Justin opened the door, tears streaming down his face. He couldn't think, let alone speak right now. All he could do was step away to let his best friend step into the room. He locked the door, before looking at her with bloodshot eyes. Brian had only been gone for twenty minutes; the tears hadn't stopped since tragedy ripped both of their worlds apart, and evoked realizations that Justin hadn't wanted to face. He had been torn between two brothers, one had been about to decidedly win that war. In the face of it all, he had lost both of them.

Daphne's eyes were swimming with her own tears as she watched Justin taking a seat on his bed, her footsteps slowly following behind. She couldn't fathom what he had so brokenly whispered on the phone. Breaking rules and coming into the boys' dorm after hours wasn't even a consideration. Justin needed her. Therefore, she was here. "Jus..." Daphne sat down next to him, her hand lightly reached out to rest on his knee. "Are you sure? I mean, is there any room for doubt?"

"No, Daph. The police were here. Brian went with them for physical confirmation... but that's just a formality." Justin's lip quivered, when he brokenly added, "He's gone. Brandon's really gone..."

Lying her head down on Justin's shoulder, Daphne couldn't stop crying with him. She wasn't sure what her friend needed most, but she grieved with him. There wasn't anything to stop her from doing that. On the few occasions she had met Brandon, she had genuinely liked him. More than that, his affection for Justin was blatantly apparent to her. That endeared him to her even more. That this horrible tragedy could happen was beyond her comprehension. She just couldn't understand it. "I- I know you probably don't want to talk about it, Justin, but I don't get it. Brandon just didn't seem like the type to drink and drive. He really didn't!"

Justin reached for the box of tissues that had a deep dent in it since the gruesome news had arrived. He dabbed at his eyes, before looking at Daphne. "That's it exactly. I don't get it, Daph. Sure we've had some beers together, but he never drove when we were drinking. He was always safe." Justin smiled in reminiscence. "He always said life was too precious to throw it away." He found that ironic in keeping with Brandon's medical condition; however, that was Brandon - always so upbeat and ready to take on any challenge.

Reaching over, she grasped Justin's hand in her own, squeezing it gently. "I know you hadn't been going out for that long yet, Jus, but it was obvious how much he cared about you."

"I cared about him too, Daph." Justin knew he had loved Brandon; however, it wasn't the same mind-numbing passion he felt for Brian. He loved them both; it was just in very different ways. Now he would never be able to work out that confusion in a normal fashion. Fate had decided for him. Now, he had most likely lost both of them. "I wish I could have said goodbye to him... and that Brian could have too. I think that's the hardest part of all. So many things left unsaid..."

Daphne could understand that. "No closure for either of you. I think Brandon knew how much Brian loved him, though. It was so obvious every time he looked at him. He always seemed so proud of him."

"Yeah, he was." Justin didn't mention that he thought Brian had fought with Brandon recently. Something had been off between them. He was certain it had a lot to do with him, but there would be no fixing that now. "He was always very protective of Brandon, and Brian was Brandon's hero in so many ways. They had a special relationship." Justin had to bite his tongue from not adding how it had been before he came along. Another level of his own guilt was in knowing how he had come between them. More than anything, he wished he could go back and do things differently. In what way, he wasn't sure, but he knew he would have tried.

Relieved that Justin's tears seemed to be lessening, she pulled her hand free, a perplexing thought coming to mind. "I thought you were spending the weekend in town with Brandon. What happened?"

"Brian showed up at Brandon's apartment and told me that my parents were here. He brought me back." Justin wished he could call them now. They were probably home by now, but he was afraid to reach out to them after just coming out to them. Justin laughed morosely. "It's ironic really. Finally, I come out to my dad, and my boyfriend dies the same night. How fucked up is that?"

Eyes widening, Daphne asked, "How did that go?"

Justin shrugged. That was the last thing he wanted to think about right now. "Not as bad as I thought, but it could have gone better."

"I get that you don't want to talk much right now. I'll stay here with you as long as you need me, Jus." Tears lingered in her eyes as she reached out to grasp his hand again, this time squeezing it much tighter. "I wish I could do something for you. I hate to see you like this." Daphne's voice uncharacteristically broke as her emotions completely overtook her.

"I wish that too..." Justin whispered, his eyes staring unseeing ahead. If only he could change the events of the past night. He didn't know how long he sat there immobile when the knocking at his door permeated his senses. "Can you answer that, Daph? Just get rid of them, please. Whoever they are..."

Nodding, Daphne released Justin's hand and stood to her feet. "Of course, I will. Be right back..."

Opening the door, Daphne's eyes grew wide as saucers, the color completely draining from her face. "Uhhh, uhhh..." she began to stammer incoherently, words totally escaping her.

Justin sighed wearily from his bed. "Daph, who is it?" A gasp shot sharply from Justin's throat when he heard the voice that answered.

"You look like you just saw a ghost. Can I come in, Daphne?"

Running to the door with a look of incredulous disbelief, Justin looked into dazzling blue eyes. Urgently, Justin reached for the other man's hand, pulling him inside in rapid motion. He couldn't believe it. Did touching him make it more real? He wasn't sure... but he knew one thing - he wasn't letting go. Unceremoniously, Justin flung himself into Brandon's arms, his words coming out in quick, breathless pants of air. His chest was expanding in his efforts. Justin felt his heart about to jump free from him. "Everyone thinks you're dead. Brian just went to identify a body. I- I don't understand it, but I've never been happier to see anyone in my life."

Brandon frowned at that revelation. Dead? He shook his head, wincing in pain at the slight movement. "I was mugged when I was leaving my apartment. I'd had a few too many beers, and my reflexes weren't great. Speaking of... I took a cab to get back here, and I don't have my wallet. Could you possibly pay the cab driver? I'll get it back to you tomorrow."

Daphne grinned from ear to ear. "I'll take care of that for you, and give you two sometime alone." She shook her head in a look of happy disbelief. "I'm so glad you're okay, Brandon."

His arms wrapping tightly around Justin, he shivered when he realized how fate could have played a hand in his life tonight. He didn't want to make the same mistakes again. "Thanks, Daphne. I'm glad it all worked out too."

Justin pulled back, his eyes wide with alarm. "Oh my God! Brian! He's at the morgue to identify your body. We need to call him and let you know you're here... and okay."

Both of them thanking Daphne once more, Brandon reluctantly pulled himself from Justin's warm and welcoming arms to make the call to his brother. No matter how much they had been fighting recently, Brandon knew how distraught Brian would be. When Brian picked up with a terse greeting, Brandon teasingly asked him, "Resorted to picking up men at the morgue?"

Brian felt his heart lurch in his throat. Moving away from the officers that he had just informed had the wrong man's name attached to their dead body, he snidely replied, "You fucking son-of-a-bitch! You'll do anything for attention."

"I'm at your dorm now with Justin; I just found out that I'm supposed to be deceased..." Brandon couldn't tear his eyes away from the beaming smile that lit up Justin's face. There was nothing more perfect than that smile. Brandon knew if he could spend a lifetime searching for something to compare, he knew he would come up lacking every time.

"Justin knows... that's good." Brian could only imagine the reunion the two of them would be having. It would be one that excluded him, and right now, Brian thought that was the best thing for all of them. "What the fuck happened to you? Why was some other guy driving your car... and with your identification?"

"I was coming here to see Justin. I'd had a few too many beers and shouldn't have been going out. I was mugged from behind. The asshole took everything."

Brian snorted. "Well, the asshole is dead now." Frowning in concern, Brian asked, "Are you okay? Did you get checked out? And what did the police say?"

"My God, Bri. Twenty fucking questions much!? It's just a bump on the head." Brandon looked away from Justin for a moment to whisper, "I guess I was just that anxious to get to Justin."

His eyes clouding over for a moment, Brian felt fully to blame for that. It ended tonight. Brandon loved Justin, and whether Justin understood his feelings or not, he believed he loved Brandon too. Perhaps it wasn't an out-of-this-world mindless lust that they could have shared together, but it was real for them. It was time he took a step back and let them make their decisions without any outside influence. If it was meant to be, they would be together. "I'm glad you're okay, Brandon, and I'm sorry about the things I said. I know you'll do the right thing, but I'm going to stay out of it. I promise."

"Thanks, Brian. That means everything to me." Brandon reached for Justin's hand, gently pulling him closer. He said goodbye to his brother, promising him they could have lunch the following day, his eyes absorbing the beautiful blond in front of him. "Poor Brian," he whispered. "I can't imagine what he's gone through tonight."

"I doubt that it matters to him now. He has you back now... we both do. As far as I'm concerned, that's all that matters." Justin wrapped his arms around Brandon's waist, his head lowering to his chest, a sigh of contentment slipping from him. He knew he needed to tell Brandon about the mistake he'd almost made with Brian tonight, but now wasn't the time. Now was for cherishing this special moment, and the gift of life. Nothing else was more important than that.

TBC