AN: I don't own these characters; they are the property of Showtime. This is just my interpretation of what happened after the explosion at Babylon.
"Let's go home."
Those words never sounded as good to Justin as they did right at that moment. "I'm ready," he whispered into Brian's ear.
Then Brian did something Justin would never have expected—he scooped him up in his arms and just carried him—carried him all the way to his car.
When they reached the car, Brian put Justin down just long enough to fumble in his pocket for the keys. When it was safe to open the door, he opened it, scooped Justin in his arms again and managed to get him settled on the passenger side—making sure the seat belt was securely fastened.
"Are you comfortable?" Brian asked, making some last-minute adjustments.
"Yeah," Justin whispered. "Thanks."
It was a long ride home, but every once in a while, Brian would look over at Justin, who, once his head hit the seat, had fallen fast asleep.
When they got home, Brian got out and went to Justin's side. "We're home," he whispered, unfastening the seat belt and raising the seat to its original upright position.
Justin opened his eyes, yawned, and stretched as Brian helped him out of the car. "I had the most wonderful dream," he laughed. "I dreamed you told me you loved me."
Brian smiled, remembering the relief he'd felt to see Justin alive—and the tender moment they'd shared just before they went home. "But—I did," he whispered, smiling. "And—I guess I have to apologize."
Justin was astonished. "Apologize?" He stroked Brian's cheek tenderly. "But—why?"
"For not saying so every day we've been together," Brian admitted, laughing softly. "It—it's times like this you realize what's really important—and believe me, when I saw you there, alive, well—I realized I'd been in the wrong all this time."
"I've been busy," he added as an afterthought. "Before I heard about the explosion, I added a little something I thought that we—you—might enjoy—and from the looks of you, you probably need it right about now."
"What—what is it?" Justin's curiosity was piqued.
"It's a surprise," Brian laughed. "Follow me."
Justin followed Brian to—he couldn't believe it—the bathroom. "Let me go first," Brian said, putting his hand on the knob. "I—I have to make a few last-minute adjustments."
As Brian entered the bathroom, Justin's eyes filled with tears. For someone who'd kept his feelings to himself for so long, Brian seemed to be shouting it from the mountaintops now.
"Justin?" was the call a few minutes later. "Could—could you come in here for a minute?"
Opening the door slowly, Justin was taken totally by surprise. There was Brian, smiling, in front of—a bathtub! And a bathtub filled with bubbles galore at that!
"Oh—" Justin's eyes filled with tears. "Brian—you—you shouldn't have—"
"You'd better get in there before the water gets cold," Brian laughed. "I have a feeling those muscles could use it about now."
Justin struggled to move his arms to start undressing, but throbbing pain stopped him. "Brian—I—it hurts to move right now."
Brian nodded—and slowly removed Justin's shirt. In all truth, Justin wasn't hurting that much, but just to have Brian's undivided attention made him smile.
Pants—and unmentionables—followed, and finally shoes and socks. Brian turned Justin to face the tub and slowly helped him get in. Justin gasped as his body hit the hot water, but once he was settled in, he just sighed.
"Is—is there anything else you need?" Brian asked, smiling as he kneeled by the tub. He reached for a washcloth, soaked it, and slowly moved it over Justin's soot-stained face.
"Yeah," Justin replied, turning to Brian when he finished. Reaching for Brian's shirt, he removed it and tossed it aside. "You."
Brian just chuckled, and did for himself what he'd done for Justin earlier. Stepping in the tub, he held Justin from behind.
"What would you have done," Justin asked, as he snuggled close to Brian, "if I had died?"
Brian smiled sadly. "Gone out of my mind," he replied, turning Justin's face to kiss him tenderly.
Justin smiled, and snuggled all the closer. I would've done the same thing, he thought, if it had been you.
Just when the water was getting cold, Justin reached over to drain it out of the tub.
"Thank you," Justin sighed, when they'd gotten out, as Brian took him in his arms.
