Justin looked down at Chris' prone body in horror. Not even in his more angry moments with the boy did he feel he deserved this. And from his own father. It was unthinkable! He began to back away, only one clear thought in mind. Chris' father had set him up for this violent crime - he had to get out of here. He wouldn't get a fair hearing in this town, at least, not at the police department. He'd like to think Daphne's grandfather, the judge, would be objective, but it wasn't something he could take a chance on.

He had to run. His eyes darted around frantically, widening as he heard sirens in the distance. Most likely they were the rescue squad... nonetheless, he needed to leave now. Running a hand through his hair, he looked down at Chris' bloodied and semi-conscious form. "I c-can't stay. I never meant any of this to happen. I-I didn't do it..."

Chris Hobbs, Sr. grabbed at Justin's arm, quickly moving to hinder his escape. "You're not going anywhere, faggot. As it is - my car has you blocked in. You are trapped!"

"Sir..." Justin began to protest, fear causing tears to brim in his eyes. "I didn't do this. You know that!"

A cruel smile twisted the elder Hobbs' mouth. "The three of us know that; however, the two respected members of this little group will say that it was you." He cast a knowing look on his twitching and pain-ridden son. "I'm an influential member of this community. No one will doubt my word..."

"I don't doubt it!" Justin sneered. "Especially after the treatment I just received from the police department!"

Relaxing his stance a slight bit, a smile oozing self-confidence, curved the deranged father's lips. "That's good to know. I don't pay them to treat scum like you with respect..."

"You disgust me! Both you and your son..." Justin wrenched his arm free, knowing he had probably bruised his arm in the process. "I'm leaving this fucking town. The sight of you and your bigoted ideas fills me with revulsion!" Justin looked around wildly as he heard the sirens getting closer. He didn't know what to do. His car was blocked in the driveway. All he had was his cell phone, which he knew he had to dump somewhere, and what little bit of cash he had in his pocket. Needless to say - it wouldn't be enough.

Justin began to run from the backside of the property, knowing the front would soon be filled with flashing lights - all of which would have condemned him without a hearing. He could hear Chris' father's taunting voice, shouting out - "Run, faggot! You won't get far!!"

He ran until his breath became shortened, uncertain of how long he had been running. Going home or even calling his mom was out of the question. Not wanting to drag any of his friends into this mess, yet, knowing he needed help - some guidance at the very least, he found himself at Daphne's house, his eyes searching out her lit-up bedroom window. Unable to believe he was about to do something straight from a B-movie, Justin tossed a pebble at the window, hoping he gained only her attention.

Several attempts later had Daphne rushing to the window, opening it with a look of censure on her face. "Justin! What are you doing here? Why didn't you just call?"

"I didn't want anyone else to hear. Can you come down here? I don't have a lot of time." Justin's eyes darted around nervously; he knew it wouldn't take long for them to investigate this possibility.

"Okay, just give me a minute. My parents are in the den; I'll slip out the kitchen door." Daphne closed her window, as quietly as possible she slipped down the stairs and out the backdoor - thankful she hadn't been noticed. For some reason, she had a feeling secrecy was needed. A shiver of dread went down her spine. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that Justin was in trouble... she was scared to find out just how much.

Running toward him, she pulled him out of sight of the house, and deep into the gardens, the light shining above the gazebo the only lighting. "Talk to me, Justin. Tell me what happened!"

"I have to leave, Daph. I didn't do anything wrong, but they will say I did. It's all so fucked up!" Justin shifted on his feet nervously, scared to death that he didn't know where to go, or what he would do when he got there. Having little to no money didn't help his anxiety, either. "I confronted Chris, but I didn't touch him. I had the bat, though... and some really fucked up shit happened."

"Tell me!" she demanded, her eyes wide and fearful as she waited.

"Believe it or not, Chris tried to get me to suck him off. I always wondered about him, but never thought he'd go so far..."

Daphne gasped. "Wait a minute! Are you saying Chris Hobbs is gay?"

"I guess; I don't know. But that's only the start of it." Justin took a deep breath, knowing he needed to speed this along, rushing on to say - "His dad caught us out by the pool. I've never seen such murderous rage in my life. He took the fucking bat - Chris' bat - and started beating him with it. Then, he said he would tell the cops I did it..."

Instant understanding appeared on Daphne's face. "Hell, Justin! I warned you to stay out of this... and to keep far away from Chris Hobbs. You should have listened to me!! The cops will never believe your story. This is Chris Hobbs, Sr. we're talking about. His word is practically the law!"

"I know that, Daph. That's why I have to run; at least until I figure out what to do next..."

"Where's your car? I didn't hear it pulling into the driveway." That in itself told her the car wasn't here. Justin's car might be functional, but it was old and loud. It didn't go anywhere quietly.

"It's still at their house. I was blocked in; I ran all the way here." He looked at her intently, his hand fishing into his pockets for his keys. "Can you do something for me?"

Nodding her head vigorously, she assured him, "Yes, anything..."

"Give these keys to my mom when it's safe. I'm sure they'll return the car to her. It might not be much, but it will get her around until she can do something about hers. I've fucked her life up enough; at least, she can still work..."

"Work? That's the last thing she'll be thinking about with you running off!" Daphne bit her lip, an idea forming. "I'm going with you."

"No! Absolutely not!" Justin's face was grim, and filled with determination. "I don't want you involved in this. Let's face it, Daph. Chris was beaten badly by his father. We don't even know what charges they'll try to pin on me. I want you far away from this. And maybe I'll need information or something down the road. I need to be able to call you..."

Daphne sighed. "I guess." She scrunched up her nose, her gesture of thinking a bit deeper. "Do you have any money? And how will you get anywhere? I think you have to use an ID when using the bus, train, or plane. They can trace that."

"I have about fifty bucks. I'll have to walk." Justin thought about that for a minute. "I don't think I really want to go too far; I need to be close enough to keep an eye on things. And they'll probably expect me to either hide out in town or go far away."

"But you won't do either..." Daphne smiled, nodding her instant approval. "Stay here. I have money in my room. It's funny, I'd just taken this out of the ATM earlier today. It's only two hundred dollars, but you need it more than I do."

Justin bit his lip uncertainly. "I can't take your money. You worked for that."

"I'll make more, and if I need anything, my parents always make sure I'm covered. I want you to have it." A stern look on her face, she told him, "Knowing that you have this is the only way I'll relax enough to let you go without me. Now, promise me you'll stay right here while I go get it..."

"I promise," Justin grudgingly agreed. "I don't have a lot of options."

"No, you don't." Daphne paused to hug Justin tightly, tears forming a lump in her throat. "I'm going to miss you so much, Jus. These assholes haven't given you a choice, though."

Fighting his own constricting throat, Justin held her back tightly for a long moment, realizing this was what they both needed right now. "I'll get through this, Daph. They've won for now, but the war isn't over yet."

Pulling back, her lips set in a grim line, she nodded her head emphatically. "You're damn right they haven't! I'll be your eyes and ears from here. In the end - we'll get those bastards."

Justin smiled at her, an almost melancholy feeling assailing him. As much as he believed it would all work out in the end, even though he had no reason to think so now, a part of him felt as if a piece of him had died an excruciating death tonight, one that could never be returned to him. In a way, he realized that was exactly what had happened. That special innocence that only existed in one's youth had been destroyed tonight. Reality had been giving him clues about that for quite some time now, but the events of tonight fully brought it home. Any thoughts of such an idyllic life had been completely eradicated.

Now, it was a question of survival. He was determined and focused. This nightmare would only make him stronger.

Justin had been walking for hours, only the clothes on his back, and cash in his pocket. He was scared to death as he walked along the highway. The headlights from oncoming and passing cars were blinding to him, and they were the scariest part of all. He had no way of knowing if one could be a cruising police car out searching for his whereabouts. Whenever a car came close, he would duck out of sight. He wasn't taking any chances of being caught so easily. His circumstances certainly made hitching a ride impossible; he needed to stay out of clear sight. Perhaps by daylight, he'd have found a safe place to rest, or at the very least, could see the cars that headed his way, and find a ride with someone clearly not seeking to capture him.

Hiding amongst a patchy expanse of shrubbery, Justin tensed when he heard a car not only stopping, but a door opening and footsteps rushing towards him. If he wasn't mistaken, it was two men, both of them slight in height. He held his breath hoping they wouldn't find him, grimly accepting this to be his life now.

"Justin? Are you out here?" Michael called out in agitation, his eyes searching through the bushes in the darkness for any sign of his friend.

"Michael..." Ethan whined. "You shouldn't have parked out in the open. What if we were followed?"

"We weren't! The cops are too busy watching Justin's house and setting up roadblocks - in and out of town. Justin's out here. I know I saw him running in this direction!" Michael moved closer, a sound of relief escaping when Justin stepped from his hiding place. "Justin! Thank God you're okay!"

Justin looked at his friends incredulously. "What the fuck are you doing here? You should be home, and away from me!"

"We want to help!" Ethan explained. "Daphne told us everything." His tone was reprimanding, when he added, "I told you to stay out of this... that no good would come of you facing off against Chris Hobbs. But as usual, you didn't listen."

"Now isn't the time for that. We need to get Justin out of here!" Michael glared at Ethan, his eyes filled with concern when he looked at Justin. "Do you know where you want to go?"

Shaking his head, Justin told him, "I want to be close enough that I can come home if I need to, but not close enough that they would easily find me."

Ethan's eyes lit up. "I know of a place... well, a location. There are some beach houses, very nice ones if I remember correctly, far down the coast. It could possibly take an hour or more to drive there."

"Let's go, then..." Justin responded, all for this idea, largely due to the fact of previously having no idea where he was going.

As they got into the car, and Michael pulled away, Justin told them. "I'm letting you drive me, but you will be going back home." When they looked at him with hurt expressions, Justin explained, "One, I don't want anyone having an exact location of my whereabouts. That way, you won't have to lie so much to the police. Also, it will be more difficult to stay hidden if more than one needs to hide out. Can you understand that?"

"I don't like it," Ethan groused. "However, I understand it. The most important part is you staying safely hidden until the truth comes out." A bleak expression came over his face. "If it ever comes out."

Michael glared at his friend. "Nice attitude, Gold! Justin doesn't need to hear that shit right now!!"

"I'm not saying anything he doesn't already know!" Ethan stormed back.

Justin laughed, shaking his head back and forth. It was the first real laugh he'd had for a while. "It's great to see the two of you can stay true to form. Always bickering over the smallest thing." Warmth filled his eyes as he looked at them. "I love you both... the brothers I never had. Take care of each other, and try not to worry too much. I'll find a way to keep in touch."

Michael kept driving, his eyes slightly misting at Justin's words. "We love you too, Justin. You're our best friend. As soon as Ma finds out you run off, I'm sure she'll be checking in on your mom regularly. I don't want you to worry about her."

"Thanks. Knowing that will be a relief. I'm going to figure this out, and find a way to get Chris to tell the truth. I swear that. This is only temporary. I will be back home again!"

In a rare instance of non-pessimism, Ethan became more positive, fervently speaking, "I know you will, Justin. You are our shining light. The one that can always get people to take notice. You're going to be fine. And when you come home... we'll be here for you."

Justin toed off his sneakers, carrying them in his hand as he walked down this new expanse of beach. It was much different from the beach he had grown up around. The houses were closer to the water, and they were larger and far more luxurious. That was obvious even from a distance. He had Michael drop him off a distance away, and watched as they drove off, before he headed off in the opposite direction. He didn't want to involve them further. They wouldn't know precisely where he was at. He thought that to be best for all concerned.

As he walked along the miles of beach, his legs continued to tire, his eyes becoming heavy... the ability to focus was becoming more and more difficult. He was exhausted. If only he could find a safe place to rest. He squinted at each house as he came in closer proximity to them, hoping to find one that was abandoned. So far, it appeared that each house owner was currently staying in their homes. He'd always thought these rich types were jet-setters; ones that settled back home on the sandy beaches of Florida during the winter season. Surely one house had to be unoccupied?

Continuing to walk along the beach, exhaustion only setting in more fully, Justin's steps stilled when he saw the house that not only stood taller than the rest had, but excluding a few lights being on, seemed to be empty. There were no vehicles around the house, not a visible sight or sound of anyone being in residence. Perhaps the lights were a security measure? He wasn't sure about that; however, he intended to take a closer look.

His hand reached for the door handle... grimly he realized he was now committing an actual crime; however, not as severe as the one he most likely had already been accused of. Justin swore under his breath. It was locked. He glanced down at the doormat in front of the door, an idea quickly forming in his mind. Could it be that simple? What if the key was tucked beneath the mat? Reaching down, he lifted the corner, surprised laughter tumbling from his lips. Perhaps he had been meant to find this house. As he slid the key into the lock and replaced it just as quickly, he slipped inside, at once feeling the tension lifting from his shoulders.

Despite the fact he was hungry, Justin bypassed the room that was clearly the kitchen, his footsteps advancing to the long staircase... a bed his first priority. His hand swept along the railing as he ascended the stairs, while thinking, he could definitely get used to staying here for a while. He really hoped that was an option... and that the house owner didn't return too quickly. Moving down the long hallway, Justin passed various rooms, in search of one that appeared unlived in; thinking if he was discovered, maybe they would be less harsh if he hadn't actually taken someone's bed.

At the end of the hall, he chose one that had a connecting bathroom, one that was empty of all accessories, and a walk-in closet that was completely bare. Making quick use of the bathroom, Justin washed his hands before stripping down to his black boxer briefs, sliding into the bed, and dousing the light on the bedside lamp. He knew he shouldn't be relaxed, or even able to sleep quickly; and yet, somehow he thought he might have the best night's sleep of his young life. Uncertain of how long his solitude and apparent safety would last, Justin closed his eyes, forcing all the bad thoughts from his mind. Tomorrow was another day. He would put things into perspective then.

Brian frowned as he found himself unexpectedly awakened, his eyes peering into the darkness before his eyes, trying to focus in the dim lighting. He had heard something... strangely it sounded like movement, a sound, something. But what was the source of it? Emmett was staying further up the coast for the night. They needed supplies, and it was standard procedure for him to acquire them in the morning before driving back. His own little weekend lark had been more short-lived than usual. Within hours of them driving into Tampa, Brian had wanted to come back home. His plan had initially been to take a flight, but that interest quickly changed. His boredom seemed to have no relief these days. He had about given up on that.

Slipping into his jeans, the snap undone, as usual, Brian moved down the hall, quietly checking each room. Something wasn't right. He had woken with the sense of knowing that, but so far, had nothing to account for the feeling. As he opened the door to the last bedroom, one that had actually never been used by anyone, Brian's eyes widened on the form that slightly stirred underneath the sheets. Moving closer, Brian reached out to light the lamp to its lowest setting, uncertain if he wanted to awaken his uninvited guest... yet, wanting to get a closer look at who had broken into his home.

A slow smile curved his lips at his first glimpse of the boy. Without a doubt, the blond was young; a boy was very accurate. If his guess was right, and he rarely made a mistake regarding hot men - this boy couldn't be more than seventeen... eighteen at best. Interesting, he thought.

Brian found his attention focused on his lips. They were perfectly shaped and the most appealing color of raspberry - and he had seen more than his fair share. He couldn't help wanting to taste them. Of course, he wouldn't. That would be intrusive, despite the fact of the boy barging uninvited into his domain. He didn't just want to kiss him, he wanted to see what was hiding under the sheet. Something told him it would be even more remarkable. Forcing his mind back to the matter at hand, Brian realized his attention needed to be on finding out this boy's identity... and exactly why he had snuck into his home. His eyes continuing to heat at the sight of him, Brian recognized his boredom was gone. How long that would last he was unable to determine. But for now, it was non-existent.

Walking to the switch that would cast the entire room in bright light, Brian flipped it on, watching with interest as the blond slowly came awake, his eyes fearful as he sought out the source of his unrest. Brian's eyes stabbed into beautiful blue eyes, determined he would keep his libido at a minimum until he had all of his questions answered.

"So, Goldilocks... mind telling me why you're sleeping in one of my beds?"

TBC