"I can’t believe you’re taking off."

"It’s not forever...just the next 7 years or so of my life."

Justin’s eyes popped out of his head.

"7 years?!"

"Sure. There’s medical school, then an internship, then my residency. Of course that’s if I don’t flunk out first."

"Are you sure you want to be a doctor?"

"Are you sure you want to be an artist?"

The determined look on Daphne’s face told him everything he needed to know.

"Maybe, you’ll find your own McDreamy..."

Another round of laughter began.

The results were in. Another loss...another set back.

"It isn’t right, it isn’t fair, it just is."

"And its that defeatist attitude that keeps allowing them to beat us."

Debbie hadn’t said a word. Too shocked by the outcome to comment. It made her question her faith in humanity....and in God. Love is love. It shouldn’t be defined or pigeon holed.

But looking around at her boys, she found renewed strength.

"So we continue to fight. Not allow them fucking bastards..." a sob escaped as her voice broke.

"We continue to fight," Michael replied as he held her.

Title: Comfort
Author's Note: Not beta'd
Condom: Jennifer

Debbie woke to find Emmett sitting in the kitchen surrounded by swatches.

"Em, it’s fucking three in the morning!"

"Creativity doesn’t punch a time clock."

"What the hell’s so urgent that you can’t wait until a decent hour?!"

Emmett looked up at Debbie with tired eyes.

"It’s times like these that I miss Vic the most."

Debbie’s heart broke a little.

"Maybe I could help."

Emmett sadly smiled. The anxiety, fear and uncertainty written all over his face.

"I know what you need."

Hours later they enjoyed warm homemade cinnamon rolls from Vic’s recipe.

"Thanks, little brother," Debbie sighed as they took their first bite.

"And without surgery?"

"They say my headaches will increase....my hand tremors will get worse."

Jennifer looked at her son with a heavy heart.

"What does Brian say?"

"He doesn’t know yet."

Jennifer took Justin’s hand.

"I just needed to talk to someone that doesn’t blame himself or want to fix everything," he explained with shaky breath.

"What are the risks?"

"Memory loss...decreased motor function...death."

Jennifer flinched.

"But I already suffer from the first two symptoms. The loss of my ability to create art would be death."

Jennifer stood and wrapped her arms around her son in comfort.

britin1729

Title: The Ubiquitous Justin Taylor
Condom: Brian
Timeline: 308  

“Hitting the clubs again, Mr. Taylor? I'd have thought you'd be home, getting in a full night's sleep for work tomorrow morning.”

Justin shrugged. “I'm young. I can handle it.”

“Buy you a drink?”

“Sure.” He leaned casually against the bar as Brian ordered a round for them both. “You know...” he said thoughtfully, “I haven't danced since the last century.”

“Is this your idea of being subtle, Sunshine?” Brian smirked.

“It's not my idea of anything. Just...stating fact. I guess you wouldn't be interested?”

“What's the rush? We've got all night.”

Justin shook his head. “Guess we do.”

Title: Possession
Author's Note: Not beta'd
Condom: Jennifer

He was in the love. Looking through the window he knew it. It was fate.

"You belong with me," he whispered in awe.

Dying to touch the object of his affection, the desperate need to possess it, he became determined.

"And I will have you," he mumbled.

"Brian!"

The spell broken, he turned and looked at Justin. He didn’t feel guilty about his desire. Justin always knew and understood him.

"Are you going to buy the new Armani collection or just stare at it all day?"

With a gleam in his eye, Brian grabbed Justin’s hand and entered the store.

britin1729

“What's with the line?” Emmett asked, trying to peer over the heads of the dozen or so men lined up for the bathroom.

“Someone's finally gotten wise and cashed in on Brian and Justin,” Ted enlightened him.

“What? Brian and Justin?”

“Yeah. Seems someone finally got smart and is now managing their live performance career,” explained Ted. “They're charging for tickets for the show every time they fuck in public.”

“Wow. There's a fortune waiting to be made,” said Emmett appreciatively.

Ten minutes later, he was at the front of the line. “Hey, ticket-boy! I'll give you twenty bucks!”

britin1729

“Sorry, I forgot...someone got a little roughed up today.”

“He didn't have to stick it in that hard.”

“You wanted it quick, didn't you?”

“Not like that! He could have at least been gentle. That's a very sensitive area.”

“Yeah, right.”

“I'm serious! I'm going to be bruised...he just shoved it right in! He could have at least warned me, or prepared me a little better...sadistic fucker probably liked it....”

“Look, you're not the only one in the world who has to get an annual flu shot, okay?”

britin1729

“What a dump!” Brian announced, dropping his bags in the doorway. “Jesus, Justin, you could have at least taken my basic living requirements into account when you got this place.”

Justin scoffed. “You? You tell me we may never see each other again, I'm in New York on a bus boy's salary, and I'm supposed to worry about your needs?”

“Well, obviously you should've known better than to listen to me,” said Brian, for all the world as though it were entirely Justin's fault. “When have I ever known what I was talking about? Why wouldn't we see each other?”