Brian studiously avoided any contact with Justin for several days.  Justin began to wonder if he had made another big mistake in his on again off again relationship with Brian Kinney.  He couldn't believe that Brian was going to deny what had happened between them. Finally Justin couldn't stand it any longer and decided he had to confront Brian.

Gradually he began to devise a plan.  His work on the mural in the dress store was drawing to a close.  It looked wonderful. He was very proud of it and decided that he wanted Brian to see what he had done.  He wanted the man to know that he was successful outside of the Quoin. He wanted Brian to acknowledge that he was talented and able to take care of himself and able to make his own decisions, including the one about who he would love.

He walked into the Quoin and saw Jake at the desk.  He knew the whole Quoin was abuzz with what Ty had seen.  He wasn't ashamed of what he and Brian had done, but he didn't like being the topic of conversation for all the employees.

"Hi Jake," he said as he went by not stopping to chat.

"Looking good," Jake said and gave him a thumbs up.

Justin grimaced and kept going.  He knocked on Brian's office door.  Every time he did that he wondered which boy Brian might be fucking when the door opened.

"Enter," Brian called.

Justin opened the door and asked, "Have you got a minute?"

"I'm very busy," Brian replied when he saw Justin standing in front of him.  He continued to shuffle papers.

"Brian," Justin said seriously.  "I want you to do one favor for me.  After you've done that and I've told you some things, I'll sell you my shares if you want me to."

Brian's eyes shot up to meet Justin's when he heard mention of the shares.

"That can't be all he's interested in," Justin thought.  "It just can't be." He stared back at Brian. "So will you come with me?" Justin asked aloud.

"Where?"

"Just come.  No questions, no explanations.  You'll see."

"And then you'll sell me your shares?"  Brian wanted to be sure.

"If you want them."

"Okay, let's go."

Justin told Brian where to drive as they made their way back into the heart of Chicago.  Brian remained silent but Justin was sure he was very curious about where Justin was taking him.  Justin directed Brian to part the Jeep in a lot near the store where he had almost completed his mural.

"We're going to walk a bit and then I want you to look at something," Justin explained.  "Don't say anything until you've thought about it."

Brian looked at Justin trying to figure out what was going on.  Justin merely smiled. They walked side by side to a back entrance of the store.  Justin knocked and a workman let him in.

"Where the fuck are we?" Brian demanded not relishing the idea of picking his way through a work zone.

"No talking," Justin replied and led him through the store to the front.  Finally they came around a partition. Justin stopped and turned towards Brian.  "Look at this," he said pointing to something behind Brian.

Brian turned and stifled a gasp.  Justin's mural was magnificent. He knew it was his work immediately.  The woman was beautiful and the concept was striking. Justin waited. Brian continued to study what was in front of him, especially the final figure of the woman.

"So what do you think?" Justin had to ask.

"I think you're very talented," Brian said simply.

"Is that all?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"Nothing, I guess.  We can go now."

Brian realized that he had hurt Justin.  That hadn't been his intent. "Wait. I think this is spectacular, Justin."

Justin smiled a little at that statement.  "Did you notice anything else?"

Brian made a little face.  "Yes."

"Tell me," Justin said testing him.

"You're going to make me say it, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"She has Daphne's hair and Lindsay's lips."

"Good."

"And my eyes," Brian said slowly.

Justin grinned.  He had seen it. "Right, and my mother's nose."

"No shit!"  Brian looked more closely.  "So what's the point?" he asked turning cold again.  "You're talented and can create a dream woman. I'm impressed.  Is that what you wanted me to say?"

"I didn't want you to say anything.  I wanted you to see my work. I wanted you to know that I am successful.  But I wanted you to acknowledge how you still creep into my life in the most unexpected ways.  I do love you. I always will. You can't stop me from doing that."

Brian grimaced.  "I don't want your love."

"I think you do, Brian.  You've pushed me away time and again because you think you're not worthy and I'll be better off with someone else.  So here I am. I've got a successful life, I'm pursuing my art and I'm independent, but I'm still in love with you."  Brian's shudder was palpable. "And I can't really say that I'm happy either."

"Happy?  Nobody's really happy."

"We were for awhile.  I want that again."

"Not with me," Brian said sadly.

"Only with you.  The other day in the fantasy room was the happiest I've been in two years.  Wasn't it the same for you?"

"I … I don't do happy."

"You could if you'd let yourself."

"Justin, we'd just end up hurting each other all over again," Brian said looking at the floor.

"I'm willing to take that chance."

"I'm not.  It hurts too much," Brian admitted in a rare show of honesty about his feelings.

"There are no guarantees in life, but I want to be with you.  I know that above all else. I need to be with you, and I think you need me, even if you don't want to admit it."

"We are such a disaster," Brian said slowly.  "Look at all the things that have happened to us and that we've done to each other since we've been together.  We should keep our distance."

"I don't want to settle for that, for some safe little world where I go through the motions every day and have nobody to share the good and bad stuff with.  That's not really living."

"You'll find someone to share your life.  You have so … much to offer."

"I've found someone to share my life with … if he'd let me."

Brian sighed seeing that he wasn't convincing Justin of anything.  "Can we go now?" he asked.

"There's one more part to this excursion," Justin said willing to let it rest for a moment.

"What next?"

"Come with me and you'll see."

Justin led him back through the store and out the rear door.  They walked to the street and Justin led them back past where they had parked the Jeep.

"Where are we going?" Brian asked.

"No questions.  You'll find out in a minute."

They walked a bit further and then Justin turned them in towards a brownstone style building nestled in between a couple of other similar buildings.  Justin opened the door and Brian followed him in under a sign that said Serendipity Spa.

"Is Margo around?" Justin asked the girl at the counter.

"She's expecting you," the girl replied.  "Go right in."

"Who's Margo?" Brian asked.

"Sh," was all Justin said as he knocked on a door.

The door opened and a beautiful probably middle-aged woman extended her hand.  "Justin, come in please. And this must be Brian." She shook his hand and indicated chairs for them to sit.

Brian looked askance at Justin.  He looked baffled by what was going on.  Justin merely smiled.

"I love your sketches for the mural in the massage room," she said to Justin.

"Thanks," Justin said.  "Have you thought about the other matter we discussed?"

"Yes, I'd like to discuss that with Mr. Kinney."

"Discuss what?" Brian asked looking from one to the other.

"Justin tells me that you used to be in advertising," Margo stated.

"A lifetime ago," Brian acknowledged squirming in his chair.  It was evident that he didn't like where this was going.

"Not so long ago," Margo replied.  "I remember those Brown Athletic ads.  They were hot."

"So I've been told," Brian admitted grudgingly.

"Let me get to the point," Margo said glancing at Justin for permission.  He nodded and shrugged. "This spa has been extremely successful. I have one under construction in Detroit and I think with the right promotion I can open more in several other cities.  I've been scouting properties in Cleveland and New York."

"Good for you," Brian said uncharitably.

"Justin and I have discussed the possibility of you designing an advertising campaign for my chain of spas."

"Have you now?" Brian asked looking daggers at Justin.  "I don't do advertising anymore."

"If you could come up with something as good as the Brown Athletics campaign, I know it would really solidify the success of this venture."

"I'm not interested," Brian said firmly.

"Justin said you would probably tell me that, but I had to try.  I really do like your work."

"Ms. … Margo … get somebody else.  There are lots of advertising firms in Chicago."

"I know, and I've talked to several of them, but I'd like your take on it."  Brian shook his head. "Don't say no immediately. Think about it for a week and then call me with your decision.  Please."

"I don't see the point," Brian protested.

"Give it the week and then let me know," she persisted.

"Fine," Brian replied and stood up.  "Can we go now, Justin?"

"Thanks, Margo," Justin said and they walked out of her office.

Brian was ahead of Justin as he marched down the street to the Jeep.  Justin was almost running to keep up with Brian's long strides. Justin had known that Brian would be angry, but he hoped the man would get over it and would seize this opportunity.

When they reached the Jeep Brian rounded on him.  "Where the fuck do you get off orchestrating something like that?"

"I just … Margo said … wanted someone … told her about you … good opportunity," Justin stammered.

"I don't want you fucking providing me with opportunities.  I told you that advertising is finished for me, so stay the fuck out of my life!"  Brian was practically screaming.

Justin had only seen Brian this mad once before, right after he discovered that the loft had been robbed when Justin hadn't set the alarm.  He cringed at Brian's words. Anger was one thing, this was close to hysteria.

"I assume you can get your meddling ass home from here," Brian said opening the door to the Jeep.  "Bring you shares to me at the Quoin within forty-eight hours. I'm buying you out!"

Brian slammed the Jeep in gear and peeled off across the parking lot.  He screeched to a stop to pay the attendant and then peeled out into the street and was quickly out of sight.

Justin let out the breath he had been holding.  He wanted to cry. He had been sure that Brian wasn't all that happy at the Quoin.  He knew that he wouldn't like Justin's interference, but he had hoped that Brian would at least consider the offer to get back into advertising.  He had been so wrong. Fuck, he had made a mess of everything. Now he was obligated to sell Brian his shares, and he would probably never see Brian again unless he could buy a night with him at the Quoin.

Wearily he set off to catch the bus that would start him on the route back to his apartment.

                                                               -----

Forty-eight hours later Justin got out of the cab in front of the Quoin.  He held a folder containing his stock certificates in his left hand as he paid the driver.  He looked up at the elegant façade of the old mansion. This would probably be the last time he would see the place … or Brian.

He had heard nothing from the man since he had careened away in the Jeep.  He had hoped against hope that a day or two of thinking about Margo's proposal might have softened him, that maybe he would reconsider.  Justin had talked to Margo before he had left for the Quoin. She hadn't heard word one either. He supposed that Brian was still pissed.  Maybe the shares would cheer him up.

If nothing else he wanted Brian to be happy.  He had thought that the chance to get back into advertising would appeal to him and make him see new possibilities in his life.  He had had it all planned out. That's why he had arranged the sneak attack with Margo. He knew Brian would simply refuse to consider the offer if he had told him about it before he took him to see the spa owner.  As it had turned out, it probably wouldn't have made any difference. His plans were a total waste.

He walked up the steps and opened the front door.  He saw Jake at the desk once again.

"You're back," Jake said.  "I've missed you the last couple of days."

"Missed me?  Didn't Brian tell you that he's buying me out?  I won't be back after today."

"No, he never said anything.  In fact he's been kind of quiet, holed up in his office," Jake whispered like Brian might be around the corner listening to him.  "I'm sorry that you're leaving, Justin. It was a lot more interesting with you around. There won't be anybody to torture him. We mere underlings wouldn't dare."

Justin chuckled in spite of himself.  "He'll be a lot better off without me bugging him and disrupting his life," Justin said.

"I doubt that."

Justin wondered what Jake meant by that.  "I need to see him. We're finalizing the transfer of the shares."

"Just a minute," Jake said.  He buzzed Brian's office and explained that Justin was there.  "He says to go on in."

"Thanks," Justin said taking a deep breath and girding himself for his last encounter with Brian.  He fully expected to be told never to darken Brian's doorway again. He made his way to Brian's office.

He tapped gently and heard, "Enter."  He prayed Brian wasn't fucking one of the Quoin boys on his desk.  Brian sat smugly behind his desk. Justin looked at him in surprise.  Smug wasn't what he had expected, pissed off, maybe even a little sad, but not smug.

"I brought the shares," Justin said.

"Sit down," Brian replied curtly.

"Do you have my check?"

"You'd be quite well off if you sold me those shares, you know," Brian said with a smirk.

"I thought that's what we were doing," Justin said in bewilderment.

"Maybe," Brian replied.

Justin was getting a very strange vibe from the man.  It almost seemed like he was excited about something. Did the fucking shares turn him on like that?  "What's going on?"

"I have one favor to ask of you," Brian said mimicking Justin's words of a few days ago.  "After we've done that and I've said a few things, I'll buy your shares if you still want me to."

Justin frowned wondering what the man had cooked up to throw him off his game this time.  Was he pushing him over some other fucking cliff? "Brian…" he started to protest.

"Don't say anything.  Just look at this and after you've thought about it, tell me what you think."  Brian walked over to an easel that was in the corner. Justin hadn't paid any attention to it before.  It was draped with a cloth. Brian pulled the cloth away in one deft movement.

Justin gaped at what was underneath and stifled a gasp.  It was an ad for the Serendipity Spa. Brian had obviously made it on the computer, printing some pictures that he had found and assembling them.  It showed a beautiful couple in skimpy swimsuits lying on a tropical beach. Across the top it said, "Make Serendipity happen for you." At the bottom in smaller lettering it said, "Live the life you want.  It all begins at Serendipity Spa." Justin continued to stare at the mock-up. It was good, very good, but he knew exactly what he would do to improve it.

"So what do you think?" Brian asked finally.  Justin could almost feel the man bursting with excitement.

"I think the artwork could use some improvement."

Brian's energy level dropped several degrees at Justin's criticism.  "I know the artwork sucks. I did it myself," Brian explained with a grimace.  "It took me all night."

Justin grinned.  "The ad's spectacular, Brian.  I love the concept and the slogan is right on."

Brian beamed at him.  "It felt good doing it.  It felt right. I was … happy while I worked on it.

Justin's smile grew bigger.  "I'm so glad you said that. That's why I tricked you into meeting Margo.  I knew you weren't done with advertising."

"I don't know how you could know that when I didn't know it myself," Brian said.

"I told you a long time ago that I'm on to you.  It still applies." They grinned at each other. "Margo's going to love it, but the artwork does suck.  I could help you with that … if you wanted?"

"I was hoping you might volunteer," Brian grinned.

"Volunteer?  Hell, I expect to be paid," Justin teased.  "So, do you still want to buy my shares?" he asked praying that Brian would give him the right answer.

"Not unless you want to get rid of them."

"Actually I do."

"Oh?"  Brian's face fell. Obviously that wasn't the answer he had expected.

"I've been thinking," Justin began holding his breath in anticipation of Brian's reaction.  "If my shares are worth what you offered, then together our shares should be worth a million dollars.  God, I can't believe I said that."

Brian nodded his agreement with Justin's figures.  "Maybe more."

"If we both sold our shares would we have enough to start an advertising agency here in Chicago?"  Justin closed his eyes praying that Brian didn't explode at him.

"I believe that would get us off to a good start," Brian said softly.

"As partners?" Justin asked.

"As partners, but what kind of partnership would it be?"

"An equal one."

"That goes without saying.  I meant would it be just a business partnership or something more," Brian said almost shyly.

"Oh, definitely something more, if that's what you want."

"That's what I want, Sunshine."

Justin literally leapt from his chair and threw himself into Brian's arms.  The kiss was intense but also soft and sweet. It was a kiss between friends and lovers and partners.  "When did you make this decision? I was so scared coming here today that this would be the last time I ever saw you?  You had me so worried. I want you to be happy, and I want to be happy with you."

"I want that too.  When the idea for the ad hit me last night I started smiling and I don't think I've stopped since.  I got working on the ad right away and I haven't enjoyed anything so much in a long time. Well, except for the other day in the fantasy suite."  Justin grinned up at him still clinging to his neck. "It was exhilarating. I realized how much I missed advertising. And I had you to thank for giving that back to me.  You do make me happy. I want us to be happy together."

"That is exactly what I was hoping for when I took you to meet Margo.  I love you, Brian Kinney."

"I love you too, partner."

"Partners, I love the sound of that."  Justin released Brian and did a little happy dance around him.

"I like the sound of it too," Brian said his voice filled with lust.  "Come here, partner."

Brian's arms enveloped him and the kiss that ensued seared their lips together.  The artwork for the ad could wait a little longer as Brian and Justin sank onto the couch still locked together.