ALEX WILDER'S OFFICE

"Are you sure we can continue our session now?" Alex asked gently and was glad to see Justin nodding in agreement. "Okay Justin, tell me how you feel most of the time."

"I... sometimes I feel dirty and then I want to take a shower and wash the dirt away but no matter how hard I scrub, it's still there. I thought..." Justin stopped, trying to find the courage to go on. He didn't want to hurt or worry Brian but he knew he had to be honest. "I sometimes think about taking a knife or a razor blade and rip the dirt off my skin but when I tried once I only hurt myself but I have to admit that it felt kind of... freeing." He admitted.

"Justin..." Brian grasped but Alex stopped him.

"How does it feel freeing to you, Justin? Can you try to explain that?" Alex asked and hoped for Justin to get it off his chest. It was a huge step to admit self harm.

"It was just... freeing you know. I could control it. I caused the pain, not someone else." He said quietly.

"God Justin." Brian said, the shock and pain clearly recognizable in his voice.

"Do you feel the urge to do it, Justin? Or did it just happen once?" Alex continued. Justin looked at Brian before he took a deep breath.

"Since it happened yes, sometimes I get the urge." He admitted.

"When Justin? When do you get the urge?" Brian wanted to know.

"When I wake up after a nightmare, when I think of... Ethan and what he did to me. When I want to just be close to you. When my mom or Daphne hug me." Justin said inbetween sobs.

Brian's eyes widened in disbelief. Justin's confession shook him and he wondered why he didn't notice the signs.

"Did you tell Brian how you feel?" Alex asked, hoping he read Brian's face right.

"No. I couldn't. Brian is so wonderful." Justin said and turned to look at his lover with a honest smile. "I don't think I could cope without him. He gives me space when I need it but holds me when I need it, too. He's so understanding and sweet and gentle with me. The last thing I want to do is worry him more than he already does."

"Justin of course I worry. You're my partner... my... my everything! I want to be there for you. I might not always know what to do or say but I want to help you. You have to let me in to do that. I wasn't the one they did all this shit to." Brian said but Alex and Justin both interrupted him.

"No Brian! They did this to us!" Justin said.

"That's where you are wrong Brian. They might have not done anything to you directly but it still affects you." Alex told him.

Brian sighed and took a deep breath, pinching his nose before he answered, "Yeah that's true. But I don't want Justin to deal with this himself. We're in this together and I want for us to heal together." He said looking at Justin.

1 WEEK LATER

COURT

"Mr. Novotny, would you please tell the Jury why you hate Justin Taylor and Brian Kinney?" Frank Engelhard asked.

"I don't hate Brian!" Michael yelled.

"You don't? Then why did you try to kill his partner and daughter?" He asked curiously.

"Because Justin is a cheating whore who only uses Brian for his body and money." The comic geek replied.

"And what does that have to do with you, Mr. Novotny?" Frank wanted to know.

"Brian is my best friend and I look out for him. Justin manipulates him all the time. He's not my Brian anymore." Michael explained.

"Your Brian? Do you mean he isn't the Brian you could go to when you had money problems? Or when you did something wrong and needed him to fix it? The Brian who was lonely and needed alcohol and drugs to deal with his childhood and emotions?" The lawyer asked and Michael looked like he saw a ghost.

"My son and I took care of the asshole when he had no one! He would be nothing without us." Debbie shouted, interrupting.

The judge, August McFaydor, looked at the waitress in disgust. "Quiet! I don't allow such behavior in my court."

"Thank you your Honor." Frank said before he turned back to Michael. "You did nothing to help when Ethan Gold raped him. According to the statements you made in interrogation, you enjoyed watching suffer. Your hatred towards Justin Taylor comes from him being who Brian Kinney wants. Did I get that right, Mr. Novotny?"

"Brian promised me! He loves me, 'always have, always will'. That's what he always said." Michael said in a 'duh' voice.

"As a friend. Brian Kinney has told us that he never had the intention to become romantically involved with you. In fact, he wasn't even interested in a one time fling with you. Surely you know that?" Frank urged.

"NO!" Michael shouted. "Brian loves me, only me. Justin is just a trick." Frank just smirked. Novotny had no chance to get out of this. Lindsay Peterson would be harder tho.

COURT - BREAK ROOM

Brian was frozen in place. The full force of Michael's hatred for Justin hit him once again but before he could find any excuse to blame himself for this mess, Justin turned to him.

"I'm so sorry, Brian I wish you wouldn't sit in there and listen to them." The blonde said quietly.

"There's no place where I'd rather be, Justin. Wherever you are is where I will be. I was just thinking that all of this is my fault but it really isn't. Michael did this. Lindsay and Ethan, too. They did it because of me but that's because they don't want to accept my choices. And no matter what they might say or do Justin, my choice will always be you." Brian vowed and was gifted not only by Justin's bright smile but also a passionate kiss from his sunshine.

"I love you, Justin." Brian whispered.

"And I love you, Brian." Justin whispered back.

COURT - BREAK ROOM

ALEX' THOUGHTS

'God, that guy is so sick. How can a human being enjoy watching someone being raped? That's as bad as being the rapist. I'm looking forward to Lindsay and Ethan's hearings.' Alex thought.

BACK IN COURT

"Mr. Gold, why did you help and in their kidnapping and torturing of Justin Taylor?" Frank began questioning Ethan.

"I didn't torture him! I love Justin, he's my angel. I tried to comfort him." Ethan told him.

"By raping him?" Frank continued.

"I didn't rape him. I would never hurt Justin, I love him." Ethan said, desperation in his voice.

"Was Mr Taylor awake when you 'comforted' him?" Frank asked.

"No. No he was shivering and in pain." Ethan answered.

"Did he tell you that he wanted you to 'comfort' him?" Frank urged.

"No, he wasn't able to speak." Ethan admitted quietly.

"So, Mr Taylor was not awake, he was in clear discomfort and he didn't verbally agree to have sex with you. That is called rape, Mr Gold." Frank explained.

"I wanted to help him." That was all Ethan said before he began to sob.

"No more questions." Frank dismissed Ethan and his tears.

30 MINUTES LATER

"Mrs Peterson, you know why we are here. Would you like to explain your actions?" Frank acted bored.

"I did what I thought was best for Brian and our son Gus. He shouldn't be replaced by Justin's brat." The blonde woman seethed.

"Oh, I wasn't aware that Brian Kinney didn't intend to keep taking care of his son?" Frank said.

"He wouldn't say that but that was Justin's intention. He wanted Brian and all his money for himself. Justin never understood that Brian cared more about Michael and I. We are his true friends and Justin was jealous." Lindsay said.

"Justin Taylor's jealousy? Do you still think what you did was 'the best for Mr Kinney' as you said so?" Frank wanted to know. Lindsay's answer would help the Jury to see how evil she really was.

"Yes, of course. Brian was so busy catering to Justin's every whim that he couldn't even visit me or Michael in prison." Lindsay sneered.

"No more questions, your Honor." Frank smiled and sat down.

The judge stood up and turned to the Jury. "Please go to the chambers and make your decision."

TBC