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Michael wasn’t worried about anything, he already planned to blame everything on Lindsay anyway. It was perfect since once again Lindsay performed the way he knew she would. She was just so easy to use. Lindsay always wanted to be the one everyone looked at and had lost that when Brian got famous and left her behind. And that was the reason Michael always knew he was more important to Brian. Michael knew he had made mistakes, but he wasn’t going to sit around and wait for Brian to figure out that he should have been the one standing next to him, not the blond shit! Regardless of what the cops and that shithead Corey said, Brian would never let Michael suffer if he could stop it. It didn’t matter that Brian had fired Michael or that he now ignored him because Michael knew it was the blond’s fault. Brian wasn’t thinking straight, and the shit was using his life to influence Brian into wanting him.

 

That was why, in Michael’s head, Brian had turned against him. It was because the blond was offering Brian things he had once wanted. That’s the only reason Lindsay had managed to sink her teeth into Brian at one time. The life they all dreamed of was something the blond asshole had. So Michael figured that was the only reason he was worth anything to Brian. Michael now saw where he went wrong. Reminding Brian of the life they grew up having was the one he shouldn’t have used. Michael spent enough time around the snobby assholes like the Taylors and could see where he went wrong. Collier explained it to him, and Michael realized he gave Brian too much leeway. Michael let Brian have the tricks and never once discouraged it. Instead, he played it up so Brian wouldn’t even try a relationship with him or anyone else. In a way, Brian might have thought that Michael wasn’t willing, so he ended up getting trapped into a marriage with the blond shithead. 

 

It’s why, when Collier suggested that Michael go to the house alone he was willing. Because Collier would get the real problems out of Brian’s life and leave the field open for Michael to explain to Brian that he was ready for them to be together. Collier promised Michael that he’d have a lawyer that would make sure none of the bullshit charges would stick. Michael was also supposed to make sure to blame everything on Lindsay, saying she helped because she didn’t like the way Brian’s marriage got in the way of her ambitions. Seriously, when pointing out Lindsay’s machinations, who in their right mind would think anything but that it was all about her, the way it’s always been since Brian met her. And once again, Michael, being the kind-hearted, sweet man he was, fell for it. He knew he could pull it off. All he had to do was look like the victim, something that always had Brian doing everything he could to protect Michael.

 

Michael looked up at the cop, Anderson, who’d been sitting there with him in the interrogation room. He put on his best puppy dog look and waited for the guy to fall for it. He stopped talking to Michael when he told him he wanted an attorney present and had told him they could wait. Michael didn’t bother to make a call since Collier told him he’d have someone here, but he was getting annoyed as the hours ticked by and no one showed up. He knew that by now Collier had taken Justin. Now Michael wanted to be there to console Brian and show him that he was the one he should really want. He was really tired of being in jail when he should be with Brian, after all, one night sleeping in a cell was ridiculous. The fact that he was still waiting for the lawyer Collier promised was starting to piss him off. So Michael figured it was time to get this show on the road, the one that would get him out of here and to Brian. Plus, being in a cell when the blond was taken pretty much said Michael hadn’t kidnapped him, didn’t it? He couldn’t be blamed when he’d been in custody when that happened.

 

“When do I get to go home?” Michael asked when Anderson didn’t react.

 

The guy just snorted and continued to sit there without answering, like Michael asked a stupid question. “We’re waiting for you to call an attorney, or whoever you think would help you.” He reminded Michael.

 

Michael figured he could at least help himself get out of here so he started talking, wanting to get them to look at Lindsay instead of him. “Look, I didn’t know that I was doing anything wrong. In the past Brian never had me banned from any part of his life, and it wasn’t like I really broke in. I was given the code to get in the house by our mutual friend Lindsay Peterson, who told me Brian needed me. She was tired of the blon… Justin Taylor interfering with her and Brian. Which I understood since Brian’s first priority should have been to the people who stood by him all his life… and his son. She and I both knew if anyone could get Brian to see what Justin was doing it was me. I’ve been his best friend all his life and that interloper was pushing us all out of the way so that he could have Brian all to himself. I mean, look at the shit he did, buying a house in Pittsburgh, forcing Brian to get married to him, and then getting the kid attached to him, all to get Brian. I only wanted to see Brian and get him to listen and see what JUSTIN was doing to him.” Michael said, looking sad.

 

“Okay. But unless you’re willing to waive having your attorney present, then I can’t talk to you.” He reminded Michael.

 

Michael thought about it, and while he remembered Mel’s words about not saying anything without an attorney present if any of them got in trouble, he ignored it like everything else that got in the way of him getting to Brian. “I don’t think what I did was anything a caring friend wouldn’t do when you know your best friend is being taken advantage of by someone else. I think if we talk you’ll see all I was doing was what was best for Brian, and being taken advantage of by the woman who thinks she’s the one who Brian should have married. If anything I’m the one who was just naive in believing Lindsay.”

 

“So she’s to blame?” He asked, not looking convinced.

 

“If you knew her, you’d understand. She wanted to be the queen next to the king. Which in her mind Brian was, and she was smart enough to know that she could only have him all to herself if I was taken out of the picture. I didn’t realize it until Brian started throwing me out of his life. I mistakenly blamed Justin for it, when all along it was her pulling the strings. She needed me out of the way since we both knew that Justin wasn’t going to keep Brian. Once that happened Brian would realize what he did to me was wrong and he would come back to me. Lindsay couldn’t have that, so she used me to make sure Brian thought everything was me, and not her. She and I have always gotten along, so I didn’t think that when she offered me a way to talk to Brian I was doing anything but what he asked her to ask me to do.” He told Anderson.

 

“Which was?” Anderson asked.

 

“She said Brian was regretting the marriage and the way he treated me. He wanted us to talk and possibly work out our relationship. Only, Justin was always around, blocking Brian from having any chance to talk to his best friend.” Michael told him.

 

“Then why bring a member of the press, one that isn’t on favorable terms with the band?” Anderson asked.

 

“He was helping me hide from the press that surrounded the house. It was so no one would recognize me. I didn’t want the press trying to make headlines when all I wanted to do was help Brian. He gets enough of that shit. I mean, look at all the headlines that Justin provoked just to show he got Brian to marry him. I wanted to make sure Brian knew I’d never do that to him. He’s more important to me than having my face in the news. That’s something Lindsay would use. I made sure to tell Bellwether not to expect an exclusive until Brian and I agreed to release our statement.” Michael told him.

 

“Your statement?” Anderson asked.

 

“Well, let's just say Brian might have thought I wasn’t interested in more than friendship from him. I wanted to make sure he knew I didn’t hold his mistake against him.” Michael told him, smiling at the ways Brian would thank him, once he realized that Justin was the mistake.

 

“So Justin got in the way of what you thought should be yours?” Anderson asked, sounding like he finally understood Michael’s side of things.

 

“Brian probably thought I wouldn’t be interested in settling down. We both love the lifestyle being in the band gave us, so he probably thought I wasn’t ready to settle down. I needed to make him see that without Justin in his life, I could give him all the things he thought he was getting with Justin. Once he realized it, Justin wouldn’t be a problem in our lives any longer. I only needed a chance to talk to Brian, and then Justin would have been on his way out.” Michael told him.

 

“How does Justin’s kidnapping play into this?” Anderson asked, hoping the idiot would keep talking.

 

“He wasn’t kidnapped. He WANTED to get away. Collier said that Justin wanted out of the marriage but didn’t know what to do. So Collier told him he would help him. I think you all are way off base with this kidnapping shit, he just wanted away from Brian. You should be pissed that Justin Taylor is wasting your time, since he wanted out.” Michael said, liking the way his story was taking shape. Michael was scowling when Corey walked in but ignored Corey when Brian followed behind him.

 

Michael ignored the way Brian looked wrecked, and the angry look when he looked at him. Michael wasn’t willing to see anything but that Brian was finally there to help him.

 

“Can we get out of here now?” Michael directed at Brian.

 

Corey shook his head. Leave it to Michael to ignore the obvious, such as Brian’s anger directed at him. Of course Anderson saw it.

 

“I know you’re upset and worried, but we do this without you ending up sitting in a cell,” Anderson told Brian.

 

“I won’t say any more unless Brian and I can talk in private,” Michael told all of them.

 

“Sure Michael, how about you and I sit and talk about what you and your partner in crime did to me and the man I FUCKING LOVE,” Brian said, not willing to show Michael anything but his contempt for the asshole he one time thought of as family.

 

“All we wanted was to show you both who you should want. I get that you made a mistake marrying HIM, but we can change that. I’m ready for us to be what we should have been. I’m here and we can forget about HIM, and start from here. You don’t love him, and I know it because for years you keep telling me you love me. Only I know you thought you weren’t good enough for me, but you are now. Justin wanted to get away from you, and caused all this drama when he could have just left as he should have.” Michael told him.

 

“Now? Now, that I’m married, happy, and looking forward to my life? Now, because you think I ever wanted you? So because I am finally happy, you think you should fuck up my life for you? I’m not here for any reason but to get you to tell me where that fucker took MY HUSBAND.” Brian told him.

 

“You don’t need him, I’m here,” Michael said, unwilling to believe anything but that Brian wanted him.

 

“Great, then you can stay here until you rot in hell,” Brian told him, turning to walk out.

 

“Brian, you can’t do this. We were supposed to be together. Remember we talked about us growing old together for years.” Michael pleaded desperately, since, in his mind, Brian was supposed to rescue him, not leave him.

 

Brian took a deep breath before turning around. Corey told him that it would be better if they fed into Michael’s delusions, but the idea that Justin was alone out there with Collier, not knowing what the fucker might do to Justin, only had Brian in a rage. He thought he could do this, but seeing Michael sitting here safe just made him want to wrap his hands around his former friend’s neck and choke the life out him for helping Collier take Justin from him. It took a minute for Brian to put on the mask. The one he once wore to keep people from seeing too much about him. Then after another minute, turned looked to Corey and the detective before looking at Michael again.

 

“Can we talk alone?” Brian asked, ready to play the role Michael wanted.

 

Brian watched as Michael smugly looked at Corey and Anderson like he won. They both walked out like they planned, leaving the camera on. Michael didn’t seem to notice anything but the fact that he finally had Brian alone. It said a lot about Michael, that nothing Brian said less than a couple of minutes ago seem to sink in for the man. 

 

Michael didn’t care what Brian had just said, he decided that was for the benefit of the cop and Corey. Brian had to at least look upset for the others, but once they were alone Michael would be able to get Brian to believe him. Thinking about that, Michael decided to make sure Brian saw it his way. Since Justin was out of the way, it was Lindsay’s turn to go.

 

“I think Lindsay was helping Justin and Collier,” Michael told him, sounding upset for Brian.

 

“Mikey,” Brian said, wanting to smash his fist into the smile Michael couldn’t stop at hearing the childish name Brian called him. “Look, I need to know where Justin is. His parents are on my ass over this and I don’t need this with the changing of labels.” Brian said, hating that he had to make it sound like his music was more important to him.

 

“Why bother to change labels, Vance is willing to take you back,” Michael told him, realizing Brian was finally seeing what was more important.

 

“Vance wanted me to get rid of Ted, and in case you forgot he was also the one who didn’t want you in the band,” Brian told him. 

 

 

“He told me once you resigned with him, that I could be back in. So we could have it all together.” Michael said, making sure to see how Brian reacted to them being together after what he just said. Michael wasn’t stupid enough to think Brian was trying to play him.

 

“Why do you think I wasn’t going to resign? Vance will tell you what you want to hear but once we signed he would have done what he wanted regardless of his promises to you. But I’m confused, when did he talk to you?” Brian asked, treading carefully, apparently, Michael wasn’t as oblivious as they hoped.

 

“Maybe we should get the detective to get Lindsay here since she wanted Justin gone,” Michael said, hoping to avoid the whole ‘talking to Vance’ thing. The last thing he needed was for Brian to talk to Vance and find out Michael and Collier had been there talking to Kip.

 

“She’s already telling them what she knows, but I’m more interested in why you were talking to Vance. I’m asking because no one can find Vance. I’m trying to help you because right now the Taylors want your head for kidnapping.” Brian tells him.

 

“Why me? I was stuck in a cell for nothing except being told by LINDSAY that you need me.” Michael said, again hoping to push the Lindsay angle.

 

“Mikey, I’m just saying it all looks like you and Collier, not Lindsay. In case you haven’t figured it out, everything points to you helping Collier. You don’t seem to get it. Collier’s been stalking Justin for years, and if he has Justin it’s not because Justin wanted anything to do with him. I need to get Justin back so the Taylors will leave you alone because in their eyes you're the one they want the blame to be on. They don’t want a scandal in their set. Which means, even if you didn’t help him, he’s going to use you the way rich people use others to take the blame for everything they do. The Taylors aren’t going to want someone from their circle to be tarnished when Collier had you to take the fall. It’s how it’s done in their world.” Brian said, lying, since the Taylors didn’t fucking care who, just that Justin was home safe.

 

“Once you get me out of here, we’ll rub it in their faces. They can’t touch me, I’ve been here since before Kip took Justin.” Michael tells him, smug in the knowledge that Collier had been right about Michael getting arrested before the kidnapping took place.

 

“Which sounds odd, when according to you, Collier and Lindsay told you that Justin wanted to leave. If that’s true then why would Kip need to do more than open a door?” Brian asked, without showing any signs that Michael slipped on something no one knew yet.

 

“I don’t mean took him, just that he helped Justin get away. He lost everything too when you and Emmett wouldn’t resign with Vanguard. Just like me, helping Justin get away would mean everything could go back since Justin won’t be around to cloud your judgment. I mean, look at what you did to me, I’m YOUR BEST FRIEND, and you turned your back on me for a piece of the blond boy ass you married. Then Lindsay’s stuck out in the cold. All of us could see that HE changed you, not us. If you want to know anything, stop them from looking at me and tell them to look at Lindsay, she’s from that circle. Collier was invited to her family’s circle by her family. She’s the one who constantly wanted people to look up to her by forcing you to have a baby, and then was pissed when you didn’t give her the attention she wanted. What have I ever done but supported you? And now she’s figured out a way to make it sound like I did it all. I’ve always been by your side, helping you, even when you and Emmett threw me out of the band. I was there making sure no one thought they were more to you than a trick. I stood by, letting you have the spotlight, happy just to be with you. I could have given you more than Justin ever could, so who gives a shit that Kip took Justin? He’s gone and now we can finally be together. Brian and Mikey, showing the world we’re gods. Let him go, and we can have the life we should have had if you hadn’t let HIM trap you into marriage. We can be happy, but only if you stop letting HIM get in our way.” Michael ranted.

 

“We can’t because right now you're the one who they think planned the whole thing. Nothing YOU want will happen because you’ll be in jail, since from the looks of everything that happened, Justin didn’t leave willingly.” Brian told him, not sure how much more he could fake for anyone in order to get Michael to say something.

 

Michael started to worry because what Brian was saying was starting to sound more truthful than all the promises Collier made when they planned this out. So far the lawyer hadn’t shown up. Kip wasn’t the one sitting here being asked where he took Justin. And it didn’t seem like anyone was listening to him when he kept trying to pin this on Lindsay. Something that was now puzzling him was that not once did anyone seem to care that he kept bringing up Lindsay. When he was listening to Collier it made sense that they could turn it on, Lindsay and Kip. Yet as far as he could tell they were planning to blame it all on him. And what Brian said made sense, they were all from the same social set, so regardless of what Michael said, they’d ignore anything he said in order to pin this all on him. Only they didn’t get that Michael Charles Novotny could play the victim better than anyone, and Brian and the guys would back him up. It didn’t matter to him that lately, they hadn’t, only that they fell for it enough that Michael remained blameless for years.

 

Michael hung his head, looking beaten down, before looking up at Brian as if lost. “Shit Brian, they convinced me that Justin wanted out. I was only trying to make it easier for you to keep from losing anything. Collier told me Lindsay let him know where Justin was going to be. Only he couldn’t get in with all the security to get Justin out of there. Justin told Lindsay that you were keeping him prisoner in the house and he needed a way to leave without Corey stopping him. I hate to tell you, but Justin felt like you were beneath him. He just needed a way to get away. 

Collier told me that he knew someone who could help but didn’t say who or what he planned to do. I let them convince me this was the best for both of you. Only they were playing me, and I didn’t talk to Justin but what they said made sense. You and Justin were from two different worlds, and like Lindsay and Collier, he got tired of pretending you were worth sticking around for anymore. He’s not like us. He probably hated the way you outshined him and wanted to be back in his world. I mean, he’s wrong, because your Brian Fucking Kinney, and worth more than anyone from his circle could be. In time, you’ll see you made a mistake marrying him, and I promise to be there for you like always. If Lindsay and Collier really did kidnap Justin then we can even raise Gus together, since it’s obvious Lindsay only did it because you were shutting her out, and she used me to take the blame. She isn’t the person I thought she was, she was trying to hurt us.” Michael told him, hoping he looked upset that Lindsay would be out of their lives.

 

“You know what I find interesting about the whole tale you just told?” Brian asked.

 

“What?” Michael asked, not liking that Brian wasn’t looking like he believed Michael.

 

“Let’s start with Lindsay. Yes, she and I haven’t been close for a while but she knows now it’s because of what she did with Gus. Instead of helping you, she went straight to Corey and let him tell her what she should do when you asked her for a way into the house. While you're telling this whole tale of Lindsay being the one who planned to get rid of Justin, she’s been in the background trying to stop you.” Brian told him.

 

“Of course she would, she wanted you to owe her for pretending to help you,” Michael said, brushing off what he didn’t want to hear.

 

“The second thing… Vance is telling us a different story from the hospital. Apparently, when Kip showed up at Vanguard, Vance didn’t know what was going on. So he followed Kip and was in shock that his nephew kidnapped Justin. Kip, being the idiot he is, explained everything to Vance, who tried to get Justin out of there. Since Kip is one for self-preservation, he’s pretty much thrown you and Collier under the bus, since Vance is only willing to help Kip if he tells the truth. One thing that came out was that no one but you and Collier were in on all of this. Help yourself and tell me where Collier is with Justin.” Brian told him.

 

“I want my lawyer,” Michael said looking at the mirror.

 

“Where is he?” Brian asked, no longer pretending anything.

 

Michael hated Brian for everything he never got at that moment. “Good luck, since I’ll never tell you. You deserve to suffer for everything I’ve lost because of you. I hope you spend the rest of your life wishing for the one thing you’ll never have, then you’ll understand what you did to me.”

 

“Say hi to Bubba and the gang who will see you for the bitch you’ve always been,” Brian said walking out the door.

 

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

 

Justin sat silently, looking at the room Collier locked them in. All around him were pictures of his life. Pictures Justin had no idea someone had been taking before his marriage to Brian was announced. He noticed the lack of photos of him recently, but then Brian would have been in every picture taken. He wasn’t sure what to make of the dog sitting there just watching him. The dog was actually friendly and had it’s head on Justin’s lap until the door opened. Then it hurried to the pillow sitting in the corner, laying down. The crazy asshole walking in with lunch as if anything about this situation was normal just added to Justin’s shitty day.

 

“I got all your favorites,” Collier said happily, uncuffing Justin’s hands leaving him still tied to the chair. “So you can eat but they go back on so don’t get any ideas.”

 

“Where are we?” Justin asked.

 

Collier had knocked him out again once they were in the car, so Justin had no idea how long they’d been gone or what day it was. He looked for clues but other than the creepy This Is Your Life surrounding him, not a clue was to be had. The place smelled stale but gave nothing away as far as where they were. When Collier opened the door it looked like a hallway, and when Justin yelled, Collier laughed and told him no one lived near where they were. So that did nothing to help.

 

“You need to eat. With all the drugs in your system, I don’t want you to get sick. We’re finally together and I want us to get to know each other the way it should have been.” Collier told him.

 

“How long have I been here?” Justin asked, not willing to play into Collier’s games until he had some kind of answer.

 

“Justin, why can’t we just enjoy the fact that we’re together and not worry about all the other things?” Collier asked, looking upset.

 

“I just want to know what day it is. It’s like an anniversary when you think about it.” Justin said, trying not to puke.

 

“Oh yes, you’re right. But I’ll tell you next year when we can celebrate it. Can we eat now?” Collier asked, slightly annoyed that Justin wasn’t doing what he wanted and kept asking questions.

 

“Collier, we can pretend all you want, but you have to know no one is going to believe I just walked away from everything. Sitting here eating food and pretending isn’t going to change anything. My family is going to look for me. And trust me, you're going to be the first person they look for. I need to know that you didn’t do something that could get you into trouble, like take me to your parents' house or anywhere anyone knows to look for you.” Justin told him, hoping he sounded like he was concerned for Collier.

 

“No one would think to look for us where we are, trust me,” Collier told him.

 

“How do you know? The first places they're going to look is anywhere your family owns.” Justin told him, hoping Collier was that stupid.

 

“It’s fine Justin, I made sure no one could connect me to this place. Now can we please eat?” Collier said, trying not to get upset at Justin for continuing to act like he wasn’t as happy as Collier was.

 

Justin picked up the asparagus spear, wondering why Collier thought he liked any of the food he brought. While Justin didn’t hate any of it, he wasn’t a big fan of baked chicken breast or asparagus. “I’m not trying to upset you, but I’ve never been a big fan of these,” Justin said waving it around, before letting it drop on the plate.

 

Collier looked at the plates, confused as if he was trying to figure out what he got wrong. “You love this,” Collier told him like that would change Justin’s answer.

 

“I do?” Justin asked as if Collier was an idiot.

 

“It’s what Ethan ordered for the two of you once a week. He wanted to make your evening special when you were at his place. So he asked me to make sure it was there before you came over.” Collier insisted.

 

“Sorry, but whoever it was that Ethan was feeding, it wasn’t me,” Justin told him.

 

Collier looked at the table slowly before standing up, and with both hands holding the table, threw it across the room. Justin expected some reaction but not that one. Collier seemed to calm down for a second.

 

“I’m sorry for ruining our first date, I’ll do better,” Collier told him before going out the door closing it and locking it.

 

Justin watched as the dog walked over and started eating, then tried not to laugh when he realized Collier left his hands free. He listened in case Collier came back, but after untying himself he couldn’t find any way out but the door that Collier locked. Justin looked behind him, not seeing anything that could help. He checked everywhere but if Collier had camera’s there wasn’t one in the room. That at least gave Justin hope that Collier wouldn’t have any idea he was going to be waiting for him. Then he’d make sure that Collier got a locked room of his own for daring to take him from Brian. Justin looked down as the dog looked up hopefully, possibly for food, but Justin was going to believe that it is for him to be successful.

 

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