CHAPTER 8 - ONCE AGAIN THEY CAUSE A PROBLEM

WOODY'S - TWO HOURS LATER

BRIAN

Blake and Ted went back to the loft to have angry sex - Michael and Lindsay do have a use after all! 

Justin is racking them up for another frame, I can't look at him because I will laugh at his pouting. He's never been a good loser. "You didn't practice over the years?"

"No." He grumbles, scowling at his dropped cue. "Beer?" He asks, tossing it on the table, I pull him to me, he sighs. "Babylon?"

"Let's go to yours." I close his mouth. "Please, can we?" He nods. "Lead on."

JUSTIN'S BACK GARDEN

JUSTIN

I switch on the lights, and he stares at the back of his house. "You gonna make a path to my back door?" 

"Meet you in the middle?" I call over my shoulder. He takes a few seconds to follow. I point at the ground. "Which is right here." He regards me for a while, then smiles. "Dark green wrought iron so it can blend into the foliage, which I know you're going to insist on." He frowns. "Brian, I know you, you'll want a fence."

"That you do." He smiles before pulling out his phone. I snort. "Okay, the light can't go down too far, but I could get a rough idea."

"Or you could ask if you can look at the plans," I suggest.

In answer, he strides to the house, just about stopping himself from telling me to stop dawdling. "We'll just grab them and go back to mine, yours has no heating."

"Okay." As I join him, he digs in his pocket, taking out keys. 

"For my back door." He goes to his car. "Gonna warm the place up!"

"But how will you get in?!" I shout.

"I've got my own, you twat!" He laughs as he disappears from view. 

It takes five minutes for me to open my door as I'm happy-crying.

HALF AN HOUR LATER

BRIAN

He's staring at the door to his studio. 

"Open it," I order. "Justin, open it." He takes another minute or so, the next sound is his sniffing as he looks around. "I only got the easel, it's similar to the one you used in Italy."

"Exactly the same." I shrug.

"The lighting must be incredible the first thing." He opens the window, inhaling deeply. 

"Until late evening. It's always bright and cool. The maximum temp it gets to be, is 64F."

"Brian!" He's checking out his smocks, socks, and slippers in the wardrobe with a widening grin. "Why's your dressing gown in here?" He sniffs and smiles, after accepting his kiss, I help him into it. The sleeves are too long, but he looks adorable. "Where does this door go?"

"Find out." I nudge gently.

More amazement as he finds the en suite, before looking a little sad. "Why aren't there any toiletries?"

"Because this is yours. You know what you use now, we can shop for everything tomorrow."

"Oh, thank you, Stud. Please get a proper torch so I can show you something." I rejoin him a couple of minutes later. "Point it there," he orders, looking at his plans. "No, wait, I mean there." 

The beam hits a window and I snicker, as I can spot a boxing bag and some free weights.

"Great minds think alike, and fools seldom differ." He murmurs. I smile at his oft said phrase. He rechecks his plans and shakes his head. "It's going to bother the hell out of you, if this end gets more sun. You know, I think you're the only guy I know who exercises at dusk." I scowl, he winces. "Sorry, I can't believe I forgot why, especially these last few days."

"Let's go and talk about moving gyms." I move to the door.

"Brian, I'm sorry." He pulls me to stop. "I'm sorry." I close my eyes, which allows the hurt to dissipate. They pop open when his lips touch mine, then close as the kiss deepens. I sigh as he wraps the gown around us. Like before, there's heat, but also there's tenderness and the taste of more to come.

KITCHEN, TWENTY MINUTES LATER

JUSTIN

He rests his chin on my shoulder as I make some hot chocolate. "We're gonna share a bed tonight?"

"Yes," I reply, having been going back to Emmett's. "Can we have these in said bed?"

"Hmm maybe." He smiles into my neck. "Were you ever going to ask?"

"Honestly, I was gonna do what I used to and get in." 

He turns off the stove and me to face him. "We're different now. We've both grown up, so if we want something, let's ask each other before we assume and make asses out of ourselves."

"Hmm, certain people reaped the benefit of that," I concede. "Do you want to fit out your gym?"

"Please." He grins.

"You gonna show me how to lock up?"

"Yep." His grin widens. Ten minutes later, our home is secure. While he's carrying up the hot chocolate, I have the pack of Oreos. "Need to put that on the shopping list."

"You only bought one?" I ask as I open them. He ahems, and I close it. "I should check the freezer."

"What for?" He asks. I frown as the lights come on immediately. "Movement sensors. Want me to adjust the brightness?"

"I'm the Gizmo of our relationship, so yeah, adjust the brightness!"

He almost drops laughing so hard, when he recovers, he kisses away my pout. "The freezer?" He prompts with a little smirk and a quirking brow.

"You've only got one pack of Oreos, so it's safe to assume." I pause remembering what we just agreed. "Have you stocked the freezer with some essentials?"

"Like bacon, sausages, waffles, string fries, and blackberry and cherry sorbets?" I blink. "Cookie dough mix and two packs of stainless-steel ice pebbles, extra-large; yes, I have."

"When were you coming for me?"

He hands me a travel pouch, and my hands are trembling as I open it. "In two weeks, why - oh my!" 

"The day you left was the day to ask you to come back."

"I love you," I whisper.

"I love you too, but you're not eating them in bed!" He declares, carrying the tray to the loveseat. "Come on, let's watch the sunrise."

DUSTY'S HOME, NEXT AFTERNOON

LOUNGE

DUSTY

"Why the hell do you allow them to treat you two like this?!" I demand of a rightly pissed Michael and Lindsay, Loretta scowls as she works. "I'd never behave like that!"

"And this is why you're a better friend than they are!" Lindsay smiles.

"So, Justin's returned with Blake and Ted?" I can't believe he's been let back in again.

"Yes, they're the people behind Rage the Avenger!" Michael seethes. "I still can't understand why they wouldn't let me buy the issue, as they're going to be selling it anyway!"

"Said before and will keep saying it, he's an arrogant twink. Got with Brian more than once, and I think he's the greatest thing!" I rage, before taking calming breaths.

Oh, how I hate Justin Taylor! The moment I saw him, I knew he would be trouble, especially when he refused Loretta's help in his case. When he said he wanted Mel or nobody, I didn't think he meant literally! As it was held behind closed doors, only after he won, did we find out that he argued the case himself - although Mel and Brian helped by coaching him? Lindsay was furious and rightly pointed out there was no attorney/client privilege, so they could've told her about it. In fact, they should've. However, they respected Justin's bratty wish that Lindz was kept in the dark as he didn't feel she was remotely supportive.

It was after that his true arrogant colours began to show. Just because he had the money, he played high and mighty, splashing it everywhere. To thank Mel, he got her a diamond necklace, ostentatiously presenting it at Le Mont together with a vintage Rolex for Brian. When asked where the present for Lindz was, his sneering response of settling out of court is not the support I wanted, was a knife to her heart. 

Mel's lack of defence was telling, so I've made it my mission to be Lindz's champion and defender ever since, same for Michael. He's been hurt by Justin's pushy ways too. 

"And you can add liars to their dubious list of talents!" Loretta beams. "I've been looking into the company structure of Rage the Avenger. They don't feature."

"What do you mean? They don't feature?" Michael frowns. She shows him her screen. I beckon Lindsay to join us. 

As they read their fury mounts, she stamps her foot, which is so cute to me! "And there's Ben!" She rifles in her bag. "Give me your letter." He does so, and she tears both envelopes into little pieces. "He said something about clients! I bet he and Justin conspired to lie about that too! The question is why is he bigging himself up - what does he have to hide?!"

"Oh, wait till I get hold of both of them!" Michael snarls, pulling out his phone, Lindsay does the same, they both pace.

"Who are you calling?" I ask.

"Brian." They reply as one, I keep my scoff contained.

"Bet he's ploughing Justin as we speak!" Michael snipes, shoving his phone in his pocket.

"Of course, he is!" Lindsay sneers.

"Come on, let's go do what we do best, and save Brian from himself!" 

"We'll all go," I declare. "I'm sick of his mistreatment and arrogance causing you two pain. How many more times do we have to show Brian the true colours of his supposed friend!"

"Let me drive!" Loretta orders.

"Why?" Lindz demands.

"You three are too pissed off, I wouldn't want anything bad to happen!"

"The only bad things to happen will be to Justin, Ben, Ted, and Blake!" Michael declares as he holds open the door. "They won't know what hit them!"

ALLEGHENY HOSPITAL - EARLY MORNING

MICHAEL

"WHAT THE FUCK POSSESSED YOU?!" Ma screams.

"Brian!" Mel gets between him and me. "You two go, I'll handle them!" He looks hatefully at me. Me, his best friend who was only trying to help him see sense. After watching them take off, she balls her fists as she turns back to us. "Anything else happens to those boys, if you two are lucky, you'll end up in ICU!"

FOUR HOURS LATER

EMMETT

Despite my rage, I'm keeping the peace. Michael, Lindsay, and Dusty are sitting a few seats away from the rest of us. I still can't believe their jealousy has led to this. They said they went to confront Blake and Ted at the loft, but they have not said why. Brian's nephews were there, they wanted to see him, however, despite their pleas, they took them back home. The catalyst for all that befell them was them telling their mother and grandparents to keep their bullshit at their house and not to bother Brian. 

How proud they were when they told Debs what they did. When she ran out, calling Carl on the way, I went with her, not understanding her panic. At first when she saw John and Peter staggering up the street, it didn't look too bad, then we got closer. Peter was barely conscious, his hands close to his body. John's face was bloody, and he was having difficulty breathing. We brought them here. Carl went to their house, but we've not heard from him yet. 

The boys have been sedated, and now we're hoping and praying, some more than others.

"Justin!" Blake leaps up, helping him to sit. "What's happening?"

"Not much change. Bones have been set, there's nothing they can do with the ribs, they have to heal with time. Brian's giving blood. He'll need something to eat."

"I'll get it!" Michael declares.

"You go near him, and he'll kill you!" Ted snarls. "Debs, can you go? He'll need and want you more." 

Tearfully, she heads to the transfusion unit. 

"Michael?!" Vic roars as he runs up. Luckily for him, Ben gets between them. "Be grateful to him, very fucking grateful! Why were you at the loft?!"

"It's their fault! If they hadn't lied, we wouldn't have been there!" Lindsay shrieks, stunning everyone into confused silence.

"Who lied and about what?" Vic demands.

"Those three!" She points at Ted, Justin, and Blake. "They're not part of Rage. We went to confront them with their lies."

"Brian told Peter and John to go there, anytime! Just stay and wait." Justin shouts. "Why take them back? Why didn't you let them call him?!"

"We didn't know that!" Michael snivels. "We knew nothing! If we'd been told, then we wouldn't have."

"It's his fucking loft! Who comes or goes is his business," Vic tries, unsuccessfully again, to get past Ben. "You had no right, none!" 

"Everyone quiet!" Carl bellows. "Where's Brian?" 

"He's in the transfusion unit," Michael declares, then doubles over as Ben moves so that Vic can gut punch him. "Why?!" He wheezes, I spot the filthy look Lindsay gives Ben, which I'll deal with later.

"Again, grateful. Now shut the hell up!" He snarls.

"Carl!" Brian shouts as he strides towards us, a flustered Debs behind him. He's clutching his elbow, looking both fragile and furious. "Are they in jail?!"

"Son, sit down," Carl orders, his tone making my heart pound and mouth go dry.

"No, I've got to get back to them. Where are they if not in jail?!"

"On their way to the morgue," Carl states, pressing Brian in a chair, Justin is immediately on one side and Debs on the other. "The car flipped just off the interstate. They're dead, Brian. Claire, Joan, and Jack are dead."