Brian collapsed on the bed beside Justin. They had been going at it for a while. After leaving Babylon they had gone back to the loft. Justin didn't seem to like going back to his place, unless he was taking care of his frog. Brian was finding it hard to be annoyed that Justin seemed to always be around now. Now that his dad was dating Debbie, he was a part of the group. Even his little sister Molly was. She had gotten summertime job at the diner, one that didn't affect her track schedule.

Justin had still not gotten another job. He said he was good for another month. He wanted to wait until finals were over before looking. It was going to be a busy week for him. All of his final exams, along with his final projects were due.

"That was amazing," Justin said breathlessly.

"It was alright."

Justin just rolled his eyes, obviously he was getting used to Brian.

"Ready to go out?" Justin asked as he jumped up from the bed. Brian on the other hand, could barely move.

"Go where?" It was 2am on a Monday morning. They had been at Babylon until midnight then came back to the loft together.

"I don't know… lets go to the diner and get some ice cream." Justin was shoving his legs into his pants. Commando style.

"Are you high?" Brian hadn't watched him all night, he wasn't his keeper.

"Maybe. A little. Cleo gave me a couple hits off her joint." That would explain why he had been so chatty.

"Who the fuck is Cleo?" He didn't remember running into any Cleo but unless Cleo was in the backroom he wouldn't have.

"Cleo is Gary's little sister. But she is nothing like him. You've seen her, she is the bar manager."

"You took something offered to you from the Sap's sister?" He propped himself up with his elbows so he could see Justin better.

"I told you, Cleo is nothing like Gary. She's one of the nicest people you will ever meet. It's because of her I'm still allowed in the club. She told Gary that she would go with me to the police if he had a problem with it. She's called the cops on him a couple times but he never gets caught. Don't tell him though, it's supposed to be a secret. If he found out she was collecting evidence on him…" Justin let the sentence trail off before shivering.

"Trust me, I don't see myself chatting up the Sap any time soon. And take that off."

Justin was now wearing his cargo pants, small mid-drift Tee and Brian's leather jacket that was more than a few months of Justin's rent.

"But I want to go out," Justin pouted.

Brian was rethinking this whole…whatever it was that he had going with Justin. He wasn't just a trick anymore but he could never be much more than that. Brian didn't do relationships, he had been very forthcoming with Justin.

"Too bad. Take your clothes off and come back to bed," he growled. He had to be up early for a meeting. Justin didn't have any classes on Monday but he did need to put some finishing touches once of his final projects.

"Why Mr. Kinney, are you being fresh with me?" Justin asked, giggling.

Annoyed he laid back down and turned over. Telling Justin he could either get back in bed or go back to his own apartment. Brian wasn't playing games with him tonight.

When he heard the door slide open and close, he knew Justin had made his decision. For a moment he felt sad that Justin hadn't chosen to stay. But he quickly pushed that thought away and closed his eyes.

The ringing of his phone woke him up. Brian grabbed blindly at it on his bedside table. Finally finding it, he answered the call.

"What?" he snapped. His eyes locked onto his alarm clock. It was only four in the morning. Who the hell was calling this time in the morning?

"Mr. Kinney?" a deep male voice asked.

"Speaking," he said, annoyed.

"I'm calling on behalf of Justin Taylor."

"Is he alright?" Brian asked, his mind running wild with the thoughts of what could have happened to him.

"Oh, yeah, he's fine. But could you come and get him?"

"Where the hell is he?"

"Liberty Diner."

"He actually went there?" The kid was out of his mind.

"Oh, yeah. He was eating a bunch of ice cream. Now he is just staring at the empty bowl. Kiki said to either call you or Debbie, and Debbie had just gotten off of a twelve hour shift at ten. I didn't want to bother her."

"I'll be there in ten."

Brian was going to murder the little twink. He was going to look like shit for his meeting with Vanguard. He started to really think about leaving and starting his own agency, but he wasn't at that point in his life yet.

The drive to the diner didn't take long. Trying to get a morose Justin into the jeep and back to the loft was the problem. Justin just sighed heavily every time Brian asked him to do something. It wasn't like he was asking him to skydive, no he just asked him to get in the jeep or walk to the lift.

Brian stripped Justin of his clothes and put him back in bed. Looking at the alarm clock he groaned. He only had two hours now to get some sleep. If he weren't so tired he would have taken the brat back to his apartment. Getting rid of his own clothes he climbed in bed. When Justin curled into his side he almost pushed him away, but instead held him close.

When Justin woke up he noticed Brian wasn't in bed. He heard the shower and went join him.

"Well, if it isn't Mary fucking Sunshine," Brian bit out. Justin knew he was a little bit of a hassle the night before. He had hoped that Brian wouldn't really care, obviously he was wrong.

Brian shoved Justin into the shower wall. Expecting anger he was shocked by the sensual lips descending on his. Justin's back was pressed hard into the wall. Brian's lips moved away from Justin's, he started kissing a trail from Justin's ear down his jaw. Brian wasted no time in having his way with Justin in the shower. Not that Justin didn't want Brian, he did…badly.

When Justin got home Ethan and Tevye were in their usual spot. On the couch, naked. Tevye had Ethan straddling his lap, fucking him in earnest. Quickly, he all but ran to his room. This sight was all too familiar. It made him regret his indiscretion the night Daphne caught him. It was rude and just plain tacky. He had been trying to call her almost daily to apologize but she didn't answer the phone.

It was Monday and didn't have any classes but he was finish his sculpture for Calvin's class. He didn't care for sculptures as much as drawing and painting but it was a required class. Surprisingly, his professor said that he had talent for the craft but he didn't feel the same passion with it he did the others.

He put on his clothes he used for painting and grabbed his bag. Running back through the apartment and out the door.

After he left he felt bad for not talking to Jerry like he usually did. But just the thought of being in the room with them twisted his stomach. Jerry must be so traumatized.

His phone started going off in his pocket. Sticking his hand into the loose jeans, he grabbed his phone.

"Hello."

"…"

"Hello?" he said again when no one answered.

The phone was still silent. He pulled it away from his ear and looked at the face of it. No name just a number.

"I'm going to hang up," he tried to threaten them into answering.

"Jus," a quiet baritone voice said.

Even after seven years he knew his brother's voice. He didn't realize he stopped suddenly until someone plowed into the back of him. The man grumbled at him but stepped around him and went on his way.

"Jus," his brother said again.

"W-why are you calling?" Justin whispered.

If anyone would have asked, he would say he didn't care about C.J. anymore. But that was a complete and utter lie. He still loved his big brother and wanted him in his life, he just couldn't take the betrayal. C.J. was the most important person in his life at one time. His hero, his brother and the person he wanted to be proud of him. Even though in his head he knew C.J. was the one in the wrong, he still felt like he was a big disappointment to him.

"I talked to Dad a couple of days ago. He told me not to call you but I had to."

"Why now? You haven't needed to talk to me in seven years."

"I need to talk to you in person. I'm in Pittsburgh now. Can you meet me?" He wanted to say no. He wanted to say that he didn't give a damn about what C.J. had to say. But there was still a part of him that wanted C.J. to make it better. To tell him that it was all a big misunderstanding; even though he knew that wasn't true.

Could he see his brother? He didn't know but he was willing to give it a try. The anger and shame dueling it out in him was exhausting.

"Please, Jus," C.J. said pleadingly, when Justin hadn't answered.

"Liberty Diner in thirty minutes," he blurted out before disconnecting.

He had just enough time to make it there. He looked like a mess, he knew it. He was wearing his work clothes. A tattered t-shirt and painted stained jeans. It was too late to worry about it anyway. Besides, he didn't care what he looked like when he saw his brother.

"Just keep telling yourself that, Sunshine," his inner voice said, it sounded suspiciously like Brian.

"Hey, sweetie," Emmett called from his usual booth.

"Hi, Em," Justin replied. Passing Emmett who had moved over to allow him to sit, instead he walked to the back of the diner. Sliding into the booth where his back was to the wall and eyes to the door. He didn't want C.J. to sneak up on him. He was glad that Emmett didn't come and join him. The man just went back to his breakfast, but kept looking over his shoulder at Justin ever once and a while.

Justin was in luck that Debbie didn't seem to be working today or at least not yet. He remembered being here earlier in the morning eating ice cream. The joint didn't mess him up as much as he let Brian to believe. He just wanted to be a little out of character for the night. Then Cleo gave him the perfect excuse. So what if he just wanted to be silly for a night. The stories the Emmett and Ted told him about Brian, the man had no room to judge anyone's antics.

The door chimed, bringing him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see someone he had never wanted to see again. C.J.'s looked around the diner until his eyes locked on Justin's.

C.J. looked very different from how he used to look. His hair was now longer, enough that he would need a brush. He had also put on some weight in the middle, not overly so but enough to have a pudge. But the biggest thing that was different about him was the destroyed aura he was giving off.

Walking slowly to the back of the diner, he slid into the booth opposite Justin. For a while no one said anything. Justin could see Emmett's curious look but didn't pay him any attention.

"What did you want?" Justin broke the silence.

"If I could go back in time, I would."

"Why? Because Dad knows what you did now."

"No, because I know I was a shit to you. But more than that, I didn't protect you the way I should have."

Justin stared at the man who used to be his idol. "You didn't protect me? You didn't even believe me. It was me that you called names. It was me that you said was sick."

"I understand you are upset-

"You don't have any idea how I feel," Justin cut him off.

"I deserve that, and much more."

"Why? Can you at least tell me way?"

"It's a long story."

"I've got time."

The new waitress took C.J.'s order of coffee and returned quickly to fill up the cup. Once they were alone again Justin looked at C.J. expectantly.

"You've always been sensitive and talented. I would show the guys the pictures you drew and sent me. Some of them started in about how only fa- gay guys are artists. I was stupid, so incredibly stupid. I thought at the time the worst thing in the world was to have someone gay in my family.

"When you got off that plane, almost skipping. Well, I knew. I knew they knew too. It was embarrassing. But not for the reasons you think. I was angry but at the time I was telling myself it was at you. But it wasn't, the anger was at me. I was the asshole that threw paper wads and food at the little gay boy. I saw you and I knew what your life would be like, the heartache and bullying in store for you."

"So you decided to get a head start on it?"

"No, I just didn't understand then."

"But now you do?"

"I'm trying."

"What about that man?" He didn't need to be more specific.

"Truman is a registered sex offender now. I'm sorry for blaming you. I knew it was all wrong when I was saying it. But I just couldn't make myself stop."

"You let him stay the night after he did that."

"I wanted to keep an eye on him. I regret not calling the M.P.'s but hindsight is 20/20."

"Anybody else would have. You did wrong that night and every day since."

"I know you have no idea how much I realize that now. I let him hurt you and other children because I was too damn ignorant to see it."

Hearing him say other children made Justin freeze. He always worried about the man hurting others but had convinced himself, that the man wouldn't have the same opportunity he had with Justin. A chilling thought flooded into his mind at the words.

"Please, not Tabby," he choked out.

C.J. looked surprised at this. "No, not Tabby. It was another airman's son. He was just a little older than you when it happened. In fact, it happened just days after you left. Why did you think it was Tabby?"

"He threatened her. He said if I didn't do what he said he would hurt her. He said that you wouldn't believe me. After the way you treated me that week, I knew he was right."

Justin watched with a sick sense of delight watching C.J.'s face get deathly pale.

"Jus, my god, you're never going to forgive me, are you?"

It wasn't really a question, they both knew. Their once strong relationship was now in ashes. It was long gone.

"Dad says you're moving back to Pittsburgh," Justin said instead. Every call with his dad was hard to get through. His dad was trying though, but his own guilt was eating him alive.

"Yeah, at the end of summer. Is that okay?" C.J. asked, almost timidly.

"Free country."

"Is there a chance for us to ever be okay again?" C.J. blurted out.

Justin stared at him for a few long moments before answering. "Maybe. Where is he?" Justin was still terrified of the man.

"Denver, last I heard. He was caught attacking the boy on the base. When I told Kurt that it had happened before his busted my nose."

"Kurt?" The name was familiar.

"Yeah, he was the one that was going to teach you how to surf. He's got two kids, boy and a girl. The boy, Levi, is just a year older than you. Truman attacked him but the boy got away, not before being hurt."

"But you believed him?"

C.J. looked guiltily down to his untouched coffee cup.

"Okay, here is how it's going to be. You move back to town. I want you to because it's what Dad wants. He wants to get to know his grandchildren. It would be better if you were here so he is close. I want my family together because they deserve that. I want this for Dad, Mol, Vicky, Cathy and the kids. But you and I are done, do you understand. I don't need a big brother anymore. So I'll stay around on the Christmas and Thanksgiving, but only for Cathy and the kids. Got it?"

"I understand. But it won't stop me from spending the rest of my life trying to make it up to you." C.J. looked down at his watch and sighed. "Look, I got catch my flight. I was only in for the day. I needed to talk to you." Standing up he threw some bills on the table. "I love you, Jus. I just hope one day I can prove it to you." With that he turned and left the diner.

Leaving the diner himself, Justin decided not to tell anyone about his visitor. He wasn't going to forgive and forget, he didn't have that in him. But at least now he had a real name for Caveman. He just didn't know if Truman was a first or last name.

God, where's Daphne when I need her?