Part 1: MONTY



"Monty," a soft feminine voice called out from deep within the dark alleyway.

Monty placed a cautious hand on the handle of his gun that had been secured in the waistband of his jeans, just as it always was. Just as he'd been taught. Always have it on the ready. Always be ready to kill...or be killed. "Olivia?" He questioned, inching towards the source of the voice.

As he moved closer, the woman stepped out into the light and looked around nervously.

"Olivia. What's happened? What's with all the secrecy?" He took his hand away from the gun and put his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. Giving the appearance of being at ease, even though the petite blonde woman was making him anxious as hell.

"We had to meet quietly," she replied, her voice as smooth as silk, belying her worry. "There's been a leak. Your team is in danger."

This news immediately put Monty on guard. "Danger? From...?" His own eyes began to dance around fearfully.

"The Bellini's. They've already taken out Kesler and Aldon. From the intel we've received, it would seem that you are to be the next target." She took another step towards the tall man and placed a comforting hand on his forearm. "We have to get you to a safehouse immediately, Monty."

Monty's mouth fell open, but no words could escape. If the Bellini's knew what had happened, they would definitely be out for blood. Olivia was right. He had to leave. But... "Now? What about...what about Justin? What if they go after him to get to me? I can't leave him like that, Liv!"

Olivia grabbed his arms in a vice-like grip. "Monty - think. You know the drill. He might not even be touched. But you WILL. So either you take the chance...or you BOTH die!"

Though he didn't want to admit it, she was correct. There was no way he could be of any help to Justin now. If he went back to save his lover, all he would accomplish would be to put both of them in harm's way. Hesitantly he nodded his head and allowed the small woman to guide him to the street, where a black van quickly pulled up beside them.

"Be safe, my friend," she whispered, leaning up to kiss his cheeks. Monty embraced her and then turned away as the van door slid open.

As he went to hop into the van, he couldn't help but notice the silencer...that was attached to a gun...pointed in the middle of his forehead. Before he could make a move to prevent the inevitable, the gun went off, propelling his limp, dead body back into the mouth of the alley.

With the squeal of tires, the black van disappeared around the corner. Olivia calmly walked away, blending into the sparse crowd, eventually jumping into the passenger side of a small black sports car and speeding off.

***

"So what'll it be, guys?"

"Justin," Ted began incredulously. "We come here EVERY single morning. And every single morning, we order the same things. Toast, waffles, Captain Crunch and a bagel. Weeks go by and nothing changes. I believe it's now safe to say we're going to be ordering the same exact things that we order day after day...after day."

Justin stared blankly at the older man. "Shit, Ted. Who pissed in your coffee this morning?" He made a show of flipping the man's coffee cup over and pouring the coffee. When Ted had taken his first hesitant sip of the hot liquid, Justin giggled. "Oh that's right! I did!"

Michael and Brian laughed as Ted began to choke on the liquid. Even Emmett had to hide his amusement as he patted his sputtering friend on the back. "That...wasn't...necessary," Ted coughed.

"No, but I needed a little pick-me-up. Now, what'll it be guys?" Justin repeated.

Emmett immediately piped up, cutting off any comeback Ted might have made. "French Toast for Teddy and waffles for me."

And as if to prove Ted wrong, that the rest were in some food rut, Michael said quite smugly, "Fruit Loops!"

"Appropriate," Justin mumbled, smiling as Brian coughed out a laugh. "And you, sir?" he asked formally.

"Fruit plate. And an omelet."

"Wow. Omelet. Walking on the wild side today, I see."

The man shrugged. "Well...ya know. Life's short," he said with a sly wink. The two shared a smile before Justin nodded and left to put in their orders.

It was down to two, Brian and Emmett, when Justin finally had a chance to take a break. He took the empty seat beside Emmett and automatically reached across the table to nab a strawberry from Brian's plate.

"So...baby..." Emmett began, breaking the silence. "How are things going with you and that hunky pilot of yours? Haven't seen him around for a while." He mentioned boldly, risking Brian's wrath for even bringing up the topic of Justin's boyfriend.

When no reply was forthcoming, Emmett eyed the other two and realized that they were already involved in a ‘conversation' of their own. Brian was completely preoccupied with Justin's lips as they wrapped sensuously around the thick ripe red fruit. Justin's eyes were closed in ecstasy as he enjoyed the succulently sweet juices, noticeably taking his time with the simple automatic process of biting, chewing and swallowing. Emmett could almost hear the moans from the other side of the table and he cleared his throat, embarrassed by having to bear witness to the would-be seduction scene.

In hopes of breaking the spell, and generally wanting to escape breakfast unscathed, Emmett nudged Justin's leg beneath the table.

"Sorry..." Justin turned towards the man. "What was that, Em?"

"Oh...I was just wondering how your boyfriend is doing," Emmett answered, all the while shooting daggers at the oblivious Brian.

Justin took a sip of his orange juice and shrugged. "Monty's fine. He's been working hard lately. Out of town a lot with flights. I think he's supposed to be coming back...tonight." As he spoke, Justin kept sneaking glances at Brian, while the older man's eyes were darting around the room as if he hadn't a care in the world.

"Coming home, hmm?" Emmett sighed, imagining the welcome home scene between the two beautiful men. Justin's petite and pale body, wrapped nicely around Monty's tall, tanned...muscular...well proportioned...tight... Emmett cleared his through once again. "That's nice. Maybe you can talk him into coming out with us soon."

"What - oh...sure. I'll ask him."

When the trio once again launched into silence, Emmett recognized the opportunity to escape and took it gratefully. "Yes. Well, tell him hello for me. I have to be going now."

"Bye Em," Justin said, receiving a quick kiss on the cheek. Brian simply nodded his farewell.

As soon as Emmett was out the door, Brian leaned across the table and shot Justin an annoyed look. "What?" the younger man asked.

"You're letting that asshole come back?"

Justin rolled his eyes. He should've known that was coming. "It IS his apartment, Brian."

"So you leave, then. You can...come back to the loft."

Justin gaped at the man before him. A year before, around the time he had met Monty, Brian was still refusing to even look at him. Oh he looked around him and he looked through him, but never at him. He was still childishly holding on to the mistakes that were well over a year behind them. And then things had gotten serious with Monty and Brian had gone into a rage. Suddenly he was speaking to Justin every chance he got, but it was only to make cruel remarks about the past, Monty, whatever he could come up with on the spot. Justin had been happily living with his new lover, however, and had incentive to ignore Brian's cheap shots.

Then, one fateful night at Babylon, their paths had crossed again. Monty had been out of town for the third time that month and Justin had gone to relax and blow off a little steam. Brian had gotten there early and was already flying high by nine. The older man tracked him down at the bar and began mouthing off that Justin had sold himself to his boyfriend for a free place to live and a new wardrobe. That Justin might have been able to ignore, but Brian went a step further, insinuating that Justin was probably used to that since it was becoming his MO.

It had taken Emmett, Michael and two of Babylon's bouncers to hold Justin back. Well...the security guys had held him back. Emmett and Michael had simply kept screaming at him to "be rational", that "it was the drugs talking" and he should just "be the bigger person and let it go". But he was tired of letting things go.

After the burly bouncers had bounced him and Brian out of the club, the two of them had stared at each other from across the sidewalk.

"We need to talk," Justin ground out.

"I dunno. Is it safe? I don't want to get beaten up by a twinky." With a withering look from the blonde, Brian had given in. "Alright. The loft. Twenty minutes."

That night they had talked until dawn. Admitting regrets and working through problems that should have been hashed out long before. Whether the drugs had made him an easy target for a discussion or Brian had simply gotten tired of holding onto the past, Justin still didn't know how they had managed their first real civilized talk. But finally the pair had found a way to forgive and move on. They hugged goodbye the next morning and it was there that a tenuous friendship began.

Yet, as much as both men tried to resist it - Justin wanting to be fair to Monty and Brian not wanting to cause problems for Justin - they had predictably assumed the role of lovers a month later. Though this time, Brian was the man on the side.

He could still remember that night so vividly. It had been while Monty was away - as he was often away with his job. Two weeks gone, and Justin had gotten lonely and bored. And since his list of friends was no longer than his hand, he hadn't hesitated to call Brian. What he had intended to be a perfectly innocent night of old movies and takeaway Thai, quickly turned into a night of drunken fun.

But no. He couldn't even blame it on the two bottles of wine that they had shared. For the most part, they had been consumed during and after the fact. No, it had simply been the right moment, the right scene, the right man...

They had been seated on the floor watching the ever popular loft tradition, "Velvet Goldmine", their plates and glasses of wine between them. Just as the music began to play and the horribly dressed teens started running down the street on screen, he and Brian had both gone for their wine glasses. Their fingers brushing, both men had looked up at one another and laughed somewhat tensely.

Later, by the time Ewan McGregor had really come into the picture, the plates had been pushed away, Justin was lying on the sofa and Brian was seated directly in front of him. Close enough, Justin had noticed over and over again, that he could have easily reached out and brushed his fingers through the man's silky brown hair.

It was the scene... Not really sure why, himself, Brian had always loved that particular scene, when it's made clear that Ewan...er rather Curt and Brian Slade sleep together. Maybe it was the predatory look on Curt's face, or the nice ass shot afterwards. Either way, the scene caught their attention, but the voiceover of Mandy...the line...it grabbed Brian and Justin, both and didn't let go.

"It's funny how beautiful people look when they're walking out the door."

There was no real connection between them and the words. None that they wanted to admit to anyway. But Brian had turned around and the two had stared into each other's eyes for the longest time. Without any rhyme or reason, not that he needed one, Brian had leaned over and lightly kissed Justin on the lips. It had been a chaste peck. Not even as heavy as some of the kisses that Justin had witnessed Brian giving Michael. Still, the spark that had always overheated them before was there, burning as bright as ever in the simple touch.

They had both pretended that it hadn't happened for all of ten or twelve minutes. And then Justin had gotten it into his head to flirt. A neck massage, so that he might have his hands on Brian's skin. And Brian had gone right along with him. Eventually, they had ended up lying side by side upon the floor, laughing and trading odd massages - toes, fingers, elbows - whatever kept flesh touching flesh. And it wouldn't have been Brian if he hadn't turned it completely sexual at some point.

Flipping Justin over, he had given the younger man an ass rub-down, teasing him mercilessly the entire time. Justin immediately decided on his revenge.

"Okay, old man. I think you might need a prostate massage."

It had been difficult to tell who had been more floored by Justin's words. Brian or Justin, who burst into a fit of giggles at Brian's flabbergasted expression. Brian had wrestled the squirming young man back to the floor and had pinned him easily.

The position had called for them to kiss. It would have been a completely wasted moment if they hadn't. And they had. This time it was Justin who had leaned up and claimed Brian's mouth with his own. Rolling around on the floor, knocking furniture out of their way as they went, the two had made love right there on the hardwood floor between the flatscreen television and the bedroom stairs.

They had made a night of it and when the morning came, they had parted with no regrets. But also no promises never to let it happen again. Brian no longer wanted him as a partner, but he could never have given up Brian. Not entirely. That much was pretty clear to him. Yes, he had thought himself completely selfish and it had played havoc with his conscience, but he had kept Brian as his lover while he feigned a relationship with his ever-absent boyfriend.

And now...here they were, three months later. Brian asking him to move back into the loft. Justin in the familiar position of choosing between his lover and his boyfriend. Only this time he wouldn't listen to his wants. He would listen to what he NEEDED.

And he had known long ago that Brian was his air and his food and drink and his shelter.

"Are you...serious?" He asked in amazement. "You really want me back? For real?"

Brian shrugged and rolled his eyes playfully. "Why fight the inevitable?"

"What? Like I'm some prison sentence you're doomed to live out?" Justin laughed.

Grinning, Brian jumped up and slid back into the booth beside Justin, wrapping his arms around the younger man's shoulders. "My little ball-n-chain," he joked.

Justin's grin quickly turned upside down as he gently pulled away from his lover. "I still have to tell Monty."

The other man nodded thoughtfully. "He's coming home tonight. Tell him then."

He searched Brian's sparking eyes, looking for any trace of doubt. He found none and the excitement, that he had felt before, flooded back into him in all it's glory, overriding the worry and dread he felt over having to face his boyfriend and tell him the truth. "Alright. I'll tell him tonight. And...I'll see you shortly after?"

Brian nodded, satisfied, and leaned in to kiss Justin gently on the lips, tasting the lingering juices of the strawberry the boy had eaten earlier. "See you...at home then," he whispered into the other man's mouth. Tossing a few bills on the table and a warm smile over his shoulder, Brian left the diner for work.

Justin watched his departure and sighed. He hadn't been this happy in a long long time and it was all because of Brian. His first and truest love.

Monty had been wonderful. Still was. And who knows what might have developed if the other man could have managed to stay home for more than a handful of nights a month. The Monty that Justin had fell for had been forgotten in the midst of his long absences.

But Brian was there. He was always there. And they had come so far. Nothing was going to stand in their way this time.

***

"Monty? You home?" Justin called out, noticing the apartment door had been left open as he went to insert his key. He cautiously knocked on the door and nudged it open. "Monty?" He called a little louder.

When he saw the state of the place, he knew something was wrong. He and Monty, both, usually lived in the place as if it were a giant closet, so messes weren't so unusual. But what he saw before him was more like a catastrophe. With a quick appraisal of the damage, he noted that their brand-new television had been knocked to the floor, left broken and busted. Cushions, from the sofa that they had purchased at an antique auction, were ripped to shreds and tossed across the room. In the kitchen, the remains of several glasses, coffee mugs and plates littered the floor. The damage didn't stop there. In the bedroom, the mattresses had been shredded just like the sofa cushions and they were sliding off of the frame. The bedside lamp was on the floor in a million pieces. Every single item of clothing in both of their closets was pulled off of their hangers and scattered over the floor like rainbow-colored carpeting.

It looked as though someone had been searching pretty diligently for something. Nothing was taken. But everything was destroyed.

Justin now feared that somewhere he might find Monty in the same shape as their home. On the off chance that the man had come home early, he began to call out to him. "MONTY!" he screamed, running into the bathroom, the only room left unchecked.

The blonde's heart raced as he finally set eyes upon his dark-haired boyfriend slumped over in the large oval bathtub. His clothes having been removed, but no water yet added to the bath. "Monty,?" he whispered, his voice shaking with the horror and uncertainty he felt. "Monty..."

He nudged his boyfriend's shoulder gently with his index finger and Monty's head rolled back onto the back of the tub, revealing the small red dot that decorated the middle of his forehead. His wide, blank eyes were open and staring into space, a look of surprise still slightly etched into his features. "Mon-" Justin began to cough and pant as a panic attack overtook him. He watched with widening eyes as a small crimson puddle began to gather beneath the dead man's head. "No. Nononononononono..."

His first instinct was to call Brian, but he knew that the police would be a wise first call. He stumbled backwards from the room and fumbled for the cordless phone which lay hidden beneath one of the now broken end tables. Thumbing the on button, he listened but there was no dial tone. Just silence. He ran into the bedroom, his breath coming in short gasps, and grabbed the receiver from the bedside phone. Again, nothing.

He grasped the phone line and began to tug on it. It pulled through his hands easily and eventually he held the bare end in between his fingers. "Shit!" he swore, realizing that the wires had been cut. "What the fuck?!"

Running full tilt towards the front door, Justin never saw the men approaching from behind. And he screamed out in surprise as he ran through the door and headlong into a third man's arms. A black cloth was quickly placed over his head and restraints placed on his wrists and ankles.

"We've got the boyfriend," the third man said tonelessly, sealing Justin's fate. "Right. Move out."

TBC...



L'homme Justin MAIN

QAF Fic



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