A/N Oh God... I have an interview... wish me luck lovelies...
The last of this is nearly all written and edited. Enjoy!

"I can't do this." I mumbled, running my hand through my hair.

"Yes you can baby. Deep breath." Edmund held me close, stroking my hair back after I mussed it. I took in another deep breath like he said and blew it out slowly.

"Do I look okay?" I frowned down at my black suit and again he tipped my chin back up to look at him.

"Déjà vu. You look perfect. Didn't I tell you to stop worrying. We went over how this will go. Just remember what you want to say and it will flow together nicely. You can do this Brendan. I am going to be right there. You may not be able to see me, but I am right there the whole time. Okay baby?" His voice was soothing. I wanted to curl into his arms and block out the world. Today, however, I couldn't.

I had to go for the interview. I had to go back to the station and do the event live. I had to remember all the things I wanted to say, and all the things I planned to avoid. I gulped and felt my man squeeze me against him for reassurance. It was time. No more standing around. He pulled back to take my hand and lead me to the elevator, just like last time.

"Which car do you want to take?" He offered to me. I shrugged. Did it matter which car you took to the execution block? I sighed at my own melodramatic thoughts.

"Let's take the comfy car today. It has darker tinted windows." I replied. He agreed and walked me to it. He buckled me in and I breathed in his warm, masculine scent as he hovered over my lap. I closed my eyes and pretended we were just going on another date. It was just another day. Just another day... that I would be baring part of my soul for the world to see. Sigh.

They ushered us in the door and took us to the makeup room. I was split up from Edmund and placed in front of a mirror while numerous people fussed over me. Edmund took very good care of me, so there was really little for them to do. Mostly it was just powdering my skin so my sweat didn't gleam under the lights. I tried to look over to Edmund a few times, but he was out of view.

"Come on, you are almost up." The man with a clipboard said to me. I nodded and followed him to the set. It was quiet in the hall and a light was on outside the room with 'quiet' in bright red letters. He whispered a few last minute instructions and checked me over. A microphone was clipped carefully to me and my clothes smoothed. He raised a finger to his lips and opened the silent door to lead me inside.

I watched with interest at the people who moved and adjusted the large cameras in the room. Another man gave hand signals to the different people behind the scenes. Vivian finished with the last guest and they said goodbye, gracefully bowing themselves off camera like a seasoned pro. He passed by me with a curious look and I gave him a quick, nervous smile.

"We have a special guest with us today, please welcome... Brendan Riley." Vivian was calm and composed in her cushioned seat as she watched me walk the plank. Although it was only a few paces from off camera to the set, it felt like a lifetime to step into the lights. Then they were shining down like small suns and I was trembling ever so slightly with my effort not to let my easygoing mask slip.

I gave a short greeting to her, with a brief kiss on the cheek and then waved casually to the camera. Eye contact for the audience meant looking into those hollow black lenses that sucked your soul out, if you let them. I was trying not to let it unnerve me. I was in one of my power suits, so my business mask was firmly at the forefront of my mind.

"So how does it feel, being a celebrity couple of the century and role model for the gay community?" She went for the jugular. I chuckled a bit at the direct cut to the chase and shook my head a little.

"You know Vivian; I am still not quite sure. It did not even occur to me that I would be either of those things when I asked my boyfriend, Edmund, out on our first date. I just went after what I wanted." I held her gaze with a gentle smile in place and she returned it with pleasure. That was the perfect entry for her into the next question, the one about my childhood.

"Is that why you left home? To go after what you wanted? Were your parents against you being gay?" She fired back with the ease of a long time reporter and interviewer. I licked my lips and took a moment.

"It was why I broke out on my own. I spent most of my childhood being the 'perfect son' and lost sight of what it was I wanted. I don't know if they are against my being gay. I didn't even know back then if I was, and they never asked." I replied. I remembered to glance in the direction of the camera, like I was told. It connected the viewers and made them feel like I was talking to them too.

"There was a rumour going around that you escaped an arranged marriage. Is that true?" She grinned conspiratorially at me and I grinned back, looking down almost shy.

"Yes. Unfortunately, these things still happen in this day and age. I suppose it was sort of a good thing, because being asked to marry someone I had never met made me take a step back and consider my life. Did I want to walk the path I was being herded down? Or did I want something else... and how could I get it?" I was getting more comfortable despite the awkwardness of the situation.

"How did you get it?" She leaned towards me.

"I walked away from everything I knew. I set up a job interview for a place I'd never been. I started over with whatever I had and became... myself. The hardest part was figuring out what you are supposed to do. It was a whole new world for me, but I think it was for the best." I concluded. I was smiling for real now as I thought of meeting Edmund for the first time.

"So just like that, life fell into place?" She gestured and sat back. I laughed and shook my head.

"No, no. Nothing is ever that simple. I had a really hard time. I couldn't cook. I had no idea how to clean. Hell, I wasn't even sure how people really socialised. I felt like I had been thrown in the deep end with no idea how to swim. It was tough, but I stuck it out." I was gesturing now too and we were laughing at the old me together.

"You must have been lonely." She said suddenly and I nodded again.

"Very. I thought about getting a cat, but I could barely take care of myself let alone an animal. I would never have forgiven myself if something had happened. I was getting a bit desperate when I finally got up the backbone to ask Edmund on a date." I mused and glanced back at that soul sucking camera. Did they understand out there? Did they love me too or was it just the hype?

"So he said yes...?" She began, I interrupted though.

"Oh yeah, but it was so nerve wracking. You'd think I was confident or something, but I was just shaking in my shoes. I had no idea what he thought of me... the big hot-shot executive asking him out all of a sudden in the office. He was really sweet though, easygoing, and I could tell he was really happy. I needed to get to know him. I wanted all his secrets on how he was so happy." I admitted with a boyish grin.

"And what were those secrets? Did he share them with you?" She asked me. I hesitated with a telling grin on my face. I glanced at the camera again coyly.

"Maybe." I shrugged and folded my hands. She let the pause hover between us.

"Are you going to tell us about them?" She encouraged me. I pretended to think about it.

"Okay, but not all of them. Some of them are just between us." I winked at her. "The first one is confidence in your decisions. I know many people in and around Edmund thought less of him for what he chose to do with his life, but that never stopped him. He did everything with his whole heart. His work, our relationship, and just being himself... they were all important to him."

"Didn't Edmund quit his job recently? He was working in your building until a month or two ago." She broke in and I laughed ruefully.

"Yes, that is what I am talking about. All this publicity has me running off my feet. I just don't have time for a lot of things and Edmund saw that I couldn't keep up. I am his full time job. He cooks, he cleans, and he does all my running around for me during the day. That way we can actually focus on each other in the evenings. I know his old job meant a great deal to him, so that he would give it up for me? Huge." I gulped. I could feel my voice wavering and she gave me a moment to collect myself.

"Wow. That sounds like one incredibly devoted man you got there." She had a hand pressed to her chest dramatically and I laughed a little. I just nodded. The words failed me. "Shall we bring him out now and get his side of things? Let's do that, I can see you are overwhelmed." The spotlight was off me now as the camera swiveled to the side as he walked in. I breathed a short sigh of relief and raised my eyes up to greet him.

He looked stunning. His hair was still a bit untamed and the slight wild edge to him had my chest fluttering. Those kind, fierce eyes captured mine even as he greeted Vivian. I got up from my seat and grinned when he leaning in for a quick kiss on camera. That was unscripted and very pleasant. I went to sit back down, but he held me still.

I looked up at him in confusion. What is he doing?

"If you will give me a moment Vivian." He said, not giving her time to reply before turning back to me. "Brendan, sweetheart, there is something I need to tell you...."