Justin looked around the locker room of his school and smiled inwardly. He was looking at some of his classmates with a whole new eye since Officer Kinney...Brian...had introduced him to the joys of connecting with another male. It wasn't that he wanted to jump the bones of every guy he saw. That wasn't it at all. It was just that he had learned to appreciate a fine male figure even more than he ever had before because he now knew what wonderful things those male bodies could do for you. There really weren't any of his classmates that he wanted to join up with, not after being with the best already (he had no doubt that his mentor was the best) but there was some fine eye candy in his school locker room right now.

It was then that his old nemesis, Chris Hobbs stepped through the locker room door with a group of his football buddies. The boys were hot and sweaty after a rigorous workout on the football field and they were headed straight for the showers. Chris almost missed Justin who was standing at the end of of his row of lockers, but the row was the last one before entering the shower room and he caught sight of the blond just before reaching the entrance to the showers. He gave Justin his patented look of disdain. He had not liked Justin since grammar school and it always showed in his attitude. Justin, who had had more than one run in with Chris in the past, including a not too distant one that had gotten him suspended for a few days, had spent the rest of the school year since that altercation in avoiding Chris whenever possible. Chris, who had no desire to be expelled had done the same. For some reason Justin felt a little braver since spending time with Brian. He gave Chris a look that had 'dare you' written all over it. Chris pulled away from his buddies and began to approach Justin who stood his ground firmly.

"What are you looking at faggot," Chris growled.

"You," Justin answered without hesitating. "I'm just trying to figure out what makes you tick. Why are you so afraid of a guy like me?" Justin had all been announced his gayness to the entire locker room without thinking about it. He didn't really care.

Chris moved in closer menacingly. "What makes you think I'm scared of a fairy like you?"

"You're always trying to bully me. Bullies always attack when they're scared of someone or something. Everyone knows that."

Expulsion or no expulsion, Chris felt challenged. He took another step towards Justin with his fists coming up. It was at that precise moment that his football coach came up behind him and grabbed his arm.

"Thought I told you to hit the showers, Hobbs," the coach barked.

Chris was caught off guard. He shot Justin one last venomous look and turned on his heel to return to his buddies. Justin, who was already dressed for class, turned around and gathered his books in order to leave the locker room. He came up to where the football coach was still standing watching him. The man didn't move to make room for Justin to exit.

"I saw what was going on here Taylor. You were itching for a fight. I suggest you ask yourself whether getting a few licks in with Hobbs is worth your whole future. I presume, smart as I know you are, that you want to go on to college. You won't have a shot if you get yourself expelled for violent behavior. You'd better ask yourself what is more important...having the life you want in the future or knocking Hobbs down a peg or two."

Justin was surprised. He had never even spoken with the football coach before. How did the guy know he was so smart and why did he sound like he was taking Justin's side?

"Look kid, you need to learn when and where to stand up for yourself. There are going to be bullies out there every day of your life, especially for someone like you. I don't want to see you get hurt just because you didn't know when to back down. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Justin didn't understand at first but then a thought crept into his head. He remembered a story that Brian had told him during their last conversation the morning after his birthday. Brian mentioned that he had a soccer coach in high school who was gay and was the first to teach Brian how to give a blow job. No one at the school was even aware of the married man's orientation. Who knew, maybe Coach Bowles was sympathetic because he had been down the same road himself when he was young...or maybe he was simply a nice guy who didn't like bullies. It didn't matter which. He was getting the picture.

"I get it Coach. I won't let Hobbs mess up my future. I'm sorry if I caused any problems."

"No problems for me kid. Just learn to keep your cool. School is all but over for the year and you'll never have to deal with Hobbs again."

The coach stepped aside and Justin left. He didn't notice the sad look that crossed the middle aged man's face. Coach Bowles could tell that this was one kid who wouldn't be forced into a closet for long and the older man knew that life was not always going to be easy for him as a result.

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It had been nearly a week since Brian and his partner, Carl, had caught the latest bashing at Meadow Park. The investigation was going nowhere fast and both men were beyond frustration over the whole thing. The last victim had survived his surgery but he would never be the same. He had taken too many blows to the head and his ability to think straight was messed up in the worst possible way. On top of that, he had lost all memory of the bashing. Brian had been unable to find any other witnesses who might have seen the incident or at least a possible suspect or two. They already knew from a previous bashing that it was not the act of a solo perp, but whoever the gang members were they worked well as a unit. Usually if there was more than one person involved in something like this, something would leak out but there was no word about anything on the street or anywhere else that the detectives could ascertain. In actuality the victim wasn't even gay this time, but he had last been seen coming out of a gay bar where he had met with his brother who was gay just shortly before the bashing occurred in the park that was only blocks away from the bar.

Brian was unable to interview the latest victim but the third man, who was the only one willing to openly admit that he was gay, was more than happy to answer any questions the police had for him. The problem was that the beating had severely impaired his memory too. He could remember meeting with some friends at the gay bar not far from the park but the rest of the night was a complete blur. He was filled with anger and Brian knew he would have told them whatever he could to help catch the attackers, but there was little he could do with his blocked memory. It had been very late at night and they were unable to find any witnesses who saw or heard a thing. Forensics could only confirm that there were at least five different males...well built by the depth and size of their shoe prints at the scene. Casts of the prints had been made but no other evidence was found. The only blood was the victim's. The case was growing cold rapidly.

The only thing that was helpful was the pattern of the beatings. Brian knew that all the beatings were occurring at parks near known gay clubs and bars. The word was put out for the gay community to watch their backs and try to stay together rather than alone in those areas that were being targeted. There was a small park near Brian's favorite stomping grounds on Liberty Avenue so he made it a point to keep an eye out for trouble. Posters were set up at the various clubs and bars in the area giving everyone a heads up. Now all the detectives could do was wait and see if another attack would happen that might give them a break. Brian hoped that being aware of the dangers would lead to someone spotting the danger before it escalated and maybe result in the recognition of who was behind the bashings.

In the meantime, Brian was looking forward to the weekend. He had called Justin on Thursday and invited the young man to go dancing with him on Friday night. It wasn't a date exactly, but just a fun time for a couple of friends. In the back of his mind, Brian knew that he could never talk Justin into staying at home and away from the gay scene despite the present danger now that he had had a taste of it. He had made up his mind that if Justin was going to be visiting Liberty Avenue on the weekends then he should have someone with him who knew the area. Now that there was a gang of bashers on the loose one couldn't be too careful and Brian knew that Justin, like so many younger ones, had a sense of invincibility. It came with the territory and only age and experience would knock it out of him. At least with a cop by his side, Brian could be more certain that Justin would remain safe to live and love for a long time.

Justin, of course, had jumped at the chance to go dancing again. He had had the time of his life at Babylon on the night he turned eighteen and he was more than up for a repeat visit. The fact that he would be going with his friend (and dare he say it under his breath...lover) was even more reason to look forward to the weekend. Brian could hear the excitement in Justin's voice when he agreed to let Brian pick him up which put a big smile on his face as they hung up together. Brian had called from his desk at the station house and his fellow detectives could plainly see that the newbie detective had just gotten some good news by the look on his face. Probably a hot date, they thought to themselves, realizing that the man was certainly a catch and knowing he was a single man. If Brian could have read their minds, he would have been thinking...'if only they knew'.

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Friday finally arrived and Justin was almost bouncing off the walls. Jennifer, his mom, was on pins and needles too but more out of nervousness than excitement. Justin had come home on Sunday and kept the promise he had made the night before. He had sat down with her and told her the whole story about the missing days when he had run away from home. He told her all about Brian Kinney, a man she clearly remembered meeting when the police officer had brought her son home not long before. She had been impressed by his kindness and understanding at the time. She was even more grateful to the man when Justin told her how Officer Kinney had rescued him from a lecherous man on the street in a section of Pittsburgh that she had never been to before. Her initial gratitude to Officer Kinney began to change to alarm however when Justin continued on with his story and revealed that the cop was also gay. When Justin didn't shy away from telling his mother the truth about his feelings of affection for Brian, Jennifer really began to have her doubts. She wasn't sure how old Officer Kinney was but she knew he was considerably older than her son.

Justin could see how his mother was beginning to feel about Brian the further he got into the story of their time together. He decided it was time to bite the bullet and make some things very clear to his mom so there would be no misunderstandings between them. He then proceeded to warn her that Brian was important to him...as a friend and maybe even more. He told her that he trusted Brian with his life and that, despite the fact that he loved her with all his heart, he would not allow her to tell him that he shouldn't see Brian for whatever reason she deemed important. Jennifer listened to her son carefully and watched his reactions. She had no doubt that the little boy she had raised with such love was no longer a child by the way he was carrying himself as he talked to her. He didn't whine like a frustrated child not getting a toy he wanted. He didn't make demands like his bully of a father would have done. He simply stated his case clearly and without dramatics and Jennifer could see the proud man that Justin was slowly becoming. She wasn't thrilled to know that her son was in a relationship that she wasn't so sure was right for him, but she had no desire to alienate her son because of fears that were not even a certainty. By the time they had finished their talk, Jennifer had accepted that Justin knew his mind and heart and would go wherever they led him. She knew her job was to stand by him and be there in case Justin ever needed her.

Now she was finally going to meet her son's new 'friend' for the third time but under completely different circumstances. Precisely at the hour he had promised to pick Justin up, Brian drove up to the Taylor home. Craig, as was normal nowadays, was not home. He had rented a small place close to his offices and spent all his time there when not working now. Jennifer was aware that he didn't spend his time there alone but she no longer cared what the man did. Brian walked confidently up to the front door and rang the doorbell. The memory of the two other times he had visited this address came flooding back. A whole lot had changed since then. He wasn't here to see a boy in trouble. He was here to pick up a young man that he had grown quite fond of. He still couldn't fathom how much his life was changing since meeting the blond kid that night. Jennifer answered the door. She smiled warmly and welcomed Brian in.

"It's good to see you again Officer Kinney," she proclaimed.

"It's Detective Kinney now Mrs. Taylor, but you can call me Brian."

"I'll do that, if you'll please call me Jennifer."

The pleasantries over, the two retired to the den. They had barely stepped in when they heard the galloping sound of Justin running down the stairs two steps at a time. He all but flew into the room. The moment he saw Brian in his dancing duds he wanted to run over and plant a kiss right on the man, but he held himself back in deference to his mom. Brian felt the same urge to kiss as he saw Justin bounding into the room. The blond's enthusiasm was contagious.

"Ready for a little dancing young man," Brian asked the obvious question.

"Whenever you are," answered Justin.

"Then I think we'd better get going. My Jeep turns into a pumpkin at midnight and I never acquired a license to drive a pumpkin. Don't worry Mother Taylor, I'll have him back home safely by Two."

"Four," piped up Justin with a smirk.

"Three at the latest," Brian shot back.

"Three it is. I'll see you then Mom. Don't wait up for me."

Jennifer forced a bittersweet smile on her face. Justin looked so grown up all dressed up for a night on the town. Where had her baby boy gone? Her only consolation was knowing that Justin was probably in the safest hands he could be in. With that comforting thought she waved good bye to the men as the walked out the door and headed for the Jeep parked in her driveway.

To be continued...................................