AT THE CABIN

Justin managed to tear apart the room and wasn’t happy to find the bathroom didn’t have a window either. The only thing worth all the work he’d done was that he found a couple boxes of old crackers, which weren’t great but it was better than going hungry. He didn’t want to sleep but as time continued to pass, he and the dog curled up together. Justin fed the dog some of the crackers, promising it a steak later when they managed to get away from Collier. The dog seemed to revel in the attention Justin gave him, no longer willing to be away from him. As the days went by Justin started to wonder where the hell Collier went, but didn’t let it make him doubt they could get away. 

Justin dreamed of being home with Brian and in some of the dreams they were there with their new baby and Gus. He let those dreams keep him from believing anything but that he would get home to Brian soon. Justin didn’t have a clue how much time had passed, but knew it was days versus hours. 

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

Justin ended up falling asleep again, only to wake when the dog started growling. The dog didn’t run to the bed in the corner, instead he stayed, as if Justin needed his protection. It was four days later that Collier came into the room with Ethan tied up. He threw Ethan in the middle of the room, still angry that Ethan tried to lie to him about the food being wrong. Ethan said Justin always did stuff like that to make him feel like he wasn’t good enough. Ethan, of course, was only worried about his ass, since he didn’t think Collier would like hearing how he was always viewed as inferior to Justin, by not just Collier but by everyone. So he used tricks to make himself feel better and used Collier to make it look like he was living well above his means. In Ethan’s mind, when he cheated on Justin using Collier, it made him feel like he was getting one over on the assholes who thought he wasn’t one of them. Of course, Ethan should have known Collier wouldn’t believe his Angel was anything but perfect, and proceeded to kick Ethan’s ass until he admitted the meals were his favorites and to feed the tricks that for once saw Ethan, not Justin, as the real attraction. 

Ethan lay there, hating Justin Taylor for ruining his entire life by seeing through him and dumping his ass. Ethan lost everything, while Justin went on with his life and it wasn’t fair. Collier withdrew all his support when nothing Ethan tried to do to get Justin back worked. Then blamed Ethan for not doing what he was supposed to do for him. It wasn’t like Collier stood a chance with Justin; hell Justin didn’t seem to know Collier existed. Yet, instead of being mad at Justin for his lack of acknowledgement, Collier made it sound like it was Ethan’s fault he wasn’t in Justin’s inner circle. Which was true, Ethan let everyone know that Collier only wanted to be able to say he knew famous people. It didn’t matter that people looked at Ethan as if to say, ‘then why is he around you’, then looking at Justin as if that was the answer to the question in their minds. 

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

AT ETHAN’S APARTMENT

Ethan had stopped caring about anything but the fact that somehow Collier could make it look like Ethan kidnapped Justin. It made him see that Collier might have been playing Ethan when he thought it was the other way around. Why hadn’t Ethan ever questioned the gift, and how odd the house was? Who the hell needed doors that locked from the outside, or a room with no windows? Ethan knew why he never questioned it, he let his ego take over again, thinking he was the one fooling Collier, not the other way around. He’d questioned why Collier brought them to Ethan’s hideaway and didn't like the answer.

“So no one could link it to me. You really thought I hadn’t been planning this since the first time I introduced you to Justin’s world?” Collier snorted.

“If you wanted him then why take years and why use me?” Ethan asked, trying to stall, for what he wasn’t sure.

“I wanted to finesse my way into his life. The last time I did it wrong.” Collier said, as if any of that made sense to Ethan. Seeing the confusion in Ethan’s eyes, he continued. “I thought the tutor my parents hired was the one. I can admit that was youthful folly, but it taught me that I went about it all wrong, and this time I wanted to get it right. I was confused and thought my tutor returned my feelings and pushed too hard. I ended up having to sit with a therapist who told me that real love couldn’t be forced on someone, they had to see you were the best for them. When I saw Justin I knew I needed to do it differently. Not to try to force him to see me, but be there when you fucked up and pick up the pieces for him. I picked you since you’re worthless at everything you do, and waited for Justin to see how much better he would be with someone who would worship the ground he walked on. Only you drove him completely out of my reach and into that loser’s grasp. You made people think I was like those groupies that slut themselves out to those assholes like HIM.” Coller said, looking ready to finish the beating he started earlier.

Ethan wondered if the therapist released Collier for any reason other than to get away from the crazy ass. Also, he was pissed to be called worthless and let his mouth get in the way of common sense. “Brian Kinney is a lot of things, but a loser isn’t one of them. And those groupies wished he would give them the time of day, but guess what, he doesn’t. Apparently, when he and Justin got together, they were just for show. While he devoted all his attention on Justin.” Ethan didn’t care that he got a fist in the face for that, he was just glad to see Collier not like hearing the truth. 

Even Ethan couldn’t fault Justin’s taste. Brian Kinney was a walking wet dream. Which made sense that he would want Justin, since the same thing applied to the blond. When he was first introduced to Justin, Ethan was on board with Collier’s idea of Justin and Ethan getting together, not of Collier wanting Justin. For a while, Ethan liked everything about Justin, until he started feeling invisible to him. Which was all Justin’s fault for being so good at everything he did. It didn’t matter that Ethan was a music prodigy, just that nothing he did was original, he just played the music others created. In the art world Justin was an original and Ethan was just the guy repeating others’ genius. It didn’t help Ethan’s ego when others heard that Justin married Brian Kinney, who not only sang but created the music he played. Ethan started asking questions about Brian, and found out he had stopped tricking two years earlier. He couldn’t find anyone who could say Brian was anything but faithful to Justin.

Ethan wished he was back on the boat, and out of Collier’s reach. He should have question why Collier wanted his shitty car. Or why Collier wanted him to drive to Vanguard to meet the limo arranged for him. Ethan had been enjoying the outing Collier had arranged a week ago, completely oblivious to what was going on in the world. He really should have questioned the guy who looked like Justin coming on board, but he’d been too busy enjoying himself to question it. Collier told him he wanted to make it up to him for dumping him out in the cold, and Ethan was too happy to care why he changed his mind about it. Collier acted like he got why Ethan was more important than Justin, and Ethan didn’t question it, since it fed his ego. The guy told Ethan to call him Justin, and let him do all the things the real Justin never let Ethan do to him. The guy never asked who Ethan was, and he let himself believe it was because the guy recognized him. The next morning Ethan woke up alone, and when he asked the captain steering the boat where ‘Justin’ was, he told Ethan he thought the blond was with him. Ethan shrugged it off and proceeded to get drunk and sleep off the rest of the trip back to the mainland. Ethan enjoyed the limo ride back to his shitty apartment, thinking it was time for Collier to take care of that too for him, only to end up with a fist in his face as he came through the door. Ethan ended up admitting to everything just to get Collier to stop, since no one in his building would call the cops. Collier knocked Ethan out before dragging him to a car, and now they were sitting in front of the cabin Ethan was planning on selling to get money.

“Look, I don’t really care about what your doing with Justin, but you need to realize people are going to notice that we’re all missing and put it together. It would be better if you let me go so I can give you an alibi or at least keep people from looking here.” Ethan said, hoping Collier believed him. 

“You aren’t really that stupid are you? I want people to see you missing, so when I burn this place to the ground with you in it, people won’t be looking for Justin and me.” Collier said, as if there was nothing wrong with killing Ethan.

“I think they’ll notice the fact that Justin isn’t in there with me. And the fact that you’re missing too.” Ethan pointed out, trying to figure out how his life led him to this.

“This is why I chose you, you’re an idiot. No one is going to look for Justin. They’ll just think you dumped him in the ocean.” Collier smirked.

“All the police have to do is find the guy and your plan would be blown apart. He could tell everyone he was with me.” Ethan told him.

“If he had a clue who you were, maybe, but you know, hustlers don’t care about the trick, just the cash waiting for them. He was also thrilled with the bonus, and probably won’t be back until long after your death stops making the news.” Collier told him.

“How are you paying for all of this?” Ethan asked, since the last he heard Collier was broke.

“My grandfather didn’t trust my parents to look out for me, after the last time.” Collier told him.

“And?” Ethan asked, still trying to think of a plan to get away.

“He gave me money and I used it and money from Michael to make sure everything works out the way I want it too.” Collier told him.

“You think that idiot Michael isn’t going to eventually tell to save his ass?” Ethan told him.

“No, because he’d lose just as much if he told anyone anything. Right now Michael’s safe in jail, which leaves him with an alibi for the night Justin disappeared. I wasn’t anywhere near Justin either, so any good lawyer, which I have great ones, could say they were just looking to blame me instead of actually trying to solve it. Plus, everything points to Michael, since he’s the one trying to get rid of Justin and was very vocal about it. Then we throw you into the mix, the guy hated Justin for seeing you for the loser you are. I mean yeah, people know I wanted Justin, but I never crossed any lines that could point anything at me. Meanwhile, you ran around letting everyone know how Justin ruined your life, and how you wished he’d just disappear.” Collier told him.

“Sure, but you’ve never done anything without someone helping. So if Michael was in jail, there’s still someone who could tell the truth.” Ethan said hoping to throw Collier.

“Kip wanted Justin gone too, so anything he could say would be trying to save his own ass. Hell, everyone knows they wanted revenge for Dark Angel leaving the label. And the fact that Vanguard was being dropped left and right would make anything either of them said sound like they’re trying to cover themselves. If they try to blame it on me my lawyers will make them look like idiots. Also there’s you, when the captain of the boat tells them Justin was on the boat but didn’t leave with you when you landed ashore, who do you think they’re coming after? I made sure the Captain got a note about the disappearance of Justin right after you left the boat and the hustler had a way to leave without anyone seeing him go. Which won’t matter since you won’t be able to tell them anything. 

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

BACK AT THE CABIN

Collier pulled up to the cottage. “Now, we need to get this show on the road. I have things to do and they don’t include listening to you try to act like you’re anything more than a puppet to my plans.” Collier told him, pulling out a knife and taking him to the room Justin was in. 

Ethan looked over to Justin, who looked confused at first, then angry to see him. The dog growled at Collier as he came closer to Justin, making him back off. Collier starred at the dog, as if waiting for it to quietly go back to the bed in the corner. The dog didn’t do anything but growl at the threat to his new master.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to leave you for so long, but I think Ethan owes us both an explanation for my mistake. After that we need to get going, so we can get on with our lives.” Collier told him.

“Why bring Ethan into this? He didn’t owe me anything, other than to not fuck my agent’s PA in my bed.” Justin asked, trying to keep the dog from moving when it kept Collier away from him.

“We needed a way to escape without anyone trying to take you away from me. What better way than to lead everyone to believe Ethan and Michael did it all.” Collier told him, as if this was their plan and not Collier’s alone.

“Why would anyone think it was Ethan? He’s been out of my life for years.” Justin commented.

“And in that time he lost everything, all because you saw him for who he was. We just need to be able to spend time alone together before we come back to our lives. I need you to see that I’m the one you should have wanted, and while I know you’ll see it eventually, right now you’re still blinded by what you think is love with that man. But you’ll see once no one is around that you shouldn’t have lowered yourself to HIM.” Collier explained.

“You really think he’s going to just sit there and take the blame? Ethan will do everything he can to sound like the victim and hero at the same time.” Justin asked, not understanding.

“Thanks?” Ethan said sounding anything but happy with what Justin said.

“Just telling the truth, something that you never liked.” Justin told him.

“No, but dead men can’t talk. Which isn’t something I want, but just what has to happen to anyone who could take you from me.” Collier told him.

“Kip and Vance can, how are you planning on dealing with that?” Justin asked as the dog got even angrier when Collier tried to get closer.

“In his head, no one will believe anything but what his lawyers say. And I thought my ego was big.” Ethan snorted, as Collier jerked him up and put him between the dog and himself.

“They will, and my parents, if they know what’s good for them, are going to do what they do best. Make sure no one ruins the family name, which Justin would understand. His parents wouldn’t want to drag any of our circle through the mud when we have others to get dirty for us. I’m sure they’re thrilled that Justin wanted to get away from the trash he brought into the family.” Collier said, as if Justin’s parents were like the rest of them. 

“You’d be wrong, his family aren’t like the rest of you. They hated me because they said they knew I was using Justin. Unfortunately they were partly right.” Ethan mumbled.

“From what I’ve heard, a few years ago, Justin’s father wasn’t happy with the men Justin got involved with. At the time, I didn’t know it was about Brian Kinney and not you. In fact, he even invited the son of a prominent family to hopefully steer Justin back into the fold. I was a little upset when they overlooked me, but I understood it since my family tended to hide me. So you don’t understand the way I do about his family.” Collier told Ethan.

“Actually my father wanted me happy and tried what he thought was the right thing. Only he changed his mind once he got to know Brian. Unlike with Ethan, he saw Brian wasn’t after anything, which was what really worried him.” Justin said, hoping to figure out a way to get himself and Ethan out of this. Justin might not like Ethan, but he didn’t want anyone dead. 

Collier pulled out handcuffs and threw it at Justin, who let it fall. The dog was agitated and while it would be useful he didn’t want it hurt either.

“Put them on.” Collier demanded.

“Don’t.” Ethan whispered.

“Shut up, or I’ll let you die painfully. I planned to overdose you but I can let you bleed out and let you burn alive.” Collier warned, yanking Ethan’s hair back painfully threatening him with the knife in his face. 

“I’m sorry for everything.” Ethan told Justin, knowing all this started with him.

Justin let go of the dog, praying he wasn’t going to get hurt.The dog snarled and lunged at Collier. Collier was shocked that the dog wasn’t afraid of him, dropping the knife. Collier got up and ran as the dog chased him out of the room and out the door, leaving the door open. Justin looked at Ethan, debating about what to do, he wanted nothing more than to get home to Brian but he couldn’t leave anyone with Collier. He grabbed the knife Collier dropped and got Ethan untied before they went to the door, being careful as he heard the dog still growling in the other room. Ethan and Justin got to the living room in time to see Collier in the car trying to get away from the dog. It was early in the day as far as Justin could tell, but he was more worried about the gun in Collier’s hands, aiming it at them.

“We’ve got to get out of here.” Ethan said, trying to yank Justin in the opposite direction.

Justin whistled once they got around the cottage and were running through the trees. The dog came running when they heard the gun go off, but it no bullets were flying at them. Justin followed Ethan as the dog got to them unharmed. Justin wasn’t sure where they were going, or hell, even where they were. Ethan kept moving, shaking his head for Justin not to ask. They heard what sounded like a phone ringing then the car started and peeled out. They both kept going, not trusting that Collier wouldn’t show back up at the cottage.

“Do you have a phone?” Ethan asked.

“Yeah, sure. That’s why I sat in a room for four days with a dog, because calling someone to get my ass out of there wasn’t preferable to being held prisoner.” Justin said sarcastically.

“Okay, stupid question. He took mine, and the cabin doesn’t have one. So we need to keep going, so we can get home.” Ethan told him as they continued to run.

“Where the hell are we?” Justin asked, hoping it wouldn’t take days to reach a phone.

“West Virginia. I told Collier you wanted a secluded place to relax once and he bought this place.” Ethan told him.

“You’re an asshole you know?” Justin asked him as they continued on, hoping Collier was still far behind them.

“Yeah, but at the time I really thought you’d like it.” Ethan commented.

“So much that you never brought me here.” Justin said sarcastically.

“Okay, so I just wanted a place where no one could tattle on me when I tricked.” Ethan admitted.

“What did I ever see in you?” Justin asked, wishing Ethan had wanted something closer to civilization.

“At least one good thing came of my cheating, I know this place like the back of my hand. Which means we should reach the sheriff's cabin if we keep going. It’s about fifteen miles from my place, closer if we headed to the road, but with Collier driving around it would be better to stick to the woods.This is going to take all day but hopefully Zane is there, but if not we can go in and call him.” Ethan told him, looking unsure of his welcome.

“Zane? Please tell me you just know the sheriff and didn’t do anything that would have him wanting to shoot us instead of help us?” Justin asked.

“I could but I didn’t know he wasn’t the kind to trick. So he sort of got pissed when I acted like we were exclusive then invited him to join Eric and me when he caught us together at my place.” Ethan said, shrugging.

“Hopefully he won’t take out your stupidity on me. Did Collier know you were tricking with the sheriff?” Justin said, smacking Ethan in the head.

“Unless it was about you, Collier never wanted to know.” Ethan muttered, rubbing his head.

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

IN PITTSBURGH

Brian wasn’t sleeping and he wasn’t eating. Every day that passed was slowly killing him, as no answers were coming. Everyone was beside him as Collier’s mother and father were questioned, denying loudly that Collier could be involved. Deb was there, angry that Michael wouldn’t do the right thing and acting as if she owed it to him to help him out of this mess. Ted and Emmett were there to keep Brian from murdering them as they lied to the police. Corey sat in with Collier’s family as they swore he had been home with them. They assured everyone that Collier would be at the station soon to prove their family had nothing to do with anything. They kept bringing up who they were and how Collier had never done anything that could be construed as breaking the law when it concerned Justin Taylor. When asked where Collier was they said they could talk to their lawyer. Finally they agreed to call Collier so he could show up and prove he had nothing to do with this mess. Collier’s mother made a point of saying her son never had issues until Michael Novotny dragged poor Collier into his life. When Corey brought up Collier’s past, his mother ignored him. Collier showed up a couple hours later looking as if he had no clue why anyone wanted him there. When Jen stood up, Collier smiled at her but wasn’t happy to see her standing with Brian.

Corey ignored him as he walked out of the office Carl had Collier’s parent in. Collier stood there watching them, as Corey came closer to Brian. “Do me a favor, when I tell you about the phone call that Carl just got, watch Collier to see how he reacts.” Corey whispered.

“There’s something I need to tell you guys.” Corey said, looking wary about telling Brian. “A boat Captain just called and told us he swears Justin Taylor was on his boat yesterday with Ethan Gold. Only when Ethan left, Justin wasn’t with him. The captain said he hadn't seen the guy who introduced himself as Justin Taylor anywhere the next morning on the boat that was still out in the ocean.” Corey said, loud enough for Collier to hear. Hating the scared look in everyone's faces.

“Why didn't he call before Ethan left?” Craig asked, holding Jen and Molly.

“He thought the guy was still on the yacht, then just assumed Justin was on shore while he'd been busy dealing with Ethan. He said Ethan asked but didn’t seem concerned when the captain said he hadn't seen him that morning. He only called because a message was left saying the police were looking for Justin Taylor.” Corey told him.

“He didn’t think to make sure where everyone was?” Jen asked, scared.

Brian watched as Collier smirked, Collier’s mother came out sneering at Brian. “We don’t appreciate having our name dragged through the mud.” She said directly to Jen.

“We will be going home, and any other questions will be answered through our lawyer.” Collier’s father told them.

As they walked out, Brian and Corey followed, getting to see Collier arguing when his parents insisted he come with them to their hotel. Collier shoved his father and turned to go to a car parked haphazardly. Collier pealed out, with two of Corey’s guy following right behind them. Ted came running out with his keys and throwing them to Brian. Craig came out, getting in with them to follow behind the others. 

“Where is he headed?” Corey asked when his guys answered the phone.

“It looks like he headed west, considering how long it took for Collier to get to us from wherever he really was when his parents called him, we could end up in West Virginia. Which put Ethan’s name being added as a possible place to look.” one of them said through the speaker.

“Why?” Ted asked, before Brian could. 

“He owns property there, which, looking into his financials, he couldn’t afford then, but somehow bought straight out.” Corey told him.

“Since Collier was pretty much paying for Ethan’s life…” Ted left hanging.

“Yeah… it just...” Corey said, not wanting anything about what the call implied to be right.

“Ethan’s a piece of shit, but too lazy to do more than complain.” Brian said, not willing to believe anything but Justin was alive.