His host, Peter, looked over at Brian to see what his reaction was to the stripper.  Mistaking the furious look on his face, he says, "We can leave if this makes you uncomfortable.  I thought..."

"No.  It's fine. The stripper is quite good.  Do you think I can talk to him after the performance?" Brian said calmly, even though he was seething inside.

"Sure.  Sean said he saw the guy a few weeks ago at a birthday party and he stuck around for a while afterwards.  I think he might even have gone home with the guest of honor.  Sean's in a relationship, so he wouldn't take him home, but maybe you can get lucky.  He sure is a looker." Peter said as he watched Justin gyrate across the floor, giving the guests a nice view of his bubble butt. 

"Yes.  He's a real looker."

During his performance, many of the guests went up to tip Justin but Brian decided he wouldn't interrupt the dance, preferring to wait.  When he finished Justin flirted with the owner of Citysites. Brian knew they had no rules especially when the other person wasn't in town, but he was in town and supposed to meet Justin in just a few hours.  It was time to pull out the Kinney charm.

Walking over to the table where Justin and the other men were talking, Brian sat down and waited for Justin to look his way.  In just a quick moment Justin recognized Brian.

"Hi," Justin said awkwardly as he read Brian's face.

Brian looked at the man Justin was talking to and gave him a quiet smirk. "Mind if I borrow our entertainment? He's an old friend of mine and I haven't seen him for awhile."

The man frowned slightly but saw the ease of the two men and nodded. "Maybe when you're done catching up?" he said hopefully.

Justin nodded without agreeing to anything.

Brian searched for a quiet place to talk to Justin but doesn't see anything remote; instead he pulled him into a corner in the back of the room.  "So... this is the mysterious new job?"

"Yeah."

"We need to talk," Brian was just as surprised by the words as Justin was.  Talking things out was for lesbians and he was definitely not a lesbian.

"I know, but I needed..."

"You still planning on coming to the hotel after the party ends or were you planning on going home with one of the guests?"

"I told you I would meet you after work."  Justin looked into Brian's face, recognizing the intense anger and the scrunched brow, indicating he was getting a headache. Knowing he was in trouble, he added, "Unless you've changed your mind?"  Justin put his hand on Brian's neck, pulling his head toward him as he whispered, "I was thinking of you the whole time I was dancing."

Brian pulled back from the embrace and frowned. "No.  I haven't changed my mind.  I'll see you at the hotel, but don't think this discussion is over.  This isn't the time or place to talk."  Brian turned and left Justin in the corner as he sought out his host. 

 "There you are.  I saw you talking to the entertainment.  Setting up something for later on," Peter said as he nudged Brian in the ribs.  "He's one hot number.  Makes me want to wish I wasn't with somebody."

Brian refused to take the bait.  "Thanks for dinner, but I've got a headache.  I'm going to head back to the hotel.  I'll see you in the morning." Brian headed toward the front of the restaurant.

"Sure." Peter followed him. "The New York weather can play havoc on all of us. Let me get you a cab.  I'll talk to you in the morning."

Brian shook his head in acknowledgement.  Luckily a cab came to the curb within a minute.  "I'm looking forward to talking tomorrow," Brian said as he got into the cab.

Still furious with Justin, Brian was too angry to think of their upcoming reunion. When Brian got to the hotel, he poured himself a generous glass of Jim Beam, drinking it down without really tasting the liquor.  Quickly downing several more shots, before he put the bottle away, he reviewed the last several conversations he'd had with Justin. 

"How you doing?"

"Good.  Working and painting."

"Later."

**

Justin hadn't lied, he just hadn't told him the truth.  He was painting more since he wasn't working at the diner.  But he was pedaling his body to make money.  True, he wasn't selling it like he did at Babylon, but pedaling it the same.  I wish he would just let me give him the money.

Since he left at the height of the party, he knew Justin probably wouldn't arrive for at least an hour. He undressed and flipped on the tv while he lay on the bed.  The jarring of the phone woke him from sleep.

"Is this Brian Kinney?"

"Yes."

"Mr. Kinney, there's been an accident involving Justin Taylor.  He lists you as an emergency contact."

Cold shivers ran through his body.  This can't be happening.  "Is he okay?"

"I'm calling from Lenox Hill hospital.  He's in the Emergency room."

"I'll be there right away."

Justin

Justin knew he was in deep trouble with Brian.  He could read the Brian Kinney manual well; he had actually written many chapters in it, and he recognized the telltale fury in Brian's eyes.  He just knew that if he would explain it to him, Brian would be okay with the new job.  He continued to mingle with the guests for another hour or so and then thanked the host for using Strippergrams and was paid for the gig.

Going in the bathroom, he changed into street clothes, preferring not to travel dressed in his work clothing.  New York could be a dangerous place and dressed to the nines, even if his clothes were not expensive, he could be mistaken for someone with money and just asking for a mugging.  Dressed in his cargoes and hoodie, he blended into the crowd.

He walked to the front of the restaurant and hailed a cab.  Brian was waiting for him and he didn't want to take public transportation since it would take twice as long to get to his destination. He knew Brian would listen to reason and then they would have sex all night.  He got hard just thinking of Brian's dick in his ass.  After giving the cabbie the address he closed his eyes, reliving his show, which had garnered him a particularly large tip,  and thinking that maybe he "felt" Brian in the audience resulting in a better than normal performance.

Lives change in an instant.  It only took a moment for Chris Hobbes to swing the bat at Justin's vulnerable head and it only took a moment for the driver of the car to feel around the floor for his cell phone, but at that moment he veered onto the cab that was carrying Justin.  As a passenger he wasn't wearing a seat belt and was flung to the other side of the cab where he lost consciousness as a result of the impact.  When the paramedics pried open the door, he was still unconscious, having hit the same side of his head as he did during the bashing.  Before arriving at the hospital he woke up and the paramedics placed him in an exam room.

The doctor came in, introducing himself. "I'm Dr. Axel.  Do you know where you are?"

Justin looked around at the unfamiliar walls, trying to get his bearings.  "No.  Where am I?"

"You're at Lenox hospital.  You were in a car accident.  Do you remember that?"

Justin thought for a few moments.  He remembered being at a restaurant, dancing and being given tips, but nothing else.  He looked down at his clothing, confused.  "Where are my clothes?  These aren't my clothes." He picked at his gown.

The doctor saw the bag with his belongings and showed them to Justin.  "Are these your clothes?"

Justin peered in the bag, feeling a sense of relief come over him. "Yeah.  Thanks."

"Is there anyone we should call?"

"Um.... I'm not sure."

"Do you know your name?"

Justin blinked several times, trying to force the information to his mind.  Crying at his frustration, "No.... Can you help me?"

The doctor patted his hand.  "We'll do our best.  Right now, why don't you rest and I'll be back."

Justin nodded his head in agreement and lay down on the gurney, closing his eyes in exhaustion.

Dr. Axel found the nurse in charge of admissions.  "It appears that Mr. Taylor has amnesia.  Does he have any contacts in his belongings?"

"Yes.  I already called his emergency contact.  A Mr. Brian Kinney.  He's on his way."

"Good.  Let me know when he arrives.  I'll want to talk to him before he sees Mr. Taylor."

"Okay Dr. Axel."

TBC