Brain Damage/Brian Damage

Chapter 11

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Brian tried Justin's cell many times with no results. He had an idea where Justin would run to, but he also knew how stubborn the younger man could be so there was no point chasing after him, not yet anyway.

He spent a sleepless night at the loft and first thing in the morning dialed Daphne's number.

"Hello?"

"Daphne, it's Brian."

Daphne was immediately on guard. Brian never called her. "What's wrong?"

"My little twat of a husband has taken off. Were you still planning on coming for the weekend?"

"Oh, Brian," Daphne sighed. "Of course I'm still coming. Tell me what's going on."

"We were at a party last night and we ran into Craig. He let the beans spill about Justin being in New York all last year and well, about how we're not really married, in the traditional sense anyway. He fucking ran off before I could explain anything to him."

"Shit! So where did he go? Is he all right?"

"If I fucking knew that would I be calling you? He won't answer his cell. I'm assuming he went to New York, but as far as I know, he doesn't remember his apartment so who the hell knows where he is."

"All right, all right. I'll call him. You know he'll tell me. If he is in New York, I'll change my flight."

"Thank you. And Daphne?"

"I know, I know," she interrupted. "Don't tell Justin you called me. Don't worry, I've got it covered."

"One more thing..."

"Yes, I'll call you as soon as I talk to him."

"You're a doll."

"You owe me, Kinney."

"I know. Bye."

"Bye." Daphne blew out a breath and dialed her best friend's number.

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Justin slumped on the couch in his apartment. He had been up all night trying to remember anything about the past year in New York, to no avail.

When he had arrived, he called his agent Fritz, getting the number from the card he had found in his wallet. Fritz had wasted no time meeting him at the airport and taking him to his apartment. Turns out Justin trusted the man enough to give him an extra key. Too bad he didn't remember that. He quickly dismissed the other man with the promise he'd call him soon. He had done an extensive tour of the apartment, trying to come to grips with this little segment of his missing past.

His cell phone rang again and he braced himself to look at the caller ID. It was getting harder and harder to ignore Brian's calls, and especially the messages he was leaving, but Justin wasn't ready to talk with him yet. He let out a relieved breath when he saw that it was Daphne. He quickly pressed the send button. "Hey, Daph."

"Hey, Jus. Are you ready for me to come to The Pitts tomorrow? I can't wait to see you."

"Um, Daph. I'm not exactly in Pittsburgh anymore."

Daphne smiled to herself. "You're not? Did you and Brian go somewhere?"

"No. I came to New York by myself. I'm at my apartment."

"Brian's not with you?"

"No."

"So Brian told you where you live?"

"No, I called my agent. He brought me here."

"I'm surprised Brian let you go without him."

"Brian does not fucking get to tell me what to do anymore. Why the fuck didn't you tell me we weren't married? You're my best friend. How come you went along with his bullshit?"

"I didn't tell you because Brian asked me not to and he loves you."

Justin snorted. "Bullshit. He feels sorry for me."

"Justin, you are so fucked up. I'm changing my flight and coming there. Don't you dare fucking leave."

"No, Daph, I don't want you..."

"I'll be there as soon as I can and you will be at your apartment waiting for me."

Justin really wanted to tell her to fuck off, but he wanted to see her more. "All right."

"Promise me."

"I fucking promise already."

"Good. Bye."

"Bye."

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Daphne dialed her phone again.

"Did you find him?"

"Hello to you to, Brian."

"Daphne! Is he okay?"

"He's fine. He's at his apartment in New York."

"He remembered?"

"No, he called Fritz."

"Is he okay?" Brian repeated.

"I think so. He sounded pretty miserable though."

"Good."

"Brian."

"I know. I'm sorry, I'm just pissed at him for running away. Again."

"It's not exactly as if he has a full deck right now," she admonished him. "Anyway, I'm getting the next flight and I'll talk to him."

"I'll meet you there."

"No, not yet."

"But..."

"Brian, you know he's not ready. Wait till I call you."

Brian sighed audibly. "You're right. Thanks again for this."

"He's my best friend, Brian. You're my friend. I care about you guys. It's going to be okay."

"Sure."

"It will. Good-bye, Brian."

"Good-bye."

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Brian hung up the phone and laid his head back against the couch. He called a very relieved Jennifer to give her the news. His next call was to Caleb and Lily to let them know they would not be back at Britin for a while. Brian would not return there without his husband. And fuck, Justin was his husband, God dammit.

After trying to work on a new account and even looking at some internet porn, he bit the bullet and decided to go to the diner. Might as well face Debbie sooner rather than later. He was positive that she and Jen had been in contact already. Maybe she could even give him some advice.

Fuck! He must be desperate to be willingly seeking out Deb for advice. Fucking twat, Justin.

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Later that evening Brian dragged himself home. After the diner and his torture session with his foster mother, he had gone to Woody's and then Babylon. None of it really held any interest for him and he had just given up and gone home. All he really wanted to do was go to his lover.

His phone rang and he looked down and quickly answered it. "Justin."

"You are such a fuck...fu...fucking bastard, Kian Brinny."

"You're drunk."

"No shit, Sherlock, what was your first clue?" Justin giggled.

"Where are you? Are you all right?"

"I'm at MY apartment. In New York City! You ...you...do remember that I live in Ne...New York, right?" He started to laugh. "Do you re...re...member? Cause I sure fucking don't! Fuck!"

Brian wasn't even going to try to communicate with the boy in this state. "Are you alone, Justin?"

"Yep, all alone," Justin said plaintively. "All alone because my...my...not husband is an as...as...asshole."

"I think we already established that. Please do me a favor and stay in your apartment. Don't try to go out like this."

"You're my non-husband. You fucking don't get t...to...t...tell me what to do."

"Justin, please..."

"Jus...jus a minute," Justin said into the phone and then there was silence.

Brian finally heard a commotion in the background and then Daphne's voice came on the phone. "I'm here. I've got him," she said breathlessly.

"How is he?"

"She's got me," he heard Justin yell in the background as he began to giggle loudly.

"He's pretty fucked up," Daphne sighed. "But no worse than I've seen before. Better than after the whole Ethan thing, I think."

Brian snorted. "Okay, I trust you. Call me if you need me."

"Will do. Bye, Brian."

"Bye, fucker!!" Justin yelled again.

"Shut up, you idiot," Daphne yelled and then the phone went dead.

"Christ," Brian muttered as he turned off his phone.

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"Get up!" Daphne yanked the pillow out from under Justin's head.

"Ow! Fuck!" Justin yelled. "Brain damage here!" He tried to cover his head with his blanket, but Daphne snatched that away too.

"I'll really give you brain damage if you don't get up right now."

"Jesus Christ!" Justin exclaimed, heaving himself upright. "Oh, God, my head."

Daphne thrust aspirin and water at him. "It's your own damn fault."

Justin eyed her blearily and shot her the finger. He took the aspirin and turned his attention back to her again. "So when did you get here?"

"Last night. You don't remember?"

"No."

"I suppose you don't remember calling Brian, either."

"Fuck! No! What did I say?"

"Luckily I arrived before you did too much damage."

Justin threw himself back on his bed. "What damage? He's the one that's done the damage."

"Oh, knock it off! Did you even give him a chance to explain before you ran away like a six year old?"

"Daphne! Whose side are you on?"

"I'm on both your sides." She sat down on the bed. "Justin, you screwed up big time. Brian had his reasons for doing what he did."

"What reasons?"

"That's for him to tell you, not me. Give him a chance."

Justin ran a hand through his messy hair. "Shit."

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When Justin was safely in the shower, Daphne dialed her phone yet again.

"Kinney."

"Brian, it's me."

"He okay?"

"You should come. He's ready."

She heard Brian let out a breath. "I'm on my way."

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