"Mr. Scranton, could you repeat that... please?" Justin asked the attorney, his disbelief clearly discernible in his stunned expression.

Smiling in complete understanding, he repeated, "I think you heard me just fine, but I can imagine your shock, Mr. Taylor. You now have the distinction of being a very wealthy young man."

Waving his hand in the air, Justin quickly interjected, "Call me Justin."

"Very well. Justin, it is." He smiled, his hand extending the document, along with a bank-certified check. "Everything is in order. The money is yours to deposit at a time of your choosing. Nothing else needs to be done."

Justin shook his head in astonishment. Even though his mother had told him he would soon be financially independent - he hadn't expected this. His eyes wide as he looked at the check that could easily support him for a lifetime if it was managed properly, Justin shook his head in denial. "I- I can't take this, Sir."

"What do you mean - you can't take it!?" Unable to keep the astonishment from his expression or his voice, he continued in a flustered tone, "Justin, this is your mother's wish. I don't know every aspect of your personal life or even your relationship with Jennifer; however, I do know that she will take great comfort in knowing that you are well provided for."

"I get that, but in light of her current legal situation, she needs this money far more than I do." Lifting his hand to place the check on the attorney's desk, Justin persisted in his own wishes. "I want her to have it."

Smiling in understanding, he found himself not the least bit surprised that he genuinely liked this young man. Clearly, he was unaccustomed to such wealth, and first and foremost, he wanted to use it to help his mother. Jennifer was fortunate to have this man as a son. "Your mother is more than financially capable of hiring her own team of lawyers - should that be her wish. Now, please don't protest your good fortune. Your mother would be most distressed to hear of it."

Justin looked at the check as if seeing the most unfamiliar and foreign objects. Two-and-a-half million dollars. He couldn't imagine a life with that kind of money... the security it would provide. The amount Brian had arranged to pay him when they had started their agreement had seemed astronomical. This was out of the ballpark entirely! Laughing shakily, Justin murmured, "I guess my grandfather was super-rich. I never had a clue."

"He was a very private man." Smiling in remembrance of the brusque, often difficult old man, he continued, "He let very few people in; trusted even fewer. I doubt anyone ever realized his true net worth."

Uncertain of how this process worked, Justin asked, "Uhhh, so I have the check. Is there anything else you need from me?"

Extending a pen and form across the desk, the attorney told him, "I just need a signature on this document stating that you received the check. Then, you are free to go and live your life."

Live his life. Justin frowned at the check, before hastily scrawling his signature on the document. He couldn't quite grasp this yet. There wasn't a doubt this kind of money changed his life. He could only find one problem with that. He wasn't sure he wanted his life to change. Regardless of what happened with his mother, a miracle had happened with them meeting again. She had always loved him. Knowing that, filled him with an immeasurable peace.

Then, there was Brian. It astounded him how much this seemingly uncaring man had done for him. Justin immediately qualified that. Brian Kinney was anything but uncaring. That was, if it pertained to people that mattered to him. Seeing Brian with his son was both breathtaking and humbling for him. Brian had the capacity for great love. Perhaps to the world, he was the ruthless financier; Justin was sure that image needed to stay alive, but in more intimate moments - Brian Kinney was so much more. Justin accepted that he had fallen hard for the arrogant man. The thought of separating from him for whatever reason made his chest ache. That was a reality he hoped never became his.

"You're all set, Justin." Placing the document in the small file, he smiled warmly at the young man. "You are now a millionaire; in fact, a couple of times over." Standing to his feet, and circling his desk, he waited for Justin to stand before he pumped his hand enthusiastically. "I wish you the best of luck. If you ever need anything... don't hesitate to call on me."

"Thank you," Justin answered, his hand shaking as he placed the check in his pocket. He still wasn't sure he wanted it. This would change his life drastically. Before meeting Brian he would have welcomed that change. Now, everything was both different and confusing. He knew it wouldn't be a simple matter to figure out. Walking to the door in unhurried and distracted steps, he opened the door and looked for the man that had come along for moral support. Justin realized it had been more than that. Brian was gone for the morning with Gus and Ben... there wasn't a doubt that Brian would prefer him to be in the company of a trusted friend. What had amazed him was Michael's acceptance of him in Brian's life... most especially, after the circumstances that had brought them together.

Michael stood up when he noticed Justin exiting the lawyer's office, a frown creasing his brows together as he took in Justin's perplexed, and unsettled expression. "Justin? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit surprised. I'll fill you in when we get back to the hotel." Justin smiled weakly, feeling all kinds of a fool for feeling as he did. This should be a celebratory time. He no longer needed to depend on anything or anyone. Why he didn't feel that way disturbed him, though. Despite the unlikeliness of it happening from where they had started, it meant one thing alone. He was in love with Brian Kinney. Now, he had to determine exactly what to do about it.

Justin collapsed onto the sofa in the suite he shared with Brian, the check that lined the inside of his pocket feeling like a weight holding him down. It was a mixed blessing... and one that he wasn't certain he wouldn't be much happier without. Glancing in Michael's direction who had just followed him slowly over to the sofa, Justin graciously told him, "Thanks for coming with me, Michael. I know we don't know each other that well, but I appreciate it."

Michael sat next to Justin, his lips set into a grim line. "Justin, I need to apologize to you."

"For what?" Justin shook his head, at a complete loss for where this was heading.

"I didn't give you a fair shake when we first met. I guess it comes from being with Ben and knowing everything that goes on in Brian's life. I thought you were just taking advantage of Brian's generosity. I was wrong."

Justin snorted. "Brian's generosity wasn't much of that in the beginning. He was cold and ruthless. Of course, I look at everything differently now."

Michael smirked. "Love can do that."

Looking away uncomfortably, Justin nonchalantly queried, "Love? Who said anything about that?"

"It's fine, Justin. You don't have to admit it. I can see it clearly, though. If it makes you feel better, I'm sure Brian doesn't see it." A sad look fell across Michael's face. "Except for what he feels for Gus, which is completely different, he's never experienced much love in his life. That's different now... more importantly - Brian is different."

"I owe him a lot. This arrangement was never supposed to come with all of these complications. I never asked him to do any of this, but he's been there for me like nobody else has been - ever!"

Michael nodded. "You won't find a man more fiercely loyal than Brian when it comes to people he cares about." He gave Justin a pointed look. "There isn't a doubt that you are definitely included in that group."

Panic and unease of all that had happened in the past weeks immediately overwhelmed him. "I- I just don't want to lose him, Michael. Anything but that..."

"Lose him? Are you crazy?" Michael's eyes were wide in confusion. "He's fucking crazy about you. I mean - look at all he's done for you. Excluding Gus, he doesn't go to this much effort for anyone. What aren't you telling me?"

"It appears that my father was seeking a large fortune when he set out to re-acquire me, and kill me in time." Justin's face became paler than normal, unable to mask how his father's continued abuse and betrayal still hurt him. It was a pain he would carry for a lifetime and one that he knew nothing could erase. Reaching into his pocket, Justin pulled out the check with his name clearly typed as the recipient. He passed it over to Michael, recognizing that life as he knew it would change - whether he wished for it or not.

Michael gasped as he looked at the clearly authentic check. "2.5 million dollars? Fuck, Justin! You're a millionaire! This is incredible!"

"Yeah. It's just fabulous..." Justin replied drolly. It wasn't just about Brian, and how this changed one of the main variables of how they got together; he just wasn't sure he wanted the responsibility of managing this much money, nor of what that sort of life represented. It just wasn't him.

"Uhhh, you've got to tell Brian. He needs to know that you won't abandon him now that you don't need him financially." Michael was sure it wasn't the case, but due to Justin's behavior since the visit to the attorney, he just had to ask. "You don't plan on leaving him, do you?"

Justin gasped, unable to fathom that Michael could even think that. "Of course not! Well, I don't want to, but if Brian won't let me out of our arrangement, I won't have many options. I asked him before we got here to release me from it. I wanted to be with him simply because it was what we both wanted; I didn't want the money between us."

Michael smiled. "I respect that; I'd even say Brian did too - whether he responded favorably or not. Keep in mind, Brian isn't used to emotions of the romantic kind. To him, your request was a sign that you wanted out. He wasn't ready to let you go." Michael didn't further voice his thoughts, but in his mind, he didn't think Brian would ever be ready for that separation. Brian had changed a great deal since Justin came into his life. Justin was a part of him now, just as Ben would always be the better part of him. There was no going back from that.

"Well, that's the bottom line here. I don't want this money between us any longer - either his or mine. Either he accepts that, or I'll have to go."

"Go?" Brian's voice spoke in a low and controlled tone, people that knew him well would say it to be ominous even. "It seems to me that my money has saved your little blond boy ass on numerous occasions."

Justin stood to his feet, Michael all but forgotten sitting on the couch. "That's true enough. However, things change, Brian. If you really want me, and you have demonstrated that you do - over and over again, my request shouldn't be that difficult to grant."

"And that is?" Brian demanded, instinctively knowing what Justin was about to ask again. He couldn't deny that he would like that piece of paper and agreement gone from their lives. So much had changed - in him especially. He wanted Justin with him solely because it was what he most wanted - not because he felt it to be a requirement. His want for the blond was almost unbearable at times; having it be the same for Justin was what he wanted most.

"It's very simple, Brian." Justin felt his heart jumping in his chest at the risk he was about to take. The right answer could make him believe in a future for them, but if it turned out to be the wrong answer, he would be forced to walk away from the man he loved. "I want to stay with you, Brian - more than anything. But not as part of an arrangement. I want our agreement dissolved right now. Do that, and I'll stay with you for as long as we both agree it to be what we want. If you can't do that, I will leave here, and you - forever."

TBC