The Whole Thing

The Part With The Somewhat Happy Ending

He had taken a wrong turn. He understood that to keep driving from that point would be horrible. He'd no longer be the honourable family man but a man always on the run. He had to laugh at the irony. He had never run away from anything in his life until Noel Fielding convinced him to run away from his life altogether.

He continued driving down the wrong road, the road that happened to lead out of Cincinnati. After a while, he took off his tie and he knew he wasn't going back.

It was the day of Walter's funeral and he couldn't bare to go. He felt terrible for abandoning Julia but maybe she would understand... Julian laughed at his own thoughts again. She wouldn't understand and sure enough, after ten minutes had past, his phone was blowing up with calls from her.

They would die down eventually. He had to ignore them for both their good. She deserved a life without him, so did Arthur. They could rise like phoenixes from the ashes of their old life, from the burn of Walter's passing and from the burn of Julian leaving. They could do it. Julian had to leave not only for them to rise but to catch someone else before they fell to the flames. So he started driving to Philadelphia as it was written on the silver, glittery invitation.

Philadelphia seemed an incredibly weird place to be hosting a Ball but somewhat stereotypical for it to be a Ball for criminals. He rolled his eyes and tried to focus on the eight hours behind the wheel to come.

He stopped here and there for food, to wash his face and to buy a mask.

He felt stupid buying a mask at all. He was only going to see Noel Fielding again, if he would even be there. He had a fantasy of entering the giant hall and by fate, their eyes meet all the way across the room and they run into each-other's arms and kiss as if not even a second had been wasted. Yet Julian knew all too well that reality didn't work that way. He could dream about the way he wanted things to be all he wanted but he could not escape the nerves that suffocated him. Noel Fielding may not even want him back at all. A rejection would be the worst possible outcome. After a bit over four years to turn it all in now seemed gut-wrenching. He loved him and by god, he was an idiot for ever doubting that feeling.

Walter had been dying. Noel had to understand that, he had to. He withheld that information, of course Julian would be mad at him. He was back now and back for good. He wouldn't choose his family over him again. He'd make a new family with Noel, on the run or not. They'd have a family whether it was just the two of them or... Basically, whatever Noel wanted, Julian would be a fool to refuse. Though, he felt the success rate of same-sex criminal adoptions weren't that high.

He eventually arrived in Philadelphia. He had to stop and ask for directions to the event and luckily enough someone was attending the same function and lead Julian with their car.

Julian looked into his mirror, running a trembling hand through his oily hair before putting back on his tie. He grabbed the silver mask, strapped it on and hopped out into the open air. He thanked his guide and followed them up the stairs and into the wide entrance.

It was a lot classier than expected. He couldn't fathom the idea that all these well-dressed people were criminals. Maybe it was satirical. These woman in ball-gowns didn't look like they could hurt a fly... well, most of them. Maybe this party was for the rich to mock the petty thieves and dirty killers and genuine criminals figured it was a good place to hide. It was like hiding a leaf in a forest. He knew there couldn't be such a thing as a 'Criminal's Ball'.

He jogged down the steps and onto the marble dance-floor. His eyes rapidly searching for his criminal. Just as he was about to give up hope, someone offered him champagne and as he took the glass, someone else bumped into him.