Better Friends and Lovers

Chapter 22

(Setting: Wednesday Morning in Mid-June; Kinnetik's Office; POV/Cynthia)

"Brian, pick up your damn cell, come on...where the fuck are you?" I slammed down the phone on my desk, earning a curious look from Ted.

"What's the problem? The meeting isn't until ten and Brian took the file home with him last night, didn't he? He has plenty of time. He'll come sailing in here looking his devastating self a few minutes after the hour, just when you have the clients all primed and waiting in the conference room for him. He'll wow them, and I'll rub my greedy bean counter hands together when he gets them to sign their millions of advertising dollars away to us on the dotted line. It's an old story, but a classic. I like it." He grinned at me, raising his coffee mug in a salute. I grimaced.

"One problem. There's a small bit of information about this new potential client missing from Brian's briefing folder that I think he'd like to know, especially if he and Danny come in together, which is likely, given that Danny got back from his photo shoot yesterday."

Ted raised his eyebrows.

"Like what? You lined up someone for this morning who is against gays? But we don't get clients like that Poole guy. Besides, I have trouble believing you would miss that in your research on the client. That just isn't like you, Cynthia. "

I felt a flash of impatience. Damn straight I don't miss that type of information. Well, not straight, but damn something. That I even picked up on this information given how little time I had to get us ready is due to the fact that I never stop working, even late at night and early in the morning...well, that and dumb luck. But Ted didn't need to know that last bit of information.

"Of course I would have noted something like that, and it isn't anything like Poole's homophobia, far from it. Don't you even read my memos? We have Stephan Lane coming in today, the..."

"The French actor and director? Oh my God, he's amazing. That voice! And those eyes! 'Tous les Deux sur la Route' was brilliant, I saw it six times." Ted looked at his watch and I watched as comprehension set in, followed closely by panic.

"Shit, is that who is coming in this morning? Look at the time. Where the hell is Brian? Why didn't you tell me we had someone like that lined up so I could wear something a little more special than this ordinary suit? Come to think of it, why the hell is he coming to us? We don't usually do movie advertising. One thing is for sure, however, if 'Two On The Road' is anything to judge by, he's as queer as they come, so that definitely isn't what has your normally unflappable panties in a pucker. Why do you think it would be a problem if Stephan Lane sees Brian with Danny? They're a great looking couple. Lane's a hot guy, he'd probably enjoy the view and want to hit on one or both of them. And Danny's quite the Francophile. He'll probably be another hit with this client, like he was with Rizzuteri."

I considered saying something to the effect of, "you've no idea," but decided it was better to break the news to Brian first. Besides, Ted was getting on my last nerve. Brian was right. The man babbled in monotone even when excited. I seriously considered taking his coffee mug, ("Accountants do it with Interest"...spare me) and dumping it over his head. With admirable self control, (I haven't worked for Brian Kinney for almost ten years without learning something), I refrained both from upending the mug and grinding my teeth to dust. Instead, I spoke in a carefully modulated, pleasant voice.

"Ted. If you had bothered to read the memo I sent you, which was an exact copy of the one I gave Brian, you'd have known that Stephan Lane and members of the production team for his new movie were the clients coming here today to discuss Kinnetik handling the advertising for the movie he just finished shooting and is now editing. You also would know who else he's met with and why he said he's interested in meeting with a firm in Pittsburgh that has next to no movie experience, which, quite frankly, had me curious. What you wouldn't know is what I discovered early this morning, which information I've been unable to convey to Brian since he's had his damn phone off."

I tried Brian's cell phone again but still no luck. I debated sending him a text message but he had a rule about confidential client information being sent that way. Besides, I was fairly sure he would want this news shared with him first, so he could find out what if anything Danny knew and there was always a chance a text message could be read by the wrong person. I didn't think Danny knew that his old lover, Stephan Lane, aka, Etienne Lanier, was coming here as the appointment had been set up after Danny left town for a few days for one of his modeling shoots. Danny was coming in today but the music director was not customarily copied on my memos, and I hadn't planned on his attending the meeting. It wasn't until late yesterday evening, after Brian had left to pick Danny up at the airport, that Lane had called me and indicated that he anticipated he would have a need for musical services and asked if I could arrange to have our musical director present. There was something about his voice, a certain amusement in it, that set off warning bells and made me start digging deeper into the background of the actor Stephan Lane. And that was how I found Danny's Etienne.

It wasn't that Lane wasn't known to be gay, he was. Well known. It made his breakout success over the past two years even more amazing. Although he'd done a few films in France, most of them hadn't seen their way out of the art houses until recently when he seemed to come out of nowhere with a little independent, French language film that he wrote, directed and starred in, "Tous les Deux sur la Route." It was about two men traveling through Europe with nothing but backpacks and talent, and it lit up Cannes. And Tribeca. And Sundance. And pretty much every other film festival you'd care to name. There was talk of it being nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture outright, but then the studio that distributed it in the States had second thoughts and only submitted it to be nominated for Best Foreign Film, which it won, along with a screen writing award for Lane. The twin Oscars, coupled with a smaller role that same year in an action film starring Clooney, which performance garnered him rave reviews, made him a big name "overnight" after years of hard work. Suddenly he was being offered opportunities to star in and direct his own movies in the States. He wisely decided to let a name director handle his first English language leading man role, and he wowed US audiences in a standard action genre film that was much enlivened by his charm. The film we were meeting on today was going to be his American directing debut, one of those so-called independent films but with a big studio behind it. Again, he seemed to have made all the right moves, as several big names lined up to be directed by and co-star with the charismatic Frenchman.

But a few years before this particular French Cinderfella tried on the glass slipper and was whisked away to the Hollywood ball, he was performing in musicals in Europe and the United States with a certain young Irish-American. Danny was using the name David Luke and Lane was still known as Etienne Lanier. Luke was a stage name; Lanier wasn't. They performed in "Les Miserables" together, as Marius and Enjolras, and "fell in love." At least, that is what the interviewer reported Lanier as saying in a promotional piece on the production. Danny was not quoted in it, he only was described as giving the writer a smile as he walked through the room during the interview while Lanier looked at "the handsome young American adoringly." Even then, Lanier knew how to work the press. Despite having the smaller role and Danny's Marius winning much more critical praise, it was always Lanier who gave the interviews. I found the first one quoted heavily in an article in a gay magazine written when Lane was nominated for the Oscar a little over a year ago. The magazine asked Lanier, by then using Lane, whether his movie was autobiographical, and whether the love story was about him and Luke.

The magazine's writer waxed eloquent as he reported, "Lane got a distant look in his eyes and for the first time in the several hours we spent together for this article, the garrulous Frenchman was quiet. After a long pause, he shook himself, as though dusting off old memories. Then he smiled at me, saying only, 'isn't everything one writes a little bit autobiographical, mon ami, perhaps some things more than others?' He resisted saying anything more on the topic of Luke, eventually conceding that yes, they did travel together in the course of working together, yes, they'd become lovers, and no, they were no longer together. Pressing, I dared to ask, did he miss him? The dark eyes flashed, and he responded, in that compelling voice, 'you do not love a man like David, and lose him, and not miss him every waking moment of every day. Now ask me about something else or this interview is over.'"

I really thought Brian should know about this guy before he came walking into Kinnetik with the man that a debonair international movie star like Stephan Lane had been missing for every waking moment for the past several years. I was damn sure Danny would want to know also, but my first loyalty was, as always, to my boss. I trusted him to look out for Danny.

Finally. The phone was no longer going directly to voice mail, meaning he was on his way in and had turned it on. It was ten minutes to ten. Shit. I could see the elevator opening and the tall striking figure stepping out was definitely not Brian. He wasn't even strictly speaking, handsome. But oh my God, he was hot. In an almost ugly, rangy kind of way, all angles and planes, but with broad shoulders, narrow hips and mile long legs, as well as an aquiline nose that made Adrian Brody's nose look pert. I stared as the man paused outside the office to speak to his associates.

"What the fuck are you doing, leaving eight calls on my cell, from five this morning on, Cynthia? Did the client die or something and you're calling to say I can sleep in? You didn't have to...." The voice snarking in my ear broke me out of my trance.

"Brian, listen, no time, tell Danny that Stephan Lane is the client this morning and ask him to tell you....Good morning Mr. Lane. Welcome to Kinnetik." I closed the phone, hanging up on the boss as our prospective new client came into the office with his entourage. I hoped to fuck Danny had kept up with his former lover enough to know what name he was using these days or there would be hell to pay.

**********************************************

(Setting: Brian's Car; POV/Brian)

"What the fuck?" I flipped my phone closed. Danny looked over at me lazily and smiled.

"So what's up with the lovely Cynthia? Am I fired? Did my embezzlement from the office sunshine fund finally come to light? If so, good, you can fire me and then take me to your place so I can go to bed. I need some more sleep."

I'd picked him up at the airport late yesterday and we didn't come up for air until this morning. He'd been away for a couple of days for a modeling shoot. Damn, I'd missed him when he was gone. He stretched, bringing his left hand down on my neck and rubbing it absently. I leaned back into it. I wished there were time for breakfast. Or a quick fuck. Or both. Staying at his place often made us late in the morning, and this time was no different, even with Mary Pat keeping Briana with her an extra day so we didn't have to do the morning drop off at preschool. I was glad Danny's flight got in too late for it to be feasible for him to go get her last night or he would have. Instead, I got him to myself. I still couldn't get used to that whole parent routine, although Danny pretty much took it in stride, waking up ahead of me and getting the little girl fed and dressed on the days I stayed at his place. I had new respect for how the munchers had managed with Gus for all those years.

I forced my mind away from how his shoulders looked in his blue silk shirt, and thought about Cynthia's cryptic call. There hadn't been a chance to discuss this new client with Danny yet, and given that the man was French, his fluency in the language would be an asset. I'd meant to ask him to sit in on the meeting yet for some reason, I kept putting it off. I didn't want to admit that maybe it had something to do with the way the last gay client that met Danny developed such an obvious crush on him. Hell, in a shy, virginal kind of way, Giancarlo was still tentatively pursuing him. Now it looked like my dragging my feet was going to bite me in the ass, if Cynthia's tone was anything to judge by. And it usually was.

"Who is Stephan Lane to you?" No sooner did I get the blunt question out, then Danny's fingers froze, pressing against my neck. After a moment, he moved them away.

"Why are you asking about him now, all of a sudden? And why by that name? Did Cynthia call you about him? Why?" The timbre of his voice was lower than normal, controlled.

"What do you mean, 'by that name'? What the fuck other name would I use to ask about him?" I was feeling a bit tense and I couldn't help snapping at him. I hate fucking mysteries, especially when I've only had one cup of coffee and I have to meet with the fucking mystery in five minutes. I pulled over even though we were still two blocks from the office. Danny raised an eyebrow but merely leaned back in his seat, rested his arms on his crossed leg, laced his fingers together, and looked at me, waiting. I swear he was doing his damn yoga breathing too. I hate when he gets all calm like that, it reminds me of Zen Ben. He does it on purpose too, when he thinks I'm being immature.

I took a deep breath. Maybe I was being a little immature. I needed coffee.

"Cynthia just told me to ask you, no, she was frantically calling me in order to relay the instruction that I was to tell you that the client we have coming in this morning is Stephan Lane, the actor and director from France. Now I guess from that order that she expects that news to have some significance to you that is escaping me at the moment. Does it?"

I could tell from his face that it did, although he was good; he had it masked almost immediately. But before he covered it up, he looked almost...angry? At me? What the fuck?

"Danny? Who is...."

"You really don't know?" His voice was extremely controlled now. With just that hint of Irish to it, fuck he was about to lose it. I hadn't seen him this angry since I didn't know when. Actually, I did, since he caught me with Justin. I tried to rein in my own temper, and reached over to take his hands. I spoke calmly and slowly, looking him in the eyes. This was Danny, one of the good guys. No need to strike out. Time for a new operating manual, I told myself, taking a deep breath.

"Danny, I don't know who he is beyond what everyone knows and what was in my memo from Cynthia, which just reviewed his movies, what this project is about, the information he gave her when he requested a meeting, his favorite wine, that type of thing. He's a new contact, called cold just this week, in fact, so we have been scrambling to get ready for him. I'm guessing she found out something else since yesterday but she hasn't been able to reach me since I shut off my cell phone at the airport and forgot to turn it back on. Whatever it is obviously has something to do with you but since he came in just when she reached me she couldn't say anything more than to ask you about him. Or rather, to let you know he'd be there. She probably assumed you'd fill in the gaps. So, you tell me. What's going..." Danny made a noise, cutting into my explanations, then turned away to look out the window, still holding himself somewhat tensely, but more relaxed than he had been.

"Brian, did you know that the name Stephan, in French, is Etienne?" I looked toward him blankly. Then the lightbulb went off.

Fuck. His old boyfriend. That former lover who really meant something to him. And he almost got blind sided by him being at Kinnetik this morning. I could imagine how well that would have gone. Danny had his head in his hands now and his shoulders were shaking. No way. He couldn't be crying over this guy. Danny didn't cry. Maybe I really misunderstood the significance of this Etienne. I knew he was important but I didn't expect Danny to react like this. I felt a cold chill in the pit of my stomach as I thought about it. This was Stephan Lane, the movie star, after all, not just some kid from college. I tried to wrap my mind around that fact even as I weighed how to deal with Danny's unexpected reaction. So much for me being the man of his dreams, if this was how he got over the prospect of seeing Lane.

"Danny?" I put my hand on his shoulder and shook him as gently as I could. "Danny, you okay?" My voice sounded normal. Amazing. I could be dying on the inside but I could still put up a good front.

He raised his head, and sure enough, his eyes were brimming with tears, but he wasn't crying, he was laughing his fucking ass off.

"You want to explain what is so funny?"

"Can you imagine if I'd come back from my trip and caught you and MY old boyfriend fucking on your desk? And don't think it couldn't have happened because he is one of the world's biggest sluts. But he's sexy as all get out and you are so his type, besides which, he certainly knew who you were to me when he made this appointment and knowing him, he deliberately wouldn't have said who he was, hoping you wouldn't know his real name. God, I am going to kill him. You know, if that had happened, funny as it might have been in some cosmic sense, I really don't think I could have forgiven you, Brian, not in a million fucking years, no matter if you didn't know who he was.. Oh my God, I am going to kill Etienne for this. He'd better give you a ton of work is all I have to say. In fact, I'm half tempted to wait and see if he hits on you and then kill him if he does."

He was talking a mile a minute until I pulled him close and kissed him to shut him up. It took only a few seconds of exploring his mouth, my hands holding his head firmly in place, before his body relaxed into mine and his hands came up around my neck. The 'Vette was not the best car for making out in, however, and unless we wanted to take it somewhere else, I would have to call a stop to this, pleasant as it was.

Pulling back, I looked him in the eyes. "I don't think we'll do that. Wait to see if he hits on me, that is. You do realize that even if you weren't with me today, and even if I didn't know he was your former lover, I wouldn't be tricking with him, movie star or not."

Danny looked at me a little skeptically.

"Wait until you meet him before you say that. But I do appreciate the gesture, so thanks for saying that. I know you wouldn't say it unless you meant it."

It was my turn to look at him questioningly. I had to say it.

"Sounds like you're the one thinking of fucking him. It's much more likely you're the attraction, after all. I was wondering why Hollywood was coming to Pittsburgh for advertising, even for a movie shot in Philadelphia. New York City is a lot closer if they didn't find what they wanted in the City of Brotherly Love." I was waiting for the answer with a lot less nonchalance than I was managing to pull off.

Danny flashed those dimples at me.

"Well, that would be rather ironic, for me to trick with him when I could be with you, given that most of the time Etienne and I were together, we fought over the fact that he was sure I wanted to be with you, and would never be happy until I got over what he called my obsession with you. If anyone was obsessed with you, it was him, obsessed with the idea of me being obsessed"

I turned away, starting the car back up. I really didn't know what to say to that, so I elected to move on.

"Maybe we'd better get on to the office. Are you comfortable seeing him, under the circumstances?" I was all ready to be noble and offer to tell Lane he could pound sand if Danny didn't want to face him again, we didn't need the business if it would make things awkward for him at the office. What a fucking altruist I am.

"Sure, I have a great suit on today. We both look hot, actually. I like you in that green shirt, damn, I have a good eye for what looks good on you. As for Etienne, if I were to believe the bullshit he put in his movie and has been telling the press for years, why should I be concerned about seeing him? I'm the man he can't forget." Danny bat his lashes at me exaggeratedly.

Danny could laugh about it, but I had no doubt it was true. I'd watched the movie in preparation for this meeting. It wasn't to my taste, too romantic, but it was a pretty impressive effort, and it made for a pleasantly novel experience to watch a gay love story that didn't end tragically. The two men just moved on, having grown apart. I parked the car and tossed Danny his jacket from the back seat. He was right, he looked hot in his new suit. He'd brought one back for me too and while I was partial to Armani, the new D&G line was great. He gave me a smile as he reached over and straightened my collar. His thumb caressed my cheek for a moment. I pulled him close for another hard kiss before heading into the office, hoping I didn't come across as insecure as I was feeling. Danny spoke again as we waited for the elevator. I'd added a second floor to the office when we needed to expand and I didn't want to give up the original site.

"I do have to take care of a few things on my desk, some rush answers on current projects, so if it's all the same to you, I'd like to join you in about half an hour, give me time to return some calls. I'm looking forward to seeing Etienne, don't think I'm not, but I wasn't planning on attending any meetings this morning and I have to rearrange my schedule a bit. It shouldn't take long but I'd like to take care of it first. I'd hoped he would be coming to town actually, given that he's been relatively close, in the same state, but I left it to Aida to reach him. She's stayed in touch more than I have over the past year or so. She promised to ask him if he had time to help out on the benefit. At this late date, with no word from him, I'd given up hope."

"You mean you intend to ask an Oscar winner to..." I stared at him, not sure how to phrase my comment. Danny returned my look, appearing perplexed by my stupefaction.

"Sing with me at the show? Sure. Why not? He loves singing with me. Aida told me back weeks ago that he wanted us to get together but I always passed. I told her recently that if he wanted to see me he could sing with me in the show. She must have told him I was working at the agency too, but I didn't know about that, or about him setting this meeting up, Bri, or I would have said something to you. I confess I was kind of pissed at first as I thought you were trying to surprise me for some reason. I don't like surprises."

No kidding. Danny was back to his usual understatement. I wished there were more time to go over the file on Lane now that I knew he and Danny's Etienne were one and the same. Aida's comments from the night of the King of Babylon contest came back to me. Was Lane here to talk Danny into leaving Pittsburgh? Why then the charade of hiring Kinnetik? I watched Danny saunter off to his own office, grinning as he put a little extra swing in his hips for my benefit, then schooled my features into an expression appropriate for greeting a multi-million dollar account. Showtime.

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(Kinnetik Boardroom; POV/Cynthia)

Brian strolled into the conference room looking like a million bucks in a new gray suit with a dark green shirt that made his hazel eyes look almost emerald. Lane looked duly impressed, which was good, since my dear boss was about thirty minutes late and Danny wasn't with him. I was surprised, given that I'd gotten my message through to Brian. I hoped the two hadn't had one of their blow-ups over this. Brian gave no indications of one, but then, he wouldn't. He looked pleased to see the clients, but then, his game face was firmly in place.

Brian zeroed in on Lane, with his unerring instinct for knowing which person in any group was the decision maker, regardless of title or position. Since Lane's entourage included two of his producers, the money men in a movie deal, it was not a given that he was the one calling the shots, but in fact, my own conclusion after a half hour with the group was that whatever the charming Frenchman wanted, he would get. Brian would make sure he wanted Kinnetik, as long as it didn't include its current musical director as part of the package.

"Mr. Lane? Brian Kinney. I trust that my associate, Cynthia Preston has taken good care of you and your companions. I hope you've had enough time to go over with her what it is you see us doing for you. I'm sure you met Theodore Schmidt as well, our financial wizard. He's the one who will ensure that we're able to make your 'wants' reality for the numbers you have in mind."

Brian gave his most charming smile and shook hands all around as a few minutes were taken up with introductions. After the preliminaries were out of the way, Brian sat at the head of the table, ready to listen. Vance always launched right in with a pitch based on his prep, but Brian preferred to listen to what the client wanted and would get a feel for what would work with that client. Nine times out of ten, he'd tell me, the client knew exactly what they wanted, and wanted you to sell it to them, or turn their unworkable idea into a winner. But the bottom line was, they knew their product better than anyone.

"Well, Stephan, tell me about your movie."

One of the producers bristled slightly, and interrupted just as Lane was leaning forward with an animated expression to do exactly what Brian suggested.

"Haven't you read about our movie, Brian? At the very least, I would expect you to know what it is about." The man was a typical middle-aged executive, with the look of an accountant more than a movie producer, complete with paunch and receding hairline. Lane frowned but waited to see how Brian handled the challenge. Brian leaned back in his chair and looked the group over.

"I know what the trades are saying about it, much of which was put out by the agents of the stars involved and the Philadelphia public relations department, whose business it is to attract films to shoot in their city, and what I've concluded is that it's nothing special. Given that you have the hottest actor/director of the year coming out with his real follow-up to 'Tous les Deux sur la Route,' I'm much more interested in hearing from him how to convince people it is something special, as I think it must be more than just another action film that'll be fighting for holiday ticket money along with all the other films released in time for Oscar consideration. I can sell, Mr. Levy, but Stephan here is the expert on making films, and he is the leading expert on this particular film, so why don't we let him answer the question."

"Merci, Brian. What you have said, that is my view also. What I don't want is 'Men of Action' getting the wrong audience, and dying a quick death because of poor word of mouth despite good reviews."

"Like 'Cinderella Man,'" Brian suggested.

"Exactement! That movie was a wonderful romance but it was marketed as a boxing movie since the studios had this foolish notion that the success of 'Million Dollar Baby' meant people loved boxing and wanted to see movies about that barbaric sport." Lane made a very gallic noise of disgust. His team looked self conscious, and I had no doubt this was a favorite topic of his. Brian had a knack for tapping into people's pet theories and using them. Certainly Lane was beaming at him as he gave a lengthy description of his vision of his movie, and who would want to see it. He stood up at one point and paced around the room, gesturing with his hands as he spoke in his attractive voice. I looked at Brian to see if he had "that look." The one that said he was going to nail the client. Lane was certainly giving him appraising looks every so often during his performance. I wondered if he knew about Danny and Brian, and if so, what it would mean to him. Would he consider Brian off limits or more of a challenge? I wished I'd taken my antacid that morning, as I could feel my stomach churning.

After winding down some fifteen minutes later, Lane gave a self deprecating smile.

"You see how I get when you invite me to talk on my favorite topic. But, most importantly, have I convinced you that 'Men of Action' is not just another action film?"

Brian steepled his fingers and leaned forward.

"Well, I certainly see why you think so. I'd have to see the movie to be convinced of it myself but I'll grant that you sell it well. I'd want to go see your movie over, say, 'Mission Impossible Ten' or even 'Brokeback Mountain Two.' Of course, we have to trim that speech of yours some, advertising time costing what it does, fifteen minute spots would be rather cost prohibitive." Brian grinned at the tall Frenchman who returned his smile sheepishly.

"So, my job is to convey your passion for this movie in thirty second ads, and of course, a trailer or two, the right posters, advertising in the right magazines and newspapers, the latter to start soon, as well as online ads. We also need to start prepping your stars, so that they stop giving asinine interviews that make the movie sound like another Mission Impossible, just with gay guys. As I understand it, you've got a sexy, hot movie coming out about an international team of specialists fighting terrorism aimed at historical landmarks, with graphic gay and straight sex, where the interpersonal relationships matter more than the action, and where good fights evil and there is, at best, a tie between the two. It still sounds like a lot of thrillers, Stephan, so we have to tantalize audiences with fact that the relationships are key to the sex, or you lose the female market that goes to see a movie dozens of times because they fall in love with the guys in it. A thriller is not thrilling once you know the ending anyway, and the couples won't go if the girl says no to it. Don't shy away from the gay aspect, it won't hurt you with the women and since you have tough looking guys and sexy women in tough situations, the men won't stay away. We play up the fact that this is a hot movie. Count on your actors and the directing to win you the critics. I assume you know you won't get worse than an R rating?"

The blunt speech caught Lane by surprise.

"Of course not, it is not a pornographic film, Brian!" Lane was indignant.

"Well, actually, we'll have to make some changes, Stephan, to save the R rating," one of the other men, an assistant production manager, offered tentatively. Lane turned to glare at him, clearly annoyed, a crack showing in his debonair facade. A sharp discussion took place in French for a few minutes, with Lane looking increasingly irate. Just as I was thinking one of us should intervene to save the poor assistant's neck, especially since the other men were all allowing the abuse to continue while they averted their eyes, the door opened and Danny stepped in quietly. Lane had his back to the door and didn't notice; he was too busy waving his arms angrily at the other man. Brian must have reached the same conclusion I had since he had stood up and was about to grab Lane by the arm. Just as it looked like the other man was about to be hit by the tall Frenchman if Brian didn't forcibly stop him, Danny spoke harshly in French to Lane, who stilled the second he heard his voice.

["Sit down and calm yourself immediately. What nonsense is this, Etienne? Apologize to that poor man at once. You know how much I hate it when you lose your temper in this deplorable manner."] [Author's note: italicized dialogue in brackets indicates that the person is speaking in French.]

Lane turned around, his expression changing immediately to one of joy.

["David, you are here after all! I am so thrilled to see you; you look wonderful!"]

Lane moved forward as though to clasp Danny to him, but Danny held him off with a stiff arm and gave a meaningful look at the assistant, who was shaking a bit as he sat in his chair. Ted was pouring the man a glass of water. Brian stood nearby, just watching the interaction between Danny and his old lover. It was a bit eye opening. Lane was a good several inches taller and probably a half dozen years older at least, and yet he looked cowed by Danny's apparent reprimand. My schoolbook French wasn't enough to follow it completely, but he seemed to be demanding that Lane apologize for how he acted to his assistant. Without another word, Lane turned and apparently did exactly that, in sincere sounding words, although he spoke too rapidly for me to follow. He then said something further to Danny who added another instruction as he nodded toward the rest of us. Lane then turned to Brian and me.

"I am so sorry for my outburst. I would like to blame it on artistic temperament, but there are many such as David, excuse me, Daniel, who are great artists and never behave so poorly. Instead, please let me plead fatigue. Could we perhaps excuse the rest of my team so you and I, Brian, can plan ideas? Levy could meet with your brilliant Ted and discuss budgets, but I've made it clear I need your people to have a free hand and whatever that takes, Levy will give you in terms of money or I will be unhappy." Brian nodded to Ted who led the other men away. They seemed thrilled to get out of the room.

Lane then turned back to Danny.

"Now, David, Daniel, darling, whatever you want me to call you, I have made amends. May I now have a hug? As an old friend?" Lane held his arms out and Danny rolled his eyes but stepped forward and gave him a quick hug, firmly holding onto the taller man's upper arms, as well as a brief kiss on each cheek, accepting the same in return.

"Well, now that we're all cozy, we can go over some ideas. That is, unless you and David darling want to catch up on old times?" Brian inquired sweetly as Danny took his seat, Lane's arm resting along the back of his chair.

"Etienne knew me as David since I was using that name when we met," Danny explained. He then turned to his old lover. "You will call me Danny now, Etienne. Do you want me to call you Stephan?" Danny looked amused as he watched Lane struggle to compose himself. Whatever the Frenchman had planned for this big reunion, I was sure it didn't include the scene that had just transpired and he didn't seem happy that he had lost control over the situation. Oddly, however, he seemed to have no trouble taking orders from Danny, and his quick dismissal of his people may have been to prevent them from seeing him so submissive. He certainly seemed eager to please all of a sudden. With Brian, he'd been charming yet interacted as an equal, with the others he came across as a definite alpha. With Danny, however, he seemed hard pressed not to sit at his feet and beg.

"It is a pleasure to be called Etienne again, so please, continue to do so, and you both also, call me Etienne, as I hope we are to become friends, Cynthia, Brian. One gets so tired of the sycophants and yes men of this business, yet I can remember when all I heard was no, so I shouldn't complain. But Brian, I must tell you, I heard of you long before hearing of Kinnetik and hated you for many years. Now that I have met you, I can see why Danny could never forget you, you are a beautiful man."

Wow, talk about putting your cards on the table. Actually, make that putting someone else's cards on the table. I looked to see how Danny took that little revelation. He moved away from Lane's arm that was resting along the back of his chair and leaned his chin on his hand, his elbow propped on the table, still with a slightly amused look on his face. Lane wasn't getting a visible rise out of him. Next I looked to Brian, who was the one Lane was trying to get a reaction out of anyway. No success there, either, I was pleased to see.

"Thank you. I believe Danny's mentioned an Etienne once or twice as well, but we've been rather busy, what with the incredible sex, so it may have slipped his mind. Danny, why didn't you ever tell me that your old friend Etienne was Stephan Lane?" Brian smiled at Danny.

"I guess it was like you said, all the incredible sex made me forget. It's been a busy couple of months besides. But anyway, Etienne, this is the Brian I told you about, as you somehow figured out, and we will discuss that later. You are really here for advertising work, yes?"

"Of course! Why else?" Lane looked innocent but the idea of Brian and Danny was not a happy one to him was my intuition. He was looking at Danny like I look at the new Jimmy Choo shoe line each spring. "Oh yes, and there was something else, a little show you are putting on, I understand, Danny? I thought perhaps I could help you with that? While I am working with Brian and getting things started on advertising, and doing some of my editing work, I could also work with you on your benefit, sing some songs with you. I spoke with our producers and we will be happy to make a sizable donation to the charity as well. Aida said something about sponsoring parts of the performance? I would love to sponsor the performance of some of our old songs from 'Les Miserables,' and maybe even we could do the ones we always wanted to do, perhaps 'Confrontation,' as well, you can play Valjean and I will be Javert, yes? I would be happy to help direct as well if you could use the assistance. I can place the next few weeks at your disposal."

Wow. Danny's eyes did light up at that and he gave Lane the first genuine smile he'd gotten since seeing him, one of his full, double dimpled ones. Lane smiled back at him, happy to be forgiven. Brian was the only one who didn't look quite so thrilled as he observed this "moment" between the two former lovers.

"That is quite an offer, Stephan, are you sure you can spare the time?" Brian's voice was perfectly calm, but I was worried. Brian wouldn't show it, but he was bound to feel threatened by someone of Lane's accomplishments, especially one who was so crazy over Danny and not afraid to show it. Danny looked over at Brian as well, and seemed to be hesitating. Do something, I was thinking, show him he has nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, instead, he stayed quiet, and Lane assured Brian that he was thrilled to have the chance to spend the time with Danny. The meeting wrapped up pretty quickly after that, with Brian outlining a schedule for when we would get our initial campaign to Lane.

"I also was hoping we could retain the services of D. Feeney to revise the score for the movie as the one we have now is lacking sparkle. Your agent said I had to negotiate that through Kinnetik as you were not taking on any work outside this firm, is that so, Danny?" Lane directed the question to Danny, but looked inquiringly at Brian.

I also turned to Brian, who looked just as surprised as I felt. Danny was turning down all other work to work here?

"Yes, is that true, Danny?" Brian's voice was silky smooth and dangerous. Lane looked smug, before he saw me looking his way and changed his expression to one of innocent interest. Danny sighed and stood up.

"Sometimes, Etienne, you are such an interfering, manipulative bastard." I blinked at Danny's calm delivery of the insult. Lane merely smiled. "Brian, may I please speak to you in your office for a few minutes. Cynthia, would you please keep Etienne entertained? Ask him about his first movie, he loves to talk about himself. That topic should keep him quite entertained for as long as I need." Lane laughed and tried to look affronted but Danny wasn't paying him any attention. His eyes were fixed on the boss, who hesitated a moment, but then stood up and followed Danny from the room.

I smiled brightly at Lane.

"So, tell me about your first movie."

******************************************

(Setting: Brian's Office at Kinnetik; POV/Danny)

I followed a silent Brian into his office, debating the best way to handle this. Brian was unhappy, that much was clear and I couldn't sit there and watch Etienne manipulate him without trying to do something. The bit about the work was not something I needed thrown into the mix right now.

"Well, you wanted to talk? Make it quick, we have a client waiting, or do we? Is this just some elaborate courting ritual of the rich and famous? If it is, tell me so I can leave you to it and get back to real work and stop wasting my fucking time." Brian stood with his back to me, arms crossed, staring out the big window in his office. I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist.

"Why are you angry at me? Tell me." I kissed the side of his neck, pulling him tight against me. He stayed stiff for all of twenty seconds before relaxing back against me.

"Why is he here, Danny?"

"I think he's here for a couple reasons. One, to hire you to do the advertising for his movie, that isn't fake. Two," I paused, debating whether to come right out and say it. But, I've never lied to Brian and saw no reason to start. "He's probably here to try to get me to go back to him, and if that means interfering with what I have with you, he'll do it. In a perfectly nice way, of course."

"How will he come between us in a 'nice' way?" Brian's voice was rough.

"By the type of thing he just did, figuring out what makes someone tick and exploiting it. I was always the dominant one between Etienne and me, and it intrigues him to think of me in a different role with you. He also can tell that you're a pretty proud person who wouldn't like the idea of me helping you out, so he deliberately tried to interfere with what he sees as my submissive image with you."

"But you aren't submissive to me," Brian objected. I hugged him tighter as I laughed gently.

"In his eyes, I am. I work for you. He no doubt suspects, merely from seeing the type of man you are, that I bottom for you, and that is enough to drive him crazy. I told you in the car, he was obsessed with my feelings for you. I made the mistake of telling him about you, how I felt, and he could never get over it. I cared very much for Etienne, at one time I thought I could love him, but it was never enough, and eventually I left because I hated feeling like I was wasting his time, which is something he always used to claim. At first, we didn't speak, and then when we did, he'd been like he is now, making elaborate gestures to win me back. He wanted me to go to the Oscars with him, but I refused and since then we haven't spoken except through Aida and in emails."

"Why didn't you go, it would have been a big event. The movie was about you, wasn't it?" Brian still wasn't turning around. God, he was so fragile sometimes. I leaned over his shoulder and rubbed my cheek against his.

"Which question do you want answered first? I could say I didn't go to the Oscars because I was busy, but that isn't the whole story. I guess I felt it would have presented a false picture to the world, to go as 'the man he loved.' I could imagine Etienne introducing me all over Hollywood as the inspiration for his movie. It made me cringe to even think of it. And, to be really honest, I didn't want to go to the Oscars as someone's arm candy, I want to be there when it is me being nominated. Is that so wrong? Maybe if I were a nicer person, I could have just gone and been happy for him, but I found I couldn't do it. I turned down being in the movie and I was less than completely noble about his success. As for the movie? It's about two young men exploring the world and falling in love. And then one of them breaks the other's heart when he leaves to continue his adventures alone. There is nothing about the insane jealousy, or the getting him out of bar fights, or the other men along the way. So, no, it isn't about Etienne and me at all in my opinion since it left out all the unromantic stuff. Don't get me wrong, I did love my time with him, he was there for me when I needed someone. But I got tired of wild parties and group sex and a lot of other things that I don't even want to get into with you. I love his talent, he is a gifted actor and director, and he's a very good singer, so it'll be fun to sing with him. I care for him as a friend and I'm happy that he's doing well. I'm not in love with him, though, and I don't want to go back to what I walked away from with him. Even if he's changed, he still isn't what I want."

Once again, I'd put myself out there for this man, and was waiting to see if it was enough. I was about ready to give up and leave the room when Brian finally turned around. He kissed me, his mouth hot and hungry against mine. Then he lifted his head and glared at me.

"I'm still pissed off about you turning down work, I don't want you giving Kinnetik charity, Mr. Luke. Or Mr. Feeney, or whoever the fuck you are at the moment. I have a pretty good idea you can make more as David Luke, or D. Feeney than you can as my musical director."

I leaned against him, relieved to have this queen out over almost over. Damn, I wish I'd taken today off. Two long days of modeling plus the travel, then fucking half the night had me exhausted. I still had rehearsals ahead of me after work.

"Money isn't the only reason I work, and the Babylon Benefit is the main reason I am turning down work right now. I'm burnt out, Bri, and I can't compose or choreograph well when I'm exhausted. So my agent understands that for right now, requests for work are to come in through here. He gets a cut of my salary to keep him happy and I find the work I do here interesting. It's recharging my batteries a little to work at something different. I was doing some of this type of work before, the only change is now I have an office, which is nice. And if I bring advertising work in to the company, my contract calls for me to get a percentage on top, so I'm certainly not doing charity work. Taking on a major project like that movie score is not something I want to do right now, actually, but I will consider it, if it means Etienne does as much as he says he will for the Benefit. Satisfied? Anything else bothering you?"

"Yeah, why didn't you tell me he was so hot before I promised I wouldn't fuck him on my desk?" I looked sharply at him but his face had a bland expression on it. I ground my groin against his and was satisfied with the groan I got in return.

"You want to fuck him?" I moved my hands up inside his shirt to squeeze his nipples as I pulled him tighter against me. I sucked on the skin beneath his ear as he moved his rock hard erection against me. That had better be for me and not Etienne.

"Danny, fuck, no, I want you, please, here, now."

I seriously considered it, knowing how much Brian loved public, or semi-public sex. But, glancing at his desk, I couldn't help the image that sprang to mind of him fucking that blond there, and I literally felt sick to my stomach. I moved away suddenly. So call me a cock tease, but I felt my own arousal wilt. There was no way I was going to let him fuck me on that desk.

"Danny?"

"I...let's get back. Listen, I'm sorry you didn't know more about Etienne before today, but you really have nothing to worry about. Let's get out of here please." I tried to control my voice but it was shaking.

"What's wrong? Come on, now you're upset and I don't fucking know why." Brian's voice was filled with frustration and I didn't blame him. There was no way in hell I was telling him my problem, however, and my mind was trying to come up with some excuse that wouldn't be a lie, when suddenly I was the one being pulled close. He rubbed my back comfortingly.

"I'm sorry. Forget about it. I didn't think." I laughed a little shakily. "This is entirely too much angst for a weekday morning. I feel wiped out already. Can I book out of here and go for a run, boss?"

"You want to go for a run now? You're already tired." He looked at me concerned.

"I need to think, and running helps me get energized when I'm this tired. It's either that or go back to bed for ten hours and that's not an option. So an hour run, a shower, and then I'll be good to join you for lunch, okay?" I rested my head on his shoulder, facing away from the infamous desk. I wondered if he would mind if I bought him a new one.

"Go ahead, just be careful. You want to come say goodbye to the boyfriend first or shall I tell him you'll rejoin us for lunch?"

"You tell him. He'll get the message I'm annoyed with him and behave better at lunch. He's trying to get me mad at him, it's an old game of his."

"Why the hell would he do that if he wants you back?"

I gave him one of my best smiles. "Maybe because I'm good at punishing bad behavior? You'd have to ask him, though on second thought, maybe you'd better not. But if you ever want me to punish you, just let me know." Brian raised his eyebrows high and I laughed. I kissed him again and left for my run. Let Etienne try to fuck with Brian, I felt secure that his machinations had done no harm for today.

*******************************************************

(Setting: Club in Greenwich Village, New York City; Week night in latter part of June; POV/Miguel)

I watched amused as Justin danced with two large black men, who had his pale body pressed between them like the sour cream layer in my abeula's black bean dip. He was having a blast, but probably should cool down and drink some fluids. I shook my head in amazement. The kid had no common sense when it came to clubbing. That older guy he was with in Pittsburgh must have watched him like a hawk to make sure he did himself no harm. As much as I told myself I wasn't his keeper and was only looking out for him because Juan asked me to, it was hard not to grow attached to the blond brat. He could be engaging. When he wasn't being a total asshole, that is. I caught his eye and held up a water bottle. He motioned for me to come out to the dance floor with it. Ah, he wanted to play some games tonight? So far I hadn't fucked him, and I wasn't sure whether I ever would, though Juan had assured me they were just friends. But each time he slipped his leash and came out to meet me, he flirted that much more openly.

I debated taking the water bottle to him but decided it was easier to stay where I was. I opened it and started to drink it. I'd only drunk a few swallows when sweaty fingers closed over mine.

"Hey, isn't that for me?" Justin gave me a big smile as he pulled the bottle from my grip. I gave it up and went back to my beer. He sat down in my lap and proceeded to gulp the rest of the water down. When there was only a little bit left in the bottle, he gave me a sly grin and poured it over his head, shaking his long hair out like a mischievous puppy.

"Hey! If you're going to be sloppy, go sit somewhere else," I told him, pushing him off me, but not without making sure there was another chair close enough for him to land that full ass of his on.

"Come on, Migs, you won't dance with me, you won't let me sit with you, don't you like me?" Taylor wrapped his arms around my neck and hung on for dear life, grinning like a loon. Fuck, he must've taken something. This was not good, as I was pretty sure Simon checked him over with a fine toothed comb whenever Jenn took him back from one of their outings on project Get Justin a Life. Going out to the movies with a girl shouldn't leave him shit-faced. When I found the asshole who gave him something tonight, they'd be sorry.

"What did you take? Justin, look at me." I pushed him off me and grabbed his chin in order to hold his face up to the light. His pupils were dilated and he was sweating like crazy, which wasn't surprising, given the heat in the room and the fact that he'd just been dancing, but he was shaking, too.

"I think we could really be good friends, Migs, if you'd just relax, 'cos I think I can really unnerstan' you, you just wanna take care of me, everybody wantsa take, ta take, ta take me." He fell against me. "I don't feel good."

"No, I bet you don't. Come on, baby, let's get you out of here and you'll feel better." I hoisted him up. Damn, he was a dead weight. I called over to one of my friends to give me a hand with him, and between the two of us, we got him outside and flagged down a cab. I gave the driver Jenn's address, after making sure there was no sign that we were being watched.

"What the fuck do you mean you're taking him to my place, Miguel? You want to get me killed?" I held the cell phone away from my ear in an effort to prevent hearing loss. Her outraged shrieking could probably be heard in Queens, which, considering she was currently in the Bronx, was saying something.

"Now come on, Cyprian, when was the last time Simon actually killed anyone? I think you've made the poor man out to be some kind of ogre, when he's just a man like any other man, looking for love in all the wrong places, no different from the rest of us." I glanced down at the blond shivering in my lap. I'd forgotten his shirt in the club. Oh well, Jenn probably had some spare sweats he could wear.

"No, Migs, you take him to your place, I'm telling you, Simon watches my place to make sure you don't do exactly what you're going to do, well, not you, he doesn't know about you, but anyone like you. Take him to your place. Take him to a hotel. Just don't take him to my place as I don't need to lose the job and have him blackball me from getting another one. You know he'd try to. I'm helping you here but there has to be some rules, and one of them is you don't put my ass on the line. And we don't know if he'd stop at that if he got mad enough, I notice you're careful enough to keep your name off his radar."

I sighed. She was right. Stupid Taylor. Why couldn't he just go out and have fun and not get himself in this condition? It would be a good couple of hours before he would be fit to be seen, and even then it would be tricky to get him back without causing trouble with Simon. Which would be all well and good if Taylor were ready to leave his golden cage, but he wasn't. Nor was Simon ready to cut him loose. Given his past habits, he was unlikely to be done with him for at least another six or seven months.

"Okay, Cyprian, you're right. Sorry. Listen, call me when you're on your way back to the city. Or better yet, maybe you'd better stay out there for the night and we can come up with some cover story for why he stayed out all night. If nothing else, we can say you got called away to your sick abeula and he left you there and went off on his own and left his cell phone in your car. Yeah, that might work" Don't answer any calls you don't recognize, okay?" She agreed and wished me luck, sounding relieved to be well out of it for the night. God, how crazy was it that we were all so afraid of this middle-aged queen, like he was going to off the bunch of us for taking his boy toy out on the town behind his back? Then I thought of the stories of the dark angel and his dead sister and shivered, looking down at the pale blond in my lap. Stupid pato, playing with fire. And I didn't mean Justin.

I gave the cabbie my address then pulled Justin up into my arms to try warming him. I briefly considered getting a hotel room for the night but that seemed a little extreme. Besides, I couldn't very well go walking into a Manhattan hotel with a half naked, unconscious twink, even if I did want to blow a couple hundred dollars. Maybe rich white men could get away with something like that but a Mexican could expect a few questions, I thought with a touch of dark humor. Hopefully, if Simon did have anyone watching for Taylor, they were camped in front of Cyprian's place and even he shouldn't be paranoid enough to have the kid followed all night long. The two of them had been going out for a couple of weeks now, and he would meet up with me and an ever widening circle of friends about every third outing. Sometimes I met up with the two of them somewhere on their movie date, or caught up with them at a museum. The whole idea was to get him out and about and it had been working. He was kind of fun even, at least, I could see why Juan had liked him so much.

But, more and more, Justin had been wanting to spend his nights of freedom in the clubs, which was the hardest to pull off without alerting his watchdogs, and his behavior was getting wilder each time. Jenn wasn't alone in being a little afraid of what Simon's reaction would be if he found out his little blond boy toy was playing around, even if, to my knowledge, Taylor hadn't actually done any fucking around yet. Simon liked control, and the mere fact that he didn't have complete control over Taylor could be enough to make him very angry. He'd been known to take revenge before, and I was hesitant to put anything past him.

We arrived and for an extra ten bucks, the cabdriver helped me get Justin up to my apartment. I'm in fairly good shape, but carrying a hundred and forty pounds of passed out blond up two flights of stairs is more than my cardio workout calls for.

"Hey, Taylor, come on, sleeping beauty, wake up." I grabbed a water bottle from the frig and brought it over to the sofa where we'd dumped him. Still out. I shook him by the shoulder. "Justin, come on, you're scaring me, baby, drink some more water." I took his pulse; it was rapid but not so high as to cause a panic. Juan got himself into bad condition once or twice on E when he was a kid, and I had to get our older brother to kick some sense into him. Leon was gone now, dead to a knife wound he got in a fight in prison. The guards were a little slow to break up fights sometimes. He'd been a good guy, a great brother. He did everything he could to make sure his little brothers didn't end up the same way he did. Juan had idolized him. God, I missed him, every fucking day. He would have kicked Simon's ass for what he tried to do to Juan, that porn shit. Sometimes I worried I wasn't half the man my brother was, but then, he always told me someone had to be the smart one, and the job was mine by default. Juan had the heart, Leon had the machismo, and I had the brains.

Right now, looking at the pretty blond lying on my sofa, I didn't feel so smart. I picked him up and leaned him against my chest.

"Hey, Justin, wake up, come on, you have to drink some more and show me you're okay or I'll have to take you to the hospital."

"No, no hospitals, hate hospitals." That got a reaction out of him, but not one I wanted. Suddenly, he was terrified, clawing at me, eyes opened wide.

"No, please, Miguel, no hospital, I'll be good, don't make me go to hospital! I'll do anything you want, I'll take my medicine, but I can't take Tylenol, or, or, I forget the rest, it's on the list, Brian has it. I don't do well with drugs."

No shit. I held him as he shuddered against me. I pulled the afghan my abeula had crocheted for me from the back of the sofa and wrapped him in it, even though it was about seventy degrees in the apartment. He still seemed cold. I debated calling Kinney. If Taylor were having an allergic reaction, then I probably shouldn't fuck around with him, but should get him to a hospital, afraid or not. He and Kinney were on the outs since his last visit down there, I'd heard enough moping on the subject, all about how the dark angel was stealing him away, or bewitching him, or something, but it seemed pretty clear to me the guy would do anything for him. The miserable look on the small blond's face as he huddled under the blanket, trying to get as close as possible to me made up my mind. The worst that Kinney could do was take my head off. At best, he would fly up here and take Justin off my hands and out of Simon's clutches. The latter thought didn't relieve me was much as I would have thought it would.

I pulled Justin's cell phone from his jeans and got Kinney's number from it, but used my phone to dial. I was paranoid enough to worry that Simon checked his cell phone records.

"Hello, Brian's phone speaking, how may I help you?" A deep male voice answered, with laughter in the background. Uh oh, Kinney didn't pick up his own phone obviously.

"Hello, may I please speak with Brian Kinney, it's rather important." I used my best New York law firm paralegal voice in the hope that the phone would get passed over right away.

There was a pause. I could hear the sound of the person who answered excusing himself to the other people in the room.

"Brian just stepped out for a few minutes but should be back shortly. I can take a message or I can try running him down. I can see from the caller ID this is a New York number, if you don't mind my asking, what is the problem, does it have to do with Justin? Can anyone else help you until he gets back? Is he okay?"

I felt relieved. It sounded like I got someone sensible on the line.

"Yeah, my name is Miguel Martinez, I'm a friend of his. He took something at a club tonight, I don't know what, and he's had a bad reaction. I know he's allergic to a million things but I have no clue what, and he's not being much help, so I thought maybe Brian could help since he, well..."

It occurred to me then who I was probably talking to. There was another pause after I let my words fade away and tried to figure out whether Justin's nemesis, the dark angel, would want to help or would hang up now.

"Hold on, there's someone else here who can probably help you better. Daphne! Problem with Justin, it's a friend of his on the line." I could hear him quickly recount what I told him and then a woman's voice got on the line.

"Miguel? Why did you let him take drugs? What did he take? Did he overdose? What are his symptoms?"

Christ, I could see myself up on charges for supplying him when I didn't even know he was taking the damn things. Damn, and of course I gave my full name and used my phone. Damn Taylor. The male voice got back on. The woman was still carrying on in the background with what sounded like another male voice trying to calm her.

"Sorry about that. She is a little protective of him. What did he take, some E?"

"That's what I think. He was out dancing and came back to the table a little stoned. It seemed like E to me, but you know how it is, or maybe you don't, it could be half a dozen things mixed in with it too, and he probably had some poppers. I was the only one giving him drinks, and I made him stick to beer, but he might have taken a pill out on the dance floor when I wasn't watching. I'm not his keeper."

I couldn't keep the annoyed inflection out of my voice. The rich deep voice sounded soothing, and sympathetic.

"Of course you aren't, and it's very nice of you to be watching over him now, what happened? I take it something got you worried, you don't sound like someone to call someone's people back home just because they got a little mellow on E." I could hear the woman, Daphne, freaking out in the background. I felt bad for the guy having to put up with that. I wondered where Kinney was.

"He passed out. He keeps going in and out on me, and is shaking with chills, plus sweating up a storm. I would take him to the hospital but he freaked at the idea, and well, there are reasons he would prefer not to have me take him there."

An odd tone came into the deep voice.

"Simon would get wind of it. Gotcha. Okay, let me pass this on, sorry to take so long, but Brian would know best his drug reactions best probably and he isn't back yet. You did right to call though. Jamie, passed out, chills, shakes, but comes to off and on...how long has it been you think since he started with symptoms?" The last bit was directed to me.

"Maybe ninety minutes, less." There was another voice in the background now. Then the deeper male voice that had been talking to the woman.

"Okay, I'm told by another friend of his here that he's had E before and this is par for the course for him, while the ER doctor here says he should start to seem better soon, but if his heart rate seems at all erratic...by the way, how is his heart rate?"

"Pulse is fast but regular, about 100." He passed that on to the others.

"Okay, you should be okay with him, get fluids in but be careful not to over-hydrate him. Can you stay with him for the next couple of hours? Should someone try to get up there?" I could hear a bit of tension come into his voice but gave him credit for making the offer. Presumably it wouldn't be him, but he must know that Kinney would want the offer made, or maybe the woman Daphne would come.

"I can stay with him, but getting him back into Simon's tomorrow may prove a problem."

"Maybe we can help with that. Listen, I'll tell Brian about your call and I'm sure he'll want to talk to you, thank you, make sure he's okay, all that. And we all thank you, Miguel, for calling and for taking care of him. Don't worry, no one blames you, from what I understand he attracts trouble, ouch Daphne, that hurt! Anyway, I'm sure we can work something out for Simon so his little bright angel doesn't get in trouble, even if it would be the best thing for him. Good luck with the little darling, Miguel." As he hung up with a short laugh, I could hear the woman protest, "Danny!"

So that was O'Keefe, as I suspected. Sexy voice. I looked down at the bundle in my arms and sighed. So much for getting him into my bed. I may as well carry him there, but there wouldn't be much action happening. I decided to get him settled in before I fielded the call from Kinney.

*********************************************

(Setting: Same night; Danny's townhouse; POV/Emmett)

Everyone was talking at once debating what should be done about Justin. Everyone except Danny, that is; he put the phone down again and went back to lying in my lap, pretending to watch the movie. I was rubbing his temples since he had yet another one of his headaches. He was doing way too much these days, especially since it wasn't all that long since he'd been laid up, and the added rehearsals for the Les Mis songs didn't help. His old friend, Etienne, seemed like a sweetheart, but he was a perfectionist, and with him there, Danny was pushing himself that much harder. Tonight's movie night was the first time we'd all just gotten together to hang out in weeks. I think it was the first time Brian and Danny had spent an entire evening together since Etienne's arrival, and the handsome Mr. Kinney hadn't been all that thrilled to see the gang arrive practically on his heels at the townhouse. Too bad, Danny needed relaxation, not an evening of aerobic sex. After putting up with his glares for a few hours, I sent him out with Ted to get some pizza and Thai for a late night snack, announcing that I wasn't cooking tonight either. That, of course, was when the infamous phone call happened, since Brian forgot his phone.

"You okay, baby?" I asked, bending down low to whisper the question in Danny's ear.

"Sure, why wouldn't I be?"

Just then, Brian and Ted came back in and Daphne immediately launched into an account of the phone call.

"Jesus Christ, why hasn't the guy taken him to the hospital?" Ted asked.

"Maybe because it would cause awkward questions for Justin to answer as to why he took an illegal substance, and if there were no risk to his health he didn't want to expose Justin to possible trouble, especially since Justin was begging not to go to a hospital when he was conscious," Danny snapped. "The guy has no authority to make Justin accept medical care and unless he stays unconscious, he can't even make an ambulance squad take him against his will. I don't know if you've ever been in that situation, but I have and it isn't pleasant. Justin is a grown man, after all, not a child that someone else should have to babysit."

"Worry about the drug being illegal is no excuse, if he needs treatment, he needs treatment. And if he's unconscious, he definitely needs treatment, he could have neurological damage, especially given his medical history. He can't fuck around with a possible overdose. Besides, who the hell knows what is in a drug that someone hands you at a club? We deal with the fallout later. What is the number to reach this man?" Brian spoke sharply to Danny.

Danny looked at him, an eyebrow cocked. Without another word, he tossed Brian's phone to him.

"What? You don't think I should call? For God's sake, Danny, he could be seriously ill." Brian looked pale under his perpetual tan. Danny sat up but made no attempt to go over to him.

"I think you should call him. But I think you should listen to Jamie's opinion, and also take into account that 'this man,' as you call him, whose name is Miguel, by the way, is apparently a friend to Justin, a real friend. He is sticking his neck out for him to keep an eye on him against Simon's wishes, he's watching over him to see if his condition worsens, and he doesn't need some hypocrite giving him a lecture about the dangers of club drugs since he wasn't the idiot who took an unknown pill in a club, your little blond boyfriend was. So maybe you should adjust your attitude before you call. He did you a favor calling you, the person who does know Justin's medical history which he doesn't and wouldn't be able to give anyone up there, and he did it out of concern, so I don't understand where you and Daphne get off acting like he was some babysitter who screwed up. Last thing I heard, Justin was over the age of consent. His biggest problem tonight is going to be sneaking back into Simon's penthouse without getting caught."

Oh my God, Brian was going to lose it. If Daphne didn't first. Jamie held her back and clamped a big hand over her mouth. One of these days, she was going to bite him. I put a supportive arm around Danny.

"So you think I'm a hypocrite?" Brian's voice was deadly quiet. Danny didn't back down though he hesitated before answering in an even quieter voice.

"Did you ever give Justin drugs? Or let him see you take drugs freely at Babylon? I bet he saw Emmett take them, and of course he's used poppers before, everyone uses poppers, right?"

Brian looked stricken. I was feeling pretty self-conscious myself. Now that I thought about it, I never saw Danny use even a popper. He always turned them down when I offered them. He was such a health nut, I could understand it. He drank, that was about the only thing he did. There had been a couple of times in the past that I knew of when Justin got pretty high, especially back in the days when he was upset following the bashing and thought he'd never paint again. Pain management, Brian had called it. And Brian, he used to take the whole alphabet of boutique, designer drugs, cooked up by his very own freelance pharmacist, Anita.

"Hit send on your phone, I already had it ready for you to call him back, he's expecting your call. I'm checking on Briana." Danny got up and went upstairs.

Brian plopped down on the sofa next to me. I shooed everyone into the kitchen to get the food onto plates, telling them Danny just had the rugs cleaned so I didn't want them making a mess.

"Why don't you go into Danny's room to call?" I suggested. Brian was just sitting there, his hands hanging down between his knees.

"I keep fucking things up, Em. What do I do? I can't just turn off all caring about Justin, pretend the last five years never happened. Part of me feels like he is my responsibility, that when something happens to him, I have to run to the rescue. And yet..."

"And yet, if you go running up there every time Justin hits a bump in his life, especially when he doesn't need you to, you'll lose Danny, you do realize that, don't you? His patience isn't infinite, he loves you but he has some pride too, Brian. You can't expect him to accept second best forever."

"No one is asking him to accept second best. I just need time."

"How much time? What happens to him if at the end, Justin comes home and wants his old life back? Or is it any better if you only pick Danny because you can't have Justin?"

"It isn't like that," he muttered. "Danny is incredible, he can have anyone. Hell, he has that fucking Oscar winner after him. He can do a lot better than me."

I stared at him but he wouldn't look me in the eyes. Was that what this was about?. If Brian makes Danny decide to leave with Etienne by going after Justin again, then at least it seems as though it was Brian's choice, and not Danny choosing Etienne over Brian. Stupid, stupid Brian.

I shook him gently. Actually, it wasn't all that gentle. He looked at me then, trying to glare but unable to completely hide the vulnerability.

"He fucking loves you, Brian. Not Etienne, not Brandon, not anyone except you, and he always will, unless you force him give you up to save his heart from shattering any more than it already has, or someone convinces him it's what is best for you."

"How the hell could his leaving me be best for me?"

We could hear Danny coming back down the steps so by mutual unspoken agreement, the discussion was over. The others started coming back from the kitchen as well.

"Okay, eat fast. I got Brian and Daphne tickets on a nonstop flight heading to LaGuardia, leaving in just over two and a half hours; it'll get you there in just about eighty minutes, so you have to hurry to get there in time for the security check. I suggest Jamie drive you, he drives like a maniac and with those MD plates, you won't get stopped. I'll have a driver meet you there and take you to Miguel's apartment."

"What the fuck?" Jamie eloquently asked the question we all had in our minds.

"Daphne and Brian are going to be worried until they see him. They can satisfy themselves he is okay and if he isn't, didn't you say once you hold his medical power of attorney, Brian?" Brian nodded, looking a little shell shocked.

"Well, if he's worse by the time you get there, you can take him to the hospital. Or even if he isn't any better. We can let Miguel know you're on your way so he won't be as worried, and then your surprise visit can be the reason why he didn't return home to his place in Edward's building tonight. Daphne's presence should make that okay, and even if Edward takes offense at Brian being there, he won't come down too heavy or he runs the risk of Justin finally wising up to him, which would be a good thing. You said you were done finals, Daph, and since you expected this guy to miss work to take care of Justin, it seemed to me you wouldn't mind giving up your night and missing work tomorrow to do the same."

Daphne looked embarrassed and whatever complaint she was going to make was swallowed.

"Danny..." Brian spoke quietly.

"What? I think I covered everything. All you have to do now is call Miguel and get his address. You'd probably better give Ted the address too so we can arrange for the driver at the other end. Anything you need for up there you can buy when you get there or in the airport, but now you'd better get going."

"Danny, we need to talk."

"Later, Bri, there's no time now. Come on, get a move on, your e-tickets are waiting. Here is the print-out with the flight info. I used the computer in your room Em, hope you don't mind."

I shook my head no, of course I didn't. Danny was in hyper mode. Jamie just got up, two pieces of pizza in his large hand as he grabbed his car keys and told Daphne to get her night stuff from the spare room. He seemed pretty matter of fact about the whole thing. Danny gave Daphne a kiss good bye and they hugged each other tightly, all hard words forgiven. Ted and Blake made themselves useful straightening up the quicky consumed food and escaped to the kitchen, no doubt discussing what was going on. I picked up Brian's phone and copied down the number that Miguel had called from so we could call Miguel directly to get the address and not delay Brian. I also took that opportunity to push Brian towards Danny, who was standing off in the corner toward his own room.

"Go talk to him," I hissed.

Startled out of his seeming daze, Brian walked over to Danny.

"I don't have to go up there," he whispered. I admit it, I was straining my ears to listen.

"I think you do," Danny replied calmly. Too calmly. "Listen, we'll talk, or whatever you want, when you get back. Go take care of him, or check on him, or wipe his nose, or whatever it is you need to do for Justin. I don't get why you need to, but I don't have to get it, I just get that you feel that you do. If that makes sense. But understand, I hate this, okay? I wish I were perfect, I wish I didn't mind, but I do. I wish he were out of your life. I wish I were enough for you. Fuck it, Brian."

Danny's voice broke as he finished his little speech. He pulled Brian close and kissed him desperately. I couldn't help staring, it was such a forceful, sexy sight. I was breathless watching. Brian's arms came around Danny and he was returning the kiss with one as deep and passionate as Danny gave him, seemingly trying to crush his body to him.

"I won't go." Brian said, looking down into Danny's eyes. "I want to stay here with you. Let Daphne go, Ted can go with her if Jamie can't." Danny rested his forehead against Brian's chest.

"No, he may need you. But thank you for offering. I'll rest up while you're gone, catch up on my sleep. Call me when you know what's up, or if you need help with Edward, advice or whatever, promise?" The green eyes looked dark. Brian bent down and whispered so that I couldn't hear. Danny held very still then. He just shook his head and put his hand up to Brian's lips.

"No, not until you know what you want, I've told you before. I only want to hear it when it's real. Now go, and be careful, take care of Daphne, okay?"

Danny gave Brian a last quick hug then threw himself down on the sofa again.

"Emmett, do I get the rest of my massage or are you done for the night?"

"Be right there, baby," I told him. I looked at Brian, who was looking moodily at the long body stretched out before him. I tugged on his arm gently and pulled him to the doorway Jamie and Daphne had already passed through to go out to the car. "I'll keep an eye on him for you. You hurry back, you hear?" He looked at me expressionlessly for a moment, then, to my surprise, gave me a quick hug and nodded.

"Thanks," he said in a husky whisper. Then he was gone.

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