Stewie wandered back slowly, replaying the event that had just taken place. He mulled over how he was going to tell Brian, how the hell was he going to cope without him, his chest ached at the thought of losing him, but either way he was going to loose him, whether it be through breaking up, or through Braden breaking Brian's bones. He approached the house, the very place that had been spied on, and possibly is still being spied on. He glanced around looking for any sign of life other than himself, and approached the door.

Then it hit him. What if he went home? Alerted Joe that Braden had threatened him, threatened Brian, threatened his family? It wouldn't work, he'd be in the wrong, he shouldn't have left, he shouldn't have brought Brian with him, hell he shouldn't have even gone into the prostitution business! That was what got him into this mess, thinking that he could get easy money, and thinking that Braden would give him more money without any catches. No he'd make something up like, he was forced into it, yes, he was forced into prostitution and now his, Brian's and his family's lives were in danger.

Unless…

Stewie reached into the inside pocket of his coat and pulled out a small gun. No one in the world apart from him and the guy who'd he bought it off of knew about it. He'd kept it under his bed back at home, and now he carried it around with him, because quite honestly, this town wasn't as tight on the law as Quahog, and who knew when someone would corner you or try anything on you. Even Brian didn't know about it. It had never been used, but Stewie now contemplated on making this fact history. Why hadn't he used it back in the office? Why hadn't he pulled it out and then pulled the trigger, aiming for his heart, leaving him to bleed on the floor? All the deals he'd done with that man would be over, he wouldn't be able to hurt Brian or his family.

He would have once, many years ago…

Was it because he would be caught? That he would be in prison for a long time, looking towards his family and lover through iron bars? That he would have to pay the price of trying to save his family for the mistakes he'd made years ago?

No it was because he was scared that Brian wouldn't look at him the same ever again, despite knowing that he had shot the man to save him. No longer would he look into those eyes that loved him back without seeing that what he had done was wrong, that death wasn't the answer. Shooting your enemies doesn't get you very far, even though he knew that Brian would do exactly the same thing if he was in Stewie's shoes.

No he would have to make a run for it, tell Brian that he would explain everything when they got back to safety and alerted the police to his whereabouts. And if Stewie had to, he'd pull the trigger and face the consequences.

Stewie blinked out of his daze and went into the house that they were about to leave behind.

Peter awoke once more to the taste of bittersweet alcohol on his tongue and a pounding headache. Although he had gotten used to nights (and days) like last night, he always dreaded waking up in the morning, or even afternoon with the same feeling. He gave it a few minutes before he came to realise that he was still in the front room with his feet still touching the door, exactly where he had fallen last night. It was now 2 o'clock in the afternoon as struggled to get up and stumble his way across the room squinting through the light of the sun that gleamed in through the windows. It took him a moment to realise that Lois hadn't come in yelling at him for getting drunk again and collapsing on the floor instead of staying mildly sober and going to bed.

"Looois?" He called out to find out where she was. He slowly moved his head round the room to listen out for her until he saw a patch of red sticking up from the back of the sofa. Peter crept over to her in case she was brewing up for the biggest lecture he'd yet to have.

"Lois? Honey? Are you OK?" Peter tried to approach his wife with some delicacy. He peered round to see her face to find that it was gazing off into space. Peter doing what he does best, tried to get her attention by waving a large hand very close in front of her eyes. Lois blinked out of her daydream to look at a hung over Peter smiling at her from behind wonky glasses.

"Oh hey Peter"

"It's not like you to not be up and yelling at me when I wake up"

"I'm sorry Peter, it just that…I've been thinking about Stewie…"

"Stewie?"

"Joe came round and told me which direction he may have gone and that they were doing all they can to find him"

"Well that's good isn't it?"

"Yes but…"

"But what?"

"…Well…what if he's in trouble? What if he's hurt or-or doing something he shouldn't?"

"Like what?"

Lois suddenly realised what she was saying. Peter would go mad if he knew.

"Lois?"

"No he's probably fine Peter, I shouldn't worry if I were you"

"I'm not worried because I don't know anything"

"And that's the way it's going to stay, because I don't want you to do anything you shouldn't"

"Like what?"

"Like go after him? Or even Brian! Brian is probably still with him, you should leave it to the police, Peter, they'll handle the situation"

Lois got up and headed to the bottom of the stairs.

"Chris! Come on! You'll be late for work at the Baseball pitch!"

"Lois maybe you should tell me what's going on, I can help"

"Help as in get your friends and go out looking for him?"

"Well if it will help then maybe I will"

"You don't even know where he is!"

"I might, all we have to do is get a bloodhound and let him do the work!"

"Peter what are you talking about? Where are you going to get a Bloodhound? Besides the police have already found out which direction he had gone"

"But I want to help! I'll go over to Joe and ask if I can come and help look for him"

"Peter I don't think that's such a good idea"

"Why not? I'll go and ask him now!"

"Peter!" Peter made his way out the door, still slightly hung over and meandered towards his next door neighbours home.

Joe wheeled over to the door that someone was knocking on to open it, finding Peter wobbling slightly where he stood on his doorstep.

"Hey Joe!"

"Hey Peter, what can I do for you?"

Lois came running behind Peter

"Well I came by to see if I could help the police force in finding Stewie!"

"Uh look Peter it's not like we don't appreciate you wanting to help but—"

"Great! When do you set off?"

"I'm surprised you're not angry at him Peter, I would be"

"Oh well yeah I was mad that he left without even saying he would leave me his dinner, but that's in the past, I mean, I just want him back, because I know Lois misses him, and I miss my best friend Brian too."

"You mean you don't know?"

"Know what? Lois said he might be in trouble, but I guessed money or being mugged"

"No, know that your son's been working as a— "

'SWANSON, WE'VE GOT A LEAD ON GRIFFIN, WEST OF QUAHOG, I REPEAT, WE HAVE A LEAD ON GRIFFIN' Joe's two way transceiver cut the sentence short.

"OK Peter, if you really want to come you'd better do it now"

"Please Joe don't let him go! He still doesn't know yet!" Lois said to him as Peter rushed to the car, tripping up as he went.

"Lois he's got to know sometime…"

"…Then I'm coming too"

Brian looked at the clock to see that it was now 6pm. Stewie had left an hour previous and he wondered how long a meeting with the boss took. Suddenly the door clicked open and in hurried Stewie looking around frantically.

"Hey Stewie, I found your watch…"

Stewie looked to where he pointed, and on the kitchen surface was his lost watch. He quickly put it on and hurried around again.

"Are you OK?"

"Brian we have to leave"

"What?"

"Now Brian, we have to go, pack what you can, we have to leave before he knows what's going on"

"Before who knows what's going on?"
"I'll explain everything when we get back to Quahog"

"Quahog? Why are we going back there?"

"Please Brian just pack!"

Brian didn't quiz him at this point. He quickly packed his shirts and trousers, his toothbrush and money. Brian reckoned that all this was something to do with Stewie's work, and therefore didn't fuss too much, deciding that they could come back later.

It took Stewie 15 minutes to cram his belongings into his suitcase, and peering all around the house, he ushered Brian out of the house and into the street. They didn't hurry like Brian had expected, instead they went slowly, Stewie glancing round every now and then to see if they were being followed. It started getting dark, making the journey even slower because Stewie was taking longer to look behind his shoulder and behind bushes and buildings.

Finally after a good hour and a half, they found their way towards the edge of Quahog once more.

The walk had worn them out and they found themselves at the diner they had been to some 4 weeks ago, and Stewie remembered what he had done there. He turned to Brian and led him to the wall of the square building which had closed for the night. They sat down and leaned against the brickwork.

Brian turned towards Stewie and put his arm around the troubled man kissing his forehead.

"So can you tell me why we're currently sat against a diner wall at night after walking out of town to get back to Quahog in such a hurry?"

Stewie let out a sigh to let him know that he was about to speak.

"Basically, my boss slash pimp slash landlord ordered me to break up with you after he found out you were living with me in the house he rented out to us, and he now wants me to work for him full time as his personal rent boy or else he'll kill you and my family if I don't…"

"Ah…"

"Hey you two!"

Both Brian and Stewie snapped their head towards the voice that called to them, finding that the source was the owner whom Stewie had had to pay a debt off to a month ago.

"What do you think you're do—you two…what are you doing back here…?"

"We're going back to Quahog…" replied Brian

"I had the cops snooping round here, asking me all sorts of questions about you after I told them I'd seen you here, and that you'd done what you did with me to pay off your breakfast."

"The police were here?" Stewie questioned him as he stood up to face the man

"Yeah, wanted to know which way you'd gone, where exactly you'd run off too, couldn't tell them much though, all I knew is that you were heading West, well from the direction you walked anyway."

"Did they mention my family?"

"Only that they were looking for you, wanted you back you know, from what the Police said…"

Stewie looked at Brian with a solemn expression of regret.

"They also said that I was to call them if I saw you again"

Stewie didn't answer him, if he was going to call the police then he would rather they showed up so that he could tell them everything that had happened and who was responsible. He watched the man get out his cell phone and dial for the police.

"Stewie, why are you letting him call the police? Won't you be in trouble if they catch you?" Brian questioned the younger man next to him

"I would rather tell them the truth and in turn they will catch my boss and put him away…"

"Yeah but you agreed to go into that business, you wanted to be one of them"

"No Brian, get the story right! I was forced into the business, he threatened me and made me do all those things, I trusted him and therefore believed that what I have been doing was for the better good"

"Stewie you could go to jail with him if they find out you lied"

"Oh come on Brian who are they going to believe, Braden, king of the West End hookers, women beater and master manipulatist, or me, the young care-free son of the police constable's best friend who knows me and my family better than anyone else?"

Brian gave a worried noise from his throat but didn't discuss the matter any further. The man came back from making the call a minute later.

"They'll be here soon"

Suddenly a gun shot came from a short distance away and fired towards them. All three men ducked for cover to avoid the bullet. Stewie took a glance in the direction it came and saw a woman holding a gun from behind a tree. He and Brian scrambled towards the man and they all hid behind the wall taking cover.

"What the hell?" The man who ran the diner that was being shot at looked alarmingly at Stewie and Brian for answers.

"Looks like they followed us anyway!" Stewie peeked past the edge of the building to get a view of who and where they were. Brian then saw Stewie reached inside his coat and pull out a gun.

"What the? Stewie where did you get that?"

Stewie didn't answer him. He was busy trying to see what was going on, and soon he saw that the woman wasn't alone. She came out from her hiding spot followed by three more women and…

"Him!" Stewie's eyes narrowed towards the man that had followed them out of town knowing very well that they had left trying to avoid his spies, and failed.

Even though Stewie knew that Braden had sharp eyes, he specialised in up-close observation, while Stewie took his advantage of having brilliant long range vision to take aim before Brian snatched his arm back.

"Stewie! What are you doing?"

"Let go, he'll start to come over he in a minute and he will not go easy on us, he will kill you two especially, he'll try and get me alive"

"But you'll kill him! The Police will be here soon, let them deal with it!"

"…OK" Stewie pretended to do what Brian had told him to do. Instead he took a quick shot for Braden, deliberately missing him, but hoping it will make him know that he had weapons to fight back with.

"STEWIE!" Brian found that Stewie was not smiling, almost starting to laugh at having fired his gun.

"You!" Stewie pointed towards the large man who was cowering behind a garbage can "We need a car" The man eyed up his car then back to Stewie pleading with him to leave his car out of it.

Stewie got up and dragged the man with him to his car "I want you to drive us back to Quahog, don't stop until I tell you"

"Stewie are you nuts? They'll kill you!"

"Brian get in now!" Brian decided that the car was in fact safer but the situation wasn't.

"DRIVE MAN!" Stewie yelled once they were all in. The man floored the gas and they shot off past Braden who has inched so close to the building that he now had to run back to his car and chase after them. For a split second Brian thought they had got a pretty good advantage until he saw their car catching up to them so quickly that he thought that they would smash right into the back of them.

Stewie rolled down the window and started shooting but his aim wasn't as good as he thought thanks to the man who drove the car nervously dodging parked vehicals and turning corners. In the car behind, one of the girls had rolled down their window and starting shooting back. Stewie then fired his last bullet in his gun and hit the girl in the hand which let go of the gun. She pulled back in and so did Stewie. He grabbed around his coat and brought out a small tin, which he opened to show it contained lots of bullets. Brian watched in awe as Stewie professionally reloaded his gun and took up his position again.

This time he aimed for the front window, taking a shot which cracked the glass into millions of tiny cracks, making it turn white, and making the car drop back and swerve.

Stewie got back in for a moment and looked at Brian with a wicked smile before ferociously kissing him.

The diner owner grew increasingly uncomfortable. "I'm a simple diner cook! I didn't ask for this life! You're mad! All mad! Who are they anyway!"

Stewie broke his kiss with Brian to answer him "Oh, you know, just my Pimp of a Boss and his henchwhores…"

'HIGH SPEED PERSUIT NORTH OF SPOONER STREET, ALL AVAILABLE OFFICERS HEAD NORTH OF SPOONER STREET PRONTO!'

"Hang on Peter, it seems like we're going to take a little detour"

"Joe what about Stewie?" Lois cried from the back seat

"Oh come Lois, I haven't been in a high speed pursuit for a month! Pleeease?"

"Well alright, but as long as it doesn't affect our getting Stewie back safe and sound"

"And Brian, don't forget Brian"

"Oh yeah, right, Brian too…"