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[This is a deleted scene that comes at the end o f Ch 22. While I loved this idea- had it the moment Carter picked up all the pictures at the houseboat- I wanted Brian’s past relationship with Vince and Dom to remain a bit questioning. So, I cut it, but kept it to share with you.]
Carter grinned at his fiancé’s sleeping form. By then, he’d learned how to make Brian happy again, to stop his moping and to relax. Apparently, he’d once again succeeded if the contented smile on the blonde’s face was any indication.
He got up, hitting the nightstand as he did so. The photo, which had been moved there off the bed when things had started heating up, fell to the floor with a clatter. Carter bent over, picking it up, looking at the old image of the LA team.
He narrowed his eyes, seeing something out of place. The backing of the simple frame wasn’t sitting flush anymore. It was almost as though someone had been trying to remove the photo. As he moved it around, he saw there was something sticking out.
Opening the back, he pulled out the item, finding it was another photo, a small one, hidden behind the 8 x 10 print. What it was though… It only confirmed what he’d been suspecting.
In the photo, Dom had his arms wrapped around Brian from behind, smiling brightly. Vince was next to him, an arm thrown around Dom’s shoulders and the other draped low around Brian’s hips. His forehead was against the side of the blonde’s head, and he was actually smiling.
Brian. He looked so happy, there with the two men he clearly loved. He loved them so much that he’d given up everything to save them. That included giving up the two men themselves.
Carter’s knees buckled and he landed back on the bed. Even though he’d suspected, it was still hard to swallow. “It’s in the past…” “I have you now…” “Doesn’t matter anymore…” Brian’s words echoed in his head, and he looked over to his sleeping lover.
Maybe he was right. It happened. Brian made himself a new life. A life that included him. He loved Carter, as insane as that was. Vince. Dom. They had held him once, but not anymore. If anything, he should be glad. The path he’d taken had led him right to Carter’s door.
It still hit on his possessive streak, knowing Vince was around- hit that part of him that still had doubts if Brian were real. Looking at his sleeping angel though, he couldn’t have any doubts though, not about his love.
Carter slipped the photo back into place, closing up the back of the frame. He walked over and laid it down on the dresser, knowing Brian would see it and return it to the living room the next day. There was no need for his jealousy, or suspicion. Not anymore.
He smiled to himself, slipping under the covers next to his fiancé and pulling him in close. “I love you, Bri,” he whispered softly.
“Love you too, Carter,” was the sleepy reply.
[This is another deleted scene that I took out because it didn’t really seem to flow with the rest of the story. Like the other, it also gave away too much, too soon about Vince, Dom, and Brian’s relationship. This would come at the end of Ch 23. The songs are “Heroes” by David Cook and “For the Nights I Can’t Remember” by Hedley.]
The group had moved down to Verone’s private section of beach as the sun was starting to sink. Bellies full, contented to laze about, they spread out a couple blankets on the sand. They all settled in, and Brian looked at Vince when he pulled the guitar into his lap.
He picked at the strings a few moments, making a couple adjustments to be sure it was in tune. When he deemed the old guitar ready, he started playing a riff that instantly brought a smile to Brian’s face. He supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised at the choice, as it had always been a favorite of his to play.
Vince’s voice filled the air, a low husky melody, as his fingers expertly danced across the strings. “As the sun goes down in front of me, reminds me where I wanna be. With you and you alone.” His deep eyes looked up at Brian, and the blonde started to get pulled into the memories. “Pull me in like you were made for me. I’m losing faith in gravity. And I just need to let you know. And I just need to let you know…”
“Not gonna come down, down off of these clouds.” Brian smiled softly, remembering Dom’s gentle touch, Vince’s searing eyes. “Oh, these heroes come and go. You teach me to rise up, to open my eyes up.” He closed his eyes, tasting Corona and salt-water flavored kisses. “Oh, these heroes come and go. You’re still standing.”
Carter wrapped an arm around his waist, scooting a bit closer. He laid his head against his shoulder, a peaceful look on his face that rarely anyone but Brian saw. “When the world’s confusing, I don’t care. I crawl into your atmosphere. I know you’ll make it right.”
A smile formed on the blonde’s lips, realizing how much this song described his new relationship with Carter as well. “You’re all I need tonight! Not gonna come down, down off of these clouds. Oh, these heroes come and go.” Brian held onto his fiancé’s hand, squeezing. “You teach me to rise up, to open my eyes up. Oh, these heroes come and go.”
“I believe that you can save me, that you’ll never let me fall…” Brian moved a bit so he could look at Carter, who was smiling at him. The brunette leaned over, giving him a soft kiss as Vince continued to play.
When he’d finished, they all clapped. “Good choice, V,” Brian mentioned.
Vince shrugged- but there was a knowing twinkle in his eye- before holding the guitar out to him. “You still remember that one I taught you?”
Brian bit his lip. “Dunno. Guess we can find out.” He leaned forward, accepting the guitar, then settled himself indian style. He squinted, positioning his hands on the guitar how Vince had instructed him. Playing a few cords to find where he needed to be, he started to play. He smiled softly, pleasantly surprised that it sounded right.
He looked up at Vince, practically beaming, noting how the other man was smiling ever so softly as well. Brian didn’t consider himself much of a singer, but as with everything he did, he went at it with all he had, and all the confidence in the world to back him.
“I see it in the way you would do, when no one else could ever get through. Holdin’ back till I’d come around. Time and time again you’d wait for me to come in.” He could remember playing this song, for Vince and Dom. The way they smiled at him.
“And did you really look my way? Cause no one could have seen this comin’.” Those whispered words echoed in his mind. The confessions in the night. “I would never let you down, if I was running backwards in full time.” Feeling the warmth burning inside him, he smiled brightly at Vince, noticing him try his hardest not to return it. “So I can. And I will. And you’ll see, your hero come runnin’. Over and over, tonight!”
“And I do wanna love you.” Brian could feel the ghosting of sensations. Vince sitting behind him, curled around him as he taught him to play the guitar. “If you see me runnin’ back. And I do wanna try.” He could still see Dom watching them from his chair, cold Corona in hand. “Cause if fallin’ for you boy is crazy, then I’m goin’ out of my mind. So hold back your tears this time.”
Brian felt Carter shifting on the blanket, moving to sit behind him, a leg on either side of him. He leaned into his back, his chin on his shoulder. Brian twisted to look over at the brunette then, smiling brightly. Like the previous song, it was almost as though it continued into his new life, the new love he shared with the man next to him.
“Me, I’m used to bein’ tired and bloody. But you believed that I could be somebody.” Carter had been backing him from the very start, not caring what it had cost him along the way. “You put your world on hold for me. Gave away to follow failure through the fire.” It didn’t matter that he was a burnt out, failure at his career, that he’d made such a mess of his life. All that mattered to Carter was them.
“I need you to know I will. Believe me boy I’m so tired of running.” And damn was he ever. It had always been his knee-jerk reaction. Carter was the first one to not let him run, to stand and face what may come, good or bad. “I just wanna hold your hand, stare at you like you’ve got everything I need.”
He’d already told Carter that he was everything he needed in life, and he’d meant it. “If fallin’ for you boy is crazy, then I’m goin’ out of my mind…” Nothing else really mattered anymore. The past would stay there, and he’d go forward into the future… with Carter.
When he’d finished, the team cheered. Carter snuggled into him further, placing a soft kiss to his neck before burrowing his face there. As Brian passed back the guitar, he met Vince’s dark blue gaze, holding it for a few moments. A soft, bitter sweet smile crossed the brunette’s face. He knew.