Michael's POV

Lindsay, Mel, Vic, Ma, Ted, Emmett, Ben, and I had gathered at Ma's house. I hadn't told anyone anything except that I had an urgent matter to discuss with them. Ma had graciously agreed to make snacks and was setting them out on the kitchen table, creating a buffet. Everyone was milling about, talking amongst themselves, wolfing down Swedish meatballs and clams casino, and tipping back glasses of wine. After 30 minutes had passed, Mel asked impatiently "So why are we here?"

I looked out the window. Not seeing Daphne or Jen, I sighed. "We're waiting on a couple more people. But… I guess we might as well start."

Everyone sat down eagerly, curious as to why they were here. I took a deep breath and began to speak.

Daphne's POV

I kept telling myself that I loved Justin and Brian and hated Ethan. The mantra calmed my nerves a bit and gave me the courage I needed to do this. I knocked on the door, hoping I wouldn't catch Justin and Ethan in an awkward position. Watching Justin smile at that pompous ass this afternoon was bad enough. I grew ill as thoughts of what else Justin might be doing to that ass flashed through my mind. I shook my head to banish the unpleasant image, as though it were simply a picture crudely drawn on an Etch-a-Sketch, and knocked again. Suddenly, Justin opened the door. "Daphne," Justin declared with a half-smile. He was clearly surprised by my visit. I hadn't exactly hidden my disapproval of Ethan.

I responded with genuine excitement. Justin was fully dressed, and Ethan was nowhere in sight. "Hi!" I said with a small wave. But just to be safe, I asked, "Is he here?"

He answered with a laugh. "If you mean Ethan, no, he's still working. Want to come in?"

Looking over at the unmade bed, the sheets bunched up and the blanket strewn on the floor, I said, "Nah. I can only stay a minute."

"So, what's with the drop-in? I thought you vowed never to come here."

I smiled. "Can't a girl change her mind? I really just wanted to ask if you were free tonight."

Justin hesitated. "Well," he said, wrinkling his nose, "Ethan and I are still a new couple. I should probably stay home."

Crap. Time to turn on the waterworks. I closed my eyes and placed a hand on my head. Think sad thoughts. Sad. Sad. Sad. The look on Michael's face as he told me, in a hushed tone, about the lookalike hustler. The look of desolation I imagine Brian wore before and after the hustler's visit. That did it. I had been concentrating so hard that Justin's soft voice calling my name barely registered. But when he gently rubbed my back, I looked up, eyes full of genuine tears and whispered, "I just need a friend. My best friend."

Pulling me into his arms, he leaned his head sideways to rest it against mine and said, "Okay. Let's hang out."

Trying to suppress my joy, I smiled weakly. "Thanks. Can we meet at the diner? In an hour?"

Justin returned my smile. "Sure."

Okay, just one more task to complete, and the show would be on the road. I stopped halfway to the car to do a happy dance. Everything was going according to plan. By this time tomorrow, Brian and Justin might be happily reunited.

Jen's POV

I can't believe I agreed to do this. Ethan seemed nice, and, when Justin had told me about his new boyfriend, I was relieved. Don't get me wrong. I liked Brian, and I was grateful for everything he had done for Justin. More grateful than I could ever say. But the age difference still bothered me. Then came Daphne's visit.

"Hi, Mrs. Taylor!"

"Hi. How have you been? It seems like ages since I've seen you."

"Oh pretty good. But I am a woman on a mission."

Laughing, I asked, "Mission?"

"Yes." She pronounced the word emphatically and paused. Squinting up at me, she bit her lower lip. She hesitated but then continued, "I need your help."

Very calmly, having no clue what she would ask, I said, "Sure. You know I'd help you with anything."

She laughed nervously. "You may want to hold off agreeing until I tell you what I need."

What had finally persuaded me? Daphne's words still rung in my ears. "Justin left Brian because he doesn't think Brian loves him." Another wave of guilt washed over me. I knew that that was NOT true. But I had never bothered to tell Justin about Brian's nightly visits to the hospital after the bashing. I don't even know why. Okay, maybe I do. Maybe I was hoping this would happen. That Justin would eventually leave Brian if he never perceived the depth of Brian's feelings. I knew how difficult it was for Brian to verbalize them. He had managed to say, "I care about him," after I had asked him to stop seeing Justin, but, flushed and uncomfortable, he had barely been able to look at me while saying it. It was only a matter of time. After hearing Daphne out, my mind had flashed back to Justin's behavior this morning. At the mention of Brian's name, he had looked down quickly and stated that he was with Ethan now. But he did not bow his head fast enough for me to miss the pain in his eyes. Remembering the hurt I saw, I winced. Obviously, Justin still loved Brian, and, after Daphne told me why Justin had left, I knew that keeping silent was selfish and wrong. Even cruel. So here I was. On Deb's doorstep, ready to help reunite Justin with the man I had tried so hard to wrest him from. The man I had been so sure would only hurt him. But he hadn't. Instead, he had brought Justin back to life, helped him be an artist again, and paid for his schooling when I couldn't and Craig wouldn't. I owed him this. Steeling myself, I knocked on the door.

Justin's POV

"Prove it!" The words echoed in my mind, making me slightly ill. When I had told Ethan that I was meeting Daphne at the diner, he had accused me of lying.

"You're just using her as an excuse to see Brian, aren't you?" he hissed.

"No. She…"

Ethan cut me off. "Save it, Justin. I should have known that Brian's money came with strings!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Did you fuck him? Earlier, when you went to see him, what did you two do?"

"Just talked. I was only there a few minutes."

"Right."

"Why would I do that? I love you."

"Prove it!" Ethan unbuttoned his jeans and placed his hand on the back of my head.

Pulling his jeans down, I kneeled in front of him. As I began stroking his cock, I looked into his eyes. They were black. I shuddered. Was this love?

Suddenly, Brian's words assaulted me: "I hope you get what you want." I had been able to see the hurt in his eyes, but he had spoken them gently, sincerely. He had continued to look at me, his eyes tinged with something else. Longing? I remembered gritting my teeth to suppress the tears threatening to fall and holding onto that doorknob desperately, as it was the only thing keeping me upright. Fortunately, before I could sink deeper into my sad reverie, Daphne appeared. She dragged me to her car by the arm.

Laughing, I protested, "Daphne? What's going on? I thought we were going to talk at the diner."

She threw me an enigmatic smile and replied, "Change of plans."

A few minutes later, we were walking into Deb's house. Daphne wouldn't tell me why. She just kept saying, "Trust me." I did, of course. So I didn't start to worry until I looked around the living room. Everyone was there. Well, almost. Lindsay, Mel, Vic, Deb, Ted, Emmett, Ben, Michael, and, even, my mother. My anxiety mounting, I asked, "Daphne, what the fuck is going on?"

She flashed me a shit-eating grin and replied, "It's an intervention."