Membership status: Member
Bio:
When a surprise visitor shows up at Britin, life is turned upside down for the Kinney-Taylor family.
The story is finished and will be updated once a week!
Categories: QAF US
Characters: Ben Bruckner, Blake Wyzecki, Brian Kinney, Carl Horvath, Craig Taylor, Debbie Novotny, Drew Boyd, Emmett Honeycutt, Gus Marcus-Peterson, James 'Hunter' Montgomery, Jennifer Taylor, Jenny Rebecca Marcus-Peterson, Joan Kinney, Justin Taylor, Melanie Marcus, Michael Novotny, Original Character, Ted Schmidt
Tags: 100k+ Word Count, Anti-Melanie, Anti-Michael, Established Relationship, Family, Post-series
Genres: Alternate Universe, Angst w/ Happy Ending, Drama
Pairings: Brian/Justin
Series: Back for Good Universe
Chapters: 42 Table of Contents
Completed: Yes Word count: 160933 Read Count: 43273
Date: Jan 20, 2022 Title: Chapter 19: Chapter 19
Hi again! Funny you mention the Beatles. I listened to them before I even could speak a little English, a few years before the 5th grade. I was always a bit proud of that, they had a big influence on me. But hey, they were almost a boy band. ;-) And when I moved out from home, I stole all of my dad's Beatles records. :-) I still have them. But then came punk and yeah I think if I was a teenager when all the boy bands were big I might have listened to them too but it totally passed me by. And of course, Queen - although I always liked the older songs better - I listened to "Love of my life" over and over again when I was 17 and my great teenage love didn't want to have anything to do with me. Oh, those were times. And speaking of Corona. If you want to see some really crazy dumb Germans, you have to check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCaTX7gd32E One don't know whether to laugh or cry...
Thanks for another wonderful written chapter. Yes, you are right. It's clear that Brian is still fighting his demons, especially in this current situation. And therapies often don't make things disappear, but rather help us to deal better with problems or behavior. It's good that at least Brian isn't closing himself off too much and can continue to be open and honest with Justin. But of course, Justin would also vehemently fight against it. Like you say, he knows his Brian. Hm, Luke really is full of anger and rage - it occurred to me that maybe talking to Debbie, or better yet, Jennifer, might be an option too. Or maybe with Gus. Perhaps he listens best to his big brother. And I'm still very, very curious about the upcoming conversation between Brian and Gus. ;-)
Oh, and I got a little wistful and had to check out your first story again. That moment when Brian opens the door... and then Luke appears and eventually says "Papa?" - Oh, I think I need to read that story again sometime. That was really moving at the time. Stay healthy and warmest regards!
Author's Response:
Oh my god, Love of my life is like my favourite song ever <3 I love it so much. When I first came across it, I probably listened to it on repeat for a week... Many people don't seem to know it because it's not one of the big "stadium anthems" that Queen used to do, but it's still my favourite Queen song after all these years.
In 2018, I was lucky enough to see Queen and Adam Lambert live and while Adam Lambert is no Freddie Mercury (no one is, he was one of a kind!), he definitely did really well. Anyway, when Love of my life came on, they had Brian May sitting on a chair with his guitar and he played the music and then they had a video of Freddie singing the song at a concert thirty years or so ago to Brian's guitar music. They did the first verse like that and then the audience took over and finished the song. I had goosebumps and tears in my eyes. It was sooo emotional :(
That video - I have no words :/ Then again, idiots are everywhere, even in governments :/ Ireland currently has an incidence of 1300 and the government announced yesterday that as of today all restrictions will be gone. No more social distancing, nothing! Only masks in supermarkets and on public transport. Other than that, it's back to normal as of today. Full clubs, full stadiums, parties, etc. because apparently we have to learn to live with the virus now. I probably won't leave my house for the next two months lol... Absolutely crazy and way too early for an opening like that, if you ask me :/
We will hear from Luke again soon, and don't worry, there will be people trying to talk to him. And yes, that Brian/Gus talk will come soon as well :)
Awww, yeah, I loved that story so much. I don't want to toot my own horn, but once I was finished writing it, I was really happy with it and felt really good about it ;)
Thanks for your comment as always. More will be up tomorrow :)
Date: Dec 22, 2021 Title: Chapter 15: Chapter 15
Hey! Thanks for another great chapter! Oh dear, I'm so sorry for Brian and Justin. I had already written that I could imagine Luke in particular being a little angry, but I absolutely did not expect that. And your Justin is just perfect, because holding him back would have done no good, then he would have run away at the first opportunity. Sending him to Em was a great idea. I look forward to their conversations. And yes, I'm also curious to see Gus' reaction. He's already older, I think he can handle it differently and hopefully better. Looking forward to Sunday!
I wish you a wonderful Christmas at home with your family! Stay healthy and warmest regards!
Author's Response:
I am glad that I was still able to surprise people with what happened ;) I think the most important thing to remember is that Luke is only 15 and that that was a lot of painful information to take in for a teenager. I think we all know how impulsive and righteous teenagers can be at times...
What can I say? I love Justin in this universe and it pains me that I put him through so much pain in these stories :( Same for Brian. I think by now, they both deserve happiness, but here I am, enjoying their pain once again. I am evil :P
There will be a lot of conversations coming up. Different pairings, all trying to work through this new drama and pain.
As always, thanks for your comment. I hope you had a great Christmas with your loved ones :) Can't complain myself. We had a quiet Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and will have a small family get together tomorrow.
More will be up tomorrow :)
Date: Mar 05, 2022 Title: Chapter 25: Chapter 25
Hi! I have to say that when the war started on Thursday last week, I had the same thoughts by Friday at the latest. What if Putin already considers the sanctions or the arms shipments as hostile action enough for him to escalate this war? I now think that he "only" wants Ukraine for the time being. Terrible enough. What comes next? the big question is how Putin intends to get out of this situation. That's nearly unpossible. The world is upside down. No idea. I was at the demo in Berlin last Sunday and although I wore a mask most of the time, I honestly have to admit that I didn't give Corona a thought that afternoon. It's all just horrible. Our lifes will change.
Oh help, I've nearly only been following developments in Ukraine for the past two or three weeks and haven't heard of this law in Texas. That's awful. That there are such developments in Poland or Hungary is not so surprising, but that such inhuman developments are gradually occurring again in America...? Leaves me speechless. And I'm having a hard time moving on to the actual review right now, but well... Sorry if I'm not going to say much...
This chapter. As always so beautifully written and as I read, it crossed my mind that you, through Emmett, explain exactly why Justin behaved the way he did in "Back for good". Similar to how Luke criticizes Justin now, you got a lot of criticism back then and it's almost as if Em isn't just talking to Luke (though maybe I'm exaggerating now ;-) ). In any case, I'm glad that someone finally manages to get through to Luke and give him a different perspective on the developments. He listens and starts to think about it. Stay healthy and warmest regards!
Author's Response:
Actually, I don't find it surprising at all that these developments are happening in the US. Maybe because I have lived in Florida and have met those people, but the religious far-right in the US is damn well scary :( Just look at the state of the Republican party and all those Maga supporters...
I totally understand your thoughts about the Ukraine - it's scary :( And on a personal level, I just feel so frustrated right now because there is nothing that I can do... I donated to Unicef, but still...it feels like too little...but what else can you do? Go to marches, protests, etc. Been there, done that...I doubt it's having any effect on Putin though - he clearly doesn't care.
Just like you, I can't see how he wants to get out of this. The damage has been done. What's the Endgame now? All this, it reminds me so much of Europe in the 1930's. Especially Germany and Czeckoslovakia and then the conference in Munich afterwards. The world didn't really do much then either, thinking that if he had Czeckoslovakia, he would stop his advance on other countries. We all know how that ended :( Then again, I don't really have any better idea either...it's just a really frustrating situation and I feel for all the people who are now fleeing, have been hurt or have been killed by this senseless attack by a madman :(
As for this chapter: What can I say? I just love Emmett. He has always been one of my favourites <3 And you're right, part of Emmett's talk with Luke wasn't just to explain what had happened to Luke, but to also try and explain it a bit deeper for some people who didn't agree with Justin forgiving Brian back then. I get that it wasn't really a popular choice I made, but the alternative was too heartbreaking for me to consider as a writer of Brian/Justin lol It's kind of ironic that some of the same people now criticizing Luke for not getting over it criticized Justin back in the other story. I get that circumstances were different, but it still amuses me lol
I can promise that Luke will interact with at least one of his dads in the next chapter - we're slowly getting there :)
Thanks for your comment - as always, it's much appreciated :)
Have a nice weekend and stay safe!
Date: Sep 18, 2021 Title: Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Hey! Welcome back! Yes, I still exist :-) I sometimes wonder what QAF and especially Brian and Justin did to me. I mean, it's not uncommon to me that when I've finished a good book or watched a good movie, that I can't break away, that I want to stay in this universe, that I don't want it to end and go back to reality. But I've never experienced anything like with what I go through with Brian and Justin. I've been an addict for 5 years now ;-) and while trying to stay away from the real people at first, I have to admit it didn't work out. Unfortunately, I'm falling more and more in love with a gay American. Crazy. Life sucks! :-)
Hey and now the elections will be here soon. I'm really looking forward to our elections in Germany this time. Everything is still so open. Are you vaccinated now? Did it went well?
But now to your story. I was really happy when I saw you started a new one! And it's a very exciting start! I'm curious to see what JR experienced, why she visits Gus, what she's up to ...
Warmest regards and stay healthy!
Author's Response:
Haha, I know what you mean. There aren't a lot of fandoms I am still in after so many years. It's really just QAF and my one true love, Lord of the Rings. Though I left fanfiction behind a long time ago in that fandom and it's really just about the original Lord of the Rings story, the books, the movies, the friends I made in that fandom by now.
But yeah, Lord of the Rings is the one I go to conventions for, it's the one where I have met the actors, where I went to New Zealand to see the locations, etc. I am a total nerd when it comes to Middle Earth *lol*
And falling in love with a gay man? The story of my life. For some reason, I have always been closer to gay men than straight men and I have so many gay friends, but alas, they're all gay... I love them to death and all, but why are the best-looking, nicest men always gay? :/ I also seem to like a lot of gay actors (probably because my friends love them as well and talk about them all the time), gay shows, etc. I could probably give Debbie a run for her money :P
Yes, I got my second jab early in August. I didn't really have any side effects, just felt a bit tired the next day and had two hot flashes, that was it.
I went travelling to County Kerry with a friend two weeks ago and we explored Ireland some more. It reminded me that there was a reason why I moved to Ireland in the first place ;) It's just absolutely gorgeous and it was great to get out of Dublin for a bit and see something else.
My brother will come and visit me in two weeks, my first visitor since the pandemic started, so I am really excited for that :)
Did you get out of Berlin for a bit?
I am glad that you're giving this new story a chance! We'll get some answers to the why is Jenny there, what is she doing there, etc. soon.
This story will be a wild ride, I can promise that ;)
As always, thanks for your comment! More will be up tomororw :)
Date: Sep 23, 2021 Title: Chapter 2: Chapter 2
Hi! No, I wasn't out of Berlin at all, but just having time off and being at home is nice too. I live in a house with a small garden, so it's great to spend freetime at home too. I've never been to Ireland, but it must be beautiful. Mabye some day in the future ... When I was around 20 years old, I was a big X-files fan and read a lot of fanfictions at that time. But that passed pretty quickly. And two years before Queer as Folk I read "Eragon" with my son (don't know if I had told you that before) and fell totally in love with Murtagh. So I ended up with fanfiction about him and actually he is also to blame for the fact that I found Queer as Folk. There were stories about him and Eragon and I found the two of them perfect together. The only problem ... they are half brothers ... well ... and then I found Brian and Justin!
So, the second chapter ... As always, wonderfully written and I'm so curious ... I'm a little suspicious whether Jenny's story is really true. I have to admit, I like Mel ... I always felt sorry for her because in my opinion Lindsay played Mel and Brian off against each other. But well, the anti-Mel-tag is there, so... But, whatever! I'm really curious how it'll continue! By the way, I so love how you picture them as a family! Warmest regards and stay healthy!
Author's Response:
Ireland is extremely beautiful - Dublin itself is well... a big city... but once you leave Dublin (even where I live now, 20 minutes away from city centre), you'll have beautiful beaches, cliffs, amazing scenery. It's definitely worth a visit :)
Ooooh, X-Files. I remember meeting with a friend every Monday in the 90's and watching new episodes together on ProSieben. Loved the show at the time. It was Buffy, Angel and X-Files that we always watched together and we would discuss episodes afterwards for hours, sometimes even days later. I still can't hear Tunguska without thinking of X-Files ;)
As for Eragon, I have to admit that that passed me by, somehow. At the time there had been so much fantasy (Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Narnia, etc.) that I felt quite saturated when it came to fantasy.
Back to Jenny: Can she be trusted? Hmmmm, good question. We'll find out soon!
With Melanie, I always feel torn and much depends on how I feel about her on a certain day lol. Sometimes I feel sorry for her, like you said and then again, she just pisses me off. She's a lawyer, so smart on some level and then allowed Lindsay to play her like that and honestly? Even if Lindsay played her and Brian off against each other - she went along with it. She never gave him a chance, she never had a good word for him and yet she always went for him for help as well when she and Lindsay were in trouble again (the French man, for example)... Unfortunately, for Melanie lovers, the day I decided where to go with her character in this universe, I didn't feel too empathatic and went with anti-Mel ;)
We have to remember what Mel did in Back for Good - The Pittsburgh Years and how things ended between her and Brian, and probably more importantly, between her and Gus. Of course that will determine a lot of the interactions with Mel in this story.
What can I say? I just love me some Kinney-Taylor family. They are certainly a happy place ;)
As always, thank you so much for your comment! It's much appreciated and more will be up tomorrow :)
Date: Sep 30, 2021 Title: Chapter 3: Chapter 3
Hi again! What do you think of our elections? That Laschet didn't congratulate Scholz was a bit "trumpic", wasn't it? :-) Well, I wanted red-green-red, but I now hope that the SPD, the Greens and the FDP can come to an agreement ... I can't say anything about the Berlin elections because I didn't want either Giffey or Jarasch and it was clear that it would be one of the two...
Well, a few more words about "Eragon". This is also more of a four-part book series. The first part was made into a film, but I don't think I've ever seen such a bad film adaptation of a novel. Dreadful. I got so angry about it for months, I'm still angry thinking about it :-) The only little bright spot was maybe Garrett Hedlund as Murtagh - everything else was horrible, terrible...
Yes, I understand what you wrote about Mel ... I'm torn too. There are scenes where I like her, find her funny or I feel sorry for her, and then there is the other side, which you also mentioned ... I like stories in which Melanie reconciles with Brian, and they do both stop to let Lindsay manipulate them both anymore. But, I'm not a Melanie lover and so I have no problem at all if you treat her as anti-Mel. Oh dear, this new chapter or the end doesn't suggest anything good. For one thing, I don't understand that she is so absolutely unreachable and I am very curious because I have absolutely no idea. On the other hand, the end of this chapter sounded like Justin and Brian won't see each other for a long time and that scares me a little...
So, looking forward to Sunday! Warmest regards ad stay healthy!
Author's Response:
Sorry about not replying to your comment earlier - as mentioned, my brother was here and it was the first time I have seen him since Christmas, so I didn't want to spend my time on the computer when I could spend it with him ;)
Yeah, I was hoping for red-green as well and it bothers me that Lindner will most likely become the new minister of Finance (mostly because I don't want to see his arrogant face in the news day in and out), but in general I am glad that we're not having another CDU led government...
Yes, Laschet on the the eve of the election really pissed me off. You lost! Your party only came in second, so the duty to build a government doesn't lie with you, but with the SPD! It seems like he has finally accepted it though...
It looks like the elections in Berlin were quite a mess :/
Yes, this story will definitely not portray Mel in a likeable way - it will be in line with her portrayal in The Pittsburgh Years. As for Justin and Brian, Justin will only be gone for a day as planned and will then return to Pittsburgh, nothing sinister will happen to him while in Florida ;)
As always, thanks for your comment! More will be up tomorrow! :) Stay healthy!
Date: Oct 05, 2021 Title: Chapter 4: Chapter 4
Hi! It's funny how I'm used to getting a response on Saturday. I was even a little bit worried ... No, don't take me too seriously. ;-) Briefly about our situation in Germany. I'm so upset that Laschet, after the results of the CDU (I mean, it's not just about the 1.6 percent that the SPD has more. It's also about the SPD winning five percent against the CDU losing 8 percent. And it is also about the fact that very few people in Germany want to have Laschet as Chancellor ....) continue to try to become Chancellor .... Arrggghhh!
So, your chapter. When will Brian finally believe in his abilities as a father... :-) I think he treats Jenny very sensitively and yes, at 17 she has a right to get to know the whole truth. I'm really curious to see what goes on with Mel. It all seems so weird to me and I'm really worried about Justin ... And there was the question if Jenny can be trusted... I really got the impression she knew nothing about the past so what should she be up to... so many questions... I hope you are well! Looking forward to Sunday!
Author's Response:
Don't worry! Everything is okay here, no evil reason for not responding. Now that my brother has returned to Germany, I am back to my normal schedule ;)
It looks like Laschet finally seems to have accepted that there won't be a Jamaika coalition but an Ampel. Thankfully!
I think Brian will always be too hard on himself and will never trust himself to be a good father, which is why he needs Justin around to tell him ;)
I agree, I feel like he did really well telling Jenny a lot of very painful history about their family. She deserved the truth and I think he did as best as he could under the circumstances.
Jenny can be trusted as much as you can trust any teenager ;) She's not lying about anything and she really didn't know anything because Melanie never shared anything with her.
There will be some interesting events coming up!
Thanks for your comment :) More will be up tomorrow!
Date: Oct 11, 2021 Title: Chapter 5: Chapter 5
Hi! Most of the time there are always very simple explanations ... Haha :-) I hope we haven't annoyed you too much ... Have a great time with your brother!
So, this chapter ... I don't quite understand what's going on with Mel ... That she behaves like that towards Justin after she found out that he is back with Brian, okay ... understandable from her point of view .... But that she doesn't really care what happens to her daughter ... I just don't trust the whole thing yet ... And I hope she hasn't planned any of it or something ... I'm a little afraid that Justin might end up in jail or ... Or that was just the starting point for a completely different story and something terrible happened on the flight back ... :-) Ah, my imagination is just running through with me .... Oh, I'll just be patient until next Sunday. Stay healthy and warmest regards!
Author's Response:
I had a great time with my brother :) It was just lovely to spend time with him again for the first time since Christmas. He's back in Germany now, so I am back to my normal schedule ;)
Melanie has always put her career first, we saw that on the show when she went to work and had to be put on bedrest and still continued to work. I just put that to the extreme for this story.
Justin will be fine and he will be back in Pittsburgh the next day to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family :) I promise!
Though that won't mean that Melanie won't cause trouble for the Kinney-Taylor family, though maybe in a rather unexpected and surprising way ;)
You are quite right about this whole Jenny/Mel thing just being a starting point for a completely different story, but what that story will be, we will find out in a couple of chapters ;)
As always, thanks for sharing your thoughts :) More will be up tomorrow! Stay safe!
Date: Oct 22, 2021 Title: Chapter 6: Chapter 7
Hi! Yes, I can also imagine better things than having to see Lindner all the time, but I think it's good that the FDP finally wants to take on responsibility and doesn't pull its tail like 4 years ago, but then just grumbling and thinking they know everything better. Well, we will see. It is clear that the climate crisis and Corona will make everything more expensive. There is no need to be under any illusions. But I prefer the politicians to tell us the truth and be honest ...
So, this chapter. Thanks! Sometimes my imagination runs wild and I imagine the worst things ... The plane crashes ... Mel has Justin arrested at the airport ... :-) I don't know. So, I'm glad Justin that he arrived safely again. The conversation with Gus was interesting because if you think about it, yes, he could have been curious, but I would never blame him for that either. You got it right, he was so young when they were separated and later ... Brian was seriously ill and he was scared for his father ... And, yes, they are a happy family. I can understand that he didn't think of Jenni ... But now I'm curious to see how it will go on. How will Gus and Jenni react to each other? Will Mel show up in Pittsburgh? Will Justin and Brian have another family member soon? So many questions! Looking forward to Sunday! Stay healthy!
Author's Response:
Yeah, I appreciate when politicians are honest. Like really? How stupid do they think people are? I agree, we know that due to Covid and climate change prices will rise, we can already see it everywhere we look. So don't treat us like idiots by saying: That's not real and don't make promises you can't keep, like lower taxes, etc. (an FDP speciality ;)).
I know that I have had some crazy plot twists in some stories, but I feel like this one is pretty tame and straightforward. There will be a lot of drama, but nothing too surprising or unexpected like a plane crash or kidnapping ;)
I guess I could understand why Jenny's appearance would make Gus question himself. He is his father's son after all, but much like Justin and you, I agree, that none of what happened is his fault.
He was way too young and Jenny and Melanie are part of a life he can't really rememember. When Gus thinks of family, he thinks of his fathers and Luke and Vicky and the Pittsburgh crowd.
Gus and Jenny will meet soon - I promise :)
As for Mel showing up in Pittsburgh - let's wait and see, but if she did, I can imagine that would be a fun meeting for everyone involved :P
I promise that all questions will be answered in the next couple of chapters. And then some ;)
As always, thanks for your comment! More will be up tomorrow :) Stay safe!
Date: Oct 27, 2021 Title: Chapter 7: Chapter 8
Hello again! Just a little comment about our political situation here in Germany. Somehow it's really sad that it didn't became red-green. I am very curious to see what will become of all these negotiations and whether anything will change at all ... Well, we have to wait and see.
Thanks for another chapter! Ah, so cute, I would like to see this as a movie ... "Vicky looked at him with her big eyes and shook her head emphatically." No, he did everything wrong. " :-) Do I remember this correctly, she looks a lot like Justin, doesn't she? It's good to have Justin back at home and I'm happy that they are able to spend Thanskgiving together... Hopefully nothing too dramatic happens at this day! And I'm really looking forward to the next chapter where Gus and Jenny will most likely meet. Stay healthy!
Author's Response:
I love these family scenes as well - they're my favourites to write:)
And yes, Vicky looks a lot like Justin, blond hair, blue eyes, big smile....
I can promise that Thanksgiving will be a nice family holiday for everyone :)
Yes, the meeting with Jenny will be coming up in the next chapter tomorrow!
As always, thanks for your comment :)
Date: Nov 05, 2021 Title: Chapter 8: Chapter 9
Hello and thanks for another chapter! I'm really curious to see what will happen to Jenny. She could stay with Debbie and Carl! Surely a court would probably allow that too. Well, we'll see. I like the way you let Jenny and Gus meet for the first time. It's very realistic because if they had hugged each other straight away and cried or something like that, that would have been an exaggeration. Looking forward to tomorrow! Stay healthy and warmest regards!
Author's Response:
I promise that we'll find out more about where Jenny will stay in the long run in upcoming chapters. A lot will happen in the next couple of chapters...
Debbie and Carl? Hmmm? Maybe ;)
As always, thanks for your comment! More will be up tomorrow :)
Date: Nov 10, 2021 Title: Chapter 9: Chapter 10
Hi and thanks for another chapter! You capture their personalities so beautiful! Such a lovable and happy family. I soooo love Brian's and Justin's interaction! But it breaks my heart to think that Jenny has to leave them, but... maybe there'll be another solution. Looking forward to Sunday and stay healthy!
Author's Response:
These family scenes are my favourite to write. I enjoy them so much :)
After all I have put these characters through, they just deserve this happiness. But... I promise Melanie will make an appearance soon, so angst is on the horizon...
Thanks for your comment. More will be up tomorrow :)
Date: Nov 15, 2021 Title: Chapter 10: Chapter 10
Hi! Thanks for another chapter! It was a great idea that you let this conversation take place between Brian and Jenny, because yes, even if Mel hasn't physically abused or hit Jenny or anything, not taking care of your child is also a form of neglect or abuse. Brian is probably the one who best empathizes with that. Oh, and like I mentioned in my previous review ... It must be hard for Jenni to go back to Mel after so much love and affection and attention. What strikes me is that in most of your stories there is a lot of drama until it calms down ... I am a little worried about the big bang, the big drama that is sure to come ... So, looking forward to the next chapter and stay healthy!
Author's Response:
As you said, abuse isn't only physical and Brian grew up in a loveless home just like Jenny did as well, so I wanted him and Jenny to bond over that experience. I am glad that you liked their conversation. As you said, he's probably the one that can best empathize with her.
Maybe they can find a way around her having to return to Melanie. We can only hope for the best.
You know me so well ;) Yes, there will be quite a bit of drama coming up pretty soon. Maybe not necessarily in the way people are expecting, but we have some exciting chapters ahead!
As always, thanks for your comment :) More will be up in a bit!
Date: Nov 24, 2021 Title: Chapter 11: Chapter 11
Hi! How are you? How is the situation in Ireland? You probably know what it looks like here in Germany and what chaos there is ... G3, G2, G2 + ... On the ward where I work there were now patients and employees who tested positive ... It is so tiring.
By the way, have you already seen the fourth season of "The Handsmaid Tale"? I was annoyed that you can apparently only see it on magenta. Why not on amazon ...
Thanks for another wonderful chapter. But you make it exciting. I really expected something dramatic to happen ;-) Oh, I can understand Justin. he almost lost Brian. On the other hand, he just has to trust that Brian is sensible enough to know when to stop or slow down. I mean, he matured so much! Looking forward to Sunday! Stay healthy and warmest regards!
Author's Response:
Hi, the situation here in Ireland is as bad as anywhere else in Europe. Our incidence has been above 600 per 7 days for almost two months now, our wave started way before the current wave in Germany. Hospitals are struggling (mostly because Ireland's healthcare system is chronically underfunded and was nearly saved to death in 2011 after the global economic meltdown (on the insistence of Germany who at the time told Ireland to damn well save money if they wanted help from the EU - same as with Greece and Portugal and the likes...) and paying the price for people not giving a shit anymore. This new wave is homemade in Ireland. We have a vaccination rate of 94% of people above the age of 12 being fully vaccinated which is the highest in Europe, still our incidence has been one of the worst in the whole EU for weeks because people don't wear masks anymore, don't keep their distance, have big birthday parties, etc. They just don't care about Covid anymore and if you say something, all you get back is: I am fully vaccinated, so I will be fine... It's madness :/
Even my boss had a birthday party with 20 children for his 5-year old twins four weeks ago when our incidence was already above 600... When I told him I thought that was just crazy, he got all pissed and was like: We need to get used to living with the virus, we can't just have lockdown after lockdown. And law and behold: His kids and him got really sick afterwards, bad flu like symptoms for two weeks, but the antigen tests were negative, so he never went for a PCR test and insists it wasn't Covid... There you go :/
Me and three friends went to Belfast last week to visit the local Christmas market there (it's the closest to a German Christmas market you can get here in Ireland and we go every year) and up in the UK they don't have any regulations anymore at all (after all they had their Freedom Day in the summer and Covid is over according to Boris!!!) and it was really scary to be on a train or bus with fifty other people not wearing masks, same as going to shops and nobody wearing a mask except for some smart people who wore them anyway even if it's not mandated by law. I really got anxiety up there and my friends and I were so glad when we arrived back in Dublin lol.
Yes, I watched the fourth season already. Over here you could just watch it online on the web player of the TV channel that aired it here (like Mediathek at ARD/ZDF). Even though it was quite different to previous seasons (as June is now in Canada), I liked it and I liked the way they showed her struggle getting used to life as a free woman again. That's all I am going to say without spoiling too much ;)
I just wanted to give Jenny a chance to experience some "normal" every day family life, something she never got to experience before.
I promise something big will happen in the next chapter. I have a feeling a lot of people will be happy when it drops ;)
As always, thanks for your comment. Much appreciated! More will be up tomorrow :)
Stay safe!
Date: Dec 02, 2021 Title: Chapter 12: Chapter 12
Oh, I didn't know the situation in Ireland was that bad. When it wasn't that bad here in Germany, there were reports about other countries as well, but at the moment it's more about the German situation. And now we also have this new variant. That was one of my worries that a new variant will come that is immune to the vaccinations. It doesn't seem that bad, but the whole situation is bad enough. I got my third vaccination the day before yesterday. I got my "booster" - Oh, how I hate that word! And the situation on my ward is getting worse and worse. So many surgeries have to be postponed, there is a shortage of staff and doctors are being moved to other wards. I don't understand how so many people still talk about conspiracies and only think of their "own freedom".
Regarding the 4. season of the Handsmaid Tales, you made me so curious. I have to see if or when it will be possible to watch the 4th episode on a different channel than Magenta.
Wow, an exciting new chapter. Now the trouble begins. Melanie's performance was really indescribable. And Justin: "We weren't expecting you" If it weren't so sad, one could laugh about this. And Brian is right, Melanie talks about Jenny as if she were a thing and not a human being. Oh my goodness, and how she treats Gus and Justin (I mean, I'm not wondering about the way she treats Brian)! And luckily Justin manages to stay calm and is also able to calm Brian down as well. And luckily Carl was there, not only because he is able to stay so calm, but also because he is a good witness for what happened there due to his previous professional position. I'm looking forward to the next chapter! Stay healthy and warmest regards!
Author's Response:
I am sorry to hear that things on your ward are getting worse and worse :( I have an aunt who works as a nurse on a special Covid ward and the stories she shares are just horrible... I also have a cousin who works as a physiotherapist in a rehab clinic which has now been turned into an extra Covid ward with 75 beds to help the hospitals in our area deal with the higher number of patients. It's bad all around :(
As for Ireland: A lot of it is due to sharing a border with Northern Ireland. After the UK ditched all remaining restrictions and had their freedom day earlier this year, people just cross the border if they don't like the restrictions in the Republic and go to Northern Ireland to go to pubs, have parties and get drunk. In Ireland, our pubs are 2G, in the North they don't have any restrictions at all, so if you're not vaccinated, you just go North and get drunk there :/ That's why the border regions can be compared to the Eastern part of Germany: They have the lowest vaccination rates and have had the highest incidence rates for months. The situation in hospitals is quite dire there. Not that the situation in Dublin is great, but seeing how it's the only real big city in Ireland, we're doing surprisingly well and are not even in the top ten list of counties with the highest incidence rates.
I am just hoping that I will still be able to fly back to Germany as planned on the 18th. This reminds me so much of last year - all that uncertainty surrounding my Christmas plans, last minute travel changes (I changed my flight from a flight to Amsterdam, to a flight to Hamburg yesterday, just to avoid crossing borders to another country). It's just the same shit again and again - very depressing :(
Ireland has already introduced travel restrictions, so I will now need a negative test to travel back to Dublin after Christmas *happy days*
I am sure that the fourth season of Handmaid's Tale will be on Amazon Prime sooner or later, the other seasons made it there, too...
Melanie truly was on form... Now we'll have to deal with the aftermath of that visit :( I just want to give everyone a hug, really *lol*
Thanks as always for your comment. More will be up tomorrow :)
Date: Dec 08, 2021 Title: Chapter 13: Chapter 13
Yes, the whole situation is depressing and I am also a little annoyed about the planned compulsory vaccination in nursing homes and for medical staff. I do think that nursing or medical staff should always be vaccinated, but I don't think that the increase in corona cases can be attributed to us nursing staff. Well, I really hope that when there will be a compulsory vaccination for everyone. As I said, it's all just depressing. I hope you can go on your vacation and family visit as planned!
Thanks for another great chapter. Oh, I'm really sorry about Gus. Of course, Linds, Mel, and Brian's relationship is often portrayed as far worse in fanfics than it was on the show, but I never got it. How can you have a child with a man who doesn't get along with the other "mother" at all. I already wondered about this first scene in the hospital, where it comes down to choosing a name. I mean, of course, it's somehow cute that Brian then lets Justin decide, but Lindsay and Melanie should have clarified that together in advance. Well, I don't like Lindsay and I've already said something about Mel. Oh, I didn't even think about the fact that Brian and Justin haven't told the kids about those first few years. So, yeah, I'm curious to see how that turns out, but I can't imagine that it will be a big problem for their family and yeah, it's better Gus and Luke hear it from Justin and Brian. Looking forward to Sunday! Stay healthy!
Author's Response:
At this point it just feels like, different year... same shit all over again, you know? :( It is depressing and if it weren't for finding solace in the small things in life (enjoying re-watching my favourite actor in one of my favourite TV shows ever for the third time since the pandemic started), I am not sure I would be doing as okay as I am now. I really miss my family (usually I would fly home 5-6 times a year, now I only go home for Christmas), my friends, going to the theatre and cinema. All the things that were normal and that I just took for granted in recent years.
Now I try to find solace in new things: enjoying a good TV show, writing new stories, having video calls and Zoom meetings with family and friends, making the most of the time that I actually get to go home and see them in person. Just trying to hang in there, you know? Hopefully, it won't be too much longer. I don't want this to be my life for another two years. Remember when all this started and we went into the first lockdown? And people thought: Okay, it's gonna be a few weeks and then we'll be fine? We were so naive lol.
And it hasn't all been bad, you know? Due to the pandemic, my friends and I in Dublin got a lot closer on a new level than we ever were before. Because now all of us were stuck in Dublin, couldn't go home to see our respective families and friends there and we just got closer and relied more on each other and spent more quality time together than ever before. That's been a nice side effect of the pandemic for me: Knowing that I also have people here that I can rely on, no matter what!
To be honest with you, I never understood the whole "let Brian be Gus' babydaddy" either. It made no sense that they would go for someone they didn't even agree on and that they didn't agree on certain rules and boundaries before, but just blindly went into it and were then all surprised when there was tension...But it makes for great fanfiction ;) It can be twisted and turned into so many different things, arguments, etc. - great to play with ;)
Well, Brian and Justin explained things to Gus and Luke in very child-friendly explanations when Justin came back from New York, so they heard the gist, but not the whole truth. They know that Brian did something bad which is why Justin was gone for five years, but it was never mentioned what exactly Brian had done. They explained to Gus that both Brian and Lindsay had lied to Justin, but it was never really explained what those lies had been.
So, it's really just about giving them the whole truth and all the details and not giving Melanie a chance to twist it her way...
As always, thanks for your comment. It's much appreciated :) More will be up tomorrow! Hang in there and stay safe :)
Date: Dec 17, 2021 Title: Chapter 14: Chapter 14
Hi! You wrote: "Remember when all this started and we went into the first lockdown? And people thought: Okay, it's gonna be a few weeks and then we'll be fine? We were so naive lol." - Oh, I remember! I just read an email this week from one of my doctor colleagues. I think I have told you before, I'm working as a study assistant in a neurosurgery department and at the beginning of the pandemic there were no regulations of how we should treat follow up visits for out patients. And I asked him what I should do and he answered that I should cancel the appointment and move it to four weeks forward to a point when this would be all over... Oh my, were we wrong... and now, with omicron, there is no end in sight... :-(
I've had to think about you the last weekend and today. I remember that you were (or are?) also active in this whole Tolkien fandom. Well, it never fascinated me the same way as with QAF, but I've seen the films so often and I haven't seen them for maybe 5 years. Last weekend the Hobbit Part 1 came on TV and my son and I watched all three parts on Saturday and Sunday. Today we have continued with Lord of the Rings Part 1 and tomorrow we'll watch Part 2. I have to admit that I always have to force myself first a little bit, but it's good to see something other than just QAF. :-)
So this chapter. You make it exciting ... I had expected that the talk with Gus and Luke would already take place in this chapter ... but well, it will probably happen in the next chapter. I'm really curious about their reactions. I could imagine that Luke in particular will be very hurt at first and maybe also a bit angry ... And I really wonder what's going on with Melanie ... It seems so strange that she has not yet reacted again. So, looking forward to Sunday! Stay healthy!
Author's Response:
I have to admit that while I love The Lord of the Rings trilogy, I am not a fan of the Hobbit movies. I watched them in the cinema when they came out but never again after that. I know it may sound weird, as it's the same creative team, even most of the same actors, etc. But to me the Hobbit has a completely different feel. Way more Hollywood - less story, more CGI. I never really got into that. So it's all about the Tolkien books and Lord of the Rings movies for me ;)
My friend and I just realised last weekend that we have been watching the trilogy together once a year since 2007. Our very own tradition ;)
Thanks for your comment :)
Date: Dec 26, 2021 Title: Chapter 16: Chapter 16
Hi again! Yeah, I also had a quiet but nice Christmas with my family. The day after Christmas I watched "Christmas on the rocks" with Randy! Although the play could take place live on stage again this year, the theater company was so nice and recorded a performance and made it available as a stream for a certain period of time. They made me so happy and I wish they would do that every year, then I would have my tradition! ;-) And now I have the week off work!
So, thanks for another chapter even if it was a real sad one! I would have expected at least Gus to react differently. I hope he will give them a chance and talk to his two Dads before he goes back to NY. I wondered... Didn't Vicky ask where Luke is? And yeah, as I said, I can understand Luke's reaction to some extent, even if it was very severely. But like you said he's going through puberty. I am also experiencing that right now. If I just say one wrong word, my son will snap at me immediately. ;-) So, stay healthy, and even if it's a little bit early, I wish you a good start into the New Year!
Author's Response:
I am glad to hear that you had lovely holidays.
I went and met with some friends after Christmas and flew back to Dublin earlier today. I will have a quiet New Year's Eve as I'll get my booster shot tomorrow (1st January) and don't think drinking the night away is a good idea under the circumstances. I'll probably watch some Queer Eye on Netflix - just the balm for my soul that I need right now. Or I might continue my White Collar rewatch. Between Queer Eye and Matt Bomer, I'll be in my happy place, forgetting all about Covid and God knows what lol ;)
Yep, the last chapter was a real sad one... As was mentioned earlier, Gus is a lot like Brian and needs time to work through his emotions on his own. I think both him and Luke were just completely caught off guard by what they were told and now need to work through that.
We will hear more from Vicky soon in regards to why Luke is not home and now staying with Emmett. I can also promise that Gus will talk to both his fathers before he returns to New York. Will they be good conversations? I can't say ;)
And here I thought boys were supposed to be easier than girls when they hit puberty lol My brother basically just hid away in his room and wanted to play video games all day long. My mom always teases us how bitchy I was during puberty and how "easy" my brother was in comparison as long as she didn't stop him from playing his games lol
I wish you a happy new year and Guten Rutsch! Here's hoping 2022 will be better for all of us :)
Thanks for your comment. More will be up on Sunday :)
Date: Jan 06, 2022 Title: Chapter 17: Chapter 17
Hi! I also had a quiet silverster. It's strange. Before my sons were born, New Year's Eve and partying were very important. Then somehow New Year's Eve was celebrated with children in a different way. And this New Year's Eve my 14 year old son was at his first little New Year's Eve party with a few friends and had a sleepover there. I must admit, I was a little uncomfortable. He starts early. :-) I only went out when I was 16 and was hardly at home. Well, a new phase and a new section that begins. I also notice that New Year's Eve is becoming less and less important to me, but maybe next year there will be a little more party again.
This chapter - what can I say. Just like Frosty70, I had "perfect" on my mind too. It's perfect! Written perfectly and you explain in such a perfect way not only Brian's character and his history, but also his motives and reasons for why he let Justin go to New York, but also again why he behaved the way he did in your story (Back for Good - The Pittsburgh Years) and how they got back together. And yes, I agree with Justin, he should have been more persistent back then when Brian ended all contacts (especially if he really thought that Brian might had been sick again), but well it's over and they worked through it together. Now I'm really excited to see how Gus will behave towards Brian! Stay healthy and warmest regards!
Author's Response:
Haha, I was a late bloomer as well. Only started going out when I was about 17, but did it that much harder then to make up for the missed years before lol. I was every parents' nightmare. Going out every Friday and Saturday, sometimes even during the week. And my mom was always like: As soon as your grades get worse, you'll be on house arrest or whatever, but I was always a good student and my grades stayed up, I did a lot of charity work for the CVJM, etc. so she didn't really have much to complain about ;) My best friend is always teasing me that she will tell my children (should I ever have some) all our dark secrets from our youth... And I have a feeling that I would be a very strict parent as I know all the shit a teenager can pull to fool their parents. Been there, done that ;)
Nowadays, I just don't see the appeal anymore lol. With a 40 hour work week, I need my weekend to be quiet and relaxed and don't need to be hungover for half of it. Times sure have changed lol
Awww, thanks! I am so glad that everyone seems to have liked the conversation between Justin and Gus. It's the first of many more conversations between various characters coming our way.
Yes, it's all in the past, but just like Brian, Justin can still feel the guilt at times, too. The past will always be a part of them, no matter how much they try to move on. It will always be there, no matter what.
We can just hope that they've grown enough as a couple to not let it define them :)
Thanks for your lovely comment. It's much appreciated. More will be up tomorrow :)
Date: Jan 28, 2022 Title: Chapter 20: Chapter 20
Hi! I don't know how famous "Love of my life" used to be, but the Queen movie certainly made it more popular. I only became aware of Queen in the late 80's, but I've always liked the songs from the 70's more. Besides "Love of my life" I love "Nevermore", "White Queen" and "Some Day One Day". These are my absolute favorite Queen songs and I don't think they're really well known. If you don't know them, listen to them! And yes, you are absolutely right, Freddie Mercury is one of a kind! Unfortunately, I've never seen them live, but just reading what you wrote. Goose bumps. Yes, I think with "Love of my life" the audience only needs a few lines! I don't think I'd be interested in Queen without Freddie, even if that's kind of unfair. Chester Bennington's death in 2017 really hit me. I had seen Linkin Park live a month earlier. Never again Linkin Park with Chester! That was a total shock to me, it still make sme so sad and I think Linkin Park just can't exist without Chester. I feel the same way about Queen. John Lennon could not have been replaced either.
Yes, in addition to Ireland, I think Great Britain and Denmark have pretty much lifted all restrictions. Crazy. Germany had over 200,000 positive cases yesterday... It just doesn't end...
Oh, you can be so proud of "Back for good"! It was so intense, painful, moving... just an amazing story! And it has evoked so different emotions and reactions! ;-) This chapter. Hey, you make me wait! Should I end this review again with "I'm so curious of Brian's and Gus' talk? Is it now the 3rd time? haha. :-) Oh, Luke, he's so full of anger, not even Justin can reach him with his patient and loving manner. Hm, would he really have preferred to spend his entire childhood without both of his fathers in a loving relationship? I mean, I understand that he's confused, that he's angry at both Brian and Justin, but how would he have preferred it. What has happened cannot be undone, but doesn't he see how much his fathers love each other. That is nothing to be taken for granted. I'm curious to see who or what it will ultimately be, who or what will change his mind and attitude. Jenny could certainly tell him a lot about her childhood... So, looking forward to the next chapter! Stay healthy and warmest regards!
Author's Response:
I have to admit that even though I loved Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody, I pretty much hated the movie... There were just so many inaccuracies that bothered me...The way they changed timelines and when events took place (like Freddie's HIV diagnosis and everything leading up to the Live Aid concert). I guess that it's a movie and they wanted to make things more dramatic, but it really bothered me. It's not like Queen's story wouldn't have been interesting enough without all that shit :/ But I loved the focus they put on Love of my Life in the movie - that made me really happy <3
As for the concert, I never saw Freddie live either and I had a lot of mixed emotions about seeing Queen with Adam Lambert. But I have to admit that I am glad that I did - it was one of the best concerts I have ever been to. If only for that "Love of my life" experience ;) And they made it quite clear from the beginning that Adam Lambert was not there to replace Freddie and was doing his own thing as an entertainer. The whole concert was really a beautiful tribute to Freddie and the way they talked about him... I still get teary eyed:(
But in general, I agree: Queen without Freddie, Beatles without John, it just wouldn't work. They were too iconic. I am not that big a Linkin Park fan, but I have a friend who was, so I know their music quite well thanks to her. Chester basically was Linkin Park... I remember how shocked I was when I heard about his death :( Does the band still exist and tour? I really have no idea...
I promise that you will get the Brian/Gus talk in the next chapter - finally ;) There is just so much to work through in the early days of the aftermath lol
As for Luke, I think at this point, he is still too caught up in his anger to think that far, but he will. That point will be raised and he will think about what his childhood could have been like if Brian and Justin hadn't worked things out. You also bring up a good point concerning Jenny's childhood. It will be interesting to see how she reacts to the way Luke is reacting.
A lot that will happen in the next chapters - I promise :)
As always, thanks for your comment :) Hang in there, it has to get better at some point!
Date: Jan 14, 2022 Title: Chapter 18: Chapter 18
Oh yeah, I agree, times have changed a lot. As I said, from the age of 16 I was also away every Friday and Saturday and we drank a lot (and did other things). And I completely agree with you, these days my weekends have to be as quiet as possible, with a few exceptions a year, and I don't need this hungover anymore. As you said, in contrast to my parents, I think I know better what young people do. Just yesterday I had a conversation with my 14 year old son. We watched music videos and unfortunately he likes a terrible gangster rap, it's not my thing at all, it's about the usual things - against police, it's about drugs, alcohol etc. I then played him a song by Slime ("Polizei SA/SS)... haha :-) ... Jeez, I still listen to a lot of punk music, Bad Religion, NOFX... such stuff but yeah, views are changing here too. Today I have not always, but more often pity and respect for the police, especially at the moment with the numerous Corona demonstrations. Then we talked about alcohol, about drugs... Well, I just had the feeling I saw myself sitting there and I'm glad we can talk about it. I couldn't do that with my parents.
So, this chapter - thank you very much! Again, great written and a perfect conversation. It's kind of sad to see how deep Brian's demons sat, how he still shows so much insecurity in such situations despite therapy. Fortunately, he can now express his fears or thoughts... otherwise he would have ended up in the guest room, Justin would have interpreted something else into it and so on... But fortunately they are able to open up and talk nowadays, and are good with each other! I totally agree with Justin, they need each other in this situation. And I'm still really excited to see how Gus will behave towards Brian! Stay healthy and warmest regards!
Author's Response:
I know exactly what you mean. In my family, we didn't have a lot of "talks" that I would have with my children now, if I had any... Some things were just not talked about, you know? And my parents definitely never understood my taste in music or TV shows or movies lol.
I was a teenager during the heyday of boybands, so fell really hard for boybands in my teens. I don't blame my parents for not supporting that ;) After my favourite boyband (Caught in the Act - now that I look back to their music, I realise myself how bad they were) broke up, I moved on to more adult music. I was a huge fan of Die Toten Hosen und Ärzte for a long time. Nowadays, I mostly listen to old stuff. I absolutely love The Beatles and Queen. Freddie Mercury will always be a god to me. As far as newer music is concerned, if it's not Ed Sheeran, Robbie Williams (leftover from my boyband days) or Mumford & Sons, I most likely won't have listened to it. God, my taste in music is sooooo bad ;)
A friend of mine works as a journalist for a local newspaper in the Bremen area and she had to cover an anti-Corona protest yesterday and some of the things she said... God, I really don't envy her or any law enforcement that has to deal with those idiots :(
I am glad that you liked the chapter. I wondered for a long time how to portray Brian in this and yes, while he has gone to therapy for a long time, it didn't make all the demons and guilt and pain disappear, but it helped him to better learn how to express his feelings to the people around him, so they can help. In the end, that really became the focus of this chapter for me. No, Brian isn't all "healed" and "better" now, but he has learned how to deal with these moments of self-doubt and guilt and has learned to let Justin in to help him.
And thankfully, Justin knows his man and knows how to help. They just fit together so well <3
The next couple of chapters will be rather slow moving with more conversations, but we will see Gus and Brian interact and will also hear from Luke soon.
As always, thanks for commenting - it's much appreciated :) More will be up tomorrow!
Date: Feb 04, 2022 Title: Chapter 21: Chapter 21
Hi again! Yes, I also had mixed feelings about the Queen film. I also don't understand why they had to dramatize things with this band and this man. And if something calls itself biographical, I think it should only show true facts. No, Linkin Park haven't done anything as a band since Chester's death. I'd say Linkin Park was Chester and Mike Shinoda, but I just don't think Chester can be replaced. I've read that there are plans to continue with a new singer, but I haven't heard anything yet and I'm glad about it. I don't think it would work, but maybe I should be more open about that. I have to say the last album already shocked me. They often changed their style a bit, but that was... And then this concert... Because of the last album, the audience was partly completely different, everyone was standing there with their mobile phones in the air, I was speechless... Then a month later the news of Chester's death... It was all very strange, makes me still so sad...
Ah, I'm glad Gus is reacting that way. He needed his own time and certainly the conversation with Justin, but ultimately he has a pretty reasonable view of things. "What's the point in getting angry now about something that doesn't really have an effect on my life anymore?" But he's older, he's past puberty and basically people react differently. It's weird, part of me says Luke shouldn't act like that, that it's something between Brian and Justin and it's actually none of his business. The other part, however, still knows too well what and how I felt about things that I found out about my parents and also experienced. Parent-child relationships are really something very complicated! Stay healthy and warmest regards!
Author's Response:
Too bad about Linkin Park - I really liked their music back in the day :(
I actually finished a new story yesterday. Actually, two stories that belong together. Not for Queer as Folk, but for the first time ever I wrote a White Collar story. That show has been my happy place during the last year and I felt really tempted to try something in that fandom. I wrote 200 pages in the last two weeks - my muse hasn't been on fire like that in months. It actually felt really good once the last word was typed :) That doesn't mean that I will abandon Brian/Justin stories, but it made for a nice change of pace to try and write new characters that are completely different from Brian and Justin.
Yeah, Gus is definitely more rational and grown up about everything, though like you said: It makes sense that Luke would react that way... And we shouldn't forget that unlike Gus, he was affected directly as it lost him five years with Justin. Not that he would have remembered much from such a young age, but the fact remains that he grew up without Justin in his life for the first five years of his life because of Brian's lie. And in my opinion he has a right to be angry about that...
As you know, my stories always have a happy ending, so he will come around eventually and won't stay mad at Brian and Justin forever. Like you said, parent-child relationships are complicated on the best of days, especially when you're a teenager and with Luke being in the midst of puberty, where you are very righteous and black and white in your thinking a lot of the times anyway...it was like a perfect storm :(
He'll have some more conversations which will make him question his current reaction. I promise!
As always, thanks for your comment :) More will be up tomorrow! Stay safe and
Date: Feb 11, 2022 Title: Chapter 22: Chapter 22
Hey! I don't know the series "White Collar", but I wish you lots of success and fun publishing it. I have to say, although I've watched a few other series, none have intrigued me as much as QAf, or rather Justin's and Brian's story. Even after more than 5.5 years I still haven't lost interest one bit. And I think I wouldn't survive another addiction like that.:-)
So, this chapter. Oh Jeez. I'm looking forward to this hearing. It's completely absurd what Melanie is doing there. And apparently she still can't accept the name "Taylor-Kinney". ;-) I'm curious to see how she reacts when she finds out that Jenny has been with Debbie and Carl for the past few days. Stay healthy and warmest regards!
Author's Response:
I can only recommend White Collar warmly - it's funny, smart and very entertaining. I don't know a single person that has started watching it and didn't like it. I re-watched all six seasons twice just last year... it became my happy place during the lockdowns lol Of course having Matt Bomer as the star of the show helps :P My favourite actor... And he's wearing designer suits in every episode. So on top of it being a really good show, there's also eye candy <3
Melanie has a lot of issues, I think we can all agree on that ;) Being stuck in the past is only one of them... She'll get what she deserves, I can promise that!
Thanks for your comment, more will be up tomorrow if I survive tonight ;) I will be going to my first concert in more than two years tonight. A friend of mine and I have tickets for a concert called "Queen at candlelight" where a small orchestra will play Queen's most famous songs in a candlelight setting at St.Patrick's Cathedral. What could be better than Queen, an orchestra and a huge cathedral with amazing accoustics? I'll just have to get over my Covid anxiety lol
See you on the other end ;) Stay safe!
Date: Feb 18, 2022 Title: Chapter 23: Chapter 23
Hi again! Oh yes, there are so many series to watch. I really want to watch "Babylon Berlin" and of course the 4th season of "The Handmaid's Tale", but I just don't have enough time and, as I said, I can't and I don't want to get rid of my great Brian&Justin addiction, because when I have time, I want to read fanfic about them. The last series I watched with my son was "Squid Game". And although I really liked it, after a week or two it was forgotten again.
How was your concert? I can't even remember what my last concert was. I've got a Rammstein ticket since July 2019. It was supposed to take place in July 2020, now June 2022 is planned and I hope it won't be postponed again.
So, this chapter. As always well written and yes, what can I say. Mel has no clue and therefore she had no chance. I really can't imagine how she as a laywer could have thought that she had a chance with her kind of behaviour. I hope she doesn't happen to be in the same restaurant as Justin, Brian and the family. Because then the awkward question could arise where Jenny is... Stay healthy and warmest regards!
Author's Response:
I don't really watch a lot of new TV shows unless there's a good reason for me to watch them, i.e. I love the storyline or it has an actor in it that I really like. Otherwise I can't really be bothered to get invested :/ I mostly rewatch my old favourites lol I am currently on a Buffy the Vampire Slayer rewatch. Loved that show when I was a teenager.
I watched Squid Game and to be honest, it was good, but I didn't get the hype. The only episode that really stuck with me was the one with the marbles. That was heartbreaking :(
The concert was great - the music was amazing, the accoustics and atmosphere in the church were amazing, the artists were really good and they played all my favourite songs including a great accoustic version of "Love of my Life". The only thing that bothered me was that half the people didn't wear masks, even though they sent out an email before the concert that mask wearing was mandatory for the duration of the whole concert and even made a special announcement before the concert started. People just don't give a shit in Ireland and there is no one to check that people are wearing masks. Having expected this, my friend and I specifically chose seats (it was free seating for the event) where we wouldn't have anyone right next to us. Which was great, but then 20 minutes into the concert a group of drunk idiots came in late, couldn't find seats together so just decided to take the empty chairs and put them into the free space next to us. So then for the rest of the concert we had drunk people without masks sitting 30cm away from us :( And to top it all off, they were making fun of me and my friend for wearing masks the whole show. We could hear them talking about us, calling us idiots and could see them rolling their eyes at us. That dampened the mood a lot, but the concert itself was great! I just realised again that I hate people lol
Mel is an idiot! Plain and simple. I can promise that she won't be at the restaurant lol The family deserves some happiness now after all the drama of the last chapter ;) But not too much happiness, because...drama is great lol
Thanks for your comment! :) More will be up tomorrow! Stay safe :)
Date: Mar 19, 2022 Title: Chapter 27: Chapter 27
Hey! I just have to answer to that... Haha, what a "freedom day"?? Firstly, Berlin is reasonably extending the rules until April 1st (at least I think so) and secondly, I find that so absolutely ridiculous and pathetic, "Freedom Day". The Ukrainians would need a Freedom Day! Even the Russians need a Freedom Day in the form of the liberation of Putin (although if really about 70% are consent with what he is doing, then I don't know either....). There they are celebrating the annexation of Crimea while at the same time people are losing everything or even dying. No, I don't need a "Freedom Day" - I'm relatively free and I was even during those two last years! (But I'm sure you meant this in a sarcastic way, did you? ;-) ) Stay healthy and warmest regards!
Author's Response:
Yes, I did lol It's just because in so many countries and even in German media the end of all Corona rules has been celebrated as "Freedom Day" which - I totally agree- is a ridiculous term, especially in light of what's going on in the world right now :(
So don't worry - I haven't lost my mind ;)