Michael stopped. He couldn't move. He could hardly breath as Brian's words echoed in his mind. There was no way this was happening. He was more awe struck than anything. "Brian..." he finally said.

"I shouldn't have said a fucking word," Brian said. "Forget I said anything at all."

"But... Brian have you..." Michael ran his fingers through his hair. He didn't know what to say. It hadn't been like this when Ben told him.

"Can you just drop it Mikey," Brian said. "Just fucking drop it." Michael wanted to die inside. It felt like part of him already had. " I don't want to talk about it. I don't even want to think about it anymore, OK?"

"Ignoring this isn't going to make it go away," Michael swallowed. "Shit, Brian, let me help you."

"What the fuck can you do, Michael?! What the fuck can anybody do?! Not a fucking thing."

"You could... maybe you could talk to Uncle Vic... or Ben."

"Fuck Ben!" Brian said. "I don't give a shit what he thinks. You think I need somebody to tell me what it's like? I'd rather just judge the whole fabulous experience for myself."

"You can't do this alone, Brian. " Michael said. "It's... not a death sentence."

"Don't... Mikey. Just shut the fuck up will you. OK?"

Michael took a step back. He could see the fear in his best friend's eyes, although he knew that Brian wouldn't admit it. And as they stood there for a while listening as the chime from the Captain Astro wall clock marked six pm.

"Are we going out or not?" Brian said suddenly. Michael was silent. He knew he couldn't force Brian to face this, couldn't rush him into accepting reality. But he did know that he wasn't going to let Brian go through it alone.

"Yeah," Michael said. "Yeah... let me lock up."

The doorbell at the Novotny house rang, echoing the chime through the home. "Coming!" Debbie called from the kitchen. She put the pot from the oven on the table, going to the door. She swung it inward. "Hi, honey." Debbie said letting Ben into the house.

"Sorry I'm late, Debbie" Ben said. "Meetings. I hope I didn't keep you and Michael waiting too long."

"You mean Michael's not with you?" Debbie poked her head out the door, peering practically down the block.

"...No." Ben stepped inside. "I was going to meet him here." He paused. "Michael... must have lost track of time at the store. I'm sure he's just running late." The look on Ben's face said that he didn't believe it. "He would have called if he wasn't going to make it...."

Michael opted to pass on the drinks, but decided that keeping Brian at Woody's and away from Babylon for the night was the best thing. There was no talking Brian back to the loft and Michael couldn't just leave him alone. He was his best friend and Brian needed him.

Michael watched as Brian ordered his fourth drink in less that an hour, the keys to the jeep settled nicely in Michael's hand. "What's the matter Mikey?" Brian said. "You're not gonna... join me?"

"You're having... enough for both of us, believe me" Michael said. "Maybe you should slow down."

"What are you my fucking mother now?" Brian snapped at him. "Not that even my fucking mother would give a shit." Michael knew that it wasn't really Brian talking. That it was a mix of the shock and alcohol.

"Brian maybe we should go eat something" Michael said. "Instead of just the drinks maybe dinner." he paused. "Dinner. Shit." Dinner with Ben and his mother. It had completely slipped his mind. "Don't... go anywhere, OK. I'll be right back." Michael kept a hold of the keys to Brian's car, heading off to a quieter area of the bar with his cell phone, dialing Ben.

"Hello?" Ben answered the phone. "Michael?"

"I am so so sorry," Michael said. "Things got crazy... I completely forgot about dinner."

"Your mother is fuming," Ben said. "You need to talk to her."

"I know..." Michael said as a few men pushed passed him. "I know."

"Where are you?"

Michael couldn't tell him. Not over the phone, that he was sitting in Woody's with Brian. "Taking care of... something that came up unexpectedly. Something important."

"Something with Brian." Ben said almost knowing.

"I um... Can you just tell my mom I'll talk to her tomorrow?" Michael dreaded that conversation. "I'll meet you home later. I... I gotta go, Ben."

Michael hung up the phone, knowing he did want to leave Brian sitting alone at the bar too long. He might just drink enough to swim home that night. Michael walked back up to the front where he had left Brian, stopping short. Brian was nowhere to be found.

"Brian?" Michael looked around. He was still clutching the keys to the jeep, knowing that Brian couldn't have gotten far. Unless he had picked somebody up... "Damnit." Michael said. He rushed to the door. "Shit, Brian." He looked outside at the crowded streets. There was only one place on Michael's mind to look and if Brian wasn't there, all bets were off.