Brian and Justin had arrived home to an extremely busy week. Brian had tried to talk Justin into staying at the loft that night but Justin had said he had too much to catch up on and they could talk about it after the trip to the cabin. He also let Brian know that he would be very busy this week but he would be ready to go on Thursday afternoon at 3:30. That would get them to the cabin before dark and they were planning to stay until early the next week.

On Monday morning Brian went straight to the police department to discuss the theft they were both made aware of. Brian grabbed some doughnuts on his way in and when he walked into Cap's office with the box, Cap looked very stressed. "You look like you could use one of these."

"Shit, this is all a mess. Please tell me you are coming to work for me full time. I got your salary cleared with the higher ups. You would be a contracted worker with bonuses for each case you help clear."

"I have a conference call with the insurance company later today. Unless they give me a significant raise over what you are offering, I'm in. Now, Cap, do you want to tell me what is really bothering you? The look on your face does not suggest this is about work."

"Brian, remember Angie was forcing me to go to the doctor?"

R"It seems to me your job was also requiring it. Do you need me to go along and hold your hand?" Brian said playfully but then he looked at his friend and sobered. "You have already seen the doctor." He said flatly.

"I have stage 3 colon cancer. Damn, Brian, why didn't I go when she started nagging me." Brian walked around the desk and placed a hand on Cap's shoulder. He didn't dare say anything at the moment. His thoughts paralyzed him at the moment. Nothing could happen to Cap. He was invincible. What would Angie do? "I go to a specialist on Wednesday to get the plan together."

"Cap, I don't know what to say. I..."

"Brian, just promise me you will always be there for Angie if something happens to me."

"First of all, you are too tough a shit to get beaten, but you don't ever have to worry about Ang. I will always be there for her."

"That's all I need to know. Now, let's eat doughnuts before I fill you in on the theft we were warned about."

By the time Brian had gotten to the police station, Justin had been at his studio for hours. As usual he had left his phone at the apartment. He reviewed the plans of the building where an original drawing by Paul Cadmus was housed. It wasn't like most of his acquisitions. This one had a personal connection. This artwork had been taken from him because it was considered deviant, because the subject was two men in love. Now they were selling it, rather than giving it back to his family. Justin was going to return it to them. After it had been given back to its rightful owner, Justin was done with this part of his life. He wanted to work on his art, and beyond that, if Brian would still have him, he wanted to see if he could make it work for the two of them.

Once he had the recovery planned, he went to his own artwork. He had already received an email from the company that wanted to make his figurines. They were very impressed by what they had seen and they would get together next month when Justin had more of the originals created. He turned on some music and started creating more molds.

Brian called Justin and texted him throughout the day but he didn't get a response. From the station he had gone to find Angie. When he had walked up to her office the receptionist nodded and said, "I don't know what is going on, but you can always make her smile." He walked into her office and wondered how many times he had just dropped by. Usually he needed some advice or just a place he felt wanted, but today he was here to see if she needed him or did he really just need her again.

Angie looked up and immediately stood and walked into Brian's arms. He wrapped them around her and held her tightly until he felt her stop trembling. Softly he said, "Cap is going to be fine. We both know he is too stubborn to leave us."

She pulled away, "Brian, I am just so mad at him. I have been telling him to go to the doctor for two years. Would he listen? No. And now he is going to probably need surgery and then other treatment and..." The tears started now. "If he doesn't make it I...."

Brian pulled her close again. "We'll make it through this. We will all come out in the end and I'll be by your side all the way."

After pulling herself together, she walked over to the small refrigerator behind her desk and pulled out two cream sodas. Brian took one from her and smiled, "You know I really never liked this stuff." He took a big swallow, "But I love you so I always drank it and now I actually kind of like it because it always reminds me of one of the women I love."

"One of the women? You always told me I was the only woman in your life. Does this have something to do with Justin?"

"I love him and his family. I met his mom and sister and they couldn't be more wonderful."

"I'm so happy for you. When do you go up to that cabin you were talking about?"

"It was supposed to be this weekend but with Cap..."

"You aren't changing your plans. I am sure nothing is going to happen for a couple weeks. We will let you know his treatment plan once we have it, and I promise, I am going to have you doing all kinds of things for me so go enjoy yourself while you can."

"I'll be there." Brian finished his soda and stood. "I think reception stinks at the cabin so I'll be in touch as soon as I am back in town."

"Brian, we love you."

"I love you, too." He kissed the top of her head and walked out. Once he was in his car he called and texted Justin again. He even stopped by Justin's apartment. He let himself in but found it empty. The first thing he saw was Justin's cell phone plugged into the charger. He dug up a piece of paper and a pen. He wrote ‘Where the hell are you! I need you.' He locked the door again before leaving.

Justin had worked most of Monday and Tuesday without a break. He hadn't gone back to his apartment or looked at his phone. He was in a zone. He had made a dozen basic molds for and they were now setting. On Wednesday he spent the day going over final details for his acquisition. By tomorrow, he would have the art stowed safely at the studio and he would run to the apartment to pack and be ready for the trip to the mountains. He really wanted to talk to Brian. No, he really wanted to see him, to touch him, but that would be way too much of a distraction.

By Wednesday, Brian had called Molly. "Hey, have you heard from your brother?"

"No, not since the two of you left, but he always disappears. He doesn't let it go more than a week but I never worry until then."

"Damn! I left him a note on Monday. Do you have any idea where his studio is?"

"Sorry, Brian, I don't. Is something wrong?"

"Fuck, yes, I need him!" The line was silent for several seconds. "I'm sorry, Molly. None of this is your fault. I better go." He disconnected, and lifted a bottle of whiskey to his lips but set it back down. Where the hell was he? I thought when you loved someone... Then he remembered. Justin had never said he loved him. Was it just wishful thinking that he felt the same way? He set the bottle down and walked to the bedroom. He pulled out a suitcase and started packing. What if Justin never came back? He would rather die than think about that.

Justin left the studio at 1:00 am. Everything was going well until he left the building. He entered the building without tripping security and found the drawing, which was small enough to put in his messenger bag, exactly where he expected it. Then he managed to exit with no alarms. The problem occurred when a stray cat tripped him up a couple blocks from his apartment. As he sat up on the sidewalk he quickly checked the drawing and was relieved to see there was no damage to it but when he tried to stand up he found he wasn't so lucky. He had to get off the street. If someone saw him they may put something together when they realized the picture was gone. It wasn't broken but his knee wasn't happy. He knew he needed to go to the ER to have it looked at in case it was more than a sprain.  

He saw light ahead and then remembered the diner on the corner. He limped his way over there and, once inside, he dropped into a booth. At that point he could see his knee was already swelling. A server came to the table, "What can I get for you? When you walked in, it looked like you were having a rough night."

"A stray tripped me and something happened to my knee. Could I have a cup of coffee?"

"Maybe the cat didn't see you. You look like someone who usually likes a little more color. Can I get you a bag of ice with that coffee?"

"That would be great, thanks." She came back moments later with a bag of ice and a pot of coffee with a cup. The ice felt good on his knee but it had already about doubled in size. After a few cups of coffee, and the ice, he decided he had to get back to the studio and then to his apartment somehow. He moved slowly down the sidewalk and when he arrived at the studio, he realized he couldn't make it up the flight of stairs. He stashed the painting in a locked closet and then set the alarm for the building. He was glad he had driven here. He drove back to his apartment and once he had parked, he took the elevator up to his floor. By now it was after 4:00 and all he wanted to do was sleep. He didn't even notice the note on the counter when he pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge and went to the bedroom, collapsing in his black clothes and falling asleep instantly.

Justin woke to a ringing phone. He managed to get out of bed, and using his packed suitcase for support, he managed to get to the counter just as the phone cut off. He saw it was Brian and, after sitting down, he called him back.

"Where the hell have you been?" Brian sounded angry. "I have been trying to get you since Monday." 

For the first time Justin saw the note. "Oh, you were actually here. I'm sorry. I told you I would be working on my art."

"I didn't know that would mean days with not even a text."

For a moment Justin's need for coffee made him forget about his knee until the pain shot through him and he cried out in pain. "Fuck!"

"Justin, are you there? Are you Ok?" Now the tone had changed and the worry came through.

"I hurt my knee last night. A cat tripped me on my way home. I was going to head to Urgent  Care and hope I could get done before I needed to meet you this afternoon."

"I'll be there in 15 minutes. Don't do anything until I'm there to help you."

"Brian, I'm sorry..." but he was talking to no one.

Before Brian got there he managed to get off the floor and get a cup of coffee made. When Brian came through the door, he looked like he hadn't slept or eaten all week. "Oh god, Justin, your knee." He could see it was double normal size. "I called the doctor the insurance company works with. They are expecting us in half an hour. You tripped over a cat?"

"Brian, I'm sorry you were worried."

"We need to go," Brian said and helped him up. He supported him to the elevator and then to his car. Once they were on the road to the doctor's office. As he pulled out he asked, "Is there a reason you are dressed like a cat burglar?"

"For the first time Justin realized he was still in his work clothes from last night.

"Oh, I wear them for work sometimes."

"I guess it hides stuff," Brian said without looking at him but as he stopped at a red light he turned to Justin and asked, "Where the hell have you been all week?"

Justin reached over and touched Brian's hand, "Your note said you needed me. I'm so sorry I wasn't there. What was it? Your messages..." 

Brian pulled into a parking lot and stopped the car. He got out and stuck his head back in the car. "I'll get a chair." He shut the door and disappeared into the building. He came back and as he helped Justin out, he looked into Justin's eyes and said, "Cap has cancer."

"Oh, Brian," Justin's arms went around Brian's neck. "How bad is it?" He ran his hand through Brian's hair.

"They're ready for you. They are squeezing it in so we don't want to make them wait." Justin could see Brian's pain now. He knew he had caused some of that and yet, once the doctor came in he Brian held Justin's hand as the doctor manipulated his knee.

"You lucked out, Justin," the doctor said. "It was over extended in a direction a knee doesn't go. They are getting you a brace that will be needed for a couple weeks and I will be giving you an anti-inflammatory for the swelling. I thought you might like a cane, also. I hear you are heading to the country and there may be some rougher paths up there." He smiled, "Not that you should be walking much."

"I'll make sure that he stays off of it," Brian said.

"I had a feeling you would," the doctor smiled.

Ten minutes later, Justin had a bottle of medication, a brace, and a cane. "Thank you. This feels much better already."

"Put ice on it for about fifteen minutes every hour when you're awake until the swelling is gone.  Keep the brace on 23 hours a day for the first three days. That paper the nurse gave you with the medication explains everything."

Brian helped Justin into the car and then walked around and got in behind the wheel. "Brian, tell me about Cap. How serious is it? Should we stay home? We could stay home if you want to."

"All I know is it is colon cancer. Monday they should have results." Brian reached over and touched his cheek. "How's the pain?"

"Keeping it stabilized has already helped a lot. Thank you for all of this, Brian. I forget that you aren't used to being with an artist. I get absorbed, and I had an offer right away for the line of figurines and I lost all track of time. I created 12 new molds."

"I guess I understood that, but I didn't realize that you wouldn't even have your phone with you."

"It's just a habit I got into. I promise, I won't leave it home again. I can't promise I will respond right away but I will check it regularly."

"You could just tell me where your studio is."

Justin changed the subject, "Did you have your meeting with your employers?"

"I did and they actually aren't my employers anymore. I now officially work for the police department."

He didn't know if he should ask but Justin went for it, "Did anything come of that case you had the call about before we went to California?"

"After I heard about Cap I told them they needed to find another investigator."

"Can you tell me what it was?"

"It was some artwork that was considered inappropriate back in the early 20th century."

"I know what you're talking about. Paul Cadmus drew mostly gay men. I studied his work in college. He was never accepted because of his material. That picture was taken down at a gallery and never returned to him or his family. Now someone was going to make a lot of money off of something that didn't belong to them."

"Wow, I didn't know any of that. So it is really a stolen painting?"

"They don't like to think of it like that, but yes, it was."

Brian pulled into the underground garage below Justin's apartment, letting Justin off at the door and parking next to the Maserati he hoped they were taking this weekend. He locked up his own car and jogged over to Justin, who was waiting for him. For the first time that week, Justin wrapped his arms around Brian's neck and Brian immediately pulled him close and when their lips touched they melted into each other.

"I missed you," Brian said as they stepped onto the elevator.

"I know being with an artist isn't easy. I do understand now why I need to take my phone with me and I will from now on."

"You couldn't have known all that would happen. I didn't either. I wasn't clear on why I was stressed either." The doors opened and they stepped out onto Justin's floor and then entered his apartment. "Do you need help packing?"

"I actually packed early. I had a feeling I would get into one of my grooves."

"Why don't you take a nap or at least rest your leg while I go home and pack and..."

"How about we get lunch first? I haven't eaten anything since... I am not sure when I ate, and you don't look like you have eaten either."

"You're right. I'm starving all of the sudden. You sit and put your leg up and I will go to the deli next door."

"That sounds perfect. Ask for extra pickles and their homemade chips." 

"I'll be back soon." He lightly kissed Justin before heading out of the apartment.

Justin sat down on the sofa and put his feet up on the sofa and soon he was sound asleep. When Brian returned twenty minutes later he found Justin snoring lightly. He set the food down and went to pull a couple bottles of water out of the refrigerator. He brought them back to the sofa and gently squeezed Justin's shoulder, "Sunshine, I have lunch."

Justin's eyes fluttered open and he smiled, "I've missed your face." His hand moved up Brian's thigh and grazed his fly. "I guess I have missed a couple other things, too."

They both began to relax as they ate. By the time they got to the cookies Brian had picked up they were feeling much better.

"Brian, have you started packing?"

"I am basically done. I just need to close the case, I think."

"Then why don't we take the GranTurismo over and I'll just stay in the car while you grab your stuff."

"Your neighbor really said we could take it?"

"Brian, it's my car."

"WHAT? Why didn't you tell me that in the first place?"

"Somehow you got the idea I didn't have a car and I didn't know you all that well when you kept talking about it. I just didn't want you to know I owned something like that."

"Now I am really wondering how you get paid." He glanced at Justin, "I know, we'll talk about it at the cabin."

"Yes, we have a lot to talk about. Do you mind helping with my suitcase?"

Less than an hour later they were on their way. As they moved from the city to the open road, Brian started seeing what the car could do. Justin had to smile, looking at Brian. He was like a small boy with a new toy. "What are you staring at?" Brian asked.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself so much."

"If I owned this car, I would drive it everyday."

"You are welcome to, if you want to." 

Brian reached over and took his hand. "I really have missed you. You are going to move in once we go home, aren't you?"

"If you want me to." Justin turned around and pulled an ice pack out of a bag in the back and put it on his knee.

"Is the knee feeling any better?"

"All I have been doing is sitting so I'm not sure but I can see the swelling has gone down a little, thanks to the ice."

"It's not going to interrupt our activities is it?"

Justin brought Brian's hand to his lips and kissed each knuckle. "It may have to be a little less strenuous but I see no reason we can't enjoy ourselves." As he let go of Brian's hand, he placed his own on Brian's inner thigh. "Looks, or should I say, feels like you may have missed me a bit, too." His fingers brushed Brian's fly

"Damn, how much further?"

"In a mile and a half we will leave this road. Then we have about 10 miles up a small highway before we get to the drive." Justin looked out the window. "It really is gorgeous out here. Em was right. I can see why they like it up here. George has had so much negative press. It isn't right that his family hates Em."

"I agree. I can't imagine having to marry a woman just to make my business succeed." Brian shivered for effect. We have a long way to go but we've come a long way, too."

Fifteen minutes later Brian turned into the drive. There was a gate that said, ‘The Pickle Palace'. Justin smiled. "At least we know we are in the right place."

Brian punched the code they had been given and the gates opened and then closed behind them. "Have you seen pictures of this cabin? I just realized I have no idea what it is like. For all we know it could be a one room..." Brian stopped and his mouth dropped open. 

"I think there is more than one room," Justin said as a mansion came into view. "It looks like we will have lots of space to enjoy."

"I just realized we didn't bring any food and I am a rotten cook."

"The caretakers were going to bring in supplies. There are supposed to be some prepared dinners as well as things for breakfast, and lunch. Emmett thought of everything and considering I can't be on my feet too long, this will work."

"Sunshine, just stay where you are for now. Let me unlock the door and take in some of the bags. The path is a little bumpy so I don't want you trying it on your own."

"Brian, I can..." Brian looked at him with concern, "I'll wait for you here." As Justin watched him carry in the bags, his heart was almost overwhelmed. He remembered stories Em had told him about a young, arrogant Brian Kinney. The cockiness was still there most of the time, but his caring side always showed up. He still felt horrible he hadn't been there for him when he got the news about Cap. He had always said he would not have his phone at the studio but this has changed that. And if the conversation went well this weekend, he would be moving into the flat and he would tell Brian that he had checked into renting part of the building for his studio. That was giving up his privacy for his work, but if all went as planned, by the time they got home, Brian would know his secret and some of that privacy wouldn't be needed.

He jumped when Brian opened the door. "You ready? I didn't mean to surprise you."

"I was just thinking ahead." Justin took Brian's hand and, with his support, got out of the car. He swore under his breath when he put some weight on his leg. Brian immediately took some of the pressure off that leg. "I'm fine," he looked up and kissed him. "It was just immobility. It had stiffened up."

"As long as you aren't in too much pain I'm enjoying this," Brian's mouth touched Justin's and their tongues began to explore. 

Once they made it inside, Justin glanced around. "I think we need to do some exploring. Oh, look, there's a little map of the place. "

Brian looked at the paper and pointed to the bedroom. "I think we should bring our things to the bedroom and then I think you should rest that knee."

"I think the bedroom is definitely our first stop." He turned toward his suitcase.

"I have them." Brian said as they moved down the hall that led to the master suite.

"Brian look at this." There was an ice bucket with a bottle of top shelf vodka chilling. "There's a note." 

Brian picked up the card and read, "Hope this hits the spot. From Em and George. P.S. Help yourself to any of the wine in the cellar." He looked at the vodka, "I think this will do just fine but right now, I think you need to lay down for a while."

"Only if you lay down with me."

"You couldn't stop me." He helped Justin take off his shirt and lie down on his side with a pillow between his legs to support his knee. He made sure he was comfortable before he pulled off his own shirt and laid down behind him, spooning up behind him.

"How is Angie handling the diagnosis?"

"She blames herself because she didn't force him to go to the doctor. Cap blames himself for causing her pain because he shouldn't have put it off." Brian hugged Justin even closer. "I'm not sure what Ang would do without him. They are the best couple I know."

"She's a strong woman and he is strong as well. He will make it."

Brian carefully rolled Justin onto his back and then unbuttoned the button on his fly, and then slowly unzipped it. Very gently he tugged the pants down. Once he was past his banged up knee, he pulled them off quickly and tossed them. Justin started to roll over slowly but Brian stopped him by bringing his mouth to Justin's inner thigh. He spent the next half hour licking, nipping, and kissing Justin and, eventually, took him in his mouth and although Justin wanted to explode, Brian slowly teased every drop out of him. 

"Brian," Justin said almost in a whisper, "That was ..."

Before he could figure out what to say, Brian stood up and got them each a glass of vodka. Justin sat up and covered himself up. He accepted a glass as Brian sat next to him. Brian put an arm around Justin, and Justin leaned against him. In silence they drank the liquor.

"I should probably go check on what we have for dinner." Brian started standing.

"I'm going to help. I need to move a little. I promise I will sit on one of the stools I saw there. Could you pull the athletic pants out and the t-shirt?"

Brian found what he had asked for and helped him get the pant leg on over the brace. When he was dressed, Brian helped him up and handed him his cane.  

Justin looked at the notes for their dinner and gave directions to Brian as he sat by the counter. "It smells good. I'll set the table."

"No, you won't. Just stay right there. At least I have something beautiful to look at." He kissed Justin's nose as he walked past with plates and silverware.

"May I pick out the wine? I'll have to stand to do that."

"Smartass. Smart and very amazing ass." Brian ran his hand over Justin's firm backside as Justin walked to the wine fridge. 

"Oh, they have some good stuff here." Justin pulled out a bottle and hobbled over to the table without his cane. "Is it ready?"

Brian carried over a couple dishes and set them on the table. He went back to the kitchen and brought a pitcher of water with him and sat down at the other place. "I hope I did alright. It really smells good."

"You did a great job. It didn't take you long to get the hang of it."

They ate in silence for a while but Brian kept looking at Justin, knowing he had something he wanted to say. Eventually he said, "You sure knew a lot about that sketch. You must have studied that in college."

"I did study that era. He wasn't the only artist who had work stolen at that time. They treated men like us like we had the plague or something."

"I just realized you seemed to know a lot about that Revere pitcher, too." Brian's mind was spinning now.

"Brian, can you pour us a drink and meet me on the sofa?"

"Justin, what..." Brian stopped. "Ya, five minutes. I need to pee and then we'll talk."

When they both got back to the living room, Brian made sure Justin was comfortable before sitting on the other end of the sofa and turned toward him.

"Brian, please don't make any decisions about me until you hear everything. If you have any questions, ask, and I will do my best to explain." Justin took a sip of the whiskey Brian had poured and continued, "Sorry but this story starts a long time ago." He took one more swallow and then started. "I told you about my childhood. Dad was always trying to con someone, so I decided it wasn't bad for me to take things from those that had so much. I started my own B and E business. Soon I went bigger and bigger."

"Justin, you were a kid. Your parent wasn't parenting."

"That's true, but I was good at it. I had taken enough to pay for college."

"Woah, you must have been good."

"Brian, while I was in college, I honed my skills. We toured so many museums and then we would go back to class and hear the history about how so many were stolen from their original owners."

"So you had continued your business in college?"

"I had. But I had upped the ante."

"You're the thief! You're the guy I have been chasing for the last two years." Brian was on his feet before he realized it.

"Brian, I first was basically stealing anything, and my bank account blew up. Then people started asking for my services." Brian had turned his back to Justin and was looking out the window. "I'm not proud of that time of my life but I made millions of dollars. When my account hit more than $15 million I started planning my scholarship trust. By the time I graduated, I was set." Justin stood and hobbled over to Brian and put a hand on his shoulder. "Please say something."

"You're still in the business obviously. Why? You don't have enough money? Wait! This week, did you take that painting?" He turned around so fast, Justin nearly lost his balance but Brian caught him. "Why are you still taking things?"

"Brian, I don't take anything for me anymore. Yes, I still get paid by some of those that search me out, but the item must go back to the family or the country of origin. During World War II so many items were stolen. I have helped recover a couple of those that ended up in private collections."

Brian guided Justin back to the sofa and got him repositioned again. This time Brian sat close to him. "This might take a while for all of it to sink in."

"I understand that. I started out as a common thief, but now I recover items and I like to think I have done a lot of good with my trust."

"I think I agree with you and what you are doing. What I am trying to figure out is if I can work in my new job and be in love with someone breaking the law."

"Brian, I know I haven't said this before, but I really do love you. I have been trying to figure out how we could ever be together with..."

"Wait. Did you say you love me?" Brian asked.

"I did. Brian Kinney, I love you, but because of my history I didn't know if you could love me."

"Damn, Sunshine, I don't know how we will deal with this, yet, but all I know is you and I belong together, and I can't not love you just because of what you do." He pulled Justin close and kissed him gently and then he deepened it. "I know we have a lot to figure out, but the only thing I want to figure out now is how we can make love without hurting you."

"It may be a little less exciting but I am sure we can figure something out." 

Brian stood and helped Justin up. "You're an artist. I know we can get creative."

With Brian's arm wrapped tightly around Justin's waist, they made their way to the bedroom. "I am sure we can. I have no doubt."