Chapter 16

“Damn, Brian. Where was he? Why didn't he show up?” Michael's angry voice greeted Brian right away as he picked up his phone. He frowned as he had no idea who or what his friend was talking about.

“Michael?”

“Do you have any idea what kind of trouble he is in now? They have a fucking arrest warrant out for him now,” Michael just went on, confusing Brian even more.

“What? Who?”

“Justin of course,” Michael said, wondering if Brian was really that dense or if he just didn't know.

“Justin? Wh-what?”

“He had a court date today and he didn't show up. Why didn't he fucking show up?” Michael asked once more.

“I...I didn't know...I...I had no idea...arrest warrant?” Brian repeated slowly, trying to get a grip on what Michael was telling him.

“He's in so much trouble right now...you better get this sorted out, Brian!” Michael told him before he hung up on him, leaving Brian to frown once more. What the fuck was that about? Why had Michael hung up on him and why did he expect him to know anything about what was going on? He had no fucking idea what Michael had even been talking about.

Brian looked up from his desk and sighed. Whatever was going on, he had to find out more information and there was only one person he could get it from. He picked up his briefcase and grabbed some papers, resigning himself to leaving the office early.

He went past Cynthia's desk and informed her of an emergency, then left his agency in her hands for the rest of the day. After a short 10 minute drive he arrived back home and made his way into the house. He looked outside into the garden where Justin was resting in a deck chair by the pool, lazily sketching on a sketchpad, obviously not having a care in the world.

“Christ,” Brian just muttered as he threw away his briefcase and made his way outside, wearing a worried expression that Justin immediately recognised for what it was when he saw Brian storm outside.

“Brian? Is everything okay? What are you doing here this early?” He asked, closing his sketchpad when he saw Brian's face darken even more. He immediately sat up. “Is everything okay?”

“No...I got a call from Michael at the office and...,” Brian started, but he didn't really know how to continue.

“Michael? What did he want?”

“For starters he asked me why you didn't show up in court today,” Brian replied, surprised at the anger he heard in his own voice, not having intended to make it sound that accusing.

“What?” Justin just asked and looked at Brian in confusion before his face fell and he slammed his hand against his forehead. “Shit!”

“You know what he's talking about?” Brian asked when he saw that Justin obviously understood way better than he himself did.

“I forgot,” he immediately said to Brian, looking up at him from scared eyes. “I...it was today? I thought...shit...I thought it was weeks away...shit, shit, shit!” He got up from the deck chair and started pacing the garden in obvious distress.

“A court date?” Brian asked once more, looking at Justin intently, clearly showing him that he wanted nothing but the whole truth.

“I...I got into some trouble and...there was a date set for a trial, but...I thought it was still weeks away, I...with everything going on...I haven't really paid attention to the dates and...I forgot,” Justin tried to explain, his voice panicked. “I am going to be in so much trouble...”

“There's an arrest warrant, Michael said,” Brian muttered, looking over at Justin and seeing him gasp in shock at that bit of information, but for now deciding that he needed more answers. “What kind of trouble?”

Justin paced the garden some more before he looked at Brian from devastated eyes. “Assault, DUI and drug possession,” he whispered, having wished that he never had to tell Brian.

“Assault?” the older man asked as his eyes widened to comical proportions and when Justin just hung his head and nodded, Brian couldn't believe it. “You did it? You actually did it?”

“I...I didn't mean to...you have to believe me...It was an accident,” Justin immediately tried to defend himself, looking at Brian pleadingly. “And...I didn't mean to forget about the trial...”

“Well, too late for that now,” Brian muttered darkly, making his way back inside. Once inside, he picked up his phone.

“What are you doing?” Justin asked in a panicked voice, obviously thinking that Brian would call the police and he started to shake in fear.

Brian didn't even bother to turn around to face Justin as he made his way to his office where he knew the number that he needed was. “I am going to call Melanie and will ask her what we're going to do now.”

Justin just watched after Brian and after a second of hesitation decided to follow him, waiting in the doorway as Brian talked to her, trying to convince her to help them and set up an emergency meeting.

When Brian was done talking to Melanie, he looked over at Justin, who was still only wearing shorts, from sad eyes. “You should get dressed. She's waiting for us.”

Justin only nodded before he made his way upstairs. He returned a few minutes later, his eyes red from obviously having cried. He avoided Brian's eyes as he addressed him.

“I am sorry for disappointing you again, Brian. I...I am sorry,” he just ended lamely as he quietly walked towards the car and got in on the passenger side and rested his head against the window. He looked out, totally ignoring Brian's presence otherwise.

At the sight of Justin's dejected form, Brian felt all his anger dissipate and he got into the car as well, turning towards the younger man.

“No...I am sorry. I am sorry for getting so angry. I didn't mean to...I know you didn't forget on purpose and...I am just worried, I guess.”

Justin slowly turned towards Brian and looked at him from the most anxious eyes that he had ever seen. “I...I don't want to go to prison...I...I am not going to survive that...,” he whispered and Brian took his hand, squeezing it once in comfort.

“Maybe it won't come to that. We'll try to figure this out, Justin. But...we're going to have to take care of this. You know that, don't you?” Brian asked, just wanting to make sure that Justin knew that running away was not an option this time.

When Justin nodded, Brian smiled at him encouragingly. “We're going to figure this out, Justin and...whatever happens, we're going to find a way out of this mess together. I promise!”

“Thank you, Brian,” Justin whispered as he looked at Brian gratefully and squeezed the hand that was holding his once, before he turned towards the window once more and continued to stare out of it.

He didn't say a word the whole drive to Melanie's office and he stayed quiet for most of the time there as well. He just answered questions that were directed straight at him, questions about having a criminal record and previous charges made against him. He didn't even participate in any small talk between Brian and Melanie when they tried to include him. Justin had disappeared into his own little world.

Brian watched him worriedly, not able to push Justin's earlier words out of his mind. 'I am not going to survive that'. Brian had little doubt that Justin had spoken the truth. He knew that the young man had been arrested before, so he must have seen the inside of a prison before and now that he had just managed to get away from the drugs and had just managed to slowly start to get a grip on his life again, trying to rebuild relationships from his old life, trying to get back in contact with his mother as well as Daphne, slowly improving his relationship with Emmett ever since he had been over for the first time two weeks ago, Brian knew that that statement was right.

Justin wanted nothing more than to leave behind that part of his life, but now it seemed as though it might get back at him in the cruellest way possible.

Brian listened as Melanie presented them with the options at hand, telling them that if Justin surrendered himself into police custody, there might be a good chance of getting him out on bail, telling them that a new date for a trial would be set and that Justin could wait for that trial in freedom. It had by far been the only acceptable solution and Brian hoped that she was right and that she could get Justin to be released on bail, because there had also been the option of him staying in police custody until a new court date was set and just seeing all colour drain from Justin's face at that, Brian knew that it wasn't an acceptable option.

Melanie left them on their own to talk over their options in private and Brian turned to Justin, seeing that he was crying silently. He gently wiped away Justin's tears, making him look at him.

“That doesn't sound too bad, does it? We're just going to post bail and then we'll wait for a new court date,” he started, trying to sound as encouraging as he could muster in light of that day's events.

Justin just looked at him and shook his head, making Brian frown. “What?”

“I...I don't have any money...I can't post...bail,” Justin whispered.

“But I have the money and I will pay it,” Brian immediately assured Justin who just shook his head once more. “Justin?”

“You...you already did so much...I can't ask more of you...”

“Hey, look at me, Justin! I promised you that I would help you to get out of this mess and...I don't think there's much else that I can do...so...let me do this, okay? Let me help you in the only way that I can right now. Please!” Brian nearly pleaded.

“Thank you, Brian,” Justin said quietly after several minutes of silence, obviously realising himself that it was the only way of not having to go to prison right away.

Melanie returned a couple of minutes later and when they told her that they would go along with her plan and that Justin would surrender into police custody, she called the police department and informed them of their impending arrival.

The drive to the police station had been quiet and Brian watched Justin worriedly as he was led away and taken into custody. He knew that a lot of paperwork had to be done and felt quite alone as Melanie left soon after, informing him that she needed to get to the courthouse to get bail set for Justin, leaving him with no other option than to settle in one of the chairs in the entrance hall to the police station, waiting for her to return with what Brian prayed for to be good news.

It had been the longest three hours of his life and he nearly jumped up and ran towards her when he saw her enter the building later in the afternoon, waving a piece of paper.

“$30.000!” She announced and Brian sighed in relief at that bit of information.

He immediately went to a desk with her by his side and they started to set up the paperwork of Brian posting bail for Justin and it took another 30 minutes until a very pale-looking Justin was led back to them. Brian immediately engulfed him in a tight hug.

“Are you okay?” He asked quietly and was relieved when Justin nodded.

Melanie informed them that a new court date had been set for three days later and she led them to a quiet room where she quickly went over some details of the case with them.

She informed them that she didn't see much chance for an acquittal, since the evidence against Justin was pretty watertight and she also told them that they should prepare themselves for some jail time.

“But...there has to be a way to get around that...I mean...Justin just went through withdrawal...that...that has to be good for something, right? Clearly they must see that something like that won't happen again now that he's gotten away from the drugs,” Brian tried desperately, begging her to say something else.

“It might help if we could get some character reference letters, trying to portray a positive character for Justin, trying to influence the judge by making him see that he has changed and is a different person now, but...as far as I can see it, that's our only real chance here. Making the judge see that Justin has gotten away from the drugs and that there's no danger of him assaulting someone else.”

She left shortly after and Brian and Justin drove back home in silence. Justin had withdrawn into himself and barely paid Brian any attention. Once they had gotten inside the house, Brian immediately went and picked up his phone, making Justin frown.

“Who are you calling?” He asked in mild interest as he plopped down on the couch.

“Emmett, Ted, Debbie...hell, Michael...trying to get as many letters of character reference as we can.”

“Don't bother calling Michael,” Justin said dolefully.

“What? Of course...,” Brian returned, looking at Justin in confusion. “I am going to call everyone.”

“Michael won't do it,” Justin just said calmly. “So don't even bother.”

“Of course he will...when we explain to him what's going on. He'll just have to get that stick out of his ass and will have to help you!”

“Brian, Michael won't do it!” Justin only repeated again, but this time his voice sounded a lot more annoyed.

Brian didn't know why Justin had sounded so annoyed and got annoyed himself. “Of course he will. When push comes to shove, he's your friend.”

“Not in this case,” Justin angrily gave back and got up from the couch, leaving the living-room. Brian looked after him in confusion and also slight anger.

“What the hell is going on between you two? What happened to make you both behave so ridiculous?” Brian asked as he followed Justin into the kitchen where the younger man poured himself a glass of water.

“Brian...haven't you wondered how Michael knew that I had missed that court date?”

“Well...maybe he read it somewhere...how would I know?” Brian gave back, starting to get a very bad feeling about this whole story. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he knew that something was wrong and that something had also been off during their meeting with Melanie. He only realised now that Melanie hadn't asked any questions concerning this particular case. She had asked about previous convictions, previous charges, but now that he thought about it, it was as if she had already known what the case against Justin was about. Something was definitely wrong and he would find out what it was, if it was the last thing he did.

“He didn't read it somewhere. He knew firsthand, Brian. And he won't write that letter, no matter how much you ask him to do it,” Justin told Brian calmly.

“What? Why?”

“You don't get it, do you? Michael is the one who pressed the assault charges against me!”