The waiting room had thinned out a lot since Justin had been rushed in and the influx of family and friends had come. Now there was only Debbie, Molly and himself waiting. Brian couldn't make himself leave, no matter what anyone told him. Carl had glared at him before he stalked off to the police station.

Carl had been strictly forbidden to work on his son's case. So of course the man left to make sure the 'right' people were put on it. He said he didn't want Justin's attack to be swept under the carpet like the destroying of his apartment was.

Brian couldn't really tell anyone why he stayed, he wasn't sure himself. All he really knew was that he couldn't leave Justin alone. After some of their rare talks it had been something Justin had admitted to him. His fear of being left alone again, betrayed and fending for himself. Brian didn't trust Justin's family, they had already proven once that Justin couldn't depend on them. Deb was great but she would quickly overwhelm the kid, she had that effect on people.

Carl wasn't going to allow Brian entrance to Justin's room but Molly put a stop to that.

There was no place more depressing than the waiting room in the critical care unit. He watched as families waited to see their loved ones. Most had stoic expressions and calm demeanors but there were a few people that screamed and cried. Those people grated on his nerves, mostly because he had been one of the crying ones. Michael had been the only one to see that. His best friend had went with him to an empty hallway. He had stayed with him while Brian cried silently.

If he had only been quicker Justin wouldn't have been injured.

The door to the waiting room opened and Justin's older sister walked in. She had a death grip on her husband. Her eyes were red and puffy, clear sign she had been crying recently. She was the only one of Justin's siblings that he hadn't said a word to. He really liked Molly, she reminded him of a mix between Debbie and Lindsay. C.J. was an asshole, and that was being kind. Justin always spoke well about his older sister.

"You can go back now," she spoke quietly to Molly and Debbie.

"I think Brian should go back. He's the only one of us that hasn't seen him," Molly said. Deb surprisingly nodded her head in agreement. He was sure she would want to go back to her as good as stepson.

Vicky's eyes filled with anger. "No, I will not allow it."

"V, please," Molly tried to reason with her.

"No, I know men like him," she said, pointing her finger accusingly. "I will not let Justin be jerked around. At least with Vas he knew where he stood."

"Yeah, in an emergency room." He knew it was a low blow but he didn't care.

He didn't know who had attacked Justin. He had his suspicions, just like everyone else. He thought it was Tevye. While he never met the guy he had saw his handy work. The man destroyed everything Justin owned. He also attacked his own boyfriend. That was a man capable of anything.

But Vas was a different animal completely. Justin cared about him, maybe even loved him. That was more dangerous than all the crazy stalkers.

Brian had been glad that Vas wasn't allowed entry to the room. He had been taken in for questioning at the beginning of the ordeal. The ambulance had arrived before any of the police. Brian rode with Justin while Michael followed in his jeep. The cop who had taken his and Mikey's statement said that the man's dog was trapped in his bedroom. The dog must have heard the attack because the bedroom door was all scratched up, like he was trying to get out urgently. It was funny because Brian didn't remember hearing a dog barking when he was there.

"Justin would want to see him. More importantly, Brian saved his life, if it wasn't for him Justin wouldn't be here to have this argument about," Molly said, glaring at her sister. Brian knew there was something he liked about her, she was a total little badass even at sixteen.

He watched as the woman's husband whispered something in her ear. Her shoulders slumped and looked back at Brian.

"Fine go ahead. It will be the last time you ever see him anyway." With that she stalked off leaving a dumbfounded husband, a pissed off sister, and a 'couldn't fucking care less' Brian. All he knew know was that he would be able to see Justin.

Brian passed a tall, blonde nurse. The guy's toned body could be seen even with the ugly scrubs he wore. The guy flashed Brian his do-me eyes. Some other time he would have accepted but at the moment he had another blonde on his mind.

The rooms were clear glass, with curtains just on the inside of the sliding glass door. The unit was shaped in a giant U. He followed the red line, glancing up at the room numbers.

When he came to Justin's room he froze. The image of Justin lying on the floor surrounded by his own blood was engraved in his mind. The memory sent a shiver down his spine. He couldn't remember ever being so scared in his life. Not when his father would get drunk and beat him. Not when he was waiting for the results of his first HIV test. Not even when Lindsay was in this very hospital months ago. There was something about the kid that drew him.

The door was opened just a crack. He slid it open, walking inside he shut it completely. The curtain was drew closed but he walked around it.

Once he was inside the curtain he saw Justin. He looked paler than he usually did. His head had a clean bandage on it. The kid looked incredibly young lying there.

Slowly, he walked to the chair beside the bed. Grabbing Justin's free hand he settled down; he ran his thumb over the boy's delicate hand. It was smaller than his own but he knew how strong it was. He had watched Justin draw for hours, it surprised him how natural it was.

Looking over Justin he's eyes narrowed at the cords and wires attached to the slender young man.

"You stupid fucking twat. What the hell were you thinking? Leaving with someone as pissed off as that asshole. Even if it wasn't him, you should have just stayed at Deb's. Then right now we would be making fun of Ted's lack of sex life, like the good lord intended."

Justin didn't reply. He just laid there in his new comatose state. Stupid little twat.

"God, Sunshine, can't you stay out of trouble for one day. Always have to be the drama princess don't you?"

Brian gripped Justin's hand tightly. He wanted to yell and scream at him. But that seemed a little extreme even for him. He rose the hand up to his lips and pressed a kiss to him. If the boy was awake he wouldn't dare do anything as sickeningly sweet as that. No, if Justin was awake and whole, he would be screaming at the kid for being an idiot. First for being with Vas in the first place. The kid was too young to settle down. He needed to sow some wild oats. At least when he was with Brian he was having fun, it was clear in the last couple of months - fun was nowhere to be found for the kid.

He stayed there until Deb and Molly walked in, he didn't really feel like their company anymore for the night.

Saying a quick goodnight, he headed home. His plan was pretty clear. Drink all the alcohol he had in the loft. He didn't feel like dealing with his feelings at the moment. He must not be so much different from the old man as he thought. He just hoped that was where the similarities between him and his father started and ended. He knew he could never treat Justin the way his dad treated his mother.

Justin? Where the fuck did that thought come from.

The twink was just almost family now, it wasn't like he wanted a relationship with him. Maybe he would go to Woody's and get the alcohol he sought and some hot stud to help get his mind off Justin.

Daphne looked around the hospital room. She had gotten back to town the day before. Her parents still thought she was in Road Island. That was all because of her bogus story to them before she left. They had never been the most observant parents. She was sometimes amazed that her mother noticed two little children in a drug-filled playground enough to save them. That had brought Justin into her life.

When she had come in with C.J. all but kicked the man out of the room. She knew it wasn't nice but she wanted time alone with her best friend. It didn't matter that he was in a coma, she knew that he would want her there. Her hand trembled some when she rubbed his arm.

The fatigue was getting to her, she hadn't been able to sleep since she was recused. Every time she closed her eyes she was back in that room. Her chest got tight and it felt like she couldn't breathe. The police in Denver had suggested getting help, but she wasn't ready. She didn't want to talk about being in that room. The hunger that racked her body, every single day. The feeling of loss of the baby, she hadn't started to think of the baby as hers again. She had already started to grieve a baby that was still alive and kicking inside her.

She in fact had an appointment later in the day with a gynecologist. Just the thought of actually seeing the baby in the ultrasound was overwhelming. She wondered who the baby would take after when it was born. Would it have her hair? Or Justin's eyes? Or would it have Brad/Logan's curved nose? She really hoped the baby wasn't that asshole Brad's or whatever the hell his name is.

"What happened to you Jus?" she whispered to him. He lay there, still lost to the world.

"His head met the business end of a baseball bat," a cool voice said. She jumped at the sudden noise.

She looked behind her to see the man who had sex with Justin on their couch. Brian.

As she quickly stood up she couldn't help but almost laugh at the man's face. His eyes got comically large when he saw his swollen stomach.

"Holy shit," he rasped.

"I know. Brian isn't it?" she asked as if she really wasn't sure.

"Yep, and you must be Daphne. The one who ran off as soon as he needed you. But looking at you I can see you had other things to worry about."

The man pulled another chair and sat on the other side of the bed. She thought about talking to him, defending herself but really it was none of his business. She would tell Justin when he would wake up. And he would wake up; she just had to wait for it.

They sat in comfortable silence until Brian got up and left after an hour. "Geez, Jus, that man is crazy about you," she said softly. The guy came and spend time with Justin who couldn't even talk back. In the time she was there not even his family had come yet.