Disclaimer: This is a fanfic. Any references to Queer as Folk are for non-profit purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended

CINDERFELLA

Chapter 6

Found

Brian stared down in horror into the basement.

Justin was lying face down at the bottom of the stairs. He was back in his rags and bare feet, having been knocked out of his loafers. He looked so small as he lay there unmoving, as still as death.

Brian dashed down the stairs to Justin's side. He scooped him up unto his arms.

"GOD! No! God!" Each word was separate, a harsh choke. "God! Justin! Please be all right! Help me! HELP ME! Justin, please be all right! Don't leave me!"

He cradled and rocked the smaller man like a baby. Miraculously, there was no blood. No head wound. But he was so quiet. So very, very still.

Emotions that Brian had never felt before ripped though him He felt raw, exposed. He felt as if a part of him had been bashed, ripped open and was dying along with Justin. Half of him was gone, dead. And he knew then, if Justin did die, he would not want to live either.

"Justin! Justin! Please wake up! Please! Don't leave me! Please..." Brian continued to rock Justin and he whispered nothingness into his ear for several more minutes. He continued to search for injuries but could find nothing except a big goose egg rising on the back of his head.

Overhead, the Taylors continued their dash for freedom.

Brian didn't know what to do, so he just rocked and rocked. His shoulders shook but there was no sound. His despair was total.

And then Justin gasped and sucked in a huge breath. His eyes fluttered and opened. Focused. He smiled.

"Good morning," he said weakly but pleasantly.

Brian burst into tears of joy and hugged him very, very hard. Justin slowly wrapped his arms around him. He hugged him back and rubbed his back soothingly.

"What's the matter hon? Did somebody hurt you? Want me to kick ‘em in the scrote?" Justin asked sincerely.

Brian burst into fresh tears of joy and sadness all at once.

"No...nobody's hurt me! Oh God! Now I know! Now I understand! Oh, Justin, I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!"

"Sorry for what? What do you understand?"

I understand what there is to love beyond fucking. I'm sorry for the pain I must have caused you when I rejected you at the festivals. I didn't know! Oh God! I didn't know!"

"That's all right, Brian. You see I knew. I knew that you would get it eventually."

Brian hugged him tight and rested his chin on Justin's shoulder. He held the back of his neck and pressed them cheek to sooty cheek.

"I love you...I love you." he choked out next to Justin's ear.

"I love you too, Brian."

Justin's three tokens glowed. His rough grayed out tunic softened and smoothed out into white silk. His ragged pants likewise grew out and became white and new and silken. His rope belt smoothed out and darkened and turned into a black leather belt. Soft and comfortable casual, black leather shoes appeared on his feet. A wire thin headband of white gold appeared on his head. The cinders vanished. The glow faded.

Brian kissed him deeply and pulled back.

"Hey! You clean up good! What happened!"

"I'm not quite sure. I could feel it happen when you told me you loved me. I think this is me. The real me. The magical disguises are gone. I don't need them anymore. I have you."

"Forever and ever." They kissed again.

"Uh, Brian, why do I feel like I've been kicked in the head by a mule?"

"Oh Justin, I thought I'd lost you! Ethan hit you in the head with a big piece of firewood. He knocked you right out of your loafers! I'm kinda surprised you're not hurt worse. I'm so glad you aren't though!" Brian was babbling a little as he caressed and hugged his lover again. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"I felt power go out of me. Tell me, was I wearing the loafers when Ethan hit me?"

"Yes. He knocked you out of them. The bastard! He'll pay for that!"

"Time will tell. I remember a flash of power. That must have been the blow. What happened to Ethan?"

"Hmmm. He did get knocked backwards into the coffee table."

"That must be it. I was still Sunshine when he hit me. My sunshine power must have protected me and created a mini shock wave. Unfortunately, I was back to normal when I hit the floor. Owwww!

"We'll get you checked out by a doctor when we get out of here. If we get out of here."

Justin pulled back. "Oh, we'll get out of here, never fear. But first I have something to show you."

"What is it?"

"Proof. Real proof that Craig has been negligent with his condom company and been spreading FADES."

"Uh, Sunshine! Maybe we should think about getting out of here first! Your relatives are getting away."

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

"Nooooo! Leave me alone! I want Ben!"

"Shut up!"

Some thumpings. Scufflngs. More movements. Then SLAM! And there was silence.

"Yes, they're gone. Gone at last! I shall never have to deal with them again!" Justin said in peace and contentment.

"But they're getting away!"

"Don't worry, Brian!" Justin looked and sounded like an angel in his white clothes. "They won't get far."

He went over to the wall and pulled out a few bricks. He reached in and pulled out a bowl of condoms.

"Here. Have a look at these."

Brian did and with astonishment saw that many had silken strings through them, showing pinholes.

The day of the White Party, I asked my stepfather for a suit. He told me if I could check a thousand of those in an hour he would. So I did. He betrayed me. He knocked me out, took all the condoms and left me a bedsheet with holes in it and beach slippers."

"I worked for him the second night as well," he told Brian, "I was to examine 2000 condoms in an hour. Again he knocked me out and when I came to, I found he had left me a jock strap and a hat."

Brian was going red and he swore he could see it too.

"However, I also had a second motive for asking to work for my suit on the second day," Justin said, "You see, I expected the betrayal. On the second day I held some back. These represent a portion of those 2000 condoms I examined for a leather suit, which he swindled me out of. All of which, I'm sure he sold. If you look at these condoms you'll see that there are many with holes poked in them. I figured about one in three."

"How did you do this?" Brian asked, marveling at the spider strings.

"I had some help...from a few spiders. It's hard to explain. Anyway, all that really matters is that this is the proof you need to convict Craig, and legally issue a total recall on my condoms.

"Your condoms?"

"Yes. That's the other thing I needed to get." He reached in again and pulled out the last item left in the hidey-hole. The Will. "This is my mother's will. I'm pretty sure it proves I inherit everything including this house and the condom company when I turn 18. However, I should have a lawyer look at it. Do you know of a good one?"

"Yes Sunshine, I'll get you a lawyer. Can we get outta here now!?"

""Yes. I think that would be a good idea. Ooops, one more thing." He quickly reached under his straw mat and retrieved the blue tablecloth, picked a golden card from out of the apron pocket and picked at the strings. He pulled off the apron and dropped it on the ground.

"Ahhh, that's better! I shall never wear an apron again."

"But Justin! How are to get out of here? There's no windows and the door is locked."

Justin held up the golden card. "Let's just say I have the ultimate key card. Come on! Let's get the hell out of here!"

Justin strode up the stairs and Brian followed, a little puzzled.

Justin slid the card between the door and the jamb.

BLAM!!! The door was ripped off its hinges and broken into several pieces.

"Wow!" Justin said, as the dust cleared.

"Uh, Justin? I don't know where you got that card but make sure you always pay the bill!"

Justin smiled and kissed his prince hard. "Let's get out of here!"

BJBJBJBJBJBJBJ

In the limo, Brian used the in-car phone to call the sheriff. He told the driver to take them to the Taylor Condom Factory. The driver nodded and they drove away from that hated house forever.

"This is Prince Brian. I want an immediate APB out on the following: Craig Taylor, Ethan Taylor and Michael Taylor. They are trying to flee to Loft. Charge them with assault, attempted murder, unlawful imprisonment, child abuse, and negligence!"

Justin put a gentle hand onto Brian's strong forearm. He looked up at him with wide, beseeching eyes.

"Hold on a minute!" Brian barked into the phone.

Justin whispered into his ear.

"OK, sheriff, I have special instructions concerning Michael Taylor! Here's what I want you to do..."

BJBJBJBJBJBJBJBJ

A few minutes later, at the Taylor Condom Co.

"Prince Brian! And Justin! You're looking well!' said the oily Mr. Gonzales. "Wow, Justin! You really ARE looking well!"

"Thank-you, Mr. Gonzales."

"What can I do for you?"

"We're here to expose the illegal activities that are spreading FADES across the Loft," Justin said.

Mr. Gonzales' mouth flapped open and closed like a fish. He was struck dumb with outrage.

Justin pushed past him and went onto the production floor.

Finally, Mr. Gonzales found his voice. "I can assure you, I run a very tight ship here. There are no illegal activities going on here!"

Justin turned to him and smiled a spooky, knowing smile. "Time will tell."

He strode purposely to the end of the conveyer belt where finished condoms rolled into a slot in the wall to...where?

Justin looked around till he found a certain door marked Employees Only. He yanked it open.

Inside, was snot nosed geeky looking 18-year-old guy. He was grabbing the finished condoms that came through the slot and stabbing random ones with a pin. Behind him were two tubes that led into the floor. The good condoms went into the left tube and the stabbed ones went into the right tube.

WHAM!!! Justin slammed the door open and stood there, framed in the doorway.

"Hello," he said, "What do you think you're doing?"

No one had ever disturbed him in his work before. The kid was frozen in place in stupefaction.

Justin stood aside and a larger figure stood in the doorway. A figure in a tailored suit, a ruby the size of a robin's egg...and a crown.

"I believe my boyfriend asked you a question. I suggest you answer it," the figure said.

"Oh my God! Y-Y-Y-You're the Prince!"

"Why, y-y-y-y-y-yes I am! So I suggest you answer the question! Or I'll personally shove you down on of those tubes! And as skinny as you are, I still don't think you'll fit...all the way!" Brian smiled evilly.

"Brian!" Justin chided gently, "You're scaring the poor boy!" He smiled. "Do it again!"

Brian grabbed Justin and kissed him witless. "I love you!" he said.

He turned back to the stupefied-with-fear boy and smiled wider. It was even more evil, feral, insane. His hands were hooked into claws and stretched out.

The kid cracked like an empty coffeepot on a hot burner.

BJBJBJBJBJBJBJ

Justin was right. The Taylors did not get far. They were pulled over within an hour and arrested. Their car was impounded. They were taken to the castle. Craig and Ethan were thrown into a deep dark dungeon, far from the light of day. They were fed bread and water and a disgusting fishy chum paste. They were constantly threatened with torture and given a VERY detailed tour of the torture room. However, they were never actually tortured. Unknowingly to them, the guards were given strict orders to not actually hurt them.

Michael, however, received lighter treatment. He was separated from his father and brother and taken to the prison hospital. When it was determined he did not have a concussion, he was taken to a higher-level dungeon cell that had a window and guards that treated him in a minimum security type way. At first he had railed at the guards and screamed for his family and demanded to know why he had been separated. Until dinnertime. He was fed roast beef and vegetables and mashed potatoes. Besides, the guards would not answer any of his questions anyway.

Michael was given time out in the prison yard by himself every day. The prison yard was an entire courtyard with only two ways in and out. One was the door from which Michael entered, the way into the prison. At the other end of the courtyard was another door but a very high chain link fence blocked it off. There was no escape.

Two days into his imprisonment, Michael was led out into the yard as usual. At the far end, by the fence, he saw a small figure in white. Moving closer, Michael saw that it was Justin. He ran over "Justin! Justin! Help me! Help me!"

Justin looked inexpressively sad. He shook his head once. He wore a white silk tunic with a black leather armband on his left bicep. He wore white silk pants and soft, black leather shoes and wire thin headband of white gold. Michael had never seen him look so ethereal.

"You look good, Justin."

Justin nodded in thanks.

"Will you not talk to me?"

A shake.

"Oh. I'm very frightened. I suppose we're all to be punished or executed or something for mistreating you?"

Justin just stood there, impassive.

"Am I going to die, Justin?"

Nothing.

"Justin!! Am I going to die!!?"

Nothing.

Tears began to squeeze out of Michael's eyes. "Oh, Justin, no! I don't...I don't wanna die!" He sobbed. "Can I see Sir Ben before...you know. Is he doing all right? Can you tell him I miss him? Please? Please Justin?" A few more tears leaked out.

Justin nodded. A tear of his own leaked out. He waved and moved backward toward the door.

"No! Don't go! I'm - I'm all alone here! I don't know why! Justin! Justin wait! Just stay with me a bit!"

Justin waved and continued moving toward the door.

"I can see you're going then! Good-bye Justin! And....and I'm sorry...for all that stuff I did."

Justin waved. He nodded and went inside.

A high level security guard met him. "Did you find out what you needed to know?"

"Yes. Continue to treat him kindly and feed him well. Time out in the yard. Let Sir Ben see him but impress upon him not to tell him anything. Keep him separate from the other prisoners without making it seem like it's a punishment. This is not solitary confinement, do you understand?"

"Perfectly, sir."

"Keep him safe. Keep him solitary. Keep him sexually abstinent. The first two are to make the third possible. But the third is the most important, the most vital. You must not fail."

"Sir, I will not fail you." The guard saluted.

"Good." Justin returned the salute carelessly. The guard left. Justin turned to watch Michael out the window.

When Justin left, Michael figured he might as well get some exercise. He began to run around the yard. But he couldn't stop his mind from working. All the times, he had yelled at or hit or treated Justin badly began to slideshow through his head. And now he was going to die for it. He would never get to live and grow old with Ben. And he knew he deserved it.

The heaviness of his heart weighed him down and he began to run erratically through the yard. Somewhere near the center, he collapsed to his knees sand covered his face with his hands. His shoulders heaved and shook as he cried and cried.

Justin watched. And wept along with him.

BJBJBJBJBJBJBJ

The next day, Sir Ben came to visit. He wasn't able to tell, or didn't know anything about what was going to happen to him. So Ben just talked about how things were going at home and how wonderful their life would be when Michael was allowed out. They pretended Michael was getting out tomorrow and that Ben wasn't dying and that they were going to get married and everything was all right.

They sat at opposite sides of a wooden table. A guard blocked the door but he was impassive, virtually deaf, dumb, and blind except for escape attempts. They kissed. They held hands. Because of the FADES, it was like grabbing onto a goop of warm pudding but Michael didn't care.

"I want you. I want you so bad," Michael said.

"I know. But you're not allowed conjugal visits right now."

"I love you, Ben."

"I love you, too."

"Kiss me again."

They kissed until the visit was over.

Ben came every day after that. Michael came to savor these visits for the rest of the time he was alone. He ate alone. He was allowed in the yard alone. The rec room was deserted when he was allowed in. He didn't understand it. He was lonely. But he came to accept it because he figured it was a strange type of torture before his eventual sentence...and death.