A/N: The battle between Swanson and McKenzie is waged and Justin's role at the hospital is resolved.
Kinnetik – Same Time
"Brian? Silence. "BRI… AN," a little louder.
From his position across from her at the conference table, Ted glanced over at Cynthia and arched his eyebrows in an unspoken question of What's up with HIM? Brian, who was sitting next to his assistant, was participating in their meeting as usual, at least in body anyway, for the past thirty minutes but he was noticeably preoccupied with something. Normally during their weekly brainstorming sessions, Brian was at the top of his game, sparking numerous discussions about possible new businesses to pursue or succinctly critiquing his subordinates' suggestions and ideas for new campaign pitches for current clients as his eyes bored into his employees'. Today, though, their typically sharp-as-a-tack boss was almost absent-minded, temporarily forgetting the names of clients or even zoning out at times such as now.
Cynthia shrugged her shoulders at Ted before gently nudging Brian in the upper arm to get his attention.
Brian raised his eyes from their downward position to glance across the table at his employee, the characteristic smirk plastered back on his face. "Yes, Theodore?" he asked, one eyebrow lifted as if he was questioning why he had been interrupted from his thoughts.
Ted sighed inwardly, expertly able by now to read Brian's look of 'don't even ask' written all over his face. Deciding not to call him on it for fear of being unemployed, he stated, "I was just saying that I crunched last quarter's numbers yesterday for Kinnetik and net profit after expenses is up 23% from the previous quarter."
Brian nodded as he played with the condensation on his water glass with one long index finger. "Yay," he said half-heartedly, not surprised actually; the company had secured two high-class, multi-million dollar accounts within the past few months so he would have been surprised if they hadn't shown a hefty profit from the previous accounting period. "I guess you can all go out now and buy those new crayons you've been wanting."
As everyone looked at him like he had grown a second head, he sighed softly, knowing in the mood he was in there was really no point in continuing their meeting any longer – he was too distracted to get anything productive out of it. "You kiddies are all dismissed," he told his employees as he stood up and loosened the tie around his neck that was quickly beginning to feel like a constrictive noose instead. "Now go make some more money."
The meeting's participants stood there a little shocked that they were being dismissed from the meeting after only an hour's time – normally these weekly feedback sessions lasted most of the afternoon – before Brian growled, "Shoo!" and they all rose from their seats to leave as if they were a flock of pigeons being startled in the middle of Times Square. A few minutes later, Brian found himself alone with just Cynthia, who was gathering up the paperwork remaining there.
"Everything okay?" she had the gumption to ask; after working for Brian for several years now, she knew her boss's moods intimately, and it was obvious that he had something on his mind – something that was apparently not business-related. "Gus doing okay?" she inquired, knowing that would be the one thing that would take precedence over any business here. Last she heard he had been doing great, but not knowing much about meningitis, she wasn't sure how likely relapses were to occur. Had something happened to his son after he had been discharged?
Brian gazed up at her from his place at the table and finally shook his head as she stood there anxiously. "No, he's doing great," he said quietly with a tender smile. "He's back in school and even playing baseball again."
Cynthia nodded, frowning. Well, if it wasn't something to do with Gus, and Kinnetik business was going so well, what could it be? She waited a few seconds to see if Brian was going to volunteer the real reason why he was so preoccupied today, but she realized there wasn't going to be any more information apparently forthcoming as he returned his gaze toward his water glass and she was greeted with stony silence. "That's good," she finally said, nodding, not really knowing what else to say. "Give him my best," she added, having met Gus numerous times before when he came to visit his father and be taken out to lunch on occasion. Brian simply nodded a couple of times in response as, resigned, she picked up the rest of the papers left for the meeting and told him, "I'll be at my desk if you need me, then." She eyed her boss once more curiously before, being the discreet assistant that she was, she turned and quietly left the room, closing the door behind her.
What is WRONG with you, you asshole? Brian thought to himself as he heard the door close, bathing him in silence. But he already knew what – or who – the problem was. He should have never fucked the living daylights of a certain fiery, blond spitfire last night who practically wore him out because now he couldn't keep his mind on anything else except wanting to be with him again. He knew everyone at the meeting, especially Cynthia and Ted, had to know something was going on, but he wasn't about to admit that he was acting like some lovesick little faggot over his first crush.
As he glanced at the nearby landline phone on the table, though, thoughts of how Justin's day was going filtered through his mind and he thought fleetingly of picking up the phone and calling his cell number in hopes of reaching him. He did want to know how his first day on his new job was going, but truthfully he just wanted to hear his voice. He sighed; how did he get to this point of being so fascinated with another man? He grimaced; he never thought that being kind to his son could be so damn sexy, but that had to have something to do with. Of course, Justin was beautiful, inside and out, and quite intelligent, more than capable of holding up his end of any discussion they had. And he was also creative, passionate, and full of life, all qualities that Brian found extremely attractive. Plus, perhaps just as important, Justin's sexual appetite was as insatiable as his, at least where the two of them were concerned; he smiled to himself as he recalled his lover had almost exhausted him as much as he had worn HIM out last night and this morning, too, before they had had to go their separate ways. He liked to think that Justin was that uninhibited and passionate when he was only with him, not choosing to even consider what sort of previous sexual encounters Justin might have had with other men, because he found himself jealous as hell at just the thought of it...
Oddly enough, though, the most amazing part about Justin was his empathy and compassion for others. Brian had seen it time and time again at the hospital, especially with Gus, and it was like some fucking aphrodisiac to him for some reason. He sighed; he was truly and royally fucked, because he knew he would want Justin in his life for a long, long time. He just didn't know how much he wanted to admit that to Justin, admit just much he had come to care about him in such a relatively short time. But he did know a couple of things – Number One, he needed to make sure Justin realized how much he meant to him, and Number Two, he had to find a way to get the damned man off his mind while he was at work so he could continue to enjoy his stature as Pittsburgh's top advertising executive.
First things first, though. He picked up the receiver and dialed Justin's cell number, waiting three rings before, to his profound disappointment, the call went into his voicemail. He smiled as he heard the familiar, sweet voice of his lover speaking before he left his message. "Hey, it's me. I was just wondering how your first day as Top Dog was going. Call me if you get a chance and let me know, okay? Oh… And how about dinner tonight at the loft to celebrate? Let me know."
As he replaced the receiver, he bit his lip thoughtfully for a few seconds before, flipping his laptop shut, he stood up from his place at the table and walked toward the door to open it. It was time to get back to work for now. Show 'em what you're made of, Florence, he tried to telepathically project to his lover as he walked out of the conference room and back toward his private office.
Kelly looked up from her desk as her boss and the chief surgeon came stomping down the hallway from the conference room, no more than a minute after Swanson had stormed inside; she had imagined they would have verbally sparred in the same room where the new orderly-turned-art-therapy-assistant was presiding, but apparently for some reason they were going to hash things out in her boss's private office instead. She noted the strained expression and set jaw on the Chief of Staff's face as Swanson trailed along right behind him. She risked one glance at her co-conspirator as their gazes locked momentarily when he passed by; she twisted her mouth in a sort of expression that silently encouraged him before, with a curt, almost imperceptible nod to her McKenzie opened the door to his office. "I do NOT want to be disturbed under ANY circumstances, Kelly, am I understood?" her boss told her as Swanson forcefully pushed his way past the other man and entered his superior's private sanctum.
The redhead nodded silently, forcing herself to keep a neutral, detached expression on her face as McKenzie turned and followed Swanson inside, firmly closing the door behind him.
The two men now safely alone in the confines of his office suite, McKenzie didn't even bother with any niceties as he walked over behind his desk and whirled around to face the other man, choosing to remain standing as he braced his back up against the tall wall of windows overlooking the hospital's rear grounds that were flush with mature shade trees and a large stone fountain depicting a mythical, female guardian angel with her hands outstretched – ironically enough, the same garden spot where he could envision Justin soon conducting some of his art therapy sessions with his patients. "Sit down," he commanded in a stern growl, leaving no room for any argument otherwise.
Swanson thought fleetingly of just remaining where he was, standing there rigidly in the middle of the other man's office in an act of defiance and domination, but ultimately he slowly trod over to one of the dark-brown leather office chairs facing McKenzie's desk and slowly sat down, his hands still folded over his chest as he stiffly sat in the chair.
McKenzie stared down at him squarely in the face, his steely eyes boring into the other pompous ones as he braced his hands on the back of his chair, the normally tanned-looking flesh appearing white from how tightly he was gripping the leather; the veins bulged on his neck as he barked, "First of all, how dare you barge into a private meeting uninvited! This meeting had nothing to do with your job and I don't appreciate being interrupted and embarrassed in front of my hospital staff!"
"Now hold on!" Swanson countered, his own ire boiling over immediately. "It has everything to do with my job as well as everyone else who works at this hospital! Unlike you, I happen to be concerned with this hospital's reputation!"
"What the hell, Swanson? I'm Chief of Staff here – my utmost concern has been, and always will be, the financial strength and morale of this hospital, as well as its reputation! Don't insult me by insinuating otherwise."
Swanson snorted contemptuously as he glared up at the other man; who did he think he was? If it hadn't been for him agreeing to come here as Chief Surgeon, their status would have been relegated to a two-bit, second-tier facility. Thanks to him, it had been elevated to a top-notch institution. "If you WERE looking out for this hospital's welfare, you would have never in your right mind given that perverted fag a fucking promotion!"
McKenzie was astounded; he knew the man had been disturbed by Justin's inappropriate display of affection by the elevators and in the children's recreation room earlier, and he had actually agreed at the time that it was not proper conduct for any employee, gay OR straight, to participate in such types of demonstrations where the public had easy access to the area. But this was the first time such vulgar and vitriolic terms had escaped the other man's lips so easily, and in that moment most – if not all – of the respect he had felt for this gifted, talented surgeon quickly disappeared as the man's true colors surfaced.
"Don't tell me how to do my job, Swanson!" McKenzie shouted, unable to hold his voice down now. "And I don't ever want to hear such a bigoted phrase ever used again in my presence! This hospital has always prided itself on its openness and tolerance of all creeds, races, and sexual orientation, whether it's a patient OR an employee. As a member of this hospital, you made a commitment to adhere to that policy, which I fully expect you to do! What Taylor does in his spare time is none of your business!"
"It is if he's conducting it in broad daylight in full view of the public," the Chief Surgeon countered. "So let me get this straight," he continued, smirking at his unintended pun, "instead of exacting proper punishment for his actions you're rewarding him for his behavior instead?" Swanson couldn't believe this was really happening. Was this man fucking insane? He rubbed his hands over his face vigorously in frustration, trying somehow to erase this horrible possibility from his mind, but he knew this was no dream; it was all too horribly real.
McKenzie tried to take a deep breath to calm himself but found that he was failing miserably; for the past several years, he had had a problem with high blood pressure and was taking medication in an attempt to lower it, but it was almost as if he could literally feel the pressure rising each time the other man spoke. He certainly could feel his heart racing as adrenalin shot through his body in reaction to the other man's audacity and bigotry. "Not that it's any concern of yours, Doctor," he said icily, "but Taylor was appropriately disciplined for what he did. The job I offered him – and he accepted – is totally separate from the temporary suspension that was handed out to him at the time."
Swanson was dumbfounded. "How can you SAY that, McKenzie? You don't feel that offering him a new job – at a substantially-higher salary, I'm sure – and a position that was apparently especially created just for him would constitute a reward for what he did? Are you that dense or just stupid?"
The Chief of Staff huffed out a furious breath. "You may have technical skills that far outweigh those of most doctors, Swanson, but you are sorely lacking in interpersonal skills! May I remind you that I am the Chief of Staff here, and as such I am responsible for administrative matters, NOT you? YOUR job is to carry out the surgeries that are assigned to you and conduct aftercare on your patients, NOT dictate whom I can and cannot hire or promote! And furthermore, if you cannot keep your venomous, bigoted feelings out of this hospital, I suggest that you find another facility that is more tolerant of your behavior!" McKenzie felt he was going to be sick to his stomach if he had to look into the other man's righteously-indignant face anymore as he turned to face the windows, peering down into the fountain below and trying to concentrate on the rushing water coming out of the angel's hands, hoping for anything that might slow his heart rate down to a normal rhythm and lower his rapid breathing. Something told him, though, that that wouldn't happen until this man was out of his office.
"Excuse me?" He heard Swanson respond behind him with a bark of laughter. "You're telling me you would choose that fairy over ME? Are you crazy? Well, I got news for you, McKenzie! I'm not the ONLY one who doesn't want immoral faggots being employed by this hospital. Hell, your OWN assistant feels the same way!"
McKenzie whirled around in shock, noticing a flash of regret crossing over the other man's face at his slip of the tongue. "What did you just say?" Surely he couldn't have heard that right. His own assistant?
"Nothing," the other man uncharacteristically mumbled, his previous bluster quickly gone as he lowered his eyes and tried to squirm out of his outburst.
"No, I heard you – you said my own assistant felt the same way. Are you talking about Kelly?" He had only had his new assistant under his employ for the past few months, but she had seemed capable enough and had never really done anything to displease him. She sometimes wasn't the fastest typist in the world, and didn't always arrive at work right on time, but for the most part she had handled her tasks proficiently enough. How would Swanson even know WHAT she thought? As far as he knew, the only contact they ever had was when he came into his office to meet with him or she called him on the phone to set up an appointment for the two of them. He had to know for sure, though, if Swanson was really telling the truth or just trying to deflect some of the blame onto someone else. "Answer me, damn it! I asked you a question! How do you know WHAT my assistant thinks?"
Swanson lifted his head to stare into the darkened orbs of his superior. If HE was going down with the sinking ship, then so was she. "She told me, McKenzie. She's my son's girlfriend. She's the one who came down to my office while you were in your little art fairy meeting this morning to make sure I knew you were rewarding Taylor for his sordid behavior. I couldn't fucking believe you would DO that! And neither could she. Someone has to save this hospital from yourself."
McKenzie pursed his lips tightly together as he loomed over his desk and braced himself with his hands to stare unflinchingly down at the other man. He was leaning in so closely now that he could feel the other man's huffs of angry breaths washing over his face as he quietly said, "I don't need saving, Swanson. And this hospital doesn't need YOU. If you can't tolerate other lifestyles and keep your opinions to yourself, you don't belong here. You have two choices: you can either submit your resignation to me no later than first thing tomorrow morning or I will announce your dismissal from this hospital's employ then. What's it going to be?" He knew he was taking a calculated risk letting this man go – after all, he had been instrumental in elevating the hospital to a more prominent stature since he had arrived – but he also knew he couldn't afford to work with someone who held such a high degree of prejudice and intolerance. The poison Swanson was spewing would only serve to seep into other parts of the hospital, making it a toxic environment to work in; the last thing he – and his patients and employees – needed was to be embroiled in such bitter hatred.
The Chief Surgeon's eyes narrowed into slits as he growled, "You wouldn't dare. I MAKE this hospital!"
McKenzie stared unblinking into his eyes as he quietly snarled, "No, YOU make this hospital ugly with your words of contemptuous venom! This hospital doesn't NEED your kind of holier-than-thou attitude!" The younger man rose from his position behind his desk to stand tall and erect as he straightened the bottom of his suit jacket with his hands. "Now… You have one minute to give me your decision, Doctor; if you choose to resign you will be paid the remainder of this year's salary in keeping with your contract's stipulations, but either way as of tomorrow morning you will no longer be considered employed by this hospital."
Swanson was stunned as he shook his head in disbelief; the man really was serious about letting him go. "You would fire me in favor of some inconsequential orderly with jaded aspirations of being another Andy Warhol?"
"Yes," McKenzie verified as he let out a deep breath. "I would, because I see something in that young man that you are sorely lacking in – compassion and understanding. He represents the future of this hospital and why it will continue to thrive long after you're gone. He cares about the patients, Doctor, in ways that you never will. He will contribute something that might not be as tangibly apparent as one of your surgeries, but it will resonate in ways none of us may realize, and benefit this hospital for a long time to come. There may be other employees here that secretly agree with your narrow-minded views, Swanson, but Taylor's got the support of more people in this hospital than you know – including some very influential financial backers in addition to dozens of employees here – and I feel confident his supporters far outweigh the prejudiced, narrow-minded minority that includes yourself. Now what's your decision? I have more important matters to take care of this afternoon."
Insulted at the thought that he was being summarily dismissed, the man rose to his feet, still in shock that he was being discharged in favor of an inconsequential young man who had caused so much disruption in the hospital. "Fine," he told McKenzie, his hands on his hips. "If this is the way you run this hospital, I no longer wish to work here anyway. You'll have my resignation on your desk tomorrow morning."
"Very well," the other man replied coolly. "Should we get any inquiries afterward, I will caution the human resources department what they can and cannot discuss with potential employers." He paused for a few seconds before adding, "I only wish we were at more liberty to be more truthful with them, McKenzie, because I don't think you have any business working with the public in any capacity."
Swanson actually smiled at the other man, his arrogant sneer back on his face. "Well, fortunately for me that's not for you to decide, is it, Doctor?" He turned now to leave, walking over to the office door. As he placed his hand on the doorknob, he faced the other man and said, "Good luck with your little fag art assistant, McKenzie, because you're going to need it." And with that he turned the door's handle and yanked it open, the door banging against the wall roughly as he did so.
Kelly looked up, startled, from her desk as the door opened; she didn't have to strain her ears to hear what had been said; the raised voices coming from inside the office suite were quite coherent; in fact, they were so discernible that she knew her boss would be coming out of his office shortly to take care of another matter.
"Thanks for throwing me under the bus, Swanson!" she hissed at the soon-to-be former Chief Surgeon as he glared at her. "I'll be sure to tell your son all about it!"
The doctor paused at her desk long enough to snarl, "If you can't stand up for what you believe in, then you deserve the fucking unemployment line!" He stared into her widened, apprehensive eyes before adding, "And just for the record, you never were good enough for my son!" He laughed at her softly in piteous contempt before stomping to the outer door and opening it to disappear from sight.
The young assistant took a deep breath as she saw a shadow appear out of the corner of her eye. Lifting her gaze over to the private office doorway, she saw McKenzie staring at her in what looked like a mixture of anger and disappointment. "Ms. Hutchins – I need a word with you."
Same Time – Hospital Conference Room
"So we're in agreement to hold the next meeting on Tuesday at 9:00 a.m.?" Justin asked the participants grouped around the large oval table. A silent nod of everyone's heads confirmed the time as he added, "Okay. Well, if there aren't any more issues, I guess that's it for now." He took a calming breath, still not sure if there would even BE a need for another meeting; for all HE knew, he might no longer even have a job – as an art therapy assistant OR as an orderly. He looked around at the faces grouped around him – some he knew, some he had never seen before – and was bolstered somewhat by their openness toward him. All the men and women clustered around the table, whether they were highly-regarded surgeons, psychiatrists, therapists, or nurses, had all shown him respect for him through their suggestions and comments they had provided to him regarding ways in which to get the new art therapy department successfully off the ground. Once the initial, awkward ice had been broken, and everyone had started brainstorming ideas and suggestions, he had found himself even more excited over the possibilities of how he could help their young patients deal emotionally with their afflictions. He couldn't wait to get started on implementing some of the ideas that had been presented. He only wished he knew whether he was still going to get that chance. How could he hope to compete against a renowned, powerful surgeon such as Swanson? If the man pressed the Chief of Staff to let him go, could he realistically hope to prevail against someone such as that?
He noticed to his embarrassment that everyone was silently looking over at him now, apparently waiting for him to formally end the meeting. He stopped for a moment to think of how strange it felt for him to actually be leading a meeting of such influential hospital employees when not too long ago he was just another orderly here before he softly said, "I want to thank everyone here for their input. I am very excited to help get this new program implemented and I appreciate all your suggestions and for making me feel so welcome. Thank you," he repeated sincerely as he smiled back at them in gratitude. This new job felt so right for him, so perfect; if only he would actually get the chance… "That's all for today."
As everyone scooted back their chairs and rose to leave, he found himself alone after a couple of minutes with only Daphne, who had remained seated in her chair in silent camaraderie long after the other meeting participants had left; needing to get back to the ICU, Cathy McDonald had squeezed his shoulders and smiled encouragingly at him briefly before she nodded and silently trailed after the other hospital personnel.
Justin took a deep breath before turning to look at Daphne and confiding in his friend, "I wish I knew what was going on." He sighed as he confessed, "I really want this job, Daphne. I really think I could make a difference here."
"You would," she responded firmly. "You already have, Justin. Don't ever forget that, no matter what happens."
Justin placed his head in his hands, his shoulders sagging in worry. "I just don't know how I can compete again the Chief Surgeon. Dr. McKenzie's not going to risk upsetting him. What would he have to gain by taking my side over his?"
Daphne reached over and stroked her friend's back sympathetically. "Don't jump to conclusions. They were just going to talk, that's all. You don't know what's going to happen."
"Daphne, he came bursting in here with his face red as a beet! I don't think you have to be a mind reader to know the man was royally pissed, and I don't think there's any question as to why. I could read get out, faggot loud and clear all over his face."
The young resident bit her lip in sympathy; perhaps Justin was right. It was going to be hard facing off against such a formidable foe. But she had been here long enough to know that while McKenzie valued and admired Swanson's skills and he had felt compelled to suspend Justin for a short time to maintain proper procedure, he still had the reputation of being a fair man; after all, he had been receptive regarding their concerns over Justin's punishment and he had been open-minded enough to realize that her friend was the perfect choice for the new art therapy assistant. She somehow knew the man wouldn't just summarily discharge Justin just because the other man told him to; McKenzie did not come across as a pushover or he would have never become Chief of Staff. "Justin, just because Swanson, who's a homophobic prick by the way, is the Chief Surgeon doesn't mean that McKenzie will take his side automatically over yours. As Chief of Staff, his main job is to make sure the hospital functions properly and has the right people for the job. He wouldn't have offered you this new job if he didn't think you weren't qualified for it. This job is just as important in its own way as Swanson's, maybe more so in my opinion."
"I couldn't have said it better myself," Justin heard McKenzie say unexpectedly as he twisted around to see the Chief of Staff standing inside the open doorway; he could feel his heart began to race in apprehension as he stared into his superior's face, unable to read his expression. "Dr. Chanders, would you please excuse us for a few minutes? I'd like to speak with our new art therapy assistant alone."
Justin licked his lips as he tried to wet them, his mouth suddenly feeling dry as dust; he looked at Dr. McKenzie hopefully, but was he reading too much into that statement? Was McKenzie really trying to tell him that he still had the job? He looked over at Daphne, who smiled at him encouragingly before she whispered, "I'll talk to you later." He nodded as she rose to her feet to go.
"Dr. Chanders," McKenzie acknowledged her politely as she walked by him. He didn't really know this young woman very well, but he had heard very positive things about her from her training mentor, Dr. Broderick, as well as the ICU head nurse, Cathy McDonald, two long-time associates of the hospital whose opinions he had a lot of respect for. Realizing that she was supportive of Justin, it helped cement his opinion that this young man was worth fighting for and would continue to be an asset to the hospital.
"Dr. McKenzie," Daphne responded in kind; she turning around briefly as she left the room to look back inside as the Chief of Staff walked over next to Justin and pulled out one of the rolling leather chairs to sit down. Taking a deep breath, she silently projected her good luck wishes onto her friend before turning back around and leaving, noticing the assistant's desk now unoccupied.
Justin eyed the Chief of Staff nervously as he sat down next to him, deciding to remain silent and let the other man talk first.
The doctor smiled reassuringly at him as he asked quietly, "How did the meeting go?"
Justin frowned, not expecting his question. "Uh… Fine," he managed to stammer out. "Everyone was generous about giving me some really good suggestions on implementing the program." Taking a deep breath, he added, "If there's still going to BE a program." As he waited for McKenzie to reply, he couldn't help thinking that the program could still function without him, though...
McKenzie twisted his lips wryly as he smiled even more broadly now; he didn't know if he was happier about Justin being the new art therapy assistant or finally getting rid of his soon-to-be former Chief Surgeon. "Oh, trust me, we're definitely going forward with the program. And with you as the lead."
Justin felt a tremendous weight lifting from his shoulders and his soul soaring. "Me?"
The doctor huffed out an amused breath. "Yes," he told the other man firmly. "YOU. You were the key to getting it implemented in the first place, remember? Mr. Barton agreed to the financing only provided that you were placed there to help get it off the ground."
Justin's face fell a little as he considered whether McKenzie really had sufficient faith in him that he could do the job or he was simply sticking with him because of Barton's financial backing. "Is that the only reason?" he couldn't help asking.
McKenzie winced; that hadn't been his intention at all. "It was part of it," he couldn't help admitting. "But the seeds of the idea came to me when Barton visited my office initially to protest your suspension. When I received such glowing reports from him as well as many others about your artistic talent and your unique compassion and empathy for our patients, I simply put two and two together and came up with the idea for the new department. I had been wanting to do something like this for a long time, Justin, and Mr. Barton may have helped to start the ball rolling by agreeing to provide the financial means to make it a reality, but he didn't come up with the idea; I did, nor did he insist you be the candidate. He was very happy to supply the means to make it happen, though, once I explained who I had in mind for the job."
Justin nodded his understanding, letting out a heavy breath of relief. There was still the matter of the offensive doctor, however. "But what about Dr. Swanson? I'm assuming he was the doctor who reported me before?"
McKenzie nodded, impressed with the other man's intuitive sense. "Yes," he verified. "He was the person who reported you."
Justin licked his lips nervously, rattled by the knowledge that his foe was a powerful Chief Surgeon of the hospital; he may have never met him in person, but he certainly knew enough about him through the grapevine, as well as through indirect exposure to him at the hospital when he was called in for emergency consultations in the ICU or when he visited patients after their surgery, to know who he was. "I'm sure this new job is why he wanted to talk to you; I doubt that you managed to persuade him that I was the best person for it."
The Chief of Staff shook his head sadly. "No, we definitely could not come to a consensus regarding that." He brushed his head through his hair restlessly and sighed. "As much as I always hate to see an employee leave, I cannot justify employing someone who is bigoted and has no tolerance for different beliefs or lifestyles. That goes against everything I want this hospital to stand for."
Justin's breath hitched in his throat and his eyes widened. "You… You fired him?"
McKenzie shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "It's a matter of semantics. I actually gave him a choice – resign or be dismissed. He chose the more lucrative route of resigning, since he'll get the rest of his salary for the current year as a result and will avoid any nasty questions regarding why he was let go in the first place." The doctor knew this information he was divulging probably breached the rules of employment confidentiality, but under the circumstances he felt that Justin was owed an explanation.
Justin stared at him astounded; he chose him over the surgeon? "I… I don't know what to say," he murmured in disbelief. He had never had anyone support him like this, except perhaps for Brian. At the thought of his lover's name, he suddenly realized that he had managed somehow on his own to persevere through his conference meeting without Brian being at his side. But now that all the drama had settled down and the meeting was over, he suddenly felt this overwhelming need to see Brian, to touch him, to hear his soothing voice telling him that everything was really okay.
He looked over at the Chief of Staff, full of gratitude and respect for what he had done for him but still desperately wanting for his first afternoon as the new art therapy assistant to be over soon so he could receive a balm for his heart that only one man could provide. "I'm very humbled," he told McKenzie sincerely, "and grateful for your confidence in me. I promise that I won't let you down. I can't begin to tell you what this opportunity means to me."
McKenzie smiled as he stuck his hand out for Justin to shake. As the blond gripped it firmly, he replied, "I know you'll be great, Justin; you've got a big heart for these kids and that's what this job needs, in addition to your artistic talent. I have all the faith in the world that you're the perfect person for this job."
Justin smiled as the Chief of Staff released his hand and stood up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some paperwork to prepare for someone's imminent departure, and a very busy schedule for the rest of the day, including finding a new assistant." At Justin's lifting of his eyebrows in question, he smiled back at him and shook his head slightly. "Long story. Nothing to worry about." He paused for a couple of seconds before adding, "By the way, I'll need a copy of your school schedule until your summer break, so I can work with HR to construct some working hours for you here at the hospital until you can work full-time. You'll still be able to do that once school is out for the year?"
Justin nodded. "Yes."
McKenzie nodded in return. "Good. If you'll stop in my office tomorrow then, I'll make sure you get a copy and we'll go from there, okay?"
Justin smiled. "Okay. I get out of school around 2, so I can stop in tomorrow afternoon?"
"I'll have it ready for you then," he was told as McKenzie turned to go. "See you tomorrow."
As the man quietly left a few seconds later, Justin let out a huge sigh of relief. He felt bad that he had been put into the middle of a major headache for the Chief of Staff, but he was convinced the man did what he felt he had to do. And most importantly of all, he felt confident that McKenzie chose him for the new job because he truly felt he was the best choice. That made him feel so good.
He smiled as he stood up; he couldn't wait to tell Daphne what had happened – she was going to be so shocked! But most of all, he couldn't wait to see Brian again. He needed his arms around him, holding him, loving him.
Walking out of the conference room, he noticed McKenzie's door closed and the assistant's desk empty as he walked out into the hallway and toward the elevators. As he entered the car and pushed the button to descend down to the lobby, he realized he still had his cell phone turned off; he had changed the mode to 'silent' when he had entered the conference room. Flipping it open, he turned it back on, noticing he had one voicemail message.
His heart swelled as he played back the message from Brian, wondering how his day was going. If you only knew, Brian, he silently answered as one side of his mouth lifted into a wry grin. When he heard the rest of the message, though, asking him if he wanted to come to dinner at his loft this evening, his face broke out into a broad smile. He couldn't think of anyplace else he would rather be.
One quick cup of coffee with Daphne, he decided, as he reached the lobby and headed down to the ICU in search of her. Then he would hurry back to his apartment to shower and change. He supposed he should call Brian, though, to let him know he was okay. He wasn't quite sure how much detail to go into over the phone, however. He had a feeling that if Brian knew what had happened this afternoon, he would be tempted to head over here and grind Swanson down to a bloody pulp if he could find him, and after everything that had happened, the last thing he wanted was another confrontational scene involving the two of them.
Finding a relatively deserted alcove near the bank of elevators, he flipped open his phone and dialed Brian's number.
Brian reached over almost blindly for his phone as he scrutinized the latest art work regarding the Holmes Air account on his laptop; overall he was pleased with the design, but there was something not quite right about it. "Yeah," he answered casually as he continued to stare at the layout, wondering why it seemed askew.
"Hey," he heard a soft voice say and his heart skipped a beat. It was so fucking great to hear that sound.
"Hey to you, too," Brian said to Justin, trying to sound nonchalant even though his pulse was racing just at the sound of his lover's voice. "How did it go?" He thought Justin paused longer than necessary before he heard him say, "Okay. I'll tell you all about it when I see you."
Brian frowned; he couldn't quite place it, and he knew he hadn't known Justin for very long, but he could still tell by his tone; things might have gone 'okay,' but there was still something amiss just the same. "Justin? What aren't you telling me?"
He heard the blond sigh and he knew he was right. "No, really… Everything's okay," Justin told him. "I… I'll fill you in on the whole thing when I see you."
"Justin…"
"Don't worry," Justin told him, trying hard not to sound like a wimpy little sissy. "It's all right; really." Before he called Brian, he had told himself he was not going to concern him with what had happened; everything had turned out fine in the end and that was all that mattered. As soon as he heard his lover speak, though, his conviction had begun to quickly falter; just hearing him over the phone made him want to see him even more. "I'm going to run by the apartment, shower and change and I'll meet you over at your loft later… If you still want to have dinner."
Brian smiled tenderly into the phone. "You bet I do," he said softly.
Justin's heart did a flip flop. He could almost see Brian smiling through the phone as he replied, "Good. What time?"
"About six-thirty?"
"I'll be there," Justin told him. "Later."
"Later," Brian whispered as he closed his phone shut. His initial smile at Justin's agreeing to come to dinner dissipated as he frowned in concern. Despite what Justin had said, he knew something must have happened – he could tell. He sighed, hoping whatever it was hadn't been too traumatic. He was determined to find out, though; tonight he would press the blond until he told him exactly what was bothering him. He was determined to make their relationship work, which meant they had to be open with each other.
How open are YOU being? he couldn't help asking himself. He knew he cared for Justin deeply by now, more than he had ever felt for any man before. And he knew he had managed to convince Justin that he wanted more than just a casual relationship with him; hell, just the realization that he was looking at them in that light was quite revealing to him. Did Justin really know the depth of his feelings for him, though? Perhaps more importantly, was he even willing to admit that to him aloud? He bit his lip in contemplation; before, that question had never been an issue because he had never felt this way before about anyone. This was all so new to him, so fucking bizarre in a way, but he did know one thing: he didn't want to jeopardize what they already had; he only wanted it to move it forward. He had already told Justin he was special; from his standpoint, that was huge. But instinctively he knew – Justin would need more than that, would crave more than that. He felt everything so deeply, whether he was helping to make the hospital's patients feel better, interacting with his co-workers, or being with him. If it meant that he needed to move a little outside his comfort zone to keep Justin happy, then, he would.
Letting out a heavy sigh as he made a decision, he rose from his chair and grabbed his car keys from his desk. Gathering up his laptop and the prototype visuals for the Holmes Air campaign, he determinedly walked to his office door and out into the hall.
His assistant raised his eyes to greet him as he walked up to her, her eyebrows lifted in surprise at his apparent imminent departure. "Leaving?" She knew he still had a couple of appointments left on his calendar for the day, but thankfully they were mainly follow-up appointments with a couple of minor-league, second-tier clients.
Brian nodded. "Yeah, cancel the rest of my appointments and reschedule them, okay? Something more important just came up."
Cynthia nodded and waited until Brian had left before she smirked, wondering just what sort of 'business' needed such urgent attention and whether it was related to her boss's absentmindedness earlier in the meeting. There was no way the great Brian Kinney was actually smitten with someone, was there? She shook her head at the absurdity of that notion; Brian Kinney in love? "Yeah, right," she said out loud softly. "Maybe with himself." She laughed at her slight joke as she picked up the phone to do as her boss had asked.
Thirty Minutes Later – Alleghany Children's Hospital
Brian stood leaning against his 'Vette near the entrance to the parking garage, wondering if he had lost his mind. He had managed to find a parking spot on the street where he could see each person coming and going from the main entrance to the hospital, including Justin, but the longer he stood the more ridiculous he felt. What was Justin going to think? That he couldn't go more than a few hours without seeing him? Was he on his way to growing a fucking pussy? He rolled his eyes. Maybe that was it; he was officially a lesbian now.
No… He told himself. It wasn't that. It was what Justin hadn't told him that was concerning him. If he had felt like Justin was being totally upfront with him earlier about how things had went, he would have been more than content to wait until later to see him. But he couldn't help thinking that there was something Justin hadn't told him; he hadn't asked him to come here, but he felt he needed to. He hoped to God he was wrong about his misgivings, but he had ultimately decided to take a chance that he wasn't and come anyway.
He was beginning to think that he might have unfortunately arrived too late to intercept Justin, wondering if he had left right away after they had spoken, when he saw the revolving doors turning and a familiar blond head emerging from the inside. His heart skipped a beat as he recognized the beautiful face of his lover. He was dressed professionally in a business casual outfit of an open-necked, button down deep-red dress shirt and a pair of linen, dark charcoal gray pants and black, polished shoes. It was the first time that Brian had seen him dressed at the hospital in anything other than his typical white orderly's uniform and it took his breath away. He searched Justin's face to discern any readily-apparent distress there, but to his relief he didn't appear to be upset about anything, merely distracted somewhat.
Brian was about to move from the side of his car to intercept him when Justin turned his head and locked his gaze on his. He relished in the sight of his lover as Justin's face expressed surprise, then pleasure and a broad smile broke out on his face, a smile that Brian couldn't help returning.
Justin couldn't believe it; was Brian psychic? How did he know that he needed him, that he couldn't wait to see him again? He quickly scanned the busy traffic, impatiently waiting until there was enough of a gap both ways before he hurriedly crossed the street to approach Brian, who was standing next to his car, his crisp, navy-blue dress shirt open at the neck and wearing a pair of dark gray suit pants; his jacket and tie were missing and his hair was slightly tousled from a stiff breeze that had unexpectedly arose that afternoon. But to Justin he was the most gorgeous creature he had ever seen. God, he was so glad to see him!
Despite the trouble their previous encounters had caused, he couldn't help rushing over and melting into his outstretched arms; he sighed as Brian's arms slid around his waist and held him tightly against his lean, taut body. His own arms wound around his lover's back as he nestled his head under Brian's chin. He stayed that way for several seconds, feeling his stress draining way, until he pushed back gently from Brian's body to stare up into the mesmerizing green and gold eyes. "What are you doing here?" he whispered softly, reaching one hand up to lightly brush across the bronze skin at Brian's neck.
Brian reached up to gently grasp Justin's hand and trap it between their chests as the blond wrapped his fingers around his palm in response. Brian curled his lips under as he replied, "I thought the hospital's newest executive might want a lift home; somehow the bus didn't seem very appropriate for someone of your stature."
Despite Justin's vow to remain strong, he felt his eyes misting over in response to the tender tone in Brian's voice. Did Brian know how much he meant to him? How much this meant to him? How did he know? How did he know that he needed this right now? That he needed him? He swallowed the emotional lump in his throat and bit his lip in an attempt to not broadcast his feelings so openly, but as he watched Brian's face sober in concern he knew he was losing that battle.
"Hey… Talk to me," Brian whispered as he took his other hand and placed it under Justin's chin to gently lift his face and force him to look into his eyes. "What happened today that you didn't tell me about earlier, Justin?"
Justin sighed. "I… I don't want to talk about it right now – not here. I promise I'll tell you. It's not a bad thing," he assured him with a slight smile. "Really. It's just been a very long afternoon; can we get out of here?"
Brian gently caressed his cheek with his thumb as he gazed into the soft blue eyes, wanting so badly to kiss him but knowing in light of what had occurred before that it might not be a wise move at the moment. "Okay," he agreed, not wanting to upset Justin any further; truthfully, except for the fact that this was where he had met Justin, he didn't hold very fond memories of this hospital where his son had almost died. "Let's go." He reluctantly let go of Justin's hand to let him walk around the car and get into the passenger seat before he joined him in the car.
As he pulled out of his parking space at the curb, he had to keep his attention on the road, but as soon as he had the car in gear, he reached over blindly toward Justin's side and immediately felt his hand grasping his. He stole a glance over at Justin briefly, finding his lover's eyes locked on his; he saw a pink tinge of embarrassment appear on the blond's face as he caught him gazing at him but Justin nevertheless smiled back at him.
"Do you want to just come back with me to the loft instead?" Brian asked him, holding his breath while he waited for his response. "You can shower there." He stared over at his beautiful passenger for a couple of seconds longer before adding huskily, "You look hot in that outfit; you don't need to change for me." In fact, if Brian had his way, Justin wouldn't need any clothes at all for the rest of the night…
If Justin's face was pink before, it was even darker now as he felt his face warming over Brian's compliment and the velvety tone of his voice. He smiled self-consciously before saying, "If you don't mind."
Do I mind? Is he crazy? "Not at all," Brian told him out loud with a smile. "Suits me just fine. We can order in some dinner if that's okay." He kept his voice level, but inside he was doing somersaults.
Justin smiled. "I'd like that," he said softly.
Brian nodded as he returned his attention to the road, feeling inordinately happy inside about Justin's decision, but not giving a fuck that it was so normally unlike him. He didn't care at the moment, though, because damn it, he liked this feeling. "Good," he said as he counted off the minutes until they were alone again, just the two of them.
The rest of the time was spent in companionable silence as Brian pulled up to his loft's building and parked out front. As the two men emerged from the car, it felt natural for the two of them to link their hands together again as they walked up to the front door. Just before he punched in the security code, Brian decided he couldn't wait any longer as he gently pulled Justin against his chest and pressed his lips to the soft, warm mouth. Fingers intertwined together at their sides, he used his free hand to reach behind Justin's neck and pull him even closer, turning his head to find just the right angle to deepen the kiss. His tongue poked out to gently sweep across Justin's lips, silently craving entrance; he sighed as Justin's lips parted and he slipped his tongue inside to taste the sweetness hidden there.
Justin tentatively echoed Brian's actions, his tongue poking out to sample Brian's mouth; the sensations Brian was evoking almost made him light-headed and dizzy, but it was a good kind of affliction. He never ceased to marvel at how Brian made him feel. It was as if the two of them were made for each other and he had been waiting for this man to come along to show him what love was really like. Love? Was that what this was? Was that what this felt like? Could he know for sure? He hadn't really had a lot of experience with other men to use as a barometer, but he knew one thing: if it wasn't love, it was still the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to him…
"Brian," he whispered softly in a choked up voice as they finally broke their kiss several seconds later and Brian held him tightly against his chest like a comforting security blanket. "I… I'm so glad you came to get me."
Brian cradled Justin's smaller body against his. "I knew somehow that you needed me," he confessed, surprised at his own admission. He had never bared his emotions to anyone like this before, but somehow with Justin it felt right. "And I needed to see you, too, to know that you were okay."
Justin pulled back enough to look up into Brian's face, his own arms braced around Brian's back. "You did?" he whispered in pleased surprise.
Brian nodded, curling his lips under and feeling a little uncomfortable at baring his emotions. "Yeah," he said. "It was important to me; you're important to me," he added softly as Justin's face broke out into a smile and his eyes glistened over his touching admission. Feeling distinctly exposed by his confession, Brian leaned his forehead in to touch Justin's, closing his eyes as he reveled in the feeling of holding this remarkable man in his arms. He could hear his lover's soft breathing and feel the warmth under his touch as they stood there together, oblivious to anyone or anything else while they temporarily managed to shut out the rest of the world.
Kissing Justin tenderly on the forehead, he pulled back to stare down into his eyes once more. "Let's go inside," he suggested, wanting urgently to show Justin even more how much he meant to him. Justin nodded silently as he placed his arm around Brian's waist and the brunet punched in the four-digit code to enter the building's interior.
They held hands all the way up in the elevator, Brian almost afraid to do more for fear they wouldn't make it inside his loft before he ripped all of Justin's dressy duds off his lithe body and rammed, rimmed, kissed, sucked and fucked every inch of him; the blood red of his shirt, open at the neck to expose the creamy-colored skin, was causing all sorts of delicious thoughts to invade his mind as he impatiently waited for the elevator to arrive on the fourth floor.
Justin's pulse was racing as Brian's hand slowly crept higher to wrap his fingers around his wrist; as Brian's thumb began to idly rub lazy circles over the inside of his wrist, his body instantly went on alert, including his dick. He never realized how both ticklish and erotic such a simple action could be or that the tender flesh of his inner wrist could be an erogenous zone but he quickly discovered that it was as his heart began to race in response to the simple movement.
"Your heart is beating so fucking fast," he heard Brian observe in amazement as he looked over and locked gazes with him.
"It's because you're making me crazy," the blond couldn't help murmuring as Brian continued to rub his wrist sensually and looked at him in that certain, boyish way with darkened eyes that made Justin so fucking aroused that he could hardly stand it; that and the knowledge of what those skilled hands and lips could do to his body in short order. The tip of his tongue snaked out briefly to wet his dry lips, his entire body feeling like it was about to explode from desire.
Brian had told himself he was going to strive for a little control, knowing that something was bothering Justin that he needed to talk about, but he was quickly losing the battle with himself with every passing second that went by; Justin's tongue flicking out delicately to wet those soft, plush lips and his telling him that he was making him crazy wasn't helping, either, because he felt the exact same way about him.
"Better watch what you say, Mr. Taylor," he warned the other man. "Or we won't make it off this elevator. You're not the ONLY one going crazy here."
Justin's face turned a deep shade of red as thankfully, the primitive elevator slowed and then stopped on the top floor. He sighed in relief as Brian dropped his hand to pull the metal doors of the elevator cage back and stepped outside, the blond following closely behind him. Brian looked back at him in amusement, knowing precisely the inner turmoil he was going through. He had a feeling that their 'dinner' might just have to wait until later…
As he pressed the four-digit code to swing the loft's door open and allow Justin to enter, he indulged in a little ass-watching briefly as he stood just inside the loft, admiring the way Justin's dress pants clung to every delicious curve of his backside; damn, that outfit was downright dangerous. "Something to drink?" he asked as Justin turned around from his place near the couch.
"Beer?" he suggested as Brian nodded and walked over to the refrigerator to retrieve two bottles. Twisting the two caps off and throwing them in the trash, he walked over to hand one to his guest, their hands lingering longer than necessary as they touched.
"Sit down," Brian encouraged him as Justin slowly lowered himself onto the couch. Brian joined him soon after, propping his long legs up on the glass coffee table as he took a swig and glanced over at Justin. "So you want to tell me what happened today?" he asked softly as he held the frosty bottle in his hand. He didn't want to push Justin too hard to reveal what had been bothering him, but he figured the sooner he found out and could hopefully fix it, the sooner they could move onto much more pleasurable pursuits.
Justin reached over and placed his beer bottle down on a coaster lying on the coffee table and sighed. "It was nothing, really," he began as he restlessly pushed one hand through his hair.
Brian laid his own bottle down next to Justin's and reached for his hand. "Sorry," he said with a smile as Justin jumped a little at the coldness of Brian's hand that had been transferred from grasping the beer bottle. "You know that's bullshit, Justin!" he gently chided him. "You were obviously upset about something earlier. Just tell me what it was."
Justin bit his lip for a few seconds, wondering why this was so hard; everything had turned out okay, so why was he making such a big deal out of it? As he looked into Brian's concerned eyes, he knew he really had nothing to worry about. He supposed it was just because he feared that Brian would somehow blame himself for what had happened today, and that would be wrong; what had happened before to get him into trouble had involved both of them, and he had willingly consented to it. He knew he still had to be totally honest with this man, however; he wanted a long-term relationship with Brian and starting out with secrets would only harm that goal, not help it. He let out a breath before he replied, "I found out who reported our liaisons to the Chief of Staff."
Brian couldn't help smiling a little even considering the seriousness of their subject. "Liaisons, Florence? You make us sound so decadent!"
The indignant look on Justin's beautiful face was priceless as he tried to snatch his hand away in annoyance, but his companion was too strong for him and it remained firmly trapped inside the other man's grasp. His eyes flashed as he exclaimed, "Brian, please, I'm trying to explain what happened here!"
Brian made a motion with his free hand to indicate he was zipping his lips shut together as Justin nodded, satisfied that his lover would remain silent while he explained what had happened at the meeting.
"Well, I arrived at the meeting a few minutes before it was scheduled to start," he began calmly. "There were a few people I recognized, like Daphne – Dr. Chanders – and Cathy McDonald. Remember her? She was the head nurse down in the ICU when they brought Gus in." Brian nodded silently as he continued to stroke Justin's head reassuringly.
Justin nodded in acknowledgement. "Well, that made me feel a little better when I identified some familiar faces. And everyone else seemed very open and welcoming, including Dr. McKenzie, at least for the first few minutes of the meeting."
Brian wanted desperately to reply to that ominous statement but wisely chose to remain silent, knowing that Justin would provide him with the rest of the story when he was ready. He watched his lover take a few breaths before he started again.
"Well, we were about to get started when all of a sudden, the door burst open and this imposing man stormed in with his face as red as a beet! Even though I had never met him before officially, I still recognized him as Dr. Swanson, the Chief Surgeon at the hospital. I was wondering at first what he was doing there, because he doesn't have anything to do with mental health issues, but then he pointed at Dr. McKenzie and demanded to talk to him right away."
Brian's eyes widened at that disclosure; the Chief Surgeon was the one who had reported him and Justin? That certainly explained why McKenzie had come down so hard on Justin initially, at least regarding the speed at which he had exacted his 'justice.' So the Chief Surgeon was a homophobe? Lovely…
He did speak up, then, just enough to say softly, "Go on, Justin."
Justin licked his lips nervously before he continued. "Well, McKenzie led him out of the room down to his private office; it was obvious he was extremely pissed at Swanson for disturbing the meeting and when he left he told me to go ahead without him."
Brian studied Justin's face, his eyes darting rapidly back and forth sideways like they normally did when he was concentrating intently on something. "And did you?"
Justin smiled slightly as he nodded affirmatively. "It felt a little weird being the one conducting such an important meeting with all those doctors, therapists and nurses in attendance, but yeah, I did. And everyone was great about it! They all came up with some fantastic suggestions as to how to get the program started and make the most productive use out of it!"
Brian smiled as he noticed Justin's voice rising animatedly as he described the meeting; he could tell Justin had made the right decision in choosing to remain at the hospital. It was obvious how excited he was about this new job, and it would have been wrong to deprive the facility – and the patients – of someone with so much artistic talent and empathy toward others. "Good for you," he murmured approvingly as Justin beamed back at him.
Brian watched, though, as Justin's face clouded over a little. "What?" he asked quietly. "You told me everything is okay. It is, isn't it?" Had Justin merely skimmed over what had really happened earlier, afraid that Brian would think less of him somehow? "Justin?"
He watched as the blond shook his head, not sure, though, what that signified as he waited a little anxiously for Justin to continue. "Well, after the meeting was over – it lasted about an hour – I stayed back with Daphne to talk to her a little, because I was really worried that Swanson was going to make things difficult for me, and even demand that I be replaced before I even had a chance to begin. I mean, the man had to have a lot of influence there in his position." He snorted softly. "So all the time I was leading that meeting, I kept worrying that maybe I was conducting it all for nothing. That I wouldn't even have a job by the time Swanson got done talking to Dr. McKenzie."
Brian bit his lip, unable to read from Justin's serious expression exactly what happened. He sighed after Justin remained silent just a little too long. "Justin… You're killing me here! So what happened?"
His heart began beating again as he watched Justin's face radiant with a brilliant smile; God, what a blinding smile it was, too! He told him triumphantly, "Dr. McKenzie came back after he was done talking to Swanson to tell me that he had given him an ultimatum to either offer his resignation tomorrow or he would be fired, so the fucker decided to resign so he could collect the rest of this year's salary. Can you believe it, Brian? He chose me over HIM! The Chief Surgeon! God, do you know what kind of feeling that gives me?"
Justin's smiling face was contagious as Brian smiled warmly back at him, so thankful that McKenzie had had the balls to do what he should have done; stand up against bigotry and intolerance and support this incredible, amazing man. "Yeah, I think I have an idea," Brian laughed as he pulled Justin into his arms and hugged him tightly. "I'm so fucking proud of you, Florence!" he teased him as Justin laughed in delight. "And I'm so glad everything worked out for you!"
He pulled back to see Justin's eyes shining with such happiness and his whole face glowed. It was stunningly mesmerizing as he leaned in to kiss those warm, soft inviting lips once more. They remained locked together for several seconds until finally they had to separate slightly for air, both breathing form the exertion.
Brian brushed some hair back from Justin's face tenderly as he said, "Looks like we really have something to celebrate tonight, then – your new job and the ouster of a total asshole at the same time." He leaned in to nuzzle Justin's neck as he whispered, "Do you get a private office to go with that new job?"
Justin giggled. "I don't know, actually," he responded with a smile as he leaned back to gaze into Brian's eyes. "But let's not press our luck just yet, okay?"
Brian's mouth twisted up in amusement. "Yeah… Okay. I'll wait until you're at least broken in." He sighed in relief, so glad that everything had worked out. He was still a little disappointed that he wouldn't have the opportunity to see Justin at work on a daily basis, but he knew that Justin was happy with his decision and that was what was most important. He knew, too, that the hospital was where Justin belonged. He reached over to give Justin a quick peck on the cheek before standing up. "Well, I'll go order us some dinner, then," he told his companion. "Why don't you go take your shower? It'll probably be here by the time you get out."
Justin nodded as he stood up. Just before he turned to go, he paused. Brian's eyebrows lifted up in a silent question as the blond said, "Actually… I always have trouble reaching around to scrub my back," he said coyly. "You think maybe you could help me with that first?"
Brian licked his lips and grinned as his eyes raked down and then up Justin's body, so deliciously encased in his silky, blood-red shirt and tight, charcoal-colored pants. "Yeah… I think I can handle that if you reciprocate."
Justin grinned. "Deal. You first."