensity of the emotions saturated the large open room as Brian struggled to recount to Alice McCarthy his encounter with one of the monsters from his childhood. When Justin had called, had told her that the man had shown up at their home, she felt her heart literally stop. For one brief moment she grieved for Brian, visualizing him so vastly broken mentally by the encounter that she didn't immediately connect the rest of Justin's words.

He had survived.

No - not survived. Triumphed! Fuck! He had used the resources he'd constructed for himself and had damned well won!  Now, sitting here with the two men holding each other lovingly in their own home, the tears were flowing freely down all their faces.

"I remember the day Jack took me there," Brian said distantly. He was putting some space between the reality and the telling of it. She knew he still had a long way to go to incorporate those memories, to claim them as his own and put them in a place that was neither locked away nor omnipresent. A proper place.

"He said we were going on a fishing trip." The laugh that escaped Brian at those words carried more pain than humor. "I was so fucking excited. He'd... he'd never done a goddamned thing with me before that, at least nothing that didn't involve a fist." Justin pulled his partner tighter against him, back to chest, as he and Alice listened silently to Brian's pain, to the first retelling of the most agonizing kind of betrayal - preying on a child's need for love and turning it in to the most grotesque kind of torture. "For the first time in my life, I think, I was happy, eager to be with my father. And I don't think my mother knew at all. Or she just fucking didn't want to know."

"When I first saw the cabin - I don't know where it was... we drove a long time - it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. Just because it was me and my... and Jack." He wiped away a tear and rested his head back on Justin's shoulder. "Christ, I should have known. Even at six, I should have fucking known, but I just..."

"Brian, don't take this onto yourself. This was not your fault. None of this was your fault." Desperate to reinforce his lack of guilt in any of the abuse, Alice reached out and placed her hands on Brian's knees, just to connect her words, to reinforce them. "You were never at fault, Brian. Never."

Brian nodded slowly and placed his left hand over her right one, gripping it almost painfully. He continued to tell them of the best day his young self had experienced to that point. The fishing he did with Jack that day. Wading in the small lake next to the cabin. Eating the fish they had caught for dinner. And then the creeping fear that began as Jack drank beer after beer after beer.

Then the night fell and Brian's world ended as Jack left him alone, locked inside the darkened cabin, screaming his fear of the dark and the unfamiliar sounds surrounding the small house. Then the sound of tires crunching the gravel, a rush of raucous laughter outside the locked door, the moonlight shining through as the door was opened, and...

Brian's voice broke and his body started to seize violently, warding off an attack seen only in his memory, as Justin held him, whispering grounding words to the fragile man - I'm here. They can't hurt you anymore. I love you, baby.

Alice handed Brian a bottle of water she had taken from the side table. "Brian, do you want to stop now?"

"Yeah," came the hushed response. "I just want to sleep for awhile."

Justin and Alice sat in painful silence after Brian walked to the bedroom and collapsed into an exhausted sleep. The young man, his face swollen from crying, his eyes reflecting Brian's recalled pain, looked up at Alice McCarthy and asked, "Is it wrong that I see myself killing him?"

He didn't have to say the name. She knew. As she took the shaking young man in her arms, comforting him as a mother would, she shook her head. "If you are wrong, Justin, then we both are."

*******

Cynthia stood in the district attorney's office with Carl Horvath and Kaz Krawczynski, facing down the stolid looking man. She clasped her hands in front of her, hiding the angry tremors running through them. She wasn't so successful hiding it from her voice.

"Are you telling me there is nothing that can be done to this bastard?"

"Unless you have something else to offer me, my hands are tied. The statute of limitations has run on this particular event." He shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention to other documents on his desk, dismissing the trio.

Everyone jumped at the sound as a strong hand slapped harshly against the wood of the D.A.'s desk. "This ‘particular event', as you so succinctly phrased it, was the systematic and persistent gang rape and torture of a six year old boy!" Kaz's eyes seethed his anger and the startled D.A. felt every bit of it focused on him.

"Listen, Mr. Krawczynski. I don't mean to make light of this. It was... is... a heinous crime. No child should be subjected to that. But the Pennsylvania statutes are exceedingly clear. Unfortunately, the statute ran out about five years ago. A victim of child sexual abuse, at the time of this crime was perpetrated, had twelve years from the day he or she turned eighteen to seek charges in criminal court. Mr. Kinney, as you have said, is now thirty-five." He wasn't unfeeling. He'd encountered enough of these sick bastards to want them all off the street. However, his hands were legally tied on this one.

"What about today? He came into Brian's home and terrorized him, knowing he would terrorize him." Cynthia was searching for anything that would send that fucker to jail. Anything.

"That is one possibility. But the penalties on that are nominal compared to what child rape would procure," the district attorney mused. "And you say that Mr. Simpson is a man of some importance, a businessman in Chicago?"

"Yeah, an executive with his father's company, Simpson Steel." Carl, having worked with this man on several cases could see where his line of thinking was heading. "He probably wouldn't like having something like this leak out to the press, now, would he? Especially if it came out as to exactly why Brian Kinney would feel intimidated by him."

"Detective Horvath, you are treading on dangerous ground here," the prosecutor smirked. "Remember, there can be a fine line between slander and proving someone's remembered truth."

"But if he was charged - and tried - for assault and it happened to come out in some complex court proceeding... or if the defendant thought it might come out..." The prosecutor shrugged again and left the thought hanging. "But it may not even come to that. If this man is as obsessed as you hint he is, he'll fuck himself up."

"He'll be out on bail within twenty-four hours, Carl. You know that. I'm sure he's already on the phone to his attorney." Kaz wanted nothing more than for this monster to be locked up, but he saw the potential for more danger to Brian Kinney when the man was released.

"And Kinnetik will pay for whatever resources we need to make sure he's watched. Every minute of every day." The smug look on Cynthia's face told them that she knew exactly what they were all alluding to.

"Okay, then," Carl sighed, running his hands over his face. "Anyone here have any proof that Kinney voluntarily let him into the loft?" He turned and with a faint smile crinkling the sides of his eyes, said to the group, "Yeah, me either. Looks like I've got some more processing to do down at the office."

*******

It had been nearly two weeks since Emmett had stepped foot inside the Liberty Diner. As far as he was concerned the quaint little restaurant was a part of his past, as securely held in that position as was Hazelhurst High School. They both held fond memories, as well as painful reminders. But... he had promised Theodore and this was a special event. The battle royale was about to begin. He could feel it.

As he jingled the bell over the diner door with his entrance, the proud queen looked around quickly and spotted Teddy sitting alone, staring into a cup in a far back booth. No one else had arrived. Emmett let out a sigh of relief, knowing he had at least a moment of reprieve before he had to face the others.

"Hey, Teddy. Ready for the showdown?" Emmett asked the question as he slid in beside his friend. The pained, knowing look he received in response was enough. They were both dreading today. It would not be pleasant. Brian had been released from the hospital over a week ago and the ‘family' had been hounding both Justin and Cynthia in their relentless campaign to be allowed access to the man. He had fierce protectors in his partner and his business associate, however, and even Teddy and Emmett had not been able to see him. Unlike the rest of the old gang, however, they actually understood - and accepted - the need for Brian's privacy. Today, hopefully, the others would begin to get a clue.

Two by two the rest of the gang arrived. Michael and Ben. Lindsey and Mel. The girls had returned to Pittsburg upon hearing of Brian's release, hoping to get some information, as well as to tell Brian exactly what they had decided on their son's behalf. Today, because they believed this would be an intense and rather adult meeting, they had left Gus and JR with a friend for the day.  Debbie, of course, was already present. Ever-present, actually, Emmett thought.

No one had yet approached the booth where Emmett and Ted were sitting. The separation of Emmett from the family group had been painful for all involved, and the tension was still very much evident. Ted gripped his friend's hand supportively, giving it a squeeze when he felt the slight nervous tremor. "It's okay, Em. It's just the gang. Remember that."

"I think I'll just remember Brian," Emmett sighed. "He's the reason we are all here, after all." Emmett knew Brian was in a therapy session right now, probably another painful one, and he sent as much positive energy out to him as he could. There was really little else he could do for his friend other than support him with his heart and soul.

The bell above the door sounded once again as Justin entered, accompanied by Cynthia, Kaz, Carl and an unfamiliar heavyset, middle-aged man. After they had all entered, Justin turned over the sign, indicating that the business was closed.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Michael jumped to attention. "You can't close the restaurant like that!"

"Actually, Michael, I just did. The owner knows, and we have one hour." The determination on the young man's face was obvious to everyone in the room. One by one he spoke quietly to the remaining few patrons, who nodded their heads silently, and made their exits. He reached into his pocket, taking out several bills and handed them to Debbie. "I think this should more than cover their food, Deb." The stunned woman took the money, staring blankly at it as Justin made his way over to greet Emmett and Ted.

"Well, well. Looks like the asshole finally rubbed off on you." Melanie made her disgust of Brian evident, and the look of disapproval she gave Justin was sharp. The young man simply shook his head and turned his back to his old friend, at once angered and saddened by the way the family had fractured. He faced the rest of the group, his back still to Melanie as he began speaking.

"First, I want to introduce you to Charles Orwin. He is Brian's, and my, personal attorney. Now, I need to say a few things, as does Mr. Orwin, and then - then - you can ask what questions you may have." He paused, collecting his emotions. He just didn't want to lose it today. Not here. Standing next to Justin, Kaz could feel the strain Justin was under and placed a friendly hand on the young man's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.

"Okay, well... I want to start by telling you all how much everything you've done for me over the last several years has meant to me. You became my friends - my family when my own tossed me away. For that, if for nothing else, I owe you all so much. And for being there for Brian when he was young..." Justin's voice broke slightly with emotion, knowing damn well what young Brian went through. "...well... nothing could ever repay you for that. We both have much to thank you for, and we do thank you... But any friendship, any family relationship has boundaries that have to be respected. And right now... now when Brian so desperately needs to feel the respect of those boundaries, several of you are choosing to ignore them. That's why I asked you all to meet me here today, at the diner, because it is somewhat neutral to all of us. It reflects and belongs to all of us. It's no one's ‘territory'."

"You make it sound like some kind of war zone out there, Justin. We aren't fucking enemies here." Debbie couldn't help but feel a bit protective toward this young man who had stolen so much of her heart. But this was family, and family didn't hold out on each other.

"You're right, Debbie. And you are wrong, too. We aren't enemies, we are just really fucking dysfunctional." He actually chuckled a bit at how true that statement was. "But it actually is a war zone out there - for Brian, at least. He may be out of the hospital, but he is far from winning his war."

Kaz guided his exhausted young friend to an empty booth, whispering to him that he probably should sit down for this encounter. Justin nodded his agreement and sat on the edge of the bench seat facing the group of friends he had to address. He was more than a bit surprised at the latitude they were offering him in letting him speak uninterrupted. He didn't expect it to last, but maybe - just maybe they would begin to understand. He made a silent wish for that understanding as he continued speaking.

"Brian and I have struggled, a lot, about whether we should be completely open with you all about what's happening with him. After discussions with each other, with his doctor, as well as with Cynthia and Carl, we decided that I should meet with you all and let you know the basics. There will be nodetails, so don't even ask, please." Justin gratefully accepted the glass of water Cynthia had poured for him. This was much harder than even he thought it would be. "Brian has a... shit - for lack of a better term, a mental illness. He... just isn't himself sometimes and he is learning how to limit those times, to maintain his own identity and stability. His entire understanding of himself had been upended. He desperately needs privacy and security to heal from this. Desperately needs you to respect those needs. Every time you try to interfere, to demand from him, every interruption to his status quo right now causes him a lot of pain and setback... And he's been hurt - deeply hurt - by the thoughtless actions of some of you," Justin's eyes focused on Michael, who rolled his eyes in response, "...and by the inability of others of you to accept that he will talk with you when, and if, he is ready to do so."

"Justin, he's important to us," Lindsey claimed, "...and we have a right to..."

"I'm sorry, Lindsey, the only rights I'm concerned with  at all  right now, are Brian's. And he has the right to choose getting well over everything else. Over everyone else. And you and others are not allowing him to make that choice easily. Brian is a proud man. You all know that. But he is also a very sensitive and vulnerable person, and you not respecting his needs - his fucking medical needs - is actually hurting him." 

"Bullshit. Sensitive and vulnerable? Brian? He's always been an asshole, Justin. You should know that better than anyone." The pure anger and acid in Melanie's words ran through Justin like a sharp blade. Surely they weren't all that ignorant of who Brian really was? The answer, of course, had been apparent for a long time.

Yeah. They were, just that ignorant.

As Justin's body tensed with his own growing anger, he again felt Kaz's reassuring hand.

"I think you need to shut up now, Mel." Emmett got up from his seat next to Ted and stepped closer to his younger friend, showing his support, as well as his own anger. "You really need to shut the fuck up now." 

"Who the fuck are you to tell me to shut up, Emmett? We all know that whatever problems Brian has, mental or otherwise, Brian has brought on himself with a lifetime of fucking everything with a dick and literally sucking down the entire pharmaceutical industry on a nightly basis! Christ!" Mel threw her body back in her seat in frustration.

Justin slowly rose and approached the woman he had thought of as a friend for so many years. He leaned in toward her, his nose nearly touching hers as he hissed, "You know FUCK, Mel."

"Yeah, right," she spit out.

"Brian didn't do a thing to cause the problems he's dealing with right now. Not a damned thing." Of course, Carl knew what the causes were. All too well. And he wanted to spit out the pettiness and cruelty he heard just now.

"Wait a minute, Carl. Mel may be right. All we have is Boy Wonder's word here. We don't even really know what's wrong with Brian." 

"Jesus Christ, Michael!" Justin laughed in frustration, simply not believing the incredible hatred pouring off of these two ‘friends' of Brian's, one full of hatred for Brian and the other full of hatred for Justin. "Do you even realize what you're saying? If Mel is right, then YOU have been pushing Brian into this since you were teenagers!"

"Fuck you, Justin!"

"Enough!" Lindsey stood up and moved to the center of the room. She was angry with her wife for being so callous with her words, but she wasn't entirely convinced that they were untrue. Brian had lived a very provocative life, one that simply screamed ‘danger ahead'. "We need to all calm down. This yelling and blaming will get us nowhere... Justin. Bottom line. When can we speak with Brian? We've been trying to contact him every day for the last week."

"You can't. Not right now."

"The fuck we can't, Justin." Michael's voice was low, angry.

"Excuse me." Mr. Orwin stepped forward. "I think this is where I should step in. As Justin mentioned I am attorney for both Brian and Justin. You have been told repeatedly, here today and on various occasions over the last few weeks, that Brian is not going to be addressing you, any of you, at any point in the near future. But I am addressing you. On the recommendation of Brian's partner and doctor, and having obtained sworn Affidavits from them, I am holding in my office motions to the court requesting Restraining Orders for Michael Novotny and Debra Novotny, as well as for Lindsey Peterson and Melanie Marcus, on the basis that your repeated attempts to contact my clients following their requests that you not do so, are interfering with the medical recovery of Brian Kinney and constitutes harassment. Should you attempt to contact Brian Kinney, Justin Taylor, or Cynthia Moore after this date, the motions will immediately be filed with the court. Believe me, we will obtain the Orders of Restraint. After that time, should any contact be made with any of the above mentioned parties, you will be arrested. Are we clear on this point?" 

"You goddamned assholes!" Melanie stood up and stepped toward Justin. Kaz and Carl moved to flank him.

"You can't fucking do this!" Debbie shouted. "Carl?"

"I'm sorry, Red. They have every legal right to do this. Believe me, this is much more complicated than you know." Carl crossed the room to take Debbie into his arms. He loved the stubborn, hot headed woman more than anything, but she had refused to listen to anything he told her. Brian needed them to stay out of things.

"You tell the great Mr. Kinney that he just lost any hope of seeing Gus again. I'll make sure of that. He can't threaten us with legal action one hand and still think he has any right to see Gus." As she put her arm around her wife's shoulder, she repeated to her, "I'll make sure of that, babe."

"Mel, what about Gus's future? This is his father!" The thought of writing Brian out of Gus's life had never occurred to her. It was not what she wanted. She and Melanie had fought so much over this very issue. She merely wanted Gus's financial future to be secured, for his legacy from Brian to be assured.

"Ms. Marcus, I would rethink that threat if I were you." Mr. Orwin stepped forward, toward Melanie and Lindsey, punctuating his statement. "As I understand it, Brian signed over his parental rights but continued supporting his son financially, which he would not have been required to do by any court of law. I am well aware of the amount Brian has paid during the course of Gus's life, and believe me, even if he had retained parental rights, the amount far exceeds what he would have been required to pay for child support. He has also, according to the financial records, paid for schooling, vacations and even repairs on the house owned by you and Ms. Peterson. The documents relinquishing Brian's rights as a parent were very precise - I believe you prepared those documents yourself, Ms. Marcus - in that there would be no monetary support due, expected or asked for from Brian for the minor child. Accepting, and at times even requesting such child support could be considered an informal contract, or even a nullification of portions of the relinquishment document." He paused for only a moment before adding, "And of course Brian is under no legal compulsion to continue any payments at this time. Is he?"

"That's all bullshit and you know it." Being the lawyer she had been, Melanie was well aware of the potential legal ramifications of accepting the amount of money they had accepted from Brian. At the very least, it could be construed as an agreement to allow a relationship to continue between father and son. She had not, however, in her wildest imaginings considered that Brian would ever force such potential.

"And you certainly know better, Ms. Marcus. As I said, I would rethink your threat." As Charles Orwin finished speaking Justin was left with two realizations - Lindsey and Melanie were not above using their child as a bargaining chip, and they were here for money. He didn't think his spirits could sink any lower after the weeks he and Brian had endured, but... well... he found out they could.

"You came here for money, didn't you?" Justin posed the question directly to Lindsey, no longer even bothering to pretend to like either woman. "You thought Kinnetik would be in trouble and you wanted to get money now. Christ, Linds. You would use Gus? Prey on Brian when he's ill? Who the FUCK are you, Lindsey?"

"I'm Gus's mother!" Lindsey yelled in response. Everyone in the room remained silent, watching the sad drama unfold.

"Fuck you!" Turning to the lawyer, Justin barked, "Make sure you file those motions tomorrow. Don't wait another day. And make sure you include one that restrains anyone of them from contacting any member of Kinnetik's staff about company matters." He stood up and walked toward the door. "Now this meeting is over."

"Justin!" Debbie called to him as he opened the diner door. "Tell me, why us? We have all been family, but you aren't punishing Emmett and Ted. Why us and why not them? I don't understand."

Justin walked over to Debbie and put his arms around her. He truly loved this woman, regardless of the problems she could cause. He kissed her cheek, hugged her tightly and then released her.

"Because they understand, Deb. Because for them, it is about Brian." As he turned to walk out the door, he sadly realized that his earlier wish for their understanding would probably never come true.