"Daddy!" the excited voice screamed, the very moment his father had stepped through the palace doors, a boy that had clearly been anxiously awaiting his return.

Brian nearly lost his breath from the impact the six-year-old child caused from the sudden launching of his body into his own. He closed his arms around him, not realizing until this very moment just how much he had missed him, even for such a short trip. In actuality, it had been a few weeks since they had spent any kind of time together. As soon as he returned from his business trip, he had been rushing off to find Justin, events spiraling out of control so quickly. He hugged him close to his body, spinning him around in a hurried, yet playful manner. "Sonnyboy, it's so good to be home. I missed you."

Pulling back, Gus pouted at his father, his bottom lip pushing out. "I missed you more!"

Justin's breath lodged in his throat as he watched the father and son reunion, his eyes suddenly misting with tears as he thought of how he had been so determined to give this up without a fight. Fuck! What had he been thinking? He shook his head, unable to fully grasp the events of the recent weeks, although a huge haze that had been surrounding him had slowly been lifting over the past twenty-four hours. Justin smiled when Gus began moving towards him, automatically hunching down to his level. "I missed you too, buddy."

Gus wrapped his arms around Justin's waist, hugging him just as tightly as he had just embraced his father. "I missed you too, Justin. I'm so glad you came back."

Pulling back, Justin wiped away a few tears that had managed to escape. "I'm glad too, Gus."

Brian cleared his throat from behind them. When he spoke, his tone was far more curt than he had intended. "Justin, the doctor is waiting for you in our rooms. You had better go to him now." He couldn't look at Justin right now. The love Justin felt for Gus had cast a glow on his already ethereal face. He would never feel jealous towards his young and innocent son, but how he wished Justin would look at him with such unconditional love.

Would Justin ever trust in him enough? Believe that he loved and wanted only him? His lips set into a line of grim determination, the stern look misinterpreted by the object of his deepest desires. "I'll check in with you later, Justin." He turned to smile down at his son. "And how about I meet you in the stables in about an hour? We can go for a ride on the grounds."

"I'll be ready, Daddy!" Gus jumped up and down in excitement, his eyes focusing on Brandon coming up behind them. "Uncle Brandon! Daddy is taking me riding! Isn't that great?"

"That's great, Gus." Brandon's eyes briefly touched on Justin, before he met and held the Sultan's, urgency displayed in his own.

Justin backed away from them, his distrust and hurt in his eyes. Why had Brian been so cold with him? If he didn't care, why had he gone to so much trouble to bring him back? He had thought he had his confusion and insecurity slightly under control... but now it hit him again at full force. Would there ever be any sort of balance with them? Silently, Justin made his way to the curving staircase, uncertainty etched in every step. His shoulders were slightly hunched as he made his way up. Would he ever understand anything again?

"Gus? Would you like some cookies and milk? I think the cook just pulled some fresh chocolate chip cookies from the oven..." Brandon suggested, his eyes warm on the Sultan's son, yet lines of tension visible on his face.

Gus looked toward his father for approval, before running off as soon as he was given a confirming nod, blissfully unaware of any anxiety between the two adults.

Brian turned to face his former slave, his eyes narrowing on him sharply. "Is there a problem, Brandon?"

"Yes Sultan, I'm afraid there could be..." he started, uncertain of how to proceed. He had such high esteem and respect for his former master... but he loved Ben with all his heart. "There's no easy way to say it, Sire, but Ben is very upset right now. He hasn't left our rooms since yesterday. In fact, he hasn't eaten since yesterday morning."

"Why the hell not?" Brian demanded, concern evident on his face. Then, a thought occurred to him. Since yesterday? Michael arrived a day before they had. Did Ben know Michael had been returned to Al Duran? Ben had thought Michael was dead. Fuck! He hadn't wanted him to discover this in such a manner. The damage could be irreparable.

Brandon shifted nervously on his feet. The Sultan was angry... and he had the feeling that would only increase, especially if the news he possessed turned out to be true. "Uhhh, there is a rumor circulating. I-it's about M-Michael..."

"Fuck! Is there no loyalty anymore?" Brian exploded. "Who was it?" he hissed in anger. When Brandon opened his mouth to answer, Brian waved him off. "It doesn't matter. I have to deal with the consequences; I should have expected this. Inform Ben I expect him in my office immediately. That is a direct order!"

"Yes, Your Highness. I will tell him." As he walked away in the direction of their rooms, Brandon shook his head. He had been hoping the rumors had been wrong. Michael was back, and once again in the prison that he had managed to escape. He couldn't help wondering what that would mean for him. In fact... for all of them.

Brian scowled at the pile of files and messages that were stacked neatly on his desk, bemoaning that he couldn't even be gone for a few short days without his work piling up to such a ridiculous degree. He grimaced as he realized this was actually weeks of correspondence to sort through. His business trip seemed so long ago. His entire life had been focused on finding Justin. The timing of his trip hadn't really factored in until now.

He flipped through the handwritten messages. Some of them were in Ben's familiar scrawl, with the rest being in his secretary's. Only one was of any immediate importance to him. A call from the PI. Picking up the phone, he dialed the number, uncertain at this point what more the investigator would have to add. When the call was answered, his voice was gruff when he announced, "This is Sultan Amir Ali Nazari. I have only just returned home, and see that you have been trying to reach me."

"Your Highness! Yes, I have." Taking a deep breath, hopeful that the Sultan's anger regarding this bit of news wouldn't be directed at him, he advised, "I have the report on the photos you wanted to be investigated."

"Go on..." Brian urged, all but convinced this would be just one more strike against Michael.

"These photos are not genuine, Sultan. Of course, I'm sure you knew that..." he laughed, trying to appear more at ease than he really felt. "I cannot trace where they were printed, but the tests confirm they are altered images. My instincts lead me to believe your image was placed in the place of the proper person."

Brian's lips pressed into a tight line. "I see." Truly, there had never been any doubt. Sure, he had overindulged in alcohol at times, especially as he had missed Justin during the nights of his trip... but never to the extent that he took another man into his bed. His commitment to Justin had been solid from the moment he had released his harem. Did he ever think about tricking? Of course, he did. Would he do it if Justin was in favor of it... most likely yes he would at times. However, only if the act was one they could enjoy together. Justin's happiness was what mattered most. If such activity made Justin insecure, then he wanted no part of it - now or ever.

"I can keep looking, if you like..." He offered, although he really didn't see the point. The odds of finding the location of the origin of the photos were very slim. If they found the other man shown in the picture... then, they had a better chance. That was all up to the Sultan, and how much he wanted to spend on this bizarre investigation.

He glanced up at the harsh tapping at his door, his heart heavy as he realized it would be Benjamin. This talk wouldn't be easy. No matter how Ben viewed Michael's crimes, his decision was final. Michael was scheduled for execution. Nothing would divert his path from what he deemed to be the only resolution. "No, you have done well. I will wire your fee with a sizable bonus. Your discretion and expediency have been invaluable to me."

"Thank you, Your Highness. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call me."

"I'll remember." Brian replaced the phone, tersely calling out for Ben to come in, not a doubt in his mind it would be Ben on the other side. He nearly flinched at the pain and accusation in Ben's eyes, his hand distractedly motioning for him to be seated. "Sit down, Ben. We need to talk."

"It seems talk comes a bit late, at least by a good six months!" Ben snapped, his eyes hateful on the man he had long ago sworn loyalty and obedience to... now finding it a bitter pill to swallow.

Brian took a deep breath. "I don't give a fuck how angry you are with me, Benjamin. You WILL remember who I am!"

"Oh yes, I remember exactly who you are, your most esteemed highness..." Ben deliberately sneered his answer, uncaring of the consequences. This argument was long overdue. It could result in his immediate exile... but that was a chance he felt compelled to take. "How long have you known? That's all I really need to know at this point."

An angry muscle twitched in Brian's jaw. "I am really struggling to remember your distress, Benjamin. Do you not realize the punishment that I would be forced to inflict upon you if your behavior towards me was conducted in a public venue?"

"Well, we are not in public, Sire." Ben's voice continued to be laced with sarcasm. "How do you expect me to react to the news that Michael has been returned to the prison... flown in from America on your private plane? It tells me that I have been deceived for months now. I just want to know why you lied to me about his suicide..."

Brian nodded, understanding that he owed Ben the answers to these questions... and probably so much more. He had been a loyal friend and servant for so many years. This ugly business with Michael had caused a wedge between them... basically, from the time Michael entered their lives. No matter what Ben decided afterward, he owed him the truth. "I had every intention of telling you the truth once I returned. I have made mistakes, Ben; I genuinely own up to that... however, I made the choices I did all with the best of intentions."

"No. You elected to control my reality as you do everyone around you. That really needs to stop, Your Highness. Think about it... you almost lost Justin because of it!" Ben spat out.

Angrily, Brian stood to his feet, pushing his chair back in an almost mad rush. "Don't bring Justin into this! He ran from me due to Michael's fucking deceptions! Okay, maybe we had other problems... but those damned photos were what pushed Justin over the edge. It is just one of Michael's crimes against me."

Ben shook his head in confusion. "How does Michael have anything to do with those photos? He wasn't even here then."

" I don't have official confirmation that Michael was behind them, but I do know that the photos were altered... and with what he did in New York, it is quite clear he conspired to lure Justin away and followed him to finish his diabolical plan."

"You found Michael in New York... with Justin? That doesn't make any sense..." Ben muttered, continuing to spout disbelief at the man he had formerly trusted above all others. "Not to mention, you still haven't told me your part in Michael's departure from the island, and why you kept it secret. Are you ever going to answer my questions!?"

Brian swore, his eyes angrily attacking his most trusted friend. If this conversation was being held with anyone else, his grasp on his control would have already been severed. As it was... it was very close right now. "I am trying to cover all this with you, Ben. Clearly, I am distracted, with much more than the complexities of your ex-lover going on!"

"Right, of course. How could I forget? Justin. It's always about Justin; at least, from the time you first laid eyes on him." Ben shook his head in derision, his head downcast, with his entire being feeling dejected. He had thought his anxiety would mean more to the Sultan than it did. However, it was very clear the only thing that mattered to him was maintaining his power... and Justin. At this point, though, he wasn't sure of which order Brian prioritized the two.

"Ben! Fuck! This is not like you!" Brian began to pace in agitation, back and forth. He had so much on his mind. What pissed him off the most was that regardless of the inappropriateness of Ben's demeanor with him - he was right about one thing. He had been obsessed with Justin since the first time he had glanced up in that casino and got a good look at him. There had been no going back from that moment. Nothing or no one would have stopped him from destroying everything in his path to claim him. Now, Justin was being examined, and hopefully back in his full mind afterward. He couldn't relax until knowing how that went. "I am worried about Justin right now, Ben. Not only did Michael practice his hypnosis on him, but he also used dangerous drugs with it to enhance the effect. So, this time, you are mistaken. It is not about my obsession. Ironically, it's more about Michael's!"

Shaking his head, Ben tried to grasp what Brian was telling him. There wasn't a doubt in his mind of the Sultan's sincerity... it was plain to see in his eyes. He just didn't understand how things had come to this, and where they went from here. "I don't get this at all. You knew how twisted Michael had become. Why would you fake his death and allow him passage from the island? At the very least he should have remained imprisoned."

Brian looked at his friend incredulously. "Think about it, Ben. Could you have happily gone on with your life... in particular, your new life with Brandon, knowing that Michael was wasting away in a prison - never to see the light of day again?" Smiling in compassion at the man that had been such an important part of his life, he hoped his choice in the past, and in Michael's future, wouldn't cause unresolvable damage between them. "And I didn't fake his death. When I returned that day with news of his suicide, I believed that to be the truth. It wasn't until later when a guard unaffected by his poison came forward. I made a choice then. Hold him in my prison forever, or cast him from the island. I honored your request that I not execute him, and sent him away instead."

"I see..." Ben returned hollowly. "I have a feeling you no longer intend to honor that promise."

"I can't. Think about it from my vantage point, Ben. The man is a menace to society. I did a great wrong by giving him passage from Al Duran. There's no way of knowing how many lives he has destroyed. I can't let it continue. His obsession is dangerous, and he is a loose cannon. I won't let that go on..."

Ben lowered his face into his hands, unable to hold back the tide of emotions that overcame him. He sobbed into them, unable to do anything else. "I- I never got to say goodbye to him the first time... and now, well, I am broken-hearted over the consequences his choices will have on him. However, I can't ask you to be compassionate again." He looked up and pierced Brian with intense eyes. "I have the feeling I only know a portion of the atrocities he has committed. My life is with Brandon now. I must trust that you will do what is right for all of us."

"Thank you, Ben." Brian breathed a deep sigh of relief. "Your faith in me means more than you'll ever understand. It will be over tomorrow. I don't want to prolong this. The longer he lives, the more likely it will be that he finds a way to infect others; for the good of my family and the people under my rule - I cannot let that continue."

Suddenly, both men looked up startled, when the door to Brian's office opened with a loud roar. Brian's eyes narrowed on the irate blond that stood before them, his lips pressed together in displeasure at the impropriety of Justin's unexpected arrival. "What is the meaning of this, Justin? I believe we've had this talk before..."

"To hell with your damned protocol!" Justin pushed his way into the room, uncaring of how he now breached Brian's domain, not a doubt in his mind that a lecture would be forthcoming. "Where the fuck is he!?"

Ben stood to his feet, his eyes moving from the Sultan to his obviously enraged lover. "I'll just leave the two of you alone."

"Thank you, Benjamin." Brian glared at his beautiful blond, while inwardly feeling an immense amount of relief that the reversal seemed to have been effective. Justin appeared to have returned to his fiery, outspoken self. Even under hypnosis, Justin had been like this; however, it was also very different. Not to mention, he was clearly looking for Michael. He couldn't imagine anyone else he would be so angrily trying to intercept.

Ben smiled in response, his eyes still dark and bleak. No matter how much he loved Brandon... and he did love him deeply, a part of him agonized over Michael, and what might have been. No. That wasn't quite true. Michael's insane plotting and twisted desires made the commitment he had once thought they shared to be a complete lie. He had already known that to be true, but this new addition into the saga of Michael's demented psyche, vastly diminished the news of Michael's return from the dead. A return he knew to be very short-lived. "I'll just keep Gus occupied until you can join him, Sire. Brandon mentioned that you had plans to take him riding."

"Yes, thank you, Ben." His eyes shot daggers at the vengeful blond, as much as he was elated regarding Justin's mind obviously returning, his total lack of propriety for how things are done in his world leaving him with even more decisions to make. In the past, he had been far too lenient with Justin regarding the decorum required in being the beloved of a world ruler. That needed to be addressed. "Have a seat..."

"Have a seat?? I won't be dictated to you like one of your subjects..." Justin sputtered, his anger even sharper when Brian barked at him.

"I said sit down! There are things you need to understand, and my patience is about gone!" Brian hissed, pacing back and forth beside his desk, his eyes continuing to bite into Justin. To his immense relief, Justin took a seat across from his desk, although glaring back at him just as heatedly. Understanding that they had much to discuss and that his son was expecting his presence very soon, Brian returned to his chair behind his desk, knowing distance was required. If he touched Justin now he would be lost. Now wasn't the time for that.

Justin gave a slow blink, his face expectant and impatient. "I'm sitting, Your Lordship. Let's hear it..."

"That attitude and outspoken manner have to stop, Justin. I am the ruler of this island. My word is the law. Disrespect to me isn't something that can be tolerated." Brian took in a breath as he observed Justin's expression remaining unchanging. This was getting him nowhere. "I don't have time to delve into this now; I just need you to understand that things need to change going forward. They WILL change."

"Fine..." Justin grumbled. "I get it. You are lord of all you survey, and there is a reputation to uphold. You can't be publicly disrespected. To do so weakens you, your rule, and your power on this island and with other world leaders. I understand. But you need to understand something too - I need to tell this sick son of bitch off. I know you. There isn't a doubt in my mind that you have brought Michael back to this island. I want to see him."

"Absolutely not!" Brian snarled. "I won't allow that psychopath to play his mind games with you again. Fuck! How can you ask that of me? Don't you know how important you are to me?"

Justin swallowed. "I uhhh might be starting to understand that, Brian. The last night in New York was an eye-opener."

"How's your head?" Brian stared at Justin with nothing other than concern in his intense gaze. "Any headaches?"

"No, it's strange really. Physically, I've never felt better." Justin found himself transfixed by the genuine warmth in Brian's eyes. He couldn't remember ever seeing such a look in the fierce Sultan's gaze. "I don't even remember my full session with the doctor, but my conversations with Michael keep flashing into my mind... almost like a hazily remembered dream. In this case, a very bad dream."

"You don't need to worry about Michael any longer, Justin. He will never poison the mind of anyone ever again. I promise you that!" Brian vowed vehemently. Grimacing as he noticed the time that had been moving with unbelievable quickness, Brian spoke with slight regret, "I have to meet with Gus now. We have spent such little time together recently, and I promised him. However, we can discuss this more when I return."

Justin nodded jerkily. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have interrupted as I did. The very thought of what Michael did to me filled me with an instant rage. I couldn't stop rushing in."

Brian smiled knowingly at his impulsive boy. "Hot-headed and quick to respond to an injustice, whether directed at you or someone else. You have integrity, Justin. I admire that more than I can tell you."

Blushing, Justin stood to his feet, moving awkwardly to the door, Brian's words affecting him more than he wanted to admit. "Thank you, Brian. I- I guess I'll see you when you get back."

As Justin opened the door and began to slip through it, another thought came to Brian's mind. One that seemed so right. "I have a better idea. Would you like to come with us? I know Gus would love to have you there." Brian stood to his feet, slowly moving toward his beautiful, attentive blond. He reached out to brush his hand along Justin's cheek, shaking his head when he noticed how it trembled. He couldn't help wondering how Justin could be so oblivious to the love in his heart. If nothing else was accomplished today, he vowed he would achieve that.

A beaming smile was his initial response. Reaching a hand upwards, Justin covered Brian's hand that now stroked his cheek, closing his hand over it and pulling it down between them, squeezing it tightly within his own. "I'd love that, Brian." Taking the initiative that he hadn't taken in a very long time, Justin moved in closer, brushing his lips lightly over the stunned Sultan's. It was the sweetest kiss they had ever shared, a moment in time that seemed impossible after their chaotic history. Even though they still had much to talk about, Justin felt like he had finally come home.

TBC