"Mom, do you think he'll find Justin?"

"Yes. Brian and Justin have a special radar and honing device between them. He'll find him and take care of him. That's what Brian does for people he cares about." Jennifer smiled as she remembered many instances where Brian came through for his "family".

"Mom, you have a funny smirk on your face. What aren't you telling me?" Molly went to the kitchen table and motioned for her mother to join her.

Jennifer dried her hands and put lotion on them and joined Molly at the table. "Molly, you said it yourself. Brian and Justin are a couple and have been forever. It just took me a long time to understand that."

"I know you didn't always like Brian. What changed?" Molly played with the salt and pepper shaker, twirling them on the table.

Jennifer put a small tuft of hair behind her ear and said, "There really wasn't one thing that changed my mind, but a lot of little things. After his accident- the prom, Justin was very angry and I couldn't control him. I was afraid so I asked Brian to take him and care for him. He did and he didn't throw it in my face that just a few short days before that I had asked him to leave Justin alone and stay out of his life."

"You asked Brian to stay away! How could you?" Molly said as her voice raised a few octaves. Leaning for forward in her chair, she waited for an explanation, but couldn't fathom her mother saying something like that to Brian.

Jennifer swallowed hard. She had expected to tell Molly this story one day, but wasn't ready to face her own short comings. "I blamed him for the bashing." Jennifer hung her head in shame for a moment and then looked at her daughter. "But then when I couldn't control Justin; I knew I had to ask Brian and hope he would be more successful. Luckily, Brian loved your brother, even then, and took him in, cared for him and I got my son back."

Molly sat quietly as she took in the enormity of Jennifer's confession. Her mom had really disliked Brian at one time. She was glad that she didn't remember that time too clearly. She's always thought Justin and Brian made a good team. "You said there were more things; although that is pretty big." She said as she lowered her voice, but she still felt her heart beating a little faster than normal.

"The plane tickets he buys Justin to come home, the weekends he stays with Justin in New York, his attendance at every show Justin has ever had; including the first show at the GLC, the paints he buys Justin when he's in town-even though Justin can buy paint in New York, the tickets he bought us to see Justin last summer… I could go on for a long time. These are just the things he does for Justin. He helps Debbie and Michael and Emmett- all of them."

"But don't all couples do things for each other?"

"Yes, they do. Brian does things for everyone; not just Justin. He's very generous and I saw that he provided for those he cared about. Brian recognizes each person's value and needs and acts accordingly. While the things he buys for Justin are often things he could buy himself, by buying them for Justin he's letting Justin know he cares about him and his happiness."

"So he's kind of like a patriarch?"

Jennifer smiled at the analogy and nodded. "Yeah, the patriarch. Everyone in their little circle looks to him for approval, even your brother."

Molly thought about the statement for a moment, but then frowned. "But… I thought they were partners. Why would Justin look to Brian for approval?" Molly grabbed a soda from the fridge and returned to the table. As she popped the top off the Pepsi, she played with the tab, twirling it on the table.

Jennifer hesitated. This was not her relationship, but Justin and Brian's. She toyed with the idea of not explaining it to Molly, but in light of the situation, she decided that this might help Molly understand some of the events that brought Justin here. "Justin met Brian when he was just a little older than you are now… 17"

"I know. I've heard that story so many times, I could recite the history of the two of them."

Jennifer smirked and nodded; there was no need to tell Molly everything about the Justin/Brian show. "When your Dad decided that Justin couldn't stay here if he continued to like …."

"Sex with men," Molly filled in.

"Yes." Jennifer blushed as even now she had a hard time imaging the two of them together.

"Mom…. I'm not ten years old anymore. I know that Brian and Justin do it. They've practically done it in our living room with their clothes on."

Jennifer nodded again, choosing not to acknowledge her son's apparent lack of decorum. "Brian told your father and me that was no way for someone to live and he took Justin home with him."

"Wow. So Justin was living with Brian while he was in high school. That is so cool." Molly continued to twirl the pop top on the table as a smile that almost rivaled Justin's appeared on her face.

"Brian took him in, but… well… Justin and Brian…. They had their problems. Justin was always trying to please Brian, do what he wanted. Brian may have taken him in, but they weren't really together. It wasn't like it is now. Brian was just letting him live there."

"Mom… What does this have to do with what's going on? I'm really not following your story." Molly got up to throw her soda can away and sat back down.

"Justin has always wanted to be Brian's equal, his partner. Brian doesn't give out accolades. He celebrates accomplishments. So each time your brother did something that Brian was proud of, he let him know. Justin would seek out opportunities for Brian to be proud of him, hoping Brian would acknowledge that he cared."

Nodding at her mother's explanation, Molly said, "So Justin did stuff to make Brian proud. Okay, I get that. It makes sense. But doesn't Justin know that Brian likes him no matter what he does?"

"Brian loves your brother. Right now, your brother doesn't remember that and it is killing Brian. I hope he can regain his memory of the two of them soon. I don't want to think what this will do to the two of them if he can't remember."Jennifer got up from her chair and gave Molly a big hug. "I'm sure it will all be settled soon. Don't you have homework to do?"

"Yeah. Hasn't it been close to an hour? Aren't you supposed to call Carl?" Molly asked as she started up the stairs to do her room.

Jennifer looked at her watch and realized it had been close to an hour since Brian left. She picked up the phone and hit 4 on the speed dial. "Brian. Did you find him?"

"Shit! Yeah. I found him. We're in my car. "

"Okay. I'll leave the porch light on for you." Jennifer walked upstairs and knocked on Molly's door. "Brian found him and they're in his car."

"Thanks mom." Molly closed the door and sat at her desk to complete her biology homework.

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Justin walked down the block. His mom had said she'd lived there for over 6 years. From everything Brian, Molly and his mom had said it had been 6 years since the Prom and this is where his memories stopped. He hoped walking this area, one that would hold only recent memories would help him regain information. He looked carefully at each house, but nothing seemed familiar. It was so frustrating. He saw a small strip mall at the end of the block and walked quickly toward it, hoping that a store would bring back memories. As he walked down the sidewalk of the strip mall, he felt a heavy burden on his shoulders as nothing looked vaguely familiar. There was a small bench outside the drug store and he sat down on it, putting his head in his hands.

Brian spotted Justin sitting on the bench, head down and his heart went out to his partner. Justin liked to be in control and this was most likely killing him. He wasn't sure what he could do to bring back his memories, but he knew he would keep trying and wouldn't give up. Justin had opened his heart many years ago and while he took a long time admitting what Justin meant to him, he wasn't about to give up on him. Brian walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder as he quietly said his name.

"Justin." Brian looked hopefully at Justin, but knew the answer before Justin spoke. "Nothing?"

"No." His eyes welled up with tears but he refused to cry. He shook his head in response.

"Don't push it. Want to take a ride to see Daphne?"

Justin smiled at the mention of his best friend. "Sure. I do remember her."

"My car's by your mom's place. I'm sure she'd like to see you. It's Sunday night so she should be home. We'll call her on the way." Brian gently put his hand on the small of Justin's back as he guided him back to the car. The gesture calmed both men.

Walking to the car they both were silent. Justin got in the passenger side and buckled his seatbelt. A flash of a memory flickered through his mind as he saw himself buckling his seat belt and Brian in a leather coat. He smiled at the memory.

Seeing Justin smile, Brian asked, "What's up?"

"Just a memory. I saw a flicker of us sitting in the car and you had on a leather jacket."

"That's good. Maybe the ride will push your memories some more." Brian turned the car toward Daphne's, hoping that she might be home. Daphne would be a good person for Justin to see since she had known him since Kindergarten. "Do you recognize the area?"

Justin watched as the unfamiliar cityscape passed his window. He was quiet and subdued. As he neared a somewhat familiar street, he perked up. "This looks vaguely familiar. Are we close to her place?"

"Daphne lives near here. I was hoping you would recognize the Schoolhouse apartments." Pushing the button on the steering wheel, he called Daphne, hoping she was at home.

"Hi Brian. How's it going? You back in town?"

"Daphne. I got Justin here with me. We thought we could come for a visit."

"Sure. How long till you get here? The place is a mess." Daphne said as she picked up the clothing on the floor of the living room and stuffed it into the laundry hamper.

"We're about five minutes out. How about we stop at the Fruit and Flower Mission and grab some ice cream? Rocky Road okay?"

"Perfect. I'll see you in a bit."

Justin smiled. "I remember a lounge chair and some ice cream. That is a real memory, right Brian?" Justin felt the beginning of an erection, but ignored it. Brian hadn't made any moves toward him and he wasn't going to push his generosity.

Brian slid his hand over Justin's thigh. "Oh yeah, twat. You got me to eat ice cream despite its fattening calories." Brian felt the beginning of the bulge in Justin's pants. This was the first indication that Justin might remember that they were a couple. His heart beat went up a few notches.

"Maybe we could try that again?" Justin slid his hand over Brian's crotch and ghosted over the slight bulge there.

Smiling at the suggestion, Brian's spirit lifted for the first time since the phone call Thursday night. Maybe sex with his partner would bring back some spectacular memories. "Okay, maybe later. But you know the ice cream was hot. I doubt if Ms. Chanders would like us to re-enact that scene. Me, you and a tub of vanilla ice cream- you're messy." Brian smiled as he remembered that night; Justin feeding him small tastes of ice cream and then strategically dripping it on his body as he licked it off of him. "We're almost to the store. Want anything else?"

"I'd kill for some cigarettes or don't I smoke?" Justin said as he tried to get more information from Brian.

Brian weighed his answer, but decided this piece of information was harmless enough. "You occasionally smoke, but you're always after me to quit."

Justin shook his head as he saw a picture of the two of them sharing a smoke outside a house. He racked his brain to place the house and realized it was Debbie's house.

You said, "Well don't think you've won. That it's over. 'Cause the second you do that, you're dead."

And I answered, "Not as long as I have you to protect me."

"You always had a photographic memory." Brian winced when he remembered that night. It was only a few weeks before the Prom and instead of protecting Justin, he had caused him to be hit with a bat. And here they were again, Justin with memory loss and Brian trying to protect him from himself. Shit! I didn't protect him then and I certainly didn't protect him now. If only he would have allowed me to give him money we wouldn't be in this position now having this awkward conversation.

"So that really happened? I didn't just imagine it." Justin asked, smiling at his new memory.

"Yeah, that happened too." Brian turned off the car. He was inwardly thrilled that Justin was remembering things and he seemed to be remembering things from 6 years ago. He hoped that didn't mean that they would have to relive the last 6 years. It was difficult enough the first time and he didn't want to think about how hard it would be the second time. "We're here. Let's go buy some Ice Cream so you and your favorite fag hag can hang out."

Justin and Brian bought the ice cream and some cigarettes and drove to Daphne's. Brian let Justin out of the car first, hoping that he would know the apartment, but Justin just waited for Brian to meet him and lead the way. Damn and here I thought that this would be easy.

They walked up the stairs and Brian knocked on Daphne's apartment. Daphne opened the door and gave Justin a hug and Brian a kiss on the cheek. "What are you doing in the city? You told me you had a new job and…" Daphne looked at Justin's face as he took in her apartment and saw Brian making a line across his throat with his finger and shaking his head at her comments. "Justin… Brian… What the fuck? You look like you've never been here before. What the hell is going on?"

tbc