The story will mostly focus on Justin and his life 10 years after the series ends. Austin will pop up later probably in the third or fourth chapter I hope you like so far. Comment and enjoy. = ) - This and the next few chapters (1-9) are the final fixes I swear to God I promise.

It was 6:45 when Justin finally left the Mode office for home. Unsurprisingly Wilhelmina had called him before he even stepped foot through the building's front entrance. In the 2 years he's been her assistant he'd come to expect as much. He dug through his coat pocket and answered his phone immediately.

"How may I be of service to you my lady?" He quipped.

"Get back up here now, it's a crisis. Apparently Isabella has managed to steal Cristiano Giardini from right underneath our noses."

"What!"

"We need him, he's the biggest thing out right now and we can't allow him to be taken by that low grade trash at Isabella. We have to come up with a plan."

Justin sighed into the phone.

"I hope I didn't ruin any of your plans." She said with fake sympathy.

"Well actually-" He was cut short by his boss before he could explain.

"Suck it up. This is more important than some silly little date." Wilhelmina ended the call before he could respond.

"Damn it!" He exclaimed. He knew what to expect before signing on as her assistant, but knowing that didn't make moments like this any less frustrating. His phone went off again as he headed back toward the elevator and his nerves went on edge. What else could that woman possibly lay on him in just 30 seconds? Fortunately however it wasn't her call, but a text from Andrew.

Andrew would best be described as his off, off, off Broadway actor boyfriend and love of his life. Over the last 10 years Justin hadn't had much luck with guys, with most of his relationships ending in disaster. Andrew had his flaws, but he was still all Justin wanted. He was there when he needed him and they rarely argued. Despite their minor age difference and Andrews comparatively more wild side they usually worked well or at least much better than what Justin was used to.

"Hey babe" Andrew's text read with a smiley face emoticon.

"Bad news"

His phone started ringing by the time he got back on the elevator.

"You can't go out tonight." It was said more as a statement than a question and Justin could tell Andrew was disappointed by his tone over the phone.

Justin sighed and rubbed his neck.

"Let me guess Wilhelm-mean the bitch queen is keeping you late again."

"It's a mode emergency."

"Isn't it always?"

"It actually is this time; one of our featured designers is being taken out from underneath us." Justin explained.

"Fine, fine, whatever"

"Are you mad at me?"

There was a silence on the other end for a few beats. "No." Justin let go of a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. The elevator door opened and he slowed his pace walking to the conference room as to have time for a goodbye. "Do you know what time you'll be home?"

"Probably around 12 if I'm lucky." There was more silence. "Love you." He finally said.

"Love you too Justin." The call ended right as he approached the conference room. His solemn expression quickly turned to one of attention. She wasted no time in voicing her displeasure. The only ones in the room were her, Justin, Marc, his assistant and a handful of Mode employees too caught up in their work to leave before disaster struck.

"Ideas people, ideas."

"I don't see how we can replace him he's one of a kind. Without him this issue will be a disaster, it completely revolved around his concept, not to mention our online subscribers were basically promised an early preview of his spread in the newsletter, if we don't deliver it'll be a disaster!" Marc pulled out his inhaler and took a quick suck of air in his panic.

"Relax; I never said we were going to change the spread. I said I need ideas. We can't outbid them so we're going to snatch him back from those mouth breathers at Isabella."

"How are we going to do that?" Justin asked. There was silence with everyone looking at one another and avoiding eye contact with Wilhelmina. After what felt like an hour Mildred from styles slowly raised her hand.

"We could try to woo him, maybe send a gift basket or something nice." She squeaked.

Wilhelmina's lips thinned and her eyes pinned Mildred to her seat with an icy glare. "Really, a gift basket is the best you can come up with, a gift basket. Why is it so hard to get a decent idea around here? Mildred, get out of my sight." The woman gathered her things and scrambled from the room. "The next person with an idea that stupid is getting docked a day's pay."

"Wait Willy she might have been on to something." Marc began bouncing his leg in anticipation of whatever idea had popped into his head. "Giardini may not be susceptible to food, but he has been known to run through many a young male apprentice."

Wilhelmina leaned forward slightly. "So I've heard."

"Maybe we can send someone to convince him why Mode is the best place for his designs to make their debut."

"From what I've heard he's quite partial to those on the darker end of the spectrum." Immediately all eyes turn on Justin and he can already see where this is going.

"I have a boyfriend." He preempted.

"Not tonight you don't."

"What about my pride, dignity and self-respect?" He questioned.

"You can have those on your own time."

"I'm not whoring myself for some gross leech."

Marc placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to sleep with him kiddo, just flirt a little, and lead him on until he agrees to do the spread for us." He reasoned.

Everyone's eyes were on him and he could see himself trapped between a rock and a hard place. If he did this he could possibly save this spread, if he didn't he could at least maintain some respect, but they would probably lose Giardini and he'd be stuck facing the wrath of Wilhelmina. His voice was strained when he finally agreed to do it.


As the bus arrived at his stop he stepped off and quickly made his way to the designer's loft, down the block. There was a chilled breeze and he buttoned up a hole Marc had undone before leaving that was meant to make him more alluring. Justin sighed before getting on the elevator; as much as he loved Giardini's designs the man seemed like a pig, both literally and figuratively. He knocked on the door and readjusted his jacket to cover more skin. Seconds later a strange man, most likely an assistant came to the door. He presented himself with an expressionless face that put Justin off. Regardless he tried to dazzle with his best fake smile. The young man wasn't impressed and he just stood with his arms crossed.

"What business do you have here?" He questioned in a thick Italian accent.

"I'm Wilhelmina Slater's assistant and she sent me here to confirm Cristiano for the Mode spread."

"He's no longer interested."

"But it's important that…" The other assistant abruptly cut him off with a silencing hand.

"He's no longer interested in working for Mode."

"Listen it's…"

"Mica, who is at the door?" A thicker Italian accent called.

"It's no one."

"Actually I'm Justin Suarez, Wilhelmina Slater's assistant from Mode."

"What?" He sounded confused, but Justin couldn't tell since the assistant was still blocking the door.

"I'll just send him away."

"No don't. Let him in." Justin pushed passed the assistant earning a burning glare from him in exchanged. In front of him sat Giardini on the couch of his loft's living room. His eyes were tracing over Justin in poorly masked lust. He felt like he was being sized up by a predator and it made him shiver at whatever thoughts he could imagine were going through Giardini's mind. He gestured for Justin to come closer, but he only moved a few steps forward before he stopped, not wanting to get too close. "How may I help you?"

"I'm supposed to try and convince you to return to Mode."

Giardini licked his lips and Justin started to rub his wrists, but kept his face as un-phased as he could manage. "Now why would I do that after your magazine decided to drop me so unceremoniously?"

"We didn't drop you. You dropped us to work at Isabella."

Giardini swatted the air in protest. "I did no such thing. Isabella called after you dropped me."

"We would never drop you; we have you as our featured spread."

"Of course you did, just ask Mica he received the call from your office." He retorted. Justin looked him straight in the eye, but the man didn't seem to be lying. He turned around and Mica was fidgeting by the door not making eye contact with either of them.

"I can promise that we didn't cancel anything. Why don't we check the phone's recent calls to prove it?"

"Fine, Mica hand him the phone." Mica fumbled through his pockets going through the same pockets pretending not to know where it is. "Mica stop with the fun and games where is the phone?"

"I'm not sure I can't…"

"You didn't check that one." Justin interjected, gesturing toward the assistants left pocket. He reluctantly pulled it out and Justin swiped it from his hand to check the contacts. He made a triumphant noise before showing Giardini his evidence. "Look here is our original call 2 weeks ago and none after that."

Giardini furled his eyebrow in confusion and irritation. "What is this number?" There was one number that repeated 5 times in the last 3 days.

Justin's eyes widened at the familiar number. It made sense to him now. "That Mr. Giardini is the number to Isabella magazine." Giardini's expression grew. "My guess is that your assistant was bribed to get you to switch magazines."

Giardini focused his eyes on his assistant. "Is this true?" He yelled.

"Maybe if you didn't pay me with dirt and unwanted advances I wouldn't have to do such things!" He snapped.

"You're fired."

"I quit." Mica slammed the door as he stormed his way out. Giardini ran a hand through his comb over as he calmed down facing back toward Justin.

"I will call Isabella and tell them I'm going in another direction." Justin couldn't resist a wide grin to which Giardini raised an intrigued eye brow that made it disappear just as fast. He reached into his pocket and handed the man one of Wilhelmina's cards.

"She'll call you tomorrow morning." Justin flashed an uncomfortable smile then gingerly made his way from the loft. He could feel Giardini's lascivious gaze as he made his way out.

He checked the time it was only 8:20 with any luck he could make it home in time for a late dinner.


Suarez stood in front of his apartment door, fumbling with his keys while attempting to balance his work bag and the dinner he'd picked up for himself and his boyfriend. As he unlocked the door and entered he nearly tripped over a pair of cheap boots. Justin shook as he put the food on the kitchen table. His biggest pet peeve was ugly and or cheap clothing. After years tolerating his aunt Betty he was repulsed by the idea of such things in his own home.

"Babe, what did I tell you about buying store knock offs? You know how I feel about them." Justin called.

There was no response.

"Andrew, are you here?" He called again.

Again there was no response so Justin proceeded to investigate. Slowly he sauntered toward their bedroom door hearing a slight rustle behind the door. He opened the door slowly only to see his boyfriend on their bed naked with an awkward look on his face and barely covered by sheets.

"Oh hey Justin you're home, I thought you'd be working later."

"Things went along faster than I expected. Why are you naked?" He queried with a quirked eyebrow.

There was a sheepish grin on Andrew's face and he was rubbing his neck. "I wanted to surprise you, I was going to light candles and stuff, but you came home earlier than I expected."

"Awe babe, that's so sweet."

"Yup I figure since you work so hard, I'd do something." He sputtered.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah why do you ask, I'm just fine." He lied, eyeing the closet.

"You're just being a little weird."

"Never better, now why don't you just come over here and give papa some love?" He suggested with an enticed smirk.

Justin smiled and made his way over to his bed, straddling his boyfriend's lap. He threw his arms around his neck and gave him a peck then started speaking again.

"It's been a real stressful day; it's nice to have you to come home to."

"Yeah I know what you mean." He beamed. "Now let's release all that stress the best way we know how." He flipped Justin onto the bed and began attacking his body, causing his lover to laugh and squirm from the sensation of his various touches. Justin almost let himself go until he heard a muffled sound from the closet.

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"That noise, it sounded like it came from the closet."

"I didn't hear anything." His boyfriend insisted.

"I'm sure I heard something."

"Ok I farted." Andrew blurted out.

"That's disgusting, but that sound came from the closet." Justin pushed Andrew off of him and moved toward his closet.

"Don't open that!" He shouted.

"What's up with you you're acting odd? Why not open the closet?"

"Umm because there might be a, umm rat in there."

"A rat, why would there be a rat in there?"

"Ms. Hudson said there was a rat in her closet last week, a really big rat." Andrew continued trying to motion Justin back toward him.

He made a disgusted noise and stepped away from the closet.

"Yeah and she said it nibbled on all her shoes."

"Oh my God, my Versace suede shoes are in there." As soon as he opened the closet an unknown figure plunged outward onto the hardwood floor causing him to flail and release a scream of pure horror. The figure squirmed around on the floor half naked and Justin slowly put the pieces together.

"Who the hell is this?" He shrilled.

"This is Daryl; he's a cast member with me."

"Why is he in our closet half naked?"

"We were practicing lines before you got here and there's umm there's this scene where we have to pop out from the closet." He lied

Daryl just stared at the two others not sure what to do. It was actually rather interesting to watch Andrew throw out every half-baked excuse he could think of and Justin standing next to the closet beginning to fume. With each lie Justin's fists balled tighter and jaw clenched harder. Finally he exploded from his rage.

"Do I look that damn stupid to you, how could you do this to me?"

"I'm sorry." Andrew pleaded.

"Sorry won't cut it!" He yelled. Justin's dark gaze turned on Daryl; he immediately understood the gesture gathering the remainder of his clothes in haste and rushing from the room. "Don't forget to take those third rate Chinatown tragedies with you." Justin called out as he heard Daryl scurrying out the apartment. With Daryl gone he refocused his attention on the real culprit.

"Babe, please forgive me it was a mistake, I'm so sorry." He tried to move closer, but was held at bay by an outstretched hand warning him to keep his distance.

"You're damn right you're sorry. I can't believe you'd do this. How long has this been going on?"

"It hasn't been that long."

"That's not a valid answer. Give me a period of time." He commanded.

"3 months" Andrew mumbled. Justin stood silent with balled fists and moistening eyes. "What can I do for you to forgive me?" Andrew pleaded.

"Pack your stuff and get out." Justin answered flatly. He pointed to the door when Andrew tried again in vain to touch him.

An hour later Justin is sitting alone on the couch with a glass of wine in his hands and his eyes are puffy and red. He's been thinking and sobbing and drinking. Every few minutes he can see Andrew's form in his peripheral vision, but he can't bear to look at him directly. When the shuffling finally stops he doesn't even notice still lost in thoughts of the last few months. He hears the door open and has to stop himself from looking at the door.

"I hope that you can forgive me." Andrew's voice sounds forlorn and defeated completely opposite of his usual tone. Justin wants to say he is forgiven just to hear his voice come back to normal, but he doesn't. He sips more wine and Andrew shuts the door behind him.

TBC