A Delicate Decision

Brian's POV

A Week Later

Pissed off, and needing coffee, I stumble out of bed. I head over and start making my morning coffee. I need it almost more than I need to breathe. I haven't seen or heard from Justin since he pretty much dismissed me. I still can't believe Justin did that.

I'm going out of my mind, since I'm worried about him. I knew that when he joined the Pink Posse, something fucked up like this was going to happen. What the fuck did Justin think would happen? He's running around carrying a concealed weapon!

When my coffee is finished making, I pour some into a mug and put in the amount of sugar I like. Picking up my mug, I walk into the bathroom. I set my mug of coffee down on the floor, and then pull out the new Gucci suit I bought yesterday.

I lay my new suit down on the toilet, and then I strip out of the clothes I'm wearing. I pick up my mug and finish my coffee. Then I set my mug back down on the floor out of the way, and then go take my shower. Stepping out thirty minutes later, I feel great.

Then my spirits go from high to low, in the space of a minute. I dry off, and then get dressed once more. I put my empty mug in the sink, and then grab my briefcase and coat. I grab my keys and set the alarm. I lock the door, and start for Kinnetik.

My routine has changed, ever since Justin dismissed me. I go to work all day, and finish up at 9 o' clock at night. I go home, shower, dress, and then go to Babylon. I get drunk or high, and fuck several tricks. Then I head on home once more.

I walk into my new building. Kinnetik was just finished being put together, yesterday. So this is the first official day of business. Cynthia and Theodore are waiting for me, when I walk inside. I nod at them, and Cynthia tells me that we have most of the staff taken care of.

All we need is someone to head up our Art Department. She and Theodore share a look, when I don't comment right away. They know what I'm thinking, because they are thinking it too. Justin should be head of the Art Department. But since things are bad between us, it's a no go.

Looking at them, I bark, "Find someone who can do the job! I don't want any fuck-ups working for me!" My two employees nod, and then they leave. I walk into my office, and boot up my computer. Four hours later, I crack my neck, since it's starting to hurt.

I stand up to fully stretch, and as I do so, Cynthia comes bursting into my office without knocking. Ted comes rushing in right behind her. "Brian, it's Daphne on line one. She said that something is wrong with Justin." When Cynthia says Daphne's name, I quickly snatch up the phone.

"Daphne, what's wrong? What happened?!" She's crying so hard, that I can barely understand what she is saying. However the words I do manage to understand are: Justin, hospital again, and blood. I freeze at her words, and the phone drops from my hand.

Cynthia rushes forward and she says something to me, but I can't hear what she's saying. I'm lost in a horrible memory of Prom night. Justin and blood, are two things that I never wanted to hear about again. But yet, here we are, once more.

Suddenly, I feel someone shaking me. When I pull my mind away from the horrifying images I remember, I realize that it's Theodore. I quickly pull away from him, and grab the phone back from Cynthia. Then I talk to Daphne, trying to calm her down.

I tell her to call Jennifer and Debbie, and that I'll meet her at the hospital. Hanging up, I say, "I'm going to see what's going on. Justin is hurt again, and Daphne doesn't know what happened." I grab my keys, and then quickly go to my car.

I drive to Allegheny, and when I get there, force myself to remain calm. I'll remain calm, until I know what the fuck is going on. I'm there for ten minutes, when a commotion starts. Looking up, I see several nurses and EMT's rushing in with someone on a stretcher.

I stand up to take a better look, when I hear, "Brian!" Daphne starts to run toward me, but since my legs are longer, it's a few steps until I'm right in front of her. "What the fuck happened?!" I demand, scared and pissed off all at once.

Daphne starts to cry again as she speaks. "I ran into Ethan on my way out to the store. A mutual friend of ours, told Ethan that Justin was staying with me for a while. So Ethan showed up and asked if he could talk to Justin. I didn't think anything of it."

I feel anger boil within me, and it starts to take over me. It shoots through my body, and I remember that this is why Rage was created after me. "Continue," I demand, needing to know what happened. Daphne does. "I agreed, and let him inside."

Daphne falls silent again, and I'm going to shake her if she doesn't start talking again. As if she know's what I'm thinking, the young woman starts talking again. "I had gone to the store to get Justin something to help his upset stomach. When I returned, I got a shock."

At this, she starts to shake with full body sobs. "When I got back from the store, Justin was lying at the bottom of the stairs outside. No one had heard or seen anything, and Ethan was gone." Daphne sobs harder. "Ethan pushed Justin down the stairs!"

At her last words, I can't sit anymore. Getting up, I walk over to the nurse's station, and demand to speak with Dr. Landry. The nurse nods, and goes to get him. It's several minutes later before he walks up to us, and when he does, his face has a look of concern on it.

"What the fuck is going on?! Is my partner okay?" Daphne smiles when I call Justin my partner. Dr. Landry looks at me, and then Daphne. Right as he starts to tell us what is going on, Jennifer and Debbie arrive, bringing mass chaos with them.

Daphne and I ignore everything but Dr. Landry, as he speaks. "Justin and the baby will be fine. His friend, (the doctor points to Daphne) found him unconscious on the ground by the stairs outside her apartment. Justin was lying on his left side, where the bullet wound is."

Daphne looks at me, and says, "I think they might have gone outside to talk, and Ethan pushed Justin down the stairs." I can barely hear what Daphne is saying, though. My mind is too busy trying to process what the doctor said a few moments ago.

'Justin and the baby...' Wait. Justin and the baby? What the fuck?! I turn away from Daphne, and back to the doctor. "Did you say that Justin is pregnant?" Dr. Landry stares at me for a moment, and then he slowly nods his head yes. Holy shit!