A New Dawn, part 1
I was feeling the pull to write but had no particular plot in mind. I don't always write without gisting a story to the end, mainly because I can't write without a direction and a plan, an ending to get to. But this... it came out with no gisting, no planning, no nothing. The only other story I've written like this is Of Suits & Swords.
But anyway, I've been having so much fun writing this and I'm already almost half of the way in (at 12,000 words and still counting!) that I figured, what the hell, here it is:
A New Dawn
20th April 2009
Series: A Queer as Folk fan fiction
Summary: Justin’s been bashed on his prom night, eight months from the night Daphne had first brought him to Liberty Avenue. But the bashing, instead of deleting the seventy-two hours prior, has erased a whole lot more from his life.
Warnings: Divergence from the end of Season One, post-prom night, bashing and week-long coma, begins from the first month of Justin’s rehabilitation, with spoilers for season two.
Statistics:
--
“It’s always tricky in brain damage situations,” Doctor Harris said softly, watching his patient through the rehab centre glass window, at his side stood the patient’s mother, Jennifer Taylor. “The human brain is a complex organ to begin with, and in this sort of situation it’s not possible to completely assess the damage and provide an immediate solution.” He gave her an encouraging smile, “It will take time and you’ll need to be patient.”
“I can be patient for my own son,” Jennifer stated, not taking her eyes of the ball the patient and his therapist passed back and forth. “He’ll need more than patience, I get that. He’ll need a lot of love and support, and a lot of understanding. I know this is going to be one heck of a rocky road.”
“I’m glad you’re not underestimating the path ahead,” Dr Harris admitted. He paused, “We’ve finished developing his program. Do you want to discuss it now?”
“Yes, please.” Jennifer cast one last concerned look over her son before turning and following down the hall. “It’ll be good to get started. The sooner we get to it, the sooner he can get his life back.”
Dr Harris turned to look at Jennifer as they walked, “You make it sound like the missing eight months of his memory bear a particularly great significance.”
“I can’t believe it myself sometimes what kind of rollercoaster my entire family has been through in the past eight months, Dr Harris,” Jennifer admitted with a humourless twist of her lips. She shook her head and enumerated, “He came out of the closet,” she flashed a smile up at the doctor for the turn of phrase, “He’s been dating someone and moved out. I’ve divorced and moved out as well, and the house he grew up in has been sold. Then there’s his eighteenth birthday and not to mention what happened at his prom, this…” She nodded and with dry humour said, “The words great significance don’t quite cover it.”
“Sounds complicated.” Shaking his own head, Dr Harris opened the door to his office and ushered her inside. He admitted, “That’s going to be a lot for him to take in.”
Jennifer flashed him an odd look at she took a seat. When she fidgeted, Dr Harris waited patiently for her to speak up and when she did, her eyes had lit with determination, “Maybe he doesn’t have to take it all in right away. There are some things, like the prom, I hope he never remembers.” She glanced out the window, her eyes taking on a faraway look, “There are things about his life… in those eight months that frankly… well, frankly, I hope he never has to deal with ever again.”
“You do understand,” Dr Harris gently reminded, “That it is best that he face all the aspects of the life he has lost in order to triumph over them, to move past them?”
“I know what you’re saying.” Jennifer turned from the window and fixed him with a hard stare. “I appreciate your professional opinion. And you know I want him to heal and overcome this. But I’m also trying to protect my son, Dr Harris.” She paused then asked, “Do you remember yesterday when I told him about his sister’s birthday?”
“Yes, you showed him a drawing he made for the occasion.” Dr Harris particularly remember it because of the patient’s reaction to seeing his own artwork. “He was very happy with the drawing.” Dr Harris paused, “I had feared it would be hard for him to see some of his past work, considering we’re doubtful he’ll regain complete use of his hand but he was quite pleased. Your son has a blinding smile, Mrs Taylor.”
“That smile,” Jennifer grinned, sitting up and proud, “Is why he’s called Sunshine.”
Dr Harris smiled, “Yes. I recall some friends of his who had come to visit called him that.”
Jennifer’s smile faded and there was a long pause before she spoke again, low and sad, “I haven’t seen that smile very often in the missing eight months, Dr Harris.” She pinned the doctor with a flat stare. “I want to see he keeps it.”
Dr Harris didn’t want to say he understood.
But he did.
--
“Wow,” Justin breathed, sitting back. “I guess it’d be an understatement to say I’ve missed a lot.”
“I’m sorry, honey,” Jennifer breathed, covering one of his hands with hers. “I know it’s a lot to take in.”
“So…” Justin fidgeted, fingers of his left hand picking at the sling over his right arm. “What happens now? Dad… he… will I ever see him again?”
“I’m sorry.” Jennifer grimaced. This was their conversations about Craig Taylor all over again; conversations Justin do not remember. “He… he made his stand pretty clear about your orientation.”
Justin looked stricken, left hand gripping tightly at the sheet over his lap and taking deep breaths. Finally, he seemed to process the words and he gave a humourless chuckle, “I guess we’ve had this conversation some time before, huh?”
Jennifer shook her head, “We have but that’s fine. We’ll cover anything you need to. Don’t worry.”
With a heavy sigh, he sat back and turned his chin up at the ceiling, blinking quickly. After a while, he sat back up and asked, “What about those ladies who came to visit last week, Lindsay and Melanie? Do you know where I met them?”
Jennifer hesitated a moment but she already knew what she was going to say, “They’re friends you made all on your own, honey. You were out with Daphne one night and got separated, and from what I understand you ended up here in this very hospital when Lindsay gave birth. You even helped them name their son.”
“Gus,” Justin smiled. “That’s the name of-
“-your teddy bear,” Jennifer finished, smiling back.
Justin turned to stare off at the far wall for a moment, smiling and considering. Then a nervous expression flitted over his face and he began to fidget again. “Mom, I--” he shrugged, “I think we’ve gotten really close. I can’t think why else I feel the way I do and knowing that… you’re aware that I’m…”
“Gay?” Jennifer finished calmly. “Yes, we’re close now. Well, I like to think so. We spent a lot of time together even after you moved out. Not immediately, of course, but we got there.” She shrugged and smiled, “It took me some time to accept your coming out but here I am, everything worked out.”
“Yeah, it really did.” Justin smiled and clutched at his mother’s hand, “I love you, mom.”
“I love you too, honey.” Jennifer said softly back. Her tone turned brisk, “So, what were you going to say?”
And Justin smiled again, looking relieved she’d correctly interpreted he’d been trying to get to a point there. “I mean, I wanted to ask if you know… any of those people who’ve been coming to visit.” He nervously scratched at the sheet again. “It’s just, I seem to have a lot of people coming to visit that I don’t remember knowing and they’re all… well… gay.”
Jennifer nodded, “Yes, I know them and you do too, Sunshine.” Justin paused at the name, a questioning expression coming to his face. “That’s what Debbie calls you, because of your smile. Most of your new friends know that, and you have quite a number of new friends. You spent a lot of your time at Liberty Avenue--” Justin cringed at that, a wry smile on his lips, “-and you have a job there at The Liberty Diner bussing tables.”
“You mean where Debbie works, right?” Justin prodded cautiously. “Um, Debbie, wasn’t it?” Jennifer nodded. “She said she works there and I should come visit her soon.” He paused, “She seemed really sad I didn’t remember her.”
“You were living with her, actually,” Jennifer admitted, hating this part, hoping the questions she feared would never come up. “She took you in and helped you learn about being gay. It’s how you know her son, Michael, and it’s through them you met Ted and Emmet. Actually, they’re pretty close to Lindsay and Melanie, I think it was Michael who went to school with Lindsay back in high school.” Perfect, she thought. It all loops in.
Justin smiled, nodding as he absorbed the new associations. “That makes sense. So they’re really all a whole group through Debbie that just happens to branch out.”
“I guess.” Jennifer paused then added firmly, “You were living with Debbie while the divorce went through until I could get a place for us, which I have done. So when you leave, you can finally come home. A new home, but home.”
“Sounds like everything worked out okay then,” Justin murmured. He looked sadly at his mother, “I… I know Dad hates me for all this but I… I really miss him. I feel like a huge part of me is missing and it really hurts. Like, something’s not right with the world, you know?”
Jennifer held her breath. Please, she prayed, let him always think it’s his father he’s missing.
“Um, mom?” Justin ducked his head, a blush coming to his cheeks, his left hand smoothing over his chest in an odd gesture. “Uh… did I ever mention anything about wanting a piercing?”
(next)
But anyway, I've been having so much fun writing this and I'm already almost half of the way in (at 12,000 words and still counting!) that I figured, what the hell, here it is:
A New Dawn
20th April 2009
Series: A Queer as Folk fan fiction
Summary: Justin’s been bashed on his prom night, eight months from the night Daphne had first brought him to Liberty Avenue. But the bashing, instead of deleting the seventy-two hours prior, has erased a whole lot more from his life.
Warnings: Divergence from the end of Season One, post-prom night, bashing and week-long coma, begins from the first month of Justin’s rehabilitation, with spoilers for season two.
Statistics:
--
“It’s always tricky in brain damage situations,” Doctor Harris said softly, watching his patient through the rehab centre glass window, at his side stood the patient’s mother, Jennifer Taylor. “The human brain is a complex organ to begin with, and in this sort of situation it’s not possible to completely assess the damage and provide an immediate solution.” He gave her an encouraging smile, “It will take time and you’ll need to be patient.”
“I can be patient for my own son,” Jennifer stated, not taking her eyes of the ball the patient and his therapist passed back and forth. “He’ll need more than patience, I get that. He’ll need a lot of love and support, and a lot of understanding. I know this is going to be one heck of a rocky road.”
“I’m glad you’re not underestimating the path ahead,” Dr Harris admitted. He paused, “We’ve finished developing his program. Do you want to discuss it now?”
“Yes, please.” Jennifer cast one last concerned look over her son before turning and following down the hall. “It’ll be good to get started. The sooner we get to it, the sooner he can get his life back.”
Dr Harris turned to look at Jennifer as they walked, “You make it sound like the missing eight months of his memory bear a particularly great significance.”
“I can’t believe it myself sometimes what kind of rollercoaster my entire family has been through in the past eight months, Dr Harris,” Jennifer admitted with a humourless twist of her lips. She shook her head and enumerated, “He came out of the closet,” she flashed a smile up at the doctor for the turn of phrase, “He’s been dating someone and moved out. I’ve divorced and moved out as well, and the house he grew up in has been sold. Then there’s his eighteenth birthday and not to mention what happened at his prom, this…” She nodded and with dry humour said, “The words great significance don’t quite cover it.”
“Sounds complicated.” Shaking his own head, Dr Harris opened the door to his office and ushered her inside. He admitted, “That’s going to be a lot for him to take in.”
Jennifer flashed him an odd look at she took a seat. When she fidgeted, Dr Harris waited patiently for her to speak up and when she did, her eyes had lit with determination, “Maybe he doesn’t have to take it all in right away. There are some things, like the prom, I hope he never remembers.” She glanced out the window, her eyes taking on a faraway look, “There are things about his life… in those eight months that frankly… well, frankly, I hope he never has to deal with ever again.”
“You do understand,” Dr Harris gently reminded, “That it is best that he face all the aspects of the life he has lost in order to triumph over them, to move past them?”
“I know what you’re saying.” Jennifer turned from the window and fixed him with a hard stare. “I appreciate your professional opinion. And you know I want him to heal and overcome this. But I’m also trying to protect my son, Dr Harris.” She paused then asked, “Do you remember yesterday when I told him about his sister’s birthday?”
“Yes, you showed him a drawing he made for the occasion.” Dr Harris particularly remember it because of the patient’s reaction to seeing his own artwork. “He was very happy with the drawing.” Dr Harris paused, “I had feared it would be hard for him to see some of his past work, considering we’re doubtful he’ll regain complete use of his hand but he was quite pleased. Your son has a blinding smile, Mrs Taylor.”
“That smile,” Jennifer grinned, sitting up and proud, “Is why he’s called Sunshine.”
Dr Harris smiled, “Yes. I recall some friends of his who had come to visit called him that.”
Jennifer’s smile faded and there was a long pause before she spoke again, low and sad, “I haven’t seen that smile very often in the missing eight months, Dr Harris.” She pinned the doctor with a flat stare. “I want to see he keeps it.”
Dr Harris didn’t want to say he understood.
But he did.
--
“Wow,” Justin breathed, sitting back. “I guess it’d be an understatement to say I’ve missed a lot.”
“I’m sorry, honey,” Jennifer breathed, covering one of his hands with hers. “I know it’s a lot to take in.”
“So…” Justin fidgeted, fingers of his left hand picking at the sling over his right arm. “What happens now? Dad… he… will I ever see him again?”
“I’m sorry.” Jennifer grimaced. This was their conversations about Craig Taylor all over again; conversations Justin do not remember. “He… he made his stand pretty clear about your orientation.”
Justin looked stricken, left hand gripping tightly at the sheet over his lap and taking deep breaths. Finally, he seemed to process the words and he gave a humourless chuckle, “I guess we’ve had this conversation some time before, huh?”
Jennifer shook her head, “We have but that’s fine. We’ll cover anything you need to. Don’t worry.”
With a heavy sigh, he sat back and turned his chin up at the ceiling, blinking quickly. After a while, he sat back up and asked, “What about those ladies who came to visit last week, Lindsay and Melanie? Do you know where I met them?”
Jennifer hesitated a moment but she already knew what she was going to say, “They’re friends you made all on your own, honey. You were out with Daphne one night and got separated, and from what I understand you ended up here in this very hospital when Lindsay gave birth. You even helped them name their son.”
“Gus,” Justin smiled. “That’s the name of-
“-your teddy bear,” Jennifer finished, smiling back.
Justin turned to stare off at the far wall for a moment, smiling and considering. Then a nervous expression flitted over his face and he began to fidget again. “Mom, I--” he shrugged, “I think we’ve gotten really close. I can’t think why else I feel the way I do and knowing that… you’re aware that I’m…”
“Gay?” Jennifer finished calmly. “Yes, we’re close now. Well, I like to think so. We spent a lot of time together even after you moved out. Not immediately, of course, but we got there.” She shrugged and smiled, “It took me some time to accept your coming out but here I am, everything worked out.”
“Yeah, it really did.” Justin smiled and clutched at his mother’s hand, “I love you, mom.”
“I love you too, honey.” Jennifer said softly back. Her tone turned brisk, “So, what were you going to say?”
And Justin smiled again, looking relieved she’d correctly interpreted he’d been trying to get to a point there. “I mean, I wanted to ask if you know… any of those people who’ve been coming to visit.” He nervously scratched at the sheet again. “It’s just, I seem to have a lot of people coming to visit that I don’t remember knowing and they’re all… well… gay.”
Jennifer nodded, “Yes, I know them and you do too, Sunshine.” Justin paused at the name, a questioning expression coming to his face. “That’s what Debbie calls you, because of your smile. Most of your new friends know that, and you have quite a number of new friends. You spent a lot of your time at Liberty Avenue--” Justin cringed at that, a wry smile on his lips, “-and you have a job there at The Liberty Diner bussing tables.”
“You mean where Debbie works, right?” Justin prodded cautiously. “Um, Debbie, wasn’t it?” Jennifer nodded. “She said she works there and I should come visit her soon.” He paused, “She seemed really sad I didn’t remember her.”
“You were living with her, actually,” Jennifer admitted, hating this part, hoping the questions she feared would never come up. “She took you in and helped you learn about being gay. It’s how you know her son, Michael, and it’s through them you met Ted and Emmet. Actually, they’re pretty close to Lindsay and Melanie, I think it was Michael who went to school with Lindsay back in high school.” Perfect, she thought. It all loops in.
Justin smiled, nodding as he absorbed the new associations. “That makes sense. So they’re really all a whole group through Debbie that just happens to branch out.”
“I guess.” Jennifer paused then added firmly, “You were living with Debbie while the divorce went through until I could get a place for us, which I have done. So when you leave, you can finally come home. A new home, but home.”
“Sounds like everything worked out okay then,” Justin murmured. He looked sadly at his mother, “I… I know Dad hates me for all this but I… I really miss him. I feel like a huge part of me is missing and it really hurts. Like, something’s not right with the world, you know?”
Jennifer held her breath. Please, she prayed, let him always think it’s his father he’s missing.
“Um, mom?” Justin ducked his head, a blush coming to his cheeks, his left hand smoothing over his chest in an odd gesture. “Uh… did I ever mention anything about wanting a piercing?”
(next)