Chapter 1
Britin – Saturday – 3:00 p.m.
"You never did tell me what happened that day in that boutique once your memory came back. You said you were alone, more or less, and it hit hard. "
"Yeah, it did. I'd say it was scary, but only after I realized what was going on. When the memory hit, it was like I literally got hit and, this might sound crazy, like I was transported back to that night. I saw Daphne point behind me, I turned around, saw you, you came over and talked to us, then led me to the dance floor, we danced, then we walked out after that soul searing kiss…. It's like I was there, but I wasn't, cause I knew I was in a store, in public, but couldn't stop the memory even if I wanted to. I felt something hit my knees, but was so out of it, I wasn't sure what was going on other than my mind in overdrive. Then I heard some sounds, like someone talking, then a lot of people talking, all the while still reliving that night in my head. It was bizarre, like being in two places at once, but not.
Suddenly a bright light got my attention enough to pull me out of whatever I was in. Then I was awake and sitting on a stretcher as two paramedics were taking care of me. I insisted that I didn't want to go to the hospital and had to finally tell them I had suffered a severe head injury years back that left me in a coma, had suffered from amnesia and just got a memory back. They still weren't completely convinced, but with the help of one of the officers there, I was able to convince them to let me just go home."
"And how did the officer help you convince the others?"
"You don't do jealousy, huh?"
"No I don't."
"You are so full of shit, Brian Kinney."
"That must mean you're full of shit, too, because as I recall you were full of me earlier today."
"Mmmm, and what fun we had… but I recall we were both full at one time last night."
"That we were Sunshine…. So, how did you convince this officer, and I'm fine with whatever the answer is."
"Uh huh… well, he was checking me out, and under absolute completely different circumstances he might have asked me for my number or something, but since I was just previously unconscious he decided to just support my decision for going home. I'm just glad that he was sympathetic, it could have been that they would have been homophobes, or at least clueless. He also offered me a ride home, which I accepted because I really didn't feel like walking, as I was several blocks from my apartment. He didn't try anything, nor did he try to come up. He just dropped me off at the front door, and gave me his number, his work number, in case I needed anything. We talked the whole way back, I think he wanted to keep me awake and make sure I was coherent and safe on my own."
"And did you need him later?"
"You just can't help yourself, can you? Like I've said before it was shortly after that that I decided to come home. I had already decided I was ready to come home but didn't know when might be a good time. When that happened, and with the barrage of memories that kept coming I knew the time was right, and I couldn't get the visions to stop. Not visions, dreams? Whatever, close enough."
"What were these visions or dreams, would you pass out after having them or would you like black out when having them?"
"No, nothing like that, it's just whenever I stopped being busy, wherever I was, if I was sitting and not moving then my mind would immediately wander to that night. Like I was just remembering, but because the memories were so new, it was like I was dreaming it all over again. Then at night when I'd go to bed I'd relive the whole thing. It was almost like the nightmares I used to have, but better because I got to experience dancing with you, not just the attack."
"I can't believe you went through all that alone. How did you get through those nights? I remember those nightmares; they weren't easy on either one of us. I couldn't imagine you going through them alone. Although I used to watch you in the hospital, I so desperately wanted to go in there and hold you and tell you everything was all right. Maybe I should, maybe that would have helped. I really did feel like there was nothing I could do at the time."
"I know Brian, and it doesn't matter if it would or wouldn't have helped, because we did get through it and I got through those nights and we're here now, and nothing else matters."
"So are you ready to go say I do?"
"I most certainly am, although I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to the ceremony or the honeymoon more."
"How can you look forward to a honeymoon if you don't know what it is, or even if we're going?"
"Yeah right, oh we're going alright, I know you took the next 3 weeks off, and I know you've been getting our travel plans taken care of and our luggage packed."
"Well, I may not have fooled you on that, but you still don't know where were going."
"Humph, no I don't, and I want to, knowing you, well, I have no idea what to expect, but I'm very open to all possibilities."
"Yes you are certainly open, aren't you? Are you open, and waiting, dripping with anticipation?"
"You tease, if we hadn't satisfied our craving for each other, momentarily, by our all night fuck-a-thon I might be breathless and annoyed at you."
"Satisfied… satisfied? Who are you and what have you done to Justin?"
"I said momentarily, I'm always up for anything you can give."
"Don't I know it… and that's better. – I can't believe you're using our house for the ceremony and reception. It's nothing like what you had planned last time, I thought for sure you would plan your dream wedding."
"I'm marrying Brian Kinney, that's my dream, you're my dream; anything else is just frosting on the cake."
"I like your creamy frosting."
"You are insatiable."
"It's true… And you love it."
"Absolutely, and I love you."
"I love you, too."
"Anyway, the ceremony and reception didn't matter, I didn't even want the traditional games and songs. I got stuck on all that last time, this time I just want to be with you and dance with you and however we get there is fine with me."
"And I'm glad you kept it simple and used our house… saved me a ton of money for when we go shopping."
"Like you wouldn't have found some way of shopping no matter where we go. And I seriously doubt you would need to save anything."
"That's beside the point. I'm still anxious to see what's waiting for me out there. It drove me nuts all day staying out of our, what are we calling it? The dance room? The parlor? Mini-Babylon?"
"Santorini"
"Come again"
….
"What?"
"I was waiting for you to make your own joke about coming again before I explained."
"Hmmm… several things come *smile* to mind, but I'll save them for later."
"Alright, if you insist. *smile* On Santorini, or ancient Thera, a Greek island, there has been found proof of a very large and exuberant community of homoerotically-inclined young men who were said to have worshipped the horned Apollo, or Apollo Karenios. During the Karneios time period, early Fall to us, a very important festival took place in which in a specifically dedicated square many citizens would gather round to watch naked boys dance and sing and have sex."
"Well, Sunshine, if you aren't the eighth wonder of the world, I don't know what is… I love it, to think one of our own rooms in Britin named after an ancient Greek city where men worshipped each other's cocks, literally, and in public."
"I thought you might like it. I'm having a plaque made for the room, similar to the plaque outside next to the front door."
"I never thought I would say this, but… fabulous!"
"Can I tell Emmett you said that?"
"Absolutely not… hey, does this name have anything to do with what I'm about to see?"
"Not at the moment, but you never know what's in store for later."
"Do you have something like that in store for later?"
*knock, knock*
"Yes"
"We're ready for the grooms if… well don't you two just look absolutely fabulous… to die for… oh baby you look good enough to eat… not that I would, yes Mr. Big Bad you look downright edible, too…. *Ahem* I should get back, but you two are needed for the main event."
"Thanks Em, we'll be right there."
"Mmmm."
*Close door*
"Could you be a little more civil, you're getting married today."
"I know, that's why I have to be grumpy, they will all be expecting it, and I hate to disappoint."
"You know if you do that you'll hear it from everyone down there. They'll all bug you about today being special and important and how it's not fair to me that you're in a bad mood on supposedly the happiest day of your life."
"Oh good, now that I've heard it from you, I can tune everyone else out and enjoy what I know is the happiest day of my life, and your life, the day you and Gus came into my life being a close second. We know what this day means to us, and that's all that matters… isn't that what you keep saying?"
"Hmmm… I suppose you have a point. You always did like performing exactly how others wanted you to perform. I have had the added benefit to see the real you."
"And only you Sunshine, only you."
