"Good morning, Ben," Justin virtually cooed as he walked out onto the terrace, pouring himself a glass of orange juice before selecting a pastry and fresh fruit from the small breakfast bar.

Looking up from the newspaper, Ben eyed him curiously. "Good morning, Justin. I trust you slept well after your nightmare..."

"Mmm-hmm. Like a baby," he purred, taking a bite of the cream-filled pastry.

Ben put his paper down, looking at Justin inquiringly. "Have you talked to Brian yet this morning?"

"No. I haven't seen him since last night. Why do you ask?" Justin asked, watching him closely.

"Brian had spoken of feeling the need to implement some changes after the events of last night. I just wondered if he'd discussed them with you yet."

"Changes? What kind of changes?" Justin frowned, before he smiled in warmth seeing his son running toward him.

"Daddy. You're up," came the excited response, as the small body launched itself into Justin's extended arms.

Justin hugged him tightly to his chest, stroking his hair softly. "That I am, champ." Ruffling his hair affectionately, he shuddered thinking how close he had come to death, how he would have never held his son again; not to mention the effects it would have on his very young and sensitive child. Forcing himself to lay those fears aside, not wanting to upset Gus, he asked him, "Did you have a good sleep?"

"Yes, Daddy. I love it here. Can we stay longer? Please, can we?" Gus asked animatedly, bouncing in excitement up and down on Justin's lap.

Ben and Justin laughed in unison, the exuberance of this child always endearing to both of them. Justin smiled at his son, who was looking at him with anxious eyes, before he answered, "Well, that's up to Mr. Kinney. If he decides it's best, then we'll probably stay a bit longer."

Ben arched a surprised brow that Justin was suddenly being so submissive to Brian's wishes. Hoping that he wasn't just doing so for Gus' benefit, and would return to fighting Brian later, Ben commented, "That sounds good to me too, Gus."

"How about if Daddy gets you some breakfast? I see all kinds of things over there that you love," Justin said, removing Gus from his lap to urge him over toward the breakfast bar.

Gus nodded in excitement. "Yes. Can I eat out here, with you, Daddy? Please?"

"Of course, you can," Justin smiled, inwardly cringing that Gus felt the need to ask, instantly realizing how busy his life had been over the last couple of years. Concerts, recording studios, personal appearances - all of it creating too much separation from him and his son. Perhaps this threat was a good thing after all. Justin glanced toward Ben who appeared to be about to leave to give father and son some privacy, when a thought suddenly occurred to him. "Uhhh, Ben?"

"Yes, Justin?" he asked in slight concern.

"Could you find Debbie and tell her she can take the day off, go do whatever things she needs to do. I'd like to spend the day with my son."

Ben smiled. "I'll do that, Justin, and I think it's a wonderful idea. Let me know if you need anything."

"We'll do that." Looking at his beaming son, Justin asked him, "What do you think about that, champ? How about if the two of us explore the grounds, and maybe even a picnic lunch. How does that sound?"

Justin received his answer in quick order. Gus began clapping his hands, jumping up and down in merriment. "Great, Daddy. Can Mr. Kinney come too?"

"Uh, well, I'm not sure, son. Mr. Kinney is very busy working at keeping us all safe. Brian might not have the time..." Justin hedged, pleased that Gus had taken to Brian so quickly, yet not wanting to get his son's hopes up.

A deep voice suddenly spoke from behind them, one that Justin knew would never cease to evoke chills coursing down his spine. "Now why don't you let me be the judge of that? I don't have the time for what?"

Gus left Justin's side to run over to Brian, looking up at him with a wide-eyed, trusting, and hopeful expression. "Daddy said we can spend the day together. That we can have a picnic. Will you come with us, Mr. Kinney? Please, please, will you?"

Brian smiled down at the miniature version of Justin, wondering if anyone ever said no to those pleading eyes. His question was immediately answered by the child's all too enticing father watching them in amusement.

"Don't even try it, Brian. Nobody can say no to him."

"Hmm, I see. Like father, like son, huh?" Brian laughed. Brian hunched down to Gus' level, meeting him eye to eye. "I'd be delighted, Gus. I need to make some calls first, and I'll get a picnic lunch thrown together for us. Do you like horses? I bet you haven't been down to the stables yet."

Justin groaned. "Horses? Seriously, Brian? He already doesn't want to leave, you may have a permanent resident now."

"Horses? Oh wow. Can we, Mr. Kinney?" Gus asked, jumping up and down once more. Gus looked at his father. "Horses, Daddy. Isn't that great?"

"It's fabulous, Gus..." Justin drawled, more than pleased at his son's excitement, hoping to keep him as he was right now - happy and safe.

Brian laughed, smiling warmly at both of them. "I'll just finish up a few things, and meet you here in a bit."

"Thank you, Brian. This means a lot to Gus, and in turn, means a great deal to me too," Justin said, smiling at Brian brightly, with warmth and sincerity in his eyes, the standard flirtatiousness presently non-existent.

Curling his lips under, Brian stared at the paradox that was Justin Taylor for long moments, before answering, "It's my pleasure, Justin. See you in a bit."

Justin led his son back over to the table looking forward to spending the day with him thinking back on all the lost opportunities; thankful in this moment that Gus was still young and that they could hopefully begin anew. He wanted that more than anything. With a smile on his face, he became transfixed by the excitement on Gus' expressive face, thinking this could indeed be the start of a wonderful day. One to remember for a long time.

Hours later, Brian and Justin sat back on the blanket underneath the large oak tree watching as Ben led an excited Gus toward the stables en route to meeting the horses. Brian looked at Justin's warm expression as his eyes followed his son until he was out of sight. Teasingly, he said, "We'll probably have to drag him away from the horses, most especially the pony I recently acquired."

"Oh, God. A pony. He will badger Ben to death until he lets him ride. I probably should go rescue him, even though I don't want to leave this spot," Justin said, his eyes now focused intently on Brian.

"Ben can handle it. He is very committed to both you and your son. Nothing matters more to him than keeping both of you safe," Brian told him. "That leads me to something I wanted to discuss with you."

Justin sat up straighter, his entire attention on Brian. "Okay. Let's hear it."

"My gut instincts tell me your home cannot be effectively secured - at least to my standards. Too many have access, and I understand in your business you need that, but I can't protect you like that," Brian clipped out fiercely.

"What exactly are you saying, Brian?"

"Any current obligations you have, need to be canceled. In addition, for the time being, we remain here. My home is secure, and I can see any threat clearly coming. I cannot stress that enough, Justin - this decision could be a difference between your life and death," Brian told him emphatically.

Justin sighed, looking off into the distance. "This entire situation could ruin my career. This is a heat of the moment business. If you're not out there doing something to keep current, you get blown out of the water. If I stay absent for too long that's exactly what will happen."

"We both know it would take much more than that to put you out of commission, Justin. Your success is phenomenal. You will bounce back from it. It all rolls down to a simple question: your life or your career. Which is more important?" Brian asked, unrelenting in his intent to bend Justin to his will for his own sake as well as his son's.

"It goes without saying that my life is more important. My son needs me. I know that. If I lose some fans during my absence, I guess I'll just have to work harder in gaining new ones," Justin said with a smile, reaching into the basket to grab an apple - taking a large crunching bite, chuckling when juice began to dribble down his chin.

"You're drooling, songbird," Brian told him, his eyes fixed on Justin's mouth devouring what he perceived to be a much fortunate fruit.

Justin's eyes darkened as he looked back at Brian. Taking another bite, purposely letting a drop trickle down, he whispered huskily, "Well, there's a solution to that, Mr. Bodyguard."

Eyes stuck on Justin's lips as if magnetized, Brian asked in a low rasp, "What might that be?"

"You could always lick it off..." Justin told him, tossing the half-eaten apple into the bag of trash, his eyes burning into Brian's - the complete object of his desire. Moving closer, Justin whispered in a low sultry voice, "We both know you want to, Brian."

Brian swallowed, his eyes blackening in lust for the provocative blond that kept throwing himself at his head. An offer that they both knew wasn't going to be refused for much longer. His voice dropping to a deep sexy purr, Brian growled, "You're right about that. I want to devour you, but so much more than your teasing mouth."

Justin moaned hot and deep. "I know we are limited with Gus being so close, but I know my son, we have some time. Let's use it wisely. Kiss me, Brian. Devour my mouth like you want to ravage the rest of my body."

"You are such a tempting little shit." His voice dropping to a barely recognizable guttural pitch, he instructed, "Lay down on the blanket. I'll kiss you, and let you feel every inch of me."

Immediately, Justin complied, looking up at Brian with lust-blown eyes as he watched Brian moving closer, almost stalking him from up close. Nothing had ever aroused him more. His voice husky, and full of need, Justin whispered, "C'mere, Brian. Kiss me."

Brian smiled, his eyes heavy with lust and purpose. He laughed at Justin's confusion when he pulled out his cell phone, clipping out harshly, "Remain at the stables until I call you."

Justin's head arched back in laughter. "And I thought I was sneaky. Setting the stage nicely, aren't you, Brian?"

Brian began crawling on the blanket, his eyes fierce and determined. He would not be interrupted until he decided to be. A long thorough kiss would have to satisfy him, for now. He had no intention of fucking Justin here, much as he wanted to fuck him, he wanted a bed, privacy; in addition to wanting - all night long with him. He would have it all, and then he could focus once again - finally. Brian angled his body atop Justin's, bracing the weight of his upper body on the support of his arms - with his lower body, he allowed Justin to feel each and every hard inch of him, just as he had promised. Brian began to grind his hips into Justin's, his eyes never leaving the captive blond's as he huskily rasped, "Do I feel good, Justin? Can you feel my cock against yours? Imagine what it will feel like when my cock slams in and out of your hot little ass. How bad do you want that, Justin? Convince me you want it more than I do, then, just maybe I'll give you a little taste."

"Fuck, Brian, don't make me beg," Justin practically whimpered staring up at the man he perceived as a virtual God hovering over him. "For fuck sake, kiss me, touch me, please."

"Alright, but only because I want the feel of you melting beneath me..." Brian hissed before he smashed his lips down on Justin's, kissing him with a hunger of a man unaccustomed to being denied for so long. His tongue shot forward, taking not asking - in plundering strokes full of purpose. Brian growled against Justin's lips as he savored the taste of him, his hands sweeping down Justin's sides to clasp hips that had begun to thrust against him in almost wild abandon. "The things I want to do to you..." Brian snarled, as he continued the most intensely erotic tongue fucking he had ever performed in his entire life.

Justin moaned, his hands reaching out to clutch around Brian's ass, as he thrust his cock up into the heat of Brian's, flesh yearning to meet flesh, mouths once again becoming meshed together. When his breathing quickened to the point he needed to pull back to breathe, Justin gasped, "I want you, Brian. I don't want to wait."

Brian pulled back, his eyes ravaging all of the blond vision beneath him. He reached his hand into the front of Justin's pants, grasping the erect cock firmly in his hand. He squeezed it several times before reluctantly withdrawing his hand. "Tonight, the wait ends. After dinner - your ass will be mine." Leaning down, he kissed him again, hotly, deeply, all his desires and intentions clearly displayed in the tempestuous kiss. "Get some rest today, songbird. Tonight you are going to need it."

TBC