Emmett staggered along the bar as a friendly and familiar face came into his somewhat blurred focus. Boisterously, he greeted his favorite psychoanalyst. "Welllll, if it isn't Dr. Sexy..." Emmett batted his eyelashes at the handsome doctor flirtatiously, one hand precariously perched on the edge of the bar, while the other tipped his Cosmo into his mouth.

Ben laughed. "Good evening, Em. It looks like you're about to wrap the evening up just as I'm arriving..."

A confused look fell across Emmett's face. "Wrapping up? I'm only just getting warmed up." Winking at Ben, he attempted to tug at his arm. "How about we take a spin on the dance floor?"

Dance? Ben immediately filed that away as something that definitely would not be happening. Emmett would be face-down on the floor in an instant. "Uhhh no. I think I'll pass for now. Maybe later, if that's okay."

Emmett shrugged, taking another long sip of his drink, before barely managing to place his glass up on the bar. "I don't know, Doc, my dance card might be full later. You could be taking a risk."

"I'll take my chances..." Ben smiled at him. Emmett was always such fun... drunk or sober you always got the same man. Emmett was full of life and didn't give a damn who knew it or judged him for it. As Emmett would often say - his flame was shining bright - Ben realized, in regard to Emmett Honeycutt, no truer words had ever been spoken. He looked at him closely for a moment, a thought that he'd never had to slip into the back of his mind. What if he had met Emmett before Michael? Would he have pursued something there? He knew Emmett wouldn't be averse to the idea. A part of him thought he wouldn't have been either... if not for Michael.

"So, where's your mighty leader, the good Warden Kinney? I haven't seen him yet..." Emmett signaled to the bartender for another drink, not noticing how Ben made eye contact, urging him to cut him off.

Ben sighed. That was exactly why he was here tonight. He had the feeling Brian would be here at some point. Justin's hearing had been this morning, thankfully, with favorable results; Ben found himself more than curious as to how Brian was adjusting to those circumstances. If Brian needed a friend or an ear, he was here for him; despite how things had been between them recently, he was committed to standing by him. "I haven't seen him, either. Have you been in the backrooms?"

Emmett shook his head. "No. I guess that's where he would be." He stepped away from the bar, and linked his arm under Ben's, eyes hopeful as he looked up at the larger man. "How about we go back there... and ummm, look for Brian..."

Unable to resist, Ben laughed at Emmett's continued efforts. "No, I'm in no hurry to see him. I'll just wait out here for a bit and see if he shows." Ben's amusement turned to concern as he continued to notice how unsteady Emmett was on his feet. This wasn't normal - not even for him. "Uhhh, Em? Is everything alright with you?"

Spreading his arms out wide, as if mimicking the flight of an eagle, Emmett exuberantly proclaimed, "I'm fabuloussss, Darling. Always."

"Uhhh Em, why don't you let me take you home..." Ben looked at him apprehensively, uncertain he would make the walk home on his own.

At once, Emmett placed his hands on Ben's cheeks, his expression giddy as he looked at Ben's face. "Sweetie, I've been waiting for so long to hear that..."

Before Ben could clear up any misunderstanding Emmett had regarding his offer, he heard mocking laughter from behind him - a laugh he really didn't want to hear in this particular set of circumstances. He discreetly disengaged Emmett's hands from him, before turning to face the man that was taking obvious enjoyment at his discomfort. "Brian," Ben obliquely observed. "Emmett's had a bit too much to drink tonight. I was just suggesting he might like to call it a night."

"Are you sure that's what you were suggesting, Doctor Feel Good?" Brian taunted, idly sliding a toothpick in between his teeth. A slight smirk appeared on his face as he chewed on the narrow stick, his eyes darting back and forth between a clearly rattled Ben and a hopeful Emmett. Brian continued to maintain a chiding manner. "Shame on you, Ben. Poor Mikey is patiently waiting until you can be together again... and here you are looking to fill the void."

"Now, listen here, Brian." Ben's face quickly reddened in anger. Damn how this man provoked him. Always! "I have not ever been in a committed relationship with Michael! We were dating before his life fell apart - no more, no less. I am free to do what I like - should I like to do anything! Whatever happens between the two of us when he's released is exactly that - between us alone! Got that, Warden?"

Brian sneered. "Trust me - I want nothing to do with your little domestic arrangements..."

Emmett's eyes widened in surprise. Ben was never one to engage in such outbursts... and not only was it with Brian, but in public too. This could get vicious. A drunken laugh escaped, before he patted Ben reassuringly on the shoulder, "You get the big, bad monster, Baby." He looked over their shoulders to see Ted making his way through the crowd. "Ahhh, my salvation. Teddy can take me home." Emmett blew them both kisses, his eyes lingering the longest on Ben. "If you change your mind, Sweetie... you know where to find me."

Brian snickered as Emmett staggered away. "Right. He and all of the queens in Pittsburgh."

"Do you really have to be such an ass, Brian? I mean, let's face it - you don't have that many real friends to lose!" Ben had no clue why he was suddenly being so defensive of Emmett; Brian's comment had been a standard Brian Kinney quip, but even though it was mild in comparison to some he'd often heard Brian utter, it had bothered him. In fact, it had bothered him a lot. He wondered if he needed to think about that.

"I don't give a fuck about that." Brian placed his back against the bar as his eyes scanned for what would be the vessel to work out his temper... and frustration. It wasn't the evening he had envisioned... but his now free obsession hadn't succumbed to his invitation for the evening. He was going to spend the evening becoming reacquainted with his Mom and gal pal. That had produced an immediate eye roll. The boy hadn't been in prison all that long. However, he knew today hadn't been the time to push. He would give him a few days, then he would take what he knew was his to have.

Ben's eyes narrowed on him sharply, a mocking laugh of his own escaping. "We both know that's not true, Brian. For some reason I've yet to determine, you feel the need to hold the world - your friends especially - at arm's length. You do care. I just hope your fear of letting your feelings known doesn't cost you what you care about the most one day."

"I do hope I'm not being charged for this psychoanalysis bullshit." Brian glared at his friend and colleague. "Because... it certainly feels like I'm on your fucking couch."

"Be glib, that's fine, Brian. It's just another form of denial." Ben moved closer, uncaring of how far he was pushing his friend or the risks he took in doing so. "We both know what's really bothering you, and until you admit it to yourself - you will never make any progress in getting what you really want..."

Brian's eyes remained on the gyrating bodies, yet his back tensed at Ben's words. He saw too fucking much. He always had. "I don't know what you're talking about, Freud."

"How about I simplify it then." Ben took in a harsh breath, waiting for Brian to give him the courtesy of looking at him. "Justin Taylor."

A muscle ticked in Brian's jaw. "What about him? He's free as a bird now."

"Exactly! And you can't handle that, can you, Brian? You don't know what he's doing... or even worse, who he's doing it with." Ben waved his hand out toward the mass of bodies that they both knew Brian could acquire with a single glance, his point very easy to make. "Go fuck them all, Brian. It won't change anything. Until you admit to yourself how much that kid has gotten under your skin, you will continue to be miserable."

Brian pasted a fake smile on his face; he knew he couldn't hide the coldness from his eyes, but he refused to rise to the bait Ben was so determined to lay out before him. "I am never miserable. I can always find an ass; in fact, I'm going to do that right now. If I want Justin, then I'll go after him. End of story."

Ben shook his head sadly. Brian had so much to learn. As much as he wanted Brian to learn a lesson, for some reason, he didn't want him to this time. His gut told him how much Justin Taylor meant to his friend, and from his limited sessions with Justin, he wouldn't be surprised if the same applied to Justin. As his eyes wandered over the same crowd Brian had been perusing, Ben's eyes caught two bodies dancing in the distance. They weren't touching... but they were close. The proverbial shit was definitely about to hit the fan. Shrugging, Ben decided this might be the catalyst to make Brian realize exactly what could be slipping away.

He patted Brian sympathetically on the shoulder, before he leaned in closer to say, "I'd say you had your chance now... but it looks like the smarter man beat you to it. Goodnight, Brian. I hope you enjoy your solitary existence..."

Brian shook his head in bewilderment as Ben walked away. What the fuck was that about? As his eyes scanned deeper into the crowd, they narrowed on what surprisingly greeted his eyes. "Fuck..." he growled to no one but himself. Hips encased in the tightest pair of jeans he thought he'd ever seen, was Justin, smiling and lost to everything but the music. His dancing partner smiled down at him, in clear appreciation of his sensual movements, not to mention the immense beauty of the blond. Brandon. Unbelievable. Fucking Brandon was moving in already.

Taking in a deep breath, Brian moved past the bodies and hands that clamored for his attention. He had one goal in mind. Justin was about to change dancing partners. As the lust and anger soared within him, Brian vowed one thing to himself - Justin would be leaving with him tonight. Him, and him alone.

TBC