Brian and Craig have a somewhat terse conversation about Justin; Brian comes to some startling realizations about his life and his priorities.

Later that Evening...

"You know...For someone's who supposed to be recuperating from their injuries, you're not a very good patient, Mr. Taylor. How did you manage to escape your parents' clutches?"

Justin peered over at the older boy from his place on the side yard's bench, his eyes brushing momentarily up and down in appreciation as they swept over Brian's tall, lean frame. Brian had finished up his chores over at the Walker farm, and was presently clad in a pair of dark blue jeans and a long-sleeved, denim shirt with a couple of the buttons undone at the top and the sleeves partly rolled up, exposing his tanned skin. A pair of slightly scuffed, dark brown boots was peeking out from under his pant cuffs, and he was wearing a simple, leather, matching brown belt. As always, even though he was dressed simply tonight, he looked amazing and took Justin's breath away.

He smiled sheepishly at him as he scooted over slightly to make room for his visitor on the white, cast iron piece of furniture. "Actually, my mother was getting tired of me bitching to her about being a prisoner while she was trying to fix dinner, so she decided I should go get some 'fresh air.' And my dad's still out in the barn, working, so he doesn't even know I'm out here right now." Brian gazed at him quietly, sensing Justin had more to say, as the younger boy added, "From the sound of things, I think he's working on Jared's car." He sighed as he peered straight ahead and hugged himself around the chest, letting the warm breeze blowing through the large maple tree overhead and the myriad sounds of the farm's animals soothe his sense of agitation. He could hear one of the horses let forth with a sort of restless whinny out in the pasture as he told his companion, "I think Dad's worried about him: about what's going to happen now."

Brian bit back the retort of what he really wanted to say about Jared as he noticed the troubled expression on Justin's face. "Worried about him being blamed for what happened to you?" he asked quietly.

Justin nodded before he finally turned his head to look at him. "Brian, do you think he did have something to do with it? Do you think he was lying to the deputy, and he helped Doug plan what happened to me?" He shuddered at the thought.

Brian could hear the pain in the other boy's voice as he reached over to clasp his hand, feeling his gesture returned with a tight grip like it was a lifeline. "Even now, even after all he did to you - you don't want to believe that, do you?"

Justin pressed his lips tightly together and swallowed hard. "No," he admitted softly at last. "He's still my brother." He shook his head. "We didn't always use to be this way, Brian," he told him. "Not until the last few years."

"You mean not until you grew up," Brian inferred. "And he began to see that he might have some competition."

Justin laughed at the irony. "That's the craziest part of all," he replied. "I never felt like I was competing with him, not really. If anything, I always thought he was so much better than me, so I never really thought it would do any good." He gazed back out onto the land his family owned, the only place he had known since childbirth, lost in thought. "He was always my big brother, the one who protected me, the one who I looked up to." He paused before disclosing, "Do you know he would go around fending off all the bullies in class who were bigger than me?" He huffed. "Of course, that was most of the class. I was always the runt in school."

"I doubt that," Brian scolded him gently. "And even so, I imagine you could normally take care of yourself. I've seen you in action, remember? You're pretty scrappy." His teasing produced the desired results as Justin rewarded him with a half-smile.

"Yeah, well, I didn't take too kindly to the boys who tried to shove me into lockers or take my lunch money," he admitted as Brian grinned. Justin's smile faded as he told him softly, "But he was always there and had my back if I needed it. That's why I just can't believe that he would do something like this to me, even now."

Brian nodded as his thumb caressed the top of Justin's hand while they lay resting between them on the cold metal of the bench. "Well, I still say your brother's an asshole," he declared, his voice edged with hardness. "But...For what it's worth, my gut instinct tells me that when it comes to doing something like this, he's too much of a fucking coward. I don't think he would have had the balls to be a part of it. And I don't know Vic all that well, but something tells me he would have seen right through your brother if he had been lying about it."

Justin pondered that for a moment before he finally nodded. "Yeah, Vic is a good judge of character. I think he would have, too. At least I like to think so."

Brian looked down at their clasped hands, silently grateful that he was able to be sitting here at this moment with Justin relatively safe and sound. He wondered what might happen, however, once Justin returned to the racing circuit. Would he be safe? What if Kesterson did have help with his sordid plan? "Justin?"

The blond turned to look at him. "Yeah?"

"When is your next race?"

"In about two weeks," he told him with a grimace. "That means I need to get back to my training soon, or neither I nor Headstrong will be ready for it. It normally takes him a few days to get back on track after the last race - literally," he added with a wry grin. "He tends to get a little lackadaisical if he's allowed to slack off too much in between races, so I can't let too much time elapse between workouts, or he can get complacent."

Brian sighed. "Justin, you know what the doctor said. You need to rest for a few days, or your Mommy and Daddy's meal ticket definitely won't be in any shape to keep bringing home the bacon."

Justin bristled at the insinuation. "I'm a lot more than that, Brian! You make it sound like that's the only reason they keep me around here."

Brian squeezed his lover's hand. "You know that's not what I meant," he maintained. "I'm just saying, don't risk your health out of some noble but misguided notion that you have to hop back up on that sulky before you're physically ready to do it." He leaned over to nuzzle Justin's neck as he whispered, "I don't want anything else to happen to you, Justin. Please do what the doctor says, okay?"

Pulling back, he gazed into the expressive, blue eyes, allowing just a little bit of his true feelings - and his uneasiness - to show openly on his face. Justin nodded, his face warming in realization. He inhaled a deep breath and let it out as he looked straight ahead, his eyes wandering out over the open farmland that was unhindered by any other buildings or manmade structures. Out here in the country, sometimes life could be brutal and even unforgiving; but it had also been his sanctuary, his home. Why, all of a sudden, did he feel so restless? Perhaps because the events at Red Mill had come much too close to home, and he still didn't know quite what the future held for him. For the first time - at least since Dale's death - he was feeling nervous and anxious; unsure of his path.

"What are you thinking about?" Brian inquired softly beside him, noticing the faraway look in Justin's eyes.

The blond turned to look at him as a couple of the chickens nearby in the fenced-in coop yard clucked softly while they scrounged in the grass. "I just can't stop thinking about what happened - and about Dale, too, I guess," he admitted.

"You mean whether his death - and your injury - are related."

Justin nodded mutely.

"Yeah, that's the big question, isn't it? Now you know why I want you to be careful. You know, you could always decide not to..." He paused, already knowing what Justin's reaction would be, but he still had to try.

"No," Justin told him sharply, just like he figured he would. "That's not an option." Before Brian could say anything further, he added, "And don't say they'll have to learn how to take care of the farm when I've left for college. I'm well aware of that, and so are they."

"So what are they planning on doing about it, Justin?"

"Brian, we've had this conversation before," was the curt answer. Justin pulled his hand away, the solitude abruptly disrupted. He rose to his feet. "We'd better head in for dinner before my mom comes looking for me."

Brian rose to stand beside him in dismay. "Justin...I..."

"Just let it go, Brian, please," Justin implored him softly. "I don't want to discuss that right now."

Brian sighed but nodded as the two boys walked up the brick walkway toward the back porch; the dilemma wouldn't go away, but he bowed to his lover's wishes for now as Jennifer met them on the other side of the screen door.

"Is your father still out in the barn?" she asked as Justin nodded. "Brian, would you mind going out there and telling Craig that dinner is ready?" Brian nodded in reluctant agreement; things were still somewhat strained between him and Justin's father. It was almost as if Craig Taylor still viewed him as an impedance or a troublemaker.

He stood in the doorway of the barn a few minutes later, observing Taylor kneeling in front of a rear wheel as he tightened up the lug nuts on the classic car that was supposed to be a joint restoration project between him and his oldest son. In a way, it bothered him that Craig seemed so concerned with taking care of Jared's car, but he had to admit the man had been more supportive lately of Justin, too. Nevertheless, he still had a hard time figuring the guy's motives out. He cleared his throat to get Craig's attention as the man turned to peer over at him, a terse expression on his face. "Kinney."

Brian swallowed, perturbed slightly that this man could get to him. "Mrs. Taylor wanted me to come tell you dinner's ready."

Craig nodded curtly as he placed the lug wrench down on the dirt floor and rose to his feet. "Tell her I'll be right there."

Brian nodded as he turned to go, feeling the man's eyes boring into his back as he headed back toward the house. He had only walked a few feet when, sure enough, he heard Craig say, "Hold up a minute, Brian."

Brian reluctantly turned around to face the older man, who was still standing next to Jared's car. "Yeah?"

Craig eyed the boy closely. "You and Justin have been spending a lot of time together."

How should Brian answer that? That was pretty obvious. "And...?" He tried hard not to sound defensive, but he only partially succeeded.

"...And I don't want my son to wind up getting hurt," Craig told him flatly.

"Neither do I," was the irritated reply. "So what's your point, Mr. Taylor?"

Craig sighed. "Brian, I'm not trying to pick a fight with you."

"Aren't you?"

"I...appreciate what you did for Justin when he got injured; how you stood by him until he was discharged from the hospital. And he obviously is quite smitten with you. But he's...a lot more inexperienced than you. And he's very tenderhearted. I care about my son and what happens to him."

Brian's eyes flashed in indignation. "And I don't?" He shook his head in exasperation. "Mr. Taylor, I just don't get you. I've done nothing to Justin, and I was actually hoping you might be coming around to accepting the two of us getting to know each other better. But now it sounds like we're back to square one again. What more can I do to convince you that I care about him, too?"

Craig stared over at the older boy, noting the troubled look on his face. "I actually believe that, Brian. But remember, you're only here for the summer. Don't you think it's unfair to allow my son to become so attached to you, knowing that come this fall you'll be leaving and never coming back? After all, what possible reason would you have to return here?"

Brian didn't want to even think about that; he was a little surprised to find how much the idea of possibly never seeing Justin again made him feel so empty inside. How ironic, considering that when he first got here he wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of here, return back home and never look back. Now, he couldn't contemplate not being a part of this world. In ways he couldn't begin to fathom or even understand, this gentler, simpler place had somehow attached itself to him, had made him become a different person, a person who actually cared about these people's lives and what happened to them; one of them especially. When had that happened? He faintly pondered. When had he turned that irrevocable corner of apathy and indifference? He didn't really know. But now, returning to Pittsburgh and his previous life seemed totally unacceptable and foreign to him. He turned Justin's father's statement around, pondering what motive he would have to return back home. "I have more reasons than you could probably understand," he finally told him softly. "And even more reasons to stay."

Craig lifted one eyebrow in surprise. "You would stay here? With Will and Sarah?"

"If they would have me," he answered him quietly.

Craig peered at him, torn between skepticism and grudging respect. "Justin's planning on going to school," he reminded him. "So if your reason to stay is because of him..."

"That's a large part of it," Brian found himself admitting. "Like I told you; I care about him. But I also care about my aunt and uncle. I really feel like I can make a difference here. I...I like having someone depend upon me for a change. I...If they would let me, I would like to stick around when my time is up. Whatever happens between Justin and me, well, I would never hold him back from his dreams, or ask him to put his life on hold for me." He paused before adding, "Can you say the same?"

Craig bristled in annoyance over the boy's impudence. "What do you mean?"

Brian looked him straight in the eye. "Do you realize how much of a burden you've put on him? How tormented he is between wanting to go to Vanderbilt to pursue his goal, his dreams of helping children and using his talent for art, and feeling like he can't because of how much you depend upon him to keep this farm running?"

"We never asked him to do that," Craig tersely pointed out. "And our family's finances are none of your business, Brian."

Brian shook his head in exasperation, undeterred. "Justin doesn't do something because he's ordered to. He does it because he...he loves this place. And...He's loyal to his family. He's told me about your financial difficulties; I wasn't prying into them."

"Well, he shouldn't have told you about that," Craig replied, embarrassed.

"Justin needed to tell someone. Do you realize how much he worries about it? How pressured he feels to keep winning? Maybe if he didn't' carry this obscenely large burden around all the time, maybe he might have taken a break from racing for a change. And maybe what happened yesterday wouldn't have happened at all, then." Brian knew it was unfair to say that - no one could have known what would have happened at the track - but still, it was true. If Justin hadn't been pushed so hard to keep winning, then maybe...

"Drop it, Brian," Craig demanded curtly. "I'm not going to discuss this with an outsider." Reaching to grab a rag from a nearby, worn, wooden bench, he hurriedly wiped off some grease from his hands before stating, "I'm heading in to wash up. I suggest you do the same." With that, Brian was summarily dismissed as Craig walked past him with nary another glance, heading purposefully toward the back of the house and entering inside a couple minutes later.

Shaking his head in exasperation, Brian turned to follow him, not particularly wanting to spend a meal with the disagreeable man, but feeling a need to be calmed by Justin's presence.

An Hour Later...

"Thank you, Mrs. Taylor. That beef stew was great."

Jennifer smiled. "My pleasure, Brian. I'm glad you could join us for supper."

Brian nodded with a half-smile of his own. He wouldn't describe the dinner as being exactly a pleasurable one; the exchange between him and Justin's father earlier had left a rather sour taste in his mouth. But Jennifer's more agreeable presence-and the occasional, surreptitious glances he and Justin had exchanged between them as they sat side-by-side-had helped to make the time go by rather quickly. Fortunately, also, Justin's parents had wisely chosen to ignore the topic most pointedly on everyone's mind - Justin's injury and whether Jared was somehow involved - and had talked, instead, about other, more innocuous subjects, such as the weather, the new barbershop that had opened in town, and the latest farm equipment. No mention was made of what everyone was really thinking about; that is, until the phone rang and Craig went to answer it, returning a few minutes later with a terse look on his face.

Jennifer eyed him with concern. "Who was it?" she asked.

Craig sat back down at the head of the table. "That was Billy."

Justin and Brian exchanged a look before Justin asked, "The sheriff? What did he say, Dad?"

Craig took a deep breath. "He told me the bail bond hearing is set for day after tomorrow."

Justin paled slightly, somewhat afraid that Doug might somehow try to finish the job he had started the other day. "So he'll be let out of jail then?"

Craig sighed with a nod. "I'm afraid that's probably what will happen. As long as his father can afford to post bail, he will be given the opportunity to remain free until his trial is set just like everyone else."

"That's ridiculous!" Jennifer stated. "He tried to hurt Justin - or worse. How can they let him out?"

Justin swallowed hard as Brian glanced over at the apprehensive, younger boy, badly wanting at that moment to sweep him up into his arms and reassure him that everything would be okay. The truth was he, too, was afraid for him. He reached under the table to firmly clasp Justin's hand in an attempt to reassure him, finding his gesture returned as Justin held onto his hand as if he would never let it go.

"That's the law," Craig told them derisively. "I don't agree with it, either, but there's nothing we can do about it. Billy did say he would make sure one of his deputies patrols around here as often as they can. And he feels the judge will at least order the Kesterson boy to stay away from Justin until the trial." He looked over sympathetically at his youngest boy. "There's more," he added, his jaw rigid as everyone peered over at him. "Billy told me that the Kesterson boy is claiming Jared was in on the whole thing."

"I knew it!" Brian cried out, his face red and drawn in anger. "I'm going to fucking kill him when I see him!"

"Brian, no!" Justin replied in alarm, his hand tightening in his companion's as Jennifer gasped over his visceral reaction. "We don't know if it's even true! And even if it is, you'll only get yourself into trouble! Brian, please promise me you won't go after him."

Brian seethed silently, his rage barely checked. If Jared had something to do with what happened to Justin...how could his own brother do something so heinous? Justin was kind and generous to a fault, and so trusting; much too trusting...How could Jared stoop so low? His heart pounded at the thought as he tried to ease his fury, concentrating on the feel of Justin's hand in his and his warm, vibrant touch.

"Brian, please..."

He finally turned to look over into Justin's fearful eyes, not sure if the fear was for Jared, him, or both. He took a deep breath to calm himself before he eventually nodded. "Okay."

Justin had to hear it. "Okay, what?"

Brian sighed, letting his anger slowly dissipate as he clarified, "I'll stay away from him. But not for his sake. For yours."

Justin nodded as he gave Brian a relieved smile, totaling missing the look between his parents, both eyeing them with interest over how much influence Justin seemed to wield over the older boy. "Thanks," he whispered as Brian nodded. He let out a heavy breath as he turned to his mother. "So, what's for dessert, Mom?" he asked, mainly to lighten the mood and take his own mind off his troubles for a while. After what his father had just told them, he decided a change of subject might be in order.

Jennifer gave him a grateful smile over his attempt to force her concern away from the unpleasant subject at hand. "One of your favorites: homemade strawberry shortcake with vanilla bean ice cream." She turned to her husband to ask, "Craig, would you help me with the dishes?"

Craig opened his mouth to protest over her suggestion that he help with 'domestic chores,' only to shut it again over the look of displeasure on his wife's face. Nodding tersely, he silently picked up his plate and Justin's.

Brian smiled at her in thanks as Jennifer picked up his plate before she and Craig walked out of the dining room and headed toward the kitchen, leaving both boys miraculously alone for a short while, at least.

"Jen, I'm not so sure it's a good idea to encourage them in there," Craig told his wife as she handed him a plate to dry several minutes later. They had finished up their dessert in the dining room and had left both boys in the living room to talk privately. "They're seeing way too much of each other as it is."

Jennifer bestowed a barely concealed look of impatience on her face as she replied, "Craig, I think Brian's good for him, and he obviously thinks a lot of Justin. You saw how quickly he calmed down in there before. I don't see the harm in it."

"Well, I'm not so sure. The boy may mean well, but he's got a temper on him. You know I spoke to Brian out in the barn before we came in. You want to know what we discussed?" Jennifer shrugged slightly in reaction as he revealed, "He talked about how much of a burden we're placing on our son's shoulders."

"Burden? What do you mean?"

"A financial burden. That Kinney kid had the audacity to insinuate that we expect our son to put all his college plans on hold in order to keep the farm running. Do you believe that?"

Jennifer wiped her hands on a nearby kitchen towel before turning to face her husband. "Maybe he has a point, Craig," she told him quietly.

"What?!"

"Please keep your voice down," she commanded, afraid one or both boys would overhear them. "I'm just saying that Brian's right; we can't continue to depend upon our youngest son to shoulder so much of the responsibility. That's what WE'RE supposed to do, not him. He should be enjoying himself, having time to do some things to relax, spending time with his friends, with Brian. Going swimming, or drawing, or just having some fun! Not being made to constantly practice and compete in all these races. Maybe if we hadn't been pushing him so much..." Her voice trailed off sorrowfully.

"What?" Craig pressed. "Say it, Jen."

Jennifer took a deep breath, glancing down the hallway to make sure the boys were still in the living room. "Maybe if we hadn't been pushing him so much, what happened the other day might have been avoided."

Craig brushed his hand through his hair in agitation. "Great. You, too? So you're blaming me for what happened?"

Jennifer looked at him in astonishment. "No, of course not! But if we hadn't come to rely upon him so much, then he might not feel this constant pressure to perform."

"Perform?"

"Perform, compete...whatever you want to call it," she replied wearily. "Craig, we have to find a way to let him go, to let him find his own way, and just be a teenager sometimes, not a breadwinner for the family." She eyed him sympathetically. "I know you've had some bad breaks, and accountants are not especially in demand around here."

Craig harrumphed as his wife handed him another plate. Absentmindedly drying it off, he retorted, "That's an understatement. We don't have the Midwestern version of Wall Street around here." He paused. "You know if you weren't so attached to this farm..." His voice trailed off, but the meaning was crystal clear to his wife.

"Craig, this farm has been in my family for generations!" Jennifer reminded him in dismay. "I could no more move from this farm than cut off one of my fingers. You knew that before we got married. Why are you bringing it up now?"

Craig sighed. "I'm not saying I want to move, Jen. But I AM saying that being tied to this farm severely limits my job prospects around here." He thought for a moment before advising her, "I'll make some calls to a few of my old colleagues at the CPA office in Louisville. Maybe they might have some suggestions. I realize Justin can't keep up this pace," he admitted. "And I do want him to go to college. Why else would we be scrimping by as much as we are? Don't forget, a lot of our savings is tied up in his college fund. We haven't touched that account, even though it would have made our lives a lot easier if we had access to the money."

"Craig, you're not suggesting..."

"Of course not, Jen!" Craig let out an exasperated breath. "Let's just drop it for now, okay? I'll make some calls in the morning, and we'll take it one day at a time."

Jennifer nodded finally, not quite convinced it would be that easy. But she DID know one thing; they would have to find a way for the sake of their youngest son. "Craig?"

"Yes, Jen," he answered a little wearily.

"Do you really think Jared helped this other boy do what he did? He was very jealous of Justin...and Brian."

Craig pondered that carefully. "I...I don't know," he finally admitted. "I hope not. I don't want to believe he would do something like that." It was obvious in his voice, however, that he wasn't quite convinced of that.

Jennifer nodded sadly, feeling much the same way. Please, Jared...please say you didn't do it, she lamented as she turned to place the now-clean dessert plates back into the cupboard.

Thirty Minutes Later...Back porch

"Well, I'd better get going before my uncle sends out a search party - or even worse, Solomon; I wouldn't want to distract him from his nightly rabbit-hunting venture," Brian told Justin with a slight grin as they stood face to face near the back door, finding himself reluctant to leave. He couldn't help worrying about Justin, even though Doug wasn't due to be released on bail for a few days. That wouldn't stop Jared, however, if he was up to no good. His face cast partly in shadow on the porch, he added, "If you need anything...promise me that you'll call me, no matter what time it is."

"Brian, I'll be fine," he softly reassured him; he should be irritated that everyone seemed to think he was still an invalid and incapable of taking care of himself, but with Brian he found it oddly flattering.

Brian nodded, shuffling his feet slightly. "Okay...well...I'll see you tomorrow, then, as soon as I'm done with my chores."

"You don't have to do that," Justin told him softly, feeling guilty that Brian had to take on so many extra duties because of him. "I'm feeling better all the time. And there's Vic and Emmett..."

Brian reached over to place his fingers against the younger boy's lips. "Justin, for once can you not argue with me? The doc said you have to..."

Justin reached up to remove Brian's fingers from his lips to interrupt him as he gripped his hand in his. "Yeah, yeah, seventy-two hours. I know the drill all too well." He sighed. "I know nothing I say will deter you anyway, so okay," he told him.

"Okay?" Could he really be hearing that right?

Justin grinned over impishly at him. "Yes."

"You've never agreed to anything that readily. Why now?" Brian pressed curiously.

Justin leaned in closer so their lips were only an inch or so apart. "Are you kidding? You...over here? All sweaty and wearing no shirt while you shovel out the manure in the stalls? It's like my wet dream come to life."

Brian snorted. "Who said anything about my cleaning out stalls? I'm not going to shovel a bunch of horse shit around. No one mentioned anything about that. That sounds like a perfect job for Honeycutt..." He stopped as he noticed Justin grinning even more than before. "You don't have any idea what I'll be doing, do you?"

"No," his companion admitted with a smile. "But as long as I get to watch you doing it without a shirt on, I don't care."

Brian had to grin, then. "Oh, really?" he responded huskily as he reached over to lightly grasp Justin's wrist and pull him into his arms. "Well, I'll try not to disappoint my favorite voyeur tomorrow, then." Looking briefly behind Justin to make sure they weren't being watched, he slid his arms around the blond's back before their lips came together for a kiss.

Justin sighed with contentment as he wound his arms around Brian's back in return, sliding his hands up and down the fabric covering his defined torso. What this boy did to him whenever they kissed and touched! It was like a wild, exhilarating, rollercoaster ride. In Brian's arms he felt safe, he felt protected. He felt like nothing - and no one - could ever harm him.

As a whippoorwill called out with its clear, melancholic tone somewhere off in the distance, Brian regretfully pulled back from the other boy, his breath catching in his throat as the moonlight bathed Justin in an enthralling glow. Justin smiled over at him in an almost bashful way as Brian's hands came up to gently cup his face, the long eyelashes fluttering as he stared back at him, his face open and clearly showing his adoration for him. It was at that moment that Brian came to a startling realization: God help him, but he was falling in love with this boy.

His fingers caressed the warm skin under his touch as he whispered, "Get some sleep. And don't forget to take your pain meds." He leaned in again to briefly kiss Justin on the lips, unable to resist one more taste, one more reassurance that Justin was really okay. "And remember, if you need anything..."

Justin nodded, touched by Brian's offer. "I will. Good night, Brian."

Brian nodded back with a smile as he reluctantly let go of Justin, watching as the blond turned around and shuffled over to the back door, his eyes never leaving him until he paused to pull the squeaky screen door open. Turning around, Justin's eyes locked onto his for a few moments before he entered the house, the screen door banging behind him. Brian could hear Jennifer softly instructing her son to go upstairs and get some sleep as he finally turned and headed down the porch steps, feeling the weariness seeping into his own bones as he began to trek back to his aunt and uncle's house.

Ten Minutes Later...

Sarah turned her head from her place in the recliner as she heard the back door opening; she eyed her nephew with a mixture of curiosity and concern as Brian came walking up to her. Placing her needlepoint project down on the side table next to her chair, she asked, "How was dinner, Brian?"

Brian walked over and dropped down onto the couch. "It was okay," he told her enigmatically.

Her right brow lifted, unconvinced that nothing important had happened. "How is Justin doing?"

Brian smiled slightly at that as he told her, "Cranky and stubborn."

Sarah nodded with an understanding smile. "So he's doing a lot better."

Her nephew replied with a short laugh as he nodded. "Exactly."

Sarah told him, "I'm so glad," as Brian nodded. She frowned, noticing a troubled expression briefly flicker across her nephew's face. "What?" she prodded softly.

Brian shook his head in dismissal, stifling a yawn as he covered his mouth. "Nothing."

"Brian..."

He sighed in resignation over the pointed tone of his aunt's voice; this woman was much too perceptive for his own good. And by the look on her face, she wasn't about to just let the subject drop. "I...I had a 'conversation' with Justin's father earlier when I went out to the barn to tell him that supper was ready."

Her steel-blue eyes piercing into his, she asked softly, "What sort of conversation?"

"Well, I asked him if he realized how much pressure he was putting on Justin lately."

Sarah nodded wisely. "You mean because of their financial situation."

Brian nodded, no longer all that surprised by how easily his aunt seemed to understand him. "Yeah. Here Justin's busting his ass - sorry," he mumbled over his choice of word as Sarah slightly shook her head to tell him it didn't matter, "He's working himself to exhaustion, training constantly and competing in all those races, because he feels responsible for keeping their farm afloat. But he's seventeen years old, Aunt Sarah!" Brian raked the fingers of his left hand through his hair as he continued, "And he's so talented! His dream isn't to be some famous sulky driver! His dream, his passion, is to help children through his art, and to make a difference in their lives. But he can't do that - at least not the equestrian therapy part - unless he goes to school for it. And he can't do that unless..."

"...Unless his father figures out a way to support his family, like he should be doing, instead of letting his youngest child shoulder all of the burden," Sarah completed for him as Brian nodded glumly, his eyes cast down at his hands that were clenched together in frustration. "I know," she whispered sympathetically as she reached over with one, slightly wrinkled hand to squeeze his. She smiled softly at her young nephew. "You care a lot about this boy." It wasn't a question coming from her; it wasn't up for debate as far as she was concerned.

Brian lifted his eyes to meet her kindly ones before finally nodding. "Yeah," he whispered back in admission. "I...I don't even know when it changed, when it happened," he continued. "Maybe it was when he got hurt that I realized that..." He paused and wetted his dry lips anxiously as Sarah's left eyebrow arched upward in silent question. How much was he willing to share with her? There was so much up in the air at the moment, so much in question about his future, about his and Justin's future. And much of it depended upon her and his uncle. What would their reaction be? Was now even the right time? Was there ever a right time? "Aunt Sarah..." He glanced around the quiet room, suddenly realizing his uncle was nowhere to be found.

"He's gone to bed," his aunt confided, almost as if she were clairvoyant. "Tell me," she urged him as she stared over at him so calmly. "Tell me what's on your mind, Brian...and in your heart."

Brian swallowed nervously; this was something he was not very comfortable doing. Heaven knows his parents had never encouraged such heart-to-heart conversations; if anything, they mainly ignored him, that is, unless he was in some kind of trouble or they needed something from him.

He finally nodded as he gazed into her eyes. Taking a deep breath, he began to pour out his hopes, his fears, and his own dreams. "I realized something tonight...after dinner. Well, before dinner, too, actually. It was when I was talking to Mr. Taylor. He wasn't too happy about me mentioning how I thought he was placing too much of a burden on Justin."

Sarah half-smiled. "No, knowing Craig Taylor, I'm sure he didn't." Her smile faded a bit as her expression turned more serious. "Around here, a man's responsibility to his family is taken very seriously, Brian. And while it might seem archaic, in a lot of households, it's still seen as the man's job to take care of his family, and the wife's place is more of a subservient one."

Brian snorted. "That doesn't seem to bother Justin's father much. And Mrs. Taylor doesn't exactly come across as a shrinking violet. Or you, for that matter," he added as his eyes studied her.

Sarah grinned. "Well, your uncle would probably deny it, but I think he liked that feistiness in me when we met. That's what he likes to call it, anyway," she explained as Brian nodded over at her. Her grin faded as she clarified, "But in important matters, your uncle is still the ultimate decision maker. We make decisions together," she hastened to add. "But in these parts, a man's pride is based a lot of taking the lead in the household. I am willing to cede to your uncle's wishes, as long as I know he has listened carefully to my opinion first. And he always does that. Maybe most people would see that as too old-fashioned, but here it is still the way we do things." She paused.

"Well, it doesn't seem to bother Justin's father that much," Brian persisted, still worried about his younger lover and what might happen to him. "If he did, he wouldn't allow Justin to do what he's doing."

Sarah shook her head. "No, trust me, Brian. Craig can be quite stubborn and pigheaded at times. But the fact that he can't support his family has to gnaw at him constantly. You can't be raised in this type of environment without having that need as the man to provide for your family deeply ingrained in you. He may have found a temporary, convenient way to take care of the finances through Justin's talent, but trust me; it does bother him. And he will have to find a way to change things when Justin goes off to college."

"When?"

Sarah nodded firmly. "Yes, when. Don't ever tell Craig this, because he would be highly resentful that Jennifer told me. But she confided in me that before Craig lost his job as an accountant, they had saved up quite a bit of money for the boys' college funds." She shook her head sadly as she told her nephew, "Seems kind of a waste now for Jared. I'm not one to easily give up on someone, but even I can see that he has taken a very dark path lately. But if he doesn't go to school, the silver lining is that there will be more money to give to Justin for his training. I think she told me there's enough in there for their first year at least. After that..." Her voice trailed off. Whether Justin would qualify for scholarship money - he always gotten excellent grades - or if he would wind up having to work through school, she knew he would find a way. "Justin's a very determined, responsible boy, Brian," she told him firmly. "So I trust that no matter what happens, he will find a way to continue his training. He's always been very determined when something means a lot to him."

Brian nodded, a little stunned by the fact that the Taylors had actually saved up any money for Justin and Jared's college fund. "Yeah, he is," he agreed softly with a slight smile as he thought about the enchanting young man who had somehow stolen his heart. "He's very strong-minded - and passionate about what he believes in." He stared over at her, feeling his face warm over her scrutiny before he cleared his throat awkwardly. "So they've never touched that money to use it to pay the bills, instead?"

Sarah shook her head. "No, Jennifer told me it's in a special, tax-deferred account. So even if they wanted to use it, they would have to pay taxes on it to withdraw it prematurely. And she told me even if they could, she wouldn't allow Craig to do it. She said as much as she loves the family farm, she would rather see it given up than touch any of that money."

Brian nodded. "That sounds like her," he murmured, impressed by Justin's mother's love for him. He knew in an odd sort of way that Craig Taylor did as well. He still thought the man wasn't the most pleasant person to deal with; okay, he thought he was a bit of an asshole. But he had come around slightly when he had thrown Jared out, and he did care about Justin, he had to admit. "Him, I'm not so sure," he added. He pursed his lips together in irritation as he thought back to their conversation in the barn. "He more or less told me I was going to wind up hurting Justin," he admitted as Sarah looked over at him in surprise.

"Why would he say that?" she asked. "You've been nothing but kind and helpful to Justin."

Brian shook his head. "I know. It's not that. He actually thanked me in a way for helping Justin after his injury."

"Then why...?"

Brian took a deep breath and let it out. He chewed his lower lip pensively as he explained, "He was thinking about the end of the summer...when my time here is over. He said Justin was becoming too attached to me, and that he would be hurt when we had to say goodbye." That last word almost caused him to stumble. He couldn't imagine saying goodbye, at least not permanently, to the boy who had turned his entire world upside down.

Sarah nodded silently. She could hear the pain in Brian's voice and the concern - and something else. "Maybe he has a point," was her surprising reply after a few seconds.

Brian's eyes widened in shock as his face darkened. He thought his aunt was on his side. "What? You agree with him? You think I want to hurt him?"

"Of course not!" she immediately exclaimed, her voice rising with emotion as she reached over to grip his wrist for emphasis. "No...NO," she repeated more loudly as she shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant, Brian. Listen to me. I would never, ever think you would want to hurt Justin." She took a breath to focus her thoughts clearly as she explained, "But Justin is very sensitive and very loving. And when he...attaches himself to someone - like he has to you - it has to hurt when he has to say goodbye. I know you would never want to hurt him; just the opposite. But surely you must realize that it's not going to be easy for him to see you leave here." Her eyes began to tear up as she admitted, "It won't be easy for me, either. Or for Will."

Brian snorted. "I'm not so sure about that," he countered. "I think Uncle Will sees me as more of a nuisance sometimes than anything else."

"No, you're wrong," she told him softly. "Maybe at first he did. But not now. He has come to depend upon you, too, just like Craig does Justin. Only for different reasons. It's not just that you're so handy with his tractor or with the chores around here. It's much more than that. You are so much like Dale in so many ways," she told him, smiling wistfully. "At first, I think that was very painful for him, because it made him think about what he had lost. And what happened the other day with Justin brought our son's accident back out into the open again like a scab over an old wound, which was hard on both of us. But don't ever think he won't miss you when you're gone, because he will. You do remind him of Dale - but in a good way, Brian. Don't ever doubt that."

Brian pressed his lips together and nodded, amazed at how much that statement affected him. What were these people doing to him? "Aunt Sarah...?"

"Yes, Brian?"

He opened his mouth to tell her one of his most fervent wishes, but was interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs, followed shortly by his uncle making an appearance in the doorway. Brian had to bite back a smile as he noticed him wearing a worn, light-gray, short-sleeved t-shirt and a pair of ribbed, darker gray pair of thermal pants, the kind he wouldn't be caught dead in. "Do you two know what time it is, Missy?" he asked Sarah, his short hair askew from lying on the pillow upstairs.

Sarah glanced over at Brian apologetically over their conversation being interrupted as she replied with a slight smile, "I assume you're going to tell me."

Will nodded tersely. "It's way past time for both of you to be in bed. Especially Brian, if he's going to get his chores done over here before he goes back over to gawk at that Taylor boy. And don't go denying it, Brian," Will added as Brian opened his mouth to do just that. He face seemed to soften somewhat as he added gruffly, "Just make sure you don't become a hindrance over there, and you're actually helping while you're trying to impress him."

Sarah couldn't help grinning over at Brian as he rolled his eyes. Slowly standing up, he mumbled, "Yes, Sir," before issuing his aunt a 'goodnight' and trudging toward the steps to his bedroom, deciding the rest of his conversation with his aunt would have to wait for the time being.

"Well, Missy? The sun won't wait to rise because you got to bed late, too, and you know how grumpy I get without breakfast before chores."

Sarah shook her head in amusement as she rose from her place on the couch. "Only too well, husband," she responded as she noticed a slight smirk on his face. "How did you even know I was still awake?" she asked curiously. "You went to bed over an hour ago."

Will seemed to look self-conscious as he mumbled, "You know I don't sleep well without you next to me." He reached out to grasp his wife's hand as Sarah nodded with a smile, the two of them heading upstairs to join their nephew in sleep.