Bit of a long time since the last update but I've been busy. I know. Sorry. Anyway...So Ian has Wyborg back and is feeling a bit better. Now he's off to meet the D-Boys.

Allanah had driven them round the block back to where they'd hopped in the van and they got out heading back to the café. At the door Ian hesitated looking at Kai. Kai had nodded his support and with a shared brief smile Ian opened the door.

The café was crowded with waiters rushing everywhere fulfilling various orders from all tables. But one particular table stood out. The three Demolition Boys were already seated and drinking coffee. Kai smirked in amusement as he realised that they were on a table between a young couple apparently out on a date and some lads playing chess. They were all his security guards.

Spencer spotted them first and stood, alerting the other two to the visitors. Spencer looked careworn and tired, a badgerlock now on the left side of his dirty blond hair. Kai wondered how it had happened. It looked old. Spencer nodded to Kai, who nodded back and then he glanced at Ian who pretended not to see.

The next to stand was Tala and Kai was glad to see he was practically unchanged. He was a male model now as far as Kai understood and his work was all round the globe. He'd seen some of his photos for underwear modelling and had wondered himself on occasion whether he was going gay. Even Kai had to admit that Tala was hot.

The third member of their group didn't bother to get up. But that was Bryan all over. He looked uncomfortable. He kept touching his right arm and Kai remembered he kept concealed knives strapped to his forearms. Bryan's tendencies towards violence were well documented and the grey haired man could go from mild to murderous in an instant. Thanking his decision to overdo the security for the second time that day Kai moved in front of Ian and glared at him. Bryan's hair was long now and was tied in a low ponytail halfway down his back. He looked like he was channelling Garland.

It was also clear from the various expressions around the table that this was unlikely to go well. Bryan looked grumpy, Tala looked like he'd just lost an argument and Spencer looked worried. All of them looked like they were clearly having second thoughts.

Kai sat at the table and motioned for Ian to do the same ensuring that he sat between him and Spencer. He was going to do his best to protect Ian from the wrath of Tala and Bryan who were undoubtedly the most dangerous of the trio. Putting a table between him and them was a good move and, if it didn't work, well he always had a revolver in his pocket. It was the one that his grandfather used to keep in his top drawer. It was ancient, had a notoriously dodgy trigger and had shot itself randomly through the desk several times in its service.

'Well hello you three,' Kai smiled as genuinely as he could while sliding his hand round the butt of the gun in his jacket pocket. 'How are things in good old mother Russia?'

Tala glared at him. 'We're not here to discuss pleasantries.'

Kai gave him a practiced look. He'd learned it from Voltaire. It was the beautifully protracted, drawn out, horrendously blank stare of a very rich and important man who was trying to work out why you were necessary. He used it at board meetings occasionally. It always made people squirm.

Tala shifted in his seat and averted his gaze.

'So we're here to discuss why you assaulted your team mate and threw him out to die like last week's trash?'

It was nasty, barbed and designed to put Tala in his place. Unfortunately the moment was rather badly spoiled by Ian choking on his coffee. Kai mentally cursed himself. Ian was a great guy for statistical analysis and produced all of Kai's reports but was terrible in meetings. His poker face had been great but after his thrashing at the hands of his team mates he'd rather lost his old skill.

Bryan raised an eyebrow and Spencer reached out to bang Ian on the back. Ian recoiled from his touch and Kai caught Spencer's wrist lightning fast. He twisted it enough to ensure he had the blond man's attention.

'When they operated on Ian after your…treatment of him…they had to replace a few things. His ribcage was partially destroyed and is now somewhat synthetic. Interesting technology. Ground-breaking at the time of course but it has a 50 year guarantee. Please do not lower that number.'

He let go and Spencer, pale and strained, withdrew his hand slowly. Spencer was not stupid and had clearly caught the threat. Kai had spent his time with Ray, Lee and Tyson's grandfather and both he and Ian knew martial arts from both China and Japan. Spencer would have felt the training and strength in the twist and would not be reaching out within Kai's personal space again.

Kai glanced around at Bryan and as red eyes met fierce lilac he found himself beginning to regret encouraging Ian to come to this meeting. He was sitting there focussed on his coffee and hadn't met the eyes of his former teammates at all. Kai was going to have to go at this like the CEO that he was.

'So Tala,' he said taking a sip of the coffee. 'What do you want to talk about? Why are we here?'

'We want to patch things up.'

Ian snorted and Tala stared at him. 'You want to say something squirt?'

It was unfortunate, Kai remarked to Ray later, that Tala had chosen to use the words that he always had addressed Ian with back in the old days. Back in the old days Ian would have smirked and given some other kind of rude response.

Back in the old days when foul language had been the cornerstone of their friendship.

Back in the old days it would have worked.

But over 10 years later when the old days had truly been consigned to the dustbin of the past it was just going to rub Ian up the wrong way.

Ian sat up and stared his former Captain in the face, his red eyes burning with hate. He put his elbow on the table and leaned across Kai.

'Fuck you Tala,' he'd hissed. 'You're a cunt and you always will be. I'm only here because Kai made me come. I want nothing to do with you or your mates. I have a life now, far away from here, with people who don't care where I stick my fucking cock.'

Tala had blanched at that and Kai was impressed. Giving Wyborg back had truly allowed Ian to reconnect with his slightly arsy, trash-talking younger self. Bryan had placed both hands on the table about to get up and intervene when Kai had withdrawn his gun, also resting it gently on the table. There had been a short standoff and Bryan had capitulated grudgingly sitting back arms folded.

As Ian took another breath and launched into a second tirade of verbal abuse Kai observed Bryan rubbing his arm again. Always the same spot. He frowned and his confusion deepened when he observed Spencer making the same movement.

But now Ian was badly in his personal space so he reached out an arm and forced Ian back into his seat with the Japanese word used to indicate that he, Ian, should shut his gob. Ian growled and grabbed a biscuit shoving the whole thing into his mouth.

Spencer let out a shaky breath. 'You always did have guts Ian, I'll give you that.'

Ian stared at him and swallowed the biscuit. Kai stopped him.

'Only if it's polite Ian please.'

'I have nothing polite to say.'

'That's fair enough,' murmured Tala.

Ian stared at him.

'We do deserve it. We were just so shocked. The law in this country Ian…it was…and still is really…not kind to people like you. We all went along with it because we were always told the law was right. And you know how Boris looked on homosexuality.'

They all nodded.

Boris had made it clear that gays were scum back at the abbey. He'd whipped two of their classmates that he'd caught kissing one day. They'd been forced to watch as Boris had beaten the boys to death. It had taken a long time for them to die.

'Pacha and Alexsandir,' said Ian.

'I always hated that kid's hair,' said Tala, male model extraordinaire.

'Just so long as that was all you hated,' quipped Ian.

Kai smiled. Ian had regained some of his annoying wit.

Tala sighed. 'I can't say I like it Ian. It's just not…natural to me. Jesus! Let me speak!' he exclaimed as Ian got ready for another outburst. Ian slumped back in his chair like a moody teenager and waited.

'I am, however, sorry for beating you.' He glanced at Kai. 'We heard that we nearly killed you. That never was our intention, we swear. We panicked.'

Tala seemed to get caught on his words for a second and Spencer took over. 'We don't do fear Ian or anything new. We like our routine. When you came out, we stepped back into Abbey mode. Back into the bad old ways. We shouldn't have. But we did. I'm sorry.'

Bryan nodded too, fervently. Eyes warily flicking around the café.

There was silence as Ian considered this. Words were not the way of the Demolition Boys and never had been. Silent hand signals and barked orders had always been their prerogative and Ian knew that as apologies went, this was pretty much the best he was going to get. But it just wasn't enough. He remembered the pain and the weeks in hospital.

Ian shook his head. 'As a group we always did think with our fists. Particularly you, Bryan.'

Bryan, aware of the intentional jibe, sat motionlessly glaring at Ian who was grinning that god-awfully moronic smile that Kai always warned him about. Then the lilac eyes switched to Kai. 'I know these people in the café aren't civilians,' he said quietly. 'I'm not a total idiot. I can spot a trained soldier anywhere. Particularly one with concealed weapons.'

Kai smiled. He'd been prepared for this. He knew that they were likely to spot the security guards in the café and he didn't much care. 'All for you dearest Bryan,' he purred into the silence of the café. All of the guards were silently watching their boss now waiting for an indication that he might want Bryan dead.

Bryan looked taken aback but Kai continued. 'At least you know what I think of you. Protecting Ian from you and yours is worth the money spent. Ian is a fantastic financial forecaster and I really do need him alive.' He waved a ringed hand lazily and slowly the space warmed up again as the patrons returned to their fake conversations.

'I hold all the cards.'

'Making you difference from Boris how exactly?' snarled Bryan, uncomfortable about being on the back foot.

'None at all, my dear Bryan,' trilled Kai playing the act of the rich boy he had always felt uneasy about being. 'I'm just like him and Voltaire. Nasty, plotting and fucking evil. I have a pool filled with dollar bills you know, so I can go swimming in money.'

Ian snickered as he took another biscuit. Kai had no such thing and was practically never extravagant. He hated the show of opulence and only had two decent suits. The rest of the time he wore whatever the damn he wanted and never expected anything more from his employees. But he was a true philanthropist and had recently paid for one of his PA's to go on a wonderful once in a lifetime trip with her wheelchair bound son staying at the best hotels and flying first class.

People worked hard for Mr Hiwatari because he had earned the respect his position usually automatically commanded.

Tala broke the silence first by snorting. 'Liar.'

'Obviously,' said Kai rolling his eyes. 'Who wants to go swimming in dirty American money?'

He turned slightly and, to the security guard behind him, said 'No offence, Jack.'

The blond guard who had been identified stuck a thumb up and nodded 'Of course Sir. I know you're joking.' The thick Texan accent stuck out a mile and Spencer nearly dropped his cup.

Kai turned back to the three Russians and realised that they were gaping at him. 'What?'

'Never mind,' said Spencer shaking his head. 'We just didn't realise you'd turned into such a people person.'

'I've changed,' said Kai. 'Have you?'

There was silence again and the sounds of the café rolled over the 5 men.

'We don't know if we can,' said Spencer quietly looking at Ian who had spent the time munching through all the biscuits on the table.

Ian stopped mid crunch and looked at him before swallowing. 'These biscuits are the best,' he said. 'We don't get these in Japan.' Then he sighed. 'I've missed you guys you know. We were close. But when I needed your support you weren't there!'

'The world has moved on since we lost in 2000. Where I live now being gay is just a thing. Like having blue eyes or having your ears pierced. No one cares. Except here, where I still find that the guys I grew up with, my mates who I thought always had my back are so behind.'

'I hang out with Ray and Lee now, you know. Lee by the way is, get this, also gay. Fuck it, we're everywhere. Me and Lee are damn good mates. He taught me martial arts and now I could probably defend myself a bit better against you lot. Oh and then there's Oliver. He's the French one. Great guy, great cook. We're also mates and I swear that guy makes everyone he knows fat. He's a celebrity chef now, you've probably heard of him.'

'I'm even friends with Emily. A girl. Get me. Ian's friends with girls now. And she's American. I'm not sure which is worse in your eyes but whatever. We exchange emails every so often. We're both techies and we play tennis when I visit but she always beats me.'

'I have so many friends now, who love me for me! But I never forgot you bastards. We were always there for each other in the days of the abbey. We were family but now…I don't know what we are. I can't change to make you accept me and I won't apologise as I haven't done anything wrong.'

'But I miss you. Your support. We always had each other's backs. Now…' he choked up for a second, the lump in his throat threatening to overwhelm him.

He glared at his 3 former friends who were stunned at his outburst. This was not the Ian they knew. They'd missed so much in the years that had sped by. Ian had grown up so much from the long nosed kid they once knew.

'We can't erase the past. I nearly died!' he yelled red eyes flashing.

'Why are we here? What do you want from me? I won't hide what I am just so you lot can be happy!'

Bit of a long one here with some excessive language. I just don't think that the Ian would be a polite thing. He would be one of the people to, once starting to learn a new language, pick up all the profanities first. That's my view of him anyway. See what you think!