Author’s note: This is the third in a series of stories which deal with spoilers for season 3. This is a sequel to ‘The Garden Party’ and ‘The Visit’.

The Confrontation

by Cathy

Neither of us said much in the car. I was grateful to Daphne for not asking a million questions about what had happened. Maybe the look on my face was enough for her to know how it went.

I blew it, that’s how it went. This was my last chance to see Brian and tell him…

Tell him what? That I was wrong to leave? That I wanted to come back?

Yeah, like *that’s* gonna happen.

Well, it doesn’t matter now. If I had any doubts that it ever mattered, they disappeared as I stumbled down the stairs and out into the evening.

I decided that it was time to try to forget what had happened - all that had happened - and get on with my life.

Yeah, that’s also gonna happen.

When I glanced up, I noticed that we were on Liberty Avenue. ‘What are we doing here?’ I asked.

‘We haven’t been to Woody’s together in a long time,’ Daphne replied.

‘And we’re not going tonight.’ I assured her.

‘C’mon, Justin…’ She was parking the car. ‘We’ll have a drink, a couple of cute guys will try to pick you up and then we’ll leave.’ I didn’t have the energy to argue with her, so I opened my door and got out.

Half an hour later, I was working on my second beer and Daphne - my designated driver - was sipping ginger ale. I recognized lots of faces and a few asses, but everyone kept their distance. This wasn’t the first time I’d gotten the feeling that I was being pointed to and talked about. When I first started going out after being in the hospital, I imagined that everyone was staring at me. Brian convinced me not to worry about what other people were doing and saying. If it hadn’t been for his help, I don’t know how long it would have taken me to be able to go back out into crowds.

I could imagine what they were thinking as they watched me now. Brian and I had been here together so many times. To them, I was the kid who lived with him. More importantly, I was the idiot who walked out on him.

I considered ordering another beer but changed my mind. No amount of alcohol was going to make me feel like I belonged here. Woody’s, like every other place on Liberty Avenue, belongs to Brian and not to me.

‘We’re leaving - come on.’ I stood up and started walking toward the door, not allowing Daphne to challenge me.

We were outside before she caught up with me. ‘Let’s go to the diner.’

‘No!’ I wouldn’t turn around.

‘Come on, Justin.’ She stopped walking. ‘I haven’t eaten since lunch.’ She grabbed my arm. ‘I’m starving!’

‘Okay, but we’re getting it to go.’ I hurried up the street.

I was inside the diner before I saw them - Michael and Ben - sitting at a booth. It was too late to leave. Michael had seen us. I pulled Daph over to the counter and sat down.

They were a little busy, so I wrote up our order and took it to the kitchen. I was leaving Daphne alone out there but she didn’t have anything to worry about; I was the one Michael wanted to kill, not her.

I hadn’t seen Michael since the night of the launch party. From the look on his face when he saw me, I could tell he was still pissed. That was okay - I was still pretty pissed at him too.

I ran into Debbie in the kitchen. ‘Didn’t you get off a couple hours ago?’ She kissed me on the cheek and then wiped the lipstick off my face. ‘Why’re you back?’

‘Daphne’s hungry.’ I waved the ticket in the air. ‘We’re getting something to go.’

‘Go on and sit down, Sunshine.’ She grabbed it out of my hand and ushered me to the door. ‘I’ll bring it to you.’

I couldn’t tell her I didn’t want to go back out there without telling her *why* I didn’t want to go back out there. I assumed she knew about my fight with Michael - I know he tells her everything - but I didn’t know how much she knew, and I definitely didn’t want to get into a discussion with her about it.

Choosing the lesser of two evils, I went back out to join Daphne.

Unfortunately, Michael and Ben picked that exact moment to leave. I guess neither of us was watching where we were going, because we almost bumped into each other.

‘Get out of my way, you little shit!’ Michael’s voice always got loud and whiny when he was mad.

‘Fuck you,’ I said softly, so no one could hear it but him.

‘No!’ He stepped back. ‘Fuck *you*, asshole!’

Ben attempted to step between us. ‘Why don’t you go outside, Michael? I’ll pay the check.’

Michael was distracted and I stepped aside, but not for long. He came after me. ‘I want you to leave him the fuck alone!’ He was pointing his finger in my face.

‘It’s none of your business.’ I refused to back down. ‘Stay out of it.’

‘The fuck I will!’ He was still yelling. ‘Brian was my business long before you showed up and he’ll be my business long after you’re gone.’

That was it. I was sick of watching Michael follow Brian around like some pathetic puppy, waiting on any little scrap of attention, and all under the pretense of friendship. I stood up. I’m a little taller than he is now and I pulled myself up to my maximum height. ‘I never understood why Brian was friends with you but he never asked me about Daphne and I never asked him about you. I tried to be nice to you; I was the one who reminded him of how important your friendship was. In return, you ignored me, you talked down to me and you never tried to hide the fact that you were jealous of me--’

‘Jealous?’ he interrupted. ‘*I* was jealous of *you*?!

I continued, as if he’d said nothing. ‘From the first night we met, you have wanted me gone.’ I paused to take a breath and I was aware that the room was completely silent; everyone was listening. ‘Well, you got your wish - I’m out of Brian’s life and I’m out of your life too. So, do me a favor and get the fuck away from me!’

I slowly turned around and sat back down. I could hear soft murmuring as the conversations around me resumed. Michael was saying something but I forced myself not to listen. I heard Ben tell him that they were leaving.

‘Here’s your food, Justin.’ Debbie had come in from the kitchen and set two bags on the counter in front of me. I reached into my pocket and pulled out some money. ‘It’s on me,’ she said, as she pushed my hand away.

‘Thanks.’ We stood up.

Debbie was around the counter before we could walk away. She wrapped her arms around me lightly, being careful not to crush the food. ‘Don’t let him upset you, baby,’ she whispered into my ear. ‘He’s been tagging along behind Brian for so many years he doesn’t know what it’s like to have a normal friendship.’

‘I’m sorry, Deb.’ I pulled back and looked at her. I could see nothing but love and acceptance in her smile.

‘What are you sorry about - that my son’s an asshole?’

‘Don’t say that,’ I interrupted. ‘I’m just as much of an asshole as he is.’ Yes, I was still mad at Michael but I didn’t want to say bad things about him to his mother.

‘Okay,’ she nodded. ‘You won’t get an argument from me about that.’ I must have looked surprised because she laughed softly. ‘All I’m saying is that we can all be unreasonable when someone we love gets hurt - even me.’

‘You could never be mean, Deb.’ I was getting into the spirit of the conversation.

‘You don’t think so? Just ask Michael. Or Brian. Hell, I’ve gotten after you a couple of times, haven’t I?’

‘That’s okay,’ I countered. ‘You only did it because you care - isn’t that what you always say?’

She nodded. ‘I always say that.’ Her tone became serious. ‘And don’t you forget it.’

‘I won’t.’ I started to step away but she hadn’t relinquished her hold on me yet. That meant that she wasn’t finished talking. I remained silent, waiting.

‘One more thing.’ She still looked solemn and I was afraid she was going to let me have it for something else. I braced myself. ‘I don’t want what happened between you and Brian…’ she glanced toward the door, ‘or Michael, affect our friendship. You’re one of my boys and I love you just as much as any of ‘em.’ She tilted her head sideways. ‘Do you promise?’

‘I promise.’ I nodded. ‘That means more to me than you know. Thanks.’ I meant it. There have been few stable things in my life over the past almost-two years. My friendship with Debbie is one of them.

The look on her face had gotten a little weird, like she might start crying or something. I tried to think of something funny to say, to break the mood, but she spoke first. ‘Now, go on. Get out of here before I put you to work.’ That was her signal that our moment was over. I kissed her on the cheek and followed Daphne out the door.