From: alicedev@hotmail.com To: taylortwink@hotmail.com Subject: Memories? Hey Taylor, remember me? No probably not but hell, it’s nice to dream. Yeah well I asked about and put together this thing for you. Hope it helps, we should catch up next time you’re in the Pitts. LoveLove Alice Justin sat in front of his laptop, staring at the screen tiredly. It had been three months he’d arrived in New York. Recently he’d been contacted by a couple of people from Saint James. They’d said they’d tried to find him before but with Justin’s continuous moving, he’d been hard to track down. Alice, a girl he’d been in calculus with had emailed him a few things which included a slideshow of pictures he was in while Janice, her sister had sent him an untitled song which he’d already saved to his ipod. A blonde eyebrow raised, he started up the song as he double clicked the slideshow. The song started and the hand which was currently raising the beer bottle to his lips froze. His eyes widened in horror as the haunting melody echoed through the apartment. You can dance Ev'ry dance with the guy Who gives you the eye Let him hold you tight You can smile Ev'ry smile for the man who held your hand 'Neath the pale moonlight But don't forget who's taking you home And in whose arms you're gonna be So darlin', save the last dance for me, mmmm Photos from ‘his’ prom appeared on the screen. Him. And Brian. Him and Brian dancing. Him and Brian kissing. His attention was drawn to the onlookers. They didn’t look disgusted or sickened. No they looked….proud? Happy? It was hard to tell but they didn’t look as he thought. Oh, I know (oh, I know) That the music's fine Like sparkling wine Go and have your fun Laugh and sing But while we're apart Don't give your heart to anyone But don't forget who's taking you home And in whose arms you're gonna be So darlin', save the last dance for me, mmmm Groaning he clutched his forehead, images of that one slow dance flashing in his mind, the odd line of that song loud and clear in his mind. It had been four years, so why now? He was sure his head was going to combust from the pain of remembering. Baby, don't you know I love you so Can't you feel it when we touch I will never, never let you go I love you oh, so much He remembered Brian’s eyes. So full of love as they danced. That’s when it hit him. Brian had as good as told him he’d loved him that night and Justin couldn’t remember any of it. Instead of trading ‘I love you’s’ he’d been smashed over the head with a baseball bat. Chris Hobbs didn’t even PLAY baseball! No wonder Brian had been so distraught that he couldn’t remember. You can dance (you can dance) Go and carry on 'Til the night is gone And it's time to go If he asks if you're all alone Can he take you home you must tell him no 'Cause don't forget who's taking you home And in whose arm's you're gonna be So, darlin', save the last dance for me Massaging his temples, he was suddenly there, in the parking garage. He was watching himself walk away from Brian. His famous ‘sunshine smile’ on his face as he headed back to Daphne, oblivious to anything. That’s when he saw HIM. Justin growled, “JUSTIN MOVE!!!” Then he paused, why the fuck was he yelling at himself, its not like he’d hear it. He shut his eyes tight just in time for the sickening sound of wood meeting bone met his ears. He only opened them again when he heard Brian’s sobs of ‘No, no no no no GOD!’ You can dance (you can dance) Go and carry on 'Til the night is gone And it's time to go If he asks if you're all alone Can he take you home you must tell him no 'Cause don't forget who's taking you home And in whose arm's you're gonna be So, darlin', save the last dance for me Blinking, he was back in his own apartment. Looking about frantically he leapt to his feet and grabbed a backpack, into which he slung his clothes and sketchbooks before grabbing his laptop and running out the door. The trip to the bus station was a fast one, especially since he was sprinting the whole way. Booking a one way ticket back home made him broke but it was worth it as he practically dived onto the bus, panting slightly as he sat down. Almost immediately he tugged out his sketchbook and his ipod, switching it onto a specific song as his pencil danced across the page. By the look in Justin’s eyes it was obvious his gimp hand had a mind of its own. The picture took the whole trip to perfect as he gasped. There was him and Brian, dancing at his prom. The look of love evident in his eyes as he smiled. Why had he never seen it before. The hurt on Brian’s face when he couldn’t remember. The hurt when he complained the song was corny. The tears in the garage. Was he so blind!? He remembered something Ethan had said to him once, ‘Ridiculously Romantic’ and he wondered why it had sounded so very familiar, like a memory so long forgotten. Now he knew. He was glad the bus station wasn’t far from Liberty Avenue as he manoeuvred through the crowds towards the diner, peering in the window. Sure enough, there was the gang, after all, it was only 3 in the afternoon. Biting his lip, he pulled out his cell to send a text to Brian. ‘I remember, even if it was ridiculously romantic’ was all it said. He spotted Brian’s look of confusion as he read it, Brian didn't have his new cell phone number, before Justin plucked up enough courage to walk in. Poor Emmet looked ready to faint, Michael ready to explode and Ted looked ready to celebrate. Brian’s eyes widened as he stood up, only to have an armful of blonde, the younger mans lips against his ear as he softly sang, “'Cause don't forget who's taking you home And in whose arm's your gonna be So, darlin', save the last dance for me, mmmm” There was a sharp intake of breath from his lover as he pulled back to stare into those baby blues he’d fallen for that night under the street lamp five years ago. He was rewarded by a sunshine smile and a curt nod. “I already told you I remember, even if it was…” “Ridiculously romantic…” Brian finished, kissing his nose softly. Save the last dance for me, mmmm-hummmm Save the last dance for me, mmmm ************** Song: ‘Save the Last Dance for Me’ by The Drifters