MANIPULATIONS by Frozty70
5
Deb went to see Michael the week before his parole hearing. He asked about Brian, following it by asking if Justin had gone back to New York yet.
“Michael! Justin can’t paint anymore. I know you were told that. He’s working at Kinnetik. Oh, Brian and Justin had twin boys. They are the cutest little babies.”
“How did boy wonder talk him into that? He barely saw Gus. Justin will be left to raise them.” Deb noticed a smug look on this face and something else as he seemed to space out for a bit.
“Michael, I don’t think you are ready to come home yet. Why are you talking that way? You said you were working your jealousy out with your psychiatrist.”
“I’m not jealous! I just know Brian! I’ve gotta go. I’ll see you when I get home.”
He indicates he wants to leave and the guard takes him back to his cell. Deb sits for a moment thinking of her very short visit with Michael. She has to talk to Carl and Mel when she gets home. Why are they allowing him to go home?
She gets Mel over for dinner that night with Carl home as well. She tells them how Michael talked and the strange look on his face. Mel tells her she tried to get a restraining order ready to serve Michael, but he has to do something to warrant being served one.
The next week Michael is let out of prison and he arrives in Pittsburgh. He arrives at the diner while Brian and Justin are having breakfast with each having a twin balanced on one knee.
“Hey, Brian! Look I’m sorry for stealing from you. Do you think we could still be friends now?”
“You did more than that Michael. Jennifer confided in us that you went to her and told tales about me to her. You knew I’d slown down in my drinking and drugs dwindled after the cancer scare. After the syphilis, I stopped tricking as much. After I believed Justin was done with our relationship, I had no real interest in tricking. Brad was just someone to fuck. A fuckbuddy is all he was. But you and Brad were plotting with that fucker Kip to ruin me. I’m sorry, Michael but things can’t go back to the way they were. Justin and I have Brendan and Brayden, they and Gus are our world now. When We’re not working we spend time with our three boys. My partying days are over. Once every couple of months we check-in at Babylon and check the finances and attendance in the office. We dance a couple of dances then go home and spend the evening as a family.”
“But you always looked hot when you danced, pure sex. The guys loved to watch you and you sometimes tricked together. You can’t tell me that is over now. I don't believe it!” His eyes gave him away that he was furious that Brian had calmed down.
“MICHAEL!! I told you... FUCK IT! There’s no talking to you. You refuse to believe I’ve changed. Justin let’s go home to our boys, Jenn and Molly need to get home.”
“But...but...Brian.... you can’t change. That’s not you! Brian! BRIIIAAANNNNNN! Get your ass back here! You don’t walk out on me like that!”
“Still delusional, I see.” He looked up to see Ben and Hunter standing by his table. Hunter shook his head and said, “Why on earth did they let you out? You lied to them didn’t you?” The two men, father and son walked out shaking their heads.
In a panic, Michael got up and ran out. After they left the diner, Ben and Hunter talked to Carl about Michael. Though it hurt her to do it, Deb went in front of a judge with Ben and Hunter and told him what happened. The judge asked to speak with Brian and Justin as Hunter heard every word they had exchanged with Michael. Melanie left with restraining orders keeping Michael away from Deb, Ben, Hunter, Melanie herself, Jenny Rebecca, Brian and Justin plus Gus, and the twins. Brian already had security at Britin and Kinnetik. He had emptied all clothing and personal things out of the loft and it had been sold. Because of the crowd and the alleys, Brian and Justin decided to stay away from Woodys and Babylon. Security and extra cameras were installed in Kinnetik's parking garage and at Britin.
Strangely, no one saw Michael anywhere. The apartment he had rented was back up for rent again. Justin kept an eye on the cameras at Britin and at Kinnetik. He had an app on his phone and kept it open all the time.
One day at Kinnetik, a cab pulled up out in front. The person ran towards the parking garage. He thought was that? He alerted security. Running for the garage he looked again at the video in slow motion. It was Michael, what the hell? He turned his phone down and texted Carl. Brian had been out of town, but had just landed twenty minutes ago. Watching for Michael, he made his way towards Brian’s parking spot. Brian pulled into the garage and parked. Justin somehow had made it around to be close to Brian’s door and saw Michael running for the car. Michael grabbed Brian and shoved something in his mouth.
“You son of a bitch!" Justin tackled Michael and knocked him out with one punch. Carl ran up and turning Michael over putting a knee on his back he handcuffed him.
Justin was immediately at Brian’s side. He took his fingers and ran them around Brian’s mouth. Brandon produced a handkerchief for the pieces of the drug to be put in.
“Brian! Brian! Open your eyes can you spit water out if I help you get it in your mouth?” He nodded, but Justin pulled him on his side and stuck his fingers down Brian’s throat till he vomited everything up in his stomach. Brandon grabbed Carl’s handkerchief and wet it with half the bottle of water in the car console. He had Justin hold Brian’s mouth open with Brian on his side with his upper body lying on Justin’s legs. He did his best to clean Brian’s mouth out. An ambulance got there as Ted ran out and gave proof of Justin’s POA to The paramedics. They allowed Justin in the ambulance with Brian. He heard Michael shout maniacally, “If I can’t have him nobody will,” then he laughed hysterically. They started an IV in Brian’s arm. Brian’s eyes fluttered he weakly whispered Justin’s name. “Brian! You hang on! Don’t you die on me you son of a bitch!”
Again he whispered a bit stronger but not much, “I’m not going anywhere twat!”
He realized Todd was a paramedic and watched as he worked on Brian expertly.
Looking at Justin, he said, “You making him vomit helped a lot. He was unconscious when we put him in here. Plus wiping his mouth may have helped too. The pieces can be analyzed to see what they are.”
Arriving at the hospital they took Brian in a room with Justin refusing to leave his side. Todd with the handkerchief in hand took off running down the hall to the lab. Todd poked his head in and motioned for Justin to come out just for a bit he said.
“Justin don’t panic if he loses consciousness. I saw Michael last night talking to Anita. I didn’t think anything about it as I didn’t see him take anything from her. I called the station and told Brandon to find Anita.”
“Oh, God! That shit can kill a person.” He clung to Todd for just a minute then thanking him he went back inside the room.
The lab report showed arsenic was mixed with the overdose of GHB. Brian was lucky to be alive. They got Brian stabilized and transferred him to ICU. When they asked Justin to leave, Brian threw a fit and tried to get up. How he managed to do that they didn’t know. Melanie had arrived and she threatened to file a lawsuit against the hospital.
“He’s his husband and has his POA. HOW IN THE HELL CAN YOU SAY YOU’RE GOING TO SEDATE HIM WHEN HE CALMS WHEN JUSTIN IS WITH HIM?” ISN’T WHAT THAT BASTARD SHOVED IN HIS MOUTH ENOUGH?”
“I agree with Melanie. I’m staying. Deb? Can you watch the boys with Daphne? I’m going back in the room.” Turning he goes in the door, “I’m staying with my husband. I’ll sue your asses if you make me leave! Melanie? I want this nurse removed, she’s sneering at my calling Brian my husband.”
For the next four days, Justin sat while Brian alternated between ten to fifteen minutes of being awake. He clung to Justin’s hand and wouldn’t let go. Finally, on the fifth day, he woke in an alert state.
“Justin, baby?”
“I’m here, hon. Just took a drink of coffee.” He took Brian’s hand kissed first it then the side of Brian’s mouth. Brian patted the side of the bed and Justin managed to lie down with him. Holding him close. After a bit, Brian drifted off to sleep.
Melanie stuck her head in the door and motioned for Justin to come and talk. She had a strange look on her face.
Stepping just outside the door, Justin asked, ”What is it, Mel?”
“Uhm. Michael went to take a shower last night. The gay pop knew what he did to Brian. A gang of guys cornered him gagged him and beat him severely. He died on arrival here.”
“Oh my God! How do I tell Brian? Maybe I should ask the doctor first. At least he’s here in the hospital.”
They heard something behind them and turned to find Brian standing at the door white as a sheet. Justin grabbed him and helped him to the bed. A nurse ran in with a sedative, but Brian refused it. He pulled Justin to sit next to him in the bed.
After about an hour, he asked Melanie if she knew how Deb was. She said that she’d come straight here after being told by Brandon. He said Carl was with her. Brian told Justin to call Ted to come to the hospital. He told Ted he’d pay for the funeral and gravesite.
Cynthia came and sat with Brian so Justin could go see the boys and Gus. Brian had asked to see them and felt he was ready to go home. Justin and Mel came in with the boys and Gus. Brian sat holding them both, singing to them until they dozed off. Then Gus chattered to his daddy about what he’d been doing in school.
On the day of the funeral, Brian was in a private room, but wanted to go to the funeral if Deb didn’t mind. The door opened and Deb walked in with a Starbucks for both men. She hugged Brian tightly and made him look at her.
“Brian, he brought this on himself, it’s not your fault. I tried to get him to continue seeing a psychiatrist, but he insisted he was fine. He should have been transferred to a Psychiatric hospital. Somewhere along the way, his crush turned into a dangerous obsession. Listen to me! I can see it in your eyes, you have a beautiful husband who loves you and three wonderful children. Your businesses are thriving. No one! NO FUCKING ONE blames you or sunshine. Way before Vic died he tried to reason with Michael about you. He told me Michael needed help, but he wouldn’t go. I didn’t think he was that bad off, but Carl told me he hid things from me. I realized a few years ago that he used you as an excuse for his fuckups.” Deb sat and hugged Brian. “They beat him horribly, Carl told me. I didn’t look at him, because Carl did and came out white-faced from the shock. It will be a closed casket and a graveside service only. There’s room on the backside of Vic's grave for Michael to be buried. I’m having Captain Astro carved on the back of the stone with a picture of Rage. They’ll be on comic books. His name and date of birth and death. It’s not your fault at all. Try to remember him before he became this crazy pod person. Now Sunshine, take care of him. Don’t be strangers you hear me?”
________________________
With Blake’s persuasion, Brian made arrangements to talk to Alex Wilder.
“I was sorry to hear about Michael’s death, Brian.”
Brian just stood looking out the window a bit more, then shaking his head he sat down. He looked totally exhausted.
“I can’t figure out how we missed his instability when it started. For all that goes, when did it start? I’m not the only one, Carl says Deb is totally blaming herself and Justin thinks he should have seen this coming. Maybe I should have pushed him away sooner. Maybe...FUCK!...I don’t know.”
“Brian I have read the reports from the prison psychologist. They indicate that he was fine even though he couldn’t have been. You can say you let him cling to you. Deb could say she spoiled him. Hell, everyone knows Justin and Michael had a lot of problems with each other. Do you want my take on this? Even I can only give my opinion of what may have happened.”
“I’ll start by saying that you put on a confident air about you, in spite of your own past demons. You yourself should have had therapy, but Justin coming into your life helped you. I’m told he called you on your bullshit, and most of the time saw the man underneath the bravado you showed the world as the stud. At the same time, you were lucky that you were able to get past your PTSD. Not just from your childhood, but Justin’s bashing as well.”
“But doc, I needed Michael and Deb in my life. Even with all the bullshit and the blame that I took for what he did. For what we both did. I didn’t really help him that much.”
“But you have a mother/ son relationship now with Deb. She doesn’t blame you for what happened. The man I see sitting here today is a man who is open the majority of the time now. Blake is a drug counselor so you took his recommendation, right? Seeing Brian nod, he continues. “You knew you needed to take his advice.”
Going on, Alex said, ”I believe Michael needed someone there to guide him. Ben did that, but with his HIV there was no guarantee that they would reach old age together. Though with the newer meds it’s now becoming more possible. I think he believed Ben would never make old age and then you would step in. In finding out you and Justin are still happily married and in addition to sharing Gus with Mel, you have two little boys you are raising on your own. With Knowing that and his extreme lack of self-confidence he just panicked to the point of having a total psychotic meltdown. It was no one's fault, he should have stayed in treatment, but he was paroled and he chose to leave treatment. He was a grown man who chose wrongly. Frankly, I don’t think he would ever have gotten better. Brian, go live your life happily. I’m here if you need to talk, but stay open in your communication with Justin and your other friends around you. You may always feel a bit responsible, but remember. Michael was a grown man, HE made the bad choices.”
Brian breathed a sigh of relief. The tension leaving his body. "Okay, doc. I feel a bit better, do I need to come back?”
“Only if you feel overwhelmed and other outlets don’t help. But then again I’ll probably see you around. I’m glad I could be of help.”
The two men shook hands and Brian gave him a small hug. He headed home to share what he’d learned with Justin.
Alex gets up and stares out the window, watching Brian walk to his corvette with a bounce in his step, versus the slow carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders way he came in. Why in the hell did they let Michael out? Was there really nothing wrong? Yes, he’d told Brian the truth as he saw it, some people do just snap. Maybe he would send his opinion back suggesting they review the tapes of Michael’s sessions. At least they could try to learn from that.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Michael returns to Pittsburgh. How will he act? I am not a professional at mental health. So I wrote as I felt it could go.