"No, Brett!"

"But Justin we need some more oomph, something powerful to end the movie."

"We are not killing off Zephyr. I thought I made that plain the other day," Justin said with a sigh. Brett Keller could be one pig-headed ass.

"Then what the fuck are we going to have to end the movie?"

"We had an ending. It would be Rage and JT together after the bashing."

"But that's sort of an anti-climax. We need something really dramatic."

"Isn't that all in how you film it?"

"Cruel one, Taylor," Brett laughed without any real humor in the sound.

"If the director's chair fits…"

"Look, I'm really stuck. I need an objective voice, someone who can discuss the possibilities of what to do."

"I thought that's what we were doing," Justin said running his hand through his hair.

"It's not the same as if you were sitting here and we could toss things out and you could sketch and we'd get the whole fucking thing worked out."

"Okay, okay, point taken! You want me to come out there?"

"Just for a few days."

"I'll see what I can do. Let me call you back."

"Thanks, Justin."

Justin cut the connection and looked over at Brian who was helping Briana stand on his knees. It wouldn't be long until the baby took her first steps. His daughter was growing up. Justin felt tears well up in his eyes. He saw the smile on Brian's face disappear.

Brian lifted Briana and walked over to Justin. "What just happened?"

"Brett needs me in Hollywood … and I looked at you two … and I don't want to go … I might miss her first step," Justin practically moaned.

"Hey! You don't have to go if you don't want to," Brian said cupping Justin's chin and making the tear filled blue eyes look at him.

"I think I do have to go … if I want Zephyr to live."

"Fuck Zephyr!" Brian reacted.

"He'd like nothing better," Justin tried to joke.

"I thought we left that scenario somewhere back on the floor of Babylon many millennia ago."

"I was trying to make light of…"

"I know. I don't want you to go either, but if it's necessary…"

"What about Bree…?"

"What about her…?"

"I'll miss her and…"

"I know, but…"

"But I should go anyway. It'll be for the best…"

"I meant…"

"You think I'll regret it if I don't go and the movie turns…"

"I know you'll regret…"

"But it might be all right…"

"What is this … the night of the fucking unfinished sentence?" Brian griped making a face at Bree. She giggled and patted his lips.

"I'm just … undecided."

"Would it make your decision easier if I said the Squirt and I would come with you?"

Justin threw his arms around Brian's neck and kissed him all over his face. Bree squealed in delight. "That would make the decision so simple. It would make my life a million times better. Please, please, please, say that you can come with me and Squirt too."

"We can come," Brian said simply. "I can always come," he added with his patented smirk.

"I know, Big Guy! But what about business? Can you just take off? I need to leave tomorrow or the next day at the latest."

"I'll arrange it somehow, and if I can't be on the same flight as you two, I'll be on the next one," Brian said confidently.

"No way, stud. You're going to be sitting right next to me on that flight, and Briana will be on your lap."

"My lap? What's wrong with your lap?"

"You know she likes you better," Justin giggled.

"Only when it means I hold her for hours on end or change her poopy diaper."

"Only the very best moments for you, sweetheart."

"Insincere terms of affection will get you everywhere." Brian laughed out loud at the absurdity of it all.

Justin continued to giggle. "I'm counting on that. And they aren't insincere."

"Go book us a flight. I'll call Cynthia and Scott. And you, little one, are relegated to the playpen. And don't make any of those faces at me. I can be a very stern taskmaster if I have to. Stop with the pout. I said stop. Okay, okay. You can sit on my knee while I make the calls but you have to be very quiet."

Bree gurgled happily as Brian carried her over to his cell phone. All was right with her world when she had a knee to sit on.

*****

Two days later the Kinney-Taylor family was at the airport going through the first security gate. Justin and Briana were already on the other side waiting for Brian to pull off his boots before going through the metal detector. Brian got a last minute call on his cell. His overcoat was pooled on the floor and he was unzipping his boot. Anyone else would have looked like an idiot hopping around on one foot with a cell phone in one hand as he was trying to get his other boot off. Brian just looked like a gorgeous idiot. Justin watched, shaking his head and with a silly grin on his face.

"You know, Bree, one of these days your Dada will wise up and wear loafers to the airport. But, NOOO. Your Dada has to wear his Prada boots. At least we have plenty of time before we board the plane," Justin whispered to Bree. Bree turned her dainty little head and watched her Dada with fascination.

"Brian!" Michael ran into the terminal screaming out Brian's name, hoping to catch them before they left for LA.

"Michael? What the hell are you doing here?"

"I had to talk to you."

"And you couldn't talk on the phone?" Brian glanced at the cell in his hand, still hopping on one foot.

"Bri, what are you doing?" Michael asked as he spied Brian's coat on the floor with a boot sitting on it.

"The security gate, Mikey. They're afraid I'm smuggling weapons in my Pradas."

"Ah. Designer label weapons?" Michael said with a lopsided grin.

"Of course. An Armani gun and a Gucci knife."

"Of course." They giggled for a few brief moments then Michael got serious.

"Bri, you won't let them kill Zephyr, will you?"

"No, Michael. We won't. Rage could never live without Zephyr, you know that. Rage needs his sidekick, his best friend. Rage loves Zephyr, always has, always will." Michael looked up into a set a very serious hazel eyes and let out a long breath.

"Thank you, Brian. I love you." Brian threw caution to the wind, gave Michael a hug and a chaste kiss on the lips.

"Michael, I love you too but there is someone else who loves you and needs you more than air. Go home, Michael. Go to Ben. Make sure he knows you love him. He's a good man, Mikey. Don't take him for granted. Rage and Zephyr will always be friends, closer than friends. But Zephyr needs his Zen-man, just like Rage needs his JT. Don't fuck it up, Michael."

"I won't, Brian, I promise." Brian finally pulled off his other boot. Michael picked up Brian's coat and boot from the floor, handing everything to Brian.

"I'll call you when we beat the fuck out of Brett," Brian snarked over his shoulder as he placed his belongings into the grey containers and stepped through the security gate.

"You better!" Michael laughed, waving at Justin and Bree. Both Justin and Michael broke out into belly laughs as they watched Brian hopping again trying to get his boots on.

"Smooth, Brian, real smooth!" Michael called out then headed out of the terminal and home to Ben.

*****

Immediately after settling in at their hotel, Justin, along with Brian and Bree decided to meet with Brett, head on. They drove to the studio in their rented car, parked in Justin's space then strode into Brett's offices like they owned the place.

"I want to see Brett, and I want to see him now!" Justin demanded of the receptionist. She remembered Justin and she certainly remembered Brian. She was a little shocked to see Brian in a business suit with Bree on his hip and a baby bag slung on his shoulder. Brian's loving care of Bree did nothing to diminish his sensuality. The receptionist immediately paged Brett.

"Thank you, Candy," Justin stated. "I know where to find him." Justin pushed past with Brian and Bree close on his heels.

"Justin! I'm so glad you made it. Hi, Brian." Brett shook the blond's hand then nodded to Brian.

"Hello, Brett. Nice to see you too." The expression on Brian's face told Brett that Brian was not happy to be pulled away from the East coast.

"Why don't we look at the latest story boards and see what we can do to liven up the ending." Brett ushered them into to the artists' area. Again, there was a flurry of pencils and sketch pads as the artists wanted to capture the real Rage looking dashing in his suit and with the cute little Briana. Brian made himself scarce, commandeering an unoccupied desk to do a little phone work while keeping Bree amused with a bottle.

While Brian was multi-tasking, Justin and Brett studied the story boards with the artists and writers.

A couple of hours later, Justin seemed satisfied that Brett and his writers were back on track and he was ready to go back to the hotel. Justin was feeling the aftereffects of the long flight and was coming down from his emotional roller coaster. Bree had finished a bottle and Brian had found a quiet place to change her. He had spoken at length with Reilly at Perspective and was looking quite smug.

"What?" Justin looked at Brian, recognizing the signs of the cat who ate the canary.

"Oh nothing, just working out some of the details for the Rage PR," Brian beamed.

"Oh no you don't, Kinney. Just because Justin has creative control doesn't mean you have control over the advertising. I have people to handle that," Brett tried to intimidate Brian. Brian handed off Bree to Justin then turned his full Rageian glare at Brett. Justin smirked as he heard the sounds of pencils scratching on pads again.

"I'm sure you have plenty of people, Brett, but so do I. And who better to publicize Rage than Rage." Brian leaned against a desk. "So Brett, tell me what's the plan your 'people' came up with?"

"The plan is a full media blitz. We hit full force with posters, ads in all the trade rags. TV and cable spots. We hit hard, flood all the markets with Rage."

"And by the time the movie hits the theaters, no one will give a shit," Brian snarked.

"Oh yeah? A lot you know," Brett said very ineloquently.

"Yeah, Brett, a lot I DO know. Who's the ad man here?"

"Okay, hot shot. Then how would you handle it?" Brett leaned on another desk. Brian went into full ad man mode.

"We make it subtle. We start with simple posters in every comic book store that carries Rage. 'Rage is coming.' Then internet ads that offer the Rage Zine. Then ads in the trades. The Rage fans don't read your trade rags. They read comic books. Fifty percent of the Rage fans order their comics on line. When the time is right, an issue will come out with an ad in the comic. Maybe a contest to win free tickets to the opening. Some lucky fans flown in to see Rage on opening night. My company out here will handle the PR on the West Coast, Kinnetik can handle it on the East. As the time gets closer, each ad offers a tease into the storyline. The first two issues are already collectors' items. I've seen a copy of the first printing of Issue One selling on ebay for thousands. You go marketing this movie to the mainstream public and you'll fall flat on your face. This movie isn't for everyone. You start out with the targeted market just like the comic did. You pull them in and then the others will follow. I know there isn't a lot of fucking and sucking like the comic. If you make this out to be gay porn, no one will buy a ticket. You hook young gay men and het girls first then the word will spread like wildfire. It will be like 'The Life of Brian' all over again."

Brian glanced at Justin; he was praying his ideas would meet with Justin's approval. Before this, they hadn't really discussed the PR for Rage. Justin was smiling from ear to ear. Only Brian knew that this was the first time Justin was hearing his plan. He couldn't have. Brian had just made it all up.

Brett swallowed hard then nodded. "All right, Brian. Have your people call my people. We have months yet. The editing alone may take at least six months to get it right."

On the inside, Brian was pumping his fist in the air, screaming a 'YES!' On the outside, Brian was cool as a cucumber. "Come on, Justin. I think its time to take the Squirt back to the hotel."

Justin nodded, grabbed Briana's bag and followed Brian out.

Later that evening, having eaten a good meal and put Bree to bed the boys lay on the big bed and started to explore.

"You have the best body, Brian," Justin cooed as he started stripping his husband of the clothes he had worn to dinner.

"Nope."

"What do you mean, 'Nope!'"?

"I mean that I don't have the best body. You do."

"You mean you would like your ass to be as big as mine?" Justin laughed peeling off Brian's slacks to reveal the tight, slender ass that he loved so much.

"Hell no," Brian said. It would look ridiculous on my body." Justin looked thoroughly offended by that comment and gave Brian what could only be described as an evil eye. "On you, however, it looks … magnificent."

"Nice save, oh skinny one."

"I'm not skinny. I'm perfectly proportioned."

"Yes, you are," Justin agreed licking nipples and sucking and squeezing.

"And so are you."

"How can we both be perfect when we're so different?" Justin asked wanting to see what Brian would say.

"You've got the perfect bottom's ass," Brian said smugly.

"Thanks, I think," Justin frowned.

Brian looked at the frown and started removing Justin's clothes. "It's the perfect body that I want to possess, to fuck, to make love to. It's the only body that I crave. I never get enough of you. You know that."

Justin's frown had quickly turned into one of his sunshine smiles as he listened to Brian's words. "So if we're both perfect," Justin grinned, "let's see if we can have the perfect fuck."

"Is that a challenge?"

"If you think you're up for it?" Justin smirked.

"I already am. Didn't you notice?"

"Not really. You're always hard," Justin said trying to keep a straight face.

"You know, it's amazing how you've been able to keep that twink physique all these years. I always thought with all you eat that you would have a paunch by now."

"A paunch! A fucking paunch? You are so not getting any tonight!" Justin declared rolling over to his side of the bed and glaring at Brian.

"Am so!"

"Are not!"

"Come here, you," Brian said grabbing Justin and pulling his now naked husband into a tight hug.

Justin pretended to struggle but they both knew it wasn't for real. Brian soon worked his magic using kisses designed to take the breath away and confuse the mind. Justin did his best to remember why he was mad and refusing Brian, but soon it all became a blur of lust and love.

Before long they were rocking together as only they could. Brian bit at the back of Justin's neck as he pounded the ass that had been the subject of earlier discussions. He knew he would never want any other ass, any other man. Justin was the only one for him.

Justin felt Brian's weight against his back. He felt the familiar cock drive into him and he relished every stroke. They were so good together. After all these years they had an almost perfect life … to match their almost perfect bodies. Justin managed to smile to himself before his conscious thoughts gave way to the electric charges Brian's dick and hands and mouth were causing all over his body. He exploded into Brian's hand. Then he felt his husband shoot his load up his ass and collapse on top of him.

"Fuck," Brian gasped as he rolled away after a minute or two.

"That was damn near perfect," Justin managed to get out.

"I thought it was perfect," Brian said glancing at his husband and raising a brow.

"Close, very close. But if we ever achieve perfect, then we'd have to stop trying."

"Ah, I see your point."

"We could try again later if you like?" Justin smiled.

"I like," Brian said rolling against his husband and finding the sweet lips that he always seemed to want to kiss.

Just then Briana decided to let out a little cry from the next room. "I'll go," Justin said.

"She's probably having a bad dream, not being in her own bed," Brian said.

A minute later Justin returned with his daughter in his arms. Brian arranged some pillows and Justin leaned back against the headboard holding their little girl. Brian watched with love overflowing his heart.

After a couple of minutes Brian cleared his throat. "You know, the Squirt has impeccable timing."

"What do you mean?" Justin asked as he watched Bree's sleepy eyes start to close.

"She waited until we were done to cry."

"True," Justin chuckled. "What more could we ask for?"

"Odorless diapers?" Brian smirked.

"You wish."

"I truly do wish."

"Well, here," Justin said handing the once again sleeping bundle to Brian. "She doesn't need to be changed, therefore odorless. Put her back to bed."

"Yes, your highness," Brian said getting up.

"And then we can make another attempt at perfection."

"Be right back," Brian smirked as he carried Bree back to the crib.

*****

Three days later Brian, Justin and Bree were on their way to the airport to go back to Pittsburgh. As they sat in the cab they were thinking about all the things that had happened on their brief sojourn in LaLaLand.

"I should call Mikey and tell him Zephyr will live to sidekick another day," Brian smirked.

"Yeah, I bet he's still shitting bricks about that one," Justin agreed.

Brian pulled out his cell phone and hit the speed dial number.

"Comic Book Store," the familiar voice answered.

"When are you going to name that fucking store after yourself?" Brian demanded with a laugh.

"Hey, Brian, what's up?"

"You should name it Zephyr Comics," Brian said with a grin that only Bree and Justin could see.

"Zephyr? Fuck! Does that mean what I think is means? Zephyr lives?"

"Absolutely!"

"Oh man! You don't know what a relief that is."

"Yes, Mikey, I do. Do you want to talk to Justin?"

"Sure."

"Hi, Michael," Justin said taking the phone. "I think we got everything sorted out with Brett. Zephyr is safe."

"That's the best news. Thanks, Justin, for sticking up for the Zephyr character and for me."

"This is a collaboration Michael. Zephyr and you were there from the outset, and they should be there until the end whenever that may be."

"Not for a long, long time," Michael said with all sincerity. "Hey, I have another idea for the next issue of Rage."

"Do you now?"

"Want to hear it?"

"Sure, Michael, go ahead," Justin said with a roll of the eyes at Brian. They still had several minutes before they got to the airport. Then they would fly back to what was truly important in their lives. In the meantime Justin decided he could listen to Michael.