JUSTIN 

I FedEx the panels to Michael, but I know he'll see it as me forgiving him, when I'm just really ambivalent about it. Ted told us Michael and Ben broke up and that Michael is now going to insist Mel move to Pittsburgh. I called Daphne, because this shit will affect her.

“Hey, give me a minute.” She tells me. “Okay, I'm alone.” She tells me sighing. 

“What's wrong?” I ask her, because she's not her bubbly self.

“Hunter's having a hard time with them breaking up.” She tells me. 

“It's never easy to see your parents split up.” I tell her. 

“Michael’s acting like a jackass.” She tells me. 

“How does that surprise you?” I ask her. 

“I thought I got through to him when I stopped him from running off. Now instead of fixing his relationship with Ben, he’s going after Mel.” She tells me. 

“Which Mel can handle, so take care of Hunter, he's going to need you.” I tell her. 

“I think he's tired of hiding our relationship.” She tells me. 

“Why are you hiding it?” I ask her. 

“At first it was because he's younger than me, but now, because I don't want Michael involved. Hunter wants to be able to do things without feeling like he has to hide us.” She tells me. 

“Then don't let Michael hurt your relationship. Hunter can't be your secret if you love him.” I tell her, smiling when Brian mouths ‘Hunter and Daphne’.

“I know and that's why we're going to Sunday dinner at Deb’s together.” She tells me. 

“I can come if you need support.” I tell her. 

“Will you? Because I don’t see anyone having a problem with this but Michael. My parents like Hunter and just told us to be careful, which surprised me.” She tells me. 

“HIV isn’t who Hunter is, just something he has. They were able to see that. Even I told you that when you called.” I tell her.

“I don’t see the disease, I see him. I love him for not letting the world limit him.” She tells me. 

“Michael will give you both a hard time because he worries about his son. Just don’t let him get to you.” I tell her. 

“You might as well tell Brian, because I'm begging you to help me with this.” She tells me. 

I hang up and look at Brian, who's reclining on the bed. Climbing in next to him, I lay my head on his shoulder.

“So Daphne’s getting busy with the littlest hustler?” He smirks. 

“No, she finally fell in love for real this time. She sees him in her future.” I tell him. 

“He’s a good guy, just had a shit life.” He tells me. 

“She needs me to be there for her when they finally tell the family.” I tell him. 

 “WE will, so I guess we're going to Pittsburgh this weekend.” He tells me. 

“How do you think Michael is going to take this? Because she's worried about it.” I tell him. 

“Hopefully he'll see that Hunter’s happy. If he doesn't, he could lose Hunter.” He tells me. 

“I can’t believe I’m going to ask you this but I want everything to go well for her. Help Michael realize that it could be a good thing?” I ask him.

“I don’t know if he’ll listen, but for her and you, I’ll try.” He tells me.

BRIAN

I was sitting in the middle of the construction looking at the plans and trying to decide if it was better to let Michael know before they surprise him. I just think that he should see that, for Hunter, this is a good thing. Even though I still haven’t wrapped my mind around Daphne and Hunter together. It certainly explains a lot about how Hunter seems to know things, like us being in Pittsburgh, and why he would see Justin as a way to help Michael and Ben. Ben needs to be there too, because I have a feeling that we are about to ride into a storm with Michael.

“Brian, look I just don’t see any way to save my relationship, and dinner won’t help.” Ben tells me when I told him to come to Deb’s.

“It’s about Hunter, not you or Michael.” I tell him.

“Hunter’s fine, is there something else going on?” He asks me concerned.

“Your baby is bring a guest for dinner.” I tell him.

“So he’s finally going to tell us about the girlfriend?” He ask me.

“You know?” I ask him.

“I saw a text, so I suspected. I was waiting for him to tell me.” He tells me.

“Well, your baby managed to land a girl who will rock his world.” I tell him.

“You know who it is, don’t you?” He asks me.

“Justin knew, but like everything else, he doesn’t say anything until they let him.” I tell him.

“Hunter confided in Justin?” He asks.

“No, but Daphne did.” I drop the bomb.

“Are you kidding?” He asks.

“Nope, I never saw that one coming either. Apparently the three of them have kept this a secret for a few months.” I tell him.

“She’s a wonderful girl, so I don’t understand why I need to be at dinner. I can have them at my place later, so they know I approve.” He tells me.

“We are more worried about what Michael is going to do. Daphne isn’t going to sit and let him say anything she doesn’t like. I think we can at least stop Michael from going too far. Do it for Hunter.” I tell him.

“I’ll be there, but Michael isn’t my reason.” He tells me.

I look around at the building and it looks like the aftermath of a storm, but with a few nails it will once again be fixable. I just hope Michael doesn’t manage to destroy his relationship with Hunter when he finds out. Hunter’s the only one right now who still loves Michael.

MEL

When I saw Michael on my phone display, I wanted to break the phone. This was not the day to hear him piss and whine about his rights. Lindsay took the phone and silenced the ring.

“It’s our day to be happy.” She tells me.

I lay back down, we are waiting for the doctor to come in and start the procedure.

“Are you happy?” I ask her.

“The happiest I’ve ever been, we are about to be moms again. We are moving to a new home and starting a new life. I like that you're supporting me in my career.” She tells me.

“Lindsay, you landed a job in a major Gallery, of course I support you. Now I want you to start creating. You might never be famous, but it’s a part of you the way it’s a part of Justin. I want our kids to see that they need to be happy in what they do. That it’s not all about the money.” I tell her.

“I’m working on it, but love you for supporting me.” She tells me kissing me.

The doctor comes in and all of a sudden I’m giggling because I keep thinking of Brian calling it magical sperm. I finally stop when he inseminates me, and I lay there to wait for what will hopefully become a baby.

An hour later we walk out and I grab Lindsay’s hand and smile at how much she smiles now. I don’t care what Michael thinks he’s going to do, this is all I wanted for us to be happy.

I was sitting on my bed going over a file when my phone rang and I was thrilled to see Brian, not Michael, for once.

“Hey, Magical Sperm has entered the building.” I tell him.

“I’m so proud of the swimmers, but I need to get you and Lindsay to help us.” Brian tells me.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, worried.

“Nothing if you ask me, but I think Jenny could temper Michael when he meets Hunter’s girlfriend.” He tells me.

“Hunter has a girlfriend?” I ask, really happy for him.

“Yes he does, and she’s coming to dinner.” I tell her.

“You want me to send Jenny, why?” I ask him.

“Ben isn’t going to be any help if Michael queens out, but Michael won’t scare Jenny.” He tells me.

“What’s wrong with the girlfriend?” I ask him.

“Nothing, Daphne’s great, I just don’t think Michael is going to like it.” He tells me.

“Can I say ‘WOW’ without it sounding like an insult to either of them?” I ask him.

“I kept from saying ‘GO HUNTER’ so your being tame compared to me.” He tells me.

“I kind of want to see it.” I tell him.

“Then take the tickets I booked for you guys and come.” He tells me, hanging up before I can say anything.

I get up to tell Lindsay, because it might be gossip, but it’s really wonderful for Hunter.

“Mel, you're suppose to be resting, do I have to call and tell Justin?” She tells me, laughing.

“I thought you would like to know that we are going to Pittsburgh to protect Hunter when he introduces Daphne to Michael as his girlfriend.” I tell her, walking away.

“Get back here, how did you find out?” She asks me, pulling me in her lap.

“Brian called and asked me to bring Jenny, in case Michael runs his mouth. You know he’s really careful about what he says in front of her.” I tell her.

“We can share our news, he’ll be too busy telling us we shouldn’t have done it. We can take one for the team.” She tells me.

I get up and realize I’m as bad as Emmett, because I’m dialing Ted.

“Hey, so everything went okay?” He asks me.

“There isn’t a lot to it, just lay there and let the sperm do it’s job. I’m calling because if I’m attending dinner at Deb’s this weekend, so are you. Our little Hunter has a girlfriend.” I tell him.

“That’s great but why are you coming here?” He asks me.

“So that Lindsay and I can support Hunter and Daphne.” I tell him, giggling when he goes silent for a minute.

“We’ll be there.” He says and hangs up.

TED

I started laughing when I realized that that’s how Hunter seemed to know so much about Brian and Justin. Daphne was telling him. Blake walks in smiling as I try to get my laughter under control.

“Hunter’s dating Daphne.” I tell him.

“I know.” He tells me.

“Wait, how do you know?” I ask him.

“I’ve seen them together. They can’t seem to keep their hands off each other. Well as long as they thought no one was watching.” He tells me.

“You managed not to tell anyone?” I ask him.

“I figured they would tell when they were ready. I know Justin knew, but like him, I kept it to myself.” He tells me.

“Is it bad that I want to call Emmett to tell him?” I ask him.

“I think that good news is great to share.” He tells me.

I dial Emmett.

“Hey Teddy, I’m here for the week, you and Blake want to meet Drew and I for lunch?” He asks me.

“Sure, I can tell you about the things going on.” I tell him.

We agreed to meet at the bistro across town. Emmett and Drew were sitting there waiting for us when we arrived. I let us get our orders out of the way to tell Emmett about Hunter.

“So what’s the big news?” Emmett asks me.

“Hunter and Daphne are dating.” I tell him.

“Oh My God, that girl is going to get it for not calling me.” Emmett pulls out his phone. 

“Princess, do you have something to tell Aunty Em?… Honey you made it into the grapevine, and once that happens, we all know… I’ll bring Drewsy to kick his ass if he says one thing… love you too Sweetie.” Emmett tells her then hangs up.

“We are going to have to go support my princess and her man.” Emmett tells us.

“Michael might accept it.” Blake says in a way that sounds like he doesn’t believe it either.

“Well let’s toast to Mel, she went to get pregnant today.” I tell them, getting off the subject, but almost wished I saved my ears from Emmett’s squeal.