Twelve days until Christmas had quickly become Christmas Eve and that meant annoying songs on the radio, old black and white films on the television and lots and lots of news stories about people spreading Christmas cheer.

"This is the only Christmas cheer I want to be spreading," Brian said, lifting his glass of Jim Beam.

"You're so fucking miserable," moaned Justin, punching Brian lightly on the arm. "You're just like the Grinch … or scrooge."

"Just because I don't want to dress up like an idiot?" Brian asked, plucking Justin's ridiculous flashing Santa hat from his head and letting it fall to the floor.

"It's Christmas, it's an excuse to dress up like an idiot."

"I thought that was Halloween."

"No, on Halloween it's compulsory to dress up like an idiot. There's a difference."

"Mm," Brian hummed sceptically as he downed the rest of his whiskey and pushed his empty glass into the younger man's chest. "Another," he ordered.

Justin rolled his eyes but he still got to his feet and went to the kitchen to fill up Brian's glass.

"I have no idea why he does that," Emmett sighed from the floor. He was rearranging the tree decorations that he and Justin had put up earlier that day. Brian had point blank refused to have anything Christmassy in the house until midday Christmas Eve and he'd already stated quite clearly that he wanted it all down by the 26th. He really was a Scrooge. Emmett, on the other hand, loved Christmas and was dressed up like a Christmas fairy in his glittery red top, green pants and feather boa made of tinsel. He was also wearing a stupid flashing Santa hat but it didn't annoy Brian as much as Justin's had.

"He does it because he thinks he's in love with Brian," Michael scorned. "He's pathetic really."

"He's not pathetic," Brian said looking pointedly at his best friend. "He just does things that I ask. Besides," he smirked, "I make it worth his while."

"We know," Ted said, "we've heard."

"Why Theodore, I didn't know we had an audience. You should come in and watch," he smirked, "you might learn a few things."

"Thanks for the offer Bri, but I'll pass," Ted said blushing a little.

Brian just laughed through his nose as Justin returned with his drink.

"Thanks."

Justin smiled widely and flopped back on the sofa next to Brian, which meant he was squeezed between him and Michael but he didn't care. He just allowed his head to rest on Brian's shoulder as the news continued with a piece about the Big Q on Buckley.

"Santa's elves come to the rescue," the male anchor reported as they showed two triumphant looking little people, who'd been employed as elves at Santa's grotto.

"I fucked one of Santa's elves once," Brian said, causing everyone in the room to gape at him.

"You did?" Michael asked in disbelief. "When?"

"Couple of years ago. You and Deb were shopping for a turkey and I disappeared for a while, you asked where I went I told you I'd had a little action."

"I don't believe you," Michael said, shaking his head.

"Fine, don't believe me. But it's true."

"What was he like?" Justin asked, his bright eyes flashing with excitement.

The older man just smirked, "well what he lacked in feet he made up for in inches."

"Okay, I really don't wanna know," Michael said.

"Me neither," Ted agreed.

"I do," Justin grinned and Brian just looked down at the kid and laughed. He'd taught him well.

"I'll tell you later," he whispered in the twink's ear and Justin nodded enthusiastically.

They turned their attention back to the TV just in time to see CCTV footage of the incident as the reporter said, "Brad Thomas and Marina Garcia managed to halt the thief using only a jump rope and two fishing nets."

"Funny," Brian smirked, "that's exactly what I used to fuck him."

"A jump rope and fishing nets?" Justin asked, turning a little so his face was just an inch from Brian's.

"You have no idea how fun that can be," the older man confirmed pressing his forehead against the kids.

"Uh-huh." And then they were kissing, no, they were making out, groping and moaning like horny high-school kids. They only broke apart for Brian to say, "Hey Ted, Mikey, next time one of you goes into town get some jump ropes, will you?"

"And some fishing nets," Justin giggled.

And then they resumed the kissing with extra vigour.

Emmett and Ted caught each other's eyes and immediately they knew they were both thinking the same thing; this is not normal Kinney behaviour. Although, having said that, Kinney hadn't been acting 'normally', whatever that was, since the kid had first arrived on the scene. Personally, Emmett thought it was brilliant, like a Jackie Collins novel except it was real and unfolding right in front of his eyes. It would have been perfect except for one thing …

"Jesus Christ," Michael groaned, "can't you two get a room?"

"We're in one," Brian pointed out, his forehead still pressed against Justin's even as his spoke to Michael, "but if you don't like it Mikey, feel free to relocate yourself to another part of the house." And his lips met Justin's again; no excuses, no apologies, no regrets.

"Well, I might just hold you to that," Michael snarled, getting to his feet and storming out of the room.

"What the fuck is his problem?" Brian asked, looking to the other men in the room for an answer. None of them gave him one but what's the point in speaking aloud when an answer is so painfully obvious to all of them. They were quiet for an uncomfortable moment until Justin said quietly, "maybe you should go and find out."

Brian looked to the door as though considering it before shaking his head decidedly.

"No thanks. You should never go after anyone. Besides, I'd rather stay here," he smiled, giving Justin another chaste kiss before turning his attention back to the TV. The news were now showing a story about a child in a coma who'd woken up after six months just in time for Christmas. It was so fucking heart-warming that Brian wanted to puke.

"Christ," Brian groaned. "Crying breeders made my dick soft."

"You really aren't going to go after him?" Justin asked in amazement. And Brian was pretty shocked too he thought he'd ended this conversation a few minutes ago.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because he's your best friend."

"Well, he's acting like a jealous little housewife."

"Brian!" Justin fixed him with a stern expression.

"What?"

"Go," he said firmly. The two men eyeballed each other, each waiting for the other to back down first. Justin because he knew he was right and Brian because no one ever stood up to Brian Kinney … ever. But, eventually, after staring into angry blue eyes, Brian just sighed heavily and got up to follow Michael.

As soon as the door shut behind him, Emmett chuckled saying, "well, well, well. I never thought I'd see the day Brian Kinney did what someone else told him to do."

Justin gave a slightly smug smile.

"There are ways," he smirked.

"Oh honey, I'm sure," Emmett beamed. He liked Justin, the kid wasn't as much of a pushover as he seemed and he had a feeling that when Brian didn't feel he was being watched, Justin was probably on a completely equal playing field. It was only when Brian had an audience that he played up to this uncaring, insensitive asshole role he'd carved for himself. He smiled to himself as he turned back to the television. Only to discover the News was still on.

"I've had enough of this," he sighed, stretching along the carpet to where the remote was resting just by Ted's feet, "let's see what Christmas specials are on."

"Wait," Ted said, picking up the remote and holding it possessively to his chest.

"What?"

"I know you fail to see the importance of keeping an eye on current affairs but the media interest in Justin's kidnapping happens to be a vital factor as to when we can leave this house."

"But they haven't mentioned it for a week," Justin pointed out.

"Exactly, they've lost a lot of leads and a lot of media interest since Brian's flat failed to turn up any substantial evidence," Ted agreed. "But we still need to keep an eye on it just in case anything changes."

"But Teddy," Emmett began.

"Shhh," the older man interrupted.

"But…"

"Shh! They could say anything at anytime."

"Teddy, they're covering a story about cookies that look like Santa," Emmett scorned.

"Still … be quiet."

::

Brian found Michael straight away. You're not someone's best friend for most of your life without knowing the kind of place they go when they're sulking. He knew he'd be in the room at the far end of the downstairs corridor that was set up like a little library or office space. Brian had filled it with comics and Captain Astro merchandise many years earlier when he'd first bought this place.

Michael was there, of course, stood in the middle of the room with a pile of comics in front of him. He had a Captain Astro comic in his hands. Volume 4 issue 23; the one where Galaxy Lad discovers Captain Astro has been using a different sidekick. Christ, Brian thought, does Michael have a comic equivalent for every event in his life? He thought back over the time he'd spent with Michael and realized quickly that yes, there was a comic equivalent for every moment in his life and that's why he always went to that shitty, rundown comic shop, Buzzy's, whenever things were bad. It was because he could always find someone who was going through the same thing. It was so he wouldn't feel alone.

"Sorry it's not Buzzy's," Brian said softly, causing the smaller man to jump a little but Michael quickly regained his composure enough to tell Brian to 'fuck off'.

"No," Brian said, his voice still soft as he walked further into the room and shut the door behind him. He picked the comic off the top of the pile Michael had put together.

"Scorpionhead issue 102," Brian read aloud, thinking carefully. "The one where Scorpicanhead finds that he's trapped inside his head by his inner-demons after being abandoned by the one person who could save him."

"That's very good," Michael scowled, "now put it down."

Brian dropped the comic immediately and went to look at something else. A Captain Astro action figure with Galaxy Lad at his side. The plastic figures moved so Brian quickly made it look like Captain Astro was fucking Galaxy Lad and then chuckled to himself because that was exactly what he used to do when he played with Michael's toys when they were kids. Michael saw what Brian had done and couldn't help smile a little but that didn't stop him marching over and returning them both back in their proper positions.

"Look, what the fuck are you doing here?" he asked, when he was satisfied with stance of the figures.

"I wanted to make sure that Captain Astro and Galaxy Lad were still getting their needs met," he smirked. "You know that after 30 years a couple's sex life can go stale." And then, more seriously, he added, "and I wanted to see if you were alright."

"Well, you've seen me and I'm fine. Now why don't you get back to the boy wonder in there?"

Brian looked up from where he was flicking through the X Force issue 56 where Rictor and Shatterstar are described as being more than friends. It had been his favourite when Michael had first got him into comics, when they were kids. He'd like the idea of two hot guys with superpowers fucking and he liked the idea that the breeder kids of Middle America wouldn't even get it. It was like a secret only gay kids got, like being in on the joke whilst the majorities are completely ignorant to it.

"I always liked this one," he said, lifting the comic he was holding for his friend to see. "It was my favourite."

"I know," Michael answered curtly.

"It was full of fags, and breeders didn't even know it."

Michael smiled a little, "well, you always did like to get one over on breeders."

Brian nodded. "You always said that comics were best when they spoke to you. So as a pubescent fag, it made me realize…" he paused, his tongue rolling down the inside of his cheek before continuing softly. "It made me realize I wasn't alone. That there were others like me in exactly the same situation I was."

Michael eyed his friend warily. It was on very rare occasions that Brian would bring up his enforced knowledge of comics, usually when he was trying to make a point about something. "Where is this going?"

"Here," Brian said steadily, lifting up the Captain Astro Michael had been reading when he'd arrived in the room. "The one where Captain Astro finds a new sidekick?"

Michael blushed a little. "I just thought…"

"You thought wrong, Mikey," Brian said firmly, putting his hand on Michael's shoulder. "Just like Galaxy Lad."

"But I…"

"Look at this room," Brian cut him off. "I had this built just for you."

"You did?"

"Of course. I knew that when I fucked up enough to actually need to use this place, you'd be right along side me … because you're always there for me Mikey. Always."

The shorter man nodded, placing his hand over Brian's and squeezing.

"But I also knew that when we were hiding out, you'd need a place to run to. I knew that you'd be pissed at me at some point," Brian said with a bit of a smile.

"Well, you are pretty easy to be angry at," Michael admitted, "but you're also impossible to stay angry at."

Brian smiled and then pulled Michael close and kissed him, when they pulled apart, Michael was beaming up at him but Brian just stroked his hair and whispered, "never believe you're not important. You're the most important."

Michael's smile spread even wider if that were possible and Brian just let him go, pulling a joint out of his pocket.

"How about we smoke one for old times' sake?" He smirked, placing it in his mouth and lighting it carefully. He took a long drag and held it in his lungs, letting the feeling of it take over his senses before passing it to Michael.

The smaller man just grinned and took it before they both flopped lazily onto the old-fashioned looking leather sofa near the window.

"Do you know what this reminds me of?" Michael said, handing the joint back.

"Enlighten me."

"That time in Mexico."

"Christ." Brian took an even longer hit. If they were going to reminisce about Mexico he'd need it.

"You thought the police were gonna be all over our backs because we stole that Ford GT from the dealers so we packed our bags and fled to Mexico so fast we didn't even stop to realize that no one gave a shit."

Brian laughed a little through his nose. "We were eighteen," he shrugged. "We were naïve and you were stupid. You made us dump that car in Mexico." He paused as he took another drag before passing the toke back to his friend. "I'm still pissed at you for that. I fucking loved that car."

"I know," Michael giggled. He always got giggly from pot, whereas Brian always became morose and more cynical of the world. They'd always been polar opposites, why should drugs be any different? "In fact," he chuckled, "you loved that car so much, you made us stay in that shithole motel, with rats in the pool and cockroaches in the cereal and the mattress with springs sticking through. You can't honestly tell me the car was worth all that?"

Brian pulled an expression as if to suggest it really had been worth it to get a chance to drive one of his favourite cars.

"Okay. What about Santiago? Was it worth him?"

Brian found himself chuckling again. Okay, maybe pot made him a bit giggly too. "Christ. Santiago. He was the biggest cock-roach of them all."

"Do you remember how he hid under the bed waiting for you?"

"Mm, we literally had a troll under the bed."

Michael laughed much harder than any sober person would have and took another hit, snorting and giggling as he said, "you still fucked him."

Brian just shrugged. "There was no one else around."

"There was me," Michael said quietly. And Brian felt suddenly uncomfortable. He hated it whenever Michael brought up this crush he'd been harbouring for him ever since they met.

"Yeah," he said, plucking the very end of the toke from Michael's fingers. "There was always you," he said, getting what he could from the joint before throwing suffocating it in an ashtray.

When Brian looked back to his friend, he found him looking wounded and miserable and, Brian thought, heartbroken. So Brian was almost glad when he heard Emmett scream;

"OH MY GOD!"

Brian and Michael just looked at each other. Pulling their guns from their preferred concealed places, they crept slowly towards the sitting room, kicked open the door and pointed the weapons around expecting some kind of intruder.

::

Instead, what they found was Justin sitting on the sofa crying, with Emmett doing his best to comfort him despite the fact he seemed practically inconsolable.

"What the fuck is going on?" Brian asked, immediately going to Justin and squeezing his shoulder in a way he hoped was at least somewhat comforting. Justin looked up at him. His eyes were red and shining with tears and his face was blotchy and red but somehow he still managed to look hot.

"They think I'm dead," he cried, his head flopping forward so he was sobbing into Brian's stomach until the older man opted to sit down so as better to support Justin's body, which was weak and heaving with sobs.

"What?" Brian asked, understandably confused. "Who do?"

"Everybody," Justin wept.

Brian just frowned and looked to the only man who knew what was going on that wasn't a total drama queen. "Theodore," he said, "what the fuck is going on?"

"Er, hang on," Ted said, finding the DVD player remote and winding back through the last news story. "I always keep a recording," he explained as he got to the end of the story about the Santa cookies, "just in case we should ever need to watch it again." He pressed play and the news story that had caused all the distress began to play.

"This just in," the female anchor said solemnly, as she touched her ear piece to better hear what the story was. "A body found in a dumpster behind a diner on Liberty Avenue is confirmed to be that of the missing eighteen year old, Justin Taylor."

"Shit," Brian muttered under his breath and the kid in his arms sobbed harder.

"The body was discovered earlier today by a waitress as she took out the garbage and police say the body was beaten up and burned making it impossible to identify by sight. As feared, the DNA tests and checks with dental records have confirmed early suspicions that this is in fact that Justin Taylor. Our thoughts are of course with Justin's family, friends and especially his mother Jennifer and father Craig at this time."

Justin sobbed even harder as the camera changed to a load of Liberty Diner customers putting flowers and cuddly toys next to the dumpster, as the anchors voiceover continued;

"Workers at the diner say it used to be a familiar haunt of Kinney and the other OUTlaws and Liberty Avenue is now on red alert for the gang. If anyone knows anything, police are urging them to get in touch. This is now the hunt for a murderer."

"Shit!" Michael shouted loudly. "This just got serious. They're going to double their efforts to find us now."

"But," Brian said slowly, "they're not going to be looking for Justin at all. Maybe this is a good thing." He felt Justin tense in his arms and glare at him.

"What?" Emmett asked in disbelief.

"My parents think I'm dead," Justin added, sniffing his tears back. "How is that a good thing?"

"So? They wanted you dead anyway. Now, everyone's happy." And suddenly Brian found his head spinning sideways, his face stinging and throbbing from where the kid had just slapped him … hard.

"Fuck you, Brian," Justin was screaming, tears running down his cheeks his face red and blotchy. "I have friends and a sister who all care about me, even my mother seems to care. I don't want them to think I'm dead."

"You were quite happy to let them think you'd been kidnapped never to be seen again."

"That's different!"

"No," Brian was still infuriatingly calm, "it's exactly the same."

"But at least before they had hope!"

"So now they can mourn in peace. You're never going to see them again anyway. It's probably better this way!"

"FUCK YOU!" Justin screamed, making a break for the telephone and dialling his home number frantically.

Luckily, Brian and Michael managed to drag the kid away before he'd finished dialling. He was struggling furiously against his human restraints, kicking, punching, biting, anything so he could let his mom know he was okay. He lashed out but Brian and Michael held him firm until eventually he broke down and started to sob again and that was when he turned back to Brian and shoved him hard in the chest.

"You have to let them know I'm okay." He could barely see anymore with the tears that were obscuring his view and he was shaking so much he could barely stand up.

"And how would you suggest I do that, Sunshine?" Brian asked mockingly. "Send them your little finger in a box?"

"Why are you being such an asshole?"

"Because you're being a twot," Brian retorted. "Your little stunt then could have completely blown our cover and then the police would come and you'd go back to your father and we'd go to prison. Is that what you want?"

Justin just dipped his head. He wasn't sure what he wanted. At this moment, all he could think about was letting his mom know that he was okay, that he wasn't hurt or … dead. He was just … on the run with a gang of seemingly dangerous criminals. Fuck! Was that really any better?

"S-so," he sniffed, "we should just let everyone think I'm dead?"

"That's exactly what we do," Brian said calmly.

Justin broke down into a fresh monsoon of tears and fled the room sobbing loudly.

"Emmett," Brian ordered immediately. "Go after him, make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

Emmett glared at the leader of their gang in disgust.

"He's eighteen Brian," he said slowly. "He might have run away but he still loves his family. So don't expect him to be as heartless as you. He's lost everything, can't you show him some compassion?"

Brian met Emmett's eyes and stared back not showing a single emotion let alone compassion before repeating, very slowly and very deliberately, "Make sure he's not doing anything stupid."

Emmett just shook his head in anger, muttering, 'asshole' as he went to find the kid.

As soon as the door was shut, Brian found himself melting into the sofa. He felt like shit, his face was stinging from the slap and his legs were bruised from where Justin had got in some really good kicks whilst struggling for the phone but that wasn't bothering him. What bothered him was that maybe Emmett had a point. Brian had got freaked out seeing his name on an edible gravestone so he couldn't even imagine what it would be like to watch a news reporter announce your death on state-wide television perhaps he was just a little harsh on the kid.

"I think you did the right thing," Michael said, as though he could hear Brian's internal trauma. He sat down next to his friend and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "We can't jeopardize our position for the sake of a phone call to his mother that would probably freak her out more than it would reassure her."

Ted made a strange strangled noise as he extracted the DVD from the player, placing it in an A4 folder of all the other news DVD's he'd collected since they'd first arrived at the house. He liked to have everything organized.

"What was that, Theodore?" Brian asked, looking up immediately.

The older man blushed a little, shaking his head to try and avoid the question.

"No," Brian insisted, "I want to hear what you have to say." Ted looked at the taller man's determined expression and he knew there was no way in hell he was going to be able to avoid this so he took a deep breath, almost fearing it would be his last.

"I'm not saying you weren't right with what you said," Ted ventured carefully. "In fact, I'd say you pretty much had it spot on."

"But…?" Brian encouraged.

"But, maybe, you could have said it less aggressively," Ted suggested. He seemed to almost shrink with anxiety of Brian's response but Brian just sighed heavily and looked back at the floor.

He hated that he'd been so cold to Justin. He hated that he'd made the kid upset. He hated that he'd got him into all this shit in the first place but most of all, he hated how much he cared. His 'no regrets' motto seemed a long way away now.

He tried to take his mind of it by finding patterns in the wooden floorboard that he was currently staring at and then a cigarette appeared in his view and he took it, looking up at Michael who was smiling at him and holding a lighter up. Brian put the cig in his mouth and leant forward so the end of the stick reached the flames and the orange glow appeared. He sucked a long breath of smoke into his lungs and immediately began to feel less stressed.

"Here's the thing I can't understand," Michael said, lighting his own cigarette. "I mean if they used dental records they must know it's not Justin so why are they saying this body is his?"

"I think the actual question is why aren't they saying who it really is?" Brian said. "Stockwell's police department are covering something up, they have to be."

"It's obvious they've given up on finding Justin," Ted said. "They're probably using his name now to cover up some accidental shooting of a bystander."

"Isn't that illegal?" Michael asked.

Brian snorted a little through his nose. "Not if you're the ones enforcing the law. Ted, can you look into it?"

"Already on it, Bri."

"Excellent," Brian said, pushing himself to his feet and taking a final drag from his cigarette before stubbing it out and dropping the stump into an ashtray. "Now if you gentlemen would excuse me, I have something I have to do." And with that he left the room.

::

"He hates me," Justin was sobbing into Emmett's shoulder. Emmett had managed to convince Justin to go to Emmett's room to talk this over. It was private up there, there was a lock on the door and it was warm and cosy. Emmett had even hoped it would be comforting but all it seemed to have done was make Justin cry harder.

"He doesn't hate you, Baby," Emmett reassured him for the hundredth time. "That's half his problem."

"But all I do is cause him problems. Cause all of you problems. Everyone's going to think you're murderers." He gasped in a breath as a particularly hard sob hit him straight in the chest. "M-maybe," he wept, "maybe you should have all just let Michael shoot me that day in the alley."

"Justin Taylor," Emmett scolding grabbing hold of Justin's shoulders firmly and giving him a bit of a shake. "Don't you dare say anything like that ever again. Ya hear me?"

Justin nodded dumbly but he didn't look up. He still had tears flowing down his face. He looked a mess, an emotional, confused mess and it was clear he didn't really believe that Emmett wanted him around.

"Sweetie," Emmett said softly, tucking the longer bits of Justin's hair behind his ear over and over though it was clear they weren't quite long enough to stay, "this whole situation in a mess. There's been unfortunate turn after unfortunate turn that has led us to where we are now and I have a lot of regrets along the way. But one thing I don't regret is that you came along for the ride and," he brought his hand to Justin's chin, forcing the kid to look at him, "I'm sure Brian agrees."

"Sometimes I think he does," Justin whispered softly. "But sometimes I think he wishes I'd leave and never come back."

"You know that's not true," Emmett insisted. "You saw how scared he was the other week when he thought you'd gone missing."

Justin just shook his head miserably. Emmett looked at the sorrow in Justin's expression and said, "I think it's time I told you about Georgie."

Justin nodded and smiled a little. "I think I'd like that," he agreed.

"Well, Georgie, or as he was known to his bitch of an ex-wife and his so-called friends in the business, George Shickle."

"Of Shickle's Pickels?" Justin asked, drying his cheeks. "The pickle the people prefer?" He quoted.

"The very same," Emmett nodded.

"I didn't know he was a fag."

"No one does," Emmett said, tapping his nose with the smile of a man who was about to divulge a very well kept secret.

"How did you two meet?"

"Well," Emmett said, "I was the main star on this big porn site called 'Jerk at Work . Net.'"

"You were a porn star?" Justin asked in disbelief.

"Yes, what's so surprising about that?" Emmett asked indignantly.

Justin could do nothing but shrug in response. "You just don't look much like a porn star, that's all."

"I won a Crystal Dick I'll have you know," Emmett said proudly and then looking at the bemused look on his friends face he blushed a little and said, "but that's by the by. The point is I was the star." He said it grandly. "Then one day my boss hands me this little box which he told me was from someone claiming to be my secret admirer. So, being a noisy little queen, I open up the box and there's this wonderful solid gold bracelet inside."

Justin gasped, he could just imagine how it would have looked.

"So, naturally, I went to find this secret admirer to, er, thank him properly and when I got there it's like a palace," Emmett smiled. "I felt like a princess in a fairytale and that's when I discovered my Georgie."

"What was he like, Em?"

"He was the kindest, most loving person I have ever known," Emmett said honestly, tears welling up in his eyes as he remembered his only love. "He asked me to move in with him," Emmett explained "and I gave up the porn and we just lived together, going out to clubs, lounging in bed, swimming in the pool. We were happy for six glorious months." Emmett smiled as he remembered fondly the time he'd spent with George.

"What happened?" Justin encouraged.

"We were off to travel the world," Emmett said grandly. "And as we were flying George told me he wasn't a member of the mile high club. So, me being the silly slut that I am decided we should change that and that was when," Emmett gasped a little as he tried to fight off the sobs. "He suffered a heart attack," he whispered, he was quiet for a moment and Justin could see that the man ahead of him had never really got over losing his 'Georgie'. "I went to the funeral, of course," he carried on determinedly. "I wanted to make a speech but he had this big televised state funeral and they would let me talk but that wasn't the worst of it. The worst thing was when the will was read out. It turned out Georgie had left me a substantial amount of money."

"How substantial?" Justin questioned.

"Ten million dollars," Emmett said slowly.

"Ten million?" Justin repeated in disbelief.

"Yep," Emmett confirmed. "Only, of course, the Shickle estate managed to convince a judge that I had manipulated George's will and used him for money. They even insinuated that I took him on the World Trip knowing it would kill him."

"Oh Em," Justin said, reaching out a hand and rubbing the other man's shoulder comfortingly. "I'm so sorry. What did you do?"

"I vowed that I would get back what was rightfully mine," Emmett stated forcefully. "It was then that I met Michael, Brian and Ted. Brian promised to help me get the money back that I deserved back. It took us nearly a month but we did it and the whole time, Brian kept saying 'this is a one-time thing, Honeycutt.'" Emmett quoted in his best impression of Brian, "'as soon as you've got your money you're gone.' But when the job came to an end, Brian didn't kick me out and I didn't leave. He kept threatening me, telling me to go but he never made it happen. And do you know why?"

Justin shook his head. He really didn't know. He'd always thought Brian was a man of his word but when Emmett explained, it actually made perfect sense.

"You see, Sweetie, once you're a friend of Brian Kinney, you're always a friend of Brian Kinney's."

Justin beamed up at the other man. He really, truly hoped that that was true. There were times when Justin truly believed that Brian cared about him as much as he cared about the older man but sometimes Brian would look at him and Justin felt like Brian couldn't stand him but Emmett's words had made him feel better. He felt like he understood both Emmett and Brian better now. He leant over and hugged Emmett tight.

"Thanks, Em," he whispered.

Just then, there was a gentle knocking at the door and Brian's voice called softly, "er, can I come in?"

"It's open," Emmett called back and the doorknob twisted and the wooden door was pushed open just far enough for Brian to pop his head through the gap. He looked sheepish, almost embarrassed, his head dipped his eyes focusing on anything except the men in the room.

"Um, Justin," he mumbled. "Can I, er … can I talk to you a minute please?"

The kid looked at the man in the doorway and then to Emmett pleadingly. Luckily, the other man immediately got the message. He got to his feet and said cheerily,

"I was just going anyway. Why don't you come in Brian?"

Brian nodded and shuffled around the door. He didn't move from that spot until Emmett had brushed past him warning him under his breath not to fuck in his room. Brian almost smiled at that but then his eyes had fallen on the still dishevelled form of Justin and he felt sick again. He couldn't speak for what seemed like an eternity. He felt like he was searching all over his brain but no matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't find anything to say. So he didn't say anything. He just stood near the door in silence.

"Well…?" Justin encouraged eventually. "You said you wanted to talk to me, what is it?"

"I, er," Brian looked down at his bare feet because that would mean he didn't have to look into the kid's eyes. "I want to say I'm sorry."

"For what?"

Shit, Brian thought, Justin was not going to make this easy for him this time but he had to try anyway. He took a deep breath and said quietly, "for being an asshole." He paused for a second, finally getting up the courage to look at the kid. "I mean," he clarified, "I stand by what I said. We can't risk the police finding us for the sake of a phone call but I'm sorry that I didn't take into account your," he almost choked on the next word, "feelings."

Justin's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He was as surprised to hear it as Brian was that he'd said it.

"And," Brian said, slowly swallowing back the bile and the protests and the sarcastic quips that were all battling to leave his mouth at the same time, anything to stop this lesbionic, weak-person's apology. "I'm sorry that I made assumptions about how you feel about your family."

Justin nodded. Now that he'd spoken to Emmett and he'd calmed down a little and was looking back on the exchange with a rational head he too, could see Brian's point, not that Brian should have put it across quite the way he did.

"Well, I'm sorry too," Justin said firmly. "I should never have tried to call home. I was just angry and upset and I let my emotions get the better of me."

"Well, you probably can't help it," Brian smirked, "you are a bit of a drama queen after all."

"Asshole," Justin replied fondly.

"Twot," Brian grinned. They smiled at each other for a moment until Brian said, "now go and get dinner started. I'm starving."

Justin laughed a little, pushing himself off Emmett's bed and going downstairs to get started on the cooking. After all, wasn't that he only reason they still kept him around?