"Can you really think of a reason that Peter would suddenly turn on how he feels about you?" Justin asked, trying to begin the conversation pragmatically. "He knows how your sister is, and she knows, at least to some extent, that the two of you are acquainted now. Don'tyou think she'd have tried every weapon she had if she was running a smear campaign against you?"

"I don't know," Brian said tiredly, rubbing his eyes. "I wouldn't put anything past her."

--

When Brian's nephew Peter and his girlfriend Alexis come to spend Christmas in New York, things are off to a great start -- until they're not. Soon, it becomes apparent to everyone that old Kinney family scars run deep.

It’s funny how life works sometimes -- in cycles, repeating the same themes in different ways with different situations. Leaving it up to us to recognize a familiar situation and call on our past experience to get through it. But sometimes you can’t see the forest for the trees.

***

Justin decides to make a huge transition in his career, but things are not always what they seem.

I was in Atlanta when I first started noticing the strange, intermittent numbness and tingling in the fingers of my right hand. I was finishing up some paperwork, and I was having a hard time holding onto the pen, though at the time I thought it was just because I couldn't feel my fingers in the way that I was used to. I knew I'd been pushing myself too hard, spending too much time working on my laptop and not enough time doing yoga, so I thought it was probably just stress. I needed a break, although I wasn't sure when I was going to get one, because I was only scheduled to have two days at home before I had to leave again to travel to Dallas.

***

Rob has a health scare that leads him to reevaluate his life. Brian helps support him along the way.

One shot. Set 25 years post-series. Standalone fic.

How do you feel your way through the darkness once the sun has gone out?

Brian's journey into the light.

Major character death. You'll want some tissues.

In Aftershock, we see how Justin's bashing at the end of Season One affected Brian. It ended without revealing how the bashing affected everyone else who loved and cared about Justin. The series skipped from that iconic scene of Brian sitting in the hospital right after Justin was admitted to a month later at the beginning of Season Two, so we have to use our imagination about what went on at the hospital after Michael joined Brian. I hope you will find my perspective interesting.

Many thanks to my beta, Judy, for her help and my darling Granddaughter, Marika, for the evocative banner. And also thanks to those who asked me 'what about the others' when they read 'Aftershock'. Their questions led to this sequel.

The first time Debbie Novotny heard about Brian Kinney, Michael was in the eighth grade. It was just after spring break. He’d come home from school chattering away excitedly about the new boy in his class who’d just moved to Pittsburgh from some town she couldn’t remember. All through dinner it was Brian this, and Brian that. Michael was clearly enamored with this Brian kid.

Daphne catches Brian on one of his nights playing vigil at Justin's hospital door. Feelings are revealed.

Moving forward from the disastrous conclusion of Season 5. Life goes on, and so must Brian and Justin, only not, perhaps, as either intended.

You Are Not Alone, inspired by Michael Jackson's song, shows the way Brian copes with missing Justin while he's away.