Truth Be Told

Part Nine

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Justin and Craig left the room but went in different directions, Craig to get some air and Justin paused at a fountain a few feet down the hall.

"What the hell was that all about?" Michael asked Brian.

"I don't know. He never told me anything that would scare Craig like that. In fact, he used to defend him."

"Brian, you have to tell Justin you were here every night. Obviously it hurt him that his father didn't visit. He must feel even worse that you didn't," said Lindsay. "It's time to show him how you feel."

"He has been making decisions without all the information," Emmett offered.

"For fuck's sake, Brian, you have to stop acting like such a goddamn baby and grow some balls," yelled Deb.

"Stop denying the truth. Justin wants to be with you, more importantly, you want to be with him," challenged Michael.

"We all know you love him. Let go of your fucked up code. It's bullshit! Like you really have ethics or morals, what a joke," snapped Mel. "I just hope personality isn't genetic," she finished, looking at Gus.

Brian flinched and left, Feeling lost, unloved and misunderstood yet again, walking past Daphne who was watching from the doorway. She watched him go down the hall, sadly, shaking her head.

Emmett saw the look on her face. "Oh honey, what's wrong? Is it Molly or Jennifer?"

"No, it's Brian," she snapped.

"Brian? Don't worry about that chunk of stone. Nothing ever gets through to him," replied Ted.

"I can't believe any of you. No wonder he acts the way he does," she mumbled to herself taking a seat and grabbing a magazine.

"What do you mean?" wondered Lindsay.

"It's none of my business really. I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, go ahead. I'd really like to know what you think. I've agreed with everything you've said here tonight, so please go on."

 "It's not my place; you have all been very nice to me and wonderful to Justin. I guess I wish Brian would defend himself sometimes. That's all."

"He has no defense," smirked Mel.

"Okay, just remember that you asked. I think that you are a great group of people who for some reason become hypocrites where Brian is concerned."

"Excuse me?" asked Mel.

"I should explain that I am the person that Justin vents to when you all take pot shots at or attack Brian. I know more about your little circle or family than you probably realize."

"Like what?" Asked Ben, intrigued.

"I know that you do nothing but put Brian down and criticize him in his role as Gus' father," Daphne began looking at Mel. "Has he ever really let Gus down? No. Has he ever even let you down? No. Has he ever done anything to you, personally? No."

"When your wedding fell apart, who did you go crying to?  Brian. And did he tell you to fuck off? NO! Did he live up to every insult you ever lobbied against him? No. He fixed the whole thing. From what I understand, you had a beautiful wedding, thanks to him. He has never ever let you down, yet you never say a kind word."

"Do you have any idea how much he worries about Gus? How many nights Justin would wake up to find him obsessing about what kind of father he'll be? Considering the role model he was unfortunately saddled with, he could use a little encouragement. Yet all you do is cut him down. Nothing he does is good enough for you!"

"From what Justin has said, he has been more than generous financially. You should give him credit. That he has a huge life insurance policy on Gus' behalf, despite how it was callously recommended. It is you, not him that has a heart of stone. I would be willing to bet that Gus will never want for anything, if it's up to Brian, including two legal parents that love each other and live in the same house."

"I know it bothers Justin that you say these things in front of Gus. He's a beautiful sweet, little boy who doesn't deserve being put in the middle."

"I don't do that," said Mel.

"The hell, you don't."

"You say things about Brian in front of him. In a year or two, he'll start to understand and internalize it. Gus will wonder why his mama doesn't like his daddy."

"What I say or feel about Brian has nothing to do with Gus," countered Mel.

"Of course it does. Brian is part of Gus and by putting Brian down, it will affect your son's self-esteem."

"Very good, you must be taking Psych in University," praised Ben.

"Yes, I am, but my real insight came from my parents divorce."

"I'm sorry," said Ben.

"Jesus, another idealistic, naïve young person who was sucked in by the Brian Kinney motto. He has to get to you while you're young. It's the only explanation for otherwise intelligent human beings like you, Justin, Lindsay, hell even Michael to fall for such shit."

"Again you are doing it. You don't take responsibility. Now you are calling me things because I see beneath the walls. I take the time. Do you? You have to knock him or anyone who is willing to see the good in Brian. Maybe you should open your eyes."

"Has he ever made a promise to any of you that he didn't keep," Daphne said, looking around the room. "This would include Justin, if he were here. Brian never promised to be faithful and romantic. It's been a little difficult being Justin's best friend in this particular situation because he has been wrong more than Brian has. No relationship falls apart because of one person, but the degrees of responsibility vary. They established rules for acceptable behavior within their relationship. I'm not saying they weren't fucked up, but they were mutually agreed upon and Justin broke every one of them.  Brian didn't break any. Justin changed things without any warning. It might be understandable, but it's not fair."

"Do you even hear yourself?" Asked Mel. "He fucks almost everyone he meets."

"So what? That isn't new. I don't think anyone here is naïve enough to think that sex can't exist without emotional attachment. I'm sure that was your defense to Lindsay when you slept with someone else, a much more dubious behavior considering you were committed to Lindsay at the time. Did Brian throw it in your face? After all the crap you throw at him about how his behavior affects those around him, did he tell you off for hurting Lindsay?  Did he take pleasure in knocking you off of your moral high horse?"

Mel didn't answer.

"No, he tried to comfort Lindsay and he was more understanding to you than you've ever been to him. Then, he gave up his parental rights, something that he didn't want to do, something that almost killed him. All to get you guys back together.  Have you ever truly thanked him for that painfully selfless act? NO, you continue to bad mouth him at every turn."

"Have you ever considered how this must hurt Lindsay on some level? Our friends are a reflection of ourselves. I would never be with someone who talked about Justin the way you do Brian. Where's the respect?"

"Brian is not Lindsay's best friend and I have no respect for Brian, I thought that was clear," answered Mel.

"It's more than clear and I meant respect for Lindsay. Do you think that little of her that someone as awful as you make Brian out to be, would mean that much to her? If Brian isn't her best friend than who is? Who does she go to with her problems? Who does she depend on?"

"Me. I'm her best friend. She counts on me!"

"Other than you?"

They both look to Lindsay who whispers "Brian."

"It's my understanding that you were once pretty wild yourself, but you settled down. Why can't Brian?"

"It's not that he can't, it's that he won't," snapped Mel.

Those are the same words he used to Justin about loving him. His friends have more influence than they think, Daphne thought to herself. "Obviously, I didn't know Brian before he met Justin and before Gus was born, but I have seen how he's changed. If you could have seen how gentle and caring he was when we tried to trigger Justin's memory. He knew it had to be done but he was so scared of how it would affect Justin."

"Yeah right, Brian is never going to change," stated Michael.

"You just admitted that he wants to be with Justin," said Daphne.

"He does but he'll always be who he is. Stud of Liberty Avenue. He lives his life the way he wants with no excuses, no apologies and no regrets. He's perfectly happy that way, it's how he wants to be. It's who he is."

"What kind of best friend are you? Brian is conflicted now. You won't allow him to show his true feelings because you can't handle it. He doesn't want to disappoint you so he's torn in two. He's not happy, why is that so obvious to everyone else. You only see what you want to see. Ben, come on, do you think Brian is happy living his life the way he does?"

"No."

"Well, of course, he's not happy now. The Boy Wonder just left him," countered Michael.

"No, Michael, Daphne is right, Brian uses sex, drugs and alcohol to hide from things," offered Ben

"Right and why does he have to hide from things. Because all of you will not allow him to change.  Mel won't respect him and is jealous of him and his closeness to Lindsay. You, Michael, want to keep him to yourself, always hoping that things will change and you can be together. Hate to tell you this, but you had your chance and it never happened. Don't expect it to happen now that Justin left. He left physically but mentally Justin and Brian are still connected. Did Justin want Brian or Ethan? Where is Ethan? I bet Brian couldn't get here fast enough."

"I heard about Brian and saw him before I got to know him. In the very beginning, I couldn't figure out why such a beautiful, successful man would get so involved with a high school student. Then, I realized that Justin accepted him for who he was, but also, saw him as a challenge. More importantly, he gave Brian a challenge
at the same time."

"Brian does not rise to anyone's challenges, he's too secure in himself for that," argued Michael.

"How would you know, no one ever challenges him, except Justin."

"What's worse is you not only accept his excuses for not growing, but you make ones for him yourselves. No one even gives him the benefit of the doubt. After Justin was starting to get better and they were actually starting to be happy together. What did their so-called friends do? They took bets on how long they would last."

"They heard us?" Emmett gasped.

"Yes, they both did. Another example of how you all constantly undermine him."

"How can Brian be open when you and everyone else, doesn't want him to be open? You all want to see him fail. You all are contributing to that failure when you won't show him any form of encouragement and the few times you did, you camouflaged it by ending the compliment with a negative. Didn't he have enough negative feedback from his family? Look at the people he has around him, all people who will put him down at every turn, no matter what he does. For him this is all he knows, sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy."

"Michael, you passive-aggressively brought about the end of their relationship. You went to Brian with what you saw without knowing what was going on."

"I'm his best friend, of course I would tell him. And don't lie and say you wouldn't have told Justin if things were reversed."

"I don't think you should have ignored it, but you could have talked to Justin first, given him the opportunity to tell Brian before you did. But the way you handled it, ensured that Brian would have to save face to his friends and that had to affect his reaction."

"What's worse is that Justin talked to you about his growing unhappiness within their relationship for weeks, even before he met Ethan. While admitting to Justin that Brian does love him you reinforced the fact that Brian would never change.  You emphasized that there was no hope of them both finding happiness within the
relationship, that what Justin wanted and needed would never matter to Brian."

"Thanks a lot, Mikey," Brian snapped, entering the room again.

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