Brian cast a cautious look at his clearly agitated lover, then a more assessing and pointed glance at the man that was allegedly his best friend. "Interesting. I have to wonder what - or who - has put these ideas in your little blond head."

Michael stood to his feet, hands outstretched in supplication. "Don't put this on me, Brian. I haven't said one word to Justin about your arrangement."

"Is that so?" Brian mumbled in disbelief, his eyes sharp and accusing on his friend. In the back of his mind, he knew it to be true; however, he was well-skilled at playing the game of stalling. It was often necessary in business to assess the situation, and the parties involved. Many times a concise decision was based as the result of such tactics. In the back of his mind, he kept hearing Justin's threat to leave him. He knew he had to do whatever necessary to prevent that.

Justin sighed. This was going nowhere. "Michael, could you give me and Brian some time alone?"

"My pleasure..." Michael answered in quick relief. He really wanted no part of this conversation. "If you could tell me where Ben is now..."

"At the park with Gus; I came back here to make an important business call. Of course, that will have to wait now..." Brian muttered impatiently, not telling the feisty blond it was a call that was regarding his mother's future.

Michael looked between the two of them uncertainly, unable to tell how this meeting would go. He figured he would find out in time. Being a part of this fall-out wasn't on his list of things to do. As far as he was concerned, simply being here was more involvement than he needed. He nodded stiffly at Brian, slightly pissed that he thought so little of him, before smiling reassuringly at Justin. He shook his head as he walked to the door, still more than a little surprised that he had come to like Justin as much as he did. Taking a quick glance back at the two tense men before slipping through the door, Michael clearly read Brian's anxiety. Brian was in love with Justin, and yet, he didn't seem to understand it. God, he hoped he figured it out soon. Being such a stranger to love, it would be a tragedy if he lost something this special. More than anything, he hoped that didn't happen.

"I'm waiting..." Brian snapped, his eyes stabbing into Justin like precision razors. "What's the meaning of this ultimatum?" Brian began to pace back and forth impatiently. He couldn't believe this shit. "You have no idea of the things I've done for you. And now, you find your mother again and you just want to leave? What the fuck is that shit, Justin?"

"Just calm down and I'll explain!" Justin exploded back. "Well... at least, I'll try."

Brian abhorred the trepidation he now felt. It wasn't familiar to him. He had never cared whether a man stayed or went. Emotional attachments, with the exception being his son, were not something he did. Clearly, he would need to redefine that, for there wasn't a doubt he cared right now. In fact, he cared a whole hell of a lot. "Justin..." Brian spoke reasonably. "Are you that unhappy being with me?"

Justin rushed forward; he couldn't resist. Brian's voice seemed tormented, all while his face remained impassive as it so often did. "That's not it at all, Brian. It's not about my mother; this is about what it's been from the start. I don't like us being bound by a piece of paper. I want us to be together because it's what we want... and if we separate, I want it to be because we want that too - not based on the time of our contract expiring."

"So let me get this straight - you want to stay with me, only you don't want the agreement - the same one that protects you!" Brian shook his head, something still wasn't adding up. And he was a man that worked numbers. Everything needed to tally up in his mind. "What aren't you telling me?"

"It's nothing really, Brian." Justin bit at his lip. He wasn't sure how Brian would take the news of him suddenly being financially independent. Brian was so controlling, and with him, almost obsessively protective. Now that he had his own bankroll - and a sizable one at that - he couldn't help worrying how it would affect their relationship. "I just don't need your money. I want us to be together as equals. I don't want you going around protecting me all the time. I need to fight my own battles!"

Brian's mouth dropped open, for once unable to mask the look of shock from his face. "Equals? I don't do equal footing with anyone. Surely, you know that!"

Justin glared at his arrogant lover. Clearly, he wasn't going to make this easy. He understood what Brian was saying. Brian Kinney would never be equal to any man; however, they needed to reach a middle ground. That was, if they had any hope in staying together. And that was what he wanted more than anything. "Right. I get that, Brian. What I'm saying is that I don't want to be with someone who always thinks he needs to fix my life; I can take care of myself! Look at the life I was living in New York before we met. Things were bad - but - I was surviving!"

"Surviving!? Is that what you call it? From my vantage point, you were moments away from getting kidnapped and raped in Central Park. If not worse! That was not surviving! You have a psychopath that won't stop until he gets his hands on you. Nothing has changed, Justin. You're just as much at risk now as you were then." Brian was incensed that Justin still didn't seem to take the threat of Sapperstein seriously. They faced that on the return to New York. He should be thinking about that, and yet, he didn't seem to be the least bit bothered by it. That didn't sit well with him at all.

"Brian, I get that Gary could be a problem, but he can be handled. What matters is that you give up controlling every aspect of my life and just let me be with you. No contracts or ultimatums. Just me, you, and Gus. Doesn't that sound perfect?" Justin's eyes were alive with hope and excitement. He didn't care how much Brian saw his emotions right now. He just wanted to make this work. Doing that meant more to him than anything.

Brian searched Justin's eyes; he couldn't find anything in them other than complete trust and affection. He was surprised to find his heart beat faster in response. This boy did things to him that he didn't understand. Things that far superseded the pleasure he found in his body - and fuck, he enjoyed that with him more than any other man - ever. He had never believed in love or commitment; however, Justin seemed to be rewriting his rules one at a time. Losing him wasn't an option. Perhaps he had to loosen his grip in order to hold onto what he most wanted. Quickly, he made his decision; Justin was worth taking that chance.

Justin frowned as he watched Brian walk away from him and into their bedroom. He was walking away? After his heartfelt entreaty? He couldn't believe it. Following briskly after him, Justin angrily demanded, "Brian! What the fuck?"

A smile curved his lips at his fiery blond's approach. He could imagine his outrage at thinking he had walked away from him during such an emotional discussion. Justin was far too sensitive to tolerate that. "Cool you little blond heels. I came in here for a reason."

Arching a brow, Justin folded his arms across his chest, his eyes wary on his captivating lover. "If you think I'm going to fuck you now - think again!"

Brian snorted. "If I wanted to fuck - then, I would know exactly how to get you in the right mood, and position. We both know that..."

"Whatever..." Justin grumbled. He watched as Brian got into his briefcase, his frown deepening as he watched him pulling out a stack of papers. Brian sorted through them for a few minutes, before he extended a set of legal documents to him. Justin didn't doubt what Brian now held in his hand. His eyes widened as he watched Brian ripping it into pieces, a beaming smile immediately transforming his expression. He ran forward, his arms linking tightly around Brian's neck, excited whispers gushing from him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you..."

Brian chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Justin's waist. He wasn't sure about his actions, at least, he hadn't been until now. Justin's happiness with the simple gesture moved him more than he cared to admit. Relinquishing his control over this man that meant so much to him was hard to do, but keeping him was even more important. Somehow he would still maintain the battle of power, but right now, even that didn't matter. He had made Justin happy, and he was staying with him. Although questions still remained, the fact that they were still together, and would remain so, was all that really mattered. The rest would fall into place later.

TBC