Present Day - October 17th, 2012 - Chicago, Illinois

Brian stood looking out at his beautiful view of downtown Chicago. This had been his morning ritual every day for the past five years, ever since he purchased this grandiose penthouse when he had truly stamped out his own success. A Brian Kinney play was no longer solely performed on the local stage. His plays were performed in every big city in the country. His accolades were immense. Brian's pleasure in them was quickly diminishing. Something was missing... and he didn't have a clue as to what. If he told any of his friends that, they would laugh it off and blame it on him celebrating too much on opening night. They all thought they knew him so well. In truth, they really didn't. They saw what he wanted them to see.

If only he could place a label on what was missing... unfortunately life wasn't that simple. In such an event, he would move heaven and earth to fix what afflicted him now. In fact, if he was to be completely honest - this melancholy had been affecting him for longer than he cared to admit, perhaps even longer than he realized. Each day he went through the motions. Writing, writing, and more writing... the nights filled with one party, and trick after trick. All the tricking afforded him was a much-needed release, but outside of that, he was left unfulfilled. He craved more, but more of what? He knew he didn't seek that mind-numbing state of domestic bliss that Michael desired... or did he? As he turned to glare at his computer screen, Brian viewed the blank screen that told him his writer's block was increasing in both duration and intensity. He'd never had this problem. Despite what life threw at him, he could still write. Every day that gift seemed to be slipping away... and he didn't know how to stop it.

He sat down at his desk, eyes staring at the screen, the words continuing to be jumbled in his head. With a low growl he stood up, a sharply hissed, "Fuck this..." slipping past his lips. He dashed up to his bedroom, haphazardly throwing clothing into a small suitcase, oblivious to the fact of how much this was out of character as well. He never threw his clothing around so negligently. His wardrobe was another thing that defined him. An unkempt look was definitely not associated with Brian Kinney. Brian's eyes quickly scanned over the penthouse, filing away in his mind exactly what he wanted to take. He ended up settling on clothing and toiletries to last him at least a week, and of course, his laptop.

Pocketing his keys he slung his bags over his shoulder and headed off toward the elevator. Just as he was stepping inside, to his irritation he found Ted briskly stepping out. Intending to ignore him completely, Brian continued his progress into the elevator, grimacing when Ted moved to follow him.

"Brian? Where are you going? How's the play coming?" Ted asked the standard questions, not taking a breath in the process.

"It's not..." Brian snapped, hoping Ted would let the matter drop there... but knowing it wouldn't be that easy. He punched the button for the ground floor, waiting for Ted's tirade to begin. "I need to get away for a while... clear my head. Maybe it will start to flow again."

"Start to flow..." Ted sputtered in disbelief. "Writer's block? Seriously, Brian? People are waiting for this play. Important people!"

Brian stared broodingly at the panel that displayed the floors... his descent not coming quickly enough. "Important people," he scoffed. "Those people would be nowhere if not for my literary genius. Dispute that if you can, Theodore."

"Fine, you're right. What do I tell them, though? When will you be back?" Ted shouted out after him as the elevator doors swished open and Brian began tossing his bags into the back of his Vette.

He gave Ted a fond pat on the head. "Tell them whatever the fuck you want. I'll be back when I can focus again."

"Call when you get there... wherever there is..." Ted muttered as Brian quickly slid behind the wheel.

Brian smiled at him, a bodacious wink following. "I don't know where it is, either." A somber expression fell upon his face. "Although, I do know one thing. This is what I need to do."

Ted nodded. "Okay, Brian. I hope you work it out."

"I hope so too, Ted." Brian placed the shiny sports car in gear and sped off down the highway, away from downtown Chicago and off to an unknown destination.

Brian's eyes barely took in the scenery as he made his way out of Chicago, uncertain of where he was going... or of how long it would take him to get there. Instinctively he felt he would know when he arrived. No matter how far he traveled, he knew something was about to change for him. Whether it would be positive or not, remained to be determined. Brian only hoped it eased the nagging uneasiness that had been plaguing him of late. The only thing he knew was this - something needed to change in his life. And he hoped this journey was the key.

He had no idea how long he had been driving, most likely it had been hours. The rumbling in his stomach was a very good indication. He drove further along, glancing in disinterest at the sights he passed, until he found his eyes pulling to a massive hotel. He had just passed the entrance, when he backed up just as quickly, his eyes sweeping over the size of the land; at least as far as his eyes could see. It was beautiful. Brian smiled as he turned to pull up to the entrance, slipping out of his car and advancing toward the doors that seemed to beckon him in an unknown way. As he walked through the hotel lobby, he knew this hotel had been here for a long time. In fact, he'd heard of its existence many years ago when he'd been in college, but never found the time or opportunity to check it out.

Approaching the desk, he looked around even more... his eyes taking in every last detail. There was something almost of another time about this place. Granted, he knew a bit about its history. This hotel had stood for a long time. As much as it was obvious it had kept up with the changes over the years, it also gave off a strong feel for the past. Brian was intrigued. As he spoke to the desk clerk, going through the check-in process, Brian thought this place might be exactly what he needed. He doubted he'd find the halls filled with hot, fuckable men... but he might just regain his focus. As the much older man led him to the elevator, Brian decided this had been the right decision. They conversed as they walked, Brian finding himself surprised at how interesting he found the old man to be.

Following the man into the elevator, Brian looked at him curiously, intuitively knowing this elderly man had a story. Perhaps it was the ambiance of this place, a structure of beauty and infinite grace that it almost seemed to take on a life of its own. Brian became amazed as he learned of the man's history. He told Brian how he had been in this hotel for the bulk of his life, arriving here at the age of five. Brian found himself more than entertained when the old man told him of how he used to bounce his ball in the lobby, all to the consternation of his father. More and more, this place pulled him in. Now he was beginning to realize it wasn't only the building... but the people attached to it as well.

"You got yourself a nice view here," he told Brian as he watched him moving to look down at the lush beauty of the landscape.

Brian reached into his pocket, pulling out a larger bill than the service really necessitated, but it was a quirk of his to tip those that served him in accordance to the value of the service. In this case, he found it to be more than warranted. "Here you go."

"Thank you, Mr. Kinney. If there's anything I can do for you, just let me know. My name is Arthur and I live in the bungalow behind the hotel."

Brian nodded, watching as Arthur began to depart. "Okay. Thanks a lot."

Arthur paused about midway to the door, turning to look at Brian in confusion, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "Have we ever met before, Sir?"

A short laugh followed. "No. I don't think so." Brian's answer was quick and certain. He had never been here before... there was no way he could have ever met this man.

"No. I'm sure we haven't." Arthur smiled. "Have a nice stay here, Mr. Kinney."

Brian pulled out the stopwatch that hadn't left his possession since the old man had placed it in his hand six years ago, unable to shake the feeling of déjà vu that assailed him as he looked down at it. Shrugging, Brian went down to the restaurant, quickly to find he wasn't going to feed that hunger immediately. Strangely enough, he found his hunger had begun to dissipate after his arrival; instead, deciding he would much prefer having a look around. He walked past the gift shop, thinking he might stop in there later. At the very least he would get his friends a souvenir. Without that, they would never believe he would spend time here. That fact still amazed him as well.

He wandered aimlessly for several minutes when he found the section that looked exactly like it belonged in another time. The color scheme of the room was vastly different, almost darkened, yet it was lighted to showcase. He looked up at the sign hanging over the entryway - Hall of Legends - and knew he had to investigate. Perhaps it was the writer in him that sought to know everything. Whatever it was - nothing could pull him away until he investigated. He walked through the room in complete amazement. It appeared as if a shrine to the period in which it was honored. In all truth, he'd never viewed such a monument.

Brian didn't know how long his eyes took in the vast memorabilia when something caught in his peripheral vision. A chill of awareness began to run up and down his spine... a feeling he'd never known before. If he could think about it now, Brian would have realized that wasn't quite true. That same chill had overcome him that night six years ago when the old man had placed the watch in his hand, and whispered those ominous words - Come back to me. Brian had thought it to be the surprise and strangeness of it all... yet, it was a feeling he'd never forgotten... a plea that he had often heard in his dreams. His head turned toward the source almost as if magnetized to do so... his mind and body working together as one in the process.

From his vantage point, he couldn't see anything other than it being a photograph of a man. His steps began to take him to the portrait. He was mesmerized. Brian didn't know why he was moving toward it. He only knew it was something he had to do. It was an impulse he couldn't resist. As he stepped closer, he squinted as the bright lights shining upon the image momentarily blinded him. Once he fully reached the image that had so effortlessly lured him, a gasp of astonishment quickly fell from his lips. Beautiful, Brian thought to himself. It was only the image of the man's face... but it was etched of complete perfection. Fuck. He'd never known a man could be this perfect.

He smiled as his eyes moved over the portrait, unable to stop the rapid beating of his heart. Brian had no idea how long he stood there drinking in this perfect beauty; in the process, he committed every detail of this man to memory. Brian felt himself shudder. He'd never felt so alive in his life. What was happening to him... and who was this man? The question that burned in him even more - how did he go about finding him? Brian was only certain of one thing - he very much wanted and intended to know this man.

TBC