Date: Aug 12, 2018 9:28 pm Title: Chapter 9
I love Brian and really hate to find fault with him, but saying he doesn't want to miss any of the baby's firsts is cruel since he is making Justin miss all of it. I know he thinks he is doing what is best, but this time he is wrong. You wrote it so perfectly to make me feel this. Thank you for another great chapter.
Author's Response:
Yes, he is obviously wrong. So very wrong :(
Thanks for your kind words. More will be up soon!
Date: Aug 12, 2018 9:25 pm Title: Chapter 8
I totally agree with Emmett who, as expected, is protecting Justin.
Author's Response:
Yes, Emmett was a good friend and still is :)
Date: Aug 09, 2018 11:30 am Title: Chapter 8
Oh my goodness! How terrible! How fucked up! You gave them all the right reasons from their point of view. Debbie with her situation with Danny. Brian with his demons and his childhood issues. And now also Jennifer, who is comparing her situation and her life to Justin's. Jennifer, who now considers maybe she got married and got children at an age where she was too young. Thinking that she maybe missed something in her life... But would she really - if given a second chance - choose diffenrently? Would she decide against being a mother? And even when... This is not fair! They are all trying to relive through Justin some parts of their lives about which they now think they should have decided differently. And with that behavior, they take something irretrivably away from Justin. They take away his choice to decide. Even if he and Brian would have failed as a couple or as parents, it was his choice. And they destroyed a part of Justin's life! They've taken away five precious years who Justin could have spend with his son. Who do they think they are, that they have the right to behave like that? I just can repeat myself... They all need help! They all would need some kind of therapy! Oh god! How damned fucked up! Just because of ther own issues and their own failures, they all conider that they have the god damned right to consider what's best for Justin. I've to say it again... I'm so glad, that there's already your other story. With that chapter you got me damned angry, not with your story, but with those characters. I'm not sure why, but it's Jennifer who makes me so angry. I can't accept her arguments, and it is simply unforgivable that she choses her grandchild, Justin's son!, over her own son. She simply had no right. Pathetic! If one can say so, for me, her betrayal is the worst!
I love your story and you've warned us... It's really heartbreaking and so painful! And they can all consider themselfes damned lucky that Justin's a better person, a matured human being who is not so fucked up, so selfish and that he first thinks about what is best for Luke and Gus and that he tries to give them all a second chance. Warmest regards!
Author's Response:
Yes, it is fucked up and it is terrible - poor Justin. He never stood a chance with all those people around him that thought they knew best what he needed in his life and that thought that he was too young to make his own decisions :(
They are lucky that he is a better person than they are and honestly: Seeing how he was raised by those three at one point or another in his life, it says a lot that he still grew up to be a decent human being ;)
I don't think Jennifer would have chosen differently when it came to Justin or Molly. She loves her kids. Maybe she would have tried to have a career on her own and would have not agreed to just be a housewife in Craig's Wasp dream... We'll never know for sure :(
Her betrayal is the worst to me as well because she of all people should have been on Justin's side. She of all people should have done the right thing for her son. Then again Brian's betrayal is a close second because he hurt the one person that loved him unconditionally and that he loved as well, but to me Brian has better reasons... Not that I want to excuse his behaviour, it was wrong and fucked up, but sometimes I think that poor Brian didn't really have a chance to turn into a normal human being... He was doomed from the very beginning with those parents and those enablers called Michael and Lindsay :(
But at least we know that he realised at one point that he needed help and he got it! That's something.
More will be up soon! :)
Date: Aug 09, 2018 3:38 am Title: Chapter 7
That went well: it's quite easy as Debbie knows what he is going thru.
Author's Response:
Yes, she can understand his situation and Brian needs someone to just understand him for once and not lecture him :(
[Report This]Date: Aug 09, 2018 2:49 am Title: Chapter 8
It all makes sense. But we know it didn't work out the way Brian thought it would.
Author's Response:
No, unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) it didn't :(
More will be up soon! Thanks for your kind comment!
[Report This]Date: Aug 09, 2018 2:38 am Title: Chapter 7
It's good that Deb realizes that telling Michael might not be the best option.
Author's Response:
Despite everything, she does know her son and she does know Brian :(
We can only hope that Michael's reaction won't be too predictable... We'll find out soon!
[Report This]Date: Aug 09, 2018 2:27 am Title: Chapter 6
Ted is a good friend. Unlike Michael. Jennifer is right. Brian basing his decision on what might happen is just so wrong.
Author's Response:
I always had the feeling that Ted made a much better friend than Michael. Especially towards the end of the show he and Brian seemed to have lots more in common than Brian and Michael.
Thanks for your comment :)
Date: Aug 09, 2018 1:44 am Title: Chapter 8
Great chapter. At least the baby will have Jen, but Justin will not be happy when he finds out.
Author's Response:
No, we know he won't be :(
Thanks for your kind comment. More will be up soon :)
Date: Aug 06, 2018 2:51 pm Title: Chapter 7
Hi! Again you amazed me with your fantastic writing-style, how you let those characters come to life...
And while in the last two parallel chapters it was Jennifer, now it's Deb's turn in those two chapters. While reading first "The Pittsburgh Years", I already thought about Deb who had been in a similar situation as Brian... So, now we know about Deb's reasons, but I'll something say about that in my other review.
Again, I'm very ambiguous about this. On one hand it's great and I'm very happy for Brian that there's finally someone who at first is just happy for him being pregnant. Who hugs him, shows him love and affection, some kind of security, tells him, to be there for him, to take care of himself and the baby, be happy... That's great! On the other hand, again, one more person, who just accepts all his reasons and arguments without questioning them any further. But after reading the latest chapter of "Back for good", it's more understandable, why she didn't questioned them. She said, that Michael behaved as if Justin has nver existed, but in some way, she's doing exactly the same. That's so sad... And I can just repeat myself. Allthough all of Brian's arguments make sense in some way, it's so damned wrong, because, hey, this is life, you can't never be sure about everything, also not a control freak like Brian and you can't hide every pain away from children, you have to show them how to deal with it. Again, I just can say that there wasn't enough trust in himself, in Justin, in their love. And I wrote it before, I also don't get the impression at the end of the show that they would've had make it as a couple. Also Brian's speech and the words "it's only time" sounds zwar somehow "ridiculous romantic" but to me there is this deep sadness and I don't think Brian thought that there will be a future for them. It seems as if he doesn't believe in their love, maybe in his own feelings for Justin, but not in Justin's deep love for him. But that's my imagination but also the reason why your story fits so well for me. For me, those two are the greatest love-couple of film history and I'm so addicetd to them and want them to have their (in my opinion) much earned happy ending. And that's why I love all those wonderful fanfictions about them. So thank you and all those other writers who take the time to write about them, let them live, suffer and love through those stories and hopefully give them a happy end! i'm looking forward to the next chapter and warmest regards!!!
Author's Response:
Honestly, it wasn't planned that the chapters would be released like that - that was pure coincidence ;)
As Debbie said in Back for Good: It's easier when you don't have to ask yourself if your decisions are the right ones. Justin's reappearance in Pittsburgh made them all ask those questions because now they could see firsthand the pain they had caused him. With Justin being back there is no more hiding behind excuses of doing the right thing for him and his career. Whatever they might have been telling themselves, seeing his pain and hurt, they had to accept the truth of what they had done to him...
Yeah, to me that "It's only time" scene would have been way better if it hadn't included the "Or never again..." that last part made it obvious that Brian still wasn't ready to trust in himself and Justin either. He might have loved Justin and he might have believed that Justin loved him as well, but it was obvious that he hadn't really believed in that love to last and be enough to make things work for them. Which made me incredibly sad at the time and still does :( I hate the way the show ended...
With me it's mostly letting them suffer, I am afraid ;) When it comes to angst, I really like to go deep before anyone gets a happy ending. I don't know why, but that makes the happy ending so much more rewarding to me ;)
Thank you so much for your kind comment - more will be up soon :)
Date: Aug 05, 2018 11:39 pm Title: Chapter 7
Great chapter. Love how Brian & Debbie get along.
Author's Response:
I am glad you liked it :)
I have to admit that I had my problem's with Debbie's character on the show (and some of those problems will be addressed later on in the story), but she did have her good sides :)
More will be up soon!
Date: Aug 04, 2018 1:36 pm Title: Chapter 6
Hi! I really like this idea with these two stories... While reading this one we all hope that there will be someone who just tells Justin... But at the same time we all know, it's not going to happen, the damage is done... Damned :-)
I want to scream at them... at Ted... at Jennifer... at Brian... please, just tell Justin! But there's no one who had the balls. And the reason for both is just the threat by Brian??? I can't believe this! There must be other reasons?!?! And this is the point I don't understand or let's say something doesn't feel right... It was already asked by another reader. What would have happened if Justin had been told about the pregnancy and got back? As I said before, this would be another story, but there is this little thought which sometimes comes up in my crazy mind. Could it be that for example Jennifer also believed that, at this point in there life, Justin and Brian wouldn't make it? Don't get me wrong, it's no excuse for Brian's behavior or for Jennifer's and there is nothing that could justify what they've had done, and there is no argument why Justin shouldn't know about this, because in the end it is his choice and they've taken this from him, but I asked myself if they would have made it... Brian, who hasn't recognized that he needs help, who hasn't even started fight against any of his demons. And Justin... 5 years later Justin seems to be even more mature, He's very self-confident and self-content in a positive way. And yeah, after all, they way they used to talk and try to solve problems before Justin went to New York, was simply not enough. It's not that I say there would've been no other way, I only like to play with or imagine diffenrent scenarios in my head... There was this other fanfic (From the Brink of Spring to the Edge of Winter), where Brian got pregnant and through his pregnancy he really matured, starts to overwhelmed his demons. On the other hand, Justin who really wanted a family with Brian, appeared to be too young and too confused about being a father after the birth and he went away for a few years. Although it nearly broke my heart, this story is also so excellent, amazing writing-style, but also so hard to read, painful, heartbreaking. So, sometimes your story reminds me of this one, even if there are different situations and topics. So, I'm looking forward to the next chapter and send you my warmest regards!
Author's Response:
I have to admit I was rather surprised by how well the two stories worked out and by how much I liked the idea of them supporting each other and giving insights into different parts of storylines and characters. When I started writing Back for Good that was not the plan at all... But that's life - it takes over and we just follow ;)
While reading this story, there is still the hope that maybe one of them will be decent and do the right thing, that maybe one of them will tell Justin, but as we know - nope, not gonna happen. That to me makes the heartbreak of the Pittsburgh Years only more real. All the things Brian was so scared about, all the things Ted warned him about... We know how it turned out in the end. We know the damage this decision caused :(
That is the question: What would Brian have done if Justin had shown up? What would Brian have done if Justin had confronted him at the loft, the house or wherever... Would he have run away? Would he have sucked it up and talked to Justin? What if... maybe we'll never know.
I won't lie: When writing these two stories, I really started to realise for the first time that I was not confident that Justin and Brian (on the show) would have made it. Obviously I wanted them to and obviously I did believe that the move to New York didn't mean an end to their relationship, but those two already had huge communication issues when in the same town and living together. I can only imagine what their relationship would have turned into with them living in different states...
And I think that the age difference played a part in that - Justin was very young and Brian was at a completely different place in his life. Yes, maybe emotionally they were on the same level, but as far as their lives were concerned, they were never equals. Brian had the money, Brian had the apartment where they lived, Brian paid for everything... That is something that will definitely come up in Back for Good.
Having said that: It will help them in Back for Good that they have both grown up and matured in their own way. Most definitely :)
Thanks for your comment - as always I appreciate it so much :D More will be up later today!
Date: Aug 02, 2018 2:43 pm Title: Chapter 6
What would Brian have done if Justin had come back to the loft while Brian was there? It's something Jennifer should have managed after a few weeks and Brian wouldn't have been able to get away and he would have answered Justin's questions.
Author's Response:
That's the question: What would he have done? Would he have acted as cold and uncaring as he did to Daphne? Would he have pushed Justin away again? Or would they have been able to work things out?
That's the big question: What if? :(
Too bad we'll never know the answer...
Thanks for your comment!
Date: Aug 01, 2018 11:53 pm Title: Chapter 6
Wow, great chapter. Can understand why Brian is doing this, but it is so wrong. Sorry RL just likes to get in the way.
Author's Response:
Yes, I can understand his reasons as well, but that doesn't make them right :/
Luckily it's the good kind of RL ;) I am having visitors over for the week and we're going out every day, so not much time to spend in front of the PC ;)
Thanks for your comment!
Date: Jul 31, 2018 10:44 am Title: Chapter 5
Hi! So sad, so terrible... with each chapter there's more pain! Why couldn't Ted forget to tell Brian... But then it would be a different story...
At least, Ted tries to argue with Brian, tries to make him see, to convince him... He tries through telling him all the important things which matters... "he wants a family..." "he has a right to know..." "You don't have the right to make that choice for him..." "he will never forgive you..." But it doesn't seem to be enough to reach something inside of Brian. I think - although Ted's a much better friend than Michael or Lindsay - he also doesn't see or understand how deep Brian's demons run, how damaged he really is.
And I'm curious, if there is more to come. If maybe Blake plays another important role. After reading the last chapter of "Back for good", I can't believe any longer that Jennifer will be the person who'll tell Brian to "get off his ass und work through his issues". I'll say something about her in my review for "Back for good". So, I think or maybe hope that it'll be either Mel or Blake. So, I'm curious... Will he let himself be influenced by Brian's threat and back down, say nothing more or will he try further to "help" Brian? After all, in my opinion it takes more to be just some friend or to become the godfather of Luke!
And again, I've to praise your writing-style. Those characters come to life in my imagination through your amazing writing-style. I could clearly see them in Brian's office, arguing, Ted being shocked and so on. Awesome! Looking forward to the next chapter! Warmest regards!
Author's Response:
Yes, it would have been a completely different story if Ted hadn't said anything :/
Ted doesn't know as much about Brian's past as Michael and Lindsay would, so maybe he is underestimating the damage that has been done to Brian by his parents. Who knows? Maybe he didn't think Brian would ever actually go through with it...
Lets just say, you're on the right track there concerning the person who will get Brian to consider working through his issues.
As for Ted - his part in this story isn't over by a long shot ;)
Awwwww, your last paragraph made me blush - you're too nice :)
Date: Jul 30, 2018 4:51 pm Title: Chapter 5
I so agree with Ted! That's a huge betrayal.
Author's Response:
Yes, Ted is right about that one :/
Date: Jul 30, 2018 12:51 am Title: Chapter 5
Brian's thinking that Justin would hate him and "trap" him is exactly what jack had done and I'm sorry to say that it is EXACTLY WHAT BRIAN would have done. There was no thinking about Justin EVER
Author's Response:
The sad thing is, I think Brian really believed deep down that he had to do this for Justin - if only he had talked to Justin and hadn't gone by his own expectations, but had considered Justin's feelings :(
Date: Jul 30, 2018 12:22 am Title: Chapter 5
Wow, great chapter. Brian just thinks he always knows what is best. Can understand his reasons, but Justin is an adult and should be allowed to make his own decisions.
Author's Response:
Definitely :( This just goes to show that Brian doesn't always know best...
[Report This]Date: Jul 29, 2018 10:18 pm Title: Chapter 5
Oh god. It must have just about killed Ted not to be able to tell Justin. If only he had.
Author's Response:
Yeah, if only he had - life would have been very different for everyone involved. That's for sure :/
[Report This]Date: Jul 29, 2018 10:12 pm Title: Chapter 4
Unfortunately Brian is making a wrong decision. Sigh.
Author's Response:
Yes, very wrong :(
Date: Jul 28, 2018 11:12 am Title: Chapter 4
Hi! Sorry for my late review, but real life came in the way...
Oh, like I said before, it's so heartbreaking and hard to read and I think I couldn't read this if there wasn't your other story at the same time, knowing that those painful years are over and that they are together again with Luke and with Gus... no matter if just as friends or whatever...
And again, I can't hate Brian for his behavior even if it's so hurtful. But seeing it just from his point of view, it makes sense. And in your amazing and talented way of writing you showed us very clear how his mind works here. It's terrible - and I know this from myself and from my life - how influenced we are through our parents. I don't speak about guilt or blaming parents, but for me it was interesting to understand how you could not only have issues because of what your parents did to you personally but also, maybe even much more issues are created through the way parents behave to each other. They are our role models. And I think in Brian's case it makes totally sense. He was not only not being loved and treated how a child should be treated but abused and also there was no love between his parents. There was just anger, violence, fury and disrespect. So, it's no wonder how Brian could turn into the adult he is. And you made it very clear that his demons even run so much deeper than a "normal" person could imagine. And I just can agree with what you said about Debbie. My feelings for her were always very ambiguous. She had her good sites but you are totally right, she could had or must had done more to help Brian.
As I said before it's so sad and so painful knowing what he is about to do to their child and to Justin, his real best friend. It's so sad to see and to feel how alone he is. And also to imagine how Justin feels and what he has to endure when he gets those news through Daphne. So, looking forward to the next chapter! Warmest regards!!!
Author's Response:
No need to apologise! I am happy about every review you have time to leave :)
Yes, it is heartbreaking - no other word for it :(
I know that many people won't agree with me, but I can't hate Brian either. He is haunted by his own demons and is fighting against the effects his childhood still have on him. He's hurting himself with his own behaviour as I think it's quite obvious that he still loves Justin and would rather be with him than alone, but feels like he has no choice because he's so scared of them turning into his own parents. Is that making sense? Not necessarily, but when does fear make sense? He is driven by his own demons and I think the only thing that could change his mind at this point would be sessions with a therapist. Brian is so controlled by his fear, he is in no position to listen to any reasonable arguments :(
More will be up soon and the first person will find out about the pregnancy - wonder who it is ;)
Date: Jul 26, 2018 9:20 am Title: Chapter 4
Hard chapter! I hate when Brian acts this way and his performance was stellar!
Author's Response:
Yes, it was hard for me to write as well :( I can't stand when Brian pushes Justin off Mount Kinney for what he thinks is Justin's best interest :/
More will be up soon!
Date: Jul 26, 2018 9:04 am Title: Chapter 3
This could explain why Brian didn't tell Justin, but not justify it. Justin deserved to know and make a choice. Life is made of nuances; he could have been part of a new family and gone after his dream, on a part-time schedule.
Author's Response:
I agree - it's no justification and definitely not an excuse for what Brian did :(
More will be up soon!
Date: Jul 26, 2018 12:46 am Title: Chapter 4
Just typical Brian, thinking he knows what is best for Justin. Great chapter.
Author's Response:
Sadly yes :( Always the one who needs to be in control and needs to make all the decisions...
Thanks for your comment! More will be up soon :)
Date: Jul 24, 2018 2:51 pm Title: Chapter 3
Oh, I’ve just to answer to your answer, because… have I told you that I really love not only your story but also your answers? :-)
“Miracles might still happen and someone might tell him to get off his ass and work through his issues!” While reading this, something came to my mind what would make so much sense… I mean, there were other people in the show I like as for example Blake or Ben (although I never understood his love for Michael) or also Mel (here the same… How could she be in love with such a manipulative bitch? Linds played not only Justin and Brian well but also Mel and Brian – and I’m real curious about your Mel – whether she’d known about those crazy plans….) but the one person I’ve forgotten is Jennifer. I was so disappointed because I can’t imagine her to just accept Brian telling her “I can’t tell him because of his dream for a career and if you tell him, I’ll just run away….” I liked her more and more during the show, because she has developed further in her views and her behavior. So, doesn’t matter if I’m wrong (it’s your story) and you don’t have to answer and spoil anything, but to me it would make sense. Oh, it’s hard to be patient… Warmest regards!
Author's Response:
Well, I will say this much: You have already mentioned the correct person in your comment :P
[Report This]Date: Jul 23, 2018 9:07 pm Title: Chapter 3
Boy, when Justin finds out that a dream was the cause of all this he ain't going to be happy.
Author's Response:
Well, the dream wasn't really the cause ;) It just cemented something that Brian's mind had pretty much already decided on - whether he knew it or not :(
More will be up soon! :)