If I could just have one last dance with you...

Disclaimer: I do not own Queer as Folk or any of the characters, they belong to Showtime and Cowlip, I also do not own the song "Save the last dance for me" by the Drifters.

Warnings: Slash, some strong language, homophobia.

Wow, final chapter! I can't believe I've actually finished writing my first Queer as Folk fan fiction! Hope it won't be my last! Thank you for everyone who has supported me and kept me writing, I love you all! ! ! Also, I'm totally open to any idea's or requests if people want me to write more x Hope you enjoy chapter 11, reviews much appreciated x

Chapter 11: No memories are stolen

"To Brian and Justin!" Debbie toasted happily, "may they have the best fucking life that's humanly possible!"

Everyone broke out into applause and cheering while Brian and Justin smiled embarrassedly.

"You two deserve it." Debbie smiled. "You've both grown up so much, but you'll always be my babies, do you understand me?"

"Yes, Mom." They both chorused, laughing, although they were both immensely touched by Debbie's words.

After this, all of their friends and partly family, (Brian's family couldn't make it, apparently. But for the first time in his life, it didn't bother him. If they were too sad to share in his happiness, it was their loss) came up to congratulate the happy couple. People were gushing and also shocked, they never thought they'd live to see the day they would be attending Brian Kinney's engagement party.

"Hey, Em!" Brian and Justin called, calling Emmett over.

Emmett danced to their side. "Yes? My b-e-autiful couple?" He breezed happily.

Justin smiled at Brian and then turned back to Emmett. "Brian and I talked it over..." he began ,and then grinned, "and we would like you to plan our wedding."

Emmett was silent for a minute and then he put his hand to his mouth as the tears welled up in his eyes.

"Oh my God..." he began, "thank you so much..." Brian and Justin grinned at such an "Emmett" display of happiness.

"Yay!" He said cheerfully, clapping his hands together. "Oh my God, there's so much to do!" He gushed. He hugged Justin tightly and then practically jumped on Brian. Brian grinned and returned the hug, something that slightly shocked Emmett.

"Would you mind not suffocating my fiancé?" Justin laughed. "I'm gonna go and talk to Mel and Linds." He told Brian.

"Okay, Baby." Said Brian, kissing Justin when Emmett finally let him go.

"You 'no, what?" Began Emmett, as soon as Justin was out of ear shot. "I never thought I'd see the day when Brian Kinney committed to any one man."

"Are you here to laugh at how the mighty have fallen, then?" Asked Brian half-sarcastically.

"No." Said Emmett, "I'm here to tell you how proud I am of you, Brian. It took strength to hide your emotions, but it took even more to set them free."

Brian actually found tears welling up in his eyes. "Well, Em, it might sound strange coming from me but...that means a lot, hearing you say that. Thank you."

Emmett smiled. "I...err...I feel like I owe it to you, Brian-" he began, "to tell you, that, I've always loved you. As my friend, even if I never really showed it." Emmett laughed slightly. "I guess I was an asshole too, and I'm sorry."

"Sorry is bullshit." Said Brian, catching Emmett off-guard. "I'm starting a fresh now," he continued, "with the wedding and, concentrating on my future with Justin and maybe even starting a family together-" he smiled at his own words, "I don't have time to regret the past."

"I think that's why everyone can't help loving you unconditionally," Emmett said, "because we all knew this Brian was in there somewhere."

Brian smiled at him.

"Also- " began Emmett, "if you two have a kid, will you call it Emmett junior?"

Brian laughed.

Justin kept sneaking glances at Brian from where he stood with Melanie and Lindsay, when he turned back to them he couldn't help grinning. He suddenly realised that Mel and Lindsay were grinning at him knowingly.

"What?" He asked.

"You can't stop staring at him." Said Lindsay.

Justin blushed.

"Oh, don't be embarrassed, I think it's adorable." Lindsay gushed.

"Congratulations, baby." Said Melanie, kissing him on the cheek, "as much as I never expected to say it, I hope you and Brian have an amazing life together."

"Thanks, Mel." Justin smiled, "I never imagined this day would come, I mean, me and Brian getting married." He continued, his smile permanently plastered to his face.

"I think it proves that if you love someone strong enough and hard enough, anything is possible." Said Lindsay, smiling happily. Overjoyed for Brian and Justin, but glad that her Brian had finally found happiness.

"Well," began Justin, "whatever scared Brian into action that night in the hospital, it must have been the most terrifying thing on Earth."

"The thought of losing you." Said Lindsay calmly.

Justin sucked in his cheeks. "What...never occurs to anyone..." he began slowly, "is that I nearly lost Brian, too."

Brian was generally mingling through the crowd until his eyes landed on something. Mikey was skulking alone in the corner. Brian knew Michael's body almost as well as he knew Justin's, and he could tell that the look on Michael's face meant that he wasn't happy.

"Hey, Mikey," said Brian walking up to him. "Enjoying yourself?"

"Yeah, sure." Mikey lied.

Brian sighed and gave up pretending. "so, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Said Michael immediately. Brian gave Michael a look and Michael caved under his best friend's knowing stare.

"Okay!" Said Michael angrily, "you've spend your entire life hating love, and commitment," he raged, "and you laughed at anyone that was a part of it!" Michael sighed angrily. "I think what you're doing is bullshit and you shouldn't be doing it." He finished.

"I love him." Said Brian finally, in a hard voice. "Don't you think I'm entitled to that?"

Michael sighed and walked up to Brian. "Of course you are," he said softly. He tried to reach out and touch Brian but Brian moved away.

"If you think me choosing to spend my life with Justin is bullshit-" Brian began, "then maybe you should just go." He said, gesturing to the door.

"I'm afraid of losing you!" Michael admitted.

Brian caved. "I'll always love you, Mikey, no matter what." He told Michael truthfully. "Even if you do disagree with my life and walk out that door I'm always gonna love you, not in the same way I love Justin, but you're my best friend," Brian sighed, "and that wasn't meant to change."

Michael couldn't help smiling at his best friend. "I want you and Justin to have all the happiness in the world, you deserve it." Michael told him. "I was just, scared, that I would be out of the picture."

Brian leant over and kissed Michael softly, as a friend.

"So," he asked, "do you want to give me away?"

Michael grinned.

...

"So," said Michael, "how about we all go for a drink at Woody's?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Cool."

"Okay, yeah."

Everyone agreed.

"Actually..." began Brian, causing everyone to look at him, "would anyone mind if I just took my winnings home?" He asked playfully, snaking an arm around Justin's waist and pulling him closer, causing Justin to smile.

"Ooh, go on then." Lindsay winked.

"have fun counting your socks." Said Debbie knowingly.

Brian grinned and pulled Justin out of the room, Justin raised his eyebrows in anticipation to everyone else and laughed.

...

"Err...Brian..." began Justin, looking out of the window of the Jeep as the sun came down. "You just missed the turn-in for the loft..." Justin looked at Brian but Brian didn't answer.

"Where are we going?" Asked Justin. Brian just smiled his patented "Brian Kinney" smile but kept his silence. Justin's forehead creased in confusion. What is he planning?

Shock covered Justin's face as they pulled up outside of St. James academy. Justin was speechless as Brian got out of the Jeep. "Brian..." Justin asked uncertainly, following him and getting out of the Jeep. Brian walked up to the main entrance.

"Brian!" Justin called, confused. "We can't just break in!"

"We're not." Said Brian, turning to Justin, "don't worry, I talked to your old Principle."

Justin confusedly followed Brian through the school and was shocked as Brian lead him into the ballroom, the same ballroom where his Prom had been held. Justin looked around the room uncertainly.

"Do...do you remember anything about the dance?" Asked Brian.

Justin shook his head. "I just remember the attack." Justin ached to remember that dance, according to Brian he had told him that it had been the best night of his life, and according to Daphne, their dance had been "un-fucking-real."

"What are we doing here?" Justin asked Brian, turning towards him.

"Rectifying a mistake." Said Brian, he stayed where he was for a moment and then walked over to the sound system in the room, where the DJ would have been with his decks.

Brian reached over and turned it on. Justin instantly recognised the song that played.

You can dance every dance with the guy who gives you the eye, let him hold you tight

You can smile every 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...

Justin watched cautiously as Brian walked slowly back to him, Brian took both of Justin's hands in his own and pulled him towards him, their eyes never leaving each others.

"No memories are stolen from you, Justin, even if you can't remember them," said Brian, he placed a hand over Justin's heart, stopping Justin's breath, "because they'll always be locked safely in your heart."

Justin looked up at Brian with pure love in his eyes and the pair began to sway romantically and intimately to the music.

"Brian," began Justin, "you are the man I've been waiting for, for all of my life." He ran a hand over Brian's cheek. "I love you," he began, "with all of my heart, and I always will."

"I love you, too." Said Brian, "more than you could ever understand."

"I love you with all of my heart, Brian." Justin repeated, staring into the eyes of his soul mate, "I don't ever wanna let you go. You are my soul mate." Brian looked down at Justin, he had never thought of it like that before, but he sure as hell liked the sound of it. "You're my soul mate, too." He answered, and he'd never been more sure about anything in his entire life. Brian sighed as he pulled Justin closer into him. "We've had so many mistakes, Sunshine," he said, "I remember, sitting in that hospital on the night you were bashed, and I honestly had no idea what I would do if I lost you," Brian could feel the tears streaming down his face. Justin looked up at Brian, pure love shining in his eyes. He tenderly wiped Brian's tears from his eyes. "Don't cry." Said Justin softly. Brian laughed slightly. "Don't worry about me," he said, "I'm just feeling a little, emotional." Ever so softly, Brian took Justin's hand in his own, and saw his own tears glistening on the tips of Justin's pale and perfect fingertips. He softly brought Justin's hand to his lips and tenderly kissed each of his fingertips, kissing away his tears, Justin's eyes fluttered at the feel of Brian's soft lips on his skin, and Justin knew that he wanted to feel those lips on him for the rest of his life. Brian's kisses were always so new and exciting to Justin, but at the same time, they were so very familiar. As Justin watched Brian tenderly wipe his own tears from Justin's skin with his sensual kisses, an act of love and affection so rarely seen from this strong, emotionally reserved man, Justin knew that he was deeply imbedded within Brian's heart, and as long as he was there, he was home.

But while we're apart, don't give your heart to anyone...

"You must have been so scared," said Justin softly, "I don't know what I would have done if that had been you in there..." he said honestly, physically shuddering at the thought as his brain quickly rejected the pain.

"I was." Brian admitted, "I just, prayed, that you would be okay."

"But you think religion is bullshit." Justin pointed out, "you don't believe in it, and you sure as hell wouldn't ask God for any help."

"I would have done anything," said Brian softly, "I would have paid any price, just to be able to hold you in my arms again and tell you how sorry I was for everything that I had done to you, all I wanted was to have a second chance to show you that I could love you."

"Despite, everything that happened..." Justin admitted slowly, softly stroking Brian's face, "I'm glad that you showed up, even if I had died, I would have been happy to know that the last thing I had done in my life was dance with you."

"That's what Michael said," said Brian, casting his mind back to that night, "It genuinely felt like you had saved your last dance for me, and as I sat there, regretting everything I'd ever done to hurt you andimagining all the things I could say and do to earn your forgiveness, hopingthat I could just look into your perfect eyes one last time, wonderingif I could ever stand up to God and say that I deserve you –" Brian looked into Justin's eyes and saw Sunshine staring right back, knowing that as soon as Justin got the chance to speak he would tell him that he had nothing to regret and he deserved him more than anyone else on the planet.

"But the only thing I knew-" Brian told his soul mate, "was that if I could just have one last dance with you..."

He and Justin rested their foreheads against each other and Brian breathed in Justin's scent deeply as he entwined their fingers together;

neither one prepared to ever let go.

"...I'd play a song that lasts forever."

The End