Date: Nov 21, 2018 3:51 pm Title: Chapter 10: Of Dreams and Nightmares
Moving to LA will need a lot of research and preparation, but it could be good for them.
Jennifer is going to freak if she doesn't know that Justin still has nightmares.
Author's Response:
I think Jennifer knows Justin isn’t completely cured of ptsd.
yeah the decision to move cross country isn’t an easy one
[Report This]Date: Nov 21, 2018 2:02 pm Title: Chapter 10: Of Dreams and Nightmares
What is Jennifer going to say when she finds out?
Author's Response:
I think she will understand. She knows Justin can’t help his nightmares.
Or do you mean the phone sex? I think at this point she knows Brian and will just roll her eyes.
Date: Nov 21, 2018 8:01 am Title: Chapter 6: Left
Awww! Love that Brian’s wearing Justin’s shirt when he comes back... it’s a thing. TAG
Author's Response:
I keep learning that readers love Brian wearing Justin’s clothes. I’ve already written that into chapter 10 and I dunno...y’all tell me these things and give me this power. I promise to try to use it for good not evil. But part of me is doing an evil laugh and stroking my non-existent beard.
Date: Nov 19, 2018 10:40 pm Title: Chapter 9: Advice Unsolicited
Great chapter. Cliffhanger, sounds like a new plot coming. Fanastic writing.
Author's Response:
Thank you!! A bit of a cliffhanger. It's a big decision for them to make.
[Report This]Date: Nov 19, 2018 10:05 pm Title: Chapter 9: Advice Unsolicited
I love how you write, it's like they are actually there. Now what's this about moving to LA?
Author's Response:
Thank you!!!
We don't know for certain they're moving...but remember how happy Justin was there?
Date: Nov 19, 2018 8:32 pm Title: Chapter 9: Advice Unsolicited
What an end! That's a proposal that will be on every pair of lips on LA, PA. So many questions that Brian might have gathered during his flight.
I love these quotes; they are so revealing: "Justin scrunched up his face, confused, in the way he does that makes my heart do things that remind me I actually have one. “Soooo again, I ask, what’s the problem?”"
"And fuck if the idea of having a secret, no matter how stupid, between us didn’t make his grin go from wide to goofy."
Justin would have been better, and also Brian, if the gang hasn't been aware of Justin's depression; the way they judge and say what they think is painful. I love ow Brian told them to let it go.
Author's Response:
I’m glad you like those quotes - I love when Brian has to admit he has feelings!
i think the gang really has good intentions and they truly care for Justin and Brian but as Brian says, there’s intent and then there’s impact. They need to pay more attention to the impact.
Date: Nov 19, 2018 10:05 am Title: Chapter 5: Walk Away
Oh, really bad reaction there Brian . . . TAG
Author's Response:
Yep, Brian screwed up. Believe me, he’s going to feel terrible about it.
Date: Nov 19, 2018 9:25 am Title: Chapter 3: 5150
So far, spot on. TAG
Author's Response:
Thank you!!
Date: Nov 18, 2018 11:26 pm Title: Chapter 2: Back to Pitts
Good for Brian, taking it seriously from the very first moment. TAG
Author's Response:
Yeah, Brian doesn't mess around with Justin's well-being. If only everyone else would see that.
Date: Nov 18, 2018 7:37 am Title: Chapter 8: 10 Minutes
Amazing chapter! Brian in the kitchen was to die for. I hope they will see more Tori and Ana, who could be new friends for both Justin and Brian. Did Brian really go with a trick or did he call Tori?
Ben's advice was on point, but a little "what I would do" while he doesn't have all the clues.
Author's Response:
Oh, he went to trick. No big deal to him or Justin, just to everyone else. I'm glad you're liking Tori and Ana!
Date: Nov 17, 2018 3:18 pm Title: Chapter 8: 10 Minutes
Great chapter. Glad that Justin is seeing things a little differently. Fantastic writing.
Author's Response:
Thank you! Yes Justin is starting to feel a bit better in some ways.
[Report This]Date: Nov 17, 2018 2:59 pm Title: Chapter 8: 10 Minutes
This is amazing and so right. You're doing an amazing job!
Author's Response:
Thank you!!!
[Report This]Date: Nov 13, 2018 4:48 pm Title: Chapter 7: You'll Never Know, Dear
Between Daphne and Tori, Justin and Brian will both get the help they need.
Author's Response:
They are lucky to have Daphne and now Tori!
Date: Nov 12, 2018 9:04 am Title: Chapter 1: Rage in LA
It sounded like Brian had a very good visit to LA. Why do I get the impression there are some problems being foreshadowed here? Great/interesting start. TAG
Author's Response:
Ha! You are so correct, definitely foreshadowing here - I hope you keep reading to see how it unfolds!
Date: Nov 12, 2018 2:19 am Title: Chapter 6: Left
Can I hunt Brian down and smack him now? What an idiot.
Justin isn't thinking clearly right now. Since he and Brian really don't talk enough to get all things said is it any surprise he reacted the way he did?
Author's Response:
Yep Brian really screwed up in this chapter. He’s only human after all.
And yes Brian and Justin need to learn how to talk with each other.
Date: Nov 12, 2018 2:16 am Title: Chapter 7: You'll Never Know, Dear
Lord, love Daphne. Made Brian get his head on straight. Tori ain't so bad herself.
Author's Response:
I know, I adore Daphne. I’m glad you’re liking Tori. My hope is that she becomes a recurring original character.
Date: Nov 11, 2018 1:36 pm Title: Chapter 7: You'll Never Know, Dear
Wow, just wow !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tissue box time.
Author's Response:
<3 oh wow! thank you!!!
Date: Nov 11, 2018 11:10 am Title: Chapter 7: You'll Never Know, Dear
Spitfire is a great name for Daphne; of course she would hunt Brian down to get him to see what he has done.
Wonderful chapter!
Author's Response:
I've always loved Daphne. She loves both Justin and Brian and knows that Brian needs tough love. She's not afraid of him.
Date: Nov 10, 2018 2:56 am Title: Chapter 6: Left
Amazing chapter. Your details are wonderful. Could feel all the pain
Author's Response:
Thank you!
[Report This]Date: Nov 09, 2018 1:46 pm Title: Chapter 6: Left
Brian is smarter than he looked. But he forgets you need to tell people what your planning. Good to see Daphne, she's a rock. I Like Tori. Frankly Justin isn't the only one that needs help.
Author's Response:
I'm glad you like Tori! I want to keep her around.
Date: Nov 08, 2018 4:55 pm Title: Chapter 6: Left
Amazing chapter!!!
Daphne to the rescue and sent by Brian! She is such a great friend and she is the link missing between Brian and Justin at the moment.
The last part was like a brilliant ray of sunshine and Brian wearing Justin's t-shirt was a huge sign.
Tori might be a major help for Justin as well.
Author's Response:
Daphne is alwys rooting for Brian and Justi and do whatever she can for them.
I'm hoping we see more of Tori :)
Date: Nov 07, 2018 9:13 pm Title: Chapter 5: Walk Away
Yeah, cliffhanger is correct, but we will wait for the next chapter when it is ready. Hope you are going somewhere great and have a wonderful vacation.
Author's Response:
Thank you! Vacation is a blast so far! I have limited internet but I'm going to try to post the next part soon - it's all beta'd and ready to go thanks to my incredible beta TrueIllusion.
The cliffhanger was hard for me to write - and I know what happens!!
Date: Nov 07, 2018 8:20 pm Title: Chapter 4: The Interview
what a great chapter. At least Justin is open to talking about his problems. That should help with recovery if possible.
Author's Response:
Yes! Justin responds to direct questions...it's just a matter of asking the correct ones!
Date: Nov 06, 2018 11:54 pm Title: Chapter 3: 5150
You literally confused me. How did it go from Justin having "thoughts" of getting images of something terrible, something violent, happening to Brian. Or to Gus. To it becoming a reality that Justin wanted to carry out these "images"? That's quite a different concept.
Anyway, what was Brian talking about when he said, there was no way to know that they don’t know everything. I’ve never figured out if going to the hospital and Justin’s experiences there were a mistake and took us further away from where we had to be or ultimately helped get us there. I presume this will be explained, but it sounds like the 72 hour hold was a bad idea. I'm kind of surprised that Brian didn't automatically call his old pal, Alex Wilder, before going to the hospital. Either to ask his advice, or to ask him to meet them there.
Brian is TOTALLY wrong to not call Jennifer, regardless of what Justin says. I'm afraid there will be hell to pay. Besides, who would Jennifer tell anyway? She's his mother. She wouldn't just blab something like that around. She's a WASP. She knows discreet.
Author's Response:
You're picking up on some of the foreshadowing here! Yes yes yes, there is such a difference between having thoughts and wanting to carry them out. Justin is confused though because often our thoughts are taken to be truth and so he's not the best reporter to the psychiatrist. The psychiatrist is not asking ALL the questions they could (Brian says this "except the one or two that would make a difference"). So great that you picked that up!
What helps and what hurts Justin is not so easily divided into black and white, but yes, there's some good that comes from the hospitalization and some not so good.
I think Brian right now wants to do whatever he can to help Justin and is trusting Justin when he says don't call Jennifer. Remember, Brian wanted to go through cancer treatment without telling anyone...so he can understand why Justin is asking this.
I hadn't thought to bring in Alex Wilder... that's a good idea and maybe I can start to weave him in. I know he's an important character in many other fics but I haven't figured out what role, if any, he's going to play here.
Date: Nov 06, 2018 11:45 am Title: Chapter 2: Back to Pitts
Wow! Talk about the difference in a person who was so happy in Hollywood, to come home and fall that deep into a complete loss, and the absence of hope. I'm happy Brian noticed it, and addressed the issue with Justin, even though it was so OOC of Brian.
You wrote the desolation of Justin, beautifully. I'm surprised he opened up as much as he did to Brian, which showed me how much Justin really wanted help to deal with what he was going through. I'm not sure if Pennsylvania is one of the states that allow the hospital personnel decide whether to allow the individual voluntary stay, or force them into a long-term commitment after the 72 hour hold, but I hope they are. With Justin's aversion to hospitals, I can see a voluntary stay problematic.
It will be interesting to see the issues Justin deals with while in the care of the mental health facility. I can see many over the course of time since he was 17, starting with the abandonment of his father. Brian's refusal of commitment, preferring to trick in front of him... Michael. The Sap. The bashing/Chris Hobbs. They are all there. And the biggest one, his loss of making his way in college and Hollywood. That's an awful lot to deal with when the kid is what, 21?
I look forward to continuing reading this story. I'm not sure how I fell behind on it, but I will catch up on it today.
XOXO ~ Cathy
Author's Response:
It is a bit OOC for Brian to be asking about this but we know that canon Brian would do nearly anything for Justin. I'm reimagining the effects of the bashing to include Justin struggling with non-verbal communication and Brian has realized this (after the Ethan arc) and has improved his communication - of course only with Justin and only in private, can't damage his rep! The One Where Justin Loses His Hearing on AO3 really explains this canon divergence well (especially the most recent part she's posted - The Thing About Fairy Tales) and I'm taking inspiration from her.
It's like you've read ahead in the story and know what's coming! I'm not sure exactly of PA laws but most states do allow for involuntary holds. Since I'm in CA, I'm taking artistic license and using CA Welfare and Institutions Code. Justin has been through so so much so it makes sense to me that there would be longer term effects than what is portrayed in the series.