///~///~

 Chapter 12 - That’s It!

Justin didn’t wake up until late on Saturday morning. Not only had he been up half the night but, since he was still grounded, there was no real reason to get up early. At least, once he’d finally talked Brian down after the vision they’d shared in the middle of the night, he’d managed to get through the rest of the night without any further mental field trips.

The youth rolled over in bed and snuggled deeper under the covers, not eager to leave the warmth of his bed. A quick glance over at the window revealed heavy, ominous-looking clouds. If it was going to snow, maybe being stuck inside wasn’t such a bad thing after all? Then Justin remembered the panic-stricken father he’d had to talk down only a few hours past and knew he couldn’t just sit around all day doing nothing, regardless of the weather report. 

Brian needed him. Gus needed him. He had to find a way to get out of being grounded. For that, he needed a plan.

Grabbing his copy of Ulysses off the floor - where it had landed sometime in the wee hours of the morning when he’d finally wound down enough from his disturbing vision to fall asleep - he headed downstairs. 

“Good morning, Honey.” Justin found his mother seated at the kitchen table, sipping from a mug of coffee and reading the newspaper. “It’s about time you rolled out of bed.” She pointed him towards the stove. “There’s still some eggs left. You can make some toast to go with it and the orange juice is in the fridge.”

“Thanks.” Justin popped two slices of wheat bread into the toaster, pulled out a plate from the cupboard, and began to scrape the remaining scrambled eggs out of the pan. “Where’s Molly? She didn’t come in to bug me once this morning.”

“She had a Lego Robotics thing with her Girl Scout troop today. Your father dropped her off on his way to the store,” Jennifer answered, smiling over at her eldest child. “You should have seen how excited she was when she and your father left. She said she was going to build the next Mars Rover.”

“Geek,” Justin commented.

“Well I, for one, am fully in favor of more geeks in the family,” Jenn maintained as she returned to her paper. 

Justin didn’t bother to respond; he was too busy devouring his breakfast. But as soon as the beast in his belly was at least partially appeased, he started to think about his Help Brian and Find Gus Plan. Unfortunately, step one of that plan involved somehow getting out of being grounded, which wasn’t going to be easy. From past experience, he was well aware of how infrequently his mother would ever go against her husband’s directives. Jennifer might try to talk Craig out of some of his more draconian actions, but she rarely countered them once he’d laid down the law the way he had the day before. At least not overtly. But maybe there was a way to tweak things just a little?

As soon as Justin finished his breakfast he jumped up to rinse his dishes and put them in the dishwasher - not something he usually bothered with, but getting on his mother’s good side by voluntarily doing chores wasn’t a bad idea, right? - and then he helped himself to a cup of his mom’s coffee before joining her back at the table.

“I’m really sorry about not letting you know where I was going yesterday, Mom,” he started off, hoping he sounded adequately apologetic. “I realize that was inconsiderate. I just wanted to help though, you know?” 

Justin could feel his mother’s empathy levels ramping up. Jennifer smiled at her son and nodded understandingly. He sensed there was a ‘but’ coming, though, and hurried on to the topic he really wanted to discuss. 

“I want you to know that I stayed up late and made sure I got caught up on all the classwork I missed. I’m 100% up to date on everything. Except for the book presentation project that Daphne, September and I are supposed to prepare for Ulysses. We were planning to work on that together this weekend.” 

Justin consoled himself that he wasn’t lying, since they really had planned to start talking about what they’d do on their project this weekend . . . Even though the project itself wasn’t due for another three weeks. 

“And I know I’m grounded, but do you think I could still go over to Daph’s this afternoon for a bit? I don’t want to be the reason the whole group gets behind,” he pleaded, putting on the most innocent look he could manufacture.

“I don’t know, Justin. Your father was pretty adamant about you learning your lesson . . .” Jennifer started to waffle.

“I know,” Justin responded, trying to sound reasonable rather than manipulative, “but I thought the lesson I was supposed to learn was how important my education was, right? So, how is failing on this book presentation going to further that aim? Dad said he wanted me to spend the weekend doing my homework. Well, this is part of my homework, so . . .”

Jennifer sighed and nodded. Justin had to squelch the smile that wanted to burst out across his face; he could already feel that he’d won her over, but it wouldn’t do to gloat. Instead, he pretended to wait patiently for his mother’s decision. 

“Well, I don’t want you to let the girls down,” Jennifer began. “I suppose your father wouldn’t object too much . . . As long as all your other work is caught up?”

“It is. I stayed up late last night and got it all done. I’m even a couple of chapters ahead in English.”

She totally capitulated. “Fine. You can go. But you better get an ‘A’ on that presentation or your father will read you the riot act.”

Justin jumped up and skipped around the table to hug his mother. “Thanks, Mom. I’m sure we’ll rock the project - like always.”

Twenty minutes later he was dressed and showered and jogging up the front walk to his best friend’s house with a huge smile on his face. He was such a frequent visitor to the house that Daphne’s mother didn’t even look surprised when she opened the door. She simply offered a smile and said a quick hello as the youth sidled past her, headed for the stairs. As expected on a lazy Saturday, Daphne was sprawled out on her bed, headphones leaking some loud heavy-bass beats, while devouring a tattered paperback romance novel.

Justin plopped down next to her, startling the girl out of her fantasy world with a, “hey.”

“Well, it’s about time you got your butt over here and explained what the hell happened yesterday!” Daph exclaimed, hitting him on the shoulder with her book. 

“I texted you, like, a dozen times yesterday.”

“‘Shit’s getting intense’, ‘you’re gonna scream when I tell you what happened’, and ‘I fucking got grounded. Tell you tomorrow’, don’t count, you loser,” Daph replied, donning the same disapproving look her mother used to get when they were kids and would break something while rough-housing. “What happened, Justin? How did Brian take your revelation? Did he believe you? I saw another report about the kidnapping on the news last night but they didn’t say much; only asked that anyone who might have been at the park or seen something come forward. Doesn’t seem like that would have kept you all fucking day. Especially not if Brian thought you were full of shit and sent you packing. Come on. Spill already!”

“OMG, Daph, you’re never gonna believe everything that happened. Even I don’t believe some of it, let alone understand what the hell is happening. Something seriously weird is going on . . .” 

Whereupon, Justin launched into a full bore, minute-by-minute, explanation of everything that had happened to him the prior day, not neglecting even the most intimate details. Daphne was spellbound, even forgetting to make her usual supportive yet distracting exclamations in the middle of the narrative. When it was done, they both just sat there in silence for a long, long time, waiting for their brains to finish processing the story.

“So, you see why I couldn’t put all that in a text?” Justin eventually summed it all up.

“Hell, yeah! Talk about freaky weird shit,” Daph echoed her best friend’s confusion. “Brian is sharing your visions? How’s that work?”

“No idea!” Justin slumped back against Daphne‘s pillows, his face screwed up in consternation. “But it’s more than just that . . . it’s almost like Brian is the catalyst. Sort of like he’s the on/off switch to my brain.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. How is Brian turning your brain on and off?”

“I know, right? It’s crazy. But it’s almost like, when Brian closes himself off emotionally from me . . .” As Justin worked to verbalize the vague impressions he’d been struggling to synthesize all night, it suddenly clicked in his mind. “That’s it!” Justin sat up and grabbed both of Daphne’s hands with his own, physically communicating his excitement through his touch. “That’s exactly what it is! Somehow, Brian and I are connected. And when he cuts himself off from me emotionally, he also blocks whatever I’m feeling, including my visions. But when he opens up, or let’s his guard down in some other way, we connect again, and I also connect to the kidnapper. Brian is the link.” 

Daph was now bubbling over with a matching level of excitement. “That totally makes sense; Brian was always your connection to the kidnapper. And you didn’t start having these weird dreams until after you two got together. You two are, like, meant to be!”

Justin laughed. “I wouldn’t go that far, Daph. At least not yet. And if Brian ever heard you say something like that he’d laugh in your face. But . . .” He thought a minute more, finally coming to the inescapable conclusion. “I think you’re right about us being connected somehow. Which means, the only way we’ll figure this out . . .”

“. . . And find the kidnapper . . .” Daphne jumped in, totally in tune, to the point that she was finishing her buddy’s sentences.

“. . . Is if we figure out how to make that link work on demand,” Justin concluded with a growing sense of conviction. “Shit! I’ve got to get over there and try to find a way to explain all this to Brian . . . Damn it, though. He’s not going to like this idea much. The opening up thing really isn’t Brian, but . . . Fuck it! I just know that’s the answer. He’s gonna have to open up and help me or we’ll never find the person who took Gus.”

Justin leapt up, off the bed, and was already halfway to the door of Daphne’s room before he remembered to say goodbye. 

“Sorry to dump on you and run, Daph.”

“Forget it. You’ve got a little baby to save. Go do your thing.”

“Thanks, Daphne. And thanks for listening. I couldn’t have figured it out without you. Explaining shit to you always helps me work out whatever it is that’s bugging me. I owe you.” Justin gave her his biggest, most grateful smile and got a similar response. “Oh yeah, in case my mom calls, I told her I was coming over here to work on our Ulysses project. It was the only way she’d let me out of being grounded. Will you cover for me?”

“No problem. Now go!” Daphne ordered, getting up so she could physically push Justin out the door. “Just don’t forget to call and let me know if it works!”

///~///~

Justin had to take two different busses to get from Daphne’s to Liberty Avenue and it took forever. He missed the first bus and had to wait twenty-seven minutes for the next one to come by. Then he also missed the connection and had to wait another fifteen minutes. He really did need to work on talking his father into buying him a car. Maybe as a graduation present? Cuz, this shit was ridiculous. 

While he was cooling his heels - literally, since the weather was getting nastier by the minute and the light drifting of snow from earlier in the day was getting heavier - huddled in the meager shelter at the University of Pittsburgh transit station bus stop, waiting for the #71, Justin got his first glimpse that day of the kidnapper. It was only a brief flash; an image of baby Gus sitting in a high-chair with gloopy orange baby food smeared all over his face and hands. There was no sound and the images were even hazier and less focused than usual. Plus, it happened so fast that Justin didn’t have time to take note of anything other than the baby at the center of the tableau. But it was at least a little reassuring to be able to confirm Gus was still okay.

When he finally reached Liberty Avenue, he ran the four blocks from the bus stop to Brian’s loft in the heart of the Strip District. He was panting so hard that, when he rang the buzzer, he could barely respond to the voice that answered. After he managed a short “Hi. It’s Justin!” though, the street door was released and he ran the rest of the way up the stairs. 

“I did it! I figured it out! I know what we have to do, Brian . . .” Justin was burbling happily, even before he ran through the already ajar door. 

Only to be stopped short when he abruptly realized that they were not alone.

“What’s HE doing here?” the scowling brunet standing right in front of him next to the kitchen island said the minute Justin skidded to a stop in the entryway. “Is this kid stalking you or something, Brian? Didn’t I see him in the car with you yesterday morning? I know I didn’t recognize him right away, but it came to me later - he’s the same kid you fucked the night Gus was born, right? - so why is he still hanging around? Because I know you’ve already had him. Do you need me to get rid of him for you?”

“Now, now, Michael. No need to be so hasty,” replied the tall, lanky, sandy-haired queen who unfolded himself from the barstool on the other side of the island to come around and check out Justin more closely. “Just because Brian’s finished with the boy, doesn’t mean the rest of us might not want to get better acquainted with such a pretty little morsel.” The man came to stand in front of Justin and held out his hand, palm down and wrist cocked, just like a Southern Belle from the past. “Emmett Honeycutt, at your service, Sweetie,” he drawled. 

Justin didn’t know if he was supposed to shake the proffered hand or kiss it, so he compromised by shoving both his own hands in his jacket pockets and taking two precautionary steps backwards.

“Not your usual type, Brian, but I approve,” the third man in the loft, a kind-eyed but otherwise nondescript man a couple years older than the others, commented. “Personally, I’ve always been a fan of the golden, creme-filled, Twinkie type. Provided they’re legal,” the man added, looking at Justin suspiciously.

“I turned eighteen three weeks ago,” Justin reassured him, earning a grudgingly approving nod from the laconic man.

“I don’t care how old he is, Brian doesn’t need some twink slobbering after him right now. He’s got enough shit to think about, what with Gus and all,” the first of the trio declared, moving over to take hold of Justin’s shoulder and using that handhold to push him back out the door. 

Luckily, Brian chose that moment to get up from his desk and come intervene. “Back off, Mikey.” Brian insinuated himself bodily between Justin and his would-be bouncer. “Justin's cool. He just . . . He came by to offer his support about Gus.” 

“And you happily took advantage of his kind offer, I’m sure,” Emmett declared, sidling around Brian to come up next to the newcomer and snake his arm around Justin’s shoulders.

“Hands off, Honeycutt,” Brian ordered, reaching out to grab the hem of Justin’s shirt and pull the boy away from the other’s clutches. 

“Don’t call me ‘Honeycutt’,” the big queen pouted. “But, whatever. We didn’t come by to play with Brian’s new pet twink, anyway. We came by to offer a distraction and tempt Brian off to the Tea Dance at Woody’s. So, who’s ready to go get our groove thing on?”

“I’m not going to any fucking Tea Dance like a total loser,” Brian insisted, shaking his head and shooting a withering look at all his friends. 

“Come on, Brian.” Michael stepped forward so he was right in Brian’s face. “You can’t sit around here worrying all day. You said yourself that there’s nothing you can do until they do this ransom drop on Tuesday. If you stay holed up in the loft till then, you’ll just work yourself into a complete freak out.” Michael was already pulling on Brian’s sleeve, tying to urge him towards the door, and in the process separating him further from Justin. “Come on. I’m sure there’ll be at least a couple of fuckable guys there who will help take your mind off everything.”

“You should come too, Sweetie,” Emmett suggested, stepping up behind the blond youth, close enough that he was able to wrap both hands around Justin’s chest and pull the boy tightly against him. “You can show us your moves,” Emmett used his hips, thrusting against the boy’s bounteous bubble butt, to force Justin’s own hips forward. “And I’m sure there’ll be scads of guys there who’ll want to take a turn with such a toothsome tyro. The masses will just eat a sweet little thing like you right up. It’ll be a blast.”

Brian immediately pulled free of Michael’s grasp and stepped over to where Emmett was groping the smaller blond. “Seriously, Honeycutt, you need to get your paws off.” Brian intentionally peeled the other man’s hands from their grip on Justin’s shoulders. “The kid is NOT interested in being molested by Pittsburgh’s nellyiest bottom.” The big stud proceeded to pull the boy free and then wrapped his own long arms protectively around Justin.

“Possessive much, Bri?” the older guy standing off to the side asked, with a snarky smirk.

Brian just squeezed Justin tighter and scowled at everyone.

“Whatever. Let’s just go already,” Michael insisted with a sigh and a disgusted shake of his head. “You can even bring the stalker, if he wants to come. I don’t care. But we don’t need to sit around here all afternoon discussing it, do we?” The annoyed man pulled a black hoodie down over his head, and smoothed out the fabric, making sure the ‘Ironmen’ logo across his chest was straight, before marching over to grab Brian’s leather jacket off the hook next to the door. “You coming?”

“Fine. But only because I know you’ll never stop giving me shit if I don’t,” Brian replied, accepting the jacket from his friend and then turning to look directly at Justin. “We can discuss whatever you wanted to tell me later, right?”

For a brief moment, Justin could feel Brian open up to him, the wave of anxiety and helplessness palpable, just under the seemingly self-assured surface. Brian might be putting on a brave face for his friends, pretending to be less concerned than he really was, but underneath it all, he was just barely concealing his near-panic. He could tell that Brian desperately wanted to know whatever it was Justin had come to say, even while, at the same time, he didn’t want his friends to know just how desperate he really was. Justin’s heart melted just a little more for this conflicted man. And the youth knew he couldn’t simply abandon Brian. He had to stick around and do what he could to support Brian while the man struggled to maintain his facade of impenetrability in front of his well-intentioned, if misguided, friends. 

Hopefully they could escape from Michael’s ‘distraction’ sooner rather than later. Then they could try out Justin’s idea. And, hopefully, they’d be able to connect with the kidnapper for long enough to pin down where Gus was being held. 

Because finding his son - not some trip to the bar to drink away his troubles - was the only thing that would really help Brian.

///~///~