Hermetically Sealed

A lot of his family's history is revealed in The Box. His brother was spoiled rotten and his father let Jim get away with a lot of bad behavior. His mother cheated quite a bit, even with teenage boys and nonblood relatives. As for Jeff. JP tried to help him get through his drugs, but you can only do so much if they don't want to change. Let me tell you, the kind, warm, fuzzy support method rarely works, and constantly forgiving someone for their addiction driven mishaps only acts to enable them. There just comes a point that you have to put your foot down and say enough is enough, and even that doesn't always work. I've dealt with this situation in my own family, and I can definitely see where JP is coming from, and though I don't agree with all of what he has done, in this issue I can sympathize.

Sorry, couldn't resist. I'm kinda with Brad; how did JP know where to send to Brian? Or did he just send it to Auntie Alex? Would be interesting to see if will gets a brother and a stepbrother/nephew about the same time. Phew, there's that family tree, getting all convoluted like again.

While I agree in theory, I have to disagree in practice. Brian has taken every opportunity to improve his life to instead hurt others. He could have learned when he was cheating on his bf, but instead used the chance to attack Matt. Instead of learning a lesson then, he then went to try and hurt JP and Wade. Then he took a third chance to become better and attacked Stefan, Brad and Robbie. Brian has only proved himself to be a narcissistic and vindictive individual who will take all opportunities to better his life at others expenses. Rationally, and based on precedence, if JP were to help Brian yet again, he would only use it to further hurt the family. And each time he gets put into his place, he escalates the scope of his "revenge". Would you really risk putting the gun in the hands of such a person simply to prove that you are the better person? Lets face it, you can only attempt to help someone so often before you just become a facilitator for their poor choices. Brian won't change just because of the free money and JP's feelings of family at any cost. He has to want to change for the better, and he isn't going to do that as long as someone else is just going to hand him money.

Or . . . maybe he decides to go out of state, say NYU?

I wouldn't call JP a sociopath. He feels empathy and guilt, after all. I'd say he's more emotionally awkward. He was brought up to be reserved, but winds up associating with a large group of people who don't know the meaning of the word, it's only natural that displaying those emotions himself is uncomfortable. While we did get a bit wild once he was truly on his own, it didn't take long for him to realize that he (and Jason) was getting out of control, and he backed away. A sociopath may have understood what he was doing that was unacceptable, but wouldn't have felt anything bad about it. Personally, I can't see JP killing Brian unless he attempts to actually murder one of the family. I think he will always hope deep inside that Brian will wake up and make a change in his life, but that doesn't mean he'll save Brian from his own folly.

Jake died of AIDS about the time that Sam did, back in Man in Motion, IIRC. ETA: Actually, I would place JP, Brad, and Clair as old money, and Robbie as new money. Stef is the odd one as his father was old money, but he grew up poor until he came to America and then built a fortune himself. So he's a bit of both.

Yeah, but Deke wasn't family. The only family member that was taken out was Bitty, and Alejandro did that. I don't know, maybe this will cross the point where he might go after family in that way, but It'd be doubtful.

You could always go ahead and post them so that we can see how great they are too. Just a suggestion . . .

Oh wow, so I do have a thread! Thanks much guys!

I have a birthday thread? Why, so I do. lol

It would certainly make my Birthday brighter.

I don't see the situation with Jeanine as solved really. This was a problem she probably realized that Brad just wasn't aware he was causing. This was more of a meeting to say, "Hey, I do like you, but you need to know that you are doing this and it is pissing me off." "Yeah, I am starting to see what a jerk I have been. I'm real sorry, and know that I need to improve." "Well, okay, but you'd better, or this could get ugly." The situation with Robbie is more complicated, and intimate than the one with Jeanine, so it is going to take more work on both sides to fix it. That said, I do agree that Brad isn't helping the relationship's chances much himself. If the two are too busy screwing others what motivation is there to work on the relationship? And at what point of screwing the entire gay population of California does Brad think he'll have balanced out Robbie hooking up with Carson?

Nice chapter. :3 Why do I see Carson pulling a Deke? I must also say, that hearing how Brandon took it, almost makes me feel sorry for him. That's a career killer right there for him.

So glad to see that they both are thinking above the belt. lol It was nice to actually see the two having a deep discussion and seeming to be in a better spot for it, even if they don't wind up sticking together.

Hmmmm. is that a good thing, or a bad thing? lol

I don't know, if he's there to offer himself as a sacrifice to Brad's plan, allowing him to create a scene to help convince Dan that they are over. Maybe let Brad vent out his spleen and get possibly physical as a step towards atonement. I don't necessarily believe that, but it would be nice. lol

First Carson will have to get a new phone. lol Oh, and all I have to say about 24 . . . boo to cliffhangers!

Very much so. And it isn't often that a writer (much less a self published one) is capable of such depth. Gotta enjoy them while you can.

We honestly have no way of knowing what is behind any of Robbie's motivation, nor what any of his actions really are. Remember, we are viewing him only through Brad's own skewed point of view. Would you really want others judging you based entirely on the narrative of someone who is upset with you, or even hates you? I'd imagine they'd get a very unflattering description of your behavior too. There is a lot of truth in what we see of Robbie from Brad, but there is a lot we don't see, and never will. Until the day comes that we actually see things from his perspective it's hard to say. At any rate, the point is kinda moot. You see in the character what you see, and I see what i do. Until things are completely laid out without a character's bias interfering in what we get to see, it's all perception. ::shrug:: ETA: I'd also say, that we really haven't seen much coddling of Robbie, even in MiM. Most of the treatment he's gotten has been "why isn't he past that already?", or "just deal." I could be wrong, as it's been a while since reading the past books, but i don't recall Robbie getting any therapy until after he killed Neil. And even during the time he was initially with Neil, Brad kept forcing Robbie into a tug of war between the two. I would also add, I am not excusing Robbie from taking responsibility for his actions. Even screwed up as he is, he still has many ways of reacting that could change things. I just feel that this is not a black and white situation (Brad noble and true, Robbie childish and slothful). Mark has always given his characters, even the non narrators, fairly complex psychologies, and that tends to make things not so clear cut. Again, YMMV.

That's a bit reductive, don't you think? Carson was a continued problem that wasn't going to go away and threatened to uncover the family's plans. Robbie spent several days working on goading him into doing something he knew would get him out of the way for the remainder of Brad's plan, and did it in a way to keep from blowing their cover. Even Brad was impressed by that. And let's face it, Robbie was pretty much trapped at the house, just what all was he supposed to do? Brad is more capable in many aspects, but his temper and sex drive/ego are his own flaws. If he doesn't have a plan ahead of time, he is far more likely to give into his knee-jerk reactions. Just look at how many times he has flown off the handle, only to readjust his position a few scenes later once he's stepped away from the situation; not just in this story, but even as far back as Be Rad. I think both are quite proficient at getting things done, when their heads aren't up their asses. Robbie needs to take control over his life, rather than just let himself be led around, and Brad needs to learn self-control in the face of the unanticipated. If they can do that, and both of them swallow their pride to make those changes, they'll be as powerful a couple as JP and Stef. YMMV however.

So . . . Brad has to defeat the family's seven evil ex's? Hmmm (Carson, Brandon, Janet, Lark, Dan, Brian, Carmichael . . . kinda works)

I still wonder if Max's mom is somehow involved. She was funding Lark while trying to get him back with Max when Robbie and Brad went over and decked him on their front lawn.

You know I wonder about that sometimes. I think it's one of those behaviors that in a normal, non-stress moment would come off as innocuous or barely noticeable. But since Brad is usually in a foul mood when he mentions the whining, he's likely to find most of Robbie's behaviors grating. lol It's like that friend with idiosyncrasies that you find endearing or laughable up to the day they really piss you off, and then you feel like strangling them every time they move or speak.

Oh i never suggested that. lol I just don't think you should buy a rooster and then bitch that it crows.