Brian looked out the window of the plane as they were leaving the quiet to go home. He and Emmett were sitting together playing with a song they were working on. Corey was reading a book since they were all safe and he could stand down until they landed. Justin was thrilled when Nell offered to let him see her work. All in all they were all relaxed for the first time. After discussing it with everyone else they all decided to buy the island together. It would give them the privacy the rest of the world wasn’t willing to give them. Brian looked over to Ted, who for the first time wasn’t on his phone or dealing with a fire that needed to be put out. The circles under his eyes were gone. In their place was a look Brian knew well, Ted was at peace and Blake had a lot to do with it. It’s how Brian knew Justin was the one he wanted to spend his life with, Justin gave him peace. Now it was time for Brian to make sure Justin had the same things. 

Mel called to let Brian know she found someone to carry the child and had agreed to the terms of no contact with him and Justin. Brian didn’t ask for a name or information because he trusted Mel. They might not have liked each other in the beginning but over time they forged a bond outside of Lindsay. Lindsay… Brian wasn’t sure what to think about her sudden change. Was this some new bullshit or was she really starting to realize what she’d been becoming? Brian wasn’t sure, but hoped for Gus’ sake it was true. Brian wasn’t kidding when he told Lindsay he would support Mel over her, but it wasn’t in any attempt to force Lindsay to deal with her shit. It was for Gus. Brian didn’t want Gus raised by someone who took advantage of his connection to his son. It’s why Justin was different from the beginning. Justin didn’t care who Brian was and never wanted to take advantage of his relationship with him for any reason. 

It’s why he couldn’t understand Lindsay. They had both been raised in powerful families. Brian knew that even if Justin’s family hadn’t supported him, he wouldn’t have done the kind of things Lindsay did in hopes of getting their support or approval. It’s something Brian never liked about Lindsay, she needed other people’s acceptance in order to validate herself. It was something Brian learned after he was famous, that some people weren’t worth the pain they inflicted on you. 

It was the one time Deb disappointed him, but also made him proud. Deb fell for his mother and sister pretending they wanted to reconcile with him. She invited his mother and Claire over to dinner when Brian and Emmett were in town. Brian wasn’t thrilled to walk in to see his mother and sister sitting at the table. They were polite through the whole dinner, and for a minute Brian wanted to believe they could try to be a family. It was also the day he started seeing Michael for the selfish asshole he was, and it also popped any bubble of hope he had that his mother and Claire wanted anything but for Brian to give them the life they felt he owed them. It made Brian really see Michael for the first time. It also made him wonder if he had befriended Michael because he was just like his family. Michael interrupted every conversation to make sure he got credit for everything in Brian’s life. Hell, Michael claimed everything short of giving birth to Brian as a reason he should be credited for anything good in Brian’s world. Which led to Brian’s mother pointing out that without the Novotny’s in his life he wouldn’t have gone down the path of sin. Claire sat there getting angry at all the things Michael raved about before she exploded and told Brian she was tired of him thinking Deb and Michael were better than her and their mother. 

Deb mouthed a silent apology to Brian, then got up and banged her fist on the table to get everyone’s attention. She ordered Joan and Claire out of her house, saying that disrespecting Brian was not tolerated in her house. She then told Michael he could follow them since he was ungrateful for all the things that Brian did for him. She slapped him on the head and asked him where he got off thinking Brian didn’t earn everything he got. Michael of course spouted off about how he was the one who started the band. Which only had Deb ask if that was going to be the excuse for Michael’s failures for the rest of his life. Brian could have told her that nothing she said to Michael, Claire, or his mother mattered to them, but Deb being Deb had to try. After that night Brian blocked any contact with Claire and his mother and no longer saw Michael as anything more than another employee. Although he could thank them all since weeks later he met Justin and found out that not everyone was after a piece of his fame.

“What are you thinking?” Emmett asked, smiling at Justin and Nell looking through her jewelry.

“That we both need to deal with the assholes who think fucking with our partners doesn’t have consequences.” Brian told him.

“I shouldn’t have let Bellwether’s bullshit go unanswered for as long as I have. I plan to make sure Bellwether has to start answering for his life too.” Emmett told him.

“Whatever you two do make sure I know about it before you do it,” Corey tells them, putting down his book.

“I want it so we can do something about Collier. I know what all of you are saying, that the bastard hasn’t done anything we can get him for. I don’t see it that way since in order to just live our lives we ended up on an island. While I like you, Corey, having you live with Justin and me isn’t how I want to spend the rest of our lives.” Brian told him.

“Even if Corey finds a way to deal with Collier, it doesn’t change that we’ll always need security.” Justin reminded Brian, sitting down.

“I could quit now, if it means not dealing with the shit that comes with my life.” Brian told Justin.

“Which wouldn’t change anything, since your fans will live on,” Justin commented.

“We’re not talking about fans.” Brian reminded Justin.

“I just don’t want Collier or Michael to feel like they’ve won.” Justin told him.

“Why would they think they’ve won?” Emmett asked.

“They’re doing whatever they want, and in the end that controls what we can do. Before you say anything, I’m not suggesting we do anything that would put us in a dangerous situation. Instead, I’m just saying that we don’t stop our lives for them.” Justin told him.

“We haven’t let it stop us from things we wanted.” Brian reminded him.

“Other than we have to leave our home if we want to do anything. I know we don’t normally parade ourselves out in public, and I don’t even want that, but what happens if a year from now Collier is still out there? I don’t want anyone to control our lives, and it feels like he is because he’s smart enough to skirt around anything that can get him into trouble.” Justin told him. 

“The only way to get him would be to make him want to come after you, Justin. If we went that route then there’s no telling what he would do.” Corey told him.

“We aren’t going to do anything that could have him willing to hurt everyone to get to me.” Justin told him.

“I won’t let you do anything that could have him near you either.” Brian told Justin.

“I have a suggestion.” Ted said, coming over.

“If it will get Collier away from us, we’re all ears.” Justin told him.

“Emmett is doing an interview with Leda. Why not let her do it at your house? We can allow her to do a photo spread with you and Brian, giving your fans a look into your home life. I know you don’t want your private life out there, but we can limit what she can show, she’ll work with us.” Ted told them.

“How do you see that helping?” Corey asked.

“Because no one is going to miss how connected Brian and Justin are to each other. In the interview with Brandon they only read what was said, but seeing the two of them in pictures you can’t miss the… electricity, between them. Michael and Collier can’t see what obvious to us, because Justin and Brian didn’t want their relationship being part of their public lives.” Ted told them.

“Why would it change anything if the public sees it?” Brian asked.

“Because Ted’s right, you can’t miss that you two love each other when your together. Collier and Michael are still able to convince themselves what they believe is the truth. As long as they have their delusions, Collier doesn’t do anything that could land him in trouble.” Corey told them.

 “What happens when he figures out Justin wants me?” Brian asked.

“He won’t care what he has to do to get to Justin. And I’ll be there to stop anything before he goes too far.” Corey told him.

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

Collier sat in the car with Michael, staring at the house that was surrounded by reporters. He’d been unhappy with Michael talking with Brandon, but Brandon offered them the address to the house no one had been able to find. Collier didn’t like Brandon’s questions but put up with him because he’d been useful. Collier hated everything about the house. Justin buying a house here didn’t make sense when it was far away from everything that was Justin’s life. Justin belonged with the elite, not with some rockstar who’s background wasn’t on par with Justin’s. 

It didn’t make any sense that Justin would tie himself to someone who didn’t fit into the world they were raised in. Collier could admit that Brian was attractive, but to lower himself to marry someone like Brian was one thing Collier could say made him think less of Justin. Collier shook off the thought, not liking the idea of Justin being less than the perfect man for him. Collier saw Brian as a minor distraction for Justin. Eventually, Justin would understand that Collier loved him the way no one else could. He started the car to leave for his next appointment with Alex. Michael refused to talk to Alex after he told him that he was there to help Michael, not feed into his delusions about Brian. Unfortunately, Collier didn’t have a choice since the money from his trust stopped if Alex didn’t report he showed up for his appointments. He’d dropped Michael off at the apartment they were renting, reminding him not to answer anything unless Brandon could give them more information on Brian and Justin.

Alex was waiting as Collier came in and took him straight into his office. Collier didn’t even bother to pretend he and Michael were anything more than two people who wanted the same thing. Alex saw right through it and pretty much told Collier he wanted to work on his unhealthy obsession with Justin. Alex didn’t understand why Collier knew Justin was the one for him. But then he didn’t know the Justin that Collier knew. 

“Is there something you need to tell me?” Alex asked.

“Like what?” Collier asked.

“What you were doing at Brian and Justin’s home?” Alex asked.

“How do you know?” Collier asked.

“Part of my agreement to work with you was also that your family agreed to inform me if you did anything that was counterproductive to the reason you're seeing me,” Alex told him.

“So they have someone watching me?” Collier asked, getting angry.

“Not that I know of, but the security team that watches Brian and Justin informed me they spotted you among the reporters that Michael tipped off to the location of the house,” Alex told him.

“Michael wanted to go, so we went. It’s not like we were the only ones there looking around.” Collier brushed off.

“But you’re the one here with me trying to get you to see that what your doing isn’t going to end with you getting what you want. Justin isn’t going to suddenly decide he should have wanted you because it’s what you want. No matter how angry that makes you to hear me say it, it doesn’t change the reality of the situation. Which is that you need help to get you back to the real world and not one where you believe Justin wants something from someone he doesn’t seem to know.” Alex told him.

“He knows me. I’ve been around him throughout his whole career.” Collier told him.

“As one of the crowd, not anyone close to him.” Alex told him.

“I wasn’t like the rest of them. They only wanted him so they could feel important.” Collier said wanting Alex to see the difference.

“You wanted him to see YOU as important,” Alex commented.

“Which he would have if it wasn’t for the other idiots surrounding him. He should know that no one could love him the way I do. I understand the world he comes from and I sure as hell wouldn’t embarrass him with my past. He shouldn’t want some low born whore when he could be with someone who grew up in his world. Brian couldn’t begin to understand what being from the right family means to us.” Collier told him.

“I want to help you, but you aren’t willing to see that what your doing is unhealthy,” Alex told him.

“What does that mean?” Collier asked.

“I’m only willing to help people who are willing to see they have a problem. In the few sessions we’ve had, we both know you only came to keep your parents from cutting you off. Whether you believe it or not, I want you to get better and to find a way towards a healthy life. So as to what it means, I don’t see any reason to continue unless you’re willing to see that your obsession with Justin is just that, your obsession.” Alex told him.

“I love him. It’s not what your trying to make it into.” Collier told him.

“Collier, he doesn’t love you. In fact, he didn’t even know who you were when they told him it was you who was stalking him.” Alex told him.

“I wasn’t stalking him, we were just in the same places at the same time.” Collier said, not liking the implication.

“The definition of stalking describes everything you’ve been doing with Justin. He doesn’t want your attention, or you, for that matter.” Alex told him.

Collier wanted to smash Alex’s head in with the fucking name plate on his desk. Only he’d knew better than to do anything that could convince his parents to send him back to the last prison they locked him up in. “I just wanted someone who loved me.” Collier told him.

“Everyone wants that Collier, but you can’t make someone love you when they don’t,” Alex told him.

“I need help.” Collier said, watching to see if Alex fell for it.

“I’ll suggest to your mother that she look for someone outside of Pittsburgh, and hope they can see through what you do to get your way,” Alex told him, unwilling to fall for it.

“She’ll do what she’s done her entire life, let me do what I want.” Collier assured him, getting up and leaving.

Alex blew out a breath and made the call that would cut off any money Collier expected from his family. He wanted to help, but Collier was beyond what Alex felt he could do.