When he told Ethan what he was doing that day, they got into an argument. Justin had told him that he was taking the day off from work to follow Brian's nephew, John, around. Ethan responded that Brian wasn't his concern and Justin should let the man get out of his own mess. After Ethan had finally left for class, Justin had put on the softest long sleeve shirt he had, hoping for the best.

He was hoping that he could find a way to clear Brian of the false charges his nephew had made against the man who would always have his heart. He had borrowed Daphne's car for the day and waited outside Claire's house. Luckily he got there just before John came out, stashed his books behind a tree, and headed to the bus stop. After John got on the bus Justin followed until he saw him get off at the stop for the mall. Quickly parking the car, he followed John into the arcade. Once he saw the bracelet on John's wrist he went straight to Carl.

Justin and Carl stopped by to pick up Deb after her shift and headed to Claire's house at the time John would be getting home from 'school'. Claire was not happy to see them there and tried to say her son wouldn't lie about something like that. After Carl got John to admit that he lied about Brian and stole the bracelet Carl handed it to Justin,

"I'll let you return this to Brian, and good luck," the old cop said with a wink. He then turned to Claire and informed her that she and John were being taken to the precinct to give their statements, and that what John had done would be kept on record and that there may be a fine involved for filing a false statement.

Carl and Deb had talked the night before about how Justin didn't seem as happy lately, like the relationship with Ethan wasn't what Justin was hoping for when he had left Brian. Deb thought that maybe Justin was staying with Ethan because he didn't want to face the fact that he had made a mistake. She knew how miserable Brian had been lately and it didn't look like Justin was doing any better. 

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

Justin still had his keys to the loft but didn't use them, instead, he rang the buzzer and waited for Brian to answer,

"Brian, it's me, I have something that belongs to you," Justin announced when Brian answered. At the answering click, Justin pushed open the door. 

Climbing the stairs to the loft, Justin was hoping to find Brian alone. He wanted to return the shell bracelet that John had stolen, but he also hoped that he could talk to the man. Justin knew he was still in love with Brian and hoped that maybe the older man still had feelings for him too. After what had happened that morning with Ethan, he decided that he was going to ask Deb if he could move back into his old room.

When he reached the top of the stairs Brian was standing in the doorway wearing his jeans and undershirt, the door was open and his feet were bare. Justin pulled the bracelet out of his pocket,

"I believe this belongs to you," he said, holding out the shell bracelet but barely looking in Brian's eyes. 

"Thanks," Brian answered, taking the object from his hand and raking his eyes over the blond that he missed every day. Brian wondered why he was wearing long sleeves and looking troubled.

"Anytime," Justin answered, before reaching out and taking the bracelet back, "Here," he said as he tied it on Brian's wrist slowly, making the older man shudder at the touch of the blond's fingers, before he cleared his throat,

"Shouldn't you be getting back to your boyfriend?" Brian asked, raising his eyebrows and hoping to figure out the strange feeling he was getting from the blond. Justin had barely looked at him, keeping his eyes cast down and only taking quick glances.

"Yeah," Justin said resignedly, before turning away and heading to the stairs. 

Brian headed back into the loft, leaving the door open and hoping that Justin would realize what he really meant. He also took off the bracelet and threw it toward the living room, knowing that he would never wear it again, as it would only be a reminder of what his nephew had done.

As Justin started down the stairs he realized that he hadn't heard the loft door shut. Maybe Brian does care, maybe... he thought, as he turned and headed back to the doorway of the loft. 

His heart pounded as he saw what was waiting as he got to the loft door, Brian was standing there with his arms out,

"Well, are you coming or going, coming and then going, or coming and staying where you belong, where you have always belonged?" Brian asked with a smirk.

"Oh, Brian," Justin whispered as he threw off his vest and rushed into his lover's arms. 

Brian tilted the blond's head up as he lowered his mouth to his. The kiss started off softly but quickly became possessive. Brian wanted to stake his claim on the man he had missed every day he had been gone. Once they broke the kiss Justin turned to shut and lock the door. After setting the alarm Justin turned to see Brian waiting for him with his hand out. They walked into the bedroom together and Brian reached down to pull off Justin's shirt. After he tossed it on the floor he looked at the normally pale chest and arms. As he took Justin by the shoulders and turned him around his face darkened,

"WHAT THE FUCK..." Brian shouted as he let the blond go and grabbed for his shoes.

"Brian, no, please..." Justin pleaded, grabbing Brian's arm as he remembered why he had worn long sleeves. 

"Please what, Justin? Please don't go and rip that fucking bastard's hands off for what he did to you? Please don't break a finger for every mark he left on MY BOYFRIEND? How many times has this happened Justin? Tell me." Brian raged as he looked at the marks on Justin's arms and the bruises on his chest and back.

"This is the first and only time, Brian. I swear. The first and the last. I'm planning on asking Deb if I can have my old room back. After Ethan did this he left for class, and I packed up all my stuff and left." Justin answered.

"So, why did he do it?" Brian asked, still furious.

"Because I told him that I was taking the day off to follow John and see what I could find out. He got mad and told me to stay out of it and let you clean up your own mess. I said that I don't take orders from him or anyone else and he tried to stop me from leaving the apartment and told me I better be there when he got back," Justin answered, crossing his arms and using them to try and cover the bruises. 

Brian tried to calm himself down as he took Justin in his arms. Shaking his head he said, "You're always there for me, aren't you? More than anyone else," 

"Did you mean what you said, Brian?" Justin asked quietly, hoping for the answer he wanted.

"What?" Brian asked.

"That I'm your boyfriend," He whispered, afraid that if he said it too loudly Brian would run.

"Of course you are, you have been for a long time. I just didn't want to admit it. Because admitting it gives you all the power," 

"What power?" Justin asked, confused.

"The power to hurt me. But I realized today that to you, all it meant was that you would be there to protect me, anytime I needed it, without my ever having to ask," Brian said, biting his lips.

Justin felt a nervous tingle at the back of his neck and looked into Brian's eyes. He realized that Brian wasn't just talking about getting John to admit he had lied. 

"Yes, I know what you did with Kip, and thank you for that too," Brian said, shaking his head. 

Justin looked down at his hands, "I never..."

"Wanted me to know. I know. Which just proves my point. You are, and have always been there for me, more than anyone else in my life," Brian answered, leaving out Michael and Lindsay's names, but knowing that Justin would understand what he meant.

"And another thing Justin, you're not going to move back in with Deb, unless that's what you want. You belong here, with me. This is your home, OUR home. For as long as you want it to be," Brian declared, before taking Justin's hand and heading to the shower. "Now let's get cleaned up and start on our reunion." 

In the shower, Brian washed Justin's hair before carefully washing and kissing every bruise on his body. He then quickly washed himself, both of them ignoring their obvious hard-ons. The shower was no place to start the reunion that Brian intended to give Justin. After the shower, Brian carefully patted Justin dry and led him to the bedroom. 

They climbed into bed, each taking their normal sides. Brian reached for Justin's face, holding it as he kissed the puffy pink lips softly. He then straddled the blond and reached for the bottle of lube that was on Justin's side of the bed. Brian handed Justin a condom and shook his head as Justin started to reach for his cock.

"Not this time," He said to the blond as he directed Justin's hand to his own cock, before he reached around to prepare himself.

"I need you to show me why the tops on Liberty are so willing to bend over for you. Just go slow, I've never done this before," Brian said quietly, looking at Justin with so much trust in his eyes that the blond had to blink back tears.

Justin held himself steady and raised his knees so that Brian had something to hold while lowering himself onto his cock. Brian sank down slowly, pausing to let himself stretch around the huge cock on the small man's frame. Once he was fully seated they looked into each other's eyes, knowing that they were feeling the same emotions for each other. Finally, Brian started to raise himself up. Justin joined in with the movements and they soon got into the rhythm they normally did with each other, pausing frequently to prolong their joining. Eventually, they both sped up, knowing that they were each nearing the end. They came together, Brian shooting all over Justin's chest without either one of them having touched his cock, and the blond shooting into the condom deep inside his lover. After they had both calmed down Brian slowly rose up off of Justin, just now understanding why his lover hated when they separated. It really was a feeling of complete emptiness. Both men's eyes shone with tears.

"Thank you," Brian said, now knowing why Justin was considered one of the best tops. He had taught him well.

"I... I never thought... That was amazing, Brian," Justin stammered, not sure what to say about the gift that his lover had just given him.  

"I think we will be doing that a lot more often. You are a great top, Sunshine," Brian commented, earning him one of Justin's best smiles. "But we need to talk. I want to know why I shouldn't go and rearrange fucking Ian's fingers for him,"

"Because he's not worth it, Brian. He will be pissed off enough when he finds me and all my stuff gone. He liked having me around to cook and clean, now he'll be all alone."

"Speaking of all your stuff, where is it?" Brian asked, knowing Justin wasn't carrying anything when he arrived earlier.

"It's in Daphne's... Oh shit, I was supposed to return her car to her. She's going to be pissed," Justin said, getting up to get dressed. He looked at his phone that had been on silent and saw ten missed calls from his best friend.

"Give me your phone, Sunshine, I'll fix it," Brian commented as Justin handed it to him. Smiling, he pressed number two on Justin's phone. He knew without a doubt that he was and always would be number one.

Brian put it on speaker as he heard her answer, "Justin Taylor, you fucking ass, where the fuck are you?"

"Why my sweet lady, such a mouth on you," Brian purred in answer.

"Brian? What the fuck are you doing with Justin's phone? Did something happen? Is he alright? Where are you?" She asked quickly, so quickly that he couldn't even get an answer in. 

"My boyfriend and I are just fine. Sorry for ignoring your calls, but we have been making love and didn't want to stop. We will bring your car back to you now. Love you," Brian calmly announced before hanging up the phone on a no-doubt very confused young lady. 

They finished getting dressed, transferred Justin's belongings into Brian's car, and Brian followed Justin to Daphne's. When they got there she didn't look upset at all, she just smiled and hugged them before they went back to the loft to continue their reunion.