Emmet's POV

"An intervention? What the fuck for?" Justin asked incredulously.

Michael shook his head in Daphne's direction, apparently to prevent her from answering. He took a deep breath and said, "We think you should give Brian another chance."

Then there was silence or, should I say, a brief moment of calm before the storm.

"What? You have got to be fucking kidding me! Since day one, most of you have been telling me to leave Brian because he was bad for me, because I expected too much, because he could never love me…You in particular Michael!" Justin was furious.

Lindsay and Mel glanced at each other, guilt evident in their eyes, and Deb and Jen looked down.

Michael sighed. "I know." He stared at his feet for a minute but, then, met Justin's glare. "Look, I have recently come to realize that I have been biased and unfair when it comes to you and Brian."

Justin scoffed, "Tell me something I don't know" and looked away in annoyance.

Glancing quickly at Ben and Daphne, pain darkening his eyes, Michael continued, "The other night, I saw something disturbing that forced me to acknowledge how important you are to Brian, how important you have always been, and how much the break up or whatever is hurting him."

That got Justin's attention. He looked at Michael, the anger in his eyes replaced with concern, and asked urgently, "What do you mean? Is he okay?"

"Physically, yeah."

The implication was not lost on Justin. His eyes lost focus, and he unconsciously bit his thumbnail, thinking. Apparently, he was deciding whether to press for details because a couple minutes later, he did just that. In a soft voice, he asked, "What exactly did you see?"

Michael sighed, took Justin's arm, and pulled him into the hallway around the corner. I was dying to know what Michael was telling him; I think we all were, but no one moved. The silence was deafening. We just sat there expectantly. What could have upset Michael that much? What was so bad that he couldn't or wouldn't share it with anyone but Justin and, even then, with reservation?

When they returned, Justin looked like he was in shock. He followed Michael as though he were in a daze and then sat, or rather, fell, into a chair by the wall, staring into space.

Daphne rubbed Justin's back. I wonder if she knew the big secret.

When Michael broke the silence, Justin looked up, but slowly, as though he had just woken up from a deep sleep. "As Brian always says, 'Sorry is bullshit,' though I am sorry for the way I treated you in the past. But we need to move on from here. I want, no, I need to make it up to you in the only way I can…by saying and asking everyone else here to say what you should have been told long ago."

Confused, Justin looked around the room, meeting everyone's gazes, his eyes silently asking what it was he didn't know.

Justin's POV

"Me first!" Daphne clapped her hands and jumped, running for the VCR with a tape in her hand. Laughing a little, I shook my head. Only she could manage enthusiasm after a scene like that. She put the tape in the VCR and picked up the remote. She looked around the room and said to all in attendance, "There was a moment when I knew, without a doubt, that Brian had fallen in love with Justin." She smiled brightly. Then staring at me, she continued, "I did try to share this with you, Justin, but my description could never do it justice."

I shot her a baffled look.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as though to keep her excitement in check, but she still ended up dancing happily as she spouted, "I found a tape Of. The. PROM!" She jumped as she squealed that last word, and, no, I am not exaggerating.

"What?" I asked, smiling broadly. That was one of the worst consequences of the bashing, that I had not been able to remember the dance Brian and I shared at the prom. I still couldn't believe he had come. I glanced over at my mom, afraid she'd freak out, but she returned my glance with a weak smile and a steady look. Apparently, Daphne had warned her.

"Yeah, Jennifer Gaskell's dad was chaperoning and had been taping parts of it for posterity. Well, he was taping her dance with Bobby Kilgore when you and Brian took the floor. He was so surprised by what he saw that he forgot to turn the camera off. He even got some footage of you and Brian talking before your dance, though you can't hear what's being said." She smiled. "Well, here we go." She pressed play.

Lindsay's POV: The Tape

Brian was standing in front of Justin, looking at him intently. There was a question, a plea, in his eyes. Justin met his gaze, a strange look on his face. He seemed happy, but surprised, serious, and maybe a little overwhelmed. Brian spoke to Daphne. He must have been flirting because she blushed. Then he seemed to be asking her something, maybe if he could dance with Justin. She didn't answer because, at this point, Brian could only see Justin. It was as though they were the only two people on the planet. She moved aside, and Brian took Justin by the arm, leading him further onto the dance floor.

Brian removed his silk scarf and placed it around Justin's neck as they began to dance. They seemed to be waltzing. Slow and serious at first, but then faster and more lightheartedly. God, they both looked so happy. Laughing and smiling. I'd never seen Brian look sexier. After a couple of minutes, they started to improvise fancier moves. Brian kept spinning Justin. They never once broke eye contact, and they were open with each other in a way that made it clear they were lovers. They touched noses and foreheads, and, then, Justin removed Brian's jacket. As he did, he stood very close to Brian, with a predatory look in his eyes and a flushed face. He walked past Brian as he pulled Brian's jacket off, almost kissing him…and Brian…he looked so…vulnerable. Brian obviously wanted Justin, but the look in his eyes was one of longing rather than simple animal lust.

Emmett, who had been trying to subdue his excitement with a hand to his mouth, finally burst out, "You go, baby!" Justin blushed.

Justin tossed Brian's jacket at Daphne and then placed the scarf around Brian's neck, leading him with it for a few moments. More spinning.

Vic exclaimed, "Wow! When did you two learn to dance like that? Were you secretly attending ballroom classes?"

Justin shook his head. "No. I learned some things at the country club, but that was a long time ago."

Ben smiled. "But your movements are so well coordinated. I guess you two just fit together naturally."

Emmett was about to make a comment, probably a sexual innuendo, but, looking over at Justin's mother, he thought better of it.

Brian dipped Justin and then held him in his arms (Justin's feet off the ground) and spun. The spin eventually became a kiss. I can't even describe it. It was slow and tentative at first, but Brian quickly deepened it, almost devouring Justin, again, with desire, but not Brian's normal animal lust.

Emmett, unable to control himself this time, exclaimed, "Ooo…that was one HOT kiss!"

Justin turned red and smiled, but his mother was kneading her hands uncomfortably.

After Brian and Justin exchanged a few bright smiles, Brian led Justin off the dance floor. Everyone (but Daphne), even Justin, seemed stunned. Both Justin and his mother had tears in their eyes.

The tape cut off abruptly, shattering the happy mood the dance had inspired. We all continued to stare at the television, watching the bright white threaded with thin, angry black lines and listening to the unpleasant sound of static. But of course, we were all thinking about what came next, what the tape did not show.

Thankfully, Daphne turned off the television and said, "Even a year later, that dance is still the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!"

I was so grateful that she redirected our thoughts. I looked around the room. Minds returning to the dance, most smiled. Jen swallowed audibly and then stood up.

"Mom? Are you okay?"

Jen's POV

Justin and Brian had looked beautiful together, but watching the dance just made me think of the bashing. My brain kept telling me that it wasn't Brian's fault, but my heart was less certain. Even now, part of me blamed him. But for Justin's sake, I needed to put that aside. I had done it before the night I asked Brian to take Justin. I could do it again.

Justin, sounding even more concerned, repeated his question, "Mom? Are you okay?"

"I will be, once I get this off my chest."

Closing my eyes, I steeled myself. God, I hoped he wouldn't hate me for keeping this from him. I took a deep breath and then looked directly at Justin. "Brian…Brian came to visit you every night when you were in the hospital."

I could hear a few gasps.

"I didn't know until you were about ready to be discharged. The night nurse told me that he would come and just watch you sleep for hours."

Justin looked like he'd been hit by a bus. His face paler than I have ever seen it, he asked in a small voice, "Brian visited me? Every night?" I could see tears welling up in his eyes.

I don't know if he was just trying to absorb what I had told him or if he was really asking, but I answered anyway. "Yes."

I couldn't keep my voice from shaking. My nervousness growing as I waited for Justin to respond, I played with my blouse. Lifting it up a tiny bit and then smoothing it out against my slacks.

Justin put his head down and began rubbing his forehead with his hands. After a few minutes, the silence nearly unbearable, Justin lifted up his head to face me, blinking back tears that were now falling, and asked quietly, "Why?"

I had kept something from my son that he would have wanted to know desperately, and all he did was ask why. That's all, just a barely audible why. I had never hated myself more than at this moment. "No reason would be good enough, but, at the time, I blamed Brian for the bashing, and I felt I was protecting you."

Justin's eyes lost focus again, as he nodded slowly and repeated, "Protecting me."

Several minutes passed. I was afraid to speak. Everyone else seemed stunned. I didn't know whether they were more shaken by Brian's secret devotion or my blaming him for the bashing. Maybe both.

Suddenly, Justin stood up. "Okay, the rest of you have 10 minutes total to tell me whatever else 'I need to know.' After that, if I don't get out of here, I am going to combust."

Deb looked around uncomfortably, rubbing her hands on her legs, probably to calm her nerves, but, then, she spoke. "The night you came to my house all wet from the rain, I went to see Brian. I told him that I didn't want you getting hurt more than you already had been. Then I accused him of being in love with you. Of course, he didn't tell me he was, but he didn't deny it. The look on his face…I knew then that he had fallen for you."

More gasps and then silence.

Then Lindsay spoke up. "Remember the GLC art show?"

"Yes." Justin's voice barely rose above a whisper.

"You wanted so much for Brian to see his picture framed and were so surprised that he actually came. I was, too. Well, later I found out that the person who had bought the picture…"

Justin interrupted her, his voice still soft, "Was Brian…"

"Yes."

He nodded slowly and cleared his throat, wiping away tears. "I suppose you were protecting me, too…"

"To be honest, I'm not sure if I was trying to protect you or…"

Mel, eyes black with rage, cut her off, "…or were just jealous that Brian actually seemed to care about Justin? He went to Justin's show, he bought Justin's drawing of him, as though it meant something to him…"

"Mel! Stop it!"

"I am SO tired of your obsession with him!"

Mel jumped up and headed for the door. She hesitated for a moment, turning back to look at Justin. She had a sympathetic expression on her face. "I don't know if this counts, but…the day after your birthday, Lindsay told Brian that he should have given you a more thoughtful present, like flowers. Later that night, I went to the newsstand to get Lindsay some art magazine she'd wanted to read. However, I never bought it because I saw Brian there. Holding roses. He seemed to be debating whether to buy them. In the end, he didn't, but he seemed upset. I was so shocked that I just went home. I guess you need to add me to the jerk list. I'm sorry." Then she left. Lindsay quickly followed.

Justin just sat there, kneading his head and sniffling a little.

After yet another shocked silence, Michael said, "When we were all planning protests and marches to hold the judge from Chris Hobbs's trial accountable, Brian made a kind of crazy glue that he had accidentally discovered in high school and glued the judge to the toilet he used every day. He was so angry that the judge interrupted the trial to take a dump."

Justin smiled at that. "That's so Brian…"

"Yeah." Michael laughed, but then continued, more seriously, "Also…the reason he punched me at Lindsay and Mel's party was because…well…I said something horrible about you. I am too ashamed to even repeat it."

Justin sighed and asked, "Is that all? Or does someone have something else to tell me?"

Ted looked around, and, when no one else spoke up, he said, "I guess I have something to add."

Everyone looked surprised.

"Remember when Brian was supposed to take you snowboarding?"

Justin sighed. "Yes."

"Well…when he got back from Chicago, he immediately came to Babylon looking for you."

Emmett interjected, "Oh yeah…He said he had some good news to share, but, when we told him you weren't with us, he just left. He didn't tell us what the news was, and he looked disappointed."

"Yeah," Ted continued, "The news was that he had made partner."

Justin's POV

When I left Deb's, I could barely think. Everything that had been said was floating around in my head. I couldn't stop crying. But as I walked down the steps, my mind suddenly cleared. I only had one thought, and it soon became an urgent need. Brian. The tears stopped flowing, and I started to run. An hour later, I was sitting next to Brian's elevator, holding a video tape in my hand.

I jumped up when I heard the elevator start to move. When it stopped, Brian and a tall brunet stepped out. Brian had a blank look on his face. He barely acknowledged the trick's existence. Then he saw me. He looked shocked. He just stared at me. I was expecting him to brush me off, but, to my surprise, he turned to the trick, pushed him back onto the elevator, and growled, "Get lost." Then he opened the loft door and walked in. A few seconds later, he turned back and asked impatiently, "You coming?"

I followed him inside. He turned around and started staring again, his expression unreadable. Then he asked, "Why aren't you with the fiddler?"

I was so nervous. In the hour I had been waiting, I hadn't figured out what to say or do. All I knew was that I needed to see Brian. "He no longer matters. I…"

Faced with the man I had loved and desired for two years, the man I still loved and desired, I couldn't help but start crying again. I looked down, cleared my throat, and willed the tears away, but, as I continued, they were still evident in my voice, "I…realized that I don't love him. That I never did. I don't expect anything, but I needed to tell you that I…I love you."

Brian looked down for a moment. When he raised his head, his eyes glistened, but he said nothing.

"I don't want to talk about the past or the future right now. I just…just…really need you to kiss me." My voice broke on the last few words. I prayed that he wouldn't tell me to leave.

Two heartbeats later, Brian grabbed me. Then more slowly, more tenderly, he touched his forehead to mine and inhaled deeply, as though he were breathing me in. He looked into my eyes with such intensity that my breath caught in my throat. He nudged my nose gently...and then he kissed me.